Tuesday, April 10, 2012

MELISSA & BRENT GET MARRIED!!

Viva had so much fun working with Melissa & Brent this past year planning their October 9th 2010 wedding at the NAC. Melissa was a coordinators dream! Always keeping us in the loop, it was a sad week at Viva la wedding when an email from this fabulous bride didn't appear in our inbox. And the constant communication paid off. The end result was an absolutely flawless wedding day for this amazing couple. Here are a few images of the newlyweds captured by Ron of RZ Photo. Viva had never had the pleasure of working with Ron before and can happily say we're looking forward to collaborating on many more weddings in the future. Congratulations Melissa & Brent!!

Venue: National Arts Centre

Invitations: Urban Fête

Officiant: All Seasons Weddings

String Trio: Cadenza Strings

Flowers: Flowers Talk

Linens: Groovy Linen

Cupcakes: Isobel's

DJ/Lighting: Quality Entertainment

Videographer: C'est Bon Productions

Photographer: RZ Photo

Suddenly I Want A Rose Gold!!

Ga tau kenapa tiba-tiba aja gw merasa sangat jatuh cinta sama cincin rose gold. Radahal dari dulu selalu pengen wedding ring dari white gold. Sama skali ga pernah kepikiran pengen yang yellow gold ataupun rose gold. Tapi tiba-tiba saja beberapa hari yang lalu pas online gw berasa pengeeeeen banget punya cincin kawin yang rose gold..Mungkin karena udah bosan kali ya liat cincin kawin orang yang dari white gold smua...hahahaha *maklumin ya calon pengantin ababil ini :p*

Buat yang belum tau gimana cincin rose gold, inilah penampakan warnanya..Agak-agak pinky gimanaaaa gitu..cantik banget kan kan kan?ya kaaaan? *maksa.com*

Sekarang lagi merayu-rayu calon suami untuk pesen wedding ring dari bahan rose gold..padahal belum tentu masih sempet karena acara yang sudah tinggal 1 bulan lagi.

Tapi gpp lah yaa ngimpi punya cincin baru..amiiiin..Dan inilah beberapa model cincin yang gw taksir..pengennya memang ga pure rose gold, tapi dipaduin sama white gold :D..anw, semua model cincin yang di post disini itu dari Christian Bauer yaa.

Yang ini klo yang emas diganti sama rose gold apsti cantiik banget deh. Plus diamondnya juga ga gede-gede banget, jadi kan kalo emang bener-bener mau bikin cincin baru, budgetnya bisa berkurang :D.

N`h, kalau model yang ini gw naksir banget karena bentuk diamondnya yang kotak. Dari awal emang sukaa banget sama diamond yang bentuknya kotak dan besar :D.

Yang ini ga tau warnanya apa..kalau di webnya Chritian Bauer sih katanya white-redgold. Suka juga nih sama warnanya, tapi ga yakin kalau ada yang bisa bikin dengan warna yang sama persis begini apalagi dengan budget sangat terbatas..haha

Ini juga naksir karena batas antara whitegold dengan rosegoldnya ga keliatan. Cantiik sekali..tapi lagi-lagi gw ga yakin ada yang bisa bikin persis begini..hehe

INSPIRATION - HONEYSUCKLE

Every year Pantone announces the "Colour of the Year" (2011's colour being Honeysuckle) and every year brides ask us "How can we incorporate Pantone's colour of the year into our wedding"?

Accessories, accessories, accessories. Keeping things simple and classic, then using fun details and colourful accessories to help create a unique look is what weddings are now all about.

Accessorizing your timeless gown with a Honeysuckle clutch, shawl/cardigan or floral accent allows you to create a look that really is all about you. Your invitations, escort cards, table names/numbers, centerpieces, and bridal bouquets are a perfect place to add colour and details as simple as using Honeysuckle throw pillows on your lounge seating will help tie the overall look together.

Not only is Honeysuckle lovely on its own, it's the perfect accent colour for the ever popular black and white wedding and should you be daring enough to pair it with another vibrant colour... the possibilities are endless!

Photo Credits: Borrowed & Bleu

2011 COLOUR OF THE YEAR

Courageous. Confident. Vital. These are the key words Pantone (the global authority on colour and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries) is using to describe 2011's colour of the year... Honeysuckle.
A colour for all seasons, Honeysuckle is both captivating and stimulating. The perfect accent for weddings, not only does this dynamic shade get the adrenaline going but the intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages.
A striking, eyecatching hue that works well for day or evening, Honeysuckle is guaranteed to produce a healthy glow when worn by both men and women and is flattering for bridesmaid's dresses, bridal accessories, and men's ties.
Stay tuned for a little inspiration post on how to use Honeysuckle to spice up your wedding. In the meantime, read more on Pantone's 2011 colour of the year here.

Martha Stewart Weddings at the Wedding Party

Our friends at Martha Stewart Weddings are all busily preparing for the Wedding Party this week. I talked to Darcy Miller (MSW Editorial Director) yesterday and she's putting the finishing touches on her "real weddings" presentation. Their graphics department is working on our programs and signage, and the editorial team is pulling together inspiration from the pages of their current issue.

Design direction for many vendors that are presenting with MSW is helmed by the talented Matthew Robbins, who wrote about his inspiration here. His work is always soft, romantic and fresh -- I can't wait to see it on Saturday.

The delightful Special Projects editor, Anthony, is coordinating the following amazing participants in the Martha Stewart Weddings "wing":

Dylan's Candy Bar
Check out Dylan's new book for great candy bar inspiration

Sandals Weddings by Martha Stewart
I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- a wonderful idea for a destination wedding

Martha Stewart Stationery for Crane & Co.
Available at the Wedding Library, too!

Cheree Berry Paper
Our friend with the beautiful stationery

Callahan Catering
A perennial MSW and WL favorite

One Girl Cookies
One of the prettiest displays last year, and the yummiest

Handle and Spout
Beautiful blooms!

The Blooming Quill
I am looking forward to meeting this talented calligrapher who is flying in for the event!

Popbar
Gelato pops, need I say more?

Johnny Miller
He shoots many of the amazing images in the pages of MSW, now you can have him, too!

Sensible Sitters
Need a sitter for the kids at your wedding? A perfectly sensible solution.

Ramero Designs
Keepsake photo charms, I love this idea for your bouquet.

Fresh
The best smelling lotions, soaps and potions around.

Essie
You know you love ballet slippers. And they're offering manicures for us!

Josh Beckerman
He's a magician -- now it's a party.

Psychic Readings by Eva
Will it rain on your wedding day? She knows!

Sylvia Weinstock Cakes
The magnificent, the masterful.

VIVA LA WEDDING RECEIVES WEDDINGWIRE'S BRIDE'S CHOICE AWARDS™ 2011

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, recently announced that Viva la wedding has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning/Coordination!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Viva's past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Viva stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Viva la wedding for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Viva la wedding is among the very best wedding planners/coordinators within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. Viva would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011. To see a complete list of this year's winners click here.

Wedding Party 2011, Our Space

Images from the Wedding Party are beginning to roll in and I wanted to share a few with you. I'll start with our own area -- as all 117 vendors who participated know, it's a great outlet for creativity.

I was going for a soft, pink, Victorian, quirky feel, with accents of black to keep the look a tiny bit edgy. I enlisted lots of friends, who all independently understood what I was going for and delivered magical products that all worked together to create a little bit of a startling atmosphere, just as I intended.

You can see the gorgeous Juliska glassware, Match pewter-edged china and cutlery. LMD's Lewis Miller created the divine arrangements. An Amsale favorite crinkle chiffon dress in the background stands before my favorite piece, the full size Taylor Creative black horse!

Sylvia Weinstock made this beauty just for me. One of my favorite cakes ever, for sure.

I love to incorporate the ladies of Navy & Lavender's favor towers wherever I can. Doesn't this fit perfectly? What an innovative sweets display!

We had loads of Wedding Library stationery to incorporate. Love the pink and sepia.

The inspiration for the shoot came from these amazing laser cut flat bird cages. Some hang inside flat, fold-up stands, and some were hung as beautiful, delicate mobiles. Available at the Wedding Library.

Here's how it came together. Linens by Nuage Designs, with a pink silk dupioni underlay. The Victoria ghost chairs just melt away, but the velvet armchairs and modern Taylor Creative fireplace make the mix perfect.

A sweet cake by Cheryl Kleinman sits atop a favorite container turned cake stand.

And little feather butterflies trimmed in silver dust hide amongst the blooms. I like that there's a pretty but off-kilter surprise around every corner.

A Summer Woodland Table

I created this table to show a client and love the way a strong linen can make such an impact on a simple design. Recently I found this invitation on the web and eureka, I knew it would be the perfect mate to the table setting.

I wish I were throwing a woodland party to use these ideas!

Charming Seating Charts

I wrote about it on Martha Stewart's Bride's Guide today, and reiterate it here. Escort cards are tried and true, but seating charts can be useful, especially for a complicated floor plan. Laura Hooper has made them charming, too. These pretty maps can be customized to any theme and I think are particularly creative when you have table names instead of numbers. And they make a great keepsake remembrance of all the guests at your wedding.

The Wedding Writer

Susan Schneider, three-time Executive Editor of Elegant Bride, Modern Bride and Bridal Guide, has come out with a novel of the likes of "The Devil Wears Prada" but for the bridal set. Yes, I read it in two sittings. I invited my editor pal over to the Wedding Library to dig the real dirt, but she swears it's all a work of fiction.

I say buy it immediately if you are getting married, intend to get married or ever were married. (Furthermore, if you're in the industry it's simply irresistible.) Perfect for the deck chair, with margarita in hand, poolside in East Hampton. Ahhh summer reading.....

Learn more about it here or The Wedding Writer can be purchased here. And read about Susan's visit to the Wedding Library in her own words, here!

Smart Destination Planning Advice

I was delighted to help my friend Anita Henry come up with 30 Ways to Stretch Your Wedding Budget for Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, a wedding magazine go-to for weddings outside your home town. Click here for the full article. You'll get tips on everything from choosing the right destination to picking a planner.

And I love artist Susy Pilgrim Waters' illustrations, too! In the May/June issue of
Destination Weddings & Honeymoons

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!

INSPIRATION - JUST MARRIED

Thinking of having your own getaway car at your wedding? Here are a few of Viva's favourite!

WEDDING DRESS WEDNESDAY

This month's Wedding Dress Wednesday was an easy one. Viva loves RIVINI gowns and it just so happens that Ashton Station Bridal in Carleton Place is hosting a RIVINI trunk show this weekend. Selections from Rita's Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 collections will be in house. Don't miss it!