Hanging Things

I haven't honed in on any specifics for the decor at the reception yet. Partially because we're a solid 17 months out from the date, but mainly because I have a million great ideas, all of which are fantastic in their own right!

Recently, I've become obsessed with things that hang; hanging lanterns, hanging terrariums, hanging lights, hanging vases, hanging candles, hanging ornaments, and even hanging crystals.

Paper lanterns are a relatively inexpensive way to create colourful impact during the day, and a dramatic lighting effect during the evening. They come in a million different hues, so you're sure to find one that matches perfectly with your wedding colours. And if you're lucky, you might find a recently betrothed bride looking to dump her paper lantern inventory at a deeply discounted price ;)

Chartreuse - the perfect green!

A lovely tent set up!

Strings of paper lanterns at night.

Not too long ago, Miss Canary blogged about Yvonne's beautiful Knot Bio on weddingbee.

(above photo taken by john and joseph photography)

I knew from the moment I saw them, that I must have the hanging glass vases and candle holders. The resulting inner conversation went something like this:

Oh wow, those hanging ornaments are gorgeous. I could do so many awesome things with those. I could hang single fern leaves, moss, bear grass, orchids, candles.... *daydreams* Oh wait a minute. They're blown glass ornaments!! They are going to be waaaaaaaaay to expensive for your budget, so don't go and get your hopes up. But daaaaaaamn they're REALLY nice.... *daydreams* Hmmmm......it can't hurt to just check the price, because then you'll know for sure. Go on, check CB2 and see how much they are. *searches* Less than 5 bucks each!!!! LESS THAN 5 DOLLARS!! I can afford that! At least a few anyways. I WILL DO IT. I will order them online. Oh crap, they're glass, I wonder how well they'll ship? Better yet, do they even ship to Canada? *searches* Yes, yes they do. Waaahoooo! *happy dance*

Orchids in the hanging glass vases from the CB2 site
(have I mentioned how much I love orchids?!?)

And of course, once an obsession begins, one must alway add more fuel to the fire! Aren't these hanging crystals gorgeous? I think I'll start hitting up antique stores and garage sales for old crystal chandelier pieces.

photo of Erin Cole's wedding taken by Leigh Miller

Any other hanging ideas out there?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sooooo, I've been the worst blogger in the whole wide world. But to be honest, this stuff is HARD to keep up with. haha. I have so many ideas for blog posts, but so little time to actually post them properly (with pictures and links and such)!!

And of course, I have an excuse - my charger for my laptop is on the fritz. It's not a good excuse, but it's valid one(in my opinion) because it means I can't post while relaxing in front of the TV! It also means I have to use patrick's computer to post and well, he uses his computer too!

But don't worry, I'm ordering one tomorrow. And all will be well in the world of blogging soon there after!

In the meantime HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!

A little something for those who are pro valentine's:



And a little something for those who are anti valentine's:



xo
amy

Tiny Terrariums for Everyone!

I don't even know if we're going to have favours at our wedding. It just seems like such a waste of money for something that will either be eaten or tossed out! A waste of money that could be better used elsewhere in our budget or a waste of money that could be donated towards a charity.

Then again, would it really be a waste of money if we were to give out TINY TERRARIUMS?!?



How cool is that? And do they not fit PERFECTLY with our outdoorsy theme?

I found the DIY over at cottageliving a while back and I just can't stop thinking about them. I realize they would be a HUGE undertaking, and I'd probably want to stab my eyes out by the end of it. But how amazing would they look on all the tables? Heck, we could even incorporate them into the decor as part of our centrepieces or something.

I mean, I have LOTS of time right? I could do a practice run to see how easy it is, and to see if they last longer than 2 days before dying right? RIGHT?

Or perhaps I'm just crazy?

:)

Bridal Elegance

While I was home for the holidays in December, I went dress shopping for the first time, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience!

Like many women, I wanted my mom to be with me the first time I tried on wedding gowns. When I suggested the possibility of a dress shopping excursion during my trip home, she mentioned a bridal store that she had recently visited with my soon-to-be sister in law. Thus my first dress shopping appointment was made!

I'll admit I was feeling a bit nervous prior to my appointment. I'd heard horror stories about haughty and intimidating bridal consultants and hoity-toity bridal stores with all sorts of rules and regulations. Of course, I should have known I'd have nothing to worry about.

From the moment I stepped foot in Bridal Elegance, Wilma and her daughter Tara made me feel right at home. Tara looked through my favorite dress clippings and asked me some questions to get an idea of the look and feel I was hoping to achieve. She also asked if I was open to suggestions, which I assured her I was. Together we picked out 8 or 9 dresses to try on!

When Tara heard me complain about the crappy (and only) strapless bra I'd brought, she offered a much nicer one for my use. As an added touch, they also provide a slip for the bashful bride who is unaccustomed to the help of a "lady in waiting" in the change room ;)

Tara was the perfect consultant; she listened, she made suggestions, she was honest, she was courteous and she was friendly. She spent over two hours with me, tying up dresses, doing up buttons, carrying trains, and watching me primp in front of the mirror. All this while knowing that my wedding was more than 1.5 years away and would be held in Vancouver.

So for all the southwestern ontario brides out there in the midst of the wedding dress hunt, make sure you give Bridal Elegance a call. Beautiful dresses, affordable prices, and friendly consultants, equal a really fun dress shopping experience!

So what kinds of dresses did I try on? I didn't take any pics while in the dresses, but I managed to find a few of the professional photos online from the designer websites.

