2015 All About Weddings by Langley Advance

all about

weddings 2015

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Culinary Touch Catering makes planning your wedding Culinary Touch Catering makesWhether planning reception easy and worry-free. youyour wishwedding a small, reception easy and worry-free. Whether you wish a small, intimate wedding dinner, an outdoor barbecue buffet, or a intimate wedding dinner, an outdoor barbecue or a large and lavish culinary feast, Culinary Touch buffet, Catering will large your and wedding lavish culinary feast, Culinary Touch Catering will make banquet perfect for you. make your wedding banquet perfect for you. Executive Chef Michael Dicks, CCC brings superior training and Executive Michael Dicks, CCC brings superior training andto more thanChef 30 years of experience, enabling Culinary Touch morethe than 30 years of experience, enabling Culinary Touch toat offer highest quality product and superb preparation, and offer the highest quality product and superb preparation, and at a price that will pleasantly surprise you. a price that will pleasantly surprise you. Michael’s wife, Ines, oversees the ﬁnishing touches and Michael’s wife, Ines, oversees the ﬁnishing touches and meticulously reviews all aspects of the catering experience. Ines meticulously reviews all aspects of the catering experience. Ines ensures every client receives the professional service Culinary ensures every client receives the professional service Culinary Touch Catering is known for. Touch Catering is known for. Culinary Catering offers offersaawide widevariety varietyofofcatering catering Culinary Touch Touch Catering services, including: services, including:

• • Business BusinessLunches Lunches • Galas Galas • • • Private PrivateChef ChefServices Services • Fundraisers Fundraisers • • • Corporate CorporateTrade TradeShows Shows • Weddings Weddings •

Michaelwas wasaapleasure pleasureto towork work with with when when planning Michael planning aa delicious deliciousmeal mealfor forour our wedding w reception. We received unanimous compliments from our 140 guests! w wedding reception. We received unanimous compliments from our 140 guests! Everything was perfect ~ from quality linens, presentation of wonderful food and Ev Ev Everything was perfect ~ from quality linens, presentation of wonderful food and the professional serving staff. Thank you CTC! the professional serving staff. Thank you CTC! -Cheryl Wiens -Cheryl Wiens

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contents... features 10 blended family 12 wedding cuisine 13 writing wedding vows 14 planning a wedding shower 20 popular trends of 2015 21 connect with your caterer 23 capturing memories 24 extra touches 26 ﬂoral arrangements 27 plus size dress shopping 36 crowd funding 37 planning a batchelor party 39 modern wedding 41 makeup & hair strategies 48 bridezilla 49 planning a stagette 50 hidden expenses 51 simplify & save 52 wedding registry 53 wedding videography 55 wedding leftovers 57 eco-friendly 59 invitations with a laugh 61 groom’s cakes

styles 17 simply romantic 29 golden luxe

45 antigua

31 garden delight

47 fort st. james

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19 great gatsby

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ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 9

Henri Kjerside Photography

30(8*(8* D 5<< -6*,- ),0 Family and friends make for the perfect wedding that gives everyone a piece of the action A well-known ancient African proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child”; but does it take a village to put on a wedding? In the case of one Maple Ridge couple, it was the input of a village of family and friends that made their late November Harrison Hot Springs celebration perfect. The bride, Jennifer Hamilton (owner of the Oxygen Yoga and Fitness franchise chain), has three children from a previous marriage. Early on in the relationship it was apparent that the groom, Shayne Dundas, would make all the right moves to blend in and make himself part of the family. “He knocked on the door, told the kids he had something he needed to ask them and then asked for their permission to take me on a date,” Jen said. That was a little more than two years ago and this newly blended family is still reveling in a wonderful wedding and the promise of more terriﬁc memories. Shayne had not been married previously and had no kids of his own, but according to Jen he has taken on her kids as if they are his own. In fact, both Jen and Shayne commented on this fact in their spoken exchanges during the wedding ceremony; though neither knew what the other had planned in those messages. According to Jen, Harrison Hot Springs was the ideal choice. “It was a beautiful venue,” Jen said of the Friday through Sunday event held at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort. “We wanted the idea of going away. We would probably have just had the two of us and gone off to some remote place [if there weren’t so many people they wanted involved].” Instead, the couple ended up with about 70 people in attendance, 13 of them were kids. “They [the kids] had their own table and it was just as much their own event as it was ours,” Jen noted. 10 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

Jen described the wedding as being relaxed and easy-going. “We wanted a weekend away with close friends and family and that’s what we achieved,” she said. Sons, Brayden (13) and Keanyn walked Jen down the aisle – one on either side – while daughter, Morgan gave a speech, which drew both tears and laughter, to kick things off. Morgan had been asked to recite a poem, but her poem took on a life of its own in the hands of the 11-year-old twin to Keanyn. “We told her she could ask for help if she wanted, but she did it on her own. The kids were so involved and it was really real,” commented Jen. “We wanted them to have a part in the ceremony. Everybody had a piece of the wedding. Other people even commented on how everyone came together to make it happen. It was a community.” It was Jen’s best friend Henri Kjerside of Henri Kjerside Photography who took the photos and the fact that the wedding was in late November wasn’t an issue, even though it was 15 below outside! “It [the sub-zero weather] didn’t cause a problem though. We did candid shots and posed shots,” noted Jen. “Henri tried to get us to go outside, but it was too cold.” Officiating the ceremony was Christina Raskin, one of Jen’s lead instructors at Oxygen. “She’s such a spiritual, real person,” Jen said. It was a casual conversation that led to Jen and Shayne learning Christina could officiate. A quick discussion afterwards sealed the deal. Henri’s mom took care of decorations at the resort while the bride’s mom and dad provided flowers from their own flower shop. Although the Copper Room at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort, where the event was held, has a regular band, Jen’s sister and brother in law served as DJs for the night.

“We picked the colour [coordinating colour] based on a shirt my son liked at Winners,” Jen said. “It was like that for most things, they just came together easily.” Jen’s white dress was ﬂoor length with some fun additional blinged-out detailing added during alterations.

since all the photos of the wedding. “It was a lot of fun,” commented Jen. Running her own business keeps Jen busy and Shayne’s recent job change is keeping him hopping, but as Jen explained, “he has his own things, I have my own things, but then we come together and have this great life as a family.”

“I never thought I’d wear that kind of dress again,” Jen said. “But I wanted him [Shayne] to be impressed. I wanted to wow him.” The couple also had a suite in the newer wing of the hotel to allow for a relaxed hospitality suite where they ordered pizza late into the night for those not ready to let the party end.

“The Jones Boys are a staple there [playing in the Copper Room], but we brought in DJ’ed music and I think everyone [in the restaurant] enjoyed it, it was great seeing everyone get up and dance to the different music,” Jen noted. The music took on a special twist with a ﬂashback to Shayne’s proposal to Jen. “He had surprised me with tickets to see Elton John in Vegas and he proposed when he [Elton John] played Tiny Dancer,” the bride reminisced. Unknown to each other, both the bride and the groom requested Tiny Dancer as their ﬁrst song. In some ways the wedding was traditional, but in others it was very laid-back and nonchalant.

Looking forward, the bride and groom are already making future plans. The family has moved into their own new home and is planning a honeymoon in the spring when bride, groom and the three kids will explore Hawaii together. “We’ve already planned to get remarried on our 10 year anniversary,” Jen noted. Plus a new tradition will include returning to Harrison Hot Springs every year to celebrate and relive the moment. “It will be a tradition that every year on our anniversary Shayne will wear his suit again,” she added. An adventurous and close-knit group, the family even did a spontaneous photo-shoot at the Christmas displays at the Port Coquitlam Art Knapp garden centre even though it hadn’t been long

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ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 11

all about

weddings 2015

hot trends in

wedding cuisine

nce a couple has ofﬁcially tied the knot, the newly recognized man and wife and all of their guests will retire to a party room where they can mingle, dance and enjoy a good meal.

all about

weddings Cover Photo: RF Weddings Photography

2015

Couple: Michael & Christina Chu

Publisher Ryan McAdams Project Manager Peggy O’Brien Project Team Shannon Balla Ellyn Schriber Graphic Design & Layout Robyn Moores

All About Weddings is a co-operative publication published by Langley Advance, Surrey Now & Tri Cities Now Special Thanks To: Ronda Eyben for her words. Ciao Bella Photography Henri Kjerside Photography Kimberlee Reimer Photography RF Weddings Photography Richelle Akimow Photography Simply Sweet Photography for all their talent with a camera. Desy Cheng & Alisa Sakamoto Michael & Christina Chu Brad & Lisa Van Koughnett for their love stories.

In the past, standard fare like prime rib and roasted chicken dominated wedding menus. But today’s weddings cater to people of various culinary tastes, and couples and their guests can expect more upscale and creative cuisine to be rolled out for wedding receptions. The following are a handful of the more popular trends with regard to wedding cuisine. • Miniature bites. Many people say good things come in small packages, and when it comes to miniature versions of favourite foods, they may be right. Instead of large meals that fill guests up fast, they can munch on smaller bites of their favourite dishes. How about a piece of meatloaf topped with whipped mashed potatoes? A cherry tomato with a small piece of mozzarella cheese makes a mini caprese salad. Turning favourite foods into bite-sized adventures can add a touch of whimsy to the reception. • Breakfast for dinner. Some couples are circumventing high price tags for their weddings by choosing to hold the festivities at less expensive times of day. Brunch-themed weddings are a big hit with those who would much rather dine on a stack of pancakes than a dish of pasta. Omelet stations, croissants and a bevy of other breakfast table fare can be enjoyed any time of the day. • Dim sum. Dim sum allows guests to sample different foods without filling up. Carts of dumplings and other small plates of appetizers can be wheeled around so everyone can choose what they want and what they want to avoid. • Gourmet comfort food. People love familiar comfort foods, but now gourmet comfort foods are shaking up wedding receptions. Mac-and-cheese with gouda and brie or chicken pot pie with a puffpastry crust are a few offerings that can add glamour to down-home cooking. • Food with a show. Instead of passed foods or buffet stations, couples are opting to make food an experience for guests. An oyster bar with a chef serving fresh seafood or a dessert master whipping up flambé is a feast for the eyes and mouth. • Interesting buffet stations. Keep guests on their toes with various meal stations. A bountiful display of artisanal cheeses, fruits and breads will be a cheese lover’s dream. These stations also can be appetizing focal points around the room and ensure all guests get a bite of what they like best. • Family style. Rustic and informal weddings have grown in popularity. Rather than food being brought to the guests or participants lining up in buffet lines, family-style dining allows guests to share conversation and pass the peas at the same time. Larger, rectangular tables allow more guests to sit with one another and serve themselves food from community plates located in the center of the tables. • Food and beverage pairings. Food-forward wedding couples are offering guests mouthwatering appetizers matched with a cocktail. A slider and a craft beer or a dumpling and a shot of saki are examples of this trend. • Nontraditional ‘fake’ cakes. Instead of a multi-tiered cake or the cupcake fad that is starting to fizzle, couples are now opting for something new. Desserts that mimic the look of cake, but aren’t quite that combination of sponge and frosting are trending. Crepes, pies, cookies, and doughnuts are acceptable and can add a creative spark to the cake-cutting ceremony. When offered along with dessert stations, guests can certainly get their fill of sweet delights. • Vegan and gluten-free options. Chances are one or more people attending the reception will be on a restricted diet. Rather than relegate these guests to dining on side dishes and patchwork meals, certain couples are building entire offerings around vegan and gluten-free foods. Couples are getting creative with their food and beverage offerings at their weddings. Guests never know which culinary wonders they will encounter as they gather to wish the newlyweds well.

