It's Not Easy Being Green

Recently I had the distinct pleasure of meeting up with a woman trying to make a difference in the world. Allison Greenbaum's brainchild Little Green Book of Savings is garnering more and more attention across the GTA and I couldn't be more thrilled for her.

When I met Allison she explained the purpose flawlessly. Her inspiration was the ever-popular Entertainment Book of Savings (you know that big ole book of coupons you can purchase that contains deals on food, cinema and other goodies?). Her book has a twist though. All of the coupons inside either reduce environmental impact, are good for the environment, good for body, health, mind, spirit or involve entertainment. For example, my very favourite restaurant in town (Butler's Pantry) has coupons for free beverages ... you know I'll be using those ones!



Yesterday Allison was featured on City News. She's working tirelessly to bring attention to her cause and it looks like it's catching on! To view the piece on City News, visit the link and to learn more about this fantastic book of savings (only $20 with $4000 worth of savings and I can attest it is worth it!!!) go to Allison's site ... of course if you would like any more information, feel free to ask me as well!

And before I forget, the book also has a great section on Green Living and Tips ... it really is fantastic!

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It's All Been Done ... Woo-hoo-hoo

Blogger Bride & Groom's invitation sample is done!!!!! It is currently in the trusty hands of Canada Post en route to Blogger Bride's work.

I've taken pictures of the final product but BB has decided she wants to hold it in her hands first before the world can see it. Send any of your boos her way :P

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The Clock

Time just started ticking a whole lot faster for us. We are officially under three months away from getting married. It seems very REAL now. Realer than real. People have started asking me if I’m nervous. I never quite know what they mean.

Am I nervous about marrying the man I’m marrying? Nope, not a bit, hasn’t even crossed my mind.

Am I nervous that something will go wrong, that we are horribly unprepared? Nope. Susan has taken that worry right off the table.

Am I nervous about having a whole day where I am the centre of attention? Hells no. I think every day should be that way!

Frankly, I think they just like trying to mess with my head. But no go, I’m not so easily spooked.

I’m also getting the old, “It’s not to late to run away, you know” haha. Nah, then Susan’s planning will all have gone to waste!

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Being green-Part two

ERIN - So Jess, last week we started talking about going green and what we here at Periwinkle Flowers already do to try and help the environment. We told our readers about socially responsible roses. What else would you like them to know?

JESS- I don’t think people in general realize how much of our product here in Ontario is actually locally grown. We buy locally as much as possible- the quality is superb, the freshness is guaranteed, we’re supporting Ontario farmers and saving on all the emissions involved in importing product. The best way to make sure you are buying local for your wedding is simply to ask your florist- but you can help make it possible by choosing flowers that are season. Right now if you’re asking for cherry blossom, iris, tulips and more …the list of spring flowers is a long one, the florist will be getting it locally.

ERIN – take a look at this adorable arrangement (at top) we designed for new spring menu. It is filled with a whole mixture of hot pink flowers. The Gerbera daisies, hyacinth and anemones are all flowers grown in the Niagara region. The miniature spray roses come from a farm that grows their roses hydroponically resulting in less pesticides being released into the environment than traditional growing methods. The gorgeous large hot pink roses are from one of the socially responsible farms in Ecuador that we spoke about in our last posting

JESS- You know what makes me really happy is that these are all easily available flowers and from normal floral suppliers- you could be buying green without even knowing it! For every season there are floral choices brides can make that are “eco” while still being affordable, and even *gasp* glamourous!.

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Oops! I Did It Again ...

I neglected to post a picture of what look we're generally modeling Blogger Bride's invitation after! It won't be exactly like this one below but it's a pretty fair representation ...

It will be a bit of a fancy luggage tag-fan combo and in the end we're hoping to make it an oblong creation that will fit into a letter-shaped envelope. I can't wait to see the end sample!

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Like A Bird On The Wire

There's a relatively new wedding resource site available to you! Wedding Wire gives a plethora of information including vendors in your area, planning resources, wedding websites, a travel guide and even the opportunity to receive prizes just for reviewing your vendors!


Moments That Shine is proud to not only be listed on the site but as reviews are coming in from previous brides, we will be adding a bit of a preferred vendor logo to our site. Yay! Also, marthastewart.com has come on board and will also be listing vendors on Wedding Wire. It's a great site that is always expanding and looking to help out brides any way they can ... check it out!!!

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1, 2, 3, 4 ... Tell Me That You Love Me More

We don't have four yet but we're finished with three!

Blogger Bride's invites are underway ... just putting the finishing touches on the green covers. The white pages are complete though so I thought I'd share. Remember, none of the details are true to Blogger Bride's wedding so don't be showing up at the Bata Shoe Museum to watch her 'I Do's" ;)

The Main Invite ...



The Accommodations and Shuttle Bus Insert ...


And the Map Insert ... there are actually two maps (hence the white space) but one was deleted from this picture for privacy reasons :)


You'll notice the gray behind the invites. That was so I could show the rounded corners. The bottom will keep the rounded corners but the top is actual going to be cut in a bit of a triangle shape ... imagine a luggage tag top :)

We're almost there!!!

