Effortlessly Chic Celebrations
Recently updated
This vendor updated their storefront within the last 15 days.
Napa Valley, Santa Barbara, Mexico
Travel area: No travel restrictions See details
Vanessa Pence
LEAD PLANNER & DESIGNER
AWARD WINNER (2X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Perfectly executed, effortlessly chic, and ridiculously fun weddings – with a planning experience to match.
Vanessa Pence Events is a boutique luxury wedding planning and design studio based in Marin County, California, producing multi-day celebrations across the Bay Area, Santa Barbara, and Mexico.
Infatuated with design and unapologetically meticulous, Vanessa simply gets it done. She leads with warmth, intention, and a steady hand - balancing high standards with a calm, grounded presence her couples rely on when the stakes are high and the decisions keep coming.
With over a decade of experience, Vanessa offers a highly personalized and collaborative approach rooted in strong creative vision and seamless execution. Her work is defined by intentionality and restraint - layered, guest-focused celebrations that feel elevated without ever feeling overdone.
Vanessa purposefully limits her calendar to a small number of weddings each year, allowing her to be deeply involved in every detail alongside her couples and creative partners.
Her work has been featured in publications including The Wed, Style Me Pretty, The Friend Club, and Magnolia Rouge.
Woman-owned Business
6+ years in business
Details
Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Planning
Planning
Destination Wedding Planning
Full Service Wedding Planning
Wedding Design
Wedding Activities
Rehearsals & Parties
Wedding
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Vanessa Pence
Lead Planner & Designer
Type A planner with a type B approach. Meticulous by nature and relaxed in approach, Vanessa brings clarity, intention, and a calm presence to a season that often feels overwhelming.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.024 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Vanessa Pence is highly praised as a wedding planner, with multiple reviews emphasizing her exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, creativity, and thoughtful approach. She seamlessly orchestrated multi-day destination weddings, diverse cultural celebrations, and complex events while ensuring that couples felt understood and supported throughout the planning process. Vanessa's warmth, professionalism, and ability to anticipate needs were highly valued by reviewers, who noted that she transformed their visions into flawless realities, creating stress-free and magical wedding experiences. Guests and couples alike were left in awe of Vanessa's dedication, care, and impeccable event execution.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
Kavita D
5.0
3/03/2026
We cannot recommend Vanessa highly enough. From our very first meeting, it was clear she was going to bring an incredible amount of level of creativity and care to our weekend.
Pl...
anning a multi-day destination wedding in Mexico is complex on its own, but our weekend included a Shabbat dinner, pool party, Sangeet with Indian music and specialty vendors, a fully kosher wedding, and an after party, all across multiple locations on the property. Vanessa managed every detail seamlessly. She approached each event with thoughtfulness and genuine enthusiasm, taking the time to understand both of our cultures and ensuring that Jewish and Indian traditions were honored in a way that felt authentic and beautifully integrated.
Vanessa truly provided full-service planning. She sourced venues, identified and coordinated with every vendor, oversaw decor and stationery, managed food and beverage details, and built comprehensive timelines that allowed the entire weekend to run effortlessly. Her presentations were always thorough and creative, outlining clear options while pairing them with her expert recommendations. She struck the perfect balance between guiding us with confidence and giving us the space to make decisions that felt personal.
Her organization and composure were so amazing to work with. Detailed timelines ensured that every vendor, family member, and guest knew exactly where to be and when. Her team was equally impressive, each member had clearly defined responsibilities, from guest hospitality and welcome bag distribution to food and beverage oversight and bridal party support. Because of Vanessa and her team, we were able to be fully present and enjoy every moment without thinking about logistics.
If any challenges arose, we were never aware of any of them so Vanessa and her team must have quickly problem solved. Our guests consistently commented on how outstanding she and her team were and repeatedly asked how we found her.
Vanessa did not simply plan a wedding weekend, she orchestrated an experience that was thoughtful, seamless, and deeply meaningful. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication and could not have chosen a better partner for such an important celebration.
Kaitlin B
5.0
11/03/2025
Five stars could never capture how wonderful our experience with Vanessa was — she was truly a dream planner. From the very beginning, her organization, design expertise, attention...
to detail, and calm professionalism made the entire process feel seamless. But what really stood out was her warmth and care — she brought such thoughtfulness to every interaction and decision.
