The Voice | September 29, 2026
10
Step into our timeless space for your lasting memories... We are ready to make wedding dreams come true! Dates open for 2026, 2027
Marwayne
BarnOnTheBend.com Community Hall 5 essential elements for planning a successful wedding
plete buffet for menus that in A Unique Setting clude vegetarian or lactose free dishes. Your Special Occasion
Just got engaged and ready to start planning your big day? Organizing a wedding is exciting, but it also requires you to make a lot of deci sions. Here are five key things to keep in mind.
5. BOOK AN ENTERTAINER
MUSICIAN Consider theOR Music sets the tone for the celebration. Depend ing on your budget and preferences, hire a DJ beau�ful, quiet loca�on or live band to play appropriate music at the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Always of the Marwayne ask for references from satisfied customers be booking. Communityfore Hall 2. CHOOSE AN OFFICIANT 1. SET A BUDGET Start by deciding how much you’re willing to spend on the event. You don’t need an exact figure right away, but you should try to estimate costs for essentials like the venue, cake, dresses and suits.
Step into our timeless space for your lasting memories... photo credit to www.crownphotography.ca We are ready to make wedding dreams come true! Dates open for 2027, 2028
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Depending on whether you want a civil or reli Planning a wedding involves many details, but sea�ng forcareful 375 in preparation main hall will ensure nothing gets over gious ceremony, you’ll have • toBanquet hire someone photo credit to www.crownphotography.ca as you create a magical moment that re who is legally authorized to declare you mar • Large mee�ng roomlooked with table-sea�ng ried. This could be a priest, a notary or even a flects who you are. Hire a specialized company forproper 80, or autho use it for buffet-style banquet in your area. family member who obtains the rization. • Large covered pa�o backs onto nature, 3. SEND OUT INVITATIONS accessible from main hall Whether you send your invita • Modern, beau�ful bathrooms tions by post or email, get them out as soon as possible. Ideally, you • Stage with dressing rooms & washrooms should do this at least four months • Excellent sound room with recently before the wedding. This will help you confirm the number of place upgraded A/V equipment settings, chairs and other arrange • Camping on site or just 10 minutes ments that need to be provided on the big day. north at Lea Park
Vermilion Wedding Showcase 2026
• Just a 30 minute drive from Lloydminster 4. PLAN THE MENU One of the keys to a successful wedding is undoubtedly serving good food. Take the time to ex plore your catering options. Some BarnOnTheBend.com caterers, for example, offer com
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Contact 780-214-1410
62038 TWP 505A, Vermilion AB | 780-853-0078 | barnonthebendvermilion@gmail.com photo credit to Roaming Vaquera Photography
For more informa�on visit marwayne.ca
The Voice | September 29, 2026
Lorna Hamilton
11
Beyond The Photo Booth: Fun Ways To Make Your Wedding Unforgettable
ask where the couple first met, who said practical — or absolutely hilarious. think the evening is winding down. “I love you” first, who is more likely to be A similar idea is to leave “Recipe for A late-night surprise of pizza, fries, Couples can spend months choos- late, who does most of the cooking or a Happy Marriage” cards at each table. mini grilled-cheese sandwiches, doughing the perfect flowers, debating colours, which one takes longer to get ready. Guests can finish sentences such as, nuts, popcorn or even breakfast food can finding just the right centrepieces and The answers can be revealed through- “Never go to bed without...” or “The be a welcome sight after several hours of making sure every little detail of their out the evening, giving guests who may secret to a happy marriage is...” celebrating and dancing. It doesn’t have wedding day comes together. not know one another an easy conversaThose cards are almost guaranteed to be elaborate; the surprise itself is often But years later, guests probably won’t tion starter. to produce a mixture of wisdom and part of the fun. remember whether the napkins were Tables can even be given secret responses that probably shouldn’t be Couples could even create their own sage green or dusty rose. missions. printed in the wedding album. miniature wedding newspaper for guests, They will remember laughing until One table might be challenged to get Music can become interactive, too. complete with their love story, funny their sides hurt, getting pulled onto the the groom into a group selfie. Another Couples can ask guests to request a headlines, wedding-party introductions, dance floor, hearing a touching story could be responsible for star ting a song when they RSVP and