Unique and creative marriage proposal ideas

For those of you planning to propose this coming year, here’s some creative ideas of how to propose:

1) Spell it out – surprise her during a romantic dinner with an elegant charm bracelet that spells out your special request "M-A-R-R-Y M-E".

2) Make it festive – Hang a few love notes all over the Christmas tree and then have her find the one box with her name on it that has the ring inside for the proposal. Another idea during the holidays is to decorate the Christmas tree with lights that read “marry me” and surprise her with the ring once she sees the proposal.

3) New Year’s Resolution – after a romantic dinner, read each other’s New Year's resolutions and the last one will be “to have you as my wife”.

4) Be a poet –Carve out a heart in a book of poems making sure that her favourite poem is on the first page for her to enjoy – or better yet write your own poem. Once she’s done reading that poem, tell her to turn the page where she’ll find the ring hidden inside the heart.

5) Wear it – Have a T shirt customized with a picture of the two of you and “MARRY ME” on the front. If you want to make it more fun, you could also have a matching t shirt made for her with “YES” on the front of the shirt and the same picture on the back.

6) Share with family and friends – Invite your family and friends to a surprise party for your girlfriend – it could be an anniversary, special occasion or an engagement surprise. While all eyes are on the two of you, take the opportunity to profess your love in front of everyone and propose in a traditional way, on one knee.

7) Say it with words – another fun way to ask her hand in marriage is to create a crossword puzzle to propose.

8) Record it – Make a video of yourself proposing and plan a movie night after a romantic dinner at home. Get comfy on the couch and pop in the video as if you rented it from the movie store and watch her be surprised when she watches the proposal on TV.

9) In the sky - Take her/him up in a hot air balloon with a bottle of champagne and announce that'll you'll jump if she/he doesn't marry you.

10) Romantic travels - propose at the top of the Eiffel tower, at the Taj mahal, or on a white sand beach by presenting the ring at these romantic destinations. Or if you are in Las Vegas, not only can you get engaged but you can even get married at the same time.

If you want the proposal to a public display of your love, why not try:

1) Radio - Have the local radio station play your favourite song during a precise time to make sure you are both listening and either before or after the song, have the DJ dedicate the song and announce your proposal.

2) Theatre – Schedule a night at the theatre and coordinate with the stage manager if you can propose after the final curtain.

3) Newspaper - Take out an ad in a local paper that you know will be read regularly and be close by when he/she reads it to get your answer.

4) Billboard - Post your proposal on a billboard that will be seen either on the way to work or on a walk with a pet.

5) Parade – have “MARRY ME” on a large sign being held by people on a large float, stop the float while the two of you join the float and then propose in front of everyone.

Whether you chose to be creative or traditional in the delivery of your proposal, the most important thing is that you are happy, in love, and ready to spend the rest of your lives together! Either way, I know the proposal will be memorable for you both!

Always nice to get away...

Second annual Tremblant weekend was fantastic. Plenty of snow, lots of good friends, lots of wine, and many reasons to celebrate! Half of us had recently celebrated or was soon-to-celebrate a birthday and what better way then to get away from the hussle and bussle by taking a weekend trip to a resort chalet? With a room full of Sagittarius' - the laughs and activities were ongoing!

Not only did we relax at our beautiful chalet but we had the pleasure of taking a trip into the Village to enjoy the festivities. It was the 10th edition of Tremblant's 24h of Skiing which raises proceeds for three foundations: the Fondation centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau, the Ottawa Senators Foundation and the Tremblant Foundation.

Besides relaxing, we also spent our Saturday afternoon tasting different rums that were paired with an appetizer. Our tasting consisted of:

1) Bacardi Lemon rum & Avocado stuffed with saffron & lemon-flavoured rice

2) El Dorado dark rum & sweet potatoe chips

3) British Virgin Island dark rum & BBQ beef skewers

4) Royal Oak (Trinidad)& curry crabmeat

5) Spicy Sailor rum & Tandoori chicken

Not only did we try rums that we wouldn't normally try but we learned a bit about each rum while we tasted them. Great idea for a small get together of friends or private event at your home when entertaining! Assign each guest a different liquor, ask them to research it and prepare an appetizer that would pair well with it, tell them to bring it to the party and provide a short history while everyone enjoys the pairing experience!

All it all, the weekend consisted of a great (very relaxing) time, lots of laughs and a full tummy - now to get ready for the holidays!

Noteworthy blog post from Carol Rame: August Coffee Talk: Why you NEED to hire a Professional

Blog post brought to you by Carol Rame Weddings, Noteworthy is a dedicated Wedding Blog for Trends and Wedding Know-How. Rich with up-to-date info on how to have the Wedding of your dreams! So true and a good read:

Noteworthy: August Coffee Talk: Why you NEED to hire a Professional

Tweet out Hunger and Diaper Drive

This year I learned about the Hard Rock Cafe's international campaign "Imagine There's No Hunger" from the Sales and Special Events Manager, Michael Machargo. And as many of you may know, I'm an avid Twitter fan. So when Michael and I met, we decided to show our local support by planning the first ever tweet up at the Hard Rock Cafe Ottawa on Dec 1st. The event then grew and it was not only to "Tweet Out Hunger" but to then join forces in the "Ottawa Diaper Drive" - all in support of the Ottawa Food Bank.

With our Twitter handle name tags and a room full of Twitter fans and newbie twitter fans alike, the room was buzzing. Everyone was enjoying in the festivities knowing that they were supporting a great cause that is so very important especially during the cold holiday season.

FACT: the Ottawa Food Bank provides emergency food to 43,000 people a month -35% of those being children and 1 in 5 Canadian moms have struggled to provide one of their babies' most basic needs such as diapers was more than enough reason to put on this event.

