This wedding is proof that breaking away from the traditional wedding format is sometimes the best thing ever! When I first met with Robin & Deandra, it was obvious that a typical wedding day was not their thing. They wanted a no fuss, relaxed and authentic celebration, to take place in the afternoon surrounded by an intimate group of family and friends. And that is exactly what they got! Robin, a hockey player from the Czech Republic, spent most of their engagement living in Europe, and so the couple really put their trust in our team to create their dream day while they remained fairly hands off. And let me tell you....when you have a Bride & Groom that has complete trust in their vendors with their vision, the results can be extraordinary! I loved every minute of working with this couple & their family (big shout out to Elaine, the Mother of the Bride, who quickly became one of my favourite Mom's of the season!), and loved every bit of their wedding day.

Taking place at the beautiful Starling Lane Winery, and surrounded by just their closest family & friends, the wedding of Deandra & Robin was a special one. Guests were treated to a modern garden party, filled with great music, creative comfort food, and fun games. The word "raw" was in our minds while designing the florals with FLEURtacious, and boho design touches helped the day feel grounded, un-fussy and true to the couple. The spring palette of blushes, peaches & blues were infused throughout the textiles and florals, and the stunning garden setting provided the perfect backdrop for great conversation and mingling.

One of the highlights of the day, was the non-stop live music provided by Noah Edwards & his band. Their folk sound provided the most perfect atmosphere for the day, and even had guests dancing by the late afternoon in the gardens. And the food stations, created by Toque Catering, were a HUGE hit! I mean...gourmet pizza, sliders & milkshakes? Can you get any more fun?!! The afternoon activities flowed seamlessly into one another, allowing the couple to celebrate with everyone as well as truly enjoy the day together! 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 Brett Reid Photography.

Planning/Design - French Kiss Events
Photography - Brett Reid Photography
Venue - Starling Lane Winery
Catering - Toque Catering
Floral Design - FLEURtacious
Lounge - Bash Specialty
Linens - Faire la Fete
Hair & Makeup - Erin Bradley
Cake - Ruth & Dean
Music - Noah Edwards
Signage - Emma Allen Design

Real WeddingsBarb WalkerOctober 30, 2017starling lane winery, Starling Lane Wedding, FLEURtacious, Toque Catering, Bash Specialty, garden party, garden wedding, Victoria Wedding, victoria wedding planner, Victoria Event Planning, Victoria Wedding Planning, victoria bc wedding planner, afternoon wedding, food stations, Winery weddingComment

Real Wedding: Jennifer & Alex Part 1 (The Welcome BBQ)

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.