Wedding by the Water

This Sunday, I have the pleasure of assisting Leah and David with their outdoor wedding at Edgewater Manor in Stoney Creek.

Leah is a very organized bride who found me through the Let Them Eat Cakes tasting party earlier this year.
We have been working together since May, and I'm so excited to be coordinating their special day!

The ceremony will be outside (if it doesn't rain...here's hoping!), and then the reception will be held inside the beautiful restaurant. My assistant for the day will be Ashley, and the two of us will prepare the facility for the spectacular event!

Deb from Images of You (who I referred to Leah) will be there for the photos. I snuck a peek at their engagement shots and they are fabulous...I can't wait to see the wedding pictures!

All the best to Leah & David this Sunday, October 4th!!!

Bride's Maid, meet Bride's Butler.

"Nice to meet you."

The Bride's Butler has dealt with a few Bridesmaids in the past year since we started the business. So far, almost all of our experiences with Bridesmaids have been good ones.

When you're asked to be a Bridesmaid (BM), or Maid/Matron of Honour (MOH) for your friend's, relative's or sister's wedding - it is an honour, and one that if you accept, the responsibilities shouldn't be taken lightly. As my best friend has said before, "being in a wedding party doesn't mean that it's all fun and games, it's not an excuse just to party - it's hard work" - and she's right. Although there will be plenty of partying and fun had during the planning process and leading up to the wedding day, there is a lot of work to be had.

Do you know some of your responsibilities as a Bridesmaid?

Sure you do... help the bride find her dress - offer advice and opinion on favours, flowers, colours, etc - help with the Bridal Shower, Stag & Doe and Bachelorette Party - and of course support her on her wedding day.

As a Bride, do you know what you can do to make the role of a Bridesmaid a pleasant one?

Respect Their Responsibilities
Be respectful to their lives outside of your wedding, and try to keep a good balance of duties between Bridesmaids - you don't want one thinking they are pulling more weight than the other. The only one with a bigger 'to do' list might be your MOH.

Dress Them Well
Consider each of their body types, skin tone, hair colour and personality. If they are all different, maybe have the same colour but in different dress styles. You want them to be comfortable and feeling confident in their dress. And realistically, they probably will not ever wear the dress again.

Mind Their Budgets
Be mindful as to how much time and money a Bridesmaid will spend on your wedding. The dress, hair, make-up, shoes, purse, the parties, the gifts - you name it, there is a price tag attached.

Give & Receive Graciously
Remember your manners. Be sure to thank your BM's and MOH for their hard work and dedication over the past 12-14mths. Whatever they do for you is out of the kindness of their heart, so don't complain if your Bridal Shower theme/decor wasn't exactly as you planned or hoped for - it was a gift from your BM's, and they should be thanked for it. This is usually second nature for most people to be gracious...let's hope.

Be A Good Friend
Just remember the first bit of advice in this blog - 'remember that they have their own lives'. Even though it's your wedding "year", be sure to talk about their lives, problems and successes too. You can only talk about your wedding so much.

*Source: The Knot.com

Quite the Exquisite Affair

This weekend I had the privilege of assisting Erin from Exquisite Affairs. She's a fantastic Wedding Planner who is certified by WPIC also, and from time to time we planners help each other out. The wedding was an outdoor ceremony in Niagara Falls in the beautiful Oak Garden Theatre. The marriage of Esther and Michael was blessed with good company and good weather.

As an Assistant, it was my responsibility to aid the lead Coordinator in any way possible. My role included attending the rehearsal on Friday, and helping with set-up for the ceremony on Saturday. We set up 120 chairs, an archway, the signing table and a beautiful rose aisle all in under an hour!

The experience was not only enjoyable, but also educational. It's always good to see how other Coordinators do their job, and it's always nice to learn a few extra's you didn't know before. In this industry there is always something new to learn, try and do!

The reception took place in the elegant Elements restaurant - which was formally Table Rock. It sits upon the falls and has a panoramic view of the cascade. Simply Exquisite!

I look forward to working many more weddings, as either a Lead Coordinator or Assistant. To be a part of the most special day of two people's lives is one of the best and most rewarding feelings. I love my job!

All the best to Esther and Mike!!

Why hire a Planner??

There are many reasons why couples should hire a planner. When you are planning your wedding and you're reading the magazines, websites and the books for "how to's" and "do's & don't's" most likely  you will see the suggestion to hire a Wedding Planner. There is a reason why they mention this idea...it's a good one!

Here are a few reasons why I think Bride's should hire a Planner.....


#1 - The Bride’s Butler can save you money

We can provide discounts that are only offered through working with a Planner.

I work with plenty of vendors like florists, invitation specialists and photographers - all ready to offer you a value add or discount you couldn't get being a 'walk in' client.

#2 - Less Stress

Take ease in knowing that a professional is working with you to plan the most important day of your life.

As a WPIC (Wedding Planners Institute of Canada) certified Planner, I can take care of all of the problem solving and hiccups for you during your wedding so you don't have to. You'd be surprised by the amount of "behind the scenes" work that goes into executing a wedding....it's a major event!


#3 -You have little time to properly plan your wedding

It takes on average 250 hours to plan a wedding.

With most couples working full time, part-time, shift work or raising kids, it's hard to find the time and dedication to plan your wedding. By hiring The Bride's Butler, we can do some of the leg work for you!
Full Wedding Planning services include having the planner set up meetings with vendors and then attend the meetings, aid you in contracts and agreements, and also be your "go to" person for all the small details....including securing all your favour tags on the gifts, or helping you stuff envelopes, anything that will help you out for your big day!

#4 -You are a detail oriented and organized individual

You cant be 2 places at once on your wedding day.

As the Bride you simply can't set up your hall during the morning because you are to be getting ready for your special day! With a lot more weddings taking place on Fridays & Saturdays, your venue needs to be set up the morning of your wedding - thus not allowing you to oversee the details and the set up instructions. That is the job of the Planner. We are with you for up to 12-14 hours during the day of your wedding.
It's a great feeling to know that all you have to be on your wedding day is the Bride (and not the janitor, decorator or coordinator)!

# 5- Hindsight is 20/20

Ask almost any bride, and she’ll tell you that if she was to plan her wedding again, she would have hired a Planner.

Self explainatory. :)

BB Tip #2 -
When hiring a planner, ask for references, portfolio pictures and check to see if they are certified.