Ryan & Christen’s Brandon Wedding
Ryan and Christen (Schombaert) Nickel
Married August 16, 2008
Brandon, Manitoba
Boy Meets Girl – Ryan, an urban planner, and Christen, a veterinary technologist, met in Saskatoon where they were attending university and started dating in 2006. . “She was really a lot of fun,” Ryan says of Christen.
On Bended Knee – Ryan proposed to Christen during the 2007 Christmas holidays. He proposed while the two of them were going for a walk around the skating Oval in Brandon with all the lights on.
Kiss The Bride – Ryan and Christen’s wedding ceremony was a traditional ceremony in St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church in Brandon.
Fabulous Details – The reception and dinner were held in Brandon with chicken and cheese cake on the menu. Christen’s grandmother made the wedding cake out of rice flour (with chocolate and vanilla icings) since the bride is allergic to wheat.
Their Time Away – Ryan and Christen booked into a hotel in Fernie, B.C. for a few days and spent time exploring the area.
Text by Myron Love
Photography by Photography By Dale
Decor/Rentals by Party Professionals
Flowers by Grower Direct
Child Friendly Event?
Dear Diva,
We are getting married in November and we have 3 children between the two of us so this will be a kid friendly event. Obviously, we want this to be a celebration for them as well as for us. What can I do to keep all the kids entertained while their parents are having fun?
M. Avery
There are many ways you can incorporate kid friendly events into the reception depending on the age of the children involved. Set up a children’s area – this can be either a designated space in the reception area or a separate room off of the reception hall. Depending on the age of the children, you will want to hire sitters with child care experience to help supervise the children.
Taking the children’s ages into consideration, plan a series of activities and options to keep the children entertained. Some ideas may include a special entertainer, a clown, coloring or craft centers, a movie, video games, a piñata and party games. Party favors and goodie bags are also a great touch. Make sure to offer healthy drinks and snacks for the children to enjoy though-out the evening as well.
Most importantly – remain flexible. Small children may not want to be away from mom and dad all evening and may wander in and out of the children’s area. Older children, teenagers especially, like to be part of the adult crowd and will probably want to join in the fun. Make age appropriate options available and allow the children to enjoy them as they please.
Be Fabulous,
The Wedding Diva
——-
Have a question for The Wedding Diva?
Email your questions to diva@imaginemagazine.ca
Jon & Tracey’s Cherry Hill Wedding
Jon & Tracey (Kiansky) Loewen
August 22, 2008
Cherry Hill Estate
Boy Meets Girl – Jon and Tracey met four years ago when he came into the Dairy Queen in Steinbach where she was working. They started dating shortly after. Tracey says,” We liked each other’s personalities.”
On Bended Knee -”I came home from work one day and found that Jon had filled my bedroom with heart-shaped candles,” Tracey recalls. “He was standing there in a suit with flowers in one hand and the ring in the other. He dropped to one knee and proposed.”
Kiss The Bride -The ceremony was held outside of Cherry Hill Estate in Steinbach. The bride wore an all-lace dress. The bridesmaids wore pencil short chocolate brown dresses. The groomsmen wore black tuxedos.
Fabulous Details – Jon and Tracey’s reception and dinner took place in a big tent at Cherry Hill Estate. There were salmon, chicken and pork entrees. Instead of a wedding cake, the newlyweds had cup cakes and a candy bar for their guests.
Their Time Away – For their honeymoon, Jon and Tracey, spent five days at a resort in the Whiteshell.
Venue & Catering: Cherry Hill Estate
Florals: Evangeline’s Flower Hut
Photos Between Events?
Dear Diva,
We are getting married on July 4 and our ceremony and reception are both at the same hotel where most of the guests will be staying. We have a tight budget, but we would like to offer some sort of entertainment to keep them occupied while we are having pictures taken between the ceremony and reception. Do you have any suggestions?
