With wedding season among us, many brides for 2010 have done most of their planning, but may be trying to decide whether hiring a month of coordinator would be worth it. Being wedding planners, we, of course would say, “YES! Don’t hesitate! Hire a professional wedding coordinator to ensure your wedding plans are taken care of the day of so you, your friends and family can relax and enjoy!” Make sure to find the right personality match to work with you on your wedding day! Here’s an article that we posted a few months ago about the different types of coordinators that’ll be a part of your wedding day to help you decide if hiring a Month of [Day of] coordinator is right for you! Enjoy and if you have any questions- please don’t hesitate to ask!

With the title “coordinator” used so often in the wedding and event industry, it’s no surprise that the duties of these different people can get a bit confusing. We were talking about this recently with other vendors, and it is clear that people have a lot of questions about the different types of coordinators that might work with them on their wedding day. We’ll unravel these different terms for you!

Catering Coordinator: This person works for your catering company or as a manager at a venue that offers catering.
Your catering coordinator will make sure:
      o your menu selections have been made
      o plans for your bar and beverages has been arranged
      o receive and maintain your payments for the catering
Many catering companies offer rental items such as dinnerware, linens, and glassware. Your catering coordinator may assist you in selecting those items. On the day of your wedding, the catering coordinator manages the timeline for food preparation and food service. The catering coordinator will also oversee the serving staff.

Venue Coordinator: This person is employed by the venue, and knows the inner-workings of the space. Your venue coordinator will most often do a walk-through with you and point out typical layouts for your floor plan.
Your venue coordinator will know answers to questions, such as:
      o “what time can our vendors start setting up?”
      o “Where are the power outlets in the building?”
      o “How many chairs and tables do you have, and do you provide linens?”
      o “Am I allowed to use candles?”
      o “Where can vendors park for loading and unloading?”
      o “When is our final payment due?”
Some venue coordinators are on-site during your wedding day for part of all of the day. Make sure you ask them what their role with be on the day of.

Church Coordinator: If you are marrying in a church, you might have a church coordinator.
Your church coordinator will:
      o schedule your rehearsal time
      o advise you on etiquette of that specific church as well as its rules
      o run your rehearsal (for example, tell you how you should line up/walk into the church)
      o refer cantors or musicians through the parish
      o your church coordinator will be there on your wedding day to guide you down the aisle

Wedding Coordinator: A wedding coordinator/consultant/planner is one and the same.  A wedding coordinator differs from the afore mentioned coordinators because he/she is hired directly by the bride/groom/family which means their first and foremost job description is to provide to you the services that you need to make your wedding planning experience enjoyable. He/she can not only answer questions about your venue, rentals, catering, and church customs, but can also aid you with subjects such as design, budgeting, vendor selection, timelines, and etiquette. A perk is that most wedding coordinators receive discounts with vendors that get passed on to the client as a savings, rather than marking them up and costing the client more money. This comes from the experience that a professional wedding coordinator has, as well as the extensive research and networking that he/she maintains on a regular basis to continue to learn about the vendors that are available to their clients.
Most wedding coordinators offer day-of coordination in their list of services. When hiring a Day-of Coordinator they manage the details of your wedding day for you.
This includes, but not limited to:
      o preparing a timeline and ceremony processional/recessional sheet
      o organizing day of information details
      o communicating details between all vendors making sure they are on the same page
      o running the rehearsal or assist officiant and church coordinator
      o set up and clean up
      o trouble-shooting any and all situations throughout the day
Many day-of coordinators offer packages that include meetings to prepare for the wedding day and more.

If you have a coordinator at your venue, church or catering company that uses the title wedding planner/ wedding coordinator/ wedding consultant please inquire about all of the different things that they plan to do for you on your wedding day, as well as throughout your planning timeframe, so you are not left disappointed on your wedding day. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Every company is different, so some coordinators may vary from the above description.

Happy planning!

Cheers,
Mandi, Rachelle and the Champagne team

Local event:
Eco-friendly wedding event! Portland:
Monday, June 28
6:00- 8:00 pm
New Beginning Salon Spa
503-645-2950
http://www.nbsalonspa.com

You’ve heard us say their names, but they have yet to be introduced! Danielle and Amanda are two of our wonderful lead wedding and event planners! All four of us sleep, dream, live wedding and event planning thoughts! I can’t remember the last time I went somewhere and I didn’t think about whether or not it had event space potential! haha! With wedding season in full swing, we wanted to help you get to know Danielle and Amanda a little better! Enjoy…

Meet Danielle:

Dayna Schroeder Photography

How did you decide you wanted to get into wedding & event planning?
Danielle: I decided to get into wedding and event planning at a very young age, if my friends Barbie and Ken doll wanted to get married, I was the one they would bring them to. I would beg my mom to buy me wedding magazines even before I could read! Wedding planning has always been my dream job and I am so blessed to be doing it!

What do you love about weddings?
Danielle: What I love about weddings is the magic that fills the venue and the groom’s eyes when the bride walks down the aisle, seeing a couple’s vision turn into the wedding of their dreams. I love every planning moment from a blank piece of paper with a bride spilling her ideas to the moment when the last guest has left…and of course cake : )

How would you describe your dream wedding?
Danielle: My dream wedding would be a winter wedding in Banff on Lake Louise with sleigh rides and a hot cocoa bar.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Danielle: In my free time I like to read, kayak, do yoga, and try new restaurants with my boyfriend.

Fun tidbit:
Danielle: I only eat Kraft mac and cheese if the noodles are shaped like characters.

Meet Amanda:

Dayna Schroeder Photography

How did you decide you wanted to get into wedding & event planning?
Amanda: After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, I got a job working for couture bridal designer, Monique Lhuillier in Los Angeles. Hearing the brides talk about their engagement and planning the details, I became infatuated with weddings! To me, it’s not a job, I look at it as hobby. I have so much passion about each wedding or event I am involved in.

What do you love about weddings?
Amanda: What’s not to love about weddings!! I would say the number one thing I love the most is the first step the bride takes down the aisle. It’s the big moment we both have worked so hard towards for the last several months.

How would you describe your dream wedding?
Amanda: My prince charming hasn’t road in on his white horse yet : ) but when he does my dream wedding would be candlelit at this beautiful church in Bel Air, CA. It’s on top of a hill that over looks all of Los Angeles and is absolutely breathtaking. For the reception, I would love to have it in a indoor/outdoor venue in Santa Monica or Malibu. Photos on the beach are always amazing and so peaceful.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Amanda: I love staying active by hiking or going to a pilates class as well as spending time with my family.

Share a unique/fun fact or two about yourself:
Amanda: I have my own jewelry line that I hand make, Simply Jo Designs and I have an obsession with Christian Louboutin shoes.

You’ll love working with Danielle, Amanda and the rest of our staff! We are so excited for wedding season to be in full swing and to be a part of your special day!!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle and the Champagne team

The best things in life are free? I think it’s most definitely true! That is why we offer a no obligation, complimentary initial consultation where you are able to get to know us and tell us more about your wedding plans, as well as learn if hiring a wedding planner is right for you! We offer packages from day of to full service planning! Planning your wedding day should be as fun and enjoyable as you always imagined it! [We also have special packages for the bride who is planning from a far or the destination bride] We look forward to hearing from you!

I’m so excited to share this post with you! You’ve heard about Rachelle and I, possibly a little too much and we’ve been dying to tell you more about the rest of the Champagne team. Although our team is continuously growing, we wanted you to get a glimpse into our world! In a couple weeks I’ll be posting more information about each of the individual girls, but I wanted to share a few photos from a recent photo shoot we did with Dayna and Clete Schroeder of Dayna Schroeder Photography. We had such a blast spending the afternoon with them! Dayna and Clete recently moved here from Chicago and although they are new to Portland, they are definitely not new to the industry! They are so extremely talented and we can’t wait for the opportunity to work with them again! For the photo shoot, we were lucky enough to have the talented Face Body Beauty do our hair and make up!! Thank you Jennifer Rand Walker and team for helping us glow!  Boy, is there a lot of talent in this post! Sorry for the over use of the word, but I can’t help it if it’s true!

Welcome our team of talented and beautiful ladies:

Left to right: [Rachelle, Patty, Amanda, Andrea, Racheal, Debbie, Allison, Danielle, Katie, Mandi]

We are known for our red shoes…so we thought, we should all have a pair!

We are all so excited for this summer and look forward to working with you!! Thank you for stopping by! Please contact us to set up your free, no obligation, consultation! Again, a huge huge thank you to Dayna and Clete of Dayna Schroeder Photography and Jennifer Rand Walker of Face Body Beauty and team! We had so much fun working with you all! More about the Champagne team will be coming soon to the blog!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle & the Champagne team

Come hang out at the Perfect Wedding Guide Wedding Show next Saturday, March 20th from 12-4pm at The Downtown Portland Heathman where you’ll be entered to win a pair of diamond earrings [Joseph K Jewelers], a wedding dress [AniA Collection], and many more prizes announced every half hour! If you haven’t already, make sure to stop by 105.1 The Buzz website and enter to win a Month of Package from Champagne [That’s us!]! We look forward to meeting you next weekend!

Last year Rachelle Bell of Champagne Wedding & Event Coordination married the man of her dreams! Rachelle and Donny are perfect for each other. They love each other in a way that makes you want what they have instantly after meeting them. Here’s a glimpse into Rachelle and Donny’s wedding…

Photographs by Paul Rich Studio

Mandi: What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

Rachelle: I loved that I was able to be in a frame of mind to literally soak up all of the special moments. I think some people [my family and fiancé] worried that being a perfectionist during other people’s wedding days would transfer to me not being able to relinquish control on my own wedding day. On the contrary, I knew to simply sit back and enjoy every moment—and that’s exactly what Donny and I did, it was such a special day. I can’t say I have a favorite thing—all of it together made it so perfect. I did love my dress… : )

Mandi: What was most important to you while planning your wedding?

Rachelle: Making sure to keep our guests entertained and having fun. They all made a very long trip to be there for us, so we wanted to make sure that they were very involved in all of the activities. We planned an island tour the day before the wedding that was such a fun experience for all of us to have together. I’ve seen that island two dozen times, but having that experience with everyone there was something unique and fun for me.

Mandi: What did you like most about being engaged?

Rachelle: How excited Donny was every time he’d look at my hand and see a ring on my finger—he would literally get giddy. We were both just really happy and excited to get married to each other. I also loved how excited our families were for us too—they were all just beaming, all the time when we’d talk about the wedding.

Photographs by Paul Rich Studio

Mandi: Was it harder or easier to plan your own wedding given your profession…explain.

Rachelle: Planning was easy when it came down to getting things done, but I’m actually so accustomed to doing what OTHER people want, that it took me a while to figure out what Donny and I wanted. However, once it dawned on us that we shouldn’t be planning a local wedding with 400 guests, but should go to where we love—all the pieces fell into place. I’m a strong believer that the venue and location help dictate what the theme and feeling of the wedding will be. So I didn’t have a set color scheme or theme in mind until I had time to think about the location more. All of our planning choices simply reflected us in our everyday lives—the food, the music selections, the attire…

Mandi: How would you describe the style of your wedding?

Rachelle: Eclectic, Beach, Colorful, Celebration, Relaxed… Our biggest priority was to have a great party. The live bands really helped with that aspect, as well as the amazing people and to-die-for food!

Mandi: What are a few details you incorporated it to make it unique to you and Donny?

Rachelle:
We both had a grandmother named June—and both our grandmas were very dear to us. We wanted to honor them so we made favors that would remind us and our families of them. 

Also, we wrote our own vows, so instead of a formal program [which just wouldn’t have fit into our style of wedding anyway] we printed the vows on the program so everyone could follow along.

