We're very proud to announce we have just received the designation of Professional Bridal Consultant with the Association of Bridal Consultants! We are now officially ready to assist brides in the Calgary and surrounding markets with their wedding day plans!

Help your guests dance the night away by letting them kick off their shoes and slip into some fun flip flops! Baskets or buckets dressed up full of colorful flip flops around the dance floor will encourage guests to get down and comfy and dance the night away with you. You can pick up a rainbow of colors at Old Navy closer to the spring. We found these pictures on The Knot.com for inspiration. Now off to pack my own flip flops! We're headed to the Caribbean for a fun trip and to check out some great destination wedding venues!!

If you're having guests travel from outside Calgary to partake in your wedding festivities, here are so simple tips to make their trip more enjoyable:

1. Room Blocks - Call hotels at least 6 months in advance and book a room block for your guests. This guarantees a special rate for your guest until 4-6 weeks before the wedding. You will not be required to put any money down to do this. Guests can be forwarded this information on your wedding website, via email or even in an insert in your save-the-dates or wedding invitations. The hotel will release the rooms into regular inventory 4-6 weeks before your date, so ensure guests know to book by a certain date.

2. Out-of-town guest bags - These do not need to be expensive. Things like a map of the downtown area, coupons to the Calgary Zoo or Calgary tower and a few yummy treats are a nice way to say thank you to your guests for traveling from far away. Pick up a case of bottled water, some chips and a few other snacks from places such as Costco or Superstore, and put them in a simple gift bag. Deliver them to the hotel and ask them to put them in their room before they arrive. Everyone loves getting special treats! (Did you know Cornerstone Events will shop and put these together for you in their full service wedding planning package?)

3. Visit Calgary Tourism - Calgary Tourism will give you FREE guides to the city of Calgary and surrounding area. In these guides there is visitor travel tips, maps, attractions, dining, shopping guides and so much more! It even includes a great "If you've got just one day" article which gives guests a great list of things to do in just one day to take in some of the great attractions our city has to offer.

4. Welcome Reception - If time and money permit, consider having a little cocktail party for your out of town guests. This can be just as simple as a backyard get together, or a party at the hotel they are staying in. Just another little way to say thanks to them.

Chris at Celebrations at Home tagged us for a Blog Luv award!! What an honor!! Thanks so much for the Luv Chris! Now I'm going to tag 10 of my favorite blogs with the same award.

Honorees please follow these instructions and share the LUV!

1. Put the logo on your blog or post. (You can highlight the photo and text of this post and copy/paste wherever you need to...start your highlight from the bottom up to get the photo)

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received the award.

Here are my ten:

Lemiga Events - http://lemiga.blogspot.com/

Celebrations at Home - http://celebrationsathome.blogspot.com/

Totally Tabletops - http://totallytabletops.blogspot.com/

Stem - http://www.stemparties.blogspot.com/

Spoonful of Sugar - http://spoonfos.blogspot.com/

Jasmine Star - http://www.jasminestarblog.com/

Hostess with the Mostess - http://www.hostessblog.com/

Australia Entertains - http://www.australiaentertains.com.au/

Karen Smallbone - http://www.karensmallbone.com/blog/

Lucky Me - http://www.eluckydesigns.blogspot.com/

This weekend I had the pleasure of tasting the cake of a fabulous baker in Calgary. Next to my love for Etsy comes my love for Kijiji. One day while searching in the "Wedding" section I came across an ad by Something Sweet by Nicole. Nicole was advertising for wedding cakes and I decided to see if she would do up a Mexican themed birthday cake for an event we had this weekend. After sending her one picture and handing over creative control to her she came up with the cake pictured above. I fell in love with the little Mexican she had created for the cake and so did all the guests at the party! But the true test was yet to come - does it taste as good as it looks? YES YES YES!! We chose a vanilla cake with vanilla bean icing filling and it was incredible! It was buttery and delicious!

Now Nicole tells me she makes a mean chocolate cake, and I can not wait to try it!

