Wedding Story is known internationally, and their team is constructed of only the best in each field. They offer Vancouver’s top-notch wedding photography, an extraordinary make-up and hair services, as well as elegant wedding attire and leading bridal coordination.
]]>Wedding Story is known internationally, and their team is constructed of only the best in each field. They offer Vancouver’s top-notch wedding photography, an extraordinary make-up and hair services, as well as elegant wedding attire and leading bridal coordination. Today the Phonix got the opportunity to interview their manager Leeah Park to get the inside scoop on what Wedding Story has to offer.
Tel: 604-936-2140
Eric from Phonix: What is your role? And what inspiration, work or life experiences led you to your role?
Leeah: WEDDING STORY is one stop total wedding service company specializing PHOTOGRAPHY MAKEUP & HAIR DRESS & TUXEDO RENTAL PLANNING. A lot of my friends had difficulty with finding each vendors without wedding planner who are used to hearing about one stop wedding services in Korean and other Asia. It was very common to have one stop total wedding services in Asia.
Phonix: If I was looking for a one-stop-shop for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Leeah: What kind of wedding do you dream about and what are the three most important things of your wedding?
Phonix: What makes your service unique from other wedding photographers, make-up artists and wedding one-stop-shop?
Leeah: Our professional team makes stress free during whole process.
Phonix: What types of weddings do you enjoy working on the most?
Leeah:Love working with other good vendors in wedding industry.
Phonix: What are some of your strengths as a Catering Sales Executive?
Leeah: Being able to handle any emergency situation well with long and many experience.
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The Westin Bayshore Hotel is committed to bringing your vision of the perfect wedding day to life flawlessly. We take the time to understand your unique needs so that we can shower you with intuitive service, thoughtful touches and enriching experiences at our vibrant venues. We anticipate your every need so you can enjoy each moment to the fullest!
]]>The Westin Bayshore Hotel is committed to bringing your vision of the perfect wedding day to life flawlessly. We take the time to understand your unique needs so that we can shower you with intuitive service, thoughtful touches and enriching experiences at our vibrant venues. We anticipate your every need so you can enjoy each moment to the fullest! Today the Phonix got the opportunity to interview their manager Joachim Nidua to get the inside scoop on what the Westin Bayshore has to offer.
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/event-planning/wedding-planning/yvrwi-the-westin-bayshore-vancouver/
Tel: 604.250.3731
Eric from Phonix: What is your role? And what inspiration, work or life experiences led you to your role?
Joachim: I help couples find a setting to celebrate their Love. I’m a hopeless romantic at heart and in practice. I’m literally walking along the beach, watching the sunset and about to board a hot air balloon in a moment.
Phonix: If I was looking for a venue for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Joachim: Listen to your heart and don’t forget to have fun. You’re planning a celebration of Love! Celebrations are supposed to be fun and make you feel good.
Phonix: What makes your venue unique from other venues?
Joachim: We are Downtown Vancouver’s only resort style hotel located on the water, steps away from Stanley Park and feature breathtaking views of Coal Harbour and the North Shore Mountains.
Phonix: What types of weddings do you enjoy working on the most?
Like my children, I can’t choose any favorites. They’re all uniquely enjoyable on their own.
Phonix: What are some of your strengths as a Catering Sales Executive?
Joachim: I’m very easy and enjoyable to work with. You can always reach me at any time day or night and I always reply right away.
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The Riverway Golf Course Clubhouse has long been recognized as one of the most beautiful and classy event venues in Vancouver. Not only do they offer a one of a kind event space complete with rustic designs and high ceiling, they also have one of the best food and beverage services out there! Today the Phonix got the opportunity to interview their manager Brad Binkley to get the inside scoop on what Riverway has to offer.
https://foodburnaby.ca/weddings/riverway-clubhouse
Tel: 604-297-4883
Eric from Phonix: What is your role? And what inspiration, work or life experiences led you to your role?
Brad: I am the event coordinator here at the Riverway Clubhouse. I really have always found myself drawn to events ( especially weddings ) purely for the fun & positive energy of them. A decade ago I had started working at the Westin Grand In downtown Vancouver working as a housekeeper. I would see galas & weddings taking place in the hotel ballrooms all the time. I remember just really wanting to be doing that instead. Finally a spot opened up in the banquets department for a server, I got the job and the rest has been history.
With weddings, I am fortunate to work with couples in helping to create and bring to life one of their most important days of their lives to reality. I appreciate being part of their special day and when I connect with our couples after their wedding day and hear how happy they are, really drives and inspires me.
Phonix: If I was looking for a venue for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Brad: One big thing I would recommend to couples when looking for a venue is to not only of course fall in love with the building, décor & view of the wedding venue but it is also important to like the “feel” or atmosphere of the space as well. It might sound a bit cliché but even take the time to watch how the venue’s staff interact with other guests or other staff members. The venue team members would be there assisting you and your guests on your wedding day so you want a place where the team not only are professional but also are portraying a happy and positive atmosphere!
Phonix: What makes your venue unique from other venues?
Brad: The attention to detail, personalized service and a gourmet menu are the benchmarks for every event at the Riverway Clubhouse.
Riverway is fortunate to be located centrally in Metro Vancouver. Regardless, where you are coming from in the lower mainland our location in South Burnaby makes it convenient for our couples and their guests. We are only a 10 minute drive from busy Metrotown but when you are here overlooking the pond and the lush green setting you forget your in the city as its such a calm and tranquil place.
Riverway Clubhouse has architecturally stunning wood-beams with floor-to-ceiling windows with a real “west coast” vibe which doesn’t need a lot of decorating to really make the venue come to life for our couple’s special day.
Phonix: What types of weddings do you enjoy working on the most?
I have worked on so many weddings over the years and while I honestly do enjoy all weddings, for me personally, the most fun ones are the weddings where the couple hires live musicians. It’s really hard to not have a good time when there is band playing live music during a wedding.
Phonix: What are some of your strengths as an Event Coordinator?
Brad: I like to think that some of my biggest strengths as an event coordinator is being able to communicate clearly and concisely with my couples either in person or through email. Even though we host many weddings each year, I strive to ensure every one of our couples feel like they are they only wedding and that the focus is on them and their special day.
I’m also very organized. When planning for a wedding a year or more in advance, there are many emails and notes that go back and forth. To make sure a wedding is smooth & successful, you have to be organized so that you are ready for the big day.
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When you want your crew to have fun and also look Baller! We are big wedding specialists. We have a team that was designed for endless energy and most importantly capturing the magic of your day. Today the Phonix got the opportunity to interview their manager Youn Park to get the inside scoop on what Cakewalk Media has to offer.
Tel: 604-418-9791
Eric from Phonix: What is your role? And what inspiration, work or life experiences led you to your role?
Youn: Principal Photographer. I found myself happy to capture people at their best. Either in action, sport or on their wedding day. Then I went nuts and wanted to be the best at it.
Phonix: If I was looking for a photographer for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Youn: Style! don’t worry about price at first. Pick the photos that resonate with you’re heart. For example. Dark and moody might be perfect for you but horrible for others. Don’t pick a photographer then ask them to capture in a different style. It’s like asking a Sushi chef to make you pasta.
Phonix: What makes you unique from other photographers?
Youn: Cheerleader + director. Incredibly extroverted so I’m not afraid to look goofy or bring up the energy in the room.
Phonix: What types of weddings do you enjoy working on the most?
Youn: The party kind where the guest are rowdy and the couple want to pop champagne .
Phonix: What are some of your strengths as a Photographer?
Youn: Director and a cheer leader. Anticipating of problems and getting ahead of them before it blows up. Most importantly I know how to make you look beautiful.
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Mark Hoeppner is an accomplished musician, instructor and composer residing in Vancouver, BC. The best wedding pianist in town!
