http://www.sandrabettinaevents.com/

Sandra Bettina Weddings & Events, 103-20 Perron Street, Saint Albert, AB (2025)

04/11/2025

Let’s talk about cultural inclusion in a wedding for a moment. ..

In today’s modern world, so many of us (myself included) don’t live in their country of origin. Either we or our ancestors moved to a different country at some point for a variety of reasons.

We then get assimilated into the country and cultures we now live, and often (although not always) also marry outside of our country of origin.

And, I love this diversity!

But, the pull of our roots is strong, so it’s natural (in fact, very encouraged by me!) to bring elements of that part of you into one of the most important days of your life.

Here are a few easy ideas to weave those roots into your wedding day:

✨Ceremony
- whether is the full start to finish ritual or just small elements to honour one or both of you

✨Attire
- this is one of my favorites! While so much of the world is used to a white dress and tux, in many parts of the world, that isn’t the norm for weddings, so why not do an outfit change at some point in the day to showcase both fashions?

✨Food & Drink
- we come together through food and in many areas of the world, outside of North America, food is so deeply engrained in who we are. Why not mix and match more “basic” food with cultural option, even if it’s just dessert? Or perhaps you bring out a special beverage that’s associated with your country or culture? In my case it’s Sljivovica and it’s deadly!

✨ Music & Dance
- another deeply meaningful part of many societies. This is SO easy to incorporate and adds a fun and touching personal element for not just your families but also guests who may be experiencing this for the first time.

✨Traditions
- from special entries and money dances, to tea ceremonies or pre-event gatherings or.. “wrestling” between the families, these are wonderful ways to honour your roots and infuse where you came from.

So, do you have a favourite? Or did you do something special for your wedding? I’d love to know!

04/03/2025

✨ IT’S TIME ✨

I’m SO excited to announce the first of many meetings for Alberta wedding planners and pros.

As some of you may know, I recently took the role of regional rep for Alberta and the education, sharing, collaboration and CONNECTION that I feel is missing as wedding planners and pros is something I am deeply passionate about and will become a deeper focus in my career.

This meeting is meant to lay the foundation of future events and educational topics to come. I have so many ideas and things to share but I want to hear from YOU first.

First we need to connect and trust.

We need to share our goals and challenges.

And then we need to elevate - together!

Future meetings will be held monthly in various locations with many collaborations (yes, even during wedding season) and will alternate between educational and FUN events / activities and field trips.

Tickets are located in the link in bio.

Get yours and share with a friend.

Any questions? As always, I’m available in DMs

See you there & let’s educate and elevate … all with a cocktail in hand. 🍸📝💍

02/10/2025

2025 - 6/52

This week was frosty, busy and fulfilling. 💕

In no particular order:
✨counted my blessings for a warm home
✨kept my body moving for mental & physical health
✨had a marathon meeting at the studio
✨sent out save the dates for one of our couples
✨volunteered in Ari’s class
✨got my nails done
✨enjoyed a beautiful tasting with a client
✨visited my bestie and her babe with my kiddos
✨bought gas station mini apples
✨road tripped to Calgary for a solo workation
✨designed away with a bride and her mom / MIL
✨met other clients who graciously made me brunch
✨finished off the weekend making valentines’s

Not pictured but enjoyed:
✨not giving a hoot about the Super Bowl 🤷‍♀️
✨so many delicious in room dining meals
✨a solo dinner date
✨vendor matching successes with clients
✨ inquiry overload (thankful!)

This week coming up is SO heavily meeting filled. I literally only have ONE full day open to work (aka: it’ll be some evening dates with my computer so I don’t fall behind)

🍷 to balance

02/07/2025

2025 marks 10 years in business for me (wild to believe) and in this last decade, I’ve put myself through the wringer while growing this business. I’ve fallen low and soared high but today it’s a business I love and am proud of. It has also come with many personal pains as well - growing a demanding business like this while raising babies is no joke.

But these pains feel like they have a deep purpose and as I always do, it’s time to listen to my gut and start to lay the path of what’s next for me ❤️

I am BEYOND grateful to be getting the amount of inquiries I do. I don’t say that with ego but with unbelievable gratitude. I still remember the days when I would get butterflies in my stomach every time that little notification came on (which wasn’t often). I took any and every job. I worked for pennies and nursed my baby in the parking lot of events when she refused a bottle from dad. As the years went by, the gratefulness for inquiries have remained yet my vision for what’s meant for me has been refined.

For a number of years, I’ve been Full Service & personalized wedding focused; it’s where I feel most aligned.

I took up to 15 weddings, then 12, then 10 and currently 8. As my service level increases, my capacity decreases and it’s time for another change.

