Full Time Job Posting

FULL TIME POSITION – WEDDING PLANNING COORDINATOR

Sapna South Asian Wedding Planning Services (Sapna Weddings) is an upscale, high-end wedding planning business in an up and coming wedding planning industry dedicated to South Asians who are looking for help planning their wedding and wedding related events. Sapna Weddings (www.sapnaweddings.com) prides itself on its passion from within, unrivaled attention to detail and unsurpassed customer service. We believe that a business is only as good as its people, so we are looking for the best of the best to join our growing team. With over 250 events in our portfolio, we’re looking to take our company to the next level — and you could be a part of us changing how the South Asian Wedding Industry works!

Sapna Weddings provides a flexible work environment and is looking for help on a full-time basis. We are quickly expanding and are in need of dedicated, creative individuals looking to learn and make a splash — both creatively & professionally. Through our unparalleled training, we will prepare you for a successful opportunity with our company.

A strong candidate for the Wedding Coordinator position will have a passion for cultural weddings, excellent organizational skills, and will demonstrate superior communication skills. The candidate must have the ability to work under pressure while managing many different types of personalities and juggling multiple tasks. The candidate will also demonstrate strong leadership skills while being able to execute the perfect event.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities would include but not be limited to:
• Wedding Sales
• Conduct appointments with clients, create vision, collaborate in design and manage wedding day execution
• Fulfill administrative duties, including telephone and email communication, and calendar management
• Contact prospective customers by phone, email, newsletters, etc. to hold interest and increase sales
• Assist and facilitate special projects and problem solving with all staff members as needed
• Prepare time schedules, agendas and informational materials for weddings
• Creation of promotional & marketing campaigns and ideas
• Full time position including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Extensive independence, initiative and judgment are necessary in the execution of responsibilities

Preferred Qualifications & Skills
• Experience with planning special events
• Outstanding customer service skills/Must be people oriented
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and contribute in a team environment
• Must have strong creative side
• Must be detail-oriented with strong multi-tasking abilities
• MUST BE ABLE TO WORK UNDER PRESSURE
• Desire to succeed
• Must be able to work weekends, evenings, early morning and holidays

If you are interested in applying for a position, please email your resume, cover letter and picture/headshot to: jobs[at]sapnaweddings.com

Our Favourite Weddings – July 2011

Hands down the busiest month we have ever encountered – July was a whirlwind!  With two long weekends falling in July, the wedding industry was burning the candle on both ends to get through this wicked month.  The good thing is we got to work with so many amazing couples with so many great ideas, the bad thing is that it is that much harder to pick our favourites!

Roli & Shiv

The second wedding in 7 months we had the pleasure of doing for this family!  Loved what was done for their “love seat” – very contemporary and chic.  Also one of the few couples who actually paid attention to wedding stationary – loved the bold and matching seating cards, table numbers, menus, guest favour stickers and donation note

Archna & Neeraj – Eagles Nest/Embassy Grand

Outdoor weddings are not without their challenges – you can never predict the weather, the setup and teardown is much more complicated and the rain plan is never as nice, nevertheless A&N took their chances and ended up with a gorgeous day at Eagle’s Nest Golf Course.  The setup was simple, yet elegant and the grey clouds cleared just as the ceremony began.  We also chose this wedding b/c we really liked our bride Archna .  A self-admitted stressball, Archna was cool as a cucumber as we put together an event she could only dream of.

Cassandra & Ravi Jr – Crystal Fountain

Man oh man, Cass, you killed us.  An intense wedding is an understatement for this 2 day affair that boasted one of the larger decor budgets we have seen.  Like nothing we had seen before, the debut of the “framed mandap” and reception “water bar” made this an affair to remember – not to mention the constant shifts and changes to decisions throughout the day, we were making adjustments all the way through but the guests didn’t even notice!

Heena & Dilbagh – Pearson

A big, fat Punjabi wedding!  Haven’t seen a fresh look like this in a while – water, trees, curly cues!  Totally different and totally unconventional – just like Heena

Salwa & Jeff – Palais Royale

One of the first clients who signed us 2 years before their wedding, we helped S&J space out their planning so that it was a stress-free process for them both as Salwa traveled the globe!  From finding the perfect venue to selecting the best vendors to fit their style and budget, it was a smooth couple of years with a fantastic result.

Our Favourite Weddings – May 2011

With the number of weddings we are working on, it’s hard to do a post on every one, so we decided to do our monthly favourites to share with all of our loyal followers.  The month of May was a great one for clients who went outside the scope of a regular wedding, they picked stunning locations, did unique concepts and pushed the envelope on decor.  We are proud to have a hand in every single one, here are our favourite weddings for May 2011:

Ravina & Herman

Had a Sikh reception with 200 guests.  Need I say more?  A cocktail style reception in a very unique location, it was the reception that many couples dream of but can never plan because their families need to invite everyone they have ever met.  Kudos to R&H for managing their guest count and pulling off an event that was all party, no fluff.

Arika & Ajay

Our first wedding at the Montreal Science Centre – wow.  Located in Old Montreal, sitting right on the edge of the water, the Belvedre Room at the MSC is a gorgeous floor to ceiling window venue.  Now, renting a space that only provides you with 4 walls is a logistical mission, dealing with rentals, servers, caterers and 3 different decor vendors all working to pull the event together, but it was a challenge we were up to, especially for our bride who was one of THE SWEETEST brides we have ever met!

Priya & Jayshan

Priya came to us 1.5years ago with one request, she needed to have the traditional wedding but wanted to create something unique in every aspect of the decor, venue, food and entertainment.  We did just that to find vendors who could meet her high expectations.  P&J’s wedding had a plexiglass mandap, 450 ice chivari chairs, a silk acrobat performance the likes of Cirque du Soliel and a 40ft long dessert table.  Yup, definitely in the running for wedding of the year.

Photo Shoot Locations

Photo Shoot Locations!  This is one of the most difficult things to decide on for our couples.  A Park?  A Farm?  An Industrial Area? One of the last things all of our couples do is choose their photo shoot locations because it proves to be difficult to find the perfect place.  If the decision is left until the last minute, then you could possibly be stuck with a location that doesn’t meet expectations, requires a permit or in the worst case are driving around with your photographer the day of your wedding looking for a park to shoot in.

Majority of the time the lateness in choosing a location is because couples just don’t know where to go.  We often defer to the photographer to help but have found that even they are not always the best resource in offering suggestions – they are very busy making memories for our couples

So here is a teaser of our personal research on spots around the city to go for your post ceremony or pre reception photos.  Now, we haven’t been to all of these places but I figure this is a great place for someone to start their research.  Looking for more ideas?  Give us a shout!

