okanagan wedding planner Tag

2018 wooooooo!!  What a year to be an Okanagan Wedding Planner! We laughed, we cried, we battled smoke and storms and we all came out smiling with a bunch of amazing people getting married in the end. We were busy and then we were busy as all hell with no time for anything but weddings and slamming our faces with food when we remembered things like sustenance and water.  But what a time it was!  This year in the Okanagan, like the rest,značenjenajslusanije radio stanicegame of thrones online sa prevodom of the province, we saw a lot of smoke from the surrounding wildfires.  Miraculously, for a lot of our weddings, the smoke cleared in time for the big day. With a gust of wind or a summer shower, the smoke blew away, and in those moments, we got to breath deep and see some blue sky.  For others, the smoke remained and we got some amazing photos.  And the storms!  Wow, we saw some storms, but the funny thing is they all work out in the end. There is always a silver lining when it comes to love and we are big believers in Serendipity and rolling with what Mother Nature throws at us.

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So now that we are feeling cooler temperatures and our 2018 weddings are all complete, we wanted to share some of our favourite shots of the season.  While we were running through sage brush up and down mountains in high heels, pouring bubbles while simultaneously reconnecting electrical and pouring gasoline into generators, our couples were getting some pretty stunning photos taken.  Here are a few of our favourites, we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

xo

Nicole

 

PHOTO: ROCK N’ ROLL BRIDE
 
It’s safe to say that with the Pinterest craze, couples near and far have expressed an interest in curating their wedding style from start to finish, crafting in to the wee hours of the morning and taking full control of their big day. Not only is this a lot of work, it shows a level of creativity that we at DREAMY celebrate. After all, your wedding should be an expression of YOU and what better way then to get your hands dirty and get in it. This doesn’t mean; however, that the help of a wedding planner isn’t a completely smart investment – it is!
 
It is undoubtedly true that wedding vendors play a huge role in any wedding – of course we do, we are professionals who do this for a living! Although a couple have decided to get a little crafty, it’s the professionals that insure these crafts come with a plan, a cohesive look and are executed with precision. Helping couples bring their vision to life is one of our favourite things. If you are keen to make ALL of your décor – we will gladly be your DIY wedding planner and put you to work! A couple may come to us with an idea of how they want their wedding to feel and look but with a relatively tight budget for décor. Its these types of challenges and limitations that truly inspire us to get extra creative – we LOVE it!
 
Hiring a wedding planner isn’t for the rich and famous. Couples of all different timelines and budgets hire wedding planners every day based on their individual needs which is why most of our planning packages are customized for each special couple of lovebirds.
 
For example; a couple has approached us with their wedding vision but really lack the vision and experience to put it all together. We put together a look, the elements and textures of their vision a timeline for completing the projects and then put them to work! Thrifting, crafting, building – you name it – we give them the road map but they put it all together. This approach can save a couple on décor but still give them the cohesive look they were after from a stylist.
 
If you are that DIY person who wants to craft your wedding but want to insure its an event to remember, that it has a cohesive look and doesn’t resemble a craft room gone wild, then don’t be too shy to contact a wedding planner to see what they can offer. Yes, when budgets are tight its hard to make room for another vendor but we will gladly get you doing the work and charge accordingly ONLY for what we do. Its worth an email or a phone call at least!


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We are crushing hard on clean neutral pallets this winter and this minimalist, winter wedding incorporates these tones with a fine art twist! Its important to offset the coolness of the neutral tones with warm elements like earthy ceramics, warmer fabrics in napkins or ceremony blankets, and of course lighting will warm this pallet as your event changes from day to night, clean to cozy. As usual, we’ve pasted linnks to where we found each photo below – enjoy!

 

  1. These marble escort cards, found on Alicia Keats, are adorned with crystals and the perfect winter wedding detail. The icy palette of natural elements is such a great way to stick with a winter theme but keep it bright and modern. Mixing cool elements with warm ones is what winter is all about!
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  3. This simple and raw hanging floral piece, found on Green Wedding Shoes, adds a fine art element and  pop of colour to the neutral pallet.  Maintaining an understated and clean look with florals will keep your look modern.
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  5. Who says minimalist can’t be fun and playful!  We didn’t select this Kaviar Gauche dress because it was “wintery”, it is, however, simple, modern and covered in BUTTERFLIES!  You can create that high fashion, editorial look with almost any dress by accessorizing right, or in this case, not accessorizing!   Natural un-styled hair, very light luminous makeup and little to no jewelry (except that ring of course!)
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  7. Using earthy, organic looking ceramics like these for your table setting are a great way to keep your look modern but add warmth with the natural looking plates and bowls, and these ones are to die for!
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  9. CANDLES!!! Warm, lovely, cozy candles – lots and lots of them to take that cooler  neutral palette and sprinkle the warm and fuzzies all over it!

 

Have any questions about creating the look of your dreams? We can help! Send us a note from our contact page and let us know what you’re thinking!

We are thrilled to share our first DREAMY shoot, a desert boho wedding, styled and designed by yours truly!  Of course we couldn’t have done it without the collaboration of such a stellar and creative vendor team – check out the list of vendors below to learn about some of the exceptional talent we have in the Okanagan.  The venue, La Punta Norte Guest Inn, was the perfect backdrop for this shoot.  With miles of sagebrush and breathtaking lake views paired with a perfectly cloudy Okanagan fall day, this location delivered exactly what we were looking for in all its Dreamy-ness.

 

Taking inspiration from the landscape, we incorporated a spiritual side of the desert with warm earth tones of brown and burnt orange and paired them with raw crystals of amethyst and fluorite. The vast amount of sagebrush surrounding the shoot acted as an incense wafting its sweet aroma throughout, so naturally we took a few shots of the model burning sage against the stunning backdrop of the lake – how could we not! The 70’s also have a place in this shoot, in true boho wedding fashion, by incorporating vintage finds like the ceramic plates, colour pallete and wardrobe. Fun fact:  The blue hippie dress so elegantly worn by our model was actually worn as a wedding dress in the 70’s in a legit hippie wedding!

 

This shoot was magic to be a part of and its earthy romantic vibe came directly from our hearts. We are always inspired to curate wildly romantic spaces, and look forward to the next opportunity to do just that.  We hope you enjoy!

 

Styling + Design: Dreamy Wedding & Event Planning

Photography: Photography by Zandbeek

Bouquet & Floral Cuff: Passionate Blooms Floral Co.

MUA: OMG Okanagan Makeup Goddess

Stationary: Wolf + Wander Calligraphy

Venue: La Punta Norte Guest Inn

Model: Chelsea Goshulak

 

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Anyone hosting an event has a key goal in mind: they want their guests to have a good time (we hope)! so in the name of a good time, we have put together a few little tips on how to make this dream a reality.

 

  1. Communicate with your guests!  The best way to ensure your guests are present, comfortable and having fun at your event is to let them know what to expect.  If your getting married on a beach in the heat of summer—tell your guests!  If you are having a ceremony at 2pm and then they are on their own until your reception at 6pm—tell your guests!  If your event is outside at the at the discretion of the elements without a tent — tell your guests!  When given the opportunity to plan ahead, your guests will arrive properly dressed, knowing what to expect (don’t worry you can surprise them in other ways) with all the basics ready for a good time!
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  3. Try to keep the itinerary tight without many breaks in between events.  There are few of us out there (event planners excluded … ahem)  that like particularly long days and when there’s drinking involved this is especially true.  For example, if your event is a wedding, try and have your reception no more than 2 hours after your ceremony, even less if possible.  This way there is little time in between for guests to get bored or distracted.  If you are asking your guests to stay awake and in party mode for 12 hours you may need to get creative on how your going to make that happen.
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  5. Keep the bar open! Its ok to close the bar for a little bit at dinner or during speeches but the less the better.  Once people start drinking, its best to give them the opportunity to continue (unless of course you feel they can’t hand le their liquor)…Getting people all jazzed up for a fun event with cocktails or champagne toast to start and then stopping booze service for 2 hours will kill their energy and the vibe of your party.  This isn’t to say that its all about the liquor but… it kind of is.
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  7. Now that we are on the topic of booze, it is very important that the bar be well equipped to handle rushes, such as when the bar opens! This doesn’t mean that a second or third bartender or bar needs to stay open the entire night, but having them ready during rush times will keep your guests happy and focused on friends and family, not long lineups.
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  9. Keep the bar near the dance floor!  This keeps the bar people and the dancing people mingling and means that people don’t need top go too far away from the dace floor to get a drink.  A bumpin’ dance floor is always a sign of a good party.
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  11. Book a venue that is right for the size for your party.  Believe it or not, when it comes to a good time, more people in a smaller space is MUCH better than a smaller group in a big space.  You want the party to look full  (just keep that AC pumpin’ to manage the bodyheat and you’ll be all good)!
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  13. Keep the speech schedule short and sweet!  The main complaint I hear about weddings, from other weddings my clients have attended is the speeches!  People love you, but the long speech from Great Uncle Albert about your life up until this moment are a buzz kill (sorry!)  If you want a lot of people to speak, ask them to keep it short and try and keep number of speeches down or break them up a bit.

 

The rest is easy, good music, enough food and booze for all and good people and your laughing!  Hiring a wedding and event planner doesn’t hurt either 🙂

So your planning your wedding and up pops the questions of what type of ceremony you would like. Short and sweet? Religious? Unity candle? Sand or wine ceremony? Most officiates have a few examples of ceremonies they have done in the past and will tailor these ceremonies to you, you send in your info and there you go—your ceremony script is decided. But wait! Why not get a little creative with it and create your own ceremony rituals—something that speaks to you. Even though you may not identify with a religion or spirituality, your relationship to your partner can be, and often is, very spiritual—so embrace it! Here are a few ideas we have about incorporating more of YOU into your ceremony.

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IMAGE CREDITS AND LINKS :: LEFT TO RIGHT/TOP TO BOTTOM

handfasting; forest ceremony; smudge sticks; Nordic ceremony; forest ceremony

 

  1. Smudge each other! Throughout history, the burning of natural substances has been used for cleansing, healing and spiritual purposes. Its done by burning herbs such as sage, lavender and sweetgrass to clear energies and bring about positive energies. What better way to enter into a life with each other then by clearing away past negative energies to make room for new positive ones!!
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  3. Dance. We know you have your first dance ahead of you but why not incorporate a dance with each other once the ceremony has been concluded. Or ask that everyone attending the wedding dance down the aisle to their seats. This is not only a good way to include your guests, but also a way for them to offer their blessing and start the ceremony off with a bang . After all, they aren’t just there for the party, they are also there to act as witnesses to your very sacred promise.
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  5. Have you heard of handfasting? This is an old Pagan ritual that you can incorporate into your secular or not so secular ceremony. The handfasting ritual is where the bride and groom bind their hands together with a ribbon or some sort of cloth to symbolize the unity of marriage. Maybe you have a special piece of clothing or a blanket that means something to you, perhaps from when you first met or your first date?
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  7. Write your own vows! Yes, we know this is obvious, but nothing is more meaningful than reaching deep inside and speaking words directly from your heart to the person you are choosing to spend the rest of your life with. We witnessed a wedding once where the groom admitted he had the bride’s friend write his vows for him and it was a shame. This is an opportunity to speak soul to soul with your partner about something that truly matters to you both, so take it!
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  9. Have your guests bless your rings. After all, they are the main symbol of your wedding: the circle of life and love. Ask your officiant to pass around your rings in a box so that your guests can make a blessing or prayer on them. If you aren’t comfortable with all of your guests doing this because you are having a larger wedding or know that some of your friends would be uncomfortable with this, then just ask close family and friend (front row guests).
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  11. Have a moment of meditation or prayer to connect with each other once you have made it official but before you seal it with a kiss. Take each other’s hands, close your eyes and connect—this one is as simple as it gets but it allows you both a moment to feel your first moments of unity—soak it in before the party and your guests take you away.

 

These are just a few ideas but the main point is—make it your own. You don’t have to be very spiritual to incorporate a bit of loving intention into your ceremony. Rituals can add that little bit of extra connection you are looking for with your partner on your big day of love. Don’t be afraid of it!

Oh, Autumn you Goddess! It’s time to embrace the changing colours, smells and flavours that make the disappearance of summer a little easier to take.  Mixing vivid jewel tones like emerald green, ruby red and sapphire blue with metallic elements isn’t a new trend, but it’s a gorgeous one and the perfect palette for a fall wedding; timeless, elegant and a little on the dark and cozy side.

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  1. Setting the tone  of an event from the start with  theme consistent stationary is always a fabulous idea!  Selecting paper and envelopes in the colour palette of the event and detailing with gold or copper foil is a classy look that stays true to your décor. This stationary from Heart of Opal does just that!
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  3. We LOVE this floral arrangement! It was designed for an Elegant Barn Wedding combining multi jewel-toned florals with brass canteens like this brass tea pot.  Using brass and copper objects like vases, candlesticks and unique trinkets  to your centerpieces can add a bit of old world charm and decadence to your aesthetic. 
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  5. Next we explore two of my favourite trends; watercolours and geode cakes!!  This stunning, tiered geode cake layers drippy, translucent jewel toned watercolours that makes for a very romantic fine art look.  The pairing of the water colours with the Art Deco structure of the geometric shapes in the metallic copper is breathtaking.  This doesn’t just add wow factor – it adds holy #$@%!! factor.
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  7. Furniture is another area where jewel tones and metallic combinations can shine.  These sapphire blue antique chairs combined with the industrial gold café chairs are the highlight of this table rather than a background element. The rich combinations of colour and texture in the chairs is juxtaposed with the industrial setting of the old brick warehouse and truly makes this look stand out.
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  9. For a bohemian take on the trend, this table is adorned with mismatched, bowls, plates, chargers  and  glassware creating a relaxed and eclectic look.  The rustic table and brass candlesticks make this look extra boho chic.  Add a few  wool Mexican blankets for seating and you have yourself a party!

 

So…. what’s your favourite image and why?  I think  I will have to go with number 4 because those blue antique chairs are to die for!!