Wedding Eye Candy: Soft Candle Lit Ceremony and Reception!

Photo by: Cara Cassidy


Happy Friday Everyone!

Just thought I would send you into the weekend with a little eye-candy from a wedding that I worked on recently along side the fabulous Stacey-Star.

This beautiful candle-lit ceremony and reception, at the Capital Event Theatre downtown, was so soft and stunning... Check out the awesome pro photos by JB Smith Photography HERE.
Congratulations to Sarah and Andrew... I had a great time working on their wedding!

Have a great Weekend Everyone!


Why do YOU need a wedding coordinator?

Photo Credit: Courtney Dirks


One of the questions that I frequently get asked is:  Why do I need to hire a Wedding Coordinator? 
I have considered writing a blog post about this for a quite a long time now, but as a wedding coordinator myself, it always felt just a little too self-serving.  That being said, it is an honest question and it deserves and honest answer!  So, without getting all “sales pitchy” on you, I am going to try to answer this question today.

What are the benefits of hiring a wedding coordinator?

1.     A professional wedding coordinator is educated and certified in the field.  We are constantly networking and keeping an eye on the industry for the latest trends, new and specialized vendors, budget saving ideas, and more.  So, how does this help you?  Simply put: we keep ourselves up to date, so that you don’t have to be an expert in the industry to have a great wedding.   It also means that you do not have to do all of the research and leg-work that is necessary to connect with the right people to work on your day.  

2.     A professional wedding coordinator will be able to provide you with trusted vendor selections that meet YOUR specific needs and budget.  And the best part? You don’t have to spend hours and hours narrowing down potential candidates.
(Ethics reminder: WPIC Certified wedding planners (like Cara Mia Events) are bound by a strict code of ethics that forbids the practice of accepting kickbacks – we choose our vendors on merit and do not accept any payment from vendors for referring our clients)

3.     Let’s talk budget:  One of the things that brides and grooms often struggle with, is picking a total wedding budget and then allocating the funds efficiently to make sure that you have everything covered while staying within your original budget.  Wedding coordinators already have an existing knowledge of the cost and the different price ranges of services within the industry.  With this knowledge we are able to help you breakdown your budget in a realistic way that can get you the most “bang-for-your-buck”.  You want to make sure that you don’t run out of money before you have all of the elements covered.

Once the wedding is already planned, what are the benefits of hiring a day/month-of Coordinator?  

Simply put, there has never been a wedding (EVER) that went so seamlessly that no one had questions or concerns throughout the day.   Managing the day-of is a lot of answering questions, directing traffic, making sure that the transitions from one element to the next go seamlessly, and keeping a constant eye on timing.  It is a balancing act and even at the most organized event, there is potential that something could get off track.  When you have invested your money and at least 250 hrs (the time it takes to plan an average wedding) into organizing a great event, you want to be able to enjoy it.  You certainly don’t want to be working!  Hiring a day of coordinator to WORK your wedding day means that your only job is to enjoy!

Can’t I just get my friends and family to help out for the day-of?

 I think that it is WONDERFUL when a couple has supportive friends and family who are eager to lend a helping hand to make sure that you have the wedding of your dreams.  Without taking anything away from these great people in your life, putting a friend in charge of running your wedding day not only means that he or she won’t get the opportunity to celebrate along with you, there is also concern that they may not have the experience necessary to make decisions on your behalf and make changes to the schedule as needed and keep everyone informed.  It is a big job and should be taken on by someone who is working

In short, a wedding coordinator will make sure that you get the most out of the time and money that you invest in your day!  





Venue Visit: Terrace on the Green


Have you been to Terrace on the Green?

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a WPIC networking night and experience first hand all that this great venue has to offer!  Terrace on the Green, located in Brampton on Mississauga Rd is a stunning venue with very impressive qualities!  This was my first time visiting this venue - and I will certainly be returning!

Check out these pictures that I took of their lush grounds…. can you imagine how beautiful your wedding photos would be? 



Not only were the facilities gorgeous and the grounds beautifully maintained, but what really impressed me was the level of customer service that they offer to their guests and their focus on the quality of their food!  The chef really went all out for us, preparing a four course meal that was absolutely delicious!  




In addition to experiencing this charming venue, we were also given the opportunity to get to know some great local vendors who came out to showcase their talents

Suzy Pardo from Flour Girls in Milton spoke to us about her bakery and the range of wedding services that they offer, including cookie favours/escort cards (super cute BTW), cupcakes and wedding cakes to name a few - delicious!



Julie Chivers – designer for JC kreative, spoke to us about her custom invitations and wedding stationary. 




And fellow WPIC alumni Wayne Alldrige was there (with yummy samples) to talk candy buffets. 



I want to thank all of the people that really went out of their way to organize such a valuable networking and learning experience for us all!

Thanks again to

 Jaquie Swadi - WPIC Halton Regional Representative 
Peter Trajkovski venue coordinator (and the rest of the Staff) @ Terrace on the Green
Wayne Alldridge - Marble Weddings 
Julie Chivers - JC Kreative
Suzy Pardo - Flour Girls