All You Need is LOVE

"Friends don't let friends drink wine alone." - Unknown

Last weekend I was happy to be a part of my friend Emily's bachelorette extravaganza. Her MOH, who brilliantly planned the entire weekend, asked me to help out with the paper goods for the festivities and naturally, I jumped on the chance to get crafty. The bride-to-be's future last name is Love (I know, right??), making for the perfect starting point for our theme. I decided to play on the 'I heart NY' logo but instead spell LOVE (see below).

With the 'LOVE' theme in mind, I created custom water bottles, stickers and signs to accessorize the brunch table and home.

The fun began at the maid of honor's home, where we feasted on a delicious breakfast, including a cereal bar, croissants, scones, muffins, fruit salad and more. Shortly after we were picked up by a bus and brought to Niagara-on-the-Lake for an afternoon of wine tasting. On board the bus, we were greeted with "Love" bags which had water bottles and snacks to keep everyone hydrated and full throughout the day. We visited 4 vineyards, had a delectable lunch and tried some fabulous wines and cheeses.

Upon our return to Toronto, we had dinner (and a little karaoke!) at Cadillac Lounge and continued on to Stones Place for an epic dance party.

After very little sleep and with great effort (for some of us), we gathered the next morning at Le Select for a lovely brunch. As a surprise, Emily's mom and family friends joined us, and we all enjoyed a beautifully scrumptious brunch and a toast to the bride-to-be. Along with the help of Em's bridesmaids, I prepared a crossword puzzle all about the bride and groom. The program I used was Armored Penguin and they turned out great. They were displayed at each place setting for guests when they arrived, and we all had a good laugh as we completed them!

It was a fabulous weekend and a wonderful way to get everyone excited for September 28th!
42 days and counting...it will be here before we know it!

Yours Truly,

A

Wine Not?

"My only regret in life is that I did not drink more champagne." - John Maynard Keynes

This past weekend, I had the privilege of spending a couple of days in Napa and Sonoma, California (aka my happy place) to celebrate my sister's birthday.  With the rolling hills, picturesque views at every glance, and a laid back community, it is no doubt why Napa and Sonoma Counties are within the most popular destinations throughout the United States. Whether you are there for a little R&R, wine tastings or to dine at some of the most renowned restaurants; wine country is truly heaven on earth.

On my visit through the wineries, I kept day dreaming of a wedding on the lush and charming grounds.  Each property was more beautiful than the next and would make an idyllic wedding backdrop.  The scenes are filled with barrels of wine, grapevines, wine cork accessories and jaw-dropping wood accents.  Some of the wineries have a more modern feel while others have an old-world sense that could only be replicated in the likes of France or Italy.

Below are some photos of real weddings in the Napa and Sonoma region featured on Style Me Pretty:

Napa Wedding on a private property - see full gallery here

Ceremony and reception at Hans Fahden Winery in Calistoga - full gallery here 

Wedding at The Carneros Inn - more stunning photos here

Garden Napa wedding at Beaulieu Gardens - don't miss this gallery

Sonoma wedding at Gundlach Bundschu - more photos here

Below are some fun 'wine-inspired' details to add to your ceremony or reception:

Corks, grapes and empty wine bottles used as centerpieces - found on Pinterest

Place your rings on a cork for a great photo op - Pinterest

Cork place holders found on Etsy

"I Do" display made of corks - sold on Etsy

'Happily Ever After' wine bottle favor bag - sold on Wedding Chicks

Stop and smell the rosé.

Yours Truly,

A

Jayme's Last Call

"There are no good girls gone wrong - just bad girls found out." - Mae West

This past weekend I, along with a group of fantastic ladies, had the pleasure of planning our friend Jayme's bachelorette. Months ago we unanimously decided the theme for the event would be wine and cheese; the bride's favorite things (aside from her fiance and puppy, of course).

For the main event, we hosted a DIY wine tasting which included 7 different varietals of wine from different countries. Each girl was greeted with a wine glass dipped in Martha Stewart Crafts Chalkboard Acrylic Paint to write their name on and keep for the night. We had each wine labelled with its name, date and region as well as a food pairing. We selected nuts, fruits, meats and cheeses to pair with the wines. We also created rating sheets for guests to rate each wine.  It was fun to have everyone score the wines and discuss their personal tastes and preferences.

Throughout the wine tasting, we had a cleansing palate station with water and bread, a selection of cheeses and served hor d'oeuvres prepared by Chef Angie MacRae.

As one of the activities for the night, I prepared a Mad Lib for the bride-to-be to help her write her wedding vows. We later asked her to read them aloud and were entertained by the thoughtful and ridiculous answers.

The logo used on all of the paper goods was created from the Wedding Chicks Free Printables.  I often use them because they are creative and useful when you don't have a graphic designer handy and you're working on a budget. The logo was used on custom water bottles, labels for the favors, menus and much more. Check out their site for inspiration for your next event.

For favors, we used kraft paper take-out boxes from Michaels and chose 4 different ribbons and our logo to spruce them up.  Inside, guests were given Wine Erase wipes, which remove any red wine stains for your lips and teeth, a heart shaped wine stopper and gold Hershey's kisses - a good combination of practical and cute, and perfectly suited to the theme.

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures from dinner but the meal that Chef Angie MacRae prepared was excellent and definitely worth mentioning.  On the menu was a Maple Pecan and Pear Salad with Parmesan and Arugula to start followed by the main entree of French Bistro Steak with Provencal Butter, Lemon French Beans and Sweet Potato Chipotle Gratin and was completed with a light and delicious dessert of Raspberry Sorbet with Vanilla Shortbread. Everything was beautifully prepared and enjoyed by all.  I have included a photo of the menu.

The rest of the night's festivities will stay between the bride-to-be and us ladies, but it was definitely a night to remember (hopefully) and a great tribute to Jayme before she ties the knot in 28 days!!

Jayme and her maids :)

All photos were taken by Janine Therese. 

Can't wait for the big day and for the celebrations to continue.

Yours Truly,

A