By Ciara Daykin

It doesn’t matter what venue you’re getting married in or where you’re having your wedding reception, it’s all about the logistics. From the way you organize the timing of your entrance to the reveal of your wedding cake you can use each opportunity to WOW your guests. And the best part, is it’s simply the logistics of the day, and often these little tweaks are low cost to no cost for any bride and groom to do.
Enter With A Big Oooo Ahhh
Every bride wants all eyes on her when she enters into the room. Well, at a wedding we did (that actually won the award for 2008 Best Ceremony Décor in Canada) we had the bridal party walk down the aisle to a string trio playing Pachabel’s Canon. Pretty typical wedding right? But then… when the doors opened to reveal the bride, instead a trumpeter walked out of the doors and joined in the song and then the bride followed. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Sure we could have had the trumpeter standing with the rest of the band the entire time but then we would have missed out on the DRAMA!

Cocktails Blah, Dinner OMG!

At a wedding we did on New Year’s Eve we had the cocktails take place in one third of the ballroom. We used all the hotel furniture and linens and had a couple of simple white flower arrangements. It was pretty but nothing out of this world. But then when it came time for dinner, we opened the airwall separating the ballroom and revealed an amazing dining area complete with an 80’ red drape backdrop, silver chiavari adorned tables with overflowing red flower centerpieces, lampshade chandeliers and pinspotted tables. People’s arms shot up trying to take pictures over other guests.

No extra money was spent on this big reveal. We could have had the airwall open the entire time. But to give the guests a big surprise it was logistically brilliant to keep the airwall closed so they could all experience the reveal at the same time.

Wedding Cake Goes From Hum Drum to Holy Wow!
One of my favorite ways to do this is with the wedding cake. At one wedding we put it on a stage above all the guest tables. It was a beautiful cake with butterflies on it and we put up a white drape behind it, lit it from behind and attached faux butterflies to the drape to make it look like the butterflies were flying off the cake. It was a small logistical change from having the cake in the middle of the room at eye level but it increased the grandeur of this unique cake.

With that same wedding we got wind up butterflies and wound them up and put them inside each guest napkin and then put a Jones soda on top, which was the favor. When people went to undo their napkin a butterfly fluttered out causing big laughter and smiles of surprise.

Ciara’s Bridal Advice

Take a look at your wedding currently. Where are you spending your budget to impress your guests? With a simple logistical tweak could you double the impact? Comb through each detail and you’ll be surprised at where you could add in some lavish logistics.

 By Ciara Daykin

Have you always wanted to be a Firefly Occasions bride but been scared that you couldn’t afford our services? Well, now you can have the amazing couture Firefly Occasions wedding planning experience with our new collection of wedding planning programs designed with you in mind.

Our Associate Planner, Kendra Scott, has been trained in the Firefly Occasions style of planning and will oversee your wedding planning program. Brides are WOW’d with the level of service they receive.

With prices ranging from just $1000- $5000 these programs fit easily into your wedding budget and make it possible for you to be a Firefly Occasions bride. Through Kendra you’ll have access to all our great vendor relationships, our out of the box WOW ideas, and Firefly Occasions’ Signature Collection of Décor Rentals.

We are providing a limited number of programs from this collection to brides so if you’re interested then contact us via email at info@fireflyoccasions.com or phone at 1-800-791-5636 ext 701.

By Ciara Daykin

We attended the Calgary Bridal Fair at the end of January and won the award for Best Booth Design in the Event Planner category. I was so excited when they presented us with the award. This is the second time we’ve won this award. You can view the pictures of our award-winning booth here.

