Monday, July 30, 2012

Monday's Montage: Burlap and Bling

This idea is perfect for the shabby chic bride, and can absolutely be done on a budget!

Create a warm, cozy atmosphere with a glamorous side using a whitewashed color palette and burlap accents. Vintage mismatched candlesticks could be thrifted and painted in an antique white to create a sea of white candlelight. 

For the romantic centerpieces, what is more simple, budget friendly, and beautiful than a unique baby's breath arrangement? Mirrors on the wall accentuate the shimmer and sparkle of the candles and add a pretty, antique feel to the setting. 

Touches of bling and diamonds on the table really step this look up a notch. Gem encrusted tea light holders or diamonds just sprinkled on the table add enough to this beautiful style. 

Like the cake? If you don't want to bother mom with the big task, Jill Shumka from The Uncommon Cake can create that rustic "home made" look for you with the most delicious flavours.








By Jayleen Deelman, Associate Planner with DreamGroup Productions


Jayleen Deelman has been with DreamGroup since 2010 and has made her way from our Star Wedding Coordinator to a Dedicated Associate Planner. Jayleen is upbeat, good natured, and always smiling. She is attentive and with her passion for everything weddings she is key in carrying out a fluid and enjoyable wedding day experience. Clients adore her sweet disposition and her desire to make their wedding a memory they will never forget.


We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!


Friday, July 27, 2012

Friday's Fabulous Find is sending you smiles!


When I walk into a well designed florist shop, with all the beautiful colors, tropical and non-tropical flowers filling the quaint Vancouver flower shops, all I can do is smile.  It helps me to stop and "smell the roses". My latest experience with a local florist, Celsia, in the heart of Kitsilano was an exciting one, so I just had to share it with you:



If you have not yet visited this beautiful Florist shop that is tucked away on 1930 Arbutus Street, just off of 4th Ave, you need to hop in and say hello.  Although all the designers at Celsia are truly amazing, I had the privilege of having my dealings with Chelsea.  She will blow you away with her creative designs.  She is quick on her feet to guide your ideas into a direction that will make them into reality very quickly.  Don't take my word for it...take a look!






Whether it's decor or a bridal bouquet you are looking for Celsia Florist would love to be a part of your day! If your reason is

 Wedding, Events or Just Because!

Celsia Florist can take care of it for you.



3 Things to keep in Mind when choosing a Bridal Bouquet with budget in mind:

  • Ask yourself are the flowers that I want in season?  If not, ask the florist what type of florals they recommend that ARE in season, or what alternative flowers would have a very similar look to what you desire.

  • Don't use expensive florals as fillers within the bouquet, especially amongst large blooms.  A lot of the time, you can't even see the fillers.  And sometimes you can have some of your fillers be greenery which will be less costly.  

  • Don't try to make a bridal bouquet yourself unless you are a florist.  Some brides think, "I can do it on my own".  When florists buy their flowers, they bring them to their shop and go through quite the process to care for them.  Ensure the florist you are using is conditioning their flowers to ensure longevity and quality. 


We always love hearing from you so let us know what you think of the blog on DreamGroup's Facebook Page!




By Sandy Pandher, Associate Planner with DreamGroup Productions


With her "hands on" energetic approach to planning, Sandy offers a perfect balance between assertiveness and calmness -- two qualities instrumental in qualifying oneself as a great planner. This smart, savvy and dedicated planner's passion is in building relationships and connecting with each of her clients so that their wedding day can truly reflect who they are as a couple and what their love story symbolizes. Sandy is best suited to the busy Urban couple looking for a knowledgeable and intuitive planner to help bring their wedding vision to life.


We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!










Thursday, July 26, 2012

Last Chance to Enter July's Monthly Contest

Want to be DreamGroup's next Giveaway winner?


This July
be the lucky winner of a $200 Reviva Laser Skin Clinic voucher courtesy of Reviva Laser Skin Clinic!  (Value $200.00)
 
PLUS!!  Reviva is offering DreamGroup Blog readers an exclusive offer and there are only a few days left to take advantage of it. 
 
