Tara…I started at working with eventdecorator.com over 8 years ago, near the beginning of their career when the company was still known as Decorations For all Occasions. I was in my second year in Fanshawe College and needed a co-op position as part of my diploma requirements. I wanted to learn and gain experience in all aspects of design and what better job is there than assisting with decor for weddings!  One of the most important days of our lives.  Over the years the company has grown, changed named and expanded its design style and horizons. I loved being a part of it the whole way.

My favourite part about this career is making our client’s day more beautiful and helping them to create a wonderful atmosphere for all their family and friends.  Such an important job…creating a moment in time.  I love seeing the way that couples style and personality are expressed through the decor of the wedding, no two are alike. I think it is a great way for two people to join their lives together, and not just by paper but by the love they show each other. I have been lucky to be able to witness some of the ceremonies and see the party continue into the wee hours of the night. The joy and excitement that flowers, design, beautiful colours and soft candlelight bring to both Bride and Groom. I get to share their happiness and help make the environment reflect how they feel.

The hard work and sometimes-long hours are always worth it, to see what you have been able to help create. My fellow staff members are always so much fun to work with.  Lots of laughter, hard work and some silliness, together make this job amazing!

Create your moment in time!

Tara Pattison, Design Assistant

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‘Flowers, ribbons, and candles – oh my!’

Holly – What a day! There are many, many, MANY preparations that go into making your wedding space perfect! I’ve been fortunate enough to join this great team to produce beautiful events for our clients. I’ve learned that the more organized we are going in to the event, the better everything flows. In this industry there are many issues that can pop up last minute, but I’ve never been more relaxed and confident in our ability to make it happen. Any stresses we have encountered are worth it, when not only the Bride and/or Groom gushes but the immediate family members do too! Having coordinated weddings before, I find there is a lot of stress on the couple on their special day. It is so rewarding when they come in to the room to inspect the décor and are more than happy with the design.  The beginning of an amazing evening!

I have really enjoyed being able to work at different venues all over Muskoka and the Greater Toronto Area. There are great vendors out there working hard to please their Brides and Grooms, and it has been a pleasure working with them. It is really amazing to be able to live these dream weddings each weekend, from the simplest event to the most complex. All are beautiful, and are wonderfully reflective of each couple’s personality! I always thank Elizabeth at the beginning and end of the events (usually really, really long days!) for letting me “go to my happy place” because the work is fun, creative, and ultimately rewarding.

Wishing you a fantastic wedding!

Holly Carney, Design Assistant

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Christina..Wow, what an amazing season filled with love, vibrant colours and joyous people. As the Assistant Coordinator for eventdecorator.com this season, I had the opportunity to see just what it takes to make these extravagant events a success. And all I can say is WOW. Our team really pulls it all together, from multi-day set-ups, minute by minute hands on coordination, to late-night tear downs.

Eventdecorator.com is in some ways your one stop shop to ensure you have the most beautiful, easy flowing wedding you could ever expect. By no means am I meaning to plug the company I work for as much as possible. I just want to explain to Brides from actual experience, the wonderful work we do. For most people, their wedding day is a once in a life time experience. Wouldn’t you want to be reassured that everything is going to run the way you have planned. Here are a few tips I’ve noted that every Bride should consider before they walk down the aisle. Regardless of the size, budget or style of wedding, the following elements should be a least taken into consideration.

1. Have a Plan B: When planning an outdoor wedding you should always have a Plan B in the event of rain. Side suggestion for Brides, have umbrellas made with the date of your wedding as wedding favours. They make for practical gifts that your guests will continue to use.

2. Have Lots of Candles: Regards of the scale of one’s décor, having lots of candles will set the mood of romance for the evening, while leaving guests with a feeling of elegance and exclusivity.

3. Chair Covers are a Must: When choosing a venue that has out of date chairs or chairs that contrast with your colour scheme, then I would say chair covers are a must. Remember ladies, there are going to be a lot of chairs in the room. You don’t want peoples focus to land on the chairs when they first enter the room. You want them to be drawn in by the overall colour scheme that you have selected for the evening.

4. Hire At Least a Month of Coordinator: For most Brides, they didn’t dream about having someone else plan their wedding for them. So I can understand one not requiring a full scale planner. But most Brides also didn’t dream how on the actual day your brain could be running a mile a minute with all the little details that can’t be handled before hand. Such as vendor time tables, flow of guests from one location or area to another, keeping wedding party members on schedule, gift and registry tables being setup, candles being lit, and the list goes on. This is why I advise Brides to at least hire a month of coordinator. It’s their job to manage vendors, handle all last minute details as well as any unexpected elements that arise. So give yourself, your bridal party and family members a little gift on your wedding day. Let a coordinator handle all the elements and let you and your family have peace of mind.

5. Go with the Flow: Finally, remember that even with all your pre-planning something unexpected could always pop up. Rely on the experience and professionalism of the qualified vendors you have chosen. Trust them to get things done the way you want. So sit back, relax, and just enjoy your day.

Cheers to your wonderful wedding! Hope these pointers help you out!

Christina Smith, Coordination Assistant

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Nicole…How time flies. It feels like just yesterday I arrived at the eventdecorator.com studio earnestly awaiting my first day as a design intern. Under the guidance and training of Elizabeth, we all embarked on this wonderful journey together creating unique weddings in Ontario’s own backyard paradise, Muskoka.