Together, with the music of Ana Miura and the Babes 4 Breasts, Mike Machargo, myself, Stephanie Montreuil and Candace Derickx from the Yummy Mummy Club, Alex Surrett from Surreal Mark8ng, and Neil from 99.7 EZ Rock were the proud hosts for the successful event!


If you can spare a couple of dollars, donate non-perishable items or diapers and baby food this holiday season, please do so as it's so important to show your support of our Ottawa community - especially since it's this time of the season we should be most thankful for what we have in good fortunes!

No one achieves success without others...

No one who achieves success does so without the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude. -- Alfred North Whitehead...

Last night was our second networking event for Ottawa Wedding Professionals and we mixed it up with martinis! Our host was the Ottawa Marriott Hotel's Summit which overlooks the city, 29 floors above Ottawa and I'm sure everyone agreed that it was breath-taking.

I can't say enough about all the people who made the event a success...but I'll try:

THANK YOU to Marco for hosting the event at his beautiful venue (the Summit) overlooking the city! Looking forward to many more ;)

THANK YOU to all the martinis and networking event sponsors at the Ottawa Marriott's Summit last night: Little Cakes Cupcakes, Reno Video Productions, Quality Entertainment, Tripp Photography, Lou Truss photography, Mastermind Events, Full Bloom, and all the staff at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel - it was truly a pleasure and you were all integral in making the event a success!

THANK YOU to our donations of door prizes: Cake pops from Little Cakes, floral arrangement from Full Bloom, gift certificate from the Ottawa Marriott Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott, and the gift certificate and bottle of wine from Trixie Tulip!

THANK YOU to our featured guests: Brian Henry (MC), Cristie Vito (and Christine Tripp) and Carrie Irvine.

THANK YOU to my fabulous volunteers who worked magic for me: Allison Milne (of Beyond Events), Kat, and Stephanie!

AND THANK YOU to all the great Wedding Pros who came out to network! I hope you each connected or re-connected and walked away with at least 5 great contacts that you will stay in touch with.

OK I feel like this blog post is my Grammy acceptance speech but there are not enough THANK YOUs to express how blessed I felt last night! Woke up with a smile...

For those who couldn't make it out stay tuned for the next one...in the meantime, please find a recap of the night courtesy of Sylvain and Caroline Renaud of Reno Video Productions:

Adding Flair to Events

Clients are always looking for unique ideas to entertain their guests at an event. One idea that goes beyond the idea of a signature cocktail is adding flair bartending. Not only are drinks being served that look and taste great but everyone will be highly entertained by the technique and the special moves choreographed by the bartender.

My first experience was watching “Cocktails” with Tom Cruise and it has since intrigued me on how skilled these individuals are in mastering throwing bottles around, rolling them off their body and not breaking anything or spilling a drop of alcohol.

BartenderOne's Movers ‘n’ Shakers are “Canada's Largest team of professional bartenders for hire, catering more than 1000 special events per year from coast to coast.” If you're looking for a way to keep your guests excited and having fun you should consider hiring flair bartenders.

Here’s a great video of BartenderOne's bartenders for hire:

Networking for any industry

Business Networking is an effective tool in promoting your business. For some it’s a skill that needs to be developed and for others it comes naturally but for both it takes time and energy to master.

Networking is not about passing out as many business cards as you can or sales pitching to everyone that you come across. It is about listening, connecting and focusing on how you can help the person. A small business owner who takes the steps to attend networking events to meet new people will create opportunities to exchange ideas, business contacts, and support.

Laura Allen, co-founder of 15 Second Pitch for About.com, explains How to Network More Effectively. No matter what industry your company is involved in. As a business owner, networking as much as you can with like-minded professionals will not only help you to master this skill but it will help you to build strategic business partnerships that may become mutually beneficial.

If you just happen to enjoy networking and own a business in the Ottawa Wedding and Event industy, we are hosting a Martini and Networking night on Nov 17th - pls feel free to join us. For more information, please visit: http://martininottawawedprofnetworking.eventbrite.com/

Personalize your event...it means more!

I love to recommend to my clients that they add something personal to their wedding or event. It can be carried throughout in a subtle way or as simple and as fun as personalizing the favours or small gifts for their guests. Here's some really great ideas I've come across and thought I should share:

1) Jones Soda - not only can you personalize the label but you get to choose the flavours too.

2) Hockey puck or mini sticks - for those avid hockey fans (I know you're out there) why not celebrate your passion for the sport.

3) Hot Sauce - the site says it all, "Leave memories of your day on the tips of their tongues for months on end."

4) Magazine Cover - make yourself famous and create your own magazine cover.

5) Custom Postage- amazing and your friends and family will love receiving this in the mail.

6) Custom cookie designs - cute and edible!

7) Swarovski Crystal Lingerie - always a nice gift for your girlfriends or bridal party.

8) Personalized Cigar Humidors - an essential gift for any guy who likes a good cigar.

9) Custom soap - why not? It smells nice and everyone needs to use soap ;)

10) Personalized M&M's - because everyone loves chocolates and you can add your photo!

Fashion and Glam in Ottawa - all in one weekend!

Ottawa Fashion Week has become THE event to attend in Ottawa! Now on its fourth season, fashionistas and art enthusiasts from everywhere are brought together in the Nation’s Capital for a weekend of glamour and fashion. This year it was held at the spectacular National Gallery Grand Hall.

