Frequently

Asked Questions

I’m afraid my wedding will be like every other wedding out there. How do you approach this?

Something we ask every step of the way in our planning process is, “How can we make this experience one 
no one has ever had before? How can we make it one they’ll never forget?”

You only get one shot at your dream wedding, your 50th birthday bash, your daughter’s first baby shower.

Maya Angelou says, “People will forget what you said, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.”

In event planning, there’s not a single detail that makes you and your guests feel the experience of a lifetime. The magic lies in how it all comes together, one thing running into the next, so the plans are unrecognizable and the experience is unmatched. Magic happens when…
• The flow of the day is seamless
• Meaningful touches are everywhere, 100% unique to you
• You (the guest of honor) are soaking up the moment

But, most often, when people say an event is “unforgettable,” they remember the sum of how everything made them feel. We intentionally craft the design and flow of an experience, detail by detail. In the end, it will feel effortless, and will add up to a celebration that is so perfectly you, and completely unforgettable for everyone with the pleasure of being involved.

The glue that holds a gathering together is absolutely essential, but if it’s done right, it should go unnoticed. THAT is what we work to accomplish here at Poppati. We don’t want to help you craft an event that’s trying too hard to get attention at every turn. We focus on creating experiences that are effortlessly, undeniably unforgettable.

My greatest joy in this process is uncovering the magic of your story. We’ll create custom ideas for your celebration from first impression down to the very last farewell detail. In order to make that happen, together we’ll dive deep into your background and story until we get to what is truly meaningful to you. Then, we’ll incorporate those details intentionally into your celebration.

01.

How much does an average wedding cost?

There is no exact answer for this. Every wedding is so unique there isn’t one size that fits all. Destination location, venue, number of wedding guests, food and beverage selections all play a huge part in wedding cost. Here at Poppati we work together to create and manage your budget. We learn about your budget goals, guide you in prioritizing your budget, allocate funds appropriately and then find the best vendors who can bring your wedding dreams to life within your budget. 

02.

do we need to have a set a budget for you to plan our wedding or event?

If you don't want to have a set budget in place for planning, I don't need you to provide me with a set figure. If you have a certain caliber or look and feel you want to accomplish, we can plan based on that and have you approve costs as we go. However, if you do need to stay within a certain budget or price range, we need you to figure out what that amount is first before we kick off the planning.

03.

How do you charge for your services?

One flat fee. We like to be as fully transparent and upfront as possible so there aren’t any surprises. I customize my pricing based on each client and their needs, as every wedding and event is unique and we want to ensure the pricing is suitable based on the scope of work you require. We want to take as many hours as needed to make our client’s dreams come true which is why we choose not to charge hourly. 

04.

What additional events do you service?

WEDDINGS
- Local Minnesota Weddings
-Destination Weddings (domestic or international)
- Elopements 
- Engagement Parties 
- Honeymoon and Vacation Planning 

SPECIAL EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS
- Birthday Parties (for any age, adult or children)
- Holiday Parties (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, St. Patty’s Day, 4th of July, you name it!)
- Retirement Parties
- Bar & Bat Mitzvahs
- Vacation Planning (couples, family, friend groups)
- Bridal & Baby Showers
- Graduation Celebration
- Anniversary Parties 

CORPORATE EVENTS
- Incentive Programs and Trips
- Executive Retreats-
- Appreciation and Anniversary Events
- Board Meetings
- Product Launch Events
- Holiday Parties
- Awards Dinners and Ceremonies
- Multi-day Conferences
- Non-profit Events and Galas
- Networking Events
- Dinners and Receptions
- Game Day and Stadium Suite Experiences

We really love to help you make anything and everything that matters memorable. If there’s something you don’t see listed, feel free to reach out to see how we can help!

05.

What is the difference between a venue coordinator and a wedding planner?

The simple answer is: A venue coordinator works for the venue, and a Poppati wedding planner works for the couple. A venue coordinator will only be dealing with all the aspects of the venue, such as items they are providing directly for setup and their internal staff. A Poppati wedding planner is there to manage every aspect of the wedding to ensure the day goes perfectly to plan as the couple envisions. We will oversee the set up from all vendors, ensure the detailed timeline we put together for you being adhered to, answer all questions from vendors, family, wedding party, manage backout weather plans, and take care of any problems that arise. 

