Planning a wedding is a full time job. Honestly at beginning of this process, I underestimated the work & time involved in putting together such an extravagant affair. Being 7 months into the planning process, I really wanted to enjoy….but to be honest, I have not been having any fun; stress level at its highest! Organizing an original wedding that people will remember, that is in perfect harmony with your vision (and your family’s vision, you’ll see they have a lot of opinions when you start planning…..), and that will not cost an arm and a leg requires a lot of research, negotiations and a sense of letting go (something I am still familiarizing myself with,lol). Looking back now, I seriously wish I had some help! I understand completely why people hire a wedding planner! But, not having a budget for one and being a total control freak, I decided to venture on my own, not knowing at all which direction to take. Had I had the opportunity to take a class last year, I would be sitting front row! So, I envy you future brides who now have access to The Wedding School (Ecole de la Mariee)! But even though a lot of my things are already planned, this class still thought me quite a few things and it reminded me of the importance of details and how I have been completely overlooking them lately. For example, did you know that you can add a one day premium to your home insurance to cover the wedding day in case something happens? Well, neither did I!!!
If you’re starting off your wedding preparations for 2017, this is seriously the best place to start. They take you through the entire wedding planning process, providing major tips on what to, what not to do & how to avoid major traps! It’s basically a one day conference where they provide you with the tools you need to be your own wedding planner! Those include a ‘theory’ portion rich with examples and anecdotes of past weddings from François Dussault, who has planned hundreds of weddings during the 16 years of his career as a wedding planner & Dominik Marengère, founder of the Wedding School and a wedding planner herself. It also includes some insight from the industry: photographer, florist, caterer & furniture rental company. Finally, the course also equips you with the wedding planing tools such as a binder filled with pages of things to consider during the process (like a budget section – probably the most important section in there!) as well as the trilogy of wedding planning books by Suzanne Laplante, a pioneer in wedding planning here in Quebec! Those books are extremely detailed and helpful! The course retails for $349 and it includes breakfast, lunch & a cocktail at the end of the day, at which you get to pick the brains of the wedding planning masters and ask them any questions you may have! If you’re not hiring a wedding planner, this is a great, cost saving alternative! The course is currently only offered in French, but they are working on having it available in English! For more info, check out http://ecoledelamariee.com/
I also wanted to take the opportunity to share a list of the vendors I have picked thus far to make my day extra special! I have already mentioned it in a previous article (here) the importance of choosing vendors with whom you feel an instant connection & whom you trust to deliver the best product & service! Quality over quantity – do your research ahead of time, honestly meeting 20 videographers for examples is just a waste of time (both yours and theirs)! Follow your instincts & let their work speak to you! So, ladies and gentleman, without further ado, meet my fabulous team:
CAKE – Petit Plaisirs Chocolata Treats:
Things just clicked with Mey, the owner of Petits Plaisirs Chocolata Treats, when I first met her at an event organized by Agenda C & again at the Diary of a Social Gal’s launch of the 5th edition of her magazine. She stole my heart with her delicious cake pops, cupcakes, macaroons & s’mores (yes, I tried them all, lol), but even more so with her kindness, sweetness & generosity! She is a sweet table master, as evidenced by the photos above; stylish, chic & elegant…and they taste as good as they look! I couldn’t be more happy to have her create my wedding cake! I am simply over the moon! Aside for being an amazing baker and table stylist for all types of events, she is a daring women who after years of experience in the hospitality & sales under her belt, ventured into opening her own brand! This coming Fall, she will be opening her very own bake shop, so stay tuned for all the details! For more info, check out her website: chocolata.ca
MAKEUP – Elizabeth d’Amico
Makeup artist extraordinaire & a fun filled gal! We met virtually through IG & we just hit it off! She has this amazing energy & bubbly personality that I know will make prep time so much fun! On my 1st makeup trial, I was blown away at how well she understood what I was looking for in terms of makeup. That day happened to be New Years Eve and I felt beautiful, so I was super happy to have a party to go to and show it off ;) hahaha! She was part of this year’s Bridal Boudoir, organized by Maddy K and being part of such an exclusive event, you must have what it takes! After a few years of working at Mac, she started her own venture! From bridal makeup to a night out, she is your girl! For more info, check out her website: www.elizabethdamico.net
KIMONO & GARTER: La Vie en Rose
La Vie en Rose comes out with stunning collections for every occasion! This wedding collection is super fun, cute & sexy! The “I do” kimono is absolutely stunning & luxurious; perfect touch for a bride (ME!) to wear while she is getting ready for the big day! And of course, it wouldn’t be a wedding without the infamous white wedding garter ! It’s feminine, flirty & stylish, but what’s really awesome about this one is the blue details which complete my ‘something blue’ ;) Photo credit: Diana Budacki.
LIMO SERVICES: Link Limousines
I dealt with Link Limousines in the past when a friend of mine was getting married and we hired two limos for a bachlorette party. Absolutely outstanding service! The limos look amazing and offer a classy red carpet treatment! They have a lot of luxe limos & luxury cars to choose from, whether its a classic white towncar limo, a Lincoln Navigator, a limo bus (hey why not?!), a Bentley or a Rolls Royce! Extremely friendly & professional, not to mention that they offer very competitive prices! Highly recommend! For more info, check out: linklimousines.com
VIDEO: Studio 55
I found Studio 55 browsing key words: ‘videographer Montreal weddings’ and contacted Pat, the owner, after a friend told me she booked photo & video with them for her upcoming wedding. Pat is super easy going & down to earth, easy to talk to and his passion for photography & videography truly shows! His team of photographers and videographers is hand picked by Pat himself & they do an outstanding job! He gave us a glimpse of their work and the videos are natural, spontaneous, romantic & full of emotion. Can’t wait for them to capture the magic of my wedding! For more info, check out their website at: www.studio55.ca/en
Kisses,
WCX
P.S. Cover photo credit: Lightbox