WPIC

"Feeling Good" Chronicles of a Wedding Coordinator

by Caryn Lim, WPICC of A Timeless Celebration Weddings & Events Inc.

One of our most rewarding experiences took place last summer when we saved an outdoor wedding from being drenched in the rain! The ceremony was planned to be held on the terrace of a hotel. Of course, the most difficult situation for an outdoor wedding is to decide if the wedding should be kept outside or change the location to the backup indoor venue due to bad weather condition.

On the day of the wedding, my partner and I had to set up the ceremony and reception decor. The weather was beautiful and it didn't seem like it was going to rain at all. The banquets manager was suppose to make the final call. He said, "no worries, it's going to be beautiful all day, just look at the sky." We bugged him about it a few times because the weather forecast said otherwise. At first we let him have his say because he was supposed to make the final decision.

As the early afternoon passed by, we kept our eyes on the hour-by-hour weather forecast, it continued to indicated a 90% chance of rain by the late afternoon. As we setup outside, it was getting darker and windier. We stopped setting up and start on the inside in case we would be doing the outside decor for nothing. We also told the DJ to hold off on his setup and tried to convince the hotel staff to stop setting up the chairs, but unfortunately, they couldn't because they had to follow orders. This is something we have never done before, but we called the bride three times, yet she continued to say she REALLY wanted the wedding outside. During our last call, the groom said to us "listen, I know she really wants the ceremony outside, but use your best judgment and you make the call." We said "OK. We're moving everything inside. Bye."

We immediately went to look for the banquet manager, but he was nowhere to be found! We waited a bit, couldn't wait any longer, went to his assistant and told her "the ceremony will be inside, anything you need help with, we're here." Why we said that was because it was only 1.5 hours before the ceremony was to begin and the backup ceremony location was the restaurant of the hotel and all the cutlery, linens, tables and chairs had to be moved out of the way to fit 200 guests! The banquets manager was no where to be seen, the hotel coordinator finally came in to work, but all she said to us was “I am not happy with this last minute decision” and left us with only two hotel staff to help make this ceremony possible! They were already occupied moving the chairs from the terrace into the restaurant, it was only my partner and I left putting away the cutlery, linens and moving the tables and chairs without any hotel staff there to direct us! We had no choice but to grab a few guests who already arrived, explained to them the urgent situation, had them roll up their sleeves and started the workout! As soon as all the chairs and sound equipments were moved from the terrace into the restaurant, it literally started raining cats and dogs! It poured and poured and poured, so hard that we couldn't even see the outside from the large windows of the restaurant. Everyone started cheering. HUGE sigh of relief! CLOSE ONE!

That wasn't the end of the story! None of the chairs, decor and sound equipments were wet, but we still had to deal with a restaurant that was in a HUGE mess! Tables and chairs were everywhere because we didn't know where to put them! My partner and I had to improvise and we had to dismantle the head table backdrop from the lower level, bring it up to the restaurant and set it up so that we can close off a section of the restaurant and hide all the (horribly stacked) tables and chairs behind the backdrop!

Everything was pulled together JUST IN TIME! Everyone stayed beautiful, handsome and dry. The backdrop served as a beautiful background for the ceremony and photos. No one else knew what had gone wrong, not even the families of the bride and groom, not unless they were there during all the chaos or unless they peaked behind our backdrop!

-Caryn Lim, WPICC

A Timeless Celebration Weddings & Events Inc.

Etiquette Training with The Etiquette Guy

By:Kim Choy

Last week, Lataysha and I, along with other WPIC Alumni attended The Etiquette Guy's Business and Dining Etiquette Seminar at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto.  This event was organized by one of our WPIC Alumni, Holly Carney of Holly Matrimony Weddings.

I was so excited to attend this seminar!  For some reason I've always been fascinated with etiquette.  Why we practiced it, where it originated from and how to improve my etiquette. 

Growing up, my family always went out for dinner, I was in my first restaurant when I was a week old.  As children, my siblings and I were always raised to sit nicely at the table, use our fork, remove our hats, and be relatively quiet.  I wouldn't say we grew up in a household of impeccable dinner manners, but we weren't the kids running around the restaurants screaming!  By the time I was 18 months old, I could use chopsticks, and by the time I was 12 I knew which cutlery to use even for a 4-6 course meal at a restaurant.