Vanessa took the time to truly understand us as a couple and ensured that our wedding reflected who we are. She was attentive, intuitive, and proactive, often anticipating our needs before we even realized them. What could have been a stressful process became enjoyable and creative, thanks to her steady guidance and kindness.
When the wedding weekend arrived, we were in awe of the care and precision she put into every element. Vanessa seamlessly managed a complex two-day build-out for our wedding day, many many vendors, a rehearsal, and a welcome party and we were able to just enjoy the celebrations with zero concerns.
Beyond her professionalism and talent, Vanessa is simply a wonderful person to work with: kind, thoughtful, and deeply committed to her clients. We’re endlessly grateful to have had her as our planner and couldn’t recommend her more highly!
Any questions?
Leighanne N
5.0
2/16/2025
Our luxury oceanfront destination wedding was an absolute dream come true, and it would not have been possible without Vanessa and her incredible team! From start to finish, she fl...
awlessly orchestrated our multi-day celebration, ensuring every single detail was beyond perfection.
Vanessa was an absolute joy to work with—organized, always accessible, and incredibly responsive. She took the time to truly listen to our vision and transformed it into a breathtaking reality. Every element, from the elegant beach ceremony and the stunning floral arrangements to the elegant signage and world-class entertainment, was meticulously curated. Her vendor recommendations were spot on, bringing together the most talented professionals who exceeded our expectations in every way.
Our guests were absolutely blown away, and we were left speechless by the level of care and thoughtfulness Vanessa poured into every moment. The special touches, the seamless execution, and her ability to anticipate every need made our wedding experience completely stress-free and magical.
Vanessa and her team are not just wedding planners—they are visionaries, artists, and the hardest-working professionals you could ever hope to have by your side. If you want the wedding of your dreams, look no further. We are forever grateful!
Janette C
5.0
10/09/2024
Vanessa was spectacular from start to finish! It was the best decision to have her as our wedding planner. My husband and I are busy people and we were not stressing all throughout...
the whole process (except for maybe the weather which was out of our control — but even then she put in all efforts to mitigate that!) My main goal for the wedding was to feel like a guest and enjoy every aspect of it myself — and Vanessa delivered. We gave Vanessa creative freedom and her design & planning was immaculate. Vanessa executed a flawless wedding that was detailed and colorful to represent us and connected us with the best vendors to provide the best experience — guests did not stop talking about it afterwards! If there is one thing to do truly invest in for your wedding — it’s a professional & experienced wedding planner like Vanessa. We absolutely would not have had experience without her — and we are still trying to relieve that perfect day!
Kailee W
5.0
10/07/2024
If you're searching for a wedding planner, look no further than Vanessa Pence Events. From our very first meeting, Vanessa brought our dream wedding to life with a level of profess...
ionalism and warmth that exceeded all expectations.
Her deep knowledge of the Napa area was evident as she guided us to the most breathtaking venues and top-notch vendors. She took the time to understand our vision, style, and budget, curating options that were perfectly tailored to us. Every detail was thoughtfully considered, from the exquisite floral arrangements to the seamless timeline of the day.
What truly set Vanessa apart was her impeccable attention to detail and her calming presence. Planning a wedding from across the country can be overwhelming, but she made the entire process enjoyable and stress-free. On the day of the wedding, we were able to fully immerse ourselves in the joy of the moment, knowing that she had everything under control.
Our guests are still raving about how beautiful and smoothly run our wedding was. We owe it all to Vanessa’s dedication, creativity, and hard work. Hiring her was the best decision we made, and we can't recommend her highly enough!
Thank you, Vanessa, for making our wedding day the most magical and memorable experience of our lives.
Lara O
5.0
7/13/2024
I HIGHLY recommend Vanessa and I'm SO glad we hired her as our wedding planner. She took the time to get to know us as a couple and understand our vision for a laid-back, eco-frien...
dly wedding with a high/low dining concept. She helped us find the perfect venue in wine country (given our laundry list of requirements) and had amazing vendor connections. At every step she provided a shortlist of 2-4 vendors she thought would work for us which made picking out flowers, a photographer, catering, tableware, etc. super easy and enjoyable. She and her team also handled all the day-of coordination so we could be present with each other and our guests throughout the day.
