Cultural Traditions Around the World

Ever get tired of the basic wedding traditions like the bouquet toss or garter grab? Well check out some of these interesting wedding traditions found all over the world!

Let’s take you to Germany first, where housekeeping is important right from the get go.  Guests throw dishes on the ground to ward off evil spirits that might be lurking. The couple is to then clean up the dishes together learning the valuable lesson that working together allows them to face any challenges that are thrown at them.

If housekeeping is not your thing, how about entertaining your taste buds? Newlyweds in Russia share a type of sweetbread called karavaya, which is said to bring prosperity and faithfulness due to the wheat and interlocking rings. The partner that takes the biggest bite without using their hands is said to be considered the head of the family.

Last but certainly not least is the traditional Camel dance from Niger. In West Africa a camel is brought to the reception in the desert and dances to music while being surrounded by wedding guests getting their groove on as well. 

Hope you enjoyed all these new traditions! Stay tuned for more blog posts!

Shelly and Jon's Beautiful Wedding Day

We had the honour of planning Shelly and Jon’s big day last year! This was a day of fun, love and laughter, as the wedding was filled with colours and music! From the violinist and saxophonist to their amazing DJ this wedding was anything but boring! After seeing the video of the wedding, it brought back so many wonderful memories about this day, that we just had to share it with you!

We couldn’t have done this event without the help of our amazing vendors:

Venue: The Venetian Hotel

Videographer: Little Blue Lemon

Florals: Flower Time

Photographer: Stephen Sager

Photo Location: Klienburg and The NovotelHotel

DJ, MC, Violinist, and Saxophone Player: Jet Entertainment

School Bus: Stock Transportation

Cake: Just Temptations

Photo booth: Totally Creative Photo booth

Fun Filled Food Station Ideas

Food Stations have taken over the culinary world in terms of weddings. They are a great way to get your guests to interact during the wedding.  It is also a great way to have a little fun and use some creativity!

This Snow Cone Station is one of our favourites! This fun station allows you to pick any flavours you want! This also gives you the chance to implement the colours of your wedding!

Who doesn’t love tacos? Add a taco station at your reception to get the party started! Giving a lot of options for toppings will be sure to give your guests an experience to remember!

Mimosas are great for a morning ceremony and reception! Why not have your guests make their own! A variety of juices, champagnes and fruits will make your guests excited for an adventure!

Now for the classic candy bar! This was one of the first ideas used for interactive activities at events! It gives you the opportunity to showcase your wedding colours and works as a favour all at the same time!

Food stations allow you to be as creative as you want! Drinks, Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner food stations can be placed anywhere! Your guest will love it and so will you! Talk to your planner to see just how you can incorporate a food station into your wedding! 

Stay tuned for our next blog post!

Choosing Your Wedding Colour Palette

Choosing your colours for your wedding day is an important part of the wedding planning process. Your wedding palette is a major tool in communicating to your guests what the theme is and overall vision you want to portray. Your colour palette can even tell the story of your love story. Colours have a way of speaking volumes. Imagine a wedding filled with red, pink and white décor streaming from top to bottom of your reception hall and ceremony space in the middle of February. Do you see a Valentine’s Day themed wedding? Or how about a silver sequined tablecloth with delicate iced blue snowflake candle holders and white table numbers that dazzle with a festive shimmer. Do you see a winter wonderland wedding?

Once you have your wedding colors, all the other stylistic decisions are relatively easy to figure out. Colours bring your wedding to life, and choosing them wisely will make sure that you are telling your story and communicating your vision in the best way possible. Here are some colourful tips for choosing a wedding palette that will brighten your planning.

1.      Favorite Colours

Start off with the easiest question of all! What are your favourite colours as a couple? If your favourite colour is lavender, while your fiancé’s is royal blue, why not fuse them together and see how gorgeous they look? Some colours just happen to work beautifully together, infusing your favourites will be a great way to add a lot of personality into your wedding.

