There's a formula people!

Beware the Cookie Cutter Wedding

One of the most frustrating things I found being a wedding planner was the lack of room my potential brides gave me to be creative.

Being creative isn't for everyone.  This I understand.  But this is precisely where the real value of a quality wedding planner comes into play.  They build relationships with vendors based on their artistry as much as for the value they deliver to an event.  Working together, they are designers.  The right ones do this work specifically because it's where they can earn a living doing something they are passionate about.

Approaching a planner or designer and choosing them solely based on cost, is a recipe for disaster.  The reason it's a recipe for disaster is because it means you've already pulled all the inspiration you want from message boards just like this one, and now you just want someone else to execute on it for you.  But by planning things this way, you're limiting and often tying the planner's hands by asking them to focus their creativity solely on getting you, the client, high value looks for shoe string budgets, which let me tell ya, always end up looking low budget, no matter how good the planner.  High value looks are that way only because the artists' had a love and joy and passion for what they were doing.  They may have had a steeper price tag than you or I would be willing to put to it, but creativity can also be dirt cheap.  You have to be open to hearing what they propose and let them shock you with what they can do - you'll suddenly see things no other bride has had because the opportunity to shine and set new trends is too addictive.

This is why I'm a HUGE fan of DIY...but it's also why I am a HUGE fan of custom gowns like this one.

Reality is, we have so few opportunities in our day to day lives to live our own uniqueness, that the opportunities presented by a wedding are really a shame to waste.

But the article linked above is absolutely right pointing to how every wedding is turning out just like the last one.

Take it from a planner.  Being spectacular doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg, OR the commitment of your first born child.  BUT, being spectacular does mean being yourself, and being true to your individuality.  SO, whether you hire a planner or not, look for ways to twist the inspirations you see online to work for you.  Love the idea of a loft wedding, go for it - rent a loft or find a restaurant with a lofty feel.  Love the idea of a vineyard wedding, go for it - whether you can afford to have your wedding at the vineyard or not, grab them grapes and find some barrels, and USE THEM.  Someway, somehow - whatever way works.  But DON'T limit yourself to frilly shears and over done head tables, and the same damn dress every other girl is wearing because they were $99 at the trunk sale last spring.

Live large and love it!  And if you reach out onto that limb, trust that planner to show his or her stuff.  Give him or her the opportunity to flex their artistic muscle.  And be patient while he or she feels you out.  That's part of the process, and honestly, they've been stifled so long, they may be a bit nervous at first...

Let the Sun Shine In

And face it with a grin!

The seemingly hot colour for wedding palates this summer is Yellow!  I love yellow.  Bright, cheery, refreshing...My office is yellow and I looooove love love it!

Mixing the yellows up with hot hits of orange is sure to make a wedding mui caliente!  Why not reach out, grab that ray of sunshine and have a most romantic, refreshing and fabulous day.  Some of my favourite internet finds for inspiration are here:

Certainly this gown would be jaw droppingly stunning and completely unexpected.  A most beautiful print commands the best kind of attention - the kind every single bride deserves on her wedding day.  This photo makes me think "Damn I wish I'd thought of that!"  Any good dress maker can make you a gown like this and Fabricland is the perfect place to begin your dressmaking journey.  Every year I am convinced more and more that custom gown making is the better choice for every single bride out there.  You may not find it at a trunk sale for $100, but you'll definitely get something no one has ever worn before, and you'll stand out for all the right reasons, in a dress that is perfect for you and ONLY YOU.

As bouquets go, this is one of the nicest I've seen in a long time.  Love how that orange plays off the yellow!

This table decor and floral arrangements are as stunning as the water backdrop.  I can just taste the jumbo shrimp cocktails that would be the most perfect appetizer for this wedding menu!

The soft yellow of these bridesmaids dresses is the highlight for this photo.  The gentility of a soft, pale yellow lets every other detail shine.  You're spending a pile of money on a most fantastic day...it's important to make sure that nothing detracts from the real show stopping details you've poured your heart into.

Perhaps lending a bit of a sour note, but no bar is complete without a lemon wedge, so why not incorporate and leverage that lemony goodness as part of the decor - I just love how they are the foundation for this outdoor bar.  Contemporary, and instantly classic - one of those smallish details that make the biggest difference.

