VENDOR SPOTLIGHT // Laura Olsen Events
By now, you've probably picked up on the fact that Vineyard Bride is very pro-wedding planner, and today I am so pleased to introduce you to Laura of Laura Olsen Events, the newest member of the vendor directory. Laura excels at marrying organization and great design, making her job as a wedding planner a perfect fit. Read this super fun Q & A for a chance to get to know this talented lady a little better!
Photo: Rebecca Wood Photography
How did you become a wedding planner?
From a really young age, I knew I wanted to run my own business but I also knew I needed to have a job that married my creative talents and organizational skills. It wasn’t until I successfully planned my own wedding that the wedding planning bug hit me. I wanted to throw events that were personal, something that really reflected the couple and their personal taste, while keeping it all prettily styled in a way that wouldn’t look dated in 10 or 20 years. There’s something so dreamy about a simplistically gorgeous wedding that never gets old to me which makes every wedding I do really exciting for me.
Photo: Rebecca Wood Photography
What event have you planned that stands out in your mind the most?
My absolute favourite was from this past season. I had a family come to me looking for styling of a rehearsal dinner, personal wedding details and the morning-after brunch, all set in the client’s stunning backyard. The fact that they trusted me whole heartedly to handle those personal details meant so much to me. I partnered with them on colour palette, invitation design and styling, selecting the bridesmaids dresses, styling the bride and her accessories and fully planning and styling the rehearsal dinner and brunch. It was also a huge learning experience working with a number of vendors who have been in the industry for 20+ years and seeing their approach was really interesting. It left me with some amazing ideas on how to fuse the past traditions with new ones we’re starting to set in the present. I think it’s made me a better planner and stylist with a much more unique approach to my customer service for my clients.
Favourite wedding trend of the moment?
I have two! Loose, organic floral arrangements that have a lot of breathing room for each flower. Soft, flowy and perfectly mismatched bridesmaid dresses.
Wedding trend you’d love to see disappear forever?
The bouquet and garter tosses.
Photo: When He Found Her
What is the most common mistake couples make when planning their wedding?
Trying to do it all themselves. There isn’t much worse than being stressed out the entire time you’re planning your wedding. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some couples who can successfully do this, but they are few and far between and they always hire a planner for their wedding day to make sure things run smoothly. Hiring the help from a wedding planner is invaluable to keeping you on track and giving you someone to vent with when something goes awry. Most planners offer a variety of packages to give you the customized help where you need.
What do you think makes your planning experience different than others?
My ultimate goal with my business is to make the couple’s planning experience the most pleasant I can. I want everyone to feel like they have additional support beyond what they have hired me for, especially for those who simply require my assistance the month ahead of the wedding. Those other 11 months you’re planning your wedding without the help of a planner can be pretty stressful! That’s why, regardless of the planning package my clients secure, I provide them with a full planning guide when they sign on that includes loads of tips and tricks and other helpful information and tools. Not only does it make their lives easier to have a quick document to reference, but it prepares them for some of the hiccups they might experience along the way. The tools also help me provide them with a better wedding day experience as they slowly build all of the information I need over the planing process rather than scrambling the month, weeks or days ahead of the wedding.
If you weren’t a wedding planner, what would you be?
An interior designer. Hands down. I love, love, love a gorgeous, but functional and most importantly, inspiring place.
Photo: When He Found Her
If you're after an ultra-chic and oh-so-personal Niagara wedding, contact Laura at laura@lauraolsenevents.com.
