Wedding Planning during Covid19 (Coronavirus)
Hey y’all, Alisha here, and I wanted to address the ever-changing coronavirus situation that is changing the landscape of wedding season for 2020. Wedding planning during Covid19 is a huge challenge for everyone right now, especially weddings that are coming up within the next few weeks. Due to the highly contagious nature of Coronavirus/Covid19, extra precautions need to be taken, and social distancing is critical.
If your wedding is happening within the next 30-90 days, I bet you’re feeling the stress, and believe me, your vendors are, too! First things first, take a deeeeeep breath. This too shall pass, and there are loads of professionals that want to help you, because we’re all in this together!
Here are a few steps to take to understand what your options are:
1. Review your contracts
Not just during a pandemic, but any time you are considering making a change to a service or product you’ve purchased for your wedding, review your contract to see what your options are. Many vendors already outline a clear cancellation policy or a postponement policy. Review your contracts to see what yours says, and if it isn’t clear, be sure to reach out to your vendors for clarification. Do note that the majority of vendors will gladly transfer your deposit to a new date, but an outright cancellation typically still follows the standard cancellation clause.
2. Contact your venue about contingency planning.
Many venues are operating business as usual until instructed by their local health authority and government to cease operations. In Toronto, all non-essential businesses are closed and all public gatherings over 50 are banned until March 31st 2020. However, this excludes banquet halls for wedding celebrations and funeral gatherings. Therefore, whether or not your event needs to be postponed will be at the discretion of the venue. Most venues that are offering postponements are doing so within 2020 dates with no penalty. Some venues are also allowing clients to lower their minimum guest count in case they have many guests that can no longer attend. That said, popular venues will run out of dates very quickly, so it is important to make the decision quickly and reach out as soon as you can.
3. Cancellation Insurance
If you purchased cancellation insurance, reach out to your provider immediately to understand what your options are and what is covered. However, if you are interested in purchasing it now, be clear about your questions regarding Covid 19 because many insurers are no longer issuing policies with coverage regarding coronavirus.
4. Destination Weddings
Due to the high number of travel restrictions in place around the world, it is very likely that you will need to cancel your destination wedding or postpone for a later date. Reach out to your planner or your destination contact and explore your options, and inform your guests ASAP so they can adjust their travel plans/cancel their reservations.
5. If your wedding is happening in a few months..
Take a step back and breathe. Don’t panic! You still have time, and continue to monitor official sources for information on how the pandemic is affecting your community. You can also follow the steps above in reaching out to your venues and vendors just to get an assessment of how they are planning to proceed in the coming months and how this may potentially affect your wedding date. That being said, you may want to continue locking down your favourite vendors sooner than later because everyone those who are rescheduling will now be looking at the same pool of vendors. Wedding planning during Covid19 and the immediate aftermath will be tricky, but there are lots of resources out there (like wedding planners) that can offer some strong guidance!
Some final thoughts
Stay safe and stay healthy. Practice social distancing and please, please stay calm. Like I said earlier, this too shall pass, and what a story for your grandkids! Please note that we will be updating this article as new information becomes available. Contact us today if you have any wedding planning questions or are ready to get started on your dream day!
- Published in Wedding Planner Tips
Writing the BEST Wedding Speech Ever!
Writing a wedding speech can be tricky, even more so if you’re hastily scribbling down notes into your phone. Or onto a cocktail napkin after you’ve knocked back a few. Too often we see couples waiting until the last second to write their wedding speech, and then stressing over it. Fear not, though, for your friendly neighbourhood Whimlets have you covered with..
Wedding Speech Tips to WOW Your Guests!
The anatomy of a wedding speech is pretty simple – you are basically thanking folks for their contribution to your upbringing, well being and wedding planning. The order that you can do this in varies, but here’s pretty simple format:
- Guests that travelled a long way to be at the wedding
- All of your guests for attending and being with you on this special day
- Your bridal party and attendants for assisting before and during the wedding
- Your vendors (optional) if they’ve gone above and beyond for you
- Those that could not be with you and are dearly missed
- Your new in-laws
- Your immediate family and parents
Next up, you’ll want to turn your attention to your new spouse and speak a bit about your relationship. Telling a sweet or funny anecdote about your relationship is a great way to start. For example, you can talk about how you met if it’s one of those sweet meet-cute stories. Or you can tell the origins of a funny inside joke between the two of you. Or your adventures and misadventures during wedding planning.
