Sarah and Heath, June 6, 2009 photo by Jacqueline Photography ~ www.jacquelinephotography.net

It was on January 1st of 2009 that I got that call from Sarah, who I had met with in December,  letting me know that they wanted to book my services for their June 6th wedding. What a way to kick off the New Year! I was so excited to work on this wedding, which would have a mid-town ceremony followed by a reception on the grooms’ parents’ ranch in Elk Grove.

On June 6th Sarah and Heath tied the knot at Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Sacramento, the same church where Sarah’s parents were married nearly 30 years prior. After days of rain and some of the most intense thunder storms that Sacramento had seen in years, the skies suddenly cleared to create the most beautiful spring day that a bride could ask for!!

The only thing that was more beautiful than the day was, of course, the bride! Sarah looked absolutely stunning in her ivory lace dress. And, Heath was equally as handsome! It was time to get married! At 4:00, Sarah and Heath were married in a very sweet ceremony amongst 140 friends and family. Everything was perfect and everyone was ready to celebrate!

When the guests arrived at the reception, they were treated to a spring garden setting on the ranch complete with a canopy of market lights, colorful paper lanterns, beautiful flowers,and most importantly,  sangria and delicious appetizers compliments of All Seasons All Reasons Fine Catering.  Music was provided by Music & More, who quickly got the party started! The bride and groom danced their first dance to Allan Jacksons’  “Like Red on a Rose” and it wasn’t long before the entire party was on the dance floor getting their groove on!

Once night fell, the ranch was transformed as the lights came on and the candles were lit. The prior days’ storms had left us with a beautiful sunset and we were also blessed with an amazing full moon that night. After enjoying several hours of great music, dancing and celebrating, the night came to a perfect end as Sarah and Heath were whisked away in their limousine.

I wish the happy couple a lifetime of love and happiness! I feel blessed to have had a hand in making their day happen.Photography for this wedding was provided by Jacqueline Photography, who provided me with these stunning photos! Thanks to all of the awesome vendors who made this day a success!

Cake by River City Cake Co.

Sarah and Heath's Wedding Reception by Sacramento Wedding Planner "Plan A" Events The Ranch at Night, Sarah and Heath's Wedding

Sacramento Wedding Planner "Plan A" Events - Photo by Jacqueline Photography

Sacramento Wedding Planner "Plan A" Events - Photo by Jacqueline Photography

Design by Plan A Events

We are so excited to announce our First Runner Up Award in the NACE Tabletop Design Contest! After months of planning,  the competition took place at Wilson Vineyards on Tuesday, June 23rd. With 11 participants comprised of local Wedding Planners, Rental Companies, Venue Owners and Caterers we were up against some tough competition! I feel blessed to be in the mix with the best of the best in Sacramento and I was in awe of every table in the room. I was also admittedly very nervous about how we would place!

My inspiration for this table was to choose something that was outside of the box for me. It is a much different style than my own, and I even chose to incorporate a color that I don’t much care for, which I mixed in with my favorite color, green. The idea was to create a design that  a girl who has dreamed of her wedding day for her entire life would fall in love with. It was also a way for me to show that I can bring what someone else loves to life, even if it’s not in line with my own style. I believe that is part of what makes a planner a good planner.

Once I had the idea for the design cemented, I knew immediately that I would need the assistance of some top notch professionals to pull it off. That’s when I called Patty from Simply Elegant Rentals and Audrey from Botanica Floral Designs! I wanted it to feel whimsy, elegant and have pops of color to give it a “wow factor” and these girls were the ones to make it happen! The linens and table settings were divine and the floral centerpiece was a show-stopper to say the least! I love the way that it all came together and I am so happy to share the photos with everyone! I hope you enjoy the pictures, taken by Jacqueline Photography! I cannot wait until next year…I think I’ll start planning now!

Detail Shot

Candle hanging from the Centerpiece

Awesome, Awesome Centerpiece!

Chocolate Mountains, Philippines

Thinking about planning a destination wedding?  Most couples begin their search by looking at places like Hawaii, Jamaica, Mexico, the Caribbean, etc. when planning their destination wedding. My guess is that not many people  jump to the thought of having a wedding in the Philippines. It’s surely easy to overlook! It is not commonly recognized as a tropical paradise that everyone should visit, wedding or not. However, I think that we have missed an amazing little gem in Southeast Asia!

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to have been invited on a Wedding Planners’ familiarization tour of the Philippines through the Association for Wedding Professionals (www.afwpi.com) and subsequently spent ten days island hopping with eighteen other wedding professionals from around the globe. I can assure you that every one of us gained so much more than we could have ever anticipated while visiting this beautiful and intriguing country which is comprised of over 7,100 islands!

During our ten days, we paid visits to resorts, churches, historical monuments, amazing landscapes and even better shopping! If I had to pick my favorite location that we visited, I would definitely go with the amazing  Shangri-La resort on the island of Cebu. Closely following in second place, was the Amorita Resort on the island of Bohol, where we also visited one of the most amazing churches I have personally ever seen. I also have to add that I was in awe when we visited the Chocolate Mountains and I was in heaven when we had lunch while floating up and down a beautiful river with lush surroundings and waterfalls. And when we visited Sophia’s Garden in Tagaytay I was ready to buy it and live there forever…or at least for a month. They offer unbelievable rates to rent out the beautiful house on the property and the bakery which offers fresh goods is just up the walking path,  lined with tropical flowers and charming landscape. Ahhh….paradise!

In addition to the beautiful islands and resorts,  you will run across some of the most hospitable people you will ever meet in the Philippines. At every stop along the way, we were treated like royalty. The locals love and appreciate the business from other countries and it shows through in their service. From fireworks shows to musical and dance performances to gifts and drinks ready at the door, they welcomed us with open arms! At several points during our trip we all felt a bit like celebrities! The resorts were certainly showing us their best in hopes of promoting themselves, but I assure you that even without all of the frills, their willingness to please ensures top notch service anywhere you go! Although, at times, I’m not sure that I would have even noticed if the service wasn’t great, simply because I was so overwhelmed by the beautiful surroundings while dining on the beach, near a pool or in a luxury resort.

It’s difficult to describe the beauty, just as I assume it will be difficult to sell the Philppines as a destination wedding spot. My feeling? It should not be overlooked! Although the flight is quite long, what you experience when you get there is WELL worth it! From custom wedding dresses made over night and delivered to your hotel in the morning for $50 to the amazing beach-side ceremony and reception locations and the unforgettable presentations, it is surely something to consider! The cost savings is tremendous and the scenery is out of this world!

If you’re looking for more information, visit our web site at www.sacramentoweddingplanning.com and contact Plan A Events today! All of the Wedding Planners on our tour are now fully educated on planning weddings in the Philippines and have materials to offer anyone thinking about a Philippines wedding. We have seen the best of the best location-wise and have amazing local wedding vendors that we can refer you to. You’ll have many questions, without a doubt! Be sure to look to an expert for assistance when planning your Philippines wedding!

MABUHAY!

Philippines Wedding Destination

Amorita Resort Philippines

Shangri-La Resort, Cebu Philippines

Lake Tahoe Wedding by Sacramento Wedding Planner, Plan A Events

Many brides and grooms are mis-led by the notion that an on-site coordinator at their venue is going to be their Wedding Planner and assist them through the entire process. An on-site coordinator typically provides you with services such as a list of preferred vendors, linen choice assistance, guiding you down the aisle and making sure that your food gets to the table as ordered and on-time. However, that can often be where their obligations might end. Not to say that your on-site coordinator won’t be extremely helpful, but for some there are many other areas where you may need some guidance.

So, that begs the question… “Who will help me with invitation selection and mailing, floral choices, pulling together my overall design, budget planning and tracking, mediating family situations, reviewing contracts with vendors, finding the right photographer and every other little detail that pulls it all together?” The answer…a Wedding Planner! Even with a list of preferred vendors provided by a venue you are left with enough options that you will still need to do a lot of ground work of your own. A Wedding Planner will narrow that down for you, set up and attend the appointments with you and lead you to vendors who we KNOW can provide you with exactly what you are looking for. Vendor shopping can be tedious, frustrating and extremely time consuming. And how do you know that you’ve made the right choices and have gotten the best quality for your money until after the fact? A Wedding Planner works with many seasoned vendors to fit every budget and every couple and can lead you in the right direction, guiding you through the entire process.