Over the three days, Beyond Events was a part of the Vendor Gallery. We were among some great vendors such as: Karen McClintock whose gorgeous jewellery hit the runway on Opening Night, Lilac Lingerie, Ottawa Flowers, Dress it Up by NZ, and Beauticontrol. We had so much fun having our table beside two event sponsors, Le Spa Ottawa/The Loft Ottawa and Rob Reid. A shout out to George and Rob - both entertained us and made the weekend fly by!

We had a great view of the runway and the gorgeous models sporting 21 of the most talented Canadian designers such as Adrian Wu, Rachel Sin and Kania Couture.


Among the crowd of media there every night, I had the pleasure of meeting MaryLou from Twenty York Street, a “Fashion and Lifestyle Blog that showcases the latest trends in fashion, style and events in the city”, Julie from Pop Champagne , an “outrageous commentary on celebrities, fashion, popular culture- as well as the happenings in Ottawa, Canada and Holly from My Journey 613, a blog to share ideas and events around Ottawa with everyone. Loved meeting these ladies and can’t wait to read more of their blogs…


There were lots of laughs, I connected with many people (including Max Keeping), enjoyed plenty of beauty and style, and of course took pictures for my readers to enjoy…I'm looking forward to the next one!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a time to be with family and friends, to remember how lucky we all are and to be thankful for all we have! However, I do believe that every day is a day to be thankful and Thanksgiving is simply the annual reminder as we get busy with life.

For us, Thanksgiving weekend is normally when we take a Sunday drive up to the Gatineau Parks, enjoy a couple of hikes through the trails, take some pictures to commemorate the Fall Rhapsody, and then get ready for the evening's turkey feast - and what is better than to be blessed with beautiful weather as another highlight to the long weekend.

I hope everyone is a lucky as I am to be loved and to be able to love. I am thankful that those closest to my heart are both happy and healthy. It's at this time of the year that I am reminded of my good fortune. I wish everyone a very "Happy Thanksgiving"!

Empowering women and home-based businesses in our neighbourhood!

What a great idea and concept - last night I participated in the Stonebridge Ladies Night Out event that showcased a variety of home-based businesses. The event was held at the Stonebridge Golf and Country Club and the turn out was fantastic - over 200 came to show their support. I met lots of very interesting women - both as attendees and as exhibitors in various stages of their business.

The exhibitors in the room ranged from Esthetics from Peacock Esthetics and Make Up Artists to to creative design ideas from Uppercase Living. Right beside me was Jennifer Bailey, a very talented photographer with beautiful images to showcase. We were able to chit chat over the course of the night and although she does mostly family and newborn portraits, I truly hope that we are able to work together on an event. On the other side of me was Amy from Stampin Up who started her business 6 months ago and she's only in her 20's. It's always great to see women entrepreneurship thrive at any age.

Between the laughs, drinks and food, I did end up making a deal with one woman who visited my table - her proposal...if I can find her a potential husband, she'd hire me as her Wedding Planner in a heartbeat - potential for a new service ;)

Thanks to all the ladies for a great night...looking forward to the next one!

AS A FOLLOW ON TO THIS EVENT...MY PICTURE IS IN THE BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT - WOW THANKS!!!

Unique touch...seasonal and sustainable

I had the pleasure of attending a great event tonight that featured menu samples from the Whalesbone Catering Company. On this rainy night, I ventured out to find myself at the corner of Kent and Arlington joining over 80 others to check out first hand what the Whalesbone Catering offers its clients. We were treated to sample delicious seasonal food, local wines and Kichesippi beer. There was the opportunity to try an oyster while they were shucking.

What I thought was interesting was that I found out they are "Ocean Wise" Certified -this means that "when sourcing suppliers for oysters and finfish, they are conscious of the status of the stocks, and also the method of harvest or catch." This is truly unique for a full service catering company. It is apparent that they care that much more in the food they serve! Not only was the food a delight, I also had the pleasure of meeting Kate, Chief of Catering & Event Coordinator. Not only was she fun to talk to but her style and grace in speaking about the Company's uniqueness and service sold me. Definately looking forward to working with her and her staff on an event very soon!

And some bragging rights for this them is that their very own Charlotte Langley will be competing in the Gold Medal Plates competition on Tuesday November 16th National Arts Centre.

If you have a chance, you should visit their Oyster House at 430 Bank Street - maybe I'll see you there one night for dinner.

Picture perfect...

Often I recommend to my clients that they choose a photographer carefully. It is very important that they need to feel comfortable with this person - not only will they be spending a lot of intimate time with them, they are expected to capture the couple's most beautiful and memorable moments. If my clients are not comfortable with the photographer they've chosen, the pictures won't lie - what a huge disappointment it can turn out to be.

This advice is easy enough to provide to my clients but this last Sunday I realized how hard it was if you're like me. I avoid (at all cost) having my photos taken but recently I gave in. My thoughts, "How hard could this be?". Low and behold, even my dear friend Nat of NDS Photography was not ready for the challenge - poor lady she didn't know what she was up for.

I thought it would be even better if I invited our newest addition to Beyond Events, Allison, to join us that afternoon. Unlike me, Allison adores having her pictures taken so she was enjoying every minute - what a gorgeous lady ;)

Although the first 15 mins were a slow start (for me), the rest of the afteroon was filled with Allison cracking jokes and Nat making funny faces (yes like a child having their photo taken...I too needed distractions to make me smile naturally). We ended up having a great time, walked around the Byward Market area, and took some fantastic shots while the weather was gorgeous!

Expert photographers are worth the money spent...they are able to position and direct you, figure out the best lighting (use it to their advantage) and best of all make someone like me smile and forget that photos were ever taken!

THANKS Nat and Allison for a great time!

Paint Canada Pink Week 2010!

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure event is the largest single day volunteer-led event dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research AND 95% of net proceeds from our Run stay in the region they were raised in - GO OTTAWA!

This year I had the pleasure of volunteering as the Promotions Coordinator and I could not have done it without the great support from local Ottawa businesses. Many businesses were excited by the idea of "thinking pink" and in helping us promote breast cancer awareness!

The events planned for the Ottawa-Gatineau area took place from July 18 - 25, 2010 and were mostly hosted at the Hazeldean Mall.

1) The week started off with our official kick off and went right into our first event of speed networking presented by Fuchsia Factory.

2) We had free cupcake decorating for kids sponsored by Little Cakes.

3) For the young at heart, we coordinated the Hazeldean Mall Walk club to join us in walking laps around the mall - 3 laps around the mall is equal to 1km and that 15 laps is equal to 5km or the length of the Run on Oct 3.

4) We also catered to the animal lovers at the Pink wag n' walk at Bruce Pit - dog biscuits donated by Hazeldean Mall and the pink poop bags were compliments of our Co-Run Director, Paul.

5) The final weekday we had the pleasure of NDS Photography to sponsor one free 5x7 for each child that booked an appt with her at the mall - those little muchkins in pink were so cute!

6) Saturday and Sunday were information days and we heard some great stories and some not so happy ones but the message reached out to many and that's what counts for PCPW. Cupcakes for both days were donated by Chrystal's Cupcakes - yummy!



The whole week was fantastic and a real eye opener for the PCPW committee... it became much more apparent to me that breast cancer is alot more common that I had thought.

Many thanks to those special people who took time out of their personal lives to volunteer, sponsor and show their support for CBCF. I'm so lucky to be surrounded by such charitable human beings.

To find out more and see which businesses or to join our facebook page, please visit Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure - Ottawa-Gatineau. Next year will be even better as it'll be our 20th anniversary and I can't wait!

Photo courtesy of: Julie Bazinet our official CBCF CIBC Run for the Cure photographer, NDS Photography, Amna Hakim, and our other amateur photographers such as Susan Enns ;)

Official Kick off of Paint OTTAWA Pink Week

Sunday July 18th marked the official kick off of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's Paint Canada Pink Week 2010. As the Promotions Coordinator for PCPW, we chose to host our events at the Hazeldean Mallto create awareness and initiate individuals and teams to register and begin their fundraising!

We had a great afternoon warming up with Wayne our infamous Pink Fairy, admiring the beautifully designed cake (with a life size running shoe) created by It's a Matter of Cake, and enjoying the company of our special guest speakers MPP Lisa MacLeod and Councillor Marianne Wilkinson. The coffee was plenty at the Second Cup and the sound system and DJ were generously provided by Quality Entertainment.

I have to give a shout out to K6 Media for printing off some PINK running shoe prints to decorate the mall floors that led people to our booth. They were a lot of fun and kids loved jumping on them like hopscotch!

I met some inspiring people, some survivors and others who know of someone dealing with it now. The goal of this week's events was to reach more people and inspire local businesses to show support by thinking pink! We had a Paint your storefront pink contest sponsored by KISS FM and Y101 - to find out which businesses participated this year pls visit our CBCF - Ottawa- Gatineau facebook page.

We were also mentioned on the local CTV news and Metro Ottawa came out for an article they printed the very next day.


Our official photographer for the week is Julie Bazinet - many thanks for the photos!

Beyond Events' mention in Wedding Bells

What an honour and privilege to be mentioned in the latest fall & winter 2010 edition of the Wedding Bells magazine as a "Planning Wedding Whiz". Check it out!

Event better is to be mentioned with someone I have worked with before. I'm proud to say that I have had the pleasure of working with Byron Brydges who is a professional photographer that captures "fashionable, editorial-style" moments of a bride and groom's wedding day. Way to go Byron!

Thanks so much to the editors for choosing Beyond Events. Couples make sure to use this magazine as a resource tool for ideas from real weddings, fashion, beauty tips and travel ideas - available both print and online!

CIBC Run for the Cure Oct 3 - Go Team Go!

True to my heart and the cause I've chosen to participate in each year is the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. This will be my 2nd year as Team Captain of "Boobies United", last year was in Toronto. It's truly a heart-warming but highly emotional experience that I think everyone should try at least once. Not only is it a relaxed run/walk event, it is so much fun to be surrounded by a sea of pink feather boas and pink bras!

To start my fundraising early, I hosted a small private Potluck for the Cure at my home with my close family and friends. Ladies indulged in relaxing spa services provided by Genesis Mobile Spa of Ottawa. Our Stella & Dot consultant, Amy Mclean, showed some beautiful jewellery to spoil ourselves, and we had the pleasure of trying wonderful, delicious dishes - shared amongst fabulous ladies with tickles and giggles. AND we had a gift prize and swag bag for each person to take home.

All in all it was a fantastic time and all for a great cause. I even managed to recruit some walkers to join my team!

If weddings and events weren't enough, I am also the Promotions Coordinator for the CBCF CIBC Run for the Cure in which we are encouraging local businesses to Paint Canada Pink from July 19-25th. There are already a host of businesses that have signed up and KISS FM will be hosting a contest to win $2000 in free online advertising! To find out more information about PCPW, please join our Ottawa-Gatineau Facebook fan page.

Interested in participating in PCPW, joining my team or finding out more information about the October 3rd event, feel free to contact me.

Summer must be here....

Location for an event, whether private or corporate, is always a key decision for planners. Big or small? Intimate and romantic or grand and elegant? There are so many fantastic venues in Ottawa and I had the pleasure last night to attend two events.

