Keith & Lani’s Winnipeg Wedding
Keith & Lani (Jones) Ivany
Married November 1, 2008
Breezy Bend Country Club
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Boy Meets Girl - Keith and Lani met in 2006 in Brandon where Lani (who’s now a human resource worker) was working as a bartender to pay her way through university. Keith is in the Canadian military and is based at camp Shilo. “When he came into my bar, I thought that he was the best looking guy I had ever seen,” Lani says. “We got to know each other and started dating a few weeks later.”
On Bended Knee – Keith proposed to Lani on May 10, 2007, at their home in Shilo. “He had it planned. I was home sick that day. He set the alarm on our new cell phone and when I picked up the phone, he asked me to marry him. It was a nice surprise.”
Kiss The Bride – Keith and Lani chose Breezy Bend for the ceremony because they had known other couples who married there and because Lani’s parents live nearby. The bride was piped down the aisle by a string quartet. The couple had 80 guests. “Having our families and close friends at our wedding made it awesome,” Lani says. “I loved it.”
Fabulous Details – Keith and Lani’s wedding dinner at the golf club consisted of roasted red pepper bisque soup, roast chicken, spring salad and chocolate ganache. “We didn’t have a wedding cake,” Lani says. “Neither of us likes cake.”
Their Time Away – Since Keith had recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was tired of traveling. The newlyweds drove out to a resort for a week to enjoy the spa treatment and relax. “It was perfect,” Lani says.
Text by Myron Love
Photography by Madix Photography
Venue and Catering by Breezy Bend Country Club
Wedding Gallery – Click On An Image To Enlarge
Alternatives to Traditional Bachelor(ette) Parties
Traditionally, bachelor parties are held in restaurants, bars or social halls. But there are alternatives. You might want to consider, for example, a paintball outing.
”Paintball is a great source of exercise for any age,” says Evan Schroeder, the owner of Splatters Paintball in New Bothwell (20 minutes South of Winnipeg, and 15 minutes from Steinbach). “It’s a chance to leave behind the day-to-day stress and rejuvenate the spirit of adventure.”
An average game is about three hours and a basic package at Splatters starts at $30 per person with discounts based on the size of the group. There are also fire pits available for those who want to have a wiener roast afterwards.
Ladies planning a bachelorette party may wish to consider a more stimulating alternative which is what “it’s My Pleasure” offers. Located at 100-250 Panet Road, It’s My Pleasure includes a women’s resource center, dance studio and boutique. The main studio area is used for workshops, dance classes, toy parties and as a gathering place for women to get together to talk and have a cup of coffee.
“We can offer lessons in pole dancing or erotic dancing in our studio or in your home,” says It’s My Pleasure founder Tamara Thompson. “We also offer sessions in belly dancing, burlesque dancing or combinations of all.”
Thompson also organizes adult toy parties. “Our goal is to educate, entertain and empower women,” Thompson says.
Guess The Dress Code?
Dear Diva,
I have been invited to four different weddings in the next few months and none of the invitations included information on dress code. What would be considered appropriate dress for a wedding without a dress code?
Tony B.
Saskatoon, SK
Dear Tony,
Generally, unless a dress code is indicated, you can determine the most appropriate attire based on the location & time of the event. Afternoon weddings are generally less formal than evening weddings. Outdoor weddings and similar venue are usually less formal than banquet halls and ballrooms. An afternoon wedding in a park with a tent reception would indicate a less formal dress code. On the other hand, an early evening wedding in a cathedral followed by a catered dinner and dance at a banquet hall would indicate a more formal dress code.
Appropriate attire can range from sundresses and slacks for an informal event to suits and evening gowns for a formal evening event. If you are still unsure opt for an outfit that can easily be pared down. Men can opt for a suit and simply leave the suit jacket in the car if you arrive to find most guests are dressed casually. For a female guest a little black dress can be dressed up or down simply by changing shoes and accessories.
Be Fabulous,
The Wedding Diva
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Have a question for The Wedding Diva?
Email your questions to diva@imaginemagazine.ca
Wedding Traditions Around The World
The word “wed ” is derived from the ancient Greek word for “pledge”. And that’s exactly what a wedding is…no matter what country, no matter what culture.
Wedding Traditions in Asia
When it comes to weddings in the mysterious Far East, the rich diversity of Asian cultures, traditions and religions make for a wide variety of colourful wedding customs.
In Japan, purple is the color of love, with brides selecting an elaborately-embroidered silk kimono covered in purple iris-flowers. Weddings are traditionally Buddhist, where two strings of beads are interwoven during the ceremony, symbolizing the joining of two families into one. In Shinto ceremonies, natural spirits called
“kami”, are called upon to bless the couple.
Chinese traditions involve the gift of a whole roast pig given by the groom’s family to the bride’s family as an appropriate engagement gift. The bride’s wedding gown is bright red, symbolizing good luck, with elaborate golden phoenixes, chrysanthemums, and peonies, symbolizing wealth and good fortune.
