Pictures from our last Bridal Show!

Every year The Canterbury Place hosts a bridal show. This is one of our biggest and most exciting events of the year! Why? Because we bring together some of Utah's best vendors for you to meet with and we do a mock reception set-up for one purpose- to inspire you as you plan your wedding! To get you excited for this year's show (we have so many great ideas to show you- we can't wait!) we wanted to share some pictures from our 2009 Bold and Beautiful Wedding Show.

This show was really fun because we incorporated lots of new ideas. The stage looked amazing with a custom monogram, hanging lanterns, and florals. All items that you see are available for rent at your wedding!

The dessert table showed off the adorable cake in the middle (by Ambrosia Wedding Cakes) with large balloons above and many delicious petite desserts below. This look is really easy to replicate for your reception! (How cute would those balloons look with a candy bar or along a head table ?!?)

The desserts are both delicious and beautiful!

The drink station featured three different flavors of water and beautiful florals by The Canterbury Place florist.

We featured a new way to hang ceiling swags and this was also the first event where we hung Chinese Lanterns! The lanterns create a fun/modern look and are available in almost every color.

We showed off linens available for rent and new ways to use them (including 6 new ways to tie our Chavari chair sashes)!

Every table had a different floral centerpiece by The Canterbury Place florist. If you haven't met our florist yet, this is a great time to come in and see her amazing talent!

And for most people, the best part of the show is eating all of the great food! Brides love taste testing what might be served at their own receptions and we feature many new menu items every year.

So if you are interested in having your event at The Canterbury Place this is a great time to come in and see all that we have to offer! Or if you are a bride needing inspiration (even if you are not having your reception with us), please come anyway!

For more information on this year's show, please click here

Post by Ashley

The Wedding Day Timeline

When you are planning your wedding day, there are lots of things to consider as far as the timeline goes. Every bride has a list of the things she wants to do, including the traditions like cutting the cake, the first dance, etc. Brides are often at a loss, however, as to when they should do what! So here are some recommendations based on our experience here at The Canterbury Place:

1.) If you are having your ceremony and your reception at the same venue, try not to leave too much time between the two. This way, your guests won’t have to leave and then come back, or be bored while waiting around for the reception to begin.

Photo by Three Winks Studio

2.) The ideal time for toasts depends on what kind of food you are serving. If you are having a served meal, you can do toasts during salads or dessert. If you’re food is buffet style, then you could toast right before you cut the cake.

3.) The best time to cut the cake is probably right in the middle of the reception. That is when the greatest amount of people are most likely to be there.

Photo by Gifford Photography

4.) We recommend doing the first dance right after the cake cutting! That way, you already have everybody’s attention. The first dance is also the perfect way to initiate the rest of the dancing.

.) The bouquet and garter toss are a great way to wrap things up! It gives your guests the sense that the evening is coming to an end. In addition, after the tosses, while you have everyone’s attention, you can announce where the send of will be so everyone can gather while you change or get the things you need.

As the bride, it will be easy for you to lose track of time. Find a family member or someone who will be willing to be in charge of the “schedule” and will come get you when it’s time to cut the cake, toss the bouquet, etc. At The Canterbury Place, we have a hostess who will handle that for you.
Above all, remember that it’s your day! Go with the flow, and if you get a little bit behind on the timeline, don’t panic! The most important thing is that you have the time to enjoy yourself and your guests.

Post by Madison

Wedding Registry 101

Registries are no longer about china patterns and gravy boats. More and more couples are throwing expectations to the wind and are registering with retailers that reflect their lifestyle more than their Tupperware drawer. While it’s your big day, it’s important to consider your guests while putting together your gift registry. Here are some registry ideas and common registry etiquette to help you along the way (also, the pictures show you different options for listing your registry on your invitations).

If you are an adventurous couple, a fun idea is to contact a travel agent who can price out various activities like a couples massage, jet-ski rides, or dinner for two, thereby allowing your guests to choose what portion of the honeymoon they would like to contribute or “gift”. There are many great websites appearing like http://www.thehoneymoon.com/, which give your guests many fun options to contribute to. If you are an outdoorsy couple, a fun idea is to register for a series of pursuit-based activities like ski lessons, dance classes, or horseback riding. Sport retailers like http://www.rei.com/ now have an easy-to-use online and store gift registries so you can get that high-tech hiking gear you’ve been dreaming about!

If you are a couple that has already established a home and you are hoping for monetary gifts which would be more useful to you than a traditional wedding gift, there are still options for you. How to request money as a wedding gift remains one of the most challenging etiquette issues. Although you can find many clever poems and advice online on how to ask for cash, please keep in mind that guests will appreciate (and are likely to feel more comfortable) giving a “cash-like” gift if they know how their gift will be spent. Many still feel it is bad etiquette to mention cash altogether. For this reason, we recommend taking advantage of registries like Home Depot for home improvement items. Another common trend that many credit unions and banks have now started offering are wedding registry accounts that your guests can contribute to online. There are even great websites like http://www.ourwishingwell.com/ that offer a FREE, quick, and easy online option for a gift registry!
Department stores and home décor registries still hold their functional allure because many guests like to gift what is familiar and easily accessible. Conventional registries like Crate & Barrell, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Target remain the most popular because of their familiarity, their stylish lines and options of décor, and their great return policies. They also give your guests a wide range of options for a wide range of budget points, which is a very important key factor to remember.

Although registries continue to change and evolve, everyone has different ideas of what makes an appropriate wedding gift, so don’t be surprised if you still get the occasional personal or homemade gift. Remember, the gift giver is ultimately in charge of what you receive, while your job is simply to write a kind thank-you note.
Hopefully these tips help you on your way to a creative and successful registry!

All pictures in the post designed by Polka Dots and Daisies

Post by Elysha

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Seasons Greetings from The Canterbury Place! We hope you have a safe and happy holiday!

Finding a Wedding Dress to Fit Your Body Type

One of the biggest decisions you will make on your wedding day is what dress to get! A dress can be very tricky, because all though there may be certain styles that you love, it may not necessarily be the most flattering for your body type. So, The Canterbury Place did some research that we hope will help you to find your perfect dress!

Pear Shaped Brides.
An A-line skirt that gradually flares out will help you to appear to your best advantage. Your dress should highlight your mid-section and flow away from your hips and thighs. A ball gown can also work for this body type. As for the upper body, spaghetti straps and a V neckline will help to accentuate a slender upper body. Avoid slim silhouettes or heavy ornamentation in the hip area, as well as sheath gowns.

Busty
Scoop and square enhance the “bustiness”. Corsets can work wonders with helping to slenderize the upper body. Also, find a dress with far-apart straps. You may need to avoid strapless as this could cause some bulging. Avoid cinched waists and empire styles.

Plus-Sized.
An empire waisted dress is going to be ideal (skirt begins under the bust and flares out gradually until floor length). Make sure the seam does not lay ON the bust; it must be underneath. You don’t want the fabric of your dress to be TOO loose, because this could actually add pounds. Thus, you should avoid fabrics that are too flowy.

Apple Shaped
A dress that cinches the smallest point of the waist line and then an a-line skirt looks great on this body type. The dress should have a lot of texture and fit snugly so that it acts like a corset. Dropped V waist dresses can also be very flattering. On the bodice, go for a deep V neckline so that you have a vertical rather than horizontal look. Avoid mermaid style, heavy materials, clinging materials, or bold patterns. Vertical beading cane help to elongate the body.

Hour Glass Shape
Two piece and corset dresses are fabulous! Girls with an hour glass shape can also pull off ball gowns. Accentuate your waist! Do not put too much detail in the bodice or skirt, as this will make you appear heavy.

Petite
Do not use ball gowns or mermaid dresses, as these can overwhelm you. You want it to be clean, without too much fabric. Seams or appliqués that run the length of the dress will help give the illusion of height, whereas a dropped waist will make you look even shorter.

Broad Shouldered
Stay away from halter and off the shoulder necklines. These accentuate the shoulders. Go for strapless dresses with scoop or V necklines.

Fuller Arms
Off-the-shoulder straps can help to hide the problem area. A three quarter length or long sleeve can elongate the arm. Avoid tightness as all costs!

Stick figures
Avoid high waist lines! Ornamentation on both the upper and lower body will help provide balance.

So…who can do mermaid?
If you’ve been working out and have a great shape and want to show off your body, then you can pull of the mermaid. Especially if you have really small hips. Bear in mind, this is an unforgiving style and will accentuate rather than hide problem areas. If you are petite, thick or short waisted, or pear shaped, this is probably not the best style for you.

Make sure you take some friends and family members (especially ones that will be honest!) shopping with you. When I went wedding dress shopping, I gave my friends these strict instructions: “No matter how much I love a dress, you HAVE to tell me if it just doesn’t look good on me.” On your wedding day, you don’t just want a beautiful dress; you want a dress that will make YOU appear to your best advantage. The wedding dress is just like a frame that highlights a gorgeous painting. Above all, don’t get too stressed out! Wedding dress shopping should be fun! Happy hunting!

Photo via Gifford Photography

Check out these other sites if you want to dig a little deeper!


http://www.henryroth.com/tip2.php



http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/weddings/dress-attire/wedding-dresses-how-to-choose-perfect-dress-for-your-body-type-10000001706135/index.html



http://www.wedalert.com/content/articles/BridalGownForyourBody.asp

Post by Madison

Christmas Hours

Christmas is less than a week away! We are so excited for the holidays, and we hope that you are, too! Here is our holiday schedule:

December 24th: Closed

December 25th: Closed

December 26th: Open

December 31st: Open

January 1st: Closed

Christmas is the most popular time of the year to get engaged. To beat the booking rush and recieve the fabulous December special, come to The Canterbury Place soon to reserve your day!

The Best of Bountiful Award!

The Canterbury Place is excited to announce that we won the Best of Bountiful 2009 award for Decoration Service! We are beyond thrilled to win this award and are excited that we have been recognized for helping bride's create beautiful weddings.

Because we won this great award, I thought I would show our blog readers a few of my favorite weddings where the decorations were truly amazing and captured the bride's inspiration.

Irma's wedding colors were strictly ivory. She wanted everything elegant and I think that we achieved it! All of the linens were crushed pearl with compact centerpieces of lilies and hydrangea. The only thing not ivory in her wedding were the red rose petals down the aisle for the ceremony (very romantic). Other ceremony decorations included draped silk organza with floral arrangements on the aisle chairs and topping off the beautiful arch in the courtyard with a spray of lilies.

Mandy's wedding was all about the inspiration. She brought in pictures of everything that she wanted to achieve and we executed her ideas into reality. Mandy actually rented in square tables to create a strong geometric look. The linens were absolutely beautiful- the satin chocolate toppers with cranberry satin runners and folded napkins were the perfect pops of color against the ivory linen base and organza chair sashes. All of her flowers were reds, browns, and ivories except her bouquet which were soft peaches (and one my favorite bouquets of all time)! Her ceremony chairs were accented with flower pomanders that were later moved into the dining hall as decoration on the sconces. My favorite decorative element were the amazingly full centerpieces. They were so pretty and the perfect combination of textures.

Maria's wedding was actually themed- a pear theme to be exact. This one was executed very tastefully; all of the colors in the linens (a beautiful gold brocade), flowers, and attendants attire reflected the golds and greens in pears. The guestbook was a pear jar with notes on why Mark and Maria were the "perfect pair." The cake had beautiful dogwood and sugar pears and the centerpieces were golden pears (which the guests really enjoyed eating)!

Tracey's wedding colors were plum, lavender, and black and her look was modern dramatic. She came in with pictures of how she wanted to decorate the arch- we were worried about the lanterns swaying in the wind, but they ended up being the perfect backdrop for the ceremony and pictures afterwards. For her place cards, she had two large manzanita branches with crystals and mini Chinese lanterns with the place cards hanging from ribbon. The dining hall had beautifully dramatic black ceiling swags with the monochromatic Chinese lanterns. The satin plum sashes were the perfect pop against the black linens and the centerpieces were a mini version of the place card arrangements.

We are proud of every wedding at The Canterbury Place! If you need any advice on adding that extra special, unique something, please don't hesitate to call and ask us! 801.292.5053

Post by Ashley

Featured on the Polka Dots & Daisies Blog!

Polka Dots and Daisies featured us on their blog today!

Polka Dots and Daisies is one of our preferred invitation companies- when you do one of our bridal packages you can use their invitations to send to your guests. Mollie, the owner and graphic designer is amazing and her designs are gorgeous! We love how customizable her invitations are (bring any idea to Mollie and she will make your idea a reality) and her variety of stock designs are so cute. If you have any questions on their amazing invitations or thank you cards, please contact Polka Dots and Daisies today! Also stop their website to see all of their great options.

Post by Ashley

Tips for the Wedding Day

Photo via Vanderbeek Images

1.) Plan appointments out well. Be generous in the amount of time you give yourself to get from place to place. Delays happen, and if you gave yourself wiggle room to begin with, it won’t be a problem when they come up.

Photo via Gifford Photography

2.) Pack a little emergency bag the night before: bobby pins, sewing kits, hairspray, touch-up make-up, more comfortable shoes in case your heels start to kill you… That way, if any glitches pop up, you’ll be good to go.

Photo via Gifford Photography

3.) Don’t be afraid to recruit family members’ and friends’ help! You can assign several different people things to remember so no one has too much on their plates. That’s what maids of honors and bridesmaids are for!

4.) Make sure you have something to eat before the reception! There is a good chance that you won’t be able to eat for awhile.
5.) Make sure you take the time to eat something at your reception! You’ve been planning and talking about this food for months, and you deserve to have some! If you absolutely don’t have time, have a family member or the caterers make up a box that you can take with you.

6.) Make sure you set aside plenty of time to take pictures. These are what will stay with you forever, and you will never regret the extra time you allotted to take them.

Photo via Gifford Photography

7.) Put your honeymoon luggage in the trunk of your getaway car the night before so you won’t even have to think about it the next day! If you are making your getaway in a limo or a rented car, then assign a family member to be in charge of the luggage.

8.) Don’t sweat the small stuff. A wedding is a huge event, and there’s bound to be a glitch somewhere. So if you’re brother gets caught in traffic and you have to hold up the ceremony or you get a grass stain on your dress while taking the pictures- just let it go. You want your wedding day to be the happiest, most memorable day of your life and the way to do that is by relaxing, having fun, and not sweating the small stuff.

Post by Madison

Kristy + Chris' Wedding at The Canterbury Place

Kristy and Chris were married at The Canterbury Place in August of this year. They are University of Utah fans through and through, so they carried the color scheme into their wedding and the amazing Groom's cake. Both cakes were made by Julie Hill at Layers and she did a great job (her attention to details is amazing)! The beautiful flowers were by our florist Stacie. The weather was perfect for an outdoor ceremony in our courtyard. Later they celebrated and ate from the delicious sandwich bar. We wish Kristy and Chris happiness as newlyweds!

Post by Ashley