Good morning,

My husband and I just got back from Mexico where I, as always, do wedding research wherever I am and I made a few great discoveries. First thing I noted was that there were 3 brides on our flight down to Cancun...3 brides on an airplane of 120 passengers in May during the hot season! What that told me that it doesn't matter how hot it is, young couples will travel to save money. I talked to one of the brides and she told me that she was getting married at a resort for approximately $2000.00 for 20 guests and then $60.00 per person for any additional guest. So the total wedding cost for 40 guests and including dress and other miscellaneous items as well as the honeymoon was probably less than $10,000.00. I think that is a pretty good considering the average wedding in Calgary for 100 guests is a minimum of $25,000.00.

Destination weddings are becoming extremely popular these days and Mexico being so accessible is a great attraction. I was told that there are 5000 weddings a year on the Mayan Riviera. You can find many of the same resorts in Cabos San Lucas, Puerto and Nuevo Vallarta as well as Cozumel. Another wonderful place are the Sandals resorts in Jamaica. Their wedding decor packages are created by Martha Stewart so you can imagine how exquisite they are. I will be taking a seminar on Sandals weddings at the end of May so if you have any questions or interest please don't hesitate to contact me.

(403)519-7731

Good morning,                                                                                                                              (double click heading to see the picture)

 Even thought I usually write about wedding related topics today I have decided to tell a story about something that happened to me last Monday.                                                                                          

As many of you were aware, last Monday was an absolutely gorgeous day here in Calgary; sunny and 27 degrees Celsius. So, I decided to go for my first bike ride this year. I love riding my bike on our lovely pathways while enjoying the scenery of the river valley and the forest. I changed my regular route and headed into Bowness Park back towards home. As I came down the small hill from the bridge I was surprised by a high curb which I decided to jump in order to get on the main pathway again. The next thing I remember is stopping because part of my helmet had fallen on the ground. As I stopped to pick it up I felt like I had woken up from a dream and I didn't know where I was. I took look at my surroundings a little freaked out and it came to me that I was in Bowness Park; however, I then did not remember which direction I had to go to get home. As I am worrying about all this, I started pouring water on my cuts (I had a pretty bad one on my shoulder and my elbow) and I also noticed a van drive by slowly and stop and this older lady came up to me and asked me if I was okay. I answered that I was fine and when she asked me if I had fallen I said: " I don't remember". She then called 911. Her husband finally came out of the van and told me to sit down on the railing. I kept telling her she didn't need to call an ambulance because I was fine but maybe they could give me a ride home ( I really didn't know how I was going to make it up that huge hill into Valley Ridge). She was very nice and kept saying that she thinks it is better that the EMS check me out and all along she kept talking to someone on her phone. During this time I also remembered that my fall had something to do with that high curb I tried to jump.  The ambulance arrived within minutes and after some discussion with Carole ( the lady who called 911) and the EMS driver and partner they managed to persuade me to go to the hospital. During this discussion I found out that Carole used to work at Emergency and she recognized all my symptoms as one of a concussion and that is why she insisted on calling the ambulance. Carole was right, I did sustain a concussion after having a CT Scan done and I have been laying low and feeling pretty lousy since.The doctor also told me that my helmet saved my life.

I didn't get Carole's last name or phone number but I am putting it out there that I am extremely grateful that she came along and took care of me. I will be sending a notice to the Herald to thank her again.

I have always believed in angels; there are those who whisper in your ear and those on earth who show up out of nowhere and save your life. Two of them touched my life on Monday, one in a whisper and the other in Carole.

                                                                                                                               Thank you

Good morning,                                                                                                 (double click title to see all pictures)

I want to share with you some of may favorite wedding pictures, tables, decorations etc. 

                   I love anything with bling but this wreath takes the cake!!!!

This wedding cake was made by Natasha at Cakes with Attitude and I have it in my office. I love pink and pearls!!!!

  Out of all the wedding tables I designed, this one is my favorite...makes you feel so romantic with the lace and pearls!!!

    I love this wedding dress with pockets!! I found this picture on Pinterest!

     This arrangement was made by Larissa from Greenviron Group                                                           

                                      Two of my favorite flower arrangements. As you can see they are very similar!!!

                                                                                                    This arrangement was created by Julia Davis.

      My favorite ring bearer!!!!                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                     My favorite cake topper!!!!

 My favorite makeup artist, Emily Satnik and she is also my favorite bride...I was her wedding planner in 2010. You can reach Emily at (403)921-4802 or at emilyebenson@hotmail.com.

I love these shoes but you have to wear them with a short dress otherwise you would never see them!!!

Stay tuned for more favorites in the coming weeks!!!

Good morning,

Well, I guess many of you are in the final planning of your wedding and again, music seems to be an issue. For those of you who's budget does not allow for live ceremony and reception music, you can probably afford a DJ. I hear many couples say that they really don't need a DJ because they can just download all their music on an IPod or an MP3 player and have that playing in the background. So who is going to run the IPod? Are you going to ask one of your guests to keep an eye on it? I can tell you that the guest will remember your wedding as a real drag because he/she had to be in charge of the music instead of dancing to it and having fun. Save yourself a lot of stress and worry and hire a DJ and here are some tips on what to look for.

1/ Interview at least 2 to 3 of them ask about their style and their repertoire

2/ Does he dress professionally?

3/ What happens if he falls ill the day of the wedding?

4/ Does he come to the event or does he send on of his employees

5/ Does he talk a lot during the dance?

6/Does his business carry insurance? Good idea to have at least 1 million dollars in liability insurance

7/ Is he a member of the Canadian DJ Association or hold an equivalent membership with a similar organization to ensure all music is played has been purchased in compliance with A.V.A.L.

And again, like with any vendor, pay attention to how comfortable you feel in their presence.

Over the years I have worked many weddings with Bill York owner of Wild Bills DJ services. I love working with Bill...he is professional, kind, hard working and puts the needs of the bride and groom first. He has recently opened a branch of his business dedicated to wedding only and it is called Diamonds, DJ services. You can reach Bill at (403)452-9847 or at info@wildbillsdjservices.com.

Another DJ I would recommend is Sean Goebel from 1st in Entertainment DJ services. Sean is also very professional and provides an array of different services. I have worked with him once and I found him to be very in tune with the guests and knew exactly what to play and when. You can reach Sean at (403)921-7956 or at info@calgarydj.ca.

One thing you must remember when organizing an event, especially a wedding, is that music creates the ambiance especially if you want to have fun dancing. So to relax and have fun and let the DJ take care of the entertainment!!!

Good morning,

When I tell people that I am a wedding planner their first questions are:"How do you deal with the bridezilla?".Interestingly enough, in my four years of being in the wedding industry, I really have not encounter many. I have had a few brides that were very anal about the little details and I was given strict instructions on how they wanted everything to look; but I always justified their behavior by thinking that their wedding day is one of the most important days of their lives and they want everything to be perfect. The funny thing about these brides is that on their wedding day, things went wrong. At one wedding the cake sank and the cake topper fell down and broke...another wedding the cake arrived and the pearl ribbon around the tiers was held together by Safeway twist ties...bouquets had to be redone because they were either falling apart or they were too skimpy. Despite all this, the brides were lovely and they really enjoyed their wedding day and all those little details they were so hung up about lost their importance.

                                                                                 Neon Rainbow Prom

However, my so called "bridezilla" is the smoking bride. People who smoke always worry about when they will be able to have another cigarette. Well, brides are the same, sometimes worse, because they are also nervous. Many will keep their guests waiting for dinner because they want to have one more cigarette before sitting down to eat. I had one bride turn on me because I was trying to keep her to her timeline and on task and all she wanted was to go outside and have a "smoke". And it got a little embarrassing when guests kept coming up to me and telling me that they are hungry. I understand that the day is dedicated to the bride and groom however, I do believe that one still needs to be considerate to one's guests.

                                                              Fitted Black Ruffle dress by Etsy 

I have worked with people for most of my adult life and have learned that not only to they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes but they all have different personalities and issues. People are people and that is the way it is and brides are people too. However, when a wedding planner fires a bride then there is real trouble...but that is a story for another day!!!!

                                                    Click on heading to see pictures

Good morning,

One of the aspects of wedding planning that is usually remembered near the end of the planning, (sometimes as an after thought) is the music for the ceremony. In my opinion, the music as well as the marriage commissionaire, create the atmosphere for the ceremony. Many couples choose recorded music, but I have to tell you that there is nothing that enhances a ceremony more than a harp, a piano or a classical quartet. I have worked with many such musicians and I highly recommend them.

Occasional Notes is owned by two lovely ladies Barb Mitchell and Laurie Parente who both play piano at the same time often adding some other recorded instruments in the background. Their music fills the room with exquisite sound creating an ambiance of class and elegance.

     www.occasionalnotes.net                                                                      

Another wonderful instrument to hear at a wedding is the harp. A harp always makes you think of an angel sitting on a cloud playing soft music. Well, you can duplicate that sound at a wedding but, believe it or not, you can also have a harpist play rock music and it sounds great. I have worked with two harpist, both of whom I love: Tiffany Hansen  and Tisha Murvhill. Both ladies are highly qualified and professional.

Tiffany's information: web.me.com/harpsounds2....(403)288-3232

Tisha's information: www.calgaryeventmusic.ca....(403)230-7276

I have only worked with on string quartet and have also found them very professional and they can also play a variety of music including rock, the Beatles and even some hard rock. Allegra is a string quartet composed of members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and they are lovely to listen to.

Allegra String Quartet...(403)277-4295

Music is such a big part of our lives and by adding the music that you love to your ceremony brings out your personality and your uniqueness.  Enjoy!!!!

                                                                                                 (Click on the heading to see the pictures)

Good morning,

Yesterday I attended a seminar by Andy Ebon on "Wedding Website Rehab" and "Social Media Tune Up". I found the day very interesting and educational. Andy focuses on wedding marketing and small business consultation; he has launched The Wedding Marketing Network as one of his affiliated companies. I found him to be very well spoken, funny and up beat; he actually brought up some of our websites and critiqued them. I was a little nervous about him critiquing mine, but I found him to be honest and kind with his comments. So, as I suspected, I do need to change my website and plan on doing so in the next couple of months. Andy blogs at least twice a week on some very interesting subject so I encourage you to take a look.

http://weddingmarketing.net/

http://weddingmarketing.net/about-2/wedding-marketing-expert/

Good morning,

So after a week of events, Wedding Week has come to a close...for now. I think it was a great success. It was so great working with so many wonderful quality vendors, great venues and  hospitable staff and meeting lovely brides, beautiful models and happy customers. Everyone who attend our events loved them and had a wonderful time.

Thank you to Canada Olympic Park and Meghan and her staff. We loved the rooms at Markin McPhail Ice Complex and we believe it would be a wonderful place for a wedding. And thank you to all the vendors that participated and made our experience such a positive one.

On the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening I gave small seminar at Wed Studio on various wedding planning subject. We were small in numbers but rich in discussions.  Thank you to Julie Williams and Wed Studio for providing the lovely space.

And then on Sunday we hosted a lovely mother of the bride/groom luncheon at Osteria di Medici. Occasional Notes played in the background and did a short presentation, Paulina Ochoa, our official Wedding Week photographer, unveiled her Boudoir Marathon, we had a lovely fashion show modeling the clothes form the Parisian/Cameo and Cufflings in Dalhousie Station and, Stella and Dot was on hand to enhance the beautiful clothes. Thank you to Osteria di Medici for the wonderful space and delicious food, thank you to Mallory from Forever After for makeup and hair, thank you to all the beautiful models and most of all, thank you to Paulina Ochoa for making us all look so beautiful.

We started planning Wedding Week at the beginning of January and this was the creative result. I believe Julie Williams of Wed Studio did a fantastic job organizing all of us and creating this wonderful event. It has been a privilege to work with her and I look forward to many more events like this one.

We are organizing another Wedding Week in September...please keep your ears and eyes open for more information.

Good morning,

I am slowly recovering from a very busy weekend. Our Inspiration Gallery was amazing...the vendors created incredible tables that gave the brides some wonderful ideas. The brides loved the concept, the tables, the friendly vendors and most stayed at least 1 hour talking to the vendors and getting inspired by all the wonderful ideas. Below are some samples of what we created.

Table design and linen from Milan Weddings.

Table design by Always Alexandra's Weddings, favors from Efavormart, invitation by Crackle Invitations, linen from Milan Weddings , flowers from Modern Petals,tables and chairs from Great Events and table decor from Always Alexandra's Weddings.

Table design and linen from Dream Event Rentals and flowers from Catalaya Designs

This table is a collaboration between Milan Weddings and Always Alexandra's Weddings. Linen's provided by Milan Weddings, flowers from Modern Petals and the table decor by Always Alexandra's Weddings.

Table design by Always Alexandra's Weddings, linen from Wildflower Linen, flowers from Modern Petals, table and chairs from Great Events and table decor from Always Alexandra's Weddings.

Table design by Always Alexandra's Weddings, flowers by Catalaya Floral Design, linens by Milan Weddings and table and chairs from C.O.P and table decor by Always Alexandra's Weddings.

Table design, linens and all table decor by Milan Weddings. chairs from Special Events.

Table design and linens from Dream Event Rentals, flowers from Catalaya Floral Design and tables and chairs provided by C.O.P.

Good morning,

Well, I have been working very hard getting all my items ready for Calgary Wedding Week. I will have four beautiful inspirational wedding tables at the Inspirational Gallery at the Markin McPhail Ice Complex at Canada Olympic Park on Saturday, March 10th from 10am to 5pm. Other inspirational vendors include Milan Weddings, Chair Flair, Special Events Rentals, Dreamer Event Rentals, Wed Studio and many more. Stephanie Moore Photography and Ochoa Photography and myself will be giving short seminar. On Sunday we will be hosting a fashion show as well as cake tasting by Cakes with Attitude; this will also be held at the Markin McPhail Ice Complex. On Monday through Thursday evening I will be giving wedding planning seminars on various planning subjects and then on Sunday there is a wonderful bride and mother of the bride luncheon at Osteria de Medici. Please check www.calgaryweddingweek.com for more information.

I look forward to meeting you!!!