Planned a Wedding in 3 weeks!

From all the years that Elle Weddings have been planning weddings, this is definitely one of our most memorable Vancouver Weddings. The wedding that I am about to write is a very special story. Sarah was diagnosed with lung cancer a few weeks prior to meeting me and doctors had told her that they weren’t too sure how long her health would be able to hold out. The unpredictability was stressful for family and friends, and Aaron wanted so bad to make Sarah his wife as soon as possible! (Insert cheesy love song) Both young and spirited, nothing could pull the happiness out of this couple and they dove straight into the wedding planning process. However, they needed help as the wedding was to take place in less than a month.

When a friend of the couple approached me and asked to plan this wedding in less than a month for a very ill friend, I accepted the offer immediately. I was excited, determined, and worked hard to get this wedding rolling on its wheels. I missed many evenings of social sports, limited my nights out, and had my phone by my side 24/7 for 3 weeks. My main focus shifted to this one project but funny thing was that I actually enjoyed this time pressure!

• Learn more about 5 Reasons to hire a Vancouver Wedding Planner?
• Learn more about Vintage Rustic Wedding at Bridges Vancouver
• Learn more about Wedding Planner in Vancouver (Elle Weddings)

The Wedding Planning Process

My first meeting with Sarah was nothing but smiles, hugs, and chit chat. She explained to me what she had envisioned for the wedding and the budget to go along with it. Tall elegant floral centrepieces with accents of blush and gold, candles around the room, draping on the windows and tables, chair covers, chandeliers, and finally touches of her family culture incorporated into the wedding. Aaron added that he wanted a live pianist and violinist for the ceremony, a caricature artist, and an experienced DJ. He actually sought most of what he wanted on his own and all I had to do was confirm their attendance and answer their questions on the day of. This took a load off my plate!

Days leading up to the wedding, things started to come into place and plans solidified but there were many instances in which Sarah was unable to attend meetings and missed out on the rehearsal because of her health. At this point, I couldn’t waste any time waiting for her response. I was sure I understood what she was looking for and discreetly made arrangements without her approval. Aaron was making arrangements with the DJ, the ceremony musicians, and the caricature artist and was on top of it so I had nothing to worry about on that end. Eventually I knew I couldn’t constantly contact the couple anymore because of the time-constraints during the wedding planning process. I just had to trust myself completely and wish know for the best.

Here is an article by Huffington Post about “Wedding Planning Mistakes Every Couple Needs To Avoid”

The Wedding Day

Set-up in the morning of was a hustle! My assistant and I rushed to place the chair covers onto 120 chairs and set them up to face them windows. The florist arrived shortly with the altar columns and flowers which we moved to the front under the chandelier. Family members arrived with rose petals and we scattered them along the aisle way where we set the cylinders and floating candles.

The wedding ceremony was beautiful and I would want no other than Mitchell Clark to marry the couple. I’ve never seen so many tears in one room (Myself including, and I’m pretty sure my assistant Victor had a tear or two too). Families couldn’t hold it together, especially with the bride looking so stunning and the groom with a silly grin on his face the entire time. After the ceremony, we flipped the entire room and moved the tables onto the floor, set the tables, draped the head table, arranged all the personal items, and coordinated the vendors. The most challenging part of the day was done!

The rest of the evening was full of surprises – Sarah’s sisters and friends threw on a dance performance, organized games, and So wedding recorded the group in their successful attempt at the Mannequin Challenge! In fact, this awesome group of people recorded a beautiful wedding highlight as a special gift to Aaron and Sarah. You can view this highlight just below and if you’d like a peek at the Mannequin Challenge, you can find it on my Wedding Video page or  Facebook page.

A huge thank you to the following vendors who helped make this wedding day extra special for the couple and their friends and family. Also a big thank you to making this day so much easier for me! I’m glad this day was so perfect and I wouldn’t have had it done any other way.

Here is an article by Huffington Post about how to choose a wedding planner in 6 steps

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The Wedding Team:

Vancouver Wedding Planner: Elle Weddings

Venue: Swan-E-Set Resort and Country Club in Pitt Meadows

Assistant: Victor Luu

Photography and Videography: SoWedding

Wedding Officiant: Mitchell Clarke from QE Chapels

Ceremony Live Musicians: V&G Music

Table Decor: Taffete Designs

Florals: Fleurtation Flowers

Chair Covers: Chic and Unique Event Design

Photobooth: Say Cheese Vancouver

Dj: Divinity DJs

• Learn more about 5 Reasons to hire a Vancouver Wedding Planner?
• Learn more about Vintage Rustic Wedding at Bridges Vancouver
• Learn more about Wedding Planner in Vancouver (Elle Weddings)

At Elle Weddings, we are known for our warm, friendly, and sociable personalities, we are devoted to creating special, one-of-a-kind experiences for each couple and encourage concepts and details that are unique, stylish, and inspiring. Whether it is a culturally cultivated wedding, a cozy intimate gathering, a luxurious celebration or a rustic and vintage occasion, we translate our clients’ ideas, style and vision into a beautifully conceived and memorable wedding!

Let us know if you are looking for an independent wedding planner. We are based in Vancouver and plan weddings all around the world. Give us a call or fill out our information request form here. We cannot wait to work with you!

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