Hitched - Bridal Guide 2020

hitched Northern BC’s source for everything bridal

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Northern BC’s source for everything bridal 2020 Edition

Step-by-step

Checklist to keep your wedding plans on track

Q&A Product of

With Local Brides Learn from the experience of 3 local brides, with distinctively different weddings.

Page 5

PAGE 18

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Northern BC’s source for everything bridal

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Northern BC’s source for everything bridal

04 Unique wedding favours

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2020

Show your appreciation with unique bridal gifts & wedding favours

05 Q&A: Brides perspective

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wedding photography trends you 13 Three need to know about

14 Q&A: Groom’s percpective 16 Something Blue

8

Creative options to an old saying

18 Plan accordingly

Don’t let anything fall through the cracks with this vendor timeline

19 Choosing the perfect wedding shoes

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Comfortable & stylish options

21 Polished Chaos

Makeup advice from professionals

Available on-line at:

www.pgcitizen.ca General Inquiries | 250-562-2441 Publisher | Colleen Sparrow Editor | Neil Godbout Director of Advertising | Shawn Cornell

14 A division of

505 fourth Avenue | Prince George, B.C. | 250.562.2441

Cover Photo by Northern Pixel Photography Tiffany and Kevin Cranmer, an RCMP officer, are seen here on their wedding day April 20, 2019.

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Fabulous wedding favours and unique bridal party gifts Trying to decide on wedding favours? Or maybe you’re wondering what types of gifts to purchase for your bridal party? In either case, here are a few ideas to look into.

For the guests • Flip flops: these will be a hit when people’s feet start to hurt from dancing • Flower seeds or bulbs: your guests can grow your wedding

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flowers at home • Coaster with your initials: opt for a natural material like cork or wood For the bridesmaids • Tote bags: have hemp or canvas bags personalized with their names • Jewelry: a dainty necklace or bracelet that matches their dresses • Floral robes: they’ll have

Northern BC’s source for everything bridal

something to wear while getting ready and they’ll look great in your photos For the groomsmen • Flasks: if they’re a group that likes to party, these will get a lot of use • Monogrammed pocket watches: a good timepiece never goes out of style • Fun socks: men don’t always get a chance to show their per-

sonality, so get them some fun socks to wear with their suits Show some appreciation to your guests and bridal party by giving special wedding favours and gifts. And be sure to accompany the selected token with a simple thank you.

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2020 } BRIDE Q&A

Local Brides Q&A We understand planning your wedding involves time and research, so what better way to start planning your wedding than by asking three Prince George brides questions about their own wedding experience? Whether you’re planning a local wedding, traditional wedding or destination wedding, we’ve got you covered with this fun Q&A with local brides.

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2020 } BRIDE Q&A

Marissa & Domenico Marissa and Domenico Sia were married August 31, 2019.

As a young couple entering their first marriage they decided to have a more traditional wedding. The ceremony took place at Immaculate Conception Church. The reception for 300 guests was held at the Prince George Civic Centre.

As Marissa is Portuguese and Domenico is Italian, they made sure to incorporate many traditions that came from their indi-

New husband Domenico is seen here with his happy bride Marissa Sia on Aug. 31, 2019.

vidual cultures and united them during the celebration, reflecting how they would move together into their marriage.

How they met wasn’t an especially elegant circumstance. Marissa and Domenico work at two different car dealerships and when Domenico found himself at Marissa’s workplace he promptly walked into a plate-glass wall in his bride-to-be’s office. He’s never lived it down.

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Q:

you know you will look back on forever and smile?

How did your husband pop the question?

A: Domenico proposed at home in the front foyer,

with the dog attempting to hold the bag with the ring in it. She’s a golden retriever - she struggled. It was fishy though, I knew something was wonky. When he got down on one knew he ripped his pants from the crotch all the way up the back and I haven’t sewn them - I’m just leaving them and I call them the ‘proposal pants’. I just want to keep them and honestly, I just want to put them in a shadow box and frame them.

