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.

Adding Style To Your Suit

As you know, I love me some Twittering. I have told you about all the cool stuff I find there and all the cool stuff that finds me as well. Well, a few weeks back I had an article posted about adding style to your rented tux, and this great company called Pocket Squarez found me on Twitter. I checked out their site and I was blown away. These guys have some really cool stuff. You know how most pocket squares are a square of fabric and you have to fold it yourself and it never really looks right, coz let’s face it. You’re not a professional pocket square folder are you? Well these squares are pre folded and stitched to a card, so all you have to do is insert the card into the pocket and BAM, you’re all done. The prices are great, I mean they are GREAT and the styles they have are seemingly never ending. I have 20 or so on order…highly recommended…

Click here to start shopping.

By Ciara Daykin

I’m really excited because I have a jam packed couple of weeks coming up and it is going to ROCK! First I’ve got 3 events this weekend. My brilliant team has everything under control and these weddings are going to be amazing.

Then I head off to Indianapolis for the Association of Bridal Consultants Conference. I’m speaking at the Tuesday lunch to everyone in attendance.

Then after ABC I’m headed home for a couple of days and then off again to Turks and Caicos to speak at the Wedding Planner Institute of Canada’s conference there. I’m excited to finally meet my twitter buddy @sparkliatti (aka Sasha Souza) who is the keynote speaker.

I can’t wait to show you pictures from all these events, so stay tuned!

Ciara: We recently helped a couple pull off their 40th wedding anniversary party and it was just so pretty.

Simon: The day was hot but we cooled things down by putting up a big tent in their yard which backed onto greenspace.

Ciara: I’m not a big fan of tents when they’re just sitting there undecorated so we had planned to create these flower chandeliers out of Manzanita branches. And they turned out so awesome.

Simon: We then added crystals because we knew that the sun would really pick up on their sparkle.

Ciara: When we were doing the tented ceiling under the deck we first put up mini lights and then the fabric and then had to string the chandelier through.

Simon: And doing a tented ceiling outside you also have to battle spiders and cobwebs that were there first.

Ciara: I really loved that we alternated the colors of the tablecloths.

Simon: I was worried about that at first but it turned out great. I really liked the lounge that we set up in what they called “The Back 40,” the greenspace behind their house.

Ciara: I loved that too, and I love how you lit up all the trees in purple. It looked so cool when it got dark.

Simon: And we had some great people involved in this day too like Carla and her team from Savour Foods.

Ciara: Yes the food was soo yummy and the music was fantastic from Don Campbell and his group Estelle Elegance in Music. I loved the singer when she sang “Autumn in New York.” And it was super cute when the couple danced under the flower chandelier. That made me smile.

Simon: And all the kids loved the magician and that the food was designed with them in mind- mini burgers, non alcoholic jello shots with whipped cream.

Ciara: Oh and our wheelbarrow idea totally worked out. We put the drinks in there and people just helped themselves.

Simon: Wheelbarrows and gardens just go together so it was the perfect addition to this garden party.

Getting engaged is AWESOME! I love the sparkle in a newly engaged couple’s eyes. They are just absolutely glowing with happiness. It’s a big deal and the wedding is an even bigger deal. But when you first get engaged you immediately get a rush of bridal brain. And it’s like trying alcohol for the first time.

Seriously.

You get lightheaded and literally drunk on all things bridal. And while it’s fun, it can also hurt your future wedding plans. That’s why I’m giving you 3 Mistakes that I want you to avoid making as a newly engaged bride:

1) You Buy Everything Wedding- “Oh look, a teddy bear in a wedding dress, I could use that at my wedding I have to have it.” When you are in that drunken stuper of bridal brain you buy all sorts of silly things because you’re a bride and you think you’ll use them at your wedding. But when you’re newly engaged you don’t even have a plan yet so who knows what you’ll use at your wedding. It’s such a better idea to just avoid the impulse to buy all things tulle and just wait it out a bit. Flip through some magazines and figure out what you want so you don’t blow your bridal budget on stuff that’ll still be in your closet at your 4 year anniversary (me, buy wedding stuff I didn’t need?? Oh noo… Not me…).

2) You Accept Anything Wedding- “Thanks friend for dropping off all the leftover tulle circles from your wedding and half used votive candles I love them.” The girls that have gone through bridal brain know you have it bad and they’re looking to unload their stuff. Friends and coworkers who’ve been married will come out of the woodwork with all sorts of doodaas that they didn’t use at their wedding (all their bridal brain purchases) or items that they half used. They don’t want them anymore but in your state you’re more than happy to accept them. Trust me, if you say “Wait… Thanks but let me figure out what I need and don’t need” you’re not going to be missing out on much except for a bunch of clutter.

