Dorothy's Visit to the Emerald City -by Shari

My inspiration for this colour combination is Dorothy visiting the Emerald City for the first time.

Dorothy by sherbear82

This was a tricky palette to put together.  A true emerald colour is more blue than the colours presented here; I chose tones with a bit of yellow so that adding the yellow brick road influences would be more harmonious.  Similarly, the yellow colour of the damask pattern is more of a chartreuse that serves really well to compliment the green.  Also, the poppies used in my collage are not real poppies but silk ones; real poppies have too much orange tint to them, and using ruby silk ones can bring to mind the famous slippers.

Using this colour scheme would require a fairly neutral venue, such as the Vaughn Estate at Estates of Sunnybrook, as it gives you a blank canvas to play with.  In my realization of this palette, the table cloths would be white with a chartreuse damask runner.    At each table three mix-matched green vases would hold silk poppies.  The cake would pick up on the damask motif in emerald piping against a chartreuse fondant (shown here against white fondant).

The bridesmaids would be wearing ruby red dresses, and the groomsmen would wear black tuxes with black vests and black ties, accessorized with a ruby red pocket square or a silk poppy.  The bride would wear the silk poppy hair pins and the emerald embellished necklace.  Both the bride and bridesmaids would carry bouquets of silk ruby poppies (it is imperative that the dress colour and flower colour match exactly!).


When using red and green together, it's important to be sparing with touches of the colours, as it could easily turn into a Christmas themed wedding.  Other than what's outlined above, all other elements would be as white and bright as possible!

This is one of many Wizard of Oz inspired themes to come!

Discovering your wedding venue -by Donna

After your engagement is official and you have set the date for your wedding, one of the most important tasks at hand and one that will require a lot of thought and consideration will be choosing your wedding venue.  Because the venue is tied into so many aspects of your wedding, you will not be able to make many concrete decisions until your venue is booked.  The wedding industry is a big business,  and there are only so many available venues around.  Many, but not all, locations need to be booked well over a year in advance.  If your date falls on a long weekend you will need to decide on your venue even earlier since long weekends usually get snapped up first.

In the early stages of planning your wedding there are several factors you will have to juggle at the same time.  That can be a little stressful so the earlier you get started the better off you will be.  The decisions you have to make early are the most important ones,  so making certain they work in harmony with each other is paramount.  Your wedding is going to be the most special day of your life and by perfect planning,  or at least as close to perfect as possible,  the day will run smoothly.  Having the day run smoothly will make the day more enjoyable,  and ultimately you will be able to relax and have fun and not worry about all the details.

The style and location of the potential venue is very important.   Your choice of your dress, the theme of your wedding, and the colours will all have to be thought of in close collaboration with each other and with the venue location.  Once these major decisions are made, a lot of the pressure will be lifted and you can start working on the fine details.

When initially choosing your venue, location may not seem all that important; however, if you get married in a large city, keep travel times in mind.  Consider all of the stops you must make on your wedding day, from your starting point, to your hair salon, back to your starting point (if necessary), to the church, to your photo location, and then finally to the reception site.  Choose locations for all other services (including ceremony location) that are relatively close to your venue.  If budget is a concern and you don't have too many out-of-towners coming, you may want to consider having your wedding on a Friday.  There are venues that are a little less expensive on Friday compared to Saturday, however, manipulating traffic is always more difficult on a Friday.  Your wedding day is a carefully orchestrated stage of events and you really don't want to waste any precious time in traffic getting to and from places, for you or your guests.

Besides the location, another important issue is the style of venue and what type of space appeals to you and your partner.  Before narrowing down your search for the perfect venue,  it will be very beneficial to decide what type of wedding you want.  Today, weddings are held everywhere from the beach, parks, converted school houses, to hotel ballrooms, restaurants, castles... the list really is endless.  There is a wealth of information on wedding venues on the internet as well as in bridal magazines.  Doing a little research beforehand will be a good start to help you decide exactly what it is you are after, whether it's a casual and comfortable reception site, or something more formal.   I suggest setting up appointments to visit four or five venues.   Most places will have a co-ordinator who handles that sort of thing and it is a good idea to bring a list of questions with you to the various appointments.  There are ten important questions you will want to ask at each venue you visit.   Once you and your partner see the venues in person and have the answers to the questions you will be better equipped to make your decision.

THE TOP TEN

1.  DATES -   Is their space available for the date you and your partner have decided on, or another convenient date close by?   You would hate to go through all the details only to find out the date you want is already booked.   It may sound silly to even make this a question,  but you would be surprised with so much on your mind how easy it is to think about less important details at first.   It is easy to get off topic so having a list will keep you focussed and allow the process to unfold.

2.  WHAT IS INCLUDED AS FAR AS SPACE GOES - Questions two and three and a few others for that matter are somewhat related.  I will start with question two.  The day you view the venue you will be shown around the property.   You will want to ask if what you are being shown is exactly what is included in your rental contract.   Many venues have a number of rooms they rent out to different parties on the same day so don't take anything for granted.   You need to know all the details of what is included with each venue you visit.

3.  COST - What is actually included in their quoted cost?   No one really enjoys talking about money when it comes to weddings,  but the reality of it is weddings are very expensive and you really need to know what you are dealing with.   For example, some venues will have a separate room for greeting your guests as they arrive and will have another room for the dinner.   You will want to ask if parking,  the coat check,  a bridal room (where you can slip away to for a quiet moment),  and the guest tax are all included in the quote you are supplied with.   Also find out when the down payment and balances are due.   It's better to ask everything up front to avoid surprises.

4.  SIZE - You will want to know how many people the venue is equipped for.   This is very important as it is illegal to have more people than the venue is licensed for.

5.  CATERING - Another priority is whether the venue has their own catering or do you have to hire the caterer.   Some venues may have a list of caterers they have pre-approved, but will often have a minimum amount per plate that they impose on the caterer.  Ask all of this up front.

6.  TIME - Ask what time can your vendors set up and what it the latest possible time you have to be off the premises.

7.  LICENCE - Does the venue have it's own liquor licence or do you have to apply for it?

8.  FURNITURE - You will want to ask if the venue provides chairs, tables, and if there are more than one option regarding both.

9.  LINENS - Does the venue have their own linens, does this come with the caterer, or is this your responsibility? Is there a choice in linen colours and styles?

10.  SOUND -   Ask the co-ordinator of the venue if they have all the proper electrical outlets needed for your sound system.   You don't want to find out the day of your wedding that the venue does not have the proper set up for the sound system.  Once you hire your DJ or band talk to them about any issues they may need clarification of as far as the venue.   After you have met with the DJ or band go back to the venue to make sure everything is in order.

Hopefully deciding on your venue will be a pleasant experience and one that will get the planning off to a good start.   If you are prepared with questions and you get all the answers,  it will make everything that much easier.   Ultimately the venue is a big part of the memories the couple and their guests will take away from the wedding, so it's important to make the decision wisely.

**If and when you book Pink Rhapsody Designs to help find your dream venue,  we will then talk with you extensively and give you suggestions on which venues we think will best suit your wedding and budget.  We will also set up appointments and bring you and your partner to see the top three or four venues you are interested in. The search for your venue will be very rewarding and we would be pleased to help you with this important task.

Watch for a detailed list of our services and related consulting fees coming soon.

Blue, Green and Purple -by Shari

I saw this colour combo on a wedding show at least six years ago.  It was always something that I wanted to try for our wedding, but once I chose a pink, brown and gold dress, I knew it'd be impossible.

Blue, Green and Purple by sherbear82

This collage just gives an idea of how visually stunning these colours are together.  However, I would never recommend using all of these components in one wedding (there are way too many different styles of flower arrangements, and all bridesmaids should wear the same colour of shoes).

Some tips on going with this colour palette:

-This combination works best with an outdoor wedding where your backdrop would be mostly greenery.  Otherwise, inside a tent would work well as there'd be no decor to visually compete.

