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
Boho Glam Broadview Hotel Wedding
Guyssssss! It’s a new week, I’m feeling good, and I want to share some solid wedding inspiration!
I’m excited to share our Broadview Hotel wedding editorial that we shot last March in Toronto!
Wedding editorials are my favourite! Why? Because our team gets together with other wedding vendors in Toronto and we produce something that we dreamed up from scratch. How does the process work? Usually a few wedding friendors get together over a class of prosecco and a tasty snack and start talking. Usually the conversation turns to wedding trends and inspiration, and from there one of us will throw out a crazy idea and BAM, a shoot is born! I particularly love working with Paulina from Fete Floral because she understands my need to not recreate someone else’s ideas but to create our own. We usually think of ideas that are centred around a destination or an era, or even food!
This particular editorial was featured in print in the fall issue of Today’s Bride, and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! We wanted to create a geometric design with some cosmic features that showcased the beautiful architectural history of the Broadview Hotel. The colours popped and so did the models!
A huge thanks to our amazing team, who showed up early, worked late and help put this great collaboration together! We’re only as strong as our team and I’m so proud of everyone! We absolutely could not have done this without the Broadview Hotel, and we’re so grateful that they chose partner with us on this!
Co-conspirator, Producer & Stylist: Whim Event Planning & Design
Co-conspirator, Producer & Floral Designer: Fete Floral Boutique
Photography: Samantha Ong Photography
Venue: The Broadview Hotel
Beauty: Blush Pretty
Cake & Sweets: Mademoiselle Vanilla
Stationery: RSVP by Whim
Bridal fashion & Accessories: Vera Wang Toronto
Menswear: C|E Clothier
Entertainment: Alley Entertainment
Vintage furniture and accessories: Vintage Glam Events
Place settings: Plate Occasions
Tabletop rentals and candle wall: DX Event Rentals
Luxury chocolate favours and lollipops: Succulent Chocolates
Cosmic floral wrap: Designer Dance Floors
Candles: Helix Candles
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, Styled Shoot, Trends, Venues, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Struggling with Styling? Give FrockBox.ca a Try!
I’m taking a little departure from my typical wedding-related content to talk about something important to me: feeling good in your own skin and how hard that has been for me at times.
I’ve never been the quintessential girly-girl. Growing up, I just didn’t have the knack for doing my nails, putting on makeup and having picture-perfect hair that most girls did. I never felt like I fit in as a result and always struggled to keep up with trends. Fortunately that got better the older I got, as I settled into my own likes and dislikes and just went with whatever felt good to me at the time.
Cue entrepreneur life. A few years ago I was working in a corporate gig and so spent a lot more time shopping and staying on trend. After I left my corporate job in 2016, I spent a lot more time working from home and way less time in business-casual attire. In 2017, I found out I was expecting and suddenly everything I knew about myself went out the window. After Eric was born, I tried to shop again and between nursing a newborn, feeling absolutely bone-tired and just not understanding wtf my body was doing, I started to hate shopping. I’ve never been a mall-walking mom. I found it to be a hassle, especially since I was also still keeping up with my business.
A few months ago, I discovered clothing subscription service FrockBox on Instagram, and I decided to investigate further.
FrockBox is a group of bad ass Canadian mompreneurs who have taken the guess work out of shopping and styling, and have literally walked in my shoes before me. The founder, Jenna, had her first baby and through conversations with other friends, realized that the shopping experience for new moms isn’t as fun as it was pre-baby. Jenna along with her two partners realized that having no time, feeling like a stranger in your own skin and toting along a baby made for a less-than-ideal shopping experience and wanted to change that for Canadian moms. FrockBox was born after she quipped to a few friends that it would be so convenient to have an outfit a month just magically appear at your doorstep, without having to stress about putting the right pieces together and styling it just right.
FrockBox’s Gold Box was the first offering – allowing for a complete outfit at a fixed price. The Favourites box came next, allowing for different options, combinations and price points. I also absolutely love that this all-female company is very progressive and family-balance-friendly. Since this company was founded by moms and employs a lot of them, they understand the logistics of family life for real families.
I decided to give FrockBox a try three months ago to see if they could help me save time and energy (and frankly, frustration). I had a chat with my stylist, Kaylee, and so far, I’ve been very impressed. My first box arrived with a pair of high waisted dark wash denim jeans, a black floral skirt, a green frilly top, a fuzzy white sweater and earrings. To be honest, at first glance, I wasn’t sure if everything would work on me, but after trying on each piece, I was pleasantly surprised. Kaylee had managed to get me into clothing I likely would not have tried on myself, and I loved it all. I kept each piece that month!
