Tag: Tradition

Trend Alert: Family Style Receptions

August 11, 2016

This is another trend that we’re completely smitten with. Family style reception dinners! We’re so over walking accross the dance floor to get a second helping, and we know that plated service can be costly PLUS, there’s something about breaking bread and sharing plates that makes for the best dinner conversation.

LEFT TO RIGHT / TOP TO BOTTOM:

ONE: This is one of our favourite shoots we’ve been a part of. The rich colours, casual elegance, and charm just made it the full package. We love using vintage silver for serving share plates.

TWO: Sharing food makes for such wonderful memories. Plus, it cuts down on food waste compared to other styles of service. If you don’t like potatoes, you just wont take them! And if someone beside you does, they aren’t staring at your plate wishing it wasn’t weird to ask to eat yours. And it’s not awkward to take an extra helping.

THREE: Long tables lend so well to family style service. Just pass the dishes down the line! Where tables this long my have been a challenge with guests getting up and down to head to the buffet, family service allows for a more intimate set up like this.

FOUR: Meals or share plates– it’s up to you! We love the idea of having appetizers on wood slabs to keep guests filled up as they visit the night away.

FIVE: Food can be beautiful too! Family service challenges us to be selective about what we have on the table. This can cut decor costs without cutting the style.

What do you think of this trend? I don’t just love it as a wedding professional, but a wedding goer- it’s one of my favourite ways to feast!

Rice Toss Alternatives we Love

March 10, 2016

You’ve heard of the rice toss, right? At the end of the ceremony, when the couple walks back down the aisle as Mr and Mrs for the first time, guests shower the love birds in… rice. Why rice? Why not something more fun? Well… we have some alternatives for you if you’re not in to being pelted with grains. And spoiler alert: these ideas are cute as all get out.

LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM:

ONE: Remember a couple weeks back when we created that gorgeous heart garland with sheet music? Well, you can totally make confetti out of it too.

TWO: Having a fall wedding? Throwing leaves is always an option- and even better if you punch them into adorable confetti first! And if you’re having an outdoor wedding, no worries about cleaning them up since they’re completely safe to leave for the birds.

THREE: Another organic option- toss flowers! Wild flowers, dried flowers, whatever you choose- it’s a lovely option for an outdoor wedding!

FOUR: Remember how we suggested using eucalyptus leaves to toss? Well, we’re suggesting it again… with any pretty little leaf! And we’re also vouching for those sweet doily cones to pass them out in.

FIVE: And if you’re into glitz and glamour… why not toss sequins? These DIY translucent little packets of sequins make a cute hand out for guests.

SIX: I am in LOVE with these cute confetti poppers. And since they’re DIY, you could fill them with anything your heart desires… even rice 😉

SEVEN: Confetti. We could almost end the post with this one word because confetti is one of the best things to throw on any occasion!

EIGHT: Goodness gracious, these tiny pom poms are the most adorable thing I’ve seen all day (and yesterday).

NINE: This idea’s for the birds! Oh man, so cheesy, but I love it! If you’re looking for a wildlife friendly- this might just be the best yet! Why not toss birdseed?

TEN: How dreamy is this photo thanks to the shower of rose petals the couple is walking through! You could shower me in rose petals any day.

ELEVEN: If you’re looking for a toss idea that smells as good as it looks… lavender is your friend! Your whole ceremony would be scented and that would trigger fond memories for the rest of your life.

TWELVE: Another idea we absolutely love? These sweet quail feathers in paper cones. Just imagine how they would slowly float to the ground!

So tell me… what’s your favourite? I’m all heart eyes over those tiny pom poms but I’d also toss confetti any day!

Seating Charts: All the options, for real

July 21, 2015

Seating charts can be one of the most stressful parts of wedding planning. But they can also be one of the most beautiful features I love to see on Pinterest. But what really is the seating chart for? Do you have to tell each person exactly where to sit? What if your families get along just fine? What if you really just don’t want to put hours and hours into who will sit where? There’s more options than you might think! And I’m not just talking about how you can make it pretty (although theres 1 million and 30 options for that). I’m talking straight up telling people where to sit. Here’s the eight we’ve seen (and love!) and why you might want to do each. We’ll leave all the pretty details up to your browsing Pinterest.

ONE: Escort cards can be one of the prettiest to see displayed. Arrange them in alphabetical order to help guests find theirs. You might associate these with a table full of tent cards, but there’s hundreds of ways to display them like this plywood and dip dye display.

TWO: You can do this? Yep! No seating plan ‘seating plans’ are becoming much more popular. Most couples want to enjoy their day and the planning and don’t want to spend hours stressing about where you’ll sit. This is especially a great option if you’re having a casual wedding or you don’t know of any big conflicts between guests. Although really, we’re all adults- if we don’t want to sit beside someone, we won’t… right? Even if couples choose to ditch the seating plan, they’ll usually reserve tables for their parents with an excellent view.

THREE: You can use favours (or in this case monogrammed glasses for guests to use for the night) to help direct guests to their seats. I like the monogrammed glasses because it’s easier to find than a jar of jam with your name on a tiny label. Having favours arranged so guests can easy get theirs will help keep people moving through the door and to their seats. No one likes a bottleneck before they get a drink in hand!

FOUR: So you get guests to the right table, now where do they sit? Most couples don’t go any further. But if you really want to make sure that Aunt Millie isn’t sitting next to Grandma Jane or you’re planning on pairing up some singles (do people really do that?), you can help get guests to their seats with individual place cards at each setting.

FIVE: This is probably the style of seating chart we see most often- Each table number (or name!) with a list of names under each. It’s the easiest to create and make changes to. You can write them all on one fabulous mirror or keep each table separate.

SIX: For the super planners, a diagram seating chart can be both beautiful and functional. Avoid setting out individual place cards and still direct guests to their seat? It’s an all-in-one design.

SEVEN: You can also help guests find their names by arranging them alphabetically with the corresponding table beside each name. This is great if you don’t have a lot of guests that all know each other, and leads to at table introductions.

EIGHT: I love how clean and simple this one is in particular, but the idea is this. Escort cards they can take with them, arranged like a table order seating chart. Simple, right?

Have you spotted any other seating guides we haven’t mentioned? What is your favourite way to be seated as a guest? I personally love to be told where to sit, but that’s because I often rush in late and like to know a seat has my name on it!

Free Printable Bridal Shower Recipe Cards

June 2, 2015

One of my favourite traditions for bridal showers is for guests to bring one of their favourite recipes to gift to the new bride. I know that Pinterest is the new recipe book (and I love it!) but there’s something so special of recipes passed down along family and friends. By asking guests to bring just one, you know you’re getting a tried and true favourite, and hey- who says you can’t request that chicken dish of Aunty Ann’s that you look forward to year round!

There’s a certain charm about everyone bringing a recipe card from their collection but with less of us stocking recipe cards in our cupboards, it’s nice to provide guests a card for them to bring along. Send these out with the invitation and the bride-to-be will have a beautiful recipe collection. We’ve created the recipe cards in both these blue and pink colours, but also in a golden yellow and simple black and white. All the colour versions have a watercolour texture up close.

Just click the colour you would like, download the PDF and print on card stock paper! The PDF has 2 recipe cards per sheet, sized at a standard 4×6 recipe card size.

/ PINK / YELLOW / BLACK & WHITE

So tell us, do you have any pre-wedding traditions that you adore? I’d love to hear them!

8 Beautiful Ideas for your Something Blue

May 12, 2015

Something Blue. The last of the Something Series! If you missed the others you can check them all out here. The tradition suggests that luck be passed to brides who carry ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’ along with them down the aisle. Today we’re bringing you 8 beautiful ways to incorporate something blue into your big day.

ONE: This subtle bow tied inside the skirt of a wedding dress is such a lovely (and hidden!) something blue. We’re sure you’ve also seen this photo floating around pinterest- the bride had a piece of a relative’s shirt/tie sewn into a heart on the back of her dress. Adorable!
TWO: We love a gorgeous garter- this one is a dusky blue and would make the perfect something blue!
THREE: Ready to channel your inner Elvis? These blue suede shoes make a statement! You could go for a more subtle colour of blue shoes, or even just paint the bottoms of your shoes with a blue.
FOUR: Talk about a swoon-worthy bouquet! You might have thought that blue flowers couldn’t look neutral, but this bouquet screams otherwise. You could also add a blue ribbon or charm to a bouquet that matches your wedding colours.
FIVE: If you want to go a little wild for your something blue, why not wear it in your hair? This bride had her hair dresser put a small blue streak in her updo for her big day.
SIX: One of the easiest ways to bring in a something blue to your wedding is to wear it in your jewellery. Personally, I’d go for these lovely cushion cut earrings in an icy blue. They’re subtle enough that they won’t stand out, but they’re oh so classy!
SEVEN: Why not knock off all your somethings with one pin? This pin is for sale, but it would be a simple DIY as well! Pin it inside the skirt of your dress and show it off when requested.
EIGHT: We love the idea of a fun blue pedicure for your wedding day! If you don’t want to show off your something blue and are sporting close-toed pumps, this is the perfect way to keep your something blue under wraps, but easy to show off when someone asks where your blue is. If you want to show it off, open toe shoes would look lovely too, your blue would poke out as you walk down the aisle.

So let’s hear it… what’s your favourite? Mine has to be that bouquet… but that’s because I’m a sucker for flowers. I’m also a sucker for that garter and kind of wish they were a normal thing to wear because I might just buy it. Tell us… did you or do you plan on honouring this tradition on your wedding?

Something Borrowed- Go big… or Not.

March 24, 2015

We are back again today, knocking another ‘something’ off the list! You know the saying by now, “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue”- today’s ‘Something Borrowed’! If you’ve missed the first three from the series, we started our Something Series with an introduction to the tradition (what the heck is it for!?), then gave you 10 unique ideas for your Something Old, and our Favourite Five Ideas for your Something New. The tradition suggests good luck will be given to brides who wear or carry with them down the aisle these four things.

Today we’re giving you some of our favourite ideas for your something borrowed, but more importantly- we’re talking about how to incorporate tradition into your wedding while staying true to you. Here’s three routes to consider.

1. Start Small. I love tradition, and I especially love the sweet notion of carrying someone you care for with you on your big day BUT, that doesn’t mean it needs to be the focus. Maybe wearing your mom’s wedding dress just isn’t for you. Or maybe you want to carry your recently passed grandmother with you- but don’t want to be asked about it all night. Whatever your thought is- if you’re not keen on this tradition, or if you are but aren’t into making a spectacle (or answering the well-meaning questions), why not choose something small? How about a bracelet from your grandmother- even mix it in with some others as the bride in the cover image did. Wrap a piece of jewelry borrowed from your sister who couldn’t make it to your big day around your bouquet or maybe use a veil from one of your bridesmaid’s weddings. The point here is that you can incorporate tradition and/or pay respect to someone close to you without making a big deal about it. And if Grandma asks what your something borrowed is? You can choose to tell her- or not. It’s up to you!

2. Go Big. Maybe you do love tradition! Hey, after all- you are reading this on a vintage rental blog. Don’t be ashamed to go ‘overboard’ and dive all-in. Our favourite story? This bride had her mother’s wedding dress refashioned (how gorgeous does it look!) to wear on her big day. Does it scream that it’s borrowed? Nope, but she is decked out in that something borrowed. And we love it! How about a vintage getaway car borrowed from your uncle? Maybe your wedding ring itself is borrowed? That’s BIG! Another big borrowing even though it doesn’t look like it? Vows. Why not exchange the same vows of your parents? How sweet!

3. You’re a rule breaker and you want to do things differently. Like- not carry it with you- but set it on a table differently. Do that! We love the idea of displaying family photos, or even all your ‘somethings’ for guests to enjoy. It doesn’t really matter that tradition suggests you carry these tokens with you- take them as a suggestion and have your wedding- your way. After all, no one from ‘tradition’ will need to remember that day for the rest of their lives just you!

Alright, we’ll step down from our soapbox now. But really, we are all for tradition- but we truly believe the most important element of your wedding should be you. So let’s hear from you, are you a fan of tradition or do you like to make your own traditions? What are some of your favourite ideas for a ‘something borrowed’?

Something New: Our Top 5 Ideas for your Big Day

February 17, 2015

You know the saying by now, “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue”, and today we’re knocking ‘Something New’ off the list! If you’ve missed the first two, we started our Something Series with an introduction to the tradition (what the heck is it for!?) and then gave you 10 unique ideas for your Something Old. The tradition suggests good luck will be given to brides who wear or carry with them down the aisle these four things. Here’s our favourite suggestions for your Something New!

1. Your Dress! A vintage or borrowed dress may not be in the books for you, but it will certainly count as your Something New! (Photo credit: Dani K Johnson)

2. Jewellery. Just as we suggested vintage pieces for your jewellery, you could treat yourself to new earrings for your walk down the aisle. They could even be a gift from your soon-to-be-Mr. You could use a necklace, bracelet, or hairclip too! (Photo credit: Dani K Johnson)

3. A Veil. Why not get something new that is incredibly- You? Make a statement and check Something New off your list. (Photo credit Colleen Pastoor)

4. Shoes- You have to wear them, so make them do double duty as your Something New! (Photo credit Troi Crombie)

5. Garter! Or any of your undergarments, really! And I’ll bet no one will double check either, so you can treat yourself to the fanciest panties on the rack- after all, it’s your Something New! (Photo Credit Dani K Johnson)

The Something New category is a pretty big one. You could really go out and buy pretty much anything, but these are our top 5! Did we miss any that you might have included? I’m getting excited for something borrowed next month- we have so many fun ideas for you!

Something Series (and some Freebies!)

December 16, 2014

So we’re all about the series right now! Last week we started our Feature Friday series which will be every friday- and today we’re starting a mini series- the Somethings. Guesses? Yep, we’re breaking down the ‘Something old, Something new’ tradition and giving you ideas on how to make the most of the sweet tradition- and what the heck it means! We’ll be running this one just once a month- today we’re talking about the tradition and next month we’ll start with something old. You know that’s our favourite! Plus, we have two free printables of the quote for ya.

First, let’s talk about the tradition… shall we? The saying was from 1883, it was an olde English rhyme. The tradition goes that brides should wear or carry with them these tokens of love or good luck on their big day. We all know the first part… but there’s an extra little bit you might not have heard…

A sixpence!? That’s often gets dropped off the saying- but hey, if you’re going for it! Here’s what they all represent:

Something Old: represents family, past, tradition and continuity

Something New: represents optimism for the future, and new life

Something Borrowed: represents borrowed happiness- this is traditionally something borrowed from another happy bride

Something Blue: represents purity, love, and fidelity

Sixpence in her Shoe: represents prosperity and wealth

Since the sixpence is the one element of the saying we will be skipping over in this series, here’s a bit more history on it. A sixpence is an antique coin that was use as common currency when the tradition began. Although they’re not being used today, you can still purchase them online or from some antique stores. We’re not big on following all rules to the letter though, so for good luck we think you could get away with a penny in your shoe. It’s soon to be vintage as well!

Hope you enjoy the printables- just click on the image to open the PDF of each. They should print off as a standard sheet. We’d love to get your input on this series- did you or someone you know rock this tradition at their wedding? What did you/they gather as your items? We’d love to hear!

SNAPS + HASHTAGS