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.

If your preference is an intimate wedding celebration, then consider these important tips from Tan Weddings & Events in scaling down, while elevating the experience.

A Romantic Setting and Scale
Here at our styled shoot at beautiful Arista Winery in Healdsburg, CA, a manicured swath of lawn cut against the vineyard and hills beyond provided a setting that was proportionately scaled for a smaller gathering. The addition of an arbor structure further brings a cozy, more intimate feel.

Touches of Elegance
Elements of chic and elegant do not have to be grand scaled. When scaling down, attentiveness to the details is key. For instance, we placed a modern chandelier from Bright Event Rentals to anchor the arbor with a very sophisticated touch. No need for lots of lights, just a well chosed detail.

Textural and Sensuous
Curated florals from Bloom & Vine, and carefully grouped place-settings and patterened linens from Bright Event Rentals, these all hold their own in the overall design, contributing to the experience of touch, sight, and comfort.

Your ceremony deserves thoughtful consideration as it is more than just the words spoken and shared on wedding day, it represents your commitment of a lifelong love. It is aso at the core of the wedding celebration; why your families and friends were brought together in the first place. Here are some helpful tips in making your ceremony meaningful.

Choose the Officiant Who Matches your Needs
A couple should consider an officiant that meets their beliefs and values. The officiant should be able to work with the couple's often busy work/life schedule, able to communicate via emails effectively and Zoom chat as needed. The officiant sets the tone of your ceremony, so make sure they reflect your personality and the occassion. And finally, the officiant should have the right demeanor on wedding day - calm, compassionate, authoritative, professional yet personable.

Create a Ceremony Script that Resonates with You
Whether you begin with ceremony templates or start from scratch, the ceremony words should be authentic to who you are as a couple. Work with your officiant to personalize it and refine it. The ceremony script should reflect your love as a couple, it should say the words that will carry you into married life. Don't worry about what your guests expect to hear, they will appreciate and support you when they know the words are meaningful to you.

Personalize your Script
There are ways that even a ceremony template can become uniquely yours. You might share your love story with your officiant who may incorporate it into the ceremony. You can read your personal written vows - quite a cherished moment when friends and family hear your voices and the heart-felt promises you make to one another. You can include unity rituals that are drawn from your faith or culture, such as the veil and cord rituals of the Filipino culture.

Hire a Professional Officiant or Consult with One
A professional officiant, such as any member of the officiating team of Tan Weddings & Event, will meet all your needs above, but you might decide to have your family member or friend officiate for you. In that case, consult with TWE's principal officiant Reverend Rick Tan who will provide your friend or family member with helpful tips to officiating like a pro!

Sharing a meal together is at the heart of many gatherings, and weddings offer a delightful and delectable experience for your guests. Whether you decide a buffet, family-style, or plated,  matching table decor with the meal service type will take your dinner from bland to grand!

Got some hearty eaters who like to have a few entree choices? A buffet style service would be an excellent format. With the tablescape, you have a lot of freedom, where the dinner plate can be a part of the place-setting, and ample room on the tables for florals, candles, and other decor.

This format gives an informal, laid-back vibe to a celebration, without giving up an elevated aesthetic. Since platters of sides and entrees will be brought out by your caterer to the tables for guests to share, make sure there are landing areas such as stands, and that flower and other decor do not overwhelm the space, allowing for guests to pass platters amongst themselves unhindered.

This is the most formal of these three meal service types, where guests will have selected their entree choice prior to the wedding day. With this type, the place-setting will not have a dinner plate on the table as the catering team will be plating the entrees on the dinner plates. Design-wise, the combination of the charger, napkin, and menu will tak center stage.

When you want color on your wedding day, the sky's the limit. Or with our Malibu wedding, the surf's the limit!

Our couple did not shy away from color with their wedding palette. For them, the brief was, "Let's represent Malibu, the Moorish influence of the venue, our Persian hertiage, our SoCal lifestyle!" Tan Weddings & Events obliged. The pastel hues of beach and surf paired with the vibrant pigments of earthen textiles.