I also loved this idea for favours.  Wrapping mints or trinkets in dictionary pages that highlight the words that represent how you as a couple feel that day is an awesome and very memorable touch - For added flare in a yellow inspired theme, highlight the root words with a yellow highlighter!

Not exactly on trend with my colour theme, but I loved the chalkboard frame.  What a wonderful detail for labelling things on a buffet or for writing a special message to your guests on the favour table, OR even better for using as table markers.  So pretty, so awesome!

Homemade lemonade favours for the WIN!  I say homemade wine is soooo over-rated, and often times it's soooo yukky.  I love the idea of homemade lemonade or even sweet tea...maybe a jar of homemade marmalade or candied lemon rind.  Favours like this steal the show, and they're extremely practical...especially for hot outdoor wedding ceremonies in the dead middle of summer!

A billion ideas, but yellow seems the key.  Getting back to natural, organic and happy colours is a great sign that weddings are getting back to what's important.  And all of these ideas mean your summer wedding can be just as unique as you are, without breaking the bank!

A Wedding fit for a Foodie!

So as a self proclaimed Foodie, when I planned my own wedding I knew it would have to be some kickin nibblings.  And if I do say so myself, the vendor did not disappoint.  We held our wedding at the Old Mill in Toronto, and the Italian menu was simply delicious.  My cake was fantastic and the late night dessert buffet was enjoyable too.  Of course there was so much bleeding food, no one could get to all of it, and I took most of our cake home and divied it up between our parents.  And a lot of that late night dessert buffet went untouched.

Had I even thought about a different venue or a different alternative, I totally would have been behind this latest trend.  I think it rocks and has such huge potential to replace that late night buffet or even for a more casual wedding, the entire catering menu.

Specialty and Gourmet Food trucks are quickly taking street food to unparalleled new heights.  And I think that's naturally translating into new and unique re-purposing of the food truck into situations they've never ventured before.  Namely the modern wedding.

Imagine, instead of spending $700 on a tiered cake and all the ornamental details that go with it, spending $500 or $600 on an ice cream truck that pops by and sets up for an hour outside your venue at 10pm on a hot July or August night.

Imagine replacing the dessert buffet at 10 pm with gourmet poutine and a hot dog.  Everyone knows that the more you drink the more you want something greasy to help it all settle properly.  No one goes on a bender and says, hey let's hit Cora's for their fresh fruit crepes!  They say, find me the nearest street meat/taco bell/pizza joint you find!  I think bringing the street meat and upscaling it to fit with the opulence and indulgence of a wedding is a fantabulous, most wonderful and amazing thing EVER!

Happy Planning!

Wedding Donut Trends

Bye Bye Cupcake...Hello Donut!

I love, love, love this trend!

The Wedding Budget

Budgeting for a wedding can be extremely stressful.  He asked you to marry him.  You emphatically said yes, and then you went online or opened your first bridal mag and were agape at the $ signs floating across your field of vision.

Instead of panicking, remember that for all this wedding planning stuff, the arithmetic just drops out of trees and starts to make perfect sense when you patiently and methodically have a target in mind.

Only you can set your targets.  You know how much money you make and how much disposable cash you have to throw at this most fantastic party. So start there.  What do you think is reasonable, given your financial circumstances and work back from there.

Then pick a date.  There are 3 major pillars of any project and particularly for every wedding.  One is budget, two is time frame, and the other is details.  If you have a tight budget, consider giving yourself more time to plan, or make sure you go simple with the details.  If you want extravagant details and a bigger budget, give yourself more time to save up for the more complex stuff.  It's really that simple.

If none of these answers is satisfactory, decide on what the most important details are, and spend your money there.  The rest is something you're going to look for DIY inspiration on or will be what you drop from the overall vision.  Everything is achievable with a realistic approach to these three pillars.  And every wedding is beautiful, particularly if you balance it out with these pillars in mind.
Happy Planning!

Christmas Wedding Inspiration

So while I've always been a proponent of keeping your wedding separate from other annual holidays that people tend to fret over and bank vacation to extend for their own purposes, I've seen so many inspiring ideas this fall that would really make a budget conscious Christmas time wedding something rather spectacular.

Imagine centrepiece votive holders made from Candy Canes like this one, but with red and white candy canes!

Or even something more glamorous and still budget aware.  Very few things are as opulent, lacy and spectacular as plentiful baby's breath or lilly of the valley.  I love it!