My second month arrived, and with it, my anticipation grew like a gleeful kid on Christmas morning! This box had some truly amazing pieces, but not everything fit quite right. I particularly loved the blush tights and grey sweater with little pearl detailing, and I was sad that they weren’t a fit. I did end up keeping a green zippered moto jacket and a black sweater wrap dress. I let Kaylee know about the fit, though if everything had worked well, I would have kept it all! I love the mechanism that allows me to give Kaylee direct feedback on each item received so she can continue to pull pieces that are perfect for me. I’m even able to share my own style inspiration board on Pinterest with her! PS Kaylee, I’ll be doing this soon!
My latest box arrived and my husband called to let me know. I can’t lie, I arrived home pretty late and still ran straight for my FrockBox. I think Kash felt a bit slighted that my package got the first embrace. This one was an actual home run! Kaylee absolutely nailed it! I received a black lace skirt, a camel striped wrap top, a white basic wrap top, black velvety leggings and a pair of flat blush shoes. I never would have picked the tights or shoes or skirt and honestly, they are gorgeous. Keeping my entire box is running me about $150 CAD because the styling fee of $24.95 is credited back to any piece kept, and if you keep everything in your box, you save an additional 25%!
I had a chat with my stylist, Kaylee, to ask her more about what its like to be a stylist with FrockBox. Kaylee explained that she loves what she does, especially when women like me tell her that she’s nailed it! It’s sometimes challenging to find the right fit and style for everyone, but she assures me that it’s out there, even if it takes a while!
If you are like me, busy, an entrepreneur and/or mom, and struggle to find time to shop or style yourself, consider giving FrockBox a go. Looking good has a direct line toward making you feel more confident, and that is critical for all of us, in any walk of life! You’ll also be giving your support a local group of bad ass Canadian women!
As an added bonus, FrockBox has set up our followers with code EVENTSBYWHIM that waives the $25 styling fee on your first Favourites box, so you can try it risk-free!
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, Vendor spotlight
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
Janean and Carlo’s Soft, Dreamy Vaughan Wedding at Da Vinci Banquet Hall
A few years ago, Janean and I connected in my office and we had such a lovely conversation. Janean is a smart, beautiful and above all kind soul who had a very specific vision for her wedding – dreamy and romantic with large, lovely blooms. I had the best time working with Janean and Carlo to create a design that stayed true to that vision. Check out the fabulous pro photos from Yasmeen Mesrie’s team over at Muse Moi Studios!
We loved this soft palette. We focused mainly on a lot of ivory and white with touches of very antique champagne and pink tones – nothing overly bright, and the barest hint of greenery with tons of romantic candle light. Janean is more into full blooms rather than greenery, and while we love both, we can respect that choice, too! A standout feature of this design was the full floral ring around the beautiful cake from Sammy Cakes and the oversized cherry blossom arch hanging above the head table. We loved the use of all white drapery and cherry blossom stems, which in turn caused the full fresh floral head table runner to pop even more. The entire bridal party was a treat to be around, and this crew had just the best day!
Janean and Carlo, we’re wishing you the best that married life has to offer. We were honoured to be a part of your big day and we can’t wait to see what else life has in store for the two of you! A huge thank you to the amazing team that worked so hard on this amazing wedding!
Vendor Love
Venue: Da Vinci Banquet Hall
Ceremony Venue: St Clare Catholic Church
Wedding Planner & Designer: Whim Event Planning & Design
Decor & Floral: Princess Decor
Photography: Muse Moi Studios
Cinema: SDE Weddings
Wedding Cake: Sammy Cakes
Stationery: RSVP by Whim
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 Uncategorized
Demelza and Shaan’s Romantic Fusion Wedding at Pearson Convention Centre
Do you love greenery and pops of colour? Do you love fusion fetes with amazing food? If so, Demelza and Shaan’s wedding will knock your socks off! Our sweet couple tied the knot in June of 2018, with the type of wedding details that make our hearts sing! This wedding is the perfect example of how a space can be completely transformed with drapery, lighting and greenery.
Particular details that we love include the use of greenery and edison bulbs to create a unique and magical mandap design and that this carried through nicely into the reception. I love the secret garden feel of this mandap style. I’m also a huge fan of open concept mandap designs, especially for larger weddings because there really isn’t a bad seat in the house for any of your guests. The drapery and lighting was soft and elegant, and the wispy greenery juxtaposed nicely against the bride’s colourful attire.
Speaking of attire, another detail that I loved is how stylish our couple is – they looked like movie stars the entire weekend. From Hindu ceremony to reception, each outfit was incredible! It’s hard to decide on a favourite, but each outfit suited the room design perfectly. We loved Demelza’s pink lengha, as well as her white reception gown.
