Weddings Unveiled

A Great Union!

2011-08-14T14:02:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone!

I hope your week was as good as mine. The highlight for me was the grand opening of the Union Eleven studio at 619 Bank Street in the Glebe.

Union Eleven sees the uniting of talents, Andrew Geddes & Derrick Rice. Both men have established themselves as top of their game and are in much demand, both locally and internationally. I have had the pleasure to work with Derrick and Andrew on more than one occasion, and can very easily say that they are as nice as they are gifted!

Here are a few images of their new fabulous space!

Nice eh? And the photographic images highlighted on the walls are even nicer!

Thanks for inviting us all over to share in your big news, Derrick & Rice. I know everyone wishes you much success with this joint effort!

L

Formal photos

2011-08-07T15:53:00.002-04:00

Happy Sunday!

I'm on the heals of a fabulous wedding yesterday for Liz & Rory at the Chateau Laurier. Liz and Rory and I worked on the plans for their wedding for a year and had a wonderful time pulling everything together. The photographer for the day was Miv, a well known exceptional photographer here in Ottawa. Can't wait to see the beautiful images that he captured of the day!

In looking back at the day, I am thrilled at how well things flowed. And one of the reasons for that was because Liz & Rory were open to having their formals photos prior to the ceremony rather than afterwards. I know that is a concept not welcome by many engaged couples, but please keep an open mind. Many of us have this romantic notion of his seeing us for the first time walking down the aisle. And, not to say that this is wrong, or shouldn't be honoured. But for those willing to give up that vision in favour or a really relaxed day, I highly recommend it!

Think about this. Your wedding day goes by SO fast! You have guests assembled who have travelled and set aside their plans just to be part of your vows. When you run off for a couple of hours for photos after the ceremony, you miss so much of the time that you could have spent with them. Photos after the ceremony can also put a bit of a crunch on the timing available since you don't want guests cooling their heels in a cocktail hour that is essentially more than an hour. And I don't know of any photographers who would only want an hour to devote to capturing you both, your wedding party and family members.

Yesterday, saw a wonderful intimate reveal where Liz & Rory saw each other for the first time so that "wow" moment wasn't lost. Afterwards, the wedding party joined them for their walk around the downtown core. An hour later, family joined them for their portion, which was perfect as they only had to be ready an hour earlier than they would have if they were going directly to the ceremony. Liz, Rory, and their families enjoyed a relaxed afternoon with Miv. And we even built in an additional half hour prior to the ceremony, during which everyone had a chance to relax before the big show! It worked out just great!

To watch Liz & Rory enjoy the cocktail hour with their friends and family who had waited with much anticipation to see them, just solidified to me the importance of considering this alternate way of doing things. I have been a proponent of "formals prior" for as long as I can remember, but wanted to share with you today just how well it works!

I trust that Liz & Rory are excited as they are in the air on the way to their honeymoon destination. My heart is with them both and the honour of being part of their wedding plans will be with me always!

Happy planning to you all! L

Website

2011-07-29T14:59:00.002-04:00

Hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend planned! I get to enjoy the wedding of Brynne & Robert so I'm pretty excited about that!

Just a quick alert to all of you who may have tried to find me on the web. My site is down and has been for a few days now. Hopefully it will be up and running again soon! When it is, I'm at www.weddingsunveiled.ca.

Have a good one! Lynn

In my opinion

2011-07-28T09:14:00.002-04:00

Last night I spent a wonderful night with my clients, Danielle & Geoff, and their moms. We were catching up on the plans for their wedding (coming up VERY soon) and reviewing what has been done, and what still needs doing. In the process of reviewing, Danielle says to me "I would never have booked ______ if I had known....". What was she talking about? Danielle was referring to the experience of working with a particular supplier. Now, she's not concerned that the supplier is competent. And she's not worried that this supplier will pull through in the end to create an enjoyable day for her guests. But this supplier has taken something away from the process that Danielle so needed, and that is enjoyment.

In my opinion, those who are successful in the industry are those who recognize that the wedding biz is a unique one. We supply a product within what is probably one of the most emotion-filled environments aside from funerals. And with that, we have to decide whether we are going to play the emotion game or not? Well, I'm sure there are many of you that will differ with me, but I think those of us who really serve our clients well, do.

In my humble opinion, one of the worst experience breakers is nickle and diming our clients. Sure, there are sometimes costs that we have to pass on to our clients. If I'm planning a wedding in the Muskokas, I pretty much have to bill for gas, accommodations, that sort of thing. But in my local dealings, I don't want to have a bunch of add-ons. They spoil the experience for my clients. Include the basics in your fee structure so you don't have to keep saying "and that will be an additional _____". If you're a venue, include the podium, dance floor, HT riser, all the stuff that you know 98% of weddings are going to request. And be a bit flexible people. Add a little buffer to your fees so that you have covered yourself for the odd additional request. Isn't it more pleasant to be able to say to your clients "sure, I'd be happy to" than to have to say "Well I'd like to, but...."? It's all about creating an environment for our clients that is supportive and positive while being able to meet our own financial demands. A fine balance for sure, but it can be attained. In my opinion anyway!

L

Wedding show news

2011-07-25T00:50:00.002-04:00

Great way to spend a girl's weekend in the dead of winter? Make a trip to the big TO for Wedluxe's wedding show January 8th. You can be sure that I'll be there! L

One in a million!

2011-07-24T23:19:00.004-04:00

Want a wedding that is one in a million? Check out The Twelve Apostles in Capetown, voted one of the Best Places in the World to Stay in the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List 2011. This property is offering a new One in a Million wedding packages and here are the unforgettable inclusives:

Day 1:
-You are met on arrival at the airport by your personal butler, who will arrange transfer of luggage. You and all your guests will be transported to the hotel by helicopter.
-You will enjoy lunch with your personal wedding co-ordinator to finalize all arrangements.

Your bridal party will enjoy the following:
-In each of the guests room are personalised, embroidered gowns, a silk Madiba shirt, a bottle of champagne, canapés, fresh flowers and a fruit platter
-Mini-bars are stocked with top brands
-Signature spa treatments for you and your guests
-A rehearsal dinner with a Rainbow Nations theme
-Welcome cocktails and canapés with a jazz band
-A South African smorgasbord and seafood barbeque extravaganza, overlooking the ocean with a selection of top local beverages
-Evening entertainment including Cape Minstrel singers, and the hotel’s resident musician

Day 2 (wedding day):
Champagne breakfast for all guests, or breakfast in their rooms
-For the bride and maid of honour: hair, make-up, manicure and pedicure
-For the groom and best man: barber services, a deep tissue muscle massage, mini-manicure and mini-pedicure
-While you and your maid of honour and best man prepare, the remaining guests will be taken on a one-and-a-half hour scenic drive over Chapman’s Peak on Harley Davidson motorbikes or in vintage cars
-An antipasti platter will be provided in each of the rooms to be enjoyed while they are preparing for the big celebration

The wedding (with Bubbles and Bling theme):

-Ceremony hosted in the Fynbos Gardens
-Rain plan of a church in nearby Hout Bay
-Personalised Chinese umbrella for use during the ceremony
-Instrumental trio playing before and after the ceremony
-Hundreds of butterflies
-The hotel’s marriage officer
-Photographers and a videographer
-A rare, protected cheetah, with which you may pose for wedding photographs
-Pre-dinner drinks with canapés in the gardens
-Decoration of the marquee and gardens, as well as your bridal bouquet and boutonnieres
-Lavish seven-course wedding banquet
-Bouchard Finlayson estate’s premier wines
-Champagne for toasts will be served in crystal cut glass with a heart cut Shimansky diamond in each
-A wedding cake will be prepared by the Twelve Apostles’ talented cake designer
-A top live Cape jazz trio will entertain during the meal

Day 3:
-A private picnic breakfast
-A one-hour, scenic helicopter flight for two leaving from the Twelve Apostles and landing at the V&A Waterfront
-A champagne breakfast for guests
-Guests will be transferred to the Waterfront to board their private yacht for a half-day cruise with plated lunch and beverages
-Helicopter flights for all your guests to airport
-You will be flown to and from Bushmans Kloof on a private flight
-A two-night stay in the exclusive Koro Lodge at Bushmans Kloof

This package also includes:

Accommodations for two nights in the Presidential suite and one night accommodation in sea facing suite for groom at Twelve Apostles and two nights in River Side Supreme Suite at Bushmans Kloof

Does this scenario sound like the wedding of your dreams? For you and 8 other guests, it can be just that............for a million! I'd love to see one unfold, wouldn't you?

L

Being pretty is not enough!

2011-07-15T00:47:00.004-04:00

Greetings from wedding land everyone!

I was working on some final details for my August weddings today, and with that, dealing with a lot of logistics. It had me thinking, I gotta tell you. We are inundated in social and print media with countless images depicting drop-dead gorgeous weddings. And, face it, most of us want just that! We planners especially! But pretty is not enough. Weddings have to be practical and well organized too(I'm talking logistics here) or else it turns out to be a bit of a pain-of-a-day! So, since I seem to be dealing with logistics every waking minute of my own day, I thought I would share with you some things to ponder during the planning process:

-That 3:00pm ceremony is fabulous because it gives you 2 hours for formal photos before the reception starts. Serious yippee!!! Think of all those pretty pictures you'll have for your album! I, the logistics queen, is picturing your guests hanging out at Tim Horton's in their fancy clothes fighting over the last honey glazed Timbits because they have no where else to go! Do consider doing your formal photos prior to the ceremony. It really isn't that bad!

-Love, love, love the Notre Dame Cathedral! And seriously in love with Temple's Sugar Shack for my reception. And your guests are going to love travelling downtown, then driving an hour to Ferguson's Falls. Then they get to spend the rest of the night sober as a judge because they have to drive all the way to Orleans to get home.

-Develop a very explicit formal photo schedule with your photographer so that your family members know exactly where to meet you and at what time. Otherwise, your mother may be a bit bummed that there is no record of her existence on your wedding day!

-What ya gonna eat on your wedding day? If you think you're going to get through from breakfast till dinner without a good lunch in between, you are probably going to need my full supply of granola bars that are packed in the car! Eat ladies, eat!

-Dollar store. Umbrellas. Need I say more? :)

-You're staying at a hotel the night before with your girlfriends. What fun you're going to have! Well it was fun until you have to check out at 11am and you forgot to have your luggage transferred to your wedding night suite. Pretty wedding gowns don't look so pretty when worn to next day's brunch!

-Emergency phone numbers list for all suppliers. Taxi numbers. Mini emergency kit. Cash. Couple rolls of duct tape and you'll be glad you have them. Duct tape especially!

-Seven ladies for hair and 6 for makeup. Perfect, 10am should be an idea time for the spa appointment in order to get you out by 1pm. That is until you arrive on site and find out that they only planned for two stylists and one makeup artist. Ask the right questions even if they irritate people!

-We've all seen this one. Slide show, no DI cord for sound, wrong cably things to plug into the LCD projector. Slide show is cancelled due to malfunction. Ask your entertainment company for help here. And bring your popcorn for an on site testing earlier in the day of the wedding. You can't be too careful! And you can't have too much butter either!

-First dance. Party, party, dance. Woohoo! Five minutes pass. Cake cutting. Dance, dance, party. Woohoo! Fifteen minutes pass. Cake cutting. Dance, party. Woohoo! Shoe game. People, let em' party for a bit without your trying to amuse and entertain them!

-Booked the most incredible decor anyone has ever seen, with a fancy ceiling thingy and everything. Spent $12,000 on it! Venue tells you that access to decorate begins no sooner than 2 hours prior. Woops!!! No more fancy ceiling thingy!

-And lastly, because I could go on all night!

-Auntie Loo gets up for her reading during the ceremony. Auntie Loo is a bit of a wing nut and forgets her copy. Lynnie has already put one on the podium and has a second in hand. Do you?

Moral of the story. Think and develop pretty! And then spend five times as much energy making sure all the pretty is noticed because everything else went off seamlessly!

That's it, that's all! Nightie night! L

Lessons learned

2011-07-04T18:23:00.003-04:00

Greetings all!

The heat is upon us (big time!) as is wedding season. The latter is my excuse for not blogging more than I am. Given a choice between my posts and taking care of my clients, I'm afraid that my clients win out in a huge way! But today, I have to post my thoughts on vendor selection, so please forgive me for what is going to sound like something you've heard before. I think it's worth repeating!

So, we have the old dollar sign!

And anyone who is planning a wedding, knows all too well, that it appears a lot as of late. Weddings can be expensive! There are a myriad of costs associated, and I guarantee you, they will be more than you expected. Much like every other area of our life, eh?

There are dozens of ways to reduce the costs of your wedding. And I don't think you need me to sit here and try to think of a bunch for you today! But, please, please don't "cheap out" when you select your team of suppliers. I'm afraid the old adage "You get what you pay for" applies to weddings too! Having been planning weddings for several years now, I can tell you that the best vendors in town are fair, honest, and out to do the darn best job they can for you. They, myself included, do not take fancy vacations every year. They do not live on waterfront property in Manotick. They are priced fairly (not cheaply) and the work that they do to make sure that your wedding day goes off without a hitch, is likely billed at an hourly rate much lower than your own salary.

I pride myself on being included in this fine group. I am not the cheapest planner in town, but I can assure you I will give you more value that you thought you would want for your investment. Out of all the inquiries I receive on a weekly basis from couples looking for planning support, I probably book about a 10th of those. Maybe less. And I'm sure that the majority that disappear after the first "pricing" email from me, are doing so because of the costs associated. And fair enough, I am pleased to share the business with my fellow excellent planners.

But, please be careful if your shopping around is based solely on the dollar sign. I, and my fellow wedding suppliers, have seen all too well the results of booking with Joe Schmoe who gave you a deal! Nine times out of ten, there is a reason he gave you a deal!

I urge you to take the time to find out exactly what you're getting from "cheap vendor A" as compared to "more expensive vendor B" before you sign that contract. And do your homework. Find out the vendors' reputation, experience and all that good stuff. The fact is that if you are going to put a wad of cash towards your wedding, you want place that day in the hands of good people or else you've wasted your investment trying to cut costs on elements that could produce a disaster.

Why do I write this today? Because, yesterday at Sarah & Lionel's wedding, I thought to myself how lucky I was to be surrounded by such a great team (and not a super cheap one) because so much could have gone wrong if we had not all been on our toes with the experience and knowledge that was in the room.

'Nough said! Happy planning!

Lynn

The Rehearsal!

2011-06-16T08:59:00.005-04:00

Morning everyone!

My post this morning results from a conversation I had last Friday. My friend and respected colleague, Keith Langille of Exceptional Ceremonies and I were standing on the sidelines chatting about the wonderful rehearsal his partner and wife, Lynne, was conducting for Sarah & Andrew. Keith was emphasizing the importance of a well run rehearsal and I couldn't have agreed more with his points!

What does a good rehearsal ensure?

-Bob, the best man, actually knows he should have the rings and brings them!

-the flower girl and ring bearer aren't so darn petrified the day of because they've had a mock run already.

-the processional is timed so that each attendant is walking about the same distance apart. And a good rehearsal coordinator will prevent them from holding their bouquets too high!

-the guys will look super spiffy with their hands all in the same position, either at their backs or clasped in front.

-the wedding party will be spaced equal-distance at the altar so your pictures are real perty!

-all the players will know the order of the ceremony so that things run smoothly the day of.

-Rhonda, reader will know to sit in an aisle seat so she doesn't have to trip over 9 guests to get to the podium at her appointed time.

-the kneeling bench will actually get moved so that the bride won't trip over it as the newly married couple are about to recess after the ceremony.

-the bride will know to hand her bouquet over to her MOH at the right time. And the MOH will know exactly when to hand the bouquet back to her!

And, as you can imagine, there a ton of other great things that come out of running through things a couple of times before the day of. The point is that you end up with a clean crisp show, and the fact is that your ceremony is a show in addition to being a very sacred, important moment between the two of you!

So, moral of the story, and so well said by Keith that day is: do have your officiant run an efficient rehearsal if at at possible, to ensure that it's done right! And afterwards, celebrate that all will go wonderfully on your wedding day with a refreshing fruit cocktail accompanied by the great company of those closest to you!

Good advice Sir Keith!

When I grow up...............

2011-06-03T09:20:00.006-04:00

.......I want to be a wedding planner!

My top 10 list of signs that you should look at another career:

1) The bride hands you her wet, waded up piece of gum before she walks down the aisle, and you say "I don't think so hon!"

2) It's pouring rain on the wedding day. I mean a monsoon (Kathy & Arnold, remember?) and you have tons of decor to set up in the rain. But you've made yourself all pretty and when your hair gets wet you look SO bad. So, you wait the rain out in your car and manage to get most of the decor up before the guests arrive. The bride will never notice, she'll be too busy!

3) Mother of the bride is distraught because she left her handbag up in her room. You chuckle to yourself that if she hadn't been so worried about your every move, she might have been more organized. Serves her right!

4) You're watching as the bride's great grandfather gets up to the mic to say grace. No one can hear his faint little voice. Mic's not on. Grandfather fumbles with it and looks embarrassed while the DJ has to run up and turn it on for him. Ridiculous, stupid DJ should have either turned it on beforehand and given this poor man instructions. I told the bride and groom not to hire this company. They suck!

5) It's been a long day and your feet are killing you. At 10pm you let the couple know that you're bagged and you're going to cut out early. After all, you have a brunch with the girls in the morning and you want to be well rested!

6) You're at the rowdy table and the wine is pouring freely! You don't want to be a dead beat, so you enjoy a few glasses yourself. What a great party!

7) Loser Mark who doesn't know when to stop at the bar, drops his glass on the dance floor and it shatters everywhere! But you've got things covered. You immediately go over to the DJ and tell him to announce to the girls with no shoes on to watch themselves so they don't step on the broken glass.

8) At the end of the evening, there's a whack of candy left from the candy buffet. You are so excited 'cause your kids LOVE sour gummies and salt water taffy. Seriously load up on some to take home. They will still have lots of leftovers!

9) You're working with one of the best photographers in the biz and you'd love some portfolio shots of you in action. Plus this particular wedding is beautiful! You ask Joe photographer to cut the formal shots early and come into the ballroom to get some shots of you. What a great score and beats having to pay him for a solo shoot!

