Wedding Guide: the best Toronto wedding planners

Bliss
60 Sumach St. (at Queen St. E.), 416-323-3353
Wedding coordinator Tara O’Grady is known for her unflaggingly good taste. Bliss’s staff of four consult from their downtown studio, pulling off six-tent high-society extravaganzas, small out-of-town gatherings in Niagara-on-the-Lake and chic urban restaurant weddings at places like Canoe. Clients’ budgets range from $50,000 to $250,000. Wedding day service from $2,500. Full service from $5,000. By appointment.

Great Events
liz@greatevents.ca
Whether you’re planning a garden party wedding in Stouffville or an extravagant ballroom affair at the Four Seasons, planner Liz Wanless and her team of three assistants do everything. Live butterfly release after the ceremony? Sure. An after-party on a pirate ship, with drag queen entertainment? No problem. Clients’ budgets range from $30,000 to $150,000. The hourly rate is $100. Wedding day service is $1,800. Full service is $5,000. By appointment.

Hand-Made by David Vallee
416-260-1982
A former restaurateur, David Vallee has been planning events in the city on and off for more than 20 years. True to his role on television’s Rich Bride, Poor Bride, Vallee has orchestrated weddings with budgets as small as $2,500 and as large as $325,000, from Toronto to the Caribbean. For tree-hugging couples aspiring to an eco-friendly event, the company’s caterer specializes in local, sustainable food. Full service from $5,000. By appointment.

Karina Lemke
416-937-9357
An intimate gathering at a stylish Yorkville restaurant, a celebration in the cellars of a Niagara winery, a romantic reception at a family cottage, complete with roaring bonfires and beachside s’mores—these are just a few examples of the weddings Karina Lemke has planned. Lemke has been in the wedding business for almost 20 years. She helps couples looking for an alternative to the traditional banquet hall wedding, specializing in more intimate gatherings at unique locations. She works with budgets ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Day-of coordination ranges from $650 to $1,650, depending on the size of the wedding. Full planning services start at $2,800. By appointment.

Let’s Party Consultants
147 Liberty St. (at Fraser Ave.), 416-697-2789
Owner Leena Nasir has 13 years of experience in the business, which means she can spot unpleasant surprises before they happen. Her nine-person team of wedding planners aims to look after your every request while striving to save more money in the wedding’s budget than the cost of their services. Wedding day service from $800. Full service from $1,500. By appointment.

Luxe Destination Weddings
171 East Liberty St. (at Hanna Ave.), Ste. 140, 416-536-7422
This 15-person company was conceived when owners Tara and Matt Soloway suffered the headaches of planning their own beach wedding. Matt heads the in-house travel agency and Tara the wedding planning division; together they’ve sent eloping couples and groups of up to 150 to high-end resorts in the Mayan Riviera and Jamaica. Clients’ budgets range from $10,000 to $250,000. Travel services start at $500. Wedding day service starts at $4,000. Full service is $10,000. Closed Sunday, Saturday by appointment.

Melissa Andre Events
182 Davenport Rd. (at Avenue Rd.), 647-352-5552
Melissa Andre and her team of five planners provide a range of packages, whether you’re planning a brunch reception for 20 or an elaborate winter gala, including a performance by professional figure skaters, a beaver tail buffet and a custom fragrance bar. Budgets range from $75,000 to $500,000. Wedding day service starts at $1,650. Full service starts at $6,500. By appointment.

SpectacularSpectacular
416-921-2444
Whether it’s polishing a 4,000-square-foot ballroom floor with an extra coat of stain the day before the wedding, hanging chandeliers from trees at a forest wedding or building a 5,000-square-foot floating tent on Lake St. Joseph in Muskoka, Melissa Haggerty has no limits. Clients’ budgets start at $75,000. Full planning services start at $5,500. By appointment.