by Sharon Auld
As someone who was once on a Canadian National Team Program, I know how much time and dedication goes into pursuing dreams such as an Olympic medal. In dedication of all our amazing Canadian Olympians, I created a simple tablescape to honor them. I love the bold colors of the Canadian Maple Leaf and other flags such as Britain’s Union Jack. For this tablescape, I utilized not only the bold flag colors from several countries, but also added some gold, silver and bronze!
Simon Whitfield place card
This color scheme is remniscent of the popular nautical theme we are currently seeing in the wedding industry.
Olympic tablescape with country banners on the chairs
For this tablescape, I kept it rustic in honor of Canada’s strong, rugged heritage and made practically everything you see including the Union Jack table runner (I painted on canvas), rustic cherry wood placecards, Canada Flag table marker and favour bags. I used lots of birch wood including this birch vase we made to house the red roses.
olympic tablescape
I would love to include every Canadian Olympian in this post, but unfortunately wasn’t doable 🙁 , so here’s a few of my favorite athletes from the London 2012 Games.
One of my all-time favorite Olympic moments was watching Simon Whitfield win a Gold Medal in Men’s Triathlon in Sydney in 2000 and then again an amazing Silver Medal effort in Beijing in 2008! Thank you Simon Whitfield you make us proud no matter what your finish in London!!
Canadian Olympian Simon Whitfield
Canada’s first Gold Medal of the London 2012 Games goes to Rosie Mac Lennan in Women’s Trampoline (shout out to the amazing Karen Cockburn for her 4th place finish). Congratulations Rosie!!!
Rosie Mac Lennan Canada’s first gold medal at London 2012
From my former sport, Women’s Soccer, the incomparable Christine Sinclair and the Canadian Women’s Soccer team for making it into the Olympic Quarter finals!
Christine Sinclair
Despite recent head injury Canada’s courageous and immensely talented mens diver, Olympian Alexandre Despatie.
Alexander Despatie
Canada’s 1000m Kayak specialist, the amazing Adam Van Koeverden! Can’t wait for his race!!!
Canadian Olympic Kayaker Adam Van Koeverden
Shout out to some Calgarian Olympians including Monique Sullivan who is competing in the finals of the Women’s Keirin and Sprint in Track Cycling, and our amazing women’s heptathlete, Jessica Zelinka, who despite her heart breaking 7th placing still did us proud (she is an amazing athlete and capable of competing and beating the world’s best on any given day)!!
Monique Sullivan
Jessica Zelinka
Here’s my own version of a Canadian medal that I made from mirrored acrylic and sprinkled as “confetti” on the table. I would love to design an event for Canadian Athletes and in fact, one of my projects for my Event Management certificate was a mock event I designed to honor Canadian Olympians and held at Emerald Lake Lodge!
Our Canada Olympic medal
These Canada Olympic favour bags were bags made from cotton muslin and I cut out a maple leaf from felt and attached to the bag…simple to do (you could attach a cut out snowflake, or mitten for a winter wedding)!
canada favor bags
This Canada Flag table marker I made from construction extras. So easy to do! Using flags of the world would also be great for a travel themed wedding!
canada flag table number
Maple leaf wine glass charm made from felt and attached with copper wire.
Maple Leaf Wine Glass charm
A little medal hardware (I engraved from acrylic).
Canada “Olympic” medals in gold, silver and bronze
Hope you enjoyed our post inspired by the London 2012 Olympic Games and our amazing Canadian athletes including; Dylan Armstrong, Tara Whitten, Ryan Cochrane, Brent Hayden, the Canadian women’s gymnastics “Fab Five”, Jason Burnett, the men and women’s eights (rowing), Emilie Heymans, Jennifer Abel, the Canadian Women’s Basketball team and so, so many more…including the amazing athletes who I wish were there including Perdita Felicien!!!!
One idea I think would make an amazing wedding favor is to make a donation to the Canadian Olympic athletes to help support their training efforts. Canada has a program called “Own the Podium” which allows you to make either a one time donation or a monthly donation to our athletes. What an incredible gift fellow Canadians could give our athletes. For more information check out www.olympicfoundation.ca.
For more information about our wedding and event planning and design services, contact us at hello@naturallychic.ca or call us at 1.888.679.9056, or visit our website Naturally Chic. You can also check out the wedding we planned and designed for Canadian Olympian Kimi Zakreski here.
Credits: Design by Naturally Chic, all photos by Naturally Chic.