Two new web resources for wedding planning

I am fighting a brutal death cold this weekend, so I am laying in bed surfing the web looking at wedding stuff (true, it's what a lot of my Saturday nights consist of even when I'm not sick.)  I came across two awesome sites tonight that I wanted to share with you.

The first site answers two questions that I get from my brides all the time. The first... how do I ask those people who haven't returned their RSVP card yet whether or not they're coming?  It's an awkward phone call to make, especially when the guest in question is your boss or someone from your parent's guest list that you have never met before.  Well www.rsvpservices.com has answered that question for us!  For just $99.00-$159.00 (depending on your package choice), you get your own 800 number and webpage where your guests can RSVP, making guest tracking waaaay easier and doing away with the need for response cards and their postage!  The best part though, is that they will follow up with the non-responders either via automated phone call (the $99.00 package) or with a live operator (the $159.00 package).  The second question this site answers... how do I tell my cousin that the four other people she RSVP'd for are not invited to the wedding?  As part of the $159.00 package, rsvpservices will call those who have invited the uninvited and gently share the news with them.  

The second site is a great way to get an idea of what your wedding budget should be based on your geographic area.  At www.costofwedding.com you can enter your zip code and it will give you a range of budgets for local couples and the breakdown of how much couples in your area spend on each facet of their wedding.  I pulled a couple of the budgets that I had made for Sacramento couples and compared it against the breakdown for Sacramento weddings on www.costofwedding.com, and they are really, really close!  I still recommend hiring a wedding planner who will customize your budget for you (like we do)... but this site is a great way to determine what a realistic budget is for a wedding in your neighborhood.

Wishing you all the sweet life,

<3 Jackie

Our new revamped "Day of I Do" Package - Let them Eat Cake!!

When I started designing and coordinating weddings, I had one goal in mind... make sure that the couple of the hour can enjoy their wedding day without worrying about the details.  At one of our weddings a few months ago, as I was offering my congratulations to the bride and groom just before their big exit, the beautiful bride turned to me and said, "Everything was perfect, I just wish I had had the time to eat!  I'm starving!"  I realized that this has been a common theme at nearly every wedding I have attended and coordinated.  The poor bride and groom never get to eat the delicious meal or the gorgeous cake that they spent months picking out!  I realized as the wedding coordinator, I needed to rectify this situation ASAP!

So was born the new and improved "Day of I Do Package."  It includes all of the services that we have always offered, with a few awesome upgrades... including delivery of your cake, a bottle of champagne, and a plate of your scrumptious dinner and hors d'oeuvres to your honeymoon suite, or packaged up for you to take with you.  We will even take a moment to decorate your honeymoon suite with candles and rose petals while we're there.  Here's a look at the new and improved services included in our "Day of I Do Package:"


~ Preparation for your Wedding Day ~
• Initial consultation
• Unlimited phone, email, and face to face communication
• Work with you to develop a detailed wedding day itinerary
• Distribute necessary itinerary information to vendors one week before the event
• Distribute detailed wedding day itinerary to bridal party one week before the event
~ Rehearsal ~
• Organize wedding rehearsal
• Be on site to direct the rehearsal
• Coordinate rehearsal dinner (if applicable)
~ Wedding Day ~
• Unlimited hours of service on your wedding day – on site
• Manage wedding vendors per your instructions
• Manage wedding party – making sure everyone is where they need to be at the right times
• Coordinate the bridal parties’ refreshments (if applicable)
• Transport bridal party personal items from prep location to reception location for after event pick-up
• Coordinate and supervise all vendor set-up and clean-up at ceremony and reception sites
• Set up decor at ceremony and receptions sites
• Organize and distribute all person flowers to wedding party, family members and special guests
• Provide Bridal Emergency Kit – aspirin, energy bars, mints, sewing kit, etc.
• Facilitate the wedding ceremony
• Oversee ushers and guest book attendants
• Make sure that all members of the wedding party are looking picture perfect
• Properly line up processional and cue musicians
• Ensure all necessary items (wedding rings, marriage license and other supplies) are on hand
• Transfer items from ceremony to reception (i.e. gifts/gift table)
• Place guest book, table names, place cards, favors, toasting glass and serving set per your instructions
• Coordinate entertainment and all announcements/events during reception
• Deliver payment of vendor tips and balances and obtain receipts for balances paid
• Collect and return items/rentals to vendors
• Ensure that presents and cards are collected after the wedding
• Discreetly manage any situation that may arise
• To top off the evening, your honeymoon suite will be decorated with rose petals and twinkling candlelight and a plate of food and cake from your wedding and a bottle of champagne will be waiting for you. (Or we will box up your food, cake, and champagne for you to take home with you if you prefer.)

*Remember to always ask us if there's something else you would like included in the package.  We are here for you and will cater to you in every way possible to make your wedding day perfect. Additional fees may apply for some additional services.  

The best part is... Our Day of I Do Package still starts at only $195!  Contact us today for your free consultation and to hear more about our awesome new package!

Wishing you all the sweet life,

<3 Jackie

What is glamping??

Sorry for my long absence from posting!  I've been working on a lot of awesome new package components that we will be debuting in a few months, so stay tuned for announcements regarding these new packages!  Today I wanted to address a wedding trend that seems like it couldn't be less expected... glamping.

Glamping is a mixture of glamour and camping and it has become a huge wedding trend since Matthew McConaughey's camping themed soiree.  This is not your traditional roughing it... we're talking high-end safari tents and lots of amenities.  Some brides are choosing to set up a glampsite for their wedding party and/or families, while others are just working the glamping theme into their wedding by setting up a children's tent, bourbon tent, or lounge tent or by incorporating common camping elements like s'mores and trail mix.  The best part about a full-fledged glamping wedding?  After the reception concludes, the party can continue around the campfire!

So what does wedding glamping look like?

Here's a bridal suite glamping tent:


and an entire bridal party glampsite:

with the interior:


There are companies who are now specializing in these luxury popup hotels and are offering them for as little as $375/day for a tent with accommodations for two adults.  If you're interested in a glamping themed wedding, call us today!