It’s been just under a year since I blogged and about a year and a half since this wedding, but it’s never too late right?! I blame life. As we are settling into the quieter season though, I’m finding I have some spare time to put into blogging, and I am excited about it! I couldn’t think of a better wedding to end the drought than Mandy & Andrew’s Napa Valley soiree! And yes….I said Napa Valley! Back in the Spring of 2018, I got to check off a HUGE bucket list item and head down to California to plan this gorgeous vineyard wedding.

When Mandy & Andrew, good friends of mine here in Victoria, first asked me if I would plan their wedding, I obviously got excited. But then when they told me they were thinking Napa, and would I consider heading down to Napa with them? Well, let’s just say I don’t think I’ve ever said YES faster haha! These guys love to travel, have a taste for the finer things in life, and also love to throw a very very good party. The venue was the top priority, and we were all beyond thrilled to find the historic Charles Krug Winery. One of the oldest wineries in Napa and one of the only actual wineries to host weddings in the valley. It was absolutely perfect. The team of vendors we assembled down there were all incredible and I am just crossing my fingers and toes that I get another chance to head back down there for more weddings! Planning a wedding in another country is no joke people, but it was an experience I absolutely loved, will never forget, and I am so glad it was with such a special couple.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart Mandy & Andrew, for having me be a part of this amazing time in your life, and I hope everyone enjoys a small glimpse into this amazing day below!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible ! All photos courtesy of Dawn Heumann Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Venue - Charles Krug Winery
Photography - Dawn Heumann Photography
Catering - Feast Catering
Florals - Tango & Foxtrot
Rentals - La Tavola & Encore Event Rentals
Beauty - Bella Bridal Napa Valley
Welcome Sign & Place Cards - XM Calligraphy
DJ - Modern Maestro

And then here’s a little something for all of your pure enjoyment. Ladies & Gents….I give you the men behind FKE fully embracing BSB.

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• Real Weddings 48

Over 10 years ago, 2 teenagers met while on summer vacation at a campground in Canada with their families.   They instantly became friends, and not long after that, started dating.  After over a decade of growing up together,  falling in love, and building an incredible life together, they decided to make it official in beautiful Victoria, BC!  And I'm thanking my lucky stars, as they chose FKE to bring their day to life, and oh man...it was a good one folks! Taking place at the 2 most iconic venues in the city, Hatley Castle and The Empress Hotel, their wedding vision was grand from the start of the planning, and we pulled out all the stops to bring it to life!  

One of my favourite things about this wedding, was the epic seating chart that we pulled together.  I've had this idea for a few years now, and we were just waiting for the perfect wedding to create it at!  As guests arrived to the ceremony, all of their pics were snapped at a portrait station (thanks Four Frames!) near the entrance to the Castle.  Those photos were then printed and turned into polaroids that we displayed at the couples reception, acting as the guests personalized escort cards!  It was a huge hit, and something that everyonewas blown away by.

The reception space was overflowing with luxurious details and we infused the couples impeccable taste all throughout.  The neutral palette of soft creams, greys & blush tones, helped transform the ballroom setting into a modern day take on the traditional space. The menu, custom designed by The Empress's chef, was served tapa style, inspired by all the couples favourite eats! Ranging from sushi to maui rib sliders, the food was a hit!  And as the lights dimmed, guests partied the night away to Side One's 8 piece band (always a favourite of mine), photo booth, Mojito bar and Popcorn station!

It was definitely a wedding to remember, and for sure the party of the summer!  One of the things I love most about weddings though, is no matter how much planning you do and how many incredible details there are, often the best moments of the day are the unplanned ones.  This was definitely the case for Tiff & Levi.  After dinner, the couple sneaked out with Ryan Flynn and Kismet Creative for some sunset shots down in the harbour.  A band busking in the harbour congratulated the couple, and then asked them what their first dance was.  The song was "Georgia" by Vance Joy, and without skipping a beat, the band began playing it for them, and they had their first dance right then and there, in the harbour, just the 2 of them.  Pure magic!  You can see this gorgeous day unfold below, and make sure to check out the incredible video by Kismet at the top! 

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible!  All photos courtesy of Ryan Flynn Photographer.  Video courtesy of Kismet Creative.

Planning & Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Ryan Flynn Photography
Videography - Kismet Creative
Ceremony Venue - Hatley Castle
Reception Venue - The Empress
Florals - Verbena Floral Design & Thorn & Thistle
Stationery - Love by Phoebe
Band - Side One
Cake - Passion for Cakes
Linens - Faire la Fete
Hair - Conscious Hair
Makeup - Carly Flint
Photobooth - Four Frames Photo Booth

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

Every once in a while, a wedding comes along that is a game changer.  For us, the wedding of Jennifer & Alex was just that.  And so you can only imagine how beyond words THRILLED I was to see it featured on Style Me Pretty (here) this past week!  And the cherry on top of the already delicious sundae, is that now that it has been published, I can finally share all of the drop dead gorgeous images (thank you Erich McVey) with you!  

Taking place at a private property on Salt Spring Island, this 3 day celebration pushed me harder than I thought possible, and I couldn't be more proud of the outcome.  The couple, based out of NYC, first reached out to me in the Fall of 2015.  They dreamed of a wedding weekend filled with non-stop celebrations, an overabundance of food and drink, and above all else, a weekend spent surrounded by their family & friends from all over the world.  I was, of course, totally up to the challenge, and loved every bit of the next year, as we worked tirelessly to pull together 3 incredible events!  

Now, planning not just 1, but 3 events (Welcome Dinner, Wedding & Brunch) on a small Island like Salt Spring, can pose some serious challenges (understatement of the year!).  Every vendor and rental/decor piece was brought from either Victoria, Vancouver or the States, and the logistics surrounding the weekend were insane.  All 110% worth it though, once the parties started, and I think back to this weekend with nothing but amazing memories, and a huge smile on my face!  In an effort to share as much of this wonderful weekend with you all, I have decided to split the blog post into 3 parts.  First up: The Welcome BBQ

Taking place in the upper garden of Jennifer's parents home on Salt Spring, the welcome dinner was a casual al fresco affair, spent catching up with old friends (175 guests flew in from all around the world), welcoming everyone to the Island, and celebrating all that was to come over the weekend.  Food, a major focus throughout the weekend, was at the centre of the party, and food stations featuring variety of the couples favourite global cuisine.  An oyster bar, seafood risotto station, wood fired pizza, Bhutan street meat station and ice cream sundae station filled the guests palettes.  Toque Catering seriously brought their A-game to this weekend!  2 long tables, with bistro lights strung above, created a communal space for guests to catch up, and the west coast folk sounds of Noah Edwards entertained the guests late into the night.  It was a magical evening....

And full disclosure before I let you dive into the stunning photos below: this evening tops my list as my favourite party I have ever planned (and yes, it wasn't even a wedding!).  There was just something about the evening, that I can't quite put my finger on....but it was what I always imagined the perfect backyard party should be.  Effortless, relaxing, and filled with good friends and damn good food.  Thank you so much for reading, and make sure to check back next week for Part 2 of this amazing weekend! 

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible!  All photos courtesy of Erich McVey.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Erich McVey
Catering - Toque Catering & The Wandering Mollusk
Florals - Verbena Floral Design
Music - Noah Edwards
Linens - La Tavola
Rentals - Black & White, Bash Specialty

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• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48

It's pretty hard to get more picturesque than Hatley Castle, and for those couples wanting a wedding out of a fairy tale, this is the spot for them! Linda & Ying, are from Seattle, and after falling in love the Castle and Victoria, decided to host their summer wedding at this majestic venue.  We began working together around 6 months before their August wedding, and dove head first into the planning.  Food and overall guest comfort was top priority for these guys, and so a lot of planning went into their fantastic 3 course plated meal and all the transitions throughout the day.  And we infused so many fun little personal details into the wedding, that instantly made the guests smile!  My favourite of which being their "math problem" seating chart.  {Full disclosure: I had absolutely nothing to do with coming up with the math problems their guests had to solve in order to find out their table number, as if I had, everyones would have been similar to 1+1...}

Their classic palette of white, blush, champagne & gold, suited the castle beautifully, and I love the fresh/bright approach we took when designing the dining room, which is sometimes a tricky room at Hatley Castle.  Adding in the white chivari chairs instantly brightened the space, and the head table placed in the centre of the room, amongst all the other guest tables, gave the room a very sophisticated flow to it.  All throughout the night, it was so lovely watching Linda & Ying, a couple clearly ridiculously in love, spend meaningful time with their guests, and I know that everyone there felt right at home.  It was perfect. 

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible!  All photos courtesy of Joanna Moss Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Joanna Moss Photography
Floral Design - FLEURtacious
Ceremony Venue - Hatley Castle
Catering - Truffles
Hair - Conscious Hair
Makeup - Melanie Baird
Specialty Furniture - Bash Specialty
DJ - Highway Productions

• FKE Featured 24
• FKE Living 7
• Office Talk 55
• Planning Tips 13
• Real Weddings 48