Shutter/Shudder

I am nervous. We just realized that a budget wedding just doesn't allow for room for the real deal: a professional photographer. We met last week with a friend/former co-worker who has of late, been expanding her picture-taking talent into a full-fledged wedding photography business. We can't afford her. While she is, no doubt, worth every cent, we may just have to rely on the kindness (and creativity) of our friends to capture our moments. We may have a few more tricks up our sleeves, but more dish on that topic once we've explored our options.

I do love the idea of setting up a photo "booth" where guests pose for their own pics against a make-shift backdrop. It's been done quite well in other weddings, like this one I found on a fellow budget bride's blog. Our best bet would be an old Polaroid, but since they stopped producing the film, it may be tricky (and expensive). Anyone have an old Polaroid (+ film) for sale?

While I trust that my over-zealous camera toting friends will take far too many photos (delightfully), I am concerned that we may miss out on some classic (yet fun) couple pics. I shudder to think of a mess of dunk people attempting to catch those picture perfect moments. I love these so much:

It's Alive!

Do you recall my excitement over finding a wholesale florist in Ontario? Well, I managed to get actual costs for their sales manager today, and it looks like it might be a bit costlier than I thought. Still MUCH better than paying for arrangements, mind you. However, the thought of cut flowers just feels so wrong, especially since I haven't been entirely as eco-friendly as I would have liked so far.

While I think that although I am still loving the idea of single stems in old bottles and little bunches in old cans (see above image), I think that the cut-flower purchase will be as small as possible. Therefore, to reduce the number of poor soon-to-be-dead flowers used, I came across the most fabulous idea today: living centrepieces!


While sourcing some product for work, I came across a DIY wheatgrass growing kit. I thought it looked stunning in a flat planter/dish, and imagined the possibility of sticking in a few individual flowers to punch it up a bit. Wondering if I just had the most brilliant original idea ever, I poked around online. Nope. It's been conceived by others (see above). But, I am not swayed. In fact, I am most hopeful: it can be done! The grow kit was a tad pricey, but with my mad Google skills, I managed to find some DIY instructions, and bulk wheat seed on another site. I also think that potted flowers could look quite lovely, and then we could plant them in our "garden" (um, if you saw it, you'd understand why quotations were necessary). My black thumb is my only concern...

The best thing about living flowers is the obvious: less waste. Oh, and more oxygen! Wheatgrass is purported to have many health benefits, too. Perhaps we'll pack our trusty Juicer and serve a shot of the stuff to our brave guests who stay the night. Yikes, I may have just gone from marginally eco-friendly to tree-hugger in the span of a few paragraphs.

On the subject of decor, the future in-laws just offered up some great relics from their antique collection to add to the country feel of the venue. My own parents are kicking in some old bottles as well. Hm, "Something Borrowed" has a whole new meaning!

(P.S. I did end up purchasing my iPod new. Although purple (it was hot, and matched my tights). I'm no stranger to 2nd hand - hey, Goodwill got me through my 20s - but electronics are not something I want to mess with. That's an F in the eco category, but an A+ for budget...sorry Mr. DJ)

It's a slippery slope.

I may have been a bit of a 'zilla just now. I could chalk it up to being over-caffeinated. Or maybe I can still blame it on PMS - wait, what day is it? - nope, it really was my first 'zilla moment. Eep. Before I slink apologetically back into the other room, hoping that hubs-to-be isn't totally beyond snuggling, I thought I'd allow for some cool-down time and pen a new blog entry.


I just had a guest-list/etiquette related freak out. Earlier, I was getting anxious over the logistics of the BBQ serving (!!!). I feel like I'm on a reality show. Ugh. Like any minute, I will turn into a total psycho and be judged by millions of people. Maybe I now regret scoffing at the brides on "Say Yes to The Dress". It's a lot of pressure. Chastity from Alabama: I feel you, dude.

OK, to be fair, I have a lot of other non-wedding drama on my mind. Oh, and PMS, right? Right? *sigh* I just can't let myself get bogged down by silly details (at least not this soon). I'll be totally out of control by June, at this rate. You know, climbing tall buildings, breathing fire, crushing babies. Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday.

