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.

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!

Welcome to Flower Week!

I am so excited for this week, ladies & gents! We've reached flower week, and florals are one of my absolute favorite things about weddings. Over the past year or so, Ottawa has literally blossomed with new indie floral businesses and we are so excited to showcase their truly distinct and unique styles with you at Wed By Hand.

As you'll see, we have three unique floral companies joining us this year for Wed By Hand--each with their own signature style. And I think you'll see that the ladies who own these companies will show you how to put together flowers that really reflect your style and your wedding theme--whether you're going for something ultra modern or something super rustic and vintage-inspired.

Throughout the week we'll not only introduce you to the vendors that we'll have on hand for Wed By Hand, but also give you tips for how you can use flowers in unique and interesting ways to accent your special day!

Tips & Tricks Thursday: Papers and Envelopes and Websites, Oh My!

You've booked your venue for a certain date and time. Now it's time to let your friends and family know!

Save the Dates?

There are a few scenarios where save-the-date cards are particularly helpful and allow guests to make plans accordingly:

• Guests are travelling from out-of-town and moreso, out-of-country.
• Guests who may need extra time to make arrangements.
• Destination weddings.

There are various options for save-the-dates, including cards, postcards, or magnets. Key information that should be on every save-the-date is: the date, the location, and an indication that a formal invitation is to come.

The Look

The invitation is the first taste that guests will have of your wedding. Invites are a great way to start incorporating the theme, colour scheme or other important components of your wedding. With wedding invitations, you can be as hands on or as hands off as you desire (or have time for!).

• There are many companies that help you create personalized cards or postcards, such as Wedding Paper Divas (based in California) or Six. modern paper goods (based in Almonte).
• Check out theknot.com's 25 Unexpected Invite Ideas You'll Love for some alternative invite inspiration.
• Use a designer to create an image or design that reflects you and yours.
• Select paper and envelopes that reflect you and yours; recycled paper, handmade paper, plantable seeded paper...there are many options!
• Visit local stationery stores such as the Papery (850 Bank St) or the Paper Papier (18 Clarence St) to see stationery options if you're interested in making your invites from scratch.

Online Presence

One key thing to keep in mind as you prepare your invitations is to not include too much information. Nowadays, it's quite popular and convenient to have a wedding website that will give your guests all of the information that you want to share with them but couldn't include on your paper invites. There are many free wedding websites such as theknot.com, many premium wedding websites, or free blogs that can double as wedding websites. See here for ideas on content for your wedding website.

The Content

No matter what type of celebration you're planning, there are a few key details that should be included in any invitation:

• The date and location of venue(s) (if you have a lot of out-of-town guests, it may be helpful to include a map of the area)'
• Basic overview of times: for the ceremony, cocktails, receptions, tea ceremony, apres-wedding lunch, etc. (if people are expected to be somewhere at a certain time, include it).
• Any RSVP information that you need for coordinating the logistics of the day such as the number of guests and meal choices, as well as a RSVP deadline.

Some things to consider when you're thinking about the wording and content of your invites:

• Here is some info on wedding invitation wording and an invitation wording wizard tool to select something to reflect your family situation.
• Proofread your invite for grammar, spelling, and typos.
• There are different ways to word your response card. See here, here, and here for ideas.

For response cards, make it easy for your guests by pre-addressing and stamping the return envelope, including your contact information should they have any questions, and making it clear what information you need. Small details can really help you out, as Danielle of Six Modern Paper Goods points out:

Write numbers on the back of your RSVPs and keep track of who you sent each number to - It's amazing how many people forget to write their names on the reply card!

From Here to There

Typically, the outer envelope is addressed formally; see here for some examples. You can use a personalized seal or sticker on the back of the envelope for a nice finishing touch. A great tip from Vincent of Everlovin' Press:

For a special touch, get your own personalized stamps made for mailing those invites out.

You can also create personalized postcards with Canada Post; their pricing includes printed postcards and delivery anywhere in the world.

