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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
- Published in 2017, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
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.
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!
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!
- Published in 2016, Corporate, Wedding, Wedding Planning
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!
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!
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!
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
Events by Whim 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 Planning, Wedding TIps
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
- Published in 2016, Vendor spotlight, Wedding Planning
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!
- Published in 2016, Budget, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
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:
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!
- Published in 2016, Budget, GTA, Wedding, Wedding Planning
Live Music Options for your Wedding Ceremony
By Tarisha Beniprashad
For some, the wedding reception is the main event of all their wedding festivities, but we’re strong believers that your ceremony should be the highlight. Vowing your love and life to your SO in front of your friends and family is a significant and beautiful affair, and should be decorated as such! Hiring a live musician or vocalist is a fantastic way to accentuate the elegance of your ceremony. We’ve compiled a list (you know us Whimlets love lists) of some live music options that we think would give your ceremony an extra flair! Keep on reading if you’d like some…
Live music options for your wedding ceremony!
Pianist
As long as there’s a piano at your venue, it’s tough to compete with this classic sound. There are
some incredible pianists in the GTA like Liz Craig who can play practically anything, making this a versatile option for any ceremony.
Harpist
If your venue’s got the space to accommodate the instrument and you really want to up the elegance factor, a harpist is the way to go. Whether your harpist is an angel or not, we guarantee a harp will sound angelic at your ceremony! Joanna Jordan is a fantastic harpist based in Toronto, and would definitely emphasize the grandeur of your vows.
Violinist
A violinist is an ideal option for almost any wedding. Your violinist can play songs and adjust their sound to suit the tone of your ceremony, whether its a backyard affair, or a black tie event. We’re big fans of Jill Daley’s versatile sound.
Organist
Organs are usually hidden out of sight and most commonly found in churches, so you’ll probably have a more formal ceremony if you’re opting to have the sounds of the organ grace the ears of your guests before your ceremony. You can’t go wrong with this traditional sound!
Vocalist
What’s more romantic than walking towards your groom to the sweet lyrics of your special song? Nothing, that’s what. Susan Dunstan is an amazing singer, and we’re sure she’d moisten some eyes before you even walk down the aisle!
Ensemble
You probably won’t opt for a full out wedding band for your ceremony, but a small ensemble or even a quartet would be a lovely option to orchestrate your processional. We’re big fans of violin and cello duets; check out Walla Music for some heavenly ensembles, and samples of their work!
Band
Hiring a versatile band is another great option if you’d like to incorporate live music into your ceremony. From a graceful ceremony duo to a full dance band at your reception, groups like Brent Miller Live can entertain your guests throughout the days events! We had the privilege of hearing this band live at the 2016 WPIC kick off at The Forth, and we can personally assure you they’ve got an amazing sound!
This list ins’t exhaustive, but we hope that we’ve helped you out a little when contemplating your options when it come to live music at your wedding ceremony. You can’t go wrong with any of these sounds- any of them would be the perfect way to begin your happily ever after!
Leave us a comment and let us know what you think about live music at wedding ceremonies, and if you think we missed any interesting options!
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!
- Published in 2015, GTA, Trends, Uncategorized, Vendors, Wedding, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Intimate Wedding Venues in the GTA
By Tarisha Beniprashad
Having trouble finding the perfect venue for your intimate wedding? Did our Unique Venues in the GTA post not help you find the ideal spot for your nuptials? Fear not, we’ve come up with a new list…
Intimate wedding venues in the GTA
These spots are ideal for a cozy ceremony and a reception just for you and your closest loved ones. Keep on reading if you’d like to find out more about some of the most popular intimate venues in the GTA!
Old Mill Inn & Spa
With a variety of rooms to choose from, the Old Mill offers class and Victorian style like no other. They also have an on-site 16th century candlelit wedding chapel with stained glass windows that would make for some amazing photographs. With amazing in-house catering and luxurious outdoor gardens, Old Mill is an ample choice for any small event.