On the bright side, we met with a wedding photographer (friend and former co-worker, Carolyn Thrasher... props!), found a wholesale florist, and had a very productive conversation about favours and food. Despite my inexplicable moodiness, today was a good day.

Hmmm, just realized that my aqua fabric swatch is still not here. *nail biting* Argh, look, anxious again! Slippery slope, indeed.

Meet the DJ

I am the not-so-proud owner of the World's Oldest iPod. Yes, the first-generation Shuffle. Until now, it has served me well, and though I have been wooed by sexy TV ads, touch screens and colour (glorious colour!!), I have remained faithful. We all know the old adage "If it ain't broke...", right?

Now though, with the wedding 6 months away, and no intentions of hiring a DJ, I may just have the perfect excuse for an upgrade. My trusty Shuffle may have heard me talking, because suddenly, as if feeling dejected, it has begun acting up. Sometimes it just stops because it wants to. And, the shuffle mode tends to favour about 20 songs. Yeah, if I hear Apple Bottom Jeans ONE more time, I might scream. Uhh, what? NO, I do not have that on my playlist. *Changes subject quickly* Ahem. A wedding "soundtrack" with only 20 songs just won't do, and Alex's MP3 player is even more embarrassing than mine. So I have my eye on this pretty girl:

Meet: the second gen iPod Nano (in cerulean blue!!). OK, so how are they already on the second generation?! *sigh* I can't keep up. While the iPod Touch is enticing, it's much more of a gadget than I care to add to my ridiculous repertoire: my purse is half full of electronics already. The nano is petite yet still holds 2000 songs (oh, and it's just a tad more economical). Anything, really, would be an improvement.

I digress.

As for the music situation, we're counting on my (soon-to-be) new iPod to do this trick. Alex is the expert, and claims that the 1/8" port and the blah-blah-blah will work (yeah, you lost me). Basically, the iPod will connect to something, via something else, and eventually produce loud music through speakers. Gotcha. And how will we accommodate requests? Well, it was my bright idea, if I may forget modesty for a moment, to actually have a song request space on the RSVP card! Brilliant. The fine print: your song may not be played. By "you", I mean Charlie ;) (I may or may not have had a temper tantrum this week over my future brother-in-law blasting Primal Scream in our house. Hehe!)

We are also lucky enough to have musical friends who have graciously offered to play, intermittently, throughout the evening. So maybe the free band really makes up for the cost of the iPod. I am very good at rationalizing purchases, you know. Really, though, it is cheaper than a DJ. And so I wonder, with iPods becoming more sophisticated, are DJs out of work?

Marry me!

So, we're keeping this, let's say, "non-denominational", and a friend suggested getting a Humanist to marry us. I admit that while I thought the name sounded a bit cultish (or granola, at best), it's actually the farthest thing from it. In fact, according to humanistcanada.com:

"Humanism is a dynamic and religion-free way of life that affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical and meaningful lives, aspiring to the greater good of humanity. Humanists are guided by reason and scientific inquiry, inspired by music and art, and motivated by ethics, compassion and fairness."

Hm, I like it. It's like a religion, but without, um, the stuff I dislike about (most) religions.

So, I contacted the only two - yes, two - humanists in Kingston who are certified to perform marriages. They are both unavailable. Yikes! Another product of planning a wedding in 6 months, i'm afraid. But, I will not be defeated; I'm now looking for those "Am Humanist, Will Travel" types, in surrounding areas. I suppose a Justice of the Peace is also doable. Either way, if I want to actually be a legal Mrs. after the wedding, this is one to-do on my ever-growing list that can't be ignored for long!

27 Weekends (and 0 dresses)

So, a weekend of excess, company, and sunshine can mean only one thing: zero productivity. I have just emerged from my two-day holiday feeling a little groggy, and well, only a bit panicked. Let's see... we have exactly 27 weekends remaining until the big day. We clearly can't afford to waste even one.