It surprises me so much that adults these days simply don't know the proper etiquette of meeting someone for the first time, the courtesy of removing a hat while in a building or proper dining etiquette.

Lataysha and I attended this seminar on behalf of WPIC Inc.  I wanted to attend this seminar, not only because I like learning about it, I wanted to have the training behind me from someone who knows what he's talking about! 

Jay Remer is the Etiquette Guy.  He has been trained by the Protocol School of Washington, which is the leader in etiquette and protocol services.  He has planned royal, corporate, political and social events over the past 40 years.

Jay states on his website:
"Good manners and proper etiquette are based on common sense. There are reasons why we do certain things in certain ways and not in other ways. My goal is for clients to have fun sharpening their knowledge and updating their skills, and in doing so, to gain greater self-confidence, to set a good example for their peers and their families, and to develop a deep sense of respect for all people."

The first day we learned about business etiquette. 

During the business etiquette seminar we were taught the 3 main proper etiquette practices:
We were taught how to greet someone with a proper handshake with the right amount of firmness, depending on the sex of the person, the positioning of the hand and how many times you "shake" the person's hand.  This was such useful information, as so many times we are meeting new clients and their parents, new vendors and other important people.  It is really important to know how to shake someone's hand properly - without crushing them or being too dainty!

Some other things Jay covered in the Business Etiquette:

• TOO MUCH eye contact is distracting and just plain creepy!
• Handwritten notes are always a must!
• Business cards aren't handed out like candy, they are only given to someone once you have decided you would like to continue a relationship with this person (I love this rule!)

The second day was the seminar most people were looking forward to: Dining Etiquette.  Everybody eats three meals a day, so we should all know how to eat, but do we know how to eat properly?

We learned the proper seating etiquette when there is a host and one guest or many guests.  We were taught how to sit - bet you didn't know there was a proper way to do that, eh?

I think one of the most important things we were taught on the second night was The Host Duties and The Guest Duties.  Jay taught us whose right it is to do certain things when being the host or the guest.  I find that this is so helpful not only for dinner parties, but also weddings as well. 

After a few hours of teaching, it was time for our 4-course meal!  It was so good!

One of the hardest things we struggled with was how to eat with a knife and fork - I know this sounds silly!

• Once you commit to using a knife (which should be in your right hand), you can never, change your fork back into your right hand to shovel food into your mouth?  This was the most challenging thing for all of us to accomplish!  We were so tempted to switch hands!  
• In order have to a comfortable amount of space at the table, there must be at least 24 inches between each dinner plate (center to center of the plate)

• Cutlery never touches the table again once you have picked it up.  It must rest on the plate or bowl.
• For dessert, sometimes a spoon is used as a substitute for a knife. 
• For ladies, if your purse is small enough, it goes on your lap and for larger purses, they should go inbetween your feet, under the table.

Overall I enjoyed both nights at the seminar.  I had fun catching up with old friends and meeting new people and most importantly brushing up on my etiquette and learning some new tips I never knew before!

Thank you to Holly for organizing this event and to Jay for teaching us!

Quality vs. Price - Why Hiring a Budget Wedding Planner Could Backfire

by Christina Frizzell,WPICC of Sweet Bliss Weddings in Edmonton, AB

Everyone loves a bargain! And when are you more likely to look for a bargain than when you are planning on making a big purchase?  Whether it’s a car, an entertainment system or a camera, chances are that you want to do a bit of research to determine what the best model is for the best price.

This practice should be no different when you are looking for a wedding planner.

The average cost of a wedding in Canada is $25,000.  That’s a LOT of money to invest and chances are you will have to trim up on a few wedding expenses to stay within budget.  However, I am here to explain why hiring a budget wedding planner could end up costing a lot more than if you had hired a professional in the first place.

If you’re getting married (congratulations!) and are starting to research all-things-wedding, then no doubt you have already checked out websites like Kijiji looking for décor, vendors and services.  While sites like Kijiji are great for finding bargains, they’re also a free bulletin board for self-described “professionals” to get your business.