A: Yup. When we did our photos we went out to

the corner of Giscome and the Old Cariboo Highway. Our photographers wanted these photos and they turned out beautiful. They wanted these photos in a marshy area. So I had my shoes off because I didn’t want to wreck my heals and my bridesmaid had put her shoes on my feet - they were little sandals - so she walked barefoot through this marshy swamp and it had nettles in it - so we had the nettles on the bottom of our dresses and our feet were soaked - our dresses were OK because they stayed on top of the grass but our feet were so dirty and when we looked at the photos there is one of our entire group where we’re just laughing and making a face and screaming - it was so funny.

When I look at the photo I remember the exact moment and all the feelings that came with it.

Q: A fter having recently experienced your own wedding, what advice would you like to give brides-to-be?

A: Definitely let your vendors help you. I went to

the vendors and told them that I didn’t really know what I wanted. So I showed them pictures of what I liked and then let them run with an idea. I went into it as a realist. I have had friends say ‘this is exactly what I want’ and have the vendor try to replicate it and when it doesn’t happen exactly they’re upset. So I think it’s good to have a vision of what you want but be a little loosey goosey what they can work with.

You can have a picture in your head but you can’t expect perfection.

Q:

Was there one moment that stood out that

Q:

Did you find there was something that you first considered worth the investment only to realize looking back that you could have done with a less expensive version?

A: We considered a videographer at first but look-

ing at our photos we realized we made the right decision because we really didn’t need a video because we were super happy with our pictures.

Q:

Is there something that you splurged on and

know it was so worth it?

A: We did splurge on the food at the Civic Centre.

We ended up getting three proteins instead of the standard two. From all the feedback we got from our guests they loved it and everyone had a little bit of everything, so I was actually super-glad that we did end up paying a little bit more and we paid for Portuguese custard tarts to be flown in from Vancouver and they were so good. The tarts are a staple of the culture and I knew it would mean so much to my family and it was something they really appreciated and it was just a nice little add to the dessert table with a cultural aspect to it. The chef at the Civic Centre is actually Portuguese so we did have some adjustments to the menu. It was really nice that they could do that for us.

Q: Is there anything you would do differently?

A: I don’t think I would do anything differently

honestly except get the thank you cards done sooner! I’m still doing them!

Q: How was your overall experience?

A: It was amazing. We had so many great people

helping us. I told our photographers (Bring Photography) when I first met them that I hadn’t planned a wedding before so getting their opinions on stuff was super helpful and they were awesome about it. They were like our little angels.

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2020 } BRIDE Q&A

Tiffany & Kevin

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Photo by Northern Pixel Photography Tiffany and Kevin Cranmer, an RCMP officer, are seen here on their wedding day April 20, 2019.

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Northern BC’s source for everything bridal

Tiffany and Kevin Cranmer were wed April 20, 2019.

The ceremony was held in the Skylight Ballroom and reception took place in the Cranbrook Ballroom in the Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Prince George where Tiffany works as an event planner.

There were about 100 guests in attendance.

Tiffany said because there was a manageable number of people at the reception she had time to visit with each table of guests and didn’t feel rushed. She was able to relax and enjoy her time with family and friends.

“The wedding was pretty traditional and I am an A type personality so I pretty much followed the book to a ‘t’,” Tiffany, the wedding planner planning her own wedding, said.

Kevin and Tiffany were in a long distance relation-

ship before they were married. Kevin, an RCMP officer, has a daughter, Kennedy, who was three years old at the time of the proposal. Father and daughter came for what they tried to make a surprise visit.

Q:

Q:

A: Don’t over think it. I think for a

lot of brides, including myself, it’s easy to get into your own head trying to make sure it’s a perfect day for everyone and I think at the end of the day you have to remember what it’s really about. It’s about you and your fiance coming together and having a day that’s all about your love and that’s all that matters. Every detail might not be perfect but no one remembers those little things. Live in the moment. It goes by in a blink of an eye.

How did Kevin pop the question?