I have redeemed myself today, however; a preliminary draft of the Save-the-Date card is done, and may only need minor tweaking. It's hubby-to-be approved, too. The question: do we print them ourselves on our poor little Canon inkjet (it has no idea what it has coming!), or send them out to be done by the pros? I had originally planned to be true to the DIY theme, but my vibrant design will consume a TON of ink. Buying the cardstock will be inexpensive, at least. I guess a little cost-comparison is in order. Wonder if our preferred print house at work will give me a deal... they do carry PCW recycled paper.

In other news, the farm owners sent the deposit invoice today, and I plan to have a the check mailed out ASAP. It's real, now! Also, although I still don't have a dress, the fabric swatch is in the mail, too. Once I confirm what "aqua" actually translates to, off of the computer screen, I'll have one more "check" for the to-do list.

P.S. I love this necklace:

[ necklace by Star of the East ]

Handmade, with love.

[ headpiece by whichgoose ]

My love affair with Etsy began when I discovered it as a great way to take my small accessories business, Naynu, into the e-commerce world. While my little business has been largely ignored over the past year (really, who am I kidding? I barely make time for one job!), I have remained a solid supporter of all things handmade through Etsy. Etsy what? *Gasp* OK, you're forgiven, but now that you've crawled out from under your rock: click here. Etsy is an online market for handmade/indie design, including accessories, clothing and paper products. Since I peruse the new listings daily, it is no surprise that much of my inspiration for the wedding has come from the site. I even found THE dress here. I’m keeping that a wee secret for now (although Miss. Joey’s sleuthing turned it up in no time!) but I will share some of my favourite accessories (of late). Whether I purchase these on Etsy (thus supporting my fellow artists), or become inspired and make them myself, I certainly wouldn’t have found so many unique wedding accessory ideas anywhere else. I even learned a new term: "fascinator". Apparently it’s the word for those not-quite-hat, not-quite-hair-clip feather and flower headpieces. And I covet them.

[ fascinator by Twigs and Honey ]

Speaking of supporting handmade, my lovely and talented friend Cathie (and fellow craft-world newbie) has also agreed to discussing a commissioned piece for the big day. She makes the wildest necklaces. Either way, as my top-secret dress is very minimal, I have plenty of options for jazzing it up. Within reason, of course: Battersea, Ontario may not be ready for the fascinator!

Save the Date!

As promised, the nitty-gritty behind-the-scenes details of our 10 hour wedding venue hunting expedition:

Sunday 8:45 am - We pack up the dog, a map of Ontario, and my trusty camera in the wee hours of the morning (8:45 is "wee" for us), and hit the road in search of the perfect little swatch of land on which to get hitched ("Which old witch? The wicked witch!..."). I couldn't resist *ahem*.

So our criteria for perfection? Remote, rustic, scenic and pet-friendly. Oh, and of course spacious enough to accommodate 100 people. We were hoping for a farm or cottage, and booked 4 appointments to see old houses on large properties in the Prince Edward County/Kingston area. We are both partial to the middle of nowhere. Go figure: we live happily in the centre of Canada's largest metropolis. I suppose you can't take the Prairies out of the girl...

11:45 am - Just south of Trenton, we met up with Joan, our helpful guide and property manager for a number of rental vacation homes in the area. Our first stop is an old school house near Wellington. It has been converted into a home, and sits on a little yard surrounded by acres of farmland. It is quaint, and the building itself retains many of the features of its former life as a school house, including original chalkboards in the living room. We are smitten. The downside: not really enough space for a 100-person wedding. The cows eye Dudley suspiciously. We carry on.

12:30 pm - Picton Tim Hortons, a quick bite, and a reminder of why I never eat there.

[ Dudley considers making a break for it ]

1:30 pm - Our second stop, just a little northeast of Picton, on the Bay of Quinte is a large property with an adjacent barn. Here, space is not an issue. However, the feature we most loved (the barn) is off-limits for wedding purposes. I am also concerned about the somewhat major road that Dudley seems ever interested in crossing. We are not exactly head over heels.