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wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many couples, so brides and grooms wish for the event to be momentous and memorable. As such, couples are increasingly integrating personal nuances into their ceremonies and receptions to tailor weddings to their unique visions. The desire to include personalized wedding vows continues to be a popular trend. If you are considering personalized wedding vows, first realize that it may not be a simple task. That’s because you want the message conveyed to be dear to your heart, and that can be challenging when faced with the pressures and planning of the rest of the wedding. That isn’t to say that writing your own vows is impossible. Here are some guidelines for personalizing your ceremony with your own sentiments. • Schedule time for writing. Amid the bustle of dress fittings and interviews with photographers, it can be easy to put off the important task of writing vows for another day. But as any great writer can attest, it takes writing -- and rewriting -- to achieve a finished product you can be proud of. Give the task of writing your vows your undivided attention. Mark it in on your calendar or set a reminder on your computer just as you would any other appointment. • Be aware of ceremony guidelines. It is best to check with your officiant and confirm that personalized wedding vows are allowed. During civil ceremonies it’s often acceptable to customize vows as you see fit. However, during religious ceremonies there may be lines of scripture that need to be read or certain passages required. Before you spend hours working on the task, be sure that it is allowed and that your spouse and you are on the same page.

• Jot down your feelings. Answer some questions about what marriage means to you and how you feel about your spouse. Try to avoid trite sayings and think from your heart and personal experiences. Think about what is the most important thing you want to promise to your future partner. These notes can serve as the starting points for the actual vows. • Read inspirational writings. Perhaps there is an author or a poet who inspires you? You can quote certain writers in your vows or let the tone of their works help shape the words of your vows. There also are suggested wedding readings and other quotes about marriage readily available at the library or with a quick search online. • Decide on a tone. Although the day is based on love and affection, you may not feel comfortable spouting words of adoration in front of friends and family. Feel free to tap into your unique personality. Humour can be used if it aligns with the way you normally express your affections. Be sure to weave this tone into more traditional passages to create a cohesive expression of your feelings. • Establish an outline. Put together all of the words and phrases you’ve jotted down into an outline to help you organize the ﬂow of the vows, using these words as a blueprint for the vows and building upon them. Make sure the vows will be concise. Aim for your entire speech to be around one minute in length to keep everyone engaged and the ceremony moving along. • Put everything together. Draft your vows and then practice them by reading out loud. You want to avoid long sentences or anything that trips you up. Although large words may sound impressive, they could make the vows seem too academic and not necessarily heartfelt. Enlist the help of a friend or two to act as your audience to see if the vows sound good and are easily understandable. Writing your own vows can be a way to include personal expressions of love into a couple’s wedding day. Public speaking is seldom easy, nor is ﬁnding the perfect words to convey feelings about a future spouse. However, with some practice and inspiration, anyone can draft personalized vows. ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 13

wedding showers

continue to break from tradition

ain showers on a wedding day may bring good luck, but they are seldom coveted. However, a different type of shower altogether is often highly anticipated and can help couples feel like they’re one in a million.

Wedding showers are gift-giving parties held for couples about to get married. The custom began in the nineteenth century and continues to present day, primarily in North America and Australia. Guests traditionally “shower” the bride-to-be with all the necessities (and some fun extras) that she will need after she ties the knot. These gifts will help the soonto-be-married couple establish a home together. Bridal showers are steeped in tradition, but today’s bridal showers continue to veer off the beaten path. Nowadays, bridal showers feature fun and games much like a party having nothing to do with a wedding. TheKnot.com, a website that aims to help couples plan their weddings and all the events leading up to the big day, identiﬁes these key trends in modern bridal showers. • Couples’ showers: Modern couples who like to be all-inclusive are now planning bridal showers that cater to mixed audiences. Dubbed a “couple shower,” these parties include female and male friends and relatives. Gifts are still the main focus of

14 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

the event, but they’re varied and include guy-friendly items within the mix of household goods. • Power showers: Many are familiar with the terms “man cave” and “bromance,” but few may know that there are now wedding showers geared entirely around the groom. Known as Gifts are still important, but new trends in wedding showers have shifted “power showers,” these events focus on the focus of these events. the groom-to-be, who is showered with a bevy of gadgets and power tools that • Bride-involved showers: The idea of walking into are certain to stock his future garage. The parties a room and being surprised by friends and family are decidedly more testosterone-friendly and can members is appealing to some brides-to-be but not include golf outings, poker nights or action movie everyone. Some brides prefer not to be surprised by ﬂicks as possible themes. a shower and actually would like to have a role in • Destination/activity showers: Rather than the planning of the party. However, this is delicate ground on which to tread, considering there may be having guests hang around a restaurant watching differences over where the party is held and even gift after gift get unwrapped, some bridal parties the overall experience of the party. These type of opt to throw an activity shower. These showers are showers should be discussed before any plans are focused around a particular activity. For example, made, and tasks should be delegated in accordance ladies may be treated to a day at the spa. Other ideas include horseback riding at a stable or a day at with those plans. the ballpark. Because hosting an activity shower for It is customary for a bridal shower to take place dozens of people may get expensive, these types before a wedding. But new trends have emerged of showers may be reserved for only your closest that are shaking up the way showers are planned friends and family members. and held.

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.(:4<9 06:58E1 Credit Due: Photography: Simply Sweet Photography by Nomo Akisawa www.simplysweetphotographybynomoakisawa.com Design & Decor: Taffete Designs • www.taffetedesigns.com Make Up & Stylist: Jasmine Hoffman • www.jasminehoffman.com Dress: Bisou Bridal • www.bisoubridal.com Jewels: Jeweliette Jewellery • www.jeweliette.com

Sweets: Carmen’s Sweet Creations Shoes: Valentinos Venue: L’atelier Home • www.latelierhome.com Hair: Annie Mili Hair • www.hairwhisperer.ca Model: Kim James Florals: Celsia Florist • www.celsiaﬂoral.com ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 17

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Make Up & Hair: Make Up & Hair By Ai • www.ainagasawa.ca Cake: Cake By Annie • www.cakebyannie.com Florals: Unique Boutique • www.auniqueboutique.ca Stationary: Making Memories With Scrapbooking www.makingmemorieswithscrapbooking.com Hair Piece: Olivia • www.oliviaheadpieces.com Dress: Bisou Bridal • www.bisoubridal.com Model: Kysa “Heidi” Haraldson ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 19

20 â&#x2C6;&#x17E; ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

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How to connect with the

right caterer

arty hosts take on a signiﬁcant amount of responsibility when they agree to entertain family and friends. When such gatherings are especially large, some hosts opt to hire a catering company to feed their guests. Catering companies are often associated with weddings and graduations, but such businesses also can be hired for less momentous occasions. Hiring a catering company for a home party is not necessarily the same as hiring one for a wedding. Couples about to tie the knot often receive a list of recommended caterers from the venue hosting their receptions, and that list gives them a starting point for their caterer search right away. Such lists are not provided when hosting at home, but the following tips can help home hosts connect with the right caterer for their next get-together. • Seek recommendations. Just because there’s no wedding planner there to offer advice with respect to caterers does not mean you don’t have some resources at your disposal. Seek recommendations from friends, family and professional colleagues. If a coworker is tasked with planning your company’s events, speak with that colleague about the nature of your party and ask if he or she can recommend some local caterers who might be able to meet your needs with respect to both budget and menu.

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• Comparison shop. Even if the first caterer you visit presents an incredible menu that’s within your budget, it still helps to comparison shop, as the catering industry is competitive and you might be able to find an equally impressive caterer who can offer a similar menu for less money. If your favourite caterer provides an estimate that’s considerably more expensive than the competition, try to negotiate a lower price with that caterer. Caterers are often creative enough to find something to work within your budget, but you will never know if you do not attempt to negotiate. • Ask if the caterer specializes in a particular cuisine or type of event. When speaking with various catering companies, ask each if they specialize in a particular type of food and if they are used to catering specific types of events. If your party has a theme, then find a caterer who specializes in foods that fit into that theme. Similarly, you will want a caterer who has experience catering your type of event. Many caterers can effectively handle a range of events, from smaller soirees like a child’s birthday party to more elaborate corporate affairs, but knowing how much experience they have with your particular type of party can provide some peace of mind. • Insist on a tasting. Once you have found the caterer you want, schedule a tasting so you can experience the caterer’s menu firsthand. Many caterers offer an array of cuisines, and the tasting allows you to narrow down those choices so your menu is not all over the map come the day of the party. During the tasting, ask if the caterer uses frozen or fresh foods when preparing meals. Fresh foods are more favourable than frozen, and the bill likely reflects fresh food prices, so do not hesitate to request that only fresh foods are served at your party. • Get a contract. Every host’s nightmare is inviting friends, family members or professional colleagues over only to have something go wrong with the food. Avoiding such stress is why many people hire caterers in the first place. But that stress is only avoided when hosts get a contract in writing that carefully details what the caterer is providing and when food will be served. Read the contract carefully before signing to ensure the cost and timing of the party is clearly illustrated.

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ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 21

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When it comes time to plan your special day, consider the Pacific Inn Resort as your wedding event and accommodation venue. We offer the finest and largest event facilities in the South Surrey area with spacious, elegant rooms that open onto a gorgeous garden courtyard. A picturesque fountain and gazebo provide a beautiful backdrop for photos and a great place to enjoy cocktails. Our catering services are world-class with a variety of exceptional cuisine and we can also provide DJs, live performers, wedding cakes, themed decorations, flowers, limousines and everything else you need to make the occasion unforgettable! *The Pacific Inn will provide a complimentary honeymoon room for the bride and groom and provide special room rates for your out-of-town guests. We will also offer one complimentary room for every 20 room nights booked. Call for details.