For a quick, simple, elegant and unique spin on your bouquet, try using a bunch of pine cones or feathers with small christmas ornaments to make a real statement

Wear a dress that's suitable for this time of year and look absolutely regal and glorious in this number

For favours, give your guests the scents of Christmas with DIY clove orange pomanders

or better yet, do a small Christmas tree instead of a manzanita branch and hang guest favours and place cards from them in small stockings!

For chairs and pew bows, instead of using the typical pomanders and chair sashes, why not use small wreaths hanging on red ribbon.  These lacy wreaths on the back of a chivari chair would be stunning!

And there are so many wonderful designs for winter wedding cakes, it's impossible to choose just one.  Surf the web, dream big, and finding the right one is well, a piece of cake!

And while I'm way off venturing into new territory with this inspiration board, I keep coming back to making sure that your wedding is still your wedding.  Try to serve something other than turkey (though they will be plentiful and it will possibly be more budget friendly, and do something great with prime rib or chicken supreme.  And remember that the glitz of holiday lights is extremely romantic when it's all white lights.  So go crazy.  Light the place and create real ambience at your evening reception with all the twinkling little fairy lights your heart desires.  Remember to keep the theme of your lighting and your hall decor warm and cozy.  

In every case, steer clear of frosty the snowman and santa claus.  A wedding is always time to bring people together, and it's always time for fun.  But the difference between kitch and class needs to be absolutely intentional, and it needs to be done with class to work just so. 

Happy Planning!

Eco Chic DIY Bridal Bouquets

So a while back I wrote a DIY article on how to make your own Bridal Bouquet by recycling left over or first run DIY wedding invitations and excess card stock for LCI Papers.  I thought my readers would appreciate this useful, creative and awesome little way to green up your wedding day, and make something truly unique and memorable.

Talking about budget friendly, the whole thing can be made for less than $10!  Now where in the world can you get a wedding bouquet for $10?

Invitation Etiquette - 10 things no one else will tell you

Lots of people will provide you guidance on wording of your invites, and they will remind you to verify your date, time, addresses and spelling, but they won't tell you how to know if you're being tacky, or pushing the envelope.  I'm aiming to lay these out and make it simple.

1.  Never ask for money in lieu of gifts on your invitations.

2.  Be polite and courteous but clear about children in attendance to your ceremony or your reception.

3.  Let guests know whether the bar is cash only or open.

4.  Include maps - don't just assume they know how to use Googlemaps!

5.  Include hotel information and secure group rates for out of town guests to take advantage of.

6.  Send your invitations out at least 6 weeks in advance of a large event, and 4 weeks in advance of a smaller event.

7.  Include pre-stamped/pre-addressed return envelopes for your RSVP's if you're expecting them by mail, and double check that there are no spelling mistakes in your email address if you're asking for RSVP's by email!

8.  Number and log each invite so you can track how many RSVP's are outstanding, and know who to chase down for confirmation!
9.  Remember to leave room in your schedule so you can follow up on any missing RSVP's with time to spare prior to your big day.

10.  Acknowledge the person who is paying for the event by naming them in the invitation.  If the parents of the bride and groom are contributing to the budget for the wedding, then the wording on your invitations should state that "the bride and groom, together with their parents", OR "Mother and Father of Bride and Mother and Father of Groom" are inviting these guests to help them celebrate.

Beware the Professional

As defined in dictionary.com, professionalism says little about the type of traits and characteristics a professional truly demonstrates.

pro·fes·sion·al·ism   /prəˈfɛʃənlˌɪzəm/ Show Spelled
[pruh-fesh-uh-nl-iz-uhm] Show IPA
–noun
1. professional character, spirit, or methods.
2. the standing, practice, or methods of a professional, as distinguished from an amateur.

The longer I am an active part of the working world, the more and more I realize that my definition of professionalism is in fact seriously different than the definition held by most others...or at least, as they actually demonstrate in their day to day dealings.

Professionalism in my view, has nothing to do with a person's certificate, diploma, education or credentials. It has nothing to do with years of service, number of weddings in the portfolio or diplomacy. But it has everything to do with an ability to recognize talent, an ability to demonstrate respect to everyone, and an ability to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. First and foremost, all of these things require a person to be curious, interested and able to listen above all else.

In Corporate America, professionalism is dictated by the dollars. First it's identified by letters and certificates. Then it is demonstrated by a diplomacy that does nothing but feign respect for others while protecting one's own interests.