Vanessa is extremely professional and organized, but also brings a calming vibe to a planning process that feels high-stakes and overwhelming at times. Vanessa's attention to detail and her ability to handle any situation is truly impressive. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner or a more perfect wedding!
olivia s
5.0
6/18/2024
We worked with Vanessa for almost a year planning our May 2024 wedding. She was not only professional and organized ,but really fun to work with. From the over the top laser lights...
to the perfect DJ, she will pair you with the absolute best vendors. It was truly a perfect day and worth every bit of hard work! We cant say enough good things about Vanessa and her team!
Alexandra B
5.0
11/30/2023
Working with Vanessa was hands down the single best decision I made throughout the entire wedding planning process. I chatted with many different planners in the early days of my p...
lanning but the second I met Vanessa I knew she was exactly what I'd been hoping to find. Her professionalism, thoroughness, incredible taste and calm presence made the entire planning process not only stress-free but FUN. Over the course of our time planning I constantly found myself telling her that so many people were asking me if I was stressed and I could genuinely say, "Nope!" because I wasn't! She took all the hassle out of the process and felt like a true partner every step of the way. Our day was better than we could have ever imagined and we were able to enjoy every second of the process from start to finish. If I could give 100 more stars I would! Thank you, Vanessa!!
Danielle S
5.0
11/05/2023
Five stars does not feel like a good enough representation for what Vanessa is not only capable of, but what she does. My husband and I could not, absolutely could not have had the...
wedding we did without Vanessa. We initiated the planning process on our own, even had both the ceremony location and venue booked. We then wrongly assumed those were the biggest tasks at hand and that it would be “easy” from there. We couldn’t have been more wrong. We decided at that point to look into hiring a wedding planner. We had gotten referrals for a few planners through friends of friends and met with multiple people. All of which were a no, for one reason or another. Then, my husband found Vanessa through Google and the rest of the process became a completely different experience. I knew within two minutes of being on Zoom with Vanessa that I wanted her to be a part of our day. Vanessa is very kind hearted and will make you feel so excited about your wedding while she takes on the stress and responsibility for you. Not only did Vanessa bring our version to life once, she did it twice. Vanessa completed floorplans, attended multiple meetings with us to the venues we had booked, spent months and months bringing our vision to life, only for us to change our minds a few months before the wedding. What was initially planned as a nearly 200-person wedding in SF was turned into less than 20 people in our backyard. When my husband and I approached Vanessa about the change we wanted to make, we were certain we would have to part ways. Not only didn’t Vanessa completely support our decision, she was willing to stay on as our wedding planner and see our day through. She recreated our vision, sought our additional vendors, and transformed our home into our dream venue. Besides every detail of the wedding being perfected and accounted for, the other thing Vanessa contributes is vendors who are just as talented as she is. Every single vendor that played a part in our day was so lovely to work with and saw their portion through to the fullest. I cannot recommend Vanessa enough; she truly is one of a kind. XO
Paola N
5.0
9/20/2023
Vanessa deserves many awards for the work she does, and couldn’t be more perfect for planning a beautiful celebration. She has an unmatched eye for design and a peaceful demeanor, ...
which made it truly fun and easy to plan our special day. Throughout the wedding planning process, my husband and I couldn’t stop raving about how amazing it was to work and interact with her, and how she was the best decision we made throughout the process. She came with so many creative ideas to make our day unique, and ensured every detail was thoughtfully planned and flawlessly executed the day of. We received so many compliments and true shock from our guests at how beautiful and perfect the weekend was. We were able to relax and soak in the best weekend of our lives, all thanks to Vanessa. Everything was beyond our wildest dreams and this will forever be the best weekend of our lives. Thank you Vanessa! If you’re looking for the best planner you could find for an event, look no further, it’s Vanessa!!
David H
5.0
9/13/2023
Vanessa was everything we could have hoped for in a wedding planner and coordinator. She was communicative, helpful, kind and understanding through the whole process. We would not ...
have found our incredible venue and many of our vendors without her help.
Throughout the process of planning the wedding, Vanessa gave us the right amount of information and decisions to make, never overwhelming or confusing us, really taking the edge off of the stress of wedding planning.
The day of our wedding went perfectly, everything went incredibly smoothly, and we could focus entirely on enjoying the day.
We would not hesitate to recommend Vanessa and her team to anyone looking for a planner and coordinator.
