D.I.Why?

Because it's totally worth it. Sure, I may have stopped eating and showering during the days leading up to our big day, but it really was worth every moment of greasy hair and malnutrition. Doing it yourself means that the end product really reflects you. And for us, this couldn't be more true. I can't stop looking at our photos. It's a sickness, really. The day was just so perfect; i don't want it to be over. 

making 120 cupcakes... from scratch

 

THE dress, before and after

I do however, extend a word of warning: the DIY wedding experience is not for everyone. If you thrive on stress, know your way around Photoshop, and have the patience for a LOT of paper-cut inducing crafts, you might be right for the job. Oh, and it helps to have a meticulous husband-to-be and creative friends (the "Y" in DIY doesn't literally mean "you", singular).

Here are my TOP 10 (er, 11) pieces of been-there wisdom, from one bride-to-be (now wife) to another:

1.  Delegate. Yes, I know who you are (because I am you!): you are a control freak, you have a vision, you would forego sleep if necessary. But, trust me, you need help. Choose wisely, though; some help can be less than helpful. Assign your friends and family to things that they enjoy and at which they excel. 
2. Buy extra. Don't buy 100 sheets of paper if you plan to print 100 invitations. You will invariably mess up at least one. Don't get stuck paying twice as much for something, because you need it in an emergency.
3. Borrow. "Something borrowed" doesn't have to be a dress or garter. Ask friends and family to borrow serving dishes, decor, lights and anything that isn't consumable. It saves money and waste.
4. Treat yourself to at least one pampering or splurge. In an effort to be frugal, I didn't get my hair or nails done, nor did I buy the insanely expensive dress. But, I used the special day to do a couple of nice things for myself. When you're doing everything yourself, you deserve a break. For me it was semi permanent lashes. Wink!
   
5. Be resourceful. If you've rented a non-traditional venue like we did (a big farm in the middle of nowhere), you'll have to bring everything yourself. Naturally, you forgot to print a sign for the reserved seating, and didn't buy enough bins for recycling. No problem - provided you remember tip #2, you (or your creative friend, I my case), can fashion something out of leftover paper and craft supplies.
6. Have a back-up plan. Be sure to have lots of candles in the event of a power outage (it happened to us). Decide on an easy Plan B for that gorgeous outdoor ceremony you wanted. Luckily we only had a few minutes of rain, but the barn was ready as a back-up if it had gotten worse. In any case, plan for a worst-case-scenario.
   
7. Create a detailed itinerary. Three, in fact: one for you and hubby for the month leading up to the event, one for friends and family for the set-up day/days, and one for the day-of. To be sure you don't lose your mind, be sure everyone knows (in great detail) what their roles will be. Then you'll be free to get your own to-dos done rather than spending the time supervising. 
8. Anticipate and accept changes to your vision. When mom decides that the Quinoa salad isn't necessary or Dad-in-law tells you that the BBQ lighter ran out of fuel and therefore the large lanterns can't be lighted, just roll with the punches. No one but you will notice.
9. Get an early start. This was a piece of advice that I didn't heed myself. I ended up cutting corners and abandoning projects at the 11th hour, because we ran out of time. Prioritize the projects that really matter (say, making/altering your dress, writing vows), and save the little extras for the end (cupcake flags, maybe).
10. Have fun. If wedding tasks become overwhelming and tedious, they're no longer fun, and not worth it. Hold a crafting party or enlist friends to put together invitations assembly-line style. Order a pizza and pop on "27 Dresses" or "Bride Wars". This is a fun way for your wedding party to be involved.
11. Spend money. Even with a budget wedding like ours, there are corners that you can't cut. You may have to blow your budget, but it is totally not worth the stress to handle EVERYTHING yourself. We saved on the dress because I altered it myself. We saved on flowers by buying in bulk and having a friend arrange them. We saved by borrowing, reusing, crafting and bargain hunting. But, while we made our own salads and sides, we went over our food budget to hire caterers for the meat/BBQ part. Totally worth it. Trust me.

making invitations with hubby-to-be!

This day is about you and your hubby-to-be, so make it reflect your personalities. Don't get stuck with a templated wedding. If you're willing to put in the time and you enjoy a healthy dose of stress, you can achieve something really great. And, when you're eyeball deep in paper scraps, or you've been making cupcakes by yourself for 6 hours straight (and you don't even LIKE cupcakes), remember that it will all pay of on the big day!

tyler lends a hand (ladies, he's more than just a pretty face!)

craft party! we dressed up 120 jars of jam.

the bride engages in some heavy labour, too

 

dads are very, very handy to have around!

pasta salad for 115 people!

