Great Bridesmaids Gifts

We love chic bridesmaids gifts, especially when they can be used again and again. Here's two favourites from this week:

Vintage Bling bracelets.  These custom made bracelets are so perfect for a wedding day and can be worn again and again:

Oatmeal Lace Design is my newest favourite Etsy shop. Her clutches are adorable, and you can customize them for your bridesmaids.  They are the pefect size to carry around on a wedding day:

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Green Gift #1 - Sweet Impressions

This week, I'll be doing ten posts of local Christmas gifts to add to your wedding shopping list.  This morning, I'm excited to share with you about Sweet Impressions.

Sweet Impressions is a nut free bakery located at 268 Tache.  Their 50's inspired shop is a wonderful place to start your Christmas shopping.  From hand decorated cookies for stocking stuffers to cupcakes to bring to a holiday party, Sweet Impressions has delicious gifts.  Have them make up a gift basket for you, or have the talented decorators custom-design your Christmas cookies.  If you have a crafty person on your Christmas list, sign them up for cookie decorating classes, and if there is a cook in the family take a look at the vintage-inspired aprons in the store.  Sweet Impressions has enough of a selection to check off several names on your Christmas list while you're in the store!  For more information, check out their website.

Delegating & Day-Of Coordination

Wedding season is here and congratulations to everyone getting married this summer!  The planning, searching, decisions and stress are almost over and soon you'll be celebrating your marriage with friends and family.

Now is a good time to consider how the flow of your wedding day will look.  It might be helpful to make a list with your timeline, the things that need to happen, and who will do those things.  For example, let's say pictures are at 2:00, the ceremony is at 4:00, and dinner is across the city at 6:00.  You're busy all day, enjoying the day.  Repeat that in your head, and make note: do not schedule yourself to pick up the flowers, put out the favours, or direct the linen company.  This is your wedding day, enjoy it.  Beside each time slot, write down what needs to happen at that time.  For example, a corsage needs to go to each Grandma before the ceremony starts.  Then, beside each task write down the person's name that will take care of the task.  So, who will hand out the corsages?  A cousin? A friend?  Write down their name, double-check that they're alright with their task, and then don't think about it again - that's the art of delegating.  Do this with every task on your timeline.  Who will transport the floral arrangements from the church to the reception?  Who will light candles before dinner?  Who will make sure the presentation basket is put in a safe place?  Who will take down the decor at the church when the ceremony is over?  Who will set up your slideshow, find space for extra guests, make sure the videographer has an electrical outlet, be sure the cake is in the right place (and the cake cutting utensils are on the same table), help guests find their seats, decorate the reception, put out the favours and make sure you have a chance to taste your own hors d'oeurve?.  Not you.  You have enough to do on your wedding day (like get married, mingle with guests, dance and celebrate)!

Think of a few people you can delegate tasks to for the wedding day.  Choose responsible people that you trust, and ask them in advance.  If you don't like the idea of having your friends and family working on your wedding day, or there are a lot of logistics to take care of, use a Day-Of Coordinator.  They will take care of everything above and more.

Again, happy wedding to everyone getting married this Summer!  You're almost there!

Eco-Friendly Invites

The National Stationery Show is going on this week, and I've got paper on my mind.  When you're searching for stationery, here's a few terms to watch for:

Recycled content means a percentage of the paper is recycled (this can be as little as 10%, and as high as 100%)
Post-consumer waste is made from paper that has already been used, and has now been made into paper again.
Cotton paper is made from cotton, often from small pieces of cotton leftover in manufacturing.  The paper is usually thicker than regular paper, and very luxurious feeling.
FSC-certified paper comes from sustainable forests, and effort is made to lessen the environmentally impact and plant new trees.

As for printing, just as "recycled content" is often the bare minimum in eco-friendly paper options, "non-toxic" ink is the minimum in printing methods.  Veggie or soy based inks are best.

