SS 13 Campaign featuring Irina Lazareanu!
Photo credit: Joker’s Closet

It’s new, trendy, Toronto based and all about shoes! Joker’s Closet is a website created by Ashley Ebner which allows you to create your own custom shoes.

There are 6 main designs to choose from and they are all creatively named (Hello Please To Meet Ya Mister!). Not only can you choose the color you want, but you can choose between a variety of textiles such as leather and suede. Each piece of the shoe can be selected and designed using the available options. The greatest part is the photo of the shoe updates to show you exactly how it will look. You can even pick the color of threading, now that’s really a custom shoe.

The site allows so much flexibility; however, this does not come without a hefty price tag. The price varies between $295-$420 US dollars for these literally one of a kind shoes. The up side is free shipping and the duties to Canada are taken care of. Been looking for those one of a kind wedding shoes? Want your bridesmaids to have shoes designed by you? Check out Joker’s Closet for yours!

Dream.Plan.Enjoy.

Holly Matrimony

Hope your week has started off well! Despite the rain we are still getting much closer to that warm weather we are all looking forward to! I know I am! As long as the weekends are beautiful, Mother Nature can do what she pleases throughout the week but Friday, Saturday and Sunday I pray for good weather as these are prime wedding days and nothing hurts me more than having to move a Muskoka wedding ceremony inside because of rain.

Thought I would let you know that I’m alive and well and though I’m not finding the time right now to blog during the week as I’d like to and as I usually have done, I have found a little bit of time to wedding images and status updates to Holly Matrimony Weddings Facebook Page! If things are quiet here you can usually find something going on over there so make that one of your bookmarks! See what we’ve been up to! Wedding season has started for us already, feels like it didn’t end actually! Happily working away on all of our client files for 2013 and 2014 and looking forward to our first of 2013 IN Muskoka this weekend. This couple has planned quickly and have made some really great planning decisions! One of them will be the ‘screeching in’ of the wedding guests at the rehearsal dinner – I’m told this involves strong alcohol and kissing fish …. I’m sure there will be photos.

Also! Time is running out to register for The Etiquette Guy’s ‘Civility Tour’ where he will teach you the A’s to Z’s of etiquette on May 19th 2013 from 9am-6pm! This course is open to everyone and would be great for wedding parties looking to have a proper afternoon tea, or a formal, 3 course lunch at a private golf course in Mississauga! Belated Mother’s Day gift idea? Click here for more information. Don’t miss this one!

Photo Credit: etiquetteguy.com

Want to know a little more about Jay Remer, “Canada’s Etiquette Guy” who responds to your questions on our blog every week? We thought you might so this is what we found out! We are lucky enough to have Jay Remer coming to teach a full day of learning on the topics of business, dining and tea etiquette! Everything from eye contact to napkins to pinkies Jay will guide you through it! Check out the course outline and register by clicking here.

Jay Remer is on a quest to bring civility back to the world of business and to society in general. His approach is simple: emphasize the importance of using common sense and trusting one’s intuition.

Since his freshman year in high school, Jay has planned and managed hundreds of business and social events. He continues to enjoy event planning, but has taken that passion to a new level by showing others how to be the perfect host for every occasion. By teaching them the skill of careful planning and the importance of developing an eye for details, he empowers them to create events with unique purpose and definite style.

As a lifestyle coach and communications consultant specializing in good manners and etiquette, Jay’s goal is to guide people, providing them with new knowledge to help them sharpen their social skills. His unique approach is based on awareness, gratitude, compassion, responsibility, humility and encouragement.

Jay engages with others in an interactive way to help them increase their level of comfort and skill whether in the boardroom or at formal functions or the dinner table. He teaches them how to prepare for job interviews, host corporate meals and dress for success.

Jay allows his sense of humour and relaxed nature to set the tone for his workshops and seminars. His approach ranges from personal makeovers to corporate retreats, meeting the specific needs of whomever he’s working with.

