The Wedding Session

In our 6th, and final episode of the Engagement Series, we chat with Leah LeVanway from Essence of L Medi spa, and discuss some of the ways you can prepare your skin to show off your best self for your wedding day. Much like working with a personal trainer to look good in your dress, you want to feel amazing and not have to hid behind layers of foundation and concealer. 

Based in beautiful White Rock, Leah and her Team focus on education and effective treatments to help their clients put their best face forward. Listen in as we touch on the following topics:

• What the first consult looks like
• What steps you can take to get started on getting better skin
• One of the best services you can do for your skin - and we learned so much, we almost need a second episode for this!!

Here's how to find Leah:
Essence of L Medi Spa
Essence of L Medi Spa on Instagram

On the 5th episode of the Engagement Series, we chat with our good friend, Jennifer Fryer of Lazy Gourmet Catering, about offsite catering and how it allows the flexibility to completely customize your menu for an amazing experience for your guests. 

You've found your venue, and now you need to focus on finding the food! This is WITHOUT A DOUBT, the most important part of the day. This is what your guests will remember, and whether they left hungry (or *horrors* have to order in takeout in the middle of dancing, because they're starving). 

We dig deep into the following:

• why you would need offsite catering
• when is the sweet spot for booking your caterer
• discussing the cost, and everything that offsite catering can provide you
• the flexibility and creativity in the menu

While you might be the kind of Couple who love the idea of having a venue that provides you with everything (venue, food, staff, etc.), offsite catering might be a better fit for you in you enjoy getting really involved in menu and creative presentation! 

Where to find Jennifer, and the amazing team of Lazy Gourmet:

Lazy Gourmet Catering

Lazy Gourmet Catering on Instagram

Our friend Laura Nolan, head of Sales and Wedding specialist at the beautiful Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier in North Vancouver, walks us through the benefits of having an all-inclusive venue for your wedding. 

Listen in as we break down the benefits of why hosting your whole day at a venue, such as the Pinnacle, can relieve some of the added stress when you're planning all the details. 

We'll touch on:

• Why it's beneficial to host your wedding at an all-inclusive wedding.
• The process that potential couples experience during their first contact with Laura, while planning at a venue that provides everything.
• The three important things you need to consider when choosing your Venue.
• Why Site visits are so important.
• The ever important - TIME versus MONEY!!!  
• Benefits vs Drawbacks of bringing in your own wine or letting the Venue take care of it (check out the link below going into more detail on the Bar and options that might work for you)

Podcast Episode: Your wedding bar - Do you choose an open bar, a cash bar or meet somewhere in the middle?
Blog: Cash bar or open bar, what is best for your wedding?

Where you can find Laura, and the amazing Team at Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier:

• Pinnacle Pier Hotel - Weddings
• Instagram - @pinnaclepierweddings
• Email - [email protected]

You're engaged. You've picked your date, and you've bought the dress. Now, you begin the process of wanting to feel and LOOK good on your day. Diet is a scary word. It means a lot to different people, and can set the wrong mindset on your journey to showing off your beautiful self. 

Ryan & Teresa walk us through how important it is to create healthier eating and physical activity habits. How do you create goals that are attainable, and sustainable long term. All it takes, is to START!! With small simple steps, that you can carry with you past the big day.

Consider what can you commit to, and build from there. Sometimes, it's getting active 2x a week when you've never seen the inside of a gym. Evaluate what you're consuming, and make simple changes like drinking more water. Appreciate the process, so that you can keep this going even after the wedding. Set yourself up for success by starting small and building from there. 

Remember, you will still come up with hurdles during the process, such as: stress, time, spouses/family/friends, seasons/holidays, etc. But learning to have the proper tools will help you overcome these. A cheat meal is ok, a cheat month....maybe not!

Listen in as Ryan + Teresa give some honest advice about the journey to better health and why it's important to have the right mindset. 

Lifestyle transformations
Instagram - Coach by RD
Instagram - RD Fitness
Instagram - Vivere Forever
Instagram - Teresa Lopez

The Engagement Series Episode #2 - Victoria Black of Wildhearts Collective on why it’s important to hire your photographer early in the planning stages. 

