Friday's Fabulous Find meets Cadeaux Bakery

Want to experience a new bakery in our beautiful city!?...

I introduce you to Cadeaux Bakery located at 172 Powell Street in Gastown.  It's a perfect spot for spending time with your girlfriends or a Sunday morning coffee and croissants with your boo.  But Cadeaux Bakery doesn't just stop there, they provide their stunning space for events; for intimate wedding showers or high tea themed events.  Their space is perfect for enjoying the company of your closest friends as you sip on creamy cappuccinos and enjoy their delights. 

Whether it's cupcakes, delicious cookies or something custom baked for your wedding such as favors, or if it's Cadeaux's gorgeous wedding cakes you're after, pop in and be amazed! Check out their website which shows off some of their wedding cakes 

Oh and...
Not to worry about calories when you enter, as Hannah Fletcher the fitness guru will be waiting for you outside.  Besides, having a little fun doesn't hurt nobody. 

So let your Wedding Planner know, you want your next creative meeting to be at Cadeaux, so that you can be inspired by their creative treats.  Table for 2?...

Cheers as you enjoy delectable delights on your next coffee date.

  

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.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list!

We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

 

                

Ask a Planner... "Bloomin Budget!"

Hi DreamGroup

I'm on a 2K Flower Budget! And after contacting several florists for quotes have realized just how much of a budget I'm on! lol  Basically without getting super complicated I need to know from a pro what a typical amount might be for my wedding flowers for the ceremony and reception keeping in mind a pretty and modest floral plan. I do aspire to have my wedding featured in Real Weddings or Perfect Wedding and do have pretty good taste so it can't look cheap!  I love white orchids!  I need to know how much is just enough.  Hopefully that makes sense.  FYI: We have 80 guests and are hosting it at Hotel Georgia next summer. Ceremony in Foyer dinner in Spanish Ballroom.  I have 3 Bridesmaids and Jeff has 2 Groomsmen (I know we're unbalanced!).  We would also like each of our parents to have some body flowers.

Thanks!

Vanessa

Hello Vanessa,

Thank you for your question! Floral budgets can vary very widely depending on the caliber of wedding, size of floral arrangements, types of flowers, and number of tables/guests.  Based on an intimate wedding at the gorgeous and timeless Rosewood Hotel Georgia and factoring in, as you said, a "pretty and modest" floral design plan -- here is a realistic average breakdown that would surely make both you and your budget happy. And for the record having more/less bridesmaids than groomsmen is not that unusual.  Who says friendship has to be symmetrical?  Best of luck with your wedding!

Floral Budget - modest and sweet:

Bride's Bouquet: $150.00

Bridesmaid's Bouquet: $75.00 each x 3 = $225.00

Groom's Boutonniere: $15.00

Groomsman's Boutonniere: $10.00 each x 2 = $20.00

Mother of the Bride Corsage: $15.00

Mother of the Groom Corsage: $15.00

Father of the Bride Boutonniere: $10.00

Father of the Groom Boutonniere: $10.00

2 Ceremony Arrangements (pillars not included): $150.00 x 2 = $300.00

Centerpieces (using florist's own vases): $125.00 each x 8 = $1,000.00

Head Table Florals: $200.00 (you might instead re-purpose the bridesmaid bouquets to save $$$)

Delivery and Pick: $100.00

Total (before tax): $2,060.00

HST:  $247.20

Grand Total: $2,307.20  **note this does not include potential decor costs for things like specialty linens, candles, rented vases, etc.

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 and raising her two wonderful boys Harrison and Campbell with her husband, 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's Montage: Pictures to save the date with

There are so many fun ways of letting guests know they need to save the date. And one of them is to take a picture with a picture prop. If you are planning on using a picture for your save the date let yourself be inspired by one of the creative pictures below. Here are 10 amazing picture save the date ideas.

1. She said Yes! There are so many beautiful versions of this photo. But there is something about this one with its torn piece of paper and handwritten note that tug on the heartstrings.

 

2. Everything is better with a little vintage. Throw in a vintage frame and a vintage suitcase and presto an adorable save the date.

 

 

3. Say it with balloons. Really you should be able to say everything with balloons.

 

4.Or how about say it with spoons. These vintage spoons engraved with the date of your wedding are lovely. Perfect for a rustic wedding or a couple who loves their kitchen.             

 

 

5. Grab an old window pane and your pup for a photo that is very you.

 

 

6. Say it with shoes. The date written on the soles of your shoes is a winner. But then again most things involving shoes are.

 

7. Scrabble anyone? If you are a couple obsessed with word games this is the save the date for you.

 

8. Hang it. So simple and yet so cute. A few wooden numbers, some paint, and some string. You can't go wrong.

 

9. Paint it. An empty canvas and paint makes for a great save the date.

 

10.Write it on a Chalkboard. Chalkboards are all the rage and let's just say a chalkboard has never looked so good.

 

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.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list!

We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

WIN Dinner for TWO!

Want to be DreamGroup's next Giveaway winner?

With a new month, comes a new giveaway!  

This September be the lucky winner of  Dinner for Two courtesy of Yew Restaurant + Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel!  (Value $150.00)
 

Check out the bottom of this post for contest details.   

Why Four Seasons?

Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver offers one-of-a-kind experiences that really focus on the meaningful touches so important to a wedding. A wedding celebration should be just the way you like it - full of family favourites done with Four Seasons flare.

 

One of the things that makes Vancouver so unique is its cosmopolitan and diverse population - considered a mosaic of cultures, customs and cuisines like no other.  Four Seasons Vancouver was proud to introduce a dedicated Chinese Kitchen complete with custom-designed tools, such as the uber-powerful Turbo Woks, and expert Chinese chefs that, together, will create the menu of your dreams!

