In Ribbon Heaven!

Nerd alert! I think I died and went to ribbon heaven when I walked into this gorgeous store in Manhattan called M&J Trimming. Wall upon wall and floor-to-ceiling ribbon, lace, jewelry and feathers in all shapes, sizes, colours and textures. They even have an in-store Bridal Salon with custom made head pieces and more. Check out their window displays and their trend board that I snapped for you. I love to see that favour boxes are still the rage! And, how cute are the cakes? They would look so pretty as a centre piece for a shower.

Their online store is fantastic too - they have everything, including custom printed ribbon for your special event. Check out the Bridal Lookbook blog for some inspiring ideas as well.

Be sure to click on the pictures above to enlarge them.

NYC Flower Trends

It's all about the greenery - think drama using stems and leaves - in NYC right now. Oh, to have a flower budget, like I do for groceries and gas! I snapped the pictures of the tall glass vases at the W Hotel in Times Square. They would look incredible at the entrance of your special event or as bookends to your head table. They could even be created on a smaller scale as tall table centrepieces. I love the different shades of purple ranunculus. It's such pretty flower to begin with, that a huge bunch spilling out of the vase is just outrageous!!! Love, love, love!

The orchid designs were in another hotel lounge and are such a statement piece. These would look fantastic on tables, but be sure that it suits your choice of venue. (I prefer tall centrepieces in larger reception halls). This style could, however, be used anywhere from desert tables to buffet tables.

Calla lilies still rule, however, and were seen in every other hotel lobby and restaurant. The most popular colour for calla lilies right now in NYC: Purple!

Real Brides of NYC

Wandering the streets and parks of New York City on a Saturday is bound to have you bumping into some trendy brides! I caught one blushing bride looking so elegant and traditional leaving her hotel and stepping into a gorgeous, vintage white car. She wore a strapless princess gown (lots of beading, lots of poof in the skirt!) and a simple veil tucked beneath her updo. Even her flowers were elegant and traditional as she carried an all-white bouquet of roses and stephanotis dotted with pearls in the centre.

The second bride was caught in a downpour during her photo shoot in Central Park. Fortunately, she opted for a less popular tea-length, halter-style white dress and didn't have to worry about a filthy train! Unfortunately, my eyes were drawn more towards her bridesmaid than herself. I adore her bridesmaid's pale pink dress that drapes her body just perfectly and looks so sweet with the thin white belt. She was carrying a small bouquet of pale pink roses with a few deep purple roses in the centre. Although they were walking away from us, I didn't want to creep her out like a paparazzi taking pictures, so I just stared and took mental notes instead for you!!!

What I really want to know, however, is why the second bride is holding her own umbrella and walking alone when there are perfectly good gentlemen and a bridesmaid there to assist...isn't this her day to be the princess?

The bachelorettes are out!

Bachelorette season is in full swing in the city - you can find the blushing "bride-to-be"s sporting their tiaras and veils and naughty paraphernalia! Last night I attended just such an event and we really had the time of our lives (even for a Wednesday night!) We started out as a large group of about 18 women with delicious cuisine in a private room at Social Restaurant on Sussex. Always thinking of events, I thought that this room would be a fantastic place to host a rehearsal dinner or small bridal or baby shower. The room has beautiful stone walls and a large picture window facing the courtyard.

After dinner and a few drinks, we made our way to the Heart and Crown for a few more and finally to Patty Bolands for some dancing. (Note to the party planners: Wednesday nights are happening at Patty Bolands - just don't take your shoes off on the dance floor...it's apparently not encouraged!!!)

I also wanted to share with you a fantastic bachelorette party website for all the party supplies and naughty items you need to pull off such a good time. Visit: Planet Bachelorette - it's Canadian and your orders ship super fast. If you happen to live in or visit Montreal, you can even pick up your items directly! I recommend the straws, sashes, shot glasses and dare games to guarantee a memorable night for all.

Happy Planning!

Pedicures (and more) that come to you!

I am a firm believer in letting professionals handle your feet. Sure anyone can paint a toenail, but not everyone can make their own feet look and feel the way they do after a professional job...so I do indulge in monthly pedicures and encourage you to do the same, especially leading up to your big event. Whether it's a shower, bachelorette or birthday party or your wedding day, you will want to have soft soles and pretty toes peeking out of your shoes!

Today, instead of heading to the spa, I was given the number of an experienced nail technician and esthetician who had recently gone into business on her own and travels to your home/location. Fortunately, she was able to squeeze me in at the last minute and set herself up right in my living room (so that I could sit in my comfy chair!) She was fantastic - a definite type "A" like me, she worked thoroughly to leave my legs and feet feeling like silk and my bright pink toes ready for my trip to NYC this weekend! She was fun to talk to and even convinced me to go from my regular safe route of OPI's "It's all Greek to me" pinky/red shade to a neon "Flower-to-flower" type colour. (P.S. Neon really brings out whatever little tan you might have on your feet!)

I was thinking of all your moms and brides-to-be out there while being pampered in my chair - why make the trip to the nail salon when you can have the relaxing experience in the comfort of your home?

Here is her information - but be sure to book ahead...she's popular and you'll find out why!

Erin Downie (Nail technician, Esthetician)
Ottawa, Ontario
ejd3131@hotmail.com (email her for her phone number please)
Gel nails, gel pedicure, pedicure, manicure, waxing

Visit The Knot for more tips on bridal pedicures.

