The Wedding Planners Blog

An Ice Cream Bar at Your Wedding

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

Earlier this year, I put together a sweet style shoot, complete with a Marble Slab Ice Cream Station from Marble Slab Mississauga!

I think having an Ice Cream station from Marble Slab Creamery is such a fun idea!

They start with pre-scooped vanilla and chocolate ice cream.

They bring all of these toppings, plus chocolate and caramel syrup, which the attendent prepares for your guests.

No mess, and the guests get an unexpected, custom treat!

Trust me, everyone will love it!

Especially the adults!

Photos by:  Rohan Laylor of Phat Dog Visuals

Planner: Danielle of The Wedding Planners

Bar Rental & Decor: DT Floral & Decor

Ice Cream: Marble Slab Creamery Mississauga

Location: Paletta Mansion

Dress: Maggie Sotero via She's So Beautiful

Tuxedos: Andrew's Formal

Cake: SweeterE

Sneak Peek of Feature in The Wedding Planner GTA Magazine

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

In September we participated in a Photoshoot Extravaganza with the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada at Paletta Mansion located in Burlington, ON, right on the shores of Lake Ontario.  

Photo Source: Burlington.ca

The idea of the event was to create two similiar wedding set-ups; one exclusively for a magazine shoot with one couple and some specal elements; the other, for Wedding Planners to pose for headshots and working shots, with another couple and different elements.  

When working a wedding, wedding planners are usually so busy we can't stop to take a great pic, or we don't want to, because we look like we've been working our tails off for hours ;)  So this is a great opportunity that WPIC sets up for its members.  

Unfortunately, I was working for 5 hours on my set-ups before I got to take any shots, but oh well, Phat Dog Visuals and Richard Emmanuel Studios still captured some photos of me that I am thrilled with. For example:

Photo by Richard Emmanuel Studios

I chose to produce an outdoor wedding ceremony.  The inspiration shoot I did for the magazine had an awesome feature which I will save for when the winter edition of Bride & Groom Canada comes out.

Here are pics of the feature in The Wedding Planner GTA, which will be available in Indigo Stores on December 15, 2013:

People who contributed to this shoot:

Styling and Coordination: Danielle of The Wedding Planners

Partner: The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada

Decor and Flowers: Craig of Designing Trendz/DT Florals

Photography: Rohan of Phat Dog Visuals

Venue: Paletta Mansion

Models: Kasia and Richard Kovacs

Bride's Attire: She's So Beautiful 

Groom's Attire: Andrew's Formals

Bride's hair and Makeup: BlushPretty

Wedding Cake: SweeterE

Favours: Kate Aspen

Stationery: The Wedding Planners

Wedding Portrait Session in Rome, Italy

We had the amazing experience of travelling to Rome, Italy to produce this post-wedding portrait session in conjunction with Tracey M Events.

Here we are with our models, newlyweds, Luna and Claudio.  

Alessandro Zingone of Italian Wedding Photojournalist, and his team took these fabulous photos and was such a big help making arrangements.  They were such a pleasure to work with. He was so quick to get these photos to us! We would recommend them in a heartbeat to anyone getting married in Italy.

We brought the accessories across the ocean, including this copper wire and bling bouquet, Danielle made.

Vendors:

Location: Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, Italy
Photographer: Italian Wedding Photojournalist (Alessandro Zingone & Vinicio Ferri, Assisted by Stefania Zen)
Models: Luna Carpinelli and Claudio Gervasi
Planner 1: The Wedding Planners
Planner 2: Tracey M Events
Dress: Atelier Antonella Spose
Suit:  Carlo Pignatelli
Bride's Shoes: Rita Cappelli
Groom's shoes: Carlo Pignatelli
Flowers: The Wedding Planners
Invitations: Fancy Beast Designs

Love is Brewing on Style Me Pretty Canada

We are are thrilled to be to able to share Katie & Brian's wedding with the folks at Style Me Pretty Canada. They were an absolute delight to work with and the other vendors helped to create a truly amazing wedding.

Prepare to swoon over the fabulous photos by Nikko Photography.  

Click here to see the whole feature.

Catherine & Jason Get Married!

by: Kim Choy, Wedding Coordinator, The Weddings Planners

Catherine and Jason were married on Saturday April 14, 2012 at St. Andrew's Club in downtown Toronto. 

This was the first wedding of the season for The Wedding Planners.  Catherine and Jason were such a sweet couple to work with to start the season off!  They were easy going, funny and so on time (their ceremony was only off schedule by 30 seconds!!)

