FIT INTO YOUR WEDDING DRESS

February 28, 2014 / no comments

GET YOUR BODY WEDDING READY WITH THESE TIPS

Hey everyone,

With the wedding season just around the corner, brides want to look good in their wedding dresses. All that pressure can stress a person out completely. There is something about weddings that tend to get brides to watch what they eat and control their weight. Off course you want to look good in that dress, but do it the right way. Loosing weight for some can be a really hard and stressful journey, but throw in the wedding planning, work and everything in between, and you become even more stressed. All the magazines and TV shows don’t help either (we know) : The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp

boot camp

We have ALL been through it (Except for those that were born with the perfect metabolism and do not put on weight regardless of how much chocolate they eat- :)! Here are 5 of our top tips to staying healthy and still loosing weight.

1. AVOID FAD DIETS- They do not work! You will lose weight, but most of this will be water and muscle giving you the impression that you are dropping the weight. When you stop this diet, it will go right back on again. Instead, avoid fatty foods, skip the fast food all together. Snack on healthy foods, up your vegetable intake. EAT BREAKFAST! Yes we all tend to skip this as women, but it truly causes your metabolism to slow down and you will hang on to that fat instead of burning it. If your job allows you to eat at your desk, have something quick-but healthy. Healthy is the key. No point having a bagel with butter and a large triple triple?

Loose weight with RSVP2.WATER- This is a given, pick up that water and drink lots of it. At least 8 glasses is recommended. We love our waters here, so this is an easy one. Your body can sometimes confuse your body’s cry for water as a need to eat more. Avoid this completely by staying hydrated at all times. And we do not mean, sipping on a diet coke. This does not count.

Ottawa wedding

3. GRAB SOME WEIGHTS/HIRE A PERSONAL TRAINER- Get toned is the key here. Weights will get you tones, and the more toned you are, the more slimmer you appear. Increased tone will increase your metabolism and cause your body to burn more fat, even while you are at rest! We love this. And hiring a personal trainer will take the stress of you if start feeling overwhelmed. This helps a lot, especially if you need the support. We are a big believer of looking good, and feeling comfortable for YOU. Do not do this for anyone but YOU. And have fun with it.

Ottawa fitness

4. SLEEPING BEAUTY. Didn’t get enough energy from sleeping? Now you feel like you need more coffee, energy drink or more food? Get your 6 to 8 hour sleep every night to feel refreshed and rested. This will give you the energy to work out instead of overeating. It happens all the time, as your body is confusing lack of energy for lack of food. Sleep tight!

Sleeping beauty5.SET A GOAL/ KEEP YOUR WEDDING DRESS PHOTO HANDY. How much weight do you want to loose. Write this down and set a realistic goal. This will keep you focused as you are actually working towards something. Keeping a picture of your wedding dress will give you motivation and keep you pushing. Make sure your fiancé does not see it though. Not on your phone.

Photos are compliments of Pinterest :)

I hope this helps.

Happy Planning! Contact us for more details.

Cheers!
| Ottawa Wedding Planner
RSVP Events

c: (613) 807-7787

 

The importance of hiring a good wedding photographer

February 24, 2014 / no comments

The importance of hiring a good wedding photographer

Ottawa wedding planner

 

source: Love and Laughter photography

As a bride you book a wedding venue that meets your wedding vision, you find the wedding dress that is perfect for you, the food that you have chosen for your guests were all picked out carefully to ensure your guests will enjoy it.  I am sure all of these were top of your wedding list. Wedding photos should also be one of your top priority when deciding who to go with. Once you have walked down the aisle, cried, had your first kiss and tossed the wedding bouquet the ONLY tangible memory you will have with you, are your wedding photos!

This is not a decision to be taken lightly at all.  If there is ANYTHING you should spend money on, it is your wedding photos! I cannot tell you how many times we have heard brides complain after the fact that they did not like their photos!  It is the only thing that you will really have to remind you of your big day! We definitely recommend that you take your time selecting the perfect photographer for you, someone that you connect with as a couple – there are several different styles, qualities, and price points to choose from, experience is also another factor to consider.Make the right decision.

So what is the average cost of a ‘middle ranged’ photographer in Ottawa?