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Mark Hoeppner is an accomplished musician, instructor and composer residing in Vancouver, BC.
Visit Mark at www.markhoeppner.com
Mark grew up on the prairies in a small town in southern Manitoba, starting piano lessons at an early age and then moving into the Royal Conservatory of Music program during junior and high school years. During his teenage years, his high school teacher inspired him to explore blues and jazz and so, alongside classical studies, he began experimenting with these and other musical styles with like-minded friends in heated garages, barnloft jam spaces and basement rec rooms.
They would hunker down and stay warm through the cold winters by jamming together on drums, bass, keyboards, and guitar, looping through blues and jazz progressions and coming up with original funk-pop songs.
After graduation from high school, Mark moved to Winnipeg and began playing with folk, rock and funk bands, recording albums, touring around Canada and serving as a musical director for live improv theatre. These years were very fruitful as he further honed his skills and abilities as a live performer both on keyboards and guitar.
In 2000 Mark moved to Montreal to study jazz with Jean Beaudet and Wray Downes at Concordia University, where he graduated with a BFA in Music Studies in 2003. After graduation, Mark remained in Montreal for another 7 years, steadily engaged with live performances in bars and clubs, private music lessons and music scoring for multimedia projects. His musical talents also allowed him to travel extensively, playing on cruise ships and at 5 star hotels in Asia and the Middle East.
Since moving to Vancouver in 2010, Mark has been busy working as a private instructor and solo piano artist. He is also an in-demand keyboardist and vocalist playing with a variety of the top bands in Vancouver, performing at lounges, weddings, corporate events and casino showrooms. Composing original music for film and TV is another of Mark's passions and he has established his home studio in South Vancouver for this purpose.
]]>(Photo credit: Denise Lin Photography)
The Phonix had the pleasure of working with Stephanie and her team from Sweetheart Events at a beautiful wedding in Southlands in the summer of 2014. I had the pleasure of sitting down with her for a coffee to chat about her wedding planning business and what makes her so unique.
Reuben, from the Phonix: What inspiration, work or life experiences led you to wedding planning?
Stephanie: After high school, I fell into the role of being a nanny while I was ‘finding myself’ and trying to figure out what I wanted to do. One my girlfriends at the time reminded me about our high school prom and how I prepared a huge colour-coded timeline and was constantly confirming with our hair, makeup, nails and limo. Around that time, I ran into Dawn Danahue of Go Golf events, and she happened to be looking for an intern. She was the first person to really believe in me and give me a chance. I began doing a few friend’s weddings on the side and then really began to fall in love with the idea of bringing attention back to the ceremony - the reason you’re getting married. I know a lot of couples kind of loose that in the wedding planning. They think about the seating chart, the place cards, colours etc. That really inspired me to bring it back to the fact that you are marrying your best friend - that is what the day is about. I want you to look at your wedding photos and remember why you chose those colours…was it a painting you bought together? I want there to be a story behind every element of your day.
After working with Dawn, I did a bunch of assisting with other wedding planners, but never really felt like I was working with my target market. I started Sweetheart Events because I want to work with people who I can call my best friends, not just another couple that’s getting married.
Reuben: If I was looking to hire a wedding planner for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Stephanie: Don’t focus on the cost. Focus on the person. You want to find someone who is going to be your best friend and who you will enjoy working with for the whole year while you plan the most important day of your life. You need to find someone you click with and who understands your vision. They should be able to take your vision and turn it into something so much more by infusing your personalities.
Go through lots of websites and choose your top three. Maybe it’s the photos that your really like. Before you choose a planner, visualize your wedding and think about how much help you really need. Figure out what your magic number is, then look at their costs. Contact those planners, meet with them and see how you feel. It’s kind of like a first date; if you’re smiling at the end of it, she’s your girl!
Reuben: What makes your wedding planning business unique from other planners?
