Welcome Announcement - Garrett & Meghan!

Hello Friends!

This one, folks, is special to me. 

I'm thrilled to welcome another wonderful couple to the fold: Meghan and Garrett!

They're special to me because Meghan herself is a fellow event planner and wedding coordinator, who is eminently capable of handling all of these details herself. But you know what? Even the best planners don't want to work on their wedding days! They want to hand off all of their hard work and planning to someone they trust who can execute everything as efficiently as they would (if they weren't already committed to being the star of their own wedding!). 

So, when Meghan asked me to help out with DOC duties, I was honored she entrusted me with the responsibility. And she also did something smart: she hired a DOC who was NOT already scheduled to attend her wedding as a guest. BIG TIME POINTS FOR THAT! She knows she wants her dear friends and loved ones to have an awesome time, and not to be stuck on the phone with a tardy bus driver or troubleshooting the details of a rain plan at the last moment. Because Meghan and Garrett chose me, her guests will have an amazing and enjoyable time!

I'm honored to join the team as their coordinator for their September 2017 wedding at FEAST at Round Hill in the Hudson Valley. Let's do this!

xoxo,

 

It's Here! My Offbeat Bride Vendor Spotlight!!

Hello friends!

I'm BEYOND THRILLED to share with you today the news that Stephanie Gatton Events has been featured on my favorite wedding planning website, Offbeat Bride, in their most recent Vendor Spotlight: 

Offbeat Bride was an invaluable resource to me as I planned my own wedding, and they continue to be a haven for any and all non-traditional couples looking to cut through the wedding planning crazy to get to the heart of what they want on their big day. I'm honored they feel that my business aligns with their mission, and can't wait to work with future offbeat couples.

Click the link or pic above for a deep offbeat discount, spread the word to your friends, or contact me today to get your planning process started!

xoxo,

 
let's get started!

In NYC, Love Always Wins.

Hello friends!

I don't know about you, dear reader, but I for one have been looking for declarations of love and equality to inspire me as of late. I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

Lucky for us, then, that this little nugget came into my social media feed over the weekend:

Here's a little info from their presser:
"LOVE ALWAYS WINS is an NYC Marriage celebration being organized by a group of NYC Wedding Professionals in celebration of marriage equality. Wedding pros, friends, and community members will come together and donate their time/goods/services to provide an evening of free, pop-up, legal weddings for LGBTQ couples who are looking to be married before the new president is sworn into office. There will be photography, music, cake, decorations, glitter, bubbly, and most importantly, LOVE. 

LOVE ALWAYS WINS will take place at Judson Memorial Church on Inauguration Eve - Thursday, January 19, 2017." 

I can think of nothing more inspiring to my soul than to support and share an event such as this, and to re-affirm that Stephanie Gatton Events will always, ALWAYS stand as an ally to couples of all shapes, sizes, creeds, colors, nationalities, and sexualities.

Please spread the word to any who may want to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to celebrate their love! If you are a couple wanting to participate in this event, click here to register yourselves (please note that all couples are responsible for obtaining their own marriage certificate prior to the event).

xoxo,

 

Wedding Planner Pro-Tip of the Week: Priorities!

Hello Friends!

Welcome to Week 2 of my “Planner Pro-Tip of the Week” series!

Wedding Planner Pro-Tip of the Week:
Establish your priorities as a couple NOW, as they will become your guiding principles throughout the wedding planning process.

Here’s what I mean by this: By determining your priorities for your wedding, you’ll be in great shape to maintain a decision-making strategy with your budget, as well as keep all of your vendors and VIP helpers on the same page. Every couple is unique: whether it’s florals and decor, entertainment and throwing an amazing party, or gorgeous, timeless photography to last a lifetime, they’re all valid. It’s just a matter of what matters most to you!

Some key points to remember:

  • Understanding your priorities as a couple will help you to better manage your money and time.
  • You can rely on your priority list when hard decisions come to pass. If you’ve hired a wedding planner or coordinator (like me!), this will also be the blueprint he or she live by to make executive decisions on your behalf over the course of the wedding weekend.
  • Your priorities should relate to your budget allocations. In other words, if your priority is to give your guests an amazing culinary experience at dinner, but you could care less about augmenting your room ambiance with lighting, then your budget should naturally reflect more money allocated to the catering line item than a/v rentals. Simple, right?
  • You (and your family, if they are contributing financially) must present to all of your vendors a united front on your priorities for the wedding. Conflicting priorities will get you nowhere fast.