If you'll be mailing your invitations, don't find yourself underpaying on the postage, just thinking that a standard stamp will cover the cost; your envelopes could be returned to you up to several weeks later with an 'insufficient postage' stamp on it...probably not the look you were going for!

To avoid this, take one stuffed envelope to Canada Post and have it weighed so that you know how much it'll cost; currently with Canada Post, the standard postage is for letters up to 30g. There are also size requirements for standard letters. Rectangular envelopes are cheaper to send than square ones. Thick envelopes may cost more to send. If you'd likely to specially select the stamp design without having personalized stamps made, Canada Post has a wide variety of stamps available for sale.

Keeping Track

Having a spreadsheet to keep track of information such as who you've invited, what number their invitation has, who has responded, and what their meal choices are will help you determine things like who you need to follow up with. A spreadsheet is also more easily searchable than a text-based document.

After I Do: Advice from a Recent Bride - Planning!

After I Do is a weekly column written by Andrée who just tied the knot in 2011. She's here to answer your questions about getting hitched and give you advice from the viewpoint of a bride who has recently gone through the planning process!

Q: "I just got engaged and have no idea where to start on the planning. What should I do first?"

A: Congratulations on your recent engagement!

Looking back on my own engagement, I can remember being excited but also quite overwhelmed at the thought of planning such a big event. I wanted things to be perfect; I wanted everything to reflect who my fiancé and I are as people and what we love together. Not a modest task if you ask me. As a recent bride, I know how hard this can all be and I want you to all know that I’m here to help with all your wedding related questions. These are the first few things I started with, and also how I dealt with some of my wedding planning stress.

1. Take a week to let it sink in
People will want to congratulate you, and of course will want to ask you every single detail of your upcoming wedding. I remember thinking, “I’ve been engaged for 5 seconds, I have no idea when and where we’ll get married!” If you want, wait a week before telling EVERYONE. Keep it for your parents and close friends, and make them promise not to share. This will give you and your new fiancé time to enjoy it together.

2. Discuss your hopes and dreams
Most girls know when the big day will happen. If not, we at least have an idea of when the relationship is headed in that direction. Girls plan their wedding day months or even years in advance. When my hubby popped the big question, it became real. Now, we had to sit down and talk about what we both wanted. Remember to listen to his ideas and to consider them even though they might not fit into your plan. If you’ll want help throughout the planning, you’ll want to start here. In my case, I planned most of the wedding, but he was involved in putting out planning fires and getting me back to earth when my ideas went overboard. Fiancés are good for that. Remember to let them help you when they offer it.

3. Budget
This is always a hot topic during the planning of a wedding. Decide on a number you are ready to spend, and stick to it. If you think you will get financial help from your parents, this is a good time to sit down with them and discuss it. It can be very touchy so be ready, but it will give you a better idea of how much you have to play with.

When we were planning and budgeting, my fiancé didn’t like to include what was already purchased (dress, rings, and deposits) into the total #. If it was already out of our bank account, he didn’t care to discuss it. If this works to keep their stress down, do it!

4. Decide on a theme
A theme isn’t always needed, but it can help you plan. Start by picking colours you like. In our case, I wanted everything to be brown, green and white and everything was to be handmade. Eventually we decided our theme would be ‘Eco-Chic’. Be creative and don’t overdo it. Decorations can be very costly and most of the time, simple and classic wins over extravagant.

5. Make lists
When we were planning our wedding, I used a master spreadsheet off Google docs. I kept all our important wedding information on this list, and it kept me sane during the whole process. Not everyone works well this way, but it really helped me stay and feel more organized. When we were ready to make all our DIY projects (20 projects, no lie), I had created a list of the tasks, materials needed, person who would we helping, deadline, where it would be used at the wedding. This was SO helpful and it kept me sane when I thought I was behind on everything. I would simply take a look at my to-dos and realize that I was doing well. Also, it helped me when I decided to cut out some projects. Check out the Master Spreadsheet!