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Lipstick Tips!

When consulting with Brides on their makeup wishes for the day of their wedding, I always stress that the only item that will not last all day is the lipstick. And for very good reason. Our Wink Cosmetics lipsticks are lead free.

Recently, a friend forwarded me an article about some of the most popular brands having high amounts of lead in their lipsticks. So it prompted me to remind all of my clients once again the dangers of purchasing lipsticks boasting countless hours of staying power.

Quite simply, the longer the lipstick lasts, the more lead it contains. And we all know that lead is not exactly great for our bodies. But you do have a choice. There are many cosmetic brands that offer lead free lipsticks that don't last for hours on end, but are comfortable, colorful and most of all safe. All you have to do is refresh your lips more often throughout the day, especially after eating.

If you don't know if your preferred brand contains lead, here's a simple test.
Put some lipstick on your hand
Use a gold ring to scratch the lipstick
If the lipstick color turns black, then you know it contains lead
So the next time you're shopping for a lipstick, read the ingredient label or talk to the makeup expert for lead free lipstick options. Better yet, visit Makeup In Motion and try ours....they're lead free.

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It's Always Better When We're Together

I'm going to be working backwards with pictures from some recent (and not-so-recent) weddings. Since it's fresh in my mind, I'd love to start with some shots of this past weekend's Montreal wedding. My dear friends Kristi & Andrew were married on the 8th in a beautiful church in Senneville and then we hopped over to Elmridge Golf & Country Club in L'ile Bizard. The weather wasn't exactly friendly but we still had a amazing time.

The Inside of the Church ...


The Pew Bows ...



The Bar ... wow ... beautiful and in the middle of the lounge area ...


Elephants to hold the Place Cards ...


The Customized Guest Plate from Serendipity Crafts ...


The Bride & Groom during the Cocktail Hour ...


The Reception Area ... and people watching the snow ...


Springy Centrepieces ...


Ukrainian Dancers to Delight the Crowd ...


The Bride & Myself at the End of the Night ...

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Was Hypnotized By A Strange Delight

If you're in the middle of trying to decide on wine for your event, I have an idea for you.

Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a company called plantatree™ wine at the Eco-Wedding & Lifestyle Show! I stopped to speak with the lovely attendant to grab some more details (and yes, I'll admit I sampled the goods ;)). To lessen the carbon imprint, the wines are transported in bulk to Niagara and bottled in Niagara in PET bottles made in Mississauga. The plastic PET bottles are unbreakable, significantly lighter than glass and recyclable. The cartons are made in Ontario of recycled cardboard that can be recycled again.

But that's not the best part.


For each bottle purchased, Lifford Wine Agency, in partnership with Tree Canada, will plant one tree. The trees, to be planted in Sudbury beginning in spring ’08, will each absorb approximately 650 pounds of carbon over the course of their life span.

Not to knock Sudbury but they could use these trees (okay, I'm kind of knocking it). But really, by supporting this initiative, you would be buying local, planting trees AND enjoying some really good vino!

To learn more, visit the plantatree™ website

CHEERS!

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Looks Like Winter's Never Gonna Leave This Gray Town

... I think it's gonna snow all summerrrrrrrrrr.

Yikes. What a weekend! My husband and I were off to a wedding in Montreal for Saturday (he was a guest ... I was a guest and helped out a bit). Looking ahead to the forecast we decided to close up shop a bit early on Friday and leave in the afternoon. Good thing we did because we were safe and sound before the snow hit. The rest of the weekend was a challenge though! I have many stories but I thought I would share a few pics of the day first ...

The church after the ceremony ... doesn't look *too* bad ...


My husband would disagree ...



After the wedding, these are my boots once I got in the house. The snow accumulated from 5pm-1am was actually knee-deep. Needless to say, boots did nothing ... especially when you're wearing a dress.


The next day my husband & friend had to dig like mad to get us out of the driveway. Plows had come by a few times during the night and built up a huge wall behind our car. If we had no where to go we wouldn't have cared but we had to make it back to Ontario!


This is how much digging they had to do for the walk-way alone ...


And to give you a sense of how much snow there is in Montreal, this is me standing in front of one of the snow banks. They're actually over six feet at this point!


I'll be updating on the actual wedding soon but really this was the story of the weekend. Am I ever glad it's over!!!

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Boudoir Portraits

The idea of stripping down to your smallclothes in front of a photographer probably scares the heck out of you! Right now I imagine you have butterflies in your tummy just thinking about it! The latest trend for brides these days is getting boudoir portraits done for their significant other to give as a wedding gift. The portraits are a lot more personal than the traditional watch or cufflinks and is often completely unsuspecting for him to receive! Almost every bride that I have done boudoir portraits for has told me that their fiancé would never expect (read: dream!) of her doing something like that for him! This makes doing the session all that more fun.

What was once a very "fluffy" thing with oversized feather boas and leopard print, boudoir portraits are now more about creating captivating portraits of women dressed in classy lingerie. I approach boudoir photography the same as I do with any of my photography - the photograph should be a portrait and show a bit about the personality of the woman in it.