The Atlific Hotels of Ottawa-Gatineau hosted a special wine & beer pairing evening to celebrate the Spring/Summer season. It was fabulous to have the opportunity to meet the teams from Courtyard Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, Hotel Indigo, Lord Elgin and Residence Inn - all together. Not only did I get to mix and mingle, I was indulged by the food pairing stations that spoiled me with cocktails made with ginger beer and Russian Standard Vodka, white/red wine, and even scotch. There was food stations from seafood to the chocolate fountain and everything was topped off with live music and great company. Congrats to the Atlific Hotels in Ottawa-Gatineau, 2010/2011 will be filled with exciting and new opportunities!

Lago Bar & Grill has since been a great spot for weddings and events. It recently underwent some renovations. Last night, at their grand re-opening party, I had a preview of the new layout, format and full use of the patio overlooking Dow's Lake - the sunny weather just made it even better on the patio. Fantastic venue that brings out the best of elegance and romance. There were samples from the new menu (including oysters to lamb chops) and special drinks! Well done and I'm looking forward to more exciting news from Lago.

By Appointment Only Bridal Boutique...

On May 8th, I had the pleasure of attending the Grand Opening Night of the Ashton Station Bridal Boutique in Carleton Place.

Nestled in an old church, Luigi and Tracy Porcari have renovated the space into a beautiful, modern boutique that provides brides with
high-end bridal gowns designed by Canadian designer Rita Vinieris. In talking to Rita, I'm inspired by her creativity and vision. She is truly a fashion icon in the Canadian wedding industy with presence in many of the International runways, including New York.

Ashton Station is by appointment-only. This offers brides the chance to share their first moment of trying on wedding dreses, with their closest family and friends. The boutique currently offers not only many Rivini dresses to try on but also shoes, headbands and jewelry.

Luigi and Tracy's story was shared by the Ottawa Citizen. You can find the article at: "Say yes to the dress".

You can also read about them at the Smart Bride Boutique Blog. Photo courtesy of Smart Bride Boutique.

Before the wedding season kicks off...

I had the pleasure of co-hosting a sangria and networking event in April, with Trixie Tulip - The Bytown Bride, for Ottawa Wedding Professionals. It was the first ever networking event in Ottawa for this type of industry. Not only was it fun and relaxing but also a night in which we managed to bring together talent and experience from different areas of the wedding industry.

I was graced with fantastic people that night...I probably would have never had the opportunity to do otherwise, especially once the summer wedding season kicked off for 2010. I was able to enjoy the company of Smart Bride Boutique (from Toronto), Sylvain and Caroline Renaud from Reno Video Productions, Julie Butler, and Tangerine Smile...just to name a few among a great group of professionals.

Thanks to everyone for a great night and looking forward to our second Ottawa Wedding Professionals Networking event - save November 17th and bring lots of business cards!

Inspired by tonight's food sampling

Creative but delicious food is always a highlight for any event - both private and corporate. It should be an inspiration of the theme. It should make your guests excited to try it and leaving them wanting more.

Tonight I met with Aliza, Owner and Head Chef for Octogon Catering who treated me to a moroccan-themed sampling of this week's menu. The Moroccan tasting started with pita chips dipped into Matboucha (a cooked spiced tomato salad) and some chips for her Carrot Dip (nicely spiced), Meatballs with Tomatoes, Olives and Homemade preserved lemon, and rolled cookies with raisins, pecans, fruit jam and dates (YUMMY).


Straight off her website, "Octogon catering offers homemade traditional dishes with modern interpretations. A creative culinary experience with innovative customized menus-local or exotic with inspired blend of flavors from various regions of the Mediterranean."

Tonight's tasting not only got me excited for her and the fact that she recently opened a location at 707 Gladstone Avenue, but that we will be working together in planning Octogon Catering's Grand Opening event. More info to come but feel free to drop by her location as she also offers meals to go and unique cooking classes for all ages...truly a Moroccan and Spanish inspired cuisine experience.

Free printable wedding workbook

Collaborating, sharing and promoting other reputable wedding planners in Ottawa is always best done over a coffee on a nice sunny day! I had the opportunity over the weekend to do just that with Sophie from Coverall Event Coordination. I'm so excited for her. She has officially launched "Something Blue" which is a free printable wedding workbook customized by city and state/province. As an experienced Planner, she has developped a tool to facilitate the planning process for brides and grooms - not specifically to replace the requirement for a real Wedding Planner but as a guide to prioritize and track progess. Nothing can replace the warm and fuzzy feeling of knowing you have a real person on the day of your wedding to take care of any problems, handle vendors, set up, and coordinate all aspects includng the itinerary.

Congrats to Sophie for a great idea! Check out Something Blue: Free printable wedding workbook at www.somethingblueworkbook.com!

V for victory for my dear friend Brenda

There are times in our lives when we are forced to really see things in a different perspective and be thankful for our family, friends and their health! I've recently met a great woman who is not only a cancer survivor BUT who's making the most of her second chance at life! While some of use would have given up with a diagnosis of cancer, Brenda decided to turn it into an opportunity. In 2009, while completing chemo, she successfully planned her first ever Survivorship charity fundraiser in hopes of finding a cure. This year she's back to celebrate being a survivor and to plan her second event for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation., in hopes of doubling last year's target. It took me some time to convince her that she really had a reason this year to celebrate and I'm so happy to be a part of it! She has a great line up: Spoken word by Greg Frankson "Ritallin". Comedy by: Catherine Doucette-Smith, Rachelle Todd, Jenninfer Hayward, Jennifer Woodworth - lots of great prizes, silent auction items and so much more! Everyone should join us April 17, 2010 to celebrate Brenda and other cancer survivors and more importantly show support in finding a cure for this deadly disease!!!

For more information.