06.

I don’t need a wedding planner, I have a friend who said she would help at my wedding. That's the same right? 

As helpful as your friends and family will be during your planning, we highly recommend they don’t work your wedding day. They will have so much to do that day, it would be incredibly challenging for them to enjoy any part of it. As wedding planners, we are on our feet for 12+ hours the entire day ensuring every little detail goes perfectly to plan and managing every minute of your special day. On the other hand, there is also the possibility they may not fully understand all that goes into managing a day this important, and the day might end up being a disaster due to their lack of professional planning experience. 

07.

Do you have a list of preferred vendors?

We don’t believe in preferred vendor lists. Every wedding is unique and will likely require a different dream team to bring everything to life. We want to find that perfect vendors to not only fit your wedding dreams but also your budget and sadly, not any preferred list of vendors could guarantee that. We have wonderful relationships with many wedding professionals domestically and internationally, who we love to propose if they are a good fit but we also have no problem going back to the drawing board if needed.

08.

What does “Full Service Planning” mean to you?

At Poppati, we like to take “white glove service” and add a little sparkle and pop. This is full-service, but it’s unlike any full-service you’ve ever experienced.

- Creative
We work with you to craft a creative vision that’s entirely true to your story and how you like to celebrate. We take inspiration from your life, your love, and your unique personality and breathe life into an experience that is uniquely yours.
- Curated
We execute our co-created vision with intention by curating the perfect vendors to bring your vision to life in lavish detail. Plus, we do all the communicating for you. We take care of vendor meetings, budget negotiations, creative direction, and so much more. Less to keep track of means you will have more time to soak up your season of celebration. 
- Cohesive
We oversee the entire event from planning to partying to pickup. That means every intricate detail will come together in a cohesive design and seamless experience. You won’t have to feel like everything is everywhere. Instead, you’ll think, “This day is so smooth and so completely us.”

Our Full Service package is the crème de la crème of our wedding coordination services. We take care of every pretty little detail so you can enjoy your engagement (and the best day of your life!) completely stress free. 
We orchestrate the complete creative vision including:
- Wedding design
- Venue selection & management
- Hiring and management of all wedding vendors
- Creation of timelines and layouts
- Negotiation of contracts
- Management of your budget
- Overall direction and management of the planning process. 

09.

Frequently

Asked Questions

Something we ask every step of the way in our planning process is, “How can we make this experience one 
no one has ever had before? How can we make it one they’ll never forget?”

You only get one shot at your dream wedding, your 50th birthday bash, your daughter’s first baby shower.

Maya Angelou says, “People will forget what you said, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.”

In event planning, there’s not a single detail that makes you and your guests feel the experience of a lifetime. The magic lies in how it all comes together, one thing running into the next, so the plans are unrecognizable and the experience is unmatched. Magic happens when…
• The flow of the day is seamless
• Meaningful touches are everywhere, 100% unique to you
• You (the guest of honor) are soaking up the moment

But, most often, when people say an event is “unforgettable,” they remember the sum of how everything made them feel. We intentionally craft the design and flow of an experience, detail by detail. In the end, it will feel effortless, and will add up to a celebration that is so perfectly you, and completely unforgettable for everyone with the pleasure of being involved.

The glue that holds a gathering together is absolutely essential, but if it’s done right, it should go unnoticed. THAT is what we work to accomplish here at Poppati. We don’t want to help you craft an event that’s trying too hard to get attention at every turn. We focus on creating experiences that are effortlessly, undeniably unforgettable.

My greatest joy in this process is uncovering the magic of your story. We’ll create custom ideas for your celebration from first impression down to the very last farewell detail. In order to make that happen, together we’ll dive deep into your background and story until we get to what is truly meaningful to you. Then, we’ll incorporate those details intentionally into your celebration.

There is no exact answer for this. Every wedding is so unique there isn’t one size that fits all. Destination location, venue, number of wedding guests, food and beverage selections all play a huge part in wedding cost. Here at Poppati we work together to create and manage your budget. We learn about your budget goals, guide you in prioritizing your budget, allocate funds appropriately and then find the best vendors who can bring your wedding dreams to life within your budget.

If you don't want to have a set budget in place for planning, I don't need you to provide me with a set figure. If you have a certain caliber or look and feel you want to accomplish, we can plan based on that and have you approve costs as we go. However, if you do need to stay within a certain budget or price range, we need you to figure out what that amount is first before we kick off the planning.

