lavish

{LoveLavishLife}

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:52:00 +0000

Debbie and I are thrilled to announce the launch of our bi-weekly newsletter {Love*Lavish*Life}.

Each edition will be filled with regular features including Design Tips, Real Weddings, and more!

We will also be featuring local Wedding vendors, fantastic online sites, and keeping you in the know when it comes to the latest and greatest wedding trends.

Get an inside glimpse of what Debbie and I are up to, and learn some industry tricks and tips on making your wedding fabulous!

Best of all: each month we will be showcasing special deals, draws, prizes and more!

To sign up for {Love*Lavish*Life}, enter your email address in the sign-up box on this blog.

Love,

Mary & Debbie

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:59:00 +0000

I admit, I have never had the pleasure of planning a Halloween-themed Wedding. However - Lavish is young, and I know that our time will come!

Here is some candy for all of our loyal readers... EYE candy!

Have a safe Halloween!

The Kid Factor

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:32:00 +0000

Before I had kids, I will admit that it drove me crazy whenever I attended a wedding and there were children invited. Let's face it - kids are, by nature, messy, noisy, and mischievous. Not always the best combination for an elegant affair.

However, now that I have kids, I feel a little differently. I love dressing my kids up for weddings! I love the way my daughter is completely enchanted by the "fancy dresses" and the "fancy decorating", in her words. My son squirms in his little suit, and tugs at his tie, and torments the flower girls.

Truly, it is up to each couple to decide whether to invite children to their wedding. I usually caution my clients to consider several factors before deciding:
1: the location. Is there somewhere for the kids to play? Do not expect them to sit quietly with their parents the entire time. Won't happen!
2: the food. Speak with the chef, and arrange to have the appropriate number of "kids meals" made up. Often if you tell the venue ahead of time the number of children attending, they will charge you 25-50% less for their meals.
3: the entertainment. This can be something as small and inexpensive as providing colouring books and crayons to each child or as ambitious as renting a bouncy-house (if the location has room and allows it!).

One of our recent clients was faced with this very dilemma - with a fair amount of children expected to attend the wedding, she wanted to make sure that a) the kids had a great time and b) the parents were able to have a great time. So, Lavish arranged for a separate area to be used as the kids area - aka "Wonderland". We brought in 2 Nannies for the day, rented a bouncy house, and ensured that there were plenty of snacks, crafts, movies and games for all of the kids. Once the dinner and dance were underway, the parents were free to enjoy the reception, while the kids had a great time in their own area, under the careful supervision of the nannies. The nannies were able to keep in touch with Lavish staff via 2-way radios, ensuring that a line of communication was always open in case one of the children needed their parents or vice versa.

It was, needless to say, a huge hit.

Moral of the story? If you're going to invite kids, make sure you include them in your planning.

On the flip side - if you choose NOT to invite any children, make sure that you make it clear on the invitation. Addressing the invitation to "the Smith Family" indicates that you are inviting the WHOLE family. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" on the other hand, is more clearly indicative of an adult party.
Having said that - I find that it is best to personally phone any guest with children and let them know your wishes. This prevents any surprises and misunderstandings.

Pop-a-licious!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:22:00 +0000

I LOVE these! Talk about SWEET!

Cake Pops

No Regrets... or "Why You Should Hire a Wedding Planner"

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:15:00 +0000

Saw this story recently posted on another blog, and I thought I would share.

I hear this all the time from couples: "Oh, we're going to take care of all the planning ourselves". I always cringe a little bit inside - while I'm sure that the intentions are good, I know that nearly EVERY couple I speak to that planned their own wedding would hire a Wedding Planner if they had another chance, and I was one of those brides!

I'm a planner/organizer at heart (since I was a kid, and presented my parents with menus and table charts for my birthday parties), but the fact is, it's no fun being the organizer and the belle of the ball at the same time.

No longer is a Wedding Planner an extraordinary expense reserved for the rich and famous!

Don't have regrets... call or email Lavish for a complimentary consultation!

Hardcore Cake Galore!

pantherliwong@gmail.com (pantherliwong) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

I found this little treasure using the StumbleUpon toolbar...
It is completely edible:

Impressive.
Thanks to the Offbeat Bride and Exo Skeleton Cabaret for sharing!

