MEET AMY
Making Dreams Come True
I am lucky to say that every day I get to do what I love to do. Pinch me, please! I literally help couples like yourselves to plan the happiest day of their life, dream of ways to put their special touches on their day and give them the best gift of all and that is the opportunity to be a VIP guest at their own dream wedding!
My goal as your planner is to get to know you as a couple, understand your wedding challenges and dreams and desires for your wedding, and help you overcome those obstacles to create memorable memories for the rest of your life. The smile and enjoyment from my couples on their day and the friendships that I make along the way is like the icing on the wedding cake and why I love what I do!
Amy Varain
Owner / Wedding Planner
Turning a Vision into Reality
I love planning weddings and events because there are no two events that are alike. When I meet a couple for the first time, I get all excited as I think to myself, "oh what is going to be our challenge this time?!" I love the unknown, thinking outside the box and coming up with new fresh ideas or twists on an original idea. I say there are NO RULES at weddings/events. So as we collaborate thru the planning process I will be there to help you visualize the experience you are wanting for your guests and help you come up with solutions to turn that vision into a reality.
FUN FACTS: Amy builds furniture and decor in her spare time and dabbles in designing/decorating tiny homes. Therefore don't be surprised if Amy says she will DIY for your event...she has the skills and is not afraid to use them!
Photo to the right: There's Amy putting together a ceremony scene that she created to the right for her couples vintage ranch wedding.
A Perfectionist on Every Detail
I understand that you are planning your wedding for the first time, and that you are not an expert and really you just don't know what you don't know! That is why you hire me, an independent expert wedding planner that is looking out for you! With thousands of hours of planning weddings and events I am a professional perfectionist when it comes to every detail large and small. I know all the questions to ask and all the little details, like who is bringing the ice or bottle openers, who is responsible for the trash bags, who will make sure the candles are lit, did we even sign the marriage certificate? ...and the list goes on and on. My Job is to ask the questions and worry about all the details, so you don't have to!
FUN FACTS: If you are planning to DIY some of your wedding decor, Amy offers workshops for you and your bridal party/family/friends to get some of your wedding planning decor items checked off the list. Amy will help gather the supplies and then we will all get together and create, as many hands make light work! (think: programs, favors, centerpieces, table numbers, photo booth, place cards, etc)
Photo to the left: Amy held a floral workshop with the bride and bridesmaids on how to DIY the floral centerpieces the day before the wedding. In the photo Amy is perfecting them before placing on the tables.
Frequently asked questions
What is Amy Varain's Wedding Process?
What are your office hours?
Amy Varain Weddings & Events Office Hours:
Will you ask for a discount on our behalf?
Our job is to connect you with vendors that fit your budget in the first place. To receive the best level of service from a vendor, they need to feel valued. Asking for a discount communicates that you do not think they are worth what they are asking, assuming you know what it costs for them to run their business. The result of receiving a discount is not the same quality of work that lead you to the vendor in the first place based on reviews, recommendations and so on. We also have vendor relationships to maintain and nurture, asking for discounts puts us in a negative position with them so those seeking discounts are not the right fit for Amy Varain Weddings.
Do I have to use vendors from your preferred list?
No, not at all. However, we sure do prefer it and here is why: the vendors on this list are ones that we have worked with before and have always delivered excellent service and experience for our couples. They are tried and true… time and time again. We understand that your friend had a great experience with her florist and that your boss loved his cake. Anyone can rock it at least once. But ours nail it every time. We want to avoid the risk and construct a team of vendors that will work well together. Ones that communicate clearly and efficiently with our planners and with each other. Our vendor list includes a variety of price points, styles and so on. There is something for everyone!
Why do we have to get on a call prior to receiving a proposal?
I am getting married in a church, will you still do my rehearsal and ceremony?
Absolutely! However typically the church prefers to organize and run the rehearsal and ceremony. Therefore I will attend and offer my assistance to help organize to their standards and be waiting in the wings to assist where neccessary. Usually churches are thankful for the extra hand to keep things running smooth and on time.
How many weddings do you do per year?
We only take on a select amount of weddings per year depending on the combination of services hired to provide. Our clients and their wedding experience is of the utmost importance to us. We plan weddings because we love to not because we have to. For this reason, we are particular about balance and avoid spreading ourselves too thin so we do not compromise our important client relationships.
Do you setup or breakdown decor?
What is the difference between an in-house venue coordinator and an independent wedding planner?
This is a great question and an important one! I'd love to invite you to a blog that a planner friend in California wrote on this very topic. She was once an in-house venue coordinator and is now a wedding planner. She explains the difference and why you'll want to hire an independent planner.
How do I decide between Wedding Management and full service planning?
I am only looking for day of coordinator, can you just do that? I’m organized, have a lower budget and I’ve already booked my vendors…
For a seasoned event manager, one can expect to spend between $2,000-4,000 in CA. Before you think you’re dishing out $2,500 for 8 hours of service on a wedding day, this usually entails 40+ hours of work. Costing far less than all vendors (except DJ, cake and maybe Photobooth) and we are the ones that bring it all together. Vendors don't really like working weddings that haven't been vetted by a planner because they aren't able to do their jobs right and well, picking up slack on the wedding day as troubleshooting occurs. So spending $5k on a photographer and only getting $4k of value is how that turns out. We also factor salaries, taxes, and other business related costs into our pricing. With only so many weekends in a year and not working every weekend, it's just not possible for a pro to sustain at anything less. In fact, many make well over 6 figures with their businesses but take home less than a teacher. All for a position that is considered the top five most stressful in the country above C-Suite execs and among first responders. #truth
All this to say, you really can't afford NOT to hire the pro that will make sure everything comes together for you. I promise that is not a sales pitch and if I'm not the one for you, no worries, I'm happy to point you towards some other awesome ladies. I like to be as transparent as possible and share my good and bad experiences. I am also excited about educating brides on what it really takes to make a wedding day run smoothly based on those bad experiences. Ultimately, I just want everyone to be able to relax and enjoy their wedding day that they envision and planned so hard for.
Who is the ideal Amy Varain Wedding client?