Secluded Garden Estate, Temecula, CA

Wedding Planner/Day of Coordinator: Ranch to Coast Weddings & Events
Photos: Elate Photography
Video: Chad Suter
Flowers: Julia Heit
Caterer: Taqueria Jalisco
DJ: Mikey Taylor
Rentals: Premier Party & Tent Rentals

Secluded Garden Estate, Temecula, CA

Wedding Planner/Day of Coordinator: Ranch to Coast Weddings & Events
Photos: Elate Photography
Video: Nearly North Visuals
Flowers: Leaf it to Lexi
Caterer: Taqueria Jalisco
Hair: Chelsea Wachter
Makeup: Paige Henry
Dessert: Little Cakes Cupcake Kitchen

A. Ideally, invitations should go out eight weeks before the wedding – this gives guests plenty of time to clear their schedules and make necessary travel/hotel arrangements if they are coming from out-of-town. In addition, the earlier you send your invitations the earlier you can make the RSVP date (about three weeks before the wedding), so you can get a final head count and start making a seating chart (if you’ll have one) so it’s not put off until the last minute. At the very latest, guests should receive invitations six weeks in advance, and you should receive RSVPs two weeks before your wedding day.

I want to start by saying…I love venue managers – we work together. They do a great job of taking care of event details that pertain to their venue/property. The venue/property they work for is their priority. They do their job, and as a planner, I do mine, and they are not the same thing.

Brides, you need to know, that your venue manager is NOT your Wedding Coordinator!
(or Planner, or Consultant, pick your favorite title!)

Here are some differences in what you should expect from a Venue Manager and a Wedding Coordinator:

Inventory:
If you are lucky a Venue Manager might let you drop off your inventory supply a couple of days (no more than 2) before your wedding.

A Wedding Coordinator will also take your inventory from you. We will make sure that your place cards are displayed and all decor is in the proper place. We will also keep a copy of your guest list so that if someone can’t find their name, or shows up without having sent a response, we can place them at an appropriate table. A Wedding Coordinator will be sure that each piece of inventory is available to you for its intended use. A Wedding Coordinator will also make sure that your inventory is returned to you (or selected friend/family member) before the end of the wedding.

Vendors:
A venue manager will most likely speak to the other vendors you have hired to provide them with load-in and load-out instructions. They will make sure that the vendors follow the policies and procedures of the property.

Your Wedding Coordinator will coordinate the arrival and set-up of each vendor that will make sense for your overall timeline. She will review their contracts, and any special instructions you have for them. A Wedding Coordinator will serve as a central point of contact for all vendors, and will step in to prevent a problem.

Guests

The Venue Manager does not communicate with guests. Instead, the venue manager brings up any issues/concerns to the wedding coordinator. If there isn’t a wedding coordinator, then guess what, the venue manager is going to have to interrupt you or your family during the wedding if anything comes up.

Your Wedding Coordinator will be the liaison between the Venue Manager and you/your guests. If a guest is breaking a venue rule, then your coordinator will take care of the issue with your best interest in mind. If a guests arrives to the wedding but didn’t RSVP and they can’t find a place to sit, the Wedding Coordinator will rearrange seats and make sure the guest is accommodated.

In the end a Venue Manager’s job is to represent their property. They will provide you excellent service, in the scope of their property. A Wedding Coordinator’s job is to take away stress from the Bride and Groom, to make sure that your event is executed above and beyond your expectations, to bring your vision to reality.

Think you don’t need a wedding planner? We do. To see why, click here.

This Saturday we are setting up a booth at an open house at an awesome new venue in Pauma Valley (off the 76) called Red Barn Ranch. Their setting is breathtaking from the red barn to the fields and grove of magnificent pepper trees.

We are looking forward to meeting lots of brides who share our love for ranch weddings!

They don’t have a website yet, but you can check it out here: http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/104926.html.