My Favourite Wedding Bar Moments
One of my favourite details at a wedding is often the bar floral moment. The bar is one of the busiest places at your wedding, and with lines forming, it makes sense to add some kind of floral or styling touch to tie through your design elements or personalize in some way, in a place where guests will actually take notice and interact with it.
One of my favourite details at a wedding often is the bar.
One of my favourite details at a wedding is often the bar floral moment. The bar is one of the busiest places at your wedding, and with lines forming, it makes sense to add some kind of floral or styling touch to tie through your design elements or personalize in some way, in a place where guests will actually take notice and interact with it.
First things first: don’t feel that you need to go huge or super creative to create a beautiful moment at your bar! As these images I had saved on Pinterest show you, there’s a huge range of what can be done. Yes, we can go allllll out with the florals and line the entire bottom of the bar with them, but a small arrangement coupled with your bar menu or a single-ingredient arrangement can also do some seriously heavy lifting!
Photo Credits from Left to Right: 1: The Goodsmiths, 2: Mulberry & Moss, 3: Candice Edinger, 4: Jenny Quicksall / Tularosa Flowers
Below you’ll find a few of my personal favourites of Stone House Creative designs, along with some details on why I thought it worked!
Incorporating Signage
The bar moment that made me a little famous on Instagram! It seemed like every florist in North America wanted to know how I designed this (foam-free!) and I’m hoping I can replicate this at a wedding because it was SO fun. From the bold colours, to the way the florals wrapped around the absurdly cute menu sign, it all worked so well. Special shout-out to the two-toned carnations for doing so much work here!
Event designed by Kayla Lagos Events
Joel & Justyna Photography / See it all here
Personalized and Fun
Soiree Event Planning designed this super fun bar front with Two Fold Paper Co, and I loved the personalized feel. We went heavy on the florals, lining the entire top shelf of the bar backs with stem vases and small arrangements. The joyful burst of colour was the perfect compliment to this rock-n-roll meets rainbow wedding.
Lush Florals with Bar Menu
The bar at the Pavilion is HUGE so we can really do a full, dramatic moment like this one. For this wedding, Alana gave me free reign to create something lush and full, with the only request being to incorporate her bar sign and its cute copper stand. I love that the floral surround works to draw attention to the menu, and not compete with it. After all, we all know why your guests are at the bar — give them the info they need in an aesthetically pleasing menu, and make a statement with the flowers alongside it!
Brittany Mahood Photography / See it all here
Simple and Textural
For this wedding at the Assiniboine Park Pavilion, we simply wanted a beautiful arrangement. It didn’t need to be huge, it didn’t need to be a major statement — just something really pretty. I chose the terracotta vase for its shape (so chic and fun!) as well as the colour, because it complimented the warm tones in the flowers SO well. As with the rest of the flowers for the wedding, I used a lot of texture, with berries, trumpet-shaped calla lilies, fuzzy kangaroo paw, and a few coral dahlias.
Ariana Tennyson Photography / See it all here
Go For Height
Sometimes it’s nice to go up! This taller arrangement (featuring the most beautiful locally grown hydrangea, dahlias, and amaranthus) didn’t compete with the bar menu, but rather worked with it. The only bummer was the bartender who kept pushing it all off to the side…don’t they know the aesthetics are important?! 😜 (and yes, they actually had a ton of space for working, I’m not that impractical…all the time lol).
Brittany Mahood Photography / See more here
Brittany Mahood Photography / See it all here
WHABAM
Now this bar really had its moment…and it was all repurposed from the ceremony! We designed a floral nest for the ceremony, so we had a lot of pieces to work with. When I walked into the room, I immediately felt like the scale of the bar was off — the pretty rounded bar front and the black bar backs just felt too small underneath the large truss structure with hanging chandeliers. We didn’t have a specific plan for how we would repurpose the ceremony florals, and with Harlow Events’ blessing to do whatever the heck I wanted, I started by placing 3 large floral pieces across the top of the bar backs. Amazing. We added another piece to the centre of the bar, to help the bar menu (and later, the wedding cake) stand out a bit more, and then flanked the sides of the bar with more pieces. It was pretty amazing, if I do say so myself!
Cutie Bar Meadows
This was another bar piece fully repurposed from the ceremony! I love the scalloped trim on the bar sign (playfully named after the couple’s dog) and the whimsical, wildflower inspired arrangements added to the charm.
Casey Nolin Photography / See it all here
Kass Donaldson / See it all HERE
Florals + Drapery = Win
For this cocktail style wedding reception, Soiree Event Planning created a great floor plan with variation and movement throughout the room. There was an immediate desire to create a focal point in the room with the bar, so Planned Perfectly was brought in to create a cool drapery moment on the ceiling (which was pretty tricky to do in this room!). I loved that the drapery brought a lot of attention to the bar.
We went pretty simple with the flowers on the bar top itself, clustering a couple of smaller arrangements on either end of the bar. That freed us up to go a little more dramatic above the bar, creating a floral cloud that hung above. It smelled soooo good and a hanging element is always a cool element to incorporate into a design!
Put a Name On It
While the floral arrangement here is modern and fun, the bar itself is a major focalpoint. The family handmade it, giving it an adorable small town dive bar name and feel. It doesn’t hurt that this bride is one half of Rae & Dot and sure knows what she’s doing when it comes to branding and modern design.
The florals were paired with a duo of sandstone pillar candles, which was a simple way to round out the overall look.
Picture & Poet / See it all here
Multi Coloured Maximalism
This colourful wedding featured a large horseshoe shaped bar, which gave us lots of opportunity to create focal floral moments. This was just one of them, a modern design style featuring soft pink and lavender contrasted with bright orange and yellow, with some cute fruit styling tucked in. One of my favourite elements was the carnation chain on the left.
Rachwal Photography / See it all here
Mega Bar
We affectionally called this “mega bar” during our planning meetings with Soiree Event Planning, and the name stuck. There are so many great things about this design!
This wedding was during covid, so there was a desire to keep the lines moving and as short as possible — so, three separate bars it was! I love the floral wrap on two outside the bar fronts (which, of course, matched their dance floor decal and the couple’s wedding invitations by Robin Egg Blue Design), with the bar menu decaled onto the middle bar front.
And then, of course, the floral moments! We separated the bars with these clear plinths, which added such a great design element. We added arrangements in gold urns on top of both plinths, as well as floral arrangements INSIDE the plinths, which tied back to the seating chart which also featured florals on and in plinths.
Brittany Mahood Photography / See it all here
The Aperol Spritz Truck
This one is sort of an honourable mention, because the truck wasn’t the bar itself — but how stinking CUTE is this!? Of course we added a little moment inside the truck, on a very narrow shelf (it’s always important to know what kind of space you’re working with). This cute truck was from Mottola Grocery.
looking for a wedding floral and event designer in winnipeg?
We can design a beautiful wedding for you, with no detail forgotten about.
Whether it’s an intimate wedding for 30 or a celebration the likes of which have never been seen before, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Need help with your full event design? I’ll guide you through your colour palette selection, floor plan creation, and collaborate on all the design elements that will make your wedding YOURS. Full and partial event design services available.
How to Have Sustainable Wedding Flowers in Manitoba
It should come as no surprise to you that weddings as a whole can be rather wasteful events. After all, most weddings are very large parties with large guest lists, so even if there’s just a bit of waste per guest, anything times 150 guests adds up pretty quickly.
It might, however, come as a surprise to you that the floral industry can be very wasteful. From huge amounts of plastic packaging, to all of the environmental harm caused by chemicals in large scale farming, to the ramifications of shipping flowers from all over the world, and more…there’s a lot of room for improvement.
I know that many of us are actively looking for ways to reduce our footprint and waste. Our weddings don’t have to sacrifice that!
How to Have Sustainable Wedding Flowers
It should come as no surprise to you that weddings as a whole can be rather wasteful events. After all, most weddings are very large parties with large guest lists, so even if there’s just a bit of waste per guest, anything times 150 guests adds up pretty quickly.
It might, however, come as a surprise to you that the floral industry can be very wasteful. From huge amounts of plastic packaging, to all of the environmental harm caused by chemicals in large scale farming, to the ramifications of shipping flowers from all over the world, and more…there’s a lot of room for improvement.
I know that many of us are actively looking for ways to reduce our footprint and waste. Our weddings don’t have to sacrifice that!
So, here are some of my top ideas for having sustainable wedding flowers in Manitoba!
-Hire a florist who prioritizes locally grown flowers. This means probably getting married in July, August or September if you’re getting married in Manitoba so you’ll have the best selection of blooms.
Now friends. Just like there’s greenwashing in other industries, there are florists and/or online floral suppliers that want to make it seem like they’re more of an earth-friendly option than they are. “Seasonal flowers” means almost NOTHING if they can’t tell you which farm from Manitoba grew their flowers. Basically everything is in season when you buy it in Ecuador and ship it across the ocean. This becomes a particular issue with websites that market themselves as cost-effective (like Costco or a particular online “floral shop” starting with C and ending with allia…) because there is literally nothing remotely locally grown through them. Promise you.
-Back to locally grown flowers. If you are open to it, give your floral designer free reign over the flower selections. This gives them the confidence to choose the best options for you and using entirely locally grown flowers.
-Rent, don’t buy. You do not need to purchase your own vases. I repeat, you do NOT need to purchase your own vases (or linens…the number of people who buy their own linens and then attempt to resell them…what on earth is the reason when you can rent them?!). Just rent them from your floral designer. No extra shipping, no extra packaging, and a lot less work on your end, too. If you do have some really cool vessels in mind, I’d love to suggest that you have them made by a local, small batch artisan like Meg Does Pottery.
-Ask your florist not to use floral foam. You’ve likely noticed this dark green stuff in arrangements before — but I’ve got some bad news for you: floral foam is basically the devil. It is a plastic, it’s non-biodegradable, it’s made with toxic chemicals. It’s killing aquatic life. It’s baaaad. But, it’s also not necessary! Be clear with your floral designer that you do NOT want them to use any floral foam for your wedding, and then listen to them when they say what types/styles of designs they can do for you without foam. Foam has made floral design annoyingly easy (and honestly, lacking in skill), and a lot of the design styles that have been trending in wedding design rely on foam. Allow your designer to lead the conversation towards what will be best for you.
