Sneak Peek: Nora & Nestor

Nora and Nestor has an absolutely beautiful wedding here in June. Her pictures will be added on to our website soon, but until then here is a sneak peek! The wedding colors were champagne with a touch of lilac. All of the decor was classy and elegant. I fell in love with the cake which was a topsy turvey cake turned elegant with the lace detail inspired by her breath-taking dress. Nora and Nestor were so in love and it really shows in their beautiful pictures. Thanks Nora for letting us feature your beautiful wedding!

Post by Ashley

Tracey and Nick

We recently had a gorgeous wedding here! I have been waiting for pictures and the wait has been worth it! Please click here to see a slide show of Tracey and Nick's wedding by Brody Dezember photography. The wedding was amazing with all of the decor and details. I promise that you will love every photograph!

Post by Ashley

Tips if you don’t want a formal wedding receiving line…

While many bride’s choose to do traditional wedding lines, we are seeing more and more brides who opt not to do formal receiving lines. The good news is there is no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to a wedding line, however, it can sometimes be tricky to avoid since most guests line up wherever the bride and groom stand. Here are some simple tips to help you prepare for no receiving line so your night runs smoothly:
#1 Announcement. One great way to avoid a line is to have your officiant announce to the guests after the ceremony is over that the bride and groom will not be having a formal line and will be greeting the guests during dinner. This helps the guests know what to do next and when they should expect to greet the couple. Make sure to let your photographer know so they can wisk you off right after the ceremony to start taking pictures before any guests get to you first. Also have your event Hostess or DJ announce it periodically through out the night to ensure that all guests are aware and reminded of this.
#2 Make a sign. Another great way to inform guests is through making a simple sign. For example you could say something like “the couple will not have a formal greeting line this evening and will be greeting each guest at individual tables”. Again, this helps communicate to the guests that they can go ahead and sit at their tables and they know they will get to greet the bride and groom as the night goes on.

Having your event run smoothly is all about communication and planning so hopefully these two ways will help ensure that your wedding night runs as planned!

Post by Elysha

Sarah and Dallin

Today we just received some beautiful pictures from one of our favorite couples- Sarah and Dallin. Their colors were orange, green, black, and white and they looked gorgeous together! This is just a sneek peek from their reception, to see more pictures please look on our website.

post by Ashley

What You Should Know Before Your Cake Consult

Cake might seem like one of the simplest decisions when it comes to a wedding, but in reality, there is more to picking a cake than you’d expect. So, before you go to the consult where you’ll select the cake that will be intensely photographed, a focal of your décor, and the center of one of the oldest wedding traditions (no pressure), here are a few tips to help you prepare for this big decision.

§ The basics: Before you get to the fun stuff, you have to figure out the base. Firstly, do you want a tiered cake, or do you want separate tiers on different stands? Do you want a square cake? Circle? Heart shaped?

§ Flavors: I think most brides are surprised at the wide range of options that are available to them in terms of flavor. For example, our cake artist at The Canterbury Place can offer Chocolate Fudge, Mocha, Carrot, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip, Vanilla, Orange, Red Velvet, Amaretto, and more! You are also going to have a ton of choices for the fillings between the layers. And you can even make your layers different! So, before you go to your consult, know you and your fiancé’s favorite flavors. If you know feeding the cake to each other might turn into World War III, keep in mind that darker flavors (i.e. red velvet) may stain!

§ Flowers: Fresh flowers are a beautiful way to decorate your cake. It’s good to know, before your consult, whether or not you want florals on the cake, as this will probably heavily affect the rest of the design. Think about where exactly you would want the flowers. Do you want just a floral topper? Do you want bunches of flowers randomly placed? Do you want flowers fully covering the base of each layer? Do you just want rose petals around the base?

§ Style: Anyone who looks at cakes knows that truly amazing things can be done with fondant! The sky is the limit as far as design goes. So decide if you like plain cakes with smooth, undefiled fondant or if you like detailing and design. Do you want a white on white design, or do you want to bring color into the design? Do you want each layer to have a different pattern? If you can dream it, a good vendor can probably do it…they’re called cake artists for a reason! Another good thing to consider is the stand the cake is on. There are many options and each cake artist will carry different choices. Some common choices are a pedestal vs. a stand in all different finishes such as silver, wood, black, and white. Also consider what linen you will have on the cake table- something that matches the rest of the decor or a great accent color always look nice.

§ Groom's Cakes: A fun way to add your groom's personality to the wedding is to have a groom's cake. Feature his favorite hobby, sport's team, or food in cake form to make your groom feel extra special!