Phone: (604)-535-1432 Fax: (604)-531-6979 Email: sales@pacificinn.com • www.pacificinn.com 1160 King George Boulevard, White Rock/Surrey, BC, V4A 4Z2 Canada 22 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

why

professional photographers

may be your best choice

igital cameras have largely replaced traditional cameras, and even those who do not use digital cameras can no doubt use their smartphones or other devices to take pretty good photos. Capturing and sharing life’s memorable or even mundane moments, be it a child’s humorous antics, a meal enjoyed out on the town or just a lazy moment at home, has become the norm, and the digital revolution has turned so many people into budding photographers. But as capable as amateur photographers can be, there are still those moments that are best captured by the professionals. The beneﬁts to hiring a professional photographer to capture life’s more memorable moments, whether it’s a wedding, birthday or family portrait, are many. Professional photographers’ creativity, experience and insight as to what makes a great photo is an invaluable asset. Professionals analyze their shots and know how to create the unique images their clients want. When you have only one chance to capture an important moment, professional photographers can provide peace of mind and quality photos. Professionals use intricate, expensive equipment and specially constructed studios, and they know how to manipulate lenses, lighting and various accessories to achieve the desired shots. Furthermore, photographers know how to adjust apertures and shutter speeds to capture everything from portraits to action shots. Most photographers have a rapport working with people and can get even the most camera-shy individual to embrace the camera. After spending time with clients during the photography session, professionals often spend several hours uploading the images and editing them to present a diverse gallery of retouched images. Photographers then spend more time working with you and going over options for photo effects and how to best display the images. Even after images have been enhanced, further tweaking may be done on ordered prints, especially if a special effect is desired. When photos are ready to be printed, professional photographers use a trusted “pro lab” that offers top-of-the line equipment. This can produce prints that are far superior to those printed at a supermarket or drug store. The lab can use specialty paper to ensure your photo lasts through the years and produces the best colours and sharpness. Because such extensive effort is put into professional photos, working with a photographer will be more expensive than taking photos and printing them yourself. Some photo clients are surprised at the costs quoted to them by a professional photographer and even scoff at such high prices. However, those costs cover the time commitment on the photographer’s part, the use of high-end and often expensive equipment, and professional editing, which explains the high price for professional work. Unlike amateurs, professional photographers are often skilled in various styles, ensuring the photos you want will be the ones you end up getting, whether you want contemporary, photojournalistic or traditional photos. Professional photographers have an eye for creating memory-making photos, whether it’s kids’ portraits or wedding photos.

In those instances when a person wants to capture a momentous occasion and be ensured the best results, only a professional photographer will do.

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make guests feel special

with these extra touches

edding receptions run the gamut from small, intimate gatherings in a restaurant to large spectacles featuring hundreds of guests inside a banquet hall. At the heart of any wedding reception is the desire to present a memorable party for all in attendance. That being said, there are some steps couples can take to add extra indulgence to wedding receptions and really set them apart from the mundane.

With the average cost of weddings now teetering around $28,000, couples certainly are pulling out expensive stops to treat guests to a good party. Although some may argue that spending tens of thousands of dollars on a one-time event is preposterous, there are scores of couples who want to splurge on an event that (hopefully) will be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. With this in mind, many want to add special touches to the wedding that will show guests how much they are appreciated and to make their celebration different from previous weddings. Here are some ways to do just that. • Butler-passed hors d’oeuvres: During the cocktail hour guests are mingling and taking advantage of the opportunity to engage in conversation. This may be the last real opportunity to chat amongst one another before the volume of the band or deejay drowns out discussions. Rather than disrupt the ﬂow of conversation to make a trip to the food stations, choose butler-passed hors d’oeuvres to bring food right to the guests. It lends a feeling of indulgence and is also a convenient way to keep guests satiated.

• Valet parking: Most wedding venues provide on-site valet parking. However, if you’re using a restaurant or banquet hall that does not provide this service, you can hire a valet company to do the parking for guests. While you will be whisked to and fro in the back of a limousine, guests will have to do their own driving. Being able to exit the car right in front of the venue and not worry about finding a parking space will be convenient for guests. • Emergency toiletries baskets: Rather than spending money on an extra floral arrangement for the men’s and women’s restrooms, purchase items that can be grouped into a handy basket. For women, include items such as extra pairs of stockings, spray deodorant, sanitary items, and sewing kits. For men, mints or mouthwash, dental floss, cologne, and stain removal pens may come

Let us help you create one of the most important days of your life. Meadows Gardens Golf Club is conveniently located in Pitt Meadows, right off the Golden Ears Bridge. Choose from four different rooms accommodating a gala affair for 300 or a corporate boardroom meeting for 8. We have a 2000 square foot patio to hold wedding ceremonies or great for BBQ’s after your golf tournament. All looking out at our famous 18th hold stone bridges. Our world-class facility and beautifully landscaped grounds offers a fabulous backdrop for any event. The food and beverage team can create menus to suit every need. Weddings, Golf Tournaments, Corporate Seminars, Christmas parties... we can assit you with it all!

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in handy. In the event that a minor mishap occurs during the wedding, guests will have items at their disposal to remedy it. • Specialty courses: In addition to the cocktail hour and the main meal, you may be able to arrange specialty stations for guests with particular palates or interests. Some couples like to have a cigar smoking area or you can offer specialty cocktails. When ethnic customs are included in a wedding, menu items can be geared around native dishes. Candy and dessert bars are also popular to have at weddings, particularly if children are invited. A flambe dessert presentation is both a spectacle and a treat. • Overnight accommodations: For the wedding that will run into the wee hours of the morning, offer guests a place to stay nearby to remove the hassle of driving home at a late hour. Some reception halls have arrangements with nearby hotels. For those that don’t, negotiate a discounted rate for wedding guests. If your skin feels dry Many do and will set aside a block of rooms for your or your hair event with a discount code. out of place, You may want to treat guests who choose to stay you’re not feeling so hot over to a complementary or whatever the case... breakfast the next day as one final show of Here’s some things appreciation. • Special seating: Guests who may have mobility issues or difficulty hearing may appreciate being seated in certain spots for convenience. Seat the elderly or handicapped close to the

exits and the restrooms if possible. When choosing a reception room, conﬁrm the distance to the restrooms to make it convenient for those who may not be able to walk far. Those who may be sensitive to the music can be seated away from the speakers. And of course, every attempt should be made to seat individuals who may have conﬂicts with others away from one another. • Birthday and anniversary mentions: You can notify the band or deejay of any guests in attendance who may be celebrating their own special events on your wedding day or in close proximity. There are many extra touches you can take as a couple to make guests feel welcomed and important at your wedding.

to help you along. Now hurry back out before you miss the next song! ~

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STAY YOU.™ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 25

helpful hints when choosing

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ouples must make many decisions when planning their wedding, not the least of which is choosing floral arrangements. Some couples have never had to make choices regarding floral arrangements, so it’s understandable if they need some help before making a decision that will likely make a significant impact on the appearance of their weddings. • Go with your own style. Couples should not feel pressured to go with a more traditional style if that’s not something that suits them. Instead, choose a style that most appeals to you, be it neutral or bold colors, formal or more casual arrangements, and so on. Your style might also reveal a preference for something other than roses, which is perfectly alright. It’s your wedding. • Stay in-season when possible. When choosing a floral arrangement, it’s important to consider when you’ll be getting married and which flowers will be in-season. It’s possible to find most floral varieties all year, but if you choose seasonal flowers, you’ll likely pay less and such flowers will be more readily available and durable.

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26 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

• Don’t go it alone. The wedding day is going to be busy enough without brides and grooms having to worry about arranging the bouquets.

A professional florist, ideally one who has come highly recommended, should be able to work within your budget and produce a visually stunning end product. • Consider candles to save money. Many couples hope for a floral centerpiece at each table, but that can prove costly. If the floral budget is somewhat limited, supplement the centerpieces with candles to save some money. The centerpieces likely won’t be as grandiose, but smaller floral arrangements coupled with candles can create a romantic feel. • Stick to the budget. Couples will find it’s very easy to go over budget quickly with regard to floral arrangements. But a good florist should be able to work within your budget and produce an arrangement that’s visually impressive without costing a fortune.

/0,.. .)644(8* E4. for plus-sized brides-to-be

eddings are special days for couples tying the knot. But even the most carefully planned wedding requires some patience and perseverance.

For brides-to-be, finding the right gown is one element of wedding planning that calls for patience and persistence. Trial and error is often part of the process as women look for the perfect wedding gown. Brides-to-be who have a specific style in mind may find that their dream gown doesn’t always live up to expectations, while another style of dress they never imagined wearing turns out to be a stunner. Another challenge many women face when gown shopping is that many wedding gowns are styled and geared toward women with slender figures, making the process of selecting a gown for a curvier bride a bit more difficult. But any bride, regardless of size or figure, can find the ideal dress, especially when she employs the following tips. • Sample sizes fit a select few. Bridal shops carry a range of dresses but may only stock one or two sample dresses. For economy, these samples are a median size that are intended to fit as many shoppers as possible. Such gowns are usually in the neighbourhood of a size 10. Most women, whether petite or plussize, will not fit into the sample, so do not get discouraged.

• Call bridal stores in advance to schedule your visits. Your time is precious, so call bridal shops prior to visiting and explain to them your size and what you are looking for in a gown. This will ensure you aren’t wasting your time driving to stores that can’t provide what you want. • Select the right fabrics. Heavier fabrics like taffeta, silk dupioni and satin may

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• Use salespeople as a resource. The right salesperson can make wedding shopping much easier and far more pleasant. Don’t rest until you find someone who is excited to work with you and will give you his or her honest opinion and recommendations. • Dresses can be altered. Every bride needs some alterations made to her dress to achieve the perfect fit. Plus-sized brides may need a few extras. A dress is unlikely to meet all of your needs right off the rack, so find a good seamstress who can alter your dress to meet your needs. Sleeves can be put on, dresses can be shortened, support can be added, and many customizations can be done to a gown post-production. • Find a flattering shape. Choose a gown with a full-skirt or an A-line skirt with an empire or a dropped-waist seam that will elongate your midriff and flow away from your hips. Curvier brides typically avoid strapless gowns, as such dresses have a tendency to make a woman’s shoulders and arms look wider. • Don’t get stuck on size. Sizes vary widely depending on the manufacturer. Wedding gowns tend to be labeled with couture sizes, which are much smaller than street sizes. A good salesperson should have a reasonable conversion chart or will choose sizes based on your measurements alone. Ignore the size on the tag and go for the gown that fits.

Ciao Bella Photography

• Visit large retail chains. Popular wedding dress chains, such as David’s Bridal, may have a wider selection of sample dresses in larger sizes. Department stores as well as designers who specialize in plus-size gowns also make good resources.

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read carefully if considering a new kind of funding to pay for your wedding.

Rising costs and an increased use of technology have brought about new questions in wedding planning that Miss Manners never imagined. Crowd-funding, an internet-based way to raise funds for projects, charities and causes has come into the world of weddings and is making waves. Couples are turning to online fundraising tools to ease the burden of a very expensive and very important event in their lives. It begins with the invitation and, in most cases, a personalized wedding website. Your grandmother (and probably your mother) were told not to put information about gift registries or what they wanted into a wedding invitation. Word of mouth would ensure everyone knew where to shop or what to get for the newlywed’s life together.

