As we are approaching the New Year, we're going to take this moment to reflect upon our best moments of 2015. Some of you might be thinking that we are going to choose the best weddings of the year, but in truth, we all love our jobs so much here that we couldn't really narrow it down. Instead, here are some behind the scenes reflections from each member of our team...
"The Best Nine" ;)
Valary, Senior Event Specialist:
I think if I were to sum up this season in two words, it would be "happy surprises" - so many of the couples I worked with this year really went out of their way to do romantic gestures for each other, and as the planner, I got to help orchestrate these surprises and then watch everything unfold! One of my grooms planned and booked a jazz trio to play at the cocktail hour at their wedding- the bride's eyes lit up when she heard her favourite music, and then realized it was live in the middle of the dance floor! I also witnessed two hilarious MCs present a couple with their new last name on hockey jerseys- hers for the Leafs, and his for the Canadiens (she got the honor of being the captain- he was relegated to assist). Finally, and most crazily, I had to help both members of the couple with a number of surprises during their wedding that had to be executed without the other person knowing - a love song serenade, an Elvis impersonation, and a surprise for the guests when instead of retrieving a garter, they had two rubber chickens hidden inside the dress! In helping to plan these jokes and heartfelt gestures, I really had a chance to get to know these couples and see who they were as people- fun loving, caring, and appreciative of what they have - which made me appreciate working with them even more. I still tear up every time the couple sees each other for the first time. Being a part of that moment, and helping relieve the stress on their big day so they can focus on planning something fun is one of the most important honours I was given.
Shana, Lead Event Specialist:
How can I choose? For me, there were so many great moments. One of my most memorable moments by far was conducting Kathryn and Efren's ceremony on the island in the rain! Talk about making a clients' outdoor island wedding dreams come true. It was so nice to see such a beautiful mix of Canadian and Mexican family and friends come together for a truly loving couple. By far my greatest moment, however, was finding out I was being hired on full time as a lead coordinator with Envision. All of the hard work that I put into building a career came to such a great climax when I heard that I was going to be a permanent part of the team! Being part of Envision is like being part of a little family, and I couldn't ask for a better outcome for 2015.
Betty, Summer/Fall Assistant Event Specialist:
"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or be heard, but must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller
This quote by Helen Keller sums up my season at Envision Weddings. Having the opportunity to be part of the journey of these couples this past season was a pleasure of mine. I was able to experience and felt their love for one another, their romantic gestures for another and just being in each other's presence is what creates the best and most beautiful moment of their lifetime. Being able to assist in the planning and the creation of their visions into reality for their special day and seeing the result of it truly amazed me. I got to understand the level of planning, dedication, patience, understanding and love that couples have for one another. But one thing I can not forget of course is the behind the scenes in every wedding that I have assisted this season. The dedication and strong teamwork that I have experienced in planning and creating these visions into reality -with a mixture of every emotion possible that one can experience it has brought me a new level of understanding of the events world. These past months has been a experience that is truly unforgettable and will forever be part of my memories.
Kimberly Fu Skubic, Principal Event Specialist, CEO + Founder:
It's hard to pinpoint exactly which parts of this season were my favourite, as there were so many wonderful seasons before it. That being said, this was one of our most hectic, but most successful seasons yet, and I couldn't have been more proud of my team for helping to pull it off. During our peak months, I really got to see everyone's talents come forward, and there was an unspoken understanding amongst us as team members of what was expected out of everyone. As a manager you always hope that your team will work well together, but rarely do you ever see a team understand each other as much as we did. If I could specify some moments, it would be during our "triple threat" weddings, when we were doing coordination, floral and decor, like Stephanie and Oscar's wedding at Hart House, where everyone knew their role and everyone executed their tasks seamlessly with little to no direction. This is where the pride of our team comes in, and what we can offer that a lot of other event planning companies can't.
Michael Skubic, Principal Production Manager:
My best moments of 2015 had to be during our destination wedding in Mexico. We had two amazing brides who were such a pleasure to work with and I got the added bonus of being an assistant on the day of instead of the production manager. I didn't realize how much I missed seeing the happy couple right after their "I do"s and going around with them as they take their wedding photos. It also didn't hurt that the location was a gorgeous Cancun resort amongst authentic Mayan ruins. And unlike most weddings, we got to spend the week with these awesome people, having fun in the sun as well as slipping a bit of work in between afternoon naps. There were still the same kind of unexpected developments that happen with any wedding, but this one stands out as my favourite of the year.
(All photos courtesy of our Instagram - because that's as real as it gets!)
Wishing you all the best in 2016! May all your resolutions be firm and your year be filled with prosperity, happiness and success.
- The Envision Weddings Team