Toronto Wedding Planners

Venues in the GTA: Niagara Wineries

If you and your SO are fans of cozying up to a nice glass of red by the fire, then a winery wedding is the perfect choice for you. And, well, even if you don’t fancy a glass of chardonnay every now and then… it might still be your ideal venue. Wineries in Ontario are absolutely stunning in every way, and offer an exceptional backdrop for your nuptials. Whether it’s your dream to get married in a vineyard or in the quaint accommodations of a historic winery, there’s one place in Ontario that we can guarantee you’ll find it all: Niagara. Just outside of the GTA is brimming with stunning Niagara wineries with exquisite wines and more importantly, beautiful wedding venues. If you’re interested in tying the knot at one of the elegant wineries Niagara has to offer and aren’t quite sure where to begin, worry not. Take a look at some of our favorite Niagara wineries—we guarantee you’ll find something you love!

Beautiful Niagara Wineries for Your Wedding

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Hernder Estate Wines  

Located in St. Catherines, Hernder Estate Wines is the perfect option for any type of wedding. Their outdoor facilities are gorgeous, with a quaint little bridge for photos, and a gazebo just begging to be strewn with flowers. They have indoor facilities if you fancy a winter wedding, with two different rooms that seat from 140 to 300 guests. The barn-like structure of this venue gives us some serious rustic vibes, making it perfect for a rustic chic event.

 

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Vineland Estates Winery 

Just outside of St. Catherines is where you’ll find this stunning winery. Well-suited for a more intimate affair, this quaint venue is ideal for someone looking for a cozy place to say I do. The stunning view of their vineyard that seems to go on forever is incomparable, and makes for a gorgeous outdoor backdrop.

 

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Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery 

If you venture a little further out of St. Catherines towards Beamsville, you’ll stumble upon Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery. Since it sits right at the gateway to Niagara, you’ll find incredible views of the Niagara Escarpment, Toronto skyline and Lake Ontario when you visit this venue. What’s most unique about this location is their incredible charming coach house, where you can entertain just under 50 guests for a sit-down dinner. This makes it the perfect spot to have the intimate wedding you’ve always dreamed of.

 

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Stratus Winery 

This  Niagara-on-the-lake winery’s ambiance is surprisingly modern, while still maintaining the peaceful and elegant atmosphere of the surrounding area. They have a number of stylish rooms you can host you guests in, their most notable being the Press Alley Industrial Chic. Here, Stratus Winery can become the setting for your reception, with 50 to 100 of your closest loved ones seated at a harvest table among the oak fermenters and stainless steel tanks. Could your winery experience get any more authentic?

 

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Reif Estate Winery 

If you’re looking for a winery with a grand Victorian mansion, you’ve found the place. If you’re planning a winter wedding, you can take advantage of their stunning stained glass windows and cozy fireplaces in the Great Hall. In the summer, couples have a wrap-around verandah and an acre and a half of gardens to take gorgeous photos that’ll last a lifetime. With something to offer year-round, you’ll find that the Reif Estate Winery is the embodiment of the term ‘quaint.’

 

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Chateau Des Charmes 

An absolutely regal venue, Chateau Des Charmes is a stunning winery that absolutely begs to host the most luxurious of winery weddings. As is the Bosc Family Wines weren’t delicious enough, their grounds are swoon-worthy. With both indoor and outdoor accommodations, this is the ideal choice for those that want to forego the cozy and quaint vibe associated with most wineries, and opt for something a little more grand.

 

These are just a few of our favorite Niagara wineries, and we hope you found something you like too! Did we forget to mention your favorite Niagara winery? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners and day of coordinators specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day! Niagara Wedding Planners Niagara winery wedding planners  Mississauga wedding planner woodbridge wedding planner vaughan wedding planner 

Meet The Whimlets – Ilina!

Our amazing team keeps growing, as more and more fabulous couples across the GTA choose the Whimlets as their wedding planning crew! We couldn’t be happier with that, and with our fantastic team! We figured it’s about time we did in depth blog posts on each of our fab team members. First up is Ilina!

In her own words… (more or less..):

“Now, this is a story all about how

My life got flipped, turned, upside down.

