Wedding Guide 2020

2020

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Harpist adds that special live element Everybody wants their wedding day to be memorable — not only for themselves, but for friends and family attending the ceremony.

One of the best ways to guarantee an evening to remember is to fill it with live music. And, if you’re going to go that route, why not bring in a harpist?

Naomi Cloutier began playing the harp 13 years ago, after playing harp parts on the keyboard for the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra.

“I think the harp is enjoying a bit of resurgence in popularity right now,” she said.

Cloutier is now the principle harpist with the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra and plays two types of harps depending on need: the lever harp, which is smaller and has fewer strings, and the concert (or pedal) harp.

“The pedal harp weighs about 80 pounds and is typically what I use for weddings because of its classical style,” she said.

“However, the lever harp is smaller and more appropriate for outdoor

weddings in bad weather or cooler weather. It’s a little bit easier to get into small spaces.”

Cloutier said the most popular song request for weddings is Pachelbel’s Canon in D, but she also gets requests for more modern titles, including (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams, Have I Told You Lately That I Love You by Van Morrison and Your Song by Elton John.

“The benefit of live music is that it can be customized to the timing of the bridal party, the preferences of music, the venue, that whole thing,” she said.

“It’s nice to have live people attending your wedding, the vibe of having that live presence is quite special.”

Cloutier said any song with a strong melody can be easily adapted to the harp, noting she is happy to work with those who know exactly what they want for their wedding music and those who don’t even know where to start.

Cloutier can be reached by email at kamloopsharp@gmail.com.

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Says harpist Naomi Cloutier: “The benefit of live music is that it can be customized to the timing of the bridal party, the preferences of music, the venue, that whole thing.

It’s nice to have live people attending your wedding, the vibe of having that live presence is quite special.”

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Perform pasty perfection on the big day

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fter the bride and groom, perhaps the next most important feature of a wedding is the food, particularly those delectable, delicious, dessert items.

Those are treats about which Carly Harding knows a thing or two.

She spent 11 years working at the Fairmont family of hotels and learning from their pastry experts in locations like Whistler, Toronto and Abu Dhabi.

“I worked with some pretty incredible chefs there,” she said.

After working in the Middle East, Harding decided to return to Canada and venture out on her own.

She initially helped her family transition their Cowboy Coffee business into Caffé Motivo, the first coffee and dessert location in Kamloops.

She is now dishing up pastries as owner and pastry chef at Gold Leaf Pastries, located in the shops next to Canadian Tire, at Hillside Drive and Pacific Way in Dufferin.

And weddings are a big part of her business.

“Most people these days are doing French macarons,” she said, noting macarons are made from almond flour and meringue, with a variety of

fillings like buttercreams, ganaches and jellies.

Though trends don’t tend to change much in the pastry world, Harding explained Gold Leaf’s macaron flavours vary from season to season, based on what is fresh and available.

The spring is for berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. In summer, nectarines and peaches are fresh and ready to be used in macarons.

Gold Leaf also offers a special Black Forest macaron only available during cherry season.

Aside from macarons, other pastry options include wedding buffets and wedding favours, which are designed to match the wedding colours or feature the bride and groom’s initials.

While wedding cakes are indeed important when planning the sweet treats for your special day, don’t underestimate the importance of the simple, classic pastry.

Front of house staff Kyla Austin (left) and Jodie Darrieulat join pastry chef Carly Harding to present some of the desserts to taste at Gold Leaf Pastries in Dufferin.

This photo was taken before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.

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Dressing for the big day — again There are many expenses associated with a wedding.

From renting the hall to catering to ensuring the bride and groom are dressed to the nines, it doesn’t come cheap.

But there are ways to take some pressure off your finances without skimping on any of those must-have features.

Recycled wedding dresses at the Ruby Room are one such way.

The Ruby Room, downtown at 265 Victoria St., is a clothing store offering new and recycled outfits and accessories that began to feature wedding dresses about two years ago.

“We originally started in grad dresses about six years ago,” store owner Shannon Ramunno said. “We had so many people asking about wedding dresses because they’re expensive to buy.”

The price of a wedding dress can easily run into the

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For 2020 wedding trends, think fun and intimate Even before the pandemic threw a wrench in the plans of many, the biggest trend in the wedding world was intimate, connected wedding ceremonies that are all about the couple.

Today’s couples are taking the best of past traditions and blending them with some new ones to make ceremonies that are all about them and their love.

Here’s a few of the top wedding trends to keep an eye out for in 2020 and beyond: • Relaxed weddings: Many couples are moving away from formal and traditional and choosing fun, modern and relaxed weddings that are all about having a good time and not sweating the small stuff.

• Officiant stands to the side: Gone are the days when your officiant photo-bombed your kiss. Today’s officiants are getting creative and often standing to the side during the ceremony so the couple can feel more connected to each other.

• Wedding parties made up of both genders: Today’s couples are choosing their wedding parties based on who their closest

friends are, regardless of gender, and the results are charming.

• Fun rituals: It’s not just about sand pouring anymore. Couples are spicing things up with creative, interactive rituals like the hand-fasting ritual, tree-planting ritual, ring-warming ritual, love letter and wine box ritual and fun, blended family rituals.

• Elopements: One of the biggest trends right now is intimate elopements in nature, to be followed by a big bash later with friends and family. Many couples choose to skip the stress and expense of a big wedding by eloping or keeping their guest count under 50.

• Humour: Gone are the days when weddings had to be so serious. Many officiants add humour to their ceremonies to lighten the mood and help everyone relax.

— This article was written by metaphysical minister Sue Cairnie, who serves Kamloops and beyond. Find her online at suecairnieceremonies.com.

thousands of dollars, but the ones available at the Ruby Room are substantially less.

Ramunno said most are in the $500 to $700 range, but noted there can be dresses available for as little as $150 or $199, depending on what is in stock at the time.

While inventory can turn over quite rapidly, Ramunno said the store usually has about 80 wedding dresses available at any given moment. There is also a large selection of bridesmaid dresses, as well as options for the mother of the bride.

Without such a recycling program, most wedding dresses would be worn once and end up spending years in the closet before ultimately making their way to the landfill.

“Sometimes you only wear them for a couple of hours,” Ramunno said.

The program at the Ruby Room allows people to bring

in their freshly cleaned wedding and bridesmaid dresses, no older than five years, which are displayed on racks in a special room on a consignment basis. When they are purchased by a customer, the previous owner takes 50 per cent of the sale price.

Ramunno said she has seen dresses come back through her business multiple times.

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Love in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic Every part of life has been impacted by the pandemic in recent months, including celebrations involving large gatherings.

Weddings have been postponed or dramatically scaled down to accommodate what is currently the new normal.

Fortunately, at Sun Peaks Resort, love is in the air with a variety of spacious, open-air wedding venues all permitting social distancing.

Sunburst Mountain Meadows and Chapel is only a chairlift ride away. The vast meadows and vintage church are the perfect setting to start the rest of your life together.

The Sun Peaks Grand Terrace is situated above Sun Peaks Resort. The romantic terrace offers stunning views of the European-style village and breathtaking mountainscapes.

The wedding professionals at Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and Conference Centre are all fully versed in the health and safety standards to allow for safe

wedding celebrations.

“Couples and 48 of their closest friends and family members can enjoy a fabulous event”, said Kaitlyn Lamotte, wedding specialist at Sun Peaks Resort and Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and Conference Centre.

“As long as the guest list stays below the 50-person maximum, we can create the perfect celebration.”

Buffets can be accommodated at Sun Peaks Grand with a few adjustments to ensure health and safety guidelines are met.

Food will be served by a staff member and a hand sanitizer station will be provided for use by all guests prior to accessing the buffet. Staff will wear gloves and other protective equipment where appropriate.

While health and safety issues are top of mind, at Sun Peaks Resort, the romance and specialness of the occasion is never lost.

Mountaintop nuptials are rich with natural beauty and tranquility, no matter what is happening in the world.

For couples who want a more intimate wedding experience, Sun Peaks Grand offers an annual Elopement Day Series.

Just show up with your intended and they take care of everything else.

While this year’s Elopement Days are sold out, preparations are underway to welcome even more couples to next year’s series.

Information and assistance planning a wedding at Sun Peaks Resort is available online at sunpeaksgrand.com.

Mountaintop weddings are still available at Sun Peaks Resort, with staff there fully versed in pandemic-related health and safety protocols.

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