Minimalist Montreal Loft Wedding

Pre-pandemic a classic weddings began at around 120 guests upwards. But when the pandemic occurred we had no choice but to look into the future and re-image what a small intimate wedding would look and feel like. It was a lot of change in a small period of time, and at some points it challenged our industry to the breaking point.

It’s been three years now and we’re through the thick of it. The pandemic gave us small and intimate lavish affairs that burst with embellished details and weddings tailored to each couples own identity which made each wedding unique in its own right. Brides and Grooms invested in higher quality vendors and because of their smaller guest list embellished in gorgeous floralscapes, transformative event furniture and event strayed from the usual wedding format embracing rooftop cocktail parties, alfresco dining and estate events.

It doesn’t quite register with me that it’s now been 3 years since the pandemic. Enough of a time gap that it’s seriously changed the way brides and grooms plan and envision their weddings. I am sensing a new shift, but how it will materialize is still a mystery to me. Will it change our landscape forever? Or is this another transition into our new normal. All I know is that it’s 2023 and we’re here for the small intimate weddings and I want to see more creative weddings. And with that being said Im taking a look back at one of my favourite micro weddings from 7 years ago. It’s timeless and the location is still one of Montreal’s best kept secrets for small intimate loft-like weddings in the heart of Montreal. And I'm particularly proud to share it’s feature on Ruffled. 

Styling and Coordination: TOAST Events
Photography: Laura Kelly Photography 
Hair: Topknot 
Makeup: Klava Zykova 
Dress: The Handmade Bride 
Hairpiece: White Ribbon Accents
Earrings: Sarah Walsh Bridal Jewelry
Florals: Floralia 
Menswear: L'HEXAGONE
Rings: Stór by Margot 
Invitation Suite and Live Painting: LaFabère
Decor: Makin'It Lovely
Cake & Sweets: OSSO Sweet 
Videography: Up North Wedding Films
Models: Savanah and Kyle from Angie's Models 

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE YOU START WEDDING PLANNING

Before you start planning your wedding there are 5 things you should do before announcing your engagement to the wider public! Too often I see brides getting ahead of themselves and hence left feeling overwhelmed or upset that what they want just isn’t realistic . But if you follow these 5 steps you’ll surely be on the path to success! Just think of me like that pesky lifeguard at the pool…No Running! lol

Compile your guest list

Before you begin dreaming of your wedding plans it’s important to lay down some ground work starting with your guest list as this will help you gauge the size of wedding you will be having and the investment you will likely be making. When considering your guest list it’s important to consult with your parents on whom they believe should be included and if children will be permitted to attend. There is no shame in having an adults only reception.

Establish a budget

Once your guest list is established it’s time to address the elephant in the room, budget and who will be contributing. If your unsure of what is realistic I tend to provide the following statistics.

Catering Costs $120 - $150 per person

Open Bar Costs $80 - $100 per person depending on if you are working with a per-consumption bar where you pay for drinks as they are consumed or if your venue provides a flat fee

Decor Costs can be a huge variable, but for a simple but impactful design you could be looking at a minimum of $100 per person. For a more lavish wedding $250-$400 per person

This does not include vendors such as: Hair & Makeup, Transportation, Cake, Venue Fees, Officiant, Invitations and Photography.

In my experience most beautiful Pinterest worthy weddings with a guest list of 150ppl start at around $60,000 CAD

I also suggest couple have a budget reserve of 5-10k for extras and unforseen costs.

One thing I tell all my clients is that whatever design image your looking at, any dollar figure that pops into your head- should be tripled. Meaning if you see a gorgeous centrepiece and you think it’s worth maybe $50, it’s likely $150.

Discuss your vision for your wedding day

Now that your budget parameters have been set you can now start dreaming big or small. Let the countless hours of pinning begin. Once you believe you have pinned to your heart’s desire, narrow down those pictures to your top 25. This will help you narrow down the most important artistic elements.

Develop your wish list

With all the inspo you need under your belt it’s time to start dabbling into a little bit of research. Take your freshly married friends advice with a grain of salt and blaze your own trail in your quest for finding vendors you think match your vibe. But be careful! Many companies out there may be great at advertising but horrible in client care and execution. Things are always cheap for a reason and you need to ask yourself why!

Consult a wedding planner

Which leads me to the most important and final step. Book a meeting with a planner. It’s not a case of whether you think you need one or not. It’s a given that you will need some sort of assistance leading up to your wedding day without asking your friends and family who most likely have no idea how to properly help or guide you. The four steps I listed above will set you up to perfectly to be able to communicate your overall vision and appropriated investment. This will enable the wedding planner to help guide you in the right direction in terms of how they may be of assistance or help educate you on unrealistic expectations etc. At the very least you should hire a wedding planner for the final months leading up to your wedding day to help you organize all your final details.

