Wedding Planner Jan 16 2011

Sunday, January 16, 2011 - North Shore News - A23

! s s i l B The short gown makes a splashy debut

24

Go green on your big day

26

The elegant wedding cake returns

28

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A24 - North Shore News - Sunday, January 16, 2011

Bliss!

A return to romance for 2011 brides Deana Lancaster dlancaster@nsnews.com

WHEN Kate Middleton weds her prince on Friday, April 29, would-be brides around the world will be watching to see what she’s wearing.

“I think she will do something slim with lace,” says Lorna Paterson, owner of Blush Bridal and Special Occasions Wear in West Vancouver. “She’s more like our West Coast brides,” she said of the sporty and fit Middleton. “Even when she dresses up she’s a little bit more casual.”

Paterson predicts a British designer will create the gown, though renowned designers on every continent have already sketched their visions for the future princess.

Celebrity influence on fashion is certainly nothing new, but Paterson says it plays out differently when it comes to wedding gowns.

“Most brides don’t want to look like someone else, but they might bring in a photo of a celebrity wedding and say

‘I liked the way that looked on her,’ or tell us what elements of the dress they liked.”

Hilary Duff’s mermaid gown, designed by Vera Wang, is one style that many of her clients have been interested in trying out.

Ultimately, a bride should choose a gown she loves and feels beautiful in; one that flatters her figure and her personality, says Paterson.

One strong trend for 2011 is texture, she says.

“Old-world handcrafted detail, like handmade lace and appliqués. When Jackie Kennedy got married her dress had rosettes and ruffles . . . what we’re seeing now is like a modern version of that.”

The Forget-me-Knot Christos Collection for spring 2011 by Amsale Abbera illustrates this trend beautifully.

Made of individually tied organza knots, the gown has a figure flattering dropped waist accented with a crystal belt — another trend.

Old Hollywood glamour is also popular. Think simple elegant trumpet silhouettes, like Romona Keveza’s simple

silk shantung gown, which also has a belt at the waist and couture detail at the bodice.

There is good news for brides looking for straps or sleeves this season. Paterson says after several years of strapless and ruched dresses, the trend is moving away from them and allowing for more variety.

“I wouldn’t say there is a typical ‘Vancouver’ dress.” She says we can expect to see everything from simple vneck dresses and cap sleeves to the return of the ball gown, but instead of heavy satins the gowns are made of delicate silk organza or light silk taffetas that float down the aisle.

Perhaps the most surprising trend is the short dress.

“It’s a fun new thing,” says Paterson.

“Many couples have a civil ceremony or a special evening at a restaurant, and don’t want to wear a long dress. Or for some brides who don’t often dress up, a long gown is too much of a stretch for them.

It’s generally a girl with a real sense of See The page 25

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NEWS photos Mike Wakefield

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OLD Hollywood glamour is the trend, as in the Ramona Keveza trumpet gown (top) modelled by Ashley Child at Blush Bridal in West Vancouver. The ballgown also makes a return, but instead of heavy satins the gowns are made of delicate silk organza or light silk taffeta that floats down the aisle, as with this Vera Wang “Freida” gown (above).

Sunday, January 16, 2011 - North Shore News - A25

Bliss!

The short dress makes a splashy debut From page 24

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

TEXTURE and handcrafted detail are a big trend in 2011, like the hand-tied organza knots on the Forgetme-Knot Christos Collection for spring 2011 by Amsale Abbera.

fun who wears a short dress.”

She said the mini dress is also popular as a second dress — for after the formal ceremony, when the bride is ready to dance.

Or, if not for the big day, a “little white dress” is also perfect for bridal showers, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners and even the honeymoon.

As for accessories, as well as belts in a range of styles — vintage, crystal and floral among them — couture bows, and flowers added to the bodice, waist and back are popular.

Vintage broaches are a strong trend, as are vintage-looking crystal chandelier earrings; multi-layer bracelets of crystals, wrist corsages of organza flowers and multiple strands of small pearls are also making an appearance.

Popular hair accessories include feather flowers, fascinators and birdcage veils.

The dramatic cathedral-length veil is still very popular.

When shopping for your dream dress, Paterson says to start looking early. Ideally, brides should choose their dress six month from their wedding day.

“The dress isn’t made until we order it. It’s four months in production and then 10 days to be shipped here.” Time should also be allowed for fittings with the seamstress so that the dress is a perfect fit on the big day.

As for who to bring when shopping, Paterson says not to be too alarmed when watching reality shows like Say Yes to the Dress on TLC. “Of course you shouldn’t bring an entourage of 10 people.

