Welcoming the newest Bridal Expo to Kelowna. This show housed at Prospera Place is the perfect spacious venue for the myriad of suppliers and vendors associated with this profession. Bridal information for everyone! See you there.

Agatha

The Home rental "Casa Belle" where the wedding will take place!

It's been a while since I blogged about this couple. Now with their September 17th wedding date on the near horizon, I thought I would do a final update of their planning details. This is going to be such an intimate and beautifully heartfelt affair, as weddings go. Juliette and I have spent the last few months scouring antique stores, thrift shops etc. to find a collection of vintage decor items that we can use to decorate this awesome house they have rented.

There have been a couple of minor changes to this couples plans. Mainly the color scheme and flowers. Originally opting for blue shades, lavender and pink we have switched to a soft teal green and lavender. Looking for simplistic ideas on flowers for her bouquet, Juliette decided she would like to make her bouquet a keepsake. She found this incredible Antique White and Silver Brooch Bouquet, from Blue Petyls.com and she will have boutonniers, corsages and even a flower girl bouquet made to match. This is a wonderful alternative to fresh and screams vintage in a good way. Classy, elegant, beautifully and uniquely hand made.

(Below):

Juliette's invitations, hand made books were hand selected for each guest, hand made and beautifully presented.

Juliette has been busily working on cutting out heart shaped pieces of paper from old books. Some are pasted with a blank white paper on one side and strung with twine onto branches to form a wishing tree. She has found square white pedestal platters and white candlesticks and is fashioning her own 3 tiered pedestal cake platter. We will add some vintage ribbon around the edges. We are using multiple old mismatched vintage tea cups and saucers, either filled with a floating candle of potted with miniature African violets. Pier 1 had a sale on, so Juliette and I in two different cities, picked up enough miniature green glass martini glasses to float candles in, for the dining room table. One at each place setting. I found a friend who has a garden plot full of Echinops (beautiful globe blue/green thistle flower heads) which we will cut and place into glass bud vases, again one at each place setting. This will pick up the blue green of her color scheme and will match the serviettes she found.

(Above) : Lavender of Romeo's tie and the green teal color of Juliette's sash!

Luckily my English country garden is filled with many perennials and lavender is also my favorite color, so I shall pick large bunches of Perovskia (Russian Sage) to be placed in metal buckets to line the dock walkway to the ceremony spot. It's the next closest look to actual Lavender, which is now out of season. Although we will use dried Lavender bunches in many areas of the decor.

We have spared no attention to the small details, and that's what makes the difference between a wedding and a memorable affair. I have sugar coated purple edible viola blooms to add to the cake platter, and the chef will get a bowl of Borage flowers (edible lavender colored herb) to add to his tapas platters and we will float them in the Lavender Lemonade. The grown ups Martinis will get a Candied Lavender stem that I prepared for Juliette this summer.

Above: Left -Candied Lavender Right - Sugar coated Viola blossom

Below: Borage flower head

It's DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS that make the most memorable weddings.

Can't wait for all the marvelous moments their day will bring. Stay tuned!

Agatha

Summerland, across the lake from Naramata Village!

This weekend I found myself Coordinating a fabulous wedding in Naramata. Congrats Lindsay and Tony for being such an awesome couple.

Lakeside at Sandy Beach Resort, Naramata, B.C.

Since I stayed overnight at the Sandy Beach Resort, I thought I would once again Blog about this one-of-a-kind Okanagan lakefront resort because it too, is a WEDDING VENUE, in off season months. Located directly across from Summerland, in laid back Naramata Village.

Sandy Beach Resort Lodge & Guest B & B


Shaded lawns beachside!


Expansive lawns for tenting and wedding ceremonies and receptions!

I took a few minutes to linger and take in the sublime idyllic setting of this resort. Expansive lawns, just steps to a sandy beach (hence the resort's name), waves lapping gently and the warm rays of sunshine on my back. How I adore Indian Summer in the Okanagan. It's the perfect time for a lakefront wedding. Speaking with Gabe the resort's resident manager, they book weddings in the months of April, May and September, October. You can book the entire resort with it's elegant log style cottages and lodge B & B, as accommodations for you and your guests, have the ceremony on the grass with lake views as your backdrop and the Reception in a tent outdoors. Call me about how I can assist you with planning your wedding at this exceptional location.

I had to drag myself away on this sunny Sunday, from this tranquil setting, but after a busy work weekend I thought I would treat myself to a leisurely drive along our Wine Country corridor getting home to Kelowna. Along Naramata road passing fields of sunflowers, their heads hung heavy with the abundance of late afternoon sun. Driving along listening to the folksy renditions of Ari Neufeld, a local Penticton singer/songwriter. His sound so quintessential to the feel of this laid back, historic Naramata community. His music a mirror to the artistic grass roots vibe predominant in this area. He is unique, original and very Okanagan!

My next stop is one of my favorite wineries along the Naramata bench - Elephant Island Winery. Approaching their driveway you don't see the normal acres of grape vines, instead you drive through an avenue of Cherry trees. Known for their amazing fruit wines, I tasted a port style wine they make (Stellaport) from their big, black, juicy Stellar cherries. Aged 8 years in French Oak. They have such earthly delights as Framboise and Cassis fortified wine, Cherry, Apricot and Crab Apple wine and my favorite for this time of year, their Methode Champenoise sparkling wine "Pink Elephant". A granny smith apple cuvee base with a cassis dosage. It is Kir Royale reborn, Elephant Island style. These are not just dessert wines, but pair beautifully with stinky cheeses, spicy curry dishes and chocolate of course. YUM! I can't pass up a visit to their shaded patio and of course to pick up a few bottles to share with friends at a later date.

Above: Sights from Elephant Island Fruit Winery, Naramata

Further ahead I can't but admire the summer scenes I behold along my path. Beaches dotted with people soaking up the last of summer's rays, glistening blue waters, the busy lakefront boardwalk of Peachland reminds me of the many moments I relive of a summer in this lake side paradise. I had to stop as Peachland was a hub of activity with it's regular Sunday market on. A delight for locals and visitors alike. Booths of colorful vendors, the sounds of live entertainment drifting on the air and the smell of authentic Belgian waffles, tickles my nose. Just time for my usual stop at Bliss Bakery for a latte before I get home.

Sights and scenes from an idyllic Sunday in Peachland!

An incredibly blissful day and one I will remember till next summer, when hopefully I can do it all over again. Feasting on ethereal and earthly delights in the Sunny Okanagan! I am rejuvinated for yet another day.

Agatha