Your Bridesmaids/Groomsmen Deserve the Best

Below are a few of my suggestions to find the perfect gift for your bridesmaids/groomsmen. Keep in mind that some of the suggestions I make for bridesmaids can be used for groomsmen as well and vice versa.

I want to start off by making a brief statement about gift certificates. I really don’t understand when people say gift certificates are not personal. Gift certificates can be very personal. Someone actually has to know what stores you like and where you buy things. Just because they want to save you the trouble of having to make a return or exchange for a different size does not mean that they care any less.

Bridesmaid Gifts

Ladies who like fashion and makeup:

1.    Cute clutches with nail polish, lipstick, pocket mirror, gift certificate to favourite restaurant or spa and anything else cute inside.

2.    A beautiful scarf and gloves

3.    A bracelet or set of earrings

Ladies who like to travel:

1.    A gift certificate for Westjet or Expedia to go towards their next adventure

2.    A cute carry-on bag with her favourite CD

Ladies who like music/movies:

1.    Tickets to their favourite band’s concert

2.    A new iphone/ipad docking system with gift certificate for itunes

Ladies who like fine dining/night life:

1.    Gift certificate to favourite restaurant

2.    Gift certificate for a limo service- They can use this the next time they want to have a fabulous night out

3.    A fabulous pair of new shoes for dancing – Try to buy them from a store that she can return or exchange just in case they don’t fit

Ladies who like sweets:

1.    A basket filled with all the delicious chocolates and candies that she loves

2.    A cute mini cake in a fancy box made from the same baker who makes your wedding cake

3.    A big fancy cupcake in a fancy box

4.    Edible Arrangements: Chocolate dipped strawberries and other fruit

Groomsmen Gifts

Gentlemen who like fashion:

1.    Watch

2.    Wallet- can include a gift certificate inside

3.    New tie, cufflinks and pocket square

4.    An appointment booked with a tailor to get a custom made sport coat (already paid for).

Gentlemen who like to travel:

1.    A gift certificate for Westjet or Expedia to go towards their next adventure

2.    Ipod with itunes gift certificate for those long flights

 

Gentlemen who like adventure:

1.    A Jet ski or boat rental for a day

2.    A sky diving experience that all the guys are going to do together

3.    A day on the hill (ski/snowboard trip)

4.    A new ipod with some great road trip tunes

5.    A gift certificate for Westjet or Expedia to go towards their next adventure

Gentlemen who like fine dining/night life

1.    Gift certificate to favourite restaurant

2.    Gift certificate for a limo service- They can use this the next time they want to have a wild night out

I hope this provides you with some inspiration to help you find that perfect gift!

A Honeymoon Straight From Hollywood

I recently watched The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and decided I have to go see where this movie was filmed. I have always wanted to go to New Zealand and this movie convinced me that this is the year. I started doing research and found that you can go on tours of exactly where some of the scenes from The Lord of the Rings were filmed. I love the idea of going to amazing places I thought I would only ever see on tv or in a movie. I decided to do some research and have included below some links to tours your can go to for different movies and tv shows. I find movies give you ideas of areas you might not have ever thought or known to visit.

New Zealand (The Lord of the Rings): http://www.newzealand.com/ca/feature/middle-earth/#contents

New York (Sex In the city): I definitely want to one day sip a martini at the same restaurant Carrie and the ladies chatted at. http://onlocationtours.com/tour/sex-and-the-city

New York and Jersey (The Sopranos): http://onlocationtours.com/tour/sopranos/

Hawaii (Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean): Who doesn’t want to go where Johnny Depp has been! I am guilty of buying and watching four of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in one weekend:P http://www.robertshawaii.com/kauai/hawaiimovietour.php

England (Pride and Prejudice): This is on my bucket list. I am a HUGE pride and prejudice fan!: http://www.britishtours.com/pride-and-prejudice-tours