The wedding industry disguises petty ruthlessness and rudeness with glitz, and glamour.  The tool it uses to decry it's own professionalism, is again distinguished first by it's letters and certificates, followed closely by a feigned intimate interest in it's clients. Almost every wedding service provider will tell you the things you need to hear in order to believe that this wedding, your wedding, is the only one on their books that's important. Almost every wedding service provider will work with you throughout the entire process to make you feel like every time you talk to them, you are talking to a member of your family. The reason they do this is that they are all chasing dreams. Your dreams. The reason they are chasing your dreams is because your dreams line their pockets.

There are three types of wedding planners. Ones who charge way too much for their mediocre services. These planners are integral to the industry, because they plan very few weddings, and generate a huge fantasy of elitism and exclusivity for the industry on the whole. Then there are the planners who are seriously giving away the crappiest services they can deliver. Both types of planners are the types of planners who will show you the shiny stuff in their suitcase and dazzle the dollars right out of your pocket.

Then there are the highly qualified, substance driven planners, who all recognize that they aren't going to get rich off your dreams, but are bent on working for themselves, and making sure they deliver quality services in whatever way they can. These are the true professionals.

The same is true for all areas of the wedding services industry. Finding the best ones, is sometimes as easy as plainly looking at the service provider's philosophy and their ethics. If at first it smells like they are blowing smoke up your skirt, imagine how you butt will smell when they are done?

Why is this all important? Well it's important because there are three types of clients. The clients who want to feel exclusive and elite for as free as they can possibly get it, or as I like to call them: he clients who like smoked skirt. The clients who will pay anything for that exclusivity, and the ones who'd rather do most of it on their own with some help here and there when they get stuck.

So when I say beware of the professional in the wedding industry, what am I ultimately getting to? Well, this notion of exclusivity has spun a web of interwoven and superceding interests. Schools and associations that help millions of people believe that being a professional in this industry is little investment, and loads of rewards; both personal and most definitely financial. Associations and schools who shine the pretty distractions before both clients and professionals in order to collect more money from everyone on the list, and who offer nothing of substantial value in return.

In order to avoid being one of the horror stories or at least part of one, what should you be looking for? You should be looking for:

• the planner who tells you her emergency suitcase is stocked with nipple bandaids, fishing line, a sewing kit and wire cutters. 
•  You should steer clear of the planner who tells you that she's coming prepared with toasting glasses and a guest book. 

•  You should steer clear of a photographer who couldn't provide references, who commits to giving you proofs within a week of your wedding and who is charging separately for their second shooter.
•  You should jump at the chance to work with a photographer who stands by their reasonable prices, who refuses to work without a second shooter and who is honest with you about being able to get you proofs within 2 months. 

 The same goes for florists and decorators and venues and so on. The credentials people will share with you, should do the same thing for you as they do for large corporate businesses. They give you a starting point, and really mean little else than the fact that this person has proven they can learn, and that they can take a test.

Experience and philosophy are priceless. They demonstrate repeatable history, and the guiding principles of your service provider. These guiding principles distinguish the real professionals from the ones who are faking it to get a piece of your wallet.

So the next time you are interviewing a potential service provider, ask them why they got into the business. Ask them why they stay in it. Ask them to describe what their perfect wedding looks like. If these answers all feel good to you, then you probably have a winner. If the questions stump this person, and they start fumbling for answers, run. No matter how good the prices sound. Run fast dear friend.

Budget...ICK

There are a few things that contribute to what a wedding budget will look like. First and foremost, you need to decide what kind of debt you’re willing to absorb. If you’re in your twenties, and you’re parents are thrilled, and obsessed with the etiquette of ages ago, then it’s likely that your parents, and perhaps even his parents, will help out by paying for the wedding. This means that you’re dependent on them for the budget. If you are a more modern and aged couple (in your thirties or older), then it’s all too likely that you and your fiancé will be paying your own way. In my opinion, this works out in the end to be the best option anyway – you may be laden with a bit of debt to work through after it’s all done and dusted, but here are the positives as I see them.