 
Wouldn't you love to feel like this?  



Check out the bottom of this post for contest details.  


Revivia is offering DreamGroup Blog readers an exclusive offer! (valid during the month of July 2012)
 
  • Bridal parties can save up to 10% off Botox, fillers and laser treatments (Quote DreamGroup blog exclusive offer)  
  • To make sure the bridal parties feels and looks good on the big day, Reviva will be offering bridal parties including the bride, bridesmaids, groom, groomsmen, family members and close friends 10% off any one procedure and 15% off  three Reviva's procedures when they book as a group. (Quote DreamGruop blog exclusive offer; Not valid on other offers). For more information or to book your services call 604.233.0878.

To check out all of Reviva's services...visit their website or Follow them on Facebook or Twitter: @revivamd_bc

Or better yet, go and check out their clinic at
8220 Lansdowne Road, Suite 150B, Richmond

------------------------------------------------

CONTEST DETAILS

  WIN a $200 Reviva Laser Skin Clinic voucher courtesy of Reviva Laser Skin Clinic!
  • One lucky winner will receive a $200 Reviva Laser Skin Clinic voucher. This voucher is redeemable for treatment & services on Microdermabrasion/ Acne/Botox/ Fillers/ related laser skin treatment required.

The offer includes:

  • Botox : eliminates wrinkle, remove the look of a furrowed brow and forehead lines, as well as relax smile lines around your eyes.  It is recommended that to have this Botox injected 2 weeks before your wedding can help you look totally relaxed for your wedding and photos.  Botox may also be used to alleviate sweating. Excessive perspiration on your wedding day can happen and leave unsightly marks on your wedding gown or the groom’s suit.  A quick painless injection will help couple get through their vows without worrying about sweating.
  • Fillers: softens the fine lines and adds volume to the lips.The filler is injected into the unwanted lines to smooth away the look of wrinkles and is also injected into lips to create plumping affect. This treatment lasts for several months. A good timeline for fillers is 8 to 3 weeks before the big day. 
  • Other Laser Treatment: Hair Removal, Laser Facelift, Acne Injection/ Extraction,  Fractional Resurface, Jasmine Skin Rejuvenation and more
     
Value of this prize is $200.00 CAD.  


CONTEST RULES
 
  • Winner must live in the Vancouver Lower Mainland
  •  
  • This Contest ends Tuesday, July  31st, 2012 at midnight PST.  Winner will be drawn randomly and announced on the DreamGroup Blog, Facebook and Twitter on August 1st.  The winner must contact DreamGroup within 72 hours to claim their prize.
  • The winner is responsible for picking up their prize
  • This prize cannot be substituted by the winner or redeemed for cash.

HOW TO ENTER


To Enter: Simply 'like' DreamGroup on Facebook and tweet the phrase below...


"I entered
@DreamGroup's Giveaway for a $200GC to pamper myself at @revivamd_bc "

Good Luck!

-----------------------------------------

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Ask a Planner... "Let Me Entertain You!"


Hi Geneve!

Can you recommend some fun activities to entertain our wedding guests?

Many thanks!!!
Denise Summers


Hello Denise,

I'd love to!  Many people simply rely on the DJ and Bar to be the entertainment or in recent years incorporate interactive elements like Photo booths and Candy Stations into the mix.  With couples wanting more and more these days to have their wedding be a true reflection of them and leave guests with memories of a really fun and personalized night they are getting creative and coming up with even more interactive and fun ways to keep guests occupied and entertained.  Some of the most successful and popular ones I’ve seen:

CARD/BOARD GAMES: Setting up a Lounge area or simply some cocktail tables with some stacks of retro board games including ones like Twister (that’s a fun one once a few drinks have been ingested), Chess, Life (kind of poignant on a wedding night), Jenga, Darts (suggest the magnetic ones over the actual darts for safety purposes) & Yahtzee are a fun way to encourage some post dinner merriment!  You would be surprised how much fun people have with these since they are not typically played in the home as much as they used to be.  Rather nostalgic actually!