And I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there

I’ll tell you how I became a Whimlet just this past year…”

*fade to black*

So there’s two things I love to do and that’s rhyme and make lists and now that I’ve gotten the first one out of the way (with a little help from Will Smith…) here’s a list of things about me and how I joined Whim.

1. Who am I?

My name is Ilina, I’m WPIC certified and the newest member of Whim. Aside from rhyming  and making lists in my free time, I’ve grown up dancing (bharatnatyam) and being creative which is why I love the endless possibilities for creativity in weddings.

Our beautiful Ilina, captured by G+H Photography!

2. What made me want to be a planner?

Even though a part of me is very creative, I went to school for Marketing and worked in the Banking industry for almost 8 years. My love of lists, staying organized and already working in coordination roles made becoming a professional event planner a perfect fit.

3. Where did I meet Whim?

I was fortunate enough to have hired Whim for my wedding day coordination back in 2015. When I decided to make the career change from Banking to weddings, I reached out to Whim and the rest is history!

The OG Whimlets + Ilina was a match made in heaven! Beautiful photos by G+H Photography.

4. When did I know this was the industry for me?

After always being the one to plan special birthday parties, cottage trips and even fun date nights while growing up, it was after planning my wedding that I was exposed to how fun, vibrant and creative this industry can be. I helped plan some other events for friends and family and then finally decided I should do what I love and make a career out of it!

5. Why do I love weddings and planning events?

As I’ve said, being creative is something that is inherent to me, but there’s something about checking things off a “to-do list” that gives me satisfaction like no other. Weddings and events probably have some of the biggest “to-do lists” and the satisfaction of seeing someone’s big day come together is truly magical!

Thanks for the awesome blog post, Ilina! If she seems familiar to you, it’s because we had the pleasure of coordinating her wedding back in 2015, and we’ve featured her wedding in our gallery because of how creative and beautiful it was! It’s still a big favourite of ours, because Ilina truly had her guest experience close to her heart and it showed in every aspect of her beautiful wedding. Check out the full gallery here!

Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners and day of coordinators specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!

How to be an Awesome Bridesmaid – and NOT a Bridesmaidzilla!

Okay people, today we’re going to discuss a touchy subject – bridesmaidzillas. Yes, this is a real thing – we’ve seen it countless times (not just in the movies) and it never ceases to amaze us (in the worst way possible). We love bridal parties – we love seeing the bride and groom hanging with their nearest and dearest on the most important day of their lives and revelling in the fun with their besties. We equal parts do not love bridesmaidzillas. Luckily, we’re here to help you not to become the dreaded bridesmaidzilla by giving you tips on how to be a great bridesmaid!

Bridesmaidzilla
Don’t be like Annie or Helen! – Bridesmaids

The Definition of A Bridesmaid:

noun.

a girl or woman who accompanies a bride on her wedding day.

The Whim Definition of A Bridesmaidzilla:

noun.

a girl or woman who accompanies a bride on her wedding day but makes the entire process of getting there HELL.

As you can see, there is a stark difference in the two definitions, yet somehow a few bridesmaidzillas seem to slip through the cracks every year.

Luckily, we’ve compiled a few helpful tips on how not to become a bridesmaidzilla!

Understand the True Responsibilities of Being a Bridesmaid

I know, I know, Instagram keeps telling us that bridesmaids show up, look beautiful, sip yummy cocktails and dance the night away – but the role is a bit more involved than that! Every wedding is different, but bridesmaids are typically close friends or family of the bride and groom. These trusted folks are asked to be a part of the bridal party because the bride and groom need their closest compadres to help get them from engaged to I Do!

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Be like these beauties – happy and carefree – photo via ChriLee Photography

Typically the bridal party is responsible for pre-wedding events like showers and bachelorettes, as well as assisting with DIY decor projects, picking colour schemes and attire. It’s also an unwritten rule that bridal party members are sympathetic shoulders to lean on when the process of planning a wedding gets to be a little overwhelming.