EAST END TORONTO

-          Scarborough Bluffs

-          Guildwood Park

-          Beaches

-          Kleinburg Railway Station

NORTH TORONTO

-          Unionville Main St

-          Too Good Pond

-          Richmond Greens

-          Black Creek Pioneer Village

DOWNTOWN TORONTO

-          St. Lawrance Market

-          Distillery District

-          Casa Loma

-          Berekley Church

-          TD Centre

-          U of T campus  – Hart House

-          York University – Osgoode Hall

-          Don Valley Brickworks

-          Spadina House

-          Edward Gardens

WEST TORONTO

-          James Gardens

-          Humber Arboretum

-          Mississauga City Hall

-          Chinguacousy Park

-          Kariya Park

-          BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir

If you enjoyed this post, check out some of our other ones on the blog!  If you’re looking for some help, please give us a call or email us at info@sapnaweddings.com.

The Skinny on Wedding Cakes

How to Choose Your Wedding Cake

With wedding season approaching, I get a ton of questions from my brides on cakes.  Do I even need a cake?  How do you choose a good wedding cake vendor?   What makes a good cake?  Let me first start with a cake story which emphasizes the importance of an experienced cake vendor.

Common Misconception – candles too close can melt a cake – WRONG!

This happened during a reception of ours and some of the family members thought the candles around the cake were causing the problem.  Take a look at the pictures below, there were votive candles set up around the cake, but weren’t lit.  Candles cannot melt a cake into tipping, the only thing that can cause a cake to tip over is poor construction.

We interviewed some of the city’s most experienced cake makers including Roxy from Roxycakes & Diana Shin from Papillon Cakes to see what they had to say.  “The internal structure of a cake has to be solid and sound, similar to a house.  The construction must be done with  wooden or heavy duty plastic dowels in order for it to support the rest of the cake”, said Roxy from Roxycakes.  “If a cake’s structure shifts after it has been put together, there is no way you can attribute that to candles.  Candles will not shift the structure of a cake, the only thing that can do that is if the cake is poorly made”, said Diana.

When this cake was taken apart to serve, we found that the cake was not held together with dowels but with straws!   Needless to say, this was not one of our recos!

What should your cake look like?

1. A cake is a part of your wedding décor – it’s in the front of the room, should match you theme/décor and is in a lot of pictures so it has to look good!
2. Consider the height of the ceilings in your venue – the higher the ceilings, the taller your cake should be
3. Cakes made with fondant are the most popular these days.  Fondant icing is the smooth icing that goes on cakes and lasts longer than buttercream icing which look a little messier and can also melt

What should your cake taste like?

1. There are so many fun flavours – consider Cookies & Cream, Ferrero Rocher, Passion Fruit and Banana Cream Pie
2. The cake must be moist, bouncing back and not crumbling on your fork

What makes a good cake vendor?

1. Experience – look for someone that has been doing wedding cakes for minimum 3 years
2. Quality Ingredients – fresh butter, fresh cream, no artificial flavours
3. Creative ideas – work with your vision or if you don’t have one, help with you develop a concept based on your colour scheme and overall look and feel

What if I don’t like or want a cake?

1. Consider a macaroon tower
2. Cupcakes
3. Extensive dessert spread
4. Something more fun like a Tiny Tom Donut cart or an ice cream cart

Our Favourite 2010 Cakes

Cake 1 – One of our all time favourites – known as The Queen’s Cake, a very classic and traditional cake but with a unique ferrero rocher filling – yum!

Cake 2- Simple and clean, love the straight lines and the exaggerated flowers.  Absolutely perfect for this fully draped room

Cake 3 – Waterfalls of crystals – enough said

Cake 4 – Simple details, if that makes sense!  Combining 3 different textures in a perfect form, this cake is a work of art.  We also LOVED the very unique colour scheme

Cake 5 – Dome cake, completely outside the cake box

Sapna Weddings & Events @ The ANOKHI Gala

So Sapna Weddings jumped into events with a BIG undertaking this year, the 5th Annual ANOKHI Gala, celebrating excellence in the South Asian community and establishing itself as the premier South Asian event of the year. 

It began as a meeting, a pitch for our services, showing ANOKHI that our excellence in wedding planning could be translated into handling a major event.  All of the skills we had mastered while planning our client weddings were those that would help us tackle this challenge.  People management, working under pressure, attention to detail, conflict resolution, ability to make informed decisions on the spot, balancing priorities, the list goes on!  Our meeting impressed the ANOKHI team, who invited us on board as the official Event Managers of the Gala.  

Managing the event this year was no small feat.  ANOKHI had rasied the bar once again, combining their success of the past with a new twist.  Not only did we host a VIP Celebrity reception, Fashion Show and After Party but this year they added a sit down dinner - it was like combining 4 events in one night .

We began the planning in November for the February 4 show date.  Our role involved managing all of the logistics of the event: scheduling, coordinating vendors, liasing with sponsors, managing inventory, floorplans, on-site advertising components, guest list management, the list goes on.  We worked closely with the ANOKHI team, giving our expert advice and learning lots along the way.  Events are ever changing and as predicted (or unpredicted) we had some major show changing events which occurred only 2 weeks before the show but quick adjustments and some reorganization on our part helped to smooth things over.

As the planning progressed, our role became larger and we were soon the point team for over 20 major sponsors, all who needed direction and decisions from us while we managed the overall interests of the Gala.  Not a logistical decision was made without our input – we needed it this way as ultimately on the day of the event, it was our responsibility to ensure things ran smoothly.

We began to oversee set up at our event venue Liberty Grand 3 days before the event, collaborating with the venue, A/V team and the various other companies involved in the setup of the event.  Every decision ran through our team, we knew the event inside and out and were responsible for making sure it was setup exactly as planned.  When the Gala day approached, we were super excited and took over managing the execution of all of the months of planning.

Our team had a leader for each of the major events, each leader was responsible for ensuring the setup and flow of their area as the night went out.  We were all linked into each other for support as issues arose during the evening.  Each instance was dealt with one by one as we troubleshooted things which could not have been predicted and made sure Raj Girn (ANOKHI CEO) was not bothered with minor details as she hosted the event.  By12midnight our job was over and we partied in the VIP lounge, toasting to the success of our first event

It was our pleasure to work with some of the best in the business: the event venue Liberty Grand, event sponsors Johnny Walker and Moroccan Oli, event decorators Design 2 Decor, caterers Fine Cakes by Zehra and The Host, photographers Projected Life, just to name a few. 

A big thanks to ANOKHI for giving us an opportunity to be involved in such a milestone event!

photos courtesy of Projected Life Photography

Ausra & Deepan- Aug 29, 2010

Definitely one of our most original interfaith couples, Deepan and Ausra got married at the end of August and had a picturesque wedding reception at the Marriott Hotel in Downtown Toronto.