Please visit Nicole's website at www.ssbn.ca or contact her at nicole@ssbn.ca or 403.870.7726. If a simple birthday cake turned out this amazing, I can only imagine what her wedding cakes look and taste like.

I think I have some left over cake downstairs that I must go devour!

With the Wedding Fair just around the corner and Bridal Fantasy today, we wanted to share some tips on how to survive these big shows.

1. Wear comfortable shoes - I love any excuse to break out my heels, but this isn’t the day to do it. Hard concrete floors + a few hours walking around = very sore feet! Slip on your Uggs or Sketcher for this event.

2. Don’t bring your whole bridal party – There are A LOT of brides, maids of honour, mom’s of the brides, bridesmaids and even grooms that attend these shows, and it makes it hard to navigate through all these people. If you have more than two other people with you, you’ll find you’re always looking for them and not focusing on finding vendors for your big day. Stick to bringing only one or two people with you.

3. Hand cramps – There will be a lot of draws to enter, so save your hand and your time by coming prepared with labels with your name, address, phone number and email address on them. This will make entering the draws a piece of cake.

4. Know who will be there – all the shows have a website that list the vendors that will be at the show. Take a look at these before hand, check out the vendor’s website and try to make a list of who you want to talk to. Once you’re at the show, only take the business cards and brochures of vendors you’re interested in. It will make it easier when you’re weeding through your bag when you get home.

5. Bring water – We’ve all been to the Round-up Center or Telus Convention Center and know that a simple bottle of water can cost over $3. You’ll need it when you’ve been walking around all day and possibly tasting cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries!

6. Have Patience – If you really want to talk to a vendor don’t get discouraged if their booth is crowded around by other potential brides. Walk around and come back to them, better yet, come back when the fashion show starts. The floor usually thins out while the show is on.

7. Sales Pressure – You’re sure to run into a DJ or other vendor who tells you that he only has one opening left for your wedding date. There are a lot of other vendors at the show to talk to, so don’t feel like you need to sign without having talked to the rest of them.

8. Bring a pen and take notes – so you can remember what each vendor said, bring a note book and pen and make quick notes. That way you’ll be able to remember what each one said.

9. Go early – find out when the doors open and be one of the first brides there. Wait until late afternoon and it will be more crowded on the floor.

10. Have Fun! – After all you are getting MARRIED!! Whether you’re bringing your fiancé, mom or maid of honour - make a day of it. Go early, get your stuff done, and then go for a great lunch to thank them for coming with you. You’ll be able to compare notes and talk about what you saw at the show.

This is a neat idea to secure your wedding programs to the back of chairs. If you don't have ushers handing them out, this is a great way to get guests the information about the ceremony to them. Simply tuck your program into a little Glassine Bags (you can get them at www.creativepackaging.ca). Using double sided tape, stick the bag onto the back of the chair, and VOILA!

The weather forecast in Calgary is finally calling for some warm weather for the next few days, and with Spring around the corner we've been thinking of some great ideas for Spring weddings. I love cherry blossoms and they look so amazing when they are in bloom. Here's an inspiration board with ideas for decor, invitations and cakes for a cherry blossom themed wedding.

*Photos from theknot.com, cakebaker.com, etsy.com - SandyPhotoArt and weddingstar.com

1. Flowers or Food?
Once you’ve established your budget, make sure you know what is most important to you and your fiancé. Is the food and venue important to you? Or is hiring the best photographer in your area more important? Have a plan in place so that you know approximately how much money you want to set aside for each line item in your budget.

2. Venue Selection
Find out what’s included with your venue rental. Do you need to rent tables, chairs, linens and dinnerware? Or do they have all those items included with the rental? Unique venues such as art galleries are amazing spaces, but often you have to rent all the items required to convert the space into a reception hall. Figure all this out and make sure you have the necessary funds needed for this.

3. Trim Your Guest List
For each guest on your list it’s not only an added plate of food and drinks. Don’t forget about decor for the extra tables, linens and favours. It all adds up quickly. Don’t feel obligated to let single friends bring a date. Let them know you would love for them to bring their date, but you only have so much room. Instead seat them with people you know they’ll have things in common.

4. Save on Postage
Gone are the days where you need to include inner envelopes which can just add weight to your invitation. Sign up for the many free wedding websites available online to capture RSVPs or use a telephone number for guest to call. This will reduce not only the postage, but also another envelope and insert.

5. Setting the Date
A lot of couples are now opting for Friday or Sunday weddings. Not only will this open up the number of vendors available, but most charge premium rates for Saturday nuptials. Other ideas include a champagne and cake reception after an evening wedding, or a brunch after a morning wedding. Also think about setting a date outside the popular months of June, July and August. Winter weddings are beautiful as are spring weddings.

6. Bar Service
In order to reduce the cost of your bar bill there are a number of things you can do. If it’s an option, charge a loonie or a toonie for each drink. This allows you to recover some of the costs and also makes guest a little more accountable for their drinks. You can also have servers pour wine at the table for guest instead of having a bottle of white and red on each table. At a lot of weddings we see open bottles of wine sitting there untouched at the end of the night. Because they are opened you will be charged for them. You can also ask your caterer to limit the types of alcohol available. Having just beer and wine available for guest is a great option.

7. Favours
Have your favours do double duty as centerpieces. Packages can be stacked in an elegant way on a cake stand with a pedestal. How about individual cakes as your centerpieces? These will take the place of a large wedding cake. Have your baker make you a small cake to cut and save for your first anniversary.

8. Flower Power
Ask your florist what flowers are in season. If you are not picky about the type of flower you want for your bouquets and other floral arrangements, you can usually find flowers in your colors that are in season. Gerber daisies are always in season and come in some many beautiful colors.

9. Say Cheese!
Shop around and find a photographer that includes your negatives as a part of your photography package. You’ll be able to print as many photos as you need without having to pay $5 - $10 per photo. Depending on how many you think you’ll need, you may want to look into this option.

10. Dress for Success
Shop early for your wedding gown so you can take advantage of off the rack sales and other specials some bridal shops have. Find a seamstress that can do your alterations. Many bridal shops charge high prices for alterations in-house. Sometimes they can be almost half the cost of your dress!

And finally, hire a wedding planner. Most couples think a wedding planner will cost them more money and only brides with large budgets can afford the luxury of one. Realistically a wedding planner can often save you money by recommending vendors that they have relationships with. Remember it’s their job to keep on top of trends and vendors in the area, so often their contact list has vendors you might not have thought about that can save you money. Call Cornerstone Events and let us discuss your wedding plans with you and show you how we can help you plan a magical day within your budget.

*image from www.nebridalguide.com

What girl doesn't love her shoes? And your wedding is a perfect excuse to get some super cute shoes for the big day! And why stop at one pair? Get a sexy pair for your ceremony and pictures and make sure to get some comfortable shoes so you can dance the night away!

We love these from Neiman Marcus. Bride-to-be Corinne showed them to us and we really hope she gets them for her big day. How cute would these Manolo Blahniks look peeking out from underneath your dress?

Here's another super cute idea for your shoes, add something blue to the bottom of them. We found these Mindy Weiss appliques on Gracious Bride.com. You can also do your own take of them by visiting a craft store and purchasing these blue rhinestones and glueing them on yourself.

There - your something blue is now taken care of!

Now more than ever couples are looking for unique ways to add personal touches to their weddings. In an earlier post we talked about alternatives for guest books such as the guestbook from Guestbookstore.com. Well here's another great idea that will last a lifetime - The Wish Tree.

There are a lot of different ways to do a wish tree. From finding branches and painting them to match your decor, or purchasing a metal tree (can be found online). But we love this next idea. Go to your local nursery and find a tree and a beautiful pot that matches your decor. You can even just cover the simple plastic pot it comes in with some amazing fabric and ribbon if you'd like. Use the tree as your wishing tree on the day of your wedding. Once you're done with it you can plant it in your backyard. You now have a constant reminder of your wedding day growing in your yard!

For the actual cards your guest write wishes on, you can use just about anything. You can design them yourself or have your stationary vendor design something special for you. Just thread some ribbon through the cards and ask guest to write down their wishes or advices for you. Here is a little poem you can put next to your tree:

As we begin our new journey as the new Mr. & Mrs.

We could surely use your advice and wishes.

Share with us your wisdom about marriage, love & life,

the secret to being a good husband or a top notch wife.

Jot down a memory of us or a reminder of our day.

A doodle or picture will do if you don't know what to say.

Please don't forget, to sign your name.

What ever you pen, we're sure to treasure

long after this day has passed

Many brides experience anxiety it comes when choosing their bridesmaid dresses. You want all your girls to looks incredible and love the dress, but you also have a vision. More and more brides now a days are letting their attendants customize their dress by giving them a color and some direction and then letting them choose the dress that they feel comfortable in. So when we came across Butter by Nadia we fell in love! Not only can bridesmaids each customize the way they wrap their dresses, but the dresses are one size fits all! No more alterations and worrying about getting your one bridesmaid who might live on the other side of the country together for a fitting! Have an attendant that's expecting? Again, no worries with this lovely dress! It comes in a great variety of colors and comes in jersey or satin, so you can pick the fabric that compliments your wedding style.

Oh and ladies, they do ship to Canada! We made sure to check for you.

You can order them through Benny and Shaw http://www.bennyandshaw.com/

After some editing and redesigning we're happy to announce Cornerstone Events is launching their new logo! Website to be launched end of January/early February. Stay tuned for more details!

Finding little ways to personalize your wedding can be easy and so much fun. So when my husband and I got married we decided to use our love of football to have some fun. We cheer for two different teams and is the only thing we don't see eye to eye on. Pretty good odds if that continues to be the only thing!

Have some fun with your wedding photos once you've captured all those important shots. Do you and your fiance have a hobby you both love like golf or skiing? Find a way to bring some of those elements with you so you can have some fun with your photos. Getting married in a park? Pack a picnic basket and a blanket and take some shots as you relax over a sandwich! Have fun and make sure your photographer knows what you're up to ahead of time so they can plan accordingly.

I want to take this time to congratulate Corinne and Adam on their engagement! Adam proposed on Christmas eve and of course the lovely Corinne said yes! We're thrilled these two love birds are getting hitched in 2010.

They've decided to use blue as their color scheme for their big day. All hues of blue - light blue, dark blue and my personal favorite teal blue. Adam will be wearing a blue and green kilt, and they'll be getting married near the ocean out east, so this color combination works very well for them.

I found some great cake toppers that can be personalized right down to the tiniest details on http://www.weddingcaketoppersideas.com/ - How cute are these? Etsy is also a great resource for personalized cake toppers. See our December postings for a link to an Etsy shop for these.

Congratulations Corinne and Adam!

I love all things weddings, so I am super excited about the upcoming movie Bride Wars staring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway!

Best friends Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have been dreaming of their perfect Plaza Hotel weddings since they were little girls. (Haven't we all??) So it seems only fitting that the two become engaged at the same time. But when their ceremonies are accidentally booked for the same day, these best friends turn into bridezillas and start competing for wedding guests and doing everything possible to sabotage each other's weddings!

Candice Bergen co-stars as their elite wedding planner Marion St. Claire.

Should be a great flick to go see with the girls!

1. Dedicate a night for you and your fiancé where you don’t talk about the wedding. Remember why you got engaged in the first place. Cook dinner at home, open a bottle of wine and just enjoy each other without mention of the big day.

2. So while we recommend setting aside to NOT talk about the wedding, we also recommend setting aside time to talk about the wedding. Make sure your fiancé is as in the know as you are. If you hired a wedding planner, make sure they are sitting down to go over your wedding, including the budget, on a scheduled basis.

3. Set and stick to a budget. No matter what the number is you will always be able to spend more. Keep all your receipts and log them in promptly so you always know what you’ve spent.

4. Pick your top three priorities for the wedding and allocate money accordingly. Is your photography the most important piece of the big day? Or is it the food? Determine what you will not sacrifice on and set aside budget according to those priorities. Better yet, have a wedding planner do that for you and help you find the perfect vendors that are within your budget.

5. Don’t sign the first florist you meet. Make sure you do some research on each vendor. It may seem like a lot of work, but ultimately you want to find the right vendors for your big day. Wedding Bells has a great forum where you can see reviews from other brides in your area of specific vendors.

6. Stay organized – keep all documents, receipts, ideas, and all other details in one spot. Purchase a binder and keep all of it together so you know exactly where to find that contract for the DJ when it comes time to pay him.

7. Do things early – hiring a DJ or florist last minute can cost you some big bucks and not to mention stress you out. The more items you check off your list early in the game the better off you’ll be. Good venues book up quickly, so unless your budget includes $100 or more per plate, better book one early.

8. Advice – you’re going to get a lot of advice from your coworkers to your family to perfect strangers. So what do you do with all this advice, thank them and move on. One person will tell you a wedding gown shop is awful and the next will swear by them, everyone has good and bad experiences, so listen, take notes, but do what’s best for you.

9. Guest list drama – the guest list can be a soar spot for couples and their family, but ultimately it’s your wedding day. If you haven’t spoken to cousin Bob in 5 years, inviting him is up to you. But you want people at your wedding that mean something to you and your fiancé. After all they are witnessing one of the most important days of your life. Make sure your family knows that.

10. Hire and ask for help – your friends and family and bridal party are there to help you out. So recruit them to help you address invitations and make your cute favors. Find a wedding planner who includes some of these tasks in their list of services and hand it over. You have better things to do – like visit the spa with your bridesmaids!

PS- Did you know Cornerstone Events offers all types of wedding planning packages? We customize design them to fit your needs. Call us today for a free consultation!

You're engaged! Congratulations! Now all the fun begins... but hold the phone, first you have to tell people you're getting hitched. Here's the 411 on the etiquette surrounding announcing your upcoming nuptials.

Children - If you or your fiance have children, whether together or from previous relationships, they should be the first to know.

Parents - Next comes mom and dad. You can either tell them all together - say host a dinner and announce the news, or tell the separately. Either way, they should be next to know about your engagement.

Family - Grandparents, siblings and other close relatives should be next to be contacted. Most times parents start spreading the news to these special people in your lives. But make sure you give grandma a call and let her know from you, especially if you two are close.

Friends - with all of the new social media sites, announcing your engagement on Facebook might seem like the logical way to announce your engagement, but before you do, make sure you contact your close friends personally. Your best friend doesn't want to find out from a relationship status change on Facebook. She'll appreciate the call.

One tip for choosing your bridal party, wait a few weeks and then do so. You want to make sure you and your fiance agree on how many people are in the bridal party before you start asking people.

Your co-workers - telling your boss or supervisor first at work is a courteous gesture. Then tell a few of your closer co-workers and give them the go ahead to spread the news if you choose.

Stand on a mountain top and tell the rest of the world next! While taking out newspaper announcements doesn't seem to happen too often, you can choose to run an ad in your local paper. I love opening up the Calgary Herald and seeing wedding announcements! There is nothing like good news, especially when it's two people in love who have decided to spend their lives together in matrimonial bliss.

Determine if you're going to set up a wedding website. Many sites offer free wedding websites. For a minimal fee you can also set up a site with a unique website address. This is a great place to keep friends and family up to speed on wedding details! Once you're ready to send out your invitations you can also set your site up to collect RSVP's too. What a great way to save on paper and postage!

Happy Planning!

PS - Don't know where to start? Give us a call for some consultation hours, we can help you set up your budget and get you on your way to planning your dream wedding!