Be Real About Issues You’ve Got Going On

Be real with your friend about any issues you have going on- financial or otherwise. We all know that there are hard costs associated with being a bridesmaid – like purchasing a dress, paying for hair and makeup or mani/pedis, and throwing pre-wedding events. If budgets are tight, be upfront with the bride. The same goes for any family/relationship/work issues that you have going on that could impede your ability to perform your bridal party duties. If you’ve been friends all this time, there’s no reason to think she’ll turn into a fire-breathing dragon when you broach your ability to be the best bridesmaid ever. Chances are your dear friend will still be your dear friend. However, if you decide to ghost on your bridesmaid responsibilities without rhyme or reason, your friend probably won’t be as forgiving.

Plan Kick-Ass Pre-Wedding Events

This doesn’t necessarily mean to break the bank and destroy yourself financially. Catering coming up too pricey? Do a breakfast or a brunch and have everyone pitch in. Work as a team to set a reasonable budget and be prepared to get creative to pull off a wonderful and authentic bridal shower, bachelorette and/or brunch for your bestie. Don’t phone it in for this – this is literally one of your major responsibilities. Nothing is worse than putting a half-assed, mediocre and not well thought out shower or bach for your bride. It’s the only one she’s going to get, so do your best to make it great!

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A lovely engagement party, bridal shower or bachelorette party should be well thought out, not necessarily overly expensive, but personalized to the bride

Wear the Dress – Seriously

Be present and a part of the process of choosing the bridal party attire, but be prepared to wear a dress that you may not love and may not be to your exact tastes. These days most of our brides are pretty conscientious about choosing flattering frocks, but every so often a bride will have her heart set on a particular style, fabric or colour. If this is the case, just remember that it is for one day, and you’re doing it for someone you love. Grin and bear it, wear the dress and smile ’til it hurts. It is never appropriate to swap out the dress or throw a tantrum over a piece of clothing. At the end of the day, this day is about your friends tying the knot – not about your outfit.

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Via Gorgeous in Grey

Fun story – I (Alisha) once had to wear a dress that was a monstrosity. I won’t give too many details to protect the guilty parties but it was ill-fitting, the colours clashed and it was just awful. Still, I smiled through it and had a great day for the sake of the bride and groom. If I could live through (and pay for) that obscenity of a dress (seriously, it was bad), you can too!

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Okay, you’re ready to go out there and be the best bridesmaid ever, and not a bridesmaidzilla! We’re confident that if you follow our handy tips, you’ll rock this bridal party thang! Good luck!

Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!

What we’ve been up to – Part 1

Hiya everyone! I thought I’d do a quick update on what we’ve been working on for the past few months.

Fall 2016

Aleya & Allan’s Romantic Fall Wedding

Fall was an exciting time for us! As we wrapped up the last of our weddings – hello Aleya and Allan! – we had corporate events and a few networking gigs lined up, too!

Our last wedding of 2016 was a lovely affair. Our sweet couple, Aleya and Allan, tied the knot at York Mills Gallery, and it was a fab fall fete!  Our friends at Fete Floral Boutique helped us design a lovely, modern event, complete with lush floral and sumptuous linen.

Aleya and Allan sharing a magical first dance at York Mills Gallery. Photo by Zdenka Darula Photography.

We had a fantastic time working with Aleya and Allan, and sincerely miss the planning process with this organized, laid back couple! We’ll post a full recap soon, too! This wedding was adorable and delicious, and we know you’ll ‘fall’ in love with all of the autumn-details, too!

Wine & Unwind

Our networking event, Wine & Unwind, was a fantastic success! It was the first time we hosted a networking event for industry peers and we learned a whole lot. As wedding and event planners, we typically work behind the scenes on event days to keep everything chugging along. After a long (and wonderful) wedding season, wanted to reconnect with all of the fabulous vendors we always promise to catch up with but never get a chance. Wedding vendors are like ships passing in the night on wedding days – we barely see each other on event days and then have to move on to the next one!

Delicious desserts at the Hilton Mississauga-Meadowvale

Wine and Unwind was a collaborative effort with some fabulous friendors! Our pals at the Hilton Mississauga-Meadowvale hosted this lovely event for us, offering yummy cocktails and delicious food stations and passed appetizers. This event was a great opportunity for fellow event planners and event professionals to tour the newly renovated Hilton Mississauga Meadowvale meeting spaces and facilities, and the friendly staff provided tours all night long.