When Deepan approached us about a year before his wedding, he had a big challenge ahead of him – his Lithuanian bride was in Miami and would barely be able to make it to Toronto before the wedding.  His Sri Lankan parents had a vision of their own and he was stuck in the middle.  Deepan was not our typical groom, he had attention to detail and once he had an idea, it was hard to reel him back in!  We started by suggesting some of our favourite vendors and got him great deals along the way.

Deepan and Ausra worked to create a video save the date and then showed the final part of the video at the reception, a great way to tie in what the guests had already been introduced to during the year.

We decided to go super traditional for the ceremony, sticking to all of the Sri Lankan customs and putting together a wedding ceremony just like Deepan’s parents had imagined.  Deepan wanted to go the complete opposite for the reception so we helped him put together a more contemporary vision, sourcing 3 different vendors for his final look.  The plan was to incorporate Lithuanian traditions, so we had a welcoming ceremony where the bride’s parents greeted the couple when the entered into the reception with a tray of bread and salt accompanied by an accordian player – very cool.

See what Deepan & Ausra had to say about our services here!

Rupi & Dave – July 31 & Aug 1

YOU DON’T DO BLACK AT AN INDIAN WEDDING!…OR DO YOU?

Going against conventional thought, our bride Rupi decided to incorporate black heavily into her wedding reception décor and went for a very classic and chic look like none we had seen before…and it worked; a black, red and crystal theme took over the room at the Westin Prince Hotel.

For the guests:

-          Black table cloths with black satin napkins and black fitted chair covers

-          Centrepieces alternated between short, square black vases with all red florals and black feathers and 36” tall black vases with red florals and black sticks

For the family:

-          Gun metal table cloths with black runners, black satin napkins and black fitted chair covers

-          Centrepieces were black Mansonita trees with hanging tealights, crystals and red flowers alternating with short black vases with red florals

-          Tables were also accented with crystal candle holders  and multi-tiered red rose arrangements

For the headtable:

-          A 30ft black backdrop and crystal curtains and black chandeliers

-          Black table cloths with a white/crystal lace overlay

-          Short black vases with red flowers and Crystal globe accents

We have tons of pics to share!

July 16 & 18 – Gardens & Bellvue Manor

This was one of the most visually stunning events we did this year!  The ceremony took place right at the edge of the water with a beautiful, flowing mandap, full of colour opening up to lake.  The overnight weather before the wedding created a lot of doubt for this outdoor ceremony as it was pouring rain right up until 6am.  We were on the phone making decisions on setup from 5am, it was a very close call but luckily the day cleared up and we had to work frantically to pull it all together in such a large space with so many elements that needed looking after.

The work was well worth it as guests arrived to something you could only see in the movies, something that people dream abouth when they think of an outdoor indian wedding.  We were in charge of managing all of the vendors (6 of them), making sure the setup was correct, all of the elements were included, the setup was ontime, the photo/video team were at the right places , pictures were coordinated, guests were managed as they arrived on the large property and of course had to keep everything on time!

With such a high standard set from the ceremony, it was hard to believe that the reception would be able to still wow the guests but a white and crystal luxury theme managed to do just that.  One of the best setups we have seen, we worked before the event to give our advice in coordinating the centrepieces and linens with exactly what the client had envisioned.  The day of the reception was crazy with so many things to manage, audio/video to be tested, decor to be checked, floorplan to be altered, just to name a few.

A common problem at wedding receptions is the floorplan and this event was no exception.  When planning the placement of tables and staging is very important and in many cases a plan that looks good on paper is not executed well in real life.  When we entered the hall, about 3 hours before start time, we noticed that 4 guest tables on either side of the stage were placed BESIDE the stage when they should have been moved forward to begin in front of the stage.  This way all guests would be able to see the bride & groom.  Since the tables were already set, we had to involve the floor manager to shift around the tables.  Even the venue manager came on site and was not very happy with making the change but we pushed back and forced the halls to shift the tables so that everyone could see.  On paper, the floorplan worked well and the tables were placed correctly, but onsite, the situation was quite different and we would have had over 80 guests stuck without a good view if we weren’t there to change things around.

Take a look at the wicked pics…:)

Sharda & Mohit – July 1 & 2 – Sagan & Paramount

Sharhit or Mo-da, as I liked to call them, were one of many in a long line of friends who hired us for their wedding.  They got some great references from their family and friends and decided to take the plunge and hire our team to help them book all of their vendors and plan their 2-day extravaganza.

We helped them choose their photographer, videographer, decorator, florist, hair & makeup, horse and limo, saving them $1500!!  The process of choosing their vendors was made much simpler as we broke down their needs, wants and budget and recommended vendors in each category that were great fits for them.

As their big day approached, we provided a ton of support to Sharda & Mohit who were very organized but still needed some advice and great ideas to help pull everything together.  It was on the day of the reception however where Sharhit really got to see us in action!

The couple and their families decided to arrive early for photos, that meant they were there and watching as we worked our magic to pull everything together.  That meant helping to troubleshoot with every changing guest counts (even on the day of!), completely rearranging  a floorplan left their families behind the main stage after the décor was all setup and helping to orchestrate one of the funniest entrances we had seen to date!

At the end of it all, Sharda & Mohit were more than ecstatic about our work and had nothing but great things to say about our service.  Check out their BLAZING video testimonial here and their pics below…

We’re Hiring…Again!

Sapna South Asian Wedding Planning Services (Sapna Weddings) is an upscale, high-end wedding planning business in an up and coming wedding planning industry dedicated to South Asians who are looking for help planning their wedding and wedding related events. Sapna Weddings prides itself on its passion from within, unrivaled attention to detail and unsurpassed customer service. We believe that a business is only as good as its people, so we are looking for the best of the best to join our growing team. With over 200 events in our portfolio, we’re looking to take our company to the next level – and you could be a part of us changing how the South Asian Wedding Industry works!

Sapna Weddings provides a flexible work environment and is looking for help on a part-time basis. We are quickly expanding and are in need of dedicated, creative individuals looking to learn and make a splash – both creatively & professionally. Through our unparalleled training, we will prepare you for a successful opportunity with our company.

A strong candidate for the Wedding Coordinator position will have a passion for cultural weddings, excellent organizational skills, and will demonstrate superior communication skills. The candidate must have the ability to work under pressure while managing many different types of personalities and juggling multiple tasks. The candidate will also demonstrate strong leadership skills while being able to execute the perfect event.

If you are interested in applying for a position, please email your resume & cover letter to: info@sapnaweddings.com.

Samiya & Junaid – July 9, 2010 – Le Jardin

Ok, I’ve been waiting to write about this one!  What a GORGEOUS event!!  Samiya came to us with a vision, she wanted romance, softness, flowers, candles and was looking for us to find the perfect decorator to put it all together.  Oh ya, we also helped Samiya & Junaid find their photographer, videographer, hair & makeup, DJ, cake, horse & carriage and more!  We were the team that pulled it all together, making sure all elements were coordinated, fitted well within the couple’s vision and would leave them and their families hassle free on the wedding day.

I’m going to focus on the décor for this post, since it was like a dream come to life.  It started with the lobby where we made the first impression on the guests.  They were greeted with a candlelit fireplace and a flower filled receiving table that was a sneak peak to the décor inside the main hall.  As we opened the doors, guests laid their eyes on a stunning 30ft backdrop filled with crystals, suspended petals and candles.  In the centre stood a white leather couch for the couple to sit on after the made their way down the flower filled aisle way.  Shades of pink, silver and white took over the room as the tables were decorated with soft pink linens, white napkins, huge floral centerpieces and silver candleabras.  Even our cake was décor piece!  This 30” high marvel was fit for royalty with its pearl finish and hand molded roses; not to mention it’s hazelnut flavor which was like biting into a giant Ferrero Rocher J.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, I’ll let them to the talking but please do take a minute to hear from our VERY happy couple in their video testimonial.

Meetu & Puleen – July 3, Liberty Grand

What a super sweet and nice couple Meetu & Puleen were!  Just great to work with and real pleasure getting to know these two.  Meetu & Puleen had us plug into their event after they had hired all of their vendors and were looking for support to pull off a ceremony and reception back to back at Liberty Grand.

The most complicated thing about a back to back ceremony and reception is that both events need to be setup practically at the same time as there is usually no more than an hour between each.  We arrived extra early to make sure both events were ready to go, working with the decorator, DJ and venue all at once to make sure the event looked perfect and all of the sound, video, slideshows, etc were tested.

As the event started we ran into a snag right away.  Due to a very loud picnic and lots of animals in the Liberty Grand fairgrounds, the horse for the baraat was very agitated and was not in a safe condition for the groom to mount.  After trying for several minutes to calm the horse down, our team made the decision to re-route the baraat on the fly and try to make up for lost time.  The bride’s side was very anxious and worried as they waited for the groom to arrive, but we keep everyone in the loop, informing them of what was going on so that they understood what was causing the delay. 

As the baraat rounded the corner, we quickly organized everyone for the milni and worked to control the crowd and get the day back on track.  The ceremony started about 15mins late so to make up for lost time, we whipped through our well organized post-ceremony family pics while the rest of the guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

Inside the main hall, the room was all setup with a very fresh pink and lime green themed backdrop added a punch to the room and really highlighted the overall look and feel of the reception which was preceded by an outdoor ceremony.

During the programme, we worked with the MCs, DJ and kitchen to time the serving of courses so that no dish was being served or cleared while speeches were going on.  The entire timing of the evening ran through our team to ensure everyone was on the same page.

It was a great event and our bride and groom could not to more happy with the way their entire day turned out – enjoy the pics!

Ankita & Nick – June 19, 2010

Ankita & Nick hired us pretty much right after their engagement as they were looking for full support for their wedding.  We sat down and assessed their needs and budget and began to recommend some vendors that were a great fit for them.  Ankita & Nick did their own search as well and we were there to advise them on new vendors, giving our opinion on their work, pricing and quality.  Regardless of whether we had worked with the vendors before or not, we did work hard to negotiate the absolute best rates possible, saving our couple over $1400.

Throughout the planning process both Nick and Ankita were heavily involved.  We would be communicating with them on a daily basis, providing support and answers to all of their questions.  We were a tremendous source of support and had the couple feeling as though no issue was unsolvable.

The wedding day itself was complex, with a church ceremony in the morning, pictures with the family, a Hindu ceremony in the afternoon and cocktails/reception to follow!  Lots of setup and logistics involved to make sure everything was on time and ready for each event.  We had to be absolutely on point to make sure it was all organized and for anyone who has ever been inside West River can hopefully understand how confusing it is!  We were running through kitchens, multiple halls, different floors, directing family and guests, essentially the captains of the day J.

The event itself was amazing; everything Ankita and Nick expected it to be.  Our bride looked stunning and handled the pressure of 3 outfit changes very well.  They both gave us a greatvideo testimonial and referred our services to several friends of theirs – who all booked with us as well, so a SUPER HUGE thank you to Ankita and Nick!!  Our email inbox is empty without you :)….

Manisha & Vik – June 5, 2010

Manisha and Vik decide to go traditional and have their wedding ceremony in a mandir.  Thinking it would be simpler and easier to do so, they were surprised to the additional logistical details required to do a 400 guest wedding in a venue that is not equipped with much more than the basics.

Many of the Hindu weddings that we plan are on a large scale: lots of people, big mandap setups and a huge menu.  But remember, in order to pull off a wedding of that size, with all of those details, your venue should be equipped with the right stuff.

Details to consider:

1. Space – typically, you will serve breakfast and lunch to your guests at the ceremony.  Is there a separate hall for lunch?  Can it be setup ahead of time and be ready as soon as the ceremony is finished?
2. Catering logistics – is the kitchen large enough or equipped with the right tool to allow for outside catering?  Does the mandir have enough tables to serve all of the food for the buffet and guest lunch tables?  What about staff?  You will have to hire staff to help warm, serve and clean
3. Audio – it is important to have a mic for the pundit so that your guests can hear the ceremony details as they happen.  Although the mandir will have a PA system, you will likely only get a single wired mic that will have to be handheld by the pundit as he/she performs the ceremony.  Consider hiring a DJ who will setup proper speaker, provide a lapel mic for the pundit and trouble shoot any issues you may have
4. Facilities – mandirs typically have some inconveniences that should be taken into account: small bathrooms (not always the cleanest), multiple levels (hard to for older guests, more difficult to bring things in and out), shoe restrictions (constant in and out with and without shoes)

Although none of the above details are ones that would rule out having a Hindu wedding ceremony in a mandir, they are definitely things that a couple and their families should think about when choosing their wedding venue.

I will leave you with some great pics of Manisha & Vik’s wedding and Zen-inspired reception

Tameeza & Nabil – June 5, 2010

A classy affair!  Tameeza and Nabil decided to go stylish and classic with a very cool look in a very cool venue.  We love working at Paramount, with their amazing service and high tech lighting, it’s a perfect place to host a first class reception.

As the guests arrived, they were wowed by the amazing lighting effects and the grand setup.  Not the typical Indian wedding reception, the colour scheme was black, white and Tiffany Blue.  Large centrepieces with ostretch feathers were light up with blue lights and the backdrop was a mix of black & white damask pattern, diamond shimmer and an ultra glam look.

As the dinner was being served in a sit down style, when we had arrived early one of the things we did was to review the evening with the head waitress.  Whenever you have a sit down dinner with multiple courses, it’s super important to work with the staff onsite to coordinate the evening.  When they should serve and when they should clear the empty dishes are small things that have a huge impact on the event.  You don’t want servers to interupt the programme by making noise during a speech or a critical part of the evening.  We worked very closely with the hall to ensue minimal disruption during the night.