Finally, end by thanking your new spouse. You can do this a number of different ways, like talking about your joy at finally being married, or how much the day has meant to you, and your dreams for the future.
Here are a few best practices as you start to get your thoughts together for your wedding speech:
- Write your speech down. Seriously – don’t try to wing it unless you’re a professional public speaker. Even they have notes!
- Try not to get completely sloshed before you give your speech
- Keep it classy – embarrassing your new spouse or bridal party isn’t a nice way to end your program. It’s probably not a great way to start a marriage, either.
- Try not to give a super long speech. Your guests have been sitting for a while at this point so it’s a great idea to keep it under 5-7 minutes (we allocate 3-5 for everyone else!).
What are your best tips for writing a killer wedding speech? Drop us a line – we want to hear from you!
Events by Whim is a team of Toronto Wedding Planners committed to creating intimate and elegant celebrations for Toronto’s discerning couples. Contact us today if you have any wedding planning questions or are ready to get started on your dream day!
- Published in 2019, Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
5 Ways to Have a Charitable Wedding
I bet you’re here because you are interested in having a (partially) charitable wedding.
Huzzah! Kudos to you!
The Whimlets are passionate about giving back and staying grounded and mindful at every stage of life. This is especially important during wedding planning. It’s so easy to get tied up in the larger than life razzle dazzle that come with modern weddings. We urge you to consider giving back a little and have a few tips that will make it super easy and fulfilling!
Host your wedding at a non-profit venue
If you are in a major city, a great way to give back to your community is to host your wedding and pre-wedding events in not-for-profit spaces. These spaces often support the local arts and other honourable causes. This way, the largest part of your budget will be spent supporting important causes in your community. Recently, our team had the pleasure of planning a wedding at The Design Exchange in Toronto, which used to be the old Toronto Stock Exchange building, and is now a patron of the arts.
Skip favours for donations
Wedding favours are fun and all, but how often are they just stuck in a drawer and forgotten about, or even worse, forgotten at the wedding and ultimately thrown away? We say skip the fluff and put your dollars toward helping other people. There are tons of charities both locally and internationally that need your help. For extra style points, consider asking your stationer or calligrapher to write up a cute note for each place setting that works with your theme letting your guests know that you’ve made a donation in celebration of your big day. Chances are your guests will love the gesture and not miss the favour at all!
Donate flowers to nursing homes or hospitals
A growing trend we LOVE and are 100% on board with are groups that come to your venue and collect centrepieces and arrangements leftover after the wedding festivities and deliver them to nursing homes and hospitals. Don’t you love the idea of your centrepieces doing double duty of wowing your guests and warming the heart of someone who could use a pick me up? If you’re in the Greater Toronto Area, check out the Violet Heart Project. This group of good guys take on all of the work and make sure that your arrangements go to those that need them,
Donate that dress
While not every bride is into the idea of buying a gently used gown, you can totally still make weddings more accessible and support a great cause by donating your own dress after your big day. More and more brides are opting for this option, and almost every major city has a shop that caters to this. In Toronto, you can check out The Bride’s Project, which donates proceeds from every single dress sale to cancer research. They also have pretty banging gown options for brides on the hunt for a great deal!
Add a volunteering component to your bachelorette/bachelor party and give back to your community
Not everyone is into getting sloshed and singing off-key karaoke (or whatever else you get up to), but even if you are, there are plenty of ways to give back a little while still having a blast with your besties. We suggest contacting local soup kitchens, food banks, or even do a charitable sporting event to raise funds for your favourite causes. We don’t see why giving back can’t also include celebratory drinks afterwards!
A few final thoughts…
Staying grounded and mindful is the best way to enjoy your festivities and walk into married life with the best possible mindset. Consider kicking off the next chapter of your life by hosting a charitable wedding and giving back to those who may not have as much as you. Even if your budget is stretched thin, there is a way to have a charitable wedding!
Events by Whim is a team of Toronto Wedding Planners committed to creating intimate and elegant celebrations for Toronto’s discerning couples. Contact us today if you have any wedding planning questions or are ready to get started on your dream day!
- Published in Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
5 Tips for Negotiating with Wedding Vendors
A lot of couples have a big time misconception about wedding planning and negotiating with wedding vendors, and I want to share some tips about how to artfully and tactfully discuss pricing with your vendors. Almost every wedding vendor I know is a small business that has a family to feed, pays taxes and works hard to make magic happen for their clients. Truthfully I don’t know many of them that enjoy being asked to lower their rates, as it devalues the hard work that they put into every event that they work on.
