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From Alanna and Dawn of eph*ra event design… Elegant, fluffy winter snow in all its charm was the inspiration for this shoot. Our vision was of winter whites with layered textures, both old and new, with lots of charm and warmth. We used lots of unexpected and unique details such as little birds, pine cones under cloches, porcelain artichokes, tiny bud vases and vintage decanters. Guest gifts were handed out in small burlap pouches wrapped with satin ribbon and tied with a hemp string, each with a note of thanks. The rustic and funky Berkeley Church in downtown Toronto provided the perfect backdrop for this romantic theme. With its stained glass windows and hardwood floors, it gave a warm and special atmosphere for our shoot.

The stationery mixed vintage glam with a bit of rustic charm. The invitation had an apothecary-inspired label featuring a mix of textured monochromatic papers and was embellished with crystal and pearls. It was nestled in a cream silk box accented with a vintage-look brooch, feathers, twill tape and a tiny mother of pearl button. Coordinating items included a matching petal-style program fan, embellished seating cards and table numbers, as well as a one-of-a-kind sweet table sign. The seating cards were set out using hand-cut tags hung on tiny white clothespins in white wooden frames among candle-lit vintage mason jars. The guest tables were made all the more special with a white quilted overlay, bronze chargers topped with white china, taupe linen and a large organic pearl branch napkin ring. A small bottle of mints for after the meal accompanied each setting. The centerpieces circled by a grapevine wreath were a combination of silver tapered candle holders, white hydrangeas in tall white vases with adorable birds and owls all around. We created several other points of interest in the space: a luxurious cake table, a throw table and a signing area. The cake table was full of white cakes and cupcakes to tantalize the palate. A beautiful white rose cake with a gray satin ribbon and adorable miniature white cupcakes under cloches were surrounded with candles. The flowers were a romantic mix of honeymoon tulips, ranunculus, chrysanthemums, baby’s breath, Veronica caya, hydrangeas and feathers for added interest. The bride’s bouquet was neatly tied with burlap and satin. A fun throw table with hand-stamped bags of rice and a large birdcage was lit with handmade tear drop strings of white lights.

Photography: Blynda DaCosta Photography / Flowers: Ruffles & Twine / Event Design: eph*ra event design / Location: The Berkeley Church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada / Invitations + Graphics: Hip Ink / Cakes + Cupcakes: Cupcake Diner / Hair + Makeup: Megha Sawhney (meghasawhney@gmail.com) / Model: Cheryl Mickolwin

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Post tags: Blynda DaCosta Photography, Canada, Cheryl Mickolwin, Cupcake Diner, eph*ra event design, Hip Ink, Megha Sawhney, Ontario, Ruffles & Twine, The Berkeley Church, Toronto, White, Winter Wedding
Post categories: Canada Weddings, Ontario Weddings

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From You, Me and a Photograph … Ana and Mihai got married in August 2011 in Kitchener, Ontario. They both love the French charm of Old Montreal so the place for their engagement session was easily decided. Ana is a big lover of everything Audrey Hepburn-related, so obviously she put on a little black dress, black gloves and pearls, plus a bird cage veil for extra chic-ness. We started our adventure in a blue laundromat, which instantly set the mood of the entire session to silly and romantic. We then strolled around Vieux Montreal with its excellent backdrop of old buildings, stopped at a French cafe, and rested our weary feet in front of a fountain in one of the city’s quaint little squares. Mihai is a fisherman, so the next day we set off towards this cute chalet near a lake. We spent the day rowing in a vintage red boat called Sinker Belle, listening to the local frog concerto and admiring the water lilies.

Photography: You, Me and a Photograph / Location: Montreal, Quebec

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Post tags: Black, Canada, Engagement Photos, engagement session, Me and a Photography, montreal, Navy, Ontario, Red, White, You
Post categories: Canada Weddings, engagement session, Ontario Weddings

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From Dragonflight Photography… This snowy shoot took place after the first snowfall of 2012 in Langley, British Columbia, which is just outside of Vancouver. Flowers, and table design were by A Perfect Proposal, and the stationery was by Dragonflight Photography & Design. The bride’s head piece was from La Vie en Rose, and her faux fur jacket was from Melanie Lyne Boutique. The bracelet was from Shine Jewels Fort Langley. The theme was “vintage meets modern snow.” 