A: I came home from work and I

pulled into the garage. I opened up the door of my townhouse and all of a sudden I hear Kennedy saying “surprise!” before I’ve even come up the stairs. I come up and around the corner and there’s my hubbyto-be standing in his serge with my stepdaughter who’s holding a bouquet of flowers and so she was there for the question as well. He got down on one knee and said “will you marry me?” and that was it. My stepdaughter was a big part of it which was important for us.

to walk down the aisle and I had to tell him that it was time to go, wipe your tears and let’s go. So that’s a good memory.

And then when I walked into the room to get married Kevin couldn’t see me right away so he started to lean to see me coming down the aisle. There was one more dad moment. We were doing the father daughter dance and it was to Tim McGraw’s My Little Girl and there’s a part of the song that says something like “I know he’ll love you but he’ll never be good enough” and then my dad whispered in my ear “I know he’s good enough,” and that was so special.

After having recently experienced your own wedding, what advice would you like to give brides-to-be?

Q:

Was there one moment that stood out that you know you will look back on forever and smile?

A: I was getting ready to walk down the aisle and my dad was in the bathroom crying. My dad is a professional wrestler. He’s six foot three - he’s a big guy and here I was all excited and ready

Q:

Did you find there was something that you first considered worth the investment only to realize looking back that you could have made due with a less expensive version?

A: I spent a lot of time with things

on my tables. My sister put it together and it was one of those Mad Libs people would fill out at their table. (Mad Libs is a Q&A Continues on Page 10

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Q&A ContinueD FROM Page 9

word game that saw guests fill in the blanks of a little story with words they chose to make it a more comical story). And those are now in a drawer and I haven’t read all of them yet.

I spent a lot of time cutting them out and figuring out which ones I wanted and had to make sure there were pens on the table and spent the time and money to print them and then we bought disposable cameras on the table for everyone to take pictures and it was quite a bit of money to develop those pictures and I looked at those pictures and those again are in a box. Also the wedding dress is so important but we spent a big chunk of the money on the wedding dress and I wore it once and now it’s hanging up in our spare bedroom. I probably could have gotten something just as pretty for about half the amount.

Q:

Photography can be expensive but we have 1,200 beautiful photos that I do look at regularly. That was my one splurge and it’s something I (as a wedding planner) always recommend to brides because they need to have a way to capture their special day.

Q:

A: I probably would have tried to give up a little

more control because the day before I had all my family and friends here (at the venue) trying to help get set up and it was a very stressful day. I would get into arguments with my mom because I wanted everything done my way, and only my way but everyone was just trying to help so that took away some of the fun on the day before the wedding. I just needed to let go a little more and know that everything was going to come together and be fine and that was hard to do being a wedding planner.

Is there something that you splurged on and know it was so worth it?

A: Our photographer, Northern Pixel, is a

husband wife team. So we had fantastic photographers that we were comfortable with and I wanted the full meal deal package and that was super important to me. I wanted the getting ready photos for both me and my husband, I wanted the family portraits, I wanted the ceremony captured, and I wanted the reception captured late into the evening.

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Is there anything you’d do differently?

Q:

little studio. We had brunch. We had photos taken there, then we came back to our room we had at the hotel, put my dress on, did the whole father daughter look, had the ceremony, which was perfect. Then did photos at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, then we had time to come back and sit down for a few minutes before we did our bridal party entrance came back downstairs, had dinner, had a great time. It was a fairy tale, it was perfect. I wouldn’t have changed anything.

How was your overall experience?

A: It was fantastic. It was a beautiful day. It all

came together. It was great to see my team that I work with so closely do such a beautiful job. I got together with my girls in the morning at Polished Chaos to get my hair and makeup done. We went off site to a beautiful

Photo by Northern Pixel Photography Here Tiffany Cranmer gets ready with her bridal party.

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2020 } BRIDE Q&A

Wendy & Mike

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Wendy and Mike Tasker made sure their celebration worked for them so they did things a little differently by having a twoday wedding celebration.

They were married on July 19, 2019 and celebrated in a big way on July 20.

