LISA TSUBOUCHI

CEO + CREATIVE DIRECTOR

After years of flailing about in my twenties, having worked more part-time jobs than I care to count, I worked my first shift as a day-of wedding assistant in 2017, and that was it. I was immediately hooked to whatever crazy, magical energy that weddings capture and exude.

My professional background in education and hospitality, paired with my personal background in mental health awareness, coaching and self-care, have brought me to this point in my career as a team leader. I will always check in with clients and team members alike, often asking “How are you doing?” “What’s one thing you’re excited about? What’s stressing you out? How can I best support with that?” This is how I’ve learned to humanize a process that can often feel overwhelming and sometimes just like a big to-do list.

Being an event planner is one of many expressions of my personality. Indeed, I am organized, personable, and punctual, and at my core, I am a community builder. I value personal relationships and the time and care it takes to nurture them. My clients are not just clients, they are people that I find interesting and genuinely want to get to know. We share core values like community, respect, and good food above all else.

I want the wedding planning process to not only feel fun, but for it to ideally be a meaningful experience in your journey together as a couple. You will inevitably learn a lot about each other! Enjoy the process. It will not always be easy, but that’s why you’re here - we’ve got you.

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MAGGIE CHEN

SENIOR LEAD PLANNER + LEAD DESIGNER
A San Francisco native with a fine arts background, Maggie has been planning weddings and events for eight years and counting. Prior to finding her passion in planning events, she was a professional sign artist. Her first taste of the event industry was through creating custom signage and décor for weddings. She has intensive experience planning and coordinating weddings throughout Northern California. She gracefully handles all aspects of event planning from the logistical side of timelines and layouts and run of show, to the design and production side of bringing her client’s visions and dreams to life.
JOLENE HSU

LEAD PLANNER
Jolene is a Bay Area native and resides in the beautiful City of San Francisco. She discovered her love of events from having a large extended family and all the events that came with that. Her professional background began in college as an assistant for a wedding planner. Seeing the events she helped plan come to life and connecting with her clients are her favorite parts of the job. Aside from events, some of her other passions are sewing, traveling, and hanging out with her dachshund, Wallace!
ALYSSA SHIMODA

LEAD PLANNER
Alyssa grew up on the vibrant island of O’ahu, Hawai’i, where the values of community, connection, and care were instilled in her from a young age. She has lived and worked in the Bay Area as an educator for over a decade, and in this time has cultivated additional values in humility and patience as well as organizational skills and flexibility. She strives to bring all of these elements together to make clients’ special event dreams a reality in a way that makes them feel cared for and allows them to find joy in the process.
ALLISON NGO

LEAD PLANNER
Allison was born and raised in the Bay Area. After living in Pittsburgh and DC for college, she couldn't help but find her way back to the Bay. As a Lead Planner, she brings along design and organization skills from her previous life as a customer researcher and product manager. She loves getting to know each couple and designing weddings that speak to the heart of their story. Outside of weddings, you can find her out on hiking trails, throwing pottery, and hanging out with her two cats.
KAELI TAPNIO

LEAD COORDINATOR
Kaeli is a Bay Area native with a deep love for turning dream events into reality. With a knack for planning and a passion for all things detail-oriented, she’s spent the past several years helping clients bring their Pinterest boards to life. When she’s not coordinating weddings and events, you’ll find her serving the Solano and Bay Area as an esthetician, hanging out with her Boston Terrier, Biggie, or exploring local vendor and foodie markets.
MIA HENDERSON-BONILLA

ASSISTANT COORDINATOR
Mia is a born-and-raised Bay Area girl. Her professional background started as a higher education financial aid advisor and was rerouted in 2021 to align more with her life’s passion: birth work and support. To be working with Sachi & Maja has been a pure delight for Mia! She loves having the opportunity to create the vision that couples have for their big day. When she’s not working wedding events, she is serving the East Bay Area as a birth and postpartum doula.
NERISSA SAGABAEN

ASSISTANT COORDINATOR
Nerissa is a San Francisco native with a background in events and hospitality in both corporate and personal settings. Her passion lies in bringing people together and creating lasting experiences. Nerissa takes pride in enjoying all things from planning to execution, all while having fun doing it. As a local foodie, you can find her exploring the Bay Area's culinary scene to discover hidden gems. She can’t wait to help bring our couples' visions to life!
JANETTE KIM

ASSISTANT COORDINATOR
Janette was born and raised in the Bay Area and also spent some of her formative years in Hawai’i and Washington. She was first introduced to the world of wedding planning after planning her cousin's intimate wedding in 2020. She loves to bring a couple’s unique vision to life with her attention to detail and aesthetic eye. Outside of weddings, she works as a piano teacher and enjoys creating music, attending live concerts, traveling, and making iced matcha lattes.
AUSTIN CHANG

ASSISTANT COORDINATOR
Austin is a proud Bay Area native and currently works in higher education student affairs. His background in live event operations, planning, and execution includes supporting large-scale events with over 60,000 attendees to intimate and personalized gatherings for family and friends. He enjoys providing a stress-free process for couples, recognizes the precision needed to put on memorable events, and is excited to help others put on their big day as part of the Sachi & Maja team!
NATASHA SITUMEANG

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Natasha grew up in Southern California and has called the Bay Area home for over a decade. During her time in the Bay Area, Natasha has developed a community in the hospitality industry by connecting with people and sharing experiences. She is excited to showcase the business, the work that comes with each event, and sharing our clients’ special day through social media. On the weekends, you’ll find Natasha either with friends at Golden Gate Park, at a wine bar, or snowboarding in the mountains.
ARIELLE TAN

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT + OPERATIONS MANAGER
Arielle was raised in the Pacific Northwest, but has called San Francisco home for over 12 years. With over 12 years in the hospitality industry, Arielle prides herself on finding creative solutions and bringing people together through food. When she's not working, you're most likely to find Arielle petting someone's dog, drinking coffee, or wandering a bookstore.
ADRIANNE BRIGHT

FLORAL ASSOCIATE
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Adrianne moved to the Bay Area in 2021 in continuation of her former career in sports marketing. An artist and creator at heart, Adrianne has been floral freelancing and designing in Northern California since 2022. Her floral designs are often inspired by her love for nature, travel, and hiking. She fuses her marketing background and innate creativity by translating artistic visions to execution.
EMILY CHEN

FLORAL ASSOCIATE + ASSISTANT COORDINATOR
Emily grew up in Minnesota before finding her way to the Bay Area. Her event experience ranges from intimate gatherings and workshops to the annual Taiwanese American Cultural Festival in San Francisco. She’s excited to combine her planning experience with floral arranging at Sachi & Maja to ensure each couple’s celebration is magical and seamless. Outside of weddings and florals, she enjoys gardening, reading, and eating baked goods.