Flowers of the Season

As we move into the Fall and Winter months, we often have Brides asking us what flowers are available for their weddings. Many of the Floral designers that we work with have access to any flowers at any time of year, but if the flower your desire is off season, it will usually cost more to get and they cannot guarentee the colour of them, seeing as they will be grown oversees in a greenhouse. Most bulb flowers ( i.e. Peonies) will be closed when they arrive if you try to get them in the winter for example.

So, if you are trying to keep within the possibilities locally for your fall or winter wedding, these are some of my personal favourites!


Fall Wedding Florals:

1. Mango Calla Lilies.

These rich mango coloured calla's are such a beautiful flower for the Autumn months.

2. Dahlias

I love the soft pink colour of this Dahlia and Rose bouquet! I'm also a big fan of any type of floral accent like these crystal centers! Looks like a brooch.

3. Zinnia

These are a traditional Chinese flower that come in a variety of colours. Stunningly vibrant!

4. Ranunculus

These little cuties are growing (pardon the pun) very popular! They also come in a variety of shades and are adorable! we have also seen many Brides getting their Cake Designers to mimic these flowers on their cakes!

Winter Wedding Flowers

1. Amaryllis

These are great because they have a large head. They fill a large space in a vase or bouquet and have maximum impact. These are beautiful!

2. Hanging Amaranthus

This is a great accent for any centerpiece or Aisle piece as seen below. It gives almost an enchanted forest feeling to any decor theme.

3. Sweet Peas

Most people have seen these in white, but I love the soft purple colour as well! Since purple seemed to be the on-trend wedding colour of 2011, I wanted to share this!

4. Anemones

These are simply incredible, no? The black centers are the perfect compliment to a wedding that has black in its colour scheme. Love them!

Hope these inspire you!

Kelly xoxo

Canadian Wedding Costs 101...

Successfully planning a wedding very much relies on being able to successfully budget for your wedding. However, I've come to notice that many couple's quickly find themselves in a struggle of dream vs. reality; They dreamed of wedding that in reality costs a lot more than expected. As a wedding planner, part of our job is to help our clients get the most value for their money, but sometimes it's a real challenge to bring a clients vision to life because the dream they come to you with, is severely under-priced in their mind compared to the reality of what things cost.

This article is our way of sharing with you what weddings in 2011 really cost. We wanted to be able to share with couples what the normal rates are in the wedding world so that they can dream within their scope of reality and know what they're walking into when they begin to meet with vendors. There will always be options under these average costs, and quotes that come in way over. We know some couples will read this article and say, "Well my venue was only $100 per person," and that's to be expected. There are great deals to be had, but for the sake of general education, here is what we've come to expect as planners in the Canadian Wedding Industry!

VENUE:
If you're going with a regular all inclusive food and alcohol banquet hall, the average cost we're seeing with tax and gratuities included is around $120-$150 per head. If you're going with a more original venue such as a museum or historic building that requires you to also bring in a caterer and rentals (chairs, tables, place settings, glass ware, furniture, lighting etc.), expect to pay at least $200 per head.

DJ & AV:
The average DJ service for the night for a DJ/MC is $1200-$1500. If you want extra AV elements, expect something around the following:
- Intelligent lights: $100-$150 each
- Up lights for the room: $25-$50 each
- Pin lighting for guest tables: $18-$25 per table
- Use of in house AV screen: $100-200 each
- Dry Ice for special dances: $100-$175
- Custom Monograms with Lights: $200-$250 each

LIVE BAND:
If you're considering a live band for the night in place of a DJ, expect to spend starting $4,000 easily.

LIVE ENTERTAINERS:
Many couples are bringing in about a half hour to an hour of special entertainment like string ensembles, drummers, violinists, pianists. Be prepared to budget at least $400-$500 for no more than 30-60 minutes of any of the above. If you're looking for a whole team of dancers for a 30 minute set, be prepared to pay between $500-$800.