My job as a wedding planner is not to bargain with vendors on pricing. My job as a planner is to educate my couples on the range of costs for the wedding services they need to book, and to help them find vendors that fall within their price point. My role is to also help with creative methods of making the most of their budget.
That being said, I’ve had many couples that have asked me to push for bargains and discounts, and so I’m sharing five tips for how to artfully negotiate while maintaining a great relationship with your vendors.
Do your homework about a vendor’s services before meeting them
It doesn’t make any sense to meet with a vendor who is out of your budget, no matter how much you love them. Be sure to request preliminary pricing with your vendors before meeting with them – especially for service-based businesses. While you may be willing to stretch your budget a bit for a vendor you really love, if they are thousands above your price point, it will save you both time to nix the meeting before it happens.
Be up front with your budget for that vendor’s services
A lot of couples are wary of this questions when vendors ask, and there is a misconception that vendors ask about budget so they can max it out. This simply isn’t true of any ethical vendor. The reason that vendors ask about budget is so they can qualify whether or not they can serve you best, and oftentimes, in the case of product-based businesses, to customize a design that suits your wedding AND your budget.
Ask for custom packages to suit your budget
Speaking of custom quotes, it’s a great idea to ask for customized packages that may suit your wedding better than the standard packages offered by a vendor. For example, if a photographer’s wedding package offers 12 hours of service, but you need 8-10, ask if there is a custom option available that suits the number of hours you need.
Consider requesting a freebie rather than an outright discount
In the example above, I mentioned asking the photographer for a custom package to suit a lower number of hours of wedding day coverage. A great approach would be to ask the photographer to throw in an engagement session, and lower the number of hours, rather than asking the photographer for discounted services.
Many vendors are much more willing to offer a freebie than an outright discount to their pricing. Negotiating on points like albums for photographers, stand rentals for wedding cake vendors, a toss bouquet from a florist, or extra decor for invitation suites from a stationery vendor are a better way to enhance your existing services without devaluing the work of the vendor.
Be polite in your dealings
I cannot stress this point enough. Many wedding vendors get multiple requests for any given wedding date, so approaching with a less-than-polite attitude may result in that vendor not even wanting to chat with you. While wedding vendors are business owners, the vast majority of them are well-intentioned people who want to show up and serve their couples well, and being rude will only result in them refusing your wedding outright. Be prepared for some vendors to be unwilling to negotiate on the pricing for their services – if you push the issue, you may damage your relationship with that vendor.
Finally…
Budget can be a touchy issue while wedding planning, and it can be tempting to want to push for discounts with every vendor. Bear in mind the tips above, and remember that a vendor who feels valued by their clients will likely go far above and beyond to ensure that the wedding is a smashing success, and a vendor who does not feel valued will do the bear minimum that the contract stipulates. Did we miss an important tip for negotiating with wedding vendors? Drop us a line and let us know!
Events by Whim is a team of Toronto Wedding Planners committed to creating intimate and elegant celebrations for Toronto’s discerning couples. Contact us today if you have any wedding planning questions or are ready to get started on your dream day!
- Published in Vendors, Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Wedding Glossary – Toronto Wedding Planner
THERE ARE WAAAY TOO MANY WEDDING INDUSTRY WORDS, TERMS AND ACRONYMS, AM I RIGHT?!
Aisle Runner: fabric or other decor that runs the length of the aisle
A-Line: a dress shape that has a fitted bodice and a slightly flared skirt starting from the waist
Appliqué: a french word that means ‘applied’ and in the wedding industry refers to decorating fabric by applying and layering other cut pieces of fabric over it
Arbor: a group of branches or latticework that forms an archway for a bride and groom to stand beneath during their wedding ceremony.
AV: refers to audio/visual – most venues require you to work with an AV vendor to determine your sound and lighting requirements. Often work hand in hand with a DJ.
Ball gown: a tight, fitted bodice and definite waistline with gathered or pleated full skirt.
Ballet: a veil that falls somewhere between the knee and the ankle. Also known as a Waltz veil
BEO: Banquet Event Order – this is the document that outlines your final selections for food, drink and service times with your reception venue. This powerful doc will determine your service for your reception and must be signed off by the venue and the couple
Bentwood Chair: a popular option associated with laid-back, effortless elegance
Birdcage veil: skims the face and head, never falling below the chin
Black Tie: A formal dress code that calls for tuxedos and evening gowns
- Published in 2019, Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Venue Spotlight: Crystal Ballroom in the Omni King Edward Hotel
There are few venues with the sheer opulence and grandeur of the Crystal Ballroom in the Omni King Edward Hotel.
