Design Inspiration

Today is another windy day in the big city of Ottawa. Not nearly as bad as its been some days for the past week or so. I'm not sure about everyone else but for me wind storms mean a few hours of picking up branches from my lawn. I have five huge Maple trees in my yard and its not uncommon to find "branches" 10-feet long littered across the lawn (I kid you not).

This gave me some inspiration for today's post. Recently I've started collecting the branches that fall off the trees and I've piled them in my garage (my husband thinks he's going to use them for fire wood - but little does he know...). I have a pile almost as tall as me now and nearly twice as long (okay... I exaggerate a tad... but there's definetly a lot of branches). And why this crazy new collection you ask? Because the things you can do with branches for wedding decor is unbelievably limitless! You can use them as ceterpieces, entrance decor, aisle decor in the church... you can paint them, cover them with glitter, hang some flowers from them and recently I saw an arrangement where Nancy of Nancy Liu Chin Designs hung strands of rose petals from a beautiful branchy arrangement.

Save-on-crafts also has some great tips and images that you can use for inspiration.

There are a few things you'll want to keep in mind when using branches to create your designs.

1. Clean, clean. If you're taking branches from the great outdoors make sure you've cleaned the "great outdoors" off of them before putting them on anyone's dinner table.

2. Safety first. Tall arrangements make a grand statement but ensure that you've created a stable piece (you don't want your masterpiece knocking Grandpa Joe unconscious during the speeches). A good way to ensure that your creation is sturdy is to weigh it down with some sand, water, or rocks.

3. I see you! Make sure that the arrangement doesn't obstruct anyone's vision. There's nothing worse than a centerpiece that you have to talk around.

4. Keep it consistent. Make sure the piece fits in with the rest of your theme and decor. If you're using branches as a part of a a Winter Wonderland theme cover the branches in some fake snow or paint them white with nice silver glitter. Maybe dress them up with some silver and blue bobbles. If you're doing a summer beach theme then a vase filled part-way with white sand would make a nice base for your branch display. Try hanging strands of seashells with little clear blue and white beads from the branches.

Check out Wedlog for this simple oragami floral piece.

Whatever you do... be creative and have fun!

Happy Planning!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

The BIGGEST Wedding Phobia... The Speeches

Why? I don't know. Okay, I'm lying - I do know. I get it. Public speaking is one of the most widespread human fears on the planet. There's something terrifying about stepping into the spotlight in front of a hundred or so people and saying stuff while everyone listens - well, most listen. It can be nerve-racking... I get it. Really I do.

But here's the thing - when you make a speech at a wedding it has nothing to do with you. You just have to put your anxiety into a little box for a minute. At least, that's what I told my dad. I'm not picking on my dad... I know how much he hates speaking in a crowd. But you were able to do it right Dad? ...Dad?

He's over it... really he is.

There are a few key people who absolutely have to make a speech at a wedding... the people listed below are the bare minimum as far as I'm concerned. They are: the Father of the Bride, the Father of the Groom, the Best Man, the Maid of Honour, and the Bride/Groom themselves.

So here's the breakdown:

Fathers

Okay, so this is misleading because as far as I'm concerned it doesn't necessarily have to be the father who speaks. The idea is that a representative from each side of the family officially welcomes the newest addition to the family on the family's behalf. It could be done by the mothers or even a close uncle or aunt if a parent is deceased or something of that nature.

That's it... it's really quite simple isn't it? It doesn't have to be long, or drawn out, or fancy - it just has to be honest (or as close to honest as can be while still keeping it nice). It's your kid's wedding. Take a minute to welcome his/her spouse to the family publicly. (And maybe even congratulate them while you're at it).

Best Man/Maid of Honour

The next one is the BM and MOH - alrighty ladies and gents, you were selected for this role for a reason, right? At least I hope so. You are the leader of the troop of bridesmaids or groomsmen. You are the closest person to the bride or groom. You should have something to say, right? It's not hard to do by any means. Your speech should contain some element of thanks to the couple for asking you to be a part of their big day, a compliment to the groomsmen (for the MOH) or the bridesmaids (if you're the BM) on how great they look and/or how much help they've been to you. And finally, congratulate the couple - tell them how happy they will be together - assuming you believe this. If you don't - you really shouldn't be holding this title (and those flowers) in the first place... but that's another matter altogether.

That's really all there is to it. My sister was my MOH and although she has NO problems talking (and talking, and talking...), she was nervous as could be (which may have had something to do with the fact that she was still writing her speech just before the grand entrance). At any rate, she got up and made a lovely, heartfelt speech. Thanks Nee (xoxo).

The Couple

Next is the couple - this one tends to be my BIGGEST pet peeve of all the speeches. First, because some couples actually believe that they can get away with not making a speech (huh?)... Really? I mean seriously, all of these people have come together (some may have traveled very far) to be a part of this wedding. You should really give them some recognition. Not to mention all of the people who have helped you stuff envelopes, paint mini flower pots, count chocolate almonds, study dress beading (and then search the world for a matching tiara), and of course those who have listened to your endless list of pallet choices (which is something I can chat about for hours. Other people find it a tad less fascinating).

So basically this is your chance to show your appreciation. Let's not kid ourselves, this entire process has been about you. About your wedding colours, your dress, your flowers, your shoes, your hair, your centerpieces... and so on. Now that it's all come together it's time to breath a big sigh of relief... smile... realize that you've done it... you're here... you're married... the decor is beautiful, the flowers are stunning, the food is delicious... and it's time to genuinely thank all those people who helped make it possible.

And then of course, before taking your seat again, you'll want to thank your new husband for putting up with you for the past year (or more) while you planned every last detail of the wedding. Or, assuming you're the groom, you'll want to apologize to your new wife for simply shrugging when she explained (in excruciating detail) how the girls' shoes didn't match their earrings (you really did care you were just tired).

For some quick and very clever tips on giving a wedding speech visit Christopher C. Dave's blog. It's a great resource for any amateur speaker looking to make a good impression.

Cheers!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Searching for Inspiration

If you want your wedding to be unique and stand out from the rest you're going to have to search for inspiration in unique places.

Using Google to track down images of "Blue Weddings" will provide you with a vast inventory of photographs of weddings that have already happened. So if all your inspiration comes from wedding magazines, wedding websites, wedding blogs and the like you're sure to have a wedding that looks like all the rest.

For those brides who simply cannot settle for "what's been done" it's time to get creative. Here are some tips for flexing your creativity muscles:

1. Keep a notebook with you everywhere you go
You never know what types of things might inspire you. Keep a notebook in your handbag and when you see something that sets your imagination to work pull out your notebook and write it down.

2. Keep a small camera in your purse
A camera serves a similar purpose to the notebook except that very few of us are skilled artists (and even those who are may not have the time to sit and draw their inspiration). You may see a snowman made of three large balls of yarn that could provide inspiration for beautiful yarn bobble centerpieces for your wedding. Snap a picture of anything that strikes you.

3. Create an inspiration board
Take a collection of your images, your notes, colour swatches, and anything else that might peak your creativity and put it all together on a large bulletin board. As you find things that compliment your design direction add it to your board. As you notice things that no longer fit into the overall concept simply remove them from the board. This will help you create a strong sense of creative direction and an overall design theme.

4. Use your inspiration board to design your unique wedding
Your board may contain photos of contemporary condos with round paper lanterns hung in the corners to add light as well as a point of interest. Perhaps you can translate this to your tabletop decor and hang a cluster of round paper lanterns above each table eliminating the need for tall arrangements as centerpieces.

Remember, creativity can be learned just as any other skill. All it takes is a little exercise... so get practicing. Whatever your inspiration, be creative and have fun!

Happy Planning!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Selecting Vendors

Today's bride is savy. She treats every aspect of her wedding planning as a business transaction. Today's bride is also computer smart and she does much of her wedding research online. It's no wonder, then, that many of today's wedding vendors are found through google. However, selecting the key players who will either make or break your day should not be left up to the quality of their website.

I'm horrified at how many brides tell me that they found their vendors online and hired them without even speaking with them over the phone (let alone sitting down to meet with them in person). Taking the time to meet with your vendors is a crucial step to ensuring that you are selecting the right people for your day. Sometimes the DJ with the top-notch website is not the most charismatic person... which would be a big problem if you plan for your DJ to provide some fun and entertainment at your reception. You could find a fantastic website for a florist only to learn later that all of the images on her site were purchased from iStock so the arrangement you selected may not turn out the way you'd anticipated.

Taking the time to interview your vendors and their references is key. You want to make sure that you "click" with the vendor and that they really understand your vision. You want solid assurance that they are taking an interest in your wedding as a unique event and not just treating it as another pay cheque.

Don't leave the success of your wedding up to fate. Know who you're hiring and make sure that you feel good about your decision.

There are some key questions that you should be asking your vendors. Check back for tips over the coming weeks.

Cheers!

Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Internship Position 2009

We've received many calls and emails at CEC from Event Planning students, and the like, who are looking to gain some real life wedding planning experience. So, after much discussion, we have decided that we will be taking on one student for an unpaid internship position in the summer of 2009. The successful candidate will be awarded a part-time, 12-week contract during which they will be given the unique opportunity to experience the wedding planning career first-hand. On top of this, he/she will have a chance to network with some of the industry's top wedding vendors.

More information will be availble early in the New Year. We will not be accepting resumes before the position is officially posted. So do check back often to ensure that you don't miss your chance at this unique opportunity.

All the best!

Sophie