Photography: Ashley Ferreira of Dragonflight Photography / Flowers + Event Design: A Perfect Proposal (aperfectproposalcanada@gmail.com) / Location: Campbell Valley Park in Langley, British Columbia / Invitations: Design by Dragonflight / Shoes: Uggs / Groom’s Attire: Guess / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Head Piece: La Vie en Rose / Bride’s Faux Fur Jacket: Melanie Lyne Boutique / Bracelet: Shine Jewels Fort Langley / Models: Dolita Synder + Walter Synder / Cupcakes: Costco Langley Bakery (1-800 463-3783) / Crystal Cupcake Holder + Jeweled Snowflakes: HomeSense

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Post tags: A Perfect Proposal, Ashley Ferreira, Black, British Columbia, Campbell Valley Park, Canada, Design by Dragonflight, Dolita Synder, Dragonflight Photography, Guess, Homesense, La Vie en Rose, Langley, Langley Bakery, Maggie Sottero, Melanie Lyne Boutique, Shine Jewels Fort Langley, Uggs, Walter Synder, White Silver, Winter Wedding
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings, Photo Shoot

From twobirds Bridesmaid… twobirds Bridesmaid is a boutique dress company that marries a bride’s vision with her bridesmaids’ happiness. the line consists of ONE dress that can be wrapped over 15 different ways to flatter girls of all shapes and sizes. the dress comes in only 2 sizes {size A fits a 0 – 14 + size B fits a 16 – 24}, 4 lengths, 21 colors, and now 4 different collections to choose from.

the new Chiffon Collection consists of a detachable chiffon skirt that you can wear over one of the dresses in the classic collection. the chiffon skirt is now available in 6 of our colors {ivory, fuscia, aubergine, slate, navy, + black} and in both the short straight and ball gown lengths. you can wear it to a blacktie affair and then have a fabulous versatile dress to wear after the wedding!

twobirds Bridesmaid hopes to continue to reinvent the convertible dress that bridesmaids can wear for years to come after the wedding as they are investing in something that will last a lifetime!

Seriously, how fabulous are these?!?  I. Am. In. Love.  Now head on over to their website and show them some love.  You’ll be so very, very happy you did!

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Post tags: Bridesmaid Dresses, Canada, Convertible Wrap Dresses, Sponsored Posts, twobirds bridesmaid
Post categories: Canada Weddings, Welcome Post

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From the bride… Our wedding was so much fun to create. I really wanted it to be antique/vintage and with as much DIY as I could. The church we decided on was confirmed as soon as we saw how beautiful and quaint it was inside — it fit into the dream in my head perfectly. However, living in a small city, it was much more difficult to find a reception venue that wasn’t an ugly, dingy hall or school gymnasium. We ended up finding the bright and open room we used at the Conexus Art Centre in another city 45 minutes away. For decor, I made multiple trips to thrift stores across the province in order to collect vintage pieces for our table centerpieces. Lace and teacups, dusty pink and muted turquoise. The boutonnieres a bridesmaid and I made were one of my favorite DIY projects. I got ideas online and my supplies from Michaels. The hanging string balls behind the head table were the least fun to make (so messy), but turned out so cool. And they were so cheap to make! Just string, cornstarch, glue and balloons.

The day was so wonderful. Our photographers were so much fun, and most of the wedding party were close friends, so taking pictures was actually a super fun part of the day! The ceremony was simple and intimate, and the reception was a ton of fun — despite the power outage. I’m not sure if it was luck or a gift from God (I’ll choose the latter), but because of the giant windows and the acoustic band, the power going out wasn’t that big of a deal (the podium mic even happened to be hooked up to a generator!). Plus, the power came on just long enough for us to show a couple of Tony’s short films that he made with the wedding in mind. (He’s just about to graduate with his MFA in directing. Dancing to an acoustic band was actually really unique and fun. People were into it!

Tony and I had two wedding cakes. A traditional one made by my friend Kaitlyn Rude, and a Norwegian one made by a relative of mine, Delores Hagan. The tradition of the Norwegian cake, “kransaka,” is that however many rings come off when the bride and groom pull off the top ring, is the number of kids they will one day have. Yikes. Our wedding day was simply wonderful. What a crazy fun and amazing experience to celebrate and start off what is already an awesome marriage!

