St. James Hotel

Behind the Veil

A sneak peek into planning a wedding with the St. James Hotel

Wedding season is in full swing. Save the dates have been transferred to the calendar, leaving little room during summer weekends to hop out on the boat. We’ve seen relationships progress throughout the first dates leading up to a recently posted ‘married’ life event status on Facebook. Hundreds of photos capture the dress, suits, vows, venue, flowers and not to forget, the food. Social media feeds are filled with newlywed couples and their families savoring every moment.

Weddings are beautiful but can be stressful to plan. Behind all of the smiles are hours of strenuous planning from the folds of the napkins to arranging contracts with a caterer. Every detail has been checked twice to ensure couples have their dream wedding. Some people choose to plan their wedding and others choose to hire wedding planners, coordinators, and designers. It is challenging to plan a wedding if you don’t know what to do or who to go to. We dedicated this blog post to providing a behind the veil look into how our Wedding Manager and Banquet Team aids soon-to-be wed couples with flawless planning and stress-free execution of their wedding.

 55-elopements- Stacy Bengs Photography

Photo courtesy of Stacy Bengs Photography

It’s all about the details. At the St. James, we offer a unique, full-service venue. Our Wedding Manager, Abby, is committed to the process. She focuses on the logistical aspects of the weddings to ensure everything has been arranged. Abby does not plan the details but coordinates them to our couple’s expectations. Here is her process.

The St. James is seen on the The Knot, The Wedding Guide, and Wedding Wire, as well as, a member of Forever Bride. These sites offer couples a sneak peek into our venue, offering photos, reviews, and contact information. Many inquiries are sent to Abby from these sites.

Once inquiries are received, Abby will email or call to gather more information to know which one of our five venues would fit our couple the best.  Soon after, a tour can be scheduled to show our couple what the St. James’ Hotel can offer.

During the tour, Wedding Packets are given out with everything our couple needs to know about the hotel, River Blu Salon, and Clementine Flower Shop, as well as, the wedding menu, inclusive packages, the hotel’s preferred vendors, and additional information. Once our couple decides to have their wedding at the hotel, the planning begins.

Couples find their vendors. They plan what they want in their wedding from the color palette to the DJ. They handle the details and supply their information. Abby coordinates the details to make sure our processes are taking place. She will schedule tastings with couples to pick out their dinner menu, linen colors, room diagrams, and more.

Fast forward to two weeks before the wedding. Everything is coming together, and couples provide all final details the St. James will handle on their big day. One week before the wedding, final guest count and final touches to their table diagram are recorded.

The day has arrived. Our Banquet Manager, Shelly and her Banquet Staff prepare the venue. The flowers and cake are delivered. DJ/band is all set up. Food is prepped and ready to be served. The St. James team makes sure everything is on track to ensure smooth execution, so the Bride & Groom are stress-free. The “I Dos” have been shared and the dance has begun. The night is filled with laughter and love.

These steps simplify the process however, there is a lot of planning on both ends. We provide the venue, you provide the love and happiness. Together, it’s a seamless match. With five captivating venues to choose from, the St. James Hotel accommodates any couple’s wishes.

If you are looking for a venue with charm and a hands-on Wedding Manager to help guide you, look no further. Contact Abby today at 651-385-5548 or weddings@st-james-hotel.com. More information can be found at the St. James Hotel website.

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