The traditional wedding registry concept in a not-so traditional way

With more and more couples living together before marriage, it almost seems that having a bridal registry is almost pointless. If you have all the furniture, kitchenware, decorations for your household, what else could there possibly be left for your wedding guests to buy?

Well why not use a gift registry that will offer your family and friends the opportunity to contribute to something you, as the soon-to-be married couple, really want such as a romantic honeymoon, a downpayment on a new car or home, electronics or gadgets, or even a donation to the charity of your choice. This is all possible thanks to a new, not-so-traditoinal registry called Wedding Republic.


How does it work? Well it is quite simple - it allows you to create a wedding profile, select your gifts from their list(or you can create your own gifts), determine how you want to split the gift value by selecting the number of puzzle pieces, rank them based on how important the gift is to the couple, share the link with family and friends, and sit back and track the progess of the registry. The great thing is that guests can choose how many puzzle pieces (or contribution) they will contribute...AND IT'S FREE. You can be as creative as you want with your gift list now.

Excellent idea!

Sangria and Networking event for Wedding Professionals in Ottawa

As usual, I saw a post on the internet about interesting networking events and low and behold, I receive a message on twitter from @TrixieTulip that a sangria networking event would be a hit! That was only a week ago and here we are with over 37 vendors ready to be our guests at Ottawa's first ever sangria and networking event for wedding professionals!

The time and date is: Wednesday April 21, 2010 at Lago Bar & Grill.
Presented by: Beyond Events and Trixie Tulip
DJ/Entertainment by: Quality Entertainment

Registration information will follow soon, in the meantime let us know if you are interested on the Facebook page.

Host private events that are unique...

Cater to the group of people you would like to host an event for and be creative on the theme of the night. There are so many fun ideas that I've come across for private events...from "Stag and Does" to bachelorette parties, you can:

1) Enjoy an authentic Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant that will leave you guests "oooohing and aaahhhing" when the chef prepares delicious tableside grilled seafood, beef or chicken entrees with a little chop chop, toss and serve as a part of the entertainment.

2) Host a private pole dancing party at your home or at a studio that will not only provide a good workout for your guests but help you to achieve a higher level of sex appeal. Sensually Active in Ottawa not only offers pole dancing parties but also chair dancing lessons for those women who want to bring out the pink feather boas and stiletto high heels.

3) Invite your friends over for a wine-tasting party at home. Ask each guest to pick a country, do some research as to which wine comes from that country and pair it with a delicious entree for everyone to enjoy. Not only will you be surrounded by great friends but your guests will enjoy wines and delicious food from around the world.

4) Plan a cooking class with both males/females. This type of private event allows collaboration, mingling, and an opportunity to learn while preparing your own food - in some cases, there may be more laughing than cooking depending on your guests' skills in the kitchen.

5) Relax and enjoy a private yoga party. This is a good way to help everyone relieve tension and alleviate stress before possibly going out on the town for a bachelorette or birthday party.

6) Book a private suite for a concert or hockey game with over 10 of your closest friends. Celebrate in style, from a "Jack and Jill" to a job promotion.

7) Express your sensuality with a boudoir session (yes that's right). Melanie Rebane, a local Ottawa Photographer, is hosting a spring boudoir marathon here in the Nation's Capital and the craze is catching on as women and their friends get to express through the lens of a camera just how sexy they really are - it's up to them who they share them with ;)

Other private events include a winery tasting and tour, spa party (at home or at the spa)with a make-up bar, learning how to make sushi, casino dinner, show, gambling, Fantasia party, Stella and Dot jewellery party or Whitewater rafting. There are so many possibilities that there's no excuse why you can't host a fun event that everyone will be talking about for days to come.

Beyond Events can help you on small or large private events...design, plan, and execute!

Supporting Ottawa Talent

After moving back from Toronto, I now appreciate Ottawa that much more. I truly think that Ottawa is a great city to be living in. This week I had the privilege of supporting (actually "enjoying" is a better way to describe it) the local talent that the Nation's Capital has to offer.

I was invited by Chef Aliza Hutman to experience her four course Spanish and Moroccan inspired dinner. She created the menu and was the overall chef instructing a team of Algonquin's student chefs to cook the menu at The Restaurant International. Not only did my group of friends provide them with an opportunity to learn but we all enjoyed a lovely 4 course dinner at a very reasonable price ($19.99 per person). If you haven't tried the Restaurant International, Algonquin's School of Hospitality's teaching restaurant, you must...as a lunch/dinner guest, you experience fine dining at very reasonable prices in their well appointed dining room.

Chef Aliza owns a catering company called Octogon Catering in which services include: Private, Corporate, Personalized chef, Cooking Lessons and Gift Baskets. For catering enquiries: aliza@octogoncatering.ca

Phyllo pastries with orange-flower custard strawberries and orange marmalade.
(credit: Photo by Lois Siegel)
_____

To add to this week's local talent events, I attended Yuk Yuk's Great Canadian Laugh off here in Ottawa. After 6 weeks of competition between Ottawa's best comedians, Wednesday was the FINALE - Ottawa's very own top 6 comedians putting their best efforts to make us laugh: Peter Grunstra, Wafik Nasaralla, Jason Harper, Mike Beatty, Dave Atkinson, and Martha Chaves.

The Ottawa rounds of Yuk Yuk's 2010 Great Canadian Laugh Off contest were, as always, a huge success. It was my first time visiting their new location on Elgin Street and we even enjoyed half price Wednesdays at Hooley's beforehand. Not only was it my pleasure to be there and support our local artists but a portion of the proceeds from my ticket sales were donated to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Thanks to Howard of Yuk Yuk's. Not only did I get great entertainment but I shared the night with a group of fantastic friends for a great cause.