First, it means that everything about the wedding is the choice of you and your fiancé (depending on how involved he wishes to be), and yours alone. You can ask for advice from the people, who are important in your lives, but in the end it’s your wedding, and it’s your money, and it’s your decision. You can take the advice they give you or leave it without the guilt or obligation that comes with a parentally funded soiree.
The next important benefit of paying for your own wedding is that you in fact do control the spending. What this means is that there will be no exorbitantly expensive flowers or guest favours, if those are not the most important things to have on your day. You can choose where the priority money gets spent. It also means that you shouldn’t have to use Uncle Larry’s useless son as the photographer because your dad owes Uncle Larry a favour from 42 years ago.

Lastly, it means that you will have a day that is perfect for you and your guests, no matter what that looks like, or how much you spent.

Budgets help you to choose your number of guests and your location too. Whether you can afford $5000, or $25,000, you know that you need to tailor your number of guests, and the affordability of the location to that budget. There are hundreds of reference materials out there that you can use to tell you on average how much each thing should cost you, that will undoubtedly help you to arrive at a realistic budget.

Yes, Yes, Yes I'll Marry You...Now What?

You just said YES, YES, YES.
Of course I’ll marry you….

Now What?

There’s so much to do – and you don’t even know what comes next.

If you’re like me, you stopped dreaming about your big day right about the same time you turned 30. You came to the realization that as you get older, the old dream of a frilly, pink wedding would no longer look “right” anyway. You recognized that at some point, you in a frilly white dress, would look like a lemon meringue pie trotting down the aisle, and that all the really pretty wedding dresses being made by the biggest names in fashion were being made for Teenagers, and Twinkies and Waifs, oh my.

SET THE DATE

So the answer to what’s next is: Take a deep breath, open up a calendar to next year sometime and do that spinning thing with your fingers to pick a date! OR, if there’s a date that is special to the two of you – choose that one. One thing I’d warn you to avoid doing would be choosing a long weekend (most guests would be not very happy at losing one of the few cottage weekends we’re able to get in each year) in high season for weddings (late May through mid September) and choosing the one day each year that every other bride in the world will choose. Let your day be special and unique from the get go. Don’t follow other bride’s trends. Be yourself, and above all else, once you’ve gone through the steps of figuring out what your wedding will be, everything will be the most beautiful, and the most memorable day you and your guests will have. And if you're a certified planner, help your client to find the date that's perfect for them!

Tricks of the trade – pick a date that gives you enough time to figure out what your day will look like, and that will give you enough time to budget and stay on budget. There will undoubtedly be pieces of this puzzle that will hang nonprofessionals up…no matter how organized they are, or how good their maid of honour is at research... Managing the project of your wedding, is undoubtedly like being pregnant and planning for the arrival of your new child, or like hosting a house guest that’s planning to stay till they kick the bucket. The planning period is stressful, if for no other reason than because it’s a time of limbo, where you still have your full time job, and you’re learning the new responsibilities of taking on a husband or partner, AND you’re working that full time job of pulling off the biggest project in your personal history as a couple. There will be lots to divert your attentions during the period while you are planning your wedding. In football terms, it’s critical to have your end zone defined and continually in sight. Without the end zone, planning makes no sense and will get no traction. You can do this…one step at a time. And above all else, this is the beginning of the most exciting journey you’ll have had yet in your lifetime. No matter how quickly it came about, or how long you have both waited. If you're a professional, you have learned the ways to make this non-stressful, smooth, focused and efficient.

Now you need the best damn wedding preparation checklist you can find. There are hundreds of them out there, so be methodical about selecting the one that you feel will fit your personality the best. Then find yourself the best damn professional coordinator you could hope for.

Want to know more? Register for classes with Excellence in Event Education at http://www.eeeweddingplanning.com to become a professional and to obtain your own copy of Life Size Bride.

Life Size Bride - View to a change!

It’s hard enough being a new bride at any age or dress size, faced with making decisions about location, attire, seating plans and budgets. It’s even harder when you’re a real sized woman (you gave up wearing your thong and cone cupped bustier as outer wear 7 years ago), over the age of 30.

Most real, life sized women over 30, whether you’ve never been married or this is your second time around the track, packed away their dreams of a princess like extravaganza of a wedding when they bought their first home, became the breadwinner in their family, and focused the best of their efforts on defining their career.

This was the situation I found myself in. At the age of 33, I had been living on my own for seven years, had owned my own home, and had developed a pretty strong career in the IT sector. I had also checked the baggage of blissfully wedded dreams on a flight I never expected to take to a place I never allowed myself to go, back when I turned 30. The reality was, that anything I had ever dreamed about in a wedding for myself simply didn’t suit the woman I had become, and after years without any prospects, I had simply resolved myself to the recognition that I may be single the rest of my life, or that IF I ever took the plunge into the deep end of the pool, that it might come to be in as casual a way as a renegade Vegas weekend.

