Wordless Wednesday: Outdoor Ceremony

 

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Real Wedding: Muskoka Dreams

Our first real wedding feature is courtesy of Cynthia Martyn Events. Simply put, this wedding takes my breath away - the location, colour palette, floral design, and decor work effortlessly together to make this bride's dream wedding come true.

The wedding was held at The Lake Joseph Club in the Muskoka region, just north of Toronto. For the ceremony, large floral balls were anchored off the dock in lieu of traditional aisle decor.

The floral arrangements, including the bouquets, were done in shades of mocha, cream, blush, and gold. A perfect representation of the overall colour scheme, including the beautiful bridesmaid dresses in blush.

The centerpieces on both the head table and guests' tables were created in crystal vases atop of mirrors to add dimension to the table landscape.

 



  

  

The wedding cake was simple, yet elegantly designed with sugar flowers and a touch of bling.

A Parisian lounge bordered the dance floor to allow guests to rest and mingle.

For further details, including additional pictures, please visit Cynthia Martyn Events.



July Preview: Real Wedding Spotlights

The official start of summer has finally arrived, but the summer wedding season has already been in full swing for weeks. With many of you finalizing the smallest of details for your upcoming wedding, or looking for inspiration as you just get started planning your summer 2013 celebration, well look no further. We have decided to dedicate the month of July to showcasing real weddings. So check back all month long and be prepared to ooh and aww!


Photo Source: The Knot

If you would like to have your wedding featured on our blog, please contact me at info@simplysophisticatedevents.ca. We would love to hear from you!

Our Favourite Summer Wedding Inspiration Boards

August Wedding Inspiration by Married in Alaska Blog

Summer Sea Breezes Inspiration Board by The Bridal Ring

Summer Inspiration by Elizabeth Anne Designs

Understaded Elegance by A Summer Picnic Wedding

A Summer Picnic Wedding {Apple Green & Red} by The Perfect Palette

Q & A: Bridal Hair Help

Q: I'd like to wear fresh flowers in my hair for my summer wedding but I'm not sure what type to use. Any suggestions?

A: With Summer quickly approaching we know how many of you ladies will appreciate this brides question. We asked around to some of our favourite hair stylists and the verdict was unanimous. The best flowers for bridal hair (or updos in general) include baby roses, dendrobium and cymbidium orchids, stephanotis, freesia, baby's breath and gardenias.

Photo Credit: Theknot.com

{Real Wedding} Romantic Backyard Wedding

We've been stalking the Internet looking for unique Real Parties and Real Weddings to share and couldn't pass up the opportunity to feature this amazing wedding featured on Hostess With The Mostess (styled by Fresh Events Company based out of California).

When we think backyard wedding, visions of tents, and simple yet elegant linens dance in our heads. You could imagine our total amazement and disbelief when we found out the following wedding ceremony overlooked the pool and a flower covered plank acted as the aisle as it hovered over the water. Another amazing fact: the reception took place on a tennis court. Simply amazing.

This our kind of backyard wedding! We would never have known this wedding took place on a tennis court. Do you think it was well disguised?

For more details about this wedding and where you can find these fabulous vendors, click here to visit the Hostess With the Mostess blog.

*Images by Craig Rucker Photography and featured on The Hostess With the Mostess.

Wedding Spotlight: Ashley & Bobby

Ashley and Bobby’s country chic fall wedding took place on September 18, 2010. An absolute pleasure to work with, this down-to-earth couple incorporated many personal elements into their wedding day, reflecting their personalities and their strong family bond.

The ceremony and reception took place at Ashley’s family’s residence, located on a sprawling countryside property. The ceremony was setup in the back of the property, with the tented reception taking place towards the front. Hand carved signs, created by the bride’s father, were placed throughout the grounds, directing guests and furry friends.

After the ceremony was over, guests were invited to mingle at the cocktail reception just outside the tent, while Serge from Photografika took Ashley and Bobby’s wedding photos. The guests’ place cards were hung with clothespins between two trees, located beside the treasure chest of well wishes from the guests.

McLean-Sherwood Party Rental provided all rented items for the reception: the tent, tables, linens, chairs, and dance floor. While the bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpiece flowers were provided by Devine Design, Ashley’s father carved each of the vases himself from trees found on his property. Ashley’s mother put together a photo collage, which sat on the gift table, and was a lovely surprise for the bride and groom when they walked into the tent. The children in attendance were also surprised to find gift bags filled with toys and activities for them at each table. It is very clear to us that family means a lot to this newly wedded couple.

