tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18670393757781427042024-03-12T23:52:41.845-04:00ET LØFTE EVENTSFrom tips to industry news to general event planning ramblings this blog is designed to provide information for anyone planning an event -- whether it is a wedding, corporate event, social gathering or small celebration!ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-31975281272953451202015-02-03T11:12:00.001-05:002015-02-03T11:12:08.151-05:00THE TOP THREE TIMES YOU SHOULD REALLY TRUST YOUR WEDDING PLANNER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Most couples
who hire a <b><a href="http://www.etlofte.com/" target="_blank">Wedding Planner</a></b> trust their chosen wedding guru to the fullest
extent. After all, most couples have never planned a wedding before or their
knowledge is limited to what they’ve seen in magazines or at their
brother/sister/cousin/friend’s weddings.
And so they hire Wedding Planners to guide them through the intricate process
and to help them plan the wedding that they have envisioned or, in some cases,
a wedding that exceeds what they had envisioned (in a good way of course).<o:p></o:p></div>
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However <i>some</i>
couples hire a Wedding Planner to advise them during the planning process but
then are selective as to when they actually trust their chosen Planner’s
judgement. Whether it’s regarding their wedding budget, the rules of etiquette,
how to handle certain situations or even in terms of style, some couples would
rather do things their way instead of listening and, more importantly, trusting
the wedding professional’s advice. After all, it’s their day right? What they
want is how things should be right?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Nope</i>. If you’re
not going to trust/listen to a wedding professional’s advice, what was the
point of hiring them in the first place? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are the
<b>top three things</b> that you may hear from your Wedding Planner for which you need
to put the “<i>It’s-My-Day/This-is-What-I-Want-And-You-Have-To-Make-It-Happen-Because-I’m-Paying-You-To-Make-It-Happen</i>” mentality aside and for the love of
Gawd, trust your Wedding Planner’s judgement (in addition to all of our other advice of course!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">YOUR BUDGET
IS UNREALISTIC</span></b></h2>
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Wedding
Planners have worked on countless weddings of different sizes and budgets and
so you have to trust that they have a pretty good idea of what things cost. Just
by looking at a client’s wish list and their guest count, etc, they have a really good idea of what a
150-person wedding or a 50-person wedding will cost overall. Because they have
likely worked on…oh…about a <i>gazillion of them</i>.
If you present your total budget to your Planner and it’s completely
unrealistic or not enough of a budget to have your dream wedding that you just
described in detail, a <i>good</i> Wedding Planner will tell you this. </div>
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Rather than get
your nose out of joint, insist that your parents say it’s a realistic budget (<i>this
isn’t the 1970s anymore people!</i>) or refuse to make sacrifices or increase your
budget; you need to trust your Wedding
Planner when they say it’s not enough money.
Your Wedding Planner is not telling you these things because it will
benefit them nor will it affect what you are paying them for their service.
They’re telling you that your budget is unrealistic because they <i>want</i> you to have that wedding you’ve
always dreamed of and they <i>don’t want</i>
you to go into debt in order to have it. </div>
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No Wedding Planner can force you to change your budget but if you don’t
trust your Planner/refuse to increase your budget/refuse to sacrifice some of
your grand vision to make ends meet (NOTE: if you don’t increase your budget
you WILL have to sacrifice some things), then you can’t get upset with your
Wedding Planner when you’ve gone so far over your original budget that you can’t
remember what the initial budget was anymore.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THAT IS NOT
SOMETHING YOU NEED/</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>YOU SHOULD CONSIDER SOMETHING ELSE</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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As mentioned
above, if your Wedding Planner is telling you something it’s for your own good.
If, in the interest of keeping you on budget, for example, they tell you that you don’t need that ice
sculpture or those acrobats in your wedding, then you need to trust them. Sure,
your Wedding Planner understands that perhaps you want to one-up your cousin’s
wedding or that you want a “unique” wedding. But if there are more important things
in your wedding that require your funds (<i>especially if you’re on a tight
budget!</i>), you need to trust that your Wedding Planner knows what she/he is
talking about. A good Wedding Planner will ensure that you’ve got all the
necessities covered first and IF you have extra funds, she/he will implement
those extras that you don’t need. </div>
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Also, if your heart is set on a particular
trend that has been so many times that the only reaction it gets nowadays is an
eye roll, you have to trust your Wedding Planner when she/he tells you that it’s
overdone and allow her/him to find another “wow” factor for your wedding.
They want you to have the best wedding ever and while you may think that following the latest trend is the way to have that, your Wedding Planner knows better and will ensure that you feel that same excitement but with something that hasn't been done a million times over. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THAT IS
SOMETHING YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED/</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>MUST DO</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Further to
the above point, if your Wedding Planner is telling you that there is something
you need or must do in order for your Wedding Day to run smoothly as planned or
to have the look that you desire, LISTEN TO THEM. This is not your Wedding Planner’s first
rodeo. They know from experience what you need in your wedding or what you must
do. If they are telling you that you need
that DJ over playing an IPod, they’re telling you this for a reason. If they
are telling you that you must have a catering tent in addition to your
reception tent, they’re telling you this because they know the proper regulations for tent weddings. If they are telling you
that if you allow a handful of guests to bring children to your adult-only
wedding then you have to let <i>everyone</i> bring their children, they’re telling you
this because they know proper etiquette (not to mention have personally witnessed the fallout of ignoring said advice)! Whatever the
item/etiquette/requirement is, refusing to accept what your Wedding Planner is
telling you or worse, thinking that you know better than your Wedding Planner,
is a sure-fire way to have challenges come up on your big day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When you first met your Wedding Planner, something in your gut told you that this was the gal/guy who was going to give you the most romantic, most fun, most organized and brilliantly planned Wedding of your dreams and you hired them. Just like you trusted your instinct that day, you need to trust the professional you hired. Trust me (no pun intended), you'll be pleasantly surprised. </div>
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-4985244294294135052014-06-06T09:21:00.000-04:002014-06-06T09:21:55.306-04:00TRENDING NOW: #WEDDINGS<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rss6i8j9mnfPDZpaoGhkGZwrphZ83DNVhZ7Y90PpoFGlXhTP98ggtEG1JVoEXde7WBh4LiNufvrLxbAzBNJhUFKhNLFqC4bYOqQKaEiIy-t-0spbco2ky-Fi1cCKkSY42u6IRu6L6R8/s1600/offbeatbridecom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rss6i8j9mnfPDZpaoGhkGZwrphZ83DNVhZ7Y90PpoFGlXhTP98ggtEG1JVoEXde7WBh4LiNufvrLxbAzBNJhUFKhNLFqC4bYOqQKaEiIy-t-0spbco2ky-Fi1cCKkSY42u6IRu6L6R8/s1600/offbeatbridecom.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.offbeatbride.com/" target="_blank">OffBeat Bride</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It's a scary thought but <a href="http://www.etlofte.com/" target="_blank">This Planner</a>'s generation is the last generation to have grown up both without and with the internet. (sheesh, I just aged myself). We're the ones who played outside until the streetlights came on, our research was done in a library/through books, the phone and snail mail was our primary source of connecting (that and actually knocking on our friends' doors), Milestones and Weddings were celebrated together and photos were shared afterwards <i>in-person</i>. But things have changed. For the Millennials and the generations to come it's all about online and connecting. Services and professionals are researched online. They get their ideas from places like Pinterest. They get their advice through forums and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. They share celebrations online including platforms like Instagram.<br />
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And with this generation's dire need for constant connectivity comes a host of services that are targeted to weddings to supply this 'need'. This Planner has seen it all. Some services are pretty cool and some are...well...just plain ridiculous. The reality though, is that This Planner already has clients who have jumped at the opportunity to incorporate such services into their weddings. And the services often are not a "want" but a "need". <br />
<br />...'Cause you know. Being tagged in a gazillion Facebook photos or hashtagging your wedding isn't enough these days...the wedding has to be<i> everywhere</i>...it has to <i>trend</i>.<br />
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<b>#BRILLIANT</b><br />
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One pretty cool company that This Planner came across is <a href="http://www.hashtagevents.ca/" target="_blank">Hashtag Events</a>. It's a social media based company founded by Frank Fusaro in Toronto. One service that this company offers are Selfie Print Stations. These stations are customized to the wedding theme and will allow guests to interact at the event and take home a branded keepsake. Think photobooth-concept-meets-the-selfie. Hashtag Events can also create a customized hashtag and their team will bring all social media posts like Instagram and Twitter right from the guests' fingertips to the large screen in <a href="http://vimeo.com/93882389" target="_blank">real time</a>. That's a unique concept for the social-media-junkie-couple. <br />
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Live streaming is one of those upcoming trends that is actually quite useful when it comes to weddings -- especially for those couples who have many out-of-town friends and family who are unable to attend the festivities. Companies like <a href="http://www.weddinglive.ca/" target="_blank">Wedding Live</a> have developed services to bring the wedding to them. Wedding Live creates a customized wedding site upon which family and friends can watch the action. A live camera-man attends the wedding and captures every moment sending the action to the website in real time. Friends and Family can even chat and comment on what they're seeing through the Live Chat feature on the web site.<br />
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What makes the above services brilliant ways to tap into the social media mayhem is that they add to the guest experience. They utilize social media to entertain and connect which is one of the reasons that social media is so huge. <br />
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What do you prefer for weddings? Constant connectivity or old-school?<br />
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ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-35507425284781948912014-01-24T13:45:00.000-05:002014-01-24T13:45:29.824-05:00FIVE MYTHS ABOUT WEDDING PLANNERS<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMYYRJQQRuiH_y6epbavI5ziiYklJyqdOadUc3LlvcUDvTDMJRueIHqK4SjB-fByIZ6_ARSKI0VUPaG1wS2yyqZ3EkrawWZOcwU-4hBE098k-F5jJ9xrDIG_ySHh1RWK_-_4k3qtJJ48/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMYYRJQQRuiH_y6epbavI5ziiYklJyqdOadUc3LlvcUDvTDMJRueIHqK4SjB-fByIZ6_ARSKI0VUPaG1wS2yyqZ3EkrawWZOcwU-4hBE098k-F5jJ9xrDIG_ySHh1RWK_-_4k3qtJJ48/s1600/images.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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By now <a href="http://www.etlofte.com/" target="_blank">This Planner</a> is sure that you realize the value in having a wedding planner by your side while you embark on this wonderful journey of wedding planning. After all, your Wedding Planner can save you countless hours (not to mention stress) by way of keeping you on track both with budget and planning duties, recommending solid wedding professionals to create and execute your wedding day flawlessly and being that golden voice of reason and assurance.<br />
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But there are some big myths out there about what wedding planners do and how they operate. And sometimes these wrong impressions can affect your relationship with your wedding planner and the effectiveness of their work. So we thought we'd shed some light on these myths so that you can have the most effective partnership with your Wedding Planner. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. BEING A WEDDING PLANNER IS ALL GLITTER AND SPARKLES.</span></b><br />
<b style="color: white;">MYTH.</b> Now don't get me wrong! Wedding Planners DO enjoy their work (we wouldn't be doing this otherwise). However Wedding Planning is a very challenging career. It's not all about sampling cake, dreaming up glamorous concepts and smelling roses all day. It's a lot of scheduling, negotiating, managing expectations, number crunching, problem-solving, project management, endless research, resolving personality conflicts (a.k.a reducing drama), collaborating, meetings, more meetings, risk management, administrating, did we mention meetings?...and that's all for just ONE client. Now add on multiple couples -- each with their own wedding agenda that requires an equal amount of attention. And that's just leading up to the wedding day. On the wedding day itself, your Wedding Planner is the point of contact for all of your vendors, family, wedding party and guests, your personal wedding-day-tour-operator and <i>the ultimate</i> problem solver, in addition to managing and directing your itinerary and ensuring that your day is as close to perfect as humanly possible. <br />
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Still think that being a Wedding Planner is glamorous?<br />
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Wedding Planners <i>do</i> love what they do and equally love the clients with whom they work, but like <i>any</i> profession there is a lot of sweat and tears that goes along with the glittery side. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. A WEDDING PLANNER WILL BE AT YOUR BECK AND CALL.</span></b><br />
<b style="color: white;">MYTH.</b> While it's hard to imagine with all the tender loving care that your Wedding Planner gives you, you are <i>not</i> your Wedding Planner's only client. Wedding Planners have multiple wedding clients at any given time (some even have corporate or event planning clients as well) and <i>every client is a priority</i>. While Wedding Planners are the royalty of multi-tasking (trust me, we are), to expect your Wedding Planner to drop everything to cater to your every wish or to respond to your email/text/phone call within minutes is very unreasonable. You also have to realize that Wedding Planners have lives outside of wedding planning too. They have significant others, children, hobbies and/or daily responsibilities that they have to tackle outside of their careers just as you do. Just as you don't work at your job 24 hours a day, the same can be said for Wedding Planners. A good Wedding Planner will do their absolute best to have an answer for you, tackle an issue (or at least provide an update), do a favor or respond to your inquiry within 24 hours. Think of it this way: imagine your busiest day at work -- managing multiple projects at one time -- and your Boss suddenly demands that you drop everything to make an appointment for him or her. Frustrating right? Ahhhh, now you get it. To have a good relationship with your Wedding Planner you need to cut them some slack and know that you are not merely being brushed aside. You <i>are most definitely</i> a priority. You are just not a priority <i>at that exact moment</i>. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. A WEDDING PLANNER WILL <i>ALWAYS</i> GET YOU THE LOWEST PRICE FOR SERVICES.</span></b><br />
<b style="color: white;">MYTH</b><span style="color: white;">.</span> First off, I need to preface this with the note that as a couple, it is YOU who makes the final decision when it comes to selecting vendors. That having been said, you can't realistically aim for that $10K photographer and expect your Wedding Planner to wave a magic want and get that photographer for the $3K that you can afford. Now don't get me wrong, Wedding Planners <i>can</i> save your money, however it may not be in the way that you expect. Your Wedding Planner cannot obtain discounts from <i>every</i> vendor that you want to hire. In some cases they can and in other cases they can't. Some vendors, as much as they adore your Wedding Planner and want to work with her/him, just cannot afford to offer discounts on their services or match your budget. But they WILL go to the moon and back for you (which is a very important quality to consider). And while Wedding Planners can, in some cases, negotiate great rates from vendors, expecting your Wedding Planner to "nickel and dime" your vendors into doing a service for you for what YOU WANT to pay is NOT negotiating and is a sure fire way to expect the impossible. <br />
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In most cases, Wedding Planners will recommend professionals that will provide you with the same quality of service that you're looking for but that also <i>fit your budget</i>, not exceed it. And <i>that</i>, ladies and gentlemen, is how Wedding Planners really save you money. You're getting quality vendors for what you can realistically afford. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. A WEDDING PLANNER WILL DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU.</span></b><br />
<b style="color: white;">MYTH.</b> Wedding Planners are your advisors -- your Go-To for advice on all things weddings. They are also your creative input, your financial consultants (in terms of your wedding budget), and your product researcher among other roles. However, your Wedding Planner is <i>not </i>your personal assistant. No, they will not assemble those three hundred pouches of confetti while you watch reruns of '<i>Friends</i>'. No, they will not cut out those die-cut banners you so desperately want while you look through Pinterest all day. No, they will not be your personal receptionist and handle your RSVPs for you. Will they <i>help </i>you if you ask nicely and <i>IF</i> they have the time? Maybe. <br />
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But to expect your Wedding Planner to do absolutely everything involved in planning your wedding is unrealistic. After all, this is <i>your</i> wedding, not your Wedding Planner's and there are responsibilities on the To-Do list that you will have to tackle yourselves. Your Wedding Planner is there to guide you through the planning process so that you have a beautiful, memorable day, not to complete every task on your To-Do list for you. Remember everything that your Wedding Planner is doing for your wedding behind the scenes (see Myth #1). So it's important to expect that there will be certain tasks that you will have to do yourselves and your Wedding Planner will assist <i>where they can</i> and <i>within reason</i> to eleviate any stress.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. A WEDDING PLANNER IS EXPENSIVE, HAS EXPENSIVE TASTE AND WILL DRIVE YOUR BUDGET OUT OF WHACK.</b> </span><br />
<b style="color: white;">MYTH.</b><span style="color: white;"> </span>Here's the easiest way I can put this: take a look at what your photographer charges for their services. Their fee includes a set number of hours on the wedding day and post-wedding work. Now take a look at the fee of a Wedding Planner. Their fee includes <i>an entire year </i>(or in some cases more) of work on your wedding, <i>plus</i> the management of the wedding day itself. Still think Wedding Planners are expensive? Take a look at Myth #1 and now imagine yourself handling all those responsibilities on top of your full-time job, family responsibilities and, well, life. Now tell me that Wedding Planners are expensive. Hard to say now isn't it?<br />
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In regards to the myth that Wedding Planners have expensive taste and will drive your budget out of whack...one of the many responsibilities of a Wedding Planner is to help keep you on track in terms of your budget. That said, to recommend vendors, designs or ideas that are completely out of your budget range is obviously counter-productive. If you're dangerously teetering over-budget (trust me, your Wedding Planner will tell you when you are), chances are it's because of decisions that <i>you</i> have made, <i>not</i> your Wedding Planner. Remember that Wedding Planners can only guide you towards what you realistically afford and it's important that you trust your Wedding Planner's recommendations. But if your heart is set on a particular design, flower, concept, etc that will exceed your budget then of course they'll recommend the vendors that can pull it off -- with the disclaimer that you will go over your budget. In the end, it will be your decision. Remember that Wedding Planners have a good idea of what things cost and so if you're head strong on that particular element for your wedding that exceeds the budget, then you'll have to expect that you will pay for it. <br />
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And if your first reaction is that your Wedding Planner should be able to just negotiate a discount so that you <i>can</i> afford it, refer to myth #3. <br />
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Just as Wedding Planners have to manage what they expect of their clients, wedding couples have to manage what they expect of their Wedding Planners. And when realistic expectations are met by all parties involved, what you have is a wonderful business relationship with a dash of friendship and a planning process that is enjoyable and stress-free.<br />
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</span></span></span>ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-55896049293269924172013-12-18T15:54:00.003-05:002013-12-18T15:54:47.085-05:00HAVE A (GITCHY) CHRISTMAS WEDDING<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNX8tA101Ip7HvZmW3nkXsvKvqPYvX1DeREabOO7AUN4Pp4G7TqqK7V6Kj3CFrcC-Tfcdz1aFqBGiy4DkLO08W3EMaqjWPSIQh0zfFMeSyNh1i_ZCywGoG1nf4f9o27PtJAtEPuNZd7o/s1600/fruitcake-for-christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNX8tA101Ip7HvZmW3nkXsvKvqPYvX1DeREabOO7AUN4Pp4G7TqqK7V6Kj3CFrcC-Tfcdz1aFqBGiy4DkLO08W3EMaqjWPSIQh0zfFMeSyNh1i_ZCywGoG1nf4f9o27PtJAtEPuNZd7o/s400/fruitcake-for-christmas.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Source: <a href="http://www.sheknows.com/" target="_blank">She knows</a></td></tr>
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This Planner loves Christmas. And when I say, love, I mean <i>LOVE</i>. I'm the type of person who has the Christmas tree and decorations up as soon as Halloween is over. And while I'm always encouraging straying from the typical "winter wonderland", yada, yada, yada for <b>Christmas weddings</b> or <b>winter weddings</b> and opting for more unique themes and styling that steer clear of the usual... there's something to be said for that fuzzy, warm feeling of tradition. <br />
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What you don't experience with a lot of Winter Weddings is "gitchy" Christmas -- taking the most cheesy (yet fun!) aspects of Christmas...the "feel good", "when I think of Christmas..." aspects and incorporating them into the wedding. Oh you might see a small detail here and there. But rarely do you see an entire wedding outfitted with the best of the best of the Holiday spirit.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Not sure how to pull off a "gitchy" Christmas wedding? Here are just a few ideas:</span></b><br />
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Have the Groom and Groomsmen dress up in ugly Christmas sweaters instead of the typical suits and ties. For the girls, have them dress up in red dresses adorned with white faux-fur stoles or muffs. Even your Flower Girl and Ring Bearer can get in on the fun whether dressing up in little red tutu-dresses and checkered sweater-vests or dressing up as little Santa's helpers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1YGmZc4iSfnnMkmfL1WRk1gc_2A49vePoS7nL__1CM1X02_jyBFPEaqbBfiDM3J7f9hcUrd4TzlJ4EpIz-eBXnjk5o_6aqCYS26lhXhtcHpfg_osCxNy-RiF_LoT4BbcrRfjSxIAhjk/s1600/esquirecom.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1YGmZc4iSfnnMkmfL1WRk1gc_2A49vePoS7nL__1CM1X02_jyBFPEaqbBfiDM3J7f9hcUrd4TzlJ4EpIz-eBXnjk5o_6aqCYS26lhXhtcHpfg_osCxNy-RiF_LoT4BbcrRfjSxIAhjk/s320/esquirecom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Source: <a href="http://www.esquire.com/" target="_blank">Esquire</a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkHQTnd-Gb1Yh0YQGXlVP4BO4zvfcl9rQt8Ffv0Kbvm8HZs4PWiaAy7a-QmPoAWX7_w-uRUw11IOO-G0-gejrVPVqZdc87Nz_SGIlMK4jFSxDSLfUb0MoHh4R40ChyR0tnJXlMuVO7MA/s1600/Christmas-Winter-Wedding-Short-Red-Bridesmaid-Dresses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkHQTnd-Gb1Yh0YQGXlVP4BO4zvfcl9rQt8Ffv0Kbvm8HZs4PWiaAy7a-QmPoAWX7_w-uRUw11IOO-G0-gejrVPVqZdc87Nz_SGIlMK4jFSxDSLfUb0MoHh4R40ChyR0tnJXlMuVO7MA/s320/Christmas-Winter-Wedding-Short-Red-Bridesmaid-Dresses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hang mistletoe over the entrance to the venue so that guests can share some holiday smooches (have a photographer handy to catch the action as the guests enter as a fun giveaway). Or have guests pose for a photo with Santa himself!<br />
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Forgo the typical, elegant ornaments in a vase or white branches with crystals as centerpieces and have small Christmas trees or Gingerbread houses instead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLXpbSh-m3k7NpPsu1gO0gNzwFkvPdyI0WbyU6aTpd_6uu-PpUR4K9ttFfauYrfS66TFreZ94l9s_9_tngRl4-kWVz8UCr8EQd3TFusYPpPfBqOoHqD_XF6Ur7hele8TNqtWcgppU8HU/s1600/dining-room-christmas-tree-centerpieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLXpbSh-m3k7NpPsu1gO0gNzwFkvPdyI0WbyU6aTpd_6uu-PpUR4K9ttFfauYrfS66TFreZ94l9s_9_tngRl4-kWVz8UCr8EQd3TFusYPpPfBqOoHqD_XF6Ur7hele8TNqtWcgppU8HU/s400/dining-room-christmas-tree-centerpieces.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvXYdNd4MCIx40uf0o88RkkVzzwn5A_BaiXFrHqH1bPY1Q5e9SJpwIMzNHeKMT1VMz1rqKMBxXSHR3elAdP-ktcFtWJiToS3s37iMvZuFL0fFyL2smfZtERVC5GwV4KhNJWoe70vjMuk/s1600/snippetandinkcom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvXYdNd4MCIx40uf0o88RkkVzzwn5A_BaiXFrHqH1bPY1Q5e9SJpwIMzNHeKMT1VMz1rqKMBxXSHR3elAdP-ktcFtWJiToS3s37iMvZuFL0fFyL2smfZtERVC5GwV4KhNJWoe70vjMuk/s320/snippetandinkcom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Source: <a href="http://www.snippetandink.com/" target="_blank">SnippetandInk</a></td></tr>
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Rather than a typical head table backdrop, line the wall with evergreens decorated for Christmas. </div>
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Hand out candy-cane reindeer as favors (you know the ones...try not smiling when you get one). Or hand out individually gift-wrapped fruitcake. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsT6kBHKANKdYH4aCfMPMYqmTy7HsnHP5wMpGdLmKGITWswe-UhzVHQx9FqvPMIraA0J1bJa3vKqzUe2aaJMT9H8k9FrxfQhj9jvn3vccENA7RRgAQegmkt-HsgtP5nepUy4fLgTK9KTE/s1600/thecelebrationshoppecom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsT6kBHKANKdYH4aCfMPMYqmTy7HsnHP5wMpGdLmKGITWswe-UhzVHQx9FqvPMIraA0J1bJa3vKqzUe2aaJMT9H8k9FrxfQhj9jvn3vccENA7RRgAQegmkt-HsgtP5nepUy4fLgTK9KTE/s320/thecelebrationshoppecom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo source: <a href="http://www.thecelebrationshoppe.com/" target="_blank">The Celebration Shoppe</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Rather than custom-made invitations, send out your wedding details a la
cheesy, wintery-landscape Christmas cards (you know the ones..)<br />
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Serve up Christmas-y favourites like egg nogg in moose mugs (think <i>National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation</i>), turkey with all the trimmings, hot apple cider or hot chocolate, mince meat pies, etc. <br />
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Have carolers sing during the cocktail hour or heck, even during the ceremony! Or host a post-dinner caroling session around a bonfire outside. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrd_1DDd3ie_tx3l0et75gqIAo4WhQvG2s0zYvibEDpA2sKxGNj_p-Ion3X-Z3XJLiNcghDS3_B8b3-tp77fc7sU8eMpEOst2bpYOge2WLeDpjHvjBizgWduk4UUAyghqgnu_N8fqttNU/s1600/MikeRenlund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrd_1DDd3ie_tx3l0et75gqIAo4WhQvG2s0zYvibEDpA2sKxGNj_p-Ion3X-Z3XJLiNcghDS3_B8b3-tp77fc7sU8eMpEOst2bpYOge2WLeDpjHvjBizgWduk4UUAyghqgnu_N8fqttNU/s320/MikeRenlund.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/deltamike/%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">Mike Renlund</a></td></tr>
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Yes, when one thinks of <b>Winter Weddings</b> or <b>Christmas weddings</b> they tend to think of the romantic, elegant side of things. But at the same time, going the complete opposite and having a fun, quirky Christmas theme with all the trimmings can give that Christmas-morning feeling to the wedding. After all, Christmas is a time for family and friends...and you've already got that part covered. Now to add all the things that you personally love about Christmas and have a fun-filled wedding that will have your guests leaving chock-full of the Christmas spirit.<br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-74413831855211876862013-11-05T12:07:00.001-05:002013-11-05T12:07:21.489-05:00SIX WEDDING TRENDS THAT NEED TO DIE<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHX7sFvc4uctD8Dz7RsxCXdypiAygyYfRKzqmVmxEES8wJ3NTQ9KJ0NXMaUC58fz3XOlyoEiiLqmP8WFqoYuOx36011EpZmCbYapo5s8UizmL2b5k906qSnOVyR0ZoGxCaxk9lGB4hykw/s1600/10-again-322x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHX7sFvc4uctD8Dz7RsxCXdypiAygyYfRKzqmVmxEES8wJ3NTQ9KJ0NXMaUC58fz3XOlyoEiiLqmP8WFqoYuOx36011EpZmCbYapo5s8UizmL2b5k906qSnOVyR0ZoGxCaxk9lGB4hykw/s400/10-again-322x400.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
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If you're new to this Blog then you're likely unfamiliar with <a href="http://www.etlofte.com/" target="_blank">This Planner</a>'s dislike for following wedding trends. And if you follow this Blog (bless your lil' heart), then This Planner's dislike for following wedding trends comes as no surprise. While I try to avoid wedding trends where I can, sometimes clients are adamant about incorporating them into their wedding. And that's OK.<br />
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However, there are some wedding trends out there that have been done over and over again, making me want to tear my eyes out. And so, without further delay, here are the top six wedding trends that, in my opinion, have seriously met their expiration date:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WEDDING SLIDESHOWS</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5chzDqIEeBsaakDds3mThKcpYaEp7SUVOA-NBJXRktc5gq5alefPHXWhziP5Y91y8-Ve8-N5e8f_yJ26xBsFsuTakSVpX1M3gYP4NbNwMzGmUQfGBPvMIAf4csqTczyrfgMqRvgdWxXc/s1600/projector-screen-84x84-tripod+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5chzDqIEeBsaakDds3mThKcpYaEp7SUVOA-NBJXRktc5gq5alefPHXWhziP5Y91y8-Ve8-N5e8f_yJ26xBsFsuTakSVpX1M3gYP4NbNwMzGmUQfGBPvMIAf4csqTczyrfgMqRvgdWxXc/s400/projector-screen-84x84-tripod+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We've all had to sit through at least one wedding slideshow in our lives...oh who am I kidding? You have likely had to endure a wedding slideshow at almost every wedding you've attended. Yes, we get it that you have been together for what feels like eons. Yes, you were adorable as children. Do all three hundred of your guests want to sit through ten minutes of you reminiscing about how your lives came together?<br />
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Nope. Remember that feeling of having to sit through Aunt Bessy's vacation photos? Yah, that's kind of how your guests feel.<br />
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If you absolutely <i>must</i> share your life story, find a more creative way to do it other than making guests sit through 15 minutes of photos when all they really want to do is hit the dance floor...or the bar. Even a bulletin board collage that guests can view during the cocktail hour is less painful than making them sit through a slideshow.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>CASH BARS</b></span></div>
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Seriously? I mean...seriously? If you're going to charge your
guests to drink alcohol at your wedding just because you decided to have
a giant dinner party in a fancy venue, then please, charge your guests
who come to your home for dinner too. If you're going to be an ass, at
least be consistent.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>'DANCING ON A CLOUD'</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pMJVruMSZFbZ3EpLYkqJbYwvEqoTy4UR3cLcBz40jaOU2T0DTet-2HEdqp9Bod4HXNcu0onnh4BgvyCPxqJP85EVQxtqAibsXhFUQSwwRBjGtVr6_yy_BLiUBlJsWrwj1rRYNktu148/s1600/Best-Wedding-DJ-Dancing-on-a-Cloud.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pMJVruMSZFbZ3EpLYkqJbYwvEqoTy4UR3cLcBz40jaOU2T0DTet-2HEdqp9Bod4HXNcu0onnh4BgvyCPxqJP85EVQxtqAibsXhFUQSwwRBjGtVr6_yy_BLiUBlJsWrwj1rRYNktu148/s400/Best-Wedding-DJ-Dancing-on-a-Cloud.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I
try not to smirk when a DJ tries to sell my clients on the whole
"dancing on a cloud" thing as though it's the most magical, most
brilliant, new concept, when in actuality it's been around <i>forever</i>
and it's been done a hundred times over. Hey, I'm all for jazzing up
the First Dance if that's what you want to do. And OK, the fog (let's
just call it what it is shall we?) can look pretty in a photo. But
really, fogging up the place is not the most original way to go. Not to
mention a potential safety hazard depending on what's used to make the
fog. In my personal opinion, it often looks like you're trying too hard
to make an already beautiful moment, beautiful.<br />
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Opt for something different. Maybe a video montage of memorable
moments playing in the background. Maybe a more unique song choice to
dance to. At this point, <i>anything</i> is more original than 'dancing on a cloud'. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>PHOTO BOOTHS</b></span></div>
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Can we end this trend already? Ok fine, photo booths can be entertaining to a certain degree, but there are so many other options out there to entertain guests during the cocktail hour rather than have them pose for photos. While I am slightly (read: <i>slightly</i>) relieved that "live photobooths" (a backdrop and a live photographer) have taken over from the literal "booths" that you have to cram yourself into, it's still a photo booth nonetheless. And it's so common place now that it almost seems as though photo booths are a prerequisite if you're hosting a wedding.<br />
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Why not take the $1000+ that you'll be spending on a box that takes photos and spend it on entertainment that will...well...actually be entertaining? There are countless options out there from musicians and entertainers to aerobatics and interactive food/beverage stations.<br />
