LET’S TALK BUDGET AND INVESTMENT
after the engagement specializes in
full service, full weekend, full fun destination weddings
with you in mind.
It is easy to become overwhelmed and stressed when planning a major event such as your wedding, and my planning services will ensure that this does not happen, as you will have an experienced professional with you for the entire journey.
This is a complete luxury wedding planning experience, and includes lightning fast email responses, inspiration board collab / “real life mood board”, realistic budget establishment, prioritization and tracking, set up and ongoing management of our custom wedding planning software, personal vendor recommendations tailored to your budget, contract reviews and negotiation where and when appropriate, vendor communications, unlimited access to Courtney for planning q’s, assistance with acute menu creation and selection, welcome party or rehearsal dinner assistance, and much more.
I generally work with minimum wedding budgets of $150-200k and beyond; the driving force being greatly dependent on your venue & food and beverage pricing, along with the cost of excellent-quality, dependable, full-time, insured, professional event vendors in our local market(s).
Planning packages generally start at $15-25k in Southern California (Palm Springs/Riverside/Coachella Valley, LA, San Diego, OC), and include all travel.
Planning packages outside of Southern California begin at $25k+
Final package rate will be evaluated based on project scope, guest count, and support required for your special weekend.
We are not a great fit if you are just looking for “day of coordination”.
It all begins with show biz,
See a wedding set up and wedding day in action.
by Matthew David Studio
and ends with a father of the bride shoutout.
(thanks, Jack (& Carolynn!)
by Audrey Alba Films
*faq*
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I started working with my first client in early 2008, and my first wedding was in September 2008. I have personally planned and executed over 550ish weddings since then (and un-planned/postponed at least 40+ more - thanks COVID). Johnny has worked with me for nine years, and Thomas joined us five years ago, though he has been in the wedding industry for almost a decade. Cassie and Amanda have been working with us for four years as well. We have over 1500+ weddings collectively on the team.
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Hire. Professional. Vendors. If one of your main priorities is having a smooth, low stress wedding, really consider hiring the most experienced professionals for your particular budget. As you are looking at Wedding Planners- are most of the pictures on their website without guests in them, that look just a little too much like a photo shoot? Those aren’t real weddings. So yes, they can totally plan a pretty “styled shoot”, but your wedding isn’t a photo shoot, and you only get one chance. We need real wedding experience in order to think ahead and know what will happen, know how guests will react to something, know exactly how long a family style meal for 160 guests takes, and how to plan a timeline around that. How about your DJ? You want a dance party, but want to hire your buddy who works mostly at clubs in Miami. I met that guy, and he was 14 beers under with his shirt off by the end of the night. Hire a professional, non-cheesy wedding DJ instead, and your experience will be a million times better, I promise.
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There is NO licensing body for Wedding Planners, so you should probably question anyone saying they are a "Licensed Wedding Planner". Our team is, however, fully insured {oh honey, please do not hire a Wedding Planner who is not!} with a $2m general, $3m aggregate liability policy, which satisfies and goes above and beyond any venue requirements we've ever encountered.
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I really, truly, and wholeheartedly believe that no successful wedding was created in just one day.
Professionalism and experience comes at a higher cost, and I think of securing a professional {not hobby-ist, not friend} Wedding Planner as an investment into one of the coolest and most fun days of your life, an insurance policy of sorts.
My team and I pull it all together, and manage the pieces of a wedding day with ease and grace. We are prepared for everything; and I do mean everything. I am NEVER looking to take over your wedding. It is still YOUR wedding. My team and I just help to make it the best it can be.
What about…
Find answers to the most common questions we get about planning your perfect wedding. Whether you're curious about our process, services, or what to expect on your big day, we're here to provide all the information you need to make your planning experience smooth and stress-free. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to set up a Discovery Call.
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Never have, never will. Vendor recommendations are based on performance, style, budget, and personality. This is a good question to ask potential Wedding Planners, it's a shady little industry secret. If and when I am offered a commission, I always respectfully request that it be passed on to my client in the form of a discount.
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My crew and I are extremely experienced with same-sex weddings. All of the planning literature we have crafted is inclusive, and we like to challenge heteronormativity and gender roles in the wedding industry on a regular basis.
As a company, we have a strict rule that we would never recommend a vendor to ANY of our clients that wouldn’t work with ALL of our clients.