Stephanie: It’s 100% my personality. That is the #1 reason I get booked. I’ve had numerous couples tell me I get them more excited about their wedding just because of my excitement. I do happy dances and high-five them on a regular basis. It’s quite ridiculous. I go to site visits, and I cry. I make them cry and I make their moms cry. Not because I’m unfriendly [laughs], but they get to see my passion behind everything and why their wedding day is so much more than the little details. One other thing is that I force couples to take time on their wedding day to reflect. I steel my couples after the ceremony and take them off to the side just so they can be like “oh my god, we’re married!” I bring them champagne and they get to enjoy the moment.
Reuben: What types of weddings do you enjoy working on the most?
Stephanie: I love intimate weddings and I love an outdoor element. I love meaning behind every detail and I will always ask my couples, “why?” My tag line is “true to you” so I love how many stories come out when I ask that question. Even couples sometimes don’t think about why they want a particular thing, but when they actually think about it, they realize it’s something memorable from their first date. That just makes it more memorable.
Connect with Stephanie at Sweetheart Events:
Web: www.sweetheartevents.ca Phone: 778.988.9384
]]>On one sunny Thursday in May, The Phonix sat down with Cristie Rosling of Umbrella Events to talk shop and find out a little more about Umbrella Events, a boutique event planning company based in Vancouver, BC.
Reuben, from the Phonix: What inspiration, work or life experiences led you to wedding planning?
Cristie: I worked in a restaurant that hosted all kinds of events. We hosted charity events, weddings, holiday parties and fundraisers. I often worked with the person coordinating each event and always had a really good time. At the time, I didn’t realize it would turn into my career, but I just always had a great time doing it that I wanted to pursue it. So that’s what led me to starting my own event planning company.
Reuben: If I was looking to hire a wedding planner for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Cristie: Going to meet them is a really good start. Ask them lots of questions about their past experiences and how they handled difficult situations at previous weddings. Reading reviews might also help you find the right planner for you. You want to work with someone who wants to have a good time with you. Someone who will keep you on track and organized and who will take your stress away.
Definitely hire a wedding planner! Having someone to run all your questions by and having someone with connections to all your vendors will save you a lot of time. A planner who has been in the industry for a few years will know a lot of vendors and will be able to point you in the direction of vendors who will do a good job at your wedding. Having a planner on the day of your wedding is also very important. It is the most important day or your life and all of your friends and family will be there. You will be pulled in many directions that day and you don’t want to be worrying about all the logistics and whether or not everybody shows up on time. Wedding planners will also help give you great ideas on how to stretch your budget as much as possible and help steer you toward what you can afford.
Reuben: What makes your wedding planning business unique from other planners?
Cristie: Me! I have a unique perspective on events and decor and I want to be doing things are unusual and different at weddings. I don’t think there is a right way to have a wedding. Your wedding should be personalized to you as a couple and you should really celebrate your differences from other couples. I really encourage my couples to do weird things, have fun with it and to not take themselves too seriously. I have an upcoming wedding where they will have a temporary tattoo bar - I think that’s cool! I like when couples have flash mobs or things like that. Just anything to make it special and memorable.
Reuben: What types of weddings do you enjoy working on the most?
Cristie: All of them. They are all so different and that’s what I like. I don’t want to plan the same wedding over and over again - I enjoy working with lots of different couples who want to do lots of different things. I would have to say I don’t really like overly white weddings. I like colourful weddings, and I like fun couples who’s main purpose is to have a good time at their wedding.
Reuben: What are some of your strengths as a planner?
Cristie: I’m very very organized, super good at multitasking and great at following up. I’m very good at getting along with people which is a really good thing at weddings, because when people get stressed out, I’m good at taking a step back and staying calm. Creativity is also a strength of mine and that really helps me with decor. I am also great with budget management.
Connect with Cristie at Umbrella Events:
Web: www.umbrellaevents.ca Phone: (604) 315-4302
]]>Stephanie Mosher of Glass Slipper Event Planning brings a ton of experience to the table for her wedding and event planning business. She sat down with Reuben from the Phonix Band for a short interview and here's what she had to say...
Reuben, from the Phonix: What inspiration, work or life experiences led you to wedding planning?
Stephanie: I've always loved weddings! When I had my wedding, I worked closely with my decorator who owned her own business. Shortly after my wedding, I asked if I could help out at her future events because I wanted to become a wedding planner. Through working with her and her team, I gained such valuable experience. They appreciated my input on planning aspects of their events. While working with them, I took event management courses at BCIT and became certified by the Wedding Planning Institute of Canada. After working with them for about a year, they started referring me to their clients and I was able to build up a client base and the rest is history. I now also work in a non-profit, organizing their events.
Reuben: If I was looking to hire a wedding planner for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Stephanie: Do your research. Go and look at many planners’ websites and at their reviews and see what people have to say. Also check out their blog or photo gallery to see the types of events they have done and what experience they have. Once you find a few you like, I would definitely meet with them for a consultation.
Also think about what you need for your wedding. Do you need someone to do it all for you or are you someone who likes to be really hands-on and you just need someone to help you execute? If you are a little ‘type a’, like I am, then look for someone who can execute. I would say that month-of or day-of coordination is definitely the most common.
Know the price, but also know what is included in that price. Do they have an assistant? Are they setting up your decor? What within that decor is being setup? How many meetings does it include? Are they helping you put together a timeline? Are they interacting with your vendors? What level of interaction will they have with your vendors?
Even from a first meeting, you can tell if someone is taking your personality or style into consideration and thinking about what is actually going to work best for you versus just trying to sell you something. I want my clients to know that at the end of it, we could go have a glass of wine together and actually have a relationship because there’s a trust there, but also a level of fun in getting to know each other.
Reuben: What makes your wedding planning business unique from other planners?
Stephanie: I am genuinely interested in my clients. In the consultation I ask my clients how they met and what they like about each other…it’s very “Dr. Phil” [laughs]. I want to know about how they got engaged and all the stories that make them unique as a couple so that I can incorporate that into their day. I think that is what is really unique about me. I’m really truly passionate about what I do and about making it so that the day is totally about them so that they have those really magical moments between them versus those really cookie cutter weddings that you see a lot.
Reuben: What types of weddings do you enjoy working on the most?
Stephanie: My favourite wedding is a backyard wedding. I think a bride is the most relaxed and comfortable at a small intimate wedding that is 50-60 people in their mom and dad’s back yard under a tent. It’s just so laid back with much less to worry about. Smaller weddings also give couples the chance to really interact with their guests and for the wedding to really be about them while still having an awesome party.
Reuben: What are some of your strengths as a planner?
Stephanie: I’m organized and I have a really good eye for detail. I have a lot of passion for what I do and I think that really comes through when couples work with me. I think I bring a lot of creativity and the ability to think well on my feet in any situation. My background with non-profit events makes troubleshooting easy as I'm used to dealing with situations that come up unexpectedly.
Connect with Stephanie at Glass Slipper Event Planning:
Web: www.glassslippereventplanning.com Phone: 778-628-5544
]]>Allie Cooper founded Alex & Lily Home, a very unique business offering expert skills in planning and organizing. Their services can help you prepare your home for a private party, de-clutter the garage and even update your kitchen, but we were curious about their "wedding concierge" services, so we popped Allie a few questions...
Reuben, from the Phonix: Tell me a bit about your company’s services...what do you do exactly?
Allie: Alex & Lily add knowledge and support to help complete the “TO DO list” of your wedding. There are many events, details and decisions involved in planning a wedding and Alex & Lily are here to help clients with their registries, plan the rehearsal dinner and arrange out-of-towners’ events or activities. We also aid in shopping errands like gifts for family of the bridal party.
Reuben: What inspiration, work or life experiences led you to being a wedding concierge?
