Perfect Wedding Day

Saturday June 4 was the perfect day for a wedding... blue skies, gentle breeze, warm sun, not too hot or cold... perfect! And Charlotte & Wilbur enjoyed every moment of this perfect day...

It started out with the "first look" and family photos being done early in the day. Then a beautiful ceremony at St Cuthbert's Anglican Church in Oakville with some fun bubbles and group photos afterwards. Then on to the gorgeous grounds and banquet facilities of Oakville Golf Club. Centerpieces were china teacups with spring mix bouquets in them.

Guests enjoyed sangrias and mimosas while the bride & groom took some fun pictures around the grounds. Charlotte and Wilbur were very relaxed and just really took in the day, their guests and the special moments.

A delicious Lunch was served in the bright banquet room - with the Bride & Groom enjoying their sweet heart table and speeches by their Best Woman and their Man of Honour! After cutting their cake and giving their speech, the tender moment of the day took place - the bride & her dad danced together. What made this so moving was that dad has not been well and it had even been uncertain if he would be able to attend the wedding -let alone dance with his daughter. So when he was able to be there - to walk her down the aisle - and then do dance with her, there wasn't a dry eye in the place!

Following their dance,

Charlotte changed into a party dress - in honour of Wilbur's Asian heritage and tradition. And then - despite it being only 3:00 in the afternoon and the room flooded with bright sunlight - the party really kicked into high gear... with most guests on the dance floor - dancing, laughing and singing along to the music! It was very much a fun-filled dance party!!

Congratulations Charlotte & Wilbur!

VENDORS:

CEREMONY: St Cuthbert's Anglican Church www.stcuthbertoakville.ca
RECEPTION: Oakville Golf Club http://www.oakvillegolfclub.com
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Max & Ricci of LaMemoir http://lamemoir.com
DJ & PHOTOBOOTH: Sound Obsession www.soundobsession.ca
FLORIST: Late Bloom Florist http://www.latebloomflorist.com

Long Distance Planning - Local Wedding Day!

Jenny & Shawn live in Alberta - and as their wedding planner, I live in Ontario. They hired me over a FaceTime call and we planned their entire wedding through emails, texts, calls and FaceTime meetings. And on the Wednesday before their wedding here in Ontario, I FINALLY got to meet them in person!! What an exciting day that was for me - to meet this awesome couple face to face!



After all the crazy up & down weather we've been having, April 23 dawned with clear blue skies and bright sunshine - and very comfortable temperatures.... a perfect day for a wedding! The ceremony was held in the brand new Ancaster Mill Chapel - so brand new that the finishing touches were put on it at 7:00am the morning of the wedding!

How exciting to be able to be part of the very first wedding in the chapel!

With its floor to ceiling stone fireplace, cathedral ceiling with wooden beams, perfect sized wooden stage, huge windows letting in great natural light, white marble aisle, upper glass-fronted balcony, silver chivari chairs with white padded seats.... this venue is a dream for weddings and photos!



Guests enjoyed cocktail hour in the Millview Room while the family and bridal party did great photos on the grounds of the Mill.

The reception was held in the Falls Room - with its rustic elegance and huge windows overlooking the falls.




Guests enjoyed a delicious meal, entertaining speeches, a fun photo booth and a GREAT dance band!
It was one party that no one wanted to go home from!

Congratulations Jenny & Shawn!




VENDORS:
Venue: Ancaster Mill www.ancastermill.ca
Florist/Decorator: Pocket of Posies www.pocketofposies.ca
Photographers: VP Studios www.vpstudiosphotography.com
Videographer: Taylor McDonell
Officiant: Rev. Allan Budzin
Band& DJ: Parkside Drive www.parksidedrive.ca
Photo Booth: Das Photos www.dasphotobooth.ca
ShuttleBus: Mermaid Limo www.mermaidlimo.com
Limo: Canam Limo www.canamlimo.com
Hair & Makeup: Anita, Amy, Lindsay from AB Cosmetics www.abcosmetics.ca
HandLettering: Aliza Latta www.instagram.com/alizalatta
Printing: The Printing Korner www.printingkorner.com
Rentals: Mashed Events www.mashedevents.com
Hotel: Visitor's Inn www.visitorsinn.com

Why Should Brides Attend Local Bridal Shows?

This coming weekend, Jan 10 - 11, 2015 is the annual Hamilton Wedding Show. It is two full days of amazing vendors, impressive displays, fun fashion shows, delicious food samples and LOTS of great information!

It always surprises me to hear brides say, "I can't be bothered going to a bridal show." I know that sometimes we vendors can come across as pushy... trying to stuff our flyers in your already overfilled hands, trying to get you to fill out a ballot, trying to talk up our services with you. Forgive us for being pushy. We don't mean to be... at least most of us don't mean to be!