M. Suffron
Winnipeg, Manitoba
It used to be quite common to have a few hours between the ceremony and reception where the wedding party would disappear for photo sessions. Today, couples are becoming a lot more considerate of their guests who are left waiting with nothing to do and it’s a refreshing change.
One of the common ways that couples are choosing to deal with this empty time is simply to move it. A lot of couples are opting for photo sessions prior to the ceremony. This often starts with a special planned meeting for the bride and groom. This is often planned for a place that has special meaning to the couple with the photographer on hand to capture that first moment when the couple sees each other. The photographer would then spend time taking photos of the couple and then the wedding party and family members arrive for photos as well. If you plan ahead, you will have more time and be able to relax and enjoy the photo session. When the ceremony is done, you can go straight to the reception to celebrate with your guests.
A second option is to plan a day-after photo shoot. Make arrangements with your photographer to meet the day after the wedding, get dressed up in your wedding finery, and spend the afternoon shooting photos of the two of you. You will have plenty of time and be more relaxed which will result in fantastic photos and on the actual wedding day you will only need to make time for wedding party and family photos.
If you prefer to keep the photo session between the ceremony and reception you will need a few hours and there are things you can do to keep guests busy. Plan a cocktail hour with appetizers during the hours that you will be away. This will encourage guests to mingle and visit while they wait. If you will have children at the wedding, you may want to plan additional entertainment for them as well – coloring books, a movie, a clown, etc. If you have attractions near the hotel like a park or a museum, let guests know these are available to enjoy. If the attraction requires an entry fee you can often make arrangements in advance so that your guests will be allowed access while you pay a greatly discounted group rate. You may also want to talk with your wedding coordinator and DJ to see what ideas they have to help fill this time slot.
Be Fabulous,
The Wedding Diva
——-
Have a question for The Wedding Diva?
Email your questions to diva@imaginemagazine.ca
Destination Winnipeg?
Dear Diva,
My fiancé and I live in the US but our families are both from Winnipeg so we are planning a destination wedding in Winnipeg. We will not have a lot of time in Winnipeg before the wedding to do the planning and could use all the help you can offer.
Candy
Detriot, MN
I would highly recommend that you get connected with a local wedding coordinator right from the start. We have some talented Winnipeg wedding coordinators in our Wedding Directory. Take a little time to visit their websites, view their portfolios and speak with them on the phone. This will help you decide which coordinator best suits your style and personality.
Your wedding coordinator will be able to do a lot of the leg work for you. They can take your wedding budget, wedding style and number of guests into consideration to give you a complete list of venues in Winnipeg that will suit your wedding. They can visit venues for you, take photos, help with contracts, etc. Your coordinator can also recommend florists, bakers, caterers, photographers and other Winnipeg wedding professionals that best suit your wedding.
Be Fabulous,
The Wedding Diva
——-
Have a question for The Wedding Diva?
Email your questions to diva@imaginemagazine.ca
Cash Bar Notes In Invitation?
Dear Diva,
My fiancé and I are planning to have a cash bar at our reception. We will have a cocktail hour before dinner and we will be serving wine during dinner. Do we need to mention the cash bar on the invitation so guests are prepared for this?
Steph
Thompson, Manitoba
A cash bar can be a very touchy subject. In some families a cash bar at a wedding is the norm while in other families it is highly unusual. If your family falls into the first category, you don’t need to worry about it at all. They will be used to weddings that offer a cash bar and will already come prepared with cash in hand if they plan to drink.
If most of your guests are used to weddings that have open bars, then you may want to spread the word in advance. I would suggest doing this by word of mouth rather than in your invitation. Explain to your closest family and friends that you will be offering alcohol before and during dinner and you will have punch and a cash bar available in the evening for those who wish to partake. Ask them to help spread the word to other family members and friends who will be in attendance.
Be Fabulous,
The Wedding Diva
——-
Have a question for The Wedding Diva?
Email your questions to diva@imaginemagazine.ca
