Throwback: Something Blue

As you well know now, I am somewhere on a plane or in a hotel, and am not behind the screen blogging avidly as I normally do! Thus, we are doing a series of throwbacks here at BeeBeeBisous - today, we go back to something blue. Something wonderful and blue...

Something old, something new, 

Something borrowed, something blue,

(And a penny in her shoe.) (I put this in brackets because I'm sure I'm not the only one to to cringe at the thought of shoving a penny in my four inchers to dance upon all night long).

This is a timeless tradition where you really don’t have to be traditional to be timeless – with some creativity and a willingness to work out side of the Tiffany blue box you can infuse your day with something personal and unique. It doesn’t have to be a predictable blue garter. Look at this as a chance to really exercise your creativity – and yet another area where you can add personal little details to the mix to make your special day one of a kind! I've below compiled some great ideas that I've stumbled across in my readings. Read on, Baby Blue.

Blue Shoes

Louboutin's Mago Shoes

Okay, I admit – not that creative. But I LE LOVE these Louboutins and I would be ridden with guilt if I didn’t showcase the most fabulous way to do something blue.

Shoe-Crystal-Thingys

From Mindy Weiss

I’ll be the first to say that blue shoes really don’t work in my colour scheme, and a girl’s GOTTA stick to her colour scheme, y’knowwhatI’msayin’? I am decidedly more shoe-crystal-thingy-leaning, and I do adore this little bit of flare from Mindy Weiss’ online shop. I DO! (Did ya catch that one?)

Blue Toenails

OPI Polish in "Breathe Life"

I say “toenails” because they would look so cute peeping out from under your gown. Fingernails, on the other hand, would look tacky and 90’s and I don’t condone either of those things for your faboosh day.

D&G Light Blue Perfume

D&G Light Blue for Woman

This is an idea for she-who-blue-really-doesn’t-work-in-her-colour-scheme-at-all. It is the subtlest of subtle, and very creative. The only thing is you’ll have to go around telling everyone… “Wanna know what my something blue is? Do ya? Smell me. No really. Do it. Smell me.”.

Blue Cake

From Martha Stewart Weddings

No one says that your something blue has to be on your person, and this powder blue cake from Martha Stewart Weddings is absolutely bee-yew-tah-full without giving you that gross questioning feeling that many blue foods can. Just make sure you have a slice. It’s your wedding day. The diet is over.

Blue Eye Make-up

Done in deep navy, this can be a very elegant touch in an evening affair. Just be careful that you don’t end up looking 80’s. We’ve already talked about avoiding the 90’s, so I feel that I don’t need to elaborate on this one…

Blue Undies

Hanky Panky Low-Rise Thong

Ooh la la! I like these! Wear them under your heavy-duty construction-grade girdle for a nice little Hanky-Panky surprise at the end of the night. Just don’t tell my mother in law.

Dress Label

Label from TheGarterMaker.com

This is a simple, classic and discrete way to incorporate something blue, and I love it… Sewn inside your dress, it is a way to personalize and add some nostalgia – and when your daughter gets married in your dress, she can sew her date next to yours… Awwwwww.

These are just some simple ways that you can incorporate something blue into your day (there are also sapphires). What is the most creative Something Blue you’ve come across? 

Friday Throwback: Celsia Florist

For those readers that have been around since the beginning, you'll know that I am infatuated with our florist, Celsia Florist here in Vancouver. Since I'm gallivanting around the country at the moment for my residency interviews (read my post THE TOUR if you missed this!), I thought that this might be an opportunity for a throw-back - a step in time to when I interviewed Laura about Celsia and about wedding flowers. While you're looking back, be sure to read some of my other early posts on registries, something blue, and budgeting - they're full of goodies!

Cue chimes... we are going back in time... 

Well - we've chosen our florist! Hooray!


I have to say that deciding on a florist - or even knowing where to start the hunt - is one of the toughest decisions I've encountered so far. Yes, we're ahead of the game with respect to timing and that takes some of the pressure off, but I wasn't sure how to gauge which florists would be budget-wise, easy to work with, and most importantly, would really get my vision. I harassed my friends, I e-mailed a dozen places in Vancouver, and even met with a number of them in-shop with my USB full of images in tow.


And then I met Celsia... and it was love at first sight. Le sigh. Their beautiful shop had me at, "Hello!", their organization was impeccable, and they got it. Like, they just got it. I sat down with the lovely Laura, and by the end of our first meeting we had compiled a list of what we'd need, what it would look like, timing for the day of, a budget, and a back-up plan. Talk about knowing what they're talking about! The lovely Laura has kindly contributed information on Celsia, and answered some of my (often never-ending list of) questions - ones that I wanted to share to guide you towards your own floral romance.  

From Laura:

Celsia is in a gorgeous brick building on leafy Arbutus street. The shop is pretty old school and that suits us perfectly. Celsia’s ‘look’ is just that; vintage and modern. Our style is both of those things, modern with a vintage twist, or vintage done in a new, modern way. We are lucky enough to have a beautiful, relaxed space, where it’s easy to create. We’ve been featured in various wedding publications, including the latest issue of Wedluxe magazine, and have even appeared on TV!