 

Next blog (and maybe the last): the big day with photos!

Stay Tuned!

Wedding post-mortem to come! I might just need a few non-wedding days to recover. Lots to share about the event and all of the insanity that ensued leading up to our big day. With no time to write during those last precious hours, I have a lot to catch you up on. More soon!

Measuring Up

GOAL: To plan a DIY, budget-minded, and eco-friendly wedding in under 7 months.
How are we doing? Read on...

We are desperately trying to stay under budget. Well, at this point, since we already blew it with the BBQ caterer and an extra unanticipated tent, we're trying to at least keep our budget reasonable. It's tricky. I admit that I have misplaced receipts and lost track of some of the little purchases - craft supplies here, paper there... - it can really add up. We have managed to save a lot by borrowing (serving trays, etc.), making (invites, placecards, decor) and repurposing (old mason jars). When we come out on the other side of this thing, I hope we manage to net out. We are holding a wedding/garage sale after the event, to sell off all of our DIY supplies, accessories, old housewares that may be replaced by shiny new things (gifts), etc. I do hope that helps the cause! Regardless, however, of being over budget, we have still managed to keep it reasonable. I checked a few online sources, and the average wedding in Canada in 2009 is expected to cost between $19K and $25K. We are certainly well below average, and that makes this thrift-store-bargain-hunting girl very, very happy.

Two things that don't often go hand in hand are bargain and eco-friendly. Truth is, buying local, handmade or organic products can be quite pricey (trust me, this is my job!). Rightly so, however: it costs more to make something by hand rather than machine, to pay people fair wages, and farm without the use of pesticides. Through our stores, we attempt to educate our customers on this point everyday. We have been criticized in the past for our prices. But, until you realize that locally handmade/organically farmed/fair trade certified products can never compete (in a dollar sense) with goods mass-produced in China, you'll always have this opinion. I have learned, over time, the benefit of spending more on things, for better quality, peace of mind, and a sensitivity for the earth and other people. We really wanted to practice what I preach 9-5 each day. We strived to consume less, reuse, and choose environmentally responsible sources for our purchases. All while staying within budget. I think we have mostly succeeded. Here's how our DIY, somewhat-budget wedding is also green:

• Our beer is local
• Our wine is carbon neutral/organic
• Much of our food is fresh, local and organic
• The invitations were printed at home on post-consumer recycled paper
• Much of our decor is recycled or repurposed (antique glass bottles, old cans)
• The favours are useful, and were made by hand from local strawberries and rhubarb; the jars are reusable/recyclable
• My dress is new, but my alterations involve vintage lace and notions, natural undyed linen and organic cotton thread
• Our boutonnieres and corsages are handmade, and reusable (made from ribbon and fabric)
  
• We purchased beeswax and soy candles (as opposed to polluting paraffin)
• Of the serving items we could not borrow from family, they are mostly second hand or made from sustainable materials (bamboo)
  
• Along with registering at two retailers, we are also including an environmental charity option (The David Suzuki Foundation), to allow guests to make a green contribution to our day
• We are looking into purchasing carbon offsetting credits
• Our wedding gift to ourselves? We are adopting a rescue dog (a pal for Mr.D) after the dust has settled!
  

I suppose we could have been much greener still, but we were low on time and budget and still wanted some of the beautiful extras (flowers and miles of twinkly lights, etc.). I am pleased though, that we managed to be somewhat mindful during an event that is typically quite wasteful. I have minor guilt over a few purchases, like paper cups (for back-up), non-eco napkins (they were cheap and JUST the right colour), and my overpriced shoes that will likely be tossed aside by the time the dancing begins. But, with only 8 days to go, I suppose I should save my anxiety for bigger fish!

As for the DIY aspect, if you've read our previous entries, it's about as do-it-yourself (with a little help from our friends) as a wedding can get, we think!

Our scorecard:
Staying on Budget B
Being Green B+
DIY A+

Wardrobe Meltdown

Aha, betcha thought it was me, right? Not so. Not. So.

Little known fact: my scruffy, unshaven, indie-rocker-meets-cowboy hubby-to-be is actually quite particular when it comes to clothes. Sure, his jeans may be unraveling at the hems, and he may still wear that t-shirt that was stained by our possessed washing machine, but the boy cleans up quite well. And he does it all himself. My mother buys everything for my father, down to his socks (no shame Dad; it's pretty common, I hear). This would not fly in our household. I've lucked in a few times, buying him tees that he actually wears, but that's as far as I go. Buying shoes is quite another story (a frustrating one, I might add).