Here’s what to expect:

2025:
- I am at current full capacity and books are closed
- I cannot wait to bring the weddings & events we have on the books to life 💕

2026
- I have availability for 2 more Full Service Weddings
- Preference will be given to Destination Weddings (Rocky Mountains & Beyond) but of course we will continue to serve our beautiful local YEG community; it’s home
- July & August books are closed

2027 (and beyond):
- I will be decreasing capacity to just 5 weddings per year
- Preference will be given to Destination & Multi-Day Weddings
- VERY limited July & August dates

So while it seems wild to make this announcement already, it’s the path I know I need to lay to keep doing what I love, while also honouring the nudge for other ventures and most importantly, peace & my family 💕

I look forward to continuing to pour my heart and soul into my beautiful couples.

02/03/2025

2025 | 5/52

Last week of January, in no particular order:

✨ attended the girls’ first school dance (loved it!)
✨ enjoyed an evening hot tub before the steep temp drop
✨ battled the weather together
✨ worked from home a lot, often with littles close by
✨ had my soul and mind taken over by a book
✨ raggaeton & sparkling water as staples of survival
✨ attended a tasting with out of town clients
✨ so much laundry with a cutie in sparkly high heels & pjs

Not pictured but enjoyed:
✨ hosting friends for dinner and drinks
✨ dinner with neighbour friends

Sad to miss:
✨ wedding biz workshop (cancelled by presenter)
✨ my dance class (weather / roads)
✨ hanging out with my bestie + her babe (weather / roads)

Excited for all that February will bring 💕💕

01/27/2025

2025 | 4/52

Another long week - is January over already?! 🤪

This week in no particular order:
✨worked a ton on the studio space
✨attended a couple of tastings
✨savoured the quiet mornings alone
✨until cute little bed heads came to join
✨kids sports as always
✨our corn plant (Dracaena) bloomed
✨read a ton during the “in betweens”
✨meetings, meetings and more meetings
✨family fun night at the movies
✨beautiful pick up from
✨facial
✨IV boost

Not pictured:
✨solo shopping for new books (felt a deep for alone time this week somehow)
✨family Saturday brunch at Cora’s

01/24/2025

The Bouquet & The Bride … a love story

Okay perhaps the intro was a little dramatic but the bouquet really is an extension of the bride so let’s talk about it.

It’s so important to LOVE your bouquet and make it personally yours, crafted with love by a skilled professional (cue: Skip the Costco flowers & DIY’s unless you are very skilled… your wedding bouquet is not a place to learn).

Now that we got that out of the way, here are a few things to consider when planning your bouquet style:

💐 SCALE: how does it relate to your body size? Unless that’s intentionally the style (think oversized boho or modern minis), it should be proportionate to your body and dress.

💐 DRESS: speaking of dress, it should complement and not compete with the dress. The bouquet is like a necklace, an accessory to complete the look instead of overtake it.

💐 STYLE: you’ve chosen your wedding design with intention so unless there is a REALLY good reason, the bouquet should be an extension of your wedding design. A good florist (which we hope you have) will nail this, of course, but don’t try to over complicate it by throwing a completely different design request at them for the bouquet. Not only does it break cohesion of the wedding but it’s also more difficult for the florist to order different flowers just for one bouquet.

💐LOVE: But ultimately the thing that matters most is that you love it. Let it be your personality and style, you have to love it so don’t be afraid to collaborate with your florist, to ask florists for a preview the day before or to request edits - they’ll be happy to work with you so that you’re feeling confident and proud to carry your bouquet all day!

Swipe to check out some beautiful examples of all of the above and tell us, do you have a favourite?

01/20/2025

3/52

I don’t know if it’s the January blues, the cold snap, too much working from home / not enough meetings out, being a working adult with kids or something else (likely all of the above) but this week felt heavy and long.

And then I look back at the memories through photos and I realize it was a great one after all.

Week 3/52 in no particular order:
✨I designed my little heart out for some very cool concepts
✨Spent time outside being comfortable with discomfort
✨Enjoyed watching my girls thrive in a variety of sports
✨Lots of meetings with wonderful couples
✨We went water sliding + had smoothies for fam fun night
✨I slowed down to appreciate small moments of beauty
✨Gave my body gentle movement without pressure
✨Kid-free Costco trip on a Saturday
✨The girls hosted their first double sleep over with success
✨We did our Sunday funday dinner as a buffet in the hall
✨Went for a much needed massage
✨I finished one book and started another

Other highlights:
✨welcomed an amazing new 2026 couple
✨hot tubbed with Tim and connected as a couple
✨tried a new recipe (it only half succeeded)
✨caught up with my mom over a 1.5 hour phone chat

What were you up to this week?

01/13/2025

2025 | 2/52

In no particular order:

✨celebrating 16 years with at
✨back to chilly morning walks
✨zoom meetings galore
✨venue tours
✨prioritizing body movement daily
✨mani / pedi date with self
✨brunch date with my bestie
✨over to another bestie’s for Indian dinner and catch up
✨imperfect meal living room picnic and games
✨raggeaton joy filled class .yeg
✨beautiful words from

01/06/2025

Pic a day; first week of January edition….