Those rules have changed with registry information making its way into invitations and onto websites. However, while it is still considered crass by many to state that cash is preferred over a gift, some couples are taking pushing the rules even further by asking for funds up front to help pay for the wedding itself. Is it appropriate? This remains to be seen, but with the number of couples who live together and purchase homes before saying “I do”, the traditional wedding gifts no longer fit the bill. Cash is commonly replacing toasters and towels, but asking for it – specifically beforehand, in the case of crowd-funding – is a new twist. Couples who choose to use crowd-funding will need to find the right site (or do-itthemselves), but most importantly, they must ensure the website address and other details are perfect on the invitations. Nothing causes frustration as much as a typo in a web or email address. Those most likely to be successful with crowdfunding their wedding will have unique needs. Couples with large families, same-sex partners in regions where weddings have recently become legal and those with large

medical expenses or other extreme cashdemands may find their request for funding more appealing to guests and others. Be warned however – this is new territory for weddings. Couples planning on using crowdfunding for their nuptials may find it isn’t as successful as they hoped or that guests want to share their opinions on the fundraising: good, bad or otherwise. Involving others in your wedding need not be as controversial as crowd-funding. With the immediacy and availability of connected devices, crowd-sourcing activities offer involvement without the potential conflicts. Invite guests to tweet, post and share photos, wedding music, videos and well-wishes through designated sites. Again, it is essential to have the information perfect so guests can successfully contribute. Many couples have successfully used crowdfunding in a charitable way. Ask guests to donate to a special charity in lieu of gifts and provide exact details of how to contribute. The internet has provided a whole new world of ideas for wedding planning, but when it comes to crowd-funding, proceed with caution.

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36 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

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bachelor party planning pointers

bachelor party is a tradition that some might be surprised to learn extends far beyond North America. Though bachelor parties go by many different names, these get-togethers held for a man shortly before he gets married are enjoyed in Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and South Africa.

The responsibility of planning a bachelor party traditionally falls on the shoulders of the groom-to-be’s best man, who can choose to plan the party on his own or enlist the help of his fellow groomsmen. Immortalized in ﬁlms such as 1984’s “Bachelor Party” and the 2009 comedy “The Hangover,” bachelor parties range from the tame to the relatively raucous to the outrageous. While best-men-to-be might be nervous about planning a bachelor party, the following are a handful of tips for men who want to make a friend or family member’s bachelor weekend as memorable as possible. • Don’t go it alone. Just because you are the best man does not mean you need to plan the entire bachelor party on your own. While you might want to add a few special and personal touches to the festivities, that does not mean you can’t enlist the help of your fellow groomsmen or the groom’s friends who are not included in the bridal party. Enlisting the help of others can be especially helpful when planning a party for a large group, which can be difﬁcult to organize. If the group is large and spread out, ask someone to represent each particular group of friends, such as childhood friends, college buddies and any professional associates who will be joining in the festivities. If the groom is your family member, you can take on the responsibility of coordinating with family members. Breaking things down can make it easier to organize and help the groom’s other close friends and family members feel like they are more involved in the festivities.

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• Ask the groom for a list of invitees. While it’s tradition to prevent the guest of honour from participating in the planning, it is a good idea to ask the groom for a list of people he wants to invite. This can help a best man who is not familiar with all of a groom’s friend’s or associates to organize the party, and it also ensures that friends who were not invited to the wedding are not mistakenly invited to the bachelor party. In addition, the groom may want certain people excluded from the festivities for personal reasons, so asking him for a list of invitees can help avoid any confusion or conﬂicts down the road. • Choose a different locale for the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Many couples have their bachelor and bachelorette parties on the same weekend, and such parties are meant to be a chance for the groom to spend time with his male friends while the bride spends time with her female friends. So when planning the bachelor party, the best man should ensure he does not choose the same locale as the maid of honour chooses for the bachelorette party. While many couples have abandoned traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties in favour of one big party for everyone a couple continued on page 38

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ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 37

continued from page 37

of nights before the wedding, those who are sticking to tradition likely want to keep the festivities separate. A best man can work with his female counterpart, the maid of honour, to ensure the parties don’t cross paths. • Plan at least one special event for the weekend. While many men would be content to enjoy one last weekend hanging out with their male friends before tying the knot, one way to make the weekend even more memorable for the groom-to-be is to plan at least one special event, which can act as the centerpiece of the weekend. This special event may include a group trip to attend a sporting event or an evening seeing the groom’s favourite band perform live. The event should cater to one of the groom’s interests, and if possible, keep things a surprise to make it even more memorable. • Limit the groom’s ﬁnancial responsibility. Chances are the groom has enough on his plate with regard to paying for his wedding, so it’s best to limit the groom’s ﬁnancial responsibility as much as possible. Don’t let him buy any drinks or food all weekend, and if you can afford to do so, foot the bill for his transportation and lodging as well. While such gestures are certainly not obligatory, they are thoughtful and will mean a lot to the groom-to-be.

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Traditions of their culture take centre stage for a Sikh couple’s wedding Newlyweds Nikki and Sukh Dhaliwal grew up in similar family environments. Both have parents who were born in India and both are attached to the Sikh roots they gained while growing up. It was an important factor when their August 2014 wedding hit the planning stages. “My mom made an effort to teach us Punjabi and read out of the Holy Book,” Sukh said in an interview with the couple. “I grew up living with my grandparents and my grandmother was very religious,” Nikki noted. “We actually memorized some of our prayers. It was always in the background of us growing up.” The couple met online through Plenty of Fish and found the dating site was exactly what they needed to find their perfect match. “Probably for both of us, it [using an online dating tool] was because we’re both kind of shy,” commented Nikki. Because Nikki had the same circle of friends for many years, she found she wasn’t meeting anyone new and needed to try something different. For Sukh, the reason was that he’d moved away from his close friends who might help find him the girl of his dreams. Sukh noted the religious aspect of his life was first and foremost when considering a partner. He and Nikki met in July of 2011 and spent their first date walking around the Gastown area of Vancouver. Within about eight months, the couple began talking about marriage. “We did a wedding website with dress code and explanations for each event,” Nikki noted as to how she helped the pair’s non-Sikh friends understand what was happening. “For example, at the temple you need to have your head covered.” “A lot of my female friends were concerned about what to wear to temple,” Sukh added. Nikki and her sister (she has three siblings) helped to outfit some of Nikki’s friends and the bride also went shopping with a few of

* is Arjun Hair Photography

them to help pick out traditional outfits. “A lot of my friends from work wanted to have [traditional] outfits and jewelry,” she noted. The wedding had a mix of both Indian and North American attire represented. “There’s no such thing as a purely traditional Indian wedding anymore,” Sukh said, acknowledging how many North American influences have crept into Indian weddings. Simple items like engagement rings and having attendants are not part of a traditional wedding in India, but are very much a part of a Canadian Indian wedding. That being said, Nikki chose not to have attendants. “I have too many girlfriends,” she said. “Though some of my friends and family coordinated their outfits with mine.” Other traditions Nikki modified was to move her Maiyan ceremony a couple of nights earlier and host it in a hall; and to keep her Choora ceremony (the night before the wedding) short and simple, and have it wrap up early. She wanted to be well rested for the big day. “I kind of wanted to space things out a bit,” she explained. The decision to do so was the right one, with her Maiyan ceremony being one of Nikki’s fondest memories. “It was just a lot of fun,” she said. “My feet were killing me by the end of it. My mom tried to shut it down and I told the DJ to keep playing.” Some of Nikki’s relatives even put together a special dance for her that they had been practicing for months to honour her at the Maiyan ceremony. “It was a very special night filled with love,” she noted. Trumpets, clarinets and other instruments in a marching band style announced Sukh’s arrival at the wedding. He’d also chosen a Karpan (sword) from home that was vintage looking and not as ornate or flashy as one that would be purchased today. “I actually got this one from, home thinking it was the one continued on page 40

ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 39

continued from page 39

my dad had used at their [his parents’ wedding],” he said. It turned out to simply be one that his dad had purchased years before, but Sukh is still glad he went with it instead of a more modern Karpan. For Sukh, watching his sisters (he has four siblings) and his mother getting themselves ready while also pushing everyone else to be on time, was an important memory. “The morning of the wedding, it’s always harder to get everyone to the wedding on time,” he noted. “I really appreciated them doing this.” Nikki wore traditional outfits to each event and bought her outfit for the wedding – a red and orange embellished gown-style – in India. She had Sukh’s turban dyed to match. These details were Nikki’s choices, but as is the case in most Indian weddings, there were a lot of gettogethers to make sure everything was going as planned. To honour her grandparents, Nikki added small lockets with their images to a bangle on each wrist. “I pretty much picked everything,” she noted. “And our moms took care of the traditional things.” For both Nikki and Sukh the fact that the entire process was “drama-free” was important, and they are thrilled at how happy everyone was from start to finish. “We both come from big families,” Nikki said. “Everyone was really happy it [the wedding] was all very happy. There was no drama. Everyone was excited to have each of us as a part of their family.” She further explained that in the early stages of their romance, family members wanted to make sure both Sukh and Nikki were happy. It was important that each of them came with the Sikh background the families had hoped for, but it was also important that the choice in partner was right to make the couple happy.

Creating unforgettable memories for over 50 years.

604-888-9025 www.dutchmanscaterers.com events@dutchmanscaterers.com 40 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

Be smart about

wedding beauty 40,4505E68

ll eyes are on the bride and groom on their wedding day. Feeling beautiful and dapper can boost a couple’s conﬁdence and ensure they look back on their wedding photographs and videos with pride.

Certain beauty basics and makeup and hair strategies can help any bride look spectacular on her wedding day. The following are some dos and don’ts of wedding day beauty preparations.

DO employ the services of a professional hairstylist and makeup artist. Professionals have the experience and tools of the trade to help you to look your best. From contouring to make your face seem slimmer to enlarging the appearance of small eyes, some tricks of the trade are best left to the pros. DON’T forget to schedule a trial run. Make this appointment several months before the wedding day so you have ample time to work with your stylists and experiment with colours and hair arrangements to fit your personality and the style of your gown. Take plenty of pictures and notes so you will remember what needs to be on hand for the wedding day. DO allot enough time for the wedding day beauty appointment. If you will be going to a salon, block out two or more slots instead of one. This way the stylist does not overbook and will not feel rushed. Many brides opt to have stylists come to their homes. There may be an extra charge for this service, but it may be well worth the cost. DON’T make any drastic changes to your appearance right before the wedding. This includes changing your hair colour or texture, extreme tanning, using coloured contact lenses, or chopping off all of your hair. It’s better to wait until after the wedding to change your style. DO bring a veil, headpiece, hair extensions, and any other accessories to your hair consult. This enables the stylist to practice working with these items. DON’T tweeze or wax brows too close to the start of the ceremony. Redness and swelling are common side effects of tweezing and waxing, and they can be difficult to mask with makeup. Instead, take care of hair removal a day or two prior to the wedding. DO exfoliate your skin prior to the wedding. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should endure a harsh fruit acid peel or another procedure. You can exfoliate with a gentle washing of your skin with a nubby washcloth to remove any dryness and errant flakes. Moisturize well to ensure a smooth palette for makeup application.

