MEGHANN & WILL GET MARRIED!!

While spending a rainy May afternoon working on the details of one of Viva's upcoming weddings at the Museum of Nature, we got to thinking about our very first wedding at this fantastic venue. Viva was lucky to coordinate only the second wedding to take place at the Museum after the extensive renovations were completed last year and could not have been happier with the outcome. The event space is spectacular and the staff are truly top notch.

You'd think coordinating a wedding for a couple getting married in Ottawa but living in New York would be somewhat of a challenge but thanks to Meghann's wonderfully supportive family here in town and the wonders of email, the planning process was not only a breeze but so much fun!

The perfect Ottawa venue + an amazing New York couple = a really fabulous day. Here are a few detail images of Meghann & Will's wedding captured by the award winning Photolux.

ONE PRINCESS BRIDE, TWO LOOKS

It’s becoming more and more common for a bride to show off two different looks on her wedding day. Viva has seen this over the past few years with our own brides and previously blogged about celebrity wedding planner David Tutera’s line of wedding gowns including the “Eva” and “Fergie” - dresses that start out full length for the ceremony with the lower part of the skirt removable to reveal a short party dress for the reception - so it came as no surprise that Kate Middleton chose to change her look too. Designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Kate married her prince charming in a fitted white v-neck gown with a long sleeved lace overlay and 2.7 metre train and then transformed into a strapless satin gazar evening dress with diamante embroidered detail around the waist, topping it off with a white angora bolero cardigan. Perfect.

Here are the rest of the details on Kate's wedding day look.

Con + Carlo

Con's wedding gown is a fusion of romance and contemporary elegance. I used French lace to highlight the bodice and embellished it with Japan cut beads, pearls, and Swarovski crystals. Layers of bias cut organza were used for the skirt. For a traditional touch at the back, I added a bouquet of handmade flowers, mesh ribbons, feathers, and a very long detachable split train ;-)

For her entourage, I designed simple draped goddess gowns in old rose color with cust0m-made crystal brooch accents.

The flower girls wore pretty dresses with embellished necklines made of rosettes and ribbons.

The groom and the ring bearer wore a 4-piece ensemble tailored suit made of imported wool fabric.

It was a memorable experience working with Con and Carlo ;-)

Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your special day! I will be forever grateful for your trust and support to young designers like me! ;-)

Kate Hudson’s Emerald – Cut Diamond Engagement Ring

Emerald-cut diamonds are a class apart, they are unique, unlike any other cut that you would have seen. As it is evident from the name itself, this cut was first developed to cut emeralds and then eventually it started using with diamonds as well.
Engagement rings with Emerald-cut Diamonds are gaining much popularity these days. Just recently, Kate Hudson got engaged to beau Matt Bellamy. And yes, you guessed it right her engagement ring has a stunning 9-carat emerald cut diamond studded in it.

If you want to buy the same ring or any other special design. do check Build-your-own Diamond Engagement Ring Section at Angara.com and create a personalized ring for the most special person in your life.

VIVA LA FUSION!!

Everyone knows Barb Cameron the Wedding Photographer - Barbara Ann Studios offers couples a style that is fresh, romantic, sexy and fun. Not only have her images been featured in countless wedding magazines and on numerous blogs, Barb was recently acknowledged as one of Canada’s Top 30 Inspiring Wedding Photographers for 2011.

Not everyone knows Barb Cameron the Baby Photographer - Wee Bairn Photography was launched when Barb’s former wedding couples started reappearing requesting that she photograph the next stage in their life, their newborn baby.

For those of you that don’t already know, Viva recently welcomed a new bundle of joy into the world and couldn’t wait to have Barb capture her on film. We were even more ecstatic when Barb told us about “fusion”. Combining video with still images, the end result is simply fabulous. Being all about memories, Viva had to have this!

And here it is...



While on a personal level we’re excited to share this with you let’s face it, it’s Viva la wedding. So for all you brides-to-be out there, here's a little wedding fusion... That’s right, Barb does fusion for weddings too! Love!!

Shop and Help us spread the GREEN message!

Help us spread the Green Message. Shop at Angara.com for any jewelry and everytime you shop, we will plant a tree in your name. Its Earth Day today! A day dedicated towards inspiring awareness and appreciation for the Mother Earth. A day when we all should unite to save our planet.

And, what better way to make your contribution to our Mother Earth, if you could shop for something as stunning as jewelry and also spread the awareness on this Earth Day!

Also, avail an exciting 10% off with code SAVEEARTH.

Let’s all chip in and make this planet a beautiful place to live in!

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THE DRESS YOUR BRIDESMAIDS REALLY WILL WEAR AGAIN!

Every bride-to-be has had this problem when looking for a dress for her bridesmaids - finding something they can still wear once the wedding is over. And while every bride-to-be tries her best the truth is, that bridesmaid dress will most likely hang in the back of a closet somewhere never to see the light of day again. 27 Dresses anyone? Jane (played by Katherine Heigl) is "always a bridesmaid" in the 2008 romantic comedy and has a closet full of bridesmaid dresses to prove it. Fortunately these dreadful dresses have come a long way and Ottawa's best bridal boutiques now carry some oh so chic styles, contrary to what poor Jane had to sport. Styles your bridesmaids would be proud to wear on your wedding day and could pull out again for that New Year's Eve party or special formal function.

One of Viva's favourite bridal boutiques, With Love Bridal, not only carries some fabulously stylish bridesmaid dresses but is now the first boutique in Canada to carry the twobirds bridesmaid dress. It's the dress you can wear 15 ways making it so easy to wear again and again! This dress’ versatility allows your bridesmaids to all wear the same dress, in the same colour, wrapped in the style that suits them best. And even better, because it's so versatile you don’t have to be a bridesmaid to wear it. Viva just might head on over to With Love and get one of these beauties for herself!

Cathy + Mark

Cathy is a "dream bride" to every designer. She trusts me as her designer, she believes in my talent, she appreciates my creativity, she tells me my wrong moves, she calls me if she has special requests, and most of all, we enjoy working together.

I always believe that a "client-designer relationship" is somehow the same as "boyfriend-girlfriend relationship." It needs compatibility and trust.

I was very happy to have worked with Cathy. She's adorable!

For her wedding gown, we both decided to create a textured skirt and embellished bodice with an hourglass silhouette. Low back, interesting neckline, and long dramatic train (not trail..)..

For her entourage, she loves color! Bright orange is perfect for her garden-themed wedding!

Wedding gown, groom's suit, mothers' gowns, and entourage gowns: Veejay Floresca
Photos by: Dino Lara
Makeup: Xeng Zulueta
Hair: Felicity Son

This Mother’s Day – Everyone Wins!

Mother’s Day is coming up, May 8th. In order to show our appreciation, Angara announces its Unique Mother’s Day Discounts & Contest where everyone is a Winner! All you have to do is share a picture and a special moment of you and you mother with us.

Angara.Com announces special discount offers for Mother's Day Sale:

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Sapphire Engagement Rings – in vogue!

Till about some time back diamond rings were the unanimous choice for engagement rings. One wouldn’t even try thinking beyond that point. People used to gift colored gemstone engagement rings as well but that was a rare case.
But ever since Princess William has gifted his soon to be wife with his mother Princess Diana’s Sapphire ring; Sapphire engagement rings have become the new symbol of love, eternity, trust and friendship.

The classic blue hue of sapphires can make any girl fall in love with you and probably that is why they are gaining more and more popularity these days.
Browse through the exquisite collection Sapphire engagement rings at Angara.com and we guarantee together we find the perfect engagement ring for you.

SAVE THE DATE - MAY 13 2011

Obviously we wouldn't do what we do at Viva if we didn't love all things wedding so we're more than happy to take a short break from planning when a wedding related movie comes out and head over to the local theatre to see what it's all about. This spring, producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Superbad) and director Paul Feig (creator of Freaks and Geeks) invite you to experience Bridesmaids.

Kristin Wiig leads the cast as Annie, a maid of honor whose life unravels as she leads her best friend, Lilian (Maya Rudolph), and a group of colorful bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the road to matrimony. Annie's life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lilian's maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she'll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you'll go for someone you love.

TO WEB OR NOT TO WEB

The countdown's on! With Will and Kate's wedding only 26 days away, the anticipation is growing and we at Viva know we're not the only ones who can't wait for the big day to arrive.

Knowing that many, like us, would not only be dying to see all the details come together on the 29th but would also be dying to hear about them leading up to the day, St. James Palace launched the Royal Wedding website. The website is the official source of information for anyone interested in the upcoming Royal Wedding and is updated regularly with exclusive content including photo galleries and video.

Wedding websites also know as "wedsites" are nothing new and while not all brides and grooms-to-be choose to create one, they're a great way to keep your guests up to date with the details of your own wedding day. Some like mywedding.com are free while others like wedsite.com offer couples a free 7 day trial with the option to purchase an extension for a small fee if you decide you want to keep your wedsite active.

Viva loves wedding wedsites!! Do you?