10) It's 1pm and you're sitting on the front steps of St. Patrick's wondering where all the guests are. The ceremony should be starting and there's no one there. No groom, no wedding party, no florist. You immediately call the groom on his cell (thank goodness for emergency number lists) and he tells you that the ceremony starts at 3pm. Oops!

Seating charts

2011-05-22T22:59:00.005-04:00

Hey there, me again! Before I got last in Etsy land, there was something I was going to talk about tonight. Then I saw those pillows and completely forgot!

Now, this post may be totally redundant to many of you, but in hopes that it may help someone, here goes.

As you already know, when planning your wedding reception, we need to let guests know where they're going to sit in the room. It may be by table using a seating chart or escort cards, or it may be specific place at the table with the addition of formal place cards. When it comes to your seating chart (if you're using one) I urge you to carefully choose the format depending on your guest numbers. Here is the structure we so often see:

This chart is divided into tables with corresponding guest names seated at each. In this case guests scan through the chart looking for their own. Totally excellent way of doing things if your guest list is small. But what if you have 150 guests? Or more even? Can you imagine how challenging it might be for your guests to spot their name amongst all the others? Add to that dim lighting, and not-so-great vision (speaking on behalf of all of us who wear reading glasses) and it's nearly impossible. I have seen this happen a few times as guests squint for ages, trying to locate their listing. You can very quickly end up with a bottleneck of guests, and unless you have someone close by with an alphabetical list in hand to aid them, it can be quite a problem!

Please do have your seating chart designed to display guest names alphabetically by surname when your guest lists are large. And I'm quite the fan of doing it all the time! No frustrated guests means all happy guests and that is exactly what we want after all!

L

Today's Etsy find- rings part 2!

2011-05-22T22:13:00.005-04:00

Great long weekend to you all! Here's my latest Etsy find- more on the ring bearer theme! This time I'm featuring the loveliest ring pillows from Avenue C Bridal. Check 'em out!

I promise I'll try to fixate on something different for next time but I couldn't help sharing these with you tonight!

Talk soon! L

Today's Etsy find-ring bearer blocks

2011-05-17T14:48:00.009-04:00

Today's lovely Etsy find from Jennifer Raichman. Stunning, and I mean stunning ring bearer blocks. Look at them!

This might even be a DIY project for you crafty souls! Makes me want to get married all over again!!!! L

Etsy find

2011-05-14T14:18:00.005-04:00

As you all know, I love to keep my eye out for great Etsy finds, and I think this is another good one!

Every engaged couple has to decide whether or not they wish to offer guests a way to share their written best wishes at the wedding. In years past, we have all enjoyed putting a creative spin on the traditional guest book by highlighting alternatives like wishing trees, recipe box cards and mad libs. But there are many times that a guest book still fits the bill, and we all know how difficult it is to find one that is not lacy white with a satin ribbon. Check out these wonderful hand bound books from Linen Laid Felt

Every 8"x8" keepsake album has exposed stitching and is made from archival, acid-free materials. They are customizable with loads of paper choices, and either a monogram plate or cutout for photo/message on the front cover.

I love these wonderful albums created by Katie Gonzalez!

L

All things spherical again!

2011-05-03T13:46:00.003-04:00

Wedding decor inspiration on a rainy Tuesday courtesy of Emilie Faif. Continuing with my apparent all-things-spherical 2011 theme, stunning lace balls. LOVE!!!

Treaties for your guests!

2011-04-30T21:49:00.005-04:00

Greetings on a beautiful Ottawa weekend! I hope you're enjoying yours as well!

Since last weekend and my visit to the Ottawa Bagel Shop I have had one particular food on my brain. My husband and I were in Westboro and enjoyed the best scone I have ever had created by Art Is In Bakery. My own currant scones are to die for (in my humble opinion) but the combination of my favourite food (raspberries) and the light fluffy scone was just about as good as an experience can get! You will never know what a good girl I was, not going back for another. But, you can be assured that I will....very soon!

So, this got me thinking. If I was this over the moon about a simple scone, just think how excited your wedding guests would be to find one in a little treat box upon entering their hotel suite? Guest gift bags and survival kits have been a beloved gesture for many of us for some time. But imagine a yummy scone, some homemade preserves and a favourite tea blend. What could be more lovely?!

Photo by Kate Headley

And don't forget to package one up for your favourite wedding planner too! Or two?!

L

From This Day Forward

2011-04-22T10:54:00.010-04:00

Morning everyone!

I hope you have a relaxing long weekend planned! So good to see the sun shining today and temperatures warming a bit!

I had a super busy week and amongst my appointments were visits to two new Ottawa event venues: The Ottawa Convention Centre and From This Day Forward. Although Izabela and Tony hosted their open house a couple weeks ago, I wasn't able to attend since I was in Whistler. Izabela was gracious enough to meet with me solo to tour me through their lovely new space!

Here are a few images for you to enjoy!

Photo courtesy of AMB Photo

Photo courtesy of AMB Photo

From This Day Forward is located downtown on O'Connor Street. It offers a very special alternative to City Hall weddings and would be ideal for intimate gatherings (40 max for the ceremony, 60pp for cocktails), second marriages and vow renewals. Highlights include stone accents, a small caterer's kitchen, chiavari chairs, and a bridal suite shown here.

Photo courtesy of AMB Photo

From This Day Forward offers ceremony and cocktail packages with the superb Tulips and Maple as their in-house supplier. All this coupled with the services of the fun, enthusiastic Izabela! Welcome From This Day to our Ottawa wedding family.

Congratulations Izabela & Tony!!!

Lynn

Cake plates

2011-04-13T10:25:00.007-04:00

Morning everyone!

It wasn't long ago that I was shopping for a cute cake plate for Brandie & Robert's wedding. I found one locally at a fabulous price so we are thrilled. But I wished I had known about Delightfully Lovely when I was looking. Check out these cute-as-can-be cake plates in loads of fun colours!

Reasonably priced but they do ship from the states, so order early. Love!!!

New Ottawa Venue

2011-04-08T11:55:00.005-04:00

Greetings from Whistler to you all!

I'm writing this post to you as I look out the window at bright blue skies studded with mountain peaks. It is a beautiful day in Whistler BC, and I hope it is where you are too! I'm up here for a week working at a technology conference and although it is always an experience that I treasure, it is certainly not a wedding. And not as much fun either!

It would seem that I have missed much in Ottawa this week. Several industry events and the soft launch of a new wedding venue, From This Day Forward.

From This Day Forward is located on O'Connor Street downtown, so perfect for couples looking for a centralized location. It offers an intimate setting that accommodates no more than 40 guests. Featuring stone walls, beautiful lighting and chiavari chairs, From This Day Forward has several available packages depending on your needs. You can host your ceremony only, or extend the experience to include cocktails and hors d'oeurves as well.

We planners love new options for our clients and know you do too! Welcome to Izabela and her team. Much success with your new venture!!!

Lynn

Head tables decor

2011-03-27T22:22:00.007-04:00

Happy Sunday to you all!

Hope your weekend was a good one. Felt kind of like winter in Ottawa despite the sunny skies!

I'm posting tonight on a topic that is totally out of the blue: head table decor. I was searching images today and I came upon this one.

Now, if this mirrors the backdrop you had at your own wedding, you'll have to forgive me this comment. But, I think it's just about the ugliest thing I've ever seen. Now, I realize that it's a bit antiquated, and backdrops have improved in recent years. FINALLY, twinkle lights seem to be falling out of favour. But, let's face it, head table backdrops really hadn't changed a whole lot for the most part. Yeah, we've added some fancy fabrics and maybe some interesting tie-backs and embellishments. But, in my humble opinion a draped backdrop is a backdrop and they all just look the same to me.

And then there's my other issue with a traditional head table. You know? The wedding party is seated so that they are facing out to the guests. All in a row, so Joe can't talk to Melinda who is 5 people down. And everyone is scared to eat since they are on display. I'm just not a fan, I gotta be truthful! Now, to be fair, I do have clients who will have the traditional head table format. And I even have one or two this year who will have backdrops behind them. And that is totally fine because it's their wedding, not mine. But if you were to give me free reign, you wouldn't have one at all. I'd love to push things in another direction, myself!

My favourite, favourite, is to position the head table in the centre of the room with the other guest tables surrounding it. The table could be circular in format, oval or rectangular. It could seat only the wedding party, or the party and their dates. It could also include close family members. The choice is yours! Who ever's seated, you will all be able to see each other so you can actually have conversations during dinner! I just think this format promotes a cohesion in the room that you don't get from the 'ole HT on a riser. All your closest friends and family are gathered around you, literally!

How do we make this table stand out from the others since you still want the WOW effect that this is "the" table? Check out an arrangement that Michelle VandenBosch of Permanent Petals did:

Tell me you're not going to notice this table! The height and design of this piece adds the wow factor that you so want. Beautiful Michelle!

You could also create that height by suspending something over the head table like in this picture below:

Photo courtesy of JOS Photographers

Heavy repetition can add a great sense of drama as well:

And if you are adamant about having a traditional head table at the front of the room, think outside the box and use something other than pipe and drape. Smashing table decor, or backdrops consisting of a living wall, suspended florals, pillared arrangements or architectural lighting can easily give you the effect that you so want, but with a much more contemporary sensibility!

Happy decorating to all!!!!

Lynn

Time out!

2011-03-24T11:54:00.003-04:00

Greetings everyone!

Just back from my vacation in Negril, Jamaica! Perfect weather, stunning resort and the great Jamaican hospitality that makes the island a beloved destination for many! It was a week of nothing but sun, sand, and great food, providing an opportunity to recharge before a busy season. Couldn't help but think of all of you while I was gone. Everyone needs to just stop every once and a while, and certainly those planning their wedding top the list! So, take on a few to-dos with great gusto. Then treat yourself to a break before jumping in again. As you know, wedding planning can be a bit time consuming (LOL) so these self-indulgent interludes are necessary to keep your sanity, otherwise you'll become like me! HA!

Stay away from the emails, wedding blogs & social media (except mine), and pretty magazines for a few days. Plan something fun with your fiance or friends that allows you to relax to the fullest. You'll feel refreshed and energized and ready to attack the next month's to-do list once you have!

Glad to be back!!!!

Lynn

If I was a bride........

2011-03-13T10:28:00.007-04:00

If I was a bride and was faced with the daunting task of pulling together my team of wedding suppliers, I wouldn't know where to start. So many options and all within a market that I know nothing about! How would I go about the process of researching possible candidates?

-Google, good ole Google: First step, find out who's out there in each category. Which vendors have a presence in the community? Online? Visit their websites and see whose business model suits my needs. If a portfolio of work is important for a certain supplier, is their work professional and well-rounded?

-Social media is next: As many of you know, I'm not the social media queen although I'm trying to stay with the times. But the simple fact is that there is a host of information to be found within these sites. Facebook, About Me, Twitter, Linked In, and I'm sure many more. What are my proposed vendors talking about? What is their attitude? Do they present themselves professionally? What sort of support are other vendors providing to them. Do they talk nice? Seem to be in demand? All sorts of cues I can look for here!

-Talk to other wedding pros: My venue coordinator (if I already have one), and other suppliers will likely know the person I'm considering and may be able to affirm them as a good choice. They'll probably know the candidate's approach as well and if it would suit mine. Wedding vendors love to work with a great team because it makes their lives easier and they know my wedding will be great with the right support. More times than not the opinion from should be a pretty honest one!

-Chat forums: There are several, many of which I'm sure I've never heard of. But I would get on there and look for other brides who know something about my possible choices to see what there experience has been. Nothing like a bride to protect me!

-Face-to-face: Once my research is complete, it's time for me to meet my proposed vendor in person. Lots of questions in hand, so I can see if my needs will be met. But, I also know that I'll get a gut instinct at the meeting if this vendor is the trustworthy, professional, energetic supporter for which I'm looking. Totally believe we girls have a wiggy sense about things and it's typically pretty accurate.

-References: And finally, I would ask for a couple of references from each vendor so that I can see what former clients are saying. You know, just to give me that final piece of mind!

And then, after all this legwork (sigh.........) I can feel confident that my most important day is in the best of hands!

If you don't plan to hire a planner, these research strategies will help you to reduce the chance of hiring yucky vendors. If you do have a planner, then she will be able to provide you with the best based on her knowledge. Trusting your planner is the key!

Important add-on as so smartly suggested by Andrew Van Beek!!

When I wrote this tonight, I was coming at the whole thing as a person with no knowledge or connections. Completely in the dark! But as Andrew so aptly pointed out, your own personal connections are invaluable. If you are fortunate enough to have friends, family members and coworkers who have knowledge of the industry or who have been married reecently themselves, this is your best resource. Such a trusted opinion from an individual who knows you and your values. Andrew is right, this should be your primary resource if you have it. Thanks ANDREW!!!!

Lynn

Custom rubber stamps

2011-03-10T12:30:00.005-05:00

For those of you DIYers out there, a cute idea to personalize your decor details. Check out these custom stamps from Lise Grossmann on Etsy. You could integrate this stamp of your lovely images on favours, stationary, guest gift bags, and who knows what else. Perfect for the fun-loving couple!

They ship from France so order well ahead of when you need it. Say cheese!

Lynn

Oh ombre!

2011-02-28T14:45:00.007-05:00

My post today is dedicated to Nicole & Mike, my oh-so-stylish clients getting married this fall at the National Gallery of Canada. Nicole is this petite little, gorgeous woman with an eye for the loveliest details that are both modern, and a bit feminine in sensibility. Mike, handsome man that he is, loves clean lines and unique designs and architecture.

When I first met Nicole and Mike, she gave me a very good sense of her vision for their wedding. Loads of images and ideas that we have built on to make their day as fab as it will be (just wait). One of her loves is for the ombre cake, and that is exactly what she's going to have. "Ombre" is a french term meaning "shaded". And here are a couple of images to give you a sense of exactly how stunning this effect really is:

Maggie Austin Cake

Martha Stewart Weddings

Now you know what I'm talking about! Little did Nicole know how fashion savvy she is. Ombre cakes are all the rage this year and such a nice change from the standard white designs. Nicole, thanks for helping to keep my hip and fashionable (LOL)! And thanks for being stylish you!

We'll be sure to share her gorgeous cake design when the time comes. You're going to LOVE IT!

Lynn

DIY pomander floral ball

2011-02-19T23:48:00.009-05:00

Happy Sunday to you all! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful long weekend (or at least for some of us)!

I was doing some reading on my favourite blogs tonight and came upon this lovely DIY idea from Paula Biggs of Frog Prince Paperie which was featured on Pizzazzerie. I seem to be all about circular these days, don't I?!

Aren't they pretty? And so easy to make!

Supplies:

– 4” white Styrofoam ball
- 90-100 pearl tipped corsage pins
- Two sheets scrapbook paper – I used a pearlized pink for one ball and a matte pale pink for the other in these pictures
- Martha Stewart hydrangea punch

Step 1. You’ll need to punch 180-200 of the hydrangea petal shapes, which will take around a sheet and a half of 12×12 scrapbook paper.

Step 2. After the shapes are all punched, curl the edges of the petals upward and to the center. This will give the flowers some dimension when they are complete.

Step 3. Stack two of the flower petals and turn them a bit so it looks like a full flower. Stick a corsage pin straight through the center of your petals.
Step 4. Push the end of the pin into the Styrofoam ball, the repeat until your ball is covered.

I started mine by making a row around the center and filling in each half a concentric row at a time. Make sure your flowers are close enough that the petals cover the Styrofoam. If you’re going to sit them flat by themselves on the table as I did for my centerpieces, you can leave about 2 inches on the bottom bare of flowers so the balls have a bit more stability. If you cover the entire ball, these would look pretty in a bowl or with ribbons pinned among the petals to hang them.

Love these for a spring wedding. Hope you do too!!!!

Lynn

Weddings Unveiled road trip!

2011-02-17T22:47:00.003-05:00

As many of you already know I enjoyed a day in the big TO on Tuesday. Allison Turner of Live, Love, Plan and I were thrilled to attend Wedding Design from Concept to Completion with Sasha Souza. Hosted by the ISES Toronto chapter, this was an excellent event!

It was the first time that Al and I had seen Sasha, and it is certainly no surprise that she has become the success that she has. Extremely talented, warm and energy to spare, this woman is a leader in our industry. Sasha shared her approach to developing the "common threads", as she calls them, that weave together to produce a cohesive look and feel to an event. She had some great questions for her clients that helped to delve into their personalities, as well as likes and dislikes, so that she could gather information on which to base their inspiration board. I know this process well, as I put my own clients through this drill! But, Sasha had some really good additions that will surely make it to my list. Allison's favourite was "What is your favourite pieces of furniture or art in your home?" A beloved possession, even as simple as a favourite scarf, can be the inspiration for your wedding look!

Q&A followed the formal presentation where we all had the opportunity to pick the brain of another pro in the industry. Sasha was informative and gracious in her answers! Even Al and I got our shot in!

A sumptuous dinner by Oliver & Bonacini and a chance to meet Sasha at the end. This fun picture should give you an idea of the kind of woman that she is. Sasha indulged us with trio shot as she held the camera and snapped one for our memories. Note the big silly grins on both our faces!

Allison and I had a blast on our road trip, and so much laughter and planner-talk on the way down that I barely noticed where we were. I am blessed to call this talented planner my friend. And am also blessed to have met Sasha, a wonderful mentor to us all!

Thanks ladies!!!!!

Lynn

Short people with rings

2011-02-14T11:46:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentine's everyone! For all of you ladies who are surprised by a ring today, CONGRATULATIONS! For the rest of us, we're just hoping our mates don't forget the day. LOL

More tips to send your way, and this time it's about your little short person with the rings. I actually wouldn't have thought this post necessary but it seems that I run into it a lot. So, I thought I'd talk about it today!

Please don't give your ring bearer the real rings!

-If I was a 5 year old with two shiny things strung by ribbon, there would be no way I could resist playing with them. Just one tug and the rings go flying under a pew or chair. As cute a moment as that might create for your wedding day memories, the stress associated with trying to find the darn thing is probably best avoided!

