When The Big Question Takes On A Life of Its Own:OTT Marriage Proposals

When more is a whole lot less romantic..... the Kimye proposal
Via Happiness Series

Proposals have taken on a life of their own. In the last few years, with the explosion of Instagram - and well, pretty much all the other social media platforms - there's an almost feverish need to go big or go home when putting together a proposal.  (Side note: Promposals are another example of life events on steroids!). The new philosophical debate seems to be, 'If (insert life event) didn't make it on to (insert Twitter/Snapchat/Instagram), did it really happen?'  And as a result, there's a sweetness, intimacy or inate romanticism and hopefulness that gets lost when production value and scale take centre stage!

This past weekend, the need for a public proposal spectacle took an incredibly awkward turn at Boston's Fenway Park during a Red Sox-Orioles game as an unidentified man was shut down by his girlfriend. The crowd, clearly DROWNING in the milk of human kindness, began a chant of, "She said no! She said no!" which was the coup de grace on a very intense moment.

A time-out call? After the failed proposal, the couple fight it out, while the cameraman looks away as love lies bleeding!
Via Yahoo

*~One, Two, Three Strikes You're Out At The Ol' Ball Game~*

I don't want to sound like a buzzkill if having a grandiose gesture is your thing! But here's the rub: you gotta know yourself, your partner AND your relationship really well to execute the perfect proposal. Youve GOT to have a good read on your entire situation.  Becuse one person's 'perfect' is another person's nightmare! Additionally, is it just me or do these new over-the-top proposals feel a little bragadocious and all about the groom-to-be?  They always read like a case of 'Look at how creative/romantic/amazing I am! Look at all the hard work I did! Look at me, me, me!'  And the bigger the audience, the more the fawning over the awesomeness of the proposal!

As a palette cleanse from the Great Fenway Rejection of 2017,  Entertainment Weekly published a list of some of their favourite on-screen proposals last year and they'll never get old to me. Consider these the substance over style approach that as a low-tech person, I can totally get behind!

*~Just us two, me and you - proposals that give you all the feels!~*

These babies were great examples of small-scale/large-impact, perfectly sweet and awesome and the exact opposite of what went down at Fenway. You're welcome!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

Wedding Cake Double-D: Where Dessert and Decor Meet

Cake, glorious cake....
Via Mississauga News

I think I might've mentioned this a few times before, but just in case I haven't, here goes: I love cake.
I could be falling asleep and perk right up at just the mere thought of cake. And if there's any leftover cake in the house.....well, it's not pretty.

Forget Tinder, I'll only swipe right for cake!

Via giphy 

Whether it's a Vachon Half-Moon, a slice of Sara Lee (frozen) pound cake, a kids' birthday-style sheet cake or a decadent bakery creation, I will gladly and cheerfully take part in a bite or two, or twelve. My brain is wired to see dinner as foreplay before the main event - dessert! There are two reasons why, when April and I are on a wedding, I stay on-site at the venue while April is with the bridal party. Firstly, I cry at the drop of a hat and will ALWAYS cry when I see the bride emerge from her staging area in her dress and makeup - and because tears are contagious, I don't want to be the one who starts a crying jag among perfectly made-up faces! And secondly, I'm impatient and suffer from serious FOMO and want to see everything as it's unfolding and that includes eyeballing the dessert situation.  My Big Three matters of utmost importance for a wedding are outfit, colours and cake!  And boy oh boy, we've really seen a host of trends over the last few years. Whether it was ruffles and pristine white cakes in royal icing and buttercreams -

Via Wedding Bells

-or vintage inspired multi-tiers

Via WeddBook

-watercolour numbers

Via Flair Bridesmaid

-and ombré creations

Via Weddingomania

-chandelier cakes precariously hung

Via Inside Weddings

-cupcake towers

 Via Cosmopolitan 

-or the risqué naked cakes

Now THIS is a tasteful nude!
Via Martha Stewart Weddings

- we've seen a lot of fresh ideas for a traditional wedding staple.  But for all the new and exciting takes on cake, I think we've forgotten that the wedding cake is an extension of your wedding theme and has a pretty big role in the decor of your event!  Believe us when we say it -  people really DO look at the wedding cake; it's examined as closely as the bride's dress and the table arrangements. And people take pictures OF and WITH the cake! I ran across as article highlighting the importance of the wedding cake and things you should take into consideration when deciding on one.

*~Wedding Cake 101: The lowdown on a wedding highlight!~*

Is this the year you put you wedding style on blast and incorporate a cake that not only tastes great but is an absolute showstopper? Let us know what you're thinking (and if we can snag a slice, for research purposes, of course!)

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

Oscar 2017: Red Carpet Fashin Oohs and Ahhhs!

Red carpet couture courtesy of Ruth Negga

Via Vogue

So..... it's been a week and a bit since the biggest Oscar mess-up since... well, forever! And while the big takeaway from the mistake seemed to be more about how gracious La La Land was instead of celebrating how monumental 'Moonlight' winning is, it feels like a good time to take a look back at some of the gems from the red carpet of the Academy Awards.  Brides.com featured dresses that hit all the right notes for brides-to-be and while this year was a tight and unpredictable Awards season, the fashion was mad-exciting!  There were the usual suspects, with their impeccable style like Nicole Kidman -

Nicole Kidman, guaranteed to bring her A-game to a red carpet!
Via Tom+Lorenzo

Priyanka Chopra

When fashion meets architecture - structural fashion
Via OscarGo

Emma Stone

Golden girl Emma Watson
Via US Weekly

Meryl Streep

My bucket list clothing wish? To wear a dress and pant combo!
Via PerezHilton

- but then we saw what was even more exciting this year, what I called the upstarts, the ladies and gentlemen who took the red carpet to a whoooooole other level with their style.  My Oscar Best-Dressed was Ruth Negga who evoked a time long-gone with her dress but touched on one of this year's trends with her jewelled headband. I lovelovelove Ruth Negga because she looks like a silent screen actress of a bygone era and her fashion was on-point throughout award season. As she represented the film "Loving" and ultimately lost out to Emma Stone for the Best Actress honour, she was the highlight of night for me.

Regal in red
Via CelebMafia

AND, she and Viola Davis, who DID win a well-deserved statue for her role in "Fences" were proof-positive that a red dress can absolutely stun on the red carpet! Viola's look was flawless - she let the dress be the star while she kept the hair and makeup glam. She really did look regal and fierce on a night saw her move one step closer to EGOT glory!

Statuesque and unforgettable
Via The Hollywood Reporter

But the glamour didn't stop there - two other ladies were swoon-worthy and brought their A+++game  to Oscar night: Kirsten Dunst and Taraji P. Henson.

Back to black..... my favourite LBDs of the night
Via ScoopWhoop

Kirsten Dunst's dress was anything-but-basic black. We're so used to black strapless dresses and let's be honest, a black strapless dress will always look amazing, but what elevated this dress was the neckline - not sweetheart, it sat a little higher - and the tailoring. The waist was cinched beautifully; the cut of the neckline was chic, emphasized the torso and showcased just how impeccable the dress really was!  The fit was fantastic and of course, the pockets were one of those throwback details that just added to the upscale cocktail style. Word on the street is that this dress was commissioned from a vintage 1952 design and the overall aesthetic was vintage glamour. Lesson of the day? Fashions are going to change and evolve but sometimes there's no school like the old school!

Vintage glamour + modern carpet = timeless Oscar look

Via New York Times

And this is the second year for Kirsten knocking it out of the park at an awards show - rewind to last year at the Golden Globes when she slayed in a black velvet dress that took us all by surprise!

Throwback  master class on how to shut down a red carpet: Kirsten Dunst edition!
Via E!

Taraji P. Henson was SMOULDERING in a midnight blue velvet gown, and she was definitely feeling her look! The dress itself was fluid and sinewy and the cut was an awesome wiggle-meets-mermaid hybrid; her hair and make-up were spot-on and she was an absolute known-out! Velvet is having a huge moment now, whether it be Vans slip on runners, 90's-esque chokers, over the knee boots or leggings. But Taraji's blue velvet number was timeless; a beautiful colour with a drop-dead silhouette that was complemented - not overshadowed - with her hair, makeup and accessories!

LovedlovedLOVED Taraji's look
Via JustJared

Hailee Steinfeld looked ethereal in her floaty, sheer floral halter dress and while sheer can at times be overtly sexy, her dress was less peep-show and more woodland nymph (with a naughty side, wink wink)!

Flowery, floaty, feminine with a hint o' smoulder!
Via People

One non-dress look that made me look twice? Look down:

These shoes need a post dedicated to them, they're that gorgeous!
Via Celebitchy 

No, not the hemline; a little lower...

Shoes that were the ultimate accessory!
Via Lainey Gossip

SQUEEEE! Those shoes... my god I hit rewind and them pause because they were fresh and a reminder that head-to-toe style really is HEAD TO TOE! The dress was goooood, but damn, those shoes were so, so choice and a case for statement shoes, and what bigger day to make a statement then on a wedding day?!

Aaaaaaand.... the men. They did not disappoint! While the ladies were making a splash on the carpet, the gents were no shrinking violets. Traditions tuxedos were given a tweak with sleek designs and styles....

Ivory never looked this fresh!
Via The Hollywood Reporter 

....small but unique details to give the suits a dose of personality....

Tux, tails, shiny shoes and bling!
Via E! 

Old Hollywood tux, new Hollywood shirt
Via US Weekly 

....and forget orange: blue is the new black.  There were lovely shades of blue that permeated the sea of black and stole the spotlight!

A tuxedo with no equals, as worn by Viggo Mortensen
Via New York Times

Taraji's male counterpart: Blue Velvet for Him!
Via Access Hollywood

From a galaxy far, far away... a tux that was out of this world! My best dressed man on of night
Via USA Today

What were the looks that lingered in YOUR mind long after the red carpet was rolled up and packed away for the next Oscars red carpet in 2018?

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

Mining For Gold: How To Handpick the Best Elements of Your Wedding Theme

Via Tumblr

When April was newly engaged and starting to think about the kind of wedding she wanted to have, she had a point of reference at the ready: Tim Burton's "The Corpse Bride" a movie that she loved.

Via Pinterest

Now, keeping in mind that when I got married, it was a looooooow-key event; it was a Friday at City Hall with a small group of family members and a few close friends followed by a relaxed dinner at a steakhouse. This time around, our mother had a few ideas about April's upcoming nuptials and she very quickly put the kibosh on the Tim Burton influence by not-so-subtly and colourfully advising (telling?) her, 'Oh no, none of this Corpse Bride crap for the wedding!!'   What she didn't realize or stop to consider was that April wasn't looking to recreate the sunken cheeks and non-living pallour -

Fierce and furious. NOT the bridal expression conducive to a fun day!
Via Heroes Wikia

or (literal) bony fingers

Model pose, not-so-model-like hands
Via Jim Hill Media

or eerie Underworld party styles

The undead version of Uptown Funk?
Via Rave Pad

-but loved the Victorian aesthetic and the evocative, brooding colour palette (shades of blue and gray with flourishes from the purple family) that she found dreamy and romantic.  She and her then-fiancé wouldn't have used the movie as a template, but as a buffet of ideas, picking and choosing the elements that spoke to them.  Sometimes though, when we're in the early planning stages, it can be hard to figure out how your inspirations can translate to real-life flourishes on your big day. This week, Brides.com featured a timely piece on finding your wedding style and staying on-track, so without further ado, here's the 411!

*~Staying above-ground: How NOT to fall down the wedding planning rabbit-hole!~*

It's so easy to follow tangents during those early planning days but it's nice to know that sometimes a little can go a long way and there can be huge fireworks from little sparks of creativity. And that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places (like a stop-go animation film about a living groom and his living dead-girl bride!)

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

PS - On an unrelated note, please excuse the quiet week in the blog BUT I have a good reason; last week was our couples soak and I kid you not, I've been so amazingly, ridiculously chill ever since. I won't say needing-a-mirror-under-my-nose-to-see-if-I'm-still-breathing, but calm yet buoyant? I mean sure, we were pretty buoyant in the Epsom salt pool, but we walked/floated out of the spa feeling lighter and less-stressed and almost joyous? I'm putting float spas on blast in the best possible way, everyone: if you ever have an opportunity to do a float, pleasepleaseplease take the plunge! Even if youre claustrophobic, you can do a open float. And if you DO give it a shot, let us know what you thought of it!

Valentine's Day Made Lovely! Unique Gifts Done Just Right!

Via The Social

February is a month chock full of expectations; we're halfway through our dreary winter, but we hold out hope that an adorable little rodent will offer us a glimmer of hope with a prediction of early spring when Groundhog Day rolls around. Then, we hope for a different glimmer - this time by candlelight, or from the spark between ourselves and our someone special - when Valentine's Day arrives a few weeks later. But, for folks who are planning a wedding, Valentine's Day could be smack dab in the middle of a window of time when there's a lot of other things going on (like meetings with vendors, menu tastings, dress and suit shopping) and a bit of money moving and shaking (when making deposits or paying for services) from your pockets into the wedding budget abbyss!

So then, we wonder just how big we need to go to celebrate Valentine's Day, in light of the upcoming wedding.  This week on The Social, Meredith Shaw brought a selection of gift ideas that ran the gamut from traditional (jewellery) to modern takes on classics (pocket squares) and in the spirit of taking the pressure out of the day, here's a look at the segment to get your juices flowing if you're in the (somewhat) last-minute-gift-shopping camp:

*~Valentine's Day made AWESOME! Gifts that pack on the impact without making a huge (financial) dent!~*

Two of the ideas featured really stood out for me: the personalized perfume and the wooden pocket squares. The chance to design the perfume to wear on the day you say 'I Do' sounds like a dream come true (because I'm a scent hound, this gift is RIGHT UP MY ALLEY!)  and another place to personalize an element of your big day. And the wooden pocket square is another way to inject a little more 'you' in your suit!

So..... how will you mark YOUR Valentine's Day? This year will mark 26 years to the day I met my husband (a blind set-up by a friend ON VALENTINES DAY, no pressure there!) and while I'm working that day, the next day we're doing a float together. Not one of these -

Not the float I meant...but maybe after the OTHER float?
Via Diethood

-one of these!

Silence -and weightlessness- is golden!
Via Tourism Montreal

One hour, not a care in the world, talking and handholding optional? That sounds like a little piece of paradise!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

When Weddings Go To The Ballet (Or We Bring The Ballet To Our Weddings!)

The hypnotic blues and ghostly whites of Swan Lake

Inspiration for just about anything can be found just about anywhere.  We can be inspired by a quote, to give is strength -

A little Eleanor for those times when doubt rears its ugly head
Via QuotesGram

or a movie scene, to express what we can't quite say out loud -

Via Pinterest

Via Huffington Post

a pet, to remind us that sometimes you just gotta curl up, batton down the hatches and let a cat-nap soothe your soul.

40 winks can sometimes be as healing as a whole night's worth!
Via Catster

We are surrounded by the stuff of dreams and we siphon a little bit of the magic that moves us to incorporate in the ways we live and love so I was instantly smitten when Brides.com presented wedding tablescapes by ballet! Ballet can cover all the bases, aesthetically-speaking: dark and gothic...

 dreamy,  romantic and ethereal....

A kaleidoscope of enchanting hues in a Midsummer Night's Dream
Via NYC Ballet

vibrant and intense.....

Passion, drama and a fiery palette

Via The Stage UK

or whimsical and playful.

Sugar's a treat and so is the palette of this production of the Nutcracker Suite!

 Not to mention the innate style of the dancers themselves - what they wear and how they look so effortlessly chic - being chock full of ideas for bridal parties!

Floral halos and ultra-feminine tulle = 2017 swoonage!
Via Pinterest

Here's a little touch of ballet-inspired wedding style to whet your appetite..

*~Wedding ideas that raise the barre: tablescapes from centre stage!~*

The possibilities really are limitless.... and wonderful.... and can be familiar but somehow reimagined! Where will YOU find your inspiration that's en-pointe?

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

2017 Wedding Trends Round-Up

You are cordially invited.. to bring your wedding stationary A-game! Big florals and laser-cut details FTW!
Via The Knot

On Tuesday, we delved into the au current wedding trends via the style-makers at Vogue, so we thought why not round out the week and head into the last weekend of January (already! Is it too early to say that spring is less than two months away, or did I just jinx us to an unreasonably cruel and frigid February?!) with completely approachable, readily hackable and completely accessible wedding trends via CTV's The Social, Canada's very own salon of beauty, health, current events and lifestyle.

*~The Social + Rebecca Wise = A Marriage in Wedding Style!~*

On today's episode, Rebecca Wise from Event Wise gave us a fresh look at the hottest and most-wanted ideas for wedding season 2017.  And the wedding future looks eclectic and exciting! The standouts? A splash of bright...

Greenery goes technicolor!
Via SouthBound Bride

... sweetly chic...

Via Want That Wedding UK

...a layer of instant romance....

A place setting that pops when it's supported by this lace overlay
Via Pinterest 

...and a dash of the undeniably stylish....

Black is BACK! Small details = big impact
Via Fresh Designpedia

...and the classic take on the signature cocktail - Scotch or Whiskey tasting bars after my own heart!

A toast to Wedding Season 2017!
Via Pinterest

The result? A wedding detail that is uniquely and wonderfully you!

So, what's the wedding touch that's speaking to YOU?

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April