Whether your local to Ottawa or Montreal or planning abroad or from abroad in Canada- we can help! Our clients are located all over the world and we would love to help bring your wedding vision to life. You deserve to feel like a guest at your own wedding. So call on us!

xoxo Eliza

E+R ANDAZ HOTEL WEDDING

When I first met with Liz & Ryan they were looking for an alternative venue to host their wedding. Zibi, The Mill, Adelina, Restaurant 18, Side Door and Andaz were my first suggestions. But after chit-chatting a bit further when I could decode what they were actually telling me- I went out on a limb and said “When you’re telling me your ideas, I think of those hot and balmy long summer nights downtown on a roof top sipping a cocktail enjoying the sunset.” And so I pitched Andaz as the perfect location for a modern New York rooftop cocktail style wedding. Chic and minimalistic.They immediately fell in love with the idea.

The magic in choosing this space was that it required little to no decor. The furniture and ambiance spoke for itself and allowed the couple to focus the majority of their budget on food & beverage.

Their ceremony took place in the Dalhousie Room with a quick champagne toast as we moved all the ceremony decor upstairs to the 16th floor, Copper. The couple had a first look in Stanley Park before the ceremony so after their toast, guests move upstairs for cocktails followed by poke-bowl stations.

But enough about the details, enjoy!

Photography by Ali & Batoul Photography

TORI + TRISTAN ZIBI INDUSTRIAL WEDDING

I first met Tori 2 year ago in a quaint little coffee shop off Wellington. Blonde, bubbly and bright-eyed she chatted away about her wedding vision in an industrial wedding space we all know as Zibi. She said:

"I want to turn Zibi into a Berlin night club...

know what I mean?!"

Excuse me while I die and go to designers heaven. This past weekend we transformed this chic industrial space into just that. Here are few sneak peaks of Tori + Tristan's wedding right here in Ottawa from Ali & Batoul Photography. 

Full gallery and Before & After transformation blog post to follow ;) 

Planning & Design: Toast Events
Decor & Florals: Wedecor
Photography: Ali & Batoul Photography
Makeup: Natalie Peachy
Hair: Showpony
Catering: Tulips & Maple
DJ: Oxygen Entertainment
Limousine: East Coast Limousines
Tent: Rebel Tents
Venu: Zibi

Minimalist Montreal Loft Wedding

Pre-pandemic a classic weddings began at around 120 guests upwards. But when the pandemic occurred we had no choice but to look into the future and re-image what a small intimate wedding would look and feel like. It was a lot of change in a small period of time, and at some points it challenged our industry to the breaking point.

It’s been three years now and we’re through the thick of it. The pandemic gave us small and intimate lavish affairs that burst with embellished details and weddings tailored to each couples own identity which made each wedding unique in its own right. Brides and Grooms invested in higher quality vendors and because of their smaller guest list embellished in gorgeous floralscapes, transformative event furniture and event strayed from the usual wedding format embracing rooftop cocktail parties, alfresco dining and estate events.

It doesn’t quite register with me that it’s now been 3 years since the pandemic. Enough of a time gap that it’s seriously changed the way brides and grooms plan and envision their weddings. I am sensing a new shift, but how it will materialize is still a mystery to me. Will it change our landscape forever? Or is this another transition into our new normal. All I know is that it’s 2023 and we’re here for the small intimate weddings and I want to see more creative weddings. And with that being said Im taking a look back at one of my favourite micro weddings from 7 years ago. It’s timeless and the location is still one of Montreal’s best kept secrets for small intimate loft-like weddings in the heart of Montreal. And I'm particularly proud to share it’s feature on Ruffled. 

Styling and Coordination: TOAST Events
Photography: Laura Kelly Photography 
Hair: Topknot 
Makeup: Klava Zykova 
Dress: The Handmade Bride 
Hairpiece: White Ribbon Accents
Earrings: Sarah Walsh Bridal Jewelry
Florals: Floralia 
Menswear: L'HEXAGONE
Rings: Stór by Margot 
Invitation Suite and Live Painting: LaFabère
Decor: Makin'It Lovely
Cake & Sweets: OSSO Sweet 
Videography: Up North Wedding Films
Models: Savanah and Kyle from Angie's Models 

WEDDING DETAILS YOUR GUESTS WILL NOTICE

I always say it's all in the details, but there are those who decorate like a fabric bomb literally exploded in the reception room. Don't shake your head like you don't know what I'm talking about. It's almost like they have a mathematical equation that goes something like this:

Chair covers + Chair Bands + Crystal Broach + Satin linen + Sheer Lace Overlay + Satin Table Runner. And that's just the basic foundation. Then they add.... Gold Charger Plate, Bow-tie Napkin with a Crystal Napkin Ring +  Personal Table Menue + Place Card + Bonbonierre + a bedazzled mirror with a cylinder vase with glue gunned crystals........ and in that vase there are water beads and a tinny little florescent light glowing from within............ Then the ceiling swag fairy came and went to town.....

