Stunning Wedding Ceremonies

When I meet with new brides to chat about their decor, they usually jump right into the reception decor they would like to see. It is very easy to understand because that is where the majority of the wedding day will be spent. Brides often think that the wedding ceremony does not need a lot of focus because it is usually over in about an hour. Personally, I think the opposite of my brides. The wedding ceremony is where you become husband and wife. This is the moment you will remember for the rest of your lives. This is also the moment when the majority of your pictures will be taken. Having said that, wouldn't you want a stunning wedding backdrop when you say your vows?

If you are currently stressing over how to make your wedding ceremony dreamy, here are some inspirational pictures!

~Monica
Owner and Lead Designer @Wishahmon





















Photo Credits: 1) Studio ATG 2) Karen Tran 3) , 9) Le Blog Wandersalle 4) Decorating Ideas 5) Exqusite Events 6) Mon Amie 7) DH Decor 8) 100 Layer Cake

Ruffled Wedding Cakes

I don't know why I didn't think of blogging about cakes earlier. I constantly open my fridge door to see if a cake magically appeared. Most of the time, a cake doesn't show up. (Probably because I didn't buy one!) There is something about cakes that makes you smile from within. It is comforting, yummy, and most often pleasing to the eye. Cakes are like magic! (Maybe one of the ingredients IS magic!)

Currently, there are two huge trends in weddings: Ruffles and Ombre colors. Here are some pictures of cakes that embrance both trends. Can anyone please sneak one of these into my fridge one day?

~Monica
Owner and Lead Designer @Wishahmon









Photo Credits: Maggie Austin

Carisa's Diary: Distance

Carisa is the bride of our new blog series that details Carisa and Richard's wedding planning adventures. Periodically, Carisa will be sharing her thoughts with our readers and her many out-of-town friends and family members. These are Carisa's thoughts, from a bride's perspective.

It is my theory that something always goes wrong when Richard is away. The last time it was the TV that didn’t work.  That wasn’t too bad. 

Sure enough the day after Richard left for his business trip to China this time, I woke up feeling I was in a refrigerator! It wasn’t just cold, it was freezing!   So, I thought it was just the thermostat that wasn’t working.  I tried pressing the up arrow to increase the temperature and tapped a few more buttons on the thermostat hoping the heat would come back.  It didn’t for 2 whole days!  It didn’t help the weather was so cold in Calgary either.  I couldn’t connect with Richard because he was in an remote oil field that had no cell phone reception.  So, I slept in a mountain of blankets, made soup every night, and took a hot shower before I headed to bed.  I honestly didn’t know what to do.

Finally, I got in touch with him on the phone and he told me immediately to go find the furnace in the basement. Furnace, furnace, I had no idea!! Where is the furnace?!!! (seriously, no one has ever shown me where the furnace was…my parents would not have been proud of me!!) After some explanation, I located it.  Over the phone, Richard told me to find the pilot and light it with a lighter.  After an hour on the phone and me sending pictures of the furnace to him over email, I finally lit the correct pilot (I was lighting something else before…thank goodness there was no fire!) And there was heat!!!!

After this, I suddenly realized how much I rely on Richard not just to fix things that don’t work around the house, but he is there to comfort me when I don’t feel well, and to share in my ups and downs.  He is the person I am so happy to see each day after a long day at work and he is the person I share meals with because we both just love to eat! (The only good thing when Richard is away, is I can lose a few pounds-for the wedding dress! )  The distance has truly reminded me of how lucky I am to have him in my life, and to be getting married to him.  Admist all the wedding planning, we can get so lost and caught up in the details- like which font to use for the invitations, to what type of centerpieces to use at the tables (don’t get me wrong, I love weddings!), that we sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture.  A pastor (a patient of mine), who found out I had just been engaged asked me, how long do you think it takes to plan a wedding? I said, “Probably a year or so…”.  He then went on to ask me, how long do you think it takes to plan a marriage? I thought about it and I replied- “Forever”.

As I plan our wedding here on out, I remind myself- don’t sweat the small stuff and just have a good time!!!   

Carisa

Countdown to wedding: 278

Carisa and Richard: Finding Your Photographer

This is part 4 of the new blog series about Carisa and Richard's wedding planning process up until their wedding on August 31, 2013. In addition to sharing with readers their love story and wedding planning adventures, insights and tips for brides and groom's planning their own wedding will also be shared!

Now that you got engaged, have set the date, found a venue, found someone to marry you, you want to make sure that all of your wedding moments are captured for you to enjoy for years to come. Having a photographer at your wedding is essential. Finding a photographer can be tricky. There are so many people (including your friends and family members) that tell you they can shoot your wedding for you. There is a huge trust factor in your photographer. There really isn't a way to recapture your wedding without redoing the entire wedding.

