Meet A Monique Affair (AMA), a San Francisco Bay Area-based wedding and event planning collective that specializes in effortless, colorful elegance. Founded by same-sex marriage pioneer Chanda Daniels, AMA is committed to celebrating every love story. Our talented team of designers, planners, and producers have over 45 years of combined experience and have been creating thoughtful, unique weddings, corporate events, and milestone celebrations since 1999. Whether you’re planning a wedding or special event, AMA is dedicated to creating a highly creative, comfortable, and elegant experience that reflects your love story. In this Q&A, we delve into A Monique Affair’s vision and passion to discover how they make every event unforgettable.
Let’s dive right in. What sets you apart from others in your industry?
A Monique Affair was founded on the belief that all love should be celebrated. In fact, we’ve been celebrating marriage equality since 1999. Our founder, Chanda Daniels, is a prominent industry leader on the topic of marriage equality and inclusion. You belong here. Weddings are for everyone.
How do you demonstrate to potential and current clients that you are LGBTQ+ inclusive and affirming?
We put LGBTQ+ couples first. Our founder, Chanda, has long been known as an inclusive person, even before LGBT was mainstream. She makes sure her values ​​are expressed first. When couples hear the story (and trials) of A Monique Affair, they know they’ll be taken care of by our company.
What are three tips you can share with our readers about planning an engagement, wedding and honeymoon?
1) Fully finalize your guest list and be realistic about the size of venue you need.
2) Be realistic about your overall wedding budget and see if it works for you, then go back to your guest list and make changes if necessary.
3) Be upfront about your expectations and budget. In this industry, there is no room for cutting corners. You get what you pay for.
Tell us about some of the unique and customizable services couples can incorporate into their wedding ceremony.
If you have the budget, highly customized wedding welcome bags/boxes are underrated – you can get very creative (even thematic) and set your own budget.
How do you deal with unexpected hiccups or last-minute changes on your wedding day?
Chanda ensures her team has the confidence to handle any problem that comes their way. Her calm comes from 25 years of experience in the industry. Confidence comes from knowing that any problem has the resources to be dealt with calmly and efficiently.
Can you walk me through the process of working with you, from the initial consultation through to the wedding day?
Get Connected — Now we’ll hear a bit more about you, your story, your values, and the details that will help us design your unique celebration. After hearing your story, we’ll recommend the best venue and photographer that fits your vision and investment.
Curation and design — We will have an in-depth discussion about the overall feel of your day to ensure we create the best experience possible for you and your guests. We will then develop a custom, detailed design proposal to bring your vision to life. We will secure the best creative partners for your wedding to ensure every detail of the approved design proposal fits perfectly with your celebration. During the design phase, we will also secure and book the remaining creative partners.
plan — All the planned details start to come together. Schedule a meeting to make sure the schedule is being stuck to and any necessary changes are made.
Final Preparations — Approximately 5-6 weeks prior to your wedding date, we begin the final planning stages of creating a timeline for your wedding/event day, following up with our creative partners, and conducting a final site visit.
celebrate — The team will manage your creative partners, coordinate the logistics of the day, and ensure your setup and vision is met. Monique Affair follows the same planning foundation, but you will be working with a designated planner.
What accommodations are made for different wedding sizes, themes and cultural traditions?
Every wedding we undertake is a completely customised experience and we listen to our clients’ wants and plan accordingly.
How will you work with other vendors to ensure smooth coordination on your wedding day?
We are in constant contact with our vendors as soon as we introduce them to our wedding creative team. We talk them through each of the above phases to ensure they are the perfect fit for your event. We provide them with everything they ask for, including timelines, floor plans, walk-throughs, hot food on your wedding day, etc. lol
Is there any inside information or advice you can give to couples planning their wedding that you’ve learned from your experience in the industry?
A wedding is a big investment. The images you see on Pinterest, Instagram, your favorite inspiration blogs, and magazines are all major investments that cost a pretty penny. Do what’s best for you, but don’t shame other people for having a different life experience. Every couple has different priorities, and some are willing to spend all their money on this event, while others want to stay within a very specific budget. That’s OK. We can all get into this wedding space without being judged.
Learn more about the Monique case ↓
Verified Featured
1714 Franklin Street, Suite 100-222 Oakland, CA 94612
1624 Franklin Street, Suite 1015
Auckland
California
94612
We
Love is colorful. It’s bold and exciting. Love is worth celebrating!
Monique Affair exudes effortless, colorful elegance. We are a team of designers, planners and producers dedicated to creating thoughtful, unique events.
We are a full-service wedding, corporate and milestone event planning and execution company in the San Francisco Bay Area.Our expertly trained events team has been celebrating love in all its colors for over 45 years combined.
AMA was founded on the belief that all love should be celebrated. In fact, we’ve been celebrating marriage equality since 1999. Our founder, Chanda Daniels, is a prominent industry leader on the topic of marriage equality and inclusion. You belong here. Weddings are for everyone.
Tell us your colorful love story and we will help you plan a highly creative, comfortable, elegant and unique event. We will be by your side while you choose your design aesthetic, pick your creative partners and host the best event of your life. We will be by your side throughout the entire planning process.
LGBTQ+ Inclusive Practices
Professional LGBTQ+ Inclusive Training (Individual) with Equally Wed Pro
Equally Wed Pro Certified LGBTQ+ Inclusive (Individual)
Source: Equally Wed – LGBTQ+ Wedding Magazine and Wedding Vendor Directory – equallywed.com