In order for each table to get in line for the buffet dinner, provided by Silver Thyme Catering, the MCs had the guests play a trivia game to determine who would go first, second, third, etc. We give kudos to the MCs for being able to decipher between all the tables shouting out their answers. After every last morsel of food was gone, the sweets table was put out. The wedding cake, which was made by a close friend of Ashley’s Grandmother, looked beautiful and tasted delicious.

Ashley and Bobby hosted a wedding with a lot of personal touches for all their friends and family to remember forever and always. We hope they had fun on their European honeymoon!

*All photos courtsey of Simply Sophisticated Events.

5 Tips for Planning Any Outdoor Event

While a backyard event is an excellent way to host a unique and intimate affair, keep in mind that the cost of an outdoor can escalate out of control quickly as can the weather! We've put together a list of 5 things to consider when hosting an outdoor/backyard wedding.

5. Keep your guests comfortable. Are you getting married in the early fall? Hand out pashima's as favors to all of your lady guests to keep them warm in the cool evening air or have cozy blankets on hand for those who might want to snuggle to keep warm. Summer months usually mean scorching hot weather, provide your guests with mini hand held fans to cool themselves down, or have your groomsmen hand out personalized bottles of chilled water to your guests as they're seated for the ceremony.

4. Always be prepared with a backup weather plan. Is it going to be record breaking hot outside? Is the weatherman calling for rain? We always like to suggest that your outdoor venue has a spot suitable to move the ceremony indoors if needed. Also, make sure the tent rental has sturdy sides that won't blow away in the wind, and consider ordering a tent floor to eliminate a muddy, grassy mess if it does indeed rain.

3. Choose your menu according to the time of the year. Summer weddings can benefit from having an Iced Tea bar to quench your guests thirst or some tasty frozen treats during cocktails. Comfort foods and drinks like hot chocolate and warm cookies can be the perfect companion to an outdoor wedding in cooler weather.

2. Permit, permit, permit! We can't stress this enough, if you're planning a wedding or any type of event in your home, check with your City or Town for any appropriate permits you may need to host your shindig. Things to look into include noise limits, trash removal, candles or open fires and alcohol licensing.

And the number 1 tip we'd like to share for planning an outdoor wedding?

1. Before you put down any deposits or send those invitations, one major thing to consider is parking for your guests. When looking into permits, also find out from your municipality where your guests can park. Do you have a property big enough to accommodate 100 cars? Is there ample parking on the surrounding streets in your neighbourhood? No? If there's a carpool lot nearby consider having your guests park there and have them shuttled to your residence from a neighbour with a mini van. If cost is not an issue, let them arrive in style in a luxury bus or SUV limo.

Wordless Wednesday: Pretty in Pink Florals

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Wordless Wednesday: Summery Flower Centre Piece

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Summer Wedding Ideas Part 2

With an abundance of sunshine and brilliant weather, it's no wonder the Summer months are the most popular choices to host a wedding. Here are some tips to help incorporate this beautiful season into your special day.

• Take advantage of the weather and host your wedding outdoors (think local beach, garden or some one's backyard).
• Say goodbye to tradition and host your reception in the late afternoon, or say your vows under a beautiful sunset.
• Having your reception outdoors? Use torches and strings of lanterns to add some soft lighting to the outdoor venue and use floating candles to accent a nearby pool, pond or water feature.
• For centre pieces, think about using fresh, whole fruits like lemons or limes in vases or freshly cut seasonal flowers.
• Want a different kind of dessert? Nothing spells summer elegance better than a fruity sorbet instead of a heavy dessert.

Photo courtesy of http://www.theknot.com/

More Summer Wedding Ideas

From decor, to floral arrangements, to handy little gifts, these three ideas are sure to be a hit with your guests!

Guests planning to dance the night away in their stiletto's will flip for this basket of goodies! Provide a basket filled with flip flops (you can buy an assortment of different colours at Old Navy) by the dance floor for guests to slip into when their aching feet need some TLC.

Hosting an outdoor wedding? If your wedding is in the thick of summer (July or August) think about having a lemonade stand at your reception OR during the ceremony if it's outside. Your guests' taste buds will thank you for it later!

 
Outdoor weddings during the day can be just as romantic as evening weddings with the right touch of rose petals. Who wouldn't want to walk down a rose petal adorned aisle, especially with summary pink petals?
 

*All photos courtesy of www.theknot.com