The Value of a Wedding Planner

Last Thursday I was at an event when I was talking to Jolyn Saramaga of Nuance Occasions and fully realized the value of a wedding planner. The room we were in had been transformed into a chic and modern cocktail venue and it was Jolyn who drew my attention to how they created the ambiance with something calling lighting gels. Well, I had no idea these gels would create such a dramatic difference in the light and mood of a room, nor would I have thought to use something like this for my own wedding.

Because I generally think in two dimension format I often can get a little confused by the three dimension stuff. I will have amazing stationery at my wedding, but have no idea how to create ambiance in a room, organize tables and seating, keep a flow of events for the evening, etc, etc. I am a details person, and want all these details to be perfect for my guests. The thought of having to research and have knowledge of these items seems overwhelming and exhausting. As Jolyn and I continued to talk we were discussing aisle runners and she told me a story where the aisle runner was not secure to the floor and the bride had a huge train. Jolyn had the expertise and foresight to know the aisle runner would have ended up at the alter with the bride if it wasn't held. She had two of her assistants on each side to secure the runner from moving with the bride. That is impressive!

So saying all of the above, I am convinced that a wedding planner is well worth the money! There are many qualified planners in the city, along with Jolyn, that wold be happy to meet with you to give you an idea of what they can offer!

The Winner is...

Congratulations to Lori, the winner of the russell + hazel wedding planner! I hope this awesome organizer helps her with all the craziness of planning a wedding!

Pinkpolka is Getting Married!

So I'm getting married! It's kinda a weird thing for me and my partner (now Financé), Terence, because we're not really interested in making a big deal about it. Since we've been together 6 years this weekend I thought this would be an appropriate time to share the news.

I'm definitely not your typical bride, and being in the wedding industry makes me a lot more critical of what I would want for a wedding. I was hoping to slip away for a chic Palm Springs wedding, but Terence insisted we have a wedding in Edmonton so all our family and friends could share the day with us. The compromise is a small cocktail party for approximately 75 - 100 guests. We also decided to spend a few weeks in Europe this summer so we aren't going to set the big day until sometime in August 2011.

Now that I am on the other side of the table, I think it will be an interesting journey for me to fully understand what all the couples that come to see me are going through. I think planning this wedding will be a great opportunity for me to get out and meet all the exciting vendors Edmonton has to offer. I'm going to journal  my experiences, stresses, and revelations as I go through this process–and of course, I'll share with you all the best local vendors I come across. We aren't going to start looking for venues until later this spring so I'll post more of the exciting details as they come! Of course, the major requirement for my wedding is the stationery has to be absolutely fabulous!

Charlie's 50th - Sneak Peak

Last night I was at the venue installing the floor graphic and table numbers for this over-the-top vintage football themed 50th birthday. I have to say, Charlie is one lucky guy! The party featured all of my stationery along with a concession stand, balloon goal posts, a photo booth, editable foot ball arrangements and custom bobble heads of the birthday boy! WOW! Renée from getwed planning & design did an awesome job, as usually. Susan from Picture that Photography took professional photos of the event and I'll hopefully be able to share those wonderful photos soon!

Last Chance to Enter Wedding Bells

For their 25th Anniversary Wedding Bells is giving away 5 awesome wedding packages (one of which included yours truly!). The package which included Pinkpolka has already been given away, but there is still one package left and you have until February 15th to enter! Make sure to get your enter in on their website. You can view the prizes here.

Vendor Spotlight :: Get Married in Banff

I'm happy to share with you Get Married in Banff, a fabulous planning company based out of Banff! I first met Angie at Calgary Bridal Fantasy where were we were both exhibiting. Since I met her she has moved from Calgary to the town of Banff to specialize in spectacular Banff weddings! Herself and her partner/husband, Reg, are assisted by a talented team who know Banff inside and out! They are clearly passionate about both weddings and Banff and you can see them glowing in the team photo shoot below! Please visit their website at www.getmarriedinbanff.com to find out more information. All images are courtesy of Julie Williams Photography.

Studio Pictures

Some of my clients get confused when they first come see me, but don't be fooled, we work out of a house! A little over a year ago we moved into a cute semi-bungalow close to Oliver Square and made it the studio for Pinkpolka! I posted some pictures of the house when we moved in, but never did get around to posting some updated shots. I always have interior design projects on the go–whether it's refinishing a vintage sideboard or creating art–the list never seems to end. Saying that, I have to make a point to take more shots of the studio....when I do, I will post more pictures. Enjoy the sneak peek for now!

Last Chance - Enter to Win!

Just one more week until I will chose a winner for the fabulous russell + hazel deluxe wedding planner. Enter to win at: http://www.pinkpolkadesign.com/contest.htm

Creative Table Numbers

There is lots of opportunity to be creative with your reception stationery, especially with table numbers. Think of how you can tie your theme or personality in with these functional tools. Below is an example of how I created table numbers that were designed like a deck of cards–including all 4 suits!