by Sharon Auld

We are so pleased to post these gorgeous images from Tara Whittaker Photography of the table top we designed for A Spoonful of Vintage’s, Vintage Wedding Showcase that took place this past weekend at the Mt.Pleasant Community Centre in Calgary.

Our “Mad Men” inspired wedding table for the Vintage Showcase #YYC

It was an amazing, inaugural event that featured so many  of Calgary’s incredible wedding professionals. There truly was something for everyone, from stunning vintage gowns and headpieces, vintage furniture, jewelry and accessories, a vintage photo booth and so much more! I absolutely loved watching the toe-tapping, swing dancing performed by the super talented Toe Tappin’ Swing!

And of course, there was a vintage themed table top design competition featuring fellow wedding planners/designers. I remember at one point, looking around the room and feeling like I was transformed into another time period! From the stunning “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” table by Creative Weddings and Occasions to the super creative “Wizard of Oz” table by Reflections Weddings. Callandra from Cherry Tree Occasions captured the essence of the “Great Gatsby” with her art-deco inspired table and Alexandra from Always Alexandra Weddings created the most beautiful “Downtown Abbey”, inspired table (with not only a perfect silver tea set, but yummy tea sandwiches – thank you Alexandra!), and Lisa from We Connect created a beautiful, creative “Casablanca” inspired table that was so retro cool!

I took on a “Mad Men”, 1960′s inspired design and was told today that we won the table top competition with our design! While we are super excited (as winners we will have a feature in the July edition of the Calgary Bridal Guide!!) and are truly honored, everyone did an amazing job and are all winners in my mind!

I also want to mention a couple of special thank you’s. Thank you to Sarah Mayerson Design who created the most beautiful 60′s inspired florals for our table (and incidentally created all the beautiful bouquets for the vintage fashion show!), and to my friend Melanie Frank from Blackbird Events for coming in and helping me set up and style my table!

If you love vintage (and who doesn’t?) and want to be inspired for your wedding, I really encourage you to check out  A Spoonful of Vintage website for more coverage of the Vintage Wedding Showcase and a look at all the other incredible table designs. They will be posting lot’s more on the Vintage Showcase in days to come. There were so many amazing vintage displays that will surely inspire!

1960′s vintage inspired wedding inspiration. Flowers by Sarah Mayerson Design.

 I hope Don Draper would approve! 

Mad Men inspired table top.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Planning!

Sharon

by Sharon Auld

Okay before we start, I have to say this post is very late on my part! I’m actually embarrased to say I am quite a bit behind on my wedding blogging! I’ll be posting several past, real-life weddings, of some amazing couples over the next little while.  Life has been pretty hectic at times and blogging sometimes is put on the back burner…better late than never right? Well, I will say that photos from my dear friend, international wedding photographer Jesse Hisco, are always worth the wait! I’ll be sharing tons of his amazing work over the next couple of days. Enjoy!

This shoot took place at the beautiful, rustic Beaverfoot Lodge near Golden, BC, and the day was gorgeously hot. The kind of day I sometimes long for in the depths of winter. The shoot was a collaboration of  Jesse Hisco, his long time love, Alina Solberg of Hearts and Honey, and myself. Of course, we had lots of help from some amazing area wedding professionals. As well, none of this would be possible without the beautiful, real-life couple, Courtney and Terry.

Our eco-friendly wedding theme was “Birds of a Feather”.

Engraved drift wood sign by Naturally Chic and photo by Jesee Hisco Fine Art Photography.

We set out some natural twig stakes and made an outdoor “altar”. The scene was set  against the banks of the local river. Such a pretty spot for a wedding ceremony!

beautiful bride with bird cage wedding veil. photo by Jesse Hisco Fine Art Photography.

The beautiful yellow and pink bouquet was by Alpine Flower Gallery in Banff, Alberta and birch ring bearer “pillow” by Naturally Chic.

Sweet eco-friendly summer tablescape. Photo by Jesee Hisco Fine Art Photography.

