Jasper wedding Archives - Banff And Canmore Wedding Planner

Where to Get Married in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise, Jasper and Beyond!

January 2, 2012 By Sharon Auld

Where to Get Married in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise, Jasper and the Canadian Rocky Mountains? You’re newly engaged and embarking on the wonderful world of wedding planning! One of the first steps for a newly engaged couple is to decide where to get married! If you’re reading this post, we’ll assume you are envisioning a destination wedding in the beautiful Canadian Rocky Mountains!

Many couples immediately think of Banff when they think of a wedding in the mountains and why not? You’ve probably spent time in the mountains skiing or snowboarding, hiking or enjoying the shops in Banff. Perhaps you were engaged in the mountains and find it a natural fit to be married in the mountains. Although Banff has many wonderful places to get married, there are numerous venues in the area to suit almost any couple’s style and budget.

Here’s a small sampling of some of our favorite picks (but don’t worry, there are so many great venues to choose from if these ones don’t suit):

In Banff:

Buffalo Mountain Lodge is a classic mountain lodge with amazing Rocky Mountain Cuisine and is within close proximity to “the meadow” (a popular outdoor ceremony spot with a fabulous mountain view). It’s perfect for smaller to medium weddings (under 100 people)! The Wapiti Longhouse is a beautiful space with wood beams, stone fireplace, and hardwood floors!

The Rimrock Resort with equally stunning views of the mountains and Bow Valley is also worth a look if you are wanting more of a large ballroom style wedding. They offer exceptional service and their food and beverage staff are amazing! They have some beautiful onsite ceremony spots and can easily accommodate small or large weddings (weddings over 100 people).

The Fairmont Banff Springs is a timeless choice for sure. Many brides have long envisioned their Fairytale Wedding at the Castle of the Rockies. With exceptional service and beauty, it certainly is a perfect choice for a ballroom wedding! There are, however, other amazing venues that might be worth considering! Can accommodate small or large weddings.

All three of these Banff venues have onsite guest accommodations.

In Canmore:

Silvertip Resort is a stunning mountain venue suitable for small to large weddings! Their reception spaces have beautiful wood beams and rustic decor. They have delicious food and catering services. They have numerous patio spaces and gazebo lookout for ceremonies. No accommodations on site, but many venues available a short distance away.

Stewart Creek Golf Resort is equally stunning! It is suitable for smaller to medium weddings with on-site ceremony location. They have wonderful food and service, but space is available to non-members from October to May only. Stewart Creek, much like Silvertip Resort, does not have accommodations on site (but don’t worry Canmore has some of the best guest accommodations anywhere in the Canadian Rockies!) and they do have a shuttle available.

The Grande Rockies is a newer, contemporary wedding venue in the heart of Canmore and within walking distance to most amenities. They offer modern reception spaces and top-notch cuisine. They have excellent service and gorgeous guest accommodations onsite. They do have an outdoor ceremony space which is super convenient if you and your guests are staying at the hotel.

In Lake Louise:

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is an amazing facility with the most beautiful lake views, superior service, and accommodations; perfect for ballroom weddings. They can accommodate small weddings to extra large weddings (200+).

Deer Lodge is a historic lodge steeped in history with amazing food. It’s within walking distance from Lake Louise, although they do have on-site ceremony locations suitable for weddings. You can buy out the entire lodge for weddings and have the whole place to yourself! It’s a stone throw away from adventure!

Baker Creek Chalets is another of my favorite wedding venues in the Rocky Mountains. It is in a secluded wooded area with streams, wildlife and hiking (or cross-country ski trails) all around. The cabin accommodations are beautifully appointed in all things Canadiana! There are some on-site ceremony locations suitable for smaller weddings, but you may want to consider getting married at Moraine Lake (which is a short distance away) and then having your reception back at the chalets. The food is amazing! Suitable for small to medium small weddings.

In Jasper:

I’ve had the pleasure of working a wedding at both the Jasper Park Lodge and the Sawridge Inn in Jasper and have had excellent experiences with both. The Jasper Park Lodge has a beautiful ceremony site right on the lake, and lodge and cabin accommodations. The Sawridge can host small to large weddings and offer excellent food and nice accommodations.

