THE GUIDE TO PLANNING YOUR PERFECT WEDDING · way for a social media-savvy bride to get organized. FILLING UP A WEDDING SCRAPBOOK IS ALSO A GREAT WAY FOR THE BRIDE-TO-BE TO BOND WITH

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THE GUIDE TO PLANNING YOUR PERFECT WEDDING

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It’s a tale as old as time: There is no day as monumental as The Big Day. For many, there’s nothing more special than the celebration of love, the uniting of family and friends, and the uttering of heartfelt vows. A couple’s wedding day will be one of the most memorable days of their lives. However, the stakes are high when planning such a huge life event. You don’t want the magic of the day to be eclipsed by stress and anxiety due to a lack of planning or improper execution.

For an event that often takes a year or more of planning, it’s important to get organized. Make sure you’re on the same page as the people helping you pull off the big day—your spouse-to-be, your maid-of-honour, but especially your full-service wedding caterer.

There’s no detail too small for a fairytale wedding and it’s easy to get lost. Leave yourself enough time to start dreaming up the big picture first, before buckling down and zeroing in on all the practical considerations.

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DREAMING UP YOUR BIG DAY

MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT

Some couples might opt to tell close family and friends first, before making a wider announcement. Others might want to have a big reveal party. Make sure you put some thought into how and when you share your exciting news with loved ones. The ball will officially be rolling!

WHAT’S YOUR VISION?

Wedding planning should start with a vision. Think of it as roadmap for your wedding journey! Consider the personality and style of you and your partner, as well as any shared values or traditions you might want to incorporate. How do you want your day to look, feel, and sound? Will it be a formal affair or have a more casual feel? Will there be a specific theme? There’s a lot to think about here but it’s important to lay the groundwork before you move on to planning specific elements.

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GET SCRAPBOOKING!Ц

Starting a wedding planning scrapbook could be a great idea for more visual planners. Filling up a wedding scrapbook is also a great way for the bride-to-be to bond with her future husband or maid of honour, as well as creating a special keepsake.

Alternatively, if you’re not big on crafts or simply want to go paperless, curating a couple of great Pinterest boards is a great way for a social media-savvy bride to get organized.

FILLING UP A WEDDING SCRAPBOOK IS ALSO A GREAT WAY FOR THE BRIDE-TO-BE TO BOND WITH HER FUTURE HUSBAND OR MAID OF HONOUR

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WEDDING PLANNING NITTY-GRITTY

ESTABLISH A BUDGET

This step is crucial, because your budget will help anchor and shape your vision into something feasible. Everyone has a budget and it’s important to establish yours so that you can work within your means at every stage of the planning process. A clear budget also helps set up reasonable expectations for what your day is going to look like. You have a whole life to live after your wedding day—so make sure you budget accordingly!

WORK ON THE GUEST LIST

Once you know how much you’re working with budget-wise, it’s time to work on the guest list. Make sure you set aside some time with your partner—or even both your in-laws—to discuss who will be attending. You’ll know by now if you can afford to invite everyone you know, or just close friends and relatives (or somewhere in between!).

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PLAN THE CEREMONY

Now comes the ceremony. It can be important to keep this as a separate step from planning the reception, to prevent feeling overwhelmed by all the details. Some important questions regarding the ceremony are: Church or venue? Celebrant or minister? On site or off site? Tip: Many venues give great deals when you have the ceremony and reception in the same place!

INVITATIONS AND PRINT MATERIAL

With the guest list complete, you can now send out your save-the-dates, invitations, and other necessary print material. In the fast-paced age of email, it can be really special to receive a beautiful, thoughtful invite in the mail.

It’s good to plan all the print material now so you can tie them together with the same theme or look. This can also include print materials for the ceremony and reception like menus and programs.

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PLAN THE RECEPTION

It’s reception time! There are lots of things to think about here like how your theme or aesthetic will tie into the reception, what will you do for food and cocktails, seating arrangements, speeches (if any), and of course choosing the venue itself. A full-service caterer can be a godsend, especially during this crucial part of the wedding planning process.

CHOOSE YOUR MUSIC AND PHOTOGRAPHER

What would a wedding be without music? Here is where you can inject some of your own personality or opt to save some extra dollars. You can hire your favourite local band, find a DJ, or take matters into your own hands and create your own playlist. It just depends on what your priorities are.

When it comes to choosing a photographer, make sure you look at plenty of their previous work to ensure you’re happy with their style before hiring them. Wedding photography doesn’t have to be so traditional anymore—get creative! Above all, make sure you partner with a photographer who can capture your special, unique qualities as a couple.

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CHOOSE FLOWERS AND DECOR

The amount of flowers and decor at your wedding will likely be determined by budget and personal taste, so it’s important to consider this detail when choosing a theme and location. Venues with lots of windows, light, and plants or trees might require less decoration, saving you money in the long run.

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ATTIRE

This is a big moment, and not only for the bride and groom. It’s time to decide on your wedding attire. Do you have a wedding party? If so, how do you want them to dress? Will all of the bridal party wear the same thing? How formal do you want the men to look? Make sure everyone feels special and comfortable so they can celebrate in style.

ALL THE REST

You might think everything is said and done, but have you considered keeping room in your budget for things like transportation, wedding favours, and hotel accommodations? Additionally, it’s always wise to leave room for little extras which always pop-up near the end of wedding planning. Relax, have fun, and take everything in stride.

MAKE SURE EVERYONE FEELS SPECIAL AND COMFORTABLE SO THEY CAN CELEBRATE IN STYLE

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FINDING THE PERFECT VENUE

No matter how impeccably planned your wedding is, place and space matter. A wedding is an incredible way to celebrate your love for each other as a couple and it’s also a very personal expression. No two couples are alike, and as a result, each wedding is completely unique and will have unique venue requirements.

Choosing a wedding venue that’s right for you can be a tough and stressful aspect of the overall wedding planning process. Luckily, there are some tips that can help make the process a little easier, so don’t fret! Let’s take a look at how to choose the right wedding venue for you.

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SIZE DISTORTION

A key factor to consider when seeking out the perfect wedding venue is size. How many guests do you need to accommodate?

By the time you’re ready to search for venues, you should have set aside time to sit down and consider your guest list. Even a rough idea of how many guests will be attending is better than going in blind. This way you can focus your search on venues that can comfortably accommodate your reception, without getting your heart set on something that’s not the right fit. If your guest list is pushing 200 people, you’ll avoid disappointment and frustration by cutting out venues that can only accommodate more intimate celebrations.

It’s important to note that selecting a venue can be a bit of a Goldilocks situation… you want it just right. Too big a venue and the space will look empty, making the celebrations a bit more awkward. Too small a venue and you’ll either feel claustrophobic or be forced to make some difficult cuts to your guest list. It’s clear that neither situation is ideal.

When considering size, especially in popular “raw” or rustic spaces, there are a number of things to consider. You should calculate a min of 22 sq. ft. per guest for a comfortable setting. This includes space for cocktails, seating, a dance floor, a head table, late night snack stations, and a bar!

TOO BIG A VENUE AND THE SPACE WILL LOOK EMPTY. TOO SMALL A VENUE AND YOU’LL FEEL CLAUSTROPHOBIC

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THINK BACK TO YOUR VISION

Another way to ensure you choose the right wedding venue for you is to keep your vision, your style, your theme, and your aesthetics in mind. You’ve spent time imagining, scrapbooking, and creating mood boards for this very purpose. Now it’s time to align it all.

If you know that you want a rustic feel (hugely popular right now), you can focus your search on barns, old wineries, and other venues that will ensure you get that rough outdoorsy feeling you’re going for. Whatever style or theme you choose, make sure it reflects you both as a couple. There’s no sense trying to make your special day something that you’re not going to be comfortable and happy with at the end of the day.

WORKING WITH YOUR BUDGET

It’s the all-important wedding budget, again! It’s going to determine a lot of things about your wedding planning—including the wedding venue.

By working out the budget and guest list before hand, you’ll have a good idea of what you can and can’t afford in terms of a venue and wedding package. This way you can do some online research or make some phone calls to find out about prices before you go and visit a venue in person. The last thing you want as a bride-to-be is to fall in love with a venue that doesn’t fit into the budget.

Remember to prioritize, and to consider whether you’re willing to skimp on other crucial aspects of your wedding (food and cocktails, for example) to splurge on an expensive space.

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WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE ON?

Some couples are willing to do everything themselves, while others would rather leave most of the work to the professionals and just show up on the big day.

When choosing a wedding venue, it’s important to figure out how much work you’re willing to do at your own wedding, as every venue will offer a different kind of wedding package. Finding a full-service wedding caterer can alleviate some of the burden of having to hire your own servers and wait staff, providing other equipment and necessities on the day-of as well. They can even help with venue selection! Win-win.

