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.

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Posts tagged Victoria Event Planning
Real Celebration: Al Fresco Garden Party Perfection

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.

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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

Real Wedding: Kathleen & Taylor

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.

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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

Year in Review: 2019
Photo by: Whit McGuire Photography

Photo by: Whit McGuire Photography

One of my favourite traditions to kick off the new year is to sit down with a big cup of coffee, and write this post. Taking the time to look over the year that was, always gives me an incredible amount of perspective, and I am so grateful for that. 2019 was a great year, but it was also a tough year for me in some ways (I like to keep it real on here). With 7 weddings, it was the quietest season I’ve had in a long time, something which really made me stop, take a good deep look at what was going on, and figure out where I wanted FKE to go. I’m chalking the quietness up to a few things, which I’m not going to really get into here, but it made me realize how much I truly love what I do, and re-fueled my passion for planning & FKE. At the beginning of 2019, I really focused my energy on putting out as much as I wanted to get back (whether via social media, networking, creative work etc.), and I am so SO excited to say that re-focusing worked! 2020 is going to be the busiest year I’ve ever had, and with the expansion of our team (made possible because of this growth), I can’t wait to see what opportunities this next year brings!

With all this being said, 2019 was also a great year! Those 7 couples were the BOMB, and I fell even more in love with being a parent. Our family had lots of fun little adventures, and both FKE & Heyday have achieved some big milestones. In January, I headed down to Seattle for a couple days of planning for C&J, and also made my way up Island to Denman Island for a 2020 wedding site visit. So basically: lots of solo time in the car and lots of podcasts haha! I also collaborated with an insanely talented crew of ladies on a shoot with the Fairmont Empress. I wanted to do something in their space that felt fresh, modern yet still utterly romantic, and it was so fun to get to stretch the creative muscles a bit.

Photo by: Vanessa Lust Photography

Photo by: Vanessa Lust Photography

February & March brought classic winter coziness. We embraced the rare snow days with Maddie, had lots of fun family time, and headed to Vancouver with friends to rock our bodies (get it?! lol!) with Justin Timberlake. In April, we headed up to Tofino with our besties for our annual Easter weekend getaway. It was 4 straight days of beach walks, hot tubbing, good food, and Maddie hangs. So yeah, pretty great.

In May, we kicked off our wedding season with a fun one! J&A got married at the gorgeous View Estate, and it was a day time celebration that included 4 dress changes! It was also extra fun to see their wedding featured in the media down in Mexico, and to have played a role in a wedding that received so much attention down there! I also got to celebrate my 2nd Mothers Day in May with Maddie & my own wonderful Mom.

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June is when things got a wee bit crazy… Maddie & I tagged along with Nick to Whistler while he raced the Whistler Half Marathon, S&J had a beautiful day full of colour and love, A&A had the most gorgeous backdrop for their wedding, and we celebrated our friends engagement on a rooftop.

Photo by: Kim Jay Photography

Photo by: Kim Jay Photography

Photo by: Vanessa Lust Photography

Photo by: Vanessa Lust Photography

The rest of the summer was a blur. We travelled down to Seattle for an oceanside celebration that had challenged me as a planner (planning a wedding in another country is no easy feat you guys) yet the end result blew me away and made me so proud of what our team can accomplish. We hung out in a lavender field, a gorgeous garden, and took in some of Vancouver Island’s most beautiful views. We announced the addition of Bonnie to the FKE team, something that I have been working towards for years and am SO excited about! Adding another planner to this little company of mine means so many different things, and I cant wait for you to all get to know her better. I also took an overnight trip back up to Whistler to start the planning of a 2020 wedding. Phew! Exhausted just writing all this! lol!

Photo by: Whit McGuire Photography

Photo by: Whit McGuire Photography

Photo: Myrtle & Moss Photography

Photo: Myrtle & Moss Photography

September brought a bit of a change of focus. 3 of us stole our best friend away and flew her down to Santa Barbara, for what can only be described as the best girls weekend ever. Insanely good food (The Lark blew my mind), delicious wine, and beach time. Back in Canada, we packed up the car and drove back to Whistler for a weekend with good good friends. The kids jumped in puddles, we came across a bear (terrifying when with children, fyi) , and played in snow at the top of the mountain. I also helped the VIWIA plan a fun night that focused on a great conversation about how vendors can work better together. Super grateful for that opportunity!

Photo by: Sabrina Patrice Photography

Photo by: Sabrina Patrice Photography

Photo by: AMERIS

Photo by: AMERIS

At the start of October, my all time favourite wedding (other than my own of course) took place. Our best friends got married! I was beyond honoured to stand as the Maid of Honour, and Bonnie took the reigns on the day, allowing me to be fully present. I honestly can’t wait to share more of this day! So much love was in that room, and we are all so happy for the new married couple!

Photo by: AMERIS

Photo by: AMERIS

Later that month, the fam & I headed down to our happy place, Maui, for our annual time in the sun. Man I love it there.

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In November, Bonnie & I were treated to an amazing little getaway at the Long Beach Lodge Resort in Tofino! We have 2 weddings in Tofino in 2020, so getting to spend a bit more time in the town, explore the gorgeous Long Beach Lodge, and connect with other planners was fantastic! Come December, holiday season was in full force, and I’m still recovering from it haha! Nick & I escaped to Calistoga for an extended long weekend after he raced the Sacramento Marthon, and had 5 days just the 2 of us. It was weird. But also great. Mostly great ;) Later in the month, we had breakfast with Santa, celebrated Maddie’s 2nd birthday, and we also made the team expansion over at Heyday official with a new team shoot.

Photo by: Jesse Holland Photography

Photo by: Jesse Holland Photography

Wow. As I mentioned earlier, this post of mine gives me so much perspective on the year, and I am incredibly grateful for the full year I just had. 2020 is the start of a new decade, and with that, I can’t wait to see what it has in store. Happy New Year everyone!

xo
Barb

Real Wedding: Courtney & Richard

I have a slew of 2017 weddings in the blog queue, and I am just SO happy to have finally had the time to get to blog them! It has been well over a year (dear lord! lol!) and so it is definitely about time. First up, is the September 2017 wedding of Courtney & Richard, and let’s just say it was fit for a castle. I had such a blast working with these guys, and set against the majestic backdrop of Hatley Castle, how could you go wrong?! Everything we did was done to elevate the overall guest experience. Luxurious details and finishings, over the top floral arrangements, luxurious linens, and a gourmet 4 course dinner. The couple opted for a classic palette of White, Grey, Blush & Green, which suited the venue perfectly. Abundant florals were used to enhance the romance of the Castle, and greenery was used as a focal point in the reception, to bring the outside in via drama!

The couple, both of whom are pilots, also wanted to have a bit of wanderlust incorporated throughout the wedding. Custom paper airplane escort cards were hand calligraphered, and the cake featured intricate detail playing homage to their careers (so fun!). With Hatley Castle being the venue, we knew everything we did had to be elegant, luxurious and chic. The ceremony took place in the Croquet Lawn, with a stunning view of the Castle in the backdrop. Because they had a higher guest count though, their reception had to take place outside of the Castle, in a Banquet room on site. We completely transformed the room by having it fully draped in white shear panels. This was quite the undertaking, and over 260 ft. of drape was installed.  Insane! And a big shoutout to Sandy and the team at Decorate Victoria for making it happen!

This was truly such an elegant affair, and the photos, by Luke Liable feel like they are something out of Vogue. So, without further adieu, I give you: Courtney & Richard.

**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 Luke Liable Photography.

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Planning & Design - French Kiss Events
Venue - Hatley Castle
Photography - Luke Liable
Catering - Truffles Catering
Florals - Thorn & Thistle
Hair - Hunt and Gather, Mandy Rogers
Makeup - Prive Beauty Lounge
Cake - Schur to Please
Ceremony Music - Cascadia Quartet
Reception DJ - DJ Pro
Invitation suite - Love by Phoebe
Drapery - Decorate Victoria
Furniture - Bash Specialty
Linens - Faire la Fete

Currently Inspired by: Edition 18

Colour, colour & more colour!  With the days getting warmer (amazing!!!!), and the summer wedding season basically upon us, we are loving all the colour that we are seeing pop up in our feeds.  And when we say colour, we don't mean bright or bold (although that can be really fun too).  Instead, we mean taking a palette, and "stretching" it a little.  So, whether it's infusing some pale peach and darker shades of pink into that blush/natural look, or playing with tone on tone in the greys, blues or purples, there are so many ways to give your palette just a bit more depth through colour.  So, without further adieu, here are some fun colour inspired design elements we are currently loving!

Coloured Napkins on Coloured Linens
No need to shy away from colour! Many people choose to keep either their linens or napkins a neutral, but we love using different tones of the same colour at our table settings these days.

Source: Ruby & James

Source: Ruby & James

Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

Tassels & Pom Poms
There is nothing that says it's a party like tassels and pom poms! Using either of these as subtle accents is a quick and easy way to show that you really care about the little details.

Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

Source: theprettyblog.com

Source: theprettyblog.com

Mix & Match Stationary Colours
Try using different coloured paper from your colour palette to incorporate the wedding decor into your design right from the beginning!

Source: Page Tuzee Design

Source: Page Tuzee Design

Source: Good Heart Design

Source: Good Heart Design

Real Wedding: Tiff & Levi

Over 10 years ago, 2 teenagers met while on summer vacation at a campground in Canada with their families.   They instantly became friends, and not long after that, started dating.  After over a decade of growing up together,  falling in love, and building an incredible life together, they decided to make it official in beautiful Victoria, BC!  And I'm thanking my lucky stars, as they chose FKE to bring their day to life, and oh man...it was a good one folks! Taking place at the 2 most iconic venues in the city, Hatley Castle and The Empress Hotel, their wedding vision was grand from the start of the planning, and we pulled out all the stops to bring it to life!  

One of my favourite things about this wedding, was the epic seating chart that we pulled together.  I've had this idea for a few years now, and we were just waiting for the perfect wedding to create it at!  As guests arrived to the ceremony, all of their pics were snapped at a portrait station (thanks Four Frames!) near the entrance to the Castle.  Those photos were then printed and turned into polaroids that we displayed at the couples reception, acting as the guests personalized escort cards!  It was a huge hit, and something that everyonewas blown away by.

The reception space was overflowing with luxurious details and we infused the couples impeccable taste all throughout.  The neutral palette of soft creams, greys & blush tones, helped transform the ballroom setting into a modern day take on the traditional space. The menu, custom designed by The Empress's chef, was served tapa style, inspired by all the couples favourite eats! Ranging from sushi to maui rib sliders, the food was a hit!  And as the lights dimmed, guests partied the night away to Side One's 8 piece band (always a favourite of mine), photo booth, Mojito bar and Popcorn station!

It was definitely a wedding to remember, and for sure the party of the summer!  One of the things I love most about weddings though, is no matter how much planning you do and how many incredible details there are, often the best moments of the day are the unplanned ones.  This was definitely the case for Tiff & Levi.  After dinner, the couple sneaked out with Ryan Flynn and Kismet Creative for some sunset shots down in the harbour.  A band busking in the harbour congratulated the couple, and then asked them what their first dance was.  The song was "Georgia" by Vance Joy, and without skipping a beat, the band began playing it for them, and they had their first dance right then and there, in the harbour, just the 2 of them.  Pure magic!  You can see this gorgeous day unfold below, and make sure to check out the incredible video by Kismet at the top! 

**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 Ryan Flynn Photographer.  Video courtesy of Kismet Creative.

Planning & Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Ryan Flynn Photography
Videography - Kismet Creative
Ceremony Venue - Hatley Castle
Reception Venue - The Empress
Florals - Verbena Floral Design & Thorn & Thistle
Stationery - Love by Phoebe
Band - Side One
Cake - Passion for Cakes
Linens - Faire la Fete
Hair - Conscious Hair
Makeup - Carly Flint
Photobooth - Four Frames Photo Booth

Real Wedding: Tara & Matt

We're diving a bit into the archives today, but I couldn't resist blogging this charming soiree from back in September 2016!  And to be honest, I'm not sure why I haven't shared it already! Where does the time go?! lol!  This wedding was filled with a ton of my favourite things: gorgeous outdoor spaces, a fantastic band, intimate candlelight, and a group of people that are filled with a whole lotta love!  

The day was filled with vintage touches, lots of music and a ton of fun!  We drew inspiration from both the prohibition jazz age and British post-war garden parties (a combo of both Tara & Matt's personal styles!), and created the perfect atmosphere to celebrate the couples new marriage!  Taking many cues from the garden setting at Starling Lane, the games, decor and food was a modern take on a vintage garden party.  And the music and drinks, featured all night long, had a fun throw back to the prohibition days! Our light and fresh colour palette of peach, apricot, blush & grey was tied throughout both Starling Lane and Fireside Grill, and the formal components found in Britain during the 20’s will be highlighted through the vintage place settings and elegant paper goods. 

And as always, so many vendors came together, to make the day as truly spectacular as it was!  It was our first time working with the fantastic husband/wife duo, Sambajoy, and they are as awesome as they are talented!  The band, Good Co. Music, came up from Seattle, and treated everyone to true jazz age entertainment.  And the food....oh the food...both Toque Catering & Fireside Grill hit it out of the park on this one!  Thank you, Tara & Matt, for having us be a part of your truly fun day!  And I hope that you all enjoy the photos below.  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 Sambajoy.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Sambajoy
Florals - Thorn & Thistle
Ceremony Venue - Starling Lane Winery
Cocktail Reception Catering - Toque Catering
Reception Venue - Fireside Grill
Band - Good Co.
Makeup - Melanie Baird
Hair - Mandy Rogers, Hunt & Gather
Cake - Ruth & Dean
Invitations - Minted

Real Wedding: Jennifer & Alex Part 2 (The Wedding)

Where do I even begin with this one?!  I first shared a glimpse into Jennifer & Alex's incredible 3 day celebration back in the Spring, when I blogged their welcome party.  And yes, I know, I know....I had promised to share the wedding soon after, and alas it is now November.  What can I say, except wedding season happened lol!  And I truly wanted to make sure that I gave this post the time that it deserved, and have spent hours and hours pouring over the stunning images by Erich McVey, trying to narrow them down to a reasonable post length.   So here goes nothing...

Taking place in July of 2016, on Jennifer's parents private property on Salt Spring Island, Jennifer & Alex's wedding was a career highlight for me.  I wrote a lot about why, back in their welcome party post, so I won't bore you by repeating myself here. But let's just say that I couldn't be prouder of the way it turned out, and get chills every time I think back to this weekend!  The A-Team of vendors brought their (you guessed it) A-Game, and it all the hard work and planning resulted in a seamlessly executed event.  The wedding was obviously the main event of the weekend, and we held nothing back when it came to the design, food & florals!

The colours and design we incorporated throughout the wedding were heavily influenced by Jennifer’s love of design and Alex’s Asian heritage. The Chinese symbol for marriage, Double Happiness, was the inspiration behind the eclectic paper goods designed by La Happy, and the 5-course Asian fusion menu, prepared by Toque Catering, was a modern twist on the symbolic Chinese wedding dinner, something that was incredibly important to Alex’s family. Jennifer was not shy at all when it came to colour and so we used bold, bright shades throughout the florals and linen choices.   I've said it before, and I'm going to say it again: Brides, don't be afraid of colour!  This wedding is proof that it can be killer!!

One of the most special moments of the day had to be when Jennifer presented her Grandmother with her bouquet. The admiration and love that her families generation of women has for each other are inspiring, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place! Another absolute must for Jennifer & Alex was live music. They absolutely love to party with their friends back in New York, so we brought over the best of the best, Side One, from Vancouver for the weekend to keep guests dancing well into the night.  Honestly though, there is so much good to share about this wedding, that I don't think it can be properly summed up into words.  But thanks to the genius of Erich McVey and Kismet Creative (video at bottom of post), you can hopefully get a better sense of why this one was so special.  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 Erich McVey Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Erich McVey Phototography
Videography - Kismet Creative
Catering - Toque Catering
Floral Design - Verbena Floral Design
Linens - La Tavola
Bar Rentals - Bash Specialty
Rentals - Black & White, White Events Studio
Music - Side One
Cake - Passion For Cakes
Stationery - La Happy
Hair - Conscious Hair
Makeup - Jen Clark

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 Wedding: Jennifer & Alex Part 1 (The Welcome BBQ)

Every once in a while, a wedding comes along that is a game changer.  For us, the wedding of Jennifer & Alex was just that.  And so you can only imagine how beyond words THRILLED I was to see it featured on Style Me Pretty (here) this past week!  And the cherry on top of the already delicious sundae, is that now that it has been published, I can finally share all of the drop dead gorgeous images (thank you Erich McVey) with you!  

Taking place at a private property on Salt Spring Island, this 3 day celebration pushed me harder than I thought possible, and I couldn't be more proud of the outcome.  The couple, based out of NYC, first reached out to me in the Fall of 2015.  They dreamed of a wedding weekend filled with non-stop celebrations, an overabundance of food and drink, and above all else, a weekend spent surrounded by their family & friends from all over the world.  I was, of course, totally up to the challenge, and loved every bit of the next year, as we worked tirelessly to pull together 3 incredible events!  

Now, planning not just 1, but 3 events (Welcome Dinner, Wedding & Brunch) on a small Island like Salt Spring, can pose some serious challenges (understatement of the year!).  Every vendor and rental/decor piece was brought from either Victoria, Vancouver or the States, and the logistics surrounding the weekend were insane.  All 110% worth it though, once the parties started, and I think back to this weekend with nothing but amazing memories, and a huge smile on my face!  In an effort to share as much of this wonderful weekend with you all, I have decided to split the blog post into 3 parts.  First up: The Welcome BBQ

Taking place in the upper garden of Jennifer's parents home on Salt Spring, the welcome dinner was a casual al fresco affair, spent catching up with old friends (175 guests flew in from all around the world), welcoming everyone to the Island, and celebrating all that was to come over the weekend.  Food, a major focus throughout the weekend, was at the centre of the party, and food stations featuring variety of the couples favourite global cuisine.  An oyster bar, seafood risotto station, wood fired pizza, Bhutan street meat station and ice cream sundae station filled the guests palettes.  Toque Catering seriously brought their A-game to this weekend!  2 long tables, with bistro lights strung above, created a communal space for guests to catch up, and the west coast folk sounds of Noah Edwards entertained the guests late into the night.  It was a magical evening....

And full disclosure before I let you dive into the stunning photos below: this evening tops my list as my favourite party I have ever planned (and yes, it wasn't even a wedding!).  There was just something about the evening, that I can't quite put my finger on....but it was what I always imagined the perfect backyard party should be.  Effortless, relaxing, and filled with good friends and damn good food.  Thank you so much for reading, and make sure to check back next week for Part 2 of this amazing weekend! 

**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 Erich McVey.