Specializing in Weddings since 1999. We Design and Implement Wedding Decor from Back drops, Centerpieces, Chair Covers to Fresh Flowers. Consultations are free c 819 921 8674 or office 613-212-1482
We have been designing and executing weddings for Ottawa brides for 12 years. The first bridal show booth we rented was beside the owners of Cody Party Rental back in 1999 when they first opened for business. We have sustained our reputation as a credible and trusting wedding vendor for 12 years. We have survived the tumultous waves of change, and watched countless vendors enter into the industry, burn out, and exit within 2 years.
When I first opened for business, vendors charged between $8.00-$10.00 for chair covers, I rented mine for $ 2.95. Did I put some Ottawa chair cover vendors out of business, yes I did and I am glad! I have held onto the core value I built Add Pizzazz foundation on; to provide high end wedding designs to my customers at an affordable price. When I first opened for business, overlays cost $ 35.00 each to rent. High end designs was available to those who could afford it. Now, thank god, atleast my competitors are charging fairly reasonable prices. But, do you know what my competitors do in the middle of peak season? Jack the rental prices to sometimes more than double.
Now I am noticing a new trend, and one that baffles me. Yes, it is true, you can go buy decor items from China, import them in, and they will end up costing you what you would pay my Company to rent the same items, but why? Why not support a local wedding vendor whom is working hard to bring affordable decor to couples. Why not support local economy? Why pour money into importing items from China, and contributing to the gas wasting, "use it and then throw it away" mentality that has put our environment at risk? Why hire 3 separate vendors to do the work that Add Pizzazz does at 1/2 the cost?
After this weekends show, I reflect on the questions couples asked me.
Wedding design is not as simple as picking a certain color, meeting a florist, and then finding overlays, and renting chair covers, and then getting your friends to put the stuff together for you on your wedding day. If you do this, you end up with a flat, one dimensional event comprised of a smattering of different vendors rental items. Wedding design is multfacted, 3 dimensional process, with several layers of ideas, and elements of the event, that, when put together professionally work in unison to define your personality as a couple. The event tells a love story of the journey you have both taken together, it is a reflection of your tastes, and your character.
The fresh flowers you chose match the character of your dress, the grooms attire, the church and the reception venue. For example, if you are wearing a classic, straight line dress, you chose classic flowers such as calla lilies, and roses. Keeping the formal design in mind, you chose a venue that suits the formality of your attire. The decor, then lines up with the style of the hall, keeping in mind the elements that set the tone of the venue.
It is easy to guess that it is cheaper to rent what you need and put it together yourself, I personally guarantee you will end up paying more than hiring a designer, and your event will look flat, and like a smattering of rental items rental vendors own. Your event will not be original and unique to you.
Add Pizzazz is a wedding design Company, this means we work to create an event that tells your story, and reflects your personality. We take into account your personality, and we work with you to create a romantic story that is yours alone. As a wedding vendor, we supply the chair covers, the overlays, the fresh floral designs, the centerpeices, and the accent decor. One vendor, one go to person, not 2, 3 or 4 different vendors, each supplying one element, and each charging you the delivery, and pick up. What do you prefer, coordinating with one person on your wedding day, with one fee, or 3 or 4 different vendors and 3 or 4 different delivery, and pick up fees?
At the end of every wedding season I take time to reflect back on
how my season went, what was good, and what was bad. I regroup and set
a plan of action to rectify mistakes, and reset my Company standard for
the upcoming year. It has been 12 years since I started my wedding
design Company Add Pizzazz. My first show I had a booth beside
fledgling Cody Party Rentals. We both had the same vision, to carve a
niche in the Ottawa wedding market, but with two very different
approaches. They went big; huge trucks, vendor space, warehouses,
several different locations, I kept it simple. A small store front, and
one small van. Rather than deciding to buy inventory, and show my
customers what they needed to create their dream wedding, I chose to
listen to what they wanted for their dream wedding, and worked with
them to create events that reflected their personality, style and fit
within their budget.
What a different approach! I know I was
considered a "nobody" in the industry. I was a little blip on the
wedding vendor treadmill, and I survived under the radar all this time
for one reason, "big vendors" go for the "big spenders" and they never
felt threatened by me because I never really posed a threat to them,
they did not care about the small budget weddings. Venue's watched me
roll in with my old white van, hauling out fabric by the lbs, flowers,
vases, etc. Did I fit the "wedding vendor business man profile"? NOT!!
Did I make my customers happy? YES! I had so much fun. Every week I
made a bride cry, in a good way! The positive reinforcement fed my
desire to do it again, and again, and again. I was a wedding decorating
machine! Every week was a marathon of obstacles, problems, and
situations that required time, and critical thinking to solve! My
wedding decorating life has been a huge game of overcoming obstacles.
In
the beginning, it was a true leap of faith for brides to pull the wool
back away from their eyes, and consider that they did not have to
subscribe to industry standard of what they needed on their wedding
day. They were allowed to say "I cannot afford that", and I worked with
them to create events that looked amazing, but did not break the bank!
Time and again I would haul in beside another "big scene" vendor, they
would take days to set up, I would take no longer than 8 hours. The
servers, and set up staff at the venue's would be in shock and awe that
my finished product was just as amazing as the quadruple digit event in
the room next door. The "big scene" vendor stuffed the room with
everything the customers pocket book said yes to, with bills surging up
into the 10's of 1000's of dollars. My service fee averaged $ 1200.00-
$2,200.00 per event. Time and again I would just shake my head and say
"Why"? What makes a bride and groom so frenzied on their wedding day
that they spend that much money? For 8 hours? To this day, I still do
not have the answer. On the flip side, I would also witness a frenzied
bride, and her friends decorating the venue on their own in an effort
to save money. They would spend 1000's on tulle, lights, gimmicky
trinkets, all in an effort to make the room look like a wedding, and in
the end, leave a box 3/4 full of unused left over fabric, and rush out
of the hall late for the church. Or even worse, I would witness a
mother of the bride frantically trying to make it all come together
only to stress herself out so much that by the time the wedding party
arrived at the reception, she was ready to go home to bed!!
My
under the radar approach to business worked wonders for me. Add Pizzazz
is still producing lovely weddings for Ottawa brides. I have noticed a
few new trend in the last two years. More small time vendors are
popping up. Duplication of service, duplication of wording, new vendors
coming on the scene with website copy that is so close to mine that it
knocks words right out of my mouth. Vendor espionage, flat out vicious
cruel behavior that to this day I still cringe when I remember what has
occurred. My reaction was to retreat simply because I refused to lower
myself to such a pitiful standard of behavior. How bad was it? I had
another wedding vendor send their staff in to work for my Company and
covertly steal my customers and money right out from underneath my
nose!! I had a venue owner hold me in ransom that I do her wedding,
duplicate another vendor's work exactly, and if I refused, she and her
family would ruin my reputation and I would never do another wedding
at their venue again. I guess I slipped out from underneath the radar!
I
decided that this year was my year to regroup, and rework my business
and my approach to customers. I scaled back, focused on my customers,
and my service process, and I had a great year. Happy customers, and
amazing, trendsetting events. I am rested, and I am right back under
the radar, right where I want to be!
My Company key focus has
always been work to understand the customers needs. I do not want to
tell them what they need, or what I can offer them. I want to work with
them to discover their needs and assist them in achieving what they
want for their wedding within a reasonable budget. I have met all types
of brides, and I have managed to stay tuned and only work for the kind
and patient ones! Some brides are linear in their thinking, and
subscribe to the "big is best" mentality. Others have shopped and met
with every vendor, broken down each one's offer, and analyzed them
each, calculating, based on value. Some have chosen me, others have
not, and that is ok! Generally speaking, it has been great, I have
worked with great customers, and I still have that desire to keep doing
what I do.
Do I get frustrated. YES. My greatest frustration
has always been when a bride asks me to duplicate another vendors work
but charge less. Nothing frustrates me more! I have no reason, or
desire to recreate a 20 ft sheer curtain back drop, with crystals, that
looks exactly like another vendors work. Why not just go hire the
vendor, they thought of it, it is their design. What makes me happy? I
am happy when I work with a bride and create an event that reflects
their personality and style. I love to feel that I have shared a
personal relationship with my customer. I love to feel trusted. The
event we are creating is unique to them, I love being the the purveyor
of their original vision!