We’ve had a lot of interest in our wedding planning services since then so I’ve been busy meeting with couples. They’ve all loved our new office space in Calgary which is in the community of Bridgeland, so not far from the downtown core. We’ve also debuted a new collection of planning programs, which are overseen by my Associate Planner, Kendra Scott. We launched this line of planning programs because so many brides want the Firefly Occasions experience but unfortunately their budgets were not aligned with the pricing involved in our custom programs, which I oversee. I’ll expain all the details in an upcoming post but if you’d like to see these for yourself to see if they are a good fit for you please drop us an email at info@fireflyoccasions.com

By Simon Daykin

So the Calgary Bridal Fair was 2 weeks back and I can proudly say that Firefly Occasions (my wife’s Wedding Planning company) won the Best Booth Design by an Event Planner.  It was pretty cool, we worked really hard on the design and it was great to be recognized again as a leader in our industry.  I got to meet a lot of Brides & Grooms and chat with them about their weddings.  Thanks to some of my Grooms for braving the show and stopping by to hang out.  We’re all settled in the new office and I’m just hanging the last of the art work around the place, it looks great!

We’re booking meetings for new clients and we’re booking up fast, so if you saw us at the fair or you’re thinking of hiring a wedding planner or designer for your special day, I say visit the all new website at www.fireflyoccasions.com . Contact us right away to secure your free consultation and take the next step in ensuring that your wedding is the one all your guests talk about for years to come.  Or you can email me at info@fireflyoccasions.com and we’ll hook you up that way.

Insiders’ Secrets To Never Again Feel Tired, Bloated or Stuffed in Your Clothes

Let’s be honest. How many of us set a New Year’s resolution every year to lose weight? And when I was a bride I know that for my summer wedding Christmas was my last free for all and the New Year meant a wedding ready body. But how many of us actually stick to the resolution? Well, I have a good friend- JJ Virgin- who is the secret weapon the celebrities go to for losing weight (and keeping the weight off and having a rockstar body). In fact, JJ helped me lose 40 lbs this year (I’m embarrassed to say I got a little too comfortable enjoying married life with couples dinners and wine!) And I’m so excited to announce that she is offering a free teleseminar on January 12 at 1pm PST called “Freedom from the Fat Trap: Insiders’ Secrets To Never Again Feel Tired, Bloated or Stuffed in Your Clothes.” On this ground-breaking call you’ll learn:

• How to buck the 3 pm lull. Imagine, your energy stays high and sustained all day long. Your focus is laser sharp and you’re able to get SO much more done.
• Finally, abolish those cravings forever. She’ll show you how!
• How your exercise routine COULD be making you fat and tired. You’ll learn JJ’s secrets for getting fit in less than 10 minutes a day (and you don’t even have to go to the gym).
• The #1 thing you MUST do to ensure you get and keep the body you deserve. (If you’re not even wiling to do THIS, don’t bother to be on the call. Nothing she teaches you will work if you won’t do this one thing.)

You can reserve your spot in the complimentary teleclass by clicking here. (Don’t worry, if you can’t make the call live, you’ll get access to the recording if you’re registered.)

By Ciara Daykin

I was reminded recently of a bride who neglected to thank her sister-in-law during a wedding shower and it tragically led to a 2-year rift in their relationship. The bride’s misstep in not thanking the other person was completely unintentional. It simply happened because she was invited to say a few words to everyone during the shower and she was so nervous speaking in public that she forgot to mention her sister-in-law. Long story short: Her sister-in-law didn’t speak to her for 2 years and the relationship is only now being mended.

It totally sucks and you don’t want this to happen to you!

There are a lot of things going on in a bride’s life as she gets ready for her wedding. Between showers and rehearsals and just showing off your ring and the wedding day itself, there’ll be a lot of times when peoples’ eyes are on you. Being the center of attention can be fun, but only if you’re ready.

