Indie I Do Ticket Giveaway!

11 Jan

Vancouver sassiest little wedding show is just around the corner! The Indie I Do is celebrating its fourth year of bringing Vancouver couples together with fun, independent, local wedding vendors, and this year Revel Events is one of them!

Because one wedding style doesn’t fit all, the Indie I Do aims to introduce you to the people who can help you wed… YOUR way! Our goal is to help you find those perfect little somethings that express who you are as a couple: unique, perhaps a little irreverent, but most of all, madly in love!

Revel Events would like to treat one lucky winner and three of their nearest and dearest to 4 free tickets to the show!

Here’s how to enter:

Doing both of these very simple things will get you TWO entries for our ticket giveaway. Contest closes at 11:59pm on Wednesday, January 18, and the big winner will be announced the following day.

Good luck! We can’t wait to hear your stories!

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Ursula and Rob ~ August 6, 2011

21 Dec

In the months leading up to Rob and Ursula’s wedding, we had experienced a very rainy, very cold, not-at-all-summery summer. As we planned Rob and Ursula’s big day at their newly-built log home on Gambier Island, which was to feature an outdoor ceremony as well as dinner al fresco, I made many attempts to convince them that we needed a rain plan. Each time I brought this up, Rob would recite what had become his mantra:

“It’s not going to rain on my wedding day.”

As luck would have it, he was right. August 6 was one of the hottest, sunniest days of the summer. Ursula and Rob’s guests came from all over the world to watch them tie the knot against the backdrop of an absolutely stunning panoramic view of Howe Sound. Here are a few highlights of their day, captured by the lovely folks at bOB HOmer photography:

A venue this stunning is not easy to come by… or to get to! This wedding presented many challenges from a logistical standpoint, and I have nothing but gratitude to express for everyone who helped make it such a success:

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Congratulations, PBCWA Winners!

2 Dec

This week, I had the great pleasure of attending the Professional BC Wedding Awards Gala with the funnest limo full of people imaginable! Seeing so many of my colleagues in one place was such a rare and fun experience. Since Revel Events is just two weeks too young to be eligible to submit work for an award, I was able to relax and enjoy the evening, nerve-free! I felt like an actor attending the Oscars just for the red carpet fun of it all ;)

My heartfelt congratulations to all of the winners and runners-up!

Best Wedding Reception Venue – Alternative Location:

The Wedding Yacht
www.theweddingyacht.com

RUNNER-UP

Brockhouse Restaurant
www.brockhouserestaurant.com

Best Wedding Reception Venue – Hotel or Banquet Hall:

Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier
www.pinnaclepierhotel.com

RUNNER-UP

Terminal City Club
www.tcclub.com

Stanley Park Pavilion
www.stanleyparkpavilion.com

Best Wedding Ceremony Location:

Brix Restaurant
www.brixvancouver.com

RUNNER-UP (tied, both within one percent of the winner)

Brockhouse Restaurant
www.brockhouserestaurant.com

The Wedding Yacht
www.theweddingyacht.com

Best Wedding Cake:

Ganache Pâtisserie
www.ganacheyaletown.com

Best Bridal Bouquet:

The Flower Factory
www.flowerfactory.ca

RUNNER-UP

Bliss Event + Design
www.blissevent.ca

Best Wedding Florist – Overall:

The Flower Factory
www.flowerfactory.ca

Best Wedding Decor:

Art of The Party Design Inc.
www.artoftheparty.ca

Best Wedding Event Planning:

Art of The Party Design Inc.

www.artoftheparty.ca

Best Wedding Make-up:

Felicia Bromba  |  Make-up Artist
www.makeup-by-felicia.com

RUNNER-UP

Facade West Salon
www.facadewestsalon.ca

Mink Makeup + Hair
www.minkmakeupart.com

Best Wedding Hair Style:

Mink Makeup + Hair
www.minkmakeupart.com

RUNNER-UP

Jayna Marie Make-Up + Hair
www.jaynamarie.com

Best Wedding Stationery:

Sunlit Letter Press
www.sunlit-letterpress.com

Best Wedding Videography/Cinematography:

Love Story Media
www.lovestorymedia.com

RUNNER-UP

EXL Films
www.exlfilms.com

Rafael Ziah Franco & Co.
www.rafaelziahfranco.com

Best Wedding Jewelry Design - Rings:

The Sonja Picard Collection

www.sonjapicard.com

RUNNER-UP

Jewellery Artists 3D
www.ja3d.com

Best Wedding Jewelry Design – Accessories:

Elsa Corsi  |  Beautiful Jewellery
www.elsacorsi.com

Best Wedding Transportation:

Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tours
www.stanleypark.com

RUNNER-UP

Ultimate Limousine
www.ultimatelimo4you.com

Photography – Best Overall Wedding Photography:

Sakura Photography
www.sakuraphotography.com

RUNNER-UP

Fran Chelico
www.franchelico.com

Photography – Best Candid/Photojournalism Photograph:

Lucida Photography
www.lucida-photography.com

RUNNER-UP

JONETSU STUDIOS
www.jonetsuphotography.com

Generation Photography
www.generationphotography.ca

Photography – Best portrait: Bride and Groom Together:

Union Photographers
www.unionphotographers.com

RUNNER-UP

JONETSU STUDIOS
www.jonetsuphotography.com

Sakura Photography
www.sakuraphotography.com

Photography – Best Wedding Detail Photograph:

Jenna & Tristan
www.jennaandtristan.com

RUNNER-UP

KGOODPHOTO
www.kgoodphoto.com

Photography – Best Wedding Group Photograph:

Michael Wachniak Photographer
www.michaelwachniak.com

RUNNER-UP

Shari + Mike Photographers
www.shariandmike.ca

RF Productions
www.rfproductions.ca

Industry Achievement Award:

Alicia Keats
www.aliciakeats.com

Other Notable Individuals who were nominated for an Industry Achievement Award
(Random)

Colin Upright
Soha Lavin
Angela Girard
Geneve McNally
Harumi Suzuki
Tanya Peters (my mentor, and one amazing lady!!)
Sarah Shore

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Jen and bOB ~ August 3, 2011

20 Nov

I first met Jen and bOB (whose name defies traditional rules of capitalization!) just after I started Revel Events. Although bOB has been a photographer for many years, they had just launched bOB HOmer photography in Vancouver and were looking to connect with other wedding vendors. We hit it off instantly, sharing a passion for good coffee and even better grammar. ;) Leaping forward a few years, I was both honoured and excited when Jen and bOB asked me to help them coordinate their wedding day. It’s such a great compliment when fellow wedding professionals recommend you to clients, but it’s even more flattering when they trust you enough to hire you for their own wedding!

So, when you’re a wedding photographer and you’re getting married, your #1 wedding planning priority is obvious: who will you hire to capture your day? (bOB had joked about keeping his camera strapped to him during his vows, but in the end he opted to relinquish the role of photographer and focus on being the groom!) Jen and bOB knew without hesitation that their wedding would be photographed by Miranda and Reilly Lievers of Blue Olive Photography. Blue Olive has won the Georgia Straight’s Best of Vancouver award for wedding photography for each of the past 3 years, on the basis of gorgeous images like this:

Weddings these days seem to be all about details, those little somethings that allow a couple to inject pops of personality into their big day. Sci-fi lovers and self-proclaimed “geeks” Jen and bOB mastered the art of the detail while planning their wedding at the beautiful Teahouse in Stanley Park. They share a love of the X-Files, so not only did Jen walk down the aisle to the theme song, but Mulder and Scully showed up (in action figure form!) as mascots at the reception. bOB is a talented graphic designer, and had a blast making all the stationery for the day, from the sexy black menu cards to the toe-tag escort cards (YES, you read that right!). The purple colour palette was chosen to please guest of honour Amélie, who was treated to the most fun kids’ table imaginable, complete with Eye-Spy, puzzles, colouring, toys, and candy!

Jen and bOB’s wedding was, by far, the most intimate I’ve experienced: dinner was served for 25 of their nearest and dearest, and I was so happy to be among them!

Here’s a list of the other fantastic people who brought their day together:

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Win a ticket to Crème de la Crème!

30 Oct

One of my lucky readers will win a free ticket ($45 value) to the Crème de la Crème Grand Wedding Showcase at the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, courtesy of Shoo-Foo Eco Linens! At the showcase, you’ll see an haute couture fashion show and meet a great range of Vancouver wedding vendors with the skills and ideas to help you put together the perfect wedding. The theme for this year’s show is “Ooh là là!”… so be ready to be wowed!

While you’re at the show, be sure to stop by and say hello to the friendly people at Shoo-Foo and let them tell you a bit about their fantastic wedding registry! If you’d love to have eco-friendly bamboo bed linens, towels, and robes in your newlywed home, set up a registry with Shoo-Foo. For every $500 your guests spent on their super soft and sustainable linens, you’ll get another $100 credit to use in their store!

