You’re engaged and searching for perfect ideas is the fun part of the wedding planning. The hard part is choosing which elements to use, narrowing it down so that the wedding looks like a perfectly styled event. Add to that the many hours lining up and confirming vendors, sourcing enough of the items you want to use – not to mention the cleaning up after the wedding – I hyperventilate just thinking about it. This where your not so secret weapon Jason of Love 2 Love Wedding & Event Planner is your go to person for all things in the planning process. With a genuine love of weddings, he plans, he designs and he styles your wedding – not only that, he knows the best vendors to use, and he sets up and takes down the decor, so that leaves you and your guests to relax and enjoy your wedding day. Having Jason as your wedding wingman? Just perfect!
What is your background, and what was the catalyst for your move into the wedding industry?
I’m fortunate to have a fairly diverse professional background; from project management and corporate training to sales and hospitality, all of the skills I’ve acquired have helped me on my road to my success. Love 2 Love was born out of the joy of planning my own wedding when I noticed there was a niche missing in the wedding and events industry. When I was searching for help, there wasn’t anyone that offered fresh progressive ideas or anyone that could offer me and my partner what we needed as a same sex couple. I launched Love 2 Love out of passion and necessity – I love weddings, I love organising them and I know there are so many heterosexual and same sex couples out there that appreciate the commitment, knowledge and passion Love 2 Love infuses into each wedding. From a large scale event for one of the wealthiest families in Australia to a beautiful intimate wedding, Love 2 Love offers the same high standards in professionalism, expertise and personality regardless of size.
Image by Love 2 Love Wedding & Event Planner
How long have you been in the wedding and event business?
I launched Love 2 Love in 2013 – an event management business specialising in weddings. The business was created with a strong foundation of skills and experience and importantly the passion I’ve had for the wedding industry for many years.
What can your clients expect from you (in terms of event planning)?
Planning an event of any scale requires a specific skillset – time management, organisational and communication skills but importantly, to create an event where great memories can be made, it is essential to stay current and offer new ideas. Love 2 Love appreciates the importance of personalising an event and ensuring that the client’s vision is seamlessly brought to life. Our clients love that we have great relationships with some of the best suppliers in the industry and they know that because of this their special day will be the best it can be.
Image by Jo Bartholomew Photography
What qualities are you known for?
I take great pride in taking the time to get to know my clients – understanding their vision and the reason behind their needs ultimately determines whether or not the event will be a success or not. Regardless of how big an event is, I am always calm and professional – this energy is then transferred to my client giving them peace of mind. As with any event, there are always contingencies but my job is to minimise the need for too many by being thorough with everything I do, experience is invaluable too! In the event something doesn’t go to plan, our ability to be flexible and adapt is vital and it is standard for Love 2 Love to exhaust all options to ensure the optimal outcome is reached.
How would you describe your style?
My style is fresh and contemporary with creativity and innovation being the basis of everything we do! While our clients usually have some kind of vision of how they would like the event to look, they rely on our creativity to really capture how they want to feel; our progressive innovation is something we are continuously raising the benchmark of.
You offer a variety of planning and styling packages. Which is the most popular?
Our most popular package is the ‘Wedding Day Coordinator’ package. Many couples enjoy researching and choosing particular elements of their wedding so they do this and then call on Love 2 Love to coordinate everything. Knowing that family and friends can relax throughout the day means the couple can relax and focus on what’s important on the day, enjoying all of the special moments a wedding day brings.
Image by Love 2 Love Wedding & Event Planner
What are the advantages of booking a package with you?
Clients trust Love 2 Love for many reasons but three key motivations are:
- BUDGET
Our knowledge and experience keeps your budget on track, avoiding overspending.
- EXPERIENCE
Knowing if a good idea is possible or not saves you precious time and money. Love 2 Love are at the forefront of styling trends and we have the best resources to ensure your vision is implemented safely, on time and within budget.
- INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Navigating the world of wedding suppliers is daunting. Fortunately we know who is great and who isn’t – saving you valuable time, money and heartache. We never engage any supplier that doesn’t represent excellent quality and value.
What services are you able to offer the couple who have a small budget?
Love 2 Love understand every client is different, and that relates to budget too. For couples who have a tight budget our Planning Consultancy Package is perfect. This service provides a great foundation to the wedding planning process and includes consultations, budget planning, preferred supplier recommendations and general help with your vision and how to achieve it.
What do you see, as the single most important/time consuming task a wedding planner or stylist can do for the bridal couple?
Think about it this way, it probably took you years to find your perfect match in your future spouse, and now you need to find your perfect match in your wedding vendors, and quickly! A professional wedding planner is a lot like a matchmaker, only instead of finding people his/her perfect mate, she helps match couples with wedding vendors that match their vision, personality and budget.
Image by I Love Wednesdays
Are you able to suggest some elegant alternatives to:
- chairs with chair covers
- Hire chairs, by the time you’ve paid for chair covers and sashes it will probably be around the same amount to furniture hire.
- the Mason jar
- Amber / clear bottles with narrow necks
- Hessian table runners
- Floral table runner
- Garland table runner
- Fabric table runner
- Lots of flowers
- Use greenery, herbs, fruit or vegetables instead of blooms
- Balloons
- detailed hurricane glasses, filled with bright candles
Where do you find your inspiration to make each wedding fresh and unique?
I’m always on the lookout for fresh ideas, resources, materials and products and find inspiration from a variety of sources. My go-to platforms though, have to be Instagram and Pinterest!
Which elements do you like using time and again, to add the wow factor?
There are several classic pieces that can be included in the styling of any wedding. I love to use candles, hanging floral arrangements, Festoon Lights and touches of gold – all of these elements used together or on their own add a great energy to the room.
Image by Love 2 Love Wedding & Event Planner
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Spending time with family and friends.
I love Sydney because……
Sydney truly is a world class city of opportunity, vibrancy and a place steeped in rich history. I love the people, café culture, lifestyle, beaches and cultural diversity the place I call home, has to offer.
Thank you Jason for sharing your very interesting story. To find out more about Love 2 Love Wedding & Event Planner visit the website.
Headshot by Frank Farrugia Photography.
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