Department
stories+ideas Spring 2011
The Vintage Edition All you need to know to plan a vintage-themed wedding
bliss.com | CAN $4.99
Photographs that tell stories.
Spark Photography create modern and stylish
The view or the excitement?
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Spark Photography
Chris & Heather 604-610-5855 sparkphotography.ca
photonarratives unique to your story Partner or Partner in Crime?
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Spark Photography Chris & Heather 604-610-5855 sparkphotography.ca
spring 2011 Vancouver Wedding Magazine and directory spring 2011
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Expert Insight
Guests, Attendants, Invitations Patricia Miller
Countless innovative ways to add personal style to even the most formal invitations.
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Style Guide
Hottest Gowns Vera Wang
Expert opinion on what kind of wedding gown will make you look like a star.
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Unique & Exotic
Romantic Honeymoon Martha Stewart
Exotic inexpensive romantic honeymoon spots.
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Love Stories
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Real Advice
Planning 101
My Fairy Godmother
Second Weddings
Real Wedding Stories on how a grandmother turn a wedding into a magical night.
Second chance to create the perfect fairy tale wedding you’ve always dreamed about.
Christie Harabara
Kimiko Ishimura
On the Front: Photograph — Naomi Walters Shoes — Idoswoon from the Wedding Collection by Stuart Weitzmann
Renting a Wedding Muscle Car. Is it Worth It?
Angie Ishak
The choice between cool and functional for your ride.
Wedding Planning 101: Prioritize, Research, Budget
The Vintage Edition
Renting a Wedding Muscle Car. Is it worth it?
stories+ideas Spring 2011
Directories Spring 2011
The Vintage Edition All you need to know to plan a vintage-themed wedding
On the Back: Photograph— Naomi Walters Ring — Eternal Sparkle by The Birks
bliss.com | CAN $4.99
All You Need to Know to Plan a Vintage-themed Wedding
bliss.com | CAN $4.99
Expert Insight
By Patricia Miller
D
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rawing up guest list is like serving champagne. Just when you think you’ve got the perfect pour, the bubbles take over and the glass overflows. So there’s no question that managing a growing guest list and bridal party can be daunting. But with a little smart thinking you can smooth over potential rough spots before they can cause a snag. And while etiquette matters, the rules have loosened, so you have more freedom to do what’s right for you when it comes to invitees, as well as invitations. Gone are the days when an evening church wedding mandated plain-Jane ivory engraved in black. Today there are countless ways to add personal style to even most formal invitations. Raise a glass to that.
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Getting Started An uncle here and a co-worker there can lead to an out-of-control guest list in no time flat. Here, three questions to keep in mind when creating a celebration that’s both manageable and inclusive.
01. Who are the people you want to share in your day?
Begin building your guest list with these steps. xx Start by asking all those involved – most likely you, your fiancé and both sets of parents – to make a list of people they would like to include. If you can invite everyone, lucky you. xx I f not, ask everyone to rank each potential guest as A, B, or C. Your must-have A’s are those family members and close friends you cant imagine not being with you. After removing duplicates, count up the A’s. xx I f you’re not already overbooked, begin guests from the B’s and then the C’s. No matter how carefully you plan at some you’ll be faced with tough choices. Your cousin or your fiancé’s fraternity brother? Your future mother-in-law’s college roommate or your dad’s co-worker? Before you get the scalpel and attempt precise surgical maneuver that might result in seriously hurt feelings, take another look at the list. Chances are, you’ll find pockets of guests – your mom’s bridge club, say – who can be deleted as a group. Although tradition says to divvy up the guest list equally between both families, in some cases equal isn’t fair. Why, for instance, should one side be able to include branches of the family tree that no one had heard from in years, while other is pruning away first cousins who live around the corner?
02. How will you spread the word?
Once upon a time, wedding invitations came in 2 colours – white and off white – and the hardest decision a bride had to make was whether to use raised printing, flat printing, or engraving. But now that weddings have
morphed from stuffy, frilly affairs to whatever suits the bride and groom, invitations have changed too. Today stationers can turn any idea into reality, from producing elegant cards imprinted with the bride’s own handwriting to creating invitations that resemble keepsakes and arrive in velvet boxes tied with satin ribbons. Overwhelmed by your options? Think about your personality. As you’ll probably hear when you try on gowns, your wedding is not the time to take risk and test your boundaries. That’s not to say, though, that you cant get creative. Turn the classic engraved black and white invitation on its head by having it engraved in white on a dark-coloured stock, or add a flash of colour with a cherry envelope liner. If you’re celebrating your ethnic heritage at your wedding, give guests a glimpse of with an interesting border (like tartan plaid, if you’re Scottish).
03. Who will participate?
First the good news. Just because you’ve been a bridesmaid in 13 weddings since you graduated from college doesn’t mean you need to ask all those girls to stand up for you. Choose close friends and family members who will support you during the planning process. Major participants in the wedding party include: xx Maid of honour (or matron of honour) xx Bridesmaids xx Best man xx Groomsmen xx Flower girl xx Ring bearer xx Ushers (optional) Be sure to notify members of your bridal party as soon as possible to eliminate the guessing game. Afraid of hurting the notasked? Request that person to be a reader, or have her hand out programs at the door.
Save Stress x If your parents are driving you bonkers (do you really have to invite your dad’s golf buddy?), think about what’s driving their involvement.t Did your mother have to give up the dream of a fancy wedding because her parents couldn’t afford it? Did your sister elope? Once you understand their concerns, get creative. Maybe they’ll be willing to whittle down their guest lists if you let them throw a huge engagement party for you. Or have that small, intimate ceremony you’ve always imagined. But follow it with a big reception.
For it was not into my ear you whispered, but my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
10 Invitational
Inspirations
01 Its the little unique details that count, such as a unique envelope shape will make your invitation to stand up.
04 Create a unique theme that ties to your wedding theme. this invitation uses a vintage Art Deco theme.
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Little Embelishments, such as ribbons, buttons or crystals, goes a long way.
03 Try a different shape. Besides who needs another rectangular invitation?
05 Visit bliss.com for more ideas and resources
Humorous, light-hearted, or formal, infuse your personality into your invitation.
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An unified design for all your wedding stationeries screams memorable
07 08 Traditional does not mean old. Add new twists. Use new printing method, such as laser die cut techniques
Be yourself, show your aspiratons. For example, If you are a green bride, use green components
1. A unique monogrammed envelope flap. 2. H and-stamped pink rosethemed invitation. 3. H eart-shaped, die-cut invitation. 4. A rt Deco themed wedding eve coctail invitation 5. I llustrated invitaion. 6. A colourful petal themed invitation set including table number, save the dates, and RSVP reply. 7. A n invitation with grass textured ribbon. 8. T radititional style invitation with intricate die cut amd metal foil decorations. 9. T raditional style invitation with swarovski crystals. 10. I nvitation printed using offset lithography plate printing technique.
09 To further emphasize that traditional is not old, add new details, such as little crystal in this invitation.
Traditional printing method, such as plate printing such as this, too has its vintage charm.
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Love Stories
Godmother By Christie Harabara
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Department
There’s only one picture of my grandmother with me from my wedding day. In it, my mother and she are flanking either side of me and she is smiling shyly into the camera. Her pose is unpretentious and hides the large part she played that day.
