The final days....

Well, exactly one week from now I will be in the airport awaiting my flight to Italy. I can't believe how fast time flys (haha).

I am not nervous at all which is kind of scary.... I have come to realize that is no need to worry about anything until I get there. Then I can freak out!

Hopefully the weather cooperates! It seems Mother Nature is trying to make us Canadians feel welcome in Europe :)

I wanted to post a list of the AMAZING vendors that I have used to date -

Invitations, Save the Dates, Ceremony Programs and Favour Tags -
Sandy Wang at Koket Design
www.koketdesign.ca

Ceremony Decor - www.etsy.com - Party Poms

Wedding Dress - Mona Richie Boutique
http://www.monarichiebride.com/

Day of Jewellery - Tara Fava Jewellery
http://www.tarafavajewellery.com/

Flowers - From The Stem Up
http://www.fromthestemup.com/

Wedding Website, Guest List, Budget Tracker etc. -
www.weddingwire.com

Place Cards -
www.vistaprint.com

Honeymoon and Travel Plans -
Uxbridge Travel - Brandy
brandy@uxbridgetravel.com

Favours - Olive Oil and Maple Syrup
www.sarafino.com

Wedding Veil -
www.victoriasweddingveils.com

Hope this helps with your planning!!!

I will post pictures when I return :)

The countdown is on!

71 days to go!

AHHHHHH! Who's idea was this destination wedding?? :) Just kidding.

I can't wait! We have 62 guests confirmed that will be travelling from Canada, Australia and the USA to join us in Italy. Then there are approximately 100 guests in Italy. Nothing like a big Italian wedding in the motherland!

Planning everything in another language has been a challenge but what I am finding to be the most interesting is how things are done at such a different pace. I am so used to sending an email to a bride or a vendor and hearing back from them within a day or so....not the case when emailing to Southern Italy! It's been sometimes 4 weeks before I have heard back! I know everything will be absolutely amazing but it's the fear of not knowing until I get there that is the hardest.

One other thing I have to get off my chest - RSVP's. We sent out approximately 200 invitations. Not 200 guests, but 200 invitations. Our RSVP date is November 3rd and we have only received about 60 back so far. I really hope I don't have to spend all of next week phoning people.....

Different Perspective

The wedding this past weekend was a bit of a whirlwind for me! One of my good friends tied the knot here. Not only was I the 'wedding coordinator' but I was also a guest. It was definitely an experience to see the venue from the point of view of someone attending the festivities.

Everything was absolutely beautiful! From the decor to her dress to the bridesmaids it was all perfect! The only thing that didn't cooperate was the weather. It was threatening rain during the ceremony and as soon as it ended it started to pour. Luckily everyone made it up to the tent in time to save their hair!

The bride had flipflops in all different sizes for guests to change in to at the reception. I took advantage as the heels were a bit too much on the dancefloor :)
The bride's aunt made AMAZING creamcheese icing cupcakes. I also took advantage of these :)

The decor was done by inBloom Event Design. Stunning work! I actually went to school with the sister's and they have really made a name for themselves. All of the guests were in awe when they entered the room.

Congratulations Lyndsey and Brody!

Wedding Photographer

Andrea and Allison Reefer of Your Captured Moments emailed me with a link to their blog. They photographed Sharon and Ryan's wedding on August 7th.

Check it out! There are some beautiful photos!

http://blog.yourcapturedmoments.ca/?p=696

Invitations

Well, I finally have my invitations almost done. This is a HUGE task! I wasn't nearly as prepared for this undertaking as I thought.

We sent out save the dates a few months back so I have a list of addresses already. However, everyone keeps moving! Can't people just stay put until after our wedding :) ?

Our invitation vendor is AMAZING! Her name is Sandy Wang from Koket Design. I found her on the Wedding Planner's Alumni website and then saw her featured in a wedding magazine. My fiance and I were looking for something 'travel' related and the article featured her passport style invitations. Exactly what I was looking for.

As Sandy is just starting out her prices are unbelievable. Her talent is incredible. It's like she can see in my head exactly what I am looking for. Everytime she sent us samples they were perfect!!!

We sent out over 200 save the dates in the style of a luggage tag and our guests loved them!

We have now finalized our passport invitation in both Italian and English and I can't wait to see them! They should be in my hands in the next few days and then I have the daunting task of addressing them...and getting them back in the mail when I find out someone has moved!

click on this link to see her passport invitations:
http://www.koketdesign.ca/Passport/PS_collection.html

Long Weekend Weddings

It's been a few weeks since I've blogged...but I wanted to share with you the weddings that happened this past weekend.

