Happy Birthday, Monica!

This week, I'd like to extend a big birthday wish to the amazing woman behind Wishahmon: Happy Birthday, Monica!

Photo credit: someecards (http://www.someecards.com/)

Decorate Your Outdoor Wedding Tent

If you are planning an outdoor wedding ceremony or reception, someone probably would have told you by now that you need a Plan B in case the weather does not cooperate. If you are in Calgary, you know that you can be wearing a parka in the morning and then a sundress in the afternoon. Better to be prepared. Rain and snow can happen all year round!

An outdoor tent is a practical solution but not the prettiest I admit. Here are some ideas on how to dress it up. It is truly amazing how a little bit of flowers, ribbon, fabric, and accessories can transform a "blah" tent to a "breath-taking" tent!

~Monica













Photo Credits: 1), 4) Kristin Newman Designs 2), 3) , 5) Mindy Weiss

7 Things to Remember on Your Wedding Day

Whenever brides are stressed out, I always try to convince them that everything will work out, they won't remember any mishaps, and will have a great time with their guests. If you are a bride reading this and is not convinced yet, here are the tips from One Wed.

~Monica
 
1- It's all about you, but that doesn't give you permission to be a complete bia. You would hate to look back on this momentous day and think, Damn! I was a witch!! Or have the beauty of your wedding overshadowed by your Bridezilla-esque antics. After all...

2- You're marrying your best friend, the love of your life. And all the people you care about are together in the same room with one purpose- to celebrate you. Isn't that groovy? Of course it is! So show your groom and guests happiness, appreciation, and gratitude so palpable that everyone is feeling the love. Which leads us to...

3- SMILE! It's your wedding day! So cheese it up like you're Honey Boo Boo competing for the ultimate crown on Toddlers & Tiaras. Otherwise, you'll look like a p*ssed off bride in all your wedding photos.

4- This is a once in a lifetime event (hopefully!) and as we stated earlier, it will be over in a flash. So savor and soak up each and every moment. Don't let the bratty flower girl or a hungover bridesmaid get the best of you. And remember that...

5- Patience is a virtue, so have it if you can! Know now that everything will NOT go according to plan when the big day arrives, and you know what? That's ok! So expect the unexpected, and roll with the punches (even if your inclination is to flip the F out).

6- Champagne is not a natural hydrator... And too much bubbly for the bride is never a good thing. So for every champ you suck down, match it with a glass of water or coconut water (the ultimate hydrating drink). You'll thank me later, especially if your first dance consists of spins, turns or dips!

7- Most importantly, remember what made your groom fall head over heels for you in the first place. Was it your sharp sense of humor? Your ability to have fun and really let your hair down? A kind heart that touched everyone around you? Figure it out, then be careful not to let these amazing qualities fall by the wayside on your wedding day. You should be the most beautiful version of you when you walk the white aisle, both inside and out.

Photo Credit: Maria Vincensio Photography via Apple Brides

Beautiful Bridal Hair Updos

Very recently I learned how to curl my hair with a flat iron. While this new "talent" of mine is still a far cry from being wedding hair worthy, here are some updos that are definitely swoon worthy! If you are able to create these looks on your own, kudos to you! If you are at the same level of hair talent as me, feel free to show your hair stylist some of these hair inspiration pictures!

Good luck! I know each one of you brides out there will look stunning on your big day - from top to bottom!

~Monica






















Photo Credits: One Wed Smart Planning

Canyon Meadows Community Hall Wedding

 I met Cikiena through one of my former brides and current friend. Cikiena called me one night and said: "Monica! I am getting married! I need your help!" I was so excited for her and Iain. They are absolutely the cutest computer geek couple I know! Cikiena then told me that her wedding is in three months at the Canyon Meadows Community Hall. I think I did a pretty good job of hiding the panic in my voice!

With an arts and graphic design background, Cikiena already had her color scheme picked out. She wanted white, turquoise, silver, and red accents. She also loved one of my previous centerpieces decorated with keyboard keys and wanted to incorporate that centerpiece design into her own. Seven centerpieces were made in total and all of them were different heights and slightly different! Each centerpiece had a different message, such as "5201314." When these numbers are said in Mandarin, it means "I love you for a lifetime."

I truly had a blast designing this wedding for Cikiena and Iain. I wish them both all the best in the future as Mr. and Mrs.

~Monica

We had two different centerpieces to add a little bit of whimsy to the wedding. The succulent plants were very important to Cikiena because it reminded her of wonderful memories she had with her grandma. So sweet!

This was the head table centerpiece.  I hope "Iain Luvz Her" forever  and "Cikiena Luvz Him" forever!

Photo backdrop perfect for two computer geeks! Towards the end of the night, guests got pretty creative and took pictures with the "c" covered. Yup, you guessed it, there were plenty of pictures where the signed turned into "we licked."

This cute 8 bit flower vase was the inspiration of this wedding! So cute that I gave it to the bride and groom as a keepsake!

Here is the overall look of the venue! I think we transformed it perfectly!

Design Your Own Wedding Shoes

Now that you have the perfect wedding gown, you need the perfect shoes to go with it. I mean, you absolutely need a pair of shoes for those sexy wedding pictures! If you were able to customize your wedding gown, how about customizing your wedding shoes as well?

You can design your own wedding shoes at Shoes of Prey.  You get to chose the style and every aspect of your shoe, from materials to colors!


Below is the two toned pink high heels that I designed! Drool! Love!

~Monica

Wishahmon is Hiring!

This has been a very exciting year for us at Wishahmon! We have expanded and need more creative individuals to join our team! If you are interested in what we do and think you can do it too, send us your resume so that we have your contact information so we can connect. We can't wait to meet you!

