A great wedding planner can make all the difference on your wedding day. They take care to ensure all goes right. And for Toast Special Event’s Elise Schmitz, founder and owner, she strives to have her brides be a guest at their own wedding because they are stress free and enjoy the day.
- Photo Courtesy Union 11 Photography
I’ve worked with Elise as a wedding planner for over 5 years. I first met her at Orchardview for the many weddings I’ve officiated there. She also has her own events company, Toast Special Events.
When talking with Elise, three strengths emerge that make her stand out- strengths that are refined over the years in the business.
Real Wedding Experience. She has organized over 200 weddings and has the respect of the wedding industry. She knows what happens behind the scenes to make a successful wedding. For example, a delay in getting to the reception may require a quick message to the chef so that the dinner is not overdone. She has extensive experience with vendors and knows who the good reliable ones are.
Wedding Trends Watcher. Elise stays on top of what’s happening in the wedding industry for décor, dresses among other things. She says that the vintage look, which has been around for a while, is leaving. It is replaced with ghost chairs and centrepieces and ombre (shading) décor. Gwen Stephani’s wedding dress inspired the ombre look a few years ago. Despite the trends, Elise states that weddings today are non-traditional and reflect who the couple are. She uses trends to help the couple develop their own wedding look. And she helps them avoid faux-pas like having the colour of the bridesmaids’ dresses match the table linen.
- Courtesy Finds.com
Prioritizing Your Budget. Elise also recommends where brides can prioritize their budget based on what she’s seen. These days she sees that guests are not eating as much cake and suggests to brides that they order a smaller wedding cake. Another handy tip – brides under-order appetizers during the cocktail hour. Having more helps limit alcohol consumption on an empty stomach before the dinner.
- Courtesy Sheknowsweddings.com
Wow – my head was filling with useful advice when I was chatting with Elise. I don’t attend wedding receptions and easily imagined the many issues that she described.
One message that Elise stresses is that wedding planning should make your day stress-free. A bride and groom should have trust that their planner will take care of all the details. With trust they can relax and feel as if they are a guest at their own wedding.
- Courtesy Union 11 Photography
