Another Celeb Wedding

On August 20th 2011 Kim Kardashian and her reality TV beau Kris Humphries tied the knot.
The ceremony was held on a private estate in the Southern Californian town of Montecito which started 37 minutes late (but who was counting really?). Kim walked down the aisle with her step father but, she did take a moment to reflect on her dad wishing he was there to assist. Kardashian wore a breathtaking gown by the one and only Vera Wang.
The bride and groom kicked off their recpetion with their first dance (Angel sung by Robin Thicke). Guests were also treated to a performance by Earth, Wind and Fire as well as snacks that included $750,000 worth of caviar, kobe beef burgers and truffles.
Celeb guests that attended the event included Vera Wang, NBA star Carmelo Anothony, Scotty Pippen, Eva Longoria and Lindsay Lohen who conveniently sported the same gown that Pippa Middleton wore to her sisters wedding reception.
Sources say the reception was shut down early due to noise complaints. But although the guests were sent home early, gift bags included a notepad with the couple's picture on it, a candle wrapped in a KK-embroidered box and heart-shaped Krispy Kreme donuts.

So how much did this $10 million US wedding cost the Kardashian klan? Probably not a penny, reports MSN Finance. The couple reportedly raked in more than $17 million US on their big day, receiving $2.4 million from People magazine for the exclusive photo rights and another $15 million for the E! special, Kim’s Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event (set to air in October).

According to MSN Finance, Kardashian’s three Vera Wang wedding gowns (estimated to cost $20,000 each) were provided by the designer. Perrier Jouet Champagne supplied $400,000 worth of champagne and an L.A. celebrity bakery kicked in a $15,000, 10-tiered wedding cake.
Adding to the already astounding numbers are another $150,000 in comped hair and makeup and nearly $6 million in jewelry, which included discounted wedding day jewelry, wedding bands and engagement ring -- and let's not forget about the $50,000 bachelorette party that was sponsored by Tao in Las Vegas.

Oh, the life of a celebrity !!!


www.timescolumnist.com

Monique & Paul July 9th 2011

I was honoured to be asked to assist on Monique and Paul's wedding day.  Monique and I met in University many years ago, and I was excited when that Facebook relationship status 'finally' changed for her.  She had let me know the venue she chose had given her a list of preferred vendors and she would already be covered for wedding planning services.  I was relieved to know she knew the importance of the extra set of hands (and eyes) for her big day.  Over a couple of months, unfortunately numerous stressors arose for her and her fiancee.  She had decided to let a few vendors go for lack of communication with her and I am thankful I was able to assist as much as I did on her big day.
The day started with me picking up the breathtaking flowers from Floral Buds & Decor.  Erik did a fantastic job with all of the bouquets and arrangements for the day.  He even let me know to tell the bride these were the most amazing flowers he has put together in the past few weeks.  I arrived at the hotel to greet the bride, and to my surprise - hair and makeup were done (early) and she was as calm as could be!  She sorted through the boutonniere's and off I went to see the guys.  Of course, they were ready and eager for the photographer to arrive!
I made my way to the reception site and I was shocked - there was NO POWER !  The manager explained to me this is common for the site because they are outside of town and not to worry becuase it was to be back on by 2pm (when the ceremony at the church was to begin).  The cook and his assistants were busy in the kitchen, preparing everything by candlelight!  I dropped my bags and immediately got to work.  Favor set up, centrepieces, placecards, table numbers, gift table, bathroom baskets, counting seats, checking placesettings.. I was exhausted!
Of course the bride and groom knew nothing of the stresses of the morning!  I returned to the Golf & Country Club following the ceremony and not only did the room look gorgeous, but the lights were on and most importantly so was the air conditioning. 
The day was fillied with smiles, laughs and some tears but everything in the end was pulled together. 
Congratulations again Monique & Paul !!!

Vendors Used for the day (Woodstock & surrounding area)

Wedding Planner - Mosaic Event Planning - Shalyn
Ceremony - Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Reception - Oxford Golf & Country Club (Craigowan) - Adam & Alicia
Photography - Novella Photography -Kate
Flowers - Floral Buds & Decor - Erik
Cake - Deelights Bakery - Dee
DJ - Sensational Sounds - Andre

Please visit my website for more pictures of Monique & Paul's Wedding Day !

June 18th 2011

The day started with an amazing sunrise so I knew the rain would not be making an appearance!  I had a wonderful time working with this couple and am so pleased with how everything turned out for them!

Vendors featured -
Photography: Kathy DeMerchant
Decor: Classic Creations & Simply Beautiful
Flowers: Flower House
Cake: Crivellier Cakes
DJ: Spirit of the Sound
Venue: Winona Vine Estates

Royal Wedding

Well, April 29th 2011 will be a day millions will never forget! I wasn't around for Diana & Charles' wedding in 1981, but many compared this experience to the enormous event broadcasted 30 years ago.
Millions lined the streets days in advance hoping to get a small glimpse of the bride and groom. Kate arrived at Westminster Abbey by Rolls Royce with her father, Michael Middleton. She wore an ivory and white satin gown designed by Sara Burton at Alexander McQueen. The dress, designed to look like an open flower, had lace sleeves as well as exquisite hand cut lace roses throughout the dress and of course, a 2 meter long train followed her down the aisle (actually quite short in compared to the traditional royal trains). As for the bouquet and decor, Middleton enlisted designer Shane Connolly who decked out Westminster Abbey with 8 maple trees. Her bouquet was a shield shape consisting of Lily of the Valley and Hyacinth which draws in traditions from the Royal Family with use of these flowers. The stunning bride wore her hair down for the event, but her crown did not go unnoticed. Her 'Something Borrowed' was a Cartier halo that the Queen had received for her 18th birthday (it was also once her mother's). It was also noted that Kate's 'Something New' to be her diamond earrings from her parents, which were specifically designed to depict the new Middleton Coat of Arms.

I am looking forward to the photos released from the evening reception. Prince Harry and Middleton's sister, Pippa are said to have gone all out for this party hosting close to 300 guests.

Was the Royal Wedding what you expected? Were you at all surprised the traditions were so closely followed ?

Royal Wedding

There are just a few days left before Prince William and Kate Middleton tie the knot and the media is all over this memorable event.

The service : William and Kate have said to have taken a lot of care when choosing the music surrounding their ceremony. Such groups as
The Choir of Westminster Abbey, The Chapel Royal Choir, The London Chamber Orchestra, The Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force as well as The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry will all be included in the ceremonial service.

Procession : Following the ceremony, The Royal Wedding will have a procession through London following a route including many major landmarks. At the end of the service at Westminster Abbey, the newlyweds will travel to Buckingham Palace along the route in a 1902 State Landau.

Reception : At a guest list of close to 1900, Buckingham Palace will have many extravagant surprises in store. William and Kate have requested that in lieu of gifts, their guests donate to a list of charities. The charities are based around the following titles (smaller charities are within each sub category) Support for Services Personnel & Their Families, Changing Lives Through Art and Sport, Children Fufilling Their Potential, Help & Care at Home, and Conservation for Future Generations.


Are you exiced for all of the 'Royal Wedding Hype' ? What are you most excited to see? (I think I'm most excited for the decor and the cake!) Send me a quick email with all of your excitement, I would love to hear from you

Keep an eye out for my follow up posts after the wedding! Where will you be at 5am on Friday morning ? Still in bed, PVR'ing, or watching the broadcast live eating some yummy scones ??

Cake !

A perfect wedding would not be complete without the perfect cake ! Here are a few things to consider as you begin to scout out your sweet treat.
- Ask around. There is no better critic then family and friends! See if they have any recommendations for you to check out!
- Browse their portfolio, website and ask for references if you don't feel like you have the feel for them yet
- Before choosing the right baker for the job, ask how busy their weekends get, and who will be delivering your cake. Will someone qualified be on site after the delivery in case the cake is in need of touch ups ?
- How much of a deposit is required at the time of consultation / ordering?
- How many guests will you be serving? Do you want to save some cake? Are you serving something else as a late night sweet? All of these questions factor into getting yourself the most cost efficient cake so you arent wasting half of it!
- Brainstorm on cake toppers. the most simple cae can be dressed up by an elaborate topper.
- Be sure to pick flavors and icing's accoring to your venue. A buttercream, whipped topping cake will not do so well for an outdoor tented wedding!
- Does the baker charge a delivery / set-up fee? Most will waive this cost - so be sure to ask !
Finally, be sure to enjoy the cake you pick! Go through all the sample flavours with your fiancee and pick something that you both enjoy !

Have your cake and eat it too !

** Be sure to visit myself and the Marreme Team FRIDAY MARCH 25th 2011 at the Ancaster Wedding show!! This is a show you won't want to miss! **

Unique themed wedding

A Burlington Ontario couple’s July 17th wedding featured on Rich Bride, Poor Bride Tuesday February 1st 2011 will definitely not be one to miss! Amy & Tyler Brands had a very elegant, pink ceremony, just like the bride always dreamed of. When guests entered the reception, they were shocked to find the wedding that Tyler had always dreamed of; a New England Patriots themed celebration. All of the linens had blue or red overlay, red napkins and the Patriots’ logo was everywhere! The guests were all seated using VIP passes; each table was also named after a current Pats player. Sticking to the theme, the newlyweds walked down green turf with yard lines painted on. The groom changed his suit to fit the theme for the reception, and the couple’s youngest daughter also sported a Patriots cheerleading outfit. The theme was also carried out through a five foot tall ice luge to pour their signature blue drink through, a football field with a helmet on top of the groom’s cake and colour coded foam fingers for the guests to wave around.
This wedding definitely is one to remember!

2011 at a glance

Well, January has come again and it's time for our spring and summer brides to start finalizing details surrounding their big day !

People are becoming more price savvy so I think 2011 will have a lot more 'do - it - yourself' aspects. I think a lot more invitations and favors will have a personalized touch especially with all of the neat craft items that are showing up in more stores. Flowers will still be a popular addition to centrepieces but I think it's possible for the non-traditional items like feathers and crystals to be more prevalent. Lavish multiple layered wedding cakes will be replaced with one smaller cutting cake and cucpakes or dessert bars - a greta option for saving the big bills ! Finally, I think the royal wedding will be a huge focus, with designers creating buzz around Kate's jewellery, veil and dress.