Adamson House is a historical site whose foundation was literally built on the owner's company Malibu Potteries, established in 1926, whose influences range from Moorish to Mayan, Andalusian to Art Deco. It provided the perfect setting for the couple's Persian heritage where the tile work and motifs resonated with their family.

Lilla Bello deftly assembled florals that bridged the Malibu vibe and the Mediterranean spirit. Julie King Studio captured the mood of the celebration in the signage and paperie. Casa de Perrin set down exquisite plateware and glassware and Town & Country Event Rentals brought chairs and tables that together were like the sandy beach where all this beautiful color could play.

In combination, the color palette spoke to the personality of the couple, who wanted to honor family, entertain their guests, and simply enjoy their celebration with wild, unabashed love of their beachy digs!

Event layout design is a key aspect of planning and producing a wedding. Tan Weddings & Events creates layouts that are thoughtfully-designed, driven by the four principle factors of space planning.

FLOW
Every space, whether it's a winery in Napa county or a private residence, routes people among the built and landscaped environment. For a wedding event, keep in mind the movement of guests from the welcome space to ceremony to cocktail to dinner. Ensure the paths are clear, logical, well-marked, and well-lit as needed.

FUNCTION
As guests flow through the spaces, regard the function and intent of the spaces. Create gathering spaces designed for the guest count and the activity, the function. If beverages and food are in self-serve stations, make sure there is room for lines. For dinner service, our rule of thumb for spacing between table edges is 5 feet minimum, six-seven is ideal. Designate spaces that allow vendors to deliver their A-game.

FEEL
As guests flow from one functional space to another, regard it as a sensual experience. Engage all the senses - visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory. Make the spaces comfortable and cohesive. Everyone should feel welcomed, oriented, joyful, celebratory.

FUN
And finally, a wedding celebration is all about the fun factor! The flow, function, and feel, when harmonized, will allow for the fun to happen. Further enhance with experiential moments that will make the event unique, and yet belong to the overall design. The event is at the beach? Incorporate an oyster bar. At a ranch? The bride on a mechanical bull is quite the picture op! At a European castle? Perhaps a string ensemble playing baroque music.

While event layout design may not be as glamorous as selecting place-settings and linens at a showroom, it is a key element in the overall wedding experience.​

You're engaged and faced with one important decision (the first of many decisions during wedding planning): "Should we have a full-on wedding ceremony and reception, or should we elope?"

Every couple is different, and you'll have your reasons for choosing to go big or to scale it down. Before you send out the save the dates to 300 people, here are three reasons why an elopement may suit you:

#1 Less people to entertain equals less costs. Scaling down to 2 - 14 people for a ceremony-only event will save you costs on venue fees, food & beverage minimums, rentals of linens and place-settings, decor, floral arrangements, etc.  Tan Weddings & Events' Budget Calculator estimates how your investment allocates to the vendors.) Simply put, keep your money!

#2 Less pieces to manage translates to less stress. A wedding day adds layers upon layers of things to manage, coordinate, track, and juggle. From shuttle schedules to silverware selections, it's a lot to think about! An elopement eliminates all of that. You can now focus on each other. Simply put, keep your sanity!

#3 Partner with an elopement specialist to make it happen. Tan Weddings & Events knows elopements! They will provide the essentials: planner, officiant, photographer, florals, cake, and music. Two hours at a gorgeous venue, an intimate ambience, your "I do's". Simply put, keep it simple!

Don't get us wrong, we LOVE the big celebrations, but there are benefits to eloping that you may find appealing. If so, reach out.

Planner, Officiant, Harpist | Tan Weddings & Event
Venue | Chateau St. Jean
Photographer | Elizabeth Warrick
Florals | Scarlett & Grace
Cake | Let Them Eat Cake

There's an inscription at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, chiseled into limestone and marble, "Know thyself." It is sage advice, and perhaps those ancient Greeks, some 2700 years ago, knew something about weddings! 

