When it comes to planning your wedding, few moments are as meaningful as your ceremony. It’s the heart of your celebration — where your love story is told, your vows are exchanged, and your marriage truly begins. Choosing the right officiant for that moment sets the tone for everything that follows.
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At Tan Weddings & Events, our professional officiants bring years of experience, artistry, and calm presence to your ceremony. Here’s why that matters — and why entrusting a friend or family member to officiate may not always be the best choice.

The Benefits of a Professional Officiant

Poised, polished, and perfectly prepared
Our officiants have guided hundreds of couples through ceremonies of every kind — from intimate elopements to grand celebrations. We know how to project our voices, cue the wedding party, manage timing, and handle any unexpected hiccups with grace. You can relax, knowing your ceremony will unfold seamlessly.

A personalized love story
We take the time to get to know you, weaving your story, values, and personalities into a ceremony that feels authentic and heartfelt. The result is a deeply personal narrative told with warmth, rhythm, and intention.

Customizable templates as your starting point
Our team begins with thoughtfully designed ceremony templates that include all the right elements — processional cues, vow prompts, readings, unity rituals, and closing blessings. These outlines ensure that nothing important is missed while giving you room to personalize the language, tone, and traditions that make your ceremony truly yours.

Flawlessly executed and legally sound
Every state — and sometimes every county — has specific requirements for officiants. Our team ensures that every legal element of your marriage is handled correctly, from license signing to timely submission. With clear coordination and precise attention to detail, you can trust that your ceremony will be both meaningful and fully compliant — leaving you free to focus on the joy of the moment.

Calm in the midst of joy
The energy on your wedding day is high — full of excitement and sometimes nerves. A professional officiant brings a sense of calm and reassurance, gently guiding you through the most important words you’ll ever say.

The Downsides of Having a Friend or Family Member Officiate

Emotional overwhelm can take over
While it’s touching to have a loved one officiate, emotions can easily become overwhelming. Tears, nerves, or even laughter at the wrong moment can disrupt the flow of your ceremony — and add stress where you least need it.

Inexperience shows under pressure
An amateur officiant may not be familiar with public speaking, timing cues, or the coordination needed with photographers, musicians, and planners. Even a small misstep can affect the pacing or clarity of your ceremony.

Legal missteps can cause complications
We’ve seen cases where couples later discovered their marriage license wasn’t properly filed because their officiant wasn’t legally authorized. It’s an avoidable heartbreak that no newlywed should face.

They deserve to celebrate — not stress
Your friend or family member should be free to fully enjoy your wedding day as a guest — to laugh, toast, and dance — not to shoulder the responsibility of officiating one of the most important parts of your day.

The Ceremony You Deserve
At Tan Weddings & Events, we believe your ceremony should be effortless, elegant, and deeply personal. Our team of professional officiants brings a perfect blend of heart and expertise — ensuring your moment of “I do” is beautiful, meaningful, and completely worry-free. Let’s craft your ceremony together.

Photo Credit | Suzanne Karp Photography

At Tan Weddings & Events, we believe that a wedding is not just a sequence of moments — it’s an unfolding story.

And in 2026, the story is all about a sensual and unique experience.

Couples are embracing immersive and deconstructed celebrations — experiences that dissolve the boundaries between “ceremony,” “reception,” and “after-party.” The result? A day that feels organic, personal, and beautifully alive — flowing with connection, conversation, and discovery.

Beyond the Timeline
Gone are the rigid timelines of old. Today’s couples want movement and meaning — an ebb and flow that mirrors real life and real love. Imagine your guests arriving to soft instrumentals and cocktails under the trees before the ceremony even begins. Imagine an exchange of vows surrounded by your loved ones in the round, a circle of witnesses symbolizing wholeness. Imagine dinner not as a sit-down sequence but as a culinary journey — grazing tables, chef stations, lounge vignettes, and laughter flowing freely through every space.
It’s less about “What’s next?” and more about being fully here.