You are looking at investing about $2500-$3500. Now with that being said, yes you can find a good photographer for a lesser amount depending on the package, but this is the average cost. Wedding packages range from photographer to photographer and they offer different things. Some include the High Resolution files that you can print, some offer engagement shoots (this is great as you get to know your photographer), some offer wedding albums and others limit what comes with the package and you can add on. Some photographers offer great packages to work from, others work based on clients’ needs.

Again do your research and avoid disappointments. Your wedding planner should be able to recommend something that works for you.

Happy Planning! Contact us for more details.

Cheers!
Della & Divine | Ottawa Wedding Planner
RSVP Events  
c: (613) 807-7787

VENUE COORDINATOR VS. EVENT/WEDDING COORDINATOR

February 21, 2014 / no comments

Venue coordinator vs. event/wedding coordinator

Ottawa wedding planner

How many times have we heard a bride tell us “we do not need an event coordinator, our venue provides one”? Do they really provide one?

A venue coordinator works for the venue whereas the event coordinator works for YOU and has YOUR best interest at heart. A venue coordinator has the venue’s best interest at heart! A few venues might offer these services which is fine, just get more information on what their duties will be.  You need someone to take you to your cake tasting and to take you to the decorator so you can work on your wedding vision or even go pick up all your decor from your house the night before the wedding. A venue coordinator will not do this.

Both the wedding coordinator and your event coordinator are very important in ensuring your wedding day runs according to plan, but they play very different roles.

A venue coordinator will:

– create a floor plan
– create a menu, and attend the tasting
– set out décor items you brought the night before- Must check to see if they will. Some wont!
– ensure a grand entrance into the reception room
-attend a site visit to show you around the venue
-collect your first deposit, and final deposit
-staff your event accordingly
-will also make sure that your food comes out at the time you requested and provide your final bill

Wedding Coordinator will:
– Gather up all the vendors that will make your wedding run as smoothly as possible
-Ensure the vendors chosen work within your budget
-Attend visits with you to all the vendors as required
-Work on your wedding vision
-assemble a master timeline and ensure it is carried out
– reviews contracts, ensure contracts are carried out
– have contracts on hand and previous emails to back up what vendors have said they will do for you
– ensure vendors/VIPs arrive and know what to do
– direct & assist guests at the ceremony and reception
– ensure that your best man has the rings that the marriage certificate is in place
– work with you to set up your rehearsal, direct if necessary
– create a seamless wedding by being the liaison between family/cake/dj/photographer/other vendors
– line up and cue the bridal party & musicians
– attend to any needs of the bride & bridal party
– set out any personal items (guestbook, flowers, escort cards, etc.) at the reception & ceremony and then collect any personal items
-ensure all the vendors have been paid out

They are a great resource of knowledge, a sounding board for decisions, a mediator, a therapist, and a stress reducer to name a few!

A wedding planner is there to help YOU design your big day and ensure that YOUR big day is everything you dreamed and more!

For more information on our wedding planning & coordination services, CONTACT US!

Happy Planning! Contact us for more details.

Cheers!
Della & Divine | Ottawa Wedding Planner
RSVP Events 
c: (613) 807-7787

Holding your Wedding bouquet

February 10, 2014 / no comments

HOW TO HOLD YOUR WEDDING BOUQUET!

Ever wondered what the right way of holding your wedding bouquet is? Holding it way to high is definitely not the right way. Looking through wedding blogs and magazine, I often see the bride holding the bouquet I see lots brides to high. You are hiding your face and most importantly the beautiful details on your wedding dress! Lower the bouquet a little. The rule is that your thumbs should be at your belly button or as close to it as possible. Have your bouquet turned forward slightly (If possible, hide the stem).

NO

Wedding Bouquet

 

YES

Wedding bouquet

Happy Planning! Contact us for more details.

Cheers!
RSVP Events | Ottawa Corporate & Event Planners
c: (613) 219-3552

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toss the bouquet

Rustic & Vintage Wedding Ideas

February 7, 2014 / no comments

RUSTIC & VINTAGE WEDDING IDEAS

The great thing about a vintage wedding is that, it never dates! The look and feel of a rustic / vintage weddings screams romantic. Our lovely brides are loving this theme. If you are going with this look, we suggest picking an era (1920s is the best) and once this is done, they are countless possibilities for decorating or playing the part. With Pinterest at your hands,  you simply can not go wrong. Here a few beautiful photos we found to get you inspired.

