WPIC

WPIC Goes for High Tea at The Windsor Arms

By: Tracey Manailescu

On Wednesday, Lataysha, Kim, Danielle and myself went to the Windsor Arms for their High Tea. If you have never been, then it is an experience you should have at least once. Danielle and I have been fortunate enough to have gone a few times at various venues for Mother's Day with our mother & grandmothers, and for Bridal Showers etc.

Coordinators, let your clients know that it is a great time to catch up with the bridal party and the mothers. As well, to wrap up a day of shopping with their girls for last minute wedding related items at Holt Renfrew, Coach, Channel, Dior etc. (which are all steps away.) *It would be appropriate to give the thank-you gifts to the bridal party at this ocassion, if it is the week or two before the wedding.

The Windsor Arms Hotel has been serving tea since 1927 and still has the original working fireplace. The Tea Room holds 42 seated guests.

Here is what the High Tea menu included: (We chose the Complete Tea, which included a glass of Sherry or Sparkling Wine. I was the only one who opted for Sherry, and it was wonderful...)

A Choice of Loose-Leaf Teas (There were 4 pages of tea to choose from! Danielle had the Tibetan Tiger, I had Citralicious, Kim had a Fu Man Chu, and Lataysha had Eve's Temptation.)

Fresh Scones with Preserves
and Devon Cream

A Presentation of Fresh Sandwiches:

Smoked Salmon and Wasabi Sour Cream
with Salmon Caviar

&
Cucumber with Sundried Tomato Paste
and Dill Cream Cheese

While I was researching the history of High Tea, I found some interesting tidbits. Apparently tea drinking started in France in 1636, twenty some odd years before England made it famous. It was believed to cure all illnesses, and reportedly some drank up to 40 cups of it daily!

The "Afternoon Tea", as we know it, was made famous by Anna Maria Stanhope who was known as the Duchess of Bedford. The regular meals of the day were served early and late, so the Duchess would feel faint mid-afternoon. She began having a light snack of tea and bread to curb her hunger, while waiting for the dinner meal. She then began inviting friends to join her for a more social aspect. The menu increased with some more sweets added, and other socialites picked it up for their own circles to enjoy with their girlfriends.

A wonderful tradition that Queen Victoria started in 1860 (how I would have loved to meet that wonderful woman) and now carried out by Queen Elizabeth II, is to open the private gardens at Buckingham Palace three times yearly for afternoon tea. A modest 8000 guests are invited. You can view the Buckingham Palace Garden Party Statistics as it is amazing to see what goes into the event.

Yes, of course there is High Tea etiquette too. If you want to know more, you can click on the link to read more about it. It is actually very informative, and may surprise some of you. It goes into detail about where "pinkies up" came from, how to place your napkin and how to eat a scone, it explains what a moustache cup is, etc.

Example: Did you know that "taking tea" was actually frowned upon by the upper class, and considered a vulgar expression? Actually, I am incorrect for calling what we had, High Tea. It should be called Afternoon Tea. You can read more about that in there as well.

I hope you enjoyed reading this, as I certainly did, researching it.

*All photos were taken by me, Tracey Manailescu

 

Event Graffiti for Your Clients

By: Tracey ManailescuAttention GTA Wedding Coordinators:

Your clients look to you for guidance, creativity and something different.  Check out Event Graffiti. 

Event Graffiti is very thin pieces of vinyl that look painted when applied to most smooth surfaces.  It is simple to use and will quickly personalize your clients special day in a very classy way.  They have great prices and add that special touch.

Event Graffiti is not only easy to apply, it is just as easy to remove without harming underlying surfaces, even the not so skilled and  coordinated could apply it.

Where can you apply Event Graffiti?  It can be applied to the dance floor, reception area wall, behind the head table, along the front of the bar, the possibilities are endless.  Large or small, practically  anything can be customized to continue the look and
theme of your event.

They do vinyl work, print custom backdrops, seating charts and can also print custom favour stickers and labels. 

*All photos were taken by Corrie & Norm Oliveira of Event Graffiti

The Truth About Competition - Wedding Planners by the numbers

by Danielle Andrews SunkelDownload The Truth About Wedding Competition pdf

Wedding Ring Tattoos

by Tracey Manailescu

Source

This is one of our most viewed blogs (2009), so I wanted to repost it.

Lately, I have to admit, I have been oddly fascinated by the growing trend of wedding band tattoos.  I decided to read up on them, and share my findings with you.

Tattooing your wedding ring onto your finger is a way to show your enduring love for your partner, forever.  It cannot be taken off during an argument, or put in a pocket while out-on-the-town for a night with friends. :) 

Apparently, this is not a new trend.  In fact, it started about 5000 years ago, in ancient Egypt when the pyramids were being built, Egyptians would tattoo their wrists and fingers to ward away illness.  In Scotland and Ireland tattooing your wedding finger has been popular for many years.  One of the designs that is most popular in North America stems from these two countries: the Celtic ring. The Celtic ring symbolizes “never ending love and devotion’, so what better symbol to be permanently etched into your finger. 