I have a few favourite paper companies:

Botanical Paperworks is a Winnipeg company that embeds seeds in their paper so when you're done with the paper you can plant it, and it will grow wildflowers!  Their paper is either 100% post-consumer waste or cotton.  The paper looks and feels great, and they also offer favours and gifts including seed packets and journals with plantable covers.

Kate & Birdie is also located in Winnipeg, and sells cards and stationery printed on recycled paper.

Earthly Affair, a US company, sells gorgeous wedding invitations that are made from post-consumer waste paper, or cotton paper.

Any other tips for picking eco-friendly stationery?

Weddings in Winnipeg - Red & Teal Decor

Weddings in Winnipeg has included one of my favourite colour schemes - red and teal - in their latest issue.  Thanks for including one of our designs in the magazine!  This is from a photo shoot we did in Fall, photo by blf Studios:

Earth Day Weddings in Point Form

This is a good day to come out of my non-writing streak and get back into it.  With a Green Fashion Show and a family wedding in the past week, blogging has been about 200th on my priority list.  The good news is that I have lots to blog about over the next couple weeks!

With a Flourish has a niche market in eco-friendly weddings.  We're all about helping clients have a super stylish wedding that also has a low impact on the environment.  Here's a point form list of things you can do to green your wedding:

Dress - Adele Wechsler is Canada's leading eco-friendly gown designer.  Her work is beautiful.  The Cotton Bride carries a few of my favourite dresses in the world, and their collection is handmade in the USA.

Invitations - Look for paper made with Post-Consumer Waste (meaning, made from paper that has already gone through the system).  One of my favourite places for wedding invitations is Botanical Paperworks, which embeds seeds in their paper so guests can plant their invitations and flowers will grow.  Also, consider printing on a flat panel card to minimize waste, or going without an outer envelope.

Flowers - Look for locally grown flowers, or organic flowers.  The Friendly Florist recently provided flowers for an event I coordinated - and every flower used came from Manitoba.  In the middle of April.  We had gerbera's, tulips and daisies, all grown close to home.

Drinks - Organic and Fair Trade wines are popping up at the MLCC and they are really good!  The MLCC currently has them grouped together and when I was in, the staff were really knowledgable about what to try.

Food - Look for caterers that use local ingredients.  Food tastes better in season, and it really reduces your weddings carbon footprint by having the food produced close to home.

Companies are slowly going green, and one of the most influential things you as a bride can do is ask for eco-friendly services.  It lets wedding businesses know that, if they were to provide more eco-friendly services, there would be interested brides to purchase from them.

Happy Earth Day!

Sponsored Weddings in Winnipeg

I'm really excited today.  I've worked four really long days this week, woken up in the night thinking about work, and not seen enough of my really cute son and really cute husband.  So today, I'm off at noon.  If you need me I'll be at the park near my place:)  I'm also designing a promo table for an upcoming event, with a vintage theme (no surprise, I know), which definitely counts as play and not work.

Also, if you are planning a wedding or know someone who is, I have space for one, maybe two more weddings in July, and August is pretty open.  Please spread the word!  Thanks.  Onto todays post...

An article came out in the Winnipeg Free Press on Tuesday, about Lynzie Causton and Kyle Friesen who have an interesting approach to paying for their wedding.  Instead of having a social, cutting down on the size of the guest list, putting off the wedding until they can afford it or even taking out a loan, they are asking vendors to sponsor their wedding.  From what I can see, this means listing vendors on their wedding website, and promoting vendors at the wedding itself.

This isn't a new concept - couples have been having sponsored weddings for a few years now and wedding businesses are divided between thinking it's a brilliant idea and being horrified by the thought of doing a wedding for nothing but a listing on a wedding website.  I have done wedding planning for free, and I do event management for free for organizations that are close to my heart and/or good for my business, but I can't imagine that doing a sponsored wedding has any return on investment at all.

So... I don't know about sponsored weddings.  What do you think?  Are these couples really creative or just tacky?  Would you consider a sponsored wedding? Why or why not?

