FAQ
To make your wedding planning process a bit easier!
General
Ok, let's get the first thing out of the way: how the heck do you pronounce your last name?
Ready for it? It's pronounced: Mack. The "e" just adds a little fun, right? Oh… it doesn't?
How far in advance can we book?
Depending on how much involvement you need from us, most couples book 12-24 months in advance. Some book much closer to the date. A quick note, we generally won't book a wedding more than 24 months/two years from the inquiry date, except for Destination Weddings. We understand those can take a bit more time to iron out plans.
What do I need to book/what is the payment structure?
A signed digital contract (no need to print anything) and a 50% deposit (by Visa/MC processed in Square, or e-transfer) confirms your booking. If you’d rather pay the total upfront, that’s great! If not, the rest is due 2 weeks prior. Unfortunately, we are not able to hold dates, but once we receive those two things, you're booked and the best day of your life just got a heck of a lot easier.
Are there any extra fees I should know about?
We are extremely transparent about any extra costs and will always tell you about any upfront. No surprises. Here are some added fees that may apply.
Travel. Local travel is always included. For multiple site visits, rehearsals, or for venues out of our local area (ex: NOTL, GTA, Muskoka), a small travel charge applies. We don't make money on travel fees, but it does cover our costs to get there.
Parking. You've maybe been to Toronto a few times, but have you parked there lately? A 3-hour gig for a ceremony can come out to $40 in parking. If there are going to be parking fees, we'd kindly ask that you take care of those.
Accommodations. In some cases, we may need one-night accommodation for the night of your wedding (ex: if we're at your wedding past 12AM and the venue is 1 hour+ from our home). It doesn't happen often, but we don't want any of our team driving over an hour in the middle of the night after working 12-14 hours.
Miscellaneous fees. Sometimes couples ask us to buy things the day of their wedding (think: "we forgot champagne for mimosas - can you get us two bottles?"). We sure can pick it up, but we'll have you reimburse us.
Will we be a good fit?
This is a great question! If you:
Are truly excited to be married (and not just excited for a wedding-themed party)
Can't wait to start the next chapter in your lives as a married couple because you're so in love with each other
Want to be full present and relaxed throughout the entire celebration (and leading up to the day too)
Think the ceremony is one of the most important aspects of your day, and you want to be involved in making it great
Want to get to know the person who is going to be standing up there with you on one of the most important days of your lives
Want to feel relaxed during the ceremony and want the freedom to laugh, or cry, or stumble over your vows without feeling silly
Are looking for something without the rigidity of perfection, something perfectly imperfect, just like your relationship
Then we think we’ll make a pretty awesome team.
Do I have to feed you or how does that work?
Your planner and coordinator will be working through dinner. And for that matter, photographer, videographer, DJ, musician etc will be too. A meal is always appreciated.
Can we be friends after our wedding?
Heck yes!
Planning + Coordinating
Do you pay our other vendors for us?
Although your planner or coordinator may be involved in contracts and invoices with other vendors, you will pay them directly. We do not take payments for other vendors and send it to them. It keeps things way cleaner.
What’s your average time on-site?
It’s pretty common that we are onsite for 12 hours, but every wedding is a bit different so that number varies.
Do you attend our rehearsal?
If you've hired us for planning or coordination, and we are available - then yes! Sometimes venues hold their rehearsals the day before your wedding ceremony, in which case, there's a really high likelihood we are not available for a rehearsal that same weekend (we'll be celebrating another wedding!).
Officiating
What’s your average time on-site?
We arrive about 45 minutes before your ceremony and leave 25 or so minutes after (just enough time to give you a big hug and bring you a drink!).
Are rehearsals mandatory?
Nah, and you don't need one. Here are 5 reasons why you don't need a rehearsal:
Planning them can be stressful. Coordinating your wedding party, their dates, your parents, and ring bearers can be stressful. And the night before your wedding?! Wouldn't you rather be relaxing?
We're extremely thorough. We'll all be fully prepared through our meetings and walk-throughs of the ceremony, so you'll know exactly what to expect.
We take the lead for your ceremony. There's no guesswork involved. As long as you show up the day-of and follow our lead, we'll make sure it's perfect.
It will save you a lot of money. Rehearsals are expensive! That's another FULL dinner (and drinks?) for your entire wedding party, their dates, your parents and whoever else is there. Use the money you save for your honeymoon!
Your friends will thank you. Being in a wedding party is a big commitment, both time-wise, and financially. If your wedding party is from out of town, or your rehearsal is on a weekday, it can be hard to ask them to take more time off to attend. They'll love just showing up on your wedding day, stress-free and looking great.
Did I just save you money before you even hired me? You're welcome!
If we have a rehearsal, do you attend?
We will not be available for your rehearsal, but we are extremely detailed in our communications and plans so you know exactly what to expect on the big day! You can trust we'll lead your ceremony well, everyone will know where they need to be and when, and there won't be any guessing.
Ceremony Length
When someone says they want a short ceremony, what they're actually saying is: "we've been to a lot of long, boring ceremonies. I don't want that."
The good news is: that's not what you get with us! The ceremony will be as long or as short as it needs to be. No more, no less. Don't get caught up on length, because the right person can deliver something truly memorable that you will love, minus all the fluff and extra words.
But if you must know a number, the average ceremony length is typically between 15-22 minutes.
Elopers&Co.
How do I know if an elopement is for me?
Great question! Most couples that want to elope are mostly excited to marry their best friend in a really beautiful place. Our elopements are intentionally intimate by design, we want the entire focus to be on you two getting married, and then taking some time to take it all in within a gorgeous setting.
The price says “Starting At” - what does that mean?
If you decided you wanted to fly the chopper to the Rocky Mountains, or land it in Times Square, the price maaaaaay be affected. Of course we’d be all in to do that, but the cost would be just a bit more. But we'll chat about all that when we connect!
What if it rains?
We like to have a backup date just in case the weather isn’t cooperating, but sometimes rain can make for a really cool backdrop to a super special day. As long as you’re okay getting a bit wet, we are too!
Can my family/friends come too?
We totally get it - having your closest humans there for such a big moment can be really important. There are some creative ways to incorporate them into your day (think adding a highlight video, or maybe a live stream) but these elopements are best experienced with just the two of you and our team.
Is the ceremony legal?
Marrying your person is what it’s all about, right? Jeff is a licensed officiant in the province of Ontario and able to take care of not only setting the vibe for your day and ceremony, but making it legal, too.
Ok, let's do this! Take me to the contact form!