Partner Vendor Spotlight: Soigne Productions and My Wedding Day!

Wonder how essential it is to have a wedding planner there, at least day-of, to execute your wedding plans? Even wedding planners need them.

The first vendor I hired after getting engaged was my old friend Tonya with Soigne Productions. I did my first eleven weddings back in 2012 while interning for her in Santa Barbara and never turned back. Her killer work ethic, calm demeanor, eye for style, and excellent reputation convinced me from the start that I would need her on my wedding day to see through all the planning I had spent months on!

As expected, my wedding went off without a hitch. I'll forever be grateful to Tonya for a memorable day and all the mentoring she has provided to me.

She recently featured my July 2016 wedding on her blog, so check it out!

Bright Pink Wedding at the Fess Parker Doubletree

We absolutely loved working on Alex and Carson's wedding at the beachside Fess Parker Doubletree. Alex actually interned for me a while back and I was so honored when she chose me to plan her wedding day. First up was choosing the location, and the dramatic rotunda was chosen to host both the ceremony and reception. Alex loved color, and chose to carry a bright pink bouquet while her bridesmaids carried petite white bouquets. Color was also key at ceremony, with a hot pink bougainvillea arbor marking the ceremony spot. 

After the kiss, the couple went and took portraits on the beach, which is right across the street from the venue. Guests were treated to a whimsical seating card display with fun earrings acting as clips to hold escort cards. Long tables were setup for dinner and featured tall gold candelabras mixed with low and lush floral centerpieces. At each setting, mini baguettes served as an edible place card. And finally, Bella Vista Designs setup colorful and dramatic lighting in shades of pink and purple which created the perfect atmosphere for the a wicked dance party.

Wedding Photographer: Michael & Anna Costa | Wedding Location: Fess Parker Doubletree Resort

Wedding Photographer: Michael & Anna Costa | Wedding Location: Fess Parker Doubletree Resort | Wedding Planner: Soigne Productions | Florals: NLC Productions | Hair and Makeup: TEAM | Lighting: Bella Vista Designs | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Ceremony Music: Organic Strings Quartet | DJ: Patrick Butler Entertainment | Videography: Like a Letter | Childcare: Mummy's Day Off | Cake: Anna's Bakery | Linens: La Tavola

 

Confessions of a Planner-Bride

After a brief hiatus, I am back a married woman! Planning my own wedding was extremely all-consuming for 9 months, so I decided to put my business on the back-burner for the time being. To be honest, this made me feel super guilty! I love having my business, planning weddings, writing posts about my very favorite topic, and working to expand my knowledge and client base. But, I knew this was the best choice, both for myself and for my clients. I had a feeling I would not be able to give the focus needed to plan others' weddings, while constantly thinking about and planning my own. I have come out on the other side a better, and more compassionate, planner!

Throwing my own wedding was SO different from planning someone else's. The planner has the easy job of finding fantastic ideas and vendors! The bride really does the dirty work of sticking to budget (no matter how AMAZING overhead chandeliers would be!), making tough decisions, keeping track of all the little things that need to get done, and keeping the family happy. It was the most fun and beautiful learning experience of my life and I am so much better for it.

I CAN'T WAIT to post photos from my wedding once I get them (damn beautiful film and it's long wait time!), but until then I'll have to patiently wait.

For now, here are some lessons learned from one planner-bride to the next.

1. Spread out your day as long as you can

You'll hear it time and time again, but it's because it's so true! This day flies by, and it was hard to pinpoint why. Once my girls zipped me into my dress, life moved in fast forward! We took photos here, we took photos there. Next thing I know I am walking down the aisle on my dad's arm breathing heavy and looking at my fiancé at the altar! The ceremony was about 5 seconds long (in my mind), millions of family photos were over in a snap, and before I knew it I was (a bit drunkenly) climbing into bed with my new husband! I am glad we took one point, while taking photos on the beach, to stop and tell each other to soak it all in- this is our wedding day- we just did this! Because that was, literally, the only time in the night that we were able to do so.

2. Put in the time to make it truly the most special day

As I have mentioned (and is somewhat obvious in itself), planning a wedding is HARD work! All of the decisions, phones calls, emails, payments, creativity-- it's draining. There were times when I wanted to say "F*ck it!" because I just had so much on my plate. I was tired and busy and had no free time! For example: taking dance lessons with my dad for 6 months was difficult on my schedule and honestly was super stressful! If we were taking the time to learn this Waltz, we wanted it to be good! Nonetheless, we put in the time and practice and we pulled it off without a hitch! My guests told me they loved the dance and that we did it so well, which made it all worth it in the end. Plus, it was a great bonding experience for my dad and I. Is there anything cuter than a Waltz with your tuxedo-adorned father? Mush.

 

"Extra" aspects of a wedding, like this, can be easy to pass on when feeling overwhelmed, but it's these extra amounts of effort that really show through to your wedding guests and make for an even more memorable day.

3. Make an extra effort to keep a balance between budget and vision

 

When I started my wedding planning, I had a basic vision but the smaller details came together as I got a feel for what I wanted our wedding to be like- the vibe I wanted to give off- the theme I wanted to develop. I started to delve into years of my Pinterest boards to find what I needed to have to make our day phenomenal.

However, as the planning got underway, there were certain things I was a little heartbroken to let go of to make room in the budget for other items. I had to reconcile the fact that sticking to my budget meant hard decisions, but that, ultimately, it would make for an event that I could live with once it was all over. Indeed, I opted for a custom made, humongous 'W' marquee light in lieu of hanging elegant chandeliers over the reception space. While both were my (expensive) "must haves," I could not incorporate both and am glad to say I am happy with my choice!

