Looking through this STUNNER of a wedding, you might not guess that this was in fact a pre-covid fete! In fact, this intimate 15 person luxe wedding was from back in 2019, before “micro wedding” was even a term. Jaclyn & Yong decided they didn’t want to compromise their style for a big guest list, and so set out to have a wedding that was worthy of their “champagne tastes”. 13 of their immediate family members flew up with them from Chicago to Victoria back in August 2019, and they proceeded to have the most incredible weekend. Set at The View Luxury Property, all the guests stayed on site, and had a long weekend of non stop food, pool time, sunshine, and oh yeah…an epic wedding. It was such a pleasure getting to work with this fun loving and sweet couple, and to bring their vision to life. They gave me (and all their vendors) their full trust, and if you ask me, that’s what always makes for exceptional results. A few of my favourite details?

- The Grooms brother, a world famous cellist, who played them down the aisle

- The 5 course epic meal that Toque Catering created, that basically touched on all their favourite food memories

- The ceremony florals….DROOL worthy!

- When Yong sat down at the piano and surprised everyone with an incredible rendition of “Everlasting Love”

So yeah…it was a pretty great day. Please enjoy these gorgeous photos taken by the incredibly talented Natasha for Myrtle & Moss Photography and thank you again J&Y for having me part of this day!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of the very talented Natasha for Myrtle & Moss Photography

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Wild Oak Collective for Myrtle and Moss Photography
Catering - Toque Catering
Florals - Ingrid Rose Floral Artistry
Venue - The View
Cake - Ruth & Dean
Hair - Heartwood & Co
Makeup - Melanie Baird
Stationery - Emma Allen Design
Rentals - Tabletop Curated Rentals, Faire la Fete, Bash Specialty & Rock Paper Square

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

This was the garden party of my dreams you guys. There. I said it. I think after scrolling through the beautiful photos by Vanessa Lust, you’ll get it. It was truly SUCH an honour to get to plan this 25th wedding anniversary party for some very special clients of mine 2 summers back! It was hosted at their family home, and was a gathering of all the most important people in their lives. Old family friends from the early days, colleagues, friends new and old, and of course, their children. The day kicked off with a vow renewal of sorts (that had everyone, including myself both in stitches and tears), and finished with cocktails under the stars. The food. The music. The flowers. It was all utter perfection!

When planning the design, our clients really wanted to create a space that felt effortless and as though it was just “thrown” together. A blend of french & english influence wove through everything we did, and the food was a farm to table feast! We incorporated vintage china that felt like old family heirlooms and the floral arrangements were created with blooms that are also found in their beautiful garden. Bistro lights were strung, a bar was brought in…what more do you need! It was such a special anniversary, and a big thank you to our clients for entrusting me with your vision!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of the very talented Vanessa Lust Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Vanessa Lust Photography
Catering - Toque Catering
Bar Service - Lavish Liquid
Floral Design - Ingrid Rose
Music - Eryn Sharpe Trio
Rentals - Trend Decor, Mesa Rentals & Faire la Fete
Lounge - Bash Specialty

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

As I continue to make my way through the past weddings archive, I can’t believe I hadn’t shared this one yet! It was a day filled with some of my favourite people, at a beautiful spot, and I had the honour of being both planner & guest! Kaylee & Shawn are good friends of ours, and getting to help them plan their dream wedding was such. a. TREAT!

Both born and raised on the Island, they wanted a venue that felt like an escape but that was still easily accessible to all of their friends & family. The gorgeous Birds Eye Cove Farm was the perfect spot for them, and I absolutely loved creating an intimate and relaxed space there for them. Modern boho details (perfectly them) were present throughout all the design, starting with natural grasses, succulents and clean typography. Cozy lounges, fun cocktails, and delicious food (shout out to Toque!) kept guests mingling all day and night. And the music. Oh the music. Noah Edwards (the acoustic king of Victoria) played non-stop from the ceremony to first dance, keeping the vibe perfectly chill and romantic. The best part of the day though? Getting to see these guys get married. I love them and both their families so much, and it was honestly just such a privilege to get to be there!

As with my last blog post, I’m going to leave it at that. The stunning photos from our friends AMERIS tell the day perfectly, and you can literally feel the happiness from both Kaylee & Shawn in these photos. Enjoy!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of the power duo, AMERIS.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - AMERIS
Venue - Birds Eye Cove Farm
Catering - Toque Catering
Florals - Cartref Gardens
Paper Goods - French Kiss Events
Music - Noah Edwards Music
Cake - Ruth & Dean
Hair - Curls by Kimberly
Makeup - Melanie Baird
Lounge Furniture - Bash Specialty
Linens - Faire la Fete

Brittany & Mike’s multi-day wedding weekend took place 2 years ago (blogging back log is real right now guys lol!) and is hands down one of the most memorable weddings I’ve had the honour of being part of. 3 days of events. 250 guests. 2 weddings. 2 amazing families. And oh yeah…a surprise performance by one of my long time favourite musicians (anyone else’s parents bring them to a Colin James concert and have it be instant music love?).