Yesterday, after a wedding checklist marathon, we thought we'd get some fresh air and scope out Bloor street for some last minute accessories for Alex's wedding wardrobe. He had, until this point, planned to wear his pinstripe H&M suit with the chartreuse gingham shirt we bought last week at Club Monaco. The gingham, we supposed, warranted a bowtie accompaniment. We picked up a cute pinstripe version at American Apparel, along with some white suspenders.

Alex also bought a grey suede belt from H&M (I was not too fond of the canvas belt he had planned on wearing). We were only missing argyle socks (which we also felt to be appropriate for the outfit).


After arriving home, I busied myself with finalizing the menu, while Alex fussed in the bedroom. He emerged in outfit #1, the aforementioned suit and shirt with our newly purchased accessories and his pinstripe sneakers. He shifted and squirmed, pulling and tugging at corners and hems. #1 was not happening. Alex proceeded to have a full-blown wardrobe meltdown (a la Dayna) while I tried not to meddle. Better that way - trust me, I am generally on the other end of this scenario.

Outfit # two involved a shoe and tie change (we decided that the dog could wear the bow tie instead). He had affixed a white sock to his collar. "Babe, just imagine that this is a white tie, and that my shoes are not falling apart". He feared looking too much like a member of The Vines. I argued that he was in fact a musician. If the shoe fits, right? No dice.

Nearly 20 minutes later, outfit #3 is presented to me with some ta-da (finally) and Alex seems pleased with himself, yet apprehensive. You see, the suit was ditched in favour of jeans and his scuffed motorcycle boots. The bowtie and suspenders were back, but they finally made sense. Adorable! He was nervous about not wearing a suit to his own wedding, but we vowed to buy him new denim, polish up the boots and find more masculine suspenders (the current "unisex" pair from AA were a tad flimsy).

He said he was inspired by this photo that we had saved as an idea for our photographer:



I dug up this photo, too:


"Look, babe, it's totally been done", I said. My dress, although not as flouffy and formal as most wedding gowns, is still quite pretty and dressy. This couple seems to have pulled it off nicely, and I quite like the juxtaposition. I am also pushing for him to buy Cons, as above, too!

My dress is still a work in progress, but I will actually reveal the "before" picture now, as I am making significant changes to it. You won't even recognize it! I'm actually considering shortening it after all.

[ BEFORE ]

So far, I haven't entered meltdown country, but that might be reserved for my hair. I am, after finishing my dress, attempting to make myself something like this for my head (yes, in this scale):


I clipped a Martha Stewart article about making fabric flowers, and I might just have enough craftiness in me to pull it off. Ability is not so much of a concern as time. 19 days!!!!!

Diversions

Shhhh...don't tell Alex. I am supposed to be working on my dress (which, by the way, is going to be amazing, I just know it!). I just needed to write a couple of wedding-related emails before I started. Before long, I was checking Facebook, browsing through Youtube and now committing to a blog. I am seriously lacking discipline. I did however make some progress today: after breakfast, Alex took off for rehearsal and I hit up Honest Eds and Midoco for some wedding related supplies. I cleaned the house (somewhat) and emailed my Wedding Squad about an upcoming crafting marathon. I will finally admit it: I need their help. If my B-party was any indication, these sisters-from-another-mister can really get things done!

Things are coming together, especially with the 30-day countdown timeline that Alex and I put together. It's on paper (and on the fridge) so we're committed. On that note, my to-do for today - "Work on Wedding Dress" - will never happen unless I pry myself away from the computer.

Ta-ta!

What happens in Toronto...

Can I just say, that I love these women?


My bachelorette rocked...from what I can piece together (hey, totally appropriate in this scenario, right?). From High Tea and Manicures to Fancy-Schmancy Drinks and Raunchy Party Games to Drag Bingo and Cougar Bars, it was oh-so ridiculous and so-so-so much fun. All with a cowgirl theme. Yee-haw! The rest is in the vault (sorry), but I will be posting a sampling of PG-rated photos on Facebook shortly. For now, however, I have a dress to sew! eep.

Thanks, Team Wedding XOXO

Be Our Guest!

I work for a paper company. We have suites upon suites of gorgeous letterpress wedding invitation packages available in our custom shop. Our Pistachio invitation album is full of designs to suit any style, contemporary or modern. The best part: they're customized and printed in Canada with soy-based inks on eco-friendly recycled cotton paper. I would have loved to have given the business to the company - it is, after all, my bread and butter. My job depends on the profitability of our two little shops.

