What’s up in Hollywood Wednesday’s: Stars wear Grecian-Inspired Wedding Dresses

JessiFirefly posts your weekly dose of pop culture.

After Chelsea Clinton and Alicia Keys’ weddings we couldn’t help but notice the increasing trend of wearing Grecian-inspired wedding dresses. Clinton wore a Vera Wang, Grecian-inspired gown with a black ribbon belt and a criss-cross back for the wedding reception. (This brings up another trend! -Having two wedding dresses for your wedding day.) Clinton’s wedding attire represented classic American royalty and beauty.

On the same weekend Alicia Keys married record producer Swizz Beatz. The two of them had a Mediterranean themed wedding. The sultry singer also wore a Vera Wang grecian-inspired dress but represented a completely different style than Clinton. She rocked the gown and looked like a true and elegant Greek Goddess. She had jeweled details on her back shoulder with crystal-encrusted flat sandals, matched with a sophisticated headband. 

www.people.com

It seems as if Vera Wang might be the catalyst for the Grecian-inspired

wedding dress trends! Check out the website for more dress ideas: www.verawang.com 

Nobody said it better than Kate Hudson in Bride Wars. “You don’t alter Vera Wang to fit you. You alter yourself to fit Vera!!”

-xo JessiFirefly

She and He Trendy Tuesdays: Ivory Wedding Dresses and Tan Suits

She and He introduce a weekly cutting edge style combo for him and her.

One wedding dress would never fit every single bride – nor should every color. Your wedding day is all about finding your true beauty and your personal style and finding the perfect dress that matches YOU. White dresses are absolutely stunning and gorgeous…. but have you ever just tried on an off white or ivory dress? If you don’t tan easily, have pale skin or red in your hair, ivory will look stunning on you. This off white, ivory look adds texture, volume and a dreamy quality to your attire. If you have an outdoor wedding, ivory will look romantic and classy while stark white may come off harsh on a sunny day. Sarah Jessica Parker pulled of a stunning ivory dress in Sex and the City… why can’t you?

She Says: “If you are set on sheer white, just try on an ivory colored dress. I dare you. You will be surprised about how lovely your skin looks. –Happy shopping!”

Top to Bottom and Left to Right 1)www.altf.com 2)www.jennifersalzman.com 3)www.giacanali.com 4)www.cathydavidphoto.com 5)www.moniquelhullier.com 6)www.cathydavidphoto.com

Instead of going for a black tux try a sandy or beige colored one. These are great for outdoor weddings in the summer. Black is very formal and classic. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, this is just one more way you can amp up your wedding with original style. Also, many guys will tell you that it’s easier to wear a tan suit again instead of a black one. Having a tan tux paired with an ivory wedding dress is very romantic.

He Says: If you’re having a destination wedding, think about a tan tux. Black ones look much too formal for the beach and ocean backdrop. Especially if it’s a barefoot wedding!

Top to Bottom and Left to Right 1)www.lindachaja.com 2)www.aniesinggallery.com 3)www.annemariephotography.com



She and He Heart Mondays: Kisses!-10 Unconventional ways to get newlyweds to kiss at the reception

Let’s be serious. Nobody hearts Mondays. So every Monday we are here to lighten the mood and talk about things we do heart:  Kisses! 10 Unconventional ways to get newlyweds to kiss at the reception

Dog photo: www.flickr.com Children photos www.flickr.com Lip photo www.flickr.com Couple kissing, middle top www.perspectiveye.com Other couples kissing www.stylemepretty.com

Cling, cling, cling, cling, cling! Sound familiar at weddings? Of course! Everyone wants to see the newlyweds kiss. We posted some unconventional ways to get the bride and groom to pucker up on the wedding day!

1. Set up a mini putt golf course near the head table (1 Hole). Guests must get a hole in one to get the bride and groom to kiss.
2. Set up a balloon at each table. Inside each one is a piece of paper with a question on it. “Where was the couple’s first kiss?” A guest must pop the balloon and answer the question. If the guest can answer the question the newlyweds kiss.
3. Guests give kissing lessons! A guest goes up to the podium and kisses his or her date in order to “demonstrate” to the bride and groom how to do it.
4. Choose a charity on behalf of the bride and groom. If any guests want the newlyweds to pucker up, they must first give a donation.
5. Bring a hula hoop to the reception. Guests must hula for 20 seconds to make the newlyweds kiss. (The photos will be hilarious!)
6. Name that tune. If the guest guesses the tune the couple kisses. If they get it wrong they have to kiss somebody.
7. Decorate a bean bag for the bride and groom. Have a cut out hole where it must be thrown into. If the guest gets it in, the couple must kiss. You can also use Loonies or Toonies to do this and donate the money to a charity.
8. At a beach themed wedding the guest must blow on a conch shell horn for the bride and groom to kiss.
9. Play truth or kiss. A guest will come up to the podium and ask the newlyweds a question. They can kiss or answer it!
10. Get a container full of wine corks. Some used with wine on the ends and some new ones. Mark one or two corks black. If guests pick a red one that is used, the bride and groom kiss. If a new one is chosen the guest must kiss someone. If the black marked one is chosen ALL guests must kiss his or her date.

She and He Fridays: A Wedding Planner’s Wedding

My name’s Kendra Scott, I’m the Wedding’s Division Manager at Firefly Occasions and as of December 19th, I now have my own wedding to plan! Every Friday I write a feature article where I document my personal wedding planning journey each step of the way.

Most brides set out to lose a few pounds before the big day. In fact, this is so common that some brides will even purchase gowns that are a couple sizes too small in hopes of losing those last few pounds. The network Slice picked up on this and started their series Bulging Brides to help some of these ladies look their very best and fit into their dream dress.  So with 5 months left until the big day, “Project Hot Bride” as a friend recently stated, begins.

I have found that the best way to lose weight is with a friend. In my personal experience, this friend cannot be my fiance haha. I prefer to leave him out of this aspect of wedding planning all together. My fiance is quite active and eats really well. In the past, I’ve asked him to help me with diet and exersise programs but I very quickly realized that having my fiance remark on food choices quickly developes into a complex for me haha. He’ll do what I asked him to and then I’ll think that he thinks I’m fat lol isn’t that how it always works?

So, my co-worker Jessi and I have embarked on a program together!

Step 1: We needed to come up with a plan that we could stick to. In discussing our excersize habits, we determined that we are both hopeless runners. I used to have a roomate in school that was a runner. She would run all over Toronto and I always thought “that’s so nice, it would be so nice to just go for a run.” Last summer I embarked on a Learn to Run program and let me tell you, I did not learn to run.

Step 2: Once we determined what excersizes we enjoyed, we needed to come up with a schedule that would work with our work schedule as well.

Step 3: We needed to determine what foods we were going to eat, which meals we would eat together and then implement it. Jessi and I for example, are eating breakfast and lunch together at 9:30am and 2:00pm and we have purchased the groceries that we need and keep these groceries and supplies at the office.  This works really well for us because we work together, maybe a co-worker is a good choice for those of you out there looking to do something similar.

Here are some of our picks:

Whey Gourmet:

For lunch, Jessi and I decided to have a protein shake. We picked up a couple different flavours to make sure that we don’t get tired of the same one all the time. Today, we blended the strawberry/banana protein powder with skim milk and frozen berries.  Another tasty one is blending the chocolate protein powder with milk, ¼ of a banana and a spoon of peanut butter J This is a super quick lunch for us to make at work that doesn’t leave a lot of cleanup behind.

Jackie Warner, Power Circuit Training:

We wanted to pick a daily excersize that we can easily do on our break. At our office, someone needs to be available to answer the phone during business hours. With this option, we’re still in the office to do that, even though we’re taking our break together.  We want an excersize that will work our muscles in a way that helps us to burn more calories throughout the day but wont bulk us up.  Celebrity trainer to the starts Jackie Warner is a great option for us as she offers a DVD that does just that. This circuit training program uses only 2-5 pound weights in excersizes that move at a really fast pace.  We’re getting our cardio at the same time that we’re toning our muscles.

Step 4: Keep track and be held accountable. Jessi and I will be posting our new measurments each Friday, at the end of the “Wedding Planner’s Wedding” blog posting. I’d love for you all to post your personal results and experiences in the comments each week!

Jackie Warner's Video

She Says: Don’t Lose Friends, Hire A Wedding Planner

A survey done by Mercure Hotels of 1000 couples found that 60% of couples fall out with friends and family over wedding planning. That sucks! But I know it’s true. It’s often why couples come to us to help them plan their wedding.

Melissa Micallef from Mercure hotels said: ‘This research shows that couples often lose sight of their own dreams for their special day in trying to please other people.  ‘Having a professional to take care of the planning details alleviates a lot of that stress. Making the most romantic day of someone’s life a dream come true takes a special type of person who is not only creative, diplomatic and meticulous, but above all a romantic who understands that every couple is unique.’
 
