As promised, this is the first blog entry in my series of “Meeting with local businesses.”
Last weekend I had the opportunity to meet with and photograph Julia Fachnie-O’Grady, owner of In the Moment Party and Event Planning.
Julia and her company are based in Kemptville, ON (only a short drive from Ottawa). She was organizing an impressive wedding venue accomodating 450 people. 
The venue was called the Palace, located at 156 Cleopatra Drive in Ottawa and when she and her team were finished with the place it indeed looked like a palace!
Julia began her business back in 2010, her only employee….herself. Now Julia employs up to 30 staff members at a time on contract and continues to grow. I asked her how she went from her desk job as a privacy specialist, to the creative star she is today.
“Everyone told me I was naturally good at planning and putting a special spin on parties, I add a lot of personal touches. People who knew me best kept telling me I should start my own business.” Julia always enjoyed throwing parties and making them special for herself and for others. She has a passion for it, so she took the plunge, began her own business and here she is today.
ITM Party and event planning can accomodate any size of party or event you have in mind. Naturally Julia will organize wedding venues, but she also takes care of private parties (which are her favorite because she can personalize them so much), festivals, trade shows, golf tournaments, conferences and celebrations of life.
I asked her a little more about what the celebrations of life entailed. Julia wants to get the word out that she does help plan and organize a unique experience for people during the hardest and most emotional times of their lives. She wants to help people come together during the passing of a loved one by celebrating who they were in life, by focusing on the joy they brought to their friends and family, not just the sadness of passing on. She will do this by working with the family in a venue of their choosing (or she can recommend something also). She suggests choosing a place where the person was most comfortable or enjoyed. It could be their favorite pub, restaurant, at home or anywhere really. It becomes a place where it is less formal than the reception line at a funeral home and people can pay their respects to the family, reminisce, and celebrate the life of the person they love.
ITM is based in Kemptville, ON but Julia and her crew can travel if needed. Currently they serve Ottawa, Kingston, Cornwall and anywhere in between. If you want to book outside of this area, Julia is ready to accommodate, just contact for details!
The photos are of Julia and her staff taking this wonderful wedding venue from blah to hurrah. Okay that was a cheesy line, but…I was impressed by tall the little details and tasteful decor Julia chose to represent her wedding couple. No doubt the couple and the guests were impressed also!
You can contact Julia and ITM by calling (613) 223-5933, e-mail julia@inthemomentparties or check out her website at www.creatingmoments.ca
Thanks again to Julia and her staff for letting me hang around for the day!
Wedding cake created by Tanya Mercer of Sugar House Cakes: Kemptville, Ontario. (613) 258-9355 sugarhousecakes@hotmail.com