I think as a bride, you need to come to a Bridal Show with a different outlook. Don't look at exhibitors as "the vendors to be avoided!!" But rather, realize that we are actually there FOR YOU. We have spent good money and countless hours to prepare ourselves to meet YOU and to talk with you about YOUR wedding. We are really there, for two long days, in order to meet and serve the bridal couples of our community!

If you already have various vendor services booked, we understand - and we are fine with you telling us this!

Wonderful Winter Wedding

Christmas came and went... and the wedding day was upon us! After a major ice storm and snow, the day dawned with slight clouds and warmer temperatures - a perfect winter wedding day!

Emily was a beautiful and radiant bride, wearing a tulle, lace and satin gown that suited her perfectly.

The girls wore deep plum coloured long gowns and instead of carrying bouquets, they all carried hand-knit muffs made by the bride & bridesmaids. The bridal party had fun getting ready at the Sheraton Hotel and travelling in a limo bus together.

A highlight for the couple was the unique chance to have their first look photos taken on the roof of the Sheraton, followed by Bridal party photos before the wedding at Liuna Station.

The wedding ceremony took place at the traditional and beautiful Central Presbyterian Church in Hamilton. Following the ceremony and receiving line, guests were treated to a decadent Hot Chocolate Station and assorted sweets in the church fellowship hall.

Everyone then made their way to the elegant King George Ballroom at Liuna Station for the reception. A delicious and filling 5 course meal was served. The guests enjoyed speeches and the traditional and fun "Bride/Groom Shoe Game",

a tea station that sampled Emily & Luc's favourite teas, and there were some unique dance moves provided by guests in order to entice the bride & groom to kiss.


It was a wonderful winter wedding day...and I wish Luc & Emily a wonderful life together!


VENDORS:

Ceremony Venue: Central Presbyterian Church, Hamilton www.centralchurchhamilton.on.ca
Reception Venue: Liuna Station, Hamilton www.liunastation.com
Hotel & First Look: Sheraton Hotel, Hamilton www.Sheraton.com/Hamilton
Photography/Videography: KoLab Cinema www.kolabcinema.com
Flowers & Centerpieces: Pocket of Posies www.pocketofposies.ca
Decorator: With All My Heart Wedding Décor www.withallmyheartweddingdecor.ca
Limo Bus: Mermaid Limo www.mermaidlimo.com
Wedding Cake: Criveller Cakes www.crivellercakes.ca
HairStylist: The Full Spectrum http://www.hairatthefullspectrum.ca/
Makeup Artist: Fabulous Faces www.fabulousfaces.ca

Music Gardens and Crush Wine Bar - unique wedding day!

Kayan & Doug planned their wedding to be at the beautiful outdoor Toronto Music Gardens... and while the weather threatened to rain all day,

the rain held off and gave them a perfect day for an outdoor ceremony with the CN tower in the background and surrounded by manicured gardens.

Following photos at the park, the reception was held in the dining room of Crush Wine Bar in downtown Toronto. Upon arriving, guests enjoyed cocktail hour at the bar and a special family celebration during

the traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony. Kayan wore a beautiful red traditional gown for this ceremony as they shared tea with their elders, received family blessings and had a special opportunity to get lots of family photos taken.

Back in her white wedding dress, Kayan & Doug and their guests enjoyed a delicious meal, great wine, special speeches, fun games and time to celebrate the special place that their family & friends have in their lives.

After dinner, Kayan changed into a gorgeous royal blue gown. Together, the couple shared a tasty macaroon off of their macaron tower, in lieu of traditional cake. A photo booth was set up and guests enjoyed taking photos as well as dancing the night away.

Congratulations Kayan & Doug!


VENDORS:
Photographer: Carmen Davidson Photography www.cdavidsonphotography.com
Ceremony Venue: Toronto Music Gardens www.harbourfrontcentre.com/musicgarden
Reception Venue: Crush Wine Bar www.crushwinebar.com
Officiant: Victor Li (bilingual English/Cantonese) vwli@hotmail.com
PhotoBooth: GuestList DJ www.guestlistdj.com
Flowers: Sobey's Floral Department, Queens Quay store
Macaron Tower: Le Dolci www.ledolci.com
Guitarist: Alan Kulka https://www.facebook.com/alankulka‎
Limousine: A Celebrity Limousine www.acelebritylimousine.com
DJ: 3 Owls Entertainment http://www.3owls.ca/

Vow Renewal Wedding Celebration

Kaylin and Stefan live in Holland, and for various reasons it was better for them to be married than just engaged - so they actually got married at city hall in Holland last May... Fast forward to this year, and finally, they were able to celebrate their marriage with a full wedding celebration here in Ontario with family & friends.

