The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Planning: Tips and Tricks for a Stress-Free Big Day
Check out our wedding planning guide to help you get started!
Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming task, but with the right approach, it can be a fun and exciting experience. From creating a wedding checklist to finding the perfect vendors, there are many things to consider when planning your big day. In this post, we'll provide you with some tips and tricks to help you plan your wedding stress-free.
Create a Wedding Checklist
The first step in planning your wedding is to create a wedding checklist. This will help you stay organized and ensure that you don't forget any important details. Your checklist should include everything from choosing a wedding date to booking your honeymoon. You can find many wedding planning checklists online, or you can create your own.
Set a Wedding Budget
Before you start planning your wedding, it's important to set a budget. This will help you determine how much you can spend on each aspect of your wedding. Be sure to include all of the expenses, including the venue, catering, flowers, and decorations. You can use a wedding budget calculator to help you determine how much you can afford to spend.
Find the Perfect Wedding Vendors
One of the most important aspects of planning your wedding is finding the perfect vendors. This includes your wedding planner, photographer, caterer, florist, and DJ. Be sure to do your research and read reviews before choosing your vendors. You can also ask for recommendations from friends and family members who have recently gotten married.
Check out our list of some amazing vendors we work with on our Swank Wedding Magazine site
Create a Wedding Timeline
A wedding timeline is a schedule of events for your big day. This includes everything from the ceremony to the reception. Your timeline should include the time and location of each event, as well as any special instructions for your guests. Be sure to share your timeline with your vendors and wedding party so that everyone is on the same page.
Final Thoughts
Planning a wedding can be a stressful experience, but with the right approach, it can also be a fun and exciting time. By creating a wedding checklist, setting a budget, finding the perfect vendors, and creating a wedding timeline, you can ensure that your big day goes off without a hitch. Remember to take time to enjoy the planning process and don't forget to have fun!
Jacqueline weds Dan
A rainy Vancouver day may have dampened our plan for an outdoor ceremony but it sure couldn't dampen our beautiful bride's mood.
'Twas a cold, rainy Vancouver day and our plans for an outdoor wedding were altered but the joy, the love, the amazingly beautiful day and the smiles on our couple's face remained unaltered.
Our bride, Jacqueline, wanted a colorful, fun but elegant wedding. Inspired by colours of a peacock, we managed to pull off a day that she absolutely loved. Here are the highlights as captured by our friends at This Is It Studios.
Soirée Team:
Bouquets & Bouts: Katsura Designs
Cake: Joconde Patisserie
Decor: The Soirée Company
DJ: Man About Town Entertainment
Flowers: Kits Flowers
Hair & Makeup: Sarah Lam Beauty
Hotel: Opus Hotel
Invitations: The Soirée Company
Marriage Commissioner: BC Marriage Commissioners
Photobooth: Picasso Photobooth
Photography: This is it studios
Planner: The Soirée Company
Transportation: President Limo
Venue / Caterer: Brock House Restaurant
Videography: Vidaer Studios
Meredith weds Dhruv
Bright colors, true love, and lots of fun made this wedding the best feather in our hat. Check out what made Meredith & Dhruv's day so special!
The union of two people is always a beautiful occasion for us at the Soirée Company but this couple was just something else. I had the pleasure of meeting Meredith & Dhruv in October 2016 and instantly fell in love with their love story. Their wish list for the wedding was to have lots of bright colors: hot pink, orange, etc. and to have lots of fun. Here's what their wedding looked like:
The Dream Team:
Accommodations: Opus Hotel
Attire: Sunny's Bridal Gallery
Bartenders: Top Shelf Bartending
Bridal Bouquet: Budget Blooms
Cake: Joconde Patisserie
Calligraphy: Coconibs Calligraphy
Catering: Maharaja Catering
Decor: The Soirée Company (us)
DJ: High Voltage Roadshow
Favours: WeddingStar
First Dance Choreography: Fantasy Dance
Guest book: Etsy
Hair & Makeup: NVS Hair & Makeup
Henna: Aleeha Mehndi
Invitations: Po-Tweet Wedding Invitations
Jai-Malas: Suki's Flowers
Liquor: Bearcreek Liquor Store
Officiant (religious): Sharad Pandit
Officiant (civil): Munna Prasad (BC Commissioner)
Photography: Vissare Media
Photo Booth: Picasso Photobooth
Rentals (Chairs): Vancouver Chiavari Chairs
Rentals (Ceremony): Royal Party Decorations
Rentals (others): A&B Partytime Rentals
Transportation: President Limo
Venue: UBC Boathouse
Boudoir Photos - The "Must" Wedding Trend
Bridal Boudoir is the hottest trend in the wedding scene and makes for a great wedding gift. Have you considered a Bridal Boudoir Session? We have some tips and a few amazing vendors to choose from for your bridal boudoir dream shoot.
Boudoir photography. When one hears the word, one thinks of classic lingerie apparel and perhaps the occasional touch of old Hollywood glam. For the modern bride, there is nothing more empowering and vulnerable than the boudoir session. At first, you might feel the essence of the woman, empowered by her own body with no fear or regret. On the other, the sheer vulnerability of the focused camera lens in an intimate setting.
Boudoir photography sessions are the latest craze in adding a special touch to the biggest day and memento for the groom. A token of appreciation and love. Something just for him. Something personal. Makes it all that more satisfying in receiving it.
There are fabulous studios in the Lower Mainland where you can book your sessions. Before we get into that, let's see what preparatory measures must be in place before taking your place in front of the lens.
Items to Bring:
Lace - Anything with lace on or around it. Gives it a feminine and alluring appeal. The more variety of lingerie sets the better.
Jewelry - Pearls, diamonds, necklaces, chokers, earrings. The look you feel most sexy and comfortable in. Always bring the item that makes you look and feel your best.
Heels - Bring your favorite and slinkiest pair of heels. Different colors are welcomed as long as they coordinate with the sets.
A few days before the shoot, make sure you are squeaky clean and salon prepped. Waxing, manicures, hair cut and styled. Whatever you need to do in the beauty parlor to prep for the best photo shoot of your life. Having a clean face and hair is mandatory as you will be getting your hair and makeup done professionally.
Places to Shop:
Agent Provocateur
La Perla
Victoria's Secret
La Senza
Online Boutiques
Top 3 in the Lower Mainland:
Lux Portraiture - https://luxportraits.ca/
Gloss Boudoir - http://glossboudoir.com/
Chelsey Luren - https://chelseyluren.com/
Of course, there are many others and do your research and book a session with the photographer that you feel a connection with. Happy hunting!
Guest post by Raj Bee
10 Romantic and Creative Wedding Ceremony Ideas to Choose From
A blog on 10 chosen wedding ideas that can make your ceremony as romantic and creative as you’ve always imagined it to be.
However grandiose and stylish, a wedding always comes down to that fleeting, yet unforgettable little moment in which the couple finally ties the knot. Saying “I Do” in front of their loved ones in a creative setting and a romantic ambiance is what every lovebird dreams about. Even if there’s a wedding tradition or a ritual that has to be honored, these 10 fairy-tale ideas will make your ceremony one to remember.
1. Twinkling Lights
Whether you’re planning to marry in the snow-coated castle or to spend an entire day under the clear summer sky, twinkling lights are always a majestic idea. You can hang them from the ceiling or let them fall down loosely from the trees, and they’ll still dazzle your guests and keep them spellbound the entire night.
2. Ceremony Arch
You’ll want all eyes to be fixed on you, so why not create a flamboyant focal point to make your ceremony even more theatrical? Ceremony arches are typically made with flowers, but you can get creative and design them with branches, curtains and lanterns as well. Whatever you choose, make it imposing, since your celebration of love deserves nothing less.
3. Swaying Flowers
Every day is a good day for picking flowers, but there’s something about weddings that make blossoms truly symbolic. There’s no romantic ceremony without a couple of rose petals here and there, and you can choose to make them a leitmotif of an entire fiesta. Hang them from the ceiling, scatter them down the aisle and tie them to the chairs – be they spring bloomers or summer bouquets, a dreamy atmosphere is impossible without flowers.
4. Under the Treetops
For each season of the year, a clearing in the woods is a fanciful spot to say your vows in. Tuck in under the treetops, throw around wooden benches instead of chairs and make a gossamer web from Christmas lights. You won’t be needing much but nature’s simple wonders, so be sure to find a groove with old, tall evergreens that are majestic and lush even in the winter.
5. The Enchanting Garden
Combine dark wood with profuse greenery and satin white decorations. There’s one enchanting secret garden hiding behind every corner, but you need to look hard and light it up with candles so that others can find it too. Candles in lanterns are one of the simplest, yet most romantic wedding ceremony adornments and they shed a warm, delightfully flickering light.
6. Sandy Vows
Then again, you can replace candles for torches and have them erected all along the coastline. Beach weddings are wonderful even in the night, and this theme allows you to actually tie a fisherman’s knot to make your bond official and super-tight. Walk barefoot down the aisle, enjoy the warm summer breeze in your hair and have the first wedding dance under the blinking stars.
7. Surrounded by Love
Whichever wedding theme you eventually choose, think about rearranging guest seats in a circular pattern. Such a layout will put you in the very middle of the circle and make you a centerpiece to behold. This way, you’ll be literally surrounded by your loved ones, and your ceremony will have a more intimate ambiance.
8. A Loyal Ring Carrier
Already have a furry little bundle of joy that you take care of together? Plenty of couples choose their dogs instead of a traditional ring carrier, so you might want to consider training yours for this very responsible duty. You’ll have your best and most loyal friend right by your side, and once done the wedding video editing, you’ll find that there was no dry eye in the crowd.
9. Doves Release
Alternately, you can choose the old-fashion approach, and release two white doves after the first kiss. They symbolize blessings, prosperity, and peace, and are a perfect symbolic beginning of a long and fruitful marriage. Although somewhat overdone, this tradition is still every bit as romantic and wondrous as it always has been.
10. United Sides
Finally, have your bride’s and groom’s sides united. A wedding day is all about the consolidation of two families into one, so there’s no reason for keeping your guests separated. In case they get a bit puzzled by this new layout, put a sign that explains your intention. They’ll surely be honored and wonder why wedding ceremonies haven’t always been arranged in such a fashion.
When it comes to the most important part of every nuptial celebration, wedding themes are only general guidelines that you can choose to follow in entirety or use as inspiration for your own original plan. Be your own, stay romantic and accept our sincere congratulations!
Guest post by Helen Clark
Luwam weds Del
1000 guests and a 2 day celebration is just the beginning of this love story.
On August 31, 2013, our couple - Luwam and Del joined each other in holy matrimony. They had 1000 guests and a group of women who cooked all the meals for the two days of festivities at a community center. Bollywood Banquet Hall was decorated with ceiling lanterns, orchids, and a scheme of purple, silver, and crystal themed decor. As our groom said - the theme is bling. CTV's W5 covered this wedding. Here are some pictures of their big day. View the coverage on CTV.
To give this massive space a cozy feeling, we put up lanterns in the ceiling above the tables where the lower centerpieces (fresh flowers) were placed. Tall candelabras were one of the centerpieces used (with real candles) and the third type of centerpiece was a cluster of floating candle cylinders surrounding a tall one with a submerged orchid.
Having some color was important to our bride and her family but they didn't want too much color. Some members wanted less "bling" while the bride wanted lots. To balance everyone's desires we surrounded the cylinder clusters (above) and the candelabra centerpieces (below) with a sequinned purple material. This comprised of a dash of color and hint of bling - just the perfect compromise to keep everyone happy!
This was truly one of our most unique weddings. Not only did our couple need a space that could accommodate 1000 guests and their unique request of bringing outside food but they also had to make room on a smaller sized stage for 13 people at the head table. Traditionally, in an Eritrean wedding, the bride and groom are treated like King and Queen and are elevated from the rest of the party. The bride's family arranged for a custom stage to be built on top of the hall's stage to accommodate this awesome tradition. The bride and group (along with the maid of honor and best man) were placed higher than the rest of the guests. So royal (with the princess skirting and all!).
Dream team:
Venue: Bollywood Banquet Hall
Decor & Design: The Soirée Company
Photos: Tomasz Wagner
Whistler is just oozing love!
A girlfriends' getaway turns into a magical and unforgettable moment of this lucky lady's life.
A flashmob, a sunny day, and the serene beauty of Whistler. What do you get when you put all this together? The most romantic proposal we have ever seen!
When Sofie Obermüller was having a girls getaway with some friends last week, she had no idea that she would get the surprise of her life. Her boyfriend, Jared Lekkas (now fiancé) secretly organized a Lion-King style flashmob proposal and popped the question to “Marry Me Baby” by Krista Siegfrids.
While the world is busy watching the video, we are busy thinking of how this couple's wedding will look!
We think a safari theme should be incorporated into the wedding somehow. What are your thoughts?