Hamilton Bridal Show 2013

Last weekend was a wonderful time at the Hamilton Bridal Show!   Hundreds of brides came to gather wedding planning information from close to 200 vendors, and to enjoy fanstastic fashion shows.  Some brides came alone... others with their grooms... and others with moms and bridal party members.   It made for a very busy couple of days!

I was also very excited to be able to display my new business logo on my banner as well as new business cards and service information handouts.


I make sure that I display my Wedding Day Emergency Kit at the show as I find couples are always intrigued with.  This year, I also displayed samples of the Welcome SWAG BAGS - a service I offer to put together welcome bags for the out-of-town guests who attend weddings or events.

Its always a fun time meeting and talking to many different brides.  I met brides who were very young... and brides who were in their 60's.  Most brides were first-time brides, but there were quite a few doing for the second time around as well. 

I love finding out about the themes and ideas that brides have for their special day.  Quite a few are planning to head away on a sunny destination wedding - definitely a growing trend.  One bride I met is planning a wedding weekend at a country retreat center - what fun spending a weekend with your guests!  Another bride is planning a 1920's theme wedding with their reception at a unique local theatre, with silent movies included!   One bride and her groom are big into sea-doos ... so their wedding theme will be sea-doos... held at a gun club with a lake at it!   Another bride won her wedding a local waterslide park and they plan to wear bathing suits under their bridal attire and go in the wave pool!   What I come away with from talking to all these brides is to realize that there is no limit to the creativity and unique ideas that these wonderful gals are coming up with!  

The days of cookie-cutter, traditional weddings are long gone... today's bride is all about unique, individual, creative, one-of-a-kind experiences.

Thanks to all the brides who stopped at my booth and took time to chat with me and fill out a ballot to win a champagne & chocolates gift package!  Congratulations on your engagement and enjoy your planning experiences!


To check out the websites of all the vendors who participated at the Hamilton Bridal Show:
http://hamilton-halton-spring-2013.exhibitors.topweddingshows.com/exhibitors/list

Weddingstar Warehouse - WOW!

During the first week of January, I was out in Medicine Hat, Alberta visiting family - and I found out that Medicine Hat is the headquarters for one of my favourite wedding catalogues - Weddingstar.   And - my brother in law knows the owner/president!   Before I realized it - I found myself meeting the President, Mr. Rick Brink and enjoying a fantastic tour of their 90,000 sq foot warehouse! 

I knew that Weddingstar provided thousands of great wedding products - but I had no idea they distribute over 3000 products and that they ship to brides in 70 countries around the world!  This company is truly committed to making every bride's dream of a unique, personal and special wedding a reality.    Quality control is very important to this company and they have excellent processes in place to ensure that every order they receive is filled exactly as expected.

Weddingstar is one of the world’s leading designers, manufactures and retailers of wedding accessories and they are celebrating 30 years in business this year.  They specialize in personalized accessories... everything from candles to stationary, glassware to favours, stickers to ribbons, napkins to cake toppers (and more!) can be personalized.

Recently, Weddingstar has formed a fantastic partnership with prestigeous wedding and event planner, Preston Bailey.  Preston has planned weddings for celebrities, dignitaries, CEO's, sports stars and royalty.  He will be launching his "Preston Bailey Tabletop Collection" with Weddingstar early in 2013, offering brides unique tabletop accessories for their weddings. 

It was an eye-opening experience to tour the Weddingstar facility and to learn all about the great services that they provide to their customers. 
It was truly a highlight of my visit to Medicine Hat.

For amazing ideas, great tips and excellent products, be sure to check out their website - or pick up their catalogue at your local bookstore (magazine section).
www.weddingstar.com

And of course, for more information about the creative Mr Bailey - check out his site as well....
www.prestonbailey.com.

Community Christmas Dinner

On Sunday, December 16th, the real meaning of "community" was experienced and demonstrated at Forest View Church in Oakville, as a traditional Christmas dinner was served to almost 400 guests - serving people who were from lower-income, new-to-Canada and marginalized sectors of the Halton region.  

