Jenn's Joyous Events and party planning

💍 The most important wedding day items you don’t want to forget! Engaged couples SAVE THIS! Let’s be real wedding mornings are chaotic. Between getting ready, sharing laughs (& maybe a few happy tears) with your besties & trying to soak in every magical moment, it’s easy to overlook some essentials. A little prep now = big peace of mind later. 🔹 Food & Beverages for Your Getting Ready Space A shocking number of couples forget this! Wedding days are long & you’ll be busy. You likely won’t eat until cocktail hour or dinner (& some couples don’t even eat then!). Plan for food & drinks to be delivered or brought in no one wants to be hangry on their wedding day. 🔹 A Backup Steamer While we recommend steaming dresses the night before when possible (& most planners will have a steamer), it’s always nice to have a backup. 🔹 Phone & Device Chargers Your phone will be working overtime. Make sure it stays alive! 🔹 Comfy, Easy-to-Change-Out-of Clothes Brides, a button-down or zip-up top is key, so you won’t have to pull a shirt over your freshly done hair & makeup 🔹 A Bluetooth Speaker & Wedding Morning Playlist Set the tone with music that hypes you up keeps the vibes upbeat. 🔹 Wedding Attire Essentials: Dress, undergarments, veil, suit/tux, tie/bowtie, socks, dress shirt (plus an extra for hot days), wedding shoes & comfy shoes for later & a sweater or jacket. 🔹 Hygiene & Toiletries Especially if you're staying at a hotel or heading to a honeymoon suite afterward. 🔹 Emergency Kit This should include safety pins, fashion tape, a mini sewing kit, stain remover, pain relievers & anything else for last-minute fixes,especially if you don't have a planner. 🔹 Marriage License & Vows Do not leave these behind! You’d be surprised how often it happens. 🔹 Rings & Accessories Wedding rings, jewelry, cufflinks, garter & any sentimental items. 🔹 Cash & Vendor Tips Have labeled envelopes ready for tipping pros.🔹 Perfume & Col

📢 PSA: There is NO such thing as a wedding day without surprises! Somewhere, right now, a couple is scrolling through Pinterest, dreaming of their 'perfect' wedding day imagining the flowers, the dress, the laughter. What they’re not imagining? No matter how meticulously planned your wedding is, something will happen behind the scenes. Maybe it’s minor a missing boutonniere or a timeline shift. Maybe it’s major like an unexpected downpour forcing a last-minute venue flip or a wedding cake left behind at the hotel (yes, it’s happened!). I’m not saying this to stress you out. I’m saying this because this is exactly why I do what I do. The difference between a stressful day & a seamless one? Me. ✨ I’m your calm in the storm. Your problem-solver. Your wedding day CEO—Calm, Efficient & On it. 👉 The bigger the wedding, the more moving parts. A $300K wedding doesn’t mean fewer issues it often means more! More vendors, more logistics, more people & more human error. 👉 When you work with me, you don’t just get a planner. You get peace of mind. I step in before chaos reaches you, solving problems before you even realize they exist. You get to enjoy your day while I handle everything behind the scenes. 💡 Real Stories From Weddings I’ve Managed: 🎂 The time a wedding cake was left behind at the hotel & I went on a rescue mission to get it back before cake-cutting. 🚗 When a guest backed their car into a ditch & I gathered a team to push it out (while still running the wedding!). 🔥 The time I had to put out an actual fire, yes, a real fire without missing a beat. 🎤 When I stepped in as an impromptu bouncer to remove an out-of-control guest, keeping the celebration safe & fun. The best part? Most of my couples never even knew these things happened. Because that’s my job. To handle it all gracefully, efficiently & without disrupting your once-in-a-lifetime moment. While I’m busy putting out fires (sometimes literally), you’ll

Wedding Planners Aren’t Just for Luxury Weddings. Every Wedding That Deserves to Run Smoothly Somewhere along the way, the narrative formed that wedding planners are only for extravagant, six-figure weddings dripping in opulence. But let’s set the record straight no matter what kind of wedding experience you’re dreaming of, it will require coordination & management to make it all run smoothly. Sure, you can have a wedding without a planner. But ask yourself: who will be behind the scenes making all the moving pieces work together seamlessly? A movie needs a director. A plane needs a pilot. A ship needs a captain. 💍 Your wedding? It needs a professional to make sure everything happens how & when it’s supposed to. Now, let’s back up a little & talk about how a wedding planner provides expert guidance for any size wedding experience. ✔ We handle everything from wedding pro selection to timeline creation, contract reviews & day-of execution. This means you save time, avoid overwhelming research & ensure you're working with trusted professionals who align with your vision, personality & price point. ✔ We connect you with vetted, high-quality wedding pros who not only deliver incredible service but also fit your aesthetic & priorities. ✔ We help refine your vision, curate cohesive colors, layouts & décor & bring your dream aesthetic to life. You’ll feel empowered & confident in every decision, without second-guessing or feeling lost in a sea of Pinterest boards. ✔ We create a highly detailed timeline & communicate with all wedding pros to ensure smooth execution. You won’t have to worry about what happens when everything will flow seamlessly, so you can focus on celebrating. ✔ We develop & implement backup plans for weather, delays & unexpected hiccups. No matter what happens, your wedding will go on beautifully—without added stress on you, your family, or your wedding party. Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It deserves

🚨 Wedding Planning PSA: Don’t Skip the Food Tasting! 🚨 When planning your wedding, you’re making hundreds of decisions, but one of the biggest (& most expensive) is your catering. Whether your venue provides in-house catering or you’re hiring an outside caterer, here’s one non-negotiable step you can’t skip: the food tasting. I once had a couple who toured one venue, fell in love with the space & booked it on the spot. The venue provided in-house catering & at the time, the couple assumed the food would be great. Months later—just three months before their wedding—the venue held a mass food tasting. It was loud, chaotic & there wasn’t enough food to go around. When the couple finally got to try their wedding menu, they were severely disappointed. The worst part? They were stuck. Since the venue contract required them to use in-house catering, their only options were to accept the menu as-is or pay an outrageous fee for modifications. To make matters worse, the chef couldn’t accommodate one of the wedding party members' dietary needs. 😬 The lesson? Always, ALWAYS do a food tasting before signing a contract with a venue that includes catering or hiring a caterer. If they don’t offer one beforehand, even for a small fee? 🚩 That’s a red flag! 🚩 One of the biggest advantages of hiring a wedding planner? We know these red flags before you ever sign a contract. I guide my couples through the process, ensuring they love their wedding meal & never get stuck with a bad contract. (This couple made this choice BEFORE bringing me on) Your wedding meal is more than just food—it’s part of your guest experience, your memories & your overall wedding day happiness. Don’t settle for something you don’t love! 💭 Did you do a tasting before booking your venue or caterer? Tell me in the comments! ⬇️ 📌 Save this for later & share it with a friend planning their wedding! #weddingcatering #engaged #2025wedding #2026wedding #brid