The lovely Nafeesa from Princess Decor offered up her decor and floral services, and Paisley Peterson Photography captured the details for us. Our friends at Brent Miller Live kept the crowd amped with fun live music, and worked with Ryan from Alley Entertainment, who DJ’d between sets, and provided the lighting and AV for the night as well.

Another very cool feature came from Pop-Up VR, who created an amazing VR display for guests to check out. Since the idea of the event was centred around relaxing and unwinding from a hectic wedding season, the team put together a relaxation virtual reality experience that was a hit with everyone! They also put together a fabulous event recap video, also in VR! Be sure to use your mouse to scroll around the screen to get the full image! Check it out here!

All in all, this was an awesome event to put together and we loved every second of networking with our peers and giving them a chance to check out the Hilton Mississauga Meadowvale! We are definitely planning on doing a few more of these networking events, so stay tuned for more!

Super Hero Party

We love corporate parties. They are so much fun to design and plan, and we get to use colour schemes, concepts and textures that we ordinarily wouldn’t have the option to with weddings. So naturally when the Hilton Mississauga Meadowvale approached us to design their partner appreciation event, with a super hero theme, we had a lot of fun with it! We envisioned an adult version of a traditional superhero themed party, with super-power cocktails, sumptuous black and gold spot linens from Chair Decor, and fun actors from The Hero Headquarters playing the part of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman! We created fun comic book catch phrases to pair with Princess Decor‘s fluffy floral centrepieces, and fun signage to complement the food stations and bars. Check out the pretty details captured by Paisley Peterson Photography below!

Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!

2017 Wedding Cake Trends

by Alisha Chadee

As wedding season 2016 is drawing to a close, the planning for 2017 is ramping up! We’re elbows-deep into the planning for our winter, spring and summer weddings, and the fun never stops! We’ve seen a lot of lovely trends emerge (and continue) in 2016, but now it’s time to focus on 2017! We love cake, and we know you do, too!

Here are our picks for 2017 Wedding Cake Trends!

Some of these styles started to peek out in 2016 and we’re hoping they’ll continue in a big way for 2017!

Water Colour Cakes

We are in love with this stunning wedding cake by Sinfully Sweet Co, a dear friendor of ours based here in Toronto. This lovely hand-painted water colour cake boasts incredible elegance and natural charm. This style allows for a broad range of customization, and can work with virtually any theme. We particularly love the gold metallic detailing on the middle tier, and the delicate painting along the base tier. Sinfully Sweet Co is ahead of the 2017 wedding cake trends with this beauty!

2017 wedding cake trends
Beautiful hand-painted water colour cake with gold metallic embellishments – photo by 5ive15ifteen Photography

 

Geode Cakes

Geode cakes are incredibly beautiful, and deserve top billing for 2017 wedding cake trends! We love the combination of rock candy and smooth fondant cake tiers. Geode wedding cakes act as an extension of your wedding decor and theme, as the colour combinations are custom to each design. We particularly love the beauty depicted below, by Toronto’s own For the Love of Cake. The intricate design, paired with beautiful metallic detailing makes for a stunning, show-stopper cake that guests will rave over for years!

2017 Wedding Cake Trends
We are swooning over geode designs on cakes, like this beauty from For The Love of Cake, based in Toronto!

 

Partial Naked Cake 

Over the past few years, naked wedding cakes have made a big splash at rustic celebrations. We’ve heard the range of opinions from loving to hating this trend. Recently we’ve noticed the rise of the partial-naked cake, and we’re loving it! This beautiful design has a great mix of rustic chic charm and elegant craftsmanship. We particularly love this beauty, by Patricia’s Cake Creations in Toronto, for combining a partially naked cake with beautiful gum-paste flowers! This cake is more glam than rustic, and we’re digging it!

2017 Wedding Cake Trends
We are loving this rustic-glam partially-naked cake by Patricia’s Cake Creations in Toronto

We hope you loved checking out some of our favourite 2017 wedding cake trends, and even more, we hope you’ll consider one of these beautiful styles for your big day! Let us know which one is your favourite, or tell us about another cake trend you’re digging for 2017!

xoxo,

The Whimlets
Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners and day of coordinators specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!

