Rose Quartz & Serenity: 2016 Wedding Colors

In 2016, the Pantone Color Institute surprised us by launch for the first time, the blending of the shades: Rose Quartz and Serenity.  These 2 soft colors and the shades that unite them form the Pantone Colors of this year. 

Just like a marriage, Rose Quartz and Serenity balance each other out, demonstrating compatibility and equality. I love that these 2 pale colors, traditionally used to welcome a baby girl or boy into the world, are seeing a rebirth in 2016 as gender-neutrals and as a symbol of union and peace.

Have you ever woken up to a light blue sky filled with rose cotton-candy-like clouds? That weightless, airy and delicate feel is so unique and so beautifully perfect for your wedding color palette. Pair the two shades with gold or silver for an elegant and refined look (see La Parisienne mood board) or pick deeper shades of blue, purple and green for a nature-inspired palette (see La mer mood board).

What do you think of this year's Pantone colors? Will you include them in your wedding decor, dress, flowers? 

Don't forget to visit us on Instagram & Pinterest for more wedding inspo!

Photo credit: Pinterest

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!

DIY Project: Turn carnations into peonies

Oh beautiful peonies! These gorgeous flowers are definately one of my favourites, but you will only find them in the late spring or early summer and the blooms only last for about a week! How can such a pretty flower last only a week?! If you love this flower as much as I do and want to see it in your late summer or fall wedding, I have the solution for you!
The English Rose will often be your florist's recommendation as peonies become less available. But if you are looking for a budget-friendly solution, carnations can also pass for peonies in a wedding bouquet or in a simple vase for a quick and pretty decoration at home. Here's the full tutorial to turn your inexpensive carnations into fuller looking flowers that ressemble the coveted peonies.

Essie Bridal Collection CONTEST

Since you got that ring on your finger how many times have you caught yourself staring at your hands? What if you could accompany that bling with some pretty bridal digits? Would you say yes? I bet you would! This is why I am happy to host this amazing contest from Essie Canada who want to share their love for weddings with all brides-to-be. I will be giving away 5 bridal collection sets every week for 5 weeks! Don't miss this chance to bring bridal beauty to your fingertips :)

Essie Bridal Collection - CONTEST

TwoBirds Bridesmaid opens in Montreal

If you are getting married this summer or fall, you probably already found your wedding dress and are patiently waiting for it to arrive. But while you wait, you have another important task at hand, finding a bridesmaid dress that will complement your wedding style, be flattering on every single one of your bridesmaids and most importantly, one that your girls will want to wear again and again so they don't see the purchase of the dress like an expense, but rather like a fashionable acquisition. The solution has arrived to Montreal and it's called: Twobirds Bridesmaid dresses!

David Dixon White label at World Mastercard Fashion Week

Much to my delight, David Dixon decided to debut his bridal collection, White Label, instead of presenting a fall/winter 2014 collection at the World Mastercard Fashion Week taking place in Toronto last week. The show started with a beautiful video filled with testimonials of love and heartwarming quotes. As stated in this clip, Love never fails … and David Dixon’s designs didn’t fail to impress. 

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The quest for the perfect engagement ring – An exclusive interview with Maison Birks

When it comes to picking an engagement ring, so many emotions and thoughts come to mind. Will I love it 5 years from now? (or if you are a guy reading this: will she say yes when she sees the ring?) Should I go for more carats or clarity? What cut is the most beautiful?

There is such a large selection of cuts, settings and colours of engagement rings out there that making a clear decision can be a real challenge. I had the opportunity to meet with Canada’s premier jeweller, Maison Birks, and asked them all the questions you would want answered when searching for the perfect ring!

Birks Square Phillips platinum emerald-cut / Birks Pure Desire Yellow diamond pavé

Wedding Color Palettes 2014: Radiant Orchid

One of the first things you should check off your wedding-planning list is picking your wedding colors and style. Although it may be hard to make a decision, you should make your final choice no later than 6-8 months prior to your wedding. Remember that many details on your wedding day will include your colors and therefore, you will not be able to move forward without making this important decision.

But I get it! You may love 3 different colors that don't go well together or maybe your favourite color doesn't mix well with your venue. To add on to that, you may spend hours on Pinterest pinning all sorts of things with different color schemes... At the end of the day, you may find yourself overwhelmed with so many options.

Enters Pantone, to save the day! Every year, they launch a color that sets the trends for the new year.
If you like pinks and purples, you will be happy to know that the Pantone Color of 2014 is Radiant Orchid, a beautiful encounter between fuchsia and purple. It is definitely a color suited for a wedding, whether in the spring, summer or fall. Check out my 4 different color combos, pin them and tell me which one you like best below!

Photos: Pinterest   

2014 Essentials for Brides

Happy 2014 beautiful brides!

I wanted to start the year by sharing with you some of my favourite items to help you embrace your time as a bride-to-be. Getting-hitched is not an easy process and it can be quite stressful at times, but in the preparation to this day, you get to pamper yourself and pick pretty girly things to beautify your world so that you look and feel absolutely gorgeous on your wedding day! 

Holiday nails for brides

The Holiday season is here, and if you're newly engaged, this means showing-off your beautiful rock at every Holiday party on your calendar. Pretty manicures will be a must to complement and show-off that ring. Here are a few festive Essie nail polish combinations I tried and loved. 

Enjoy and happy holidays! xox

25 questions to ask your wedding venue

Hi brides-to-be! Today, I want to give you a list of things you should ask your venue before signing your contract. After all this is where you will spend the most mula! So here's the list of questions you should have in your back pocket everytime you do a site visit.

Top 5 most romantic wedding venues in Montreal

Yes, ladies, venue hunting is now your #1 PRIORITY! 

Finding that perfect venue and ceremony space to pronounce your wedding vows is not an easy task, I’ll give you that! Montreal is filled with beautiful places that can be wonderful backdrops for a memorable wedding day. When doing a search for venues for a friend whose wedding I’m helping plan, I quickly noticed that some of my favourite spots are not that easy to find inside wedding magazines or even online. Sounds like word of mouth and reputation is the way brides get to discover some of these wonderful hidden gems.

So here they are for you, my top 5 most romantic venues in Montreal. (Some of these locations are in the outskirts of the city but are truly worth the drive to check them out.)  Happy venue hunting ;)

Château St-Antoine

(Style : Vintage/Elegant/Traditional)

Ok, so I’m a little biased here, as this venue is the one I chose for my own wedding. But this gorgeous little castle comes with history. It is actually the house of Jacques Cartier’s little cousin, and you can notice the letter “C” Monogrammed here and there inside and outside of the premises. This venue is located at approximately 1 hour from Montreal and can accommodate both your ceremony and your reception. There is also a beautiful church right next door which makes it easy for your guests to walk to the venue in literally 2 minutes (in heels!).

This place has tons of perks: It comes decorated, you can release beautiful doves at no extra charge, it’s located in front of a river, has gorgeous gardens and a spacious terrace to accommodate guests for a cocktail. They have 2 reception halls, I suggest going for the smaller (more authentic) one :“Comtes de Champagne”, the capacity of the room is 135, but you get the wonderful terrace which is one the prettiest spaces of this venue.

www.chateaustantoine.com 
1000, rue du Rivage , Saint-Antoine -sur-Richelieu , Qc.

L’Auberge St-Gabriel

(Style: Shabby chic/ Rustic / DIY Weddings)

This location is so romantic it will melt your heart. They have 3 rooms for wedding receptions at l’Auberge, of which I prefer “Le Grenier” (the attic). With its high ceilings and string lights, the wood and the brick wall, this place is both cozy and charming. It is the perfect spot for the bride who follows the very hot wedding trend of shabby chic.

What’s more? It’s in the middle of the old port, probably one of the most romantic locations in Montreal. Its European style stone streets and old building façades makes it the perfect backdrop for your wedding photos. Nearby, you will find 2 beautiful churches, including the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the City Hall, if you choose not to have the ceremony held at l’Auberge.

http://aubergesaint-gabriel.com/

426 St-Gabriel, Montréal, Qc.

 

La Toundra

(Style: Whimsical/ Modern)

This venue is simply stunning. With its large floor to ceiling windows and glorious space, this glass house is surrounded by pretty gardens and trees, enabling you to enjoy the outdoors, indoors. You can also choose to have an outdoor ceremony in the gardens, and don’t forget that every Saturday night, in the summer, Montreal hosts the International Fireworks Festival, which can be seen from the Parc Jean Drapeau.

This venue is inexpensive, but not turn key. You must book early and plan for your own catering and bar.

http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/venues/la-toundra/

1, circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Montréal, Qc.

Château Taillefer Lafond

(Style: Vineyard/Outdoors/Classic)

This vineyard located in Laval is a little gem. With its gates opening to a magnificent alley of trees leading you to the venue, it is truly a beautiful setting for a princess-like wedding. The only hiccup: they can only accommodate 100 people in this location, or less if you are planning a big dance floor. But if you are planning for a small intimate wedding, I highly recommend you go visit this venue. You can have the ceremony held in their backyard which faces the vineyards – a pretty nice view for your guests! After the ceremony, take advantage of the vineyards landscape to take beautiful couple shots while your guests have a cocktail on their terrace.

This venue is set to welcome you or set you off by helicopter – how amazing would that be, to arrive in a helicopter to say 'I do'? I bet your hubby-to-be would be very surprised! Then you could take off in a helicopter ride right after the ceremony to celebrate your new journey together.

http://www.chateautailleferlafon.ca/accueil/en/

1500 Montée Champagne, Ste-Dorothée, Laval, Qc.

Manoir Rouville Campbell

(Style: Formal/Elegant/luxurious)

This gorgeous venue welcomes you with grandiose black iron gates that lead you to the majestic mansion. The most spectacular asset of this location is its gardens. For that reason only, I would recommend this venue for summer brides as the scenery is simply breathtaking. Your wedding would take place outdoors facing the water by the gardens… how romantic!

Their ballroom (L'Orangerie) is big enough to accommodate a maximum of 160 guests. This locationis also a hotel, so your guests have the option to stay overnight after the party. If you are looking to have your ceremony outside surrounded by gardens and the Richelieu River, the scenery this place has to offer is so beautiful - it is picture perfect!

http://www.manoirrouvillecampbell.com
125, chemin des Patriotes sud, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Qc.

Have you visited any of these sites in your search for the perfect venue? Did you find your ceremony and venue locations yet? Let us know below what you think of these 5 locations and share with us your own discoveries.