How to Plan a Cocktail Style Wedding Reception
I thought I’d do something a bit differently on the blog today — at the same time as showcasing one of our recent weddings, I’ve also included some wisdom from the planner, Andrea at Soiree Event Planning! Scroll down a bit to see her Top 3 Tips for Planning a Cocktail Style Wedding Reception.
Kendall and Dylan’s wedding was my first time working at The Leaf, and I was so excited to see the room completely transformed from its corporate feeling natural state. It was a long day of setup, with a lot of logistics, but it looked so good!
I thought I’d do something a bit differently on the blog today — at the same time as showcasing one of our recent weddings, I’ve also included some wisdom from the planner, Andrea at Soiree Event Planning! Scroll down a bit to see her Top 3 Tips for Planning a Cocktail Style Wedding Reception.
Kendall and Dylan’s wedding was my first time working at The Leaf, and I was so excited to see the room completely transformed from its corporate feeling natural state. It was a long day of setup, with a lot of logistics, but it looked so good!
Photos by Kassandra Donaldson Photography
Did you know that if you’re having a ceremony or photos in one of the biomes at the Leaf, that you cannot bring in fresh flowers? A bummer for sure, but we do often have little critters coming out of our flowers while we’re designing them, so I’d absolutely hate to have that happen on a wedding day and they mess up the carefully composed environments in each biome.
So, that means that all of Kendall’s personal and ceremony flowers had to be composed of faux flowers. We used fresh flowers throughout the reception.
PS These flowers are all for sale! I am currently selling Kendall’s bridal bouquet and 3 bridesmaid bouquets, and the 5 arrangements plus additional loose flowers that we composed the ceremony installation out of. Send me a note if you want them!
Top 3 Tips for a Cocktail Reception from Soiree Event Planning
1: Seating
Ensure you plan for an intentional amount of seating. If you want guests to mingle, plan for seating for 60% or less.
2: Menu
Select menu items that are simple to eat while standing and don't require much in the way of cutlery.
3: Timing
Adjust your start time to be a touch later. Food service will naturally take less time than a formal dinner, and ideally you don't want dancing to start too early or the party may end prematurely.
More on the seating note — check out the amazing variety of seating that Soiree curated: large sit-down tables, standing and seated cocktail tables, and 3 lounges with a mix of banquettes, love seats, individual chairs, and plenty of coffee and end tables for plates and glasses to be placed on.
This layout was visually interesting and created lots of great nooks for people to either gather together or hide away for a quieter conversation.
It also made sure people know what to expect — they were encouraged to mingle and move around the room, and not stay in a chair for an entire evening.
Kendall and Dylan’s evening featured multiple food stations placed throughout the room, including a mini slider bar, soft taco station, as well as a pasta station. A little bit of cutlery was required, but the pasta was served in small, light weight vessels that were easy to walk around with. And that, my friends, is why you hire a wedding planner — I wouldn’t have had the foresight to realize any of these logistics but the Soiree team certainly knows what they’re doing!
Hello to the ceremony flowers, repurposed and back in action. The newlyweds are friends with Sweet Impressions, and option for the bakery to provide 3 small cutting cakes, one for each of Dylan’s children, so they could do a family cake cutting. So sweet!
The ceremony flowers were designed in individual vessels, making this super easy to repurpose by placing them around the pedestals while still feeling polished and well designed.
This wedding looked REALLY good — and as always, I’ll remind you that it takes a village. A village who are willing to go above and beyond for the client, and do the job right. Each venue has funny little things about it that make working at it hard, and the Leaf is no exception. From loading doors that we’re not allowed to open because they’re right beside the kitchen, to the fact that Creating a Scene had to carry the bar up a hill BY HAND to get it into the room (because it didn’t fit in the elevator), I’ll leave it at this: hire professionals.
