Hello, Maternity Leave!
Hello from maternity leave! Starting this week, my mat leave officially begins! Iâll be monitoring my email until the baby shows up (which could be literally any time!), and will then be taking a FULL maternity leave through April. I recognize with gratitude how much of a blessing this dedicated time with the baby will be, and am so happy that even as a self-employed person, Iâll be able to take this time off. During this time I will not be responding to any emails (in fact, my contact form will be turned off). I will begin limited office hours in April and plan to begin meeting with 2023 prospective clients who are already on my waitlist at this point.
Maternity Leave Details
Starting this week, my mat leave officially begins! Iâll be monitoring my email until the baby shows up (which could be literally any time!), and will then be taking a FULL maternity leave through April. I recognize with gratitude how much of a blessing this dedicated time with the baby will be, and am so happy that even as a self-employed person, Iâll be able to take this time off. During this time I will not be responding to any emails (in fact, my contact form will be turned off). I will begin limited office hours in April and plan to begin meeting with 2023 prospective clients who are already on my waitlist at this point.
Details for 2022 Current Clients
If you are planning a 2022 wedding and are already one of my clients, please feel free to email me directly if anything major comes up. Please title your email MAJOR UPDATE and when Iâm back in the office in April, your email will be prioritized (major changes would be things like change of date, cancellation, etc). I may be checking my emails once in a while while Iâm on mat leave, but Iâm making no guarantees â I have no idea what itâs like to have 2 kiddos at home! If you have a minor update (table number changes, colour palette change, change in the number of bridal party persons you have, etc) these things can all wait until closer to the wedding. I WILL STILL BE IN TOUCH WITH EACH OF YOU 1 MONTH PRIOR TO THE WEDDING, AS NORMAL. Your payment schedules will not change, though I may forget to click âsendâ on your invoices so those may once in a while be a little delayed. Blame the baby :)
If you are planning a 2022 wedding and are not yet booked with me, please note that May through September are fully booked and I have zero availability. October, November, and December have limited dates available and I always love the chance to get creative with different seasonal palettes and ingredients! If youâre comfortable waiting to officially book your flowers until the springtime when I begin office hours, please email me at info@stonehouseweddings.com with the subject line â2022 WEDDING - your wedding dateâ so I can make sure to prioritize your email when I return.
Details for Prospective 2023 Clients
My waitlist for 2023 wedding dates is already open! If you wish to have your wedding date placed on the list, please email me directly to info@stonehouseweddings.com with the subject line â2023 WAIT LIST - your wedding dateâ so I can make sure to pop you onto my list efficiently during the limited windows of time Iâll have while baby naps.
In the body of your email, please include the following details: date of wedding, wedding venue locations, your email address and phone number, the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen you anticipate, your estimated guest count, your estimated wedding flower budget, whether you are interested in floral design only OR if youâre interested in adding on Event Design services as well, along with some details about your vision and ideas for the wedding! If you have a Pinterest board, you can include this link here as well.
Prospective 2023 clients will be added to my waitlist in the order in which the requests are received, and you will be contacted in April/May to set up your complimentary floral appointment so I can begin the proposal process for you. Please note that I do require a minimum floral investment of $2500, with a suggested budget of $4000+ to achieve the look that I find most of my clients desire. Some exceptions may be made for intimate weddings, and clients who are adding on Event Design (typically a $1500+ investment on top of their floral budget) may receive first priority of date (though I cannot always guarantee this), as I have limited availability for these services.
My 2022 wedding season begins in May, and while Iâm taking on fewer weddings this year than I typically have in the past, I am SO excited for the amazing designs and celebrations that are already planned. I donât anticipate that you will notice a change in my services aside from a slightly longer email response time, and once in a while, you might see a little baby strapped to me on your wedding day ;) I do have a great team prepared to help me with weddings again this year, so donât worry: you will be in the same excellent hands as always! While my priorities will be shifting a bit, rest assured that caring for my clients and my business will always be one of the things that I love doing the most.
I also want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout this pregnancy and the kind and excited words that Iâve received from clients and vendor friends as well. Mama friends, especially mom-preneur friends, your advice and feedback on everything from bottles to maternity leave structure has been invaluable. At the beginning, I didnât think this pregnancy would ever end and now that Iâm suddenly close to that point, I feel so much more prepared because of all of your help and guidance.
