My Bridal Shower!

I am truly so blessed to have a sister who loves to throw parties as much as I do. We have probably been planning each others showers almost as much as we have been planning our own weddings! The exciting itinerary included tea, and a "chocolate sommelier" who came in to do a very informative chocolate tasting.
I wish I had more pictures to share, as photos cannot comprehend the beautiful shower she threw. Thanks to my Sister for a beautiful event as always. Also, a big thank you to all those who helped contribute!My sister incorporated gorgeous shades of melon coloured chrysanthemums, succulents, gorgeous white dalias for centerpieces.
She also handcrafted tissue paper blooms in melon shades, using a large 24" white lantern as the form. Guests could choose from a tray of looseleaf tea bags of my favourite teas, and enjoyed them in glass tea cup and saucers. She rented white garden chairs, white linens and her coworker sewed sheer honeydew runners.
A gorgeous spread of the most delicious foods prepared by my sister and my friend Debbie. Highlights included melon coloured petit fours, miniature cupcakes with melon fondant icing (adorned by beautiful handmade sugar flowers (thanks Chris!), green tea shortbread, caramel pots de creme served in miniature ramikens and porcelain spoons, a selection of scones, endive topped with lobster & avocado, mini puff pastries with roasted tomato & basil. Delicious!!

Preston Bailey Favourites

I know it's been forever since i've last posted! I've got about 4.5 weeks until my wedding and i'm in the process of wrapping up all the little details. As I was browsing for some more inspiration, I revisited one of my favourite florists of all time, Preston Bailey's blog. He doesnt write too often but here are some of my favourites:

Tabletop garden!
Totally gorgeous cake stand garden
One of Preston's lucky clients love beeswax candles (which are not exactly practical) so they wrapped glass candle holders with beeswax. How simple yet elegant!

CakeTherapy

Here are some great ideas that Caketherapy, a Toronto based lawyer who trained and does cakes and sweets on the side!

Adorable cake they made for a ballroom themed wedding!!

Gorgeous Designs: LMD Floral Event Interiors

I think i've found another absolute favourite florist, LMD Floral Events Interiors. This over-the-top design firm caters to New York's society weddings creating fantastical floral designs, yet has the (increasingly rare) talent to know when to stop.

Personally i'm not a huge fan of Amaryllis, but they make a great statement in this winter wedding with in complete polish, anchored with nutmeg pillar candles, small silver bowls of pinecones, votives and a velvet trimmed runner.
They've masterfully created the "garden" look inside in a formal dining environment. I would have never thought to use 80's terracotta pedestals like this!

A natural, simple statement of horsetail grass bundled with raffia, woven grass chargers and ginger coloured runners.

Create this look: You could easily achieve the same look by using rolled bamboo mats.

What a gorgeous feast for the eye! I love the shades of green (chartreuse, apple) combined with persimmon, nectar and fig shades.
Create this look: This look can also be accomplished on a more simple level at home by filling bowls with floral foam in your desired shape, and creating arrangements by using anchoring fruit with bamboo picks. (hint: make sure fruit is not overly juicy- pears, apples, and unripe nectarines work best).

For small dinner parties, coloured glass and runners make beautiful and inexpensive accents to any table. Here I love the combination of fresh fuscia roses, date palms and kumquats or clementines. They've also used an old Indian trough.
Create this Look: Use fruits in their original baskets or crates to create a rustic look, but be sure to line it with plastic containers that are available through florist suppliers.

Wedding Etiquette Website: how to avoid ringing cell phones during ceremonies

I just stumbled upon a great blog posted by Washington, DC area event planner, Claudia Lutman. She covers great etiquette questions like "Who will walk you down the aisle". My favourite highlight of her site- how to address the problem of cell phones ringing during ceremonies.

Her Suggestions:
- Print a matching reminder card and attach it to the outside of your ceremony program
- Post a calligraphed sign on an easel at the church entrance reminding guests
- Have an usher or the officiant announce “Guests of the Bride and Groom, the ceremony is about to begin. We ask that you kindly turn off your cell phones at this time.”

She also notes that the cell phone biggest offenders are bridesmaids and groomsmen who may miss the notices, so designate someone to remind family and the bridal party.

Household Shopping Secrets

With just over 2 months to go until our wedding, my fiancé and I have discovered that there is an art to purchasing household items. Here's a bit of what we learned:

Appliances
Appliances are always negotiable- even if you're shopping from big box stores. We also noticed that sales people are so keen on selling protection or warranty plans (probably because they get commission), that they're willing to discount the purchase price.
Also, do your research beforehand and come armed with flyers (especially from competing stores). If you or a family member works for a corporation, check for corporate discounts.

