Things That Make Me Say OMG....

Every once in awhile things happen at "live" events that make me think that there must be a hidden camera and someone will jump out from behind a bush and say "gotcha".

Unfortunately, that has not been the case and it is just real life playing out in front of me.

Some of these stories show that excessive drinking can mess up what should be the one of the happiest days of someone's life.

Here are some examples of what can go wrong.  xo

• An intoxicated bridesmaid who gives a toast that includes tales about her good friend, the bride, in front of all the guests, bride's mother, bride's new in-laws and new husband. Our sweet couple sat silently at their sweetheart table, which was right next to the dance floor watching. It was like watching a car accident in slow motion.   The groom finally gave the DJ the sign to cut her mic and the bridesmaids dragged her off the dance floor.  The wedding ended up a happy wedding, but that moment will forever live in my mind. 
• An intoxicated bride jumps on stage to sing and dance with the professional female performers.  Then when the bride thought she had a handle on her performance, she pushed the female performers off the stage. I can replay this scene in my mind whenever I need to smile:)
• The bride and groom have the DJ play, "Let's Get Physical" by Olivia Newton John repeatedly through-out the night. This happened in 2007...omg.:(
• The bride and groom left with their photographer immediately after the ceremony.  The cocktail hour was planned for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The caterer had enough appetizers for 1.5 cocktail hour.  The couple arrived after 2.5 hours.  Nothing really bad happened, but it was just myself and my amazing team, the caterer, security personnel and 300 of their closest family and friends waiting while they captured "memories".  There is a happy ending to this story - their dinner was delicious and the couple and their guests partied the night away until 1:30 am. 
• One last story -  the photographers (who were friends of the bride and groom) drank and partied all night with the couple and the guests while randomly deleting some of the digital photos to make room, so they could take more photos of the wedding. 

There is never a dull moment in the life of an event planner.    XO

Downtown Wedding -

Last month we had the pleasure of producing a wedding reception for Kimi and Adam.  

Their reception was a lot of fun and everyone had a great time including the couple.  I love downtown LA for many reasons and one of them is when people don't want music restrictions.
Wishing this lovely couple all my best. XO

The book. xo

The couple.  xo

This little guy likes to dance. 

Gianna's Pick's of the Week - 

Garden Wedding. 

Eve of Milady Gowns

Jimmy Choo

Pretty cake.

Love her bouquet, robe, the bedding, pretty garter, her hairstyle and the lampshade. XO

Tips of the Week -

If you want to save money and still  have a beautiful wedding, check out having a Thursday wedding at one of your favorite venues. 

Last month, we produced a Thursday wedding that had a 12 piece band. I could not believe my eyes - their guests danced until 1 am and the wedding was a huge success. The hotel and service providers gave great deals since it was not a prime day. 

Line Items To Consider When Thinking About an Estate Wedding - 

The rental of the estate should not be more than 20% of your overall budget.

Caterer - food, service charge, staff and tax - could run $120 and up per person - depends on your menu and guest count. If your guest count is high, then the caterer might cut you a break in price per person.

Rentals - expect between $80 and up person.  Depends on your style - type of chairs, table settings, weather, dinner courses, etc. We have seen clients spend $150 per person when someone has expensive taste. 

Cake - Really great cake shops charge anywhere from $7.00 and up per slice. Cakes will vary depending on how many flavors and art work. 

Attire:

Dress - $1000 and up.

Shoes - $250 and up.

Tux or Suit - Suits start around $300 and go up and tuxedos start around $1000 and go up. 

Rentals are the least expensive route when trying to save a few dollars.

Lighting - $1700 and up.  You can have your rental company provide the lighting if you want pretty but more simple lighting - maybe up lighting with a few chandeliers. 

Alcohol - will it be premium or top shelf?  Are your guests big drinkers?  Costs will depend on your guest count.

As the host of your party, please remember to provide shuttle and/or cab vouchers if you expect your guests to drink. We recommend having the bar close about 45 minutes to an hour before the end of the party and consider serving late night snacks (grilled cheese and fries or pigs in a blanket) to keep your guests well fed and safe.

Music - Do you want a DJ - rates start around $2000 for four hours. Or do you want a band - prices will vary depending on how many musicians and singers.  Plus, music for the ceremony and cocktail hour.

Photography - packages start mid 2000's and go up.  

Video - packages start early 2000's and go up.

Floral - will depend on your style (ceremony, cocktails and how many tables will you need for your guests).

Invites/Paper - costs will depend on your style - do you want flat printing or embossed? Will there be place cards and or escort cards? Do you want thank you notes to match your paper selection plus, menus and programs?

Site reps and off duty police officers - we require them at all of our events for the safety of our clients, their guests and the property. Rates generally run around $45.00 per hour / per person.

Insurance - $250 with deductibles. 

An experienced and reputable event planner or producer can provide guidance and recommendations to help you navigate these waters and give you a very special event. xo

There are more line items, but these are core. Please let us know if we may be of an assistance to you.

Have a wonderful day!

Gianna 

The Guest List Game -

Brides and grooms run into challenges when deciding on their guest list.

There are a few challenges that can play a part into who makes it onto the guest list -such as:

- the size of the venue,
-the budget
-whom the couple needs to invite due to family, friends and /or work obligations.

Traditionally, the guest list is split down the middle or it might tip towards the person who is contributing most towards the cost of the wedding.

And sometimes it tips towards the person with the larger family.

I would imagine if you are an only child and marrying an Osmond, their guest list would be bigger. :)

Ideally, brides and grooms want to invite the people that they love and whom they want to surround themselves with on one of the most important days of their lives.

