Gin Botanical Garden Party Styled Shoot

I had been dreaming of doing a styled shoot with Ivy Pearl, our converted horse trailer bar for months (possibly years!) and it was finally time. I was inspired to come up with a series of “spirit” styled shoots and since we launched our bar trailer in the spring, Gin was the obvious choice!

Our Bar Menu was gin-based cocktails. With signature cocktails, we always recommend serving no more than 3. We served:

• Elderflower Rose Gin Sour using Empress 1908 Gin (See recipe here)

• Classic G&T using Tempo Gin

• Jenn & Tonic (Jenn’s twist on the classic)

Hand Painted Fabric Bar Menu by Jaclyn

Creative Director of Tamp & Muddle Co. Photography by Bre Poole Photography

I put together a list of vendors I wanted to work with or have worked with previously and to my delight, everyone was stoked to join! They all loved the theme and you can’t ask for anything better than that!

Coordinating this was no small feat, but as an unofficial party planner, it was a challenge I was ready to take on.

I knew right from the get-go I wanted Events by Elle to provide decor and especially a lounge set up. Elle has beautiful taste and we had been communicating for several months about collaborating. She was thrilled to be a part of the shoot and recommended some photographers she’d like to work with. That’s how I found Bre. (Love this collaboration thing!)

We got a contract together and the date was set!

Decor by Events by Elle Photography by Bre Poole Photography

I’ve learned over my 18 year experience as an entrepreneur to delegate tasks that either don’t bring me joy, are stressful, or simply not my forte. I reached out to Stephanie from Simply Stone Events to be my Day of Coordinator, so the timing of everyone setting up was off my shoulders. I’m so glad she accepted because she absolutely rocked it!

Here she is with her assistant and Wine Maker of Cavallo Winery. We got to taste their Rose before it was released to the public!

Day of Coordinator: Simply Stone Events and Wine Maker of Cavallo Winery Photography by Bre Poole Photography

While we eagerly waited for great weather, we continued to plan and coordinate and here’s how it turned out:

vancouver & fraser valley event Vendors involved

Photography: Bre Poole Photography

Venue: Bloom Garden Weddings

Bars: Tamp & Muddle Co.

Bartender: Jenn & Tonic Bartending

Decor & Styling: Events by Elle

Day of Coordinator: Simply Stone Events

Charcuterie Grazing Table: Rustic Grazing

Glassware: Host Collection

Florals: Ethereal Flower Farm

Content Creation & BTS: Home Body Media Co

3 Myths about Mocktails

Alcohol-Free drinks have become more of a popular choice in the last couple of years and it seems the popularity isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Baby Showers, Anniversaries, Weddings and Social Events need to have at least one alcohol-free option for those abstaining. Tamp & Muddle Co. loves to cater for these ones, so we thought we’d share 3 myths about Mocktails!

As an Amazon Associate, some product links in this article I get commission for. I only share products I love and recommend!

1. Mocktails just taste like juice

   It is true, when little thought goes into making a mocktail, it can taste just like juice. I’m here to tell you though, Mocktails have really upped their game. With QUALITY ingredients, they can taste like the real thing.

   Especially with more companies like Seedlip and Ritual Zero Proof creating non-alcholic spirits, along with artisanal tonics like Fever Tree it’s pretty hard to tell the difference.

Ritual Zero Proof Spirits

That being said, quality ingredients mean that it takes a little more effort to make. Which leads us into the next myth:

2. Mocktails are cheaper than cocktails

We’d like to think they are! I’ll tell you how we personally learned they certainly are not. Last Fall, we catered the drinks for a private after-wedding shower (the couple got married in Italy…so dreamy!). The venue did not allow alcohol on the premises, so we had to get creative. Pricing out a signature Italy-inspired mocktail was shocking! It worked out to be the same as the alchoholic version simply because the ingredients had to be high quality. The other challenge was FINDING the quality ingredients in time.

I wanted to create this limoncello mocktail which called for LaCroix LimonCello flavored Sparkling Water Well, do you think I could find it in our local stores? Not a chance. This was where planning far enough in advance is key, especially if you are set on a particular drink.

Our couple ended up opting for dealcoholized beer, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I’m a beer lover, and I ended up purchasing the Blonde Lager and Red Ale for myself because it tasted pretty darn close to the real thing. During the week, nothing beats a nice cold beer after work! (well except for alcoholic beer).

Moral of the Story: MOCKTAILS ARE NOT CHEAPER, and PLAN AHEAD.

