Ask a Planner... "Do Good Things, Think Good Thoughts."

Hello Lovelies...

I am taking a little break to spend some quality time with my family and will resume Ask a Planner on January 9, 2013.

In the meantime, here are a few things I encourage you to do over the Holidays...

1. Bundle up warm and take a walk at night in your neighborhood and enjoy the beautiful houses adorned with lights!  It's very inspiring.

2. Call or visit someone unsuspecting and tell them how much they mean to you.  You could literally make someone's year a little brighter.

3. Go to your closet and grab an old scarf or blanket.  Head to your favorite coffee shop and buy a coffee and a sandwich.  Give the scarf, the coffee, and the sandwich to someone in need. It's a small gesture that will no doubt make two hearts a little warmer if only for a moment.

4. Buy yourself something you've been wanting.  You deserve it.

5. Take a moment to be truly thankful for the life we live here in Canada.  We have it so good.


Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Planner signing off!  Until next YEAR darlings!  And don't be shy!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

XOXO
Genève 

Click here to See Inside the Book

Genève McNally, Principal Planner, DreamGroup Productions

Genève first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues, Brock House Restaurant.  In 2004 Genève and college friend Sarah Shore ambitiously started up what is now one of Vancouver's longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, DreamGroup Productions Inc.

These days, in addition to working with her clients in a full planning capacity and raising her two wonderful boys Harrison and Campbell with her husband, Genève focuses her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike with her exuberant personality and joie de vivre!  Her ability to be refreshingly candid and her in depth knowledge of the wedding industry have earned her the friendly moniker “Two-Cents McNally”.  Genève also teaches the Wedding Planning classes offered through the dg Academy and is the chief correspondent behind DreamGroup's weekly Blog feature Ask a Planner.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list! 
We promise to inspire, inform and indulge!

 

Ask a Planner... "the centrepieces are how much!?!"

Hello,

My fiancé and I are experiencing serious sticker shock at the costs being quoted to us for various wedding services. For example, we met with one photographer duo that charges $300.00/hour with a minimum of 6 hours for both of them and then we met with another photographer (just her) who charges a flat fee of $5000.00 plus tax for as many hours as you need her on the wedding day. Yikes! My question is why are some so inexpensive and others so expensive in comparison?  I like both photographer’s styles and am just trying to understand the difference.  We also met with 3 florists and they all quoted different prices even though we shared the same thoughts with each about what we were looking for. Again, what’s the difference?

Thanks,

Puzzled Bride

Hello Puzzled Bride,

Wedding Budgets come in all shapes and sizes, prices, and calibers and every wedding is important no matter what you are able and willing to spend.  Why a particular product or service may be more with one vendor than another can be due to several factors.  First of all, you need to ensure you are comparing apples to apples or in this case Roses to Roses.  For example, I once had a bride that received a quote for a centerpiece for $300.00 from a popular downtown florist, she then met with a “wholesale” florist who quoted $125.00 for “the exact same thing” or so the bride thought.  In the end the lesser expensive arrangement was exactly what I predicted it would be… a considerably scaled down (albeit still beautiful) version of the original $300.00 arrangement quoted.  The height and circumference of the vase was much smaller than the one that would have been used in the $300.00 arrangement AND there were about 2/3 less orchid stems both affecting the overall magnitude and diameter of the end result.  In this bride’s case, that is all she needed and the savings realized outweighed the desire for something grand.   

Other variables that will affect fees quoted in everything from photography to wedding planners to cake artists and beyond are years of experience, level of confidence, use of the latest technologies, how in demand a vendor is, and certainly their reputation.