Extroverted OR introverted. Consider these personality types at the very beginning of wedding planning, as it can make a big difference on how you will enjoy your wedding day! A planner like Tan Weddings & Events can assemble a great vendor team, develop a master timeline, enhance the setting, and create a magical ambience, but you have to be honest with who you are to really vibe with your vision.

Who's an extrovert? A person who is extroverted draws energy from being around people, they would be energized and happy with lots of exciting activity. An introvert, on the other hand, prefers peace, tranquility, moments of reflection. Being "on" all day, being in the limelight, tended to, interacting with lots of people - these will sap the energy of an introvert.

Here are a few moments that can be a part of your wedding day. You'll discover that you tilt more one way or another, or maybe you fall somewhere in between!

1. Hair and makeup session - lots of your peeps, chatting, munching on snacks, drinking, moms too, OR just you and your maid of honor, in your suite.
2. Sharing personal vows - during the ceremony, in front of your attendees OR in private, in a quiet courtyard of the venue.
3. Photos and video - first look, portraits with wedding party, portraits with parents, videos of getting ready, videos of toasts, videos of walking and laughing OR portraits with family, candid videos and photos.
4. Grand entrance - dancing to some deep bass beats, the wedding party and the newlyweds enter the room OR just the newlyweds enter.
5. Dress changes, toasts, games, espresso martini tower, photobooth, gelato carts, first dance, parent dances, and so much more!

Exciting or overwhelming? Too much, too little? The wedding day can be perfectly planned and perfectly executed to your specifications, but the true joy, your own personal experience, depends on knowing yourself. So be honest with who you are, find the balance of what works for you, and your wedding day should feel joyful and authentic.

Having planned their own 30th anniversary celebration, Rick and Jennifer, co-owners and principal planners of Tan Weddings & Events, experienced being "the couple". It reaffirmed the advice they give their couples to make wedding day  smooth and stress-free! Here are three of Rick and Jennifer's Wedding Day Do's and Dont's:

DO Have a Photography Plan.
So you want to be fully present with each other and your guests on wedding day, AND you also want quality photos and video to enjoy in the future. These two goals are not naturally compatible. It's like wanting your all-you-can-eat sushi buffet AND training for a half marathon. It's not that you can't do both, it simply needs planning!

Involve your planner, who will recommend: 1) Talk to your photographer and videographer about your priorities to balance portraits and candids, time posing and time partying; 2) Create a photo list and schedule to fit in the master timeline; and 3) Recruit a family member or friend who knows the people in your photo list to efficiently direct portraits.

DO Refine (REDUCE) Your Guest List.
Refine is a graceful way of asking yourself - "Do I really need to invite my brother's cousin's ex-wife and her plus one and toddler?" "Do I want my dad's golf buddies there?" "Should I allow random plus ones?" It is not an easy task to create a guest list, but reducing the number of guests has some real benefits. Let's talk budget. We are seeing, on average, couples spending $1000/guest (this is based on the total wedding costs). Do you want to spend that on someone you hardly know and will probably not even get a chance to talk to on your wedding day?

Less guests translate to less cost, but it also allows more venue choices that can host a smaller guest count, it opens more space on the dinner layout, it reduces the time guests get served their courses, it reduces the need for extra shuttle trips, it reduces all those part and pieces of wedding day - menus, favors, place-settings, room blocks, the list goes on.

The real question to ask yourself is - "Who do we want to spend this day with, to share in our joy and happiness, in our journey as a couple?"

DON'T DIY What You Can Leave to a Professional.
Being creative people, Rick and Jennifer naturally added in their personalities and their hobbies into the wedding day. It is who they are. Rick did the signage. Jennifer hand-crocheted her entire dress! They hand-woven runners for their tables. Their son, an engineer, created aluminum placecard/napkin holders. 

Yes, they DIY'd those elements, but it's also part of their professional lives, and it aligned with their vision and aesthetic. But those elements for sure impacted the planning and the getting ready part of their wedding day.

Bottom line, the more things you DIY, the more things you have to personally take care of, assemble, store, package up, transport, handle, and worry about! So leave what you can to the professionals to manage.

Keep these three tips in mind and you're sure to enjoy your celebration!