Really now, how can you not like Martha Stewart Wedding Stuff?

I stopped at the PO Box today and found the Fall 07 Martha Stewart Weddings! YEA! I know, I'm a bit of a dork, but I really get excited when it comes. I read 1/2 of it in the lobby at the Ritz (arrived a bit early for our meeting) and I was bending down pages left and right. First of all on page 66 there is an article about Tiecrafters. You can send them fabric and they will make you a tie! This is great for those who want the boys to match the girls exactly. Just purchase additional yardage from your bridemaid dress manufacturer. A little out of budget? No fear, I still swear by SolidColorNeckTies.com (hello, $7 per tie, 52 shades of fabulous).

Then on page 70, there's an article called stir things up. This is one of those little details that costs next to nothing, takes a small amount of effort and makes a big impact. Great use of color. Sorry about the crease in the picture...I really do fold down pages I want to go back to!

Wedding Showcase Round up

2 more tabletops showed up this afternoon, so I'm going to extend the date by a day, if anyone else wants to send one in. The 2 I received today, I'll be posting late tomorrow along with my final mock-up. Ciao gang!

I have the BEST clients.

Yes, I understand that there are many a wedding planners who will read this and swear that their clients are the best, but I have to argue- mine are just amazing. The absolute hardest part of wedding planning, besides keeping budgets under control and seating lists is menu planning. When you're planning an average of 4 eating opportunities for the same 50-75 people in one weekend, it is not a simple task. But today, I am in menu planning heaven. Last week we finished planning 3 wedding weekend menus, 2 of which aren't even until late next spring! This afternoon at the Ritz Carlton Naples we had a tasting that blew me and the bride & groom away. Then I get back here to my office and find a wedding menu in my inbox for J's wedding weekend next March. Considering I just asked them to start looking at the menus like 4 days ago, I was floored by this. So to my clients- really- you're all awesome! Now we can move on to the fun stuff, making the dinner look even better with the details; woohoo!

Wondering what's on that plate?
Grilled filet of beef with a Parsley & Horseradish crust
Maine Lobster "3 ways", Tempura Claw, Butter Poached Tail & Lobster Basil Mashed Potatoes
Grilled Asparagus
Roasted red tomato topped with frise


And this one is warm chocolate cake with a liquid Grand Marnier center and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The photo isn't from the best angle, but that stick across the center is actaully a baked chocolate spoon!

Betty+Toby=Epic

Ever since Betty moved to Bejing to be with Toby, their life has been one grand adventure! And their wedding day was no different! With their ceremony at the regal Hycroft Manor (one of our favourite venues!), a trek to the top of a skyscraper, and a midnight stroll by the downtown city lights, their first day together as husband and wife was filled with excitement -and we were so glad to be along for the ride!

Some of our favs from the day!

Beautiful details.


Beautiful bride.


Toby was one happy guy seeing Betty walk between the pillars and down the stairs toward him.

Love the colours in the Solarium!

Snuggling in the elevator on the way up to the top of the Bentall Centre, Toby's corporate headquarters and one of Vancouver's tallest buildings.


Okay, so giant air conditioners may not seem that romantic, but they sure make for some cool images.

On top of the world (with no guard rails - gulp!)!


The guys climb down and down and strike a pose.


And the girls goad Betty and Toby on!


We had to walk through the ventilation room to get back to the elevator - we couldn't resist creating some images there too.


Don't worry - we got some more classic portraits for mom at Stanley Park - always one of our favourite locations - so very Vancouver.

The reception was full of love. Betty and her girls have known each other since grade five! There was not a dry eye in the house when Betty thanked them all or when Kelli sang to the couple.


An impromptu first dance - my favourite shot of the night.


Well, except maybe for this one - so glad you guys snuck out with us to create this night portrait. Hugs to both of you!

Lucky Me the have a W!

This morning I was still trying to catch up on all my blogs and I came across these letterpress stickers on Darcy's post and I had to have them and I had to have them now. Especially considering they're only $2.50 a pack!

Yep, that's me super impatient when it comes to shopping. But uh oh, I got there, pulled down the menu to pick W (for weddings of course) and it was missing! ACK! So I emailed Sarah at Lucky Star Press, and she quickly added W to the list. Crisis overted and I now have lots of W's and S's on the way to my mailbox. I'm so excited.

Check out Lucky Star Press when you have a few...cool stuff. Oooooh I'm digging these blue & orange notecards.

Showcase #6.5 How cool is this?

From: Mark Kingsdorf, The Queen of Hearts


"These images are representative of an Afro-centric wedding reception.
Items of note are the traditional cloth runner of gold, black and red which accent the long hardwood tables for family style service."

Additionally I chose to include harvest items such as corn, nuts, vegetables and fruit all accented by a collection of candles. Other important elements of the tables are the inclusion of handcrafted items such as the hand made serving containers, ceramic napkin rings and the carved wooden animals used as place card holders…"

For those who don't know Mark Kingsdorf, he's one of the most well knowledged wedding planners there is. Mark is my go-to guy for Wedding Etiquette, catering questions, and a constant source of laughter. The man is ridiculously funny.

Showcase #6 "Ummmm cookies...."

From: Michelle Tortuya of Charning Events

"Here is my favor entry for your showcase. I am in love with Cakesters by Oreo - soooo good. And i'm a number one fan of edible favors. To top it all off, I think the Black/White wedding color combo. is so elegant, and this treat would go so well with that scheme!"



So, I put two cakesters in a cellophane bag, wrapped with ribbon and a black/white tag with a monogram. Yummy!"



From : Danielle at Oh Happy Blog! (One of my favorite reads by the way)

"A friend of mine was having a bridal shower earlier this month. Many of the members of her bridal party are mothers or well into their marital bliss... as she is the baby in her family. She wanted to share in this special occasion with EVERYONE and didn't want to leave any of her loved ones out due to their lack of a babysitter... so she asked if I would come in and save the day. She was having a "Midsummers Night" theme to her wedding and so we created this "fairy tea" tablescape for the younger guests to indulge on cookies and punch at the shower...



We went wild at the local JUSTICE for GIRLS and Target- buying dress-up jewelry and lipglosses... the overall result was so positive - the bridal party was able to relax and enjoy themselves without the worry of rushing home to relieve the sitter... I suppose that I chose to share this because too often I am confronted with brides that do not take the demands of parenthood into account... if it is known that children will be a part of the wedding- be sure to put aside funds to keep them busy ... this will ensure that your guests stay well into the evening and enjoy themselves to the fullest."

Coffee Anyone?

I was reading a recent entry by Miss Petunia over at Wedding Bee and I realized I've never touched on the subject of coffee at weddings. Although I think I have made it very clear that I am fond of coffee and all things related. You know why? It's hot and forces you to slow down and sip...in other words take a short break. Oh, and it tastes good.
Okay, so coffee is your standard beverage of choice after dinner with yummy wedding cake (and/or if your guests are super lucky, a fresh donut or crepe station). Nothing fun about standard is there? Nope. So, how do we make even simple coffee WOW? Instead of serving coffee, have a coffee station. It just takes a few items and some creative containers to really kick it up a notch. Here are a few that I love:

Whip Cream
Chocolate Shavings or Chocolate dipped spoons
Flavored stir-in syrups (try to have at least 3): Monin, Dolce, Torani to name a few brands
Cinnamon Sticks
Vanilla Beans
Chocolate, Caramel, and Raspberry drizzle syrups
Rock candy swizzle sticks

If you wanted to make it a full on coffee bar, you could ask that the station be attended and serve traditional coffee liquors like Baileys, Frangelico, and Kahlua.

For those having a brunch wedding (this is the hottest up and coming trend by the way), a coffee station is a must-do!

Wedding Showcase #5, Oh its a good one!

There is still a week left to submit your photos for the wedding showcase! Remember, you can submit a photo of any tabletop, wedding or shower favor, or welcome bag/guest gift. Here's the latest...

From Martha Browne, a bride of 23 years who has a background in design:



"Although seed packets have been done for bridal showers, they are
often times too feminine for the wedding. But this packet I find to be different. It's a beautiful block print sold at Monticello, Thomas
Jefferson's home and garden. The black and cream color scheme offers any number of possible uses. Here I decided to highlight it against a vintage green plate from eBay. Then I tied it up in simple pink ribbon and tucked in sprigs of Rosemary and Sage."

From: Isha of Isha Foss Events in Chesapeake, VA




These photos are from the open house she had at her new studio last week. Congrats Isha, it looks great!

Ceremony & Reception Sites: Don't be so quick to rule it out!

Often, I'll find that brides & grooms are quick to rule out locations because they see it one way and can't imagine it looking like anything else- most importantly- they way that they want it to look. Looks can be so deceiving.



To provide an example, I called Cynthia at LaPlaya Resort in Naples and asked her to send me a bunch of wedding pictures of the same sites- different weddings. The above beach ceremonies are on the same stretch of beach- 2 totally different vibes.



One casual seaside wedding, one semi-formal seaside wedding




Yep that's the same room. 3 very different events! Quick note (there was a carpet change between 2 of these photos)
Like LaPlaya? I do to. To get more info on having your wedding at LaPlaya Beach Resort in Naples, call Cynthia O'Brien at (239)598-5706

Showcase #4

From Me: A Big Beach Wedding Weekend Guest Gift. This is a super welcome bag, full of all kinds of goodies. This bag I made specifically for a hypothetical Bridesmaid- single, and in town for 4 full days. A note- if you can, customize the guest gifts for each kind of guest (couples, families, single gals/guys, etc.).

What's in it?
Beach Stuff: A hat, flip flops, beach towel, Seagrass beach mat, Market tote
Spa Stuff: Aromatherapy candle, body mist, and lotion and pajamas
Itinerary & Personal Note: A scrap book with the weekend events/times/locations/attire, a handwritten note welcoming & thanking her for coming
Info & Reads: Area map & brochures and a couple magazines to read by the pool
Drinks & Snacks: A bottle each of bubbly water, flat water & soda and a box each of crackers & cookies

Another showcase submission coming in a bit...

***To answer LouWed's question (see comments) about the bag- It's a market tote. Apparently I got really lucky because I found a couple at TJMaxx for $9.99! You can buy them at Sur La Table or The Container Store for $29.99. Just do a search on Market Tote. Oh, and I also found some on Ebay for $19.99, but the shipping was $10, so it evens out.

Hello, Kelly, are you there?

I KNOW! I have been M.I.A. for like a week. Thing is...there was a whole lotta wedding planning to do last week, and yes, clients have to come first! Lots to blog about though so prepare for a mini blogathon gang.

Showcase 4.5

These came in this week from Jane Jedlick. A sweet surprise for a lucky bride & groom.
"I love your idea for the showcase so I decided to enter some of my pics…


This is from a wedding I just did at the Hilton in Gainesville, it was a surprise to the bride and groom, I told her not to worry about her sweat heart table… they loved it!!"

Showcase #3

I know- it isn't Friday yet, but this one was too good to wait. This is from Risa at Romanza Events. This woman is uber talented, not to mention hilarious.

Showcase #2.5

Oops, I forgot to post mine. Make sure you scroll down to check out what Meredith sent in!


From : Me :) I love doing dessert receptions for welcome parties. I'll tell you why; for one, dessert is after dinner. That means you can begin the reception as late as 8pm. This gives everyone enough time to get in town, have dinner, and make it to your first wedding weekend shindig.


Secondly, its inexpensive. Well, at least it can be. It's all about the concept of creative catering, which your wedding planner is good at- use her(or him) for it!

And finally...everyone loves dessert. Add a few cocktails and a fancy coffee bar, maybe even a chef attended crepe station and you have a Wow for a Welcome PARTY!

Showcase #2

Sorry I'm a day behind gang. The computer was not cooperating!

From: Meredith of Elegant Engagements (Philadelphia)

"Green brunch – again on my everyday dishes and my grandmothers plates – I used stuff from around my house.


Welcome fall dinner – on my good china, silver and crystal


Out of town bags- we made do not disturb/we survived the wedding of door hangers for the hotel knobs with a weekend itinerary

We also added the standard water but then the b/g favorite snacks – milano cookies and gold fish. VA for lovers stickers, a candle with matches and personalized mm’s


Bridesmaids luncheon – brown and pink with a dash of daisy

Good to have just gotten married."