Just Enough Sparkle: Allison and Damien

There was just enough sparkle between Allison and Damien on their wedding day to keep the room aglow all evening. Yet who could deny the bride all that glitters.

A gorgeous combination of blue, cream and (a favourite colour of mine) crystals! were the perfect touch to this glamourous August 2011 wedding.

Vaillant Florists created these yummy bouquets for the ladies. There are not a lot of natural and stunning blue flowers, so I'm completely smitten with this combination of shades and texture.  Don't get stuck on trying to find the perfect colour of flower, they just don't grow that way. Instead, build a bouquet with flowers you love and ask your florist for a few unique varieties that will complement your vision.  Bring photos of your decor, dress and location to help.

My classic photo, I often try to take a photo of the rings in the brides bouquet.

The ceremony and reception was held at Fort William Historical Park under caterers from the Victoria Inn.  The garden area was a beautiful backdrop for their ceremony and the heat wave broke to a cool 30 degrees that day.  Luckily after a variety of appetizers and refreshing beverages we took things inside for the reception.

Thanks to Silk and Cedar for the decor.  I am always a huge fan how fabric and lighting can transform a room, even one as rustic as McGillvary's Landing at FWHP.

 Seriously, you may not be able to see how fabulous they are from my photo but the crystal brooches at the knot on each chair cover but I love, love them.  Also notice that there is a sheer fabric over the spandex chair cover.  A beautiful layer and a way to personalize your decor.

These tall slim centrepieces were perfect to bring height to the decor but not too wide to block the flow of conversation.

 There isn't a lot you can do to hide the canoe hanging from the ceiling but the draping fabric and lights surely took away the attention.  When it was dark the room had a wonderful glow.

Paper is another great way to customize your design. Allison and Damien hired the same designer to create all their stationery. If you're a DIYer (do it yourself) try to work with a similar font, paper or embellishment.

 Another great idea is to work with your photographer before the big day.  Work an engagement session into your photography package.  You may want to use your photos to create a guest book. I love those personal touches and its a book your more likely to look at again, over a book a signatures.

Don't forget to have some fun with your wedding.  This cake topper showed their sense of humour. Umm it as meant to be funny right Allison? Kidding Damien.

 How many times have you seen this shade of fondant on a cake? Wedding cakes don't need to be white.

Now this was just the beginning of a night full of dancing. The ladies got the party started with a routine choreographed by a bridesmaid.  Now this is what I'm talking about, personalize your event and make it a day to remember for everyone.  Once the dance floor opened for the evening everyone was moving and there was nothing anyone could do to keep the bride and groom from rocking the party.

I hope your wedding day was everything you imagined Allison. You had amazing vision and I was thrilled to be a part of your day.

All the best to you both in the many years to come.

Site: Fort William Historical Park

Caterer: Victoria Inn

Photographer: Scott Chisholm

Video: thanks to Lauren and Kristin for helping with the home video. Who knew I hired such multi-skilled ladies.

Decor: Silk and Cedar

Flowers: Vaillant Flowers

Officiant: Joyce Elder

Brides dress: Eva's Bridal

Bridesmaid: Alfred Angelo from Irma's Boutique

Men's wear: Moore's

Cake: Desserts Only

Thank you to KC, Kristin and Lauren for being a great team! 

Cheers from YI

Heather + Denis = 3

August 5, 2011 was not only one of the hottest of the year (40 degrees yikes) but it will be remembered for something much better.

Keegan invited friends and family to the marriage of his parents Heather and Denis! Not only was it a beautiful wedding but a party like no other.  This group can really rock a reception.

Keegan may have been wandering during the ceremony to find shade but the special moment was not lost on this great little boy.  Everyone else was just as pleased to endure the heat but only for such a fantastic pair.

(Thankfully Shannon the photographer was better at keeping her camera straight)

Until you see them together it could be difficult to see these three bold colours for your wedding.  Unless of course you're Heather and have a great ultimate vision. Try breaking out from the typical and go with more than 2 colours, not just one main colour and a complement. Just look how vibrant bright blue, pink and yellow look together. WOW!

