As 2011 comes to a close, we’ve put together a brief collection to recap some of our work over this past year ranging from weddings, corporate, and social functions.
We commenced the New Year with the new (and first annual) Muskoka Wedding Show, hosted in Gravenhurst’s Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre on January 15 – 16.
Being honoured as the official décor sponsors, we had the privilege of providing décor for the entire show, as well as several supplier booths including Muskoka Boat Heritage Centre, JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort & Spa, Delta Hotels, North Restaurant, & Regatta Steak & Seafood Grille.
Mode’s booth captured a royal feel with a modern flair. We went with a darkyet rich look by using several grouped components and a full yet clean-lined floral treatment. To assure that site lines aren’t interrupted, we kept the lower portion of the centerpiece ‘light’ and focused on the top portion for a grand impact.
For more photos & photo’s of our supplier booths enhanced by Mode, visit our website.
2011 gave us a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with planner, Angela Zaltsman of A To Z Event Management on this modern ‘cool’ Bat Mitzvah at the AGO. Charcoal greys, blush pinks & ice sculptures ruled the evening.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
A charming & cheerful floral at a Muskoka residence.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
A fun cost-effective floral-free rock ‘n’ roll/musically inspired event, hosted at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort & Spa.
A Tuscan inspired corporate function hosted at The Westin Harbour Castle. The evening consisted of projected Italian backdrops, Tuscan café bistro settings, gardens, and a classic wine bottle centerpiece with white calla lilies and terra cotta candle votives
For more photos visit our website gallery.
Bold & colourful weddings were still very much on trend for 2011. Our fabulous couple, Anca & Jason opted for a rich & deep purple colour palette with white accents. Host at JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort & Spa.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
Deep reds, oranges & maroons pop against black linens & surrounding white chiavari chairs for Colleen & Matt’s late summer wedding reception. Hosted at Delta Rocky Crest.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
An intimate and elegant, nature inspired Niagara Falls wedding in navy blue, gold, and green, accented with birch and moss details.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
A vintage/contemporary wedding in blush pinks, coral, taupe & creams created a luxurious, soft and romantic feel for Nikole & Ty’s summer wedding. Hosted at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort & Spa.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
A second taupe and cream wedding colour palette. This time around a soft and delicate nature feel with personalized touches geared towards travel as Michelle & Laurence, our fantastic couple, share a love for world travelling. Hosted at Toronto’s Globe Bistro located on the Danforth.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
Canadiana themes can sometimes be challenging and/or read too literal. For this Canadiana gala, we went with a balance of literal but bold look. Utilizing iconic symbols that represent Canada with bold and bright colours & textures, Canadiana shines in this modern representation. Various ice sculptures, suspended canoes, greenery arrangements and birch elements are just some of the detailing. A fresh futuristic lounge after party followed with lime greens, white and silvers. Hosted at The Fairmont Royal York.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
A corporate holiday party with a Fire & Ice theme, giving guests two distinct looks and feels as they were set on separate floors of the venue. Hosted at Toronto’s This Is London nightclub.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
A classic black & white wedding always leaves an impression by creating contrast. Our couple, Shana & Dave went with a simplistic look, which allowed the black & white contrast to create impact for their wedding reception. Sometimes less truly is more! Hosted at JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort & Spa.
For more photos visit our website gallery.
Just yesterday was Cottage Dreams’, Mosquitos & Mojitos, hosted at Steam Whistle Brewery. Cottage Dreams, Mosquitos & Mojitos, is a registered charity program founded by Seana O’Neill, which funds a getaway escape in cottage country for recent cancer survivors. Guests generously donated their time & money for this great cause. Mode had the opportunity to take part and provide decor for this fantastic cause, while Shopsy’s provided a fantastic BBQ selection & cottage appropriate meals, and Virgin Radio‘s Mad Dog hosted the party & kept the crowd moving throughout the evening.
See below for pictures of our ‘sunset lounge’ display, stage decor, & the party:
It has been a fantastic year and a very rewarding journey for us since launching last June 1, 2010. In the past year we outgrew our space not once, but twice. We started off with a tiny design studio on the main street in Gravenhurst and over the winter holiday moved to a larger warehouse location in an industrial plaza to house our ever-growing inventory, floral design studio and prop workshop. In the spring of 2011, we expanded into the unit beside us and added new offices and a showroom to our facility.