Sip, Scan and Celebrate with Hudson’s Bay!

Fall is here, which means wedding planning for 2017 and 2018 is in full swing! Many of our brides ask us for advice on how to get started with a registry for showers and the wedding, and luckily we have a very fun few events coming up that will help with this very task! Hudson’s Bay

Get ready.. It’s time to Sip, Scan and Celebrate with Hudson’s Bay!

As a past bride, I can tell you that the Hudson’s Bay has the best registry experience in the GTA, and we recommend it to all of our couples. I found the experience of building a registry online and in-store to be quite easy, both for myself and my guests.

We’re stoked about this event because it is going to be a great opportunity for couples to build a beautiful registry, chat with the team of experienced and personable Hudson’s Bay consultants, and enjoy yummy fare! Not to mention, if you check out the Queen Street location in Toronto, you’ll get to hang out with the Whimlets!

Here are a few reasons to register with Hudson’s Bay:

  • They have the best products from the top brands in the world
  • Between Hudson’s Bay and Home Outfitters, you’ll have everything you need for your future love-nest!
  • There are stores located all across Canada – so even your most remote guests can access your registry
  • The Hudson’s Bay Rewards Program is fantastic
  • If you’re not sure how it all works, the consultants are happy to help!
  • Registrants get access to exclusive offers and special VIP events
  • FINALLY get that KitchenAid Artisan Mixer you’ve been coveting from your mom’s kitchen for years

Now… Here’s why you should come hang out with us on September 25th and October 16th 2016!

The Scanning Event:

At both the Yorkdale and Queen Street locations, guests can start a new registry or add to an existing registry, all while sipping yummy bevvies (from Pelee Island Winery and Steam Whistle) and enjoying delicious snacks! Both locations are pet-friendly, and fur-babies will be treated to special treats from Pawsalicious! All registrants* have the chance to win a weekend getaway courtesy of Marriott Hotels, and will receive a gift from Treelings!

You’ll also get to hang out with us – you know you wanna – we’ll be onsite viewing product demos and covering all of the action!

Interested in Attending?

Good – we want to meet you, too! Click here for your invitation and instructions to RSVP

Important Dates:

September 25th and October 16th at both the Queen Street (176 Yonge Street, Toronto Ontario) and Yorkdale (3401 Dufferin Street, North York Ontario) locations

We can’t wait to Sip, Scan and Celebrate at Hudson’s Bay with you! Leave us a note and tell us which event you’ll be attending!

Xoxo,

The Whimlets

*Please see in-store for further details on contest

Wedding Planners: Necessity or Luxury?

By Tarisha Beniprashad

Not many couples realize how integral hiring a wedding planner can be, until they start trying to plan their big day on their own. Wedding planners are basically there to relieve some (all) of the stress from the soon-to-be newlyweds, and make their dreams come to life. Although many couples do manage to pull their wedding day off without the expertise of a certified wedding planner, there are definitely perks to hiring one. Keep on reading if you’d like to find out some of the merits of having a wedding planner!

What can a wedding planner offer you?

Stress Relief

If this is the first event you’ve planned on your known, chances are you haven’t worked with any of the vendors that you now have the option to hire. Shopping around to various vendors for food, decor, flowers, music, and cake, just to name a few, can take a while. With a wedding planner, they’ve already been around the block a few times, and likely know who would be your best bet, depending on your personal vision and budget. You can save a ton of time at this stage of planning, when you’ve got a wedding planner handy.

On the day of your wedding, we’re assuming that you probably won’t have time to be focused on whether the right chair covers were delivered to the venue, or if the flowers will arrive on time. Most wedding planners offer day-of coordination, which pretty much means they’ll take care of everything on the day of your wedding, so that you don’t have to deal with any mishaps (knock on wood) yourself. Even if you don’t want to spend the cash on a planner from start to beginning, it’s a good idea to think about day-of coordination, for the sake of your own sanity!

Getting what you want!