Follow these steps and have these conversations now, and you'll be in great shape come wedding day!

xoxo,

 

Welcome Announcement — Val & Carmen!

Hello Friends!

January HAS been a busy month already for me - you can tell it's engagement season, and couples with wedding dates in 2017 see that calendar page turn to the year of their wedding, and get moving on their planning!

I'm thrilled to welcome another wonderful couple to the fold: Val and Carmen!

Val and Carmen had the opportunity to see me in action last October, when Val served as a bridesmaid in her dear friend Orli's gorgeous wedding. Mutual admiration ensued (she for my ability to "get shit done," and me for her exuding grace and calm as a bridesmaid throughout a very fast-changing 24 hours of wedding prep). So this was a natural and easy fit!

I'm honored to join the team as their coordinator for their June 2017 wedding at The Old Mill in Rose Valley, PA. Let's do this!

xoxo,

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Welcome Announcement — Sam & Anthony!

Hello Friends!

Just a brief little post to welcome my newest clients to the fold: Sam and Anthony! 

Aren't they adorable???

I had the pleasure of meeting them in person last night, and they are an awesome couple, let me tell you. Organized, theatre types, with a combination of warmth and straight talk that is inspiring. These are my people!

I'm honored to join the team as their coordinator for their March 2017 wedding at The Green Building in our hometown of NYC. Let's do this!

xoxo,

 

Introducing: Wedding Planner Pro-Tip of the Week!

Hello Friends!

Welcome to what I hope will be a weekly installment of my favorite Wedding Planning Pro-Tips!
Let’s get started with a big one, one that comes in handy early in the planning process:

Wedding Planner Pro-Tip of the Week:

If you choose a venue that can be a unique and amazing focal point of your wedding, then the rest of your job is easy.

Here’s what I mean by this: a naked, or found, space can be really beautiful when dressed up with your unique vision. It can also be really expensive! Empty spaces - think hotel ballrooms or reception halls, or even lovely spaces such as The Foundry here in LIC - will need a lot of design love on your part (think lighting, decor, florals, etc.) to hide the fact that they’re simply a blank slate. How much work will you have to do to dress up the location?

On the other hand, a lush, beautiful garden with colorful florals and a view of the mountains behind you, or a vineyard patio surrounded by grapevines and already-strung bistro lighting, will go a long way in providing existing decor.

The more that already comes with a venue, the less you have to do to “spruce” it up. And you know what? Decorating, flowers, atmospheric lighting, pipe and drape to conceal beyond-basic ballroom walls - all of those elements add up, often times coming in at a much higher cost than if you had gone with the beautiful decorated space at a slightly higher rental fee.

Keeping your budget in mind, run the numbers on both scenarios. Often, you’ll get the most bang for your buck if you take into account the natural beauty and surroundings of a venue that comes with the package. This will keep your decor budget simple, and save you a ton of money and DIY hassle in the process!

xoxo,

 

So You’re Engaged, Now What?

 

photo courtesy of Jennifer Seay Photography

 

Hello Friends!

The holiday time shows a spike in proposals and engagements - chances are, if you’re reading this post, you may be newly engaged yourself.
If so, congrats! Here are five quick tips to remember in the early days of your engagement, no matter how long it may be until the actual wedding day:

  1. BREATHE AND ENJOY THIS MOMENT! I can tell you from my own personal experience that announcing your engagement will be one of the most heartfelt and warm moments of your life (probably right up there with your actual wedding day!) Friends and distant acquaintances whom you haven’t seen in decades will come out of the woodwork on social media to send you their congratulations. Everyone will offer to lend a hand (some may offer to “lend” an opinion, too!), and you and your significant other will be in a prime spot to bask in all of the love coming your way. DO THIS! At some point, you’ll have to turn to the realities of planning the wedding, but for now, be present with your partner in this moment of celebration.

  2. START A BUDGET. I’m afraid to say it all starts here, folks. In order to discuss any themes or decor ideas, venues, and vendors, you’ll need to have a frank discussion with your partner about how this is all getting paid for. Going the independent route and paying for it all yourselves? Well done, you! While you’ll be beholden to no one but each other in the decision-making process, you’ll also be on the hook entirely for the expenses you’re about to incur. Getting some help from family? Be sure to thank them for their generosity, but be upfront with them about what their monetary contributions will mean in real terms. Whether your budget is $10k, $30k, or $90k, the money will be spent, and it can be done in various ways, which leads me to my next point...

  3. BEGIN DISCUSSING A FIRST DRAFT GUEST LIST. A $30k wedding for 80 people will be something entirely different than a $30k wedding for 200 people (which can be done!). Having a ballpark estimate on how many guests you anticipate will go a long way in determining how you eventually spend your budget, and what venue and vendors you select. It’s also a good idea to get the ball rolling on A list and B list, if you need trim your numbers. These conversations may seem stressful, but they don’t have to be! Just be open and frank with your s.o. and trust me, you’ll arrive at a number you can both live with!

  4. SELECT 2-3 POSSIBLE DATES. Booking your dream venue should be one of your first priorities, but before you start reaching out to venue managers, you’ll want to have an idea of when the wedding will take place. Autumn? Summer? Indoor/Outdoor? Are you flexible with your dates, or is it non-negotiable (meaning, if Venue A doesn’t have your date available, you move on to Venue B)? Are you finishing law school, so you really need to hold off on your wedding until after you take the bar exam? Venues will want to know you’ve done your research before contacting them, and these conversations will go a long way in articulating your priorities!

  5. DETERMINE YOUR VENUE(S). Now that you’ve honed in on your top three wedding dates, it’s time to research and reach out to possible venues. This can take many forms. When it came time to select my wedding location, my s.o. and I knew there was only one place we wanted to get hitched, and we went all-in on making that venue work. Because of that priority, we had several July dates in mind, ultimately booking our second choice date, but at our first (and only) choice venue. Keep in mind that while many wedding venues book up to a year and a half in advance, conversely, there are some venues - particularly hotels - that don’t open up their wedding or special event bookings until one year or less out from the date in question. If that’s the case with your venue, you’ll want to carefully keep track of when the booking period opens, so that you don’t miss out on your dream location!

photo courtesy of Jennifer Seay Photography

Whew - that’s enough for now to get you started! Check back later for more timeline touch points as you move through the wedding planning process - including a frank discussion on priorities - and always feel free to reach out to me if you want to take advantage of my services or vendor connections!

xoxo,

 

Calling all Offbeat Brides! This Discount is for YOU!

photo courtesy of Milestone Images

photo courtesy of Milestone Images

Hello friends!

It’s snowy and chilly today in wintry NYC, so what better time to think upon summer wedding season and the warmth and beauty it typically holds?

January is peak engagement season, and as I’ve had a flurry (pun intended!) of inquiries for 2017 weddings, I wanted to highlight my new listing in Offbeat Bride’s Vendor Guide. I’m thrilled to have “made the cut” with this outstanding and vital resource for all non-traditional couples searching for planning tips, vendors, and general inspiration on how to host a wedding that truly reflects the uniqueness of their union! 

I’m even more thrilled to highlight my 20% discount for Offbeat Brides who wish to book my services in 2017. Just mention “Offbeat Bride” in your inquiry to me to take advantage of the discount on my month-of package!

And stay tuned later in the month for another special feature from the Offbeat Bride community!

xoxo,

 

A Wedding that Warms my Heart

Hello friends!

Earlier this morning, I read an article in the NY Times about a wonderful, theatrical wedding that completely warmed my heart. The bride, serving as an understudy for a production at The Roundabout, learned the day of her wedding that she had to, in fact, go on in place of Zoe Kazan the evening of her wedding. What the what?!?

What follows is a wonderful story about the marriage (forgive the pun) of wedding planning, flexibility, and above all, love, love, love. I want to give a shout out to fellow wedding coordinator, Lauren Schaefer, for what undoubtedly was grace under pressure in executing all of the last-minute changes! Having recently pulled off a similar wedding (see the backup to the backup rain plan pulled together with less than 24-hours' notice for my fabulous theatrical designer October wedding), I can attest to how much care and planning (and time!) goes into making these changes possible!

xoxo,