Name: Melissa Nowakowski
Company Name: Et Lofte Events
Type of Service: Local Wedding Planning
Area of Service: Toronto & GTA, Northern Ontario (Muskoka, Sudbury)
Professional Accreditations: Certified member of Wedding Planners Institute of Canada (WPIC), instructor for WPIC for last two years.
Favourite romantic movie: Moulin Rouge - I am a huge fan of musicals. Baz Luhrmann is a genius and the love story was absolutely captivating.
Favourite Wedding Dress Designer: Atelier Aimee Montenapoleone and Liv Lundelius of Blushless - Both designers create breathtaking, unique wedding gowns that defy tradition and trend. From whimsical to daring, their gowns make me swoon.
Q: Why does a bridal couple need a wedding planner?
On average it takes 200 to 400 hours to plan a wedding. Add in the average of 20 vendors to manage and consult with and family obligations and opinions. Take into account the planning schedule and the budget and you have a very hectic schedule to deal with, in your already busy lifestyle and all the stress that goes along with that.
On the other hand hiring a wedding planner can alleviate your stress because she/he will take care of all of these issues. They will also guide you with their keen eye for design and detail, while taking into account your personality and cultural background, to help you create your vision for your day.
They will be objective and suggest the best options and vendors for your budget, while they protect your investment, by making sure your wedding day is what you wanted.
Q: What tips do you have for a bridal couple choosing a wedding planner?
A: Don’t choose a planner based on price but on the overall service and quality of that service. A cheap wedding planner will only get you a cheap wedding experience. If someone is offering a low fee,
ask yourself why? What corners are they cutting in order to give you that price?
A good wedding planner is focused on the quality of the service she/he can provide for you and will set her fees fairly based on this. The adage, “if it’s too good to be true” means it probably is - in the end “you get what you pay for.”
It’s also important to make sure your personalities mesh and the planner is open to your suggestions. You’re going to be with this person up until the wedding day and you have to trust them.
Wedding planners usually have a specialty, in other words a special touch that they bring to designing a wedding. Look through a planner’s portfolio to see if you like their work. If you have edgy decor taste and all her work is traditional, she may not bring out the best in your vision.
Q: What is the biggest challenge you have ever faced as a wedding planners and how did you resolve this challenge?
A: I once had a client with a severely limited budget and whose vendor for their outdoor venue had left them at the last minute, after breaking many promises.
With a lot of brainstorming, research and incredible wedding professionals that I knew; I was able to deliver to my clients the “country cottage” themed wedding they had envisioned within their budget, complete with a picnic basket card-box.
Q: If you were planning your own wedding, what (TheRingBearer.ca) wedding style best defines your personality and why? (I.e. Seaside, Traditional, Modernist or Country Charm)
A: TheRingBearer.ca wedding style that would best suit my personality for my own wedding would be Edgy/Modernist.
I’ve never been one to follow trends in my personal life. I’ve always danced to a different beat of the drum, with everything from my fashion choices to my outlook on life.
For my own wedding I would reflect that persona by defying tradition and trend where I could. I’m a firm believer that when it comes to weddings there are virtually no rules, with the exception of religion and etiquette.
I’m all about thinking outside the box and pushing through boundaries to create something memorable, unexpected and a reflection of ‘us’ as a couple. To me, that’s more important than what’s the “in” thing of the moment.
Q: What is your dream location for a wedding and why?
A: Thailand would be my dream wedding location. It’s so unbelievably exotic and rich in beauty from the countryside to the architecture; even the cultural traditions are beautiful.
The possibilities for creating a memorable, unique wedding for a bridal couple are endless in Thailand. Think of a Buddhist monk ceremony; flying Kongming lanterns; classical Thai dancers and Nam Kang Siy (a specialty ice cream cone) as a late night dessert to beat the heat.
Q: If you could plan a wedding for anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be and why?
A: If I could plan anyone in the worlds wedding it would be Gwen Stefani‘s and Gavin Rossdale’s wedding.
I’m over the moon with their unique approach to everything in life; from their fashion to their entertainment and even their lifestyle. I find their thirst for the unconventional refreshing.
If I planned their wedding I know they would be up for anything design-wise as long as it suited their personalities and style sense. The focus would be having fun and it would be all about that.
Q: What is your favourite wedding you have planned in 2011 and why?
A: My favourite wedding in 2011 was Delany and Candido’s wedding. It was my favourite because it
was a creative challenge and also because my clients were fun and open to new ideas.
Delaney, the bride, is a mother of a seven year old and works at SickKids Hospital. She has a passion for collecting shoes. Candido, the groom, is a police officer who has a passion for drinking espresso.
Their wedding was in a typical one‐room banquet facility and their vision was to make it memorable and unique despite the location.
We started with a bold colour combination of purple and lime green. I had guest books made out of real speeding tickets and a firing-range seating plan. The round and square tables throughout the room were decorated with centerpieces, filled with varying decor. On each of the tables were 'cootie-cathers' with trivia about the bride and groom.
The bride's son wore Converse sneakers in TheRingBearer.ca green logo colour, that were a hit with all the guests. And for the finale, if you can imagine this, the backdrop behind the head table drew back and revealed the illusionist - quite the entrance - and a surprise for all the guests. As an added touch all the guests received a gift favour of espresso beans to take home.
The entire wedding, reflected the bridal couple’s personalities and lifestyle and it was an honour for me to be able to help them achieve this and be part of their wedding journey.
Back to Melissa's Blue Diamond Society Bio
Favourite Wedding of 2011
