Where To Start, Wedding Management
Newark, California, Alameda
(20)
Newark, California, Alameda
(20)
When you look back on your wedding in 5, 10, or 20 years, there should be a smile on your face. It’s the beginning of something great, the marker of families and communities being built, and relationships being cemented.
What do you want to remember?
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20 customer reviews
Marie Rios
Love Gwen and all the WTSI crew. Truly one of the most talented in the field.
Reviewed on Facebook
Karl Heitz
Gwen and her talented team produced our award winning wedding weekend. Her calm presence and attention to detail was second to none. The way she was able to work with all the various personalities and their differing goals to create such an exceptional expereince was second to none. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Megan Olson
Gwen and her team were amazing. I can't even begin to imagine how much different my day would have been without her. She was so on top of everything that my whole wedding party was amazed. Thank you so much!
Reviewed on Facebook
Vanessa Hammack
Gwen is an event professional superstar. I have been to her beautiful attention to details, flawless execution weddings and BAWN events (oh yeah - she is Co-Founder of The Bay Area Wedding Network). She is creative, and knows what you need before most people know they need it, and most of all I appreciative her calm warm demeanor. If there is chaos going on anywhere at the events she produces you would never know by the efficient and calm way she handles everything. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Sarah May
Gwen Semenero Helbush and Where to Start, Wedding Management are by far the best in the industry around the Bay Area! We got so many compliments on our day and how everything went perfectly!
When first going to Gwen about my day, my husband was deployed and we were going to settle for an indoor party, and had our venue picked, but due to the October fires that was not in the books anymore. With everyone trying to find places, I was kind of discouraged, but Gwen had asked if I had any family with property. After thinking about it, my dad’s cousin had a barn, rustic style property, and it was exactly what I had always dreamed of having! Without Gwen, I would have never even thought of this venue!
After telling Gwen just a couple of things I really wanted, because I was never really good at these kind of things, Gwen offered some ideas and everything she recommended was exactly what I didn’t even know I wanted but was perfect for me and my husband!
I also wanted to incorporate family into the reception, and she recommended the idea of having my brother make a huge wall, that we would use as our background for our sweetheart table, and have our families marriage photos on it. This became the hit of the reception and everyone was amazed, once again, without Gwen, this wouldn’t have been possible.
When I first saw the tent and lights and all the details and how perfect everything came out I was breath taken! Not only did it look perfect, the day ran smoother than I ever thought was imaginable. My husband and I did not worry about a single thing, Gwen took care of everything so we could really focus on our friends and family and each other.
I know in this day and age, we think we can plan our own weddings, but if there is one thing I learned, in order to really enjoy your wedding day, you shouldn’t be stressed of how everything flows, rather really be able to enjoy the day. I can honestly say, Gwen Helbush and team is the way to go, and my family and I are so grateful that we did so. We will forever be thankful for how much work and love they put into our day, and thanks to Where to Start, my family and I have this memory to always look back on forever!
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Reviewed on Facebook
Sharon S
Where do I start? It seriously was the first thing I thought of when my daughter decided to have an outdoor wedding reception with 200 guests!
I immediately felt overwhelmed, but Gwen and her staff at Where to Start, Wedding Management was the help I needed.
We discussed our vision and budget with Gwen, and she quickly set up a timeline. She was a wealth of information and had some wonderful ideas. Gwen was responsive to our needs and great at communicating with us. No detail was overlooked and she's super organized too! We trusted her completely.
Our guests were very impressed! With her creativity, Gwen turned a small plot of land into a stunning reception area! We were so pleased with the results. My husband and I were able to enjoy our daughter's special day, and the months leading up to it, with little worry or stress.
It was a pleasure working with Gwen and I highly recommend her services to anyone looking for help with their special event.
Sharon S
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Reviewed on WeddingWire
Cindy
Gwen and her team are amazing! Thanks to them and all of their support, my son's wedding day was perfect! Everything looked beautful and the timeline was great. Their was never a lull, it all went so smoothly. Not to mention, they truly care and are the nicest people ever! I recommend their services to everyone. They really know what they are doing. Because of their hard work, we were able to just sit back, relax and enjoy the day. We didn't have to do a thing. Thank you!! More...
Reviewed on WeddingWire
Michael
We decided to start our hunt for a wedding planner knowing only three things: planning a wedding is a lot of work; we both have really busy work schedules;
and we want a magical day to celebrate (despite having no real vision of what this would look like!). That said, we didn't fully understand what a planner did. How would we be involved vs. how would they be involved? Is it really worth it financially?
We had been meeting with other planners and Where To Start was our last appointment. Gwen came armed with an iPad of her incredible past work and a breakdown of everything we'd need to know to make our decision. She was so prepared, so organized and so enthusiastic. Seeing past work factored into our decision - but it really came down to Gwen being such a lovely person.
We felt like we could trust - and suddenly the cost of the planning & design seemed like a bargain for what we were getting in return: total peace of mind. Every small detail had been checked off and completed - not leaving us to worry about a thing. Thank you!
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Reviewed on WeddingWire
Brittany
I cannot say enough about Gwen. She is THE wedding planner for "Type-A" brides who really need someone to build confidence so we can just "let go". I hired Gwen after attending a friend's wedding that was just so beautiful, and the bride was so calm and happy and had all of it to credit to Gwen. From the get-go, Gwen is hyper-organized and immediately responsive. She builds that confidence that allows a control freak like me to relax. In the two weeks before the wedding, I had some pretty interesting family drama to deal with, along with some other surprises and Gwen handled everything with ease. Gwen and her team handled the rehearsal and the wedding day beautifully. I can say with 100% confidence that there was nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING wrong with my wedding day. Not a thing. Everything wend perfectly, according to my plans, and was even more beautiful than I could have imagined. Hire Gwen, you will not regret it. More...
Reviewed on WeddingWire
Kristjan
As a fellow event professional, I am very particular about how a personal event for myself is conducted. I wouldn't trust anyone else but Gwen with my wedding. It was exactly what we wanted, nothing more and nothing less. I didn't have to think about anything, thus I didn't have to WORK! What a delight. It was professional and personal. More...
Reviewed on WeddingWire
Bridget
Of everything in our budget, Gwen was, by far, THE BEST MONEY WE SPENT!!! She is, in short, AMAZING! But if you need more then that read on.
From handling all of the particulars to the added touches and surprises she incorporated for us, I could not have asked for a better planner!
Our wedding was 100% destination and planning from afar wasn't easy. Gwen took over all of the details and loose ends (which there were a lot of) for our November wedding about 8 weeks out. We had a lot of planning left to do and I was nervous about everything until she took the reins. She took our scrambled planning and loose ends and put them all together for an INCREDIBLE celebration!!
She made a number of site visits with us and on her own to make sure things were just right at our venue. With her anything is possible, never a "no," just a matter of how, and she ALWAYS figured out how. You name it she was there - problem comes up, she has a solution; drunken guest, she runs interference. In addition, she's a great mediator - not everyone gets along during the planning process (moms and brides) but she figured out a way to make everyone happy. And that's just scratching the surface, I could go on forever!
Gwen is very well seasoned, extremely organized and very personable. The best part, from the moment we hit the ground Gwen and her team were ready and we didn't have to worry about a thing. You'll definitely want her to be in charge of your big day, everything will be just as it should be, PERFECT!!
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Reviewed on WeddingWire
Kathy
Hiring Gwen and the Where to Start team is the only decision you need to make. Gwen is a true professional and no detail will be left undone. She guides you thru the process making sure your wedding is just as you imagined it. If you want a flawless event Gwen Helbush should be at the top of your list. More...
Reviewed on WeddingWire
Ashley
I could not have been more satisfied with the service that Gwen provided for our wedding. She is ultra organized, professional, and creative.
She had excellent vendor recommendations and relationships, and she really understood the tone and style of the event we had in mind, and helped us to realize that dream. She was very prompt in all our contacts (phone & email), easy to talk to, and she often offered ideas to help compromise when something on our wish list was unavailable for any reason. She definitely helped us to work within our budget, often showing us places we could cut corners where guests wouldn't notice.
My large extended family keeps talking about how it was the best wedding they've ever been to. I know that my wedding would not have been the epic success it was without Gwen, and I would recommend her to everyone.
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Reviewed on WeddingWire
User3251568
Wonderful team to help with my daughters wedding. You will love working with them!
Reviewed on WeddingWire
Nichole
Gwen is one heck of a woman!! She did my brother and sister-in-laws wedding at V. Sattui and it was like a fairytale! I couldn't believe how magical and smooth everything went. Being a bridesmade too. She made sure everyone was happy and that everything was on time. I would recommend her in a heartbeat! More...
Reviewed on WeddingWire
alisa
The most professional wedding planner ever. Very sensitive to the couple's needs and wants. I couldn't be happier.
Reviewed on WeddingWire
User2630315
Gwen and her staff were amazing. I don't know what we would have done without them. Resourceful, responsive and just plain great to be around. Many, many thanks.
Reviewed on WeddingWire
User2390132
Great attention to detail! Thanks Where to Start for a truly memorable evening!
Reviewed on WeddingWire
Melanie
Gwen leaves no stone unturned and adapts quickly and happily to changes. She is a joy to work with and an excellent resource for many types of events.
