It’s your turn to share. Bridal Fantasy wants to hear about your wedding. How did you make it an unforgettable day? From the dresses and suits to the location, décor …and everything in between. Tell us what made it special.
Not married yet? Then we welcome you to share your ideas about what you want your dream wedding to look like. You can also tell us about your engagement. What made you say yes? Or, how did you propose? Tell us your greatest love story.
Commemorate your love and your dream wedding by sharing the precious moments of your big day with the world! Bridal Fantasy wants to feature your inspiring wedding or engagement story as part of a special series.
Email us your stories now, and please make sure to send photos too! If we’re swooning, we’ll contact you to let you know. Please keep your stories to about 500 words, and select four to six of your best photos..
Thanks in advance to all those who share their stories. Only those entries considered for publication on the blog will be contacted.
With the growing trend of destination weddings, couples are constantly trying to find the next new and exciting location to have their dream wedding.
One hot location to consider is the French Polynesian Islands. This paradise is an archipelago with more than a hundred different islands that you can have your once in a lifetime wedding on.
With a staggering 118 islands to choose from, you will surely find an island that will have everything you’ve ever dreamed of for your wedding . . . and perhaps even more! Famous for their Tahitian islands, with its “lush world consisting of dazzling waterfalls, soaring mountains, amazing plateaus, and pools,” Tahiti provides a perfect setting for weddings and honeymoons.
Another exotic favorite of the French Polynesian Islands is Bora Bora, which is “bestowed with towering volcanic peaks, lush green vegetation, and beautiful lagoons filled with rare as well as colorful fish and corals.” For a more traditional Polynesian wedding ceremony, visit the island of Moorea. Moorea is the home of the famous Tiki Village Cultural centre, and is the spot to perform traditional Polynesian royal weddings.
While you can leave your cares behind when you get to the islands, there are a number of necessary pieces of information and legal items to arrange before you leave. Like any destination wedding location, the French Polynesian Islands have specific document and legal requirements you need to be aware of. Check this website listing the conditions and requested documents to have before you start planning your dream wedding:http://www.houseoftravel.co.nz/travel-tools/weddings/tahiti/legal-requirements.htm.
All in all, the little bit of paper work necessary for your dream French Polynesian wedding is definitely worth it. The lush forests, waterfalls, white sand beaches, and extraordinarily clear waters are a must-see for anyone, and sure to be an unforgettable romantic experience for any couple.
Just looking at photos of the French Polynesian Islands brings on a desire to Google “Tahiti seat sales.” This sunny, blue paradise is perfect for any occasion whether it is a wedding, honeymoon…or simply a vacation.
Gwyneth Paltrow has frequently landed roles in award winning and box office hits. She also has a fantastic marriage to Chris Martin, and two beautiful children. To round out what some might call a perfect life, she is now establishing her own lifestyle brand, GOOP.
On the GOOP website, Gwyneth frequently updates us on her life, her favorite fashion finds, favorite places to go, things to do, things to see, and even her favorite recipes. She also shares recipes, book reviews, and more from her famous friends.
Here are a few recipes from her website GOOP and a video of Gwyneth preparing these healthy and summer friendly dishes:
Baja Style Shrimp Tacos
A southern California classic, grilled shrimp tacos couldn’t be quicker to prepare—and they happen to be very healthy at that. The combination of fresh lime juice and Cholula hot sauce is pretty much unparalleled.
SERVES: 4
TIME: 10 minutes
• 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• The juice of one lime
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 dozen corn tortillas
• Pico de gallo (see recipe below)
• Lime wedges for serving
• Cholula hot sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
• Crumbled cotija or feta cheese (optional)
Preheat your grill over high heat. Toss the shrimp together with the olive oil, lime juice and salt. Grill until cooked through, about 2 minutes a side.
To serve, heat the tortillas in a dry frying pan and wrap them in a tea towel to keep warm. Pile a few shrimp on top of each tortilla and serve with a bit of pico de gallo, fresh lime juice, a few dashes of hot sauce and a little of the crumbled cheese if you’d like.
Pico de Gallo
Simple to prepare and about a thousand times fresher and more vibrant than any jar of salsa, fresh pico de gallo is worth making from scratch.
SERVES: 4
TIME: 10 minutes
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
• Coarse salt
• Squeeze of lime
• As many finely chopped red jalapeños as you’d like (optional)
Combine the tomatoes, cilantro and onion together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and lime. Reserve some of this mixture for the kids, and then add as much jalapeño as you like to the remaining mixture for the adults.
Black Beans
By adding a few aromatics to a can of black beans, you get that Mexican restaurant flavor without hours of soaking and cooking.
SERVES: 4 as a side dish
TIME: 20 minutes
• 1 can of black beans
• 4 cilantro stems
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• pinch of salt
Combine everything together in a small pot and simmer over low heat for about 15-20 minutes (I do this while I’m preparing the rest of the meal). Be sure to simmer the beans long enough so that they’re not watery.
Guacamole
A lesson in simplicity—the best guacamole is a showcase for ripe avocados. A little salt, lime and cilantro go a long way.
Cut each avocado in half, remove and reserve the pits and score the flesh inside of the shells. Scoop the avocado into a mixing bowl and mash gently with a fork—you don’t want it to be completely smooth. Stir in the onion and cilantro. Cut the lime in half and squeeze in enough juice to taste. Season the guacamole with salt, and either serve immediately or stick the pits in to keep it from browning (remove the pits before serving).
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! This is going to be one of the most exhilarating times in your life, so why not add to the excitement and enter our Bridal Fantasy Sweepstakes? Enter for your chance to win some awesome prizes, like a trip to Paris!
Paris - the city of Romance and Love . . . can you think of a better place for a romantic getaway for you and the love of your life? Uniglobe Geo Travel and Air Canada Vacations have partnered with Bridal Fantasy to bring you this opportunity to win a fabulously romantic trip to Paris. A sweet little boutique hotel, champagne and roses . . . let the love story begin!
Simply go to http://www.bridalfantasy.com/wedding-contest/ to fill out the online form and upload a picture of you and your fiancé . . . and voila! You will be entered to win some pretty fabulous prizes from our great sponsors. As well, you will get to tell the world how you got engaged, so let’s make your love story a memory that will last a lifetime!
You can also stay up to date with the latest news on sweepstakes by becoming a fan of Bridal Fantasy on Facebook, or following @BridalFantasy on Twitter.
It’s that time of the year again! On September 19, 2010, Bridal Conference: Fall’s Boutique Bridal Show will take place at the Edmonton Expo Centre. This is a must- attend event for engaged couples, their friends, and their families.
Couples will have the opportunity to win over $90 000 in prizes and gifts, and meet with wedding industry experts to get the resources and knowledge they need to plan their big day. Plus, ladies looking for the perfect dress will be inspired by the latest styles showcased during two professionally choreographed fashion shows.
To top it all off, tickets include free bonuses, and the chance to win great prizes like a brand new, XC60 Volvo, which will be given away to a lucky bride during the show, or a trip to Paris. There are many other prizes to be won as well. Every bride receives a free wedding planner at the door, and the chance to enter to win a fantasy honeymoon and over $90,000 in prizes and gifts!
At the Bridal Conference, brides will also be able to get their hands on some of the most fashionable wedding dresses at a discounted price during the bridal gown sale.
So get your tickets soon as they are only $20.00 (includes GST) which also includes a FREE Wedding Planner that is valued at $14.95 at the door. Come and meet with some of today’s most knowledgeable, up-to-date and unique wedding experts.
We’ve been doing this for years, so here are a few tips to prepare for the big event:
1. Bring a large bag to store all the information you will be collecting.
2. Print off a sheet of labels with your contact information for all the wonderful prize draws you will be entering - name, complete mailing address, phone, email & wedding date.
3. Make sure to wear comfy shoes.
4. Bring your ID along in case you win a prize.
5. Bring a notebook and a pen (or your trusty mobile) to mark down vendors or ideas you really like.
6. Bring your cheque-book in case you want to book something at the show and need to put a deposit down. Some of the best deals around are through vendors at the show!
7. Get seats for the fashion show early – seats fill up fast.
8. Sign up for all the giveaways and draws you can. Just because you already have a limo booked doesn’t mean you can’t use what they have chosen to give as a door prize!
9. Bring swatches of material of your wedding colours. This will help a lot of vendors make appropriate suggestions as to what they can do for you.
10. Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions - our guests of wedding professionals are there to help you!
