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 Celebration: Gigi's 1st Birthday Party!

So, when some of your absolute favourite people in the world make a baby, life is pretty great, right?! Now, when those friends ask you to help them celebrate said babies first birthday? It doesn't get any better than that... That is just what happened last Spring, when I had the honour of planning a very special 1st birthday party for some of my closest friends adorable daughter, Georgia (aka. Gigi). Having the opportunity to help my friends celebrate this incredible milestone in their lives was absolutely wonderful, and it was so much fun creating a magical space that could be enjoyed by kids, friends & family alike. Set in the beautiful gardens of Starling Lane (a favourite of mine!), guests were treated to a lovely afternoon of visiting, baby snuggles, and lots of delicious food.

When first starting the planning, I had lots and lots of conversations with Tara (Gigi's beautiful mama) all about Gigi's favourite things. A colour palette was quickly established, based off of her nursery design, and then our conversation turned towards her love of animals and books. We took inspiration from one of her favourite books, The Crown on Your Head, by Nancy Tillman (if you haven't seen this book, I highly recommend it!). It is overflowing with beautiful animal illustrations, as well as darling quotes, many of which we styled throughout the gardens. The crown theme was also carried throughout the party, including a fun crown station for all the guests to partake in! My absolute favourite crown of the day had to be the feather crown made for Georgia. My Mom actually made it (she's a pretty rad lady!), and much to everyone's delight, Gigi wore it the entire afternoon!

This was an incredibly special afternoon, and I absolutely love looking back through the pics and remembering this day. I am so grateful that we have such wonderful friends in our lives, and love getting to be a part of their families milestones!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the a-team vendors that helped make this day so incredible! All photos courtesy of Kim Kalyn Photography.