GARDEN GAMES: This works best if your venue includes an outdoor grassy area… Put out games including Horse Shoes, Bocce, Croquet, and if the space allows for it even a Volleyball Net!  Think about the type of guests you have coming… what would they LOVE to see?!

LATE NIGHT INTERACTIVE SNACK STATIONS: From Sundae Stations to Assorted Cookies & Milk (think Oreos & Chocolate Chip Cookies), Candy Stations (this one’s not a new idea, but still fun none the less), Make your own Mini Pizza Stations and my personal Favourite Gourmet Grilled Cheese Station with 2-3 cheese and bread options for mixing and matching (I’ve seen it done with a Chef manning the grill and also a couple small grills left for guests to self operate – both a ton of fun!). 

SCRAP BOOKING/GUEST BOOK STATION: Set up a table with various supplies like glue, scissors, interesting pens, magazines (to cut and paste from), coloured markers, stickers, etc.  Post signage asking guests to get creative and contribute to this Interactive Guest Book Mural for the Bride & Groom.  In the end you end up with a fabulous board of images, thoughts, quotes, & cutouts that tells their story.  I’ve only seen this done once and it was awesome!  

At the end of the night they had an incredible board with pictures of Ferraris (groom had a passion for them!) and Horses (she grew up competing), photos of landmarks around Europe (the couple met on a European backpacking trip), pictures of delicious food (they were huge foodies), and some of the nicest messages and bits of advice from their guests I’ve ever read!  You could also include a Polaroid Camera and guests can add photos of themselves to the Mural. Lots of possibilities!

HIRED ENTERTAINMENT: If budget allows you could always hire entertainment.  My favorites include Slight of Hand Illusionists that mingle with the crowd and continually blow their minds with a variety of fabulous trickery leaving guests laughing out loud in amazement and totally baffled. 

Another one that I personally started incorporating into some of my weddings as of late are hired actors paid to “blend in” with your guests and interact with them in unexpected ways.  The best one we do is “The Drunk Server” who spent the night shocking guests by doing everything a professional server should not from eating the canapés right off the serving trays to sipping excessively full glasses of wine before handing them to the guests, to complaining about his boss/girlfriend, to returning from the washroom with his fly down and toilet paper hanging from his shoe, and even sitting down with guests at varying points to enjoy a swig of “something” from his own hidden flask or a shooter.  It was quite the conversation starter! 

After about two hours of this performance the catering company (who so generously played along as it could be the quickest way to ruin a caterer’s reputation – haha!) dramatically “fired” the waiter on the spot!  A couple minutes later the band shared the secret with all the guests and introduced our Hired Drunk Waiter and the crowd broke out into tremendous applause!  It was awesome. The only people privy to the set up was the bride and groom and a couple VIP guests that had to be told for fear that they would throw the waiter out before the gig could be revealed! LOL

Wedding Planner signing off!  Until next week… keep those questions coming in!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

Cheerio,
Genève

Click here to See Inside the Book


Genève McNally, Principal Planner, DreamGroup Productions

Genève first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues, Brock House Restaurant.  In 2004 Genève and college friend Sarah Shore ambitiously started up what is now one of Vancouver's longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, DreamGroup Productions Inc.

These days, in addition to working with her clients in a full planning capacity, Genève focuses her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike with her exuberant personality and joie de vivre!  Her ability to be refreshingly candid and her in depth knowledge of the wedding industry have earned her the friendly moniker “Two-Cents McNally”.  Genève also teaches the Wedding Planning classes offered through the dg Academy and is the chief correspondent behind DreamGroup's weekly Blog feature Ask a Planner.


Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list! 
We promise to inspire, inform and indulge!




