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More gorgeous images from Cindy Giovagnoli of Cuppa Photography in Real California Weddings. We really enjoyed working with this stunning couple!

When it comes to wedding receptions, probably the first thing most couples think of is: partying and dancing until the wee hours, right? There is no celebration like it and everyone hopes they have the party the guests remember – for all the right reasons.

So, when choosing your musicians, whether it’s a band, DJ, classical quartet, or a combination of all three, it is such a big investment you want to get it right. First and foremost, you should know that your bandleader or DJ is familiar with all of the traditional components if wedding receptions: intros, first dance, toasts, cake ceremony etc. Even if you don’t consider having a ‘traditional’ format, you’ll want to have someone who can guide the evening along with various announcements and to keep your guests engaged. Another thing to consider is the ‘type’ of music you choose. It’s important to remember that there are going to be a number of guests who are older, most likely friends of your parents and they would like to dance, too!

Very often, the wedding ceremony and dancing will be in separate locations, so you’ll want to know that the musicians have adequate wiring (sometimes heavy-duty wires and generators are required) and that they have enough wireless mics and speakers so that that they can set up in more that one place. If you’re hiring a band, ask how much space they need to set up – the larger the band, the larger space; this affects the size of the room or tent you order.…

“Already popular in other parts of the country, barn weddings are taking off in Maine. Portland-based wedding planner Diane York, of Diane York Weddings & Events Inc., says she now gets more requests for barns than for coastal wedding venues. On the inside, some of the sites may look more like restaurants than barns – many brides don’t want to walk through sawdust or smell cows on their wedding day – but they still provide the casual, rustic charm many couples are looking for.”

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading online wedding marketplace, named Diane York Weddings & Events, Inc. as a winner of the prestigious WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards.

While many industry award winners are selected by the host organization, the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® winners are determined solely based on reviews from real newlyweds and their experiences working with Diane York Weddings & Events, Inc.  Award-winning vendors are distinguished for the quality, quantity, consistency, and timeliness of the reviews they have received from their past clients.

Diane York Weddings & Events, Inc. is proud to be one of the top Wedding Planners in California in the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding sites such as WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. …

Let’s start with your Photographer – probably one of the most important vendors, as you’ll be looking at their work for many years after your wedding day so you don’t want any surprises!

Here are five important questions you should ask before you book your photographer for your Big Day:

1. Are you familiar with my Church/ Venue. If not, will you go there beforehand to set up lighting as needed?

2. Will you be the main photographer on the day and will you have a second shooter?

3. What style of photography do you specialize in – traditional? journalistic?

4. If we run over the contracted hours, will you stay longer? Have this written in the contract!

5. Are you comfortable with her/his communication style?

I hope this is helpful to you. Please contact me if you have any Q’s.

So many couples are opting for destination weddings nowadays. It cuts down on the logistics of guests going to several locations, as well as, keeping them safe after a night of partying! So, unless you’re getting married within the Church, you will have to find someone to perform your ceremony and here are some pointers you should know about. I’ll start with the must-do’s required by the states in the U.S.A.

First: Each state or country has different rules: some will require a residency of a week or two while others need a blood test. Some countries require a ceremony in the town hall as well as one in front of your guests. In the state of California, where I live, there are three professionals that are licensed or commissioned to perform wedding ceremonies. They are any attorney who is a member of the California State Bar Association; a clergy of any denomination (that includes on-line ministries) and a Notary Public. Generally speaking, you must go to a city or town hall to obtain your license and you must go in person, no-one can apply for you. If you’ve been married before, you must have a certified copy of your divorce or death certificate – a photocopy won’t do.

Second: Once you have your license, keep it in a safe place until you give it to your officiate, usually at the rehearsal the day before the wedding. Keep in mind that once you hand it over, you never see it again; it must be filed at the town hall by the person performing the ceremony.…

Hello and welcome to my Wedding Blog. First, I’d like to say congratulations on your engagement. This is such an exciting time for you and your honey – until you start thinking of the many, many details, both large (what Venue to use and where) and small ( Welcome Bags and favors). It all takes time and money and if you’re working and trying to do it all yourself it can be overwhelming and stressful. So, I’m here to help with some things you need to know as you get started. During the next few weeks I’ll be offering some tips on what to ask the many vendors you’ll need to work with; depending on the size of the wedding, this can be anywhere from five to over twenty! …