If you’re reading through these tips and feeling a little overwhelmed because you’re not quite sure what you like, don’t worry! Go online and look at pictures of wedding cakes. (For our vendors, you can visit http://www.layers-cake.com/ and http://www.ambrosiaweddingcakes.com/) Write down the details that jump out at you as well as the aspects that you don’t care for. This will help you zero in on your taste. And, of course, the cake artist and your wedding planner are always there to help you! By the end of the consult, you can walk away knowing that on your wedding day, you will have the cake of your dreams.

Post by Madison and Ashley

How to Make a Ceremony Special

The ceremony is the most important part of the wedding, and small details can make all the difference in making it extra special. Here are a few tips that we have found really give that little extra something.

§ One of the first key elements in creating the perfect ceremony is to know the kind of ceremony that you want. Whether you are religious or non-traditional, there are many kinds of ceremonies, so it’s important to do your research to discover what your particular type of ceremony entails. For example, will you be reading your own vows? Will there be any sort of candle or sand ceremony? Is there a set script or more leeway to create your own unique ceremony? It’s essential that you and your officiant take the time to meet so you can get to know one another. This will allow him or her to add personal details about you through-out the ceremony that will create an atmosphere of intimacy.

Photo from the talented Laura at {Vanderbeek Images}

§ Another important aspect of the ceremony is picking the music! Music is a powerful component in setting the right mood and can be reflective of your personalities. Here at The Canterbury Place, we’ve heard everything from the traditional “Here Comes the Bride”, to something more dramatic like Led Zepplin, to a romantic piano arrangement of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”. Music is bound to be one of the things your guests remember most, so if it’s special to you, it will be special to them.

Photo from the talented Laura at {Vanderbeek Images}
Photo from the talented Laura at {Vanderbeek Images}

§ Decor is a great way to bring your personality into the ceremony. Remember that what you use to decorate your ceremony area will be in a large number of your pictures! A great tip is to use decor that can work for both your ceremony and then later be moved into your reception location. I have seen brides use large floral arrangements for the ceremony and then bring them inside to use for their buffet table or a centerpiece.

§ One last way to make your ceremony special is with a unique presentation. You can do a dove send-off after you say your vows, have a close friend sing your love song, or even have your dog be your ring bearer! These will be details that your guests will never forget.
We hope these tips will help make your ceremony perfect. Talk to your wedding coordinator for more information on how you can incorporate these details into your wedding ceremony!

All photos in this post are from a beautiful Paris event we hosted recently this summer (see another post that featured pictures of this event here). The dove send off was truly magical- there were around 30 doves! It was a dramatic end to a beautiful ceremony!

Post by Madison and Elysha

Labor Day Special!

Come in and book your wedding package at The Canterbury Place on Labor Day Weekend(September 5th-7th 2009) and receive $200.00 off your package and free in-stock ceiling swags! Just mention the Labor Day special!

This is over $700.00 in discounts!

Please note that this special cannot combined with any other offer.

Tips on Finding the Perfect Photographer

Your wedding day is the most documented day of your life so it is very important to choose the right photographer to capture your special moments. In most cases, it can be very worth it to make your photographer a budget priority but it is crucial to ask the right questions and do your research so you know that you will get what you pay for! Here are some important things to consider before choosing your photographer….

#1 Experience level
Has this person photographed many weddings? Does he/she do this as a profession or as a hobby? Have they shot at your wedding location before?

#2 Photographic Style
Does the style of your photographer reflect you and your personality? Is your style formal/traditional, classic, candid, or photojournalistic? Check out many photographers websites and blogs to see what style you like.

#3 Personality
Meet potential photographers in person before you book them to see:

Is the photographer someone you can get along with? Is this the photographer who will be actually be at your wedding or will they send who ever is available (don’t be shocked, this happens a lot!)? Do they work well with other vendors? Do they seem like the kind of person that you will direct you well and make your day easy and enjoyable?

#4 Contracts & Delivery
Whether it’s a la carte or a package, do you understand what you are getting? How much time will he/she spend with you? What if you need more time? Do you understand the contract? Do you get to keep negatives and how long does it take to get proofs back, etc? Make sure that you know what’s coming!

Remember, the photographer is a big part of your special day and the way you remember it. Finding the right photographer should be a key aspect of your wedding planning.

Hopefully these tips are a good start so you can find the perfect photographer who will make your wedding day truly unforgettable!
All photos in this post were taken by Derek Gifford, the preferred photographer at The Canterbury Place. Please see his website and blog for many more examples of his beautiful photographs.

Post by Elysha