It doesn't take much to see exactly why the team at eph*ra (pronounced: EFF-ra) event design is quickly becoming  one of the most sought out Event Designers in Toronto, Oakville and beyond. With their fresh, fun and hip, yet sophisticated approach and exceptional attention to detail, founding partners Dawn Stafrace and Alanna Stephen have a clear sense of style that will literally leave your guests breathless on your wedding day.

In fact, we were so blown away by their work that we featured them in three separate articles in the Spring/Summer 2012 edition of The Wedding Ring, including one of our absolute favourite design palettes ever (link)!

Here's more on this fabulous duo.....

Personally Speaking

For Dawn and Alanna, the progression to event designer was a natural one. Both women helped plan  several weddings for friends and family and loved every minute of it. So, when they were both at a point in their careers where they needed a change, they decided that it was the perfect opportunity to open up their business, "We had joked for a while about going into business together and getting serious about wedding planning. One day, we decided to get serious about it. We sat down, created a business plan, got excited about it, came up with a name and here we are today!"

Dawn and Alanna officially registered their business in March of 2009 and say that they couldn't be happier with their decision, "We don't consider it 'work' and we consider ourselves lucky that we don't have to go into a "job" everyday. We are inspired by our clients, their vision and how it is the most important thing in the world to them."

The Ying and the Yang

While both women have the creative flair needed to put together an incredible wedding, Alanna says Dawn is the creative driving force of the company. "She is incredibly talented. She sees spaces differently and easily comes up with solutions to layout problems."

And  Alanna's strengths seems to be the perfect complement to Dawn's creativity. Dawn tells us, "Alanna is extremely organized, process oriented and focused on the details, whether they be aesthetic or practical. She ensures that nothing is missed, keeps everything on track and is responsible for all client communication."

Now, after almost three years in business, Dawn and Alanna have planned numerous weddings, from the engagement party to the last dance and everything in between.

Wedding professionals and media outlooks alike are also taking notice of Dawn and Alanna. They've been featured in Style Me Pretty Canada (twice!), The Wedding Chicks, 100 Layer Cake and The Wedding Ring Magazine.

Dawn and Alanna also feel that it's important to give back to their community. They regularly donate their services to not-for-profit organizations and have planned a number of charity fundraising events.

Sophisticated Style

Among a long list of favourite things, the team at eph*ra has become known for creating beautiful settings that truly blow guests away. "Our clients come to us because they sense a synergy with us and our work and the relationships we develop keep us motivated. We also love the process and seeing it all come together in the end - the big reveal and our clients' satisfaction is the best part!"

While Dawn and Alanna have worked with a wide range of clients, they say that most of their couples are looking for a fresh, current and hip style that appeals to the professional, discerning and sophisticated couple.

Couples are also attracted to the eph*ra team because of their clear commitment to doing whatever it takes to ensure that each event is flawless. It's both their accessibility and attention to detail that gives couples peace of mind before their wedding day, "We are approachable so couples feel like they can be open with us and they know we really listen and give them exactly what they envision."

Bride Kate Kent was married on July 16th, 2011 and couldn't agree more. She hired the team at eph*ra to style her fresh and fun, lemon inspired wedding. From the custom table runners, to the custom lemonade stand, to unique centrepeices on each guest table, Dawn and Alanna took care of every detail to ensure that Kate's wedding was exactly what she envisioned.

Kate told The Ring, " I love decor and details so they were the perfect duo for me to work with. Since I had so many ideas they were able to streamline all of them and pull everything together. Also they were able to stay within my wedding budget even when I had so many things that I wanted to accomplish. The were the best stylists I could have asked for!"

Popular Package

While eph*ra offers several packages and options, their most popular service is the design and styling element. "We take our clients' ideas and design the whole look of the wedding from the ceremony to the reception.  We take care of all the little details and ensure perfect set up on the day of."

Clients come to Dawn and Alanna with a variety of needs. Some need help with the whole wedding-including finding the ceremony and reception venues- and some just need help with styling their wedding and set up of the reception decor. Whatever their couples are looking for, Dawn and Alanna can tailor their services to fit their clients' needs and wedding day vision.

Walking you through it

If you're interested in booking the team at eph*ra for your wedding, send them an email to get in touch. From here, Dawn and Alanna like to set up a (free!) consultation with you so that you can get to know eachother and they can learn more about your wedding vision.

Dawn and Alanna will also explain their different services and let you know what they can do to help take the pressure off during your planning process. You'll also have the  opportunity to ask them any questions you might have.

If you hire eph*ra for the wedding day, both Dawn and Alanna will be there, "Generally speaking, we are a package deal!"

Kate Kent says her experience working with the team at eph*ra was incredible, "They really understood my passion and look I was going for. They had amazing creative ideas and were excellent to work with, they took all of my thoughts/inspiration and compiled them into a  spectacular wedding day that I will never forget. They were hard working, patient, and truly creative girls. They were able to listen to me and come up with the exact look and feeling I was going for."

Details, details, details

Dawn and Alanna require a 50% deposit of the total package price upon booking. They also require a signed agreement in order to secure your wedding date.

It is best to book at least 6 months before your wedding. However, couples can contact Dawn and Alanna to find out if their wedding date is available.

Contacting eph*ra event design

To find out more, contact Alanna Stephen of Eph*ra Event Design by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 905-876-6741. Check out their website here.