Dubbed the first luxury hotel in Toronto, its history of hospitality is unparalleled, much like the Crystal Ballroom itself. Every space in the Omni King Edward drips with style, but the newly reopened Crystal Ballroom is truly a space like no other. If you are interested in reserving the Crystal Ballroom for your function, it is important to note that the venue is considered one of the most-sought after spaces, and should be booked well in advance of your wedding or event.
The beautiful space underwent a $6.5 million renovation to restore the ballroom to its former state, with many modern touches, like the chandeliers and state of the art AV system. The history of the space is impressive, dating back to the 1920s with some of the most high profile events in the city happening in this decadent space.
My favourite features of the Crystal Ballroom are the floor to ceiling windows that wash the room in bright, sunny light, which make for stunning wedding photos. The space is approximately 5,000 square feet, and so can host gala-sized events easily. I also love that the space is completely private from the rest of the hotel. The hospitality team is amongst the best in the city, and the history of the Crystal Ballroom is both extensive and interesting, a fine talking point for guests. Fine art wedding enthusiasts, designers and anyone who is a fan of urbane, romantic space will want to check out the Crystal Ballroom as soon as possible!
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 who are madly in love. Get in touch with us today to start planning your dream day!
- Published in 2019, Vendor spotlight, Venues, Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Date Night Ideas for Engaged Couples in Toronto
Wedding planning is a lot of fun, but can also be an all-consuming amorphous blob that takes over every aspect of your life. This can take a serious toll on your relationships, especially with your spouse-to-be. Since we’ve seen it all when it comes to pre-marital drama and heartache, we want to help you alleviate a bit of that by sharing great date night ideas to check out while you’re wedding planning. Bonus points if you avoid all wedding talk on your date night!
- Get crafty and make something special together
YayMaker, formerly known as Paint Night, is a fun way to spend an evening creating with your sweetie.
With locations across the GTA, you’ll have a ton of options when it comes to location and what you’ll be making. Options include painting on canvas or glass, planting terrariums and designing custom wooden signs! Soon there will even be an option for candle making and floral arrangement, too! This’ll be especially handy for you crafty DIY brides out there! If you decide to check out a YayMaker experience, use code ‘yaymaking’ to grab a discount especially for you!
- Check out a chocolate-making workshop!
Check out a fun workshop like those offered by Chocolate Tales.
These are great for beginners or those with a more advanced level of chocolate knowledge. You’ll get to roll up your sleeves and get very hands-on in a 90 minute session that will teach you how to make your own gourmet chocolate treats.
- Explore a park and have a picnic
This is an easy, low-cost option that can be done at the drop of a hat. My husband and I keep a blanket and basket in our trunk in the summer and if the mood strikes, we grab a few snacks and hit the road for the prettiest park we can find. Consider exploring High Park, which is so walkable, has tons of picnic spots and lots of animals to meet with. Very instagrammable, too!
- Take a cooking class
This is a personal favourite of mine. Married life, for us, consists of lots of cooking, and one of our favourite date nights is still to crack a bottle of wine and tackle a new recipe together. We rotate on who plays sous-chef but in the end, we have a lot of laughs and a delicious new dish to try out. We’ve only had minimal kitchen disasters 🙂
While it may be very tempting to cut back on date night during your year or two of wedding planning, consider adding a few options to your schedule to keep your stress levels low. Your engagement is a beautiful time to continue to deepen on your bond as a couple, and the saddest thing we see happen is when couples neglect their own bond and get too wrapped up in their wedding. The wedding will be for a day or two, but your marriage is for life! Keep those fires burning bright and prioritize your relationship all the time! What are some of your favourite date night options? Drop us a line 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!
- Published in 2019, Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Wedding Photography Styles
We Whimlets enjoy taking the time to educate our couples and readers alike on different aspects of wedding planning.
Today’s topic is Wedding Photography.
Wedding & Lifestyle Photographer Tom Wang captured this lovely shot from our 2017 team shoot!
Two questions that drive me crazy are ‘How much does a wedding photographer cost?’ and ‘Who is a good wedding photographer?’ It’s not that I don’t know the range of wedding photography costs or know of amazing photogs – the answer really is ‘it depends.’
What does it depend on? Well, you!
Photography is so insanely personal – wedding photography even more so! I think it’s much more important to nail down your wedding vision and thematic style before launching into the vendor search. You definitely want a wedding photographer who is experienced with your particular style and will capture your details accordingly.
