Hilton Hotel Markham – A Behind-The-Scenes Recap!
Hilton Hotel Markham – An Elegant DIY Dream
Michelle and I recently welcomed a new Whimlet (isn’t that a great term?!) to our ranks. Her name is Rachel de Silva, and she is assisting us with coordination on wedding days. Her first wedding with us was a lovely Hindu wedding and reception at the Hilton Hotel Markham, and she did a fantastic job! I asked her to write up the wedding from her perspective and you can read more below!
“Just so I can get the record straight, I by no means got hitched nor do I plan to take a husband anytime soon. I will however state that the Whim team was gracious enough to grant me the opportunity to assist in Ilina and Anil’s big day. Recently, I have found a thriving passion to plan events, so what better time than now to get involved during wedding season. To say the least, this couple did a fantastic job in creating a fun and engaging guest experience. There were little jars of M&M’s featuring every guest’s name with a personalized message to each. A gorgeous decor set up for both ceremony and reception from Diya Decor, a guestbook tree with hanging paper cards dangled from the branches where the guests were able to tape a Polaroid of themselves to the cards. The effort in the details undeniably showed in every step of the wedding process.
A key component to ensuring the day ran successfully was time management. Since this wedding featured a Hindu ceremony and reception in the same day, there was a time sensitive itinerary, list of name and phone numbers of every vendor required, and a detailed map of table numbers and list of names per table. These documents became very useful throughout the duration of the wedding. The one lesson I have learned through this entire experience is preparation, sticking to the time schedule (give or take a few minutes), making sure to eat at some point and remaining calm. I also became aware of the difference between an outstanding guest experience and a mediocre one. I truly want to say thank you to the Whim team for choosing me to join them on this amazing journey. Cheers to many more weddings, some of which I hope to take the lead on.
Special thanks to the Hilton Hotel Markham, Diya Decor, G&H Photography, and all of the vendors and extra hands and Celia Mackenzie, Huma Sheikh and Mahdis Lowe for all their help and efforts. Congratulations to a wonderful bride and groom, Ilina and Anil on this wonderful milestone!”
We hoped that you enjoyed Rachel’s write up on this lovely wedding. We’ll feature a full post on it in the future when the pro photos come in with a full vendor listing. We’re so excited that we have Rachel to assist us on our future weddings! We’ll feature a bio on her very soon! To find out more about how we can assist you, please contact us today!
- Published in Uncategorized
Bridal Party Duties – Toronto Wedding Planner
Bridal Party Duties
What the heck is everyone supposed to do?!
You chose your bridesmaids and groomsmen because they’re the ones you love most, and you want to be surrounded by good vibes and positive people on your wedding day. Although they’ll help you have the most amazing wedding day full of memories you’ll never forget, they also have certain duties they need to fulfill. Here are a few key bridal party duties we think that they should handle:
Make sure the bride AND groom make it to the wedding in one piece.
There are a million and one things that can go wrong on the day of your wedding, but none of those things matter as long as both you and your significant other make it down the aisle and live out your happily ever after. Cold feet, flat tires, hysterical family members, and wardrobe malfunctions are all crises that can be diffused by your loving bridal party. You can choose to prep them before the big day with all of the emergency phone numbers and materials they may need, so that they can take care of all the minor calamities themselves.
Throw the bachelor and bachelorette parties.
Let’s be real, you and your spouse to be haven’t been ‘single’ since you met, but you can both still enjoy your respective parties. Take this chance to go out and really appreciate the friends who have been there for all the upsand downs, and who’ll continue to support you. Let your bridal party spoil you and take care of you on your bachelor or bachelorette party- let free, relax, and enjoy yourself before the big day!
Host the bridal shower.
This job is typically left up to the bridesmaids, but the groomsmen can definitely be enlisted to help with the bridal shower as well! There’s a lot that goes into planning a shower- decor, venue, food, favors, games, and more. This is an important event that requires a copious amount of care and attention to detail- it’s where you’ll get (almost) everything you need to start your new life with your husband or wife to be!
Go to dress fittings with the bride.
Bridesmaids, the most important thing you can do at your bride’s dress fitting is learn how to properly bustle her dress! You know what they say: a dress is only as beautiful as its bustle. Well, they don’t say that… but they should. Many brides will only let their train bask in its full glory during the ceremony, and will spend the majority of their reception with their dress bustled. Since you’ll be wearing your bustle for a while, it’ll likely be in pictures- and you don’t want to be looking at a lopsided bustle in your wedding pictures 30 years from now.
Help with the details.
Tying and curling ribbons on 250 wedding favours is a tedious task, but your bridal party should be prepared to do just that. It’s important that they lend a helping hand to you with all of the little details- you have a ton going on as it is, and we’re sure any help is appreciated. After all, they are your maids and men, they should be doing all they can to make your life easier!
These are just some general guidelines of what your bridal party should be handling throughout your wedding planning process. Don’t be afraid to enlist them to some heavy lifting- they’re honored enough to be an integral part of your big day, and they should help make it come to life!
- Published in 2015, Trends, Uncategorized, Wedding, Wedding TIps
5 Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer
5 Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer Before Booking
Clients constantly ask us how to choose a wedding photographer. With so many photographers in Toronto, it’s tough to pick the right one! Start by reviewing the different styles of wedding photography that exist and immerse yourself. Some photo styles will evoke a feeling in you and others won’t. Once you’ve determined the style that you like, it’s time to start looking for photographers that fit that style and are available for your date. Take the time to judge photographers not only on their style of photography, but on their overall professionalism. You’ll be meeting several photographers before selecting the one. Here are five questions to help identify the right professional wedding photographer for you.
1) How long have you been in the wedding photography business?
This is an important one, even if you are open to newer photogs. Be sure to define what you mean by ‘in the business.’ For example, some wedding photographers include training and education years as part of their years of experience, but you may mean the number of years they’ve photographed wedding specifically.
2) What is your backup plan if your camera fails, or if you are unable to photograph my wedding in the case of an emergency?
As a wedding planner, I know that contingency plans are critical. Michelle and I have witnessed all sorts of unplanned items pop up before and during the wedding day. It is important to have a contingency plan with all vendors – especially your photographer. Many vendors will provide a full refund if they are unable to perform their duties on the wedding day. That’s great, but it won’t help much when you don’t have pro photography on the most important day of your life. Your photographer should have a wide network to ensure they can guarantee quality photography if an emergency comes up – and make sure it’s in the contract!
3) Do you use lighting or off camera flash at weddings?
A professional photographer will have the appropriate equipment for your venue and outdoor photography settings. If you have a vision for specific shots, like light painting, you need a wedding photographer who uses more than basic lighting. Sometimes these extra lighting options come at an additional cost – so double check what the specific equipment inclusions are with your selected package to make sure you’re still on budget.
4) What is the turnaround time on my photos and online gallery?
A professional photographer will guarantee a delivery date in writing, and will honour that date. This timeline can vary depending on the time of year, the calibre of photographer, and style of photography. If turnaround time is a deal breaker, ensure that delivery dates are explicitly stated in the contract.
5) Will you hold my wedding date until we have made a decision?
Quality wedding photographers, have full schedules, which is why we recommend booking this service early in the planning process. While you are meeting with and evaluating your favourites, your photographer will be meeting with other couples who are getting married around the same time as you. Ask for a ‘first right of refusal,’ in case any other inquiries for your wedding date come in.
Did you enjoy this post? Events by Whim is a team of Toronto wedding planners and event designers that also services the Calgary/Banff area. Contact us today to get started with planning your dream day!
- Published in Wedding TIps
Thank You Notes – Toronto Wedding Planners
Today I wanted to discuss something that is near and dear to our hearts.
