Megan & Wayne Married InStyle - A Sweet Love Story

After dating for eight years and engaged for only a short four month on March 30th, 2013 

Megan and Wayne said I Do! at Weddings InStyle!

Their love story is a "sweet"one and began in 2004 when they met each other online.  When they  decided to finally meet, it was in our neck of the woods in the Byward Market at Sugar Mountain. "Let's meet and look for each other" she said. They both have a serious sweet tooth and a weakness for chocolate so meeting at Sugar Mountain was the perfect start to their sweet love story.

Megan and Wayne are as close as close can be. They are frankly inseparable. From daily commutes to and from work to spending every other waking minute together this played beautifully into their wedding day. "A wedding day goes by so quickly; so why not spend as much of it together as possible?" Megan said in response to us asking her why they choose to see each other prior to their vows. They wanted to be there to help each other get dressed into their respective wedding attire. Calming each other's nerves and just enjoy every single second was top their priority. #sigh #soromantic

The butterflies were flying from the moment they opened their eyes on March 30th and they are still a flutter today.

After a mere 4 months of being engaged they knew they didn't want to wait any longer so on they went to planning the perfect day and into Weddings InStyle they came.

Easter week-end was the perfect weekend because everyone that they wanted to celebrate their love with WAS available. So in a short 5 weeks the most amazing wedding was pulled together flawlessly. 

What makes this wedding SO special is these two were completely and utterly PRESENT. You can just feel their love in these few pictures.

What we at Weddings InStyle LOVE to do with our couples is offer up our "Little Black Book" of amazing vendors and we LOVE it when it is a match made in heaven! 

With Love Bridal

Flowers Talk

Flowers Talk

Findley Foto

The Details:

Wedding Venue: Weddings InStyle

Wedding Officiant: Weddings InStyle Jillienne Currie-Payant

Photographer: Findley Foto

Flowers: Flowers Talk

Fascinator & Jewellery (Earrings & Necklace): With Love Bridal

Dress: David's Bridal

Groom's Tuxedo: Tip Top Tailors

Bride's Black Shawl/Wrap: Handmade by a Friend of the Bride

Facebook Love: Weddings InStyle

Great SUMMER special for Couples!

We just read a survey performed by the Wedding Channel that stated that 42% of couples went over budget for their wedding. This obviously can cause serious problems and undue stress. We find it interesting that about 70% of couples don't know what their wedding budget even is. Tip #1 decide on a budget for your wedding. One that you BOTH can be comfortable with and won't put you in debt for your first few years of marriage. 

We at Weddings InStyle want to help you get married InStyle and stay within budget. If you book your wedding with us from Monday to Thursday, we will discount selected wedding packages by 15%. This promotion is only in effect for the summer, expires August 31st so book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. 


In addition to booking your wedding with us at Weddings InStyle from Monday to Thursday, we’ve got some other cost saving tips for you:

•   Use our chic free custom invitation to send electronically and    save on invitations, RSVP cards, and postage

•    Share your wedding details online thru social media - set up a custom FB Wedding Page

•    Save on décor – Weddings InStyle is already beautifully pre-decorated

•    Get married in the morning or early afternoon – that way your food/beverage bill will be considerably less expensive.

•    Have a cocktail reception 

•    Serve a signature drink only and have a cash bar

•    Use flowers that are in season

•    Choose larger blooms – you’ll need less of them 

•    Buy shoes that you can wear again

•    Have a mini dessert stations with a variety of treats 

•    Bring your ipod loaded with all your favourites in place of hiring a DJ.

Have a look at some of wedding packages online or call us for a custom quote and we can take 15% off the price of selected wedding package from Monday to Thursday. Our packages our flexible and totally customizable.

Looking forward to marrying you InStyle.

Last Minute Ideas for New Years Eve Wedding

Getting Married this New Year's Eve? To help those clever couples put the finishing touches on their NYE weddings here are a few little ideas to help you celebrate InStyle! 

 

Make a coffee station a highlight. This is useful for guests who are not used to staying up late. Consider having an espresso or cappuccino machine set up as well. Include candy sticks to stir the coffee, whip cream and chocolate shavings. Having a dedicated barista is a nice touch for a New Year's Eve wedding. 

