The Pros and Cons of a Wedding First Look

First look wedding photos are nothing new but as your big day approaches, this is a decision you will have to make based on what feels right to you both. Before laying out these pros and cons (and these are only some of them), let’s start with the basics.

Image by Birch and Lace

What exactly is a first look?

A first look is a moment between you and your fiancé, before the ceremony, where you see each other for the first time on your wedding day.  Traditionally, a bride and groom will see each other for the first time as the bride starts her walk with her escort down the aisle.

Image by Danielle Blancher Photography

First Look Pros

✨  It’s a private moment that’s all for you. Your photographer and videographer will of course be there with you to capture this but no guests, family and friends are watching you. And with that, nobody has their iPhone out trying to snap a pic of their own.

✨ You can stay in the moment longer. When you do the reveal at the ceremony, your officiant will jump right in to the ceremony itself. Wedding days go by so quickly and this time allows you both to soak up the beauty of the day and shifts your focus to the love you have for each other.

Image by Photo House

✨Ladies, if you end up shedding some beautiful tears (and most likely you will), you get a chance to touch up your make up before the ceremony.

✨You get to select the location. If your venue has a stunning staircase or another amazing location, such as along the water, awesome! Or perhaps you want to return to the spot where you met for the first time, doing a first look gives you this opportunity.

Image by HRM Photography

First Look Cons

✨Typically, doing a first look means getting ready in your wedding day fashions earlier and staying in them longer. And brides this may also mean an earlier wake up time for hair and make up for you and your ladies.

✨Your parents, bridal party and guests won’t be part of this moment. Yes, I mentioned this as a pro above, but not every couple will see it the same way. The first time you see each other may be meaningful moment to your parents and missing out on that may not sit well with them. Not sure how they feel? Just ask.

✨If you opt to do your portraits following the first look, you won’t actually be married yet.

Image by Sounds Like Yellow Photography

As a planner, I’m occasionally asked by my couples if they should do a first look. While I’m happy to lay out the pros and cons as it relates specifically to their wedding day, ultimately, they have to make the decision that feels right for them. Remember, you make this decision together! It’s nobody else’s day but yours so you do what feels best.

Happy Planning!

The Pros and Cons of a Wedding First Look2021-01-25T09:47:06-04:00

Wedding Styling Tips for the Groom

Let’s hear it for the boys! When it comes to wedding fashion, let’s be honest…much of the focus and attention goes to the bride and her dress. I’m definitely guilty of this. However these days, now more than ever before, a groom has endless suiting and colour options, which makes his wedding day style just as exciting as the bride. Here are 3 styling do’s for a flawless and dapper groom:

DO go for a 3 piece suit, if you opt to go the full suit route.

Wedding days are long and I often find my grooms itching to ditch their suit jacket once the ceremony and pictures are done. Completing your suit with a matching or complementing vest will go a long way in still making you look put together, sleek and stylish for the rest of the evening during dinner and dancing!

DO pay your tailor a visit for the perfect fit.

Remember, it’s all in the details. Just as the bride does dress alternations with a professional seamstress for her perfect fit, grooms need to do the same. Fit and comfort are key and only a tailor will be able to customize the most flattering fit based on your build. Or if you have a little more room in your budget, and want to invest in a suit that you will wear after your wedding day, consider a custom made-to-measure option.

DO be bold and stand out from your gents.

More and more often, I see grooms distinguishing themselves from the gents by choosing a different suit colour or subtly switching up their look. Yes, a groom’s attire should complement what his gents are wearing for a cohesive look but that’s not to say he needs to be 100% matching. There are plenty of options available out there for the groom to play off the gent’s look while showcasing his individual tastes.

Post images by Danielle Blancher Photography, Goody Cambay and Silverlight Photography

Wedding Styling Tips for the Groom2020-12-02T10:32:27-04:00

Event Insurance and Why You Need It For Your Wedding

So, you’ve finally picked your date, you’ve found the perfect venue, and you’ve selected your bridal party. What’s next? While it’s exciting to get wrapped up in all the details of food and decor, one thing should be crossed off your list before you start to get too far into the planning process.

Purchasing wedding event insurance might not seem like your main priority as you get ready for your special day, but it’s a crucial step to ensure you remain protected throughout your event.

Wedding insurance provides you with an extra slice of comfort as you start to get everything in order for your big day. Still unsure what wedding insurance is even for? Let’s explain!