DON’T have bridesmaids wear makeup that is bolder than yours, especially red lips. No one should upstage the bride. DO experiment with any products you haven’t used before to test for allergic reactions and see how well they wear. DON’T wear too much under-eye concealer or one that is too light of a shade. This can draw more attention to problem areas than remedy them. DO bring a pain relief medication in case a tight hairstyle or headpiece causes a headache.

DON’T wash or condition hair the day of the wedding. Intricate styles tend to stay better when hair has a little grip. “Dirty” hair is easier to work with than shiny, freshly washed locks. If you must wash, remember to thoroughly dry your hair before going to your appointment.

DON’T forget that men need a little help as well. Exfoliation and moisturization can help dry skin. Guys should use a new razor and plenty of cream before shaving to avoid irritation. A dusting of ﬁnishing powder can banish shiny noses and foreheads for photoready faces.

DO wear a little extra makeup than you are accustomed to wearing because it will show up better in photos. However, do not wear so much that you look clownish. A makeup artist can help you achieve the right balance.

Chances are more photographs will be taken of a newlywed couple than at any other moment in their lives. Certain beauty dos and don’ts should be followed so couples put their best faces forward.

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ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 41

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RF Weddings Photography

/,.E85E68 1581@8 by Alisa Sakamoto

A Surprise Proposal After dating my boyfriend Desy for seven years, I knew that a proposal was eventually coming but didn’t know when. Because we both run our own businesses and were extremely busy, I wasn’t expecting anything to come up soon. We had planned a trip to visit Europe together in May and that was when I thought he would perhaps pop the question. However, he completely fooled me and proposed just a couple weeks before our trip! He orchestrated a ‘fake contest’ that ended with a stunning Tacori ring on my ﬁnger. Going to Europe after he proposed was also part of his plan as it was like a pre-honeymoon! I felt so lucky and spoiled. The Search for the Perfect Venue Since my husband is in the wedding industry, he has been to almost every single wedding venue in Vancouver. Nothing we chose in the city was special anymore, so we decided on a destination wedding in a tropical place! I love the sun so we wanted to choose somewhere in the Caribbean. We started off with a site visit to Punta Cana and visited a few hotels there. Although the hotels would provide a beautiful backdrop for our wedding, we ended up choosing Mexico based on the food and overall experience. Desy has been to many resorts in Mexico and one that stood out was the Dreams Riviera Cancun. Unlike some mega resorts which were far too large, Dreams was nice and intimate so wherever you go in the resort, you were bound to run into someone from the wedding. Aside from the layout, the food, and the service, we also chose Dreams

words from the bride

because of the gorgeous wedding locations. The pool-side gazebo for the ceremony was beautiful and Mexican-themed restaurant was like no other. The Wedding Planning To help plan and coordinate the travel for 57 of our dearest family and friends, we chose Marsha Steeve’s Destination Wedding. As surprising as this may sound, I actually let Desy plan most of the wedding! From his line of work, he’s been to hundreds of weddings and has gathered many ideas. From designing our website and invitations, to planning the décor, he did it all (well most of it)! Our wedding also wouldn’t have been the same without the help and support from our great friends in the wedding industry from RF Weddings (Photo/Video), Jayna Marie (Hair/Makeup), Davie & Chiyo (Bridal Clutches and Accessories), and Butter Studios (Live Instagram Printing). Wedding Details My favourite colour is coral so I had all my bridesmaids choose different dresses so that it wouldn’t be so uniform. The guys wore matching light grey trousers, white button up shirts with suspenders and brown boat shoes. We gave all our guests white sunglasses as welcome gifts tagged with our own custom logo. Our tables were decorated with sparkly crystals, lots of candles and burlap. We painted picture frames a tiffany blue colour and used them for our table names. We brought a Polaroid camera for our guests to use and they hung up the photos with clothes pins on a string of twine. Lastly, we had a basket full of coral ﬂip

flops with a sign “When your feet are tired and sore, grab a pair and dance some more!” Full of Surprises The day was full of surprises. The first surprise happened 30 minutes before our ceremony; we came across a torrential downpour which turned into hail! We thought that by having a tropical destination wedding we were surely going to dodge the rain. All the days leading up to the wedding were gorgeous and sunny so it was ironic that it rained right before I was going to be walking down the aisle. But rain on your wedding day is a sign of “good luck”, right? You can imagine my disappointment when we had to postpone the ceremony and move it to an alternate covered site. Luckily, as the storm passed by, the sun started shining through again and an amazing rainbow appeared. To our surprise the new ceremony site was actually better than the one we had originally chosen – it was more private and secluded with palm trees as our backdrop. Our friends from Butter Studios surprised our guests by live-printing out Instagram photos with our hashtag #alisadesy2014. Desy’s team from RF Weddings also surprised us with a same-day slideshow in addition to a same-day edit. And lastly, for our first dance, we surprised everyone with a show of fireworks surrounding the dance floor. The night ended perfectly with everyone dancing together in a large circle and singing Greenday – Time of your life. It truly was the ‘time of our life’ and we are very thankful to have all our family and friends there to celebrate with us.

ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 43

Celebrate your in a

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wedding of 2014 songs

If I Didn’t Have You • Thompson Square First Day Of My Life • Bright Eyes Adore You • Miley Cyrus Mean To Me • Brett Eldredge You Are The Best Thing • Ray LaMontagne God Gave Me You • Blake Shelton Grow Old With Me • Tom Odell Thinking Out Loud • Ed Sheeran I Won’t Give Up • Jason Mraz

t he#1 H H0.0.- /581, .68* 6+

2014 is...

All of Me • John Legend

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RF Weddings Photography

/,.E85E68 58E*@5 by Christina Chu

A Romantic Proposal Michael decided we take a romantic vacation to the gorgeous island of St. Lucia. On 11.11.11 (Remembrance Day) Michael planned an adventure filled day and later a romantic sunset beach dinner served at a table surrounded by roses in the shape of a heart. After a delicious meal, our white gloved waiter presented a dessert plate which had the words “will you marry me?” written in chocolate surrounding the designer diamond engagement ring. Michael got down on one knee and proposed while a photographer captured this once-in-alifetime moment. Why a Destination Wedding Inspired by our love of travel, we knew we had to find a setting as profound as our love to celebrate the most important day of our lives. We wanted our guests to enjoy a warm tropical paradise, spend quality time together and nothing is more special than making cherished memories in paradise with the most important people in our lives. Why Blue Waters in Antigua? We fell in love with Blue Waters Diamond Jubilee award winning boutique style resort which boasts top quality food, friendly service and a paradiselike atmosphere with family style villas. We stayed at the unparalleled Rock Cottage which has been voted “Best waterfront villa in the world” by Harper’s magazine. It’s the ultimate in luxury villas, perfect for entertaining and features five

words from the bride

bedrooms, a massive wrap around patio, infinity pool, open indoor/outdoor living area, boat dock and private beach. The Rock Cottage served as “wedding headquarters”. Blue Waters has a breathtaking outdoor wedding gazebo which is uniquely situated at the end of a peninsula that allowed for picturesque views. Blue Waters Antigua was the perfect place for us and beyond our wildest dreams. Wedding Attire The entire bridal party and grooms attire was custom made. After failing to say “Yes to the dress!” at Kleinfeld in NYC, I decided to design my dream wedding dress covered in Swarovski Crystals with a matching crystal headpiece. Finding the perfect shoes was easy! Since I was becoming a “Chu”, “Jimmy Choos” was a perfect fit. An Island Welcome To ensure our guests felt appreciated when they arrived we gave them personalized “welcome bags” filled with water bottles with our custom logo, wine bottle shaped corkscrew openers with our custom wine label, beach sandal note pads, sea shell candles and personalized luggage tags as mementos. To get everyone acquainted with one another and have guests truly experience the local culture, we held a welcome party at Shirley Heights, a historic landmark with a spectacular ocean view of English Harbour. A Caribbean BBQ was served while listening and dancing to live

island music. It was a picture-perfect setting for RF Weddings to snap some candid group shots! Wedding Day Details & Surprises I was escorted by my parents down the white monogrammed isle runner scattered with petals where we shared our vows under the wedding gazebo decorated with purple orchids and white hydrangeas. Our guests signed a “Message in a bottle” guest list, were given keepsake sunglasses stamped with “CHU LOVE” on the lenses and personalized fans. Following the ceremony, hors d’oeuvres and island drinks were served on the patio at the Rock Cottage and the resort’s Gordon Ramsy trained culinary team provided a delicious 5 course dinner for our seaside sunset reception along with a three tier beach themed wedding cake. Our wedding favour compasses for each guest were tagged with the message “Let love guide the way”. We surprised our guests with Chinese sky lanterns to light followed by an amazing ﬁreworks display. It was an incredible way to end the best day of our lives. Christina’s one piece of advice is “hire the professionals…it was worth every penny ﬂying out a team of photographers and videographers (RF Weddings) to Antigua with us and our luxury destination travel planner was an immense help in taking care of all our travel needs”.

ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 45

Let your love Bloom!

Photos courtesy of FRESHPHOTOS.ca

604-457-3737 • odetoabloom.com

Photo courtesy of Helena von Sivers Photography

Our business, our lives and our passions are ﬂowers. Let us bring that passion to your special day.

/,.E85E68 8 +60- .-C '5:,.

words from the bride

by Lisa Van Koughnett

The Engagement “It’s about time!” was a common reaction from family and friends as we announced our engagement in the fall of 2013. Although we had barely been a couple for a year and a half, you could say we were 15 years in the making. Good friends since high school, it took us a while to realize what everyone else saw – that we were meant to be. Looking back, we should have listened to our mothers! The Wedding Day Brad and I have lived, travelled and worked all over the world but Fort St. James has always been home. Our small town of just under 4,700 people is built along pristine Stuart Lake, nestled in the spruce forests of beautiful British Columbia. We grew up making memories on this lake, sledding in the winter and boating in the summer, and as soon as we started planning, we knew this was where we wanted to be. Come the day of the wedding, we chose our favourite familiar places to be part of our story. The morning was spent toasting mimosas with my best girls on my mother’s deck overlooking the lake, while Brad and his groomsmen gathered at

RF Weddings Photography

my brother’s cabin along its shores. We wanted to capture who we were as a couple and the warmth of our hometown, choosing rustic chic accents for the day – lace, leather boots and just a hint of sparkle for the girls, and suits, sunglasses and axes for the boys.

“something blue” and danced the night away.

