“Gratitude is the heart’s memory”… French Proverb

In a world filled with constant uncertainty, crazy ups and downs, win-somes and lose-somes, there is one constant that will always be there for me and that is gratitude.  I am so grateful for the wonderful people that I have met and have yet to cross paths with on this creative journey that I am on.  2008 has been a year filled with amazing growth, both personally and professionally as well as special gifts that I am eternally grateful for.  May 2009 be filled with bliss, love, laughter and gratitude for your creative journey,  wherever that may lead you.   Happiest New Year!

We just got back from The Prince of Whales Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  What a gorgeous vintage hotel and beautiful venue for a small and intimate wedding, such as Julie and Kevin’s.  Julie wanted black magic roses and black ribbon details to match the gorgeous black sash she had on her wedding dress.  I will post some more pictures as soon as I get them but for now here is some eye candy of the event.  (please excuse some of the pics-my camera was acting up!)  Hope you all enjoyed the holidays!

I am all for creativity when it comes to creating a theme, deciding on a really cool venue, or using some unique touches to personalize your wedding.  Well… this idea certainly takes the cake.  I’ll let the pictures do the talking, but if you would like further information, please visit Events in the Sky. 

A few words directly from their website…
Marriage in the Sky is a marriage celebrated in heaven for couples who want to bring their chapel a little closer to angels on their wedding day by raising it 50 metres up in the air. Marriage in the Sky is a unique event meant for couples who wish to transform an ordinary marriage into a magical moment that will leave them, their witnesses, families and friends with an unforgettable memory.

 

I love Mimosas…   The drink… delish!  The flower… Ah… it feels like Spring already…

Image from Jane Packer (found via frolic)

Well… guess what colour was chosen as the Pantone Colour of the Year for 2009? Here is what they have to say directly from the Pantone site.

CARLSTADT, N.J., Dec. 3, 2008 Pantone, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa, a warm, engaging yellow, as the color of the year for 2009. In a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow.

Soooo…. what do you think?   Is “Mimosa” your choice for Colour of the Year?

I always get so many wonderful compliments about  RFC’s website… So much so, that I thought it would only be fair if I “shared” my awesome contact, Brianna Young, of Mad Hatter Design Company.  She has been instrumental in getting Rainflower Company off the ground, and is my “go-to” girl for all of my million-and-one silly questions and dilemas.  You can’t ”have” her because she’s “mine”, but you may “borrow” her if you have a project you need to complete, website, logo, you name it… She’s your girl.  Here are some valuable insights to consider for your next project from the Mad Hatter herself…

RFC:- Tell us a little bit about the “Mad Hatter”…

MHD:- The Mad Hatter is a little bit crazy, but I think that works in my favor. I’m a mom to a 2-year-old girl (and soon to be another baby girl!). I’m 27, love technology, and love spending time with my family. I’ve worked in all kinds of industries, including elder care and retail. And at one point, I owned a bath and body business where I made my own products.

RFC:- How long have you been in business?

MHD:- I’ve been designing professionally for about 2.5 years.

RFC:- Tell us about the design process, what is involved in designing a website?

MHD:- First I talk with the client via email or phone to find out what they want for their new site. Once I’ve done a bit of research, and have a good idea what the client wants, I start creating images as a preliminary layout. I get my client’s feedback through the entire process, and the direction things go generally depends on what the client wants. I put it all in Dreamweaver and work on the CSS and HTML for the site. Once the client gives me the “ok,” everything goes live on the web! Wordpress sites are a little different, but either way, it’s all about my client.

RFC:- What is your favorite platform to use for the website?

MHD:- I prefer building HTML/CSS sites, using Dreamweaver to guide me. For more dynamic sites and blogs, I like to build custom Wordpress themes.

RFC:- Roughly how long does it take to design one?

MHD:-It truly depends on the site, but I can knock out a 2 or 3 page site in just a few hours.

RFC:- Can you give us a rough idea of how much to budget for a website?

MHD:- Start with about $400 if you want a basic Plain Jane site with no bells and whistles. Make sure that includes some basic SEO. Every designer should take care to use search engine friendly code, keywords, and image alt text. The price will also depend on your designer’s level of experience, what is included (hosting, logo design, etc.) and how many pages you need for your site.

RFC:- Where do you draw your inspiration from?

MHD:- StumbleUpon is one of my biggest sources of inspiration. I’m always coming across gorgeous sites with beautiful images and great code. But even something as simple as a colorful photo can inspire a website’s theme!

RFC:- What 3 items can we always find in your purse?

MHD:-My iPhone, Orbit Maui Melon Mint gum, a stack of my business cards.

RFC:- Favorite quote?

MHD:- “It’s not the piano that makes beautiful music. It’s the person sitting at the piano!” I have no idea where that came from, but I’ve always loved it. Photoshop alone can’t make things pretty!

RFC:- Tell us a little bit about Brianna, the songstress…

MHD:- Oh, I’ve played guitar about 9 years now. I’ve even recorded a few original songs and played a few open mic nights around Tulsa. Maybe one of these days I’ll pursue it further. My music can be heard at www.myspace.com/britulsa

RFC:- Tell us something about you that no one really knows and would be shocked to find out?

MHD:-At one time, I owned and ran 7 different businesses while attending school full time, and being a stay-at-home mom. I’ve cut back quite a bit these days.

RFC:- What project are you most proud of?

MHD:- Actually, my own website! It’s taken me a long time to decide on the face of Mad Hatter Design Co. and I think I’ve finally nailed it. It has spunk, is playful, but still professional - so me.

RFC:- Where do you see your business in 5 years?

MHD:- I see my design services morphing into more of a graphics boutique. I love the custom work I do, and will probably continue doing it on the side, but providing graphics to other designers will allow me more time with my family. That’s the reason I wanted to work from home in the first place!

RFC:- What trends do you see happening in design for 2009?

MHD:- Mobile design is becoming ever-so-important for anyone whose clients are accessing their sites via Blackberry or iPhone, so making sites more accommodating for loading in mobile browsers will be key for the coming year.Accessibility and usability are also becoming more important. These days, if users can’t find what they need on your site quickly and easily (or if they physically aren’t able to do so, and no accommodations have been made), they will leave your site.  There are also some exciting new possibilities opening up for typography and web browsers - this could mean big things for those of us who love fonts! Wouldn’t it be great to display your website in any font you want?

That’s awesome Brianna!  You are a true rockstar and I wouldn’t be anywhere close to here,  if it wasn’t for you!  THANK-YOU SOOO MUCH!  Wanna get in touch with Brianna? Please visit her website, and blog where she shares lots and lots of fabulous webdesign and graphics information!

Ok… so if you don’t know… now you know…

Southern Weddings Daily Blog is now going to be a print magazine.  How exciting!  The magazine will be on shelves as of January 6th and I can’t wait!  You want inspiration… well… you’ve come to the right place!  Have a peek at some of the gorg-e-ous-ness and don’t say I didn’t warn you!

 

Click here for photo credits

                                                                                             

 

Click here for photo credits

RFC:- Tell us a little bit about Moments That Shine?

MTS:- We were created to help people think outside the box when planning.
When getting married, some fall into the wedding trap where everything
has to be like a family member’s nuptials or all their vendors have to
specialize in weddings only. Not the case and we’re here to help!

RFC:- How long have you been in business, and where are you located?

MTS:- Moments That Shine has been fully operational since July of 2006 after
a year of business research and planning. Our office is located in
Whitby, ON but we’re proud to offer services all across the globe! We
also have Event Planning experience in the corporate world reaching
back a few years.

RFC:- What other services do you provide?

MTS:- Besides planning and coordination? Isn’t that enough? Actually, it
isn’t for us. We also offer customers completely custom made
invitations (no two orders are the same!) as well as hand-crafted
jewellery for anyone looking for bling!

RFC:- Tell us what it would be like to have Susan Légaré as our wedding
planner…

MTS:- Details, spreadsheets and stress-free times. If those things interest
you, we’d be the perfect match. From the day the contract is signed,
an extensive spreadsheet is kept with all of your details of the day
so nothing gets lost. As for the stress-free portion, it’s almost like
you have a part-time therapist with me at the helm. If you’re having
troubles with certain aspects (or people!) of your day, I’m only too
happy to get in there and be a voice of reason … in a non-
confrontational way.

RFC:- Where do you get your inspiration from?