For example, in the above team photo of the Whimlets, we wanted our shoot to be light, airy and full of fun. After working with Tom a few times, we knew that everyone would be very comfortable shooting with him and that natural fun would shine through in our photos. Tom has that innate ability to make people laugh and is super laid back, which always helps if you’re feeling a bit camera shy. His style is also modern and romantic, which works well for our company branding.
Candid moments during Ryan and Alycia’s wedding reception captured by Muse Moi Studios
Based on this logic, it wouldn’t make sense to book a photographer who specializes in modern, moody photography to shoot a fine-art designed wedding or vice versa. Think strongly about the style of wedding you want to have, and the venue you’re booking. If you want dramatic photos, a space chock full of natural light may not be the best choice.
Our friends over at Here Comes The Guide have put together an awesome guide and glossary defining important terms about wedding photography, so you can feel confident going into those vendor meetings!
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!
- Published in 2018, Vendors, Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
7 Things That Drive Wedding Cost
Today on the blog we’re addressing a common question that we are asked on almost a daily basis. The first question we get from most couples is “How much do weddings cost?”
You’re going to be a bit mad at me for this answer, but..
It Depends.
There, I said it. A wedding can cost as little as the cost of the marriage license (averaging about $140.00 CAD in Toronto area) and the cost of an officiant (averaging $400-600 CAD in the Toronto area). Technically that plus two witnesses is all you need to get married. However, you probably wouldn’t be here on this post if that’s all you are looking for in a wedding day. In that case, we’ve broken down the major driving factors of wedding cost in Toronto.
What drives wedding cost?
Guest Count
Probably the biggest factor that drives wedding cost is your guest count. The number of guests you have will dictate the size of space you need as well as the number of tables, chairs, table rentals, invitation suites, favours, and the list goes on. If you can have an intimate wedding rather than a massive gala, you’re likely to save on a whole host of costs.
Venues
The Design Exchange, a beautiful historic space in downtown Toronto. Tara Lilly Photography.The next biggest factor is your venue – are you looking at a chic downtown ballroom, a historic estate or perhaps a stylish art gallery or museum? Whichever way you go, there are specific costs associated with any choice. For example, some downtown venues require a landmark fee and you’ll need to pay for parking for your guests. Typically a non-traditional venue like an art gallery or museum will not offer in-house catering, but will require you to use one of their preferred caterers. Other expenses to consider with a non-traditional space is the cost of rentals like tables, linens, chairs and place settings.
The Design Exchange, a beautiful historic venue in downtown Toronto. Tara Lilly Photography.
Decor and Design Style
What’s your design style? Are you a minimalist and into plenty of white space and candlelight? Do you love lush florals and over the top draping and lighting? Either way, your design style will have a significant impact on your budget. A few tips to keep the costs down – go for in-season blooms with plenty of greens on your guest tables and reserve any over-the-top larger florals for the head table and family tables.
Quality and Experience of Vendors
Who is on your wedding squad? There are literally tonnes of wedding vendors in the Greater Toronto Area, and as such, you have your pick of vendors at almost every price point. You may be able to score some great deals with newer vendors seeking to establish themselves in this very busy industry. That said, always remember that you get what you pay for, and sometimes if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Time of Year
It is well known that wedding season peaks in Toronto from May until September, and venue pricing reflects this. If you have any flexibility with hosting your wedding during the off season, you’ll find that many venues offer incentive pricing for this period. That being said, there is always intense competition at very popular venues, so booking early is your best bet to secure optimal pricing while locking in your preferred date.
Winter weddings are absolutely gorgeous and a great way to have it all while controlling wedding costs. Jessica Rose Photography
Day of the Week
If you can’t avoid a summer wedding, you could look at an alternate day during the week apart from Saturday. Many venues offer better pricing here, and it may also help influence the size of your guest list as well.
Time of Day
Lastly, hosting a luncheon wedding reception rather than a full dinner can seriously influence your overall budget as well. Typically a luncheon will have a lighter meal or even a buffet or cocktail style, and the bar is typically limited to a few cocktails and/or wine.
So there you have it – the 7 things that drive wedding cost! We’re confident that you can have the most beautiful wedding day ever as long as you keep these items in mind when planning your budget!
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!