2:03 pm - We follow Joan to the Glenora Ferry, to cross back to the mainland. We are en route to our final stop with her, but we narrowly miss the ferry. She is kind enough, in the meantime, to give us a mini tour of Lake on the Mountain, an aptly named hilltop community surrounding a lake. Very creative naming conventions in these parts, I might add.

[ Lake on the Mountain ]

2:35 - Finally, we cross the Bay of Quinte, after a quick (and free) ride.

[ The Bay of Quinte, from the Glenora Ferry ]

3:00 - Daverne Farm House, Our last stop with Joan, and the most promising thus far. We love the old house (that conveniently sleeps 16) and the view of the water. The land seems to provide ample space for event tents. Alex eyes an old trailer bed as a possible band stage. We are feeling more optimistic. The owners live in adjacent homes, however, which to me seems like a downfall. Having never rented the property to such a large group, they might not understand the implications, I'd imagine. We may feel a bit of pressure to start shush-shushing around midnight. And, again, the gorgeous barn is not included. No dice.

[ Alex scopes out option #3 ]

3:35 - Joan takes off, westbound, and we head north east towards Kingston - our last stop. We're late for our appointment, and getting nervous; so far, this property seemed the most promising. Willing to settle for Daverne, if the next doesn't pan out, we remain hopeful.

4:15 - We have made it at last. After several twists and turns, we find the farm at the bottom of a dead end road. I believe that we are near Battersea, but it was my turn to drive, and Alex turned navigator. We are really in the sticks this time. Perfect. I immediately make a mental note: dead end=no through traffic; I am not worried as Dudley shoots of into the bush to sniff and survey.

[ Heaven on earth. ]

Without the dog to watch intently, we leisurely take in our surroundings and are approached by a lovely woman, Kris, the mother of the farm's owner. She invites us to poke around. She makes us tea. We are immediately in love. The farm house sits high, with a view of the water. In total, the property must be 200 acres. It feels, though, cozy and sheltered by the thick woods that surround the main yard. Kris shows us a large field for parking (check), plenty of great flat spaces for guests to camp (check) and the serene and sunny interior of the house that sleeps 10 (check). I am checking boxes on my mental must-have list.

[ sigh... ]

Then the creme de la creme, la piece de resistance: the old barn. Open and airy, with huge doors, and a solid floor, the building is a perfect venue for an intimate dinner and barn dance. Light streams in from the gaps in the barn boards and I swoon. We imagine twinkly string lights, paper lanterns, and an early-fall breeze. We steal a kiss when Kris isn't looking.

[ Leopard Frog Farm... the winner! ]

The house itself is bright and cottage-y. I squint into the light reflecting off of the lake in through the huge windows, and sip tea. Upstairs, Alex and I have already designated sleeping arrangements, the master being ours, naturally. Dudley, to our embarassment, jumps on every piece of furniture, including the kitchen table. I take this as his seal of approval.

5:30 - As we leave (reluctantly) we know without saying a word that this is it.

September 26th is open, and we were sure to email Kris' son as soon as we are in the door. While paperwork is still pending, we've officially booked it. Now the real work begins. Having a date and a venue really eliminates all excuses. I am in full-on planning mode from here on in.

Last night, we received news that band business may take Alex out of the picture for up to two months. Read: I am on my own! Yikes. I may not regret a 9-piece wedding squad. Also, I met with two of my dearest friends last night, and caught up after an embarrassingly long time without contact. I purposely kept them off of the "squad", as they are two of the busiest ladies I know. I knew they wouldn't need squad status to know that I am truly grateful for their friendship. They kindly offered to help in any way possible. I am so lucky.

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TKO!

After a 10-hour tour of South-Eastern Ontario today, I am thrilled to announce that, yes... wait for it... yes, we have a venue!! AND a date!! One-two punch! More later. For now, hubs-to-be and I are about to embark on a celebratory hog-out evening with our favourite Indian food (Nataraj. Seriously, best in the city.) We may or may not have had celebratory A&W mere hours ago. Did you know that they actually have a veggie burger?! Not that it's an excuse. Ew.

p.s. We are also very close to settling on a last name! Ooh, had I not mentioned that we're chopping down the family tree on both sides and making up a brand new super name? Oh dear. Subject for another day/blog... Dhingri Masala is calling me!

