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
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
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.’
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!
- Published in 2017, Venues, Wedding, Wedding Planning
Wedding Guest Etiquette
By Tarisha Beniprashad
Everyone knows the unspoken wedding guest etiquette that should be followed, but do you actually know all of the rules? There are the old favorites, like not wearing white to upstage the bride, but there are definitely a few more that you should abide by as a wedding guest. If you’re unfamiliar with the proper wedding guest etiquette, don’t you worry- you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of a 5 key rules that we feel are the most important. Follow these tips, and we guarantee you’ll be the best wedding guest ever!
WEDDING GUEST ETIQUETTE
Remember to RSVP… on time
Most couples pay their venues by the head, so the RSVP date isn’t just a suggestion. The bride and groom need an accurate headcount in advance, so that they can make arrangements with their venue, as well as other vendors accordingly. On this note, remember to RSVP for the right amount of people! If your invitation is addressed to three people and you RSVP for two, make sure no more than two people show up.
What happens if you have a last minute emergency and can’t make it? Sometimes these situations can’t be avoided, so let your soon-to-be newlyweds know ASAP, and apologize for the short notice.
Don’t bring uninvited guests
Unless your invitation specifically elicits that you’re invited to bring a plus one, don’t assume that it’s okay to bring a date. Since couples are typically charged on a per guest basis by their venue, they’ve budgeted and made arrangements for the exact amount of guests they’ve invited. Bringing an uninvited guest can cause tension and create an awkward situation, especially if there’s assigned seating.
Be punctual
Some individuals enjoy arriving fashionably late to events and making an entrance, but a wedding ceremony isn’t a situation where that’s appropriate. The couple invited you to share in the joining of their lives, and you should show your respect by arriving on time, and not making a disruptive entrance.
Choose a gift from their registry
Couples spend a ton of time carefully curating their registry, and they pick items that they actually want. It’s a good idea to stick to their registry or even a monetary gift, since you know it’ll be something they’ll actually use. This way, the couple isn’t left with 15 different photo albums, and won’t receive any duplicate presents.
Take your own pictures non-disruptively
The bride and groom pay a professional photographer to capture every important moment on their wedding day, and the last thing they need is for a guest to get in the way of them doing just that. We know it’s tempting for guests to want to get some shots for their Instagram collage, and maybe a snap here and there for their Snapchat story, but let the photographer get their shots first. Trust us, you’ll cause the photographer a lot less stress by waiting the few extra minutes, and the couple will be grateful for the beautiful shots they’ll receive.
These are just a few simple guidelines that you may not have thought about as a wedding attendee, but trust us; follow them and you’ll be everyone’s favorite wedding guest! Do you have any pet peeves, or things you think guests should take into consideration when attending a wedding? Leave us a comment below and let us know!
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 2017, Wedding TIps
Cute Wedding Signs you Need
By Tarisha Beniprashad
A ton of couples are opting to add cutesy personal touches to their wedding decor by adding handwritten (or not) signs around their ceremony and reception venues, and we are absolutely obsessed with this trend. Whether it’s a quote that near and dear to your heart, some fun dance floor rules for your guests, or a luxe welcome sign, you can’t go wrong with making the addition of a few signs to your decor. If you’d like to see some incredibly cute wedding signs that you never knew you needed, just keep on reading!
CUTE WEDDING SIGNS YOU NEED IN YOUR DECOR
These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cute signs that you can include in your wedding decor. We hope that our little selection gives you a little inspiration for your own signage! Have you seen any super cute wedding signs lately? Leave us a comment below and let us know, we’d love to hear from you!
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!
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
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
Why Hire a Wedding Planner?
Today on the blog I want to address a common question:
Why hire a wedding planner?
I’ve had many brides and grooms tell me that they don’t need my services because they have a (insert friend, relative, co-worker, etc) who can handle their wedding planning for free, or that they consider wedding planning/coordinating to be an unnecessary expense. While I do not doubt that friends and family have the best of intentions with regards to assisting with wedding planning, even the best laid plans can fall by the wayside on the road to your big day. Let’s discuss three reasons to hire a certified wedding planner.
I say certified because the wedding industry is largely unregulated, and hiring an uncertified wedding planner is risky because essentially anyone can masquerade as a wedding professional. Insisting on hiring a certified planner creates a safeguard for the investment you have made into your big day. For example, Whim Event Coordination and Design is certified through the Wedding Planners institute of Canada, and as such we are governed by a strict Code of Ethics. A certified wedding planner will offer you expertise, convenience and value.
1) Expertise
A certified wedding planner brings many skills to the table. For example, Michelle and I have an intricate network of vendors who know their way around most venues in the GTA. These are consummate professionals who are dedicated to customer service and creating a magical day for our brides and grooms. Since wedding planning is our passion, we are careful to create lasting relationships with other vendors who are just as passionate about weddings.
A good planner will have the skills to avoid (and if required, artfully fix) most wedding-day disasters. By employing a wedding planner at the onset of your planning, you will avoid a world of headaches on your wedding day itself. Your planner will know the vision of your wedding day, will be intimately familiar with your venue, and will have met and communicated with all of your vendors. Your planner will assist in creating your wedding day timeline, and will have a detailed list of your vendors and their set up times. Michelle and I usually act as a buffer between the vendors and the bride and groom on the wedding day, so that our couples can sit back and enjoy their day, and the vendors still have a point person to work with to ensure that everything flows smoothly.
An expert planner also has a fully stocked wedding day emergency kit and knows how to use it! A knowledgeable planner knows how to get red wine out of your white dress, how to quickly sew on a missing button, will have extra hairspray to fix your hair, knows how to repair a run in your pantyhose, and probably even has double sided tape to ward off any wardrobe malfunctions. Michelle and I always carry a huge emergency kit that has everything from safety pins, backdrop pins, snacks to keep the bridal party alive during photo sessions, lint brushes for the groomsmen’s suits, and even sanitary napkins in case of an ill-timed monthly visitor!
2) Convenience
Probably the most common reason that Michelle and I get contacted for wedding planning services is the convenience that we provide to our couples and their families. Since we are so well connected in the events industry, we are easily able to provide our couples with recommendations for almost every type of vendor to suit the theme and feel of the event. If we don’t have a particular vendor recommendation, we are always able to reach out to our WPIC network to find a great vendor who is backed by other planners who had positive experiences using them.
The average wedding takes over 250 hours to plan, and that is time that most couples do not have to spare to comb through every vendor in the pool of thousands that exist in the GTA. By partnering with Whim Event Coordination and Design, you are afforded the luxury of time – time that you can use to enjoy the fun aspects of wedding planning, like dress fittings, cake tastings and being pampered!
3) Value
We often have couples tell us that they feel as though they cannot afford a wedding planner because of a tight budget. While expertise and convenience ultimately save you time, which is, of course, valuable, a qualified wedding planner can save you actual money. We are the advocates of our clients and we represent their interests with every interaction with other vendors. We also spend a lot of time ensuring that your budget is followed so that you do not break the bank on your event.
I also mentioned that Events by Whim is WPIC-certified, and as a result, we adhere to a strict code of ethics. A key aspect of this is that we do not accept kickbacks. What I mean is that if a vendor offers us an incentive to refer our clients to them, we pass on any savings or perks that we receive directly to our clients. The reason for this is simple – when you sign a contract with us, you are our client and we are working for you, not for anyone else, therefore we do not accept payment from any vendor for referring them to our clients.
Many vendors offer kickbacks to incentivize their services, but a WPIC-certified wedding planner recognizes that vendors are only referred based on their merit, not based on any perks they may offer us. We have many vendors who are more than happy to offer discounts to our clients simply because of the relationship that we have built with them. Since we work for you, we are always very excited to pass along these perks to you! After all, it in our best interest for you to have the best wedding experience possible!
After spending so much money and time dreaming and planning for your big day, it would be a terrible shame to see those efforts wasted because there wasn’t an extra set of hands and eyes dedicated to making sure that all of the details were in place. At this point you have spent a lot of money to have a wonderful event for yourself, your family and your friends, so doesn’t it make sense to take precautions to protect that investment? As certified wedding planners, we are like insurance for your wedding; we make sure that your wedding runs beautifully and you get a top return on your investment!
Thanks for reading!
- Published in Budget