Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Jay and Shawn's Halloween Hitching

Photo courtesy of http://www.lindsayallan.ca/

Oh good day! I can blog about my lovely October 31st, Saskatchewan couple today, as I received their professional pictures! This makes me so happy as I really enjoyed getting to know these two. I must say, Jaclyn and Shawn are really special people. Being my first "real" couple, and by that I mean, complete strangers before they searched out my services, I was a tad bit nervous when they first came over for our initial meeting! What a pleasant surprise! They were wonderful! They are both around my age, so we chatted as though we had known each other for quite some time. They had drove in from Saskatchewan so I wanted to make sure they were happy and felt comfortable with me. They had already worked out a lot of the details, the dress, the flowers, the venue, so my job was to tie up some loose ends, be there the day of the wedding, and also deal with the vendors. A few things that were left were photography details, the where, when and what of those, the menu and decor.

Photo courtesy of http://www.lindsayallan.ca/

For their pictures, they wanted to make sure they had somewhere nice and classy for the traditional family portraits. A few venue's in Calgary that offer this service are Rouge, Lougheed House and Teatro, all very beautiful places, so I knew there would be a cost involved. Teatro won that war and the place was booked for the afternoon. Also, they wanted some ideas for their bridal party photo's, and since they were getting married on Halloween, at Canada Olympic Park, where Screamfest is held every year, why not take advantage of all those creepy props!? One thing I really loved about Jay and Shawn is that they KNEW this was THEIR day and this made me really happy. A lot of times couples get swayed by family members, friends and members of their bridal party (which can be a bit of both), and then it turns into a big fiasco trying to make everyone happy. I loved that these two went a bit non-traditional in a few ways, and did not really care as to what others thought. A few things, well, they got married on Halloween, they met in the afternoon for pictures, as they had an evening ceremony. They knew they wanted a action station type food set up instead of a plated or buffet style dinner, and best of all, Jay's shoes, SO amazing, leopard with red patent, such a shock under that gorgeous, custom-made gown! I could really tell these two were in love, and the very best of friends, wanting only what mattered to them most. Their photographer, Lindsay Allan (http://www.lindsayallan.ca/) did an amazing job capturing the moment Shawn first saw Jay - good thing I was busy getting the reception ready or I would have burst into tears at this sight, so sweet!

Photo courtesy of http://www.lindsayallan.ca/

For decor, they had lots of beautiful candles, roses, really nice custom made vinyl applications for some glass posts with their names intertwined and the date, and the famous Martha Stewart tissue paper flowers in their predominant colours of black, white and red. I also crafted a spooky little tree that sat on their signing table, with handmade votive lanterns in a damask pattern hanging by red ribbon. They both had said they didn't want it Halloween themed - but to add very subtle elements of Halloween into the decor. The favors were assorted candy apples with custom made damask thank you tags.




The ceremony was beautiful, it was up at the Naturbahn Teahouse at the top of the hill at nighttime, so all the twinkling lights of Calgary could be seen. It was dimly lit and had a numerous clusterings of pillar candles, the ambiance was perfect. Jay and Shawn exchanged personalized vows (my favorite!), and family members sang and played the processional song on the guitar to add a very personal touch. Jay walked herself down the aisle, being the amazing independent little lady that she is - to a beaming Shawn, it was so magical, the parts that I snuck out to see, as I also played deejay for the ceremony (a very scary moment in my life, ha ha!). Their exit song was by The Doors "Touch Me", again - so non traditional, so Jay and Shawn!

Photo courtesy of http://www.lindsayallan.ca/

Their reception was held at the bottom of the hill down a winding road and the food and wine started coming out and everyone had a great time. The families and friends all seemed really close, and there was lots of awesome dancing done by I am pretty sure everyone!

Photo courtesy of http://www.lindsayallan.ca/

I must say, I was lucky to get a Halloween wedding as they are rare, and I was so priveleged to capture some really special moments with Jay and Shawn on their big day, and even had a very ghostly experience when I went back up by myself to the Teahouse to pack up the candles, mirrors and decor. Eek! Apparently it's known to be very haunted, someone could have told me that! Yikes!

