I had the pleasure of viewing this unique space first hand yesterday – as they officially open their doors for weddings.

Whether you want an outdoor Edmonton ceremony venue for up to 500 guests or just love baseball that much – you can now enjoy exchanging nuptials right at home plate!

Guests can enter through the main entrance and concourse, or you can opt to have the big ‘game day’ gate open up for your guests to access.

The Home Run lounge is a great place to host your reception before or after your ceremony. Catering services are provided on site. You can amend this floorplan any way you like with a combination of rectangular tables and hightop tables.

And although the field was covered for my visit, you can have your ceremony on home plate or the pitchers mound. Guests may be seated in the bleachers or on chairs right on the baseball field.

Because it’s Alberta, a covered back up area is a must and the game day picnic area serves that function. Remove all the tables and this can be a great back up ceremony location, with the field still as your backdrop.

And last but not least, you’ll have your own changing room to use on the wedding day – the same one the pros use!

And there are so many fun areas on this property for you to take wedding photos – inside and outside of the field. With it’s free parking for your guests and the picturesque neighborhood of Rossdale skirting this venue, you’ll find lots of potential for hosting your wedding celebrations here.

Whether one of you, or both of you are a baseball fanatic – or you just like the idea of a different venue for your ceremony and reception, you may want to consider Telus Field as the perfect location to exchange your nuptials. I’m looking forward to turning this baseball diamond into a classy celebration for a future Nuance Occasions couple.

Jolyn | Lifestyle Wedding Planner & Designer
Nuance Occasions
780.628.6457

Each venue and caterer has very different policies surrounding tastings, so you’ll want to be sure to check with your venue or caterer in advance about what their policy is.

Generally, tastings are only offered for plated menu service – sorry, if you are choosing a buffet option, tastings aren’t offered because it’s impossible to prepare small portions of each of the varied items for an appropriate tasting.

Tastings are usually offered within the 3 months prior to your wedding – close enough to ensure you can choose from the current menu, but still enough time to make changes or substitutions in your final menu.

Chocolate Mousse at Fairmont Newport, California - during ABC Wedding Planner Conference 2008

Here’s a couple tips to ensure you get the most of your tasting session:

• Schedule in Advance. Schedule your tasting a couple weeks in advance, to ensure your chef has time to order ingredients that may not be standardly in their kitchen (such as fresh seafood or unique dessert ingredients).
• Give Chef Some Freedom. Although you’ll pick the main entrees, allow chef to recommend the best seasonal vegetables and starch to be paired with each dish
• Share your thoughts. Be sure to share with the chef any of your thoughts (too much sauce, would prefer a different presentation, etc) but keep in mind your guests may not share the same opinion. Your ultimate goal is to select a menu you’ll love, but will also be widely accepted by your guests.
• Seek Professional Guidance. If you love all the options and can’t decide which salad to serve, ask your Chef for recommendations about what will pair well with the rest of your meal selections. Don’t hesitate to ask your Chef for their wine recommendation for your meal pairing as well.
• Enjoy the experience. Enjoy becoming familiar with the taste, smell, visual presentation and personal care and attention your Chef will put into helping you plan the most perfect wedding meal.

You don’t want to rush yourself – so make sure you plan to spend approx. 2-3 hours at your venue meal tasting. Take notes, and while your meal is still fresh in your mind, make your final menu selections and pass them along to your venue or catering coordinator.

My couples love the menu tasting when it comes along on their planning tasks to complete. I hope you have the same experience at yours!

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions
780.628.6457

Not often do I share these special sessions, so I hope you enjoy this webinar.

Click the play button to listen to the webinar:

{ Please note the bonus offers have now expired }

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive advance notice of future webinars. Our next webinar will be in conjunction with a couple other professionals…on January 31, 2010 – check out www.engagedsoiree.com for more details. I’ll be sharing details on how to avoid common planning blunders!

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions
780.486.5310 ext.1

The Winspear Centre is well known as a world class venue for music and the arts in Edmonton, and now it can become your world class venue for your wedding! Make your special day a truly unforgettable occasion, with a ceremony held in the Winspear’s beautiful, elegant spaces.

{ceremony in the Studio}

And to help you prepare for the perfect day, you’ll receive wedding planning sessions from Nuance Occasions, $1,000 towards your wedding bands at Birks Manulife Place, a couples’ spa package from Pure Elements Hair and Body, and gift certificates to Survivor Boot Camp. You’ll be celebrating in style with flower arrangements from Graham and Lane, hotel accommodations at The Westin, and a wonderful gift of music with a subscription for two to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

To enter to Win Your Wedding, and to find out more about the Winspear Centre’s event facilities, visit www.winspearcentre.com – hurry up & enter to win – contest closes January 25, 2010 at 9:00 AM MST.

PS. Come visit the Winspear Centre booth at Bridal Fantasy on January 24, 2010 – Northlands Agricom!

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
   Ashley | Winspear Wedding Coordinator
Nuance Occasions

I love attending these types of soirees, as it’s a chance for the venue to show off what they do well…and for this year’s customer appreciation event, the Marriott at River Cree chose food stations to showcase their fabulous culinary abilities!

(all photos were taken on my iPhone)

Food stations can be perfect in a cocktail style atmosphere or even a be used to offer full meals. If I had let myself make my way to each station, it would have surely sufficed as a full meal.

Filling the center of the room, was an assortment of savory and sweet stations, pleasantly arranged and not buffet like at all – all easily accessible from 2 sides, so there was never an awkward line up to participate in.

My favorite stations for the night was the asian noodle station and the crepe suzette station – needless to say, my personal trainer Darcy’s words hung heavy in my mind as I still snuck a creme brulee from the dessert bar.

Other food stations included the sushi bar, baron of beef au jus station, pasta station, shrimp cocktail on ice station, martini bar, pastry station with chocolate bar, and antipasto bar.

To celebrate the CFR – there was a great band, calf roping skills test and opportunities to meet Miss Rodeo Canada and Miss Rodeo Princess…thank you Marriott at River Cree for hosting such a fun appreciation event!

Even the Nuance Occasions lighting architect was part of the design process for the main stage backdrop…love all of Vince’s lighting works!! He does such a great job of creating ambient light in any room.

Food stations are a creative and fun way for guests to pick their food options instead of a buffet. And the Marriott at River Cree definitely knows how to do them right…be sure to check with Erin or Kate on their sales team if you want to consider a food station style reception for your wedding!

PS. And the Marriott at River Cree will even cater events off-site – including food stations!

Jolyn | Lifestyle Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions
780.628.6457

{ photo credit :: Shandro Photo }

Visit the Muttart Conservatory & learn about the spaces available for rent for wedding ceremonies & receptions!

When | Sunday September 27, 2009 from 10am-6pm
Where | Muttart Conservatory 9626-96A Street
What | *FREE* admission, but please bring a donation to the Edmonton Food Bank
Why | to check out all the newly renovated spaces

Be sure to visit the Muttart Conservatory website for scheduled activities on September 27!

I’ll be there, checking out the renovated spaces and seeing what options exist for our couples. I hope you get a chance to check out this Edmonton wedding gem as well!

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions