TIS' THE SEASON... TO GET ENGAGED!!

While many lucky girls found themselves spending the Christmas season (also known in the wedding industry as engagement season), eyes glued to the new rock on their finger and celebrating their newly acclaimed title of bride-to-be, engagement season is not over yet.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have both always been popular times for marriage proposals. Family and friends are usually gathered together providing the perfect opportunity to share the moment with them. New Years Eve of course is also a favourite. You're already in the celebratory mood and really, can you think of a better way to start off the New Year? But there's still one day left. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and completes the list of most popular days to get engaged!

Guys, are you ready to propose to that special little lady in your life but missed the boat over the holidays and are now hoping to redeem yourself on the 14th? Here are three reasons why Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to pop the question.

♥ Unlike Christmas and New Year’s, Valentine’s Day is an intimate holiday allowing couples the privacy to enjoy the moment alone together.
♥ It’s the most romantic day of the year.
♥ Most restaurants, hotels, spas, etc plan something special for Valentine’s Day so it’s guaranteed to be a great day/night.

Viva la wedding would like to send out an early Congratulations! to all the couples who will be celebrating their engagement this Valentine's Day.

The Just-for-Fun 2009 Wedding Contest

WINNERS ANNOUNCED! It was a close race but congratulations go out to Lauriann & Jermaine & runner up Amanda & Greg. I'll be sending your prizes out this week.

Posted by Christina:

I've decided to host a little contest featuring the couples I photographed in 2009. I chose one picture for each wedding (that I personally shot) and posted them in no particular order. I'd love for you to vote on your favorite by clicking on "comment" at the bottom of this blog post and then leaving the number of the picture you like best (please only vote for one image). The winning couple will receive a 20-page 20-picture 8x8" Shutterfly album. The contest closes on February 6th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (Vancouver-Seattle time). Best of luck to everyone!


IMAGE 1 - Amanda & Greg's Wedding Victoria, B.C.



IMAGE 2 - Maria & Stephen's Wedding Antigua, Guatemala



IMAGE 3 - Anne & Mike's Wedding at the National Gallery of Ottawa



IMAGE 4 - Celine & Rob's Wedding in Cuba




IMAGE 5 - Lauriann & Jermaine's Wedding in New York



IMAGE 6 - Shauna & Craig's Wedding in St. Lucia



IMAGE 7 - Margaret & Jonathan's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 8 - Andrea & Christian's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 9 - Rachel & Nate's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 10 - Shelise & Bruce's Wedding in the Turks & Caicos



IMAGE 11 - Meg & Shane's Wedding in Sooke



IMAGE 12 - Rachel & Aaron's Wedding in the Bahamas



IMAGE 13 - Becca & Mike's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 14 - Saskia & Ian's Wedding in Calgary



IMAGE 15 - Elise & Fred's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 16 Meg & Will's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 17 - Emily & James's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 18 - Kathryn & Elton's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 19 - Brandi & Danny's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 20 - Marley & Darrin's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 21 - Kortni & Chris' Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 22 - Michelle & Lee's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 23 - Craig & Rachel's Wedding in Victoria




IMAGE 24 - Katie & Jonathan's Wedding in Shawnigan Lake



IMAGE 25 - Jessica & Justin's Wedding in Victoria



IMAGE 26 - Mary & Rob's Wedding on Vancouver Island



IMAGE 27 - Tristan & Jenna's Wedding in Victoria

THE KLEINFELD EXPERIENCE CONTEST!!

One lucky bride-to-be will get a chance to take part in this once in a lifetime experience!

Your love story could win you:

· a $5000 gift certificate to Kleinfeld
· a private store opening in Manhattan, New York
· personal styling services provided by Randy Fenoli and a Kleinfeld Bridal Consultant
· free airfare and five-star accommodations

Entering the contest is easy!

Submit your engagement or romance story to TheRingBearer.ca before February 14 2010. The Top 10 love stories will be posted online on February 19 2010. You, along with the rest of Canada, will have one month to vote for your favourite! The winner of The Kleinfeld Experience will be announced on March 20 2010 after the nationwide vote has been tallied!

MOVIE DAY

Whether you're hiding out from the cold at the art gallery or embracing it skating on the canal, there are a ton of fun things to do and great ways to spend a January afternoon in Ottawa. But sometimes it's nice to just stay home, snuggle up on the couch with a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea, and have a movie day. A wedding movie day of course! Here are a few we love. What's your favourite wedding movie?

VÉRONIQUE & ANDREW GET MARRIED!!

Véronique & Andrew were married at the Crowne Plaza on Saturday January 30 2010. Their entire winter wedding took place on the Penthouse level. The ceremony was held in the Panorama Room, cocktail hour in the Foyer, and then dinner was served in the Pinnacle Room. The view from each area of the Penthouse was just breathtaking. It truly was a magical night! Viva la wedding wishes Véronique & Andrew all the best in their new life together!

Here are a few images captured by Blair Gable. Visit his wedding blog to see more of his amazing work.

Venue: Crowne Plaza
Linen: Groovy Linen
Flowers: Mood Moss
DJ: Quality Entertainment
Cake: TJ's Cake Design
Hair: Anne Marie Rooney
Makeup: Sarah Walsh
Photographer: Blair Gable

EMBRACE THE COLD

Some couples choose to get married in the winter months, seeing it as an excuse to plan a destination wedding down south and get out of the cold. Other couples choose not only to embrace the cold weather our winter months are famous for, but head even further north to celebrate. If you're planning a winter wedding and fall into the 2nd category, Viva has the perfect place for you!

Since 2001 the Hôtel de Glace has wowed over half a million visitors. Open from the begining of January to the end of March, every year the hotel is redesigned and rebuilt in its entirety (which takes approximately five weeks). From the moment you enter the hotel, you'll be blown away by the amazing decor made entirely of ice and snow. Chandeliers (made of ice of course!) hang from 18 foot ceilings, artwork emerges from the walls of snow, and all the furniture is made of sheer ice.

There are 36 rooms and theme suites for guests to spend the night - yes, your bed is a block of ice but a wood boxspring and matress lie on top. There's an interior courtyard, an Ice Cafe, hot tubs, saunas, functional fireplaces, an ice slide (9 feet high and 53 feet long) and a reception room known as the Ice Bar - the perfect place to enjoy a little live entertainment and a cocktail or two.

And for those of you planning your wedding, there's the Chapel (pictured below) - a unique and simply beautiful place where couples exchange their vows each year. There are three wedding packages to choose from - The Romantic from $2199, the Exotic from $3899, and the Magical from $6199. Arrival in a horse drawn carriage, fireworks and open bar are all optional add-ons to help personalize your day.

The Hôtel de Glace is at Station touristique Duchesnay on the shores of Lac St-Joseph, just 30 minutes from Québec City.

TAKE ME TO THE BEACH!

Brrrr! While Viva loves winter weddings, we don't love winter. It's darn cold in Ottawa and after blogging about a hotel made of ice, we need a little something to warm us up! Lisa Vorce of Oh, How Charming! to the rescue!

Lisa was the creative mind behind this rustic beach wedding. Not the typical wedding we may invision when we think of a destination beach wedding but that's what got our attention. There isn't a detail here we don't love.

Photo Credits: Elizabeth Messina