Archive for the ‘Calgary Wedding Planner’ Category

TV shows such as “Say Yes to the Dress” are more popular than ever right now. The gorgeous designer gowns are the main attraction, but there’s also an aspect of drama that seems to come along with the show. I never put much thought into who I should bring to these festivities other than my mom, but it’s something that’s very important to think about. Also, knowing the ins and outs of how to make your dress appointments all you want them to be is a key piece to take with you through the process. Take notes, and remember this is likely the next most exciting thing after getting engaged, you’ve probably dreamed of your dress as much as the wedding itself. Don’t let stress get in the way of making this experience wonderful.

Olive

When deciding who to bring with you to the appointment think about not just the people who are most special to you, but also the ones who understand this is your day. Friend’s who make the appointment about what they want are not listening to your wants and needs. If you have always wanted a mermaid gown, but your friend loves ball gowns, all you’re going to hear is their opinions reflecting the fact that they see you in a big pouffy gown. Make sure you choose people to come with you who will be honest, but who will also “ooh” and “ah” over each dress you put on. You should feel praised on this day.

Secondly, look for dress shops that will cater to you and your group. I have had experiences with dress shops that ignored my friends and I for about 20 or more minutes. We ended up walking around the store pulling our own dresses off the racks until someone finally helped us. Then the lady continuously told my friend every dress was her dress with no sincerity. I’ve heard great things about places like The Bridal centre in Calgary. You can even take champagne with you and they will serve it to you and your group during your appointment. You should feel pampered through this experience, you only plan to do it once, right?

Amsale

Have a good idea of what style of dress you’re looking for before you go into these appointments. However, also keep an open mind because the professionals often know best. Sometimes what you pictured in your head isn’t what looks the best once you get it on your body. Just keep an open mind, and let ladies at the store do what they do best.

Lastly, just enjoy the whole ride. Try not to get stressed out, or worked up about the little things that may come up. You’re going to find that perfect dress!! Just like your Prince Charming, the perfect dress is out there too!

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Stampede season is here again, and for all you brides looking to infuse some cowboy spirit and western charm into your special day, here are some ideas for the perfect western inspired wedding.

Start off with a country themed invitation to get your guests into the spirit, using traditional style western fonts and earthy materials like twine.

Western Wedding Invitation

Next, choose an uncomplicated, flowing wedding gown with capped sleeves or thick lace straps, and wear your hair down in soft natural waves for a simple country feel.

Western inspired wedding dress

And what screams Western more than cowboy boots? Adding this simple accessory to your wedding dress will make any bride appear that much more joyful and fun, not to mention keep you comfortable well into the morning hours. That goes for the bridesmaids too, and they will probably thank you for it! Cowboy hats are also a nice addition to the groomsmen attire.

Bride with cowboy boots

Bridesmaids with cowboy boots

Keep your bouquet natural and organic, with bright and cheerful colours and unstructured shapes, using flowers like daisies or sunflowers. A nice unique touch might be adding a little horseshoe for luck or wrapping the stems with burlap and tying them with twine.

Lucky horseshoe on bouquet

Simple rustic bouquet

Flower arrangements can be accented with stems of wheat, or small tree branches with bright berries on them, and be presented in baskets, rustic buckets or flower pots.

Western inspired flowers

Use mason jars filled with flowers or candles to line the aisle at the ceremony, either by hanging them on chairs or placing them directly on the ground.

Flowers in mason jars

Bring the country theme to life by holding the ceremony in an outdoor setting surrounded by beautiful trees, with a simply decorated wooden arch and equally rustic wooden chairs. And for a truly authentic experience, why not have your guests seated on bales of hay, covered with fabric for comfort!

Outdoor ceremony

Outdoor ceremony with bales of hay

Bales of hay for seating

For the evening reception, you may choose to move into a barn, or stay outside, if the weather permits, under a canopy of hanging lights and lanterns. Of course, no western style reception would be complete without a live country band and some line dancing.

Inside of a barn

Outdoor lights

Keep your table decorations informal, using a burlap runner on long wooden tables and create low centerpieces using mason jars, for a unique and authentic feel. Using mismatched wooden chairs will give your space a truly rustic look.

Rustic table setting

Mason jar centerpiece

For cocktail hour consider serving simple comfort foods like mini sliders, or mac and cheese and coleslaw in small shot glasses. Finish off with a traditional BBQ for dinner, displaying the menu on a rustic chalkboard. Keep your beer chilling in buckets or a wooden barrel, ready for your guests to enjoy, or serve lemonade out for mason jars for a refreshing, non-alcoholic option.

