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!).