Agnes Verano Weddings and Events provides full-service wedding and event planning and execution, for the discerning client who is interested in superior service, exclusive presentation, and quality from start to finish. We expertly handle all of the details, no matter how small or extensive, so that you can enjoy your big day fully, with family and friends. We are passionate about quality and service.
Partnering with Agnes Verano Weddings and Events is peace of mind, and assurance that your every wish for your exclusive event will be professionally handled. Agnes Verano Weddings and Events is your PERFECT wedding day partner.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced while planning an event and how did you overcome it?
I worked with a very busy, high-level executive who was out of state, and whom I knew I would not meet until 2 days before the wedding. After several face time phone calls, she was assured that her vision for her wedding celebration would be handled with full attention to detail and quality.
Probably the truest vote of confidence and satisfaction that her event was what she had envisioned was her passionate compliment to me that the day was more than she had even imagined, and that she had truly enjoyed herself, with absolutely no worries.
What are 2 trends in the event planning industry that you’re excited about?
We are seeing more color and individuality in style from both brides and grooms, in their choices of formal wear and in their decor choices.
Also, an emphasis on creating an experience for the guests, such as guided tours of the city for those from out of town, to ‘pre-event’ activities such as brewery or winery tours.
What are some tips for creating an elegant and memorable event on a tight budget?
Focus on what will enhance the guest experience. If you need to make a choice between extensive florals or live music, choose the music because guests will remember being able to dance the night away.
Choose quality over quantity – offer top-shelf liquor in two categories rather than a full bar offering. Forego a personal cocktail for a better choice of wine.
Provide transportation, either through the hotels or a hired limo company so people don’t have to worry about parking or driving home after a night of partying.
Shorten your guest list to those that truly matter – feed them well.
If you had unlimited resources, what would your dream client and event look like?
I have had the pleasure of working with many dream clients…..
With an unlimited budget and resources to work with, I would plan and execute an incredible destination wedding in a winery location, such as in the south of France or in Spain, with a full week of events and touring and tastings for the guests who will stay in a repurposed castle or chateau.
The food would be expertly prepared and paired with the local wines; the setting would start outside on a patio overlooking the wine valley, and then move inside the castle or chateau for a seated dinner beyond compare. The live music would not end.
There would be no curfew, but rather, everyone would dance throughout the night and everyone would experience a wedding of a lifetime, for both the bride and groom and all of the guests.
How important are your relationships with vendors and what are some ways that you successfully cultivate and ensure good rapport?
I am fortunate to have great working relationships with what I call my ‘A’ team of service providers – those vendors who I can always count on for true professionalism and fantastic service. In turn, they know when I call to book them that they are working with a true professional. I respect their work, and they do mine in return. It makes working on a wedding that much more enjoyable and stress-free when you know the team behind you has the same passion for our industry as I do.
What advice would you give someone who needs to plan a fundraiser but isn’t sure where to start?
Find out your budget and any other factors that will dictate the type and scope of event you are planning. Who are the board members or other decision-makers involved? Get to know them and work with them closely, as it is their cause for which you are executing the event.
Be creative! Make the biggest impact possible, generate tons of interest and participation, and make as much money as possible. That way, you’ll be asked back the following year.
What’s the most exciting thing on the horizon for you personally or professionally?
I am working hard to land one or two professional clients whom I can be their ‘in house’ planner, be it a hotel or other type of event space.
Also, I am always seeking to broaden my reach and would love to land a few international events this year.
What inspired you to launch your own company in the event industry? How long did it take from initially having the idea to setting up and starting to attract a client base?
I actually bought the wedding planning company from a mentor I had worked with for a few years before she retired. I already had name recognition and a solid reputation. I set out to slightly modernize the image of the company, update and enhance my social media platform, and strategize on marketing and advertising campaigns.
I also spent a lot of time, and still do, constantly introducing myself to new venues and service providers. I attend open houses and schedule tours of properties on a regular basis.
What’s the most surprising or unusual request you have ever received from a client and were you able to fulfill it?
I worked on a wedding that the client wanted to be a Disney experience. We had a special order Disney castle cake flown in from Disneyland; we had a bejeweled pumpkin coach complete with 2 white horses to transport the bride and groom from the church to the reception venue; we had Disney themed specialty lighting. It was amazing!
Anything else you’d like to comment on while we have you?
I am so fortunate to be working at what I truly truly love and enjoy. My friends all say that I am doing exactly what I should be doing because I am so good at it! And that is true.
No one works harder, more passionately and tirelessly to ensure that my clients’ wedding day is the day of their dreams. And that’s the best reward I can ask for.
