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!

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

Square moss door wreath photo: Elizabeth Anne Designs
I love the white curtains on the entrance to this barn.  They add a soft romantic touch.

Candle lined ceremony photo: Ferrington

Pumpkin and candle photo: The Knot

At night, white carved pumpkins could line the way to the barn.  
White “love” pumpkin photo: Masterpiece Pumpkins

Flower girl photo: Pegeen

White pumpkin flower girl basket: Weddingbee Pro

And your ring bearer could carry a little white pumpkin with your rings tied on.
White pumpkin with rings photo: Mint & Sage

And the groom would look especially sharp in a tailored chocolate brown suit.

White dahlia and green amaranths bouquet: Ruby Bloom Flowers

Mason jars with candles could be hung inside and out and used to line the windowsills.

Mason jar candles photo: The Knot

The exposed wooden beams of an old barn would be a gorgeous architectural feature for your reception.  Lots of candles and the use of up lighting would be magnificent in a space like this.
Barn reception photo: Robert Hooper

For the tablescapes I envision lots of candles of varying heights.
Candles photo: Elizabeth Anne Designs

And centerpieces and decor that incorporate little white pumpkins, some greenery and fruit (like the plums pictured below) or vegetables (maybe some artichoke hearts).
White pumpkin centerpiece photo: HGTV

White pumpkin and candle centerpiece photo: Decorvillage

White pumpkin rustic decor photo: Carte Wheels

I envision chocolate brown linens for the tables and beautiful wooden chairs.
Chocolate brown linen photo: Source

Look how great this colour scheme is with dim lights and lots of candles.
Romantic brown and white reception table photo: The Knot

White cake with tree trunk cake plate photo: Jose Villa

For a cute favour you could give your guests a smores pack.
Smores favour photo: Simply Divine Events

Or you could set up a smores buffet complete with all of the necessary supplies.
Smores buffet photo: Bridezilla

And invite your guests out for a late night fire pit.
Wedding with smores and fire pit photo: Snippet and Ink

It will be chilly in the fall so why not fill a basket with shawls or blankets for your guests and leave it fire side.
Basket with shawls photo: Katie Moos

At the end of the night delight in a sparkler send off from your guests and enjoy your new life as Mr. and Mrs.!

Sparkler send off photo: Luster Studios

I LOVE being a Calgary wedding planner and helping my couples pull off the wedding of their dreams in Calgary, Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and beyond.  I have been flooded with inquires over the past several weeks and my 2010 dates are filling up quickly!  If you are looking for assistance with creating a one-of-a-kind wedding that reflects your love and personalities with a design scheme that will blow your guests away, I would love to hear from you.  Contact me now to avoid disappointment.

The email read something like this “Looking for a wedding photographer who can shoot sports. We’re a couple who loves to jump . . .”

Hmmmm, jump, eh.  I pondered – just weird enough for a look.

One more sip of coffee. Click.

The messaged continued.

We are searching for a photographer who would like to take on the challenge of photographing our wedding at Ironman Canada, this August! We will be married on Saturday the 25th on the beach at Okanagan Park, then on Sunday participate in the race and then Monday we will host a big brunch. 

We have viewed your website extensively and very much like your photojournalistic style, and would like to discuss your availability and if you are willing to photograph this crazy couple!

We look forward to hearing from you.
Andrea and Kirby  

This sounds good, I thought. I’m up for a challenge. Besides, anyone crazy enough to profess to his or her own craziness likely is, well, crazy!

Day 1 – The Wedding

Fast forward to August 25th, 8AM. My gear was ready, everything double-checked and charged. Shot list, yes, flash cards formatted, yes, extra batteries, yes, head on straight, hope so.

I arrived at the couple’s hotel across from Okanagan Lake to find Andrea, all smiles, pink flowers in her hair, sunglasses on, strapped to an IV bag.

“Yikes, what’s up with that?”  I asked.

“I got food poisoning at the carb-loading dinner last night” she replied with a what-the heck, take it in stride kind of shrug.

“I’ll be ready for wedding, don’t you worry!”

“Yeah, she’s tough” came a voice from the door, laughing, almost mocking the notion that there was a hiccup in the day’s plan. It was Kirby, of course. Who else.

Just to prove things were on the upswing, he grabbed Andrea’s hand and along with best man Donald performed the event’s first “jump”

This was the precursor to the entire weekend – high energy through and through.

By mid morning, the guests had gathered on the east side of Okanagan Beach, the summer sun already well overhead. On the horizon,  a drumbeat sounded, steady, then faster and faster. The crowd’s curiosity ramped up with each beat. All eyes faced the direction of the sound.

“Seventh Wave, ready …” rang a distinctive voice. It was Andrea – at the bow, dictating the pace on a giant Japanese drum while a dragon’s head flared and paddles flashed. In perfect synch, she brought the team ashore where, in a continuous wave, they brought their paddles from the air to the sand. What an entrance!

Day 2 – The Race

5 AM comes early, even during an Okanagan summer.

At the hotel, Kirby and Andrea were out the door well before sunrise, race bags packed with survival-kit stuff – power bars, power jells, power aide, power clothing and powerful good luck charms.

Midway through the morning race prep, they had already overcome the panic of a flat tire on Andrea’s rear wheel. On the beach, the dust was kicking up as several thousand swimmers made their way to the water’s edge.

“Oh, yeah!” was Kirby’s response as he grabbed his new wetsuit-clad wife. Together they performed their signature “jump” just as the starting horn blared.

Andrea followed suit by rousing the crowd before she even touched dry land. The transition following the 2.4km swim was a time to relax, change shoes and pin a veil onto the back of her helmet before pedaling onto the 112 km course of fruit- filled South Okanagan desert.

Then the waiting began. An hour passed. No sign of Andrea, only whispers from the timing judges that she was “out there somewhere.”

Kirby, his best man and a few friends took a break from the crowded street, heading into the Lakeside Hotel for a beer.

Another hour. No Andrea. Then another. The 17-hour midnight deadline was fast approaching.

Aware of the unfolding drama, the crowd was steadfast, lining Lakeside Drive from end to end. Announcements of anticipation were rampant but still no concrete sightings could be verified.

Then, like slow motion footage from an old Hollywood drama, Andrea appeared, staggering. Her veil had hung on. The crowd was ecstatic, the near-midnight air electric!

Kirby was there to scoop her up and together, top hat and veil broke through the finish tape.