Kassandra Donaldson Photography ~ Soiree Event Planning ~ The Leaf ~ Planned Perfectly ~ Collective Event Rentals ~ Event Light ~ Karta House ~ Creating a Scene ~ Sweet Impressions ~ Myuz Artistry ~ Trend Decor
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
We can design a beautiful, unique wedding at the Leaf for you. Find out more about our floral services by inquiring below!
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!
Warm Fall Wedding at Hawthorn Estates
I love a good fall wedding. I’m more of a summer girl myself, but there’s something about those warm, rich fall tones and the coziness than feels just right (even if it’s still 30 celcius out!).
So, Kelsie and Nick’s wedding was actually right at the very end of August, but nevertheless we dug right into the warm autumnal tones and added in some rich pink hues that played so nicely off the orange bridesmaid dresses.
I love a good fall wedding. I’m more of a summer girl myself, but there’s something about those warm, rich fall tones and the coziness than feels just right (even if it’s still 30 celcius out!).
So, Kelsie and Nick’s wedding was actually right at the very end of August, but nevertheless we dug right into the warm autumnal tones and added in some rich pink hues that played so nicely off the orange bridesmaid dresses.
Photos: Megan Steen Photography
I’ll admit that I’m not personally a fall person. It used to be my favourite season because it was back to school (and I LOVED school). That, and newly sharpened pencil bouquets, if you catch my drift. But since I started working in weddings, summer has just gone by so quickly so now when autumn its, I get really disappointed and feel like I missed summer.
BUT then Kelsie’s bouquet came along and made me feel like maybe I didn’t have to push fall away. Maybe fall is actually amazing because look at these flowers and colours 😍😍
Kelsie’s bouquet is also the perfect example that just because you’re getting married in fall, doesn’t mean your colour palette has to be Crayola orange/yellow/red. The subleties and nuances in the colour palette here were so rich, so delicious, so warm.
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: SO MUCH LOCALLY GROWN!! Rudbeckia, lisianthus, asters, zinnia, ninebark, jewel of opar, and amaranthus, complimented with imported combo and barista roses and olive foliage. Finished perfectly with Stella Wolfe velvet ribbon (hubba hubba, gimme all the velvet ribbon for fall weddings).
Peep the flying petals in the centre image above, and if that doesn’t give you an idea of the energy these groomsmen brought to Kelsie and Nick’s wedding day, then I don’t know what will. So good!
Wind, man. Just know that if you’re having an outdoor wedding in Manitoba, wind will be a factor. No matter what. It’s just always around. We did pretty well here, but I had to work pretty hard to get this drape stuck down (I used double-sided u-glu dashes). Also, please note that I don’t actually do draping and I personally think I’m terrible at it, but we made it happen here and it wasn’t horrible.
Kelsie and Nick set up this outdoor lounge area (with Karina Walker’s retired couch rental — isn’t it so gorgeous?) and they did a lot of their portraits and wedding party photos there. The arch was quite nearby to this area, so while I was working on the arch, I could hear Kelsie and her girls just giggling away and having the best time. It was SO nice — the happiest background music I could have asked for.
Then moving inside for the reception, Kelsie really dug into the orange tones, layering a muslin runner with the orange water glasses, and I added the toffee and sienna candles and an orange tinted vase with the florals. Sometimes we like a varied palette, and sometimes we like layering together a more monochromatic look.
You’ve got nothing on a delicious fall celebration! I’ve still got plenty of fall availability for 2024, so if you’re interested in a delicious, warm palette like this one, be sure to shoot me an email because I would LOVE to be part of your wedding.
Megan Steen Photography ~ Hawthorn EstatES ~ Prairie Sky Events ~ RAe + Dot Studio ~ EPH Weddings ~ Martina Liana Bridal ~ Azazie ~ Made Beauty Co ~ Collective Event rentals ~ Let’s Celebrate Rentals ~ Bark Wedding Date
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
Loving these fall wedding flowers? Us too.
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!
Luxurious Fall Wedding at Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Modern, luxurious, and sleek were the words Soiree Event Planning used to describe what they envisioned for Michelle and Adam’s late October wedding. With it taking place at The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the setting created the perfect moody ambiance to carry it all off.