I get a lot of the same concerns and questions from clients when they first book me for boudoir. First off, every bride that comes into my studio for a session is nervous! I assure them that once we start shooting, their nerves will disappear and that we will have a lot of fun. Before you know it, they do forget that they are standing in front of a practical stranger in their underwear and they start being themselves.

The second concern of many ladies that book me has to deal with their appearance. It seems that everyone wants to lose a couple of pounds. Ladies want to book a session with me months in advance so that they can reach their goal weight before the session. My response to this is: you are beautiful! It doesn't matter the shape or size that you are, all of us women are beautiful. You have a life partner that loves you for who you are so worrying about a couple of pounds should not cause stress and worry in your life. Be happy with who you are, know that you are beautiful and I promise you, that will shine in the portraits. The girls in my portraits on my website and blog are real women; ones that you would see walking down the street in your neighbourhood. Put on some false lashes, a little make-up and some sexy lingerie and we can create some incredible portraits that not only your partner will love, but will also make you feel like the beautiful woman that you are.

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The Icing On The Cake!

When sitting down to talk cake with your designer, it's good to know what's on your plate before you eat it! Here is the bride's guide to all things sweet: the most popular icings used on today's wedding cakes

Fondant:

This is a sugar dough that is rolled out and applied over the cake, creating a matte smooth sugar canvass which allows your cake designer to create many wonderful designs. Fondant can be tinted any colour and flavoured with things such as vanilla bean or white chocolate. It is the ideal medium for many complicated cake designs and for cakes being displayed during the warm summer months. The fondant keeps the cake inside insulated and moist.

Ganache:

This is a sinfully rich icing that is made from chocolate (white, milk or dark) and heavy cream - just like the inside of a truffle. It can be shiny or matte and used as a filling or an exterior finish. Because it is so rich and dense, it is best not to pair it with a delicate cake.

Modeling Chocolate/CocoaDough/Chocolate Plastique/Chocolate Paste:

This is a mixture of chocolate (either white, milk or dark) and corn syrup which creates a wonderfully pliable substance that can be tinted many colours, used to make edible decorations and flowers, and even to cover cakes.

Royal Icing:

Traditionally used to finish fruit cakes, royal icing is a sugar icing made from egg whites and icing sugar. It is the ideal icing used for intricate piping and detailing, and can be used white or tinted to any colour needed. When dry, it is very firm and fragile.

American Buttercream/Frosting:

This is the traditional style icing that you would find in a grocery store bakery. It is a frosting made from icing sugar, shortening or sometimes butter, and sometimes a liquid such as milk or hot water. This icing is firm, very sweet, and holds up very well in hot weather if made with shortening. It is very white in colour and can be tinted to any colour you can imagine, it can also be flavoured with extracts or chocolate.

Meringue Buttercream:

A soft, satiny, luscious icing that can be used as both a filling and an exterior finish. The 2 most popular styles of this buttercream are Italian or Swiss. Both are made with egg whites, sugar, and unsalted butter, however the method of preparation differs between the two types. The flavour possibilities are endless, as are the colour choices. Due to the fact that this icing is made with butter, it is very firm when refrigerated and it does not hold up in extreme heat or sun, but is fine in air conditioned environments.

Gumpaste/Sugar Paste/Flower Paste:

This is a special sugar dough similar to fondant however it has the addition of additives that allow it to be more elastic and dry very firm. This is the ideal medium for making life-like flowers and other sugar decorations, it is not to be used to cover cakes.

Marzipan:

This is a paste made from ground almonds and sugar. It is traditionally used to cover fruit cakes prior to being covered with royal icing. It is also used to mould flowers and small fruits.

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Jump Back, What's That Sound ?

I've FINALLY uploaded Jacquelyn & Peter's gallery on the main website :) Choosing photos from this day wasn't an easy task as there were so many gorgeous things to look at that day. I invite you to check them out! Just don't mind the mess on the website as I'm updating other things at the same time ;)

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What A Fantastic Place To Be

Coordinated a wedding this past Saturday for the lovely Maridel & Bond (pictures to come later). It was a double pleasure for me because not only did I get to share in a day that was so close to two people's hearts but I was able to work with many people I'd been wanting to meet for quite some time! Everything becomes that much easier when you're working with other vendors you relate to and have fun with. What resulted was a one-of-a-kind wedding we'll all remember! :)

Yesterday I spent a few hours at the Eco-Wedding & Lifestyle Show. Again, I met up with people that were truly a pleasure to introduce myself to or catch up with. The show itself was run smoothly and from what I could tell from chats with vendors and brides-to-be, everyone was learning lots and surrounded by like-minded people. Personally, it was the first bridal show I had attended where I felt connected to the other vendors ... everyone is doing their best to make a difference in how weddings and other events are put together. I'll be blogging more about the show in the future (perhaps even introducing you to some of the people I met) so I won't monopolize too much of your time now ;)

Cheers,

Susan

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