Monday, July 23, 2012

Monday's Montage: Country Garlands

Thank goodness for our great weather that has finally turned up! If your wedding is going to be outdoors, you must enjoy the fresh air and natures simplicities. Here are fun, whimsical ways to add a touch of decor by incorporating garlands. It's a different way to spice up your ceremony altar, dessert table and outdoor reception. Take a look at a few of my favorite, dreamy ways to add a touch of garland to your wedding day!










By Jayleen Deelman, Associate Planner with DreamGroup Productions


Jayleen Deelman has been with DreamGroup since 2010 and has made her way from our Star Wedding Coordinator to a Dedicated Associate Planner. Jayleen is upbeat, good natured, and always smiling. She is attentive and with her passion for everything weddings she is key in carrying out a fluid and enjoyable wedding day experience. Clients adore her sweet disposition and her desire to make their wedding a memory they will never forget.


We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

Friday, July 20, 2012

Friday's Fabulous Finds You a Great Solution!

Brides and Bridesmaids...

Put on your Party Shoes!

Don't leave your beautiful wedding shoes to the side just because they might ruin if you wear them on the grass or gravel...


I understand with BC weather, it's hard to determine if the grounds will be dry on the day of your wedding, well fear not because there is a solution to this problem!  You can still rock it down the aisle in your Manolo Blahniks or Louboutins!...

Heel Protectors also known as Heel Huggers

Every bride in BC needs to own a few pairs of Heel Protectors also known as Heel Huggers.  They keep your heels from digging into the grass so you can walk down the aisle with confidence!


I recently had a Bride who had a beautiful pair of Manolo Blahnik's to wear for her outdoor Wedding, but as the grounds were wet outside and still thinking of having an outdoor wedding, she was worried about her gorgeous shoes being ruined...Well, thank goodness we knew about Heel Huggers!

The heel protectors come in different colours with clear and black being the most popular colours. 
Just think...no more heels digging into the grass, slipping on the dance floor, getting caught on the deck and no more worrying about losing your balance on loose gravel.


The 2 websites I recommend for purchasing these very helpful heel huggers are:


DG Advice:

Have the heel protectors available for those guests wearing heels in a basket by the guestbook sign in table

(they come in 3 different sizes: classic, narrow and wide for all heel types)

And be sure to give a pair to each one of your girls in your Wedding Party, they will Thank You!


By Sandy Pandher, Associate Planner with DreamGroup Productions


With her "hands on" energetic approach to planning, Sandy offers a perfect balance between assertiveness and calmness -- two qualities instrumental in qualifying oneself as a great planner. This smart, savvy and dedicated planner's passion is in building relationships and connecting with each of her clients so that their wedding day can truly reflect who they are as a couple and what their love story symbolizes. Sandy is best suited to the busy Urban couple looking for a knowledgeable and intuitive planner to help bring their wedding vision to life.


We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Ask a Planner... "Eco Friendly Weddings"

Hi DreamGroup!

Do you have some suggestions for ways to host an eco-friendly wedding? 

Thanks,
Karly (soon to be Mrs. Reeves) - ;)


Hello Karly,

Thanks for bringing up a great ongoing point of interest these days!  I actually wrote an article about this exact topic a few months back so thought I'd share it again with our readers... It outlines some easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint (big and small) and even some inspiring resources to learn more.


Sustainable Weddings…A Convenient Truth

~ by Genève McNally

The idea of hosting a sustainable wedding has become quite the hot topic over recent years due to an increase in the concern for the effect global warming is having on our planet.  The realization that a wedding, although significant and deserving, is adding to the problem because of the high consumption of goods and polluting it brings with it, couples are choosing to make their weddings more environmentally friendly by incorporating several Eco-conscious elements into their wedding day.   Incorporating sustainability into one's wedding makes sense considering the amount of time we spend on the road in our cars attending to wedding details pre and post event, the travel emissions expended through guest travel and honeymoon voyages, and finally, the endless hours spent on our computers researching wedding options and printing all the necessary documents needed in carrying out a successful wedding.  There are many ways to do your part in making your wedding more sustainable, here are just a few:

Vendor Selection:
A great way to help make your wedding low-carbon is reducing the gas emissions released into the environment by choosing to work with vendors that operate close to your place of residence or at the very least close to the venue at which your wedding is to take place.  You will likely need to visit your vendors and venues several times leading up to the wedding and opting to work with ones close to home will limit the amount of time spent in your car driving and thus cut the amount of gas emissions being radiated into the atmosphere.  Alternatively, host your ceremony and reception at the same venue to cut down on travel emissions on the wedding day.

Food & Drinks:
Hire caterers and work with venues who “operate green” by recycling and offering sustainable food options like using local and seasonal produce, chemical-free organic foods, offer fair trade, organic coffee and tea, and ones that incorporate food products like free-range chicken and sustainable seafood like wild salmon into their menu options.  Grouse Mountain Resorts, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Culinary Capers, Savoury Chef, The Butler Did It Catering, and Cactus Club are just a few of the restaurants, caterers, and venues making noticeable efforts to reduce their environmental ‘footprint’ by initiating in-house Sustainability Programs.  Green Table, a local group dedicated to promoting sustainable food related businesses, is a great resource -- visit www.greentable.net for a list of its members.  Furthermore, you can elect to offer locally harvested wine and beer – which is not difficult considering the wealth of world-acclaimed wineries and breweries situated throughout BC.

Stationary: 
For items like invitations, programs, place cards, seating charts, menus, and thank you cards hire stationers that work with recycled papers where possible and who make use of the environmentally friendly vegetable or soy based inks.  Lately the option of burning the invitation into wood or tree bark has been popular!  There is an excellent variety of stationary products that fit the recycled/Eco-friendly category and they aren't the brown and natural coloured papers we have associated with recycled papers of the past.  So may choices these days! Another fabulous option that will take your stationary needs to the next level is to send save-the-dates, invitations, and thank yous via e-mail.  Paperless Post is a DreamGroup FAV. www.paperlesspost.com
Be sure to mention to your guests either on the back of the invitations or programs the measures taken to help make your wedding sustainable.  It’s a great opportunity to educate your family and friends!

Out of Towners:
Ask guests that are flying in to consider purchasing carbon offsets (a.k.a. environmental credits – visit www.safeclimate.net for more information) for their flights to counterbalance the gas emissions being spent during their trip (www.davidsuzuki.org lists companies where offsets can be purchased).  If you are uncomfortable asking guests to incur these extra costs, you may wish to purchase them on those guests' behalf in lieu of favors.  Recommend nearby hotels, preferably ones that offer in-house ‘green’ programs and follow sustainable environment practices, to out of town guests so that they do not need to drive far distances to and from the venues.  Some of Vancouver’s Eco-friendly hotels include The Four Seasons, The Fairmont Properties, The Marriott Pinnacle, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Vancouver Downtown, and Delta Hotels. Encourage guests to rent hybrid or fuel efficient cars or to buddy up with other guests and carpool on the wedding day. 

Flowers & Décor:
Select locally and/or organically grown flowers to make up your table arrangements and bouquets.  Have potted flowers as centerpieces which can be given away to “one lucky guest” at the end of the night or transplant them into your garden to be enjoyed daily.  Reclaim items that your friends may have had at their weddings like corks used as place card holders, etc.  Instead of cut flowers use rocks and/or seashells and all natural beeswax candles to create that perfect centerpiece.  Pinterest http://pinterest.com/all/?category=wedding_events offers a HUGE database of photo inspiration and DIY tips on how to incorporate environmentally friendly elements into your wedding.  And when you are done... sell them at DreamGroup's next Bridal Swap on April 7th 2013 at The Roundhouse in Yaletown. www.bridalswap.ca

Favours
This is one area where every couple can make their weddings more sustainable by offering guests edible delights like organic chocolates, teas, or honey as their thank you gifts.  Couples may choose to purchase tree saplings that are indigenous to the BC area to give to their guests with the message to plant them somewhere special in memory of the couple's wedding day.  A wonderful favor option, and most definitely sustainable, would be to make a donation in each guests’ name to your favorite charity.  Try one of these two deserving charities -- the Canadian Cancer Society (www.cancer.ca) & BC Children’s Hospital (www.bcchildrens.ca).

