Congratulations to all you recently engaged couples out there! This is an exciting time in your lives that can also be overwhelming. To help alleviate some of the planning pressure, we are giving away FREE planning consultations to three lucky + in love couples!

The prizes:

The three winning couples will receive their choice of one of the following packages:

• A complimentary She Said Yes! consultation session with Jennifer. This two-hour session will help you get your planning underway with vendor recommendations to match your wedding style and budget, a personalized planning checklist and budget worksheet, as well as the opportunity to discuss your questions and concerns {$250 value}.

…OR

• A complimentary two-hour Décor Consultation with Jennifer to discuss the theme and design of your wedding vision! Included in this session are creative design suggestions suited to your wedding vision, venue(s) and budget, plus vendor recommendations for rental and décor items to save you time and frustration {$350 value}.

How it works:

• Complete and submit the lucky + in love contest entry form before January 28, 2011 and you will be entered to win one of the three free consultation sessions!

The fine print:

• Contest entries will be accepted from January 21st to January 28th, 2011.
• Winners will receive their free consultation session in person in the Edmonton area or via phone / Internet if they reside elsewhere.
• This contest is not applicable to couples who are already working with another wedding planning company.
• Winners will be randomly drawn from all correctly completed contest entries received by the contest deadline: Friday, January 28, 2011 at 11:59 PM MST. The winning couples will be announced on Monday, January 31st, 2011.

Enter the Jennifer Bergman Weddings lucky + in love contest now!

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Wishing you lots of love (and a little luck) in 2011!

Jennifer + Team

Happy Holidays! The festive season is a perfect time to share this bright and bold event with you.

We worked with Saveena, Rodnie and several of their wonderful family members to plan this unforgettable September wedding weekend. Since many of their guests were travelling to Edmonton from out-of-town, Saveena + Rodnie chose to throw a Sangeet party for all the guests the night before the wedding.

Held at one of Edmonton’s quintessential landmarks – the Muttart Conservatory – this pre-wedding bash was designed in shades of pink, orange and gold with luxe Indian flair. The rentals and décor items were supplied by Elegant Touches and the linens were courtesy of Vancouver’s Upright Décor.

Katch Studios was on hand to capture every moment of this action-packed event…

Saveena + Rodnie both looked amazing! Saveena’s hair and makeup were done by the talented Sunita Sumaru.

When guests entered the Muttart they strolled down a red carpet until they reached this stunning floral arrangement by La Piazza Dasee. The entrance banner pictured above along with all reception stationary (table numbers, seating chart, signage) was expertly designed by PinkPolka Wedding Design.

La Piazza Dasee designed modern clusters of angled arrangements on each table which included calla lilies, roses and hydrangea. The ivory centrepieces nicely contrasted the bold colours throughout the rest of the space. QSD Event Services draped nearly every wall in the building with gorgeous fuschia, orange and bronze fabric, while Production Lighting made the room glow with perimeter and patterned gobo lighting.

The authentic Indian cuisine was catered by New Asian Village (West).

Modern white lounge furniture accented with colourful pillows surrounded the dance floor, giving guests a place to sit and chat without straying too far from the party.

There was plenty to take in throughout the evening! A Henna tent was setup in one of the Muttart pyramids and in another, artists Laurel Hawkswell and Gerry Rasmussen entertained guests with caricature portraits.

Elegant Touches custom made this jaw-dropping gold and crystal chandelier which perfectly fit over the dance floor. And speaking of dancing, this party had a lot of it! The night began with live music performed by Vic Khanna, and Premiere D.J.s rocked the party well into the morning!

Visit the fabulous Katch Studios blog for more amazing eye candy from this event! Saveena + Rodnie: It was such a pleasure to be part of your phenomenal pre-wedding celebration – the very best to you and your families in the New Year.

Jennifer + Team

Photo Credit: Katch Studios

Although the formal photo session is often the least interesting part of your wedding day, it is important to capture images of your close family members and the special people in your lives. After all, there’s no guarantee that candid photos of Grandma on the dance floor will turn out!

Most photographers are happy to work with a list of important family / formal photos, but it’s always best to check with your photographer first and discuss how s/he prefers to handle this part of the day. The photo list can be a great guide for your photographer, but it can also hamper their creativity.

Use the following checklist as a guideline only and edit it to your own specific needs:

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Bride’s Side

Groom’s Side

Both Sides

Clinton Family Wedding Photo

Wedding Party (often handled before or after family photos)

Other

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Tips to keep in mind:

• The longer your list, the longer the photo session will take. Ensure that your wedding planner or coordinator is aware of this list so s/he can build it into your wedding day itinerary.
• Always inform your photographer and wedding coordinator if there are any sensitive situations in your respective families, such as divorced parents, step-parents, recently deceased family members, etc.

Jennifer

If you’re in the market for bridesmaid dresses, you have to check out Twobirds!

Designer Ariane Goldman was fed up with spending too much money on bridesmaid dresses that she never wore again, so she created Twobirds Bridesmaid. Her unique dress design allows you to achieve a sophisticated, consistent look suited to various body types – plus, the dress is so versatile your ‘maids can wear it again (really)!

The Twobirds dress is offered in three collections (classic, rosette and two-toned) and comes in a variety of styles, colours and lengths. And the best part – no alterations required!

Happy Shopping!

Jennifer
Edmonton Wedding Planner

Photo Credits: Wedding Chicks, Twobirds, Twobirds.

Sterling + Heng were married on September 11, 2010 – precisely 11 years after they started dating! At the wedding, their family and friends shared the same sentiment: “It’s about time!” We worked together to plan their modern, urban wedding for just less than a year. I truly enjoyed Sterling + Heng’s relaxed demeanours and the strong friendship between these two high school sweethearts is evident.

Sterling and Heng decided they wanted a very unique, very urban ceremony location with a great view of the city. The top level of Windsor Carpark on the University of Alberta Campus was a perfect choice, and we lucked out with a clear day. When considering where to hold the reception, Edmonton’s Matrix Hotel stood out for the couple. It is definitely one of the most modern venues in the city and suited their wedding style perfectly.

Sterling had some awesome ideas in mind for the wedding (after all, she had quite a bit of time to think about it over the years)! Here’s a glimpse of their day captured beautifully (as always) by JDS Photography.

Sterling’s gorgeous bouquet designed by Best Buds (Oliver Square) included cascading white phalaenopsis orchids inset with ivory roses.

Ceremony chairs perfectly placed by the team at Special Event Rentals.

The adorable fairy flower girls and the cutest ring bearer ever – Sterling and Heng’s son. This boy’s going to break some hearts!

Just married!

The handsome groom!

Sterling was a stylishly stunning bride and her accessories perfectly reflected her personality!

Matrix Hotel’s Quartz Ballroom was decorated beautifully in black & white damask accented with turquoise. Alternating centrepieces of white ostrich and peacock feathers sat atop eiffel vases glowing with turquoise lights. Single white carnation blooms in flower tubes were hung from the light structures in the ballroom, creating an amazing chandelier effect!

Small wooden elephants, symbolizing strength and good luck in Chinese culture, were placed on the tables for guests to take home.

Sterling + Heng’s modern wedding invitations and reception stationary were created by PinkPolka Wedding Design.

Sterling, Heng: thank you for allowing us to be a part of your wonderful day. All the best for the future!

Jennifer + Sarah
Edmonton Wedding Planners

{Featured! This wedding was recently featured on Wedding Obsession.}

It’s been a busy month! In addition to helping three amazing couples get married this October, I had the privilege of working with an all-star team of vendors to design a stylized shoot…which, to our excitement, is featured on Style Me Pretty today!

Jenelle Gartner (owner of PinkPolka Wedding Design) and I had been itching to work together on a shoot for a while, and when the fabulous Radelle from Eternal Reflections Photography mentioned she wanted to do a shoot in the fall, we met for lattes and got started! Bringing Janine and James from La Piazza Dasee on board was the obvious next step – the florals and rustic table details are exquisite! Visit the Style Me Pretty feature here to see the stunning images and read about how it all came together.

Millions of thanks to the talented vendors who contributed to the shoot!

• Event Design and Styling: Jennifer Bergman Weddings and PinkPolka Wedding Design
• Photography: Radelle from Eternal Reflections Photography
• Floral Design: La Piazza Dasee
• Stationary Design: PinkPolka Wedding Design
• Chairs & Dinnerware: Special Event Rentals
• Models: Jill Billingsley and Levi McIsaac
• Hair / Makeup: Perugia Salon & Spa
• Bride’s Gown: YBF2
• Bride’s Shoes: Taxi
• Bride’s Ring: Georgie Designs
• Clutch: Bella Fiore
• “Love” Hanger: The Painted House and More
• Groom’s Suit: Vintage Ralph Lauren
• Custom Made Tie: Tie Obsessed
• “Edmonton” Cufflinks: Arete

………………………………………………

Hope you like it as much as we do!

Jennifer

Still hunting for the perfect venue to hold your reception? The Matrix Hotel is one of the newest and most modern hotels in Edmonton. I had the pleasure of chatting with Matrix Hotel’s Catering Manager, Nancy Holan (WPICC), about what makes the Matrix such a unique space for weddings.

Edmonton's Matrix Hotel - Main Lobby

Why is Matrix Hotel a great wedding venue in Edmonton?

Matrix Hotel is the proud recipient of the Greater Edmonton Chapter MPI Event Management Award: 2010 Venue of the Year! Not only do we take pride in our food and service, but the aesthetics of the hotel display upbeat, modern designs and cool décor.

Our Quartz and Amber Ballrooms are perfect for weddings. Both feature 30 feet of floor length windows with silk coverings. As natural light is not commonly found in hotel ballrooms, this is a very unique feature that appeals to many brides and grooms. As well, our hardwood dance floors provide your guests with the ultimate dancing experience.

What spaces does Matrix Hotel have available to accommodate weddings?

• The Quartz Ballroom holds 200 guests for dinner and dancing;
• The Amber Ballroom holds 100-110 for dinner and dancing;
• The Prism Banquet room holds 48 people for a dinner.

Edmonton's Matrix Hotel - Quartz Ballroom

One of the most important components of a wedding is the food. Tell us a bit about what sets Matrix Hotel apart from other wedding venues in regards to cuisine.

Matrix Hotel is very proud of our culinary team and the absolutely delicious creations provided to our guests on a continuous basis. Award-winning Executive Chef Emmanuel David is always open to working with couples to create custom menus and recipes.

Does Matrix Hotel offer any special “extras” for the newlyweds?

Absolutely! Our brides and grooms receive a complimentary suite the night of the wedding, valet parking and deluxe continental breakfast for two. For their guests, we offer a guestroom rate reduction at $10.00 off our regular rate and we’re more than happy to provide special menus for guests with allergies or specific dietary requirements.

~~~~~~~

I worked with Nancy on a wedding held at Matrix Hotel in September and both the food and service were exceptional. Stay tuned for photos from that wedding in the coming weeks!

Jennifer

Megan + Derek were married in September at Convocation Hall on the University of Alberta campus. They chose to take photos before the ceremony with the fabulous Shaun and Stephanie from Scade Photography. Doing photos first is a great idea for a lot of reasons!

After the ceremony, guests made their way over to the U of A Faculty Club for cocktails, dinner and dancing. Megan + Derek incorporated some really unique touches into their reception to personalize the day:

• Instead of a traditional guestbook, friends and family shared their well wishes and advice with the newlyweds using a vintage typewriter!
• The guest favours were wrapped in mini Chinese take-out boxes and contained a fortune cookie and a Big Foot gummy candy to represent the couple (Derek used to play volleyball for the U of A Golden Bears and as you can see from the photos below, he was a pretty good blocker)!
• Megan + Derek made two wardrobe changes throughout the night…first, traditional Chinese attire; then Megan sported a shorter white dress so she could dance the night away!

Special thanks to Krista and Gayeung for doing an awesome job coordinating the day!

A stunning ring on a pair of stunning shoes – can’t get better than this!

The “first look” reveal at the Hotel Macdonald – I just love their reactions!

Megan is adorable. I think Derek agrees!

Megan + Derek grew their own wheatgrass for the centrepieces!

Check out more amazing images from Megan + Derek’s day on the Scade Photography blog.

All the best, you two!

Jennifer, Krista and Gayeung
Edmonton Wedding Planners

Photo Credit: Scade Photography