FAQ | Spark & Sage Events

Because planning a wedding is a big deal, and a big investment, there are no do-overs when it comes to the actual wedding day running according to plan. No matter how on top of it you are, you don't want to be the one organizing vendor setup and tear-down on your wedding day. It's also not a job you want to stick any of your wedding party or family members with too as it leaves them no time to actually enjoy the celebration.

You'll need someone who is willing to show up hours early, who is willing to stand in the corner of the reception space and manage guests, caterers, and speeches... who is willing to stay long after everyone leaves to manage the vendor tear-down process as well. Plus, you need someone with a specific skillset who can put out last-minute fires, rearrange seating at the eleventh hour if need be, throw together a forgotten place-card at the last minute, stay on top of the timeline, direct your wedding party, and more. (It's exhausting just thinking about all of those things!

I know, I had the same argument when planning my own wedding (before I became a wedding coordinator). It's really tempting to save the extra $1,000 bucks, but take a step back and look at this in the terms of the big operation it is....you wouldn't host a concert without a conductor, or play a NFL football game without a coach, would you? Even though the individual musicians or football players know the basic function of what to do, they still need someone to see the bigger picture to make sure to avoid chaos and make a successful event.

Additionally, planning the wedding is a process. It actually involves a lot of time and effort (which I am sure you are discovering!). My services are priced to reflect the amount of time I put into the work. For instance, the Wedding Day Management package reflects twenty (20) hours that I commit to working for you to cover communication with you and your vendors, research, building the timeline, plus the actual hours of work I do on the day-of.

In a nutshell, from my experience (I used to be a venue coordinator!), your venue coordinator certainly can help with the planning process, but is ultimately focused on overseeing the set-up, food and beverage, and logistics as it relates directly to the venue. An outside wedding coordinator will be more familiar with your specific vision, and will coordinate and manage ALL logistics and design details with your entire wedding team.

"Wedding Management" isn't a term you hear a lot, but essentially, it's similar to either "Month-of" or "Partial Planning" coordination services. I offer the Wedding Management Package as my core service because I truly believe this is the combination of services that best sets your big day up for success.

While a day-of coordinator shows up and does their best to execute your vision, if your vision has issues to start (for instance, you created a timeline that didn't allow enough time for setting up), then there's a greater likelihood that those issues will create problems you'll notice on the day. With wedding management, I'm a part of the process in creating the timeline and floor plan with you - that way, we can avoid common planning mistakes and I'm more familiar with your wedding vision when it comes to being on-site for the big day.

If you're looking for solely day-of services because you're restricted by budget, let's schedule a consultation to talk. Since my services are customizable, we can run through each service and decide how to create a bespoke package that might work better for you.

Like you, I want to make sure we are a good fit. I want you to ultimately find the right person to do the job, even if that isn't me. On paper, though, I have years of experience in event coordination in multiple roles. I've made the mistakes, learned the lessons, and have the wisdom to pass on to you! Additionally, I think that having professional credentials is important as well. That's why I'm a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants, which holds its members to the ABC Code of Ethics and Standards of Membership. I also have several certifications from accredited educational programs and am currently working towards my Professional Wedding Planner designation. For more information about why I'm worth considering, check out the About page.

I decided to start my own business because I want to be personally involved (in the role I love so much!). I'll be your main point of contact for our meetings, the planning, and the day-of coordination, though I do work with a team of other experienced event coordinators and assistants to make sure your event is fully-staffed if additional help is required. Assistants usually stay for only a portion of the time, mostly helping me with set-up, running the ceremony, and transitioning between social hour to reception. My services include at least (1) assistant, but for certain scenarios, more assistants may be needed.

I've had the pleasure of working with a lot of venues in the San Diego area (where I'm based), though there's always the possibility that I haven't worked the venue you've chosen. If I haven't worked at your venue before, I'll be sure to let you know during our consultation meeting. If you decide to move forward with my services, I will make sure to schedule a venue tour/walkthrough (with you, if you'd like!), before the wedding so I'm familiar with the site before the big day.

