Manon & Cody - Whimsical Fun

This wedding was particularly important to me because Manon (the bride) is my husband's cousin. So with more than a quarter of the guests in attendance being my own family the pressure was on to get everything perfect.

We started planning this wedding more than a year before the big day. We got a jump on the theme early on. Manon knew that she wanted something fun and whimsical and we incorporated a little bit of fun into every detail.

No wedding comes without it's own set of little hiccups along the way and this wedding was no exception. Everything went relatively smoothly until two weeks before the big day when we learned that our photographer was very ill and would not be able to shoot the wedding (our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends in these difficult times). I began a search for a new photographer but given that it was August and the height of the season finding a shooter who was still available on such short notice was a challenge.

Eventually, I was referred to an up-and-coming photographer in the area who was available on Manon and Cody's wedding day. Melissa Bolton of Precious Moments Photography was a perfect fit for the job; she's young, fun, and full of energy. She shot the day beautifully and Manon and Cody could not have been happier with her work. Here's a little peak at some of her shots from the wedding:

Katie from The Candy Store helped us choose a great assortment of green and purple candies for the candy buffet. If you're planning a candy buffet make sure to drop by The Candy Store; if you think that sampling options for the wedding cake or the dinner menu is fun you have to try some candy taste-testing! The green apple bonbons were a HUGE hit!

This wedding was tons of fun and I was so happy to have been a part of it.

Manon and Cody, I hope you always remember your wedding day as fondly as I will.

xoxoxo

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Jamie & Jordan: Peacock Feather Decor

With a live Celtic band, a slew of peacock feather accents, custom-made dresses, a cake designed by the bride's aunt, and tons of personal touches in every detail, Jamie and Jord created a day that was really special, very unique, and totally THEM.


Coverall was hired by the couple to take care of the reception decor. The colours were royal blue and purple and the couple's instructions were simple: peacock feathers were a must and they wanted something different.


The centerpieces were especially fun to create. The concept came about during a meeting with Jamie, Jord, Shelley (Jamie's mom), and Cindy and I. We sat around with various decor items, tons of peacock feathers, a variety of lighting options, coffee, and snacks (the coffee and snacks were vital, thanks Shelley!).


Here's a little peak at the end result (these are my personal photos... they're not the best!):







Have fun in Florida you guys! It was a blast!


Sophie

EXTREME THEME: Art Exhibition

Happy Friday everybody! Today's Extreme Theme was a really fun one to come up with. I hope you enjoy this little artistic adventure.

All weddings are an exhibition in some form of another. We take items that we feel are beautiful and reflective of our tastes and personality and we put these items together, on display, for others to discuss and admire.

Art is a bit of a broad concept and it can be incorporated in thousands (or perhaps millions) of ways. This theme is really one of self expression directed especially toward the artsy couple and is inspired by a friend of mine. (I won't mention her name here, however, as she would undoubtedly assume that I mean this as a hint for her to hurry up and get married soon; and as such she would likely never speak to me again).

The Ceremony: Art Gallery

An art gallery is perhaps the most obvious location for an art-based extreme theme. The National Art Gallery of Canada is a spectacular venue and hosts some of the most beautiful weddings in Ottawa. Most cities have some type of gallery that may be suitable for this theme.


All of the programs at this wedding are a hand-painted design created by the bride. It makes a beautiful keepsake.

From hand-painted programs to hand-painted bouquets... this wedding has a touch of art infused into every detail.

[Photo compliments of momental]

Reception: Exhibition Hall

Art is naturally used to give character, definition, and colour to a space. Why not do the same for your wedding reception? You need not go out and purchases tens of thousands of dollars worth of art to do this. Purchase a few blank canvases in a variety of sizes (or build your own if you have the know-how) and paint these to match the colour scheme of the wedding. Hang a few pieces behind the head table staggered at various heights.

For each guest, paint their name on a small piece of paper and place it in a miniature photo frame to act as a place card.

At each place setting provide a small blank canvas for each guest. Also provide the table with a few items to colour the canvas (paint may be ideal but only if you can find some type of self contained paint-in-brush contraption... I've seen this type of thing for children but it wouldn't be ideal). You could use pastels, markers, or pencil crayons. Tell the guests that each of them is to create a piece for the bride and groom which the couple will then use to create a collage on a wall in their home. This collage will represent their wedding and all of the people in their lives who mean so much to them.

In the center of the table use a thick antique square photo frame with a mirror inside as the base for your floral arrangement. If you can find enough frames you could use this concept on a buffet table on in any number of places around your reception room.


The wedding cake is made of two square layers with each side of the cake "painted" with eight of the couple's favourite paintings. A small frame has been placed on each side to accent each of the beautiful paintings.



During dinner a contemporary dance group performs a stunning piece which tells the story of a man and woman who are lost until they finally find one another and become whole.

A caricature artist is hired to draw pictures of the guests throughout the evening so that each guest can leave with a little piece of art of their own.


Do you have ideas on how this theme can be made even more extreme? Feel free to share them in the comments section.

Happy EXTREME Planning!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Creative Buffet Ideas

The dinner menu is an important part of the reception; and when it comes to food for the day the dinner is where the majority of the effort is typically focused. Cocktails are a close second. The food that is often overlooked is the late lunch (aka: midnight buffet or sweet table).

This is the buffet that comes out around 11:30 when guests need a little something in their tummies after a few hours of alcohol. The late lunch is an important part of the reception and really should not be skipped. And if anything's worth doing it's worth doing right... right?

Why not add a fun spin to your late lunch and create a theme. Remember, the menu given to you by the caterer or the venue is often just a guideline. You can always ask for a special creation for your wedding. Here are a few themed buffet ideas that could be a great touch for your late lunch:

Pizza Buffet

Put out a variety of gourmet pizza options. You can even steal Pizza Hut's idea and create some dessert pizzas! If you have access to a portable oven you can create a "build your own" station where guests can choose their own toppings and an attendant can heat up each individual pizza.

Poutine Buffet

This gooey treat made of french fries topped with curds and gravy would make an excellent late lunch buffet. Create a "build your own poutine" buffet by putting out french fries, curds, gravy and (for those who are a little more daring) offer some unique topping options like sauteed onions, mushrooms, hot peppers, tomatoes, green olives, pepperoni, bacon, and various types of cheeses and sauces.

Sushi Buffet

You have to be careful with this one as some of your guests may suffer from seafood allergies. If this is the case you may still be able to have a sushi buffet you'll just have to be extra careful about labelling your selections.



...Now for those with a bit of a sweet tooth, these sweet buffet ideas will tickle your taste buds:

Chocolate Buffet

Whoever said that diamonds are a girl's best friend never tried to keep a pregnant woman away from a box of chocolates. Pregnant or not, chocolate is a treat enjoyed by just about everyone and would make an awesome buffet.

Look for an assortment of chocolates, truffles, and treats containing chocolate or cocoa (as in cakes, pastries, etc). The chocolate fountain is always a hit too (make sure to put out some platter of fresh fruit for that). Throw in some chocolate-covered strawberries and you've got an instant hit.

Coffee Buffet

Are your families a couple of coffee addicts? Why not create a late lunch inspired by coffee? In addition to being a big hit it'll wake everyone up and keep your party going longer!

Offer a selection of gourmet coffees and a few specialty coffees too (i.e. a little something with some alcohol). Serve the coffee with an assortment of mini pastries and mini bagels with cream cheese. You'll also want to toss in a few coffee-flavoured favourites like coffee cake, coffee flavoured ice cream, and a few coffee flavoured chocolates and candies too.

Ice cream Buffet

Bring in your very own mini ice cream shop! Offer a variety of tasty ice cream flavours and allow your guests to come up and take their pick. Offer a selection of toppings including sprinkles, syrups, chocolates, candies, and cherries (of course!).

If you wanted to add a little bit of food to munch on think cakes, brownies, and wafer cookies.

Candy Buffet

You've heard of the candy buffet as a favour idea... but what about a late lunch candy buffet? Include heartier selections like caramel apples, chocolate-covered pretzels, cake, and so on. As an extra special touch, hire an attendant to man the station and help guests make their selections. Doing so is more than just a novelty as this person would also keep the buffet well-stocked and tidy-looking.

Have any other fun buffet ideas? Post them in the comments section!!

Cheers!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Colourful Bridal Headpieces

Still sitting on the fence about your headpiece? Depending on the style of your dress you could really add some personality to your look with a stylish and colourful piece. Here are some ideas:

EXTREME THEME: Film Festival

Extreme Theme is a new series that I'll be posting every other week. For each post I'll take a theme and go totally over the top with ideas on how this theme could really be brought to life. Choosing a theme is all about making a statement about who you are and/or what matters to you. This series is going to go to places that some couples would never dare go - but feel free to use some or all of these ideas as you please. AND if you want to add some of your own ideas to an Extreme Theme post please do!

This week, I'm kick-starting the series with a nod to tiff (the Toronto International Film Festival) which started yesterday. So without any further ado... I bring you the Film Festival theme:

Ceremony: Red Carpet

Any great film festival starts with a long red carpet lined with fans and media waiting for the stars to arrive. I picture this wedding taking place outdoors with a red carpet aisle runner extending from the road to the alter. Guests are closed off behind a line of red velvet rope anxiously awaiting the arrival of the wedding party and, of course, the bride.

As the gaggle of groomsmen make their way down the red carpet toward the alter they stop an pose for a few photos (they have to keep their fans happy after all!). When all the groomsmen are in place at the front a white limo pulls up to the red carpet. The chauffeur makes his way around and opens the door. One by one each of the bridesmaids make their way out of the car and up the red carpet (stopping every so often to pose for their fans, of course).

After the maid of honour is out of the limo the driver leaves so that the bride's car can pull up to the carpet. As the chauffeur opens the door the fans cheer and clap with excitement! The bride makes her way down the aisle... she may even stop to sign an autograph or two.

As the guests sit and listen to the beautiful ceremony one guest takes a look over his invitation. It's a super-creative invitation.

Cocktails: Interviews

After the ceremony the bride and groom are swept away in their limo while their guests look on. Everyone makes their way to the theatre for cocktails. A reporter (the videographer) from "Bride&Groom Extra" waits just outside the building to interview guests as they arrive. He asks for their opinions on the ceremony production and asks that they say a few words for the fans watching at "Bride&Groom Extra" (i.e. a message for the bride and groom).

Reception: Dinner and a Movie

After cocktails the guests make their way to the main dining room where they'll enjoy dinner and a movie (a slide show presentation brilliantly produced as a short film).

After dinner a few of the guests are presented with awards for which they will have to make an acceptance speech (toasts to the bride and groom). The Best Man is presented with the Best Makeup Award (a picture of the Best Man wearing a dress and lipstick at the age of three pops up on the big screen). The Maid of Honour is presented with the Best Choreography Award (a short clip of the Maid of Honour dancing in her MC Hammer pants at the age of 14 plays on the screen). The Father of the Bride is announced as the winner of the Best Documentary Award (a short clip of the bride's father filming his two-year old daughter on a camping trip pops up... dad, of course, is providing the commentary). The Father of the Groom is presented with the Best Costume Design Award (a photo of the Father of the Groom dressed up for Halloween is displayed). And finally, the award for Best Picture is presented to the Bride and Groom (the couple's engagement photo is displayed on the screen... beautiful).

Dancing: The After-Party

No Film Festival would be complete without a fabulous after-party! The reception venue is ready for a party with chic lounge areas and party lighting. The bride and groom are certain to make an appearance!

Additional Notes:

Colours: Black, white, red, and gold.

Favours: Can you say Chocolate Oscar Statue?! Ha!

Flowers: The bridesmaids wear small wrist corsages and the bride wears a beautiful floral arrangement in her hair (when was the last time you saw people carrying bouquets down the red carpet?).

Have some more ideas on how this theme could be made extreme? Be sure to share them in the comments section.

Happy Planning!

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

New Service! Production Schedule Creation

We've been working on our Information Package for 2010 for a few months now. We've made a few minor adjustments to the package; but today I wanted to let you know about one of the bigger changes we've made.


Starting in 2010 we will be offering a new wedding planning service: Production Schedule Creation. The service is designed for the couple who really need the professional touch of a Wedding Planner on the wedding day but can't afford to hire one, or perhaps, can't justify the cost because they have so many reliable volunteers who are willing to lend a hand on the wedding day.


With this package I will personally create a wedding day production schedule that you can use to manage the flow of your day by delegating tasks to the family and friends you have at your disposal.


This service is not the same as hiring a planner, of course, as the production schedule does not account for unexpected delays or any of the other little things that always seem to pop up over the course of the day. However, it's better than worrying about whether or not someone thought to grab the programs while you're getting your hair done.



Here's an overview of the service:

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE CREATION

Initial Telephone Discussion: This meeting is held to help determine your needs and to discuss your initial thoughts on the flow of the day.

Wedding Details Form: Following our initial discussion you will be sent a Wedding Details Form to complete. Once we’ve received the completed form we will complete a draft production schedule which will be sent to you to use as a guideline during the planning meeting. When compiling the schedule we take into account driving times, persons available, tasks to be completed, and any potential scheduling conflicts or “dead times” that have to be addressed.

Telephone Planning Meeting: During the planning meeting we review all of the details for the day as well as all the persons tasked with each item. We use this meeting to address any issues and to ensure that everything is clear and flows as it should.

Final Schedules: Once complete, will provide you with a copy of the final schedule. We will also provide six personalized schedules; one for each of the wedding party, the MC, the DJ, the Photographer, the Officiant, and the Caterer. You can then send these schedules to everyone involved. We recommend sending the final schedule out to your key players no later than one full week prior to the wedding day.

Schedule Review for Rehearsal: If your Officiant will not be attending the wedding rehearsal we will set up a time to review the ceremony schedule with the person to whom you have delegated with this task.



For more information on this service please contact me at info@coverallevents.com.



Happy Planning!



Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Fun Questions

I hope everyone's enjoying this beautiful Labour Day weekend! I've been doing a bit of camping this weekend myself. This morning I'm sitting here with my cup of coffee (courtesy of my mother's Keurig... I love that little machine!) and everyone else is still fast asleep. I thought that I might like to answer some of those questions that Cindy answered last week. I know that there's at least one person out there reading my blog (I'm talking to you Catherine! ha ha) - so why not.



Tim Hortons or Starbucks?
Tim Hortons for me, thanks! I like a good cup of coffee from Starbucks or Bridgehead as a little treat every now and then. But when I'm on the go (and drinking three or four coffees a day) it's Timmies all the way.


What are you known for?
Being the leader, I think. I was the oldest in a family of six kids and I've spent a good portion of my life in leadership roles. I don't know that anyone actually looks at me as a leader, per se, but I'm often the person that my friends and family will go to for advice or guidance (which is fine some of the time... although I'm not sure that I'm always the best person to be offering advice - yikes). And when it comes to planning our big family get-togethers or outings I think people just naturally look to me to make sure it all kinda comes together.

Yup leadership; leadership... and sarcasm (ha! that might actually be a better one). The sarcasm thing I can't help... after a short stint in the military and then working for a British lawyer it's become sort of natural.


What is your favourite word?
Euphemism. I love this word not because of its definition but because it's the word that made me fall in love with words. I learned it in one of my high school English classes and I remember being so amused by the definition because it suddenly gave a name to something that seems to occur so naturally in conversation; both with sarcastic people, like me, and with people who are just genuinely nice. Either way, the word itself amused me and it created a sudden love of learning and an urge to learn more new words every day. Funny how such little things can have such a big impact on our lives, huh?


If the whole world were listening, what would you say?
Nothing. I think I'd have stage fright... the very thought of it makes me anxious. I'd want to say the same thing along the lines of Cindy's answer... but I'm sure I'd never be able to get the words out.


If one song were to describe your life, what song would it be?
"The Climb" Miley Cyrus. I live for one new challenge after another and I love making my way up toward my current goal. But no matter what trail I'm currently working on I've always got my eye on another mountain that I might like to conquer in the future. It keeps life interesting.


If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
WINNERS!!!


What song best describes you when you first wake up in the morning?
"I'm Walkin' on Sunshine"... whoa! And it's startin' to feel good, hey! (you're singing it too, aren't you?). As soon as the sun peaks through the window I'm up (if I wasn't up already), and that's enough to get me up and going... although, coffee helps too.


What do you love most about weddings?
The speeches! I know, that's the part that so many people dread about weddings. Not me. Whether I'm working for a couple who's only hired me for the wedding day or I'm attending the wedding of a close friend I find that I always learn something special about the couple. I especially love watching a nervous speaker take the podium and, despite their nerves, proceed to make a beautiful toast.




My coffee's done now and people are starting to roll out of their beds so I'm going to finish up. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a fantastic week!



Cheers,


Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Happy Birthday Cindy!

Tuesday was Cindy's birthday and I thought that this would be a great opportunity to really introduce her to everyone. The first thing you should know, in case you hadn't figured it out already, is that Cindy and I are sisters.

Cindy joined the Coverall Event Coordination team nearly a year ago. Bringing her on board was a bit of a no-brainer for me. Since we were kids Cindy has had a phenomenal way of making friends and really making people feel special. People's first impressions of Cindy have always been that she is warm, friendly, and really fun (While I, on the other hand, was always mistaken for a snob growing up. But that was just because I was REALLY shy! Anyway, we're not talking about me today).


Cindy is also a "super-mom"; she actually made all of her daughter's baby food from scratch! I tried to do that once... and only once.

Since joining the team Cindy has proven herself to be a huge asset and has been such an enormous help to me personally. Over the past year our business has more than tripled and on top of that I had to slow down for a bit after having a baby in June. Cindy's had to take on some extra work along the way and she's been a real pro through it all.

Here are some things you should know about Cindy:


Tim Hortons or Starbucks?
Starbucks because of the complexity of the beverages.


What are you known for?
Loudness! I'm the one you'll always hear over everybody else. (I come from a BIG family; you had to be loud if you wanted to be heard).


What is your favourite word?
Excellent (lately anyway). It's the word of the week - no particular reason, it's the first word that popped out of my mouth; it sounds good and flows well, so let's use it. Next week, who knows...


If the whole world were listening, what would you say?
*I cried at this question??* I'd say: "Let's work together to make this a better place for our future - we seem to be meaner than we used to be, we seem to be less caring of ourselves, our neighbours, and our planet. We need to work together to make this a better place for our children to live."


If one song were to describe your life, what song would it be?
"So Small" Carrie Underwood- the song says it all.

"Don't worry about things that you have no control over, because you have no
control over them. Don't worry about things that you have control over, because
you have control over them."

~ Mickey Rivers ~

If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
IKEA. Need I say more?


What song best describes you when you first wake up in the morning?
"I don't wanna work, I just wanna stay in my bed all day..."


What do you love most about weddings?
The father to daughter speech and dance. It gives a chance for everyone to see what a wonderful relationship a father and daughter have. Oh, heck, I just like to cry.