Real Wedding: Sarah + Sean

The new Mr. & Mrs!

Photo: Luxe Photography

Photo: Luxe Photography

Photo: Luxe Photography

Flowers: All Tyme Florists

Sarah and her father

Photo: Luxe Photography

Photo: Luxe Photography

I love this jumping shot!

Photo: Luxe Photography

Photo: Luxe Photography

Flowers: All Tyme Florists

Photo: Luxe Photography

Cupcakes: Hello Bella Events

Photo: Luxe Photography

Photo: Luxe Photography

Flowers: All Tyme Florists

Candy Buffet: Hello Bella Events

Photo: Luxe Photography

Wine Labels: Hello Bella Events

Photo: Luxe Photography

Photo: Luxe Photography

DJ: Frost Entertainment

Photo: Luxe Photography

Flowers: All Tyme Florists

Photo: Luxe Photography

Photo: Luxe Photography

This beautiful September reception was so much fun to plan. Everything pulled together wonderfully, including gorgeous weather, a stunning bride and groom, and plenty of tearful moments with close family and friends (some who flew in from Australia!). It wasn't an easy road to get there, however. Sarah and Sean planned to be married in Mexico this last May, and to have a big reception when they got back. Well, a few weeks before their departure to Cabo, travel came to a BIG halt because of the prevalent swine flu. Fast forward to September, where the happy couple finally made their trip to say their vows, and came home a Mr & Mrs! You might remember Sarah from the Vegas themed bridal shower, but for a little refresher, check the post out here.

The after-marriage reception felt very much like a traditional wedding reception- well, except for the fact that the head table was replaced with a treats table, complete with a candy buffet, a cupcake tower and an assortment of wine favors. A video of their Mexican wedding played in the background, and a magician entertained kids and adults alike with his amazing card tricks and incredible magic. Morgan Creek was a beautiful location ( and not just because I hosted my own wedding there), and the food impeccable as always! I still have fantasies about that chocolate fountain (the best chocolate you will ever ever ever taste).

The cupcake tower was a joint effort, with the father of the groom building the massive cupcake tower, and myself and Sarah baking the cupcakes. I iced all 200 of them that day at the venue, and with heart racing, was able to get them finished off just in time. The flavours were delicious: purple vanilla, pink cotton candy, blue raspberry, and orange creamsicle buttercream icing on an assortment of chocolate, french vanilla and lemon cupcakes. Sarah wanted a couples cutting cake to resemble a supersized cupcake, so I used fondant and buttercream to create the look. And the flowers. Oh, the flowers! Sarah brought a picture out of a magazine for Cathy of All Tyme Florists to recreate, and boy did she deliver. I think the bouquets actually looked better than the ones in the bridal mag. The stunning colours of the flowers and the cupcakes complimented the pared down and neutral decor of the room. With subtle touches of the beach to reference their ocean-side wedding, everything really really worked to create that romantic feel Sarah and Sean were looking for.

And last, but certainly not least, Larissa Addison of Luxe Photography took all of these gorgeous photos above, plus so many more incredible shots. I profiled her for my October vendor of the month, and you can check that post out here.

Venue: Morgan Creek Golf & Country Club

Flowers: All Tyme Florists

Magician: Vancouver Magic

DJ/ MC: Frost Entertainment

Candy Buffet, Favor Labels, Cupcakes: Hello Bella Events

Photography: Luxe Photography

Bridal Fashion: The Dropped Waist

Liza by Modern Trousseau

Style SH6260 by Saja, only $810!

Spring 2010 Look 12 by Vera Wang

Kenna by Amsale

Marguerite by Christos

Fashionista by Kenneth Pool

With the abundance of options available when it comes to your wedding gown, it's likely that you're going to have a very, very difficult time narrowing down your favourites. It just takes one episode of "Say Yes to the Dress" to understand the confusion that comes with selecting the most important fashion purchase of your lifetime. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to find "THE" dress, because we know that we only have one day to wear it (well, hopefully just one ). I'm not going to lie, I flip flopped SO many times before finally selecting my wedding dress.

