Aug 13
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 08 13th, 2009| icon3No Comments »
Now that the after glow of the wedding shower is fading to a distant haze, I know that I should really be getting on writing thank you cards.  According to the millions of wedding resources, I’m late!  So I’ve started.  You wouldn’t think that 14 cards is a lot to write, but after writing a measly 4 I needed a break. 
Thank you!
Things to include in your thank you notes:
1. Nice stationary or cards
2. Reference to the gift they gave, or if its a giftcard, something that you’re planning to buy with it
3.  Personalization of the thank you.  It just adds that extra something something
4.  Handwrite them.  There’s nothing tackier than a pre-typed message with the change of name
A lovely example:
Dear ____
Thank you for coming to the bridal shower and the beautiful (insert name of gift). It was the/a (insert compliment such as perfect color). Your generosity (or kindness) is truly appreciated. Thanks again.” 
  
Now I see why it takes months and months to receive thank you from weddings I’ve attended.  Lesson be learned, have some sympathy, especially for those sore hands!
 
xoxo
 

Aug 6
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 08 6th, 2009| icon31 Comment »
Are your wedding plans stressing you out?  There’s always an escape; watching movies with people who make our problems much smaller.  Here’s some of the great and cheesy wedding movies that will make you laugh, cry and gag!  Enjoy!
 
1. The Wedding Singer - I tout this as Adam Sandler best work.  That’s saying quite a bit with his previous comedic gems of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. 
untitled
2. Father of the Bride - Watching Steve Martin try to navigate through the chaos that is a wedding is a fantastic watch.  Even though its nearly 20 years old, its something that all brides, grooms and family members can relate to
father_of_the_bride-1-746763
3. My Best Friend’s Wedding - Poor Julia Roberts, she’s realized she’s in love with her best friend as soon as he got engaged.
bestfriend
4. Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas - Who wouldn’t want to see Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski tie the knot and live happily ever after!
saved
5. Moulin Rouge - I happened to throw in one of my all time favourite movies in the mix.  Simply because the comedy and the tragedy will make you appreciate your beau to be even more :)
moulin
6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding - Love conquers all even though these cultural clashes. Windex!
big
7. Corpse Bride - the animation suggests its meant for children but it has a very dark plot.  Lots of twists and turns but does have a bittersweet ending
corpse
8. The Wedding Planner - Matthew McConaughey. Enough said.
planner
9. 27 Dresses - although a somewhat predictable plot, this is an entertaining watching that will leave you itching for more Elton John.  Always a plus.
dress
10. The Princess Bride - simply because its childhood!
princess
Any others to add?  Comment and let me know.
Ciao for now
xox

Jul 31
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 07 31st, 2009| icon3No Comments »

Traditions originate from the strangest places.  The bouquet a bride carries was meant to mask her smell since deodorant wasn’t invented back in the medieval times.  Bridesmaids were chosen to ward off evil spirits trying to steal the brides’ dowry.  It’s really fascinating to read up on why some things are why they are.

 

On the one hand, traditions are made to be broken or altered.  Traditions don’t make sense for everyone; especially in this modern world we live in where marriages can be anything but typical.  Blended families, gay couples and exotic locations have altered the face of a traditional wedding to be anything but.  What is the worst that can happen if someone doesn’t carry a bouquet or has a women for a best man?  If traditions were never broken or questioned, we’d still be having tea three times a day like back in Victorian England.

 palm_tree_2

But on the other hand, I did hear one of the saddest stories the other day.  A bride wants a destination wedding which will be beautiful and exotic.  However, she’s having it in February, right smack in the middle of winter and at a time where its difficult for people to get time off of work, especially a full week for an all inclusive resort.  This bride wants the destination wedding so badly, she’s alienated some people very close to her, including one of her potential bridesmaids and her grandparents because it isn’t feasible for them to come.  Instead of having the people she loves the most around her, she has some of her outlying friends who can afford the trip coming in their place.  I just found that a very sad story.

 

The moral of the story is that you can start you own traditions, but remember that this day isn’t just about you.  There’s so many other people, friends, family and the like who this wedding is important to.  Although you can never please everyone, there’s always a happy medium that can come close.

 

Ciao chickas and have a fantastic long weekend

xox

Jul 23
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 07 23rd, 2009| icon31 Comment »
I’ll be having my first shower on Saturday.  To say I’m excited is an understatement.  I’ve practically developed a rash because this wedding bug keeps biting me!  Looking at my co-workers gorgeous wedding photos didn’t help.  And the fact we coincidentally bought the same dress…well, I’m over the edge excited.
 
My shower will not be typical.  Everyone is in invited to the luau themed extraveganza.  They’ve even got a band to play!  How cool is that?  Speaking of cool, here’s some other themes that can get yourself or your bridal party excited about
 
Spa ~ what a better way to relax with the girls than to schedule a getaway
cartagena-wedding-spa-2
Flapper ~ dance, drink and be the independant women you are
1571234735_e153fe6725
Hockey/Sports ~ lot of opportunities for prizes and friendly competition 
6120_585007853638_122701544_34577898_5252024_n
Beach ~ everyone likes the beach, and when is it not fun to drink from coconuts?
hawaiianfood_full
Wine Tasting ~ enough said
wine_tasting1
Pajamas ~ turn the shower into an old fashion sleep over
474716403_69a15885d6
 **this cake might belong on cake wrecks…
ciao for now
 
xoxo

Jul 23
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 07 23rd, 2009| icon3No Comments »

As a follow up to my last post, please share your own bridezilla horror stories by commenting on this!

