Father's Day Party

With June just around the corner, Father's Day is quickly approaching. As this Father's Day will be extra special for me (it's my husband's first time celebrating) I have been on the lookout for some unique ideas. I recently stumbled across this fabulous golf-themed party featured on Celebrations at Home and couldn't resist sharing it with all of you.

Not just for Father's Day, this theme could also work for a birthday celebration. For more pictures, check out the post on Celebrations at Home.

Q & A: Unique Drink Ideas

Q: I am throwing a Mother's Day brunch this coming weekend and I'm not sure what type of alcoholic beverage to serve. Do you have any suggestions for something fun?

 A: Our favourite go-to alcoholic beverage for that special brunch, shower, or outdoor meal is pink wine, also known as rosé. Often forgotten, rosé wines offer food-friendly versatility. Served chilled, it pairs well with fruit, quiche, cheese, food from the grill, seafood, salads, and more. It's pink colour is the perfect way to inject some fun and colour into your Mother's Day brunch.
 

DIY Burlap Table Runner

When decorating, I love to incorporate as many natural elements as possible. For any special occasion, or just because, my number one go-to choice is flowers. As these can get expensive fairly quickly, even if you pick them up at the grocery store, I have been looking at additional ways in which to bring the outdoors in. One great way to do this is by using burlap. It's inexpensive, can be used in a variety of different ways, and provides a textured, natural element to any decor scheme.

Before: A Pile of Burlap

I chose to tackle the task of creating a burlap table runner for my daughter's Baptism. Since I'm all thumbs when it comes to sewing, and I was running low on time, I came up with an easy and quick DIY method.

1) Take your table's measurements to determine the amount of burlap you need.
Runners are generally 14" wide and hang over the side of the table approximately 6-8" on each side. Since I chose to tie the ends of my runner with twine, I left 14" hanging over each side of my table.

2) Cut the burlap according to your measurements.
Knowing that burlap frays once cut, I did give myself about half an inch of wiggle room to play with.

3) Wash the burlap runner.
As you will notice, burlap has a very "natural" odour which you probably don't want mixing with the food you are planning to serve. I used the delicate cycle on my washing machine with scent-free laundry detergent. A word of caution: do not put anything else in the washer with the burlap. If you do, you will be trying to pick off little pieces of burlap from your other items for weeks to come!

4) Hang your burlap runner to dry.
While the runner was still damp, I sprayed it with Febreze to remove more of the odour.

5) Iron the runner.
The iron will work best at the highest setting. Make sure to use a clean dish towel between the iron and the burlap to protect the runner.

I liked how the edges of the burlap were a bit frayed so I left it as is. If you are looking for a bit more of a formal look, you can use an iron-on hem tape (such as "Stitch Witchery") to give your edges a more polished and straight look.

After: Shabby Chic Burlap Table Runner

6) Place on your table.
It's that simple! You can tie the ends of your runner with twine if you wish, or you can leave them hanging. It's all up to the look you are going for.

Incorporating burlap into your decor is becoming very popular with weddings and showers, but don't let that stop you from using it for everyday decorating as well. Table linens can be quite expensive, especially if you want to change them out season to season.

Besides table runners, there are other ways in which you can incorporate burlap into your event's decor. Chair sashes, napkin rings, wine bags, and banners are just a few examples. Check out these great inspirational photos below.


Photo Source: AKA Design

Photo Source: funkyshique Etsy Store

Photo Source: The Sweetest Occasion

Real Wedding: The English Rose & The Scottish Thistle

We're so excited to share this real Canadian wedding with you! The bride and groom’s story dates back to 2002, at table 2 of Garlic's, an upscale bistro in the heart of London, Ontario.

*Please Note: All images are courtesy of the bride and groom's photographer, Vanessa Balenovich.

Boy Meets Girl
He was the Service Manager at the bistro, and she was a university student looking for a part-time job to help pay the bills. As with any great Hollywood romantic comedy, the bride couldn't stand him when they first met.

He thought she was a far too picky eater and metaphorically pulled her sweet little pigtails, while kicking her sand castle over in the sandbox. Naturally, in return, she challenged his intellect and called him on his overconfidence.

You can only imagine what happened next. Following the romantic comedy formula:

Girl realizes that boy isn't so bad. Boy realizes girl is more than a handful of what he needs. Boy and girl fall madly love and the rest as they say is history!

On Bended Knee
On November 9, 2010, the groom popped the question on bended knee while on vacation in Punta Cana. She delightfully squealed "Yes!"

Having the proposal under their belt at the beginning of their trip, the blissfully happy couple spent the next 7 days daydreaming about their wedding, and it didn't take long to come up with a theme. The groom’s family heritage is Scottish and she was born in England, so the wedding theme became "the English rose and the Scottish thistle." Fitting on many levels!

The Planning Begins
The wedding date was set for October 1, 2011, a rather sentimental significance as it would have been the bride’s grandparent's 62nd wedding anniversary. It was made even more special as the bride’s Grandad was able to attend from England and he told her that "Grandma would have approved."

After the date, came the venue decision. The couple do enjoy the finer things in life: wine, good food and even better company. So they decided on a small, quaint winery set in the beautiful Niagara Escarpment. After one visit to Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery, they were sold on a wedding under the cherry blossom trees and dinner in the Coach House. Guests had a menu choice of lamb, halibut or pasta and enjoyed the bride and groom’s signature drink of Pimm's Cup during cocktail hour.

Happily Ever After
On the wedding day, the sun shone brightly and even though there was a brisk wind, the love between the couple kept them warm. Vows were exchanged, promises were made, and the day was complete with a "Royal Balcony" moment!

The couple were so happy to have been able to share their special day with their close family and friends. There was lots of story telling, laughter, a few tears of happiness and lots and lots of love. What more could a Rose and Thistle ask for?!

Vendor Information:
Florist: The Watering Can - Vineland Location
Photographer: Vanessa Balenovich
Decor & Stationary: Scrapyard Creations (Ancaster, Ontario), Wedding Paper Divas, Anything Scottish, The Guestbook Store
Catering: The Kitchen House at Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Rentals: Pat's Party Rentals 
Transportation: Niagara's Classic Transportation
Hair & Makeup: Picasso's Salon and Spa
Cake: Truffle Toronto
Piper: Passion for Piping

We're Back...

We're so sorry for the absence, however, the latest addition to the Simply Sophisticated Events family has been quite a handful!

We've got some great eye-candy ready to post and can't wait to hear your feedback. Don't forget to keep sending in your party and wedding submissions as well. You can email them to us at: info@simplysophisticatedevents.ca

In the meantime, here is a taste of Spring decor sure to chase away those winter blahs.

Photo Source

Photo Source

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Happy New Year

Wishing you all a very happy New Year!

Holiday Wedding Meets the Tropics

When we think of holiday weddings, visions of snow topped trees dance around in our heads. But, what happens when you mix a holiday wedding, with sunny Bahamas?

You get the best of both worlds: holiday elegance with a tropical flair.

Wedding details can be found here.