We received a very touching thank you note and gift from one of our clients this past weekend. We love receiving wedding thank you notes from our clients, because it tells us that even after all of the festivities are over, we did a great enough job that our clients wanted to send us a token of their special day. This lovely card was sent to us by our clients, Ashley and Ben. We assisted with the décor and coordination and their wedding in November of 2014. We had such a fun time, and we were so moved by the atmosphere of love that surrounded this union. Thank you so much for taking the time to send us this beautiful token (and the lovely intoxicating gift, wink wink :D).
“To the Whim team,
Thank you doesn’t even begin to describe how thankful we are to you guys for all your hard work, creativity, time and commitment to making our wedding special for us.
We appreciate the care that you put into planning the event, and we enjoyed collaborating with your team.
You went above and beyond for us, and we hope that you enjoy our small token of appreciation.
Wishing you all the best,
<3 The Constables”
Sending a thank you note to your vendors is a great way to let them know that they did a fabulous job. As wedding professionals, we are extra cognizant of the fact that this is one of the most important days of your life, and we are always so touched and overjoyed when our clients are happy with our work. We recognize that you could have selected anyone – but you chose to include us on your momentous occasion. We don’t talk about this much, but we get very invested in each of our couples, and we genuinely miss each and every one of you after the wedding. These thank you notes make us very happy because we know that our couples miss us, too!
Until next time… Gratefully yours,
The Ladies of Whim
- Published in Real Wedding
Wedding Planner vs On-Site Coordinator
By Tarisha Beniprashad
Wedding Planner vs On-Site Coordinator?!
What’s the difference? Do I need both? What do they do?!
The wedding planner vs on-site coordinator debate is a pretty popular one in the wedding industry, but to be honest, we don’t think it should be a debate at all. The roles of a wedding planner and the duties of an on-site coordinator are completely different- each position has its own merits. If you’re unsure of your stance in this debate, we’ve got you covered- we’ll tell you all there is to know about wedding planners vs on-site coordinators!
Wedding planners:
That’s us! Wedding planners are independent planners that you can hire to help you coordinate all of the little details of your wedding day, and even the days leading up to it. We help you plan everything from the invitations to flowers to caterers to transportation, and pretty much everything in between.
We’re with you on the day of your wedding from the beginning right until the end to ensure that everything runs smoothly from the morning of the wedding to the end of the reception. We aim to build both professional and personal relationships with our clients and really get to know them during their wedding planning journey so that we can do our best to make sure we plan a day they can’t forget, and have a little fun along the way!
On-site Coordinators:
These guys are usually employed by the venue of your wedding or reception, and don’t typically work with you on details outside of that. They’re the ones you meet to sign contracts and go over food and beverage choices, and pretty much anything else that’s going on at the venue. Their main job is to ensure that the festivities run in a smooth and timely manner, and that all of their services are delivered flawlessly. They may also suggest some vendors to you that they’ve worked with in the past, but that isn’t necessarily a part of their job description. You can depend on these guys to be present during your time at the venue, but they’ll likely leave before dinner is over and turn things over to the Banquet Manager, who will supervise things until the party is over.
So now that you know the specific roles of a Wedding Planner vs On-Site Coordinator, we’re sure that you can understand where we’re coming from when we say this shouldn’t be a debate in the first place. These positions cater to different needs, and generate the best results when they work together. If you’re trying to decide between a wedding planner vs on-site coordinator, here’s our advice: why not both? These two can work together to ensure your day goes off without a hitch, and will actually make each other’s jobs a whole lot easier. With a wedding planner you get someone to guide you through the entire planning process from start to finish and manage your vendors, and your on-site coordinator will take care of all the logistics relatingto the venue on the day of. Their jobs are equally important, and you’re guaranteed to have the day you’ve been dreaming of with both of them working together to make your vision a reality!
Whim Event Coordination and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners who service the GTA and beyond. Leave a comment below and let us know what your thoughts are on the wedding planner vs on-site coordinator debate, and contact us today so we can help you get started on your wedding planning!
- Published in 2015, 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
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