At one of our weddings we arranged for Italian opera singers to dress up as waiters. Nobody except the bride and groom had any idea. When these waiters started to sing, the guests were pleasantly surprised. They sang a very special song that was sung to the bride by the grandfather when she was a little girl. This was a very special memory at this beautiful Italian wedding!

It was supposed to be a beautiful springtime outdoor wedding but when snow started falling in Calgary in May we knew the wedding would need to be moved inside. Luckily our backup plan worked out perfectly and the couple were married with a backdrop of a beautiful oak wall with lime green and brown lampshade chandeliers. The aisle was lined with green amaranthus and guests sat in gold chiavari chairs.

The bride and groom had a ton of fun taking photos with Perry Thompson Photography and returned to their room at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce which had been completely transformed into their reception. Tables had corkscrew place card holders, green napkins, chocolate brown dupioni silk table cloths and of course the gold chiavaris. You can see that chairs really do make a difference in the atmosphere of the room. The centerpieces were a combination of low boxes filled with green button mums, freesia and roses and tall lampshades on a vase with green orchids floating inside.

Click on the thumbnails below for a better view of these awesome pictures from Perry Thompson Photography!

Last week I was invited up to take a tour of Kicking Horse in beautiful Golden British Columbia! Is it just me or do the mountains get prettier the longer you drive through them?

What an adventure! Our tour started off with a visit to each of the three independent boutique mountain lodges at the Resort. There really is something for everybody at this resort and even better is how each lodge supports the others and encourages combining each-others amenities to make your wedding day special.

We were treated to amazing sample wedding menu’s at both Corks Restaurant and Eagles Eye Restaurant including the most delicious desserts The staff at each location we visited were super friendly and very welcoming. One of the best features of this resort is that it is pet friendly! If you like cats, you have to visit Whiskey at the Highland Lodge…if you’re not a cat fan, Andy was pretty great as well

The Rocky Mountains are a beautiful spot to host your wedding day and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort has some wonderful accommodations, wonderful food, wonderful staff and wonderful views….which is fine if everything goes wonderfully at your wedding. What might be more important is how the venue handles a tough or unexpected situation and….they were wonderful!

As beautiful as the Rocky Mountains are, this area isn’t known for its calm and predictable weather…especially at the top of a 7500 foot mountain peak. Known for it’s breathtaking views, we were invited to take the gondola up to Eagles Eye Restaurant. While enjoying our mouth watering lunch, mother nature kicked up a storm…lets call it a white out with 90 km/h winds. There was no view unfortunately and the gondola was stopped for safety reasons. Catastrophe? Not so much, if you’re going to be stuck somewhere, a warm restaurant with great food, wine and a crackling fireplace is the place to be! In fact I think I speak for everyone when I say that we were all quite content to sit and sip wine all afternoon. Unfortunately we did have to get back to Calgary at some point and the staff were working very hard to make sure that could happen. Violet Thumlert (Sales Representative at Kicking Horse) even snowboarded down the mountain to find my fiance who had been waiting in the lobby for me and to take another wedding planner’s dog for a walk while we were stuck.

So what was plan B? Sleds…seriously, I’m not kidding, and this group of wedding planners was so thrilled and excited for that adventure. Ski-doo’s headed up the mountain to our rescue complete with full snowsuits and winter gear for everyone! People pay big money for these rides! But don’t worry, if you’re like me with a fear of heights and speed you’re not limited to the double black runs, there is a road that goes the whole way down Or so we were told, to my luck the gondola started running again just as the first group of us had gotten into our snowsuits!

Overall this was a really great experience and a very informative tour. I took tons of pictures and videos of each spot and made some great contacts. I’m looking forward to heading back in the summer to see those views.

Throughout the history of weddings there has always been that one guy…the guy who sets up camp at the bar and then does really stupid stuff. He thinks it’s hilarious, but it’s really not. He may steal the mic, try to heckle the speech makers or get too “friendly” with the female guests, bridesmaids or hotel staff. It’s usually a touchy subject on how to handle this type of a fellow so I thought I’d impart some insight to the issue. No, it doesn’t involve large men, big sticks and bruises. But it needs to be addressed and I’m gonna address it! Rule number one…the Groom is NEVER involved, and a wise man once said…”Be nice…until it’s time not to be nice.”