Wedding Photography: Shari + Mike Photographers / Ceremony: St. Aidan’s Anglican Church / Reception: Conexus Arts Centre / Wedding Cake: Kaitlyn Rude, Friend of the Couple / Norwegian Wedding Cake: Delores Hagan, Family Member of the Bride / French Macaron Wedding Favours: Penny Barr, Family Friend of the Couple / Wedding Dress: Beautiful Bride / Brides Veil: Vintage via The Moose Jaw Storehouse / Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Various / Groomsmen Outfits: Tip Top Tailors / Bouquets: Ellen’s on Main / Boutonnieres: DIY by the Bride / Boutonniere Supplies: Michaels

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Post tags: Beautiful Bride, Calvin Klein, Canada, Conexus Art Centre, Delores Hagan, Ellen's On Main, Kaitlyn Rude, Michaels, Moose Jaw, Penny Barr, Pink, Regina, Saskatchewan, Shari + Mike Photographers, St. Aidan's Anglican Church, The Moose Jaw Storehouse, Tip Top Tailors, Turquoise
Post categories: Canada Weddings, Saskatchewan Weddings, Vintage Chic

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From the bride… Planning for our wedding was a lot of fun (hard work, but nonetheless fun). The toughest part in the planning process was right at the beginning when we were searching for our venue. We wanted our wedding to feel like a giant garden party so we wanted the backdrop to be natural and set outdoors. After hours upon hours of research, I narrowed it down to three places. After visiting the first two venues, we were beginning to lose hope. But we both instantly fell in love with what we saw when we made our last stop. Surrounded by lush greenery that went on for miles and spilling over with history and character, Ravine Vineyard was perfect for our vintage-inspired, rustic elegance theme. I work as a process engineer, but I grew up surrounded by music and art, and I was dying to create something beautiful again. Even though I knew nothing about wedding planning, I knew I wanted to put as many personal and unique touches into our wedding as possible. I made the centrepieces, the wedding favours, the ceremony programs, the “guestbook,” and most of the décor myself (with the help of my bridemaids, of course!). My father made the adorable wedding signs. My maid-of-honour made our beautiful wedding cake. When the day arrived and it all came together, I was so touched by how much love and warmth was infused into our wedding, since almost everything beautiful that day was handmade with love — which gave everything that day so much meaning.

For the décor, I hunted through antique markets, eBay and Etsy for antique cameras and vintage suitcases. I found a box of vintage linen ends and used them to make signs and wrap boxes. I scored a box of vintage postcards off of eBay and used them as a “guestbook,” where guests were encouraged to pick out their favourite postcard and write a short message, a piece of marriage advice, or their favourite recipe on the back. The white string globes strung up over the sweetheart table in the reception tent took me and my bridesmaids hours to make but it was all worth it when I saw how they turned out. Speaking of my lovely bridesmaids, I absolutely adored their dresses!  I didn’t want the standard matching bridesmaid dresses and I’m so happy that I found this wonderful designer in New York City who makes these gorgeous teadresses using vintage linens. For the centrepieces, I collected, hoarded, and stalked antique turquoise mason jars and wrapped twine around them for a simple and natural look. In these jars, I placed flowers that looked like someone picked fresh wildflowers that morning from a nearby field. Because the bridesmaid dresses were already so colourful, I wanted some sense of colour cohesion so I chose fresh green Spider Mums, Lisianthus and complemented them with purple Statices and Limoniums.  

My favourite moment that day was walking down the aisle with my beaming father and seeing my husband for the first time.  Everything else faded away as I walked towards him.  And as I drew near, I could see that he was crying – not just a few tears but weeping uncontrollably.  You see, my husband never cries, and seeing him so emotional that day made me fall in love with him even more (if that was possible!).  It was an intimate, beautiful, and emotion-filled ceremony – so full of love and joy.  In the end, our wedding day was perfect – more than we could ever hope for. 