So!! Who the heck' is she, and why is she so awesome! Victoria is an intimate wedding photographer, based in Vancouver Canada. But will travel for every adventure!! She is a documenter for the memory makers; The people who are busy living their lives together; The couples who know themselves. She makes you feel totally comfortable in front of the camera, and we know, because Tarina and I have been one of her couples and was someone who was able to reign us in, in between all the giggles, for some epic shots!!  

Listen in as we learn how she began her journey in photography, why it's important to have an 'adventure session' with your partner before the 'big day' and why it's important to hire you're photographer sooner than later in the planning process.

We touch on some of the important items like, 

• How important it is to communicate with the Photographer for the wedding day
• The major things Photographers need to know in the early stages of planning
• Why engagement photos, aka the adventure sessions, are so important! 

Don't forget to check out Victoria at her at: Wild Hearts Collective @thewildheartscollective and The Affinity Agency

And don't forget our friends Stacey Carr + Kaylyn McLachlan, who were part of the Cabin Fever retreat! The scene of the missing camera battery, and beautiful weather on Vancouver Island. 

We talk with fellow creative, Jordan Kentris about his company A Good Day, and how he uses the individuality of each of his clients to design custom stationary for wedding couples and corporate clients.

Whether it’s assisting a Corporate client with a playful branding campaign or guiding newly engaged couples to create their perfect wedding stationary, Jordan puts all of his heart into creating these luxury one of a kind pieces, with elements as traditional as paper and as avant-garde as cork, wood, wallpaper and laser cut metals! 

Listen in as we discuss why your wedding stationary can help set the tone for the rest of your wedding. 

https://www.agooddayinc.com
https://www.instagram.com/agooddayinc/

Working at the ADIW show today, the first trade show in BC since March!!, and giving you behind the scenes content! This content is also available on our Instagram IGTV!

As of right now, in British Columbia, this is the following order specific to gathering and events

In summary, these are the items that specifically pertain to weddings

• Gatherings of 50 patrons
• 6 guests per table
• No cocktail hour (case by case) - no mingling 
• No dancing (but first dance is ok!) 
• A contact tracing list must be provided to the venue 

Reasons to hire a planner, especially during the era of COVID

• The rules are constantly changing
• Everyone else is trying to figure it out, the "new normal"
• The event planner is responsible for the measures in place for everyone's safety
• We love NENA CLAY MASK Hand sanitizer
• You can rent hand sanitization stations, such as these ones from Lonsdale Event Rentals 

How we as your planner have been helping our couples 

• We prep you for the do's and don'ts for the wedding day regarding COVID regulations
• We work with your vendors to come up with a COVID plan
• We still make it feel like a wedding
• We look at alternative options for your budget. Example, no cocktail hour but maybe more flowers!
• We make an action plan closer to the wedding as COVID rules can change at any time

REAL EXAMPLE!
Listen in as Kelly tells the story of how we navigated a wedding that had a venue with a COVID outbreak, resulting in closure just days before the couples already planned covid-safe wedding. End result, we supported the couple to getting the way day they wanted with just some minor SAFE changes! 

We are offering a 1-day photographer workshop on Saturday October 10th 2020 at the pinnacle on the pier in North Vancouver. We are offering 5 different looks to shoot in an intimate setting with mentors to provide support the entire day!

We are an empowering and inclusive community supporting & nurturing local photographers who want to grow.

Are you: 

• Newer to the game?
• Wanting to expand your brand and/or portfolio?
• Want to branch out and try something different?
• Just wanna hang out with us and like minded creatives?

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as each episode we'll dive into a wedding topic but also give you insight on what we have planned for the workshop on October 10th!

Some vendors include

• Us! Say Events Co
• Ivory Embers photography
• Kristina Dean photography
• Jorbelina Flowers
• Past Pieces 
• Pinnacle at the pier
• Be flawless beauty bar 
• Union bridal 
• ....and more! 

If you want to sign up, email us at [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @weareorphics. 

An engagement, a move and a first birthday! Life gets busy, but we're still here to send you on the right planning path!

We're going to be at the All dressed in White wedding show held at Meadow Gardens Golf Course in Pitt Meadows, where we'll be hosting a live Instagram story and more! Come visit us, along with Jorbelina Flowers, and let us help you plan your special day! Email us with your questions here at [email protected], or DM us on Instagram at @theweddingsession or at @sayeventsco! 

Need tickets? Grab your spot quick for Sunday September 27th! https://www.all-dressed-in-white.com/