Favours and Flavours.

2 more days until our big road trip! Note to self: remember Gravol for the dog. He’s joining us, naturally, so he can sniff out the area and mark his territory. But long car rides are not his forte. While he will immensely enjoy a little country to run around in, it’s getting there that always worries me. As for the rest of the trip, I think we’re organized: I have Mapquest-ed our destinations, booked the car, and planned out a little egg salad lunch for the road. Fingers crossed, we’ll have a date AND location by Monday. Eek!

I met with a baker today, to discuss some possible favour options. We talked truffles (while I fought off major chocolate cravings), and it’s certainly doable within our favour budget. I think we have plenty to choose from now:

• Boxed locally made organic truffles
• Dolled-up Mini jars of local honey
• Handmade organic soaps, wrapped in eco fabrics and tied with twine
• Matchstick Gardens - little plantable “matches” in cute packaging (from Pistachio)

On the food front, much to my mother’s chagrin, I am still set on making most of the food ourselves (“ourselves” being whatever poor suckers I rope into coming up early for set-up). But since it’s BBQ-style, I’m not going to fret about getting too fancy. Alex and I have decided to do the BBQ’ing ourselves and serve our guests – a modified receiving line, if you will. Steaks/chicken, roasted corn, devilled eggs, hors d’oevres (this needs work), fruit, tarts, and lots of salads. Done.


Plus, a lovely friend (and member of the Bridal Brigade) has offered to provide a few extras from her mothers restaurant as a wedding gift to us! She also offered to come up early to assemble. Since this is extremely generous, and SO helpful, I want to help them out as well with a little advertising:

Cafe Indochine
105B Clarence Street
Ottawa, ON K1N 5P5
(613) 241-6378

Thanks so much, Philam!

I am so happy to be adding some of their delicious Vietnamese food to the menu for the evening, as your standard BBQ fare can lack personality at times. Sadly, it’s been years since I’ve been there, but the food is incredible and the atmosphere quaint. Love the fresh rolls with mint!


I am actually excited about this process – a kitchen full of my favourite women in a frenzy of mass-potato-salad preparation? Delightful. Fried Green Tomatoes en masse! Yes, Alex: women. You and my familial menfolk will be relegated to lifting duties outside as, stereotypically, your culinary talents are limited to toast.

*whew*

My fears that we were not really being that productive have been abated by the whirlwind of wedding activity that has swept me up this week. We have:

• Booked 4 appointments to see venues on Sunday
• Made Friday lunch plans with a coworker who has a side business in baked goods catering (organic truffles anyone?)
• Made coffee plans for next week with a former coworker/friend who now has a side wedding photography business (we're going to try to keep it mostly digital, to tread a little more lightly on the earth)
• Collected decor inspiration from magazines and the web... we're currently noodling some DIY and cheap options for table arrangements
• Organized the wedding binder (*swoon* I heart my label maker!)
• Had an eye appointment and picked out new glasses. OK, so not really wedding-related, but productive. And, I am SO happy with them. Hot. Think: female Clark Kent meets sexy 60's librarian... in a smoky teal. *melting* AND they will look good with my potential dress, which brings me to the next point...
• Narrowed down my dress selection! I'm leaning towards the sea foam green chiffon number. Trust me: it sounds like 80's prom, but it's SO not. The eco-factor: it's handmade by an indie US designer. Yay for supporting small (somewhat) local businesses

In other news, I spent two days at the stores (Pistachio) last week setting up the new wedding promo tables. Lots of great eco-options for favours, and with a 30% discount to boot.

[ Weddings at Pistachio; 2433 Yonge and Yorkdale Mall ]

The list.

*ominous and dreadful chamber music commences*

I am expecting hurt feelings. Maybe tears. But at least no family drama. We wanted to keep the wedding VERY small and intimate. Think In Her Shoes (Toni Colette’s little end-of-film wedding) meets Rachel Getting Married (but far less pretentious). Perfect.