Bonus Options! These are a few of our favorite options beyond Banff National Park:

Emerald Lake Lodge in Field, BC
Island Lake Lodge in Fernie, BC
The Ranche Restaurant in Calgary, AB

Emerald Lake Lodge is simply one of the most gorgeous venues anywhere and one of my absolute favorite wedding venues! Even Martha Stewart Weddings has recognized it as a fabulous wedding venue (did I mention she mentioned us too :)! We have heard so many of our couples say it is “the most romantic place on earth” and “magical”! The place has a very secluded feel, especially if you book out the entire “island”!

I sland Lake Lodge is another amazing option off the beaten path, also with amazing food and views! There you can have a lake ceremony surrounded by mountains, old growth cedar trees and stay in beautiful lodge rooms (in winter they offer cat skiing right out the doors). It’s located in close proximity to Fernie, BC (just a couple hours away from Calgary, Alberta) but is remote at the same time, and you can book the whole lodge for your wedding!

The Ranche Restaurant is operated by the Great Events Group. The historic building located in Fish Creek Park offers a rustic, vintage ambiance and a private outdoor ceremony spot. I love weddings there in part, because of their secluded location; it’s like being in the mountains!

Calgary Wedding Venue

Another great wedding we love that is in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains is The Lake House and is operated by CRMR. It’s an amazing venue if you want a contemporary, modern rustic wedding venue in the city. It’s located on Lake Bonavista in Calgary and it’s the next best thing to being in the Rockies!

This is, of course, just a brief overview of these wonderful wedding venues (we are so lucky in this area right?)! You may also be interested in this post on 5 Tips to Know Before Booking Your Wedding Venue.

Need help to find a wedding venue, Naturally Chic can help or see our wedding venue directory on our sister site, Canadian Mountain Chic.

Happy Planning!

from Banff Wedding Planner Naturally Chic. Contact us at hello@naturallychic.ca.

Wedding Trends 2012

January 1, 2012 By Sharon Auld

by Sharon Auld

I’m not big into trends. I prefer a couple’s wedding be tailored to their individual preferences and not based on random trends. However, weddings much like fashion and home decor, are influenced by the world around us. That’s not necessarily a bad thing! One of my favorite wedding trends of the last few years has been the trend for personalization! You can have a classic, elegant style and still have a personalized wedding!

As a wedding professional, I love looking back at wedding trends of the past to see how weddings have changed and how past trends influence future weddings. Last year I wrote a post on 2011 Wedding Trends and it’s been fun reflecting on how several of the weddings I worked on this past season have included many of the trends I wrote about (many of the 2011 trends are still popular).

Once again, I’ve decided to compile a list of “trends” we can expect to see in 2012. As with any trend, it’s important to incorporate trends into your wedding because it’s something you really love and not because it’s fashionable. Small inclusions of trends can give a wedding a modern edge without dating it. Choose design elements for your wedding that are a reflection of you as a couple, but go ahead and have some fun too!

Here’s my picks for some trends we’ll be seeing in 2012:

Lace
Sequins
Rustic Elegance
More formality
Custom favors

One of the most renown and most watched wedding of 2011 was the Royal Wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William. Wedding and style experts have been predicting that their wedding will impact not only weddings of 2012, but weddings for several years to come. Think Splendid, a consulting firm that specializes in market development and strategy for the wedding industry wrote that the Royal Wedding is “an event celebrating legitimate joy, is a guilt-free break from a world filled with heavy news…In addition, many of today’s students grew up in families that didn’t incorporate a lot of tradition into their daily lives and that is something that many want to change as they start their own families.”

Kate’s wedding dress, was an Alexander McQueen dress designed by Sarah Burton with lace sleeves. Her dress may be responsible for a resurgence in the use of lace in not only wedding attire, but also in decor. Expect to see more of her “illusion neckline” that has been showing up on runways as well!

The use of lace in wedding decor is also becoming increasingly fashionable! We made these engraved “faux” lace on wood veneer placecards for one of our recent weddings.

Our faux lace wood placecard / photo courtesy of Orange Girl Photographs, lace design from Martha Stewart Weddings

Lace wedding cake via Belle the Magazine

The sparkle of sequins are inspiring more and more wedding decor!

winter shoot via Style me Pretty and Simply Fabulous Events

Greer G Photography via Inspired By This

Here is our use of sequins in a Winter Photo Shoot we designed that was featured on Style Me Pretty!