The church sanctuary was transformed into an elegant banquet dining room - with 22 tables set up, all decorated with fine linens and china and silverware, centerpieces and candles.  Christmas trees decorated with mini lights and silver and purple ornaments graced the foyer space.  Gifts for the children of the families who attended the meal were provided. 

The whole event was run by various teams of volunteers.   One team stayed after church services in order to rearrange the sanctuary and set it up the dining room and do all the decorating.  At 4:00, for the first sitting - several people volunteered to drive guests who neeed rides.  A couple dozen volunteers arrived - some bringing hot cooked food and others who came to serve the food and wait on and clear tables.  One team of people worked the toy room, wrapping the gifts that guests selected for their children.  Other volunteers were table hosts, there to make guests feel welcome.  Then, after the first sitting, all new teams of volunteers arrived to do the whole thing over again at 6:30... and after that, a whole clean up crews came to tidy up and re-set the sanctuary back to a church setting.  All told probably close to 100 volunteers were involved to provide a delicious meal and great experience for over 400 guests.

It was a wonderful event to be a part of... to see the joy on the faces of people as they walked into a candle lit room.  To see them enjoy the children of the church who performed some Christmas songs during the first sitting... and to hear the musical treat of a jazz trio during the second sitting.   To meet families who were new to Canada and eating their first ever turkey dinner.   To hear the laugher and the chatter of people from various cultures, sitting together, interacting, and sharing in the joy of the meal and evening.   To hear guests express their gratitude for the gift of a nice evening out with a delicious meal as well.   To watch the volunteers scurrying around the dining room... taking care of needs and requests, serving guests with humility and graciousness.  To see the excited faces of children carrying their wrapped presents home with them at the end of the night.  It was truly an event that warmed my heart and brought joy to my soul... and one I look forward to helping with again next year!

Merry Christmas!


THANKS TO:
Paul Millar - Event Coordinator
Special Events Rentals
All the Volunteers from Forest View Church
and of course... the guests!!

Styling Your Bridesmaids

Recently, we discussed the attire elements for you, the Bride.  But once you have your wedding dress, headpiece, shoes and accessories selected, its then time to turn your attention to how to dress and style your bridesmaids.

Your gown will set the tone for the wedding as to how formal or how casual, how traditional or how trendy your day will be.  When selecting dresses for your girls, keep this same tone and theme in mind for them. 

Traditionally, the bride had full say and control over what dresses her bridal party would wear.  She selected the style and colour and her choice was not debated.  And for a more traditional or formal wedding, all bridesmaids usually wear the exact same dress.  The "PROS" of tradition is that there is no arguing or debating among bridesmaids which means less drama to deal with... and in the end, all the girls have the same look.  The "CONS" of tradition is that the bride may select a style (or colour) that really doesn't look good on all of her girls, leaving some feeling self-conscious and less-than-thrilled about an expense that she'll never wear again.

More recently however, the dynamics of bridesmaids styles have shifted somewhat, allowing the girls to have more input and say into the dresses that get selected.  And there has also been a trend towards allowing the bridesmaids to choose a dress of their choice, within certain parameters set out by the bride.  The "PROS" of being more flexible is that each girl can select a style that she feels secure and comfortable in, and they'll be happier about putting out money for a dress they will indeed wear again.  The "CONS" of individual choice is that the girls may look totally uncoordinated and sometimes giving too much freedom can end up with a bridesmaid selecting a dress that the bride totally dislikes. 

So, what is the best option for choosing your bridesmaids attire? 

In my personal opinion... it all goes back to what the tone, feel or theme of your wedding will be.  If it is very traditional and formal, then all the same dress (or at least all the same colour and length of dress by the same designer, but in different styles) is the best way to go.  But if your wedding is more casual and informal, then giving your girls guidelines about the colour and length and letting them choose their own dresses might be a better idea.

Regardless of how you decide to attire your bridesmaids... just remember to be considerate of their body styles, personal styles and budget as you make your decision.  Don't alienate a dear friend over a dress disagreement. 

And don't forget:  

on your wedding day

it is MORE important

that your BFF's are standing up with you as your maids

than what dress they are wearing!

A Bride's Attire... Tips and Ideas: Accessories

You have your wedding dress, your wedding shoes and your headpiece... the bridal look is coming together and is almost complete. The final elements are your accessories - which include jewellry, your handbag and of course, your undergarments!

It is common for brides to use their jewellry and accessories to fulfill the "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" traditions of weddings. An old brooch of grandma's pinned to your bouquet. A new clutch to hold all your day-of necessities. A strand of pearls borrowed from mom to compliment your dress. A garter of blue satin ribbon to entice your beloved! For Brides who love traditional jewellry looks for their wedding, these gems include gold, diamonds, crystals or pearls.

Choose jewellry with simple lines and delicate elements to add a nice touch to a formal gown.

For the more modern or unconventional bride, bold jewellry can really make a statement, bringing in whimisical elements or shots of colour or artistic interest. As always, keep in mind the overall look of your dress and the style of your wedding... and keep your jewellry selection in line with that.

Jewellry tip - don't wear your watch! Its the one day that you don't need to worry about time... let others do that for you!

Your next accessory for your wedding day is your purse... and for this one day, leave behind your super-size, carry-all bag and opt for a simple yet elegant clutch-style purse. You don't need to carry much with you for the day, so a small bag to hold your touch-up makeup and some tissues is about all you really need. The clutch can be the same colour as your gown, or you can choose a colour to match your shoes or the wedding theme. Just keep it small and easy to carry.

Probably the most important accessories for your wedding attire will be your undergarments, so be sure to choose these carefully. Whether you wear a bra or a bustier, you'll want to be sure that no straps show. Take your wedding day undergarments with you to a dress fitting so that you can be reassured by a professional seamstress that you will not be fussing with straps or bras peeking over the edge of your dress bodice. There are many different kinds of undergarment accessories you can buy to fix various "faux-pas" and keep those garments hiding! Also, you want to ensure that there are no unsightly seams or lines showing through your dress from your panties. You'll want to wear undergarments that lift and tuck and support in all the right places without adding bulk or lines. Thanks to the invention of shapers, such as Spanx, you have lots of great options for looking your best in your dress.

You are now all set to be the best-adorned, best-attired bride you can be... you've selected the dress of your dreams... the headpiece sends you over the top feeling like a true bride... your shoes will add a personal touch to your look... your jewellry and handbag will accent your dress and you'll feel supported and confident with your well-chosen undergarments!

Now all that's left for you to do is to
go get dressed ... its time to be a beautiful and confident bride!

A Bride's Attire... Tips and Ideas: Headpieces

So far in this "Bride's Attire" blog series, we've discussed wedding dresses - and then wedding shoes. Today, I want to chat about headpieces... the crowning touch to your bridal attire!

As in all other aspects of wedding wear - the options available to brides are endless! And again, what a bride chooses to wear on her head or in her hair is often dependent on the style of her dress and the theme of her wedding.

So, for a more traditional bridal look, veils are still the option of choice. Veils are usually attached to a comb so that they can be easily removed, while leaving the rest of the headpiece intact. Veils come in several different lengths (elbow, fingertip, chapel, cathedral lengths) and can be simple, plain tulle or embellished with pearls, crystals, ribbons, etc.

More modern options include combs, barrettes or headbands adorned with pearls, crystals, flowers or feathers and these can range from simple elegant styles to ornate, flasy "statement" creations. For those who love the princess look, what better headpiece than a sparkly tiara. Pillbox hats with bird-cage veils are a blast to the past and look lovely with a vintage look dress. Flower wreaths are a nice touch for soft, romantic, whimsical weddings. Thanks to Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and her recent Royal Wedding, hats and fascinators are more popular than ever at weddings both for brides, bridal parties and guests!

A fascinator is a head piece, or style of millinery, commonly made with feathers, flowers, jewels or beads that attaches to the hair by a comb, headband or clip, and is usually worn on the side of the head. For a bridal fascinator, there is often a bird-cage style veil included that is detachable, making it easy for the bride to have one look for the ceremony and a different look for photos and reception.

Many brides today are choosing to not wear any headpiece or veil, but instead, to just add small jewels or flowers to their hair style, giving them a simple and natural look.

So... here's my tips for headpiece shopping:

* keep in mind your dress style - and whenever possible, try on various headpiece options while wearing your dress so you can be sure that the headpiece looks appropriate with your dress. Sometimes, brides who are indecisive about a wedding dress find that by adding a headpiece and/or veil to the dress is all they need to convince them of the dress and the whole look comes together.

* be sure your hair is clean and nicely styled when trying on headpieces... maybe bring along a brush and some pins/hair elastics if you think you might wear your hari up abit... style your own hair a couple different ways to see how it affects the look of the headpiece.

* if your wedding will be outdoors, think carefully about whether to have a veil or not - I've seen several brides who have become flustered during the processional, ceremony and photos as their veil was whipped around by wind.

* when you go for your hair trial, be sure to take your headpiece or hair accessories with you so that the stylist will know how to do your hair while incorporating your headpiece for the best possible look.

So... dress, shoes, headpiece... check! Last items to discuss for your complete bridal attire... accessories & undergarments! Stay tuned...

A Bride's Attire... Tips and Ideas: Shoes

The hardest part of wedding attire shopping is done - you've chosen the wedding dress of your dreams! Now, its time to have a bit of fun as you begin to shop for the elements of your wedding attire that will really make the day a statement of YOU...

So - first off - Shoes!! I mean, what woman doesn't love shoes?! But when it comes to selecting the shoes that you'll wear for your wedding day, you need to put some careful thought into this selection... yes, style is important... but so is comfort!

The options for shoes are as wide and varied as are the options for dresses. You can shoes that are labelled as "wedding shoes" or you can wear pretty much any shoe you desire. Bridal shoes range from swarovski-encrusted stilhettos

to white satin pumps to kitten-heeled sandals to flip flops to canvas runners! There really is no "right or wrong" when it comes to your wedding day shoes.

More traditional brides will likely choose elegant, classy shoes that match the colour of their wedding dress, going with a heeled shoe often adorned with jewels. More modern brides will often choose shoes that are somewhat unexpected or out of the ordinary... maybe a pair of lace boots

... maybe a pair of blinged up canvas runners or flip flops... or maybe even a pair of cowboy boots!

Shoes are one way that brides are tending to bring in a bold dash of colour... choosing shoest that match the flowers, the bridesmaid dresses or wedding theme colour... or maybe choosing a colour or pattern that is the bride's favourite.

Weddings today are more and more focussed on being unique and individually-styled, and so there are no "rules" about your choice of shoes!

But regardless of what style of shoe you choose, here's a couple tips to make sure that your shoes work for you and not against you on your wedding day:

* buy your wedding shoes well in advance of the wedding... and wear them regularly around the house to break them in... the last thing you need is to get blisters on your wedding day! BUT pack a few bandaids in your clutch - just in case!

* if your shoes need insoles, heel grips, or other additional supportive elements to make them more comfortable, get these in advance and again - make sure they feel good by wearing them around the house for several hours at a time.

* take your wedding shoes with you to each of your dress fittings... it is very important to have the shoes to make sure that your dress hem length is perfect with the shoes.

* even if your shoes feel great and you are confident that you'll last all day & night in them, bring a second pair of shoes with you for dancing in. This will let you feel more comfortable and will give your feet a rest... especially if your wedding shoes are high heels. Bring a pair of flats or low wedges to change into later... your feet will thank you!

* If your wedding will be outdoors or you will need to walk long distances or on lots of grass or cobblestones, you might want to consider foregoing spike-heeled shoes, or else you'll spend much of your time trying to pull your heels out of the grass! OR, if you are convinced that heels have to be your shoe of choice, then consider buying "soul mates", which are clear plastic heel protectors that stop your heels from sinking into the grass or getting caught in cobble-stone cracks www.solemates.com

Your wedding shoes add a special touch to your wedding attire... by complimenting your dress and style, or by adding a dash of your unique personality to the overall look! So have fun - shop to find shoes that you love, that feel great and that will best suit your wedding theme and style!

Stay tuned... next blog: wedding headpieces!