Modern, luxurious, and sleek were the words Soiree Event Planning used to describe what they envisioned for Michelle and Adam’s late October wedding. With it taking place at The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the setting created the perfect moody ambiance to carry it all off.
Michelle wore several gowns throughout the day — first, her mother’s (or possibly her grandmother’s? I can’t remember!), and then one of her own, and then a fun dress for the party. This vintage gown was so elegant and such a beautiful touch for their church ceremony.
Photos by Brittany Mahood Photography
It doesn’t happen often, but I LOVE when I get to style the flatlays. It’s such a fun creative challenge to create a beautiful memory for the couple. These invitations were GORGEOUS — the blind embossing on the cardstock! I especially loved the dried baby’s breath tucked into their wax seal — such a great touch. I referenced that with the fresh baby’s breath blossoms that I sprinkled over the invite suite. I love the life that fresh flowers bring, and the depth that added as well.
Fall bouquet deliciousness. Rich, luxurious, and moody — I’m so grateful there are good images of this bouquet, because I didn’t manage to get a single one myself! Don’t these rich pink and plum tones look divine against those deep green velvet bridesmaid dresses?
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: cafe latte garden rose, sweet escimo rose, deep plum ranunculus, deep plum dahlias, blush snowberry, almost black scabiosa, and touches of Israeli ruscus. All tied up with black ribbon.
The ceremony. One of Winnipeg’s oldest churches, with ornate wood detailing, stained glass, and a long centre aisle, St Luke’s Parish was the perfect location for a warm, luxurious design and a romantic ceremony.
Our focal point was a deconstructed arch, composed of a base of textural baby’s breath (we used two varieties for more visual interest and coverage), and then clustered in sections of moody florals in mixed plum, burgundy, and pink tones. We focused on roses, mums, smoke bush, and some really incredible antique hydrangea.
I also added baby’s breath pew hooks to the pews. They looked so cute, but let me tell you what — I spent AN ENTIRE DAY making these. I thought I’d be able to whip them out in one morning and it just took forever 😂 Some things you just don’t expect!
The reception design was sleek and modern, featuring a ton of airy baby’s breath and a really great floor plan.
With different size and shape tables, we designed 3 different table centres: a tall, airy cloud of baby’s breath on round tables with an additional mini cloud at the base, a full length baby’s breath runner with floral tucked throughout on two long family tables, and a shorter baby’s breath garland on short rectangular tables.
We layered in black taper candles and mixed smoke glass votives, which worked perfectly with Planned Perfectly’s smoke glassware and a combination of deep green velvet linens and grey linens.
I recall Michelle being uncertain about using the emerald velvet linens — in my opinion, green is basically a neutral, so for any of you who might be unsure, I’d say to go for it! I’m sure you’d all agree that they look amazing in this context.
Long, single-sided head tables can be such a challenge to design because they’re just not that interesting. It’s always in my mind to try to figure out some different ideas for decor and I think this one turned out great!
We repurposed the ceremony arch behind the table, and added mixed candles and florals along the top of the table. I wanted to create some tabletop baby’s breath clouds, to tie through the design. The black candle boxes were rented from Collective, and I tucked in a few more black pillar candles and smoke glass votives as well (part of my rental collection!).
The Soiree team crafted such a stunning design. This room felt grand, modern, and very luxurious. Details were not missed, and that’s one of the reasons why I love working with them. I know that the clients will be well served, but it’s also a great experience to work on their vendor teams because their logistics and their designs are both well thought-out (not just one or the other).
Cute little fact — I had no idea that there was such a huge height difference between Adam and Michelle until I saw their photos, as I hadn’t met him beforehand. I think it’s over a foot difference!
I so loved being part of this wedding, and I had a great team of people helping me. Deanna, as always, along with Kirsty and Emily. We worked all week out of our wholesaler’s warehouse (I didn’t have enough space at my studio!) and it was so rewarding to see it all come together.