For our ceremony, the grassy path from the house my grandparents built served as the aisle, as Brad and his groomsmen arrived on pebbled shores by boat. It was everything we wanted the day to be, complete with sentimental touches. Brad’s father and uncle constructed the archway under which we exchanged vows and a vintage blue Mason jar from Brad’s great grandmother hung as a special reminder.

The Rings - Designed by Brad, my engagement ring is the only one of its kind. He chose to set the diamond from his grandmother’s engagement ring on the side of my ring to make it an heirloom piece that I’ll cherish forever. Brad’s wedding band is equally as unique, holding an imprint of my ﬁngerprint on the inside of his ring.

Once we were officially husband and wife, we took to the lake for an unforgettable afternoon on the water with our closest friends and photos on fitting Honeymoon Island. The Finishing Touches Bridal Accessories - Davie & Chiyo added a little glamour to our rustic chic wedding, outfitting the bridal party and flower girls in custom made clutches, jewelry, sashes and hairpieces. A Fluevog girl at heart, I wore lace-up leather boots for my

Wedding Favours - A true labor of love, one of our long-time friends gave us the most amazing wedding gift – handmade milk chocolate bars, individually wrapped in scenic landscape photos of Canada.

Photography - The photos were half the fun as we spent the afternoon zipping down the lake in our boat with talented photographers Desy Cheng and Vincent Wong from RF Weddings in tow. We were doing what we loved and they captured every moment of it perfectly. Having your wedding day be a true reﬂection of who you are as a couple is the best testament to your relationship, and I couldn’t feel more lucky that I was able to marry the man of my dreams in beautiful Fort St. James, BC.

ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 47

bridezilla

10 shocking stories

It’s not hard to imagine brides getting a little crazy before their big day--but these women took it to the next level. From suggesting a bridesmaid lose weight by ordering a too-small dress to forcing the bridal party to foot the bill on over-the-top spa treatments, these brides will shock (and appall) you.

sibling rivalry Is there anything worse than having a bridezilla sister? After kicking her sister out of the wedding for not being enthusiastic enough and for having a purple streak in her hair, this bridezilla went even further and got mad at her sister for coming out as bisexual. “She told me to stop talking about it because this is ‘her year’ and it’s supposed to be all about her.” ~Via Reddit

no vegas, no deal Imagine being kicked out of a bridal party for not being able to afford a trip to Vegas? That is exactly what this bridezilla threatened to do when she told her bridal party, “If you can’t contribute to the bachelorette or won’t be able to afford a dress etc. then L-- and myself don’t have time to deal with that.” ~Via Gawker

no food for you Have you ever been to a wedding that didn’t serve dinner? This particular bride thought that after a full day of wedding bliss, veggies and dip would be sufﬁcient enough for her guests. When they started leaving, “she ran across the room in her dress and blocked the doors, saying how everyone was ruining her wedding and screaming, ‘bride’s day, bride’s way!’” ~Via Reddit

ungrateful couple Whatever happened to getting married for love, and not for the gifts? After receiving a gift basket with date-night snacks, this bride and groom were furious. Instead of accepting the gift graciously, they texted the gift-basket-givers, saying, “I’m not sure if it’s the ﬁrst wedding you have been to, but for your next wedding, people give envelopes. I lost out on $200 covering you and your date’s plates… and got ﬂuffy whip and sour patch kids in return.” ~Via National Post

weight loss plan This particular bride thought it would be a good idea to give life advice to a bridesmaid in the form of a bridesmaid dress. “As we were looking for bridesmaid dresses, I explained that I’d need a certain size (plus, please!). When she picked them out, they didn’t come in my size. When I confronted the bride about it, she said: ‘Guess that’s an incentive to lose weight!’” ~Via Wedding Channel

shoes to dye for A few weeks before the wedding day, the bridezilla decided that all of the bridesmaids shouldn’t wear the shoes we’d purchased for the wedding and instead needed to wear dyed shoes (so the shoes we’d bought speciﬁcally for the wedding and were breaking in weren’t going to be used at all). The dye in the shoes we ended up wearing turned my feet purple! ~ambern

breaking the bank After seeing how much effort her bridesmaids were putting into her wedding, this bride booked appointments for all of them at an upscale spa. “We bridesmaids had (perhaps naively) assumed that ‘doing something special’ for us meant that she was picking up the tab. Nope. Each of us had to drop a few hundred dollars on the day. I felt extremely awkward and incredibly broke.” ~Via Bellasugar

bills, bills, bills After receiving a text from the bridezilla insinuating that she was still waiting for her monetary gift, this wedding guest explained to the bride that her monetary gift would not be substantial as she had just lost her job and still had tuition to pay. When the bride responded with a text saying “well it’s still something instead of coming for free, ya know?” the guest sent her a typed-out letter with a penny taped to the top of it, stating “Here is your card. Now I did not go to your wedding for free...I hope that this helps you with your ‘bills.’” ~Via Glamour magazine

:,58 :68D60(8* After suggesting that her bridal party send her a Google document outlining their calorie intake each day and demanding that they go on a water and rice cake diet to slim down right before the wedding, this bridezilla took mean to the next level when she told one of her bridesmaid to “wear a pashmina to cover her ‘fat arms.’” ~Via Gawker.

48 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

40(60D9 :5(< Bridezillas are notorious for being compulsive about what they want and when they want it. This particular bride wanted her bridesmaid to reschedule her law exam and to ﬂy in 14 months before the wedding to watch the bride try on wedding dresses. Even worse, when the bridesmaids didn’t reply to her right away “she sent us FedEx letters overnight with her requests instead.” ~Via Wedding Channel

bring on the

bride to be

lmost as traditional as a bridal shower, bachelorette parties aren’t everything they used to be

A night of chest-muscle laden strippers, embarrassing outﬁts and copious amounts of alcohol may be the perfect stagette for you, but if not, take heart. Stagettes have become memorable for everyone involved – for all the right reasons. Themes, décor, location and the trimmings of a bachelorette party are limitless. Some are fairly simple affairs, while others take on a complexity that can rival the wedding itself. Start with the basics: • Who to invite • Where it will be and when • Will there be a theme? • Colour scheme? • Food and beverages • Games and activities Generally, the maid of honour takes on the planning, but some brides have been known to organize their own hen party or in-laws or a group of friends may take the reins of the bachelorette bash.

Some groups prefer a special weekend getaway close to home so that friends and family can attend as much of the event as their schedule (and wallet) allows or there is the option of a full-on Vegas-style escape. Whatever the locale, be sure the setting can accommodate activities to fit the ages and personalities of guests. Fun themed wearables, pretty co-ordinated dresses or simply “come-as-you-wish” attire can be organized ahead of time or presented when it’s time to hit the town. Not everyone is an adventurous spirit though, so while you may think leopardprint cat suits are a great idea, the bride’s sister-in-law or out-of-town friend may not. Custom T-shirts, while still popular, are being replaced with: • Custom temporary tattoos • Personalized drinking or shot glasses • Masquerade masks • Specialty wine charms • Name-adorned flip-flops Take timing, location and outfits into account when choosing activities. A wild go-cart race can be great fun if undertaken before drinking and provided no one is dressed in a flowing skirt.

On the other hand, late into the evening may be the ideal time for a scavenger hunt, trivia game or pole-dancing lessons. Consider creating a theme around something the bride loves. A favourite TV show like Mad Men or the Amazing Race naturally lends itself to decorations and games. If the future-Mrs. is a skiing or cooking nut, take that as a cue for activities like ski challenges on a Wii gaming system or cooking-based trivia games. Even music can offer a great starting point. Often brides want a permanent memory, beyond photos, of the fun shared. A poster board where each guest writes a favourite memory of the event can be framed. Individual ﬁll-in-the-blanks silly vows can be collected in a small album, or a jump drive with songs each attendee suggested can be presented to the bride and ensure longlasting memories. Everyone wants to have fun, but do remember the “grown-up” rules; ensure a designated driver, don’t force anyone to do anything and avoid embarrassing situations. If the wedding bell hasn’t rung, you’ve still got time to have some fun!

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ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 49

hidden expenses

that can sink your wedding budget

n days of yore, the responsibility of paying for a wedding fell to the bride’s parents. But that tradition has largely fallen by the wayside in recent years, when more and more couples have used their own savings to ﬁnance their weddings. Few couples enter the process of planning their weddings unaware of just how expensive weddings can get, but costs can easily escalate. Couples know that certain wedding expenses, such as the cost of booking a reception hall, will eat up their budgets. But there are some hidden expenses that couples must build into their budgets. • Taxes. Sales tax might not seem so signiﬁcant when you’re buying everyday items, but the taxes add up quickly when paying for a wedding. Canadians pay as much as 15 percent in combined sales taxes, depending on where they live. Before signing contracts with any vendors, couples should get the price including sales tax written into their contracts, as failing to do so may result in a several thousand dollar surprise. • Gratuities. Gratuities are another potentially hefty expense that often takes engaged couples by surprise as they start to plan their weddings. Some reception halls build up to 25 percent gratuities

The Fraser Valley’s

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for staff into their estimates. But even if gratuities for reception hall staff are already accounted for, don’t forget to include tips for additional vendors the day of the wedding. Couples may be expected to tip the florist, photographer, band or deejay and even the reception hall maitre d’ if his or her gratuity is not included in the aforementioned staff tip. Brides-to-be typically tip their hairstylist and makeup artist on the day of the wedding as well. • Postage. Couples who plan to invite guests via email or online invitations can skirt the cost of postage. But many couples still prefer traditional paper invitations, which include return envelopes that tradition suggests should also be stamped. Save-the-date cards have grown in popularity as well, and these cards must also be stamped and mailed. Depending on the size of your guest list, postage can cost several hundred dollars before you mail your last invitation. And don’t forget to save some money for postage to mail thank-you cards once the big day has come and gone. • Overtime. Overtime fees for reception hall staff and additional outside vendors are typically written into contracts, but few couples imagine needing more than the predetermined allotment of time noted in their contracts. But it’s better to be safe than sorry, as unanticipated events such as a misplaced wedding license or heavy traffic on the way to the venue can force the party to start late and thus extend past its deadline. Set aside some money for overtime so you don’t find yourselves scrounging for dollars or charging the extra few hundred dollars on your credit cards. Weddings are expensive, and even more so when hidden fees start to make their presence felt.

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simplify & save on your wedding

lanning a wedding is complicated. Once couples choose a date and location for their ceremony, they can then can get down to the nuts and bolts of the big day. When planning a wedding, many couples are governed by a budget. Budgets often get stretched, but even those brides- and grooms-to-be who spend more than they had initially hoped often find themselves not going too far over budget. One of the best ways for couples to stay within spitting distance of their budget or even come in under budget is to take steps to simplify the ceremony and reception. Simplifying a few aspects of the wedding can save couples money without forcing them to make sacrifices that affect the look or feel of occasion. • Turn floral arrangements into multi-purpose accessories. Bridesmaids typically carry beautiful floral bouquets during the wedding ceremony. But such bouquets are quickly put down and forgotten once a couple has officially tied the knot. Couples can save a few dollars by repurposing floral bouquets and other floral arrangements used during the ceremony. Once the ceremony has ended, repurpose floral bouquets as centerpieces for the reception tables and turn flowers used as aisle markers during the ceremony into small

! ! ! !

centerpieces on the escort card table or place them alongside the guestbook. This saves you the trouble of choosing various ﬂoral arrangements to display throughout the reception venue and also saves you money.

OUR Wedding!

• Scale back on the alcohol offerings. Some couples opt for a fullservice, top-shelf bar at their wedding. While that’s a nice gesture, it’s also an expensive one. Couples can save a substantial amount of money by simplifying the alcoholic offerings at their reception. Instead of a full top-shelf bar, offer guests one or two choices of popular liquors such as whiskey, rum and vodka and steer clear of especially expensive brands. The majority of guests likely won’t even notice, but couples will notice how much money they save. • Choose a classic cake. Elaborate cakes may be de rigueur, but the cost of an especially elaborate

wedding cake can make a costconscious couple’s collective jaw drop. Instead of a specially designed, labor-intensive cake, choose a classic cake that won’t break the bank. Classic cakes can add an elegant touch to a wedding without extending a couple’s budget. • Trim the guest list. Trimming the guest list is arguably the most effective way to simplify a wedding while simultaneously saving some money. Once you have compiled a list of potential invitees, peruse that list to determine if there are any people who can be trimmed from the list. This is easier for couples paying for their own wedding, as they won’t feel pressured to invite any friends or colleagues of their parents whom they don’t know personally. But even couples splitting the cost of their weddings with their parents should speak with their parents about trimming the guest list to make the affair a little less expensive. Traditional weddings are anything but simple. But there are ways for couples to make planning their wedding less complicated while saving some money at the same time.

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how to build a

wedding registry

any once-popular wedding traditions have fallen by the wayside. But one wedding tradition that has withstood the test of time is the wedding registry. Couples about to tie the knot still build a wedding registry so their guests know what to buy them as wedding gifts. This saves guests the trouble of agonizing over what to buy the couple getting hitched and also ensures that couples won’t receive two or more of the same item. Building a registry can be fun, as couples can act like kids in a candy store and add items they might otherwise not be able to afford. But there is a method to

building a registry that can ensure the process of giving and receiving gifts is comfortable and convenient for everyone involved. Building a registry can be a fun activity for couples about to tie the knot. But there are some guidelines to follow to make the process go smoothly for guests and couples alike. • Choose a national chain. Many stores will allow couples to establish a registry, but it behooves couples to choose a national chain or chains for their registry. A local boutique store might sell several items you would love to have, but that store may only be accessible to guests who live nearby, and such stores may be more expensive than larger national chains that can afford to charge less for similar products. Choosing a national chain ensures all of your guests will be able to access and purchase a gift from your registry, and make those purchases without breaking the bank. • Choose a store with an online presence. When choosing a store for your registry, it also helps to choose a store with an online presence that’s user-friendly. Ideally, pick an online retailer you have already had positive experiences with. This not only will make it easier for your guests, but also for you should you decide to return items down the road. • Choose more than one store. You also want to choose more than one store when building a registry. Some guests will prefer to shop in-store rather than online, so you want to give them some options so they don’t have to drive far and wide to find the lone brick-and-mortar store for your registry. • Visit the stores and do your homework. Though some stores allow you to develop a registry entirely online, it still helps for couples to visit the store together and build their registries in the more traditional way. Visiting a store as opposed to browsing the store website allows you to touch and feel products, which can give you a more accurate idea of their quality. In addition to seeing the products in person, read online reviews of products before putting them on your registry so you can ensure you’re getting quality items. • Choose items that vary in price. Many couples are sheepish about putting expensive items on their registries. That’s not surprising, as the cost of attending a wedding, especially one that features lots of out-of-town guests, can be substantial. But some guests, such as the bride and groom’s parents and siblings, may want to give a more high-end gift, so don’t be afraid to include items in a range of prices, from the inexpensive to the more costly, on your registry. • Don’t abandon the registry after your big day. You won’t end up getting everything you include on your registry, but that doesn’t mean you should just forget about those items that never made their way into your home. Many retailers offer couples significant discounts on items from their registries that were never purchased, and those discounts may extend for as long as a year after the big day. Revisit your registry after the wedding to see if you can find great deals on those items you never received, and continue to do so until the registry expires.

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modern trends in

wedding videography

couple’s wedding day is often a whirlwind for the bride- and groom-to-be. Happy couples hope to remember every little detail, but that can be difﬁcult when so much is going on. That is why many brides and grooms hire videographers to preserve the memories of their weddings.

Couples who fail to capture their ceremony and reception on film may feel like they missed out once their big day has come and gone. As a result, a professional videographer can be a wise investment. Today’s wedding videos have come a long way from their poorly produced predecessors. Gone are the potentially cheesy soundbites and elevator music. Many of today’s videos are artfully edited and highly cinematic productions that could have couples wishing they were viewing videos in theaters. The following are some wedding video trends popular among today’s couples. • Brief clips and highlights: Few people want to sit through their entire wedding day frame-by-frame. Montages of key elements of the day are much more popular than a chronological unfolding of the ceremony and reception. Some videographers like to show snippets of what’s to come at the start of the wedding video, then go into more extensive segments later on. • Special filters or film: Filters and lighting effects can give a wedding video an entirely different feel. For example, filming in 8mm can lend a grainy touch to the video and make it seem ethereal or even part of a home movie collection. However, few people want the stark reality of a high-definition camera that highlights every flaw. • Film chapters: Dividing segments of the video into different chapters allows viewers to fast forward to the parts they want to see and pass those they can skip. This saves the hassle of having to watch the video in its entirety. • Cinematic styling: Instead of a stationary camera on a tripod, this method of filming incorporates different angles and close-up shots to give the video a modern feel. It’s shot more like a movie than a documentary, allowing viewers to feel as though they’re really experiencing the event. • Artistic, indy feel: Film buffs may want a wedding video that breaks the mold. Ask videographers to create something that would fit in at the Sundance or Tribeca film festivals. • Same-day editing: Want to revisit the ceremony at your wedding reception? Some videographers will edit portions of the ceremony and preparations for the big day in the time between the ceremony and reception. This gives all guests, including those who may not have been able to make the ceremony, the chance to view the nuptials.

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• Unobtrusive technology: This trend relates to the equipment used to capture wedding memories rather than the actual ﬁnished product. No one wants their view of the ceremony or reception to be marred by a big, bulky camera. Smaller video cameras enable videographers to seamlessly blend in and perhaps capture shots that larger cameras could not. Preserving wedding memories takes on new meaning when couples explore the growing trends in wedding videos.

ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 53

wedding scams

f you thought you were too smart to fall for a wedding scam think again. Being taken in by shady service providers is happening more and more. Take a look at the biggest scams to be on the look out for. Wedding Dress Debackles You search online and ﬁnd that perfect dress at the right price from a store described as “designer.” What Could Happen: After paying a hefty price the dress that arrives at your front door is a cheap knock off and best of luck getting a refund. What Should Happen: Be sure to buy your dress from an outlet with a great reputation and make sure they let you know of any upcoming sales. Beware of “its too good to be true.” Phoney Photographer The photographer has told you they will take unbelievable pictures of you, your new husband and your family. The price is right. What Could Happen: Trusting couples have been tricked out of thousands of dollars by photographers who have failed to deliver pictures, provided pictures of low quality and who have avoided your phone calls. Many times couples have also been asked to pay up front. What Should Happen: Check references, make sure photographer’s websites are not full of

to be aware of

Stock photos, google the photographer and search for vendors through well known bridal sites and READ through any contract that you sign! Where Did The Gifts Go? Wedding guests have been known to come to your wedding and before you realize it the gifts are gone! And it is not always the ones you don’t know. What Could Happen: While you are entertaining your guests someone could gain access to your money envelopes or present table. What Should Happen: Make sure you have someone looking after your gifts and in a location that has good visibility. Also clear your gift table on a regular basis to make sure all those gifts will be going home with you! Faux Wedding Planner We have heard it countless times. Brides have found a wedding planner online that has positive reviews and a professional website. What Could Happen: Brides have paid for wedding planner services only to end up doing everything themselves and incurring added stress. These false wedding planners have sometimes used bounced cheques and used bogus credit cards to pay vendors. What Should Happen: Make sure they have a stellar reputation, ask to see a list of their work, review their website, search deep into Google to access ANY negative feedback. Your wedding should be a truly special event and with a little research and careful planning it can be everything you have dreamed of.

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Like us on 54 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

making use of

=,//(8* <,A6?,0.

n an effort to create a oncein-a-lifetime event that is remembered by all in attendance, many couples will admit to going a tad overboard with their weddings. From ultra-stretch limousines to bachelor/bachelorette parties in Las Vegas to course after course of food and beverages, some weddings are a lesson in excess. When the party has winded down, conscious couples can ensure that some of the excesses of the wedding get repurposed for good use. And that begins with the food. Many wedding caterers, in an effort to ensure no guest goes without their fair share of food, grossly overestimate the amount of food needed for the reception. That means there may be plenty of appetizers and main courses left over, all of which couples have paid for. There are a number of ways that food can be saved and given to others. • Create classy take-home-packages. People have become much less averse to taking home food they cannot finish from restaurants. As portion sizes continue to grow, taking a portion home to enjoy later is both cost-conscious and a healthy idea. While a wedding may be a formal event, it shouldn’t preclude guests from feeling comfortable taking home any uneaten food, particularly if they like the food. Provide the reception centre with decorative to-go boxes or containers that can be used to package any food guests want to take home with them. Small, handled paper or fabric tote bags will make the leftovers that much more portable. • Donate leftover food. Neighbourhood food banks may be willing to accept food donations from your wedding. Although many deal with only nonperishable foods, some will pick up both. Before the wedding you can inquire within certain organizations to find out which specialize in what area of food collection. Some organizations can pick up food and deliver it within the same day to a soup kitchen. If you cannot find an organization to help, you may actually be able to donate your food to livestock. Some farms and recreational farmers will feed pigs leftover food. This is a way to ensure food will not go to waste. • Help reduce waste. You can speak with your wedding caterer about cutting down on the amount of food without making it overtly noticeable to guests. First, consider a sit-down dinner where portions are carefully measured rather than buffet where amounts are estimated. Also, removing extra courses such as dessert or breakfast bars can further keep down the amount of extra food as well as the cost. • Take it home. If you will not be travelling to your honeymoon directly after the wedding reception, you can have the catering staff package the food and you can bring it home. Keep your freezer empty and put the food inside. When you return from your honeymoon you will have plenty of dinners already premade so you can enjoy life as newlyweds. Otherwise, you can invite friends over to view honeymoon photos and serve the food as refreshments.

ride

to be

If you’re planning a wedding, you and a guest will want to attend Welcome Wagon’s Bridal Showcase.We have exciting door prizes, fashion shows, planning guides, special displays and gift bags for every bride. Welcome Wagon’s Bridal Showcase takes the guesswork out of planning your wedding by assembling everything you need under one roof. Each Showcase is tailored to the local area, with local businesses.