One flat fee. We like to be as fully transparent and upfront as possible so there aren’t any surprises. I customize my pricing based on each client and their needs, as every wedding and event is unique and we want to ensure the pricing is suitable based on the scope of work you require. We want to take as many hours as needed to make our client’s dreams come true which is why we choose not to charge hourly. 

WEDDINGS
- Local Minnesota Weddings
- Destination Weddings (domestic or international)
- Elopements 
- Engagement Parties 
- Honeymoon and Vacation Planning 

SPECIAL EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS
- Birthday Parties (for any age, adult or children)
- Holiday Parties (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, St. Patty’s Day, 4th of July, you name it!)
- Retirement Parties
- Bar & Bat Mitzvahs
- Vacation Planning (couples, family, friend groups)
- Bridal & Baby Showers
- Graduation Celebration
- Anniversary Parties 

CORPORATE EVENTS
- Incentive Programs and Trips
- Executive Retreats
- Appreciation and Anniversary Events
- Board Meetings
- Product Launch Events
- Holiday Parties
- Awards Dinners and Ceremonies
- Multi-day Conferences
- Non-profit Events and Galas
- Networking Events
- Dinners and Receptions
- Game Day and Stadium Suite Experiences

We really love to help you make anything and everything that matters memorable. If there’s something you don’t see listed, feel free to reach out to see how we can help!

The simple answer is: A venue coordinator works for the venue, and a Poppati wedding planner works for the couple. A venue coordinator will only be dealing with all the aspects of the venue, such as items they are providing directly for setup and their internal staff. A Poppati wedding planner is there to manage every aspect of the wedding to ensure the day goes perfectly to plan as the couple envisions. We will oversee the set up from all vendors, ensure the detailed timeline we put together for you being adhered to, answer all questions from vendors, family, wedding party, manage backout weather plans, and take care of any problems that arise.  

As helpful as your friends and family will be during your planning, we highly recommend they don’t work your wedding day. They will have so much to do that day, it would be incredibly challenging for them to enjoy any part of it. As wedding planners, we are on our feet for 12+ hours the entire day ensuring every little detail goes perfectly to plan and managing every minute of your special day. On the other hand, there is also the possibility they may not fully understand all that goes into managing a day this important, and the day might end up being a disaster due to their lack of professional planning experience. 

We don’t believe in preferred vendor lists. Every wedding is unique and will likely require a different dream team to bring everything to life. We want to find that perfect vendors to not only fit your wedding dreams but also your budget and sadly, not any preferred list of vendors could guarantee that. We have wonderful relationships with many wedding professionals domestically and internationally, who we love to propose if they are a good fit but we also have no problem going back to the drawing board if needed.

At Poppati, we like to take “white glove service” and add a little sparkle and pop. This is full-service, but it’s unlike any full-service you’ve ever experienced.

- Creative
We work with you to craft a creative vision that’s entirely true to your story and how you like to celebrate. We take inspiration from your life, your love, and your unique personality and breathe life into an experience that is uniquely yours.
- Curated
We execute our co-created vision with intention by curating the perfect vendors to bring your vision to life in lavish detail. Plus, we do all the communicating for you. We take care of vendor meetings, budget negotiations, creative direction, and so much more. Less to keep track of means you will have more time to soak up your season of celebration. 
- Cohesive
We oversee the entire event from planning to partying to pickup. That means every intricate detail will come together in a cohesive design and seamless experience. You won’t have to feel like everything is everywhere. Instead, you’ll think, “This day is so smooth and so completely us.”

Our Full Service package is the crème de la crème of our wedding coordination services. We take care of every pretty little detail so you can enjoy your engagement (and the best day of your life!) completely stress free. 
We orchestrate the complete creative vision including:
- Wedding design
- Venue selection & management
- Hiring and management of all wedding vendors
- Creation of timelines and layouts
- Negotiation of contracts
- Management of your budget
- Overall direction and management of the planning process. 

follow all the pretty

Your Poppati Founder, lead planner, and events expert. After 16+ years in the events industry, I’ve crafted experiences for Fortune 500 companies to lavish birthday bashes to unforgettably unique domestic and destination weddings. 

Meet ashley

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