We have had the privilege of working with some amazing clients and have had the opportunity to design décor and stage events for some wonderful brides and grooms and some great corporate partners and associations too! We have traveled thousands upon thousands of kilometers for meetings and installations and have worked in some fabulous locations from Niagara Falls to Huntsville and everything in between. We have worked hard to deliver to our clients a well designed event with good value and service. A tradition we will continue into our future.
It is important to thank all of our client’s as well as our families, close friends, vendors, suppliers, and staff as well as our industry peers who have shown us a tremendous amount of support for our company and have been with us every step of the way. Without these individuals, we would not be the firm we are today.
As we move forward, we plan to continue our growth in small but manageable steps and will continue to give our client’s the attention they truly deserve and nothing less! We have hundreds of fabulous ideas and we always look for ways to deliver innovate and new designs and bring our best to the table, as it should be!
Thank you for the wonderful support!
- Jeffery Crawford, Michael Alonso.
Saturday, May 14, 2011 was the Hidden Valley Resort open house. This open house was a show like no other as it invited brides from across Ontario who were already seeking to host their Muskoka wedding. HV opened its doors to a select clientele to showcase their resort, while also showcasing their preferred suppliers, Mode being their decor go-to people. As a preferred supplier, this gave us an opportunity to showcase some of our work with three distinct & unique table designs.
Below are the three designs we created:
We also had the opportunity to meet with a variety of HV preferred vendors including photographer Taera McLean who photographed some of our table designs – to see more of her work check out her Facebook page, custom wedding invitation designer Nina Obrecht of Deluxe Invitations, Christine Jameson of Twin Maples Farm who provides horse carriage rides for your wedding day, as well as Andrea from CakeJes and Bold Print Photography.
Weddings are constantly evolving and we are fortunate enough that the rules have changed in terms of tradition. Not to say that your traditions are not important, but the truth of the matter is that on your wedding day you have to be happy. Creating a look for your wedding that is unique to you is important because it is a reflection of who you are. We developed a list of our top 5 tips for designing your wedding that reflects what matters most to you.
5. UNDERSTAND THE MOOD YOU WANT TO CREATE
Are you looking to create a romantic fairy tale environment? Are you chic and sophisticated or do you appreciate a more casual look? Understanding what mood you want to convey to your guest’s is the foundation for creating a look that is yours. If you’re not sure then a good place to start is Google images or a bridal magazine. If you are the type of person that gets bogged down with all that wedding décor then why not look to other areas of design for your inspiration. We find a great deal of inspiration from home décor, interior design, fashion and art. Collect inspiration or ‘mood’ pictures. Once you have a healthy dose of pictures that speak to you, match them up in groups with similar styles or colour pallets and create a mood board. Then rate the mood boards to narrow down your favorites.
4. ADD ELEMENTS THAT REFLECT YOU & YOUR PERSONALITY; CELEBRATE WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU
Are you a photographer? Why not use your pictures as the table number background? Did you meet your fiancé in Paris? Why not add some Parisian flair to your menu? Adding in subtle nods to your life’s passions puts your personal touch on things. You can also use your passions to build an entire theme around what makes you happy. If you are an outdoors enthusiast who has no interest in frills then base your theme around elements that remind you of the outdoors. You can select elements like earth tone linens, centerpieces with branch details, or simpler touches such as placing a leaf on each of your guest’s napkin.
3. KNOW WHAT YOU LIKE & DISLIKE
The ‘rules’ of weddings have changed drastically so don’t feel that you have to play it safe and follow tradition. If you are not a flower person then don’t feel you need use flowers. Many options exist that can serve as your primary décor element. Why not do an Ice Sculpture centerpiece with your initials in place of a floral based centerpiece?
2. KNOW YOUR BUDGET
You may not know how much things cost but you know what you will be comfortable spending. If budget is an issue, then pick a few elements from your wish list that will give the most impact and run with it. Creating the right environment for your wedding guests does not always mean quantity. Selecting the right quality elements will go much further in creating the environment.
1. BE CONSISTENT AND FOLLOW THROUGH
Once you have unlocked the overall vision of your décor repeat the elements. If you are doing a nature inspired theme then make sure you have elements of nature repeated from ceremony to dinner reception. If you want a bling look then add hints of bling to your bouquet as well as your centerpiece. If you are using pink as one of your colours then make sure an element of pink is repeated throughout the entire wedding. Don’t overdo it – use these elements thoughtfully – too much and you could tip the balance of tasteful to tacky.
