We are less than 2 weeks away from Valentines Day, and if you are anything like me, you'll be thinking "who cares"...."it's overrated"...  Honestly, my idea of the perfect Feb 14th is a night spent with lots of takeout and sitting on the couch watching Netflix with the hubby.  BUT...over the holidays, I was on the receiving end of some incredibly thoughtful gift boxes, and I fell head over heels in love with them!  I know that Gift Boxes aren't a new concept, but the most recent surge in popularity of locally inspired boxes has me completely obsessed!  Supporting local companies while treating someone you love?  Yes please!  Some of my favourite peeps have been putting together some incredibly thoughtful boxes, and they are definitely inspiring me to up my Valentines Day game this year.  Here are a few of our fav's, and if you don't live in Victoria, I highly encourage you to source some local ones from your home town! 

Tara McHugh: Valentines Gift Box
$89.95  
+ free local delivery for FKE readers (use code LOVE)

Perfect for:
Your bestie who always looks like her clothes and house belong in an instagram pic, and you love her for it. 

Why we love it: 
Does it get more fem or lovely than this? And every purchase supports creative entrepreneurs, small business and big dreamers.

The Goods: 
Watercolor tea towel by artist Lindsay Remple
 Lavender scented heart soap by Sweet Pure Honey
Hand poured FLORA Woodlot candle
Dried bundle of white statice flowers

Thorn & Thistle: Sweetheart Box
$145.00

Perfect for
That special someone in your life who you want to completely spoil and maybe spend some "alone" time with...*wink wink* 

Why we love it: 
All of the products are organic, and it's the perfect combination of sexy & sweet. (hands up to those who get that reference!)

The Goods: 
A seasonal bouquet
Kismet Pink Himalayan Salt Soak with rose petals
Province Apothecary Sex Oil
Karameller Candies
Lux et Terra Beeswax Candle
 

Vancouver Island Gift Baskets: Breakfast Nook
$135.00

Perfect for: 
Your foodie friend, who spends more time at local coffee shops than bars, and appreciates the stillness of mornings. 

Why we love it: 
Because the caloric count is significantly lower than a chocolate themed gift, and who doesn't love coffee?

The Goods: 
Fernwood Coffee & Galiano Coffee Roasting Co.
Babe's Clover Honey
Denman Island Espresso Chunk Chocolate Bar
Silk Road Tea, Anteeo Tea & Biscotti
RockCoast Sea Salt Toffee Bark, Smoked Canadian Sea Salt &
Saltspring Kitchen Co. Jam

Tara McHugh: Valentines Mini Box
$49.95
+ free local delivery for FKE readers (use code LOVE)

Perfect for:
That friend that deserves a little pick me up just because. 

Why we love it: 
You can't beat the price point, and it is freakin' adorable!

The Goods: 
Wild Hill Botanical's Northwest Forest Soak bath mix
Handcrafted Lavender scented soap by Sweet Pure Honey
Tara McHugh Flora signature tin of Earl grey leafy tea

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Happy February everyone!  The month of L O V E (countdown to V-day is on!), as well as fighting those winter blues.  And what fights the winter blues the best?  Dreams of sunny beaches and warm evenings....*sigh*...   Paula, our lovely office assistant, is currently travelling in Thailand, and so in honour of her travels, and subsequent jealously that has been happening around here because of it, this months guilty pleasures round up is of all things Wanderlust!

Take me away: 

Paula: Thailand

Barb: St. Lucia

Laura: Costa Rica

Happy Hour all day long:

Paula: Margarita on the rocks

Barb: Mojito

Laura: Gin & Tonic

Can't live without travel item:

Paula: Shampoo Bar

Barb: Jaxsea Kimono

Laura: A good book

So, tell us!  Where would you go?  And what item do you have to travel with?  (Paula's Shampoo bars have just raised the bar for making air travel that much easier!! #obsessed)

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Last week, we were "shout it from the roof tops" excited to finally get to share this dreamy elopement from last May, on Grey Likes Weddings!  Oozing in Texan charm, and overflowing with romance, moody florals, and a couple ridiculously in love, this wedding was what a wedding planner's dreams are made of!  

Catherine first reached out to me in the beginning of March, with her vision of a simple and romantic elopement on the west coast.  Based out of Austin, Texas, Catherine & Patricio decided to skip a large wedding (400+) and instead keep the day as authentic to them as possible.  Working with them was seriously a dream, as their impeccable taste and trust in me (thank you C&P!!!), made my job as easy as can be! 

We drew inspiration from the historic setting at The Empress, as well as their love of vintage poetry, to create a warm, intimate and lush space for this very special occasion.  Surrounded by only their closest family (13 guests total), the days focus was on the coming together of the 2 families, and the celebration of the new adventure that they were about to embark on.  The details throughout were filled with beauty, and perfectly curated to represent their love for one another, and the darker colour palette of marsala, peach, rose & garnet, suited The Library room beautifully.  Music, an incredibly important part of both families, played a central role.  And just before dinner, the Eryn Sharpe Trio entertained the guests, while they all danced, laughed and celebrated the newlyweds!  It was truly magical to witness!!

And the florals...can we just stop for a second and talk about those florals?  Verbena Floral Design absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one!  The mantle place was the focal point of the entire design concept, and my jaw still hits the floor whenever I look at it! Both Best Bouquet & Best Overall Florals at the BC Wedding Awards were awarded to this wedding, and we couldn't agree more!  I could seriously go on for days and days about this wedding, but I think I'll let the beautiful images do the rest....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 Taylor Roades.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Taylor Roades Photography
Videography - Paper Heart Films
Floral Design - Verbena Floral Design 
Venue/Catering - The Fairmont Empress
Hair/Makeup - Erin Bradley
Paper Goods - Caribou Creative
Rentals - White Events Studio
Ceremony Music - Opus String Trio
Reception Music - Eryn Sharpe Trio

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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
 

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Happy Friday everyone!!!  It's been a ridiculously cold week here in Victoria, but the weather man says that this cold spell we've been having is about to end (sort of...), and so I've decided that is worth celebrating with a cocktail tonight!  Since the new year, we have been full on design mode, and 2017 inspiration has been oozing out from everywhere. Some new trends are definitely appearing, and we are finding ourselves drawn to some new things, which is always fun.  Here are just a few of the things that are currently inspiring us.

Patterned Napkins
Textiles are a beautiful way to add personality to a tablescape, and a patterned napkin feels fresh and unexpected.  

Source: BRIDES

Source: Style Me Pretty

Modern Bouquets
We are still as obsessed as ever with organic styled bouquets, but these modern, clean lined and elegant bouquets had us at hello.  Sophistication at its best.

Source: Hey Gorgeous Events

Source: Style Me Pretty

Blue
Pantone may have dubbed green the colour of the year (which we will not argue with), but one hue has become a stand out for our 2017 weddings: Blue.  It's everywhere, and whether via textiles, glassware, or styling accents, we can't get enough!

Source: Style Me Pretty

Source: MODwedding

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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
 

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We're all slowly starting to emerge from the lazy days of Christmas, and things in the office are starting to pick up fast!  Just 5 months until wedding season gets really going...and we can't wait!  We thought we'd share with you another instalment of our current guilty pleasures. These are the things that we are currently talking about non-stop in the office, and may or may not be providing some good comfort during these dark winter nights as of late.  

Favourite gift under the tree:

Barb: Celebrate Everything

Paula: Bath Bombs

Laura: Matt + Nat purse

Book we're currently reading:

Barb: The Year of Living Danishly

Paula: Sapiens

Laura: The Mountain Story

Netflix series currently binging: 

Barb: The Crown

Paula: Sherlock

Laura: The Good Wife

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Jenna & Tristan

Cheers to the new year!  Another year has come to an end, and to be honest, I think I'm ok with it.  Don't get me wrong: it was another fantastic year, and I feel seriously blessed to have the life that I do!  I get to share it with an incredible man, and am surrounded by a truly inspiring tribe.  But, 2016 was filled with both highs and low's for me.  It was a year of wedding's that will top my list for years to come, but also a year of working myself to pure exhaustion, and enduring some personal struggles that I am still recovering from.  12 months is a long time, and a lot of things can happen;  It's been quite the journey, and I am really looking forward to reflecting back on it all.  We tackled 15 weddings, 7 events, and made it onto Vogue (eek!).  We got to work with some of the industries best, and started to spread our wings a bit further beyond this lovely Island of ours.  We launched a sister company to FKE, Heyday Events, and started to focus more on nurturing and training of young planners.  These year end reviews can put so much into perspective and I am so grateful to have you follow along!

I kicked the year off with a mission to be the healthiest version of myself possible.  I joined a half marathon run clinic, and instantly loved the connections that I made through the running community.  Planning for the upcoming weddings was going at full tilt, and the rest of January was spent doing what basically everyone does in January: a whole lotta nothing.  

Erich McVey Photography

In February, we managed to sneak away to one of my favourite places, Salt Spring Island, for a relaxing weekend with good friends.  I was also completely floored and incredibly honoured to be included on this list by Vogue, of the world's top wedding planners.  Talk about a pinch me moment! And I loved seeing this wedding featured on Wedding Chicks!

Jon Mark Photo

We celebrated everyone in the Victoria's Wedding industry in March, with another Meetup party!  And I was seriously stoked to see our Taylor Swift shoot from last year, featured on Inspired by This here and here.  At the end of the month, we took off to the beautiful Galiano Island and enjoyed a magical weekend at Bodega Ridge with friends over Easter.  If you take anything from this blog post, let it be this: go to Galiano Island immediately!  

Lillie Louise Photography

April saw the start of the wedding season, and the first one was definitely a good one!  We also teamed up with a slew of talented vendors to host a Farmed and Foraged dinner, in support of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.  It was a beautiful night, and a meal I will surely not forget! Mid month, I took off down to Seattle for a weekend with Bash Specialty, to shop and hang with some other fabulous industry ladies.  

Kim Kalyn Photography

We were hired to plan a ridiculously romantic proposal (she said yes!).  And the month was finished off with a very special 1st birthday party we planned for one of our best friends daughter.  I mean, if you can't celebrate the big milestones like turning 1, what can you celebrate?

Taylor Roades Photography

In May, we worked on an insanely gorgeous elopement, for some insanely wonderful Texans!  More of that to come in the new year...  We married a doctor & a runner, and I completed the Oak Bay Half Marathon as well!  Fitness goal achieved.  Phew! We also had our first ever Heyday Events wedding!  Paula, one of our fabulous planners, knocked it out of the park!

Erich McVey Photography

The Nickersons

The Nickersons

June is when the season really started to take off, and thus began the most intense 6 weeks of my career.  Before things got really crazy though, I helped completely surprise this lovely lady on her 30th birthday, and indulged in a night of charcuterie and wine.  Then, we went from Victoria's inner harbour, to Pemberton's mountains, to Salt Spring's coast, to Hatley Castle, to a sprawling field, and back to Hatley Castle, all in the matter of 6 weeks.  Man, I'm tired just thinking about it.  Amongst all that crazinesses though, were some pretty incredible weddings, and ones that I am beyond honoured to have been a part of.  We got to work with the insanely talented Erich McVey on one (another pinch me moment!) and witness love like we've never seen before.  I can't wait to share ALL of them with you in the new year!

Luke Liable Photography

Shane Deringer Photography 

EA Photo

In August, Nick & I managed to escape to Ottawa for a weekend and spend some QT time with some very good friends.  The rest of the summer was a beautiful whirlwind, and filled with a whole lotta pretty!  We got to bounce around a ton of different venues, and loved spending time with every single one of our couples.  

Jenna & Tristan

Sambajoy

In September, we finished the season off with a couple more gems.  I then spent a week in Alberta visiting my brother and my 2 nephews.  They made my heart melt every. friggin. day.

Wendy Laurel Photography

October was spent in total recovery mode, and getting ready to escape to the sun, as we always do at this time of the year.  We spent 3 magical weeks in Hawaii, splitting our time between Oahu and Maui.  This years trip couldn't have come at a better time for us, and it was the perfect way to recharge.  Spending an afternoon with photographer superstar, Wendy Laurel, was a highlight for me, as well as celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary!  

The return to reality brought on a slew of meetings in November, and left me feeling ridiculously excited for all our 2017 couples!  As the holiday's quickly approached, I focused on spending as many relaxing nights cuddled by the fire, and preparing for Christmas.  On Dec 15th, on the eve of my 30th Birthday (#flirtythirties), I was given the ultimate surprise.  My amazingingly incredible husband, planned a surprise weekend in LA for me with some good friends!  I don't think I can ever complain about him ever again! haha!  It was the perfect way to ring in a new decade, and to reflect back on the year that was.  

Wendy Laurel Photography

Photo cheer by the always awesome Jesse Holland.

The snow (was) snowing, the wind has definitely been blowing, and I'm overflowing with love for all of you, that will definitely keep me warm! (too cheesy?  never!)  We are getting ready to sign off for the holiday season, and bid 2016 adieu.  And as always for this time of year, I am left feeling overwhelmed reflecting back on all the love and support that the FKE team has received over this past year, and feel so blessed to have such incredible clients, vendors, and (most importantly) teammates that we get to work with on a day to day basis.  Thank you everyone for making this truly the best job a girl could imagine!  

This holiday season has felt refreshingly relaxing, and I've loved every minute of it so far.  We've spent lots of time with family and friends, enjoyed many a nights curled up in front of the fire watching netflix, and consumed too many delicious meals and cocktails to count.  #noregrets.  The next few days will hopefully be filled with much of the same, and I can't wait to spend the weekend surrounded by all those I love the most.  I hope that your holiday season is filled with many joys, laughs and loved ones as well, and have fabulous rest of the year!  

xo
Barb

This month the festive parties and snow are definitely inspiring our admiration for luxurious textiles and dreaming of far away tropical places. Without further ado here are this month's currently inspired by items.

Velvet Textiles
I am loving this timeless classic lately. Velvet is such a subtle texture, but makes a bold impact and dresses up any room.

Source: The Decorista

Source: Southern Weddings

Minimalist Signage
Sometimes less is more! And I am digging this simple and modern look on signage.

Source: Nouba

Source: mywedding

Tropical Eclectic
So, this one may have to do with our undying love of Hawaii, or the fact that we’ve been hit with a winter blast the past couple of weeks that is super rare.  Either way, the eclectic surfer/tropical design vibes have been hitting me hard lately.

Source: Wedding Chicks

Source: My Domaine

The Rainbow Effect
If done properly this look is so stunning! Whether it's as simple as multicoloured glassware or as bold as different chair colours, we are loving this effect (not to mention the velvet chairs here too...) 

Source: 100 Layer Cake

Source: Wedding Chicks