Bucket with lemonade jars

You can end your perfect night around a campfire, with your guests enjoying personalized s’mores, and keeping cozy with blankets from a wooden basket.

Personalized s’mores

And as an added touch of western hospitality for your out-of-town guests, why not leave a little something special in their hotel rooms to celebrate the Stampede spirit, like a basket filled with barbecue and hot sauces, beer, or rodeo tickets.

Now is a great time to start scouring flea markets for these perfect rustic additions that are sure to bring your western wedding to life. Remember to choose a colour theme and use it throughout your wedding details, such as your flowers, stationery, and even those blankets for the end of the night!

If you are a Calgary area bride and need help pulling together your Western wedding experience, contact us now to book your complimentary consultation and we’ll have your guests saying Yee-haw!

 

As many of you have probably seen on our website I am known around Inspired Occasions as the “accessory queen”. I love necklaces, big chunky bracelets and funky earrings. It’s become a recent trend for many brides to wear unique pieces with their gowns. These are some favorites I found, and hopefully they will inspire you for your wedding day.

Nineteen Owls

I love how this couple coordinated their accesories! So CUTE!

JL Designs

This Next

Enjoy Events

If you’re looking for something fun and unique to spice up your big day check out Stella and Dot. They’re are very popular right now, but have something for every personality and everyone. If you need help making sure your wedding day style fits right with your decor vision, contact us.

We all have moments of nostalgia, reminiscing about the simple pleasures in life, and now more than ever, brides are making this atmosphere of soft romance a part of their wedding day. The vintage theme is one of the top wedding trends of 2011, and is now showing up in all facets of a wedding: attire, flowers, décor, favours, transportation and more. Think lace accents, pearls, soft faded pastels, elaborate patterns, and afternoon garden tea parties. Whether you want to add a just a few vintage touches to your wedding or are looking for the complete vintage experience, the choices are endless! And it looks like this is one trend that’s here to stay.

The first, and one of the most important aspects of planning a vintage wedding, is finding the perfect gown. Vintage dresses are typically unique pieces and have incredible workmanship, a sure way to be a truly original bride. If a vintage dress is not as fashionable as you might like, restoring and adapting it to more modern trends could be a good solution, without compromising the gown’s old school charm. Some great materials to consider are satin, for a light and airy feeling, lace, for its intricate details, or taffeta for a smoother look. Whatever your choice, make sure it compliments your personality, and use your gown as a piece of inspiration for the rest of the wedding décor.

Here is some inspiration to get you started.

Strapless vintage wedding dress

Vintage wedding dress

Tea length vintage inspired gown

50′s inspired vintage dress

Retro style vintage dress

And for the more contemporary bride, here are a couple of a vintage inspired gowns with a more modern silhouette.

Vintage inspired lace gown

Vintage inspired gown

If you’re a Calgary bride and need help pulling together your one-of-a-kind vintage wedding experience, contact us now to book your complimentary consultation and make your vision a stunning reality.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about wedding shoes. I remember about a year ago shopping with a girlfriend of mine to help her find the perfect pair of white shoes. Well it sure opened my eyes that the right pair of white can be difficult to find. I myself know that my wedding shoes will be pink, but here are some of my other favorites. What color and style will you choose…

Shoes and Bags

This Bride and all her girls got into the colorful spirit!

As In Events

Silver Touch

Find the perfect shoe to match the color and theme of your day…

These red rosebud shoes are to dye for! I think these may be my dream shoes if they were pink.

Riccardo Studios

Whatever shoe you choose make sure you think a little bit about comfort. If you’re like me it may be a good decision to get two pairs of shoes, the gorgeous fun pair for the ceremony and pictures, and some comfortable ones for the reception. You’re going to be on your feet all day and you shouldn’t be feeling the pain on the most special day in your life!

We’ve all had cake and cupcakes at weddings, some of you may have even enjoyed the recent trend of macaroons.  But if you are looking for something delicious and sweet as an alternative to cake and cupcakes you might want to consider doughnuts!  Doughnuts are fantastic comfort food, they come in a variety of shapes, colours, and flavours, and they are very affordable.  I don’t know about you, but doughnuts bring me back to the simple days of childhood.

As with any element of your wedding or special event, presentation is key.  If you opt to have doughnuts play center stage at your wedding reception, make sure you think about the set up.  Will you stack them into a tower, place them on a variety of footed cake plates, present them on silver trays?  Do you want full sized or mini doughnuts?  Do you want to offer doughnuts in lieu of wedding cake or cupcakes or do you want to bring them out for a late night snack?

Trays of pink, white and chocolate doughnuts via Green Wedding Shoes

You can still “cut the doughnut” if you want to go this playful route and skip the cake altogether.

donuts and milkMilk and doughnuts

Doughnuts and milk would make a perfect late night snack.

Doughnuts on cake plate

Present doughnuts on a variety of footed cake plates if you want to incorporate a vintage vibe.

action station wedding food

Fry Girl Inc.

How amazing would it be to have a mini doughnut action station?!  Guests could come up and receive their made to order doughnuts piping hot.

Mini coffee and doughnuts

These mini coffees and mini doughnuts are adorable!  They would be perfect for a morning wedding.  Imagine greeting your guests with one of these cute delights.  They would also be perfect for after dinner for those craving a bit of a caffeine lift and a sweet treat at the same time.

If you are a Calgary Bride and are looking for some exceptional doughnuts to share on your wedding day, you have to check out Jelly Modern Doughuts. They offer gourmet donuts, a stylish store front, and a variety of unique flavours that you won’t find anywhere else.  I love that they also use locally sourced and organic ingredients when possible.  My hubby even gave them 2 thumbs up and he is a self proclaimed anti-doughnut eater.

If you are planning a Calgary, Banff, Canmore, or Lake Louise wedding and are looking for ways to infuse fun and unique elements into your wedding day we’d love to hear from you!  As  Wedding Planners and Designers we love nothing more than working with couples to create signature wedding experiences for will leave your guests in awe!

Ahh, Vera. Where do I even begin? Vera Wang is one of the most coveted designers of bride’s-to-be all over the world. Her gowns are renowned for their elegance and dramatic simplicity, making them the perfect choice for a mountain wedding in Banff, Canmore, or Lake Louise. In her latest collection, Vera takes inspiration from the ballerinas of Degas’ art for an ultra-romantic collection using texture and hues of airy pastels and sophisticated neutrals. Swoon.

I am also loving Vera’s modern take on the birdcage veil…but I’ll save that for another blog post!

2012 Vera Wang CollectionCredit: Vera Wang Photography: Kevin Sturman

Couture Wedding DressCredit: Vera Wang   Source: Wedding Chicks

Best of Vera Wang CollectionCredit: Vera Wang Photography: Kevin Sturman

Lace back Vera Wang wedding gownCredit: Vera Wang   Source: Wedding Chicks

2012 wedding gownCredit: Vera Wang Photography: Kevin Sturman

Credit: Vera Wang   Source: Wedding Chicks

If you have fallen in love with a Vera and are looking for the perfect Calgary, Banff, Canmore, or Lake Louise Wedding Planner to pull together a show stopping, jaw dropping event design worthy of your sensational gown, contact us now to book your complimentary initial consultation.

I myself have been a bridesmaid 5 times, and luckily each experience was an enjoyable one where my dear friends cherished each moment of their wedding plans. However, it can be difficult for the modern bridesmaid to know what exactly her duties include when she says yes to this esteemed position. Here are some helpful tips for you beautiful bridesmaids on how to make sure that your friend has the wedding of her dreams, stress free.

1. Plan a bridal shower/stagette- It’s very important that the bridal party discuss what kind of an event they are going have for their friend. If the bride is already having 3 showers, then maybe it isn’t important you throw one. However, you should be planning her stagette and finding out from her what she would most like to do. If she’s the type of bride that would rather stay in for an intimate dinner with friends, don’t plan an extravagant getaway. Make sure you have an idea of what she wants, and get a list of people other than you that she wants invited.

2. Attending other Bridal showers- The bride picked you, her dear friends, to stand with her as she experiences the most special day of her life. This also means that you’re her “go-to” girls when other people throw her showers. Whether it’s a community shower at her church, or a family shower at her aunt’s home. You should try your best to be there so she has not only your support, but also help with keeping track of who gave her what gift, and transporting the gifts home afterwards.

3. Attending vendor appointments- If the bride to be has a fabulous wedding planner she may not make this request, but if she doesn’t she may need you to be there for her when she meets with different wedding vendors. Maybe you’ve been married for awhile and she values your opinion on photographers, caterers and djs. Regardless it’s always good to have a second pair of eyes, ears and opinions when it comes to choosing the people who are behind the scenes on the wedding day. If this has been a difficult process for the bride suggest looking for a wedding planner in Calgary or whatever city they’re in. This could be a real asset to helping your friend make this aspect go smoothly.

4. Always lend a supportive ear- It’s widely known and publicized in the media that weddings can sometimes be stressful. The biggest job your friend may need you for is just doing the job you’ve always done: Being there for her. There’s a reason she wants you beside her, because you’ve always been someone she can lean on, keep that part of it up, she’s going to need a hug every now and then.

Most importantly, make sure you’re helping her keep in touch with what matters most. This is her day to celebrate the love in her life, help her remember that when those stressful bits come up. If you or your friend want more tips or advice on how to help the day run smoothly, contact us we’d be happy to help!

Are you a Calgary or area bride planning to get married in 2011 but not sure you can afford the fabulous photography you deserve on your special day?  If so, be sure to check out the amazing offer below from 2 talented Calgary Wedding Photographers!

The “Love You Back” Project
Two Studios, Two Perspectives & Free Wedding Photography to One Deserving Couple

Anne Wright Photography & Tara Whittaker Photography are joining forces on the “Love You Back” project, an effort to give back to their industry.  One Alberta couple with a 2011 wedding date will win a complimentary wedding photography package from two of our City’s top photographers.

Anne Wright and Tara Whittaker began as competitors but quickly became friends due to a shared passion for weddings.  When asked why they are offering a free wedding, they answered unanimously, “to give something back” to the industry they love.   They relate that one of the hardest things about their jobs is to be contacted by a bride who truly appreciates their work but lacks the means to hire them.  This project will allow them to volunteer their talents to a couple who are looking for more than free wedding pictures.  Their distinct, yet complimentary styles will ensure that the winning couple will truly receive an exceptional photographic experience.

Wright is an award-winning photographer from Paris who moved to Calgary 2 years ago. “There’s no day like a wedding day to witness Beauty and Joy- as a photographer, it is a privilege to be there and my aim is to create imagery for the couple that will remind them of how much emotion there was and how gorgeous they were.” Anne finds inspiration in fashion giving her a distinctive style that is vibrant, modern and sophisticated.

Whittaker’s work is rooted in fine art photography and her work has appeared in galleries around Alberta, including a solo exhibition at the Akokiniskway Gallery in Rosebud, Alberta in 2007. Tara approaches wedding photography from the viewpoint of a storyteller, capturing each wedding through a unique blend of photojournalism, creative posing and fine art photography. Says Whittaker, “Weddings have it all – beauty, drama, expectation, detail, pure joy, silliness and raw emotion. They are thrilling to be a part of.”

The “Love You Back” project launches April 1, 2011.  In order to participate, couples must provide a video entry that includes their names, wedding date, wedding location and most importantly, their story.  Wright and Whittaker are encouraging entrants to be creative and to be themselves.  To hear more about the “Love You Back” project, please contact the photographers at photography@tarawhittaker.com or anne@annewrightphotography.com.

Calgary Wedding Photography Giveaway

Wedding Ceremony Love Letter Exchange

Love Letter Locket: Etsy

I am so excited to share a fabulous wedding ceremony idea that is oh-so-romantic.  I have to tell you that when one of our recent couples decided to participate in the exchange of love letters during their February 2011 Calgary wedding ceremony it left Jenn and I, as well as their guests, in awe.  So for those wondering how to incorporate this fabulous ceremony into their wedding day here are the key points.

Prior to the wedding day you and your sweetie will each take some quite alone time and reflect on why you love the other person and want to commit your life in marriage to him or her.  It’s a great opportunity to share by way of the written word all of the qualities that you admire in the other, the shared moments that you treasure, what you are most looking forward to in the future, and why you have chosen them to be your life partner.  When you have each finished writing your love letters, you will seal them in separate envelopes.  These two envelopes will then be placed into a keepsake box of your choosing along with a lovely bottle of wine and given to your marriage commisioner prior to your wedding day.

When your big day rolls around, your marriage commissioner will take a few moments during the ceremony to explain to your guests that you have written love letters to one another.  At this point you will exchange your love letters (still sealed in their envelopes) and place them into your keepsake box.  Your marriage commissioner will explain that also contained in the box is a very special bottle of wine.  The letters, and bottle of wine, will be opened by the two of you at a pre-determined milestone in your relationship, at which point you will each read the letter written for you by your sweetheart and share in the lovely bottle of wine.

Here’s to romance!

Calgary and Banff Wedding Planner

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