They held the ceremony and dinner for 35 people at the Northern Lights Winery on July 19 and followed up with a cabaret-style reception for about 120 guests the next evening at the Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Prince George. This was Wendy’s only wedding and Mike’s second.

Photo by Brie Orser Photography Wendy Tasker and husband Mike are seen here on their wedding day out at the lake on July 19, 2019.

“If anyone would have told me I would fall in love

at 50 and get married at 55...” Wendy smiled.

Q:

How did you husband pop the question?

A: He popped the question with a

rubber chicken. It was a rubber chicken key chain. He has this tradition where he calls the rubber chicken the love chicken.

So he gives this little rubber chicken key chain - his daughter has one and some really close relatives have one. Two years ago we were going to Europe for another relative’s wedding and we were going for a month to tour Europe since we were there anyway. He convinced me he was not going to pop the question. He said he didn’t want Q&A Continues on Page 12

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Q&A ContinueD FROM Page 11

to risk losing the (traditional engagement) ring packing it around Europe. So we were in Paris at the Arc de Triomphe because he didn’t want to do it at the Eiffel Tower because that might be a little too cliche. The

called my name and I turned to him and he was down on one knee and he popped the question - with the rubber chicken key chain.

weird thing was that my family’s name was carved into the Arc. I didn’t know there were any names carved into it but I guess generals’ and officers’ names were on it so I was looking up at the name D’Alton and Mike

Mike Tasker proposed to Wendy in Paris using his signature rubber chicken key ring.

Q:

After having recently experienced your own wedding, what advice would you like to give brides-to-be?

Q:

A: My advice is to spend money on

the things that are important to you. So we didn’t do engraved napkins or matchbooks. We didn’t do all the stuff that people throw away. We didn’t do really expensive invitations. I Googled how to make my own bouquet and boutonnieres and did my own centre pieces and keep sakes that were wooden words like ‘love’, ‘family’ and ‘memories’. We did spend money on the DJ because the celebration was one of the most important things. So we booked the DJ and the venue at the same time because that was most important to us. We also spent money on the photographer and the event planner. Another piece of advice - don’t sweat the small stuff and whatever comes up just deal with it and move on.

Photo by Brie Orser Photography Here are Wendy and Mike Tasker getting married at the Northern Lights Winery.

Q:

Was there one moment that stood out that you know you will look back on forever and smile?

A: It was the dinner. It was so much

fun. It was very intimate - only 35 people. There was lots of laughing and the dinner and the party was also quite intimate at the Ramada and everyone came up and said how much fun they had. Everyone was singing and dancing and laughing - literally a celebration and that was exactly what we wanted. My dad, who is in his 80s flew out from New York for the wedding and my niece had just had her baby a month before so at the wedding we were able to take photos of four generations of the family, which was so very special.

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Did you find there was something that you first considered worth the investment only to realize looking back that you could have made do with a less expensive version?

A: I would say no - the dress was

expensive, the photographer and the decorator were expensive but I wouldn’t have wanted to not spend on those and then not have the experience we had.

We cut a lot of things out ahead of time that weren’t important to us. So no there wasn’t really anything.

Q:

Is there something you splurged on and know it was so worth it?

A: All of the professionals we

splurged on were worth it.

Hiring a professional DJ, event planner, photographer, venue managers were all so worth it. It really made the entire experience so wonderful because on the day of the wedding there was nothing for us to do but enjoy it.

Q:

Is there anything you would do differently?

A: If we could have I would have

had everyone at the ceremony, the dinner and the reception but logistically it just wasn’t possible.

Q:

How was your overall experience?

A: Making the decisions was quite

stressful. There was a million decisions to make and that can be quite overwhelming but it was worth it in the end. The only thing that would have made it perfect was if the weather was a bit better but I have no control over that unfortunately - but there were no fires and it didn’t pour on us - so we were okay with it.

