Faux Flowers No Longer a Faux Pas!

Years ago, if you had mentioned the use of faux or silk flowers in a wedding, it would have been a massive faux pas (no pun intended). Nowadays, you would be amazed at how realistic and beautiful faux flowers can be, and how many top designers incorporate them into their designs. Although nothing can replace the fragrant smell of fresh flowers, faux flowers can be wonderful to design with. They are easily manipulated and don't wilt like their fresh counterparts. Arguably, they could also be considered eco-friendly!An arrangement I made with faux peonies, roses and parrot tulips.
I've been working on the design of my friend Ada's wedding, and for the ceremony, I have the task of filling a large modern church on a tight budget. One of the stipulations of the contract was that fresh flowers were not to be used on anywhere there is carpet, so I ran to some faux flower suppliers in Mississauga over the weekend. I'll be posting more photos but here's a sneak peak! My living room's a bloom with the flowers for the wedding!
I got these gorgeous plum-lavender hydrangeas and bundled them with sprigs of lavender for the pews... i've got great plans for the pews!

Spring 2010 Shoe Candy

I have to admit i've been waiting to post about shoes for a long time but I haven't seen any delicious shoes that really caught my eye. I can see that the luxury shoe designers have noticed a market for designer wedding shoes that aren't your average traditional white satin shoe. Here are some of my picks for this spring:Valentino Fairy Tale shoes (wow!)
I never get tired of seeing these Valentino D'Orsay shoes. This "half" version is in gold.

I'm sure Christian Louboutin designed these for bridal, as they are cleverly lined with light blue leather.

Ernesta T-Strap Louboutin Shoes

Monolo Blahnik's "Something Blue" shoes.

My favourite of all, these gorgeous studded t-strap shoes from Louboutin.

Chic Bake Sale

Just wanted to share these photos of a bake sale that we had last month to benefit the Nicaragua Missions team, proving that fundraisers can be chic and cute too!
I piped mint green buttercream frosting and made little fondant ladybugs. Above - I cut freehand fondant hearts, and dusted lemon cupcakes with powdered sugar.

Caramel filled chocolate mini cupcakes: I cut rolled pink fondant with Japanese vegetable cutters and put them on a bed of pink buttercream.

Packaging makes a huge difference: have cello bags and boxes handy to package baked goods. People want to be able to take things home easily or give them as gifts. I also made branded labels to make pricing easy and uniform.

Feature Designer: Partina Atelier

It's getting close to wedding season, and most brides are probably looking for their perfect dress, so it's the perfect time share our very first feature designer interview with you! Tina Cho, who cites Christian Dior and Valentino as her inspiration, is the talented designer behind Partina Atelier, who specializes in elegant custom gowns with sophisticated lines and details. Read our inspiring interview below!Q: What advice do you have for brides who are confused about what style of dress to wear?
A: She should wear a dress that best reflects their personality and one that they're physically comfortable in. A bride should also consider the venue, time of day, and size of the wedding.
TIP: Start by trying on different silhouettes and once you find the right one, consider accents and details.

Q: Describe the Partina bride.
A: My brides understand style and want to be unique. My classic-contemporary style often shies from excess but when exceptions are made, the resulting gown is tame with a twist and still extremely elegant.
Q: What are your favourite materials to work with and why?
A: I love silk. Some of my recent favourites are silk faille, chiffon and my all time favourite is taffeta. It's light in hand, has a beautiful subtle luster and can be manipulated in many ways.

On Custom Gowns "There is truly nothing like a dress that's made just for you. You have the chance to make the dress uniquely yours down to the fine details."

Q: If a bride would like a custom dress made by you, how long would the process be?

A: I typically ask for at least 6 months notice because of the 3- 4 fittings required to perfect the style and fit of the dress.

Thanks Tina, for sharing your beautiful designs with us!

Question: Wedding Dress Guide in Toronto

Q: "Where are the best wedding dress shops in Toronto?"
A: I get this question all the time and with wedding season quickly approaching, I thought I should post it on my blog! Of course, there are tons of bridal shops in Toronto. I'm sure there are great ones I have missed, but most of my picks are from visiting these shops a few times and noting service, quality and value. I've also noted the approximate prices i've seen. Feel free to contribute any thoughts.
For the Couture Budget...
Many times I get asked, "Why are there $500 dresses and $5000 dresses?" The answer is in the materials and craftmanship. While a bride could easily blow a whole entire wedding budget's worth on a dress, set your budget and stick with it.

Vera Wang 38 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON (Approx $2500 - $20,000)
If you want to be surrounded by the most professional experienced service and gorgeous gowns, you must go to Vera Wang. The dresses here have clean lines, elegant silhouettes and are fashioned from the most luxurious light fabrics. When I purchased my wedding dress from them, I received nothing but the best service. Though this store doesn't have the selection as other Vera Wang stores I've been to (New York and London), they went out of their way to fly in a dress for me to try on.
White Toronto 19 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto, ON (Approx $2500 - $15,000)
White Toronto is another one of my favourite places. There is a silhouette and dress style for bride looking for a designer dress. Run by a former stylist, the boutique carries a gorgeous selection of Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Lela Rose, Monique Lhuillier, Anne Barge and other high end designers. I also love their selection of accessories and shoes. Of course, with that price tag, you should receive the best service, and they get an A+ for their no-pressure, cheerful yet professional approach.
Ines Di Santo 168 Davenport Road, Toronto, ON (Approx $5000 - $20,000)
If you love ornate, hand-beaded and embroidered ball gowns, this is definitely the store for you. Ines is famous for her trademark luxurious silk duchess gowns (which are also insanely heavy!), and her bridal salon in Yorkville makes you feel like you've walked into an empress's closet. The service is on the cool side, but worth a visit if this is what you're looking for.

Partina Atelier
If you're looking for a custom made gown with couture quality sewing, go to Tina Cho at Partina Atelier. Stay tuned for our very first designer interview with Tina coming up on Celebrate Beautifully!

For Mid-High End Budgets...
Dina Alonzi Bridal 3020 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON (Approx $2000 +)
A long time Toronto bridal shop, Dina Alonzi carries Amsale, Rivini, Badgely Mischka, and Kenneth Pool. Again, the service was on the cool side, but they've got a mid to high end selection that is worth taking a look at.

Pearl Bridal House 76 Lakeshore Rd East, Mississauga, ON (Approx $1500 - $3000)
I first discovered this boutique because I was looking for the Melissa Sweet collection in the GTA. They also carry Amsale, Kenneth Pool, and Christos.

For Lower - Mid Budgets...
Bridal & Beyond 100 Vanderhoof Avenue, Toronto, ON (Approx $800-$2500)
If you're looking for selection, this is the place to go. They also carry a wide range of favours, accessories and bridesmaid dresses. The staff was helpful but at some points we were pulling our own dresses. However, in terms of value, it's definitely worth a visit. They carry Provonias, Alfred Sung, Dessy, and Paloma Blanca.

Superior Bridal 7703 Kennedy Road, Markham, ON
Though i've never been, i've heard good things about this store and its deceptively huge selection. I've also heard from a few friends that they found the dresses they wanted there, and was charged less than they would have at other places. Definitely worth a visit!

Davids Bridal
This is a great shop with many ready to wear bridal shops at an affordable price. They carry the exclusive White by Vera Wang collection which is gorgeous and at a great price point!

Show Love in the Details...

On my second day off this week, I decided to the Celebrate Beautifully email and was completely blown away by the amount of emails, requests and wonderful compliments. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who's reading my blog. I am completely flattered and I promise to try to keep posting! Actually when I first started this blog, the intent was to show the step by step process of planning my own wedding.
Turns out I didn't have the time to do that, so here is one DIY project I did to make up for it!
Project: Seating Card & Response Card Display
To make the seating card display, I made a base out of white foam, and wove together faux grass, leaving space for the Response Card display.

I hot glued cream ranunculus blossoms (a flower echoed in our bouquets) and green leaves to hide the foam base. Then I hot glued each seating card (with their name and table number*) onto bamboo stakes and stuck them in the base.

*hint: Pre-print all the names, but dont write in the table numbers until 1 week prior in case of last minute changes.

Our florist provided this gorgeous manzanita tree and we hung all the response cards of the guests. We printed a banner that said "Thank You for Saying Yes!" for the base of the tree which was nestled in a bed of pink roses. It was a great way to welcome our guests to our wedding!

Color Themes- Deep Purple

This post is dedicated to my dear friend Ada, whose logo I designed above. She's always loved the color purple, and decided on a deep blue-purple. Even though she has already picked her bridesmaid dresses, I thought I would have some fun matching dresses with bouquets.
I love the feminine ruffle on this neckline with this sleek silhouette. I thought I would pair this with a small simple bouquet of snowberries (Dress by JCrew, Bouquet by Martha Stewart). Though this dress has more of a navy tone, I thought this would show how beautifully you can pair a deeper toned dress with a lighter shade bouquet. The bouquet was crafted with vanda orchids, parrot tulips and striped garden roses, tied with a deep purple satin ribbon. (Dress by JCrew, Bouquet from Martha Stewart)

This dress is also more of a navy tone, but I loved the texture of the skirt created by fan shaped ruffles. I also love this fresh bouquet of deep royal purple calla lilies with the exposed stems, which picks up the dark tones of the dress but holds its own with its deeper pink tones. (Dress by Laundry by Shelli Segal, Available through Saks Fifth Avenue, bouquet by Martha Stewart).

Suzanne Perron Gowns

I wanted to feature the beautiful designs of New Orleans designer Suzanne Perron because I was struck by the incredible couture quality and detail that sets her designs apart. The designer once worked for Vera Wang, and has helped dressed celebrities and southern belles alike.

Congrats Christina & Joe!

I know it's been a long time but I wanted to feature the flowers of my sister in law's wedding two weeks ago. The very talented florist from Convallaria Floral Design were behind these lush flowers. Hopefully I can get a photo of the head table to post soon because it was gorgeous!

Tinted large peonies picked up the colour of the bridesmaid dresses (see my post) without being too matchy.

The florist tinted phalaenopsis orchids to create an unusual blush colour, mixed with hydrangeas. The stems were covered by cream ribbon secured with mother of pearl buttons.

I love this fall boutonniere with two acorns and spiky leaves.

Upcoming Trunk Shows

Hi Everyone
I know it's been a while, but just wanted to let you know about two trunk shows coming up. One is at Justina McCaffrey Bridal, who is known for her full silk ballgowns:

TORONTO BOUTIQUE
Saturday & Sunday October 31st & November 1st
10 AM to 5 PM Both Days
114 Cumberland St. Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
T: (416) 928-1334 torontoretail@mccaffreyhautecouture.com

OTTAWA BOUTIQUE
Saturday & Sunday November 14th&15th
10AM to 5PM both days
465 Sussex Dr. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
T: (613) 789-4336 ottawaretail@mccaffreyhautecouture.com

The other is at one of my favourite boutiques, White Toronto, who will be presenting a Rivini Bridal trunk show and personal appearance.