weddings
Hmmm…our venue is on fire…isn’t that delightful!
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 | etiquette, media, Q&A, weddings | No Comments
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE CALGARY HERALD, MAY 2005, IN LISA HANSLIP’S COLUMN “I DO, BUT DON’T…”
Q. Our wedding is a few weeks away and our reception venue just had a big fire. Although we had our hearts set on this location, we decided to book another place close by instead of waiting for the repairs to be completed. What is the proper way to inform our guests? Can we just tell everyone at the ceremony?
A. All sorts of things can pop up (or burn down) when planning a wedding. The venue can double book, the church can flood, the photographer can unexpectedly choose another occupation (what do you mean you’ve really always wanted to be a plumber?), or there can be a family emergency requiring a postponement. Whatever the scenario, it is not uncommon for something to instigate either a change of date or a change of venue.
Typically, the appropriate etiquette to handle a change of wedding details is mailing the new details to your guests. Either a hand written note or a simple card – printed to match your invitations – is acceptable.
Had you decided to postpone your wedding the same rules would apply. It is the top priority to inform your guests if there is a major change – such as a change of date or a change of locale. Every wedding usually has at least a few guests coming from out of town – they’ve graciously taken time off work and made travel arrangements. Your local guests may have arranged baby sitters or transportation. Make sure you tell them…post haste!
With so little time before your wedding date I suggest using the telephone. Although your new venue is nearby, it is courteous to let your guests have some warning. A reminder at the ceremony – either printed on the programs or with a verbal announcement – is always a good idea. However, there are inevitably always a few guests that don’t make it to the ceremony (I told you it was left on Main Street), and even more guests that don’t bother reading the programs (Oh, doesn’t she look beautiful, I wonder what I’ll look like on my wedding day…).
So, enlist your family and your bridesmaids to help you man the phones. Then, take a deep breath and relax (having a fire extinguisher at the ready couldn’t hurt either!). Well done finding a new reception venue so quickly – your wedding will be smooth sailing.
Lisa is on top of the world…literally…
Saturday, March 14th, 2009 | travel, trends, weddings | No Comments
I’m currently at the top of Kicking Horse (Golden, BC) preparing for our clients’ wedding later. I refuse to worry about all the snow & wind…it’s still going to be fabulous & a total experience for all of the guests.
The luscious palette of purples and greens will be a gorgeous contrast to the freshly fallen snow. There will be lots of candlelight and lots of pine cones which will be a striking contrast to the dozens and dozens of orchids that will be scattered throughout the space.
All the details from the invitations to the seating chart, place cards, menus and table numbers all match. The table runners are a deep aubergine, the flowers are a mixture of purples and greens, and all the printed materials are green with striking black and white camping symbols…they’re perfect for this couple.
I LOVE that the bride is going to ski down the hill in her princess gown with the photographer taking photos along the way…I can’t wait to see the photos…and will post some of my snapshots as soon as I’m able.
Man of Honour?!?
Monday, February 16th, 2009 | etiquette, media, Q&A, trends, weddings | No Comments
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE CALGARY HERALD, MARCH 2005, IN LISA HANSLIP’S COLUMN “I DO, BUT DON’T…”
The long road from happy engagement to wedded bliss is paved with potential etiquette faux pas. Wedding planner Lisa Hanslip is here to help you resist your inner Bridezilla along the way.
Q: I’m having a very hard time choosing a maid of honour. I have a few girlfriends that I’m fairly close to, but my very best friend is a guy. We’ve known each other since junior high – and he’s seen me through everything. Would it be weird to choose him instead of a maid of honour? Should he just dress like the groomsmen? Will I give my grandmother a heart attack?
A: Unconventional, yes! Unexpected, you bet! Acceptable, absolutely!
You want your honour attendant – whether it is a maid of honour, matron of honour or man of honour – to be the person to whom you feel closest. You should choose your best friend, the person you want standing beside you on your big day – not the friend that would look best in the bridesmaid dress.
If you choose a man to be your honour attendant – you may opt to eliminate some of the “typical” duties like hosting your bridal shower, or helping you get into your wedding gown. But the most important part of the job description is being supportive and serving as the legal witness to your marriage.
Choosing your attendants can often be a difficult process – for the bride and the groom. There may be family politics involved. Or, like some, you may have served as a bridesmaid for a dozen of your friends and family members and feel obligated to ask them to stand up for you in return. Well…don’t.
This is your day – and although it is impossible to accommodate everyone’s wishes – you can’t make your choices based on not wanting to offend someone. You can’t make everyone happy – nor can you make everyone your bridesmaid – so just choose those you are currently closest to. You can always assign tasks – like doing a reading or taking care of the guest book – to those you want to feel special and included in your wedding but aren’t in the bridal party.
When you decide on the attire for your attendants, he can wear a suit or tuxedo and coordinate his tie to the other bridesmaids. This scenario also holds true for the groom. It is also perfectly acceptable to have a woman be the best “man.” A best “woman” looks great in a black strapless gown to coordinate with the other groomsmen.
So, feel free to choose your best guy friend or brother to stand up for you at your wedding. Just keep your “man of honour” away from the lavender chiffon and size 11 purple pumps – and your grandmother’s heart should be just fine!
Style Me Pretty! The Wedding Planner gets listed in the Little Black Book!
Saturday, February 14th, 2009 | media, testimonials, trends, weddings | No Comments
Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book is a highly edited collection of wedding service providers – from mom and pop boutiques to A-Listers. Personally recommended by our closest girlfriends, industry insiders and Style Me Pretty readers, there are a few hand-picked listings per category. Brace yourself, though…it’s that good!
