Want that exclusive couture gown but can't afford it? Want that glamorous sparkle that every bride should have without racking up the credit card? It's easy and fun!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Bridal Glamour on a Budget (And No One Will Know!)
Want that exclusive couture gown but can't afford it? Want that glamorous sparkle that every bride should have without racking up the credit card? It's easy and fun!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Be My Maid of Honour....I DO! Or Do You?
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Little Details
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Shabby Chic...Yes Please!
So I have a new obsession for all things shabby chic and oddly enough it wasn’t sparked by a wedding theme design I worked on but rather in the decor of my new home. What’s great about it (other than the fact that my house looks fantastic!) is that it’s totally wedding transferable and it’s fabulous!
Here’s the low down on the how to:
1. It’s all about pastels, whites and creams. Think pretty. Think soft. Think cozy.
2. It’s all about patterns. Whether they be floral, checker, plaid, or a combo of all three, it'll work. Just make sure you keep a consist colour scheme when blending patterns to ensure a common thread.
3. It’s all about the details. The true Shabby Chic ambiance is not created by any one given thing but rather a blend of small details that work perfectly together. A throw, a candle, a sign, a picture...
4. It’s all about vintage. If it’s worn in, if it’s rusty, if it’s chipped, it works!
Here’s a link to a great website I used when decorating my place...
http://www.cottagehomedecorating.com/shabby-chic-decorating.html
Hope it gets you off on the right track to creating your shabby chic wedding experience!
Best!
Kasia
(photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Deciding on a Colour Palette...OH THE AGONY!
I'm Back! And Ready to Blog!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
All Hail the Queen
Of Weddings That Is!
Hello to all my blogging friends! My apologies for my recent hiatus but it’s been a busy few weeks. We’re been working ourselves silly with all things weddings, including a new service launch that I’ll feature on the blog shortly. But on to today’s discussion...wedding splendour!
I was recently privileged to find myself at the book release party of the wedding famous Grace Ormonde. Now if you’re either planning a wedding for yourself, your friend, or your client and you’re sitting there scratching your head over who Grace Ormonde is, you need to drop everything you’re doing, run to your nearest Chapters, Shoppers, Superstore, wherever, and pick up her magazine immediately!
Perhaps it’ll ring a bell when I refer to Wedding Style, the magazine that stands out among the rest as clearly something offering unique options for today’s bride? It’s a tribute to weddings with every page filled with what’s hot, what’s new and what’s stunning. It features some of the most glamorous and beautiful of real weddings and from one page to the next the sighs of appreciation just keep coming! And then there’s the book....oh my! I can’t seem to stop looking through it again and again! In fact, I think it’s about all I’ve done every evening before bed since the launch! I seem to pick up on something new every time I pick it up. My mind races with new ideas and ways to create lovely for my clients.
I’ll be the first to say that what you’ll find featured in both the magazine and the book are not commodities that all can afford. Regardless, both prints certainly are the ultimate sources for idea generation and inspiration for any bride to be. If you’re looking for ways to make your wedding day truly unique and extraordinary, look no further. If you can afford to buy that Harry Winston watch for your Mr.Right, or that Vera Wang Dress for your big day, then fantastic! If you can’t, do yourself a favour and take the time to be inspired by the best and find ways to make it your own.
So with this blog entry I say thanks to you, Ms. Grace Ormonde, for an amazingly inspirational magazine, a gorgeous book, and a great event! It was an honour!
Best!
Kasia
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Best Thing Since Sliced Bread!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something...Pink?
Friday, April 9, 2010
Bridal Show News
Thursday, April 1, 2010
These are a Few of our Favourite Things....
Recent Trends that are Sticking Around for Good Reason
As is the case with all trends, wedding trends by their very nature come and go and with many we say good riddance! That said, there are classics that seem to pop up again and again over time. Be it with new twists or in traditional ways, they always find their way back into the wedding world and we say thank goodness! Here are a few of our favourites and how to incorporate them into your wedding.
For the Ceremony: Celebratory Confetti & Wedding Bubbles
There’s no better feeling then taking your first walk as life partners. Couples often refer to the feeling as one of giddiness, like that of a couple of kids skipping along! And there are few things more “classic wedding” then guests adorning a couple lovingly with rice confetti in celebration. Unfortunately many venues no longer allow the use of rice or other confetti products that gather on the floor and require clean up. Fortunately a pretty and fun alternative has found its way into weddings...Bubbles! Wedding Bubbles are a whimsical alternative, come in a variety of packaging options to suit varying themes and are super inexpensive.
For the Reception: Guest Entertainment & Photo Booths
Couples often have trouble figuring out what to do with their guests during the gap between the Ceremony and the Reception. You’re whisked off by your photographer for your big photo shoot and your guests are left waiting by idly. Photo Booth Rentals are a fantastic and fun recent trend that helps solve this classic dilemma. Guests have a great time kicking back and being silly and you get to capture yet another aspect of your incredible day. Alternatively, for a more budget friendly version, get your hands on a Polaroid camera and have one member of the family play photographer. Have your guests sign their individual pictures with special messages and stick them up on a wall for all to see.
For the Guests: Wedding Favours & the Candy Buffet
Wedding Favours or Bomboniere have been around for a long time. Giving your guests a token of appreciation is not a new trend. What does change over time are the trinkets that couples select as their giveaway. Traditionally candy has been a longstanding favourite; thankfully we have come a long way from candy covered almonds tucked into organza pouches. One of our favourites is the super trendy candy buffet. Using a variety of display options to hold your treats, including varying sizes and shapes of vases or cake stands, you can make your display look cute or classy depending on the sweet tooth item of choice. Get creative with your baggies and your container adornments and your giveaway will be both easy on the eyes and the belly!
For the New Couple: A Grand...Exit?
It’s commonplace for a couple to make a grand entrance into their reception. The music plays, the guests stand and cheer, and in walk the newlyweds. But what about finishing off the night right? In the past it was just as commonplace to see couples leave their reception and guests in the same grand way. Think My Best Friend’s Wedding. The big exit is making its way back into today’s wedding trends and I for one am thrilled! Your wedding day is all about you in the spotlight and making that final grand statement is a great way to end it all off. Play it up by changing into a great new outfit and driving away in a classic car dragging some good old cans behind you. Why not throw in a “JUST MARRIED” sign while you’re at it!
I hope you find inspiration from these, some of my favourite wedding things. Just remember that your wedding day is all about you, so no matter what you do, or how you do it, be it old, new, borrowed or blue, just make it yours and have fun!
All the Best!
Kasia
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Buyer Beware!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tips for a Budget Friendly Wedding
Cut Some Corners Without Compromising on Style
Unless you’re one of the lucky few where budget is not a factor for your wedding, chances are you’re going to have to cut some corners at some point in the planning process. Considering your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, the key is to cut the right corners. The following tips are some creative ideas on how you can save money wisely without compromising your final goal, a beautiful wedding.
Wedding Favours:
You want to properly thank your guests for their gifts and for celebrating your special day with you but favours can get expensive, especially when you’re having a large wedding. Thankfully you can easily do some penny pinching here all without anyone being the wiser. Here are a couple of great ways to save yourself some money:
Package your own Favours. A lot of gift stores either charge extra for packaging or include it in the product markup. Although you’ll need a hand with this one, and that’s what bridesmaids and wedding planners are for, packaging your own favours will save you money and can be done well in advance, saving you last minute stress.
Have a Candy Buffet. A recently popular trend, more and more couples are going for this option and for good reason. A candy buffet not only looks great but it’s fun and who doesn’t love candy? And it’s as easy and budget friendly as a visit to your local Dollar Store and Walmart.
Prelude Tip: Don’t think you can make this one more formal? Of course you can! Consider chocolate instead of candy, raised glass stands instead of vases and decorate your favour bags with lace.
Décor Tips:
Décor is another area that can get pricey, but it’s also an important part of your day. The good news is there are some really easy ways you can save a few bucks without compromising on style or effect. Here are just a few:
A Centerpiece Spin. There’s no cardinal rule that says you have to have florals for your centerpieces. That’s not to say that flowers aren’t beautiful, but they can also get very expensive. Instead consider creative alternatives that match your theme, like vases filled with crystals and candles.
Double Up. Make your décor do double duty by having your centerpieces as your favours. Adorn each table with candleholders in varying heights. At the end of the night each couple takes home one holder. Not only is your gift practical but what's more romantic than a candlelight room!
Reception Setup:
As the most expensive part of your budget, taking up 40-50% of your available finances, this is a good place to look for some budget friendly options. That said, there’s good reason your reception venue takes up half of your budget. Your reception is the most important aspect of the day and not an area you want to cheap out on. But frugal and smart you can be! Consider some of these easy to implement tips.
A Toast to the Cocktail. Consider a cocktail reception for just your closest family and friends. Cutting down on the number of hours your celebration will last not only cuts the cost of the venue itself but will also save on other expensive aspects like food, hors d'oeuvres versus a 4 or 5 course meal, entertainment, just a few hours of solo guitarist is a beautiful touch and potentially less expensive than a DJ, and alcohol, the less time they have to consume the less they’ll consume!
Cash Bar Alternatives. As a professional wedding planner I would never recommend a couple to go with the cash bar option. You wouldn’t charge your friends for drinks if they came to your home for a celebration, you shouldn’t do so just because you’ve opted for a large venue. But you can consider a smart and money savvy alternative, a limited bar. This can be accomplished by serving only wine and beer or you can include one popular and versatile spirit like vodka. Create a signature cocktail to make it that much more appealing.
And then of course the obvious…
The easiest ways to save money across the board:
- Get married during the off season months including January, February, March and November
- Get married on any day other than Saturday
If you’re not dead set on a summer wedding or you’re ok with a Friday celebration, go for it. Many vendors provide off season rates.
I hope that you have found these tips useful. The best news is we’re just grazing the surface here. There are many more ways in which you can save yourself money. It's just a matter of getting creative.
All the Best!
Kasia
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Tips on How to Successfully Execute a Wedding Theme
The Essential Basics of Wedding Themes
Ah, the wedding theme! One bride’s joy, another bride’s pain! Here’s the thing though, you simply can’t have a wedding without a theme. Even those who go about planning their wedding without a conscious theme in mind, still end up with one. Think about it. Considering all the many components that come together to create a wedding, if you didn’t have a common thread linking them it would be one big mess!
Some themes are more obvious and creative than others. Some are subtle and simple in nature. Whatever the case, a theme is a necessary component to easing the planning process and keeping you organized. At first thought it might seem like a lot of work and may even be overwhelming, the thought of remembering to incorporate a theme into all your wedding decisions, but it doesn’t have to be the case. Here are four easy steps to help you successfully and easily execute a theme:
Decide on a Theme From the Start. As eluded to above, deciding on a theme early on will make the planning process a much smoother one. Like declaring a budget and sticking to, choosing a theme helps you weed through the endless options available to you, sticking to only those that match the overall effect you are going for.
Keep it Personal. Ideally you want a theme to reflect who you are as individuals and as a couple. It could be a reflection of your cultures, your religious beliefs, your favourite pastimes, an homage to how you met, or countless other things. Making a theme personal adds a great deal to the ambience of the day and it’s all that much easier to implement as it’ll come naturally to you.
Incorporate it Everywhere. It’s critical to consistently incorporate your theme or else it just isn’t a theme. From the first communication you send out to your guests, whether that be an engagement announcement, a save the date card, or an invitation, you should set the tone and formality of your event and introduce your theme. From there your theme will likely impact everything from your dress choice, your favours, your food selection and the services you decide on, the type of entertainment you retain, and so on.
If you consider yourself to be a simple, understated person and/or couple, you may be cringing right now at the thought of a theme popping up in every part of your wedding. You may be imaging something colourful and loud and not your style as part of your day. But that doesn’t have to be the case at all. Yes you can get creative and cute with a theme, like a beach wedding theme where you encourage guests to where their flip flops, give out personalized mini beach chairs as the favours, and serve up margaritas as your signature drink. But just as easily simplicity can be your theme. By keeping your colour palette natural, perhaps having an outdoor wedding with simple candles as your centerpieces and a donation as your favour, simple can be your theme.
Stick to it. Do not make last minute changes! And this rule doesn’t just apply to the theme. Many brides, once the wedding day starts approaching closer, start to second guess decisions and consider making changes. Now’s not the time. You picked what you did for a reason, because it was important to you and it felt right. Stick to it and you’ll have an incredible day!
All the Best!
Kasia
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Calling all Foodies!
This spring, awaken your taste buds at the premiere of Oakville Taste 2010- Oakville’s outdoor culinary event.
Food enthusiasts are invited to an afternoon held at Appleby College, Sunday May 30, 2010, 2pm – 6pm. Set under a picturesque grand marquee, Oakville Taste celebrates all Oakville has to offer hosting an afternoon designed to whet the appetite. 300-400 guests will indulge their taste buds, sampling food from over a dozen local restaurants and caterers. Local vintners, breweries and bakeries will showcase their specialties providing a complete gastronomic experience. Oakville musicians, a silent auction and sponsor displays will add to the flavour of this one-of-a-kind Oakville event.
Net proceeds generated by Oakville Taste 2010 will be donated to Kerr Street Ministries, a non-denominational charity that helps and gives hope to Oakville’s most vulnerable citizens.
Tickets only $75! Visit the website for more details:
Monday, February 15, 2010
Prelude to a Kiss Wedding Specialists Hits the Blogging World!
Owner and Certified Wedding Specialist
T: 416.834.5918
F: 866.453.9677
E: info@preludetoakiss.ca
www.preludetoakiss.ca
www.preludetoakiss.weddingstar.com