For all the lavish and lovely wedding details in the world, the sweet bespoke intricacies that sometimes go unnoticed deserve their day in the sun just as much. And sun is generally what's on offer during the long, Mediterranean-like summers in Canada's Okanagan Valley, a premiere locale for Canadian brides opting for a domestic wedding destination. With a climate ideal for weddings (summer days are often hot and dry with nary a stitch of humidity, while evenings are warm and offer sultry breezes) and plenty of vacation-worthy spots to explore or beaches and lakes to relax upon, one would be hard-pressed to find a more ideal wedding location...

Destination, Wedding InspirationJaime FenwickJanuary 14, 2015Fruit, Summer, Okanagan, Calligraphy, Orchard Comment

Vintage Car with Floral Decor

Talk about riding in style. Too often the bride + groom's vehicle is an afterthought when it could be a key element in the wedding day's aesthetic. All gussied up in florals by Limelight Floral Design, this vintage cream 1930's Beauford convertible sets the tone for a formal yet fabulous affair...

Wedding InspirationJaime FenwickJanuary 9, 2015Vintage, Vintage CarComment

Woodland Bridal Shoot

Wedding days are often frenetic and swarming with activity--that's just the nature of an event that often includes hundreds of people, multiple locations, and a jam-packed timeline. Unless a couple opts for an intimate celebration or a private elopement, it can be difficult to avoid the whirlwind that accompanies a wedding day. But what if at least some portion of the day felt like this shoot does--meditative, calm, simplistic? How might it affect the rest of the day and the memories that linger?

Wedding InspirationJaime FenwickJanuary 7, 2015Forest, Woodland, Spring, VeilComment

Destination Style from South Carolina

When Canadian couples think of destination weddings outside of the country, locales like Cuba, Mexico, and elsewhere in the Caribbean usually come to mind. But the United States is also chock full of gorgeous destination spots that would make for exotic destination wedding/honeymoon combinations.

The Isle of Palms, a beach where this shoot took place, is located near Charleston, South Carolina which offers everything from the warm(er) Atlantic ocean, to historic plantations, to promenades lined with oak trees dripping with Spanish moss....

Vale + Vine's First Christmas

Here at Vale + Vine, I'm delighted to see so much that I love celebrated with restrained elegance this Christmas Day. Simple wreaths, adorned with ribbon and calligraphic artistry, styled to ensure their dignified, natural beauty is emphasized. The rustic beauty of a Canadian Christmas is just that, a season where the landscape and its elements around us are embraced and celebrated. There is something to be said for acknowledging that which is most humble, lest it be overlooked. Just like a tribe of lowly shepherds who found the greatest delight in a humble manger, I too need to remember to celebrate the essence of Christmas, in all its simple, sustaining glory.

Wedding InspirationJaime FenwickDecember 25, 2014Wreaths, Florals, Christmas, Holidays, Holiday, CalligraphyComment

Golden Garden Wedding Inspiration

I thought this lavish garden wedding photographed by Ameris with florals by Clare Day was a perfect post to showcase as we head into a week of holiday celebrations. From Christmas Eve to New Year's, I can't think of a better time of year to feature golden details amidst a formal table setting, florals full of heirloom style, and a venue that conjures up old-world romance. And sequins. 'Tis the season for sequins. Enjoy your festivities this coming week!

Wedding InspirationJaime FenwickDecember 24, 2014Winter, Gold, Sequins, Metallics, Old World, GardenComment

Vancouver Styled Shoot on the Shoreline

If you notice something familiar about this crisp Vancouver shoreline session by Christie Graham Photography, that's because you've seen both model Cody Cochrane, and jewelry designs by Anne Sportun, featured on Vale + Vine before. Christie's Cozy Winter Wedding Inspiration shoot was one of Vale + Vine's first posts showcasing Christie's photography, and every time her work comes across my desk, my eyes light up because I know something unexpected is about to come my way. This time: debonair attire for a dapper urban groom blended with the flowing, floral style of a West Coast free-spirit. A perfect blend of what Vancouver style represents -- a total comfort with all that is both urban and natural.

Wedding InspirationJaime FenwickDecember 22, 2014Vancouver, Coastal, West Coast, Menswear, Gemstone, WinterComment

Style Inspiration in the Canadian Rockies

Sometimes it's just good to be inspired by something a little different right? Not necessarily something bridal. Give the lace and tulle a little rest to refresh our creative juices with imagery and ideas that remind us that beauty is a blessing and that nature has the ability to cleanse our minds and draw out our most authentic, beautiful selves. That's why here at Vale + Vine, I want to give brides and vendors a little reprieve once in a while...something unexpected and lovely that speaks to me, and in turn perhaps speaks to you.

Style + Beauty, Wedding InspirationJaime FenwickDecember 19, 2014Style, Rockies, Nature, Destination, Mountains, PortraitsComment

Bride's Anticipation in the Mountains of North Carolina

This collaborative feature photographed by Heather Payne for the Team Flower Workshop, embodies the very essence I long to see more of in wedding inspiration - a reliance on natural elements and elegant materials as well as strong design, styling and photographic skills. The Team Flower Workshop which took place in the Grandfather Mountains of North Carolina, saw a host of floral designers working together on this shoot, including Canada's own Lauren Wiebe of Stonehouse Creative based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Lauren and a team of florists collaborated to put together a rich, dramatic feature, conceptualized by Kelly Perry of Philosophy Flowers, the host of the Team Flower Workshop. I wanted to include both her description of the concept for this shoot as well as Lauren's personal thoughts on designing a vision for one's wedding day. Below are words from both Kelly and Lauren...

for the fine art canadian bride