An outdoor ceremony arch set against the Blue Ridge mountains at golden hour

Elkin, North Carolina · Traveling Nationwide

Your vision,
held with care.

A full-service wedding and event planning and design studio, creating celebrations that feel effortless, intentional, and entirely your own.

the golden hour

That brief, luminous stretch of the day when everything softens and the light turns to gold. We build entire celebrations around that feeling.

Sydney Shepherd, founder and lead planner of Golden Hour Weddings & Events

About

Hello, I'm Sydney.

I'm a wedding and event planner with a quiet obsession for turning ordinary moments into something unforgettable. Organization, creativity, and a steady hand under pressure, that's what I bring to every celebration, from the first consultation to the final send-off.

Whether it's a timeless wedding, an elegant celebration, or a milestone worth marking, I bring my clients' visions to life with a balance of beauty, precision, and intention. My goal is a planning process that feels calm and genuinely enjoyable, so you can be fully present for the moments that matter most.

Full·Service

Planning & Design

Elkin, NC

Traveling Nationwide

Unlimited

Meetings & Communication

Work with us
A bridal bouquet of white tulips resting on tulle

Our approach

“From weddings to milestones, every detail is handled start to finish, budgets, vendors, design, logistics, and the day itself. Luxurious or intimate, the work is the same: calm, creative, and executed beautifully.”

Sydney Shepherd, Founder

How we work

A process built to feel weightless.

From the first conversation to the last dance, four steps carry the entire journey, designed so the planning is as memorable as the day.

01

Consultation

Understanding your vision

We begin by listening, to the ideas, the half-formed hopes, the details you can't stop thinking about, until we've captured the essence of the day.

02

Planning

Designing your day

Every element is considered and sequenced, venue, vendors, palette, décor, timeline, until the whole thing moves as one seamless piece.

03

Execution

Bringing dreams to life

On the day, we hold everything, vendors, timing, the small emergencies you'll never hear about, so you can simply be there for it.

04

Support

Every step of the way

Before, during, and long after, final payments, rental returns, lingering questions. The relationship doesn't end at the send-off.

Services

Choose the level of support that feels right for you.

We start with a base foundation and build from there, all centered around your date, your guest count, vendor needs, and how much of the planning you’d like to handle yourself.

A couple in soft light on their wedding day

Collection One

Full Service Planning & Design

Starting at $3,400

From the first vision board to the final send-off, handed over entirely. Budget, vendors, design, logistics, and the day itself, all carried by us.

  • Initial consultation on vision, style, and priorities
  • Full budget creation, tracking, and management
  • Unlimited meetings, calls, and email
  • Personalized client planning portal
  • Venue research, recommendations, and site visits
  • Vendor sourcing, negotiation, and contracts
  • Design plan, mood boards, palette, décor concepts
  • Styling for attire, stationery, florals, tablescapes
  • Timelines, layouts, seating charts, transportation
  • Rehearsal coordination and final walk-through
  • Full day-of coordination and vendor management
  • Optional wedding website assistance
  • Post-wedding payments, returns, and final details
A couple walking through a meadow after their ceremony

Collection Two

Partial Service Planning & Design

Starting at $2,500

You've made a start. We step in beside you, tie up the loose ends, and carry it across the finish line together.

  • Consultation reviewing current plans and vendors
  • Customized planning timeline and checklist
  • Budget review and organization
  • Remaining vendor recommendations and bookings
  • Venue walk-through and layout planning
  • Detailed wedding-day timeline
  • Coordination with all confirmed vendors
  • Final planning meeting and rehearsal coordination
  • Full day-of coordination and flow management
  • Unlimited email support and scheduled calls
A greenery-wrapped chandelier glowing above a reception tent

Collection Three

Day-of Coordination

Starting at $1,100

Your plans, executed flawlessly. We run the timeline, the vendors, and the day, you soak in every golden minute of it.

  • Consultation on finalized plans, vendors, and timeline
  • Detailed day-of schedule for vendors and party
  • Vendor confirmation of arrivals, setup, and roles
  • Ceremony and reception flow management
  • Rehearsal and final venue walkthrough (if desired)
  • Handling of last-minute issues and emergencies
  • Oversight of décor, florals, and day-of details
  • Unlimited email support leading up to the day
  • On-the-day point of contact for family and vendors
A finely styled celebration cake with dried florals

Celebrations & Events

Starting at $400

Birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, and every milestone in between, designed and managed with the same intention we bring to a wedding.

  • Consultation on vision, theme, and priorities
  • Budget planning and guidance
  • Vendor recommendations, booking, and coordination
  • Design and styling, décor, palette, florals, lighting
  • Detailed event timeline and logistics coordination
  • On-the-day management of vendors and schedule
  • Unlimited email and scheduled meetings
  • Optional event website or invitation assistance
Guests at a polished corporate reception

Corporate Events

Starting at $500

Polished, on-brand gatherings, from venue and vendors through on-site coordination and the quiet work of wrapping everything up afterward.

  • Consultation on objectives, budget, and audience
  • Venue research, recommendations, and contracts
  • Vendor sourcing, catering, décor, A/V, rentals, photography
  • Theme and design development reflecting your brand
  • Comprehensive timeline and logistics management
  • On-site coordination of setup, vendors, and flow
  • Guest check-in, seating, and schedule adherence
  • Post-event wrap-up and vendor communication
A newly married couple resting together in a wildflower field

bringing your dream day to life

one golden detail at a time

Inquire

Let's begin.

Tell us about the day you're imagining. We reply to every inquiry within 24–48 hours, and we look forward to making it everything you've hoped for, and more.

A couple laughing together with their dog on their wedding day

goldenhoureventsnc@gmail.com

Elkin, North Carolina · Travel is always an option