So what exactly is wedding event insurance? 

Purchasing event insurance for your wedding day provides you with liability coverage, which means your policy is designed to protect you in the event someone gets injured during their time at your event.  For example, if one of your guests accidentally slips and falls on the dancefloor and sustains injuries, you and your venue are at risk of being sued. Wedding insurance is meant to protect you in case any legal fees arise out of an accidental injury.

Most venues will actually require you to purchase insurance before they allow you to host an event in their space!

Does wedding insurance cover alcohol-related incidents? 

Most wedding event insurance policies offer host liquor liability coverage for an additional cost. This additional coverage was created to protect you if an accident occurs as a result of alcohol, for example, if your uncle has a few too many glasses of champagne and accidentally causes damage to the venue. With host liquor liability, you can enjoy your bubbly without worrying about the “what ifs?”.

So how do I purchase wedding insurance? 

Our partners at Duuo provide online wedding insurance that can be purchased in minutes! Simply visit their website and answer a few quick questions about your event, and you’ll be able to purchase coverage in less time than it takes to say “wedding liability insurance coverage”. Plus, if you need to cancel your coverage for any reason, you can do so without acquiring any cancellation fees!

A BIG thank you to Rachel Devitt of Duuo for helping to prepare this post!

Image via Shutterstock

Event Insurance and Why You Need It For Your Wedding2020-09-03T18:39:16-04:00

Pantone Colour of the Year – Rose Quartz and Serenity

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year 🙂 Yes, the holiday season is in full swing with all the cheer, eggnog and shopping going on but earlier this week, Pantone, the world’s colour authority, announced the 2016 Colour of the Year. Or more accurately Colours of the Year.

That’s right! Pantone went rogue this year by announcing not one but two shades to share the title with this year. As always, these will set the trend in design from furniture to appliances and of course, weddings.  So here it is, 2016 Pantone Colours of the Year (drum roll please)…Rose Quartz and Serenity!

Pantone 2016 ROSE QUARTZ AND SERENITY

Post image via Pantone: Introducing Rose Quartz and Serenity

I really should give you a minute or two to swoon over and take in these colour beauties.  So feminine, pretty and soft for a gorgeous wedding palette.  I couldn’t help myself in gathering some wedding inspiration focusing on these lovelies.  These hues of soft pink and muted blue remind me of everything calm, peaceful and tranquil like yoga, meditating and a picture perfect sunrise.

Pantone 2016 inspo wedding dress and flowers

Post image by Alice Swedenborg via Love My Dress Wedding Blog – A 60s Chic Rock n’ Roll Bride On Her Jetset Honeymoon

Pantone 2016 inspo wedding

Post image via Frieda Theres: Hochzeitsdeko in Kupfer

Pantone 2016 inspo wedding cake

Post image by Mark Davidson via The Cake Blog: 10 Sea-Loving Nautical Cakes Cake Design by Erin Gardner of Erin Bakes

What do you think? Want to know more about Rose Quartz and Serenity? Check out Pantone’s site here

Happy Planning!

Pantone Colour of the Year – Rose Quartz and Serenity2020-05-15T11:01:28-04:00

Wedding Tip Wednesday – Wedding Planner vs Venue Coordinator

Thanks to romantic comedies like The Wedding Planner and Father of the Bride, you probably have a general idea as to what a Wedding Planner is and what we can do for you.    However, with many venues now providing an on-site venue coordinator, many couples are often left asking themselves if they really need to hire a professional Wedding Planner/Coordinator as well.  The simple answer to this question is yes but before you say “well of course she would say that,” let me explain why these two professions are not one and the same.

If you have booked a venue that provides on-site coordinator, they will no doubt be a valuable asset to you and your fiance along your planning journey.  In all honesty, I enjoy getting to know the on-site coordinators myself because when we work together for you, the couple, we can make the other person’s job easier.  It is important however, to understand the key differences between an on-site coordinator’s role and what an outside professional, like The Wedding Pixie, can do for you.  By understanding these differences you will be sure to avoid frustration and disappointment down the road.

VENUE COORDINATORS

  • Work for the venue
  • Will advise you of the venue’s policies and procedures
  • Liaise between you and the venue’s operations staff
  • Are primarily focused the day-of your wedding on managing and fulfilling the venue’s responsibilities as outlined in your contract – i.e floor plan is executed correctly, ensuring proper set up of tables and chairs at each table and overseeing food timing
  • Typically leave once dinner is served turning the evening over to the venue manager

Another important consideration to keep in mind is the person you book and plan with at a venue may not be the coordinator working on your actual wedding day!

INDEPENDENT PLANNERS/COORDINATORS

  • Work for you, the couple
  • See to the finest details of creating your dream wedding
  • Supervise ALL aspects of the wedding day itself (Psst…we will even make sure Aunt Edna and Uncle Bob keep their distance from each other since divorce proceedings aren’t going well)
  • Will communicate with the venue and ALL your vendors before the wedding day to create a master timeline ensuring everyone is on the same page
  • Are focused the day-of your wedding on you and work with ALL your vendors striving to give you what is most important…the best wedding possible!
  • On the wedding day, arrive before your ceremony starts and leave after the late night table is served

WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?

Take time to consider your needs throughout the planning stages and of course, on your wedding day and be sure to weigh all your options accordingly.  On-site venue coordinators are indeed valuable but since they work for the venue, they have boundaries in fulfilling  duties to the Bride and Groom.  Hiring an outside, independent Wedding Coordinator/Planner is the best way to guarantee the most organized and stress-free wedding experience.

Happy Planning!

 

Wedding Tip Wednesday – Wedding Planner vs Venue Coordinator2020-05-15T11:02:40-04:00

Your Wedding and the New Rules of Etiquette

When planning your wedding, one of the most important factors you and your fiance need to consider is etiquette.  In today’s technology-based world where posts, tweets and hashtags are the norm, new rules of wedding etiquette are emerging.  Today I’m sharing some of the most common social media related wedding faux-pas and how to steer clear of them.

Announcing your Engagement

To keep it personal, do share the exciting news in person or by phone with the people nearest and dearest in  your life.  Your family and friends will want to hear the news straight from you.  And let’s not forget that the older generations will probably not have Facebook or Twitter accounts and could miss out on the news altogether.  Once these folks are covered, it’s OK to “post” or “tweet” to spread the news because let’s face it, it’s probably the most efficient way to do so. You can even indulge in posting or tweeting a photo of your engagement ring because once the news is out, everyone will want to see the ring and this will make it easy for them to admire from afar.  Psst…before you start snapping though, you may want to consider a manicure first:)

Planning your Wedding

Yes, planning your wedding can be stressful at times but taking your frustrations to social media is a no-no.  Venting about family drama and annoying bridemaids will only lead to hurt feelings and animosity towards your big day.  When you get the urge to “post” or “tweet,” pause for second and instead confront those issues directly, privately and politely either in person or by picking up the phone.

Keeping your “post” and “tweet” positive may seem like a no-brainer, but I’m here to tell you even those should be carefully considered.  Do you really need to update everyone on your search for the perfect dress?  And just how necessary is it to post a wedding countdown? Do resist posting constant updates because even though you are sharing with positive intentions, over-sharing will only give your guests wedding fatigue before they even get to your wedding.

And of course, keep the best wedding ideas you and your wedding planner have come up with for your big day a secret.  Look at it this way, do you really enjoy a movie as much when someone has spoiled the story for you?  Chances are the answer is no so as excited as you may be, don’t give your guests wedding spoilers and ruin the surprise for them.

Your Wedding Day

We’ve really gotten to the point where almost everyone (except maybe your older relatives) know what a hashtag is and how to use it so do ask guests to use a special hashtag for wedding posts, tweets and pictures.  To have a constant feed of posts, tweets and photos throughout the day, be sure to spread the word about your hashtag ahead of time.  Have a wedding website? Awesome! This is a great place to start spreading the word.

Your Thank-You Notes

The rule when it comes to your thank-you notes is quite simple and there are no ifs, ands or buts about it – handwritten only.

Happy Planning!

Your Wedding and the New Rules of Etiquette2020-05-15T10:58:32-04:00

Wedding Tip Wednesday – The Pinterest Bride

Are you using Pinterest to help plan your dream wedding?

If you are, you aren’t alone and this tip is especially for you.

In my Confessions of a Wedding Pixie, I admitted that I spend wa-a-a-y too much time on Pinterest.  When I first discovered it, I spent hours, upon hours pinning away.  I went pin-happy, as I like to describe it.  Since I’m an avid pinner it should come as no surprise that I encourage brides to use it.  Pinterest is wonderful tool to have at your fingertips as it provides a platform to get your own creative juices flowing while also giving you the ability to easily organize and manage all of those ideas in one spot.  As useful and inspirational as Pinterest can be to you, a bride in the process of planning her wedding, the key is figuring out how to use it to your advantage and knowing when to stop before you reach a world of indecisiveness and ambivalence.

In the early stages of planning, when many couples often don’t know where to begin, I advise to set aside some time and go pin-happy!  Browse as many boards as you possible can to find ideas you love and that inspire you.  Challenge yourself by asking, “I love this, but how can I make this even better for my wedding?” Or “how can I take this idea and put my personal touch on it?”  Asking these questions will help you avoid  tunnel vision and instead, create a wedding that reflects your individuality.  Don’t be afraid to build your collection of ideas by exploring the boards that are non-wedding related.  You never know where you will find that idea you absolutely love. It could be from a wallpaper pattern, floral arrangement or piece of fabric.  When you do, it will set the foundation for your dream wedding.

Once you have your inspiration, STOP! That’s right! Stop the browsing and the pinning.  I know it’ll be tempting to continue searching for the latest and greatest pins but you have to draw the line somewhere before you go overboard.  If you continue searching you will run the risk of overwhelming your guests with all the details and let’s be realistic, you can’t do it all anyway.  Limit yourself to a few cohesive details with personal meaning.  Have fun and remember YOUR big day will be everything that you’ve been dreaming it to be without having to keep looking for more.

Happy Planning…and Pinning!

Looking for inspiration? Check out my boards here

pinterest blog

 Post image via Pinterest

Wedding Tip Wednesday – The Pinterest Bride2020-05-15T10:57:31-04:00

Real Couples Share Their Wedding Planning Advice

These 5 couples have walked down the aisle and said “I Do!”  I recently asked them what wedding planning advice they would share with couples who are going through their own planning journey and this is what they had to say…

“There are two variables in wedding planning that we typically don’t have control over: money and pleasing everyone.  Most of us don’t have unlimited funds to have the wedding of our dreams and often our family all have their own opinions and desires for how they picture it.  In the end, you need to do something within your budget that means the most to you as a couple and has the most meaning. THAT you will remember. Some guests will like, some won’t – but that will be the case no matter what. You should be able to look back on your wedding day saying that really represented us well and we loved it.”

Wedding Advice- Cynthia and Charles

-Cynthia and Charles

 “Thankfully from our wedding there isn’t one thing I would change. From beginning to end, every decision was made based on what we wanted as a couple for our wedding. We splurged on what we felt was most important and kept it reasonable where we felt mattered the least. The one piece of advice we would pass along is…once you get to your big day, enjoy every moment and don’t let anything get in the way of that. If something doesn’t turn out the way you planned, don’t stress because you (and your wedding planner) are the only one’s who will notice.”

-Marie and Joey

“Our advice would be to not lose sight of what the big day actually is–a day for you, your family and friends to celebrate the beginning of yours and your spouse’s new life together.  It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the excitement and details of the day, but in the end, it’s all about two people who love each other celebrating a beautiful lifelong union surrounded by their loved ones. Also, keep in mind that you’re not planning a party for yourselves. You’re planning a party to cater to the guest list with little nuances of you as a couple.  All you need is great food and great music and the rest of the party will take care of itself!”

Wedding Advice - Laurie and Matthew

-Laurie and Matthew

“We wanted something small and wanted to make sure that everyone at our wedding we knew well.  We think it’s important to do what you want for your own wedding and not worry about other people.  Also your wedding is one day, the most important thing to worry about is having a happy marriage!”

-Nina and Trevor

“Have a realistic budget and stick to it.  Enjoy the day because it goes by so fast.  Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

-Audrey and Francisco

Thank you to these FABULOUS couples for sharing!

Real Couples Share Their Wedding Planning Advice2020-05-15T10:51:38-04:00
© 2024 The Wedding Pixie | Wedding Planner Hamilton Niagara Burlington Oakville
EmailInstagram
HELLO Lovely! Just a heads up that cookies (and not the deliciously yummy chocolate chip kind) are used on this site to improve your experience. Okie Dokie
Go to Top