Summer Flowers Outside the Box

When deciding on your flowers this summer, choose an accent that is outside the box. Flowers that are in season are always cheaper, but try choosing one that is different and makes a statement. The below pictures are just a taste of what your wedding bouquet could look like. They each come in a variety of colours making your flower selection easy and fun.
Remember be creative!

Peony Profile:
- This is a full figured flower, great for filling space
- Compliments other flowers, such as roses or greens well
- It is affordable and requires few flowers
- The average cost per stem is $3.00 (CAD)
- The peony season is short- last week and a half of may to early second week in June.
This arrangement contains an assortment of peonies, roses and sweetpea roses.






Sweetpea Roses:
- Delicate, small figured flower.
- Acts as a great filler and or splash of colour
- comes in a wide assortment of colours



Pink Zinnia:
- Delicate pillowy flowers
- Great on its own, or incorporated into a bouquet








Purple Hydrengea:
- Full figure flower
- multiple colours
- great on its own or as an accent
- one of the most affordable flowers because it takes up a lot of surface area
- accompanies almost any flower well

Queen Ann's Lace:
- Great accent flower
- Very delicate
- Inexpensive, approximately .60 (CAD) cents per stem

Let them eat cake!

Chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, banana, you name it your bakery can make it. Choosing your wedding cake is definitely the tastiest part of your wedding planning. Practically every baker will allow you to taste what they have to offer, i highly recommend you take advantage of this tasty treat.

A few things to do when choosing your wedding cake are:
-Always have a budget.
-Always be open about your budget
-Take notes on what you like and do not like

Usually bakers have very ornate cakes on display, far above the average brides budget. This does not mean hands off, but it does mean some negotiating is in order. Keeping note of what display cakes you like specifically, regarding the details will assist you in deciding what you like and dislike. Always be open about what your budget is with the baker because the baker can help steer you in the right direction.

Budget Cake Options:
Go for a smaller cake. The majority of guests will not eat your wedding cake. Guests are usually into the dessert buffet table versus the cake.
A great way to get the wow for less is to mix your wedding cake up. This includes having iced pieces of pretend cake layers. When it comes time to serving the cake just disassemble the layers.

Another option is creating a cupcake tree. Cupcakes are easy to make, but expensive to purchase. Making your own cupcakes is easy, cost efficient and can be made 2 days prior to the wedding.

A third option is a cupcake/wedding cake tree. You can purchase a small wedding cake topper from your baker. You can create a cupcake tree by placing the cake as the topper of the tree and the cupcakes below it. Depending on your wedding cake colours, you can match your cupcakes to the colour of the topper.

Further, you do not have to serve the topper, as it is often tradition for the bride and groom to freeze the top layer until their one year anniversary together. Always remember you have options. Keeping the layers down will always keep the cost of the cake down. If require a bigger wedding cake than what you can do is purchase a wedding cake that has a slab cake base and a small round on the top. A slab cake will serve more guests than a round cake would.

Adding to this, you can purchase a smaller wedding cake and than have extra slab cake available that the caters can serve to the guests. No one will notice that these slabs are not from the original wedding cake.


This could save you big dollars because the slap cake will not require ornate detail as no one is going to see it until the eat it.

The Perfect Wedding Bouquet

Choosing your wedding bouquet may appear difficult, but believe me when i say it is not. When choosing your bouquet keep in mind these simple tips:

- Weight: Keep the weight down
- Size: Keep the arrangement small
- Colour: What are your colours

While weight may not seem important at first, trust me it will on the big day. Flowers can become incredibly heavy. Take into consideration that you are carrying the flowers throughout the ceremony, pictures and the reception. By the end of the day your arms will feel like jello! The following bouquets are examples of elegant, but light flower options.

Roses are always a safe option, but keep in mind their weight. Because roses are a full body flower they ca become incredibly heavy. Try mixing it up a little by adding some hydrangea, orchids, berry's, peonies or greenery.

Here are some pint size options that are sure to create a buzz while keeping the price tag down.

The Head Table

The head table is the most important visual aspect of any wedding. Sadly, it seems like the creativity factor is lacking in this respect. The wow factor must not be downplayed. With a little effort and imagination the sky is the limit.

Here are a few ideas on how you can arrange your head table:

Gazebo Design 1:
A simple gazebo may just be that something wow your wedding needs. Who ever said you need to face an audience? By arranging the table sideways you not only get to see your guests, but you get to see each other. The cost of doing something like this is not high considering you get to cut down on linen rentals, such as the back drop. The only draw back with this set up is disruption of pictures. This head table arrangement is best suited for smaller wedding parties.

Perhaps the best ideas for a head table is mixing table sizes and dividing the tables up. This not only creates a wow factor, but it can also portray a more intimate feel.

The V-Design:







Multi-level:







Gazebo Design 2:

The Classic Updo

A classic updo works for almost every bride. While there are many options available it is surprisingly difficult to find something that is simple, pretty and classy. After much research i have finally found a few updo's i think are worthy to say I do in.

Place Cards

Place cards are easy to customize and tailor to your wedding's theme. Simple group or solo craft projects can cut costs and increase your wedding's wow factor.

Here are some things to keep in mind when planning how to present your place cards:
- Theme.
- Season.
- Store Sales.
- Number of guests attending.
- Help- who will be helping you?
- How long will it take you to create one place card?
- Print your place cards first before assembling them.

Depending on the theme of your wedding, simple craft projects, like those listed below, can really add some character to your day. Keep in mind:
- Colour scheme
- Flowers
- Overall theme

Fresh spring delight:








A sandy beach theme:













Romance and love:
















An affordable winter wonderland: