French Kiss Events
French Kiss Events, Victoria’s luxury boutique wedding planning and design firm, specializing in creating weddings and events that are personalized down to the smallest detail.

Journal

Posts tagged Bash Specialty
Real Wedding: Sabrina & Dylan

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.

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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

Real Wedding: Alexei & Bob

I often find myself stumped for ways to start these posts, as I worry that I come off repetitive. I seem to always be saying how special the wedding was, how gorgeously it all came together etc. etc. But the truth is, EVERY wedding I am a part of is special! One of the things I love most about doing what I do, and the boutique nature of FKE, is that I get to know my couples so intimately. So by the time of the wedding, I usually feel like one of the family (you know…like that second cousin you only see at really important events, but knows how to boss everyone around when the time is right haha!). It makes me fall head over heels in love with my job every.single.time., and is the reason why every wedding is so incredible to me! But this one guys…this one you can feel it in the photos (thanks to the genius of Taylor Roades). The day was filled with so much laughter and joy, and a whole lotta love.

When I first met Alexei & Bob, I instantly fell in love and knew I had to work with them (thanks guys for hiring me!). Their love for each other was obvious from the first second, but they also were hilarious, talked about a mile a minute, and knew exactly what they wanted. Alexei is originally from France, and Bob is from the Praries. They met in Quebec while both at school, and the rest is history as they say. The coming together of their 2 families was at the core of this very authentic, relaxed and elegant al fresco soiree.

The design was inspired by the gorgeous gardens of The English Inn and its classic tudor building, and we made sure to keep a masculine undertone and “harmonious chaos” throughout. We designed all the spaces to flow naturally from one into another, and the unique palette of purples, greys & oranges mixed together with organic elements, helped to keep the spaces feeling perfectly unkept.

But what this wedding was really all about (other than the couple…doh!) was the food. Oh the food. It was non stop flowing all throughout the night, and Toque Catering absolutely hit this one out of the park. The family style feast, set at those 2 gorgeous long tables, combined both the Parisian and Prairie influences. Picture a meal that is never ending, with platters of charcuterie, gourmet cheeses, farm fresh veggies & flavourful mains. Guests drank copious amounts of wine, shared lots of stories and partied the night away. It was perfection. But if you don’t believe me, scroll through the photos to see for yourself. 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 Taylor Roades Photography.

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Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Taylor Roades Photography
Venue - The English Inn
Catering - Toque Catering
Florals - Verbena Floral Design
Cakes - Ruth & Dean
Garden Duo - Simone & The Good Intentions
Band - The New Souls
Lounge Furniture - Bash Specialty
Tent & Rentals - Black & White Event Rentals, Pedersens, Party Mood
Beauty - Karley Reynolds & Cristina Woods

Real Wedding: Betsy & Ryan

Let's talk about the importance of having a really, truly, fun wedding, shall we?  That was the goal from the start for Betsy & Ryan, and we had a blast doing so!  Now don't get me wrong...we also set out to have a gorgeous wedding filled with metallics, geometric splashes, and a whole lotta marble; all of which we also totally succeeded at, if I do say so myself.  Set at the gorgeous Affinity Guesthouse property (one of my favs!), the couple, their family and close friends, spent the day playing games, eating delicious food (thanks Toque!), dancing the night away, and even singing a song (or 2).  It was perfect.  

We were also completely tickled to see that Wedding Bells loved this wedding as much as we did, and featured it back in May.  You can check it all out here!.  And so, without further adieu, here is Betsy & Ryan.  aka: #finallylynch.

**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 Amee Nijjar Photography.

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Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Amee Nijjar Photography
Videography - Kismet Creative
Venue - Affinity Guesthouse
Caterer - Toque Catering
Florals - Verbena Floral Design and Thorn & Thistle
Lounge - Bash Specialty
Linens - Faire la Fete
DJ - DJ Pro
Hair - Hairpins
Makeup - Artistry by Alexa
 

Real Wedding: Deandra & Robin

This wedding is proof that breaking away from the traditional wedding format is sometimes the best thing ever!  When I first met with Robin & Deandra, it was obvious that a typical wedding day was not their thing. They wanted a no fuss, relaxed and authentic celebration, to take place in the afternoon surrounded by an intimate group of family and friends.  And that is exactly what they got!  Robin, a hockey player from the Czech Republic, spent most of their engagement living in Europe, and so the couple really put their trust in our team to create their dream day while they remained fairly hands off.  And let me tell you....when you have a Bride & Groom that has complete trust in their vendors with their vision, the results can be extraordinary!  I loved every minute of working with this couple & their family (big shout out to Elaine, the Mother of the Bride, who quickly became one of my favourite Mom's of the season!), and loved every bit of their wedding day.

Taking place at the beautiful Starling Lane Winery, and surrounded by just their closest family & friends, the wedding of Deandra & Robin was a special one. Guests were treated to a modern garden party, filled with great music, creative comfort food, and fun games.  The word "raw" was in our minds while designing the florals with FLEURtacious, and boho design touches helped the day feel grounded, un-fussy and true to the couple. The spring palette of blushes, peaches & blues were infused throughout the textiles and florals, and the stunning garden setting provided the perfect backdrop for great conversation and mingling.

One of the highlights of the day, was the non-stop live music provided by Noah Edwards & his band.  Their folk sound provided the most perfect atmosphere for the day, and even had guests dancing by the late afternoon in the gardens.  And the food stations, created by Toque Catering, were a HUGE hit!  I mean...gourmet pizza, sliders & milkshakes?  Can you get any more fun?!!  The afternoon activities flowed seamlessly into one another, allowing the couple to celebrate with everyone as well as truly enjoy the day together!  It was perfect!

**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 Brett Reid Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Brett Reid Photography
Venue - Starling Lane Winery
Catering - Toque Catering
Floral Design - FLEURtacious
Lounge - Bash Specialty
Linens - Faire la Fete
Hair & Makeup - Erin Bradley
Cake - Ruth & Dean
Music - Noah Edwards
Signage - Emma Allen Design

Real Celebration: Gigi's 1st Birthday Party!

So, when some of your absolute favourite people in the world make a baby, life is pretty great, right?!  Now, when those friends ask you to help them celebrate said babies first birthday?  It doesn't get any better than that...  That is just what happened last Spring, when I had the honour of planning a very special 1st birthday party for some of my closest friends adorable daughter, Georgia (aka. Gigi).  Having the opportunity to help my friends celebrate this incredible milestone in their lives was absolutely wonderful, and it was so much fun creating a magical space that could be enjoyed by kids, friends & family alike.  Set in the beautiful gardens of Starling Lane (a favourite of mine!), guests were treated to a lovely afternoon of visiting, baby snuggles, and lots of delicious food.  

When first starting the planning, I had lots and lots of conversations with Tara (Gigi's beautiful mama) all about Gigi's favourite things.  A colour palette was quickly established, based off of her nursery design, and then our conversation turned towards her love of animals and books.  We took inspiration from one of her favourite books, The Crown on Your Head, by Nancy Tillman (if you haven't seen this book, I highly recommend it!).  It is overflowing with beautiful animal illustrations, as well as darling quotes, many of which we styled throughout the gardens.  The crown theme was also carried throughout the party, including a fun crown station for all the guests to partake in!  My absolute favourite crown of the day had to be the feather crown made for Georgia.  My Mom actually made it (she's a pretty rad lady!), and much to everyone's delight, Gigi wore it the entire afternoon! 

This was an incredibly special afternoon, and I absolutely love looking back through the pics and remembering this day.  I am so grateful that we have such wonderful friends in our lives, and love getting to be a part of their families milestones! 

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the a-team vendors that helped make this day so incredible!  All photos courtesy of Kim Kalyn Photography.

Planning & Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Kim Kalyn Photography
Florals - Thorn & Thistle
Catering - Salt & Pepper Fox
Sweets - Ruth & Dean
Cake - Homemade by Tara
Furniture - Bash Specialty
Venue - Starling Lane Winery

Real Wedding: Mica & Nate

Today, I am completely, ridiculously, head over heels excited to see the wedding of Mica & Nate  F E A T U R E D on Style Me Pretty!  All throughout the planning, Mica & I had a running joke of whether design ideas were "SMP" worthy, and so to see their beautiful day published on this blog, is a true honour.  Definitely check out the feature right here to see all the stunning highlights, as well as read the story behind this day.  

This was an incredibly special wedding, for many many reasons.  I wrote a lot about it on SMP, and so will let you read the full story over there.  I will say though, that this wedding was a career highlight for me, and I have no doubt it will be in my top 3 favourite weddings of all time for a long time to come.   And I can honestly say that I have never witnessed love like I did on this day.  There wasn't a dry eye between the guests and vendors, and the joy and happiness that surrounded the couple was infectious.  There was so much love for Mica & Nate, and witnessing that kind of love really makes you realize what this is all about.  It may sound cheesy, but as I look through these beautiful photos by The Nickersons and see the emotions pour out, I can't help but be transported back to this incredible day.  These two are the strongest people that I know, and I consider myself truly blessed to have gotten to know them and to have been a part of their wedding.  

I have no idea how I was supposed to choose what images to share, as they are all not only beautiful, but tell the story of the day perfectly.  But I did my best, and have included below some of my favourites.  Enjoy. 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 The Nickersons.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - The Nickersons
Floral Design - Verbena Floral Design
Venue - North Arm Farm
Hair/Makeup - Denise Elliot
Catering - The Collective Kitchen
Cake - The Flour Pot
Invitation/Paper Goods - La Happy
Furniture Rentals - Bash Specialty
Rentals - Rental Network, Flock Events, Sabre Rentals
Ceremony Music - Trish Jamieson
DJ - Pemberton DJ
Dress - Truvelle
Transportation - Whistler Glacier Group
 

Real Wedding: Kiki & Brad

Confession time: This wedding is from a year and a half ago.  Which basically just proves how far behind I let the blog get this past year.  Eek!  It has been on my list of ones to share for a while now though, and I am stoked to finally be doing so!  Kiki & Brad were married in May, 2015, on a beautiful sunny Spring day, at Starling Lane Winery (one of our favourite spots in the city).  After finding us on Instagram, this very trusting and lovely couple passed over the design reigns, and I am so glad that they did!  Getting to work with couples on the design is one of our absolute favourite things, and when they give us full creative license, it becomes even more fun!  

After discovering Kiki's love for Anthropology, we got started with the design.  We took inspiration from the French countryside, and the romantic, yet natural entertaining style found throughout quaint villages.  We created an atmosphere that was relaxed yet vey chic, and fused pretty floral details, elegant high-end furnishings, and the dreamy season of Spring, to create a unique and fresh look.  Fresh fruit overflowed at the reception, and an insanely gorgeous palette of navy, pink, peach, pink, blush & champagne was highlighted throughout the florals.   

Thank you Kiki & Brad for putting all your trust in us, and inviting us to be a part of your beautiful celebration!  

**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 EA Photo.

Design - Barb Walker, French Kiss Events
Day of Coordination - Marika Beise, French Kiss Events
Photography - EA Photo
Floral Design - Clare Monica Day
Hair - Conscious Hair
Makeup - Jen Clark
Furniture Rentals - Bash Specialty
Paper Goods - French Kiss Events
DJ - DJ Pro, Liam Biggs