Aside from the usual red flags (no company website, a hotmail address, no business materials), you should also be looking at their pricing as an indicator as to whether or not these so-called professional planners are actually qualified to be entrusted with your special day.

For example, I am always told about “wedding planners” who charge $400-$500 (or less…yikes!)  for Wedding Day Coordination.  While this may sound like an absolute steal, let’s do the math:

For us WPIC certified planners, what’s known as a “Day Of Coordination” actually doesn’t just include your wedding day.  We are doing a bunch of work behind the scenes in preparation of your wedding day.  We are contacting all of your vendors to confirm everything they contractually agreed to provide you with; and if we are not familiar with the vendor that you have booked, we may contact a reliable vendor that we know of and ask them to be on stand-by in the event that your chosen vendor fails to show up.  We are also creating your wedding day timeline and itinerary for you and coordinating your rehearsal.  In total (including being there on your wedding day), we are putting in 40 hours or more for your “Day Of” coordination.

Photo by Nikko Lim

If we only charged $400 for this service that means that we are only making $10/hr, which is slightly above Alberta’s minimum wage (less than minimum wage in Ontario).  At this point, you should be asking yourself: “How is this business making money?” And that’s a great question!! 

The main goal of all businesses is to make money.  So if you are hiring a wedding planner who is willing to work for minimum wage, what level of service will you be getting?  And if their business is not making money, will they even be in business by the time your wedding rolls around? 

The bottom line is: You Get What You Pay For.  Anyone can claim to be a wedding planner and take out an ad on Kijiji or start a page on Facebook.  However, it is education, past experience, professionalism and industry connections that set professional planners apart from the “weekend warriors” who are just out to make a quick buck. 

Would you hire a wedding dress maker who has no formal training or experience other than “I watch a lot of Project Runway”?

When it comes to your wedding day, who would you rather have in your corner?

About Christina Frizzell, WPICC - After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree and living abroad in London, England, Christina returned home to Edmonton and created Sweet Bliss Weddings. Christina believes that a wedding should be a reflection of who you are, both as individuals and as a couple, and will help you incorporate those personal touches that will leave your guests talking about your wedding for years to come. She is also the first and only Wedding Planner in Alberta to be certified by the Gay Wedding Institute. 

Ladies Night Out - Rosehill Event Lounge

By: Lataysha Jackson, WPIC Intern.

On Wednesday October 12^th 2011 Danielle Andrews Sunkel, Kim Choy, and I had the pleasure of attending the Rosehill Event Lounge. Us lovely ladies got to dress up and enjoy a lavish night of complimentary appetizers/beverages, and entertainment.

The Rosehill Venue/Lounge is wonderful location to host wedding ceremonies, weddings, special event receptions, parties, luncheons and dinners.

Rosehill Information
6 Rosehill Avenue Toronto, ON
Tel. 416.923.2232
enquires@rosehillevents.ca

When we walked into the building we all were blown away by the beauty. The interior was a gorgeous vintage elegant layout with exquisite decor, modern furniture, and historic pictures. The crowd was amazing! Everyone was conversing, taking pictures, and enjoying the mellow jazz music in the background.

We had the pleasure of indulging in different food dishes, and drinks from the food stations, coffee and espresso and beer and wine bar. The food stations were hosted by different catering companies.

Sequel Catering & Events, Ann Tran
416.480.0996
www.sequel.ca

BLT Mac N’ Cheese & Ann Tran and Chef

The BLT Mac N Cheeses was DELICIOUS! The dish was superb, and was Kim’s and my favourite dish of the night. The dish was light, all flavours of ingredients blended nicely, and you got and evenly tastes of all ingredients. Every bite felt like heaven.

Ingredients: parsley, tomatoes, bacon bites, mix of three cheeses, and assorted spices.

L-EAT Catering
416. 631.9926
http://www.leatcatering.com/home.htm

Beef served with Lobster Mash Potatoes

Kim and Danielle had the opportunity to try this dish and said “The beef was juicy! and the lobster mash potatoes were good”

Ingredients: green beans, sundried tomatoes, lobster, mash potatoes, beef, beef gravy, and assorted spices

Noble Culinary Creations Catering
416.288.9713
www.nobleculinary.com

 Cornish Hen Chicken & Raspberry Stuffed Pastry

When Danielle, Kim, and I took our first bite into each dish, we said “WOW, this is really good”. Me having a sweet tooth I loved the dessert, it was to die for!

Ingredients
Cornish Hen Chicken: dark chicken meat, peas, pearl onions, mash potatoes, and blackberry sauce.
Raspberry Stuffed Pastry: raspberries, flakey pastry, icing/crème, filled with assorted fruit filling.

On The Move Catering Company
905.615.9957
http://www.otm.ca/

    Chef cooking it up!  & Seafood Jambalya

“Wow I like this I really like this. I think it’s the best dish of the night” –Kim Choy

Besides the great review from Kim, the Chef was so friendly and inviting. He was very approachable, knew his information, and had a blast cooking our dish.

Ingredients: rice in an authentic sauce, onions, peas, assorted spices served with all or your choice of; shrimp, chicken, salami sausage, and clams.

En Ville Event Design & Catering
416.533.8800
www.enville.com

 Herloon Carrot & Beat Root Coleslaw & Lobster Bisque with Popcorn

The food was all delightful and the portions were filling.  By the end of the evening we were all stuffed!

The Suzana da Camara Cabaret
416.525.5757
www.suzanamusic.com

 

Apart from the catering, culinary, and events companies there was an entertainment company called The Suzana da Camara Cabaret. The company specializes in 1940s cabaret shows with themes, musicality, and choreography. Performances are always performed by Suzana along with her instrumental band. They do performances for weddings, special event, and many more.

Spirit Entertainment
416.322.7464
www.spiritentertainment.ca

 

Along with food plus beverages was entertainment. Enjoyment to soft jazz music being played, guest also had the opportunity to go in a photo booth to take pictures, AWESOME!

Danielle, Kim, and I squeezed ourselves into the booth to take memorable candid photos of the night. It was hilarious trying to fit all our faces into the camera shot, however they came out nicely. Mission Impossible was Possible - sort of...!

We indulged, interacted, drank, and were entertained. It was a lovely eventful night and a great success for the Rosehill Event Lounge. It was a good turn out and on behalf of WPIC Danielle, Kim, and I would personally like to thank Rosehill Event Lounge for hosting great night. Thank You!

Facial Piercings and Weddings

Written by: Lataysha Jackson, WPICC our newest WPIC Inc., Intern :)

Do you have a client with face piercings? Do they want to remove them or keep them?

Solutions to keeping the piercings or removing them for the big day

People pierce different areas of their face for numerous reasons; some have an interest, some wish to accessorize their face, and some may do piercings for a living. Whatever it may be there has always been a debate whether or not brides should keep their face piercings in on the wedding day. Commonly nose piercings and eyebrow piercing are okay piercings to have and are ok to keep in on the wedding day.

However if you have more than just your nose or eyebrows pierced on your face, that is when you run into indecisive decisions, and debates.

Keeping Them In:

If the bride wishes to keep her face piercings in; and comes to you for advice. Inform her that she may want to look into wearing small studs, diamonds, or jewellery that aligns with the wedding theme, wedding dress, or the attire of the wedding. Show her that she does not want to overpower her face but to keep it settle, that way all the focus will be on her beauty not the metal in her face.

Removing Them:

This decision should never be implemented by the wedding coordinator. If your bride chooses to remove her face piercings, and is concerned that her holes will be seen or her hole will close here is some suggestions.

Make-up is always the best way to cover them up, concealer or cover up is perfect for covering the holes, and preventing them from being seen in wedding photos or by the wedding guest. Your bride can speak to the make-up artist on the day of wedding that she wishes to hide her piercing holes. If you even have an eyebrows piercing, try styling your hair with bangs that fall down covering the area.