Rustic wedding Ottawa

I do ring box

Vintage table numbers

Table numbers

Mismatched bridesmaids dresses

Mismatched Bridesmaids dresses

Wedding card box

Wedding card box

Ottawa Wedding cake

Wedding cake

Rustic Ceremony Idea

Ceremony Site

All photos sourced from Pinterest– Use as inspiration. Want to plan a rustic wedding or event? Contact us soon.

Happy Planning! Contact us for more details.

Cheers!
Event Specialist | Ottawa Wedding Planner
RSVP Events 
c: 613-883-5745

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Alternative to a Wedding Bouquet

ALTERNATIVE TO A WEDDING BOUQUET

January 10, 2014 / no comments

ALTERNATIVE TO A WEDDING BOUQUET

We love flowers, don’t get us wrong! We still know a lot of brides out there that would prefer not have a bouquet.  Not feeling traditional? Don’t want to carry a wedding bouquet down the alter? Here are a few wedding bouquet alternatives. One good thing about these alternating options is that you can still take them home – and they wont die!

Alternative to a wedding bouquet

 Fans

News paper wedding bouquet

Wedding bouquet made from old newspapers and magazines.

Wedding pomanders

Wedding pomanders

wedding bouquet brooch

A brooch wedding bouquet

Wedding fan

Fan, again good for a hot summer wedding (Makes for a great gift favour)

Parasols

Wedding Parasols- Great for a hot summer wedding (E.g Destination wedding)

Wedding floral

Arrangement made out of Fabric, tulle, lace and brooch!

Source: Pinterest

Happy Planning! Contact us for more details.

Cheers!
RSVP Specialist | Ottawa Wedding Planner
RSVP Events 
c: (613) 883-5745

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Wedding bouquet

DO WE NEED TO FEED OUR VENDORS?

January 8, 2014 / no comments

DO WE NEED TO FEED OUR VENDORS?

Do we need to feed our vendors

 

We get asked this question all the time. I am going to answer what I think I get asked most frequently.  Do we need to feed our wedding vendors? Our answer is yes, for several reasons. The most popular question is who gets a meal?  You would normally feed the DJ, the photographer/videographer, the wedding planner and any other vendor that has been at your wedding for more than 5 hours.

Most vendors such your wedding planner, the DJ, Photographer/ DJ are on there feet for over 6 to 7 hours working hard to ensure your wedding is perfect.  That is a long day! Working on an empty stomach is not a good thing. If you decide not feed them, they might want to leave for a few minutes or more (depending on the location of the nearest food outlet) to get food. Do you want them leaving your wedding even for a few hours? Most of you might say yes, but what if you need your DJ to turn the music down, because someone has suddenly decided to do an unexpected quick speech? You can not technically touch the equipment for insurance purposes. Or what if something is wrong with the food that was brought out? Not hot enough? Or worse,  the wrong item? A wedding planner will be quick to  catch this and deal with the kitchen. Or you need the wedding photographer to capture that emotional shot?

How much does a vendor meal cost? The meal should typically cost less than your main meal. Some venues might be able to give you vendors meal at a cheaper price. Each venue is different, find out from yours.

Some vendors require you provide a meal and it is indicated on the contract. Note: When giving your final numbers to the venue, ensure you have included any vendors you are providing food for in with those numbers.

Happy Planning! Contact us for more details.

Cheers!
RSVP Planners| Ottawa Wedding Planner
RSVP Events 
c: 613-883-5745

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Drinking Etiquette 

Drinking etiquette

WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING

January 3, 2014 / no comments

10 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE YOU SHOP FOR YOUR WEDDING DRESS

Shopping for a wedding dress can be overwhelming and stressful for some brides. We have put together 10 useful tips to keep you from going crazy once you actually decide to start shopping for your dream dress.

Ottawa Wedding Dress Tip #1: It takes about 5 to 8 months for your wedding dress to come in. This will greatly depend on which bridal shop you decide to shop with. Most bridal stores ask that you book early to guarantee that you get your dress on time. Book Early!