MTS:- Too many places to mention! I look at all of the common spots like
Wedding Bells, Martha, Colin Cowie, etc but I honestly have a better
time looking in non-wedding places. Grabbing ideas from everyday life
is the absolute best. I try to get into my clients’ personalities to
find things close to them. Whether it be a favourite nightclub or
rubber ducks, you should showcase what you love! I also love looking
to Australia for new ideas.

RFC:- How many people are part of your team? Do you have assistants that
work with you?

MTS:- I’m an office of one on most days but during events and big invitation
orders, I do have an incredible team of people who work alongside me.
My graphics artist at Deeya Design (www.deeyadesign.ca) is the brains
behind many complex designs as well as all of the company’s marketing
materials. During events, I have three assistants to choose from …
each with their own wonderful assets. I wouldn’t trade them for
anything.

RFC:- What is your favorite wedding theme right now?

MTS:- Fun. Sure, it’s not a typical theme per say but it should be. As much
as I love high style events, masquerades and/or photo booths, if you
and your guests aren’t having fun with it, it’s a waste of a theme.
Make sure you choose something your crowd is going to go crazy over.
This may be a Las Vegas theme with gambling, a Moroccan theme with
bright colours and incredible food or it just may be a stand-up
cocktail evening. Think about what will work for you!

RFC:- What will weddings be like in 2009?

MTS:- Moving forward, unless a lot of the wedding is planned and paid for
already, the biggest trend in event for 2009 & 2010 is the ‘scale
back’. Because of the economy, people simply aren’t able to splurge as
much as before. This means using the resources around you (maybe
someone’s backyard as your venue or your aunt to bake the cake),
making the guest list smaller and truly prioritizing on what you’ll be
spending on. I also think you’ll be seeing the continuing trend of
weekday weddings and/or evening cocktails as the reception.

RFC:- Favorite song for the first dance?

MTS:- I’m a self-proclaimed music snob. There are a few first dance songs
I’m sick of but I won’t say what they are because I believe everyone
has their own taste and I respect that. Without choosing my favourite
song as a first dance (because no one would know it), the best ones
are the ones where I see the emotion in the couples’ faces as soon as
the first note is played.

RFC:- Tell us about any mix-ups or things gone wrong at a wedding…

MTS:- I’ve had things from cakes shifting in transit to photographers not
doing their job. Everything is fixable though! That’s one of the
biggest reasons why you need to hire me for at least your day-of. That
way you won’t know about any problems … they will be taken care of
before you know it.

RFC:- What 3 items would we always find in your purse?

MTS:- At an event or in my every-day life?
At an event I don’t carry a purse but I have a heavy-duty emergency
kit. The three things in there I can’t live without are my Tide-To-Go
pen, my scissors and safety pins.
On a daily basis, that changes a bit. You won’t see me without my
iPhone, mints and Kleenex (all three also brought to events!).

RFC:- Favorite Movie?

MTS:- The Philadelphia Story. James Stewart, Katharine Hepburn and Cary
Grant. I could watch it 24/7.

RFC:- Business Mantra?

MTS:- Excellent customer service is the single most important part of your
experience with me. I make it a habit to save customers time, money
and stress.

RFC:- Tell us something most people don’t know about you, and would be
shocked to find out?

MTS:- Hmmm. Probably that I packed up everything from my home in B.C., flew
to Toronto and moved in with my husband after only four months of
knowing him.

RFC:- Where do you see your business in 5 years?

MTS:- I know we’ll be a premiere event planning company in the GTA (already
there!) but in the next five years, I would like that to spread across
Canada!

RFC:- Best part of your job?

MTS:- Seeing people truly touched.

RFC:- How do you think the wedding industry has changed since you’ve started?

MTS:- People are catching on that they don’t have to have cookie cutter
weddings and I couldn’t be happier!

RFC:- Finish this sentence… “No matter how much you paid me, I would
never….”

MTS:- Never say never. It will come back to bite you.

RFC:- Favorite Quote?

MTS:- “Every night I hang my head outside into the stars … it’s a wonder I
can even talk at all.” - Jim Cuddy

Thanks so much Susan!  Love the quote and of course the shoes too by the way! *Wink*
If you would like to get in contact with Susan of Moments That Shine, you can do so by phone @ 905.493.0909 (office) or 905.410.7580 (mobile). By email, and of course please visit her website and fantastic blog where you can get some amazing fresh-off-the-press wedding inspiration and insights.

