Lucy & Alex's Candlelit Wedding: The Pictures

Wedding photos by the talented Dave Abreu Photography finally came in for Lucy & Alex's romantic, candlelit wedding!

The gorgeous bride

The couple's romantic candlelit ceremony

Fresh rose petals were laid down the aisle

 

First moment as husband and wife

The National Club had many historical rooms for

great shots

The bridal party posing by the pool table

 

Birdcage to hold cards for the couple

Guests wrote on cards for the couple to open on their

1st, 5th, 10th, and 25th anniversaries

The beautiful cake

 

Lucy and I had a fun Friday afternoon

filling up these jars with sand and stones

 

Congratulations again, Lucy & Alex!

 

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Wedding Credits:

 

Ceremony and Reception: The National Club | Photographer: Dave Arbreu | Florist: Flowers by MGM | Cake: For The Love of Cake | Hair & Makeup: Karen Chen Richardson | Coordinator: Tiffany Events (yours truly) | Officiant: Linda Wong (All Seasons Weddings)

Wedding Invitations

Planning to mail out your invitations soon? Here are a few tips to make sure your invitations arrive on time:

- Mail sent locally typically takes 2 business days to arrive, within the province takes 3 business days, within Canada takes 4 business days, to the United States takes 4-6 business days, and internationally takes 4-7 business days.

- Allow enough time for invitations to arrive, for guests to have time to respond (some like to procastinate a bit), and for reply cards to be received. I recommend at least 6-8 weeks before the wedding date, and more time for destination weddings (3 months in advance, with the announcement as soon as you've set a date so that travel and work arrangements can be made in time). Have the RSVP deadline at least a month before the wedding date so that the meals and seating chart can be finalized well in advance.

- Square-shaped or other non-standard shapes, and invitations weighing more than 30 grams cost more to mail. See detailed rates here.

- Canada Post now offers personalized stamps with your picture on it! 50 personalized stamps costs $52.50 plus tax and shipping. What a good way to display your engagement pictures and announce your upcoming wedding, or to send with your thank you cards?

Married: Sarah & Mobin's Cultural Wedding!

When I met Sarah and Mobin last fall, I knew they'd be a fun couple to work with! Both laid back and Sarah being very organized, made it very easy for me to work with. Whenever I met with them, you could see how cute and perfect they were for each other. Before making any decisions, they would always look at each other - great way to start a marriage! Congratulations Sarah & Mobin!

 

Here's a sneak peek of the gorgeous couple and waterfall backdrop:

 



 

Professional pictures to follow.

Canada's Baking and Sweets Show

This past weekend, I went to Canada's Baking and Sweets Show with my sister (who is a baker). This three day show exhibits bakeries and baking supplies stores. There were baking competitions, free samples, and guest appearances by Anna Olson, Duff Goldman (from Food Network's Ace of Cakes), the TLC's DC Cupcake Girls, and Food Network's SugarStars.

Food is always an important aspect of a wedding and dessert is always the highlight for me. At the show, there were a ton of companies specializing in sweet tables as well as candy and cookie favours.

Here are just a few:

Sugar Fix Candy Shop specializes on candy buffet bars where they set up and decorate a table filled with a variety of candy in beautiful glass vases. 

Sweet Candy Creation make chocolate bouquets and candy trees. What a sweet treat for a significant other or a friend who has been instrumental in helping you plan your wedding! 

 

Old Time Confections offers candy bars as well as wedding favours, such as Jelly Bellies in an organza bag for only $1.95 per person. 

I met the stars of The Food Network's SugarStars, a reality TV show that follows four business partners on the quest to create over-the-top sweet tables. 

My favourite wedding cakes from the show:

Announcement: New Website!

After two years of part-time wedding planning, Tiffany Events has finally taken the plunge and started a website!

We're so proud of our baby! Check out:

www.tiffanyevents.ca

Happy Autumn!

Fall is my favourite season of the year because the weather is just right - not too hot and not too cold. And for some strange reason since fall used to coincide with the start of the school year, it still brings back those good memories for me - the excitment of going back to school shopping and seeing friends after summer vacation.

