Month-Of Coordination: What Is It and Do I Need It?
Month-Of Coordination is for (almost) everyone.
Why do couples book month-of coordination? Usually these are couples who genuinely enjoy planning and are on top of their details, but want to relax and enjoy their wedding weekend. They want to avoid having to follow up with vendors all day. They want to avoid worrying about setting up small items or coordinating a rehearsal. Our month-of clients are usually professional couples that really want to interact with their guests and enjoy the details and fun aspects of the wedding that they’ve spent months and sometimes years planning.
When a couple books a month-of planner, they typically continue on with their wedding planning until approximately 4-6 weeks prior to the wedding. At this point, the planner and the couple meet and discuss the details of the wedding, and go over timelines, contracts and expectations to get a feel for how the day should play out. The planner also does a final walkthrough of the venue and confirms timings and requirements with all vendors. That sounds wonderful – but how does a client get from their engagement to this point? It can all be very overwhelming.
In order to make the planning experience a smooth one for our month-of coordination clients, we have put together a handy and stylish…..
Isn’t it pretty? This resource package includes:
– Planning Checklist
– Budget Template
– Recommended Vendor List
– Guest List Template
– Etiquette Guide for Addressing Wedding Invitations
– Marriage License Instruction Sheet
– Vendor Contact Sheet Template
– Wedding Day Timeline Template
Why do our clients love this? It gives them the tools they need to efficiently plan their wedding and stay organized. Our clients have full control over the planning of their wedding and we step in closer to the wedding date and ensure that all of this hard work is executed flawlessly.
Why do we love it? We recognize that stepping into an event mid-way can be challenging for the couple, the vendors and of course for the planners. After planning and coordinating several weddings, we realized having that there are benefits to having these resources available from the onset of the planning process. In fact, our couples felt better educated and fully equipped to put together a fabulous wedding. It also helped us step into the wedding midway with the confidence of knowing that our couples used resources and guides that we’ve used time and time again.
Do you want to relax with your friends and family on your wedding day? Contact us today to learn more about our Month-Of Coordination package and how you can benefit from our Client Resource Package!
- Published in 2015, Vendors, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Sinfully Sweet by Sonia J – Vendor Spotlight
Meet Sinfully Sweet by Sonia J
Today on the blog we are featuring one of our favourite cake vendors – Sinfully Sweet by Sonia J. Sonia makes the most delectable cakes, and they are a treat for the eyes, too! We’ve used her services for our clients and even for our own personal use, too :). We’re sure you’d love to get to know her and her lovely designs better, so read through our interview, and check out her social media links below. Enjoy!
www.purplecanvasphotography.com by Alishba | – Sinfully Sweet by Sonia @ OHM Wedding Show 2015
2. Tell us about your very first wedding gig?
www.purplecanvasphotography.com by Alishba | – Sinfully Sweet by Sonia @ OHM Wedding Show 2015
www.purplecanvasphotography.com by Alishba | – Sinfully Sweet by Sonia @ OHM Wedding Show 2015
6. What’s something you don’t think many people know about doing what you do?
Gorgeous pink cake designed by Sonia!
- Published in 2015, Vendor spotlight, Vendors, Wedding, Wedding TIps
Royal Canadian Yacht Club – Venue Spotlight
The Royal Canadian Yacht Club hosted a Wedding Planners Banquet
Michelle and I were invited to attend the Royal Canadian Yacht Club’s wedding planner’s banquet on Monday September 21st 2015 on the Toronto Island. It was a great opportunity for us to get to know a venue we haven’t visited before. We arrived by ferry from the Cherry Street port, and were delighted to see the view of the Toronto skyline on the way to the yacht club. [insert skyline view photo?] The Royal Canadian Yacht Club arranges private ferry transport for wedding guests. There is also regular ferry access back to the parking area for those who wish to leave before festivities are at an end. There are over 300 parking spots, and the walk from the docking area to the manor house is short and easy to navigate for all guests, even those with mobility issues.
The Royal Canadian Yacht Club is a beautiful old building – it looks more like a manor house or mansion. The front, side and back lawns are beautifully manicured with gardens and large old trees. There are a few spots on the lawns that make lovely wedding ceremony spots with the manor house in the background and the water and skyline in the foreground.
View from the beautiful lawns of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club
Once we entered the reception, we were served yummy prosecco cocktails with raspberries, sangria and other lovely cocktails at their generous open bar. We were also treated to several delicious appetizers that left us wanting more! Any couple who values great food for their wedding would certainly enjoy the selection.
We were treated to Malpeque oysters with fresh horseradish and vinaigrette, lobster bisque with crème fraîche served in chic white spoons, beef tartare with breadcrumbs and egg yolk, seared tuna, beets with goat cheese, and an assortment of pastries, macarons and chocolates for dessert.
Prosecco cocktails at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club
We had the opportunity to view the wedding hall, with its lovely high ceilings and elegant nautical feel. We viewed the incredible bridal suite – perfect for getting ready with the bridesmaids on the day of the wedding. We really loved that the Royal Canadian Yacht Club boasts something that few venues do – the ability to have it all: great food, a stunning venue, both waterfront and garden photo opportunities and indoor and outdoor ceremony spaces. We also love that the space is so naturally pretty that minimal décor is required.
