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

By now you have probably heard about Trash the Dress photo sessions.  These occur following the wedding, sometimes the next day and sometimes down the road, perhaps on your first anniversary.  They are an opportunity to capture some unique and artistic images of you (and your groom if he’s up for it) rocking your wedding attire in ways that you might not have felt comfortable doing on your wedding day.  I prefer to think of them as Rock the Dress sessions since the word “trash” scares a lot of people and these sessions do not have to harm your dress in any way.  I myself did one of these sessions the day after my wedding and I LOVED IT!!!  It was such an invigorating process and I couldn’t have been more thrilled with the end result.  I highly recommend doing one (and no my dress did not get trashed even though we were in a lake and rolling around in sand)!  It was a great opportunity for my husband and I to spend some quality one-on-one time following the whirlwind of the wedding day and we got some stunning images that we look at on a daily basis.  (I’ll post some images from my very own Rock the Dress session in the coming weeks).  

We have all seen the standard guest book at weddings and well…they are just that, standard. Does anyone really ever look at them again?  If you are wanting to remember the guests who came to celebrate your wedding day why not kick it up a notch an introduce something that you will actually look back on over the years?  Get creative and have some fun with it.  Your guests will appreciate the extra effort and you will have a keepsake that you will actually treasure (and not something that just sits in a box collecting dust).

This is a great way to display (and show off) your engagement photos.   Your guests will enjoy flipping through the pages selecting just the right spot to leave their well wishes.  Most photographers offer an engagement guest book option in their a la carte section.  You can also DIY at places like picaboo and My Publisher.  If you want to be really creative you can even help your guests with ideas by including headers such as: Give Us an Idea for a Date Night…, When Did You First Know that We Were Meant to Be Together…, Share Your Advice for a Strong Marriage…, etc. 

Photo: Kimberly Brooke

2. Photo Booth Scrap Book

Rent a Photo Booth or have your photographer set one up in a corner of the room.  Have your guests leave a copy of their photo along with their comments in a blank guest book.  This idea also works well if you want to create a Polaroid guest book.  You can provide questions (or missions) for your guests (ie. Find someone who has travelled to Calgary, Scotland and take a picture with this person).  It gives your guests something to do during the cocktail hour and allows guests to mingle who might not otherwise.  You end up with a great scrapbook as well. 

Photo: Wedding Bee

3. Type Writer 

Provide a type writer and some blank paper and let your guests fingers to the talking!  This would be great if the bride or groom was a writer or if you were planning a vintage inspired wedding.
Photo: Wedding Bee

4. Wish Tree

This is a great option as it can add a decor element to your room and can be rustic, whimsical or elegant depending on how you choose to accessorize.   
Photos: Here Comes the Guide 

6. Wish bowl 

This is the same idea as the Wish Tree just using a glass vessel instead.

7. Signature Mat 

This is another way to display one of your engagement photos and you can proudly display it in your home following the wedding.

8. Wine Bottle

Pick a favourite vintage or perhaps a specialty wine that you have selected to serve at your wedding.  Have your guests sign all around the bottle and then save it for your 1st or 10th anniversary.  If you are having a large wedding you could have several bottles available for guests to sign and then open them on different anniversaries.  This would also be a nice keep sake from your rehearsal dinner with the signatures of your wedding party and close family.  
Photo: Knottie – andrea88

9. Signature Platter

This is a great idea, especially if you like to entertain.  You can pull it out whenever you host a special get together.
Photo: Say Anything Ceramics

10. Wedding Quilt

This takes some organization and additional effort on the part of your guests but the rewards are well worth it!  Creating a quilt with different squares crafted by your guests is sure to be a family heirloom that will be passed down through the generations.  If you can arrange to have your guests send back their squares well in advance of the wedding you could have the quilt assembled and proudly displayed on your wedding day for all of your guests to see.   
Photo: Lara Swanson Photo via Life Love Lipstick

11. Cookbook or Recipe Cards

If you love to cook then how about providing one of your favourite cookbooks with beautiful pictures for your guests? Your guests could then sign on pages that have some of their most treasured recipes.  If you’re lucky they might even share some of their tips and tricks for elevating the recipe to the next level.  Then each time you pull out that cookbook over the years you will be reminded of the love and good wishes of your very special guests. 

Alternatively you could ask guests to bring their favourite recipe (on a recipe card you mailed out with your invitation) and leave it in a recipe box provided on the welcome table.  You could have some spare cards available for guests who don’t bring a recipe card with them…perhaps they will be inclined to share their recipe for a successful marriage.  Following the wedding you can try out the recipes your guests so thoughtfully shared.

12. Travel Book

Why not pick up a coffee table book featuring stunning images of the destination you plan to honeymoon at?  Guests can sign pages of the book or leave comments or suggestions about the best sights, sounds and eats if they have travelled to the region before.  It is sure to be a great keepsake that you will look back on fondly over the years.  

If all this winter weather has you dreaming of warmer, brighter days then perhaps you’ll enjoy these images that I think are just perfect for those looking for both simple DIY wedding ideas as well whimsical wedding elements to incorporate into their special day.  If not for your wedding then perhaps a birthday party, baby shower or other upcoming celebration.  

Check out these delightful flowers.  These would be a simple DIY flower project.  You can grab shot glasses (to use as mini vases) as well as the taller slim vases at the dollar store making this a super affordable project.  Add some coordinating ribbon from your local craft store and viola, you are done!  Flowers can be ordered inexpensively from places like COSTCO or even your local super market.

Above 3 Photos credit: Rae Leytham Photography via Elizabeth Anne Designs

How about incorporating some colourful signature drinks.  These are sure to delight your many thirsty guests.

Blue Cocktail Photo credit: Meg Baisden Photography

What would be better suited to a whimsical theme than one of these delightful cakes by Pink Cake Box?
Is there anything more precious than a fairy flower girl???  Photo credit: Anna Kuperberg

Any Calgary brides out there looking to incorporate whimsical design elements into their wedding day?  If so we’d love to hear from you and share your ideas with our readers.