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Doughnuts…the new delight at weddings

June 10, 2011

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.

Milk 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.

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!

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Hot Chocolate Bars: The Perfect Winter Wedding Treat

November 19, 2010

With the chilly weather we have been having in Calgary coupled with snow all around I have found myself indulging in one too many warm cups of hot chocolate. There is just something about this time of year that says “hot chocolate.” Given my current hot chocolate craze I thought I would share one of my favourite winter wedding ideas, and that is having a hot chocolate bar. These are always a huge hit and are perfect to set up following the ceremony (your guests can indulge in a sweet beverage while you are off on your photo shoot) and they work equally well after dinner or at the end of the night. When I create a hot chocolate bar for one of my events, I always like to make sure that it is styled beautifully and has ample topping options for guests to choose from. Below are some of my favourite selections.

These heart shaped marshmallows would be perfect in a post wedding cup of cocoa.

One of my personal favourites, white chocolate dipped peppermint sticks! You can find the recipe here.

These peppermint marshmallow pops with white chocolate are too cute! They would definitely add a touch of style to any hot chocolate bar.

If you are looking for some fabulous and cost effective options, you can’t go wrong with mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, toffee sprinkles, candy cane sprinkles and cinnamon sticks.

I also recommend including options such as whipped cream, chocolate and caramel sauce, powdered sugars such as vanilla, mint and toffee, white, milk and mint chocolate shavings, syrups such as mint, hazelnut, and raspberry, and liqueurs such as Bailey’s, Creme de Mint, Kahlua, Grand Marnier.

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Jennie & Shane – Lake Louise Wedding

July 20, 2010

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!

Move Over Cupcakes…Macaroons are Stealing the Show

June 3, 2010

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

Beyond the Candy Buffet

December 9, 2008

Candy Buffet: Amy Atlas via Blush

Popcorn Buffet: via Once Wed

Cookie Buffet: Rebecca Thuss

The candy buffet has become hugely popular at weddings during recent years. Guests young and old seem to line up in droves to get in on the action of selecting their favourite sweet treats. If you are looking for an alternative to this wedding favourite think about other foods you really love that are sure to be a hit with your guests as well. How about a popcorn buffet where you can offer both sweet and savory selections? Cookie buffets are another great option. You could bake some of your favourite family recipes and even provide the recipes for guests eager to reproduce the delectable treats at home. If you are a chocolate lover why not think beyond the fountain and create a delicious display of truffles that would make anyone’s mouth water. I’d love to hear your ideas.

Personalized Water Bottles

October 1, 2008

The trend towards personalization has never been stronger. One area we are seeing this trend is with personalized water bottles for engagement parties, weddings, stagettes, baby showers, birthday parties and more! Everyone appreciates water, especially on a hot summer day or in their hotel room upon arrival for your special event. Why not go the little extra step and personalize it with your event colours, date, monogram or even a picture! Inspired Occasions offers a DIY service where you can purchase up to 4 custom designed water bottle labels for one low price and them print and assemble them yourself, or purchase the bottles already assembled, whichever you prefer! When you order a design from Inspired Occasions, the nutritional information on the back is even tailored to the theme of your event and your names and event date are added to the bottom of the bar code. Visit the boutique to check out more water bottle designs.