How they met:
“People always say to me you can’t meet the love of your life at a bar. Well, we met at a bar! Jeff introduced himself and it was a breath of fresh air. The rest is history.”

The Engagement:
“After 8 years of dating, Jeff took me out for dinner at 529 Wellington for our Anniversary. We managed to be in a room all to ourselves. There were candles and just the right ambience. Jeff got down on one knee and proposed right there in the restaurant.”

The Ceremony and Reception:
“The ceremony was at the Millenium Centre and the reception was at Delta Winnipeg. The food at the Delta was amazing and the staff went above and beyond to make sure our day ran smoothly.”

Bridal Wisdom:
“Enjoy your day! The small things that go wrongly, only you will notice them. No one else does. Plus, they make for funny stories later. Remember to have fun, and make sure that you take 10 minutes or so to just be with your new husband.”

The Vendors:

Photographers: “Twinkle and Sean are fantastic. They have a unique ability to capture just that right moment. The never ending enthusiasm, hard work, and dedication were much appreciated. Thank you so much for the wonderful memories!”

DJ: Platinum Productions

Transportation: Executive Limo

Bakery: “Cupcakes by Shelley – delicious cupcakes and a variety of flavours.”

Bridal shop: Chantal’s for bridal gown, and bridesmaid’s dresses.

Favours: Brownie pops decorated like brides and grooms.

Decorations: By Delta Winnipeg. “The backdrop was done by Planned Perfectly and some of the rentals for table runners and chair covers were done through the Party Store. Everyone did a fantastic job to make the room look great!”

Flowers: “Monica Middlestead at Timeless Florals – she had beautiful arrangements and great ideas to compliment our own.”

Men’s Formal Wear: Moore’s Formals

A big thank you to Tara and Jeff! It was a real pleasure shooting your wedding!

Thanks also to you for stopping by! Happy planning everyone.

Until next time, take care!
Twinkle.

Last month, our daughter Chloe turned 18 years old and in the Filipino tradition, we decided to throw her a surprise Debut (a coming-of-age celebration for young women). It was a great way for yours truly to reconnect with the overall event planning process. From the excitement and anticipation to the finalizing of every little detail, I have to admit that I loved every minute of it.

For years, I’ve asked Chloe if she wanted to have a big Debut and her answer has always been that she preferred to use the money to travel. Sean and I couldn’t just let the day pass without bringing together some of Chloe’s closest family and friends for a celebration. So for five weeks leading up to the event, we planned our little hearts out.

In this age of technology with up-to-the-minute status updates available on every social network, we were thrilled to have been able to pull off our surprise!

To quote Sean (from a recent facebook status posted right after the event):
“We managed to have kept Chloe’s 18th birthday at the Fort Garry a secret for six weeks. Half of St. Mary’s Academy was in on it and not one tweet, facebook post, text, BBM, or smoke signal to spoil the fun. What an unbelievable group of family and friends to support her for that moment of surprise!!!”

It was an unforgettable night, and I’m proud to share some of the planning details here with you -

Venue: The Fort Garry Hotel (Broadway Room)
We originally planned for the LaVerendrye Room, but the Broadway Room opened up at the last minute so we switched over. Since we only hosted 75 guests, it was the perfect space for our event. The service at the Fort Garry Hotel is fantastic!

DJ: Zoi Ramos from Gelyn’s Wedding Lounge
Always amazing and thoughtful service! Up-to-date lighting and sound equipment!

I had the idea that because the room was square with the dance floor right in the middle, I wanted to put my video presentation to double use by projecting the opening page onto a screen in the corner of the room so that it could also serve as the main sign in the room.

To hide the projector table, I placed the cake table right in front of it so that Chloe could see these two displays right when she walked in.

Cake: Chef Nina Notaro of Cake Studio
We met with Chef Nina only one week before our event and we were so very lucky that she agreed to make Chloe’s beautiful birthday cake, cake pops, and macrons.

What set Chef Nina apart from the many outstanding cake makers in Winnipeg is her commitment to providing a personalized and unique cake experience. No detail was overlooked. The design on the cake matched the design of Chloe’s invitations.

Chef Nina’s sugar paste flowers are unmatched and truly amazing! She made a peony for Chloe’s cake that we placed into a display case after the event. We were told that if we didn’t get it wet, then it should last a lifetime. What a beautiful keepsake!

My D.I.Y.s
I’m proud of some of the details I put together myself:
- Candy bar – I took two weeks to purchase everything and wrap all of the candy
- Guest book – black album filled with 7 matted photos I shot during Chloe’s Grad Formal event earlier in the month
- Programs
- Framed photo enlargements for the entrance
- Balloon bouquets

Invitations: Strictly by Invitation
Euan was able to create a very elegant invitation in a compressed time (within a one week turn-around). She even put a bit of whimsy on the envelopes. We were very happy with her design and excellent customer service!

I hope that somewhere in this post, you find some helpful tips for your special occasion. Thanks very much for stopping by, and I hope you visit again soon.

Hugs,
Twinkle.

Below are just some of my favourite images from our recent shoot. To see Andreanne’s full collection, please visit her website at Voilà par/by Andréanne.

Other local vendors featured in this shoot include:
Hair and Make-Up: Mariana Canadas from Rituals
Jewelry by: Bijou

Since Fort Gibraltar was the place Nick proposed to Val, it was the perfect location for their engagement session. We’re happy to share some of our favourite images with you below.

Friends and family can view their full web gallery by contacting them directly for the private password.

Thank you for stopping by and checking out our blog! We’ve also updated our Facebook page, so please visit us soon…I hope you “like” us

In the days leading up to their wedding, Sean and I started by capturing the couple’s Maiyan, and Shum’s Chura. On Wedding day, the homes of the bride and groom were buzzing with activity in preparation for the ceremony held at the Sikh Society of Manitoba – Pipeline Gurdwara.

The couple’s portrait session took us to the the Exchange District, starting with the Millenium Centre. The day ended with the always touching Dohli and Dohli dinner ceremonies.

The couple’s Reception was held the following evening at CanadInns Polo Park. The room was beautifully decorated by Tricia Hartig of Best Wedding Decor, and guests were treated to a “same-day edit” of the the prior day’s events by A Moving Picture Studios. The reception was a dance-filled celebration where everyone got into the spirit of the evening (check out the last picture in this series…hehe…I left the room for a few minutes and when I got back, Amit had pulled Sean onto the dance floor for a little show-down with his mom, the beautiful Mrs. Sidhu. I love this picture ! ).

Below, I’ve included only some of my favourite images from our time with the Hothi and Sidhu families. Friends and family of this happy couple can access their complete webgallery by contacting them directly for their private password.

Thank you for visiting our blog! We also update our facebook page, so please stop by and “like” us.

Below are a few of my favourite images from our time together. Friends and family of this happy couple can access their complete webgallery by contacting them directly for the private password.

Thank you for visiting our blog! We also update our facebook page, so please stop by and “like” us.

In the meantime, I’m posting some of my favourite shots from our time together. Friends and family of Joanne and Karl will require a password in order to view their complete webgallery, so please contact the couple directly for their private password.

Be sure to look for the much anticipated Voila! by Andreanne Fall 2011 collection in stores this coming September!

We are looking forward to Shum and Amit’s wedding in a few short weeks!

I hope you enjoy some of my favourite images from our time with them -