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

Weddings InStyle is now WeddingWire Rated for 2011

Ottawa, Ontario – July 5^th, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding technology company, is pleased to announce that Weddings InStyle is WeddingWire Rated 2011 for Wedding Chapel & Wedding Reception Venue. WeddingWire Rated is an annual award program that distinguishes wedding vendors across the country for their excellence. Based on hundreds of thousands of recent wedding reviews, WeddingWire Rated is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples looking to find the best local businesses for their wedding.

Weddings InStyle has 11 reviews on WeddingWire. Reviews by our newlywed clients include detailed ratings and insightful descriptions about their experiences working with our business and staff. Our reviews provide transparency for potential clients, assisting them in making the most informed decisions for their big day.

"We are delighted to unveil the 5th annual WeddingWire Rated program," said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire, Inc. Weddings InStyle has made a commitment to capturing their clients experiences on the nation's leading wedding review site."

As the largest site for wedding reviews, WeddingWire empowers engaged couples with the most comprehensive and trusted review system available. The WeddingWire Rated program provides Weddings InStyle with a simple platform to capture customer feedback from their wedding planning experience. Newly engaged couples can easily access all of the reviews for Weddings InStyle on WeddingWire.com. We would like to thank our newlyweds for our WeddingWire Rated 2011 recognition.

For more information, please visit Weddings InStyle on WeddingWire by clicking here. 

For more information on WeddingWire Rated 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire, the nation's leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including ProjectWedding.com, MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Weddingbee.com, and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

July Promotion For Our Social Media Friends!!!!

During the month of July our Social Media Friends can get married Monday - Friday 9-4pm for the low price of $299 + HST. That's right! For a limited time offer, you can get married InStyle for less than what City Hall is charging, and without all the imposed restrictions. 

When all you want is something simple. Our offer includes:
·      A private ceremony performed by a Weddings InStyle officiant
·      Pre-Decorated setting
·      Floral Decor & Lit Candles

Gone are the days of thinking that City Hall and Las Vegas are your only options for a quick, uncomplicated exchanging of vows. 

Midweek weddings are becoming more popular with couples who want to save money or avoid having to wait years for their wedding day. Intimate weddings are really hot right now and are the trend for 2011. Brides are going for a more personal and comfortable approach. It’s all about gathering your family & friends and celebrating your marriage InStyle!  “Having a small wedding doesn’t mean having to settle. "Thank you Weddings InStyle for giving us the wedding we never knew we could have! We will be forever grateful to you!” This was a quote from one of our weddings who were booked at City Hall and cancelled upon learning about us.(see website/gratitude section for full quote).

So you see, you don’t need to compromise when it comes to your wedding day. The day of the week you choose to get married on doesn’t dictate whether or not you will live happily ever after … well maybe it does, as a little extra money in anyone’s pocket is reason enough to be happy. 

So now you want to know how do you qualify for this July promotion right? We like to keep things simple, so all you have to do is "Like" us on Facebook - Weddings InStyle or Follow us on Twitter - Weddings InStyle  then call us and see what dates are still available. 613-440-4446

Review us!

Wedding Season is officially upon us and we think REAL testimonials & reviews are the best way for other aspiring couples to learn about Weddings InStyle.  We are so confident about the level of service we offer and the stress we melt away, but  perhaps we are a little bias, so this is where you come in.  We are asking for your help, by asking you to share your thoughts, experience and story for other couples to read.  Whether you recently celebrated your own wedding or a friend’s, are a vendor or perhaps have worked with us, please take a moment and let us know what you thought of our services: Rating Your Experience With Weddings InStyle

Quality Of Service On your biggest day, the quality of service from your vendors makes all the difference! Your vendor's ability to pay attention to details and follow through on their contract goes a long way in making your day one to remember.  Responsiveness It is absolutely important to have a responsive vendor. Unresponsive vendors can lead to unnecessary stress during the overall wedding planning process.  Professionalism Your wedding is a lifetime milestone that will forever be remembered. It is important to have a professional wedding vendor who will fulfill their duties while treating you respectfully.  Value for Cost Weddings are a once-in-a-lifetime occasion so it is natural to push the budget. However, there is still a distinction between value and cost.  Flexibility No wedding ever executes flawlessly from start to finish. Vendors that can work with you and adjust to your schedule can dramatically reduce the strain of the planning process.  Follow this link to review us: Click here to Review Us - Wedding Wire Thanking you in advance for your time & your review!

The Winner of the "I Do Dream Come True" Contest.

Back in October while walking at the CIBC Run For the Cure, Neil Headly the morning show host of EZ Rock 99.7 and I decided we wanted to create a contest for Valentine's day. Months later, after back and forth with the station the "I Do Dream Come True" contest came to life. We were in search of Ottawa’s most romantic love story.  

This morning Neil & Viv announced the winner of the contest. Jennifer Lang and her husband Bob will be saying, " I do" live on 99.7 EZ Rock in a dream come true vow renewal ceremony right here with us at Weddings InStyle on Valentine's Day. Jennifer will walk down the aisle in a dream dress from With Love Bridal, holding a gorgeous bouquet from Ottawa Flowers. They will also enjoy a cocktail reception for 30 of their closest friends, while being photographed by Ontario's #1 Photo Journalist Kathi Robertson. Don't worry - there will be cake too, Kate Green is supplying the dream cake and we promise to post pictures.

What inspired us to choose her story? There were so many love stories and we enjoyed reading all of them, honestly it was tough to decided. This story won our hearts because it sums up the notion that true love really does conquer all. 

Please enjoy Jennifer’s Story.

My husband Bob and I met at my daughter's four-birthday party in a small condo area in Barrhaven. He had just moved into our neighborhood and all of my neighbors thought that I would find him quite attractive and told me that he was a single dad of two small kids. Which was perfect as I was a single mother of two kids. His kids came to my daughter Jenna's BD Party and it so happens that his two-year-old daughter's name was Jenna also. The girls played and became close friends over the next few weeks. His son Chris who was 6 years old really looked up to my son Joey who was the oldest at 11 years old. Our children all become very close, so the next step was to get the parent's together. So, Bob was very shy and I am the exact opposite. So, I knocked on his door one Saturday afternoon and asked him to go out with me to Blue's Fest with some of my friends and I.( our wedding vows actually tell the story) He accepted and we have been together every day since then. We were married in 1999, with all of our children being our best men and maids of honor. It was a small but charming wedding ceremony at a local restaurant in Carleton Place. The highlight of my day was having my father walk me down the aisle, which is something I had dreamed about since I was a little girl. My father, whom had a stroke and was left paralyzed on one side, could not walk a few months before the wedding, he was wheelchair bound. But, I am asked him to give me the honor of escorted me down the aisle and he practiced with a cane to walk for months. I couldn't control my emotion when on my wedding day, my father met me and walked me down the aisle...walked me… all of his practice had paid off. Our wedding was the happiest day of my life, with my father and all our children and family. Unfortunately, when we were on our little honeymoon, my father was admitted back into the hospital and died a week later. But, I am grateful that I got my dream come true, and my father was there for me on one of the most important days of my life. Our love story has had its ups and downs raising four children, from two different families, trying to create one big family. It has its struggles, but we all loved each other and vowed to each other till death do us part. Unfortunately, death happened. One of our Jenna's passed away in September 2009, from a rare form of cancer. We spent two years in the hospital while she fought this disease with everything that she had, but the cancer won and we lost our sweet Jenna at seventeen years old. Our lives have been forever changed, and I am not sure that life will ever be the same. The other Jenna misses her sister desperately and has also struggled to deal with a drug addiction that took over her life, due to losing her beloved sister. Needless to say that our lives have been a series of tragedy and heart ache and through it all we have supported, loved and cherished each other.  The year that we putting our sweet daughter to rest would have been our 10th wedding anniversary, we had always planned that on our 10th anniversary we would renew our vows to each other and have a dream wedding with all of our children. We did not have our dream wedding, we were so full of grief and loss and still struggling to help our oldest daughter deal with her addiction. That we just couldn't do it. I am happy to say that our oldest daughter is ok now, getting better every day and as a family we are beginning to heal and be at peace with our sweet angel in heaven. So, you see after all of our family's tragedy and grief. We made it as a family. I am so proud of each of them and especially my husband. He lost one of the loves of his life, his little girl. I would love to show him how proud I am of him as a father and a husband. Help us to renew our vows to each other, and show the world that you can overcome anything if you have the love and support of a great spouse and family.