When clients call me about one of our venues, the first two questions I ask them is, "what is your guest count  and have you established a budget?" When they can answer both questions, then it makes it easier to start the process.

Tips -

The bride and groom first should make a list of their guests and place it on spreadsheet.

We always recommend separating it into three columns - A, B and C.

The A is the list with the must have guests - first family, closest friends and the bridal party, then the B list is your wish list - people that you adore from work, etc., and finally the C list are the people you would like to invite but only if it is possible.

Once you and your fiance have compiled your lists, then combine the lists into a master list and hand it over to your parents or the persons that are sponsoring your wedding, so they can add their names to the list.

Once this list is done, then we recommend having an experienced event planning company confirm if  your budget matches your guest count based on the style, guest count and vibe of your wedding.

Once the budget is determined, then it will make it easier to rule out venues or even having a private estate wedding.

Our company has the privilege to have access to over 4,000 private estates and venues.

Please let us know if we may be of an assistance with your search.
-Gianna

RACHEL AND MARCUS' WEDDING - 

Bride's bouquet.

Bridesmaid bouquet. 

Gianna's Picks of the Week -


Valentino



Manolo Blahnik

J. Crew - Farrah Beaded Gown -under $1500

J. Crew Bridesmaid Dress or Wedding Rehearsal  - $250.00

Moyna Beaded Fold Over Pewter Clutch

More tips on the subject of inviting guests -

If there is a limit on how many guests your venue will allow, you can mention this when you are asked by one of your relatives to invite your fifth cousin twice removed to your wedding.

If someone wants to add guests close to your date, you can let them know (politely of course) that you have already submitted your food count to your venue or caterer and it is past the cut off date.

These tips don't always work, but I hope it helps.  xo

Buffet vs. Sit Down -

If you have a choice in the matter, I always recommend sit down.  However, we have seen some great dinner parties with buffets.  Buffets can take place any time of the day - brunch, lunch, dinner, plus they are less formal than a sit down dinner.

When weighing in the costs - here is the difference -
buffets require less staff but more food is necessary, since guests can go up more than once. One concern I have is long lines.  It is painful to see guests stand for long periods of time for food or beverages.  Always make sure that you have enough stations and staff.  An experienced planner and catering company will be able to make the right recommendations for you to consider.

No matter which way you choose, please remember to have a vegetarian option for your guests.  Normally, we see less than 10 percent choose this option at an event. If you have vegan friends - your caterer or the hotel should be able to create something special for them so they don't have to go without food at your event.

Have a wonderful week!

Gianna

Connecting the Dots When Planning Your Event or Wedding

Hard to believe that summer is practically over.

Fall fashions and decor are upon us (still find it a little annoying to see Christmas ornaments displayed when it is 95 degrees outside and it is not even October yet).

Every time I produce an event, I am reminded how blessed I am to be able to meet and work with some of the most talented and famous people in the world. I made a promise to myself nine years ago, when I started my company that I would not let their names be the center of who I am for the sake of getting recognition. 

My father taught me that business relationships can grow when they are built on trust. I believe my father was right. 

PS - my mother started to boast about me when I began my production career and that has always made me very uncomfortable. Therefore, this decision was an easy one for me. :) 

Below are a few beautiful photos from one of our favorite planner's weddings in 2009.  

Alexis and her husband Taylor, welcomed a beautiful baby girl in June, which was almost three years to the day of their wedding. Alexis has an event planning company and lives with her husband and their baby girl Quinn in Acton, California. 

Love you Alexis!  xo

Gianna's Pick's of the Week -

Great accessories.

Lovellabridal

Lovella Bridal



Gowns of Elegance






Darling Flower Girl Dresses. 
I love to see little girls dressed in dresses made for little girls.

Gianna's Tips of the Week -

MASTER OF CEREMONIES - 

If you decide to hire one of your favorite Master of Ceremonies, please make sure that he or she has wedding experience. You could say there have been a few awkward situations to witness when the MC doesn't have any real experience. Please make sure that your planner has a great timeline for their intros. We do this all the time and we are happy to help assist you! 

SERVICE PROVIDERS -

I have such an appreciation for many of the knowledgeable and professional service providers in this business. These professionals know how to handle crazy situations that can and do arise at live events.  Please provide a hot meal for them and offer pay for their parking at your venue if there is a charge. Thank you. xo

DVD, CD's, MP3's-

Please label these items as follows:

Test, Final i.e., ceremony, reception, short film or slide show, presentation (label version number), etc.

Avoid using track 1, 2, 3... and list by the song name.  If it is not labeled correctly, please insert your favorite nightmare here.  xo

TOASTS -
In this business we get to hear some really spectacular toasts.  The average toast can go from one to three minutes. Some will go longer, but if the person giving the toast is creative and prepared, no one will care.  However, we also hear some really bad and uncomfortable toasts. My all time worst toast was the bride's sister telling everyone how she hated the groom for taking away her sister from her and her kids. :(

BUDGETS-
Every few days, we receive calls from brides or parents wanting to have a $30,000 wedding for 100 persons at an expensive private estate or other event scenarios where the budget, venue rental, decor design and guest count don't match.  I understand that some planners might agree to their client's budget and then find out half way through that their clients are in the red...this is not good.  

We make it our policy to talk about the budget and our client's wishes from the beginning, so there are no surprises for our clients. 

Our goal is to give our clients superb events while respecting their budget and vision.

Enjoy your week! 

-Gianna