How to make your $3 invites look like $15 invites

Hello, sunshines! We’ve been hard at work lately with our Summer brides, but we most certainly haven’t forgotten about our Fall brides either! For all of you September, October, November ladies, you should be knee deep in the stationery phase – designing, wording, proofting and hopefully approving!

For those of you who are doing things a little more DIY, we wanted to talk about calligraphy. A very traditional, but incredibly dramatic and elegant type of scripture, calligraphy really gives invitations an extra bit of shine. With a little elbow grease, you can get the look of a $12 invite for about $2 – $3, and use that font of your programs, place cards, menus, table numbers, you name it!

If you’re ordering your invitations from Vista Print or the like, you have the option to pre-design your own invite (to create a design, save as a JPG and upload it a blank card). Although if you’re not all that computer literally, this can be insanely, insanely time consuming, however the outcome is well worth the man hours. This is the time to call in a favour from that techie bridesmaid you adore.

A quick history lesson for you: almost every culture has it’s own unique calligraphy. Western, East Asian, Indian, even the Mayans had their own unique brand of scripture and of course, within each culture, there were a multitude of styles and techniques. So why am I telling you this? Because really, it’s like a tattoo. Don’t pick the calligraphy just because it looks cool. Make sure you understand the style you are using – after all, you wouldn’t want your invites to be spelled out in the Islamic calligraphy that honours the dead, now would you?

Obviously, with the use of computer, modern Western calligraphy has grown into a spectacular range of options. Far more whimsical and a less rigid typeface, calligraphy can easily match all sorts of themes: vintage, classic, rustic, home grown, event ultra modern. Here are a few calligraphy fonts we just love when you’re creating your own stationery.

Young Love E5: Very traditional, this font is slender and swoopy, with big long tails and high backs. The long letters give off a very elegant and refined feel.

Font: Young Love E5

Freebooter Script: This is a more relaxed and casual calligraphy, kind of has a whimsical feel to it. Love the curly tops to the backs of letter and the big bubbles on the tails.

Font: Freebooter Script

Launie Day SH: This font has a nice country feel to it, as opposed to something more elegant. Love the nice rounded tummies on the letters, and the straight tails provide great contrast.

Font: Launie Day SH

 

Up, up and away!

Colourful balloon arch!

With all the love lately for sweet and simple wedding ideas , we can’t help but notice the easy-does-it wedding styles that are taking over. It’s about the beauty of simplicity, not about the over complication and intense details of every day. The details have become what they should be – special touches that guests notice here and there, not an overwhelming onslaught of your theme.

A trend that we’re so excited to see stirring in the hearts of couples brings us back to the all the fun of our childhood – by now, certainly you’ve guessed, we’re talking about balloons! Inexpensive, whimsical, versatile and can come in any variety of shape, size and sheer number, balloons are no longer the decor for your little sister’s cheesy 6th birthday. They are simply burst with love – so here’s a collage of some of our FAV balloon ideas!

Balloons are a fun, lighthearted and easy way to bring your colour scheme with you at your wedding!

Think about a bouquet of balloons – why not walk down the aisle with a huge bundle of them in your exact colour schemes. After you’ve said your vows, you and your hubs can let them go together!

Adorable balloon stationery

An easy design for a extra fun spirited couple, balloons symbolize youth, energy and light heartedness. Paint an early picture of what your day will be with balloons on your stationery.

How about a personalized balloon Save the Date?

And for that matter, why not make your balloon stationery? LOVING this balloon save the date! Pop the deflated balloon in an envelope with a small note card and when you guests blow it up, voila! Have them take photos of themselves with the balloon to RSVP.

Amazing - a balloon canopy!

This one could be tricky, but ultimately, would look incredible. A balloon canopy floating of your vows would be incredibly memorable for guests.

These balloon got a dressed up for the party - mini hot air balloons!

You thought it couldn’t be done, but we can easily see these classy balloons dressed up as beautiful centre pieces. A great DIY project, simply wrap ribbon around the balloon and secure with some double sided tape, and then embellish with tiny bunting and other paper!

How about tasty balloon treats?

Okay, so is it me or do those balloon cake pops look insanely delicious? The icing job is a smidge complex for me, but if you have a bridesmaids that loves to bake then this is a great task for her to help make your day perfect.