Jay’s background is like a patchwork quilt with expensive experience in a variety of areas.

In the world of art, Jay was a collector from the age of eight. He received professional training as an art appraiser and auctioneer at Sotheby Parke Bernet immediately after graduating from Colorado College, and quickly began advising advanced collectors of fine arts and antiques.

As a philanthropic member of the duPont family, Jay has supported numerous museums, ballet companies and poverty reduction initiatives both financially and by contributing thousands of hours of his time. His various contributions toward compassionate care for people afflicted with AIDS were recognized by the New York Downtown Hospital where he designed a wing dedicated to their care.

With his former wife, Jay was a dedicated dog fancier, specializing in Bull Terriers. The couple bred notable champion show dogs and pioneered many initiatives to improve our understanding of canine genetics.

Jay is a well-regarded host and has learned many of his hospitality skills from an early age. He has travelled extensively and gained first-hand knowledge in working with different cultures. He was an award-winning innkeeper and restaurateur, with an eye trained to anticipate the needs of others.

Jay became an actively certified graduate of the prestigious Protocol School of Washington for Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol in 2007. The next year, he completed Speakers Boot Camp with world-renowned speech coach Sue Gaulke. In 2012, he became one of a burgeoning crop of certified tea and etiquette consultants under the tutelage of Bruce and Shelley Richardson, two of America’s foremost trusted tea authorities.

Jay began producing his own local Etiquette Guy television show in 2010. The program is now broadcast vial Bell TV to 1.6 million households across Canada. He began hosting a second TV show, Fundy Tidings, in 2012. In this show, Jay interviews experts on a number of “difficult subjects” ranging from bullying, poverty reduction and literacy to suicide and depression. He believes that by creating greater awareness about society’s weakest links and the things that can be done to make a difference, more people can become part of solutions to help maintain and improve a healthy, civil society.

Jay responds to the steady flow of etiquette questions he receives by e-mail, meting out advice to people around the globe. He hosts LinkedIn’s largest group for Etiquette and Image Consultants, on which he enjoys interacting with colleagues throughout the world, discussing a variety of closely related topics.

Jay has contributed to such office library references as Before You Say Yes by Doreen Pendracs, a must-read book for anyone considering joining a non-profit board for the first time; and Honor and Respect by Robert Hickey, the current go-to book on forms of address. He writes a weekly etiquette column for the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal and contributes regularly to such publications as Today’s Parent, Long Island Boating, Ignite, Restaurant News and Etiquette and Lifestyle.

Do you check the weather network before heading to work or making plans? Use it on your wedding day too!

While I work on the wedding itineraries for upcoming client weddings I always look into the time the sunsets on the wedding day and include this as a line item in the wedding day itinerary. I find that I need to know this information a lot in Muskoka as wedding couples tend to incorporate sparklers or professional fireworks displays that require us waiting until the sun has gone down. For couples that don’t have pyrotechnics on the brain, even just knowing when the sun will be setting so you can take sneak out for a nice sunset photo with your honey and photographer. Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate but most times we are lucky enough to get some great photos and though we could leave it to chance, I do use sites like The Weather Network to think about these plans ahead of time and ‘schedule it in’. If you head to this website you can click on News & Information tab along the top, select Sun, Moons and Seasons, select the city closest to you (or the lat and long) and the date you’re interested in and it will tell you! Love having tools like this. Though there are a few other sites – depending on where they are based, they might not get close enough to the area you’re marrying to give you a really great idea. Time and Date.Com for example gets me as far north as Barrie, Ontario but if I use The Weather Network I can get to Gravenhurst, ON when thinking about this wedding in particular, that will be on Lake Joseph, a few minutes away from Gravenhurst but over an hour away from Barrie. Both calculators will give me a great idea on something like sunset but I use the one that gets me the closest when it comes to weather as I need to be as accurate as possible. I’ve been on an island where it is pouring rain and storming but 20 minutes away at the cottage it is dry! I need to master Mother Nature… for now I have tools like this one.

