Archive for the ‘real brides’ Category

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.

Vera Wang Dress

Chateau Lake Louise Wedding

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.

Inspired Occasions Wedding

Lake Louise Wedding Planner

Coral bouquet

Rocky Mountain Wedding Planner

Chateau Lake Louise Wedding

Such a spectacular setting for a wedding.

Lake Louise Wedding Planner

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

Lake Louise Wedding

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.

Vera Wang bride

Inspired Occasions wedding

Coral and brown wedding colors

Rocky Mountain wedding planner

flower girl and ring bearer

Jennie and Shane - Lake Louise Wedding

Lake Louise Wedding Planner

She was stunning!

Inspired Occasions Bride

Inspired Occasions Wedding

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!

Inspired Occasions event design

Inspired Occasions Wedding Planning

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!

High and low centerpieces with curly willow

Low centerpiece with curly willow

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!!!Personalized M&M's

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

Cake Creations Cupcakes

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

Jennie and Shane wedding

Inspired Occasions Wedding Planning

Chateau Lake Louise wedding

Inspired Occasions wedding

Congratulations Jennie and Shane!

Brittany & Adam: The Wedding

February 10, 2010

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!

LDS Wedding

Blue and White Wedding DetailsWhite and Green Wedding BouquetCalgary Winter Wedding

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.

Inspired Occasions - Winter Wedding DetailsLounge Style Wedding DecorCongratulations Brittany and Adam!

If you dream of dripping in jewels on your wedding day, and I mean real jewels including diamonds and pearls, your dream can be a reality!  You no longer need to be rolling in the dough to sport the latest high end designer jewels.  Check out Adorn Brides to find your favourite wedding jewelry styles featuring real gems at affordable prices.  How can this be you ask?  Adorn Brides offers rentals of exquisite high end jewelry at a fraction of the cost to purchase.  Now every woman can truly afford to feel like a princess on her wedding day.

Don’t these brides look stunning?  You would never guess their jewelry was rented.

Photos: Adorn Brides

Bridal Beauty

February 12, 2009

There are very few times in a woman’s life when she will feel as beautiful as she does on her wedding day.  In order for your full beauty to shine you need to feel comfortable and confident in your photographer’s ability to capture you at your most radiant.  Take a look at these stunning images captured by Calgary wedding photographer Rafal Wegiel
I love everything about this first image.  The beauty, the history, the stillness, the power.  

I am a huge fan of day after wedding shoots (trash the dress as they are known in some circles) where you can really rock your wedding dress and do things you might not otherwise.  It always makes for memorable photos and lots of fun!
All Photos: RW Photo

Photos courtesy of Claire Cocheme Photography

Paula, you had a clear vision of what you wanted for your wedding day and your modern and elegant “winter romance” wedding was beautiful. As someone who has “been there and done that” our readers could benefit from your wisdom.

What was your best decision?
I was not afraid to plan early, I planned and made lists. We had an 18 month engagement; I really started planning with one year to go. Each month I had goals set. Once I accomplished what was on my list I moved on to the next month. As the wedding came closer I made my monthly lists in advance as I knew I had to do certain things by a certain time. Also, I really involved my fiancée and put him to work. He was happy to help, but really let me take the reins. I think it’s important to not put all the planning on one person. We had a large, somewhat elaborate wedding, we needed help! My favorite time was the last week leading up to the wedding, from Saturday to Saturday I knew each day exactly what needed to be done, it was busy but not stressful at all. I also made sure we had free time to visit with our out of town guests, friends and family, that was extremely important to us. My bridesmaid from Nova Scotia came in one week early and she worked with me every day, really helped keep me on track!

What was your favourite moment on your wedding day?
Can I have two?
Seeing my groom at the end of the aisle! I really didn’t see much else; I just needed to get to him. I was very nervous up until the day of the wedding. Then I had a calming sense come over me. It also helped that my brother was our minister, which made it much more relaxing and special.
And our first dance! We worked so hard from September to January in dance classes to learn our choreographed funky Rumba. We danced to “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. My Father/Daughter dance was also choreographed so that was very special as well!

What would you do differently?
Probably not wait so long. 18 months was a long time! We had a deal though, Jeff wanted a large formal wedding and I’ve wanted a winter wedding for as long as I can remember. So we compromised. We go engaged in July 2006, the following winter we probably could have pulled it off, but we waited a year till the next winter.

What was the most unexpected part of the planning process?
The unexpected part of planning is exactly how much there is to do! It really helps when you have people who will support you and help you out. I had several vendors, an event planner /décor person and I still felt there was so much to do! We could not have pulled off our day without our vendors seeing our vision!

What was the most difficult part of the wedding planning process?
The waiting! A lot of planning our wedding was “hurry up and wait.” Some vendors want to be paid so close to the date, I would have preferred to do that early and get them off our plate. Instead I had to schedule them all in during the last week.

What advice would you offer to brides currently planning their big day?
Slow down and think. What really matters to you on your wedding day? You are marrying the man of your dreams!! When it comes to the planning itself, don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Looking back, what purchases would you do without?
I probably didn’t need 4 pairs of shoes. I just couldn’t decide! But seriously nothing major really, we budgeted and thought about what we wanted for the day. Purchasing while planning can easily get out if hand. Be careful!

Details were very important to you for your wedding day. You thought of everything and made sure that your guests were swept away. What difference did this make?
I think it helped set a tone and a feel for the day. At the end of it all, most people will remember they were at Paula and Jeff’s wedding. But while they were there, they were a part of our special vision. It really was exactly as I had hoped for, “winter romance.” Jeff and I will remember it that way; it was the happiest day for both of us, and just how we envisioned.

What is the most important thing for couples to consider when interviewing vendors?
I think you need to consider the city we live in (Calgary). Its boomtown. With so many young people, vendors are not really struggling for business. So, consider this, does your vendor care about your vision? Do they believe they can help make it or make it better? Do they email or call you back in a timely fashion?
I think when you hire any vendor they need to show you they are giving 100% for you.

Anything else you want to share with our readers?
Relax; enjoy your day and Smile! All eyes are on you! The best advice I got was to take a few minutes during our reception, stand back with my groom, and drink it all in. Look at your celebration no matter how big or small and remember that moment you had together.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing some of your wisdom with us Paula! Congratulations again on a beautiful wedding.

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