After the Engagement Wedding Planning bio picture
  • Welcome!

    Hi, I'm Courtney and I am a Wedding Planner. No, not like Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner. A real -life emergency fighting, boutonniere pinning, oops-our-DJ-didn't-show-up-but-Courtney-will-fix-it Wedding Planner.

    I would love to help you plan a wedding day that is so much fun, you & your guests will remember it forever.

    From matchmaking you with the best vendors for your event, to helping select your linens and flowers, your day will be uniquely created and styled for you.

    I offer a wide array of packages, from Base Coordination to Partial Planning to Full Service to a la carte Styling and DIY services; there is truly something for every wedding.

    In addition to planning meaningful ceremonies & fabulous parties in San Diego {where I am based}, Orange County, Palm Springs, and LA, I am also available for destination cities worldwide. I would love to give you a worry-free wedding day, no matter where it is.

brianne + andrew | condor’s nest ranch wedding | rustic chic san diego wedding

I am so thrilled to share these photographs from the amazing Paul von Rieter Photographer from Andrew and Brianne’s Condor’s Nest Ranch Wedding in September.  I completely loved working with this Seattle couple on their rustic chic wedding.  The bride and I shared a total affinity for all things Pinterest and Etsy, and she took a lot of her inspiration and ideas from both places- and ordered many of the details from Etsy vendors!  This venue is pretty legit, and we LOVED working there.  Their onsite staff on the Big Day were amazing, and we loved our time spent working together.  While it was a little hot in September up there in Pala, once the sun started to go down, it was breezy and the view provided one of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen at a wedding.  Fun and dancing were had by all {even if it DID include a little Gangnam Style!!}.

Photographer- Paul von Rieter Photographer

_____

San Diego Wedding Planner- After the Engagement

Venue- Condor’s Nest Ranch

Florist- Exquisite Blooms

Hair & Makeup- Beauty and the Beach

Cake- Sumi’s Oven

Officiant- Rev. Ken Arentson

DJ- Universal DJ Services

Band- Third Season Jazz

Catering- 220 Catering

Invitations- LadyBirdInk / PetitInk on Etsy

Invite Return Address Custom Stamp: http://www.etsy.com/shop/RachelCarl
Grandma/Mother Handkerchiefs: http://www.etsy.com/people/linenwhites
Pride & Prejudice Ring Bearer Book: http://www.etsy.com/people/hollowbooksafe
Flower Girl Burlap Lace Basket: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LazyCaterpillar

 

 

alyssa & monyvann | wyndham bayside hotel wedding | san diego wedding

Just wanted to quickly share the highlight video from Alyssa & Monyvann’s wedding from last month!  Thank you Lisa Hadley Studios.

 

Alyssa + Monyvann | Highlight from Lisa Hadley Studios on Vimeo.

San Diego Events Lighting | Cary Pennington Photography | Tessfresh Flowers | Pastor Mike | Unique Inspirations Linens | Best Rentals San Diego {ceiling draping} | Bill Calhoun Mobile Music

Little Chapel of the Roses and Wyndham San Diego Bayside

summer + adam | ace hotel wedding | palm springs wedding

I had SUCH a blast planning & coordinating Summer and Adam’s Ace Hotel Palm Springs wedding in October.  First of all, Palm Springs is so major (yes, I just said MAJOR).  Each time I go there, I feel like I have landed in another decade; mid-century to be exact.  It is a quaint town with good food, fun people, and of course, the Ace Hotel.  If you haven’t been there, I highly suggest you go!  The Ace leaves no detail unturned in their rooms or event spaces.  I think it is my new favorite wedding venue.  Or, at least one of them;)  You can do so much with their “ballroom”; and I use that term loosely.  More like really-awesome-warehouse-meets-ballroom-meets-loft.  As long as you aren’t getting married in the middle of the summer (HOT), I am there any day of the week.  Oh who I am I kidding, I will be there any day, anytime.

Almost any wedding palette or theme can be executed at the Ace, but Summer and Adam chose an eclectic mix of tropical sherbert shades that turned out beautifully.  I had a hard time choosing my normal amount of photos to feature, so I hope you don’t mind an extra long blog post with lots of fun inspiration.

This wedding was also featured over at Brooklyn Bride!  An excerpt from that feature is below, and I couldn’t be more flattered or happy!

 

From the bride:

My number one piece of advice is to get a coordinator.  We hired Courtney as a month-of coordinator, but she was available to answer our questions via email from the moment we hired her and there is NO question that we could not have done it without her.  She was 100% on top of everything, and it just gave me complete peace of mind and let me actually enjoy the day.  Although there were definitely moments of stress throughout the planning process, I ended up being completely relaxed once it all began.  I really had no idea how incredibly joyful an experience it would be, and having someone there to handle all of the logistics left us free to enjoy the moment.  My other advice is not to scrimp on your photographers.  As you can see from these pictures, ours were INCREDIBLE, and looking at their pictures is like reliving the whole experience all over again.  You honestly can’t put a price on that, so whatever you pay for a great photographer will be a bargain in the long run.  And finally (and everyone will tell you this but it’s worth repeating), just enjoy!  Focus on what matters, which is the two of you.  Stick together, enjoy every second, and it will be perfect in all the ways that matter.