If you’ve spent even five minutes on Pinterest or TikTok, you’ve probably seen a post claiming to have unlocked the ultimate budget-friendly wedding hack: Just have a backyard wedding! We totally get the appeal. Backyard weddings can feel intimate, personal & like a great way to save money. But here’s the thing: they’re not always the inexpensive or practical option they appear to be. As a wedding planner specializing in outdoor wedding experiences, I’ve worked with couples who envisioned a dreamy backyard celebration, only to realize that the logistics (& costs) were way more than expected. What those viral posts don’t mention? The behind-the-scenes logistics that can quickly add up: 💡 Power & Electricity Needs: A home’s existing electrical system likely can’t handle the power demands of a wedding (think: lighting, DJ or band, catering) 🚗 Guest Parking & Transportation: Unlike traditional venues, homes don’t come with designated parking. Will guests park on the street? Will you need to rent a nearby lot & shuttle them? These logistics need to be thought through early. 🚽 Restroom Facilities: Most home plumbing systems aren’t built to accommodate dozens (or hundreds) of guests. Many couples need to rent restroom trailers, which aren’t cheap & require a plan for placement. 🛠 Uneven Ground & Flooring Rentals: Many backyards aren’t perfectly level, meaning you might need to rent flooring for a dance floor ⛅ Weather Backup Plan: Every wedding needs a weather backup plan. If the home doesn’t have an indoor alternative, you’ll likely need to rent a tent (which can cost thousands & takes days to set up). 👨‍🍳 Catering Logistics: Most caterers need a full prep space—if the home doesn’t have an industrial-sized kitchen, they may need to build a temporary one, which means bringing in additional rentals. 📦 Rental & Setup Logistics: Unlike traditional venues, everything needs to be brought in, tables, chairs, linens, pl

Wedding Planning Looks Easy… Until You’re Actually Doing It. From the outside, wedding planning looks so effortless—gorgeous inspiration on Pinterest, dreamy wedding content on Instagram & of course, the magic of movies making it all seem like a breeze. The reality? Wedding planning is a huge undertaking & most couples don’t realize just how overwhelming it can be until they’re in the middle of it. You start off full of excitement—booking your venue, choosing your wedding date, maybe even locking in a few of your wedding pros. But then comes decision fatigue. Suddenly, you’re drowning in choices: 🎨 What colors should the wedding party wear? 🍽️ What’s the best catering option? 📝 Which font should you use for the invitations? 🎶 Do you want a DJ, live band, or both? 🌸 Which flowers fit your vision & your budget? Those are just the big decisions. There are countless micro-decisions you’ll need to make along the way & it can quickly feel like too much. This is exactly why wedding planning is ranked as one of the top 10 most stressful jobs—because even with all the joy, it’s A LOT to manage. That’s where a wedding planner comes in! We take the endless decisions, logistics & stress off your plate so that you can actually enjoy being engaged. If you’re planning your wedding without a wedding planner, that’s okay too! Here are some tips to help: ✔️ Break it down into smaller, manageable tasks. ✔️ Lean on your partner, trusted friends, family & your wedding pro team for support. ✔️ Take breaks—wedding planning burnout is real! Schedule time away from planning to recharge. No matter what, know that feeling overwhelmed is normal—but you don’t have to do this alone. 💕 Planning a 2025 or 2026 wedding? Start early & let’s make magic together! ✨ Drop a 💍 in the comments if you’re in the thick of planning! Share this with someone who is. #engaged #2025weddingplanning #2026wedding #brides #grooms #we

💡 Wedding Planning Detail You Might Have Overlooked: Wedding Pro Meals! When planning your wedding, you’re thinking about so many details—your guest list, your seating chart, the perfect signature cocktails… But one thing couples often forget? Making sure your wedding pros are included in your catering count. It may not seem like a big deal at first, but imagine this: Your wedding pros—your planner, photographer, videographer, DJ/band & other key wedding pros—have been working for 8+ hours to make your dream day come to life. They’re running on adrenaline, ensuring every detail is just right, barely stopping for a breath. The only chance they have to take a break? During your dinner service. 📌 Which pros (vendors) need to be fed? Anyone who is onsite for 4+ hours or present for the majority of your wedding experience. This typically includes: Your wedding planner/coordinator & their team Your photographer & videographer Your DJ or live band Your photo booth attendant (if separate from another pro) Specialty pros who stay on-site, such as a live painter 📌 What kind of meal is required? Most wedding pros have a clause in their contract requiring a hot, substantial meal. A cold sandwich & chips is not acceptable. Just like your guests, your wedding pros need real food to refuel so they can keep bringing their A-game. 📌 When should they be served? They should eat immediately after the couple is served. Why? Because this is the only window of time they’ll have to take a break before they need to jump back into action for toasts, dances & the rest of the reception. Now, you might be thinking… “But I don’t get fed at my job?” True, but the law does require you to have a lunch break. Your wedding pros do not get that option. We can’t leave to grab food & we certainly can’t go 10+ hours without eating while running around making magic happen. 🫶 We prioritize the care of our wedding pro team because we know that a well-fed, rech

Let’s talk about something that NO ONE wants to think about when planning their dream outdoor wedding: the weather. ☔️☀️❄️🌬️ Here’s the thing—Mother Nature doesn’t check your wedding Pinterest board. I get it—no one wants to picture rain on their wedding day, unexpected heat waves, or wildfire smoke filling the sky. But here’s the truth: weather is unpredictable, no matter what season you’re getting married in. As much as I wish I could control it, I can’t. What I can do is make sure you’re 100% prepared with a backup plan that won’t leave you scrambling at the last minute. As a wedding planner specializing in outdoor weddings, I have seen it all: 🌧️ A June 15th wedding hit with a full-on hailstorm. 🔥 A September wedding where it was 106 degrees during setup. 💨 A wedding morning where the air was so smoky from nearby wildfires that the couple almost called the whole thing off. 🌦️ A wedding week where the forecast flipped from sunny skies to non-stop rain (spoiler alert: we had to pivot fast). One of the biggest mistakes I see couples make (before they hire me)? Booking a venue without a solid backup plan. Before you sign that contract: ☂️ Ask about backup options. Does the venue have an indoor space? A tented area? A way to pivot if the weather takes a turn? ❤️ Make sure you actually LIKE the backup plan. If the rain plan is a cramped room that doesn’t fit your vision, you might regret your decision later. 📅 Check for flexibility. Some venues allow you to make a last-minute call. Others require a decision days in advance. Know what you’re agreeing to. The hard truth: If your venue doesn’t have a solid backup plan, there’s only so much your planner can do when the weather changes last minute. So let’s make sure you’re set up for success—rain or shine! 💬 Drop a 🌦️ in the comments if weather is one of your wedding worries! Save this or share it with your engaged friends ❤️

Attention 2025 & 2026 Couples: Don't Wait Too Long to Book Your Dream Wedding Pros! You found your dream wedding venue, the dream photographer & a wedding planner you just click with. Everything is falling into place… until you wait too long to book & suddenly, they’re unavailable. Oof. Talk about heartbreak. 😭 The reality is, wedding venues, planners & photographers are booking out a year (or more) in advance & dates fill FAST. We know you want to do your research—& you absolutely should! But waiting too long can mean missing out on your top choices, leading to unnecessary stress & disappointment. An Inquiry Does NOT Hold Your Date This is a big one. Just because you reach out to a venue or wedding pro doesn’t mean your date is reserved. If you disappear for a few weeks (or months) & then come back, there’s a good chance someone else has snagged your spot. We hate having to tell couples, “Sorry, we’re already booked.” Why Wedding Pros Book Up So Quickly Most of us are small businesses, meaning we only take a limited number of weddings each year to ensure we give each couple the attention they deserve. So when a date is gone—it’s gone. What You Can Do to Secure Your Dream Wedding Team ✔️ Start your research early. The sooner you reach out, the more options you’ll have. ✔️ Ask your top choices about their availability & booking process. Every wedding pro is different! ✔️ Be ready to make a decision. If you know you love a vendor, don’t wait too long to book them! ✔️ Read the contract & ask questions. Once you’re ready, make it official so you don’t lose your spot. Drop a 💍 in the comments if you’re in wedding planning mode & come back for more wedding planning tips! #engaged #weddingplanning #brides #grooms #2025wedding #2026wedding #weddingvendor #weddingprofessionals #destinationwedding #weddingplans