-Ask your florist what their compost protocols are. Locally grown flowers aren’t grown with intense chemicals, so they’re able to composted in home composters. However, imported flowers ARE grown with a ton of chemicals that aren’t compostable by all facilities. I’ve always been told that Winnipeg’s facilities can’t handle the chemicals (though my neighbourhood has never been on a compost route anyways) so I started working with Compost Winnipeg a few years ago, as they can properly handle it. It’s been AWESOME. I went from producing 2-3 large garbage bags of trash every single week to maybe 2 bags a month.
-Avoid dyed or preserved flowers. We’re finally on the other side of the “dried” flowers trend, which was sadly filled with flowers that weren’t actually dried, but cranked full of chemicals to bleach, artificially dye, and then preserve them. You don’t just get neon pink bunny tails, my friends. In the end, things that are dyed and preserved generally can’t be composted, which means you’re taking natural, compostable materials and turning them into literal trash.
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
In case you couldn’t tell, sustainability is important to us at Stone House Creative.
Call me biased, but flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative — and we’ll make it as environmentally friendly as we possibly can!
15 Winnipeg Wedding Vendors You Need to Know
Okay listen. I’m a little anxious about publishing this blog post because there are a LOT of great wedding vendors in Winnipeg (and the surrounding areas). It pains me to not include everyone that I love working with because there are MANY of you. I thought about breaking this out into vendor categories, or doing it as more of a list style, and when it came down to it, I thought:
I’m going to include the vendors who I feel go out of their way to consistently elevate their work, and thereby elevate our industry as a whole.
Okay listen. I’m a little anxious about publishing this blog post because there are a LOT of great wedding vendors in Winnipeg (and the surrounding areas). It pains me to not include everyone that I love working with because there are MANY of you. I thought about breaking this out into vendor categories, or doing it as more of a list style, and when it came down to it, I thought:
I’m going to include the vendors who I feel go out of their way to consistently elevate their work, and thereby elevate our industry as a whole.
Brittany Mahood Photography
This is a huge point for me. The wedding industry and Winnipeg are kind of the same in that they’re “big small worlds,” if that makes sense. There’s not many of us, but there’s also a lot of us. There are automatically different levels of professionalism, different levels of service, different groups of vendors who frequently work together, different styles and aesthetics. I’m always seeking excellence in my own work, and I want to be surrounded by other professionals who also seek a similar excellence.
We have an incredibly talented industry. These are simply vendors who I love and have noticed doing amazing, amazing work.
I also need to give the caveat that I have next to no interaction with many vendors whose work happens DURING the wedding — caterers, bar service, DJ, etc. As a result, I have not included these types of vendors.
There are so many other incredible wedding professionals in this town and if you need a referral for anything, don’t hesitate to ask! For example, photographers and videographers. There are easily 5 other photographers I could have included on this list, who I love working with and always do an amazing job. I say it again, if you need a referral, ask away!
If you’re searching for your wedding venue, you can find a list of all my favourite Winnipeg and area wedding venues here.
Brittany Mahood Photography
Event Light
Event Light is PHENOMENAL. And they do a lot more than just lighting (though they do that exceptionally!). Here’s why I love Event Light:
They are behind most of the rigging that I’ve created hanging installations on. Cam, the owner, is just brilliant and has done such an amazing job of figuring out what is needed to create a structure for me to work on. I trust him implicitly. And he didn’t make fun of me when I terribly drove around a scissor lift for this tent wedding (at least not to my face).
The Event Light crew is pretty decently large, and they’re all so great! They’re efficient, kind, hard working, and they always know what they’re doing. They also seem to always be having a great time and to genuinely enjoy working with each other.
Lighting. Obviously. As well as the audio visual side of things. They just know what they’re doing, how to do it, and they do it all REALLY REALLY WELL. And what they do, always elevates the event in question.
Brittany Mahood Photography
Planned Perfectly
It’s very rare when I work on a wedding that Planned Perfectly isn’t. There are a lot of reasons why.
First, Kylee and her team are awesome. They’ve always got a smile on their faces and a joke at the ready. They’re also courteous and aware of what’s going on around them, so they do their best not to hold up anyone else’s work, resulting in a much more streamlined day for you (whether you know it or not!). Their day-of service is unparalleled.
Planned Perfectly’s inventory is really lovely — they’re the best at draping, their linens are high quality and current design styles, and they regularly update their products (though they’re not always reflected on their site — be sure to reach out to them for all of the details on what they have). For example, they have a fantastic collection of glassware, flatware, and dishware, along with their linens, chairs, and finishing touches.
Their smoke glassware is my personal favourite and I cannot tell you how many times I’ve used their taupe panama table linen!