My 2 big pieces of advice are: 1) Before you fall in love with wedding styles you see in magazines or on TV, try a few different styles on to figure out what works on YOU, 2) Once you find your perfect silhouette, keep your options open. You may be surprised and end up falling in love with something you never thought you would. Personal example: I knew I wanted a dropped waist gown, and I wanted lace, no beading and no ruffles. I ended up finding a dropped waist dress with beading, ruffles, and no lace. The point was, I loved the silhouette more than anything else, and when I tried on the dress I chose, I was smitten.

In an ode to my favourite dress silhouette, I wanted to share with you some of my favourite dropped waist dresses. Enjoy!

Western Baby Shower on the Bella Bash Boutique

Cupcake wraps for both mini and regular size cupcakes!

Cupcake picks

Favor box and napkin wrap used on a water bottle

My second party from my premiere collection is probably my fave (might have something to do with the principle color?).I kinda have a thing for pink, and a pretty major crush on western fonts, so this theme was a no-brainer for me. I've got this party ready to go for a baby shower (or baby birthday) but it can also be used for a bridal shower or birthday party.

For those who may still not quite get this printable party concept (like my mom), I've included an example template to check out. Feel free to save it, print it, and test it out for yourself (make sure it fills the page completely so you don't get a teeny tiny little favor bag). Score the folds first with a ruler and knife and it will fold much easier and prettier!

The Western Party Includes:

Invitation & Envelope
Thank You Card & Envelope
Cupcake Wraps (for Regular and mini cupcakes)
Cupcake Pick Toppers
"Oh Baby Shower" Banner OR "Bride To Be" Banner
Napkin Wraps
Candle Wraps
Favor Box
Favor Bag
Gift Tags/ Place Cards/ Labels
Bingo Cards & Bingo Markers
Gift Log
Patterned Paper

Some DIY ideas for your Western Party:

1) Instead of using the favor bags for favors, try filling with snacks and treats like popcorn, nuts and bolts, chips etc.

2) Playing baby shower games, like chugging the juice out of the baby bottle? Use a napkin wrap to customize your baby bottles.

3) Make yourself some pretty, fluffy tissue paper pom poms. Hang from the ceiling, extending the string down through the pom so that you have a piece of string that hangs about 6 to 10 inches underneath. Attach a star label to the string hanging from the pom. Once you have a bunch of them done it will look like a pretty mobile or baby chandelier.

Check out my Western Party on etsy right here!

Vintage Silhouette Party on the Bella Bash Boutique

Say hello to my very first printable party! I was inspired by the timeless beauty of a simple black silhouette, framed by one of my favourite colours, vintage-y blue-y green. Is vintage-y blue-y green even the name of a colour? Nope, but I can't think of anything else right now. The photographs don't capture the exact colour that I used, so just imagine a faded Tiffany box, or a vintage teal stove.

This party would be PERFECT for a bridal shower or a birthday party, but I've created it in a way so that it could pretty much be used for any kind of party (well, except for your husband's birthday... he might not appreciate it).

This party includes:

Invitation & Envelope
Thank You Card & Envelope
Cupcake Wraps (for Regular and mini cupcakes)
Cupcake Pick Toppers
"Celebrate" Banner
Napkin Wraps
Candle Wraps
Favor Box
Favor Bag
Gift Tags/ Place Cards/ Labels
Gift Log
Patterned Paper

Want some creative things that you can do with your party? Try out some of these great DIY ideas:

1) Use a napkin wrapper and a candle wrap to customize a wine bottle as pictured above! Not serving wine? Use the wraps for water bottles, vintage soda bottles, paper cups, etc. You get the idea!

2) Punch 2 holes in the circular tags and put a straw through it for an adorable drink accessory.

3) Use the large blank tags for labelling your candy buffet, or for tagging your gifts for the guest of honor.