As guests were getting settled, we got a call from the groom – Tameeza’s zipper on her dress had broke and they were still at the hotel, running late.  We worked onsite to minimize the disruption to the guests and keep the parents informed of what was going on.  The bars were kept open, the antipasto extended and the slideshow continued to run to keep things going.  As soon as the bride and groom arrived with their bridal party, we jumped right into the entrances to get the show back on track!

With the late start it was hard to catch up to get back on track but the DJ did a great job filling up the dancefloor as soon as the dancing started and the ever changing lighting kept things interesting.

Thanks guys for having us involved – we loved every minute of it!

Reshma & Jigar – May 23, 2010

Ok so this post is super late, so I’m going to skip the details and show you guys the great pics!

Rupashi & Shreyas – May 23, 2010

We often get calls from brides who are in dire need of our help.  Rupashi was one of those brides.  She contacted us in mid-December for her May wedding, for which she had only booked the venue!  As Rupashi was studying to be a doctor, she was extremely busy and didn’t have the time to book her vendors and plan the logistics of her event, which was less than 6 months away!  Shreyas was in Chicago, so that also gave him very little time to plan.  We were ecstatic to be able to take on this event for a two reasons; the first was the client and the second was the location of the event.

 Rupashi was so passionate and had a vision of the perfect wedding & reception.  She wanted a unique outdoor ceremony with a picturesque setting and a reception that would be fit for a magazine!  We promised to deliver on both, and did so very successfully.  The location that was chosen for the wedding & reception was Niagara-On-The-Lake.  What a magnificent place, White Oaks was the perfect venue with a gorgeous outdoor garden and award winning indoor facilities and cuisine.

Checking the weather forecast leading up to the day, we had to plan for rain, still crossing our fingers that the clouds would pass.  We got a call from the decorator in the morning asking us to make the final call on the outdoor setup, we quickly checked the weather again, saw that it was mostly fog cover and given the afternoon start time, we gave the go ahead to remain outside - the day turned out to be gorgeous.  We had the ceremony in the garden outdoors with dazzling bells hanging from tree-branches.  There was a Ganesh statue sitting in the tree at the end of a beautiful flower garland aisle, flower petals embracing the grass and colourful open concept mandap as the centre of attention.  The bride entered from a 2 story staircase into the garden, welcomed by 300 close family and friends.  The ceremony went off without a hitch and the planning was impeccable. 

The reception was slated to begin at 6:30pm, so as the Bride and Groom left for pictures, we began to prepare for the reception.  The décor was fabulous – a stunning display of colour, crystals & creativity.  A stark contrast from the morning, the evening was all contemporary and clean, with rose balls galore!  The family tables had exaggerated centrepieces and the guest tables were keep simple and stylish with a 24″ clear vase, submersed orchid and a white flower ball on top.  We spent our time executing on the final details of the program – checking the décor, setting up the live performer (who was amazing by the way, playing a fusion of tabla & saxophone), and testing out the A/V for the slideshows & videos. 

Overall the day took a lot of coordination, dealing with an outdoor ceremony always brings an extra level of complication with the unpredictability of the elements, not only the rain, but the wind and sun can cause problems for the event.  The long weekend traffic also posed a problem with two of our key vendors getting stuck in severe traffic and being late.  We had to think on our feet and work hard to rearrange the schedule and delay certain portions of the event without alerting the guests.

We need to say a special thank you to the Rupashi, Shreyas and the Rupashi’s family.  We were touched by how we were treated, as one of their own.  They were so genuine and amazing to work with and are so thankful for clients like them.

Rupashi and Shreyas sent us the sweetest email after their wedding, here is an excerpt:

“…thanks for taking the time to set up all the logistics and helping us through every step!  Your painstaking efforts really showed! …we would have been lost without you at the wedding and reception!  It was seamless and my mom has been bombarded with countless phone calls from people saying it was the best wedding they have ever been to and how the planning and events were flawless!  The authenticity of the daytime wedding and glam of the evening reception was exactly what we wanted… you guys were there every step of the way, so for that, we are grateful!  I’m only the first wedding of a myriad of cousins/sister…so when it’s everyone’s turn, we’re calling you!”

Anita & Vikas – May 22, 2010

 Anita & Vik got married on May 22 at Pearson Convention Centre.  They had hired us to help with creating and executing their wedding vision for both decor and big day.  Although we LOVE the glam and flair of our Bollywood weddings, we also have a passion for a different taste – sophisticated, elegant and contemporary

We began with working very closely with Anita on putting together the decor elements for her day.  She had lots of great ideas but needed help in pulling it all together and finding her the best resources for each piece of decor.  We did just that by sourcing and working with five different decor vendors for the day!  The challenge here was that there was no one decorator in charge of the entire event; each vendor was working individually with only our team in charge of making sure all of the elements worked together.  We had a different vendor for the mandap, flowers, linens, reception backdrop and lighting.

One of the greatest things about Anita was that she trusted our vision.  She was very open to hearing our ideas and letting us run with different concepts.  It allowed us to use our creativity to the maximum and make on the spot decisions with confidence.

I would like to focus on the reception, where table layouts, lighting and decor all played a major part in a visually stunning affair (although I have thrown in a picture of their more traditional ceremony mandap!). 

1. The stage was two-tiered with the bride and groom on the top tier and their family on the bottom tier.  Each table was filled with tons of candles of varies heights, crystal candle stands and small square vases filled with flowers
2. The backdrop was 105 ft long!  We had the entire back wall of the room draped in ivory sheers, with a second 40 ft 3-D backdrop in the centre subtly highlighted by a chandelier and strands of crystals
3. The guest tables were gorgeous!  Close friends were seated at 10ft rectangular tables, flanking the dancefloor with premium plum coloured linens, crystal candelabras, low centrepieces and candles.  The remaining guests were on round tables with the same plum linens but with 24” vases filled with lightly coloured purple gel and large flower arrangements accented with giant crystal strands.  The candles on each table had crystal bands wrapped on the bottom of each votive, just adding that extra touch of bling J
4. Each chair was fitted with an ivory chair cover and tied at the back with a crystal buckle
5. Phenomenal lighting helped create a very elegant atmosphere.  On our advice, Anita upgraded to white pin spot lighting which made each centrepiece really pop.  LED uplights filled the walls with colour, transforming the whole hall

Our pictures really don’t do this event justice and I can’t wait to get the professional ones because writing about this event is so exciting!

