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kenyonestate

A beautiful indoor/outdoor venue for your ceremony and reception near the Napa Valley Wine Country

Kenyon Estate read more »

weddingplanning

Looking for a full time planner to help you plan the wedding of your dreams?

Jason Diavatis, Wedding and Event Design read more »

theloft

Our physical showroom to get the best idea of what your event could look like...

The Loft Showroom read more »

testimonials

“Dear Jason, Without any reservations, we would highly, highly recommend Jason for any special event. In our wedding decision-making process, we met or traded emails with three DJs in order to make our best decision. We felt a DJ was a very important element to our wedding and we chose Jason because of his past work, his wonderful personality, his attention to detail and the servies he offers to the wedding couple. He GETS it - really GETS it. He makes the wedding couple feel special with every service he provides - plus brings laughter, professionalism and creativity to the table that makes you feel comfortable from the very first meeting. Jason is fun-loving, yet very professional. He offered to do the day-of-event wedding coordination for us and we quickly took him up on his offer. Jason is quick to plan and then direct the activities of the day to make sure everyone knows their part and the wedding day goes off without a hitch. And it did! The day flew by but Jason was there directing at the wedding venue and was responsible for the tiny details that let the bride and groom enjoy their day. However, the best part of hiring Jason is ... Jason himself. We can't say enough about him to articulate how much he added to our wedding and how much we appreciate him being there to coordinate and entertain on our special day. It was obvious Jason put in many hours to plan the wedding day schedule, book the extra band, lay out the music, author our introduction to the reception and plan the "newlywed game", which was a huge hit! After the wedding, we had many of our guests tell us how much they enjoyed our wedding - the music was great and the newlywed game was something they had never seen before. That's Jason. We were so pleased with Jason and cannot say enough to fully express our happiness in finding him for our special day. Our wedding day flew by and Jason was the epitome of professionalism. We never had to do anything to direct him - only answer his questions about details he would take care of on the wedding day. He worked many hours before the wedding too - it's obvious he loves his job and is good at it. He arrived at the wedding venue early and stayed until the last guest left - which was many hours of work. Overall, Jason was a huge key to our wedding "success". His services weren't the cheapest, but what we got was priceless. There are far more expensive DJs that offer much less service - and we still feel like we got the "Cadillac". The amount of time he spends with you and the quality of his work is worth every single penny - but you also get Jason with the package and he is the biggest bonus of all. We were blessed to have found him and we are very, very happy to recommend him very, very highly. Thank you so much, Jason! We wish you continued success! Harry & Laura Brown October, 2006”
— Harry Brown, Jefferson Street Mansion, Benicia California

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You’re Engaged To Be Married! Now What?

The question “Will you marry me?” is just the first of many questions to come.

Where do I start? Do I need a wedding planner? Where do I want to have the wedding? Traditional? Unique? Do I need a wedding coordinator? What can I do to save money on my wedding? What time of year will I have my wedding? Who will I invite to my wedding? How many guests should I invite? How much will my wedding cost? How do I budget for my wedding? Who pays for what?

Where do I start?
“Where do I start?” is the most common question after getting engaged. By now you have most likely started looking into many wedding planning details. Before you can make any arrangements, you need to consider your budget. Your budget is the foundation of everything wedding related. Your budget will determine how many guests, where you have your wedding, what type of food and beverage, even the time of year.

Do I need a wedding planner?
Having the help of a professional was once considered a luxury and not something everyone could afford. Now, weddings are big business and having professional guidance in planning your wedding can save you money and make the planning process more enjoyable for the Bride, Groom, and their families. You can do it yourself, but you should really consider having a professional’s guidance. If you retain a professional wedding planner before you make any arrangements, the planner can help you set a realistic budget and take steps to keep you within that budget, even negotiating with the venue and other professional wedding vendors you will need. You may find that paying a professional to do it right will save you more money in the end.

Where do I want to have the wedding? Traditional? Unique?
Where you have your wedding is an important decision to make early on. Again, your budget and the number of guests are big factors. Do you want a traditional wedding? or something more unique? A traditional wedding would most likely find the wedding ceremony in a church with the reception being at a hall or nearby hotel. Something more unique might include an outdoor ceremony and reception at a unique venue. You may need to be flexible on your preferred date to book the venue of your choice, as dates are often taken up to 18 months in advance. If in different locations, the ceremony and reception sites should be within a thirty minute drive of each other.

Do I need a wedding coordinator?
 Yes. If you want things to flow smoothly on your wedding day you will need a coordinator. You might not need a professional coordinator, but it is definitely in your best interest to have a qualified, confident coordinator to manage all the details of your wedding day. At a minimum a good coordinator will ensure that the Bride, Groom and their guests all have a great time, and any potential problems will be handled without the Bride and Groom ever knowing about them allowing the Bride and Groom to feel they had the “Perfect Wedding.”

What can I do to save money on my wedding?
 There are many things you can do to save money and stretch your wedding budget further. First consider the number of guests and the date. Saturday is the most expensive day of the week, and prime wedding season is from April to October, at least in the San Francisco Bay Area and Napa Valley Wine Country. Choosing a less popular date can save you money with most of your vendors, and that will add up. I know this may sound like a shameless plug, but choose a venue such as Kenyon Estate where you can choose your own caterer and bring in your own beer and wine with no corkage. Any venue that has their own in-house food and beverage will usually cost you more and limit your options.

Who will I invite to my wedding?
This is a tough question. There are so many things to consider in choosing your guests. A simple starting point is to compile a list from the Bride, Groom, Bride’s parents, and the Groom’s parents. Prioritize the guests, close family first, then close friends, co-workers, etc. You can choose to have children or not. It is common that EVERYONE you know will ask if they are invited. It is an inappropriate and awkward question, but one you will have to deal with. Consider constraints with your budget and your venue of choice. If your favorite venue can only accommodate 100 guests, that is your goal. Normally 75% of your invited guests will RSVP yes.

How much will my wedding cost? How do I budget for my wedding?
You need to understand what each piece of the puzzle will cost you and how that fits into your budget. Your food, beverage and site will make up the largest part of your budget and is directly tied to how many guests you will have.  Your dress, photographer, and entertainment are examples of items that have a fixed cost and are not related to how many guests you will have. Create a work sheet showing every budget related item, don’t forget to include any service charges and sales tax on food and beverage.

Who pays for what?
Traditionally the Bride’s family pays for the wedding and most wedding related costs, the Groom’s family traditionally pays for the rehearsal dinner and the bar at the reception.

These questions are just the beginning. Remember to enjoy the process of planning your wedding and keep in mind the wedding reception is intended to celebrate your marriage. The marriage itself should be the center of all your plans. Best wishes!

Jason Diavatis is a Certified Wedding Consultant at Bay Area Entertainment and sits on the Board of Directors for the San Francisco Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE). Bay Area Entertainment, based in Benicia California, has been providing Wedding Planning, Day of Coordination and professional DJ and Live Entertainment in the San Francisco Bay Area and Napa Valley Wine Country since 1993.

Rating 4.50 out of 5

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