The 2020 Portfolio Builder: Part 3
The countdown to the next Portfolio Builder is ON! Emily from Feast & Festivities and I have been having a great time conceptualizing all of the details for our next event for photographers and videographers, and I thought this would be the perfect time to share the final set of images from last fallâs event. These images are from Jensen Maxwell of the Winnipeg Wedding Photographerâs Collective, and theyâre so gorgeous! Letâs dive in to the customized look we created for her.
Have you heard the news?
Our next Portfolio Builder event for photographers and videographers is oh so soon!
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, June 12, 2021
The countdown to the next Portfolio Builder is ON! Emily from Feast & Festivities and I have been having a great time conceptualizing all of the details for our next event for photographers and videographers, and I thought this would be the perfect time to share the final set of images from last fallâs event. These images are from Jensen Maxwell of the Winnipeg Wedding Photographerâs Collective, and theyâre so gorgeous! Letâs dive in to the customized look we created for her.
I loved the peach tones that we focused on for this stationery suite, which was custom created by local calligrapher Blake Creative Co. Calligraphy naturally has a very feminine feel to it, and the addition of a velum over-wrap, a mottled pink wax seal, and of course, that peach tone ink amps it up. Notice the combination of different envelope colours, to layer in more visual interest to the complete suite.
Whether the wedding youâre planning has an intimate guest list or youâre holding out until you can host 200+, in my personal opinion, escort cards (and the way theyâre displayed) immediately take a wedding design from 1 to 10. This is such an easy way to add in personalized style and further develop your design plan.
I love using an escort card table near to the entrance of your reception space, because it serves both form and function. Here, the combination of a champagne tower and a modern floral display welcome your guests with a celebratory mood.
This might be a little braggy, but guys: I did a dang good job on this bouquet, didnât I? The palette is so juicy and the bouquet had the perfect amount of bounce and jiggle đ
Bridal bouquet ingredients: roses and garden roses, scabiosa, carnations, ranunculus, stock, godetia, ninebark, and camellia foliages.
Clean lines, layered textures, and a feminine feel. This tablescape came together so beautifully. We swapped out everything from the place settings to the candles, so that Jensenâs portfolio was unique to her.
Vendors:
Photos: Jensen Maxwell - Winnipeg WEdding Photographerâs Collective
Planning and design: Feast & Festivities
Florals and Design: Stone House Creative
Linens, Chairs: Planned Perfectly
Place Setting Rentals: C&T Rentals
Venue: Cloakroom Wellness
Dress: Bliss Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
Makeup: Tiopo and Co
Hair: Tori Lynn Hair
Rings: Mokada
Accessories: Luna + Stone
Calligraphy: Blake Creative Co
Cake: Sugar & Salt BakeShoppe
Model: Havilah for Panache Management
Want to be part of the next portfolio builder?
June 12, 2021 is the date and registration is NOW OPEN!
This is a day exclusively for photographers and videographers who are looking to build their portfolio and attract their dream clients. Youâll find an expertly planned and thoughtfully designed styled shoot and bridal editorial created to give you the time and space to get inspired, explore, try new things, and hone in on your skills in a one-of-a-kind outdoor setting.
Whether youâve been in business for several years already or if youâre just starting out, or maybe youâre thinking about branching out to offer video services to your already established photography business, the Portfolio Builder is the right fit for you.
And letâs be honestâŚafter the dumpster fire that was 2020 and that 2021 is turning out to be so far, we all need some inspiration.
The 2020 Portfolio Builder: Part 2
Iâm back at it, with a little more from the Portfolio Builder last fall! As weâre gearing up for this yearâs Portfolio Builder, Iâm so excited to share more of these images and the work behind the scenes that we did to make this a one-of-a-kind experience for our photographers.
Today, I want to share with you all about the customizations that we do to ensure that each photographer walks away with a unique set of portfolio images, AND, if youâre planning a wedding, this also shows you how you can easily make small adjustments to make a design your own!
Have you heard the news?
Our next Portfolio Builder event for photographers and videographers is oh so soon!