Wedding planner can come in especially handy if you’re working with a tight deadline. We’re all prone to procrastinating every now and then, but it can become pretty tough to secure a vendor or venue if you wait too long- especially if you’re planning your I do’s during wedding season, as many couples are! With a wedding planner at your side, you’ll likely have a better chance at nabbing some great vendors, even at short notice. Wedding planners usually have relationships with a number of vendors around their city, which can totally be of benefit to you- sometimes your planner can even call in a favor if they really need to!

You’ve probably been dreaming about this day for months, even years. But when it comes down to actually planning it, the harsh reality of real life can sometimes sweep away some of your fantastical ideas. Wedding planners are no stranger when it comes to working with a budget, and can be an amazing source for ideas that’ll make your dream wedding a reality, but won’t break the bank. From DIY’s to finding great deals, your wedding planner will do anything to make your vision come to life!

With all this being said, it’s totally possible to plan and execute your own wedding beautifully. However, wedding planners definitely make it easier on you during the planning process as well as on your big day. It really depends on your creative ability and patience for planning- deciding whether or not you need a wedding planner at your side is a personal decision. We’re sure your wedding will be a stunning affair either way!
Think we left out any important details? Drop us a line and let us know what you think about wedding planners!

Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners and day of coordinators specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!

Summer Bridal Shower Inspiration

By Tarisha Beniprashad

Centerpieces are can be a point of contention when planning a wedding: Big or small? Flowers or none? Artificial or real? The burden of having to come up with a magnificent centerpiece for your wedding day is heavy enough, without having to think about table decor at your bridal shower. Although we prefer to work with professional florists for flawless results on your big day, you can totally DIY your way to some cute centerpieces for your bridal shower. For those of you that that would rather take a simpler route for your bridal shower, we’ve got a few options that don’t take much prep work.

We’ve found some adorable centerpiece ideas that are fast and easy to put together- and don’t worry, not ALL of them are floral. Keep on reading if you’d like some inspiration for quick and easy bridal shower centerpieces!

DIY Bridal Shower Centerpieces

Floral

Hydrangeas are a great option if you want to incorporate fresh flowers into your decor, but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg. Sticking one or two stems in a vase or mason jar can make a small yet full arrangement. You can’t go wrong sticking with a classic white, or you can opt for blue, pink, green, or even purple hydrangeas. Wrap a ribbon around your vase, and you’ve got an adorable centerpiece that took no more than 10 minutes to put together!

Tulips can be found in an array of colors, and are one of those flowers that don’t have to be in abundance to look pretty. Having a few tulips in a small vase, and using the blossom’s natural foliage to fill in the sparse areas can create a tall, elegant centerpiece!

Roses are another great option. Some people automatically think a rose-themed centerpiece would be insanely expensive, but they don’t have to be. Roses are so exquisitely beautiful on their own, and don’t necessarily need to be presented in bouquets to be stunning. Having one short rose placed in a quaint little drinking glass or mason jar can make for a small, very cute centerpiece. This option would be better suited for a more casual event, like a backyard shower. We love this idea- it is the definition of cute and quaint!

 

 

PRO DIY TIP: Tying a piece of ribbon or twine around the outside of your vases/jars would be a super cute addition to any of these options!

 

Non-Floral

Depending on how casual your shower is, you could opt for some fruit on your tables. It’s a fun way to keep the ambiance light and fresh, especially for a summertime wedding. Brightly colored produce like green apples, lemons, oranges, and lime are all fantastic options. By filling a decent sized vase with your desired fruit, you can create a fun and interesting centerpiece. You could even stick a few seasonal flowers in between, as an added embellishment.

Candles are another great option, especially if you aren’t a fan of fresh flowers. Filling either a tall or short vase with colored gravel or beads that match your theme, and adding a candle on top is a simple way to DIY your way to an elegant centerpiece.

Another idea that might suit you if you want to avoid the floral route, is branches. Sounds a little weird and cryptic, we know. But if you go to an art supply store like Michael’s, you can find some artsy faux branches that you can coat with some white spray paint, and turn into a unique centerpiece. This option would be ideal for those of you looking for a taller arrangement for your tables. After sticking your freshly painted (or bare, for a more rustic feel) branches in a vase, you can choose to hang some bling or tea lights from them to amp it up a little.