After all was done and dusted, and I was enjoying the fruits of my planning labour, I came to receive a compliment from many of my family members, friends and most importantly, from my vendors, that I had been one of the easiest brides they’d ever had to deal with. As much of a compliment as this was, I felt that this meant there may be some lessons to be learned from how I approached the project of planning my own wedding. Any ease people felt in dealing with me, came from a confidence of having made decisions before speaking with my vendors, and came from knowing when I needed guidance and from whom. Funnily enough, my career as a project manager prepared me for this job of planning my own wedding. All of the same organizational skill sets and strategies apply to the function of planning of one’s own wedding. Since then too, all of these things combined to bring me to a point in life where I’ve established my own Wedding Planning business, and an online distance education program for others to become event coordination certified. One passionate project has become a lifelong dream of bringing to others what I instinctively knew all along. Organization is the key to successful delivery of every project, but passion is the key to getting the touchdown every time you touch the ball!

In the coming entries, what you’ll read are simply my tactics, thoughts, opinions, on how I got through one stage of my wedding planning to the next. What you’ll detect is that these tales will more greatly resonate with women, who like myself, fit the everyday, real women’s profile (size 12 or larger, 30 years or older), and who may be trying to navigate those things that a typical young 20 something bride never need concern herself with. This is not a “how to plan your own wedding” book. This is a tale of what happened on my way down the aisle with the hopes that it will help to peel away some of the hang ups brides find themselves in the midst of. Some of these opinions may be biting and strike a wrong cord with some brides to be. For this I won’t apologize. In fact, I will reiterate many times to make this a day that is reflective of your own personal taste. I just want you to know what the rest of the world is really thinking when they see it. Consider me your no nonsense great aunt handing you the goods on reality.

While 40 is supposed to be the new 30, there have not to my knowledge ever been documented or specific rites of passage for the 30 something woman. 30 something women have actually come into their own, and it is well understood by most women that this means we are recognizing our own intelligence and confidence for the power it truly has. It is the first in a sequence of liberating decades that we can claim ownership of. At 30 we have established careers, homes, and independence. We know who we are and where our lines and limitations are. We are more comfortable with our bodies, and know that our skin or our clothes no longer define us, but are reflections of what exists on the inside. When we marry, we are more likely to marry for the marriage than the wedding, and all of these newly known facts, blow away our younger aged perceptions of what our mile markers in life look like. Our weddings are a prime example of this. And if we methodically re-investigate our wants and desires for that day, and recognize the day as a party planning activity where themes are much less linked to the definition of our love than to the aesthetics of the event, then I think we better recognize the priority of each item, and realize that each piece of our wedding is a blessing, rather than an entitlement.

Design versus Decor

The most fundamental difference between Design and Decor is a matter of Inspiration versus Execution.

So many people look at weddings and events and think how wonderful it would be to be able to transform a space into something remarkable and picture worthy, and have no idea where to start.

So knowing that the fundamental difference is inspiration versus execution, it's important to understand that one cannot exist well, or be a successful business without being able to do both.

From modern contemprorary event spaces,

to themed spaces,

to traditional romantic wedding spaces,

the ways to achieve each look are dependent not only on budget, but a solid understanding of textures, colour complimenting tactics, and just plain luxe product choices. Just like any interior design, each choice is dependent on the one previous. And each choice layers to complete an overarching concept and design.

Wishing everyone a day of inspirations!

Jack and Ye - July 11, 2010

As I explained in an earlier post, I had quite the busy summer. But it started off beautifully, when I handed off a wedding I was planning to a day of coordinator at Exquisite Occasions (http://www.exquisiteoccasions.ca/) to carry across the finish line for me.

Ye and Jack hired me last October to plan their wedding. A wonderful, and incredibly busy couple, they were looking for a "secret garden" kind of wedding. 95% of their guest list, including their parents, would be taking the voyage to Toronto from China. Ye and Jack wanted to be sure that they hosted a very western wedding without overlooking their eastern traditions. Our first stop, was the Fantasy Farm, and this was followed by some very trustworthy and wonderful friends of mine in the industry.

When I broke the news to Ye and Jack that I was expecting a baby, completely unexpectedly, my heart was broken. My baby's due date was just a week before their wedding date, and I was incredibly nervous about oing into labour at the most inconvenient time, or having to deal with complications when I should be managing the details of their big day. I left it to them to decide whether they wanted me to back out completely and help them find another planner straight away, or if they wanted me to complete the major steps of planning and hand off to a day of coordinator to help bring the last month of details together for them.

Much to my happiness, they asked me to stay on as long as I could, and together we would interview potential day of coordinators to help them fully realize a most wonderful day. :)

And of course, they had a lovely one. From the venue to the flowers, the photographer and the cake. We came in under budget, and we have evidence that a really beautiful day gave Ye and Jack and their family and friends a moment to remember!

Our major vendors were:

Fantasy Farm (http://www.fantasyfarm.ca/)

Wild Orchid Creations Photography (http://www.wildorchidcreations.com/)

Sounds of Distinction (http://www.soundsofdistinction.com/)

Fran Sackler Florals (http://www.fsflorals.com/)

Alisa Lyons (http://www.whataface.com/)

Cakeaholic (http://www.cakeaholic.ca/)

Congratulations Ye and Jack. I wish you many years of married bliss. You are a special couple, and have a bright future. Thank you for trusting me with your big day!

Passion for detail

What it takes to plan a wedding is a lot of passion and a keen eye for detail. With a wide variety of budgets to contend with, and a whole lot of various decision makers at the ready to tear things a part, it also takes a lot of guts.

When I learned how to manage the intricate details of a project in my old IT career, I also learned how to do this with no budget. My only budget allotted to me was out of my control, and was allocated strictly to my extended teams' salaries. With no development budget to actually spend it was always a matter of being as creative as I could to Macgyver a robust process that would dazzle my superiors with nothing but a paper clip and a shoe string. This is the exact foundation I needed to start my career as an event planner, and moreover, as a wedding planner.

When you learn how to do things right, you learn how to turn a rustic old building into a lavish 50's style dinner club. You learn how to hire the right vendors who'll transform an old 70's banquet hall to make it modern and contemporary, or who will photograph the event in such a way as to disguise and play down anything that glares out as an oddity. You learn how to take a paper clip and a shoe string, maybe a bit of glue, and turn them into a wrist corsage that would make the mother of the bride cry with pride. And you'll do it with no one being any the wiser.

You learn how to network and you learn how to dazzle your clients with your professionalism. You'll make yourself remembered among your network of suppliers as someone they would prefer to do business with over any of the competition.

Where do you learn something like this, without losing half of the practical education that helps you to help your own business succeed? Excellence In Event Education has the answers you need and has the teaching method that really helps you to take your time to learn it right. http://www.excellenceineventeducation.com/

New Adventures

Well it's been a long time since I wrote anything, and well, that's because I've been extremely busy! I'm a new mom, and I spent the last trimester of my pregnancy, feverishly writing the curriculum texts for my other brand new adventure.

Not to worry, I'll still be dabbling away at wedding planning, and florals. But this new adventure is pretty extreme. Let me get a quick proud mama moment out of the way and share a photo of my beautiful daughter with you first!

In addition to this beautiful piece de resistance! The newest baby is a distance education school by the name of Excellence In Event Education (http://www.excellenceineventeducation.com/) or E3 for short. Unlike every other event planning school out there, the major difference we're offering is a more thorough curriculum and virtual classroom instruction. Courses can still be completed in the privacy of your own home and at your own pace. But you get full on support from the school throughout the program, and onward after you graduate. The deal is that we're aiming to prepare graduates to manage their new careers. We're not simply presenting the shiny object, and collecting fees for the distraction. Our tuitions are lower than the others too. There's only success for the student who graduates from our program. And we're not stopping with wedding planning. We know what it takes to be a success in this industry, and it's diversity.

So come the new year, we'll be offering more than just wedding planning, you'll be able to certify and learn how to plan things like parades, trade shows, destination weddings, and more! Who knew planning a funeral could be part of a course curriculum? And when you leave, you're prepared to enter the career through another employer, or you're prepared to start your own business and take the leap. We dive deep into marketing the business, analyzing industry statistics, and developing business strategies. It's not just grab your license and go! And with over 40 combined years of experience at the helm, we can show you how!

Visit http://www.excellenceineventeducation.com/ right away and register! Start your new career today!