In some cases there are certain piercings that close within 24 hours. If your bride has worries you may suggest:

• Taking  a good size piece of broom straw that is big enough to be taken out after, but small enough so it is not visible; and insert it in the pierced hole
• Take dental floss or string that is a good enough size that won’t get stuck in the pierced hole and tie a knot at the end
• Or your bride could purchase earring sticks (seen below in the picture) these usually sell for $4.00 per pack and come in different colors. Using nude or colors that compliment your skin tone are the most suitable.

http://www.earringsplanet.com/category_11/2/Stud-Earrings.htm

*These or just ideas and suggestions, you may know your own solutions that you can present to the bride, or the bride already may know*

Face Piercings: How many is too many!

Check out Elaine Davidson: Elaine Davidson is a Brazilian born nurse, who has over 6,000 piercings. Elaine piercings didn’t stop her from being married; she painted her face green, and walked down the aisle filled with joy to be wed. Elaine is proud of her piercings, and isn’t afraid to be seen with them, her husband Douglas Watson supports his wife and says “he loves his wife and her appearance”. To read more, check out the following links below the pictures.

http://wikileaksnews.net/elaine-davidson-worlds-most-pierced-woman-gets-married-to-balding-civil-servant.html
http://chairforcengineer.blogspot.com/2011/06/worlds-most-pierced-woman-gets-married.html 

Piercings are personal and often represents a person; individuality, personality, and defines them as a person. Whether the face piercings are removed or not, at the end of the day the most important thing is that the bride is HAPPY.

 

Tips for a Great Business Headshot

Special thanks to guest Bloggers Lin and Leon from Vancouver B.C's Orange Memories Photography for sharing their great article with us at WPIC.

Tips for Getting a Compelling Business Portrait

A good business portrait is essential to your business because it's part of your brand. It promotes your professional presence everywhere such as business cards, websites, brochures, public relations, press releases and of course social media. A professionally created business portrait is an important tool to convey your identity to the public and connect you with your potential clients. People see who you are and are more likely to feel like working with you.

 

Here are a few tips that will help you get great business portrait

1. Be confident about yourself. Remember. What you are feeling always gets portrayed through our lens. So be confident, you will look confident. Be happy and you will look happy. Your business portrait should showcase that you are an accomplished professional. 
2. Smizing. Smizing means smile with your eyes. Don't worry about the few wrinkles that might go with it. A genuinely happy person is too positive to let a few wrinkles to get them down. 
3. If you need a hair cut, do it a few days before the photo shoot. 
4. Wear clothes that fit you well. Wear colours that complement your skin tone. 
5. Wear makeup in moderation to accentuate your assets and downplay any undesirable features. Get a professional make-up artist if necessary. 
6. Straighten up during the photo shoot. Don't hunch. 
7. If you want to hide your double chin, tilt your face slightly upwards.

A Magical Evening with Preston Bailey

“A Magical Evening with Preston Bailey”

By: WPIC Instructor, Monica Hill of Aisle Plan Your Day

When we first read about Preston Bailey coming to Edmonton, AB on Twitter, we registered our fabulous WPIC instructor, Monica Hill ASAP to represent and share her experience with all of us. Below is her recap of the night.On Saturday, October 1/ 2011 I had the pleasure of attending a “Magical Evening with Preston Bailey” presented by the Edmonton Bridal Expo in Edmonton, Alberta with several WPIC members.

 
The evening started out with a champagne cocktail reception at the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald.  It was here that I had the opportunity to meet with Preston Bailey face to face… and what an amazing experience it was! Preston Bailey is truly a down-to-earth person who seems genuinely interested in what you have to say. He asked about the market in Edmonton and surrounding Alberta … and proceeded to ask about our current rates on planning packages for clients. He is a very intriguing individual and it was certainly hard not to get “star-struck” when speaking with him. He ended our conversation with a hug as we exchanged business cards.

Upon conclusion of the cocktail reception, we proceeded to our reserved table front and center for Preston Bailey’s presentation.  The evening started out with a decadent array of food for our plated dinner.