Amy G
5.0
7/28/2023
When my now husband and I first got engaged we knew right away that finding the perfect wedding planner would be an invaluable investment towards our big day. Little did we know a...
t the time just how much the word – Invaluable – would prove to be an understatement.
From our first call with Vanessa, we knew she was the perfect fit to lead our team! She was born for events planning. Never batting an eye at our wild ideas - Vanessa went above and beyond to make magic happen. From matchbox save-the-dates to a violinist playing Frank Ocean, Vanessa’s imagination pushed the boundaries of the mainstream wedding industry – creating a day that was uniquely and impressively us. Moreover, Vanessa’s impressive list of industry connections made for endless possibilities. Florists, stationers, and MUAs alike – my husband and I didn’t meet with a single vendor who failed to sing Vanessa’s praises (and for good reason!).
Now, more than four months since, our wedding is still a constant conversation among family and friends – speaking volumes of the work produced by VPE. In planning our wedding together, we gained a lifelong friend, of which we are so thankful.
Allie C
5.0
6/02/2023
Using Vanessa Pence Events for our April 2023 wedding was BY FAR the best decision we made throughout all of our wedding planning journey! We worked with Vanessa for 18 months lead...
ing up to our wedding, and throughout the entire process she was professional, relatable, all while providing a timeless eye for design. She handled any stressful situation with the upmost grace and poise - however, we had very few (if any) stressful moments because of her exceptional planning abilities. All couples need a Vanessa in their life! She took what is typically a very stressful time for couples and made it the most enjoyable experience for us - and we will forever be grateful for that! We cannot Vanessa Pence Events enough!
Eliza G
5.0
11/30/2022
I cannot recommend Vanessa enough! She planned our wedding in eight months and it was the best day of my, and my husbands, life so far! Vanessa is organized, through, well connecte...
d, and so sweet. I was told that wedding planning would be the most stressful experience, but let me tell you, with Vanessa helping along the way I didn't have ANY stress. It was the most enjoyable experience. She helped my hone in my vision and brought everything I wanted to life. Her execution and attention to detail is top tier. Hire her immediately!
Annie M
5.0
11/18/2022
Vanessa Pence is THE gal to hire for your wedding. We used her 3 month out planning/coordination services with an added on bit of help for design. She delivered in every category. ...
Vanessa is thorough, confident, calm & relaxed and has a network in the Bay Area that really helps when booking vendors. We loved working with Vanessa and her team. On our wedding day, they took care of all the logistics, made sure our gifts/cards were safe and all decor was packed up perfectly at the end of the night. We didn't have to worry about a thing.
Hannah S
5.0
10/04/2022
Vanessa was my wedding planner and she was the best choice I made in all wedding planning. She is very professional, calm and collected at all times. She has incredible taste, and ...
has made some very strong vendor relationships resulting in a high quality, experienced network of contacts. She was my right hand gal, and helped me create the wedding of our dreams. Do no more research - contact her if you’re looking for a planner!
Natalie u
5.0
9/23/2022
We would recommend Vanessa to anyone. She efficiently and professionally managed the planning process for our wedding from start to finish, always with a smile. As a couple, we did...
n't have a clear idea of what we wanted and Vanessa was there every step of the way to guide us through the hundreds of decisions required to pull off a dreamy Tahoe wedding. Her day-of coordination was invaluable, and let us completely relax and enjoy the wedding knowing that Vanessa had a handle on all the details.
Luke v
5.0
8/16/2022
Vanessa has been an absolute joy to work with! Her attention to detail, organization, and overall taste has made it a first-class experience. Vanessa has made great vendor recommen...
dations and has guided us throughout every difficult decision. I can't recommend working with Vanessa enough you won't regret it!
Heidi K
5.0
8/10/2022
What a smart, hard working and kind wedding planner! I would highly recommend Vanessa Pence event services. Being the MOB and a catering event planner, I was very impressed how tho...
ughtfully she listened and embraced ideas and suggestions while adding her own very cool touches and expertise. She earned my praise and admiration for her incredible efforts and talents working tirelessly for our daughter's wedding. Don't hesitate to hire her. She is a gem!
Natalie M
5.0
11/04/2021
After every meeting and call with Vanessa my husband and I would talk about how thankful we were that we had her help. She executed all of our ideas for our big day and filled in t...
he gaps with her experience. Leading up to the wedding I really appreciated the thorough to do list and timeline guidance for all the decision making. It reassured me we weren't overlooking anything.