Allie: The inspiration came one day when I was helping a friend register for her wedding. My friend trusted me, not only because we are friends, but because she knew that I have a careful eye for detail, a background in interior design, and am always honest. Realizing that not all couples like to go shopping or have the time or energy to plan a rehearsal dinner, for example, is the exact space where Alex & Lily can help clients complete all the tasks involved in their wedding.
Reuben: If I were looking to hire a wedding concierge for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Allie: Even if you have a wedding planner, or ESPECIALLY if you have a wedding planner, the main focus is on the actually wedding day. The extracurricular activities and shopping are necessary tasks, but not the main event. It is fair to have a busy schedule and to not be as enthusiastic as your great aunt wants you to be about planning your wedding. So if you are the type of person who want experts to take the reins and deliver your needs, Alex & Lily will fill in the gaps not included in the big day to assist your personal TO DO list, while simultaneously helping the wedding planner focus on their main priority.
Reuben: What makes your wedding concierge business unique?
Allie: Besides a personal assistant, there is no one else out there who is offering assistance with wedding related events and activities that can work alongside an existing wedding planning. There is no one else who has the variety of experience with the passion and excitement to help clients make the most of their wedding to do lists.
Reuben: What types of weddings do you enjoy working on the most?
Allie: Personally, I love outdoor weddings. I love something with a beautiful scenery where nature can add to the already beautiful moment that is happening. An outdoor wedding also allows an open venue to add any kind of traditional wedding or family traditions, as well as personal touches.
It is so important for a couple to be able to add their own flair and something that they identify with. It is their day, and even if it is a popular venue, each and every wedding should look different by catering it to the couple.
Reuben: What are some of your strengths as a concierge?
Allie: I am very enthusiastic, organized and passionate. I listen to people and their needs and strive to find that perfect gift or venue that will make their eyes sparkle. My background is quite varied (Anthropology, Interior Design, Business Management, event planning), and so I have a dynamic framework that I rely on to read people and their personal tastes. I love to shop, but I am better at helping people find exactly what they are looking for- usually faster than they do!
Connect with Allie at Alex & Lily Home:
Web: www.alexlilyhome.com/ Phone: 604-312-1568
]]>Reuben, from the Phonix: Tell me a bit about your services...what do you do exactly?
Bonnie: I offer various wedding dance packages to betrothed couples, which include a free 1/2 hour consultation to review the dance questionnaire I ask them to fill out and obtain a sense of what they envision for their first dance. Following which, I either choreograph a routine to their chosen song, or teach them basics of the rhythm of their song, depending upon what they feel most comfortable doing. During those sessions they also learn deportment/posture, frame, footwork, musicality, entrances and exits. Rhythms could be foxtrot, salsa, rhumba, waltz, swing beats. I also teach father/ daughter dances. Sessions can be one hour or 1.5 hours at a time, in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
Reuben: What inspiration, work or life experiences led you to being a wedding and event planner?
Bonnie: My mother's professional dance career inspired me to follow in her footsteps, especially her love of dance, which I like to share with others. I obtained a reputation of high standard within the dance community during my amateur career and after I turned professional, people sought me out to teach them how to dance. Teaching wedding couples their first dance started as a sideline to teaching private lessons and classes, but steadily grew to where it is today with my business with soiree lounge.
Reuben: If I were looking to hire a dance instructor for my wedding, what advice would you give me?
Bonnie: Make several inquiries of local professionals and their services before choosing one that you feel comfortable with, and who will listen to your ideas. Ensure the teacher understands that it's your day and your song is important to you, and how you would like your dance to look. Question what exactly is included in a wedding package for the quoted price, as they vary.
Reuben: What makes your services unique?
Bonnie: High quality successfully finished products completed within the timelines. Personable and friendly manner. Lots of patience and enthusiasm. Variety of accommodating venues within the city. "wow" factor is matching lovely & unique choreography to each couples' chosen wedding dance song.
Connect with Bonnie at Fantasy Dances:
Phone: 604.267.1302
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