Congratulations 2014 Full Planning & Design Clients: Photo Round Up

Ring Photography: Fotoreflection


Well, I have officially finished the last of my 2014 weddings, but before we get cerebrating the holidays and ringing in the new year I wanted to share a few of my favourite weddings from the 2014 season.  (More photos from my 2014 season are coming soon in the event gallery on my website... check back often for new updates!!! :) )




I worked with Kate and Danny for just over a year to plan this stunning black and white wedding.  
The wedding ceremony and reception, held at the Dundas Valley Golf and Curling club, both went off without a hitch.  This lovely couple was amazing to work with and their wedding day was so full of beauty and joy. 

Photography: fotoreflection
Floral Design by:  Settings Design Stylist
Photography: fotoreflection
Cake By:  Andy's Cakes

Photography: fotoreflection 

Photography: fotoreflection 

Angela and Steven  - Hockley Valley Resort

Steve and Angela, who both live in northern Alberta, were amazing to work with throughout the 8 months that we spent planning this wedding (mostly at a distance).  We had to take advantage of every moment that they were in town the few months before they said their i do's.  The wedding turned out absolutely stunningly.  We worked hard to come up with a design that matched their personalities and would "wow" their guests.   This one definitely goes down on my 'all time favourite weddings' list! :) 


Photography by: Sharp Fluff Photography
Floral Design by:  Settings Design Stylist

Photography by: Sharp Fluff Photography

Photography by: Sharp Fluff Photography
Floral Design by:  Settings Design Stylist

Photography by: Sharp Fluff Photography
Candy Buffet by: Cara Mia Events

Tian and Stacy -  Spencer's at the Waterfront

I absolutely LOVED designing this this wedding using the fresh red and teal colour palette and super cute pinwheel accessories.  I worked with Tian and Stacy for 6 months and the end result was breathtaking. (I also had the opportunity to deign an e-session shoot for them - photos coming soon on the site


Photography by: Renaissance Studios

Photography by: Renaissance Studios

Photography by: Renaissance Studios

Photography by: Renaissance Studios
Lisa and David - Private Residence

I worked with Lisa and David for a very short planning timeline of TWO WEEKS.  In that time we planed everything from dress to design and there wasn't a moment to spare.  The design concept and decor came together just as imagined - everything was soft and romantic for this perfectly intimate at-home wedding.   

Photography: Britton Images

Photography: Britton Images

Photography: Britton Images

Photography: Britton Images

Laura and Jeremy - October 2014 - The Edgewater Manor

Laura and Jeremy's wedding was so uniquely personal and captured their spirit in every way.  This purple lego themed wedding included so many personal touches and even ended with a lightsaber battle!  Check out all this awesomeness! 

Photography: fotoreflection 


Photography: fotoreflection 

Photography: fotoreflection 

Photography: fotoreflection 

Thanks again to all of the wonderful clients and vendors that made 2014 the best year ever!!!
Much Love,
Cara Cassidy


Can I get a quote?



Not surprisingly one of the first things that most clients ask for is a quote- and it the first thing I would want to know as well.  But it isn't that simple.  Each wedding that I plan is as unique (photo gallery) as the couple that I am working with - no two are alike and a one-size-fits-all pricing structure doesn't seem fair to anyone.

Usually the best way to determine your custom quote is to sit down together, have a coffee and chat (free of charge of course) is so I can hear a bit about what you have in mind for your wedding.  I need to know how big/small, fancy/casual, elaborate/simple your vision is and your specific needs from your planner.

When we sit down for our initial meeting we will spend approximately one hour getting to know each other.  I will ask you about what you have in mind for your wedding and what you have in place (if anything) so far.  I will go over the service options that are available to you and together we can determine your needs. 

After I have all the details, I can determine a custom quote for service.  I use your answers to help me determine the number of hours it will take me to create your vision and I multiply that by the cost/hour for time and expenses.  

So… How long DOES it take to plan a wedding? 
Here is the breakdown of MY time spent planning a wedding
The numbers below are REAL numbers from a REAL wedding that I planned this past season.  

Just a few details about the following wedding:  this was a local wedding (Approximately 100 guests) and the couple wanted to keep it "simple, yet elegant" and had an average wedding budget. 

Here is the breakdown of my time on this wedding:

21.75  hours          14 meetings (both with vendors and for planning purposes)  
10.91  hours          Travelling to and from meetings                                 
28.08  hours          I received/sent (337! )emails in regards to this wedding (approx 5 minutes/email)                       
09.50  hours          Researching potential vendors and venues
07.50  hours          Working on story boards and design ideas    
09.00  hours          Creating/maintaining budgets, planning schedules, itineraries,             
                              floor plans, set up checklists, contact sheets etc                                                                                                               
24.50 hours           On Site for the Wedding Day and Rehearsal (Time includes 1 assistant)                                
     
That is a total of 111.24 hours not counting all of the quick phone calls and text messages of which there were too many to count and record! ;)

Need more information or want to set up an initial meeting with me? Send me an email and we can set up a time to chat.  Click here to email me!







My Brand New Website is Live!





Finally the weather is warming up and I can feel the excitement and the buzz from all of my 2014 brides as their wedding days get closer and closer!  It is gearing up to be an amazing season of fabulous weddings.
With the new wedding season in full swing,  I thought I would launch into this season with a brand new website design. 
So without further ado – please check out the new site! 
Check back regularly as there will be more photos going up in the gallery section soon!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 

Happy Monday!

Cara

What's in my Emergency Kit?




You may have noticed that in my description of services,  for any wedding that I am coordinating on site, I include the use of  my “emergency kit”.  You may be asking: What exactly IS this emergency kit? What exactly do you have in there anyway? 

So, the long and short of it is that my emergency kit is carefully put together to help me solve any issues/problems/emergencies that may come up throughout your wedding day;  Did the hem on your wedding dress come down?  No problem!  Did the groom lose a button? Solved! Did the father of the groom lose his boutonniere before the ceremony? No problem, just give me a couple of minutes and I can “MacGyver” a new one! 

So just to give you an idea of what exactly is in that 'Mary Poppins' bag of mine, here is a list of some of the items I carry to each and every wedding:

On my person at ALL Times (don’t tease me about my 'fanny pack' style belt it is a necessary evil  for 'QUICK draw' fixes)

  • Cell phone
  • Advil
  • Scissors
  • Pens
  • All day of paperwork (contact info, schedules, floor plans etc) 
  • Bobby pins
  • Straight pins, safety pins
  • Hair clips and elastics 
  • Breath mints
  • Moisturizer
  • Lip balm
  • YOUR lipstick
  • batteries
  • Band-aids
  • Double sided tape

The "Mary Poppins" Style Emergency Kit: 



















Here is a list of some of the items you can find in  my 'Mary Poppins' bag (pictured above) -  I will have this bag handy during the ceremony and reception (usually stashed away out of sight - but close enough that I can get to it when I need it)

Makeup

  •  Foundation in many shades
  •  Loose powder (And brush)
  • Eyelash glue
  • makeup remover/corrector swabs
  • eyeshadow in various shades
  • q-tips
  • makeup sponges/brushes
  • Lip conditioner
Personal Care:
  • Extra nylons (in various colours)
  • Advil
  • Poly to go
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug Spray wipes
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Fabreeze
  • Moisturizer
  • Razor (hey... you never know what you will forget to pack if you are staying at a hotel the night before)
  • Powder
  • Mints
  • Spray deodorant
  • Spare toothbrush, tooth paste, mouthwash and floss
  • Feminine hygene products
  • Lint roller
First aid
  • latex gloves
  • instant icepack
  • antibacterial wipes
  • antacids
  • pain relief medications
  • band-aids
  • steri-strips
  • antibiotic ointment
Nails
  • clear polish
  • nail glue
  • white polish 
  • neutral polish
  • nail file
  • nail clipper
  • nail polish remover
  • false nails
Sewing
  • snaps
  • buttons
  • needles and thread in various colours
  • ribbons in various colours
  • double sided body tape
  • scissors
  • elastic
  • Velcro
  • Straight pins, safety pins
  • Chalk (to cover stains on bridal gowns)
Floral repair
  • zip ties
  • floral tape
  • floral wire
  • wire cutters
  • pins
Hair
  • comb
  • brush
  • bobby pins (in various shades and sizes)
  • hair clips (in various shapes and sizes)
  • elastics
  • hair spray
  • veil comb
Tool kit
  • hammer
  • Various nails/screws/hooks
  • screwdriver
  • wire
  • duct tape
  • clear utility tape
  • electrical tape
  • double sided tape
  • batteries
  • AV cords and connectors
  • Staple gun
  • Pliers
  • Twist ties
  • Glue dots
  • Various types of glue (glue gun, super glue, white glue, fabric glue)
  • Flashlight 

Office Supplies
  • pens
  • tape
  • sticky notes
  • dry erase markers
  • scissors
  • backup power charger for cell phone and electronics
And yes...  it all fits! 

















Hopefully this will put your mind at ease, that should a problem arise - I will have the solution.  Just as a back up, I also carry some larger emergency items in the trunk of my car, including a golf umbrella, step ladder and many other things... but that is a post for another day!  

Do you see anything that I am missing?  Leave it in the comments below... I would love to hear from you! 






Happy New Year From Cara Mia Events

Welcome to 2014 everyone!
It's shaping up to be a great one!