FLOWERS:
Real flowers aren't cheap, but neither are artificial ones. Any good artificial flower will easily be double the cost of a real one. For that reason, we suggest keeping it real with these real life average costs:
- Bridal Bouquet: $150-$200
- Bridesmaid Bouquet: $70-$100 each
- Corsages: $15-20 each
- Boutonnieres: $10-15 each
- Alter arrangement: $45-$75
- Large Ceremony Fresh Floral Arrangements on Pedestals: $200-$400 each
- Pew Arrangements: $15-30 each
- Flower Girl Baskets/Kissing Balls: $25-40 each
- Centerpieces: Low vase: $50-$100/ High vase: $80-$130
- Candelabra/Crystal Chandelier Rentals for Centerpieces: $40-$65
- Low and Long for Head Table: $125-$150

DECOR:
Decor is one way to create ambiance at your wedding and bring your theme to life, but it does come at a cost.
Backdrops: $700-$1500
Head table and Cake Table decor (linens, candles, flowers, accents): $500-$1000
Linens: $18-$25
Napkins: $2-$4
Napkin Rings: $2-$4
Charger Plates: $2-$5
Runners: $6-$10
Overlays: $10-$15
Chivari or Ghost Chairs: $8-$10

PHOTOGRAPHER:
An experienced photographer will cost you anywhere from $3000-$5000 for full day coverage, usually including an engagement shoot and second shooter on the wedding day.

VIDEOGRAPHER:
An experienced photographer will cost you anywhere from $2500-$4500 for full day coverage, usually including a second camera and moderate to extensive editing.

CAKE:
The average 3-4 tier wedding cake can easily run you anywhere from $500-$1000 depending on flavours and design. When it comes to wedding cakes, the more detailed the design, the more it will cost you. Time equals money and a simple cake can be done in half the time of an equal sized but way more detailed custom cake.

TRANSPORTATION:
Most limo packages are for a standard 6 hours (that can not be broken up). Using 6hours as a base, expect to pay around $800 for a stretch limo, $1100-$1300 for an SUV limo, and $1800-$2400 for a limo bus (depending on size). Night pick ups for the bride and groom are always extra!

HAIR AND MAKE UP:
Bridal hair is usually around $120, and slightly less for a trail. Bridal make-up is usually around $100 and slightly less for a trial. Bridesmaids tend to be a little cheaper than the bride for make-up and up-dos.

TUX RENTALS:
The average full piece tux rental with shoes, tie, vests and pocket square will run you anywhere from $140-$160 on average.

BRIDAL ATTIRE:
The new average we're seeing when it comes to gowns, shoes, veil, accessories is between $2500-$4000.

CHURCH FEES:
Most churches have a set fee to host your wedding ceremony which usually amounts to a cost of $400-$600.

CUSTOM INVITES/STATIONARY:
Custom invites are a beautiful way to infuse your personality into your wedding. Prices are often structured based on the quantity order, but be prepared to pay between $5-$8 depending on design style. If you're planning to match wedding programs, place cards, menus and table numbers to your invites, be prepared to shell out a few hundred more on top of the invite cost.

So there you have it... the general things couples will consider when planning a wedding and the general costs. We truly feel that every couple deserves to have a wedding that is uniquely their own and full of all of their wildest expectations! Hopefully in the last few minutes, we've given you a little more insight about what to expect those expectations to cost.

Happy Planning!
L&K
xoxo

10 Ways to Make Your Wedding More Memorable...

Every couple wants their wedding to be special, unique and truly memorable. In order to get your creative juices flowing, we've compiled some of our best tips for creating a wedding day that will leave your guests talking... in a good way!

Tip 1: Good Food
We're starting with this one, because it's the quickest make it or break it. Chances are you've all been to a wedding where the food was less than great, and chances are it's the thing you remember most. The best way to win over your guests is still through their bellies. Choose a venue that is highly regarded in terms of quality of food, presentation and service and serve a menu that the average person wouldn't order out for dinner on a Saturday night! Also consider swapping your late night sweet table for a savory spread of Poutine, Sliders, New York Fries, or Chinese Food!

Tip 2: Choose a Live Band over a DJ
Not that we don't love DJs, but realistically, you see them at 99% of the weddings you go to and for that reason, you'll remember a wedding where you didn't. Not only is live music more engaging and entertaining for guests, but it also creates an electric energy at your reception that draws guests in to the moment and keeps them there longer.

Tip 3: Choose a Unique Venue
A banquet hall is a great place for a wedding, but so are Art Galleries, Museums, Historic Buildings, Wineries, Private Residences, Conservation Areas, and Out-of-Town Resorts... If you want to wow your guests, give them their first WOW when they open your wedding invite and see the location you've selected!

Tip 4: Creative Bar Ware
If you have a theme for your wedding, bring it to your bar. Whether it means mason jars for a vintage chic wedding, elaborate martini garnishes for a black tie affair, or ice luges for a signature drink, put some extra effort into the presentation of the beverages; it's sure to make a lasting impression.

Tip 5: Contemporary Ceremony Music
While classical music is classically beautiful (I had it at my own wedding), some of the most memorable wedding ceremonies I've been to, have used contemporary slow tempo music that is personal to the couple. I've seen a processions to Leona Lewis' "I Got You" and Sade's "By You Side" and recessionals to Coldplays' "Clocks" and Beyonce's "Halo" and let me tell you, I remembered those moments like no other. They were a refreshing unexpected change and it left me thinking that these couples were on to something good.

Tip 6: Don't Toss the Bouquet, Dedicate it
Something I've grown to dislike very much at weddings is the "Bouquet Toss", in fact I've come to find it quite tacky and meaningless. No longer is it exciting to race to the floor to announce to a room full of couples, that you're still single and ready to catch a symbol of someone elses happiness. Instead, something I've recently seen done as an alternative is for a bride to opt out of tossing her bouquet, for a chance to dedicate it to the one women in the room who has made the greatest impact on her life, often a mother, grandmother, aunt, or friend. It was a welcomed change and it definitely created a memory I'd like to see repeated.

Tip 7: Flip your Photo Booth Station for a Flip Book Station
Photo booths for guests to participate in during cocktail hour and your evening reception are very popular, but if you want something equally as pleasing but more original, consider a flip book station. Lots of media event companies offer these portable stations for corporate affairs and weddings. They will take a 10-12 second video of your guests with props and scrolling messages and turn it into a mini-flip book on the spot to take away as a wedding memorabilia. I've seen them done before, and they are a HUGE success, not to mention so cool!

Tip 8: Multiple Centerpieces
Your centerpieces are the center of attention for your guest tables... If you want to make them stand out, choose not one, but two to three different styles that you will alternate on the various tables throughout your reception venue. Guests will have more to look and more to remember!

Tip 9: Unique Centerpiece Games
If you're giving away your centerpiece, don't be predictable. We've all passed a napkin to the left, and pulled a set of keys out of our pockets and waved them in the air. One of the most memorable weddings I've been to used a really cute centerpiece give-a-way game. They gave every guest a number from 1-10 under their bread plate, then played a horse race on all the AV screens in the venue with 10 horses. If the horse who had your number won, you got the centerpiece. In the first 10 seconds of the race, guests were surprised and intrigued, in the next 60 seconds, they were up off their feet, cheering for their "Sea Biscuit" loving the excitement of the impromptu race.

Tip 10: Don't Just "Name" Your Wedding Party, "Explain" Them
Include a "Get to Know the Wedding Party” section in your programs or on the tables in your reception area. It's a given that many of your guests might not know all of the people in your bridal party or their histories with you. Include a picture and Bio of each Wedding Party member so your guests can learn more about each person and why they are so special to you and your significant other!

L&K
xoxox