Miller Lash House
Featuring high arched ceilings, fireplaces, antique furnishings, and wooden trim, the Miller Lash house is both versatile and beautiful. The University of Toronto owned spaces allows for 50 seated guests, and a cocktail reception of 100.
Ancaster Mill
The Ancaster Mill is a little oasis in the scenic suburb of Hamilton. With a waterfall complementing the exquisite exterior, this is the ideal location for a small outdoor wedding. There are also a number of rooms inside of the inn to choose from, if you’re interested in an indoor ceremony. You can choose from rooms with a more modern feel, or go for something a little more rustic. intimate wedding venues in the GTA
We hope that this collection of intimate wedding venues in the GTA helps narrow down your search, and gets you closer to finding the perfect venue for your wedding! Are there any venues you think should be on our list? Contact us today so we can get started on finding the perfect intimate venue for your wedding!
xoxo,
intimate wedding venues in the GTA
- Published in 2016, GTA, Rustic, Trends, Uncategorized, Venues, Wedding, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
2016 Bridesmaids Dresses
by Alisha Chadee
Let’s face it, being a bridesmaid is fun! You get to look fabulous and play an integral role in the lives of your dearest friends on the happiest day of their lives! Cheers to that! The playing an integral role part is fairly obvious, so I won’t get into that right now. Instead, let’s focus on the fabulous part! We love stylish bridal parties, so without further adieu, here are our picks for our favourite..2016 bridesmaids dresses
2016 Bridesmaids Dresses!
Our brides know that we are always here to help, and this is no exception. We want you to be on trend and looking your best. We’ve done the legwork and compiled what we think are the best glam, trendy styles that your bridal party will go nuts for! 2016 bridesmaids dresses
Sweet Separates
Gone are the days when bridesmaids had to wear single toned, single fabric gowns. I’m loving the trend of separate tops and bottoms that we’re seeing everywhere this year! We are so hoping that one of our more daring brides will embrace this gorgeous style!
Glam Sequins
I am a glitter queen! I live for anything glitz and shimmery! I don’t think there was anyone on earth happier than I was when glittery sequins began to play a huge part of trends for 2016 bridesmaids dresses. Even the most modest bridesmaids will feel fine and fab in a sequin gown! I particularly enjoy these dresses in metallics and nude shades. 2016 bridesmaids dresses
Flutter Sleeves
Flutter sleeves are so elegant and whimsical, and as our name implies, we like whimsy! These sweet dresses come in many cuts and styles. Personally, I like the A-lines with slits. Cute, and a little saucy. Much like myself.
We hope you enjoyed our picks for the prettiest 2016 bridesmaids dresses! We want to hear your favourite picks, too, so leave us a comment and let us know if we missed your favourite!
We are Events by Whim, a team of Toronto’s best wedding planners. Contact us today to get started on your initial meeting with our team!
xoxo,
- Published in 2016, Wedding, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Average Wedding Day for Wedding Planners
Today on the blog we wanted to address what the average wedding day looks like for our team. This is the time of year when we get tons of inquiries from interested brides and grooms. We know there are skeptics out there that wonder what they are paying for with a month-of coordinator, and if our services are worthwhile. We believe that knowledge is power, and that you should know as much about our process as you can before deciding if you want to work with us! Bearing that in mind, we wanted to present…
Our Average Wedding Day Schedule!
Depending on the type of service you select with our team, we’ll have a lot or a moderate amount of contact before your wedding day. Regardless of the service, in the 6-8 weeks leading up to the wedding day, we spend a lot of time with you and your vendors. We do a thorough venue walkthrough and we meet with you to finalize all of your details, timings, floor plans and seating chart. We also attend your rehearsal and coach your bridal party through their entrances. We teach them how best to walk down the aisle so the photographer can capture happy smiles and happy tears. There are lots of good times and lots of laughs, and we aim to keep you nice and relaxed straight through to the wedding day.
