Tuesday, January 25, 2011

VIVA LA WEDDING RECEIVES WEDDINGWIRE'S BRIDE'S CHOICE AWARDS™ 2011

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, recently announced that Viva la wedding has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning/Coordination!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Viva's past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Viva stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Viva la wedding for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Viva la wedding is among the very best wedding planners/coordinators within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. Viva would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011. To see a complete list of this year's winners click here.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Latest Wedding Gown 2011



Latest Wedding Gown 2011. Wedding dress add to the beauty moment of marriage. No wonder the bridal gown has developed the idea of each year.

Wedding moments will always be remembered for two lovebirds who tie the sacred promise. Dress one of the beautifully stunning wedding elements which not only displays the beauty, but also the prestige of the bride.

Fashion trends wedding dresses or clothes more attractive and awaited. Now, design a wedding dress is so rich. A variety of design ideas, from traditional, modern, up to blend the two appear to beautify the happy moments. Proof of this, always enriching repertory wedding dress creations every year through bridal trends.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

WINTER WEDDING INSPIRATION AT STONEFIELDS HERITAGE FARM

Every year we do an inspiration post on Winter Weddings and with the end of January fast approaching many have wondered... What are you waiting for? Well, we think you will all agree, this inspiration post was well worth the wait.

Ottawa photographer Melanie Rebane was behind this styled winter shoot. Below are some of the images Melanie captured.







Toronto Photographer Jon Rennie took the images below.







These images were taken at Stonefields Heritage Farm in Carleton Place and yes, the lovely ladies modelling these gorgeous gowns from With Love Bridal Boutique should look familiar. They're none other than Sarah Walsh who has been a long time preferred vendor of ours when it comes to makeup & bridal jewelry and Melissa Johnston whom we had the pleasure of working with back in 2009 on Krystel & Ivan's wedding at Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello. Melissa's images of their wedding were later featured on Style Me Pretty. Other vendors whose talents were captured in these photos are Full Bloom Floral Design, Isobel's Cupcakes & Cookies, and The Cake Whisperer.

Friday, January 14, 2011

THE PLACE TO BE THIS WEEKEND

Viva isn't usually a fan of recycling blog posts but with so many of our 2011 brides-to-be heading to the Wedding Palace Bridal Show this weekend, we thought our previous 2009 post "Wedding Show Survival Guide" might come in handy. Enjoy!!

Wedding Shows are attended by thousands of brides-to-be (and future grooms) each year. Not only can they be a fun way to spend the day, they’re also the perfect networking tool when planning a wedding because they allow you to meet with so many vendors in a short period of time all under one roof. But in order to make the most of your day and keep it as fun and stress free as possible, you need to have a game plan.Click on the image above for details on The Wedding Palace Bridal Show taking place here in Ottawa this weekend and review the tips below before going to ensure your day is an enjoyable and productive one.

1. The early bird gets the worm - Find out when the doors open and be one of the first brides there. If you wait until the afternoon it will be crowded and harder to get around with longer waits to talk to the vendors you’re looking to hire.

2. Slip on your Uggs for this event - Hard concrete floors mixed with hours of walking around from booth to booth can make for very sore feet at the end of the day so your shoes should be comfortable ones.

3. H2O – A simple bottle of water can cost over $3 so throw a couple in your bag before leaving the house in the morning. It can get hot, the air can get very dry and after spending the day sampling cake and chocolate covered strawberries - you’re going to need it!

4. Don’t bring the whole posse - While it may sound like a fun excuse to get all the girls together there are going to be A LOT of people there and it may be difficult at times to navigate through the crowd. Sticking to a group of two or three is best, otherwise your time may be spent trying to find your crew instead of focusing on finding vendors for your big day.

5. Map it out - All Wedding Shows have a website that lists the vendors who are going to be there and usually include a floor map with their booth location as well. Take a look at the list and map if available before hand. Check out the vendors’ websites ahead of time and try to determine which ones you want to talk to. Highlight them on the floor map so they’re easy to find and when you’re at the show, only take the business cards and brochures from the vendors you’re interested in. It will make it less confusing when you’re weeding through your bag at home.

6. Q & A – Prepare questions ahead of time and bring a pen to take notes. You will be talking to many vendors all with different services to sell and information to give. Make quick notes after talking with each of them so you will remember what they said and what you liked/didn’t like about them.

7. Patience is a virtue - If you really want to talk to a vendor don’t get discouraged if their booth is crowded by other brides-to-be. Walk around and come back later. If the crowd around them doesn’t ever seem to get any smaller, wait for the fashion show to start. The floor usually thins out a little when the show is on.

8. Don’t give into the pressure - You’re sure to run into vendors who will tell you that they only have one opening left for your wedding date. While the best vendors do book up quickly, there are a lot of vendors at the show to talk to so don’t feel like you need to sign with the first one you come across.

9. Draws, draws and more draws - If you’re hoping to win one of the many draws a Wedding Show has to offer come prepared with pre printed cards that have your name, address, phone number and email address on them. This will save you time at the show and make entering the draws a piece of cake.

10. Have fun! - After all, you’re getting MARRIED!! Whether you’re going with your fiancĂ©, mom or maid of honour make the most of it. Go early, get down to business, and then head out for a great lunch and a cocktail or two to thank them for sharing in a productive day.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

INSPIRATION - HONEYSUCKLE

Every year Pantone announces the "Colour of the Year" (2011's colour being Honeysuckle) and every year brides ask us "How can we incorporate Pantone's colour of the year into our wedding"?

Accessories, accessories, accessories. Keeping things simple and classic, then using fun details and colourful accessories to help create a unique look is what weddings are now all about.

Accessorizing your timeless gown with a Honeysuckle clutch, shawl/cardigan or floral accent allows you to create a look that really is all about you. Your invitations, escort cards, table names/numbers, centerpieces, and bridal bouquets are a perfect place to add colour and details as simple as using Honeysuckle throw pillows on your lounge seating will help tie the overall look together.

Not only is Honeysuckle lovely on its own, it's the perfect accent colour for the ever popular black and white wedding and should you be daring enough to pair it with another vibrant colour... the possibilities are endless!

Photo Credits: Borrowed & Bleu

2011 COLOUR OF THE YEAR

Courageous. Confident. Vital. These are the key words Pantone (the global authority on colour and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries) is using to describe 2011's colour of the year... Honeysuckle.

A colour for all seasons, Honeysuckle is both captivating and stimulating. The perfect accent for weddings, not only does this dynamic shade get the adrenaline going but the intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages.

A striking, eyecatching hue that works well for day or evening, Honeysuckle is guaranteed to produce a healthy glow when worn by both men and women and is flattering for bridesmaid's dresses, bridal accessories, and men's ties.

Stay tuned for a little inspiration post on how to use Honeysuckle to spice up your wedding. In the meantime, read more on Pantone's 2011 colour of the year here.