Where has the time gone?  Between work (sooo crazy!), getting ready for the new house (coming soon!) and the wedding, i have barely had time to breathe let alone update the blog…

And sadly, i really don’t think much has happened since my last post.  I’m really caught up in all the little details and i’m realizing how much it sucks to be such a visual person… i can’t seem to decide on a DIY centrepiece since i have no idea what it would look like.

What HAVE we done? the bridesmaid’s have dresses (yay!) … alfred angelo, black cocktail dresses, very nice; also found our lovely flower girls dress (also alfred angelo, a gorgeous silver).  The groom-to-be and i have looked at tuxes and think we have that nailed down.  I’ve decided on the dessert – from a the delectable Cupcake Shoppe at Yonge and Eglinton (yummy!) and my lovely friends are even going to pick it up for me on our wedding day so i can save the delivery cost!    And i found a venue for the rehearsal dinner – we don’t have to go far, we’re going to stay at the Eagles Nest!  sweet!

Oh and I finally decided on the wording for my invites by the AMAZING Laurie from Designed by Yours Truly … I get them all back tomorrow and can’t wait … she did a great job on the mock so can’t imagine what the real thing will look like! *I’ll post pics after … just don’t want to spoil the surprise for the invited guests.

And sadly that’s it… still to come: transportation, makeup, ring bearers outfits, ring pillow, guest book, hair style, decor, centrepieces, ceremony music, vows, readings, and SO much more it’s crazy!

Will try to post  more often, if only to remind me of how little time i have to do so much!

Thanks for reading…

Turns out very hard.

Especially when you 1) have a full time job, 2) work at the north end of downtown T.O while your fiancé works closer to home in the ‘burbs and 3) not many event managers work evenings to meet with you. It makes it even harder when you want to try and space the bookings out a tad so your fiancé doesn’t think you’re crazier than he already knows you are. 5 venues on a Saturday – not really gonna cut it. So we’ve been visiting maybe one or two during the week and then one on the weekend, and I’ve seen a couple on my own, but that’s not really efficient.

I just haven’t been blown away by anything, and when I am, the cost is ENOURMOUS! I just want to have a location that we can get married at, have our pics taken at AND have the reception. We want to have a somewhat intimate cocktail reception with our close friends and family. I want yummy food, great tunes and my guests to dance and mingle all night.

Most of the places we’ve seen have been either far too traditional, too expensive, or just not what I had in mind… I just can’t picture myself getting married in a banquet hall, even though one of them has a super cool new lounge. I’m finding some of the trendier places are just rentals of the space and you have to take care of finding the caterer, tables, chairs, linens, etc. I’m sorry, but that’s just too much work and extra money (you should see some of the rental fees – you’d think you’d get the moon for those costs!).

I find that while I know it’s our day, I’m really trying to please everyone… not too far away from our hometown, accessible to hotels, golf course nearby, plenty of bathrooms (this is important to me as a girl, as a frequent wedding guest – location and # of bathrooms is important – esp if you’re competing with other weddings).

So far we’ve looked at the Glen Erin Inn, McMichael Art Gallery, The Royalton (super-cool lounge), Old Mill, Millcroft Inn, and Rattlesnake and Eagles Nest golf courses. We’re off to see Edgewater in the Stoney Creek this weekend (prob too far), the Royal Botanical Gardens, Terrace on the Green and a visit to the new golf course in Brampton – Turnberry.

But how far is too far to drive? Especially when you’re doing an early evening ceremony on a Friday – should you worry about that? Or just go with a reasonable drive (no more than 45 mins-1hour for most of your guests)? And hotels, is a 10-15 min drive to the nearest hotel ok?

Questions, questions and more questions. This bride thing is tough and I’ve barely started!

Ok, so the cat’s out of the bag… my bf and i got engaged over the September long weekend and i couldn’t be happier.  Like most girls, i’ve dreamt of my wedding day for years and years (and years and years), but that vision has changed, the older i’ve gotten.  Let’s face it, i’m no spring chicken anymore, and i’ve been to a LOT of weddings over the last 15+ years (since my friends have started getting married) and have learned what i want/don’t want for my own (our own) celebration.

And that’s exactly what we want — a celebration, a party, a shindig.  Just the people we love and who love us right back to be there with us and have some drinks, some laughs and dance til our feet ache.  Being in the marketing field, i’ve attended lots of cocktail parties and events with food stations and appetizers, and that’s what we’re going for.  I envision twinkle lights and candles (we’re having a Friday late afternoon/early evening ceremony) and lots of finger foods and yummy nibbles.  We want the cool factor (but obv on a budget).

So the dilemma.  Where to begin?  I’m a planner, organizer AND worry-wart by nature, so my head’s already spinning with all that needs to be done.  We’re looking at September next year, so just about a year to go… seems like a lot of time, right?  Not so much.  Apparently i need to get a venue right away … CRAZY!

The big problem is to try to find something that has the ‘hip-ness’ of a downtown Toronto location, but in the suburbs of the GTA?  (too much trouble for guests to get downtown on a Friday afternoon for a T.O locale)

So, this is a call out to all my married friends and friends of friends and any other brides-to-be out there that might be listening… i need your help, not only for venue ideas, but reco’s for anything and everything weddings. 

Can you help a girl out so she doesn’t become a Bridezilla?  (My fiancé {i like the sound of that} thanks you in advance:

Where do i help?

• Venues (hip, cool, non-banquet hall):
• Flowers (what’s in season in the fall?  local florists in Peel region):
• Best places to shop for a dress (and get a deal)?:
• Do you need favours?:
• Do you need to give centre pieces away to your guests?:
• When to send save the dates?:
• Best places for invitations?:
• Do you need to have programs?:

Okay, that’s a good start.  My biggest issue is the venue, but whatever help i can get, i’ll take!  Comment at the bottom of the blog, or send me an email.

Thanks in advance friends…