Cool Lego!

pantherliwong@gmail.com (pantherliwong) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:35:00 +0000

If only we saw these bad boys when we hosted our Lego party last summer...

The home made version:

Verses the store bought version:

They both win!

Looks like "Geek Dad" is our kind of guy!

Kelly & Mark

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Kelly & Mark are a very romantic and sexy couple - and wanted a wedding that would reflect that! They chose bold colours - black, white and fuchsia. The location they chose was stunning! For their reception design we wanted an intimate yet dramatic atmosphere. Pinspot lighting helped achieve the intimacy, and alternating tall/dramatic and small/simple centerpieces along with alternating linen selections with bold colours went a long way to create the drama we wanted. Each guest was in for a surprise when they sat down - what looked like feathers attached to their dinner menu was actually their favour - under each menu was a handmade black and fuchsia dream-catcher. Once again we called upon our crafty side here at Lavish, and produced the menus, programs, flower-ball vases, table chart and the gift/card box ourselves.

The final touch - their initials on the dance floor - completed the design.

Many thanks to good friend Josie of JChuPhotography for coming out to take photos of the decor. Official photos will be available on our website soon! Congrats to Kelly & Mark!

Don't Forget!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:12:00 +0000

A reminder!

Come visit the Lavish booth at this Bridal Expo this weekend! 10am - 5pm, Roundup Centre, Stampede Park.

A few words of wisdom:

- wear comfortable shoes

- print your name/email/phone number on labels, and bring them (so you can avoid having to write your contact information 100x)

- bring a bottle of water

- dress in layers: it will get very warm as the day progresses

- come early! if you arrive at 10am, you will have time to visit booths and hit the fashion show and be done.

- ask questions, but consider: each vendor will have information packages/booklets/business cards for you to take, so that you can contact them after the show, and receive their undivided attention.

- be prepared for follow-up calls/emails: when you leave your contact information at a booth - whether it's for a contest, or a draw, or specifically requesting further information - you can expect that each vendor will likely contact you in the hopes of gaining your business. please don't be offended by this: it's why the vendors participate in these shows. if you aren't interested, simply reply politely and indicate as much.

- be inspired! bring a small notepad and jot down any colours, styles or trends that stick out for you. i always carry a pen with me, and when i collect a business card from a booth, i typically jot down my thoughts. example, on a brochure from a stationery company: creative, like design sense, friendly! call!

Bridal Expo is a great chance to see what is new and exciting in the Wedding Industry. Please stop by our booth and say 'hey!' to us! Were SUPER excited to be a part of it!

Stacey & Paul

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:19:00 +0000

Stacey & Paul were an extremely FUN couple to work with! Stacey loves jewel tones, and wanted a bright and colourful wedding. We used amethyst purple and orange as the main colours, and added red and green as accents. Pinspot lighting and LED paper lanterns created a fun but intimate atmosphere in the tent. Did I mention yet how much the bride adores Gerberas? There were well over 400 of them ordered for the wedding! We even surprised the couple by having hand-made sugar Gerberas made to top the cupcakes. Yummy!

The couple wanted a "handmade" feel to the day, and so us Lavish Ladies stepped up to the plate... er... to the papercutter and paint, anyways! We created the blackboards, the programs and the seating cards, as well as the painted signs. To keep the guests entertained between the ceremony and the reception, we brought in a PhotoBooth, lawn games, cocktails & Hors oeuvres, and music.

To keep the wee ones happy, we created a separate space for the kids, and brought in 2 fun and fabulous Nannies to care for them. The kids were busy with crafts, a bouncy-house and snacks - which allowed the parents to enjoy themselves in the main tent.

It was a beautiful day for a wedding... except for the wind! Our amazingly talented staff put their creative sides to the test, as the wind threatened to blow all of our planned decor away! Thank goodness for double-sided tape and extra ribbon!

A huge thank-ya to the vendors, staff, friends and family who helped make this Wedding a huge success! The photos below were taken by our lovely friend and Makeup Artist Debbie Boud - official photos will be available on our website in a few weeks.

Enjoy!

Rad!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:25:00 +0000

A friend just forwarded me this link, and I had to share... It's too fab to pass up!

80's Wedding Photos

Makes me wonder what people will think in 30 years... but surely, the 80's stand alone when it comes to *ahem* style!

Update from Lavish

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Ooohh, we've been naughty. It's been FOREVER since our last post!

We're sorry.

However, the good news is, the reasons we have for the hiatus are good ones! The Lovely Lee has been on a much needed break - she will return in early September... just in time for our busiest month!

And I, well, I've been very busy preparing for the upcoming weddings, as well as debut at Bridal Expo! We are very, very excited about taking part in our first Bridal Expo, but MAN it is a lot of work! Hopefully everything turns out just as I'm imagining it... Please, stop by our booth and say "heya!"... Here are the deets:

Calgary Bridal Expo
Sunday, September 27th
Roundup Centre- Stampede Park
10am - 5pm

I'm very excited about our booth design... and I am so proud and honoured to be receiving so much help from some very, very special people... I promise a big shout-out to them once the big day is over! FIRST though - we have to get through 2 large weddings before we even make it to Bridal Expo!

Which means... I need to get back to work!

Ta-ta! I promise some more posts in the near future!

Too "Matchy-Matchy"?

pantherliwong@gmail.com (pantherliwong) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:43:00 +0000

Why do we do it? Well, I understand the idea of making sure the bride is the most beautiful woman in the room, but this is too much.

It is an honor to be a bridesmaid. To be at the head table, to get your hair and make-up done at 8:30 in the morning, to get to ride in the limo, to help the bride look her best and calm her nerves, and to get to wear a bridesmaid dress. There is something lovely about being on "TEAM BRIDE".

A wedding is the only event where it is completely acceptable to show up in the exact same dress as your friend! However, I absolutely LOVE Patricia Field: the famous fuschia-haired costume designer, fashion designer and stylist for Sex in the City. I believe she has raised the bar for bridesmaids dresses everywhere, using three different dresses in three different colors designed by Zac Posen.

Twice a bridesmaid, I was fortunate to have two beautiful dresses. One wedding we all had the same color but different styles, the other wedding we had the same palette and style but different colors. It is a bold statement that can create great photos.

Some dresses may be closet-bound, but many dresses with soft hues, feminine hemlines, belts and empire waists can easily be worn at other occasions:

Maybe call your girlfriends first, just in case, before wearing your dress out on the town!

links: bridlewave, get best wedding, thread, ninth industry group, todd pellowe weddings, fantasy wedding, people, far flung fiancee, dave & charlotte photography, new jersey bride, joshua gene photography

"Day Of" Coordination

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:11:00 +0000

Lately we've been receiving many requests for "Day-Of" Coordination. Typically the first question that we get is "What's included?"

I LOVE the idea of "Day-Of" Coordination, but the reality is, it's more like "Month-Of" Coordination! Although we'll take clients as late as the day prior to their wedding, it's really a good idea to hire a Coordinator at least a month out, and here's why:

- a month gives us time to make contact with all of your vendors and ensure that they have all of the correct information in terms of the time, date, and services that you've requested.
- a month gives us some time to get to know you, and what you're hopes and dreams for the big day include.
- a month gives us a chance to organize ourselves in terms of staffing, production schedules and anything else that we need to take care internally.
- in the event that something has been missed or forgotten, a month gives us a little bit of time to come up with plan B, and C.

Of course, we'll work under whatever timeline we're given, and we totally understand that sometimes you don't realize that you want and/or need a Coordinator until just weeks before your wedding! Or, as is sometimes the case, the day prior.

So, what's included? We're pretty flexible. We'll sit down with you during the preliminary free consultation, and go over all of the wonderful hard work that you've already done, ask a lot of questions, and then we'll start making lists. A lot of times, what's included depends on where the wedding is being held, how many people are attending, and how much decor is being brought in for the event. The larger the wedding, the more staff we'll provide, and the larger our job becomes. Here is a in-no-way-comprehensive-but-gives-you-an-idea list of what "Day-Of" services can include:

Prior to the Wedding:

- confirming all vendor bookings and contracts
- preparing a production schedule for everyone directly involved in the wedding (vendors, wedding party, venue etc)
- preparing last-minute "to-do" lists for everyone involved
- collecting and distributing final payment to vendors as neccesary
- confirming out-of-town guest travel arrangements and arrivals
- creating and delivering gift-baskets to out-of-town guest hotel rooms
- running last-minute errands as required
- finalizing the budget
- coordinating and directing the rehearsal
- aid with planning the rehearsal dinner as required

Wedding Day:
- decor pick-up
- decor set-up at the ceremony location
- meeting with vendors as they arrive and ensuring that they are on-time and in place
- prepared with "emergency kit" - filled with everything that you can possibly imagine!
- ensure that the bride is comfortable, has everything she needs, and is relaxed (and excited!)
- ensure that the groom doesn't lose track of time at the golf-course (it's been known to happen)
- coordinate the ceremony

Reception
- decor pick-up
- decor set-up
- meeting with vendors as they arrive and ensuring that they are on-time and in-place
- coordinating with the caterers to ensure that everything is running smoothly
- coordinate special moments: cake-cutting, first-dance, bouquet-toss etc
- work closely with EmCee to ensure that they are comfortable and have all of the information that they need
- liason with the venue coordinator to ensure that everything is being taken care of properly
- coordinate the guest-book and gift tables, ensuring that gifts are kept in a secure location during the reception

After the Wedding
- decor tear-down
- clean-up
- any last-minute details that need taking care of
- transport of gifts to family member or other designated location
- arrangement of final payment to caterer/venue
- help selecting thank-you cards
- aid with honeymoon arrangement if required!

Not every couple will need all of the services listed above, and some couples will ask for additional help - and that's a big reason why we don't have a set price for any of our services - every couple is unique, every wedding is unique, and the service that each couple requires for their wedding is unique. And, of course, every budget is unique. We're committed to working within your budget.

Having said all of that... typically, "Day-Of" services will cost between $650 and $1300, depending on alllllll of the stuff above. So please understand, whenever you call a Wedding Planner/Coordinator and ask them for a quote... they are most likely going to need more information before they can answer that question fairly. Since most Planners will offer a free consultation - take advantage of that! More important than cost, I feel, is making sure that your Planner is a good match for you, and that can only be accomplished through a face-to-face meeting. You'll have the advantage of having actually met each Planner, and be provided with several accurate quotes which reflect the services that you specifically require.

One last note... I was asked recently what services are NOT included in "Day-Of" Coordination. I really had to think hard about that, but the one for-sure-I-can't-help-you answer that I came up with was... the weather. Sorry, no can do.

Wedding Planners Beware!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:04:00 +0000

I recently received an email from a supposed-gentleman in the UK who was looking to plan a wedding "in this area". Unlike most fraudulent emails, this one was well-written and contained plenty of details. I responded with some suggestions for venues, and, of course, requested more detailed information. A week later, I received his response, which did have plenty of details. However, when I received the first email, a little bell went off in my head, and when I received the second email, while I wanted desperately to be excited, the bells were going crazy. So, I did some research, and sure enough, found that the same email with a different name had been sent to various other Wedding Planners (in the US) previously.

SO - moral of the story? Trust your instincts, and if it sounds too good to be true...

Here are both of the emails that I received.

I am Mike Ashly, from London England. I am writing to get information On wedding/reception venues and also so in need of the services of a Wedding planner.

Vivian and I are planning to have a wedding in November 2009 (any date in November will be fine) and will require more information on this as we Plan also to have the wedding in your region. We are looking for a Venue and planner to help us plan our wedding/reception.

40 to 50 guests are expected to attend. Please advice on weather Conditions and the possibilities of rain.

Please note that you (wedding planner) is to arrange for a food, Videography, Music Entertainment, Photography, Officiant, cake and Flowers, decoration etc.

Please do confirm this date and get back to me.

Thanks for your anticipated response

Best regards,
Dr. Mike Ashly.

and

Thanks. I'm really very glad to hear from you. It is the wish of my finance to get married in your area and I have to give in to her wish and due to the fact I do not have any one there, you will be responsible for all arrangements.

My Fiancé and I will be arriving 7 days before the wedding and I need you to also make arrangement for our accommodation. I will need you to book 2 double rooms for us for 7 nights and one honeymoon suite for the night of the wedding 28th November (DATE IS FLEXIBLE). We have a budget of about $45,000 USD which includes payment for your fees, all the other vendors you will be working with and that of our logistic agent who’s in charge of our travel arrangement. I am also expecting 40 to 50 other guest from UK, USA, Africa and Asia.

My fiancé decided that the colour for the wedding should be white and gold. For flowers, pink and red roses should be fine. She loves red roses and we'll want lots of them at the wedding. Please feel free to introduce any nice flower of your choice to make the venue more beautiful. For food, a buffet will be perfect. If there be any more information needed from me, do let me know. The wedding is a civil wedding.

Please see more requirements below.
Videography for 4 hours,
Music Entertainment (DJ or solo singer) for the entire ceremony and reception,
Photography for 4 hours,
Officiant,
Cake (4 tier fruit cake)
Accommodation for out of town guest (10 double rooms for the wedding night only)
Flowers for the bridal party (4 people)
Assorted wine and beer
Wedding time: 4pm. reception should follow immediately till 8 or 9pm.

I need you to get back to me with a total estimate that will cover this arrangement so that I can make a deposit payment to enable you start arrangements as time is not on our side.
I'm presently in Iran for a world health organization program which will last for another month or two and the only means of payment that will be possible for me from here will be via my Credit card. I hope this will not pose any problem to you.

Get back to me as soon as you have the estimate so that we can start of all preparation for my wedding.

I await your response.

Dr. Mike Ashly

I can't believe the lengths that some people will go!

A Very Happy Un-Birthday To You!

pantherliwong@gmail.com (pantherliwong) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Just as Alice had stumbled along in her Wonderland, as a child I longed to stumble upon a tea party in the garden...
Over the years the tables have turned and instead of whistling tea pots I long for Riedel Wine Glasses from Austria. Instead of mismatched cups and chipped plates, perhaps a Wedgwood Ethereal bone china cup & saucer.

A few welcoming ideas:

Maybe we should keep the little cakes, it's tradition, after all! But instead of dried up little black currants, Bernard Callebaut chocolate shavings. Eat Me? Well...Ok.

links: bridalwave, stylish events, wedding wire, the bridal guide, bunny cakes, martha stewart

Music to Your Ears

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:48:00 +0000

Choosing music for your wedding can be a pretty complicated decision. There are so many things to consider - the type of music, what kind of ensemble, the pieces that you want played, care for the instruments (if outdoors)... and that's just for the ceremony! Music for the reception is a huge part of the over-all feel of your event - it's the life of the party, so to speak!

The good news is... you're in good hands with the Lavish Ladies! We both have extensive backgrounds in music - from classical to jazz, pop to punk, and everything in between! So, here are some tips and things to consider when it comes to choosing your music!

CEREMONY:

First, the decisions that need to be made on your ceremony reception may depend largely on where you're getting married. Many tradiational religious ceremonies will have specific pieces that are expected to be played during the ceremony, and often will provide musicians to do so. Yes, in many cases this will be the church organ, so if this isn't something you want, it's a good idea to speak to your church about the possible alternatives as soon as possible. However, if this isn't an issue and you would like to have a musician or a group play at your wedding, here are some of the more popular AND some unique options.

1 - Most popular is the String Quartet. String Quartets consist of a Cellist, a Violist, and 2 Violinists. String Quartets are incredibly versitile, and have a rich, warm sound that is both romantic and light. Calgary is home to a very deep talent pool when it comes to classical musicians, and String Quartet's are no exception to this rule. A few of my personal favourites include the Lily Quartet, Bell'arte Strings and the Allegra String Quartet.

2 - From the String Quartet, you can reduce the number of musicians to a trio or a duet, and this is a good way to reduce costs if money is an issue.

3 - Another wedding favourite is the Harp. I love the sound of the harp, and it is really unmatched when it comes to delicate, elegant sounds. Although using a harpist as a solo artist is definitely an option, I personally love adding a second instrument and creating a duet. The harp sounds lovely, for example, with the flute. Tisha Murvhill is the most amazingly talented harpist, and she can certainly recommend different options for duets if that's what you're looking for.

4 - One of my personal favourite ideas is having a vocalist or vocal ensemble sing at the ceremony. Despite decades of my life dedicated to learning a music instrument, nothing moves me more than a beautiful voice - our most natural, instinctive instrument! Once again, there is no shortage of vocalists in our fine city - my favourites are too numerous to list!

5 - Woodwind Quintet is another great idea. A Woodwind Quintet is typically comprised of the flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon and french horn, and provides a beautiful sound that carries well and is very versatile. This is is great choice for outdoor weddings. Woodwind Quintets are a little harder to find, but we're lucky that we have a great ensemble in Calgary called Quintessence.

6 - Solo Instruments are an often inexpensive way to bring beautiful music to your ceremony. You can pretty much choose any instrument - but for a ceremony, I typically recommend the more melodic instruments - flute, violin, cello... oh, who am I kidding, any instrument, if played well, can sound melodic and lovely. Hmmm, maybe stay away from percussion for this purpose! I could spend hours on recommending soloists here... so I'll keep it short, and stick to what I know: Here are some of the most talented and professional flutists you'll ever meet:
Hilary Amante
Sarah Gieck
Tamara Joziasse \

A few tips when hiring Classical Musicians:
*Ask for a resume. Every professional musician will have one. Place close attention to the education section - do they have a degree in music performance? Have they completed their ARCT (the highest level) from the Royal Conservatory? Do they have extensive performance experience? And most importantly, did they include references?
*Ask for a performance. You may have to pay a small fee for a live performance, but it's often a better option than just listening to a music clip online. Recordings = editing. Ask them to perform for you live, and ask if it's possible for them to come dressed in their normal performance attire.
*Ask for a contract. Never assume that a word-of-mouth agreement is good enough.

RECEPTION

There are basically two choices when it comes to providing music for your guests at the reception. The DJ option, and the live band option. Ok, there is the ipod option, but we strongly caution against this one! How come? Ok, close your eyes, and imagine your reception. Now imagine it with NO MUSIC. Yup, uh-huh, your battery died, or the connection didn't work, or whatever! The point is, something could go wrong, and a reception with no music is not something you want to experience. Leave it up to the professionals - they come with back-up equipment, and back-up plans. It's their job.

DJ Services:
The simple fact is, pretty much anyone can hook up their computer to i-tunes and call themselves a DJ these days. There are dozens of companies out there, and it's sometimes challenging to sort out the good, the bad, and the ugly. Definitely ask for referrals from everyone you know who has ever been married. Ask your Wedding Coordinator (that's us), because I can guarantee that they have two lists: "Call" and "OH MY GOODNESS DON'T EVER CALL AGAIN". Ok, maybe that's a little harsh, but my point is, don't just go with the cheapest company that you find. Have a list of questions ready (our list has 36 questions on it!), and be firm about getting answers. At the very least:
*find a company that can provide back-up equipment
*find a company that is willing to provide you with their insurance information
*find a company that is interested in what music you want to hear, and more importantly, what music you don't want to hear
*find out what the DJ is going to wear
*find out if their equipment is plastered with their logo. Yeah. Really, you don't want that. A little is ok, but a lot is... tacky. Really, really tacky!
*find out what time they will arrive to set-up.
*if you're having an outdoor ceremony, find out if they can hook you up with a wireless microphone
*ask about lighting options. Make sure that you know exactly what you're getting. If you're hiring a lighting company, no need for the DJ to bring their lighting as well, unless it's specific for the dance floor. Regardless, make sure that the DJ and the lighting company are on the same page!

Live Band
Ooooooh, we LOVE this option. It makes such a huge difference to an event! The vibe, the atmosphere, is absolutely electric and romantic and whatever you want it to be! It a city like Calgary, which is absolutely drowing in musical talent, there are no limits to the options when it comes to live music. Most performing bands in Calgary do so often - so check your entertainment listings, and get out to hear some. Funk, jazz, pop, dance, swing... you can find it here! Again, I could spend an hour listing my faves, so I'm listing the first few that come to mind:
Urban Divide
Dino Martinis
Mocking Shadows
Prime Time Big Band

WHEW! Ok, I could spend hours on this topic, but I gotta wrap it up! Really - if you have any questions about this part of the wedding, just give us a call or shoot us an email! We're always happy to help, and for sure music is super-important to both of us, so we're pretty passionate about it, and take it really seriously!

Enjoy!

A Toast!

pantherliwong@gmail.com (pantherliwong) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:45:00 +0000

I found this picture and just had to share...
Some people do not believe in having a wedding registry.
Besides, it's the thought that counts, right?

That's right. 24 toasters. At least it makes for a good story to tell the kids!

Read this article at Telegraph.

Have your Cake and Eat it Too!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:41:00 +0000

I have to confess - I am a cake-a-holic. I love love love cake. As a result, I rarely eat it. Special occassions only! And there is nothing more special than a wedding, and no cake as delicious as the wedding cake!

Wedding cake design has come a long way in the last decade - I love how all things traditional are now becoming more and more creative and funky! All the while keeping that traditional wedding-cake feel... so you really can have your cake and eat it too.

In addition to the dazzling designs out there, there are now limitless options on your wedding day if you aren't crazy for cake: cupcakes, mini-cakes, chocolates, and other fancy desserts are becoming increasingly popular to the anti-cake crowd.

Whatever you decide, there are some things that need to be carefully considered before you make the decision. I asked the amazing Barb Laberge from Cake Creations to provide us with some advice to pass on to couples regarding considerations that must be taken when deciding upon a cake:

1) Cake size:
If you are serving the cake as the only dessert, one needs to allow a piece of cake per guest. If serving the cake later, after a full dinner, the number of servings required may be reduced by about a quarter, as not all the guests will eat cake.

If the bride and groom would like to keep the top tier, this needs to be taken into account when deciding on the size of cake required.

2) If the cake is to be plated, it is recommended that the cake be all the same flavour(otherwise you run the risk of all the guests trading plates, and yes, this has happened. With 100 guests it can be quite a fiasco!!)

If serving the cake later for guests to help themselves, each tier may be a different flavour.

3)It is always great to personalise a wedding cake e.g. incorporate the design from the wedding invitation onto the cake or the design from the bride`s dress.

Choose colours for the cake to tie in with the wedding colours, either by using fresh flowers, ribbon or designs on the cake.

Monograms are also very popular. If a monogram has been used on the invitation, this may be copied onto the cake as well, which creates a seamless theme to the wedding.

4) Aviod buttercream icing for outdoor weddings or those taking place in warmer venues(i.e. without air conditioning) as buttercream melts very quickly in hot weather.

5) When meeting with the cake maker, it is advisable for the bride to have some ideas of what she would like (colour swatches, invitations, theme ideas of the wedding etc). Feel free to bring pictures, fabric, flowers - anything that will provide inspiration and help bring your dream cake to reality!

- Barb Laberg

Ok, alright, enough talking, let's look at some cakes!

Links: Maisie Fantaisie, I Dream of Cake , Cake Lady Cakes, YumSugar, Great Wedding Cakes, Cake Creations (6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12), Pink Cake Box (cake 10)

LEGO Party!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:44:00 +0000

I know, I know, it's taken me a few weeks to post these pictures, and you've all been waiting SO patiently!

A few weeks ago, Lavish planned and designed a LEGO birthday party! I have to admit, this was truly insanely fun to do, and I'm already looking forward to (hopefully) doing another Lego party with all new creations sometime in the future! We just had an incredible time brainstorming, building and decorating for this party. I would say that the biggest challenge we had was not going over-the-top crazy with our Lego creations and decor!

Our vision was fairly straightforward - prime (Lego) colours, blocks, creativity and fun.

HUGE thank you to the following people and companies - we couldn't have possibily done this without your wonderful creativity and flexibility!

Matt Pocock and his amazing cake-skills
Canuck Amusements
Discovery Hut
Michaels (what would we do without you?)
Oliviers (yum)

Big thank-yous also to my husband Ian, who was more than happy to help create any-and-all things Lego.

Here are some fantabulous photos of our Lego Party!

The amazingly fun and tasty cake:

The pinata - homemade and tons of fun:

Tags for the Gift Bags:

Each guest had a large square Lego platform for a placement - with either their name or their initial in the corner:

One of the games - a building competition, of course! It's AMAZING what these kids were able to come up with 10 minutes! Each team won a ribbon in a different catagory:

The Table of Goodies - Gift Bags, Prizes, Presents, Awards and more:

The food table - bright, solid colours, simple and fun food:

We used chinese lanterns, helium-filled ballons, streamers and ribbons to create a patio of colour:

The gift bags - filled with a mini-Lego figurine and Lego candy, with one of our Lego-ring creations attached:

Part of the centerpiece - the entire thing spread over 2 large picnic tables, and was a huge hit with the kids (and parents!):

A jar filled with Lego - everyone received one guess as to how many pieces of Lego were in the jar, and the winner took home a large Lego prize!

Lego Candy - a HUGE hit! And yes, you can actually build with it!

These Lego rings were a blast to make, and very popular - especially once the kids realized that they could build on them!

Oh, what fun! The party was a huge success, and I'm happy to say that I've added a Lego-ring to my own jewellery collection!

B. Y. O. Bouquet!

pantherliwong@gmail.com (pantherliwong) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:20:00 +0000

Something to keep in mind when choosing a bouquet or centerpiece is the "time of the season for loving"! This time of year there are beautiful calla lilies, kangaroo paw, baby's breath and dahlias. A few examples:

Or perhaps one might consider something available year round:

LOVE IT!

Here are a few of my own attempts after taking the Basic Hand-Tied Bouquet course with the talented (and very patient) instructor Paul Jaras.

It's harder than it looks!

links: my good fairy, mallory blair photography, van/go florist, megan hobson, martha stewart weddings

In Hair We Trust...

pantherliwong@gmail.com (pantherliwong) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:29:00 +0000

Some people don't think it is necessary to do a trial run for hair and make up before the big day. We ask, why risk it? We have a friend...let's call her "Suzy". She hadn't even met her stylist before she went to her hair appointment. This was 3 hours before the ceremony (no wedding planner, you see...)
We ended up going back to her place so she could take a shower and blow dry and curl her hair. In tears.

Meanwhile her bridesmaids (yes, myself included) were removing our salon makeup and re-applying our own.

Let's all learn from Suzy's experience! Don't let this happen to you!

Here are some beautiful styles to inspire you and your stylist:

links: flare, the knot, the incredible bride, homegrown wedding

What to do, what to do...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:33:00 +0000

More and more, we're seeing Weddings where the ceremony and the reception are held at the same location. However, couples are still wanting to use the time in between to have their photographs done. This leaves the guests, however, with several hours to kill - often in remote locations, as is the case with one of our upcoming weddings.

It's a GREAT time to get creative, and plan some fun activities for your guests. Think of it as an event within an event - and incorporate a theme or various stations to keep your guests happy!

A few ideas:

1 - create several "activity stations" for your guests
2 - have your caterer serve drinks and hors d'oerves at one or more of the stations, or create a stationary table with food and drinks available
3 - set up a Cappuccino/Coffee station
4 - if you're outdoors, consider setting up a few lawn games, such as croquet, ring toss, or lawn darts
5 - rent a photobooth, and set it up next to your guest book. Guests can then paste their photos into your guest book, and write their comments next to their pictures. This way, you'll know exactly who signed! Plus, many Photobooth companies will allow unlimited photos for a specific amount of time, and allow you to keep the CD with all of the photos at the end of the night. Fun!
6 - if you're having a small wedding, arrange for a bus to take all of your guests on a tour of the area. Make sure to provide snacks and drinks for the tour!
7 - invite some artists! have a caricaturist available, or live portrait artist. How about a high-class magician?
8 - planning a mountain wedding in the Rockies? How about a gondola ride for your guests?

The options are limitless - and any of the above will keep your guests entertained until it's time to start the reception. Better yet - you can bet that they'll be talking about it for years to come!

Anyone else have some fun ideas?

Aisle Do!

pantherliwong@gmail.com (pantherliwong) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:33:00 +0000

Gone are the days of the simple aisle runner with a few flower petals scattered around. More and more couples are working with Wedding Designers to create an atmosphere that will stun the guests. The aisle is a symbolic and traditional element to a wedding, and it is an opportunity to celebrate creativity and thematic unity with the use of flowers, props, lights, and more.

Here are a few stunning examples - we hope you find them as inspiring as we do!

links: One Wed, Hawaiian Island Weddings, Australia Entertains, In Style Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, Polka Dot Bride

So Inviting!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary @ Lavish) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:26:00 +0000

I have to confess - I am a paper addict. I love the textures, the colours, and even the smell of paper. As a result, when it comes to wedding invitations, I get really excited when I see creative, fun, and unique designs.

The options are pretty much limitless. Here are a few of my favourites, from modern to traditional, funky to elegant... and beyond!

Elum Designs, Last Word Invitations, Imagine Weddings, Ellen Forney, Big Orange Designs, Plush Invitations, Plush Invitations, Feathers and Flowers, Elum Designs, Truly Madly Weddings