Northern California Wedding Show | Top 3 Wedding Registries

Traditions have changed over the years so we have noticed that couples aren’t always needing a toaster or a new set of dish towels after saying I Do - so how does this shift impact wedding registries? While registries may look a little different for the modern couple, couples are just shifting towards alternative options such as honey funds, travel funds and even cash.

If you are a data nerd like us, you can check out the 2020 WeddingWire Wedding report for all sorts of stats https://go.weddingwire.com/newlywed-report and then read on for our top three wedding registry recommendations!

Photo by TreCreative

Here are the top 3 registries that we recommend:

1. Zola “Everything you need in one place”
   We agree - Zola has great features to a handy & free wedding website, wedding invitations, RSVP options and of course the registry options that allow to connect with virtually every retailer. For more information visit https://www.zola.com/

2. VEBO “A Registry for Experiences”
   You don’t have to go far to plan an experience and VEBO lists ideas like Hot Air Balloon Rides to Wine Tasting to traveling within the U.S and Internationally. Couples can also select charities or link their registry with Bed Bath & Beyond for more traditional household items.
   For more information visit: https://vebolife.com/

3. Honeyfund “We make Honeymoons Happen”

   Take it from us - don’t put off your Honeymoon this is an amazing time to enjoy and relax after all of the months of detailed planning. A honeyfund option is great for couples who would like to allow their guests to contribute towards their travel plans. Everything from upgrading your room, sending a bottle of champagne or chipping in for an island adventure.. guests are a part of the memories. For more information visit https://www.honeyfund.com/

We want to hear all about your dream Honeymoon and hope you’ll find the perfect plan for you! Be sure to check out our Facebook Group - Northern California Wedding Show where we’ll be bringing all of the local pro’s together virtually to share in the excitement for your day!

Northern California Wedding Show | Wedding Stationery Tips

With all of you family members hitting you up for details, you'll want to be sure to include all of the pertinent information within your wedding invitation suite.  What's included in a wedding suite? That depends on formality and the budget you have set for the invitations.

First decide on the formality of your invitation

We won't reinvent the wheel, there are many resources for finding the appropriate wording for your specific family dynamic and formality (are parents hosting, do you have a blended family..) each wedding invitation is different. You can read all about etiquette over on Emily Post's website

Then set a budget for your stationery

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Avoid scrolling on Pinterest or Etsy until you have set a realistic budget for your invitations.  Why? Well it isn't fun to fall in love with an invitation design that is $6 per invite when your budget allocates for $1.50 per invite (when you have 150+ guests that is a huge difference!) 

Decide on a wedding website or consider adding a details card

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

Wedding websites are typically free unless you upgrade to a custom domain and this is a great way to share hotel accommodations, things to do, information about the venue, more details about the wedding party, gift registry or even just to share some more of those epic engagement photos! You can create a free wedding website over on sites like WeddingWire, or Minted to name a couple.

Printing & postage 

Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash

If you found a digital download suite make sure to consider how much the printing will be, where you will print and if the printer isn't local - factor in shipping.  In addition, you will need postage for the outer envelope and if you are doing a physical rsvp card you will want to have a stamp for that envelope with your return address ready to go. 

All of this invitation talk making you dizzy? Speak with your wedding planner about where to start, or mark your calendars for our first virtual bridal show in April where you can meet with local wedding pro's!

Northern California Wedding Show | Choosing your wedding photographer

You are going to spend a lot of time with your wedding photographer between your engagement photos and wedding day.  Choosing a photographer that you vibe with and that understands your style/vision is a big decision, here are our tips for choosing the best photographer for your wedding!

Tip: Don't just email or message a photographer on Facebook and ask "how much" because there is so much more than price to consider! 

Check out full galleries

Photo by Diane Nicole Photography

Instagram is not full picture of what a photographer can do, so if you are able to view full galleries or a more in-depth portfolio for that represents the amount of coverage you are looking for it will give you a better understanding of what you can expect the photographer to deliver.  Do you love candid, unposed photos that really capture emotion? Look for a photographer who has a good mix of the portraits and fun candid shots!

Set-up a meeting or video call

Photo by Pedro de Sousa on Unsplash

Getting a chance to sit down with potential photographers allows you to get to know their personality and what they are passionate about in their business.  Do they love the same reality show that you do, or have the same obsession for french bull dogs? Maybe their strong sense of community service and giving back will shine through and you'll connect with their values.  Bottom line, a photographer is an artist and a creative business owner who wants to connect with their clients on a deeper level than just being the cheapest option around. 

Contract & Pricing 

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Understanding what is included in the various photography packages will help you decide on what is the best fit for you.  The benefit the of working with a professional photographer who has a contract with a clear outline of their packages, turn-a-round time, policies for cancellation is the reassurance of knowing that you are covered.  Working with a friend or family member on a verbal basis is rolling the dice in many ways, not only is there not a clear expectation of what they will provide but what is their back up plan if a camera fails or they can't make it?  A professional will have plans in place and safeguards that come from years of experience.

There are so many great wedding photographers in Butte County, we know you will find the perfect option for you! If you need help reaching out to potential photographers, feel free to drop a comment below or reach out on our contact page!

Northern California Wedding Show | Fall Wedding Planning Tips

Fall is just incredible in Northern California and aside from watching all of the leaves change colors - we’ve been swooning over all of the incredible fall weddings! Engagement season is already around the corner so if you are hoping to book a wedding venue in for your upcoming fall wedding check out our top tips!

Photo by kindred weddings

Sunset First - Before choosing your ceremony timeline look up the sunset on your date and discuss the optimal timeline with your wedding photographer & wedding planner. From there your wedding team will create a timeline to make the most of your photography coverage, access at your venue and of course time with your friends & family to celebrate!

Tis the season - Seasonal menu that is! Work with your caterer to look for ways to bring in fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits to accentuate the abundance of the fall harvest. If you are having a destination wedding, this is a perfect way to blend your theme with your setting and really set the tone for your guests.

Weather Contingencies - Rest assured that your plan b is rock solid so that you don’t have to sweat any changes in the forecast. Your wedding team will have resources and suggestions for creating a back up plan for heat, or even chilly weather from ground fans, evaporative coolers, shade umbrella’s and more.

Scope it out - Check out some wedding galleries from weddings that have taken place around the same time of year at your wedding venue. This gives you a good idea of what will be in bloom, what areas stay shady and best photo areas to plan around. Your wedding planner or venue coordinator can walk you through ideas and focal points to give you some options for decor placement and how to maximize your budget while complimenting the setting.

We hope to see you in our virtual wedding show so hop over to our Facebook Group and send us a request to join - This will be your place to share your excitement for your wedding and connect with local wedding pro’s. No sales pitches only great folks sharing their passion for weddings & events!

Northern California Wedding Show | Social Media and Wedding Planning

Instagram sure is pretty! Does it tell the whole story though? Technology has changed the way that the world communicates and interacts with one another. We can instantly search for a product or service, and connect with someone across the globe who has the same passion and interests that we do - it’s pretty amazing. Social media allows us to engage with our friends, family and favorite trends all while on the go or relaxing at home. We spend less time on the phone speaking with businesses and service providers because we have their website and social media at our fingertips. 

When booking services for your wedding, there are great tools out there from Pinterest to Etsy and Zola - endless sites to help make all of the planning come together smoothly. How should couples connect with prospective wedding vendors - do they first look for Yelp Reviews, ask their friends and family for advice on who they recommend, or attend wedding shows in their area? For some couples it may be a combination of all three of those but our recommendation aim for either arranging a video chat/phone session or planning to arrange an in person consult with prospective wedding vendors so that you can all take time to ask questions and get a good vibe.

We all love the instant gratification of reading reviews, receiving an email or the ability to seamlessly book a service online, however it doesn't replace the benefit of forming relationships with your planner, photographer, DJ or florist etc.  That’s why we have created a virtual wedding show to allow couples to learn the story behind each business and connect with wedding vendors in a setting that doesn’t feel as pressured as some of the traditional bridal shows. The biggest goal for us is to connect couples with the local wedding pro’s who have so much heart & passion for what they do, and hopefully help couples feel like they didn’t have to do all of the research on their own!

Be sure to join our private Facebook Group and stay tuned for the first announcement of the show dates!