Ah the trumpet style dress! The above is from the Alfred Sung collection. I don't think it's the exact one I tried on, but it's very similar. A very beautiful dress; unfortunately, it didn't really work on my figure. I am somewhat straight waisted, without a whole lot of hip, thus all the wrong areas were emphasized!

Again, this dress with the cute little cap sleeves is from the San Patrick collection. Again, it's not the exact one I tried on, but I did try on a couple that were similar in styling. I really wanted to find a dress that wasn't strapless - just to be a little unique from EVERY other dress on the market these days. Alas, the sleeves ended up making my shoulders look like that of a football player. And I don't actually have broad shoulders to begin with!

This lovely number from the Jasmine collection was the 3rd runner up on my list! The full pleated bottom and the unusual detailing around the natural waist were both quite unique; the drop waist was to dye for - perfect for my body type! Unfortunately the seam around the drop waist between the beaded area and the pleated area just didn't sit right on me.

This is another dress from the Alfred Sung collection, and the 2nd runner up that day. I really loved this little A line dress with a slight empire waist and a beautiful lace overlay. The sample size was a tad bit too small on me, so it was hard to get a really good idea of what it would look like when properly fitted. And as the consultant pointed out, the next size up might be too big, thus requiring a whole wackload of alterations (aka more money).

And again, another from the Alfred Sung collection. The lace and sequined overlay on this dress were gorgeous. But the ruching at the top, and the visible line across the midline just didn't do it for me. Also, the sequins sewn under the arm area felt like they would wreak havoc if worn for longer than half an hour at a time!

I definitely learned a few things from my first excursion!

1. Finding a non strapless dress that looks good on me might be a difficult feat.
2. Empire waist is not always a good thing.
3. As beautiful as the trumpet style dress is, it's not really suited to my body type.
4. Dresses with a bit more beading and a bit more train are not a bad thing.
5. Sweetheart necklines look good on me.

Can't wait for the next dress outting!

SAVE THE DATE!!

The event coordinator from the DAC booked our date - so it's OFFICIAL!!

Everyone mark Friday July 17, 2009!!!! on your calendars and get ready for a party - BC styles!!


Lucky for me, my fiance is free that day, so it looks like we're getting MARRIED!

:)

PS. Happy Birthday Babe!!

One step closer...

The coordinator from the DAC is sending us the paperwork for the venue contract. Our day is open, so as soon as we send back the signed paperwork with the deposit, it's ours.

I can not WAIT to finally have a set date.

Almost there....

*giggles*

Project SeXXXy

Like many brides-to-be, I want to look beautiful on my wedding day! Now I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and beauty is a state of mind and so on and such forth, but for me personally, beauty also means feeling good about myself.

I don't know about you, but I tend to feel good about myself when I am working out and following a nutritious healthy diet; something I haven't excelled at lately. In fact, if I were to grade myself, I'd probably award a D- for my lack lustre efforts. Breakfasting on chocolate for the win!! Admittedly, I knew the month of December was going to be a complete bust, so I willingly threw myself off the wagon with a simultaneous promise of climbing back on come the New Year.

And so with the New Year began a New Assignment. A little task I like to call PROJECT SEXXXY! Unfortunately I can't take credit for such a fabulous title, and I can't give credit where credit is due as I don't know where I first read the caption. I know it was among the many wedding blogs I browse, and I know it was a term used by a bride-to-be with similar wedding day aspirations, but darned if I can find it now. So if I borrowed this title from you, please do let me know and I'll be sure to give you credit!

In the past I have done weight watchers with great success. But after I reached my goal weight, I had a very hard time sticking with the plan. They claim it's a lifestyle change, and that you CAN eat what you want, but that's just a big load of crap, at least in my case. Because eating two pounds of chocolate for breakfast does NOT fit into their plan!

Now I know that eating two pounds of chocolate doesn't really fit into any healthy lifestyle plan, but I realized after a while, that weight watchers created a bit of an unhealthy obsessive compulsive reaction to the foods I ate. Because of that, the passion for continuing the "lifestyle change" waned. The pounds crept back on. The "good feelings" started to slip.

And then I got engaged! Hurray, I'm getting married. Oh no, everyone will be looking at me. Hurray I'm going on a honeymoon. Oh no, I have to wear a bathing suit. Yada yada yada. But at least now I have a goal. And I'm starting very early so I can ease into a new routine. And this time it WILL become a lifestyle change.

I'm actually feeling pretty confident about Project Sexxxy and the idea of a lifestyle change. Mainly because I have a fabulous friend who has offered to be my personal trainer in return for knitting and snowboarding lessons (I'm totoally getting the better deal out of this bargain)! Michelle is a competitive cyclist, but in the past has also been a competitive runner, rower, and triathlon athlete. Truly inspiring!

Needless to say, she knows her stuff, and her motivational skills are next to none ;) She is EXACTLY what I need to get my butt in gear.

So what are we doing and what are my goals? At the moment, I'm starting off slowly. Mainly cardio and some weight training. Running, exercise tapes, hiking, biking, and snowboarding. Changing it up to keep it interesting is key! My long term goals are fairly simple - look my absolute best for the wedding and more importantly the HONEYMOON. I really want to have a nicely toned back and arms for the wedding dress, and a trim tummy and legs for the honeymoon bikini. Short term goals include running a 10k race, incorporating more fruits and veggies into my diet, and "looking good" for my brother's wedding in August 2008.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.....





(I'll keep ya updated)