Frequently Asked Questions

FrequentlyAsked Questions

Every exceptional celebration begins with thoughtful questions. From our planning process and design philosophy to investment, logistics, and what it’s truly like to work together, we’ve gathered the answers to the questions we receive most often. Consider this your guide—a curated collection of insights designed to bring clarity, inspire confidence, and offer a glimpse into the bespoke experience that awaits.

Volare Experience

What makes VOLARE different than planning with other wedding planning companies?

Every VOLARE celebration is thoughtfully curated with authenticity, sophistication, and meticulous attention to detail, and is overseen by a dedicated team of three to four wedding professionals. Caroline Gollner personally leads every celebration alongside two to three Wedding Day Concierges specializing in event production, guest experience, and couple's experience. This collaborative approach allows every detail to be managed simultaneously—from vendor oversight and production execution to guest hospitality and the personalized care of the couple—ensuring every guest feels welcomed, every vendor feels supported, and every moment unfolds with effortless precision.

Who is the ideal Volare couple?

A VOLARE couple values relationships and meaningful experiences as much as beautiful design. They appreciate gracious hospitality, exceptional service, and the confidence that comes from entrusting their celebration to experienced professionals. They want a celebration that feels effortless, deeply personal, and unforgettable for every guest in attendance. They understand that true luxury is not found in excess, but in thoughtful details, genuine emotion, impeccable execution, and the freedom to be fully present with the people they love. Our couples value quality over quantity, timeless elegance over fleeting trends, and intentional design over unnecessary extravagance. They trust the creative process, embrace thoughtful collaboration, and believe the most extraordinary celebrations are those that feel unmistakably personal.

How many weddings do you accept each year?

We typically take on 12-14 weddings per year. By limiting the number of weddings we accept each year, we provide an unparalleled level of service, responsiveness, and creative direction, ensuring every detail is considered and every client receives the attention they deserve.

Will you be my planner from beginning to end?

Yes, we have a team of professionals that may communicate with vendors to request contracts, set meetings, and assist on the wedding day, but Caroline Gollner is the lead planner and designer for every VOLARE wedding and will be your main point of contact.

What is your planning process?

Our planning process is intentionally thoughtful, collaborative, and tailored to each couple we serve. Rather than following a one-size-fits-all formula, every celebration is guided through a refined planning and design experience that is personalized to your priorities, lifestyle, and vision. To learn more about our distinctive approach, we invite you to visit our About page, where you'll find an in-depth look at the VOLARE Planning & Design process.

How involved can we expect you to be throughout the planning process?

From the moment you become a VOLARE couple, Caroline serves as your dedicated wedding planner, designer, and project manager, guiding every aspect of your celebration from concept to completion. She becomes your trusted advocate, creative partner, and primary point of contact throughout the planning journey. Our experiences include unlimited communication, planning meetings, and vendor meetings, ensuring you have the guidance, collaboration, and support you need whenever decisions arise. Whether refining design details, navigating logistics, or coordinating with your vendor team, we remain actively involved every step of the way, allowing you to enjoy the planning process with complete confidence.

Volare Communication

How do you communicate with your clients?

Email is the preferred method for communicating important wedding planning details, ensuring everything is documented and easy to reference throughout the planning process. Text messages are welcomed for time-sensitive or urgent matters, while phone calls are always available whenever a conversation would be more helpful.

How often will we meet?

Every celebration is different, so there is no predetermined number of planning meetings. Rather than following a rigid schedule, we tailor our process to your unique needs. Some couples prefer regular touchpoints throughout the planning journey, while others rely on us to manage the details behind the scenes. Our role is to provide as much guidance, collaboration, and expertise as needed to ensure every decision feels effortless and every detail is thoughtfully considered. We remain available throughout the planning process, adapting to your schedule and always here when you need us.

Guest Experience

Do you organize guest transportation and accommodations?

Yes, securing guest transportation and accommodations are included as part of our standard full service planning experience. We will secure up to three hotel room blocks, coordinate guest accommodations, arrange transportation between wedding events, and providing clear travel guidance for your guests within your wedding website.

Do you assemble and mail save-the-date cards and wedding invitations, as well as track all of our RSVPS?