The Wedding Planner is currently one of only 4 wedding planners in all of Canada to make this prestigious list. We’ve long been a fan of Style Me Pretty so we’re happy to hear they’re a fan of us too!
Bridesmaids Dresses….what ever will they wear?
Friday, February 6th, 2009 | etiquette, media, Q&A, weddings | No Comments
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE CALGARY HERALD, MARCH 2005, IN LISA HANSLIP’S COLUMN “I DO, BUT DON’T…”
The long road from happy engagement to wedded bliss is paved with potential etiquette faux pas. Wedding planner Lisa Hanslip is here to help you resist your inner Bridezilla along the way.
Q: I’m having trouble choosing a dress for my 10 bridesmaids. I want them all in the same dress but how do I choose one that will look good on all of them? Do I have to pay for all of them? Do they need to match my wedding gown?
A: Just like most things in life – one size usually doesn’t fit all – and one dress won’t suit all unless your bridesmaids have similar body types. When it comes to your attendants’ attire – uniformity is nice, it’s expected, but absolutely not necessary. In fact, mixing up the styles a bit is practically the norm these days. At the very least, it is nice to set your maid of honour apart by choosing a different dress in the same colour or the same dress in a different colour.
Choosing a bridesmaid dress shouldn’t be looked at as an opportunity for retribution for that frilly sea-foam green number taunting you from the back of your closet. Be nice. These are your friends. Most women are initially thrilled when asked to be a bridesmaid, but if they’ve ever been a bridesmaid before, inside their head they’re groaning (What is she going to make me wear?). Consider choosing a colour and style grouping from one designer and letting your bridesmaids choose which one they feel best suits them. That way, as it will be the same fabric and the same general style, they will look matching , but your best friend won’t be hiding in the corner all evening for fear of falling out of the strapless dress you’ve chosen for her.
The bridesmaid dress should match the formality of your dress – so don’t put them in a sundress if you’re wearing a formal gown with a train – but it is no longer necessary to have your attendant’s dresses emulate your gown. Bridesmaid’s dresses not only used to match the wedding gown – but were identical. The original purpose for a bridesmaid was to confuse the evil spirits. These days, they’re there for moral support and to look pretty walking down the aisle.
It is expected that the bridesmaids will cover the cost of their own attire, however some brides opt to pay, depending on the cost of the dress they’ve chosen, or the financial circumstances of their friends. So, unless you are planning to foot the bill yourself – be kind with both style and price. And, by the way, feel free just to have three or four bridesmaids, not ten – you don’t need all of your guests standing at the front with you!
The Wedding Planner on TV
Friday, January 30th, 2009 | media, weddings | No Comments
Senior event designer Lisa Hanslip will be featured on an upcoming episode of “The Next Take” which airs Tuesday, February 3rd at 7.30pm on Super Channel 4.
With the rash of wedding-related movies out recently, Lisa discussed the ins & outs of planning a wedding.
Crystal & Bronze Tree Centerpieces
Monday, January 12th, 2009 | trends, weddings | No Comments
These crystal trees were a new addition to our inventory last year and we’re still so excited about them. We’ve found so many different ways to use them – and have created such diverse decor space with them – but they’re always GORGEOUS! A few of our clients this year are VERY excited about having them as part of their unique & memorable wedding decor.
Two Strangers & a Wedding
Monday, January 12th, 2009 | media, trends, weddings | No Comments
2008 was a busy year for the staff at The Wedding Planner. Not only did we have a calendar full of our client’s weddings but we planned the Energy 101.5’s Two Strangers and a Wedding which was a social experiment to see if love really is blind. The entire process was a whirlwind from start to finish, with many sleepless nights and fun times had by all.
In the end Monday’s bride did not end up marrying Monday’s groom but it was still a beautiful day even without the “I Do’s”.
Colin Cowie
Friday, December 19th, 2008 | travel, trends, weddings | No Comments
At the recent ABC conference I was one of only 8 people chosen to have lunch with Colin Cowie. The lunch was fantastic, the decor was beautiful…but by far the most exciting was to sit next to Colin and be able to discuss his philosophy for events and life! Colin has done some of the most fabulous events all over the world. He’s done parties and events for Oprah, Jennifer Lopez and a plethora of Middle Eastern royalty.
Colin Cowie Lifestyle – the world’s premier event planning, interior design and lifestyle company, with offices in Los Angeles and New York – is the undisputed leader in its field. Colin’s corporate clients include Audemars Piguet, Davidoff of Geneva, Warner Bros, CBS, The Whitney Museum, Architectural Digest, Kerzner International’s One and Only Hotels, Cosmopolitan Magazine and InStyle Magazine. Colin’s celebrity client list includes Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Mark Anthony, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Jenny McCarthy, Sela Ward, Don Henley, Kelsey Grammer, Kenny G., Lisa Kudrow, Charlie Sheen, Sugar Ray Leonard, Paula Abdul, Barry Bonds, Michael Jordan and Hugh Hefner.
the wedding planner featured in WedLuxe Magazine
Saturday, December 13th, 2008 | media, testimonials, trends, weddings | No Comments
We were excited to see that one of our weddings was featured in the western Canada edition of WedLuxe Magazine. It was a beautiful wedding in Banff…with an equally beautiful bride & groom. There were SO many details to look after with this wedding – every detail from the invitations to the bride & groom’s exit was carefully orchestrated. Their monogram appeared on EVERYTHING…invitations, aisle runner, silk panels in the church, programs, menus, table numbers, signage, gobo projected onto the dance floor, favor cards, tags on the late night snack, and even the matchbooks to light the sparklers for their exit.
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