This weekend was a wonderland for this wedding planner! stay posted for all of the details…

Every event was unique from a woodland fairyland in the redwoods, an eclectic menagerie of Alice in wonderland and of course a traditional wedding celebration.  I am so grateful for all of the vendors (which should be listed as artists!). Thank you to all that were part of this great weekend!!

Father of the brides. Love them!

I am so happy to get to know all of my clients and their families, especially the Dad’s while their daughters are venturing out on a new endeavor and they are there in support with wide smiles to proud arms as they deliver their gem to the alter. I wanted to share a super sweet note that I received from a Dad after meeting with them for a consult. We always strive to do our best, and when hear that our couples and their families are able to ENJOY their wedding planning experience it just brings butterflies to my belly!

Sonya,

As I said on the way out, you really do inspire confidence and I just wanted to thank you for clearly being good at what you do!  As you can probably tell by now, all four of us are pretty relaxed about the whole deal, but you get a lot of credit for helping us stay that way.   Of course my favorite daughter (OK, I only have one…) is pretty organized herself, but the way the two of you blew through the key decisions with efficiency was impressive.   We had a blast with Nicolas and the tasting, he is a pro and we are thrilled with him on many levels.  Sitting in the car while the ladies checked out all three hair and make-up places was not the high point of my trip, but hey, I knew what I was getting in for when I signed up.   We know this is going to be a great weekend but bottom line, we couldn’t do it without you, and we are all delighted it is you!!

Look forward to seeing you again in August.  You are the best!

Thanks.

Relaxed father of the bride to be

The day she finally said yes, Jerry gifted Winnie with her very first Miffy doll.
They now collect Miffy and Mr. Bee (Miffy’s companion) from around the world as a celebration of their love.
It is a story nobody else could have written but Winnie + Jerry.

Still Motion Productions

Check out this clip from Jerry and Winnie’s wedding last August in Mendocino. They were super cute and playful, as well as truly perfect for one another!
http://travishoehne.com/winniejerry/

And here are more pictures:
http://www.stilllightphotoblog.com/2010/09/winniejerry-married-in-mendocino.html

Click on stories, click on the second image (with the teddy) and click cinema!

“Kudos to Mendocino weddings: Hope all has been well!  Jerry and I just celebrated our 6 month anniversary and we’ve been doing great!  We are still amazed at how perfect our wedding day was and we have both of you to thank for that.  Everything was just as we had imagined or even better.”

Monica was such a lovely bride and her wedding was so FUN!

Check back soon for the full preview, I just had to post this lovely image of Monica on her wedding day in the Mendocino Headlands as soon as I received it. Great shot J Perlman & R Lutge photography!

Brianna had a vision of her toes in the sand on the Mendocino Coast and a rustic, elegant, romantic reception following and that is exactly what she got. The wedding was on the beach and the reception was walking distance in an old rustic wooden lodge. With her spring green color palette, hundreds of candles, and all of the little details that they had posing against the old grain wood made this wedding so Mendocino. Phil and Brianna were such a treat and Phil we all loved the fedora hat!

They also were the couple that won our wedding giveaway in the spring which included an amazing private dinner at the Cliff House located at the Botanical Gardens.

Food: Mendo Bistro
Floral: LR Farm
Photo: Amanda Archer
Cake & cupcakes: Sharon Garner

DJ: Modern music sound

Ceremony music: Joel Andrews harp

Equipment: Matt Rowland Events

Albert & Sonia: Sunday August 1 2010. Albion California.

I am in love with this Hindu wedding and the people that I met along the way!!!
Sonia and Albie were the most amazing couple. Both recent graduates with their masters at  Stanford University the month prior, having a wedding in Mendocino on August 1, and moving all of their guests that had traveled from India, New Zealand and every place in between to Chicago for a second wedding on August 7 was only the beginning of this enriched couple.Every detail was amazing and to this day the mandap that the ceremony took place is the most beautiful structure that I have ever seen. I had the privilege to assist the officiate during the ceremony that lasted many hours atop this gorgeous platform and it is a memory that I will keep dear to my heart forever. From the fruit, nuts,  herbs,  milk, honey, yogurt and fire that all symbolize the true value of marriage, purity, fruitation, and sweetness!

Words from the couple: Sonya Houston is the best wedding planner we could imagine. We actually held events in Mendocino and Chicago, so we got to compare two different wedding planners. That made us realize how lucky we were to find Sonya in Mendocino.

Sonya seems to know everyone in the area. She showed us locations we would never have found by ourselves. She found creative solutions to every problem.

Through the entire process she was an absolute pleasure to work with, always listening to us, and going the extra mile. On the day, we didn’t have to worry about a thing. Everything exceeded our expectations.  

Mendocino is a wonderful place to have a wedding, and Sonya Houston is a wonderful wedding planner. 