As we left on the ferry to head back to mainland, we couldn’t help but dream of coordinating a wedding there next season! We can’t wait to go back! A very special and heartfelt thank you to the staff at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club – we had a great time and we are excited to work with you in the future!
To learn more about this venue or any of Toronto and the surrounding GTA’s finest wedding spots, contact us today!
A Guide to Selecting the Perfect Wedding DJ
Wedding DJs: Who Needs ‘Em? Answer: Probably you.
A great wedding DJ keeps the crowd on the dance floor all night long!
Today on the blog we wanted to talk about wedding entertainment; specifically wedding DJs. We’ll chat more about wedding bands and other forms of entertainment in different blog posts in the future. People tend to have strong ideas on the importance of the wedding DJ and how much of the budget should be allocated toward this service. We are here to tell you that having a great, professional and experienced wedding DJ is very important!
Toronto wedding DJ Ryan Ally of Alley Entertainment had this crowd jumping!
Music plays a huge part in setting the mood of your event. If your plan is to have an iPhone connected to a set of speakers that tells me, as a planner, that dancing isn’t an important aspect of your wedding. That is totally fine, but if you want to ensure that your guests spend a lot of time on the dance floor, a different approach is needed, and you may want to consider hiring a qualified wedding DJ. A great wedding DJ will do more than play one song after another – they take the time to discuss musical tastes and preferences and the mood that their clients want to set at the wedding reception. Some couples want a club atmosphere at their reception, and some couples are looking for very specific genres. A great wedding DJ will have experience with reading the crowd at the wedding, and will know when to switch the sound up to get the crowd amped up– and will also know when to censor music so as not to offend your guests. Most importantly, a great wedding DJ will keep your crowd dancing the night away, and everyone will walk away with wonderful memories and sore feet!
In order to help you ensure that you are selecting a great wedding DJ, we’ve put together a list of questions to ask when you are conducting your interviews. Enjoy!
10 Questions to Ask Prospective Wedding DJs
- How long have you been in business?
- How many weddings have you played at?
- What is included in your wedding packages, and what are the rates?
- Do you own your own equipment or do you rent it? What type of equipment do you use?
- Do you provide MC services?
- How extensive is your library? Do you have [insert specific genre here]? Do you have experience DJing [insert specific cultural] weddings?
- Can we give you a ‘do not play’ list that you will follow, even if a guest requests one of the songs on that list?
- Do you lead any centerpiece or ice breaker games?
- We need help picking songs for first dances, mother-son, father-daughter, etc. Can you help with that?
- Can you adhere to business casual attire for the event?
We are confident that by asking the above questions, you will be able to find the best wedding DJ for your wedding and your guests will dance the night away!
If you need assistance with finding the perfect wedding DJ, get in touch with us! We’d be happy to show you how we can help!
- Published in Uncategorized
Vendor Spotlight: Leccare Lollipops!
Leccare Lollipops make a great wedding favour!
Every so often we like to feature vendors who offer services and products that we just love! Recently we connected with Leccare Lollipops, and we fell in love with their brightly coloured and super tasty lollipop treats! We think you’ll love them too, so read on to find out more about this awesome company!1. How did you get into live wedding favours? What initiallypiqued your interest?
It was just the natural progression. I was a wedding photographer in a past life. After attending many weddings I always hated taking shots of the food. There was nothing that really popped other than the cakes. When I started making lollipops I knew that they had to be visually striking and taste phenomenal to boot.
2. Tell us about your first wedding gig?
It was for a friend almost 4 years ago. It was simple, but unique. When I saw the patrons photographing the lollipops instead of selfies and the crowd I knew I had hit on something.
3. If you weren’t into wedding favours, what would you be doing instead?
I would probably be working on graphic design and wedding invitations. I love working with brides &
grooms, creating something unique and one of a kind. I am lucky enough to include this with the lollipops so I get the best of both worlds. Leccare lollipops
4. When you’re not making sweet treats, what could we find you doing?
Reading, Shopping farmers markets. Trying to come up with new flavor combinations that are slightly off the wall. I can never sit still. It always turns back to the business.
5. What’s your absolute favourite thing about making beautiful and tasty lollipops?
The reviews. I love hearing how wives hide them from their husbands, and vise versa. I have parents that eat gifts they got for their kids. Knowing that someone out there is enjoying one of our lollies and bringing a smile to their face. Even for part of the day 🙂
6. What’s something you don’t think many people know about creating what you do?
I don’t write down any recipes. They are all in my head. All 80 flavors. I use scent instead of taste to know when I hit the mark. ( then give it a quick taste just to make sure! )
7. What are some of your other passions (or hobbies)?
I love knitting, never have enough time. I really love the idea of handmade. Knowing someone loves something that I put love into. Photography – kids are my favorite subjects. They have this way about
them. Makes you feel like you are looking into another world.
Leccare Lollipops is social! Get to know them better and say hello:
Etsy | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
leccare lollipops
- Published in Vendor spotlight, Vendors