Stay tuned for another blog later today

xoxo

Jul 16
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 07 16th, 2009| icon3No Comments »
 Indulging  in a guilty pleasure - my fiancee and I watched Rich Bride, Poor Bride last night.  To our delight, they were featuring the Rich Bride.  Our delight soon turned to horror and anger as we watched the couple progress.  She had a themed wedding, choreographer, outrageous centerpieces and a horrible attitude.  Her fiancee showed little backbone as she spent nearly ever dollar of their discussed budget, pouted and yelled if she could not have her way. 
 
I simply cannot believe how these Bridezillas are allowed to be catered and coo’d over.  However, as much as I don’t want to believe it, I see it more often than not.  These girls have an ideal expectation in their heads of what their wedding should be.  This is natural and healthy.  When it turns unhealthy is when these expectations become life or death situations in the bride’s mind and she has her mother, his mother, her sister and everyone in between telling her that she should not settle.   Bridezillas are created, not born.  Maybe that’s why this wedding industry has taken off ten fold! 
cakestrangler
 
The so-far sensible me has researched and come up with some of my own ways to counter the Bridezilla effect:
 
1. Keep everything in perspective - you’re there because you’re marrying the man of your dreams
2. Remember to ask yourself - so what happens after the wedding?
3. Think about him in your planning.  Sure you’ve picked pink and tiffany blue for your colours, but how does he feel about the Tiffany blue suit?
4. Be nice to your bridesmaids - not only in word but also in what they’re wearing
5. Keep some you time - go to yoga, read, whatever makes you happy and reminds you that there is indeed still a life outside of wedding planning
 
This video turned out to be a marketing ploy for sunsilk, but it sure represents a bridezilla to a t!  The psycho enters at 1:44 if you haven’t seen it already.
 
peace chickas

Jul 10
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 07 10th, 2009| icon33 Comments »
Because my family resides out west, I only get to see them once or twice a year.  Usually this is limited to May long weekend and a week in the summer.  Since my wedding is in May, this will be my last trip out west before my wedding.  My rellies have opted to throw me a shower, which I’m pretty excited about.  That is until I was tasked with filling out my wedding registry.  I never thought this part could be so difficult.  Generally, I’m pro-registry, but in my experience there are some people who have abused it and soured my taste. Here’s my advice about them:
 picture-12
1. Registries are great tools.  They keep you organized and offer a central location to pick up your gifts.
2. Often, the stores who offer registries give you an incentive to sign up.  My registry gave us a $25 gift card, that was good enough for me!
3. Get items that range in price - no one wants to look cheap by getting the bride to be a baster because its the only thing left on the registry. 
4. Inform you guests - Some couples have been living together and do not need a lot of things for their house.  Others are starting out.  Let your guests know what stage you’re at.
 
Some words of caution
 
1. Its very easy to get carried away with the scanner.  It’s so simple to use and impulse items much easier to scan because you aren’t going to have to pay for them. 
2. Get what you need and a few things you want
3. Don’t get greedy.  Some brides do not understand that a gift for wedding is cash OR a gift.  Generally its not both.  Asking for a television, new couch, patio set and bbq looks ridiculous. 
4. Keep it down to one major luxury item.  People do not have unlimited incomes these days and often pool together to get a big item for the couple
 
So keeping that in mind, I’m off to finish my registry tomorrow!
 
ciao
xox

Jul 1
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 07 1st, 2009| icon31 Comment »

many many years ago I was reading cosmo and came across an article that was about making your wedding day memorable. one of the best ideas on there was to spice up your first dance.  start off with a slow, traditional song and then bust out into a salsa or merengue.  I guess some producers at tlc read the same article, because a few years later i saw it on tv.  i still think its a great idea if you have a willing mate.  my fiance said that he would definitely
do the ‘i like big butts’ dance. I like big butts

here’s a few more fantastic ones

timberland group dance

Big band  this one is great to watch, but pretty sure you’d need a professional choreographer
Thriller group dance a tribute to the late mj

Dirty Dancing do they do the lift??

NKOTB Right Stuff you can even get your dad involved!

it sure adds to the spice of the wedding! 

ciao for now and happy canada day to all my fellow canucks!

Jun 16
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 06 16th, 2009| icon3No Comments »

Having this discussion with a few of my colleagues, we thought how awful (yet hilarious) it would be if any of the following songs were played at a wedding. Or even better, as a first dance.  I think the shock might be well worth the lost setiment!

ACDC - Highway to Hell

She F*cking Hates Me - Puddle of Mud

You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi

Closer - NIN

Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For - U2

Broken - Seether * note I have heard this one at a wedding and it was…something

Free Fallin - Tom Petty

My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

Everything I Do ( I Do it for you) *note this song isn’t inappropriate but just plain bad

Send in the Clowns

Gold Digger - Kayne West

untitled1

I can’t even begin to tell you the searches I had to run to find that image. and that image is scarred into my brain forever.

Jun 8
icon1 Cynthia | icon2 Uncategorized | icon4 06 8th, 2009| icon32 Comments »
Wow. that’s all I have to say about the price of flowers.  Doing a bit of research I found that flowers on average cost around 2000 dollars…and it almost made me sick!
 
“According to the Bridal Association of America, the average cost of a wedding in the United States in 2006 was $30,000, not including the engagement ring and honeymoon.  The average wedding flower cost was $1,970.” click here to read more
 
2000 bones better have got some pretty spectacular flowers….
 
So, I’ve found some great Tips for saving some cash on the flowers
 bouquetnew20tulips20fronttulip_bouquet2
-buy flowers that are in season
- avoid the exotic - do you really need the orchids for double the price?
- getting married on Feb 14 is suicide for flower prices
- don’t knock grocery store flowers
- check out ebay or other site to order silk flowers
- talk to your reception site and see if there are any in house centre pieces
- research!! there’s approximately one billion websites out there that have fantastic ideas for DIY decor.  As my boss used to say “google is your best friend”  

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