Monday, January 30, 2012

The Perfect Wedding Speech

If you're lucky you'll have the honor at least once in your life of being the maid of honour or best man in a wedding. This honour comes with a variety of responsibilities, not least of which is the duty of giving a tribute toast during the reception.
Do you ever notice, that for some people the words just flow and the humour is appropriate, and the speech is really amazing? and then ... there are those who are a little more on the awkward side with public speaking and you just sit and cringe in embarrassment for them.
The good news is that if you have the esteemed honour of standing up at delivering a speech anytime soon,  you are not the first person to do this and this wonderful thing called GOOGLE that can help your research words of wisdom.
Here are some tips we thought we worth mentioning.
1. Don't wing it
If you think that you're just going to stand up and magic is going to pour out of you in the moment, you are sadly mistaken. As John Wooden used to say, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Don't be that person. Put some thought and heart into what you are going to say. Let it be a reflection of the relationship you share with that person you are honour to stand up for.

2. Be respectful
Contrary to what you might see in the movies, being "that person" doesn't go over well at weddings in real life. Trust me! You want to be remembered for the right reasons. Take time to consider not just how you will look, but how your speech might reflect on the bride, groom and their family.  I have seen one too many brides just sink into their chairs as the best man tries to be "funny". Be respectful - if all else fails, give your wedding planner a sign to plug the power on the mic - yes, it can be done!

3. Don't give a drunk speech

Yes, it's tempting to head straight for the open bar after the ceremony and picture sessions, but if you want to give a great speech you need to be on your A-game. That means being soberish ...
4. Know your audience
Consider your audience as you write your speech. Incorporating tasteful jokes into your speech is always fun, but careful not to turn it into a roast. Is this a gathering of frat buddies or a five star affair? Also be mindful of the bride and groom. Noone wants to hear about past relationships at their wedding. REALLY! This is truth and I have seen it so many times and it is just tacky and people do remember.
5. Thank all the right people and speak from your heartThis is speech giving 101. Thank the people who made it their mission to make this day happen flawlessly. Thank the bride and groom, the parents, the officiant, the wedding party, the venue and their staff and anyone else who deserves your gratitude. In this way the speech is sort of like winning an Academy Award. Just try not to ramble too much cause there is no music to cue you off the mic.

At the end of the day you need to keep in mind that you are merely a supporting player. It's nice to give a speech that has some sass and humour, but mostly your job is to wish the bride and groom all the best as they start their new life together.

Example of fun & sassy that will surely get a laugh for all the right reasons:



(Groom), take (Bride)'s hand and place your hand over hers. 
I want you to remember this moment and cherish it... because this will be the last time you'll ever have the upper hand!

Happy toasting - until next time! xx

Friday, January 27, 2012

Dream Wedding Dresses

On one of the most memorable days of a woman's life is her wedding day.  Any bride who is lucky enough to dawn a McCaffrey creation will always remember how exquisite she felt in her gown. And for that, the label continues to strive and inspire moments that will be remembered forever. 

Meet the man behind McCaffey's Haute Couture, David McCaffrey.
  
                         

First and foremost he is a father, a partner, a friend, a brother and a son. He is a creator, a designer, a visionary, your BEST friend when you are shopping for your wedding gown. He is an inspiration to the bridal world.

I have had the pleasure of working with and watching David in action many many times. My best friend of 20 plus years Jill, got married this past summer. Given that Jill is in the industry,  she wanted nothing to do with planning her own wedding as that is what she does all day long here at Weddings InStyle. This time SHE wanted a wedding planner/fairy god-mother to make all HER dreams come true. 
We started talking dresses ... she wanted the best of course, so we called David and Christina and up the street to McCaffrey's we went. David and Christina greeted us warmly and in anticipation and with some feedback from Jill, had already pulled a bunch of dresses for her to try.

Unbeknownst to us, the dresses that David has selected were strategically choosen and were strategically given to try on. Jill started with what she thought was "THE" dress. David just smiled. This went on for about 4-5 dresses. Then David said, "try this" at first sight it wasn't Jill's first choice, mine neither, but when she put it on and stepped out of the dressing room we knew THIS WAS IT! She said YES to the dress that day.

From selection, to the fittings, to the added  touches our experience was sheer perfection.

This is WHO he is, this is what he does. EVERYONE, I mean everyone that walks thru those doors on Sussex is made to feel like the most beautiful women alive! It doesn't matter if you are short, tall, thin or carrying a few extra pounds once David starts working his magic you  on you ... look out! It's almost like self esteem classes and wedding dress shopping all rolled into one!