- Published in 2018, Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning
The Pregnant Wedding Planner – Confessions From the Trenches
by Alisha Chadee
What an amazing year 2017 has been, and we still have lots to go! This year I saw Whim take on more weddings and corporate events than ever, with a stronger focus on ideal type clients. We did a complete brand relaunch late last year, and the results have been spectacular! We collaborated with amazing friendors, and made a bunch of new ones! I personally had a huge change in my personal life, too! After two and a half blissful years of marriage, my husband and I discovered that we are expecting our first little human! We’ve affectionately dubbed our little nugget ‘Pooklet’ and we’ve had many adventures with our unborn son this summer! He’ll make his debut in October, and we’re all eagerly awaiting his arrival, as he’s the first grandkid on both sides of the family, so it’s like I’m carrying the Messiah in my womb right now. No pressure or anything :).
Speaking of adventures, being a full time wedding planner, business owner and all-around girl-boss is challenging on its own, but adding the unexpected and hard-to-predict symptoms of pregnancy made this year a whole new ball game for me. As a pregnant wedding planner, I had to really change the way my days flowed, especially wedding days. My typical wedding days can be anywhere from 8-14 hours – averaging out at about 12 hours or so. Fighting through nausea, fatigue and coping with an expanding waistline meant that I had to change my approach to pretty much everything. Lucky me, since I pretty much just figured it out last season LOL! However, I’ve made it through the busiest part of our season, and I have a few tips to share with those of you out there who might be in the same situation now or soon!
Be Real With Yourself & Your Clients
I disclosed my pregnancy pretty quickly to my clients, but when you do so is totally up to you and your comfort level with sharing the news. I found out I was expecting in February, and we shared the news in April. My wedding season had started in February (I found out the day after our first wedding), and I had quite a full calendar in May so I let those couples know that I was expecting by April. I let them know that this wouldn’t affect my ability to finish planning their weddings or my availability on the day of. That said, I did let them know that I would be bringing on extra help for any lifting or running around that might need to get done because I was fighting serious fatigue in my first trimester. Having that discussion early on helped to manage expectations, and helped my team have contingency plans in place for each of our weddings going forward. This also led to a fabulous expansion of our team with Ilina and Sylwia coming on board! This put my mind at ease because any events for later in the year now had full coverage and all of our clients were happy with the solutions we offered.
Stay Hydrated & Keep Snacks on Hand
This is super important, especially if you’re fighting through that first trimester. I learned very quickly that morning sickness isn’t confined to the morning, and it hits like a bat out of hell with little to no warning at all. The telltale symptom for me was a deep and gnawing hunger pang that came almost out of nowhere, and I knew if I didn’t eat within 5 minutes, I’d be really sick. After one unfortunate incident in a Tim Horton’s drive through, I learned to keep water and snacks everywhere, from in my office to in my car to in my emergency kit and purse. Granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, dry cereal, cookies.. pretty much anything that I could access quickly. As lovely as it would have been to completely ride out my morning sickness in the comfy confines of my bed (I was sick for about 12 weeks straight from week 10 to week 22 or so), that just wasn’t realistic, as I had tons of events to prepare for, meetings to go to and clients to wow. Yet throwing up in the middle of a meeting because I hadn’t prepared properly also wasn’t an option. Also that’s just gross.
Gear Up, Take Breaks & Delegate, Delegate, Delegate!
Any wedding planner worth their salt will tell you that comfortable low-heeled or flat shoes are an absolute must to get through the long hours of a wedding day. If not, you’ll be rocking a serious party hunch the next day if you can walk at all! This is doubly true as a pregnant wedding planner! Invest in a pair of orthotics or other well fitting and well-supporting shoes because your body is already doing a heck of a lot without the added strain of no arch support! I also found it useful to invest in a few dresses/pantsuits that accommodated my ever-expanding waistline and kept me feeling light and comfy throughout the day. Depending on the stage you’re at, you may not even need maternity dresses specifically – just flowy dresses and tops could do the trick! Lastly, the hardest but by far the most important lesson for me was to trust my team and delegate more than ever. We created task lists for our assistants and on the day of, if I needed a minute, I delegated duties to my assistant(s) to take the load off of me a bit so I could rest or sit down as needed.
Honestly, Whim has amazing couples and each and every one of them felt super invested in my pregnancy and made the experience beautiful for me. It’s so lovely working with all of our brides and grooms and I felt so well taken care of by every venue I worked at! Between my couples, my team and our venues, little Baby C has been living the good life while mama put in work! With a little bit of preparation beforehand, you too can get through a busy wedding season while growing a human! Leave me a comment below and let me know what it was like for you getting through a busy wedding season while expecting!
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!
- Published in 2017, Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning