Elle Render Events

My collaboration with Jennifer Render of Elle Render Events took place during a multi-day destination wedding on September 11–13, 2025, at Cavalli Estates — a lavender farm in San Luis Obispo, California. My client booked me a year and a half before the wedding. But then! The venue went belly up. Forcing her to find a new venue, and unfortunately, the team she'd originally booked could not reschedule. I was the only vendor who remained by her side. In the weeks that followed, the wedding evolved into a destination wedding in San Luis Obispo, with Elle Render Events leading the way. Now imagine how you'd feel months before your wedding, the venue folds and your entire team walks away. Imagine being the wedding planner who gets that call — who takes on that client, that weight. And from the beginning, my client envisioned an intimate dinner with friends. And I bring this up because small weddings are more difficult to execute than large ones. As there's no spectacle or grand choreography to distract from inexperience. It's why I believe that it takes a high level of skill and emotional intelligence to execute a small wedding. Jennifer Render is a wedding planner with said innate qualities because she's confident in her craft recognizing my approach while making room for it in her process. A rare trait in this industry. And while many wedding vendors claim to be detail-oriented. Jennifer quietly proves it. For example, whenever Addie, our client, felt overwhelmed, she hit me up on Instagram — the late night spiral, the "I don't know about this, what do you think" moment. But then? Silence. Not because the problem went away, but because Jennifer handled it with Addie before it could become a problem. No news is good news, as they say. It's why I believe that the best work is executed silently and privately. And if you're planning a wedding in a destination as sought after as San Luis Obispo, this is why you need a wedding planner who understands local logistics and weather patterns. In the hours leading up to the reception, a strong wind kicked up and Jennifer and her team move quietly and decisively to protect every detail of the minimal, elegant decor. And I remember thinking — if she can battle mother nature and come out on top, imagine what she does with elements she can control. Jennifer trusted that our client brought me in for a reason and gave me the room to do exactly what I promised our client I would deliver — because she was confident in her own operation to be confident in mine. Jennifer was present throughout the day that I could go to her directly when I needed to. Because Jennifer Render is a wedding planner who has full command of her team, her timeline, and her day — so quietly and efficiently you almost don't notice it. And this is how I know a wedding was perfectly and elegantly executed — by unfolding exactly how the client described it in her first email all those months ago. And sometimes I daydream how this wedding might have looked had the original venue never closed. But then I look at the pictures. And think about the lavender farm, the pizza at the welcome dinner, the tiramisu cake our client cut as Kiss Me played, the people present, the team Jennifer orchestrated — and I stop wondering at all. — My name is David Cruz The Drunk Wedding Photographer, I'm film wedding photographer in Los Angeles, CA and I photograph weddings exclusively on Kodak 35mm film. 

Jen truly made our wedding day seamless and stress-free! We clicked with her immediately during our first phone call, and loved how personable and organized she is. She brought such fun, positive energy to the entire planning process while also having an incredible attention to detail. Anytime a question or issue came up, Jen handled it quickly, calmly, and creatively. For example, she came up with terrific ways to repurpose décor throughout different parts of the wedding, which made everything feel cohesive, thoughtful, and elevated while saving us money. Beyond her talent and organization, Jen is simply a joy to be around. It felt like having another (very organized) friend with us during our wedding planning process and on the day-of. We can’t imagine our wedding without her and we recommend her wholeheartedly to any couple!