Morgan & Adam Part I

In August I had the pleasure of working with Elizabeth from Elizabeth in Love. I had heard about this awesome and lovely gal many times through the wedding grape wine, and then had the pleasure of meeting her at a friends wedding in June. At that wedding we were able to chat briefly about how excited we were to be working together for Morgan & Adam's big day.

Morgan & Adam got married in the beginning of August on a nice, warm (okay, kind of hot) summer day at one of my favourite venues in the Hamilton Area - the Tamahaac Club. Their theme was vintage romance, and they planned their big day with such detail. Morgan knew exactly how she wanted the venue to look, and it turned out beautifully.

Using baby's breath (the Groom's favourite), roses and hydrangeas, the tables welcomed guests for a dinner that was simply mouth watering. The bridesmaids wore white, and the groomsmen grey. The Bride & Groom had a first look photo session prior to uniting in a Jewish ceremony.

Here are some photos that display just how beautiful their wedding was.

It was so nice to have worked with Beth, and I hope that we'll be able to work together in the near future to capture and execute more weddings that are beautiful.

Next blog post will feature Part II: the details.

What a busy season!

Diane, Owner/Lead Coordinator with Natalie & Jason - June 16/12.

Two more weddings to go and then it looks like we're done with our 2012 wedding season - unless of course we get some last minute bookings for October to December.

In 2010, we were booked solid with Fall weddings, 2011 had a mixture of both Fall & Summer and this year it seems like Spring and Summer were the hot seasons to say "I do."

This season we're honoured to have assisted with the execution of 9 weddings - that's a lot of gigs for this  part-time business. Since June, we've had a wedding almost every second or third weekend, with meetings, consultations and rehearsals slotted in between. Whew!

We can't wait to show you pictures from awesome Photographers we had the chance to work with including Ikonica (Porsha & Will), Elizabeth in Love (Morgan & Adam) and some we still have yet to look forward to working with like Unveil Photography (Brooke & Richard).

Congrats to all the newlyweds from this year, and to the remaining couples; we can't wait to be by your side on your most special day!

"Unveil"ing Alison & Eric's Wedding Day!

JD from Unveil Wedding Photography captured some great shots from Alison & Eric's wedding day! To view more of the stunning pictures, click here. We were so honoured to have been able to assist this wonderful couple.

Here's what Alison had to say to us after her speical day:

I just wanted to say thank-you for the work you did on our wedding day. I have a busy life that didn't include a lot of time for wedding planning and you really helped me get organized and just enjoy the day. When my co-worker, Jason, recommended you I wasn't sure if I needed a coordinator. Looking back, hiring someone to take care of all the details was the best decision I made. I run a large retail store, but handing over the reigns that day was a huge relief. From stressed out family to bad weather, to wine shortages -  you had it all covered. The things that were important to me were impeccably executed, and I appreciated your advice with the other details. It was a pleasure to have you on my team during such a crazy day in my life. You're very talented at what you do and I will recommend you to anyone I know who is planning a wedding. You're a cool lady and I wish you all the best :)

* Photographs from Unveil Wedding Photography

*Testimonial provided by Alison via email

12 to 18 months of Planning

Quite a few Brides are planning their 2012 Summer & Fall weddings now. It takes on average 12 to 18 months to plan a wedding. Think of how many hours you'll have to commit to your grand affair over that time. It's about 250 hours in total - that's 6 straight weeks of devoting your 9-5 schedule on your wedding!

If you are feeling overwhelmed with the idea of planning your wedding, rest assured - there are many options available for ideas and inspirations like blogs, websites, magazine and even television shows. If you think that you might need a professional perspective in planning, we offer Consultation meetings. These are fabulous one hour long meetings that are executed with your needs and requirements in mind. Sourcing vendors, choosing a venue and securing a budget plan is perfect material for a Consult.

Think you need more help that just a chat? Our Full Wedding Planning Package is perfect for the couple that doesn't have time to focus on the planning of their special day, or simply don't want to make major decisions without friendly professional guidance. Full Wedding Planning also includes perks like added value and discounts only offered through working with a certified Planner.

Want to plan on your own, but know that you will want everything brought together as you've envisioned it? No worries - our most popular service is our Day of Coordination Package and it includes 8-10 hours of services on your wedding day, plus rehearsal coordination and an hour long meeting. You do the work before, we do the work day of so that you can be the blushing Bride you've always wanted to be.

Questions? Call or email us, we're always excited to hear from Brides whom are in all stages of their planning process!

Rain on your Parade

They say that rain on a wedding day is good luck.

We say, if you think that it's going to rain, you should be prepared. Spring weddings have a higher chance of rain than Summer or Fall weddings - although, lately, Ontario weather has been so hard to predict. Therefore, we suggest you be prepared and roll with the punches, or storm clouds... the best you can.

Overcast and rainy days can sometimes make for the best wedding pictures! Just ask your Photographer for his/her thoughts. I bet they will agree. They may even be able to show you some examples which will ease your mind if rain should fall.

Outfitting your wedding party (WP) with rain boots and umbrellas is not only a popular trend for Spring weddings, but is also very smart. Match the umbrellas and boots to your wedding colours or personality (plaid, stripes, polka dots).

Be sure to get large umbrellas for two members of your WP to use (golf size) and have a few on hand for your guests. The only time you want your face to get wet is when you shed a few tears of joy - so try to stay dry the best you can. Having rain boots and umbrellas also make for fabulous and unique photos. And, if it doesn't rain, you can always use those items simply as props.

No matter what Mother Nature throws at you on your wedding day, be prepared, have fun, and smile!

*Images found on Google search

Who got hitched this summer?

Summer is the most popular season for weddings, closely followed by the fall.

The sunshine, bright and colourful flowers, later sunsets and a natural 'glow' makes summer time a great season for love.

Which celebrities got hitched

this summer?

Carrie Underwood & Mike Fisher

Calista Flockhart & Harrison Ford

Emily Blunt & John Krasinski

Megan Fox & Brian Austin Green

Penelope Cruz & Javier Bardem

Chelsea Clinton & Marc Mezvinsky

Hilary Duff & Mike Comrie

Anna Paquin & Stephen Moyer

Perfect Picnic

I simply adore this idea of a ‘picnic wedding’. What a perfect idea for a spring or summer wedding – or even for a Bridal Shower or Rehearsal lunch.

Pick a few of your favourite food items (that are packable, and not easily perishable) and put together a delectable ‘basket’ for each of your guests. If you’re working with a caterer, they can put all this together for you using your instructions.

It’s the little touches of this simple idea that make it so perfect – customized labels, colour coordination with ribbon & tissue paper and oh-so-pretty packaging. Adorable!

To see how this was put together visit Project Wedding for details.

Wanting to do something like this for your next event? We'd love to help - we're chalk full of ideas!!

Sunday Summer Wedding

This Sunday, August 15th - The Bride's Butler has the pleasure of providing "Day of Coordination" services for Valentine and her fiance Brian. The couple are having their ceremony and reception at Golf's Steak House & Seafood in Kitchener, Ontario.

We're hoping for fabulous weather so that these two love birds can say their "I do's" outside. Approximately 130 guests will gather to support them - and of course, celebrate with them. We'll be making sure that the facility is set up according to the Bride's instructions - specifically that the flowers are delivered, that the live band is queued up and ready, and that the candy buffet is set up and looking delicious. There are so many fine details to think about when planning and hosting a major event like a wedding. We're so glad that we're able to help Valentine and Brian on their most important day.

We look forward to celebrating with you this Sunday.

* image from theknot.com

Find the "lime" to relax & enjoy the summer....

Bud Light Lime's motto right now is "The Summer State of Mind" - and we recommend that you try to do just that - enjoy the moment, enjoy the summer, and enjoy good food with friends.

If you're heading up to the cottage this long weekend, or going camping, or are about to host a bbq, birthday party, or even a bridal shower, I've got some yummy recipes made easy with the help of Bud Light Lime.

Bud Light Lime Braised Shrimp

Makes 36 pieces

½ cup Olive Oil (Light)

10 cloves Garlic (large, diced)

12 oz. Bud Light Lime

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
36 pieces shrimp (raw, peeled, deveined)
6 limes cut in half
Salt and black pepper to taste
6 oz. Extra Dry Vermouth

In a large skillet, on high heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shrimp, season with cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes and then add the Bud Light Lime and limes. Finish cooking the shrimp, about 5 more minutes or until shrimp are firm and white inside. Add the Vermouth and serve.

Wok Seared Lime & Teriyaki Sea Scallops

Serves; 4

12 large, fresh Sea Scallops
5 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Hot sauce to taste
Teriyaki sauce to taste
Sea salt to taste

1 Red Bell pepper, julienned

½ lb. Sugar snap peas, trimmed and cleaned
½ lb. Bean Sprouts
2 tsp. Lime juice
6 oz. Bud Light Lime

You will need to cook the Scallops in two batches, so the wok does not get crowded.

Heat the wok over high heat; add two tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot add six scallops, a couple dashes of hot sauce and a couple dashes of teriyaki. Sear both sides, about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from wok and repeat cooking process for the next batch of scallops.

Turn heat down to medium, add to the wok one tablespoon of olive oil and red bell peppers, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar snap peas, sprouts, lime juice, Bud light Lime and several generous dashes of teriyaki. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Return all the scallops to the wok, gently toss, season with sea salt to your taste and serve.

When I think of kickin' back in the summer, I can't help but think of "Toes" by the Zac Brown Band.

Cheers to great food, good times and enjoying a "summer state of mind".

* be responsible, don't drink and drive
* recipes courtesy of Edelman PR for Bud Light Lime