Thank you for your interest in Cora Bella Weddings & Events. We are no longer booking weddings.

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Hi, I’m Kristan! I am a Bay Area wedding planner and event planner and the woman behind Cora Bella Weddings & Events. I am devoted to providing fun, stress-free planning and flawless execution with style, grace, and a glass of bubbly. I am best known for being organized, detailed, and a logistics whiz!

Cora is a name that is near and dear to my heart. Cora Bella Weddings & Events is named after my grandmother, Jean Cora. When the time came to start Cora Bella Weddings & Events it seemed only natural to name the company after this beautiful lady that I loved and who taught me so much.

I don’t know exactly when I realized I was going to be a wedding and event planner, but friends and family tell me I’ve always been one. As a little girl I would plan and play out weddings with friends and stuffed animals, using my Mom’s communion veil for a bridal veil. When I wasn’t planning make-believe parties, I coordinated play dates—down to details like the kind of snacks we’d have and when to serve them.

To this day I am the glue that binds family and friends together for dinners, parties, holidays, game nights, and more. I love creating magical moments and more importantly watching people revel the magic I’ve designed for them.

I live in Livermore wine country with my husband, Paul, our dog Truffles, and our cat, Kahlua. I love our little town and its wide-open spaces. Most (wedding free) weekends I can be found in downtown Livermore grabbing a bite to eat, walking Truffles, catching up with friends, and spending quality time with Paul.

Core Values

HONESTY & INTEGRITY: The founding principles of my work. This business is my passion and I uphold these principles above all others.

INCLUSIVITY & EQUALITY: to love is to be human and to be human is to be unique yet equal. It is that simple. I pride myself on building relationships with vendors who believe the same. Together we will provide you with a wonderful, inclusive and supportive planning experience.

LOGISTICS & DETAILS: might be my superpowers. I thrive and delight in working out complex logistical challenges. I am uniquely able to see the big picture and the minutia and how one will affect the other. I gladly apply these talents to your event, so you don’t have to.

CALM, COOL & COLLECTED: if I had to declare a second superpower this would be it. It might be a touch cliché to declare this, but it’s something I am known for (and I secretly pride myself on–shhh don’t tell anyone). You and your guests will be blissfully unaware of the quiet chaos going on behind the scenes.

ADVOCACY: Your vision and desires are my priority, and I am here to bring them to life. I will advocate for you and support you every step of the way, but especially in your stead on event day. You can relax and enjoy, knowing I have your back.

CREATIVITY: I am here to give you creative solutions, ideas, design elements, and problem solving, so that we can bring your vision and desires to life in a way that is unique to you.

PARTNERSHIP: I am here to be your Partner in Planning. I believe I should be here for you between planning meetings. That is why I provide a booking link to schedule touch-base meetings to go over whatever you need to chat about. I have weekday, evening and weekend appointments available for you, no matter which service level you book.

FAQs

WHY HIRE A PLANNER? WHY KRISTAN?

To put it simply: you plan a wedding once in your life. I plan weddings every day.

Of course wedding planning isn't simple, so let me expand. The engagement phase of your life is finite. Hiring a planner allows you to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

If you want a partner in planning, someone who has your back, delights in logistics, hundreds of details, many moving parts, with a deep sense of calm, while also laughing and having fun? I am your gal.

WHERE DO YOU PLAN EVENTS? DO YOU TRAVEL?

As a Northern California wedding planner, my standard service area is San Francisco to Tahoe and Napa to Carmel and Palm Springs / Palm Desert.

With that said, my bags are packed and my passport is current, so let's have some fun and jetset to a new land for your wedding!

IS THERE A MINIMUM EVENT BUDGET YOU WORK WITH?

Yes, I work best with clients who have a starting budget or $80,000 for a wedding of 100 guests ($800 per guest). On average my clients spend $900 - $1,120+ per guest.

With that said, I love to plan smaller, intimate celebrations, so please do reach out!

DO YOU WORK WITH LGBTQ+ COUPLES?

100%. Absolutely.

I wholeheartedly believe to love is to be human and to be human is to be unique, yet equal.

And, P.S. I'd LOVE to do more LBGTQ+ weddings!

DO YOU WORK WITH COUPLES WHO ARE NOT IN THE AREA?

You betcha! California and the SF Bay Area are destination wedding markets. I would say 30 - 45% of my couples are "conferencing-in" from all corners of the country. I am happy to work with time zones, video chats, emailing and all manners of virtual planning and collaboration.

WHAT IS YOUR PRICING?

This is my most asked question. The truth is my pricing is fully custom. It is based on season, venue, city, guest count, logistics, scale of the celebration and services provided.

With that said, I strive to send all proposals within one hour of the consultation.

MY VENUE HAS A COORDINATOR. HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT?

The nuts and bolts of it are this: the venue coordinator is there for the venue. They will supervise things as they pertain to the venue, such as food & beverage, power for DJ, etc.

A planner works with you from the beginning all the way through event day. Their goal is to provide you with an exceptional planning experience, supporting you and guiding you every step of the way. A great wedding planner will team-lead all of your vendors on event day, righting any glitches that pop-up, and allowing each vendor to truly shine and provide their absolute best for you and your guests.

DO YOU OFFER DAY-OF OR MONTH-OF COORDINATION?

What I offer is built on the foundation of day-of/month-of. It is called Wedding Management (WM). I strongly believe in building a partnership with my clients. I want you to feel supported and guided throughout your planning journey. WM clients have access to me via email & phone from the time they book. Plus, they get 2-hour monthly planning meetings. We go over every detail, answer every question, and document it all in Aisle Planner (my wedding planner software), timelines, floor plans, and more. Then I take over 30 - 45 days out, letting them enjoy the last month of engagement.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW BEFORE HIRING YOU?

For me the planning journey is about trust & chemistry. I genuinely adore my clients and that's because I encourage every inquiry to book a planner that they love and trust. I tell them it's okay if that's not me, because there is a perfect-fit planner out there for them. You will spend hours chatting with your planner in meetings, emails, and phone calls - you better like them! With a foundation of trust and chemistry, I am able to give you my best work and my best self; thereby, knocking your celebration out of the proverbial park and exceeding your (and your guest's) expectations.

WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU?

A great place to start is Instagram! If you peep my stories you will get a glimpse into my life behind the brand. I often post stories of my dog Truffles, my cat Kahlua, my hubby Paul and our life in the quaint town of Livermore. You'll also see a fair amount of food, recipe making, wine and bubbles!

Another place to learn more is on the blog. Be sure to check out the Lifestyle section.