 

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to options for DIY centerpieces for your bridal shower. Have you seen any awesome DIY centerpieces lately, or created one yourself? Leave us a comment down below and let us know your thoughts on these quick and easy centerpieces!

Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners and day of coordinators specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!

Wedding Invitations: Why so Pricey!?

By Tarisha Beniprashad

Your wedding invitations are the first glance that your guests have of your wedding, and you obviously want to set a tone that screams nothing but fab for your big day. Leaving a good first impression is important, but at what cost?

We’ve given you the inside scoop on why wedding photography and bridal hair and makeup seems so costly, and guess what! We’re keeping up the momentum, and now we’re to tell you a little bit about why wedding stationery can seem so costly. I spoke to our very own wedding stationery genius Michelle, and she’s told me all about why wedding invitations can seem so costly. 

Here are some of the stunning stationery suites Michelle has created for previous clients!

Why are wedding invitations so expensive!?

Truth is, there are a bunch of factors that come into play when considering the price of your invites. These factors can include whether or not you opt for a custom design, different print processes, and the quality of the papered goods that you choose.

Design

If you choose to opt for a custom design as many couples do, there’s a design fee charged to cover the amount of time and love that your designer has to put in, in order to create your dream invitation. This process generally takes anywhere from three days to two weeks, depending on the number of revisions requested by the couple. Michelle takes great care with all of her designs, and makes a conscious effort to get to know each client so that she can create something that’s “unique to their own style and love story.”

Quality & Print Processes

Our simple, single sided invitations and plain white envelopes here at Whim start at $3 an invite, with a minimum quantity of 50. If you’re someone who wants a thicker and heavier cardstock, or even a shimmer cardstock, that would be an additional charge added onto the cost per invite. Color upgrades to your envelopes can also add on to these costs. Upgraded print processes like foil, thermography, and letterpress can also get pretty pricey. If you have no idea what those words even mean, here’s a quick breakdown:

FOIL: THIS METHOD INCLUDES THE APPLICATION OF METALLIC OR PIGMENTED FOIL ONTO YOUR INVITATION. THIS ACHIEVES A BEAUTIFUL METALLIC FINISH ON YOUR FONT OR ACCENTS!
THERMOGRAPHY: WITH THIS TECHNIQUE, HEAT IS USED TO CREATE IMAGES ON PAPER. THIS TYPE OF PRINTING IS IDEAL IF YOU’D LIKE RAISED LETTERING.
invite9
LETTERPRESS: A TYPE OF RELIEF PRINTING, INVITATIONS ARE PRODUCED BY THE REPEATED IMPRESSION OF AN INKED, RAISED SURFACE AGAINST CARDSTOCK. THIS LEAVES AN IMPRESSION OF THE WORDS ON YOUR INVITATION.

Assembly

Adding little embellishments to each of your invitations are another additional charge that you need to consider when thinking about your design and cost of your invitations. Add-ons like ribbons, belly bands, jewels, rhinestones, and buckles can give your invite that extra oomph, but come at a cost. Purchasing these embellishments is only a part of the extra cost- those ribbons don’t tie themselves! Each of our custom invitations here at Whim are handmade; even though this process can be time consuming, it helps us make sure that our couples are receiving the highest quality possible.

Just to give you an approximate estimate of the total amount of time that it takes to design, print, and assemble your invitations, here are some general timeframes: A more simple invitation design takes about 1 month, and more complex designs take around 1.5 months.

We hope that we’ve helped to highlight some reasons surrounding the cost of wedding invitations- like most other things in the event planning industry, there are valid reasons as to why invitations can seem so costly, but actually aren’t. When you consider the time and effort it takes to design, print, and assemble each invitation, the cost of wedding invites seem less and less outrageous.

Huge thank you to Michelle for taking the time out to educate me on cost of wedding invitations! Check out more of her fabulous designs on the official Whim Instagram and Facebook pages.
What’s your take on the cost of wedding invitations? Drop us a line, we want to hear what you think!

Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners and day of coordinators specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!

Bridal Hair and Makeup- Why so Pricey!?