Hopefully, I have convinced (or scared) you into hiring a professional wedding photographer. I finding your photographer, I suggest asking your friends and family (the ones that aren't upset with you for not letting them shoot your wedding) for referrals. After getting a couple of photographer names, take the time to look at their portfolio and see if you like their photography style.

Basically, there are two main styles of wedding photography:
1) Traditional Style (also called classic or posed). These photographers concentrate most of their efforts into posed portraits, and rarely capture candid moments. This style is sometimes viewed as disconnected, old fashion, and can add stress by needing time to setup every shot.
2) Photojournalistic Style (also called modern, documentary, artistic, or fine art). Similarities exist between traditional and photojournalistic approaches. The main expectations of each style are very different; Traditional style is being portrait oriented, and Photojournalism is being candid oriented.

After you decide on the style of photography you like, meet up with the photographer and make sure you want them to be part of your special day. It is an honor for any vendor to assist with a wedding.

Carisa and Richard found their photographer, Fritz of Fritzology before they found me. As stated in Carisa's first blog, Fritz referred them to me. Carisa and Richard got their engagement pictures done by Fritz at the Calgary Stampede this year. This place was iconic to them because they had met at the Calgary Stampede. Capturing their engagement and celebrating the 100th year of Calgary Stampede was just perfect. Check out some of their engagement pictures. They are simply adorable. Fritz is simply amazing! (Lots of photos ahead because I had a hard time picking the best!)

~Monica
Owner and Lead Designer @Wishahmon

Photo Credits: Fritzology

Wedding Makeup: Red Lips!

Here is my personal dilemma: I love the look of a bright red lip but finding the perfect red lipstick, putting it on right, and having the confidence to pull off the look is crazy intimidating to me. As a result, I have been wearing tinted lip gloss for years now.

Wearing lip gloss on its own on your wedding day is not going to cut it. You will want defined lips to go with the rest of your wedding makeup. Ask any photographer, he/she will agree with me! I think having a bolder lip will make a huge difference in your wedding pictures (and confidence!) If you have already planned to have a bold color lip or would like to experiment with this, check out the infographic below. It gives you the rules for a flawless pout. I am totally going to follow these rules after I run out to buy a red lipstick!!

~Monica
Owner and Lead Designer @Wishahmon

 

Photo Credit: 1) Three Nails Photography 2) Style United

Wedding Reception Place Settings

If you think about it, your guests will be spending a lot of time at their table during your wedding reception. Sure, the focus will be on you and the groom, but they will also be looking at their table quite a bit. (Especially, when they have their heads down and eating a great meal.)

Having great table decor really transforms the reception venue. It is the element of the room that gets multipled. Imagine one great table design times 20. It makes for a stunning reception room. I often hear from guests that they didn't even notice the chairs they were sitting on or the color of the table cloth. I always answer that it was probably nothing exciting. If it was, you would remember.

Table decor consists of many elements: table linen, napkins, centerpieces, candles, glassware, tableware, cutlery, table numbers, place cards, and menu cards. You ask where can you possibly start when decorating your guest tables, I just did. Just follow the elements in the order that I had outlined. Start building your table decor and just have fun with it. It will look great! Don't be afraid to mix colors and textures too! (Oh! maybe that can be my next blog post!)

~Monica
Owner and Lead Designer @Wishahmon
















Photo Credits: 1) Colin Cowie Weddings 2) The Caketress 3) The Bridal Detective 4) Stellarsky 5) Karen Tran Florals 6) , 7) Style Me Pretty 8) Preston Bailey

Wedding Drink Stations

Drink stations is becoming more and more popular. Bride and grooms want to share with their guests their favorite things. (Sounds like Oprah during Christmas, but I digress.) Drink stations are also  welcomed during really hot weather, outdoor weddings, and during cocktails when some guests don't drink alcohol. For these drink stations, you can have flavored water, soda, iced teas, or a special blends of lemonade.

A couple of years ago, I worked with a bride and groom with designing their wedding. The bride really wanted Taiwanese bubble tea at her wedding for her guests to enjoy at the end of the night. I totally loved this idea and we went with it. We set up a drink station with various types of chilled tea, bubbles (tapioca balls), fruit jellies, and thick straws. All of her wedding guests loved this special touch.

I strongly encourage all brides and grooms to have a drink station at their wedding. If you have a favorite custom drink, showcase it. This is another perfect way to show your unique or blended personalities.

~Monica
Owner and Lead Designer @Wishahmon















Photo Credits: 1) Nicole Hill Gerulat Photography 2), 3), 4) Jessica Claire 5) Marilyn Nakazato 6), 7) The Wedding Tea Room 8) A Bryan Photo 9) Jemma Keech

Carisa's Diary: We Are Getting Married!!

Carisa is the bride of our new blog series that details Carisa and Richard's wedding planning adventures. Periodically, Carisa will be sharing her thoughts with our readers and her many out-of-town friends and family members. These are Carisa's thoughts, from a bride's perspective.

