Gorgeous bridal gowns aren't hard to find if you're a Kitchener-Waterloo or Cambridge bride
It's no secret that the Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge area has some of Southwestern Ontario's finest and highest-reviewed bridal gown shops.
Brides from all over come to K-W specifically for the high-end designer lines, realistic prices, tons of sizing (so that every bride can not just browse but actually try on - imagine that...) the gowns they see. So if you're a bride on the hunt for a fabulous bridal gown or bridesmaids gown, thank your lucky stars you're in the Kitchener-Waterloo/Cambridge area.
OUT WITH THE OLD: wedding traditions vs. weddings today
In a time when couples want their weddings to be unique and original, wedding traditions are being replaced for more personalized aspects. But if traditions are falling by the wayside, what are brides and grooms doing to personalize their weddings and modernize some of the outdated traditions?
We turned to brides in The Wedding Ring community to find out what traditions are disappearing and what’s taking their place. Here’s what we found…
Latest reviews on wedding experts in the Kitchener-Waterloo Area
Carriage Trade Custom Jewellery is a family-run, all-about-the-accessories company that's operated by mother-daughter team, Colleen and Randall. Carriage Trade offers custom made jewellery in just about any colour or style, and they’re catering to brides and their entourages in the Tri-city area.
Working with wedding styles and budgets that range from conservative and elegant to daring and extravagant, this duo provides a fun, creative option for the entire wedding party to get involved. Carriage Trade hosts open houses at their in-home studio, throws custom jewellery parties at the bride's home (great for a girl’s night-in event or a shower) and sells their pieces at select shops and boutiques in Southern Ontario.
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For Fegus-based Elegant Affair Bridals, running a bridal gown shop isn’t just about helping brides find gowns. Owner Natalie Airdrie and her team of Bridal Consultants say it’s about listening to each bride’s love story, wedding details, and style, and then using that knowledge to make sure they find their dream wedding gown. Natalie says Elegant Affair Bridals will not only fit a bride with the right dress for her body, but also one that fits her personality and individual style. "You're limited only by your imagination."
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You’ve probably seen The Holiday Inn Kitchener-Waterloo Hotel & Conference Centre numerous times as it’s been a fixture in Kitchener since the 1960s, and perhaps you’ve even set foot inside or spent the night. But what you may not be aware of (and what we recently discovered) are the elegant ballrooms within and the option for an on-site ceremony that have catered to about thirty-five weddings per year. Hivi Yasin, Catering Manager, along with Executive Chef, Dave Goodwin and Banquet Manager, Yoga Santhaneswaran, are part of the professional team who say their main focus is providing fantastic and unparalleled customer service, amazing cuisine and a beautiful end product for each wedding – a feat that several local brides seem to agree they pull off well. But brides aren’t the only ones recommending the Holiday Inn K-W as the Inn was also the Reader's Select Winner for favourite K-W hotel for six years in a row and favourite K-W Chef for three years in a row.
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If you’re looking for an uber contemporary, gallery-style venue with high ceilings and design possibilities to die for, Opus Banquet Facility in Kitchener-Waterloo is going to blow you away – or at least have you asking yourself how you didn’t know about this location before… With space for up to 220 guests, a second location in Guelph, plenty of menu options via the Opus Executive Chef, this venue is incredible. Opus weddings and events are coordinated and run by KW Guelph Weddings, the same team that handles the many wedding, event and concert details of this and other clubs (including both Kitchener and Guelph Opus locations, Elements, Wax and Dallas in Kitchener).
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Like many Kitchener locals, the team at The Ring knew Elements and Wax to be hot spots on the night club scene. They open to the public on Saturday nights and then play host to chart-topping celebs like Lady Gaga, Our Lady Peace and Collective Soul at select dates throughout the year. It wasn't until we were scouting locations for The 2009 K-W Brides' Ball that we saw for ourselves how fabulous these locations could be for a multitude of different types of events - including weddings. From the dark, almost-vintage style space of Elements (which was once a theatre, complete with neon marquis in front), to the multi-level, more intimate space of Wax, the doors are open for glam-style wedding receptions, after parties, engagement parties and more. In fact, both Elements and Wax already host corporate events (from Manulife to Rogers), fundraisers and charity events - one of which, in the summer of '09, was The Brides' Ball. We sat down with Stephanie Van De Ven, Marketing & Events Coordinator at the company behind the club-style wedding locales, KW Guelph Weddings, to find out exactly what a bride can and will love about Elements and Wax. Check it out…
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For close to twenty years, KW Guelph Weddings has been planning and coordinating weddings and events through their unique venues – one of which is Dallas. Having catered to big time celebrities, huge local companies, fundraisers and charities, the team at KW Guelph Weddings already has the knowledge, experience and passion to host weddings, saying that events are what they do, and what they do best.
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When the staff at The Ring visited with A Universal Limousine Service on their expansive grounds located between St. Thomas and Aylmer, we were blown away by what we thought, originally, might have just been another limousine company. We knew that A Universal has been among the 'who's who' in luxury transportation for over a decade, but now we know why. By focusing on providing tons of options, customizable packages, quality service, and excellence in both their vehicles and their chauffeurs, it's no wonder that business managers, brides and prom queens alike, repeatedly choose this company to get them to their destinations in style. A Universal knows their business inside and out and only gets bigger every year, because of it.
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Kettle Creek Weddings is a well-known, well-loved name for many brides across Ontario and in the local area. They specialize in performing wedding ceremonies that are made from scratch by their brides and grooms, and giving the flexible, personal approach that couples want.
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Over the years, bachelorette parties have earned a reputation for being naughty. For some, that means painting the town red in plastic tiaras and drinking far too many martinis, and for others, that means lining up for seats at the local male revue. But today's brides aren't taking a seat at any revue except their own.
Since opening in downtown Kitchener in 2005, Impact Movement Studios Inc. has hosted hundreds of bachelorette parties. The studio, which is owned and operated by competitive dancer Leanne Giilck, teaches entire wedding parties how to do their own chair, pole and floor dance routines. The classes are an affordable alternative to the traditional bachelorette. They give girls a chance to find their inner flirt, laugh until their stomachs hurt and be almost guaranteed to remember the night forever.
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Couples who place a high priority on their wedding video have come to the right place with Willow Creek Studios as they make wedding couples into stars of their own production. At Willow Creek Studios, the focus is always on producing quality and making your individuality shine. Working out of their studio in Cambridge, Willow Creek prepares for and produces the final cut of countless local wedding memories and are well-known and well-loved in the Cambridge, Guelph and K-W areas.
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The Event Firm doesn't just provide music, décor and food for your wedding; they stage your wedding day experience, mood and style. This company treats each event in many dimensions - with ultra-contemporary décor, exclusive lighting, a chic venue with delicious food and a fresh style that delivers a definite wow-factor.
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The first time that we visited the Now & Always showroom, Cindy Hefferan had dozens of candles and lanterns lit, all of her twinkle lights were sparkling throughout the room, and her portfolio was arranged to showcase a large collection of events she's decorates. Cindy does this for every client because it introduces them to the Now & Always style of decorating. It also hints at what's to come for the bride and groom, should they hire Cindy to create a mood for their reception. What all of this really says to us, though, is that Cindy cares about presentation and details.
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Seasoned photographer, Sheila Braam, has devoted herself to creating compelling photos that capture the celebration of your lifetime. Just by looking through her online gallery, you know she can tell a wedding story with remarkable images: a tiny ring bearer with tousled hair clutching a satin pillow encircled by a sea of ushers, two heads bowed together under a bridal veil, a crisp certificate of marriage signed with fresh ink, a table of guests laughing wildly at wisecracks by the master of ceremonies, and a favourite uncle cutting loose on the dance floor... Sheila isn't going for mere snapshots. She's focusing her lens on offering high quality, creative images that she says are inspired by her own love of weddings and photography.
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From before she was even in high school, Michelle Kauntz has been a photographer at heart. And she's been a wedding photographer even longer than she, herself, realized. Michelle shoots in what her brides call "a natural, easy" style, and she uses her photography talents to serve up wedding memories that couples can love for a lifetime – both locally and abroad.
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How to Host a Memorable Bachelorette
Expert Tip from Leanne Giilck and Sarah Willett of Impact Movement Studios Inc.
Bachelorette parties are a right of passage to the much anticipated married life that awaits the soon-to-be bride. Formerly, bachelorette parties were seen as the bride’s last night as a single woman. In recent years, bachelorette parties have become more creative, involving a variety of fun activities to make the evening memorable for all involved. It should be a celebration of the bride and a chance for her to spend a fun night with her ladies.
DIY brides in The Ring:: How one bride took a do-it-yourself approach to décorby Rebeca Klein, Contributing Bride & Member of The RingDecorating is one of the biggest parts of a wedding. It is something that makes each wedding unique, but, at the same time, can be pricey. There are some things you can't help but hire a professional for, or rent yourself, like a backdrop.
2009 Budget Spreadsheet: Breaking down costs, item by item
The (UPDATED!) Budget Spreadsheet
The Team @ The Ring have updated the always-popular Budget Spreadsheet! This feature gives basic price ranges for absolutely everything, from the marriage license to the wedding memories. Prices are based on wedding industry rates in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge & Guelph communities.
Inspired by Spring BouquetsWritten by Staff @ The Ring with Carrie Lynn Weber, Floral DesignerWith balmy March weather melting away the layers of snow, spring will soon be officially sprung, and so too will lustrous pastel, fresh green and crisp white flowers that come with it. Floral designer, Carrie Lynn Weber says spring flowers can create some of the most gorgeous wedding bouquets, and she proves it with two of her favourites from recent weddings...
Tyla & Brian: Saying ‘I Do' in StyleJune 14 2008 :: Hauser Hall, HeidelbergLike so many couples today, Tyla Fullerton and Brian Sweet met on the internet. Brian said one of the things he loved most about Tyla was that she is a strong intelligent woman “who cares deeply about her family and community.” For Tyla, it was about “Brian’s sense of humour and his optimism. He can always make me laugh and he keeps me grounded.”
Dana & Adam: Northern Ontario Wedding StyleOctober 4 2008 :: Algoma Mills Dana Arkilander and Adam Lauder met six years ago while sharing the late shift at a Waterloo coffee pub. After work, they often found themselves playing cards into the wee hours of the night. After Dana first asked Adam out to on an official date - to a movie - that was it. "We've been together ever since."
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