The Modern Bouquet

photo from etsy.com

photo from flower diva

"According to the history of wedding traditions, “Before the use of flowers in the bridal bouquet, women carried aromatic bunches of garlic, herbs, and grains to drive evil spirits away as they walked down the aisle. Over time, these were replaced with flowers, symbolizing fertility and everlasting love." weddingstyle.com

photo from offbeatbride.com

Many people will agree that a bouquet is a work of art. I am all about expressing YOUR personality as a bride and groom on your wedding day. What better way to express personality and stand out in the crowd than to create a bouquet made from jewels, feathers, candies, crystals, buttons, shells, fabric, ribbons or other keepsakes? There are endless possibilities to what you can use and create. Personal keepsakes, family heirlooms and treasured items can all be pulled together in an expressive masterpiece!

photo from offbeatbride.com

Unlike the traditional floral bouquet which is typically tossed, your creation would be yours to keep and admire for years to follow, or to pass on to your children, family members or friends.

photo from fantasy floral

The option to create an alternative bouquet can also be used for your bridesmaids, with boutonnieres and corsages.

"As your bridesmaids march down the aisle in your wedding, the chances are that they will be holding something pretty in their hands. Customarily, this was a bouquet of flowers, but there are actually tons of other options. These are some suggestions for creative bouquet alternatives for bridesmaids. What you give your bridesmaids to carry in your wedding should reflect the style of your wedding. If you keep that in mind, it will open your eyes to all sorts of non-traditional possibilities. Think about the message you wish to convey, as well as what will look the best with the bridesmaid dresses, your bridal gown, and the ceremony location. Some bouquet alternatives would be perfect in one place, but seem odd in another. Everything should flow together." thefreelibrary.com

photo from offbeatbride.com

Table Trends for 2010

Trends are a funny thing aren't they? Well this one is a new favourite of mine, without a doubt. The latest trend in table decor is pattern pattern pattern. What a great way to show off personality, style and personal interest of the couple. The possibilities are endless. I love it!!




"For 2010, you would see more and more couples making use of patterned tablecloths for their wedding tables. Linens with floral designs and paisley patterns are especially hot for this coming year." www.wedding-favours.ca

Valentine's Day ... Proposal Day

Photo by Jennifer Clark

Since Valentine's Day is the official day of LOVE, it's no wonder it is one of the most popular choices for proposing to your loved one! This adorable proposal story is one of my favourites...

My boyfriend, Nate, had been deployed in Afghanistan for a year, so for my birthday, Nate’s friends threw me a party so I wouldn’t be alone. The last present I opened was a card that told me to check my closet upstairs. In the closet, I found a DVD with a note that said, “Watch immediately.” It was a video of Nate in Afghanistan, holding a sign that said to go to the first place we met. We all drove over to the school where Nate and I had been kindergarten classmates, and then I saw a soldier on the playground. Before I could process what was happening, I realized it was Nate, who had somehow managed to come home. I started bawling on his shoulder, and then he got on his knee and pulled out a ring that was custom-made for me in Afghanistan.

Check out the top proposal stories of 2009 at http://wedding.theknot.com/getting-engaged/marriage-proposals/articles/best-marriage-proposals-2009.aspx

Kiss The Bride on YouTube

Well, we've officially done it. We've launched a YouTube channel which will showcase slide shows and video from weddings we have coordinated and participated in. Find us at http://www.youtube.com/user/KissTheBride1. We've only got a few videos to upload at this time but as the season rolls on, we will be adding them regularly. See you there!!

Bonnie & Brad

photography by Evan McMaster www.evanmcmaster.com

Bonnie & Brad were married in Halifax on Halloween. Their festive wedding took place at the Citadel Hotel downtown. Their colour of choice was eggplant. The bride's bouquet was a stunning hand tied arrangement made by My Mother's Bloomers. The bridesmaids' bouquets were a mixture of white flowers hand tied with purple ribbon.

Each guest received a beautiful masquerade mask as a favour. The entire bridal party, including the bride and groom had personalized masks of their own. They were a huge hit! Every guest wore their masks as the bride and groom were introduced into the reception. As the wedding party was introduced their masks came down. It was a fantastic way to show them off.

Thank you both Bonnie & Brad for having us take part in your wedding day. It was a pleasure!

Of course, who could resist stopping at Tim's?

Sweet Truth

Ahh the candy buffet. This trend caught on so fast that now it seems when planning the reception set up, the cake table, gift table, head table, signing table and CANDY table are now what is considered standard. I will admit, everyone loves to see that colourful joyous sight when walking into a reception room. Yummy!!

Of course for children at weddings, this is equivalent to Christmas morning! However, I have seen many adults line up around the room waiting to get their mitts on that candy and squealing in excitement!! The candy table is a great way to incorporate colour, design and personality into the decor of the room. It is definitely a fun trend that doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon. I'd love to hear your thoughts and see photos of your candy buffets!

Something (Robins Egg) Blue...

One of my favourite colours right now is robins egg blue. It is such a romantic colour which inspires creativity. There are so many ways to add colour to your palette in 2010. Gone are the days where the only colour we see are on the uniformed bridesmaids dresses and their flowers. Wearing coloured shoes, having an abundance of colour in decor, at the guest tables, dinnerware, accessories etc are all ways to express your personality on your wedding day.



A great flower (another favourite of mine) to add that soft blue palette is the hydrangea - see photo. Hydrangeas don't last a long time and are very delicate but they are so soft, romantic, beautiful and so worth it, especially in this colour! They are also very reasonably priced and work well with many other flowers.

Trends - Birdcage Veil?

One of the latest trends in wedding accessories for 2009 and into 2010 is the birdcage veil. I've heard so many mixed opinions on this trend. It seems that either you love it or you hate it. Personally I love it. Adding feathers, bows etc are even more fun. I'm really loving feathers lately which is also a popular trend, but that's a whole different blog.

"Although the “birdcage” name refers to the shaping of the veil to “float” over the face, head (or part of the face and head) and to extend no longer than the chin, it’s a common misconception that “birdcage” means anything made with large-gauge millinery netting. But “birdcage” is the style (slightly bouffant and “enclosing” the face like a cage), not the fabric. A birdcage-style short bridal veil can be made from the usual fine tulle of traditional veils–but the stiffness of the larger-gauge netting is more conducive to “floating” over the face without rubbing against the ends of the eyelashes." - factoidz.com

Destination Weddings....

We all know how popular destination weddings have become. I helped coordinate and plan a wedding in 2008 for a fantastic couple who were married in Punta Cana. We had a blast. It appears I will be traveling back to the Dominican for another destination wedding in 2011 for my very own sister. However, she wants a no frills, no fuss wedding. There will be only herself, her fiance and two witnesses going. What a challenge for a wedding planner! All of these fantastic ideas are popping into my head, the colour schemes are flying by and my bride? Sitting beside me scowling at the idea! Oh the joys. I think this will be a popular topic of discussion over the next few months.

In the mean time, here are a few links for anyone out there who may be looking at having a destination wedding!

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/
http://www.islandbrides.com/
http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/

Sarah & Corey

photography by www.kovalphoto-graphics.com

Sarah & Corey were married in Amherst, Nova Scotia this summer in a beautiful church ceremony. Their ceremony was shared by 100 of their family and friends. Sarah and her girls arrived in a huge Horne's luxury limo bus just in time! Afterward they enjoyed a great dinner and reception. We loved listening to all of the hilarious stories about their relationship and how they met!

They had a huge 6 tiered cupcake tree filled with vanilla and lemon flavoured cupcakes made by The Cake Box and topped with a small fantastic round cake. The topper was a rhinestone monogram. Their colour palette was a mixture of bright and soft pinks complimented by sage green.

We had a great time Sarah & Corey!
Thank you for having us!