By Tarisha Beniprashad

If you’re a bride planning your wedding, we’re sure you’ve been surprised by some of the quotes you received for bridal hair and makeup. And if you’re not a bride currently planning her wedding… well, we’re sure you’ve heard about the ‘outrageous’ prices. Surprise, surprise, just like most other things in the wedding industry, there are some not-so-obvious reasons behind these ‘pricey’ prices.

But worry not, The Whimlets were fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to speak with Toronto makeup artist Beauty by Sacha, and got the inside scoop on why bridal hair and makeup can seem so costly. If you’d like to find out why bridal hair and makeup is so expensive, just keep on reading!

 

Here is a small sample of some of Beauty by Sacha’s work!

 

 Why is bridal hair and makeup so expensive?

 

Education

Getting certified to be a professional makeup artist is no simple feat. It means making sure you’re able to work with different skin tones and types, as well as with a variety of features. Learning which looks and methods work with different faces takes an incredible about of time and experience. However, these skills comes as a perk to clients! By hiring a certified MUA, you can be sure that they’ll only use techniques and products to flatter and enhance your natural beauty. Dedicated artists are also always perfecting their craft, and keeping up with the latest trends. Sacha, like many other MUA’s, stays educated in her field by attending a number of seminars and workshops yearly to learn about new techniques.

Supplies

If you’re a Sephora enthusiast like we are, you definitely know that a slayed face does NOT come cheap! Maintaining a professional hair and makeup kit that’s suitable for a diverse collection of clients can get extremely pricey. Sacha values her personal kit at over $2500, and we’re sure other MUA’s can relate. Splurging on high-end products helps produce flawless looks, and ensures that the bride will stand out amongst everyone. You’ll definitely want to be glowing, with all eyes on you!

Transportation

Most professional makeup artists provide an in-home service to their brides, and bridesmaids. However, like most things, this convenience comes at a cost. Travelling to client’s homes contributes to the price that your MUA charges you, as they have to take into account the wear and tear of their vehicle, as well as the cost of gas.

Advertising

As an independent artist, it’s important to stand out among the competition- it’s up to them to attract new clients, and build their own client base. Maintaining a website and being able to network with other professionals and vendors in the industry can also be an added expense.

 

Is it really worth it to hire a professional artist?

What do we think? Yes! Of course! Nothing compares to the flawless work of a professional artist… have you seen the pictures of Sacha’s clients!? If you need some more convincing, check out the testimonials on her website- her professionalism and incredible customer service have her clients raving! You definitely can’t go wrong with hiring a professional MUA for your big day.

 

But I’ve found someone who can do it for cheaper than a professional artist…

This can be a tricky subject. It’s important to hire somebody that you trust, and that whose skills you’re confident in. As MUA Sacha pointed out to us, some artists are not certified, which can be a little problematic. Although there are many amazing self-taught artists out there, you want to make sure that your MUA is able to work with your skin tone and type, as well as with your unique features. Just because someone can apply makeup beautifully on themselves, doesn’t mean they can do it on others. Another issue that you may run into with a more inexpensive, un-certified artist is the quality of their products. All in all, make sure that you’re hiring someone that you can trust.

 

Tips when looking for a reputable MUA: Do they have any testimonials? Make sure to read them! Check out their portfolio of recent work, and ask for a trial- Sacha also recommends that you pay attention to their sanitary precautions!

 

As a bride, you’ve probably spent a ton of money, time, and effort planning your big day, and should look your best. You should be able to sit back, relax, and let your professional makeup artist enhance your natural beauty. After splurging on the flowers, decor, and your gown, it’s hard to justify pinching pennies when it comes to hair and makeup. Considering that you’ll be looking back at your pictures for the rest of your life, you’ll want to hire an artist that’ll help you look your absolute best!

We’d like to send a huge thank you to Beauty by Sacha for taking the time to speak with us about her industry. We are amazed by her talent, and encourage you to visit her website and Instagram to check out some of the amazing looks she’s done!

Think we left out any important details? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think about the price of bridal hair and makeup!

xoxo,
The Whimlets

Whim Event Planning and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners and day of coordinators specializing in modern romantic weddings for fun, sweet couples. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!