Inspiring Canadian Venues to Consider...or Copy!

Sorry for the delay in posting to this site my faithful friends...with three weeks to go before the arrival of my first little bundle of joy, I have become someone I hardly recognize anymore, someone who lets things slide (...dishes, laundry, blog posts...LOL!) I didn't even get around to my Christmas shopping or decorating until the 24th!

I am coming back strong; however, with some inspiring and Canadian venues that you can consider for your up-coming nuptials. If you can't get to the locations, take note of the decor and themes that you can likely recreate no matter where you may be. I am posting pics of my three favourites; one being only 35 minutes from Ottawa.

The first really drew me in with the flowing fabric ceiling and natural, understated centrepieces. I love outdoor tents, but the draping of the fabric truly creates a more romantic and intimate feeling in this one. If you're in British Colombia, check out the Hart House Restaurant in Barnaby for the "ultimate in West Coast elegance!"

Just East of Ottawa, you will find the Beantown Ranch - a gorgeous and rustic local for nature-lovers out there. Check out their wedding slideshow here.

Finally, what could be more fun for you and your guests than hosting your event in a brewery?!!! The Steamwhistle Brewery is smack-dab in the middle of downtown Toronto and offers that urban, modern vibe that can easily be transformed to fit your theme and colours. Lots of windows, dark wood and beer...just add flowers, lights and a little colour and you're good to go! I am so looking forward to attending a wedding here in the Spring...I'll keep you posted!

To check out WeddingBells.ca other 22 Stunning Real Wedding Venues, click here and get inspired!

Say YES to the TP Dress!

It's one of those must-do games at Bridal Showers and Bachelorette Parties: how can create the best wedding dress and veil using toilet paper, right? If you find yourself constantly winning this game, you could earn a lot more than a bag of candy coated almonds!!!

Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com is having their annual Toilet Paper Wedding Dress contest, which has the first place winner walking away with $1000 (USD) or a second prize of $500, or third prize of $250. Worth the couple bucks a case of toilet paper rolls will cost you, I'd say. You can use tape, glue or even your sewing machine to create your signature gown...this is serious stuff! If you've been pulling off the winning look for years by twisting and tucking the paper, imagine what you can do with glue, tape and thread!

You have from now until June 17th, 2011 to get your photos submitted to their website....so get to it!

If you're a creative lady, this is your big chance - start unrolling the paper today. Just think of all the fabulous things that you could buy with the cash prize!!! (I've already spent it all in my head)!

Click here for all the details and Happy TP-ing!

The BRIDESMAIDS are coming soon...

Check it out ladies - The producers of "Knocked Up" have created another sure-to-be classic movie called "Bridesmaids" and it is coming to theatres next month. Personally, I just love that Kristen Wiig; she plays the role of the Maid of Honour (or dishonour) in this film, while Melissa McCarthy plays another bridesmaid...but a rather manly-looking one (She was so much cuter as Sookie on Gilmore Girls, wasn't she?!!!)

Anyways, grab your favourite girls and head to the theatres to check this one out next month. I can't wait to see how the parties, ceremony and reception are designed and decorated - I love the lack of budget in movie weddings...they're always so over-the-top and drool-worthy too!!! I guess we'll have to wait and see!

Check out a trailer for Bridesmaids here.

RW & Co.Special Occasions Collection

OK ladies...Who hasn't worn an RW & Co. dress to a wedding or special event before? They have super cute, well-fitted and affordable dresses all year round; however, the Canadian retailer has now debuted and launched a Special Occasions Collection here in Canada for bridesmaids, groomsmen or anyone attending a special event.
THE BEST PART: prices have not increased!

Want to thrill your bridesmaids...tell them that their dress will cost them less than $100 and that they can find it in any city that they live in, or on-line! I have to admit that they selection is not huge, however, there is a style that would suit every body type for sure. Men can also end up with a brand new suit for around $200.
Check out the selection here.

Custom Favour Tags

As I've mentioned recently, I have been creating Custom Favour Tags to accompany the delectable chocolate truffles of Sue (Crazy 4 Chocolate.ca) for her bride and groom-to-bes and am so thrilled to share this gorgeous picture she took of the final product. Not only am I super jealous of the amazing quality of her picture, but I just love the way the ribbon matches the border of the tags and how perfectly tied the bows are. They look good enough to eat...and hopefully they all were! The happy couple were married in Ottawa last weekend.