They can have very different opinions.” But Blush does have room for up to five people, so she suggests a trusted friend or two, plus a family member.

“It’s always nice to bring your mom along to be a part of it.

Most of our mothers are very supportive.”

Blush Bridal and Special Occasions Wear is at 1403 Bellevue Ave., West Vancouver. The bridal salon is open by appointment, call 604-925-3218.

Or visit www.blushoccasions.com for more information.

W edd i ngs

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

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A26 - North Shore News - Sunday, January 16, 2011

Bliss!

Going green for your big day Tessa Holloway tholloway@nsnews.com

WHEN Patty Nayel said I do to marriage, she still said I don’t to waste.

photo submitted

THINK fresh, local and seasonal when planning your eco-friendly bridal bouquet. Kristin Ames, owner of Posy in Lynn Valley, says if you tailor your flowers to the season it is not hard to be green.

The North Vancouverbased fashion designer sourced local and natural products whenever possible for her October 2009 wedding to cut down on her footprint, but the one thing she couldn’t find was a dress that used natural, organic materials — so she made one herself.

“I was looking for something made in North America, made from natural fibres . . . and within a decent budget, and I couldn’t find that anywhere,” she said. “I decided that it’s something that was under-serviced. I was sure there were other brides than me out there.”

What started with just a desire for a white gown with a hint of green has turned into a full time business for Nayel called Pure Magnolia.

Along with several other wedding providers, she is looking to serve a growing

number of people who don’t want to sacrifice their love of the planet to express their love for each other.

She makes dresses out of wild silk, organic cotton and hemp, whether on its own or mixed with other fabrics to soften out the rough texture, and mixes in pieces of re-used vintage dresses, with all the work being done by hand at her studio in Lynn Valley. The website, www.puremagnolia. ca, is adorned with plenty of colourful photos.

“I’m very specific about not just what fibres, but how it’s made. Most of the pollutants are created in the making of the fabrics rather than the making of the garments,” she says.

While the dress is front and centre on the big day, a lot of the waste that can be typical in weddings comes in the greeting cards, the flowers and all the other endless plethora of details that come to haunt every wedding planner.

Corinne Dahlo, an event designer with Vancouverbased reFresh Events, which organizes weddings with an environmental slant, said

a green wedding requires planning, but can be done in a way that’s more rewarding and even less stressful for couples.

She suggested couples think about the impact right from picking the venue, so people don’t have to travel too far.

Food can also be arranged locally, including Okanagan wine and sustainably harvested seafood. As well, she suggested couples trim the amount of paper invitations they send out with the help of a wedding planner website — the wedding invitation itself, however, should still be paper, she advises.

At Dahlo’s wedding, she even grew her own flowers with the help of her sister, and those perennials still bloom every year as a reminder of the special day.

“The original idea of carrying the bridal bouquet was sort of a loosely tied naturally picked bouquet,” she says.

If that’s out of the question, Posy in Lynn Valley often helps customers source flowers grown locally, and owner Kristin Ames

said it doesn’t have limit variety.

Chrysanthemums, Alstroemerias and oriental lilies are grown locally almost all year, and others are available depending on the season.

“If we’re doing a spring weddings and they wanted to tulips, we grow tulips by the ton here during February, March, April — that’s a popular one for a spring wedding,” she says.

Something Green Cards also offers invitations and cards made from 100-per-cent recycled, 50-per-cent postconsumer paper.

“You can go through quite a bit. There’s some large scale weddings out there, so we’re trying to do what we can to minimize our impact on the environment,” said coowner Corinne Leroux. The company’s website is www. sgreencards.com.

Even the jewelry can be recycled, and not just at the second-hand store. North Shore-based Spark Jewelry provides pieces made from 100 per cent recycled silver, with custom-made jewelry See Find page 27

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Sunday, January 16, 2011 - North Shore News - A27

Bliss!

Indie I do offers A resort wedding offbeat services LOOKING to spice up your wedding?

The third annual Indie I Do alternative wedding fair is taking place Jan. 22 at Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street in Vancouver.

The event is a joint production between Vancouver-based Lotus Events, a wedding planning and event management company, and Blue Olive Photography, a boutique wedding photography studio. The all-day wedding event will showcase over 30 local and independent designers, retailers and vendors, all prepared to give weddings a memorable twist.

The first of the pre-purchased ticket holders will receive a free, reusable swag bag and there will be a number of prize giveaways throughout the show. Fashion shows and live DJ will also be featured throughout the day.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and the event is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www. indieido.com.