-Make sure the blues and greens you use are all within the same family.  While making this collage, at one point I accidentally added a "hunter" green, and it looked awful next to the "leaf" green.  Purple is more forgiving.  Bring swatches or paint samples to every vendor meeting.

-While I'm a huge fan of brides wearing colours other than white, against this colour palette white will stand out beautifully; a dress in one of these colours would just blend into the background.

-Only accent the bride's outfit with purple.  Blue and green against white is too bright for my taste.

-Consider putting the bridesmaids and groomsmen in matching colour.  On this collage, the blue bridesmaids dresses and purple groomsmen vests go well together because the other elements tie it in, but in group shots standing away from the flowers, cake, etc., it might look very uncoordinated.

-Only use these colours as an accent to chairs; never use blue, green or purple as the actual chair cover.

-Be uniform in the way you accent with these colours.  For example, if you choose to accent chairs with bows, don't alternate between colours, just choose one.  Another example: if you choose to colour coordinate your signature drink, only use one of the colours for the drink.

-The exception to the above rule is table cloths.  I love the idea of alternating between green, blue, and purple table cloths!  Again, I think this can only work outside.

-Do not add any other colours into the mix.

Designing your Wedding -by Shari

While planning our wedding, my biggest concern was that all of our elements would not come together at the end.  We stayed pretty well within our colour palette of brown, pink and gold (based on my dress which was the first thing I chose), but what if the brown of the bridesmaid dress wasn't the same as Chris' tie?  What if the pink of my dress wasn't the same pink as on the cakes?

A way to help visualize how colours and components will work together is to create a collage of all your ideas.  At that point you can weed out anything that doesn't work, or that is too busy for your over-all picture.

Here is my first collage, comprised of details from our wedding day!

All photos by Mischa Bartkow.

Porter-Jackman by sherbear82

White Table Cloths at Wedding Receptions -by Shari

Unless you are lucky enough to have an unlimited budget, most people are somewhat cautious about money when it comes to wedding planning, and find ways to cut back and save.  For some people, this means going with the caterer's standard white table cloths.  Depending on the room, the time of day and year, and the formality of the event, this could be a refreshing, elegant and cheap option.  But for some receptions, it is worth paying the extra money to get a richer shade of material.

The main problem I have with white table cloths is that, unless they are swagged, the creases from being folded up show.  I doubt a caterer would be happy with ironing twenty large white table cloths minutes before your reception.  A darker shade is less-likely to show crease lines.

Also consider the colour of the pre-existing decor in your venue.  When we went to see our venue, Casa Loma, set up for a wedding, it looked like this:

I was appalled.  The white was much too stark a contrast against the rich brown wood of the library, and looked cheap and sloppy.  Knowing this might be some caterer's only option and that we'd have to pay extra for a different colour, we chose a caterer that had gold as an option.

Photo by Mischa Bartkow

In contrast, check out Mark and Lin's table settings:

Photo by Julie Broadbent Photography

Because this room at the Estates of Sunny Brook is already very brightly coloured, a darker table cloth would have worked against the idyllic atmosphere of the McLean house.

Danielle and Harold's reception venue had dark and light colours already, and their head table complimented this with a white swagged table cloth and darker pieces of fabric draped on top.  This is my favourite way to do a white table cloth for the head table, as the swagging prevents creases from showing, and the dark fabrics softens the look and ties in with the wood panelling of the walls.

Poorly coordinated table cloths are what guests will notice first when sitting down for dinner, before the centrepieces, favours, etc.  Don't let your white table cloths be the unwarranted focal point; coordinate with what your venue already visually has to offer, and they will mind the finer details first and foremost.

Tradition! Tradition! -by Shari

First of all, let me say that I highly recommend to planning brides and grooms that they take no traditions for granted.  There are no "have to's" when it comes to wedding planning.  Many wedding traditions only stretch back a century, not to the beginning of time.  The way weddings are done is constantly changing and evolving, some traditions more slowly than others, so pick and choose which ones you like and which ones you don't!  The ones that worked for us might not work for someone else, and vice versa.

Here are my own opinions and what we did for our wedding.

Traditions we opted out of (and why)

Walking with father down the aisle -I can see how this is a very lovely gesture and a very important moment for some daughters and their fathers.  For Chris and I, it felt like it could be a false gesture, as we'd been together for over six years and living together for four.  We also didn't like the idea of the wedding starting out with my "grand entrance"; we wanted to begin the day as equals.  We found other ways to honour our parents throughout the day.

Photo by Mischa Bartkow

The "grand entrance" of the head table

-As a frequent watcher of "Say Yes to the Dress", "Rich Bride, Poor Bride", etc., my least favourite moment is always the bride and groom running into the reception, the bride pumping her bouquet into the air.  I'm not the bouquet-pumping type, and while I knew we could simply walk into the room, I couldn't get that image out of my head.

Throwing the bouquet

-Again, I absolutely see how this can be a fun event and a time for all girls to rally together.  I personally felt uncomfortable at the thought of doing it because I didn't feel like wedding was a "goal" we were all working towards.  It's an exciting time and a great honour, but not a necessity of life.  However, for some brides it's just a fun and lighthearted thing to do, which is great.  We also did not do the garter toss for the same reasons, although with my short dress retrieving the garter wouldn't have been too exciting. Good thing we decided not to, because I forgot to wear one anyway.

The official parent dance

-There aren't very many private moments to be had on a wedding day.  The bride and groom are always the centre of attention.  We wanted to dance with our parents when we felt like it, and when it would be a little more casual and relaxed.

Traditions We Used

Wearing White

-The tradition of the bride wearing white is a fairly new one and was more of a fashion trend than a symbolic statement (I won't get into that here; you can wikipedia it if you wish).  It was a tradition that I found very confusing.  In general, fashion experts tend to advise against wearing white (especially on one's lower half) because it never has a slimming effect and can also wash people out, and yet this was the preferred choice for brides?  I think all colours of dresses should be considered equally, based on a bride's colouring and preferences!  Having had already chosen the pink "sparkle baby" dress to wear, I went back to Fashion Crimes to pick up the gold coat I had been eying to wear over over my dress at the ceremony.  The gold coat was gone, but I unexpectedly fell in love with the white version.  The fact that I was following a tradition was a coincidence.

Veils and Bouquets -They're just pretty, aren't they?  Not a necessity, but it didn't matter to me how the tradition started or evolved.  When else would I get to wear a veil or carry flowers all day?  (I mean, since I grew out of my Anne of Green Gables phase.) Traditional Vows -We may have briefly considered writing our own vows, but we felt more comfortable saying the traditional ones.
	Photo by Mischa Bartkow

Cake Cutting

-How awkward was this?  In retrospect, I wish we hadn't done it.  It took up valuable time that we could have used for dancing.  We also didn't know what do to when we were finished: just walk away?  Smash cake into each other's faces?  Feed each other?  We just walked away awkwardly as some people applauded, and others continued to drink.  We look as awkward as we felt in the pictures too (pictures will not be posted here for that reason).

First dance

-We had our friends sing "In the Still of the Night" while we danced around the conservatory.  We then did our ridiculous choreographed dance to "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights", which we had fought over for weeks in our tiny living room.  Choreographed dances are fun, but after a day of work and an evening of wedding planning, the last thing you want to start doing at midnight is listening to Meatloaf.  (We had submitted to the show "Rock the Reception" to have our first dance choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon, but were rejected because we're Canadian.)

Real Weddings and Traditions

Haley and Amil

Haley and Amil were married in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, but decided to honour their roots by performing a sand ceremony at their wedding.  Sand from Morrison's Beach in PEI (where Haley grew up) and from Beer-sheva, Israel (where Amil's family is from) were combined in a vase hand blown by a friend of theirs.  What a special way to bring family and friends together.
	Photo by Abbie Neary

Mark and Lin

	Mark and Lin, with their photographers, decided to set up a "photo booth" where guests could go throughout the reception, play with some props, and take some silly photos of themselves.  What a great wedding souvenir.  As you can see, the Jackman family didn't enjoy it at all.
Photo by Julie Broadbent Photography

Lin's father, who walked her down the aisle, has mobility issues, so Lin honoured her mother by dancing with her as Mark danced with his mother.  It was a really lovely moment, and a great twist on the traditional parent dance.
	Photo by Julie Broadbent Photography

If you included any traditions at your wedding, or started new ones, or did an old one with a twist, please let me know and I will feature you!

Colour Accents on Wedding Dresses by Shari

For anyone who was at my wedding or who has seen pictures of it, you know that I love colour on wedding dresses.  In a sea of white-clad brides, it's a way to distinguish yourself and make your outfit unique.  Here are some tips on how to add colour tastefully.

I go back and forth on this David's Bridal gown.  On the website you can choose from over 40 different colours, but I chose black because I find it the most interesting and unique.  It is reminiscent of a little girl's sailor dress, which I like!  It goes brilliantly with the beach in the background.  What makes me unsure is that I don't know if this dress will stand the rest of time; will the bride still love her choice looking at photos ten years down the road?  It's difficult to tell what will end up looking dated in photographs; however typically it's the trendiest trends look dated, and this certainly isn't the trendiest of trends.

If the trim on the David's Bridal dress is too whimsical or daring for you, a black sash is another elegant way to add colour and interest to a white dress.  This dress on the left is from Alix & Kelly, and the one on the right is a Vera Wang.  Both have the same feel of flowing organza, but are more traditional than the dress above.

Aside from bows and trim, another way to include black in your outfit is to ornate the dress with black stones.  I love this Enzoani dress.  I am normally not a fan of bustled skirts, but the long draping of the material prevents it from looking like a cupcake.  The black stones at the top are also a great way to balance the look, not to mention how the high sweep of the hair balances the downwards lines of the fabric.

While black and other neutrals are classic options, more and more people are opting for vibrant colour accents in their wedding gowns, often taking a cue from their wedding day colours, or allowing the dress to help determine the colour palette of the day.  This can be problematic, as brighter colours could appear childish or costume-like.

While I love red as an accent colour at a wedding, I rarely see a red-accented dress that I like.  This Alfred Angelo gown (left) is reminiscent of my grade 7 Mrs. Claus Christmas pageant costume.  The shade of red is straight off a primary colour wheel.

I prefer the embroidery on this Sincerity Bridal dress, as it is a darker red and more of a statement, but this combined with the halter straps and sash is way over the top.

While on the topic of red-accented dresses, I cannot let this next one pass:

Another very special Alfred Angelo gown, I guess.  I don't even know where to begin.  I generally dislike triangular embroidery at the bottom of dresses, but really, I'd take that over a boob-flap any day.  It looks like she may pull a Janet Jackson at the end of this song, I mean wedding.  Honestly, I realize everyone has different tastes, but there are so many other ways to make a statement with colour.

While I love the "periwinkle" colour of the bow on this Eden gown, the bow sits a little too low and a little too centre for my tastes.  I'd like to see it slightly more to the bride's left, and have the bow sit slightly higher, just above the dropped waist.

Many affordable manufacturers allow you to choose a custom accent colours for many styles of dresses, as I mentioned above (David's Bridal and Alfred Angelo both do this).  While this is a great feature, if a bride is matching colour accents on her dress with the colour palette of the decor, it is a necessity that swatches of all fabrics be ordered ahead of time in order to make sure the shades are exactly the same, or at least complimentary.  This is essential when accenting your dress with a distinctive colour, such as green, blue, or red, since it will be very easy for guests to notice differences in tones.  You don't want your wedding dress to be the only thing that doesn't match the napkins, the bridesmaids dresses, etc.

While I plan on doing a separate entry on colour coordinating later on, also consider how the coloured sash, bow, trim, or embroidery will look against a bouquet of flowers.  Somehow I think the periwinkle bow shown above would look even stranger peaking out below a carried bouquet.

For more on accenting with coloured sashes, see my previous entry.