If you haven’t done so yet, take the time to prepare a handful of speeches/ talking points which you can have memorized and ready to deliver at a moment’s notice. While you may not be giving speech after speech you’ll be telling your story multiple times… and there may be some parts you want to keep private, so figuring out what you want to share before you’re asked is the best idea. But don’t memorize them to the point where your delivery makes you sound like a robot. Here are some things you’ll need to cover:

• How did you get engaged?- People will want to know and you’ll need to say it over and over. Make sure your story matches the mood of the engagement. Was it romantic? Make sure you highlight the romance in your story. Was it spontaneous? Make sure you highlight the spontaneity. Was it fun? Zany? Unusual? Highlight those elements and talk about why it is special to you. It’s fun to relive the moment and share why you said yes!
• So dear… tell me about yourself?- His Aunty is sure to ask this one if you’re just getting to know his extended family. You might want to tell a couple of sentences about yourself, about your groom, and about what you plan to do once you’re married–  such as where you’ll live and what your aspirations are.
• Who should I be thanking?- You don’t want to forget anyone in your main wedding or rehearsal speech so start making a list of who to thank and when. It can hurt a relationship forever if you’re seen as the ungrateful bride. Remember that the people who’ve helped you put on your wedding are doing it because they love you but mega emotions are involved in a wedding and it is a time that can either solidify or destroy relationships.

Ciara’s Bridal Advice

Speaking in front of people can be scary, but what better way to let your personality shine through? Just be yourself and be sincere and your speech will be a hit. And don’t forget- your groom will more than likely have to give a speech or two as well, and he’s probably just as worried about it as you are! So why not write your speeches together and practice them on one another? Don’t forget to thank him in your speech either. He’s been putting up with all this wedding chaos too.

A BONUS TIP- Get some great thank you cards and practice the art of appreciation. Whether a friend buys you a wedding magazine, your aunt sends you some lace from your Gramma’s dress, or your girlfriends throw you a shower- you should be sending out sincere thank you cards. The more thank you cards sent before the wedding the more joy there will be at your wedding. (In my DIY Wedding Planning System I have a whole template to make thanking easy- it’s 50% off right now with code HOLIDAYS09.)

Ciara Daykin is the CEO of Firefly Occasions Inc. a wedding and event planning company with offices in Calgary, Alberta Canada and Beverly Hills, California, USA. Ciara’s popular bi-weekly ezine newsletter is read by over 7500 brides. Ciara is a frequent speaker at wedding industry functions and coaches other wedding planners across North America.

Ciara provides each bride she works with the haute couture wedding experience. Her planning website can be found at http://www.fireflyoccasions.com/ where you can sign up for her free report, “10 Tips to Take Your Wedding From Cookie Cutter to Couture.” She and her husband Simon Daykin are a husband and wife planning team and document their adventures on their popular blog http://sheandheplanweddings.com/

I am so excited to announce that we just signed the lease on our new office space in Calgary! It’s right beside downtown in Bridgeland and how appropriate is it that it’s actually an old church that’s been converted? We have a little work to do on it before we officially open the doors, but I really hope you come see us when we do!

I’m also soooo busy right now getting ready for the New Year’s Eve wedding that we’re coordinating, but I’m so excited because it is going to be truly spectacular! What better way to ring in the New Year than by having the wedding of your dreams?

I just love the Holidays, and I love giving gifts to the people that matter most in my life. As my gift to you this holiday season, I am offering 50% off my Do-It-Yourself Wedding Planning System from now until midnight on December 31. The system includes all my worksheets and templates that I use to plan my client’s weddings, as well as hours and hours of tips and advice that I have recorded onto audio CDs, so if you have decided to plan your own wedding it’s kind of like having your very own planner in a box! Just click here for more details and enter the coupon code HOLIDAYS09 upon checkout to receive your 50% discount.

Love and bridal bliss, 

By Annette Hoegner, LA Division Manager, Firefly Occasions Inc.

Today’s eco-conscious brides are looking at alternatives to the traditional and expensive gowns that outlive their purpose in one day. They are buying dresses that can be worn again or that have already been worn once. You can find great dresses by high end designers at a consignment store in your area or at some awesome websites like www.encorebridal.com or www.preownedweddingdresses.com. Of course there is always ebay and Craig’s list for a really great deal.

Or if you prefer, there are some really great fabrics that can be used when having a gown or suit made like hemp, bamboo, tencel and peace silk ( which allow the silkworms a full life cycle). For couture in organic wool, soy silk and other eco-fabrics, try designers like Linda Loudermilk of www.lindaloudermilk.com or Wai-Chang at www.inhabitat.com .

