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

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.

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 am thrilled and honoured to announce that Jennifer Bergman Weddings has been invited by Style Me Pretty (the wedding blog of all wedding blogs) to be a part of their prestigious Little Black Book:

“…a highly edited collection of wedding service providers –
from mom and pop boutiques to A-Listers.
Bottom line, these vendors are the best of the best.”

Here’s a link to our vendor profile, which we’ll continue to update with our stunning weddings of 2010. Don’t forget to check out the Style Me Pretty blog for amazing wedding inspiration and eye candy!

Jennifer

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.

More of Chad + Dorothy’s Alpine Elegance affair to follow in the coming weeks!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Jennifer