Brittany Mahood Photography ~ Soiree Event Planning ~ Canadian Museum for Human Rights ~ Planned Perfectly ~ Collective Event Rentals ~ Event Light ~ Rhyme & RHYthm ~ Two Fold Paper Co ~ Myuz Artistry
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
Dates book fast at the Human Rights Museum. Contact us today about our availability!
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!
Cozy Cottage Core Vibes for Nicole and Justin
Nicole and Justin’s wedding was one of the first of my wedding season and it was such a joyful day (also frickin hot). They hosted a small group of loved ones at her family cottage, just over the Manitoba/Ontario border.
With Emily from Feast & Festivities at the helm, the cozy cottage vibes were personal, cheerful, and relaxed.
And, of course, Nicole was immaculate ✨ From her custom gown to her henna, everything about her style was perfection.
Natasha’s style is obviously impeccable, and she came into the planning with a Spanish-inspired vision. The colour palette? Perfect. Her dresses? Breathtaking. The ceremony arch? One of my absolute faves.
Welcome to the cutest cottagecore wedding you’ve ever seen!
Nicole and Justin’s wedding was one of the first of my wedding season and it was such a joyful day (also frickin hot). They hosted a small group of loved ones at her family cottage, just over the Manitoba/Ontario border.
With Emily from Feast & Festivities at the helm, the cozy cottage vibes were personal, cheerful, and relaxed.
And, of course, Nicole was immaculate ✨ From her custom gown to her henna, everything about her style was perfection.
Photos by Casey Nolin Photography
Did I love Nicole’s bouquet? Yes. Did my Instagram followers love Nicole’s bouquet? ALSO YES.
I loved how light it was (seriously, like maybe 1 pound? It felt lighter than air). I loved how much movement it had. And I absolutely loved those locally grown tulips that totally stole the show.
I started with a base of lavender sweet pea, spiralling in the tulips, ranunculus, and delphinium that the colour movement was really soft and just had a small pop of bright orange. We finished it up with some Tono & Co silk ribbon.
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: Tulips, ranunculus, delphinium, feverfew, sweet pea, stock, and poppies.
The ceremony was in a small clearing, literally just the perfect size for their guests. I designed some ground-based florals for the front, adding in individual stems down the aisle to make it feel very natural. I kept all the floral selections light, wildflowery, and airy. No focal flowers allowed.
Not every cottage has the necessary amount of space to pitch a tent, and Nicole’s place had literally just the right amount of space. Like, literally JUST. Almost like they planned it.
They had a U shaped table plan, with a row of tables in the middle, which created a really communal feel. A small lounge welcomed tired dancers off the dance floor, with a fun hanging seating chart and adorable bar front. It’s those little details that take things to another level, even if it’s a simple and relaxed wedding!
I loved the warm neutral base of taupe linens with wooden cross-back chairs. It felt really easy, not remotely pretentious or overdone.
Such cute place settings, right? I love the relaxed way that Emily layered all of this together. A loosely (but also perfectly) draped napkin (we don’t want anything looking messy here, friends!) — and note that it’s tucked under the plates. I’ve had quite a few tent weddings with a knotted napkin or flat folded napkin that has blown right off the table thanks to our least favourite element, wind.
And then that angled menu with the “scattered” cutlery — so cute, right? Again, it’s meticulously placed and each place setting perfectly matched each other, but it’s also got this inherently relaxed feel that fits the cottage atmosphere really well.
And how cute is that custom made bar? Named after their sweet pup, “Bar Luna”’s ruffled edges perfectly matched with the seating chart, festooned with pressed flowers that Nicole had been pressing for the year leading to their wedding. A personalized, DIY element done RIGHT, my friends.
A few beautiful moments down by the lake, at sunset. Now that’s summer wedding perfection!
Can I tell you how hot it was this day? DANG my friends. It was like 40 degrees celcius. Luckily we were pretty nicely shaded with a bit of a breeze, but whew. Lots of sunscreen and water that day for me, and I also stole a few minutes to splash my feet in the lake, and that made a world of a difference. Cheers to weddings at the lake!