The important thing to do is first ensure your budget is in line with your needs and wants and secondly HIRE THE RIGHT VENDORS for YOUR WEDDING.  As a planner, one of the first things we do after drawing up a realistic budget is short list vendors that will help maximize the bottom line OR the vision or both depending on a client’s priorities.  This is the “trick” to creating a successful end result no matter what your expectations may be -- hire vendors whose portfolio of work -- whether it be florists or photographers -- emulates the look you are going for. That way it’s not about how much you are spending, but rather the look you are trying to achieve. Another super important thing to do is BE HONEST WITH THE VENDORS you are meeting with and let them know your budget limitations up front so they can in turn be honest with you and help guide you in a realistic direction.

At DreamGroup, we have a list of vendors that we know will help maximize budgets and then a list of vendors that maximize visions and we try and ensure that we bring the right clients to the right vendors whenever possible. Of course, some of these vendors do overlap, but the point is that the vendors you hire should respect and appreciate your priorities whether it’s getting the best bang for your buck or upstaging the Jones’ daughter’s wedding. :O)  Don’t be frustrated at the varying quotes.  Just look for the one that you feel gets your vision and works within your budget parameters.  That’s all that matters.  Best of luck with your wedding plans!

Wedding Planner signing off!  Until next week… keep those questions coming in!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

Cheerio,

Genève 

Click here to See Inside the Book

Genève McNally, Principal Planner, DreamGroup Productions

Genève first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues, Brock House Restaurant.  In 2004 Genève and college friend Sarah Shore ambitiously started up what is now one of Vancouver's longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, DreamGroup Productions Inc.

These days, in addition to working with her clients in a full planning capacity, Genève focuses her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike with her exuberant personality and joie de vivre!  Her ability to be refreshingly candid and her in depth knowledge of the wedding industry have earned her the friendly moniker “Two-Cents McNally”.  Genève also teaches the Wedding Planning classes offered through the dg Academy and is the chief correspondent behind DreamGroup's weekly Blog feature Ask a Planner.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list! 
We promise to inspire, inform and indulge!

Ask a Planner... "Mamma Drama"

Dear DreamGroup,

I’m having a really hard time planning my wedding with my mom!  She just doesn’t seem to understand that this is our day and not hers!  I’m so frustrated!! My mom is paying for some of the wedding, but she’s not putting in as much as my fiancé’s parents are and my fiancé and I are putting in some of our own money, but she wants to be involved in every part of the wedding and have a say in every decision!  I can’t believe I’m writing in about this, but I really need some advice on how to deal with this as its getting worse with each passing week. 

Help!!!

Unhappy Daughter

Dear Unhappy,

I’m sorry you are dealing with this situation.  It is most certainly exhausting and stressful.  Take a deep breathe and take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone.  Unfortunately mother-daughter wedding strife is a very common occurrence. Heck, family dynamics is THE #1 STRESSOR during many wedding planning journeys.  It most often stems from a mother’s desire for her daughter’s day to be PERFECT and feeling like her life experiences and passion are the best way to ensure success!  In the process it ends up causing a whole lot of unnecessary stress, arguments, and often tears!  Although there is no guaranteed quick solution to the classic mother-daughter alienations often experienced, there are some steps you can take to minimize the ongoing battles.  

Sit down with your mom and be candid with her about how you are feeling. Use “I feel” statements over “You always” as the latter just adds fuel to an already warmly kindled fire. :O)  Tell her you value her opinion and appreciate her desire to be involved, but that her need to weigh in on every detail and have a say on every decision is taking its toll on you not too mention the fun out of what should be an enjoyable planning experience for everyone involved.  Some other ideas would be to decide on some specific areas that your mom can focus her energy and talents on. i.e. sourcing the perfect linens, collecting all the addresses for the guest list, writing the wording for the invitations, hiring the vintage car, choosing the ceremony music, etc.  If she is delegated specific tasks to take ownership of (ideally ones you don't mind giving up control of) this will allow her to feel heard, involved, and have some bragging rights come the wedding day talking about how she helped make the day PERFECT!  

Although it may not be something you want to hear or think about right now one day I swear you will likely look back and be thankful you had a mom who cared enough to be “annoyingly involved”.  I wish you the best of luck going forward and if all else fails buy our promo t-shirt that says... "You've had your wedding, now let your daughter have hers." lol

Wedding Planner signing off!  Until next week duckies… keep those questions coming in!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

Cheerio,

Genève 



Genève McNally, Principal Planner, DreamGroup Productions

Genève first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues, Brock House Restaurant.  In 2004 Genève and college friend Sarah Shore ambitiously started up what is now one of Vancouver's longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, DreamGroup Productions Inc.

These days, in addition to working with her clients in a full planning capacity, Genève focuses her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike with her exuberant personality and joie de vivre!  Her ability to be refreshingly candid and her in depth knowledge of the wedding industry have earned her the friendly moniker “Two-Cents McNally”.  Genève also teaches the Wedding Planning classes offered through the dg Academy and is the chief correspondent behind DreamGroup's weekly Blog feature Ask a Planner.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list! 
We promise to inspire, inform and indulge!

Ask a Planner... "Stationery Distress"

Hi DreamGroup

When are you supposed to send out Invitations?  Online there seems to be a lot of different suggestions… I saw one that said 6-8 weeks prior, but that seems like a really late time to let people know about your wedding.  Our wedding is August 18^th.  Help!

Signed,

Stationery Distress

Hello S.D.

Thanks for your question!  Believe it or not 6-8 weeks is the suggested norm, however, some couples send out their invitations as early as 10-12 weeks before the wedding, especially if no Save the Date (a pre invitation informing guests of the hosting city and wedding date usually sent out 6-12 months prior) has been sent.   If you have not already informed your guests via a S.T.D. or general email/phone discussion of your upcoming wedding date sending them out up to 12 weeks prior is perfectly acceptable.  In your case this would be mid-end May.  You wouldn’t send them out earlier as guests are more apt to lose their invitation or have commonly even been known to forget about the wedding if they are sent too early.  It’s the “Out of sight out of mind” excuse.  FYI:  The RSVP date is most often set for 2-4 weeks prior to the wedding and you should expect to assign someone in the wedding party or an eager family member to have to contact late RSVPers after the due date to follow up.  People are notoriously bad at sending in their RSVPs!  Best of luck with your wedding! 

Wedding Planner signing off!  Until next week duckies… keep those questions coming in!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

Cheerio,

Genève 



Genève McNally, Principal Planner, DreamGroup Productions

Genève first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues, Brock House Restaurant.  In 2004 Genève and college friend Sarah Shore ambitiously started up what is now one of Vancouver's longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, DreamGroup Productions Inc.

These days, in addition to working with her clients in a full planning capacity, Genève focuses her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike with her exuberant personality and joie de vivre!  Her ability to be refreshingly candid and her in depth knowledge of the wedding industry have earned her the friendly moniker “Two-Cents McNally”.  Genève also teaches the Wedding Planning classes offered through the dg Academy and is the chief correspondent behind DreamGroup's weekly Blog feature Ask a Planner.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list! 
We promise to inspire, inform and indulge!

Ask a Planner... "Chinese Banquet Games"

Hi DreamGroup!

I'm looking for wedding reception games for our Chinese banquet dinner… any ideas?

Lena =)

Hello Lena,

In addition to the more common interactive elements like Karaoke and dancing often included in the night’s festivities there are several fun and popular games we have seen work well in the past.  Some of these include:

Chopstick Kissing Game

Typically, guests will tap their chopsticks on their plates or glasses to encourage the bride and groom to exchange a kiss. In this case, each time the chopsticks start going the newlyweds pull the names of a couple in the room and they would need to stand up and kiss each other in some dramatic way, then the bride and groom follow with a kiss in the same style.

