Twirl Talk: For Your Bridesmaids

Here's a unique and fun new blog for BRIDESMAIDS!

Chances are you've never heard of Twirl and I know I've never heard anything of the Canadian equivalent (if someone knows of such a place please fill me in). The brainchild of Keri and Jenni (both serial bridesmaids themselves), Twirl is a boutique designed exclusively for bridesmaids!

Recently, Keri and Jenni have embarked on their latest adventure - Twirl Talk, a blog for bridesmaids with tips, stories, and advice from the vets. Although Twirl Talk is still in its early stages of development there is some great info that's certainly worth checking out (and definetly worth passing on to your bridesmaids). I especially like the post on bridal party acronymns (I can't tell you how many times I've gotten funny looks for calling the Maid of Honour the "MOH").

So if you can't get to Arizona to check out Twirl first-hand... the blog is really the next best thing.

Happy Planning!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Escort Cards or Place Cards?

Some people use these terms interchangeably but there really is a difference between the two.

Escort cards are typically lined on a single table outside the dining room and are arranged in alphabetical order. You can use simple envelopes, with each guest's name on the outside and the table number on the inside (you could even add a nice note to each guest as an extra-special touch). You could also use any variation of pop-tent cards, or some other item or keepsake that ties in with the theme of the event - just make sure the guest's name is on there somewhere.

[Image from tm photography]

I LOVE this idea for an escort card set-up. Instead of cards, use individual votives with clear name labels. What a gorgeous effect!

The place card makes your guests' lives just a little bit easier by giving them an exact seating assignment. You can use these when you purposely want to sit couples together or apart, or if you want a particular person(s) facing the head table, etc. Again, you can use pop-tents or any other item for the place cards. You can even personalize the menu cards and use them as place cards instead.

It is also perfectly acceptable to use both types of cards if you wish. I would advise, however, to use at least one or the other. I have been asked whether using any type of assigned seating is even necessary; and in my personal opinion... yes, it is. It's easy enough to say "I just want my guests to interact and sit with whomever" but in reality you're adding a lot of undue stress. Not to mention that unless you've reserved a few tables you may have your parents sitting somewhere at the back of the room. The less thinking your guests have to do the better. If you take the time to sort out the seating beforehand your guests can focus on relaxing and enjoying the day.

Happy Planning!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Conference this weekend!

Hi Everyone,

True to our commitment to stay on top of the latest industry trends and offer our clients a vast amount of knowledge and expertise Cindy and I will be attending the 4th Annual Professional Wedding Planners Conference in Toronto this weekend.

We're looking forward to a great couple of days filled with informative seminars and fantastic events (the planning committee have really outdone themselves this year). I’ll bring my camera and hopefully I’ll remember to take pictures so I can post them on Monday.

As we're away this weekend our office will be closed; voice messages and emails may not be picked up as quickly as they usually are. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our clients.

Have a fantastic weekend! (I know I will).

Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Eco-Friendly Weddings: The Flowers

[Photo from Stylehive.com]

Eco-friendly wedding flowers?

That's right. The flowers you choose can actually have a huge impact on the overall carbon footprint of your wedding. Here are a few things to consider when selecting your flowers:

1. Are the flowers locally grown? Clearly, locally grown flowers will have an impact on the overall transportation tally of your wedding.

2. Are the flowers Fair Trade? Fair Trade basically means that the people producing the goods are paid appropriately for their work. They work in safe and healthy conditions and they earn enough money to actually make a living.

3. Are the flowers organic? Some farmers are making a very concerted effort to ensure that they work with nature instead of against it. So they use agricultural techniques that protect the surrounding air, water, and wildlife. Ask your florist if your flowers were grown on an organic farm.

[Photo from Deviant Art]

Or hey, maybe you'd prefer to go with hand-made origami flowers made of recycled paper? Lovely!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Advertising at Your Wedding

I've planned many weddings... and I've been to a number of weddings that I have not planned... and one thing that always drives me crazy is when vendors use your big day as an opportunity to sell their services to your guests (or their potential future clients).

In my opinion, your wedding day should be all about you. Placing business cards on your guest's tables or putting up a sign with the company name and contact info is not only tacky, it's completely disrespectful to you as the client.

Liene Stevens, from Blue Orchid Designs in Arizona, made a post about this topic on her blog 'The Smart Planner' today. You can read that post here.

While this continues to be a controversial topic I feel very strongly about the fact that when a vendor is hired by a client to provide a service for their wedding the vendor's focus for the duration of the event should be to do the very best job they can for that client. If they do this, they are sure to get more inquiries from the couples' guests (who will surely be impressed with the quality of service they witness) than they would from cheap advertising.

Demand more of your vendors. In fact, add this to the list of questions you bring with you to your vendor interviews.

Happy Planning!

Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Weekly Wedding Quote

"Love at first sight is easy to understand; it's when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle."

Amy Bloom

Congratulations Michael Coombs: Newly Appointed President of the CPDJA

Hiring a wedding DJ can be confusing. Disc Jockey's must hold certain licenses in order to legally play copied or downloaded music at an event. I've been fortunate enough to have Mike Coombs, founder of Prodigy Entertainment in Toronto, to turn to when certain questions about the laws and liabilities associated with playing music at events have come up with my own weddings.

That's why I was so happy to hear that on January 5th of this year Mike was named President of the Canadian Professional DJ Association (CPDJA). The CPDJA is Canada's largest Professional Disc Jockey Association and they are very fortunate to have Mike at the wheel to lead them through 2009.