“This is my grandmother,” I point out. “She actually made my dress.” I am rewarded when they gasp and out comes the inevitable: “Wow!” But as I say this, my pride mixes with a tinge of regret for not having more photos of her from that day. She was an extraordinary seamstress, with an eye for good design and an uncanny attention to fine details. During her long sewing career, her skills had transformed many women into glamorous princesses on their wedding days. Her clientele had included women from all walks of life, and her pieces ranged from full skirted gowns to mermaid sillouettes to flapper style minis. By the time my engagement came along, she had retired, age was catching up to her, making her frail; her eyes were weak and arthritis was gaining the upper hand. Still, she insisted on creating the wedding dress, saying that it would be her gift. Of course I protested; I could find something ready made, but she knew that from the day I’d started dreaming about a fairytale wedding as a young girl, I’d dreamt of a fairytale dress that she would make. I used to watch her with her customers, women who’d come in for fittings and I’d sit spellbound as she fluttered around
them, a pin cushion corsage on her wrist, a tape measure draped around her neck. Her instincts were sharp, her taste unmatched. She’d make adjustments to the hems, alterations to the bodice, take in a quarter of an inch in one place or let out a half inch in another. Even as a little girl, I understood that what she did was pure magic. I could see it in the eyes of the brides that wore her gowns. Despite the fact that I would be getting married young, I worried that I’d waited too long to get my chance to wear one of her enchantments. “We’ll do it together,” she said, knowing full well that my sewing aptitude was questionable at best. I raised an eyebrow and she laughed. “So, I’ll teach you a thing or two.” Project Wedding Dress started with a trip to the library where we picked up back issues of all the best bridal magazines. We pored over them for hours, bookmarking gowns we liked in each. It was a long process, elements of certain dresses appealed individually, but there wasn’t that one perfect gown. So, my grandmother combined the best parts from the best dresses into one design. We shopped for materials, beads, and lace—visited boutique after boutique, tried on tiaras and draped veils like little girls playing dress up. We shared pots of hibiscus tea (our favourite) between fittings and intricate beading sessions. She talked about her own wedding, how rushed it was, how she’d been forced to make her own dress but that there had been no pleasure in it. “It was a boring
Left: A picture frame showing author’s grandmother’s wedding picture on her desk. Right: Author Grandmother’s family wedding picture. All pictures are courtesy of Author Grnadmother’s personal collection.
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Although years have passed since that picture was taken, I still enjoy looking at it often. And when I make new friends, sharing the picture with them is a favourite activity.
very talented seamstress. I got to stand under her experienced eyes and have her flutter around me too. design,” she said, the memories taking her back to a time before me. “Weddings weren’t a big production like they are now.”
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She told me about her most ambitious project, creating an entire wardrobe for a bride who was moving to Russia after her wedding to a Soviet politician. It was after World War II and times were tough, but the bride had a heightened sense of fashion and insisted on the best—which meant my grandmother. “Even the overcoat,” she remembered, “was as beautiful as the most beautiful dress.” “As beautiful as this dress?” I asked. “No,” she smiled, “this will be the most beautiful one ever.” I smiled back at her, as happy as any young woman might be with an unconditional gift from a grandparent. I like to think that she wasn’t just saying that, that she did believe my wedding dress was the most beautiful she’d ever made. Even when I’m not showing her off to new friends, I look at the picture often because I want to go back to that time. I want to relive the warmth and blessings of a spring season years ago when I was the closest companion of a
As it turns out, it was the last wedding gown she ever made. She was diagnosed with cancer soon after the wedding and before we had time to even process the news, she was gone. Like many young girls dreaming of their fairytale wedding, it would be the fairytale dress that would stand out. Like Cinderella’s fairy godmother, my grandmother made that dream reality. Looking at the picture now, I can almost see my grandmother with a twinkle in her eye, a wand in her hand, and the words to a magical spell song on her lips.x
Top Left: A wedding of a close relative in 1980s. Top Right: Flower girl and boy at Aunt Vinnie’s wedding in 1984. Right: Traditional chapel wedding, perfect for a vintage themed wedding. All pictures are courtesy of Author Grandmother’s personal collection.
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Photography Phone Audra’s Photography
604 862-0105
Email audrac@telus.net
Website www.audrasphotography.com
Vancouver photographer, Audra Colpitts, specializes in weddings, engagement, maternity, family and children’s portraiture. Audra is most known for her vibrant and fun-filled images, along with her great sense of humour. d’Soleil Studios Photography
604 805-1828
info@dsoleil.com
www.dsoleil.com
Every wedding tells the story of the joining of two lives. Our aim is to tell your story with modern, natural, and timeless images that you will adore for a lifetime. Our past clients rave about our creativity, responsiveness, and full dedication to impeccable client service - we know you will too! Generation Photography
778 288-5734
info@generationphotography.ca
www.generationphotography.ca
Fun, fresh, and elegant photography for today’s modern brides! We capture your true emotions to create stunning images of your wedding. Our wide selection of designer albums allow you to relive those moments and show off your wedding in style! Hyperfocus Photography
604 710-2969
info@hyperfocus.ca
www.hyperfocus.ca
Husband and wife team Steff & Justin Eckersall create contemporary, fresh and natural images. Beautiful and real. Their approach ensures that you feel comfortable and have a lot of fun! I Do! Wedding Photography
604 618-4900
barbaracasey@telus.net
www.idoweddingphotography.ca
Fun, Fabulous & Spontaneous...Sophisticated, Timeless & Elegant. Re-awaken your wedding memories in the years to come with a beautiful collection of images that remind you of the day you said “I Do!” Spark Photography
604 619-5855
info@sparkphotography.ca
www.sparkphotography.ca
Captivating, Emotive, and Timeless. For over 6 years, Chris and Heather Davies have delighted in photographing couples who relish life, love, and art. Union Photographers
info@unionphotographers.com
www.unionphotographers.com
Roger and Holly are two very different artists, each with a unique point of view, who have come together through their shared passion for wedding photography to create Union Photographers. Though each has found expression for their passion in a distinctive style, it is when their photos are experienced together that the magic truly happens.
14 Bliss x Spring 2011 x Resources
604 319-0494
Photographs Courtesy of Left to Right 1. Audra’s 2. d’Soleil Studios 3. Generation 4. Hyperfocus 5. IDo! Wedding
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months before the wedding
Q
uestions to Ask a Photographer
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ave you shot a wedding at my location H before? Do you have an assistant? Do you have backup equipment and is it the same quality as the primary equipment? What time will you begin and how long will you stay until? When will the proofs be ready? Do we get to keep the proofs? Do you mark your proofs? Where and how are your proofs marked? How much extra for unmarked proofs? Do we get to keep our negatives? How long do you keep the negatives and will you sell them to us? Can you work from a photo checklist that we create? Do you work well with the other vendors? i.e.: coordinators, caterers, videographers. How will you be dressed? Do you process and develop your own film and prints?
Resources contributed by Angela D’maggio from Hyperfocus photography x
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hat should be on Your Contract
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The name of your photographer The time that he/she arrives and leaves The number of proofs you will view in order to pick your enlargements and/or keep The description of the package you ordered A list of guaranteed prices for enlargements. If they have a brochure with prices then get the photographer to write down that the prices on the brochure they gave you are the prices that you will be charged. The cutoff date for these brochure prices. All additional charges, services, taxes, travel, etc... Get the exact cost on the contract. An explanation of what happens if your photographer doesn’t show up. The date and deposit amount and how much is still owing. Your name, address and phone number. The names and addresses of the ceremony and reception locations.
Find more resources online
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x Union Photographers x Leanne Pedderson Photography x I Do! Wedding Photography x x d’Soleil Studios Photography x Hyperfocus Photography x 15 Bliss x Spring 2011 x Love Stories
As Voted on our website. Visit our website bliss.com to vote
It’s all in the details! Our wedding cakes and tiers of cupcakes are created and designed to suit eachbride’s theme, colors and flowers to make her wedding a special and memorable occasion. Our creative team of consultants at Cupcakes will help each step of the way to ensure the exact look you want for your big day. For more information, please visit our 2887 West Broadway location. We provides our brides with complimentary cake tasting that features our different flavors of cake and buttercream.
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Cupcakes by Heather and Lori
we do weddings
604.974.1300 | weddings@originalcupcakes.com | www.originalcupcakes.com
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x The Designer and her husband
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The inspiration for Bliss magazine comes from planning the designer’s wedding. Her husband-to-be is scared of wedding magazines. He thinks that wedding magazines have all the necessary information hidden in too many pages. He wanted a magazine17 that contains all the resources, timeline, and important tips in a page. She, on the other hand, wants the stories, ideas, and pretty pictures. Bliss magazine is designed to be a wedding magazine that has stories and articles for her plus a complete-yet-compact section wedding resource for him. It is also smaller in size as couples carry magazines around to share their inspiration to friends, families, and vendors.
Wedding Planning 101: Prioritize, Research, Budget
The Vintage Edition
Renting a Wedding Muscle Car. Is it worth it?
Directories Spring 2011
Bliss x Spring 2011 x Love Stories
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All You Need to Know to Plan a Vintage-themed Wedding bliss.com | CAN $4.99