Mamanuca Islands in Fiji (Cast Away): Although this might not be an extremely famous movie I always thought the location look incredible. This tour is done by sailboat!
http://www.viator.com/tours/Fiji/Fiji-Mamanuca-Islands-Sailing-Cruise-including-Lunch/d23-5204SEASPRAY

Scotland, England (Harry Potter): Seeing as Harry Potter is filmed in two different countries it would depend on which one you want to visit. This site explains the top 10 Harry Potter locations to see. http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Travel-tips/Britain-for-kids-and-families/Top-10-Harry-Potter-locations.htm

Think of your favourite movies or tv shows when you are planning your wedding if you are looking for something fabulous and unique!

 Happy Honeymoon Planning!

He Just Wants To Show Up To The Wedding!

So you get engaged and the next thing you know he is telling you he wants nothing to do with planning the wedding. This is a tough situation to be in because even if you are a bride who knows exactly what you want you will want to have that supportive second opinion throughout the planning process. What can you do to make him excited about the wedding and want to be involved in the planning?

First: It is important to understand where your groom is coming from. Weddings have a lot to do with colour schemes, flowers, cakes and dresses… all things that guys are not particularly interested in. Consider if he was having a big football party that a lot of people were going to attend, it was going to be expensive and he wants the day to be perfect. If it was a football party you might feel a bit out of place and not interested, this is probably how your groom feels. That being said, take the time to sit down with your fiancé and ask him how he feels about the wedding. A LOT OF FIGHTS AND HURT FEELINGS CAN BE AVOIDED BY SIMPLY HAVING OPEN COMMUNICATION. There might be some underlying reasons why he does not want to be involved and it is important that you both are on the same page.

Second: Once you understand how your groom is feeling you need to try to give him tasks he would be interested in. A few types of tasks you could assign are: buy the best man and groomsmen gifts, purchase/rent his attire and his groomsmen’s attire for the wedding day, picking the band or dj, transportation, honeymoon plans, or the rehearsal dinner plans. You could also suggest that he help pick out the menu for the wedding or participate in the cake tasting. If your groom is unorganized, forgetful or just extremely busy it might help to provide him with a list of things he can do.

Third: If your groom is still reluctant to help with the wedding try to explain to him why the day is so important to you. Some grooms do not understand the excitement around the wedding. They don’t care what colour the chair sashes are or how many tiers the cake is and they don’t understand why you do. Obviously your groom loves you and wants to make you happy so it is important to COMMUNICATE with him.

Fourth: The last thing I can suggest is to make sure you are supporting your groom when he is trying to help. If your groom is giving his opinion and you are instantly saying “no” it might make him feel like he is not needed. Although you might know exactly what you want for the wedding, make sure you are taking into consideration your groom’s needs and wants because it is his day too.

If none of this helps turn to your maid of honor and bridesmaids for help and support :)

DIY BRIDE!

Do-it-yourself brides are a kind of bride that seems to be becoming increasingly rare, which is sad because they are just wonderful to work with. What?…DIY brides working with an event planner? Yes, it is true! Just because you are a DIY bride does not mean you need to do everything by yourself.

Below is a list of the many reasons a bride chooses to be a DIY bride:
1. To save money
2. To be personally involved in everything for your special wedding day to ensure everything is perfect
3. To ensure a really creative and unique vision for the day comes to life exactly as you envision.
4. To make something that nobody else has at their weddings.
5. To feel that what you are creating is more heartfelt and meaningful because you are putting your own time and energy into your event

If a bride chooses to be DIY she is going to be very busy with all of the projects she is deciding to make herself such as centerpieces, favours, table numbers, place cards, thank you cards, or invitations etc. The amount of work required to be a DIY bride should not be underestimated; it takes a lot of time and energy to start and finish all your projects. As the planner I take care of all the other details that the guests might not see. I ensure the event runs smoothly and nothing is forgotten. There is a lot more involved in a wedding then what the guests see. With my help a bride can focus on her projects and relax knowing the rest of the day will be planned and coordinated perfectly. I can also help a bride cut costs as I LOVE doing DIY projects so I know the best places to get supplies, where to get coupons and I can get discounts with many vendors!

Rolls Royce.. Yes Please!

The other day I was invited by Regency Rolls Royce Event Services to view his Rolls Royce that he has recently made available for rent to bridal parties in Winnipeg, MB. This Rolls Royce is beautiful! Reg (the owner) has worked hard to ensure the vehicle is in great shape and is completely perfect for any bride who wants to travel like royalty. I actually sat in the back myself to test it out and there is tons of space. The back of the RR can easily accommodate the biggest of bridal gowns!

At this same event was Aspire Carriage Services. These carriages are gorgeous! With the deep forest green felt lining on the entire inside of the carriage (even the roof) you can’t help but feel like a princess.

This entire event was held at The Gates on Roblin whose servers brought out glasses of champagne for us! The Gates has amazing gardens and views of the river that are hard to beat!

Throughout the entire event there was David from Castli Photography capturing every moment. He took some amazing photos of the RR as well as the carriage and us enjoying our wine!

This is why my company is First-Class... only the best of the best for my clients:)

 

An Event Planner.. I don’t need one!.. or do I?

Seven reasons you might not have thought of to get an event planner!

1.    It is not easy to plan an event! A common mistake is to underestimate the number of phone calls, emails, meetings and lists it takes to make an event come together smoothly.

2.    We save you money! Something that I don’t think people realize is that event planners get discounts at almost all venders. We practically pay for ourselves in savings!

3.    We listen! You work hard to be involved in and care about every little detail of your event. Although it is all IMMENSLY important to you, others might not care about all the trouble you went through to pick your venue or the perfect centerpieces. A planner is someone who lives and breathes these details and LOVES to chat about them and offer advice!

4.    We decrease stress! Not only do we decrease stress by helping out with all the planning, coordination and budgeting we also help with family negotiations and take the time to listen to all your ideas.

5.    We save you time! We drive to the venders, double check all details and ask all the questions. We also know about the vendors in town. We know what they specialize in, what they offer and their price point. Our professional opinion can save you tons of time!

6.    We are extremely organized! If you are worried you are going to forget something.. hire a planner. Yes, there are checklists available, but they do not cover everything. There are still many little details that can be forgotten. An event planner is trained to ensure all details are taken care of.

7.    Wow Factor: Event planners have the eye for knowing what to add to get the “WOW” factor. They also know the details to add to ensure your guests rave about your event.

Marital Bliss Hint: They Can Pay but It's Still Our Day

You realize you are a lucky bride to have your parents paying for most of the wedding with the remainder being covered by your fiancé’s parents. Although you are extremely grateful for their generosity you are sick and tired of listening to your mother-in-law’s opinion on everything or perhaps your father telling you what items the money should be spent on. Overly opinionated family members who are financially involved in a wedding is a common, yet very delicate situation. You really can’t stand listening to any more opinions, but you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and you still need them to help out financially with the wedding. You might be worried that you are being overly sensitive and being disrespectful. At what point is enough, enough?!

It is enough when you are starting to feel overpowered and out of control, like the decisions being made are not what you would actually like for your wedding day. It is also enough if you are feeling guilty for making the decision that you really want. All members of the family should be there to support you and your decisions (as a couple). The wedding day is a day to celebrate who the two of you are and your relationship, nothing else. If you have reached this point it is time for you to speak up. It might not be easy, but you should probably host a family meeting. This meeting should have both families present so both you and your fiancé can clearly explain what you would like for the wedding. It is important that before hosting the family meeting both you and your fiancé discuss your feelings with each other privately so you are a united front at the family meeting. If you are a bit nervous, having a written list of the topics you would like to cover at the meeting is helpful to ensure you don’t miss anything. Make sure to emphasize that you appreciate all family members’opinions; however you need everyone to respect your final decision.