explain why photographs, trivia and perhaps a crossthey had never heard before or taking conga line. Someone else may have it deserves a spot on the playlist. Hear- word or word search based on their relapart in something that made the celebra- to convince Grandma to hit the dance ing “their song” later in the evening gives tionship. tion feel completely different from every floor. guests another personal connection to Whatever they choose, the goal other wedding they have attended. The sillier the challenge, the better. the celebration and may even draw a doesn’t have to be filling every minute Adding a little personality and interA wedding scavenger hunt is another few reluctant dancers onto the floor. of the reception with another scheduled action to a wedding doesn’t necessar- way to keep guests involved without For couples who like the idea of a activity. ily mean spending more money, either. interrupting the celebration. Rather than guest book but want something a little Sometimes one or two unexpected Some of the most memorable ideas are searching for objects, guests use their different, audio guest books have also touches are enough. surprisingly simple. phones to capture moments throughout become an option. Guests pick up a After all, the weddings people talk Instead of the traditional guest book, the night — someone crying during a telephone and record a message for about years later aren’t necessarily the for example, couples can ask guests to speech, the youngest and oldest guests the newlyweds rather than signing their ones with the biggest budgets or the leave something they will actually enjoy together, an outrageous dance move, a names on a page. most elaborate decorations. They’re revisiting. An anniversary time capsule couple married for more than 30 years Those recordings can capture voices, often the celebrations where guests lets friends and family write advice, dancing or the bride finally kicking off laughter and personalities in a way weren’t simply invited to watch the day predictions, funny stories or heartfelt her shoes. handwriting never could, particularly unfold. messages that the newlyweds promise Those candid photographs may end messages from grandparents, parents They became part of it. not to open until a future anniversary. up becoming some of the couple’s and other loved ones that may become Another option is a date-night jar. favourites. increasingly precious as the years pass. Guests write down ideas for future For a sentimental touch, the tradiChildren can get in on the fun as well. dates, ranging from dinner at a favourite tional anniversary dance can become A small activity package with colouring restaurant to going for ice cream, taking more than another trip to the dance pages, puzzles and a wedding scaven- Tents 10’x10’ Thru to 60’x200’ a country drive or spending an evening floor. Married couples are gradually ger hunt can help keep younger guests - Tables & Chairs - Staging playing board games at home. Months eliminated according to how long they entertained. They can even be given - Dance Flooring - Dinnerware after the wedding is over, the couple have been married until the longest- important “assignments,” such as find- Pipe & Drape, Linen and more... is still enjoying something their guests married couple remains. Before leav- ing someone wearing blue, spotting the Check out our online Catalogue helped create. ing the floor, they can be asked to share first person to cry or counting how many at www.thetentguys.net For those who want a little more laugh- one piece of advice with the newlyweds. people they can convince to dance. ter, wedding trivia can be placed on the Depending on the couple giving the And sometimes the most memorable tables during dinner. Questions might advice, the answer could be touching, part of a reception happens when guests Editor
780-205-7368
KITSCOTY HALL
Plan the party at a price you can afford! Weddings, birthdays, showers or meetings - large and lively or small and intimate Kitscoty Hall can accommodate. • Our hall banquet capacity is 350 people • Bar and walk in cooler (can bring • Large beautiful hard wood dance floor in your own bartenders) • Meeting room to host a number of • Stage for entertaining different events (60 people capacity) • Full kitchen with Dishwasher • Screen and projector available (can bring in your own caterer) • Sound system & microphone provided
Timeless Style
For more information or to book our facility contact Ellen Frank at 780-872-9465 or Email: kitscotyhall@gmail.com. You can also check us out on Facebook or our Website www.kitscotyhall.com
for your special day THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION VENUE AND GUEST HOUSE
INFO@SOUTHAFRICAHOUSE.CA WWW.SOUTHAFRICAHOUSE.CA
Book Vermilion Regional Centre 587-281-5592 @SOUTHAFRICAHOUSE_
Call 780.581.2413 to reserve your booking Or email vrc@vermilion.ca