Rustic winter photo shoot designed by Naturally Chic / Photograph by Orange Girl Photographs, Florals by Willow Haven

The Royal Wedding was one of classic elegance, tradition and style; as a result many couples are now choosing a more classic and formal style for their own weddings. Vintage weddings have dominated the wedding scene for a few years now and many experts believe that couples are tired of this trend. The Huffington Post’s HuffWeddings blog reported that vintage, shabby chic style weddings will give way to a more formal wedding style. They predict there will be a return to a more formal weddings influenced by classic American designers such as Ralph Lauren (whom I absolutely love by the way!). When I think of Ralph Lauren, I envision rustic elegance and luxurious natural elements; wood, leather, silver trays and candle sticks, natural shed antlers… equestrian influences. I would love to design a Ralph Lauren inspired wedding!

Personally, I’m not convinced that we’ve seen the end of vintage weddings just quite yet (maybe the over the top eclectic vintage look however). I think we’ll see weddings with more of a modern, vintage vibe…elegant, rustic with small vintage touches. Here’s a recent wedding we designed that had a rustic vintage, yet elegant feel (it also incorporated lace and burlap)! What do you think?

Rustic Elegance designed by Naturally Chic photo courtesy of Orange Girl Photographs

Personalization in my view isn’t a trend; I really hope it is here to stay! I love when couples have personalized, custom touches that are meaningful to the couple!

Whether it’s a favor monogrammed with the couple’s name, like our engraved veneer wood smore covers or a mason jar full of popcorn (our couple’s favorite snack food), custom favors will continue to be used to add special personal touches to weddings in 2012.

Custom wood veneer smores wrappers by Naturally Chic photo courtesy of Orange Girl Photographs

custom popcorn favor designed by Naturally Chic, label design by The Wedding Chicks, Photograph courtesy of Orange Girl Photographs

We personally are loving the latest wedding trends! Will you be incorporating any of these trends into your wedding?

Contact us about your 2012 wedding at 1.888.679.9056 or info@naturallychic or via the Naturally Chic website.

Happy Planning!!

Rustic Glam Winter Wedding

March 4, 2011 By Sharon Auld

For our January 2011 Wedding Fair booth, we wanted to create a design that was not only reflective of the Naturally Chic brand, but also reflective of the many beautiful mountain lodges found in our area. Although you can find beautiful ballrooms and some great contemporary spaces too, the Canadian Rocky Mountains are rich with mountain lodges. If you haven’t considered a mountain lodge for your wedding venue, maybe it’s time you gave it some thought. With rustic timber frames, breathtaking scenery and charming “Canadiana” decor (often steeped in history), what’s not to love? Let’s face it, mountain lodges are really appealing to the guys; rustic wood beams, rich colors, and let’s not forget the promise of adventure and the endless array of activities (skiing, hiking,fishing, and golf etc.) often found in these remote settings. That’s not to say the female set aren’t attracted to these amazing venues either.

There are many brides who love the mountains and rustic lodges, but have envisioned a little “glam” on their wedding day and aren’t sure how to make that happen in a mountain lodge. We wanted to show brides that rustic and “glam” can work together beautifully. Of course, everyone’s style differs somewhat. Unless you are going for an overly earthy, rustic look (which we also love), then balance is the key to achieving a signature mountain chic look.

The beauty of a mountain lodge in winter was the inspiration for our booth. We were picturing the quiet beauty ofEmerald Lake Lodge in winter; snow-laden trees, a cozy roaring fire in the fireplace, wooden beams, and majestic views. Of course, there’s nothing like the sparkle of a snowflake and thus it became a sort of a motif for our “rustic glam” mountain wedding.

Our Naturally Chic Designs team created virtually everything for our booth, including building the wood “farm table”, the live-edge dessert table, and willow easel. We also custom design and engrave all the wood items.

Our custom engraved wedding map on maple wood

Naturally Chic “farm table” and flower box

Winter Mountain Chic Table

Floral arrangement from Blue Hydrangea (Calgary, AB)

Silver Crocheted table runner from Great Events Group

Engraved wood menu card in frame

We used a wool scarf as a chair tie and made snowflakes from acrylic for Mr. & Mrs. signs

Rustic sweet table by Naturally Chic

rustic coffee / hot chocolate bar

Naturally Chic is pleased to offer Design Services and consultations for your wedding or event. We are also happy to create custom engraving or wood pieces for your special event. Call us at 1.888.679.9056 for more information or email us at hello@naturallychic.ca.

If you liked some of what we’ve shown in this post, then stayed tuned because we have something very special for our next post. Thanks for stopping by!

Anthropologie’s BHLDN for Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2011 By Sharon Auld

Are you beholden for Anthropologie? If so, then you’re probably aware that Anthropologie launched their new wedding site today: BHLDN. They have a gorgeous collection of wedding gowns, dresses, lingerie, jewelry, hair pieces and more!

Whether you are looking for a soft, vintage look, a romantic neo-sophisticate or la bohemienne, BHLDN has it all. We love the color palette of soft muted tones, metallics and brights. See all the gorgeousness for yourself!

For help with your Canadian Rocky Mountain wedding, contact Naturally Chic at hello@naturallychic.ca.

30 Tips to Planning a Canadian Destination Wedding in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper – Summary

January 19, 2011 By Sharon Auld

That wraps up our 30 Tip series for Planning a Canadian Destination Wedding in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper. Hopefully, the tips have been helpful! Planning a destination wedding in the mountains can sometimes require a little extra work especially if you are planning from a great distance away and aren’t able to visit your vendors directly. It’s important, however, to make a connection with the local vendors, whether through a local wedding planner or via email, Skype or telephone, to get answers you need. If you can, rather than signing a contract site unseen, visit the destination at least once prior to your wedding. If this isn’t possible make sure you get recommendations from friends or other vendors you trust, and check out the tourist reviews or forums. As well, carefully review your contracts so you know exactly what is and isn’t included, and so there aren’t any surprises such as surcharges or late fees.

As we’ve outlined throughout our series there are some special considerations for a destination wedding in the mountains. Of course, getting to and from your destination wedding, accommodations and weather are all important factors. If you’ve missed some of our tips we’ve compiled the links to all 30 tips here for easy reference.

Of course, we will continue to have lots of tips for planning your dream wedding in the beautiful Rocky Mountains right here on our blog! If you have any questions at all regarding planning your Canadian Rocky Mountain wedding, feel free to contact Naturally Chic at 1.888.679.9056 or info@naturallychic.ca. Thanks again for stopping by and happy planning!

30 Tips to Planning a Canadian Rocky Mountain Destination Wedding in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper – Tip # 30

January 18, 2011 By Sharon Auld

Are you considering a Canadian Rocky Mountain destination wedding? The Rocky Mountains are one of the most beautiful places on earth for a destination wedding! The stunning, scenic backdrops are a huge draw for couples. There’s something serenely beautiful about a couple embracing in front of a crystal clear, lake or set against a rugged peak dressed in their wedding finest. It’s romantic, beautiful and the photos are not only incredible keepsakes, but are gorgeous works of art that you’ll proudly display throughout your home.

Tip #30 – Consider hiring a local photographer or a photographer who specializes in mountain weddings.

Banff wedding planner Naturally Chic shares tips about getting married in the Canadian Rocky Mountains | www.naturallychic.ca

Photo Credit: Carey Nash Photography

Local wedding photographers who specialize in mountain weddings, are a great resource for your wedding photographs. Not only do they know lots of great, outdoor photo locations, but they know which ones are easily accessible in a given time frame. There are so many incredible places for photos in the mountains, but you’ll want to take into consideration the time you have allotted for photos. If you have limited time before your wedding reception, you’ll want to make the best use of your time. You won’t want to spend your time contending with traffic or scouting for locations.

A wedding photographer who is experienced in the area, can steer you away from potential busy areas and suggest alternative locations if the ones you are wanting are all ready occupied or busy. They’ll also know what you can expect at the various locations. They’ll know if you can safely navigate the area in heels and if not, they’ll suggest you bring comfortable walking shoes. They’ll likely have experience with what position the sun will be in at a particular time of day, if the area is prone to windy conditions or other factors you may have to consider. In short, your time will be spent taking photos in gorgeous locations.