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Food and drink is often the focal point of any great celebration—especially weddings. For this reason you want to make sure that your wedding menu is left in the hands of some highly trained professionals. And, we’ve mentioned, good caterers can do way more than just feed your wedding guests—they can be a key focal point in the entire wedding planning process.

You’re probably going to interview quite a few caterers before making the all-important decision. After all, you want to make sure they’re capable of bringing your wedding to life in the form of flavourful and unique food, cocktails, and more.

To ensure you’re hiring the right caterers for your wedding, here are six questions to make sure you ask the caterers before you go ahead and sign any contracts.

QUESTIONS YOU HAVE TO ASK CATERERS

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CAN THE CATERER PROVIDE REFERENCES OR CLIENT TESTIMONIALS?

As a bride and groom, it’s important to do your due diligence before making any hiring decisions. This is why you want to make sure you ask your caterer for references and look up any reviews you can find.

Any great caterer will have previous clients who are more than happy to speak about their work, and with social media and review sites being so popular, it should be fairly easy to read what others have to say about your potential caterers.

DOES THE CATERER HAVE LIQUOR LIABILITY INSURANCE?

This may seem like a trivial point but it’s actually an important consideration in wedding planning. Not all caterers hold a liability insurance policy that covers alcoholic beverages. Anyone serving alcohol needs to have this kind of insurance as protection from financial liability if anything should go wrong. This is especially important if you’re having an open bar at your wedding where guests are more likely to over-indulge.

Alternatively, the venue or caterer alike may ask for an additional insurance policy; it is very common for event spaces and special occasions that will be serving alcoholic beverages.

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NOT ALL CATERERS HOLD A LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY THAT COVERS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

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WHAT’S INCLUDED IN YOUR MENU’S PRICE PER PERSON?

Since most wedding caterers will give you a menu price per person, it’s important to clarify what exactly will be included in this price as there can sometimes be fees for things like rentals, beverages, service personnel, bar condiments, plates, glassware, etc.

You’re going to be working within a your all-important budget, so it’s important to know if your caterer’s price is all-inclusive, or if you have to make room for extras. The last thing you want is an invoice with additional costs you did not previously take into consideration.

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WHEN DOES THE CATERER NEED FINALIZED MENU CHOICES?

The caterers will have to order all your wedding menu ingredients ahead of time and make sure everything you want is available. Usually the menu is finalized several months in advance.It’s important to be aware of the dates your caterers require for finalized choices so that you can plan your RSVP’s accordingly. It’s also smart to ask if or how they can accommodate last minute changes, because it’s not uncommon for a guest to forget they should have checked off vegetarian on their reply card.

CAN THE CATERER PROVIDE CUSTOMIZED MENU CHOICES, INCLUDING OPTIONS FOR DIETARY RESTRICTIONS?

This is a very important question when it comes to wedding planning, as many people have specific allergies or dietary restrictions. When you’re dealing with a large crowd, you’re bound to have a few people with different needs to accommodate.

Ensuring your wedding caterer can offer options to appease all of these potential needs of your guests is paramount to ensure no one at your wedding feels like their meal was an afterthought.

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DOES THE CATERER PROVIDE TASTINGS BEFORE BEING HIRED?

Some caterers offer free tasting, while most caterers charge you a fee. It really depends on the company, level of service, and quality of food. Reading a menu and hearing client testimonials is one thing, but you should also ask for references and speak to the caterers about the food.

Ultimately you may want to pay an extra fee to taste the food to be sure that it lives up to your expectations for your wedding planning.

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A WEDDING PLANNING DREAM TEAM

Seventh Heaven are full service caterers and event coordinators who love weddings, and are committed to helping you put all the details together—from the first daydream, to the last nitty-gritty detail.

This one-stop shop will not only provide you with a perfect menu for your special day, but can supply and manage all rentals and labour for the big event, too. An excellent team of professional chefs, event consultants, and service personnel who embrace every opportunity to provide clients with the best possible experience. In fact, we offer our expertise to manage any of the other key services you will need to make your day a success. For example, we can oversee all areas of customized menu creation, full event design, venue selection, décor, floral, rentals of every nature, entertainment, and staffing. Seventh Heaven will help bring your vision of the perfect wedding to life.

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333 EVANS AVENUE, TORONTO, ONTARIO M8Z 1K2

WWW.SEVENTHHEAVEN.CA

416.340.7753

GET STARTED TODAY

We’d love to work with you on your next event!

If you have any questions or would like additional information about how Seventh Heaven Event Catering can help you plan your wedding, contact us today.