Spend some time putting together your thoughts and ideas together and be creative. Enlist the help of your bridesmaids or your family to help bounce ideas. Often one idea leads to the next and by the time you are done you will have a clear vision of how you want your wedding to be. Also keep in mind that as you take this journey, you should enlist the help of professionals. These people know weddings inside and out and will help guide you on the path to wedding day bliss stress-free!
CSEME TEAM THEME CHALLENGE
Mode Function Event Design Ltd. was so pleased to work with Canadianspecialevents.com for the 2011Team Theme Table Décor Challenge – Interactive Design Session that took place prior to the CSEME Tradeshow floor opening this past Thursday, March 23, 2011 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center.
We were asked to present a short seminar on how Mode develops a theme concept and translates it into a décor design to get the delegates thinking about how they would build their own theme table. We walked the delegates through the process that we embark on when we develop a design for our clients including all the necessary building blocks that make a cohesive design. We also shared our thought process behind the selection of everything from the table linen, style, colour, texture, and to how we determine the design and layout of the centerpiece elements.
With the help of our Emcee and challenge host Dan Graham, we broke our delegates into 5 groups and presented 6 possible themes they could choose from. These themes included Sparkling, Splash, Innovation, Brilliant, Blossom, and Chocolate. We even had one exciting group join in on all the fun that brought along a suit case of their own props to do a bowling theme!
Each team was given a small tool kit and a blank undressed table to decorate. A selection of table linen, chairs, chair covers, vases, candle votives and props were laid out at the “Décor Store” and each team had to quickly pick the elements that they would use in their own design. It was an exciting chance for the conference delegates to get a bit messy and have some fun deciding which elements they would use to build their own table. With less than 45 minutes to complete their design, delegates had to utilize the basic principles of design that they had learned from the first portion of the workshop.
- After a day of voting by the tradeshow attendees, Team 3 with their chocolate design were crowned the winners!
Special thanks to Henry Lin, the official CSEME Toronto Photographer for the fantastic photographs.
Founded by Seana O’Neill, Cottage Dreams Cancer Recovery Initiative is a registered charity program which lends cottages to celebrate cancer recovery at the lake. We are so pleased & proud to be the decor sponsor for this fun and exciting event in support of Cottage Dreams Cancer Recovery Initiative. Please mark your calendar and get your tickets for the event on Thursday, June 9, 2011, being held at the Steam Whistle Brewery in Toronto from 6:30 PM – 12:00 AM. The evening will include a live band, a beautiful outdoor patio, cottage tappas by Grindhouse, and a cool cottage silent auction! All funds raised at ‘Mosquitos & Mojitos’ will be used to offer over 300 recent cancer survivors a week at a donated, private cottage after treatment to celebrate recovery with family and friends.
Be sure to check out the Cottage Dreams website & join the Facebook page. You can also call 705.457.9100 for more information on this great cause or via email. Donations are always welcomed which go towards hosting 300+ recent cancer survivors for a week at a donated, private cottage after treatment to celebrate recovery with family and friends.
So kick off the cottage season with us by supporting Cottage Dreams‘ ’Mosquitos & Mojitos’ on June 9th!
Looking for fresh & upcoming Spring inspired favours for your wedding?
We have Caren Richardson, owner of The Favour Shoppe, with insights on spring themed favours for your wedding. Caren Richardson is a talented internet marketer and also the owner of The Favour Shoppe since 2009. She offers tips and hot ideas on her blog, while also showcasing other talented professionals.
As the cold winter winds down and the long awaited signs of Spring starts to emerge, it is a time for new beginnings. For many people, spring has always been one of the favourite times of year to have a spring garden themed event. With the wonderful fragance of spring blooms, the sounds of birds chirping in the early mornings, can definitely add that extra bounce in your step. What a wonderful time of the year to include a spring garden theme to your event. There is a wide selection now available online, the task of finding that perfect favour has never been so easy.
Here are some great themed favours, that may leave you wanting Spring to come sooner rather than later:
FLOWERS
Flowers are a timeless symbol of romance and seeing the first bloom are a great indication that Spring has finally sprung. Adding flower favours to your decor can compliment your spring garden event. Offer your guests some eco-friendly favors, such as wildflower seeds. They are perfect for the environmentally conscious who are looking to use the unique opportunity of their event to beautify the planet.