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Iâm back at it, with a little more from the Portfolio Builder last fall! As weâre gearing up for this yearâs Portfolio Builder, Iâm so excited to share more of these images and the work behind the scenes that we did to make this a one-of-a-kind experience for our photographers.
Today, I want to share with you all about the customizations that we do to ensure that each photographer walks away with a unique set of portfolio images, AND, if youâre planning a wedding, this also shows you how you can easily make small adjustments to make a design your own!
These images are all from Tiffany Marie Photography, who actually photographed 2 of our designs, so you can really see all the work we went to to make this happen!
First up, this is the gorgeous design board that Emily from Feast & Festivities laid out to inspire us in creating these wedding designs. I love the feminine, organic feel and it was very rewarding to bring it to life.
Below is a quick overview of the 2 wedding designs that we created for Tiffany Marie Photography to capture: a rectangular banquet table with mocha and taupe linens, clear Napoleon chairs, and textured elements, and a round table with dusty mauve linen, white chivari chairs, and feminine details. Letâs dive into this a little more!
DESIGN 1
The first design does a beautiful job of merging modern and timeless styles, with the help of organic textures.
Emily had the genius idea of customizing some of the paper products with dried lavender buds, creating her own wax seal to incorporate lavender, which accented the escort cards and the table menus. This was one of my personal favourite details!
Moving into this table design, youâll see how layering contrasting textures together can create a unique tablescape that touches all of the senses. Emily paired Planned Perfectlyâs taupe panama linen with their oatmeal gauzey runner, custom made taupe napkins with lavender stitching, and the crisp Napoleon chairs.
I created a sense of balanced symmetry with a larger floral arrangement clustered with 2 taper candles, off-set by a smaller floral arrangement clustered with 3 taper candles. This adds a nice sense of undulation and movement to a table, without using the exact same elements over and over again, which can feel a little too repetitive.
I love the way this smoke salad plate pairs with the silver dragonfly flatware from C&T Rentals! The cooler tones feel a little unexpected after the gold and copper craze of the last few years. Iâm sure youâll also agree that the detail on the plate edge adds that touch of femininity that we needed!
DESIGN 2
This second design relies a little more on the bolder ochre colour in the palette (one of the things I love about working with Feast & Festivities is that Emily is not afraid of colour!), while also emphasizing the femininity.
We pulled that honey tone throughout, using silk ribbon to customize the simple invitation suite and even adding a touch to each menu â and of course, on the bridal bouquet.
The lavender touches in the invites also play really beautifully into the toffee belize linen from Planned Perfectly, pulling out the mauve undertone in an unexpected way.
Is it just me, or am the only one in the wedding world who still loves round tables? I know that theyâre kind of basic, BUT hear me out: you can have some fun with designing on a round table! Thereâs something about a round table that feels both fresh and classic at the same time.
Now, there are a few things that I can never forgive, with the main one being those crappy little half length table linens on a round table. Who on earth ever thought that that should be a product?
But moving past that, here are a few of my personal design thoughts about round tables:
-You can still create an asymmetrical design. Instead of placing that centrepiece dead centre in the table, create groupings: move that centrepiece over a bit, and group a clustering on candles to balance it.
-Consider seating fewer people at the table, both for comfort and so thereâs more space on the table. Round tables do get full pretty quickly, but if you seat 6 people at an 8 person table, you leave more room for charger plates, bread plates, glassware, favours, candles â all of the pretty elements that go into making a tablescape truly special.
Want to know a shameful secret about this cake? It was supposed to be tied with actual ribbon. I ordered some gorgeous gossamer ribbon from Tono & Co specifically for this, and thenâŚI lost it. I think it must have accidentally fallen into the trash can in my studio, because I have torn this place apart and not come across it. I even went through two entire garbage bags to find it đ¤Śđźââď¸ BUT Kayla from Sugar & Salt Bakeshoppe came to the rescue at the last minute, and added this gorgeous sugar bow that she made by hand. Saved by the baker.
Vendors:
Photos: Tiffany Maire Photography
Planning and design: Feast & Festivities
Florals and Design: Stone House Creative
Linens, Chairs: Planned Perfectly
Place Setting Rentals: C&T Rentals
Venue: Cloakroom Wellness
Dress: Bliss Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
Makeup: Tiopo and Co
Hair: Tori Lynn Hair
Rings: Mokada
Accessories: Luna + Stone
Stationery: Minted
Calligraphy: Blake Creative Co
Cake: Sugar & Salt BakeShoppe
Model: Havilah for Panache Management
Want to be part of the next portfolio builder?
June 12, 2021 is the date and registration is NOW OPEN!
This is a day exclusively for photographers and videographers who are looking to build their portfolio and attract their dream clients. Youâll find an expertly planned and thoughtfully designed styled shoot and bridal editorial created to give you the time and space to get inspired, explore, try new things, and hone in on your skills in a one-of-a-kind outdoor setting.
Whether youâve been in business for several years already or if youâre just starting out, or maybe youâre thinking about branching out to offer video services to your already established photography business, the Portfolio Builder is the right fit for you.
And letâs be honestâŚafter the dumpster fire that was 2020 and that 2021 is turning out to be so far, we all need some inspiration.
The 2020 Portfolio Builder: Part 1
Iâm so excited to FINALLY share this first set of images from the Portfolio Builder that Emily from Feast & Festivities and I hosted together in the fall!
The concept of the Portfolio Builder is something Iâve been envisioning and planning and trying to figure out the best way to make it happen for several years already. I knew that I didnât want to take it on on my own (so much work!) and I knew that Emily would be an amazing partner. Youâre going to hear from her a little later in this post.
Have you heard the news?
Our next Portfolio Builder event for photographers and videographers is oh so soon!
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Iâm so excited to FINALLY share this first set of images from the Portfolio Builder that Emily from Feast & Festivities and I hosted together in the fall!
The concept of the Portfolio Builder is something Iâve been envisioning and planning and trying to figure out the best way to make it happen for several years already. I knew that I didnât want to take it on on my own (so much work!) and I knew that Emily would be an amazing partner. Youâre going to hear from her a little later in this post.
This set of images were taken by the talented Photography by Jolaika!
The 2020 Portfolio Builder was originally supposed to take place last April, but we decided to postpone due to Covid, and Iâm so glad that we did. By the time our new October date rolled around, the case numbers were actually a lot higher but we we knew how to best organize the day to keep it safe for everyone involved, and had so much more peace of mind.
As Iâve been envisioning the Portfolio Builder over the last few years, I knew a few things would be important:
1) That I wanted to gear it towards photographers and videographers.
2) That each of the participants be given privacy, customization, and the chance to do their own thing. Iâve seen the behind the scenes of a lot of shoot-outs and photography workshops on Instagram, and honestly, they look terrible. Jostling over each otherâs shoulders to try to get the shot you want? Nah. Thatâs no good. I know that if I were in that situation, I would shrink to the back because I wouldnât want to take away anyone elseâs chance at getting what they need, and in the end, Iâd be super unhappy with my final product.
Iâve got a soft spot for beautiful seating displays. Whether itâs a traditional (and cost-effective) seating chart, or an elegant display of escort cards like this one, I love to see that attention has been paid to the details. This is one of the first things your guests will interact with, so it should be beautiful!
Here, we carefully lined up rows of (alphabetically arranged!) escort cards beside a champagne tower (HELLO! Thatâs a good way to welcome everyone to the party!) and completed the design with mixed size floral arrangements. Because, obviously every table should have gorgeous floral arrangements đđźââď¸
A few notes from Emily of Feast & Festivities:
"One of my favourite event details to design is the dining table. It's where guests all simultaneously gather and move through an experience together. Planned and designed well, a table has the essentials for the making of a cherished memoryâcarefully chosen food and beverage, personal touches, and good company.
The sunny and tall ceiling surroundings of Cloakroom are so refreshing and white. We took the opportunity to draw on that blank canvas with neutral linen, chairs, and tableware, which allowed the colour palette to really stand out in the cheerful florals and candles of the tablescape. I always love a custom detail incorporated into the event's place setting. For these settings, we added a vellum wax seal embellishment with lavender buds to the menu. The card was placed on top of a custom-made Everyday Host linen napkin with a soft purple edge, highlighted by the particular fold of the napkin. I'm such a sucker for a timeless linen texture napkin!"