I pride myself on having built my company over the last 6 years on the above attributes. We’ve had many, many happy couples over the years and helped them achieve unique weddings inspired by both of their personalities. And when your personality is reflected in your wedding your friends and family are ultimately happy because they can see that the day is truly a reflection of the love you share.
 
I hope that we can help you. I’m excited to help you. Just click here to inquire about how we can help you plan your perfect day.
 
You can view the article  here.

She and He Video Thursdays: Ciara and Simon broadcast from San Diego

Follow the fabulous lives of the Firefly team, see our client’s testimonials and take a sneak peak at our events, weddings and any other special events.

Ciara and Simon Daykin talk about their favorite weddings that are far from cookie cutter. Everything from reversed wedding ceremonies to revealing a nightclub at the wedding reception! Check out the part 1 and 2 videos posted below.

What’s up in Hollywood Wednesday’s: Chelsea Clinton’s “Society Wedding of the Year” Details

Chelsea Clinton, 30, and her fiancé Marc Mezvinsky, 32, were married this Saturday of the August long weekend.  The ceremony took place at Astor Courts in the small town of Rhinebeck, New York.

The former First Daughter Chelsea wore a Vera Wang dress and later changed into another Grecian dress for the wedding reception according to PEOPLE. Chelsea and Marc rocked the dance floor and surprised the 400 guests. It was obvious that they took lessons.

Some of the celebrities who attended the wedding included, former President Bill Clinton, current Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vernon Jordan, Terry Auliffe, Madeleine Albright, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Steve Bing and Vera Wang. It was rumored that Oprah and Tom Hanks were also invited yet they were nowhere to be seen.

According to Radar Online, Chelsea and Marc were together for five years and were childhood pals. Their wedding planner was Bryan Rafanelli of Boston.

After the wedding the newlyweds jetted off to their honeymoon at an undisclosed location. Rumor has it that guests stayed to party at the wedding until 3 a.m.!  Who knew these prestigious politicians knew how to party? Famous or not, It sounds like the wedding was an absolute success shared with friends and family.

Photo found at: http://foreign.peacefmonline.com/entertainment/

“Despite the fact that we have had interesting careers, we still consider the most important job we ever had being the parents of Chelsea.” – Bill Clinton.

She and He Trendy Tuesdays: Fairytale flower girls and blissful ring bearers

She and He introduce a weekly cutting edge style combo for him and her.

Instead of a plain white dress for your little darling divas, have them wear something dreamy and fairytale like. Your flower girls will love this idea.

She Says: “What girl doesn’t like to dress up like a princess, ballerina or fairy?”

Having the little ladies wear tutus that match your color scheme is a great start. Wings and wands are also a nice touch, especially for whimsical weddings. We love wands with flowers and ribbon.

www.amaples.com, Adrienne Maples Photography

Below are some flower girl photos done by Shutter Sugar at our Mid-Night’s Summer Dream Wedding:

Shutter Sugar www.shuttersugar.com

Boys will be boys. This being said, make sure you have your handsome ring bearer try on the miniature suit or tux before the wedding day. This will allow you enough time to fix anything that is itchy or too big or small. You wouldn’t want the poor little guy tugging at his crotch or collar area during the big day. As long as he is wearing comfy clothes that aren’t too itchy or hot, he will be the hit of the entire party. (Besides the bride and groom of course!)

He Says: “Note to ring bearers: Beware of cheek pinchers!”

She Says: What I Learned from My Wedding

By Ciara Daykin

As I celebrate 5 years of being married I look back at my own wedding planning and 5 years later I can tell you from my point of view as a bride what I’m glad I did and what I wish I had done.  
 
My own wedding was my inspiration to begin my wedding planning business which has grown significantly over the years and helped many couples have their dream day. What I learned from my own wedding I have passed on to the couples who’s weddings I help plan and now I want to pass on this wedding wisdom to you.
 
What I Would Do Again…
 
1) Marry Simon- I have to be a little bit cheesy in this article because afterall it’s my 5 year wedding anniversary as I write this. But I wouldn’t change the man if I had to do it all over again.
2) Write Our Own Vows- Simon and I spent quite a bit of time writing our own vows for our wedding. It was so worth it. It’s the part of our wedding that I cherish the most. We actually spent a lot of time designing our entire ceremony with our priest. Cool thing, that same priest is going to baptize our new son Declan in a couple of weeks.
3) Plan It Together- We planned our wedding together. It wasn’t me locked up in a room planning by myself. Simon was very involved and therefore our wedding was a reflection of both of our personalities and that made it a lot of fun.
4) Prolong the Party- We planned a wedding weekend in Banff and all our friends and family made it a vacation. We went rafting, sightseeing, and generally partied all over Banff. It was an absolute blast.
 
What I Would Change…
 
1) I’ve Become a Fan of Flowers- I went the cheap route and didn’t do my due diligence when it came to choosing my florist. Oh the wonderful florists I know now that I wish could have design my wedding flowers! My wedding flowers died during the pictures and when my bridesmaids asked if they could throw away their bouquets I said, “sure but take them down to the river and take the photographer with you.” And that’s where we got the most amazing picture… lemonade out of lemons!
2) A Pro Videographer- I have to say I love my wedding video but my husband laughs and says it was the IKEA of wedding videos… we had to put it together ourselves. Our friends videotaped the day but I ended up doing the video editing myself. I love watching it on our anniversary or if I’m super mad at Simon (hey- it makes you remember why you love him!) and if I had to do it over again I would put some of the budget towards a pro videographer.
3) I Would Eat- One of the biggest pieces of advice I give to my brides is you have to eat during the day. I look back at my photos and I remember being starving! I wish I’d eaten something as you can really see how exhausted I am in my wedding photos which makes me really upset. I perk up again in the photos at the reception but by then it was too late.
 
Ciara’s Bridal Advice
 
The biggest thing I would do again is have my team help with the day. Although we were in the very early stages, Firefly was there as the wedding coordinator making sure that everything I had planned came to life. I didn’t have to set up, tear down or deal with the nitty gritty on my wedding day and I will forever be thankful for that.

She and He Heart Mondays: La Tavola Linens at your Wedding Reception

Let’s be serious. Nobody hearts Mondays. So every Monday we are here to lighten the mood and talk about things we do heart: La Tavola Linens at your Wedding Reception

Imagine having a wedding reception where everything looks absolutely perfect. Everything looks just the way you had pictured it- just better! This is totally possible with the perfect décor elements. Even common details such as linens make a HUGE difference. This is why we want to bring the gorgeous La Tavola Linens to your attention.

You can order a variety of different types to reflect the vision that you have for your special day. Whether you want a romantic, outdoor, beach, feminine, classic or colorful theme, they have it all.

She Says: “It would be an insult to call these linen décor pieces table cloths!”

La Tavola originated in California but lucky for all of us trendy Canadians, they now ship worldwide.  Back in December of 2008 we were the first ones to ship the linens into Canada.

He Says: “We had a few little complications at customs. That definitely didn’t stop us from getting these babies over the border.”

Luckily that’s history now because La Tavola Linens are extremely accessible almost anywhere now. They have made a huge splash in the wedding industry in the US and in Canada. Anyone planning a destination wedding can also have them shipped out to their desired location!

To check out some of their beautiful designs go to www.latavolalinen.com

Below is a photo taken of one of our winter weddings with La Tavola Linens. This choice was a perfect fit for a winter romance theme.

We posted some of our favorite La Tavola’s options:

www.latavolalinen.com

www.latavolalinen.com

She Says: Introducing Baby Declan

I’ve been a bit quiet for the last little while but my life has been anything but quiet! On July 14th at 1:55pm I welcomed into the world our new little baby boy Declan Rhys Glendon Daykin. He is so adorable and sweet. And has definitely been keeping Simon and I on our toes. The picture featured here was taken by our friends at White Dress Photography. If you want to see more pictures of Declan you can find them here.
 
While I’ve been a bit tied up Team Firefly has been busy working on weddings. It’s been a busy summer and fall is coming quickly and seems to now be the most popular time of year to get married. We have some fantastic couples that we’ve been working with and their relationships have been giving us the inspiration for their wedding decor. I can’t wait to show you what we’ve come up with.
 
Today has special significance to me though. It’s my 5 year wedding anniversary with Simon. 6 years ago while we were planning our wedding I was inspired to start Firefly Occasions and here we are both working at the company with a great team and we’ve just added a baby to the mix. It’s been an adventure to say the least! But my wedding anniversary provided me with the inspiration for my article today. I was thinking back to that magical day and I know as you plan your wedding and deciding where to spend your wedding budget you’re wondering what will really make a difference and what will not. Well, 5 years after my wedding I want to share with you what sticks out in my mind and what I’d change if I did it all over again (same guy though!).  Check back next week for my list!

Love and bridal bliss,
 
Ciara

She and He Fridays: A Wedding Planner’s Wedding

My name’s Kendra Scott, I’m the Wedding’s Division Manager at Firefly Occasions and as of December 19th, I now have my own wedding to plan! Every Friday I write a feature article where I document my personal wedding planning journey each step of the way.

Well with only 6 months left until the wedding, it was time to start thinking about the décor plans. So this week, you get a little sneak peek into part of our planning process with our décor clients. Normally, after our décor consultation with the client, we create renderings of the décor ideas and when possible try to incorporate these renderings into their actual venue. We find it very helpful to be able to see what these ideas will actually look like in the venue. However, since this is for my own wedding and not a client, I haven’t put quite that much effort in haha. So you won’t see what this looks like in our venue but I think you’ll get the idea. Of course, my sketches had notes written all over them, so I’ve tried to crop those out as much as possible.  I had decided already on the pink, champagne and ivory colours with lots of lace, pearls, antique picture frames and tea cups. I think we’ll have our flower girls dressed as little ballerina’s as well . Recently, I saw a blog post on stylemepretty.com where they used hanging glass bubble vases filled with flower heads and I just had to incorporate that into the ceremony décor as well.  My vision, is to have the below wrought iron Chuppah covered in vines and flowers with flower heads and bubble vases hanging through-out the center at varying heights.

At our chosen venue, we are using the same room for our ceremony and reception which means we need to allow enough time in between to have the room flipped. We are expecting roughly 65 guests and have chosen a venue that accommodates up to only 90.  Due to the size of our venue, the head table is normally placed on the dance floor and is removed following dinner. This allows me to use the Chuppah as my focal point through-out the whole evening. During the ceremony we will be married under it. When the room is flipped, this Chuppah will have our head table (a round of 8 ) placed under it. After dinner, when that table is removed, the first dance will then take place under it.

She and He Video Thursdays: A Wedding Testimonial

Follow the fabulous lives of the Firefly team, see our client’s testimonials and take a sneak peak at our events, weddings and any other special events.

To check out photos from this gorgeous Moroccan Funk themed wedding visit the Firefly Facebook album:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=190166&id=85412819334&op=6

What’s up in Hollywood Wednesdays: Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr back from Caribbean Honeymoon

JessiFirefly posts your weekly dose of pop culture.

Pirates of the Caribbean star, Orlando Bloom, 33, and his new wife, Miranda Kerr, 27, are back from the honeymoon in the tropics. The couple vacationed in the Caribbean for four days after the wedding. They stayed at the Viceroy hotel on the luxury island of Anguilla.

According to Radar Online, the wedding was a complete surprise to fans. News about the wedding was leaked after Kerr stated that she was not going to appear at the Australian department store David Jones.

She said: “David Jones very graciously released me during this period so we could celebrate an intimate ceremony and honeymoon together.”

Looking back at their history, the couple wed after only being engaged for a month however they have been dating since late 2007 according to PEOPLE magazine. The couple made their first public appearance back in April of 2008. Last year during Thanksgiving they spent time in Morocco vacationing.

Even celebrities want their own personal space sometimes. The couple deserves their privacy and it’s no shocker that they requested their wedding details be kept a secret. As of yet, not many wedding details have been released. -We wish them the best!

xo-JessiFirefly

She and He Trendy Tuesdays: Chunky Necklaces

She and He introduce a weekly cutting edge style combo for him and her.

Photo Credits: (Left to right, top to bottom) www.blondetulip.com, www.perezblog.net www.autumnburke.com www.photosbycarla.blogspot.com , www.docuvitae.com, www.angela-blog.com, Twin Lens www.stylmepretty.com

She Wears: Chunky Necklaces

When it comes to necklaces on bridesmaids, we think the bigger and brighter the better. Have your bridesmaids wear chunky necklaces that add style and color. The necklaces will be a great way to thank your bridesmaids for being there for you on your wedding day. The necklaces can be kept as a momentum or be worn at other special occasions long after your wedding. Many jewelery stores will let you engrave initials or a short message on the back of the necklace.

Having big necklaces is another way to embrace your wedding theme. We suggest lockets for vintage weddings, shells for beach weddings, bright colors for summer outdoor weddings and pearls for elegant indoor weddings.

Chunky or big necklaces worn on the bride are also gorgeous. A colorful neckline adds personal flare and really contrasts with a white or ivory wedding dress. A big necklace can also be your something blue or borrowed.

To find some chunky necklaces for yourself or your bridesmaids go to:
www.etsy.com to find homemade gems
www.shopstyle.com to browse different designer brands
www.funkychunkyjewlry.com to check out a local designer in Calgary AB.