-Picture this: ring bearer gets stage fright or has a hissy fit and won't walk down the aisle last minute. But he has the rings. Now someone has to get the rings from him and very inconspicuously get those rings to the altar. Not easily done without some amusement attached!

-Second picture: ring bearer manages to get up the aisle, but once he's up there, he loses it, or wanders off, or better yet runs off. And the rings go with him. Yikes!

-Last point and it's really one from my perspective. But, let's say everything goes OK and the ring bearer gets up front with no problem. The officiant asks for the rings and the little guy steps up right on cue. So smooth. But then the rings have to be removed from the pillow. Whether it's by ribbon or clasps or what-have-you, the rings are attached and the process of "unattaching" them just looks fiddly to me. You want your ceremony to be polished and smooth and this needless playing just takes away from that, in my mind.

So, point today? Please don't give your ring bearer your real rings. Let your best man keep them in his pocket, or display them in a dish at the alter, or whatever means is best. But suit your ring bearer up with replicas easily found at local party or dollar stores. And if you have your BM bear them, remove them from the box first and then place in his pocket. It looks much smoother if he just slips his hand in to retrieve them rather than having to pop open a box to reveal.

Small detail, yes! But what a difference they can make. Thanks for listening!

Lynn

Sasha Souza

2011-02-12T16:31:00.004-05:00

Happy weekend to all!

Hope your Valentine's weekend is a great one and someone in your life treats you to a little something special! Tonight is sushi night for the Lees!

And this week is educational week for Weddings Unveiled. On Tuesday, I have the pleasure of travelling to Toronto with Allison Turner of Live, Love, Plan to hear Sasha Souza speak on wedding design development. Hosted by ISES, this is sure to be a great, educational event, and Allison and I will be coming back with some great tips and ideas for our clients.

Couldn`t ask for a better travel companion and Al even said she would make us sandwiches for the road. See why I love her?

I`ll fill you all in when we get back! Fun times!

Lynn

Networking

2011-02-06T12:02:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the first WESO conference here in Ottawa, hosted by Cristie Vito of Stellar Events and Weddings and Christine Tripp of Tripp Photography. It was a very beneficial day for all who attended!

Anyone in business knows how vital a network of support is to the success of your own venture. But as an engaged couple, what do you care if we're out schmoozing with other vendors? Glad you asked since this is my point today!

I think it's vital as a planner to represent the needs of each couple as they are independent to them. That might mean that Cathy Cakes's talent is best suited to developing your design, not Cindy Cakes, even though I adore Cindy. The simple fact is the more suppliers I know, the better I can give you options, or better yet, know exactly what direction in which to point you.

But what if you don't have a planner? Well, the same holds true here. Your first trusted supplier (maybe it's a photographer) can point you in the direction of others who are well suited to your needs and vision. Maybe he/she can provide you with the name of a DJ who really excels with your guest demographics? You hire this DJ and maybe he knows just the right stationer for you! And the connects go on and on until you have this incredible team assembled that you can trust is perfect for you. And all without any Google searches involved!

So, the next time you're meeting with a potential supplier, ask him or her when the last time was that they attended a networking event. Do they make an effort to get out there and meet others, including great new talent that may be undiscovered? Use these connects to build a solid team of support.

Networking? Good for me and good for you too!

Lynn

Tip of the day: aisle escort how to

2011-02-02T11:02:00.007-05:00

Morning everyone on this snowy Ottawa winter day! A bit of a tip to share with you if you'll indulge me. I was looking through a bunch of online photos the other day and noticed that in every one of them, the bride was holding her bouquet incorrectly as she was escorted down the aisle. So, here's my two-cents' worth on the right way to do it, in order to make you look the loveliest for your photos!

Wrong: This bride is holding her bouquet with one hand and holding on to her escort's arm which just doesn't look great and kind of makes her off-kilter. She is also holding the bouquet up high so it's going to look like her head is growing out of it to everyone watching her proceed.

Better: Chelsea almost had it right. She's holding her bouquet lower which is great! The optimum is to clasp your hands around your bouquet handle and allow them to drop freely. The bouquet will end up being around navel height which looks fab! Now we need to get the arm out of her father's 'cause you can see how her bouquet is turned at an angle. You don't really want that.

Perfect: This bride is holding her bouquet at a great height. After you have your bouquet in position, your escort should then slip his/her hand below the elbow, curling his fingers around your lower arm. Just enough to give you guidance but not enough so that the result is your lifting your arms up, again giving you that head-in-plant look. Don't let him clasp your arm above the shoulder or it will look like he's escorting you to jail. I know that it may feel like this is exactly where you are heading! :)

I promise that you'll love the end result in your photos when your bouquet is centered and you both look relaxed from the waste up. Try it!

Lynn

Wed by Hand

2011-01-31T10:53:00.003-05:00

Morning all!

Another cold one in our fair city. At least we have some blue skies to make us feel alive and ready to tackle a new work week!

It's a busy one for Weddings Unveiled highlighted by Saturday's Wedding & Event Suppliers Conference at the Glebe Community Centre. This information session is hosted by Christine Tripp of Tripp Photography and Cristie Vito of Stellar Events & Weddings. So much to learn from their fabulous line-up of guest speakers!

For you "getting married" people, the same Glebe centre is hosting a wedding show the next day of February 6th from 10-5. Featured will be 30 eco-friendly and fair trade exhibitors. It's called Wed by Hand. Tickets are $7.75 if purchased in advance on line and $10 at the door.

Have fun and enjoy a great week. I'll be back real soon!!!!!

Lynn

Wedding Industry Pro Date Night

2011-01-22T20:17:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! I hope you are keeping warm in your respective homes on this COLD Saturday night! I'm staying put to get some work done, but also thought I'd share a great experience with you that I just had on Thursday.

Wedding Industry Pro Date Night grew from a handful of wedding pros who wanted to join me in my first meeting with Bridget Redmond of First Kiss Films. I hadn't had the pleasure of meeting Bridget prior, and now that I have, I can understand the "pumped" response from others on FB!

So, out of 2pp grew 4, then 6 then 9. Many of our wedding friends seemed to welcome the idea of a casual night out with colleagues to share ideas and a bit of food and drink. Because of the interest, we decided to open it up to anyone in the biz who was wanted to come play. And what a response we got! Upward of 80 pros joined us! Everyone from the most experienced in the city to those just starting out. It was so much fun and great to see everyone celebrating each other's efforts in such an amazing way!

This phenomenal show of support is not only good for all of us business owners, but for all their clients and the eastern Ontario industry as well! I met so many great new people and enjoyed seeing those with whom I have worked several times before. I was proud to be included in this wonderful group! Thanks to you all!
Lynn

Webisodes- The Wedding Planners

2011-01-18T00:27:00.006-05:00

Hi everyone!

Back before all the hoopla of the holiday season was upon us, Cristie Vito of Stellar Events and Weddings invited me to join a fabulous group of planners for an informational webisode. It was also my first opportunity to see Caroline & Sylvain of Reno Video Productions in action. How could I say no!?

Also on the panel with Cristie are Samantha Moonsammy of Starfish Creative Events and Inspiration, Wendy Leung of Beyond Events, and Nicole Ouellette and you will quickly see what fabulous ladies they are! It is an honour to know them and I greatly respect the commitment each has to the industry and their clients. You can also tell when you're watching the webisodes that we don't like each other very much!(I think it's all the laughter!)

So, my initial instinct was not to blog about this event. Not because it isn't of interest to those of you planning for your wedding. It was because my vanity won over and I couldn't stand to share my video image with you all. Tough to watch yourself on camera (ugh!) and so easy to be critical of every thought and action made. But, ego in check, I am ready to share this fabulous production that highlights the thoughts and talents of everyone involved!

Thanks to Cristie, Sylvain and Caroline for inviting us to participate. I know for a fact that we all had a lot of fun and enjoy the camaraderie between us!

Here's the link!

Enjoy! L

Engraved Wood Invitations

2011-01-14T00:41:00.007-05:00

How can a person not simply adore these fabulous engraved wood invitations from Oslo Press? I am in love..............again!

Reuse, recycle- cutting decor costs

2011-01-09T13:00:00.004-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone from snowy Ottawa!

I've been having fun working away this morning on the plans for Amanda & Nick's wedding March 5th. While reviewing our decor notes, it occurred to me that I should share with you some tips on saving decor $$s. The key is to recycle as much as you can throughout the day. When you are planning your decor, try to design details that will work both in your ceremony and reception spaces. So, let's take a look at a few suggestions:

-candles lining the ceremony aisle can later be used as accents on your head, guest book, gift, food and cake tables.

-if you have pillars lining the aisle with small floral arrangements on each, these arrangements are often the perfect size to use again dotting the front of your head table. Also perfect for cruiser table accents, on mantles, bars, etc..

-altar decor (draping, arches), if designed correctly can be used later in the day as an entrance wow-factor or head table backdrop.

-altar pillar/floral arrangements can appear later in the reception space either flanking the head table or as accent pieces wherever you deem them most effective. Large ones are perfect for you guest book table.

-chairs & chair covers can be used for both the ceremony and reception so you don't have to order twice the amount. But check with your venue and service providers first to be sure that you have ample time to move them from space to space. And if you are recycling chair covers from ceremony to reception, you either need to hire a service provider to do this, or have a dependable team of friends and family members assembled. Chair covers are time consuming and require a minimum of one minute to put on. Often more when there are swags, ties, bands, and embellishments with which to contend.

-Any linens required for the ceremony (signing table and ceremony program table) can often be whisked off and used later in the reception space if time and logistics allow.

-bridal and attendant bouquets can be used again in the reception space as well. Either in a vase or out (your florist will be able to advise you on whether or not your flowers will require water throughout the day), use bouquets on your head table, cake table or other accent tables to reduce the need of ordering additional flowers just for those spots.

-pew bows with flowers can sometimes be reused on the front of the head table if you like that look. Other options include scattering the flowers around the base of the cake table and along the top of the head table around the votive candles and other arrangements. Sometimes they work on a seating plan display too!

-Pew decor including small pots, jars and other containers are perfect for cruiser and terrace tables.

-baskets, containers used at the ceremony site to house water bottles, ceremony programs and such can be reused at the reception space for card collection, flip flops, escort cards and favours/giveaways.

-gobos and uplights can be recycled from one space to another.

Use just a few of these ideas and the dollars saved add up to be pretty substantial. Make sure you have someone assigned to dismantle these ceremony decor items for you, if you don't have a planner. It can all be done pretty quickly and with a quick trip directly to the reception space, all can be put into place very easily before guests arrive for the cocktail hour!

Enjoy!

Lynn

Weddings & pop culture trends

2011-01-04T21:33:00.004-05:00

Interesting article in the Arts & Life section of the Ottawa Citizen today about pop culture trends for 2011. As you can imagine these trends affect weddings as well so it is always novel to see the predictions.

Adam Tschorn's new hot trends for 2011?

-the art of ballet (maybe we'll see this influence in gown and shoe styles and through soft pink palette and feminine decor choices?)

- a move to colour, away from a neutral-inspired palette. The Pantone Research Institute says that Honeysuckle is the top colour for 2011.

Pretty colour!

-royal wedding mania (Certainly no doubt that the wedding of Kate and William will inspire many brides to highlight elements that they fall in love with in April)

-wood is hot as we continue to enjoy the warmth of wood from the outside, inside. As I mentioned before we saw a lot of branches the last 2 or 3 years. I think we're going to see more BIG wood this year.

-customer service is my favourite trend listed here. Every market is competitive and I truly believe that those who shine above will be the service professionals who offer a stellar product customized with a personal approach. This a trend that hope sticks around forever!

Tschorn's list of tired trends?

-Justin Bieber hairstyles (no comment..... :))

-enough with the obsession over pulling out your new high tech toy every two minutes. Yay, for no texting 24/7!

-Gourmet cupcakeries

-Adults who play Facebook games (again no comment :))

Thank you!

2010-12-30T14:50:00.003-05:00

Well, tomorrow marks the end of 2010 and the ushering in of a brand new year! It's a time of gratitude as we assess our many blessings, and also a time to look ahead with excitement as we work towards new goals.

2010 was quite a year! My clients were the best, most gracious people with whom to work! I enjoyed working with all the fabulous suppliers with whom I have developed relationships over the years. And I met many new pros with whom I look forward to working with in years to come. Thank you everyone for your continued support and friendship. I am truly blessed to enjoy the best job in the world!!!!

The past year was also one in which I was faced with some decisions. Demand for services had grown so (thank you, thank you) that I had to debate long and hard the direction that I would take the biz. To grow or not to grow? Should I offer other services to compliment my planning support? Should I bring on other planners so that I am able to help more couples? I'm afraid the debate results are kind of dull. I have decided not to change Weddings Unveiled's core services one bit. Although many planners have branched out into other areas such as decor, gowns and flowers, I just don't think it's in the best interest of my clients, or me, to do so. I love being singularly focused. It allows me to be super responsive and efficient at all times. I don't need to worry about monitoring staff or manning a storefront. I'm completely devoted to my clients and their plans and that was always my goal from the outset. Why change something that isn't broken, they always say?

I am excited to continue on this same path that has been so rewarding to date! And I cannot extend enough thanks to everyone who allows and encourages me to do just that!

Thank you clients, families and Ottawa's wedding community! I wish you all much health and prosperity in the new year!!!!

XOXO Lynn

2011 Wedding Trends- Hots & Nots!

2010-12-29T13:39:00.003-05:00

My predictions, rightly or wrongly!

Hot

-Custom suits
-Indoor and/or church weddings (so excited about this. Outdoors in summer means frizzy hair for the wedding planner)
-Videography & film
-Personalization big time (personalized favours, menus, gifts...anything that says to your guests "we're so glad you're here")
-Formality (plated service, formal table settings, formal programming)
-Live bands, performers, you name it (it's all about entertaining your guests!)
-Signature menu items that reflect you
-Letterpress stationary (gosh, I wish I owned one of these presses)
-Flowers, flowers and more flowers (I think we will also see a trend back to low centrepieces)
-Small wedding cakes (a showpiece for formal cutting only)
-Linens (unique and textural)
-Big fat leaves (in planters and centrepieces)
-Wow factor (at least one special element that guests will talk about for years to come)
-Uniqueness (DIY touches that bring your personalities out, one-of-a-kind finds, antiques/collectibles)
-votive candles/crystal holders

Not

-Stretch limousines (if I an do a Honda Civic, so can you!)
-Formal photos prior to the ceremony (me love)
-Veils (ok, if you really want one that's fine too!)
-Chicken, roasted potatoes and vegetables (come on...let's get creative here)
-Head table backdrops (maybe this is my own personal wish. Just don't like 'em)
-Tented weddings (guest comfort focus this year)
-Branches & twigs (been there, done that)
-Pocket fold invitations (love the single card presentation. Simple but can have a big impact)
-Damask (just tired of it)
-Flourishes (ditto)
-Cupcakes (sorry cupcake makers)
-Hanging candles and tea lights (yeah, I know the latter are cheap, but they're ugly)

Think I'm way off base? What do you want to see this year?

Lynn

Happy holidays!

2010-12-23T19:55:00.002-05:00

White Wedding Inspiration

2010-12-19T13:20:00.005-05:00

Ah, the time of year for beautiful holiday-themed weddings! If I were to ever get married in December (which I never would 'cause it's too cold out there), this is what I envision!

Interview with Alan Viau

2010-12-09T10:27:00.003-05:00

Alan Viau is a friend and colleague in the industry. He's Ottawa's busiest All Seasons Weddings officiant, performing dozens of wedding ceremonies in the city year round. Alan is warm, funny, and extremely talented and those three traits just shine in his delivery up at the altar!

Alan and I sat down for a chat the other day and here is what resulted from that conversation. Thanks Alan and much success to you in 2011! Lynn

Up to date with Wedding Planner Lynn Lee
December 9, 2010 by Alan Viau

When I started officiating weddings six years ago, I often worked very closely with wedding planner Lynn Lee. At the time she was the banquet manager for a popular venue. Three years ago she decided to become an independent wedding planner. I caught up with her on the weekend to get up to date with her.

Lynn is always a bubbly and cheerful person. As long as I’ve worked with Lynn, she is the ultimate in positive high energy. She went independent because she really wanted to engage in the full wedding planning process with couples. With her Wedding Unveiled business, she aims for the highest level of satisfaction in her services. It is also extremely important to her that she be able to develop a very close relationship with the couples. To attain and achieve these two goals, Lynn concentrates her planning efforts on weddings and chooses not to do other events.

Lynn’s tag line is “Celebrate the Experience” because she wants to make the year leading up the wedding day a “cool fun year” that is stress free. She does this by communicating one-on-one with the couple and vendors. Her main advice to couples is to develop a budget and stick to it. Because there are so many wedding ideas available in the various media, she finds that it is easy for couples get attracted to an idea and stray from their budget. Her wide selection of contacts and experience lets her a wide selection of recommend vendors that are right for them. It is refreshing to hear that Lynn seeks to network and collaborate with other wedding planners in the city. She often talks to Cristie Vito (Stellar Events) or Joan-Anne Cantley (Viva La Wedding) for resource ideas and suppliers. This way she is able to extend her reach in fulfilling the desires and requirements for the couple’s wedding.

Finally when it comes to the day of the wedding, Lynn plans to make sure all the details are taken care of. This way the bride and groom can relax to enjoy the day instead of being stressed out. She finds that after the wedding, the couple go through Lynn-withdrawal. She has been such a integral part of their life for the past year that they say to her, “I miss you”. Lynn then knows she has met her two goals of satisfaction and relationship.

Wedding nightmares

2010-12-06T19:45:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone!

It occurred to me last night that I hadn't blogged in a week or two. I was just about to think of something intelligent to say when I got a really cute email from a client today and had to share it instead. She wrote:

"I had a ridiculous nightmare last night about you, I had to tell you about it! So in my dream, it was your evil twin sister. It looked like you but not quite exactly, she had shorter hair and looked much older. In the dream, this evil twin sister changed my wedding date and venue, and then I no longer had someone to do my hair and make up. Your evil twin sister also decided to cancel my flowers from my florist, so she made them herself and they were awful! Half of them were dead or wilting. The tables looked ridiculous.

Anyways, I woke up in a real panic. But then felt relieved to know that it was your evil twin in my dream and not you!!!"