Layers upon layers of decor which will overwhelm your guest into a blur. The biggest and most costly mistake you can make is definitely within your decor budget, because it can start to look tacky reeeaaallllll fast.

My number one piece of advice, "Don't waste your money on trying to have everything while cheaping out along the way. Sacrifice, re-evaluate your priorities and shift the dollars you would have spent on mediocrity towards a larger element that will leave your guests with a lasting impression." 

I'll give you a few examples, and if your a client reading this, you might have already heard this story. Back in the day when ghost chairs were only coming out of Toronto with a  price tag of $20 per chair, I had a client who just simply had to have them, but couldn't make it work within her budget. So I said "No problem, we'll trick them!". We ordered 1/3 ghost chairs and 2/3 white flip chairs. We used the ghost chairs at square tables and the flips at round tables and strategically laid out our floor plan accordingly. A few months later I heard back from my newlyweds and they said every single guest thought that they were sitting on ghost chairs... they raved about it endlessly. Keep in mind we're talking 2010 when the thought of mixing table types weren't even a design thought in anyone's mind. - I'm actually pretty proud that I hit that before the curve :) 

That's just one example of how I design to be budget conscious with intention. In case your curious, here is where we think you should spend your money.

OUR 5 PICKS

Linen-less tables and chairs

Personal dinner menus 

Over-sized organic bouquets

Embellished wedding dresses

Handwritten calligraphy invites

 

HOW TO INCORPORATE MINIMALIST WEDDING DECOR

I'm a Scandinavian minimalist at heart. The thought of clutter gives me anxiety which seems unnecessary. Don't get me wrong, I love an over packed antique shop and do enjoy other peoples organized clutter, but not in my designs. Coco Chanel once said " Once you've dressed, before leaving the house, look in the mirror and take off one thing". And on this premiss I've adopted certain personal rules which translate into my design philosophy. Quality over quantity. 

Minimalism isn't based on not having a stick of furniture in your house or living like your in an art gallery. Minimalism to me, means that all my possessions must have a purpose or some sort of significance behind them. For example, when I travel I will always buy a pair of shoes so that when I wear them I can relive those experiences. Sentimental right ?! 

So in design i'll often tell my clients to choose one "impact visual" that is meaningful to them, (which I call "the piece de resistance"), and then focus on adding a layer of complimentary details that will convey their personal style. And that's it folks! That my friends is my basic principle. 

To help you see what I'm talking about and to give you some idea's on how to incorporate this growing movement into your wedding design......i've had a little bit of fun on Pinterest. 

A minimalist mindset is all about not succumbing to every day consumerism. The "need" vs. "want". And when it boils down to weddings, it's easy for any of us to go over-board. But it's also all about feeling free, making creative choices without the fuss. Exhibit A: The wedding dress. A simple toned down gown with a striking detail will most certainly be fit for the minimalist and modernist. 

It's always been said "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Naturally I beg to differ. I believe beauty is conveyed through the feeling of confidence, and with that comes radiance. Even though it's your wedding day, be true to yourself. Forget the acrylic nails and false eye lashes. Rather embrace your natural beauty with makeup that will enhance your features rather than sculpt your face. In a world full of Kardashian's, be a Diana. 

A great way in making your dinero's work for you, is by re-using florals from your ceremony and incorporating them into your reception. This could be taking garlands from your ceremony arbour and placing them on your kings head table or adding the aisle candles to guest reception tables. 

One might ask, why can't I......have all my bridesmaids dress in white? And to that I say, YES!!!!! DO IT!!!! Not only is it monochromatic and pleasing to the eye, it also takes the pressure away from "all eyes" on the bride. Besides, everyone knows who you are, no need to stick out like a soar thumb, especially if your shy.  If your not keen on this color scheme think Polar bear white bridesmaids dresses or change up the color of your wedding dress to a gorgeous dove grey, nude or even blush.

Because minimalism takes a required effort to "reduce ones life" to live life more simply, we can assume this takes some hands-on creativity. In a wedding this might include D.I.Y packaged handmade soaps, water color invitations with hand-calligraphy or even a modest butter cream cake home baked. 

So there you have it. A few key ways to include the minimalist look into your wedding. This blog post could have easily been minimum 8 pages longer....but I had to cut it short. After all, I'm a minimalist ;)

*Please note all pictures included in this blog post are from Pinterest and are not from any wedding or style shoot Toast has curated. We applaud each creative mind behind these gorgeous images.