Bella Notte Reviews
Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
29 Reviews
99% recommend it
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![Catharine]()
Catharine B. Sent on 05/04/2022Artistic vision + details + organization + vendor relationships + true expertise + magic = Sara
When my fiancé and I started planning our microwedding 8 weeks in advance of our wedding, we thought, "we'll reserve a private room or patio at a restaurant, invite our family, hire a photographer, and call it a wedding." Well, you hire a photographer and set a venue, and then you think — wouldn't it be great if we really looked nice in photos and so we did hair and makeup? And then what about an actual ceremony and officiant? And maybe some ceremony music? What about the timeline for doing hair and makeup morning-of? And maybe a florist to make that garden patio into a beautiful secret garden? By the time we had venue, florist, photographer, hair & makeup — I realized that we needed a planner, otherwise I was going to spend the day of my microwedding coordinating vendors.
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At first, I started interviewing day-of and month-of coordinators and planners who specialized in events management and logistics. Looking for day-of and month-of is how I found Sara — and thank GOODNESS I found this amazing, hysterically funny, master-of-her-craft, true industry expert creative genius — because she *knows things about wedding planning I simply do not know.* She asked questions I did not know to ask, that helped extract the vision I had in my head and turn it into first a proposal — that helped me realized she was the right fit for us — and then, over 8 weeks, a reality on April 29, 2022 at Iron Gate in DC.
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What's it like to work with Sara to plan your wedding? The thing about Sara is she seems so cool and low-key, that when you're the bride you legitimately enjoy talking on the phone with her and emailing with her, etc., yet behind the scenes she is working true detail-oriented organization magic so that day-of your wedding is flawless. Sara will also push you to make decisions and also talk you out of bad ideas 24 hours before the wedding that you, in your head at 1:00 a.m., suddenly come up with (rearranging the photo timeline!). Sara is what every bride NEEDS in a wedding planner. She is not a pushover, but she is also not bossy. She is a confidante and advisor who will listen to you and also give advice that comes from her many years of experience in the industry.
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The weeks leading up to the wedding, I realized that Sara knew EVERYONE. All the vendors. All the events managers. The rental people. The chair people. The bra people. The people who can tailor your bra. (I didn't do that, but if you want to, Sara will make it happen for you.) You're doing your walkthrough at the venue and drinks are appearing and thank-you notes and extra food. And then, ALL the vendors LIKE Sara and will hustle for her, bend the rules for her (cough, cough... dog as ring bearer at a restaurant that doesn't allow dogs...) and make sure everything is on time. So that morning of the wedding, you are the bride, getting your hair and makeup done, everything is going to run on time for you. Your flowers are going to get delivered perfectly, your venue will be beautiful, you are going to walk down the aisle and have a magical, unforgettable ceremony and beautiful reception. And that's all because of Sara. -
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![Talia]()
Talia S. Sent on 11/04/2021Best planner in dc
My husband and I remarked many times in the wedding planning process that having a wedding is kind of like running a corporation. We are here to tell you that you want Sara as your Chief of Staff. She is hands down the best Wedding Planner in DC and executed our very specific vision 100x over and made our wedding more beautiful and special than we could have dreamed. She's well respected among the best vendors in DC which makes everything easier - from the band that gave us the best music, to the loveliest makeup artist on the planet, to outrageously gorgeous flowers, to a warm candlelit dinner party vibe, to exquisite paper, along with multiple religious elements that were all full of meaning and intentionality, and SO much more, she totally "got" us and what we needed and what we were willing to budget for each aspect of our wedding. Hiring Sara is an investment, but you are investing in every aspect of your wedding being exactly as you want it to be, she'll make it happen. Our families and friends remarked that our wedding is one that they will remember forever as a monumentally special moment in their lives. -
Audrey D. Sent on 10/27/2021
A wedding fairy godmother
Hiring Sara is without a doubt the best wedding decision we made (except picking each other). Like many others, our 2020 wedding had to be postponed to 2021. Sara helped us navigate the challenging the postponement, helping deal with all our vendors and reviewing new contracts and covid requirements. She is very tuned into the planning community so she could tell us how other vendors were handling things, where the industry was headed, and what is fair/not fair to expect. And when our venue became a mass vaccination site 8 weeks before our wedding, she managed to find us a new venue and re-design all the piece that come with a change like that. We would not have made it through the chaos and stress. Do yourself a favor, hire Sara immediately. -
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![Tina]()
Tina B. Sent on 12/03/2021Creative and Calm Planner! Look no further!
We loved working with Sara to help create a comfortable tented environment for a stunning at-home wedding. So many logistics and vendors to schedule but Sara was calm through it all. And the wedding STARTED at 11am the Saturday after Thanksgiving! Sara communicated with all vendors to make sure the family was able to enjoy their holiday while literally building an event venue in their backyard. THAT is a whole lotta awesome! We look forward to working with Sara on future events! -
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![Anita]()
Anita Sent on 07/23/2019Thank God for Sara!
