I love a substantial ball gown with a little bit of an edge to it and this dress has that and more…

The sweet heart neckline.

The ruffles.

The chapel train.

The ruffles.

The natural waist line accentuated with a jeweled belt!

Did I mention the ruffles?

In September at the Calgary Bridal Expo, our design was luxurious romance – dripping in pearls, the soft & elegant colours of champagne, ivory and blush.  Exquisite linen, warm lighting… it was beautiful, and a huge hit.  For THIS show, we wanted to go to the other side of the spectrum, while still keeping that luxury feel that we are so well known for.

We chose the colour palette of white, silver and raspberry pink.  I’m loving white right now – which is rather funny, because 2 years ago I swore that I’d never design with white as the principal tone.  However, lately I’m in love with the bright, clean luxury of it.  It creates such a high contrast to almost all colours, and I find it almost as dramatic as black.  A caution – there are over 150 shades of white, (which is actually not considered a colour, but an absence of colour).  This means that you need to be comfortable shade-matching. Let me tell you – very few things are bright white, as we found out! Luckily for us, we knew that this would be an issue, and ensured that we had a lighting plan in place to minimize any issues.

The overall theme for our design was clean, modern luxury.  We wanted to include a stylized sweet table, as SO many of our couples have been asking us to design them.  I love it- I think it’s a high-class version of the candy buffet, and it can be a fantastic focal-point to the design.  I asked Lauren to take the lead on this project, and she did a fabulous job.  We designed a unique way to label each treat – including hanging the stationery from bling within an acrylic box.  I LOVE the meringue topiaries that Lauren made – how stunning! Our feature piece or this booth were custom designed white panels, which Renee created from scratch – a huge project! – they turned out perfectly, and we can’t wait to use them in our upcoming weddings.

HUGE thank you goes to Nancy & Maros from HANAFOTO and Tessa Perkins from Tessa Perkins Photography for stopping by to take some photos and allowing us to use them! Also thank you to Plush Invitations, the Nosegay, Great Events, Special Event Rentals, One West, Jelly Modern Donuts, Stardust Lighting, and Cakery Bakery for contributing to our booth. You all rock!

All right, enough talking, let’s check out some photos!

It’s Wedding Fair season here in Calgary, and with it comes a slew of “Tips and Tricks for Surviving Wedding Fair” blog posts. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – they typically contain really helpful information!  It’s just that the same information is being covered over and over again… and so when I sat down to write a blog post on Wedding Fair, I was drawing a blank. I didn’t want to do the same post everyone else was doing – after all, doing what everyone else is doing is not the Lavish way! – but I did want to post an informative blog.

And so it began – here is my list of what NOT to do at Wedding Fair.

1 – Don’t wear heals. Seriously.

- I know, they look fabulous. And YOU look fabulous in them. But listen – unless you’re the kind of person that can walk for hours and hours in heels with no issue, skip them. It’s a cement floor.  Your back will thank me later.

2 – Don’t pretend to be a Bride if you aren’t one.

- This is for all of those wedding professionals out there who plan on attending the show.  It’s a GOOD thing that you attend – but don’t sign up as a Bride or Groom at the door and wear the sticker around. It really annoys exhibitors when they try and talk to you about their services (because you’re wearing a sticker that says BRIDE or GROOM, duh) only to find out that you’re a wedding professional who is just checking out the show.

3 – Don’t bring us your resume and ask if we’re hiring.

- It’s a funny thing, but for some reason we get like 20 people at each show who want to talk to us about a possible job. Which is great! But not at the show. We have put a LOT of time, energy and money into our exhibit, and we are super-excited about talking to Brides & Grooms about what we can do to make their day spectacular. We can’t do that if we’re talking to you about your resume. Feel free to approach us, introduce yourself, and let us know that you’ll contact us after the show regarding a job. And that’s that.

4 – Don’t be offended when exhibitors try and talk to you.

- I know – you feel like we’re all trying to sell you something, right? Well – we are. All of us. We’re businesses, and I can tell you that we have all put an incredible amount of time and effort into our display each year. We do that so that you can get a glimpse of what our services are, and how we can make your wedding fabulous.  There are 200+ exhibitors at the Wedding Fair, and it’s important to us that you leave at the end of the show with the information that you need to make the best possible choices. That information is what we want to talk to you about. So please, don’t scowl at us when we ask you how your wedding planning is going. We just want to help you – that’s our job as wedding planners.

5 – Don’t wait too long to contact us.

- One of the reasons we love the Calgary Wedding Fair so much is that we meet so many of our couples there. In fact, it usually only takes us a few weeks following Wedding Fair to fill up the remainder of our available dates for the upcoming summer and many of our dates for the following year. We will be scheduling consultations right in our booth – and we have only a limited number of appointment times available. If you want to know if LAVISH is the right Wedding Planning company for you – don’t wait until after the show to schedule a consultation. Sign up at the show, so that you don’t miss out.

6 – Don’t be surprised when your inbox is suddenly filled with newsletters & offers from vendors.

- We’re not trying to spam you, I promise.  But many of the exhibitors offer special promotions to couples who attend the Wedding Fair – even after the show is over. The only way we have to communicate that to you is via email.  If you’ve read any of the “Tips & Tricks for Wedding Fair” blogs out there, then you know that it’s a good idea to create a wedding-specific email address.  Then, once your wedding is over, you can delete the account.  We try and send out really helpful information in our newsletter {lavish*life} – and we are thrilled that so many brides continue to request our newsletter even after they are married!  Anyway – when you receive those newsletters & promotions, know that we’re all genuinely trying to offer you services that we think will help make your wedding an amazing experience.  Please don’t hit the “Report as Spam” button. Most of us send a newsletter that includes an “unsubscribe” button at the very end.  If you don’t want to hear from us again, just click on that. Warning though – you’ll be missing out on some fantastic behind-the-scenes stories, design tips, and amazing inspirations. Just sayin’!

7 – Don’t bring your kids. Or anyone else’s kids.

- I know, that just sounds rude. But it’s not. I’m telling you this as a mother myself – Wedding Fair is overwhelming for children!  There are TONS of people, and it is in general a sensory overload.  The grownups find it overwhelming at times – imagine how a child feels!  Plus, you’ll get way more out of it if you come without the wee ones.  The displays are not designed for strollers, and there are lots of breakable items everywhere you turn.

8 – Don’t have tunnel vision!

- Wedding Fair is an opportunity for you to see what is out there.  We are SO amazingly spoiled in Calgary – we are home to some of the worlds’ best wedding designers & other wedding professionals. Our city is often way ahead of the trends, and so you’ll probably see some ideas that you’ve never seen before.  Take it all in!  Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box.  And remember – exhibitors are limited as to what they can show  you!  We only have a small space to work with.  Often you’ll see just a small sampling of what we can do.  Last September our booth was a very luxurious and romantic theme.  Though our booth was hugely popular at the show, I heard one bride comment “that is SO not my style” and she walked right by without coming in. Fair enough – but remember, you’re only seeing a glimpse of what we – and other professionals – have to offer.  We choose a different theme and style for every booth we design.  Which is SUPER fun, by the way.  But don’t assume that what you see is the only style that is available. We’re versatile and flexible and can design in whatever style YOU want. We just had to choose one style for the show.

9 – Don’t come hungry.

- This one is super practical. Food & drinks are expensive at the BMO. Have a decent meal or snack before you arrive – you’ll be glad you did. But do save a little room – there are often tons of samples and treats available for you at no cost from exhibitors.

10 – Enjoy the experience!

- OK that’s not a Don’t. But it’s the most important item on this list!  You will only be married one time, and the Wedding Fair is a ridiculously amazing experience, filled with incredible inspiration.  Soak it all in. Take photos. Allow yourself to dream. Being engaged is such an exciting time in your life.  Be in the moment, and enjoy being in love!

See you all at the show on Sunday!

MARY: Tell us a little about your proposal

SIEWMEE: Well, our relationship wasn’t a traditional one by any means and neither was our engagement.  We were attending Ryan’s brothers wedding in Winnipeg back in 2007.  And since we were going to be back we decided to order and pick up my ring from my cousins who happen to be jewellers. We’ve been together for a long time and have a beautiful daughter together.

MARY: Who were the three first wedding professionals that you hired?

SIEWMEE: We selected our venue first and foremost (the RIMROCK HOTEL in Banff), and then immediately hired a Wedding Planner (LAVISH).  Our next step, with the help of LAVISH, was to hire a fabulous photographer (ABSOLUTE PHOTOGRAPHY).

MARY: How did you select your wedding colours, and what were they?

SIEWMEE:  We chose the colors based on my favorite flower – the orchid.  Because our ceremony was outdoors during the summer I wanted it to be light and fresh.  So we chose a pale light pink and green.  The ceremony we chose a deep purple and black for elegance and also because it’s our favorite color.

MARY: What promted you to hire a Wedding Planner?

SIEWMEE:  In short… life is hectic!  Work is insanely busy for me all year long.  I find myself working from home some evenings and weekends.  How could I ever plan a wedding with a demanding career, a family and a home to maintain?  For me it was next to impossible to find the time to do the research, let alone attend appointments.  We knew that hiring a wedding planner was a must.  With so many choices of vendors and details I needed to rely on a professional’s expertise.  Not to mention I needed someone to stay organized on my behalf!

MARY: Why did you select LAVISH?

SIEWMEE: I had made a few calls and Mary was the first to respond – within 24hrs.  Which impressed me being that I was anxious to get started!   We met the following weekend and just conversed about our vision for the wedding day.  Mary understood my style and commented that my vision was small but lavish.   She understood that I was looking for a gorgeous wedding but a fun party and I definitely wanted to have some wow factor!  We wanted to set ourselves apart from all of the other weddings that we’d attended.  We wanted a memorable day that our guests would talk about for  years.  Once we met with Mary we didn’t look any further.  And when we received our design proposal, we had no doubt that we made the right decision.

MARY: What are some of your favourite memories of your wedding day?

SIEWMEE: The decor – everything from the overall atmosphere to the smallest of details were amazing.  The reaction and comments from our guests made it all worth it.  Seeing everyone enjoy the reception and party was satisfying.    Most of all, the calmness of the day.  It wasn’t stressful, flowed almost flawlessly.  And not to mention the unsurpassed team of vendors.  Everything came together perfectly!

MARY: What advice do you have for recently engaged couples?

SIEWMEE: Hire a wedding planner! It’s the best investment for your wedding.  You need a non-biased individual to keep you grounded with vendor & decor selections and budget.  My husband  would have let me choose the moon and stars if it was offered to me, but our wedding planner helped keep us grounded.  Trust your wedding planner!  They have built relationships with vendors and because of this there is no reason to shop around! Lavish only works with the best of the best.   I know I definitely did not have the time to do the research on my own. What else… Engagement photos are recommended –   we got to know our photographer during our engagement shoot and found that we really like his personality.  He made us feel comfortable and encouraged us to bring our daughter.  Which meant a lot to us.   A videographer is a must, we are so fortunate to have hired the best cinematographers!  They offer a different view, a different angle, a different vision on capturing moments throughout the day.  Also – do a cake and food tasting and don’t be afraid to ask for substations or make special requests.  I’d suggest having your hair stylist and makeup artist come to you instead of going to them – it makes it much easier and relaxing.  Final thoughts…   Enjoy your day! For us, a year of planning came and went in the blink of an eye. Don’t force the groom to do anything he doesn’t want to do.  Not everything will go your way so don’t dwell on any one issue. Trust your decisions and the advice of your wedding planner.  Lastly and most importantly, try to stay on budget!  It is way too easy to deviate from it!

Thanks Siewmee for taking the time to participate in this post!  We loved being part of your amazing wedding, and look forward to many years of friendship with yourself, Ryan, and the lovely Alexa!

Here are some final images from the big day – including some detail shots from their oh-so-fab custom sweet table!

Thank you so much to Brian at Absolute Photography and Justin from Raw Photography for providing us with the amazing photos!

I LOVE favors that are plantable:

Giving gifts like seeds and tree saplings are becoming more and    more popular as wedding favors, especially because of the   wonderful symbolism they provide: they grow and blossom, just  like  your relationship and love has.

Little saplings are easy to find and customize I found these at  www.organicbeautytalk.com  but they are just as easy to source out  locally.

If you want to be super eco-friendly, why not use your favor as your escort/place cards. They can be personalized with your guest’s name, like these cute little succulent plants.  A great keepsake for your guests!

Have a favourite flower?  Try a pack of seeds that your guests can take away and plant in their own gardens. Easy to make or source out. Botanical Paperworks has a nice variety to choose from and will custom print the packets for you.

 Vale Designs  offers free online patterns and designs to make your own seed packs. Very easy to download and assemble.

In lieu of favors you may choose to make a donation to your favorite charity.  Print out the donation form and roll them up into scrolls with this fun plantable seed paper…..AWESOME!

You can find these at Plant-a-Bloomer.

Happy planting!

I’m in love with this cake currently!  I’ve always had a passion for geometric patterns!

One word of warning though – too much black icing/fondant on your cake, and you’ll have guests with blue teeth.  Eeep!

{photo credit: unknown}

For the ladies, I fell in love with these vintage locket ideas.  Whether your Bridesmaids prefer rings or chains, both of these can be personalized with a little note tucked inside. Super cute, personal and definitely thoughtful!

Oh, or how about these adorable clutches! Get them made up in different colors for each of your girls and personalize the inside with a little note. Super cute and definitely reusable!

Now for the men…I am such a big fan of the pocket watch. It adds a bit of old to new and they are a great gift for the men in your wedding party. SO easy to personalize, and unique in that most men do not have them these days. They look AMAZING with a suit.

These money clips are another option – get your groomsmen’s names engraved on them and maybe slip a thank you note in there with a few personal words.

Happy Shopping!

{photo credit: Grooms Advice, Occupation Gifts, Etsy , 100 Layer Cake}

Stay tuned for Part 3 – including a post-wedding interview with the Bride & Groom!

{source: style.com}