app

MatchMatch Right Hearted Weddings is intended to match local vendors with engaged couples. Photo/matt Bieker

made by Matt bieker

A new app helps couples swipe their way through planning a wedding

Candi Block created Right Hearted Weddings after years as a wedding planner in Seattle. When it comes to dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, the best-case scenario for many users is that a single, fateful swipe to the right could introduce them to someone they’ll spend the rest of their lives with. But local business owner Candi

Block thinks that swiping could also serve couples who are long passed the awkward small talk stage and onto taking the big step. To that goal, she released her new app Right Hearted

Weddings, on Jan. 1 of this year.

“So the app functions a little bit like Tinder or Bumble, but for wedding planning, so we’re connecting engaged couples with wedding vendors,” Block said. “All they have to do is swipe right if they like it or swipe left if they don’t. And then we keep track of the way that they’re swiping, and we’ll actually match them to the vendors that best fit their style and their wedding location.” After opening her own wedding planning business in the Seattle area in 2015, Block began

to assemble a convoluted web of vendor connections she would do her best to explain to engaged couples when she could schedule a time to sit down with them— which is how most wedding planning operates. After moving to Reno last year, and faced with the prospect of rebuilding her connections from scratch, Block decided there had to be a better way to help couples using her services. Not to mention the almost 80 percent of couples who don’t hire a wedding planner at all—according to the yearly Wedding Report from popular online service weddingwire.com. “For couples, I mean, the wedding directories that are currently available really haven’t changed much since the ’90s and a lot of those are really advertising agencies as well,” Block said. “And so for vendors to be on those platforms, there’s actually a pretty high price tag, and then it can get really overwhelming to look through that many different profiles. You’re reading bios, and after a while what I found is that couples, they just get overwhelmed, and everything starts to blur together.”

With Right Hearted Weddings, couples can make individual profiles with basic information like where they’re located and when they plan to get married. There are 10 different categories like venues, food and photographers, and those vendors upload images for different services they offer. Couples can swipe individually in their down time—helpful for busy schedules, said Block—and see combined results for what they’ve both picked. The app then provides a percentage match with specific vendors whom the couples can then message directly.

“From the vendor perspective, they can actually see the couple’s wedding details—so their date and location—and then they can see which pictures they liked from their portfolio,” Block said. “So let’s say they are a florist, they would kind of get a really good sense of what that couple might be looking for on their wedding day, which is just a great starting point to have that conversation and get a proposal together for them.”

There’s also a little green progress bar attached to the wedding checklist to keep of track of which contracts have already been booked, and Block said it always feels good to tick a box and after hiring someone. Right Hearted Weddings is free for couples and a flat $30 rate to be hosted as a vendor, of which there are about 80 listed on the app so far. Vendors also can’t outbid each other for more exposure on the app.

“And then they also have coordinators on the platform, too,” Block said. “So, if somebody has started planning a wedding and they’re looking for a coordinator, they can connect with them. Or, if they’re already working with a planner, they can work together.”

The app only serves the Reno-Tahoe and Seattle areas at the moment, but Block hopes to expand all over the country. To Block, it’s a tool she wishes was around when she was planning her own wedding in 2016. Even as a professional, she still felt like the wedding process was ready for a major update. “I think, within the industry, there’s a sense that we really need to change the way that couples are planning and finding and connecting with vendors,” she said. “I even had some of my own past clients that I’ve told about the platform that we’re creating and they’re like, ‘I wish you would have created this two or three years ago.’” Ω

“i think within the industry, there’s a sense that we really need to change the way that couples are planning and finding and connecting with vendors.”

candi Block, Founder and ceo oF riGht hearted weddinGs

learn more at righthearted.com

prepre n nuptial uptial

use this wedding checklist to stay organized before the big day

18-12 months out

• Nail down your budget. How much are you and your spouse-to-be contributing?