One of my very favourite design moments of the day, this sweet little cake and champagne combination. Adding depth is often forgotten about, but so much life is brought to this moment of your wedding design, through the varied heights of the cocktail tables, the layering of texture through napkins and plates ready to go for your cake cutting, and a few simple taper candles placed behind the cake.
Obviously any time anyone wants me to floralize a champagne bucket, or a wedding cake display, or just about anything, Iâll be happy to do so. I encourage you to think through your wedding day and imagine when those special moments will be happening. Then, how can we enhance the ambiance of those moments even more by adding a thoughtfully-planned design element?
This was such a joyful day, and I cannot wait to share more from the other photographers.
Vendors:
Photos: Photography by Jolaika
Planning and design: Feast & Festivities
Florals and Design: Stone House Creative
Linens, Chairs: Planned Perfectly
Place Setting Rentals: C&T Rentals
Venue: Cloakroom Wellness
Dress: Bliss Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
Makeup: Tiopo and Co
Hair: Tori Lynn Hair
Rings: Mokada
Accessories: Luna + Stone
Stationery: Minted
Calligraphy: Blake Creative Co
Cake: Sugar & Salt BakeShoppe
Model: Havilah for Panache Management
Want to be part of the next portfolio builder?
June 12, 2021 is the date and registration opens NEXT WEEK!
This is a day exclusively for photographers and videographers who are looking to build their portfolio and attract their dream clients. Youâll find an expertly planned and thoughtfully designed styled shoot and bridal editorial created to give you the time and space to get inspired, explore, try new things, and hone in on your skills in a one-of-a-kind outdoor setting.
Whether youâve been in business for several years already or if youâre just starting out, or maybe youâre thinking about branching out to offer video services to your already established photography business, the Portfolio Builder is the right fit for you.
And letâs be honestâŚafter the dumpster fire that was 2020 and that 2021 is turning out to be so far, we all need some inspiration.
It's Time for a Giveaway!
One lucky couple is going to get an extra 30% off flowers for their wedding...FOR FREE.
Itâs really simpleâŚI just want to spread the love and make sure that you get the wedding florals of your wildest dreams (okay, maybe not quite your Kardashian dreams!).
I'm giving one couple the florals of their dreams by adding on an extra 30% to their wedding floral order, at no extra charge! It might mean that the winner gets to add centrepieces that they couldn't previously afford, or it might mean that I get to dream up a super cool custom ceremony installation for you. Or, it might mean that everything that we do for you just gets a bit bigger and fuller!
Thatâs right, Iâm so stinking excited about the launch of my new website last month that I want to keep the good times rolling. That means itâs time for a giveaway!
Hereâs what weâre going to do: One lucky couple is going to get an extra 30% off flowers for their wedding...FOR FREE.
Itâs really simpleâŚI just want to spread the love and make sure that you get the wedding florals of your wildest dreams (okay, maybe not quite your Kardashian dreams!).
I'm giving one couple the florals of their dreams by adding on an extra 30% to their wedding floral order, at no extra charge! It might mean that the winner gets to add centrepieces that they couldn't previously afford, or it might mean that I get to dream up a super cool custom ceremony installation for you. Or, it might mean that everything that we do for you just gets a bit bigger and fuller!
Hereâs Jess and Donny - the previous winners of this giveaway! Their wedding was at the gorgeous Cieloâs Garden and was planned and designed by Emily from Feast & Festivities. When they entered the giveaway, they didnât have plans for anything grand in the ceremony space, so I knew that we could do something really cool for them. Emily came up with the original concept and then let me run wild with it - and run wild I did!
The acrylic columns were a very cool design feature, very fitting for their mid-century modern inspired celebration which was infused with a few tropical touches to reference their Hawaiian engagement. We chose to design both inside AND outside the stands, tying in some really cool tall eremerus blooms and sago palm. And I love that they asked to be married BEHIND the columns, so that the flowers could get a little more play. You know momma likes that!
So, do you want to be the next winner? All youâve got to do is fill out an entry form. CLICK HERE to find it before January 29!
More will be coming from this wedding in the next few months and I canât wait to share all of the goodness!