However, never being one to turn down a creative project (even if it's not in my best interest), I decided that we would design, print, trim and assemble them ourselves. It was not a question of whether we could achieve this no-small-feat, it was whether we'd survive the whole ordeal. And, we did!


We bought recycled, process-chlorine-free paper and envelopes from Pistachio and some new ink cartridges for our little printer. After a full Sunday of sitting in front of Photoshop working on our design, we spent the next three evenings cutting, sewing and assembling. Thursday, we addressed envelopes, licked seals and stamped them in time to mail them Friday. I hear that they are beginning to arrive, and we even have our first RSVP already! Thanks Charlie!

Had we decided to have someone else do the work, the whole shebang could have cost upwards of $600 plus postage. We did it all for $160 (plus postage). I love that they are so personal, too. So "us". It was totally worth the papercuts, blisters, and bloodshot eyes.

Welcome to our print shop:

[finishing the design]

[printing...]

[hubby-to-be is such a good sport]

[I may just love this little gadget!]

[sewing paper!]

[fini!]

Red and White ...and Green?

We took inventory of our booze needs for the wedding, and have come up with a hefty shopping list. For beer, we are sticking with one type: Steam Whistle in bottles. We chose this beer for 3 reasons:

• We like it
• It's locally brewed in Toronto - there's the green factor
• It comes in great retro bottles, a perfect aesthetic fit for our day (we know a keg would be slightly more eco-friendly, but glass is fully recyclable, and we won't have any waste like we would with a keg which could only be half consumed)

As for wine, this was a slightly more involved process. We wanted our wines, red and white, to have some sort of a "green" story. We considered local and organic varieties, as well as those with an environmental/charity tie-in. Weddingbells magazine's current issue published a piece on picking wines and suggested a brand called Plantatree. The producers of this wine would apparently plant a tree for every bottle purchased. Perfect! Unfortunately the Weddingbells fact checker didn't do her job: the wine has been discontinued by the LCBO, and is in fact no longer in production. If you're lucky, your local LCBO may still have a few bottles, but we certainly weren't able to get our hands on several cases.

We scoured the web looking for options, and found that many of the organic varieties were out of our budget, but there seemed to be several good local options, and some with other green aspects. Other important factors we considered were price and label design. Our shortlist:

• 20 Bees (Ontario, local)
• Cave Spring (Ontario, local)
• La Vielle Ferme (France, not really green at all, but we love the wine, the price and the bottle)
• Cono Sur (Chile, a carbon neutral wine, with some organic varieties)

(Runners-up: Simply and XOXO)

We bought all four bottles and attempted to coerce a few of our friends to come by and help us. No takers, though. So, it came down to me, Alex, a large ancovy pizza and 4 bottles of red. We had hoped to buy the same variety in all brands, but found that our local LCBO didn't stock much variety. Maybe the results were a bit skewed, as we were comparing apples and oranges (or in our case merlots and cabernets). Our taste test was blind, so as not to be biassed (I was already leaning heavily in favour of one of our picks based on the bottle). Luckily, we both picked the same two as our favourites. Here were our findings (keep in mind we are not connosseurs):


1st: Cono Sur Merlot - bold and smooth (the WINNER!)
2nd: La Vielle Ferme Récolte - lovely not-too-bold wine that we both liked, but not as much as the first
3rd (tie): 20 Bees Cab-Merlot - tasted more like Apple Cider Vinegar
3rd (tie): Cave Spring Gamay - Disappointingly watery, although to be fair, I have had their other varieties and love them. Not sure I've ever had a Gamay before...This was also the priciest of the bunch.

Alex's parents have offered to help us out with the wine purchase (Thank you!) and we are ever so grateful: getting the caterer has put us over budget. This extra help will hopefully ensure that our costs stay somewhat reasonable.

Cheers!

Crunch!

We're really in the homestretch now. I told myself that as of August 26th (exactly a month before our wedding) that I would blog every day. Ridiculous, really. This will be hands-down the busiest month for us, and if I haven't managed to be consistent with writing yet, I sure won't be any better during September. I do have quite a lot to share since my last entry, so maybe I'll try to write few blogs today while being a tad hung over from my Bachelorette party last night. That, my friends, will require a whole blog all to itself.


