Tag: montreal wedding

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. 

le wedding mill’s most frequently asked questions

I get asked so many questions via Instagram, Facebook and email – I’ve rounded up the most common ones below. Some are wedding-specific, others are more personal.

Photo: Brent Calis Photography
What are the different services that you offer?

We offer 4 main services:

  1. Full Service Planning
  2. Design
  3. 60-Day Coordination
  4. Consultation (à la carte services)

For more information on each one, click here!

Do you offer Day-of Coordination?

We do not offer Day-of Coordination, simply because this role is a wedding industry myth and the term is misleading. Frankly, it’s impossible to show up on the day of your wedding and have all the necessary information to properly interpret your months of planning and execute it at a high quality standard.

As the wedding approaches, you’ll want to have a professional bring everything across the finish line and make sure that you’ve crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s. This is how our 60-Day Coordination service came to be. I find that 2 months before the wedding, emotions start to coming in to play and the confirmation emails start piling up. It’s the perfect timing for us to step in to make sure you have everything covered, adjust anything and have the proper knowledge to be fully aligned with your vision.

Do you have a preferred aesthetic?

Some of our weddings are modern, some are more classic. Some have a hint of boho, some have an elevated rustic feel. I love when couples come to me with a fresh concept – it allows me to play and use my creative muscles. 

More generally, I love weddings that are refined, understated and elegant – and naturally incorporate those vibes into each wedding. I think that there is so much beauty in simplicity. Our designs are carefully curated and pretty, but never over the top.

I value form and function and am constantly thinking of the guest experience when designing. Our couples want their weddings to look lovely on Instagram but they also want their guests to be comfortable in the moment.

Who are your typical clients?

We work with all types of couples, ranging from 25 to 65 years young! They are typically busy professionals with a refined taste. They enjoy both beautiful things and experiences and like me, value form and function. They want their weddings to have a wow factor and be an expression of their personalities.

What’s an average wedding budget?

There are so many factors to consider when determining your wedding budget – style, venue, location, guest count.

One of the first steps in our planning process is to create a personalized and realistic budget for our couples. While we work with all types of budgets, most of our clients spend anywhere between 75K – 125K on their wedding, for approximately 100 to 150 guests.

How much does it cost to hire a wedding planner?

There is a huge range because there is no industry standard. Every planner sets their own pricing based on factors like:

  • The number of weddings they take on per year
  • Their level of experience
  • Their level of involvement in the wedding
  • The scale/complexity of the wedding
What does your planning process look like?

le wedding mill’s planning process can be summarized in four words: streamlined, efficient, fun & personable.

Wedding planning is stressful – that’s no secret. Our clients trust us to guide them through the challenging parts quickly and happily, so that we can focus on the fun stuff.

My venue has an on-site coordinator. Do I still need to hire a wedding planner?

Yes! For a few reasons:

  1. Wedding planners work alongside on-site coordinators to ensure that your wedding is a success. Oftentimes, on-site coordinators have more than one event taking place at the same time so aren’t always dedicated to your wedding.
  2. On-site coordinators are primarily responsible for making sure that the venue’s obligations are upheld. A wedding planner ensures that every vendor contract is respected.
  3. On-site coordinators won’t confirm your hotel room block, create your hair and makeup schedule, pick up your stationery, etc. Wedding planners step in much earlier on in the process and provide a wider range of support.

I work with so many incredible on-site coordinators and love them dearly! Our roles are just different.

Do your clients have to work with vendors on your preferred list?

Not at all! We love meeting new people in the industry and are open to working with the vendors that you choose.

However, while you are in no way obliged to work with our preferred vendors, I recommend doing so! They are preferred for a reason (or two, or many). I’ve worked with so many vendors throughout the years – these vendors have passed our thorough examination.

Think of it like this: When you get married, you hire vendors for one day, so you don’t know how they will actually perform. I’ve seen them in action and know that they’re the best of the best.

How many weddings do you take on every year?

It depends on the year and the types of inquiries. If we have many Full Service Planning clients, we will take on less Design and Coordination clients. We believe in balance!

What do you do when your wedding season is over? It must be nice to have a few months off!

I get asked this question so much, which proves that there is a lot of mystery surrounding the job of a wedding planner. When one wedding season ends, I’m usually already in the thick of planning weddings taking place in the next one.

There is so much to do for each wedding that the seasons overlap every year. The only difference is that during off-season, our team has weekends off.

If you weren’t a wedding planner, what would you do for work?

I would be an interior designer. I love home renovation projects and dream of buying a big piece of land and building a house from scratch one day.

On that note

If you have any other questions about wedding planning or le wedding mill, please feel free to contact our team at hello@leweddingmill.ca!