  Our dinner menu for the evening included: 

• Woodland Mushroom Bisque with White Truffle Oil drizzle
• Pan-seared Snow Crab Cake with Black Bean and Roasted Corn salad, Organic pea shoots w/lemon zest aioli
• Organic “Diamond Willow” Beef Tenderloin w/ Red Wine jus, Mascarpone and Red Beet mashed potatoes
• Dessert trio of: Classic Creme Brulee, miniature Apple Pie bite & rich Chocolate Pate

Upon conclusion of dinner service, Preston Bailey took the stage and within minutes, had the entire room laughing. Preston shared some rather personal facts with the group about his claim to fame and offered some great advice on how to be successful. His advice consisted of 3 main points:

1. “Determine what makes you different and what sets you apart from the competition”
2. “Always say Yes”  to clients
3. “You have to trust in yourself & your surroundings”

Preston then proceeded to share some of his current projects he is working on and highlighted some of the best moments of his career, including planning Oprah Winfrey’s 50^th Birthday and working closely with numerous clients such as Jennifer Hudson, Donald Trump and Royal Families across the globe.

Preston made a point to mention how truly lucky we are to be working within such a wonderful industry. He discussed the difference between social vs corporate clients and emphasized his passion for weddings. Preston also provided some insight into the different design concepts he provides to his clients, and that he always creates 3 completely different concepts for his clients to choose from. He works with an amazing team of designers out of his office in New York and said his true love for designing is in India as they are familiar with the various textures and textiles and he loves the fact that they party for a week!  Preston even showed us a picture of his personal bedroom in New York City showing crystals and florals on a 4 poster bed and explained; “I wake up every morning and want to have a party”.

Upon conclusion of the presentation, Preston Bailey proceeded to take pictures with every person that attended the gala and sign his book for anyone that had copies with them. If I had to describe my evening at The Preston Bailey Gala, I could sum it up by saying I was completely star-struck by such an amazing person who made every person in that room laugh and smile throughout the entire presentation. I feel truly honored to have been able to attend an event with a true icon in our industry!

Preston Bailet and WPIC Instructor, Monica Hill

Shop Till You Flop. Shopping Around For Your Wedding Planner?

by Jennifer Borgh, WPICC of Jennifer Borgh Events

I never want a couple's wedding to be less than perfect, even if they didn’t hire me. Some couples hire me right away and others hire other Wedding Planners. I certainly never take it personally. I am grateful for the amazing clients that do hire me and feel very lucky to work with so many clients who continue to refer my services to their friends and family. You win some, you loose some in this business and I know I am not the perfect fit for every couple.

In the past 6 months, I have heard from couples (and in one case, their family member) who have had regrets that they didn’t hire me. In one case, they didn’t hire a Planner at all and were completely overwhelmed with the amount of things that came up on the day. They didn’t enjoy their day at all because they were busy doing my job. The other couples hired other Planners because they appeared to be cheaper or offered more. Although when all was said and done this wasn’t the case at all, as they didn’t follow through with the promises made.

Here are a few suggestions to avoid time wasted shopping around:

• Hire a Wedding Planner.  Even if you can’t afford a full package, at least book a Day of Package to help you enjoy your day.
• Hire a Wedding Planner who is in your price range instead of focusing on the absolutely lowest price.  In the long run you have no idea where your Wedding Planner will save you money.  The $1000 extra you spend in fees, can easily turn in to a savings of $5000, if you hired the right Wedding Planner.   Hiring the cheapest Planner (or any vendor) can sometimes backfire and turn into a very costly situation.
• Don’t hire a Wedding Planner who offers to “probably” do something. “I will probably get you upgraded”, “I will probably be at the rehearsal”, “I will probably save you this or that cost”. If I say I am going to do something, I do it.  Although I always try and get my clients more than they expect, I certainly never promise unless I know it’s going to happen.
• Never hire a Wedding Planner with a deal that is too good to be true. How are they making a living if they are charging $200/per wedding? They would need to do 200 weddings just to be above the poverty line! So they are obviously working another job, not paying their assistants, not having enough assistants, doing this as a hobby and potentially not going to be in business by the time your wedding arrives.
• Narrow your decision to a few Wedding Planners and book an initial consultation to meet them and see if they are the right fit.  Don’t waste your time calling 30 Wedding Planners to compare the pricing, it really is a huge waste of your time and not a true indication of which Planner will really help you stay on budget.
• Get a referral from a friend.  Did they hire a Wedding Planner they were happy with?  I love word of mouth referrals and am thrilled that most of my business is through referrals from other Wedding Planners, friends and past clients.

