Congratulations on your engagement! After sharing the news with your friends and family, you have probably begun the planning process. There are lots and lots of resources out there; lists of things you need to get done, advice on wedding etiquette, and forums full of people who have done this before. The wealth of information can be helpful, but it can also be overwhelming. That is where we can help! While wonderful resources like The Knot and WeddingWire can work as great guidelines, there are a few places where they fall short.

• Information Tailored to You

  Your story is unique and special, and your wedding will be as well. Online resources aren’t able to tailor information specifically for you and your partner, so can often leave you feeling more confused than assured.

• Create a Cohesive Design

  In this day of Pinterest, it is really easy to get swept up in the many amazing decor ideas and end up with many different aesthetics that don’t all go together. A coordinator is able to help you establish one overall design and source decor that will come together perfectly.

• Personalized Vendors for Your Needs and Personality

  There are so many amazing vendors out there, that it is hard to choose! A coordinator can have a conversation with you about what you want, and suggest a short list to choose from, so you’re not spending hours reading through reviews. For many vendors, it is important for you to have that personal connection, so having these tailored lists to choose from can be a huge time saver and can help you find the perfect vendor in each category.

We wish you all the best in planning your wedding and celebrating your love story with those closest to you.

If you would like help planning your wedding, please reach out, we would love to meet you!

XO,
Whitney Werts & Company

Congratulations on your engagement!!  This is such an exciting time.  A new chapter is about to begin.  Now what? Often times when the adrenaline rush of this new adventure settles, the overwhelming feeling of next steps takes over.  Know that you are not alone! Take a deep breath and enjoy the moment.

Photo: Jen Schmidt Photography

Finding a venue is the first major decision in the planning process. This sets the tone for your entire wedding.  It sets your wedding date (which makes it feel very real). It is also one of the first major deposits you send out (which can also be overwhelming as a lot of wedding costs provide some sticker shock).  Once this decision is made, it does feel like the other major decisions begin to fall into place. We want to help you make that first major step in the planning process a little less overwhelming, so we’ve described the venue search process step-by-step.

Step 1: Setting the Tone for Your Wedding

The first thing you want to do is have a conversation with your fiancé(e) about what you want your wedding to be.  
     -Do you want an intimate gathering of a handful of family and friends or an all out bash with a few hundred people?
     -What type of setting do you envision for your day?
     -What are your must have’s for the day?  
          (Full bar? Band? Unique dining experience?)
     -What time of year do you want to tie the know?  Is this flexible?
          If you are wanting a summer wedding, are you open to any of the summer months or
          only wanting July? This will be one of the first questions a venue manager will ask you.

This doesn’t have to be a detailed vision, just a general sense of the feel you want created on the your day.  This will guide you in the venue selection process.

Step 2: The Budget Conversation

While this part is not the most fun part of planning, this is a conversation that needs to be had so you are both on the same page moving forward.  

The venue you select is also a major factor in setting your budget.  While some venues are all inclusive, others you will need to bring in a majority of the items required which will incur higher rental costs. (More about this in Step 4).

Step 3- The Search Begins

Now that you have a general vision and budget in mind you can begin researching venues.  While Google is a great resource, there are other sites that can help narrow the scope for you.  Oregon Bride Magazine has a great tool to enter specifications and generate a venue list. The Knot also has a list of top venues in various locations.

While looking through these websites, keep in mind your vision and how each of these meet your needs.  Is it large enough to accommodate my guest count?  Does it fit the esthetic I’m hoping to see on my day?  While searching, start a list of your top choices.

Step 4- Venue Tours

After you’ve created a list of your top four to five venues, call them and get their availability.  If they are available around your ideal time of year, set up tours at each of those places. While you are touring each of these spaces, keep in mind the following:  
     *What is included in the price? Do any rentals come with the rental? Or what rentals will need to be brought in? Is there a time frame that comes with your rental?
     *Is there a preferred vendors list that you will need to select from for other services?

Step 5- The Pro/Con List

After touring, create your pro/con list for each space. As cheesy as it sounds, follow your gut. While touring, there are usually moments when walking a space where you feel like “I can see myself getting married here!”

Photo: Scott Andrew Studio

If those steps seem overwhelming to you... We can help!

We often times get couples that feel overwhelmed by this part of the planning process and would love a bit of guidance in this area.  We saw a need and have created a Dream Venue Search service to help you!  In this service we will:

-Have a conversation with you to get a sense of the vision you are wanting.
-Provide you with a list of venues that fit your budget and vision
-Set up a day of tours at your top 4-5 venues.
-We will accompany you on tours and while walking the space, help you see what can be created to fit your vision.  We will also talk about what would need to be brought in, costs associated, and other logistical scenarios to think about.
-After the tours, we will create a budget analysis of your top 2 venues.  In this analysis, you will be provided with a comprehensive overview of what it would realistically cost to have your wedding at each space.  From there, we can help you book the venue of your choosing.

We wish you all the best in this venture!  Let us know if we can help you find your Dream Venue!

XO,
The WW&Co Team

Food trucks have been all the rage for several years now, and we don’t see this trend going anywhere soon.  Selecting a few different food trucks to provide the cuisine for your event is such a fun way to execute a more casual and “action station” style reception.  However, it does come with its challenges! Planning and executing a Food Truck style event successfully takes some extra thought and care.  We hope these tips and insights are helpful!

Staffing:
There is a reason that often times they are less expensive than a full-service caterer.  This is largely in part to the staff size and roles are significantly different.  The biggest challenge food trucks bring logistically to an event is staffing.  When you hire a full-service catering company, their staff is the largest labor component for your event.  Not only are they serving your food, they are also bussing, rinsing, re-organizing your rentals, cutting your cake behind the scenes, and a big part of the set up and break down labor needed as well.  They work HARD for you behind the scenes ;).  It is important to make sure that additional staff is brought in to help with these elements.  There are outside staffing companies that offer this service such as The Wait Staff, in Portland.

Timeline:
Another tricky logistical element is your dinner timeline.  If you are looking for a formal sit-down style reception, this may not be the best direction for you.  Food trucks are often made-to-order, and while they are used to providing speedy service, guests eating times will be very varied and they will not be able to eat at once and will need to stand in lines.  With this in mind, you also may want to allot extra time on your timeline for dinner service.

Electrical:
You will need to ask each truck coming what their power needs are!  They may need to be in a place where power can be run out to them.

Beverage Service:
Most any venue will ask that your caterer provides a liquor liability for your event.  You will likely need to bring in a separate bartending company to provide your bartending service for you as well.

Surprise Late Night Food Truck:
Who doesn’t love some good late-night food at the end of an event?  Surprise your guests with a food cart, savory or sweet!  It’s a fun form of entertainment and is always a talked about element.  A few of our favorites are Pips Donuts, Koi Fusion, and Salt and Straw.

Enjoy!!

XO,
Whitney and the WW&Co Team

Photography: Catalina Jean Photography
Venue: Maysara Winery
Food Trucks Pictured: Pips Donuts |  PDX Sliders  |  Koi Fusion  |  Maiale di Volo Wood Fired Catering