 

 

2.      What is the theme of your wedding?

Does your wedding have a theme? If it does, finding the perfect wedding colours will be that much easier for you! Having a 1920’s jazz age themed wedding? You’re colours are already set to go with elegant black, and dazzling gold. How about a beach-themed wedding? You’ll stick to hues like marine blues, sky blues, sandy browns and white. Going for a vintage wedding? Soft pastel hues such as blush, sage green, lavender and soft blues will suit you well. Themes definitely will make colour choosing a bit easier. However, remember to stick to no more than 3 colours for your palette. You want a dazzling effect that is not too busy or over-the-top.

 

3.      Choose your Venue (Tips for an indoor affair)

Think about your venue when trying to settle on wedding colours and let the site inspire you. Go to your venue for a visit, and definitely take in its features, its backdrops and all immediate surroundings. Is it a blank canvas that is begging for bright colours like coral, yellow, and fuchsia? Or is it a rustic space that neutral, pastel shades would work wonderfully with? Remember to have an idea of what kind of lighting you will have so that the colours you’re using in the décor and such will compliment it, instead of clash with it. Another tip to take in while visiting your venue is what time of day your wedding will be. Vibrant hues are gorgeous in natural light, but are not too flattering for an evening reception. Neutrals tend to photograph better in lower lighting, so keep this in mind when planning out the time of your soiree.

 

 

 

 

4.      What Season or Holiday Is It?

Is your wedding taking place around Valentine’s Day? How about a Valentine’s themed wedding filled with passionate reds, pinks and whites? Your guests will be feeling the love as they dance away and take in the surroundings of your party that just feel so…romantic. If your wedding is taking place around the winter holidays, a festive Christmas wedding or a winter wonderland will allow you to use colours that are warm and jolly, as well as elegant. Deep reds and evergreen décor will look toasty as they rest above a fireplace mantel and you can incorporate the use of silver and gold for a real festive holiday feel. In planning a more winter wonderland wedding, colours like soft ice blues, whites and silver look dashing and elegant. For a New Year’s Eve wedding, silver, whites, black and gold make for an elegant posh affair that’s perfect for ringing in the New Year.

 

 

 

 

 

5.      Study Your Surroundings (Tips for an outdoor affair)

What will be around you when your wedding takes place? Clear blue skies (you hope!), green, grassy hills, rustic wooden chairs? Every element brings colour to your story, and all should be considered. If dinner will be served alfresco, the grass, trees, and surrounding greenery can work as an excellent natural palette. Soft pastels used in your décor and table settings will only compliment this natural look for the ultimate soft, nature feel.

 

 

 

6.      Be Strategic When Adding Colour

Most often, it’s colour that punctuates your details which best communicates to your guests if your wedding is a formal affair or a more laid back event. Think gold ink on your stationery for example. Something like this would be more common for a black tie event. Lighter, brighter colours work well with a wedding that’s more casual. Choose your colours wisely and don’t be afraid to experiment to see which colours work best with each other. Try to stay away from just one solid colour as the hue that will be used throughout the entire wedding. For example, many brides love pink, and want only pink to be seen throughout the wedding. However, too much pink, even in different shades can become too girly, and slightly overbearing. On the other hand, different shades of pink with poppy red can look beautiful together. Have at least two colours to use throughout your stationery, attire, and décor so that everything looks coordinated.

 

7.      How Do I Colour My Wedding Besides the Use of Flowers?

Flowers are the obvious choice when deciding how to incorporate colour into your wedding, but try to think outside the flower box. There are great alternatives that will bring colour to life just as effectively as flowers can. Fresh fruits and vegetables, linens, candles, paper, and other stationery can all help to tell your story. Or how about making each of your bridesmaids wear a different bold colour dress, and handing your guests vintage umbrellas in a corresponding shade? Think about the other materials that you will be using throughout your ceremony and reception space, and in your décor, and see if you can add a pop of colour to them as well. You can also use food to add colour to your affair. Try something exotic like a mango salsa or rainbow kale for an appetizer and salad, or pink salmon with rich beets and veggies for dinner? For dessert? Add a sweet table with lots of colourful candy and treats. Using food to bring out colour is an easy and effortless way to make a statement.

 

 



 



 

 



 

 



Top Ten Something Blues

Source: Melissa Perella Photography

Something Blue

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue…



We all have heard this before. Keeping with tradition is a great way to honour the past and include your loved ones in the wedding with special trinkets and gifts. However, for your something blue if you’re thinking it doesn’t really tie in with your theme or you just want to have fun with it… no problem! We’ve got you covered. If you’re short on ideas, take a look at some of ours!

SPRING INTO THE FLORAL TRENDS!

Source: Kat Braman Photography

 

We’ll be sharing the top four bridal bouquets for your spring/summer wedding! Your bridal bouquet completes your look, so why not personalize it and stay trendy?

Spring is around the corner and that means we can say goodbye to old man winter and make room for sunshine and flowers! Getting excited for the season, the ladies at Fab Fête Event Planning Boutique would like to share with you some of the beautiful floral trends that have caught our eyes!


 

Sweet Style Trends 2015

Cut to the cake! Planning out the details for your wedding cake and sweet table can be one of the most fun activities of planning your wedding. Who doesn’t look forward to a piece of creamy delicious wedding cake, beautiful macaroons or fancy cupcakes at a wedding? This can also be one of the easier parts of planning as all you have to do is envision what kind of desserts you’d like to have at your special affair, and then leave it up to a professional baker to turn it into a delectable reality! Here are some appealing cake and sweet table ideas and trends for 2015 that really, well… take the cake.

The Personal Touch

Personalization is starting to become a major trend for this year as more couples are choosing to make a statement through various aspects of their wedding, especially though the food. Go with desserts that represent you as a couple and are unique to your likings and personal fancies. Subtle touches, such as sugar butterfly cupcakes or a cake design that fits excellently with your overall theme is all you need. Have fun with personalization. You want guests to admire the thought and effort that you put into making your wedding aspects reflect who you are.

Bold Tastes

This year we will see more couples experiment more with brave, bold flavours for their cakes and desserts. Couples are choosing to take a break from more customary flavours like French vanilla and red velvet and going for rich, indulgent tastes like caramel cake with salted caramel buttercream, and chocolate orange cake with Belgian chocolate orange ganache. Don’t be afraid to try something new! Bakers and caterers are more than willing to let you sample their delicious creations, and if you love it, chances are your guests will love it too.

Colour of the Year

Pantone has just recently set the “color of the year” and the hue goes to *drum roll please*: Marsala! Marsala is a warm mix of brown, red and burgundy that has the benefit of being bold but soft at the same time. Trend-savvy couples will infuse this warm hue into their cakes and sweet table desserts, for some cake artists, it may be difficult to create the exact colour of marsala, but combining dyes of red, brown and burgundy should give you the perfect marsala.  Don’t forget to include red, dark wine at the wedding to give a nod to your marsala theme!

 

 

 

Metallics

“Synonymous with luxe is metallics. Metallics are so on trend still and keep on evolving. First it was lots of silver, now it’s golds.” – Jacki Fanto

Metallics stand bold and loud on cakes and the beauty of them is that not only do they look luxurious but they go well with almost any colour you combine them with. Gold is warm and beautiful, and makes for a super polished look on your cake. Rose gold is just as warm and shiny, just with a dash of beautiful pink. Lastly, silvers are in as well and they definitely give that shiny lustre to your confections, looking modern and chic as well. Play with your favourite metallics and let them do the statement making at your wedding. A gold chevron-style tiered cake? Rose gold macaroons? Glamourous cupcakes with silver fondant accents? Metallics will look grand on anything on your sweet table.

 

 



 



 

 

 

Geometric Shapes

Geometric shapes for décor and cakes have been popular for a few years now but are now making a bold comeback for 2015. Not only is this such a bold and fun idea, but using geometric shapes on your cake and other desserts is a great excuse to use pops of colour! “Geometrics are extremely versatile and can be translated into so many different designs and themes. Small uses of geometric shapes can transform a typically traditional design into something fresh, modern and unexpected.” –says Stevi Fransen-Auble. Use shapes like triangles, hexagons, squares and other quadrilaterals (am I taking you back to math class?) to experiment in making the shapes have high design and bold impacts.

For other fab style ideas and trends to watch out for this wedding season, visit our website at www.fabfete.ca or get in touch with one of our fabulous planners!

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Wedding Ideas 2015

After a long, cold winter, spring is finally here and with it brings a promise of bright sunshine, warm weather, and of course, beautiful spring weddings to look forward to! For couples tying the knot this season, we know it’s a very exciting time for you, and so Fab Fete has rounded up the top spring ideas for 2015 that will make for dashing and vibrant weddings that incorporate the beauty of spring. Spring into spring with these colourful wedding ideas.

Go Vintage

There is no better season than springtime to throw a vintage-themed affair. There’s just something about an old-fashioned, classic look that everyone falls in love with while they are taken back to an era filled with treasures and soft colours. You can also combine a vintage look with a rustic feel to make your wedding even more unique. Incorporate pretty pastels into the theme. Use hues such as blush pinks, soft greens, baby blues, lavender and creamy whites and infuse them in everything from your flowers and décor, to the bridesmaids’ dresses. No doubt, a vintage-style spring wedding will be beautiful for all to enjoy.

 

Flower Focus

Nothing says spring like flowers blooming! How about building your entire wedding around one or two types of flowers? Let precious blooms be your focus and center your décor and bouquets around just hydrangeas, peonies, or anemones. Tulips are also another gentle and beautiful flower that you can build the elements of your wedding around. Don’t be afraid to also feature different colors of that same flower in your wedding aspects! Tulips for example in yellow, pink, purple and white would make for stunning bouquets. Whichever flower you choose remember to have fun with it!

 

 

 

Bright Colours

A spring wedding is a wonderful opportunity to use bright and bold colours at your affair. Elements of bright yellow, bold pinks, lustrous reds, and rich purple are sure to make a statement, and will also make for stunning backdrops in your photos. Incorporate these bright colours in your invitations and paper suite, in the bridal party attire, and even in the food with dazzling food and drinks that burst with colour.

 

 



Food

Throw the beauty of spring into your food and beverages for the wedding using the best of what nature has to offer. Opt for organic ingredients for your appetizers, entrees and desserts. Go the healthy route using a fresh kale salad and quinoa for a starter, and for desserts have an array of fresh berries and nuts. Your guests will enjoy this diversity of healthy foods that is also colourfully appealing as well. Celebrate your spring wedding with the best foods that nature provides.






www.fabfete.ca

 

Unique Entertainment Ideas

A wedding is a fabulous opportunity for a couple to add a distinctive touch to their special day. Couples are always striving to add something unique to their nuptials, a takeaway memory for guests to remember long after the day comes to an end. An excellent way to incorporate a special aspect of your wedding is through the use of entertainment at your wedding. Couples can tailor their music, visual displays, and other entertainment in unique ways that represents who they are as a couple.

One such idea is to hire a live artist to capture and paint a memorable part of the wedding, such as the ceremony or couple’s first dance. Pieces of your wedding day are depicted on canvas through an array of beautiful watercolours that brings the moment back to life, as you and your loved one look at the painting years down the road. Memories and events of the day are painted as they unfold, and the canvas is presented to the couple on the same day. Once the painting is completed, you will have it to cherish and treasure for years to come. One of the most talented live artists in the industry is Olga Pankova. She is a gifted, prolific artist who can capture the memories and events of the day, in acrylic paint, on any size canvas. Her paintings are true works of art! Visit her facebook page, check her out on Pinterest, or tweet her at @OlgaZArt. Or take a journey through the striking pieces on her website,

http://www.olgazart.com/index.html

 

 

 

 

Wedding Video Scavenger Hunt

Bring out the inner kid in your guests by setting up a scavenger hunt using your wedding video! Have items from your video hidden and scattered throughout the venue and appoint your bridal party to be the leaders or information guides in the game. Guests will have a thrill looking for special items that the bride and groom cherished as kids. Make sure that there is an awesome prize waiting for the guest who finishes first!

 

 

 

Reception Dance Lessons for the Guests

Another cool way to spice up entertainment at your reception is to hire a dance instructor to teach your guests a fun and simple dance. The dance can be anything you want – not too hard, and not too lengthy though – and you can even tie it in with your ethnic background to make it special and unique for the event. This is a fun way to get everybody to mingle out on the dance floor, and you can be sure that it will make for lots of laughs and great memories.

 

 

 For more information on these and any other entertainment ideas, contact the planners at Fab Fete Event Planning Boutique: info@fabfete.ca

www.fabfete.ca