Northern California Wedding Show | Guest Seating Tips

To assign seating or not assign seating, that is the question.

What if you can do the best of both worlds? Assign seating for your immediate family members and wedding party if they won't be seated at a head table but leave the rest of the seating open for guests.  

This allows you to make it simple for your family to find their seat and if they have been doing photos after the ceremony they may be the last to be making their way over to the reception area to find a seat.  It also keeps mom and dad happy because they have their family seated close by and they have a great view of your table.

image courtesy of Sourced+Co.

If you've elected to use assigned seating for all of your guests be sure to not only have a copy of the list for your coordinator or banquet captain but also a map of where the tables should be placed.  So if your best friend is at table 6, consider where table 6 should be in relation to your table and sketch out a simple layout for reference.  

Stressed about seating? Ask your wedding planner, or venue, caterer, photographer for ideas on how to make a seamless seating arrangement for your wedding reception!

Northern California Wedding Show | Top 3 Wedding Trends for 2018

When you work in the wedding industry or even in the fashion and design world, you see a lot of trends that come and go.  What we love most is when couples put their own fun twist on a trend or find a classic style and make it their own.  This post is all about the trends on the horizon for 2018 wedding season!

1. Jewel Tones - Don't be afraid of color! In fact the rich tones and textures of the jewel toned trend is exactly what draws us in and make it feel so romantic.  

Image via Pinterest

2. Al Fresco - Can you say greenery? We love the understated elegance that comes with the less is more approach to Al Fresco style designs! From the words of Style Me Pretty: "Al Fresco weddings are warm and welcoming, inspired by the home and family style dinners. Initially part of the California vineyard scene, Al Fresco weddings now rule the wedding world - achieved by the use of open-air tenting, whimsical lighting, and long, rustic and elegant feasting tables in any locale."

3. Personalization - A cohesive "wedding brand" is the perfect way to tell the story of your wedding and putting the focus on the unique storyline of your relationship.  If you love sailing or adventuring together, you can incorporate this adventure them into many facets of your day.  Custom stationery is another way to personalize your wedding, take it from Carey at the Idea Emporium, "creating cool shit for weddings" is definitely in.

Image by Jose Villa, Designed by Idea Emporium featured on Style Me Pretty

If you want to read the full report on trends from around the globe, check out the International Wedding Trend Report for 2018!

Butte County Weddings | Choosing A DJ For Your Wedding

An iPod is not a DJ.  There we said it.  Despite articles telling you how to save money and any hints that you have heard to cut a DJ out of the budget; read on about hiring a DJ. 

Uplighting, Monogram and Dance Floor - The Wedding DJ

If you have been to a wedding as a guest recently, chances are you remember certain aspects more than others.  For some guests the food and beverage options are what sets a wedding apart from others, but for many it is the music and whether the DJ kept them dancing all night long.  

Engaging a group of 150 to 200 people is not simply pressing play on a list of songs, it is understanding the ebb and flow of an event and the momentum that builds throughout the order of events.  For example after dinner time when guests have been sitting and having conversations at their table for the past hour or so, a DJ will need to be able to get the guest's attention for the formal dances, cake cutting etc and hold their attention until the open dancing starts.  There is a distinctive ability to emcee a wedding with minimal announcements on the microphone.  This isn't bingo, its a wedding! 

So when you are planning your wedding and envisioning your reception, think about your preferences on how a DJ would handle requests by your guests to hear songs.  Should these be collected with your RSVP's or are guests okay to request songs at the DJ booth?  

Aside from the dancing, a DJ is an integral piece on keeping things going smoothly according to the timeline.  So having an experienced DJ work closely with your wedding planner, photographer and caterer will make a big difference when assuring that the wedding party is announced right before lids are pulled on the buffet and ready to serve.  A DJ can also help facilitate group photos and instructions by making clear announcements - your photographer will appreciate this!

What should you expect to pay for a DJ? This varies due to the location of your wedding (if ceremony and reception are at different locations) and options that each company offers such as lighting, dance floor rentals, monograms etc.  Locally, one DJ company may be unlimited hours with your ceremony and reception package, while others have a standard set of hours and then you can add additional hours if needed.  Be sure to check out our DJ page for links to local professional DJ companies!