A custom boarding pass save the date from Sproulliedesigns

When it comes to putting a wedding together at a distance, the lines of communication need to be open at all times. And you need to be as upfront and early as possible with guest-related information as possible. The earlier you can nail down your dates, recommend a hotel and suggest what activities people can plan for, the more likely you’ll get your full guest list ‘on-board.’

Hint: Hotel, flight and a rough idea of the events you’re planning should be made clear to your guests at the 6 month mark, either with the save the date or as a separate package!

Coral, Red, Vintage Gold and Peacock Blue Passport Invitation, Peacock Invitations

Destination weddings to tend to be less formal than their at-home counterparts and there’s no better way to convey your lightness-of-heart and excitement for the big day than through your invitations — your official and easiest way of communicating with your guests. I just love this classic idea of the passport-style invitation, not only does it evoke the sense of travel (obviously) but it shouts ‘lets go have fun’ and also includes LOTS of space for important information, from hotels, to maps, to planned activities to flight numbers and dress codes. The boarding pass save-the-date is also fun, and again, can convey a whole bunch of important information in one {cute} fell swoop.

Another take on the passport invitation from anaderoux

Like every industry, wedding professionals have developed jargon that’s fairly unique and when the term STD started being used frequently, especially when it came to Twitter where brevity is a must, we had a good laugh. I can only imagine a planner asking a cost-conscious bride if she’s considered DIY STDs, only to shock and confuse.

Without further ado, and in light of our ‘you’re engaged, now what?’ theme for this week, a fun Save The Date idea that’s got a little Do It Yourself built in …

Consider getting a custom silhouette created for $10 of the two of you from le papier studio (Etsy). Use the high-resolution JPEG to create your very own save the date with a little text or a sweetly handwritten note on the printed image, even turn it into the front of a homemade postcard. The blend of classic style and modern simplicity of the design will have your friends and family excited for what’s to come at the event itself, and that anticipation is just what you want to create for your favourite people!

Now, when someone asks, have you managed to get your STD taken care of, you can say with a smile, you bet we do and we had so much fun!

What does it take to hire a professional in the wedding industry? We figured it takes one to know one, so we asked Shirley Lo-Cadotte, Event Planner & Coordinator at Double Happiness Events who has hired her fair share (and more) of wedding pros for some incredible events.

The Wedding Co.:What are the three most important things to look for when hiring a wedding professional?

Shirley Lo-Cadotte: I would want a competent, reputable individual who is totally “me-oriented”. For competency, look at their experience, training and recent work.  Ask how many weddings have they been a part of, and where and how have they learned their profession. Ask yourself if you are impressed by their work. To determine reputation, ask for references from recent wedding clients and research them on-line to see what others have to say.  To determine if they are “me-oriented” I would look for good communication, professionalism, enthusiasm about my wedding and an overall sense that our personalities click.

TWC: Who is likely going to be the first professional a couple hires?

SL: The wedding planner of course – to save hours of scouring websites and attending shows to find the perfect venue and the best vendors. They will also help the couple stay on track and not miss any details.  However, a full service wedding planner is sometimes not in the budget and if that’s the case I would select the venue first as most are staffed by knowledgeable event coordinators who know their venues well and would likely be able to recommend vendors that they have had positive experiences with.

TWC: What kind of items should you look for in a contract with a wedding professional?

SL: Make sure all the who’s, what’s, when’s and how’s are covered in any contract you sign.  Specifically, look at hours of coverage that will be provided, product details if they are providing supplies, the name of the particular individual that will be providing the service if you have requested someone specifically; any cancellation policy (if you or the vendor cancels); any no-show policy (if the vendor does not show up); any back-up policy (if vendor is unable to be present due to unforeseen circumstances); and payment details including due dates and extra fees such as over-time and travel.

Shirley Lo-Cadotte

Shirley began her wedding planning career in sunny California three years ago and has since returned to her native  Canadian soil and launched Double Happiness Events in Toronto. With both event and catering management experience, she’s met the gamut of the wedding industry and knows what’s what.

More questions and answers available if you click to continue reading the full post.