I want to make your dream work! I
want to be a part of the process, and I want to be there on your
wedding day and see you cry tears of joy!
Comments
We have been designing and executing weddings for Ottawa brides for 12 years. The first bridal show booth we rented was beside the owners of Cody Party Rental back in 1999 when they first opened for business. We have sustained our reputation as a credible and trusting wedding vendor for 12 years. We have survived the tumultous waves of change, and watched countless vendors enter into the industry, burn out, and exit within 2 years.
When I first opened for business, vendors charged between $8.00-$10.00 for chair covers, I rented mine for $ 2.95. Did I put some Ottawa chair cover vendors out of business, yes I did and I am glad! I have held onto the core value I built Add Pizzazz foundation on; to provide high end wedding designs to my customers at an affordable price. When I first opened for business, overlays cost $ 35.00 each to rent. High end designs was available to those who could afford it. Now, thank god, atleast my competitors are charging fairly reasonable prices. But, do you know what my competitors do in the middle of peak season? Jack the rental prices to sometimes more than double.
Now I am noticing a new trend, and one that baffles me. Yes, it is true, you can go buy decor items from China, import them in, and they will end up costing you what you would pay my Company to rent the same items, but why? Why not support a local wedding vendor whom is working hard to bring affordable decor to couples. Why not support local economy? Why pour money into importing items from China, and contributing to the gas wasting, "use it and then throw it away" mentality that has put our environment at risk? Why hire 3 separate vendors to do the work that Add Pizzazz does at 1/2 the cost?
After this weekends show, I reflect on the questions couples asked me.
Wedding design is not as simple as picking a certain color, meeting a florist, and then finding overlays, and renting chair covers, and then getting your friends to put the stuff together for you on your wedding day. If you do this, you end up with a flat, one dimensional event comprised of a smattering of different vendors rental items. Wedding design is multfacted, 3 dimensional process, with several layers of ideas, and elements of the event, that, when put together professionally work in unison to define your personality as a couple. The event tells a love story of the journey you have both taken together, it is a reflection of your tastes, and your character.
The fresh flowers you chose match the character of your dress, the grooms attire, the church and the reception venue. For example, if you are wearing a classic, straight line dress, you chose classic flowers such as calla lilies, and roses. Keeping the formal design in mind, you chose a venue that suits the formality of your attire. The decor, then lines up with the style of the hall, keeping in mind the elements that set the tone of the venue.
It is easy to guess that it is cheaper to rent what you need and put it together yourself, I personally guarantee you will end up paying more than hiring a designer, and your event will look flat, and like a smattering of rental items rental vendors own. Your event will not be original and unique to you.
Add Pizzazz is a wedding design Company, this means we work to create an event that tells your story, and reflects your personality. We take into account your personality, and we work with you to create a romantic story that is yours alone. As a wedding vendor, we supply the chair covers, the overlays, the fresh floral designs, the centerpeices, and the accent decor. One vendor, one go to person, not 2, 3 or 4 different vendors, each supplying one element, and each charging you the delivery, and pick up. What do you prefer, coordinating with one person on your wedding day, with one fee, or 3 or 4 different vendors and 3 or 4 different delivery, and pick up fees?
At the end of every wedding season I take time to reflect back on how my season went, what was good, and what was bad. I regroup and set a plan of action to rectify mistakes, and reset my Company standard for the upcoming year. It has been 12 years since I started my wedding design Company Add Pizzazz. My first show I had a booth beside fledgling Cody Party Rentals. We both had the same vision, to carve a niche in the Ottawa wedding market, but with two very different approaches. They went big; huge trucks, vendor space, warehouses, several different locations, I kept it simple. A small store front, and one small van. Rather than deciding to buy inventory, and show my customers what they needed to create their dream wedding, I chose to listen to what they wanted for their dream wedding, and worked with them to create events that reflected their personality, style and fit within their budget.
What a different approach! I know I was considered a "nobody" in the industry. I was a little blip on the wedding vendor treadmill, and I survived under the radar all this time for one reason, "big vendors" go for the "big spenders" and they never felt threatened by me because I never really posed a threat to them, they did not care about the small budget weddings. Venue's watched me roll in with my old white van, hauling out fabric by the lbs, flowers, vases, etc. Did I fit the "wedding vendor business man profile"? NOT!! Did I make my customers happy? YES! I had so much fun. Every week I made a bride cry, in a good way! The positive reinforcement fed my desire to do it again, and again, and again. I was a wedding decorating machine! Every week was a marathon of obstacles, problems, and situations that required time, and critical thinking to solve! My wedding decorating life has been a huge game of overcoming obstacles.
In the beginning, it was a true leap of faith for brides to pull the wool back away from their eyes, and consider that they did not have to subscribe to industry standard of what they needed on their wedding day. They were allowed to say "I cannot afford that", and I worked with them to create events that looked amazing, but did not break the bank! Time and again I would haul in beside another "big scene" vendor, they would take days to set up, I would take no longer than 8 hours. The servers, and set up staff at the venue's would be in shock and awe that my finished product was just as amazing as the quadruple digit event in the room next door. The "big scene" vendor stuffed the room with everything the customers pocket book said yes to, with bills surging up into the 10's of 1000's of dollars. My service fee averaged $ 1200.00- $2,200.00 per event. Time and again I would just shake my head and say "Why"? What makes a bride and groom so frenzied on their wedding day that they spend that much money? For 8 hours? To this day, I still do not have the answer. On the flip side, I would also witness a frenzied bride, and her friends decorating the venue on their own in an effort to save money. They would spend 1000's on tulle, lights, gimmicky trinkets, all in an effort to make the room look like a wedding, and in the end, leave a box 3/4 full of unused left over fabric, and rush out of the hall late for the church. Or even worse, I would witness a mother of the bride frantically trying to make it all come together only to stress herself out so much that by the time the wedding party arrived at the reception, she was ready to go home to bed!!
My under the radar approach to business worked wonders for me. Add Pizzazz is still producing lovely weddings for Ottawa brides. I have noticed a few new trend in the last two years. More small time vendors are popping up. Duplication of service, duplication of wording, new vendors coming on the scene with website copy that is so close to mine that it knocks words right out of my mouth. Vendor espionage, flat out vicious cruel behavior that to this day I still cringe when I remember what has occurred. My reaction was to retreat simply because I refused to lower myself to such a pitiful standard of behavior. How bad was it? I had another wedding vendor send their staff in to work for my Company and covertly steal my customers and money right out from underneath my nose!! I had a venue owner hold me in ransom that I do her wedding, duplicate another vendor's work exactly, and if I refused, she and her family would ruin my reputation and I would never do another wedding at their venue again. I guess I slipped out from underneath the radar!
I decided that this year was my year to regroup, and rework my business and my approach to customers. I scaled back, focused on my customers, and my service process, and I had a great year. Happy customers, and amazing, trendsetting events. I am rested, and I am right back under the radar, right where I want to be!
My Company key focus has always been work to understand the customers needs. I do not want to tell them what they need, or what I can offer them. I want to work with them to discover their needs and assist them in achieving what they want for their wedding within a reasonable budget. I have met all types of brides, and I have managed to stay tuned and only work for the kind and patient ones! Some brides are linear in their thinking, and subscribe to the "big is best" mentality. Others have shopped and met with every vendor, broken down each one's offer, and analyzed them each, calculating, based on value. Some have chosen me, others have not, and that is ok! Generally speaking, it has been great, I have worked with great customers, and I still have that desire to keep doing what I do.
Do I get frustrated. YES. My greatest frustration has always been when a bride asks me to duplicate another vendors work but charge less. Nothing frustrates me more! I have no reason, or desire to recreate a 20 ft sheer curtain back drop, with crystals, that looks exactly like another vendors work. Why not just go hire the vendor, they thought of it, it is their design. What makes me happy? I am happy when I work with a bride and create an event that reflects their personality and style. I love to feel that I have shared a personal relationship with my customer. I love to feel trusted. The event we are creating is unique to them, I love being the the purveyor of their original vision!
I want to make your dream work! I want to be a part of the process, and I want to be there on your wedding day and see you cry tears of joy!
Kelmany Ross, Owner of Add Pizzazz