Carte Blanche

Simply Perfect ~ Wedding Planning

MJ — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:55:03 +0000

I recently interviewed Jodi Gagné from “Simply Perfect” who discussed her experiences and tips as one of Toronto’s top wedding planners:
MJ ~ How do you differ from other wedding planners?
Jodi ~ We specialize in day management and coordination but know that a successful event demands an understanding of the details months prior to the wedding day. Therefore our levels of service reflect the belief in building relationships with our clients by supporting them and being available to them throughout the planning process.
MJ ~ What is your favourite part about wedding planning?
Jodi ~ I love creating a partnership with my couples. I love hearing about their ideas, their expectations and assisting them to bring their event to the next level. I love the orchestration of the wedding day with all of its beautiful details and the naturally charged energy as the day flows from one event to the next. I recognize that there are times when I have to inject pauses in the timing so the couple and their guests can savour the moment or overlap events for a more heightened effect. I love working with a team of professional vendors who feel the same way I do, who are committed and know that together we are creating such a memorable experience.
MJ ~ Why do couples hire you?
Jodi ~ I believe in the value of the service I provide to my couples. As a wedding planner you need to be professional, organized, have skills in communication, negotiation, a desire to find win-win-win solutions and a sense of humour. My couples recognize the importance of these traits in me and my company and know that I am committed to ensuring that each experience with Simply Perfect strives to be a positive one. It is my job to help my couples let go of the details on the wedding day so that they can truly be present and live in the moment.
MJ ~ What is your best advice for couples getting married?
Jodi ~ Trust. Couples work hard to plan the details of their wedding and take a lot of care in assembling their team of experts. As the wedding day approaches each couple needs to place their trust in the wedding team and know that they too are invested in providing the best possible service. A professional vendor is able to compliment each team members’ strengths so that any glitches that may arise throughout the day are not noticed.
MJ ~ How do you keep your weddings fresh?
Jodi ~ Simply by listening to my couples, discovering who they are, their needs, wishes and non-negotiables. Add to this a professional team of experts, a dash of the magic of love and you have a recipe that is sure to win the hearts of the couple, their family and friends.
MJ ~ What is your background and history as a planner?
Jodi ~ I received a degree in Theatre Production at York University. I am a Stage Manager and Lighting Designer by trade which has served me well throughout the years. Weddings, after all, no matter the budget or the guest list can be the production of a lifetime! Respecting the importance of education I received a diploma as a Bridal Consultant in 2000 and continue to renew my education through workshops, seminars and conferences on a yearly basis. In 2004 I took it one step further and became recognized as an Accredited Bridal Consultant through the Association of Bridal Consultants, and have been a proud member since 1999. While in business, I have had the pleasure of connecting with over 100 couples and their families and feel truly honoured to have had the opportunity to share in their wedding day. Visit Jodi’s website at simply-perfect.ca

Andreas Avdoulos Photography

Joseph + Jaime Photography

Custom Wedding Illustrations

MJ — Thu, 03 May 2012 01:15:56 +0000

Why not add flare to your invitations. I find getting an illustration personally hand drawn or painted is always a great way to get your invitations looking super duper original! Maybe you have a favourite artist and illustrator? Or better yet maybe a friend or a relative who would be honoured to create a chef d’oeuvre for your wedding stationery. I personally like the simple look so I often hire Pam Lostracco, a long time friend, designer, illustrator and artist. Here are a few key tips I recommend when working with an illustrator. Make sure the artist or illustrator’s style reflects what your in search of. Specifics need to be well understood so maybe put together a mini visual library? Ask to see very initial sketches prior to finalizing illustrations just to make sure they are what you’re looking for. You may also want to ask for the original artwork for a keep sake.

Guest, Reply & Return Addresses!

MJ — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:18:05 +0000

When you are brainstorming or in search of the perfect wedding invitations you usually first look at the design, style, colours, paper, envelopes and custom liners. But have you thought of addressing? There are 3 parts to wedding stationery addressing. First is your return address… this address is usually the bride’s parent’s address or the bride and groom’s address. The purpose of the return address is simply if any of your invites don’t make it to your guests addresses they will be returned and you can then relocate them in the right direction. I feel these are very important… as this will save you on getting more invitations printed in the long run. Secondly there are reply addresses… getting these mailed back to you will indicate who is attending, not attending, menu choices etc…The reply address like the return address is either the bride’s parent’s address or the couple’s address. And thirdly are your guest addresses. Etiquette indicates that these usually get hand written by the bride. Some of my brides love to do this type of thing and others really don’t. So I often suggest getting a family member or a friend who has nice hand writing and who wants to take on this job. But if no one is game you can simply get them printed onto your envelopes. I like to keep addresses consistant with invitation design so I always use the same fonts and colours. Depending on the initial design, I sometimes like to add a few graphic elements from the invitation package. So keep in mind that your envelopes can look as beautiful as your invitations!

Map Card?

