And the winner is..........

Wed by Hand would like to announce our perfect proposal contest winners!

WINNER - Marlene and Angelo

Their story of an off a completely unexpected proposal while in the Dominican Republic while prompted by a strangers words was wonderful!

RUNNER UP - Anna and Alex

A proposal set on the Eiffel Tower in Paris... need I say more? What a beautiful place for a new beginning. 

Wed by Hand supports Fertile Future!

Amazing vendors, informative and modern workshops and more are only a taste of what you’ll find at this year’s Wed by Hand. Above all, Wed by Hand is especially awesome because it supports unique, interesting and innovative local causes too! This year we’re happy to announce that our charity is Fertile Future.

Who are they and why do they exist?
Fertile Future is a Canadian national non-profit organization that provides fertility preservation information and support services to cancer patients and oncology professionals. Each year, an estimated 10,000 young Canadians face a cancer diagnosis. Approximately 8,000 of them will win this battle. Without knowing the importance of fertility preservation prior to their treatment, many are left infertile with few options. Fertile Future aspires to change this reality for cancer patients. Our mission is to inform, educate and support cancer patients who are facing fertility-risking medical treatment and oncology professionals who are providing this care.

What do they strive to do?
- Increase public awareness about fertility and cancer related issues
- Educate cancer patients about their fertility preservation options prior to cancer treatments
- Enable the medical community about when and how to inform patients about their fertility
- Raise awareness of key issues across Canada

If you’re a bride-to-be looking to give back and support this wonderful charity, remember to stop by the Raffle Table at the show. Our wonderful vendors will be donating gifts that will be raffled off at the end of the show. You could win a gift AND support a cause, what a great way to support a local charity! Winners will be contacted via their contact information and all the money raised will go directly to Fertile Future. Tickets will be $3 for 1 and $5 for 2. Stop by and meet Caitlin from Fertile Future at Wed by Hand on February 11th at the Glebe Community Centre from 11AM to 5PM.

If you would like to contact Fertile Future or if you’re interested in reading about their programs, please visit their website for more information.

How To Tuesday: Attend Wed by Hand

We are gearing up for Wed by Hand this weekend and can't wait to share the show this year with you.
An wedding show is the best place to find inspiration, ideas, learn tips and tricks and meet connections to create your own magical day.

What to bring: 
A camera
Mini sketchbook
Pens
Card holder
A list of questions to ask vendors

It can be overwhelming to plan your wedding and at Wed by Hand we want to show you that it really is not so hard and that it can be so much fun with the help of a few others with knowhow.

So bring along your best friend, family member or spouse to be and make the most of Wed by Hand by taking part in some of the great workshops we have to offer and getting some great ideas.

Can't wait to see you there!

Spotlight on our Sponsors!

Hello all! Amy Karlin here, from Splendid Events. For the past several months I've been having a blast working with Wed By Hand producers Krista and Robin and the incredible team of Wed By Hand interns on the nuts and bolts of this year's show. My main task has been building sponsor partnerships with creative businesses around town, so I've been busy meeting with many of the talented entrepreneurs that make Ottawa tick.

At this point you've probably heard about about the fabulous vendors and workshoppers you'll get to see at this year's show, but you may be wondering: what exactly does a Wed By Hand sponsor do? In short, they help us make the show a reality. Some support us by providing coveted samples and special offers for our army of swag bags, while others while others donate amazing gift packages for our charity raffle, and others still provide financial backing to help us buy the things we need to make the show happen. We're so grateful for the team of businesses that are supporting us this year and I'm thrilled to tell you a bit about each of them. To find out more please take a minute to visit their lovely websites!

Platinum Sponsors

kōkō chocolates

Jen Winter is the chocolatier and owner of kōkō chocolates and she'll be the first to admit she's a chocolate snob (I hugely admire her for that, I'm a chocolate snob too). She has loved chocolate for as long as she can remember and has extensive training in the making of artisinal chocolate, including expert level training  at the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy with Chef Derrick Tu Tan Pho.

For those of you getting married, kōkō can provide everything from delicious favours (that you can bet will be eaten before dinner) to a towering truffle wedding cake. Jen works with each couple to help them choose the perfect kōkō assortment (even gluten free!) and tiny colour-coordinated gift boxes for a personalized look. Visit kōkō online to learn more about their options for special occasions.

TearDrop Weddings

TearDrop is a boutique online stationery company with some of the cutest designs you've ever seen. I don't think I can sum things up better than they do, so here's the scoop from the source:

Holly Hatam, Founder of TearDrop, started creating invitations when her friend Melissa pleaded and begged her to design her wedding invitations. After countless, enjoyable hours of watching Melissa beg like a baby, Holly agreed to the challenge! The response Holly got from her design brought a warm, fuzzy feeling in her tummy...and from that day on she constantly had a craving for paper! When designing invitations, TearDrop thinks of the "real" bride and groom. They transform a blank sheet of paper into an original piece of artwork that tells the love story of that unique couple.

Splendid Events 

I'm beyond excited to be one of this year's sponsors because Splendid is all about using local talent and creating events with character. In fact, Wed By Hand is my favorite wedding show in town because you won't find any mass-produced gel candles or generic floral arrangements. Instead you'll discover some of the best talent in Ottawa, from letterpress artists independent fashion boutiques to local caterers: these are the very same professionals I call on when I'm planning weddings and events.

For the second year in a row I'll be teaching a wedding planning workshop with tips on how to stick to your budget, stay sane, and enjoy the whole adventure that is wedding planning. Join me this Saturday at 11:00 to learn how to make your wedding splendid!

Bowich: Best Organic Sandwich

A few weeks back, Bowich was the gracious host of the Wed By Hand vendor party, a little get-together that gave vendors a chance to meet each other before the day of the show and an opportunity stuff those swag bags with tons of goodies for the lucky 200 who make it through the doors first this Saturday morning.

During the party, Bowich welcomed us in to their impeccably designed space, served up some truly delicious food, and even let us screen Molly Ringwald and Woody Allen films on the wall. Bowich is quickly becoming one of the hottest lunch spots in downtown Ottawa, and with menu offerings like a Quebec brie, apple & pistachio grilled cheese, gorgeous modern furniture from Mikaza Home, AND local beers and wines by the glass, it's easy to see why.

Great Canadian Theatre Company

The GCTC is one of the best places in town for professionally executed thought-provoking plays, and increasingly, for community events like the monthly Urban Craft Handmade Market. This year the GCTC is proud to be celebrating its 37th Anniversary Season, and it's come a long way since five people at Carleton University with an idea. to become a vibrant independent professional theatre company.

About two weeks ago the GCTC kindly offered up work space for a Wed By Hand crafting party.  The Wed By Hand team and a slew of volunteers set to work DIYing just about all the decor you'll see at the show this weekend -- and their handiwork looks pretty darn amazing. Thank you GCTC for welcoming us in!

Ottawa Wedding Magazine

Ottawa Wedding Magazine is the must-have guide for the city's brides and grooms, providing all the information and options you need to make your dream of a wedding day come true. From news about the latest drop-dead gorgeous dresses to advice about planning, shopping and making the innumerable arrangements, Ottawa Wedding Magazine provides the know-how you need to create a beautiful, picture-perfect occasion that people will talk about for years to come.

Now, just in case you needed another reason to show up early on Saturday morning, let's just say that the first 200 of you through the door may find a little surprise from Ottawa Wedding Magazine inside your swag bags!


urbanite jewelry

Where do I even begin to explain how much I adore urbanite jewelry? The force behind this fantastic local brand is none other than Krista Leben, she of Wed By Hand, Urban Craft, and Craft Co-Op fame. Yes, this is a gal who can't help but keep busy. Each of urbanite's pieces is inspired by a different world city, and here's what Krista had to say about how the line began:

"urbanite jewelry was borne, quite literally, right out of one of my dreams. While living in the mountains of Morocco in 2007, I had a series of dreams about jewelry designs. After returning to the U.S., I began to bring those designs to life in metal and glass. One year later, I released the first piece of my collection: Tangier, Morocco."

 

In addition to being a sponsor, urbanite is also a vendor at the show, so this Saturday you'll have a chance to see Krista's beautiful, affordably priced jewelry first-hand.

Gold & Bronze Sponsors

We'd also like to say a huge thank you to our gold and bronze sponsors for their incredible support. Click the images below to visit their websites and learn more about what they do!

Gold Sponsors 

 Bronze Sponsors

Meet Our Vendors: The Tasting Room!

