Eventdecorator.com Blog | Muskoka – Toronto, Wedding Design bio picture

Our Design Team

We are In Tune with the Latest Trends!

Established in 1998, eventdecorator.com has a dedicated and talented team of event professionals.  Our team is comprised of wedding planners, floral, event and interior designers always in tune with the latest trends. 

We are passionate about creating inspiring events that WOW our clientelle.  We believe in maintaining the highest level of customer service with both clients and vendors.  Always striving to reach new heights!  We invite you to view the biographies of our talented design team.

 

Anninversary Gift Giving

In a local newspaper there was an article on Traditional Anniversary Gifts which I found both interesting and inspiring. I thought a lot about each anniversary, how times have changed and how Brides are now creating their own traditions.  I have added ideas for this once a year, momentous occasion and would love to hear unique ideas of how you celebrated your anniversary! 

Year 1- Paper: A lot of times newlyweds will purchase a new bed and say that paper is made out of wood.  True but why not take this anniversary gift to the next level and buy plane tickets to go away on a surprise vacation or simply a weekend away. Another idea to honour the gift of paper could be a simple love poem to tell your spouse what the last year has meant.

Year 5Wood; You could save the bed for this year as you may still be paying off the wedding in the first year of marriage.. Why not use this as an opportunity to start a fire at a romantic location and watch the sunset…it involves wood! Furniture would also work and you could always get your initials engraved or a nice message to your spouse within the furniture…hidden perhaps for only the two of you to know.

Year 10- Tin or Aluminum; well, this one is a bit tricky but use your imagination.

Year 15- Crystal; Your initial thought is probably buying a crystal set.  Why no go out to a fancy restaurant that uses crystal.  Somewhere that you would never dine at EVER and splurge. How often do we really use crystal??

Year 20- China; Again initially you would think to go out and buy a china set but here is an idea…20 years of marriage…perhaps an exotic trip is in the forecast…I am just saying use your imagination it is endless.

Year 25- Silver; In place of getting a new set of silverware or silver jewellery why not refurbish a photo of the two of you and place in a beautiful silver frame.  Write a love note to your spouse explaining the silver lining of your marriage, what a great thing to share 25 years of memories!

Year 30- Pearl; My thought right when I saw this was wouldn’t it be cool to go and see how pearls are harvested. Take a trip to a destination and choose your own pearl.  The Holiday could be something both of you would enjoy.

Year 35- Coral; Snorkeling along a coral reef….that is all I have to say for this one.

Year 40- Ruby, Year 45- Sapphire, Year 50- Gold, Year 55- Emerald, Year 75- Diamond

Just thinking of 40 years together…what a milesone! Even though the remaining anniversary gifts are gems I think that every 5 years you should renew your vows. Even if you just say them to each other. Incorporate a family Holiday or party and celebrate the occasion.  I think the most important part of being married is understanding why you are married and what you promised to that person so long ago.

Cheers too many happy years of marriage!

Jessica Stevens, Event Coordinator

Violinist Grenville Pinto – Toronto

One of the memorable moments of the Wedding Co Show was when I heard violist Grenville Pinto play. I was getting ready to leave the show on Saturday night and heard this incredible music coming from the main hall. My planner Jessica dropped everything and yelled Grenville. Being a “Grenville newbie” I was unsure as to the fuss. Well…I still get goose bumps when I listen to my newly purchased CD. His immense talent is a must have for Brides looking for unique and inspirational music. When my 13 year old daughter says “Grenville Rocks” when she listens to his version of Lady Ga Ga I know he has made an impact across generations. Visit his site at http://gpinto.com and be inspired!
Grenville Pinto
Inspiring Vendors!
Elizabeth Johnston, Creative Director

Wedding Co Show – Carlu, Toronto

We had the pleasure of participating in the Wedding Co show over the January 15 – 17th weekend. The Wedding Co has hand-selected the finest Toronto area wedding consultants and designers to showcase their services. Wedding professionals are handpicked based on providing the finest services and stunning products tailored to the needs of discerning, creative couples.