Vintage & Vogue: A Green Fashion Show

This Fashion Show on April 20th is going to be amazing, featuring the hottest designers in Winnipeg.  Check out the facebook page for more details, and email me for tickets!  More info to come next week!

Wedding Planners & Architects

A friend, also in the wedding industry, compared wedding planners to architects.  She knew someone who designed the perfect kitchen, didn't seek any professional help, hired the builders, and had her kitchen renovated.  Many thousands of dollars later, the kitchen was done.  And while on paper it looked great, in the end the kitchen was not functional, and in fact was annoying to work in.

My friend was comparing hiring an architect to hiring a wedding planner.  If you've never designed a kitchen you don't know exactly what it will be like, and if you've never planned a wedding you don't know exactly how your ideas will translate to the wedding day.  When you're spending $20,000+ on a wedding, why not get a little bit of help to guide you in the right direction?  As wedding planners, like a good architect, our goal is not to take over your big day but help you streamline your priorities, collaborate with you, and put your plan into action.  Well worth the expense, I think!

Happy Tuesday!

Favour Friday - Candles

The best kind of favours are usable.  They are items that the recipient can enjoy, but doesn't need to display in their home.  Candles are a perfect example.  They are simple, usable and neutral.  The candles that With a Flourish carries are locally made beeswax votives, which look really cute with a tag tied onto them with a ribbon.  They are $4 for the candle, and $4.50 with the ribbon and tag.  Weekday delivery is included in Winnipeg.

The photo (not currently working - please view website) is a small gift that shows the candle.  The gift in the photo includes a bamboo washcloth and a bar of soap and would be great for a shower favour, or a small wedding.

Contact us for more details!

King Cole Catering & Domain Community Hall

Yesterday, myself and two other wedding planners went out to Domain.  We were invited  for lunch and a tour of the Domain Community Hall by Vernon Cole of King Cole catering.  If the words "community hall" bring to mind images of a square, unattractive building, you should really check out the Domain Community Hall. The stone and wood exterior are a great first impression for your guests, and the venue includes windows that let in natural light, a patio, and neutral colours inside.

One of many perks of being a wedding planner is the fantastic food that we get to eat (although the food is usually cold by the time I get around to eating it).  King Cole Catering was no exception, and best yet I got to eat while the food was warm:).  We enjoyed a salad with pears and Parmesan cheese, stuffed pork chops and a creme brulee that was delightfully smooth.  It was excellent, and if you are looking for a caterer, King Cole is not exclusive to the Community Hall - they are able to come out to your wedding venue.

You can view the menu and contact King Cole Catering here.

Favour Friday

Our Welcome, Tía gifts are perfect for bridesmaids gifts, out of town wedding guests, thank-you's, etc.  Individually, the items inside the boxes also make wonderful favours.  Today's featured favour is coffee.

The coffee that we carry is from Green Bean Coffee Imports.  It is certified fair-trade and organic, and it tastes great.  Our favour-sized bags hold enough coffee for a couple of pots, and we can even come up with a custom label using your monogram, wedding colours, date or special message on it.  Coffee bags are $4.00 each (50 bags min. order)  and include label design and delivery in Winnipeg.  If you are looking for a creative, personalized favour that will definitely get used by your guests, contact us for more details!

Fort Garry Hotel

A couple of weeks ago, Adrienne and I went to the Fort Garry Hotel for a tour.  I met Mr. Gordon Krebs at an event before Christmas, and he offered to show us the new ballroom at the Hotel.  Of course, I took him up on the invitation.  The Fort Garry is one of few historic wedding venues in Winnipeg, and its beautiful architecture and ornate decor are perfect for a high style event.  I love the tall ceilings, huge chandeliers, and large windows.

The Hotel has recently undergone a renovation, which implements new technology but remains true to the historical feel of the building.  And Ten Spa, which offers luxurious spa treatments is a destination on its own.  Treat yourself to a facial, a massage or a manicure/pedicure leading up to the wedding.

