Brenda and Tom’s Wintery Wedding

Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas! We are thrilled to be back to share today’s Real Wedding with you: Tom and Brenda’s winter wedding at the Delta Kananaskis. 

Andras Schram Photography

Being a wedding planner is more than just coordinating flowers, reception details and décor  elements. We share some of life’s most intimate moments when a couple and their family dedicates themselves to each other amongst their friends and loved ones. It’s an incredible responsibility that we’re so fortunate to be part of.The incredibly talented Andras Schram was on hand to capture the couple’s day – check out his stunning shots below. 

Andras Schram Photography

Tom and Brenda wanted a warm, close-knit celebration of their relationship and family – a wedding truly focused on the love they share. They chose Kananaskis – an area nestled between Calgary and Banff National Park – to bring together family and friends for an unforgettable celebration. We loved the potted plants brought in for their ceremony décor – simple and sweet! 

Andras Schram Photography

Tom and Brenda both have children from previous marriages, so their wedding was truly a family affair. Their children played as big of a part of their wedding day as the bride and groom. Each of their children exchanged vows, to symbolize the true joining of both families – a gesture that brought guests (and us!) to tears. 

Andras Schram Photography

Tom and Brenda also included their guests in the ceremony with a unique twist on the popular sand ceremony. Each guest was given a vial of sand to hold during the ceremony and were asked to come forward and pour the sand over river rocks inscribed with the family’s names. An impromptu receiving line occurred as Tom and Brenda were able to personally greet each of the friends and family members who had travelled to celebrate with them.   

Andras Schram Photography

Following their ceremony, Tom and Brenda celebrated with their guests while Christmas trees twinkled around a campfire outside.  

Andras Schram Photography

We used chocolate brown linens and river rocks to continue the theme from Tom and Brenda’s ceremony. And there’s nothing like flickering candlelight to make a space glow. 

Andras Schram Photography

One of our favourite touches was the cake – each of the figures on the confection was painstakingly hand-carved by Tom, and represented their family: a little wild, fun-loving, and of course, tight knit.

Andras Schram Photography

Tom sent us the sweetest email after their wedding: 

 “You know how you asked what was the most memorable part or experience about the wedding … well, today it came to me in bright lights. The most memorable part of the wedding is that I remembered everything. I enjoyed it and I wasn’t stressed about what I had or wanted to do. The day after my first wedding, I couldn’t remember the wedding day. The difference from my wedding with Brenda was that I had the opportunity to remember and to cherish all the moments. And I would do it again – of course, to the same person.” 

Tom and Brenda, congrats again on your incredible wedding and allowing us to be a part of your special day!   

Andras Schram Photography

The Art of Draping

One of the most thrilling parts of planning an event with our clients is the creative process – dreaming up a spectacular décor plan that brings their visions to reality. 

Alan Maudie Photography

 Often we find a venue that’s perfect in many ways – food, budget, availability, capacity – but there are design challenges to the space to make it work with a client’s desired look and feel. Draping is one of the best ways to make an ordinary space extraordinary – and one of our favourite examples of draping was for a birthday party we coordinated at Silvertip Resort in Canmore.

Michelle’s family are frequent golfers at Silvertip – and their two eldest daughters were both married at the venue. So when it came time for Michelle and her family to plan her 25^th birthday party, Silvertip was the natural choice.

Silvertip Resort

The venue is nestled at the footsteps of the Rocky Mountains with spectacular views surrounding the area and offers exceptional service, food and experiences for guests. The one challenge with the venue was the rustic design of the space was at odds with the Cinderella princess party theme designed for Michelle’s party.One of the key transformative elements was draping. The room was lined with 15’ pipe and draping panels – soft white chiffon that billowed along the perimeter of the space. The material instantly softened the room’s rustic design, and tied the decorate elements together for a cohesive look.

Alan Maudie Photography

The material itself is just part of the transformation – the draping was then lit by one of our favourite vendors – Stardust Event Group. Bill and Bert lit the panels so the room was lit with all shades of pink, ranging from blush, fuchsia, crimson, magenta and soft lavender. They also lit the hallway leading to the event space – so the moment guests entered the venue, they were transported to Cinderella’s castle lit and lined with draping, crystals, trees and votives.

Alan Maudie Photography

Draping provided an instant alteration to the space – and helped take the décor over the top! The evening was a magical feast for the senses for Michelle and her family and friends celebrating with her.Tell us: what’s the most unbelievable room transformation you’ve seen for an event?