This year's winner in Ottawa was Martha Chaves. She will be competing in a heat with 7 others on Friday March 19th at Yuk Yuk's flagship club in Toronto. Should she win that round she will compete in the final on Sunday March 21st for a chance at $25,000. This round will be taped for national broadcast by the Comedy Network to air in the fall of 2010. If you haven't seen her before, you have to..she's hilarious and it's apparent why she won BUT kudos to all the other comedians because they truly have talent!!!Can't wait for the next event in support of local talent!

Bridal Bargains and Wed by Hand - not your typical wedding show

Even though couples are continuing to get engaged, the size of a typical wedding budget has changed from what it was years ago. Couples are watching more and more where they spend their money. As a Wedding Planner, I love to see a couple's vision of their wedding still be one of elegance and style and have only the best details. That is where the idea of Bridal Bargains came about when I was brainstorming one night how I could support my dear friend Crys and her Team Diabetes. This show was not only to bring together once-loved wedding dresses, to decor and wedding accessories but to showcase local businesses who offered personalized products and services such as Stampin' Up and beaded flowers and accessories.

The idea then blossomed into something that created a buzz that continues even now. I met Krista (Urbanite Jewelry) and instantly knew that we would become great friends. We talked about her idea of a first ever Indie wedding show called Wed By Hand and it intrigued me by it's sheer uniqueness and obvious appeal to a different segment of couples. It was a revolutionary concept that fit in quite nicely with Bridal Bargains....and so the idea of two wedding shows were merged into one with proceeds donated to Team Diabetes.

All the vendors were fantastic and each brought something special to the show including hand made makeup, floral, jewelry, chocolates, and soaps such as:

Crazy 4 Chocolates
Chelsy Anne Jewelry
Full Bloom
Little Cakes
Papillon Press
Dahlia Decor
Just Add Water
First Kiss Films

A highlight of the event were the once-loved dresses not only donated to Team Diabetes directly but those in particular brought to us by Ottawa's ONLY consignment boutique White Haute Bridal.

We also had quite a few photographers at the show who each bring a style and personality of their own and it's apparent in their photos:

AMB Photo
Melanie Sheilds
Melanie Rebane our official photographer for the event and who's photos highlight the success of the overall day!!

If you are looking for unique, sustainable, hand-made quality products and services offered by people who care about their clients...stay tuned for the next Wed By Hand indie wedding show! This trend is here to stay - CONGRATS Krista!

"Bringing Back the 80's for a Cure"

The amount of hairspray and spandex in the room on Feb 20th was phenomenal! On that Saturday night, I brought together a room full of women (only) to "Bring back the 80's"!!!! It truly was a room full of women who inspire me by their true generosity and warm hearted nature. The review was fantastic and lots of women came up to me during the night and asked me if I was making this an annual event - YES MAAM!!! Not only did we support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation but we brought girlfriends together to enjoy a night of pleasure and pampering!

I have to thank each of you:

1) Carolyne Malette - http://www.marriottcourtyardottawa.com/ - I can not thank this woman enough - she is truly a great woman who deserves to be praised. When I approached her about my idea she was jumping out of her seat and since then I've seen so much excitement and enthusiasm - OR was that frustration with me ;) I truly could not have made any of this happen without her. Follow her hotel on Twitter @CourtyardOttawa.

2) Wedecor - www.wedecor.ca - The lovely centrepieces were generously donated by Nancy who does decor for events/weddings. She is fantastic and truly provides quality work. Woot Woot!!!

3) PM Event Services - http://www.pmeventservices.ca/ - All the women had a blast from the past and wanted the 80s music to continue all night long thanks to the groovin' of AJDJ. PM Event Services offer great DJs for weddings and events.

4) Yuk Yuk's - www.yukyuks.com - Two lady comedians (Dana and Andrea) who were a huge hit! It was a great way to start off the night and to get the women ready for more fun.

5) Marie Marie Marie (Van Dusen) - http://fantasia.ca/ - She officially made us laugh so hard it hurt!!! So she truly is the best Fantasia consultant in this city because she makes your home party so much fun - If you ever had any bachelorette parties, girls night in, etc...she's your woman! Truly a fun but generous lady who I have had the pleasure of knowing for years.

6) Cindy Almond - http://www.sensuallyactive.com/ottawa.htm - This lady makes it look so darn easy?!!! She provided the chair and pole dancing lessons...wow was that not a huge hit! If you ever want to plan a home party or a great alternative to a bachelorette party or better yet, just sign up for a regular fitness/sensual pole dance class with her at her studio! Bring your friends - thanks again for teaching everyone how to be sensually active and you can follow her on twitter @SensuallyActive

7) Shakira and Colleen - http://www.littlecakes.ca/ - Best little cupcakes EVER! These ladies donated their little pink cupcakes in so many flavours.. what a pleasure for everyone. She does all types of events/weddings, etc - I could eat them all the time...not a good idea. Follow them on Twitter @LittleCakes and join their facebook group.

8) Julie Vignale - I'm Truly a Truffle Maker - she is truly a truffle maker (trouble-maker...get it) and even though she couldn't come and join us that night, her truffles were a highlight nonetheless.

9) Brenda Burich - www.partylite.biz/bburich -She has been fantastic and her Partylite display was beautiful and really captured the pamper and pleasure theme. If you ever need any candles or partylite products or to host a party, pls contact Brenda -

10) Urbanite Jewelry - http://www.urbanitejewelry.com/ - I have the pleasure to be hosting Wed by Hand and Bridal Bargains with her on Sat Feb 27th! Check out some of her cool jewelery which she can customize so let her know if you want to give something unique to a friend.