Another awesome way to give back is to buy your dress from a charity such as the Making Memories Beast Cancer Foundation, which grants the last wishes of breast cancer patients. The foundation sells both new and used gowns (some are high end designers). Awareness of the environment has come a long way in a short time. How ever you decide to make a difference in your wedding should be applauded. Saving the environment is something that needs to become more of a priority for all.

By Kendra Scott, Associate Planner at Firefly Occasins Inc.

I think it’s really fun to take inspiration from pop culture and with the release of New Moon, the world is once again in Twilight mania. Here’s an inspiration board to show you how to take a theme and fuse it into your wedding. It’s important to remember especially with a theme like this, that you don’t want it to be cheesy, it’s not a child’s birthday party. When your guests arrive they should be able to feel it, not necessarily see it. There should be something in the mood and decor that is inspired by but not necessarily taken directly from the books/movies. I don’t want to see vampires, blood or fangs but there are definitely characteristics that can be used. If you do want something obvious, consider naming your tables after the novels: Twilight, Midnight Sun, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn etc. You could also chose to use music either from the movies or from Stephanie Myers list of songs that she felt went with specific scenes. As with any elaborate theme you want to keep the obvious connections to the smaller details.

Photos courtesy of:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/twilight%20inspired%20wedding/kdhart226/mlw%20inspiration%20pics/twilight/twilightbookWScopy.jpg – meadow wedding
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LaayJVYtK58/Sdm4N4ONP7I/AAAAAAAAB-Q/jlHvLHnaWSk/s400/gothicchic.jpg – place setting and candle/chandelier
http://media.photobucket.com/image/bella%20and%20edward%20gazebo/patticakes/ljentries/gazebo.png – gazebo
http://www.daintree-ecolodge.com.au/media/image/large/daintree-ecolodge-high-res061-800.jpg – rainforest wedding

By Annette Hoegner, LA Division Manager, Firefly Occasions Inc.

A green wedding is a wise choice for many reasons. The biggest reason of course is to do your part in conserving our environment. There are many things that can be done to ensure you have a green wedding while still tailored to suit your dreams……

One easy way is to include eco-friendly favors like baby trees that can be replanted or seed packets with a label that matches the colors of your wedding.

Another great idea that I have been seeing more and more is finding a nice recycled card stock and printing something like “ In lieu of favors we have made a donation in your name to our favorite charity. Then take that money you would have spent on favors and donate it to a worthy cause.

DIY Wedding Planning System

The DIY Wedding Planning System is filled with interviews with expert vendors, a step by step guide to planning your wedding, templates and spreadsheets to keep you organized and help you save money. Some of my fav calls are the ones where Simon and I share our design ideas, so grooms don’t you be afraid to get involved as well! Just click here and join in on all the fun!

By Ciara Daykin

John Lennon said, “Always remember this: A kiss will never miss, and after many kisses a miss becomes a misses.” The first kiss as husband and wife is a super special one. It’s the picture perfect moment when you hear those words, “You may now kiss the bride.” And your honey and you connect for your big kiss.

But what’s your perfect wedding kiss?

It’s kinda funny to think about but this is THE KISS that will kick off your whole marriage. Are you going to plan for it? Are you just going to wing it?

This time of year we’re all feeling pretty cozy with the holidays on their way so it’s a good time to practice your various BIG kiss options:

1. French Kiss- This is the BIG kiss that can be combined with the Dip but it’s all about totally embracing your new partner, opening your mouth and showing off all your passion for this person with one big kiss. I wouldn’t suggest leading with your tongue or totally making out in front of everyone but the French kiss done tastefully can be quite spectacular.
2. The Peck- This is a kiss where you just gently kiss your spouse. It’s soft, it’s tender and Gramma approved. The couple is often holding hands and you can see that they are maybe a little shy when it comes to public displays of affection.
3. The Dip- The famous kiss in New York City’s Times Square on August 15th 1945 was captured by Navy Lt. Victor Jorgensen’s camera. This kiss was to celebrate Japan announcing its unconditional surrender but it gives you a good model for what would make a fab wedding kiss. Just be careful not to drop her guys!
4. The Leg Lift- Some girls lift their leg when they kiss, which reminds me of movie kisses. Where it’s soooo good that she just can’t help but lift her leg. In a big gown though the effect might be as intended to if you’re going that route make sure it looks cute. If you’re a comedian at heart have him lift his leg and that’ll get everyone chuckling.
5. Jump Into His Arms Kiss- I remember watching Trista and Ryan’s wedding on TV a couple of year’s back. They actually practiced their kiss at their rehearsal as she jumped into his arms for a kiss. So couples take this one step further and the groom actually picks up his bride and gives her the first kiss. I’m not really a fan of the jump into his arms and wrap your legs around him first kiss, save that for the honeymoon.

Ciara’s Bridal Advice

The BIG wedding kiss is a really fun part of the ceremony. It’s also a part of the wedding that is completely up to the two of you! Don’t try to do something that is out of character for you. Go with what feels comfortable and natural. That’s what’s going to make the moment special for you and your guests and make for the best picture.

Ciara Daykin is the CEO of Firefly Occasions Inc. a wedding and event planning company with offices in Calgary, Alberta Canada and Beverly Hills, California, USA. Ciara’s popular bi-weekly ezine newsletter is read by over 7500 brides. Ciara is a frequent speaker at wedding industry functions and coaches other wedding planners across North America.  Ciara provides each bride she works with the haute couture wedding experience. Her planning website can be found at http://www.fireflyoccasions.com/ where you can sign up for her free report, “10 Tips to Take Your Wedding From Cookie Cutter to Couture.” She and her husband Simon Daykin are a husband and wife planning team and document their adventures on their popular blog http://sheandheplanweddings.com/

It’s been a crazy week here for me, my wife is off in sunny Los Angeles supervising an event we planned and I am stuck here in the cold and snow. Oh well, she returns just in time for Thanksgiving dinner tonight so I’m looking forward to seeing her again. This is the longest we have been apart since we got married. OK, enough sappy stuff. We had a great Bridal Expo a couple of weeks ago and now I’m fielding so many emails from people wanting to book our services for planning their weddings. Seriously, I haven’t worked this hard in months. So if you’re on the fence about hiring a kick ass planner, get off that fence and come hang out in my yard…no frilly pink wedding for you my friend…I GOT YOUR BACK!!!

Cheers,

Simon

Click here to book your free consultation.

By Kendra Scott, Associate Planner at Firefly Occasions Inc.

We all know that life never takes us on a straight path. So why should your aisle, the path that leads you into the life you are about to begin together, be straight? I found these great aisle ideas and think its a fabulous way to add some life to your ceremony!

Photo’s courtesy of:
http://www.theweddingring.ca/ldn-bride-savvy/
http://rhondapattonweddings.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/06/circular-seating-three-sixty-style.html
http://the6chicks.com/2009/06/12/5-tips-for-hosting-an-outdoor-wedding/

http://www.sunshineweddingcompany.com/packages.html

By Kendra Scott, Associate Planner at Firefly Occasions Inc.

Photos courtesy of:

http://www.strictlyweddings.com/blog/2009/08/linens-make-a-statement-set-the-tone/ (Wildflower Linen’s chair cover)
http://www.strictlyweddings.com/blog/2009/08/linens-make-a-statement-set-the-tone/ (Preston Bailey foral arches)
http://www.joycetan.net/index/projects/wedding/index.html (bridesmaids with umbrella’s)
http://www.swsmag.net/blog/2009/4/14/gia-graham-color-palette-mint-coral-and-ivory.html (melong sorbet)
http://delightbydesign.blogspot.com/2009/03/wedding-details-blush-pink.html (water jug and pink corbet)
http://www.weddingthings.com/product/purple-grapes-cupcake-wrappers/wine_theme_wedding_favors (cupcake)