A Planner Can Do More Than Plan

I can’t tell you how many people I have been asked to “cut off” at the bar! I don’t like doing it, but sometimes it needs to be done. Also, most wedding planners don’t come with a guy on staff. Luckily, www.fireflyoccasions.com usually does. If you find yourself having to deal with THAT guy at your wedding, you (as the Groom) never get involved! Your first plan of attack is to go to your planner, let them know what is going on and have them deal with it. This way, you don’t get dragged into the problem, especially if it’s a family member or close friend. This way the planner is the bad guy and your family Christmas dinner will be free of “hey, remember when you cut me off at your wedding…you little wanker” comments. Planners know how to deal with these issues and to be honest, it’s your day, you need to enjoy it and this will not be fun for you in any way shape or form.

You’re Paying Them, So Use Them

The hotel staff is there to help you! So if you don’t have a planner (shame on you) head over to the nearest hotel staff and let them know the deal. It can be the server at your table or you can ask the server to send over the banquet manager. Fill them in on the details and tell them what you want to be done. Don’t leave any room for error. You can ask them to “keep an eye” on the person, or just cut them off. If they are going to cut them off, I suggest having a couple (depending on the size of the guest) of staff at the bar when the barkeep tells the guest the sad, sad news. Things may get heated, but the staff will know what to do. If the guests comes to you after the fact. Tell your guests that the hotel has rules and they were just following them. Again, this shifts any blame AWAY from you and all is well with the world.

When All Else Fails, Call In The Groomsmen

This one can be a bit dodgy so play it by ear and know that I say this as a last resort. Usually coz the groomsmen have also been drinking and may know this guy so it can be tough. But in tough times, you need tough men. You can still have the barkeep cut the guest off, but send the groomsmen over to help escort that guest out of the area. Make sure they get up to their room and let the staff and groomsmen know to keep an eye out for them should they return. If they do see that guest again, head over to the hotel staff, don’t let the groomsmen handle it, unless you trust them! Tell them to be nice…the last thing you need is a “scene” at your wedding. I heard of a wedding were Granny got tasered…seriously, true story!!! And that is not what you want.

Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice

Everyone loves the sweet nectar, and weddings seem to be a free for all when it comes to drinking, that one event when you can go balls to the wall. Well, not so! Guests need to be respectful of you and your Bride. Sure, get wasted and have a nap at a table if you need to, but don’t go overboard and make an ass of yourself. They are still a guest and should behave like this is your home.

Whoever is dealing with this issue needs to know that violence is NOT an option. Even if the guest takes a swing, be nice!!! Bring enough back up that they won’t even consider getting all UFC. Again, be nice, calmly explain that the hotel has decided to stop serving them, they can stay but they will have to stop drinking. I have done weddings with private security, regular security and I have been the security at a few and always, always we have been nice and calm. If you can, have your guys explain to them why they are being removed while they walk them to the door, then close the door!

So back to rule numero uno…as a Groom, NEVER, EVER get involved. I mean NEVER!!! Take care of it, yes, but never address the guest in person. This is your day and you don’t need that shit. You have people there that can take care of it for you. Dance with your Bride, talk to your friends and have someone else deal with THAT guy.

Click here to secure a free consultation and we’ll take care of the rest, yes…even removing unruly guests that took a wee bit too much advantage of a defenseless open bar!

Springtime is a fabulous time to host a wedding. The air is fresh and everything is new. It’s a great time for pictures and a wonderful time for love.

But if you’re having a spring wedding how will you add some spring flair to your plans? Here are 5 simple ways to add springtime to your nuptials:

1.)Think Lemon- Lemon meringue pie for dessert, lemon sorbet, lemon colored tulips, a lemon drop signature drink martini or bright lemon cocktail napkins. Mimosa was the color for 2009 but we’re just now starting to see if more and more in weddings. You have so many opportunities to make your wedding feel bright and fresh with a burst of lemon! (Photo courtesy of MarthaStewart.com)

2.)Get Outside- Nothing says that you have to have your reception inside. At least not the entire time. When looking for a venue see if there is an outdoor patio space that could be used, or an outdoor fire pit. It’s a great time to be outdoors even though the air is still a little chilly. It’s perfect for getting cozy! Give your female guests a bright colored pashmina to keep them warm.

