Photo by: The Nickersons

Well, I think it is safe to say that things have been a wee bit quiet over on the blog the past few months.  What can I say....wedding season, eh?! And what a season it was!!!  I am incredibly grateful for all the amazing couples, vendors and teammates that I had the privilege of working with over the past 6 months, and I am still processing all the awesomeness that it was!  

We are going to be working extra hard to play catch up on the blog and site, and will be sharing some sneak peeks of the 2016 wedding season pdq.  We are also all really looking forward to a few weeks of r&r coming up here soon, and can't wait to return back to work rejuvenated and inspired for the 2017 season to come!  

xo
Barb

Here in Victoria, we are pretty lucky to get to call Hatley Castle one of our venues.  Couples come from all over the place to get married at the Castle and live out their fairytale wedding.  Crystal & Dan were one of those couples, and fell majorly, head over heels, in love with the Castle. And lucky for us, they asked FKE to help bring their vision to life!  Overflowing with elegant details, soft florals and high-end furnishings, their classic wedding celebration was filled with style and glamour.  We infused the elegant setting of the Castle into everything, and created an ultra romantic atmosphere through the pastel colour palette of blush and lavender. 

There was SO much pretty at this wedding, I don't even know where to start!!!  One of my ultimate favourite details though, has to have been the carnation curtain, styled as the backdrop to their cake.  Fading from purple to blush, the ombre curtain was utter perfection!  The couples signature drink, "The Rocha", featuring fresh blackberry's that turned the cocktail purple (obviously!) was also perfectly on pointe. And the gorgeous pieces of furniture, from Bash Specialty, helped create castle worthy lounge vignettes for the guests during cocktail reception and dinner, and provided the sweetest couples love seat I ever did see! My favourite thing about this wedding though, would have to be how lovely Crystal & Dan were throughout the entire day.  Their love for each other overflowed to all their family, friends and vendors, and that is what truly makes a wedding incredible.

**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 Christie Graham Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Christie Graham Photography
Venue - Hatley Castle
Catering - Truffles Catering
Florals - FLEURtacious
Specialty Furniture - Bash Specialty
Hair & Makeup - Beauty & Style by Erin Bradley
Invitations - Wedding Paper Divas
Cake - Schur to Please

A few weeks ago, Bretton & Chris' west coast wedding was featured on Wedding Chicks.  This was exciting for multiple reasons, one of which being that it was our first time being featured on their blog (yay!), but also that we have been DYING to share these images since basically last September.  As you go through the gallery below, I hope that you'll see why ;)

Working with Bretton & Chris was a total wedding planners dream.  The couple was just so excited to get married and to celebrate with their friends and family, and they put a lot of trust in their vendors, allowing everyone involved to really stretch their creativity.  The wedding took place at the Father of the Brides vacation property in Fanny Bay, mid Vancouver Island BC.  Fanny Bay is world famous for their oysters, and picturesque beach front properties.  We took inspiration from all of these things, and created a day that not only reflected the couples love of entertaining, but also our the location.  One of our favourite details inspired from our location had to be the oyster bar!  Obviously.  

This was a wedding day filled with tons of emotion: a lot of laughs, some (happy) tears, and best of all, a party that the couple and their guests will never forget.  I will always be thankful for Bretton & Chris asking us to be a part of their wedding, and for welcoming our whole team into their lives!  I feel like we have made life time friends, and their wedding will definitely go down as a highlight for us.  

**Make sure to check out the gallery of photos below, beautifully captured by Kristyn Harder Photography, as well as the video by the ever so talented Koyo Photography.  

Planning - French Kiss Events
Photography - Kristyn Harder Photography
Videography - Koyo Photography
Floral Design - Verbena Floral Design
Hair - Andrea Williams
Makeup - House of Beauty
Catering - Custom Gourmet 
Oyster Bar - The Wandering Mollusk
DJ - HiWay Productions
Specialty Furniture - Bash Specialty
Cake - Ruth & Dean
 

This wedding may seem a bit familiar, as it was featured a couple months ago on my favourite blog, Style Me Pretty (check it out here), and has also made numerous guest appearances in my instagram feed.  And so I thought that it was about time that I shared my favourite images of this magical wedding day with all of you! 

As you'll see for yourself in a second, Kelsey & Colin's wedding was special.  Yes, it was beautiful.  Yes, the vendors were outstanding. Yes, the couple was gorgeous.  But it was more than just all that.  The relationship that I built with K&C over the 18 months we worked together planning and designing, was one that I will always treasure, and the energy and spirit of their wedding day was one that you just can't plan for.  I always say that a wedding day takes on a life of its own, and as the day continues to unfold, I love watching this happen organically.  Kelsey & Colin's wedding day was a non-stop celebration, and I am thankful beyond words that I got to be a part of it. I could go on and on about my favourite details (The folk band that played throughout dinner, an insanely gorgeous dessert table, Kelsey's bouquet, photos strung along the path to the ceremony...), but I am going to let the photo's do it for me.  This one is special folks...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 AMERIS.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - AMERIS
Ceremony Venue - Starling Lane Winery
Reception Venue - Sea Cider
Floral Design - Verbena Floral Design
Catering - The London Chef
Dessert - Ruth and Dean
Live Music - The O'Brien Family
DJ - Airwaves Music
Stationery - Tuktu Paper Co.
Specialty Furniture - Bash Specialty
Hair - Conscious Hair
Makeup - Melanie Baird Makeup Artistry
Wedding Dress - Truvelle, from The White Peony
 

AMERIS

We are already half way through January, and so I know that I am a little bit behind on the year end review, but better late than never, right?!!  2015 was an amazing year, for SO many reasons.  First off, following on the footsteps of 2014, which was the year of our wedding, it was actually really nice to not have anything huge personally on the horizon, and to just “be”. Now of course, my version of normal is still a bit busy….in 2015, we had: 17 weddings, 2 events, 2 styled shoots and the launch of our new website!  January got the year off on the right foot with a winter wedding at the beautiful Butchart Gardens, which you can check out here.  We don’t get to plan off season weddings too often, but when we do, it sure is fun!

Rita Steensens Photography

In February, full on planning mode took over, as our days were filled with client meetings, site visits, and even a few cake tastings (tough life).  We were also knee deep in the re-design of our website, thanks to the crazy talented Caribou Creative.

Kim Kalyn Photography

Taylor Roades Photography

April was b.u.s.y.  It began with a long weekend spent down in Napa with some very close friends.  Great wine, delicious food, and some california sunshine?  Just what the doctor ordered to get us ramped up for the upcoming wedding season.  Once back home, we took part in an elopement styled shoot as well as a ridiculously fun Taylor Swift themed shoot.  Keep your eyes peeled for those features this year…they are good! 

AMERIS

And seeing our own wedding featured on Style Me Pretty, here, was basically a dream come true.

AMERIS

Ryan MacDonald Photography

With the start of May, came wedding season!  We got to design weddings at a castle, a villa, and a winery, and were blessed with beautiful spring weather for all of it.  We also combined forces again with Jesse Holland, and planned another Industry Meetup for all the hard working vendors out there

AMERIS

Brian Van Wyk Weddings

AMERIS

In the middle of July, Nick & I were able to sneak off to Salt Spring (one of our happy places for sure) and celebrate 9 years together.  The weddings throughout the summer were all drool worthy, in my humble opinion.  Each one was so different, and every weekend, I thanked my lucky stars that we get to work with such fun and design savvy couples.  

Lauren Kurc Photography

In August, FKE took a weekend road trip to Squamish, for our first mainland wedding! This was a huge milestone for us, and such a fun experience.  We even managed to get the men in our lives to don an apron and get to work lol!  

Kristyn Harder Photography 

Kristyn Harder Photography 

Every year, there are a few weddings that stand out to me, for one reason or another.  In September, a wedding in picturesque Fanny Bay, was just that.  The entire weekend was filled with so much love, and the wedding went off without a hitch

Nadia Hung Photography

After an incredible 6 months of weddings, the girls and I celebrated the end of the season in October, at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel Spa, and indulged in a day of decadence.  Having Laura & Emma a part of the team has been a game changer, and I couldn't imagine doing this without them!  At the end of the month, it was time for my annual personal vacation, and so back to Maui Nick & I went, where we celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary and basically sat on the beach and did nothing. Total bliss.  And when I got home, there was a very exciting box of Wedluxe Magazines, with our black pearl feature.  Here's a sneak for you, and more to come soon!

After a fabulous trip, and returning fully re-charged for the winter, November kept us busy.  Nick & I planned a Tofino Running Retreat.  We were blessed with probably the most perfect weather ever in Tofino (which is notoriously rainy) and I loved getting to bring the French Kiss touch to this event.  The next week, I hoped on a ferry with Laura and a car full of other vendors, and headed over to the BC Wedding Awards.  Always a fun event, and it so awesome getting to see 500+ wedding professionals come together for 1 night. 

Jesse Holland Photography

In the first week of December, I had the opportunity to join Nick, once again, in Austin, Texas.  This is SUCH a fun town, and after experiencing it last year for the first time, I knew what I was in for.  Amongst his work meetings, we managed to scope out a couple of Speakeasy’s, eat at some incredible restaurants, and discover more of what keeps Austin weird.  Once back in Victoria (this time to stay a while), it was major catch up time on work, and time to prep for the holidays.  Phew!  What a year!  2016 has a lot to live up to, but I feel like it is up to the challenge ;)

It is always an honour to have our work featured in print, and I couldn't be more thrilled to have Natosha & Bryant's spring 2015 Hatley Castle wedding, in the most recent issue of wedding bells.  I mean, gorgeous jewel toned palette, classic with an edge design, and a head over heels in love couple?!!  Pretty awesome if you ask me!  Working with Natosha & Bryant on their wedding was a total treat and I loved every moment of planning and designing their day and seeing it come to life.  

The first few conversations with a couple always give us a pretty accurate idea of their priorities, overall aesthetic and personalities.  We like to get a good sense of how they decorate their home, what a perfect date night might look like, and how they normally celebrate with their friends and family.  For Natosha & Bryant, it became very clear early on, that these guys wanted a day that allowed their guests to relax and enjoy the gorgeous grounds at the Castle, listen to good music and feel like them, even though they were in a castle.  And so, with a personal style described to us as traditional, but with an edge, that is exactly what we set out to do.  Fun pops of colour and watercolour were infused throughout, and texture mixed with soft blooms, took centre stage in the florals.  Colourful lounge seating on the terrace, lawn games, and the formal dining room, all flowed seamlessly into one another, and was a space the guests could enjoy all throughout.  And the music, both live and and a customized playlist of all the couples favourites, kept the guests dancing and mingling under the stars, all night long.  

Thank you Natosha & Bryant, for trusting us with your wedding vision, and for having us be a part of this incredible day!  And thank you to ALL the amazing vendors, who made this day not only perfect for the couple, but magazine worthy too!

Photography: Kim Kalyn Photography
Venue: Hatley Castle
Catering: Truffles Catering
Florals: FLEURtacious by Lynda Marie
Invitations: Rock Paper Square
Day of Stationery: French Kiss Events
Design: French Kiss Events
Furniture Rentals: Bash Specialty
DJ: Hiway Productions
Ceremony Music: Allegro Con Trio
Hair: Conscious Hair by Elena
Makeup: Beauty & Style by Erin Bradley

**All photos below courtesy of Kim Kalyn Photography

Photo by the lovely Jesse Holland.

Well folks, we are just a few short sleeps away from Christmas, and I have been thoroughly enjoying all the holiday cheer and festivities that is around this time of year.  It has been an incredible year for us, and we have so much to be thankful for.  Work wise, we have so much to be grateful for, and Emma, Laura & I thank our lucky stars that we get to work with such lovely clients and vendor friends day in and day out.  Our year-end review will be on the blog next week, so stay tuned for sure!  

Getting to spend the holidays with family & friends is definitely at the top of the list, and I can hardly believe that this year will be Nicks & my 10th Christmas together!  I have loved all the traditions we have created over the years, with my favourite being our Christmas Eve.  It is a night that is always filled with mulled wine, croquettes, and staying up until the wee hours of the night with old friends.  So, as we continue to prepare for Santa's big night on Friday, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and hope that your holidays are filled with many laughs, cozy moments with loved ones, and wonderful memories.

xo
Barb

Sometimes I can hardly believe how lucky I am to be doing the job that I am.  Every couple that invites me into their lives during this incredible exciting time is special, and I love the relationships that are created with each one throughout the planning.  Every once in a while though, a couple comes along that steals my heart completely.  Karley & Timon were one of those couples.  They immediately welcomed me with open arms into their lives, and our year of planning was filled with some serious laughs, lots of baby cuddles, hilarious antcidotes of motherhood vs. wedding planning, and more love than I can imagine.  You see, Karley & Timon decided to take on the immense task of planning their dream wedding, right after the birth of their twin boys.  Combine that with also raising the sweetest 4 year old around, you could say their life was a bit hectic.

It was such an honour to be able to create this day for them, and take away all the stress that can come along with planning.  The details were absolutely exquisite and will go down as one of my favourite weddings of 2015.  They wanted a day all about family & friends, and we designed just that.  In the afternoon, an English inspired garden party took place, with 40 of their nearest and dearest.  Elegant lounge seating, gourmet food stations (like a pretzel bar!), a live string strio and gorgeous florals, all helped to set the tone.  In the evening, 20 of the couples closest friends came together and experienced one of the funniest evenings I have ever witnessed!  A murder mystery group took over, and entertained the guests throughout courses of the gourmet dinner.  Truly a day that I will never forget.   Thank you so much to the incredibly talented Ryan MacDonald Photography, for the photos below.  Make sure to scroll to the end, for a complete list of all the vendors who helped make this day so perfect.

Planning/Design: French Kiss Events
Florals: Verbena Floral Design
Photography: Ryan MacDonald Photography
Venue: Villa Marco Polo
Catering: Toque Catering
Tent & Rentals: Black & White Events
Furniture Rentals: Bash Specialty
Hair: Conscious Hair
Makeup: Melanie Baird
Invitation: Minted
Day of Stationery: French Kiss Events
Music: Allegro Con Trio
Murder Mystery Group: Victoria Murder Mystery

Seeing our work printed, is always incredible.  But seeing a wedding that was a true labour of love for all the vendors and for 2 very special people...well that is just as good as it gets folks!  The most recent copy of Utterly Engaged is available to order, and amongst it's gorgeous pages of drool worth inspiration, is the wedding of Stephanie & James.  I first met Stephanie through my good friend Vanessa, of Verbena Floral Design, who snatched her up to join her crew, once discovering Steph's insane floral talent!  So, you can only imagine all the fun that we had planning their wedding, which included an over abundance of beautiful blooms, the perfect setting, a team of vendors who all know and love each other, and 2 of the best people I know!  Thank you, Steph & James, for asking us to be a part of your wedding!  We couldn't have asked for a better couple, and have loved being a part of your story ever since! And thank you to ALL the amazing vendors who helped make this day what it was!  Make sure to read below to see some of my favourite moments from the day.

Photography: E/A Photography
Planning - French Kiss Events
Florals & Decor - Verbena Floral Design
Venue - Starling Lane Winery
Bridal Gown - The White Peony
Beauty Team - Conscious Hair by Elena, Melanie Baird Makeup Artistry & Beauty & Style by Erin Bradley
Cake - Pure Vanilla
Catering -  Truffles Catering 
Decor Rentals - Simply Sunday Vintage Rentals 

All images courtesy of E/A Photography

Last Sunday was the 4th bi-annual Victoria Wedding Industry Meetup, and what a lovely day it was!  Set at DeVine Vineyards, we enjoyed many a glasses of wine, great food, relaxing music, lots of fun, and all while soaking up the incredible view!! (Seriously...if you haven't had a chance to check out this place, do it now!!)  Planning these Meetups, along with Jesse Holland Photography, is always one of my favourite things to do each year, as what is more fun than planning a party for your fellow industry mates?!! And getting to really relax and catch up with lots of new & old friends, is really what it's all about! 

This Springs event was a huge success, and would definitely have not been possible without some incredibly talented people.  And if you're interested in seeing what a party thrown by wedding vendors for wedding vendors, looks like, make sure to check out Jesse Holland's photos below! A special thanks to: 

Castro Boateng 
DeVine Vineyards
Ruth & Dean
Bash Specialty
Tuktu Paper Co.
Trend Decor
Four Frames Photobooth
Geoffrey Lundstrom
Verbena Floral Design
Scene About Town