Wedding Photography: LivePixels Photography / Venue + Catering: Ravine Vineyard / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Groom’s Attire: Studio Suits / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Sohomode / Wedding Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Bouquets: King West Flowers / Wedding Flowers: Fifty Flowers / Bride’s Hair + Makeup: Olivia Ha / Musician: Tonino Chiodo

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Post tags: Canada, Colorful, Green, Ontario, St. Davids, Tan
Post categories: Canada Weddings, Ontario Weddings

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From Elise of Toast Special Events… Low clouds hung over the Ottawa valley as preparations were being made for Tiffany & Wayne’s ballroom wedding at the Chateau Laurier. Since 1912, this hotel has thrived, hosting royalty, heads of state, political figures, celebrities and members of Canada’s elite. With history imbedded in its monumental standing, I couldn’t help but wonder if throughout the evening I would get a sneak peek of the reported ghost of Hays, the chateau’s architect, who perished on the Titanic on his way the hotel’s grand opening. Needless to say, the energy in our team was exhilarating! Audio visual technicians ran around completing last-minute requests, the 10-piece band rehearsed, flowers were positioned and our wedding coordinators did their final walk-throughs. Ivory satin pin-wheeled linens, gold chivari chairs, soft candlelight and luscious fragrances of floral arrangements awaited our bride who was adorned in a beautiful draped chiffon and French tulle gown. The day was perfect! Tiffany & Wayne said their vows in a quaint little church in the bride’s hometown of Manotick and had pictures taken at the Museum of Nature and the Chateau. The evening progressed with sumptuous food, great live music, cupcakes, happy guests and no ghosts!

From the Bride…We were very lucky to have had such mild weather for a mid-October wedding. While it was mostly overcast with the threat of rain, we had some amazing rays of sun that shone through the stained glass windows of the church just as Wayne and I were reciting our vows. That moment was very special and was commented on by a number of our guests. Another exciting moment was having the opportunity to meet former Prime Minister Jean Chretien and get his congratulations and well wishes for our big day. I even invited him to celebrate with us, but he said he wasn’t dressed appropriately.

One thing I was pretty proud of and got a number of compliments on was my hair. After allowing a stylist to do a trial (as I was advised that I shouldn’t be doing my own hair on my wedding day), I decided I was more comfortable doing my own. It definitely made my day less stressful and allowed me to have a relaxing morning at home with no rushing. In that regard, I would suggest other brides trust their gut. For me, being in control of this detail made me more at ease than I would have been in the hands of someone else. Finally, every decision that was made in regard to the wedding was made by both Wayne and me. It was important for me that this day was a reflection of us and not just me. We are very lucky to have such amazing family and friends who were there to share in those moments with us. I wouldn’t have changed a single thing, and continue to smile when I relive that day in my mind.

Wedding Photography: Andrew Geddes of Union Eleven Photographers / Wedding Venue: Fairmont Chateau Laurier / Second Wedding Photo Location: The Canadian Museum of Nature / Wedding Coordination, Flowers + Decor: Toast Special Events / Music: Sway Band / Wedding Gown + Belt: Enzoani via Ritche Bridal / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Makeup: Lyndsay Karam / Wedding Invitations: Paper Studio / Groom’s Tux: Harry Rosen / Cakes: ThimbleCakes / Transportation: Dewan Limousines / Maid of Honor’s Dress: Lazaro via Ritche Bridal / Maid of Honor’s Fascinator: Chapeaux de Madeleine / Bridesmaid Dresses: BCBG

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Post tags: Andrew Geddes, BCBG, Black, Canada, Chapeaux de Madeleine, Christian Louboutin, Dewan Limousines, Enzoani, Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Harry Rosen, Lazaro, Lyndsay Karam, Ontario, Ottawa, Paper Studio, Ritche Bridal, Sway Band, ThimbleCakes, Toast Special Events, Union Eleven Photographers, White
Post categories: Canada Weddings, Ontario Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From Lynzie Kent, Bride and Owner of Electric Blonde Entertainment and Events… While many brides say that their wedding day was perfect, I will admit that mine was not. I had dreamed for over a year of a beautifully sunny day and got the exact opposite. There was a torrential downpour the entire night before the wedding, complete with thunder and forked lighting, and it continued until about 12 p.m. the next day. When my mom and I arrived at the reception venue at about 7 a.m. on the day of the wedding, we found that our tent had almost completely collapsed from the weight of the rain on the roof and that so many of the details inside that we’d set up on the previous day were ruined. The people who set up the tent hadn’t done a very good job, and it was falling apart. I was bawling and my mom, who was trying to stay positive, broke down too. But thankfully, I have incredible people in my life who saved the day — literally. My dad and uncle showed up with a ladder for putting the tent back together, my friend and coordinator for the day, Lisa, dried paper bags, rearranged the broken cake stands and cleaned the flooded dance floor. And my mom, bless her, remade about a million props for the photo booth.