If the photos you’re wanting are a little more off the beaten path, it’s important to have a photographer who knows the area well and is comfortable in the outdoors. This is especially important if you are wanting photographs of an adventurous nature such as on a ski slope or hiking trail. There are many area photographers who are active in the outdoors and are comfortable on skis or in remote areas that are accessible only by helicopter.

Take the time to select a photographer who’s work you adore, but is also right for the type of wedding photos you have in mind. Meet with potential photographers and look at their portfolio. Ensure you are comfortable with their personality. Do they have work that is similar to the type of shots you want? Discuss with your photographer the types of shots you want and what you can expect at the various locations. You’ll know doubt have incredible photos to display for years to come!

You can also read more about tips for wedding photographs in the mountains here. Here are some photographs courtesy of some of our favorite photographers who are incredible mountain photographers, know the area well, are comfortable in the outdoors and willing do do mountain destination weddings:

Canmore wedding from Naturally Chic Wedding Planning & Styling | www.naturallychic.ca | Photo by Kim Payant Photography

Photo Credit: Kim Payant Photography

Canmore wedding from Naturally Chic Wedding Planning & Design | Photo Kim Payant Photography

Photo Credit: Kim Payant Photography

Canadian Rocky Mountain Destination Wedding by Naturally Chic Wedding Planning & Design | Photo by Darren Roberts Photography

Photo Credit: Darren Roberts Photography

In Banff / Canmore:

Kim Payant Photography

Two Mann Studios

Emerald Lake / Golden:

Lolo & Noa Photography

From Calgary and area:

Alan Maudie

Darren Roberts Photography

Heidrich Photography

T.LAW Photography

From Edmonton area:

Carey Nash Photography

Whistler area:

Crispin Cannon Photography

Contact Naturally Chic at hello@naturallychic.ca for more information about planning your Canadian Rocky Mountain wedding!

Happy Planning!

30 Tips to Planning a Rocky Mountain Destination Wedding in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper – Tip #28

January 12, 2011 By Sharon Auld

Tip #28 – If you’re planning a wedding in the mountains, carefully consider the items you will need to take to the site.

wedding location Emerald Lake Lodge via Naturally Chic

Having a wedding in the beautiful outdoors is a great experience for the adventurous; however, it can be more challenging logistically. Whether you’re planning an outdoor ceremony at a lake, a camping style reception, or even a wedding at a rustic mountain lodge, you’ll want to carefully consider every item you’ll be taking to the site. The last thing you’ll want is to forget an essential element for your ceremony or reception!

Carefully and meticulously going through a list of items required for both your ceremony and reception is important for any destination wedding in the mountains, but is especially true for weddings where you need to carry items in on foot, up a mountain in a gondola or transported via helicopter! Remember, what goes in, is also going to have to go out. You should pack only what’s absolutely necessary. Extra weight or extra trips could end up costing you.

Organization is key. When possible, pack your gear in carefully labeled, clear bins. Inventory each bin and attach a list of contents to the outside of each bin so you know exactly what’s inside. If you can, try and keep ceremony and reception items separate. You may even want to label each bin according to how many overall bins, for example,“1 of 10”.

Of course, you will likely need to recruit some extra help to get your gear where it needs to be. Surely, packing in gear isn’t something you want to be doing on your wedding day!

Other things to keep in mind:

Carefully wrap and protect breakables (if possible limit the amount of breakables you bring).
Avoid overly bulky, heavy or large decor items.
If you have heirlooms, valuables or custom-made decor items, package these separately and bring yourself or have someone responsible take care of them.
If you’re being married in a natural setting, consider the environment. Sometimes less is more.
Utilize a checklist. Check it twice.

Remember, if something is inadvertently forgotten or misplaced, it isn’t the end of the world (in most cases). Stay focused on your sharing your special day with your loved ones instead.

Contact Naturally Chic at 1.403.679.1409 or email at hello@naturallychic.ca.

What To Do Now That You’re Engaged | Naturally Chic

January 7, 2011 By Sharon Auld

Congratulations! Being engaged is one of the most exciting times in a couple’s life. It’s an official proclamation that you have dedicated your lives to each other. For the next several months you will be immersed in the world of wedding planning!