Set up a party supply table. Pile on noise blowers, party hats, confetti, streamers and even feather boas and funky glasses to use by the guests. The reception hall can be decorated with these colorful party items as well, or can be kept to a classic black and silver theme. As the night wears on the hall will become more and more festive as guests take it upon themselves to play with the party supplies. 

Set the stage for a midnight surprise. Have balloons and confetti placed in netting over the dance floor to drop at midnight. Set up a large clock or your fashion your own ball drop to mimic the events playing on a wide screen TV. Mute the TV and allow the DJ to count the seconds with your guests to keep it more personal. 

Make sure "Old Lang Syne" is in your DJ's collection and when the stroke of midnight hits, crank up the music and dance the rest of the night away. This will surely be a New Year's Eve that no-one will forget. 

From our family to your - Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!

xoxo

Get married in Ottawa for only $199!

Out with the OLD NAME and IN WITH THE NEW just in time for Christmas! 8 days left to get married InStyle for only $199!

The concept of eloping has changed drastically over time. Nowadays eloping includes destination weddings, city hall ceremonies or intimate gatherings—basically anything outside of your "traditional" wedding. One benefit of having a celebration such as this is that it doesn't necessarily have to take as long to plan or cost as much to put together. Right now we at Weddings InStyle are offering the deal of a lifetime! For only one hundred and 99 dollars on weekdays, a Bride and Groom can say their vows in a romantic and intimate setting located in the heart of the historic Byward Market. That's less then a cost of a new pair of Uggs.

As City Hall Ottawa is posing to raise the cost of civil ceremonies, we are lowering our prices in time for the holidays.

Budgets are tight and the holidays are around the corner. Lately we have been hearing that alot people are living together as a married couple, sharing a mortgage, kids etc ... but just haven't made it "official" due to finances. 

Since starting this promotion we have been able to give the gift of love to so many couples who thought getting married was not affordable and they would need to keep on saving! Instead, they will be celebrating this holiday season as husband & wife!

We are taking appointments Monday-Friday 9-5. All you need to bring is your "significant other" and your marriage license. Leave the rest to us - candles, custom vows, an intimate setting ... and if you need we can even provide your witnesses!

For more information about our venue or this offer please visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/weddingsinstyle or our website Weddings InStyle or call us directly at 613-440-4446

Be sure to tune into Rogers Daytime tomorrow, December 15th at 11am as we Marry another AMAZING couple InStyle live on the air - It's an RSVP you will want to make ... oh ya and have your kleenex's handy!

Much Love, Health & Happiness This Holiday Season from our InStyle Family to Yours!

xo

Braids - Bridal Hair Trends for 2012

Whether you are planning on a laidback, bohemian bridal hairstyle, or you'd like to add a little something to a simple up do, the loose braid is worth considering. With so many styles of plaits and braids weaving their way through the hair of red carpet divas this trend simply cannot be ignored.

So Feminine 

Chic

Graceful

Simple yet Elegant

If you need some help with your wedding day hair, please make sure you ask ... as we have some of the BEST people at our finger tips. Those divas on the red carpet will pale in comparison to you on your wedding day - I DO promise this to you! :)


Amanda xx

Carnations Lavish? Come on!? Really?!

Before today I never would have thought that carnations could look so lavish. And, after seeing these images I can assure you that you will be a huge carnation fan, too. I know they have a bad reputation. But believe me, carnations are the new sensation!

Inexpensive & Classy Centrepieces

There are a few things that make carnations very attractive for weddings... first and foremost, they are easy on the pocket compared to other types of flowers. If you are a bride on a budget they are a beautiful cost-cutting solution.  Second, they come in hundreds of natural vibrant colors: purple, pink, red, orange, cream or blue shades. Plus they can be artificially colored, as well. And last but not least, they last... once carnations are in full bloom they can stay fresh and fragrant for up to 3 weeks! If you choose carnations for your wedding decor, here is the trick to make this budget-friendly flower look like a million bucks... use carnations in lush groupings of the SAME COLOR. With a little creativity and the right amount of style, sky is the limit with carnations. Take a look at these gorgeous carnation arrangements and see what I mean.

