{Photo by Michelle Kauntz, Captured Soul}

When your bouquet arrives, treat it with lots of TLC.  Keep it upright and out of harm’s way, so that it’s not bumped or touched.  Some petals are quite delicate, and any bruising will start to show fairly quickly.  Open lilies are especially susceptible to marks and petal tears. White or cream roses, gardenias and orchids are wedding favourites that need to handled with particular care.  If the delivery time coincides with hair and make up appointments, appoint a flower guardian to receive them, and store them somewhere cool and out of the sun.

{Photo by David McCammon}

Be especially cautious during photographs.  It’s common for photographers to place the rings in the centre of the bouquet, but this often results in torn petals, and sometimes broken blooms.  If it is designed in a bouquet holder, or if the stems are bound all the way down, be sure to hold it upright, as water may leak out, and land on your dress.  If your flowers are being photographed laying down, the backside may be slightly bruised,  so afterward, make sure to hold it with that side facing you.

{Photo by Debra Eby}

In the summer heat, your bouquet will appreciate a little misting, especially if it contains hydrangeas. Hand-tied styles, with the stems showing, are best kept in a small amount of water while not being  carried.  Florists will usually provide vases with a small amount of water for this purpose. If dyed or preserved flowers were used, keep them away from any water, as their colour will run onto your hands, and your dress! For this reason, dyed flowers are best avoided.

Winter photos are especially romantic, but if you want to include your bouquet, (and the groom’s boutonniere) they are best left until after the ceremony, as frozen flowers are a sorry sight!

Following these simple tips will go a long way in keeping your bouquet looking picture perfect through out your celebration.

All bouquets by Flourish

Written by Pam Salisbury of Flourish Florals

Your Bridal Suite 519

“Inspiration and design for weddings and events”

While it is true that magazine photos and internet searches are great additions to get your vision across, the starting point is always you.  How did you meet?  What do you like to do together?  How did the proposal happen?  What is it exactly that makes you both tick?  Your wedding dessert is the perfect medium to express exactly who you are as a couple and can include many facets of your life together.

Jill and Ralf wanted a cake that reflected their personal story to share with friends and family.

Nicole and Sean used their Celtic themed wedding and love of nature as their inspiration.

Gail and Dan chose personalized “his and hers” toppers for their wedding cupcakes.

Even if you decide to go a more “traditional” route with your dessert, there are unlimited ways to make it personal.  Invitations, bridal gowns and engagement rings are perfect inspiration for cake design.  Even the smallest detail such as an heirloom brooch or song lyrics can make a meaningful appearance.  Remember:  inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere but it always starts with you!

The piping on this cake was inspired by the detail in Anna’s dress.

PHOTO 5 and 6:  Sarah designed her and Ryan’s invitations herself, creating the perfect inspiration for their whimsical wedding cake.

PHOTO 7 and 8:  Shannon and Brad created their classy invitation themselves, and wanted it reflected in their cake.  Voila!

Written by Lani Stroeder of  IncrEDIBLES by Lani

Your Bridal Suite 519

“Inspiration and design for weddings and events”

“Hi there, I am wondering if you are available September 7 2013 to shoot a wedding? Do you typically use two photographers to shoot a wedding? Thanks very much”

I was struck by the fact  that the only info the bride required from me was 1) is their wedding date available, and 2) if there would be 2 photographers.

This second photographer trend has really only been around these last 5 years or so.  Which makes me wonder, why has the second shooter scenario recently become such a priority to brides?

Our point of view on all things wedding is that the bride is always right.  Her day, her way.  Period.

But the second shooter debate is one area I wonder about.  Why has this 2 photographer phenomenon suddenly become  industry standard?

Now I understand the benefit of 2 angles captured.  The peace of mind that 2 cameras are recording the event.  Even 2 different point of views, and  2 shooting styles.  Extra hands to hold & carry.

But what about the expense of 2 talented pro photographers?  Because if you think about it – if one fabulous, talented photographer that is worthy to record your wedding day costs on average $2000-$4000, then logically, 2 such worthy photogs working together, should run in the 4-8 k region, right?

So then how are some photographers able to offer 2 photographer packages  for $2500, $1500, and sometimes even less?  What is being diluted in the rest of the photo package to squeeze 2 ‘pro’ photographers fees into that tiny price?  Well talent for sure.  Equipment definitely.  Experience – absolutely.  Really –  if you thought these ‘pro’ photographers could earn $2000 per wedding on their own, don’t you think they would do it, rather than splitting the profit with another photographer?

So what is better – 2 $1000 (x 2 =$2000) photogs, or one $2000 pro photographer?

At the end of the day, your wedding photos will only be as good as your photographer’s ability.  Having more photographers won’t make the images any better, tho it probably guarantees more of them.  What matters most to you?  Thousands of mediocre images, or hundreds of amazing ones?

I am pretty sure you see where I am going with this… so if you want a recommendation from a photographer who has seen it all, here it is.   Dedicate your photo budget towards getting the biggest, most fantastic  talent.  One super awesome photographer beats 2 mediocre ones.  Hands down.  Every time.

Here at Anne Edgar Photography – I am proud of the affordable & talented expertise we bring to our clients.  My staff & I are each more than capable of single handedly capturing the largest high end events, in a manner that surpasses our clients high expectations.  And we can prove it in the dozens of sample wedding albums photographed in just that manner.   But in the interests of supplying clients with the wedding experience they are demanding, and because the client is always right, we also offer 2, 3, and 4 photographer options.  Our emphasis is always on ensuring that the primary photographer is of the upmost ability.  Second shooters are simply  the icing on the cake.  Visit our website for more information any time.  Happy wedding planning!