Photo courtesy of http://www.lindsayallan.ca/

Jay and Shawn, thank you for going out on a limb and being my first ever "real" clients, you two are absolute soul mates, I have never seen anything but huge grins on your faces when you are around each other! You deserve all the best life has to offer, congratulations!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Rustic Winter Romance

Well, I have chosen this theme for a winter wedding to write about first, as it's my very favorite. It evokes such warm, happy and romantic emotions, which is all the reasons why I love the holiday season so much. Think crackling fireplaces, warm glowing candles, apple cider and hot chocolate, a cabin in the woods and old fashioned snowshoes.



This collection includes a fresh spin on the rustic look, maybe a bit warmer climate? I love the shots of milk with cookies, the tree trunk candles, the very cute spin on a jacket for the bride and the Christmassy peppermint candies. This look may suit a couple that really could not choose whether to go modern or rustic, so they chose a theme that is middle of the road. I call it a Fresh Rustic look.

Photo courtesy of lafleurweddings.com




Photo courtesy of theknot.com



Photo courtesy of whitelacewedding.com

The above two photos really represent a true rustic feel. The warmth of candles and the integration of bringing the outdoors in, using natural elements such as tree branches and cranberries to set the atmosphere.



Photo courtesy of theknot.com

S'mores! Oh my goodness, maybe the BEST thing about doing a rustic, cabin-in-the-woods type wedding is the soul food. A s'more station is perfect for this setting, as is cookies and milk, hot chocolate, peppermint lattes and apple cider. For the menu I would choose comfort foods above schmoozy foods. Roast beef with root vegetables, lamb (although I am not a fan, many are...), venison, or roast tom turkey for the main course. Chicken noodle, French onion, or beef and barley soup, fresh bread or rolls, or gourmet macaroni and cheese to follow, oh I could go on forever! And for dessert, eggnog and nutmeg crème brûlée or, if you're anything like my dad, enjoy a warm slice of apple pie with vanilla bean ice cream to finish off this hunting-lodge inspired meal. And for the midnight buffet? Home cooked chili with grilled cheese sandwiches, sour-cream and garlic toast (I swear, I am not even hungry right now!).



In my opinion, this type of atmosphere may appeal more to a smaller more intimate wedding to really adhere to the cozy feel you may be looking for. Being a mountain region, we are lucky to have several venues that would work for a rustic winter wedding. Some to consider would be Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, The Cochrane RancheHouse Fernie Alpine Resort, Bear & Bison Inn,and my personal favorite for this theme Iron Goat Pub & Grill in Canmore, Alberta (see below picture to be sold on this venue!).



As I have mentioned before, usually a dress is a great indicator of the theme for a wedding, and this is no exception. I am not here to say you can't have whatever dress you want, but I am a firm believer that different dresses set different tones and themes. I think for a rustic wedding lace and vintage is a great look. I have always been a fan of Jim Hjelm dresses, I think I have a few dozen save in my "Favorites" on my laptop as I think they are such beautiful designs. All the dresses below are Jim Hjelm and I think would be perfectly lodge-chic.







Well, there you have it, the cozy, rustic winter wedding. No matter what time of year you decide on marrying, there will be special seasonal elements. If you are seeking a warmer (indoor), more intimate occasion, this theme may be just perfect for you.

Wonderful Winter Weddings



Photo courtesy of weddingsonthefrenchriviera.com

Wow! It's been a while since my last post! Like everyone else, the Christmas season just sweeps me away with all it's splendor, and insane busyness! I also have several birthday people in November and December, so before I know it, it's the new year. I have been wanting to do a few posts on winter weddings for a while, as just recently I have been quite overwhelmingly fascinated by them, and I told Josh the other day "um...when we get married, we may have to do a summer and winter wedding, there is no way I can choose between the two!". There are so many elements of a winter wedding that appeal to me. First of all, it's the "holiday" season. Being the Christmas freak that I am, I am not sure as to why I never considered a winter wedding. They are warm, cozy and extra romantic. Being with those you love the most is so important during this time of year. Now, that's the emotional side of the weddings that I love. The practicality of a winter wedding is also very appealing. The winter season is not as busy as the summer for weddings, therefore, the fight for the venue of your dreams may not exist, as well, as the price tag may be slightly lower. Also, if you are like me, and have a lot of family that is out of town, to have them come in for the holidays is nice, to spend time with family other than just the wedding is an added bonus. I have come across several Winter wedding themes that I love, so I will do a tri-posting on the blog this cold January evening, Rustic Winter Romance, Red Velvet Christmas and A Snowflake Ball. Enjoy!


Beautiful photo courtesy of grazierphotography.blogspot.com