3.)Spotlight the Flowergirls and Ringbearers- So many weddings these days say no children, but springtime is a perfect time to involved the little ones in your big day. We especially love when flower girls are dressed up as little fairies or little ringbearers are outfitted in khaki and tweed (just like those adorable Ralph Lauren print ads you see in Martha Stewart Living). (Photo courtesy of Ralph Lauren)

4.)Steer Clear of Severe Hair- Spring calls for a more fun and flirty hairstyle. Try big curls or long waves, even half up half down. Headbands with a big flower ooze springtime glamour. I love when brides have sparkle hairspray in their hair as well as it looks so magical.

5.)Get Inspired By Nature- Bring the outdoors inside, use brown linens to ground the room like soil then have bright colors popping from the centerpieces and the cake. Use tree branches in a vase with sparse flowers to represent the new blooms occurring outside. Try using grasses and greens for centerpieces instead of full flowers. Bulbs just beginning to sprout can make fun centerpieces and fantastic take home gifts as well.

April Flowers Bring May Showers

Don’t ignore the possibility of those spring showers. Be prepared with fun umbrellas for yourself and your bridal party, perhaps even your guests. This is one of my favorite places to get umbrellas that are unique and different (just like you!). Click here to visit Bella Umbrella. (Photo courtesy of Bella Umbrella)

Ciara’s Bridal Advice

Spring is such a lovely time to get married. It’s always important that no matter when you’re getting married you take into account the season. Your wedding should slightly reflect the season even if it is not a dominant theme in your wedding. The season will definitely be a determining factor for your attire and where you’ll be able to take pictures.

Want to share this with the world? Please feel free to post this to your own blog or use the material in your own e-zine. We only ask that you please include this text with your post!

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 10,000 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/.

How To Choose A Reception Venue

Today’s brides have LOTS of choices! Feeling overwhelmed when it comes to picking a reception location? You just need a few pointers to help you choose a reception location that’s perfect for you. Follow these easy steps and you will be well on your way to the wedding of your dreams.

Gosh Mom! How Did You Decide?

Things are a little different now from when your mom got married. With so many choices, even the most decisive of brides can get a little unnerved. Do you have your reception in a hall or hotel? Art gallery or rustic ranch? Outside under a tent or indoors with a tented ceiling?

Ice in Our Drinks Or Ice Sculpture: What Can My Budget Handle?

Start by thinking of your budget. Ladies, keep in mind that while this is an extremely important day, you don’t want to be paying for it (literally) for the next 20 years. Narrow your selections down to ones that will be appropriate to your budget and won’t break the bank.

Express Yourself!

Next, think about what kind of wedding you would like to have. Do you want it to be classic, funky, unique? Don’t choose a reception venue based on your parents’ or your friends’ expectations. Choose a location that reflects the personalities of both you and your husband-to-be. Remember that this is your special day and you need to pick a spot that makes you happy and excited.

Never Judge A Location By Its Cover

With the exception of destination weddings, once you have narrowed down a group of reception venue finalists, you should ALWAYS go for a visit. Don’t just trust the pictures and descriptions from the websites as they do not show every aspect of a venue. It is important to go and see the room, the facilities, the area surrounding, and meet the event manager.

You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling

Don’t feel bad if everything seems perfect but you just don’t get a good “feeling” about the place. If you have a bad feeling, then it is not the right location for you, and don’t let your fiancé tease you about it because a woman’s intuition is never wrong!

Let’s Get Down To Business

You should also feel comfortable with the event manager as you will be working closely with them over the next couple of months. Here are some questions to ask a potential venue:

• Is there a room minimum (a set amount you must spend on food and beverage to use that room) or a room rental charge?
• What time can you get into the room to decorate?
• Can you tear down the next day or does it have to be that night?
• What decorating regulations do they have?
• What is the room capacity with a dance floor and with buffet tables (these things will change a venue’s room capacity if you plan on having them)?
• Do you have to use their catering services? Even for the cake?
• Can you bring in your own liquor? Does that mean there is a corkage fee and/or a bartender charge?
• Will they provide all of the tables, chairs and linens? What colors are they?
• What time does your party need to end?

Say It With Chair Covers Or Say It With Open Bar

Sit down with your fiancé and figure out your wedding priorities. Sort out what it is that you absolutely must have on your wedding day and what you can live without. This will not only help you when choosing a reception location but it will help you with all of your other wedding choices as well. Do you really want a plated meal at dinner if it means you can’t afford a champagne toast?