Happy Planning!

About Jennifer Borgh:

Specializing in destination weddings and local weddings in Toronto and York Region, Jennifer Borgh with her team of exceptional assistants and vendor connections ensure every single detail of your wedding is taken care of. Jennifer Borgh Events is a boutique planning company and doesn’t overbook.  Jennifer Borgh plans weddings and honeymoons FULL time and is therefore available when you need her!

Her extensive background in events has taken her all across the Caribbean.  Being Certified by The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada, Sandals and Travel Industry Council of Ontario leaves destination bridal parties completely worry-free in her capable hands.  www.jenniferborghevents.com

WPIC Goes to Sandals in St. Lucia

By: Tracey Manailescu

Guess where we were last week? On a VIP Familiarization trip to St. Lucia with Sandals!

It is so important to visit the properties you want to deal with, so you can share accurate information with your couples when planning a destination wedding or honeymoon with them. I know the service they can expect, and can help point the couples in the right direction for resorts best suited to meet their needs.

I co-produced our 5th "Wedding Professionals International Conference" at Beaches, Turks & Caicos in 2009, and coordinated a Destination wedding last New Year's Eve at Sandals Royal Bahamian in the Bahamas.

The only Sandals properties I have yet to see are Antigua and The Exumas.

What a beautiful island this is. As soon as the plane got close to landing I was hooked. The mountains, the lushness, the stunning water all make St. Lucia a couples paradise. I experienced it with 4 other females, but I imagined what it could've been with my hubby there, LOL!

We were picked up from the airport in an Escalade. Yup. That's right. Then whisked away to Sandals La Toc with Gravol down the hatch. (Really readers, don't be a hero. You will need Gravol for the winding roads and mountainess hour-drive to the resort.)

We were greeted at Sandals La Toc by our Butlers in the Butler's lounge, who took us to our own 2 level suites. (Mine just happened to have 2 doors because one opened directly out to the ocean!!!) This came in really handy for me during my stay, because I woke up early several days and went walking along the beach with no one else around. That was dreamy, I tell you...

So what stood out to me from Sandals in St. Lucia?

The food was very tasty as more spices and flavour were used. We met so many wonderful people through the week, whether they were driving the shuttles, cleaning the rooms, in the restaurants, Red Lane Spa and management. There is a genuine kindness and warmth to the people of St. Lucia. This does not just apply to staff, as we saw with the few locals we met on the beach and on a snorkelling trip. (Yes, the beaches in St. Lucia are public.)

Sandals really utilizes the location of the resorts and gives you breathtaking views at every angle. We were given the chance to experience Red Lane Spa at Sandals La Toc. (Let me insert here that I have been to Red Lane Spa every single time I have been to Sandals or Beaches. Whether it was for FAM's, two personal vacations, or our 5th annual Wedding Professionals Conference, as I mentioned above.) The experience is always the same... that awesome signature scent of lemongrass as soon as you step in the doors, clean and up-to-date equipment, and most importantly, attentive & professional staff who make you feel relaxed and literally in good hands, LOL! I got a 50 minute "Spa Margarita Mani" and a 60 minute "Spa Pedi-Colada". Oh yeah!!!!

Differences I noticed between the three resorts in St. Lucia, you ask?

La Toc is for lovers. Newlyweds or honeymooners can really take advantage of the nooks and crannies to steal kisses and they won't mind all of the uphill climbing to get from one end to the other, which is great for the bottom half. For others, you can always get a shuttle which drives by every 5 minutes, no worries! The resort is quieter as well, unless you go to the piano bar to listen to some great music and maybe dance a bit if you are so inclined after 11. *Not best suited for couples with mobility issues.

Halcyon is much smaller and more intimate. This is best suited to couples who want to get away from it all and just relax and enjoy each other. It would also be great to have a larger wedding party here to really connect and spend time with loved ones, or a group of friends that you enjoy spending time with and can really be together for most of the vacation. A more mature couple who just want to relax would be ideal.