Richard and I are getting married!!!!! After hiding the engagement ring in his suitcase for three whole months before proposing, we are finally tying the knot on Aug 31, 2013! I can still hardly believe it.  We are definitely counting the days! (Yes, already!)  

We have recently bought a house in Calgary and we are super busy with unpacking and renovating, but at the same time we knew we had to get the wedding planning underway (or else we will never get around to it….) So that’s when we decided we needed a wedding planner to help us along the way.

Fritz Tolentino, our photographer recommended us to Monica, and as luck would have it, we felt very comfortable with her after our initial meeting.   It helped that Monica knew some of our cultural traditions and that she was so open to listening to us.  I still remember she was shocked that I wasn’t one of the brides that brought a whole binder with tagged notes, ideas and pictures of what I wanted in our wedding, but I have since gathered some inspiration online! (I am starting to get organized….!)

Reluctantly, the day after our meeting with Monica, Richard got dragged into coming to the bridal show with me.  We were more than overwhelmed, there was so much to see.  (And in my head, I was thinking – there’s so much to do!!!) From wedding attire, to flowers, to venues, to photography, to decorations, it was everything wedding!  Thank goodness, there were food samples for Richard to try and a fashion show to watch! ; ) We honestly didn’t’ expect there was so many aspects to wedding planning and was so glad and thankful that Monica was on our side!  We feel that some of the stress has been lifted and we are starting to enjoy the whole planning process (even though we are just beginning).  It is fun and we only get to do it once!

Carisa

Countdown to wedding: 284 Days

 

Carisa and Richard: Finding a Wedding Commissioner

This is part three of the new blog series about Carisa and Richard's wedding planning process up until their wedding on August 31, 2013. In addition to sharing with readers their love story and wedding planning adventures, insights and tips for brides and groom's planning their own wedding will also be shared!

The Third Most Important Person of the Day
Now that you have found the person you want to marry, you need someone to marry you!

If you belong to a church already, you just have to ask your pastor about officiating your wedding. Do this as soon as possible as your pastor may already be doing two other weddings that day. Also, your pastor may want you to attend marriage preparations classes and speak to a marriage mentor before agreeing to officiate your wedding.

If you don't belong to a church, you will need to find a Justice of the Peace/marriage commissioner to officiate your wedding. Marriage commissioners are appointed by the Government of Alberta under the Marriage Act to perform civil ceremonies. A list of the marriage commissioners can be found under the Service Alberta's website.

As you go through the list of marriage commissioners in the area that you want to get married, if they have a website, take the time to look through it. Read up on the commissioner's background, his/her rules, and any testimonials they may have. If you have shortlisted a couple of commissioners, call or send them an email asking about their availability on your wedding date. Be prepared to tell him/her the time of your wedding ceremony. Most commissioners do two or three weddings a day. It is crucial information to provide him/her this information. After the commissioner has gotten back to you with his/her availability, they will send you a copy of the booking contract. Read this over and then ask to set up a meeting to answer any other questions you might have. If after the meeting, you are comfortable having this commissioner officiate your wedding, you will then sign the contract.

When we were finding a marriage commissioner for Carisa and Richard, I nearly had a heart attack. In one morning, I had to go through six different marriage commissioners before finding one that was available. Mind you, I was pretty picky when selecting a marriage commisioner. I wanted a younger, female commissioner that appeared to be friendly, laid back, and able to officiate a fun and relaxed wedding ceremony. I felt this was important because on the wedding day, the bride and groom will be stressed out enough. Having the commmissioner put them at ease will make the ceremony memorable for the right reasons!!

Luckily, we did find a wonderful marriage commissioner, Jacqueline Hoare and they (the three of them) totally hit if off during a meeting. Jacqueline will also be working with Carisa and Richard in designing a personalized ceremony with joint vows and maybe some verses in Chinese! If you are a wedding guest, you better remember to bring kleenex with you. It will be a touching ceremony. (If you don't have kleenex, I always do!)

If you missed the first couple parts of the series, you can catch up here: Carisa and Richard's love story and wedding venue search.

~Monica
Owner and Lead Designer @Wishahmon



Photo Credits: Green Wedding Shoes

Fashion Friday: DIY Wedding Shoes

Having a pair of comfortable and pretty shoes on your wedding day, sounds like mission impossible but I think I have found a solution. Brides often tell me that they struggle with wedding shoes because they don't necessarily want to buy a pair of heels and only wear it once. But they also don't want to wear a pair of heels that is so ordinary and every day looking. Personally, I have always chosen comfort over vanity. Having said this, I also understand the need to have a pair of totally fab heels as well. Oh gosh, you can see how I now also have the dilemma.

I found this solution through Green Wedding Shoes. They have an easy and inexpensive solution to this dilemma. Find a pair of comfy heels that would double for everyday wear and jazz it up yourself. Genius! I wish I thought of this first!
~Monica
Owner and Lead Designer @Wishahmon















Photo Credits: Green Wedding Shoes