Wednesday, July 17, 2013

The I Do Shop's Summer so far




Hey Everyone,

It has been a busy one so far this wedding season.  With Corporate Events at the beginning of Spring to  Grads and multiple Weddings every weekend after that...the blog has been neglected.  We can't believe that it is already the middle of July...where has the summer gone and is this how it is going to be as time goes on....we hope so.  Being so busy time flies it means we are doing our job well.

There are a lot of exciting things happening in the shop and every day there is something added.  Recently we have been contacted to be a feature in the Bridal Fantasy Blog, so keep watch it will be posted when it will be up for all to see.  Our Wedding Star inventory is growing daily which is super exciting because we are able to offer things to customers when they walk in the store, or we can order them and it be in within a week depending on the detail of the item.

Our stock is continuously growing and we are getting in so much that we can offer our clients more.  Our Brains are going crazy with inspiration and new ideas, we think it is time for a shop make over. Stay tuned to see what we come up with for our show room.

Below are a few things we have been working on these past few months.  We would love to hear from all of you how your summers have been going and if you have any wedding stories to tell.

Have a wonderful and safe summer

The I Do Team
Lobster Bash 2013
Beautiful Tent Wedding
        


Tragically Hip Sponsor Dinner

Elegant Wedding






Thursday, June 27, 2013

High River......Let us help them get back on their feet!!






June 26th, 2013
High River Flooding Update #3

This info bulletin is specific to the flooding situation and response in the Town of High River.

Current situation update

State of local emergency continues for the Town of High River and the mandatory evacuation order remains in effect.

Reception centres for displaced High River residents are set up in Nanton at the Tom Horneker Reception Centre, in Blackie at the town arena and in Okotoks at the curling rink.  The Town of High River is still a high risk environment.  Mud, rocks, debris and standing water are contaminated.  Sinkholes are also a hazard.  It is not safe to return to the Town of High River at this time.
A staged re-entry plan for residents is being finalized and will be implemented as soon as it is safe for residents to begin returning.
The province is supporting the Town of High River in developing a recovery plan.  Water and sewer treatment facilities became operational on a limited basis overnight and are being monitored, However, three of the town’s 10 sewage lift stations remain under water.  Work to drain and pump standing water is ongoing.  Large areas of standing water remain.  Five building inspection teams have been deployed to inspect homes and business.  The High River Hospital remains evacuated.

This is what we are doing to help……

So I have been thinking lately about what I can do to help people in High River…My family was affected by the flooding and have been evacuated from their homes.  So the other night Cody and I were talking about going down there when they are allowed back in their home, so we can help them to start rebuilding their home.  I am going to be making laundry baskets full of household items for my family and as many of their neighbours as I can. ….if any of you are interested in donating items or making a monetary donation so that we can purchase items for the baskets, it would be greatly appreciated.  You can drop off any donations at the I Do Shop or text me to make arrangements 780-207-5240. Thanks!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Favors with a Flair

There's something extra memorable about any occasion (wedding, baby or bridal show, birthday party) that sends you home with a special treat.  These nine ideas are easy to create and really fun to give out to family and friends at just about any celebration.

Personalized Pencils

A simple idea with an old-school charm.  Buy colourful pencils in bulk and personalize them with favourite song lyrics or phrases that are meaningful to you.  Bundle them up with paper bellybands that you can be customized with stickers and hole punches in fun designs.


 Heart-Shaped Sparklers

Bird seed, bubbles, even rice had their moments....and not it's about celebrating with a little bit of light.  Hand out favors at the beginning of the party and invite guests to join you in letting the sparks fly.



 Love Letters

For a real yummy treat, send friends and family home with bite-size delights that share a special message.  Mix it up with words like YAY, THANKS, or personalize with monogram, initials, or even the wedding date.  Dress up plain acetate boxes with patterned paper that coordinates with your wedding colours.



Romantic Shades

Love may be blind, but id you look close enough you're sure to see hearts.  These unique 3D glasses are designed to see hearts when your eyes hit points of light in the dark.



Island Flair

If you're hosting a destination affair, choose a festive (fashionable) accessory as your take away.



Dessert Bar

Cup or cone? A delicious question that will be worth screaming about (at an appropriate level, of course) as guests are on their way out.



Messages in a Bottle

Just when you thought candy couldn't get any sweeter.  Enter personalized hard candy sweets.  These old-fashioned goodies can be customized by colour, special message, and design.  Package in unexpected tubes and top off with a ribbon and tag.



Perfect Mix

Everyone's happy when you've picked a yummy favor that's both salty and sweet.  These cashews have a scrumptious butter toffee coating that are sure to be devoured on the ride home.  Skip the typical bags and package them in boxes that coordinate with your signature colours.



All of the fixings (marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate) for making sure your guests are well-prepared for toasting at home.


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

How to choose a Caterer





The guests at your wedding will remember lots of things about your big day – the wedding dress, the speeches, your venue– but what matters most to many of them is the food! And it will matter to you too, with the catering likely to be the biggest expense for your wedding. So that you and your guests aren’t left, quite literally, with a bitter taste in their mouths, here’s our 10 tips to helping you choose your wedding caterer.

DIY catering- only if you must
If you have more then 20 people attending your wedding, then we'd suggest getting a professional caterer involved.  You won't be able to fully enjoy the experience of your wedding with your family and friends if everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off, worried about the other guests being fed and taken care of. 
Then there are all those dirty dishes afterwards!  If you are thinking of doing the catering yourself, then at least get some staff to serve and clear up.  It will be money well spent and will allow you and your guests the chance to relax and enjoy together without the worry of clean up.

Try and negotiate on cost
As much as you might like to treat your guests to a feast fit for a king (or wedding princess), it is a fact that cost is a factor for most couples.  How much it will cost is quite possibly the first thing you will look at and you'll of course want to get value for your money but also quality.  Start with your budget and see which caterers fit.  It's possible that you can negotiate with some caterers as quotes are usually "cost per head", or you could substitute something in the menu.

Source your own?
Many venues provide their own catering services or are able to recommend caterers for you.  Don't feel pressured by a venue.  Only if you think the venue is perfect for your reception should you be prepared to compromise on the food and choices they provide.  If you are using external caterers then get a few quotes in writing and see if you can sample their dishes.  Remember that caterers tend to get booked up months in advance so you'll need to be quick with decisions to ensure you have the caterer you want.

What food options are available?
When choosing a caterer you need to know what food options they can supply.  If it's just the basics and you want to consider something a little more adventurous then look elsewhere, maybe beyond regular wedding caterers.  A wide and varied menu is usually preferred, especially on that caters for special dietary requirements.  If they don't have what you want, then look elsewhere.

Who supplies the silverware and other utensils?
It would be ideal fi your venue or external caterers were able to supply the necessary china, glassware and utensils.  If rental equipment is necessary then you need to ascertain who will be responsible for its delivery, cleaning and return.  Also don't overlook the cake stand and knife as these need to be factored in too.  No one wants to cut their wedding cake with a butter knife!  Serving staff - make sure the staff are fit for the task of waiting on wedding reception tables.  The caterer's team will generally know the food and service well.  the safe (but more costly option) is to go for the caterers and their own staff.  Make sure you know the ratio of staff to guests and that the staff will come suitably dressed.  Bear in mind that, as well as the catering staff, you may need additional people such as a toastmaster to announce guests and run the proceedings, plus waiters and waitresses to keep guests supplied with drinks.

The Wedding Cake
To minimise stress and perhaps save you money you may want all the food to be provided by one caterer, and that includes the wedding cake.  Check with your potential caterers whether their services can include wedding cake or if they are connected with a cake supplier.  Ask to see photo samples of wedding cakes provided for previous weddings to give you an idea of what you'll be getting.

Meals on wheels
You need to consider how close the caterers are to your venue.  If the food is being prepared miles away from your wedding reception then you may be wondering what condition it is going to be in by the time it arrives.  If it's some distance it could be that your guests arrive long before the food does, and that is unlikely to go down too well.  The caterer should plan out how long it will take them to get to the reception and how they will transport and prepare the food.  If it is not being made onsite the potential for mishaps is greater.

Consider references and reliability
Don't just take the caterers' word, if any are unable or unwilling to provide proof of where they source their ingredients then you should have concerns.  Check their references from those who have previously employed their services.  Bear in mind that some people can be incredibly fussy so take what other couples say with a pinch of salt.  A personal recommendation from someone you really trust is the best way to go.

Dink to the happy couple
A highlight for many of the guests is the drink on offer and many a wedding will be judged on how freely the drinks flow.  Consider which drinks will be served and if you will be providing drinks on the tables for your guests during the reception.  Maybe your venue allows you to supply your own alcohol for a fee, for which they may well provide the required glassware and refrigeration.  If there's a bar, it's important to know what time it will serve and you need to decide whether you're going to foot the bill or whether guests need to fend for themselves (which is a hot topic in itself)

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Summers Hot Colours

Are you getting married this summer and don't know what colors to choose for your wedding? Check out these five hot pairs of colors to get the wheels turning.
 
1) Watermelon & Honeydew Green (Baby Pink & Apple Green)
Nothing says summer quite like watermelons. Pair bright watermelon with a light honeydew green, or go with dark green and white to imitate the summertime fruit. These combinations will go great with the greens in your bouquets and centerpieces, and can be paired nicely with other shades of pink. Having a more informal wedding get together? Serve watermelon slices after a BBQ reception or as an appetizer at your beach blowout.



2) Cornflower blue & plum
This bold combination goes great with all skin tones. Choose bridesmaid dresses in bright cornflower blue with plum accents. Hydrangeas are the perfect flower to accompany this color combination, and if you're getting married in a garden or park graced with these blooms your photos will be absolutely gorgeous.


3) Tangerine & light yellow
A bright tangerine orange goes perfectly with a subtle light yellow, and this combination will make your wedding seem sunny even if summer showers come your way. Dress your maids in light yellow gowns and choose bright orange flowers to give the ensemble some pop. Not a fan of traditional wedding cake? Replace the dessert with a festive sorbet to match your color scheme instead.



4) Hot pink & lime green
This wedding color combination has been popular over the last few years. The two bright colors competing for attention are great for beach weddings or photo shoots in a garden. They can also brighten up the inside of a church, providing that they don't clash with the décor. Blooms and greens are easy to match, and your tannest bridesmaids to your whitest will look great.


5) Turquoise & coral pink
Planning a destination wedding on a tropical island, or at least dreaming of it? Bring the beach to you with this wedding color combination of turquoise and coral pink. If you are fortunate enough to say your vows with your feet in the sand, coral pink dresses will look stunning against the backdrop of the turquoise blue sea. Seashells and starfish make great table decorations for this color combination.


Hope these ideas helped you to start envisioning the wedding of your dreams! Once you choose a color combination you'll be ready to design your wedding invitations, shop for bridesmaid dresses, order your flowers, and decide on your table décor.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

To Be....Unique!!





Answer me this....What is the first thing that goes through your head after the engagement has happened and planning begins???.......How can I  make my wedding stand out from all of the rest...make mine unique??
How many of you then hit cyber space looking for different ideas, or look in magazines for that perfect idea?
To make a wedding unique, you need to look at all the good tips that can guide you. This will reveal relevant tips that will see you make your wedding as special as you possibly can. First, you have to know that to make your wedding different; the key is in little detail. This can be in the arrangements of flowers, seating, photos and no you don't need a lot money to do this.

 Money will offer you great choices when it comes to making things unique but, if you are keen enough, you will find little things that will work brilliantly for you.  You need to consider the kind of invitations you send out to your guests. They should be tied to the "theme" of your wedding and, instead of dishing out invitations blindly, include a note that will inform your guests some of the details about the event. You can also include a note that informs them of something about the occasion that other weddings do not do.

Why not make a statement about your bridal party to share with your guests. Have you ever been to a wedding and was yearning for more information about people who are around the couple? Make it a learning experience as well as an eye opener for your guests.




Everyone wonders what the dress will look like, right up until they see it...why not make a fuss out of your gown ahead of time.  Invite photographers to make a buzz as they take pictures and have the news spread around.  People will actually want to see the kind of dress you have and get to wonder even more. Your dress may not be special at all but since there was a fuss, you will get more notice making your ceremony unique in this regard.
If there are prominent people around you, make sure you send them an invitation. This is because such people will make your wedding unique. They do not have to come but, you will have tried as word gets around of the dignitaries that were expected.  For example inviting Mickey Mouse or the President to come...they wont but they might send you something.

Here's an idea that most people don't think about, you can go an extra mile to personalize the napkins that you use and so on. Include love songs during the night either as a song or the lyrics placed in with the centre piece, people will not expect them and will go from table to table looking at the different songs. It is good to have different ideas working together to achieve the success that you are looking for. Look for ways in which you can twist things to achieve a blend of difference. Without a doubt, you will manage to create something different from the rest.


Let others compliment you on how your wedding is like (so and so's); this is the best way to ensure that you have done something differently. When others emulate you, you will know that no other wedding compares to yours. Remember, when it comes to designs in clothes, you can actually have something unique by consulting your stylist. Have them tailor make clothes that are just unique to your wedding.

So these are just a few ideas and there are so many more, nothing says you can't take someone's idea and make it slightly different to make it your own.  Let's face it we all take pride in our weddings and think they are the best....because they are, even if your décor is the same as someone else's, you might have a hula dancers or a smores buffet, birds flying loose or fish in a bowl. What ever you do it will be special and a day you will never forget.