Dream.Plan.Enjoy.

Holly Matrimony

Remember these? Photo Credit: http://www.myfashionlife.com/

Was chatting with one of my lovely brides the other day at her itinerary meeting and as a Wedding Planner I always write in WHO will have the rings and talk about possible scenarios, the likely path for that ring before it gets to her finger and whether she has any doubts. We started talking about who should have the rings and how we could keep them safe. I was sharing some funny ways we have kept the rings safe in my experience with coordinating weddings and we came of with this idea. Remember these mittens on a string? We were joking that we should tie the rings to a string much in the same way that you would have worn these, the person in charge of the rings (typically the best man) could have his safely attached to his string, hidden inside his suit jacket. For a winter wedding this could be a cute idea on its own with having neat patterns/matching colours as an accessory for the groomsmen (or groom). Kinda like the ‘soap-on-a-rope’ idea no? You obviously don’t want to lose the wedding ring on the wedding day but it is sure worth that conversation about how to keep it safe and I’ve certainly had couples have fun with this idea. How are you keeping the rings safe? Have you ever seen a neat way to keep them safe?

Dream.Plan.Enjoy.

Holly Matrimony

With seven weeks to go before I arrive in Toronto to share some of my thoughts on etiquette and civility, I want to share some insights into what I will be covering – this is not just about learning good manners and how to teach them. The six pillars of civility – an Etiquette Guy original – will be the topics investigated during a delicious formal lunch. A bit like rubbing one’s belly and patting one’s head at the same time, not only will participants learn to dine like a diplomat, but converse confidently about the principles that guide us through the day with civility – putting other people first, but not to the exclusion of being grounded ourselves.

If you could do one thing for yourself, let it be to have compassion – yes, for yourself! We are all human; we all make mistakes; and we must allow ourselves to be less than the perfect people we push us to be. How important is having compassion for us? It is critical. How can we live in a civil world if we cannot be fair to ourselves? We can learn all the etiquette in the world, but if we lack compassion, it is all for naught. Compassion is just one of the six principles we will come to incorporate into our lives. Come and join us for an unforgettable day filled with great discussions, a great lunch and an introduction to taking tea like an aristocrat.

These skills will improve one’s professional credentials, personal sense of self worth, and interpersonal skills. – Jay. 

Have you ever taken an etiquette course? Canada’s Etiquette Guy, Jay Remer will be coming to Toronto May 18th and 19th to teach you the nitty gritty on the subject at a fantastic private club in the Greater Toronto Area! It is a steal – you will learn over a 3 course lunch as well as during a tutored afternoon tea. There is sooooooo much in this day that you won’t want to miss – for beginners to seasoned experts – there will be something for everyone! Register today! Check out the course outline by clicking here.

Photo Credit: etiquetteguy.com

Happy Spring! Having survived a longish winter, most of us are busy planning weddings, writing about the latest trends in weddings, or answering endless streams of Dear Abby style questions from far and wide often disguised as questions on weddings. As a traditionalist I have had to become flexible in many ways to keep up with the latest in fashions, venues, gifts, and entertaining. Once I get beyond the eye rolling stage, I take a deep breath and focus on the important values that I think are key to all weddings – and which are based in age old traditions.

1. The real uniqueness in every wedding is the union of the bride and groom. Two families come together for the first time and form new friendships and new bonds. The heart connections are what are unique. The details of the wedding should always take a back seat to the value of this union.
2. The host has the final say in how the guest list will be handled. If he or she defers to others, that is their choice. Imposing on a host’s generosity by suggesting additions to the guest list is extremely rude.
3. The invitation should contain all the information one needs, including who is actually invited (if the children are not invited, don’t ask) and RSVP. Be sure to follow any dress code.
4. As there is never any mention of gifts on any invitation, word of mouth is the best way to spread the word. Today, wedding web sites seem to be the repository for copious amounts of information – every question one might have is answered on these personal sites.
5. Guests are expected to bring a wedding present to the reception or mail one ahead to the home of the bride’s parents. Although one technically has a year to buy a gift, unless there is a really good reason, do it sooner – a lot sooner.
6. Thank you notes should be hand written and mailed out as soon after the gift or card is opened as possible.  Both the bride and the groom can share in this responsibility.

What sagacious advice would you add to this list? - Jay. 

If you would like to learn more on the subject of etiquette like brushing up on your social skills, dining skills and learning how to ‘take tea’ properly Cananda’s Etiquette Guy Jay Remer will be coming to the Greater Toronto Area May 18th and 19th (choose the day that works for you) to teach a course at the Private Mississaugua Golf & Country Club from 9am – 6pm each day. It will include a 3 course meal, a tutored afternoon tea, and light refreshments throughout the day. It is open to anyone who wants a refresher or someone who has never had etiquette training. These are important life skills and a must take course for everyone! For more information such as location, registration information and course outline, visit here. 

A beautiful creation in a category called ‘Devilish’ which of course couldn’t be anything but CAKES! Cakes made of plant material – very beautiful! Creativity at the Canada Blooms Show.

I ventured downtown to check out a wedding event called The Original Wedding Soiree which was great – super packed, we decided to head over to check out the ‘Excitement of Spring’ at the Canada Blooms show. A show I’ve never been to before I thought it would be great to go and check out some of the flowers we see at weddings used in abstract ways. We get used to seeing the same bouquet shapes, the same stems used in the same way and there was no shortage of inspiration at this show! It was REALLY neat to see some of the submissions such as this cake you see to the left in a category of cakes made entirely of plant material. This one was more obvious then some of the others. I will post some more pictures on our business facebook page here from the show but I thought this one was really pretty and great for someone who may not want a cake but still want to incorporate that element into say, a sweet table.

There was so much to look at! Giant paper flowers which we see more at weddings because of Pinterest and the DIY trend but they went a step further and had giant ‘bugs’ in the garden made also of plant material. Very cute idea!

As we’ve found out from listening to talented designers, sometimes if your decor budget is limited, it makes sense to spend the money on a WOW piece, a real focal point that everyone will talk about. We saw two immediately at the show. One of them was a crazy archway made of what looked to be like red hibiscus flowers woven into the top of a bamboo walkway. The other was a display of three seemingly hollow tree trunks standing vertically with all sorts of yellow spring flowers popping out everywhere. Gorgeous ideas to get you away from the traditional alter arrangements we might see but very costly I’m sure! I think these creations would make a crazy impact on the wedding day if you’re trying to impress your friends and family.

The archway we talked about – everyone stopped to take photos of this either from where we were or underneath. Your wedding guests would also have fun with this!

The hollowed out trunks that remind me of the setting for a beautiful Muskoka wedding ceremony!

Did you get a chance to check out the Canada Blooms show? It is on until this Sunday and you can find more information on show hours and tickets by clicking here. Lots to see and do and the admission of the National Home Show was a nice value-add on the ticket! Step outside the box when it comes to your flowers! Pick what you love and get creative with the right wedding professional and you will be able to come up with something truly amazing and reflective of you and your honey’s tastes!

Dream.Plan.Enjoy.

Holly Matrimony

Canada’s Etiquette Guy Jay Remer is back in Toronto to teach etiquette training on May 18th or 19th! What day works for you? Photo Credit: Me!