Photos: Charlie Gesell
Floral: Mendocino Floral Design
Cake: Franny’s cup & Saucer
Food: Mendo Bistro
Equipment: Wine County Party
Lighting & Draping: Matt Rowland events
DJ: Aykut
Musician: Gene Parsons

Pablo Abulaik Photography

I often get asked the question:

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WEDDING PLANNER, WEDDING COORDINATOR, AND DAY-OF PLANNER?

Professionals in the wedding business all have the same intention of providing you with a seamless, stressfree day, however it is important to know the difference between the roles when researching assistance.
All wedding planners are coordinators. Not all coordinators are wedding planners.

Wedding Planners
Despite what you may have heard, did you know that hiring a wedding planner (also called a wedding consultant) can be a huge help and save you money? If you’re planning on hiring a wedding planner, you’ll want to do so as soon as you start planning. They’ll help you search for the perfect venue and find great vendors that will fit within your planning budget. (In fact, a great planner will have relationships with vendors and will often be able to introduce you to professionals that maybe you could not find on your own.) Once you’ve booked your vendors, they’ll oversee the relationships with each, and help pull everything together. The wedding planner generally steps you through every process ranging from invitations, bridal gowns, tuxedo rentals to guest accommodations, welcome gifts, and total design of the event.

Wedding Coordinators
A wedding coordinator is a lot like a wedding planner, in that they help you organize and pull together your wedding details, but they may not handle quite as much as the traditional planner would. For example, your planner will sit down from day one to help you dream up the wedding colors, style, and decor theme and help you negotiate contracts and book vendors, whereas the coordinator may just stick to finalizing all your vendor business after you’ve made the major decisions. They will most likely handle contracted work primarily, but are not always limited to this only. Be sure you’re clear on the extent of the services they’re willing to provide when you interview them to make sure you’re going to receive all the support you’re expecting.

Day-of Coordinators
A day-of coordinator helps you get everything done on your actual wedding day, but isn’t really involved before the big day. You meet beforehand to fill them in on who’s who and what’s what and exactly how you’d like the day to play out. They will then be in charge of handling all of your vendors and set-up on the day of your wedding, as well as any type of clean-up or post wedding duties needed, so that you and your family members can just relax and enjoy the day. A bride who plans to be very hands-on in her planning process will love the idea of a day-of coordinator. It allows her to enjoy all the ups and downs of the planning, without having to worry about seeing it all through until the very end.

Cassandra Young Photography

I often times receive wonderful words of gratitude from couples after being a part in creating their special day, I  reflect on the fact that I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to assist them in such a blissful time of their life.

I will share some testimonials from 2009 that I do hold dear to my heart.

Craig Evans Photography

 Sonya, There are not enough words to express the thanks I have for you! I never thought I would be the girl  that dreams of a big wedding or worries about the little details, but I became that girl when I got engaged. I started dreaming of this perfect wedding… 16 months later you made my dream wedding come true. I would have never been able to do this without you. You are this bride’s fairy godmother!        ~Kyle and Kelly

Dick Whetstone photography

Thank you for organizing such a beautiful celebration for us with our families and friends. I could not have dreamed of a better place than the overlook for our ceremony. Everything was perfect without much effort or worry on my part. Thank you again for the excellent work that you did ~ David and Lisa 

I just wanted to thank you so much for all of you hard work.  You were awesome…to say the least….couldn’t have done it without you.

                                                            ~Gordon and Christina May 2009

Cassandra Young photography

Thank you so much for the everything! You have been such a pleasure to work with, and have made this experience so beautiful,meaningful, and joyous. We are so grateful to have had your guideance during such a special time in our lives.

                                                                                    ~Philip & Lisa

Perlman Photography

Perlman Photography

Dear Sonya,

We are so grateful for your love and support in putting together a wonderful wedding over this past year. You have been so incredibly thoughtful through every moment and we both know we could have never pulled this off without you! Your tireless work and effort means so much. ~ Lincoln & Amy

Thank you so much for your help with our wedding. You were the backbone who brought all the pieces together. You are a beautiful generous friend.

                                                                                    Ling and Alise

Ahh… all the details to the big day! What about when the celebration is over and you are now husband and wife, how do you continue to relive and tell your story for generations to come?

 Photos are such an important element to retelling your Fairy Tale for many lifetimes, but what else can you take as a keepsake to share?

Tucked in our extremely talented artistic community of Mendocino California there are many great ideas to take home a piece of your wedding weekend.

Memory wedding scope crafted by: Beverly Forester

Visually save and record memories of your cherished wedding through the magic of a custom kaleidoscope.

Items are only limited by your imagination and creativity. What about the location? Was it on the beach, in a vineyard, or tucked deep in the redwood forest- collect sand and some shells, grape leaves, flowers or even redwood sprigs. So many textures to choose from, add to your collection fabric from the brides gown, veil, decorations such as napkins, confetti, and bird seed are great too. Once the collection is complete, a talented artist will combine your treasures into a unique kaleidoscope finished off with a plaque labeling the couples names, as well as the date of their special day.   http://www.reflections-kaleidoscope.com