Ciara’s Bridal Advice

Once you have chosen a reception location and booked it, you are well on your way to a wonderful wedding. Just remember ladies, no matter where you have your wedding reception, you will have a fabulous evening with your new husband surrounded by family and friends. So start researching venues now! Make a list of the sites you like and tackle it. The sooner you find a place to get married the sooner that stress will be gone. If you don’t know where to start or don’t even know what options are out there I can help you. I can help you find a venue that you may have never even heard of before that is just perfect for your style and your budget. Click here to book a meeting with me.
Want to share this with the world? Please feel free to post this to your own blog or use the material in your own e-zine. We only ask that you please include this text with your post!

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 10,000 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/.

Two things can happen if you clink your glass long and hard enough at a wedding reception. The bride and groom will kiss, or the glass will break. I don’t know about you, but I HATE glass clinking, I mean I cannot even put into words how much I detest this cliché of a tradition. Luckily, a lot of my clients feel the same way and are looking into new ideas for the old kissing game thing.

There are tons of options out there but I’m going to give you the 3 that I like the best. If none of these get you going, feel free to hit the ‘net and look for alternatives to the clinking of glasses (Coz glass clinking sucks!)

This Is How We Do It

At our wedding, we pre-selected a bunch of married couples (letting them know ahead of time of course) and called upon them to show us how it’s done. They would kiss and then my wife and I had to mimic that kiss. It started out pretty simple but as the dinner and speeches progressed and the wine took effect, we had some pretty crazy stuff going on. I suggest spacing out the kissing and having your MC announce the couple, introduce them and then have them kiss. Also, let them know to keep it PG-13 tops, you may have kids there and they don’t need to see your Uncle go all 9 ½ weeks on his wife!

Are You Questioning Me?

Another alternative to the dreaded glass clinking can be asking the couple questions related to their life together so far or questions in general. You can certainly ask trivial pursuit questions, but get a few different editions, add in some cool ones, Lord of the Rings, Movie stuff, Music stuff and the original version as well. If the couple gets the answer right, they are in the clear, if they answer wrong…It’s kissin’ time! I love when relatives and friends get up to the mic, introduce themselves and ask one of the couple a question about the other. These questions can be from their childhood, the time they were dating etc. No questions about how many people the other person has slept with or dated, keep it specifically to the couple. I had a grandfather get up and ask the bride what kind of sandwich the groom used to make every day when he came home from school…and she got it right!!!

Dance Rummy, Dance!

My final suggestion to spare your glassware is this…there is always a dance floor at a wedding, so let’s use it shall we? Sure it gets used later in the night but let’s get people out there sooner. Have the DJ bring a cordless mic (most include this anyway). Have the MC announce that glass clinking will get you nowhere and if you want the couple to kiss you have these options, you can take to the dance floor and show the couple a few fancy moves, you can sing them a love song or you can share a memory you have of the couple (content appropriate of course) What’s great is you can have the videographer record all this and it makes a great addition to the wedding video. At the end of each performance, he couple has to kiss and the glassware is still intact.

Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice

Some traditions are great, “You may now kiss the bride” should certainly be included in your wedding. But clinking glasses, I don’t think so. The only traditions you should be concerned about are the traditions you are going to start. Don’t include something in your wedding just because the websites or your family says that’s the way it is supposed to be. Don’t be afraid to start new traditions, add new ideas into your wedding. As long as you like them, it’s all good. It is your wedding day after all. I pride myself on working with my couples to get everything they want added into the special day and make sure it is a combination of their personalities and the things they want to bring into the wedding.

Click here to book a free consultation and get started planning your one of a kind wedding, you want your wedding to stand out in the sea of weddings that happen every year. You want your guests walking away from your wedding saying how great and original it was and then next year they will be comparing everyone else’s wedding to yours. And we can make that happen for you.

Ice, Ice Baby

I like my drinks cold, but I dislike ice in my drink. Martini’s are cold and they have no ice in them, that’s because they are mixed with the ice, then poured out. Well that’s pretty standard fare huh. Let’s take that up a notch. Gentlemen, I present to you the Ice Luge. It’s cooler that a plain ice sculpture and booze comes out of it! Cold booze! Plus you can really get creative with the design, just remember to run it by your fiancé first…she may not appreciate an ice bust of her and the booze comes out of the nose. You can work the design of the luge into your theme, we did a wedding where the couple loved to swing dance and music was a big part of the wedding so we had a saxophone ice luge designed for them.

