From the moment an inquiry arrives at the desk of Stephanie Allen, every step in a wedding couple's planning process can be handled with care, experience and a personal touch which caters to every whim.
Allen is the wedding sales manager at Vintage Hotels and, as the first point of contact for those looking to plan their big day, she has some very important questions to ask.
Of course, there are the usual bases to cover, she notes, such as the number of guests, what style of menu they are interested in, possible themes being considered, and time of year, but it is the second and third level of questions and considerations which set the wedding planning process apart for all Vintage Hotels' properties.
“If someone is looking to plan a wedding event, I invite them to the hotels for a private tour and consultation. We may go to Pillar and Post for a tour of the spa, ballroom and other features. Then we may head over to Queen's Landing to see the ballroom there and talk about all of the wedding plans, budgets and next steps. I have a fun and detailed check list of items to cover,” Stephanie says.
“We don't offer cookie-cutter weddings. We have signature service. We want the couples to work through all their likes and dislikes so we can customize the event to be exactly what they want.”
And it's that attention to what the couple want as well as knowing and being able to anticipate what they will need which ensures their wedding experience runs as smoothly as possible.
While Stephanie's tasks include helping with the selection of a location for the nuptials among Vintage's three Niagara-on-the-Lake properties — Pillar and Post, Queen's Landing and Prince of Wales — which can accommodate guest lists for 10-300, the finer details of the event fall into the purview of Vintage's wedding planners.
Stephanie would be the one to explain to someone that the Prince of Wales is ideally suited for those looking for an intimate wedding with a maximum guest list of 65, or that the Pillar and Post has two outdoor locations in which to host a wedding ceremony itself, it would be one of Vintage's three wedding planners, for example, who may provide some more detailed suggestions on the final plans for the day.  Items such as menu selections, timing of the day and ballroom layout to favours or suggestions on which local vendors may be best-suited to the style of the couple's wedding vision would all be discussed.
Savanna Krantz, special events manager/wedding coordinator with Vintage, is quick to point out that no job is too small when it comes to planning the details.
Savanna notes that while the Prince of Wales is intimate, Queen's Landing is very grand with its marble floors and crystal chandeliers, and Pillar and Post is rustic with its exposed brickwork and wood-beam finish, each has a first-class ambiance and style.
Aside from the ambiance, another important component of any wedding is the food.
“Food is something we really focus on. Our couples have so much flexibility with the menu, we really love being able to customize the experience with them. They will have exactly what they want,” says Savanna.
To ensure that, Savanna can work directly with the Vintage team of chefs to work through any possible menu matter.
She cited an example of a past wedding when all 120 guests required vegan meals.
“It was such a fun challenge for the Chefs, it all went great,” Savanna says.
“At Vintage Hotels we are so proud of the level of service that we provide. We really get to bond with our brides and grooms. I get to know them because I am asking them all kinds of questions during the planning process so I can anticipate their needs and take care of things they might not even think of,” Savanna explains.
It is not just the structure of the event, but the timing of things also plays a part.
“I don't just sit down with them and talk about plans, I also make sure they have allotted enough time for a full walk through of the property, it's great to get a feel of the hotel again and really see how the whole day will unfold. I have a wedding agenda I follow to touch on all the details of their day. It gives them lots of things to think about that may not have come up in conversation yet,” she says.
“Listening to the clients and picking up on small things that can make a great day even better is what we do,” Savanna points out.
“There are a lot of times during the planning process that the groom will secretly contact me saying, ‘OK, I want to do this at this particular time',” Savanna says, noting she feels very lucky to be able to see a lot of special moments in the lives of her clients.
“When they are planning a special moment to exchange mementos, or a horse-drawn carriage ride at some point, that is where I really get to know the couple. I am so much a part of the whole day, from fluffing the bride's dress before she walks down the aisle, fanning the bride on a warm day, making sure everyone has a tissue... I get to witness a lot of great moments. One of my favourites actually is that last second before the bride walks down the aisle, I'm usually crying...”
“It is very personal.”
Since she is there the day of the event, Savanna has seen some things that, shall we say, didn't quite go as planned, such as the time the groom forgot THE RING!         On another occasion, the bride's father forgot his camera so he headed back to his room to get it....just as the ceremony was about to start. With everything on hold, Savanna was running through the hotel in search of Dad.
Another time, during the planning process, Savanna learned that the happy couple had lived in five different areas of the world and had requested that a particular beer from each locale be among the beverages served at their reception. With a little planning... no problem.
Aside from the considerate and experienced planners available to the bride and groom so, too, is the long list of tried and true local suppliers of complementary services such as disc jockeys or live music performers as well as photographers and florists.
“We are happy to make recommendations and suggestions based upon our years of experience and client feedback, but in the end the couple makes all of the decisions,” Stephanie says.
And for anyone looking to make a decision on plans in the near future, Vintage Hotels is hosting its annual wedding show on Sunday, Feb. 26 with complimentary parking and registration at Queen's Landing. The team's wedding planners will all be on-site, as will many of the wedding suppliers. There will be food and beverage samples and some fun wedding set-ups in place.
“It will be a great chance to see what we are all about first-hand,” explains Stephanie.
“From rehearsal dinners to farewell breakfasts we want to make sure everything runs smoothly for the happy couple. I believe we offer an incomparable product. Not only are the hotels, gardens and ballrooms beautiful, but the heart and soul of the company lies in the dedication of its employees. This is reflected in our Mission Statement: ‘Exceptional individuals delivering exceptional experiences'.”