WedLuxe Wedding Show

Mark your calendars! The WedLuxe Wedding Show is only a few weeks away! 

As the holidays approach, that could only mean that another season is near:  Wedding Show Season!  Most Toronto brides know that for a few weeks twice a year, bridal calendars are crammed full with all of the wedding shows the city has to offer.  But there are so many to choose from and it can all be so overwhelming.  This year, if you only go to one show, make it the WedLuxe Wedding Show.  Taking place on Sunday, January 10^th, 2016, the WedLuxe Wedding Show is the city’s most luxurious, elegant and unique wedding show.

Fall Wedding Beauty trends

Hot summer months are quickly coming to an end, but wedding season continues strong, now welcoming warmer, rustic and romantic Autumn weddings. As a fall bride myself, I have an infinite love for this season and it's vibrant colours.

A few months ago, I was invited to an amazing fall beauty preview hosted by the talented Blush Pretty team, where they presented their Fall/Winter 2015 hair & makeup creations for brides.
Here are some of my favourite looks.

Toronto Local Wedding Vendors - The Wedding Co

It was with a lot of excitement and anticipation that I visited the Wedding Co. Spring event last month. I love how this event brings together local vendors with a truly artistic eye and love for their products and services. I was impressed with how fresh every single flower looked and how pinterest-worthy the place was, everywhere you turned. But what makes this event truly different from any other wedding fair I've been to before, is the workshops. This is the spot for the DYI bride that wants to wow her guests with personalized creations by learning a new skill such as calligraphy, paper flower making or even how to create a fresh flowers centrepiece.

Below, discover my favorite findings and some tips from the local vendors I met at the Wedding Co. event. I hope you feel inspired and maybe find your wedding florist or wedding planner from this list. Feel free to share with me which vendors you picked for your big day!

The Mix &Match heaven of Benny & Viv:

These ladies love to play with perfume bottles, antique vases, terrariums, cookie jars and even vintage tabasco sauce bottles to give character to their flower arrangements. They follow the current "organic-chic" trend that incorporates a mix of flowers shape, colors and heights to create dimension and a playfulness to table settings.

Their flowers of choice for Spring: Anemones and Ranunculus

See their creations on Instagram.

NEW! Le Château Wedding Boutique + Giveaway!!

It's that time of year again when our calendars are filled with bridal showers, bachelorette parties and weddings! And with it comes... the quest for THE perfect dress! Whether you are a bride, a bridesmaid, a maid of honour, the mother of the bride or a guest - Weddings are the perfect occasion to showoff a new dress. But unfortunately some dresses can take months to receive when ordered at a traditional bridal boutique. This  season, Le Château is bringing a new solution to our dress hunt: The Wedding Boutique. Available online and in stores, their collection is filled with all sorts of pretty dresses, long and short, sparkly shoes, glamorous accessories and even menswear!
You can rest assured that whatever your style is, there's something for you!

I am very excited to partner with Le Château to offer you a chance to shop at their brand new wedding boutique with a $150 gift card to pick your next wedding attire. Here's how to enter:

1. Scroll down to discover 5 different wedding inspiration mood boards and leave a comment telling me which Le Château look inspires you the most. (Feel free to Pin your favorite board!)
2. Receive more entry points using the Rafflecopter widget below.
3. One lucky reader, chosen completely at random, will be announced right here on June 10, 2015

Good luck lovelies!

xo

Clutches: Rhinestone clutch /  Satin minaudière  /  Gem encrusted clutch
Dresses: Anayah Gown  /  Josephine Gown  /  Ophelia Gown
Suit: Satin Trim Slim Fit
Shoes: Jewel Embellished Satin Peep Toe Pump

Weddingbells 30th Anniversary

There's something so special and exciting about buying your first bridal magazine as a fiancée... No need to secretly hide in the corner of an Indigo bookstore, you can now openly enjoy flipping and tagging the pages that inspire you. I still remember when I got my very first Weddingbells magazine in the summer of 2011... I sat down on my couch and devoured it from cover to cover, reading every word and admiring every picture. 

This year, Weddingbells is celebrating 30 years as the premier source of inspiration for Canadian couples tying the knot. I had the honor of celebrating this milestone with them at the Design Exchange in Toronto. The night was filled with grandiose surprises. Some of my favourites were the giant Weddingbells marquee letters by Event Graffiti, the extraordinary sweets table displaying a selection of 30 macaron flavors from Bonnie Gordon College and finally the amazing aerial performance and latin dance show. Believe me when I say, it was spectacular!

WMCFW | My Favorites from Toronto Fashion Week F/W 2015

"Love what you do. Do what you Love"

This quote has been in my head for a couple of weeks now, and it's exactly how I feel when my day job takes me to exciting places, such as backstage at World MasterCard Fashion Week. This was my 5th season backstage and definitely one of my favorites, so I thought I would present to you my ultimate favourite beauty and fashion looks to inspire your fall/winter 2015 wedding. 

Timeless. Elegant. Feminine.

3 words to describe my 3 favorite shows at Toronto Fashion Week: Farley Chatto, Narces and Mikael D. From elaborate braids, bold red lips to lace and cut-out dresses, these 3 designers really left their mark on the runway and left me wanting more. Here's what I took away from each of these fabulous shows.

Farley Chatto

This beauty look created by Redken Canada and Maybelline Canada was without a doubt my favorite of all. This braided low bun paired with a matte scarlet lip, perfect eyebrows and black eyeliner is both romantic and timeless, everything you want for your wedding shots. 

Farley Chatto was inspired by royalty's refined beauty and style when creating this fur collection that is nothing less than princess-worthy - all you need is a pair of glass slippers!

NARCES

This beautiful collection wowed me with its charming yet sexy pieces. Dresses ranged from short to long and the designer smartly played with lace, fun prints and see-through fabrics. My favourite piece from this collection was a delicate lace jumpsuit paired with a birdcage veil - the perfect look for the modern bride. To complete this glamorous collection, the beauty team enhance the "femme fatale" allure of the Narces woman with a sleek black eyeliner and cherry-coloured lips. Deep side-swept curls delicately finished this old Hollywood look to a tee. 

MIKAEL D

And finally, the piece of resistance, the epitome of elegance: Mikael D. This designer truly knows how to make a woman's dream come true with his astonishing dresses. Inspired by the Japonese grace and beauty, his Fall/Winter 2015 collection, was filled with sumptuous black and red lace, sexy cut-outs and modern high-low lengths. His collection also showcased gorgeous flower appliqués, like the incredible wedding dress below, which was a pure master piece and a delight for the eyes.

Brides: Take inspiration from this collection and opt for a less traditional lace and look for  a piece that plays with textures, cut-outs and 3 dimensional appliqués. Dare to wear a high-low dress and show off your wedding shoes on the dance floor. To complete this Mikael D runway look, pick a high updo that will showcase your features and make you appear taller and svelte.

Et voilà! I hope you were inspired by these amazing designers and beauty experts. Let me know what designers or trends have inspired you with your choice of dress and bridal beauty look for your big day.

I'm  leaving you with a few photos of me being silly just outside the tents. What a fun week this was! Sending you much love,

Bella

xox

Pre-Wedding beauty treatments in Toronto

A few months ago, the hubby and I moved our lives from Montreal to Toronto, and we're slowly discovering new places and becoming regulars at our favorite spots. Today, I'm introducing you to one of my new discoveries: The Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris. This Moroccan hidden gem is located on the 5th floor of the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel in downtown Toronto.

When you walk into the spa, everything, from decor to scents, transport you into an exotic world where you are the cherished princess. The staff is very welcoming and the ambiance is calm and relaxing. Truly the place to escape from all the hustle of this hectic city.