2011 Trend Alert: Broach Bouquets

I've seen them pop up on wedding blogs and in magazines. They are stunningly beautiful, elegant and colourful. A broach bouquet is a great way to incorporate your 'something old' into your wedding as well as pay homage to family heirlooms. Having a bouqet made with broaches is also eco-chic.

A broach bouquet is a delightful pairing to a more casual dress. Rather than beading, jewels and details on your gown, your bouquet is your 'wow' factor while walking down the aisle - other than your beaming smile of course!

To see some broach bouqets, how to's and learn about how much it will cost you to make one of these beauts, visit The Vegas Wedding Planner Blog, Belle: The Magazine or Calgary Bride Blog.

Also gaining popularity are Button Bouquets which offer more of a rustic, do-it-yourself feel.

If you don't want to make these bouquets yourself, check out Miss Jennifer Rae for Button Bouquets on Etsy. This website has fabulous vendors that you can order from and get items shipped right to your door step!

We think that this trend will crop up more and more this season. Email us if you are making or buying a broach or button bouquet, or if you know a friend who is. We'd love to see the pictures and feature them on the blog!

*Thanks to the above mentioned blogs for inspiring this post

*Images from MissJenniferRae and Belle: The Magazine

Wedding Planners

Not really sure what a Wedding Planner does?

Here are the basics of what we, The Bride's Butler can do, and how we help you with your most special day.

• We're experts in the Wedding Industry and are in the know of todays trends. Our knowledge can help you save money, time and stress searching online, in magazines and with vendors.

• We've got connections. We can help you secure trusted professionals (Friendors) that often extend discounts to clients of certified Wedding Planners.

• We're there for you. A Wedding Planner works for you - not for your venue, or your photographer, or for your crazy Auntie Carla - we are working for you - the happy couple. Your wish is our command (within reason of course!)

• Wedding Planners will take time to discuss your needs, ideas and wants for your wedding. We help you problem solve, answer questions, point you in the right direction and help guide you through a fun, yet often  stressful planning process.

• We do not plan your entire wedding and make it our own. It is your wedding day, and we make sure that your personalities shine through in all of your decisions. There are lot's of choices when planning, in fact you will make over 177 decisions before you walk down the aisle.

• We're organized. We can provide you with spreadsheets and timelines to help you stay organized too.

• We can be your personal therapist. Like we've said, wedding planning can be stressful, and when other opinions are involved (mothers, sisters, cousins, bridesmaids, etc) it can get frustrating. We are here for you - for an ear to vent to, a shoulder to cry on and to play the role of 'negotiator'.

• Wedding Planners can be hired for Full Wedding Planning where we are with you every step of the way. We help guide your decisions, source vendors and resources and work towards saving you time, money and stress.

• Wedding Planners can also be Wedding Coordinators. This role is for Day of Coordination services - where you plan your wedding, but we make the magic happen. You can't be too places at once. We take care of all the details so that you can enjoy being a blushing Bride.

• We are affordable. Wedding Planners aren't as expensive as you think. Ask any Bride who didn't hire a Planner and they would tell you that they wish they did. Hindsight is 20/20. In comparison for what you pay for your photographer, florist, dress and cake - we are very affordable for the services we provide.

So, think you have a better idea as to what a Wedding Planner does? Still not sure? Check out our website, or come visit us tonight at the Ancaster Wedding Show.

Questions? We love meeting with Brides-to-be and their Grooms for a complimentary coffee & chat so we can discuss how we can work together and be your official "Bride's Butler".

Keep Calm...

And Hire A Planner.

A relaxed Bride is what we aim to achieve when assisting couples with our popular "Day of Coordination" services. A calm Bride is one that trusts their Planner and enjoys their day.

Stress Less. We just can't say it enough.

More and more couples are turning to Wedding Planners to help them with their wedding plans because there are simply too many options, decisions and things to do before your big day.

Come visit us this Friday, March 25th from 4pm to 9pm at the Ancaster Wedding Show at Night.
We'll be on hand to answer questions, give advice and inform you about the services we offer to help you "stress less". Plus, only at the show will we be offering you the chance to WIN additional savings on our services - with our "Choose a Love Quote" game. You might select a famous "love quote" or you might get a "service quote" - saving you money on our packages and services! We'll have prizes like $200 off Full Wedding Planning, $100 off Day of Coordination, free Bride & Groom T-shirts and free online Consultations!

Visit http://www.ancasterweddingshow.com/ for more information.

Looking forward to seeing you at the show!

*Special thanks to @tailoredpants from Twitter for this taking my idea and making this fabulous image! Love ya Samantha!

Bad Bridesmaids

Bad Bridesmaids - it's more common than you think.

You ask your friends to be in your wedding party because you want them to take joy in your special day. Most will say 'yes' because they are honoured and couldn't imagine not being by your side for when you say "I do" and others say 'yes' because they want to show you love and support during a very stressful time. Then there are some who say 'yes' simply out of obligation - whether that be because of past history with them, or because they are family. Don't get me wrong, sometimes Brides will ask family, future family-to-be and friends to be Bridesmaids because they feel obligated to do so, but either way, once you say 'yes' and become a Bridesmaid you have accepted a position - you have given your word - you have made a commitment to what most consider an honour.

As a Bridesmaid (BM) or Maid or Matron of Honour (MOH) you have a few responsibilities, including but not limited to:

- supporting the Bride & her decisions

- planning and hosting of a Bridal Shower, helping with food & assisting with games

- tag along to as many vendor meetings as possible as requested by the Bride to give your support
- remembering that this is your friends day, so showing respect & tact in all you do

- coordinating a Stag & Doe, selling tickets and attending the event

- planning & attending a Bachelorette Party

- other tasks requested by the couple (within reason of course!)

- As MOH you are the signing witness at the ceremony and you hold the Bride's bouquet for her

Being a bridesmaid is truly an honour and a job to take seriously. Being in a Wedding Party can be expensive, most Brides know this and try to accommodate the best they can by providing payment for hair or make-up on the day of, but mostly as a Bridesmaid you will incur most of the costs. You will likely need to pay for the dress, shoes, accessories (unless given as a thank you gift from the Bride), hair, make-up, Bridal Shower expenses, travel, accommodations, and a gift (typically given by all members of the wedding party to save money). On average you can expect to spend $500 plus when accepting to be a BM or MOH.

If you are unsure of your role and your duties, ask the Bride. Organized Brides will offer you an itinerary, or a friendly budget breakdown as a guide. If you don't think you can handle the responsibilities, time and expenses after you have said 'yes' don't feel bad about talking to the Bride and seeing if you can respectfully decline. Most Brides will understand and will place you in a role like Program Attendant, or they can be a reader during your ceremony so that you can still participate in the event. Whatever you do, don't become a Bad Bridesmaid.

Traits of a Bad Bridesmaid are:

- Not getting along with other members of the Wedding Party.

- Showing up late or not at all to wedding related festivities (Shower, Stag & Doe, Rehearsal)

- Dismissing the requests of the Bride ("No, I will not wear those shoes")

- Blatantly trying to upstage the Bride in any way, shape or form. It is her day, not yours.

- Getting rip roaring drunk at any wedding related festivities, especially the wedding.

- Talking poorly about the Bride, Groom or family members to other members of the Wedding Party, or anyone else for that matter.


So Brides, how do you deal with Bad Bridesmaids? There are many ways, but the best way is to be respectful, tactful and truthful. Tell (don't ask) them to discontinue their role. If this ends the friendship, better to find out now and move on. If it doesn't, as she may feel relieved to have the duty taken away, then place her among other guests so that she can still enjoy your wedding day. For more help on how to deal, give us a call for a Consultation or scour the Internet for tips.

No matter what, there are going to be people that will put a damper on your wedding planning process.
Try not to stress out too much, and keep in mind what you can do for your Bridesmaids to make the experience pleasurable for them and everyone else that's involved.
Good luck!

Friendor Spotlight

Foto Flare Photography: Lucas Shaughnessy

Choosing a Photographer for your wedding can be a stressful task as you want someone that is experienced, knowledgeable and friendly. The photos they capture will be ones you will cherish for the rest of your life.
Lucas is a Friendor of ours. Our Full Wedding Planning package includes referals to professionals in the Wedding Industry often times with discounts offered simply for being a client of The Bride's Butler.

I had the chance to interview Lucas about his services, specifically Engagement Sessions.

How long before the wedding should you have your engagement pictures done?
If you plan on using the images for your wedding invitations or save the date cards, have your engagement session as soon as possible. Otherwise you can leave your engagement session until just a few months (or days) before the wedding.

How do you suggest that couples incorporate their e-session pictures into their special day?
If you schedule your engagement session early enough, you could pick out your favorite photo and use it for your save the date cards – together we’ll design a custom announcement card that incorporates the photos.
Give your guests some eye candy and create a gorgeous guest signing book. That way, your guests will be able to leave their best wishes beside some of your favourite images.
A more traditional option is to have a framed print with a large mat that your guests can sign – that way you can hang it in your home after the wedding.

What do you like about Engagement sessions?
I love it when couples let me into their personal space so I can capture who they really are. When couples are relaxed, we can get some great photos that evoke emotion, passion and show your fun side. Use your engagement session as an opportunity to fall in love all over again and create images that represent you!

How long is a session, and what is your rate for them? Are they included in all of your packages?
Almost all of our collections include a 2hr engagement session. If they’re not included, they can be purchased for $340

What is your most favorite shot to capture on the wedding day? The vows, the first dance, etc....

I don’t really have a particular favorite shot, but I love moments with emotion - whether it is the father's first look at his daughter in the morning or the groom wiping away a tear while his soon to be wife walks down the aisle. Ultimately my favorite photos are when the couple and guests forget that I’m there and I can capture how they really felt at that exact moment.

What sets you apart from other photographers?
Who’s better to ask then some of my past couples. Here's what they have to say:

-“Not only are you very flexible & modern – you’re extremely creative & just different”

-“You had a way of listening to our vision for the wedding and then taking this and making it come alive in artistic and unique photographs”

-“You always manage to exceed my expectations. The final product is always more than I could have expected or imagined! This time proved it yet again”

Ancaster Wedding Show 2011

'Stress Less' is our motto.

We'll be at the Ancaster Wedding Show at Night on Friday March 25th from 4pm-9pm meeting Brides & Grooms who want to 'stress less' on their wedding day. We'll be joined by other vendors that want to help you too, so be sure to come by to say hello and take advantage of our "show only" specials!

Having a certified Wedding Coordinator work alongside you while planning your wedding can ease stress, save you time and reduce your spending! We'll be offering up to $200 off our Full Wedding Planning services only at the show.

If you're a DYI (Do It Yourself) Bride, that's great too! We're able to assist you with executing all of your fine details so that you don't have to worry (stress) about it on your special day. Why spend, plan and create the wedding of your dreams to not have it unfold the way you imagined? Chat with us at the show about our ever popular Day of Coordination package, and you might save up to $100 on the services!

For more information about the show visit http://www.ancasterweddingshow.com/

To find out more about why you should hire a Planner, visit our website.

March

Inspiration can come from anywhere.
Take the month of March for example. You know the saying "in like a Lion, out like a Lamb"?
Well, I took that and made two different inspiration boards for two different weddings.

When I thought of a lion I thought of champagne, gold and black. I also thought of a lion being strong, yet elegant. I thought of textures, and strong contrast.

Like a Lion by BridesButler

When I thought of a lamb, I thought of ruffles, brown and green. I thought of wool and satin, of country charm and of nature.

Out Like a Lamb by BridesButler

When you think of a lion or lamb what comes to your mind?
Pretty much anything can be inspiration for you when planning your wedding.

For fun, try making an Inspiration Board at Bridal Canvas, or give us a shout - we'd love to help you create one during a Consultation meeting.


PS: Pinch, punch - first of the month! All the best to you for the month of March.

Images from Bridal Canvas & Google Images