Brittany & Mike met at UVic years before, and wanted to return to Victoria (Mike’s hometown) for their wedding. I am so so glad that they did! We were brought on to be part of the western ceremony & fusion reception, taking place on the final day of the weekend. The palette was fresh summer, and the entire day was overflowing with flowers (hello flower chandelier!!). And after 2 days of ceremonies already, everyone brought their A-game to Sunday. It all came together with a huge party, filled with love, music & soooo much good food. I could honestly talk about this wedding for hours, but I’m not going to. The photos & videos tell the story so much better than I every could. Thank you so so much Brittany & Mike for having me be part of this incredible day!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of the genius, Erin Wallis Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Memento Films
Floral Design - Rook & Rose
Ceremony venue - Starling Lane Vineyards
Ceremony catering - Toque Catering
Reception venue - Victoria Conference Centre
Reception catering - The Fairmont Empress
Cake - The Fairmont Empress
Drapery - Decorate Victoria
Linens - Faire la Fete
Furniture rentals - Bash Specialty
Photo booth - Four Frames Photo Booth
Makeup - Melanie Baird
Hair - Travis Mercer, Hunt & Gather

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

As the number of gorgeously warm days increases, I’m finding myself craving wedding days more and more… This one, while already 2 years ago (again, yes…I’m clearly in a backlog of blogging), feels incredibly relevant these days. Not only was the couples minimalist style impeccable, but this was an intimate afternoon wedding. Seems pretty dreamy, right? It was.

Set at the beautiful Brentwood College, Kathleen & Taylor had a vision, and I was ALL for it! I absolutely loved working alongside this couple, designers themselves, to create an uncomplicated modern space that enhanced the natural backdrop of Brentwood’s patio. Through clean lines and a minimalist design approach, every detail was carefully thought out. The letter-pressed menu cards, the hand made soap by the Bride, the tea station…everything had meaning and was done with purpose. What I think really made this design so unique was the summer colour palette. Minimalism in weddings is so often done with a very neutral palette. But Kathleen was drawn towards a summery palette of blush’s, pinks & taupes. Against the white & acrylic clean lines, the colours popped and were the perfect way to bring the whole design to life.

This was such a special afternoon, and it couldn’t have felt more authentic. Seeing the couple enjoy their first few hours as husband & wife surrounded by friends & family, sharing some of their favourite tapas and taking in the view, was the absolute best. Kathleen & Taylor, thank you so so much for having me be part of this incredible day 2 years ago. I loved every single part of it xo.

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of Nanae Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Venue/Catering - Brentwood College
Photography - Nanae Photography
Floral Design - Rook & Rose
Cake - Ruth & Dean
Stationery - Sato Designers
Beauty - Heartwood & Co
Music - Cascadia Quartet

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

Getting to FINALLY share this wedding in it’s entirety is basically making my MONTH!! I’ve shared lots of sneaks over the last couple of years on instagram, but a series of things had me pausing on the full blog post. Well folks…the day is here!! Where to even start?!! Lauren & Tyler were married on a beautiful summers day back in August 2018, and it was glorious. These guys (as honestly, all my couples are) were a dream to work with from the start, and they had such a special connection & story. There is the most beautiful film by Painted Sky (go to the end of this blog post to watch) that shares a good chunk of that story, so I won’t share too much here. What I do want to quickly touch on, is how much love both of their families have for each other, and how the couple clearly has the most incredible support system. A year before starting to plan the wedding, Lauren lost her Mom to cancer. They believe (and I do too) that her spirit comes alive via hummingbirds, and there have been countless times that she has “shown” up over the last few years for really special moments. In the video below, Lauren shares a bit about the wedding day morning, and how while having her makeup done, a hummingbird paid her a visit. When I heard the story on the day, it was almost too incredible to believe. But hand to god you guys, this hummingbird fluttered in front of her for a good chunk of time, and Lauren was able to share a bit of her wedding day with her Mom. Another part of that day that I don’t think I’ve even told Lauren about, was at the start of my day. I had just pulled up to the venue to start to unload decor. I was literally in the middle of a parking lot, with nothing around me. For about 10 seconds, a hummingbird flew in front of my car. I knew then that it was going to be an incredible day.

I’m literally crying as I type this, so it’s probably best I move on before I become totally useless lol! This wedding had it all. Incredible flowers (hello Ingrid Rose!!!), the dreamiest of palettes, an a-team of vendors and epic views. Lauren & Tylers family & friends delivered with the killer party. You guys: thank you from the bottom of my heart for having me be part of this really special time in your life. Planning your wedding alongside you was an absolutely dream and I love that I cam now call you both friends! They also just welcomed the most beautiful little boy into their lives 2 weeks ago, and I can’t wait for the day that we can all meet up again and I can see him in real life (and not just on the gram). Congratulations you guys!!

I hope you all enjoy looking through this day as much as I enjoyed creating it. And be sure to make it to the end so you can watch the beautiful film!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of Christine Pineaar Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Christine Pineaar Photoraphy
Videography - Painted Sky Films
Venue & Catering - Brentwood College
Florals - Ingrid Rose Floral Artistry
Stationery - Emma Allen Design
Band - The County Line
Cake - Ruth & Dean
Hair - Elena Roberts
Makeup - Melanie Baird

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

If you look closely enough on the first photo below, you’ll see that this lovely couple just celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary (happy anniversary you guys!!!). Yup. I'm that far behind in blogging. Oh well! Nothing like a pandemic to get caught up, right?! lol! As things have been rapidly changing these past few weeks though, I have been thinking a lot about what this year will look like for weddings. We all know that things are going to be looking small (elopement anyone?), and there have been a handful of incredibly special weddings over the past decade with FKE that fit this bill. Madeline & Ben are exactly that, and for this reason, I thought that they would be the perfect wedding to share right now!

How to start…oh man guys…this was a GOOD one! It had literally everything. An intimate legal ceremony with just the parents (which ended up probably being the most emotional part of the day), a really special personalized ceremony in front of their closest family & friends, followed by an EPIC brunch (should out to Toque). In the evening, 100 guests took over the large private property, and they celebrated late into the night. And the palette.… oh man! Can we talk about drama?!!! The couple loves all things art nouveau, which we used as a jumping off point for inspiration. The florals, textiles, gold foil, custom invitation… just to name a few. The whole thing was absolutely incredible, and I feel like my words just don’t do it justice. So, I hope you have some time to scroll through the beautiful photos below (thanks Berkley) and start dreaming of how incredible an intimate ceremony & celebration can be (then of course, with a kick ass party to follow!!!).

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of Berkley Voonfjörd.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Berkley Voonfjörd
Venue - The View
Catering - Toque Catering
Florals - Thorn & Thistle
Linens - Faire la Fete
Cake - Passion for Cakes
Pies - Ruth & Dean
Stationery - Emma Allen Design
Invitation Art - Margaret Hansen
Furniture Rentals - Bash Specialty

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

It’s been just under a year since I blogged and about a year and a half since this wedding, but it’s never too late right?! I blame life. As we are settling into the quieter season though, I’m finding I have some spare time to put into blogging, and I am excited about it! I couldn’t think of a better wedding to end the drought than Mandy & Andrew’s Napa Valley soiree! And yes….I said Napa Valley! Back in the Spring of 2018, I got to check off a HUGE bucket list item and head down to California to plan this gorgeous vineyard wedding.

When Mandy & Andrew, good friends of mine here in Victoria, first asked me if I would plan their wedding, I obviously got excited. But then when they told me they were thinking Napa, and would I consider heading down to Napa with them? Well, let’s just say I don’t think I’ve ever said YES faster haha! These guys love to travel, have a taste for the finer things in life, and also love to throw a very very good party. The venue was the top priority, and we were all beyond thrilled to find the historic Charles Krug Winery. One of the oldest wineries in Napa and one of the only actual wineries to host weddings in the valley. It was absolutely perfect. The team of vendors we assembled down there were all incredible and I am just crossing my fingers and toes that I get another chance to head back down there for more weddings! Planning a wedding in another country is no joke people, but it was an experience I absolutely loved, will never forget, and I am so glad it was with such a special couple.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart Mandy & Andrew, for having me be a part of this amazing time in your life, and I hope everyone enjoys a small glimpse into this amazing day below!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of Dawn Heumann Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Venue - Charles Krug Winery
Photography - Dawn Heumann Photography
Catering - Feast Catering
Florals - Tango & Foxtrot
Rentals - La Tavola & Encore Event Rentals
Beauty - Bella Bridal Napa Valley
Welcome Sign & Place Cards - XM Calligraphy
DJ - Modern Maestro

And then here’s a little something for all of your pure enjoyment. Ladies & Gents….I give you the men behind FKE fully embracing BSB.

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

Happy New Year everyone! What a blur the holidays were, eh?! We spent lots of time with family and friends relaxing, and may have overindulged once (or twice) on some delicious wine and savoury treats… but that’s what the holidays are for, right?! I’m currently working on my annual end of year blog post, which should be live next week (stay tuned), but I wanted to kick the new year off with a very happy, bright and fresh wedding from Summer 2017! I did a MAJOR happy dance on Christmas Eve when it was published over on Wedding Chicks (check it out here!), and just loved getting to relive this day through the images below.

Sabrina & Dylan’s wedding took place in the middle of August, at the gorgeous Affinity Guesthouse property. And guys. This wedding was so. much. fun! I can’t remember ever seeing a Bride so relaxed and ready to party on her wedding day! Both Sabrina & Dylan had a smile from ear to ear all day long, and the entire wedding was filled with so many heartwarming moments. Planning began about a year and half in advance (it is never too early to start planning everyone!) , and their main goal was to throw the biggest party of the summer. Mission accomplished. Through the cheerful palette, lawn games, insane boho lounge, family style feast (thanks Toque Catering!) and The County Line band, guests felt comfortable and “at home” all day long. The Bride, who has a very bohemian style, wanted to make sure that her personal style was infused throughout the elegant setting. Moroccan lanterns and persian rugs lined the ceremony aisle, and the couple shared their vows on a Moroccan wedding blanket. We fully raped the tent and added twinkle lights above. Bright and happy florals, designed by FLEURtacious, lined the 4 long-long tables, and fresh lavender was placed on each place setting.

One of the most fun moments of the night happened right before the band took over: Sabrina surprised Dylan by switching her wedding skirt for a full tiered skirt. It was PERFECT for the dance floor, so definitely make sure to check out those photos below as well! This was just such a fun day filled with so much joy, and I am so grateful to have had a chance to work with this lovely couple!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible!  All photos courtesy of Blush Wedding Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Blush Photography
Venue - Affinity Guesthouse
Catering - Toque Catering
Florals - FLEURtacious
Band - The County Line
Decor rentals - Trend Decor
Lounge - Bash Specialty
Tent & rentals - Black & White
Stationery - Emma Allen
Makeup - Melanie Baird

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

Buckle in for a true west coast beauty folks: Monica & Cliff, a Vancouver based power couple, got married on a beautiful summers day, on a the gorgeous Thetis Island, surrounded by their closest family and friends. The day was filled with so much joy and the couple seriously couldn't stop smiling all day! These guys….I just love them to death…. but I digress. haha! Overbury Resort, located on the small Thetis Island, was the host of their entire wedding festivities, including a welcome BBQ held on the Friday. Monica spent many summers as a kid at Overbury Resort with her family, and so when they became engaged, it was the only place in the world that she wanted to get married. It took Cliff a bit of convincing, as he is a city boy through and through, but after seeing the property and what a magical spot it was, he was sold (with the promise that it wouldn't be a rustic wedding and that there would be charger plates!). In the end, the day was a relaxed yet elegant celebration, and was the perfect blend of the couple.

For the design, it was pretty easy to take inspiration from the grogeous west coast and natural elements at the venue (that view!). We decided to infuse a few soft pops of colour through the florals and fruit to add some depth to the design. Peach, Blush & Apricot, along with whites and greens brought life to the space and made this summery soiree feel fresh. Monica is a nutritionalist, and so it was really important to her that everything at the wedding was fresh and as local as possible. Many of the florals were grown locally on Vancouver Island, and we created a farmers market inspired seating chart with locally grown BC peaches for every guest! Probably my favourite seating chart to date.

One of the most emotional parts of the day was the ceremony. It was performed by Monica's brother, and he managed to make sure that there wasn't a dry eye there! Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed canapés, lawn games, and live music by the extremely talented Colin Bullock. After dinner, Colin was joined by a friend of the couples, and the duo performed the most beautiful rendition of Bob Dylan's "Make you feel my love". It was seriously magical! Guests danced into the night, soaked up the warm evening around the bonfire, and even toasted s'mores at the s'more station. It was the perfect Island wedding!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Monica & Cliff, for having me be a part of this incredibly special day! The photos from The Nickersons capture the essence of the weekend perfectly, and I hope you all enjoy!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible!  All photos courtesy of The Nickersons.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - The Nickersons
Venue & Catering - Overbury Resort
Florals - Overbury Resort & Cartref Gardens
Music - Colin Bullock
Hair - Nadia Bullock
Makeup - Grist Artistry
Stationery - Emma Allen Design

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48