Start Time on the Average Wedding Day
6:00-10:00am
On the average wedding day, we are up and caffeinated by 6:00am. We begin by confirming that our bride and groom are awake and ready to tackle the first line item on their schedule. As we sip our warm bevvies, we send quick messages or make calls to your vendors to confirm that they’re on schedule. After slamming back some breakfast and hauling on pantyhose, we pack up our car(s) with your wedding favours, table numbers, schedules, copies of your speeches and entrance music, give lots of hugs and kisses as we split up and head to your ceremony and reception sites.
Okay, I lied. We stop for another cup of coffee and then head to your ceremony and reception sites.
Once we arrive on site, we ensure that your ceremony decor is set up. The requirements and time commitment here vary by type of wedding ceremony. Either way, we check in with the officiant or religious official, ensure the ceremony decor is set up correctly, and check in with the bridal party. On the average wedding day, we build in extra time for hair and makeup and transportation to the ceremony site. In our experience these areas are the number one causes for late starts to the day. Still, we like to make a quick call to the group to find out if we’re on schedule. Average wedding day.
At the Ceremony site – 10:00am – 3:00pm or so
At this point your ceremony space is set up beautifully, we’ve checked in with your vendors and one of a few things may be happening. Some of our couples opt to do a first look, and this usually happens before the ceremony. We help facilitate this to make sure that the photographers get the most genuine reaction. We’ll then assist with pinning on boutonnieres, jujjing dresses [you know – fluffing them up?] and doing a entrance quick run-through with the bridal party. We remind everyone to walk slow and smile, and check in with any children in the bridal party. We make sure our bride and groom are hydrated and have eaten. If not, into the emergency kit we go and give them a little snack. Once guests begin to arrive we instruct the bridal party to take their places.
We then help with the entrances by manning the doors. Once the bridal party is down the aisle, we’ll fix the bride’s veil, train and bouquet, give her a quick hug and remind her to take it slowly down the aisle and for Dad or other loved one to lift her veil before handing her off to the groom.
At the Reception site – 12:00pm – 5:00pm
While the ceremony action is going on, we’ll also have another member of our team overseeing the set up of the reception space and setting up seating arrangements, cardboxes, guest favours, centerpieces and DIY decor. This will generally keep our lead or assistant busy right through to the start of the reception. We’ve coordinated weddings with guest lists over 500. That means 500 individual name cards and guest favours to place onto each setting.
Photo Sesh – 3:00pm – 6:00pm
During photo time, we assist with herding the bridal party around and getting cooperation for the photography team. While we do love you and your bridal party to pieces, on the wedding day it’s not always easy to wrangle the group together to take photos. Yes, we all love a great selfie, but you’ve paid a professional photographer a great deal of money to capture high quality photos. We’ve realized that there is value to having an extra set of hands available to assist the photographer. And also to fluff the dresses a few more times. And maybe reapply your lipstick.
Cocktails, Canapés and Catered Delights – 6:00pm – 7:15pm
Once you photo session is nearing completion, we touch base with our team to ensure that the reception site is good to go, and that cocktail hour is going well. Our team back at your reception site are managing the logistics of your cocktail hour and ensuring that canapés and drinks are flowing smoothly.
At this point we’re in constant contact to make sure that your reception entrance, however we’ve planned it, is about to go down smoothly. Some couples prefer not to be seen until their grand entrance into the reception hall, and others choose to arrive during cocktail hour to mix and mingle a bit. Either way, one of our favourite moments is watching the look on your face when you see the surpassing gorgeousness of the décor for the first time. There’s nothing like it.
Also – we do our best to make sure there is a snack waiting for you and the bridal party in the bridal suite. Being gorgeous all day and taking fun pictures really is tiring, and we want you to be at your best before you start the main party!