 
Four Seasons Vancouver also featrues a dedicated Kosher kitchen to create special menus that preserve the honour, religion and custom of your wedding day!

More than style, Four Seasons Vancouver offers substance and values increasingly meaningful to today's brides and grooms.  They have a strong commitment to sustainability and ecological responsibility.   

  

Their recycling and composting programs are an integral part of our regular operations and help them reduce waste.  Other ways you can reduce the carbon footprint of your celebration, include creating a sustainable foods menu.

Make the most of your special night with a complimentary honeymoon suite and a bottle of sparkling wine when you book a wedding in one of their Vancouver wedding venues with a minimum of 100 guests.

Under certain conditions, they are pleased to offer two complimentary nights at Four Seasons Resort Whistler when you book your wedding with them.
 
Check out their Saturday night wedding gala package

To check out the hotel and it's amenities, visit their website or Follow them on Facebook or Twitter: @FSVancouver

For YEW Restaurant, you can visit their facebook page here 

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

 CONTEST DETAILS

  WIN a Dinner for TWO courtesy of Yew Restaurant + Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel!!

• One lucky winner will receive a Dinner for TWO at Yew Restaurant + Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel 

Value of this Prize is $150.00 CAD (exclusive of taxes & gratuity)

CONTEST RULES
 

• Winner must live in the Vancouver Lower Mainland
 
• This Contest ends Sunday, September 30th, 2012 at 5:00pm PST.  Winner will be drawn randomly and announced on the DreamGroup Blog, Facebook and Twitter on Tuesday, October 3rd.  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 Dinner for TWO @Yew Restaurant @FSVancouver"

Good Luck!

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

Ask a Planner... "Sweet 16"

Hi,

I'm Bella :)  So basically, I've planned to have my birthday around October 5-8th. Since it's a sweet 16, I definitely want it to be memorable! So, it would be fantastic if you could give me a few more suggestions on themes. Please reply after you read this.

Bella

Hello Bella,

How fun to be approaching such an important milestone birthday!  There are so many options when considering themes for a birthday celebration!  For a Sweet 16 here are a few that come to mind...

...recreate a Spa atmosphere in your own home with onsite manis-pedis!  Rent some fabulous white furniture (from Vancouver's Loungeworks, Upright Decor, or Cory's Fine Furnishings) and large TV screens to watch your favourite episodes of your favourite TV Shows on while you enjoy appetizers and sparkling beverages served by attentive wait staff.  This would be a sure hit as who doesn't love to be pampered?!  Have guests leave with a pair of pretty pink flip-flops, a glamorous lip-gloss, and/or a copy of your favourite movie to take home!

...go on an adventurous Amazing Race style relay customized just for you and your guests sending you on a challenging quest around this beautiful city performing various challenges and tasks that will eventually lead you to the final challenge!  A race to the finish!  This would be great for the more outdoorsy 16 year old and her friends!  End up at a local hot spot to grab some food and drinks.

...or how about the tried and true and always popular Dance Party (circa any decade you choose from 70s to present day) with a well known local club DJ (check out Girl on Wax) manning the turntables!  A Virgin Drink Bar is a must offering a variety of fabulous juice and pop concoctions with your very own interactive (and of course super hunky) bartender! 

Thanks for your question Bella and all the best with your party!  Happy Birthday!! 

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 and raising her two wonderful boys Harrison and Campbell with her husband, 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's Montage: Decorative Backdrops

The top wedding trends of the moment are Pops of Colour, Ombre shading and the ultimate favourite trend at the moment, Decorative Backdrops for adorning space at a wedding ceremony or reception. We love all the different ways that you can add a beautiful visual to your wedding with ribbons, colourful fabrics, tissue paper garlands or pom poms. Of course in some cases backdrops are more functional than anything as they may be required to to block out some disastrous interior design, or maybe a faulty window – whatever the reason may be you can’t go too wrong with any of the backdrop ideas below. If you love any of the ideas below but D.I.Y wouldn’t be your strong point we can point you in the right direction.

 

 Tassel Garlands

 

 

 

 

 Decorative Wallpaper or Fabric

 Personalized Boards

 

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.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list!

We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!

Friday Fabulous Finds gets you into action

If you're looking to spice up your event, for example at an outdoor wedding during the cocktail hour, or your next corporate event or even with Christmas around the corner...at your next Christmas Event...

This is who you should call

Houles Games and Entertainment services Vancouver’s Lower Mainland, Whistler, The Fraser Valley and cities in Southern British Columbia.  Ray Houle started the company back in 1995 and has since grown Houle Games into the flourishing business it is today.  Holule Games and Entertainment provides unique and entertaining games and activities for all types of special events, team building, corporate functions, conferences and casual entertaining. They can create game and entertainment packages for groups of 20 to 1000 or more, and it's all completely portable.  With the aid of their professional staff and immaculate equipment, you will have an event your guests will never forget!

From laser tag to ping pong, the mechanical bull, casino rentals, mini-golf, and yes even karaoke, they have it all.  Check out their website for more game/entertainment ideas for your next event:

www.houlegames.com  

My client's had this at their wedding during the cocktail reception and it was a great hit for all ages!

You can have a caricature at the wedding and on every picture the artist draws for your guests, he/she can include your wedding monogram or your names for your guests to remember.  Which makes for a great favor idea!

And for the brave... may I recommend:

Be sure to ask your planner what they recommend for your wedding or corporate event.  Remember, you want to include events, ideas into your wedding or corporate event that flow with the rest of the look. 

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.

Click here to sign up for DreamGroup's Mailing list!

We promise to inspire, inform & indulge!