MJ — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:09:09 +0000

The question is…. do I need to include a map card in my invitation package? The answer is yes if you have many out of town guests or if your wedding is taking place in a very unique setting or away from your home location. Your invitations should obviously set the tone… and will be kept in a safe place until your wedding day. Your guests will remember your wedding date (well lets hope!) and will refer back to check your ceremony time and location as well as your reception info. So if you feel a map is needed make sure its done right. Map design should always be kept simple which means it should include major roads (intersections). I love to include a ceremony and reception icon that visually describes each location. Call me “Martha” but I really do think your map card should reflect your invitation design to a “T” and also include addresses and maybe a website and phone number. Driving directions are also very common and found on the backside of every map card design.

New Off the Rack Designs!

MJ — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:40:20 +0000

We’ve recently doubled our “off the rack” collection. This collection was specially designed for couples who want to spend less on invitations or have a shorter time frame. Our pre-set colour palette options were inspired by this year’s hottest colours. At only $4 per set you can come in to view proofs and paper samples! Visit our “off the rack” section for more information about this collection.

Classic Outdoors

MJ — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:37:52 +0000

Carly and Steve’s wedding took place at Carly’s family farm. Their invitations needed to have a definite outdoors look which we combined with a classic floral design. Carly’s colour palette was composed of emerald green, amethyst purple and sapphire blue which is what made this design stand out most. We stayed on budget by keeping the format and printing simple. And we made the ensemble consistent and fresh by using a white felt textured cardstock throughout.

Wedding planned by Jodi Gagné of Simply Perfect
Photographed by Cathy Chatterton of Capture Wedding Photography
Flowers by Petals, Stems and Leaves

One Fine Day ~ Event Planning and Design

MJ — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:31:53 +0000

I recently interviewed Melissa Samborski from “One Fine Day Event Planning and Design” who discussed her experiences and tips as one of Toronto’s top wedding planners:
MJ ~ Why do couples hire you?
Melissa ~ I think couples hire us because they trust us to bring their vision to life. Most couples are career driven so that doesn’t leave them much time for planning.
MJ ~ How do you defer from other wedding planners?
Melissa ~ We offer sound experience when it comes to planning. Our couples tend to have larger budget weddings and multi day celebrations so understanding various cultures and traditions is very important to the couple and we seem to do that very well.
MJ ~ What is your favourite part about wedding planner?
Melissa ~ I get to work with so many different styles of weddings from modern to vintage to over the top. The exploring process is really fun! Each couple has a vision and bringing it to life is the best feeling. Going from the drawing board to the day of the wedding is a great feeling.
MJ ~ Can you tell me what the latest wedding trends are? Or what is in and what is out?
Melissa ~ In is vintage, bold colours and organic/local foods. Out are the
days of chocolate fountains and signature drinks.
MJ ~ What is your best advice for couples getting married?
Melissa ~ Enjoy the day, take time to reflect and let the planner worry about all the details.
MJ ~ How do you keep your weddings fresh?
Melissa ~ Traveling!! I can experience new foods, fashions and cultures.
MJ ~ How do you get inspired?
Melissa ~ From my couples, they all have a story to tell and each one is unique. I can take a common wedding element yet personalize it for each couple.
MJ ~ What is your background and history as a planner?
Melissa ~ I started off in catering when I was in university and worked my way up through the ranks. After almost 10 years of working for various companies I took the plunge and start my own company. Understanding the biggest part of the day which is the catering and logistics is a huge benefit to me as a planner today.
And lastly Melissa’s final tip ~ A planner also needs a great team of vendors as well. From the Invites to the dress, each element works well on its own, but as a group they really need to be tied together to make the day seamless.
Visit Melissa’s website and blog eventsbyonefineday.com

Custom Ink

MJ — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:25:03 +0000

This save the date design is extra special because it was designed for my little cousin Marie-Claude and her future husband Patrick. These guys looooove Japan… they took a trip there a few years back and we thought they would never come home! So lets say their wedding theme was a pretty easy one to pick out. Colourful and full of Japanese related design elements, I feel the highlight of this piece is their custom monogram. We researched various Japanese characters in order to find the two that best described Marie-Claude and Patrick. I then re-drew and combined both characters together as a monogram illustration. We then had this wonderful mini stamp custom made to ink the back flaps of their aqua envelopes. The best part is the fact that they will be able to ink many of their upcoming wedding stationery pieces as well as keeping the custom stamp as a wedding souvenir.

Country Boy Meets City Girl

MJ — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:34:19 +0000

Krystal and Cameron definitely made sure their stationery reflected their style, interests and personalities. Cameron
a guys guy from Meaford who loves hockey and skiing. Krystal a total girls girl from Etobicoke who wanted to add a certain elegance to the mix. After developing their colour palette, our focus was creating a timeless and memorable wedding monogram. A country chic design soon came together… from the invitation package to day-of menus, table numbers and escort cards.

Choosing Fonts

MJ — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:48:11 +0000

Of course I love fonts. But if you don’t look at them on a daily basis… yes these stylish little letters can be very overwhelming items to choose from. I would say there are 3 categories… 1. the classic combo… 2. the casual duo… 3. the modern solo. Fonts are very important as they relay your message; so make sure they gel with the overall style of your wedding invites. Choose fonts just like you choose your shoes and handbags. They are one of the most important accessories.