With love, Jennifer Lang

We just spoke to Jennifer and she is SO excited to recommit herself to the love of her life Bob and have their kids stand up for them.  She kept the contest a secret from Bob and his reaction was one of joyful tears! We love him already! 

Cannot wait to remarry you InStyle in 6 sleeps!!!!

New wedding trends shake things up

CNN is reporting on the trends we can expect for weddings for the coming 2011 season. Andrea Correale, owner of Elegant Affairs in New York, shares tips on wedding trends that will be making a buzz in 2011 and ones that should be avoided altogether.

A major trend with wedding receptions is mixing the shapes and sizes of tables. It's one of the quickest ways to switch things up at a wedding, yet it's a rather unique trend.

The days of just doing round tables of 10 are pretty much over.

So mix them up: Have a triangular table, raise some up, throw in different types of chairs and stools that complement each other. Also, people are getting rid of assigned seating. If you want to make it one big fab extravaganza, create a setting that allows for people to get up and move around, like a lounge, and allow people to sit where they want to sit. Ditch the nameplates.

Wedding planners are in for 2011 and its about time! An average wedding takes about two to three hundred hours to plan. Wedding coordinators used to be a luxury, but now it is essential to a well-planned event.   Hiring one saves you both time and money not to mention your sanity.

Another trend that are up and coming is holding a wedding reception at brunch time, you can get away with having a fabulous event without really breaking the bank. Brunch food items are less expensive, and you can always have a nice easy morning punch, like a cocktail or passion fruit juice mix. Couples can do this in lieu of having a nighttime reception.

With money being tight these days there are alternative trends for the wedding gifts. More people are being environmentally friendly and charity-friendly these days and asking for donations instead of gifts. I believe it has something to do with the economy. With all the recent events going on, more people are being driven to give, and they want to share that feeling with their guests. Donations to charities are becoming another trend that seems to be replacing the traditional wedding gift and reduces pressure on guests and their decisions of what to give.

Couples are thinking out of the box for locations to get married. The trendy places to hold a weddings, are venues that create a setting of togetherness. A place where people are breaking bread together, be it serving dinner family style on long tables, having salads in the center and drinking fine wine while being in a place that feels like home.

One trend that couples should avoid at their weddings, is don't be predictable. Stay away from the traditional timing of a wedding. Typically, you have the first dance, people sit down for the flower-throwing, and so on and so forth.

Take away some of the rigidness. Mess it up a little. Maybe you do the toast before you cut the cake, or as a couple, you can do the toast yourselves. You can move around the room to break up the strict formality of the event. Just keep it a little loose and clean so that the wedding itself becomes a surprise.

Happy Planning! We at Weddings InStyle are here to serve our couples at the highest level and look forward to meeting you someday soon.

Ottawa Wedding Chapel in the Capital

Weddings InStyle is the new chic, hip one-stop wedding destination, conveniently located at 107 Murray Street in the heart of the Byward Market. Our 2000 sq. ft. intimate, well-appointed, modern space is the most unique wedding venue in Ottawa – a great alternative to the typical, non-descript, already-been-there-for-your-friend’s-wedding feeling most of the Ottawa banquet rooms, hotels and catering venues and City Hall offer. 

Whether you'r looking for a simple ceremony with a few close friends and family, a reception cocktail party for 100 or something in-between, we can design the perfect package for you.

By entrusting your important day to Weddings InStyle, every detail will be addressed in our quest to maintain a legacy of extraordinary service.

Regardless of your budget we can help you celebrate InStyle.

For more information please visit our website www.weddingsinstyle.ca