Design That Invites Exploration
In a deconstructed celebration, design becomes the map for discovery. We guide couples in crafting layered environments — from floral archways that double as photo art, to candle-lit lounges tucked between dance floors, to interactive stations that delight the senses. Each vignette invites guests to move, mingle, and experience. Lighting transitions mark emotional chapters. Scent, sound, and touch become part of the story. The result is an event that feels cinematic — yet grounded in intimacy.

Every Guest, a Participant
When the traditional sequence is softened, everyone becomes part of the celebration. Instead of being observers, guests are immersed — signing a wooden art piece that grows into a keepsake, leaving recorded wishes in a voice booth, or joining a twilight toast mid-evening as the music swells and stars appear. This participatory spirit transforms a wedding from performance into presence. It’s not “the couple at the center,” but “the community in celebration.”

A Planner’s Touch
Designing an immersive event requires more than aesthetics — it requires orchestration. Our team at Tan Weddings & Events choreographs the unseen flow: coordinating vendors, managing guest transitions, and shaping energy throughout the day. Each detail — lighting cue, seating arrangement, musical shift — is a brushstroke in a living painting. We ensure that while your celebration feels spontaneous, it’s actually artfully composed.

Your Story, Unfolding Naturally
The immersive and deconstructed wedding is not a trend — it’s a return to authenticity. It honors the idea that love doesn’t move in straight lines, and neither should your wedding day. Whether set in a vineyard, an art gallery, or a coastal estate, we help you craft an experience that breathes — one that guests don’t just attend, but feel. Because in the end, your wedding is not about the order of events — it’s about the emotion that lingers long after the last candle fades.

Whether it is the traditional symbolism of the bridal gown or the delicate sophistication of the floral arrangements, white remains the steadfast color of choice for many weddings. And for good reason: white reads chic and subdued elegance (think Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton).

A white color palette may not be suitable for every wedding. For our royally gorgeous couple, it definitely does! Let's break down when white works.

White works when it is given an opportunity to either blend or contrast. When it blends, it offers a tranquil and nuanced tone to a neutral palette. At Stanly Ranch, we optimized the existing architecture and textures of stone work, garden beds, and natural-dyed linens where the white florals from Scarlett & Grace give such a sophisticated yet subtle depth, softening and complementing the setting. 

Where white offers contrast, it accentuates the curves and lines of elements next to it. In this case, white is the yin to the yang of darker colors - like the groom's dapper James Bond dinner tux ensemble, or how the angular gabled buildings and blackened steel window framing create a dynamic tension, further powering the effect of white.

Whether a white, neutral palette or a bold spectrum of color, select a palette that suits your personal style, reflects your mood, and works with the venue setting. We often use the term "anikothesi", coined by Rick and Jennifer Tan. It means belonging to time and place, working with the season and the setting to create the aesthetics of the event. The result is an effortless and timeless elegance.

We hear it often from couples: "We should have hired you first before we booked the venue!" Why do they make this comment? Here are top five reasons, and why you should hire Tan Weddings & Events BEFORE you book the venue.

"We Just Spent Most of Our Budget on the Venue."
It is not the venue's responsibility or priority to manage your wedding day budget!  When you book them, be aware that your venue budget should only be about 15% of your entire budget, and about 36% if they include catering and bar services, according to our budget calculator. if you hire us before the venue, we will have a discussion regarding your wedding investment range and cap to assist you with budget allocation. Unless you have infinite resources, it could pinch when you start factoring in all the other costs involved, such as all your other vendors!

"It was Really Difficult Comparing Venues Based on their Websites."
When you hire us first, we perform a Venue Research on your behalf. Tan Weddings & Events has compiled a comprehensive list of venues in the northern California area - Napa, Sonoma, St. Helena, to Carmel. When you give us your wish list for the event - like, "for 120 people", "indoor and outdoor spaces", "iconic wine country", or "places to visit", we then curate a short list for you to visit, comparing amenities, meeting your priorities, allowing you to make an informed choice for the optimum setting for your celebration.