Ideas from the Fisher Wedding

Yes, of course I was first in line to pick up today's copy of People Magazine in order to obsess over the pictures of Mike and Carrie Fisher's Wedding, and I wasn't disappointed. Judging by the pictures, it is obvious that Carrie held onto her vision of her perfect wedding as she had imagined it as a little girl - it looked very magical, very fairy-tale-like, but equally elegant.

In true celebrity style, she changed from her Monique Lhuillier gown into the same designer's strapless cocktail dress. I love how, in the second picture, you can see that one of her guests has already removed her heels, stashed them below her chair and is probably polishing the dance floor in bare feet! Amazing!!!

So what ideas can we take from this affair?

*Using round balls of flowers (she used roses) hung on simple garden flower planter stands to distinguish the aisles for the ceremony

* Having your "alter" in the centre and your guests sitting around in a circle to witness your vows

* using natural elements (tree trunks for the ceremony & branches at the reception tables) to add whimsy

* not overdoing a theme...I was a little nervous that we might see cowgirl hats or hockey sticks everywhere, however, they used bronze painted hockey pucks as table assignment cards in a very creative way. It was a very pink/feminine wedding, so I guess Mike had to have this one element for him!!!

Enjoy the pictures above, or better yet, just go out and buy the magazine yourself...you know you want to!!!

Postage Stamps

So I let you know in a March post about the importance of choosing beautiful stamps to highlight your gorgeous stationery right?! Well in addition to the Canadian Orchid series that you can purchase through Canada Post (in rolls of 100 even), they now also have an African Violet series (sold in booklets of 10). They are equally elegant and can also be purchased online.

Also, if you are not sure about the weight or size of your envelopes, always side with caution and bring one in to your local post office to be weighed or measured. You may need an extra stamp and would not want to send them out only to have them all returned!

Bridal Beauty Tips

Browsing People Magazine's online photos section is a little secret breakfast routine of mine, however, today they posted in their Style section some Bridal Beauty Tips I thought you might like. Everything from hair to skin to lips is there with pictures of celebrities wearing inspiring hairdos, perfect for any special event. I love Camille Belle's loose, elegant side bun and the way her hair is swept across her forehead to mimic bangs. Click here for the link.

Photography: Things to consider

Capturing your special event through pictures is a big deal, and not something to be taken lightly - there is so much to consider when planning this aspect of the day. Depending on how much time you have given yourself, the photographer you want may not be available, but I encourage you to be open to trying different studios, even if your friends haven't recommended them or they are "new in town." It is important, for sure to have a look at their portfolios and to meet with the actual photographers to get a sense of their personalities and style of photography. You will be spending a great deal of time with these people in intimate settings, therefore, you need to be comfortable with them.

Once you have made your decision and chosen your photographer, they will likely ask you to give them a list of "must-have" pictures to be taken: including people's names and settings. On the big day, they will be able to call out the names of people that they need, without you having to worry about finding them and forgetting anyone...you have so much going on, it's great to reflect on what pictures you will want to cherish before the big day arrives.

One of my only regrets from my own wedding is not getting a group shot with all of our guests (especially since many forgot to also sign our guest book!) I found the super-cute above picture online and thought it was such a unique way to capture the group. A nice deviation from the usual shot of church steps. Check if your venue has a balcony or set of stairs that your photographer can climb in order to get this type of shot. The group could be arranged in any shape or monogram...I love it! Put this one on your "must-have" list for sure!

Sweet Favour Idea

So making homemade gifts is not a new idea, but it's a good one. As my husband, family and friends can attest, I am no genius in the kitchen (I once made a batch of pancakes for friends using 1/4 cup of salt instead of 1/4 teaspoon...oops!) however, I love to experiment anyways! The mother of a current client shared her very simple and delicious strawberry jam recipe with me and it is so simple, even I was able to make it successfully. See below for the three steps.

As I was pouring my jam into jars, I thought how they would make such beautiful favours for a special event (shower or wedding alike). What could be more sincere than taking the time to make your guests a treat from scratch, and something that they could enjoy at home while reminiscing about the fantastic time they had at your party!

Of course, you must contact me for your special tags to really complete the look!

Here is the recipe:

1. Crush strawberries to make 3 cups (You can use your fingers in order to get big chunks of berries)
2. Place them in a large bowl and mix in one tbsp fresh lemon juice.
3. Stir in 1 box light pectin crystals (I used certo)

Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes; stir every 10 minutes. Then spoon into freezer jam containers. Make sure to leave enough breathing room between the lid and the jam, about 1/2 inch. Freeze until just before your event or enjoy some yourself right away!

Another Carrie Fisher!

Can you tell it's summer - it's been very hard to sit myself in front of the computer and post! However, I have been busy working and will publish some photos this week.

I am really looking forward to next week's issue of People which will publish exclusive pictures of Mike Fisher's wedding to Carrie Underwood. Apparently, they signed their statement to the magazine "Mike and Carrie Fisher." So traditional...and now she shares her name with Princess Leia!

So, I did get around to watching "I do, but I don't" and what can I say, really. It was predictable, cheesy fun. The story line was somewhat similar to "The Wedding Planner," however it was still fun to watch with a bag of ketchup chips on a rainy afternoon!