Northern BC’s source for everything bridal

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Three wedding photography trends you need to know about Whether you spend two weeks or two years planning your wedding, it’ll be over in the blink of an eye. To ensure you capture the event with beautiful photographs you’ll appreciate for a lifetime, take a look at these three inspiring wedding photography trends: 1. Drone photography. If your wedding is taking place in a beautiful outdoor location, a drone can create awe-inspiring photos that are impossible to get from the ground. Since photography drones are basically miniature helicopters with cameras attached to them, be sure to hire an experienced and licenced operator to avoid disaster.

called reportage style photography, these photos have a more candid and natural look than traditional shots. While your photographer will likely still cue you for some pictures, they’ll be using smaller, less obtrusive cameras to capture intimate moments from your wedding ceremony and reception.

No matter what type of pictures you eventually want to see framed on your mantle, the key to having beautiful photographs you and your partner will love is to work closely with your photographer.

2. Smoke bombs. Photographers are now incorporating colourful puffs of smoke that add an unexpected and untraditional element to wedding photos.

Available in any colour, smoke bombs can be used in different ways to add touches of whimsy or drama to your pictures.

3. Photojournalistic photos. Also

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Local Groom Q&A Domenico Sia married his bride Marissa on Aug. 31, 2019. Marissa completed her segment of the Q&A and Domenico was game to offer a groom’s perspective by answering the same questions.

Domenico and Marissa are a young never-been-marriedbefore couple who chose to have a traditional wedding at Immaculate Conception Church followed by the reception for 300 guests at the Prince George Civic Centre.

As Marissa is Portuguese and Domenico is Italian, they made sure to incorpo-

rate many traditions that came from their individual cultures and united them during the celebration, reflecting how they would move together into their marriage.

How they met wasn’t an especially elegant circumstance. Marissa and Domenico work at two different car dealerships and when Domenico found himself at Marissa’s workplace he promptly walked into a plate-glass wall in his brideto-be’s office, making quite the first impression.

He’s never lived it down.

Q:

A: Just agree. Agree with everything

How did you pop the question?

because if you don’t like it too bad. She asked me ‘do you like the black, the white or the grey?

I said grey, her response was a big intake of breath - and she said “I don’t know....” They went with the black/blue suit.

A: I gave the ring in a bag to

Marissa’s dog and the dog brought it to her and I wrecked a brand new pair of dress pants when I got down on one knee.

It was a bad rip too. She was all dressed up fancy - she had dress pants on, hair up in a bun, making me dinner.

Q: After having recently experi-

enced your own wedding, what advice would you like to give grooms-to-be?

Q:

Was there one moment that stood out that you know you will look back on forever and smile?

A: When she started walking down

Q:

the aisle. I hadn’t seen her for 24 hours and I didn’t know what her dress looked like because we didn’t do the ‘first look’. (That is a sneak peek where the bride and groom have a photographer capture the first moment when they get a first look at each other.) Everybody’s there and they’re looking at you and you’re looking down the aisle - kinda scary but at the same time kinda neat. It was pretty cool.

Did you find there was something that you first considered worth the investment only to realize looking back that you could have done with a less expensive version?

A: I mean, absolutely. But it

wouldn’t have been as awesome a wedding - so probably not. There was tons of stuff we could’ve cut down on but it wouldn’t have been as great.

Q:

Was there something that you splurged on and know it was so worth it?

then brought in special desserts.

We didn’t have to spend more but we did and the other thing was the photographers because if you’re going to have this big beautiful wedding you might as well take photos of it to remember it - and our photographers (Bring Photography) were amazing.

Q: Is there anything you would do differently?

A: Really nothing. Go with what

you think will look best first and just enjoy the day of your wedding because that day will fly by faster than you think.

Q:

How was your overall experience?

A: It was great. I don’t want to do

it again and it doesn’t really end.

We’re almost done are thank you cards. Just make sure that you pay attention to everything as it happens because the day goes by so fast. Before you know it, it’s done.

A: I would say the food. We spent

a little bit more on the food and

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Photo by GSP photography This is a rustic look used for a table set in a local pub. The unique setting was created by Something Blue.

Something Blue

Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff

s long as the bride feels A like their flowers reflect them, they’ve won, said one

local floral designer.