Energy Star Appliances
Even though some items are labelled Energy Star, it's the KWH reading inside the appliance that counts (that's how many kilowatts a year the appliance uses). Refrigerators are usually never Energy Star.

Furniture
Not sure what to take from your old house into the new? Don't fall into the trap of buying all new furniture at once if you can help it. My philosophy is- bring the hand-me-downs with you first, and hold off until you find something you love. Look for ways you can refinish or reupholster old furniture. It definitely saves a bundle!

We also look for damaged or floor models of furniture we loved, and negotiated the price with the stores. For example, we found a great chair at Homesense with scuffs in the wood. We got them to knock off $50, and refinished it with a rag and some shoe polish (works great on dark wood by the way!). We also got a great coffee table (only chipped on the underside) that was a floor model for $200 less.

Mattress Deals
While shopping for a mattress I discovered a great secret that some people may not know about. To get a really good deal, ask for mismatched mattress and box springs. My fiancé and I purchased a $3200 mattress set for less than half the price at our local mattress chain store, with a slight colour variation (which will be covered by linens anyway). Again, go to stores armed with flyers and deals from competitors.

Pantry & Household Items
Manufacturers coupons are always available and make a huge difference! You can find them online or in your local papers. The biggest cost booster is brand loyalty- my philosophy is buy what's on sale.

TV's and Electronics
We found a great deal on TV's at the local Samsung outlet (though i'm sure other outlets for other brand name exists). Most of the tv's there have deep discounts (hundreds of $ off) because their boxes have been damaged. They do have warranties, but I admit this hint is a little risky.

Desserts in a Jar

I love these desserts in a jar I saw on the Gaia Restaurant website! I love the idea of the logo stickers too. How cute would these be for a wedding?

Most Amazing Pastries Spread Ever!

I know it's been a long time since i've last posted, but I promise you, this is a good one. I was recently lent a Japanese magazine filled with the most beautiful pastry spread i've ever seen. They included gorgeous shots of the heavenly pastries from the world's most famous patisseries in Paris, Brussels, etc. (Please excuse the quality of the pics as I took photos, as not to damage the magazine from scanning) Delicious versions of the choux pastry above.

I haven't seen macaroons this way!

Gorgeous variations of eclairs
The beautiful simplicity of Baumkuchen cake ("Queen of cakes")

Pottery Barn Party Ideas

If you're ever stuck for a party idea, visit Pottery Barn's brilliant "Entertain" section on their website. There are tons of helpful ideas like how to create extra seating. Here are some of my favourite ideas:
Wine Tasting Party

I love this "How to throw a clambake" article. I love the idea of each person getting a personal "clambake kit" with lemon, colanders and other tools.

These chalk covered pots are a great twist to the traditional printed place cards.

Catering Trends

With my own wedding menu submission deadline coming up, i've been trying to find new and innovative catering ideas. According to the writers at BFF Bridal.com, the top three trends in catering are: 1. Go Mini, 2. Go Global and 3. Go Organic. You can read more from their article here. In the mean time, i'm leaving you with some of the juciest, freshest food ideas i've seen lately! Simple watermelon cut into rounds with a savoury cheese topping by Abigail Kirsch (above). There are just too many good ideas on Taste Catering's website. Here are some of my favourites below: Taste Catering takes the trend of mini's to a whole new level!Paper cones are just such a quick and easy way to add polish to your presentation. I once created a snackbar by making paper cones and filling them with various easy to make items like spiced popcorn, gummies and chips. Savoury truffles by Abigail Kirsch.
I am so jealous of this bride & groom who had their wedding reception catered by Thomas Keller himself at Per Se! How many people can say they had their reception at a Michelin star restaurant! The bride has chronicled her journey online here. Above- she describes their hors d'oeuvres and advises couples to ask their caterers/venues to set aside hors d'oeuvres, since you will be busy greeting guests. Above- "Cornet of marinated salmon, Gruyere cheese Gougeres, Foie Gras, Roulade of Liberty Valley Peking Duck, and Lemon Arancini"
Above, Per Se's signature "coffee and donuts" a sugar donut with espresso semi-freddo. I love the idea of taking something otherwise ordinary and re-creating the idea with a polished presentation.