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Up, down, long, cropped; wedding hair is as diverse as the gowns available these days, and it can be just about as elaborate, but when you’re going for a certain look, a subtle and modern hairstyle can add a lot of emphasis to both your style and the design of the event without dating your wedding photos.

Five questions with Sassoon’s creative director in Toronto, Lorraine McAndrew

Lorraine McAndrew, Creative Director, Sassoon

We had the opportunity to ask the woman at the helm of the Toronto-based Sassoon, a salon known for sleek, modern cuts, about current hair styles for weddings and get some top notch expert advice.

The Wedding Co.: Can you explain a little about the bob — is it iconic of the Art Deco era? — does it remain timeless?
Lorraine McAndrew: The bob was first worn in the 1920s “flapper” era. Women wore the cut to show their independence and freedom. It was often worn in loose waves or curls e.g.: Louise Brooks. Vidal Sassoon brought it back in 1950s with the straight-hair, textured precision bob. Yes; these classic looks are always timeless and never go out of style.

TWC: We love the modern version of the bob from Sassoon’s latest collection, do Deco-inspired hairstyles appear regularly in your seasonal collections?
LM: Great, classic cuts are the basis of Sassoon’s inspirations and they are creatively reinvented every year.

TWC: What about that style is so universally appealing?
LM: Classic-based styles can be worn either sophisticated or edgy and appeal to all age groups. Lengths can be adjusted to different bone structures.

"Mnemonic" from Sassoon's latest collection of looks

TWC: When it comes to her hair, what should a bride be most concerned about leading up to her wedding ?
LM: I would advise the bride to colour/cut her hair two weeks before the wedding and style it on the day of the wedding. It’s preferable not to do anything drastic on the wedding day unless the client is very confident and comfortable with big change.

TWC: What’s your favourite look for a wedding? (up, down and long, cropped…)
LM: A nice clean short bob which is soft, simple and elegant.

In dire straights over that fabulous style for your wedding day?

Tell us, by commenting on this post, about your ultimate cut and colour for your wedding, and we’ll pick one lucky winner to visit Toronto’s famous Sassoon salon for a cut with Sassoon’s creative director, Lorraine McAndrew, as well as colour with John Beeson, regional colour director. The winner will also have both a cut and colour consultation with Lorraine and John beforehand. This spectacular wedding hair makeover is valued at approximately $350.00.

Comment on this blog post to win, contest closes Monday, December 21 at 11pm, a winner will be selected at random.

It is essential to hire a professional photographer for your wedding, but a guest’s perspective can offer a completely different view of the day and their photographs can often make up an incredible second set of images, telling another version of a wedding day. After all, you can’t have too many great memories!

By Catherine Lash

While many guests have long brought their own cameras, ten years ago it was popular to leave disposable cameras on dinner tables for guests to use and leave behind for the couple to have processed. Unfortunately, those usually ended up being predominantly of friends eating, and it was quite expensive. The one thing it guaranteed though {provided the cameras were left behind}, was that the couple always saw the photos.

Now that we’re living in a digital world, and almost every mobile phone includes a digital camera that does both stills and video, it’s no longer necessary to leave cameras out. Almost everyone has some means of taking a snapshot whether they have a camera or not. In turn, guests’ photographs are also easily uploaded to any photo-sharing software from Flickr to Facebook to share the great moments of the day. One fairly new program is called  Olapic, which was designed specifically for weddings and other shared events.

Now, rather than dealing with processing film, couples need only register at Olapic and upload their guest list. Olapic will then remind guests to bring their cameras to the wedding and then walk them through downloading high resolution images to the couple’s private account. The pictures remain private with the option of sharing via the major photo-sharing programs. This is yet another fabulous technological development that saves time, money AND the environment. Olapic can even print an album for you for that complementary ’second perspective’ to your photographer’s.

An account at Olapic is $99USD.

Olapic discovered via Springwise.

Last weekend at The Gladstone, an historic, boutique hotel on Queen West in Toronto, The Puzzle Room {one of the hotel’s thematically decorated rooms}, became the site for a boudoir marathon.