Grande St. Lucian was my personal favourite. This is where I would vacation with my husband. We get bored easily and need to see variety and like to people watch. Lots to see and do. More people, in a more lively atmosphere. I am 100% a beach person, and the beach here was absolutely stunning with the views of the mountains behind it. (All 3 had great beaches I have to add.) Free shuttles for tours to downtown Rodney Bay ran out of this resort. Horseback riding right on the beach, and horses roaming freely on the other side of the property was nice to see.

Sandals Weddings by Martha Stewart have made some adjustments, which is great to see. Couples are now allowed to change up the decor so they can personalize their wedding a bit more with the options available to them. You are no longer limited to set packages. Any staff we asked about this, said it has made a big difference to the couples.
We were invited to watch this wedding above at Grande St. Lucian.

A great time with some great peeps! Thanks Sandals :)

*By the way, all photos were taken by me :)

"Feeling Good" Chronicles of a Wedding Coordinator

By: Tracey Manaielscu

I asked our WPIC Alumni recently to share some of their most rewarding memories from weddings they have coordinated. We will be sharing these memories with you, our readers over the next few months.

Mary Swaffield of Lavish - Wedding Planning & Design in Calgary, AB sent us this :

Photo credit: As I See It Photography

"One of the most rewarding experiences I've had as a Planner occurred last summer at Chateau Lake Louise. The bride had scheduled her 5 bridesmaids (most of whom had just flown in from Japan for the wedding) to have their hair done at the hotel salon. However, the morning of the wedding, when they went to the salon for their appointment, they found it locked up. The bride contacted me and my team went to work trying to find out what the explanation was. As it turned out, the stylist who had been scheduled to do their hair had been rushed into surgery back in Calgary and would not be able to make it. The back-up stylist for the salon was unreachable.

The bride was devestated and asked me what could be done. Her bridesmaids were panicking and upset. Surely we could do something...

I remember leaving the set-up of the reception area to sit down and brainstorm. Lake Louise is not exactly a bustling metropolis - there was no-where to call, no salons that we could contact. Banff was hours away, and it was a Saturday in June - undoubtably, every stylist in the Rockies was probably booked solid.

Suddenly, it came to me!

The day prior, we had visited the restaurant where the rehearsal dinner was to be hosted. The manager had taken the time to show us around and give us the history of the unique restaurant. During this time, she talked quite a bit about her own history... which included working as a hair stylist for a decade.

BINGO! I grabbed my phone and called the restaurant. No answer. I hit re-dial over and over again for about 15 minutes straight, until I finally reached someone. I asked for the manager, and they told me she was unavailable. I expressed my urgency and they promised to find her and have her call me. In the meantime, I was fielding calls from the tearful bride, who felt that she had let her friends down and ruined their experience. Please oh please couldn't I help? I crossed my fingers and waited for the phone to ring.

Finally - the manager called me back. I explained the situation and said that I needed someone to do their hair. She said, "there isn't really anyone in the area". I said "well, there kind of is, actually". Silence. "OH," she exclaimed - "you want ME to do their hair!".

Amazingly, she agreed, and after finding someone to take her place at the restaurant, she made it to the Chateau in no time flat, and managed to get all 5 of the bridesmaids done, just in time for the ceremony.

The bride was beyond pleased - everyone looked beautiful, and the bridesmaids each came up and expressed their gratitude to us for solving their hair dilemma!

This was one of the first few weddings of my career, and I remember feeling elated that the team had been able to come up with such a creative (and lucky) solution to what could have been a no-win situation. This wedding had many, many other issues, and my team was able to handle each and every one of them calmly and creatively. Many, MANY lessons were learned that day, and to this day it remains one of my favourite weddings, not because everything went smoothly, but because very little of it went smoothly, but the guests and the bride and groom had virtually no idea and were able to enjoy what seemed to be a perfect day!"

Mary Swaffield, Calgary AB
Lavish - Wedding Planning & Design
www.lavisheventdesign.com