If you are looking for a wedding venue, a spa, or a wedding night getaway (apparently, brunch is delicious as well), consider the Fort Garry Hotel.

Moore Photography

Two years ago, ideas for With a Flourish were just starting.  I was mostly finished a course in wedding planning, my logo and company name were in process, and I was meeting with every industry professional that I could find.

One of those people was Curtis Moore, of Moore Photography, and my meeting with him was a business changer.  First of all, if you know Curtis you know he is very charismatic and has a fun, go-getter personality.  When meeting with people, I often had a list of questions, which the the professionals would answer, and I would go home feeling like I'd had an interview more than a conversation (and sometimes this was true as I had to do interviews as part of my course).  Curtis at one point in our conversation asked "what's the best business advice someone has given you?" which is the first question I got asked that put me in the place of a wedding planner, and not a student.  I was so stunned I don't think I said a thing:)

Anyway, the main thing Curtis taught me, as a soon-to-be wedding planner, was to give back as much as possible.  He suggested ways that in his profession he's able to help others just by, for example, offering to take photos for someone.  Then, he offered to provide the photos for my With a Flourish website.  I was very surprised, and very thrilled.  Of course I took him up on the offer, and the original With a Flourish website had several of his fabulous photos on it.  I don't even know what I would have done without them...but the website probably would have had a lot of blank space:)

Now, I'm happy to say that my website features only weddings that I've planned, and unfortunately I haven't had the pleasure of actually working on a wedding with Curtis yet, so none of the photos on there now are from him.  Someday, right Curtis?  But I remain incredibly grateful to him for helping me start and promote my business with fantastic pictures.

Check out Moore Photography's new website, and seriously, book him to photograph your wedding:)

New Look for Weddings in Winnipeg!

Weddings in Winnipeg, the very popular online resource and print magazine, has a brand new website.  I love the clean design and the large photos.  You can find all your wedding vendors on this site, but the place you should really start is by looking at the wonderful shots taken by blf studios in my photo gallery on the new website!

Wedding Jewelry

This past week, I had the pleasure of meeting Diane, a Silpada jewelry consultant.  She does individual sales and in-home parties selling the jewelry, and I got to have a peek a few days ago.  It is really beautiful, and pieces that would be perfect for brides include freshwater pearl necklaces and bracelets, and sterling silver earrings and rings.  The pieces suit all styles from trendy to timeless, and by hosting a party you could even get your bridal jewelry for free!  This is a really neat thing to consider for bridal showers.  And, Diane herself is very knowledgeable about the jewelry and obviously loves her job!  Here is some information that Diane put together about Silpada:

Whether you want a simple finishing touch of jewellery or an elaborate one for your exquisite wedding gown, classic business attire, or hip every day outfits, Silpada Designs’ jewellery collection will allow your personality to shine. The finest materials are selected for the handcrafted .925 sterling silver and semi-precious stone designs brimming with individuality. Silpada promises the best of everything and provides a 60 day money-back guarantee, a life-time replacement policy, and 475 nickel-free pieces created by designers and artisans from around the world who are paid fair living wages.

My name is Diane DeBattista and I am a Silpada Designs Independent Representative. Please contact me for the link to my Silpada website to enjoy the entire collection which offers endless combinations to create a look all your own that will remain in style forever! There is something for everyone: the bride, groom, bridesmaids, mothers, and even your flower girl for beautiful mementos of your special day that will help all of you look and feel your personal best again and again! I can also provide a copy of the catalogue which features life-size photos.

And with all of your wedding expenses, why not earn your jewellery free? Host a party yourself or a party can be held in your honour by your bridesmaids, friends or family. You invite your friends to add the perfect sparkle to their style and I bring my boutique to you! Deliveries are direct to each customer so this is the easiest party you will ever have! The average hostess earns $375 of free jewellery and can purchase one piece at half-price. However, one mother-of-the-bride recently earned $3,000 of free jewellery (yes, three thousand dollars free) so the possibilities for a “bride’s party” are astounding! You could earn a jewellery wardrobe for yourself for every nuptial event on your calendar and even gifts for your bridal party free!

