Well folks, I have officially come to the end of my wedding season (more to come on that next week!), and I would be lying if I said that the last month and a bit wasn't tough. Don't get me wrong, I loved every. single. minute. of it...but as anyone who is involved in the wedding industry will understand, August is crazy!! lol! Some reflections, and an official roundup of the whole season is going to be on the blog later next week, but for now, I am going to be catching up some very late (better late than never, right?!) Weekend Roundups. My last 3 weeks of weddings were just too good not to share with you all! First up, the weekend of August 24th was spent at the always spectacular, Birds Eye Cove! A personal favourite venue of FKE, this one was special! I have absolutely adored working with this couple over the past year, and helping to design the wedding of their dreams. Everything from the food, to flowers, to music, was utter perfection, and with a seriously amazing team of vendors (The London Chef, Clare Day Flowers, Conscious Hair & Beauty and Style by Erin Bradley, to name a few), this is definitely one of the top weddings of the season! Only negative of the weekend: my inability to walk properly, thanks to a bruised knee that lasted me the rest of the season lol! Oh man...the hazards of dog walking... But thanks to my incredible team of FKE ladies, we were able to pull it off like champs!

And thank you SOOO much to the lovely Steph, of Centric Photography, for these gorgeous sneak peek's!! I can hardly handle it!!!!

xo Barb

Barb WalkerSeptember 19, 2014birds eye cove wedding, Centric Photography, Clare Day Flowers, Conscious Hair by Elena, Erin Bradley, Farm wedding, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Wedding PlanningComment

FKE Featured in Print: Pacific Weddings Magazine

I don't even know where to start with this one....to say that it was a game changer would be a massive understatement, and to shout from the rooftops how excited I am to see it in Pacific Weddings, wouldn't be enough! Back in April, I had one of the most fun days of my career, and I still get a big smile on my face every time I think about it! And to have it gracing the pages of one of the most beautiful wedding magazines out there (and a TRUE personal favourite of mine, as if you know me, you know I love all things Hawaii, and that is where Pacific Wedding's roots are found!) is just utter perfection! When they approached us, asking if they could feature this shoot in their newest edition, I had to actually pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming!! Thank you SOOO much to the team there for welcoming us all with opening arms, and also for the A-team here in Victoria, for being just so dang good at what you do!! There are so many wonderful vendors that contributed to the success of this shoot, and so please take the time to look through their work...and definitely make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom, as we have a fabulous behind the scenes video for you to take a look at. xo Barb

Photography: Christie Graham Photography Planning: French Kiss Events Florals & Decor: Verbena Floral Design Paper Goods: Tuktu Paper Co. Dress: Anna Campbell, from The White Peony Groom's Attire: Citizen Clothing Hair: Conscious Hair by Elena Makeup: Beauty & Style by Erin Bradley Cinematography: Cassie O'Neil Cinematography Cake: Ruth & Dean Treats: Mexi Pops Surfboards: ANIAN Textiles: Coral & Tusk and Liberty London

**All images in this post courtesy of Christie Graham Photography**

"On the West Coast of Canada, we are continually surrounded by amazing, natural beauty. It’s a place where surf culture thrives and many celebrations are enjoyed on our magnificent beaches all along the rugged coastline. For this styled shoot, we showcased creative pieces and colors you would find at various authentic Vancouver Island beach festivities, drew inspiration from the small surf towns along the way and juxtaposed them with the vivid colors and patterns found in Morocco.

With a whopping team of 10 vendors and 2 models (including a male surfer who is actually from Morocco!!), we set out on a 45-minute hike, through our temperate rain forest and over suspension bridges, we finally set up camp on Mystic Beach. The model wore an Anna Campbell gown that struck the perfect balance between the glamour of Morocco and the laid back essence of the West Coast. Feathers blowing in the coastal wind can be spotted throughout, from the custom-made headpiece to the feather posy’s scattered on the tablescape. The vibrant colors found in Coral & Tusk’s table runner became our palette for the shoot, and were complimented by the Liberty London fabrics used for the pillows on the beach. Rich tones of yellow, orange, pink, and raspberry red were used in the abundant florals (garden roses, anemones, poppies, carnations and kumquats).

A naked cake with floral accents was the perfect combination of natural beauty and handcrafted elegance. Yogurt filled delights from Mexi Pops Italian cart were the perfect addition for strolling through the forest to the ceremony location. Beautiful locally made, hand-shaped surfboards from Anian Surfboards set the tone of the shoot, giving this boho-inspired wedding a light-hearted and creative edge. Hand drawn stationary in festive colours, custom beer label favours and motorcycle name cards made this styled shoot young, fun and truly West Coast eclectic."

