Let me just precursor this trend report with these two statements:  

ALWAYS ask yourself if you LOVE it and if it MEANS something to you.  

Trends come and go but what triggers your HEART and PASSION will be with you forever.

Now, onto the 2012 predictions for all things celebratory:  anniversaries, birthdays, engagements, weddings and more.

In Canada, mismatched wooden chairs, harvest tables, upholstered settees and chairs, milk glass, silver and frames will hold the spot light for vintage fetes.  
There will be an increased demand for strings of globes lights at outdoor parties.  Pretty chandeliers, dripping with crystals, will draw attention to head tables and special seating areas.

Rustic vintage will brighten up this season with splashes of trendy colours such as tangerine tango, cabaret (think, fuschia) and sodalite blue, in line with Pantone’s Spring 2012 colours.  Yellow (solar power) and charcoal (driftwood) are still hot too.  In my opinion they are just a bit darker, not so cheery or silvery.  

Lace and a more Grace Kelly-esk approach to vintage will grow throughout the season and will hold ground throughout 2013.  A finer approach to vintage is trending in Europe and to the south of us as people aspire for the Kate & Will’s look of what old is new but in a very clean and crisp manner.

Lace doilies are filling in where burlap left off.  Whether it is bunting, table runners, lighting or guest gifts; lace is everywhere.   Those not wanting to give up on burlap will find it combined with lace, buttons and sheet music or printed pages.

Vintage linens and/or patterns will be ever present too.  Mismatched napkins for a casual party and crisp white linens for a more formal event (and when I say ‘linen’, I mean ‘linen’).

Coloured bottles are taking over from canning jars or at the very least being added to the mix.  

Ever present props such as luggage, keys, typewriters, canning jars, burlap, bird cages and crates will continue to hold a prominent place at Canadian weddings this year.  That being said, these types of props are starting to give way and will only be used by party hosts if the items have true meaning to them.

For a recap (in no particular order):

1.  Coloured bottles, milk glass and silver (mercury glass too) containers
2.  Lace, burlap, buttons, sheet music and printed pages from books
3.  Harvest tables and mismatched chairs a la vineyards
4.  Crisp white linens, handkerchiefs 
5.  Settees and chairs
6.  Chalkboards (so handy) and frames
7.  Globe lights and crystal dripping chandeliers
8.  Spring Pantone 2012 colours

I have a few things to share with you today.  I know you are busy running to school concerts, office parties, grocery shopping, stopping in at the butcher shop & bakery, wrapping gifts... (Oh wait a minute, that is my to-do list.  Although I imagine yours is similar).  Well, lets take a break.  Yes grab a hot chocolate and settle in.

First off, there are a few photos starting to roll in from the styled family Christmas shoots.  Today's pictures are from Stacey at VdK Photography.  I'm sure there are some very happy grand-parents and parents who will be receiving these pictures for Christmas.  Thanks to Stacey and the families for letting me share them.  

Up next is a short one-day contest.  TODAY.  I just received two tickets for The Wedding Show in January (thank you Catherine).   I will be giving them away via the HVR Facebook page.  Any new 'likes' from today will be entered into a random draw for two tickets to the show.  Only enter if you can attend the Show sometime between January 13th - 15th at The Carlu in Toronto.

If by chance you don't win the tickets, pop over here and purchase them.   


A couple of weeks ago I posted some photos on the HVR Facebook page of some Christmas decor in our home.  One of the photos of pink glass ornaments struck the heart strings of a HVR fan.  

For whatever reason, I decided to pack up a dozen and mail them to Juanita in Saskatchewan.  I was thrilled to hear they arrived intact and surprised to find out she blogged about it.   Pop over to Little Juan on the Prairie and give it a read.  (I cried when I read it.  I get sappy about these kinds of things)  I think we both found the true meaning of Christmas and I'm thankful these wee pink ornaments brought us together.  

The part that Juanita doesn't know, is that I too remember the windows at our local Woolworths store.  My Grandmother use to work at the local Woolworths restaurant counter.  I spent a lot of time with my Grandfather when I was a little girl (he truly was my hero).  One of my favourite memories is Grandpa and I dropping in to visit Grandma while she worked.  We would sit on those awesome, now vintage stools and drink hot chocolate, of course served by my Grandma.  Sometimes I would get a milkshake. The one thing I know for sure is that I drove my Grandpa crazy with all my spinning on those stools but he never said a word.   My Grandpa died when I was 8 but I am still able to cherish this memory with my 90-something Grandma today.

In any case, who would have figured that two women from different parts of Canada would be drawn together by their memories of Woolworths?  Good things happen during this most wonderful time of the year.

It isn't just the celebration of Christmas that makes this time of year special.  In particular this year, as tonight Hanukkah begins.  We celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah in our home too.  To all those celebrating the Festival of Lights, I wish you a Happy Hanukkah.  

First off I want to remind you about our Facebook LIKE contest that is happening right now.  The 500th person to LIKE the HVR Facebook page by January 1, 2012 is going to win a few goodies.  Here is the list:

2 tickets to The Wedding Co 2012 Show at The Carlu. Valid for use between Friday January 13th and Sunday January 15th
A copy of the premiere edition of The Wedding Co magazine
A $50 gift certificate to use at Lilium
A $200 gift certificate from Hazlitt Vintage Rental
and just added....
Four boutonnieres from Pomp & Plumage

So I bet you are thinking 'I want to win those prizes'.  How am I going to be the 500th person to LIKE the page?  Well, you need to encourage all your friends to LIKE the page and then take your chance to be that 500th LIKE before January 1st.  Good luck.

We've had over 50 of you jump on board since we started this contest.  Hopefully a lot more of you will join in and take us to the 500 mark.  I think we can do it.  180 people?  Sure, why not?

In the new year HVR is going to start offering specials on our Facebook page.  Join in so you don't miss the deals.  

Now on to the pretty stuff.

Did you see our feature on SMP Canada with Images by Bethany last week?  It was such a treat to have Meagan and Travis's Ontario wedding featured.  It was the perfect mix of California comes North for a beautiful wedding celebration.  This gorgeous bride is super talented and her groom is as sweet as pie.