Casey Nolin Photography ~ Feast & Festivities ~ Minted ~ Planned Perfectly ~ Collective Event Rentals ~ Cathy Wiebe Clothes ~ Aldo Formalwear ~ Blush + Blonde ~ Henna by Azma
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
We can design a gorgeous wedding at the lake for you. Find out more about what we do by clicking the button below!
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!
Dreamy Pastel Wedding Editorial
I was so happy to be part of this dreamy pastel wedding editorial this past January, with Kayla Lagos Events. Kayla presented a gorgeous vision for a soft, delicate palette, featuring fluttery and whimsical flowers.
It’s always fun to get creative during the off season. I don’t usually have many winter weddings, so it’s a different set of flowers, palettes, and inspiration to work through and I really enjoyed this!
I was so happy to be part of this dreamy pastel wedding editorial this past January, with Kayla Lagos Events. Kayla presented a gorgeous vision for a soft, delicate palette, featuring fluttery and whimsical flowers.
It’s always fun to get creative during the off season. I don’t usually have many winter weddings, so it’s a different set of flowers, palettes, and inspiration to work through and I really enjoyed this!
PS You can see more from this bouquet on my Instagram, here!
Photos by Aimee De La Lande Photography
We all love the champagne tower trend, but I have to say that this cake from Sugar & Salt was the highlight for me! The colours of the buttercream flowers were perfect, and it was just really pretty, too.
I also loved the floral confetti on the table. It made a big statement without taking a lot of budget to achieve!
And aren’t Sarah and Scott so cute? They’re a real life couple, getting married this October. I can’t wait for their wedding day!
How much do you think this bridal bouquet costs?
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients:
Garden Spray Roses
Dutch Lisianthus
Clematis
Phalaenopsis Orchids
Delphinium
Allium
Stock
And finished with hand died silk ribbon from
Stella Wolfe
BRIDAL BOUQUET COST: $465
Okay, so for those of you who are freaking out about the cost of this bouquet: don’t worry. I am, too 😂 Here’s the thing: this shoot took place in January, when zero locally grown flowers were available and we had to import everything (with garden spray roses from Japan and lisianthus from Holland), AND I just happened to use everything expensive. It’s a tricky habit lol!
But woah baby, was it worth it. Those orchids!! I died. The allium! Gosh darn it. The lisianthus, as expensive as it was 😍 And I think it paired quite perfectly with those delicately ribbed sleeves you can add on to the Lovenote Bride “Marion” gown (designed and made in Canada!!).
This palette! Obviously we shot this in winter so it had that freshness when we were most dying for it, but I think this feminine palette could transfer easily to spring and summer as well!
Lavender, peach, soft blue, soft pink, mauve and springy green
Kayla wanted to play with a few looks, mixing and matching rental options to create do a “one look, two ways” concept.
Look 1: Gold chivari chairs and smoke glass stemware
Look 2: Smoke acrylic chairs and pink glass stemware
One Look, Two Ways
If you’re seating your guests at rectangular banquet tables, make sure you get the width of them. At the Manitoba Club, they use a “king’s table,” which is nice and wide (that’s what you see here). A lot of venues use narrower tables, which simply gives less space to add in decor. You need to be aware of how much space you have to add in flowers, candles, glassware, and so on.
With this table, we had a lot of space to feature 2 fuller centrepieces, with 3 petite modern stem vase style arrangements of pink anthurium. We tucked in taper candles and still had plenty of negative space — which is crucial in a design. A lot of the time I feel that tables are overloaded, but it can be the negative space that sets off design.
Fun little personal fact: this is the last time I’ve straightened my hair! January 26. My hair is wavy but I’ve never known how to deal with it, so I decided that I would just stop straightening it and see what happens. I still have no idea how to deal with it but I’m enjoying letting my hair just do what it does.
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
Are you as into this colour palette as we are?
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!