As a self-professed wedding junkie, I can easily say I had the time of my life this summer. How could I not when working with such a dynamic team and surrounded by beautiful locations, flowers and decor? I love everything about weddings – the coming together of friends and family, the start of a new one, but mostly the energy on the day of. The buzz of anticipation and excitement is so tangible you can feel it. All these people working together to create something magical.

With that said, weddings are a labour of love. A lot of hard work goes in to creating that special day and it definitely takes a certain type of person to not only have the ability, but the enthusiasm to spend hours preparing a venue only to return later that evening to take it all down. But in all honesty, showing up at 1:00am for the teardown was sometimes my favourite part. Yes, admittedly it may have taken a few cups of Timmy’s to get me through it, but time after time walking into the venue and seeing the wedding party swaying arm-in-arm on the dance floor to the final song always put a huge smile on my face. Knowing you helped create such a memorable moment for so many people makes those long hours worth it. After all, that’s what life is all about – shared experiences and lasting memories.

It’s those moments that make me so certain that this is what I want to do with my life. What an incredible industry to be a part of and I am so very thankful for every flower I prepped, chair cover I tied and tent pole I draped. Thanks to all of our 2010 brides and the eventdecorator.com team for making this summer a memorable one. I can’t wait for our 2011 season to begin and do it all again.

Nicole Gray, Design Assistant

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Lee..This summer has been a tremendous experience for me…both professionally and personally.

I first met Elizabeth for my interview as Design Assistant for EventDecortor.com.  As I walked into the studio, it felt like I had walked into a trendy and stylish wedding magazine.  I thought to myself “I don’t know if I belong here!”  With my nerves and confidence made of chiffon I carried my way through what I thought was by far, the worst interview of my life!  Dry scratchy throat and watery eyes, I had to ask for water and Kleenex, who does that during an interview?  I kept telling myself, “Do the best that you can and get the heck out of here!”  Elizabeth was more than understanding and tried to make me feel as relaxed as she could.  Low and behold, a few anxiety filled days later I was offered the Design Assistant position!  With and overwhelming sense of pride, joy and disbelief  I accepted and thought “how lucky am I to be able to work for her!”  It has been a journey of learning, development and self discovery.

I feel that I have had an exceptional experience working here this summer.  Elizabeth has amazing talent, is a trend-setter and a style unique all to her own.  We as Design Assistants have had the opportunity to work along-side her, share in her visions and truly experience her passion for the work that she does.  We have all been treated as part of a real team and as individuals.  Individually we have been encouraged to try new things and step out of our boxes!  Each step of the way we have had that guidance and encouragement while teaching and allowing us to grow.  There is a real sense of pride and accomplishment knowing that you have a small part of something as enduring as a couple’s wedding day. 

As the hot summer days have faded and turned into a crisp and colourful autumn, I reflect back over the past few months and draw on my experiences. These are some of my most vivid memories…I have experienced some breath taking beauty, whether it is in the form of a beautiful Bride, her handsome Groom and the love that their share.  Amazing Decor and Floral arrangements that have created a stunning back drop for such a magical day.  Glowing sunrises and the mist that lifts from the still waters off the Muskoka Lakes.  Seeing the joy in people at 1 am and having “Sweet Caroline” stuck in my head for days….and all the heavy lifting and back breaking work has all been worth it….because when you drive home at 4 am you can’t help but think about the incredible memories created.  You laugh and form friendships with the people you work with.  Most of all I have discovered that I too have a real passion for this Industry!  I have had an incredible teacher and mentor! 

Would I do it all over again?  Absolutely!

Lee Hoffer, Design Assistant

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“The Reaction”

“Admittedly the “life of a wedding design intern” is tiring.  Sometimes, when you’ve unloaded crates upon crates of decor, dropped linen throughout the room, laid out tablecloths, tied the 150^th chair cover, placed the 195^th candle, made the 65^th napkin treatment – sometimes, you think to yourself. “This is a LOT of work for ONE day” (especially when you know you’re going to be back in the middle of the night to take it all down!).  And it is… it’s a lot of incredible, detailed and beautiful work – and it is just one day – but it’s YOUR day.  For that bride, it is THEIR day and it is so important that the room be just exactly what they dreamed and envisioned.

A few weekends ago I had the privilege of being in the room when the Bride walked in to see it for the first time.  Suddenly all the work was 100% worth it.  This particular Bride was about to get into a boat and head to a dock to walk down the aisle to be married – but first, she came for a “sneak peek” at the room – we were finishing last minutes touches and details, adding a peacock feather here, lighting a candle there – ensuring the room was indeed perfect.  In she came, through the fabric draping that divided her fabulous lounge from her dining room – and her jaw hit the floor.  Her eyes welled up, she loved it!  And in that moment I thought to myself: “THIS is why we do this” – for that one moment, that makes the early mornings and late nights make sense, that makes every little detail the most important detail.  In that moment I felt honoured that each and every one of our clients invites us to be a part of their special day, and honoured that we get to do all the tedious and detailed tasks that solicit that kind of reaction.

So thank you – to each and every one of our Brides – for inviting us into your day and allowing us to transform your dreams into realities, for allowing us as design assistants to learn and grow under the very capable direction of Elizabeth into professionals in the field we love!”

Rachel Kay, Design Assistant

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