Planning a wedding is exciting, but before you start signing contracts and making random purchases, it’s important to take the time to think about what you really want and how you’re going to finance it. It’s important to enjoy this special time of your life, but if you get too far ahead of yourself, you can make some costly errors.

One of the first things you should do after announcing your engagement, is to think about what kind of wedding you want. Are you picturing a lavish affair in an elegant ballroom, or maybe a casual wedding in the mountains? What level of formality do you want for your wedding? What time of year do you picture for your wedding? What are your interests and passions?

As a newly engaged person, you will have many well-meaning people, make suggestions as to what you should do for your wedding; where to get married, who to invite, how to wear your hair, and any number of other things you should or shouldn’t do. While you may receive some great advice, we suggest that you sit down with your partner, but independently of each other, come up with a list of what each of you are envisioning. Afterwards, come together and share your thoughts? What are the commonalities? Where do you not see eye-to-eye (you may be surprised at the outcome!)? What are your priorites; what’s really important to you? The important thing is that you as a couple come up with what works for the two of you.

Next, discuss how to finance the dream. It’s not uncommon for couples to experience “sticker shock” when they first start looking at what their wedding will cost. To alleviate stress, sit down with your partner and realistically determine how much you can afford and want to spend on your wedding. Determine how much each person can comfortably contribute. If your parents are wanting to help out, it’s important to sit down early with them. Figure out how they plan on contributing to your big day. Once, you have a vision and a budget to work with, you can think your wedding venue and wedding professionals (aka vendors).

Select a Wedding Date. While you might still be looking for your ideal venue, you can still begin to think about a wedding date. You might have a time of year in mind, or a particular date. Sometimes, selecting a wedding date is partially determined by budget. Will you have the resources in place to pay for your wedding? Not all couples have a nest-egg saved up before they get engaged. Typically, couples are engaged anywhere from a year to eighteen months. Again, refer back to the wedding vision you and your partner came up with and use it as a guideline for coming up with your wedding date.

Hiring a wedding planner early in the process can be a very beneficial first step. For many couples, wedding planning can quickly become overwhelming and hectic.Planners can help save you time and frustration by recommending vendors suited to your style and budget. They’ll help you stretch your wedding dollars and they’ll keep you organized and on track.

Here are the key things to consider when you’re first engaged:

Select your wedding venue early. Many popular venues (especially in the mountains) book up quickly.
Hire a wedding planner (you can even hire one just for a consultation). They can help you determine what vendors need to be booked quickly and which ones you can wait on for awhile.
Determine your priorities. We suggest choosing three things that are most important to you. Allocate money to what matters most.
Book your wedding professionals. Some of the most popular vendors book up early. Typically, most vendors will want a deposit to save your date. You can expect to pay out a fair amount of money in the early stages of planning to secure your team.
Review contracts very carefully before signing. Avoid surprises later! Know what services are included, what the payments are and when payments are due.
Take time to decide on your wedding party. Reflect on who the most important people in your life are. It’s easy to make promises to several friends only to realize later that this impacts your bottom line (more bouquets, more boutonnières, more gifts, etc.).
Get realistic with your budget. You may not be able to have everything you want. Focus on your priorities.
Keep your wedding day in perspective. It’s important yes, but it isn’t everything. What’s most important is that you’re marrying your special someone.

Happy Planning!

For assistance with your Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise, Jasper or area wedding, contact hello@naturallychic.ca for more assistance. We look forward to hearing from you!

30 Tips to Planning a Canadian Rocky Mountain Wedding in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper – Tip #24

January 6, 2011 By Sharon Auld

Tips for a Canadian Rocky Mountain Wedding in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper

Tip #24 – Work with the existing decor of your venue.

One of the best things about choosing the rocky mountains for your wedding destination is that there are so many amazing venues to choose from. Whether you’re wanting a lavish ballroom wedding or a rustic mountain lodge, the rocky mountains have it all! When you’re deciding on a venue, it’s not only important to think about your budget and guest list, but also the level of formality of you are wanting. Are you wanting an ultra-formal wedding or casual and laid-back affair? Let your interests and personality help guide your decisions.

