Steampunk Style

{rosario dawson’s soft bob – image from celebstyle }

A big trend on the red carpet this year has been the ‘fake’ bob of soft curls. For girls with long hair, this is a great way to take the hair off your shoulders without getting rid of any volume, style, or elegance. This romantic, yet modern hairstyle will look great on any bride.

{lauren conrad – image from the hollywood gossip }

Here’s a nice step by step video on how to create this look. I think I’m going to try it on my own time and see how it looks.

I spent a good hour of my time browsing through the portfolio of the event & design planners Fête and boy was I impressed! I decided to show you the one that was both chic and attainable enough for any of us to recreate. If you get a chance, have a look at the rest of their opulent portfolio, as it will provide you will boundless inspiration. (click images to enlarge)

A large charcoal seating chart creates an impact when guests walk into the light, monochromatic white room. I am a big big big fan of lanterns. As you can see, they soften the room.

I love the contrast between the long tables covered in maroon linens and the stark white walls and dinnerware.

The large ivory candles show that you don’t need to fill a table with expensive floral centerpieces, and the empty spaces in between can be filled in with a collection of apples, pears, and figs.

{images: Fête }

Have you been missing some wedding inspiration? I wanted to share some details from this next wedding sent over by ES-Sense Photography to tie you over to the new year. Kathleen & Allan used a modern monogram throughout..on the cake, wall gobo, programs, invites and menus which really tied everything together. I have always been a fan of black and white weddings and absolutely love how chic and ‘black tie’ it looks!

Cake: Twiggs Bakery and Coffee House
Gown: Oleg Cassini
Florist: Peony Floral
Photographer: ES-Sense Photography
Invitations: Emirick Haro
Wedding Coordinator: Occasions Made Perfect
Makeup: Jenn Atienza

Singer-songwriter turned fashion and textiles designer, Pearl Lowe married Danny Goffey in a stylish affair filled with dark, gothic details. If you don’t recognize the bride’s name, she is also the mother of Daisy Lowe who’s father is Gavin Rossdale. Have a look at the lace detailing used throughout the wedding, including the detailed black cupcakes. The lace was from Pearl’s fashion and homewear range and florals were black and red roses.

The colors of the wedding reminds me a lot of Ashlee Simpson‘s wedding which you can see here .

{picture scans from OK magazine}

What a year 2011 was for Wedding Obsession. It flew by and I am so unbelievably happy with where the site is headed. I hope you’ve all enjoyed the inspiration this past year, there’s definitely more to come! Here’s a look at some of my favorite posts under the category of “photoshoots”. We have some fabulous Canadian talent in our vendors, thanks to all who shared their work with us this past year.

march 28: Burberry Styled Shoot

may 3: Black swan inspired shoot

sept 1: Exotic Photoshoot

oct 17: Vibrant Modern Photoshoot

Come back in later today to see the picks for our 2011 engagements!

July 28: Country Love Session

Aug 10: Roller Coasters + Love

Aug 22: Charming Picnic Engagement

Oct 14: Sweet Ottawa Engagement

Oct 26: Modern engagement

I have been meaning to post this, as I thought it was a neat new idea for any wedding decore. But better late than never! Chalkboard China specializes in providing you with chalk-friendly essential event items that you can customize for your wedding. They have centerpieces, wine glasses, place settings…aren’t they cute?

Another item that brides and grooms tend to forget about is their wedding toasting flutes! You’re bound to be toasted numerous times throughout the wedding reception, so how sweet would it be to have personalized wedding toasting flutes that you can keep for after the wedding? Check out these flutes from American Bridal…I love the fourth one with the black stems.

Lucky you! I was going to wait until the new year to share some of the 2012 collection by Canadian designer Lea-Ann Belter, but I just couldn’t wait. So here’s a peek at some of the gowns. I love love love this collection. The lace details are definitely a favorite of mine and I’ve been told that they’re an ode to the Royal Wedding. Which are your favorites?

If you want to learn more about Lea-Ann, please check out the interview I did with her this past year.

{images courtesy Lea-Ann Belter Bridal }

Oh how I’ve missed updating regularly. Just got back from Vancouver, snowy Vancouver. The weather was record breakingly insane as they endured multiple snowfalls which rarely ever happens. Happy to be home in Edmonton, although it’s very very cold. And since I’ve finally finished school, I’ll have more time for blogging!

Classic: A simple bouquet can accompany this delicate three tiered cake with white sugar blossoms.