If you choose to enhance your planning experience with our Guest Concierge Services, we will manage every aspect of your guest communications with the utmost care and attention to detail. From assembling, stuffing, sealing, stamping, and mailing your save-the-date cards and wedding invitations to overseeing your guest list and RSVP management, every detail is thoughtfully handled on your behalf. Whether your guests respond through your wedding website or by traditional RSVP cards, we maintain a comprehensive guest management system within Aisle Planner, tracking attendance, meal selections, dietary restrictions, and other important guest details with precision. Our goal is to remove the administrative burden of wedding planning, allowing you to fully enjoy your engagement while knowing every guest interaction is being managed with the same level of care and hospitality they will experience on your wedding day.

Can you coordinate welcome gifts and hospitality?

With Guest Concierge Services, creating a thoughtful guest experience is one of our specialties. We assist with the design, sourcing, assembly, and delivery of welcome gifts and hospitality packages that reflect your celebration and leave a lasting impression on your guests.

Whether you envision locally inspired welcome boxes, luxury amenities, personalized gifts, or curated itineraries for the wedding weekend, we oversee every detail. Our team coordinates with hotels and accommodations to ensure gifts are delivered to guest rooms or distributed upon arrival, creating a warm and seamless welcome from the moment your guests arrive.

Do you help create personalized guest experiences?

Yes, these are considered additional wedding weekend events, which may be added on to your full service planning, design and production experience. We believe a truly exceptional wedding extends far beyond the ceremony and reception. We work with you to curate a personalized guest experience that reflects your story, your destination, and your vision for the weekend. From curated excursions, and hospitality events, we ensure your guests feel informed, cared for, and immersed in the celebration from arrival to departure. Every touchpoint is intentionally designed to create a seamless, elevated experience that your family and friends will remember long after the wedding weekend has ended.

Wedding Day

How many team members will be present on the wedding day?

Every wedding is staffed according to the unique scope and logistics of your celebration to ensure a seamless guest experience. On your wedding day, you can expect Caroline to oversee every aspect of production, supported by two to three professional Larger or more complex celebrations may require additional team members. While Caroline directs the timeline, supports the family and wedding party, and manages every detail behind the scenes, our assistants are strategically positioned throughout the event to support setup and production, monitor vendor execution, oversee décor installations, coordinate transportation and transitions between locations, welcome and guide guests, and ensure every detail is handled with precision.

How do you handle unexpected issues?

One of the greatest values of having a professional and experienced wedding planner is that most unexpected issues are resolved before you ever know they occurred. We anticipate potential challenges well in advance and prepare thoughtful contingency plans for everything from weather and timeline adjustments to vendor delays and logistical changes.

If something unforeseen does arise, our team responds quickly, calmly, and discreetly. While we manage the solution behind the scenes, you and your guests remain fully present, enjoying the celebration without interruption. Our goal is for your wedding day to feel effortless—not because nothing unexpected happened, but because every detail was handled with professionalism, confidence, and care.

Do you stay until the end of the reception?

Yes, we remain on-site through the conclusion of your reception to oversee every final detail. From coordinating your grand exit and ensuring personal items are packed, to managing vendor breakdown, confirming rental pickups, and supervising the venue's closing procedures, our team is there until everything has been properly completed. Our commitment extends beyond the last dance, giving you the peace of mind to fully enjoy your celebration knowing every detail is being handled with care and precision.

Volare Style

How do you develop a wedding design that feels deeply personal instead of trendy?

We believe the most beautiful weddings are never designed around trends—they’re designed around people. Our creative process begins by getting to know you beyond your favorite colors or Pinterest board. We explore your story, your lifestyle, the places you love, the way you entertain, your family traditions, your travels, and the atmosphere you want your guests to experience. Those details become the foundation of every design decision.

Do you plan destination weddings?

Absolutely. We love to travel, but we believe the best destination weddings are planned in places we know intimately. Local knowledge allows us to provide a more seamless experience, trusted recommendations, and thoughtful guidance that simply cannot be replicated. With more than 14 trips to Italy, we've explored nearly every region and are especially familiar with the extraordinary estates and historic villas throughout the Veneto, Tuscany, Lombardy, Lazio, Campania and Sicily regions. Before hanging our hat ion Texas, we also called Florida and New York City home, giving us exceptional knowledge of those areas. Closer to home, we have a deep appreciation for the Texas Hill Country, where we specialize in elegant tented celebrations, private ranch estates, and refined countryside weddings that embrace Texas's natural beauty.

Can you plan multi-day wedding weekend events?

Absolutely. Some of a wedding's most meaningful moments happen beyond the wedding day itself. From welcome parties and rehearsal dinners to after parties and farewell brunches, we thoughtfully design and coordinate each event to create a seamless, memorable wedding weekend. Every celebration is intentionally connected, ensuring your guests enjoy an experience that feels both effortless and unforgettable.

Do you coordinate cultural, religious, or multicultural celebrations?

Yes, we are honored to plan weddings that celebrate diverse cultures, faiths, and family traditions. We approach every celebration with respect, curiosity, and thoughtful attention to detail, working closely with you and your families to ensure each meaningful custom is beautifully incorporated into a seamless and authentic wedding experience.

Volare Design

Do you design custom stationery and signage concepts?

Yes, we personally provide luxury semi-custom letter press invitations, as well as partner with custom invitations designers to create your wedding weekend stationery. Furthermore, we partner with artists that provide fully custom welcome displays, seating charts, place cards, table numbers, statement backdrops, draping, and specialty installations. Every detail is thoughtfully designed to complement your celebration. As part of our full service planning experience, you'll receive a complimentary initial design plan for these elements—allowing us to create a cohesive visual story without an additional design fee at the outset.

Can you source custom furnishings and décor?

Absolutely. As interior designers, creating beautifully layered environments is one of our greatest passions. We love transforming wedding venues into spaces that feel warm, inviting, and intentionally designed—whether that means the comfort of an elegant living room or the refined sophistication of a five-star hotel lobby. Every lounge, vignette, and gathering space is curated to feel as beautiful as it is welcoming.

Do you create a design plan with floral concepts?

Floral design is one of the most important elements in creating a cohesive and unforgettable celebration. We build out a multi-page digital design plan in Aisle Planner prior to your first floral meeting, in order to work collaboratively with your florist and ensure every floral element complements the overall aesthetic of your wedding. Approximately eight weeks before the wedding, we host a full design presentation and floral mockup where we review your floral concepts alongside your linens, tabletop elements, stationery, candles, rentals, and other design details. Seeing these elements together allows us to refine every detail, ensuring the final design feels intentional, cohesive, and beautifully executed.

Volare Investment

What is the investment for full service planning, design, and production?

Our full service planning, design, and production experience is $11,000 and represents a wedding with approximately a $100,000 budget, including a $30,000 design investment. This fee reflects the extensive planning, creative direction, vendor management, and wedding day execution required to produce a seamless, bespoke celebration. It also includes our professional event team on the wedding day, ensuring every detail is managed with the highest level of care and precision.We believe in transparent pricing. As long as your design investment remains at or below $30,000, there are no additional production fees. If your design scope expands beyond that, a production fee may be applied to account for the increased logistics, installations, and management required to execute a more elaborate design. Our goal is simple: to provide an exceptional planning experience with clear expectations, allowing you to invest confidently in a celebration that is both beautifully designed and flawlessly executed.

Vendors

Can we use vendors that we have already chosen?

Absolutely. We are happy to collaborate with any professional vendors you have selected for your wedding and believe the best celebrations are the result of a strong, collaborative team. Our only requirements are that your caterer provides full service staffing, including arriving at least three hours prior to the event, remaining through the conclusion of the celebration, and managing all food and beverage service, table clearing, bussing, and breakdown responsibilities. We also require that you work with a professional florist. This ensures the level of service and guest experience our clients expect while allowing our team to remain focused on planning, production, and the seamless execution of your wedding.

How do you select vendors?

Vendor selection is one of the most important decisions in the planning process, and we take a thoughtful, personalized approach. Rather than working from a fixed list of preferred vendors, we curate recommendations based on your vision, priorities, personality, budget, and the specific needs of your celebration. Our recommendations are built on years of experience and trusted relationships with professionals who consistently deliver exceptional service, artistry, and reliability. We believe every member of your vendor team should not only excel in their craft but also collaborate seamlessly with one another. Once we understand your goals, we present a carefully selected group of professionals who are the best fit for your wedding, allowing you to make confident, informed decisions.

Do you receive commissions from vendors?

No. We do not accept commissions or referral fees from the vendors we recommend. Our recommendations are based solely on the quality of their work, professionalism, and whether they are the best fit for your celebration. In many cases, we are able to extend exclusive preferred pricing or special incentives from our vendor partners directly to our clients. We believe any savings should benefit you—not us—allowing you to receive exceptional value without compromising on quality.

San Antonio's Most Trusted Wedding Planner

Luxury Wedding Planner in San Antonio

5 Time ILEA Antonian Award Winner