My top colour picks for a Fall wedding are gold, burnt orange/red, and brown hues.

Here are some fall inspired wedding ideas!

At one wedding I assisted at, the bride and groom chose to cut and serve pumpkin pies instead of a traditional wedding cake (or serve mini apple and pumpkin pies)

I wouldn't suggest a Halloween-themed wedding but Halloween-inspired candy like candy/caramel apples or candy corn is always fun

Fall leaves lining your centrepieces (Make sure you gather them on the morning of your wedding so they don't get dry and wrinkled)

Pumpkins are place cards

Fall foilage boutonnieres (acorns, dried leaves and orange/yellow ribbon)

Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

Fantasy Weddings

I love it when couples take their passions and incorporate them into their big day. Here are some fun (and sometimes, extreme) fantasy/science fiction weddings:

1. Twilight Wedding

The bride wore a replica of the Alfred Angelo wedding gown Bella wore in the movie and the couple even changed their last names to the Cullens!
Source: The Twilight Lexicon

2. Star Wars Wedding

You can always count on Storm Troppers as groomsmen! In this wedding, the groom pledged in his vows, “I promise to protect you from the Dark Side, through hyperspace and into the far reaches of the galaxy.” How sweet!
Source: New Launches

3. Harry Potter Wedding



Guests rode on the Hogwarts Express, were given wands as wedding favours, and were even divided into the four Hogwart's houses!

Source: Funny Potato

I would love to be a part of planning a themed wedding - it would be so much fun!

Non-Traditional Engagement Rings

Move over Princess and Brilliant cut solitaires - here are some non-traditional engagement rings that will still sparkle and shine!:

1. Different shaped/cut diamonds

Emerald cut:

The Tiffany Heart Bezet:

2. Coloured diamonds

Black diamond, like the one Carrie Bradshaw (from Sex and the City) received from Mr. Big:

Yellow diamond:

3. Other precious gems

Sapphire rings made popular by Kate Middleton's engagement to Prince William:

 

Jessica Simpson's ruby engagement ring:

 

4. Custom-designed rings - Some people prefer a ring that is unique and personalized, and enjoy the designing process where they can choose the specific cut, colour, clarity, size, and style of the ring. A friend of mine even specified to his jeweller that he wanted heart-shaped prongs for his girlfriend's ring:

5. Man-made/Cultured diamond rings - Some brides would like the assurance that their ring is completely conflict-free by being made in a labratory. These stones differ from cubic zirconia (CZ), as CZ is made with zirconium dioxide and is not as hard as a man-made diamond. Man-made diamonds normally costs 35% less, but share an identical internal crystalline structure as diamonds found in nature.

Married: Lucy & Alex's Candlelit Wedding!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of planning and coordinating Lucy and Alex's wedding. Lucy and Alex are both accountants (like me) who met each other at work. When I first met them, you could tell they were two lovebirds. Like their groomsmen and bridesmaids can attest to, they really do balance each other out. They are such an easy-going couple, so they left most of the décor decisions up to me. Lucy wanted a romantic, candlelit ambiance which I thought they achieved very well! Congratulations Lucy and Alex, and enjoy your honeymoon in Ireland!

Here's a glimpse of the romance:

Professional pictures to follow.

What's the difference between an Onsite Venue Coordinator and an Independent Wedding Planner?

Many couples tell me that their venue has an Onsite Coordinator so they won't need to hire a Wedding Planner. While Onsite Coordinators are great and are a complement in making both our jobs easier (some of them are even WPIC certified!), they do not replace the role of a Wedding Planner.

The main difference is that the Onsite Coordiantor works for the venue and Wedding Planner works for you. The Onsite Coordinator will ensure the caterer serves the dishes on time and that the tables and chairs are properly set up. Most will leave as soon as dinner is served and will pass the night onto the Banquet Manager who communicates with the kitchen staff.

The Onsite Coordinator has experience with hosting parties at the same venue so they are familiar on how the tables, chairs, dance floor, etc. should be set up. They may have vendor recommendations based on companies they're familiar working with, or may offer suggestions to the reception timeline based on how long it takes to serve each course or cut the wedding cake. I've worked with some really great ones that went above their duties!

Here as some of the things I've done as a Wedding Planner that an Onsite Coordinator will most likely not do:
- Lint brush your groom and groomsmen to make sure their suits are clean
- Check your hair and makeup
- Spray your and your bridesmaids' bouquets with water to make sure the flowers are fresh for pictures
- Pin boutineres on the father of the bride and father of the groom
- Cue in the wedding party on their entrances
- Practice walking down the aisle with a scared flower girl or ring bearer
- Act as "tea ceremony lady" during a Chinese tea ceremony
- Provide thank you cards and payments to vendors at the end of the night
- Help you change and safety pin your dress

Do I Need A Wedding Planner?

The short answer is, yes. Being a wedding planner myself, even I hired a Day-Of Coordinator on my wedding day to make sure my plans went smoothly.

Here's why:

1) We are your problem-solvers - You don't want to worry or stress about any last minute and unexpected changes during your wedding day. When the reception programming is off, we know exactly what to do to get you back on track or what changes need to be made and communicated to all parties involved. This is YOUR day - you should be relaxing and enjoying every moment of it!

2) We are your labourers - You don't want to set up your own chairs, centrepieces, decor, favours, etc. on the day of the wedding. You don't want your family and friends, who are guests at your wedding, to do any of the work either. We can be there to ensure the ceremony and reception are set up exactly as you envisioned it!

3) We are your communicators - Your guests or vendors (e.g. caterer, photographer, DJ, etc.) will most likely have some questions during your wedding day. You don't want to be bothered with answering all of the questions. We can be there to make sure your guests know where the washrooms are, your cake delivery is made on time, the DJ knows when to cue your first dance song, the caterer knows when to serve the next course, etc.

4) We are your time and budget-savers - You and your fiancé probably have busy schedules and don't have the time to research vendors that suit your budget, taste and style. We have experience working with reputable vendors (who sometimes offer discounts to our clients!). We can even help you create and keep to your budget!

5) We are your peace-keepers - Weddings can be stressful, especially when people have differing expectations and opinions. We can be the impartial third party to deal with disagreements between the bride and groom, the wedding party, or family members.

6) We are your style and etiquette mavens - We have a keen eye for beautiful and can offer design/decor suggestions or advice on how to improve the "flow" of your day (e.g. is there enough time budgeted for pictures?, which side should the bride stand on?, who should walk in first, etc.)

I can do all of the above tasks! Contact me for a free initial consultation!

Baby Shower was a HOOT!

This past weekend, my friend's sister-in-law and I threw her an owl-themed baby shower! We had so much fun putting together the owl food and crafts. The beautiful mom-to-be was showered with gifts and the guests had a great time playing "Baby Price is Right"!

Welcome sign by the front door

Guests were asked to leave the mom-to-be some WISE words of wisdom in the birdcage

(We used a printable advice card template, courtesy of Sew Mama Sew)

Mom-to-be's special chair

Owl centrepiece

Fruit owl (using a carrot as its nose, cucumbers for its eyes, grapes for its pupils and feet, an artichoke for its feathers, and of course, a pineapple for its body and wings)

Owl cupcakes, inspired by this Duncan Hines recipe

(Owl's eyes were made using Oreos and Junior Mints. We used cashews instead of the banana candies for its nose.)

Prizes for guests (filled with homemade granola)

Owls filled with Hershey kisses for guests to take home

Starlight Annual Charity Gala

I've been volunteering with Starlight Children's Foundation over the past five years. Starlight is an international non-profit organization, dedicated to transforming the lives of seriously ill children and their families through imaginative programs that educate, uplift spirits, and foster a sense of community to help alleviate the pain and fear of prolonged illness. Starlight's Wish program grants wishes to children who are seriously ill, providing them with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Starlight's 17th Annual Charity Gala, which is Starlight's largest fundraiser of the year with over 600 guests in attendance. The night included a candy bar, an opera performance, and many high dollar auction items to bid on.

Photos courtesy of Pear Studio

I enjoy planning and coordinating events for my clients; however, volunteering my time and services for a great cause is fun and so important to me! I look forward to helping out at next year's charity gala!