Two days before the wedding, multiple people commented on how calm I was--I attribute that all to Vanessa. She accounted for every detail so we could fully enjoy ourselves and not have to worry about anything.
Sophie H
5.0
10/25/2021
I cannot recommend working with Vanessa enough. Vanessa is the ultimate professional - she's organized, creative, and has deep relationships with vendors in the Bay Area. We were l...
ucky enough to have Vanessa as our planner for our 2021 fall wedding located at my in-laws' home. Vanessa helped build our venue from the ground up, coordinating with many vendors and stakeholders, to execute a flawless event. Vanessa took the time to really get to know my husband and me. She helped us prioritize what was most important to us, and she kept those factors as non-negotiables in our wedding (all while managing our budget).
Vanessa meticulously planned our wedding day logistics and vendor drop-off. The day of planning was so seamless that we spent the day completely focused on each other and our guests. We were able to relax and truly enjoy every second of our day. Our whole bridal and family loved Vanessa!
Most importantly, Vanessa has a calming, warm presence. She is an advisor and friend when you need someone to lean on in planning a wedding (especially during COVID).
Rachel C
5.0
10/24/2021
My husband and I want to preface that we would give Vanessa ten stars if that was an option!
We originally thought we could plan the wedding ourselves…and then quickly realized w...
e had no idea what to do and became overwhelmed with how many choices there were for every aspect of the wedding. This is where Vanessa was invaluable. She invested time in not only understanding our vision, but us as a couple and our personalities. This made it feel like we were working with a friend that we trusted completely. Because of this trust, we heavily leaned on Vanessa for design aesthetic and relied on her for decisions. Her confidence helped us feel confident. As an indecisive person, being presented 20 options/ideas for something would have overwhelmed me. Instead, Vanessa filtered down the options for everything and presented the ones she thought were best. This saved us so much stress and shows how Vanessa personalizes her approach to what is helpful for the client. Vanessa’s ideas turned out to fit perfectly into our vision and the day-of ended up being beyond magical for us and our guests. Additionally, she kept us on track and accountable for the items we had to execute on to make sure we didn’t fall behind. Her set up in Aisle Planner was seamless and she helped us navigate every step of the way.
We look back on our wedding day with the happiest memories and most importantly, the best feelings. Because of Vanessa, we weren’t stressed, overwhelmed, or worried the day of our wedding. We were just able to be in the moment and enjoy. Everything went perfectly, looked amazing, and was truly the happiest day of our lives. That’s genuinely all due to Vanessa. We can't recommend working with her enough!
Julia T
5.0
9/23/2021
Working with Vanessa on my sister's wedding was the best decision we ever made! Not only is Vanessa extremely professional, she also has great taste and goes above and beyond your ...
expectations. As you may know, planning a wedding during COVID is very stressful and intimidating- but Vanessa has a way of making you feel relaxed and at ease so that you can actually enjoy process! Vanessa is not only a kind hearted individual, she also takes the time to get to know you and your needs. We truly could not have done this without her and I look forward to using her services for all and any events in the future!
Chantal R
5.0
8/02/2021
Vanessa was amazing to work with. We hired her with only a few short months to go to our big day in Sonoma but she took on the challenge. Not only she is so incredibly sweet, nice ...
and and an all around good human...but she was incredibly professional and warm from the very beginning, knocking out every single detail to make our dream day come true. When we had to last minute change our venue in Napa, Vanessa went above and beyond to ensure a smooth transition including a complete redesign!!
Vanessa was also always there for me (the bride) when I needed her and was stressed. She reminded us what it was all about, while simultaneously handling the details - doing things to help that really were above and beyond our expectations. On the day of, I was a ball of nerves/stress as a very A-Type bride and Vanessa couldn't have been more calm, cool, and collected. She managed our food vendors, photographers, etc with organized professionalism and we were never worried about how things would go on the day of.
Until this event, I did not realize just how many details could go into a small wedding... we literally could not have done this day without her and would HIGHLY recommend Vanessa to any couple considering!
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Vanessa Pence Events
Vanessa Pence
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Lead Planner & Designer
Wedding vendors in San Francisco
Vanessa Pence Events
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