I met Jane!
Last week I had the pleasure of attending a WPIC seminar with Jane Dayus-Hinch, the UK wedding planner and host of TV show, Wedding SOS. I’ve seen the show on more than a few occasions and, up until this week, it has just been another form of entertainment.
But after hearing from Jane herself about her background and crazy wedding adventures, I have a new found respect for her and what she does. By no means is she just a show personality; she really is as witty, professional and endearing as she seems on TV. She is a masterful storyteller and you can tell that she is an even more masterful wedding coordinator. Most importantly, you could tell that she loves what she does.
She inspired me that evening with her passion for weddings and strive for excellence. I also learned a handful of her trade secrets and I look forward to putting them into action this year. I can only hope that I will one day be able to get a small taste of her successes!
The evening itself was also quite well put-together. The Hilton Garden Inn at the Airport was modern and chic, lending a great backdrop to the seminar. In our room, each table was tastefully decorated with it’s own theme, matching floral centerpieces and delicious cake pops. We even had a program for the evening, DJ and photographer. We definitely learned in style! Hats off to the ladies who put it together.
Thank you Kimberly Tiessen (www.ktphotography.ca) for the beautiful pictures below.
I am meeting Jane Dayus-Hinch!
Tonight I’m heading to a WPIC workshop with Jane Dayus-Hinch! She may look familiar.. because she’s the celebrity planner on the show Wedding SOS! Her experiences may be a bit different from mine, as she has a camera crew and helpers running around with her all day, but I’m sure there will still be transferable lessons. We’ll see what comes out of it! How exciting!
It’s interesting that this week has been a lot of “everyday” posts. I guess there have been a lot of inspiring and interesting things I’ve stumbled across lately, and not as much time to brainstorm and think about random wedding ideas. I’ll definitely post about meeting Jane later on in the week to complete this week’s “everyday” posts!
Paintlounging
I’m posting from Paintlounge in Markham, a fun cafe tucked away uptown. The owners, Beverly and Samantha, had a lot of great ideas for possible event partnerships when I sat down to chat with them. I’m excited to work with them and I’m really loving the place. What a great concept they have going on here!
For those who are looking for a new place to lounge and have a drink, the cafe is perfect. The cafe side is spacious, has wifi and I love that it isn’t as crowded as a Starbucks. Drinks and snacks are well priced and the staff are friendly. You can even mix and match ingredients to make your perfect tea (I had a green tea with a hint of rose buds, yum!)
In the back of the cafe is where you can let your creative energy flow. If you opt to paint, consider sharing a canvas with a friend and paint to your heart’s content. They have everything you need to make your next big masterpiece. They promote freestyle social painting and painting as an interactive experience (something we’ve considered bringing to some upcoming events, look out for it!)
They have a number of creative and unique events coming up that are especially suited for DIY’ers, and you can bring them to your next event for an interactive activity for your guests. They have also generously donated a Couples Painting Sessions as a prize for A Sweets Affair. Make sure to stay updated on their facebook page and website!
Photos courtesy of Paintlounge.
Valentines is in the air!
Photo credit: Toban Black, Flickr
January isn’t even over and stores are stocked full of the red and pink merchandise! I just stepped into a dollarama recently and was bombarded with aisles of hearts, teddybears holding hearts and lots of chocolates. It’s exciting because it reminds me that A Sweets Affair is coming up really soon! I promise it will not be a couples-only event or super cheesy. It will however be a great Friday evening. I hope you’re coming out!
By the way, you have a few more days to take advantage of Psalms Accessories’ free shipping for January only – a promo they are holding for the launch of their new site. Psalms’ loft is also where the valentines event will be held.
Finding Inspiration for your Wedding Theme
Many couples have already booked their big items, like their venue, photography, etc. Once you start looking at the smaller details, it is useful to have a theme in mind to tie it altogether. But where do you start? Some couples will have their theme thought out long ago and some have no clue where to start. This is more for the latter, to hopefully get the creative juices rolling.
Your story
As cheesy as it may be, dig deep and remember your journey together. Do you both enjoy going to the movies? Maybe an old-fashioned cinematic theme would work for you. Are you both very eco-friendly? Consider having a very green wedding theme. These sort of similarities (or sometimes differences) can be a great starting point to a theme.
Colours
It definitely helps to pinpoint a few key colours to use throughout the wedding, however this can also be a good starting point. Colours evoke emotion and mood. Maybe the bride has a set colour palette in mind, but nothing to go along with it. Use these colours to brainstorm – what do these colours feel like? Are they warm or cool shades? Is it whimsical/romantic/fun? A turquoise and yellow colour palette may suggest a more fun and light feeling, than a palette of reds and purples. And on the contrary a whole banquet hall set in deep reds and purples may give an opposite vibe to fun and light if that is what you wanted.
Seasons
Will your wedding happen in the sunny days of summer or will it be a brisk fall day? The season can be a great indicator of themes that can be created for your day. Picking a seasonal-oriented theme or even to just have some elements of it in place could save you money on flowers. Tip: Flowers are seasonal and will cost you more on the offseason, sometimes significantly more. It is always a good idea to check with a florist before you are set on having a specific type of flower for your wedding, especially if you are not having a summer wedding. Tropical flowers in the fall or winter, for example, will definitely come at a premium.
Your venue
Sometimes your venue is a blank slate or sometimes it has its own look already. This is definitely something to consider when planning your theme. It would be hard to do a modern theme at a grand Victorian ballroom, or a princess theme in a sleek new building with all wood and glass. It can be done of course, but it would take a lot of extra decor and details to pull it off well, or you risk it looking like a poorly executed theme.
After you have a couple broad theme ideas in mind, it’s time to narrow it down. What would this theme look like on our wedding day? What will our decor or invitations look like? What kind of elements will tie it together? Start dreaming and dream big! Once you have an idea of what it might look like it small and large details, you will be in a better place to decide if you’d like to go with a certain theme. Happy brainstorming!
Expert advice: Cake and cupcakes!
With my Valentines event coming up, I thought it would be suiting to do a spotlight on wedding cakes. It’s about that time of year when couples should be looking into wedding cake options, so hopefully this will help you in planning for that. Jenn is a super awesome girl who makes amazing cake designs, do not hesitate to give her a shout if you are looking for a unique wedding cake. She’s also the one behind all the lovely cupcakes that will be at A Sweets Affair!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Jenn and I am a cake designer. My business background and years of experience in the restaurant industry coupled with my passion for pastries has led me to where I am today-the proud owner of Sweet Escapes. I first started baking when I worked for a company that made cakes for high-end restaurants and gourmet grocery stores such as Pusateri’s. I further developed my skills by working in bakeries under the mentorship of well-known pastry chefs. With a healthy obsession with cake-related shows (Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes and Ultimate Cake-off), I took a few classes and my business escalated from there. I love my job and it shows in my work. If you can dream it, I make it! 
What is the coolest cake you’ve ever made?
One of my favourite cakes was my last wedding cake in September. It was a 5-tier vanilla cake layered with strawberry mousse and fresh strawberries (the picture up top!). It weighed almost 100 pounds and was adorned with 30 beautiful roses. Handmade crystal monograms of the couple’s initials sat at the very top. It reminded me of the Stanley Cup!
What kind of questions or expectations should a couple have when choosing or buying a wedding cake?
Be realistic about your budget.
Wedding cakes come at a price and you get what you pay for. The cost of the cake is also greatly influenced by the amount of detail and the intricacy of design. Having the cake covered in fondant (an edible sugar dough) cost more than buttercream but the fondant gives the cake a polished finish. Sugar flowers add a touch of elegance but can also add up in price because each flower is handmade and requires a lot of hours to perfect it. On average, expect $4-6 per serving.
Explore your options.
Couples who want the most for their money are getting sheet cakes on the side in addition to their wedding cake. The purpose of the wedding cake is to be displayed as a showpiece whereas sheet cakes are stored at the back and distributed after the wedding cake has been cut. Both cakes are the same flavour and it is more cost-effective than having a multi-tiered wedding cake that is expected to feed all the guests.
Do your research.
The best way to communicate your design to your cake decorator is to provide a picture of something similar. Swatches of your wedding colours along with a sample of the invitation or a picture of the bride’s gown will definitely help to visualize the look and feel of the cake. Having a theme in mind (elegant, whimsical, traditional or modern) is also helpful.
What are some trends you expect for the 2011 wedding season?
Two words: EDIBLE FAVOURS. Giving guests cookies and cupcakes as favours is becoming more popular in recent years. I am not a fan of useless favours and who could forget the old-fashioned Jordan almonds wrapped in tulle? Having a cupcake tree with a small cake on top instead of a wedding cake is also quite popular.
Any last thoughts?
For a limited time, order Valentine’s cupcakes for your special someone from Sweet Escapes. Quote promotional code REBECCACHAN11 when ordering to receive $5 off your order over $30. Offer expires February 14th, 2011.
Single Cupcakes – $4
Half Dozen Cupcakes – $20
One Dozen Mini Cupcakes – $10
Contact info
The best way to contact me is through my website at www.jenniferchao.com
You can also find Sweet Escapes on Facebook! to receive news, Remember to click “LIKE” to receive promotions and exciting contests!
A Sweets Affair – Fri Feb 11
Join us this Valentines season for an intimate evening of music, jewellery and, of course, sweets! A portion of the proceeds of this event will go to Joni and Friends, a charitable organization that provides wheelchairs to those who have been affected by disability around the world.
♥ Design your own cupcake station
♥ Pre-order your customized cupcakes for the event
♥ Try on Psalms’ Top 10 Valentines Picks
♥ Enter to win a FREE Day-Of Wedding Coordination package with engagement shoot
♥ Enter to win other awesome prizes for you and a date
Don’t miss out on this fun Valentines event hosted by Rebecca Chan Weddings & Events, in collaboration with Sweet Escapes by Jenn and Psalms Accessories.
Sorry for the lack of updates recently! I am awaiting a facelift for my website, so look out for that. In the meanwhile keep posted about my Valentines event!