Thank you so much Anita and Vik for trusting our ideas, taking our advice and giving us the autonomy we needed to help us pull off one of our best.  Check out their video testimonial here, where Anita and Vik, thank us

Anita & Raj – May 15, 2010

The flurry of May weddings for us began on May 15 with Anita & Raj’s wedding.  Anita came to us after several of the vendors she was working with highly recommended our services.  When we first met Anita the one thing we immediately noticed was her calmness and laid back personality.  Although she was very concerned about details, she was open minded and looking for advice.  Her fiancée Raj was out of town so all of the planning was left to her and with her busy work life, it was a daunting task.

We sat down and assessed the gaps in her planning to date; she was still looking for some of her vendors, namely decor and florals.  We talked about her style, her vision and of course her budget!  Based on this info, we worked to find the vendors that were the best fit for what she was looking for so she didn’t have to waste time checking out lots of different options, we were confident she would like some of our top choices.  After meeting with a couple of decorators, we advised Anita on what we felt was the best choice for her but left it open for her to make the ultimate decision.  Anita felt very comfortable with one in particular and we agreed that this decorator was a great fit.  Together we worked on colour selection, linen choices, lighting and floral centrepieces, tying everything in for a unified look.  We think both the morning and the evening not only looked great but most importantly, were true to Anita’s style – simple, elegant and clean. 

A wedding that began at Ram Mandir and ended at Pearson Convention Centre went off without a hitch.  We planned and executed the ceremony and reception right on point – in the end the result was a fantastic event, congrats Anita & Raj!

Sapna & Shawn – April 2 & 3, 2010

Ok so now that you guys have all seen the fab pics and video of this wedding extravaganza, we’ll fill you in on the behind the scenes details! (excuse the blog format, we are under construction!)

Sapna & Shawn hired us literally 4 weeks prior to their wedding.  They had spent months and months painstakingly gathering all of the details of their wedding day and now needed a team of the best in the industry to pull it all together for them.  From the minute we met this couple, we were excited to be involved in this project.  They had hired what we considered some of the best vendors in the wedding business and we knew this wedding was going to of top caliber.

The process started with helping Sapna convert pages of handwritten notes into an organized schedule of details for the day.  Details were Sapna’s thing and we quickly made her feel at ease by filling in any gaps and taking on managing the logistical vendor requirements.  It was a fast paced 4 weeks but the day was upon us and we were ready for show time!

The ceremony was a complex South Indian affair with lots of moving parts and responsibilities not only for the bride, groom and their parents but the bridal party and guests as well.  Everyone had something to do and something to hold, we ran through the details and did a quick walkthrough before most of the guests arrived.  It helped to have someone besides the bride know everything that was supposed to happen so that there was a point of contact for participating guests while the bride calmed her nerves . 

The mandap looked GORGEOUS!  A water filled aisle way with rose petals and gold trim led to a huge 32ft stage with fountains and multiple panels, something no one had seen before.  Sapna looked amazing I must say, and still stood out in front of the opulent backdrop.  After the ceremony was over, we organized congratulations to the bride and groom for 300+ guests and coordinated over 40 family pictures.  After eating lunch, Sapna & Shawn drove off in their Rolls Royce Phantom 20 mins ahead of schedule.

THE RECEPTION

Another spectacular setup, with rich navy blue, floor to ceiling draped pillars, LED uplighting throughout the room and tall centerpieces, creating a very grand look.  Guests were amazed as the entire room had been transformed into something from Sapna’s dreams.

The reception however, provided its own set of challenges.  The hall had setup the guest dinner tables the night before and when the A/V team arrived to hookup the LED uplighting and screens, they found the tables where to close to the wall, leaving no space for the equipment.  They called our team right away and we headed over to the hall 3.5hrs before reception start time to troubleshoot.  We worked with the hall to reorganize some things, including moving around tables, stopping them from putting down carpet on the dancefloor that didn’t match the main carpet and shortening the stage (Sapna, I bet you didn’t even notice!).  As guests started to arrive, friends and family requested changes to the programme like moving around speeches, performances and entrances.  We worked with the MCs to update the agenda and communicated the changes to everyone, including the DJ so that we were all on the same page.

There were tons of other one the spot decisions and changes that were made, but I just realized how long this post is!  Check out Sapna and Shawn’s Hall of Fame video testimonial. 

Preeya & Raj – March 28, 2010

I can feel the excitement again, the weather’s getting better, the sun is out longer and love is in the air J.  Yup, wedding season is upon us and the Sapna Weddings Team is ready to rock another summer!!

Preeya and Raj were a busy couple, lots to do in little time.  When they hired us in October, the hall was booked but none of the other vendors had been nailed down.  We stepped in to find the perfect match between style and budget and whipped together a flawless event in about four months.

Although four months sounds like a short time, it was easy for us to help Preeya and Raj find their photographer, decorator, DJ and limousine company.  Preeya’s planning process was supported with our vast knowledge of the industry and quick connections, helping to save her over $1000 in vendor fees.

After all of the vendors were in place, we tackled the schedule for the day, creating a five page minute by minute schedule of the day’s events.  In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Preeya and Raj worked hard to finalize their guest list and we contacted all of their vendors to make sure everyone knew what was planned for the big day.  About 10 days before her wedding, Preeya was finished all of her logistical details and everything seemed to be done.  I laughed when I met Preeya the week of her wedding because she was so surprised she was all done and kept on asking me if we were forgetting anything!

 On March 28 we began the day early with the Hindu ceremony, well we planned to start early, but our pundit was 1.5hrs late!  We called him several times and so did the family but every time we asked, he was only 15mins away!  We held off on starting the day and made some quick adjustments so that we ended up finishing the morning only 30mins behind schedule.

 As Preeya & Raj went for photos and to change for the evening, our team was back at the hall getting ready for the evening.  We did some troubleshooting during setup, moving the planned spot for the screen, rearranging the tables, asking the decorator to make adjustments to the backdrop, all so it was perfect for when we started.

 The evening started off great, a fantastic martini bar, great apps and everything was on time.  During the speeches about 30mins before dinner, we went to the kitchen to double check the food only to find out that the chef had disappeared!  We called him right away to triple remind him that dinner had to be ready to serve in 30mins.  We called again 10mins later just to make sure he was on his way.  Our persistence paid off and no one noticed the difference as the food was out on time.

 The rest of the night was perfect, and Preeya & Raj both had huge smiles on their faces and only great things to say.  Check out their video testimonial and some of the event pics below. 

PS – we just got a call from Preeya today to express her gratitude for our help.  After soaking it all in over the past couple of weeks Preeya had nothing but amazing things to say.  She truly had the wedding of her dreams to the man of her dreams .  Thanks Preeya!!

Amitoj & Sundeep – Jan 23, 2010

Happy belated new year everyone.  With our first wedding of 2010 in the books, I thought I’d take this opportunity to share the experience with our loyal readers!  The event happened on Saturday January 23^rd at Versailles Convention Centre in Mississauga.  The groom, Sundeep, and his bride, Amitoj, were to be married in a beautiful, traditional Sikh ceremony in India and wanted to celebrate with their friends and family here in Canada who couldn’t attend the wedding. 

Sundeep contacted us in mid November 2009.  He had just booked his venue and realized he needed help pulling together the reception as Amitoj was in India for the months leading up to the wedding.  We needed to pull everything together in about 8 weeks (4 of which he was going to be in India).  After quickly meeting with him, he explained that we needed to organize a reception for about 300 of his closest friends and family and needed help on where to start and who to hire.

We quickly started working diligently on securing the top vendors for the reception.  After determining Sundeep’s style and budget, we recommended the best vendors for him and organized meetings within 2 weeks, to visit all of the chosen vendors.  In that time frame we were able to secure a couture photographer, a top decorator with matching cake (beautiful by the way), a cinematic videographer, the best wedding DJ out there, and a bhangra team that could get any crowd on their feet.

With all of this taken care of, Sundeep went to India in mid December to get married.  In the meantime we finalized the schedule for the day and made sure all of the vendors were aware of what they had to do on the reception day.  Once Sundeep returned with his new wife, it was just a matter of finalizing the final few details and we were ready to go! 

On the day of the reception, we arrived early in true Sapna Weddings fashion to start the preparation, unfortunately the hall was not as well prepared as we were.  Although we had reviewed the times and schedule with them the week before, the service staff did not arrive until 5:45pm with guests expected to arrive at 6:00pm!  We did our best to literally fill in for the staff – numbering the tables and putting the glasses down however the banquet hall lacked the people required to get everything ready on time.  Luckily, with lots of pushing, we were only 15mins behind schedule, but it was a disappointing start.  We didn’t know it at the time but we had one more obstacle to go before we could get the programme started…

SIDELINE:

Ok so family/friend performances are great, but can lead to logistical nightmares on the wedding day.  We always stress to the performers to get us the music in mp3 format the week of the wedding – this helps reduce or eliminate the chance for technical error.  It is also important that the performers SHOW UP ON TIME.  If the family or friends that are performing are not there when it’s time to start the programme, the performance gets taken out of the schedule and the show must go on.

So anyway, you can see where this is going, the family performers were 30mins late but the family wanted to wait for their arrival before we started.  We will always suggest what to do based on our experience, but in the end, the client’s wishes are always met.  When the performer arrived, she gave us the CD, we went to have it tested and it didn’t work!  After all of that waiting, we were not able to do the performance anyway, it was really disappointing.

The rest of the night was as easy as pie but let’s hope you readers learn something from this and take our advice!  See what Sundeep and Amitoj had to say about us here

We’re Hiring!

Sapna South Asian Wedding Planning Services (Sapna Weddings) is an up and coming wedding planning business dedicated to South Asians who are looking for help planning their wedding and wedding related events.  Sapna Weddings prides itself on its passion from within, unrivaled attention to detail and unsurpassed customer service.  We believe that a business is only as good as its people, so we are looking for the best of the best to join our growing team.

 Sapna Weddings provides a flexible work environment and is looking for help on a contract basis.  We are quickly expanding and are in need of dedicated, creative individuals looking to learn and make a splash – both creatively & professionally.  Through our unparalleled training, we will prepare you for a successful opportunity with our company.

 A strong candidate for the Wedding Coordinator position will have a passion for cultural weddings, excellent organizational skills, and will demonstrate superior communication skills.  The candidate must have the ability to work under pressure while managing many different types of personalities and juggling multiple tasks.  The candidate will also demonstrate strong leadership skills while being able to execute the perfect event.   

 If you are interested in applying for a position, please email your resume & cover letter to: info@sapnaweddings.com.

Think Outside The Mandap

So now that we are working diligently on our 2010 weddings, we thought we would share some of our ideas and experiences that may help future brides out.

This week we wanted to share some thoughts on how to make your mandap different.  Times have changed and rarely do we see couples opting for the traditional 4 pillars creating a 8×8′ or 10×10′ box.  People have moved towards semi-open mandaps (semi circle set up) or in some cases a combination of the boxed mandap with extensions on the side, helping to create a 20 or 30ft wide stage. 

So now that we have seen our fair share of those, what else can you do to make your mandap different?

1. Play with colour!

Don’t be shy to move away from the traditional colour palette of gold/red/maroon/orange.  Try new colour combos like pink and green and blue and red.  These colours can add some extra punch and make for a vibrant looking mandap.

2. Add some height

Mandap pillars are generally restricted to 8ft or 10ft high.  Don’t get me wrong, that’s pretty high, but why not get that extra “wow” factor by having your mandap 12-14ft high?  Consider a fabric mandap which can be scaled to any height.

3.  Combine the beauty of fabric with the presence of structure

Get the best of both worlds - use pillars AND fabric swag.  You can arrange the pillars in a variety of combinations and add a large fabric backdrop in the back to really add some grandeur.  Consider staggering the pillars in a trapezoid for a new semi-open look.

4.  Use different height pillars

So you love pillars but still want to funkify your mandap.  How about having different heights of pillars?  Something like two 10ft pillars in the back and two 8ft pillars in the front arranged slightly open will make a difference.  Or even consider an array of 4 or 6ft pillars with accessories on top like flower arrangements, lanterns or statues.

5. Accessorize!

Accessories make all of the difference.  Different textured fabrics, beads and props may seem like small details but they really show on the wedding day.  Hot new item of 2010?  The Screen - a new way to incorporate structure and add depth to your project.  Look out for decorators to be offering different types of screens or gates to beef up your mandap.

Check out some pics from some of our favourite decorators…

There is more where this came from, give us a shout and let us help you take your wedding to new heights.  416-997-0878.

Found our post helpful?  Feel free to write a comment, we love good thoughts

Amita & Anil – Oct 24, 2009

Ok so this post is a little late, I must admit, we have been taking a little easy as wedding season winds down.  Although 2009 may be coming to an end, there is no shortage of work required for our eager 2010 clients who we are working hard with to nail down the best vendors at the best prices.  So although this is one of our final wedding posts of the season, stay tuned for continued tips and updates to help the South Asian bride!

Amita and Anil’s wedding was a fall themed, warm colour wonder at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir (Hwy 427 & Finch).  We were really excited to be involved in not only our first wedding at this landmark mandir but also our first Bengali Hindu wedding ceremony which had some very unique elements.  The bride was carried into the hall on a small plank called a “piri” by her closest male relatives and friends, while the groom waited in front of the mandap with his back turned and eyes closed.  As the bride reached the front, she was carried around the groom seven times while holding palm leaves to cover her face.  After trading garlands, the bride and groom were asked to exchange first glances at each other, a very auspicious time during the ceremony.  It was a very cool moment and a sweet Bengali tradition!

