The big 3-0!

Yesterday was my 30th (Eeek!) Birthday, and to celebrate I want to extend an offer of 30% off Day of Coordination to 2013 Brides. The last time I had a promotion this large was to commemorate the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton. So needless to say, you won't see savings like this come around too often!

My 30th birthday celebration with my closest gal pals.

Weddings are a celebration with friends and family, so be the guest of honour and not the host. Leave the set-up, event logistics, schedule management and all those other finicky details to us!

With Day of Coordination you plan your entire wedding, source and choose your own vendors and personalize your big day however you see fit, but you have the security of knowing that all of your hard work and plans will be executed and come to life by a dedicated professional.




Brides that hire a Day of Coordinator are less stressed, more organized and are able to enjoy their day as they should - as a Bride who needs not to take charge, make decisions or even problem solve.

Book before November 30th to save 30% on our most popular service to not only stress less, but save some of your wedding budget!

*Services are regularly $900, making your total only $630 with the discount!
* Valid for 2013 weddings only in the Greater Hamilton Area. Travel fees apply for Toronto weddings.
* Must be booked before November 30th, 2012.

Did Brides really Copy Kate?

Yesterday marked the 1st Anniversary for William and Kate. I find it hard to believe that it's been a full year since I woke up at 4:30am to watch the Royal Wedding with my Mom. We had homemade scones with jam and cream and created a memory that will last.

There was lots of talk surrounding the Royal Wedding and whether or not Kate would impact the industry and   create trends. Personally, I don't think she's made a huge impact, but what I do know for sure is that she's made sleeves on dresses cool again, has brought Lily of the Valley into the mix for requested flowers, and made lace more modern and less like Grandma.

As the 2012 Wedding season begins, I'll be paying attention to see just how many Brides really did Copy Kate.

To see some of our suggestions on how to Copy Kate, check out these old posts.

#1 The Dresses
#2 The Invitation
#3 The Bouquet

CopyKate #03: The bouquet

This is the last post in our CopyKate series. If you want to know how to mimic other elements of William & Kate's wedding that we didn't feature, call us for a Consultation meeting.

CopyKate #03: The bouquet

From the Official Royal Press Release:

The bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers.

The flowers’ meanings in the bouquet are:
Lily-of-the-valley – Return of happiness;
Sweet William – Gallantry;
Hyacinth – Constancy of love;
Ivy - Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection;

Myrtle - the emblem of marriage; love.

The bouquet contains stems from a myrtle planted at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, by Queen Victoria in 1845, and a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947.

Khris from DYIBride.com featured a post on how you can make your own bouquet similar to Kate's. Check out her post here. She estimates that the grand total for a DIY copycat Kate bouquet is roughly: $1167.90

Ouch. Lily-of-the-valley is expensive.

If you decide to work with a florist for your bouquet ask them what other flowers they can recommend to get the same look of Kate's but for much cheaper. Perhaps you only want to have a few stems of Lily-of-the-valley and use white roses and cali lilies to bulk up the bunch. Your florist will be able to work within your requests and budget restraints.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post of our recent Bride, Rebecca. She had Lily-of-the-valley centrepieces and bouquets - for all of her Bridesmaids and herself! Simply beautiful, and classic - just like Kate.

CopyKate #02

Invitations are the first thing your guests see for your wedding, unless you are having a Save the Date. You need to set the tone for your wedding through your invite - it helps guests decide if they are able to attend, what to wear, and what is expected of them (travel, costs, etc).

CopyKate #02: The Royal Wedding Invitation

I emailed my friend Sarah from Hip Ink to inquire about William & Kate's Royal Wedding invites, and how couples would be able to get the same look and feel of their invites for a whole lot less.


Here's what she had to say:

From photos I’ve seen, my guess would be that William and Kate’s invitation was likely printed on a 100% cotton, double-thick card, around 6×8 (which is oversize for standard invitations). I’m quite sure that the details were engraved, the royal crest stamped in gold foil and the edges of the card were gilded with actual gold. The invitation would have most certainly arrived in a double envelope.


$16-$20 per invite, plus optional personalization
The Royal Invite was an approx. 6x8 thick cotton card, engraved, with gilded edges and a foil stamped crest. You would probably expect to pay around $800-1000 for 50 invitations that were similar. The engraving - the most expensive printing method for invitations - and gilded edges are what really drive the cost up.

What was interesting about the Royal Wedding invites, at least to us in North America, was the lines where the guests names were written in (in this case it would have been the Royal Calligrapher who wrote them all). This is standard practice (personalizing invitations with guest names) in the UK and Australia, and adds a nice personal touch.

This is definitely something that you could incorporate if you're working with a custom designer. For example, I offer personalization on invitations or RSVP cards for around $.75-$1.00 each.

$9-$10 per invite
A mid-range but very similar invite that would look almost identical could be created using the same cardstock (a 100% cotton double-thick card), letterpress printing (still very chic and high-end) and a foil stamped gold crest (but skipping the gilded edging) for around $450-500 for 50 invitations.

$4-$6 per invite
The standout of this invite is the gold foil crest – keep that element and you’ve got the look. Combine a nice (but not super-thick) cardstock and digital printing, and you've got a more affordable item.

Did you notice that the RSVP information is printed in the lower left hand corner, asking guests to reply to the Lord Chamberlin’s office? As is traditional, and most formal, the reply is to be provided in writing – no email or phone calls here, no little mail back cards – old-school all the way. Also, no reception info. Separate invitations were mailed out for those invited to the afternoon reception held by the Queen, as well as the evening reception held by Prince Charles, and those invitations have not been made public.

So, there you have it. You can recreate Wills & Kate's invites at any price level and still get the same regal look. Contact Sarah for info on your wedding invites, or if you're working with us for Full Wedding Planning we will be able to refer you to vendors like Sarah that offer discounts to our clients.

Cheerio!

30% off Day of Coordination services!!

To celebrate today's Royal Wedding, the most talked about and watched in 30 years, we're offering 30% off our most popular service - Day of Coordination!

Feel like royalty on your wedding day with assistance from The Bride's Butler!

This package includes:

•A complimentary coffee & chat to meet and discuss your wedding plans

•Continuous support via phone or email 2 months prior to your big day

• An hour long "workshop" meeting 1-2 weeks before your wedding to discuss all details & logistics 

•Coordination at the wedding rehearsal (optional)

•Wedding day management (set-up, ceremony, photos & reception)

The Bride's Butler will devote their time on your special day to the fine details so you don't have to. It is extremely reassuring to know that a trusted professional will ensure that your day feels like a fairytale.

Book before June 1st to get this package for only $490!

Rehearsal is an optional service that has an added fee if needing to travel 30km or more

Royal Wedding Traditions

As William & Kate get married this Friday they will be following some Royal Wedding traditions. And, because they are young, and it's modern times, they will also not be partaking in some common wedding rituals.

Traditions they are following:

• Kate's gown will have sleeves due to both Royal and Church of England protocol
• A white dress is a must as it's a Royal tradition that dates back to the very first white wedding dress worn by Queen Victoria
• Something Old, New, Borrowed & Blue
• Kate's wedding band will include Welsh gold, a Royal tradition
• The bouquet will have a sprig of myrtle in it
• Her bouquet will be left in Westminster Abbey at the grave of the "unknown warrior"
• Once married they will share a kiss on the balcony
• Prince William and his Bride will sleep in separate residences on the eve of their wedding
• Their wedding procession will follow the tradition Westminster route

Traditions they are not following:

• Kate will arrive to the ceremony by car rather than by ceremonial coach
• Three different clergymen will conduct the marriage instead of just one
• William will not wear a wedding band, he's simply not a jewelery wearing kind of guy

Will you be watching on Friday to see the dress, the decor, the glamour and the love? We will be up at 3am taking it all in as I was asked to write a piece for The Hamilton Spectator giving a Planner's prospective on the grand affaire!

We look forward to writing a few posts about the wedding, the first being featured on the 30th.

the Royal House of Love

Prince William will marry Catherine Middleton in 9 days!

As a Bride-to-be you might be just as excited about this wedding as we are! We'll be watching the Royal Wedding on April 29th, taking in all the glitz & glam!

It's been known that the Royals can be a bit stuffy. I hear that Kate & Wills aren't even allowed to kiss after their "I do's" within Westminster Abbey. But if you watch this "wedding rehearsal" video, it will show you that the Royals know how to cut loose and have a good time.....

*Video is a spoof from T-Mobile

* These are actors, not the Royals - although, wouldn't it be fab if this really happens? LOL!

Popping the question

With December right around the corner, did you know that it's the most popular month to 'pop the question'?  Did you also know that more men are choosing to propose with a 'pop of colour'?

Gemstone engagement rings have gotten more popular lately - especially with the recent engagement of Prince William & Catherine Middleton. He gave her his late mother, Princess Diana's sapphire engagement ring.

Also sporting a bright beauty is Jessica Simpson - who got a ruby engagement ring.

     

Would you prefer a gemstone over a diamond?

Gemstones have different meanings and come in a variety of colours. He could choose your favourite colour, or match your birthstone.

Or, what about getting a 'so-called' used ring like the one William gave Kate? I don't believe in any of those superstitions about a ring being cursed. The jewlery wasn't the cause of a failed relationship, and I think if it can be reworn again and make someone else happy - then why not? Plus, pre-owned rings are better for the environment and your wallet.

Check out local pawn shops or online vendors for engagement rings. Look on sites like Kijiji, and Yes Bride to save on overhead costs, etc. The rule of spending '3 months' worth of your salary on a ring is phewy. You should spend what you can afford and choose a ring that you think best suits your mate. You can have her choose the ring, or select a few that she likes for guidance. Or, you can make the choice all on your own and she should love it no matter what because she loves you.

If you're 'popping the question' next month - all the best to you and your future Bride.

*Images from Google Images