Kara + Adam jetted off to Jamaica for their nuptials at Sandals Whitehouse (see more of their destination wedding on Style Me Pretty).

One month later, they celebrated in Edmonton with a chic reception for their family and friends at the Art Gallery of Alberta. Their evening cocktail party reception was one of timeless sophistication with crisp white furniture, modern florals and a show-stopping dance floor. We loved the mixed seating and minimalist design that our friends at OneWest Events executed for our discerning couple.

See more of Kara + Adam’s wedding in the Spring/Summer 2017 issue of Blush Magazine.

Suzanne, Lead Coordinator | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Day Management

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Credits:

• Wedding Day Management: Jennifer Bergman Weddings (Suzanne)
• Photography: Eternal Reflections Photography
• Videographer: A Love Story
• Stationery: Pinkpolka Invitations & Stationery
• Florist: faBLOOMosity
• Cake + Dessert Table: The Art of Cake
• Photo Booth: Neat Photo Booth
• Decor Design: One West Events
• Rentals: One West Events, Special Event Rentals
• Dance Floor: Dance Floor Décor
• Calligraphy: Justine Ma Design & Hand Lettering
• Music: Johnathan Morris
• Hair: Janice Patterson of Kaleidoscope Hair
• Makeup: Sen Studios
• Bridal Gown: Galia Lahav New York
• Bridesmaid Gowns: Sorella Vita from The Bridal Boutique
• Groom’s Suit: Suits by Curtis Eliot / Tom Ford Holt Renfrew
• Groomsmen Suits: Zara
• Bridal Jewellery: Elsa Corsi
• Bridal Shoes: Christian Louboutin

*Sponsored Post*

Let’s face it, other than your vows, your guests are one of the most important things about your wedding. Your wonderful friends and family will be descending from multiple corners of the world, often taking time off from work to ensure that they can be with you on your special day. While you and your soon-to-be are the stars of the show, wedding favours are a great way to make your guests feel appreciated for their presence and support.

Sweet Treats: Edible favours are guaranteed to please your wedding guests. You can make these gifts yourself, or go out and buy them, then portion them into small sizes which are easy to package or wrap up and decorate with personalized packaging. Consider mini chocolate bars, cake pops, cookies or candies.

Get Crafty: DIY wedding favours can be inexpensive, and add a personal handmade touch to make your guests feel welcome. Some of our favourite ideas? Homemade jellies or chutneys, hangover care packages, s’mores kits or origami.

{Photo: Diamondcake}

Practical Wedding Favours: Wedding favour gifts don’t have to be cute or decorative – they can also be really useful. Are you planning a beach wedding? Consider giving your guests a hand-held fan to keep themselves cool on the big day. Other ideas include personalized water bottles or luggage tags for destination weddings.

{Photo: Kelsy Nielson}

On A Shoestring? No Problem! It’s easy to provide meaningful wedding favour gifts, even if you are on a tight budget. Here are some ideas for you:

• Chocolate coated strawberries served upon arrival
• Mini buckets filled with popcorn for each table
• Disposable cameras
• Hand written thank you notes that double as escort cards

Thematic Wedding Favour Ideas: Why not enhance your theme with your wedding favours?

• Seaside theme: anchor bottle openers or nautical tissue packs
• Winter theme: hot chocolate or chapsticks with customized winter designs
• Spring theme: mini potted plants or seeds your guests can plant in their gardens

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By Hollie Jones. Hollie is a freelance writer and co-writer for the Hollie and the Ivy blog. She is passionate about upcycling, interior design, crafts and weddings. Hollie enjoys writing about these topics and spreading her knowledge and experience to others.

More and more couples are choosing to break tradition and see each other before they walk down the aisle. Referred to as a “first look,” it is when the to-be-weds see one another in their wedding attire with their photo and video team present to document the moment. Most couples then spend a couple of hours taking photos with their wedding party before heading to the ceremony to say I Do.

While this change of format isn’t for everyone, taking photos before the ceremony is a great idea for a few reasons:

• Feeling fresh. Taking photos right after you get ready means your hair and makeup will be at their best. (This also applies to your flowers!)
• Capture the moment. Your photo and video team will ensure this special moment is captured at all angles, with no risk of Uncle Hank’s iPad obstructing the view.
• Keep calm and marry on. If you’re the anxious type, hanging out and taking photos with the bridal party will help you relax before the ceremony.
• Gone with the gap. Getting photos out of the way before the ceremony saves your guests the painful wait in between events, and allows you to spend more time visiting with them. This is particularly convenient if both ceremony and reception are being held at the same venue.

Here are some amazing photos of JBW couples sharing their first look!

{Sharon Litchfield Photography}

{Blake Loates Photography}

{Carey Nash Photography}

{Gabe McClintock}

{Brianna Hughes Photography}

{Sharon Litchfield Photography}

{ENV Photography}

{Jesse Holland Photography}

{Kevin Trowbridge Photography}

{Sharon Litchfield Photography}

{kate Redinger Photographer}

{Nicole Ashley Photography}

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Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Planning + Design

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Anita + Ben’s wedding design blended a romantic colour palette with modern geometric shapes. Beginning with their invitations, we worked with Pinkpolka to develop patterns that had an edgy, unique look while using materials and colours that were timeless and romantic. This inspired us to tie the geometric shapes into their ceremony and head table backdrops, a custom DJ booth, as well as the wedding cake.

The inspiration:Photo Credits (clockwise from top left): Blush Ruffled Bridesmaid Dresses – Style Me Pretty; Lavender Bouquet –  Loverly; Geometric Wedding Invitation –  Zazzle; Rose Gold Wedding Shoes – Intimate Weddings; Gold Charger Plate – Style Me Pretty; Rose Gold Sparkle Wedding Cake – Wedding Chicks; Romantic Tablescape – HWTM; Modern Blush Lounge – The Knot.

…and the reality!

Photo Credit: shopbackdrop.

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In the next post we’ll share more behind this design, as well as some beautiful images of Anita + Ben’s Shaw Conference Centre wedding!

Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Planner + Designer

When we first met with Allena + Jamie, it was clear we’d be a great fit to work together and that it would be a fun year ahead of planning and designing their dream wedding. Always positive and upbeat, their zest for life shone through in every decision made for the wedding, with their top priorities being a fun weekend for their guests and jaw-dropping décor.

The overall design direction was inspired by the ceremony venue – Rainer Gardens. The gardens featured an existing stone structure at the altar, so we designed a lavish floral wall to create a unique and luxurious backdrop for the vows. Despite the unseasonably cold weather for August, the rain held off and the ceremony proceeded outdoors as planned!

Guests made their way to Oasis Centre for the reception, where show-stopping custom witch hazel centrepieces and lighting in morphing tones of pinks, blues and purples brought the Opulent Enchanted Garden theme to life.

Featured on the WedLuxe blog, Allena + Jamie’s wedding was also a top 3 finalist for a 2016 Canadian Special Events Star Award in the Best Wedding Over $75K category!

Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Planning + Design

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Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photography: Kelly Redinger
• Videographer: A Love Story
• Officiant: Bob Wyatt
• Catering: Stir Catering
• Ceremony Music: Vif String Quartet
• Reception Music: Premiere DJs by Urban Metropolis (DJ Kwake)
• Stationery: Pinkpolka Invitations & Stationery
• Florist: faBLOOMosity
• Lighting: Stardust Productions
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals
• Transportation: Esquire Limo
• Shuttle Service: Red Arrow
• Makeup Eyelashes: LilyMink
• Favours: The Violet Chocolate Co.
• Video Booth: Flashworks Photo Booth
• Hair: Bailey Gartner
• Makeup: Eclectica Beauty Studio
• Bridesmaids Dresses: JoJoBride
• Gown: Sophia Tolli

J+M’s August wedding was the perfect blend of romance and celebration! We designed the day to be timeless with a lush garden theme. Fittingly, the ceremony was held at the beautiful Devonian Gardens and featured a stunning chuppah covered in greenery, curly willow, vibrant florals and fruit.

The reception was held at Edmonton Country Club – a gem tucked away in the River Valley with outstanding service and food. We setup a tent on the patio over the dance floor, creating a most excellent outdoor dance party setting. Inside the event space long rectangle tables were covered with lush greenery, gold candelabras, florals and fruits, including pears, apples, grapes, strawberries and plums. Gold Chateau chairs, ornate glass charger plates and timeless stationery completed the table design.

This wedding incorporated several different cultural traditions: a traditional Chinese Lion Dance for the couple’s grand entrance, a Ukrainian dance performance by the Cheremosh Dance Company to kick off the party, and Jewish Hora dancing to continue the celebrations. It was such a delight for guests to see these unique customs woven together to celebrate the newlyweds!

Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Planning + Design

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Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photography: Infused Studios
• Officiant: Tammy Banting
• Ceremony Music: Wildrose Quartet
• Reception Music: Premiere DJs by Urban Metropolis (Harman B & DJ Kwake)
• Invitations/Stationery: Pinkpolka Design
• Florist: faBLOOMosity
• Cake: Over the Top Cakes
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals
• Transportation: Esquire Limo
• Photo Booth: Ready, Set, Booth
• Entertainment: Cheremosh Dance Company, Hong De Cultural & Athletic Association
• Hair: Patricia J
• Makeup: Sen Studios (Susan Gill)
• Bridesmaid Gowns: Addwigs
• Bridal Gown: GroupDress (Fabiola)

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We are back with our 2nd edition of Wedding Song Ideas (check out Part 1 here)! Choosing those special songs for your wedding day can be challenging for many couples, so we’ve compiled a list of ideas – both Classic and Contemporary – for all those memorable moments.

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Ceremony

Classic:

1. Hallelujah / Jeff Buckeley
2. Summer Guest / Ásgeir
3. Maybe I’m Amazed / Vitamin String Quartet
4. La Valse de L’Amour / Patrick Doyle
5. Beethoven’s 5 Secrets / The Piano Guys
6. Clair de Lune / Clade Debussy
7. Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring / Johann Sebastian Bach
8. Your Guardian Angel / Vitamin String Quartet
9. Here Comes the Sun / Guitar Dreamers
10. I’m Ready / Bryan Adams

Contemporary:

1. Boom Clap / Lennon & Maisy
2. Flightless Bird, American Mouth / Iron & Wine
3. Turning Page / Sleeping at Last
4. What Love is All About / Johnny Reid
5. Somewhere Only We Knew / Lily Allen
6. Love / Matt White
7. Love Someone / Jason Mraz
8. You and I / Michael Bublé
9. When You Say You Love Me / Josh Groban
10. Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop / Landon Pigg

Grand Entrance

Classic:

1. Signed, Sealed, Delivered / Stevie Wonder
2. You Make My Dreams Come True / Hall & Oats
3. It’s Not Unusual / Tom Jones
4. Could You be Loved / Bob Marley and the Wailers
5. Come Fly With Me / Frank Sinatra
6. That’s Amore / Dean Martin
7. You’re My Best Friend / Queen
8. Bittersweet Symphony / The Vitamin String Quartet
9. This Will Be / Natalia Cole
10. Get Ready / The Temptations

Contemporary:

1. Happy / Pharrell Williams
2. Shut Up and Dance / Walk the Moon
3. Honey, I’m Good / Andy Grammar
4. Sugar / Maroon 5
5. Adventure of a lifetime / Coldplay
6. I Got U / Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones
7. Top of the World / Tim McGraw
8. Love Is / Rod Stewart
9. Good Life / Kanye West feat. T-Pain
10. Best Day of My Life / American Authors

First Dance

Classic:

1. It Had To Be You / Billie Holiday
2. Something In The Way She Moves / James Taylor
3. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic / Sleeping At Last (cover of The Police)
4. Let’s Stay Together / Al Green
5. You Are So Beautiful / Joe Cocker
6. I Cross My Heart / George Strait
7. Crazy Love / Van Morrison
8. Endless Love / Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
9. Unchained Melody / Righteous Brothers
10. La Vie en Rose / Andrea Bocelli

Contemporary:

1. Thinking Out Loud / Ed Sheeran
2. Purpose / Justin Bieber
3. Tenerife Sea / Ed Sheeran
4. How Long Will I Love You / Ellie Goulding
5. Latch (Acoustic) / Sam Smith
6. State of Grace (Acoustic) / Taylor Swift
7. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) / Sleeping At Last
8. Die a Happy Man / Thomas Rhett
9. Heartbeat / Chris Young
10. Close Your Eyes / Michael Bublé
11. The One / Kodaline

Parent Dance

Classic:

1. Cupid Shuffle / Cupid
2. Overjoyed / Stevie Wonder
3. I’ll Be Seeing You / Billy Holiday
4. When the Stars Go Blue / Tim McGraw
5. When You Need Me / Bruce Springsteen
6. Landslide / Fleetwood Mac
7. When You’re Smiling / Louis Armstrong
8. The Prayer / Céline Dion & Andrea Bocelli
9. Cinderella / Steven Curtis Chapman
10. Love Me Tender / Barbara Streisand (with Elvis Presley)

Contemporary:

1. To the Moon and Back / Luke Bryan
2. Book of Love / Peter Gabriel
3. Even My Dad Does Sometimes / Ed Sheeran
4. I’ve Got You (And You’ve Got Me) / Lennon & Maisy
5. Stars / Alessia Cara
6. Golden / Lady Antebellum
7. Across the Universe / Rufus Wainwright
8. By Your Side / Sade
9. Lost Stars / Adam Levine
10. In My Life / Diana Krall

Bouquet/Garter Toss

Classic:

1. Walk this Way / Aerosmith & Run – DMC
2. Hit Me With Your Best Shot / Pat Benatar
3. A Little Less Conversation / Elvis Presley
4. U Can’t Touch This / MC Hammer
5. Last Dance / Donna Summer
6. The Final Countdown / Europe
7. I Got You / James Brown & His Famous Flames
8. Burning Down the House / Talking Heads
9. Whip It / Devo
10. She’s a Lady / Tom Jones

Contemporary:

1. Watch Me / Silento
2. Hot in Here / Nelly
3. Partition / Beyoncé
4. Country Girl / Luke Bryan
5. Milkshake / Kelis
6. Marvin Gaye / Charlie Puth & Meghan Trainor
7. S.O.B / Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
8. My House / Flo Rida
9. Hey Mama / David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack
10. Don’t Stop The Party / Pitbull

Photo Credits (top-bottom): Carey Nash Photography, Brianna Hughes Photography, DQ Studios, Kelly Redinger Photographer, DQ Studios.

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Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Planning + Design

High school sweethearts, Mariah + Nathan have a love for tradition and an affinity for Old World Romance, making The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald the perfect setting to celebrate their love story.

It was a complete hotel takeover, with Team JBW working hard the morning of the wedding to transform three different spaces. After a touching ceremony in the Wedgwood Ballroom, guests joined the newlyweds on the terrace for a garden party complete with refreshments, live music and caricature artists. Cocktails were held in the Empire Foyer, where guests mingled and snapped candids in a photo booth to help make a memorable guest book for Mariah + Nathan.

The doors to the Empire Ballroom opened, unveiling timeless décor, with English Garden inspired florals in soft creams and pinks. The first of many surprises throughout the evening, Mariah + Nathan entered the ballroom sharing their first dance to singer and pianist Lindsey Nagy’s rendition of A Thousand Years. The festivities continued with a 5-course meal, a delicious “sweet bar,” signature drinks poured through a custom ice luge, a surprise hip hop performance, and two dress changes!

Thanks to Shandro Photo and A Love Story for beautifully capturing the day. Enjoy!

Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Planning + Design

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Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photography: Shandro Photo
• Videographer: A Love Story
• Officiant: Robert Ligertwood
• Ceremony Music: Strathcona String Quartet
• First Dance Performance: Lindsey Nagy Music
• Reception Music: Premiere DJs by Urban Metropolis (Harman B)
• Hip Hop Dance Performance: 3rd Street Beat Entertainment
• Caricature Artists: Gerry Rasmussen + Laurel Hawkswell
• Photo Booth: Borsellino Photography 
• Invitations + Stationery: Pinkpolka Design
• Florist: faBLOOMosity
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals
• Lighting: PSAV
• Transportation: Esquire Limo
• Cake: The Art of Cake
• Sweet Table: The Art of Cake, Duchess Bake Shop
• Martini Luge: Ice Works
• Hair: Behind the Blush + Bailey Gartner
• Makeup: Behind the Blush
• Gowns: The Bridal House