Is anyone else pitching in? (Be prepared— those with a financial stake often want a say in things like the guest list and menu.) • Select an officiant (minister, justice of the peace, etc.). You can book one, or you can talk a friend into getting licensed and ordained.

• Pick your wedding party. People are going to start wondering about this as soon as they hear you’re engaged. Having your party selected will make it easier to get them outfitted and plan for events like bachelor/ bachelorette parties and the rehearsal dinner. • Figure out how many people you’re inviting, and start a guest list spreadsheet. You can use it to track names, RSVPs, contact info for thank you letters and the like. • Pick your date and book your venue(s). The earlier you decide, the better your chances of getting both the date and location you want. • If you’re going to hire a wedding planner, this is the time to start shopping around for one. If you don’t want one, that’s your call—just make sure you consider all of the hypotheticals before you decide. For example, you might plan to decorate your venue the night before but find out that there’s been a last-minute booking for that night, and now you can’t decorate until the morning of—can you deal?

12-8months out

• Book your photographer and/or videographer. • Will you be booking a band or a DJ? Either way, it’s time to get this done. • Whether you’ve got guests coming from out of town or are planning a destination wedding, it’s time to consider lodging. You may want to consider booking a block of hotel rooms.

• It’s time to make some decisions concerning the menu for your big day. Does the venue offer catering? If not, this is a good time to start meeting with caterers. • It’s time to buy or order whatever outfit you want for your wedding. Between ordering and altering, a wedding getup may take upwards of six months to be ready. • Get your wedding registry up and running.

Maybe you’d like to consider something in lieu of a registry? How about a “honey fund” to help pay for your honeymoon? • Speaking of which, it’s probably about time to start planning your honeymoon.

7-6months out

• If that honeymoon you just planned involves a great escape to foreign shores, it’s time to get your passports up-to-date and make sure you’ve got any immunizations you may need. • It’s time to get your wedding party outfitted.

It’s important not to put this off, because they may need multiple fittings to get their outfits just right. • Send out those “save the date” letters, emails, texts, smoke signals or whatever you’re using. If you’re sending invitations, get them ordered. • Meet with your officiant to plan the ceremony. This is especially important if your officiant is a friend or family member who doesn’t have experience in the wedding arena. You’ll want to make sure the person who’s doing you the honor is confident and comfortable with leading the ceremony. • Book your florist. You should know your wedding colors and theme by now.

5-4months out

• Book the venue for your rehearsal dinner. • Choose your cake and order it. • Start making lists of music. Decide what you want playing during key parts of your wedding day. Make sure you also have a list of songs you don’t want to hear. Send this off to your band/DJ. • If you’re having your hair and makeup done, now’s the time to start shopping around for the right person(s) to do it.

3-2 months out

• Check in with your florist and caterer. Make any changes to the menu or floral arrangement based on what’s going to be in season and likely to be available. • Give a heads-up to anyone you’d like to have speak during the ceremony or reception. • If you haven’t already, now’s the time to buy your wedding rings. This should leave enough time for them to be sized, if necessary. • Write a provisional schedule for your ceremony and reception—what will happen when. Give copies of this to the people who will provide food, music and flowers. This will give you plenty of time to make adjustments and answer any questions they have. • Send out your invitations about two months before the wedding, and ask everyone to

RSVP within two or three weeks. If you’re asking people to travel long distances, do this around six months out instead.

1month out

• By this time, you should be sending out as many final payments as you’re able. • It’s time to get your marriage license. If either of you are changing your names, get several copies. • Send out invitations to the rehearsal dinner.

• You should have the number of guests nailed down by now, so—if you’re having booze—go ahead and order it! • If you’re assigning seating at the reception, you’ll want to take care of that soon.

• Don’t forget about bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts.

1week out

• Pick up your outfit(s). • Call all of your vendors to make sure they’re all set.

• Send your final guest list to the caterer. • Don’t let little worries stress you now.

This is it. Take a deep breath. Take a nap.

Smoke a joint. Take a Valium. We’re not here to judge. Ω