I met so many incredibly talented and inspiring vendors at this show. I encourage our bloggers to visit the http://weddingco.com when choosing your vendors. WedLuxe magazine handed out the latest issue to Brides as they arrived and we were very excited to show off our wedding feature. You can view our wedding and this glamorous magazine at www.wedluxe.com

Kelly, my lead floral designer and I spent two weeks getting our display ready and WOW did we love the reaction!! A garden inspired table in purple tones that we can’t wait to create as a head table in our upcoming season.
Garden Table 2 Wedding Co 768x1024 Wedding Co Show   Carlu, Toronto

Garden Table Wedding Co 768x1024 Wedding Co Show   Carlu, Toronto

Garden Table 3 Wedding Co 768x1024 Wedding Co Show   Carlu, Toronto

Charlotte and Steve – Toronto Botanical Gardens

Charlotte and Steve were married on a beautiful sunny day in September 2009 in Toronto. The magnificent gardens at Toronto Botanical Gardens added so much to their stunning photos. Charlotte had a distinct vision of brown and orange as the colours for her wedding. Natural branch and calla centerpieces that stood 4′ off the table left our floral designers back sore for a week! Charlotte was our emotional Bride for 2009 and we had many tearful moments leading up to the perfect day. A fun, yet elegant theme was incorporated into the day for guests who travelled from around the globe. Long distance planning played a large role in this wedding as the Bride and Groom were living in Germany. Kudos to Jessica for executing so many amazing planning details! The stunning photography was shot by the team of Erika and Ryan at Rowell Photography. It is always a pleasure to work with this dynamic, edgy team. We wish Steve much success in the NHL!
Charlotte and Steve Heyman

Bouquet Green and Orange

Orange slice centerpiece

Head Table Centerpiece

Candy Station

Heyman Silverman Wedding

Orange and brown centerpiece
Long Distance Success!
Elizabeth Johnston, Creative Director

Muskoka Memories, Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville

Muskoka memories were made as Amie and Jeremy wed at their cottage on Lake Joseph in Huntsville. The weather had forecasted a rainy day and the ceremony was scheduled on the dock rain or shine! The weather turned beautiful in the afternoon and the sun shone off the water as guests arrived by boat. The ceremony took place on the dock with an amazing view of Lake Joesph. It was very meaningful for the Bride and her family to hold the marraige at this location. Jessica and our planning team learned that climbing that many stairs to the cottage from the dock with wooden chairs is exhausting! The Bride and Groom boated to the reception, which followed at Deerhurst Resort in the Penninsula Dining Room. An ice martini bar, black and white linen and hot pink tones of flowers created a stunning reception room. Beautiful images were shot by Jose Paolo Photography. Visit our website gallery to view their entire wedding.

Muskoka Memories,
Elizabeth Johnston, Creative Director

Cottage Cermony in Huntsville
Beautiful Bride
Dockside ceremony
0340Zukowski Muskoka Memories, Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville
0416Zukowski Muskoka Memories, Deerhurst Resort, HuntsvillePink, white and chocolalte swirl cake

Wine Theme Wedding – Nicole and Kevin – Delta Grandview – Huntsville

Over our season we get many inspirational weddings. The wedding of Nicole and Kevin was planned in four short months. This wedding came at a difficult time as the Bride lost her Father one month before the wedding. Emotions ran high but our team was determined to provide the wine themed wedding the Bride and Groom had dreamed of. A wine tasting followed the beautiful ceremony in the Great Hall of The Mark O’Meara Country Club. The tall stone fireplace set the scene for the various countries guests could visit in “wine country”. The reception room was designed with wine bottle candelabra centerpieces with fresh grape accents, place cards on corks, grapevine and aubergine purple accents. This beautiful wine themed wedding truly reflected the client’s love of the vino! Check out Nicole and Kevin’s photo gallery on our website.

Shutterbug Photography did a stellar job of capturing the special moments of this day. I absolutely love the photos with the bridal party in their rain boots. Those Muskoka granite cliffs… One of my true loves.

Truly inspiring clients,
Elizabeth Johnston, Creative Director

Bordeaux and Cream Bouquet

Nicole and Kevin Ceremony

Purple Rain Boots with Floral

Wine Themed Centerpiece

Draped Head Table

Nicole and Kevin

Behind the Scenes – eventdecorator.com Advertising Shoot

We worked with a fabulous team to bring our new 2010 advertising campaign to print.  My vision was to create a unique custom setting to showcase our talents for new magazine advertising.  All shot out in the water on a raft!   My parents were so kind to give up their motorhome for our headquarters at their waterfront.  Rowell Photography shot our design concepts so beautifully. Lori from the Caketress made incredible mini cakes and Emily our model gave off the perfect balance of elegance and attitude.  My Son Travis, not so willingly posed as our male model. 

The challenge was producing this shoot on a raft, on choppy water!  My design board predicated sunny sky and calm waters.   Not in the forecast this day!  Funny moments included Ryan in my Fathers hip waders trying to shoot in the lake, Erika in a small tipsy boat working on lighting, Emily’s funny faces and Steve holding desperately to the hanging floral arrangement that wanted to spin in circles around the table!  End result… beautiful images that will mark our 2010 advertising campaign. 

Enjoy!

Elizabeth Johnston, Creative Director

Top 10 Holiday Trends – Tabletop Design

I wanted to share Top 10 Holiday design tips from a stage presentation I did at Seasons Christmas show.  Hopefully they will add a little more atmosphere and inspiraton to your Christmas soirees this sesason.  Enjoying your festive dinner party is important.  Don’t get so caught up in the details that you leave your self exhausted and stressed.  Simplicity is key for a busy host or hostess.  Most importantly have fun and enjoy your guests!

I am getting myself into the Holdiay spirit!  Always a slow start at our house after designing Christmas trees and homes, for our fabulous clients.    My husband jokes “ how many trees will it take to break Elizabeths Christmas spirit and send her running to to a sunny (5 star with swim up bar) Resort for Christmas”.  Saved by my Mother’s Christms dinner with the family.

Remember, a great table should be the perfect representation of your individuality and taste. It should set the mood and carry guests into a different world. It is the focal point of the room and as such makes a superb statement at first glace.

sumptuous colour…

Starting at this essential point will make a lot of your decorating decisions easier.  Choose a colour scheme for your table that harmonizes with your existing china and flatware.  Experiment with multiple colours for something more dramatic. No longer is colour limited by traditional colours of red, green and gold. Jewel tones will brighten a dark room, add colour to neutral space and provide an elegant look for a special party. Stick with a colour scheme and make a statement.  Remember to use the wow factor!

personal style…

Personalized touches create a memorable table.  Whether it’s casual or formal your holiday table should reflect your style, taste and personality. This is a very important detail that can be lost in the planning process. Tradition is important but I believe you need to layer your own style details on top. Incorporate vintage with modern, classic with contemporary or create a themed dinner.  You are only limited by your imagination. Enjoy the opportunity to plan the perfect table and express your personal style!

dramatic textures…

Texture is limitless and the fashion and interior design industries offer wonderful trendy ideas.  Rich luxurious fabrics, beading, sequins, embroidery and beautiful detailing help set the stage. Create a stunning table with multi layered or high energy fabrics. A wide array of ready made table cloths are available. Varying textures creates dimension and adds wow to your table. Layer new linen with old or use a dramatic table runner or placemats. Decorating with lots of Christmas balls is simple yet effective.  Remember to use matte finishes along with shiny.  Add texture through glass ornaments, feathers, glittering branches, baskets, fresh florals, sparkling accessories, seasonal greenery, dimensional candles, reflective mirrors or crystal glassware.

whimsical lighting…

Flickering candle light creates an intimate atmosphere that is essential for a well dressed table top.  This important aspect sets the mood for your dinner. We all remember the feeling of sitting in the dark starring in wonder at our Christmas tree. You can evoke the same feeling on your table top. Use candles in large numbers, stagger them at different heights and use different textures, sizes and colours of candle holders. Use varying sized mirrors under your candle holders to reflect the candlelight.  Add silver candle sticks with glam mirrored candle holders.  Choose holders that reflect light and create sparkle on your table.  Remember…the eye travels to the brightest area of your table.

