Category: montreal

a love letter to weddings

wedding planning montreal

Like most of you, this slower period of life has allowed me to pause, evaluate and reflect. I’ve been thinking a lot about the word purpose and how it drives our daily lives, our actions and our thoughts.

A few months ago, pre-global pandemic, I read a very insightful book called “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters” by Priya Parker. For anyone who organizes gatherings, be it book clubs, meetings, weddings, conferences, I highly recommend this book – now more than ever.

Since then, and given the current situation, I’ve thought a lot about the purpose of weddings. At the surface, a wedding is generally comprised of a pretty table design, some beautiful flowers, great food & drinks and amazing music. Some pessimists argue that weddings are merely expensive parties.

However, the purpose of a wedding runs much deeper than that. It’s a celebration of LOVE. It’s about bringing people together to honour the fact that two people have decided to commit to each other, to live life hand in hand and to face both the challenges and the happy times as a unit. As a wedding planner, I’m in the business of bringing people together to celebrate the commitment. That is the core of my purpose. At le wedding mill, we have always valued that celebration, that honouring of love as the most important part of the wedding.  In order to create a meaningful and memorable day for our couples and their guests, we enhance the experience with the use of decor, music, food, etc., but those are merely tools – the essence of the celebration is the commitment, the love.

The wedding industry’s mission is essentially the opposite of physical distancing. It’s an industry that brings people together, with the common purpose of celebrating a couple’s commitment. Like so many industries, we’ve been impacted in a big way by the global pandemic. It’s been devastating, but I’m also hopeful that (cheesiness alert) love will prevail. As the wise Emilie of Emilie Olson Photography once said to me: “As long as you get to marry your best friend, your day is complete”.

To all the couples facing postponement and/or rethinking their initial wedding plans, remember that whether your wedding takes place on the originally planned date or later, in front of 150 people or just an officiant, you’ve found your person and that’s what matters. 

As for us at le wedding mill, we are romantics at heart and can’t wait to see you walk down the aisle, exchange your vows, dance up a storm with your loved ones and celebrate your love. 

planning a wedding in the covid-19 era

When you picked your date, booked your vendors and started dreaming about decor, you likely weren’t thinking about the possibility of a global pandemic and how it would impact your wedding. I had the opportunity to take part in a discussion on CBC Daybreak about navigating the 2020 wedding season in these uncertain times. Listen below.

The three main takeaways:

  1. Couples & vendors: we are all in this together. Being a wedding industry professional means being in a labor of love (pun intended). Vendors are so committed to their couples and will do everything in their power to accommodate them.
  2. We recommend waiting 6-8 weeks before your wedding date to make a final decision about postponing. Because the situation changes every day, we cannot predict what the world will look like come your wedding date. If you choose to postpone, remember that there will be limited availability, so you’ll need to be flexible. (Trend alert: weekday weddings)
  3. Postpone, don’t cancel! This is the only way to ensure that you don’t lose the money (and time) you’ve already invested in your big day.

On that note

Our hearts go out to those of you who are facing this unprecedented situation. Just remember that you will get married and your wedding will be a beautiful celebration — no matter when it happens!

we’re hiring!

le wedding mill is expanding for the 2020 season. Are you interested in joining our team? Learn more below!

About the Role

le wedding mill is looking for an extremely detail-oriented and organized person to join the team as a Wedding Coordinator. The candidate must be a logistical wizard who knows the importance of getting the job done, all with a smile.

Responsibilities
  • Lead the ceremony rehearsal
  • Pick up any small decor items and stationery the week of the wedding 
  • Presence on the wedding day: 
    • Supervise and execute the set up
    • Act as a team leader with the creative partners (vendors) to ensure that every party has the tools they need and can do their best work
    • Manage the timeline of the day
    • Assist the couple, their families and the bridal party 
    • Handle any last minute requests or surprises
    • On occasion, manage the tear down of the event
Requirements
  • Experience in wedding coordination required
  • Calm and professional
  • Exceptional organizational skills
  • Perfectly bilingual, written and verbal
  • Creative problem-solver
  • Ability to act quick on your feet
  • Solutions-oriented
  • All hands on deck attitude: not afraid to jump in wherever needed to get the job done
  • Driver’s license and access to a car
Expected Schedule

Mostly weekends between March and October 2020, with occasional tasks during wedding weeks. The ideal candidate will make this role a priority.

Compensation
  • To be discussed, based on experience
  • Freelance position
To apply

Please send your CV to hello@leweddingmill.ca with “Wedding Coordinator 2020” as the subject line. In the email, tell us about a time you faced an obstacle at a wedding and how you rose to the occasion to overcome it.

Deadline to apply: January 7, 2020

We are so thankful to all applicants for their interest in this position! Please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.