6. Learn to delegate
It’s really, really hard but so worth it. If you’re like me (aka Martha Stewart Bride), you’ll want to create, make, control and remake everything until it’s perfect. Manage what you CAN control and let others help you with things you might not feel as comfortable doing. DO control the lists but delegate the tasks. Give jobs to the people who are willing to help you. If you have volunteers, you’re ahead of the game!

7. Timeline & Logistics
Now that you’re engaged, a lot of decisions will have to be made. There are TONS of resources out there that can help you with your planning timeline. Deadlines are important when planning, but take it easy – people have planned successful weddings in under 3 months (my mother just did it, and her wedding was stunning!) Here are some websites and tools that helped me.
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/273406/my-wedding-tools (American) http://www.weddingbells.ca/tools/about/ (Canadian)
More things to consider:
a. Pick your wedding date, this may be subject to the availability of your venue, but try to narrow down a time during the year at least.
b. Go visit a couple venues, even ones you don’t think you’ll like (it’s better to strike them off your list than to find out about them a month after you paid your 1st deposit). Book your venue at least a year before your wedding date.
c. Decide if you’ll have suppliers (photographer, videographer, caterer, equipment rental) If you plan on getting married during the summer or during a holiday, you’ll have to book these ahead of time.

An engagement marks the beginning of such an amazing ride which will at times test you, excite you, amaze you and tire you. Remember to take a step back and keep in mind what you and your fiancé truly want when making every single decision. It can seem difficult or demanding now, but try to do it. Often it’s difficult to stick with your original vision when others try to sway you in every other direction (of course, they do it out of love, but c’mon, stand up for yourself!). It’s very easy to forget what you envisioned your wedding to look like in the beginning. In the end, your wedding day is yours and no one else’s. Don’t forget to stay strong as a couple and to be yourself.
Happy planning!
Andrée C.

Meet Our Vendors: Wedding Planners!

Jane Eaton “I Do” … Green!
Planning a fabulously unforgettable wedding can be a lot of work. It’s a delicate balancing act of needs and requests while trying to fit in as much of what’s near and dear to you and your partner. For many couples, that includes the environment. While “I Do”… Green! does provide their professional event planning services for events of all sizes and types, the focus is on environmentally friendly weddings. While planning her own wedding in 2009, Jane Eaton found a gap in the options and information available to the eco-conscious bride. 

Using innovative ideas, imaginative tools and professional and caring support, Jane Eaton can “help you decrease the carbon footprint on your big day without compromising your personal style or budget”. And her biggest tips to the DIY bride? That “its still important to have a coordinator for the day of, you should be celebrating the special day with friends and family – let someone else worry about the logistics.”

Kennedy Events
Kennedy Events will join Wed By Hand for the first time this year. Specializing in both wedding planning & event design, Kennedy Event's mission is to "establish personal connections with our clients, allowing us to better interpret and execute their unique wedding vision."

Kennedy Events' primary goal is to exceed their clients’ expectations while offering support through the planning process with innovative concepts and flawless execution. Kennedy Events has designed our planning services to be as comprehensive as possible, allowing the client to be involved with the planning as little or as much as they wish. As a bonus, the crew from Kennedy Events will be featuring design ideas that are easy to reproduce for our DIY-ers as well as planning strategies!

Welcome to 2012 + Planning Week!

Happy New Year, ladies & gents! We hope that you had a wonderful holiday season filled with food, fun and family! The winter holiday season is a popular time for couples to get engaged, so if you find yourself with a new ring on your finger: Congrats!

January is a common time for resolutions, as we all know, and I know that I personally find myself making plans and getting organized around this time every year. So we thought in the spirit of the season, we would kick 2012 off with Planning Week! We'll be walking you through tips and tricks for tackling the planning of your special day. We'll be sharing ideas of how you can make planning your wedding a cinch and also talking about how to stay on budget and whether you should hire a wedding planner or not. This is a perfect week anyone just starting to tackle their wedding planning for the first time, or for anyone who is in the 'thick of it' and needs some help and guidance!

Happy 2012!

Welcome to Accessories Week!

It's no secret that us gals love our accessories. If you've got a girlfriend, fiancee or bestie on your holiday shopping list, you're likely to find her coveting one or more lovely little accessories. From purses to shoes, from jewelry to scarves, accessories are an easy way to change the look of an outfit with just a couple of quick changes. A simple little black dress can go from drab to fab with the addition of some bubbly baubles, and the addition of the perfect clutch can make your evening out seem that much more fabulous.

When it comes adding special details to your wedding day, accessories are the perfect option for incorporating an added touch of elegance, funkiness or fun. Whether it's dressing your groom up with a custom tie or adding a pop of colour with customized wedding shoes, accessories are a great way truly let your personality show through. What many people don't often realize is that accessories also offer the perfect opportunity to work with local, handmade companies -and- keep costs down. Veils, jewelry or ties can cost you a fraction of the what a mass-produced equivalent will run you, and it also gives you the opportunity to create something custom and unique with a local vendor. We often hear from brides who attended previous Wed By Hands that really enjoyed the process of customizing their accessories with our awesome vendors rather than just picking it up from a big box store.

This week we'll be showcasing unique ways that you can incorporate handmade accessories into your wedding day. From fancy fascinators to gorgeous jewels and seriously sick screenprinted ties for dudes, Wed By Hand's got you covered in the accessories department!

Meet Our Vendors: Photography & Videography

This year at Wed by Hand we are featuring several lovely photographers all with their own unique style. Photography plays a huge role in how you can create, document and remember your big day. Without further ado I present to you our photographer roster!

AMBphoto by Anne-Marie Bouchard With ten years of photography experience, Anne-Marie decided in 2009 to start her own business. Working weddings gives her the opportunity to blend “all sorts of photography: landscapes, portraits, macro, high speed, candid, you name it – you get ALL this when you photograph a wedding.” All of these styles come together during the challenging, surprising and exciting event that is a wedding. Having worked in the business for many years has taught Anne-Marie the important lesson that “It’s ok to say no. I’m not the right fit for everyone and everyone is not the right fit for me.” This is because she understands how important it is to really build a relationship with the couple and be able to capture their magic. The days are long and the editing process can be longer but for Anne-Marie one of the best parts of shooting weddings is getting to know the couple, hearing how they first met, and watching them to fall in love all over again through the lens of her camera. As the official photographer of Wed By Hand, many of the photos you will see from our show come from AMBphoto.

Becca Wallace Photography Blending fine art work with commercial wedding work pulls together a unique set of images that can themselves be seen as works of art. Processed images are combined with watercolors, pastels, and resin resulting in enhanced details, colors, shapes and textures within each photograph. Believing that “everyone should have access to excellent, high quality wedding photos,” means that she has packages to offer couples with any budget. Becca Wallace Photography is artistic with a personal touch.

{First Kiss Films} Inspired by her father and getting an early start filming her first wedding at the age of 14, its no wonder that {First Kiss Films} creates unique multimedia for your wedding day. {First Kiss Films} specializes in hand-cranked 16mm and super 8mm film. In a world where much of our photography and videography have gone digital, owner Bridget's use of 8 and 16mm film is a truly special way to capture your wedding. The cameras capture onlooker’s attention with the classic sound, originality and beautiful designs. The film is processed, digitally edited and transferred and then charmingly packaged in a chic DVD tin. As one of only five companies across Canada creating lifestyle films using solely vintage cameras, not only will the experience be completely unique, but you can be sure that your wedding film will preserve the emotions and energy nostalgic to the retelling of your wedding day.

Monique Simone PhotographyUsing an editorial aesthetic to stylize her shoots, Monique Simone photography helps to put her clients at ease while providing a natural, fun, fresh set of photos. Offering personalized services such as hand-made books, custom production and retouching, and full film options really helps to give the couple final say on the overall mood and feel of their special day. Feeling like her craft is to “tell the story of weddings through photographs”, Monique Simone photography is truly able to provide photos that are made to measure, as opposed to the traditional cookie cutter shots.