BUTTERFLIES
How about incorporating some butterfly themed favors at your next event? Someone once said, “Love is like a butterfly. It goes where it pleases, and it pleases wherever it goes.” Did you know Monarch butterflies journey from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of about 2,000 miles, and return to the north again in the spring? Remind your guests of your incredible journey to love with some beautiful butterfly favours. The beauty of the butterfly is the ultimate symbol of change and new beginnings. The butterfly also represents love and relationships.
BIRDS
It is popular belief that birds choose their mate on February 14th. Doves mate for life, thus they symbolize loyalty, fidelity and love. Lovebirds are colourful little birds that sit closely together in pairs, like sweethearts do. It is commonly believed that these birds cannot live without their mate. What a wonderful way to show your guests that you have found your true mate, by having lovebird favours.
Whether you choose flowers, butterflies or love birds for your spring event, these themed favors will always be a wonderful reminder of your special day!
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For more information on The Favour Shoppe & their services, feel free to visit www.thefavourshoppe.com. You can also contact The Favour Shoppe at info@thefavourshoppe.com or mobile at 416.554.5257.
The creative team behind Mode Function Event Design will be hosting an interactive workshop for this year’s CSEME Toronto show.
WHERE? The Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building
WHEN? Thursday, March 24, 2011
TIME? 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Our ‘Team Theme Challenge’ consists of an Interactive Design Session in which attendees will get up and get theming in this fun, whimsical, inspirational hour where we, Mode Function, will lead you through some fun, hands on theme design construction. Everyone loves to build and create and what would an event conference be without the chance to get a little messy!? There are even prizes!
For More information on CSEME Toronto please visit http://canadianspecialevents.com/cseme_toronto/.
Looking for fantastic food & catering in the Muskoka region to cater your wedding or special event?
We have Robbie & Alain Irvine, Owners of North Restaurant and Lounge, alongside Catering Coordinator, Kaitlin Norris, who have great information on event catering in Muskoka for your wedding or special event.
Opened in July of 2007 by Robbie and Alain Irvine, North Restaurant and Lounge has found its place in Muskoka. With a loyal and ever growing client base, we are thrilled to be located in Gravenhurst and catering in Muskoka.
Since opening in 2007, North has won the prestigious ‘Where Magazine Award’ for One of Canada’s Top Ten Restaurants for 2008, Muskoka’s Best Fine Dining Restaurant for 2010 and is very proud of it’s many catering business partnerships.
At North, we pride ourselves on the exceptional service at all our events – both in the restaurant and on location. We specialize in catering alongside some of the most unique experiences Muskoka has to offer. Whether casual or formal, a small intimate gathering at a family cottage to a larger event on the historical Segwun or Wenonah Steamships, we’ve done it all.
As a small operation with big experience, we cater to your local event. Let our Catering Coordinator Kaitlin Norris work behind the scenes to allow you to enjoy your occasion, spend time with your guests and not worry about the details. North will work with you, your family and your budget to create the event you envision, down to the last detail.
Alain, Kait and I are pleased to share some insight with you regarding catering your wedding. With our combined years of experience, we have come across some situations that can cause surprises on your wedding day.
Here, then, are some situations that can cause wedding day wrinkles and suggestions on how to avoid them:
- Questions often pop up on your wedding day, and the caterer never wants to bother the bride to get clarification. Wedding or event planners are a great resource – but if these aren’t available, select a point person who can answer the caterer’s questions (often a mom, dad or bridal party member makes a terrific contact.)
- Choosing a caterer may seem daunting. After you’ve received a selection of menus, set up an appointment to chat with them. You want to be sure you see eye to eye with them, and make sure they understand and share your vision.
- Choosing the menu for your wedding may seem like an overwhelming task. To help with this process, be clear with your caterer about what your venue is like. Suggest that your caterer does a site visit. This will help your caterer be sure that the menu you have selected can be produced well at your site (for example, some food such as warm pastries will not hold well in a steamy hot box) and the correct equipment is rented to ensure successful food production at the site.
- Request a menu tasting – this will help avoid being surprised about what your food will look and taste like on your wedding day. North provides a complimentary tasting for 2 people and additional tastings are available at a specified cost.
- Be clear with your guests that you need to know about dietary restrictions. This will help avoid an awkward situation whereby one of your guests doesn’t eat meat, and no vegetarian meals have been planned. As you can imagine – this is particularly important for off-site weddings where alternative meals would not be readily available.
- If you are having photos between the ceremony and reception, consider having some type of food for your guests during this period. Most weddings will also have beverages available at this time and having food served will help ensure that guests don’t drink on empty stomachs.