Question Game

This game is probably my favourite as it allows guests to learn a little bit about the bride and groom while having a little fun. The bride and groom sit back to back often on the dance floor or in the centre of the room each holding one of their own shoes in one hand and their new spouse’s shoe in the other.  The couple are then asked random questions (i.e. Who is the bossiest?  Who is the better cook?  Who snores the loudest?) and have to answer them by raising the correct shoe (his or hers) in the air.  Whoever gets the most questions right wins!

Who is my Bride?

This is a cute one and a tried and true banquet favourite.  The groom is blindfolded and guests line up and each take turns letting the groom touch their hands or face.  The groom has to determine which one is his bride.  Often men will join in on the fun too. It’s quite entertaining.

Egg in the Pants

This is a popular and cute one and can be done with the wedding party or just the bride and groom.  The bride takes an egg (usually hard boiled) and has to transfer the egg (without dropping it) up the left pant leg of the groom, over to the right leg through the crotch area, and down the right pant leg. I’ve seen a cell phone substituted for the egg before and is quite funny when someone calls the phone during the game right about when the phone reaches the crotch area… lol

Wedding Planner signing off!  Until next week duckies… keep those questions coming in!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

Cheerio,

Genève 



Genève McNally, Principal Planner, DreamGroup Productions

Genève first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues, Brock House Restaurant.  In 2004 Genève and college friend Sarah Shore ambitiously started up what is now one of Vancouver's longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, DreamGroup Productions Inc.

These days, in addition to working with her clients in a full planning capacity, Genève focuses her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike with her exuberant personality and joie de vivre!  Her ability to be refreshingly candid and her in depth knowledge of the wedding industry have earned her the friendly moniker “Two-Cents McNally”.  Genève also teaches the Wedding Planning classes offered through the dg Academy and is the chief correspondent behind DreamGroup's weekly Blog feature Ask a Planner.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list! 
We promise to inspire, inform and indulge!

Ask a Planner... "Gift Registry Rules"

Hi DreamGroup,

Is it okay to include some gift registry details with the invitation?  My mom says it’s tacky, but the friends we poled all said they like knowing where people are registered.  Also, is there a polite way to ask for money?  What do people do these days?  

Thanks!

Jennifer K.

Great questions Miss K!  

Typically, etiquette rules would strongly deter any couple from listing their registry information with their invitations as this suggests that you are expecting a gift, but seriously who doesn’t know that they are expected to bring a gift to bestow on the happy couple?  

So… I tend to agree with your friends in that it’s far more convenient to know where a couple is registered rather than having to take additional steps to track down the information.  That said, including the information with the invitation may still be too much of a political statement for some (aka your mother) so you may prefer to list the details on a wedding website if you have one or stick with the traditional method and allow family and your wedding party to enlighten inquiring minds upon request.  

With regards to the rules surrounding asking for money and if it’s acceptable to do so, this is a touchy subject for many.  The good thing to know is that these days most couples who have not registered anywhere will most often receive money as their gift, however, if there are any concerns about being gifted polyester towels or an ugly vase than a simple note on the wedding website that says something along the lines of “We are most fortunate to have everything we need for our home so if you choose to bestow a gift upon us a monetary or interactive gift would be greatly appreciated’’ is perfectly acceptable.  And there are several poems you can find online that for some make asking for money a little “cuter”.  Good luck!   

Wedding Planner signing off!  Until next week duckies… keep those questions coming in!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

Cheerio,

Genève 



Genève McNally, Principal Planner, DreamGroup Productions

Genève first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues, Brock House Restaurant.  In 2004 Genève and college friend Sarah Shore ambitiously started up what is now one of Vancouver's longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, DreamGroup Productions Inc.

These days, in addition to working with her clients in a full planning capacity, Genève focuses her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike with her exuberant personality and joie de vivre!  Her ability to be refreshingly candid and her in depth knowledge of the wedding industry have earned her the friendly moniker “Two-Cents McNally”.  Genève also teaches the Wedding Planning classes offered through the dg Academy and is the chief correspondent behind DreamGroup's weekly Blog feature Ask a Planner.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list! 

We promise to inspire, inform and indulge!

Ask a Planner... "Confused about Invitations"

Hello,

I’m so excited that you have started offering this service!  I actually have a few questions about my invitations. Answer whatever you can and I’ll be most grateful.  My wedding is on August 18^th.  We are having the ceremony at a church and the reception at a hotel downtown later that night.  It seems there are many possible options as far as extra cards to include and we are feeling a little confused.  Must we have a separate reception card or can we include all the information on one invitation even though there are two locations?  Also, do we need to have mailed RSVP cards or can we ask guests to RSVP by email?  Lastly, if we do have paper RSVP cards do we need to include postage stamps on the return envelopes? Thanks for your help!

Natalia S.

WOW Natalia!  These are terrific questions and I am happy to say easy to address (haha! I had to include a little invitation humour).  First of all your timing is impeccable with regards to dealing with invitations at this time as the norm for tackling the invitation order and details is about 4 months before the wedding.  So Bravo!!  

With regards to whether or not to include a separate reception card is really a case of personal preference (and also size parameters of your invitation).  If the invitation is large enough to accommodate all the details on one card then there is no reason why you can’t do so. Traditionally, the main invitation includes the ceremony details and a reception card is included separately, but there are many traditional steps that couples choose to eliminate or modify to better accommodate their needs, budget, or style. 

These days paper RSVP cards are still quite common, but some couples (who may be dealing with a late send out of invitations or perhaps are eco-conscious) are choosing to eliminate this inclusion and simply asking guests to email (and/or phone in) their RSVP.  Including a phone option is a good idea if you choose to go this paperless route as there may be some guests that are not active on email.  For the record, the RSVP reply date is commonly 4 weeks prior to the wedding date.  You should be prepared to assign someone the role of contacting guests after this date to obtain missing RSVP confirmations.

Proper etiquette guidelines suggest that you include postage for all national invites.  It is acceptable, however, to forgo postage for overseas or international invites as it’s difficult to confirm the exact postage that might be required.

Good luck with your invitation homework Natalia and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!  

Wedding Planner signing off!  Until next week duckies… keep those questions coming in!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

Cheerio,

Genève 

Geneve McNally, Principal Planner with DreamGroup Productions

Genève McNally first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering & Sales Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues.  Having coordinated over a 1,000 wedding receptions during her six years with the venue, Genève was able to gain an invaluable knowledge and insight into what it takes to make an event everything it should be with the utmost care and efficiency. 

Geneve focuses much of her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is enthusiastic, dedicated, honest, confident, and intuitive in nature.  She is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike. Genève's moniker within the company is “Two-Cents McNally” and she is known to be the one who is not afraid to speak up when there’s something important to be said and is always ready to “tell it like it is” – albeit always in kind.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list!

We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

NEW! Ask a Planner

Hello my lovelies… it’s your trusted wedding planner extraordinaire here!  Since the start of my wedding  career almost 13 years ago I have been known as the energetic, effervescent “tell it like it is” breath of fresh air that this industry needed.    

From my initial days as a Catering Manager for what was then Vancouver’s busiest and most heralded wedding venue to my current role as co-owner of one of Vancouver’s longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, a full time wedding planner, wife, & mother of two active boys, I have had no qualms in offering the straight up honest truth when it comes to the subject I feel most strongly about…  WEDDINGS!   

Starting today (and every Wednesday from here on in) you, the knowledge seeking DIY bride (that's YOU) in search of the insight and opinion of an esteemed professional (that’s ME), can benefit from this tell it like it is planner’s years of industry experience.  

Introducing  Ask a Planner to be featured every Wedding Wednesday on DreamGroup’s highly frequented Blog where each week I will personally address the most popular question that seems to be on every bride’s mind.   