11) Melanie - www.maitlandmassage.ca - Melanie offered free back massage and she was quite busy with the women lining up for a quick massage. She is a Registered Massage Therepist and can work wonders.

12) Michele - http://www.comfyposturesolutions.com/tab_home - Custom bra fitting is what all women need. Thank you so much for your generosity!

13) Marina - http://www.puredanceottawa.com/ - She provides dance lessons (everything from Salsa to Ballroom) to which you do not need a partner plus I love the fact that she can help to choreagraph a couple's first wedding dance!!! Check her out at her studio(s)!

14) Genesis Mobile Spa - She is a mobile spa so now you can get pampered at home! She can do spa parties and what a fun idea for bachelorette or wedding parties. She also does makeup so if you have a special occasion, just book an appointment with her!

15) Cheryl Godard - Avon lady at your leisure who donated a large gift for our prize table. If you ever want some Avon products, contact Cheryl!

Last but not least OttawaKiosk.com, Rogers Daytime TV with Derek and Elise, 105.3 KISS FM, and especially Brother Bob Derro from Oldies 1310 who promoted the event!! Might I add that Brother Bob generously donated our GRAND PRIZE which was an opportunity to co-host the morning show - Congrats to Nadia our winner!

Final words - thank you thank you thank you for the generosity from each and every one of the ladies that attended...I love promoting local businesses and it was truly a night of pleasure and pampering!

For anyone who is enticed to attend our 2nd annual "Bringing Back the 80's", follow my Facebook fan page (Beyond Events) or on twitter @Beyond_Events....OK hope to see everyone again same time, same place, same event to Bring Back the 80's for the Cure!!!

Follow @Bringingback80s

Planning a Beautiful Wedding on a Budget

A few tips for planning your beautiful wedding on a budget:

1) Plan your budget – Be realistic and determine how much money you have available for the wedding. This will include your own savings and any gift money from your family. Don’t consider credit cards and money that you don’t have access to right away as part of your budget, otherwise you will find yourself going into debt even before you’re married; that’s not a good way to start off married life. Stick as close as possible to it and track it frequently to see where you’re spending the money. This way you will be able to organize all of the details according to the budget you have set aside and can afford.

2) Use Wedding Planners – Experienced wedding planners will be able to offer support by providing tips and ideas to save money and cut costs on your wedding. With their expertise comes a larger network of contacts and it’s their experience dealing with reputable vendors that helps you to avoid throwing away your money – they will also help you stay on budget and be that voice of rationalization when you want to blow all your money and some.

3) Do your research – As with anything else, do your research, ask family and friends for referrals, take the time to look into your different options before making a final choice for everything from flowers to transportation. Ask questions, make site visits, shop around and get a quote from each vendor making sure to consider and compare the quality, type of service, and determine if there are any hidden costs or exceptions to the pricing. Understand how much things cost and what you get for that price. Shopping around can help you add up the little bit of savings as they will quickly add up making a difference in your overall budget. Be wise in your choices.

4) Prioritize – Determine what your priorities are when it comes to your wedding. Some couples consider the flowers and décor their “must-haves” while others might spend the money on their photographer and food. Since there are so many aspects to a beautiful wedding, the details quickly add up and so does your wedding budget. When planning for the big day, make sure to you decide on your top 3 things where you want to spend more and 3 things you wouldn’t mind spending less. Figure out the areas you want to focus on first and always weigh your options. Weddings are not meant to be cookie-cutter; the best ones are personalized to the couple.

One thing to remember is that the wedding day is for you as a couple. You can’t please your Mom or Aunt and make decisions to please everyone if it isn’t what you want. If you plan, research, prioritize and stay on track, you will be happier with your decisions; this is, at the end of the day, your wedding and your money. Even though you your family and friends are important, you can’t be wasting money to make everyone happy. If it’s not in the budget then let them know but be nice about it…don’t turn bridezilla on everyone. All in all, enjoy the day because you deserve it…Happy Wedding Planning on a Budget!

Welcome 2010!

Another year has come and gone! The holidays are now over and 2010 has officially begun and we're back to the humdrum of work and home. However, for some couples, the holidays this year have been even more special because they got engaged between Christmas and New Year's Day.

What better way to say "I Love You" than to have your love unwrap their (what-they-think-is-another) present which just happens to be a beautiful Diamond Engagement Ring? And then soon after in January of 2010, these same couples are now planning to announce their recent engagement to family and friends but then what?

Although most men will tell you that the marriage proposal is one of the most stressful moments of a man's life, they would also agree that getting engaged over the holidays is both romantic and inspiring at the same time. However, have they even thought of the thousands of details it takes to planning a wedding? Probably not but they will and wedding planning will soon creep up as a good second place on their stress monitor.

Once engaged, wedding planning is something a couple will live and breath for the next while until their wedding day. Not to fear, there is so much guidance and advice posted on the internet and found in all types of wedding magazines and books - from do-it-yourself to comprehensive checklists and templates. Still confused, well here's some interesting posts according to the Knot, "10 Things you need to do first" and "Just Engaged: Your First Wedding Planning To-Dos"

It's hard to remember sometimes that we aren't always able to manage everything in our lives and the added stress of planning your wedding might seem overwhelming. Just remember that there are dedicated planners such as Beyond Events, who can help you stay on track, get it all done, and keep your stress level at a minimum - your wedding is suppose to be a happy celebration and not a great big chore. Even if you choose to do it all yourself, above all, don't forget to do some deep breathing...often!

Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year - may your lives be filled with love, laughter and only happy moments...

Congratulations and best wishes on your engagement and good luck on your wedding planning!