4) Print one side of a page with the full pattern, and the other side with the template. When you cut and assemble your favor box or bag, you'll have the pretty pattern on the inside instead of just plain white. This makes your work look uber professional!

5) Blow up the silhouette to fit an 8.5 by 11 inch page, place in a glass-less frame, and give silver pens to guests to sign their name on the black silhouette. Perfect guestbook and gift all in one!

6) Make a silhouette chalk board. Using the same enlarged silhouette, trace the image onto a purchased piece of chalkboard decal (Winners and Homesense has some right now). Stick your silhouette decal onto the wall, the door, or a frame. Use chalk to write any message you like, or list the menu for the fabulous meal you'll be serving.

Check out my etsy listing here for the Vintage Silhouette Party.

Introducing... the Bella Bash Boutique!

I am so excited to announce to opening of Hello Bella's very own Etsy shop! As many of you may know, I love etsy, and I love paper, so it seems only natural to open up a shop selling printable paper party wares!

Some may already know what a printable party is, but for those of you who don't, well here's the low-down. You purchase a party from the Bella Bash Boutique, decide if you want it customized with a monogram (free for November!), and then wait. For customized parties, you will receive an email in your inbox within 48 hours (non-custom parties it's just 24 hours). This email will include all of the pdf files you need to print off your very own party. For best results, I suggest emailing the files to your local Office Depot print shop and getting them printed on a minimum of 80lb white cardstock (18 cents a piece), but you are also welcome to use your printer at home. Once you print as many copies as you need, you cut, assemble, and party! Every party is accompanied by easy to follow directions and a supply list.

Why a DIY printable party you may ask? Well, as an event planner I am well aware that not every one can hire a designer or planner for parties such as birthdays and showers. People have come to accept that custom and stylish event design is just for a wedding (or for a host with mad graphic design skills or an enviable budget). My goal with the Bella Bash Boutique is to make sure you never have to walk down that craft/party aisle again to buy over-priced, over-used, and often tacky party wares for the event that you're hosting.

What do you get in your party? Everything from invitations, to favor boxes and bags, to cupcake wrappers and more. Essentially, add the food and treats and you've got yourself a party!

Currently I've got 3 parties created and ready to go, which I will be rolling out on my blog over the next few days (complete with fun DIY projects to compliment each party). Also expect to see custom digital invitation design for weddings and more!

I have more parties in the works, but I want to hear from YOU what themes you think I should create for my next collections? Please leave your feedback, and I will select one poster at random to receive a free party of their choosing!

Hello Kitty, Hello Baby!

Erin, the mom-to be, and Tracy, the Hello Kitty loving hostess with the mostess!

I love a good challenge ( a country rooster themed wedding would certainly be an unfortunate challenge), but I also love a theme that takes advantage of things I have a penchant for.

When Tracy asked me to help design a pink and brown Hello Kitty baby shower for her friend Erin, I was over the moon. HK and I are pretty good friends. She hangs out with my house keys, she adorns my notebooks, and helps me keep things organized in folders. Much to my husband's dismay, HK is a rather permanent fixture in my home (more specifically, and to appease the hubs a bit, in my office). I thought I was HK crazy until I rolled into Tracy's house. This girl has more Hello Kitty than the Richmond Night Market, possibly more than Japan.

Although she had lots of Kitty goodies that could be used throughout, I decided to take a more custom approach and designed the HK labels which were inspired by the storefront sign of the Hello Kitty Sweets Shop in Japan. Tracy was the PERFECT client, as she was very hands on and made pretty much every suggestion I gave her come to life. I sent her a picture of adorable hello kitty cupcakes- so she made them. I introduced her to Bakerella's cake pops, so she went out and got the necessary supplies, and we made them. She literally constructed an army of tissue paper poms that were hung throughout her home, and her creative touch made the shower really come to life. Did I mention she made her famous almond roca recipe for the take home favors? Yup, she's Martha Stewart. Or shall I say Martha Kitty?