A Look Back on 2012

A look back on 2012's top wedding trends. They include: mismatched bridesmaid dresses, convertible bridesmaid dresses, finger print guestbooks, rose gold, paper banners and flags, brooch and paper bouquets, first look pictures and many more! 

2012 has been quite the year for vintage and DIY brides. What were some of your favourite trends?

Blessed

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and got to spend it with loved ones. Over here at Eat, Drink & Be Married, Christmas was filled with family, friends and food! It was incredible to spend 3 full days with our loved ones and it made me thankful for 2012. This year has been challenging at it's worst but I have had such amazing people supporting me and are always full of encouragement.

I wanted to take a moment to thank all my readers. I know I don't always post regularly and can often be found on my Facebook page but this blog was such a wonderful start to my wedding career and will always make me smile.

Happy New Year my loves and I wish you all the best for 2013!
xo 

Winter Wonderland

A winter inspiration board ♥ Sparkles, fur, black and white and lots of candles.

*images from Google
*photo of bride from Alison Conklin

Ou La La!

Wedding Inspiration of the day! "A Night in Paris" <3 

This theme filled with soft, romantic touches, bow ties, Eiffel Towers, lace in a blush pink, black and white colour scheme. 

That's How Strong My Love Is

Otis Redding "That's How Strong My Love Is" as a first dance song. Very romantic. 

Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend

Loving this Cinderella Rhinestone Headband from BrassLotus Etsy Shop! It's quite the steal at $38.02 CND.

Image from: http://www.etsy.com/listing/72195568/cinderella-rhinestone-headband-wedding?category=weddings.bridal-accessories.hair

'Movember' Brides

With Movember in full swing, would you consider adding any moustache touches to your November wedding?

Check out this link from WeddingBells for some more inspiration.
*image from weddingbells.com 

http://www.weddingbells.ca/blogs/planning/2012/11/08/the-absolute-cutest-movember-wedding-ideas/attachment/minted-moustache-invite/

Oh my!

You can customize EVERYTHING for your big day at Watermark Stationery. This made me giggle...

What do you guys think? Any takers on this special toilet paper?

Beautiful!

This strapless wedding dress with the flower detailed bodice is absolutely beautiful! The flower detail is incredible.

Photo by: Cappy Hotchkiss Photography Snippet & Ink

Pew Decorations

Love this idea for decorating pews at the church! 

It's simple, pretty and easy to make. The possibilities are endless and you can get everything you need at Michael's. I'd suggest waiting until you get a 50% off coupon which will make these pew decorations even more wonderful. Even check out thrift stores and dollar stores for all your crafting supplies!

Love Makes the World Go Round

‎"Alex Pelling and Lisa Gant have made it their mission to not only travel the world together, but to throw a wedding in each country that they visit." Bridal Guide 

Check out the rest of their wedding pictures: http://www.bridalguide.com/blogs/bridal-buzz/couple-married-around-the-world. See photos from Hawaii, Mexico, Peru, Chile and more!

I LOVE this idea! It's unique and very romantic. 
Happy Monday!

How to Properly Pin a Boutonniere

Thanks to the lovely ladies over at WPIC (Wedding Planners Institue of Canada) here is a detailed picture of how to properly pin a boutonniere!

Boutonnieres are one of those wedding items that everyone has different ways to do. I personally find this is the only way to ever get boutonniere's to stay put and it's the easiest way to have no visible pins.

Hunter Hayes - Wanted

What do you guys think about using Hunter Hayes 'Wanted' as a first dance song? What is your personal favourite first dance song?

Black & Gold

Swoon! This gorgeous black and gold wedding is sure to take away all of your 'it's almost winter' blues! This may be my new favourite colour combination! 

Here is the website for Southern Weddings for more pictures:http://iloveswmag.com/2012/11/01/festive-black-and-gold-wedding-inspiration/

Stop! Watch!

If you only do one thing today then watch this sweet, sweet video! Happy Monday! I hope this incredible proposal makes up for it being a Monday.
http://vimeo.com/couchmode/matthooverfilms/videos/sort:date/23375930#

Monogram Clips!

While at Michael's I came across these monogram clips that are perfect for shoes, bouquets, unity candles, adding to centre pieces and much more! $8.49 for one clip.

Bridal Glow

Loving this bridal makeup look from LipSH0CK's youtube channel! She definitely has that bridal glow. 

Halloween Weddings

Happy Halloween! Would you have a Halloween inspired wedding? Halloween falls on a Saturday in 2015 so you have some time!

Valuable Wedding Lesson! Must Read!!

While reading Glamour's 'Save the Date' section I came across this extremely important lesson brought to you by Kim Fusaro of Glamour and Levi Johnston (Bristol Palin's baby daddy).

Check it out: http://www.glamour.com/weddings/blogs/save-the-date/2012/10/a-valuable-wedding-lesson-cour.html

Please, please, please use spell check and make sure someone is proof reading everything that will be seen by wedding guests! This is coming from a girl who is horrible at spelling and my grade school report cards always said 'Mikayla needs to remember to spell check her work'! These simple mistakes can be avoided so remember to get your best friends, your parents and any English teachers your know to check all of your wedding work. It may be a pain but it saves you from an embarrassing situation later on.

Glowing and Romantic Bridal Makeup

Not sure how you should (or your make up artist!) should do your make up on your wedding day? Check out this gorgeous tutorial from Lisa Gregory on youtube.

What do you guys think? I think it's absolutely beautiful. Great job, Lisa Gregory :)

Not Just A Ponytail

Would you wear a ponytail on your big day? Check out this 'not just a ponytail' from All The Small Things Blog. Perfect for bridesmaids and guests as well!

Glam!

How glam is this gold sparkly polka dot cape?! I'd LOVE to see this on one of my brides one day! Would you wear it? 

Glasses VS Contacts

Do you and/or your groom to be wear glasses? If so, are you sporting your regular look on your big or are you going to try out contacts? Check out the Wedding Bee's online topic boards for a big discussion on brides wearing glasses! http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/brides-with-glasses-who-are-not-wearing-contacts-on-the-day

I personally LOVE when brides keep their own image for their wedding day. Check out this super adorable bride wearing her glasses!

What do you think?

Stop In The Name Of Love

How cute is this?! Check out all the details on the Martha Stewart website: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/231489/destination-wedding-katie-and-colman-long-beach-island-new-jersey/@center/272506/destination-weddings#/133023

Murder not Divorce

I came across this picture on Pinterest and think it is just incredible! Divorce is too common of a word today and I love that many people I know are removing that yucky word from their relationships. I know that sometimes divorce can be a good thing and it is definitely needed in certain circumstances so I'm not judging anyone who is divorced but marriage (and frankly, any relationship) takes work!
I truly believe that it takes a village to raise a child as well as a village help a marriage succeed. The most successful relationships I know are possible because they ask for help - help watching kids for date night, help talking out a problem, help from a therapist who gives you a different outlook, help to admit you were wrong and help to plan a surprise for your significant other, help for anything! 

#myfriendsaremarried

For all your unmarried friends who need a laugh! (Or for anyone because I think most people would find these hilarious) Enjoy!!

http://myfriendsaremarried.tumblr.com/

Marry Him...

Fall Bridal Hair Comb

How beautiful is this fall hair comb from WeddingGlam on Etsy? Can you believe it's only $20?
Make sure to check out the stores other wedding accessories!

Beautiful First Dance Song

"So you wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you..."

LOVING 'Marry Me' by Train as a first dance song (or should be added to your wedding playlist). This song keeps appearing at weddings and it always brings a tear to my eye.

Happy Friday! Have a lovely weekend!

24 Grooms Blown Away By Their Beautiful Brides

Check out these photos from Buzzfeed that show 'Real, spontaneous emotion from the first time a groom sees his bride on their wedding day'. Thanks Buzzfeed for making my day! These grooms are too cute! :)

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattbellassai/24-grooms-seeing-their-brides-for-the-first-time-6z51

Source: michellenewellphotography.com

Photo Shoot!

On the weekend I was apart of Amanda and Jamie's Fall Couples Photo Shoot and I am extremely happy with the results! Jamie earned him self the title of 'Creative Director' from coming up with so many creative poses! Thanks again, Amanda and Jamie.

What do you guys think? Make sure to check out my Facebook to see the rest of the pictures! 

50 Original Wedding Ideas

Check out this article from Weddingbells Magazine on '50 Original Ideas Your Friends Haven't Thought Of Yet': http://www.weddingbells.ca/blogs/planning/2012/10/05/50-origina-wedding-ideas-your-friends-havent-thought-of-yet/

Loving the idea of bridesmaids carrying different types of flowers but all in the same colour family, creating engagement photo envelope liners instead of save the date postcards, and having a confetti bar where guests can mix their own glittery concoctions to toss at you. What do you think?!

A Glitter Buffet! Source from WeddingBells and Les Coupe

Thanksgiving Blessings

Again..I've been very tardy with my posts. Life has been very interesting lately and unfortunately blogging hasn't come first. I have been up to date with my Facebook page so you can always check that out for more wedding ideas (https://www.facebook.com/EatDrinkandBeMarriedEvents) but I am happy to announce that I am back (yes, again..) with some fabulous new ideas and I have a bunch of blog posts ready to go! 

This past weekend was the Canadian Thanksgiving and Eat, Drink & Be Married has SO, SO, SO much to be thankful for! I am thankful for:

• My amazingly wonderful friends and family. 
• Everyone who supports my crazy dream of being a wedding planner and starting up my own business.
• My puppy. I love going home to spend time with him
• Diet coke, Pinterest and peanut butter M&M's.
• Having a roof over my head, a warm bed and a fridge full of food.
• Having wonderful readers who continue to read my blog! :) You guys are awesome!

http://imgfave.tumblr.com/post/30480012840

I hope everyone felt as much love I as did this weekend! Happy Fall :) 

Comic Book Cufflinks

To go along with the recent comic book craze take a look at these darling cufflinks from Sue Smith on Etsy! These are perfect if you don't want to go the whole action figure boutonnieres (http://tinyurl.com/9srmmtg) route but still want you

r favourite comic book character to make an appearance at your wedding. I mean who wouldn't want Iron Man on their guest list?!

Sue Smith's Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/comicsalvage?section_id=8095438

P.S - These are only $27.00 CND!

Grooms 'speech' to his new Bride

SWOON! This groom decided to do a special speech turned dance party for his new bride. How amazing is that?! 

Carnations - the filler flower?

Charlotte York once taught us that carnations are filler flowers and normally I would agree but these bouquets are definitely making me change my mind. I love that you can get very full bouquets with carnations. I especially love the different shades of pink. Maybe Carrie is right and carnations are making a come back!

What do you think?

*all images taken from Google

Fall Colour Schemes

With students starting back to school last week and everyone getting back into routine, I started thinking about my favourite season - FALL! I'm not a huge fan of summer (I know, I know! Please don't hate me) because I burn very easily, I dislike sweating and I personally enjoy fall clothing much more than summer clothing. I love wearing jeans with boots and a light cardigan. I love pumpkins, changing leaves, the crisp air and hot apple cider. 

In honour of my favourite season fast approaching I thought it would be fun to do a fall wedding colour post. 
The traditional colours:

• burnt orange and brown
• green and brown
• red, yellow and orange
• anything with brown and burnt orange! 

Some unique colour combos:

• navy, white, and a soft orange
• grey, raspberry or wine with ivory
• eggplant and olive green
• eggplant, fushia and burnt orange
• burnt orange and turquoise
• hunter green and grey

What do you think? I say jump out of the box and forget the traditional colours! I'm especially fond of the navy, white and soft orange colour palette as well as the grey, raspberry or wine with ivory. <3 I think both would love fabulous against the outdoor colours that fall brings. I just decided I need to bring these colours into my wardrobe this season. I love reasons for shopping almost as much as I love weddings!  

Bridesmaid Gifts

For a very long time I have been in LOVE with silk robes as a bridesmaid gift. I think they are very functional and looks great for pictures! Check out these adorable options on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/weddings/trends/bridesmaid-robes?ref=lp_trnd_car_title_0

Image from PlumPrettySugar on Etsy

Some other bridesmaid gift options:

• a clutch in your wedding colours
• a locket with a special quote inside
• a mani and.or pedi for the wedding day
• put your 'maids monogram on a cute umbrella! Link here
• jewellery for the wedding day
• cute pjs and some slippers to spend the night before your wedding in (on a side note I love when brides have slumber parties with all their closets girls the night before their wedding. What a way to wake up!)

Are you a bad bridesmaid?

Take this quiz from SheFinds to find out! 
http://www.shefinds.com/2012/are-you-a-bad-bridesmaid-take-the-quiz/

[Photo Credit: Maria Vicencio Photography]

A Multicultural Wedding Weekend!

This weekend I have the privilege of assisting High Gloss Weddings at a Hindu/Christian wedding weekend! It was an amazing experience full of food, culture and love. I couldn't have asked for a better lead planner, couple or vendors. Everything and everyone was incredible :) 

It was my first time stepping foot into a Hindu temple and boy was it surreal. It was so peaceful and I was in awe of their statues. The ceremony was beautiful and I teared up a few times even though I couldn't understand most of it. The bride wore a breathtaking red sari and was decorated from head to toe with mendi (the henna on her hands and feet), a tikka (a piece of jewellery which goes on her forehead), face paint which looked like this, a crown and a red veil. The groom wore a kafni which is long shirt extending to the knees with pijamo which sort of look like pj pants. The grooms attire looked like this except he wore plain beige kafni. 

After the ceremony was a lovely dinner before the guests retired for the evening to rest up for the following day. Day 2 consisted of a Christian ceremony and then a typical western wedding reception. 

The couple incorporated both cultures exceptionally well so I thought I would share some ideas to help any of my brides who are planning a multicultural wedding.

• If you need to have 2 ceremonies why not make your wedding on a long weekend and have 2 wedding days? This way everyone can enjoy the cultural aspects of one wedding with out feeling rushed and everyone feels respected. 
• Create a fusion menu. This couple from the weekend had curried fish, chicken in a mushroom sauce, Indian inspired rice, steamed veggies, naan bread, fresh veggies, a Indian inspired pasta salad and a fresh garden salad. The desserts consisted of a variety of cakes from both cultures. 
• Why not take your wedding colours from your both countries flags?
• Add in as many traditions as possible! 
• Invite both sides of the families to join in the traditional actives of the other culture. 
• Have your DJ play a mix of music from both cultures.
• Educate your families! Give them a quick reference sheet of how and why certain traditions are happening. This will make them feel included. 
• Add little touches of decoration where ever you can. Maybe if you are having a 'western' wedding day the flowers could be native to your spouses country?
• At you reception play games associated with each culture.
• Don't stress! Ask for help! The more you ask about your soon to be families culture the better it looks on you and the more you know the easier it is to understand. Once you are an expert a fusion wedding will be a breeze :) 

How To Be The Perfect Wedding Guest

Forget summer weddings, fall has now become the wedding season for me! I'm assisting in 4 weddings in September and I was recently invited to a friends wedding in November. Amanda (who also has a couple of weddings this fall and is a bridesmaid in the November wedding) and I got talking about being a wedding guest and what is proper etiquette. Now I'm sure all of you lovely readers are the perfect wedding guest but I thought I would do a quick refresher course on the subject. 

1.) When you receive that beautiful oversized envelope with a wedding invitation inside be sure to respond as soon as possible. When both Amanda and I received the invitations for the November wedding we filled out the reply card that moment and put them in the mail the next day. 
P.S The same thing goes for wedding showers! 

2.) Read the address on the invite! This will let you know who is actually being invited to the wedding. For example:
"Mr. & Mrs. Eat, Drink & Be Married = you and your spouse but no children
"Mr & Mrs. Eat, Drink & Be Married and family (or children's names) = you, your spouse and children.
"Mr. Eat, Drink & Be Married and Guest" = you and a guest
"Mr. Eat, Drink & Be Married" = just yourself.

Please don't call the bride and groom to ask about bring a guest or your children if they are not on the invitation. This usually happens when a couple is making some difficult financial decisions regarding their wedding and it's an awkward situation for the couple. 

3.) Make sure to ask the wedding party to find out where the bride and groom are registered. On a side note as per proper etiquette sending gift registry cards along with your invitations is a big NO!. That's like saying "please attend my wedding and bring me a gift". We all know that a guest will bring a gift so you don't have to announce it. 

Getting back on track - as I was saying before, make sure to ask the wedding party or the parents/siblings of the bride and groom to find out where they have registered. They will gladly tell you! 

4.) Purchase a gift of the registry. It may seem impersonal but it's not! The bride and groom obviously registered for these items and want it to be a part of their new home. If you want to make the gift more personal then why not add a hand written note in the card or a personal touch the couple will love. For example let's say the bride and groom registered for margarita glasses then in your card you could reference that crazy trip to Mexico you took and also give a bucket of margarita mix. That gift shows you went the extra steps to make it personal and still give the couple what they wanted. It's really a win/win situation!

5.) In all cases I would highly suggest not bringing your gift to the wedding. Think about who needs to bring those large gifts to a bridal suite (if they have one) as well as who has to take them home. As a guest you have up to a year to give the bride and groom a gift so don't sweat it! I would recommend having the gift delivered a few weeks before the wedding but after is also perfectly fine. Cards and monetary gifts are perfectly acceptable to bring to actual wedding. 

6.) Dress appropriately! Please take into consideration if the ceremony is being held in a church (cover your shoulders!), outside (wear something light and don't forget sunscreen), or if the wedding is causal or formal.

Pay attention to all the clues on the invitation - the date which helps you narrow down outfit choices, the ceremony and reception venue which will tell you how formal you need to be, and avoid colours that are on the invitation since those are the wedding colours. (The one exception to the colour rule is black. Black goes with everything and doesn't mean you are going to a funeral or not supporting the couple. Black is classic and always has a place.)

7.) Arrive on time!! I cannot stress this enough and is my biggest pet peeve. If you are normally a late person then plan to arrive 45 minutes early. Have some respect for the bride, groom and their families on one of the biggest days of their lives, pretty please! 

8.) Make sure to turn off electronic devices. Don't just put your phone on silent because we all know you will want to check your messages, actually turn your phone off. I would suggest leaving it in the car if possible! You are there to have a good time. You work hard so take the night off and relax! 

9.) Make sure to congratulate the bride and groom. Let them know how much you are enjoying their special day and are happy to be apart of it. 

10.) Be responsible. As much fun as open bars are at weddings remember that your actions affect the rest of the wedding. Don't drink too much and definitely don't drink and drive (although I'm sure I don't have to remind you smart cookies about not drinking and driving!) 

Being a perfect wedding guest is a great way to show the couple how much you love them and it allows you to have the best time possible! 
Enjoy the fall wedding season!

Morning After Photos

Yes, you read that properly. Over at Refinery 29 was an article on how more and more couples are partaking in something called "Morning After Photography" where the newly wed couple is photographed in their honeymoon suite the morning after they say "I do". 

Well this might be a great idea for some couples I can't imagine actually doing this. For starters I would be completely exhausted from the previous day and definitely would not want to have to wake up for hair and make up (which I assume most of these women are doing before being photographed). I'm not married but I also can't imagine wanting to share the first day of being married with a photographer. I plan to spend that day with my new husband, talking about our wedding day, sleeping..and doing other bedroom activities. 

The first imagine I came across is actually sort of cute and I could definitely picture this in a magazine.

But the rest...uggh.. not as cute. Maybe it's because I'm definitely not a model but I don't think I would ever be comfortable enough to say "sure Mr. Photographer, come join us in the shower to get these photos". Eek!

What do you guys think? Would you do Morning After Photos?
P.S HAPPY FRIDAY! Have an incredible weekend!

Feathers!

The Bride's Cafe featured an Atlanta engagement shoot this week and I can't get over how gorgeous her dress is! Chandra looks fabulous and I absolutely love that her groom to be is in a blue suit - very chic! 

Check out the rest of Chandra and Carl's engagement photos here:

http://www.thebridescafe.com/?postID=1878&atlanta-engagement-shoot-chandra-and-carl

Metallic Wedding Cakes

Metallic is definitely one of my favourite wedding trends of 2012 - I see it popping up everywhere and can't seem to get enough!! Check out these metallic wedding cakes from My Sweet & Saucy.

http://www.mysweetandsaucy.com/

Neutral Bridesmaid Dresses

Lately I am absolutely smitten with neutral coloured bridesmaid dresses! I love that the dresses allow for a big pop of colour in flowers, jewellery, shoes, etc. 

I also love how romantic neutral colours make the wedding. ♥ I think they go perfectly with the classic black suit, white shirt and black tie. It seems like a match made in heaven to me!

Wedding Extras!

What do you guys think of these beautiful shoe clips from Etsy? What a wonderful way to add a little extra pizzazz to your wedding day attire. These shoe clips are perfect for the bride to be, bridesmaids, family members or even a wedding guest. 

I especially love the peacock feather and the silver bow clips! I'm seriously considering buying myself the silver bows as an early Christmas present. :)

Headshots!

I just found out that my dear friend Kasia over at Armor & Adorn included me in one of her blog posts! Kasia took some headshots for me 1 week ago and I think they turned out great for amateur work. Kasia has always been a Photoshop wiz (at least in my opinion) 

Check out her post on Eat, Drink & Be Married Events here and while you are at it check out the rest of her blog. 

Her hard work on my first ever headshot:

Now I'm definitely NOT a model. I actually take some of the most awkward pictures you have ever seen so I give Kasia all the credit for this. 

I'll Grow Old With You

Love!

A Twist on Traditional Boutonnieres

On Thursday I posted about non-traditional necklaces for the bride which you can read here. I think bold necklaces are a great way for the bride to make a statement but why should she have all the fun? I found this idea on Pinterest and thought it was a super unique and creative way for the groom to stand out. These boutonnieres are playful, colourful and will surely make a statement.

I would add a ribbon or something to the background to make these boutonnieres look more like boutonnieres instead of looking like the groomsmen stole the ring bearers toy before heading down the isle.

What do you guys think? My favourite is definitely Iron Man! It also took me a moment to realize the last figurine was Jesus!

Bold Necklaces for the Non-Traditional Bride

Check out these bold statement necklaces. A definite 'do' for the non-traditional bride.

All photos can be found on my Pinterest page for more information! I can also look at these pictures on my new facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EatDrinkandBeMarriedEvents

Centre Pieces for Under $100

Good Morning Loves!
One of my goals as a wedding coordinator is to be able to create fabulous weddings on a budget - a champagne wedding on a beer budget if you will. I have recently begun doing some mock weddings for under $10,000 and I while it is a lot harder than I thought, it is definitely do able! While doing a mock wedding yesterday I came up with this fairly inexpensive idea for centre pieces. The cost will be under $100 for 20 centre pieces (one for each table and then two for the head table) This price is for 150 people which will be seated at 19 tables including the head table. 


I hope you guys can picture this! Hopefully one of these days I can start doing tutorials which would make this a whole lot easier. 


I found this vase from IKEA for $2.99

Then using a vinyl stencil (I planned on using a damask stencil  found at the dollar store) with Armour Etch (glass etching cream) you would create an etched pattern on two opposite sides of the vase. Follow these directions here on how to use an etching cream. 

To finish this centre piece off  add a piece of ribbon (purchased at the dollar store) in one of the wedding colours around the top part of the vase. Use a glue gun to attach the ribbon together and finish off with some gemstones or pearls (also purchased at a dollar store) glued to the seam of the ribbon. 

Total cost breakdown including taxes:

• IKEA vases: $67.57 
• Amour Etch: $20.19 for a 10oz bottle. Make sure to check your local craft stores like Michael's if you're in Canada because you can often find 40% off coupons which would help to lower this cost.
• Ribbon, clear gemstones, damask stencil: $3.96. 
• Glue gun, glue sticks and tape: free because I already own them but you can buy these at the dollar store as well. 

Total cost: $91.72! 

I do realize that these are very simple centre pieces so you could always add candles, a flower pomander, rocks, flowers, etc. Even with an added feature these centre pieces will still be extremely affordable! Maybe do a monogram of your new initials or even number the vases to act as your table numbers. The possibilities are endless!