Each of David's Haute Couture wedding dresses is precisely crafted and in the Haute Couture tradition and made in Canada. The dress components are delicate and luxurious  silk satins, taffetas, and organza's, often paired with Swarovski crystal beading, delicate feathers and the finest French laces. The incorporation of built-in corsets completes the workmanship and finishing's within the wedding dress, making it truly couture.

The fashions of the McCaffrey Haute Couture label reflect an innate sense of grace, romanticism, and refinement. The wedding dresses are not specifically trend-oriented; instead the McCaffrey Haute Couture label stands for something timeless with a hint of nostalgia to the classics. This mastery of elegance is incorporated into luxurious gowns - satin draping, bias-cuts, sweeping ball skirts; each with intricate detailing and tasteful body conscious silhouettes. The wedding dresses capture elements that flatter every woman, making her feel beautiful and elegant on her most special day.

Now available to all women, David is now creating evening and cocktail wear, custom-made, perfectly crafted for the occasion. 

For more information on David and his creations. Pop over to their website or better yet, pick up the phone, make an appointment and go experience first hand what we are talking about.

CAUTION: Prepare to drink bubbles and be treated like a princess!

McCaffrey Haute Couture
465 Sussex Drive  Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z4
(613) 789-4336

If you are feeling inspired and are ready to slip into luxury, they are having a trunk show THIS weekend Friday, January 27, until Sunday, January 29, 2012 * Receive a 10% discount on the purchase of a new custom-made Wedding Dress when you make your purchase this trunk show weekend.


Until next time ... Have a very InStyle weekend!
xx

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Fix your broken compacts

How to: Fix your broken powder makeup

I’ve lost count the amount of times that I have tossed a broken compact because I thought it was trash and didn’t think that there was any other fix. There is no need to throw your money away on perfectly good makeup!

If you happen to break you powder makeup, you can easily fix it with alcohol (rubbing alcohol :)) and patience


This works for any kind of powder based makeup, such as bronzers, blot powders, eye shadows, whatever!

As you can see I broke my favorite bronzer - MAC "Refined Golden", and instead of buying a new one, which is now discontinued, I decided to fix it.

All you need to do is add a few drops of alcohol into your broken powder compact. Usually it would be said to use 75%+ based alcohol, but this is because the more alcohol concentrate, the faster it dries. Any percentage of alcohol will do though, because you can just leave it out to dry overnight.


Don't worry about the alcohol staying in the powder and causing your skin to dry out, it will completely evaporate. Alcohol dries very quickly that is why it is recommended for use on new wounds on your body, because it evaporates very fast and leaves little residue. Don’t worry the smell of the doctors office (alcohol ) also goes away :).

So how does it work? - Here are the steps!

  Add a few small drops into your broken powder makeup
 compact or casing.
  After you add the alcohol to the broken powder you will notice it seep into the powder causing it to become soft.
  Smudge the soft soaking powder around, making it into a paste-like substance and re-form it by smoothing it out with your finger. You will know exactly what to do!
  You can then smooth the surface out with the bottom of a spoon if you choose to, but remember that it does not have to be perfect to work perfectly.
 Let it dry overnight for best results.


Now stop wasting your hard earned money and start fixing your broken make-up! Let us know how you like this InStyle Tip!

Until next time!
xo

Monday, January 9, 2012

You Voted ... We Won The 2012 Bride's Choice Award


We got some great news today ... we've won the Bride's Choice Award for 2012.

A special Thank You to all our couples who took the time to provide feedback on our services and your overall experience at Weddings InStyle.

This prestigious award is determined by reviews from our past clients and recognizes the top 5 percent of local Wedding Professionals from the WeddingWire Network.  

2011 was very busy year for us and it was tremendously rewarding to host you and serve  you InStyle. Looking forward to creating more lasting memories and sharing more rewarding moments in 2012.


The WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards ™recognizes the top local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the organization, the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ are awarded solely based on the reviews from over 1.2 million newlyweds.

Some feedback from our couples:

Having the ladies at Weddings InStyle take care of your wedding plans/dreams (because they actually make dreams come true) is like having your very own best friends planning your wedding for you.

They get close and personal and give you the care, love and support that your own family would give you. They don't do this because it's their "job", they do it because it's their passion. And their passion isn't to only make weddings happen, their passion is making dreams and magic happen.

And let me tell you from personal experience here, there isn't a disaster or road block that will stop them from giving you your dream wedding, whether it's a big or small thing you're looking for.


Tatiana Hedley - Toronto/Ottawa

To read additional comments and see what others had to say about our services and what afforded us the opportunity of such an award, please click here .

Grateful!
xo