THE WHISPERING WALLS OF CHATEAU GUDANES

“Chateau de Gudanes, an abandoned, neglected and ruined chateau tucked neatly into a deep valley in the French Pyrénées. A site where the first stories of religious tragedies began in the 13th century.

Until now, reawakened by an Australian family as they start their restoration, giving back the love it deserves and unravelling the spirit of the past. Opening the door to a world of wonder, both real and imagined. ”

— http://www.chateaugudanes.com/

I'm a hopeless romantic... 

So it may not come as a surprise when I tell you I've been following the Chateau de Gudanes Captain's Log for two years now, waiting in anticipation for what hidden treasures would appear next. The journey of a piece of history at risk of being lost forever, brought back to life with sneak-peaks into the secret details they're trying so hard to salvage.

The Chateau is said not to be restored into a "pretentious" museum piece, but rather a public space of refuge. A gathering place for Parisian weddings, festivals and extended stays. And although I have already "ticked" the little box beside "Plan a castle wedding in Europe", I must say this modern day fairy tale and a trip to France is an experience I simply must have. 

Your all welcome to come with me, eat fine food, drink a little too much red wine, and share some laughs.

So until then, as the French would say; A bientot! 

Castle Hoping in Germany

Destination Deutschland... Chateau hopping elfresco. Need we say more? 

It's hard to explain how much I love this couple and the journey we had together. I count my blessings for having the opportunity to celebrate a truly European wedding without the hassle of overly fussy details, and where sipping champagne and eating cake superseded dinner in the courtyard.

The ceremony and reception were held in two separate castles, in two separate villages near the gothic city of Dresden. The second reception castle "Schloss Scharfenberg" is a rustic medieval rock castle in the Palatine Forest built during the first half of the 12th century. 

The estate was exclusively ours with traditional accommodations conveniently located in the tallest tower with an endless spiral of stairs. As night fell and the festivities continued, the castle became illuminated by hundreds of candles with a free invitations to roam the maze of rooms and if you dared, the basement dungeon. 

This experience was like non-other I have ever had. Truly the most romantic destination wedding we’ve ever encountered. This couple and their wedding will be forever in my heart.

OUR 2015 PHOTOG CRUSH'S

We've been seriously crushing over a few photographers lately. Some of who we have the pleasure of working with this summer and some of whom we would seriously die to collaborate with. If timeless photography is on the top of your list and a major priority, you gotta check these fabs out! 

 

Joel Bedford Photography

I've had the pleasure of working with these two lovelies on a few occasions and I am happy to report we'll be hanging out in August from E&J's wedding at the Museum of Nature. I'm only just a little excited because sometimes I think Ottawa just doesn't deserve you, but needs you oh so badly! And I gotta say, I'm just a tad jealous they didn't pack me in their luggage as they traveled across the states to shoot weddings in some of the most amazing locations this past winter. You just gotta check out their new website and stunning portfolio.

www.JOELBEDFORDWEDDINGS.CA

 

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Bartek & Magda

I've been a long time admirer of this husband and wife duo for quite a few years now and they never cease to surprise me. I'm all about "real people" and making "genuine" long lasting  connections so I highly suggest you pop on over to their website, read their bio because I promise you'll fall in love with this pair as much as I have. The best thing about these Montrealers is that they don't have a travelling fee for Ottawa! So if you happen to book these two and your looking for a planner....send note! We'd love to collaborate. 

P.S Magda, you can bake me a cake any day! I'll make the tea:)

WWW.BARTEKANDMAGDA.COM

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Kymberlie Dozois

Oh how I love bubbly Kim and her eye for capturing special moments we always seem to take for granted. There is something nostalgic and raw about her imagery which I just can't get over. You'll definitely find a friend for life working with Kym. And yes, she's on our "collaborators bucket list". 

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WWW.KYMBERLIEDOZOIS.COM

Comfy & Cozy Boudoir

Recently I've been doing a lot of styling. I just can't help myself - I love beautiful things, sprucing up areas and just all around refreshing everything and anything. So when Meg from the Handmade Bride told me she was doing a Boudoir shoot, I just had to get involved. 

The thing I liked most about this particular shoot was the emphasis on building a "comfy and cozy" environment to allow participants to feel more at ease and among friends. There was champagne, fruit & croissants upon arrival, with a professional makeup artist Klava Zykova, jewelry and lacy embellishments to enhance their experience from The HandMade Bride and of course the lovely Katie Soulier or KJS Photography.

Fingers crossed that The Handmade Bride will be hosting many more of these!

