Partial Wedding Planning Service
The wedding couple, along with their family and friends, should enjoy the experience of a wedding day. At Riverwood Designs, our partial-service wedding planning is designed for couples who want to be involved but seek our professional guidance and expertise in selecting and hiring vendors. This service is perfect for those looking for personalized wedding planning and coordination in Richmond VA.
Event Management Services
Partial Planning
This service best suits the couple who want to be involved but don't have the desire or time to research all their ideal vendors; instead, they seek our professional guidance and expertise in selecting and hiring vendors.
General Outline
Initial Introduction Consultation - up to 1 hour
- We get to know you and your vision for one of the most important days of your life.
- You get to know us to determine if you feel that we can work together.
- Determine if you'd like to proceed with a contract and schedule the comprehensive meeting.
Comprehensive Meeting - up to 1 ½ hours
- Consider your wedding ideas; including style, theme, colors, décor, and guest count.
- Review your vendor needs; work with you to evaluate and procure wedding day vendors.
- Share our creative ideas to complement your vision.
- Determine the most important factors of your wedding.
- Assist with save-the-date and wedding invitation phrasing.
- Attend up to three vendor meetings arranged by the client.
Follow-Up Meetings - up to 4-1 hour meetings - generally 4-6 weeks apart
- Review and or create venue floorplan and seating arrangement.
- Discuss inclement weather plans, if relevant.
- Discuss vendor timelines and logistics.
- Schedule one visit to the ceremony space and reception venue.
- Regularly check on the client's progress and to-do list.
Wedding Month - 2-4 weeks before the wedding
- Confirm arrival times for the vendors and other pertinent parties - review and finalize the wedding day timeline and email it to the couple and vendors the week of the wedding.
- Schedule an additional meeting if necessary-up to 1 hour.
- Coordinate all printed materials, i.e., ceremony programs, escort cards, place cards, seating chart, etc.
Wedding Ceremony Rehearsal - up to 1 hour - typically 30-45 minutes
- Work with the officiant, couple, bridal party, and family to choreograph the wedding ceremony.
- Rehearsal Dinner management and or planning are available for an additional fee.
- Serve as the main point of contact or vendors and direct their setup.
Wedding Day Management - up to 9 Hours
Includes up to 2 1/2 hours before the ceremony, a 6-hour event, and up to 1/2 hour after the scheduled end of the reception.
- Ceremony Management: Arrival time will depend on whether the ceremony will take place at a different location than the reception - up to 2 1/2 hours before the ceremony.
- Communicate any last-minute details to the couple and the wedding party.
- Coordinate with the officiant and musicians to determine the cues that will begin the ceremony.
- Organize wedding party and family members for processional.
- Cue ceremony music/musicians when the wedding party is ready to begin the processional.
- Delegate the transportation of items from the ceremony to the reception, if applicable.
- Coordinate all deliveries and installations of celebration items in accordance with vendor contracts.
Before the Reception
- Ensure venue and table décor for Cocktail Hour & Reception are complete according to plan (no decorating or arranging of any items unless specifically outlined in the contract - non-contracted decorating will be subject to additional fees).
- Confirm timing with the DJ/emcee & ensure they correctly pronounce the names of the wedding party.
- Meet with the catering captain/staff and venue staff to confirm food timing and the overall flow of the evening.
- Review final set up before guest arrival.
- Organize and set up escort cards, place cards, seating chart, or menu cards.
Reception Management
- Ensure proper flow of Cocktail Hour food and drinks.
- Assist guests with locating their seats, escort cards, and dining tables, as needed.
- Cue the DJ/emcee at the appropriate times for all the events of the evening.
- Confer with the catering captain/staff about their schedule and help ensure that guests are served at the appointed time.
- Cue parents of the couple, family, or wedding party members for their toasts.
- Distribute final payments or gratuities to vendors.
- Ensure that gifts are collected by a designated friend or family member.
- Manage, prevent, and solve any problems that may arise during the event.
- Create a checklist with all items to be collected at the end of the evening, if needed.
- Extensive Emergency Kit - includes pain relievers, first aid kit, sewing kit, stain remover, eye drops, tissues, gum, breath mints, bobby pins, clear nail polish, tuxedo buttons & cufflinks, collar stays, super glue, matches, safety pins, etc.
Partial Planning Fee
The Partial Planning fee for services listed above starts at $3,700 and includes two coordinators - a Riverwood Designs owner and an assistant. The service also includes limited phone calls and virtual meetings, and unlimited emails and text messages. A $125 hourly fee for additional meetings, venue visits, event management (beyond the 9-hour day), or other services.
The planning fee does not include physical setup or breakdown of venue space. Pricing for this service is available on request.
For large or multiple venues (ceremony and reception) and weddings with more than 175 guests and up to 200 guests, an additional fee of $250 may be incurred for an additional staff member to assist on the event day (5-hour shift). This will be determined no later than two months before the wedding.
Accommodations may be required for venues/events more than 40 miles from downtown Richmond, Virginia.
Optional service: Collect and pack your decorative items after the reception ready to load into your vehicle. Priced based on the number of decorative items - starting at $125.
Payment
- A retainer of 50% of the management fee total and contract are required to secure the wedding date, and the balance is due 60 days before the wedding day.
- No credit/discount is offered for any of the unused services listed above.