 

Custom cake designer Allyson Meredith & pastry chef Sarah Bell have collaborated to form Bobbette & Belle, a fresh and exciting take on the Parisian classic Macaron.

What is a macaron, you ask? Well, here is the detailed description directly from their site…

The macaron was first born in Italy centuries ago, but it is now an exquisite Parisian specialty. The macaron is simple in nature, made only from finely ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. Its distinctive feature lies in its almond flavour and round shape. When bitten into, its delicate but crunchy outer shell gives way to a soft almond meringue on the inside. For a heavenly experience, two macaron halves are stuck together and filled with a rich chocolate ganache, or flavoured butter cream.

 

These would make the perfect party favour for your wedding or any event really… Watch out for them to be huge for 2009!  Aren’t they gorgeous!?!  Look at the colours and the packaging! Too cute! 

 

 

 

 

 

RFC:- Tell us a little bit about Vivian’s Decorations and Design and what you do?

VDD:- Actually, I started out doing coordination, but then my creative side couldn’t be held back any longer, so it evolved into Vivian’s Decorations & Designs. I wanted to help brides who don’t necessarily have a kazillion dollars, but still want their wedding to be pretty, but not overdone. I do this because I like to do! One of my brides described me as…”She is a little bit more casual than most vendors, but we enjoyed it and made it feel like we were talking to a peer who was looking our for our best interests instead of a vendor who wanted us to sign a contract”. She described my style to a tee. I LOVED that!

RFC:- How long have you been in business, and where are you located?

VDD:- I started my business in 2005 with my older sister’s wedding. I don’t have a showroom yet, but I’m located in Mississauga, Ont.

RFC:- What other services do you provide?

VDD:- I do decor - head tables, cake tables, backdrops etc. I also provide linens, chair covers, centrepieces etc

RFC:- How many people are part of your team? Do you have assistants that work with you?

VDD:- I work with my lovely sisters! They have been a great help and my business wouldn’t be where it is without them. i heart them!

RFC:- What is your favorite wedding theme right now?

VDD:- I love to see damask at weddings. I think that’s it’s so elegant.

RFC:- Give us some of your ideas of wedding trends that will be hot for 2009?

VDD:- A lot of my brides are booking packages with shades of purple - aubergine & plum and shades of teal, turquoise and aqua. Chocolate is still popular as well.

RFC:- Tell us about any mixups or things gone wrong at a wedding…

VDD:- I’ve been fortunate to not have any serious mixups, but I once had a bride who canceled on me twice. They hired me, then said they weren’t getting married, then they were then they weren’t. all i got was an email that said ” we’re not getting married anymore. thanks”

RFC:- What 3 items would we always find in your purse?

VDD:- My blackberry, my lip gloss & chapstick

 

RFC:- Favorite Movie?

VDD:- What dreams may come

RFC:- Business Mantra?

VDD:- Simple, straight forward and with a smile.

RFC:- Tell us what you love the most about the wedding industry?

VDD:- I love the brides who really appreciate what we do. The ones who take the time and say “thank you, you made my experience and my day”

RFC:- Tell us something most people don’t know about you, and would be shocked to find out?

VDD:- ah…well…there’s so many things…LOL

RFC:- Where do you see your business in 5 years?

VDD:- I see it in a showroom doing weddings and corporate events.

Finish this sentence… “No matter how much you paid me, I would never….”

VDD:- “….sell my soul to the devil”

RFC:- Favorite Quote?

VDD:- “God doesn’t do things for fun” - My mom

RFC:- What can we look forward to seeing from you in ‘09?

VDD:- Luxury Brown - upscale decor for the everyday bride! I wanted to bring a little bit of glam for the brides who want it, but don’t have the budget to go crazy with it.It will be all about beautiful fabrics - satins, taffetas, chiffons - feathers, “diamonds” and more!

 

Thanks so much Vivian!  We’re soo excited to see the new Luxury Brown Collection! To get in touch with Vivian to discuss decor ideas for your wedding, you may contact her by phone in the Greater Toronto area @ 416 315 0584 and Chicagoland - 1 866 518 8463.  Also, please visit Vivian’s website,  www.vdecordesigns.com or by email, v.decordesign@gmail.com.