I laughed so hard when I read this! But at the same time, I totally understood what she was going through. I think every planner has had a wedding nightmare at one time or another. And brides certainly experience them as a result of wedding stress!

Morale of the story?

Family, friends, and wedding pros: be nice to your brides!
Brides: plan for a short engagement! :)

Royal date is set!

2010-11-23T23:32:00.003-05:00

The royal family announced today that the date is official! Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry on Friday, April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey. It was said that the couple chose the 1,000-year-old abbey in central London for it's sense of intimacy, despite it's ability to hold over 2000 guests. William and Kate decided against celebrating at St. Paul's Cathedral, where William's parents married in 1981.

The couple, both 28, wanted a spring wedding and also for it to be held on a Friday. Apparently Prince William wanted a short engagement and he certainly has gotten just that. Wow, would it be cool to be involved in the frenzy of preparations with the wedding just 5 months away! Prince William's private secretary shared that both William and Kate are playing a very active role in the planning process, which as you know, makes them my favourite kind of clients!!!

A national holiday in Britain for this historic wedding, and we North Americans will surely be celebrating right along with them! Can't wait to see how it all unfolds!!

Lynn

Unveiled!

2010-11-22T18:51:00.004-05:00

It's official! Some of the beautiful weddings that I have been blessed to enjoy this past year have been added to my website. Thanks to Cinnamon Toast New Media for their usual phenomenal service in getting those up and running so darn fast!

And thanks to the photographers who have allowed me to share these images with you: Blair Gable, Garrett Elliott, Scott Lee Roberts, and Julie C. Butler. Your talent still amazes me!

And then you know what comes next! My affection and gratitude to the four couples who allowed me to be a part of their extraordinary weddings! Alex & Thomas, Cindy & Todd, Manon & Pat, and Chelsea & Matt, you have my heart always!!!!

Thanks a million everyone!

Lynn

Too cool- I'm making these!

2010-11-18T12:54:00.004-05:00

I discovered a really neat and inexpensive decor idea today thanks to Joyful Weddings and Events blog. These are so much fun, super easy to make, and the costs associated almost nothing.

Photo courtesy of Jasmine Star

Photo courtesy of Jasmine Star

I can see doing these with twine for a rustic wedding. They would be fabulous on accent tables or used to compliment a centrepiece. Hang them from a tree at your ceremony site? Fill each with a carnation or other inexpensive flower for a pop of colour to accentuate your theme? So many possibilities!

And super easy to make. Use an inflated balloon as the template. Wrap the string, thread, twine or yarn around and then spray with a fabric stiffener. Let dry, pop the balloon and you're done. Leave a hole at one end when you're wrapping the string so that you have a hole that can serve as a point of exit for the balloon and a place to nest the flower.

What a great idea and I have just the wedding for which this would be perfect! Happy wrapping everyone!

Lynn

Wedding MCs

2010-11-15T12:12:00.003-05:00

Today's post addresses one of the questions I'm most commonly asked by my clients: What should my MC say during the reception? In hopes that it might be helpful to those who haven't played this role before, here is a bit of a suggested format!

*Note: before the reception begins, the MC should sync up with those persons with whom he/she will be working closely that evening. This could include the wedding planner, venue coordinator, DJ, band, banquet captain, lighting and sound technicians, and anyone giving a presentation. That way all parties are in sync and it will make for less scrambling last minute, which I love!

-Welcome guests, explanation of his/her relationship to bride and groom

-Comment on the day, the ceremony, weather, any noteworthy remarks

-Introduction of wedding party into room (if this is part of the program)

-Comment on the bride and groom, and then wedding party (fabulous job, look gorgeous, etc.)

-Introduction of parents and note any special guests whose presence is worth noting (travelled some distance, grandparents)

-Some casual remarks to bring the crowd together. Cute little story about the couple, etc.. Humour is great here so that the guests are hooked for more!

-Explanation of kissing game and any other interactive elements to the program. A demo of how the kissing game works is a good idea as it breaks the ice and gets the group all involved

-Details on the structure of the evening (plated versus buffet dinner, when to expect speeches, bar notes, etc.)

-Housekeeping remarks like washroom location, smoking regulations, don't forget to sign the guest book, DJ music requests and such. Presenting this with a touch of humour, again, will ensure guests actually listen and make for a little less dry presentation

Throughout dinner the MC will be responsible for keeping the kissing game going. He/she will also want to keep an eye on service so as not to compete. Nothing worse than a bunch of guests getting up to hula hoop for the kissing game just when servers are coming out on the floor bearing huge platters of plates! Also watch the mood of the room and note when commentary is needed to break up a lull, or to encourage cohesiveness in the room. The flip side to this is knowing when no podium remarks are required to allow guests to enjoy the conversation at their tables!

-The MC will introduce each speaker at the appointed time. Again, sync up with each a few minutes prior so that they can prepare themselves.

-After dinner and the formal presentations are complete, the MC typically signs off and passes the role on to the DJ or band leader. But this is totally up to the discretion of the couple and the MC. There should be some sort of closing remarks including thanking the guests for their attention. It is also very appreciated to extend thanks to the service team and any others who have made the evening a success. Let the guests know what's happening next (cake cutting, formal dances, etc.) and then sign off and enjoy the rest of the night knowing his/her stint is over!

I hope this helps a little. Again, it's based on your most common scenario. If the structure of your day is unique, just remember the MC's role is three-fold. Entertain, inform and introduce.

Happy MCing everyone!
Lynn

Chelsea & Matt- part 1

2010-11-14T11:56:00.012-05:00

Morning everyone!

Just like Christmas around here these days with all the fun images rolling in from this year's weddings! Figured while I was on a roll I may as well post Chelsea & Matt's today. This is part 1 of their wedding story. Part 2 took place in Nova Scotia a couple of weeks later for her family and friends there.

When I first met Chelsea & Matt, I immediately fell in love with them. Two of the most gracious people I have ever met and their energy and warmth were contagious. Chelsea has this smile that melts your heart, and the way that Matt looks at her just tells you that this marriage will be pure perfection. It was a true honour to be part of their day and I think of them every time I put on the lovely necklace and earrings that they gave me as a gift. Wore them just last night!

These beautiful images are courtesy of the fabulous Blair Gable. This was the second time this year that I worked with Blair and I was fortunate to team up with him again in September. I think Blair's talent is really unique and he is such a nice guy, it's just a pleasure to know him. Blair, Chelsea & Matt, thanks for allowing me to share these photos today!

Thanks to the amazing team that made this day so perfect:

Billings Estate Museum
Tulips and Maple
Blair Gable
Lynne Langille of Exceptional Ceremonies
Bel Fiore
PM Event Services
Cucina Dolce
Airline Limo

Chronicles of a wedding- Final Chapter

2010-11-12T11:17:00.010-05:00

Many thanks to Julie Butler for providing me with images from Cindy & Todd's fabulous wedding. They day went exactly as we had hoped and my gratitude to the fine team we had assembled:

Ceremony- Notre Dame Cathedral
Reception- Chateau Cartier
Photography- Julie C. Butler
Flowers- Select Floral
Reception flowers- Apex Floral
Cake- Kakes by Judy
Hair- Stefania Capovilla
Makeup- Christiane Potvin
Limousine- Millennium Limousine
DJ- Retro City DJ
Chair covers- Groovy Linen
Table linens- A Chair Affair
Invitations- Wedecor
Reception stationary- Jiffy Print

Enjoy!

Manon & Pat- 10/10/10

2010-11-05T16:20:00.024-04:00

I'm on a bloggin' roll and figured why stop now!?

Anyone who follows my blog knows that I love what I do and there are three reasons for that: the relationship that I develop with my clients and other service professionals, and the joy of being part of such a special time in a couples' lives. I don't think I've ever been involved in a wedding where I didn't enjoy all three. But, everyone once and a while there is just perfection. You know? When a couple is just amazingly wonderful? The weather couldn't be better? The team of vendors is extraordinary? The schedule for the day just goes tickety-boo? And the emotions that are apparent that day between the couple and their friends and family just create memories unlike anything you've ever experienced? Well that was the case on 10/10/10!

I have already blogged about my adoration for the lovely Manon & Pat! Manon, my new yoga buddy, so I'm excited that I will see her on a regular, stretching basis! But, there was another couple that day whose warmth and professionalism made me fall in love with them. And now I get to share their talent for capturing their wedding stories as images. Nicole and Scott Lee Roberts are just the greatest and what a job they did telling Manon & Pat's story!

Aren't they amazing? Now, you know what I mean when I talk about this day!

Also amazing were the rest of the member of our team so a huge thanks to:

Erin from Full Bloom-flowers
Sam Draffin from All Seasons
Weddings-officiant
Anthony from PM Event Services-reception music
Faye Blais-ceremony music
Lynne Frappier-cake

And of course we owe thanks as well to the fine team at Code's Mill Inn and Spa and Holtz Spa.

Happy weekend everyone!

XX Lynn

Inspiration board- August in Perth

2010-11-05T10:59:00.002-04:00

Happy rainy morning to you!

A good day to play with decor thoughts as far as I'm concerned. Something to brighten up an otherwise dull day!

Thought I'd share with you the inspiration board for Brandie & Robert's fabulous Stewart Park/Code's Mill wedding. We're thinking lots of texture with burlap and moss accents paired against the historic stonework so evident in the town of Perth. A restful colour palette of ivory, sage green, taupe and chocolate brown. We love it and hope you do too!

Lynn

Alex & Thomas-sneak peak!

2010-11-04T12:20:00.007-04:00

Happy Thursday everyone!

Thanks to Garrett Elliott for sending along some great pics from Alex & Thomas' September wedding. Here's a sneak peak. More to be posted on the portfolio soon!

Caterer: Pam Ritchie Catering
Flowers: LSP Designs
Cake: Cakes by Krista

Goodbye 2010! Thanks Sabrina & Allison x2!

2010-11-01T00:31:00.003-04:00

Yesterday marked the end of the 2010 season for Weddings Unveiled. And what a season it was! So many wonderful couples who tied the knot this year!! I am deeply grateful to all of them for letting me join in the fun of the planning, and for allowing me to watch their wedding days unfold into beautiful memories for all of us!

It was a year of continued friendships with so many great suppliers. And of year of discovery as I met many more with whom I look forward to working again next season.

I also wanted to shout out to my fabulous assistants who made every wedding go off without a hitch! Sabrina Guay was with me for most of them. Sabrina has an eye for detail and is such an unbelievable support. She endured amazing setup feats at Billings Estate and the Museum of Nature, just to name a couple. Sabrina, thank you SO much for sticking by my side this year! I also had the honour of working with the double Allisons. Allison Milne, who has this great energy and warmth about her. Hopefully she will grace Ottawa with her own planning company very soon! And then there is Allison Turner from Live, Love, Plan who was kind enough to help out when her own busy schedule allowed. Allison is an exceptional planner and I was SO lucky to have her! And no one can make me laugh like this woman can. She is warm, funny and super intuitive! Without these amazing ladies jumping in each day, the weddings just wouldn't have been as successful as they were!

Sabrina, Allison & Allison, thank you for everything! I owe you much and hope that I can return the favour some day!

Thanks everyone for a phenomenal year! On to 2011 with much anticipation!!!!

Lynn

We call it "Natural Elegance"!

2010-10-21T23:27:00.004-04:00

You know it's slowing down a bit when I actually post a blog twice in one week! Craziness, I say!

Thought I'd share an inspiration board with you tonight. This is a new one hot off the presses (well, the Lynn presses anyway) and it's for Erika and Aaron's September wedding. We are calling it "Natural Elegance".

We're on the hunt for the perfect venue on Saturday. Wish us luck and enjoy!

Lynn

It's all in the timing!

2010-10-19T13:19:00.007-04:00

Happy Tuesday to all!

Hope your week is going well! I'm plugging away here at a few details for existing clients and also taking a look back at some of the weddings this past season. It got me to thinking about my day of contracts. As you know, this is where the wedding is already planned and I come in to help pull together the logistics and details during the last month. Obviously, in this situation much of the timing for the day is already established and I very often see the same thing....tight time lines.

A wedding day goes by so quickly and we are all trying to fit so much into it, that it is super easy to cram more in than is realistic. You can have the most gorgeous venue, the best suppliers, and prettier decor than any other wedding, but if you are racing from one component of the day to the next, you will be stressed and so will all your suppliers. A practical approach is essential here and I thought I'd throw out a few suggestions! So here they are:

-as you are formalizing your reservation with your church and venue, ask their coordinators for feedback regarding your proposed structure for the part of the day that coincides with their services. They see wedding after wedding and will have great expertise to share with you on length of time for services and logistics involved on site. This information will provide you with a great basis on which to build.

-next pick is your photographer. There are heavy demands placed on this individual to provide you with the best photographic reflection of your day. Not to mention that they are also trying to get shots of family, friends, and distant relatives which all take time. When you are booking your photographer and videographer show them your proposed timing and get their input. Do they have enough time for prep shots? Couple, wedding party and family shots? Typically photographers seem to want about a 1/2 hour with the groom before the ceremony, an hour with the bride, and 2 hours for formals. And this doesn't include travel time. But get the pro's input here as everyone is different and the size of the wedding party and guest list may affect the time they need to get the job done!

Also, as unromantic as it may seem to some, consider doing your formals before the ceremony. I know it's not for the traditionalist who wants their fiance not to see them before they walk down the aisle, and that is totally to each person's preference. But it does ease the pressures places on you that day and I always stage a "reveal" before the ceremony where the bride and groom first meet in an intimate, personal moment so as not to take away from the first sighting. It really is a lovely option!

-day of coordinator is next (assuming you don't have a wedding planner throughout the process). Ask your coordinator to review your suggested timing for the day. They can give you invaluable input here on how long it takes for things. I love to give feedback here to my clients and it's helpful for me to do it, both for them and for myself, who will ultimately have to deal with the timing issues on the day itself!

-If you have hired formal transportation for your wedding ask them for their guidance as well. They know the traffic patterns in the city and areas of construction (Sussex was interesting this year, wasn't it?). They can tell you how long each trip will take and schedule accordingly. And remember that if the limo arrives to pick you girls up at 1:00pm they're not going to leave at 1:00pm. Count on about 10 minutes before it pulls away from the curb. Maybe even more if you have a lively group. I have often seen the limo arrive, some girls have disappeared, one might need to go back and use the rest room, and another has forgotten something. A host or things delay actually getting everyone into the vehicle. And then there is you, with your dress and the 12' train. Imagine how long it takes to stuff you in the car without completely undoing you in the process. It all takes time and don't forget to account for it!

-When you are planning your decor, be super realistic here. If you are having your wedding at the Notre Dame cathedral where you get access 1/2 prior are you going to bring in two truckloads of decor and get it set up in time? Do you have a sufficient team to do it all within the timing available? This is one of the reasons day-of coordinators are so popular now. Couples find themselves needing someone to decorate within a very tight timeline. Find out your access time before you sign the contract with your venues and be sure you can live with it!

-And lastly, because I seem to have gone on a bit today, I will put the rest of my thoughts together in one category. Build in extra time throughout the day. There is nothing that pleases me more than to see my clients with some down time. After formal photos are over build in 1/2 hour before you join the reception to use the rest room, fix your hair and makeup, grab a drink or bite to eat. Maybe enjoy some solitude where you can gaze lovingly into each other's eyes without your groomsmen heckling you! Or maybe just have more time to mingle with your guests during the cocktail hour (novel idea, eh?). Make sure you give yourself time to eat in the morning. Allow time to dress, put on jewellery, prep photos with your beloved photographer. Before that first dance, after dinner, build in 15 minutes during which you can get your dress bustled, if you already done so. Build in time for speeches to go longer than anticipated. Look carefully at each component of your day and add 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there. Just some time to breathe and enjoy the experience of being at your own wedding. I can tell you this. If I want to lead my clients over to the wedding cake for their formal cake cutting, to take an example, Under normal circumstances, it would take about 2 minutes to walk from one side of the room to the other. But at a wedding, I would give them 15. I GUARANTEE you that during that walk, they will be approached by guests wanting to extend their best wishes, or someone will want to have their picture taken with you. Everything, and I mean everything, takes longer at a wedding than you could possibly imagine.

So get it right from the start. Provide yourselves with a relaxed schedule (or as relaxed as it can be), and enjoy this day knowing that you do not need a watch and all will unravel naturally with time to spare. Trust me, you will be so glad you did!

Happy planning 2011 couples!!!!

Lynn

Confessions of a wedding planner

2010-10-12T00:01:00.004-04:00

Maybe it's the quiet today that has me thinking. Or the note I received from one of my clients tonight. Not sure which, probably a combination of the two. But, I have to make a confession to which many brides out there will be able to relate. I, too, feel the post-wedding blues!!!

As my friends, family and associates all know, I claim to have the most phenomenal clients in the world. That is surely a fact, I promise you. But because they are so wonderful, a sadness results when their wedding comes and goes. I walk away at the end of the their wedding night knowing that I no longer have an excuse to harass them with my "Lynn" emails. This pretty much happens all the time to me, but it seems especially so these past two weeks.

Recently, I have been blessed to have been part of two very special weddings. And both couples endeared themselves to me from our first meetings. You know what I mean, don't you? Just like with friendships, some people just connect better than others? You discover this great kindred planning spirit every once and a while. Someone else who revels in communication. Someone else who loves to-do lists and finds joy in crossing yet another task off the list. Someone else who values how special a wedding is and just sinks their teeth in to make it the experience that you had so wanted for them. You just work together so well and have so much fun pulling things together!

It's because of these two couples and others like them that I find myself sitting here feeling blue. Their weddings were my wedding in a way. I wanted so much for them to have perfection. And I think we achieved about as close to that as we could come.

I will miss my late night email chats with Manon. My "Hello Sunshine" good morning notes from Todd. The emails from Cindy that just made you smile because you could see her smiling when she wrote them. Watching Pat and his impish grin as he watched his fiance's every move with as much love as man could muster.

