Wedding season is in full swing and our calendar is pretty full. A positive sign in difficult times. The challenge we are facing this season, more than in the past years, is BUDGET. Couples are coming to us with smaller budgets and the deals we were able to make previously are not as easy to negotiate.
We want our clients to enjoy their day without the worry of budget, so we have had to get more creative than ever before. And to be honest, this budget challenge has become the best part of the planning process.
We have called on the help of friends and family of our couples to contribute their talents to help create the day envisioned by their bride and groom and the outcome to date has been extraordinary.
Take for example a couple whose who had really wanted live music to play during their outdoor ceremony but whose music budget allowed for little more than a DJ with a smoke machine! Through light conversation, we discovered the groom, Best Man and two of the three groomsmen were in a garage band. So I got to thinking how sweet it would be if the groomsmen played the music for the ceremony. Long shot, right? But why not ask? So I called up the Best Man and he took the idea even further. As the bride walked down the aisle, the Best Man and a groomsman on guitar, another groomsman on base and the third groomsman on harmonica, all standing at the front of the aisle played their own version of "here comes the bride". Both the bride and groom were awestruck and beyond touched, the guests loved it and most importantly a unique, and very memorable moment was created for zero dollars!!! (We will post pictures of this moment in the near future).
This is just one of the ways we saved this couple money; the bride's aunt made and jarred strawberry jam for the couple to give away as "thank you" favors and the centerpieces were large vases filled with citrus fruit.
This weddng was the smallest budget we have ever had to work with and dare I say it, the most fun wedding I have had the priveledge to plan!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Diaries of an Event Planner-The Duck
This year we cut down on the number of weddings we would accept to plan because this year I am getting married too! Although this was a good idea in that I would be able to spend time focusing on my wedding without taking away from our clients, it has proven to be stressing me out BIG time!
You see, when it comes to planning the weddings of my clients, I am cool, calm, collected and offer an assurance to the bride that everything is going to be okay. Any good wedding planner knows you have to be like a duck on water; calm on the surface, but paddling like hell under water. Your client is NEVER to see you stress. The client is never to know when things are falling apart and things have to get put back together without you, the stellar planner, batting an eyelash. This is especially important the day of the wedding. That is Event Planning 101!
What I have come to realize in planning our own wedding, is that I don't have a DUCK!
The planner in me knows that NOTHING goes according to plan and the bride in me in FREAKING OUT!!!
~Tara~
You see, when it comes to planning the weddings of my clients, I am cool, calm, collected and offer an assurance to the bride that everything is going to be okay. Any good wedding planner knows you have to be like a duck on water; calm on the surface, but paddling like hell under water. Your client is NEVER to see you stress. The client is never to know when things are falling apart and things have to get put back together without you, the stellar planner, batting an eyelash. This is especially important the day of the wedding. That is Event Planning 101!
What I have come to realize in planning our own wedding, is that I don't have a DUCK!
The planner in me knows that NOTHING goes according to plan and the bride in me in FREAKING OUT!!!
~Tara~
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Diaries of an Event Planner
New to this blogging scene, we were not sure of how to use this to our advantage. Our blog became something of a nuisance, we didn't know what to say or what to use it to do. A post here and there isn't enough to warrant having it on our site, but everyone has been talking about blogs that s/he have read and how great it is to have one on your site; how having a good blog is the best advertising a young company could have. So we set out to research...what did a great blog look like, what would attract someone to read our blog, what type of audience did we want to attract, what do we write? After reading close to a million blog posting (OK, well maybe a few hundred), we realized a very important thing: blogs are like art; they are subjective and personal.
With that being said, we decided to use this blog as a window in our world as event and wedding planners, as a means of communication with clients, both active and potential, and with colleagues, those who are in the industry and those who are interested in joining the industry.
We have titled this blog "Diaries of an Event Planner"...stayed tuned to read up on some of our upcoming events, what we are planning, how we are feeling about it, what we are doing, what we have done and how it all went!!!