(Below is not an exact picture of our current team, but you get the idea. We are a fun and cute bunch!)

~Monica

Here are the details of our current job posting:

EVENT DESIGN ASSISTANT

In this position you will work closely with our event design team in executing events including delivery, set-up, installation and take down of weddings, corporate and social events. We are looking for creative individuals that are interested in pursuing a career in event planning and design. This is a seasonal, contracted position with the possibility of promotion and employment throughout the year.

The ideal candidate:  

·         Enjoys working as part of a team and individually;
·         Is professional, punctual and reliable;
·         Is able to work a flexible work schedule, which includes weekends and evenings;
·         Has access to his/her own car and cell phone;
·         Is able to work under time constraints and stress; and
·         Is able to do some heavy lifting.

Qualifications:

High school graduate; Certification in Event Management is an asset; design/creative experience is preferred; excellent time management and communication skills.

To apply for this position, please send a cover letter and resume to: weddings@wishahmon.com, subject line: Event Design Assistant Position. We thank all interested applicants. Only the selected will be contacted for an interview. All resumes will be kept on file for six months.

Photo Credit: Kawaii Team

White Magick Bridal Collection

For brides that do not want a poofy wedding dress and something truly different, the new bridal collection of Australian boutique, Lover, is the solution. The collection, entitled White Magick features sheer lace gowns with bold intricate patterns.

I imagine brides having a destination or intimate wedding in these gorgeous dresses. Alternative brides should also love these dresses too!

~Monica









Photo Credits: Lover

Thematic Thursdays: Wedding Furniture

With more couples planning a wedding that suits their personality, style and budget, we are finding a lot of different configurations for wedding receptions. Rather than formal sit down dinners, cocktails and lounge receptions are becoming more and more popular.

Having lounge furniture at your wedding allows you to have a lot of versatility to fully utilize the venue space. The idea of having lounge furniture may sound too informal and not-very-wedding-like but you can have sleek, vintage, or rustic furniture to really pull off your wedding theme.

Incorporating wedding furniture is not just for outdoor weddings. It can also be used for indoor weddings as well. Keep in mind if you do want to have wedding furniture brought into your venue, it will cost more because rather than using the venue's table and chairs, you are now renting and bringing in your own furniture. One way to save some money and to still incorporate wedding furniture is to have a couple of pieces as statement pieces. You can have a piece of furniture at your sweetheart table, photo area, or near the bar area!

I absolutely look forward to seeing more weddings with unique configurations! Do share if you are doing something different for your wedding!

~Monica

Photo Credits: 1) Fete 2), 3), 4) Trendsetting Weddings 5) James Christianson Photographer | Via: Style Me Pretty

Wedding Graduates: Huong and Steve

Hi! I'm Huong, our wedding was on July 3, 2010. The most important thing we learned from our special day was to make it as stress free as possible.  The question was "how?" We were very fortunate as both myself and the groom had a large family and lots of great friends. Everyone close to us made it special by lending us a hand from the planning stage to the execution of the wedding.  Plus we hired friends who had their own venture from our wedding photographer Brian Tsang from Brian Tsang Photography, to our videographer Alan Kwok, and our wedding decorator Monica Hui from Wishahmon Wedding Creations, all their skills were put to use that day to make it all memorable. It was more than what we could ask for from family and friends. They all knew the day's focus was on the bride and groom and made everything seamless.

Monica went above and beyond looking after all the small details that only a pro like her knew what was needed to be done.  From vases with water for the bouquets at the church, to the placements of our arch, to the clean up after our guests had left the church and the reception that nothing was left behind. She was an amazing fairy godmother a bride could ask for.

Our photographer and videographer captured all the tears and smiles that day. It touches our heart to look back at our video and pictures as that day flew by. Don't let expectations of what the day should be ruin the beautiful moments of the celebration of true love.

We broke tradition by going on our honeymoon before the wedding, why not as the cost is inevitable. So we wanted to take a break from months of planning to relax and revitalize ourselves before the big day.

Our wedding was a mix of Western and Chinese. The morning was the traditional Chinese customs of the groom "picking up" the bride from the bride's parents' house. The tea ceremony to the bride's family signifies the daughter's gratitude to her family and the acceptance of their new son in law. Follow by the tea ceremony was the wedding ceremony at Scarborough United Church, this was the Western part of our wedding. The moment when all attention was on the bride walking down the aisle was unbelievable but my attention was at the front of the church staring right at my husband to be is the most surreal feeling one can feel. I'm not sure if there are words to express this feeling. Prior to the reception we had our tea ceremony to the groom's family. This took a huge amount of stress away for us as the restaurant provided everything we needed to perform the ceremony. The reception was a ten course meal from appetizers to soup to seafood and desserts, you name it. 

Enjoy the day as if there are no other party like it. Let things around you run it's course. Everything will work out, the most important thing is the bride got her man! Happy planning to all you new brides and happily ever after to all those whose found their other half.

Huong and Steve











Photo Credits: BT Photography

Cross Stitch Cookies

In Krista's blog post of last week she mentioned that I am huge DIYer while she is a cooking/baking quasi-DIYer. I truly believe that we amaze each other with our respective talents! Krista would tell me that she made bread or hamburger buns over the weekend and I would say "Huh? You can make those at HOME?!" Of course, she would patiently explain to me that baking at home is totally possible - you just have to follow instructions. (Also, something that is lost on me!)

I came across these cross stitch cookies and totally thought this could be the perfect collaboration project for Krista and I. She can (follow all the instructions and) make the cookies and I can plan out the design and decorate them! These would be totally cute for a bridal shower or party!

~Monica