3) You Buy A Dress Right Away- Okay, so this is a BIG, HUGE PROBLEM. Brides are sooo excited to be engaged that they run out, have a fab weekend of wedding dress shopping and buy a dress right away… Whoaaaa Girl!!! Hold on here… Am I serious? Oh I’m sooo serious. With bridal brain all the dresses look fantastic, you’re just happy to be in something poofy with a veil because the little girl who put the sheer curtain on her head and hummed dum dum dee dum is back and she’s having her moment… Except this time she has a credit card. Watch out!! I can’t tell you how many 2 dress brides I have these days. And that’s a major blow to the bridal budget… Hey- I would know… Guess who else had 2 dresses??

Ciara’s Bridal Advice

I’m so happy that you’re engaged. It really is one of the most magical moments of your life. But take a step back and enjoy the moment and try to control the impulse to let your bridal brain take over. Think about the type of wedding you’d like to have, talk with your fiance and family about their feelings around the wedding, consider hiring a wedding planner who can help you settle on a theme and draw up a design for you and allocate your budget in the right places. Just take it one step at a time. It’s an awesome time in your life and it’s a lot of fun but I’d like to save you some of the headaches I know a lot of brides experience when the buzz of the initial bridal brain rush wears off. But hey- at least you’ll have your teddy bear in a wedding dress to offer you some comfort when you have to tell your Mom you hate your wedding dress and want a new one… KIDDING!

She Says: I think this is a really fun way for the bridal party to get down the aisle and it obviously gave the guests quite a laugh. I wish that the bride had a more elaborate dance. I felt like the bridal party was all so great but that her dance was just so so. I wonder if they told the minister that they were going to do this. I wonder if their parents knew. It would have been awesome if her Dad danced her down the aisle. But I’m no great dancer (unless it’s line dancing) so I give kudos for all involved for rocking it out.

He Says: Yeah it was kinda cute. Not sure it was appropriate in the church, maybe better for the reception entrance. But if the bride and groom and minister type person was cool with it…then it’s all good. I love it when the couples personalities really come thru in the wedding. I do agree with Ciara that it would have been cool if the father of the bride danced her down the aisle, he could have had a dance off with the Groom before giving her away.

                                                                Photo courtesy of: F8 Photography

Firefly Occasions has secured the V Ultra Lounge on June 13th for the Bon Voyage party for Emil & Emily, the winners of the Vibe 98.5, 98 Thousand Dollar Dream Wedding Contest.

Firefly Occasions will be providing all the decor for the party to make sure Emil & Emily have a Bon Voyage party no one will soon forget.

“V Ultra Lounge is the first bar in Calgary to focus specifically on premium vodkas.  On offer here are potato juices (just calling it like it is) from Canada, the United States, France, Poland, Sweden, Holland, and… I can never remember that last one. Oh yeah, Russia.” 

“The overlying colour motifs are brown and gold, highlighted by earthy wood, sparkling gold tile, and calculated lighting patterns.  The signature cocktail and martini list was created by Reuben Major, Earls Director of Culinary and Bar Development.”

“Since the booze selection changes seasonally (just hope there isn’t another potato famine) it’s hard to keep track of what to order. For the indecisive type, the place offers a $20 vodka flight. A server will bring you four premium vodkas and tell you a bit about each one (country of origin, preparation, favourite colour, etc.) and from there you can decide to sample four more, use one of them in a vodka martini, or order up a whole bottle.”

Excerpts taken from:Richard Trapunski

Hey Hey,

So I had the Man Shower on the Blog.  I know it’s a crap name for a great event so I asked for anyone to go for the gusto and get a better name……I have 4 so  far, as follows:

The Groom Tub

The Final Bromance

Walking The Plank

The Suit Up Party

If you want to send in your 2 cents knock your self out.  I’m looking forward to hearing from you and seeing the groom step up.

Listen to the sound clip below!  Mention VIBE 98.5 when booking an appointment with us and get 10% off!!

We all know the traditional rules for picking out the engagement ring and wedding bands.  The solid gold wedding band will be worn on the ring finger of the bride’s left hand.  And, when picking out the diamond, one must remember the four C’s: cut, color, carat and clarity.

Well, just as all other traditional wedding rituals are being bent and broken, so are the rules of the rings.

The engagement ring and wedding band no longer have to match- in fact, it is becoming more and more common to find the engagement ring on the bride’s right hand because it is so different from the wedding band on the left hand!

So… when picking out your ring, the sky should be your limit!  Explore the options of colored stones.  Mix and match shapes.  Combine rough cut diamonds with traditional diamonds for a dramatic contrast.  The options are endless, and they will help you pick out rings that are true to your own personal style!

I was googling myself as I often do (vain? maybe but I gotta know what’s being said out there!) and I found that we were named the #1 event planner in Calgary by www.sweetspot.ca I am soo thrilled! Check out the post by clicking here. Thanks to everyone over at sweetspot.ca for letting us know that we’re in your Top 5!

I’m really excited because I just teamed up with Kate Aspen to offer brides a one stop shop for all their favor needs. There are so many beautiful ideas on this website that I am just bubbling with excitement! I hope you’ll tell me what your favorite ones are.

Click here to visit Firefly Occasions Kate Aspen Collection Shop