They decided to do bridal party and family photos before the ceremony to save time, and spend more time with their guest list of seventy. Below you will see the reveal photos of the bride and groom! 

Sean and Sureka, the on-site coordinators and the rest of the crew from St. Andrew's Club were fantastic!

Michael Coombs of Michael Coombs Entertainment had the dance floor packed until 1am!

Enjoy just a handful of their photos below by Jeff at Life Creations. 

Vendors:

Wedding Coordinator: Kim Choy, The Wedding Planners
Venue: St. Andrew's Club
DJ & MC: Michael Coombs Entertainment
Photographer: Life Creations
Florist: Ginkgo Floral Design
Cake: Dufflet
Officiant: Kettle Creek Weddings
Make Up: Maureen Greenstein
Hair: Blo The Path
Transportation: Moe Limo

Just A Taste: Erin & Brian

By: Kim Choy

 
The Wedding Planners office was contacted by Erin and Brian in September 2010, for help planning their wedding.  I had the pleasure of working with Erin and Brian for a year to create their perfect wedding! 

Every once in a while you get a client that never seems like a client, they become friends instead.  I'm so glad this happened with this couple!  At two vendor meetings we were asked if we were friends and I was helping to plan or if they were clients. 

After many meetings, phone calls and emails we pulled of an amazing day for them!

Here are a few teaser pictures from Purple Martini Photography
Photo Location: The Guild Inn

  
 This is my favourite picture of them.... it's SO Erin & Brian!

Stay tuned for more photos to come!

Why Have a Wedding Rehearsal? How Does it Work?

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

So often I get asked, "Do we really have to have a rehearsal?  What do we do at one?"

I always answer yes. A rehearsal ensures that everyone knows what they are supposed to be doing, when they are supposed to be doing it and helps create calm and order within the Wedding.  When a wedding is well coordinated, the guests relax and have a much better time.  So do the bride and groom ;)

So what happens at a rehearsal?

If the officiant will be present at the Wedding Rehearsal, then they will run it.  If they will not be there, the Wedding Coordinator runs the rehearsal.

The first thing that happens is usually a group pow-wowThe Coordinator (in this case myself) will instruct everyone that they will be running through the rehearsal twice.  At this time it will be announced how the groomsmen will enter and who will be seating the mothers/parents of the couple.

The Wedding Party will be assembled in to their lines, they will practice the processional and find out where they will be standing during the ceremony.

First the Groomsmen 
Then the Bridesmaids (seen here with Carmen Danner)

 
The Ringbearers

 
And the Flower Girl

The groom practices greeting the bride and her escort (her Father in this case)
Any readings or song performances are practiced (just the entrance and exit, not the actual piece of work)
Followed by the Signing of the Registrar. It is important to practice getting around the bride's large skirt and where to place their bouquets
Followed by the Recessional

 
Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Vallaincourt for allowing me to be a part of their special day!

Real Wedding Thursday: L + B "Take the Plunge" at Canada's Wonderland

All photos courtesy of Red Umbrella Photography

I love working on unique, personalized, special weddings! This wedding had it all: a blending of Muslim and Christian backgrounds, Military elements, a Destiantion Wedding for the couple and the guests, sentiment and best of all, a sense of fun.

Lara and Bassam found me through an Internet Search for "Weddings at Wonderland". You see, my own wedding was the first-ever Wedding at Canada's Wonderland, 12 years ago.

They were looking for a fun wedding venue that was central to all their guests, since their friends and family would be coming from all over Canada. The bride is originally from Sudbury and the groom from Windsor, they went to school in Kingston, met while both were living in Calgary and when they contacted me, they were living Victoria, (they've since moved to the East Coast).  That's what you get when you marry a man who flies Sea Kings for the military!  Canada's Wonderland was the perfect choice for them.

The couple were actually married twice, they started with a traditional Muslim ceremony at a nearby hotel, then had a Non-Denominational Ceremony in Wonderland's Medeival Castle.  The wedding ceremony started with a slide show detailing the couple's courtship and showing their friends and families details about their daily life on the other side of the country.  It was a beautiful, romantic way to start their ceremony.

Here is a photo of Lara & Bassam with all of their guests in front of Wonderland's famous landmark, Victoria Falls.  

 Guests had a chance to go on rides while the couple and their wedding party took photos around the park.  At lunchtime guests met Lara & Bassam in an elegantly decorated, behind-the-scenes location, similiar to an air-conditioned, permanent tent. 

This wedding had a perfect mixture of family, fun and sentiment.  

Above, the bride and her mother hold the bride's bouquet which features a photo of the bride's father who passed away earlier in the year.  This way the bride got to keep her Dad with all day. 

Facepainters, toys, a candy buffet and a visit from Dora, kept kids entertained throughout the entire Luncheon Reception.

After the reception, the couple decided to literally take the plunge on the Extreme Skyflyer.

Vendors:

Wedding Planning & Coordination: Danielle Andrews Sunkel, Owner of The Wedding Planners
Assistants: Denise Georgiou, Kimberley Harasymchuk and Amanda Ferri
Decor: The Wedding Decorators
Photographer: Hannah of Red Umbrella Photography
Cake: I do! Wedding Cakes
Venue, Facepainter, Entertainers and Catering: Canada's Wonderland

Aisle Decor: Walking Down the Aisle in Style

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

So much attention is given to the wedding reception, but really, there would not be a reception without a ceremony!  Wow your guests right from the start by putting as much effort and thought in to your exchange of vows, as you put in to the celebration of those vows.

This is the aisle decor from one of the wedding packages at Palace resorts in Mexico.  I just loved the look it created on the beach.

Cute and pretty.

For this simple and beautiful aisle, we placed the reception centrepieces along the aisle.

For this wedding, we used candle holders with pina cloth imported from the Phillipines.  Photo by Joel Robertson.

 The same idea on steroids :)

 Photo from: Laurel McConnell Photography

From the Wedding Luncheon at The Special Event in Arizona.

Photo from Martha Stewart Weddings

I think it is so important to use florals and plants that are indigenous to the area you are getting married!

For a Parisian Garden wedding last year.  Photo by Jennifer Images

TWP Real Wedding Thursday :: M + R

 by Denise Georgiou-Newell

When I met Michelle and Robert, they brought along the two most important people in their lives, their son Yonah and Michelle’s mom, Rose.  I was absolutely blown away by Robert’s pleasant demeanor, Michelle’s captivating enthusiasm, Rose’s vibrant aura and Yonah’s complete support and love for all of them. It’s not often that you meet people who change your entire outlook by just being present.  Here is their story.

When they came to The Wedding Planners, they expressed their interest for a wedding.  Althought it was a Vow Renewal, they wanted it treated and referred to as their wedding, as they never actually had one.

Michelle and Robert met 11 years earlier via phone and were married just 3 months later, they hadn’t even gone on a ‘real’ date. Due to many circumstances that surrounded their wedding ceremony, they never really got the opportunity to publicly pledge their feelings and commitment to one another; it was just a quick, private ceremony. Having heard this, their 10-year-old son, Yonah, prompted them to plan a wedding. He insisted that it would be so special this time, because he would be there!

The wedding ceremony was wonderful. Michelle walked down to Somewhere Over the Rainbow escorted by her long-time dear friend.  The ceremony was emotional with a vow exchange, with personalized vows, they had a sand ceremony that involved Yonah and a Rose Ceremony that included Rose. Yonah, who is an aspiring figure skater (who happens to train with some of the best Olympic Gold Medalists at the Toronto Cricket Club), surprised everyone with a video of him skating a special choreographed dance especially for them.  It was honestly one of the few ceremony’s that had me (and my assistants) in tears. I could just feel the energy of love in the room. 

The lunch reception was beautifully decorated with rich Fuschia’s and blush Pinks an ordained with stunning florals of Orchids, Pink Roses and Calla Lilies.  Each Place setting had a gorgeous, gem embellished favour box containing a piece of premium delectable chocolate layered by a cookie and a top layer with a personalized folded message of the couples favorite poem.

A few personal touches throughout the wedding were: Memoriam Tree (this symbolized the guests who were there in spirit), Milk Shooters topped by a cookie, tray passed; Groom wearing a kilt during the reception; Michelle surprised Robert with a Groom’s cake, a replica of his favorite childhood war game with the actual soldier pieces he used to play with.

(This was Michelle’s message to me the day after):

“Denise, It was wonderful yesterday!  

The milk shooters with the cookies were perfect for me after the meal...something about milk and cookies that is so comfy!!

Your assistant with the photo shoot was amazing. Cleaning off the boys after climbing on the tanks...sprtizing us all with evian water. Loved her!

The set-up was gorgeous (hope there were pictures because I didn't see a thing. It was all a bit of a blur). Thanks for the fuscia head table with the pink overlay. Amazing. All was classy and ran so nicely. It was quite the fun/eclectic party!!”

Vendors:
Venue: Toronto Cricket Club
Cake: Cake Odyssey - Lily Leung
Photographer: Kim Lovell - [email protected] - 416-827-1800
Florals: Cool, Green and Shady