Wedding Planning Tips | Alexandra Lillian Weddings And Events Winnipeg - Part 2
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November 3, 2017 In Canadian Wedding, Destination Weddings, Engagement, Proposal, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning, Wedding Planning Tips, Wedding Proposal By Alexandra

Engagement Season – Real Couples, Real Proposals

Hello, engagement season!  This blog post is for you men and woman out there looking for proposal inspiration, or a good (happy) cry.  Hope you enjoy these two proposal stories!

If you would like your special proposal featured on my blog, please email me at alex@alweddingswinnipeg.com with a mini write up of your love story, along with a photo.

 

First Home Proposal

Olivia Retter (Wifey/Mama/Entrepreneur)

“Brydon proposed to me as we were walking into our house together for the first time.  I had no idea it would happen then.  I loved how it happened!  It really made our house a home from the get go.” [Photo provided by couple]

 

Epic California Proposal

Bretton Meyer (Bride-to-Be, June 2017)

“Mike’s dream was to ride the Pacific Coast Hwy on his Harley.  I was over the moon when he asked if I was interested in doing the trip with him and I said “of course!”  So we loaded up the motorcycle in the bed of our truck, drove to Las Vegas and unloaded the bike.  We jumped on the bike and road to the Pacific Coast.  Our plan was to spend the first evening in Newport Beach then head North to San Francisco.  

Mike had another plan up his sleeve…  Literally hidden in his vest pocket was my engagement ring!  The drive on the motorcycle was breathtaking and so freeing.  We finally reached the ocean as the sun was setting.  We got off the bike and walked towards the ocean to dip our toes in the water.  Hand in hand we walked, little did I know what was going to happen next.  I felt hesitation in the pull of his hand, and turned around to find Mike down on one knee.  He was holding the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen!

He asked “Bretton Meyer, will you marry me?”  Tears filled my eyes instantly, and I said “yes!” [Photos provided by couple]

 

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR WEDDING INSPIRATION

October 31, 2017 In Canadian Wedding, Engagement, Proposal, Wedding Planning, Wedding Planning Tips, Wedding Proposal By Alexandra

Welcome to Engagement Season

Welcome to Engagement Season

 

Welcome to the fifth season of the year, engagement season!  Did you know that 40% of engagements happen between November and February?  That means we are in for a lot of love over the coming months!

Do you or anyone you know hope to get engaged this season?  In November and December I will be curating blog posts to educate and inspire you on purchasing a ring, planning the proposal, and the first steps in planning your wedding.  My goal is to make the engagement process fun and exciting!

Already engaged or married?  Over the next couple of weeks I will be sharing real people’s engagement stories.  Psst… One of my favorites includes riding a motorcycle down the Pacific Coast Hwy!  Want to have yours featured?  Send your engagement story to me at alex@alweddingswinnipeg.com.

Happy engagement season!

 

CLICK HERE to see a special love story! 

 

November 27, 2016 In Canadian Wedding, Styled Wedding, Wedding Planning, Wedding Planning Tips By Alexandra

Top 5 Rules of Wedding Etiquette

  1. Call Family First

Your family knows you better than anyone (except maybe your husband to be).  Make sure they feel included in your engagement by giving them a phone call first to break the news.  If your fiancé is traditional, it’s likely that he would have already asked your father for his permission beforehand.  They might have known the engagement was coming and it may surprise you to know that they counselled your now fiancé more than you would have expected.  Don’t leave out any of the details, these are memories to keep for your entire life.

After family knows the details of your engagement, it’s time to perfect your ring selfie.  Maybe give yourself a quick manicure and take a few photos OR click the link below for some engagement announcement ideas.

CLICK HERE FOR ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT INSPIRATION

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  1. Send Paper Invites

Once you have carefully worked out your wedding budget with a wedding planner, it’s time to send out invitations.  Everyone’s budget for stationary is different, but one thing should stay the same, always send a paper invitation to guests.
Couples with a medium or larger budget for stationary can look into hiring a local boutique stationary designer.  With a local supplier, you are able to see samples of the product before placing your order.  This allows you to make sure every detail is perfect whereas reviewing proofs online can cause you to miss smaller details.  Couples with a more restrictive budget can look into online printing services like VistaPrint (http://www.vistaprint.ca/).  Online printers have improved significantly over the past couple of years and I am consistently impressed with the quality and speed of the work.  There are now choices for premade templates, paper thicknesses, gloss and custom finishing / cutting.