Melissa Beer of Something Blue Floral Design moved from Ontario to Prince George three years ago and has done floral design for the last 14 years.

“Fresh flowers hold such a memory for most people,” Beer said. “It’s about memories and setting the mood during your special day.”

Beer went to school for horticulture so it started out as an interest in developing gardens before she went into the designing aspect of it.

Beer joined Chapel Designers, which is an international collective of wedding and event floral designers in 2015 that offers education and information on what’s current but Beer is quick to say there’s nothing wrong with a classic wedding. It’s just good to have information about the latest trends, too.

“I tell all my brides that there’s no right or wrong,” Beer said. “They may see something that they think is how they have to do it - it’s 16

tradition and this is what we’ve always done but as long as they’re wedding feels like their own at the end of the day, they’ve won the battle in the planning process.”

During a consultation, Beer will talk about what a bride’s favourites might be that has some sentimental value to them and try to incorporate them if possible and then she works with the style, the feel or a colour to try and bring all of the other elements of the wedding together.

“Most brides walk away from their floral consultation feeling like they have a complete vision for their wedding,” Beer said.

Brides don’t have to worry too much about the seasonal aspects of floral design any more, Beer said. She can access all kinds of flowers from everywhere at any time of the year.

“It’s all about compatibility and trust for the vendors you’re working with and that’s so important,” Beer said. “Brides are hoping this will be their only wedding so they want to get it right. I think trust is a really important thing and budgeting is an incredibly difficult aspect I think unless you’ve been very close to the process

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Photo by Pearl Loerke Photography Here is a unique bouquet that is created by Something Blue as a true statement piece.

before. Being open to understanding that there is a higher cost for flowers - they are a luxury item nowadays and they are a bit of a treat but a wedding without them would be very bleak.”

Beer said people have to understand that not every client is right for every vendor and not every vendor is right for every client.

“We all go to these workshops and we all watch the same demonstration and we’re all given the same flowers but nobody designs

exactly the same,” Beer said.

“We’re all our own artists and that’s the creative aspect of this career. It all goes back to trust. It’s a big day to leave in someone else’s hands and I don’t take that lightly.”

Because it’s a perishable art form, Beer, who is aware of the fleeting passage of time, advises brides to make sure they get the right photographer to capture their special day and if it’s done right, floral design continues to have a lasting impact on their special day.

Melissa Beer is owner of Something Blue Floral Design.

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12+ Months

2020 } PLANNING

Book your priority vendors

Plan Accordingly Feeling overwhelmed by wedding planning? Ensure you stay on track and don’t let anything fall through the cracks with this vendor timeline

By Carley Lintz CTW Interviews

Your new fiancé may have spent weeks (or even months) deciding how to pop the question, but now is when the real planning starts.

Before you dive into the deep end of Pinterest, though, you need a game plan to give you structure in the midst of chaos and prevent you from becoming completely overwhelmed.

“There are so many details that go into planning a wedding. The time it takes to plan is like having a part time job and with all of the items

to juggle it can be so easy to forget something,” says Amanda Felsman, Wedding Stylist and Director.

“Using a checklist can help make sure you aren’t paying for costly mistakes.”

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is waiting too long to hire vendors. This can lead to extra rush fees, settling for subpar service because your dream vendor is unavailable or, at worst, going without a vendor at all.

Wedding planning has no room for procrastination, so to help you get started, here is a typical timeline, according to industry experts.

The average engagement lasts 12 to 18 months, so there are vendors who get booked a year or more in advance. “You want to book the vendors that there are only one of as early as you can so you have the most options,” advises Sarah Agee, owner of an event company.

“Bakeries can make dozens of wedding cakes so that doesn’t need to be as high of a priority as the photographer for example.”

Top priority vendors should

9+ Months Plan the reception

Next on your list should be many of the major players for the reception, such as the florist, caterer and entertainment (band, DJ, etc.).

Before you meet with potential candidates, though, ask your venue what their requirements are for vendors. You don’t want to book a caterer who needs access to an onsite kitchen or a band who needs plenty of outlets if your venue can’t

accommodate it.