However, while we don’t have large families, we do have to accommodate all of those “level 1” relatives (immediate aunts, uncles and cousins). It would just not be pretty if we omitted one aunt but not another. After some basic head math, that’s about 60 people. Already more than I wanted in total. This leaves very little room for friends (+dates), and many of our friends are to us, as close as family. We’ve capped it at 100 people. Luckily, it looks like we will be able to include our closest friends and family-friends within that number. Even better: our wonderfully non-meddling parents are not expecting any extra seats of their own (outside of family).

What I do expect, however, is that the questionable uninvited group of friends/friends-of-friends/acquaintances/ coworkers who may fancy themselves invite-worthy (rightly so if we had a larger budget), could take offence to an empty mailbox. We are anticipating some awkward moments. I hear from a friend who recently came out alive on the other side of her wedding that she is still facing guest list-related bitterness. Two years later! We are both fortunate enough to have many wonderful people in our circles, who come and go and contribute so richly to our lives in many ways. Unfortunately, we can’t possibly afford to include everyone. Even if it is a budget wedding.

And so, the politics begin.

Short and Sweet (and often).

Modern Bride's Feb/March 2009 issue suggests that brides blog about their weddings. They also advise to "write often" and "keep posts short". Oops.

So this is a guilt blog, being hastily written at 12:21 am on Sunday night, because I haven't been writing often. I will try to keep it brief. I should be in bed, but during an attempt to hit the lights before midnight, I became distracted by Martha Stewart Weddings online planning tools. OMG. So I don't even have a venue yet, but I am already on my way to a seating plan! So addictive. After working with my $18 wedding planner (ahem, my new binder) today, I discovered that it may have been in vain. To think, I can now sign into my wedding planning from anywhere, without toting around a stack of paper. Yipee! Ooh, i think that's one point for us in the eco-friendly department - less paper.



Venue UPDATE: Our road trip is just a week away; next Sunday, we visit 4 venues with the hopes of nailing one down. We have our eyes on a waterfront property near Kingston. There is a barn for use that I am already imagining adorned in tealights and big paper lanterns... *sigh* While I can easily drift into a romantic haze, there are more um, practical considerations to make: there are apparently outhouses near the barn, in addition to the washrooms in the house (a bit of a walk from the barn, it seems). Now, I'm not fancy, but just imagining white flats and chiffon in an outhouse makes me a tad nervous. Scoping out other options today, I found an Onatrio portable toilet company with "executive" models that are lit, have flush toilets and running water. They actually look like little powder rooms. Best part: they operate on solar power!

That makes it two points for Mother Earth today. As for Father Pocketbook, I'm not sure that executive solar toilets will be cheap...

Meet: TEAM WEDDING!

So I opted out of having bridesmaids. I have reasons:

• I hate the word "bridesmaid". ugh. Almost as bad as "fiancée"
• "Maid of Honour"... ditto (my friends are NOT maids of any sort)
• I could not choose between - or worse, rank - my friends
• 9 is a ridiculous number for bridesmaids, but the perfect number for a team (baseball, or otherwise)!
• ...and most importantly, I did not want anyone to feel any pressure or expectations

Thus, I have amassed 9 of my best friends, all of whom have many amazing qualities and talents that will come in very handy over the next few months, and save me from insanity. Unlike bridesmaids, hideous dresses are not a requirement, and level of commitment and support is entirely optional.

Introducing the team (and why i love them), in no particular order:

• JILL - my sister. She still loves me even though I hit her with a hairbrush. We speak the same language. She has already written her speech. We cried at the same Purina commercial. Sisties.
• LIZ - my closest friend in spirit, yet one of my farthest geographically. Supportive, nurturing, creative. She "gets" me. She understands that all-nighters should not be taken lightly, nor attempted by the weak of caffiene.
• VICKY - possibly my oldest friend. Analytical, practical, compassionate. She may or may not be the star of an upcoming 2010 swimsuit calendar.
• PHILAM - a close second for "oldest friend", by maybe two days. Level-headed, dependable, caring. Impeccable taste. Jetsetter. Professional badminton player and kayaker.
• KIRSTEN - Team Captain. Up for anything, and always with a smile. Energetic, positive, hyper-organized. Knows me TOO well. Survived the 30 Hour Famine. Understands the importance of Electric Circus. Might owe me bigtime for a little incident involving 26 yards of imported silk.
• ALEXIS - my partner in many crimes. Motivator and rebel-rouser. Affectionate. She who will never speak of the infamous Madison night will be kept very very close. My precioussssss. Inventor of such ingenious words as "fuckery".
• SHEMEENA - my outer inner-valley girl. Intelligent and cool/collected meets girls-just-wanna-have-fun. Favourite shopping/dishing partner. Once dubbed a "smart bimbo".
• SHEILA - one of my newest friends. Ecclectic and talented yummy mummy. Sweet as pie! Pulls off lady hats very, very well. Not afraid to use a glue gun, if necessary.
• DAWN - an old friend made new again, after landing in the same city once more. Planner extraordinaire, wedding party veteran, and incredibly thoughtful girl. Knows what to do when we don't have napkins (or valid drivers liscences).

I am so fortunate to have such a lovely group of girlfriends. Clearly, I have a great team, which I probably won't tap into at all, because I'm a gigantic control freak and terrible delegater. They may have to pry the Zots Glue Dots from my cold dead hands.

Just wanna, just wanna-a-a...

One third of my Bridal Brigade (i.e. non-bridesmaid best-friend wedding helper elves) and I opted for a little throwback fun last Saturday à la girls-only slumber party. The result? Four Goodwill dresses and just over 900 faux '80s "wedding" portraits.

The Cyndi Lauper-esque photo galleries should start popping up on Facebook any day now, but here's a sneak preview. Clearly, I have the best friends ever.


Look - we've worked out our best angles in preparation for the big day. The real thing, however, will involve fewer tiaras and much less turquoise eyeshadow, oh, and will probably not be "girls only".

Snaps.

If you know us, you already know the story. You know, how we met in the 7th grade, only to spend the next 13 years floating in different circles and narrowly missing opportunities, until one fated photo changed it all? Our story was published in Eye Weekly 2 years ago. Still not ringing any bells? Here goes... (so, yes, it's hard to read. Click here for a more legible version.)

Employment benefits

Wedding planning while working a full time job can take its toll. Lucky for me, my job is actually making the process easier. I am a buyer for an eco-friendly gift and paper concept, and we are currently ramping up for a big wedding promotion. Naturally, while on the prowl for great green wedding goods for the shops, I have been taking mental notes. Wedding planning at work is actually legitimate work! No need to hover my arrow over the "close window" button, for fear my boss will catch me perusing wedding blogs on the company dime; it's exactly what I'm being paid to do. Did I mention that I love my job?


Pistachio, my bread and butter and illegitamate child (I helped raise it from the ground up), is a new concept with two stores open in Toronto as of last fall. We are Indigo's bohemian little sister. Tomorrow, we flip the stores into our wedding theme, and I already have my eye on some great little eco-goodies. Keeping our big day green will start with the invitations and save-the-date cards. As Pistachio is launching a bulk paper program, we've already planned on buying some 100% recycled cardstock and envelopes (with my staff discount, of course!), and designing them ourselves. The selection and colours really are gorgeous. Coming out at around $50 total (before postage) for a 100-person wedding, this is most certainly an economical option, too!

Also for sale, beginning this week, are handmade favour bags, plantable favours, biodegradable napkins and 100% recycled invitations. Coming up in March: bridal teas at Pistachio. Surely this sounds like a plug, but the intention of this blog (in part) was to share information with other brides, and I do think that Pistachio is a great spot to check out, even for inspiration.

Even better budget-friendly news: my boss has graciously offered to let us have the tiered and footed Crate and Barrel cupcake platters that the store is using for merchandising during the promo. After my not-so inexpensive shoe purchase, it's nice to add $0 to a few items on the budget. Also in the "free" category: our band and sound equipment. See, saying yes to life as a band wife does have its advantages!