London brides choose their top 5 favourite wedding experts

Over the months of March and April 2011, brides across Ontario reviewed, clicked the LOVEit! buttons of, and supported their favourite wedding experts. London Ontario brides were no exception. Accumulating more votes from any other city in The Ring, London brides really stepped up to the plate to choose their top favourite wedding experts in The Ring's 2011 Brides' Choice Awards. Here's who local brides pickedto top their list for the London BCAs...

1. HRM Photography (two time winner)

Every bride wants to have some attention on her wedding day... but what if you want to feel like a star? Heather MacEachern of HRM Photography and her team will make you feel just that. It's not just her university degrees (in Photography and Education), experience and continual education in photography that sets Heather apart. We also happen to think that her enthusiastic approach to all things wedding, her evolving unobtrusive style, her work with internationally known bands, and her commitment to creating lasting relationships with her clients that also contribute to HRM's popularity. Heather takes all of this experience and translates it to what she loves most... Ontario weddings, which continue to inspire her even after shooting over 500 of them!

With a reputation for an adaptable, fashion-oriented shooting style that precedes her, staff at The Ring already knew that HRM was fabulous as we've used her services and featured her photos over the few years we've been working with Heather; but, we wanted to learn more about this professional's unique approach to photographing weddings in London, Toronto and beyond... Read full review by The Ring and local brides...

2. LTC Photography

Love, teach, create is what LTC Photography stands for in everything that Primary Photographer, Laura Carrelas does along with husband and Second Shooter, Jason. Both teachers to start, this photography duo puts their love for art and their couples’ love for one another into creating photos that capture every detail and special moment of a wedding day so they’ll become heirlooms that will be cherished forever. As newlyweds themselves, and with Laura’s bridesmaid experience, the pair has a ton of experience with planning weddings and they know how important it is to take amazing photos. But it’s not just their love for photography, fine art skills, and their ability to capture wedding days that has London and area brides and vendors talking about this easy going and passionate husband-wife team; it’s also their competitive pricing and their ‘I-feel-like-I’ve-known-you-forever’ personalities that has brides telling us that Laura and Jason are more like invited guests at their weddings… who just happen to have killer cameras.

With inspiration from fashion, art, the love of their couples, and the limitless possibilities of creativity, we met with Laura and Jason to find out how this creative couple are constantly pushing and inspiring each other to try new tricks and techniques, and why they and their couples are always having fun... Read full review by The Ring and local brides...

3. WeddingFavours.Ca

Wedding favours come in all shapes and sizes but when you're the bride, you want to say thank you to your guests with items that will be appreciated, remembered and that ring true to the style of your day. From tree seedlings to personalized golf balls to funky little purse hooks, Weddingfavours.ca offers a selection of items and ideas for wedding and shower favours, bridal party gifts, invitations and themed bridal collections.

With a newsletter sharing their latest favour ideas, products and customization techniques - not to mention a welcomed personal touch to everything they do - Weddingfavours.ca is obviously much more than just an online store. And don't be fooled by the name, as Weddingfavours.ca offers much more than just favours. They work with many different suppliers to bring you their best selection of products including aisle runners, cake toppers, sand ceremony sets, décor items, and more – online and in their Ingersoll showroom. The best part? Orders ship from within Canada so you don't have to worry about exchange rates or pesky duty fees. With all of this already in mind, The Ring sat down with Christine Rozon, Owner and Operator of Weddingfavours.ca, to get the inside scoop on what else is in store for brides... Read full review by The Ring and local brides...

4. The Windermere Manor

The Windermere Manor opened its doors in 1991 as a venue to accommodate smaller, private parties, but it wasn't long before the demand to host weddings became apparent – something that The Ring isn't surprised by considering the historic architecture and picturesque surroundings (perfect for on-site photographs) that any bride could fall in love with. Though The Manor seems to be a hidden gem that's still undiscovered by many, they now host about seventy to eighty weddings per year and offer an all-in-one location for weddings that includes the on-site Wedding Coordinator, Julie-Ann McCallum, indoor and outdoor ceremony locations, custom designed menus, discounted guest rates for the on-site hotel, all tableware and choice of complimentary table linens and napkins, and much more.

We met with Julie-Ann, as well as Banquet Manager, Heather Anderson and General Manager, Neil Kellock to find out more about the accommodating and flexible Windermere team and the gorgeous, unique venue that has London brides highly recommending The Windermere Manor for other couples searching for a wedding location. Read full review by The Ring and local brides...

 5.   Bridal Elegance

Over the years, staff at The Ring has had the pleasure to work with and review the fabulous family-owned Exeter gown shop, Bridal Elegance. From the beginning, it was the buzz surrounding the Bridal Elegance name and reputation that caught our attention – and had us breaking our cardinal rule of only reviewing companies who were two years or older. So in 2004 (and every year since!) we find ourselves returning to visit Wilma, Tara and their team to find out what’s new in gowns, what it is that makes their gown shop so different from others, and why brides don't just like them, they become lifelong fans. Here’s what you need to know... On a daily basis, Bridal Elegance operates with the philosophy that someone has already fallen in love with you the way you already are and that there's no need to make you over, only to just choose the right styles to complement your best features. "We don't want to turn you into someone you’re not..." says Tara, "We just want to help you look and feel great as you actually are." The Staff at Bridal Elegance work with each bride, bridal party and Mother of the Bride as honestly as they can to make sure that everyone is completely thrilled with their overall look before leaving the shop. Read full review by The Ring and local brides...

For more BCA winners, check out the Top 25!