 

O   M  G, right?!?

VENDORS
Photographer: Jesse, Whitney, & Jenn from Our Labor of Love
DJ: Smiles Davis via The Flashdance
Planner: Courtney Tibbets, After the Engagement
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Ace Hotel & Swim Club, Palm Springs, CA
Florist: Primary Petals
Wedding Cake or Dessert Baker: Desserts by Ace Hotel (King’s Highway
Restaurant
)
Caterer: Ace Hotel (King’s Highway Restaurant)
Linens: Provided by the Ace Hotel
Lighting: Classic Party Rentals
Paper Products:
• Invitations & menus: Wedding Paper Divas
• Place cards & table numbers: e.m. papers
• Programs: Wide Eyes Design
Bride’s Gown: Garbo by Elizabeth Fillmore (via Kleinfeld Bridal)
Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil/Jewelry:
• Hair accessory: LoBoheme
• Earrings: BHLDN
Hair Stylist: Christine Choi
Makeup Artist: Flor Hunt (bridesmaid J)
Bride’s Shoes: Miss Albright (from Anthropologie)
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: ModCloth and BHLDN
Groom’s Attire: Suit: Jones New York; Tie: Nordstrom; Custom cufflinks:Uncommon Goods
Groomsmen Attire: Suits: their own; Ties: Nordstrom

14 West Laguna Beach | Venue or Honeymoon Location

As a Wedding Planner, one of my most important jobs is to recommend venues and vendors to my clients.  I take great pride in who I recommend and who makes in onto my list.  A perk of my job is being able to experience restaurants, hotels, and other great hot spots in Southern California, with the hopes that I will recommend them to my clients.  I have decided that I need to more formally bring these reviews and experiences to you in a new series of blog posts.  The first place I would like to introduce you to is 14 West Laguna beach.

I was recently invited to experience a lovely hotel in Laguna Beach.  The reservations process was simple and easy, and I immediately received my check in instructions from Carolyn.  Upon arrival, we were able to easily open the gate to the parking structure and check into our room.  We were given the “Laguna Room”, which was in the middle of one side of the hotel, and easily accessed by stairs on both sides.  I was extremely excited to park my car and just leave it for the weekend.  After unpacking our luggage, we took a walk for lunch to a local Mexican restaurant.

One of the best parts about 14 West is that the beach is right across the street.  After lunch, we enjoyed walking across the street and along the beach, admiring the beautiful resorts and homes that pepper the shoreline in Laguna.  It was all very serene and relaxing.  Once we returned, my husband was thrilled to see the community BBQ on the large shared patio at our hotel, so we decided that we would have a fun BBQ instead of going out to eat for dinner.  This is a real plus for large groups and honeymooners as well.

A very short walk to the left of the hotel is a Ralphs grocery store, which we went to to stock up for our BBQ.   Each room also has a kitchenette, which is very rare in SoCal, as many of you know.  This made our prep that much better and easier.  All kitchen items are also included in the hotel room.  We had such a ball just enjoying eachother’s company- close to home, yet far enough that it makes occasional overnight visits plausible.  I got to read and even stayed of email and Facebook while there:)

Since 14 West is a boutique hotel with only 14 rooms, it makes it the perfect spot for a wedding party room block, rehearsal dinner (on that lovely patio!), or Bridal Shower.  The rooms are affordable, starting from around $150, going to around $250 depending on the time of year, this hotel offers affordable elegance.  There is no resort fee, but a 12% city tax does apply.  For a fun and unique hotel, definitely check out 14 West Laguna Beach.

“We offer a unique experience unlike a typical hotel. 14 WEST is a collection of 14 studios that provide thoughtful home-like comforts, ideal for a stay of a few nights or a few weeks. Our distinctive environment presents guests with the opportunity to enjoy 14 WEST’s stylish social terrace or explore the area’s dynamic surroundings. Our prime coastal location is a short walk to many of Laguna Beach’s beautiful beaches, restaurants, and activities.

Our on-site amenities and the conveniences of the surrounding area make 14 WEST ideal for extended stays and corporate travelers. We provide a unique extended stay experience unlike “typical” airport or business hotel locations. We areconveniently located just minutes from many of South Orange County’s Corporate headquater, with easy access to CA HWY 133 (Laguna Canyon Rd.).”

I highly recommend this hotel for all your wedding and wedding-related needs and activities in or near Laguna Beach!  After the Engagement 5-star seal of approval for sure.

eleasa + david | rancho bernardo inn wedding

So thrilled to have been a part of Eleasa and David’s Rancho Bernardo Inn wedding.  The wedding took place in the morning, followed by a brunch reception with a full spread, including bagels, made-to-order omelettes, crab legs and shrimp, and of course, mimosa’s!

The varying shades of purple were gorgeous and perfect for the Spring.

Photographer: AS Photography

Florist: Rae Florae

Cupcakes & Cake: Sumi’s Oven

AC - March 5, 2013 - 7:35 pm

Gorgeous photos. You can see how in love they are.

c o n n e c t