Wedding ring tattoos will cost you about $100 each.  The top half of your finger’s tattoo will last a lifetime, but the underside, or the palm side, tends to fade and blur rather quickly.  This results in having to do touch ups every few years, or you have the option of only getting a half ring done.

In the US, it is illegal in some States to get tattoos below the ankles, wrists, or above the neck, so check it out first if you are going there to get them.  It is said to be very painful, as there is no fatty tissue to block the pain.  It can even result in hairline fractures, if not done properly, or done by a professional. 75% of UK people, who have gotten wedding ring tattoos, regret it. (Sorry, I could not find any statistics in N. America).

Some famous people that have had it done for the exchange of their wedding rings, and have lived to regret it are:

• Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee (divorced after 5 years, she changed "Tommy" to "Mommy")
• Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock (separated after only 4 months of marriage)
• Kathy Griffin and Matt Moline (married for only 5 years)

There are only a few ways to have the tattoo removed from your finger, and none of them are pretty.

1. Laser removal: An extreme amount of heat in the form of a beam is lasered into the tattoo; it will then break up the tattoo into pieces.  The skin will ingest these pieces and slowly make it disappear after several treatments.
2. Dermabrasion: The top layer of skin is sanded away.
3. Excision: The tattoo is cut out and the skin is sewn back together.

What I have found just by reading up on it, is that I do not want to get wedding ring tattoos any time soon.  If you or any of your couples do, please consider the serious repercussions of being unique or different.  

Love can last a lifetime, but I will stick to my eternity band, thank you very much.

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.

To Cover That Tattoo or Not to Cover?

By: Tracey Manailescu

How many of your clients have had a tattoo that they were unsure of showing off on the BIG day?  What suggestions do you give them?

What about your own tattoos? 

Do you cover them up in client meetings, and on the Wedding Day?

First, you all need to ask yourselves a few questions.  Will the couples' guests find it distracting or even off-putting? Is it something you can wear proudly while you are working at the Wedding? How well do the guests know the couple?

In my opinion, I really feel it is up to the couple you are working with. Chances are, if they have hired you for Full Wedding Coordination services, they know your personality and style. Heck, your "Tats" may even be one of the reasons they took an interest in hiring you in the first place. 

For those clients and yourselves, who want to cover it up on the Wedding Day you can offer them a few suggestions... There are a ton of companies that offer cover up makeup for tatoos such as CM Beauty This is a kit that can be ordered.

A professional Makeup Artist should have some great techniques and tips on their own.  Just make sure that they know about what your client wants from the onset, so they have the proper equipment on hand to work with and can show them at their trial appointment.

Here is a step by step guide to cover up a tattoo with makeup from Makeup Notebook for the client who wants to do it themselves.

Tattoos are a very personal decision, and are usually made for a special memory or something near and dear to those who get them. I have considered getting one a few times in my life but I always chicken out. Maybe one day...

Happy planning!

"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

Modernized "Save the Date" Ideas for Your Couples

By: Tracey Manailescu

I found some super cute "Save the Date" ideas, on my new favourite "go-to" place for inspiration, Pinterest.

Magnets and postcards are just not doing it for me anymore for Save the Date notification at weddings.  Why not suggest that your couples add some fun, romance and personality to the planning from the get-go?

Here are some great ideas that I went positively goofy over:

 

1. Photo source: Andrew Clayman

2. Photo source: Korielynn Photography

3. Photo credit: Pinterest 

4. Photo credit: Martha Stewart Weddings

5 & 6. Photo credit: Green Wedding Shoes FPO

7. Photo credit: Etsy 

Kim Kardashian's Limited Edition Wedding Perfume

Written by: Tracey Manailescu

Okay, I must admit that I am intrigued...I have watched a few episodes of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" and I watched Khloe get married... Now I want to see more of the details of just how Kim made her wedding stand out this past Saturday. A signature perfume was a good start!

*The ceremony will be televised as a two-part special on E! in October.

"LOVE by Kim Kardashian" is a limited edition Wedding Perfume made up of sparkling red currant, pink freesia, star jasmine, Egyptian tuberose, and musk for a romantic and fresh scent.

Packaged in a blinged-out bottle, this perfume bottle is adorned with 450-platinum rock crystals and is sure to impress. Will the scent though?

This collection of perfume started selling at the beginning of August at the official site KimKardashianFragrance.com.

Let your clients know that they could be wearing Kim's signature perfume for their wedding, but they'd better be quick! They made ​​only 1,000 bottles. One for Kim, which she wore on her wedding day just 2 days ago, 200 for a bridal shower and the rest, 799 for sale.