Look at these Cozy Shoo-Foo Towels!

Click on this link to enter to win your free ticket to Crème de la Crème!

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A very “Radical” client!

14 Oct

One of the great things about being an event coordinator is the variety associated with the job. Even within the realm of weddings, I get to work with so many fantastic people, in a range of beautiful places, from intimate events of 20 guests to extravaganzas for several hundred. Beyond weddings, though, there are practically infinite opportunities to help people celebrate life’s other “big days” and to help local businesses plan and execute events for their staff, clients, and the community.

When Chris, a former wedding client, got in touch with me to enlist my services for a different kind of project, he led with “I’m not sure if this is something you do, but…”. Chris went on to explain that he and the team at Radical Entertainment were holding a contest, in which fans of the game Prototype from all over the world could enter to win a trip to Vancouver and the opportunity to have their faces scanned and digitized to actually be a part of the sequel, Prototype 2. That’s where I came in; the winners would arrive in Vancouver needing transportation, accommodations, meals, entertainment, and someone to be their contact person during their stay. Of course, I jumped at the chance to help out!

The “Prototype 2: Get in the Game” project was great fun! Working closely with the wonderful Sharon at Radical, I helped the team welcome winners from Canada, the U.S., England, Germany, and Australia. Thanks to Elite Limousine, they arrived at the swanky Opus Hotel in style! Winners also enjoyed a tour of the city aboard the big red trolleys of Vancouver Trolley Company, and a celebratory meal at the Yaletown Brewing Company.

Check out this cool video of the winners’ fun-filled 3 days in Vancouver!

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Kendall and Chris ~ June 25, 2011

22 Sep

Anyone who spent this summer in Vancouver knows that it got off to a decidedly UNsummery start. June and July were bleak; many Vancouverites hadn’t yet retired their winter coats for the season, and couples planning outdoor weddings were collectively on edge. We had all bookmarked that seductive page on the Weather Network website—the “14 day trend”—a page designed to give false hope and/or add unnecessary stress to couples and wedding planners alike! Two weeks before Chris and Kendall’s wedding, this online oracle boasted that June 25 would be a cloudless day: hot, sunny… in short, perfect for a wedding in the park. But as 14 days became 10, and then 7, and then 3, the “trend” also changed—and not in our favour.

That morning, the streets were drenched and the sky was dark grey. I spoke with Kendall about the possibility of enacting our rain plan, which would necessitate moving the ceremony indoors, but she could not be swayed. She had always envisioned an outdoor ceremony, and outdoors it would be! Armed with her adorable gumboots, she said, “if it rains, it rains. We’re getting married outside.”

The ceremony took place in Sutcliffe Park on Granville Island. A very well-dressed troop of groomsmen arrived on scene to help me decorate the ceremony space—if you look closely at some of Sakura Photography’s gorgeous photos, you’ll see their adorable handiwork in the endearingly poor placement of paper lanterns in the tree behind Kendall and Chris! Even as we put these finishing touches on the space, the sky looked as if it would open up and give us a good Vancouver downpour at any moment. But, the show must go on!

I looked at the clock, and it was ceremony time. Getting the groomsmen in place next to Karen Ell (one of the very best Marriage Commissioners around, in my humble opinion), I headed off to meet the bridal party. As Kendall and her bridesmaids rounded the corner onto the False Creek boardwalk, a very wonderful thing happened: the sky brightened up. And the closer they came, the brighter it got. As Kendall and her dad walked across the grass toward a beaming Chris, the clouds parted, the blue sky emerged, and the sun shone on them as they said their vows. Everyone agreed that Chris’s dad, with us in spirit, had “pulled some strings” to ensure that their wedding was just as beautiful as they had imagined it would be.

After the ceremony, the guests were given a map and a list of Chris and Kendall’s favourite things to do on Granville Island. They entertained themselves in the public market, visited the artisan sake maker, and enjoyed a sliver of sunshine as they waited for the reception to begin at Dockside Lounge in the Granville Island Hotel. And it was worth the wait, as everything at Dockside was incredible; the delicious food and craft-brewed beer, the accommodating and professional staff, and the gorgeous view of False Creek were unbeatable. The reception was great fun. Kendall and Chris welcomed a huge contingent of guests from Australia, and the reception featured excellent speeches and great dancers! Believe it or not, this is not always the case ;)  

This was my first wedding working with Leslie and Mark of Sakura Photography (but not my last!). They’re such fun, kind, and talented people, Kendall and Chris kept saying, “we want to hang out with them all the time!”  Click this link to see a slideshow of Sakura’s incredible shots of Chris and Kendall’s awesome day.