My hope in offering this free service is that you will become a smarter, more knowledgeable bride better prepared to make whatever decision you are faced with when it comes to carrying out a successful and savvy wedding planning experience.  And for those of you who are curious as to why I would choose to spend my precious (and extremely limited) time giving away the answers to the questions I am usually paid to answer… Well, the truth is I feel it is important to give back to the industry that has brought me acclamation, friendships, wonderful experiences, & considerable happiness over the past several years.   

So whether you need a dose of reality, some sober insight, or simply an honest answer about any given wedding product or service out there I look forward to enlightening you and in turn future generations of brides who will hopefully continue to visit our Blog in search of that perfect wedding truth.  

To submit your question, simply post a comment and each week I will choose one to answer.  I look forward to passing along some insight!

Geneve McNally, Principal Planner with DreamGroup Productions

Genève McNally first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering & Sales Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues.  Having coordinated over a 1,000 wedding receptions during her six years with the venue, Genève was able to gain an invaluable knowledge and insight into what it takes to make an event everything it should be with the utmost care and efficiency. 

Geneve focuses much of her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is enthusiastic, dedicated, honest, confident, and intuitive in nature.  She is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike. Genève's moniker within the company is “Two-Cents McNally” and she is known to be the one who is not afraid to speak up when there’s something important to be said and is always ready to “tell it like it is” – albeit always in kind.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list!

We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

We say Vendors... You say Friendors!

Isn't it wonderful to be surrounded by creative family and friends ready and willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in with some of the wedding planning and implementation? Or is it?

Whether you have chosen to bring on Friendors (aka Family or Friends substituting for professional Vendors) to help reduce wedding costs or simply to get them involved in the wedding there are FIVE important things to consider and rules to follow in order to increase your chances of a harmonious and happy ending.

1. Understand what you are getting yourself into and be realistic about your expectations. Just because a floral arrangement or cake design looks easy doesn't mean it is easy to recreate. Often what you loved about a particular element is the magic that it exudes in its entirety (i.e. the freshness of the flowers, the size of the arrangement, the intricacy of the icing detail, etc.) and when recreated does not often end up looking like the original professional version. Be prepared to be okay with your Friendor's version of the original idea.

2. Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! This one is huge. You must never assume that a Friendor understands what you mean unless you have specifically discussed and planned it out together. Better yet! Create a mock up of the concept and test drive the plan of action so everyone can be sure they understand exactly what is desired and expected. Pictures are worth a thousand words don't you know?!

3. Ask for a solid and sincere commitment from your Friendor. Make sure they understand what they are committing to. Many times family and friends will agree to help carry out a task or activity with the best of intentions, however, when the time comes they may not comprehend the importance of their role and can often be found to be unaccountable i.e. feels tired after a fun pre-wedding night party and assumes they won't be missed so "forgets" to show up, doesn't bring the right tools to get the job done, or perhaps shows up, but without the sense of urgency required to get the job done in time, etc.

4. You can't fire or critique a family member or best friend without compromising your relationship! So be sure the risk you are taking in appointing a Friendor into any particular role is not going to be jeopardized if a flower arrangement looks wilted or punny, the cake tastes awful or begins to melt one hour into the reception, or the first dance or ceremony processional song is wrong or doesn't start on cue.

5. Lastly, don't forget what goes up must come down! This is a point that is often overlooked and can turn what might have been a terrific DIY success story into a stressful end of the night expense and/or headache. The chair covers got put on, the floral arrangements were assembled and placed perfectly, the twinkle lights were wrapped around the pillars beautifully, but what happens at the end of the night? Most venues require that all decor and personal items be removed off the property at the end of the event. Those wonderful Friendors that volunteered their time and energy in getting everything set up are likely now exhausted and probably tipsy from a fun night of partying and in no state to spend 1-2 hours cleaning up and tearing down. The best way to avoid this common problem is to assign a separate Tear Down Team to disassemble and pack up all those fabulous decor bits & pieces (i.e. empty the water from the vases, wrap and pack them up in boxes, remove seat pads and stack rented chairs, etc.). This team should ideally be comprised of 2-4 members that have preferably refrained from drinking and are revved up and enthusiastic about working the Graveyard Shift.

