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

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

So it looks like winter has arrived on the west coast already! We just had a snow storm at the beginning of November, which is completely crazy for us. It feels like summer was last week! So we thought we would cozy up inside and write a blog post about our latest guilty pleasures, while we snack on some leftover Halloween candy... 

Current Read

Barb: The Snowman

Laura: I Am Malala

Paula: Bear Town

Favourite Recent Purchase

Barb: Aloha Tray

Laura: Beach bag from Barcelona

Paula: Rain Coat

Current Life Distraction

Barb: Furniture Shopping

Laura: Baby Shower Planning

Paula: Trip Planning

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

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

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

I don't know about you, but we absolutely love Instagram over here in the FKE office. It's such a great tool to browse for design inspiration from other around the world. So we thought it would a great idea to put a little twist on our Currently Inspired by this month and feature some event planner instagram accounts that we LOVE.

amorology
Heather Balliet, the owner of Amorology creates gorgeous events primarily in Southern California while raising four kids. Her style is romantic and moody, and we are obsessed.

Source: featherandstonephotography (instagram)

Sources: ashleykelemen (instagram)

bashplease
Bash, Please is a creative event & styling production team with two locations in Los Angeles and San Francisco. With a production team of twelve seasoned event planners, Bash, Please is a leading pioneer in artful and sophisticated event planning.

Source: stephaniefishwick (instagram)

Source: maxandfriendsphoto (instagram)

sinclairandmoore
Powerhouse couple Steve Moore and Jamie Sinclair DeBell based out of Seattle and San Francisco create stunning weddings that embrace simplicity and specializes in organic, garden- inspired floral design.

Source: sinclairandmoore

Source: sinclairandmoore

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

Hello October! This is usually the wonderful month that we can take a big sigh of relief because we survived wedding season!!! It truly was an incredible season, with SO many utterly gorgeous weddings that we will never forget. But now we get to take a little time to spend with family for Thanksgiving and then it's back into the 2018 wedding plans! 

What we do on the weekends (now that wedding season is over!)

Barb: Long dog walks

Laura: Curled up with a cup of coffee and a good book

Paula: Road trips

Thanksgiving Plans

Barb: Watch Nick at the Victoria Marathon

Laura: Toronto for some family time (and preparing for her sister's wedding)

Paula: Banff Gate Mountain Resort

Favourite Halloween Candy

Barb: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Laura: Mars Bars

Paula: Crispy Crunch

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

It has been an amazing wedding season over here, and I can hardly believe that the crisp autumn air has arrived and that Fall will be here before we know it!  And now that things are starting to slow down for the season, I am incredibly excited to share a very special little secret that we've been holding on to...

By the end of the year, give or take a few days, we will be welcoming the newest member to the FKE family!  Nick & I are thrilled to be expecting, and cannot wait to start this new chapter for our family!  

While we have shared the exciting news with all of our couples, and those who we see on a regular basis, we have chosen to keep quiet on social media, so that we could stay focused on all of our incredible couples.  But my expanding belly is a dead giveaway these days, and so I figured it was about time lol! Most people have pretty similar questions when they find out the news, so I thought it would be fun to answer them all here!

How far along are you? I am currently (almost) 26 weeks pregnant, or 6.5 months along.  Crazy how fast the time has flown, but also how slow the day to day sometimes feels!

When is your due date? I am due on December 31st.  Yup.  A New Years baby may be in our future, but between you and me, I'm hoping we can push it into January by at least a few days.

Do you know the gender?  Yes!  We found out we are having a girl!!  Obviously we would have been very excited no matter what, but it has been really fun getting to start picturing the little girl that has already stolen our hearts.

Do you have a name?  We have a shortlist going, and think that we have narrowed in on the winner.  But this will be staying top, top secret ;)

How are you feeling?  I had a really rough go with morning sickness for the first trimester and majority of the second trimester.  It's starting to ease up though, and I am happy to report that other than a few random bouts of nausea, I am feeling really good.  The morning sickness and exhaustion that comes with pregnancy definitely made for an "interesting" wedding season at times, but I powered through, and am happy to have made it to the other side.

How is the baby?  She is doing great!  Heartbeat is strong, and everything is looking healthy and happy.  She is extremely active, and after our ultrasound technician seemed a bit thrown off with all of her moving, I've become convinced that her energy level will be taking after Nick's running career.

Will you be booking weddings next year?  Ummm....yes! Having a baby does not mean that I get to retire or skip a season, nor do I want to!  I am currently booking weddings for 2018, and am really happy with how the season is shaping up so far.  And with a baby on the way plus a new house, I have even more incentive to work hard and contribute to our family financially.  

Will you be taking a maternity leave?  As most self-employed people in this industry know, there isn't really such a thing as "mat-leave".  I do plan on taking 6 weeks once the baby arrives, where I will take a step back from the day to day business tasks and allow myself to settle into my new role as a Mom.  The lovely Paula will be taking care of all our clients during this time, and I will for sure still be around to check in on things as they come up.

How do you expect to continue your work load with a new baby?  We will be learning as we go, and are very aware that it will be a lot harder than we think.  But with both Nicks & my job flexibility, the support of our families, childcare, and an amazing FKE team, I have no doubt that we will find our rhythm quickly.  I am really excited to continue to grow French Kiss Events and Heyday Events with my new sidekick along for the ride ;) 

What are you doing for the nursery?  Seeing as we will be moving into the house (hopefully) just a few weeks before baby comes, the nursery will most likely be put off for a few months.  But I will say that I have already selected some art prints (Max Wanger for the win!), that will be my main source of inspiration for the rest of the design.  Can't wait!

Thank you so much for all of your well wishes and excitement, as we share this happy news!  And I can't wait to introduce you all to our little bundle when she arrives in just a few short months!

xo
Barb (& Nick)

We've been talking a lot about design in the office lately. There are some exciting renovations happening to the office, and we are already looking for design inspiration for our 2018 clients. When it comes to finding inspiration, we like to expand our sources from the event world and into other areas like the interior design scene and the fashion runways! We often discover that the new trends we see in other areas slip into the event world too. See below for what is currently inspiring us!

Wallpaper
Barb has been designing her new home, and it has sparked some inspiration for our event decor too! Wallpaper is once again cool, and we think it is a perfect way to create an accent wall or even a temporary backdrop. We can see these making amazing photobooth or head table backdrops.

Source: anthropologie.com

Source: anthropologie.com

Long-Sleeve Dresses
As we enter the fall and winter wedding season, we have been admiring long sleeve dresses. They are elegant and classy, yet sexy at the same time! 

Source: topweddingpage.com

Source: topweddingpage.com

Ocean Accents
Anyone from the west coast (like us) probably have a soft spot for the sea! We love incorporating the natural elements from our environment into wedding decor- ie. sea glass table numbers or driftwood centrepieces.

Source: Weddingomania

Source: Bash Calligraphy

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

Sometimes a wedding comes along that hits all the right notes.  The couple, their family, the vision, the vendors....and the party.  Oh, the party....  Jen & Girish's wedding in July 2016 was just one of those weddings, and I still get goosebumps (and a huge smile on my face) every time I look through the gorgeous images taken by The Nickersons.  And if having just the best clients ever, who know how to seriously party isn't enough, this wedding was just recently published in the Summer/Fall issue of Real Weddings Magazine!  Talk about a pinch me moment!  Seeing this wedding in print was a dream come true, and I am so grateful to all of the people involved who made this wedding as spectacular as it was.  

Now, let's talk about this wedding, shall we?  I began working with Jen & Girish in the late Summer of 2015.  Jen had dreams of hosting a black tie, classic wedding at her Grandparents property, and an even bigger dream of a massive tent in the middle of an even more massive field.  Over the course of the next year, these dreams became a reality, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the results.  Being the western celebration for these 2 (they also hosted an Indian wedding in India back in the Winter), we knew we wanted to have splashes of their Indian culture, while still keeping things fairly classic.  Show stopping Moroccan lanterns were sourced to hang in the tent, and custom paisley linens were designed by the Bride's mother herself.  Music, a big priority for the couple, played a large role throughout the entire day.  Side One worked their magic, and not only created the biggest dance party of the season, but also helped to pull off some amazing surprises, such as Jen & the Bridesmaids dance for Girish, and a re-creation of an Indian dance that the guests performed for the family, from the couples Indian wedding.  Looking through these photos, I'm hands down not lying when I say that the ones that give me the biggest smile are the ones from the dance floor!

The florals, designed & executed by the one and only Vanessa of Verbena Floral Design, were utter perfection.  With a classic palette of white & green (with the smallest hint of blush), Vanessa created stunning piece after piece, all of which that highlighted the natural beauty of our setting.  And the silk ribbons on the girls bouquets?  Talk about dreamy!  

Every vendor involved in this wedding brought their A-game, and I am so grateful that we got to be a part of this incredible celebration!  So, if you haven't yet picked up your copy of Real Weddings, make sure to do so soon!  And I welcome you to sit back, and relax as you scroll through some of my favourite images from the day 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 The Nickersons.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - The Nickersons
Floral Design - Verbena Floral Design
Catering - Toque Catering
Music - Side One
Tent & Rentals - Black & White Event Rentals
Hair - Conscious Hair 
Makeup - Jen Clark
Stationery - Caribou Creative

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

We know fall isn't quite here yet, but we can't help that we get a little excited for sweaters, warm drinks, and colourful leaves! We are still in the midst of a busy wedding season, however we are starting to see things wind-down after this month, and that means we are already planning 2018!! Lots of fun things to come, stay tuned...

What We're Cooking

Laura: Pad Thai

Barb: Chili

Paula: Fresh Spring Rolls

Fall Staple

Laura: Brown Boots

Barb: Block Cardigan

Paula: Boyfriend Jeans

Current Netflix Binge

Laura: Orange is the New Black

Barb: Ozark

Paula: Shameless

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This summer is flying by but we are constantly keeping an eye out for the latest trends, and discussing our predictions for what is going to be huge in the 2018 wedding season at the office. What do you think will be the hot new upcoming trends?!

Take a looksie at what we are currently loving...

Unique Spaces
We love venues with a unique twist like art galleries, restaurants, and rooftops. We always suggest to think about beautiful spaces in your community, and if you ask them, they just may rent it out to you!

Source: Ruffled Blog / Photography: The Melideos

Source: My Wedding Guides / Photography: Matt + Jess

Wedding Capes
Capes aren't just for superheroes! We have been obsessed with wedding capes ever since Camille Style's producer Chanel rocked one at her French Chateau wedding.

Source: My Wedding Guides / Photography: Peaches & Mint

Source: Vogue.com / Photography: Sarah Falugo

Textured Florals
Mixing totally different textures in bouquets and centerpieces creates a beautiful floral collab that we are loving lately.

Source: Green Wedding Shoes / Photography: Braedon Flynn

Source: Inspired By This / Awake Photography

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