You may also want to discover a flexible and lucrative business opportunity to help pay for your wedding expenses, honeymoon, down payment for your new home and even more! I will gladly share how Silpada can fit into your life.

To reserve a date to earn free jewellery, make an individual purchase, or find out more about becoming a representative call me today. I would love to see you shine in Silpada!


Diane Laurendeau DeBattista
Silpada Designs Independent Representative & Silver Manager

Phone 204.254.7266
E-mail sterlingdiane@mts.net

The Inn at the Forks

Yesterday, Adrienne and I went for a tour of The Inn at the Forks.  I've been inside once, and I loved the calm decor - stone, wood and earthy colours make it a really warm place.  The staff was incredibly friendly.  Last time I was there, I was setting up wedding cupcakes for Sweet Impressions, which I have done maybe 15-20 times at various venues around the city.  Often, it takes me 8-12 trips to get all the supplies inside, I can't find a banquet manager, and I get told to move my car out of the loading zone and leave the carts for the guests and not to use them to transport cupcakes.

At The Inn at the Forks, however, I was greeted with smiles, sent upstairs where the banquet coordinator met me at the elevator, told me to park in the loading zone and had somebody meet me downstairs to load the cupcakes onto a cart and bring it to the ballroom.  Even though I was only there for 1/2 an hour, it was the most pleasant setup I have done.

So when we got the opportunity to learn more about the Inn, Adrienne and I were excited to go.  Here's what we learned: there are spaces that accommodate from very small weddings to 188 guests.  The decor is easy to work with (no tacky colours to try and hide), and really nice.  There are guest rooms that are perfect for getting ready before the wedding, and include beautiful views of the Forks, Portage & Main, and St. Boniface.  The Inn at the Forks received a 5 Green Key rating, for implementing recycling and composting programs, and having eco-friendly policies.

If you are still looking for a place to hold your wedding, The Inn at the Forks is definitely one to consider.

Welcome, Tía - Gift Bags

Our kraft boxes have not arrived yet, however we do have gift bags in stock. If you need a gift in a hurry, we can gladly put it together within a few days and package it in a bag, like the one shown above. Contact us for more details.

Weddingbells Giveaway!

I can't believe I didn't write about this earier in the week:

The Weddingbells giveaway ends tomorrow!  With a Flourish is giving away five gift baskets to be used for out-of-town wedding guests (although you could use them for whatever you want, of course) to one lucky Weddingbells reader.  There are also some other terrific prizes from photographers, venues, stationery designers, florists, etc.

Please enter your name before tomorrow on the Weddingbells website.

Good luck!

Bridesmaid Dress Dilemma

It's the time of the year when brides and bridesmaids are shopping for their dresses.  Here's a fairly common question that I receive from bridesmaids:


I'm a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding.  She chose the bridesmaid dresses, and mine looks terrible on me.  Can I tell her I don't like it?

 There needs to be a bit of compromise on both sides here.  First off, brides occasionally give bridesmaids a choice of dress styles or colours, as long as all of the bridesmaids’ dresses complement one another.  If this is not an option, the bride should see each of the bridesmaids as they try on her chosen dress.  She may have chosen a dress that is not right for your body type, and hopefully when she sees the dress on you, she’ll reconsider.  If not, there are two options:  If you simply don’t like the dress, buy it and wear it with a smile.  It’s only for a few hours and it will make your friend happy.  However, if you feel very self-conscious in the dress (for example if you have eczema and the dress shows your whole back, or you’re uncomfortable about your weight and the dress is very skimpy), bring your case to the bride. Perhaps you can wear a shawl or alter the dress.   Remember that the bride is your friend and she cares about you – she wants you to feel comfortable and beautiful and will likely hear your concerns.  Likewise, you are her friend and arguing over the bridesmaid dress probably isn't worth the added stress.