Stay tuned as we will be posting more photos of this shoot very soon!

Decor and engraved stationery and other wood items including wood cocktail table by Naturally Chic.

Decor Styling by Alina Solberg, Hearts and Honey and Sharon Auld of Naturally Chic. More wedding professionals in next post.

For more information on our planning and design services contact us at hello@naturallychic.ca or call us at 1.888.679.9056.

Happy Planning!

by Sharon Auld

I just received some absolutely beautiful photos from f8 photography and I am so excited to share a couple of photos with you today. The photos certainly brought back memories of a much warmer day!

The photo shoot was for the premier addition of Calgary’s newest luxury wedding magazine (now available on newstands everywhere in the Calgary area), LUXE by Calgary Bride. Naturally Chic is honored to have played a role on this shoot collaborating with some of Calgary’s most talented wedding creatives, including Rebecca Dawn Flower Design. The shoot took place inside and outside on the grounds of the Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary.

We designed an eco-chic summer and winter shoot that I will be blogging about soon! For now, enjoy a couple beautiful shots from the uber talented f8 photography!

Eco-chic shoot for LUXE by Calgary Bride. Photo by f8 photography.

eco-friendly summer wedding at Earl Grey Golf Club. Photo by f8 photography.

For more information on how we may be of assistance in planning or designing your special day, contact us at hello@naturallychic.ca or call us at 1.888.679.9056. We look forward to hearing from you!

Happy Planning!

by Sharon Auld

One of the Lake Louise winter weddings we worked on is being featured on the Canadian blog Poppytalk! So thrilled as the couple Simon and Amanda are amazing folks who came all the way from Australia to experience snow and the Rockies for the first time! They were such a fun couple to work with!

The beautiful photos featured on Poppytalk were taken by the talented Kirstie Tweed of Orange Girl Photographs!

Amanda + Simon’s Lake Louise Winter Wedding on the Poppytalk Blog!

For information on our planning and design services contact us at hello@naturallychic.ca or 1.888.679.9056. Visit our website at www.naturallychic.ca.

Happy Planning! 

by Sharon Auld

Have you seen the latest wedding magazine available to Calgary and area couples? It’s Luxe by Calgary Bride (the same great people who put together Calgary’s most comprehensive wedding resource; the Calgary Bride). This new magazine is pure eye candy featuring some of the area’s best wedding professionals and it’s loaded with some of the most beautiful and creative wedding inspirations to date! The premier issue is out on newstands everywhere including Chapters/Indigo. It is truly a remarkable magazine and a beautiful keepsake.

We are so honored to be featured in this gorgeous new publication. Naturally Chic designed two stylized wedding shoots for the magazine including a summer, eco-chic inspiration and a luxe winter tablescape. Both shoots feature our custom design and wood creations, and we were so fortunate to collaborate with some amazing wedding creatives including Rebecca Dawn Flower Design. All the beautiful photos from both shoots are from the very talented f8 Photography.

We are super excited about sharing this feature with you all! If you don’t already own a copy, pick one up today; you won’t be disappointed!

Calgary and area’s newest Wedding Publication – Luxe by Calgary Bride

For information on our planning and design services, visit our website at www.naturallychic.ca or contact us at 1.888.679.9056, or send us an email at hello@naturallychic.ca. We’d love to hear from you!

Happy Planning!

by Sharon Auld

One wedding trend that I’m seeing right now and I absolutely loving, is that of “bountiful blooms”; flowers that are organically arranged in what almost appears to be a haphazard manner as if plucked from the garden. Flowers, berries, branches and twigs look natural and not overly posed or symetrical.

organically arranged wedding flowers in shades of pink via Once Wed

These arrangements look perfectly in place in both elegant and casual settings alike. They can be luxurious and bountiful, or hand-tied and placed in a mason jar. No matter what your wedding style, there’s almost certainly a way that you can incorporate this beautiful trend into your special day – from centerpieces, to bouquets, to swags or chair ties!