I love working with clients of varying budgets! That said, I want to make sure my pricing is a good fit for your budget as I will not encourage you to spend outside your budget (even if it's on my services!). With that consideration, my standard wedding management package is a best fit for wedding budgets of $35K+, unless you're looking for a custom service package or are planning a micro-wedding.

The truth is that weddings (especially as we envision them - thanks, Pinterest!) are a luxury, and in my opinion, are not worth getting into significant debt over. I want to meet with you and discuss your vision and am happy to offer advice on how to build a budget that is realistic so you can scale your vision accordingly. I do believe that you can have a beautiful wedding on a budget as long as you know where to save, what is worth the investment, and how to scale your vision accordingly.

I do offer a 10% discount for clients who are either veterans, active-duty military, or first responders as a token of appreciation!

Unfortunately, if my pricing doesn't fit your budget, I may not be the best fit for you. My pricing is set to keep me in business, reflects my experience, and allows me to provide the level of service that is usually expected of my team. My pricing has to be sustainable so I can pay my insurance, pay my assistants a fair wage, cover the costs of software, etc. I recognize that budget can be a strong factor in deciding who to hire, but I also want to stress that cost doesn't always mean value. In general, my service differs from "cheaper" options since I offer more support during planning, I bring out more day-of assistants (some coordinators work alone), and I spend more time on-site (many packages are 6-8 hours, which means the coordinator leaves before your wedding is over). That said, I believe in community over competition so if there's a better fit for you, I won't hesitate to recommend you to another coordinator!

To book my services and reserve your date, I require a $150 flat retainer (which helps cover my time in setting up your account). The remaining balance must be paid by two deadlines after that; 50% of remaining balance at 90 days out and payment in full by 30 days out. That said, you'll receive a digital invoice so you're welcome to make as many smaller payments as you'd like as long as you meet the two minimum payment deadlines.

I charge a flat fee that is calculated around the time invested (20+ hours) as well as the guest count size. Much of my services are time-based which remain the same regardless of guest count, however guest count does influence the pricing as the work for 100 guests vs. 300 guests means I need put in more prep work, hire more assistants, etc. Other factors such as separate ceremony and reception locations, additional assistants needed, etc. may also influence the price quoted. The good news is that you'll be given an itemized quote prior to booking so you'll see exactly how it works out before making a commitment. I've also set up a lot of my services as a la carte so if you need more help as you go along, you can always add more services or time!

While there may be additional fees – there shouldn’t be any surprises. Additional fees are only added IF you decide to add additional time or services beyond the scope of what was originally booked. For example, if you decide during the wedding that you want to dance for an extra hour and ask me to stick around (fee for additional, unplanned time), or if there’s certain services that you don’t have covered by another vendor and want me to do, like setting dishware on tables, moving chairs, assembling an intense DIY project (like building a whole photobooth backdrop for you). If I anticipate any of these might happen, I will certainly let you know ahead of time so we can approve the extra fee or discuss alternatives.

Here’s a list of some of the common instances in which an extra fee might apply:

Venue Travel Fee (for venues 50+ miles from 92126)
Additional Day-of Hours (if planned before wedding)
Additional Day-of Hours (if not planned before wedding)
Additional Personal Items Set-up (beyond what’s included)

The answer is YES, I am licensed and insured. I believe that having the professional accreditations and legal protection is important, especially when you're committing to a big investment (in both expectations and money!). I have a San Diego business license, and a $1M/$2M liability insurance policy. Additionally, I have a contract (created by a lawyer) which is important in making sure you know exactly what to expect when working with me.

Great question! The next step would be to book a quick phone or video conference consultation with me so we can discuss what services you might need and answer any questions you might have! After our chat, I'll create a written proposal for you to review that will include a quote for the services we discussed as well as a specific payment plan.

For a link to my scheduling calendar, please submit a inquiry form.