Spotlight on: Impressions PhotographySummer Wedding at Sanibel Harbour

{Photography} Impressions Photography (Are they great at this or what?)
{Ceremony Venue} Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa (Best poolside ceremony location in Ft Myers)
{Reception Venue} Dolce Vita (You MUST eat here when visiting Sanibel)
{Cupcakes} Flour Cupcakes (I dream of these weekly)
{DJ} Clint Wiley (You guys know I adore Clint Wiley band)
{Band} Dana Paul & Joe McCormick (I still can't believe we had Dana Paul!)
{Floral} Weddings by Socialites (there is a story behind this- we aren't florists!)






This was one of the funnest wedding days ever. I think because it was a change from our usual calling of the ceremony on the beach and reception at the resort. Florida brides wedding started by welcoming their guests to the poolside ceremony with pink lemonade and mojitos and a selection of cool & refreshing hors dors. Cool and refreshing was key because it was HOT. Not hot, but HOT. As in , bring in the outdoor a/c. The hand fans certainly played a key factor in keeping guests cool as well. Before guests received their ceremony programs, we asked for their dinner selection. It was the first time we did this and it worked out perfectly! After the ceremony we had a champagne toast and then all headed over to Dolce Vita for the best dinner. It was spectacular. I adore restaurant wedding receptions, the food is always off the charts. After dinner the dance floor filled and stayed that way until the very last song. It was quite the evening. Oh, the flowers- read the story here: Ugly Bouquet.

Giveaway!

Yesterday I wrote a book review on Bouquet Chic. To remind you, in case you've read about 35 other wedding blog posts since then, I said I adored it. I think many of you would adore it as well, brides and planners alike. Anyway, the giveaway. This morning, the author, Kimberly Aurora Kapur sent me an email this morning and has given me a copy to give to one lucky reader. Simply comment with your favorite bouquet flower(s) and we'll include you in the drawing. We'll pick a winner on Friday.

This is one of the ribbon treatments that I had mentioned to Kimberly that I thought was more than photo worthy. I've always been a fan of monograms, and I can see this one being an item that would hold sentimental value after the wedding.Photo Credits: Jim Henkens

WeddingsbySocialites.com for iphone users

I love my iphone, however I hate that little blue box that shows up when I open a flash site. Drives me nuts. The good thing is that you can still view the Weddings by Socialites website from iphones! It does look a bit different (actually, alot different), but all the information is there and the pictures in the weddings pages look just as pretty. The address is the same www.WeddingsbySocialites.com
Let me note that not all the pictures are on the iphone version; you'll have to sit down to your computer to view them all. Happy browsing!

Green to Gray. I had to do it.

Sometimes you just have to break the rules. I know that sticking to a color once its established is important in branding, but I just had to do it. I changed my mind. So shoot me. I didn't change the flavor like "new" coke (remember that? yuck), just the color of the can.

Warning: A bad timeline can be worse than a terrible DJ

{Quick post} I just had a consult and emergency fix with a bride getting married in Chicago on Saturday. She was having a meltdown because her venue isn't helping her with her wedding day time line (this is normal- it isn't their job to do so), her church has no wiggle room with time, and the way the venue told her the evening will flow doesn't work with the hours that she has her photographer and videographer on site. Also, she only had one stylist coming to do hair and makeup for 2 moms & 7 girls and the ceremony is at 2pm. That's right- they'll be starting at the crack of dawn. Yep, I'd be having a meltdown too.
I can not stress enough how important a well thought out timeline is. Sure, sometimes we have to veer off of them, but planning ahead for a smooth day that works with all your vendors for the hours you are paying them for and that keeps you and your wedding guests having a great experience will save you from unecessary stress. Make sure your timeline is inclusive of the entire day (wake up to clean up) and covers all the bases, from each point of view (wedding party, guests, vendors, and venue). It's a puzzle, but a few missing pieces messes the whole darn thing up. Lastly, make sure it actually works- have someone review it!

Bouquet ChicI adore this book

A big part of my responsibility as a wedding planner is bringing new ideas and resources to my clients. So I do my best to share inspiration when its presented to me. Boy did I get some wedding bouquet inspiration from this book!

What I love about Bouquet Chic, besides the fact that its more than 150 pretty pictures, is that I haven't seen them before. And the ribbons! Oh the ribbons. Often we say that the handle doesn't matter because its always covered up. Not in these bouquets! Kimberly has some amazing ribbon and handle treatments that are more than photo worthy. They are actually unique & beyond simply creative. For me, this is key. I can't stand a copied wedding. Where's the fun in that?

Also, this book actually tells you all the flowers that are in the bouquet- magazines commonly leave us guessing (except in the case of Bride & Bloom magazine, they're pretty good about it). Oh, and to top it off- should you be a DIY bride who dares to create her own bouquet (You guessed it- I consider this a big NO), this book shows you how.

Grace+Nick=Alluring

A dark moody day, a dog named Chopper, and two beautiful people completely in love made one of our last weddings of 2008 one of our favourites!

Love this image of Nick looking all dark and mysterious and handsome.



The lovely & beautiful Grace.



First Look on the staircase.



There's nothing like a brand new location for spurring on creativity! This was the first time we shot at the Metropolitan and we were inspired to find all kinds of unique backdrops for Grace & Nick's portraits.

Like the hallways...

The lobby with its glitz & gilding.

More hallways - yes, we were totally feeling the reflections that day.



Of course, living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, we had to have some images that just say Vancouver too.

Wedding party fun under the Granville Bridge.



A little Grace + Nick canoodling :)



Vancouver Art Gallery's pillars + stairs = pure romance.





And one last portrait on a random street corner nearby later that night :)

Congrats Grace+Nick!

Next up this week, the fabulousness of Shannon + Barney in Seattle!