Ellen Ho, a successful wedding and portrait photographer in Vancouver began shooting boudoir photography almost a year ago when she and Ai Nagasawa, a freelance MAC makeup artist began experimenting with models in a modern boudoir environment. Now, Ho’s boudoir marathons – weekend-long photoshoots of men, women and couples – have become highly popular and while October marked her first Toronto marathon, she’s already planning a return visit.

Considering the increasing popularity of boudoir photography, Ho says she’s always surprised when people don’t understand what it’s really about and she loves to challenge the preconceived notions of vanity and shyness that people have about ‘undressed’ photography and she prefers to suggest that one’s lifestyle and personality can be beautifully exposed during a boudoir session. She loves witnessing when her client’s perspective changes and they go from feeling self-conscious to feeling sexy.

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George, $72US

Beegee Bags, a collection of gorgeously sweet clutches, was founded by Brook Galardi, a self-taught hand-bag designer/sewer who has grown her company from a single DIY project to a successful, national business. The clutches are still sewn primarily by Galardi whose personal description of each bag makes her website feel like you’re reading the pages of someone’s personal design journal, rather than a catalogue.

With prices from just over $50US and a huge array of fabrics for customization, it’s no wonder Galardi’s been busy creating sets for bridesmaids, they’re the perfect thank you for the girls in your life.

Line Up Girls: Black Allium Bridesmaid Clutches, $55US each

Sprung Up Pink, $92US

Out scouring the blogsphere for ideas and projects we think you’ll love, we spotted this little gem at Project Wedding. What a beautiful way to prepare a bridesmaid for your big day, leave nothing to surprise and spark her imagination by sharing your themes and colours… I think it’s particularly perfect for that friend who lives too far away to attend the dress fittings or host a shower, but who is a must have in your wedding party.

DIY Instructions and the downloadable template are courtesy of Project Wedding.

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Andrew Bannecker: The Hummingbird and the Horse

Looking for a spot to register for stuff you’ll really love? Think of CultureLabel as the great giftshop in the sky; it’s a newly launched website where you can shop for the best loot from some of the coolest museums, galleries and other cultural institutions, like Britain’s Royal Parks Foundation, all in one place.

The English-based website is still in Beta but they’re on the right track with a fabulous and growing selection of books, limited edition prints, housewares and garden accessories from the Tate, the V&A and other superior cultural bodies – while most are based in Britain, there are deals in the works to expand the collection.

Montague/Capulet Mugs

The super easy and friendly website not set up as a registry yet – but an email from Simon Cronshaw, CultureLabel’s Director, confirmed that a wishlist function will soon be included where you can create and manage lists – in the meantime, we suggest creating an account and creating your ‘want’ list by adding the individual items my products (your three most recent are always listed on the left of the page), publish your login information on your website, or be sure to get it into the hands of the movers and shakers in your family and Bob’s your uncle (even if he’s not) and that limited edition of The Hummingbird and the Horse is yours!

A wedding is just too important to put off. Plan your perfect day while avoiding economic troubles just requires a little savvy and pre-planning.

Here are eight smart ways to cut down on cost without missing out on the important stuff:

Shorten the guest list. This will cut down on the catering, probably one of the biggest expenses, as well as the cost of invitations and decor. Only spend money that’s in the bank and avoid relying on future gifts and income. Budget realistically to avoid surprises. Hire a wedding planner. Consider the value of a wedding planner’s connections and knowledge. Most offer consultation services as well as planning and day-of support. Prioritise. Be it the flowers, the dress, the band or the location, manipulate your budget to incorporate the most important aspect. Do It Yourself. Take on whatever it is you do best, baking, handwriting invitations, creating personalised favours – not only will the wedding day be more personal, but it will cut down on expenses in the long run. Create a website. Mailing invitations is still ideal but cutting down on the various inserts such as maps and even RSVP cards as well as offering additional information on a website is a great cost saver.
Plan your honeymoon for later. By breaking up the largest expenses into smaller manageable pieces, the overall cost will seem less overwhelming.