What a chic favour to consider for the guests of your next special event!

Tags and tags galore!

I am thrilled to be working with Sue Casey of Crazy4Chocolate when her clients request personalized favour tags to be added to their truffle boxes.


Sue attaches the tags to the boxes with dimensional two-sided tape so they "pop" from the box a little. Her boxes come in many colours and she wraps them in ribbon to match your event's theme or your desire. The tags above with the coloured border match the ribbon colour, creating conistency in design. The layered tags "MD" are printed on shimmery paper, layered on black linen paper and will be attached to gold boxes. What a rich look that will be! I'll be sure to have her send me pics of the final product.

Romantic Quotes to consider

In honour of Valentine's Day, I thought I would share some romantic words chosen straight out of the finest in English literature! Romantic quotations are a nice touch to feature on some stationery, such as your Wedding Program, Save the Date cards, Favours and albums too!

Here are my favourite quotations, taken from a list that was featured in Saturday's Ottawa Citizen:

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." (Emily Bronte)
"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be." (Robert Browning)
"For you see, each day I love you more. Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow." (Rosemonde Gerard)

This final one I love on a personal level, as it is engraved in both mine and my husband's rings in French (poor Rob can't pronounce it...so romantic right?!!!) It reads: Plus que hier, moins que demain.

To read all the quotes featured in the short article, click here.



My all time favourite romantic quotation, and the one I used personally on my Wedding Programs reads: "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return." (Moulin Rouge)

Happy Valentine's Day! xoxo

A Posh Night in February

Mark your calendars - yet another smaller, intimate Wedding Show is coming up and I love the location! The Posh Wedding Show will take place on Saturday, February 19th from 4pm -10pm in the evening...so grab your girls and make a night out of it!

It is happening at The Summit (formerly the Merlot Rooftop Grill), a restaurant located at the top of the Ottawa Marriott Hotel on the 29th Floor (100 Kent Street).

It is being advertised as an event for "modern, sophisticated brides who want to feel glamourous, stylish and unique!" Ummmm, o.k., who doesn't consider themselves to be this person...No actually, I'm an old-fashioned and tacky bride and prefer to feel ugly and blend in with others!!! LOL!
Anyway, check out the details and a list of vendors here.

Breakfast at Tiffany's Shower

So, I was super excited to share pics of one of my latest projects, but upon checking them out, I am now super disappointed with...my camera! Lol! I know, I know, if I had a dollar for everytime I complained about my lack of a good camera, I would have one by now!!!

Anyway, it is the design and colours that I love so much about this fun Breakfast at Tiffany's-themed Bridal Shower Invitation. The party planner, Lesley, sent me a picture of a similar invitation that she had found somewhere on-line and requested Tiffany blue square envelopes. I was able to find them in a shimmer finish to match the shimmer of the off-white cardstock that the invitation was printed on. With a deeper shade of Tiffany blue as the second layer, the complete package looks so stunning - I can't wait for the bride-to-be to see them after the shower! It was fun playing with different fonts and graphics (including an imitation Audrey Hepburn pose from the classic film). So, the moral of the story is...don't judge based on the quality of this picture - the final product looks classy and fun!

FYI: if you are planning on creating and sending square cards or invitations by mail, be sure to allow for extra postage in your budget. They cost about double as much as rectangular-sized envelopes (ie: over a dollar each).

Boxes, Bags and Tags, oh my!

Just cleaning up some items after a busy month of orders and thought I'd share a picture of some older favour boxes and bags I have around the office. These sizes are perfect for most edible items (chocolates, candies and mints) but can be used creatively for many other items as well! The colours were always chosen by the hosts to match whatever theme they were going with - that's the beauty of custom-made: each box and bag is die-cut from your selected paper to ensure an exact match to the rest of your stationery...isn't life beautiful?!! LOL!

Happy Saturday!

Wed by Hand Bridal Show tomorrow

This is the second year for the Wed by Hand wedding show in Ottawa, and although it's not as large as the Lansdowne show, it's intimate and features some awesome vendors. There will be over 30 vendors so it provides some variety yet makes it intimate enough to enable brides to get a chance to talk to the vendors, which is not always possible at the larger shows. Last year it was held at the Marriot Courtyard and this year they've decided to use the Glebe Community Center.

It's tomorrow, February 6th from 10am - 5pm and they will be charging an admission this year, but with all the raffles, free samples and swag bags, it should be well worth it. Check it out for yourself, or head to their website www.wedbyhand.com

My friend Sue, of Crazy4Chocolates will be giving away truffle samples as well as a special favour box for the first 100 brides (there's reason enough not to miss it!). There will be sample drinks and cupcakes, as well as DIY workshops for all those brides who are looking to save some money on various aspects of a wedding.

Enjoy it - these shows are all a big part of the planning fun!

No. 92: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

I remember seeing this movie in the theatre with my best friends on a spa weekend in Kingston - it was an impulse watch as we were leaving a restaurant and even snuck in our take-home cheesecakes to eat while watching!!! It turned out to be a pretty funny movie and offers a lot of inspiration in terms of style and decor.

The reception location of the wedding to take place is supposed to be Matthew McConaughey's deseased uncle's chateau. In actuality, it's called The Great House on Castle Hill and is found on The Crane Estate in Massachusetts. You can hold your wedding and reception there. Check it out here.


The wedding party spend the weekend at this estate as they prepare for the wedding and Matthew's character experiences a "Christmas Carol"-type visitation as he explores his behaviour towards women, the distruction he has caused and the woman he has lost (Jennifer Garner). As a result he sees her future wedding which I thought I'd share as it is so pretty - no other owrd to describe it...very girly and pretty! I like the simplicity of Jennifer's hair and the bouquets at the end of each pew lining the aisle. Everything looks so bright and sunny (the all-white church helps with this for sure!)



The "real" wedding takes place at the end of the film in the estate, and although it doesn't need much decor to make it grand, throughout the building they draped silk and exagerated flowing bouquets (think stair cases, fireplaces, centre pieces, doorways). For the reception, the classic gold chivari chairs were placed at round tables in neautral linens. Decor throughout was always in neutral shades, but very elegant and rich. A gorgeous wedding location doesn't need many add-ons, which is a bonus! The bridesmaids gowns are nice and flowy with very flattering twisted detail at the neckline. The deep red colour is perfect for winter or fall weddings.



One scene that will have you panicking and laughing is the classic cake-topple! What a gorgeous wedding cake - four tiers of neutral fondant, dotted with tiny flowers and draped with fondant ribbons. When Matthew's character knocks one of the pillars down with a flying cork, he attempts to balance it with one hand...emminent disaster! I loved Lacey Chabert's character's reaction - she looses it and actually calls Matthew a "bitch!!!" LOL!

All in all, a fun movie with inspiring ideas and lots of laughs!

Tulle Time!

Weddingbells online lists it's must-have gowns for 2011 and guess what - they're full of TULLE! I'm sharing the above gown because it reminds me of the classic Barbie Doll cakes from Loblaws!!! The gown is Platinum by Priscilla of Boston (Fall 2011 Collection).

Click here for the full list of dresses.
Click here for the recipe and directions to make the Barbie Doll cake! (LOL!)

Always inspiring...

Yes, it's true...I may have a small obsession with the Princess-to-be, Kate Middleton! She just looks like a regular, nice girl - with style to boot. Her own personal obsession with London clothing designer ISSA is no secret (as she's seen wearing a different dress of theirs daily), but thanks to People.com today, I was able to find similar styles that I thought would make great bridesmaids gowns.



This first gown may be on the riskier side, due to the lower neckline, but in my opinion, remains more elegant than riské - a little cleavage can go a long way!!! The similar dress is from the Dessy Collection line and retails for $210 (USD), although I'm sure with a little surfing online, you can find it for even cheaper. It is also available in over sixty colours and even allows you to mix and match the sash colour (fun!). Find it here.




I just love the fabric of these dresses she adores - they look so comfortable (LOL!) I am a fan of halter style dresses. I think they show off shoulders beautifully like a strapless, but are a great option for those who worry about pulling up at their gown all night. Although the pink gown is not a true halter style, it criss-crosses in the back. I love how it draws the eyes in and really slims the figure. It is an After Six design and retails for about $198 (USD) - find it here.

Windows with a view!

So after checking out pictures of the venue for the movie "American Wedding," I was reminded just how beautiful two major attractions here in the Canada's Capital are and thought I would share a few pictures of them as well. If you are looking for grandeur and views (and have a flexible budget), then these venues are for you.






A great thing about both the Museum of Civilization (in Gatineau) and the National Gallery of Canada (in Ottawa) is that they are on the Ottawa River and allow for fantastic pictures and views no matter where you are on the property. You can even find some greenery in nearby parks if you are not a fan of downtown scenery - so the options are endless!






Whether it's sunny, rainy, Winter or Summer, the light in both buildings is incredible thanks to the floor to ceiling glass walls and glass dome ceilings.

There are beautiful art pieces, staircases and hallways found in both as well, which can make for interesting pictures and can entertain guests as they wait for the celebration or reception to begin (a big bonus!)
These venues can definitely cater to any couple - hope they inspire you!

No. 94: The Hangover

As you can see, the caliber of movies I watched over the holidays was quite high! The Hangover was also playing on tv and I just love the wedding location and scenes at the end. I wish I could find more pictures and will continue to search, but for now, we'll have to make due with these.

The wedding takes place at her parents gorgeous, grand estate. The bride wore an Amsale gown with black ribbon detail around the waist. I love the classic picture/scene of her at the window, waiting for her man...it really shows off the dress too! I do like the simple flower in her hair, but found the tight/clean ponytail a little too severe for her strong face. In my opinion, she just looked angry (although her character was a little upset waiting for her groom!!!) Her bridesmaids looked equally elegant in mirror opposite gowns (black with white ribbon at the waist) and the little flower girls looked like sweet mini-brides! I would have loved this as a six-year-old!

You know already how much I love outdoor weddings - this one was no exception. The soft glow of the globe paper lanterns in the trees and around the large dance floor pergola add a romantic flair. Of course, the wedding music (sung by The Dan Band - a comedy group) set the mood with their take on "The Candy Shop" at the end of the film!

If you haven't seen this one, rent it...and have a few drinks while you do!

Get that Holiday feeling!

As we head into the days surrounding Christmas, I thought I would leave you with some holiday inspired items to peruse. The dark tent whose roof is lit with clear chirstmas lights is a romantic and safe way to mimic the night sky without risking the bad weather! I also like the dark colours used for everything from bridesmaids dresses and flowers to the black and gold mini cakes. Those are especially elegant without being too "Christmasy!!!"

And of course, I couldn't resist the gorgeous red gown...I guess it works if you're marrying someone named "Nick," "Kringle" or "Clause" though right?!!!

Top 100: No. 99 Rachel Getting Married

Alright, so this movie was a little intense in terms of the incredible array of emotions and problems scattered throughout. It did, however, have it's beautiful and precious wedding moments as well.

Another lucky couple with parents who own gorgeous, huge property on which to host the event. The tent that they brought in was very true to their unique and quirky style. Check out the details - it makes me think of a renaissance fair or gypsy, palm-reading den! Even the types of music and dance move between styles and themes, yet seem to flow somehow too.

I love how the quirky decor flowed from the house (in which they got married) out to the garden and then towards the tent. Using round paper lanterns of different sizes and colours held this theme together beautifully. The blue elephant cake was a unique touch as well. And of course, if you're getting married in the library of the house, eating blue elephant cake and dancing with belly dancers, you will need little glass trinkets as placecard favours right?! I just love it - and I wonder why this movie's wedding stayed with me for so many years after seeing it?!!!

100 Best: No.100 Father of the Bride

I thought it best to start the list with the classic home wedding from Father of the Bride. In this 1990's film, Steve Martin helps his daughter carry off her dream wedding, no matter what the cost...and cost is quite evident!

When you own a home as classically beautiful as this, it would be difficult to want to hold a hall reception. Look to your close family and friends for this option, but do keep in mind that it is often more expensive to bring the hall to you, as you will need to rent every item individually (cutlery, tables, chairs, linens, a dance floor...) that would normally be included and readily available in a hall. I would suggest working with a professional planner if going this route to ensure nothing has been left out!

Although styles have and will continue to change (think hair and clothing), the tent reception is a classic and the "Chiavari" chairs continue to be a coveted and costly choice for upscale outdoor reception seating. Although the cascading vines and greenery would be a little much these days, the lighting and chandelier are an elegant touch.

The cake too remains quite classic today as a three tier round design. It has a small sampling of real flowers on top and some scattered around the base as well, but flows beautifully with her theme of flowers and vines and outdoor life.

It is amazing what can be done when money is no object for daddy's little girl...oh to dream!