It’s A Shot, But Now It’s A Cocktail

This is a trick we used at our wedding, we had a shot that both my wife and I loved. But it isn’t too classy to be doing shots at the cocktail hour. So we simply increased the amounts and turned it into a cocktail. It was Jagermeister, peach schnapps and cranberry juice. We had it mixed in a martini shaker (so it’s cold without ice) and served either in a martini glass or a rock glass. It tasted great, was 1 of our signature drinks and we called it the “Groomsman Surprise”. So if there is a mixed shot you like, grab the ingredients and turn it into cocktail…and no, adding 3 ounces to your 1 ounce shot of tequila and putting it in a bigger glass does not make it a cocktail fellas.

His & Hers & Theirs

Now, there is no rule that says you can only have 1 signature drink. You can have as many as you like without it getting out of hand. I would max it out at 4. This way you can have a drink named for the groom, one for the bride and one for each bridal party. You could do 3 and have one for the couple and one for each of the bridal parties. Keep it fun, name them something silly (not vulgar though), maybe have a separate menu printed up to go on the bar stating the name and ingredients of your signature drinks.

Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice

Signature drinks are great at a cocktail hour, they get people talking, they taste good and they will leave an impression on your guests. I find a lot of people talking about the signature drink and what the name was and did you have one??? Plus with posting your wedding photos on Facebook now, people can tag the drink if they want. It really just opens up a lot of possibilities for fun and adding that little bit of unique to your wedding day.

You could also incorporate this into your “man shower”, have your guys bring their favorite drink recipes with them and then mix the drinks, pick a winner or 2 and hand out the prizes. Just make sure that after you’re done tasting, you have places for the guys to crash, so they don’t drink & drive.

Timbaland & Monique Idlett  Four-hundred guests attended the ceremony held on a private island off of Aruba.  To add to the “paradise island” effect, the tables at the reception were decorated with vases full of white sand, irises, dendrobium orchids, ranunculus, ginestra and roses in five different colors.

Christina Moore & John Ducey  To make sure their wedding was picture perfect, these two decided to use… pictures!  Simple yet bold, their deep red, black and white color scheme was accented with white phalenopsis orchids, red votive candles and candid photos of the couple, which also served as place cards for their 120 guests.  Instead of the traditional cake, they opted for a dessert bar and placed a digital picture frame on top, which showcased wedding photos of family and friends.  They even used picture frames to display their cocktail menu!

Andrew Firestone & Ivana Bozilovic  Pure elegance emanated form this reception, which was held at Crossroads, the Firestone family home in Los Olivos, California.  Planners and designers worked together to transform a pole barn into a breathtaking indoor/outdoor ballroom.  The tables were all draped in ivory satin linen, and above the head table were five chandeliers, suspended by drop chains that were wrapped in Tiffany blue fabric.  The vases on all of the guest tables were overflowing with hydrangeas, and the perimeter was covered in ivory chiffon fabric, with an opening in one side that led to the outdoor dance, which was overlooked by a 100-year-old tree.  Can you say… romantic?

Source: http://www.instyleweddings.com

Horse & Carriage It doesn’t get much more romantic than a horse-drawn vehicle.  Just make sure you won’t be traveling too far to your reception, as this is also one of the slowest options!

Car Not just any car, though.  Get creative and choose one that fits your wedding venue.  Sports cars, vintage autos or town cars may be options you’ll want to consider. 

Limo The most classic of wedding rides may also be one of the most practical.  If you want the whole wedding party involved, limos usually seat 8-10 people, and some have audio players, TVs, stocked bars and even mini refrigerators!  You’ll really feel like a VIP!

Party Bus Take the limo and multiply it by 10 and you have a party bus!  This is the perfect choice for large party crowds, and it can also be great after-party transportation!

Some things to consider: Before you start your transportation search, make sure there are no vehicle restrictions at your wedding ceremony or reception sites, and make a list of how many people you will be needing to transport.  When you get a little closer to the big day, take a test drive on your own to plan the best route.  The day of, make sure you have detailed directions, maps and contact numbers to give to your driver.