"We Did Not Know the Venue Had No Place-settings and Linens."
Napkins for your event seem like such a small detail, but it is greatly magnified if you did not know that the venue does not come with linens, forks and knives, plates, glassware, tables, chairs for dinner and ceremony. Multiplied by the number of guests, that is a HUGE cost you probably did not budget for and will absolutely will need to rent. Another advantage to our Venue Research - we will let you know which venues have these available onsite or will need to be rented.

"We Thought the Venue was Private But There Are People Everywhere."
You book the venue - it checked all the boxes, it has a great view of the vineyard, and it was so affordable. Then, you discover it does not come with any place-settings AND it is open to the public up to 5PM, when you will be having your ceremony!! As planners, again, we can help you with the Venue Research, and if your priority is privacy, then we know which venues will serve you best. And if the venue truly is open to the public, then on wedding day, we know how to manage the flow and the timeline to maximize the enjoyment of your guests, without bumping into guest wine tasting at your venue.

"We Did Not Know About All the Vendor Restrictions."
Frankly, most couples will not have this on their radar until later in the planning when they are hit with extra fees because the venue may have short windows for delivery and pickup - adding cost; or parking is limited and shuttles are required - adding cost; or there is not sufficient electrical outlets and bathrooms so generators and portable restrooms need to be rented - adding cost!

Avoid these pitfalls: hire us first, then we'll find the perfect venue together.

Love is sweet, vibrant, colorful. Love is timeless and infinite. Love is bringing two families to become one. Love is an elopement at Stanly Ranch! For this couple a -he with his two boys and she with her two girls, an elopement at Stanly Ranch in Napa, California, was the perfect way to celebrate a second chance at love. Why not do it right with Tan Weddings & Events coordinating this intimate and exquisite gathering!

With the right vendor team providing just the right touch of elegance and magic, a setting amidst vineyards and modern amenities, and the couple's sweet energy and personalities, this private ceremony was the perfect way to celebrate love.

One of our weddings in 2024 was Donna and Stephen's reception at Catelli's restaurant in Geyserville, CA. The couple had their ceremony at the San Francisco Courthouse, then enjoyed a fabulous party with their friends and families.

Headed by award-winning and TV personality Chef Domenica Catelli, the restaurant has been in her family for almost 90 years! The couple was drawn to the venue's quaint vibe and delicious food, and its enclosed courtyard featuring a black and white marble floor and olive trees that lined the circular space.

Tan Weddings & Events partnered with the team at Catelli's to create an elegant and fun celebration of great food, music, and ambience. 

Short answer? Yesterday!

The 2025 wedding season is just around the corner, and if you want your pick of the coveted late summer to early fall months, book your venue and your planner. While it is not uncommon for planners like Tan Weddings & Events to have 1 - 1.5 year planning timeframes, many fall in the range of one year to eight months. So the time is now if you want a wedding in August through October months.

Let's look at the benefits of an eight month planning timeframe. First, you may be able to book the venue of your choice, and if you are open to a weekday alternative, the options expand a bit more. Second, hiring the planner as one of your first vendors is smart as they will help you with one of the first tasks: securing your other vendors. At eight months, you can chat with available  top notch vendors, even securing a photographer who would be open to doing an engagement shoot with you!

Third, you'll want to secure rentals for your event - everything from lounge sets to place-settings and everything in between, which at about seven to six months, allows you to secure the inventory and delivery times to suit your event. Fourth, you'll have time to decide on the design of your invitation suite and how it all fits into the overall aesthetic of your wedding. Your paperie vendor will want final proofs by six months, and working to get them mailed by four to five months. 

And a fifth benefit to hiring your planner early, you'll have a partner to manage many elements of your wedding so you can focus on other important things like getting a dress or work, school, and each other!

Reach out now and we can start the wedding planning for your 2025 celebration!

Photography | Nicole Sepulveda Photography
Planning, Officiant & Musician | Tan Weddings & Events
Venue & Wine | Beringer Vineyards
Cupcakes | Palette Cakes
Florals | Bloom & Vine
Hair | Margarita Bridal Hair
Makeup | Ernesto Robeldo
Suit | R Douglas
Dress | Carole Kenney Design

In 1899, George La Tour, a polyglot transplant from France, acquired a parcel of agricultural land in Napa Valley to host his passion for wine-making. When his wife Fernande saw the expanse of land and low hills, she exclaimed, "Quel beau lieu!" (What a beautiful place!) So sprouted Beaulieu Garden.