Demelza and Shaan’s reception design required a room flip from Hindu ceremony to reception as guests mingled and the couple refreshed and changed outfits. We love, love, love the versatile design of the stage, which incorporated the mandap detailing and added a ton of greenery with bright colours onto the reception tables. The abundant use of greens made for very sumptuous centerpieces that popped against the backdrop of the hall. Hats off to the creative team at Xclusive Designs for creating this masterpiece – it is definitely one of our favourites from 2018!
We’re sure you are going to love the details so take a peek at Shauna Heron Photography’s gorgeous captures, and let us know what you think! As far as fusion weddings go, this one takes the cake! A huge thank you to the fantastic team of vendors who came together to make this beautiful wedding a reality! Demelza and Shaan, it was a privilege being your wedding planning team, and we are wishing you the best that life has to offer and the happiest married life!
Vendor Love
CEREMONY VENUE: Pearson Convention Centre
RECEPTION VENUE: Pearson Convention Centre
PLANNERS: Whim Event Planning & Design
PHOTOGRAPHER: Shauna Heron Photography
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henjo Films
FLORIST/DECOR/DESIGN: Xclusive Designs
RENTALS: Cast & Co
CAKE ARTIST: Maria Pereira
BAND/DJ: Empire Entertainment
MAKE-UP/HAIR ARTISTS: Beauty by Vic – Victoria Price Makeup Artistry, Alicia Azeez
CATERING: The Host
HORSE: Fairytale Horse and Carriage
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
Modern Romantic Fusion Wedding in Milton
When I had my first Skype appointment with Nicole and Kevin, I knew right away that they were part of my tribe, and their style lined up so beautifully with my own. I was thrilled when they let me know that we were planning soulmates, and the fun began! I love fusion weddings and this one is very close to my heart. This Indian-Korean-Canadian bash was such fun to plan, and full of so many personal touches that really made the wedding feel like the fusing of two cultures and two souls.
When finding the right venue, Nicole wanted tons of natural light and beautiful grounds, and so Rattlesnake Point Golf Club was a match made in heaven for us, especially as Kevin is a huge golf enthusiast. The team at Rattlesnake made us feel very welcome and were very accommodating to ensure that we had the perfect menu to suit all tastes.
We worked with quite a dream team to put together this wedding design – Princess Decor provided the decor and floral, and Vintage Glam Events provided the vintage touches. Nicole’s dream was an elegant reception with muted ivory and champagne tones. Greenery and lush florals featured prominently in this event design, as well as soft ivory drapery for the head table. We paired this with warm tapered candle light, gold geometric pieces, and gold-rimmed glass charger plates. Our own team at RSVP by Whim designed the invitations and day of stationery. Simply Lace Photography artfully captured all of the fine details in this post!
I really loved how fun the family and bridal parties were – there were so many funny moments and jokes throughout the night. The performances were stellar – including the remix of Punjabi MC and Gangnam Style that the bride and groom performed during their entrance, as well as all of the family and bridal party dances! What a talented bunch! It didn’t hurt that everyone looked fabulous, especially our beautiful bride with a change of outfit for the reception. Another very compelling detail for me, an admitted food-over, was the addition of a late night churro bar!
This wedding was a highlight for me and I could not have done it without the incredible team of vendors that came together to make magic happen. A huge thanks to our amazing team – I can’t wait to work with you all again!
Vendor Love:
Wedding Planning, Styling & Design: Whim Event Planning & Design
Photography: Simply Lace Photography
Videography: Beautiful Life Studios
Decor & Floral: Princess Decor
Vintage Rentals: Vintage Glam Events
Church: St Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church
Reception Venue: Rattlesnake Point Golf Club
Wedding Cake: Fruitilicious Creations
AV & DJ: Alley Entertainment
Bride’s Gown: Becker’s Bridal Toronto
Bride’s Makeup & Hair: MUAH Beauty
Bridal Party Makeup & Hair: Beauty by Sacha
Stationery: RSVP by Whim
Transportation: Badder Bus
Chair Rentals: Made with Love Decor
Late Night Churro Bar: El Habanero Churrobar
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, Real Wedding, Wedding, Wedding Planning
Planning a Wedding with Divorced Parents
The last thing you probably want to think about when you’re planning the most important day of your life is divorce. I know, it’s kind of a depressing topic, but the fact of the matter is, it affects a ton of people. On the optimistic side of things, I think it is very possible to create a positive experience while wedding planning with divorced parents. That said,
Planning a wedding with divorced parents can be hard.
This can create awkwardness during key moments during the wedding if not approached with sensitivity and open communication.
