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

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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.

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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!
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or (literal) bony fingers

Model pose, not-so-model-like hands
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or eerie Underworld party styles

The undead version of Uptown Funk?
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-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?
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-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
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or a movie scene, to express what we can't quite say out loud -

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

Black is BACK! Small details = big impact
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...and the classic take on the signature cocktail - Scotch or Whiskey tasting bars after my own heart!

A toast to Wedding Season 2017!
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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

A In-Vogue Wedding

Via Belle the Magazine

Trends, trends, everywhere we look, we're knee-deep in the current trends. Whether it's the foods we eat, the way we wear our hair or the latest make-up looks, to the newest ways to work out in or outside the gym, one thing is for certain: change is constant! So, in the first few weeks of the year, here comes a look at some of the big trends in weddings for 2017 - as presented by Vogue magazine, no less. A collection of experts weigh in on some of the details set to make a splash this year; whether  it's with fanciful large-scale installations...

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... lounge seating in reception areas....

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Via Wedding Style Magazine

...creating an uptempo and wildly-exciting reception....

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...nighttime ceremonies that up the romance factor....

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...or the Pantone effect of greenery in the form of trees as decor feature...

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.... the buzzword for the season is fresh! Fresh ideas, new perspectives and exciting ways to personalize your day. Here's the lowdown on 2017's 'It' Ideas for weddings!

*~Weddings go Vogue: what the style makers are predicting for 2017~*

If it's good enough for Vogue, it's good enough for us!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~

Lisa and April

The Secret Winter Garden: Where The Blooms Are!

Via A Colorado Courtship

The winter season evokes thoughts of snowdrift and nature's colour wheel firmly coming to a grinding halt in the icy blue and gray spectrum.  January is only halfway over, but summer dreams have flown the coop and have taken all the bright and fresh colours of the season with them.  But with all the bare branches and frozen ground beneath our feet with every step we take, does this mean that wedding florals are destined to be minimal and sparse? Not a chance!  Brides.com gave us a timely reminder that winter wedding florals are anything but subdued; the flowers that are available during the colder season still pack a lot of heat!

*~Everything's coming up garden roses! And ranunculus! And tulips too!~*

Via A Central Park Wedding

Via Little Flower School

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Hope springs eternal, and so do beautiful flowers... so long as you know what to look for!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~

Lisa and April

Lovin' Plate-and-Spoonfuls!

Appetizer station done juuuuust right!
Via Colin Cowie Weddings

For a few days before any wedding we're involved with, I tend to starve myself or eat sparse, boring meals. Is it to crash-diet down a size or two before the big day? Not for me, because my preferred non-bodycon shift dress/Spanx combo is my wedding-attire strategy of choice. Nope, I eat like a bird because I want to enjoy every single offering on the menu! I groan and moan about Just!How! Much! food there is, but I always find the space to enjoy it all.  We've all had experiences with the good, the better, and the best of reception eats; menus that run the gamut from simple...

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
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... to über-sophisticated....

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Via Hummingbird Hall

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... cocktail hours that have us trailing servers and their trays of riches, or pulling up a chair beside our favourite station....

Via Holly Tate Fine Catering

Via Silk Mill Urbana

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... and late-night stations that challenge the strongest  zippers and Beyoncé-approved layers of Spanx!

Oh sweet lord, proof positive that anytime is decadent snack time!
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Yes please! I'll just take the plate. Easier that way!
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And I think that 80% of the time, we're dining in style or straight-up ballin' in a sea of oysters and cocktail signatures. But if we're eating this good, how do the 3% roll at THEIR weddings? Ahhhh celebrities - they're just like us (some of the time) .... this is a look at how some stars celebrated their nuptials!

*~Wedding Menus, A-List Edition!~*

Food (literally) for thought on a January morning!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~

Lisa and April