Also, when interviewing any candidates, be sure you know exactly what you’re getting before you pay the deposit. “You want to make sure you understand the services you’re purchasing, such as the number of hours of their services you are purchasing or how you’ll receive the product after the wedding,” says Agee.

8+ Months

6+ Months

Choose your gown

Select the bridal party attire

Finding your dream dress takes time, so ensure you say yes to the right one by starting early. Plus, you’ll avoid rush fees for tailoring if you choose one early. If you are on a time crunch, your best bet is buying a sample size or from a resale website.

By the six-month mark, you’ll want your bridesmaids and groomsmen (and, of course the groom), to have ordered their wedding attire.

Like with the bridal gown, waiting too long runs the risk of not receiving something on back order or paying extra for last minute tailoring.

4+ Months

months or less you will have to be more flexible with your choices.”

If you’re planning your wedding on a time crunch, be prepared to compromise. Less time means you might not have access to your first venue choice or favorite photographer. And once you find a good option, you have to be ready to pull the trigger.

“You’ll have to be decisive. You need to make decisions and stick with those choices. You don’t have time to change your mind,” advises Agee. “Use vendors your friends have had good experiences with.

This can save you time on the researching end of wedding planning.”

Finalize your vendors

Approximately four months out from the big day, you should be finalizing any other vendors on your list, including the hair stylist, makeup artist, baker and transportation.

Of course, other details can still be made closer to the wedding, such as purchasing guest favors or ordering place cards, but you should aim to have all your actual vendors hired at this point.

Not every couple takes a whole year to plan a wedding, though.

“We have planned weddings in as little as 3 months so it can be done,” says Felsman. “The average is about a year but if you are planning in 8 18

include the venue, photographer, videographer and planner. If you have a favorite vendor in mind for other services, such as catering or hair, you should also go ahead and secure the booking for your date.

“I tweak the timeline depending on the couple and what is most important to them but the earlier you book vendors the more variety you have to pick from,” adds Felsman.

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Choosing the perfect wedding shoes

When it comes to accessories that complement your wedding dress, your shoes are arguably the most important. You want your footwear to both reflect your personal style and be comfortable enough to wear as you dance the night away. Here’s a guide to picking the perfect wedding shoes.

• Choose your dress first.

You’ll want to match the style of shoes to your dress.

• Make sure they fit. The best time to shop for shoes is in the late afternoon. If they’re comfortable after a day of work, they’ll fit perfectly on your wedding day.

• Don’t experiment with high heels. If you’re not used to wearing heels, don’t attempt to wear them at your wedding.

There are many flat and wedge

styles that make beautiful — and comfortable — bridal shoes.

• Make a statement. Shoes are a great way to add a pop of colour to your wedding attire.

• Bring them to your dress fitting. If your dress is long, it’ll need to be adjusted to the height of your shoes.

• Break them in. Wear your shoes around the house to avoid any nasty surprises on the day of your wedding. If they’re tight or uncomfortable, bring them to a shoemaker to stretch them out a bit.

Lastly, don’t forget to book a pedicure before your wedding.

Nothing looks better in stunning shoes than prettily pampered feet.

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Polished Chaos Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff

People may forget what her dress looked like. People might not notice her hair.

But one thing people never forget is the look on the bride’s face on her wedding day.

That’s where Katie Horodyski of Polished Chaos comes in.

Katie was born and raised in Prince George and started doing makeup for weddings and photography shoots about six years ago. She then officially opened her beauty service business, Polished Chaos, two years ago.

Katie started Polished Chaos as a blog about self care and self love and openly talked about mental health. She picked the name because she said it

describes her perfectly.

“Within that search for self love I realized that I had been doing makeup on the side for many years,” Katie said. “I found that was my happy place. I then slowly started to shift Polished Chaos towards beauty and makeup and then it just kind of stuck.”

She’s been an esthetician for about a decade, has worked as a court clerk and other jobs that she felt were so very far away from her bliss.

