Another year flew by! Let’s look back at one of the biggest wedding seasons over the past 15 years.

The year 2022 was a memorable one for SAWC, as we had a backlog of weddings from 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Despite the challenges, we successfully planned and coordinated a total of 82 events, including a corporate Christmas boat cruise in Toronto with City Cruises. While the year was filled with endless task lists and stressful moments, we learned a lot along the way. We are incredibly grateful to our couples and vendors who helped make this year a success. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights and accomplishments of the past year.

Highlights of the Year

Total Couples: 37

Events Planned: 82

Classy Complete Package: 9

Elegant Partial Package: 6

Month of Coordination Package: 21

We had the pleasure of planning a total of 11 interfaith, 14 Hindu, 3 Muslim and 9 Sikh weddings and events. We worked with a variety of vendors, including some top-notch venues such as Royal Ambassador and White Oaks Resort in Niagara Falls, where we coordinated most of our events. Our team also had a great experience collaborating with Diya Decor, Xclusive Designs, Karma Design Studio and Starz Decor. We were fortunate to work with some of the best photographers in the industry, including Alfaaz Photography, Devi by Kumar Images and Divinemethod.

Take a peek at some of the couples and their weddings we have planned for 2022

Ashwin and Anjali (Classy Complete Full Planning)

(Photos courtesy of Divinemethod)

The year began with the much-awaited wedding of Anjali and Ashwin. The three-year planning stage was nothing short of remarkable, but the last-minute change in the venue made it even more memorable. Anyone who has ever planned a wedding knows the importance of choosing the perfect setting. Despite facing unexpected challenges, the team managed to pull off the venue change two months before the wedding. This interfaith wedding was a beautiful blend of North and South Indian cultures and offered a diverse range of food to celebrate both.

Mahathi and Vineeth (Elegant Partial Planning)

(Photos courtesy of Divinemethod)

The couple’s reception was an unforgettable event, featuring the largest tent reception in Toronto. In just five months, the team managed to plan and execute this massive reception, which was held at a private property in Stouffville. The day-of coordination was a significant challenge, as everything from tables, chairs, linens, cutlery, dishes, napkins, and even toothpicks had to be rented externally, requiring extensive preparation and planning. One important tip is to ensure that the walls are not forgotten in the planning process. Wall paneling should be readily available, along with a quick and efficient plan of action. And, last but not least, the standout moment of the evening was the revolving chandelier cake!

Megan and Akshay (Elegant Partial Planning)

(Photos from Alfaaz Photography)

SAWC organized and executed three events, including the Mehndi, Sikh Ceremony and Reception, for Megan and Akshay’s wedding. The reception alone had over 1200 guests, making it a daunting task to manage the crowd. However, we took care of all the details, logistics, and timelines with all vendors, ensuring that the couple could relax and cherish the wedding experience.

Mehar and Anant (Classy Complete Planning)

(Photo courtesy of Garima Singh Studios)

Mehar and Anant had a clear vision for their wedding: a summertime escape with loved ones, all staying together at one location. The festivities kicked off with a fiesta-themed Sangeet, complete with flamingo decor. The outdoor wedding ceremony featured bold, vibrant colors while the reception was all about sophistication, with a seated dinner and elegant white drapery adorning the walls.

Harum and Danial (Classy Complete Full Planning)

(Photos from Alfaaz Photography)

A long-distance wedding, Harum and Danial’s Muslim wedding was planned for over 3 years, where both bride and groom were from Seattle. COVID-19 played a big role in their wedding as there was a lot of rescheduling of dates twice or three times, getting everyone’s availability, contacting vendors again and again. However, the good thing was the vendors who were not available in 2020 were available in 2022 and that is how they reserved Palais Royale as one of their venues. One unique memory is that each event had extravagant entrances of over 22 family members  and the one that stood out the most was the one where all  groomsmen entered in white light up sneakers.

Arpit and Dorin (Classy Complete Planning)

(Photos courtesy of Devi by Kumar Images)

Arpit and Dorin’s wedding was a beautiful 2-States celebration, with the groom being Hindu-Punjabi and the bride being Sri Lankan. The festivities were held at the picturesque White Oaks Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Coordinating an interfaith wedding can be challenging, but we successfully organized both a Hindu and Catholic Church wedding. We also planned their Sangeet, Haldi, and Reception at the same venue, making the event a truly unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

Nisha and Will (Month of Coordination)

(Photo courtesy of Denz Studio)

Our team had the pleasure of coordinating Nisha and Will’s destination wedding in New York after being referred by a photo/video team. When it comes to planning a destination wedding, partial planning is highly recommended. As planners, it’s important for us to be present in every meeting, as we may not be familiar with all of the vendors involved.

Samin and Karim (Classy Complete Full Planning)

(Photos courtesy of Noor Aqil Photography)

Talking about the major achievement in 2022, the most extravagant event happened on December 30th which was Samin and Karim’s Nikah ceremony. It was not a typical Nikah, but a high end affair with French style dinner, fresh floral décor, bride in an elegant white gown entering with a long veil. It all gave the Netflix show ‘Bridgerton’ vibe as even the venue was a historic building of downtown Toronto built in 1914.

In the wedding industry, every couple and wedding teaches us something new. With over a decade of experience, we’ve learned valuable lessons from each wedding we’ve worked on. This year, despite our success, we faced challenges as a women-owned business in balancing work and personal life. This experience emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. For the years to come, our focus at SAWC will be on intimate and detail-oriented weddings, as they allow couples and vendors to prioritize what’s truly important. With more creative freedom, intimate weddings encourage thinking outside of the box.

Our team is incredibly thankful for all of the amazing experiences that we’ve had in 2022. We’re eagerly anticipating the year ahead and can’t wait to create even more unforgettable moments that are perfectly planned.