As for me... well I’m a vintage girl, and I’m also an English girl. I’d worked for my mum’s old English country florist back home in pretty Harrogate for years, and I was feeling a little homesick after moving to Vancouver. So, when I wandered in to Celsia - its old fashioned feel and European style made me feel right at home. I found my little niche in the design team here and I love that we all represent a slightly different take on Celsia’s signature style. I’m the wedding go-to girl here at Celsia which works perfectly for me! Going from meeting the couple right through the whole process, to getting to be a small part of their day is a wonderful feeling, and leaves me going home a happy camper.

1. What does the wedding flower planning process involve?

As a general rule - we’ll have a sit down consult for about an hour and bounce ideas back and forth. If we’ve got a clear idea after that, then I’ll sit down and put together a quote. Sometimes we’ll email back and forth a little to juggle numbers and details around - it’s important to get it perfect! We can do a small wedding with as little as a month’s notice but generally we’d like as much time beforehand as possible - a few months at least really. This allows us more time to plan, and more time to pre-order your product to make sure you get the creme de la creme of flowers for your wedding. We require a deposit as soon as you decide to go for it with us to secure your date, and full payment a month before the big day (again so we can make sure to order everything early).

2. What sort of things should a bride prepare for her first meeting with a florist?

It’s great if you can come in with as many things as possible so we can get a good idea of your taste. These can be anything - dress swatches, theme ideas, pictures(not always of flowers - they could be of rooms, table-scapes etc), colours - it can be anything. It’s all inspiration, and helps us to get a firm idea of what you like. It’s also important to think beforehand of a budget that you would be happy to spend on flowers - we’ll be able to tell you in the consult whether this is realistic or not, but it’s best to get it out in the open so you don’t get an unwelcome surprise when your quote comes!

3. What is the most popular look/request you're getting in the wedding flower world this year?

There are 2 themes that have been really popular this season. Peacock feathers is one; lush rich and decadent styles - really luxurious, almost sexy. That’s the style that we did for the latest WedLuxe issue - it’s kind of a Morroco meets Asia feel, just gorgeous. The second is (my favourite), Tea-parties! (Spot the english girl here...) Lots of Shakespearian romance, pale colours, garden roses, peonies and tea cups. Beautiful.

4. Do you have any budgeting/saving tips?

Well, the best thing to do is go with seasonal blooms. Going for something that’s out of season ups the cost and also compromises the look of the flower - they’re often much smaller and sparser. If you have a number in mind that you wouldn’t be comfortable going over, the best thing to do is prioritise the things that you really want, and the things you might be open to suggestions about. We can always come up with something cost effective that still fits your vision.

5. How do you go about choosing a look/guiding a bride who isn't sure of what she wants?

If you’re not sure what you want as regards your wedding florals, let us know the colour scheme and feel the rest of your wedding is shaping up to have - dresses, location, tables etc and we can go from there to figure out something complimentary. We also have a ton of photos on our website and flickr, and a stack of magazines here at the store for you to flip through and say ‘yey’ or ‘nay’ - all feedback is good feedback! It’s just as important for us to know what you hate as well as what you love!

Choosing Celsia really puts me at ease, as a bride. They are a well-established and well-reputed company I know I can count on. Laura is sweet, a great listener, and really talented at her job - her organization makes me relax (I am O-so-OCD) and time after time, her work is beautiful. This is coming together y'all - and somehow, it's beginning to feel real!


Celsia Florist
1930 Arbutus St
Vancouver BC
Canada

tel: 604.731.3314
info@celsiaflorist.com



"Earth laughs in flowers." - Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Ways to Save: Invitations

I feel like any time the word "WEDDING" (or the word "BABY", for that matter) is attached to an item or service, the price goes up by at least 75%. Does anyone else feel this way?

When it comes to planning a wedding and getting the budget right, the invitations are often something that get overlooked. They don't add to the feel of the room on the day off, so they're easy to skimp on, but boy do they get people excited (I'm a bit of a paper-maniac myself). I know that we'd all love the letter-pressed everything with the embossing and the stamp that matches the suite or has a tiny picture of you together... but even if the budget is tight by the time you're getting ready to send out the invites, there are ways you can make it work out. 

from www.minted.com/

1. Reduce paper

- While I'm not totally down with the entirely-Evite option for weddings (even if they're casual, their a bit more formal than that, no?), you can reduce the amount of paper you send out by skipping RSVP cards (and return postage), menu-choice cards and registry cards, and throwing all of that on your wedding website. We use and love weddingwire.com. 

from www.minted.com/

2. Skip the calligrapher

- I just adore calligraphy, and think it is an incredible art form. I'm trying to learn a bit myself, to be honest wtih you, because I think it's just fab, but doubt I'll be up-to-snuff by the time that we send out our invites. Here's the thing - DANG is it expensive. By skipping hand calligraphy for all of your envelopes (and place cards), and using a printer, you'll save a bundle. Most people throw out the envelope anyway.

