Frequently Asked Questions

These are the most common questions we get asked about our wedding planning services. We hope this puts you at ease, and if you think HappiLily Events is your kind of planner, we’d love to chat!

  • We have several packages designed to support any type of couple; Wedding Management, Partial Planning, and Full Planning.

    Whether you need a little help wrapping up the details or you’re eager for a professional to fully guide the process and take on the bulk of planning, we will meet you where you’re at and provide the assistance and tools you need to get Wedding-Ready.

    See our services here.

  • In reality, “day of” coordination isn’t really a thing... You may still find planners that offer “day of” packages, but trained wedding planners will always step in pre-wedding to professionally wrap up each & every detail so you can have the best wedding day!

    So many things can go wrong if you hire the cheapest ‘planner’ and are trusting someone to just show up on the big day and manage it all without confirming your setup & décor plans, fine-tuning your timeline, or having any prior contact with your vendor team. We care too much about you to assume we could just show up and get it all right! So, our base package is called Wedding Management and includes all the professional prep needed for a successful wedding day.

  • Yes! We love working with our couples to create a unique and personalized wedding day!

    Lead planner and owner Lily Hansen is Certified in Wedding + Event Design. With each service level, we provide suggestions for decor & thoughtful details based on your vision. You will also find our favorite rental companies on our preferred vendors list.

    For couples who want a professional eye to lead the event design and styling process, we offer a Signature Design package enhancement.

    With our Signature Design services, we will create a custom look & feel for your wedding day. We work with you to refine your vision, prioritize your decor & rentals budget, and HappiLily Events will curate a series of signature “looks” for you to choose from (including table linens, centerpieces, aisle decor, furniture rentals, lighting, etc.). We will also source all rentals to bring this vision to life. Ask us about this service enhancement when you inquire!

  • HappiLily Events does not carry any rental items. All of our couples have such different visions and styles that we find it best to help you source the perfect decor rentals for your needs, rather than providing a limited selection.

  • We can set up your personal decor, small rental items, and signage, however, we do not replace other vendors or take on tasks that would typically be another vendor’s job.

    We are unable to move furniture (tables, chairs), affix florals anywhere a ladder would be needed, or hang ceiling decor (draping, lights). We do not serve food, alcohol, or cut cake. We cannot operate iPhones/iPads/playlists or video cameras/tripods; you will need to designate a friend for such elements. We also do not transport bakery goods, decor items, or gifts.

    As your wedding planner, we have many other tasks and responsibilities we need to manage to ensure you have the best day! Here’s a bit more about our wedding day tasks.

  • Your venue must be booked if you are hiring us for Wedding Day Management.

    If you are still searching for your dream venue, we can help with our Partial or Full Planning packages. We love using our expertise and industry connections to find you the best venue!

  • We love to hear that! As your wedding planner, we will partner with the venue coordinator to ensure you have the best possible day!

    The key difference between a wedding planner and a venue coordinator is who they are responsible to. Venue coordinators represent the venue, whereas a professional planner always has your best interest in mind. Our goal is to prioritize your vision and needs to make sure your wedding is everything you’ve dreamed of!

    A venue manager or banquet caption will manage tasks such as overseeing set up of tables/chairs, directing food & beverage staff, and ensuring venue rules are followed. The venue coordinator is not responsible for any other vendors you bring in, managing decor, or helping to direct the ceremony, cue speeches, or keep your timeline on track.

    Click here to learn more about the differences between your venue's responsibilities and what we manage on wedding day.

    Fun fact: Lily worked for several years as a venue coordinator prior to opening HappiLily Events. Ask her during your consult call to share more about the differences between these two wedding pros!

  • Ideally, as soon as you want to start wedding planning!

    The sooner you hire us, the sooner we can get your planning process on track! And you will get the most value for our services, as we share must-have resources you’ll want to use right away including a Budget Builder + Tracker, Guest List Tracker, a Vendor Comparison Tool & Hiring Guide, and an interactive Planning Checklist (customized to your wedding date). We also help review your budget to ensure you have realistic expectations based on vendor rates in our area.

    If you want a more specific answer — couples who choose our Full Planning package typically hire us 12-18 months before they plan to get married. We have planned weddings for couples with a shorter engagement, and also have quite a few couples who’ve set a date 20+ months in advance! More time is always better so we can plan the best event.

    For Partial Planning and Wedding Management, we typically book out 8-10 months in advance. Don’t wait to reach out or we might not have your date available!

  • We are based in St. Paul, Minnesota and have planned weddings all over Minnesota and Wisconsin. We frequently work across the Twin Cities, Stillwater, Red Wing, Pepin, St. Cloud, and the Duluth area.

    Some of our favorite venues are Willow Brooke Farm, Bloom Lake Barn, Ivory North, The Hutton House, Pinewood, Abella, Woodhaven, The Skyroom, and La Pointe Events (but there are SO many more!).

    We love working in new locations and if you think HappiLily Events is the right fit for you, we’d love to chat!

  • At HappiLily Events, we are dedicated to providing you with professional planning assistance and best-friend-level support through each step of your planning adventure.

    That’s why no matter which service package you choose, each couple works directly with Owner + Lead Planner Lily Hansen, a Master Certified Wedding Planner. With a more personal planning process, your wedding day will better reflect the two of you and this whole wedding planning thing is actually going to be fun!

    We also intentionally choose to take on only a select number of weddings each year — so we can give you the one-on-one attention you deserve when planning such a special event.

  • Our couples are looking for a trusted partner-in-planning to help them make confident decisions, provide professional & unbiased advice, and keep the process organized but fun. If you want to plan a celebration as personal as your love story, we’ll get along so well!

    You can also read about our values here.

  • Of course! We are here to celebrate and support all couples and party people.

    We also make a point to work with vendors who share this mindset. No bigotry here.

  • Our goal is to ensure you have the best day possible so for every wedding we include a Lead Planner and an assistant coordinator.

    Depending on your guest count, venue, decor setup, or other needs, we may bring additional coordinators to ensure we can give you the best service.

  • We’re so glad you asked! Sounds like you might want to work with us 🤞

    Please follow this link to read what our couples have said about the HappiLily Experience.