Brittany Mahood Photography
Paper & PalM
Really fantastic custom wedding stationery has always been hard to consistently find in Winnipeg. We’ve had a number of great designers over the years, but for one reason or an other, they’ve left the industry. We’ve also got a lot of great stationers who will take your idea and replicate it really well, but searching for truly custom, with inspired ideas and elevated taste, has been a harder find. When I came across Paper & Palm at the Wonderful Wedding Show last winter, I got so excited. I’d seen Paula’s work on instagram beforehand, but seeing it in person was fantastic.
Paper and Palm’s work features high end details, creative touches, elevated style…it’s everything that you want. I’ve only worked with her a couple of times, but I hope for many more opportunities to tag team weddings and events together!
Michael + Melanie Photography
Beyond the Lounge
Beyond the Lounge doesn’t have an enormous inventory appropriate for weddings (lots of great options for corporate events and trade shows), but what they do have is awesome. Their smoke grey acrylic Lotus dining chair is one of my favourites.
Even better, they do an incredible job of maintaining the quality of their inventory. They take such careful care so there are no scratches, dents or dings.
An extra note — I’ve seen and heard Kari and her team during setups and tear-downs. She speaks so kindly to them, training them well and treating them with respect. It doesn’t always seem like that’s a guarantee these days, so this is an extra perk of Beyond the Lounge in my opinion. The photos below are from one of my favourite weddings I’ve ever done.
Joel & Justyna Photography
Soiree Event Planning
I’ve been working with Soiree since my very young days, when I was working at a local wedding magazine and not even in flowers yet! From Soiree’s inception, owner Andrea has set the standard in Winnipeg for event planning. Her team is constantly upping the game, with very high touch service and are highly regarded in our industry.
While I appreciate all things logistical that they excel at (and they certainly do excel at the communication and logistics side of their job!), one thing I noticed consistently this year more than ever before is their team’s creative designs. I’ll be honest with you, it’s not the easiest job to design amazing wedding after amazing wedding and still keep things fresh (especially when you’re working in a smaller market with a smaller rental inventory available at your disposal, like ours!). I’m constantly amazed at how great of a job they do taking the same pieces but reinventing them to create a completely unique design. They’re not interested in giving their clients something that other couples have had before, so they work really hard in this regard.
Brittany Mahood Photography
Rae & Dot
Hello fun and modern design!! I don’t know why the wedding stationery world seems to favour trite, dated, and quite frankly, tacky invitation styles. Lexi and Robyn have a current, fresh design style and know what little details to use to create an invite suite that just looks good.
Rae & Dot offers both custom design and a semi-customizable collection, each with different colourways and paper shapes, so even if you don’t have it in the budget to do a custom suite, you can create a custom-feeling piece. A few years ago, they designed a custom suite for one of my couples and we included stickers and they were just the fricking cutest things.
Then they’ve also got all the little stationery pieces that really tie an event together, like signage and menus and so on.
I actually designed Lexi’s wedding flowers this past summer, and she did such a fantastic job of curating the entire event design, and you know when a vendor has excellent personal style that they’re going to be able to hone in on something amazing for you, too.
Kass Donaldson Photography
Big City All Star Band
So I don’t ever actually get to be part of the reception, and have no idea what goes on once the evening starts. BUT I’ll tell ya this: if I were getting married now, a live band would be a priority for me. And then I’ll tell ya this: I get to listen to a lot of warmups and sound checks, and I always have the MOST fun when Big City is on the stage.
Carlin and his crew do an awesome job of basically any type of music. They’re also friendly, fun, and high energy, which is exactly what you want from a band.
Photos by Brittany Mahood / Planning by Harlow Events
Brittany Mahood Photography
I don’t think any of you would be surprised to find Brittany’s name on my list here, because I absolutely love her (both as a person, and as a photographer) AND because she’s amazing.
Brittany’s skill is incredible. Her galleries never miss. You’ll fall in love with her portfolio and the way she captures people, places, and things (especially light), and then you’ll be so thrilled to find out that all of her work is of the same high calibre.
Her work has been recognized nationally and internationally, and it’s always well-deserved.
Brittany shot my maternity photos, she’s taken our family photos, she came to Hawaii for my sister’s wedding…basically I love Brittany. You will, too.
Brittany Mahood Photography
Feast & Festivities
I love Emily from Feast & Festivities, and have so much admiration for both how she does her work, and the final product. I know it’s kind of strange to hear your wedding referred to as a “final product,” but when you have a creative at the helm who pours herself into conceptualizing every single element and detail, it’s the right phrase. Your wedding is the result of a LOT of hard work.
Emily is really easy to get along with. She’s got a fantastic and surprising sense of humour and a really nice energy. She’s calm and kind, a necessity for couples who are feeling stressed out and need someone to lead them in their planning.
Another of Emily’s strengths is her ability to design a wedding. Dang, is she ever good at this. She truly does think of every single thing, and really excels at bringing YOU into your wedding design. It’s not just a good looking event; it’s YOURS. She also works on a lot of custom projects for her weddings, particularly in personalizing stationery and signage elements.
Emily only takes a small number of weddings each year, and she just pours her heart into each of them. I know she’s booked for 2024 but if you’re looking for 2025, you should reach out asap.
Megan Steen Photography
Lovenote Bride
Excuse me — Canadian designed and made wedding dresses? And they’re stunning?