Natalie Lyle Photography Natalie Lyle focuses on capturing of a story with a photojournalistic focus and expressive, natural, cinematic style. As a small photography business Natalie Lyle Photography can provide accessible and flexible packages to suit every couple and bring out the essence of their special day. Clients can rest assured that each image will be retouched with custom processes in order to suit the couple and their individual story. As she sees it, Natalie is sincerely honored to get to be invited into the preservation and commemoration of such a personal day.

Vanessa Dewson Photography + Design Need a break from all the hoopla that is planning a wedding? Why not turn to a vendor that can tackle more than one aspect of your special day? The answer is Vanessa Dewson Photography + Design. Working with Vanessa gives you access to a photographer with an eye for photos as well as printed materials. Vanessa also works while keeping the environment close to heart by utilizing digital photography, natural lighting as much as possible, rechargeable batteries, eco-friendly suppliers, materials and packaging from 100% recycled materials. Not only are the soft proofs of images and design concepts shown through in-person viewings, on-line galleries and email (good for the environment), but add that familiarity and personal connection that gets you through the stress of dealing with a million different people leading up to your special day.

Voulez-Vous Boudoir PhotographyMany people hear wedding photography and think of engagement shoots, groomsmen peeking out from behind trees or bridesmaids doing synchronized jumps in a field. Voulez-Vous Boudoir Photography offers something a little different: owner photographer Bri specializes in ladies boudoir photography. Each session is tailored to the client in order to bring out her vision, highlighting her sexy, naughty, or sassy side. Keeping in mind that the company’s motto is “Boudoir for real women by real women”, inhibitions and insecurities should be left at the door. Being one of the few Ottawa photographers who specializes specifically in boudoir, Bri and her team really go the extra mile – with outfit, jewelry and shoe consulting and shopping if necessary, with the goal of making her clients feel comfortable and at ease. Far from the traditional wedding photos, Voulez-Vous Boudoir Photography aims to leave each client with a heightened sense of confidence and a resonating beauty while embracing the sexy from within.

Post written by Thea, Wed By Hand Coordinator

Welcome to the Wed By Hand Blog!

Hello there! Welcome to Wed By Hand's brand new blog! I'm Krista, co-founder and co-producer of Wed By Hand, Ottawa's Indie Wedding Show. If Wed By Hand is new to your vocabulary, let me tell you a bit about the show: We are a DIY, handmade and eco-friendly themed wedding show. We are one of only 5 indie wedding shows in North America, and 2012 will mark the third edition of our show. Over the past three years, we have grown leaps and bounds. We started in 2010 with just 16 vendors, paired with another wedding show. In 2011, we struck out on our own and expanded the show, moving it to bigger and better digs. Our show now includes over 35 vendors, DIY workshops, tastings and more!

As we've grown over the past three years, we've not only expanded our show, but we've also expanded our team. This year we've welcomed 6 new members to the Wed By Hand crew who will be helping us grow and expand to show to include some new and exciting things this year. We can't wait to introduce you to the team, and to also share the new surprises we have in store with you. In the meantime, though, I'd like to let you know what this blog is all about!

We wanted a place to share what it takes to put on a show like this, and to showcase all the awesome vendors and wedding/craft professionals that we get to work with. We also wanted a place to share wedding and DIY inspiration. So consider this your one-stop-shop for not only getting the scoop on what's going to happen at Wed By Hand, but also to get some awesome ideas for how you can truly personalize your wedding.

Each week we'll feature a different theme which will match all of the most important facets of your wedding--from photography to accessories to food & more! We kick off this week with photography, one of the most important investments you'll make when it comes to your wedding day. Each day will feature a different column, giving you tons of ideas and inspiration each weekday!

We're so excited to share all of our wonderful ideas with you, and can't wait for Wed By Hand on February 11, 2012! Stay tuned! So much exciting stuff in store!