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

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.

Wedding Gifts and the Etiquette of it all...

By: Tracey Manailescu

Photo by: Oliver Schwarzwald 

Should you advise your clients about the risks of having gifts brought to the wedding reception? Theft, broken china, not enough room in the vehicles to transport it, just who is going to transport the gifts back to the parents home, who is receiving the gifts and manning the gift table, etc?

Believe it or not, there is Etiquette about just this sort of thing...

Gifts are supposed to be delivered to the bride's parents home. Yup, you read this right!

Etiquette is all about easing through situations, and to create a standard that eveyone can follow. Etiquette also says that guests have one year to give a gift, as the couple are technically, honeymooners for a year's time. So there is no need for the guests to lug it all with them to the Wedding Reception. It can be delivered beforehand, or afterwards.

When large and/or expensive gifts are brought to a reception, it creates all sorts of drama. Who is going to watch the gift table? Should security be hired, just in case? Who is going to load up the vehicles with gifts? Does the venue have a designated room to store the gifts until such time?

Now, of course we realize that if guests are going to bring a gift, they are going to bring it no matter what. Hence the need for a money box and a gift table, regardless.

What if, you as the professional Wedding Coordinator, could plant this little tidbit in the couples ear, so it trickles down through the family, and word gets passed through the mothers, etc? Makes sense doesn't it?

Happy planning!

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!

"Conceptualizing Your Ad" Marketing Seminar

By: Tracey Manailescu

 
As you should already know, we at WPIC inc are all about continuing your education, growing your businesses and staying on top of the latest laws and trends. When our Alumni are investing in themselves and their companies we are all stronger because of it.

This past weekend is an example.

Creating a print advertisement for your business can be a tricky and for some an agonizing thing...

Melissa Nowakowski, Founder and Director of Marketing UnVEILED and Creative Director for Et Lofte Events and WPIC Instructor, provided tips for creating the most effective ad to market your business in a 3hr. seminar. She encouraged the attendees to submit their own ads, where she gave tips and advise based on what was submitted. Nowakowski also showed other companies' ads to show as examples.

"Hi All,

I thought I would share my feedback from today's seminar.

I would HIGHLY recommend this course to everyone and strongly encourage Mel and the WPIC to host another seminar (or even webinar) in the near future. Whether you are new business owner or a veteran planner this one is a must. The tools and guidance presented alone are a valuable asset to you and your business.

Mel is professional, engaging and enthusiastic not to mention her expertise on the subject is extensive.

There is absolutely no reason why you should choose to miss out on such a great opportunity as this one!

Thanks for a great morning!"

Liz Scheniman, WPICC of Gush Events

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 :)

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 

Vendor Spotlight: The Wedding Decorators Inc.

Interviewed by: Tracey Manailescu

Recently, we had the pleasure of working with Sherisse Bhimani, WPICC of The Wedding Decorators Inc. Every time we work with The Wedding Decorators we forget what talent comes out of this husband and wife team, and are blown away at the style, combinations and heart and soul that goes into their work. Nevermind, that Sherisse is an absolute doll!

 
Photo credit: Luis Enriquez of LouE. Photo

Tell us a bit about The Wedding Decorators: The Wedding Decorators started out small just myself from home offering clients mostly centrepieces, favours & head table decor, we then grew as a company into our first showroom in Downtown Brampton our clientele quickly grew from there taking on an intern & Ali coming on full time we started offering full decor, linens & centrepieces to our clients, from there we are now in our 3rd showroom location & we have a large clientele including brides, corporate businesses & other wedding industry professionals we are offering full service decor, fresh flowers & linens.  Over the years we took into consideration feedback from our clients & based that on the services we now provide.  We are always looking for ways to grow, improve & market our business.  We look forward to a bright future. 

What have been some of your best accomplishments?

We are proud to say that we were able to grow our business through many of our accomplishments like being featured on Slice T.V.'s Party Mamas, being interviewed by Jennifer Goulden, from The Wedding Ring & having a wonderful review posted on their website, Winning best Tabletop Design in 2009 at The Wedding Professionals International Conference, all of our happy clients & starting our Wedding Decor & Floral Class teaching our profession.  All these accomplishments have lead to our success.

How do you adapt to working and a new beautiful baby girl to the mixture?

 This has been a challenge but we are so happy to have her in our lives she will be the future of our business. 

If you could pick the perfect wedding clients, what would they want
from you, and what would you do for them theme and idea wise? 

 My ideal clients would be open minded & willing to hand over full creative control to us! my ideal clients would also let us create their entire event from top to bottom.  Based on the type of event we would create an amazing, unique experience in design from the florals to the lighting to the draping to the overall theme & experience for their guests.

Photo credit: Barry Cardoso

How has your company changed over the past 3 years?

 The Wedding Decorators has changed in many ways over the years by offering new & complete services for our clients based on their feedback & the ever changing wedding industry. 

What kind of trends are you noticing with couples in decor this year?

 Each of our clients are looking for a unique way to celebrate their event, I think more & more they would like to stay away from the "traditional" wedding decor/flowers.  Clients want different ideas for their colour schemes/themes, different ways to design & set-up their ceremony's & receptions, they are looking for more non-traditional ways to "wow" their guests by having luxury linens/chair covers, looking for ways to make all the small details unique.  Major colour trend for this year I would have to say is Aubergine most used colour combo is black & white, crystal everything is also big this year & anything with a damask print.  Flower trends this year I would have to say would be gerber daisy's & roses.  

Photo credit: Barry Cardoso

Tell us a bit about your training classes for Decor & Florals: Our training classes offer students the opportunity to learn our business in every way.  We teach our students how to start their own decor, floral, rental business, how to deal with clients, ways to advertise, do's & don't in the industry, how to design weddings using draping & flowers, different techniques, supplier resources, an opportunity to connect with all students from past classes once the class is over & ongoing support from us.  We have so many students that are running successful businesses & we continue to teach our trade.  There is an overwhelming demand for training in our field so we continue to have our classes twice a year in March & November.    

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.