Moving on, as a planner, is tougher than most will of you ever know. Cindy & Todd, Manon & Pat, you have the stuff that makes for a successful marriage. Love and mutual respect, and the ability to laugh at yourselves and with your partner. I have learned something from each of you. Probably several things, if I stop to think. It was an honour to have been part of your weddings & I know that although I will see you again in the short-term, I too have to learn how to let go. Planners's separation anxiety is part of the job. The worst part of the job. But, I am blessed to have been part of this extraordinary time in your lives.

Cindy, Manon, Todd & Pat, you have my loyalty and friendship always! I will miss you!

Congratulations!

2010-10-11T20:22:00.002-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! What a day to relax and enjoy family and friends! I'm still on my post-wedding high from yesterday. Manon & Pat's day was spectacular to say the least! Can't wait to share with you some pictures from the talented Scott Lee Roberts and his wife Nicole. An amazing day for one of those most incredible couples I have ever met.

Manon & Pat, my hugest congratulations to you both! Thanks for having me. Enjoy a wonderful honeymoon and I'll see you when you get back!

Lynn

Ring pillow

2010-10-08T10:02:00.003-04:00

Morning everyone!

Pretty excited about the upcoming wedding of Manon & Pat on Thanksgiving Sunday. Hope you have fun plans for the long weekend as well!

We have a very special ring pillow for this wedding created by Full Bloom for the ceremony and hopefully I'll get a picture to you after the wedding. In the meantime, here's another cute idea from EmersonMade. It's their Something Blue Ring Pillow.

Isn't it fabulous?! I'm figuring it could also be a DIY project for the crafty bride. I just love it!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and wish for sunny skies for Manon & Pat's big day! Till next time!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: It's official!!!

2010-10-03T15:27:00.005-04:00

It's official! Cindy & Todd are now happily married and what a day we had! My huge thanks to everyone who was part of the success. We had a great team assembled and they didn't disappoint. My thanks to Allison Milne who worked so hard to help me set up the reception space yesterday! More details to come, but wanted to share an image from Julie Butler's blog where she posted an image that she captured of these two that says it all. The commitment and love that Cindy & Todd have for one another is evident to all those who know them. Julie, you and Rejeanne are fabulous and thank you so much for everything!

Enjoy! Lynn

What a wonderful wedding world!

2010-09-30T14:28:00.004-04:00

Two posts from me today. You'd think I had time on my hands, wouldn't you? I am just so thrilled today by a lovely phone call from Pam Ritchie of Pam Ritchie Catering in Kingston.

We worked together two weekends ago on Alex & Thomas' wedding and she has made my day with her lovely comments and wonderful email.

It was a joy working with Pam and her fabulous team. They really put their heart into this event and I am forever grateful! If you ever need a caterer in the Kingston, Gananoque, Thousand Islands area, they are your team for creative menus and superb service.

Working within the wedding industry allows me to develop relationships with people who better me and my life. Pam is one of those people. And there are many more out there who I have been blessed to work with, and many with whom I still look forward to the opportunity. Our area is lucky to have so many wonderful professionals working to make every wedding all that it should be. Kudos to them and hurray for the wedding pros! I feel very fortunate always, and certainly today!

Thanks Pam!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: Two days to go!

2010-09-30T10:02:00.002-04:00

Another rainy day in Ottawa! Must say, I've had about enough of the moisture for one fall! Hope your day is going well regardless.

Met with Cindy & Todd last night for the big final review. Cindy with her gorgeous wedding hair as she had met with Stefania that afternoon. I think by our conversation last night it is really starting to sink in that this special day is just around the corner!

The final itinerary was sent off to the team yesterday and we three reviewed it again last night. There were still a couple small questions to be answered. Cindy & Todd passed on some of the items that they had at their place (jellies, mat & pens). I also needed to get copies of their readings for the rehearsal tomorrow night. I picked up the place cards, easel monogram and seating tree tags yesterday at Jiffy (thanks Cady and Mark) and wanted to show them to C&T while I was there. They were really pleased with everything!

So today is a good day for packing. Place cards are all in order and bundled by table, tree tags are all ribboned. Centrepieces have to be boxed up and cushioned for the big trip to Aylmer. I have a few more things to attach to my clipboard. And, finally, I have to print off a bunch of copies of the itinerary so that I can give them out to family and friends tomorrow at the rehearsal.

Picking up the covers at Groovy and hydrangeas at Apex on my way into the rehearsal. The Chateau Cartier is letting me steel some fridge space from them so that I can store the flowers overnight. That will make for greater efficiency on Saturday since there is quite a bit for Allison and I to do at the reception site. After the rehearsal, I'm back to Gatineau to meet with Leah of A Chair Affair to collect the navy satin linens for the table. Then I'm set to go for Saturday!

Weather is looking encouraging so keep your fingers crossed for us and all the others getting married this weekend. Plus, rain makes my hair look really weird so that's another reason for sun (LOL)!

This ride with Cindy & Todd has been the best I've ever been on. We had so much fun with the planning and are really pleased with the end results! And, we are happy to announce that we came under budget by over $2000. How ya like that!?

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! I'll let you know how it all goes, but I'm sure it will be a perfect day for these two very special people!!!!

Chow for now!

Lynn

Chronicles or a wedding: Silly grooms!

2010-09-29T15:57:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone!

You know when something makes you laugh so much that you actually snort when you inhale? Looking around to see if someone heard you? Well that's what happened to me when I was sent this picture:

Poor ole Montreal had to contend with this all night on Saturday while my Todd enjoyed his bachelor party with his friends. Just don't think I need to comment any further on this one........................

L

A good day!

2010-09-26T14:55:00.003-04:00

Great Sunday to everyone!

I'm still on a post-wedding high today after enjoying Flora & Mike's amazing wedding yesterday! What a fun time we had and all went tickety-boo! The rain showers managed to escape us and photos with the wonderful Barb Cameron and Chandra went fabulously. Boy, did they have a ball in Barb's photo booth at the end of the night! Great vendors and a great assistant made the day just perfect! I had the particular honour of working again with Allison Turner from Live, Love, Plan. So lucky that she was free from her own busy wedding schedule to help out. Allison, you are an amazing woman and planner and I am lucky to call you my friend. Anyone needs a good planner, Allison is phenomenal support.

A wonderful day thanks to Allison, the F&M team and the top service pros at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (they are incredible). It was a good day!!!!

And happy anniversary to Jennifer & Trevor! I hope you are celebrating this one year mark!

Much love!

Lynn

Bad blogger! And Chronicles of a wedding-one week away!

2010-09-22T15:08:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone!

It seems that I have fallen into the blogging abyss! I have been so busy with my clients that I just haven't had time. But rest assured that plans are going well for Cindy & Todd's wedding and we are super excited to be just over a week away!

Last week I had the honour of coordinating Alex & Thomas' wedding in Kingston which I was on board for throughout the entire planning process. What a wonderful day it was for all of us. And the team that we had assembles was phenomenal. I only hope that I have the opportunity to work with them again in the future. Wow, is all I can say! Congratulations to the newlyweds!!!

So, the season is quickly coming to an end with October 30th marking my last 2010 wedding. I am now super knee-deep into the planning of several 2011 nuptials. As per usual, I have completely fallen in love with those new clients and it is great fun working with them to pull together strong teams of support for their weddings.

All the final details are being put in place for Cindy & Todd's wedding next weekend. The logistics and final orders have been handled. Decor is ready and taking up my entire dining room. Thanks to C&T my family now enjoys their daily meals on the floor (LOL)! Other than a couple of song picks, speech order and such we are almost ready to send out the final itinerary to the team. Right on schedule! Even the seating plan is done thanks to the ever-fast-Cindy!

We will look forward to sharing some photos of the big day with you when they're in. Knowing the speed at which Julie Butler does things, it won't be long. So stay tuned for the big unveiling!!!!

I will also be sharing a new package option in the days to come that will be perfect for those clients who need a little support leading up their wedding. It incorporates my day of management package as well additional services. There are so many of you out there who don't need full planning support but can use help on certain tasks. I'm hoping this will be just the solution. I'm on it, so shouldn't be long!

Thanks for allowing me to be MIA for a while. My clients come first and that is what has been the case as of late. But I am alive and having a ball!!!!!

I'll be back!!!!

Lynn

Chocolate menus

2010-08-24T21:23:00.004-04:00

Another unique thing to throw at ya tonight! We've seen chocolate menus before but never like this! Courtesy of Delysia Chocolatier in Austin are these beautiful customized, molded chocolate menus:

I'm in love with these but seriously discouraged that I have not found a supplier in Canada yet (Delysia doesn't ship to Canada). But you can be sure I'm going to look!

What a wonderful way to add a yummy, personal touch to your guest's place setting!

Lynn

DIY shoes

2010-08-24T21:02:00.009-04:00

I thought this was the cutest idea featured on Green Wedding Shoes. DIY shoes to match your wedding colours. Check it out!

Remember those cute shoes I designed for the 500 Days of Summer inspiration feature? Well, today I’m sharing how you can make your own couture wedding shoes – and the best part is they are really easy to make! You will need some comfortable shoes to start – I found these basic ivory shoes at shoebuy.com (Nina brand). You will also need some nylon fishing line and some silk chiffon fabric in the color and/or pattern of your choice! I recommend buying a yard so you have extra.

Next cut two pieces of fabric. 15″ x 13″ in length. Then fold the fabric in an accordion style with the 15″ length longest.

Take the fabric and tie a lose knot around the front of the shoe. This is why it’s important to use a shoe the has a narrow middle part in the front.

Next, cut four pieces of fishing line about 30″ long. Then push one side in so there is a nice small bump and wrap the fishing line around where my fingers are below. Tie in a knot on the underside so you won’t see it. Wrap the fishing line around again and knot again.

Do that again so you have two small sections on each side. And then repeat on the other side.

Once you have the first shoe done, go ahead and repeat on your second shoe. Once you have your shoes done, trim the ends so they match each other in length.

Fun huh? L

Shopping around for a planner

2010-08-23T21:24:00.003-04:00

I hope your week is off to a great start! I have just enjoyed 4 fabulous days with my parents who were up from NS and my brother and his wife who joined us from London, Ontario. I'm afraid that with my family living all over the eastern Canada map, our get-togethers are few and far between. We had a marvelous time and ate way too much (just the way it should be, isn't it?)!

I am feeling introspective today after a challenging week. I was faced with turning down a contract which came to me through a referral from by a past client. It was a very difficult thing to do but I know that my walking away was the right thing for both me and the couple.

So my point.....

Finding the perfect support for your wedding plans is daunting and with so many choices it is difficult to know where to turn. I do believe that the vast majority of planners in the area are doing a great job by their clients and that couples are in good hands regardless of their choice. The person that is right for you will be the one whose services most suit your needs and whose personality best meshes with your own. Think about it. Your planner needs to understand your vision for your wedding, your tastes, and your values. And you have to enjoy working with her since she will be following you around constantly leading up to your wedding and on the day itself. I truly believe that you will walk away from your meetings with potential planners with a sense of who you can see yourself working hand in hand with over the months to come. And a good planner will have the same instincts and should honour them (see I told you this all tied in somehow). Neither of you will be doing the other any good to formalize a relationship that will not be beneficial to both parties.

So, the morale of the story for both engaged couples and planners? Go with your instincts and walk away if you have to. Couples, you want the best fit for you both. Planners, you know who your perfect client is, so learn to say no to the others. You will love your job and serve your clients to the fullest. Shop around and find your perfect match! Well, the other perfect match!

Happy planning!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: little stuff!

2010-08-18T09:15:00.003-04:00

Morning everyone!

The August to-do list is getting ticked off with the assistance of the royal couple! Marriage license is in hand so we are all set for the meeting with the Notre Dame tomorrow. Shopping continues with the purchase of the last two vases for the centrepieces by Sir Todd. Holly has offered us a competitive price on the gel beads or water pearls or whatever you call those little things. So, we have ordered clear beads from her to hide the stems in the cylinders. Cindy & Todd found a unity candle set that mirrors the phrase that they have on their invitations so they were excited to scoop that item up!

As you know, the wedding party is travelling in style with Millennium Limo. Talked to Sushen last week to firm up the contract and the timing for the day. We are now at a 5 hour contract with both C&T being picked up at their respective locations the morning of. Then Millennium will be available for the formal photos in the afternoon. Another check off our list!

Computer savvy couple that they are, Cindy & Todd are feverishly working away at the designs for the ceremony program, seating tree, table numbers and place cards. That is the big focus over the next week or two. Todd sent me a draft of the program yesterday and it looks phenomenal!

I'm starting to think details for the programming that day. This afternoon I'm going to hit them with a couple of ideas for kissing games. I also have to check with them on the centrepieces and whether or not they want to give those away to guests. If they do, I have an idea for them to consider there as well!

I feel pretty darn good about the status of things at this point. We are a great team and are working away to make sure there is not a lot to do towards the tale end. I want Cindy & Todd to be able to relax some during the weeks before the wedding so they can just enjoy the ride. And a ride it has been! I will surely miss these two when it's all over!!!!!

More updates soon! Have a good one!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: jellymania!

2010-08-12T13:44:00.004-04:00

Happy Thursday everyone!

I hope your week is going well! I'm excited as I prepare for Caroline & Silvan's wedding on Saturday. They have been hard at work this week making all the final decisions so that we are in good shape for their day. We are also encouraged to see that the weather forecast has improved dramatically for their outdoor ceremony at the Crowne Plaza!

So, since today is well under control, I thought I'd update you on the happenings with our lovely October 2nd wedding. The Jelly Bellies arrived via courier yesterday and we were glad they came that route. Even with the fast delivery they were slightly tacky, so I boxed them up this morning so that they would be stored loosely in the basement. They look fabulous and with the addition of the monogram sticker they will be a great colour addition to the tables. Not to mention a yummy treat!

We also want to announce that the vase search is over............well almost. Our local walmarts are providing us with a great option at $6.97 each. Super sturdy, a wide 5" opening and it sits about 10" tall. We need 17 and collective hands have scooped up 15 so far. Two more to go and not sure which walmarts we have left to conquer! The willow branches are all cut and ready to assemble so it's glue gun time for Lynnie to affix those blossoms to each one. Holly from Select Floral is going to see if she can find us some gel beads to hide the stems and branches within the vase. Thanks Holly!

Speaking of Holly, we have updated our order with her to now include a long, low, rectangular arrangement of hydrangeas and ivory roses to sit at the back of the guest book table. We think this will look smashing!

Tux measurements are in! Cindy is picking up the marriage license this week in preparation for their final meeting with the Cathedral this month. August is quickly disappearing and then we'll be just one month away. can't wait to see these two get married (and I mean that in the nicest way possible)!!

Before I go, there is one last decor update. We are using the remaining willow branches to make a seating plan tree in the cocktail space.

You've seen these before, I'm sure. Our branches will obviously look different, but the general premise is the same. We will have oblong cards hanging from the branches in the same design as the invites. And, on each card will be a table number and corresponding guest names. I found $.77 tea light holders yesterday so picked up 11 of those (with C&T's blessing) so I will wire them to hang from the tree. Cindy & Todd have a perfect white vase for us to use. A few blossoms on the branches and we have seating charty thing that works well with the rest of our decor choices. It's comin' together!!!!!!

See ya till next time!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: counting down the weeks!

2010-08-05T10:54:00.003-04:00

Well, the excitement is mounting here as we reach the 8 week-prior mark to Cindy & Todd's wedding! I was working away at covering the cupcake stand last night and it looks pretty good, if I do say so myself. I seriously lucked into dark blue paper at Michael's (yup, used a coupon) that is the exact match of the riser boxes that I had found earlier. Both have subtle stripes that match our stripe motif on the invitations we they're perfect! I can taste Judy's cupcakes already!!!

August is a light month for me as far as wedding go so it provides us with the time we need to tie up all the loose ends for the wedding. The guys at Morris now have all the tux measurements so we are good to go there. The jellies have been ordered and will arrive next week so the boxing fun will begin. I am going to store them in my basement very close to my weight bench so I can life a weight, eat a jelly, life another weight, eat a jelly.........you get the idea. I'm sure C&T won't mind a few missing!

Cindy & Todd sang their way to NY last week and picked most of the songs for their ceremony and reception and I am very excited about that. Well, except for "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash. That must have been one of Todd's picks! I also found a charm real cheap for Cindy's bouquet. It is round like their monogram so we will insert the monogram into it for a nice added touch!

August sees the following list of to-dos:

-Remaining reception song selections to be completed
-Shopping for decor stuff!
-Decide on printing/design for place cards, ceremony programs, signs, etc.
-Give list of music selections to musicians
-Purchase lingerie & accessories
-Decide on entry decor for reception
-Itinerary copies with timing to limo
-Get marriage license
-Order wedding favours
-Firm up plans for rehearsal dinner
-Determine who will speak at reception
-Decide on kissing games, etc. for reception
-Meet with Notre Dame to finalize arrangements
-Confirm/check on all hotel accommodations
-Finalize menu for reception/decide on bar (host or cash?)

We are armed and ready and I'm going shopping today before meeting with Nicole & Mike! Todd gave me his credit card blessing and told me to buy a few nice outfits for myself as well. That Todd! Now you know why I love him so!

Off to spend some cash! See ya!

Lynn

Congratulations!

2010-08-04T21:47:00.005-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love my job! I work very hard but I also reap the biggest rewards. My clients are the most amazing people and I am so blessed to know them. And every once and a while I hear from one of them, months or years down the road. I am always so excited to find out what's new and exciting in their lives. Well, the past couple of weeks have been really special ones! I have heard from Melissa & Allen and Haemi and Mike, both of whom got married last year. It would appear that they have been blessed once again. This time with babies on the way. I am so excited for both couples and wanted to share my joy with you. Haemi & Mike just emailed tonight and I am on cloud nine for them! CONGRATULATIONS to four incredible people who will be equally wonderful parents! XO from me!!!!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: the adventures of Cindy & Todd continue!

2010-07-29T13:38:00.002-04:00

Well, as is painfully obvious, my Cindy & Todd updates become fewer and farther between during wedding season. But, don't despair! We are still well into the planning on our end!

We are seriously celebrating the completion of the invitations and their submission into the mail system. We are even getting some back in the mail with lots of positive response both for attendance and for the lovely design of the stationary itself. It was an arduous process for us, getting these things done. It seems as though there is always one hurdle to jump and that was ours. We are glad to be moving on from it!

Celebration #2 comes from our discovery of Leah and her wonderful company in Montreal, A Chair Affair. Leah is a wonderful communicator and very obliging. She shipped me a linen sample of their navy matte satin and it is PERFECT! I was over at C&T's last night to get the big thumbs up so we are a go. These linens are going to make the space, so this was very important to us. Welcome Leah to our crazy little team!!!!

Celebration #3 comes from the purchase of Cindy's killer blue pumps for the wedding. They are drop-dead gorgeous and she did a great job finding them from an online source. Yahoo for Cindy and her great taste!

How are the other developments going?

Groomsmen: We actually have some now that Todd has finally asked the guys. Todd is pretty but not too fast!

Rehearsal dinner: Cindy & Todd have decided on The Black Thorn. It is right there by the Cathedral so ideally suited for that follow-up dinner after the rehearsal at the Cathedral on Friday night. C&T took Cindy's parents there on the weekend of the 3rd to test out the food and ambiance and it was just what they are looking for. They wanted a casual comfortable location for this intimate gathering!

Centrepieces & decor: Lynn is still on a search for vases (cheap ones)to use here. They are eluding me so far but I am encouraged that I will find them. The hunt also continues for a gift card box, guest signing frame and mat, navy paper with which to wrap my DIY cupcake stand, and the details that will go into the space. Next week I need to find some quiet time just to sit and figure out the decor for the entrance into the reception space. We want something WOW there so it's got to be good!

Homework for Cindy & Todd right now is to develop more of the programming for their day. They are working on song selections, speech presenters, readers for the ceremony and such. Besides my decor focus, I am working away with Kelly at the Chateau and the other suppliers to finalize more on the event order for the day and my own itinerary that gives everyone a play-by-play of how everything will be executed the day of.

August is going to fly by now so we are driven to have most things done by the end of the summer. I have kept my schedule pretty clear next month so I can work away with them and my other full-planning couples to iron out all the details before I get back into a full schedule of weddings for September and October.

So, as you can see, we're moving along pretty well. I will try to keep you better updated next month as we near the end of things!

Have a great weekend everyone! I'm off to the Museum of Civilization for Heather & Jason's beautiful wedding. They're from NS too!

See ya!

Lynn

2010-07-22T14:52:00.002-04:00

Ottawa fire crews at the scene of a fire Thursday afternoon at the Courtyard Restaurant in the ByWard Market.Photograph by: Staff photo, Mobile DeviceOTTAWA — George Street has reopened after a fire at the Courtyard Restaurant forced police to close a section at lunch time Thursday.

Staff and customers at the ByWard Market restaurant, at 21 George St., were forced out just before 12 p.m. when a fire broke out in the ventilation unit in the kitchen on the main floor.

Six employees were working at the time, one of whom suffered minor smoke inhalation. He was treated by paramedics at the scene, and not taken to hospital. There were no other reports of injury.

The fire was under control at about 12:23 p.m. It was contained to the ventilation area between the first and second floors of the restaurant. Ten customers were outside in the courtyard at the time.

The kitchen suffered smoke and some water damage. Fire spokesman Marc Messier estimated the damage at $250,000. It was not known how long the restaurant would be closed.

Twelve rigs and about 35 firefighters attended the scene. Dozens of people on their lunch breaks watched as firefighters cooled off under nearby trees.

The street was reopened shortly before 2 p.m.

My best to the staff and clients of Ottawa's Courtyard Restaurant!!!! Lynn

Inspiration board-Orchid damask theme

2010-07-22T13:49:00.003-04:00

So, I gotta let you in on a little secret today! I used to be the biggest procrastinator in the world. The worst example was when I was in my forth year university and we were about a month from graduating. My advising professor asked me if I intended to do my thesis so I could also move on to the next step. I had barely started it! But, I did a lot of all-nighters (in keeping with university life) and pulled off an "A". Lesson hardly learned, but eventually I came around to seeing the pluses in being proactive. Now, I'm the other extreme so much so it drives my family nuts! Why I am telling you this? Well, it's because I'm sitting here completely caught up. We are SO ready for Saturday's wedding. I have all my other 2010's going ahead well and my new 2011 contracts are moving along as they should too. So, I find myself with blogging time! Yahoo!!!!

I wanted to share with you another inspiration board. This one is for Liz & Rory's wedding next August. Now, we haven't signed the contract yet (formally) but hopefully we will next week when they are in town. That is if I don't totally alienate them the first time we meet! We three have been corresponding (she's the best at this, BTW) over the last couple of weeks and we have come up with a beautiful picture of their wedding!

If all goes according to plan, this one will be at the Chateau Laurier. Ceremony on the terrace to begin the day. We have a bold, triadic colour scheme of warm tones, reflective of their personalities and a small touch of ocean blue as contract. Also, to mirror the Caribbean heritage in Liz' family. Vanda orchids and a corresponding damask are the dominant design elements. Picture sheer gold linens and gold chiavaries. Tall orchid centrepieces. Trifold napkins with a lovely orchid blossom to welcome guests to their assigned seats. A wedding cake mirroring the damask theme as an important part of this day. The attendants will pop in their blue cocktail-length dresses. Liz with her fun blue shoes. Live musicians for the ceremony. Guests welcome the heat with their custom damask fans in the bright warm gold and peach tones. A refreshing signature rum blue cocktail as they mingle during the afternoon, surrounded by some of Ottawa's best vistas!

We are really excited about this one and hope you are too! Enjoy and have a wonderful day!!!!!

Lynn

Garters....ugh!

2010-07-20T21:33:00.008-04:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not a whiner! Well, everyone but my husband who does hear them on occasion! But, today I'm whining about garters. You know...those generic ones with the blue bow that you can probably even find at Walmart anymore? Well, they're ugly. And even though many of us girls are option out of the ole garter search during the wedding, many of us still like the tradition of wearing one as a pretty feminine touch to marry with our lingerie finds. Well there is another option out there now. Check out Florrie Mitton Couture on Etsy for her beautiful designs. They're all handmade, and feature silk, fine laces and crystals in the designs. Here is just a sampling:

Aren't they just beautiful?! Now, they're not for the budget shopper, as they range between $59 and $92 USD, but for someone who wants a really pretty personal accent, I think these are very special! ENJOY!

Lynn

Carrie Underwood & Mike Fisher wed

2010-07-16T09:53:00.007-04:00

Friday greetings all!

As you probably suspected, we wedding planners have been waiting to hear all the wonderful details of Carrie & Mike's wedding on the 10th. The latest issue of People magazine reveals the highlights and it just hit newsstands.

I always felt that Carrie and I had something in common (lol), and it turns out that we were both enjoying a tented wedding that day. I think Chelsea & Matt's was nicer, but Carrie's was fine too. Check out some of the pretty pictures!

The tent was set up on the lawn of Georgia's Ritz-Carleton Reynolds Plantation resort with reception following in the ballroom.

Monique Lhuillier designed both of Carrie's gowns. Her ceremony gown was of Chantilly lace and silk organza while she changed into a cocktail dress later in the evening.

Carrie's tiara was a gift from Mike and contained more than 40 carats of diamonds (we definitely don't have this in common).

Carrie's nephew was the ring bearer, Mike's cousin was the flower girl, and Carrie's dog Ace walked down the aisle with them in a Swarovski crystal-encrusted pink tuxedo. Don't get any ideas....I don't do dog weddings.

Painted hockey pucks were used as escort cards displaying the guest's name and table number.
The ballroom was adorned with 5,000 crystals against pink lighting and the tables were dressed with toile linens and tuxedo folded napkins accented with crystals.
Hockey puck escort cards as a fitting detail!

And if you recall, I had a post some while ago about my dream vacation in an over-the-water Tahitian hut. Looks like Carrie and I have that in common too. A little disappointed that she beat me to it, but my turn will come. Wishing them a fabulous honeymoon and all the happiness life has to offer!

Lynn

Weddings 2011

2010-07-11T22:25:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone!

Hope you had a great weekend! Mine was marvelous, albeit hot. Sabrina, Leslie and I had the honour of managing Chelsea & Matt's wedding at Billings Estate on Saturday and I think we all lost some weight from all the lugging in the heat. What a beautiful wedding (and great weather.......we dodged the storms) it was. And it was wonderful being a part of such a strong team that included Pat from PM Events, Blair Gable, Jayne from Cucina Dolce, Tulips & Maple, Airport Limo and Bel Fiore. Speaking of Bel Fiore, wait till you see the bouquets and centrepieces that Teena did for this one. Stunning is all I can say! Chelsea too! I know I join everyone is wishing Chelsea & Matt all the happiness they deserve! And good luck with wedding reception #2 in Nova Scotia, you two!!

So, as I now have a third of my 2010 weddings under my belt, I am well into the planning for 2011 nuptials. One of them is for Nicole & Mike, another extraordinary couple hailing from Newfoundland (need I say more?). Thought I'd share with you the inspiration board for their Uptown, casual chic wedding which will take place next September. Tomorrow, I find the perfect downtown venue for their ceremony & reception. Enjoy!

Chronicles of a wedding-movin' along...

2010-07-05T23:50:00.003-04:00

As the wedding planners disappear from blogging on a regular basis, you can tell we're all in the weekend mode! At least you know we're all working hard taking care of our clients when we go missing on you!

Hope all is well and you are enduring this blast of heat that we are getting! I'm hoping for cooler temperatures, and clear skies for Chelsea & Matt's tented affair on Saturday!

We continue to happily push forward with the plans for Cindy & Todd's October wedding. We have the big independent tasting Wednesday night so we are thrilled to be nearing the stages of finalizing our menu evening. After we fill our bellies, we head to a final meeting with Nancy from Wedecor to go to print on the invitations. All goes according to plan, we will have them in hand to bring home so they can be mailed by mid-month which is our target date. We have also ordered 300 monogram stickers for the top of our jelly belly favour boxes as well as for the invitation envelopes.

The search for our 120" linens is over with a couple local suppliers finding stock for us from out of town sources. They are more than we originally budgeted since they are a special order so we are mulling it over and will confirm, or not, in the short term. There is some play room in the budget so I think we can do it!

Cindy & Todd are feverishly working away at their ceremony picks (readings, songs) so that they can go to their August meeting at the Notre Dame armed and ready. We're down to the little stuff now for the most part! Order of ceremony processional and recessional, whose doing a speech, what will the order be at the head table? At least we know C&T are not having difficulty finding conversation subject matter these days!

My push this month is to continue to develop a detailed itinerary for the day. Shopping continues while I struggle to find dark navy blue wrapping paper for the cupcake stand. Let me know if you spot any locally as I've had no luck so far! We also want to make a statement at the entrance to the reception and that one is still in development so I will continue to think on it! A few more decor details to come and I will keep you posted as those decisions are made.

Stay tuned! We only have 13 more weeks to go!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: centrepiece decision

2010-06-21T22:44:00.004-04:00

Greetings Ottawans!

I hope your week is off to a flying start! Mine sure was with what seemed to be a thousand emails today! Just signing off for the night but I wanted to let you know that the big centrepiece decision has been made with final approval from Cindy & Todd for my last mock up. Here is an amateur shot of it against my lovely dining room wall (classy I know!):

We will be highlighting two different styles in the room at alternating tables. This one, for half the tables and a tall cylinder with just hydrangeas for the other half. Cindy like the thought of filling the vases with water beads to hide the stems a bit so we will likely do that to finish the look off nicely. Our budget for centrepieces was $30 each and we are easily within budget with all elements considered. Very happy about that needless to say. It's a DIY project with silk flowers on the branches and wholesale flowers but I am happy to enjoy craft time for my favourite couple!

Mock up of invitation is in hand and I'll deliver that to C&T tomorrow to get their input.

Off to bed now so have a good sleep and enjoy the week!

Nightie night! Lynn

It`s berry season!!!!

2010-06-17T22:54:00.004-04:00

Anyone who knows my family knows that we adore berry season. Strawberries, raspberries (my fav), blueberries and blackberries. And for the last two days, ever since I saw my first `fresh strawberry` sign, I`ve been obsessing! Well in honour of berry season in Canada I thought I`d post a couple pictures from The Ritzy Bee Blog that feature just the cutest guest favour ideas for June brides.

Bad call on my part............now I`m never gonna sleep tonight! Berry picking on Sunday! I`ll be thinking of you as I`m stuffing strawberry shortcake into my face!

Enjoy!

Lynn

Wedding moments

2010-06-14T00:16:00.003-04:00

Two days in a row! I thought I'd shock you with my dedication mid-wedding season!

I've been sitting here for the last bit typing up the initial itinerary for Joanna & Jay's wedding on the 24th of July, when I had a thought rolling through my mind that I had to share! Joanna & Jay are an amazing couple, and I can't wait to see them again on Wednesday, as it's been a while. In doing up their itinerary and working on another this weekend for Alex & Thomas who are getting married in September, there was a pleasant trend common to both: personal touches without a lot of wedding hoopla!

Now, don't get me wrong! Each couple should design their day to reflect themselves and their dreams for their wedding. And if that vision includes a lot of the traditions that we have come to associate with weddings, then all the power to them. Even I enjoy a good garter search like the rest of you! But, these two weddings that I am honoured to be a part of, show a clear trend towards focusing on creating intimacy/personal moments throughout the day that make it incredibly memorable for all in attendance. Let me share with you some of the elements of which I'm referring:

-Small or no wedding party. There is something very intimate about guests watching just the couple, solo, up at the alter sharing their vows.

-No tuxes or updos...just real people dressed up to look like themselves in nice clothing.

-Fun activities for the wedding party prior to the fussing like a soccer game, golf, yoga.

-Formal photos before the ceremony so that the couple and their families can enjoy time with their guests instead of being MIA at photos for long periods. After all, the day goes by all too quickly. You want to enjoy their presence as long as you can!

-Someone close to the couple officiating or performing at the ceremony.

-Small guest lists that allow for a very intimate atmosphere for the dinner hour. Kind of like a big family over for Thanksgiving!

-Family style service where platters of food are placed in the centre of the table and guests pass the platters along for sharing. Big fan of this one!

-A parent acting as MC (relaxed version). I like the way that this makes guests feel like they're almost at their home.

-Live acoustic music (guitarist) playing over dinner. The ambiance?! Need I say more?

-Personal thank-yous, whether it be with a hand-written note at each place setting or a visit to each guest table during the dinner hour. Some sort of touch that says "The day wouldn't be the same without you!"

The trend to create visual personal touches at a wedding continue. And we see evidence of that in the work of our great local photographers. But, now we are also seeing the creation of personal experiences at our weddings that are best captured by the memories of all who shared in them! Myself included.

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: coupon mania!

2010-06-13T01:00:00.006-04:00

Long overdue, the updates on Cindy & Todd's wedding. Seriously late in getting you caught up on the developments!

Cindy, Todd, Melanie (one of Cindy's attendants) and I had a really productive meeting a week ago. We made great headway in firming up more details to add to the itinerary for the day:

-Cindy & Todd are considering the Black Thorn for a casual rehearsal dinner after their rehearsal on the 1st. A "taste test" to follow the long weekend so they can decide if it is indeed the right fit
-where is Todd going to be the morning of
-will we have ceremony programs (the answer is now yes)
-we will have a couple of ushers to greet guests and hand out those programs
-order of the processional is developing with possible escort of the parents prior to the ladies' arrival
-Cindy's sister has agreed to do a reading. Todd is going to ask someone from his side
-Cindy & Todd have someone in mind for their MC, still to be invited
-We are now thinking speeches and who would like to say a few words that day

Now, we have quite a few holes filled, and many more soon to be with Cindy & Todd on top of communication with their friends and families on their preferences. We would like to have a full, detailed itinerary by the end of August.

As you know, the other big push during this meeting was to make some decor decisions. Da, da, dum. This is a biggie! And if you recall, all we had to date were reserved white chair covers at Groovy Linen. C&T had earlier made the commitment to go with navy linens on all the tables as well (head table, cruisers and accent tables too). The clearly preferred the satin swatch that I brought over with me. But, the 120" satin in that particular colour still alludes us. We have found both sizes in the crush navy (also from Groovy)but that style was not to their liking. So, the search continues. A few suppliers are on it so something will materialize soon, I hope. White napkins, standard, from the hotel will be tri-folded at each seat. No white skirting, only navy linens boxed at the corners to give a clean, no-fuss look. Todd doesn't like us girls to be fussy!

OK, and then it's on to centrepieces. You knew I was going to do a mock-up for them and I did. It started with branches (bleached willows) that I know Cindy is so very fond of. I seriously scored at Michael's when I happened upon them in clearance a couple of months back. They were regularly $16.99 for a teeny weeny bundle and I got them for $5.99. You'll never know how excited I was since that discovery made them possible, while still staying within my centrepiece budget. So, armed with my proposed "piece" I shared with Cindy, Todd & Melanie my proposal. They liked it and said it was a "go" but you could tell they didn't love it. Cindy wasn't excited like she should have been. I want her to look at the tables that night and just be thrilled iwth how they look. So I have gone back to the drawing board amending my "stick" plans. The second reveal, via photograph, was sent to them yesterday. My fingers are crossed and I'll let you know what the reaction is this time. I think it's going to be more positive and will post a picture of the mock-up for you if it's a go.

So, Michael's is going to be tired of me after all is said and done. Almost as tired of me as I'll be of their busy parking lot! They have these white votives in round glass enclosures that are perfect so C & I are clipping out our 40% off coupons and hitting the store at least once a week in order to collect our 80- some candles that we require for the night. And you accused me of being cheap! I guess you're right!

Place cards are also a necessity for this wedding, as the guests will be provided with a meal option in advance. In keeping with our invitation design, it will be long and sleek (perhaps a bi-fold on a light blue card), navy name, horizontal navy stripe at the bottom, and a coloured dot to indicate meal choice. Something like this:
Then there is the cupcake stand. Remember we have cupcakes from Judy McKenna as well as a 6" topper? Well, cupcake stands are pretty expensive to rent and they are not exactly the look that we wanted, all leaning towards a more traditional format. So, it's DIY for that one too and it's an easy one. I have cut foam core board into a 20", 15" and 10" square. I found 2-6" navy boxes at Pritchard Packaging that are perfect for elevating each tier. We have changed our cake topper to be square now instead of round so it doesn't look dumb. Just have to find that darned navy paper to cover the levels. The search continues for that one (27 stores down, 71 more to go), but I'm really pleased with the stand. It looks great and under $20 which makes it look even greater!

Let's see.............what else is there? The head table is going to have decor along the front. A line of votives with small vases with a single blue hydrangea within each. So, like hydrangea, 2 votives, hydrangeas, 2 votives.....you get the picture.

Seating display? Integrating those sticks, we will have a large clear cylindrical vase on the guest book table with light blue ribbon tied to table number cards. Each card will house the list of people sitting at that corresponding table. And of course, those cards will be designed to match the style of the invitation. Cindy & Todd always wanted to have a matted photo for guest signatures in lieu of a traditional guest book, and that is still their wish. That one was easy!

Oh yeah (almost had enough yet?)... I also purchased 1 1/2" clear boxes at Pritchard last week that will house our blue-toned Jelly Bellies for guest favours. C&T are going to make little monogram stickers to affix to the top of them. So cute!!!!

Todd found the style of tux that he wanted at Morris on Wellington. Just a matter of formalizing the order. It was curious that he didn't share with me the style that he chose, so I am hopeful that he won't arrive at the wedding looking like.......as Salina would say.....Mr. Peanut! With Todd, you never know!

Details, details and more details is our focus now. Whether it be programming details or decor. It is important at this point to develop all the little touches that will create an event that is not only unified in it's look, but reflective of my clients. This is the fun part and we are enjoying the brainstorming and shopping that goes with it!

On to finishing up those invitations so we can mail them out first of July. Tasting is now set for the 7th. Planning meeting at the church next month as well. Lots done, lots more still to do, but we're getting there slowly but surely. We're feeling good about things! I trust you are feeling the same as the plans for your own wedding progess!

Hope your weekend is a good one & thanks again for reading this veryyyyyyyyyy long post. We had lots to talk about!

Keep well everyone!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: a la Julie!

2010-06-07T00:26:00.007-04:00

Hello, hello! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! I sure did with Kelly & Tomas' wedding yesterday! An amazing day for two amazing people. It was a real honour being part of it as well as meeting their gracious families and wonderful friends. Thanks so much, Kelly & Tomas, for having me!

Before plunging head-first into the new work week and the many plans to be made for my upcoming weddings, I did promise to share with you more fabulous photos from Cindy & Todd's engagement shoot. Well, Julie kindly obliged.

Voila, as she would say!

Doesn't Cindy look like a model in this one?

And, my favourite for last!

I feel like a proud mother! L

Cute, cute, cute!

2010-06-01T21:21:00.005-04:00

Many thanks to Such Pretty Things for posting this wonderful DIY idea. Create your own sugar cubes for your wedding. Imagine....flowers, hearts, snowflakes, monogram letters, you name it. The possibilities and the colours and almost endless! Here are Jessica's instructions. Too cute!

To begin, mix two cups of granulated sugar with some food coloring of your choice. You can use liquid or powdered, but just be sure to mix it in very well. Next, mix in 4 teaspoons of water or 4 teaspoons of reconstituted powdered egg whites into your sugar. Water works just fine, but your sugar hearts will be much stronger if you use the egg whites.

The mixture should resemble wet sand

Now you are ready to make your sugar hearts. If you have a candy mold, feel free to use it. None of my heart molds happened to be deep enough, so I just used regular cookie cutters. Pour your sugar mixture out onto a smooth, non-stick surface (I used parchment paper on my counter top) and press it down firmly with your hands, a rolling pin, or the bottom of a plate. The idea is to get the sugar as compacted as possible. The thickness is somewhat determined by the depth of your cookie cutters, but I think about 1/2 an inch works quite well. Now, press the cutters straight down into the sugar and carefully release the shapes onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. If you find that the sugar isn't holding it's shape well, try adding a bit more water or egg white - but just don't over-do it or you'll get sugar mush! Now, you can obviously make these in any shape you like - we decided to make some flower shapes in addition to our hearts.

These need to harden before you use them. You can either allow them to air dry for a day or two or you can speed up the process by placing them in a 200 degree oven for about ten minutes. Once they cool, they will become super hard - just like sugar cubes.

Enjoy! Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: engagement shoot

2010-05-31T23:34:00.004-04:00

Hurrah for Julie C. Butler! It sounds like she and Cindy & Todd had a blast yesterday at the big engagement shoot. Out talented Julie promises more to come but she was kind enough to share an image with us late last night. Check it out!

That funky Cindy & Todd! Wish I was so cool!!!!!!!

Autumn wedding?

2010-05-30T23:31:00.009-04:00

Planning an autumn wedding and looking for something uniquely Canadian to give your guests? Well, my best friend was in Toronto the other day and heard about a shop in Toronto, 548 Richmond Street West, to be exact. Ninutik is the name. When she told me about it and how wonderful their products are, I immediately thought of weddings (that'll surprise you). Don't you love these as favour ideas!? Or as a neat addition to your candy buffet table?

and these

and these

Some of their selections are available in bulk but they can also be given as a gift, beautifully presented. Ideal for your MC or out-of-town guest, or as a thank you to someone who lent a helping hand with the wedding (no, I didn't mean me..........but since you asked.....).

Can't wait till my next trip to Toronto so I can score some for myself! Love this one!

Lynn

2010-05-25T21:39:00.006-04:00

Aren't these fun?! Featured on the wonderful Grey Likes Weddings blog
These custom DIY Hot Air Balloons can be purchased as a kit on Etsy. Each kit contains one balloon (not yet inflated; various color options available) ribbons, rosettes, and basket, along with detailed assembly instructions. Check them out!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: Map card and more stuff

2010-05-25T12:56:00.006-04:00

Don't know about all of you, but I'm staying in where there's air conditioning today. I think they said 38 with the humidex which is nuts! I hope you had a wonderful long weekend! Along with some camping I had a great visit with Elizabeth, Keith and her parents yesterday to catch up on the plans for their June 26th wedding. Last night I also met with Sabrina who will be working with me much of the summer. So glad to have her and her expertise!!!

Updates on the Cindy & Todd front. The map card in from Nancy last week and we are thrilled with the look

A couple of minor tweaks with the text and we are good to go to the mock-up stage.

Other updates? Holly from Select Floral has added a blue hydrangea cake topper to the order for us. Kelly from the Chateau Cartier has assigned the Montcalm Room for us as a hospitality suite to replace the now non-existent Rose Salon. The menu tasting to occur likely sometime in June. We are also going to extend their suite reservation to now include the night prior to the wedding. That way Cindy can have her hair & makeup done right there, which will make things that much easier. Step, by step, we inch our way closer to marrying these two! More to come!

Good fortune!

2010-05-20T13:31:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone!

Wow is it hot out there today! And looking incredible for the long weekend as well!

Just wanted to share my good fortune with you today. I had the pleasure of dinner out with a couple of amazing ladies on Tuesday night. Joan-Anne Cantley of Viva la Wedding and Allison Turner of Live Love Plan and I had a great time sharing stories and chatting about the world of planning. Next to making me clients happy, watching other planners thrive is just the best. And these two ladies are prime examples of the talent within this city. You ever need a great planner who will provide you with incredible knowledge and service, definitely look these two up!

Thanks Allison and Joan-Anne! Can't wait till next time!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: Centrepieces, favours & invites

2010-05-16T12:04:00.005-04:00

Updates from our October wedding for you! We are working away at several things at the moment. I have been playing with centrepiece ideas, shopping around for the best prices for supplies. As soon as I can find Cindy & Todd in town at the same time, we will get together for the mock-up so that they can give their input on my proposed plans. More on that to come!

Favours for their guests have now been decided. We are going Jelly Belly!

Two different shades representing our light and navy blue colour scheme. We are ordering bulk from Canada to avoid all that across-border nonsense. Great price that will bring us in under budget for their favours. Lynnie is going to package them on this end to cut costs as much as possible. Gosh, I hope there are some left for the guests by the time I finish "testing" out the flavours for freshness! We're excited that we have found a colourful, fun treat for their guests!

Proofs #3 in from Nancy at Wedecor. Everything looks great after our review so we are moving on to the mock-up stage for that one as well. The big OK from C&T, and the development of the map insert card, and we are on our way to print. Hopefully, by the end of the month.

Their engagement shoot is coming up soon as well and I'll let you know when Julie has those pictures posted on her site so you can check them out. Guaranteed to be beautiful with that pair, that I know for sure.

So, that's the scoop on C&T progress. We're trying to tie up all the decor loose ends over the next few weeks before I am really hit with back-to-back bookings. I have lots of suggestions that I still have to pass by the royal couple. Will share those with you once I have with them!

Have a wonderful day, everyone! Talk to you soon!

Lynn

Portfolio

2010-05-16T11:59:00.004-04:00

Gorgeous day in Ottawa today! I hope you're all outside enjoying some of it! I am pleased to announce the "unveiling" of my portfolio on the site. After several tweaks, we finally have all the fabulous shots included that feature some of my weddings from last year. True to form, four or my fabulous clients have OK'd having my representing them on the web. My thanks to Kathy & Arnold, Susie & Karim, Sabrina & JP, and Tara & Andrew! More to come after this packed 2010 season. Enjoy!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: updates and no updates...

2010-05-05T22:32:00.009-04:00

Greetings all!

I hope you had a wonderful week while I was enjoying BC life. The conference at Whistler went very well and my congratulations to Kathy & Simon for a successful 18th run! After a day and a half in paradise on Gambier Island to follow (check out this view that I'm using to try to make you jealous)

it was definitely time to get back to work! 2011 inquiries are starting to steadily increase and we haven't even gotten into the thick of 2010. Yikes!

So where did we leave off with our lovely Cindy & Todd? Oh yes, we were working on invitation changes and updates from our tasting at the hotel! Well, Nancy has our changes for the invitation sets and we are just awaiting the final proofs before we go to print. That shouldn't take long now! The story of the hotel visit takes a little longer to tell!

If you recall, on the 18th or April the Chateau Cartier offered a mass tasting for their wedding clients. It also allowed us to see changes that had been made during the recent renovations. The food was excellent, served buffet-style so that everything could be sampled. Unfortunately for us, many of the items that Cindy & Todd have ordered for their wedding were not available. Reason being is that they have selected items off the regular banquet menus as opposed to the pre-set wedding packages. In speaking with Kelly, the coordinator, that day, she has offered to set up an independent tasting for us. Wasn't that nice? Date still tbd on that one!

So, the lack of updates is regarding the decor changes. We were expecting to walk in to a modified space, including new window treatments and flooring. But, nothing has really changed in our banquet rooms at all. Some of the other rooms have been updated but not ours. In order for you to have an idea of what we're working with, here are a few pictures for you:

Entrance to our cocktail/dance space

Inside the cocktail/dance space

Inside the dining space (decor by Wedecor)

Nothing has changed in from our initial visit except we have lost the small suite that we were going to use for the wedding party to relax in prior to arriving to the reception. It has been eliminated to make way for a new lounge just off the main foyer. All of the decor in our rooms remains the same. However, in talking to Kelly there is a possibility for carpet and window treatment updates still to come. If that does happen, they will likely match what has been done in the other banquet spaces. Here is a photo of the new carpet there:

It's not ideal being brown, with our blue colour scheme. But, it's fairly muted and with lighting in the room, I think it will disappear for the most part!

Needless to say, we were surprised by the lack of renos. But Cindy & Todd did like things as they were, so no change is better than bad change! With a clear vision now of the decor we have to work with, our focus is presently on making decisions regarding table linens and centrepieces. That is coming soon!

The month of May will also see engagement shots for Cindy & Todd with our lovely Julie Butler during the long weekend. And Judy is doing us a mock-up of the cupcake in a week or two so we can have a look......and a taste!

One of the attendant's dresses arrived and Cindy loves it (yahoo)! We are now down one person on the ladies' side of the wedding party so Cindy is on that one this weekend.

Lastly, Cindy, lovely as she is, has been working out like crazy for some time now and does she look hot! Her dress is going to have to be taken in 2 or more sizes now. Heaven only knows how many by the time she's done. We're going to try really hard to make her eat that cupcake just so that we know she's still human. Wish us luck!

Thanks for indulging me in my long-winded post tonight. I will try to keep you abreast of the developments in and around my spring weddings!

Nightie night! Lynn

I'm back and leaving again............

2010-04-24T19:56:00.003-04:00

Happy Saturday night to you!

I hope you enjoyed the spectacular 20 degree temps we had today! I didn't know anyone getting married today, but it sure was a perfect day for those who were!

So, after a week of being MIA on my blog, I'm skipping out again early in the morning to go to Whistler for a week. It's the annual Acetech conference that my best friend and her partner organize and I have the pleasure of working at it when my schedule allows. While I'm gone I'll make an effort to fill you in on the latest and greatest with Cindy & Todd's plans. I still have to tell you about our visit to the Chateau Cartier last Sunday.

Thanks for being patient. Off to pack and I'll talk to you in a few days!

See ya! Lynn

What a treat!

2010-04-14T00:13:00.004-04:00

Happy now-Wednesday everyone!

Just back home from a wonderful evening. A fabulous dinner with Allison Turner of Live Love Plan. After only meeting briefly last year, we finally had a chance to get together and talk shop. Allison is warm, gracious, enthusiastic, and talented. I admire her work and her ethics and am thrilled to have the opportunity to get to know her better. I am proud to be part of this growing community of industry professionals who are supportive of everyone's efforts! That's exactly the way it should be, in my eyes.

Anyone want a great planner who offers something unique to the process? Look up Allison. You couldn't be in better hands!

Night all!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: invitations & updates

2010-04-11T19:27:00.003-04:00

Hello, hello!

I hope you enjoyed some of the sun that we had on the weekend! Nice today until the hail hit! Boy did it come down....for all of 2 minutes. Then the skies cleared and it was lovely out again! Glad it wasn't snow!

Updates from the Cindy/Todd/Lynn camp. The first invitation proofs came our way a week ago. We were really pleased with them with just a few changes to be made before we go to print. As you know the invite itself is navy with white and light blue highlights/text. The RSVP card has a white background at present. Cindy & Todd weren't crazy about the latter so we are going to adjust that card so that it has a light blue background with navy text, opposite of the invite card. Should look nice! Won't be long now before C&T will be knee-deep in addressing of envelopes. I know what a beloved job that is!

The visit that we had planned to the Chateau a couple of weekends back didn't materialize, I'm afraid. Turned out that there was a conference booked in the room, yet again, so it would have made it pretty difficult to really get a good look. So, we've opted to defer our visit to coincide with the tasting this Sunday. We should walk away from that afternoon with a real sense of the menu and possibilities for decor in the room. Cindy and I (oh, and Todd too) are itching to get to it! We'll keep you posted, I promise!

Enjoy a fabulous week! More on the developments soon!

Lynn

Wedding Pom poms

2010-04-07T14:52:00.006-04:00

This is a cute idea for the bride looking for a fun, colourful element to add to her decor. Check out MarthaStewart.com for instructions on how to make these tissue paper pom poms. Easy and low cost and so much fun!

Thanks Martha!

Lynn

DYI photo books

2010-04-04T11:46:00.004-04:00

Happy Easter to all of you!

Another gorgeous sunny day in Ottawa! Hope you're enjoying great weather too!

Thought I'd pass a long a neat DYI idea today. This one is for those of you who have the high-res files from your wedding, but just can't afford a professionally produced photo album from your photographer. Check out Blurb. Download their free software, upload your photos, add text, and create your own layout and design. You aren't charged anything until you order an album. They have several sizes from which to choose. Little 7"x7" ones right up to a 12" x 12" format. Available in soft cover or hard cover with a dust jacket or wrap around image.

I think this is a wonderful resource for creative DYI couples! Wedding albums, parents' albums, guest book albums highlighting engagement pics....so many options. And they would work well for portfolio presentations for wedding planners as well. Great idea, I think!

Lynn

Super blogs!

2010-04-03T17:38:00.006-04:00

Happy Easter everyone!

Hope you get through it consuming less chocolate than I'm likely to digest! As part of my long weekend, I have pledged to take some time to catch up on some of the great blogs that I have not had time to read as of late. April, author of Stylish Events blog recently posted a wonderful list of some of the great ones to follow. Here is her list with her comments on each. Enjoy and thanks April!

Lynn

101 Top Online Wedding Planning Resources:

The Must-See Wedding Websites & Blogs – These are the websites you NEED to check out and add to your favorites.

1. Martha Stewart Weddings: If you were only going to use one website to plan your wedding, this would be the one {besides mine, of course}. It covers everything from DIY wedding ideas to real weddings to exceptional real weddings. Brides have been known to spend hours at a time on this site.

2. The Knot: Use this website to find thousands of articles on every topic you could possibly have questions about. Find out what information to include on bridal shower invitations, lists of first dance songs, and the most important questions you should ask your videographer. While you’re on this website, check out the forums. You can get answers and advice from other brides and you’ll realize you’re not alone when it comes to your quest for the perfect invitation or your battle with your mother-in-law over your choice of centerpieces.

3. Brides: Plan your honeymoon, find celebrity hairstyle inspiration for your wedding day, and wedding vendors in your area.

4. Project Wedding: This site should not be overlooked. It has tons of gorgeous photography, real weddings, and budget-friendly advice. Also, lots of brides rate their wedding vendors on this site, so you can get honest information about potential vendors.

5. WeddingChannel.com: You’ll find lots of sound advice, answers to questions you’re too embarrassed to ask, and lots of real wedding inspiration. You can also create a wedding registry and website for free on this site.

6. InStyle Weddings: If you’re a gossip magazine junkie, then you’ll definitely love this website filled with celebrity inspiration for your big day. Find celebrity hairstyles, real celebrity weddings, and honeymoon locations that celebrities flock to.

7. Style Me Pretty: If you want to gush over real weddings on a daily basis, you must subscribe to this blog. You’ll also get lots of DIY wedding ideas and you can put together your own inspiration boards to help with your wedding planning.

8. Offbeat Bride: If you’re not a girlie girl bride and you don’t want to have a conventional wedding, this will be your wedding planning playground.