Venues in the mountains vary dramatically from classic and elegant: think the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel; to the quaint and intimate, Bear and Bison Canadian Country Inn. There are rustic mountain lodges such as; the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and ski-in lodges such as Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, and there are upscale, contemporary locations such as the Grande Rockies Resort. Truly there are locations to suit every personality, style, and budget.

When you’ve chosen your venue, it’s important to work with the existing decor. It’s easier and less expensive to enhance the existing venue than it is to completely redesign the space. For some couples, redesigning the space can be a good compromise, especially when one person wants a ballroom and the other a mountain lodge. However, it can be challenging to make a rustic mountain lodge, complete with stone fireplace and log furniture look like a contemporary space. Not that it’s impossible to create dramatically different event spaces within an existing space. Beautiful and incredible transformations of venues are possible, but they may cost your bottom line.

When you are looking to change an existing space dramatically from a rustic venue to a beautiful ballroom, you may need to rely on extensive drapings, florals, and linens to achieve your transformation. You may also need some extra dollars in your budget to make this a reality. For most couples, it’s better to choose a venue they’re comfortable with and enhance its features.

Balance is key to working with the venue of your choice. A balance of rustic and elegant can work beautifully together. Include pretty, elegant elements, but also incorporate natural elements such as twigs, pinecones, stones, wood and other earthy items. Modern and contemporary can also work well together in a rustic space. Choose simple, modern arrangements to highlight your space. Even ballrooms can look beautiful with a nod to nature or to the mountains. Whatever your style, there’s a perfect wedding venue waiting for you in the mountains.

elegant, rustic wedding decor via Souder Photography

natural decor via Love this Day

Grande Rockies Resort via Naturally Chic

rustic chic via wedding chicks

Banff Springs Hotel Ballroom via Naturally Chic

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort via the Vagabond Lodge

Banff wedding planner Naturally Chic (hello@naturallychic.ca) can assist you with all your planning needs, or visit our sister site Canadian Mountain Chic for more wedding inspiration!

30 Tips to Planning a Canadian Rocky Mountain Destination Wedding in Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Jasper – Tip #23

January 4, 2011 By Sharon Auld

Tip #23 – Create a Wedding Day Itinerary and a List of Weekend Activities for your Guests.

Destination weddings in the mountains rarely take place over a single day. Most mountain weddings are weekend-long affairs, with guests arriving a day before and staying at least a day after the wedding. With so many guests traveling to your wedding destination, it’s not uncommon for guests to treat your wedding as a mini-holiday and many will make plans to stay in the area afterward. Your guests will want to enjoy some activities with you and they’ll also want to relax and enjoy some down time on their own.

Many couples choose to thank their guests for traveling to their wedding, by hosting several events for their guests to partake in, such as a welcome party the evening before the wedding and a brunch the day after. With so many scheduled events, it’s a good idea to create a Wedding Day Itinerary and a list of recommended activities for your guests. This can be done as an insert with your wedding invitations. Your guests will appreciate knowing what to expect beforehand, but it’s also a good idea to include a copy of these lists in your welcome packages.

Include in your wedding day itinerary, the locations and times of all pertinent events such as; rehearsal dinner, welcome party, golf game, ceremony, cocktail reception, etc. Be sure not to over-schedule guest activities and leave time for your guests to do as they please. If there are a few activities that you have planned that are just for family or for the bridal party, you may want to give out special itineraries just for them.

The mountains are rich with activities; hiking, golfing, sightseeing, shopping, spas and more. If you’re planning on hosting a few activities, but not others, then it’s important to indicate this to your guests. Don’t feel you have to pay for all your guests’ activities either. Discuss with your families what activities you can host and what activities they may like to host. For additional activities that you would like to arrange but can’t afford to host, mark them as “optional” and let guests know the affiliated expense should they choose to participate. Select a few activities that you can only do in the mountains such as a touring the Columbia Icefields, or a ride on the Sulphur Mountain Gondola. Your guests will have fun choosing the activities that best suit their interests and budgets. Just be sure to include a wide variety of activities at various price points and you’ll have a great turn out at all your wedding activities.

Golfing in Banff

Naturally Chic is pleased to assist with planning and booking tours and activities for your wedding guests. Contact us at 1.403.679.1409 or email hello@naturallychic.ca for more information.