In these photos you’ll also see gorgeous bouquets by The Flower Factory, an elegant wishing tree from All Occasions Chic Decor Rental, and to-die-for desserts by MIX: The Bakery. Thanks also to DJ Lil Ivan for the great tunes!

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Our Weddings in BC Magazine Feature!

8 Jul

Recently, I was asked by Weddings in BC Magazine to answer a few frequently asked questions about wedding ceremonies.  I just popped by their blog, and my “Ask the Expert” responses are in the July issue—fun!  My very wordy answers had to be shortened to fit in the magazine layout, but you can check out my complete responses to all their questions here.

"Ask the Expert" from Weddings in BC Magazine

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Jessica and Dan ~ June 4, 2011

7 Jul

As a small business owner, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to get the word out about Revel Events.  Obviously, one traditionally advertises in print and online, in wedding magazines and in online directories… But of all the available avenues for attracting new clients, I would never have thought that I’d meet a bride—and make a friend—all because of a gingerbread house.

One of my best friends has a birthday close to Christmas, and she had decided to host a gingerbread house contest for her birthday party.  The other participants swung by the store and bought ready-made gingerbread house kits and brought them along to the party.  I, on the other hand, spent a few days drawing up blueprints, built a cardboard model of my house to ensure structural soundness, baked gingerbread from scratch, and created a variety of stained-glass windows out of molten sugar.  When I showed up at the birthday party, there was a collective eye roll from the rest of the guests.  To them, I had gone overboard—WAY overboard. That is, until Jessica arrived.  She saw my gingerbread architecture and told me that she would have done exactly the same thing had she been participating in the contest.  I had found a kindred spirit!  Although Jessica was newly engaged, we didn’t talk weddings that day.  Later, she found out that I was a wedding planner and she knew that she had found the right person to bring her elegant DIY vision to life.  All because of a gingerbread house!

Jessica is, without a doubt, the most organized, hands-on, and detail-oriented bride imaginable.  She knew exactly what she wanted for her wedding: a grass green and black colour scheme with lots of natural accents, and a subtle aviation theme to incorporate one of Dan’s passions into the decor.  When Jessica couldn’t find a product that matched her vision, she’d have it custom made or, despite her incredibly busy work schedule, she’d make it herself!  Every single decor element in these photos is the result of her hard work and many months of planning, and it was a real honour to have the chance to help her bring it all together.

All of these gorgeous photos were shot by the incredibly talented and very fun Dan and Kat of Stone Photo.  Check out their blog for more of Jess and Dan’s wedding, and browse through their other amazing work, too!

Jessica and Dan's Recessional---complete with flying paper airplanes!

Every last element lovingly handmade by the bride!

The Rocky Mountaineer Itself!

The wedding took place at the spectacular Rocky Mountaineer Station; if you’d like to hold an event there, get in touch with Events Manager Ken Boyd—he’s an absolute dream to work with and really knows his stuff.

Karl and his team at Two Chefs and a Table created a delicious dinner, preceded by yummy canapes during the cocktail hour.  Their staff were all very helpful, professional, and just generally great to work with!

There was only one decor element that Jessica didn’t personally create: the majestic trees that served as both the ceremony arch and the backdrop for the head table, as well as the wishing tree, were created by Tanya at Greenscape Design & Decor.  What a talent!  The trees really helped set the mood, distinguish spaces in the venue, and draw people’s eyes up to the impressive height of the ceilings in the venue.

Roxanne Thornton officiated the ceremony, and she’s a lovely lady and a true professional.  Not just wedding-savvy, but tech-savvy as well, Roxanne travels with all her own audio equipment!

I sound like a broken record with this vendor recommendation, but when it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: once again, the brilliant Gloria at The Flower Factory created the bouquets and boutonnieres for the wedding party.  Divine!

The ceremony and reception music were aptly handled by the fabulous DJ Leanne of Girl on Wax Events.  A talented and very knowledgeable DJ with a fantastic personality—I can’t wait to work with her again.

Limo services were provided by Silver Lady Limousine, cupcakes by Frosting Cupcakery, and all hair and makeup services were provided by friends and family of the bride.  Last, but not least, I would like to thank the 14 family members that Jessica sent me to help set up this whole beautiful party in what began as a very empty space!  (Especially cousin Brandi, who should really become a decorator herself!)

