Invite Etsy to your Wedding....

Photo by AMBPhoto

One of my oldest childhood friends; Jennifer got married with Marry Me Productions in the summer of 2012. I have seen many weddings in my years working with Marry Me as well as watching my own friends get married in the last 9 years. But Jennifer was still able to blow me away with the gorgeous decor that she sourced for her shabby-chic Mont Tremblant wedding. When I found out almost all of it was from Etsy and nabbed at reasonable prices, I knew I had to share more information with our Marry Me blog followers.

I thought it would be fun to interview Jennifer instead of just writing the blog like I normally do- ask her questions our readers would want to know about Etsy. Just to give you some background, Etsy is basically an online store filled with unique items that are handmade (or vintage) by people all over the world. Every seller has their own 'store front'. It's a great source to find unique items for your home, wardrobe, wedding or even a loved one's special event.

It is absolutely worth a look the next time you are enjoying a quiet cup of coffee in the morning- but be warned, you'll wonder where hours of your time went!

Karen: A lot of people have heard about ETSY or have even been on the website but what is it exactly?

Jennifer: ETSY is an incredible site that enables creative and crafty individuals from all over the world to sell their products, creations or fabulous finds on one easy-to use-website. I love this site as most vendors before would have been limited to creating their own online shops, or selling their products at local fairs…now they can be accessed by anyone with a computer.

Photo by AMBPhoto

K: How long have you been an ETSY fan? Was it something that your recent wedding just brought on or had you been a faithful buyer for years prior?

J: I honestly cannot remember how or who directed me to this site, but I am an avid lover of online shopping, thus I am sure someone mentioned it to me once wedding planning was in full swing. I was hooked from day one.

K: On average, how much would you say the average bride can save by buying some of her wedding items from ETSY sellers?



Photo by AMBPhoto

J: I definitely think there are savings to be had as you are purchasing directly from the vendor. In most cases these vendors work from home and thus overheads are minimal so that cost does not reflect in the price. I would hate to put a figure on it because that is quite difficult to identify. Many vendors will discount multiple orders which does come in handy when wedding shopping.  I personally think when purchasing from ETSY you have to think of the quality you are receiving. Most products are handmade and thus would be incredibly difficult to find in a large commercial store and I truly believe a similar item would be a significant amount higher and most certainly not as personal.

Photo by AMBPhoto

K: Were you pleased with the amount of time shipping took and interaction between yourself and the ETSY sellers if you had any questions?
 

Photo by AMBPhoto

J: I was so fortunate and worked with the most incredible vendors who were dedicated to making my day extra special. One of the greatest and most unique aspects of the ETSY website is that you are in direct contact with the vendors, thus if you see something you love but want it personalized to suit your taste, you can communicate this. In my experience the vendors will go out of there way to ensure that your needs are met. For example I had the pleasure of working with Candice Stanley who runs the ETSY store UniquelyDifferentToo. I was on the hunt for table numbers and came across her shop. I made two requests, one to change the block from Black to White and to have passages of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet pressed on each block to incorporate my husband's British background. She was more than happy to go out of her comfort zone and the final product was beautiful and special. My advice for anyone shopping on ETSY is always do a little background research. Each purchase made on ETSY can be reviewed by the buyers. I recommend always looking at the Feedback as it will give you an idea of the vendor themselves and their shop and their strengths and weaknesses. The vendor only ships to the US….not a problem for us Ottawa ladies and gents. Ogdensburg is only a 45 minute drive away and orders can be addressed to the UPS Store located across from the Walmart for $5.00 US a shipment.  Make sure to bring all your receipts as Canadian Customs will require this information and ensure that when giving address details to your ETSY Vendor that they include your name and also always request tracking information.

Photo by AMBPhoto

 K: What was your best deal or favourite item you snagged off ETSY? (wedding related)

J: I already mentioned Candice’s wood blocks, but a personal favourite of mine and I was absolutely blown away when I opened the box was my handmade Pinwheels by Kellee Nelson of Rule42. The purchase really left me speechless. I gave her an idea of the colour scheme and feel of the wedding Simon and I were trying to achieve but I let her work her own creative magic and was so happy I did because the final product was absolutely incredible and more than I could have ever imagined. I also adored the handmade Flower Girl tutus by Mirela Olariu from BambaroosBoutique that were just exquisite and looked so beautiful on.




K: You also resold a lot of your bridal items online after your wedding to try to recoup some of your costs. What website did you you use to do this and would it be complicated for a first time seller? 


Photo by AMBPhoto

J: That is a work in progress, but most brides I imagine are left with numerous items they will probably never use again or have no room for in there house. A great way to recoup some of your wedding costs is buy selling your items on EBAY or one of my personal favourites www.weddingbee.com . This website is all about weddings and is great for both brides to be looking to snag a deal or post bride looking to recover some costs. Both websites are extremely easy to navigate, but I will say it is time consuming and it is important to be honest and descriptive about the products you are selling. Great pictures are a must and definitely help with sales.

K: Could you share some of your top wedding websites you used to plan your stunning wedding 

J:         

www.etsy.com

www.weddingbee.com

www.notonthehighstreet.com - The British version of ETSY. Definitely worth checking out as many vendors will be happy to ship to Canada.

www.potterybarn.ca

www.lunabazaar.com - great votives

www.ebay.ca

 

http://linens.latavolalinen.com- gorgeous linens and so many choices

 

Don’t just limit yourself to using ETSY as a shopping tool; use it as a source of wedding inspiration. I loved the idea of having our table chart on Vintage Windows and there were many ETSY sellers, who sold this item, but they are expensive in general and shipping due to the weight and size is costly.  I reached out to family members and my wonderful Uncle Jay who is an extremely crafty individual himself. He set off to Habitat for Humanity and took two very dreary vintage window frames and used his magic to transform them into something beautiful. I really encourage people to reach out to family and friends or even tap into their own creative juices, you would be very surprised and pleased to see the results and it is so much more personal.

Real Wedding - Carolyn and Dom under the Tuscan Sun...

Weddings are romantic to begin with so add in a destination wedding to Italy and the 'breath-taking' metre goes over the edge.
We worked with sweethearts Carolyn and Dom (based here), to plan their Italian nuptials and then travelled to Podere Finerri, located in Siena Italy to actually pull everything together.

Picture this, the bride climbing up the stone stairs of a centuries-old stone country church. Guests dining on authentic Italian cuisine on the sun soaked patio overlooking the peaceful Tuscan countryside where olive groves are your spectators. The bride and groom dancing to their first song under candlelights flickering just enough to showcase the old world magic of the 300+ year old romantic ruin nestled in the Sienese hills.
Do you have your plane ticket booked yet? We were honoured to join Carolyn and Dom on their fairytale journey to Italy in July 2012.

Hold onto your jaws (they will hit the floor) when flipping through the stunning photos captured by Chris Schlesak Photography.

All the best Carolyn and Dom- we miss you  xo

Real Wedding - Neela and Shawn

It's been a while since we have done a real wedding, but when we received the images from this wedding, we knew it was time to start again!

Neela and Shawn were married last October at the new Ottawa Convention Center and it was an affair that could rival any Bollywood movie- glitz, bold colours and of course the happy ending.

We absolutely loved working with this couple especially since we were lucky enough to not only plan one ceremony with them, but two!  The morning started with a traditional Sikh ceremony followed by a  Catholic ceremony which meant that Neela had two gorgeous dresses to show off. 

A full day for sure, Shawn made his entrance atop a white horse, guests were treated to an Indian feast for brunch, Canadian fare for dinner and a stocked candy bar that was sure to include the grooms favourite - Beemans gum!

Thanks to our friends Jodi and Paul at Horton Photography, 

we were able to share some of our favourite shots with all of you.