My parents had a rather acrimonious split when I was around 5 years old. I had some of these very same constraints to consider, as well as stepparents and estranged extended family members. I won’t lie, I had a few moments of real anxiety while I was planning, but in the end, all was well.
Here are a few tips that I followed to minimize the awkwardness on the big day.
-
Have a sit down together or with each parent separately and show them your plans
-
- Start the conversation well in advance of the wedding and get their input on important items like invitations, receiving lines, seating and dances. This should be a well thought out meeting, not a quick chat in passing. Be sensitive to areas where they may feel insecure. For example, if one parent is remarried and the other is single, perhaps suggest that the single parent still bring a date or a guest. Also be open and honest with your parents about items that mean a lot to you. For example, your parent may not be up for taking photos together, but they may agree to walk the bride or groom down the aisle. The key takeaway here is to listen to both parents and let them feel heard. Hopefully you will never go through a divorce, but they have and likely are feeling equal parts nervous and excited.
-
Keep all of your cards on the table so there aren’t any surprises on the wedding day and be firm about your own boundaries. Your comfort is important here, too.
-
- It’s totally okay to not want your mom’s new boyfriend to attend if your mom cheated on your dad with him. Just be sure that your mom is aware that this person is absolutely not invited out of respect for your father, so there aren’t any surprises and confrontations on the wedding day. It’s also okay to want a stepfather-daughter or stepmother-son dance if that person has played a big role in your upbringing, as long as everyone is aware in advance. Make sure both parents are aware of where they will be sitting, when in the program their speech will be and any other important details they are involved in. Keep in mind that no one likes to be caught unawares, and your wedding is a time for love, not petty revenge.
-
Recognize them both equally
- The thing is, even though I had mixed feelings about my parents’ approach to parenting post-divorce and their relationship with one another, they’re both my parents. I found it very important to make them both feel recognized and loved for all that they did to raise me into the person that I am today.
Divorce is tricky, and requires you to tread through your wedding planning with a ton of sensitivity. Unfortunately not every divorced family co-parents well, but following the tips above will help to minimize any discomfort all around.
Events by Whim is a team of spunky 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 Wedding Planner Tips, Wedding Planning, Wedding TIps
Wedding Planning with Authenticity
Feeling like you aren’t planning an authentic wedding is a crappy feeling. I can’t tell you how many couples have lamented that the wedding was starting to get out of hand and feels like something they’d not even want to attend. That makes me really sad, because weddings shouldn’t be about putting on a show – they are an opportunity celebrate (not showcase) your love. When the good folks over at The Wedding Pic reached out and asked if I would address the topic, I felt like it was a good chance to really let my thoughts on the subject loose.
Authenticity in wedding planning is always on my mind, and truthfully, it’s something I evaluate when I do my initial meetings with couples. Planning a pretty day is well and fine, but I’m here for true love stories, and genuine, loving couples. If I don’t get that vibe in the initial consult, I awkward-Nick-Miller-moonwalk right out the door.
Check out the link below to read the article, and definitely follow The Wedding Pic, a leading Toronto-based Instagram influencer sharing engaging and inspirational wedding content and offering practical relationship and wedding advice for modern couples.
Click here to check out our feature, and let us know what you think!
Did we miss a great wedding fund source? If so, leave us a comment and let us know! We’d also love to know how you funded the wedding of your dreams!
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 Uncategorized
Build Your Wedding Fund
We get it, weddings are mad expensive. We’ve worked with our couples to develop rock solid budgets, to get us from “Yay we’re engaged!” to “I do!” With that in mind, we’ve collaborated with the fine folks over at The Wedding Pic to write an article outlining the most ways to build your wedding fund. It basically comes down to help from family, personal savings and lastly, credit. We’ve had couples using each method, or a combination therein, to build their wedding fund. Personally, I’m not a fan of the credit approach, unless its a short term solution. I realize that there are a lot of large payments that need to happen right before the wedding (hello, venue final payment!), so I totally get using a credit line for cashflow purposes. However, I have actually turned couples away who have told me that they are piling on the debt to pay for the wedding. I just can’t get behind that – it’s much better to scale back smaller and start your married life without a whole pile of debt.
As with any project involving money, there are benefits and detriments to each option, and we’ve outlined them all. Click the link below to check out the article, and definitely follow The Wedding Pic, a leading Toronto-based Instagram influencer sharing engaging and inspirational wedding content and offering practical relationship and wedding advice for modern couples.
Click here to check out our feature, and let us know what you think! Did we miss a great wedding fund source? If so, leave us a comment and let us know! We’d also love to know how you funded the wedding of your dreams!
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 Uncategorized