We’ve Been in the Community at Bridal Events!

Last week, The Wedding Guide Windsor|Essex County hosted the event, “Brides 21st Century Style,” for local, area wedding professionals. The discussion centered around the market in general and  keynote Speaker, Paul Pannone, investigative writer and The Editor and Chief of EWEDNews, the reporting channel for the wedding industry in North America, shared his expert opinion  on what the industry is up to for this upcoming bridal season. Sponsored by Caesars Windsor, a 4 diamond property, it was an informative evening for all in attendance.

On March 31, I spoke at Windsor’s Wedding Workshop, at St. Clair Centre for the Performing Arts and it was a great event. The Wedding Guide is proud to be affiliated with this hardworking team and we have been sponsoring since its inception, 5 years ago. There was a gathering of over 100 brides and their guests , who were great to meet. I had the opportunity to talk to most of them  about their wedding planning. It was interesting to note that there are many weddings booked for June, July and October of 2011.

The Wedding Guide in the Community

I see a buoyant season upon us and many brides are fulfilling their dreams by planning their day of days.  Each and every wedding day is different and inspired by the disposition, attitudes and interests that they have in common with their fiancés.

The Wedding Guide has worked tirelessly for over 19 years to inform, advise, offer and deliver everything  related to wedding planning. We offer 24/7, 365 day access through the printed upscale Wedding Guide,  our online socially integrated website and the online blog where brides and grooms can access the very latest wedding trends and tips.

There are many ways to get married;  loud or quiet, understated or flashy, spend a little, spend a lot!We believe that the engagement should be a happy time, stress-free and one that’s organized. Enjoy your time together and seek out professionals to help you plan your day. If a price seems too good to be true, it should be a warning.  Ask vendors for referrals and the opportunity to see their work. If you are dealing with a DJ, it is not unrealistic to ask to stop into a wedding reception for a few minutes.

Whatever your celebration, from cozy home-style to country or urban chic, couples are infusing their day with distinctive touches and emotion while choreographing a celebration that is meaningful and unique to them.

The 2011 wedding is a wow from the vows to the departure of the very last guests. It will be entertaining, emotional and joy-filled. It won’t be your sister’s or mother’s wedding day!

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April 1st, 2011

21st Century Brides Vow to be Different


The Wedding Guide Windsor|Essex County TrendsA wedding is a life event; a milestone and a full-out party whether formal or not, with a myriad of special touches that flavour the day with the individual touches of the couple’s personality. Making a memory is their top priority and when all is said and done, they want to look back on a beautiful celebration filled with a sense of emotion, sincerity and occasion.

Personalized signature style continues to be the trend, with new touches emerging this upcoming bridal season. The stuffy by-the-book rules of the past have all but vanished. Personal branding continues to be a focal point, with the theme of the wedding revolving around a stylized monogram or icon that the bride and groom may choose.

The vintage glamour look continues its hold from the last two seasons, with the return of romance clearly illustrated in flowing wedding gowns in pale pinks, yellows and this season hottest colour, honeysuckle.  The rage of the 1920s ushers in 3D appliqué, layered with lace, tulle and silk details on the dress. The princess style silhouette will be body slimming with a bold train, while sequins and beading will be showing up on everything from the dress to the floral arrangements and the wedding cake.

Flowers will be stylized with keepsakes in the bouquets and they will be green and natural with bright coloured flowers arranged lightly with a leaf wrap. Flower girls will carry bulb bouquets of one colour.

Chic statement- making headwear is in and no bride today would be without it. Sparkly tiaras are back in time for the Royal Wedding and vintage feathers, large flowers, headbands and elegant hair clips are other alternatives.

The black tuxedo has been revamped with flair and attitude. New styles and beautiful fabric has moved them into the 21st century. Bow ties are back and bold and fun is the message in their styling. Brides will wear pearls and Grooms will forgo sneakers for more tasteful wedding day footwear that complements his bride.

For comfort, wedding venues sport comfy couches- lounge weddings are hot and are one of the biggest trends this year! Living room settings add cosiness for the guests and allow people to move around and socialize with ease.

Long table are all the rage and feel reminiscent of family celebrations. The Sweetheart Table reserved for the couple is elegant and comfortable, layered with textured linens and replete with vintage centrepieces.

Food is local, healthy, traditional and original with farmer’s market menus. Lemonade and colourful teas add a “pretty and colourful” twist to the décor. The wedding cake serves as a centrepiece, a photo-op and is a main focal point. Brides are crazy for cakes decked out in jewellery and they are tall and elegant with butter cream icing and big, beautiful natural flowers instead of the large sugar ones.