Rachel and Darren's wedding took place on Saturday and was absolutely stunning! Everyone, including the staff, was completely in awe when they walked in to the room. From a backdrop, to napkin holders, to bling on the chair covers, to charger plates, Rachel thought of everything and it really made the room sparkle! The weather didn't cooperate for the ceremony but it was still beautiful inside the tent. Guests then enjoyed cocktails while the bride and groom took a few photos and then mingled. The reception was hit from the beef and chicken combo plate to the sweet table!

After a quick re-set on Sunday morning we were ready for another wedding completely different from the night before!
Kristen and Murray's guests enjoyed a cocktail reception in the tent and on the patio and mingled with the bride and groom.
Guests enjoyed a choice meal of either beef tenderloin or salmon and a platter of desserts. The bride and groom danced into the wee hours!

Guests enjoyed a taste of the bride and groom's favourite sweets at the candy bar buffet with the options to take some in home in adorable red take out boxes.

Our First Live Band!!!

Well, it was another wonderful wedding weekend at the Sticks. A beautiful outdoor ceremony, a cocktail reception with plenty of drinks and hors d'ouerves and then a reception fit for a king and queen!

A friend of the bride's spent most of her afternoon putting the adorable centrepieces together - sunflower bouquets with sunflower seeds and candles. They looked vibrant against the white and black linens.

We also had our first live band perform at the reception - Johnny and the Sex Machine. They were INCREDIBLE. If you would like to hear them for yourself they play every Thursday night at the Tap and Tankard in Whitby.

Timelines

A must have piece of paperwork for your wedding day - a detailed timeline. Now, most things will either fall behind or will happen earlier then expected but your wedding day will be full of changes and surprises. A detailed timeline not only helps your wedding party but it can be a saving grace for your vendors - photographer, caterer, officiant etc.

Depending on the number of events happening during the day you may want something as detailed as below. The bride listed the time, the name of the event happening and who is involved.

8:00 – 10:00 Hair Appointment (Laura, Kristen, Teddi, Jess, Cathy) LV, KV, CV drive together. TL, JV to meet us there.
9:00: Blythe gets access to reception room and starts set up, Len to come at 1:45 or so to set up centre pieces
9:00 Photographer at Hilton Spa to start taking pictures
10:00 – 11:00 Drive to Wooden Sticks, Melissa to meet us there at 11:00
Need to bring dress, shoes, tiara, veil, rings, over night clothes...
11:00 – 2:00 Make up and get dressed (Laura, Kristen, Teddi, Jess, Melissa, Cathy, Laura P, Kyley, Lindsay, Alicia) Rita and her assistant (make up artists) will arrive at 12:00. Rita’s phone number:
11:00 Boys get showered and dressed
12:00 NH/RH go to Garden Basket to pick up sandwiches for the boys in Stouffville (Joanne to order)
12:30: Lunch – Joanne to order and pick up sandwiches from Vince’s and bring to cabin. Joanne also to bring some water and snacks for late night?
12:30: 2nd Photographer arrives at Gar Lehman to take pictures of the boys getting ready.
1:00: Boys leave Stouffville (already dressed) and drive to Wooden Sticks (RH, NH, MH, JH drive together)
1:30: Len arrives with Flowers. Delivers the bouquets and then starts to get centrepieces set up.
1:45: Boys arrive at Wooden Sticks and go to the “waiting room”
2:00 – 4:00 Pictures: One photographer with boys, one with girls.
3:15: Boys go to ceremony area and be ready greet and seat guests (except Matt)
3:30: Harpist and flutist start playing (we owe them $25 for extra time)
3:45: Music playing as guests arrive. Barb and officiant (owe him $160 cash) and parents arrive at ceremony spot.
3:50: Laura and girls leave cabin and go to wait inside the banquet room
3:55: Matt to be waiting in the tent and ushers join him and they head to the ceremony. All boys leave (when Heather tells you to) and head to the ceremony spot. Boys walk down aisle (see ceremony plan). John to wait at the back near the parking lot to walk Cathy in.
4:00: All guests are seated, ceremony starts (see Ceremony Plan)
4:20: Ceremony over, guests go up to patio (or tent if is it raining) and cocktail hour begins.
4:20: Ice cream served to guests, bar open, water bottles out, harpist and flutist move up to play. ***They will need help getting their stuff up there***
4:25: Appetizers and water to bridal party before pictures
4:30: Bridal party and immediate family to take pictures – start at ceremony site or gardens
5:30: Matt and Laura do pictures alone on golf course with 2 golf carts – Bridal party and family goes back to reception for drinks and to get ready to seat the guests.
5:50: Bridal party goes into reception room to get ready to seat the guests.
6:00: Room opens for dinner
6:20: Everyone seated in the banquet room.
6:25: Bridal party entrance along with Matt and Laura
DJ to announce: Parents will start us off: Joanne and Rich and then Cathy and Jack. Then the bridal party - Order of coming in is Melis and John, Teddi and Nick, Jess and Kevin, Kristen and Adam then Laura and Matt
6:30: Adam welcomes guests: Thanks for coming, housekeeping stuff (bar closed during dinner, wine on the tables, where the washrooms are etc) and then talks about logistics (we are going to eat and have some speeches etc during the meal and then we are going to need to move some of the tables to make room for the dance floor.) Announce kissing game (people need to demonstrate, be creative!!) Have fun!!
6:35: First course of dinner is served
6:50: Main course served
7:05: Adam does speech – at the end he welcomes Kristen to do her speech
7:15: Kristen does speech – at the end she introduces the slide show
7:25: Slide Show – then Adam to announce cleaning of the room, then parents speeches and dessert
7:30: Wooden Sticks clears the dishes – 15 minutes
7:45: Cathy and Jack speech
7:50: Joanne and Rich speech
7:55: Dessert
8:05: Matt and Laura speech then Adam announces tables are being moved (people should go to the bathroom etc), cake cutting to follow shortly, dancing and party to follows after that.
8:10: Remove tables from dance floor: will take 15 minutes
8:25: Cake cutting
8:30: DJ announces first dance: Always be my baby, Mariah Carey
8:31: Party starts!!