Bottom line…if you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed or even just a little lost in the process and need some additional assistance that may not be included in what your venues’ coordinator offers, it’s a good time to get yourself a planner! They can provide you with as much or as little assistance as you need. It will remove stress and allow you to enjoy the process and, most importantly, your wedding day! Trust me, it will be worth every penny!

Angelica and Angelo were married May 16th at the Woman’s Club of Lodi. With only 2 months to plan their entire wedding, they put in a call to Plan A Events just six weeks before their wedding day, letting me know that they live in Salt lake City, Utah and needed some assistance with pulling their wedding together locally.  Of course I was happy to help!

Wedding Planning by Sacramento Wedding Planner, Plan A Events - Photo by Nicolette Mode Photography www.nicolettemode.com

I had only one opportunity to meet with them in person before the wedding day and boy did we pack it in…with a cake tasting at Specialty Cakes of Lodi and a food tasting with their caterer, Alebrijes as well as a site visit to the venue to dream up the perfect decor and layout for the room. There was a lot to button up, so we got to work on the final details, working fast and furious to make it all happen.

It was only two weeks later that it all came together…perfectly! (Whew!) It was a warm, but beautiful day in Lodi. The bride was stunning and the groom was looking sharp in his Marine Corp uniform. The ceremony was sweet and memorable, with both mothers included in the unity candle lighting.

The couple was then surrounded by their families and close friends for a beautiful evening at the reception that followed. Angie chose the first dance song, Halo by Beyonce as a suprise to Angelo. The money dance was a huge success, the cake was absolutely delicious, and the entire crew danced the night away. Perfect!

The best part for me was the sincere thank you from both the bride,  groom and mother of the bride at the end of the night. It wasn’t easy but it couldn’t have gone any better! Congratulations Angie and Angelo! Thank you to Nicolette Mode for the awesome photography, too!

Owner, Aimee Wendell - Photo by Allison Stahl - www.AllisonStahl.com

Well, I started over from scratch today with a new blog site! Turns out that my previous one wasn’t up to par in the search engine world…so here we go!

Where to start? I suppose that since this is a brand new blog, meeting me would be a good place to start!

I am a Los Angeles native who moved to Sacramento almost 6 years ago (Wow, time flies!) when my husbands’  job transferred him here. I have to tell you, my biggest heartbreak came the day that I had to leave my dream job working for Warner Bros. Studios – a job that I had pursued heavily for a year, practically forcing them to hire me.  I was at my peak there, working on Harry Potter like a mad woman, when it came time to leave. But, what’s a girl to do when she’s in love?

With that said, Sacramento has turned out to be awesome! We absolutely love it here.  Although I quickly learned that the only drawback to the area is that there are absolutely no creative jobs available! After working with some of the most incredibe talents in the Entertainment Industry, this just wasn’t going to work for me! I tried working for an architect, a real estate company and eventually settled in at Intel where I spent a couple of years in the dreaded cubicle. Although a good portion of my job involved planning teambuilding events around the globe, my creative juices were dying to flow freely! I needed to make a change, back to my one true love, event planning!

It was at that time that a photographer friend of mine, Jackie (www.jacquelinephotography.net – she rocks!) asked me to attend some networking mixers for wedding professionals with her. I  also started assisting her during shoots and shooting alongside her (photography is another passion of mine) to get a feel for the local venues and vendors. I was hooked! Fast! I then made the decision to get certified as a Wedding Planner and completed my certification through the Wedding Planning Institute (http://www.weddingplanninginstitute.com/). That’s when Plan A Events was formed and my new title became Sacramento Wedding Planner!

Two years later, here I am! I’ve been blessed with success in this industry! Not that it has come easily to me at all! I work hard so I can play hard! I’ve got a wonderful husband and 2 amazing sons to share my off-time with! Who wouldn’t want to be me?!