testimonials

{ eeek…bridezilla!! }

Friday, September 21st, 2012 | media, Q&A, testimonials | No Comments

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE CALGARY HERALD, JUNE 2005, IN LISA HANSLIP’S COLUMN “I DO, BUT DON’T…”
bridezilla image credit: Alex Eben Meyer (http://www.eben.com)

Q. My best friend is getting married in a few months and I am so happy for her, but in the six months since she got engaged she’s changed into a totally different person. She never wants to discuss anything but the wedding and she’s obsessing about every single detail. Since I announced I’m pregnant she no longer wants me to be her bridesmaid because I won’t look good in the wedding photos. She’s gone completely crazy, is there anything I can do to snap her out of it?

A. Alas, I fear Bridezilla has reared her ugly head:

bridezilla (brId-ZILL-uh) n. A bride-to-be who, while planning her wedding, becomes exceptionally selfish, greedy, and obnoxious.

Bridezillas are a new breed of brides who abuse the idea that weddings are their day to get exactly what they want. They terrorize their bridal party and family members, make greedy demands and break all rules of etiquette. Their sole desire is to be the single most important person on the planet from the time of engagement right up until the last dance at their wedding.

Here are some tell-tale signs that someone you love might be turning into a Bridezilla:

-The bride is incapable of discussing any subject other than her wedding.

-The bride barely eats so she can fit into her dress and then complains that she’s hungry all the time.

-The bride obsessively watches what her bridal party is eating and gasps every time anyone reaches for a cookie.

-The mother-of-the-bride and the maid-of-honour are beginning to feel like medieval footservants.

-The bride chooses couture bridesmaid dresses, even though most of her friends are on a budget. She does not, however, offer to pay.

-When the bride is discussing all the details of her wedding (which she does to every person who crosses her path) you can’t help but picture more “Bride of Frankenstein” than “Princess Bride.”

-The bride is thrilled when her groom is sent away on business (“Finally, he’ll stop interfering in all of my plans…”).

Your friend may have been the sweetest girl you knew before she got engaged, but once a bride falls to the dark side, there’s very little you can do but grin and breathe deeply (slipping the bride a valium couldn’t hurt either). So, take a deep breath and count the days until your friend returns to her normal self. In the meantime…be afraid, be very afraid.

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{ pretty with prose }

Friday, August 17th, 2012 | media, testimonials, trends | No Comments

We just stumbled across some new photos of this lovely wedding we did last year – just in time to wish Jani + Colin a very happy 1st anniversary. Below are some of the “new” photos (taken by the very talented Kristi Sneddon).

 

km-montage

photo credit: Kristi Sneddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo credit: Kristi Sneddon

The Wedding
Taking inspiration from favourite old movies and their love for writing (Jani is a writer and Colin a PhD in English), the couple began to dream of a shabby chic wedding style incorporating their love for the written word. A colour palette of teal and charcoal with pops of pink, red, and yellow set the tone they were looking for, but after finding out that the venue they booked had been turned into a rave club, they had to start fresh. A hotel was chosen for both the ceremony and reception, where they were wed in a beautiful poolside ceremony. A navy aisle runner with a sparkly teal monogram lined by votives in mason jars lead the way to the altar. Both the bride and groom had composed a short piece about their love for each other to incorporate into their vows: “Colin’s note was beautiful—complete poetry. That moment, and the rush of joy walking back down the aisle as a married couple are my favourite memories. There was so much love it was palpable!” says the bride.
 
When it came to planning the reception…things started with the decision to incorporate their personal collection of antique typewriters and as much text as possible. So, the typewriters replaced the traditional guestbook, guests typed notes to the happy couple before finding their seat. A stack of old books was placed on each table, topping a pewter pintuck linen with teal runner. On top of each stack of books was either a vintage-looking candelabra or small arrangement of flowers, with small posies and votives scattered throughout the tables. Custom table numbers were displayed with small vintage typewriters, and a custom seating chart and matching menus finished the look. Pink and yellow paper lanterns added a fun vibe to the space, while the photographer set up a photo booth that kept the guests busy and lined up all night long. The five-tiered cake was decorated to suit the couple’s fashion, featuring lines of poetry iced onto the cake and topped with a feather pen.