Tara & Charlene
Elite Party Artists
Montreal Event and Wedding Planners
With that being said, we decided to use this blog as a window in our world as event and wedding planners, as a means of communication with clients, both active and potential, and with colleagues, those who are in the industry and those who are interested in joining the industry.
We have titled this blog "Diaries of an Event Planner"...stayed tuned to read up on some of our upcoming events, what we are planning, how we are feeling about it, what we are doing, what we have done and how it all went!!!
Tara & Charlene
Elite Party Artists
Montreal Event and Wedding Planners
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Valentine's Day has passed
Valentine's Day has come and gone...some received flowers, some received candy, some received little tokens of affection, some received all of these and some received the coveted Diamond!!! For those of you who got engaged this Valentine's Day, this blog is for you....
Now that you have said yes, it is time to start thinking about the wedding and this can be a little overwhelming. Do you want a spring affair, a summer, outdoor ceremony, a tented, fall reception or a winter wonderland gala? Should it be a intimate gathering of close family and friends or a big party in celebration of your new marital status? What can you afford? How much do things cost? Where are the best deals? Where do you start?
Before you know it, you are thinking that maybe getting married is not such a good idea anymore!!
We understand that the task of planning a wedding is daunting and stressful. We have all heard the stories of the most mild mannered of people becoming lunatics because there were only two cherry tomotoes on the salad instead of three. But it doesn't have to be this way.
At the risk of sounding like a crisis hotline, which come to think of it might be a great idea..."the wedding crisis hotline", we can help. We offer a consultation package to help get you started on planning what should be a happy day in your life, not one that carries with it burden and stress. Included is our wedding planning time-line and some ideas that will make your wedding day unique.
Give us a call and we will get you started!!!
Oh and while we are at it, you may want us to help plan your Engagement Party, Bridal Shower, Bachelor/Bachelorette too...but we will discuss that when you call.
Take Care
Tara & Charlene
Elite Party Artists
Montreal Event Planners
www.elitepartyartists.com
Now that you have said yes, it is time to start thinking about the wedding and this can be a little overwhelming. Do you want a spring affair, a summer, outdoor ceremony, a tented, fall reception or a winter wonderland gala? Should it be a intimate gathering of close family and friends or a big party in celebration of your new marital status? What can you afford? How much do things cost? Where are the best deals? Where do you start?
Before you know it, you are thinking that maybe getting married is not such a good idea anymore!!
We understand that the task of planning a wedding is daunting and stressful. We have all heard the stories of the most mild mannered of people becoming lunatics because there were only two cherry tomotoes on the salad instead of three. But it doesn't have to be this way.
At the risk of sounding like a crisis hotline, which come to think of it might be a great idea..."the wedding crisis hotline", we can help. We offer a consultation package to help get you started on planning what should be a happy day in your life, not one that carries with it burden and stress. Included is our wedding planning time-line and some ideas that will make your wedding day unique.
Give us a call and we will get you started!!!
Oh and while we are at it, you may want us to help plan your Engagement Party, Bridal Shower, Bachelor/Bachelorette too...but we will discuss that when you call.
Take Care
Tara & Charlene
Elite Party Artists
Montreal Event Planners
www.elitepartyartists.com
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Welcome to Elite Party Artists
Welcome everyone to Elite Party Artists.
We're Montreal Event planners and we would like to welcome you to our new site. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We've also started this blog to keep you informed of services that will benefit your next event, whether it's a big bash like your wedding or a conservative corporate event or a small anniversary party. Leave us your feedback. We'd love to hear from you!
Tara and Charlene
Elite Party Artists
Montreal Event Planners
http://www.elitepartyartists.com
We're Montreal Event planners and we would like to welcome you to our new site. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We've also started this blog to keep you informed of services that will benefit your next event, whether it's a big bash like your wedding or a conservative corporate event or a small anniversary party. Leave us your feedback. We'd love to hear from you!
Tara and Charlene
Elite Party Artists
Montreal Event Planners
http://www.elitepartyartists.com
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