What can I say about Sara (and her amazing team!!!) she is recognized in Washingtonian, Martha Stewart, and many more and has every right to be. Her execution of the day was flawless. She took care of everything and made sure we were on track for everything. We hired her for day of coordination, but she was engaged with us almost 8 weeks before. She literally lifted off any weight from our shoulders. I honestly don't think this wedding could have been executed this well without Sara. Yes-- she is a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. She was my first hire of all my vendors and she is the best decision i ever made. She is very responsive, flexible, and is willing to make sure your vision gets executed. We had a fully Indian wedding (known for running behind...way behind) and she had us almost exactly to our timeline. If I could recommend anyone its Sara. Her service is above par and she is not only a wedding planner but a great shoulder to cry on/vent to/have a freak-out moment, etc. She is also great post-wedding to make sure that everything gets wrapped up! -
User1471028 Sent on 12/12/2013One of the best decisions I made was asking Whitney to help with day of planning. There is no way we could have enjoyed our wedding day as much as we did if it wasn't for her. Time and time again she went above and beyond to ensure everything we discussed in advance was perfect. I was so thankful for her advice and recommendations - which were always provided in a timely manner - along the way. I can't say enough good things about Whitney & her team. She truly made my vision come alive! -
User1256887 Sent on 07/25/2013I cannot say enough good things about working with Whitney Press at Bella Notte! I was a very hands-on bride, and my parents were very involved with the planning process as well, so I was nervous about bringing another person into the mix. Whitney, though, was a dream come true. She listened to our ideas and sometimes differing opinions, and with the most amazing attitude and professional expertise, helped us to make decisions together and to enjoy my engagement at times that could have otherwise been very stressful moments of the planning process. After meeting with Whitney for the first time and immediately clicking with her, I went with the day-of coordination, which included working with the planner in the six weeks prior to the wedding. I had already chosen most of my vendors, so where her help was invaluable, in addition to being like a friend and a therapist to me and my mom, was in her work with us to create the complex wedding day timeline down to every detail and her confirming information with all of the vendors. My wedding involved a church ceremony and an elegant ballroom reception for about 300 guests, and it went perfectly. Whitney's presence and direction at the rehearsal, before and after the ceremony, and during the reception was flawless. Her services were priceless. I highly recommend Whitney and Bella Notte!
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User1278616 Sent on 08/08/2013I would not have ever thought that I needed a day of coordinator, but wanting a sparkler exit at The W Hotel is a tricky task, and Sara was the person for it. She was the BEST amount of money I could have spent, and she made sure that my entire wedding was pure perfection. She is a gem to work with, and the world's most organized and enthusiastic planner I have ever met. She is a doll, and I am so glad we met, I know she will be a special part of my life forever! -
![Deirdre]()
Deirdre Sent on 10/16/2012As a former events planner I hadn't intended on hiring a wedding planner. It didn't take long for me to realize that planning my wedding was unlike any other event I'd ever planned before and I was quickly over my head. All my vendors from my invitation designer to my make -up artist began telling me I'd be wise to hire a day-of planner and they ALL recommended the same person - Sara at Bella Notte. It is quite possible that the money I spent to work with Sara was the very best I've ever spent. I started calling her my "wedding therapist" as opposed to wedding planner for the piece of mind and guidance she provided. Sara has a calming and fun presence and is very direct when necessary (with a gentle hand) - the entire day of the wedding went like clockwork thanks to her. I can't imagine having done it without her and I would recommend any bride our there to hire Sara for their planner, even if it's only for the day-of! You will be happy you did! -
User932077 Sent on 09/12/2012whitney & sara, there are no words to share w/ you how happy you all made each one of us! your guidance through these last few weeks so impressed me, that I was hardly surprised at your EXPERT coordinating of our daughter's wedding day (and rehearsal!). everything was perfect, and I so appreciate all that you did for us... from the first moments, greeting us at church for rehearsal, to the final minutes, delivering the wedding dress to our room after the happy couple departed— you handled everything w/ such grace and subtlety.
thank you from the bottom of my heart; it was a pleasure getting to know you, both!
two points for future brides: the talent agency we hired the band thru, told us 10days before wedding that they were unable to perform. they gave us a list of bands' names, and we went to listen to one a week before event! whitney became our go-to person,firming up a contract w/ our new band (which turned out to be awesome!). what impressed me most, was her direct professionalism in solving this problem-- her goal was not to worry about why band A fell thru, but to find the best band for our wedding- which she did!
secondly, upon whitney & sara's recommendation, we chose to use professional lighting for the ballroom-- the room looked magnificent, and i am most grateful to them for their honest suggestion.
my husband is a solid businessman type, and didn't know much about wedding planners! so, it is a true compliment to sara & whitney, when, after our walk-thru w/ them at our club, he said how impressed he was, and that hiring bella notte was a very wise choice in planning our daughter's wedding... i totally agree!
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![Sarah]()
Sarah Sent on 11/19/2012My husband and I cannot say enough to endorse Sara at Bella Notte. She was a total lifesaver. I am a wedding photographer and have been married before, and neither of us wanted a big wedding. No problem, right? We decided to get married in our backyard and had less than 40 guests, so we figured we could handle it ourselves. Wrong! Thank goodness we wised up and got Sara on board! We had an initial meeting with her and she immediately pointed out half a dozen things we hadn't considered. "Have you made sure the neighbors' landscapers aren't going to be working that afternoon?" Umm, nope. "Have you thought about how you're getting home from the afterparty?" Whoops, forgot that little detail.
Sara did everything from suggesting an amazing place for our after-party (we went to check it out and decided halfway through our first drink that we loved it!), to helping us find other vendors, to providing some serious moral support when planning and family drama got in the way of all the positive aspects of the day. She took care of things so we didn't have to worry, which allowed us to relax and enjoy the day we had designed to celebrate our marriage. She made sure we got enough to eat, rounded up wandering cousins for photos, and even helped my husband orchestrate a surprise song he wanted to sing to me! By the end of the day, Sara felt more like family than our wedding planner... we even grabbed her for a photo with us! If you're unsure of whether or not a planner is worth it, trust us: the service Sara provides is invaluable. -
![ejk2007]()
Eddie Sent on 06/11/2008We chose the Day of Coordination package with Sara Bauleke. She participated in our tasting, called our vendors, rehearsal and of course our ceremony and reception. We were so happy how well organized she was, and how everything went off without a hitch. She helped us to create a timeline. She's very pleasant to work with, and she really makes sure the bride and groom are taken care of. We highly recommend her. A lot of guests commented how awesome she is.
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