Chic table decor

Elegance - Rich with a touch of bling.

Breathtaking Centrepieces - It's all in the details - notice the white floating feathers ...

As you can see, carnations look fabulous as centerpieces. But they can also be incorporating in other aspects of your wedding...Use them in your bridal bouquet

A Little bling goes a long way

Gorgeous full bouquet

And don't forget about the details. We love this carnation bed as escort card seating and these carnations favor boxes. 

Sweet favor boxes

Nice Twist On Escort Cards

Hard to believe that these were all made with carnations, but they were! Who said you can't do chic on a budget? 

Wedding Favors

Summer is here and who can't use an extra pair of flip flops?

We know, we know: we are seeing this trend everywhere. But, bear with us, because they’re a really good idea.

Obviously, you want your friends and family to hit the dance floor and dance the night away? after all that is why you either hired a great DJ, trendy band or spend hours making your own special playlists, right? If you want your guests to really bust a move, its best to make sure that they are comfortable to do so. Most ladies feet start to expire in higher heels close to the 3-4 hour mark especially when standing.

Give your guests a good excuse to kick off their shoes, and party with you. And remember, everyone can always use an extra pair of flip flops! 

Here's how you can do it inexpensively. 

Go to your local dollar stores or Old Navy ( they have summer sales on now )and get a whack of  flip flops. To make them look as sweet as the sentiment, get some cute burlap baskets for easy access. Go to Michael's or Winners and buy some complimentary frames and write something sassy and creative like:

If your feet get tired and sore, grab a pair and dance some more!

 Happy Dancing!!

On July 23rd I Get To Marry My Best Friend

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.

In less than two weeks, I have the honour and the privilege of marrying my best friend of 25 years. We met decades ago at Lisgar Collegiate and have been inseparable ever since. 

She is my partner in crime, my champagne girl, my confident, someone who has seen me at my worst and celebrated me at my best. She was my first call when I found out I was expecting and in true best friend form, delivered (literally) 7 months after me telling her my son would need a friend. 

We have had sleepovers & sleepless nights of supporting the other thru the dramas of life and early heartbreak. We have been by each other side for all the milestones, our first cars, our first pets, our first loves, our first 'real jobs' our first homes, engagements, children ... and now marriage. 

Single life used to mean bubbles & smoked salmon on a patio, talking endlessly about what was going on in our respective lives. We didn't have a curfew and getting up before 10am was unheard of.  Then came the next phase in our life ... kids. 

It is by chance we met . . .
By choice we became friends

Once kids arrived, we spent EVERY morning having home made muffins and coffee & tea and swapping clothes & stories about our new reality. We took turns rocking the others child to sleep so we could enjoy a few moments of serenity. Fridays soon brought a smile back to our faces. It was bubbles & smoked salmon all over again, only this time at home, not on a swanky patio, often in yoga pants not cute little sundresses and Baby Einstein was our music of choice.

Some years later, I decided to venture out into the free enterprise world and create this whole "InStyle" brand. Most thought I was crazy! You are going to quit your corporate job and you are going to what? Start a Concierge company? Here is how I saw things, as a busy corporate mom, I was struggling to get everything that I needed to accomplish in a day done, especially with a small child in tow, I figured I wasn’t alone and needed to do something about it. 

5 years later on April of this year I was recognized as being one of Ottawa's Top 40 under 40 in business. To no surprise, Jill was by my side. She always secretly cheered me on, even though I am sure from a distance she had no clue what Balance InStyle was all about.

Celebrating my 40 under 40 Award

Years later, after the birth of her second child - I had the birth of another kind. Twins. Weddings InStyle & Events InStyle was born. I decided to upgrade my home office business and take the biggest leap of faith yet ... Become a lease holder in the Byward Market and create a high end Wedding Chapel & Event Space. I knew that I needed my partner in crime to pull this off. So I asked Jill to come and work with me ... 2 years later we are an established business, are both licensed officiants and have the privilege to marry couples some 4-5 times a week.

Jill has been an invaluable part of Weddings InStyle - most of you reading this blog are likely past brides or grooms, couples who are waiting for their big " I Do InStyle" or are vendors or suppliers or friends who knows just how wonderful she is. I am proud to call her my backbone, my best friend.