By the time the ceremony started at 2 p.m., the rain had stopped. It was still very cloudy and sprinkling here and there, but my photographer Beth assured me that clouds made for the best pictures. I wore my mother’s veil, a Victorian-inspired hat, and walked down the aisle to Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away.” I was so nervous, but the minute I saw Andrew, my face lit up. From there, things actually began falling into place and it was the most amazing day I could ever wish for. Andrew and I chose traditional vows and I remember talking over the officiant because I was so eager to get them out of my mouth — everyone laughed at me.

The reception was so incredibly fun, and when I walked into the tent I knew that our hard work all year had paid off. The speeches were particularity hilarious and there was so much love in the room that I felt like I was buzzing. We even ended up having a rainbow! Our goal was to create a vintage rustic elegance that incorporated our Canadian and Australian backgrounds. Andrew is an Aussie and over 30 people joined us from overseas. We named all the tables after Canadian or Australian animals and had a photo booth where you could dress up as a typical Aussie or Canuck, which was a blast. My sister Kendall, a graphic designer who designed everything from the jam labels to the buttons, even put a beaver bride and a koala groom on our invites. The food was delicious and prepared right in front of our guests, and we served local micro-brewed beer and made our own wine. And to top it off, my sisters sang to us, which left the room (and me) in tears. Lastly, the most important thing to us was the music. I am a musician by trade and Andrew is a huge music fan. When we got engaged, the first thing we did was book the Neil Murray Band. We loved every song they played and the dance floor was packed from the word go. At the end of the night, the played an extra 30 minute set. Their last song, “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis, resulted in the entire dance floor surrounding Andrew and me, hugging and singing to us. I was crying; it was so moving. For the late night partiers, we held a bonfire back at my cottage where we all reminisced and sang campfire songs. A perfect Canadian ending to such a beautiful day.

Wedding Photography: Elizabeth Kaye / Wedding Styling, Décor + Coordination: Lynzie Kent (Bride) and Lisa Cascun (Bride’s Friend) of Electric Blonde Entertainment and Events / Flowers: Roots Floral and Event Design / Ceremony: Bride’s Family Cottage / Reception: Stephen Leacock Museum in Orillia, Ontario, Canada / Invitations, Labels, Programs + Buttons: Beet & Path Designs (Owned by Bride’s Sister) / Wedding Dress: Barbra Allin via Becker’s Bridals  / Shoes: ZU / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Coralie Beatrix by Sophie Pearl / Bridesmaids’ Purses: FA2U / Men’s Suits: Andrew’s Formals / Men’s Ties: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Hair: Sheila Loder of Fresh Salon and Spa by Holly + Madeleine Griffin of Body Bar Hair Salon / Makeup: Sarah Smith (sarah-smith@live.ca) / Caterer: Era 67 / Videographer: Michael Engel (michaelengeldesigns@gmail.com) / Ceremony Music: Richard Grossman via Electric Blonde Entertainment and Events / Band: The Neil Murray Band / Koala + Beaver Cake Topper: Garden4Arts / Jam Favours: Bride’s Grandmother / Cake + Cupcakes: Mariposa Market / Tissue Paper Pom Poms, Cake Stands, Table Numbers, Table Runners, Place Cards, Seating Chart, Bunting + Wine: DIY

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Post tags: Andrews' Formals, Barbra Allin, Beet & Path Designs, Body Bar Hair Salon, Canada, Coralie Beatrix by Sophie Pearl, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Electric Blonde Entertainment and Events, Elizabeth Kaye, Era 67, FA2U, Fresh Salon and Spa by Holly, garden4arts, Lisa Cascun, Lynzie Kent, Madeleine Griffin, Mariposa Market, Michael Engel, Navy Blue, Ontario, Orillia, Peach, Pink, Richard Grossman, Roots Floral and Event Design, Sheila Loder, Stephen Leacock Museum, The Neil Murray Band, Yellow, Zu
Post categories: The Blog