It’s the middle of the summer and the last thing you want to do is think about snow. But today’s Real Wedding post will make you want to welcome winter with open arms!

There’s something about The Chateau Lake Louise that makes it such a special place to visit. There’s an atmosphere of serenity like you’re removed from the busyness of the everyday. Add snow-capped mountains and crisp blue sky and it’s winter wedding perfection!

Jenny + James chose to get married a few days after Christmas so that visiting family members from the UK could be in attendance at this special occasion. Both their ceremony and reception were held in the Victoria Ballroom, where a warm stone fireplace served as the backdrop for their nuptials while beautiful sounds of cello and violin filled the room.

Their gorgeous wedding party, outfitted in timeless black and white, braved the chilly air for picturesque views prior to returning to the ballroom for cocktails. The reception design was classic with a dash of whimsy. Gold chiavari chairs, pewter frames, silver julep vases and gold charger plates developed the mixed metallic palette, adding to the elegance of the space. The wedding cake design was based on Jenny’s grandparents’ cake and a photo of the original was placed on the cake table along with it.

Sharon Litchfield never ceases to impress with her stunning photography. Enjoy Jenny + James’ love story from behind her lens…

 Jenny + James: It was such a pleasure to work with you and your wonderful families. Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness!

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

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Credits:

• Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photography: Sharon Litchfield
• Stationery: Pinkpolka Wedding Design
• Florals: Willow Haven Flower Shop
• Rentals: OneWest Events
• Cake: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
• Officiant: Robin White
• Ceremony Music: Music Mosaic
• DJ: Banff Entertainment
• Hair + Makeup: Helen Kwan

Clear, blue skies and golden sunshine – nothing beats a gorgeous day in the Rocky Mountains! Brianne + John had the perfect weather for their September wedding at Delta Lodge Kananaskis Resort.

Family and friends came from all over to celebrate the weekend with Brianne + John. The festivities included pre-wedding drinks at Woody’s Pub and a Sunday morning brunch before the couple left on their Hawaiian honeymoon.

Tye Carson did an amazing job capturing the warmth of the day. Check out his blog for more lovely images! {Special thanks to Victoria for assisting!}

Brianne + John were wed on a meadow (Viewpoint 5) near Delta Lodge Kananaskis – the view was spectacular!

Canmore’s Willow Haven Flower Shop created the bridal party’s dress beautiful bouquets! Brianne’s bouquet featured a delicious mix of orange callas, roses, mokara orchids, dahlias, asclepia and freesia.

The reception was held in Mt. Kidd Ballroom. Brianne + John’s modern vision was achieved with pewter pintuck linens, silver chiavari chairs and perimeter uplighting from OneWest Event Rentals. Orange napkins and mokara orchid centrepieces added a punch of colour to the streamlined design.

Delicious cupcakes from Bliss & Co. Cupcakes and Desserts were displayed at the reception on a modern acrylic stand.

 Thank you, Brianne + John, for allowing us to be a part of your beautiful mountain wedding!

Jennifer + Team
Kananaskis Wedding Planner
Edmonton Wedding Planner

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Vendor Credits:

• Wedding Coordination + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photographer: Tye Carson Weddings
• Officiant: Monique Hunkeler
• Bridal Veil: BestWeddingVeil
• Florist: Willow Haven Flower Shop
  
• Cake + Cupcakes: Bliss & Co. Cupcakes and Desserts
• DJ: Revolution DJ Services

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

It’s pretty darn cold this week in Edmonton, so in an attempt to remember warmer days this post features a summer wedding with sunshine and blue skies!

Danielle and Danny were married last July in Banff, Alberta. They moved to Edmonton from Québec a few years ago and decided that a destination wedding in the Rockies was the perfect way to show their family and friends their new backyard.

As guests landed at the Calgary airport they were ushered into limousines to enjoy the scenic drive to Banff in style. The ceremony was held at Tunnel Mountain Meadow adjacent to Buffalo Mountain Lodge. Tunnel Mountain has got to have one of the best views in Banff – it is absolutely stunning!  The reception followed with a delicious meal and entertainment provided by Rob from Class Act D.J. Service. Let me tell you something – the French know how to party!

Special thanks to Ewa for assisting throughout the day, and to Aisha and Trinity for helping with the ceremony setup.

Enjoy these lovely images captured by Perry Thompson Photography!

Silver chiavari chairs accented with lilac organza sashes from OneWest Event Rentals gave Tunnel Mountain Meadow an elegant alpine look. Deborah Nyack played the harp beautifully and Rev. George Belcher did a great job officiating the ceremony in both English and French!

Could you ask for a better ceremony backdrop!? Amazing.

The bridal party posing for photos with the historical Banff Springs Hotel in the photo background.

Danielle has gorgeous eyes!

Adorable flower girls! These two were super sweet and looked angelic with their dendrobium orchid hair wreaths.

I absolutely LOVE this photo. The expression on Danny’s face says it all.

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…and now on to the reception at Buffalo Mountain Lodge. This wedding is a testament for what lighting does for a room. Here’s the Wapiti Longhouse as it normally looks:

…and after!

The tables were set with plum satin linens, silver charger plates, crisp white napkins and hammered silver napkin rings (Elegant Touches and OneWest Event Rentals). The simple, elegant centrepieces (Elements Floral Design) featured white hydrangea and mauve roses in cube glass vases. The wedding invitations and reception stationary were designed and printed by The Paper Tree.

Danny was all about the wedding cake! He wanted a multi-level look and Barb from Cake Creations delivered. The round white cakes were draped with fondant and featured silver scroll details to match the stationary perfectly.  The clear acrylic stairways represent bridges which are an important part of Danny’s profession.

Danielle + Danny: It was such a pleasure to get to know you and to witness your love for one another. I look forward to keeping in touch and I wish you all the best as you begin this new chapter in your lives!

Jennifer