Planning a fabulous event takes a lot of work! Eliza Schmitz, Owner and Creative Director of Toast Events, lives, eats, and breathes weddings. She's not going to give clients checklists or corny sentiments that have nothing to do with who they are and how they live, because what they need from her is to share the kind of information that just isn’t out there. The industry is full of unattainable ideas or, even worse, one-size-fits-all planning techniques.
Eliza infuses weddings with Toast’s signature je ne sais quois in every detail, so that the entire day is customized to her clients in a way that can never be duplicated. Toast Events' award-winning Ottawa wedding planners believe in slowing down the planning process to allow the art of simplicity and exclusivity to coincide. By working with a limited number of clients per year, they guarantee elevated design concepts, detailed consultations, and unrivaled creativity.
Eliza may just be the first to admit she has a fabulous job! When people find out what she does for a living, there’s always a flurry of excitement with questions to follow. "Is your job super fun? (Yes!) How many weddings have you done? (I stopped counting at 300.) Do you eat lots of cake? (Maybe...) And the million dollar question, what’s your best piece of advice?" And to this she says:
What inspired you to enter the wedding industry?
In my early 20s I graduated in Hotel & Restaurant Management and soon realized it wasn’t exciting or challenging enough for me. So I decided to take on event management. What I loved most about this education was that it exercised my greatest strengths of being highly organized, efficient, strategic, and curious, had unlimited possibilities, and a constant learning curve. I’m 100% project driven. I love that there's a beginning and end to each event/wedding and that I'm part of clients lives in a meaningful way. But what inspired me 13 years ago is not what drives me today. What I love most is the art of creating and transforming spaces, always challenging myself to beautify and create anew. If you were to ask me what comes first, I would say I’m a designer, not a planner. What I’m really doing is designing and creating an experience.
Why did you start Toast Events?
To be completely honest, the industry found me. I was working as an event coordinator for a convention centre when wedding clients started asking me if I could be their “day of” wedding coordinator on the side. My first thought was, "Perfect, I can make some extra money to save up for a downpayment on my house." Literally that was my goal. No further plans of having my own business, I was simply excited to have a secondary revenue stream for my savings. One client became two, I dabbled in floral design, the word spread and before you knew it I was called by the Prime Minister's staff to design and decorate his formal offices for the holidays, and the rest was history. I never had a business plan, everything was through word of mouth and I learned along the way. I'm 100% self-taught and an entrepreneur in the truest sense of the word.
How does using Aisle Planner help you deliver the client experience you want to?
I started my business when Facebook business pages and Instagram didn’t exist. My day to day operations and organizational skills comprised of paper agendas, Microsoft word timelines, document templates, client binders, and excel accounting spreadsheets. Literally my brain was Aisle Planner! There simply was nothing out there to keep you organized or even show you how to be organized. A few years into my business I tried the first ever beta cloud software for wedding planning with no success. Not only was it not designed intuitively, it was also definitely not pretty to look at or brand-able. When I found AP it literally elevated my client experience to another level. Now my clients could see their wedding unfold in real time. It was a game changer not only for me but for my clients.
What is your favorite Aisle Planner feature?
Floor Plans! OMG the day that dropped I literally screamed for joy! So much of what I do is design related and based on the intricate floor plans I create. My floor plans don’t just have tables and chairs. My typical floor plan will have several layers: rental counts, multiple floral designs, furniture rentals, catering details, seating and stationary details, the list goes on. I even have a floor plan layer just for candles!
If you weren't the Owner + Creative Director of Toast Events, what would you be doing instead, or what would your life be like?
I feel like there are two sides to this question. If you would've asked my 16-year-old self, my dream was to become a fashion designer. I had plans to live and attend school in Italy. Asking me this same question right now, if I were to go back and choose another profession that I think I would excel in now, I would've chosen to become a lawyer or psychologist.
What are three things you never show up without on event day?
- Bone Broth: There’s little time to eat during a busy wedding day so instead I sip on hot homemade bone broth. It keeps me hydrated and full of energy!
- Tool Kit: There's nothing I can’t macgyver! Something always breaks and someone always needs tape! I may or may not have nine types of tape in my kit…
- Snack Kit: I'm the snack queen and I feed everyone! Guaranteed I’m always pushing snacks in front of my bridal party and vendors to keep everyone happy and sustained throughout the day.
What’s your personal philosophy on becoming a great wedding and event planner?
Stay curious. Stay creative.
What’s your trademark in the client or event experience?
I try to make sure that every client feels like they're my only client.
Is there anything you are particularly excited about working on this year?
There is! I'm currently writing my first book.
Just for fun
Three things you wouldn't board a plane without?
Advil, snacks, pillow, and anti-bacterial wipes…because I’m afraid of flying!
I’m dying to take a trip to…
I’ve had the privilege of traveling quite a bit since I was a young girl. So I wouldn’t say there is any specific place I’m dying to go, but I'd love to go anywhere with my whole family! Mom, dad, sisters, husband—all of them!
Dogs or cats?
Dogs! My pup Hugo is literally my soulmate!
If you owned a restaurant, what food would it serve?
A Paleo restaurant that focuses on food that’s served with immense amounts of cilantro.
What skill would you like to master?
Finance! If that can even be a thing.
What song do you know every word to?
Just about every Weeknd song… #shameless
Favorite book of all time?
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.
Non-work related hobbies?
Gardening!
On my days off you can find me…
Sipping cappuccinos in my garden with my husband and Hugo.
If you catch me out and about I’m always wearing…
Business attire or designer athleisure wear.
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Want to see more from Eliza? Check out her website toastevents.ca!
Hero photo courtesy Laura Kelly Photography
Video by Rowland Films
About the Author