(http://weddingsinalberta.com/realweddings.php?articleId=899&image=7)

It was very quirky & unique while still being elegant & inviting. Every element had lots of character…just like the bride & groom!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY xo

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{ jani + colin }

Friday, September 9th, 2011 | testimonials | No Comments

Earlier this week I received one of the most lovely & thoughtful thank you messages…they’re writers so I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less. I loved working with you both…all good things! xo

k-m-thx

Hi Lisa,

Now that we’re back from honeymoon and things have started to settle down a bit, Jani and I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know how much we appreciated everything you’ve done for us this past year…Your knowledge and confidence during the planning sessions and your willingness to listen to whatever ideas we had to incorporate into the ceremony and reception really helped keep everything on an even keel and enabled us to have a truly amazing day, without undue worry or panic. 
As for the day itself.[…] Lisa, we were stunned when we first walked into the banquet room to see how it looked. It’s amazing that you could have created that space the way you did: when we first saw it, Jani said “it’s like she saw everything I wanted in my mind and made it better”. While the services provided by our many vendors were all excellent, we recognize that many of them came with your recommendations and that your co-ordination of all those services is what enabled the vendors to help give us the spectacular day we had dreamed of. 
We naturally hear a lot of talk about how “it’s not about the wedding but about the marriage that follows” but let’s be perfectly honest: the wedding is the first, and sometimes the only, chance families get to really learn to know one another and to carry on a celebration in public and affirm both to the married couple and to each other that they are all together a family and a community. The marriage doesn’t happen in isolation and these people who are so important to us now feel even closer and more invested in our lives because they got to come together and share this spectacular event. 
Lisa, we want to thank you for helping bring our families together and for helping us host an event that will be talked about for the rest of our lives. Our guests bawled all through the ceremony, they bonded during the reception, delighted in the party, and a number of them have made the effort to let us know they thought this the best, or among the best, wedding they ever attended. While we know our charms have a lot to do with this (ha), we also recognize that without your help, the wedding day could not have been as amazing as it was. Once more, thank you.[…]
Yours truly and sincerely, 
Jani and Colin

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{ sasha + pat }

Thursday, September 1st, 2011 | testimonials | No Comments

We received this thank you card from Sasha + Pat today. They had the chic burlap tent wedding in July.

s-c-thx-blog

“Lisa,

Thank you so much for making our wedding so beautiful

♥ Sasha & Pat”

 

You’re so welcome! It was a pleasure working with you…and yay for no tornadoes!
xoLisa.

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{ jen + colum }

Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 | testimonials | No Comments

We received this lovely thank you note from Jennifer + Colum today.

ff-thx

“Dear Lisa,

Colum & I can’t thank you enough for your guidance + patience throughout the entire planning process.

Very Best,

Jen & Colum”

You’re so welcome! It was such a pleasure working with you…all the best! xoLisa.

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Aloha!

Monday, July 11th, 2011 | testimonials | No Comments

We had a large tent wedding about 1/2 hr east of Red Deer on the weekend. We will post photos soon…
Got the following text from the newlyweds as they were sitting on the plane waiting to fly off to Hawaii for their honeymoon:

“Thank you Lisa! Everything turned out so beautiful because of you. Aloha!!”

You’re welcome Sasha & Pat…best wishes! xo

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Peacock Paradise

Monday, July 11th, 2011 | media, testimonials, trends, weddings | No Comments

We’re thrilled to be featured again in Weddings in Alberta.
wiab_rw-peacock
The Proposal
Erin and Devlin first met at a party, ten years ago. Seating was tight and they ended up sitting together. They hit it off, but Erin started to feel a bit under the weather. After he helped her to the bathroom throughout the evening, she knew that Devlin was a keeper. After dating for nearly 8 years, during which time Erin had lost her father, the couple knew it was time to tie the knot but a large, extravagant wedding was the last thing on their minds. Deciding to elope, they booked a trip to Vegas, Erin bought a little white dress at the mall, and they started telling people. Those reactions planted a little seed of doubt in the couple’s minds as to whether or not eloping was the right thing to do. After telling her best friend and seeing a mixture of happy and sad in her reaction, Erin and Devlin realized how important it was to have all their family and friends celebrate with them. They didn’t decide until the last minute possible whether they were going to go through with the wedding—but when they came across the perfect engagement ring at a store in Vegas, everything felt right. When they showed the engagement ring to family when they returned, without a matching wedding band, everyone was excited and relieved. And so, the planning for a wedding to take place two and a half years later began.

The Wedding
Drawn towards modern design and technology while sharing a love for classic architecture, Erin and Devlin knew they needed to have a mix of old and new in their wedding style. After selecting the Hotel Arts as their reception space, they found inspiration in the natural, modern elements the venue shows off. Selecting a peacock-inspired colour palette that prominently featured teal, brown, navy blue, and gold allowed some fun and whimsy to be introduced into their big day. With the help of The Wedding Planner, Inc, the wedding was perfectly designed and coordinated. The ceremony took place in an intimate photography studio, incorporating many personal touches. With a small wedding party consisting of just a best man, maid of honour, and bridesmaid, the couple was happy to share their day with the friends that have known them the longest.