And many, MANY thanks, to Elena's husband extraordinaire, who hung out with us all day, and cooked us a delicious stew, right on the beach! Can you think of a better way to spend your day? [vimeo http://vimeo.com/96836664]

FKE FeaturedBarb WalkerSeptember 3, 2014Christie Graham Photography, Conscious Hair by Elena, Erin Bradley, moroccan wedding inspiration, Pacific Weddings, Ruth and Dean, Surfer wedding inspiration, The White Peony Boutique, Tuktu Paper Co, Verbena Floral Design, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Wedding Planning, West Coast wedding inspiration Comment

The Weekend Roundup

Aren't long weekends lovely....and it was SUCH an amazing weekend for a wedding!! We were up at Fairburn Farmstay & Guesthouse for Karly & Matt's farm wedding, and although it was ridiculously hot, the day couldn't have been more fun!! (And what's even better, we all successfully managed to stay well hydrated (success!) and even walked away with a good tan!) Surrounded by friends, family, and water buffalo (yes, water buffalo!), these 2 were able to enjoy everything that we planned over the past year and a half!And the cherry on top of the pie that was this incredible day, was getting to spend it with one of the sweetest and most talented photographers over in Vancouver, Christie Graham Photography!! These sneak peek's have left me totally speechless...

Congratulations to the newlyweds!!! It was so much fun working with you over the past year and a bit, and I hope to meet up for another doggy date soon!

xo Barb

ps. I couldn't resist including this shot...

CongCongraAnd And asdfAnd

Barb WalkerAugust 4, 2014Christie Graham Photography, Cowichan Valley Weddings, Fairburn Farmstay, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Wedding Planning Comment

A Bridal Shower

As most of you know, I'm getting married myself this year, and I have been totally 110% spoiled rotten this summer by all the lovely ladies in my life!! Not only did my 2 Maid of Honours (aka. my "co-moh's") plan me a stagette weekend that I couldn't have planned better myself, they teamed up with some of my BEST friends in the Victoria wedding industry, and threw me a "better than I could have EVER imagined", bridal shower!! Everything was absolutely gorgeous, and I was overwhelmed with all the gorgeous details, lovely treats, and beautiful smiles that surrounded me the whole day. And even though she was strictly there as a guest, my good friend Jesse Holland managed to snap a few shots of the day! Thank you to EVERYONE who made this such an incredibly special day for me, and I only hope that I can do the same for all of you one day :)

So now down to the gorgeous details....Hosted at The White Peony Bridal Boutique, the prettiest space in all of Victoria, and owned by my good friend Trish, it was an afternoon of champagne and sweets! Toque Catering teamed up with my Mom & friends to supply us with a ton of sweets, and a Mimosa Bar (my favourite!!) was put together by the girls. A "Make Your Own Flower Bar" was set up by the fabulous Vanessa, of Verbena Floral Design (as there is almost nothing I love more in the world than beautiful blooms), and was a fun take home gift for all the attendee's. Recipe cards, that were included in the invitations, filled a recipe box that I am so excited to make my way through!! Photo's were strung throughout the space, showcasing some pretty embarrassing (but equally cute) photo's of both Nick & I throughout our life time. And hidden amongst some beautiful wedding dresses, was the very first dress that my Mom ever made me...it was Pink, Shiny, and all around Fabulous!! And a very special shout out to both Conscious Hair by Elena and Erin Bradley for dolling me up that morning, and making me look as good as I felt!

Barb WalkerJuly 29, 2014 Comments

The Weekend Roundup

It's been a couple of weeks since the last Weekend Roundup...what can I say...things are moving faster than I imagined they ever could! lol!! But it has been an AMAZING last couple of weeks, filled with 2 very special weddings!! And this past weekend, I got to spend the day wearing flip flops on the beach (definitely a first for me while working a wedding), and hanging out with some seriously fun people! Lisa & Phil's wedding at The Beach House Restaurant, was nothing short of spectacular, and made even better by the non-stop smiles these two had for each other all day!! And working alongside FLEURtacious by Lynda Marie, DJ Pro Ron Larson, Orriss Films and Jon-Mark Photography was the cherry on top!! And here are a few awesome sneak peek's from Jon Mark Photography...

A heartfelt congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs.!!! I am truly going to miss all of our fun planning sessions, and can't wait to see what is next for you both!

xo Barb

Barb WalkerJuly 29, 2014FLEURtacious, Jon Mark Photo, The Beach House, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Wedding PlanningComment

An Anniversary Weekend

Last weekend, my hubby to be, and I, celebrated our 8 year (let's take a moment to talk about how crazy THAT is!!!) dating anniversary. It is something we have done every year, and I am always so glad that we take the time to carve out a weekend for each other. This year, with everything that is going on right now (crazy wedding schedule, planning of our own wedding etc...), we decided to skip the weekend getaway, and stay close to home. We spent Saturday doing all of our favourite things, and tried to focus on just spending some quiet, relaxing moments together. So, in lieu of the weekly edition of my weekend roundup...here's a sneak peek at one of our all time favourite things to do together... And thank you SOOO much to AMERIS for the fabulous photo!!

xo Barb

Barb WalkerJuly 15, 2014Comment

The Weekend Roundup

{I apologize for this being so late into the week...lets just say that wedding season is well under way, and the blog is suffering slightly! lol!} Well, the weather has been nothing short of spectacular as of late, and nothing suits a summer wedding better than a bright a fun palette!! That's exactly what we had last weekend, at the Inn at Laurel Point: a fun summer cocktail reception wedding, oozing with pink and orange details!! Just love! Everyone brought their a-game to this wedding (ahem...Verbena Floral Design, Airwaves Music, Decorate Victoria...), and I had SOOO much fun working with the couple throughout the planning, and designing their dream wedding!

And if these sneak peek's are any indication, Kim Kalyn Photography KILLED it!!! Can't wait to see more!!

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Taylor!!! You guys are so much fun, and I loved being a part of your wedding!!

xo Barb

Barb WalkerJuly 10, 2014Inn at Laurel Point, Verbena Floral Design, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Wedding Planning Comment

The Weekend Roundup

Wedding season is officially in full swing, and this past weekend was spent hanging out at the GORGEOUS Brentwood Bay Resort!! (Not too bad of a spot, if I do say so myself) And getting to hang out with some awesome vendors, including the fabulous Jesse Holland Photography and FLEURtacious, made for an even better day!! B&M wanted to host a gourmet, dinner party inspired, wedding, and lets just say, it's been a long time since I've seen a party like that one...Epic!! They are a gorgeous couple inside and out, and I thoroughly enjoyed helping them plan this elegant black tie wedding!! Another awesome part of the weekend...my custom aprons, made lovingly by Oatmeal Lace, got to make their debut!!

And a HUGE thanks to Jesse, for sending these sneak peek's along. To say that they're stunning, would be a MASSIVE understatement, and I can't wait to see more soon!!

Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs's!! It was an incredibly special wedding, and we couldn't be happier for you both!

xo Barb

Barb WalkerJune 30, 2014Brentwood Bay Resort, FLEURtacious, Jesse Holland Photography, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Wedding PlanningComment

FKE featured on Wedding Sparrow

Thank you so much, to the crazy beautiful UK based fine art blog, Wedding Sparrow, for featuring this incredible shoot earlier this week!! Working with such an incredibly creative and talented team, was a total dream, and then getting to share it on such a gorgeous blog, is the cherry on top!! Thank you SOOO much to Adrian Michael Photography, for once again, blowing my mind with your stunning images! I just cannot wait for you to finally move here! A HUGE thank you as well to Clare Day Flowers and Joanna Delaney Dressmaking for asking me to collaborate with you on this shoot. Designing a shoot around the dresses was such a fabulous approach, and I am thrilled with the results! And thank you so much to both Conscious Hair by Elena, Melanie Baird Makeup Artistry, and Laura Lavender Calligraphy, for joining our team, and being just so darn good at what you do! And here are some of my favourite images from the shoot (so hard to choose!!!).

And be sure to check out the feature here for more pretty!

xo Barb

FKE FeaturedBarb WalkerJune 12, 2014Adrian Michael Photography, Clare Day Flowers, Conscious Hair by Elena, Fine art film photography, Melanie Baird Makeup Artistry, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Wedding Planning, West Coast wedding inspirationComment

The Weekend Roundup

This past weekend, I got to: hang out at a castle, play with soft blooms and rustic pieces (love!), spot a bald eagle, and oh yeah, help an incredible couple get married!! Not too shabby of a job, if you ask me! And my favourite part of this wedding was hands down, the ceremony. Having a friend perform your ceremony always adds an extra level of intimacy, and this guy totally nailed it!! I laughed with them, I cried with them, and I am so honoured to have witnessed their beautiful day.

And thank you so much to the lovely Nichole Taylor Photography, for passing on these wonderful sneak peek's! They're perfect!

Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs.!! It was absolutely lovely getting to know you both over the past couple of months!

xo Barb

Real WeddingsBarb WalkerMay 26, 2014Charming Decor, Hatley Castle, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Wedding PlanningComment

location

BASED IN VICTORIA, BC

AND AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE

EST. 2010

CONNECT

barb@frenchkissevents.ca

778-678-2902

Journal

location

BASED IN VICTORIA, BC

AND AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE

EST. 2010

CONNECT

barb@frenchkissevents.ca

778-678-2902