Korean traditions call for a fortune-teller, known as a “kung-hap”, to look into the couple’s future before they marry. A harmonious union is very important since the engagement gifts often cost upwards of $40,000.
In India, it’s bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other for several days before the wedding. During the ceremony the couple hold in their hands grains of rice, oats, and green leaves, signifying wealth, good health and happiness.
Middle Eastern Wedding Traditions
In the Middle East, traditions have been passed down for several centuries and each region has a unique flavour. Parties figure prominently…the engagement party, the signing of the marriage contract party, and the Hena party.
Israeli brides wear “something blue”, symbolizing fidelity. Yemeni celebrations involve the entire community, with music playing an important role at the wedding reception.
North American Wedding Traditions
North American wedding traditions are among the most varied in all the world as they encompass many cultures. Mexican traditions have been influenced by Spain, France, and by their own ancient cultural traditions stretching as far back as the Aztecs. The United States has been influenced by every country and culture on Earth, making for a rich and varied amalgamation of traditions. Canadian traditions have been influenced by both English and French traditions.
And in almost all cultures, the marriage ceremony ends with the bride and groom exchanging a kiss, symbolizing for all people everywhere the physical uniting of two souls.
Text by Norma-Jean Alt
Photography by Joel Ross
Wedding Venue: Fort Garry Hotel
Wedding Cake by Belle Cake & Candy
Solange & Shawn’s Destination Wedding
Shawn & Solange (Sookran) Galant
Married April 4, 2009, in Mayan Riviera
Boy Meets Girl – Solange, a construction project manager, and Shawn, a nine-year veteran of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football team, originally met online. “Shawn added me as a friend on hi5,” Solange says. “I didn’t know him at the time but we started talking on the site and got to know each other very well.” The couple went on their first date in February 2006, when Shawn flew into Winnipeg from his off-season home in California to meet Solange in person.
On Bended Knee - Shawn proposed to Solange in a gondola at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas in January of last year. “We were in the gondola and Shawn asked me to tell him something I really liked about him. Then he told me what he really liked about me and brought out the ring.”
Kiss The Bride – The couple was married on the Mayan Riviera in Mexico. “We both like the hot sun and we have family all over North America and the Caribbean.” Solange says. “We thought we would make the wedding a vacation for everyone. We had a civil ceremony outdoors with about 30 relatives
and friends attending.”
Fabulous Details – Solange wore the Diana wedding dress designed by Enzo Ani. Solange and Shawn chose a Brazilian restaurant for their wedding supper. Waiters brought around swords with meat attached to them and sliced the meat right at the table. The wedding cake was a traditional Mexican “three-milk” cake, a three-tiered cake decorated with traditional Mexican flowers.
Their Time Away – For their honeymoon, Solange and Shawn are going to be going to Trinidad where Solange was born. But that will only happen after football season.
Text by Myron Love
Photography By Wedlife Photography & Video
RSVP Deadline Looming?
Dear Diva,
Our RSVP deadline is coming up in less than a week and so far only 34 of our 180 RSVPs have been received. Our caterer needs a final number by a set date so we really need to know as quickly as possible. Would it be rude for me to call guests who haven’t RSVPed yet?
Samantha W.
Regina, SK
Dear Samantha,
It is normally recommended that you set your RSVP deadline a week or more before your caterer’s deadline for exactly that reason – there are always at least a few guests who forget to RSVP and you need to leave yourself enough time to contact those guests so you can finalize your guest list. It is best to wait until your RSVP deadline has passed and then feel free to call those who haven’t responded.
Don’t mention the RSVP deadline or your guest’s failure to RSVP. Just explain that you need a final guest count for the caterer and you wanted to confirm that they would be attending. This will give you a final guest count without insulting any of your guests.
Be Fabulous,
The Wedding Diva
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Have a question for The Wedding Diva?
Email your questions to diva@imaginemagazine.ca
Yoga – For The Stress
From the time I was in Junior High I searched for a way to exercise that would be beneficial to my body first and foremost. However I wanted to enjoy myself as well. Truthfully I struggled with weight from about grade 5 until this very day. If I don’t exercise and eat a well balanced diet I will gain weight fast.
My quest for the right type of exercise for my body began with taping a 7am aerobics class on TV and doing the class in my parents’ basement over and over again. I realized it was getting boring and I felt a little trapped being inside. I began to run outside during the warmer months yet still felt as though something was missing. A new gym opened in my area and it was very popular so I figured why not go there. I did a variety of exercises at the gym. I tried every cardio machine and played around with some weights.