Anne Edgar Photography is a renown wedding and event photography specialist, located in Cambridge, Ontario, and servicing Kitchener, Waterloo, Stratford, Listowel, Guelph, Brantford, Hamilton, Toronto and beyond.

Written by Anne Edgar of  Anne Edgar Photography

Your Bridal Suite 519

“Inspiration and design for weddings and events”

invitations { Big Orange Designs }

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Written by Ted Treleaven of  Big Orange Designs

Your Bridal Suite 519

“Inspiration and design for weddings and events”

As it turns out, we got hundreds of beautiful photos despite the lack of snow, and the Old Mill certainly gave us lots to work with.  What a gorgeous venue!  And I am sure the Hawaiian honeymoon made up for any snow related disappointments.

Just goes to show, you can never count on the weather to co-operate, even in the dead of winter!

A beautiful day, a beautiful couple, congrats to Dr & Mrs M!

photography {Anne Edgar Photography}

Written by Anne Edgar of  Anne Edgar Photography

Your Bridal Suite 519

“Inspiration and design for weddings and events”

No matter your style, most couples would agree that multitasking is a must when it comes to wedding planning.  Anything that simplifies what can be a daunting process will help your day go smoothly regardless of theme or budget.

Multi-functional desserts can help do just that while taking style and presentation up a notch.  It’s a win-win!

Mini cakes and individually boxed cupcakes are a classy yet adorable trend that can be used as a focal point, table centre-piece, guest favour, and of course, dessert!

Written by Lani Stroeder of  IncrEDIBLES by Lani

Your Bridal Suite 519

“Inspiration and design for weddings and events”

From subtle to elaborate designs, henna is a time-honoured tradition marking a joyous celebration in a woman’s life. One of them being marriage. Along with representing love & happiness of marriage, henna has also earned the reputation as an irresistable sensual allure…the guarantor of success and marital bliss!

If you are wanting to add that exotic flair to your wedding celebrations… here are a couple of ways you can do it.

Set the tone for you wedding celebrations and design your invitations in the Henna theme!  Another way to incorporate this theme is to have your bridal shower in the form of a Henna party!  Invite the girls to have some henna art put on their hands.  That way it’s not just the bride that gets to have all the fun!

One thing to remember is that when you are sourcing a Henna Artist, find one that is careful about what products they use. Black Henna is chemically altered to leave a black stain on your skin. For the side effects, please visit:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/cosmet-person/cons/black_henna-henne_noir-eng.php

Be inspired ladies and Happy Planning!

stationery { Big Orange Designs }

photography { Anne Edgar Photography }

Written by Afzia Shareef of  Style and Elegance Wedding and Event Coordination

Your Bridal Suite 519

“Inspiration and design for weddings and events”

Well I’m pretty sure I used to do that on a daily basis. I would have images saved in a folder on my computer with a corresponding word document with links to where I originally found the photos! So time consuming! It was irritating and I would inevitably lose a link or forget to copy one and then close the website without knowing the path I’d even taken to get to the site in the first place, then searching through the browser history…it was just a pain.

Well no more! Pinterest has come to save us all from these frustrations, and simplify our lives. And I’m proud to say that I’m happily addicted!

Sure you can pin things for your home, or your kids, or your favourite fashion…and I totally do all of those things! But where I find Pinterest the MOST useful is when I’m trying to gather my thoughts for a wedding! You can take all of those inspirations that have been flying around in your head for months and finally organize them all in one place. Creating an inspiration board will allow you to see all of the ideas and design elements right in front of you so you can get a more cohesive vision of how everything will come together!

The concept of Pinterest is to “Pin” your “Interests” to various boards just as you would with an actual physical board. And it keeps those boards organized by category or however you decide to label them.

If you don’t yet have a Pinterest account, I am encouraging you to get one. Just get one setup and get started…you’ll get the hang of it before you know it and will be an addict in no time!

Once you set up an account you can specify what categories of things you’re interested in and then your ‘feed’ will only funnel things through that are of interest to you! It will take a bit of time for Pinterest to figure out exactly what you like, so don’t get discouraged if it gives you a few bizarro things the first few times you use it!

Check out this article on Mashable.com that shows you how to get the most out of your Pinterest account titled “7 tips for Planning a Wedding on Pinterest“

Happy Pinning!!

Be sure to check out my own Pinterest boards here!

Written by Kate Vanderlugt of The Little White Dress

Your Bridal Suite 519

“Inspiration and design for weddings and events”

The festivities began  at Leslie’s parents home – the perfect place for a photographer to capture all of the fun, chaos & anticipation of a girl on her way to walk down the aisle.  Detail shots, pix of the bride dressing, photo ops with bridesmaids.  Fairly standard stuff.

Except that Leslie & Mike were thinking a bit more outside the box for their fab winter wedding… and  had something  more interesting in mind for their wedding party.  Instead of heading straight for the venue,   the bride & girls  headed to Wildcraft, where they met up with the groom & groomsmen for some beverages, gourmet burgers, & belly laughs.

As the sun was setting, we headed thru the snow storm to beautiful Hauser Hall for some aisle walking & ring trading.    Champagne toasts, laughter, and naturally – photos in the snow were mandatory.  Dinner & dancing, love & laughter wrapped up a perfect snowy winter day.

Congrats Leslie & Mike!

photography { Anne Edgar Photography }

wedding officiant { Martti at Kettle Creek Weddings }