While not based in Winnipeg, Lovenote opened a Winnipeg store about a year and a half ago. It’s in the Johnston Terminal at the Forks, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Modern, chic, filled with natural light, TONS of space in the fitting rooms.
Their gowns are stunning. That’s all I can say.
OH and the store manager just so happens to be a friend of mine, Erika. She’s a truly wonderful person, and does an amazing job of making women feel as beautiful as they deserve to.
Aimee De La Lande Photo
Jenna Rae Cakes
Do I have a slight bias because I’ve been close friends with Ashley for almost 15 years, or because I was Jenna’s first part-time employee when she opened the bakery? Yes. Does it matter? No. And here’s why.
Everything that JRC does, including but not limited to their weddings, is done with excellence. The production value is incredibly high, and while I know that “production value” of a wedding is not (and should not be) the most important thing to you on your wedding day, it should also be an incredible relief to know that you absolutely do not need to micromanage, worry, or concern yourself about anything where Jenna Rae Cakes is concerned.
Unfortunately, I have a gluten allergy. That means I haven’t been able to eat anything of Jenna’s in about 9 years. But back in those days…woah baby. Was I a happy girl! If I were getting married now, and I didn’t have a gluten allergy, I’d promptly be ordering a lemon raspberry cake from JRC — that lemon curd is SO GOOD.
Izabela Rachwal Photography
Cathy Wiebe Clothes
Custom wedding gown and accessory design unlike anything you’ve experienced before. And I guess if you haven’t had a custom made gown before, then of course you’d have no experience to compare it to, but I can tell you from personal experience: Cathy’s level of service and her skills are incredible.
Many many years ago, Cathy made my high school grad dress. I loved it. And I’m telling you, it was a really really long time ago. In the almost 2 decades that have passed since then (☠️), she’s refined and practised her skills and really come into her own. I can always tell a Cathy gown when I see one. She’s not afraid to tell you about the late nights and the chaos that comes with her job, which I actually really appreciate — the art of a true artist isn’t necessarily completed in a typical 9-5 working day.
One of Cathy’s amazing skills is embroidery. Several of my past clients have had her embroidery work on their veils and dresses, adding flowers (including specific flowers I was using in their bouquets to tie it all together!! Talk about that customization!!) and even words and monograms into her bride’s pieces. These are literal works of art.
Also, and this may sound strange (I’ll have to hear what Cathy says about it!), I find Cathy’s work on sleeves to be really amazing. Look at Vanessa’s belled sleeves below and tell me this is anything short of divine and I won’t believe you.
Kass Donaldson Photography
Megan Steen Photography
Megan is one of those people who can see the beauty in anyone and everything around her. She’s refreshingly true and kind, and I think that filters through her camera. She’s welcoming, and not in your face, and isn’t going to make you pose awkwardly. All perks :) She’s down to earth and comfortable to be around. And she often has a pretty quick turnaround time on photos!
Something that’s unique about Megan is the way she loves the world. She loves people, yes, but she also loves the earth and she’s pretty vocal about it. I’m always seeking to work as environmentally-friendly as possible (it’s surprisingly hard in the floral industry!), and Megan prioritizes a very low-waste approach to life and work. She also loves being in nature, and that translates through her photos. You can just SEE her love for the natural world in her imagery — even if you’re the focus of the photo.
Megan and her partner also run another business, Wild Skies Resort. It’s an eco-friendly glamping resort that is incredibly beautiful and cool. I’ve had multiple couples take their honeymoons here, and have absolutely loved it. She’s another one of those professionals who only take on a few weddings each season, and she travels widely, so be sure to get in touch.
Alli Mae Events
I LOVE working with Alli. When clients ask me about her, I often describe her as the tiniest person who gets the most done. She’s this tiny bundle of incredible energy and strength.
Alli and her team are fun to be around (a vendor team who has a good time working on your wedding is a major plus! That’s the kind of atmosphere you want) and they’ve always got an “I can do this” attitude, no matter how big the task is.
I appreciate how organized Alli Mae Events is. You’d think, “shouldn’t all wedding planners be organized?” And the answer is yes. But Alli’s got a really great system, which empowers all your vendors to be able to do their job to the fullest, while also freeing up her own time on the wedding day so she can focus on what SHE needs to get done, and not just answer questions from everyone else.
MYUZ Artistry
Winnipeg has a lot of phenomenal makeup (and hair!) artists. Like, so so many. One of my favourites is Myuz.
If you’re a skincare aficionado, or if, like me, you have struggled with acne (or something else skin related) for most of your life, then Myuz needs to become part of your regular budget. Whether you’re getting married or not, healthy skin makes a person feel so much more confident and Myuz is the top for skincare. But if you ARE getting married, then you also need to check them out for makeup.
My clients who’ve chosen to work with Myuz are often the happiest with their makeup, and very frequently I have asked someone, “who did your makeup?!” and the response has usually been, “Tina!”
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
We’re connected with many of the best wedding professionals in Winnipeg. We can partner with them to create the wedding of your dreams!
Call me biased, but flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Top Trends for 2024 and 2025 Winnipeg Weddings
Writing my annual wedding trends post is one of my favourite posts to work on. It’s fun to see how many of my couples of digging into “trends,” and TBH it’s also kind of fun for me to hate on trends that other people are talking about. Not all trends are good trends, friends.
I focus on the design-related trends here. There are lots of other cool trends you might consider adding to your wedding — the audio guestbook, for example, or having a content creator with you all day long. I’m just going to stay in my lane, and talk about pretty things.
I always love forecasting wedding trends, so here we go!
Writing my annual wedding trends post is one of my favourite posts to work on. It’s fun to see how many of my couples of digging into “trends,” and TBH it’s also kind of fun for me to hate on trends that other people are talking about. Not all trends are good trends, friends.
I focus on the design-related trends here. There are lots of other cool trends you might consider adding to your wedding — the audio guestbook, for example, or having a content creator with you all day long. I’m just going to stay in my lane, and talk about pretty things.
Photo above by Three Photography
As always, before I jump into some of my favourite trends that I hope we’ll see in 2024 and 2025 weddings, here are a few things that are always at the top of my list:
Environmental Responsibility
Quality Over Quantity
Locally Grown Flowers
Doing Things Your Own Way
I just read a quote the other day encouraging couples planning their weddings: “You can’t please everyone, so please yourself. Trying to make every family member and guest happy can lead to a wedding that doesn’t reflect you two as a couple. Focus on what makes you happy.” So my friends, if you don’t like what I have to say here, that’s TOTALLY FINE. You do you, my friends. Make your wedding the greatest it can be, for you.
Oh, and I am still obsessed with the trends that we talked about last year; in fact, I inclulded a few of them here again! Check that out here if you want.
And now, let’s get into the pretty and inspirational! (And PS — if you’re newly engaged, congratulations! If you’re new here, welcome! I share a deep look into my real weddings, along with sharing planning advice and tips!)
Photo by Liz Andolina / Design by Trille Floral and Winsome Floral
Sculptural Floral Design
We’re seeing unique shapes, funky ingredients and textures and REALLY letting the flowers shine. There’s no micromanaging with this — we’re beholden to what cool ingredients we can get, so a client cannot be particular if this is the style they want.
And after so many years of “just a little greenery,” I cannot tell you how truly thrilled FLORAL DESIGNERS are to see a return to actual floral design.
Focal Design Moments
Let’s favour a few focal floral features and minimize other elements. I always look to Australian wedding trends; trends often start there and work their way here — and we’re seeing a lot of abundant, over the top hanging installations, focal floral arrangements, and then somewhat minimized tabletops for banquet tables. Statements moments like a hanging piece, a killer entrance moment, a spectacular cake set up…chef’s kiss.
Mono-Bloom Bouquets
We’ve been seeing mono-bloom bridesmaid bouquets popping up more and more on Instagram, and I’m all for it. Basically, this means we take one specific flower type for each bridesmaid, giving them each a unique bouquet, and then tying it all together with your bouquet.
I really love that we can create very different vibes with this — whimsical and gardeny, modern and sleek, obviously hitting different parts of your colour palette…it’s all good and I’d love to do more of it.
We’re also still scaling back on bouquet size, aiming for a more petite feel.
Creative Seating Plans
An amazing floor plan is like a love language to someone who works in events. A plan that creates visual interest in the room and allows for multiple different design elements, at the same time as allowing for excellent flow, is the absolute dream.
We’re talking differently shaped and sized tables, mixed cocktail and full size tables, introducing interesting seating elements (as long as they’re still comfortable!) and you have got yourself one heck of a good base for your event design.
Colour
Neon.
K now don’t get too worried — this isn’t going to be a widespread trend. But I’m really excited to see some hints of neon working their way into fun, bold wedding palettes. Note that this will be hard to do with flowers, so this is something to consider bringing in with candles, vases, stationery, and so on.
Are these acrylic place mats not DIVINE?!
Outside of just neon, I’m thinking we’re going to keep seeing a lot of orange — mostly just in accents, but it’s presence will be felt.
Meandering Aisles
This isn’t exactly anything new, but I’ve been noticing more and more ceremony designs making use of the space they have by creating a meandering aisle. This means that your chairs are not perfectly aligned, instead creating a wave pattern that then allows your floral designer to tuck floral arrangements into. Note that you’re going to need a lot of space to do this, and it will not work in every setting as a result.
Unique Draping
This one is a bit harder because it really hinges on your venue, but I’m seeing a lot of really interesting, unique draping installations and I’m HERE for it. Why?
Draping can create a really cool ambiance, and completely change the vibe of the space. Dreamy, modern, organic, clean…all things possible with drapery. And no unsightly venue walls to contend with.
Bows
This one comes to us from my friend Emily at Feast & Festivities:
Bows are a timeless design (they're never out of style), but this year they are making a statement. Big bows and dainty bows, you'll find them tied around the stems of champagne coupes, on the shoulders of gowns, on wine bottles, and adorning anything from menus to cakes and floral installations.
looking for a wedding floral designer in winnipeg?
We can design an incredibly beautiful wedding for you, trendy or not.
Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Top Wedding Venues in Winnipeg
Some of my most popular blog posts highlight my personal fave wedding venues, but in the last few years, there have been quite a few changes in the Winnipeg wedding venue landscape so it’s time for an update!
Whether you’re looking for a wedding venue inside Winnipeg or within a few minutes of the perimeter, we’ve got some really great options — just make sure you book it early!
Some of my most popular blog posts highlight my personal fave wedding venues,
but in the last few years, there have been quite a few changes in the Winnipeg wedding venue landscape so it’s time for an update!
Whether you’re looking for a Winnipeg wedding venue or something within a few minutes of the perimeter, we’ve got some really great options — just make sure you book it early!
Previously, I’ve broken this up into My Top 5 Unique Wedding Venues, and Top 5 Best Wedding Locations in Manitoba (outside of Winnipeg). Since those posts, we’ve seen a number of new venues open, as well as a few on my previous lists close down or shift gear. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working at almost all of these venues within the last 12 months, and they’re all SO great.
Without further ado, here are my Top favourite wedding venues in Winnipeg (and area) in absolutely no particular order!
Winnipeg Art Gallery
The WAG has long been one of my favourite venues for weddings. The building is absolutely beautiful, and of course, has every amenity that you need already taken care of. The rooftop makes for a gorgeous spot for ceremonies and cocktail hour (though prepare for wind! There’s nothing quite so windy as the WAG rooftop), Eckhardt Hall is a breathtaking backdrop for chic receptions, and since the opening of Quamajug, there are a few additional spaces available that are also visually inspiring.
The White Poplar
Near East Selkirk, the White Poplar has been a popular outdoor venue for a few years. It’s similar in style to a lot of tent facilities, in that you bring in your own caterer, florals and decor, music, and so on, so you can really customize how much your wedding is going to cost you. The pavilion style building has open sides with a permanent roof, a fantastic catering building that also houses the washrooms and a wedding party suite. The property features a pond, is fully treed, and has multiple options for gorgeous ceremony backdrops. There are a lot of wins here!
One thing you need to plan for is wind. It’s a windy property, and seemingly no matter what is happening in the sky, it’s going to be windy enough to knock vases or candles off tables in the pavilion. Plan to keep your centrepieces low and large enough that the vase has good weight to it and is more likely to stay on the tables, and consider framing your table numbers and tucking menus and place cards into napkins or forks.
Another great thing about White Poplar — they are SO good to vendors. Honestly, they make our jobs easy and that’s not something you find at every venue. Extra bonus points for a happy vendor team 😊
The Pavilion at Assiniboine Park
I am SO EXCITED that the Pavilion is once again open. They did weddings back in the day, and then the restaurant was closed, and then they reopened for weddings with a refreshed look but then Covid happened…and I just am so happy about it because it’s a beautiful wedding venue with a long list of pros. Some of my favourite elements include
-an open ceiling that allows me to hang flowers 🌸
-gorgeous natural light thanks to a lot of windows
-a prime location inside Assiniboine Park making it so easy for guests, and so many locations for your wedding photos
-a beautiful outdoor terrace perfect for ceremonies and cocktail hours
-the venue capacity for a seated dinner is 100 people, which gives you the perfect excuse to have a slightly trimmed down guest list while still including all your most important people!
The St Norbert Arts Centre
SNAC is just a few minutes south of the city, making it really convenient while also being situated in a unique historical and natural environment. The room is on the smaller side, with light hardwood floors, lots of windows, and white walls. Long tables work really well here, and in the image above, we brought in the crossback chairs and ceiling drapery to create a more refined rustic vibe.
Heads up, though, that the SNAC is not air conditioned, so you’re likely going to want to avoid booking a mid-summer wedding here. May/June and September/October is PERFECT.
The Manitoba Club
The Manitoba Club is one of my favourite venues in Winnipeg. Now here’s the thing — the Grand Ballroom and the Oak Room are two absolutely stunning rooms, with a very old-world quality that lends an elegant, traditional atmosphere, but the thing that I love the MOST about Manitoba Club is actually their outdoor space, the Bonnycastle Garden! Just take a look at this — it’s perfect for intimate wedding receptions, an outdoor wedding ceremony, or even your cocktails and dancing!
Alloway Hall at the Manitoba Museum
I’m super excited that, after a few years’ hiatus, the Manitoba Museum is once again taking wedding bookings in Alloway Hall! I’m eagerly anticipating my first wedding there next summer. We’re going with a lot of colour and a maximalist gallery vibe, which will go beautifully in the large, open, white and black space. You can do a LOT of things in here, but you’re not going to want to go minimal with decor.
Here’s what I love about Alloway Hall:
-it fits a LOT of people - up to 600!
-it features tall ceilings, white walls, and dark floors with a gallery-style vibe, so it’s a great blank canvas for different styles
-one wall is entirely windows, with a gorgeous view of the Steinkopf Gardens between the museum and the Concert Hall
-built-in lighting options!
Restaurant Weddings: Smith, Gusto, and Cibo
Restaurant weddings will always be a fave of mine. Why? The food is always going to be great, the atmosphere is a bit more relaxed and less traditional than your typical wedding venue, and they’re often so beautifully designed that you just need to add a few flowers or candles and you’re all set to go.
Keep in mind that tables are usually a bit more helter-skelter (they won’t all be exactly the same, making the floor plan a bit trickier to figure out) and also usually quite narrow, so you won’t have as much space for florals. I’d recommend doing a plated dinner as there often won’t be enough space for share platters.
St Charles Country Club
In the heat of the summer, sometimes what you really need is an indoor wedding venue with the reliability of air conditioning and no wind. And ideally, a pretty space as well :) You certainly get that at St Charles! Plus gorgeous grounds, a truly idyllic outdoor space, and a gorgeous fireplace for those iconic portraits and first dance moments. They renovated a few years ago, and it still feels fresh and clean. The ceilings are on the lower side, and the floor plan can be a bit strange because it’s a long room with two wings on either end, so not every guest will be able to see the wedding couple throughout the evening (though I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing!).
The Fort Garry Hotel
The Hotel Fort Garry has been hosting weddings in their ballrooms for over 100 years already so it’s not as though you didn’t already know the venue existed, BUT, it’s still one of my favourite wedding venues in downtown Winnipeg, and in particular, the Provencher Room on the first floor is a personal fave. If you want your wedding to feel classic and elegant, there’s no better option for you. The benefits of being able to get ready in one of their suites, visit the spa, and simplify your out-of-town guests’ stay are obvious as well!
For this gorgeous flower-filled wedding, they utilized the entire 7th floor and created a really unique guest experience. Guests stepped off the elevator and knew the entire space was for their celebration. The ceremony and pre-cocktail party were in the Concert Ballroom, with additional cocktail tables and the seating display in the loggios / hallway, dinner in the Crystal Ballroom, and then back to the Concert for dancing. It worked beautifully!
Wild Skies Resort
Owned and created by amazing wedding photographer Megan Steen, Wild Skies is an incredibly unique outdoor venue that’s ideal for couples who love camping/glamping, are eco-conscious, and are looking for something a bit more on the intimate side. In 2021 I was so lucky to do Tiffany and Stephanie’s intimate wedding under the trees at Wild Skies, and since then, they’ve built a modern pavilion (complete with pizza oven 🤤) that I’m aching to see in person.
Pineridge Hollow
Pineridge Hollow has always been on the list, and for good reason. Everyone loves it! It’s a semi-permanent tent situated in the tree line at this popular destination bordering Birds Hill Park.
At PRH you always know the food is going to be top-notch, and the grounds are beautiful. They also offer unique customizations that take the guest experience up a few notches. While the tent itself could use some refreshing, they’ve recently added permanent bathrooms (woo!) and offer multiple ceremony settings so you can really get the vibe you’re going for. At this recent wedding, I added greenery to the ceiling (lighting by Event Light) and decked out the entranceway between the bar tent and the main tent, and that really amped it all up.
Lilystone Gardens
New kid on the block! Lilystone is the perfect example of why every wedding venue should be designed by a wedding florist, my friends. Kelly has done the most amazing job of creating a space that is just begging to be covered with flowers AND EVEN BETTER it’s at her flower farm. WHAT.
Air conditioned. Indoor and outdoor spaces. Multiple gorgeous ceremony locations. Catering kitchen on premises. Getting ready suite right there. I mean. There are only pros here. I’m so excited to have a wedding here next fall!
Florals in the above photo by the talented team at Lilystone! I did work on the hanging installation along with Deer Dutch, though 😊
Ariana Tennyson Photography
Hawthorn Estates
Hawthorn is just about 30 minutes outside of the city (and it’s actually super close to my end of town, so it’s very convenient for me lol!) and they’ve done SUCH a beautiful job of creating this amazing wedding venue. They have options for your ceremony to be fully outdoors or in their covered solarium (I LOVE THE SOLARIUM!), and the reception space features this gorgeous fireplace (which also makes for a stunning ceremony spot!) and beautiful distressed timber beams throughout. There’s a great amount of natural light, as well as really nice bathrooms, which always bumps a venue to the top of my personal list!
I’d love to work with a client at Hawthorn who wants to get creative…I’d picture the ceremony in front of the fireplace, with the sweetheart table moved in front for the reception, and a mix of banquet and round tables throughout the room. Velvet linens, lush florals on the fireplace…oh baby, who’s in?
The Gates on Roblin
The Gates is one of those spaces that has been around for a long time, has gone through multiple iterations of itself, and always exudes excellence. My aunt was married in the restaurant when I was kid, and I remember just loving that day, so it’s always been special for me.
The food is excellent, the venue staff are fantastic, and you have the option to have your ceremony outdoors or indoors, cocktails on the patio, and if you have a smaller group, then the restaurant has several private rooms you can use instead of the full venue!
In my opinion, the reception space does require a lot of dressing up, so ensure that you’ve budgeted appropriate for ceiling and wall drapery. It’s a pretty neutral space, so you can do pretty much any colour palette well, which is always a bonus!
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
2023 wedding dates are now booking! Whether it’s an intimate wedding for 30 or a celebration the likes of which have never been seen before, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