We are now tasked with assisting your DJ/MC and family members gracefully move your guests from the cocktail hour space into the banquet hall. This is no small feat, since on our average wedding day; we end up with 400+ guests to artfully guide into the banquet hall. Most guests want to keep hanging out in the cocktail hour space and continue mixing and mingling. However, the Whimlets pride ourselves on keeping our weddings on time! We make friends with your guests throughout the day, that way when we have to deliver the ‘end of cocktail hour’ news; the devastation is at a minimum. Usually knowing that a sumptuous dinner waits is enough to get everyone hustling to their seats.
Dinner, Speeches and Happy Tears – 7:15pm – 9:30pm
After your parents and bridal party dance their way into the hall, as queued by the MC, it’s your turn! We do a quick fluff of the wedding gown, give lots of hugs and well wishes, and open the doors at the perfect moment and send you in to the deafening cheers of your guests! Once you’re seated, we slip into the hall and begin liaising with the catering manager on when to start service. Average wedding day
Timing is everything with the dinner courses – the last thing we want is for the service team to be clearing plates while your mom is giving her speech that she’s waited to give your entire life! We are constantly watching throughout the dinner festivities to ensure that our schedule and the kitchen’s schedule are perfectly synced. Lots goes on during the wedding day and it’s easy for the itinerary to be thrown off – our main goal during dinner is to make sure that the people you’ve elected to speak have the opportunity to do so with as little disruption as possible. There is a strong chance that we’re sipping coffee #10 by this point. Just kidding – it’s probably only #4 or #5.
Also, I should mention – we love speeches. You see, I spend many months, sometimes years, working closely with my couples. I get to know you – your idiosyncrasies, your likes and dislikes, and the beautiful love story that you share with your intended. I love the speeches because I get to see you in the light that your closest friends and families see you, and the stories are always funny, sweet and endearing. I loathe having to step out of the hall during speeches. Average wedding day
Party, Cake, More Yumminess and Lots of Dancing – 9:30pm – 12:00am
At this point it’s time to get the party started! You may have opted to do your first dance earlier or maybe you’ve decided to do it now. Either way, at this point the guests have are full of wine, dinner and desert and are ready to party!
While you and your guests are partying it up, our team is setting up sweet tables, late night food stations and preparing the cake to be cut. We’ll pull you aside to remind you about throwing the bouquet and the garter toss, and late night photos if you’ve opted to have a session. We’re touching base with the photographer and videographer about milestones that they’ll want to capture for you.
We’re also keeping an eye out to make sure you’ve eaten enough, and that your parents/family members are enjoying themselves. We also check in with the DJ and MC and make sure that they have enough water and a snack, too. Average wedding day
End Time on the Average Wedding Day
The Grand Finale, Smiles and (Some) Tears – 12:00am-1:30am
All too soon, the bar is doing last call and we’re getting calls from your décor company to see if it’s time to come pack up. We get teary eyed knowing that our wedding journey with you is almost at an end. It seems funny that we started off as strangers meeting at our office and now we’re dear friends. We will let your family know where all your personal décor items are and do a quick survey of the room to make sure that your rentals are still where they ought to be. We chat with the catering manager and make sure the leftovers from your wedding cake is packed up properly, and we put aside a takeaway container of food for you to eat at your after party or hotel. We don’t want you to have to hunt for late night fast food!
Then, at the last moment, when we absolutely have to do it, we’ll take our leave. We give you lots of hugs, kisses and well wishes, get a little emotional, and promise to be in touch soon. We tell you how much we loved working with you, because we absolutely did. We then pack up our stuff and head to our cars. Before hopping in, we’ll high five the team and head off to our respective homes. Average wedding day.
Another beautiful, special wedding complete. It’s bittersweet for us, because we’ve come through, helped coordinate a wonderful wedding day, but we will missssss you. And there you have it. This is what an average wedding day looks like for our team. Full of laughs, great times and some tears. Seriously, I’m teary-eyed just writing this and reminiscing. Average wedding day
It’s a journey and we absolutely want to be there with you for it! Do we seem like the team of Toronto’s best wedding planners that you’d like to work with? If so, contact us today – we want to hear all about your wedding!
With Love,
- Published in 2016, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps