Invitations for Every Budget

As the first piece of communication that your guests receive, your invitations should set the tone and the mood of your wedding. Whether the design is fun and whimsical, elegant or modern, guests should know what kind of wedding to expect as soon as they receive it!

Usually one set includes: 1 invitation card, 1 envelope, 1 reply card, 1 reply card envelope, and often 1 map card.
Budget extra for return postage, calligraphy (if desired), and anything extra you might want to include.
Things that will blow your budget: Custom die cuts, special paper, complicated or special details, traditional hand press, hand written calligraphy

Low - $
DIY Invites from Michaels / Target ($1-$2/Set)
I've had a few friends go this route recently with great success. DIY invites are no longer just boring cream with silver wedding rings. Michaels sells a variety of pre-made invitation sets that are gorgeous and literally a fraction of the price. Catch them when they're on sale and save even more. Usually they include the invitation, envelope, reply card, return envelope, map card and software.

The downsides? You have to have a bit of patience with the printer, however, once you get the hang of it, you'll save a ton of money. Also, others may end up sending similar invitations as yours so consider the tips below.

TIPS for Customizing DIY Invites: - Add a contrasting ribbon or detail to make your invitation more unique.
- Add your own logo and tie it to the ribbon around the card, or print the logo on the card.

Medium - $$
Paper Things This invitation store in Yorkville is run by and benefits the National Ballet of Canada. The designs are quite nice and run for about $3 or more

Paperland - This paper haven allows you to get creative with colours, textures and designs. You can also get your invitations designed and printed for around $2- $6/ Set, depending on how complicated your design is.

Money Saving TIP: Save money by purchasing any additional components and doing the labour yourself. For example, for one invite I had the chiyogami paper cut, but glued them on by hand myself.

The Paper Place - Another paper haven located downtown, you can create endless possibilities with the paper here. They've also got a wide selection of Japanese and imported papers that will make your invitations unique.

High $$$
I will be featuring some higher-end, full service invitation shops soon, so I will write about specific places a bit later. Starting at around $7/set to as high as $30/set, expect to have a professional designer walk you through the entire process from beginning to end. Again, the more specialized and labour intensive the set, the more it will cost.
Of course, your guests will have an amazing first impression and a wonderful keepsake of your wedding.

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!

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).

Question: Classy Bachelorette Party Ideas?

Stephanie asks:
Q: "I have to throw my friend a bachelorette party but she doesn't want to do anything raunchy. Do you have any ideas for a "classy" a bachelorette party?
A: When I got married, I begged my friends not to throw me a bachelorette that involved a drunken night involving male body parts. Just because it's supposedly tradition to hire a stripper, it doesn't mean you have to force yourself to do something that's just not you. Here are some ideas that are more mellow, but still fun.

Cocktails & Beauty Party
Some spas offer private parties, where you can enjoy cocktails or champagne over manicures, pedicures and music. Just be sure someone has taken care of the special events liquor license if needed.

Wine & Cheese
Plan a nice wine and cheese at someone's home or at a nice restaurant or bar. There are lots of great wine bars out there, that would offer the chance to mingle and have fun. Or take the celebration it to a local winery for a change of scenery.

Trip with the Girlfriends
Plan a fun trip somewhere with just your girlfriends. You could go anywhere from exotic to taking a road trip somewhere local, like the cottage or a spa in the country, or a bakery in another city.

"Last Chance" Scavenger
Have the bride come up with a list of the things she's never done that she'd like to do before she gets married. Some ideas: play a sport at midnight, eat a cuisine she's never tried, go horseback riding, stay up to see the sunset, go on a local tourist bus, etc.

Everyone Needs a Little Help!

Planning an event, no matter how big or small, is always a tough challenge. Take weddings, for example. Suddenly the bride and groom are expected to host hundreds of guests, create a cohesive look and feeling of a party, outfit themselves and their attendants, and perform hundreds of small tasks off the "endless to-do list".

I feel for you, and having been there myself, I would love to help out. I'm getting tons of questions all the time about favors, theme colors, centerpieces etc., so I decided to start an "Event Advice & Help" section. Feel free to email me any time with any questions at all! I will try my best to answer them. I'll start off with one shortly.

Flowers for Deep Pink Dresses?

This post is dedicated to my sister in law, who's getting married this November. She's been looking for a colour palette that will fit together with her bridesmaid dress colour of deep pink. Her invitations are deep mauve. Because the wedding is in the midst of fall/winter, I suggest going tone on tone with slight accents of deep brown. Here are some options below: My pick, would be the Mauve/Purple tone on tone bouquet wrapped with a thick satin brown ribbon. Photos (top to bottom- Martha Stewart, Modern Day, Le Bouquetier)