The ceremony was held at Crossroads Chapel in Burlington with about 50 guests in attendance. Ceremony music was provided by a flute duet, which sounded beautiful! Stefan walked down the aisle with their 2 year old daughter, Peyton in hand and carrying their 3 month old daughter McKinley in his arm - a sweet picture of Groom Daddy with his girls! Kaylin was stunning in her strapless dress and brought a huge smile to Stefan's face! Family friend, Ken, officiated the renewal of their vows ceremony with a touching ceremony that included vows, exchanging rings, a blessing on married couples in attendance and a blessing on them as parents.

After family photos at Crossroads and then bridal party photos at the quaint Village Square in downtown Burlington, an intimate reception was held in the private dining room of Paradiso Restaurant. Father & son team, Casey & Connor shared the MC & DJ responsibilities, bringing great music and personal touches to the celebration. Tender speeches with a few tears, funny stories with some good laughs, a delicious meal and a fun dance were enjoyed by all. It was truly a celebration of a wonderful couple!

Congratulations Kaylin & Stefan on one year of marriage and on your wonderful wedding celebration day!



VENDORS:
Ceremony Venue: Crossroads Chapel www.crossroads.ca
Reception Venue: Paradiso Restaurant www.paradisorestaurant.com
Florist: Samantha Forrest of Pocket of Posies http://pocketofposies.ca/
Linen Rentals: With All My Heart Wedding Décor www.withallmyheartweddingdecor.ca
Photographer: Don Golding of Boutique Wedding Photography http://www.boutiqueweddingphotography.ca/
Cake: Wedding Cakes By Design www.weddingcakesbydesign.ca
Ceremony Flutists: Elaine whiskin@univmail.cis.mcmaster.ca;
Videographer, MC, DJ, Officiant.... wonderful friends of the family!

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.

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 Perfect Day for a Princess Bride!

Amy never thought she'd want a princess wedding dress... but on Friday, she looked every bit of a princess! Her sparkling tulle dress looked amazing on her and she was glowing... and was a bit teary as she walked down the aisle to meet up with her groom, Nathan. The ceremony had some nice personal touches as Nathan's dad was the minister who performed their marriage.

Photos were taken on the beautiful grounds of West Haven Golf Course while guests did a photo guest book and enjoyed the cocktail hour. The wedding colours were ivory and apple red and the dresses, flowers and reception decor were stunning.

The reception was served by great staff at the club and guests were entertained by brother of the bride, Ryan, who was a funny and "natural" MC for the evening. Speeches and a slide show of the couple were tender and touching.

In lieu of favours, guests were each given a gift tag that said "Choose a Charity"... and they were instructed to put their tag in one of three baskets, representing three charities... International Justice Mission, Compassion Canada and Austism Ontario. This was a neat way to give donations to charities and to involve guests in the process.

The evening was rounded out with lots of fun dancing and guests enjoying visiting around their tables. A highlight was all the guests watching bride Amy and her brother Ryan doing the dance to "Thriller" together... very entertaining.

The whole day was a perfect day... with the rain and cold holding off until later in the evening and with the event running smoothly for the couple and their family and friends. Congratulations Amy & Nathan!


VENDORS:
Ceremony Venue - North Park Community Church - www.northpark.ca/
Reception Venue - West Haven Golf Course (Rob) - westhavengolf.com/
Photographers/Videographers - www.kolabcinema.com/
Florist - Nicole Cake (London) nicake@gmail.com
Ceremony Musicians - DaCapo Strings dacapostrings.wordpress.com
DJ - Rob from Music Central www.musiccentral.ca/
Late-night Limo - Checker Limo - www.voyageurtransportation.ca/

Rain Rain, Go Away!

A creative, detailed wedding plan for an outdoor ceremony and barn cocktail reception
was severely threatened as the sky turned dark and the rain poured down. All the preparations for setting up were on hold as we anxiously kept watching the weather forecast... which said it was to clear up by 4pm. With the ceremony scheduled for 6 pm, there was a glimmer of hope.

At 4:00 pm, the clouds broke, the rain stopped and the sun came out and the bride said ' Let's do this!"... sending everyone into frantic set-up mode! While the couple had their private photos done, the bridesmaids in cream-coloured dresses and heels, the Mother of the Bride in her sparkly dress and heels and the handsome groomsmen in their vested outfits all pitched in to help us get the outdoor venue set up! Water was dumped off chairs and many old towels put to good use to dry the chairs off before arranging them on the lawn. Mason jar vases with baby's breath were set out to line the aisle. The lemonade stand, signing table, photo booth props, and memory photo displays were all put in place and just in the nick of time - we were ready for a wedding!

Olivia looked absolutely stunning in her strapless ballgown! She was just glowing all day and despite the weather, was relaxed and enjoying her day. She & Mike had a private "first look" moment, captured by the photographer, before the bridal party joined them for photos.

Guests arrived and the ceremony started right on time and a personal ceremony was led by Olivia's papa, a life-long minister. They signed their register in a very small, quaint gazebo covered in greenery.