And like, duh, two of our team members are also proudly queer.
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As far as guest lists go, as a team, we have done weddings ranging from no guests (secret elopers!) to 450 guests. I would say our average guest list is anywhere from 50 to 250 guests, but again, I am confident that we can manage just about anything. A great majority of our clients spend at minimum, $150-200k on their wedding, and the sky is the limit.
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While we most often work in the Coachella Valley / Palm Springs and Southern California areas, we welcome destination weddings and creative celebrations anywhere in the world!! If you are looking for someone to execute a smooth, memorable, and fun event, while helping you add your own personal style and twist, please consider adding us to your vendor team, no matter where you are getting married. Destination weddings are not always about finding someone local to direct you to their vendors, it's often about appointing a Manager to your vendor team who can lead the day with confidence and ease, and make you feel like a guest at your own wedding!
details
details
a planning partner for Your Wedding, So You Don’t Have To Call Your Mom for help.
what is full
service?
Our Full-Service Destination Wedding Package is designed for couples looking to celebrate their love in style, without the stress. From the moment you arrive to the final farewell, we handle every detail of your destination wedding weekend—from the welcome party to the grand finale. With our expertise, we'll curate unforgettable experiences, coordinate logistics, and ensure that every moment is seamless and extraordinary. All you have to do is show up, relax, and enjoy the adventure of a lifetime with your loved ones.
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Matching you with the very best vendors for your vision and budget
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Planning perfection, down to every last detail. Rental orders, timeline, floorplan; you will be lead through it all.
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Log in and upkeep of our planning software to track RSVPs, contracts and vendor contacts, budget, etc. Client to add and track guests, and manage checklist. Planner to enter all contracts, vendor contacts, and manage budget.
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We will lead you through your wedding rehearsal and wedding day, so you, your family and friends don’t have to lift a finger.
wedding planning phases
prep, plan, book
We will establish a budget, talk through the bare bones schedule, have a kickoff call, and start booking major vendors.
design & aesthetics
We will collaborate on a mood board, establish a color palette, and start booking rentals, florists, and other visual artists.
logistics
Our plans will start to take shape. You will enjoy a catering tasting, talk about cocktails, and finish booking lodging for your guests. We will have many planning emails and calls, and work on your timeline
Our event experience spans from backyard weddings to $2m high-end multi-day affairs, to luxury corporate retreats, and everything in between.
WE CAN DO IT ALL.
The Booking Process
The Booking Process
everything i do is geared around you, YOUR UNIQUE WEDDING AND NEEDS.
My approach is all about you and your unique journey. Each service is designed to align with your specific goals, challenges, and aspirations. We begin with a thorough assessment to understand your needs, followed by tailored strategies and ongoing support, ensuring you stay empowered and equipped every step of the way.
read this website
Poke around, and see if we might be a good fit for each other.
book a discovery call
We will set up a time for a good old fashioned phone chat. Can’t wait to hear more about you and wedding plans and ideas.
submit an inquiry
Navigate to the contact form, and submit an inquiry - please include as much info as possible! I will send through some pricing info, and if it seems like a fit for your budget, you will then…
book your wedding
Sign your contract online and submit your first retainer payment, and I will lead you through it from there.
Questions?
Answers
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Currently, 5. I handle all planning, and my lovely team helps out day-of. They are all so amazing, and all have their own strengths. I promise our unique blend of personalities will charm you, your family and friends. I feel truly blessed and grateful. Each member of our team comes from a background of hospitality, retail, and customer service.
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I started working with my first client in early 2008, and my first wedding was in September 2008. I have personally planned and executed over 600ish weddings since then (and un-planned/postponed at least 40+ more - thanks COVID). Johnny has worked with me for ten years, and Thomas joined us six years ago, though he has been in the wedding industry for over a decade. Cassie and Amanda have been working with us for six years as well. We have over 1500+ weddings collectively on the team
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My general planning process is one year, but we can plan a wedding in 18 days or 18 months.
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Most of our clients have wedding budgets ranging from $1k to $1500 per guest to include a welcome party and a wedding.
To maintain the level of service and attention to detail I pride myself on, I generally work with a $150-200k minimum budgets or at least $1k per guest. Without these parameters and minimums, the budget may not align with current costs in the wedding market. Always up to chatting if you have a unique situation that could change these minimums.