9. Utterly Engaged: This is a free, online wedding magazine that rivals anything you’ll find at your local bookstore. You’ll find anything from ideas on planning a rustic, romantic wedding to planning a modern wedding that your guests will talk about for years.

10. Nonpareil: A relatively new wedding planning magazine that will send shivers down your spine. Gorgeous photography, budget-friendly ideas and DIY projects galore make this a top wedding planning resource.

“Will Make You Weak in the Knees” Wedding Blogs:

11. Once Wed: Don’t visit this blog unless you have at least two hours of free time or all you’ll be able to think about all day is when you can get back to it. The DIY projects alone can have you wrapped up for hours – and don’t even get me started on the swoon-worthy real weddings.

12. {Grey} likes weddings: Do you love pretty, pretty things? Then you’ll love this blog filled to the brim with beautiful weddings, romantic engagement pictures, and wedding ideas you won’t be able to live without.

13. 100 Layer Cake: You’ll find yourself wanting more every time you visit this blog. It’ll be one of the reasons that you check your Google Reader every single day. The real weddings are not something you’ll find on every other wedding blog and the beautiful pictures always have me swooning.

14. The Southern Weddings Daily Blog: I’m a southern girl at heart, but even if I wasn’t, I’d love this blog. It gives me ideas and inspiration on a regular basis and I promise that it’ll do the same for you.

15. Elizabeth Anne Designs: The team of women who contribute to this blog make it a unique and inviting experience. You’ll find tips from experts, posts from brides planning their weddings, and inspirational real weddings.

16. Kiss the Groom: This blog always seems to make my heart go pitter patter. It’s a place you’ll find charming pictures and delightful ideas.

17. The Bride’s Café: I can’t say enough about how much I seriously love this blog. It’s a DIY playground with drool-worthy real weddings and engagement shoots.

18. Snippet & Ink: If you’re a visual person like me, you’ll fall in love with this blog packed with inspiration boards and real weddings that will take your breath away.

19. The Wedding Chicks: Lovely DIY projects, inspiring real weddings, and giveaways. Seriously, what more could you want from wedding blog?

20. Green Wedding Shoes: Attention girlie, romance-inspired brides! Brew a cup of tea and hunker down with this blog for a few hours and you’ll have more inspiring ideas then you know what to do with.

Real Wedding/Engagement Pic Inspiration

21. Polka Dot Bride: You’ll find more than real weddings here – but the real weddings will be what have you coming back for more on a regular basis.

22. Completely Unveiled: If you ever need a wedding planning boost, this is the site to go to get it. The weddings are completely lovely.

23. What Junebug Loves: If you’re looking for modern wedding planning inspiration, you’ll find tons of it here.

24. Rock My Wedding: You’re not going to find these rocking real weddings anywhere else. There’s something on this blog for every bride.

25. Lucky Me!: You must see the real weddings and engagement sessions on this blog. No, seriously, you must.

26. Every Last Detail: I find myself wanting to redo my wedding every time I visit this blog, because it’s filled with so much real wedding inspiration. I also adore the engagement shoots.

27. Hot Pink Brides: If you’ve a got a little sassy flair, you’ll love the weddings and engagement shoots featured on Hot Pink Brides.

Mega Style – You’ll find fashion tips, stylish weddings and multitudes of inspiration at these sites.

28. The Bridal Bar: Are you in need of style tips, vendor reviews and industry and trend information? This is the blog to get it.

29. Peaches by Plums: You should subscribe to this blog for the pictures alone. You’ll fall for the minimalist, romantic style of this blog.

30. Frolic!: Are you the type of bride that loves pink, garden roses, romantic headpieces, ruffles, and rustic charm? Then you’ll love this blog.

31. With This Ring Weddings: This blog is jammed packed full of inspiration for all your wedding planning needs. My favorite section is the DIY project section full of adorable ideas.

32. Wish Special Events: Love, love, love this resource for brides who want ideas from father/daughter dance songs to real wedding inspiration.

33. She Walks in Beauty: Becky, the designer and letterpress printer, behind this blog has great style and taste that’s apparent everyday on She Walks in Beauty.

34. Santa Barbara Chic: If we didn’t live on opposite sides of the country, this is an event designer I would adore to meet. Her style delights me regularly.

35. Oh So Beautiful Paper: Need stationery inspiration? Just follow the link to be immersed in beautiful wedding invitations, save-the-dates and RSVP cards.

36. Elizabeth Dye: It’s all about wedding fashion on this blog.

37. Rice Ink: The talent behind this blog is almost too much for me to handle. I mean seriously, how does paper look that good? Love it!

38. Marry You Me: Inspired by romance? So is the blogger behind Marry You Me, Annie, so you’ll find charming inspiration boards and real weddings that will have you captivated. She has an eye for style that I really admire.

39. The Inspired Bride: When I first found this blog, I knew I was in wedding planning heaven. It’s packed with inspiration boards for the hip and modern bride, photographs that will make your heart skip a beat, and free downloads that will help you save money for your big day.

Mega Inspiration – These are the blogs that cover a little bit of everything related to wedding planning and inspire brides on a regular basis.

40. One Lovely Day by Project Wedding: A little bit of girlie, modern and vintage inspiration all wrapped up in one.

41. Little White Book: When I first found this blog, I was wooed by the fact that the blogger has an event company in Richmond, Virginia {where I’m from} but then I become enamored with her style and snippets of advice.

42. The Cinderella Project: I was hooked when I read the blog’s tagline: “because every girl deserves a happily ever after.” Freakin adorable!

43. Austin Wedding Blog: No matter where you live, you’ll find helpful tips and inspiring ideas on the Austin Wedding Blog. But, if you’re an Austin bride, this will be your go-to guide.

44. Brooklyn Bride: This blog is like Disney Land for the modern bride with tons of suggestions for modern wedding vendors.

45. A Summer Picnic Wedding: Check out this blog to see inspiration from a bride who’s planning her big day: a summer picnic wedding. She posts all the amazing finds that she comes across on her own journey of wedding planning.

46. Dallas Wedding Planner Blog: Don’t worry if you’re not a Dallas bride, this blog will still have plenty of articles, pictures and real weddings that will help you plan your big day.

47. Diva Dialogue by Wedding Paper Divas: The Wedding Paper Divas are known for their inexpensive, stylish stationery, but they also have a blog that will help you get from engaged to married.

48. The Perfect Palette: If you want tons of visual inspiration, you’ll find it here. Just find your wedding colors or potential wedding colors on the left-hand side to see other complementary colors and inspiration boards. Just what every bride needs.

49. Inspired Goodness: From the amazing stationery to the gorgeous pictures, you’ll be enamored.

50. My Kate Parker Wedding: Kate Parker is a well-known, talented wedding planner that shares her knowledge, ideas and inspiration with other brides through her blog.

51. So You’re EnGAYged: This is a truly amazing resource for same sex couples. It’s filled with vendor information, relevant advice, and top-notch wedding planning tips.

52. The Pink Book Blog: You’ll find contests, reader questions and answers, real weddings and fashion tips on this blog.

53. A Wedding Sketchbook: The woman behind this blog, Michelle, answers reader questions with honest, expert advice and puts together inspiration boards that you’ll love. It’s a delightful read.

54. Victoria with Roses: A catalogue of beautiful and creative ideas for your wedding day.

Budget-Friendly Blogs and Websites – It’s easy to get swept away by letterpress invitations and grand floral arrangements, but it’s not fun {or smart, in my opinion} to start your marriage in debt due to an elaborate wedding. Sometimes you need a reality check.

55. 2000 Dollar Wedding: If you want to be inspired by a confident woman who thoughtfully answers reader questions and helps brides plan for a marriage – not just a wedding – then you’ll love this blog. Whenever I needed to be grounded, I found myself turning to Sara’s posts.

56. A Practical Wedding: Meg, the woman behind this blog, tells it like it is and I admire her for it. You’re not going to find over-the-top wedding ideas that you have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to replicate on this blog. You’ll find real-world wedding planning advice and inspiration.

57. Intimate Weddings: Intimate doesn’t always mean budget-friendly, but it usually helps to reduce the costs. One of my favorite features of this blog is the DIY projects but I’m also a sucker for the intimate real wedding pics.

58. The Broke-Ass Bride: The author of this blog makes me laugh and nod my head in agreement on a regular basis. Her down-to-earth, engaging personality keeps me coming back for more.

59. Blooms Blog: Before buying your flowers wholesale, you can learn how to make your own bouquets and centerpieces. It’s definitely possible to save tons of money and still have beautiful floral arrangements.

60. The Budget Savvy Bride: This budget bride turned her experience into a wonderful resource for other brides who want to have a stylish wedding without going into debt.

61. iDIY: Find tips on ways to save money by doing-it-yourself.

Advice-Packed Blogs – Turn to these blogs to find the answers to all your wedding planning questions.

62. The Bride’s Guide: Of course the experts of Martha Stewart Weddings would have one of the best blogs giving brides amazing advice in planning their big day.

63. Always a Blogsmaid: The wedding consultants behind this blog are always willing to answer a bride’s question and provide guidance on even the stickiest situations. They also include lots of beautiful pictures which is a huge plus in my opinion.

64. Weddingbee: Subscribing to this blog might be a little overwhelming at first, since you might get over 50 posts to look through in one day, but it’s well worth it. Brides looking for a community of other brides going through the same struggles will a lot of personal advice and tips.

65. Savvy Scoop – OneWed’s Bridal Blog: You’ll find real wedding inspiration, information on giveaways and contests, trend alerts and so much more at Savvy Scoop.

66. Tried and True: The articles on this blog are well-written and run the gamut from handling conflict to ideas on engagement photo locations.

67. Bridal Buzz: This blog is a collection of ideas straight from an invitation designer. You’ll find things like how to create wedding baskets on a budget and guest book alternatives.

68. From “I Will” to “I Do”: The author of this blog has worked at Modern Bride, Martha Stewart Weddings, iVillage Weddings, and Brides.com. She’s knows it all and writes quick, little snippets of information on a regular basis.

Classic and Vintage Weddings – Brides who are planning a vintage wedding will love these sites.

69. Ritzy Bee: I know that Ritzy Bee is so much more than vintage weddings – but one of the huge draws to this blog is the “Vintage Wednesday” posts. You’ll get new ideas each week.

70. Classic Bride: You’ll find yourself absorbed by the real weddings {vintage and otherwise}, excited about the giveaways, and stirred by the inspiration boards.

71. Ruffled: Doesn’t the title of this blog just make you smile? This is the kind of blog that will make a bride want to be a wedding planner, because it’ll have her wanting to plan wedding after wedding. You’ll never be able to fit all the ideas into your big day!

Offbeat – If you’re not type of bride who drools over pink tulle, princess ball gowns, and tiaras, then you might find these blogs a bit refreshing.

72. Antibride: I love the tagline, “Tying the knot outside of the box.” This blog will help the alternative brides make it down the aisle before getting lost in the conventional wedding planning must-dos.

73. The Unbride: If you’re feeling suffocated by what your wedding is “supposed” to be, check out The Unbride for fashion inspiration, alternative real wedding inspiration, and unconventional wisdom.

Environmentally-Friendly Wedding Planning Blogs – If you want to have a beautiful wedding without harming the environment, check out this list of eco-friendly blogs.

74. Recycled Bride: This blog will give you environmentally-friendly wedding planning suggestions and show you gorgeous real weddings.

75. Earth Friendly Weddings: Looking to incorporate earth-friendly elements into your wedding? You’ll find tons of ideas at Earth Friendly Weddings.

76. Eco-Chic Weddings: If you want to have an eco-friendly affair without sacrificing style, this is the resource for you.

77. Eco-Beautiful Weddings: Make planning your environmentally-friendly wedding easier with this eco-conscious blog.

Non-Wedding Planning Blogs – Believe it or not, while I was planning my wedding, I got just as much inspiration from non-wedding planning blogs as I did from wedding planning blogs and websites. Design blogs, craft blogs, and other resources can spark your imagination for wedding planning. You don’t have to take my word for it – check them out for yourself, and I bet you’ll agree.

78. Creature Comforts: If you don’t already know about this blog, you need to immediately stop what you’re doing and head on over there. I can’t put into words how much I love it. It’s delightful, lovely, and charming all wrapped into one.

79. Hip Hostess: The two women behind this blog have their own event planning company and share tons of great advice and ideas. You’ll find wedding planning, baby shower, dinner party and birthday party inspiration.

80. Hostess with the Mostess: I seriously get excited every time I notice that this blog has been updated with a new post. They celebrate every holiday with unique and fun ideas. Want help in planning an unforgettable St. Patrick’s Day party? Turn to them for beer cupcakes, centerpiece ideas, and popcorn ball “beer” treats.

81. How About Orange: While you’re planning your wedding and well after you’re done, you’ll want to subscribe to this blog. Find free downloads, DIY tutorials, and food and party inspiration at How About Orange.

82. coco + kelley: More than likely when you’re planning your wedding, you’re also planning to live together or what to include on your registry. If you want chic design ideas to incorporate in your home and on your wedding day, check out this charming blog.

83. Vintage Indie: The tag line for this blog says it best, “modern life, vintage perspective.” This is a go-to resource if you’re all about vintage inspiration.

84. sfgirlbybay: Bohemian modern style from a San Francisco girl. I…can’t…get…enough. I bet you’ll feel the same way.

85. Made By Girl: You’ll thank me for pointing you towards this resource. It’s another blog that’ll you’ll keep up with well after your wedding.

86. decor8: This is definitely not the blog to find bridesmaid’s dresses, wedding etiquette articles, or bouquet options, but I can find inspiration in about half the posts for wedding planning. If you like being creative, you’ll be able to relate this blog to wedding planning, too.

87. Design*Sponge: Again, this is a design blog, not a wedding blog – but it’s packed with amazing design elements that you could use for inspiration for your wedding.

88. Oh, Hello, Friend: When you read this blog, you’ll feel as if the author is your friend. You’ll find pretty packaging ideas, vintage goods, lovely pictures and more.

Photography Blogs – There are some amazingly talented photographers that you should check out if you’re planning your engagement pictures or wedding. You’ll get tons of ideas on décor, bouquets, wedding day hairstyles, trends – and most importantly – pictures you might want your photographer to take on your big day. It’s a shame not to take advantage of some of wonderful photography blogs when planning a wedding. Now, I could make an entire post of 101 wedding photographers to follow, but I’ve limited myself to make it more manageable for all you brides who don’t have that kind of time.

89. Stephanie Williams Photography: She is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite photographers. When I visit her blog, I wish I could hire her to do a love shoot for me and my husband even though we’re obviously married. That’s how much I dig her style. You’ll get a lot of ideas – I promise.

90. Sweet Monday Photography: If you’re planning an upcoming engagement shoot, PLEASE check out this blog. It’ll be such an inspiration.

91. onelove Photography: I recently found this photographer, and she graciously sent me pictures of a beautiful wedding to include on my blog. I can’t get enough and will be begging her for more in the future. The photography is stunning.

92. Annie McElwain Photography: Not only does Annie’s photography take my breath away on a regular basis, but she’s a really nice person, too.

93. Choco Studio: This two-person team of photographers is a couple. How cute is that? And they’re incredibly talented at their profession.

94. Drew Anderson Photography: I know, I know….I keep saying how amazing these photographers are, and this one’s no different, except that I love his individual style.

95. Elyse Hall Photography: Here’s another one that I couldn’t live without. Such beautiful pictures.

96. Hugh Forte Photography: Wow was the first word that came to mind when I saw his blog. The photography is creative and alluring. I’m smitten by it.

97. Jack Randall Photography: This Orange County photographer knows how to capture a wedding day, so even when you weren’t there, you feel as if you were.

98. Victor Sizemore Photography: If you’re a glamorous bride having a glamorous wedding day, you’ll love Victor’s blog.

99. Ophelia Photography: I get swept away by the romance when I look at her photography.

100. Caroline Tran: This southern California photographer knows how to capture the love between two people in a single photograph and the special details of a wedding day.

101. TINYWATER Photography: Looking at the photographs on this blog is like taking a breath of fresh air on a crisp spring day. It’s exhilarating and enlivening.

Ottawa west couples

2010-04-01T12:06:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone!

The short list of outdoor ceremony sites is growing by one for Ottawa west-end couples. Pinhey's Point Historic Site is erecting a tent for special events and weddings. This will provide a much needed rain plan that now makes this beautiful setting an option. The rules for rental are much like that for Billings Estate. And if a tented reception is what you want, the party has to be shut down around 11:00pm with a midnight departure for all suppliers.

Yahoo to the City of Ottawa for hearing our plea and adding one more possibility to our site list!

Happy Easter to all!

Lynn

Chronicles of a wedding: contract pending??

2010-03-29T22:33:00.003-04:00

So, I didn't tell you something that was going to happen last Saturday. Cindy & Todd were guests at Salina & Troy's wedding, one of my coordination contracts (I was referred by none other). I was a little frightened (well, not really) that they were going to watch me in action prior to their wedding. What if they fire my because I'm a dough-head? That would be embarrassing! It was great to have them there, actually, and Cindy looked amazing as always! Todd, too, with his blue eyes shining in all their glory! My fingers are crossed that we're all good because I was talking to them today and they didn't say that I was a loser. So, hopefully we're still a go for October. I'll let you know if they drop the bomb on me though.

I did want to share an interesting sudo-quote that Todd made that night. He said that he was watching me listening to the speeches and he said something like, "Boy, you've got the best job in the world, don't you? Being part of this day in people's lives. What a way to make a living!". Wise Todd. He's totally right. Crazy as it sometimes is, long hours that it always is, it is indeed one heck of a way to spend my days. Can't imagine not doing it. Thanks everyone for allowing me to be part of your wedding day! And thanks Cindy & Todd for loving me even after you've see me in action!

Night all!

Lynn

Emails

2010-03-24T20:16:00.002-04:00

Yup, two blog entries in one day! Very unlike me. This one is just a heads-up to all of you that I am having great problems with my email account and it may not be fixed for a couple of days still. It appears that I have not been receiving random emails for some time without my knowledge. I apologize for the inconvenience and hope that I haven't missed your email. I always reply back within 24 hours to ALL emails, so if you don't hear back from me within that time frame, please do give me a call. I am really sorry about this situation. All I can say is ARGH!!!!

Lynn