Reviewed on WeddingWire
Patricia
It was great working with Gwen. Clear direction on what my daughter wanted. Great vendors. Professional service, accurate contract. Didn't have to worry about anything. Gwen has experience and has the details thought out. Wedding week and day were wonderful, we didn't have to worry about anything, Gwen was right on top of the event. I highly recommend Gwen and Where To Start More...
Reviewed on WeddingWire
What do you love most about your job?
I love getting to know my clients. Your story is so important to me, and I’m interested in learning what makes you happy… and what you love about life and about each other. As you share your dreams and unique story with me, I gather the knowledge I need to create the wedding celebration you’ve always wanted.
What inspired you to start your own business?
I wanted to help people navigate the path to a perfect wedding.
Why should our clients choose you?
I want to be of service, to help them find their style and to create a unique wedding for them.
Coaching
You want to plan your own wedding. You're super organized. You have a lot of free time every week for the next year to devote to planning and creating a memorable event. You're flexible, open-minded and have a knack for problem-solving and thinking outside of the box.
But you wouldn’t mind some help on where (and how) to start. In fact, what you’d really like is to be able to sit down with a cup of hot coffee and an expert who will share their knowledge and advise you on the best way to achieve your vision, without taking the reins.
Wedding Coaching is designed for those who want to plan your own wedding, but have no idea how to get from idea to wedding day. We’ll walk you through the wedding process and help you make the day your own, helping you to refine your ideas and bring them to life in a way that makes sense for your wedding. We will get you started and have your back if you get stuck. We know exactly how to help, but most importantly, we know where to let you explore your own ideas while offering expert support.
With our wedding coaching service, we will meet for four pre-event sessions of up to two hours each. We’ll also give you the building blocks for the perfect wedding by giving you complimentary access to wedding planning and management tools, like simple seating, budget management, guest and rsvp management and checklists. You can also find all kinds of wedding inspiration, ideas and advice. If you’d like, we can use some of our consulting time to review what you’ve done there and make sure you’re on the right path.
Clients usually invest around $700 for our wedding coaching services, but what you spend depends on the event and how much support you’d like from us (we can help with proposals, weddings, pre & post wedding celebrations and everything in between).
Wedding Management
What if you’ve done most of the planning, have your vendors in place, and have the details sorted, but want to be able to enjoy the actual wedding day without stressing about nitty gritty details? If you’re nodding your head, then Wedding Management is exactly what you’re looking for.
We’ll meet with you to look at what you have already done, and double check to make sure no details have been missed and everything will run the way you want it to. When we start is up to you and depends on what you need — we can start a year ahead, a few months ahead, or start partnering up with you to get the nitty gritty details down a month before the wedding.
We hate the terms “day-of” or “month-of” coordination because they’re just too restrictive and misleading. With us, there is no set time frame: it’s up to you and what you need. Whatever you decide, we’ll manage everything on your wedding day from start to finish, so you can spend the day simply basking in your happiness and joy!
With our Wedding Management service, it’s all about what you need from us. As with our coaching services you’ll get access to our wedding planning and management tools, but we’ll set everything up for you, whereas with coaching you’ll need to set it up yourself. How often and when we meet is entirely up to you — if we feel you need to meet weekly, then we’ll meet weekly. If we want to meet just once before the wedding, then we’ll do that. With Wedding Management, we’ll manage and take care of everything on the actual wedding day so you can enjoy! Clients invest, on average, around $6,000, but prices vary depending on your needs.
Wedding Planning & Management
You don’t have to choose between emotional integrity that’s true to you and your partner and a relaxed, perfectly planned wedding day — you can have both. If the thought of adding planning a wedding to your already stretched schedule is sending you into a tailspin, then we’re here to help with our Wedding Planning Services.
Hate the idea of having a ‘planner’ wedding? Don’t worry, we’re not that type of planner, we won’t take over — we will help you make this wedding perfectly unique and suited to you. We’ll get to know you, which is the most important step in the entire wedding planning process, then we’ll partner with you to take your ideas from Pinterest board and scribbled list to gorgeous reality.
We’ll learn your story and work out what you want and how to implement it in the most meaningful way for you. We’ll be there every step of the way, and when the big day comes, your only responsibility: enjoy yourself with all your loved ones coming together and uniting in this perfect moment.
Our planning services focus on you. It’s full service, but that’s not quite descriptive enough. We can meet anywhere from one to one thousand times — it all depends on what you need. We’ll have as many meetings, calls, texts and emails as it takes to get us from wedding dream to reality. On average, clients spend around $10,000 on our wedding planning services — it depends on the kind of wedding you want.