We even alternated the flower colour on dinner tables.  We came close to becoming blue ourselves with colouring the water but with such great results it would have been worth it.

It may not have helped a lot but any shade was welcome while taking photos. Yet nothing could stop all the laughter between these close friends. Girls, you look amazing!

Having finally been able to shed their jackets the groom (right) and groomsmen stayed cool with their shades and fedoras.

Having been married for less than 2 hours at this moment Heather and Denis were all smiles and this certainly continued for the rest of the day.  They truly make each other happy and you can see it on the face of their plus 1, little Keegan.

Congratulations to all three of you! I wish you the best in life, love and happiness and many more smiles.

Ceremony and Reception: Best Western Resort Hotel and Conference Centre

Officiant: Trish MacGowan

Photographer: Shannon LePere

Video: Nathan Allard

Flowers: From the Heart Florist

Decor: From the Heart Florist

Jewelry and Alterations: Grandesign Sewing Specialist

Thanks to Kristin for helping YI today!

YI is Getting Married-Out of Town Bags

YI did get married in February 2011 in Punta Cana but how could I not share some more of my plans a few (several) months later!

A destination wedding could have been more relaxing than I made it but taking care of my friends and family was a priority for me.  I couldn't resist making Out of Town bags for all guest rooms.  It was a massive DIY project with so many pieces I'm not sure if I captured it all in photos.  Here are some ideas I put together.

 Red and aqua candies with the ribbon 'eat drink and be married'. Michael's had the cute crystal stickers and ribbon to add to the Martha Stewart bags.

 Each room got a personalized bag for the beach.

 Aqua flower bath bombs, face cloths wrapped to look like cupcakes with a cherry on top, a shawl with the tag 'to have and to hold and to shield you from the cold', welcome letter.

 Each bag had a iron-on Bethanie and Marty 2011 logo.  I would not suggest iron-on again though.  They also received a sleep mask for afternoon naps.

 A pair of slippers and each guest had their size sandals.  Love Old Navy $1 flip flop sale but I have so many left over!  Also a room key and tip holder that secured to the beach bag.

 I prepared mini just-in-case bags for guests that included: gum, tylenol, hand sanitizer, nail files, note book, handmade kleenex pouch.

I even made a magazine. Nope I didn't have a lot of time on my hands but it just had to step it up!  The 12 page mag included the wedding day schedule, travel/safety tips, stories about us, history on the island, word games and more.  Thanks to Lakehead Printing for the quick turn around on getting them to me before we left.

Big thanks to family and friends for helping transport these bags and other decor items to the Dominican.

I am missing that resort like crazy right now. Majestic Colonial, Punta Cana, you're the best and we'll be back!

Hope you find a few ideas that you can custom create for your destination or hometown wedding.  Spend a little extra time on the ones who are travelling to be a part of your celebration.

Enjoy!

Bethanie

2011 Brides

I often get a range of WOW's when people find out I'm a wedding planner.  I've heard everything from the wide eyed, that's so exciting WOW to the nose scrunching, furrowed brow, that must be hard WOW.

Well, no surprise but they are both right. I obviously wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't what I was passionate about, because as much experience as I have, there are always the 'what am I doing here?!" moments.

In the end there is only one WOW I am looking for and that is from the couple I am helping to plan their wedding.  Bringing their vision to life and making each moment memorable so they can enjoy the day is my top priority.

2011 is no exception.  YI has 5 weddings this year and each one has made a unique imprint on me.  What will you hear more about this summer?  How about:

*photo op with the couples adored pig
*a refreshing casual reception with yummy food stations and live band set on a stunning home property
*vibrant colours of magenta, yellow and royal blue
*diy projects to the max. This bride is seriously talented
*entertainment to get the guests involved and out of their chairs

Now let's get moving.  Less than a month until the first event so there is lots to do. 

Bethanie

Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again on Someone Else's Wedding Day

Looking outside my window I see grey skies, a down pour of rain and a swarm of people dashing from door to car in hopes of staying dry.  Silly people.

I can't imagine you will run down the aisle to get married so what is your back up plan?
When planning an outdoor wedding or photos please listen.  If I teach you only one thing about weddings let it be this. (Shaking my computer monitor like I would your shoulders)

'Always Have a Back Up Location!!'

 Yeah, this from a girl who just got married outdoors with no alternate plan. But, I was in Punta Cana with a slimmer chance of showers and a handful of covered areas for me, my Mr. and 32 guests.

We are certainly limited with the number of locations for ceremonies in Thunder Bay, unless in a church.  So why not tempt yourself to go outdoors once everything has turned a delicious shade of green.  Outdoor weddings are one of my favourite, but lurking somewhere is the 'what if?'

Something to think about

Location:
Is there an alternate space at our ceremony site to be covered up?
Do we need to rent a tent? (You may want to use the tent even if it is sunny for cool shade.)
Did I pack umbrellas to shuttle guests to a dry area?
Do I need towels to dry off chairs if I'm not at a location with staff?
Even if it stops raining will the soggy ground turn me into a soggy mess?
Can my reception location be an alternate?
Can someone set up the reception area last minute if needed?
Can my gramdmothers wheelchair manage the outdoor landscape?
Photographers need to be covered.

Timing:
If I have another location more than 5 minutes away, do I have someone to redirect guests?
Did we plan enough time for photos afterwards if we need to relocate?
Should I include a rain location on the invites?

Is Bethanie over thinking everything? Trust me, I could go on.

Well here is the good news. 

Grey skies are great for photos because you're not sqinting your eyes.
Rain is just water.
You are still going to marry your wonderful partner.

Who ever said rain was good luck on your wedding day was not a wedding planner!!

Bethanie

Time lapse to 1 hour later:  The sun has come out, it's 24 degrees.

Etsy Find-Photo Booth Prop

Etsy, you will never disappoint me. Endless unqiue finds and so much creativity I could burst from delight.

After finding a cute photo booth idea online I decided to make my own. Take a look at the moustaches and lips Marty and I made for our reception in February.  It was a lot of cutting and trying to find the right glue, sticks, paper or fabric but we were proud of our little project. I like diy but fyi if I only knew about the below shop sooner...

these lovely ladies know how to have a great time

 That's me! ah I miss wearing my wedding dress

perfectly adorable and never too young for accessories

The Blissful Baker

Aren't these perfect. Although I love our handy work, the Blissful Baker show some pretty sweet looking 'staches. Check out their fun coloured ones to, on their etsy page by clicking on their name above.

Just wait until I post my out-of-town gift bags. Lots of fun, lots of stuff and so much diy. Thankfully there were only 16 rooms to make them for.

Bethanie Kramer

the wedding planner formerly known as Bethanie Foster

Second Year Bride's Choice Award Recipient

You're Invited is a 2011 Bride's Choice Award Recipient

Thunder Bay, ON – {February 17, 2011} - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce You're Invited Wedding and Event Consulting has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

You're Invited Wedding and Event Consulting stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud You're Invited Wedding and Event Consulting for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that You're Invited Wedding and Event Consulting is among the very best Wedding Planning within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more Information contact:
Bethanie Foster
Owner, You're Invited Wedding and Event Consulting
807.251.2131
info@youreinvitedconsulting.com

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire.com, the nation's leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), ProjectWedding.com and Weddingbee.com (both part of eHarmony), and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

YI is Married!!

As of February 1, 2011 I'm happy to introduce myself as the new Mrs. Bethanie Kramer. Wow, who is that? I've been Bethanie Foster for what feels like forever, well my entire life. It's going to take me awhile to get used to it and of course to do all of the name change details but I think I lucked out on the new last name.

I have a mass of candid photos to upload so until then please check out Bliss Pictures Blog for a selection of photos they posted to keep me satisfied and anticipating more.

Here are a few samples of what you'll find on the Bliss site (I borrowed them, thanks).  I really need to give a heap of love to Alvi and Sam for being a fantastic husband and wife photo duo. I knew from the start that I wanted to bring Alvi to Punta Cana to our destination wedding. I was thrilled to find out that Sam would be joining us to, a huge bonus for us.

I'll be posting more wedding and photo details when I finish unpacking and getting over the fact that the buffet is gone, there is no more yummy pink ice cream or afternoon dips in the ocean.

Chat soon.

Bethanie Kramer

YI is Getting Married - Destination Punta Cana, February 1, 2011

So why is a wedding planner getting married at a destination resort?

No one has to tell me how much work goes into wedding planning but who is going to do all of the 'day of' wedding work when I'm the bride!?  I also work with many great vendors that I would have a hard time picking one over another.

The best reason! Two week vacation!!!

We are leaving on January 29, 2011 for the Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana. Thanks to Westjet Vacations we have a direct flight which was a huge selling point for my guests.

The Majestic Colonial is a 5 star resort and a popular location for destination weddings. We've decided to pass on the beach ceremony and selected the gazebo for few speedo sightings. 

Wedding Gazebo

The pool is the entire length of the hotel

So what do you think so far?
Two weeks exactly until the wedding!

I can't wait to share photos and to be Mrs. Kramer of course.

YI is getting married - DIY faceloth cupcakes by YI

I couldn't plan my own wedding without trying a few diy projects. Just enough to remind me why I tell brides to hire professionals! wow I'm tired.

I had fun so I thought I'd share facecloth cupcake photos with you.
These were wrapped in pairs and put into clear candy bags and added to my out-of-town gift bags. I'll share photos of the completed gift bags and contents after the wedding.  Don't want to ruin the surprise for everyone.



It actually took a few tries to find the right way to wrap so I didn't leave the seam facing up.

I found Christmas red berries and cut them up for adorable cherries.

I hope our guests find these useful at our destination wedding.

Next post: Would you like to know where we're going?

Bethanie
YI bride

Holiday Wedding

Congratulations to Mark and Melissa for a beautifully intimate celebration of their marriage.  I was thrilled to be a part of their day and would like to share a few photos with you.

Mark and Melissa, who currently live in the United States, returned to Mark's home town with Melissa's sons for this special day. Originally a surprise to the bride, Melissa soon shared her personal touches to make this a classic look.  Yes, the groom surprised the bride by making a few arrangements but he was smart enough to know that she would be thrilled.

Her dress was purchased for a beach wedding but with a glamourous touch was tranformed into a perfect winter wedding dress. (faux fur only!)

The colour theme was black white and a bit of red.  We used red in the flowers and spot lights around the room.  It was just enough to add some colour to a timeless black and white backdrop.  It helps that we added lots of sparkle!

They braved the chilly weather for Thunder Bay inspired photos (fyi the pro photos are so much better!)

Flowers by the Flower Shed and decor by Maggie's Magical Occasions

Working long distance on a wedding can be difficult for a bride and groom.  They are expected to leave much of the details to someone they never met. Whether they hire a wedding planner or find and manage all the vendors themselves, they are doing it via phone or email. I was happy to be the one Mark and Melissa selected to help make arrangements and I was thrilled to make it happen.

Melissa sent me a photo of a cake she liked. I sent it to A Piece of Cake and fingers crossed...
It was perfect. I don't even need to add the photo I sent for comparison because it was identical.  I stayed later that night just to be able to sample the cake and it was yummy.

The Happy Couple

Congratulations and all my best to the two of you and your families.

Bethanie

P.S. we just had a big snow fall, you would love the skiing and snowboarding!

Welsey United Church
Valhalla Inn (Tony and Laura, you are awesome!)
You're Invited Wedding and Event Consulting
Bliss Pictures
Maggie's Magical Occasions
The Flower Shed
A Piece of Cake
Maverick Entertainment
Women in Black
Prestige Limosine
Thank you to Swartz Fine Fashions for a last minute dress shirt when one was left back home in the US.