This year at Wed By Hand, we're debuting something new and completely fabulous: a tasting room! The Wed By Hand will feature local, artisan and DIY options for your wedding day--all from really fantastic companies! What's even better? You get to sample food from all of these companies right at the show--for free! With your admission to the show, you'll not only get to meet these vendors but also taste their delectable goodies. It'll be a truly scrumptious destination at the show on Saturday! A preview of the companies that will be there:

Auntie Loo Weddings

With a Bachelor of Science in Animal Behaviour, Miss Kate of Auntie Loo Weddings never thought she would end up making and decorating wedding cakes. After a few unlucky turns and some fortuitous sugar flower classes and after having taught herself the basics, Miss Kate is now running the wedding cake department of Ottawa’s unique egg, dairy, and gluten free bakery. Drawing on colour swatches, fabrics, themes, and images, Miss Kate works closely with couples to create unique and custom cakes. Emphasis on unique, because as a rule, Kate says “I never duplicate my own or other peoples’ work. I think every cake should be as individual as the couple.” This means that even traditional or simple wedding cakes should be different and certainly unique to the couple; Miss Kate encourages couples to go for designs that are special to them.

DAVIDsTEA
In the past few years, signature cocktails and dessert bars have become all the rage in the wedding world. If you're looking for a different way to add a unique splash to your wedding, adding a tea bar might be the way for you to go. DAVIDsTEA will be on hand at Wed By Hand to teach you how to create a DIY Tea Bar and let you sample some of their delicious teas. Yum!

Honey Pie Hives & Herbals

Hailing from Prince Edward County, Honey Pie Hives & Herbals, combines beeswax and propolis with organic herbs to make natural and healthful products. The small farm-based business offers small jars of honey and bars of soap, delightfully adorned with hand-drawn labels, inspired by vintage labels and catalogues, as wedding favors. They also offer gift baskets for members of the wedding party. With years of experience making favors, “many people choose our little jars of honey since it has so much romantic appeal – a natural sweet made from the nectar of flowers, it is the essence of love itself.” 

The Candy Store
Hoping to put together a gorgeous candy bar for your wedding but not sure how to do it? The folks from Ottawa's The Candy Store will be on hand with a lovely display and will teach you how to DIY your own candy bar. You'll learn how to create a feast for your guests' eyes and tummies on your wedding day!

Carolina's Box of Goodness

Does the idea of Brazilian family recipes paired with traditional French baking techniques get your mouth watering? Carolina’s Box of Goodness cooks up handmade artisan brownies and custom celebration and wedding cakes for special events. What sets them apart? They “use only the finest ingredients, such as premium Belgian chocolate, Grade AA Canadian butter, Ontario eggs and Madagascar bourbon vanilla, and everything is baked entirely from scratch. The cakes and brownies are also always handmade and baked to order – this means that each order suits the individual client, while ensuring freshness. Unique recipes and the use of local ingredients and packaging in order to support the community remain close to heart at Carolina’s.

Sweet! Cupcakes

Feeling like you need a playful dose of luxury in your wedding? Look no further – that’s exactly what Sweet! aims to bring to your wedding. The Rockland based online business specializes in cupcakes, mini cupcakes, and cake pops. In order to ensure complete customer satisfaction, Sweet! provides consultations while building a relationship with customers, handcrafting every single aspect of their products. Everything can be customized, flavors, colors, and garnishes, so that your perfect wedding vision comes together. The flavors are bold and rich, importing their own products from places like Belgium and Hawaii, while also using local produce and basing flavors on what is seasonally available.

Morsel Desserts

With a lifetime of experience baking with her mother, grandmother, and other women of her extended family, it was a no brainer for Robin Coull to make a career of it. And so, Morsel was born. The homemade dessert line features gorgeous cupcakes, with recipes that change with the seasons, perfect for your memorable occasions. Continuously grateful to be part of the happiest day in a couple’s life, Robin Coull can’t help but smile throughout the entire process. Inspired by fellow bakers and recipes collected from many countries travelled, her best advice is not to “over complicate things, the main thing you want your wedding to be is fun for you and your guests.”

Havana Cafe & Catering
Havana Cafe, a wonderful Cuban cafe in Old Ottawa South, offers catering for those who want a little spicy flair. The fusion of traditional flavours with the artistic presentation of the plates here at Havana have a create authentic dining experience. Oslaide Guerra, the owner and chef, has over 15 years in the food and hospitality industry will delight your taste buds with his passion for cooking. If you're looking for something fresh, unique and deliciously refined, you will definitely want to stop by their table in the tasting room on Saturday!

Welcome to Food Week!

We've saved the best for last for you, ladies and gents. Welcome to Food Week on the Wed By Hand blog! I don't know about the rest of you, but when it comes to planning a big event or even a small get together, picking out food options is always my favorite part of planning.

This year at Wed By Hand we're rolling out a new feature: a Tasting Room! We're so excited to introduce you to 10 small local companies who are here to help you create a really awesome experience for your wedding guests through food. From vegan cakes to a tea bar to cuban food--you'll be able to sample a ton of delectable food from people who truly care about what you put in your tummy! It's going to be such a fun part of the show this year--and it's free with your show admission!

This week we'll be sharing all sorts of ways you can customize your food with local options. It's going to be a tasty week!

Tips & Tricks: Decor

Decorations at a wedding can really help to create your desired ambiance and today we'll be sharing tips and tricks for how to decorate different elements of your wedding day!

Transportation

Let's start with getting to your wedding venue. There are many options, dependent on your budget, your attire, and your style: bicycle, scooter, motorcycle, horse & carriage, vintage auto, town car, limo, bus, trolley, your own car or a friend's car. Some things to consider when selecting your transportation option include:

• The number of people you need to transport, and does everyone need to travel altogether or in smaller groups?
• Are there any restrictions for vehicle types at any of your venues?
• Does the route to the venue limit the type of vehicle you select?

If you'll be hiring a company, make sure to get everything in writing and ensure that you have an after-hours/emergency contact number. Be aware of the good routes to take and do some research to see if any local events may affect traffic. Also, if you're planning to decorate the car, double-check with the owner of the vehicle (a company, your friend, etc) about any restrictions.

Ceremony

The amount of decorating that you do for your ceremony depends on what the space looks like and what you would like it to look like. Here are some considerations for aisle runners, as well as some ideas here and here.

Reception

Depending on the venue, you may consider having fabric backdrops or curtains that incorporate your wedding colours or making adjustments to the lighting. It's helpful to visit the venue at a similar time of day to which your reception will be held to get a good idea of what the space will look like. Here are some general tips on sprucing up your venue.

A guestbook is a fabulous way for guests to share their thoughts and tips with you on your celebratory day. Here are some options beyond a blank book:

• DIY: Print out photos and stick them into a stylish notebook using photo corners. Guests can sign the blank spaces around the photos or on designated pages.
• Have a personalized book printed; some online companies that do this include shutterfly and mixbook.
• Skip the book and ask guests to sign a mat that frames your favourite photo.
• Make a wish tree by setting up a bare tree and having guests write messages on slips of colourful paper that are then tied onto the branches.
• Have guests write toes on stickie notes; these can be added to a wedding scrapbook later.
• Set out wine bottles and a contrasting colour of permanent market, then have guests sign the bottles; if they're empty, they can be used to bottle your favourite wine later. What a great way to relive your wedding years from now!
• Set out puzzle pieces for guests to sign, then put the pieces together after the wedding!

If your guests will be seated at tables, covering the chairs can make a big difference; click here and here for chair cover ideas. Make sure you have arrangements for table cloths, either with your venue, another service provider, or your family or friends. For ideas on table settings, see here, here, and here. Tables also typically have table numbers (to coincide with a seating chart) and can have place cards as well (to let guests know where to sit).

Here are some ideas for centrepieces, which can be contemporary, fairly simple, and not necessarily floral. If you do go the floral route, consider using recyclable vases such as the blumebox, mason jars, or old wine glasses. Depending on the time of year, fruits, vegetables, potted spices or other plants can make for edible or long-term use centrepieces. Decorations can also be made out of paper and kept as memorabilia. Sawyer and Sprout, one of this year's vendors, has some cute decorative options:

I was looking for flower alternatives that would last longer and be reusable. Fabric and paper items are timeless, and I really enjoy using these mediums in an unexpected way. I love to create items that can be kept and used year over year, becoming heirlooms. They become a kind of memory sharing.

Once you've decided that you'd like to give favours to your guests, consider using reusable or practical products, such as soap from one of this year's vendors, Dot & Lil.

The last word comes from Anne of Dot & Lil:

There are lots of ways to have a wedding! Just have fun with it, and try and find ways to have your wedding really express who you are and what you're about. It's such a perfect and unique opportunity to express who you are as a couple. Handmade and indie items really lend themselves to custom, one of a kind creation in a way that makes that easy.