from www.minted.com/

3. Print at home

- If you have a good quality paper that can print on heavy cardstock, this may be an option for you. You can ask your designer if they'll send you the PDF so that you can make them yourself, and there are even websites where you can customize a pre-made invite to your deets and have it e-mailed to you. Downloadandprint.com has some gorgeous choices, and I know that Michaels also has some picks too. 

from www.minted.com/

4. Avoid the fluff

- Don't get me wrong. I love the fluff. I love the jackets and pockets and liners, the ribbons and tassles, and when invitations come in two envelopes so that you don't mess up the pretty one in the mail... but it's not in our budget. Not only do these things cost more to get made, there's often hidden assembly fees and they'll make the postage fees climb due to weight and irregular shape. A simple, classic design can stand alone and look equally as elegant - you guys say Kate and Williams invite, yes?

from www.minted.com/

5. Choose a colour

What I mean by this is choose ONE colour - printers charge more for every tone that you add. By having a simple design that only requires one colour of ink on one colour of paper, you will save. Black on white is the cheapest. 

from www.minted.com

Five easy tips to save on your invites - you could count 'em on one hand. The hand that is now full of cash you didn't have to spend. Do you have any more tips? What do you think is a reasonable price for invitations? Do you disagree with my attempts to scrimp here? Have it out in the comments!

Modern Vintage After Wedding Session

One of the most wonderful things about the peri-wedding time is the photographs - when else do you have professionals taking proper pictures, where you have your hair and make-up all special and you just get to revel in your love and act like supermodels? It's wonderful.

Well this smart couple decided to get some photos taken after their wedding, proving that the glory can live on! Joining up with the talent at CivicPhotos, they created a fabulous shoot in Texas that has a little bit of epic field and a little bit of moonlit carnival - the perfect mix, no? Seriously, these photos could make wall art. 

From the Photographer: CivicPhotos

Ronnie & Stephany wanted to do an after wedding session which was in the "Modern Vintage" style that CivicPhotos has become known for in the Houston Area. We started with shooting in a large field of vast openness...the couple wanted their love, details and style to be the center frame of the first part of the session. For the second half of their session we routed to the classic streets of The Strand of Galveston (http://www.thestrand.com/) After catching a few snapshots in the incredibly vintage “Big House Antiques” store…their style covered the streets until the moonlight rising.

After Wedding Session: Sneak Peek

This Texan couple hired the talented CivicPhotos for a creative after-wedding shoot, and boy was it magical. Come back on Monday for more magical, carnival, artistic beauty! Here's a taste. 

"The Tour"

Source: Skyscanner.net

When I got into med school, I kind of figured that "the ordeal" was over - that this was it, if I got good grades and worked hard, I had jumped through the hoops. What I didn't know was that (at least in Canada) there are no guarantees that you'll get to be the kind of doc that you want to be - there is yet another application and interview process, and dare I say that it's even a bit tougher than the first one?

Anyway, I have applied, and have heard back about interviews, and this coming weekend I embark on a three week journey ("The Tour") around Canada, interviewing for possible residency positions. The whole application process is called "CaRMS" after the computer system that they use to match candidates to positions ("Canadian Residency Match System"). After interviews, I rank where I want to be, and programs rank me, and then we get "matched" as high on our list as possible. No guarantees that you'll get what you want to be, or where you want to be, or even a spot. The pressure is on.

As you can imagine it's a time of incredible stress and excitement - and as such, blogging will take a back seat! But fear not - I'll still be posting, and taking you back to posts that I've done in the past as well, so be sure to check on back here at BeeBeeBisous for the wedding wonderment you're used to, and perhaps an update or two from somewhere afar in Canada!

Wish me luck!

Classic Connecticut Wedding (aka. eat your hearts out)

Recipe for a gorgeous wedding: Mix 1 dash shimmery sash, 7 bouquets of luscious blooms, and 1 beautiful bride in a large bowl. Add a generous handful of dashing groom, 6 blue-shoed groomsmen, and a snazzy bow-tie or two (to taste). Shake, then bake in a glorious ballroom, allowing the smoke of hand-rolled cigars to form. Garnish wish mini-donuts and a whole lotta love. YES INDEED!

From the photographer, Robin Dini:
Christina and Travis planned a high style and fashionable wedding in downtown Hartford. During our initial consultation, it was apparent that Christina had her mind set on the type of wedding she wanted and was determined to get what she wanted. The couple planned a Friday night party in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Christina's bridesmaids were dressed in gorgeous flowing navy blue strapless gowns while the groomsmen were sporting grey suits with blue lapel details and matching shoes. Christina's gown was simple and clean yet elegant with a ballgown skirt and jeweled waist details. With long flowing curls and exquisite makeup, the bride was a show stopper. The flowers were designed by the mother of the groom. After a traditional Catholic ceremony, the guests were invited to cocktails at The Society Room of Hartford followed by a sit down dinner and dance reception. The tables at the reception were decorated with candelabras and small bottles of lemoncello for guests. After parent dances and cake cutting, guests were invited to enjoy a hand rolled cigar, gourmet espresso, or tasty mini donut from a local Hartford bakery.