Twist: FUN! This cake is made up of individual round cakes in bright, pastel colors. The colors are also present in the wedding invitations, menu cards & bouquet.

{images from you & your wedding magazine}

Back and totally ready to get back into wedding mode! Do you have a Christmas hangover? You’ll get over it pretty easily with this next wedding. Today’s bride is actually a friend of mine. I met Melissa (Kristian) in graduate school and I knew it was only a matter of time when she and Patrick would tie the knot because they’re absolutely adorable together.

Patrick and I met through a mutual friend 6 years ago. We were friends at first…and the rest is history. He jokes he had to trick me to hold my hand for the first time. My friends and I used to play silly games like “rock, paper, scissors” when we couldn’t make decisions. Patrick challenged me to a thumb war – and knowing I always want to win – it was a clever ploy. Our parents think we were meant to be as they had briefly met at a wedding when Patrick was only a few weeks old and my mom was a few months away from her due date with me.

The wedding is total eye candy, filled with the vibrant colour combination of fushia, lime and teal. I absolutely adore the gorgeous bridesmaid sari dresses and the use of steel drums to create the very tropical feel of the wedding. Held at the pretty Oasis Conference Center in Edmonton, Aeris Photography captured the day and details (which we love!) and we’re so lucky to get to share it with you today.

What was your inspiration behind your overall wedding decor and colour choices?

I always knew I wanted a colorful and vibrant wedding. My family is from the Caribbean and since we could not have a destination wedding (due to the size of our families) I wanted to bring tropical influences into our wedding. I had so many words flying through my mind that I wanted to use to describe our wedding – elegant, modern, cultural, fun – I didn’t know where to begin! I started with one of my favorite colors, turquoise, and decided to accent with lime green and fuchsia. I had taken the advice of my best friend who recommended that I use colors in my favorite photo or painting…all my other choices snowballed from there. Great advice as it helps those of us who are not as creative find unique color options. My everyday style tends to shy want from things that are too “matchy” but I wanted everything to work well together. At the end of the day I wanted to create a lively and energetic space that would allow all of our guests to enjoy a great party!

What was your favorite moment from your wedding day?

My favorite moment – that is a difficult question as there were so many! The ceremony as a whole took my breath away. My husband’s vows were amazing. I fell deeper in love with him, more than I thought possible. We wrote our own vows and I feel that even though you tell your spouse you love them, there is something special about that promise you make on that day and the pure love that is felt between a couple during that time. We both could also feel the love and encouragement from all of our guests. It’s an overwhelming feeling to see all of your closest friends and family come together to spend such an important moment with you. We were truly surrounded by more love than we could handle. Favorite moment #2 would have to be the cocktail hour. We had a steel drum band that rocked my world and everyone was having such a great time drinking, eating and dancing…the reception hadn’t even begun! Our wedding felt like one of the greatest parties I had ever been to! We danced the night away!

Do you have any advice for other brides-to-be?

Enjoy the planning process! I can’t say I followed my own advice but the day goes by so quickly its important to have fond memories of the entire process. Relax! In the middle of all of my excel spreadsheets, task lists etc. I found myself sucked into the small details. At the end of the day its never going to be completely perfect but in our case, it was the imperfections that led to an even better day! Soak in each moment with your husband, friends and family and don’t sweat the small stuff! Have someone there to overview your vision and the schedule of the day. My wedding would not have gone as well as it did if we did not have a friend to take care of the day-of coordination. We were lucky to have a friend who is a new wedding planner who was able to take care of all of the details on that day. Lastly – shop around! There are tons of great vendors out there at every price point. Don’t feel pressured to go outside your budget to get the look you are going for.

[AB wedding vendors]

Photography: Aeris Photography
Dress, hair piece, veil and shoes: The Bridal House (Dress – Enzoani )
Bridal Sash: Belt ( Etsy ), Broach ( The Bridal House )
Hair and Make-Up: Modern Urban Designers (MUD Studios)
Tuxedos: The Tuxedo House
Bridesmaid Saris: Anika Designs
Pre-Ceremony Photos: The Art Gallery of Alberta
Ceremony and Reception Location: The Oasis Centre
Flowers: Hypnotic Bloom
Lighting and Drapery: Site6 Events
Catering: Elizabethan Catering
Dancer: Ashley Kumar – Sharara Entertainment Group
Henna: Henna Art
Steel Drum Band: TrinCan
Cake and Cupcakes: Friend of the Bride