Designed by landscape architect Thomas Dolliver Church, the grounds offer impeccable English garden-style plantings of roses and boxwoods, cypress and yew trees, all connected by gravel and paver pathways, leading to fountains and cherubim statues. Tan Weddings & Events enjoy hosting intimate gatherings and elopements at the Sunken Garden. Partnering with the onsite events team led by Paula LeDuc Fine Catering & Events, TWE creates magical moments in this truly exquisite and private setting.

Getting ready in the morning of wedding day is not as easy as setting the alarm, downing a cup of chai, then getting into your wedding dress. Here are some helpful insights from Tan Weddings & Events to help smooth the transition from sleepy head to newlywed.

With your fabulous planner, you will have discussed these with them and the venue prior to the wedding morning, so there should be no surprises.

The Getting Ready Space is Your Happy Place
This is where you have arranged to gather for hair and makeup and for getting dressed. Make sure the space can accommodate the number of people expected to use it - you'll actually spend quite a large percentage of your day in this space (about 5 hours, or 35% of a 14-hour event day), so it should be comfortable and inviting. It should have adequate lighting and ventilation. 

The mood should be calm and meditative; it's your happy place. So think about who you want to share that space with. As much as you love your 2 year old nephew, do you want your sister-in-law changing his diaper next to your maid of honor getting their eyeliner penciled in? (We've seen it!) Please don't share your getting ready moment with anyone that will - dare we say it? - put a stink on your morning! 

We can't stress it enough - with whom and how many people you are sharing your space with can make or break how your day will unfold.

Breakfast is the Most Important Meal
of the (Wedding) Day
Don't discount the need to feed! Emotions and adrenaline are already at an amped up level, so your body is burning more fuel than you realize. If you skip breakfast, and even lunch, then by the afternoon, you will not be at your optimum health to enjoy the rest of the day. Don't wait till you sit down for dinner to finally eat - that will be too little too late! And water, precious water. Hydrate early, frequently. As they say in Napa - "water first, wine later".

If you are getting ready at a venue with catering - a resort or hotel - then it is easy to arrange ahead for a platter of brunch items and beverages to be brought to you and your wedding party. If you are at an Airbnb or a venue without onsite food, then order ahead and have it delivered.

As they say at Tan Weddings & Events - "Nourish first, nuptials later".

No More Wardrobe Malfunctions
Before you even hop on that train, plane, our automobile to your destination wedding, make a checklist of garments, accessories, and footwear so you don't leave your essentials behind. Put wedding day attire in one specific bag, labeled, inventoried, ready for a party.

Traveling to the venue with your attire, even if in a suit bag, will inevitably become wrinkled. Arriving at least a day or two to the venue will afford you some time to let the garments air out. Hang them up in the bathroom (a steamy shower may do the trick), arrange for a steamer/iron from the venue, or hire a professional to give your dress or suit that special treatment to make you look your best on wedding day.

If you are donning a neck tie or bow tie, please do not wait until wedding day to go on YouTube to learn - figure it out beforehand, practice it! Nothing says novice more than a poorly tied tie, a sloppy pocket square, or the worst we've seen: not snipping off the threads that bind the vents on your suit!! Free your vents - those threads are from the tailor/manufacturer for packaging purposes - they are not part of your suit's design!!

What is a Flatlay Anyway?
​It's a relatively new buzzword among wedding photographers that describe an arrangement of objects such as the rings, cuff links, shoes, invitation suite, and the movie tickets to your first date together, along with some florals that together create a time capsule photo.

If a flatlay is what you want recorded in your photo album, prepare these items, set them aside, put them in a box or a tray, and delegate a trusted friend or your planner to give to the photographer. 

Do not make it an afterthought if this is important to you because you do not want to be scrambling for random things or regretting not to pack the locket your grandma gave you for this precicous photo.