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Oh, and the mustaches on a stick? Stop it. Just stop it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> <b>BOUQUET TOSS & GARTER REMOVAL</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZRBsGzi8HpjXJ-kPB_aUrZSpLj-M8sdFdMnAweccyVyxwSD6PD_B0HEy9QyOnP5ymunGWcwNoAZLtLn6ERrQ8k37MyE6zTu-thYPq0fv0r-pcqtPlRe22nIB3Hgn8SepPNiafM2GWB0/s1600/bouquet-toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZRBsGzi8HpjXJ-kPB_aUrZSpLj-M8sdFdMnAweccyVyxwSD6PD_B0HEy9QyOnP5ymunGWcwNoAZLtLn6ERrQ8k37MyE6zTu-thYPq0fv0r-pcqtPlRe22nIB3Hgn8SepPNiafM2GWB0/s320/bouquet-toss.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Oh sure, being in a gaggle of women elbowing each other for an opportunity to catch a bouquet that will seemingly end your singledom was a ton of fun...when you were fifteen.<br />
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Let's face it ladies, the novelty of the traditional bouquet toss has lost its momentum and nowadays the DJ literally has to drag women onto the dance floor in order to get them to participate. If you're in your mid-twenties and up, this is likely a trend that can be tossed (literally).<br />
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One of my favourite alternatives to the bouquet toss is simply handing the bouquet to the couple that has been together the longest. They're not expecting it and it truly reflects what marriage is all about.<br />
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Then there's the garter removal...Is there anything sexier than the groom diving under the Bride's dress in front of her parents and grandparents to remove a piece of fabric from her leg with his teeth?<br />
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Yes. Yes there is.<br />
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I don't think there's one guest that can honestly say that this isn't at least slightly awkward. So unless you're a die-hard traditionalist, I don't think any of your guests will miss this little part of the itinerary.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>BALLOONS AS PROPS IN PHOTOS</b></span></div>
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<i>Sigh</i>. Why not just stick a clown in there while you're at it? Balloons as props in photos has been done, done and done again and again and again. It's not at all an original concept anymore. It's time to deflate the trend ladies and gents! Move on to new and exciting props (if you must) or here's a novel idea: <i>no props at all</i>! Aim for exciting and unique photo locations that draw out your joint interests or personalities. <br />
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Forgo the typical floral garden or urban downtown locations and choose an alternative, more personal or visually unique location that doesn't require inanimate objects. Sports lovers? Why not take photos of you and your wedding party out on a football field pretending to have a game of football? Animal lovers? Why not have your photos done at a petting zoo? Do some fun and quirky activities with your wedding party and capture those moments that truly reflect you as a couple and your circle of friends. Why? Because those are the photos that you'll want to print and hang on your wall. Having photos that look like a cross between a wedding and a child's First Birthday are easily forgettable.<br />
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Obviously wedding trends exist because a once-unique concept was a big hit at someone's wedding and now every Bride and Groom on the planet wants to have that same 'big hit' at their wedding. But if your guests have seen that 'big hit' over and over and over, it's lost it's momentum and it'll merely be a "oh that again" at your wedding. If there's a trend that you absolutely love, try to come up with a creative twist to it. The overall concept will still be there but it'll be fresh take on an old trend and a new experience for your guests. <br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-52775902915557520962013-06-19T16:34:00.002-04:002013-06-19T16:39:37.084-04:00WEDDING GIFT ETIQUETTE: A GIFT BY ANY OTHER NAME...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BQeO9SHMn__qwoNafTAC41LJ0Zf6-r4LqKKHDuMFJIKGKCFCXbMxBNC3qza_lWN939ONrXxx7p-rxKm5wKRyiqc0fqDhl2JSTbmQAFD-uEb3w0-RXq8-57OCP_pKbD9SOlpsf2ay8hY/s1600/greedy-bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BQeO9SHMn__qwoNafTAC41LJ0Zf6-r4LqKKHDuMFJIKGKCFCXbMxBNC3qza_lWN939ONrXxx7p-rxKm5wKRyiqc0fqDhl2JSTbmQAFD-uEb3w0-RXq8-57OCP_pKbD9SOlpsf2ay8hY/s400/greedy-bride.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Ok Brides and Grooms. Time to get blunt.<br />
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I was inspired to write this post after I read an article in the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/2013/06/19/wedding_gift_spat_spirals_out_of_control_after_bride_demands_to_see_receipt.html" target="_blank">Toronto Star</a> today. In a nutshell, a Bride is chastising a wedding guest's choice in gift (a food basket) arguing that because she paid over $200 for the guests' meal, etc that the guest should have given a gift or a cash gift of equal value. The Bride even went so far as to display the apparent 'cheap gift' at her post-wedding party as a form of entertainment for her guests.<br />
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So I'm going to lay this out for all the couples out there who agree with the above Bride as nicely as I can, because...well...those that know me are aware that I have no filter:<br />
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1. As a couple getting married, YOU chose to have a lavish celebration that cost you 'x' amount of dollars rather than have a intimate ceremony followed by a much smaller, simpler reception. YOU chose to invite the guests that are in attendance (and how many of them). YOU chose the meal. YOU chose to outfit the decor in orchids and crystals. YOU chose to have the DJ <i>and</i> the Band. Your GUESTS did NOT. Therefore expecting your guests to reward you for having such a large celebration is just plain silly. <b>You invite guests to share in your joy of getting married. Not in your debt. </b><br />
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2. There's a widespread myth out there that wedding guests are expected to "cover the cost of the meal and add to it". Let's use logic shall we? <b>How in God's Green Earth are your guests supposed to know what the meal cost?</b> Keep in mind that many of your guests have likely not planned a wedding as grand as yours and don't know how much a four (or five or six) course meal costs. When you started planning your wedding, did you?<br />
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3. As someone with an Italian background I can tell you that yes, in certain cultures and ethnic backgrounds, gifts in monetary form are accustomed. But that's all that is. Tradition, what folks are accustomed to, preferred gift-giving method, etc. <b>It's not a RULE.</b> No matter what country you or your parents are from, <b>a gift by any other name is <i>still a gift</i></b>. And you should be thankful that you were in their thoughts at all. <br />
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4.<b> A party is a party no matter where it's held which means you are still the hosts no matter where it's held.</b> Whatever happened to "it's the thought that counts"? If a guest showed up with a bottle of wine to a dinner party that you planned at your home would you chastise them because their gift didn't equate to the number of hours you spent cooking in the kitchen? No. You would likely thank them for being so thoughtful and that would be the end of it. Why then does that mentality change because you took the celebration out of the home and put it in a more commercial establishment? It doesn't. <br />
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5. If your expectation is to pay off the wedding with the amount of money you get as gifts, that is a risk you chose to take. <b>Your guests had no part in that gamble. So don't make it their problem too.</b><br />
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I have to be really in-your-face-blunter-than-blunt here: if an engaged couple's main focus in having wedding celebration is what they're going to get in return -- a.k.a: the cash value of the gifts you get or the amount of cash that you get -- as a couple they truly need to re-evaluate why they're celebrating their wedding with others in the first place. Because somewhere in the zaniness of planning that celebration they've lost sight of what weddings are truly about.<br />
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Brides and Grooms, don't let that kind of couple become <i>you</i>. <br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-88142699115741972082013-05-17T11:22:00.004-04:002013-05-17T11:29:26.335-04:00PHOTOBOMB FRIDAY: WEDDING EDITIONIt's Friday! So let's celebrate with just a few of the funniest photobombs to happen to wedding photos.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M-GI-A5RuGlm5IYX2cibyw4Tzvwc-BhV9hbDABD1DZn-j-R0eCZd5xWTOMSL0mB8BfyG0mMMggnkShpqDmXkJ2hG6i9HhaBF8Zebd9_NIYdnVKDK34AV7gTzk5sxsQ6Ggk3YR8OssG8/s1600/izismilecom.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M-GI-A5RuGlm5IYX2cibyw4Tzvwc-BhV9hbDABD1DZn-j-R0eCZd5xWTOMSL0mB8BfyG0mMMggnkShpqDmXkJ2hG6i9HhaBF8Zebd9_NIYdnVKDK34AV7gTzk5sxsQ6Ggk3YR8OssG8/s400/izismilecom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://izismile.com/" target="_blank">Izismile.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ11Qg5-B3dCAopu6XPMgSS_OUcqc-NVktAJaRj-s-ZA-kKSNBAuXvWj96mRCwrvk-Ca5AOF067WFb5TOGO5ad2FOrUZCi950LrKmzPtgwt3a4zhwAsrRdMW2589mM5B54eMRzZkkeJ0/s1600/memebase.cheezburgercom.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ11Qg5-B3dCAopu6XPMgSS_OUcqc-NVktAJaRj-s-ZA-kKSNBAuXvWj96mRCwrvk-Ca5AOF067WFb5TOGO5ad2FOrUZCi950LrKmzPtgwt3a4zhwAsrRdMW2589mM5B54eMRzZkkeJ0/s400/memebase.cheezburgercom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://cheezburger.com/" target="_blank">Cheezburger.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmymKx9TjnAulT79qEpDZ3hT2cEB0jII4K-bEp00HfQZ8_l0BqJGKWHJD3hA8Uh5VDQIEn3xnf9bzI0XZZAq1L33VKtao0Ux2U4vw_tGwCVthXM5j_tazsAkk73YMDZCVrWje1emLB9UI/s1600/aaanythingnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmymKx9TjnAulT79qEpDZ3hT2cEB0jII4K-bEp00HfQZ8_l0BqJGKWHJD3hA8Uh5VDQIEn3xnf9bzI0XZZAq1L33VKtao0Ux2U4vw_tGwCVthXM5j_tazsAkk73YMDZCVrWje1emLB9UI/s400/aaanythingnet.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://aaanything.net/" target="_blank">Aaanything.net</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxINhQMCyv7LmQrKkDiDNGKZ3qzCVd2KQAdTnWoV7PdSwICcqIM1Y5_AnomUXax2W8XHjeutSOtvkZSD9C4mvCsPShlzkMPAosFsfHUAHcX9rq2PMfE3yMMXA5jl7VFzs3jfXD7YBV6g/s1600/ackwardfamilyphotoscom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxINhQMCyv7LmQrKkDiDNGKZ3qzCVd2KQAdTnWoV7PdSwICcqIM1Y5_AnomUXax2W8XHjeutSOtvkZSD9C4mvCsPShlzkMPAosFsfHUAHcX9rq2PMfE3yMMXA5jl7VFzs3jfXD7YBV6g/s400/ackwardfamilyphotoscom.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com/" target="_blank">AwkwardFamilyPhotos.co</a><a href="http://www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com/" target="_blank">m</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXumzR-I-OAd5ApUqoy8YOHjEsObTcBO2PzYKqYUshFTLdD34EdL4j5tT-eRAPxkP1fEDqw8HQiiBR_w5zK6o5XfMGJD56J0bHUCxH_pVOYSdy2eXQ9h1AZbFtDFvytRAZIPFi6skmNLE/s1600/buzzfeed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXumzR-I-OAd5ApUqoy8YOHjEsObTcBO2PzYKqYUshFTLdD34EdL4j5tT-eRAPxkP1fEDqw8HQiiBR_w5zK6o5XfMGJD56J0bHUCxH_pVOYSdy2eXQ9h1AZbFtDFvytRAZIPFi6skmNLE/s400/buzzfeed.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://buzzfeed.com/" target="_blank">Buzzfeed.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3P71kux9ioJiHeIuTOvHVbYDv23nsqavvnMCsfn1advVERvT2rBYk6npHl_cN1EIDhvsmeX1U64RMWNdI7LNpHge1B6ItQz33VEn1Nh4npPmH-yMTXAcupbWjBp9ZNtm7CaCWRrJklP0/s1600/chaozhidecom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3P71kux9ioJiHeIuTOvHVbYDv23nsqavvnMCsfn1advVERvT2rBYk6npHl_cN1EIDhvsmeX1U64RMWNdI7LNpHge1B6ItQz33VEn1Nh4npPmH-yMTXAcupbWjBp9ZNtm7CaCWRrJklP0/s400/chaozhidecom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://buzzfeed.com/" target="_blank">Buzzfeed.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUACrjMTYU37YCiELK76v5dWmcqViuuHTMZ-nFQk9tGfpBHa9jTi2qW95FdIuz7HjVdSjqXaO8d_z5HVej0BaM4jIVgIoQBjwsjS6b66wuVLDi6RWXBievr8UBMtt4fu1bwbCBf8duj7M/s1600/dumpadaycom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUACrjMTYU37YCiELK76v5dWmcqViuuHTMZ-nFQk9tGfpBHa9jTi2qW95FdIuz7HjVdSjqXaO8d_z5HVej0BaM4jIVgIoQBjwsjS6b66wuVLDi6RWXBievr8UBMtt4fu1bwbCBf8duj7M/s400/dumpadaycom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYRdo_HiHQcxLVI2SBwogX42sPmOrtVChMP4NCAQJ8GhhUpxEwTJ3VC-vzJU3cdK_cCyOf80X_E8oAq3OEWHHnFsw8nv72N2FFDabuIHqmp0_cew7BU8Y8BcsxA9-2k4159ad5rEyxL4/s1600/izismile2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYRdo_HiHQcxLVI2SBwogX42sPmOrtVChMP4NCAQJ8GhhUpxEwTJ3VC-vzJU3cdK_cCyOf80X_E8oAq3OEWHHnFsw8nv72N2FFDabuIHqmp0_cew7BU8Y8BcsxA9-2k4159ad5rEyxL4/s400/izismile2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://izismile.com/" target="_blank">Izismile.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmez-SVe8FxdYrQTo8RWxI0iOmUWYW67Jb8r6cRGNyiSZUF3TqnmpV0aySKT75ZSOfMZ1s0SBgj8a-k-4fklDsAAfIkhzP9Cl1bcFN1eE5UixuWsi4aG1opYyX8ijlauc54Y9wszg2yY/s1600/piximusnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmez-SVe8FxdYrQTo8RWxI0iOmUWYW67Jb8r6cRGNyiSZUF3TqnmpV0aySKT75ZSOfMZ1s0SBgj8a-k-4fklDsAAfIkhzP9Cl1bcFN1eE5UixuWsi4aG1opYyX8ijlauc54Y9wszg2yY/s400/piximusnet.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://piximus.net/" target="_blank">Piximus.net</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy0UVGMvZbkUUULT-uKlWn9w-TL2bvd8qp2OIqpOZ3llsJReKcYWRuUc7mAJtmvfuQfjnaOXpA5NoDpGLX6PPbJaXMtkxN9bXUsAo6ux9u0eSCp22y2GB8b0TKF3qKKgMRWo0f2vFVlY/s1600/slide_247121_1435925_free.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy0UVGMvZbkUUULT-uKlWn9w-TL2bvd8qp2OIqpOZ3llsJReKcYWRuUc7mAJtmvfuQfjnaOXpA5NoDpGLX6PPbJaXMtkxN9bXUsAo6ux9u0eSCp22y2GB8b0TKF3qKKgMRWo0f2vFVlY/s400/slide_247121_1435925_free.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://thisisphotobomb.com/" target="_blank">ThisisPhotobomb.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy0UVGMvZbkUUULT-uKlWn9w-TL2bvd8qp2OIqpOZ3llsJReKcYWRuUc7mAJtmvfuQfjnaOXpA5NoDpGLX6PPbJaXMtkxN9bXUsAo6ux9u0eSCp22y2GB8b0TKF3qKKgMRWo0f2vFVlY/s1600/slide_247121_1435925_free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEepzSOsPXeHjKPniGkJe6CJIeb6r880E04Jc-KfpuFsUW06ZCefEp6CKgRglwL9mgN1scqS0TZLX0UuIApPRs1JwOZ3tyBHrFaBMGAjOTHJ9H0KwqCLDMLBqkSM8SsK8jqdd8I1odUA/s1600/wedding-photobomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEepzSOsPXeHjKPniGkJe6CJIeb6r880E04Jc-KfpuFsUW06ZCefEp6CKgRglwL9mgN1scqS0TZLX0UuIApPRs1JwOZ3tyBHrFaBMGAjOTHJ9H0KwqCLDMLBqkSM8SsK8jqdd8I1odUA/s320/wedding-photobomb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxT20ASnEfV0NZbVGukoap2xLbEDHnlP-OynVkrJZZSS112MW6_TOCwnXuYiuKJxFrhwO_wYrYAgH8dUI1RmAqT6A-Si1qX6C44L3A92htmE0C4qicVQOXB6RfO7HoEDGEjquLhPKwJU/s1600/wedinatorcom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxT20ASnEfV0NZbVGukoap2xLbEDHnlP-OynVkrJZZSS112MW6_TOCwnXuYiuKJxFrhwO_wYrYAgH8dUI1RmAqT6A-Si1qX6C44L3A92htmE0C4qicVQOXB6RfO7HoEDGEjquLhPKwJU/s320/wedinatorcom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://wedinator.com/" target="_blank">Wedinator.com</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYY9j0O-8E6qO8f7-EqjYp8EFYEwmSIL9aZ-dy-4koxhK-6T8RixoZcNAxNS9Ym4aaSMyCV82cWknk-mDqvI9ff2G1yXDuJDx6_oH7bbYnxVWsS8hFNBHMomJbg_SnyMDCEdlBw7CVsM/s1600/wee-docom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYY9j0O-8E6qO8f7-EqjYp8EFYEwmSIL9aZ-dy-4koxhK-6T8RixoZcNAxNS9Ym4aaSMyCV82cWknk-mDqvI9ff2G1yXDuJDx6_oH7bbYnxVWsS8hFNBHMomJbg_SnyMDCEdlBw7CVsM/s320/wee-docom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://wee-do.com/" target="_blank">Wee-do.com</a></td></tr>
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-53538756607696961102013-04-30T14:12:00.000-04:002013-04-30T14:12:07.066-04:00FIVE BRIDAL ACCESSORIES WE'RE LOVING RIGHT NOW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wedding Season is officially upon us here at Et Lofte Events and right now our Brides are opting for some very cool accessories and items to go along with their up and coming wedding day. So we thought we'd share a few of our absolute faves:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>CHARM NECKLACES FROM STELLA AND DOT</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We're loving this lil' touch of personalization that these charm
necklaces provide. Simply choose a personalized detail such as a
birthstone, initial, etc. Then add a symbol charm that showcases
something about you. Hang them on a beautiful chain and voila! A
personal statement hanging around your neck!</span><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFvGycYE_vRvwzWrQHGcz9RPAJ1BymBAy886mVSgaFEEpZzfRcEkkr8ubsdiSl1dTh36oDwSLVR1GpZHaWmhyphenhyphenmr11sNU07oLjDHiPv8gZ2jSwOzQ-VDamMwHwqCOSwi0CZD7jHZ7CAPw/s1600/stelladotcom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFvGycYE_vRvwzWrQHGcz9RPAJ1BymBAy886mVSgaFEEpZzfRcEkkr8ubsdiSl1dTh36oDwSLVR1GpZHaWmhyphenhyphenmr11sNU07oLjDHiPv8gZ2jSwOzQ-VDamMwHwqCOSwi0CZD7jHZ7CAPw/s320/stelladotcom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Necklace by <a href="http://www.stelladot.com/" target="_blank">Stella and Dot</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">BRIDAL-THEME FRAGRANCE BY OSCAR DE LA RENTA</span></b></div>
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Combine hints of mandarin and blossoms with bourbon vanilla and white
musk and you have a uniquely romantic frangrance to wear on your wedding
day!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87flhvcT2Mnt2ibKx8-0hKJNd2cZxFQ766_0ynPG0tYfs0u-zZftwYccxqCXbsOlVAV2S17Yd8xEd3vs-eeIfafW_omDP0SPndQfdCAyzZX_DertT_G24rX7GeUhaDmr806pJ6rdC0SU/s400/oscardelarentacom.jpg" width="301" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something Blue by <a href="http://www.oscardelarenta.com/" target="_blank">Oscar De La Renta</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">PERSONALIZED NAIL POLISH AS BRIDESMAID GIFTS</span></b></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Inspired by <a href="http://www.prettypleasenailpolish.com/" target="_blank">Pretty Please</a>
which only ships within the United States, Brides are purchasing super
cute nail polish for their Bridesmaids to wear on the wedding day and
adding their own personal logos and labels onto the bottle as keepsakes.
From "For My Girlz" and "Let's Paint this Town Red Girlfriends!" to a
simple "Thank You" with the Wedding Date, you can't go wrong with
'purdy' personalized nail accessories!</span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK552tvSz3c-sS0G3IXgPhFF2FGnEzbFOD1vufbtH9hHVH-qtv_HQcIt2sbgsfs-9mNOPrjoFHpE8uiC7eB6YlmR_XOk1-RMYuuUtWXhxSDUTkikDcpuXlBiI3orgiJNAI4Z8IEZSaIb4/s400/prettyplease.jpg" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.prettypleasenailpolish.com/" target="_blank">Pretty Please</a> Personalized Nail Polish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">BRIDAL HEADBANDS</span></b></div>
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First came the popularity of the long veil, then came the Birdcage and
Fascinators and now the Headband is hitting hard with its own
'must-have' mentality. From pearls to bling to flowers, headbands are
quickly giving the fascinator a run for its money when it comes to
Bridal fashion.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJeHytL-C_QpIiYShsIdballYINkEGx0ngDvBpcWQG2NLDQKPGYqqjjxXnjNN5T0CTIpBL-Njwp4xLwoug_3N6nyT6GSOdaTY_TAaAScuGK1uyBxCvGhUjrBAq6mo4_LVqZ2kORrks3A/s320/LottieDaDesigns.jpg" width="243" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headband by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/LottieDaDesigns" target="_blank">LottieDaDesigns</a> on Etsy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkJQTIwmBajO-VLDVqUsqkEHFfAuuymtcoKzMsSip70db9Tk3Xo0nC2BPxFWzbkZQtxd9bIjhdvUvbAgNNnYXAsBqZ1YBetqHlrQQCfT_-LAgKfYu1DjPIZprXcZ5ENMikjBaNMSlckc/s320/IngenueB.jpg" width="296" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headband by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/IngenueB" target="_blank">IngenueB</a> on Etsy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">CHUNKY, COLOURFUL NECKLACES</span></b></div>
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Gone are the days of the simple string of pearls. Many Brides today are
opting for sustanance and colour! From layered, coloured pearls to bling
upon bling upon bling, chunky coloured necklaces add that little extra
oomph to wedding day attire.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzX5tupvdB5z791zXh8dR2bO1Sepk_MWmBob37Bu4iWF5GUBGoKv3p4sGmXIt21ZjCFoGJ6ES-Stj7vLP9TLIxBbikBadCX4HDZejkhDBMmtkyQNweCaVmtqfbC5vyiLYVZdUWlSg_oo/s400/PearlJewelryNecklace.jpg" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Layered Pearls by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PearlJewelryNecklace" target="_blank">PearlJewelryNecklace</a> on Etsy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON3_aBQE7Jbipn6Wj2ghGEjCnapfkSpKD3nQ5oHW0oY9D37qTmuVIO8s97d68DPLSLeR-0nVeH5tjFH6jAM4-fi0XT2NIyOfZbKk4J_Gg7v61vMj24Km8y4jXy5aNWTsc9keEGYcvowI/s320/AllThingsTinsel.jpg" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Necklace by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/AllThingsTinsel" target="_blank">All Things Tinsel </a>on Etsy</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGb5Vs2N67Ipp5i5NiwkrweBsIKwt_93t9olYhfi1ZSxzP14jegHbY2FrYiFDaVWZfnseGx7pWiXGSY_v1viv6l9-9YwV8i2WR-Il35dfhfpbu1_X11vmVFo_T7lyBd8bRgE72PajZbik/s320/toppopjewelry.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Necklace by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/TopPopJewelry" target="_blank">Top Pop Jewelry</a> on Etsy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGb5Vs2N67Ipp5i5NiwkrweBsIKwt_93t9olYhfi1ZSxzP14jegHbY2FrYiFDaVWZfnseGx7pWiXGSY_v1viv6l9-9YwV8i2WR-Il35dfhfpbu1_X11vmVFo_T7lyBd8bRgE72PajZbik/s1600/toppopjewelry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGb5Vs2N67Ipp5i5NiwkrweBsIKwt_93t9olYhfi1ZSxzP14jegHbY2FrYiFDaVWZfnseGx7pWiXGSY_v1viv6l9-9YwV8i2WR-Il35dfhfpbu1_X11vmVFo_T7lyBd8bRgE72PajZbik/s1600/toppopjewelry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzX5tupvdB5z791zXh8dR2bO1Sepk_MWmBob37Bu4iWF5GUBGoKv3p4sGmXIt21ZjCFoGJ6ES-Stj7vLP9TLIxBbikBadCX4HDZejkhDBMmtkyQNweCaVmtqfbC5vyiLYVZdUWlSg_oo/s1600/PearlJewelryNecklace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON3_aBQE7Jbipn6Wj2ghGEjCnapfkSpKD3nQ5oHW0oY9D37qTmuVIO8s97d68DPLSLeR-0nVeH5tjFH6jAM4-fi0XT2NIyOfZbKk4J_Gg7v61vMj24Km8y4jXy5aNWTsc9keEGYcvowI/s1600/AllThingsTinsel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-60049995259033835322013-04-11T10:44:00.002-04:002013-04-11T10:44:09.771-04:00CREATIVE WAYS TO USE OLD KEYSSo <a href="http://www.etlofte.com/" target="_blank">This Planner</a> was creeping the internet when I stumbled upon an image of an old key transformed into a supercool cuff bracelet. And I got to thinking...what are some cool ways to incorporate those old keys lying around the house into <b>weddings</b> and <b>events</b>?<br />
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<b>Here are some pretty nifty ideas:</b><br />
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For that Bride and Groom who haven't lived together prior to getting hitched or who still have the keys to their separate dwelling places: place the his and hers key against a colourful backdrop and surrounded by a cute, vintage-esque frame. Why is this cool? It represents the coming together from different places in their lives.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyCdn2oAv6xCLKt2o8xXxl7K9AiESGG0MoF-IYd0b1Ug-cvwADNVakkmqxOBeLDbVAx1tsyvfedfj2m13aFNPZxOkOGp9hyJUracLtAa8YBy3PP0-szqC2qarewBfLd9iCgHE09i5Ojw/s1600/64dd3e6f94b292e8b01349aa73d7c67a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaeab2RFj0TuWvbqhwdR9hxwIaG6qEH22Dj5OFHWZpt6j462aXuKKFBvDH618gscLJjW8sRtV97tQXXSz5Ddjepge9dqxqhzt67KPQXTSXBsoc41kH3qsMht-Ze7PPwX8HdOWPrPvB4o/s320/framedkeys_etsy+designsbyjosette.jpg" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/designsbyjosette" target="_blank">DesignsbyJosette</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaeab2RFj0TuWvbqhwdR9hxwIaG6qEH22Dj5OFHWZpt6j462aXuKKFBvDH618gscLJjW8sRtV97tQXXSz5Ddjepge9dqxqhzt67KPQXTSXBsoc41kH3qsMht-Ze7PPwX8HdOWPrPvB4o/s1600/framedkeys_etsy+designsbyjosette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfig-H0R9q_QbS9autYIAT81q-zn6vemv7FQBvVIP62XUpdKZaTpACl8Qoq8tLTlNA7tDapihi9W7Sg8TW83VOspwWHmOGOhfPvhj9DsZtCEqGWdc9caLepzj0gGLJeKbsnwpiZ_ObIU/s1600/jewelerykeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
For the ladies who want to add that extra oomph to their already-awesome hair-do: sure, you could have a tiara..or a fascinator...or a flower...or a blingy headband...but if you want to add that unique hair accessory, get crafty and bling up the heads of old keys and use them as hair picks?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfig-H0R9q_QbS9autYIAT81q-zn6vemv7FQBvVIP62XUpdKZaTpACl8Qoq8tLTlNA7tDapihi9W7Sg8TW83VOspwWHmOGOhfPvhj9DsZtCEqGWdc9caLepzj0gGLJeKbsnwpiZ_ObIU/s1600/jewelerykeys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfig-H0R9q_QbS9autYIAT81q-zn6vemv7FQBvVIP62XUpdKZaTpACl8Qoq8tLTlNA7tDapihi9W7Sg8TW83VOspwWHmOGOhfPvhj9DsZtCEqGWdc9caLepzj0gGLJeKbsnwpiZ_ObIU/s320/jewelerykeys.jpg" width="240" /> </a></div>
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For the sentimental Bride/Lady/Mom: collect keys from family members (make sure that you have them make a copy first of course!) and gather keys of your own (your old luggage key, your old apartment key, your boyfriend/husband's key, etc) and create a charm bracelet. The keys on the charm bracelet represent everything from your family to your hobbies to different periods of your life. The charm bracelet can be something to wear on your wedding day, a gift to your Mom or even something to pass on to your daughter for her birthday or baptism as an heirloom.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ70wjmg4cELNs58v7lohPpgsu5OmM2hWcdbJpJ-UeY5ojm9GMPV76aEtlWBOi3cmzNG-BZGiVC9uqzv4Wfr0S8CDHKlAQ6HSL6bWqi_-0jGlarHkU1DL4vSTcCbE2I-nQLT_OsuH9tA/s1600/LizonesJewelry_charmbracelet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ70wjmg4cELNs58v7lohPpgsu5OmM2hWcdbJpJ-UeY5ojm9GMPV76aEtlWBOi3cmzNG-BZGiVC9uqzv4Wfr0S8CDHKlAQ6HSL6bWqi_-0jGlarHkU1DL4vSTcCbE2I-nQLT_OsuH9tA/s320/LizonesJewelry_charmbracelet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/Lizones" target="_blank">LizonesJewelry</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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For the wedding: use vintage keys attached to cards via ribbon as a cute escort card idea. In fact, you can use the "key to a happy marriage" concept as a central theme.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNw4oTBQdXN4l4HJm3tGhfl8ncP7YUNczRZdYVX30Lhp-RncmOtca3ymB0CXj0xRj9SrLtkKjUeePvlpAgdp8TIngjA305-tW2XCkQRrVfMaPhzB1CWQ_KwoolqqZlx1pkIkRCXJ8OOU/s1600/katie-headley+and+united-with-love.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNw4oTBQdXN4l4HJm3tGhfl8ncP7YUNczRZdYVX30Lhp-RncmOtca3ymB0CXj0xRj9SrLtkKjUeePvlpAgdp8TIngjA305-tW2XCkQRrVfMaPhzB1CWQ_KwoolqqZlx1pkIkRCXJ8OOU/s400/katie-headley+and+united-with-love.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="http://kateheadley.com/" target="_blank">Katie Headley</a> via <a href="http://www.unitedwithlove.com/" target="_blank">United with Love</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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For the outdoor wedding: windchimes made of keys are nothing new but how you incorporate the idea is something pretty cool. For an outdoor wedding ceremony that's surrounded by trees what would sound prettier and more serene than keys hanging by ribbon from tree branches and tinkling together? No trees? Consider an arbor with hanging keys as a backdrop.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyCdn2oAv6xCLKt2o8xXxl7K9AiESGG0MoF-IYd0b1Ug-cvwADNVakkmqxOBeLDbVAx1tsyvfedfj2m13aFNPZxOkOGp9hyJUracLtAa8YBy3PP0-szqC2qarewBfLd9iCgHE09i5Ojw/s1600/64dd3e6f94b292e8b01349aa73d7c67a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyCdn2oAv6xCLKt2o8xXxl7K9AiESGG0MoF-IYd0b1Ug-cvwADNVakkmqxOBeLDbVAx1tsyvfedfj2m13aFNPZxOkOGp9hyJUracLtAa8YBy3PP0-szqC2qarewBfLd9iCgHE09i5Ojw/s320/64dd3e6f94b292e8b01349aa73d7c67a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">DevianTart</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Whether you're purchasing vintage keys or collecting old, unusable ones from around the home, the possibility for reusing keys for your next event are endless!ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-69053012143418940522013-03-01T11:50:00.001-05:002013-03-01T11:50:25.809-05:00DENION AND JERINA WARM UP THEIR NOVEMBER WEDDING RECEPTION<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><b>All photos by <a href="http://www.matthewkozovskiphotography.com/" target="_blank">Matthew Kozovski Photography</a></b></i></div>
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Jerina and Denion, both Albanian, made yearly trips to <b>Hawaii</b>. In fact, Hawaii was the spot at which Denion popped the big question. And so it only seemed fitting that for their wedding reception, held in November, they incorporated the same feel of their fave vacation spot...without the hula dancers and leis of course.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uTJuZyfieqVvZuZaI5OIrwvB7tXWRFpPTcseTtzgO3XZ1Igj5LOtJXym2wZTr9litOk3uP0vdknIYd4Y4D5IV_fD0vY-_hFG-uzF4xXO7KI1BSu3NQAahyphenhyphenYO9CyXOkRjeDJTl_ql_Ao/s1600/Jerina+&+Denion-70-L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uTJuZyfieqVvZuZaI5OIrwvB7tXWRFpPTcseTtzgO3XZ1Igj5LOtJXym2wZTr9litOk3uP0vdknIYd4Y4D5IV_fD0vY-_hFG-uzF4xXO7KI1BSu3NQAahyphenhyphenYO9CyXOkRjeDJTl_ql_Ao/s400/Jerina+&+Denion-70-L.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Held at the <a href="http://www.themagnoliaeventboutique.com/" target="_blank">Magnolia Event Boutique</a> in Vaughan, Ontario, the reception room contrasted the dreary rainy November weather outside by basking the room in a soft orange "sunset" glow accented by their coral, white and yellow colour scheme.<br />
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As it was difficult to get traditional Hawaiian flowers in November, Jerina and Denion opted for a combination of hydragea, lillies and roses to adorn their tables, arranged by <a href="http://www.ashtoncreative.ca/" target="_blank">Ashton Creative</a>. <br />At each place setting sat orange and yellow luggage tags with traditional Hawaiian greeting scrolled across their front.<br />
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The wedding cake, made by <a href="http://www.andysweddingcakes.com/" target="_blank">Andy's Wedding Cakes </a>and adorned with a blend of orange and yellow cymbidium orchids with white dendrobium orchids, offered a <b>unique wedding cake flavor</b> combo that reflected the taste of Hawaii: coconut with chocolate-caramel filling.<br />
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If there's one thing that Albanians know how to do well at weddings, it would be to PARTY. And that said the food, drinks and entertainment had to be top notch. From the <b>candy-coated martinis</b>, Malibu Coconut Rum and Blue Curacao to the mini crab cakes with lemon garlic aioli, jumbo bamboo shrimp, smoked salmon on potato latkes with creme fraiche and the fourteen ounce grilled veal chop left no belly rumbling. Even the late night table was jam-packed with edible goodness from the butternut squash soup served with mini grilled cheese and an enormous variety of sweets to the watermelon carved with Jerina and Denion's initials. And to add that extra bit of comfort on a cold, rainy November evening, a Hot Cocoa Bar with Marshmallows, Wafer and Cinnamon sticks and whipped cream warmed the guests' insides.<br />
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<a href="http://www.michaelcoombs.ca/" target="_blank">Michael Coombs Entertainment</a> kept the dance floor packed the entire evening with a talented mix of traditional Albanian music and the best of the best in chart topping hits.<br />
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And Jerina and Denion? Little did their guests know that they weren't officially married back in November. But hey, they couldn't wait to celebrate! Jerina and Denion officially tied the knot on <b>12.12.12</b>. <br />
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ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-76400455754530741582013-02-05T14:07:00.001-05:002013-02-05T14:07:08.246-05:00THE REALITY BEHIND REALITY WEDDING SHOWS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're planning a wedding, chances are you've watched at least <i>one</i> <b>reality television wedding show</b>. Whether it's about finding that perfect dress, pulling together a wedding on a budget, dealing with overall craziness or the mishaps that come in the form of a wedding, reality shows can soon become somewhat of a guilty pleasure. Drama, confusion, opinions, cat fights, tons of action...It's like a train wreck from which you just can't peel your eyeballs. And for some couples, having their wedding on the boob tube for all to see, having that spotlight on their big day, is icing on the cake (pardon the pun).<br />
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But there are some things that -- as a couple about to spend a crap load of money on their "big day"-- you need to consider before signing up for a reality wedding show. As someone who comes from a Publicity background, I understand how the media works. And the impact it can have on you and those who watch you on the little screen.<br />
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First, you need to understand that these shows need an audience. To generate an audience and to <i>keep</i> that audience producers need to give them a reason for coming back week after week. So what's the best way to entertain an audience on a continuous basis?<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And loads of it.</span></b></div>
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If you want your wedding day to be drama-free, opening your wedding for all to see may not be the best way to go about it. Because that is what will likely be highlighted. Not all the beautiful, special moments that bring tears to one's eyes. The Drama will take front and center. And for <i>some</i> shows, where there is no drama, they will create it. If that doesn't sound like what you want for your big day, rethink your idea of the spotlight.<br />
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If you don't take criticism well, even in its slightest form, you may want to take notice of how you and your wedding will come across on a reality wedding show. Not everyone will think that being an emotionally-challenged Bride or Groom is cute or funny. Not everyone will think that those remarks you made about someone else's wedding was justified or hell, even <i>nice</i>. And not everyone will think your wedding was as beautiful as you do. So brace yourself for the tweets, the Facebook shares, the comments, the snickers and possibly even the backlash. You can't control an audience's perception of you, your family or your wedding once it's on air.<br />
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Remember that when you're watching reality wedding shows you're not necessarily getting the entire picture. Bad things happen (and even amazing things) that end up on the cutting room floor. Maybe that bitchy comment you made was in reference to something not shown on air. Perhaps that breakdown you had was the end result of months of bickering or, <i>ahem</i>, drama that was cut from the final reel. You can't defend nor explain your actions, comments or how things unfold nor can you control how everything is portrayed. So what gets aired may not be entirely accurate and there's nothing you can say or do about it.<br />
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If you love being in the spotlight, couldn't care less what others think of you or your wedding and seriously can't wait to have your wedding viewed, judged and loved or hated on national TV then reality shows are a great fit for you. If you're reading this blog post and your eyebrows have shot up even once, reality wedding shows may not be the best route.<br />
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Now, I'm not trashing reality wedding shows. I too have watched a few from time to time. But I do believe that couples need to put aside the "TV Star" glamour factor when deciding whether or not to put their wedding out there for all to see and focus on the bigger picture. Because, couples need to remember that every time they watch a reality show and make judgements or comments...<i>even a tiny bit</i>...it could be <i>their </i>wedding that's facing the same...er...reality.<br />
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<b>And... cut.</b><br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-39665753785307465332013-01-15T09:49:00.004-05:002013-01-15T09:49:39.408-05:00WEIGHT LOSS FOR BRIDES (WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXvVLx6f9iwq7JM9oejzGURvKag_ylw9Jaiy_hID6nZcEwiFQZuDqvrXS8oE1FqEnRoR-y_U_HB9juL9Zv6wR4YgHGW3WKY1gr27rqHL7uvqoymglVr1fojuNJGN4KdBHXGbV_Dh2SMY/s1600/brides-magazine-wedding-day-weight-loss-ideas-real-bride-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXvVLx6f9iwq7JM9oejzGURvKag_ylw9Jaiy_hID6nZcEwiFQZuDqvrXS8oE1FqEnRoR-y_U_HB9juL9Zv6wR4YgHGW3WKY1gr27rqHL7uvqoymglVr1fojuNJGN4KdBHXGbV_Dh2SMY/s400/brides-magazine-wedding-day-weight-loss-ideas-real-bride-001.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.brides.com/" target="_blank">Brides Magazine</a></i></td></tr>
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Let me preface this blog post with the following:<br />
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<b>1. I am not a nutritionist, personal trainer or weight loss expert. </b><br />
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<b>2. I'm not here to sell you anything. If you want the latest fad diet you've come to the wrong blog girlfriend.</b></div>
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<b>3. I am not a naturally fit girl. My natural size is somewhere between chunky and squishy.</b></div>
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I would imagine that this blog post may ruffle some feathers, raise some eyebrows or roll some eyes, and I'm sure you're probably wondering how an event planner could possibly have anything to say on the subject of weight loss.</div>
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I was inspired to write this post after a few things happened this past week; I received my fourth email from a personal trainer "encouraging" me to send my Brides to them to, quote, "look fabulous in their wedding gown", I had to listen to...er..stomach...a radio ad for plastic surgery targeted at Brides while driving, and I've had a couple of clients mention the latest fad diet they're going to attempt in order to lose wieght for their wedding.</div>
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<b>So here are my thoughts on what I think every Bride out there needs to know about weight loss for their wedding.</b></div>
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Everyone, and I mean <i>everyone</i> wants to look fabulous for any celebration at which they are the guest of honor. It's understandable, quite common and weddings are the epidomy of this. I mean think about it -- that anticipation of walking down that aisle with all eyes on you...that anxiety and desperate need of knocking your hubby-to-be's socks off... well, it's enough for any gal to run to the latest Liquid-Nothing Diet.</div>
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But here's the one thing that I want Brides to think about...and I mean, <i>really</i> think about...what do you want your "audience" to notice more: how much weight you've lost or how <i>happy</i> and beautiful you look? 'Cause I'll give you a hint -- one of them doesn't require weight loss. You want to look like YOU on your wedding day...and if that YOU comes with rolls and jiggles so be it. No friend or family member is going to watch you strut down that aisle in that <i>ah</i>-mazing gown covered in bling and think to themselves "You know, she would be even more of a beautiful bride if she just lost ten pounds". You're probably snickering at this. Know why? Because it's TRUE. </div>
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And as far as knocking your man's socks off at the altar... you knocked his socks off the day he met you, remember? Imperfections and all. He already thinks you are the most beautiful woman in the world and what's <i>really</i> on his mind when you're walking down that aisle is how incredibly lucky he is to have landed such an awesome babe like you. Remember that this guy has seen you at your worst...your most bloated day, that day you spent vomitting, whatever. Do you really think that losing a few pounds (or a lot) is going to change how he views you? He loves you for YOU. Not how you look in that gown. </div>
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Oh, and speaking of gowns...order the right size and you don't have to worry about suffering through that cleanse two weeks before your wedding day. Don't place the "hopeful" order, place the "truth" order. Knowing your dress is two sizes smaller than your natural rib cage is not going to motivate you to lose weight (trust me on this one ladies). All it will do is stress you the hell out.</div>
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Now that I've thrown in a little dose of reality, I'm positive that there are Brides reading this saying to themselves "Well I'm not just doing it for the wedding, I want to lose weight for good"...If that's the Scout's Honor truth than good on ya babe! But here's the thing...you have to understand that fad diets, magic pills and the like will only help you shed poundage quickly and short term. If you're dead serious about getting healthy and fit you have to be prepared to make a lifestyle change. What does that mean? It means that whatever path you embark on will NEVER END. This is it. You're doing it for life. Which means you have to do to your research and find that path that will best work for you...not for right now, but for always. If you joined a gym, you will continue going to the gym long after the wedding day. If you started eating healthy foods, you're eating that way for life. Your personal trainer will become your best friend. The inside of your fridge will forever be colourful. McDonalds will miss you. You get the idea. </div>
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You also have to be mentally (and emotionally) prepared for the fact that lifestyle changes don't make miracles happen overnight. You won't necessarily see the weight plummet in a few weeks. It could take months. Maybe even a year or more to see results. And that's OK. Why? Because no matter how long the journey takes, you'll feel better, healthier, more energetic through every part of it. And THAT, my Brides to be, is what will give you that beautiful glow. Not whatever magic potion you drank this morning (or what Doctor with a scapel tells you.) </div>
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Lifestyle changes are not easy. They're hard work. They take patience, dedication and a positive outlook no matter what pitfalls you may encounter in the process. It's for life. </div>
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The main point is this: if you want to lose weight, do it because you want to make a positive lifestyle change -- because you want to <i>feel</i> like the Godess that your future hubby sees right now. And you want to feel that way now and for always. NOT because you want to fit some mold of what you or the media think a Bride should look like...and for just one day. Be YOU. Be the woman that your man fell in love with, the lady that your family and friends love more than anything, the Bride strutting her stuff in her wedding dress with the body she has and the happy glow she just aquired because it's her wedding day and she's happy dammit.</div>
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<b>Now go rock that walk down the love-glazed runway and marry the man of your dreams...as YOU. Jjiggles and all.</b></div>
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ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-49971337013496082992013-01-08T15:14:00.003-05:002013-01-08T15:14:46.861-05:002013 WEDDING TRENDSOut with the old and in with the new! 2013 is upon us and with it comes a boat load of new trends for the Wedding Industry. While we're not personally big on instilling trends into the weddings we plan, we still keep track of what's going on out there. Because hey, if something becomes a trend, it's because it's <i>hot</i>. And we love hot stuff. Really. After all, we love the challenge of taking a trend and tweaking it just enough so that it's new and original.<br />
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So what's in store for Brides and Grooms getting hitched in 2013?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">BRAND SPANKIN' NEW COLOURS</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGuY70h5c2v_OwI-z8MvjhlIz1z1Z_ud0mwfruQ4r6xwwE0UJa_fMmIFCInlRvE8lKKe6jq0OWiNFhjIBuVvhI5A-dAsoqvsVzAdtg-DaGT-9brumSBY5Ws2TMwBQ1r66PxgP8NC1Q3M/s1600/Pantone-colors-spring-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGuY70h5c2v_OwI-z8MvjhlIz1z1Z_ud0mwfruQ4r6xwwE0UJa_fMmIFCInlRvE8lKKe6jq0OWiNFhjIBuVvhI5A-dAsoqvsVzAdtg-DaGT-9brumSBY5Ws2TMwBQ1r66PxgP8NC1Q3M/s400/Pantone-colors-spring-2013.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.pantone.com/" target="_blank">Pantone</a></i></td></tr>
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A few short months ago Pantone released its top colour choices for Spring 2013 and I have to admit, I'm a big fan of some of them. First up, the steely blue section with "Monaco Blue and Dusk Blue". They're my faves. Crisp, sophisticated and amazing to pair with other colours. You also have the jewel tones in there as well with "Grayed Jade" and "Emerald" to provide rich tones to your wedding.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">GANGNAM STYLE FLASH MOBS</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYu6PyzeVfCg4spEd20sd5wN2FXCUD7qcahrRYRS42JXiWHBobmFBDvGsPEtqs9ACn1SseQtOnH5Z6-yn-M_KsP50kDctT9kPpkrS5JXTPz2x0IS3TguQdkwgim1B-69nV5IkWZo6wNmI/s1600/Psy-Gangnam-Style-008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYu6PyzeVfCg4spEd20sd5wN2FXCUD7qcahrRYRS42JXiWHBobmFBDvGsPEtqs9ACn1SseQtOnH5Z6-yn-M_KsP50kDctT9kPpkrS5JXTPz2x0IS3TguQdkwgim1B-69nV5IkWZo6wNmI/s400/Psy-Gangnam-Style-008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Flash Mobs aren't really new. And personally, <a href="http://www.etlofte.com/" target="_blank">This Planne</a>r is really over the trend. But I'm pretty sure what we'll see surfacing this year are Wedding Parties and guests banding together to create Flash Mobs dancing the infamous moves to none other than the You Tube sensation "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH1XGdu-hzQ" target="_blank">Gangnam Style</a>". <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">THE GREAT GATSBY</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEOyXW-mIbZK25NfgeewRAEJsRVAstoSoIm4xsJFdn3vwYflYt89Eb920IwYEW8s3WwGHppv6T3hmWulvBB0sVo3rKJzJXw4RYbmXI49lTDzpyjhu0GvrnG1PhknoGUIxkuGVAjAZwWw/s1600/gatsby's_party.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEOyXW-mIbZK25NfgeewRAEJsRVAstoSoIm4xsJFdn3vwYflYt89Eb920IwYEW8s3WwGHppv6T3hmWulvBB0sVo3rKJzJXw4RYbmXI49lTDzpyjhu0GvrnG1PhknoGUIxkuGVAjAZwWw/s400/gatsby's_party.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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With the up and coming theatre release of the new version of The Great Gatsby I have no doubt in my mind that this theme is going to be the most requested for weddings. Zuit suits, skull caps, wide-brimmed hats, flapper-inspired gowns and feathers galore will be popping up in weddings across the globe.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">LIVE-STREAMING</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtqByBU0OylXqoJ9QzPFmH5x3pKxymzJeVvhUJaq8lRvnwXnknOOMEkPiS0VDhyphenhyphenbdi_-G32HgxgmeE2hrHuS-yIaSScoVh1WGmDF1A5NJ1OpFgbZtwqb9DLH50RJ5Z8quuD68eYLE17Q/s1600/slider-bg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtqByBU0OylXqoJ9QzPFmH5x3pKxymzJeVvhUJaq8lRvnwXnknOOMEkPiS0VDhyphenhyphenbdi_-G32HgxgmeE2hrHuS-yIaSScoVh1WGmDF1A5NJ1OpFgbZtwqb9DLH50RJ5Z8quuD68eYLE17Q/s400/slider-bg1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.etherelive.com/site/home" target="_blank">E There Live</a></i></td></tr>
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With new technology abound, couples can now rest easy when those they love can't make it to the nuptuals. With Live Streaming, no-show guests can follow the action online and virtually take part in the festivities. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>VIDEO BOOTHS</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHp5WvViqvT0KpQ5bKEkmulEbhE_O61f-2ttbI_wNr4AaEi7w3z_46HnlBToiY-tFDlJTq83uJsQo0WXAqTTrDwW8B9nB5VuJrggEZ8YUtXyEhdLgfIGrNhJLBYUI7ET9Z3OKw71f_4A/s400/soapbox-booths.jpg" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.soapboxbooths.com/video-booths/" target="_blank">Soapbox</a></i></td></tr>
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Photo booths were all the rage for weddings in 2011 and 2012 and while I don't forsee them dying out completely I do see a change in focus from the photo booths to video booths. Rather than using photo booths as favors, couples will be utilizing video booths as an alternative to the traditional guestbook and receiving video messages from their guests that they'll cherish for years to come. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">VIP LOUNGE AREAS</span></b><br />
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Lounge-style wedding receptions will continue to populate the wedding trend list but what I predict we'll see much more of are "VIP Lounge Areas" set up at weddings that follow the traditional table seating format. These Lounge Areas will provide guests a place in which they can kick back and relax during the party/dancing portion of the evening without having to leave the main room. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">LACE AND FEATHERS</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHbN7A9wyuUWQdClGxd9mAfKtsXZpyMWfIjsMSqvRaJv4ej_FQ9lDWsfl5vnBnHHs-j7NRB-O-VibTSLmQVOY4SYtsOFVvUHGIBS9c8CFViiuwl9qTeHrsm1wwixASNYKCvudV6zHX9Q/s200/valencienne+lace-wedding-dresses.jpg" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photos courtesy of <a href="http://www.valencienne.com/" target="_blank">Valencienne</a> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhIDiYGVua_QdylqP_eSxZ0tN-gLu3oN84hnZDW4jW7fl2NIEcg4IQHh9G3ofvVWEvNHW_vQInJpEIPmxjvBeUFdjLqJRYjLLnF7DmdpNkY2xYwJjvvWGOwWKNAEYLJnqcC8MSg1Yu5c/s1600/feather+dress+aminamichelecom.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhIDiYGVua_QdylqP_eSxZ0tN-gLu3oN84hnZDW4jW7fl2NIEcg4IQHh9G3ofvVWEvNHW_vQInJpEIPmxjvBeUFdjLqJRYjLLnF7DmdpNkY2xYwJjvvWGOwWKNAEYLJnqcC8MSg1Yu5c/s320/feather+dress+aminamichelecom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of </i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.aminamichele.com/" target="_blank">Amina Michele</a> </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOR8_BiPrQ4qQ7xjf6hpfSrIoIJ2ln_taAz_8_KwjSno8NiAXH67L8j9Tj5Ampp40H0fEId3V9hds1d54NA8EFaiKAqqnVaOO023pmqbdadA1cLCR995acngrYyVCpIvpnpQ-hGbVlF4/s200/aminamichelecom.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of </i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.aminamichele.com/" target="_blank">Amina Michele</a> </span></i></td></tr>
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From menu embellishments, hair accessories, bouquets and fashion to chair accessories and linens, lace and feathers are on the up and up on the trend list. Perhaps it's a throwback to The Great Gatsby era as mentioned above or perhaps it's just the combination of sophistication, delicateness and whimsy, but I'm sure you'll see lace and feathers popping up in all things weddings this year.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">PATTERNS AND PRINTS</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-o7b-P6RGJwnRbaoDHCE4C_QWJM9EKQ_aKaPzWG0tkLs6PwIfP-oSazmcv8A6t-6a39YPjeDLBPud65MB7TSPT2OENs-whuAieojv5Q_AUXC45tKMBkqNYpervXnob9_BfbbdodIymc/s320/alfredangelocom+patterned+dresses.jpg" width="241" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.alfredangelo.com/" target="_blank">Alfred Angelo</a></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9ndW2U8aZy9BJ2QYI1Q_XOEHZgyfS_f-bsT-VcygNBAfVOj6kPtwZQEqDw9j0ao6yskI9hu34L2hQTiUJUlxxWi__csm_OF8irY2OJPQ0RU8mZi6pUgMVrROCjbDZXDmGN2JBpgiTKw/s320/brillianteventplanningcom+printed-tablecloth.jpg" width="239" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.brillianteventplanning.com/" target="_blank">Brilliant Event Planning</a></i></td></tr>
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Equal to that of lace and feathers, patterns and prints are on the rise for this year. Linens, Bridesmaid dresses, wedding gowns and chair covers will all adopt fresh new patterns or bold prints, setting themselves apart from the usual solid colour tones. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">BOLD-COLOURED WEDDING GOWNS</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.verawang.com/" target="_blank">Vera Wang</a></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.weddinginspirasi.com/" target="_blank">Wedding Inspirasi</a></i></td></tr>
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This past year was the year for Blush. Wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses and shoes featuring this shade all had their bask in the wedding glow. But this year, bold is back. And we're not talking hints of colour either. From the richness of royal blue to the blaze of fiery red, wedding gowns are taking the aisle back by storm and moving the audience reaction from "awww" to "holy cow!".<br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-12225345430532373392012-12-14T09:00:00.000-05:002012-12-14T09:58:54.854-05:00ET LOFTE EVENTS' TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS..ER...EVENTS: Part Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So we've shared our top six favourite wedding and event ideas this Holiday Season in Part One of Et Lofte Events' Twelve Days of Christmas/Events. And without furthur adeu, here is Part Two with the other half of our fave concepts and ideas:<br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large;"><strong>5</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>NON-TYPICAL ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS</strong></span><br />
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We've all become accustomed to seeing a couple's engagement photos on display at weddings. These photos are usually of the couple looking adoringly into each other's eyes in picturesque settings whether urban, nature-inspired or with archetectural interest. What we don't see however, is the couple in their natural surroundings. Why not have engagement photos taken of the couple doing things that they love to do together -- from the mundane to the extreme. Whether it's something fun like a shot of them in the movie theatre sharing popcorn, working out together in a gym or challenging each other with a video game on the comfort of their own couch -- <a href="http://www.etlofte.com/" target="_blank">This Planner</a> thinks that these photos share that rare insight into the couple's true coupledom and give guests something to talk about.<br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large;"><strong>4</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>METALLIC COLOUR COMBINATIONS</strong></span><br />
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Bright, bold colour combos, soft palates and deep, rich tones are amazing to see at weddings and events. The use of metallics is even more amazing. We love pairing the cool, crisp colours of steel blue with jade or metallic gold with a rich berry. What makes these metallics even more amazing is their ability to adapt to any season -- steel blue and jade can make for an icy, wintery feel or a modernist, sophisticated summer soiree. Gold and berry can make the holidays bright or add a bit of haute to an already hot event. <br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large;"><strong>3</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>UNIQUE BRIDAL ACCESSORIES</strong></span><br />
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The Royal Wedding brought about an influx in unique fascinators for weddings and events. Almost every gal out there jumped onto that bandwagon and it has now become a fashion staple. What we're loving however, are Brides that are choosing more unique accessories to accompany their wedding gowns. From chunky bracelets, fake tattoo designs or words scrolled on their exposed skin and the wildest of hair accessories to bold anklets exposed when wearing high-low wedding gowns and bouquets made from unique materials, Brides are finding unique ways to accessorize and make a statement and we love it!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Photos courtesy of <a href="http://www.offbeatbride.com/" target="_blank">OffBeat Bride</a> (left) and <a href="http://www.parantparant.se/" target="_blank">Parant Haute Couture</a> (right)</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large;"><strong>2</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>VIP LOUNGE AREAS</strong></span><br />
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We love lounge-style weddings and events where the typical table rounds are replaced by couches and coffee tables, but the concept of lounges seem to be all or nothing. We love a combination of the two. If your function does incorporate the typical table rounds for dinner, why not set up lounge areas of couches and coffee tables in the corners of the room to give your event that certain 'je ne sais quois'. Whether simply a place for guests to chill during the party portion of the evening or upping the ante with a speciaty drink served to each lounge area, the VIP Lounge concept makes guests feel just a little bit special while adding class and sophistication to your event.<br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large;"><strong>1</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>UNIQUE HOLIDAY PARTIES</strong></span><br />
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Hosting a holiday season party doesn't mean that you have to go with the typical festive themes like Ugly Sweater Parties or Tree Decorating. Why not take it one step in a different direction by hosting a "Breakfast with Santa" complete with reindeer shaped pancakes and a visit from Jolly Old Nick himself instead of the usual dinner party? Or make your party one notch more interactive and host a "Twelve Days of Christmas" party where guests partake in a Scavenger Hunt for items in the song hidden in your neighborhood. Follow this fun, day-long event with a bon fire, carols and serve up marshmellows with hot cocoa. With so many holiday parties happening this time of year, make yours the talk of the season.<br />
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So there you have it -- our twelve days of Chistmas featuring some of our fave concepts and ideas for weddings and events. What are yours?<br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-44488259047154432462012-12-11T15:09:00.001-05:002012-12-11T15:24:35.586-05:00ET LOFTE EVENTS' 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS...ER...EVENTS: Part One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas is almost upon us and so This Planner thought she'd share 12 of her favourite things to incorporate into weddings and events! So sit back with a hot cup of cocoa and enjoy Part One of Et Lofte Events' 12 Days of Christmas/Events!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>12</b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">UNIQUE CUISINE COMBINATIONS</span></b><br />
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Pair completely different cultural cuisines to give your guests that "to-die-for" culinary experience. Whether it's Italian with Asian like Risotto infused with wasabi or ginger or French with Asian with Pan-seared sweetbread with veal and ancho chili dumplings served with Sichuan pickled relish, opting for uniquely paired cuisine will create that perfect party on the palate.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>11</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>PERFUME/COLOGNE BARS</b></span><br />
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What is a better, more interactive way to pass the time during a cocktail function/hour than to make your own, personalized cologne or perfume? This Planner first saw the concept while reading about Shannon Doherty's wedding and was super stoked to see that <a href="http://www.myaromachology.com/" target="_blank">Aromachology</a> here in Toronto offers this service to wedding bliss everywhere. Guests get to create custom-created perfumes and personalized colognes at an on-site, pretty boutique-like set-up and store their wizardry in a bottle customized to the couple.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>10</b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">AWESOME SEND-OFFS AT WEDDINGS</span></b> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo Courtesy of <a href="http://www.theknot.com/" target="_blank">The Knot</a></i></td></tr>
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Once upon a time, the Bride and Groom didn't stay until the end of their wedding reception. Well, they stayed almost to the end, but then they changed their outfits, said their good-byes and were sent off to their honeymoon with cheers from their loved ones. I love it when couples reach back to the good ol' days and reserrect this concept. But I love it even more when they arrange their departure with a bang! Sure you can go for the more common send-off via fireworks or crowds of guests waving sparklers or you can go for the more dramatic affect such as guests forming two long lines, each holding lit candles to create a lit pathway for their exit or a marching band leading the way out.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ART GALLERY-STYLE WEDDING RECEPTIONS</b></span><br />
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Ok, so having your wedding reception in an art-gallery is nothing new. In fact, it's a quite popular locale for sleek, modernist, intimate weddings. However, what we're loving right now is incorporating the concept of the Art Gallery as a means of personalizing weddings. Forgo the typical slideshow la-di-da and picture your wedding in a stark white or stone-walled room with oversized black and white photographs of your relationship and personal family histories on display on the walls throughout. Something to look at, something to talk about and definitely a subtle, yet striking touch.<br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large;"><b>8</b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">UNIQUE CAKE FLAVORS</span></b><br />
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Don't just go for the uber glamorous cake at your next function, take it one step further and match it with a flavor combo that's simply divine. Sure you can go the typical red velvet or ganache but why not stray from the ordinary and choose flavors that make you go "huh?" and "yum!" at the same time. From the sweet surprises like coconut with caramel/chocolate mousse a la <a href="http://www.andysweddingcakes.com/" target="_blank">Andy's Wedding Cakes</a> to the wild and crazy like raspberry lemonade, the possibilities are endless!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>7</b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">HAND-PAINTED SHOES</span></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.figgieshoes.com/" target="_blank">Figgie Shoes</a></span></i></div>
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There is nothing more awesome than pairing a cute party dress or wedding gown with the ultimate in gorgeous shoes. What's even better is having customized, hand-painted shoes! We love that <a href="http://www.figgieshoes.com/" target="_blank">Figgie Shoes</a> ships globally and whether pretty and posh or fun and funky, there's nothing that this artist can't do to personalize your tootsies! <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>6</b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">WARM COCKTAIL STATIONS</span></b><br />
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Ok, having a cappucino, esspresso or hot chocolate station isn't exactly unique. It's fun and cute, but not unique. So we're loving the twist on the typical by having a station towards the end of your festive soiree that offers up a variety of warm cocktails. Think drinks like Hot Toddy's, Hot Cafe Denis (coffee, kahlua and Baileys), Hot Peppermint Patties, Hot Buttered Whiskey or even as far out as Bloody Bulls (grey goose, warmed bloody mary mix and a dash of beef broth). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AD9qqA5zeic9XR678ISzCn6Y8en-XUMmbUVm58rJPiqVu-Nljrj702x10SdMEO6fw2qbtkHN9K_NIkFKgrwj16XF0xNJV3E5FPFPrmQ7Xm6bqz-rkLCTEOLNlmDBkYL5SM70b51mGKU/s400/4060_120408_candycane_xl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtsey of <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/" target="_blank">Martha Stewart</a></i></td></tr>
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Stay tuned for Part Two of our 12 Days of Christmas/Events!<br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-45020299905433890752012-12-05T12:08:00.000-05:002012-12-05T12:08:13.096-05:00UNIQUE CHRISTMAS WEDDING IDEAS<br />
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The holidays are among us and in addition to the usual fa-la-la, some couples choose this festive time of year to get married. But Christmas weddings don't have to always be winter wonderlands or holly. I'm sure you've already seen our fave<a href="http://www.etlofte.blogspot.ca/2011/12/winter-themed-event-do-it-charles.html" target="_blank"> unique Christmas Wedding Theme</a> for 2011. And we'd love to share some of our other ideas but this year we thought we'd put the call out to our fabulous <a href="http://www.facebook.com/etlofteevents" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/et_lofte_events" target="_blank">Twitter</a> pals to see just how creative they can get with unique details for Christmas Weddings. We got a ton of responses and are more than merry to share some of the best here:<br />
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<b>"Rustic winter...fau fur carpets under the tables and furs on the back of the chairs, some sort of fire log centerpiece, antlers on the wall...log cabin feel...with a fire place, bon fire smoked hors d'ouevres...favors wrapped as gifts...and a Christmas tree in the middle of the dance floor. Have a game where people dance around it and can win a prize" </b><i>-- Renee Ferguson</i><br />
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<b>"Nightmare Before Christmas theme...you could do really bloody or more cartoony like the film. Black and white...sparkly..."</b> -- <i>Erika Anne Dumencu </i><br />
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<b>"A chestnut roast!" </b>-- <i>Cassiopeia Leigh</i><br />
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<b>"55 ft fir tree with lights and a real live manger underneath!"</b> - <i>@JaniceLynnLewis </i><br />
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<b>"A giant gingerbread house in lieu of a cake. Intricately decorated of course. A mass kris kringle exchange would be awesome too depending on the crowd."</b> -- <i>Nadia Frappa Oppedisano</i><br />
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<b>"A Santa area where the adult guests get to sit on Santa's lap, tell them what they want for Christmas and get a photo taken with him as a wedding keepsake. Seriously, how often do WE get to do that?"</b> -- <i>@et_lofte_events </i><br />
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<b>"Who-ville [theme]. There are Dr. Suess Christmas village houses
available. You could use one house per table for a centerpiece or
surrounding a wedding cake. The couple can use the houses as part of
their [holiday] home decorations after the wedding. Or a Hawaiian
wedding 'Mele Kalikimaka'! "</b> -- <i>Louise Drinnan </i><br />
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<b>"Santa's Village Theme: servers dressed as elves, milk and cookie shots garnished with cookie [crumbs], female servers dressed as reindeer (antler headbands, red poofs for tails) on hoops suspended from the ceiling pouring champagne by the bar, DJ dressed as Santa?"</b><br />
-- <i>Deanna Ouzounis</i><br />
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<b>"A Cake truffle tower where they are rolled in coconut so it looks like a pile of snow balls"</b><br />
-- <i>@dessertxdesign </i><br />
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Think YOU can top these ideas? Let's hear 'em! <br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-82273705238097864462012-10-16T12:52:00.001-04:002012-10-16T12:52:32.777-04:00WHO DO I TIP: WEDDING EDITION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As a <b>Wedding Planner</b>, I often get asked by clients who in their vendor list should receive tips. The question is a reasonable one. In fact, that my clients understand that tipping their vendors -- while not a requirement -- should be a major consideration, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.<br />
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<b>Here is the short answer:</b> Anyone, and I mean ANYONE who has provided a SERVICE with regards to your wedding should be tipped, if you are HAPPY with the service provided.<br />
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It doesn't matter if the service was for an hour or for a year, nor does it matter if you paid a discounted rate or an exhuberant fee. (<i>Would you not tip your waiter at a fancy restaurant just because you already paid for a fancy meal?</i>) Bottom line is that if your Wedding Professional provided a service and you're thrilled with the outcome, TIP.<br />
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Now, unlike many other blogs, articles and web sites out there, I'm not going to sit here and lay out monetary suggestions, percentages or materialistic ideas. Yes, when it comes to things like monetary tips, there may be amounts to which many of us are accustomed. But those amounts are not mandetory, they're <i>suggestions</i>. In my humble opinion, whatever you can afford as a tip for your wedding professional is acceptable, and again, at your discretion. After all, tipping is a way to show your appreciation for a job well done.<br />
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If you tip your Wedding Professionals, they know that you were happy with their service and truly appreciate all their hard work. If you don't, no matter how much praise you heap upon them, they'll likely spend many sleepless nights wondering what the heck they could have done wrong to make you not appreciate their efforts (<i>and they likely will, because hey, no Wedding Professional is going to call you up and say "Hey, so I noticed that you didn't give me a tip..."</i>)<br />
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Now understandably, if your Wedding Professional, such as your venue or caterer for example, has Gratuity already incorporated into the contract, you don't have to provide an additional tip. And obviously, if you're NOT happy with the service, tipping would be out of the question (<i>which is why you typically offer tips after the service has been rendered</i>). But if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands and tip your vendors.<br />
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OK, OK, for those of you who really want a list of Wedding Professionals that should be considered for tipping, here is a rough idea, in no particular order:<br />
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<b>Food/Beverage Professionals</b> (<i>IF gratuity is not already included in the contract</i>)<br />
-- this includes Catering/Banquet Managers, Servers and Bartenders<br />
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<b>Any Venue Attendants</b><br />
-- including Valet, Coat Room and Bathroom<br />
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<b>Wedding Planner</b><b> </b><br />
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<b>Florist/Floral Designer</b><br />
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<b>Decorator</b><br />
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<b>Photographer</b><br />
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<b>Videographer</b><br />
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<b>Entertainment </b>-- including ceremony musicians/singers, cocktail hour musicians/singers, DJ, Band, special performers, etc<br />
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<b>Cake Designer</b><br />
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<b>Stationary Designers </b>(IF your stationary was custom designed)<b> </b><br />
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<b>Transportation</b> <br />
<b> </b>-- limos, limo buses, taxi cabs, corporate cards, exotic cars, etc.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Hair & Make-up</b><br />
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<b>Officiant/ Minister/Clergy Member/Church </b>(for Church's tips are normally in the form of a donation)<br />
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ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-30381253150835357512012-10-10T14:09:00.002-04:002012-10-10T14:29:21.893-04:005 MAJOR PARTY PLANNING MISTAKES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So you've got a party in mind. Maybe it's your child's Birthday Party, or an engagement soiree or a special gathering to commemorate a milestone in your life. Congrats! Now begins the wonderful blend of tediousness and fun in creating a party that you believe is going to be the best one to happen in 2012!<br />
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Before you roll up your sleeves and get crackin', here are 5 Major Party Planning Mistakes that you will want to avoid. (Oh yes I could go on forever but I have only have a word count to adhere to...or try to adhere to anyhow):<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. THEMES THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY THOUGHT OUT</span></b><br />
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When deciding on a theme for your party -- whatever the celebration -- make sure you really think it through. Will it excite your guests? Is it suitable for the celebration? Will the guest of honor like it? For example, while Planning an "Over the Hill" Birthday party for your family member or dear old pal might seem like a fun idea and, of course, the theme has the best (humorous) intentions, you have to consider the feelings of that person who has to sit through it. Maybe they're NOT OK with turning a ripe old age. Maybe they've been dreading this moment their entire life. And now they have to grin and bear a party that blatantly throws that fact in their face and pretend that it doesn't bother them. <br />
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That Tackle-Football themed party (complete with tackle-football game) or Ultimate Frisbee party may seem like a wild and awesome party to your college buddies...to your older or less physically capable friends or family...not so much.<br />
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Properly thinking through a thematic concept by keeping your guests, your guest of honour and the logistics in mind will help you create that party of the year...in a good way, rather than "THAT party of the year" in a bad way.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. BAD HOSTS/HOSTESSES</span></b><br />
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This might leave you scratching your head a bit so let me explain. If you are the host of a party, relying on your guests to get the party started is a really, really bad idea. Your guests are arriving expecting to be entertained. Not the other way around. Whether it's chatting up your guests, breaking out the Karaoke or Rock Band or...eek...introducing an Icebreaker Game, it's up to YOU to get that party rockin'.<br />
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Hiding out in the kitchen prepping food/drinks is not the model for a good host/hostess either. As the host you should be making your guests feel welcome and mingling among them. If you have to enlist the help of others -- professionally or family/friend related -- then do so. If there's two of you hosting a party then take turns throughout the night as the kitchen maid and the host.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. SENDING OUT INVITATIONS TOO LATE OR TOO EARLY (YES THAT'S POSSIBLE)</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3YRgfhyphenhyphengMB29j0dh6_2hkwzn1e-sPAtkX0t5Lx19epVAaib_uXOXEX0oGulNsrf8seORWwG-beYIORJYbLUvvBU0tEfxC95tO2o6sGRp3j9QBhAfeSos2y0n3XDTdkyFmFyaBCN-C6Y/s1600/clock_ticking.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3YRgfhyphenhyphengMB29j0dh6_2hkwzn1e-sPAtkX0t5Lx19epVAaib_uXOXEX0oGulNsrf8seORWwG-beYIORJYbLUvvBU0tEfxC95tO2o6sGRp3j9QBhAfeSos2y0n3XDTdkyFmFyaBCN-C6Y/s320/clock_ticking.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
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Not giving your guests sufficient time to plan in attending your fete is a major boo boo. Your guests need adequate time to sort out their schedules, find babysitting, purchase gifts (if that's what they want to do), arrange transportation, etc. Don't let your invitations be the last thing on your Party Planning To-Do List. It should be one of the first.<br />
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At the same time, giving your guests <i>too much</i> notice of your special gathering can backfire on you as well. Invitations sent too far in advance can be forgotten or misplaced. Here is a rough idea of when you should be sending out invitations (of course this depends on location, etc):<br />
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<b>Birthday/Formal Dinner /Anniversary / Graduation Parties</b> - 3 to 6 weeks<br />
<b>Cocktail Parties</b> - 2 to 4 weeks<br />
<b>Weddings</b> - 8 weeks to three months (local), 6 months (out of town/country)<br />
<b>Bar/Bat Mitzvah</b> - 1 to 2 months <br />
<b>Thanksgiving Parties</b> - 2 weeks to 2 months<br />
<b>Christmas Parties</b> - 1 to 2 months<br />
<b>Housewarming Parties</b> - 1 to 3 weeks<br />
<b>Lunch/Tea Parties</b> - 1 to 2 weeks<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. MAKING THE PARTY LAST <i>FOREVER</i></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7D4h8GtEwP11QZTuSy1nZ4BOZYqqfjA8bBJwsd_47z1qq_mlnDufeVvodar3kKPgPcFKMFTI7nesfp6QUBVE2l5uL-T2p5unztpPi6abcsIR1eXC7Km0zTJY1uv1n1IXmgqKsqTGMtKo/s1600/4713279.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7D4h8GtEwP11QZTuSy1nZ4BOZYqqfjA8bBJwsd_47z1qq_mlnDufeVvodar3kKPgPcFKMFTI7nesfp6QUBVE2l5uL-T2p5unztpPi6abcsIR1eXC7Km0zTJY1uv1n1IXmgqKsqTGMtKo/s320/4713279.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Sure, you never want this day to end. But your guests do.<br />
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Most parties that require a reception such as Weddings, Anniversaries, Bar/Bat Mitzvah typically go for on for 5 -8 hours or more. This is because there is usually a multi-course lunch/dinner followed by dancing set in place. However for parties arranged for Birthdays, etc, it's important to keep in mind your guests' comfort factor, age and, of course, food and entertainment. Remember, the longer the party the more food and entertainment needed.<br />
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Need a rough guideline? The average child's (in-home) Birthday party should be anywhere from 1.5 hours to 2 hours, depending on their age (younger means less time). The average adult (in-home) Birthday party should be anywhere from 2 - 3 hours. The average cocktail reception should be 2 to 4 hours. If you think that most of your guests typically arrive late, add an extra half hour buffer.<br />
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We've all been to that party where there wasn't a clear ending time and it seemed to drag on forever because no one wanted to be the first person to leave. By setting out a clear start and end time and building a proper timeline you'll have happy guests who had a good time and now can go about the rest of their day/evening not feeling guilty for "bailing early".<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. NOT PLANNING AHEAD</span></b><br />
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This is pretty much a staple in planning ANYTHING. You have to think about all the "what if's" that can happen during your soiree or else you could wind up looking like a bad host/hostess, no matter how beyond your reach the situation is. Having a party that involves a backyard BBQ? Plan ahead for increment weather. Having a Birthday Party for your 4 year old? Expect that not all parents are going to drop off their kids and leave (in other words, have adult drinks/munchies on hand!). Assuming that not all your guests are going to come? <i>Forget that noise! </i>Assume that ALL your guests are going to come and if you don't have enough space in your home to accommodate all invited guests, rent out a space somewhere else! Having a lot of guests or want your party to have a huge visual or entertaining impact? Budget appropriately!<br />
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By ensuring that all your i's are dotted and all your t's are crossed you can focus on throwing the best damn party ever instead of staring up at the threatening storm clouds wishing to high heaven you had more than one umbrella in your closet.<br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-74816414739813251512012-08-23T11:17:00.000-04:002012-08-23T11:18:10.026-04:00ET LOFTE EVENTS IS RUNNING FOR A CURE!Today's post isn't about weddings or events. This is a wake up call
about Breast Cancer and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's <a href="http://www.runforthecure.com/" target="_blank">CIBC Run for the Cure</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Before you roll your eyes thinking that this is just another call for fundraising, consider this: </b>Once
upon a time, Breast Cancer was believed to affect women over the age of
40. Today, the statistics are staggering. 1100 women under the age of
40 are being diagnosed with Breast Cancer every year. What's even more
scary is that 62 women in Canada are diagnosed with Breast Cancer <i>every bloody day</i>.
It's not just our Moms, our Grandmothers or our Aunts that are being
hit with this cancer. It's our friends, our sisters...it's ourselves.
It's not just genetic. Only 5 - 10% of cases are caused by genetics. <b>Every woman is at risk no matter age, race or DNA.</b><br />
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<b>Et Lofte Events is taking part in the <a href="http://www.runforthecure.com/" target="_blank">CIBC Run for the Cure</a> on September 30, 2012</b>. I personally will be running my butt off (5 KM ) to raise funds for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. <br />
<br />
Why? Until I personally saw the destruction that Breast Cancer can cause, I
was always non-chalant about it. That perception has changed emmensely. I personally have seen what Breast Cancer can do when it rears it's ugly head. Having been attacked by Breast Cancer <i>twice</i>
my mother struggled through repeated radiation treatments, a double
masectomy and a constant fear of it coming back for a third and last
time. My Mother-in-law has struggled through chemo when Breast Cancer
struck her. I recently have heard from a dear colleague in the wedding
industry that has been hit with Breast Cancer.<br />
<br />
And for me
personally, being a "high" risk candidate for Breast Cancer and
undergoing yearly mammograms and MRIs means always looking over my
shoulder and wondering if this is the year that they will tell me those
four anguish-ridden words:<b> "You have Breast Cancer". </b>So I'm
running for a future where no woman has to live in fear, dread or suffer
under the hideous grip of Breast Cancer. When you donate to the
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation your money goes to research programs,
education and awareness. Genetic screening for example (which made it
possible to discover my high risk of getting Breast Cancer) is just one
of the many incredible programs that have come out of research and
funding.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>This is not just a request for donations. It's a plea for awareness.</b>
Even if you can't donate to the cause, you can promise This Planner
here and now that you will get checked often and be aware. The more
aware you are of this crazy cancer, the better your chances of stopping
it before it hits home. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Let's wipe out Breast Cancer and make pink just another colour again.</b><br />
<br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*statistics taken from cbcf.org and rethinkbreastcancer.com</span></i></div>
ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-44658494731531127412012-08-21T10:59:00.003-04:002012-08-21T11:05:49.294-04:00PANTSUITS FOR BRIDESMAIDS: WHY WE LOVE THEM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Alright I'll say it: I'm not a dress kind of gal. Aside from the fact that I'm more of a tomboy who cringes at the mere thought of not having my legs covered, it's possible that the reason could be that it's difficult for me to find a dress that flatters my figure. Or maybe it's because I hate worrying about runs in my pantyhose (or bunching at the ankles for that matter). Or perhaps it's because I hate worrying about tucking my dress into the said pantyhose. Or that I have the whitest stick legs that would make even Casper the Ghost gasp...whatever.</div>
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Brides that opt for an elegant pantsuit for their nuptials rather than the traditional gown is something that isn't exactly new. Many Brides have embraced the concept and I love that's it's now considered somewhat 'normal' in wedding fashion. Even Mothers of the Bride and Groom have chosen to go the pantsuit route. But what you rarely see are <b>Bridesmaids wearing pantsuits</b>. </div>
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Why is this a rarity? I'm not sure. I can think of <i>at least</i> a dozen women that would be <i>thrilled</i> to walk the ceremony walkway in the comfort and elegance of a beautiful pantsuit, whether it's long and flowing or sleek and chic. Not to mention it would be something that they could wear again...and again...and again...without having to wait for another wedding to come along.</div>
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From uber adorable jumpers to sophisticated slacks to beautifully draped 'onsies', pantsuits are a fashionably chic alternative to the typical Bridesmaid dress (not to mention a comfortable one!).</div>
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<b>But what do YOU think?</b></div>
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-40868528696046448132012-08-02T09:26:00.004-04:002012-08-02T09:29:23.551-04:005 WEDDING PLANNING MISTAKES (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)Wedding planning is no small feat. Trust me, as a <b>Wedding Planner</b> I get it. There are so many details, so many considerations and so many costs to keep in mind, that while weddings are a joyous affair, the physical planning of one can be quite daunting.<br />
<br />
There are five whopping mistakes that I see couples make time and time again. While I wish I could be there to ensure each and every one of them sidestep these mistakes, alas that's not always possible. But you can read them here! And so, here are <b>Five Wedding Planning Mistakes</b> and how you can avoid such boo-boos.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>#1. NOT MATCHING YOUR EXPECTATIONS WITH YOUR BUDGET</b></span><br />
Everyone has a budget -- that magic number that you absolutely don't want to or can't surpass when it comes to pulling together your wedding. And that's OK. Even the most exuberant of weddings with skyscraper budgets have a cap number that they don't want to cross. But that having been said, having a strict budget is one thing. Wanting the world on that said budget is another. We've all heard the old adage "wanting champagne on a beer budget". There's a reason that it's a quote and not reality.<br />
<br />
It's important when you're drafting your budget to take many things into consideration: your guest count, for example, will determine how big a bulk of your budget will be eaten (no pun intended) by your food and beverage costs. The style or formality of your venue will determine how costly or how cost efficient your celebration space will be. Your overall vision will determine whether you will need a variety of rentals like linens or stylish chairs or an exuberant amount of flowers or very little. Get the picture? Then you should go online and do some research. Get an idea of how much things cost. Now look at your budget. Is it realistic? If your budget doesn't match your expectations then you have to grit your teeth and be willing to compromise or sacrifice certain elements to make room for those wedding elements that are most important to you.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">#2. NICKEL AND DIMING YOUR WEDDING PROFESSIONALS</span></b><br />
This follows on the heels of the point above. Chatting with your desired wedding professional about how you can achieve the same look, feel, sound, etc at a lower cost or asking your wedding professional what compromises can be made to lower your costs are one thing. Expecting or trying to bargain with your wedding professionals to give you what you want for what you're willing to pay is another. If the wedding professional you want is out of your budget you have three options: increase your budget, compromise on what you want or find another wedding professional that does fit your budget. Wedding Professionals charge their rates for a reason: talent/skill, overhead costs, time, labour and quality/customer service are among them. Expecting to have all that and at what you're willing to pay is not only disrespectful but unrealistic. If you wouldn't go into a car dealership and expect them to give you a BMW for whatever you were willing to pay, you don't meet with a wedding professional and expect them to do the same. Focus on what your desired wedding professional can do for their rate and not merely the dollar signs.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">#3. HAVING AN "IT'S ALL ABOUT ME" ATTITUDE</span></b><br />
Yes, your family and friends are joining you to celebrate your marriage. No, that doesn't mean that it's necessarily all about you, what you want and again, all about you. At some point there's a line that has to be drawn. Now I'm not talking about having your wedding be a reflection of the two of you as a couple. I'm talking about the "It's my party and I'll do whatever I want no matter how it affects others" attitude. The wedding celebration is about you getting hitched, but how the celebration unfolds is about you <i>and your guests</i>. Just as you would do when hosting a dinner in your home, in a wedding you have an obligation to make your guests feel comfortable, give them a good time and overall show respect. Making your guests wait at the church because you want those extra photos is a no no. Making guests pay for their alcohol (or anything really) at the reception is a no no. Allowing your best friend to bring her baby but not allowing your other guests to bring children to the wedding is a no no. The list goes on and on. Make your wedding as much about pleasing your guests as it is about you and you'll have a wedding that everyone will remember...for all the <i>right</i> reasons.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">#4. NOT HAVING BACK-UP PLANS</span></b><br />
When planning a wedding you have to consider all the "what if's". You have to have a back-up plan for pretty much anything. Having a backyard tented wedding? What if there is a severe thunderstorm? Hiring a DJ? What if his or her equipment breaks down? Hosting your reception on a long weekend? What if there's heavy traffic or a parade or special events happening throughout the city? Having pictures taken outdoors? What if it's raining? Getting around by your own vehicle? What if it breaks down? Always have a back-up plan and take the "what if" into consideration when you're planning all those nifty little wedding details. Check the contracts of your wedding professionals to ensure that <i>they</i> have a back-up plan should they be unable to perform their services on your wedding day. Leave nothing to chance. By having back-up plans you're safeguarding your wedding day from disasters and you'll walk down that aisle with a big chunk of piece of mind.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">#5. HOSTING WHAT YOU (OR OTHERS) THINK A WEDDING <i>SHOULD BE</i> AND NOT WHAT YOU <i>REALLY WANT</i>. </span></b><br />
I see this all the time. Couples read magazines and blogs or watch television programs and come to the conclusion that what they are seeing is how a wedding should unfold or should look like; or they allow outside influences like family to dictate how their wedding should be planned for fear of insult. There are five main things that you should really consider when you're planning your wedding: the overall experience for/comfort of your guests (i.e: the food, the entertainment, the etiquette, etc), your joint personalities reflected in your design, your budget, your religion and/or your culture (if that's important to you) and...wait for it...your marriage!!! Dear Gawd, don't forget why you're there in the first place! Use media sources as <i>inspiration</i>, take the opinions of others as just that, opinions that you can implement or discard, and create a wedding day that you will always fondly remember, not a wedding day that you will, twenty years later, wish you had done differently.<br />
<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-59231585557039948822012-06-20T09:15:00.003-04:002012-06-20T09:20:17.082-04:00SAY NO TO THE WEDDING TREND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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By now I'm sure you know how I personally feel about following
trends, but let's face it, no matter how much I try to avoid them I see, experience and sometimes have to create a different twist on
them to make a client happy.<br />
<br />
Yet there are some trends
that we are sooooo over. And so we thought we'd put a call out to see
what Brides, Grooms and wedding professionals alike had to say about
trends that they've just about had enough of. So here you have it, the top trends that we hope are on their way out of events and weddings:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wedding Trends That We Hope To Never See Again</b></span></div>
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"Butterfly releases" <br />
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<i>"</i>Slideshows of the bride growing up, the groom growing up and their relationship. "<br />
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"Mason jars for vintage weddings"<br />
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"White wedding gowns with red corseted backs" <br />
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"Typewriters or hay bales. Or burlap" <i>@LavishMar</i>y <br />
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"Bubbles during the Recessional"<br />
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"Sand ceremonies, candy buffets, choreographed first dance, slide shows, sage green bridesmaid dresses, see through corsets!" <i>@TeraMacfie</i><br />
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"Uniform Bridal Parties"<br />
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"Paper Lanterns!!!"<br />
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"Chair covers" <br />
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"Selective colouring in photos! (flowers in color, the rest in b&w)" <i>@InBloomPhoto</i><br />
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"Cupcakes"<br />
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"Balloons in centerpieces" <i><-- Et Lofte Events says: oh, oh my...please tell me this still isn't a trend!!!!</i><br />
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"Food trucks"<br />
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"The colour purple and Hydrangeas. There are other colours and flowers around people!" <i>@DeeDeeNewell</i><br />
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"Cash Bars, Loonie-Twoonie Bars" <br />
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"Damask!!!"<br />
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"Unity ceremonies - only done because it's "nice" to add
to the ceremony. A unity ceremony should be poignant and personal.
Buying a vase and some coloured sand isn't personal". <i>- Louise McAllister-Drinnan</i><br />
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"Weddings in barns"<br />
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"The colour tangerine. I know it's 'in' right now but it only looks good in decor. Tangerine is <i>not </i>a flattering colour <i>on anyone</i> people! - " <i>@et_lofte_events</i> <br />
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"Centerpieces on mirrors"<br />
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<i></i>"LED lights in centerpieces" <br />
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<b>Have a trend that you would prefer to be left in the past or disagree with any of the items listed above? Add your own comment!</b><br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-806758409022301022012-06-12T10:27:00.004-04:002012-06-12T10:28:52.369-04:00THREE SUPER COOL CHILDREN'S PARTY THEMES (AND WHY WE LOVE THEM)Coming up with a children's party theme that's both wildly entertaining and a cinch to pull off can be a daunting task for any parent. Just the mere thought of a handful (or more) of kids running around your house, each needing to be entertained, fed, attended to and likely thinking (if not blurting out loud) how much fun that party is or how much 'funner' that other kid's party was. <br />
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So we thought we share some of our favourite <b>Children's Party Themes</b>, ideas for making them the best party <i>ev-ah</i> and why we think they're good choices for your wee one.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">THE WIZARD OF OZ THEME</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsSHl99J8mR_rYadVgCzbquuhDmU3DemylmkIXi2RbI3OmlVBL81mBubK_W7KBMO3MRc0DZ5lbDA-Q2VKvPSy4s7doUFo7QuNMTrCOc8YvNfxb438E8vj0Ohyn4xk9Nz9IB6CXUTK-yM/s1600/22281ozthe-wizard-of-oz-posters2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsSHl99J8mR_rYadVgCzbquuhDmU3DemylmkIXi2RbI3OmlVBL81mBubK_W7KBMO3MRc0DZ5lbDA-Q2VKvPSy4s7doUFo7QuNMTrCOc8YvNfxb438E8vj0Ohyn4xk9Nz9IB6CXUTK-yM/s400/22281ozthe-wizard-of-oz-posters2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4U2kfN9__L2X-kce9q9v7QEwsk40aCfZPNA9P_zwtR6obzAD_XtgcJhFlivP5YlBFRbLyO_NmkQB2k5nvg-ri3HbcN9qvtUx17x2SFqjyQpBDdJtvWJpPbLWIdY86OEBxKl0PYMlLtc/s1600/confettidottypepaddotcom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<b>WHY WE LOVE IT:</b> At first thought, a theme centered around the classic Wizard of Oz might
seem girly-centric. I mean, ruby slippers, good witches, bad
witches, frilly ankle socks...doesn't leave much room for the boyish ego
does it? But The Wizard of Oz theme doesn't have to zero in on all things girl and there's a ton of ways to incorporate different elements of the film to make it gender-friendly. And that's why we love it.<br />
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<b>BUDGET FACTOR:</b> $$-$$$ <br />
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<u><b>SOME IDEAS:</b></u><br />
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Have kiddie-guests arrive dressed up in their favourite character from the movie. The possibilities are vast -- from the main characters like Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tinman, Lion, Witch and Wizard to the less obvious like flying monkies, Winkies, the Mayor of Munchkinland and more.<br />
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Host a "Yellow Brick Road" scavenger hunt in the backyard or throughout the house using yellow fabric or yellow "bricks" made of Bristol board scattered in a path that lead in different directions to different movie themed items such as apples, flowers, oil cans, lollipops and more. The object is to collect all the items and make it to the Wizard of Oz at the end (played by an adult) to receive a prize.<br />
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Feature an outdoor screening of The Wizard of Oz on a big screen or as a night-cap for a slumber party.<br />
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Serve lunch items and tasty treats in various picnic baskets laid out on a blue gingham cloth.<br />
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Serve up a cake decorated with a yellow brick road running up the tiers and a hot-air-balloon as the topper.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTphY_xRUBkBinI5I5dmf2ySPiOtBroVPjhB-Jh-sLEv4BeiItO_vfLazRe97rOspJmF60cGbe1HBxy78JYlQpIfCjnR5Iym9eGNYamz_Vpu-lhDGFuoZoQwBo7gRR_Z0-lSXXT7cFSU/s1600/fortheloveofcakeca.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTphY_xRUBkBinI5I5dmf2ySPiOtBroVPjhB-Jh-sLEv4BeiItO_vfLazRe97rOspJmF60cGbe1HBxy78JYlQpIfCjnR5Iym9eGNYamz_Vpu-lhDGFuoZoQwBo7gRR_Z0-lSXXT7cFSU/s400/fortheloveofcakeca.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>ET LOFTE LOVES!!!</b> </i>Cake by <a href="http://www.fortheloveofcake.ca/" target="_blank">For the Love of Cake</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">SUPERHERO THEME</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-MIowV5xYcmiKuhXHPf8fUYrmmb8ec4tDPbkbLkmOPIMNs3ruoLjrzbFoL-59pEeJ6atjCoFQO_4isor99-3cjIss8C_rimv7exUuhMbnIbbtljbdkwODzxPyqmWQGIQg-tAzSdCPNw/s1600/superhero.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-MIowV5xYcmiKuhXHPf8fUYrmmb8ec4tDPbkbLkmOPIMNs3ruoLjrzbFoL-59pEeJ6atjCoFQO_4isor99-3cjIss8C_rimv7exUuhMbnIbbtljbdkwODzxPyqmWQGIQg-tAzSdCPNw/s400/superhero.jpg" width="350" /></a></div>
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<b>WHY WE LOVE IT:</b> Budget friendly and gender-neutral are the key factors with this party theme. Not to mention FUN! What do we especially love about it? Rather than princesses and damsels, this party theme gives girls an opportunity to feel empowered by choosing heroines with special powers. What does it give boys? Who doesn't like to pretend to be a superhero with special powers and save the day??? Role playing is a great addition to any child's play. Plus it gives kids an opportunity to get creative and drum up their own custom-made superhero if they don't already have a favourite. <br />
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<b>BUDGET FACTOR:</b> $ - $$<br />
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<u><b>SOME IDEAS</b></u>:<br />
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Hand out invitations designed like a classic SuperHero comic strip or like a newspaper headline reading "Extra Extra!". Don't want to spend money on custom-made invites? There are a plethora of stores that carry simple SuperHero themed party invitation packs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1093761528" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRogGK-hUAPtCJ9e6VTiz-0jFL34ul_8j8LqaVThk7FiZkAgM6wQOH3d9FqWFc16rjl3_8rUGnjGiKxylESD6YGZkx5aUpLu6WgqFkKpH9CZRQPlG-E1if_XQf5b2CJH4dtmOS5Dvaf0/s320/lovepaperpaintcom.jpg" width="171" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1093761528"><b>Source:</b> </a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1093761528" target="_blank">Love Paper Paint</a></td></tr>
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Have kiddies dress up as their fave superhero or custom-create one. Whether it's SuperMan, Rouge, SpiderMan, Batman or Mulan, kids will have a blast turning from ordinary human into superbeing.<br />
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Host a "Save the World" obstacle course in the backyard or throughout the house. Kids must complete each obstacle or "save the human" and get to the finish line to receive a medal from the mayor (again, played by an adult).<br />
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Have kids participate in a game of Dodge Ball but name it "Escape the Meteors, Save the World" <br />
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Play the classic SuperHero 'X-ray Vision' game: fill a box with a variety of objects and/or foods and have blindfolded guests take turns identifying the objects in the box merely by smell, touch or taste.<br />
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Rather than a Birthday cake, offer delicious cupcakes each topped with a different SuperHero emblem from Superman, Batman, WonderWoman and more. Or for a slightly different twist (and less sugar high), offer cakepops adorned with a superhero mask and cape.<br />
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Fill lootbags with SuperHero themed colouring pages, comic books, stickers and lollipops dressed with mask and cape.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">OLYMPICS THEME</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsla6XxiQ8dDw96ESuukAdZknTPYj51GdbY9Boi5Sdpbcpx7MIkYoGJ8CmjbWoF9_4MbTToeaoR3G2LLe5931BxT0rnOKJ882mNKzSttudBAag5M3r3MhAcnEXsqBtHpnhJxZTVJhyza8/s1600/rings.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsla6XxiQ8dDw96ESuukAdZknTPYj51GdbY9Boi5Sdpbcpx7MIkYoGJ8CmjbWoF9_4MbTToeaoR3G2LLe5931BxT0rnOKJ882mNKzSttudBAag5M3r3MhAcnEXsqBtHpnhJxZTVJhyza8/s400/rings.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>WHY WE LOVE IT:</b> Not only will this theme encourage a ton of physical activity but it's not weather dependant as well. Have a wintery Birthday? Have Winter Olympics! Have a summer Birthday? Have Summer Olympics!<br />
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<b>BUDGET FACTOR:</b> $$-$$$<br />
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<u><b>SOME IDEAS:</b></u><br />
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Send out invitations designed to resemble <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9275028/London-2012-Olympics-first-image-of-Olympic-ticket-designs-tweeted-by-high-jumper-Ben-Challenger.html" target="_blank">tickets for the Olympics</a>.<br />
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Upon arrival, kids receive a custom-made shirt with the Olympic Rings and "2012 Birthday Olympics" on the front and the child's last name printed on the back. Not only will this get the kids excited about what's to come next but it also serves as a keepsake in lieu of the usual Lootbags.<br />
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This theme offers an abundance of Olympic activity opportunities! For Winter Olympics incorporate fun activities like "bobsled races" (a.k.a sliding), mini hockey/road hockey games, "figure skating" (wherein groups of kids put together a mini-performance to music either in skates or boots, on a rink or on pavement), "snow darts" (knocking down objects with snowballs) and table tennis (ok, ok this is technically a summer Olympic sport but hey, it's inside and it's warm!). Don't limit yourself to classic Olympic games however, feel free to get imaginative and custom-make your own 'sports' such as Fort Building competition, snowshoe race, snowman building race and more.<br />
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For Summer Olympics incorporate fun mini competitions like the long jump, running race, high jump, water polo, mini soccer game, "gymnastics" (a.k.a a somersault race), the trampoline, mini volleyball game, "triathlon" (obstacle course) and more. Again, feel free to add your own flavour such as a sandcastle competition or a karaoke competition. <br />
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Want to make it a kid-and-adult friendly party? Invite the parents as well and have them cheers their kids on from the "bleachers" where they can sit back, relax and sip on cool beverages. <br />
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Offer custom-made plastic medals or trophies to the kids once the Olympic competitions have been completed.<br />
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Serve up a Birthday cake decorated with the Olympic Rings or figurines from different Olympic Sports resting on different tiers.<br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-52256514824325812902012-04-27T11:43:00.001-04:002012-04-27T11:43:47.185-04:007 THINGS NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT YOUR WEDDING (But a Wedding Planner Will)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When it comes to <b>weddings</b>, there is so much effort and preparation that goes into the "big day" and everyone wants everything to be perfect. But there are a lot of things that a couple should keep in mind both during the planning process and for the wedding day itself. And a lot of the time it doesn't come to mind or often goes unsaid...unless you have a <b>Wedding Planner</b> of course.<br />
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Here are some things that most people likely won't tell you about planning your wedding (but that a good Wedding Planner will):<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. That two year old Flower Girl or Ring Bearer may not make it to the end of the aisle (and that's OK!)</b></span><br />
If you choose to have a very young Flower Girl or Ring Bearer you have to accept that there is a possibility that they may not make it to the end of the aisle (or even go down the aisle at all). Sudden shyness, fear or being distracted are all likely possibilities. And if they don't make it down the aisle, your ceremony procession won't be ruined. In all reality no one will care. It may even provide a lighthearted moment. So avoid putting unnecessary pressure on the little ones (and yourselves!). If you're truly unsure of whether or not your Flower Girl or Ring Bearer can do the job you're planning to give them, opt to not have one. There's no rule that says you have to.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. It's rain, not acid. </b></span><br />
Everyone wants a beautifully sunny, warm day for their wedding. But hey, sometimes Mother Nature has other plans. If increment weather is threatening to rain on your parade, don't let it set you into a panic. It's just rain, not acid. It's not going to melt away your wedding. The key thing is to be prepared. Have matching golf umbrellas handy (a good photographer will be able to set up some awesome positioning/shots utilizing those umbrellas) and have back-up plans for anything happening outdoors whether it's the ceremony, reception or your Wedding Party photos. No one is going to judge your wedding day because you had rough weather. So just accept that you might get wet and move on. (Or don a super cute pair of rain boots and have fun with it!)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. S*** Happens. Roll with it.</b></span><br />
Any wedding professional who says they can make your wedding day "perfect" is full of it. There is no such thing as a "perfect" wedding day. Stuff can happen. Mistakes can happen. Delays can happen. Bad weather can happen. Just roll with the punches and you'll find that your wedding day will be happy no matter what transpires. And if you have a Wedding Planner you've got it made because they'll do all the stressing and fixing for you which makes ignoring the not-so-great stuff and focusing on all that "hey-I'm-getting-married-today" goodness that much easier. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Not all wedding professionals can give you "discounts" or negotiate their fees. </b></span><br />
There are so many magazine articles and blog posts out there that give you tips on how to "negotiate" with wedding professionals or how to get "discounts". But here's a little secret: Not every wedding professional can give you those discounts or can negotiate their fees. And that doesn't make them bad vendors. <b>That makes them <i>great</i> vendors </b>because they actually <i>value</i> their profession and what they can do for you. You have to understand that this is a wedding professional's livelihood. If you wouldn't accept your Boss docking your salary because they don't want to pay you that much why would you expect a wedding professional to doc their fee? It's important to focus on the quality of service that you'll get, not the price. And if you can't afford that quality, consider downsizing on another element in your wedding so that you can. A good Wedding Planner won't promise to get you "discounts" for all of your vendors. They'll explain that some <i>may </i>offer discounts, others <i>may</i> offer incentives and some will just do their absolute best to make you happy on your wedding day. Focus on what they can DO for you, not on what the dollar sign says.<br />
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<i><b>PS: </b></i>That goes for us Wedding Planners too!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. You don't have to please everyone.</b></span><br />
Everyone has an
opinion or advice as to what you should do or have with your wedding.
But that mean that you have to actually incorporate every idea,
tradition or demand into it. The biggest mistake you can make is
creating a wedding that makes everyone else happy but leaves you
stressed and feeling as though it's not about the two of you anymore.
I've said it once and I'll say it again, the key words in this scenario
is <b>"I'll take that into consideration"</b>. Then consider the
idea/advice/demand and either put it into practice, toss it or <i>compromise</i>. Parents
have their own idea of how weddings should be but while some of their
points may be valid in terms of etiquette, culture or religion, you have
to remember that they only know how things were done when they got
married and they don't quite realize how much the times have changed.
If your parents don't like something that you've incorporated, they'll get over it. <i>Trust me</i>. In the end they just want you to be happy (even if they aren't saying it at that moment). Friends, family members and those in your wedding party all, I'm sure, have fantastic
ideas but they may not have your budget in mind. The only people that
you have to please on your wedding day is your guests and yourselves. <b>If
your guests are fed, entertained and respected and you are having the
time of your life, then bravo -- you've done what's appropriate.</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">6. It is <i>not</i> acceptable to be a "Bridezilla" or "Groomzilla".</span></b><br />
The fact that there are television programs out there that glamorize the "Bridezilla/Groomzilla" mentality just kills me. It's not funny. It's not cute. It's not even entertaining. The whole "it's my day and it has to be my way" line of thinking is just plain unacceptable. Yes, you want a fantastic wedding day and you want to have a good time. But so do your guests, your wedding party and those who are working their hardest to make that happen. It's all about respect. Giving out as much respect for those celebrating with and working for you will be reciprocated ten fold. Having an overall nasty attitude will just damper your wedding with negativity which defeats what you were trying to achieve in the first place doesn't it? Refer to point #3 and understand and respect that your wedding will only be as undesirable or enjoyed as your attitude.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Those close to you are as nervous and excited for your wedding day as you are.</b> <b>(Including your wedding professionals!)</b> </span><br />
If you have butterflies, can't sleep and are jittery the night before the wedding...guess what...so do those close to you. Even if they don't say it or show it, they all want you to have the absolute best and most memorable wedding day and are secretly crossing their fingers for you. No matter what may transpire <i>before</i> the wedding day, there is nothing but love and excitement and good thoughts for you on the wedding day. So on your wedding day breathe in every laugh, every tear and every pitter-pat of your heart and feel that love and excitement in the air and enjoy one of the most happiest moments of your lives.<br />
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867039375778142704.post-29683536923683346002012-04-23T10:40:00.000-04:002012-04-23T10:56:34.619-04:00HONORING LOVED ONES IN YOUR WEDDING OR EVENT<br />
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The passing of a loved one can be a difficult thing to embrace when celebrating a special occasion. And for most, honouring a loved one who has passed in a celebration can be even more difficult. How do you honor someone without bringing down the mood of the celebration is a question <a href="http://www.etlofte.com/" target="_blank">This Planner</a> is frequently asked.<br />
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Here are some ways in which you can honor a loved one (or many loved ones) who have passed that cherish their memory but won't damper the mood with tears.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">LIGHTING A MEMORIAM CANDLE</span></b><br />
For a wedding ceremony, have a framed photograph of your loved one next to an enclosed candle. The candle can either be lit prior to the ceremony or can be lit during the ceremony as a special inclusion. Following the ceremony the candle and photograph are moved to the reception where it will continue to burn. Not only will this honor the loved one, but it will feel as though they are there celebrating with you.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">HONORING WITH FOOD</span></b><br />
Did a passed loved one have a special recipe
for an appetizer, entree or dessert? Providing that the caterers or
venue will allow for it, why not have that recipe replicated in honor of
that loved one? Was your Aunt's Southern Fried Chicken a hit at all the
family gatherings? Why not have that same recipe replicated by your
caterers and served as part of the meal or as a savoury addition to the
late night table? Having your Grandmother's perogies as a food station?
Why not label the station as "Nana's Perogies" and have a small framed
photograph of her next to the label? Food has always been part of
celebrations and by incorporating your loved one's special recipe into your celebration you're not just honoring them but celebrating them as well.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">HONORING WITH BEVERAGES</span></b><br />
Did your loved one have a specific drink that they had in hand at every family gathering? Was there a specific beverage with which they started or ended their day? Why not offer a "signature drink" at your function's bar which is the same drink your loved one preferred and name it after them? Perhaps "Uncle Leo's Spectacular Scotch" for example? Did your Nonno have a shot of whiskey in his coffee every day? Offer a "specialty coffee" as an option with dessert in addition to regular coffee or tea wherein the coffee has that same shot of whiskey as Nonno and name it "Nonno's Special Caffeine Fix".<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>GIVEAWAYS</b></span><br />
In lieu of the typical giveaway at a
celebration, incorporate a giveaway that will offer a lasting memory of a
loved one. Give a donation in each guests name to a charity or
organization that reflects on your loved one. Was your loved one a fan
of basketball? Give each guests a silver basketball key chain so that
they will always have a memory of your loved one with them. Did your
loved one have a favourite flower? Give away a crystal frame with that
flower pressed inside the glass.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>OSCAR-STYLE "IN MEMORIAM" SHOW</b></span><br />
We've all watched the "In
Memory" portion of the Oscars wherein a dedicated video montage is shown
to honor those actors that have passed that year. It's a moving tribute
without bringing down the mood. Loved ones can be honored in a
celebration the same way. Whether it's by video or photographs, have a
slide show or montage of loved ones who have passed. The key to making
this celebratory and not depressing is to choose images that will make
your family laugh or smile rather than make them sad. Choose photos from
funny moments in their life or a video of them doing something funny
rather than just a standard image.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">ATTIRE & SPECIAL ACCENTS</span></b><br />
Whether it's wearing your mother's
wedding gown, your father's favourite tie or a piece of jewelry that
was once coveted by a loved one, incorporating something that belonged
to your loved one in your attire will have them present at all times.
Attire aside, incorporating a piece of jewelry or a small item that once
belonged to your loved one in your wedding bouquet or boutonniere or
corsage will make them ever-present in your celebration. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>DEDICATED SONGS </b></span><br />
Having a loved one's favourite song played during dinner is
another way to honor them without dwelling on the sadness. This song
would be played unannounced by the DJ or band, but those who knew and
loved the honoree will recognize it immediately. If the song is an
upbeat one that can be danced to, have it played during the dancing
portion of your evening. Having fun and remembering the good times with
that loved one is one of the best ways in which to honor them.<br />
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When a dearly loved one is missing from a milestone celebration it can be incredibly difficult but by choosing to honor them in a way that will bring about happy memories rather than sad, you are not only keeping them ever present in their heart but you'll have their spirit celebrating right along with you.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*In loving memory of Alfred Lugli and Gino Vecile*</span></i></b></div>
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<br />ET LØFTE in danish means "a promise".http://www.blogger.com/profile/02118830573198946870noreply@blogger.com0