Know Your Budget

Everyone wants to have their dream wedding...but at what cost? It is important that as a couple, you decide how much you truly want to spend (or go into debt) for this one day. Granted, most people who have never booked a venue or planned an event, might not know how costly things can be, but that should not stop you from looking at your own finances to determine how much you want (or have) to spend on your wedding day. Once you've determined a budget, prioritize! Determine what you want to spend your money on and what, for you, isn't all that important. Some couples might want to spend thousands of dollars on a videographer, for example, while some couples don't care for a video. Some may want live entertainment, while others are content with a DJ. Figure out what is important to you to be spending your money on. From a planner's perspective, it is one of the first questions I ask...what is your budget and what is most important to you?

When to send Thank You Cards

A common question I get emailed to me from my clients after they've arrived back from their honeymoon is to find out when to send out thank you cards to their guests. My response is "as soon as possible." Some people think a year is the rule of thumb, but they would be wrong. Although some couples have their hands tied with the turnaround time from their photographers, this is becoming less and less of an issue. Digital photography and technology itself has helped to speed things up. I would say that thank you cards should be mailed out within 3 months following the wedding. Of course, if you can't get it together by then, you should still send out a thank you card. The last thing you want to do is to not send out a thank you note.

Don't Forget Plan B

As beautiful as outdoor weddings are, couples need to be prepared to settle for their Plan B if the weather doesn't cooperate. Many couples don't pay enough attention to their Plan B, and they should take some time to consider it. Mother nature doesn't always go the way we hope. I have been involved in weddings where we've had to resort to the Plan B option and luckily I've made it a point with all my brides to spend the time to consider all the details so that it is just as beautiful an experience as it would have been if it were outdoors. So a word of caution to all brides and grooms doing an outdoor ceremony or reception...consider Plan B just as much as your dream wedding because it could happen to you...mother nature has a mind of her own!

House weddings

There is a certain charm that goes along with having a house wedding. I believe it is the intimacy that is created when you open up your home to your closest family and friends to celebrate in one of life's great moments. On June 23rd, I had the pleasure of witnessing two young people come together. Charlie and Charlie (the bride's name is Charlotte, but goes by Charlie) got married at the groom's parent's house in Stoufville. They were fortunate to have fabulous weather, as has been the case with most weekends this summer. Their wedding was beautiful and the backdrop of the trees and forest were a photographer's dream. Some may think that having a wedding at home is less expensive or less hectic, but infact, the expense can be the same as hosting it at a venue, and there certainly is a lot to take care of and think about. What is not the same, is the intimacy and the sheer comfort of having a wedding at home. Nothing can compare to the charm of having a house wedding and Charlie and Charlie's wedding is a testament to that. They have started their lives together in the comfort of their parent's home and their happiness with shine from there.

Behind in Blogging

I have been remiss in posting blogs from the various weddings over the 2009/2010 wedding season as life became busier for me as I became a new mother. My daughter is the love of my life. The couples I have been working with over the year during my pregnancy and in the early stages of my daughter's life have been wonderful and truly understanding. Thank you to all my brides (and grooms).

Now that life has become a little more manageable, I have a lot of catching up to do in posting the various weddings. So stay tuned to the blog as entries will be made in the next little while.

Laura & Peter

Never before had I been booked to do a full-planning wedding without even meeting the bride and groom first. Laura & Peter had such busy schedules that we could not connect before Laura left for the States. Laura was about to release her book in the States and had to do book tours for most of the time leading up to the wedding. Thank goodness for email! I'm glad they trusted me to plan all the details of their wedding in 3 short months. The guests were a mix of Greeks and Texans...what a party!

Marika & Nick

I worked with Marika over 5 years ago and when she asked me to be her Day-Of Wedding Coordinator, of course I said yes. Marika is so easy going and I knew that it would be a stress-free wedding. She didn't have a bridal party and was not into the formalities of weddings...she wanted her family and friends around her to celebrate and as she put it, "rock on". She wanted a great party and that is definitely what she and Nick had.
They had their wedding at the Old Mill this Fall and the weather was perfect. Nick and Marika and their respective families seemed so relaxed. The party got into full swing once their band, Soular, started to play. And an added bonus, I was able to reconnect with some familiar faces. Thanks again Jim for the fabulous photos.