Tip #2: Leave your entourage at home! Don’t take everyone with you. Take  2 or 3 people with you when you go shop. Taking everyone can become stressful especially with all the different opinions. You are meant to enjoy this moment.

Tip #3: What’s your wedding dress style? We suggest having an idea of what style you would like to go with. Keep your wedding theme in mind as well as the location and time of season of your wedding. Your body shape should also be considered. Not everyone looks good in a ball gown. Choose a style that compliments your body type.

Ottawa Wedding dressTip #4: Budget! Have a budget in mind. Tell the sales person what your budget is and let them help you with a dress that is in and around your wedding budget. No point having them bring you an over the top looking dress to only find out it is way over your budget. Stick to your budget! Remember to set a realistic budget.

Tip #5: Be open minded. Not every dress you see in a magazine will look the same on you. Find a dress that looks good on you.

Tip #6: Saturday is a busy day for most Bridal stores. Find out which day is not busy for the particular store you would like to visit and book your appointment. The sales person will have the time to spend one on one time with you and provide you with the best service.

Tip #7: Make an Appointment! When you find out what day is not the busiest, book a date! We encourage you to still make an appointment so that they are prepared for you.

Ottawa Wedding

Tip #8: Get your hair and Make up done. This will give you a better idea on how the overall look will be! If you can not do this, don’t worry.

Tip #9: If you go up 1 or 2 dress sizes, do not stress. All dresses are made differently. It does not mean you put on weight :)!

Tip #10: Have fun! Only go when you are ready to shop. Don’t shop around as this will only stress you out more.

Happy Shopping! Contact us for more details.

Event planner canada

IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE- LIKE, SHARE & COMMENT BELOW! 

Cheers!
Event Planner | Ottawa Wedding Planner
RSVP Events 
c: 613-883-5745

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Wedding Traditions

December 7, 2013 / one comment

CAKE CUTTING, BOUQUET TOSS, ARE YOU STILL FOLLOWING TRADITIONS?

A lot of our brides today are no longer following traditions. For those that are still following the wedding traditions, do you know what each tradition symbolizes? Why do we carry the wedding bouquet? Why do we cut the wedding cake? Find out where all these started and some of the traditions really mean here.

The Bridal Bouquet: 

Purple bridal bouquetsource:Pinterest

Back in the days, in Greek and Roman eras, brides carried herbs like thyme and garlic arrangements to hide the smell of their body odor. They also did this to bring luck or ward off bad luck. This tradition become fashionable in the mid- 19th century. Why do you carry a bridal bouquet?

Tossing of the Bouquet:
Elegant wedding bouquetSource:Pinterest

It is tradition for the bride to throw away the bouquet at a wedding reception for all single women to catch.The lucky lady that caught the bouquet was believed to be the next one to wed. Where did this tradition come from?  Back in History, it was believed that the bride would only wear her dress once. The dress was believed to be good luck as it represented fertility. At the end of the wedding, people would chase the bride down and try to take pieces of the dress for luck to take home. Over the years, dresses become more expensive, more grand and more brides decided to keep the dresses to pass on. To distract the other ladies, brides decided to toss the bouquet with the hope that the guests at the wedding would leave her dress in tact.

 The First Kiss:

The first kiss, wedding traditions

Source:Style me pretty

“You may now kiss your bride”, this usually symbolized the conclusion of the wedding ceremony. It was believed that the kiss sealed the couples agreement to join in a life time commitment with each other.

Cake Cutting 

Cake cutting traditionsSource: Pinterest

It is believed that the cutting of the cake is the first task of the couples life together.  In Roman times, it was believed that by sharing the first piece of cake together, a special bond was created with the couple.

Wedding Veil

Wedding veils traditionsSource: Wedding veil

The bridal veil was originally invented by pagans to ward off evil spirits who tried to take away the purity of the bride.It was believed that evil spirits would be attracted to the bride, so they covered her face with a veil in order to conceal her features to distract and confuse them.

They are so many wedding traditions out there. What traditions will you be following and which will you forgo? Tell us today 

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Happy Planning!