NEWS:

We have a caterer! So we haven't officially signed or paid a deposit, but we were happy with the quote and we've said "I do" to Western Cut, a catering company that I originally bypassed, thinking that their offerings were a tad casual for what should be a more formal affair. Really, though, it may be a blessing that the original caterer didn't pan out - we have a better cost, and a company that understands our vision. They may be a tad rough around the edges, but Jill assures me that kitchen-types typically are. I won't get my panties in a wad over this one. We do have food, after all!


We have wine! Alex and I held ourselves a little wine tasting of sorts and picked our wine for the event. See next blog for details.


Our invitations are out! We did them ourselves from scratch, and spent hours upon hours getting them from conception to physically mailed in 4 days. Whew! Again, more on this in an upcoming blog.


We have the best friends EVER! Everyone came through with amazing suggestions for caterers, and some went even so far as to offer up their family members to get the job done. Special thanks to Kim, Liz, Leah, Jodi and Lesley. My friends have been particularly supportive, and are still practically begging to help us out. While I still don't have much to delegate, I know that they will be oh-so-valuable in the coming weeks. They also threw me the absolute greatest "last hurrah" as an unmarried woman last night. More to come on this subject! Alex's brother Charlie threw him a bachelor party of sorts this weekend, and the boys headed up to camp near Wasaga Beach. While we are both quite rough today, we both had an amazing time. We know that we are so lucky to have such incredible friends.

Have Tongs, Will Travel?

Wanted: Cook for hire. Must-haves: Pity, Muscles and Mad Grilling Skills. Nice-to-haves: you look (and cook) like Jamie Kennedy.


We are verging on desperation. After much deliberation, we conceded defeat and decided to go with a caterer for the BBQ portion of the dinner. We had been working with a restaurant in Kingston, and just as we were confirming, they backed out, claiming that another couple booked ahead of us. There had been no previous mention of the urgency to confirm during the 18 or so back-and-forth emails. It would have been handy to know that we were in contention for the date, especially the very night before when they sent us an updated quote. Fishy.

Possibly this is for the best. The catering manager didn't seem to quite grasp the concept of our uber-casual affair, and we were fighting them on every detail. The problem now, is that we are left one month before the wedding with no Plan B. Hiring a caterer was always Plan B, as we really thought that our Plan A - do-it-yourself with a little help from our friends - would pan out. Now we're scrambling to make it work again. I have placed a near-nervous-breakdown call to my sister (Queen of the Bar-Resto Industry and friend to many a spatula-wielding gent) to find us some muscle for hire. If only we could find two capable, pleasant chaps to stand over steamy smoky meat products for a few hours, we'd be set. I am dangerously close to a posting on Craigslist. While Jill chats up her boys in the kitchen, we are reaching out to a few more caterers. We have even stooped so low as to email The Lone Star in Kingston. Really though, it's just meat. I hope my mom's deviled eggs, and my Grilled Veggie Orzo Salad and lemon cupcakes will outshine BBQ chicken anyway.

While we scramble to work out our Plan C (I suppose), I beg you: if there is anyone you know - anyone at all - who is trustworthy and familiar with a grill (and possibly in need of a few bucks), let us know. We will pay gas, hotel and a wage.

Worst case scenario? I'd better use ALOT of hairspray, because I may be sweating over a hot grill myself.

The good news? We have actually just secured a bartender for the day, which means that our siblings are off the hook (Thanks Liz and Stephanie!).

Ahhhhh, Freak Out!

Le freak, c'est chic?

Um, not in this case.

I am currently spending my sick day at home working myself into the seventeenth tizzy of the week over wedding this-and-that. My newly dubbed wedding Fairy Godmother (hallelujah, Tanya!) seems to be on the side of my mother in the case of Bride VS. M.O.B.: To cater or not to cater. OK, so my mother's advice should hold more weight than that of a person I have not really seen in 8 years. However, we are predisposed to initially reject our Mothers' wisdom, aren't we? At least that's how I am programmed. I called Alex in a panic (it's daily now) and admitted that if our last ditch attempt to avoid catering didn't pan out (hiring some of my sister's bartender and cook friends), we should break our budget and shell out the extra cash for some professional help.

*hangs head* You might win this one, Mom. How about a plea bargin: I plead defeated and you hold off on the "I told you so's"?

To cool my jets, I will now leave you with some inspriational images of perfectly-pulled-off picnic weddings. *Le sigh*:


Ahhh, much better.

Oh, I need 50 yards of cheap pale aqua or chartreuse gingham cotton or cotton/poly lightweight fabric. Any suggestions?

Justify!

An hour before the wedding, I dye my dress and hair black. The guests show up 2 hours too early. We forget to write vows.


These are the nightmares that are plaguing me nearly every night now. It stems from my looming to-do list and only 49 days left until the big day. Yikes! Everyone has been very supportive, and although I have no real delegating to do just yet, it helps to know that I do have glue-gun assistants, cupcake-icers, and scissor-toting helpers waiting in the wings. And yet, I am still freaking out. Maybe I still feel alone in my stubbornness: I still think that we can BBQ ourselves (if only because I can't bear to relinquish control over such a major aspect). Am I on edge? Too difficult to live with? Entirely beyond control and reason?

The answer is no. Sometimes justification can come in the form of an out-of-the-blue Facebook message from an old College friend:

"...If I can give you any advice, get as much done now as you can. And I know you've probably already heard it, but really, I mean it. We (The Duke & I) got married last weekend. The reception was at his parents place in the old bank barn, and we pretty much tried to do everything single handedly, between chores (he is a dairy farmer) of course. We tried to keep it local as best we could (food, wine and favor wise) and did as much DIY as possible. I'm telling you right now that every single all night craft session and possibly turning your poor families (including the ones from way out of town) into slaves the week before, is perfectly okay. And TOTALLY worth it. You might be up until 6am the night before the big day, and be running on 2 hours sleep the day of, but it will ALL be worth it. It really, really will.

I hope you try to enjoy it, and if you need to vent because Aunt A. is using the scissors, instead of the Exact-o blade to cut tags out, I'm totally here. Or if Aunt P. is wrapping the caramel corn (that you've been working on for hours) 5 times around instead of the 3 times in red twine like you had asked, I will totally be understanding. Hunting for 300 'made in England' antique pie plates to serve the pie on because home made pie tastes better on fancy plates, is totally acceptable behavior. And collecting endless kitschy salt and pepper sets for each table is okay too. In the end, you'll probably be totally exhausted since the wedding is a second full time job with overtime, but it will be the best day ever. EVER. And it's okay is you don't do that weird ass traditional stuff like garter throwing or allowing speeches where drunken uncles yap on endlessly about what any sane (or sober) person would consider totally inappropriate.

I hope you get everything done on your list, and if you need to vent. I'll relish it. I think I'm in wedding craft with drawl, so if you need help, I will totally follow your instructions and won't try to do it my way, honest.

Remember, it really is worth it Dayna."

Thank you, T. You really don't know how empowered I feel now!

Monsoon!

That's right Mother Nature, get it all out of your system before September.

[ Our backyard on Sunday ]

Our basement is flooded yet again, despite repeated complaints to the landlord. I mostly stuck around home last weekend to watch the rising water level in my house. Yikes. Of course this happens while Alex is 4000 km away (and enjoying perfect LA weather)! There is a lot of stuff in our basement now, as it has become Wedding Central. Keeping everything dry and above-ground has been tricky and a bit like a game of Tetris. It finally seems to be draining (or evaporating) as I can actually reach the washing machine without wearing rubber boots.


Please, please cross your fingers for clear skies for our wedding. While we will have a roof over our heads for the most part, the bathrooms are a bit of an outdoor trek, and the buffet will be in a separate area. Rain would be a slight annoyance. However, my dress would like mighty cute with my red Hunters...:)

[ it wouldn't be THAT bad if it rained... look at how cozy they are! Photo: David Purslow]

Maybe it's the weather, but the distance has finally started to get to me. (Come home soon!) Or maybe it's pathetic fallacy (that's the term we were looking for, Alex), and the skies are shedding tears for me. OK, that's just me believing in stars again. But, Alex comes home oh-so soon, and I hear that the weekend weather is looking up. Yay!

---

In other news, I have made strides. Yes, progress at last! This week I:

• connected with the officiant
• completed our marriage license application
• reached out for quotes from caterers (this is my mother's only request, I think) and spent the last two days haggling details
• chose a colour scheme and fonts
• designed buttons for all of our guests and sent them off to be produced
• rejigged the seating plan (on Martha's website) as the dinner location has changed and I need to see how many extra tables/tents we would need
• purchased fabric for the jam jar tops (for favours)
  
• designed printed and punched out labels for the jam - pics to come
  
• purchased more paper samples for invitation print tests
• worked on music

I shouldn't get too comfortable - still lots to do. Updating hotel info on the website and getting the invitations done should be my main focus. However, my current project is cupcake flags. SO not a priority, but I am really getting caught up in the fun things. Eep. Here is my inspiration c/o notepolish.com and weddingbeepro.com: