2nd February, 2012 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Couple: Melissa and Darryl
Location: Chateau Vaudreuil, in Vaudreuil.
Month: August, 2011
Emilie Olson, a Montreal based wedding photographer was chosen to capture the heartwarming union of two high school sweethearts who found each other again later in life and decided to tie the knot. The wedding was held at the gorgeous Chateau Vaudreuil Hotel located along the water front in Vaudreuil, around 40km west of Montreal.
The wedding was an intimate ceremony between close friends and family. The elegant ceremony took place outdoors on the immaculately kept grounds of the hotel encompassing Melissa and Darryl’s colour scheme of fuchsia pink, pale pink and white!
Thank you Emilie Olson for sharing your wonderful pictures with us!
11th January, 2012 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
I have had the privilege of working with Bianca and Andy in designing their Montreal Destination Wedding for the past year and it all came together in a very romantic elegant affair at the Windsor Ballrooms on a very special day of July 2nd.. not because it was Canada weekend, but because Chris and I were also married on the 2nd July – so of course another match made in heaven!
Bianca and Andy both live in Winnipeg so we planned and worked together at a distance with Bianca coming to Montreal every few months and I ensured we maximized her visits with vendor selections, tastings and design meetings!
With Bianca’s family coming from Haiti and Andy’s family from India, it was great to bring in some cultural & spiritual elements especially during the ceremony where they honored their grandparents who were no longer with us!
As guest took their seats for dinner the room glowed in subtle gold, from the high floral centre pieces that were natural earth tones with a touch of soft pink through to the Organza overlays which were adorned in gold sequined flowers – perfectly matched with the Bridemaids who wore Bronze/Gold colored dresses and the MoH (Maid of Honor) in a Dusky Pink dress.
After dinner the bride made a surprise entrance in a stunning Indian dress escorted by an all Male Indian Dance group who came in from Toronto to entertain the guests – it certainly sent a buzz around the room and kicked off the party!
Another nice touch was the wedding favors which were given out to each guest personally by the Bridesmaids just after dinner, while I played ‘reporter’ with the Videographer getting great video stories from each of the guests to add to Bianca & Andy’s memories of a perfect day….
Photo Credit: Feddel Photography, Cake: P&B Patisserie, Flowers: Flora International
Article written and wedding planned by An English Rose !
27th November, 2011 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Who doesn’t have wedding shows listed as one of their guilty pleasures? Just starting to tune in to shows all about wedding bliss?
Here are the Top -Rated Wedding Shows on TV:
1. Say Yes to the Dress. On TLC Friday nights, this show is the top favorite for brides, brides to be and brides-wanna-be! Watch as the bridal gown experts style and size brides from around the world, dealing with momzillas, bossy fiancée’s , brides with attitude and so much more. Will the bride in question say YES to the dress, try on 36 different options, or walk on out of the store? Stay tuned!
2. Four Weddings. Four brides to be weigh in and score in on one another’s wedding as they attend each other’s and score on VENUE, FOOD, THE DRESS, and THE CEREMONY. Highest score wins a luxurious honeymoon for themselves and their new husband. Watch them critique, say what they think, and see the different visions and ideas that these unique brides have. Only on TLC, Friday nights—check it out!
3. Bridezillas. On the WE/Style network, this show gives me a headache yet I just can’t get enough! Watch as these brides go from blissfully happy to evil in the blink of an eye as they yell, cuss out, and even get arrested for their bad to the bride behavior.
4. My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. What if you had your entire wedding planned, just to have everything switched up and topsy turvey….just WEEKS before your wedding? Watch as bridal expert and wedding planner David Tutera changes a bride-to-be’s wedding planning and creates an entire new vision for her wedding, yet still always delivering a happily ever after.
24th October, 2011 - Posted by Lia - 3 Comments
When Lia first asked me to be a guest blogger, I was super excited. I thought about what I could contribute that would be somewhat unique and which you’ve perhaps not seen before. As modern brides, you’ve very likely heard about the “Trash the Dress” trend where a bride is invited to don her dress some time after the wedding day and jump in a lake, roll around in the sand, or participate in some other activity that often leaves the treasured dress in tatters. While I like the idea of a photo shoot after the wedding, I cringe at the thought of “trashing” a dress that has so much meaning for a bride. What I offer my clients is something a little different: I call it “Glam the Gown”.
My “Glam the Gown” sessions give brides the chance to wear their wedding dress again and to create some truly unique photos that can be fun, glamorous, sexy, romantic – whatever they want. The bride gets all glammed up (I work with a makeup artist who can also do her makeup if she chooses) and we head out for a fun day, shooting at a location that is not typical for wedding photos. Since first offering these type of sessions for newlywed brides, I’ve shot in many different locations, from abandoned buildings to deep in the woods. Most recently, I did a session at Brome Fair with a couple whose wedding I photographed last December.
Jordana and Tom had a wonderful winter wedding at the romantic Willow Place Inn in Hudson. When I suggested a country fair for our “Glam the Gown” session, Jordana was over the moon. She was so excited to have the opportunity to wear her wedding dress again and despite the sweltering heat – and her allergy to horses – she was up for pretty much anything! Tom was also a great sport, especially when I suggested he wear jeans and cowboy boots instead of more formal attire.
My vision for this particular shoot was to use the bright sunlight to create vivid, saturated images that would really showcase the bold colors that were prevalent at the fair. This was a bit of a departure from my usual style – and certainly not the type of post-processing I do for wedding photos, but as an artist, I always enjoy trying something different. I am so thankful to have amazing clients like Jordana and Tom who are willing to embark on these creative journeys with me!
We arrived at the fair in the afternoon and were immediately drawn to a small enclosure with the cutest little alpacas you have ever seen! René, from Domaine des Nobles Alpagas, was very accommodating and allowed us to mingle with his furry friends, who were shy at first, but eventually warmed up to Tom when the food came out!
We then headed out onto the midway, where we caused quite a stir. A wedding dress and a beautiful bride were like a free pass to the front of the line for every ride. One little girl pronounced that Jordana was the “Prettiest bride EVER”. The same girl gleefully asked Jordana if she was at the fair for her honeymoon – and we did not have the heart to tell her no.
One of the things that is so wonderful about a country fair is that everyone is so friendly. As we headed towards the stables, we were greeted like celebrities. The team from C.D. Stables graciously offered to bring out a horse to hitch to their carriage, and even helped Jordana climb up into the driver’s seat for some impromptu shots.
As the sun started to dip towards the horizon, I decided that I wanted to finish up with some softer, more romantic images. I just love the color of the light at sunset…
And since we all love bloopers, I could not resist including this one last shot…
If you’d like to book a “Glam the Gown” session, simply mention that you read about it on Lia’s Bridal Lounge, and if you book before December 31st (2011), you will be eligible for a 15% discount on the session. If you book your 2012 wedding with me before December 31st (2011), you’ll get a “Glam the Gown” session for free!
You can check out more of my work on my website: http://www.creativeperspectives.ca or why not stop by and “Like” me on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/CreativePerspectivesPhotography
11th October, 2011 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Planning a wedding isn’t easy—it’s time consuming, expensive, and sometimes overwhelming.
There are ways to cut corners in your wedding planning without loosing the classiness or quality of the wedding you’re trying to create. It is possible to plan a fun, affordable, and dare I say it, EASY wedding without it looking like a hot mess:
1. Ceremony: Many modern day brides are having more intimate and tinier ceremonies, then hosting a large wedding reception the day of or at a later date. This creates more of a private and intimate ambience, saves money on the ceremony location due to a smaller amount of guests. This way the happy couple can say their vows, have close friends and family present but also allow it to be a private and quieter moment.
2. Connections: If you have friends in different avenues of the wedding business (bakeries, DJ services, catering, bartending, etc) then don’t be shy about asking for some help as you book your services! If they’re able to get you discounted rates on many services, then why not use their connections? If your friend is a bartender…ask them to make your guests drinks! Have a friend that DJs downtown? Have him spin tunes at your reception! Is your friend’s mom a culinary genius? Ask her to cater the wedding! Your friends love you and want to help, just ask—it’ll save you $$ and they’ll be happy to help.
3. Location: While a traditional wedding and reception maybe held in a church and then a reception hall, you can save time and money by altering your dream wedding location. Consider an alternative location…your favorite park, the alumni house at your old university, or your parent’s large and spacious backyard. It’s amazing how any location can be transformed to the scene and vision you would like it to be, and doesn’t need to be limited to the traditional church or reception hall scene.
4. Time: Have your heart set on a 3 pm ceremony and 5 pm dinner? You may be able to save quite a bit of money if you hold your ceremony and/or reception just an hour or two earlier than you originally wanted. Be sure to also compare prices when renting reception venues. Note the difference in room rental prices on 4 hour reception vs. a 6 hour reception, the price differences can be in the HUNDREDS.
5. Secondhand: Many people turn up their nose at the idea of secondhand items for their wedding, or anything for that matter. Don’t chalk it off quite yet, websites like OnceWed.com and RecycledBride.com are extremely popular sites with different categories of once-used items from past brides weddings. You can purchase centerpieces, lights, lanterns, tulle, even bridesmaid and wedding dresses all secondhand and all used—ONCE. Save up to 90% on all things wedding in excellent to mint condition.
Keep track of your budget with our free budget planner at www.marketplaceweddings.com!
8th September, 2011 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Last year in 2010, we were stunned with the shocking figure that the average wedding costs $26,000. If we put this into perspective, we can see that a figure like this is the same amount as a new car, a down payment on a car, your accumulated student loans, or even one’s annual salary. While not every engaged couple and their families are spending this amount, it does bring a good question to the table…how can we cut costs in our wedding planning?
Three Letters for you: D.I.Y.
“Do it yourself! “
This is a coined phrase used everywhere, and very popular in the wedding planning process. Brides everywhere are looking to cut corners in their spending, one DIY project at a time. There are several ways to save money as you plan your wedding with DIY projects; today we will focus on two DYI centerpieces ideas, each costing you under $20 per table.
Many brides choose to use floral arrangements for their centerpieces on their reception tables. Long stemmed flowers in tall vases, or short and bountiful bouquets, many use this is a the focal point for your table. While this is a beautiful and classic means of decorating your guests tables, it can get costly. One can still use flowers on tables, but perhaps in a minimal fashion. A great idea is to purchase shorter, wider fishbowls and fill with glass stones that are the colors of your wedding theme. Place floating candles in the fishbowl full of water, and gentle lay the tops of the flowers of your choosing to create a dainty and elegant centerpiece. This still incorporates your flowers into the centerpiece while saving a ton of money.
Take your centerpiece to a personal level by letting each table tell the story of how you and your fiancée met. Pick a photo for each table of you and your fiancée, a different photo for each table. Let the setting, location, and time period in the photo set the theme for the table itself. Example: a photo of you and your groom-to-be in college and your freshman dorm days. Collect your college color memorabilia, old football ticket stubs, or a textbook to be set in the center of that table—speaking to your college days together. Did you take a tropical vacation with your fiancée you want your guests to re-live? Place a photo of you two at the beach, with some sand, shells, coconuts and some tropical looking flowers scattered across the table. The ideas for photo-themed centerpieces are endless and easy to do, just depends on the photo and the memory you want to capture.
Looking for traditional centerpieces but still counting pennies? Purchase those items secondhand! Only used once and up to 90% off the usual price. Head over to www.oncewed.com and www.recycledbride.com for decorations and centerpiece items of all colors and themes.
6th July, 2011 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Being the second biggest city in Canada and the largest French based city in North America could put a lot of strain on city development. Montreal grew to become one of the most bustling cities in North America. Complete with nightlife, arts, education, residential, and downtown districts Montreal has it all including a bustling ethnic community. Montreal’s natural beauty could be the background for wedding photos using great wedding photography businesses such as Creative Perspectives Photography, EYErick, or Nova Photography, the choice is yours. All fantastic photographers ready to capture your special day. The most difficult choice will be the location! Old Montreal, Mont Royal or anyone of the beautiful parks Montreal boast!
Named one of the world’s most livable cities and “Canada’s Cultural Capital” by Monocle Magazine Montreal has come a long way in terms of comfort, amenities, and opportunities. Today Montreal is an important center for many industries such as commerce, technology, film, tourism, and of course—wedding location. If you have your wedding planned elsewhere you can consider a beautiful and stunning Montreal honeymoon. Planning a honeymoon in Montreal is as easy as calling any one of Montreal’s wedding tourism based businesses with establishments such as Voyages Unisphere. The nightlife, fine dining as well as the culture are sure to please. Montreal hosts dozens of festivals through out the year, often free of charge such as the Jazz Festival, Just For Laughs and the The Loto-Quebec Fireworks! What better way to spend your summer honeymoon?
Montreal is also a major hub city; many materials and goods going into Canada and out to the rest of the world will first go through Montreal. This creates much revenue and jobs for the city, and promotes growth. This growth is shown through wedding planning services such as An English Rose, the Event Planner, and Over the Top Events.
Another important aspect of Montreal is the Saint Lawrence River. This seaway offers boats and ships a path into the great lakes regions and back out into the Atlantic Ocean. The Island of Montreal is also located in the Saint Lawrence River and houses most of the city’s population. An overlook of the Seaway and Montreal Island could be a great wedding site with help from wedding vendors such Cadeux Decor et Plus and Kreavie, and so many more.
Geographical location could be considered the most important aspect of a city’s success. A city needs to be located somewhere easily accessible and capable of housing many industries without the worry of extreme weather destroying buildings and structures. Montreal is at a great geographical location but also has huge wedding potential for all types of wedding plans and bridal visions. Montreal may work hard but Montreal puts on amazing weddings as well.
All the vendors mentioned in this blog are available on www.marketplaceweddings.com/Montreal as well as hundreds of others for the city of Montreal!
12th June, 2011 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Over the past couple years, the sounds and styles of the Middle East culture have become widely popular. The music, style, fashion, and color scheme of the Indian, Arabian, and Moroccan have streamlined their way into society, fashion, and even wedding décor.
We have some great ideas for a Moroccan themed wedding! The warm, inviting colors and intricate designs on many of the designs offer an original décor that everyone will be talking about.
The mysterious colors and exotic styles are ones that many brides want to incorporate into their wedding. With this comes elegant fabrics, exotic feathers, decorations and jewels, and rick textures. This is able to be achieved without breaking the bank yet keeping it stylish and classy.
Utilize fabrics. Search fabric shops and stores for sale and clearance fabrics that have warm colors, detailed threads, and exotic textures to it. Even if your wedding is months away, it will behoove you to stock up on these sale fabrics to be used at the wedding for an array of decorative items.
Use Rhinestones. A Moroccan inspired wedding uses jewels and glam throughout the theme. Rhinestones are a perfect way to incorporate that. You can purchase these in various colors and shapes and scatter them on each table, in the floral arrangements, or even as a part of the take home gifts. Rhinestones can sometime appear gaudy so remember: less is more.
Candles, Candles, Candles. Using candles for your Moroccan wedding sets the mood all the way from the ceremony to the reception. Use for centerpieces, on or along the wall (check with your venue about sticking things to the walls!) Or create a Moroccan garden if your venue has an outdoors walkway.
Moroccan Cuisine. Talk with your caterer about creating a menu that is similar to the tastes and dishes of the traditional dishes or Morocco. Here are some common dishes that you can discuss with your caterer to see if they can recreate a version of these dishes for your wedding :
-Roast lamb,
-Grilled salmon with aromatic spices such as cumin and preserved lemons.
-Moroccan couscous with vegetables or succulent stewed lamb.
- Ovened Moroccan pastilla ( a pie with shrimp or chicken or even pigeon, ground almonds, cinnamon, coriander and sugar).
- Roasted chicken with olives, plums, and raisins.
Of course every morrocan meal must end with soothing mint tea and for those with a sweet tooth, dainty moroccan cakes and cookies.
The Casbah Tea House in Montreal actually offers this catering service and will ensure that your guests are served these treats in a traditional manner and authentic manner! How original is that!
Enjoy bringing a taste of Morocco to your wedding, this is certainly an original idea that everyone will be talking about—enjoy!
25th May, 2011 - Posted by Lia - 2 Comments
With all of this Royal Wedding buzz and excitement, we decide to take a look into some of the most grand and extravagant weddings of the past. Take a look at our top Celebrity Weddings of all time…Which is your favorite or most memorable?
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5. Celine Dion’s wedding to her long term manager Rene on December 17th, 1994. They married in Montreal at the Notre Dame Basilica. Celine’s gown and accessories were unbelievably extravagant with a 7-pound tiara made of 2,000 genuine crystals. Her gown, designed by Mirella & Steve Gentile was flowing with a 20 foot train and all-in-all took over 1,200 hours to complete.
4. Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes. This original and unique couple married with seven month old Suri Cruise in their arms. The couple married in Italy at a lavish ceremony but had the wedding legalized and arranged prior to leaving in LA. Both Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes sported Armani clothing; Katie in an off the shoulder original design and Cruise in a one of a kind tux designed by Armani just for the occasion. The entertainment? Of course, Italian singer Andrea Bocelli. The couple exchanged Cartier rings and while the couple married in 2006, they are still happy and glowing just as if they were newly weds again.
3. Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Fondly known as the wedding of the 20th Century. After a short courtship, Prince Charles proposed to the future Princess, but without a ring. He later brought her to the official crown jeweler, Garrard Jewelers where she selected her ring (that is now Kate Middleton’s) valued then at $65,000. Months later, on July 29th, 1981 750 Million people tuned in to watch this momentous occasion. The couple was whisked away in a golden carriage and lived a beautiful marriage until Princess Diana’s tragic death on August 31st, 1997.
2. Ivanka Trump. Style, class, and luxury are what we describe Ivanka Trump and her wedding day. In 2009 she married Jared Kushner at the Trump Golf Club (of course) at one of the biggest and lavish weddings of the decade. The height of discussion? Her dress, of course! Ivanka wore a custom Vera Wang wedding dress inspired by the gown Grace Kelly wore when she married Prince Rainier in 1956. A delicate, and classic piece that people are still talking about.
What If….
1. Oprah Winfrey finally tied the knot to long term boyfriend and significant other Stephen? We imagine it would take place in an exotic location away from the hustle and bustle of this worldwide icon’s publicity. Of course her dogs (or as she calls them her “kids”) would be in her bridal affair as well!
14th May, 2011 - Posted by Lia - No Comments
Q. We do not want to have to invite kids to our ceremony or reception. Trying to keep costs down, would prefer a more low-key and adult reception. How do we tactfully make this clear?
A. There are plenty of ways to make this request as classy as possible. Address your invites to the adults in the family only. On the invite, you can put a tiny note saying “ Adults Only”. If your budget allows, you can always offer childcare as well. If anyone approaches you on this just smile and let them know that this style or ceremony and reception works for you both!
Q. We are putting a “ Plus One” on each of the invites; how can we avoid certain friends bringing people that are not their significant others and instead bringing a friend we don’t know?
A. If it is that important to you that they don’t just bring a friend of theirs as their +1 then I would specify on the invite who the +1 is. Regardless if it is a significant other best friend, or partner. If there are some guests whom you are comfortable with whoever they bring then feel free to just leave it as a “ +1”. Highly unlikely your guests will compare envelope addressees’’ to see what and who you wrote on there.
Q. I love our family, but my parents and I really do not want our out of town guests to stay at our house the day before and after the wedding; it’s way too hectic! How can we politely make this clear?
A. There is nothing wrong with asking for a little privacy or space the day before or after your wedding. Include a list of different places to stay, and list them by price so your guests know what they are working with. Include motels, resorts, and bed and breakfasts. If you are in the financial position to do so, then feel free to pick up the tab on half or all of their overnight stay as an extra gesture.
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