Without question, it is everyone’s duty to try to create a positive effect on the environment in some way and what better way to celebrate the uniting of your families by doing your part to ensure that future families have a healthy planet on which to live.  Explore your options… The Internet provides a wealth of information on sustainable products, local ‘green’ businesses, and the efforts being made to lower gas emissions and neutralize the carbon dioxide being put into our atmosphere daily.  Visit www.ecowedding.org – an online magazine for Eco-savvy brides & grooms -- for articles and additional ideas on increasing wedding sustainability.  And look at it this way, since climate change is a global issue, any type of emission reduction or environmentally friendly effort (big or small) you make today will have a positive effect on our planet as a whole tomorrow.


Lots of great information!!  Hope it was helpful Carly. :O)

Wedding Planner signing off!  Until next week… keep those questions coming in!  Submit your questions by emailing us at askaplanner@dreamgroup.ca

Cheerio,
Genève 

Click here to See Inside the Book


Genève McNally, Principal Planner, DreamGroup Productions

Genève first began her wedding career in 1999 as the Catering Manager for one of Vancouver’s most sought after wedding venues, Brock House Restaurant.  In 2004 Genève and college friend Sarah Shore ambitiously started up what is now one of Vancouver's longest running and most trusted wedding planning companies, DreamGroup Productions Inc.

These days, in addition to working with her clients in a full planning capacity, Genève focuses her attention on the sales and marketing aspects of the company and is most often the friendly voice you will chat with when first inquiring with DreamGroup.  Genève is known to inspire and excite both clients and industry associates alike with her exuberant personality and joie de vivre!  Her ability to be refreshingly candid and her in depth knowledge of the wedding industry have earned her the friendly moniker “Two-Cents McNally”.  Genève also teaches the Wedding Planning classes offered through the dg Academy and is the chief correspondent behind DreamGroup's weekly Blog feature Ask a Planner.


Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list! 
We promise to inspire, inform and indulge!





Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Check out DreamGroup's Brand NEW Website!

After nine years we finally found some time to create a long overdue revamp of the DreamGroup website and we are so excited to share it with everyone.


DreamGroup Productions

Monday, July 16, 2012

Monday's Montage: Sweetheart Chairs for the Bride & Groom

Seating arrangements. It's not usually the most fun part of the wedding planning process, but it is certainly an important one! Before you get started on deciding on where everyone will sit, you'll need to figure out what kind of tables and how many tables you'll be needing at your wedding reception. Will you go with rounds, banquet style or do something totally different? Will you have a big head table where you, your husband and your wedding party sit or will you forgo one all together? Do you want to sit alone with your husband at a slightly more private sweetheart table, or sit with your closest friends and family?

Regardless!! You are the Queen and King of the evening, and so you deserve the most important seats, why not have a fun, unique and even lavish decor for your reception chairs! By the time it's time for you to finally sit, you will be so grateful to rest your feet (and probably kick off your heels under the table)  So by all means, go all out and have fun with it!














By Jayleen Deelman, Associate Planner with DreamGroup Productions


Jayleen Deelman has been with DreamGroup since 2010 and has made her way from our Star Wedding Coordinator to a Dedicated Associate Planner. Jayleen is upbeat, good natured, and always smiling. She is attentive and with her passion for everything weddings she is key in carrying out a fluid and enjoyable wedding day experience. Clients adore her sweet disposition and her desire to make their wedding a memory they will never forget.


We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!