Stacey and Luke were recently married in Banff and celebrated with a romantic black and white inspired wedding reception at the fabulous Silvertip Golf Course in Canmore. I adore weddings where the love between the bride and groom fills the room and this was certainly one of those weddings! Kirstie Tweed, the immensely talented photographer behind Orange Girl Photographs captured their day flawlessly.

The guests had a great time, the bride and groom were glowing all day, and the details were divine. I loved the feathers in the bouquets and centerpieces and check out the black and white candy buffet. It was FABULOUS to say the least, complete with mini tubes of toothpaste to pay tribute to the groom (he is a dentist). Congratulations Stacey and Luke on a beautiful marriage and thank you for letting Inspired Occasions play a role in your special day.

I am so excited to share Jennie and Shane’s beautiful Chateau Lake Louise wedding that happened this past weekend. I spent close to a year working with Jennie and Shane to design and plan their spectacular wedding day and I must admit that I loved every minute of it!  I was first contacted by Jennie while she was finishing her PhD in the USA and due to scheduling she wasn’t able to attend the initial consultation.  We emailed back and forth and I could tell that she was someone I would love to work with.  Luckily I had the opportunity to meet with Shane while Jennie was still in the USA finishing up her studies.  I was so excited after this initial meeting about the possibility of planning and designing his and Jennie’s wedding at the Chateau Lake Louise.

When Jennie returned to Calgary I had the opportunity to meet with her and I we totally clicked!  Anyone who knows Jennie and Shane knows that they are two of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.  These two are clearly very much in love and their excitement about getting married after 12 years of dating was contagious.  I knew that they were interviewing several Calgary wedding planners and designers and so I had my fingers crossed that the great connection I felt was reciprocated.  I was over the moon excited when I learned that they had chosen me as their  wedding designer and wedding planner out of the several that they had met with and interviewed.

Jennie and Shane were married on July 17, 2010.  She was the picture of bridal elegance in her Vera Wang gown and he looked dapper in his chocolate brown suit, complete with coral tie.  I remember going to the bridal salons with Jennie as she tried on the top contenders.  When she walked out in her Vera her face absolutely glowed and it was obvious that this was her dress!  She adorned her gown with a sparkly broach which took this already gorgeous dress to a whole new level.  It was sheer perfection.

When their photographer, Wei, of Photobolic asked me to describe their wedding design I told him it would be beautiful and elegant with a touch of whimsy and a dash of rustic.  Regardless of how you choose to describe it, Jennie and Shane’s wedding was a day filled with love and laughter and was the perfect celebration to honour a couple so happy and in love you can’t help but be filled with the warm fuzzies just being around them!

The day before the wedding was grey and rainy in Lake Louise and I have to admit I was starting to feel a little nervous about what mother nature had in store but the day of their nuptials was sunny and blue skies from dawn till tusk and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

I loved the subtle pink hue of Jennie’s dress and the soft, flowy layers; perfect for a mountain wedding.

I love this image of Shane and his parents.  It really shows how happy EVERYONE was that the big day was finally here.

Such a spectacular setting for a wedding.

The entire wedding party was relaxed throughout the day and had a great time.

Jennie was the calmest bride I have ever met.  Nothing mattered except getting married to her best friend and enjoying the day she had waited so long for.

She was stunning!

I had so much fun designing Jennie and Shane’s Chateau Lake Louise wedding.  The colour scheme of green, brown and coral was a delight and we were all so excited to see the lollipop seating card boxes come to life.  They were amazing!

The ballroom was gorgeous and the guests raved about all of the details that came together to create Jennie and Shane’s signature event.  The custom coral lighting added incredible warmth and elegance and was the perfect compliment to the overall design.  We alternated the stunning floral centerpieces between high and low to add visual interest and the guests loved the orchid we carefully placed on each napkin.  The details definitely dazzled, the couple was thrilled, and their guests kept commenting about how this wedding was the best they had ever attended…this is exactly what an Inspired Occasions wedding is all about!

Check out their custom M&M’s.  Not only did they have their names, their wedding date, and “I DO” printed on them, they also had their picture!!!

We incorporated the design from all of their stationery products onto the cake topper.  It tied everything together perfectly!

The reception was one big party and everyone had a blast!

Congratulations Jennie and Shane!

Cupcakes have been a hot wedding trend for the past few years but now there is a new star on the wedding dessert horizon.  The macaroon is hot, hot, hot with Calgary Brides right now, and with brides across North America for that matter.  It is fast becoming the popular choice for infusing one’s wedding with a fun, colourful, bite size treat that is sure to satiate the sweet tooth of all in attendance.Image credit: Laudree via Bliss Weddings Market

If you really want your wedding to be the talk of the town, then spend some time ensuring your have a well designed sweet table.  The items on this table should complement your overall colours and design aesthetic so that it flows seamlessly with everything else in the room that you have worked so hard to put together.  Check out this sample below from Bobette & Belle which showcases wedding cake, cupcakes, macaroons, and candy.  What more could you want?

If you are looking for an alternative to the traditional wedding cake and want to incorporate macaroons somehow, why not consider a macaroon tower?

Above 5 images featuring colourful macaroons credit: Bobbette & Belle

Selecting the perfect table style for your wedding reception.

I LOVE handbags.  I really, really do!  Anyone who knows me can attest to this fact.  I love the variety of shapes and colours they come in and how they can add the perfect pop to your outfit.  And they always fit, regardless of what the scale says!  Who doesn’t love that?  Inspired by my love of handbags, I thought I would do a post about a fabulous idea that I think is perfect for those of you looking for something a little different for your wedding day.  In lieu of the traditional bouquet, why not opt for a floral handbag?!  With so many fun flowers to choose from, the possibilities are endless.  A floral handbag would be a great option for a flower girl, bridesmaids, or even a bride with a love of handbags that rivals my own.

Bridesmaid purses made of leaves, red roses and orchids.  Photo credit: Darby Elizabeth Photography

Bridesmaids purses with fresh flowers.  Image source: Studio Stems and Ella Bella Floral via Utah Bride Blog

I am so excited to share with you some images from the breathtaking Museum of Petals dinner party I attended, once again designed by Gloria Wong of Gloria Wong Design.  As mentioned in my last post, the pictures in no way do Gloria’s stunning work justice but hopefully it will give you a feeling of the overall atmosphere and beauty that was enjoyed by all in attendance.  I love cocktail style receptions and have had so much fun designing this style of event for past clients.

I just retuned from an amazing trip to San Francisco where I was attending an outstanding conference put on by The Academy of Planners + Designers, presented by Wedding 360.  This conference was just what I was looking for to energize and inspire me and I can’t wait to apply all of my newfound knowledge and skills with clients and events here at Inspired Occasions.  Jubilee Lau and Jean Marks lined up an impressive roster of presenters including David Beahm of David Beahm Designs, Grace Ormond of Wedding Style Magazine, Sean Low of the Business of Being Creative, Rebecca Grinnals of Engaging Concepts, Todd Fiscus of Todd Events, and Tara Guerard of Soiree by Tara Guerard.  They also had immensely talented designers including Nacy Liu Chin of Nancy Liu Chin Designs, Grant Rector of Grant & Co., and Linnae Asiel of Aisel Designs, all of whom prepared a design showcase for attendees to enjoy, along with Tara Guerard.  I will be posting pictures from each of these showcases in the coming days so stay tuned.  Gloria Wong of Gloria Wong Design also was the genius behind the impressive designs at both the Emerald Underworld cocktail party and the Museum of Petals dinner, both hosted at the St. Regis hotel in downtown San Francisco.

Enjoy these pictures of the incredible Emerald Underworld party designed by Gloria Wong.  My point and shoot camera pictures do not do justice to her magnificent design.

I am so excited to share Brittany and Adam’s spectacular winter wedding with you. I had so much fun planning this wedding in just 8 short weeks. Brittany and Adam are a fun, young couple but with school, exams, shopping for a new home, etc. they didn’t have much time to plan their wedding. As a result, I had the opportunity to work closely with the mother-of-the-bride to create a one-of-a-kind celebration that would be totally unique and a true reflection of Adam and Brittany’s fun personalities.

The ceremony took place at the stunning LDS temple in Cardston, Alberta on December 29th. It was a chilly day but the time spent outside in the frigid weather was well worth it as you can see from the stunning photos captured by the immensely talented Maria Lang.

The reception was help the next day in one of the local Calgary LDS church gymnasiums. Trust me when I say that when we were done with the decor, it looked nothing like a gymnasium! Drawing inspiration from Brittany and Adam’s youthful and fun personalities, their colour scheme of light blue, navy blue and silver as well as the winter season, we created a hip young lounge atmosphere that was beyond cool!

The reception was help the following day in one of the local Calgary LDS church gymnasiums. Trust me when I say that when we were done with the decor, it looked nothing like a gymnasium! Drawing inspiration from Brittany and Adam’s youthful and fun personalities, their colour scheme of light blue, navy blue, and silver, we created a hip young lounge atmosphere that was beyond cool!

To create the stunning transformation, we draped all of the walls in 14 ft. tall soft white fabric and then added uplighting along the entire perimeter that gradually shifted from white to light blue to dark blue. IT WAS STUNNING! In addition, we added a very cool patterned light that gently moved across the ceiling and floor. We brought in modern white leather couches, chairs and ottomans for the center of the room to create a space for guests to hang out and relax. We also set up cool cocktail tables draped in luxurious navy blue linens and 6 seater tables draped in light blue linens and overlays, flanked with uber stylish silver chiavari chairs. Fresh florals of white and green, in square vases, added a touch of sophistication while complimenting our modern theme. The bride’s favourite flower, white amaryllis, were stunning placed at the entrance and exit and were arranged in tall vases filled with clear gel that gave an icy impression perfect for this winter wedding.

Guests dined on delicious bite size delights and enjoyed the hot chocolate station we set up complete with custom cups and toppings that included chocolate shavings, candy cane crumbles, marshmallows, caramel sauce, and more. Live piano music floated through the air and the celebration was nothing short of amazing! Thanks again Maria for capturing all the details of Brittany and Adam’s amazing day so perfectly.

Congratulations Brittany and Adam!

After close to a year of working with the bride, this past Saturday saw Della and Dino’s magnificent black and white damask inspired winter wedding come to life.  It was a beautiful day filled with love, laughter and of course beautiful details.  It could not have been more perfect!  Check out the images below, from their uber talented and highly sought after photographer, Gabe, of Perspectiveye Photography.  He captured their magical day with perfection!