- If you are thinking about having a late night buffet, talk seriously with your caterer about how much food to prepare, and what kind of food that should be (in some cases of off-site weddings that are a distance from the food prep area, this late night buffet will have to be prepared well in advance). Avoid being surprised with lots of leftovers by having the right amount and right selection of food.
- Know the payment terms of your caterer – avoid being surprised when they call to remind you that a payment is due.
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For more information on North Restaurant & their services, feel free to visit www.northinmuskoka.com. North Restaurant is located at 530 Muskoka Road North, Gravenhurst, ON P1P 1G3. You can also contact Robbie, Alain or Katilin, via email at northrestaurant@gmail.com or mobile at 705.687.8618.
Many thanks to Robbie, Alain & Katilin for providing their knowledge, insight, & expertise in special event catering in Muskoka & for being a guest speaker on our blog.
As we were writing a guest blog entry on our top five tips for developing a unique wedding, we started thinking of other considerations that a person hosting an event should take into account as they build a theme, colour palette and choice of décor elements.
Here is our list of considerations:
NUMBER OF GUESTS
The more people you add to your guest list, the more expensive your event becomes. Consider capping out the guest list and focusing on quality elements for your event, if possible. The number of guests will also dictate what size and type of venue will suit your needs. For example, if you have a small guest list then hosting your event in a large venue will make your décor look tiny and disproportionate.
AVAILABLE SPACE
Keep in mind that you only have so much or so little space to work with. Choose elements that fill the spaces that require a decorative touch. For example, if it is a large area that requires a little something, then utilize a large piece, or a mix of several small to medium/large sized pieces. Using a small piece in a larger nook can easily get lost in the ‘abyss’. Likewise, a large piece crammed into a small nook will simply look poorly planned and visually unappealing in terms of scale.
TIME OF YEAR
You can save money if you choose elements that reflect the season you are holding your event. If you have a spring wedding for example, bright colours and seasonal floral may be the right option for you. Keep in mind that in most of Ontario, spring weather is not guaranteed. It could rain or even snow so select items that will hold up well if you are placing them outside, and always have a Plan B if in case the weather does not hold up. Plan for the season!
TIME OF DAY
If you are having a ceremony mid-afternoon then lining your aisle with candles just has no practical sense. Likewise, if you are hosting a late evening event then make sure you have enough lighting for not only esthetics but for the safety of your guests.
LOCATION & SETTING
Know the location. Take lots of pictures on your tour and know what needs to be addressed and what does not. If you are in a lush garden full of flowers then you may not need to do as much décor. Also, if you have to cover up an ugly wall inside a venue then keep that in mind as you book decorations.
FAMILY TRADITIONS
While you maybe a fashion forward person, you may have a family tradition that is important to you. If it has meaning and importance then follow through and think of ways to incorporate it into your day to further its significance.
MOOD/THEME
Establish the mood you want to create early on in the process. It will make decision making that much easier and less stressful. Knowing what you want to achieve will help not only with your décor selections but venue, menu and everything else on your “to-do” list.
COLOUR PALETTE
Much like your theme, the colour selection is important. Keep your swatches handy so you can whip them out when you need to make a decision.
BUDGET
We always seem to touch on this every time but for good reason. You should know ahead of time how much you are willing to spend. Many clients don’t understand the costs associated with producing an event which is ok too! Brides don’t often plan events for a living and in most cases, this is their first time ever putting together a production of this caliber. Having a general idea of what you are willing to invest financially will help guide your decisions.
The annual Muskoka Wedding show, “Weddings 2011” hosted by Metroland North Media at The Riverside Inn occurred Sunday, February 6, 2011. The Mode Function team had a lot of fun creating a booth to showcase our talents where we blended clean lines and structure with deconstructed fabrics while showcasing the new ‘Juliet’ ruffle chair detail to the Muskoka Wedding Market. We chose to explore with a colour pallet of our signature black, accented with shades of pink and white to balance it out. The centerpiece itself stretched across the table and was a mix of white hydrangea and pops of fuchsia roses. Unlike many traditional centerpieces, this show stopper was tucked under a long tray of bevelled mirrors that was lined with shimmering candle votives. Placing smaller mirror tiles and candles on top of the floral elements created a chic surface that enhanced the candle glow.
Mode also took on a sponsorship role and provided décor for the registration area. The show was a great opportunity to meet many Muskoka brides planning on exchanging their vows within the region. It was also a pleasure to network with other Muskoka Wedding Suppliers.