The best part about creating Wedding InStyle is the fact that I am licensed by the province of Ontario to marry people. What most people don't know, is that I prefer to be behind the scenes, creating, designing, dreaming up our next InStyle blog, contest and running all the businesses in general. Jill has performed ALL of the InStyle ceremonies to date with the exception of outside officiants who frequently perform weddings here as well.

Saturday July 23rd, 2011 @ 4:30pm will be my first ceremony, and what a privilege ... I get to marry my best friend. After 13 years, 2 kids, 2 cars, a cat and a mortgage the day has arrived where Jill will marry her soul mate, the father of her kids Stephane.

I am almost sure that it is NOT generally the officiant who is shedding tears during the ceremony but this is a promise I cannot make. I mean, how lucky am I? 

When we share the story of me being the one to marry Jill, the most common statement and question is, OMGosh ...  will she marry you?  All I can say to that is this ...I have recently found my version of a modern day prince charming, so stayed tuned. We are at the beginning of our story book romance and like with any great love story the happily ever after is usually reserved for the very end.

Looking forward to sharing with you one of the most important days of our Weddings InStyle journey to date.

Amanda xo

Little Wedding Guests

WedLux featured this ADORABLE spread, we thought it too cute NOT to share. Jennifer Klementti photography  captured this busy little people to perfection.  I hope you enjoy this feature as much as we did.


Those adorable yet busy little people who you love are often the ones that are overlooked when planning out the details of the wedding reception. 

love sweet love ~ Imagine the look on a little one’s face as they see a sweet table styled just for them! Aside from an extreme sugar high, little party-goer’s will surely remember this night forever. Table design, vessels and decor by Elizabeth Johnston of Eventdecorator.com. Vanilla bean cake pops transformed into bride and groom teddy bears complete with ears, tall tower filled with alternating rows of chocolate and sugar-glazed raspberry donuts, cookie wands decorated with edible fuchsia glitter, hydrangea flower cupcakes and two-tier cake with sugar bride and groom bears on top. 

kiddie cocktails~Why not serve the little ones fizzy and fruity beverages in fun bottles complete with personalized straws.Name tags by Tina Caranci of So Pretty In Print.

A table filled with teddy bears, novelty items and relaxed floral will captivate the little people at your party! Floral Design by Elizabeth Johnston of Eventdecorator.com Linens from Around the Table, aroundthetable.ca Chair Covers from Micki’s, mickis.ca

Last but not least, I adore the idea of having undecorated cookies (in the shape of teddy bears, in this case) ready to be decorated by wee hands! This will provide a yummy distractions while grown-ups enjoy the party!

One dress, worn fifteen ways

With Love Bridal Boutique and Chic Weddings are inviting you for a Bridesmaids Night Out! Although, if I might say you don't need to be standing up for anyone in the near future to want one of these AMAZING dresses!   Bubbles and cupcakes and a candy bar will be available for you to enjoy while they show you all the ways you can wear these amazing dresses. Danielle a representative from Twobirds Bridesmaids will also be on hand to demonstrate the versatility of the dress.

Check these dresses OUT! I'm definitely buying one in black! and its not for bridesmaid purposes either. Talk about THE NEW VERSATILE LITTLE BLACK DRESS! It comes in different lengths too, so you can have long and flowy or short & sassy! or if you are up for something a little different you can get it in a two-tone as seen below! Talk about CHIC! 

Where: With Love Bridal Boutique

1501 Stittsville Main St.

613.435.5542

When: Tuesday, June 28 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

RSVP here  

These dresses are available for sale now at With Love Bridal. So if you are interested in getting one, I might suggest attending the swanky soiree to learn how to wear all 15 different ways, and if you can't attend for some reason THERE is an app for that! Dana, owner of With Love Bridal just informed me. 


Everyone in attendance also walks away with a bridesmaid swag bag and a chance to win the Ultimate Bridesmaids Survival Kit!

I suggest checking out the Twobirds Bridesmaids site to see the gorgeous colours and styles that are available!


Something VERY InStyle & we LOVE we hope you do too!