3. mOCKTAILS ARE EASY TO MAKE

The truth is: it can actually be harder to make a mocktail that tastes foolproof than a typical cocktail with alcohol. This goes in line with the previous myth. “Making” in this sense comes down to mixology. When you have tried and true recipes, that’s a different story. But it’s still just as much WORK as mixing alcohol. You are still sourcing good quality ingredients, still preparing garnishes (sometimes even more extravagently) and you are still exerting yourself to muddle, shake and stir. So next time you are planning a Dry January Event, or hosting a baby shower, factor in the cost of hiring a bartender the same way you would for a boozy affair.

Let us know in the comments if you learned something from this, or if you already knew these things about mocktails. We love providing a fun and easy social experience, which includes serving non-alcoholic events. Book with us for your next event!

5 Vancouver Wedding Photographers you need to check out

Okay, so you’re engaged and you’ve started to plan your WEDDING DAY! So many details to figure out but there’s usually a few big ones you already have your heart set on.

Capturing your wedding with photos and video are at the top of the list. You want to be able to look back decades later and reminisce or even see things you missed. (You can’t be everywhere all at once you know)

The best way to get to know and be 100% comfortable with your photographer BEFORE your wedding day, is book an engagement session with them.

Often, their wedding photography packages include an engagement session!

To help you out, Tamp & Muddle Co. has put together a list of photographers in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver area that are rocking the engagement and wedding scene in 2023 and 2024. So here you go ladies and gents…

5 Vancouver Wedding Photographers you need to check out

Annika Marie Brown | Lifestyle and Wedding Photographer based in the Fraser Valley

Your hype girl, bonus bridesmaid, professional third wheeler and baby snuggler. 

Website: https://www.annikamariebrown.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annikamariebrown/

Cedar & Sand | Elopement, Wedding & Family Photography in Vancouver, Fraser Valley, BC and beyond

A madly in Love Husband and Wife Wedding Photography & Video team. Capturing weddings throughout Vancouver's Lower Mainland, Whistler, the Okanagan, Vancouver Island and beyond. 

Website: https://www.cedarandsand.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cedar_and_sand_photography/

Feather & Folk | Intimate Wedding Photographer for unique and small weddings

Brooklyn’s inspiration is stirred by the west coast and rocky mountains, organic intimacy & movements, film, blue hour, authentic interactions, warm coffee and nostalgic moments. To her, there is so much magic in mundane moments.

Website: https://www.feather-and-folk.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/featherandfolk/

Elishya Marie | wedding, couples, and branding photographer based in Vancouver, BC

There is nothing she loves more than being creative, shooting amazing weddings and brands and bringing their vision to life. She has a passion for creating rad images to share with the world. Any photographer can give you good photos, but she wants to give you more than that! 

Website: https://www.elishyamariephotography.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elishyamariephoto/

Chelsey Lea | Empowerment, lifestyle, milestones and weddings

If you’re someone wanting candid, fun and emotion filled images, then look no further.

Website: https://www.chelseyleaphotography.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseyleaphotography_/

We truly hope this helps you in your wedding planning, so if you end up choosing one of these amazing photographers, let us know!!

Next up in our Wedding Guide is a list of Wedding Planners that will make your life hella easier over the next several months.

Engaged Couples: How to Choose an Amazing Team of Vendors

So you’ve been recently engaged. CONGRATS!!! This is such an exciting time in your relationship, so soak it alllll up!

The wedding date, location, bridal party, guest list, flowers, THE DRESS, cocktails, dinner menu, invitations, the list goes on. So many details, so many things to plan, so many things to get excited about! I’ll be the first to tell you though… it can be a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions over the next few months.

So, here’s your first piece of advice:

This is YOUR day with your significant other. It’s not your parents, it’s not your friends, it’s YOURS.

While considering advice from the experience of others is beneficial, stick to your gut and plan it how you want your day to go.

For brides, we usually dream about this day from the time we are little girls. But when it comes to being an adult and when the actual time has come, there’s a lot of ideas and trends that can play tricks on us and planning a wedding can be a little overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be!

The best way to choose an amazing team of vendors is through word of mouth.

Whether your are a DIY bride or you want to hire a Wedding Planner, there are a lot of details that need to be hashed out. Since we LOVE details and want to help you worry less about the nitty gritty, Tamp & Mudde Co has put together a list of Vancouver and Fraser Valley wedding vendors you should check out.

First up…since you are recently engaged, you need to check out these 5 Wedding Photographers that are rocking the engagement photo scene.

Cheers,