I live in LA but want to start planning a wedding in Napa Valley.?

Is it better to get a wedding planner that lives here in LA or up in Napa Valley? If I have one that lives here we can meet, and work closer together on this, but if I hire on in Napa she will know all the different venues/caterers/djs of that area. Which do I go with?I live in LA but want to start planning a wedding in Napa Valley.?
You need a wedding planner that is based out of Napa, because you want someone who has relationships with vendors and venues in the area where you plan to get married.
Get one from Napa. Interview several before you choose one. Make sure who ever you choose has the time and ability to communicate with you often (phone, email) and someone who can email you maps and photos. If you are unhappy with the experience early on, fire your coordinator and find another one.

You're far better off dealing with someone who knows the area and has direct dealings and experience with local venues and vendors as long as that person is responsive to you and your needs.

Meeting with someone in person in LA is almost a guarantee that there will be a whole lot of guessing going on.I live in LA but want to start planning a wedding in Napa Valley.?
I would strongly recommend hiring a wedding planner in the Bay Area who either is based in Napa Valley or works frequently in Napa Valley. Napa Valley in particular has a lot of strict requirements surrounding weddings and someone who has worked the area and knows the "ins and outs" is going to be far more useful to you than someone who is going to have to discover and research those things from the ground up. There are a number of fantastic people in the area that are every bit as good as anyone in LA and can offer you the benefit of having local knowledge and relationships. Check out http://www.stylemepretty.com/little-black-book/california/napa-sonoma for vendors in all categories that are some of the good ones.
You know, there ARE planners that are willing to travel, even enjoy it, but they don't come cheap. They would be able to go back and forth and get you everything you need. A good tactic would be to make all of your appointments in Napa a couple months from now, save up, and fly up to Napa to get a lot done. Of course, you could always just get a planner in Napa and fly there from time to time yourself, too. You will need to be somewhat involved, but if she's there and planning it for you and you two are communicating with phone and email and pictures, then really, I would find someone very trustworthy with a great track record to handle it all for you.



Good luck!
I would definitely hire one in Napa, but I would interview a few (as another poster suggested.) OR...do you have a good (personal?) relationship with the one in LA? Perhaps she can recommend someone in Napa for you.



In any case, I would suggest hiring someone who actually coordinates weddings in Napa. She will know the area, the vendors, etc.
Start looking yourself online for venues. Many wineries have wedding packages. Get a feel for what you're looking for. You might find a venue that help you with catering, djs, etc and you won't need a wedding planner. The money you save by not hiring a planner could go towards a nicer reception or toward your honeymoon.
Lots of people move from Napa to LA. Try to find one that lived up there and moved to LA area then you will have the best of both worlds.

One more word, it is better to go there and only have to pay for what you use rather than pay for one to go to LA to meet with you (Unless you are really too busy).
Do your own research first (venues, caterers, photographers, DJ, etc), set a budget then hire a wedding planner based on your research and budget who can accommodate your needs to ensure you have a beautiful wedding.