Dessert bars continue to be a huge guest favourite, laden with brownies, macarons, ( an almond paste cookie, coloured to theme and filled with gelato or ice cream) jelly beans, pies, ice cream floats and cake pops. They add bold colour and sweetness to the post dinner fare.

The supper club feel ties into the lounge wedding and this season, no couple wants the best day of their lives to end. Couples are planning an after party that lasts well into the wee hours of the night. Guests will partake of drinks, entertainment, dancing and snacks, served up with cognac, coffee and cappuccino bars; lounge- like events with bold style so that their guests can party all night!

From sheer whimsy to breath-taking, couples want their uniqueness to shine through all the details. Outdoor weddings are popular décor offering nature as a backdrop; garden weddings, wooded park-like settings or vineyards are ways couples are making the day their own.   Sparklers and ice sculptures with beautiful intricate details are gracing their tables and doubling as decorations.

The special handmade elements of 2011 weddings are here to stay and are one of the biggest trends for this year. DIY is big and couples are daring to make their day distinctive and memorable.

Wherever the celebration, from cozy- home-style to country or urban chic, couples are infusing their day with distinctive touches and emotion while choreographing a celebration that is meaningful and unique to them.

The 2011 wedding is a wow from the vows to the departure of the last guest. It will be entertaining, emotional and joy-filled. It won’t be your mother’s wedding!


March 17th, 2011

Wedding Toasts from The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County

Pieces of toasted bread or croutons were placed in the bottom of the glass to provide nourishment for the bride and groom.

Either the best man starts the toasts by standing and tapping his glass or the Master of Ceremony announces the toast. The
best man usually tells a short story of how the couple first met or a humourous tasteful anecdote about the groom and the bride.
He then makes a wish for their happiness and everyone (except the bride and groom) raises their glasses and toasts the couple.
Toasts may then follow his toast from the bride’s honour attendant and then the bride and groom’s parents. The couple then follows with special toasts to their parents, to their attendants and finally to each other, usually with the groom speaking first. They may then intertwine their arms and drink from their toasting glasses or goblets.
The amount of champagne needed for the toast is calculated as follows: A 26 oz. (magnum) of champagne will serve
approximately 8 glasses. So for 100 guests, you will need a case of 12 per toast. Some toasts heard around the world are:
French: Salut
Hispanic: Salud, Dinero y Amor
British: Cheers
Italian: A la Salute
Hebrew: L’Chayim
Chinese: Nien Mien Ju E
Scottish: Lang May Your Lum Reek
March 6th, 2011

Rentals & Tents : More Wedding Choices in 2011

rentals & tents, 2011 weddings

Photo: Festival Tent & Party Supply, Windsor, Ontario


“When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.” -  John Ruskin

If you have decided on a garden or outdoor wedding, or have rented an unfurnished hall, you will find yourself in need of some expert advice on setting up your reception or celebration party.You can guard against dampened spirits (or equally important, a searing summer sun) with a pretty and practical tent or an elaborate, windowed one. Most caterers can refer you to a tent/ and or party rental company. These rental companies offer table chairs, linens, flatware, stemware and even portable washrooms.

A fully equipped rental store will have a wide range of appropriate wedding accessories, including arches, and chupahs, kneeling benches, candelabras, plant stands, aisle runners, wedding canopies, gazebos, artificial greenery, chair covers and more.

Rental furniture is now available  and  choices includes modular leather sofas and chairs, besides the standard banquet style. Bride and groom booths, a brilliant idea in white leather studded buttons have become a comfortable trend in today’s weddings, for use at the head table or to stand- alone, so the newlyweds can share their first meal as husband and wife seated together, apart from their guests.

The use of “Lounge Style”  furniture allows for “living room” or “settee” areas where guests,  should they choose, can mingle and catch up, away from the dinner tables that they were seated at.

Photo booths, expresso, ice cream and liquor carts,  as well as completely portable, bar refrigeration trucks have all become popular items in the past few years. There has never been a better choice in rentals items for both indoor and outdoor weddings as there are today.

Lighting is becoming another must-have for some couples.  Adding ambiance, excitement and mood, a good lighting tech can transform your reception site from ordinary to extraordinary.

Rental companies will work with you to create the mood and feel that you want for your reception. Rental professionals will provide you with everything you need to create a truly memorable affair. Trust their advice as they plan more parties in a year than most people plan in a lifetime.

Read more about rentals and tents in the current issue of The Wedding Guide. Click here to order your copy.

Our Featured Vendors

Festival Tent and Party Rentals Inc.

February 11th, 2011
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