Guests enjoyed appetizers, cake and fruit served in the barn and lemonade from the outdoor stand.

After a brief stand-up reception, due to the cool fall evening temperature, the chairs were brought into the barn for a program of speeches and a slide show. It was a cozy and intimate evening. As Olivia & Mike are deeply involved with the youth from their church, the youth group was invited to join the party after speeches for a huge bonfire and dance in the barn... which they all loved and thoroughly participated in.

So, the rain DID go away, and Olivia & Mike enjoyed the wedding of their dreams, surrounded by family, friends and the youth that they love! Congratulations to a beautiful couple!


VENDORS:

Venue: Oasis Country Retreat - barb.hoekstra@gmail.com;
Caterer: Mamdouh Dahab - Chef of Basilique www.basilique.ca
Photographer: When He Found Her (Reid Lambshead) http://www.whenhefoundher.com/blog/
Decorator: VanGeest Special Occassions www.vangeestspecialoccasions.com/
Parking, Bonfire, DJ, Set-up crew, clean-up crew: MANY various friends!

"Plan B" was Wonderful!

Plan A was an outdoor wedding ceremony - on the east lawn of Knollwood Golf Course, with white chairs set up, facing a pond... a wonderful plan A for the wedding. But rain poured down, soaking the grass and the skies played games all day... sunny, cloudy, rainy... what to do!? Finally, to be sure that we wouldn't get rained out, Plan B was decide on... to have the ceremony inside Harris Hall (a barn) instead.

The reception tables were pushed to the back of the room. Chairs were set up in rows facing the large stone fireplace. Candles lined the mantle. The table centerpiece flowers, in mason jars, were set out along the floor in front of the fireplace and in other strategic locations around the room. And the effect was BEAUTIFUL! It was cozy and intimate and ended up being better than outside!

There were many unique touches to the wedding... hand-made table number signs on wood.

A glass lemonade jar was used as the card holder. Mason jars, flowers, lot of votives accented the room. A "just married" banner was hung across the fireplace. And as a "guest book", guests painted the palms of their hands and made handprints on large canvases, and signed their names.

Sarah was a beautiful bride...

dressed in a lace gown with a deep open back. Neil was very handsome and they made a stunning couple - definitely well-suited for each other. The weather cooperated enough for them to get videos and photos taken outside while guests enjoyed cocktails on the patio.

Speeches were very tender and meaningful and a slide show highlighted their lives. It was a wonderful day for this special couple.

Congratulations Sarah & Neil!

VENDORS

Venue - Knollwood Golf Club www.knollwoodgolfclub.com
Videographers - KoLab Cinema www.kolabcinema.com/
Photographer - Elizabeth in Love http://www.elizabethinlove.com/
Florist - Jeans Flowers - www.jeansflowers.com
Cake - Weils of Westdale http://www.weilsbakery.com/
Officiant - Rev. Dan McLean http://graceunitedcaledonia.com
DJ - As You Like It DJ - www.asyoulikeitdj.com/

Hot Day for a Rustic Chique Wedding

Deanna & Adam had a rather hot summer day for their wedding on July 14th - but the humidity didn't put a bit of a damper on the day at Balls Falls Conservation Park. A nice breeze helped to keep things comfortable!

The ceremony was held in the country chapel on the grounds and then had time for photos on the grounds. Many of the guests enjoyed winery tours at nearby wineries... others stayed around and enjoyed lemonade and garden games - and relaxing on picnic tables and on picnic blankets under trees.

The cocktail hour & reception was held in the barn .... set with square tables for guests, the head table set up in front of open barn doors with the chapel in the background. The tables had a burlap runner down the center and then mason jars of wild flowers, candy sticks and mini lights.

Chinese lanterns with mini lights in them were hung from the ceiling... and mini lights wrapped the beam posts and were tacked around the perimeter of the barn. The colours were grey, pale yellow, light green. A unique idea was using old window frames to showcase the seating chart... one table list in each window pane!

The bridal party guys were dressed in grey casual pants, white shirts, blue plaid skinny ties and blue 'runners'.

Girls wore casual grey, short dresses. After the ceremony, the bride kicked back and relaxed in her Burkenstocks!

Congratulations Deanna & Adam on being a fun, relaxed and wonderful bridal couple! All the best in your new life together as husband & wife!


VENDORS:
Venue - Balls Falls Conservation Park www.ballsfalls.ca/plan-your-event/weddings/
Caterer - Niche Catering www.nichecatering.ca/
Photographer - Shawn Taylor Photography www.shawntaylor.ca/
Transportation - Niagara Classic Tranport www.nctcanada.com
DJ - Spectra Audio Visual www.avniagara.ca/home.htm
Flowers - The Watering Can https://thewateringcan.securesite.ca/