 

  1. Do NOT add your registry in the Wedding Invites

This is one major faux paux that many couples make when sending out their invitations.  Then how should guests find out about the registry you ask?  Your registry can be linked on your wedding website, shower invitations or communicated in person.

 

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  1. Unplugged Wedding

Social media is a wonderful tool for letting guests know about your wedding.  You want guests to share in the excitement of your big day, but ensure they are present by having an unplugged wedding ceremony.

Two ways to ensure guests are not on their phones during your ceremony are having a cute framed sign at the end of the aisle asking guests to please stay off of their phones or having the officiant explicitly remind guests to turn off their phones.

Phones off will make sure that guests do not become paparazzi, and get in the way of the photographer.  A good wedding photographer is not cheap and having guests in their seats allows them to move around freely and capture every special moment.

 

  1. Thank You Notes

A simple thank you card goes a long way to make guests feel special and appreciated for joining you on your wedding day.  As tempting as it may be to type your thank you cards, it’s important to have them hand printed.  This shows that you took extra care and love into thanking guests.  It also allows you to personalize each letter.  Make reference to something they did or gifted you. Common etiquette is to send thank you cards between one and three months following the big day.

 

CLICK HERE FOR MY TOP 5 TO-DOS, BEFORE THE I-DOS

 

November 17, 2016 In Bridesmaid, Canadian Wedding, Wedding Planning, Wedding Planning Tips By Alexandra

Top 5 Bridesmaid Duties

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Plan the bachelorette and bridal shower

 

Sit down with the other bridesmaids over cocktails and plan out these events together.  Remember the bridal shower is a larger event for friends and family invited to the wedding, while the bachelorette is only for the closest friends.  Follows these steps to plan a bridal shower and bachelorette:

 

  1. Choose a date: You will never satisfy everyone, but be sure that the people most important to the bride are able to make the event. Also be wary of competing events (especially those related to another bride in the same general group of friends).
  1. Choose a venue: It is common to host a bridal shower at a community club, restaurant or country club. Don’t underestimate the amount of work and space required (ie: be triple sure that the host knows all that is involved if you decide to do it at someone’s house).

 

  1. Create a guest list: Be sure to put together a formal invite list and run it not only by the bride, but also the other bridesmaids. Missed invites (even if unintentional) can cause feelings to be hurt and can take away from the events themselves.

 

  1. Choose a theme: The theme you choose will set a tone for the event.  Think about your bride’s interests and hobbies.  Is your bride into the outdoors?  Why not rent out the warming hut at the St. Vital Duck Pond?

 

  1. Send out invitations: While formal invitations are still the norm, e-invites have become more commonplace. If you are on a budget, don’t feel pressured to spend more than you need on invitations.

 

CLICK HERE TO PLAN THE BEST BACHELORETTE PARTY

Help run errands

Remember those fun napkins from the décor company?  Offer to pick them up before the wedding as this will relieve a lot of stress off of your bride.  With one less thing to do she will be able to focus on last minute details.

 

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Attend the Rehearsal

No matter if it’s your first or fifth time being a bridesmaid, it’s always important to be there for the wedding rehearsal.  The officiant or wedding planner will walk the bridal party through the ceremony until everyone feels comfortable and confident for the big day.  The wedding rehearsal takes place one or two days before the wedding. Remember that while it is common to have a couple drinks the night of the rehearsal, do not overindulge as the next morning is commonly an early one with a lot of responsibilities to come your way.

Act as a day-of contact

Your friend will most likely have a wedding planner helping her on the big day.  Offer to be the day-of contact for the wedding planner.  This will allow your bestie to relax and enjoy being pampered on the morning of her wedding.  As the day-of contact you will be the point of contact for the planner to check in and see how everything is going and ensure the day is running on schedule.  Don’t worry, this job is super easy!  All you have to do is keep your cellphone nearby to respond to the odd text message or phone call.  Maybe send a few selfies of the girls over to the wedding planner, it will definitely brighten up their morning.

 

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Be a good friend

Your friend chose you to be a part of their wedding day because they love you to the moon and back.  Planning a wedding can be a stressful time, show the bride kindness and support throughout the planning process.  Remember, this is the brides wedding day NOT yours.  Be a kind word of reason, but do not be negative and always look for the positive in situations (even if the decisions don’t necessarily reflect your personal preference).

 

Take your friends mind off of planning and go for a drinks with the girls one night.  This will allow you to cut loose and take everyone’s mind off of the wedding.  Cosmo’s anyone?