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We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

Heart of Gold...

Last year, Principal Planner, Geneve McNally had the pleasure of planning the nuptials of Erin MacKinnon & Burke Telfer.

Both busy professionals, Erin and Burke knew right away that a planner was the perfect decision to orchestrate their wedding organization. Geneve took on their vision of a romantic, classic and elegant event with a fun and inviting atmosphere and transformed the Terminal City Club!

Their chic, yet playful wedding was achieved with a colour palette of peach, white and black to compliment the heritage, classic feel of the club's ballroom.

Large, statement floral arrangements made an elegant impact in soft shades of peach...

Enjoy every detail of this special day, featured in Real Weddings, here!

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We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

What makes a great planner?

DreamGroup defines a wedding planner as follows:

Someone who listens attentively, cares sincerely, communicates effectively, is encouraging, motivating, follows through on promises made, stays abreast of current trends and concepts, provides insight and inspiration, conducts themselves with humility and grace, shows respect for their clients as well as industry associates, and understands how important this day is to their client, family, and friends.

If you're the DIY Bride, get your Step by Step Guide from DG's Principal Planners. Plan the perfect wedding with DreamGroup's Wedding Planning EBook, providing you with the strategies and checklists to accomplish your every task in a realistic time frame and order.

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We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

Receiving Line: Do or Don't?

DreamGroup's Principal Planner Geneve McNally sheds some expertise on the question:

Traditionally, receiving lines include both mothers and sometimes fathers, bride, groom, and sometimes bridesmaids and groomsmen. In all honesty though the shorter the better.

I actually try and convince clients not to do it or just keep it to bride and groom. 30-45 minutes of shaking hands and swapping germs is no fun! I encourage clients to do a modern version of a receiving line in the form of a table meet in greet towards the end of or throughout dinner with or without champagne. Or to hand out favors.

This tradition of table toasting is taken from Asian cultures... And on that note most Asian weddings have a Farewell Line at the end of the night rather than a receiving line. Makes sense for the traditional banquet Chinese wedding as most guests leave after dinner all at once as there's usually no dancing. Modern couples are mixing it up though these days so doesn't always work.

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There's no place like Hycroft

Fashioned & formulated by DreamGroup's Principal Planner, Geneve McNally...

When Clara and Gary first contacted me back in November of 2009 from Hong Kong their goal was to obtain assistance in orchestrating a chic Colonial Shanghai wedding that would leave guests blown away and the hosts proud. In working with Clara over those 8 months leading up the wedding we achieved just that. Here below are 12 of my favourite images from this beautiful August wedding held at the stunning Hycroft Mansion.

Hycroft's ballroom featured dramatic Harvest tables set with teal floor length linens trimmed with custom ordered lace overlays. Custom ordered "Chinese" red cushions, white chivari chairs, and linens were from A&B Partytime Rentals.

Place settings were enhanced with a jade "love knot" favour set atop gold trimmed china charger plates and teal napkins.

Marshmallows served as the "cushions" displaying hand made aqua flag Escort Cards.

The unique handmade jewel encrusted cake was created by Thea Wilgress of Sweet Thea Cakes.

Cheerful aqua paper parasols allowed guests to stay cool and shady under the mid day sun.

The bride used a vintage children's book as her Guestbook detailing traditional Chinese wedding customs for the benefit of her Canadian guests.

Thank-you to...

Photography: Bebb Studios...www.bebbstudios.com

Rentals: A&B Partytime Rentals...www.abpartytime.com

Cake: Sweet Thea...www.sweetthea.com

Flowers: Granville Island Florists...www.gifvancouver.com

Caterer: Culinary Capers...www.culinarycapers.com

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