Columbine Goblinfilter
Creating your registry is one part of your wedding planning that creates a lot of joy without a lot of stress. Really, huge bath towels, snuggly sheets and amazing cooking sets will never go out of style, but today’s couples are more adventurous and going beyond the registry basics.
More and more couples are already living together before the wedding, which makes creating your registry list a little more challenging. However, this is a great opportunity to create a blended style for the two of you that both of you can enjoy. Take advantage of department stores that offer more than home goods - things like furniture and camping gear. Remember that you don’t have to register at just one store.
Couples these days are also taking advantage of another trend: registering for your honeymoon. Instead of gifts, your guests help contribute to your honeymoon to take the financial burden off you. Keep in mind that if your wedding crowd is more traditional, you will also want to register at a retailer for them.
Wherever and whatever you choose for your registry keep a few things in mind:
- mix up your items for a large variety, both in taste and price
- make sure you are comfortable with the shipping/return policies
- size up your space - don’t go overboard
- be careful of seasonal items - don’t do your registry too early
Enjoy the moments!
Feather Elfwand
Take a look around your home. You’ve decorated in colours that are attractive to you. Why not use that to help plan the colours for your wedding? Here are some of our favourite choices for that special day:
Yellow: yellow is a great colour for summer weddings. Make sure to choose a range of yellows that have enough contrast to your bridal gown. Tulips and daffodils, daises and sunflowers - these are all great yellows to pull from. If you’re looking for some extra texture and interest add some blue or green.
Green: green goes will with almost any colour. By using an array of greenery you can se the foundation for a beautiful colour scheme. Mix and match with dark and light greens to add some variance. Greens can stand alone or add some subtle shades of your favourite colours.
Blue: this has long been a favourite for décor. It is also an very appropriate colour for outdoor weddings, where the sky or the water is a major element. Cornflowers, hydrangea or irises are all fabulous shades. Using shades of pink of bright green gives you added interest.
Purple: purple can look elegant and regal (think royalty) but take care. Dark purple colours can get lost in a dark room. Choose shades on the lighter side so they look exactly how you want them to.
Black & White: this is the ultimate scheme for sophistication. Groomsmen in black tuxes, bridesmaids in elegant black gowns - the bride in any shade of gown she chooses. You can add some other colours to brighten it up, or keep it white and black for simple elegance.
Bracken Goblinshimmer
Well ladies, the fall season is fast approaching and with it, the fall bridal shows. Be sure to check out The Bridal Conference: Diamonds & Divas happening September 21, 2008 in the newest hall of Northlands, Edmonton. This is the fourth year of the intimate and interactive bridal show, and it’s going to be fabulous!
There is the Boutique Bridal Gown Sale where you can find your perfect dress for an amazing price. Preceding the fashion show is a Video Wedding Planning Session, where experts educate brides-to-be on different aspects of planning their wedding like gowns, tuxes, cakes, photography, flowers and more! From there, ladies and their guests will be amazed at the fabulous bridal fashion show, with style numbers for the gowns to make finding the one you love easier.
Some lucky brides and their guests will be pampered with VIP Diva Seating, set in the diamond-shaped stage, with gifts bags filled with goodies from some of the great exhibitors at the show. Listen to 91.7 The Bounce to win your way to Diva Seating! There’s also a Diva Diner, a fabulous bistro where tired brides can sit and have a bite before exploring the rest of the show.
This year, Bridal Conference has two grand prizes: a 7-day trip to Orlando, Florida and a $1000 wedding gown and $750 tuxedo. On top of the two great grand prizes, there are also over 60 other prizes to won from each of the exhibitors at the show.
Ladies wanting to attend this show can purchase tickets online at www.bridalconference.ca. Tickets are $15 (including GST) per person, and each bride gets a wedding planner valued at $14.95 with her ticket. There are also 100 $50 gift cards from Uniglobe Geo Travel (www.romantictravel.ca) that will go out to the brides who order online (one card per order only). There is a limited supply of these, so you need to order quickly!
This is the one fall bridal show you can’t afford to miss. See you at the show!
Yarrow Elfshimmer
If you’re looking for some great ideas for your wedding but don’t know where to start, check out one of our favourite sites, Polyvore.com. This site allows you to drag and drop images into a ’set’, creating colour coordination, themes and inspiration. This is a great way to start your wedding planning. If you are using a wedding planner you can take your sets in and this gives your planner a great jumping off point for your wedding. You can search by colours, themes, and even upload your own images!
This picture shows a small example of a wedding theme done in pinks and blues. Check out our link on the “Sites We Love” and try it for yourself!
Thorn Yewtree
Sending out your invitations is the first contact you have with your wedding guests. They will reflect the style and theme of your wedding day. Invitations are generally sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding. You will need to have your venues booked and your guest list finalized.
Invitations should be ordered three months prior to your wedding day. They normally consist of the invitation, the envelope, the response card and a stamped envelope to mail the response card back. Order about 25% invitations than guests. This allows for last minutes additions and any addressing errors.
Start with a theme whether it be a specific colour or symbol. You can incorporate this into all your stationary to keep it tied together. When it comes to your stationary, go with what you love. If you’ve seen a picture that you adore, print it out and taken it to your stationer. Don’t be afraid to take a chance because some of the most memorable wedding invitations come with a childhood photo, quotes or caricatures.
You will want to shop around. The internet is a fabulous tool to find unique ideas for wedding stationary and to find different shops to check out. Above all, you want to have fun with this! Choosing your stationary is one of the elements to your wedding that should be exciting.
You can also design and print your invitations yourself. A lot of stationary stores have do-it-yourself kits you can purchase, perfect for the couple on a budget. If you are good on the computer with a design program, purchase the paper and other stationary necessities and create your own design. Check out the Earth Mother section for tips on eco-friendly invitations.
Thorn Yewtree
Your wedding reception is the one of the biggest parties you will ever plan. Many brides do themes or colour schemes but ultimately it is up to you what kind of party you want. So get ready to let loose and have a blast! Some ideas includes stripes – keep your colours monochromatic if you choose this. A floral scheme gives you a lot of options. You can choose a signature bloom and build around it with highlights.
Get creative when picking your venue. You can rent a hall that has its own catering and decorating staff or find a venue where you can choose your own. Some distinctive venues would be an old nightclub, or a historic home. You want to book your venue as soon as possible. It is hard to book other vendors without a venue.
When deciding on the menu most weddings go with either a served dinner or buffet style. Served dinners allow for more elegance and are great for a formal wedding while the buffet style lets guests pick and choose what they want to eat and how much.
When it comes to alcohol for your wedding, the biggest concern is usually the cost. You can have an open bar or a toonie bar. Any alcohol served with dinner – usually wine – and the alcohol for toasting – usually champagne – should be complimentary. You can have an open bar for the cocktail hour and switch to a toonie bar after dinner.
For the wedding speeches – plan them out and keep it short. Make sure your speech has something for everyone and fun is good, embarrassing is not. Thank and toast the right people, stay calm and have fun!
Have a photo booth at your reception so your friends and family can use it to take their own pictures. The results usually end up something like a home video without any sound! Compile them into a visual wedding book and you’ll have some cherished memories for years.
Your décor will set the mood at your reception. Things like lighting, the centerpieces, flowers, textures and colours will all come into play. You don’t’ have to keep everything uniform. By mixing colours and fabrics you can have an eclectic look and everything flows while still being different. A note for any candles: make sure you use unscented candles as anything with a scent will interfere with your food.
If you’re expecting a lot of kids at your wedding, consider hiring a balloon artist to help keep them entertained. Or you can find a caricaturist to do caricatures of your guests. It makes a great keepsake for them.
Feather Elfwand
Picking wedding flowers can be a challenge. If you pick flowers that are in season, you can save yourself a bundle. You can get flowers that are out of season but you will pay more for them. Talk with your florist about your options. Roses are available all year round but you will pay more in the month of February.
Spring flowers – anemone, bells of Ireland, boronia, casa blanca lily, daffodil, delphinium, hyacinth, lilacs, narcissus, peony, ranunculus, star gazer lily, sweetpea, tulip, waxflower
Summer flowers – alstromeria, bells of Ireland, chrysanthemum, English lavender, forget-me-not, fressia, gerbera daisy, hydrangea, iris, larkspur, liatris, asiatic lily, oriental lily, lisianthus, matsumoto asters, monte casino asters, queen anne’s lace, snapdragons, solidaster, statice, stephanotis, stock, sunflower, tuberose, yarrow, zinnia
Fall flowers – chrysanthemum, dahlia, marigold, statice, zinnia, dried leaves
Winter flowers – amaryllis, anemone, bells of Ireland, camellias, casa blanca lily, cosmos, daffodil, forget-me-nots, holly, jasmine, narcissus, poinsettia, ranunculus, star gazer lily, star of Bethlehem, sweetpea, tulip, waxflower
Year round flowers – baby’s breath, bachelor’s button, calla lily, carnations, delphinium, eucalyptus, gardenia, gladiolis, heather, lily of the valley, orchid, protea, rose, scabiosa
Your flowers should compliment your bridal gown, the bridesmaid dresses, the colour scheme and the formality of your wedding. Flowers establish the emotion and romance of your wedding and establish the ambience of the event.
Look through bridal magazine and the internet to find pictures of flowers or arrangements that appeal to you. Bring them into the planning sessions with your florist so they can get a better idea of what you are looking for and your style. Book your flowers earlier rather than later, especially if you are getting married during the peak wedding season.
Think of your dress style and how your flowers will compliment it. Flowers should compliment your gown and overall theme. Remember to colour coordinate with your wedding party to get the look you want to achieve. Keep in mind the photography; you want flowers that will last throughout the day. Consider allergies and pollen and work within your budget.
When choosing your bouquets, keep these tricks in mind. Small formal bouquets are for the petite bride, a simple elegant gown or a traditional gown with some modern flair. Tear drop bouquets are good to provide balance to a fairy-tale bridal gown with full skirt. They also add a finishing touch to the traditional bridal gown and create the illusion of a slimmer figure as the bouquet helps draw the eye downwards.
Large hand-tied bouquets add impact to a striking modern gown, detract from any problem areas you may want to hide and create a strong, bold impression. Small hand-tied bouquets compliment a bias-cut gown, create an understated look and add balance to a medium height bride.
Don’t assume your florist will have access to your ceremony and reception site early on your big day. Make all the necessary arrangements – with written permission and a key if need be – to ensure that everything will be in place before you walk down the aisle.