We also wanted our guests to know that we valued their presence during the ceremony—so we passed our rings around to everyone and asked them to instill their best advice and best wishes into them. It was a very symbolic action, but we still love the idea of it.

Photographs by Paul Rich Studio

Mandi: How did you pick St. Lucia for your destination?

Rachelle: The location was a natural choice for us, as I grew up visiting the island year after year, and Donny is such a water guy. It made perfect sense for us to get away and spend two weeks with our closest friends and family. Since I am so busy, in the Summers, with other weddings—I often miss out on the family get-togethers. I couldn’t really see myself having a wedding day that lasted only a few hours since our guest list was pretty large. So another part of the decision was in splitting the guest list up, it made it so Donny and I could [try to] spend more quality time with our guests. We had two receptions—one at my parents home and one at his parents home when we returned. They were both laid back, bbq style receptions with music, bubbly, and cake—gotta love it! I have to say, the ONLY thing that I didn’t love about our destination wedding was that Sugar [our dog] couldn’t be there.

Mandi: Any advice you’d offer to those planning a destination wedding?

Rachelle: Before you book a wedding somewhere consider a few details that will impact your planning significantly—
Do you speak the language?
Are you at all familiar with the location?
Is there a big time zone difference?
Do they provide a coordinator to help you?
Also consider where all of your guests will be traveling from- is it an accessible destination?

Photographs by Paul Rich Studio

Mandi: Thank you, Rachelle, for sharing a little about your wedding with us!

Cheers,

Mandi & Rachelle

Make sure to enter our love story contest! Details here. We will be announcing a winner on Sunday, February 14th, 2010.

Thank you for stopping by our blog! We’d love to meet you! We offer free no obligation consultations so you’re able to see if you’re in need of a wedding coordinator and if we’re the right match! .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) us now to set up an appointment!

Woo hoo… we made it 30 days! It was such a blast sharing these vendors with you!!

Thank you to everyone who followed along, the vendors that made it possible and all of the vendors we know and love!! We can’t wait to share with you the things we have in the works over the next few months! Check back tomorrow to enter in our “Week of Love” contest!

If you missed any of the “30 days of vendors” posts, make sure to check them out!

Day 30 of 30: Urban Studio
Day 29 of 30: Brandon Perron Photography
Day 28 of 30: Passionflower Floral Design
Day 27 of 30: Bakery Bar
Day 26 of 30: Solstice Video
Day 25 of 30: AJ’s Hair design & Makeup
Day 24 of 30: Honeysuckle Photography
Day 23 of 30: West Coast Event Productions
Day 22 of 30: Gorge-ous Weddings
Day 21 of 30: The Wedding Cottage
Day 20 of 30: The Photo Lounge
Day 19 of 30: Fioribella Floral Design
Day 18 of 30: Shields Films
Day 17 of 30: Yasmin Khajavi Photography
Day 16 of 30: Vista Hills & Red Ridge
Day 15 of 30: Lori Raines Calligraphy
Day 14 of 30: Peekaboo Portland
Day 13 of 30: Vibrant Table Catering & Events
Day 12 of 30: Joel Bock Photography
Day 11 of 30: True Love Sound
Day 10 of 30: Blum Floral Desgin
Day 9 of 30: Becerra Photography
Day 8 of 30: Black Butte Ranch
Day 7 of 30: Cupcake Jones
Day 6 of 30: Mosca Photo
Day 5 of 30: Vibrant Table Flowers
Day 4 of 30: Premiere Catering
Day 3 of 30: Paul Rich Studio
Day 2 of 30: Bon Moment Inivitations
Day 1 of 30: Bryan Hoybook Photography
See what the 30 days of vendors is all about!

Cheers,
Mandi & Rachelle

Thank you for stopping by our blog! We’d love to meet you! We offer free no obligation consultations so you’re able to see if you’re in need of a wedding coordinator and if we’re the right match! .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) us now to set up an appointment!