Katie said because she loves weddings, Polished Chaos offers a different kind of service.

“I love weddings and the fact that I get to be a part of the most exciting beginning of the day I wanted - selfishly - to be more involved in the wedding,” she said.

Photo by Wild Flower photo and film This is an example of the big picture after the bride is made up by Polished Chaos on her wedding day.

Continues on Page 22

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Usually on the wedding day makeup artists go to a location and are put in whatever corner is available and do people’s makeup and leave and that’s it and for her that wasn’t good enough, Katie explained.

“So I have curated packages for a bride where I help them get ready for their day,” Katie added. “So we include things other than just makeup.”

Polished Chaos’ other specialty is eyebrows that are ideally prepared ahead of the wedding day. There’s also a trial makeup session that is done ahead of time as well.

“When it comes to the morning of the wedding we offer our studio space exclusively to the bride and her party plus whoever else she wants to spend her morning with so that way she has a beautiful space to come to with great lighting and lots of open space that’s really great for those ‘getting ready’ photos,” Katie said.

Polished Chaos offers the wedding party special robes that coordinate with each other and it’s really cute and makes them look put together while they get prepared, she said.

To get the party started there’s brunch and mimosas so the bridal party doesn’t have to worry about stopping to eat during such an exciting time.

“We want them to walk through the door and everything is taken care of,” Katie said.

Clients are also given the option to invite their hair dressers to come into 22

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the studio so the bridal party can get everything done at the same time.

As for the actual preference in makeup application there’s a lot of options to consider.

“There are a lot of styles and trends out there right now however I find it completely depends on the person,” Katie said. “But there is definitely a typical bridal look that sees a very neutral eye that is a little bit more than they’d wear day-to-day that accentuates the eye and then really soft, glowy skin that again really looks like them but in photos is going to really pay off. So I always recommend for brides to have their skin fairly matte so we keep it a little bit more powdered so it lasts them throughout photos and dancing and speeches and crying and all those things that happen during a wedding.”

Katie said that offering a photo as a reference is always helpful because one person’s idea of a smoky eye might be completely different from another.

Accommodating different skin types is always important when considering how best to enhance a bride’s beauty.

“We always have complimentary consultations prior to booking just to see what their vision is for their special day,” Katie said.

“The one thing I always talk about with my brides and put the focus on for a little bit is skin care. I always say makeup is only going to look as the skin underneath.

So I really urge my brides to take care of their skin leading up to their wedding.”

Katie suggests using moisture masks and exfoliating the skin beginning as early as three months ahead of the wedding.

“So I help guide them in that direction so they have the best skin on their special day,” Katie said.

“That way makeup will wear well, look well and to make that happen skin prep is very important.”

For more information about Polished Chaos visit polishedchaos.com.

your day your way

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Ramada Plaza by Wyndham - PRince GeoRGe

Photo credit: NortherN Pixel PhotograPhy photo credit: northern pixel photography

Marriage is a beautiful, remarkable adventure. And like any adventure, your first day together sets the tone for the rest of your journey. It’s why we pride ourselves in delivering the wedding you want. Your way.

Our catering staff will work with you and your designer to create your space exactly as you want to remember it. Few days last a lifetime. But this one does. Your day.

On this day, two families become one. Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Prince George offers the facilities and services to accommodate you, your partner and your wedding party.

Contact our Catering Team to make special arrangements for your special day.

Call us directly at 250.561.5681 or email tcranmer@ramadaprincegeorge.com Sincerely, The Ramada Wedding Team

Two beauTiful spaces To choose from: CRAnBROOk BAllROOM

SkYlIGhT BAllROOM

The Cranbrook Ballroom can seat up to 200 guests. We offer six different table configurations so you choose whichever best suits your needs.

A naturally lit space for more intimate unions, the Skylight Ballroom offers seating for up to 90 of your closest friends and family.

plus many hotel amenities available for you and your guests!

444 George Street, Prince George, BC T: 250.563.0055 T/F: 1.800.830.8833 ramadaprincegeorge.com R0011792233

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