The Wedding Planner, Inc. designed a fabulous reception, using copper pintuck linens, teal table runners, and green napkins to tie into the peacock feather colour scheme. Plus, peacock feathers were added throughout the room, resting at each place setting, added into Erin’s bouquet, and even used as the design for a custom gobo on the dance floor. The finishing touches were candelabras placed on each table, an iced martini bar, a four tiered cake decorated with damask-patterned fondant that matched the linens on the head table, and an elaborate candy buffet, complete with custom labels and glassine bags. The couple served food based on their culinary love, choosing appetizers that represented international flavours they had fallen in love with while traveling abroad, and made sure to serve classic Alberta beef tenderloin as a main course. Plans for a dance-filled reception were made to honour Erin’s Pakistani heritage. When they started their planning, the couple knew that her family really wanted to celebrate and all they could hope for was to uphold the family tradition of a memorable wedding—and although they froze up during their first dance and forgot everything they learned in their dance lessons, the party went on!

The Fashion
After she fell in love with a budget-busting dress and making the tough choice not to spend the money on it, Erin kept looking and looking. She lucked out when she found this sample dress from Pronovias at Mina’s Bridal and loved it. The sweetheart neckline gown featured lace appliqués on the bust and hem, and was perfect for her trash-the-dress session with f8 Photography in the hotel pool to morning after the wedding. She added bright blue heels, a birdcage veil, and a colourful bouquet with a small silver picture frame attached, holding a photo of her father who passed away a few years ago.

http://weddingsinalberta.com/realweddings.php?articleId=689&image=14

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Get the Look: Purple Perfection

Monday, May 2nd, 2011 | media, testimonials, trends, weddings | No Comments

We’re excited to be featured again in the May issue of Weddings in Alberta:

wiab-getthelook

This wedding is also featured on their site with 10 gorgeous images:

Inspired by the royal wedding buzz? Steal this fabulously regal look with help from The Wedding Planner!

For a bride who simply said, “I like purple,” The Wedding Planner put together this stunning reception style. Choosing to use the whole spectrum of the royal hue, shades ranging from pale lilac to deep aubergine create a stunning look with a lot of depth. To start, the tent was draped and chandeliers were hung from the ceiling. The feminine look was anchored with touches of black to add masculinity and modernity: a wide black runner was laid down the centre of each table, chiavari chairs were tied with a black sash, and all the printed goods involved black papers. Three shades of purple table linens were alternated throughout the room, and varying arrangements of purple, blue, and pink flowers were placed on each table. Each vase was wrapped in a different shade of purple ribbon, and alternated between square and round shapes to add texture to the space.

The final details? 12,000 purple and lavender rose petals created a luscious ceremony aisle, half-pomanders in vibrant purple shades were strung from the sides of the ceremony chairs, glamorous candelabras were centered on the head table, and customized M&Ms were gifted to the guests (purple, of course!).

http://weddingsinalberta.com/articles.php?articleId=609&image=11

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exceeding expectations

Friday, March 25th, 2011 | testimonials | No Comments

I just got this lovely email from Sonya + Travis. They are a lovely couple – inside & out – it was a delight working with them both! xo

hwthx

Hello Lisa,
I hope this email finds you happy and well.
I’m in the midst of helping two friends organize their weddings and find myself in constant awe of the spectacular work you did for Travis and me. From the vendors you recommended to budget to the wedding decor, you never led us astray. In fact, more often than not you exceeded our expectations.
When asked if I would recommend a wedding planner, I often tell the croquembouche story. The impossible dream wedding dessert that you somehow made happen. And when it tumbled, Travis and I were able to sit back with our guests and laugh instead of worrying because you were fighting that battle for us.

My husband and I know that you were vital to making not only the wedding but the whole planning process such a wonderful experience. Our wedding was truly the happiest day of our lives – thank you for helping make that dream a reality.

Take care,

Sonya

PS We also owe you a belated thanks for recommending Giovanni. Finally a fashionable solution to Travis’ 14 inch drop. (Though he still LOVES his tux!)

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Double “I Do!” – weddings in Calgary + Tokyo

Friday, September 24th, 2010 | testimonials | No Comments

Dear Lisa
We wanted thank you for making our wedding day so special. It was truly the best day of our lives. We feel so lucky to find you and have you as our wedding planner. Thank you so much for your hard work since January. All of our guests had wonderful experience and that was very important to us. We cannot thank you enough, Lisa! Wish you the best of luck.
Love Kevin + Kyoko

a-l-thx

Kevin + Kyoko live in Los Angeles and had two weddings: 1 in Calgary & 1 in Tokyo. I had the privelege of planning their Calgary wedding. It was such a treat working with them.

All the best you two…Namaste! xoxo

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