festive florals…

Nature offers an amazing array of fresh fragrant fruits, florals and berries. Adding fresh florals to your table adds both colour and dimension. Work with a floral designer to create a seasonal arrangement in your colour scheme or purchase florals at your local supermarket and experiment yourself. A simple yet effective design is to use a single type, or colour of floral or greenery in multiple vases. Using non-traditional flowers adds unexpected impact to the design.  Use an antique tea set, favourite vase, polished silver or crystal glassware as your container. Scatter floral petals, fresh greenery or pine cones down the centre of your table for the finishing touch.  Add cranberries, gel, faux snow or coloured stone inside a glass container for drama.  Pine, cedar and magnolia leaves are the best choices for long lasting greenery.  Don’t forget to keep your arrangement low to the table or above your guest’s sight line, as conversation is as important as good food!

trendy tableware…

A beautiful table setting sets the tone for your dinner table. This is the perfect opportunity to mix the old with new. Use your heirloom china with jewel tone charger plates, mix coloured and clear glassware or vintage linen with colourful new napkins.  Great china and glassware add a whole new dimension to your tabletop. Jazz up your table with colourful serving accessories, chair covers or chair décor for dramatic impact.  Great tables have never been easier with local rental companies supplying tables, chairs, dishes, glassware and linen in a variety of colours and styles. All of this can be delivered to your door and picked up after your event.  Starting your collection?  White dishware is always a great starting point.  Add current seasonal colours to update the look of your table.

tabletop accessories…

Transform your tabletop with the perfect accessories.  They are the finishing touches that make your event memorable. There is no need to replace your existing table accessories.  Build a solid base of glass, silver or gold accessories and jazz them up with new touches such as feathers, shiny ornaments or glassware in trendy seasonal colours.  Add personal touches like beautiful napkins with a distinctive napkin fold. Accessorise them with ribbon, a unique napkin ring, seasonal greenery, florals, menu or Christmas balls. Customize place cards or delight your guests with an exquisitely wrapped gift at each place setting. Hot accessories for this season includes glam ornaments, feathers, jewelled detailing and mirrored accents. Mix silver and gold for instant elegance.  Small details have big impact!

indulge your senses…

Think about indulging the senses!  Try to appeal to all five senses in your table top design. Play seasonal music; create a specialty drink or cocktail for your event, add mouth watering food, wonderful decor and magical candle light.  Scented candles can add a wonderful touch to an event.  Remember to be careful about mixing scented candles with foods.

repeat…repeat…repeat…

Add consistency throughout your table by repeating colours, themes and decorating elements. Use this principle for colour schemes, ribbon choice, patterns and florals.  Use an abundance of one type or colour of ornament for impact.

enjoy…

WedLuxe Feature – Paola & Lawrence, Taboo Resort – Gravenhurst

Wedluxe magazine is now on the stands and is featuring the wedding of Paola and Lawrence. They are busy Toronto professionals that finally had a break in their hectic schedule. The first thing on Lawrence’s mind was as to propose in romantic Paris. Paola immediately set their plans in motion choosing beautiful Taboo Resort as their venue and eventdecorator.com for planning and design. It turned out be the most beautiful day of the summer and they danced until the wee hours of the morning. Congratulations to this wonderful couple! Visit our website gallery to see all the details.

Check it Out,
Elizabeth Johnston, Creative Director
Silver and white tent design

Hydrangea with black accent 1024x682 WedLuxe Feature   Paola & Lawrence, Taboo Resort   Gravenhurst

Silver Lounge 1024x682 WedLuxe Feature   Paola & Lawrence, Taboo Resort   Gravenhurst

Taboo Wedding - Credit Rowell

WedLuxe featuring eventdecorator.com – Winter/Spring Issue

We are pleased to be featured in the Spring/Summer issue of WedLuxe, Canada’s luxury wedding magazine.  Purchase your copy when it hits the stands December 14th.  Our featue wedding of Paola and Lawrence’s September 4th wedding at beautiful Taboo Resort in Muskoka was planned in four short weeks.  Nothing like a good challenge to get the creative juices flowing!  So many fabulous details with planning, décor and floral design… our team had its work cut out!   Stay tuned for more images of this wedding next week.

Also, check out our bouquet featured on page 84.  Pick up a copy of this beautiful magazine or visit their website at www.wedluxe.com  for inspiration.

Inspiring Ideas,
Elizabeth Johnston

WedLuxe Spring-Summer 2010 Cover