Photographs provided by KJS Photography 

DO THEY MAKE THE LIST?

The infamous "guest list" can be your biggest hurdle. It's almost as nasty as the "b" word, budget. Forget the old method of "List A" and "List B" and check out our cute chart when second guessing potential attendees. 

Still wondering exactly how many guests you'll have on your actual wedding day? Not to worry, we have a special little formula to help you more accurately gauge your bottom line. Always be sure to request quotes based on your max guest list. This way you'll stay on budget and might even have some moolah if your attendee list shrinks!

THE WEDDING PHOTOG ALTERNATIVE

Recently I've had a bride announce she wasn't having a wedding photographer...

At first I was in total shock. But as time passed and the idea really sunk in, I thought to myself- why the heck not?!  I'm a huge advocate of stepping outside the traditional wedding formula and I must say there's something exciting and liberating about not having one.

Which begs the question; What alternatives do brides have? 

Sure you can easily create a #hashtag and even creep everyone on facebook after your wedding, but I've found the perfect alternative which I would pair with two of my favourite app's. 

WEDDING PARTY APP *FREE*

It's the perfect combination of Instagram meets wedding website. 

In a nutshell this app provides your guests a platform where they can find all your wedding details and instantly upload their social media photos as they go, in one place. This way you don't have to beg uncle Joe-shmo for two weeks to upload his memory chip! You can also use the app as a private communication hub to keep your bridal party up to date on your various events.

Now that you have all your images in one place, here are my two favourite app's that can be used to spruce up your images.

FACETUNE APP *$4.99

Photoshop in your pocket

I'm literally obsessed with this app. In two seconds flat you can remove imperfections, smooth and rejuvenate skin, reduce red-eye and dark circles, adjust lighting, add basic filters etc. 

VSCO Cam APP *$5.99

Where all the pro photogs edit and share their photo's online. I mainly use this app for it's high-end filters. 

Ombre Smoothies

It's the morning of your wedding day and the last thing on your mind is eating breakfast-I know! On my wedding day the only thing I could stomach was Rooibos tea and some candied ginger to settle my stomach. It's true, there are so many things going on between makeup, hair and photo's, that if someone isn't appointed with the job of feeding you or at the very least reminding you to eat -it's just not going to happen! 

I'm a big advocate of eating breakfast, but I can also understand why some brides might want to skip it. At the very least I always suggest that one of your bridesmaids be in charge of making smoothies. And if I was in your bridal party, I would be making these super adorable ombre smoothies...

• 1/2 cup of raspberries
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• 1/2 cup of strawberries
• 5 slices of peaches
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of yogurt 
• 1/2 cup of almond milk 
• 1tsp of coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 cups of ice

option to add 1/2 tbsp of vanilla protein powder to each layer.

Place 1/2 cup of coconut milk, 1 banana, peach slices and 1/2 cup of ice into your blender and mix for 30 seconds. Pour it into a container and set aside. 

For the second layer, blend 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 cup of strawberries & 1/2 of raspberries, 1/2 cup of ice. Pour it into a container and set aside.

Now that you have two smoothie flavours, put containers into the freezer for 10 minutes until they become a thicker consistency. The last smoothie layer should be added as a topping. I find that the blueberry turns grey if it sit's out for even a few minutes. 

Once your two first layers are chilled, you can then take 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1/2 cup of ice and blend. Briefly set aside.

Fill your cups with the first banana & peach smoothie, then the strawberry & raspberry smoothie followed by the blueberry topping and serve. 

serves 4

Win Tickets to Love Handmade

Sharing is caring right?! 

Well, I've got 6 tickets to giveaway to three lucky couples! All you have to do is tell us, in the comment section below, what DIY project your going to tackle for your very own wedding. Simple no? :) Be sure to like us on facebook so we can find you afterwards and get you your tickets!

Cue Nordstrom

Ottawa is slowly but surely becoming the fashion capital we so desperately deserve to be. For me it’s been years of Montreal shopping trips and the classic -i’ll just wait until Europe in the summer to shop. But that just isn't the case for me anymore, cue Nordstrom's. 

If you follow me on instagram you would have seen some sneak peaks from Nordstrom’s Galla,  hosted a few days before their grand opening to the public. And let me tell you, when Nordstrom’s says its throwing a party, you will find yourself from the open bar to the dance floor in no time, shopping bags and all! Not to mention the fact that the event started at 7pm and was roaring way past the closing time listed on our invite. 

I have to say I like the store, but LOVE the staff even more. From affordable trendy picks to high-end fashion, the store really does have something for everyone. And this is definitely the spot you can’t forget if your attending a wedding this spring. Here’s our favourite look.

Eliza J Print Pleat Maxi Dress, Jimmy Choo 'Marilyn" Patent Clutch, Burberry 'Irving' T-Bar Sandal, Nadri Crystal Cuff, Disc Studs, Christian Louboutin Nude Polish, Yves Saint Laurent 'Sheer Candy Gloss', Dior Eye Reviver 

DIY Chiavary Chair Ruffles

Ruffles, ruffles, ruffles...I love these ruffles!

Last week I promised a D.I.Y on these cute chiavary accents I made and showcased at the MME Show. I originally made them for my own wedding about a year ago. You'd think I would have remembered how I created them, but I literally spent one full hour cutting and folding strips of fabric with no success. Well let me tell you -there was no folding involved! I'll be honest I had to do some online research to jog my memory and apparently it's all about the "layering" and no folding. So with this being said, follow me closely as I explain this 3 step process.

First thinks first -the fabric is key. I myself used a sheer wrinkle free fabric. I didn't however, check the tightness of the weave itself and so it began to fray at the edges. It's not entirely noticeable, but if your going to reuse these multiple times you're going to want to have a better fabric. In fact you can use any fabric in just about any weight.

Cut 8 squares of fabric 6 inches by 6 inches. Then, layer them one on top of the other. NO folding! Don't make the same mistake I did.

This will give you one finished chiavary ruffle. 1 yard of fabric should cover about 6 to 8 chairs.

Now that you have all 8 square on top of each other, begin cutting in a spiral like pattern as seen in the image on the right. Because you've layered fabric sheets, your essentially cutting the work load in half instead of snipping each individual square. Don't worry about the 90 degree edges. You can either round them off or leave them like I do, seen in the picture below. 

Now that you have all your pieces cut, gather the end tips and sew them together with a needle and thread. If your using your ruffles for a "side" accent then I would suggest sewing in an elastic loop. If your using them on an existing chair cover you can simply use a crystal broach. 

And voila! It's just that simple! If your still having trouble leave us a comment below and we'll be glad to help as best we can! 

Enjoy:)

Wed Luxe Wedding Show

Hi, it’s Madison!

I am a student at Algonquin College in the Event Management program and have been working as an intern with TOAST since September 2014. In this industry there are so many things that you just cannot learn in the classroom and without this internship I don’t think I would be half the planner I am growing into! It wouldn’t be an internship if I never went on the classic coffee run, but for the most part it’s been a mixture of loads of hard work and tons of fun.

I wasn’t completely sure what to expect after wedding season came to a close. I knew there was going to be work but had no idea what kind of work I should prepare myself for. Did you know that EVERYONE gets engaged over the holidays? That sure didn’t dawn on me. To coincide with that there is an explosion of wedding shows in the first couple months of the new year and I have been lucky enough to go to with Elise! A couple weekends ago we made a day trip to Toronto for the WedLuxe Wedding Show. I have never seen so much over the top gorgeousness in one place. The first thing I saw when I walked in was this woodsy lounge with draped flowers everywhere, totally my style. After hanging out there for a couple minutes I could have sworn we had immediately reached the pinnacle of this trip and were safe to go home but boy was I wrong.

As we walked around the show it only got more and more lavish. I’m talking beautiful flowers, perfectly hand painted cakes, adorable macaroons and the some of the prettiest linens I’ve ever seen! We entered one room and were greeted by ceiling height trees with cherry blossoms delicately hand placed to perfection. Not to mention the cake that was as tall as a house! On top of all of this the WedLuxe show was unique from any other bridal show I have been to because they really gave a great experience for everyone who bought a ticket. Everyone received cute little bouquet of roses from the Celestial Flower Market, a beauty bag from the Shining Star Gifting Bar, oyster sampler (which I was not brave enough to try), cocktails, access to a tea-tasting bar, savoury crepe bite not to mention the Belgem waffle station. I don’t know about you guys but if I’m given delicious food I’m probably a fan for life.

Unfortunately WedLuxe does not put on a show every weekend so it’s on to new projects; however I have yet to work on a project with TOAST that I didn’t love! We’ve been working really hard at rebranding for a long time. I was lucky enough to get a teeny tiny sneak peek at the website before the holidays but other than that I will be just as surprised as you guys when we launch it. We are doing new headshots for it this weekend; wish me luck so I don’t look like too much of a goof!

XOX Madison