WPIC Planner of the Month:

  Photo courtesy of: Brock Photo

Melissa Nowakowski has been WPIC Certified and owner of Et Lofte Events for seven years.  Since becoming certified and starting up her business, she has found her niche in the wedding market. 

For years she planned weddings of all different styles, which she says was great because it broadened her horizons.  In the last few years she was able to firmly set herself and her business apart from other companies and follow her true calling as an off-beat event and wedding planner.  Melissa now helps her clients to create unique and off-beat celebrations that best suit their personalities.

When trying to think of a name for her company and to brand herself, she knew she wanted something different from any other name in the wedding industry.  She wanted something unique but that still represented what she does.  “I figured since I was promising to create a memorable and cohesive celebration a promise was an appropriate word to use. “ Melissa turned to her Danish father-in-law to translate a promise into his language.  He replied with “et lofte”.  It was different, unique, nabbed attention and not clichà©! It was perfect!  “I fell in love with it and to this day I’m proud of its uniqueness and what it stands for”, says Melissa of her distinctive company name.  (Which I love!!)

Before going full time with Et Lofte Events, Melissa had been everything from a Marketing Director to a Publicity Manager to an Event Planner and she says, “and in some cases all three at once!”  The first wedding Melissa ever planned was when a corporate client asked her to plan her upcoming wedding.  Melissa says she successfully created the wedding the client wanted, but wasn’t educated in the art of weddings, this was the deciding factor for her to take the WPIC Course.  Melissa is now a part of the WPIC Team as an instructor – and we’re glad to have her!

“Any good event planner knows that you don’t just wake up one day and poof! You’re an event planner!”
– Melissa Nowakowski

To start out, Melissa started networking immediately.  She worked with other wedding professionals through networking dinners, seminars, open houses and Bridal Shows.  Melissa states, “I am still grateful to this day to some key wedding professionals who created opportunities for me that I wouldn’t have encountered had I not met them.  Melissa researched where other successful planners were marketing, and selected the avenues that best fit her company and business model. 

To new WPIC Alumni, Melissa gives the advice to have confidence in your own self by focusing on your personal strengths, stay clear of gossip and over-competitive behaviour and operate your business ethically and morally. 

Her favourite part planning a wedding with a couple is the creative process.  She loves to be challenged to come up with ideas, designs and concepts that have never been done before.  Melissa sees any wedding as a blank canvas with virtually very little “rules” and loves to create not only a look, but a full wedding experience.  When clients come to her with open minds and want her creative ideas that are personalized to who they are, she’s the happiest!

“Whatever their preferences I love the challenge of coming up with an idea or concept that suits my clients personality, emotion and vision and as a result creating a celebration that they can be proud of and thoroughly enjoy without the feeling of being limited by tradition.”
– Melissa Nowakowski

The worst part of the whole wedding experience, in Melissa’s mind, is saying goodbye to clients after their wedding.  Melissa spends so much time and establishes such a close relationship with her clients and still tries to stay in touch with them after the wedding, but she states it’s still difficult to let go.

One of her favourite wedding memories is when a groom-client wanted to do something special to surprise his bride on their wedding day.  Together they came up with the idea to have the song for their first dance performed live.  On the wedding day, the DJ began to play their song, “More Than Words”, but then faded out the music just as an acoustic guitarist and a singer came on stage to sing a jazz rendition of the same song.  The bride was floored and the groom was thrilled!

When Melissa could no longer juggle working full time and her own business she had to give up one.  Melissa decided it was time to find the balance in her life. She was stressed out more often than she was happy and that began to transcend to her personal life.  Sanity, family and “Mel Time” were much more important to her than an extra pay check.  Since Et Lofte Events became her full time business she has been much more happier and has had the opportunity to promote and grow the business, which has opened up even more doors for her company and more family time!    

Melissa has always been career-driven and a workaholic so when her first son arrived, priorities needed to be reset.   Recently Melissa welcomed her second son, so I’m sure that balance is in the process of being found and created once more as they try to adjust to a new baby in the house. 

One obstacle that Melissa has overcome, is constantly worrying about what others thought of her and her business.  She felt that she had to adopt a persona that fit the mould of what a typical wedding planner was in appearance, personality, professionalism and success.  Once she discovered that she didn’t have to be like every other planner, and that couples with the same personalities as her would be drawn to her and her business, she stopped worrying about what others thought. 

“It took me a few years but I eventually discovered that my quirky, bold and brash, somewhat sarcastic, Doc Martin-wearing personality was not just a part of who I was, but also who Et Lofte Events was.“ – Melissa Nowakowski

Just for fun, I asked Mel which celebrity couple she would pick to plan their wedding, her choices were two couples who are already married, but consisted of Katy Perry and Russell Brand or Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale – for the sheer factor that they are out of the box thinkers and would be open to even the farthest ideas.  Which is what Et Lofte Events is all about!

In 2011, Melissa wishes to create more of a balance between weddings and events by increasing her event planning exposure and clientele.  She would love to see Et Lofte’s staff grow and to eventually open up a boutique office space downtown with a full staff.

It seems Melissa and Et Lofte Events are well on their way to becoming a boutique wedding and event planning company downtown.    Et Lofte Events has not only appeared in numerous magazines and blogs (BizBash.com, Strategy Magazine, Marketing Magazine, and  TheRingBearer.com to name a few) but were also on the Grace Ormonde Platinum List for 2009 and 2010.  Et Lofte Events is a Blue Diamond Society Selected Member, a Blue Label Society Selected Member and has recently been invited to become a member of Wedluxe Magazine’s Glitteratti. 

Congratulations Melissa on being the "WPIC Planner of the Month" and I wish you all the best with all your business endeavours in 2011 and the future, and congratulations on your new little one!