If you haven't heard, I'm expecting baby number three at the end of April! To say that the third time is a bit easier, is such a true statement! To picture us being a family of five is so exciting, and another addition is so much fun. The girls are constantly asking about my belly! Side note, we're actually waiting to be surprised with the sex of our bundle of joy. We thought keeping a bit of the surprise factor would change it up a bit. 

Although juggling mom life and running a business can be a lot, I know our growing team here at NSE will take care of you and your needs throughout planning your next event! Check out "The Team" on our navigation to meet our planners! Thank you to the beautiful Emily Hajec with Little Wishes Photography for capturing these photos!

Like I always say... Keep these things to the professionals! Throughout my entire event planning and wedding planning career, I have always been very passionate about my couples and clients hiring professional photographers. Sure, the new Iphone may take amazing photos, but what about the editing? What about creating a gorgeous portrait with a lens that barely has to be edited? 

My passion comes from knowing and working with photographers around California who are so in love with "getting the shot" or just in love with the entire idea behind photography. Those are the photographers that need to be booked. The ones that, one, know what they're talking about, and two, that are passionate about capturing moments that will be with you until the end of time. 

I know a few wedding planning friends who have witnessed a good friend of the bride and groom, shooting their wedding, but also drinking while doing so... Can you blame the guy?! He's a good friend... why wouldn't he pick up a glass of wine or a pint of beer? That being said, is he really in the right place to capture the moments you've written down on your shot list? The last thing we want, as wedding planners, is for you to go through your photos 2 months later, and not be happy. These do last a lifetime you know! 

Professional wedding photographers, and professional photographers, in general, have an eye for detail, and they have the best intentions. The phrase "you get what you pay for" is SO true! I always suggest meeting with your photographer to ensure that you two connect in more ways than just photos. Your photographer will be with you from the moment you are getting hair and makeup done, to the moment you leave the venue! Having someone you connect with taking photos will not only make you feel more comfortable, but it will also call for incredible images that you'll love. 

So if you're in the market for an amazing wedding photographer, let me know! I'd love to send a few names over.

Until Next Time,
NSE - North State Events

In honor of Saint Patrick's Day yesterday, I had to share a birthday party we put together last week for 225 fabulous guests! It was a blast, and really made us appreciate the culture even more.

We named the party, "Cannons-Pub", named after the birthday boy's last name! From Irish dancing to amazing Irish music played by Michael's band Pub Scouts (They play every Friday evening at Duffy's!) ; It was truly amazing and a very special birthday!

Later in the evening, guests even roasted Michael, which was too funny! He enjoyed it a lot, you could tell. 

We had some pretty talented vendors at this birthday bash, and like always, we couldn't have put on this fabulous party without them!

Food: Bacio 
Cake: Uppercrust
Venue: Eagles Hall
Photography: Trevor Claverie, World Love Film + Photo
Audio/visual: North State AV
Decor: Etsy 
Floral: North Bloom
Rentals: Eagles Hall & We Do Designs 
Coordination & Planning: North State Events 

I may seem biased, as I am a wedding planner myself, but before I even took the plunge to begin my career, I knew how important it was to have a planner. On today's blog post I am going to give you 5 reasons why hiring a wedding planner is so crucial for your day to run smoothly, and stress free!

1. Communication With Vendors.
Even if you don't end up hiring a planner to plan your wedding from beginning to end, as your day of coordinator, we will be sure to communicate with your vendors at least 1 month in advance! This way, you can leave all of the small details to us. Doesn't that sound amazing?!
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2. Timelines & Day Of Help
Having a timeline done for you is crucial in making sure that the day runs smoothly. Without one, how will your coordinator know when to do what, at what time? If you don't have a coordinator, are you going to have your mom, or aunt run the day? Wouldn't you want them to be a part of it? So having day of help along with a timeline is absolutely necessary in my mind (again not trying to be biased...) 

3. Setup & Clean up
Although most coordinators charge a bit extra for set up and breakdown, it's worth it at the end of the night when you are exhausted! Trust me, your family doesn't want to clean! On the other hand, if you have a large family, willing to help your coordinator, we may not even charge extra! So either way, having a good coordinator will end up making your lives, and your family's lives easier too. 

4. From Beginning To End
As wedding planners, we also love starting a wedding from scratch! From the vendor meetings to the tastings, we don't mind these appointments one bit! I always recommend a full service planner when a bride is overwhelmed with work, or even family. Your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life! Not the most stressful. 

5. Friendship 
This may sound corny, but I truly love the friendships and relationships I make with my couples! Spending all of this time chatting, going to appointments, and being a part of such a magical day, ultimately ends up in a beautiful friendship that lasts a lifetime, and I couldn't imagine a better career! My goal as a wedding planner is to not only be your coordinator, confidant, or professional go-to person, it's also to make sure you're enjoying the process every step of the way. As a friend, and as your planner! You can lean on me when things get stressful, and you can know that I will be here even when you're married! 

As always, it's a pleasure to share my experiences with you all, and I truly hope you take this as a kick in the booty to hire the perfect wedding planner for your special day!

Xo,
​NSE