I’ve included a list of things below that I’ll need for you to send me at least one week before your wedding day (ideally sooner, though). The list of personal items doesn’t need to be fancy or in a detailed excel document — I just need all the info in one place ;-) If you need examples of anything, I’m happy to send those along. Just let me know!

 

Gentle reminder to please send all non-urgent emails during business hours:

 

M-F: 10am-5pm (PST)  

Weekends & Holidays: CLOSED

 

I’m happy to accommodate after-hours or weekend calls/meetings for clients whose work schedules absolutely don’t allow them to meet during business hours, but this frees up my inbox during off hours for urgent matters and prevents things from getting lost in the shuffle. I appreciate your cooperation!

 

THINGS NEEDED:

• Final guest count including the couple (people often forget to include themselves in the count!)

• Guest list by tables including meal breakdown per table (ie: Table 3 = 4 beef, 2 chicken, 4 vegan)

• Alphabetized guest list including guest’s table number and meal choice (along with any dietary restrictions)

• Meal designation (for guest place cards) if you’re doing a plated meal (ie: S -Steak, F - Fish, V - Vegan)

• Table layout (please indicate Table numbers and VIP tables that you’d like served first). Please also note:

  • Number of guests per table* (72”=up to 12; 66”=up to 10)

  • * Use of chargers reduces # of guests that will fit at rounds (72”=up to 10; 66”=up to 8)

  • Any highchairs and/or booster seats needed

  • Any guests that require special accommodations (wheel chair, food allergy, etc.)

• Table seating: Most people let guests choose their seat at the table, but if you want guests to sit in a specific order at the reception tables, please send me a list of said order. Also, be sure to place the name cards in that order in baggies that are labeled by table number. 

• I love a big, bold printed seating chart, but if you choose to do escort cards as opposed to a printed seating chart, please alphabetize the escort cards and place them in order of how you’d like me to display them. Make sure they’re secured with a rubber band or something to keep them in that order.

• Complete list of personal items you’ll be bringing to the venue that I’ll be setting up (broken down by ceremony area, cocktail hour area, and reception area). Please note any items that you’d like me to discard at the end of the evening (usually this includes table numbers, escort cards, bar signs, etc.). Everything else, I’ll pack up into the boxes you provided them in and hand off to the person you’ve designated to take everything at the end of the night. Please let me know which person(s) you have chosen so I know who to hand all the items off to / who will be packing things into their car(s). Lastly, let me know who will be dropping off all the items at the venue on the wedding day. 

• Photo list for photographers + point person to help wrangle people for photos. I’ve included add’l info below.

• Tip envelopes if you plan to tip your wedding vendors. I’ve included add’l info on this below.

 

NOTES/QUESTIONS:

• You will need to provide your own cake cutting set if the venue does not. Do you have one?

• Please confirm which signage you have/will be purchasing. Popular signage for weddings includes: Welcome sign, unplugged ceremony sign, reserved signs (for ceremony rows), cards & gifts sign, seating chart, place cards (with menu choice), table #s/names, bar menus, dinner menus, etc.

• Do you have easels for your signs? If not, you’ll have to rent them or ask if your venue has any.

• Have you purchased table number holders yet? Or picture frames if you’d rather display them that way?

• Please let me know how many ceremony seats you need saved for VIP family. Usually people will reserve the first 1 or 2 rows. Also, do you have “reserved” signs for me to hang on the aisle chairs so people know the first row (or 2) are reserved for VIPs?

• Would you like your officiant to walk down the aisle before your wedding party and VIP family members, or would you like them already standing at the altar when the processional music starts?

• Do you want your wedding party to stand up at the altar with you, or sit in their seats once they’ve walked down the aisle?

• Who will be escorting partner #1 down the aisle?

• Who will be escorting partner #2 down the aisle?

• If you haven’t already completed the VIP form (one of the docs on our shared google drive), please do so so that I can finalize the ceremony walking order.

• Would you either person to stand on a specific side of the altar? 

• Please confirm that your VIP songs for the ceremony and reception are still correct

• Please confirm that your speeches (and speech orders) are still correct

• I’ll be sending over your timeline the week of the wedding. Please review it and let me know if you have any questions about anything!

• On your wedding day, bring copies of your invite, save the date, ring box, etc. for your photographer to capture.

• Don’t forget to bring your Marriage license and have your officiant sign it immediately after the ceremony.

• Email me a copy of your ceremony vows if you’d like me to print a back-up.

 

 

MARRIAGE LICENSE INFO:

Here’s a link that will give you all the info you need to know:

 

https://www.lavote.net/home/county-clerk/marriage-licenses-ceremonies/general-info

 

This is the website for the LA County Registrar-Recorder / County Clerk and has everything you need to know to obtain your Marriage License. The pertinent info is in the grey tabs at the top (under "General Info" & “Apply for a marriage license"). Some people apply online beforehand (to try and save time), but you can also just show up too if you’d prefer. Just know that, if applications are not completed online you must arrive one (1) hour before closing (so get there before 3:00 p.m.). Public Marriage licenses are $91 and can be paid by cash, check and money order. I believe some places also accept credit and debit card. 

 

Almost all of my clients go to the Bev Hills location, but you can choose whichever location you’d like. 

 

PHOTO LIST:

Your photographer will probably send over a photo form for you to fill out, but I’ve included some standard groupings below (just to give you somewhere to start):

 

BEFORE CEREMONY, AFTER THE FIRST LOOK AND PHOTOS W/ WEDDING PARTY

    1. Couple w/ Partner #1’s Parents

    2. Couple w/ Partner #1’s Immediate Family (parents and siblings)

    3. Couple w/ Partner #2’s Parents

    4. Couple w/ Partner #2’s Immediate Family (parents and siblings)

 

AFTER CEREMONY

    5. Couple w/ Partner #1’s Extended Family (parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc)

    6. Couple w/ Partner #2’s Extended Family (parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc)

 

These photographs generally take 30 minutes and up (depending on family size). You can average 3-4 minutes per grouping. Please have a point person on both Partner #1 and Partner #2’s sides of the families to help gather these groupings (since they’ll know the people by face/name). 

 

Note: While I don’t love overly posed photographs, it’s always nice to have some intentional portraits with your closest family and friends. And having a detailed list in-hand will make the process way more smooth and quick for the photographer and all the family and friends who are waiting in the wings ;-)

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GRATUITIES:

Many clients ask about tipping vendors, so I’ve included some information below. First off - I want to say that, while tips are never mandatory, they are always greatly appreciated. Amounts always vary, but if someone provides exceptional service, generally the standard for tipping is 15-20% of their fee. Since that can get expensive quickly, though, I’ve included a link to a popular wedding vendor tipping guide that many couples use: https://www.southernliving.com/weddings/tipping-wedding-vendors 

 

And know that…while I’m always happy to offer my input…every client, wedding, and vendor is different. So the tipping amounts are totally your call. Think about the work involved, how many hours the person spent leading up to the day, how many hours they’re putting into the wedding on the actual day, and then go from there. Are they playing a pretty important role in your wedding? Did they go "above and beyond” to support and accommodate you? It doesn't matter if the vendor is the owner, self-employed, or a staff member — if they have met and/or exceeded your expectations and have made your wedding easier, better or happier, then by all means show your appreciation in whatever way or dollar amount feels right for you ;-) 

 

Feel free to put the cash tips in sealed envelopes and give them to me at the ceremony rehearsal. I’m happy to disperse them to vendors if you don’t want to deal with it on the wedding day.