Later in the night:
Father Daughter: Best Day, Taylor Swift
Mother Son: Blessed – Elton John
Anniversary song: Better Half – Keith Urban

10:15: Dessert table out
10:30: Bouquet toss
12:00: Bohemian Rhapsody
12:30: Bar Closes
1:00: Party leaves the reception hall and goes to the cabins. Before everyone leaves, we need to clean up the room.

Or you could opt for something a little less detailed:

WEDDING DAY SCHEDULE
Time Events Duration
7:10 AM First Tee off for Guys 5 hrs
9:00 AM Hair & Makeup for Girls in 3 hrs

Cabin & Access to Reception Hall
12:00 PM Candid Photos to start, 1 hr

finishing of Hair & Makeup, Getting Ready
1:00 PM Bride Photos 1.5 hrs
2:30 PM Groom Photos 1 hr
3:00 PM Guest to Arrive and be seated 30 min
3:30 PM Ceremony 30 min
4:00 PM Receiving Line 30 min
4:30 PM Wedding Photos & Cocktail 1.5 hrs
6:00 PM Guest to be move into reception hall, 2 hrs

Dinner & Speeches
8:00 PM Music and Dancing 5 hrs
10:00 PM Bouquet & Garter Tosses 30 min
10:30 PM Cutting Cake / Dessert & Coffee 30 min

12:30 AM Last call for Bar
1:00 AM Majority of Guest Depart
1:30 AM Limo to leave with Bride and Groom

for Hotel

If you are unsure of when things should happen, have your wedding planner or the event coordinator at the venue have a look over it. They have been doing this for years and will have a good idea of timing for events like the receiving line.

Simple Yet Elegant

This past weekend's wedding was simple yet elegant. The room looked stunning with only a few little embellishments. After the ceremony the wedding party added their bouquets to the head table for a splash of colour.

Although the weather did not co-operate for an outside ceremony, it was beautiful in the Pavilion. I teared up when the groom saw the bride for the first time.

Two Weddings, One Weekend

Wow! What an exciting weekend!

Blue and black were definitely the theme for this weekend's weddings. Each with a different style but with the same outcome in mind.

Finally Found My Shoes!!!

After months of searching for the perfect shoes for my wedding day....I found them this morning at Nine West in the Yorkdale mall!!! They were exactly what I was looking for. Of course, the store didn't have the size I needed but after many tense minutes they found the colour and size I wanted and are shipping them to my house at no additional charge. My maid of honour also found a few teal rhinestones to add to the front for a little sparkle.

Another thing to check off the list! Only 4 million more things to go :)

Pink and Green Wedding

180 guests enjoyed a beautiful outdoor ceremony after a day of rain, a cocktail reception with ice cream treats and a night of great food and lots of dancing!