Bountiful wedding centerpiece via BibbityBobbityBoo/Tumbler.com

loosely arranged wedding flowers in mason jar via Flower Mag

Even celebrities are paying attention to this floral wedding trend. Here’s Blake Lively’s lovely bouquet she carried when she married actor Ryan Reynolds.

Blake Lively’s bountiful wedding bouquet via Martha Stewart Weddings

This arrangement would be perfect for a winter wedding!

Winter Wedding Style flowers

Here is a gorgeous floral chair tie found via Pinterest – from Once Wed and by wedding stylist and designer Joy Thigpen.

Floral chair tie for wedding via Once Wed and by Joy Thigpen

Here’s a few more gorgeous floral trends for your wedding inspiration and sure to be found in many 2013 weddings! The natural, organic look is perfect for elegant or casual, laid-back mountain weddings here in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

From Grey Likes weddings simple winter floral arrangement in mason jar

asymetrical floral wedding arrangement

I love the use of interesting containers and vessels such as the vintage urn shown below.

organically arranged wedding centerpiece in urn

Naturally arranged wedding flowers.

Naturally arranged wedding flowers via Pinterest and Ruffled Blog

floral swag via Pinterest

Happy 2013 and happy planning for all the newly engaged couples! 

For more information on our wedding design and planning services contact us at hello@naturallychic.ca, or 1.888.679.9056 or visit us at naturallychic.ca.

by Sharon Auld

We are currently enjoying a wonderful winter wedding at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. It is absolutely gorgeous here – a verifiable winter wonderland and our couple is an amazing Australian couple who are experiencing snow for the first time! I love seeing their excitement and “seeing” the mountains and snow through their eyes! They even had a beautiful, afternoon sleigh ride! With another winter wedding next week, I am literally  snow deep into winter weddings.

I love soft pinks, white and touches of silver for a winter wedding. It’s so romantic, feminine and perfect for a holiday wedding. Think white lights, lots of candles and whimsical touches like snowmen and gingerbread houses!

Here in the mountains, we almost always have snow on Valentine’s Day. This  color palette would also be perfectly suited to a beautiful Valentine’s wedding too.

Pink winter wedding inspiration

Photo Credits:

Photo 1: Just Call Me Grace Tumbler via Pinterest;  Photos 2: from Flickr.com via Pinterest; Photo 3, AGirlsRighttoDream. Tumbler.com, via Pinterest; Photos 4, Photo 5, Photo 6, Photo 7, Phot0 8 via huffpost weddings via pinterest; Photo 9 via Photographer-Stylist Paulina Arcklin; Photo 10 West Elm via Pinterest.

Give us call if you would like to talk about your upcoming winter wedding in the Canadian Rockies at 1.888.679.9056 or email us at hello@naturallychic.ca. 

Happy Planning and Happy Holidays everyone! Congratulations to all who are newly engaged as well!

By Sharon Auld

Planning a rustic winter wedding in the mountains or at a ski lodge? Consider a color palette of red and white (perfect for weddings during the holiday season)! The color red “pops” so much against the pristine white snow and almost always works in rustic venues with warm, natural wood tones.

Hope you enjoy today’s inspiration!

Naturally Chic's Rustic Winter Wedding Inspiration

{Photo Credits: Top Row – Pinterest, Grey Likes Weddings, Style Me Pretty, DigsDigs; Middle Row – Roots, Grey Likes Weddings, by Naturally Chic with photo from Orange Girl Photographs, by Naturally Chic with photo from Orange Girl Photographs; Bottom Row – Pinterest, BHLDN, Pinterest)

For assistance designing and planning your winter wedding in the Rocky Mountains, contact us at 1.888.679.9056 or email us at hello@naturallychic.ca

Happy Planning!

by Sharon Auld

With the somewhat early arrival of snow in the Rocky Mountains and winter just around the corner, I thought I would put together a little winter inspiration for all those couples planning a winter wedding in the Rockies!

I myself have been immersed in design for several upcoming winter weddings. Personally, I just can’t get enough winter weddings! There is just something so warm, cozy and beautiful about a winter wedding in the Canadian Rockies!

Naturally Chic Rustic Winter Wedding Glam

Photo Credits: Row 1 – Orange Girl Photographs, Naturally Chic, photo by Orange Girl Photographs, Naturally Chic, photo by Orange Girl Photographs;

Row 2 – Naturally Chic, photo by Orange Girl Photographs, Pinterest, Naturally Chic, photo by Orange Girl Photographs;

Row 3 – Pinterest, Ruffled Blog via Pinterest;

Row 4 – Trendy Bride, Pinterest, Pinterest.

For more information on designing and planning a winter wedding in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, contact Naturally Chic at 1.888.679.9056 or email us at hello@naturallychic.ca.

Happy Planning!

by Sharon Auld

Today I wanted to share an article that I wrote that was published in the Fall + Winter 2012, Calgary Bridal Guide. The Calgary Bridal Guide is an amazing resource for Calgary and area brides and is chalk full of inspiration, ideas and information on local wedding professionals. If you are getting married, pick up a copy at Chapters/Indigo today and you will be so happy you did! You can also check out the Calgary Bride website for more great information.

The article I wanted to share with you is: Shades of Green; Anyone Can Have a Beautiful Eco-Friendly Wedding! We really believe that anyone can have an amazing, eco-chic wedding by incorporating some of the tips found in this article!

An eco-friendly wedding is any wedding where the couple tries to minimize its impact on the planet, and there are many ways to do this without sacrificing style or elegance. Eco-chic weddings can be every bit as beautiful as conventional weddings but without all the waste. Incorporating earth-friendly choices into your wedding doesn’t have to be difficult.

Every year, millions of weddings produce tons of waste. As an engaged couple, you’ll make many decisions while planning your wedding and almost every aspect of a wedding is an opportunity to consider an eco-friendly option. Whether you want to incorporate only one earth-friendly option or completely offset your carbon footprint, anyone can have a green wedding. There are many shades of green!

Having a green wedding can be as simple as making good consumer choices and supporting your local economy. When choosing a venue look for one that has environmentally friendly practices that meet your values. Whether you are hiring a photographer, videographer or wedding planner, make sure their values and practices are a good fit with yours.

With wedding stationery, consider skipping the save-the-dates or invitations altogether. Send e-vites instead. If you do send a physical card, work with a company that makes beautiful, sustainable products. Have your guests call or email you their reply. Set up a wedding website where guests can find wedding itinerary and relevant information.

Eco-friendly mountain wedding by Naturally Chic; photo by Naturally Chic

If you’re in a beautiful natural setting, highlight it. If your ceremony is set against a beautiful mountain backdrop, you won’t require much decor to make it beautiful. Consider incorporating natural elements into your decor such as twigs, pinecones, moss and other greenery. Rent instead of purchase decor items that you’ll use only once.

When it comes to attire, consider clothing for the groom that can be worn after the wedding. A rented suit is another option. The bride could donate her dress to charity after the wedding or sell on EBay for someone else to enjoy. Choose jewelry made from gems or stones and only purchase conflict free diamonds. Wood wedding bands are a super chic option!

With wedding gifts, consider registering with companies that provide green and sustainable gift items. Support local artisans that make unique or one-of-a-kind jewelry, woodworking and art for bridal party gifts. Have meaningful or useful favors that will actually be used and enjoyed. Edible favors are almost never left behind! Or, select a meaningful charity and make a donation in your guests’ name.

Whatever you decide for your wedding, make choices that are right for you as a couple. Remember every green choice makes a difference. If every couple made even one green choice, it would have an amazing, positive impact on the environment!

For more Eco-Friendly wedding tips you can download our Green Wedding Guide on our Naturally Chic website.

Happy Planning!