Much love to Neela and Shawn!

A Whimsical Vineyard Wedding: Janelle & Nick

Janelle and Nick are the stuff fairy tales are made of. They are one of those couples that have known each other since they were young and although geography and circumstances carried them away from each other for a long while, fate eventually brought them back together again and they never looked back.

The fairy tale continued with the engagement when Nick proposed on bended knee at sunset and flew in all of Janelle's family (they were hiding at an apartment) so they could celebrate the engagement with them. This is a thoughtful couple, so you can imagine the details that were found in their wedding. From the food; representing both French and Italian cultures, to the venue; a Niagara vineyard echoing their love of wine, to the midnight snack; a decadent Dairy Queen bar- a common & favourite treat for the couple. But despite all that, Janelle & Nick will tell you that their favourite part was simply having all their loved ones there, basking in their love, and basking in the warm afternoon sun that filled their tent overlooking the vineyard. A breathtaking day for everyone involved.

The always luxurious Wedluxe Magazine featured Janelle and Nick's entire Niagara nuptials in their 'Editor's Blog', take a peek here

Much love to Janelle & Nick- thanks for letting us share in your 'fairy tale' xo

Real Wedding ~ Lauren & Dave: Featured on Style Me Pretty Blog

We're so proud to be featured on Style Me Pretty's blog once again. And we're happy to share the most adorable couple to Style Me Pretty's readers. Lauren and Dave are so in love and so adventurous- they have traveled to many places all over the world and have recently taken the greatest journey of all marriage ! (mawwwwww)

We loved the rich colours that were involved in this wedding- all chosen to reflect the couple's vibrant personalities- right down to the bride's royal blue Manolos. Mr Big wasn't holding them for her but they were still breathtaking.

To see Lauren's and Dave's colourful love story, read Style Me Pretty's Blog entry here

Your journey is just beginning Lauren and Dave- enjoy every minute of it
xo

Intimate Summer Love- Allison and Dave

I figured this stunning post would be perfect for today with the dark, wet day we've had.....
We had the pleasure of working with Allison and Dave in planning their wedding. They are a beautiful couple together- inside and out. Unlike most brides, Allison actually didn't want all the attention on her that warm September day. To her, it was more about the marriage than the wedding day itself. As a result, her decor was influenced by her attitude- understated, elegant and timelessly beautiful; up lighting, candles, white florals and grey linens.

The ceremony and reception was held in the same place- the outdoor tent at the Brookstreet Hotel. The same spider chairs from the ceremony were used for the reception- tables and more flowers were brought in. The room was 'flipped' during the cocktail hour- quite the team effort for myself and the Brookstreet team but the guests enjoyed seeing the same tent transformed not once but twice in one evening.

The most unique thing about their wedding was their guest book. Allison and Dave purchased various bottles of their favourite red wines. Each had a tag on the neck saying various years such as "First Year", "Fifth Year" "Seventh Year" "Tenth Year" etc.. Guests used metallic pens to write their well wishes to the couple directly on the bottles. That way, every wedding anniversary that Allison and Dave celebrate in the future, they will open the appropriate bottle of wine and share their guests' wedding day memories and words of wisdom all over again.

Thanks to our friend Derrick Rice from Union Eleven Inc. for capturing the simplistic beauty of the entire day.

Much love to Allison and Dave xo

Wine bottle guest book

Real Wedding - Colleen & Luc

Colleen and Luc were married on a gorgeous summer day in early August. Their wedding is a perfect example of effortless beauty. When getting married in a tent, it is easy to go over the top with decor. But Colleen and Luc kept the decor inside the tent simple and classic with clear chivaris, soft florals and glowing pillar candles and that coupled with the breathtaking views of downtown Ottawa from the roof of the NAC's tent and the luxurious draping inside the tent, made their reception look like the inside of a dream. Thanks to Photolux Studio for capturing every romantic detail.

Congrats to the stylish lovebirds- we wish you nothing but the best !