Tip #7: Be consistent.

It’s easy to get distracted by all the wedding ideas out there. Between bridal fairs, magazines and countless blogs it can certainly become overwhelming, but the key to a well designed event is consistency. Once you’ve taken the time to determine your wedding style, theme and atmosphere – don’t deviate! From the style of your dress to the centrepieces and the linens on the table, the visual components of your wedding should tie together nicely and reflect a similar look and feeling.

One of the easiest ways to ensure a cohesive event is through your wedding stationary. The wedding invitations speak volumes about what kind of event your guests can expect to attend, so it’s important to ensure this first impression truly reflects your wedding style. The level of formality will be communicated through the type of papers, fonts and wording that you use, as well as your venue selections. It’s wise to carry the design of your wedding invitations through to all other wedding stationary, such as ceremony programs, table numbers, menu cards, favour tags – even your guestbook.

Here’s an example of one of our couples’ weddings:

• Wedding Theme: “Urban Glamour”
• Wedding Style: Modern, edgy, Hollywood glitz + glamour
• Wedding Colours: Black, white and turquoise
• Details: White phalaenopsis orchids, damask linens, crystal and feather centrepieces

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +

Have you heard about our lucky + in love contest? We are giving away FREE planning consultations to three couples! The entry form will be available this Friday, so keep checking back for your chance to win!

Jennifer

Photo Credit: JDS Photography.

Living in Alberta we are so lucky to have the Rocky Mountains as our “backyard.” More and more Edmonton couples are opting to take advantage of this local splendor by having a Rocky Mountain destination wedding.

I worked with Jodie + Chris for just over a year to plan their fall-inspired wedding weekend at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise – one of the most breathtaking locations in Canada. Jodie + Chris are very detail-oriented and thought carefully about each component of their day. It was this consideration and their personal touches that made guests feel so taken care of throughout the weekend. By planning a welcome reception the night everyone arrived to a “Sunday Hugs” breakfast the morning after the wedding, Jodie + Chris were able to spend a lot of time with their family and friends who had travelled from across the country to celebrate with them.

The ceremony took place on the Victoria Terrace at Chateau Lake Louise. We lucked out with a beautiful, clear day and unseasonably warm weather for late October! The reception followed in the Fairview Dining Room, and after an extraordinary gourmet meal the party went into full-swing with some unique entertainment. Two highly talented duelling pianists – Lindsey Nagy and Jesse Peters – performed a variety of hits (including the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air rap!) and kept the dance floor full all night.

Eric Daigle Photography did an amazing job capturing the day! Check out the beautiful images of Jodie + Chris’ wedding below, and pop over to Eric’s blog to see all his recent work.

Special thanks to Ewa for assisting!

Jodie’s beautiful fall wedding bouquet by Willow Haven Flower Shop featured a variety of textured flowers, berries and feathers.

The glistening turquoise water at Chateau Lake Louise – not a bad place to take wedding photos!

Jodie wore a pair of stunning white Cole Haan weddings shoes with mini rosettes.

The fall boutonnieres were custom made by Etsy vendor, Erica Cavanagh.

Jodie + Chris opted to give functional “his and hers”  favours to their guests. The ladies received warm pashmina shawls in the wedding colours to wear during the outdoor ceremony, and the guys were given Swiss Army Knives etched with the wedding date!

Jodie was a GORGEOUS bride! Her gown is Allure 8705 from Bridal Début.

The tables were dressed with rich burgundy pintuck linens, gold charger plates and chocolate brown satin napkins. Tall cylinder vases with curly willow and burnt orange cymbidium orchids helped complete the look while adding a subtle touch of  “fall” to the reception décor.

The save-the-date cards, invitations and reception stationary were designed and printed by The Paper Tree.

Instead of a traditional seating chart, Jodie + Chris used picture frames to display guest table arrangements.

Congratulations on your marriage, Jodie + Chris. All the best in the future!

Jennifer

Photo Credit: Eric Daigle Photography.

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.}

When I first started working with Tracy + Troy they weren’t exactly sure what they wanted for their wedding, but they knew it had to be very unique. As plans developed, we decided to break tradition and throw a chic cocktail party reception in Shaw Conference Centre’s gorgeous Riverview Room.

Following a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Devonian Botanic Gardens, Tracy + Troy’s guests were greeted at the reception with champagne, live music and delicious hors d’oeuvres. In lieu of standard wedding favours, guests were given portraits of themselves drawn live by two talented caricature artists – Gerry Rasmussen and Laurél Hawkswell. This was a big hit!

The stunning photos below were taken by Sam and Natasha of Sam Ng Photography – they are always so wonderful to work with! Enjoy this look at Tracy + Troy’s stylish day:

Tracy purchased her gorgeous gown from Novelle Bridal Shop.

I know…stunning shoes!

…but Troy would not be outdone!

Terry McDade played the harp beautifully at the ceremony.

All flowers – including these awesome pomander balls – were created by La Piazza Dasee.

As a tribute to her Scottish heritage, Tracy was piped down the aisle by a family friend and escorted by her father who wore a traditional kilt.

Gorgeous!

Tracy and her beautiful bridesmaids carried feather parasols that came in handy on this hot, sunny day.

A champagne ice sculpture allowed guests to keep their glasses filled all night.

Guests took their caricature drawings home in tubes that Tracy wrapped in black and white patterned paper.

Instead of a head table, we setup a V.I.P. lounge area for the bridal party to visit with guests.

Uber-modern lampshade centrepieces worked perfectly with the room and vibe of the party.

Tracy, Troy: it was an absolute pleasure working with you to design your urban chic wedding. All the very best to you both as you begin this new chapter in your lives!

Jennifer
Edmonton Wedding Planner

Photo Credit: Sam Ng Photography

Holly + Ben are one of the most relaxed couples I have worked with! They are both so easygoing and calm – there was no doubt in my mind that they would enjoy their wedding day to the fullest.

Their outdoor ceremony was held at Ben’s family acreage just outside of Devon, AB. The property was absolutely beautiful as the family had worked hard all year preparing for the wedding. Their efforts definitely paid off – the lawn was perfectly manicured and gorgeous flowers were in bloom everywhere! Here’s a shot of the lovely trellis that served as the focal point for Holly + Ben’s ceremony:

Holly + Ben chose a really unique format for their wedding reception. After the ceremony they held a private dinner for their bridal party in the Fantasyland Hotel’s L2 Grill before heading upstairs to join guests at their cocktail reception. This gave them the opportunity to spend some quality time with their closest friends.

Here’s a look at Holly + Ben’s relaxed, fun-loving day, courtesy of Shandro Photo:

Check out Shandro Photo’s blog post on Holly + Ben’s special day, and while you’re there be sure to spend some time looking at their awesome work!

Jennifer

Photo Credit: Shandro Photo.

Here’s a sneak peak at Danielle + Danny’s romantic Banff wedding:

You can find more stunning images on photographer Perry Thompson’s blog!

Jennifer

Photo Credit: Perry Thompson Photography.

I love love. I love reality television. These passions translate into the only show I watch religiously:

For those of you also obsessed with The Bachelorette and Bachelor series, I’m sure your eyes were glued to your television screens last night to find out who Ali would choose: Chris or Roberto. In the end, Ali + Roberto’s love connection was just too strong for the sweet Cape Cod landscaper to compete with, and Chris was sent home before the final rose ceremony.

To celebrate Ali + Roberto’s engagement, here’s a wedding board inspired by Ali’s favourite colour – yellow – and Roberto’s love of baseball:

Now we just have to wait and see if Ali + Roberto can make it to their wedding day…here’s hoping they have better luck than Jake + Vienna!

Jennifer

Photo Credits (L-R): Dress and Bouquet – Wedding Chicks; Rings on Baseball – Rob and Lauren; Grey Suit – Elizabethanne Designs; Ceremony Site – In Style Weddings; Signature Cocktails – The Knot; Stationary Set – Alee & Press; Yellow Christian Louboutins – Wedding Chicks.

Dorothy + Chad were married in Jasper, Alberta over the May long weekend (you may remember the sneak peek I shared a while back). I began working with this down-to-earth couple in February 2009, and after 15 months of planning it was so wonderful to see them enjoy the day with their family and friends in the Rockies.

The wedding reception was held at The Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre, and the day was captured beautifully by A Different Angle Photography. Guests danced the night away to tunes played by DJ Tommy of Jasper’s Alpine Music. Special thanks to Christine for assisting me throughout the day.

Dorothy + Chad’s son, Chase, is the cutest little boy! He had the important job of being the ring bearer at the ceremony.

The ceremony was held at one of the lookouts on Jasper’s Pyramid Lake Island. A handmade wooden sign pointed guests in the right direction.

This wagon pulled the flower girl and ring bearer down the aisle, while announcing the bride’s entrance! How cute is that!?

It’s tough work bearing rings!

Dorothy’s beautiful, rustic bouquet – all flowers were arranged by the wonderful team at Elysion Florals. As a surprise for the couple, I had two wooden tags made with Dorothy + Chad’s names engraved on them.

It was a chilly walk across the bridge to meet her groom, but the stunning scenery made up for it!

The ceremony was performed by Marriage Commissioner Beryl Cahill.

The beautiful bride!

Dorothy + Chad decided they wanted the reception décor to be a surprise. Here is their reaction to seeing the room for the first time!

We designed the table décor with an “Alpine Elegance” theme in mind:

• A brown lantern sat on top of a wooden slab covered in earthy elements (moss, pine cones, sticks and berries);
• Votives and candles in mason jars surrounded the lanterns to make the tables glow;
• Ivory pintuck linens, chocolate satin chair wraps and brown napkins polished off the look.

Table seating cards in a bed of moss pointed guests to their seats.

The rustic wooden table numbers were custom made by the highly talented Sharon Auld of Naturally Chic. They went so perfectly with the theme and design of the wedding!

Dorothy + Chad opted for delicious cupcakes from Bear’s Paw Bakery Jasper.

Dorothy, Chad + Chase: Thank you for trusting me with this important day! I wish you all the best as you begin this new chapter in your lives.

xoxo

Jennifer

Photo Credit: A Different Angle Photography.