Michael was the first DJ in Canada to be certified through the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada and has long been regarded as one of the industry's top Professional Disc Jockeys. You can read his entire biography here and check out his blog here.

You can find more information on the licensing required by DJs and event venues on the CPDJA website.

Congratulations Mike!

Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Eco-Friendly Weddings: The Dress

[Photo from Adele Wechsler]

Having an eco-friendly wedding gown no longer means sacrificing style. Some companies advertise "eco-chic" gowns - but in some smaller towns it can be tough to find a supplier that carries and eco-chic line of dresses. Here are some things you can ask about the dress you're considering to find out if it's an eco-friendly choice:

1. Where was it made? And who made it? This falls partly into the transportation factor of an eco-friendly wedding; clearly, the closer to home the dress was made the better (and this includes where the materials originally came from... not just where the dress was tailored). The second question is an uncomfortable one to think about - but just consider this, you want to make sure that the person who made your dress did so in healthy and safe working conditions and that he/she was paid fairly for his/her work. Period. Typically, locally made dresses cost a little more because the dress-maker was paid appropriately for his/her work.

2. What materials were used in making the dress? There are certain fabrics that are more "socially responsible" than other. Natural fibres including hemp, organic cotton, peace silk and bamboo are among some of the more popular options.

3. Looking for something white? Choose a colour that's not perfectly white. Those ultra-white wedding dresses didn't get that way all on their own. Making a dress really white requires the use of harmful chemicals. So go for a shade that's not quite white.

Among my favourite eco-chic wedding gown designers is Canadian designer Adele Wechsler in Toronto. Her gowns are GORGEOUS and oh so environmentally friendly! Some of the world's top eco-chic bridal gown designers include Morgan Boszilkov, Deborah Lindquist and Tara Lynn.
Can't find the perfect eco-friendly dress?

Choosing an eco-friendly dress doesn't have to be difficult. If you can't find a dress that's eco-friendly why not consider wearing something second-hand? After all, "Re-use" is one of the three Rs, right? Why not perk up a gorgeous vintage gown. Not only will it be eco-chic but it's so romantic!

Cheers!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

[Photo from Weddingbells Blog]

Eco-Friendly Weddings: Transportation

[image courtesy of Southampton Cycling Campain]

Transportation is one of those crucial items that can really add to the carbon footprint of a wedding. You may not even realize how much transportation is required for your wedding until you consider some to the following items:

- How many guests do you have coming from out-of-town?

- Will your guests have to travel far between to get to the ceremony and then again between the ceremony and the reception (and of course, to get home again)?

- Think about where various items are coming from. Your dress, your food, your wine, your shoes, your jewellery, your invitations, your rings, your decor, and so forth. Are you choosing items that were made locally?

- Do you require rental items that are not already on-site? Such as chairs, tents, tables, linens, tableware, etc?

Those are just a few things that will add to the overall travel total of your wedding.

Cutting back just a little on travel time can be very easy. Choose a one-site wedding where you can have your ceremony, your photo session, and your reception all in one place. If you must travel between locations consider using bicycles, row-boats, or a horse and carriage.

Select as many locally grown/produced products as you can.

Cut your guest list down and/or ask guests to carpool.

Reducing the overall transportation requirements for your wedding can be very simple. Give it some thought.

Cheers!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Weekly Wedding Quote

Behind every great man there is a surprised woman.



- Maryon Pearson

Eco-Friendly Weddings: The Venue

There are many things to take into consideration when searching for an earth friendly wedding venue. Here are some ideas to get you started:

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1. Choose a local venue to reduce travel time to and from.

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2. An outdoor ceremony is ideal as you reduce/eliminate the need for heating/air conditioning, electricity, lighting, decor etc. (Think park, farm, garden, field, lakeside, mountain, etc).

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3. Consider a single-site wedding (ceremony & reception at one location).

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4. If selecting a location that offers catering ask if they use local ingredients.

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5. Reduce your guest list in order to use a smaller venue (and thereby, less resources).

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Happy Planning!

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Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Eco-Friendly Weddings: GREEN is the new WHITE

We hear a lot of talk about the environment these days. It ranks among the top issues on the government agenda and as time goes on more and more companies are “going green” with eco-friendly products.

We're also learning about ways to reduce our own carbon footprint in our day-to-day lives and as more and more people become aware of the environmental impact we're having on the planet we are searching for more ways to change.

But what does it mean to "go green" on your wedding day? Why do people do it? And how can you do it too?

This is the topic I’ll be focusing on for the next couple of weeks. We'll explore the many ways that your wedding can have an impact on the environment and the types of things you can do to soften the blow. Some things are easier than others so don't feel that you need to follow green wedding guidelines to the letter. Even very simple changes can make a difference.

So why this shift toward planet-friendly nuptials? Most people don't realize the enormous impact that a single wedding can have on the environment. Consider, for example, that the average wedding emits approximately 14.5 tons of CO2. To most people that number is fairly meaningless; however, if you compare it to the fact that most people emit only 12 tons of CO2 over the course of the entire year you start to get an idea of where the motivation is coming from.

Emily Anderson wrote a fantastic book on how to incorporate planet-conscious elements into your big day while still demonstrating your own unique style. You can also check out her blog for some great tips on planning your day.

We'll be discussing how each aspect of your big day can impact the environment and I'll be offering tips and resources throughout for more eco-friendly solutions.

So stay tuned over the coming weeks and feel free to leave comments and ask questions as we go.

Cheers!

Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Weekly Wedding Quote

"
A man in love is incomplete until he is married. Then he's finished.

- Zsa Zsa Gabor