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• Recycle ﬂowers. Food may not be the only item leftover at the end of the night. Guests who may not have taken home favours or centerpieces will leave behind many beautiful items that would normally end up in the trash. Flowers and gifts can be donated to a hospital or senior centre to brighten the atmosphere. Be sure to keep just a few favours available for people who send gifts in the mail since they weren’t able to attend the festivities. There are a number of ways to ensure that the excesses of a wedding can be put to good use. By donating food and other items or simply taking them home with you, you can stretch your money and resources further.

welcomewagon.ca ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 55

YOU DESERVE THE BEST

ON YOUR BIG DAY!!

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The Parlour Day Spa and Hair Artistry Salon can accommodate any size bridal group for all your service needs including the groom and his groomsmen. We encourage you to visit us for a personal tour of our breathtaking facilities and have a complimentary consultation. It’s your day to shine! #110 - 4061 200 St. Langley • www.parlourdayspa.com • info@parlourdayspa.com • 604-534-6802

how to make your wedding more ,16"I(,8/<9

ouples about to tie the knot may be preoccupied with finding the right colour palettes for their wedding days. While is has long been a favourite wedding day color, many couples are now looking for ways to go green at their weddings, as more and more couples want to make their ceremonies as eco-friendly as possible. While it might once have been difficult to make weddings environmentally friendly affairs, today’s couples have many eco-friendly options at their disposal. From hotels that use solar power to reception halls that rely on locally sourced foods, there are plenty of ways to turn weddings into entertaining and eco-friendly affairs. • Reduce reliance on stationery. Couples hoping to be more eco-conscious can cut back on the amount of paper they use at their weddings and throughout the planning process. Invitations can be printed on recycled stock, and couples can avoid using the envelope within an envelope that is often used when mailing wedding invitations. Furthermore, reduce what you place inside the invitation, including direction cards. Have guests visit a Web site to learn about hotel accommodations and respond to the wedding invite. • Choose earth-friendly fabrics. When selecting gowns and other attire, lean toward natural fabrics, such as cotton, wool, hemp, or linen, each of which are eco-friendly fabrics. • Pick flowers that are in-season. Much like produce, certain flowers are grown out of season with the use of pesticides and herbicides. Imported flowers have high carbon footprints due to the distance they have to travel. Cut down on how far flowers have to travel and the use of potentially harmful chemicals by buying locally grown, in-season flowers. • Encourage guests to carpool to the wedding. You may want to make a flashy entrance at the ceremony, but you can curb emissions by having as many people travel together as possible. Ditch the sedan or limousine and rent a party bus that can fit many of your guests. • Rethink wedding favours. Instead of trinkets that are produced overseas and likely to end up in the trash, opt for edible favours, seeds or plants or even donations to charitable organizations. • Cut down on waste. Do you really need four courses at the reception and a complete dessert display? Food that goes uneaten will likely end up in the garbage. If you cannot arrange to have food delivered to a soup kitchen or another charitable group, scale back on how much is served. Chances are guests will not even miss the extra food.

ozone layer, harmful chemicals are still used in many products. Brides can skip the elaborate up-do that requires a lot of hair spray for a more natural, freeﬂowing look. • Rent or borrow whenever possible. Rented items are reused over and over, while items couples buy speciﬁcally for their weddings are liable to be used once and then discarded. Opt for rentals when possible.

• Recycle your gold or silver. Wedding bands symbolize are customary at wedding ceremonies. Rather than buying new rings, transform old jewelry into rings by having the metal melted down and formed.

• Light beeswax candles. Candles are an eco-friendly way to provide romantic lighting at the wedding. Opt for non-toxic beeswax candles rather than parafﬁn candles.

• Style your hair naturally. Although many hair products have reduced or eliminated their use of CFCs, which can enter the atmosphere and damage the

When couples put their minds to it, they can ﬁnd many ways to have an ecofriendly wedding without compromising on style and fun.

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ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 57

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cinderellabridalshow.ca

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6pm on Saturday, September 23rd AND NO DOUBT END IN DIVORCE. HOPEFULLY IN TIME TO STILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ANNULMENT. THE OVERWHELMINGLY DISAPPOINTING HEARTBREAK OF A CEREMONY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DINNER, WHERE NUTS WILL BE SERVED BECAUSE WHATSHERFACE HAS AN ALLERGY.

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your

wedding budget

worksheet

Total Budget

Budget

Actual

Ceremony Location Fee, Ofﬁciant Fee, Marriage Licence

Reception Site, Food, Drinks, Rental, Cake, Favours

Rings

Flowers Ceremony, Bride’s Bouquet, Maid-of-Honour & Bridesmaid Bouquets, Corsages & Boutonnieres, Centerpieces, Flower-Girl Basket

Transportation

$ $

Stationary Invitations, Response Cards, Thank You Notes, Postage, Guest Book

$ $ $

Music Ceremony Musicians, Band/DJ

Gifts Bridesmaid & Groomsmen, Parents, Others TOTAL: Over/Under Budget

60 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

groom’s cakes make a comeback

uests and well-wishers expect to see at least one cake at wedding receptions. But wedding guests should not be surprised if they attend a wedding and notice two cakes sharing the spotlight on the dessert table. Groom’s cakes have existed for generations but have fallen out of favour in many parts of North America since the 1970s. Now groom’s cakes are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. A groom’s cake traditionally represents something masculine, providing a contrast to the oft-feminine features, such as ﬂoral bouquets and frilly gowns, that dominate many weddings. Groom’s cake designs often reﬂect a particular hobby or interest of the groom’s. Historically, groom’s cakes are chocolate, a sharp contrast to traditional wedding cakes, which tend to be vanilla and white. Tradition once called for single women at the wedding to take home a slice of the groom’s cake to sleep with under their pillows. It was believed the cake would help them have sweet dreams of the man they would eventually marry.

5 Star Catering Ltd.

Why Choose Us: • Complete Wedding Packages available at Sunrise Banquet & Conference Centre. • Choose from 4 Banquet Rooms.

Women today are likely no longer snuggling up to fondant and mousse cake slices at night, and wedding cakes are no longer relegated to vanilla cake with vanilla icing, which may account for the waning popularity of groom’s cakes. Yet with wedding cake bakers showing off their creative prowess on television or through their own artistic bakery displays, it’s no wonder that couples looking for something unique are once again embracing the tradition of groom’s cakes. Couples who are mulling whether or not to add a groom’s cake to their menus should consider the following tips. • Make sure it is highly personal. Groom’s cakes typically reference hobbies, affiliations or interests of the groom. Some men may want their cake to showcase the logo of their favourite professional sports team, while others may want a cake inspired by a favourite superhero. • Involve the groom in the process. Despite the name, groom’s cakes may not always involve the groom. A cake may be designed or selected by the groom’s bride-to-be or his mother. Some forward-thinking brides may want to encourage their grooms-to-be to select their own cakes and offer input on their designs. • Find a bakery that has experience in whimsical cakes. Groom’s cakes are very often intricate structures and sculptures. The groom’s cake may be more labour-intensive than the traditional wedding cake, so couples may want to shop around for a cake chef with the experience to pull off the design they desire. • Experiment with flavour combinations. Because the groom’s cake is all about that special guy, the flavour of the cake should be centered around what he would enjoy. The sky is the limit on flavours and can include traditional chocolate, candy bar-inspired flavours, coffee, coconut, or even a bacon-infused cake. • Consider serving the groom’s cake at the rehearsal. Some couples prefer to serve the groom’s cake at the rehearsal dinner rather than having two cakes at the wedding. Guests may not be able to fit two slices of cake after a large wedding meal, so serving the groom’s cake at the rehearsal dinner may be the best of both worlds. The bride — and her cake — typically steal the show at the average wedding. Therefore, a groom’s cake can be a special touch that allows the groom to bask in his own wedding-day spotlight.

“CATERING TO YOUR LOCATION OR OURS” 5 STAR Catering @ SUNRISE Banquet and Conference Centre 5640-188th Street (Hwy. #10 and 188th Surrey BC)

604-574-0411

www.5starcatering.com • email: cater@5starcatering.com ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015 ∞ 61

resource resourceindex index Bakery Frosting Cupcakery & Bake Shop 20411 Fraser Hwy, Langley 778-278-8832 frostingcupcakery.com Traceycakes 604-427-1424 tracycakesonline.com

Beauty Call us to book your consultation today!

Florist

Rentals

YOUR

TRENDSETTING

Florist Magnolias on Main

33253 First Ave. MISSION

604.826.1110

Let us tell your love story.

Langley Golf Centre Luxury Washrooms 21550 44 Ave, Langley 1-800-337-8399 sunrisewashroomrentals.com 604-534-4555 langleygolfcentre.com

Venue

Best Western Mission City Lodge 32281 Lougheed Hwy, Mission 604-820-5500 bwmission@telus.net

A Comfortable Place to Make Your Own Wine

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Langley 604-530-1030 20410 Fraser Hwy Langley, BC

Bridal Agape Bridal 2485 Montrose Ave, Abbotsford 604-851-8438 agapebridal@gmail.com agapebridal.com

Catering Culinary Touch Catering 604-825-1979 culinarytouchcatering.com

Event Planner Niche Event Stylists Locations in Vancouver & Maple Ridge 604-818-1849 nicheeventstylists.com

Fashion Malary’s Fashion Network 5755-176 Street, Cloverdale 604-574-6402 malarys.com 62 ∞ ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS 2015

Wine

ﬂoral boutique

604-457-3737 odetoabloom.com

Ofﬁciants

Winner of BC’s Best Wedding Officiant 2014 778-278-5796 marryme@younghipandmarried.com www.younghipandmarried.com

Tanning

TABU TANNING SALON TOTALLY ALL BOUT U

#108 - 20256 56 AVE., LANGLEY

604-530-0479 www.tabutan.ca

8750 204th Street Langley, BC V1M 2Y5 604-882-2000 info@hielangley.com www.hiexpress.com/langleybc

4115 208 Street, Langley 604 533 1191 www.oncloudwine.ca

Photography: Simply Sweet Photography by Nomo Akisawa www.simplysweetphotographybynomoakisawa.com Dress: Little Pink Dress • www.littlepinkdress.ca Make Up/Styling/Model: Jasmine Hoffman www.jasminehoffman.com Jewels: Jeweliette Jewellery • www.jeweliette.com Hair: Hair By Brands www.facebook.com/CourtneyBHair/timeline Planning & Design: JEvents Planning & Design www.jevents.ca

have a fun wedding!