The bride sent an email the next day with her thoughts -

Yesterday was absolutely the best day of my life and everything was completly perfect!! We had sooo much fun and we wouldn't change a thing. You were a HUGE help and support through the entire process and I cant thank you enough. You are a terrific event coordinator and you made everything flawless. Thank you so, so much for making our wedding day the best day ever.

Take care,

Laura

Black and White Wedding

Our third wedding in the Elgin Room looked absolutely STUNNING! The tall centrepieces, accents of black everywhere and the twinkling head table made the room look really magical!
The 120 guests enjoyed a beautiful outdoor ceremony and a meal of either prime rib or stuffed chicken.
The bride and groom are now on their honeymoon in Jamaica!

Long Weekend Wedding

We had our second wedding in the new banquet room on Saturday May 22nd. The day threatened rain but was beautiful for the ceremony and cocktail reception.

The 85 guests enjoyed a buffet meal and dancing into the wee hours!

The fuschia and brown theme was carried through the table linens, table confetti and lanterns hung from the ceiling.

Flowers

After much deliberation I have decided to go with fake flowers for my wedding. I love real flowers - how they smell, look and just the thought of them being real. However, the stress involved in trying to find a supplier in Italy is really getting to me!

I saw a vendor at a wedding show who does silk flowers that I swear I thought were real.

This way I can have them made here and put them in my suitcase! Here's hoping my luggage doesn't get lost.....

The company is called From The Stem Up and I am going to meet with them this weekend.
http://www.fromthestemup.com/

I am thinking of doing something I had a bride do many years ago that was such an awesome idea.

My bouquet is going to be a mixture of hydrangeas, peonies, tulips, roses and green spider mums.

My bridesmaids and matron of honours bouquets are each going to be only one of those flowers.

This way each a piece of each of their bouquets makes up mine!

It looked really neat!

The Engaged Wedding Planner

Being a wedding planner for the last 6 years definitely did not prepare me for planning my own wedding!
After 14 years of dating my fiance FINALLY proposed while we were in the Turks and Caicos for a Wedding Planners Conference.
We are tying the knot January 8th, 2011 in Italy in the small town his parents are from. I thought "Why not challenge myself and plan a wedding in a country where I don't speak the language!". Well, it has definitely proven to be challenging...fun but challenging!

I have come across quite a few websites in my own planning that I thought might be helpful for you!

http://www.weddingwire.com/
AMAZING website! I have done my wedding website, my budget, my guestlist with addresses, inspiration boards and will be able to do my seating chart.
Check out my wedding website - www.weddingwire.com/heatherandandrea

http://www.shoesofprey.com/
http://www.celebrationshoes.com/
I am having such a hard time finding the perfect shoe. These two websites have been my source of inspiration!

http://www.designsbyanita.ca/
Inexpensive wedding veils. If you know what you want then this website will cut the cost of your veil by hundreds of dollars!!!

I plan to keep you posted as I come across challenges, tips and stories throughout my planning process!!

The Elgin Room

The first wedding of the 2010 season was held on Saturday May 8th.

Everything went off without a hitch and the room looked beautiful!!

Check out our new chaircovers! Yes, those are the ones included in your package!

2nd Annual Wedding Show

Well, another wedding show has come and gone and what a success! We had over 150 people come through the door and a beautiful (although scorching hot) day.

The participating vendors were incredibly happy with the turnout and all come highly reccommended by me.

Photographers - Something New Photography, Creative Visions, Photography By Miguel

DJs - Sight and Sound, Bob Hawkins, Rhythm Entertainment

Cakes - Kake, Mmmm Cookies

Makeup - Peach Gloss, Beauticontrol

Wedding Gowns - Forever Friends, Gown Go Round, Perfect Dream

Decor - The Diar Collection, Annie Lane Decor, Wedding Dreams

Invitations - Distinctive Expressions

Hair - Hair By Gera, Chez Bella Salon

Jewellery - Patricia's Sparkle and Glitter - 5th Avenue Collection

Planners - One Fine Day

Miscellaneous - Keys To Us, Sunlife Financial, The Wedding Centre, A Wonderful Clean World, Murielle Germain Quilts

Flowers - Branching Out, Rose Garden Flowers

Live Music - Song of the Nightingale

Favours - Partylite Gifts, The Pampered Chef

Mens Wear - The Wee Tartan Shop

Congratulations to all the prize winners!