Wendy Wittmann has always been drawn to creativity, celebration, and the energy of live events. From an early age she loved music, dance, design, and the art of bringing people together. As a child, she planned elaborate weddings for her dolls—an early glimpse of the storytelling and imagination that still shape her work today.

She also developed a fascination with architecture, studying drafting and CAD and learning how thoughtful design and planning transform ideas into real spaces. Around the same time, she spent several years studying oil painting, further refining her eye for composition, color, and visual storytelling. That combination of art and structure became the foundation of her approach to events.

During college, Wendy managed an upscale home design and gift store in Berkeley, where she developed a strong eye for merchandising and visual presentation. Her work expanded into window displays throughout Berkeley’s Elmwood District and along 4th Street, most notably for Sur La Table.

That instinct for design and atmosphere soon translated into helping friends with their weddings, where she realized that creating events meant shaping some of the most important moments in people’s lives. While she had long been drawn to architecture and design, she discovered that crafting a living, breathing, ephemeral experience—one filled with emotion, beauty, and meaning—was the most exciting and life-affirming work she could imagine for herself.

Those early experiences led her to study under renowned Bay Area event designer Robbie Ernst III—often referred to as the “Cecil B. DeMille of Event Design.” In 2003 she completed her first major wedding at the legendary Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, confirming what she had sensed for years: creating beautiful, meaningful celebrations that bring people together was exactly where her creativity and organization belonged.

That first wedding sparked what would become a lifelong career in events.

Wendy went on to plan many weddings, eventually founding The Wittmann Wedding Company, where she collaborated closely with couples to develop creative themes, manage logistics, and direct vendors and production teams from concept through celebration. While all of her weddings were romantic and distinctive, one of her most memorable was a Star Wars–themed celebration at the George Lucas Theater in San Rafael with a honeymoon at Skywalker Ranch, which was featured on TLC’s Wild Weddings.

Her work soon expanded from weddings into nonprofit events, where she coordinated gatherings that brought together leaders in technology, philanthropy, and public service. Speakers at these programs included Ron Conway, legendary Silicon Valley angel investor; John Morgridge, Chairman Emeritus of Cisco Systems; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus; Kamala Harris, then District Attorney of San Francisco and later Vice President of the United States; Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn; Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook; Sheryl Sandberg, former Chief Operating Officer of Facebook; and Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

Her work in the nonprofit sector was also recognized by Eventbrite, which featured Wendy as an Eventbrite Hero for producing large-scale events that brought together social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and private sector innovators.

From there, Wendy’s experience expanded into the corporate and technology sector, producing events such as a week-long international innovation summit presented by Lockheed Martin at NASA Ames Research Center, working alongside leaders in science and technology including Adam Savage, host of MythBusters; Pete Worden, Director of NASA Ames Research Center and former Director of NASA’s Kepler Mission; Ed Lu, former NASA astronaut and co-founder of the B612 Foundation; Vint Cerf, widely known as one of the “Fathers of the Internet” and Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist at Google; David Eilenberg, television and film producer and former Head of Content at Roku; Danae Ringelmann, co-founder of Indiegogo; Jon Fougner, engineering leader at Facebook; and Tom Cellucci, former Chief Commercialization Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Wendy also spent a few years working in the tradeshow world, contributing to satellite events and supporting large-scale productions. She served as liaison for internationally known performers such as the Jabbawockeez, working closely with talent, clients, and production teams behind the scenes, particularly for events such as CES in Las Vegas.

She also enjoys planning smaller, more intimate gatherings during major conferences such as RSA, where thoughtfully designed dinners bring together leaders from executive, sales, marketing, and R&D teams. These multi-day events often become opportunities for deeper storytelling, collaboration, and meaningful connection.

Today, Wendy produces a wide range of events—from timeless weddings to social celebrations, nonprofit fundraisers, and corporate events—working with wonderful clients throughout California and Nevada. When she is not planning events, she enjoys exploring local cafés and restaurants, walking the region’s trails with her dogs Tom Ford and Iggy Pup, and learning to snowboard.

Susie Clark brings a thoughtful, organized approach to every event. After beginning her career as a teacher, she transitioned into the world of events, where her ability to manage details, timelines, and people quickly proved invaluable.

Today, Susie works alongside Wendy Wittmann on weddings, corporate gatherings, and private celebrations throughout the region. She has supported events at venues such as The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe and other destinations across California and Nevada.

Before joining the team, Susie gained hands-on event experience working with a Tahoe-based destination management company, where she coordinated guest excursions and VIP experiences for visiting groups. In that role, she served as a trusted liaison between clients, venues, and local partners—managing transportation logistics, coordinating group activities, and ensuring that guests moved smoothly through complex itineraries and event schedules.

Known for her calm presence and exceptional attention to detail, Susie is especially skilled at transportation logistics, setup and breakdown management, and keeping timelines running smoothly. She also excels at leading registration and hospitality teams, ensuring guests feel welcomed and that arrivals run smoothly from the very first moment. Her steady approach helps keep clients, vendors, and event teams organized and relaxed—even when the day is moving quickly.

Susie has a classic eye for design and a genuine love of music and dancing, which helps her understand the rhythm and flow that make celebrations fun and memorable. Outside of events, she enjoys home design, baking, traveling, and spending time with her two grown children, a son and a daughter.

She is also quick to pivot when plans change. At one recent wedding, when a content creator missed her flight, Susie stepped in without hesitation and captured many of the moments the couple had hoped to record, ensuring nothing important was missed.

Depending on the size and scale of each event, Susie also leads and coordinates additional event planning staff, making sure everyone understands their roles and that the day unfolds seamlessly.

Clients often affectionately refer to Wendy and Susie as “The Girls,” a nickname that reflects the collaborative spirit and calm professionalism they bring to every celebration.

The philosophy of Reno-Tahoe Weddings and Events is simple: create celebrations that feel effortless for the people experiencing them, while carefully directing every detail behind the scenes.

Reno-Tahoe Weddings and Events brings more than 20 years of event experience across weddings, nonprofit gatherings, corporate events, and private celebrations throughout California and Nevada. The team combines creative vision with careful logistical planning, ensuring that every celebration is both beautiful and thoughtfully executed, with an atmosphere that feels welcoming, joyful, and refined.

This philosophy is influenced by a deep appreciation for live theater. Like a well-produced performance, a great event requires timing, atmosphere, movement, and direction behind the scenes. Lights, music, entertainment, and the energy of the room all work together to create an experience that feels alive and memorable. Reno-Tahoe Weddings and Events focuses on orchestrating these elements with precision and discretion so the celebration unfolds naturally while hosts and guests remain fully present in the experience. In this way, clients become the true stars of the show—free to enjoy the moment while the production, staging, and flow of the event are carefully managed behind the curtain.

Unlike a film set, events unfold in real time. There are no do-overs, no retakes, and no delays. That understanding brings both discipline and excitement to the planning process. The team approaches every celebration with the responsibility and energy that comes with creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience—one that reflects the vision, personality, and story of the client.

With regional knowledge and relationships with the area’s most respected venues and vendors, the team understands how to navigate the unique dynamics of events in the Sierra and surrounding regions—from seasonal travel patterns and mountain weather to complex guest logistics. This experience allows clients to work with trusted professionals who deliver both exceptional quality and seamless service.

Above all, Reno-Tahoe Weddings and Events believes the most memorable celebrations feel effortless, elegant, and fun. That sense of ease comes from experience, thoughtful planning, and a team that quietly ensures every detail is in place before the first guest arrives.

We do our best work with clients who understand that producing a beautiful event is a meaningful investment of time, talent, and resources—from both the client and the team of professionals bringing the celebration to life.

The events we plan typically involve exceptional venues, experienced vendors, thoughtful design, and careful coordination. Our ideal clients appreciate beauty, have a strong sense of taste, and understand that creating an extraordinary event requires collaboration, trust, and realistic expectations about what it takes to execute well.

We especially enjoy working with people who bring perspective and a sense of humor to the process. Events are, in many ways, like live theater—beautiful, emotional, and occasionally unpredictable. When clients embrace that spirit, it allows everyone involved to focus on what truly matters: creating a joyful experience for their guests.

Above all, we value working with people who respect the professionals behind the scenes. Great events happen when talented vendors are trusted, respected, and compensated fairly for their work. Wonderful events do not appear by magic—they are the result of careful planning, experienced teams, and a great deal of hard work.

At Reno-Tahoe Weddings and Events, we recommend beginning the planning process as early as possible. For weddings and larger events throughout California and Nevada, starting 12 to 24 months in advance allows the greatest flexibility when securing the best venues, vendors, and dates.

In destinations like the Reno–Tahoe region, seasons can book quickly—especially for popular summer and fall weekends—so early planning helps ensure access to venues, accommodations, and transportation. Planning early also allows time to thoughtfully design the event, coordinate guest logistics, and prepare for the region’s unique weather patterns and extreme elements.

Events in the Sierra can be affected by winter snowstorms, smoky fire seasons, strong mountain winds, or sudden temperature changes between day and evening. Travel conditions are also an important factor. Guests may arrive over Donner Summit on Interstate 80, along Highway 395, around Lake Tahoe on Highway 50, or by flying into Reno-Tahoe International Airport. At different times of year, the region is also alive with activity—from summer lake weekends and the Fourth of July to Hot August Nights in Reno, the Great Reno Balloon Race, fall color season in the mountains, and the busy winter ski season. Late summer can also bring heavy travel related to Burning Man, and Lake Tahoe regularly hosts packed events such as the Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance, celebrity golf tournaments, and large outdoor concerts.

All of these moments make the region vibrant and exciting, but they can also affect traffic, lodging availability, and travel times for guests. Thoughtful planning allows time to anticipate these seasonal patterns, secure the best venues and accommodations, and build contingency plans so that weather, travel conditions, or other unexpected challenges never interrupt the experience for guests.

While beautiful events can certainly come together more quickly, having additional time allows for the most options and the least stress throughout the planning process. If your timeline is shorter, we are always happy to explore what is possible and help bring your event together with care and creativity.

Every event is different, so pricing depends on the scope, scale, and level of support required. Event planners typically charge in one of three ways: a flat planning fee, an hourly consulting rate, or a percentage of the overall event budget.

At Reno-Tahoe Weddings and Events, most projects begin with a consultation so we can understand the vision, guest count, location, and logistical complexity of the event. From there, we provide a clear proposal outlining the appropriate level of planning support.

Some events require full-service planning and design, while others benefit from partial planning, event management, or logistical coordination. We also offer virtual consulting for clients who want professional guidance while managing certain aspects of the planning themselves.

Hiring an experienced planner is an investment in the success of your wedding or event. Thoughtful planning, strong vendor relationships, and careful logistical management help ensure the celebration unfolds smoothly. Our team also works closely with some of the best venues and vendors throughout the region, helping clients assemble experienced professionals who can bring the event vision to life.

Because every celebration is unique—from intimate gatherings to large multi-day events across California and Nevada—we prefer to create tailored proposals rather than offer one-size-fits-all packages.

Getting started is simple. Reach out through our contact form, send us an email, or call—whatever feels easiest. We’re always happy to begin with a conversation, learn a little about your event, and answer any questions you may have.

We also offer a complimentary planning call for potential clients. It’s a relaxed opportunity to talk through your ideas, ask questions, and see if we’re the right fit for your event.

Whether you are just starting to explore ideas or already have a venue and date in mind, we can walk you through the next steps and help you understand what the planning process might look like.

Planning a wedding or event can feel overwhelming at first, but a short conversation can often bring immediate clarity. We’re just a phone call or message away, and we look forward to hearing about what you’re envisioning.

Email: contact@renotahoeweddingsandevents.com
Phone: 775-710-0775