Both Amita and Anil have a very close group of friends and family who put in a lot of effort to create several presentations and performances during the reception.  This included a video spoof on Sound of Music, a live performance dedicated to the two by Amita’s dance teacher and some funny powerpoint presentations, all showing their love for the new bride & groom! 

Thanks to both Amita & Anil for having us be a part of their big day, what a lovely way to cap off a very successful wedding season .  Hear what they had to say here.

Take a look at a few pics from their wedding.  Amita chose a traditional Sri Lankan fresh flower mandap for the ceremony and an autumn themed reception and cake.

Rachel & Kamal – Oct 10, 2009

Rachel & Kamal had an intimate affair at The Garden Banquet & Convention Centre.  With 160 guests, only the closest and most important individuals in their lives made the guest list.  When we first met Rachel & Kamal, both were really worried how they were going to make a culturally mixed wedding work, with so many expectations from the families, they both wanted to ensure everyone was happy.  Rachel, a self proclaimed stress ball , wanted everything to be perfect but we were also working on a tight budget.

We started by working on finding the venue for the big day.  Rachel and Kamal fell in love with The Garden but the price tag was high.  We worked really hard with the hall to negotiate the number that we could all work with.  We were able to negotiate a price per person that saved them $2440.  The next most important thing was to find vendors that would give our couple a great deal.  We sourced and negotiated contracts for photo, decor and floral, getting everything else done in less than $3000.

As the wedding day approached, Rachel and Kamal began to feel that there was no reason to stress out.  We had put all of their vendors in place for a great price and had put together a detailed wedding day schedule; everything was in place.  We met the week of the wedding to collect everything that needed to be brought to the ceremony and reception and the couple was left to relax and enjoy the company of family and friends.

At the wedding, we arrived 2 hours before our 5pm start time but were surprised to hear that guests had been told to arrive at 4pm!  With quite a bit to do in such a short time frame, we alerted all of the vendors of the time change and worked with the hall to quickly set up for the ceremony.   As the lobby began to fill up, we had the hall staff go around passing drinks and setting up additional chairs in the lobby for guests to sit.  We pushed hard and as soon as the ceremony hall was ready, guests were ushered in for the start.  There was only one problem – no ceremony officiate!  Our offciate was more than 30mins late and arrived quite frazzled.  He had not prepared anything and had even lost sight of the order of events.  We jotted down some notes for him (including the full names of the bride & groom!) and give him a quick update on how the ceremony should run – I know, ironic!

It was a quick ceremony, only 25mins, and when it was complete, the bride & groom exited the hall to a shower of rose petals and had some time to take pictures as the guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres in the lobby.  We went through the set up for the reception, which looked gorgeous – can you really find a backdrop like this for only $800?  We can .  Our decorator went above and beyond to create this beautiful event.  Combined with simple centrepieces costing only $10 each, we were able to create a beautiful and elegant room – everyone loved it!

The evening programme took quite a bit of coordination, 4 family performances and a surprise performance by the groom who ABSOLUTELY killed it!  Kamal, HUGE shout outs to you, you are one amazing emcee!!  We loved the intimacy of this event, a very close family coming together to celebrate with each other.

Rachel and Kamal have promised to write us a fab testimonial on facebook when they return from their honeymoon, in the meantime, check out their pics.

Sapna Weddings at the Bridal Shows

For the first time since we started our blog, we are actually going to write a post dedicated to ourselves!

On Sept 20 and Sept 27 Sapna Weddings was proud to be a Gold Sponsor of and participate in the Kismet Wedding Show and the Suhaag Wedding Show.  We decided to go big this year to help further build our brand and create awareness with new brides.

The struggle that we always have is how to prove to potential clients out there that we are the absolute best in the business and that no one can plan and execute weddings like we do.  How do we differentiate ourselves in this industry? 

Well, how many South Asian Wedding Planners do you know?  How many are really planners and not just coordinators?  We know that no one can back up their word like we do.  We have a well read blog, post up video testimonials and even have ways to prove the thousands of dollars we can save customers.  We do the most number of South Asian weddings per year and have loads of experience, it’s our full time job. 

Before both shows we spent a lot of timing planning out our booth.  We wanted to create a very clean and simple look with lounge chairs and a straightforward colour scheme, it was our service that was meant to shine.  The highlight of the booth was going to be our 42″ flatscreen showing pics from past weddings and clips of the video testimonials that you can find on our blog.

At the Kismet show we had floor decals scattered throughout showing, pointing people towards our booth with creative sayings and graphics.  We also had the only banner hanging beside the fashion show stage for all to see.  At the Suhaag show we had fantastic booth placement with high traffic.

At both shows our team took down information from potential clients and we gave on the spot consults, pricing out our services and helping couples understand where to get started or how to continue the planning process effectively and efficiently.

At the end of both weekends we were exhausted but it was all well worth it.  Close to 100 new contacts made!  While I am writing this blog, I realize it would have been cool to do a video testimonial of ourselves after another successful event – haha!  Maybe next year

As we continue to fill up our 2010 calendar, help spread the word and tell someone you know about us!

Robin & Ripu – Sept 6, 2009

This event was as complicated as a concert at the ACC!  Ripu & Robin had a big dream and we worked on it for almost a year with them to plan out a flawless wedding reception.  I am going to admit, we were nervous for this one – 800 people, no assigned seating and a very complex audio/video schedule – yikes!  When we first met Ripu & Robin they were sure they only needed help at their wedding reception.  As time passed we were more than happy to give advice and solve problems for a few of their other events – Mayan, Sangeet, Chunni and the actual Wedding day.  One thing you will always get with Sapna Weddings: priceless experience.  With weddings almost every weekend, we pick up tips and tricks along the way and share our invaluable information with all of our clients.  We know the common problems that can occur and work to avoid them or help eliminate them.  We used this experience to help organize and execute one of our best events of the year.

Choosing Paramount for their reception, both Robin & Ripu also invested in the hall’s state of the art lighting system.  We planned a very detailed lighting schedule which had the tables changing colours and highlighting the gorgeous centrepieces all night long.  Because of the complexity of the event, we had to have the DJ, lighting techs, MC and video techs all in sync right in the thick of the reception programme.  Of course no event is without it’s surprises, our performers were 30 secs away from being introduced and no where to be seen as they were getting ready in the bridal suite.  We subtly swept across the side of the dance floor and signalled the MC of the change in schedule, mouthing “skip the performers” and our MC got the message to quickly introduce the next speech.  In the meantime we hustled the performers out of the suite and set them up to enter from the side of the dance floor then made a dash back to the A/V booth to advise them of the change.  We are happy to say that was the only hiccup of the evening and when we told Ripu & Robin what had happened they told us they had no idea!

Our best compliment is a glowing bride & groom, see one of our favourites tell you how they felt.