Things to think about when making a tough budgetary decision: What will your guests notice? What will they love? What will make the biggest statement? In 20 years when you look back at your wedding photos, which one will stand out more to you?

 

Our wedding was perfect, this process was FUN, and I could not be more grateful to have found an industry and job that truly speaks to me! Plus, my new hubby is pretty darn cute too!

Me? A Bride?!

The time has come, I am officially planning my own wedding! I have, of course, been unofficially planning it for a couple years though (I'm not ashamed!). The greatest guy in the world got down on one knee on September 27, so I am about 7 weeks into our engagement.

There was very little I could do until we looked at venues, chose one, and picked a date. That could not happen until we were able to make it down to Santa Barbara, our destination of choice. And even THAT could not happen until I got back from my vacation in Japan, which was coincidentally timed for 2 weeks after our engagement. This drove the planner in me CRAZY! Hence, I survived.

So what have I done in the first 7 weeks?

 

We chose our wedding party!

We chose who we want by our sides on the most important and emotional day of our lives! I asked mine in a cute way- custom wine bottle labels and cutesie hair ties for the bridesmaids, and a sweet gift set for my maid of honor. Carson chose his, but will be asking them soon so I can't spill the beans! It's so important to choose these people wisely. They will have input on your wedding, will be there to help (hopefully!), and you'll want to look back 40 years from now and still love those people dearly. Plus, your maid of honor and best man have a lot of planning to do themselves for the bachelor/ette parties and showers! Choose wisely :)

We chose a venue!

We made it down to Santa Barbara the weekend after I returned from my trip. We saw 4 venues in one day (poor Carson must have been exhausted), and ultimately were deciding between two by the end of the day. I had made appointments at all the venues before I left on my trip. This is required/highly suggested so that you can meet with the point person at the venue, get all the details and specs on the site, and ask all your questions. You want to make sure the venue is a good fit for both your vision, as well as your necessities. Our vision involved glamour, a beach view, and an outdoor setting. Our necessities included wheelchair accessibility and availability in July or September. We placed some holds on both venues, but knew by the next day which one we wanted to go with. Here is our venue!

Fess Parker Doubletree-- Image by Melissa Musgrove Photography

 

We booked a photographer!

Photos are everything to me. I take photos (probably too many) of everything. I stalk wedding blogs and gush over the photography in them. I have known for a while that I would love to book Michael and Anna Costa Photography for my wedding one day, so they were one of the first vendors I reached out to once I got engaged (before we even had a venue or a date!). Other than videography, how else will you remember all the smiles, outfits, facial expressions, and décor without beautiful pictures that you'll cherish forever? I reached out to Anna right away, booked my date as soon as I could, and scheduled our engagement photo shoot. I highly recommend doing your engagement shoot with the photographer you'll have at your wedding so that you can meet, and sort of "practice" for the big day! Having a rapport with the photographer will make you more comfortable in front of the camera, and he or she will learn what types of poses do and do not work for you and your honey. I also chatted with her about my outfit choices for the engagement shoot, and she some great recommendations! Maybe she is just an all-star though and not all will be so helpful ;)

 

We booked a florist!

Similar to our photographer, I've known for a few years after working in the biz (very technical term for the wedding industry) that I wanted (no, NEEDED) NLC Productions to do our flowers. Nico's work is stunning, ethereal, and makes me question reality with what he is able to do with floral design. Plus, he is a fun, bubbly, sassy man with amazing style and taste. I reached out to him, prematurely, as well, and secured him for our date as soon as I could. One simple phone call explaining my vision to him, he was able to put together a proposal for me and the descriptions paired with the images he sent blew me away! Needless to say, and I am SO excited to see the end result. With him, as well as other vendors who are important to you, I would recommend reaching out to them as soon as you know you might want them. They can get to work on your proposal before you even have a date, so that once you do, you can get your wedding on the books immediately before someone else snatches them up! Having a team you are STOKED about is a great way not to let stress happen or get to you!

NLC Productions

 

I made wedding dress appointments!

Unfortunately, I made said appointments the weekend after Thanksgiving! Not my smartest move, but, hey, it was the only time my sister/maid of honor was in town so it had to be done. I am SO excited to try on dresses! Another thing I obsess over regularly is wedding fashion. While I adore the recent trend of non-white dresses, I myself am a white-dress type of bride and have dreamed of that dress my whole life! I'll be doing my shopping in San Francisco, and almost all of those dress shops require appointments. If you are limited on weekends like me, make those appointments early! I made mine about a month and a half beforehand so we have a great schedule allowing time for lunch, travel, etc. When searching for the right shops to go to, I simply Googled my favorite bridal designers and looked at their "locations" pages to find stores near me. Don't know what designers you like? Pinterest is your best friend. Start with a certain style, and when you see one you like, check out their website to see if you like more in the collection. It's also important to establish your budget before your appointments so you don't fall in love with something you simply cannot afford. Talk about heartbreak :(

 

What else? I have booked a couple other vendors and made some inquiries (musicians, hotel room blocks, babysitter, cake). We've got about 7 months to go, so I want to get as much done now as I can and hammer out those details in the months to come. I would definitely rather be stressed out now than a month before the wedding! We also chose a date for my bachelorette party and bridal shower which are going to be so AWESOME! This journey has just begun and I am loving every minute of it!