Jay + Joe are definitely one of our most memorable couples from 2011. It’s not every day that we receive a (legitimate!) wedding planning request from a couple living in Africa!

After meeting at the University of Alberta, Jay + Joe took advantage of an opportunity to move to Gabon, Africa for Joe’s job. They wanted to have a summer wedding in Edmonton to spend a weekend celebrating with their friends and family in Canada.

Jay + Joe chose to have their ceremony and reception at LUX Steakhouse + Bar in downtown Edmonton. With its chic, modern styling and a warm atmosphere, LUX was the perfect choice for this globe-trotting couple to spend an intimate evening catching up with their loved ones. Guests danced the night away to the musical talents of Lindsey Nagy and Jesse Peters, two local duelling pianists, and they munched on delicious late night snacks including Kobe beef sliders, mini hot dogs and sweet potato fries.

To our delight, this sophisticated soirée was recently featured on Style Me Pretty Canada! Here’s a sampling of the stunning images captured by Sharon Litchfield Photography – be sure to head over to the Style Me Pretty feature and gallery to see more gorgeousness!

On the morning of their wedding, Jay and Joe got ready at The Westin Edmonton before meeting up for a “first look” and photos with their wedding party and families. Jay wore a gorgeous fitted lace gown by Essense of Australia (D1108) in ivory from Pure Bridal and a pair of stunning silver Jimmy Choo’s!

In lieu of a traditional guest book Jay + Joe asked their friends and family to write them an anniversary card which they will open on the corresponding future year! Another very personal touch at the reception was a table of family wedding photos. It was lots of fun for everyone to see generations of marriages displayed at such a special occasion.

We complemented the dark wood accents in the space with a warm palette of chocolate, copper, ivory and black. Each tablescape was covered in candlelight and ivory blooms, including hydrangea, garden roses and dendrobium orchids.

Jay + Joe: Thank you so very much for trusting us to bring your wedding vision to life! It was truly a pleasure to work with you. No matter where life takes you next, I’m certain it will be filled with adventure!

Jennifer + Team
Edmonton Wedding Planner

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Vendor Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photographer: Sharon Litchfield Photography
• Officiant:  Thanx On Time (Joan Tkaczyk)
• Hair Wigs: addwigs
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals
• Florist: Laurel’s On Whyte
  
• Invitations + Stationery: Pinkpolka Wedding Design
• Entertainment: Lindsey Nagy + Jesse Peters
• Hair + Makeup: Eveline Charles

Laura + Jeff were married back in July on what has historically been Edmonton’s hottest weekend of the year. Instead, Mother Nature decided to give us a day filled with a bit of everything (no snow, thankfully)! This didn’t phase Laura + Jeff one bit – these two lovebirds had been waiting to tie the knot for years and they enjoyed every minute of their special day!.

The ceremony was held at the meticulously manicured Hastings Lake Gardens just east of Sherwood Park. Right before the ceremony was about to begin, there was a quick rain shower which then cleared in time for Laura to walk down the aisle with her father.

After the ceremony guests headed over to Rutherford Room at Edmonton’s Sutton Place Hotel for cocktails, dinner and dancing. As always, JDS Photography did a fantastic job of capturing the day. {Special thanks to Shannon for assisting!}

Enjoy!

Laura wore a gorgeously romantic gown by Paloma Blanca (Style 4116) from Pure Bridal. She accessorized with bright purple heels and a beaded flower accent in her hair.

Laura + Jeff decided to personalize their wedding with a “he/she” theme. They included the reasons why they love one another on their invitations and on these canvases which were displayed at their reception and will make modern artwork in their new home together. I encourage you to take the time to read them in full – they are just the sweetest things and you can truly feel the love and friendship these two share!

The theme was also carried through to their delicious cake and cupcakes from Whimsical Cake Studio.

An elementary school teacher, Laura had her students draw pictures of her and Jeff and included them on the backs of each table number. For favours, Laura + Jeff designed mini photo books which featured pictures of them throughout their relationship. These unique and personal touches made their wedding truly memorable for their friends and family.

Laura + Jeff: thank you for including us in this very special day! I’m positive that your love will continue to grow and flourish for the rest of your lives.

Jennifer + Team
Edmonton Wedding Planner

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Vendor Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photographer: JDS Photography
• Décor Rentals: Arlene Yam Décor
• Florist: Jenna Hudson
• Invitations + Canvases: Pinkpolka Wedding Design
• Cake + Cupcakes: Whimsical Cake Studio
• DJ: Revolution Entertainment
• Limousine: Esquire Limousine
• Hair: L Hair Studio
• Makeup: Daniela Ventura

We’re excited to share a gorgeous June 2011 wedding that was recently featured in the Weddings in Alberta Inspiration Room.

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Melissa + Mike’s wedding day began at Convocation Hall – one of Edmonton’s most historic venues. Following the ceremony, the wedding party took photos in Edmonton’s downtown core before heading to a gorgeous reception in the Quartz Ballroom at Matrix Hotel. This sports-loving couple wanted their wedding to be classic and chic with a touch of vintage flair. We opted for a black and ivory palette with accents of olive green and copper. The result was stunning and timeless!

Melissa owns a dance studio called Dance Discovery located in South Edmonton, and at the reception some of her students performed a special routine that they had choreographed. It was a fantastic performance and it was very obvious that Melissa’s students love and admire her.

JDS Photography was on hand all day to capture priceless memories for Melissa + Mike, and they rounded out the evening with a fun-loving photo booth which is always a huge crowd pleaser!

 {Special thanks to Jessica for assisting throughout the day!}

The gorgeous couple – newlyweds!

Guests arrived to a warm, ambient ballroom accented with amber lighting and copper drapery. Black chiavari chairs made a bold statement against crisp ivory pintuck linens, while olive green napkins wrapped with a pretty satin copper ribbon added just a touch of colour to the tables in muted vintage tones. Round flower pomanders featuring a mix of ivory blooms and sahara roses sat atop tall black lacquer eiffel vases.

Melissa + Mike’s invitations and reception stationery, designed by Pinkpolka Wedding Design, featured modern typeface and a bold graphic. Melissa added black lace to ivory votive candles which perfectly complemented the stationery design.

The gorgeous three-tier cake was created by Deb from Bee-Bell Bakery and featured detailed scroll-work, black ribbon and a monogram of the couple’s first initials.

Congratulations, Melissa + Mike! I hope you enjoy this look back at your beautiful wedding day. All the best in the future!

Jennifer + Team
Edmonton Wedding Planner

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Vendor Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photographer: JDS Photography
• Décor Rentals: Special Event Rentals
• Drapery + Lighting: QSD Event Services
• Mink Lashes: LilyMink
• Invitations + Stationery: Pinkpolka Wedding Design
• Cake: Bee-Bell Bakery
• DJ: Revolution Entertainment
• Limousine: Esquire Limousine
• Hair Lace Wigs: Addwigs
• Makeup: MiMi Makeup

Earlier this summer we had the pleasure of designing and coordinating two events to celebrate Aanchal + Rajat’s marriage. I hope to share some gorgeous photos with you soon but for now here’s something new that we had fun experimenting with. We setup a time lapse camera at Edmonton’s Oasis Conference Centre to capture some of  what goes on behind the scenes to prepare for an event. The video also captures the entire ceremony, so if you’ve never been to an East Indian wedding this is a must-see!

The speedy teams in the video include Jennifer Bergman Weddings, QSD Event Services, La Piazza Dasee and the Oasis staff. Décor from Elegant Touches and Special Event Rentals helped complete the gorgeous design of the event.

Jennifer
Edmonton Wedding Planner

When I first began working with Jaclyn + Curtis we explored the idea of a Rocky Mountain wedding…and then a local Edmonton wedding…but nothing was really getting them excited. When the idea of a wedding on the beach entered the picture, everything began falling into place.

Ninety guests joined Jaclyn + Curtis at the RIU Palace Cabo San Lucas in Los Cabos, Mexico to celebrate in the sand and sun. The couple kept their guests informed about travel and wedding details via a custom wedding website and travel arrangements were managed by My Dream Destination Travel.

Photographer Phil Crozier of PHOTOPHILCRO joined us on the beach from Calgary, Alberta. Not only is Phil an unbelievably talented photographer, but he has a wonderful way about him that makes you feel like an old friend. Here’s a sampling of some of the GORGEOUS images Phil captured of this beautiful couple.

{Jaclyn + Curtis’ Los Cabos destination wedding was recently featured in the Autumn/Winter 2011 issue of Blush Magazine! View the complete issue online here.}

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Jaclyn wore Eresma by San Patrick from Novelle Bridal. Her stunning hand-tied bouquet was composed of ivory and pink roses and calla lilies.

The ceremony was held at the RIU Palace’s San Jose Gazebo overlooking the glistening blue ocean. At the start of the ceremony the officiant spoke in Spanish for a good three minutes until Curtis finally leaned over and asked, “hablas inglés?” Turns out it was a joke and he continued the ceremony in perfect English. Needless to say it made for a very memorable ceremony!

After the ceremony, guests made their way over to the gorgeous pool side Baja Norte terrace with a stunning view of the signature Los Cabos landmark, El Arco. Local cuisine featured delicious entrées such as coconut chicken, fresh salmon with grapefruit butter, roasted lamb and seafood paella.

Jaclyn and Curtis wanted their décor to be simple yet elegant. Walnut chiavari chairs perfectly complemented custom-made ivory shantung linens, while each place setting was accented with a chocolate brown wicker charger plate and an ivory gift box containing Mexican sweets. Low, lush arrangements of ivory and pink blooms added the perfect amount of colour to each table. (Rentals were sourced locally from Linens, Things and More; flowers by Floreria Treboles.) The wedding invitations and reception stationery, designed by I Do Invitations, were elegantly handcrafted with twine and starfish detailing.

One of the perks of a destination wedding is having more opportunities to capture fantastic photos without having to rush to do it all on one day. Photographer Phil Crozier took Jaclyn and Curtis for a post-wedding shoot and he captured some amazing, romantic images!

By choosing to have a destination wedding, Jaclyn and Curtis were able to enjoy ten days of quality time with their friends and family over dinners, pool lounging and exciting excursions. Jaclyn + Curtis: Thank you for trusting me with such an important part of your lives. It was an absolute pleasure to share this experience with you and your loved ones!

Jennifer
Destination Wedding Planner

Looking for some wedding eye-candy to ooh and ahh over this weekend? Click the following links to view our past clients’ gorgeous weddings and get ready to be inspired!

Edmonton + Area Wedding Inspiration

Rocky Mountain + Destination Wedding Inspiration

Happy Planning!

Jennifer
Edmonton Wedding Planner / Rocky Mountain Wedding Planner

Photo Credits (Top-Bottom): JDS Photography, Kelsy Nielson Photographer.

I’m excited to share this chic winter wedding with you! Lindsay + Mike were married back in March at the Calgary Golf & Country Club. They took photos before the ceremony at the gorgeous Le Germain Hotel, arriving relaxed and excited to walk down the aisle.

Throughout the evening, guests snacked on Crave Cupcakes and personalized M&M’s while dancing the night away to fabulous live music by 80’s cover band, RETRObution!

Mark Eleven Photography was on hand to capture the beautiful moments throughout the day. (Catch more of Lindsay + Mike’s wedding on the Mark Eleven Photography Blog.) Special thanks to Tara, Angela, Alexis and Danielle for assisting throughout the weekend.

Guests wrote their advice and best wishes for the couple on black water rocks which were incorporated into a special moment during the ceremony.

Lindsay wore Melissa Sweet’s Ambrose from Priscilla of Boston. As you can see, she was the perfect picture of romance – absolutely stunning! Her lush bouquet featured roses, calla lilies, cymbidium orchids and stephanotis. All the flowers and centrepieces were designed and arranged by Amy McGilvary – the couple’s (very) talented close friend.

Lindsay + Mike wanted their reception to be warm and inviting with chic and modern décor. To achieve this vision we contrasted textured ivory linens with several black lacquer elements: chiavari chairs, charger plates and centrepiece vases. Candlelight and amber uplighting provided ambiance while a mix of round and square tables added interest and dimension to the room.

{Rental items provided by Special Event Rentals; drapery and lighting provided by OneWest Event Design and Rentals.}

Lindsay + Mike have a penchant for Tabasco Sauce, so they provided their guests with adorable miniature bottles of the hot stuff! The ultra-modern stationery suite was designed by Box Paper Scissors.

Lindsay + Mike: Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your amazing wedding day! It was a pleasure getting to know you both – best wishes for an exciting future together!

Jennifer + Team

Searching for the perfect reception location can be overwhelming, and for many couples it is difficult to visualize a venue’s potential – especially when they have a particular look and style in mind for their big day. It’s easy to quickly dismiss venues because the walls and carpet don’t coordinate with your wedding colours; however, I’d encourage you to look beyond some of these minor details as nearly all spaces can be transformed!

One of the best ways to ensure your vision comes to life is by hiring a wedding planner/designer who shares your style. When we started planning Carolyn + Martin’s March 2011 wedding they told me they wanted their reception to look like a “modern winter wonderland,” and that rectangular tables, mirrored tabletops and blue/purple lighting were must-haves. Instead of getting hung up on aesthetics, we first found a venue that suited their desire for a Rocky Mountain wedding, accommodated their guest list and fit within their budget.

The Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre is a wonderful hotel in the heart of Jasper, Alberta. The Chief Paul Ballroom accommodates up to 210 guests for a wedding reception and features a gorgeous wooden dance floor in the centre of the room. The below promotional photo of the ballroom features wedding décor that is very traditional – the opposite of Carolyn + Martin’s chic, modern style…but just look at what we were able to do with the space…

With meticulously designed tables and spectacular lighting we achieved the Modern Winter Wonderland that Carolyn + Martin had envisioned!

The tables were dressed with luxurious, textured grey linens and topped with mirrored table runners which reflected the candlelight so beautifully. Tablescapes featured tall vases of curly willow sprayed white to mimic hor frost, glitter “snowballs” in silver julep cups and an abundance of votive and floating candles. Turquoise napkins added a pop of colour to the tables and the chairs were finished off with slate satin wraps. Here are a few more photos of the gorgeous space:

I hope this post inspires you to think outside the box when evaluating spaces for your own wedding. If a venue meets your requirements for capacity, location, food and budget, don’t be so quick to dismiss it just because the carpet is off-putting!

Jennifer
Jasper Wedding Planner

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Credits

• Wedding Planning & Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Rentals & Décor: OneWest Event Design & Rentals
• “Snowball” Centrepieces and Napkins: Special Event Rentals Edmonton
• Flowers & Willow Centrepieces: Elysion Florals
• Cake: Bride’s Family