First off, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Canada’s Etiquette Guy, Jay Remer for contributing valuable information to our readers on the subject of wedding etiquette for an entire year! I am very grateful for his presence in my life and blog. I am even more excited to announce that he will be arriving in Toronto to teach a full day of etiquette on May 18th and another on May 19th! I will let him tell you more here: 

This week marks the first anniversary of when I began writing this weekly column. I hope you have enjoyed these short essays and will continue to send along your suggestions and questions to Holly or to me. To mark the occasion I am announcing two exciting seminars I will be presenting at the Mississauga Country Club on May 18^th and 19^th. Each day will be interactive and informative and will include a formal lunch and an educational afternoon tea party. I hope you will mark it in your calendar. I always enjoy working with Wedding Planners Institute of Canada Alumni, and especially with my trusted assistant – Holly Matrimony! I look forward to seeing new and familiar faces. You can find out more information such as course outline and registration by clicking here  – Jay.

Wed-iquette Wednesday Topic: Bouquet & Garter Toss

A reader wanted to know the tradition of and the timing for tossing the bride’s bouquet and garter. Although this can vary slightly for any number of logistical scenarios, the bouquet is tossed as the bride is leaving the reception to change for the departure. The bridesmaids gather round; the bride turns her back to them and tosses her bouquet high into the air behind her; the girl who catches the bouquet, tradition has it, will be the next of the group to marry. This tradition has evolved from the 14^th century, a time when the bride’s garter or stocking symbolized the same good luck. In that age, guests would remove the garter after quite a dishevelment. Over time, the bride took matters into her own hands. In modern times, this tradition has changed once again.

The groom now kneels down and retrieves the garter from his bride’s leg and tosses it into the assembled throng of groomsmen. He, who catches the garter, again according to tradition, will be next amongst these men to marry. The garter is often blue and is one of the four “somethings” – as in “something blue”, making up the bride’s complete outfit – Jay. 

If you think about it, how far does $50 really get you now? When planning a wedding, how do you stretch your dollar into getting you exactly what you envisioned? Photo Credit: Me! #creatingmyownstockphotosLOL

In a recent post by one of the popular American wedding websites, The Knot, we have learned that the average wedding spend in the US is up to $28,427 ($29,140 CAD). This is an incredible number to some of those posting their feedback below the article, with some spending $5000 or so on their special day. It sucks when numbers are released and get tossed around as averages. Especially as a Wedding Planner, when couples expect that their photographer will fall into a certain % of their budget, it is the other way around. If they want to find a photographer within their budget, use that % to come up with the money you have to spend and see if it is realistic. This number is what we find your photographer with.

All of the numbers seem low to me but I understand they are averages. Muskoka weddings are an interesting breed on their own. A lot of the seasonal guests marrying in Muskoka live the rest of the year elsewhere. This means they can increase their planning costs by bringing services from those areas who they might trust more, or have worked with before. Mileage or delivery fees can add a significant amount to the final bill so we try and encourage clients to support local business whenever they can.

As far as wedding budgets are concerned, we hear a lot of clients discuss how this money could be more responsibly allocated to a down payment on a house or the purchase of a new car. Yes, weddings are expensive but please don’t settle because you get sticker shock and opt to go with something cheaper or remove things from your wedding plans because you can’t afford them. I’ve said it before but consider saving  a little longer. Many couples live common-law now a days so what does it really matter putting it off for a little longer so you can save, have the wedding you want AND put that money down on your house or purchase that new car? As one of my favourite financial guru’s Gail Vaz Oxlade says, if all of your financial obligations have been looked after (bills, insurance, retirement, emergency fund etc) then it doesn’t matter what you do with the rest! I’m sure she wouldn’t agree with spending $30, 000 on a wedding but she does admit that if everything else is looked after, whatever you do with the rest is your own business. I do know that weddings can be achieved on smaller budgets but usually the clients have a hard time adjusting their expectations and they usually end up getting their friends and family to work a lot harder to make the day happen. As the unmarried Wedding Planner/Wedding Coordinator, I know that personally I will not have my friends and family work my wedding day. I will want them to be able to relax and enjoy one of the biggest parties I will ever throw no matter what the cost.

Dream.Plan.Enjoy.

Holly Matrimony