The Hosts:
Michael Alexander,
Publisher and Editor in Chief, Real Weddings Magazine
Catherine Dunwoody, Style Editor, Real Weddings Magazine
The Venue:
We were graciously hosted by downtown Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel. We sampled the delicious catering available at the hotel, some stellar BC wines, and the best part? A sinfully rich chocolate dessert. Vida Wellness Spa spoiled our panel with a spa treatment afterwards.
The Expert Wedding Planner Panel:
Elana Lancit, Sweet Beginnings
Lizz Kelly, Platinum Weddings
Ursula Evans, A Day to Remember
Soha Lavin, Countdown Events
RW: Let's get a general vibe from you all. Elana, how many weddings in BC did you plan this year?
Elana: I planned about 150 weddings this past year.
RW: How long have you been in the business Ursula?
Ursula: Six years just in wedding planning, but before that in corporate special events for many years. Now this is all I do full time.
Soha: For me it's been 2 1/2 years, and I love it. I still do corporate events as well.
RW: Why do you love it so much?
Lizz: When you see everything come together, it's overwhelming, and the fact that the couple can just show up and walk down the aisle, and have it exactly how they dreamed about it... that's amazing.
Ursula: When everything falls into place, it's like your battery gets charged, and you can go onto the next one. I love it when a couple calls you years later to let you know about their new babies, their new families. They include you as a part of their life.
RW: Have any of you every cried at one of the weddings you've planned?
Everyone: Oh yes!!
Elana: I always do, it's overwhelming.
RW: What is a key part of your role as a wedding planner?
Ursula: It's kind of nice to be the person to calm the couple down, and make everything fine. The couple look to you to make the whole day go smoothly.
Elana: You're not their mom, but you just want the best for them.
Soha: And you have to gently handle the mothers, the mother of the brides, and of the grooms.
RW: Tell us more about the moms? Should they be involved in planning?
Ursula: Usually the mother of bride wants to be involved, but I think it's time to let the bride have her day. The moms have had theirs.
Elana: I think the father and mom should not be planning their daughter's wedding, and if that is the case, then the bride is not ready to be married. I am concerned if a bride can't be a part of planning her own wedding.
RW: Let's talk wedding trends. What are your thoughts?
Soha: I think these days nobody does what is expected of them, couples plan their weddings with their own tastes and styles. For instance, cocktail style weddings are big. I see a lot of personalized touches along the whole way. A lot of my couples are not 20-somethings, they are older, professionals, and know what they want.
RW: Style trends you are seeing?
Ursula: Colours have been very bright this year, and we have gone away from pastels. Gowns are not poofy, Cinderella types, but are sleek, sexy. Pared down and more modern. Couples are detail oriented, they love good ol' Martha, but they do a lot of research of their own, and they are knowledgeable. Wedding style now is fresh, clean romantic and elegant.
RW: What are you seeing as this season's hot colours?
Ursula: Bright tangerine, lavender.
Elana: Burgundy and white. Pink is big too.
Soha: I love brown. Brown with pink, with blue.
Elana: And as far as a fabric, tulle is phasing out, as there are so many nicer fabrics out there. There is a lot of focus on table décor.
RW: Are people coming to you saying, "I want a Caribbean theme, or an English country theme," etc?
Elana: Yes, they know what they want often, but everyone wants a clean, simple, romantic and elegant wedding. People are more concerned about what their guests are doing between the ceremony and reception now too, they tend to consider that and plan for some sort of entertainment.
RW: Are people getting fussier?
Ursula: Some people want to see it all put together, and look at the actual items prior. The china, the silverware, etc.
Lizz: I believe continuity is very important in wedding themes. From the invitations to the flowers on the table, every colour and texture needs to work together.
RW: Anything on it's way out? A trend you don't see much anymore?
Lizz: No more bouquet tosses, we did not do a single one last year. Or garter toss.
RW: What is the process of hiring a wedding planner?
Soha: I always meet the couple first. For me, I want to have chemistry with the couple, being able to work with them, and that they like my style, and what I can bring to them. People get stressed out during the planning, and its important they can talk to me as a friend.
Ursula: Out of towners rely on email, while a couple in town? We might go to lots of meetings together. Some I go to alone, and some the couple is fine on their own. Two different kinds of brides, but it still takes hundreds of hours on my part to plan any wedding. Rates are based on the type of wedding.
RW: How far in advance do you need to hear from a couple?
Lizz: A year for destination weddings.
Elana: Eight to twelve months. We get involved in all levels of the wedding; some from the start, and some just the actual day of.
RW: How do you source your vendors?
Ursula: Lots of research.
Lizz: Experience, reputation, and making choices for the couple within their style. In the end the bride and groom still make their own choices from what we present to them.
Elana: We suggest vendors depending on their personalities, and their look. We give options and they make the decisions.
Ursula: It's like a puzzle, and all the vendors have to fit into it. The feel, the look... everything.
Soha: Plus with hiring a planner, we have done that work for you. We know what the end results are going to be.
Ursula: Trust is a big part of this, you must trust your wedding planner.
RW: Do people shop around for planners?
Collective: ...oh yes!
RW: Has there been an increase in wedding planners over the last few years? In the states it's big business isn't it?
Ursula: Oh yes, J Lo did a big thing with that movie. I had phone calls from people who wanted to become planners.
Elana: I think people see the difference in a wedding where a planner was involved, they are more educated now.
Ursula: And they hear that planners just made that day perfect for them.
RW: What about prices?
Elana: If a couple is busy, then a planner is important. The rates can vary from $500-$5000. I give the couple a rate based on what I estimate and then alert them that other things above that can increase by my hourly rate.
Lizz: I work on a minimum management fee, and then we go from there.
RW: Favorite locations?
Ursula: Brock House, as I do a lot there because of my clientele. Most are from out of town, and want an ocean view etc.
Lizz: Nothing beats the top of the mountain, and to have the entire facility to themselves, that just blows people away. You can have the ceremony and reception in the same spot. Plus there a several new hotels up here, lakes, great places.
Elana: I like working at hotels, they know you, they do so much for you. My least favorite is community centres, just because they don't have the manpower to back you up to get you what you need.
Ursula: Hotels are very accommodating. Golf courses, hotels, beach weddings are popular too.
Soha: I love the Terminal City Cub, they are amazing, treat people so well. Very client minded there.
RW: So, what makes a great wedding?
Lizz: I love what I do, and when people have been able to have the day of their dreams come together, and with our help, it's great.
Soha: For me, it's about the people.
RW: Are men more active now in the planning of their wedding?
Ursula: Oh yes, I get quite a few where the groom is my contact. Definitely more involved now, with planning the dinner, the liquor, the music, but not so much the flowers. He wants to make sure his guests are really well taken care of.
Soha: I had a groom that cared about the napkin fold.
Elana: Men are more comfortable expressing what they like or don't like.
Lizz: I had a groom print hockey towels for the guests to wave during the walk down the aisle.
RW: What about the dreaded Bridezillas?
Elana: I have brides that are stressed out and feel like they are bridezillas, but really that stress is pretty normal. We're there to calm them down. I will tell my brides, "don't go home, stay at a hotel tonight, go for a drive. Or you can stay at my house."
Soha: There are definitely moments when you can tell someone is about to blow, but you are hired to take that and put it into positive energy, and remind them about what's important about this day.
RW: Why hire a planner?
Soha: When you buy a house, you hire a professional to help you, so why would you leave the most important day of your life to chance?
Ursula: You will never again spend this kind of money on just one day. You have to trust a professional so that your day is memorable and that your guests have fun...and that you actually get to enjoy your day. Without a planner, if something goes wrong, who is going to fix that?
Soha: Even the most organized, creative person can have things go wrong, like the time I had a kid pull the fire alarm during a wedding ceremony, fire trucks and all.
Ursula: Or the time the kids got stuck in the elevator at one of my weddings.
Elana: We are there for reassurance and peace of mind. It's important to have someone neutral be part of this.
Lizz: We're there so that the bride and groom can enjoy the process of planning. We're a one-stop shop.
RW: Entertainment trends?
Lizz: Live music. There is no better value. A stand up bass, violins, it's all just beautiful.
Ursula: People are taking their wedding plans a lot more seriously now, their vows especially. The couples are very serious when it comes to the meaning in the ceremony, more in the last year. They are taking more time, and taking the marriage courses. They don't mind anymore.
RW: Perhaps that's because the world is a fragile place these past few years.
Lizz: Really, saying their vows is why they are here. That's the reason why everything else is taking place.
Ursula: Rarely do I come across a couple that seems like they are wrong together. When you can feel the love between a couple, it's so great... like this is forever.