 

 

I hope my top 5 bridesmaid duties help you become the best bridesmaid for your bride! <3

May 11, 2016 In Wedding Planning Tips By Alexandra

How to Plan a Bachelorette Party

Brides and wedding planners aren’t the only ones that have planning to do leading up to the wedding – so do the bridesmaids!  They have the responsibility to plan a fabulous bachelorette party for their bff.

Listen up bridesmaids, get together over a bottle of bubbly and follow these four steps to plan the perfect bachelorette party.

1. Choose the Venue(s)

No one knows the bride better than you, her best friends!  When deciding on a venue keep in mind her personality and taste.  The craziest bar in town may be for some brides while others prefer a more low key night with her girls at Ten Spa or on a scavenger hunt at Enigma Escapes.  These are two fab ideas if you live in Winnipeg.  Consider the comfort level of other guests such as the bride’s mom or aunt.  In this case more risqué locations may not be appropriate.
Once you make a reservation don’t forget to call and confirm with the venue one week before the party.
Don’t forget to consider transportation, especially if you have more than one location to go to.   Book a limo, party bus, or vintage vehicle.

Note: Tell your Winnipeg venue that you are there for a bachelorette party.  Often they will give preferential treatment to you dolled up ladies!

2. Create a Schedule

A detailed timeline ensures that all guests and vendors involved are on the same page.  Create two separate timelines: one for the bridal party and vendors and another one for other guests.

The timeline for the bridal party and vendors will have all the details, this will ensure the party runs smoothly.  Keep the guest timeline to the raw details such as where they should be and at what time.

 

3. Make the Guest List

Now that the party is planned, it’s time to create the guest list!  Ask the bride who they would like to see at the party to make sure that no one is left out and that no frenemies are invited!  Invite guests at least one month in advance so they can clear their schedule and come to the party.

Email or Facebook are easy ways to invite guests to the party.  Excel and Google Sheets are excellent ways to keep track of guests that have RSVP’d.  To be more formal, a printed invitation can be sent out.  If you are on a crunch for time, VistaPrint is an affordable printing company for invitations.

               NOTE: Do NOT invite your own friends unless the bride has agreed to an open ended guest list.  This is her day, so make sure the attention is solely on her.

 

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4. Party!

Now that all the heavy leg work is done, it’s time to plan the finishing touches.  Time to purchase a party dress, jewellery, and bubbly for the big night out.  Celebrate with your best friends and create memories that will last a life time – your bestie is getting married!!!

A note to all brides: Alexandra Lillian Weddings & Events wants you to enjoy your bachelorette party as much as your friends, so don’t forget to hire a Winnipeg wedding planner for your big day!

 

 

March 3, 2016 In Wedding Planning Tips By Alexandra

Top 3 Ways to Reuse Wedding Flowers

You have spent countless hours deciding on the style of bouquet and centerpieces for your wedding.  After the day you marry the love of your life, what are you going to do with your flowers?  As a Winnipeg Wedding Planner, several brides have asked me for some options of what to do with their old flowers.

Here are my top 3 ways to reuse and recycle your wedding floral arrangements:

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1 Gifts:

This is my favorite way to reuse wedding flowers.  At weddings I attend for friends or family, taking home flowers is always a kind gesture from the bride and groom.  It allows their wedding flowers to find a new home and brighten someone else’s week.  Who doesn’t love waking up to the smell of fresh flowers?

Wedding guests don’t usually take the wedding flowers home unless they are told.  Encourage the MC of the wedding to let guests know at the end of the night they are welcome to take the flowers and centerpieces home.  Make sure to emphasize that they are only allowed to take the flowers — not the vases! Your florist will not be too happy with you the next morning if any of the vases are missing!

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2 Donate:

One of my brides from 2016 gave me this idea.  Kaila is very sweet, I’m not surprised she’s the inspiration behind this idea. With so many of my brides getting married in Winnipeg I put together a list of organizations that would love your wedding flowers.

 

If you work with some amazing co-workers, it might also be a nice treat to bring your wedding flowers into your workplace (just be aware of possible allergies).

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3 Preserve:

For the crafty bride, preserving your bouquet is an excellent idea!

I am not an expert when it comes to preserving wedding flowers, so I have found an excellent tutorial video by “20 Mule Team Borax” to explain the process.

There are countless ways to reuse wedding flowers including many not mentioned here. I would love to hear from you with ideas you may have – Contact Alexandra today!

{Photography: Ally Papko Photography & Design}