I found that I did trim down but by the time I was in University I had reached my plateau. The greatest challenge I kept facing was that I never truly looked forward to going to the gym. I awaited the end of my workout every time and if I didn’t have a friend to go with me I could talk myself out of going. In my mid twenties I decided that I needed to hire a personal trainer. At first having a personal trainer was fun. I had someone catering to my specific needs and I always had someone to workout with. The only problem was I actually started to feel worse about my body. I gain muscle quickly and I was bulking up in areas I didn’t want to. I also did not look forward to the monthly cellulite checks.
So what was next on my quest?
My cousin suggested joining a running program with her. I made her promise to not miss out on any classes because I needed her to motivate me to go. Again it was fun at first to try something new, however I never enjoyed running all those years ago and I realized soon that I didn’t enjoy it today either. I felt amazing once our runs were complete but during the entire run I would wait for the class to end.
So… I went back to the gym.
This brings my journey to last year. I was preparing for my upcoming wedding and quite frankly I was very stressed out. It was approaching fast and I anticipated all the things that could go wrong. Due to many things, stress being one of them, one morning I woke up with a sore back. As the morning progressed my back kept tightening. By the time I arrived at work I couldn’t breathe. My boss took me to the hospital where I was told I put my back out. I began going for physiotherapy and was told to not do any type of
exercise for a few weeks. I began to get antsy and feel as though I needed exercise to balance me especially in the months prior to my wedding. My physiotherapist suggested that I take up yoga as it might help my back. I had heard about hot yoga and I decided to give it a shot. When I first went to Moksha Yoga I was nervous.
I filled out all these forms, I told the instructor about my back and she was very understanding and helpful. The first class I attended was a 90-minute Moksha Yoga and Nena was my teacher. When the class ended I felt as though this whole new world had opened up to me. I loved it! As I went more and more I kept feeling better and better about myself and more importantly my back pain disappeared! As the wedding neared people started asking me how I could be so calm. They said I seemed more relaxed than ever. I just kept saying that at this point in the game, I’ve done what I can do and whatever else happens is out of my
control so I’m just going to enjoy the ride.
Yoga has done so much for me that it is impossible to keep my story to one paragraph! I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet!
The weekend of my wedding arrived. I felt ready, I felt excited, and I was mentally and physically in an amazing place (in fact I’d lost weight from yoga and my dress was a tad big – but still looked amazing!). I swear yoga saved my wedding day! The morning began with a wonderful latté and all my bridal party at the salon getting their hair done.
The only problem was that my hairdresser wasn’t there. He forgot about me! His boss had to go to his house and wake him up! He was over an hour late and in the end did a great job. For some reason, I was completely calm throughout the morning not worried about what would happen if he didn’t show. I guess I figured one of the 4 other hairdressers in the salon could do my hair if they had to. Everyone at the salon
expected me to explode and couldn’t believe that I didn’t even break a sweat. That wasn’t even the worst of it! I was off to do pictures, which we did before the ceremony. My fiancée and I had a great time and loved just being silly during the shoot.
We saw a playground and thought how amazing it would be to get pictures of us all dressed up in the playground. I still can’t believe I pushed my fiancée down a slide in his tux, or that I climbed up a play structure in my dress! Well, what did I expect? I leaned up against the play structure and when I leaned back I noticed blue chalk all over my dress. I just stood there and kept breathing in and out. I looked up and saw my fiancée, the photographer and the videographer all looking at me waiting for me to literally detonate. I didn’t! I just said that we all needed to work together now to get it off my dress.
Long story short, 95% of the chalk came off and no one noticed the other 5% except for those that already knew it was there (and it’s not visible in the pictures or the video).
I swear yoga has made me more rational and calm. I’m able to put things in perspective and focus on the more important things in life. I have finally found a practice that has not only allowed me to reach my physical goals but has been an emotional and spiritual exercise for me as well. I look forward to my yoga practice, I love being in the classes and I feel amazing when I leave! What else could you ask for?
Text by Jodi Kravetsky
Liquor License on Private Property?
Dear Diva,
My parents own a large country property just outside of the city and it is the perfect setting for an intimate summer wedding. We would like to have our wedding and reception there. Since the reception will be taking place in our own backyard do we need a liquor license?
Tina F.
Winnipeg, MB
Dear Tina,
According to the Manitoba Liquor Commission, if you are hosting the reception on private property, you may serve alcohol without a license but you cannot sell alcohol. In order to sell alcohol, a liquor license is required and liquor licenses can only be issued for receptions held in a banquet hall.
It is important to remember that the property owner and host is responsible for ensuring that alcohol is consumed responsibly, that wedding guests are not driving drunk, etc.
The MLCC also recommends that you contact your local police department. Local bi-laws can vary and your local police department will be able to let you know if there are any local bi-laws that will affect your event. Brides planning weddings outside of Manitoba should contact their local liquor commissions as regulations may vary from province to province as well.
Be Fabulous,
The Wedding Diva
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Have a question for The Wedding Diva?
Email your questions to diva@imaginemagazine.ca