Balloons make the perfect guest book, filled with well wishes!

How’s this for sweet? A guest book filled with balloons of well wishes, carrying the happy couple into their new life! A super easy project – love it!

And now for something a little different…

For those brides who are *seriously* committed to this theme, VOILA!

Tasty Pastry: Bridal Shower Deserts!

Spring has *almost* sprung – yes, there was a bit of snow earlier in the week but honestly, we can feel the flower buds pushing up through the dirt and when we wake up in the morning, the sun is rising. And that means Spring, no matter WHAT snow says.

Spring is when we all shake off our mitts, coats and hats to grab our floral party frocks. There is no better time for a bridal shower than April, May or even June. Bridal showers are the perfect opportunity to be extra sweet, and we strongly encourage you to get sweet with some of these very tasty pastries.

Lemon Lemon curd, lemon mirang, lemon filled, lemon lemon lemon! Lemon has a sweet tang to it, and with it’s sunshine yellow colour, it’s a natural choice for a spring treat. Lemon also goes with tons – for a bridal shower, think bowls of lemons as decor, vodka lemonades and these Lemon Curd Tarts, which, by the way, have the easiest recipe I have ever seen in my life.

Image and recipe via Real Mom Kitchen

Raspberries Raspberries, tangy and sweet. Kinda like lemons, except red? I dunno. I fell in love with these super easy White Chocolate Raspberry cakes the moment I laid my little eyes on them. And I know these little raspberry treats below aren’t technically a pastry, but UM HELLO – they are filled dabs of cheese cake filling. Yes. Please. Now.

Image and recipe via Big Oven

Image and recipe via Made With Pink

Blueberries Or blubes, as we call them in my house. Frozen blueberries make fantastic ice cubes in fruity cocktails and with their deep blue colouring, they add a little variation to the bright yellows and reds of other berries and fruits. This Blueberry Banana Cake with Cream Cheese icing can just get in my belly, because it looks incredible. And no one passes up an opportunity to get rid of the frozen bananas in their freezer, non?

For a little combo action, why not try this Frozen Lemon Whip, topped with Blueberry Sauce? This is great for a hot July bridal shower, and yes that means we’ve moved away from Spring, but aren’t you in the desert spirit yet?!

Image and recipe The Kitchn

Image and recipe via FoodNetwork.com

Strawberries Last but 100% not least, strawberries are a classic! So here’s a classic and easy recipe for Strawberry Parfaits, which is made one better as it’s a vegetarian recipe. YUM! For something less classic, why not put together some Strawberry Chocolate Crepes? Impress your guests with your worldly recipe repertoire. *replace the peanut butter in this recipe with chocolate or nutella and voia!

Image and recipe via Parents.com

Image and recipe via Veggie Wedgie

Nail It: 11 looks for nails we love

The dress, the hair, the make up, the shoes, the necklace, the earrings, the bracelet and of course, the ring. But what about the nails? Seriously?! Always a missed opportunity for creativity, a hot-to-trot manicure can bring a little personality to a bride’s look! Not to say you should go for hot pink tiger stripes (unless you want too) but something a little more pizzazz y than french tips is really – okay.

Here’s some of our favourite nail trends to give you an idea of the options you really do have for your nails on your big day. If you’re going to be focused on details, you might as well focus on fun ones!

Your basic French Manicure. Clean, feminine, elegant. Great for a gal who doesn't do up her nails that often.

Glittery french tips really up the anti on the traditional French manicure. Image via polishorperish.blogspot.com

Pair a solid colour with a glittery tips for a little bit more depth and texture to your nails.

Forget glittery tips - go the whole 9 years with soft, glittery nails! Image via joannagoddard.blogspot.com

Gold flecks add a nice bling without overpowering the rest of your look. Image via thebeautydepartment.com

A mustache manicure gives you the chance to show off your sillier side. Image via whimsicallyrandom.blogspot.com

Going for a risky or dramatic wedding? LOVE this French manicure - all black, with matte and shiny. Yes. Image via bleachblack.com

These half moon manicures are tons of fun too - with just a touch of colour at the base of your nail bed, it's a great place for teal, grey or navy blue. Image via loopyrocket.blogspot.com

Ok, maybe the kiwi pattern if you're feeling super brave. But the other two are just adorable for a bridal shower or stagette! Image via meetvirginiadesign.com

These ombre nails look fantastic - love how the colours fade into one another! This is a super dramatic look but think pastels or naturals to create something interesting but not overpowering. Image via refinery29.com

Pack a bit more punch with a strong nail art design like this. Image via chloesnails.blogspot.com

Venues Matter!

Hello all you lovely people – Jenna here!

Today’s post is about the foundation of the event: namely, the venue. You can have all the ideas and inspiration in the world, you can have an amazing photographer, planner etc… But if you don’t have a place to actually get married, you’re kind of hooped!

Luckily, Calgary and the surrounding area are home to a ton of absolutely stunning venues, so don’t for a second worry that you won’t find anything that appeals. And of course, if you have a planner, or are thinking about getting one, we can narrow it down for you! Whatever venue you think you have in mind, whether you choose to talk to a planner or do the scouting yourself, I’d like to offer a few tips that the Details Crew has learned! Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way.

1: Don’t Fight The Venue!

• Pick a venue that matches your vision, or at least isn’t the exact opposite of your vision! If you want a beautiful rustic wedding, maybe check out places like Heritage Park or The Ranche. They have a fabulous rustic/vintage feel, and it will save you buckets over getting a hotel conference room and bringing in rustic elements. The opposite also goes – if you want a perfectly draped wedding, with clean white voille and uplighting everywhere, definitely check out a conference room – they’re a blank slate!

2: Beware The Hidden Fees.

• This lesson was hard learned by a dear friend of mine who got a bit of a shocker on her final catering/venue bill the week before her wedding. Some venues can add “administrative fees” onto the catering bill, even if they’re not the ones dealing with the caterer! Add that to the gratuity, delivery, setup charges, and taxes… and you can be looking at up to 55% ON TOP of the meal price! That can make a $40 plate as much as $62 per person. Beware the fees, and read ALL of your contracts.

3: Budget For More Space Than You Think.

• One of my favorite venues in the area says it has a seated dinner capacity of 115-120. In all the events I’ve done there, I’d say 105 is pushing the very limits of comfort, and even then you had better plan on a smaller dance floor.  The moral of the story is that you want your guests to have some room to move around – if you have the exact maximum number of guests, consider a different option.

4: Accessibility!

• You’d probably be shocked at how many major venues are not wheelchair accessible. Big venues. Chain venues! You may be thinking “well no one in my wedding party is in a wheelchair, so while that sucks… not something I have to worry about!” However, what about grandma Mildred, who can walk with a cane, but doesn’t do so well on stairs anymore – can she make it up or down the steps into your venue?

5: Parking/Transportation

• So you’ve found the perfect venue – it fits your vision, has reasonable fees, more than enough space, and no steps to hamper Mildred. Awesome! Where is it? If your venue isn’t a hotel or a similar type of nighttime venue (Stampede Grounds, restaurant), what are the standards on taxi’s? Is there a taxi stand? will you be calling cabs in advance? Is there sufficient parking, and are the guests allowed to park overnight if necessary? The aforementioned Heritage Park is wonderful – but it’s a gated event, taxis have a heck of a time getting in, and I’ve almost had my car towed when a tear down went late – never mind leaving it till the morning!

So my lovely ladies and gents, there are some tips to consider when choosing your venue. Do you have any others for me? Venues you love? Hate? Sound off in the comments!

 

xoxo – Jenna (& The Details Crew)

Who is else dreaming of a chevron wedding?

Because chevron is so hot right now. It’s fun, it’s funky, it’s colourful, it’s versatile, it’s retro – it’s one of those weird trends that’s really kind of everything, which is maybe why everyone loves it. I believe it’s a trend that has grown from the rustic vintage of yesterday – we’ve moved from the 30’s and 40’s to the 50’s and 60’s – yay! I wonder when we’ll come back to the 21st Century? But that’s the fun of trends – if you could predict them, you’d be Mark Zuckerberg.

Chevron is such a great way to add in your accent colour. For instance, if you have a black and white wedding, add chevron napkins with a pop of hot pink and voila ! You’ve spiced up your wedding with a throw of colour. What’s also nice about chevron is it’s not all that hard to find, because it’s a fairly established pattern. Need big chevron for a backdrop for your head table? There’s tons of chevron wall paper for that! Need just a little itty bit of chevron? There are stickers and labels galore. Oh, don’t want to pay for chevron? No problem – just get your ruler and a glass of wine and in 2 hours (with square eyes) you can have the chevron of your dreams.

Click on the photos to link back to their original sites!

Chevron plates and charges are great because on their own, they dress up plain white linen. So if you’re budget conscious, opt for the free white linens that come with your venue and spice up your table with your chevron charges in your colours.

First of all – this dress is HOT as it is. Now that we have that out of the way, chevron on your bridesmaids! This maybe a bling flash of the obvious to some, but chevron is both a vertical and horizontal strip, meaning it’s more flattering than a traditional striped dress.

Chevron table runners! This could be an easy and fun DIY project. Using cardboard, create a template of your chevron shape. Then, trace it on your fabric. Using fabric paint, fill it in. It’s a project for you and your bridesmaids, granted, but think of it as Team Building!

These adorable favour bags are from Wedding Chicks – completely customizable and you can order in bulk. Yes please!

Think of a chevron detail for your invitations – I love how the colours fade out on these sets.

Chevron place settings! Look how great these napkins look – such an easy pop of colour and because the pink is paired with white, it’s not overwhelming.

The perfect frame for table numbers, no? I like how in this pattern, the stripes are thicker and closer together – it looks cozy and cute!

Someone is *wrong* on the internet!

 

Jenna here!

Holy freaking doodle, have you seen the interwebz today? It’s blowing up (at least in my little corner of the wedding blogosphere) at a bride in Puget Sound having some serious issues with the price of wedding photography. Now far be it from the Details crew to ignore pressing current issues, so here’s her post (and the link in case the resolution isn’t great: http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/evs/2804332414.html) :

 

I’ve seen a ton of responses about this today – ranging from the costs of being a wedding photographer (numerous and sort of astounding), to the time a wedding photographer actually spends on a client (WAY more than you think they do – trust me), to the dreaded wedding hangover (no joke, every single wedding leaves most vendors feeling like we’ve been hit by a collective Mack truck.). All very awesome, very valid points.

But from me, you’re going to get a slightly different point, which I personally consider to also be valid and awesome. What are your memories worth to you? You say you’ll remember it – You won’t. I promise. For the hundreds of hours that go into planning your day, it will be over before you can blink.

My photographer captured about a zillion moments I don’t remember. I could go through my pictures and point out every moment I don’t remember, but we don’t have that kind of time. So instead, a little secret for you: I do not remember my husbands face as I walked down the aisle. I remember trying to blink away ecstatic tears, I remember my dad telling me he loves me, and I remember trying really hard not to fall on my face as I walked pretty much blind, but I couldn’t see through the tears well enough to see the look on my husbands face. And what’s worse, I didn’t know I couldn’t remember it till weeks later as I sat replaying my wedding in my head. PANIC!

Getting that one single picture back, of that one single moment, was worth every cent I paid for photography. I’d have paid double my entire photography budget for that one photo. And I didn’t get *just* that photo. I got hundreds upon hundreds of moments with the people I love.

Trust me when I say you will notice an amateur photographer fumbling for a lens. You will notice them getting way too close  or never being anywhere near you when you need a shot, and you will notice the lack of style in the shots you get back if you choose to go with a cut rate photographer who doesn’t value their craft enough to invest in it. It is an incredibly fine line to walk to be not only part of the scenery, but a source of support and to constantly see thousands of shots and angles, to decide on a split second how to tell the story of what is hopefully one of the best days of your life.

Walking that line comes with practice. Learning how to tell that story comes not only from the heartfelt place of seeing what your clients want to say, but also from the technical standpoint of knowing how to get the shots that tell the story. What is that worth to you?

I can’t tell you how many clients and friends I’ve had to comfort when they’ve made a bad choice, and it rips my heart out every single time. The craigslist post says something to the effect of “you get paid all that money for ONE DAY and it’s ridiculous.” I get where she’s coming from. I do. But think of it another way: It’s ONE DAY. If the photos and the moments aren’t there the first time, they’re gone.  Something to think about from a former bride, current planner, and constant support!

 

xoxo – Jenna (and the Details crew)