4.8
Verified reviews from real couples
Weddings by Darlene
Premium Wedding Planning
Working with Darlene and Jim was truly one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. From the very first conversation, they made us feel seen, heard, and completely at ease. Their attention to detail, warmth, and genuine passion for what they do radiated through every step of the process.
They didn’t just plan our wedding—they brought it to life. Every vision we had was thoughtfully executed and elevated in ways we never could have imagined. On the day of, Darlene and Jim created a calm, seamless environment that allowed us to be fully present, knowing that everything was in the most capable hands.
Our wedding day was nothing short of magical, and so much of that is because of their tireless work behind the scenes. We are beyond grateful for their guidance, kindness, and the personal touch they brought to every moment. We truly can’t recommend them highly enough!
We used Weddings by Darlene for our wedding in Sonoma, CA as a day of wedding planner. Darlene, Jim, and Shalene were excellent! Darlene and Jim did a site visit a few weeks before the wedding and gave suggestions on various touches to include for the wedding. Shalene managed our wedding the day of and kept everything running smoothly and on time. She helped arrange the tables and set everything up how we wanted at the venue. She was amazing!
About this vendor
Darlene
WEDDING PLANNER
Weddings by Darlene, based in Napa, CA, have assisted with planning over 1,000 beautiful weddings in the local area. They take care of everything so you can sit back and enjoy your special day.
Darlene, the company's founder, has also owned her own bridal store for 11 years, giving her extensive knowledge of the industry. She takes pride in offering a fun, relaxed, and memorable experience with a team that has been planning elegant Napa and Sonoma Valley weddings for over 30 years. They do what they love with exceptional care and attention to couples, families, and guests.
Weddings by Darlene offers a wide range of personalized wedding planning services, including full planning, partial planning, and day-of coordination. They can do everything from choosing the theme and locating vendors to setting up the event timeline and supervising every detail of the special day. They have also cultivated long-term relationships with different wedding vendors in the Wine Country, so you can rest assured that you are getting the most out of your planning experience. Contact the team for more information on the services they offer.
Asian-owned, Black-owned, Hispanic or Latinx-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, Native American-owned, Pacific Islander-owned, Veteran-owned and Woman-owned Business
30+ years in business
Speaks English
Meet the team
Darlene
Wedding Planner
Darlene Forbes
Owner/ Coordinator/ Officiant /Author
Raised in the beautiful Napa Valley, Darlene, a college graduate and single mother of three active, "creative" girls, began her event planning career organizing large group activities for her community and local charities. Her ability for budgeting, finding venues, and tthe right vendors led her to develop her own successful businesses in tax consulting, catering, and balloon design where she worked with many of the valleys leading businesses. Then, when a friend pointed out the need, Darlene's life changed, when she found her true passion as Napa Valley's first Wedding Planner.
With three growing daughters, involved in an ever-growing succession of weddings, her experience became quite extensive along with a collection of Brides-Maid dresses. Her passion for weddings led to "Weddings by Darlene"; at first a Wedding Planning service, then a successful Bridal Store serving the Napa communities prom girls, Mothers of the bride, bride's-maids, and brides. Darlene's ability to create strong relationships with her brides, vendors and venues continue today extending from Napa to Sonoma, Lake Tahoe, and the surrounding Bay area.
While Darlene and her husband, Jim, enjoy their home in
Lake Tahoe, golfing, and Bocce, A published author, (Weddings, The Good, The Bad, The Scary), Darlene continues to consider her couples a part of an ever-growing family where she finds enjoyment in the events and the memories she
helps to create.
Photo of Darlene
Service area & Contact info
137 Firefly Lane, Napa, CA
Open mapTravel area: Within 100 miles
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