In order:

1. Long drive back to YEG from visiting family in Medicine Hat for the holidays
2. Venue tour
3. More venue shopping
4. Setting up the year and goal planning
5. First Raggeaton dance class .yeg

Eased into the year nice and slow but I’m very excited to get back into a routine and in the office tomorrow!

01/01/2025

Cheers to Freedom and most importantly, Peace 🥂

Happy New Year Friends and may the lessons of 2024 bring all that you desire and deserve in 2025 💕

05/15/2024

🥂 WE ARE HIRING 🥂

Our team is looking for a dynamic Events Operations Assistant to join for the summer term.

This dynamic position is PERFECT for a summer student interested in a career in weddings with a high possibility of extension to permanent employment for the right person.

Check the link in bio for more info! 👆🏻

XO

03/29/2024

Refined Relaxed✨

This intimate wedding was hosted at the couple’s property, with their nearest and dearest.

The couple’s vision was for a relaxed and romantic feel utilising their favourite colours and honouring organic elements that are meaningful to them, such as antlers.

The ceremony took place in a circle of love, swapping the traditional ceremony layout for a circular shape where the couple said their vows while surrounded by those closest to them.

The family style dinner tent featured u-shaped seating, floral chandeliers and romantic lighting.

What are your thoughts on this wedding design?

Xo

03/23/2024

Why should you hire us? Well, as one client said... Because we have fun but get things done!

Joking aside, you truly will have to follow your gut to see if we are the right wedding planning team for you. We can tell you to check our reviews and our work but ultimately it comes down to, do you trust us and is our approach aligned with your expectations of a wedding planner?

Here’s what I can tell you about how we work:

1. Our approach to planning is to marry (no pun intended) the process and the pretty. A GREAT wedding is one where the process (logistics, planning, timing, sound, flow, etc.) work in unison and at an equally important level as the pretty (the aesthetics of the day) - combining these two is where we excel.

2. We believe in transparency from start to finish, even if it’s not always what you want to hear (hellllllooo realistic budget discussion). We believe in providing you with all of the information that you need to make the right decision for YOU, and to keep you on track along the way.

3. We believe in quality over quantity and have dedicated ourselves to only producing 5-8 weddings per year, meaning that we are fully invested and available to the couples that we serve.

4. Respect is a core value. For you, for us, your family, your guests and all of the vendor partners that we work with. We believe that our role can be both… professional yet lighthearted. We’re always down for a laugh, a glass of bubbly and a personal conversation before we get into the nitty gritty of planning.

5. Our design style is contemporary luxury with a nod to tradition. Details matter, as does quality. We are sophisticated in design but strategic yet FUN in ex*****on.

So if this sounds great to you then you SHOULD hire us. If it doesn’t, then truthfully… you probably shouldn’t.

DM or email us for more.

XO

03/21/2024

While many grooms don’t have a whole lot of questions during the wedding planning process (IYKYK), one that comes up often is:

“Who should I walk down the aisle with?”

And the answer is... with whomever you want! One thing that’s glorious about being a couple nowadays is that there are very few rules and that you can choose to do what feels right for YOU, and we are 100% here for it!

But if you’re still not sure, here are a few ideas:

- solo (be the star of the show)
- with mom
- with dad
- with another parental figure or VIP
- grandparent(s)
- with both parents
- with a brother or best friend
- with your dog
- with your child (if you have one)

In other words, choose the person(s) that feels right, if anyone, and don’t worry too much about tradition or what everyone else does.

XO

03/19/2024

Wedding Lingo Defined.

Tablescape: the arrangement of items on a table that produces an attractive and decorative effect, often with matching plates, bowls, etc.

And one of my favourite parts of the wedding design!

Swipe to see just some of the beautiful tablescapes we’ve had the pleasure of designing for our couples. Which one is your fave?

XO

03/16/2024

YAY, you took the plunge and booked us as your wedding planners - we’re so excited!

Once it’s been made official, here’s what to expect next:

1. Onboarding:
In order to stay super organized and on top of tasks, we’re big fans an easy-to-use project management system that becomes our wedding planning hub. Also an app, you have quick access to dropping your questions and thoughts without risks of losing info through text messaging or getting lost in the email shuffle. In this PM you’ll find all of the to do’s, files, and communication needed to plan with ease.

2. Homework:
Complete the homework waiting in your file. Fear not, these are quick and easy tasks so that we can begin the behind the scenes on our end.

3. Intake Meeting:
Through conversation, we dig deep into your vision & wishes for the wedding and determine priorities.

4. Budget Draft & Review:
After we’ve completed the steps above, we will draft a realistic budget estimate for your day. We’ll review it together, line by line, and determine if any adjustments are needed.

And then, the real fun begins!

XO

Sandra Bettina Weddings & Events

04/11/2025

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02/10/2025

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