Find ideas at Grassroots From page 26 also available.

For more information about Spark, visit sparkjewlery. myshopify.com, while reFresh has a website at refreshevents. ca.

For a lot more ideas on how to have a green wedding, check out the newly-launched

Grassroots Wedding Fair on Feb. 12 at Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street in Vancouver.

More than 40 eco-friendly displayers will be available, including Pure Magnolia, Something Green and Spark Jewelry.

More information at www. thegrassrootsweddingfair. com.

in B.C. Layne Christensen

lchristensen@nsnews.com

THE modern bride and groom are saying “I do” to the 100-mile diet.

As organic and sustainable ingredients become more available, “the demand for local produce and domestic wines is certainly increasing, as is the service of free trade coffee” at wedding celebrations, says Andrea Rosenke, catering sales manager at Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa. A favourite of couples who tie the knot at the lakeside resort is executive chef Chris Short’s Goat Cheese and Herb Ratatouille, featuring baby greens with locally grown pea sprouts, chèvre from nearby Farm House Natural Cheeses and an organic B.C. hazelnut vinaigrette.

An eat-local wedding menu is just one of the trends Rosenke has noticed in wedding bookings at the resort.

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BEACH and garden ceremonies continue to be a wedding trend.

At Harrison Hot Springs, garden and beach ceremonies are continuing to be the trend for 2011 among couples looking for a less spendy alternative to the tropical destination wedding.

The outdoors creates a theme of comfort and a feeling of being at home, says Rosenke, who adds that “having the ceremony and reception at one location definitely makes it easier for guests as there is no need to travel once they arrive.”

After the “I do’s,” many

couples are choosing to host an outdoor cocktail hour while the bridal party are having their photos taken. This shortens the expected delay between ceremony and reception, Rosenke says.

Another trend is the standup reception as an alternative to the conventional sit-down or buffet dinner. “Casual, lounge-style seating with passed and stationed hors d’oeuvre encourages mingling of all guests, not just the ones assigned to your specific table,”

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Rosenke notes.

Late-night snacks are making a comeback. Rosenke advises providing a fun and casual bite for your guests to indulge in as the reception winds down.

Sliders, yam fries, pizza and popcorn are popular choices.

“Remember, you only need to order enough food for 50 to 60 per cent of your guest list,” says the catering sales manager.

For more information about Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa, visit www.harrisonresort. com.

A28 - North Shore News - Sunday, January 16, 2011

Bliss!

Cake matters: big is in for 2011 Grandeur is back on the table Manisha Krishnan mkrishnan@nsnews.com

SO you’ve sorted out the venue, dress and decor but there’s one other big-ticket item that everyone’s going to be checking out — your wedding cake.

Whether you’re looking for a plethora of cupcakes or an elegant three-tiered number, one North Vancouver confectionist can make it happen.

Denise Brandon started Sweet Cravings five years ago with the hopes of sharing her passion for quality baked goods made from pure ingredients.

“I love baking from scratch.

I don’t think there’s any other way to bake as far as I’m concerned,” says Brandon, who began baking as a child.

“Eighty-five per cent of bakeries out here use cake mixes. I was absolutely horrified at that because I would never even think to bake from a cake mix . . . I

mean, there are hundreds of thousands of beautiful, fabulous recipes out there.”

Sweet Cravings’ most popular wedding selections are chocolate, white chocolate raspberry and Brandon’s personal favourite — apricot carrot with cream cheese icing.

But red velvet, coffee and nut flavours will also be big this year, says Brandon.

In terms of esthetics, cupcakes have been big on the scene over the past couple of years due to more conservative budgets, but this year should be a return to grandeur.

“This is going to be quite a year for weddings . . . and that’s due to the fact that the big royal wedding (is) coming up,” explains Brandon.

“Plus the fact the economy is starting to turn around will definitely help . . . So far from the people that I’ve been meeting up with they’re definitely starting to go a little bit bigger.”

That means taller, more dramatic tiers, brighter colours

photos submitted

TALLER, more dramatic tiers, brighter colours and whimsical patterns are back for wedding celebrations in 2011. and whimsical patterns. But there are always options available to make things more affordable, says Brandon.

As for embellishments, fresh flowers are far more common than sugar ones and a wide variety of cake toppers are available to suit different interests.

“They’re not the little

cheap plastic things anymore, and there are some really, really beautiful ones out there,” says Brandon.

“You can order toppers that are made with your features, you can have a couple with a golf theme or soccer theme or skiing theme . . . You can do it all now, whatever it is that speaks to you.”

For more information go to www.sweetcravings.com.

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