Congratulations once again, Jess and Dan!

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Shauna and Jacob ~ April 3, 2011

27 Jun

My phone rang one day last fall, and the call display showed an unfamiliar area code.  I made my “this-might-be-a-telemarketer” face (mouth pinched, eyebrow cocked) and answered the phone.  To my great good fortune, Shauna was on the other end of the line, calling me from the bustling streets of New York City to enlist my help in planning her April wedding.  I remember that phone call vividly because Shauna was such a sweetheart, right from day one.

Shauna is a Vancouverite who was attending graduate school in New York, preparing to move to Los Angeles with her filmmaker fiancé Jacob, and planning a rustic, DIY wedding in her home city all at the same time.  While doing research on Vancouver vendors, Shauna stumbled across this very blog.  She could tell from my inspiration boards that she and I share the same aesthetic—an appreciation for natural colours and textures, a love of things handmade, a passion for sourcing sustainable and local elements, and an eye for details.  We had a great chat during that first phone call, and I was immediately excited about being Shauna’s ”eyes and ears” in Vancouver to help her plan her spring wedding at the lovely Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown.  I was even more excited when she followed up the phone call with what has to be the largest email I have ever received, full of all her plans and inspiration photographs.  I’m proud to say that the finished product stayed true to her initial vision, but came together even more beautifully than we imagined, if-I-do-say-so-myself!

Today, Shauna and Jacob’s wedding was featured on the Ruffled Blog, and you can check out even more photographs of their magical day on the website of James Moes, their incredibly talented photographer.

Chuppah by Upright Decor; Floral by The Flower Factory

Flowers by The Flower Factory; Decor by Shauna and Me

A beautiful candid shot of Shauna and Jacob, by James Moes

Here are a few more details about the other fantastic vendors who made the day come together so well:

  • Matt Frankish, Technical Director of the Roundhouse Community Centre, was absolutely indispensable.  He knows his venue and his craft so well that no request we made was ever beyond his expertise.  Event Monitor Steve and Tech Experts Terry, Terri, and Matt helped us pull off both the ceremony and the reception without a hitch.
  • Chef Ricci-Leigh Smith at The Perfect Bite Catering Company provided action stations and a decadent buffet of delicious food for both dinner and dessert.  The menu was kosher, mostly vegetarian, and sustainably sourced… and so, so yummy!
  • Colin Upright at Upright Decor created the magical birch chuppah for the ceremony, and adorned the reception space with a canopy of cabaret lighting that was the perfect complement to the exposed wood beams of the Roundhouse Exhibition Hall.
  • Gloria Cheung at The Flower Factory is a floral genius.  That’s all I can say.  She’s a dream to work with, and can turn any floral vision into a reality!  In this case, she took Shauna’s inspiration photos and descriptions of her ideal flowers, and created an elegant mix of garden-inspired wildflowers that went beyond our expectations.  The flowers were breathtaking!
  • Because Jacob is a filmmaker, he was in charge of deciding how and by whom the wedding would be filmed.  Jacob and Shauna love the look of vintage Super-8 wedding videos, but also wanted some modern HD coverage of their day.  They hired Rafael Ziah Franco and his wife Rachel to document the day and provide Jacob with raw footage.  (As I write, Jacob may be editing this footage into a cinematic masterpiece!)  Rafael and Rachel are talented filmmakers and lovely people. I have to say, there’s something wonderful about having madly-in-love husband-and-wife teams working with you on a wedding day.  It exponentially increases the romance factor!  ;)
  • Shauna’s friend Jacob Rozenberg did her hair, and friend Kylie Goldstein did her makeup, and she looked STUNNING!
  • Famous Players Band kept this 250-person party going all evening long.  They were SUCH crowd-pleasers that everyone was sad when their last set was over!  True professionals, talented musicians, and all-around fun people.  They clean up real nice, too!  ;)
  • BC Kosher provided kosher services to make sure that everything prepared and served at the Roundhouse was in accordance with kosher laws.
  • Once again, all photos are courtesy of James Moes; thanks also to his second shooter Russell Leng, and his brother Nathan Moes, who manned the very popular photo booth!
  • Last but most certainly not least, I must thank my assistants, without whom I would not have been able to put these plans into action!  Thank you SO much Sarah, Kari, Blair, Kendall, and Eric for all of your enthusiasm and elbow grease!

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