I just came across two amazing crystal candle holders that will be available for purchase or to be “borrowed” in the Bridal Marketplace (note: these photos are taken with an iPhone, of a picture in a catalogue, so pardon the quality)

I’m not sure what I was looking for the other day when I came across this photo:

… but the pink peony pomander wrapped in pearls completely tickled me sideways! I LOVE IT! although, with my own wedding reception being themed as “champagne, lace, and pearls” – I’m not at all surprised.

I went on the hunt for more vintage inspired wedding photos, and kept finding that Old Hollywood Glam would come up at the same time. So below are some of my favourite photos…

As for the photo booth – that’s thanks to Christina Aguilera, who brought in a vintage photo booth for the guests are her wedding to have a souvenir to bring home. What a lovely touch!!

For more photos depicting vintage inspiration, check out the Vintage-Inspired Wedding album by adding WeddingGirl Dot Ca as a friend on Facebook!

Happy planning!

I met with a bride last night who is looking to create an experience for her guests. She wants a personalized ceremony perfectly balanced between quirky and appropriate, proper and fun. She dreams of a reception that reflects the couples’ differing personalities and has no interest in the stereotypical uniformity of white chair covers and matching sashes. This bride wants to create an atmosphere, an environment, a whole different world, the second her guests step into the reception space…. on a budget.

With a large guest list, its difficult to find a budget balance between simply feeding / watering your guests and doing it as part of a unique, memorable experience. Most all-inclusive venues that provide beautiful (but traditional) wedding receptions have the standard elegant lighting, neutral decor (but apparently, as the bride pointed out last night – orange carpet!!). Furthermore, these venues charge an astronomical amount of money for their food and beverage services – with per person costs ranging from a minimum of $100-$120 per person, and no upward limit!

So we chatted yesterday about compromise – and the importance of VALUE! If the quality of food is very important (as is usually the case with traditional European families), you may be dining in a 5-diamond hotel but the food itself may still be considered mediocre. Sometimes choosing a less expensive venue that is catered by a traditional, cultured, staff, may result in a tremendous savings, an unbeatable quality (and quantity) of food.

Local legions and cultural halls will often charge less than half of what a mainstream hotel or wedding venue would charge for food and alcohol. Use the savings to pull out all the stops in your decor and you’ve found the perfect balance between money spent, money saved, and an incredibly memorably happily ever after!

For more photos to inspire your Autumn Wedding plans, join the WeddingGirl.ca group on Facebook or add WeddingGirl Dot Ca as a friend!

I’ve just listed a beautiful white Joli bridal gown, Style #4003 in the Bridal Marketplace.

This dress is a Size-16, has never been altered, and the back is laced up, with buttons and a zipper. It can be altered to be strictly a corset tie-up bodice.

Dress was worn once and is in beautiful condition!

For more pictures and details, Contact Us

Here’s some easy ways to save money while still planning (or helping to plan) a beautiful bridal shower! (and keep in mind, many of the same tips apply for planning a wedding!)

1) Cut down the guest list. There’s no reason to invite your coworker’s sister’s niece to the shower. Remember that the shower guest list should be made up of those women closest to the bride – not all the wedding guests are invited to the shower (but all shower guests must be invited to the wedding).

2) Make your own invitations. There are various ways of doing this, but a pretty patterned paper, some vellum, and ribbon, will cost you less than $0.30 per invite!

Do-It-Yourself Bridal Shower Invitation

3) Pick a location you can cater yourself. It is typically much more pricey to rent a venue that supplies their own food and beverage services. A backyard or a private home can also be a beautiful venue (and renting tables and chairs is much less expensive than you’d expect!)

A beautiful setup for a beautiful outdoor shower

4) Ask for help! . Shower guests, especially women, enjoy helping. If you’re looking to save money on food, a good way to do it is to host a potluck luncheon – but to add some bridal flair to it, ask all the guests to write out the recipe of their dish on a recipe card (or the bride can provide matching cards in the invitation) and afterwards these can be compiled into a “Newlywed Cookbook”.

Have a friend cater your shower, or host a potluck!

5) Be creative with your decor . Decor at a shower doesn’t have to be over-the-top expensive. It doesn’t even have to match! Think of the bride, and what she likes, and fill the shower space with lots of it – but you can save money by buying mis-matched vases on Clearance at Winners to create an “antique” theme, or by picking up flowers at wholesale.

Decorate the bride's shower in what she loves most!

For any help you may need, or questions you may have about planning a shower, please be in touch

Happy Showering!

I was given a hot tip by a bride today that if you’re in the Niagara region and looking for cranberry-coloured bridesmaid dresses, the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Scott Street has two dresses from Bella Formals – Style # is D385, sizes 4 and 16. They are priced at $49.99 each .. but if you speak to Diane she will give you a deal, apparently!

I was also told that there’s another beautiful white floor-length dress, embellished with crystals, that would be perfect for a budget bride – designed by ESHA, size medium, and being sold for $69.99.

With that said, I think back to the thread post in our Forum entitled “4 girls, 1 dress” – and I think everyone could learn a lesson from these brides!! It’s all about sharing the sparkle :)

I went browsing through some warehouses the other day and found some really neat new DIY centerpiece items. The height of these definitely give a “wow” factor – and the silvery/sparkly theme totally fits with upcoming winter weddings!