Thursday, September 16, 2010
Ok, I MUST have horseshoes up my bum!!
I applied for a provincial government job about a month ago, went through all of the interviews and what not, and got the call today that I GOT THE JOB!!!!!! I am soooo ecstatic! WOW. AMEN HALLELUJAH!! Right before the wedding, this truly is an awesome wedding present. :)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
My two cents on weddings.
FYI - Weddings suck up all of your money. Don't worry about getting things for your wedding that wont matter in the end anyways. Do add special touches of YOU through out you wedding. DIY as much as possible. Ask people (and yes offer to pay them) with talent to help create or do something for your wedding. Buy reasonably priced items from Etsy. Especially from the incredible Michelle S and her shop Sweet Peas and Seashells.
But if you only remember one thing, remember that this is the day that you marry your best friend. The day that you will remember for ever, but will go by in the blink of an eye.
No one will remember what color your napkins were. Nor will they remember the little favors. They will remember the most beautiful day they saw their family/friends get married (and they will also remember the food/drink/dancing). And remember the people who helped you along your journey down the aisle. And STOP worrying about everything. Things that are out of your control will happen, and you just have to be calm and collected to deal with those things in the right way by finding alternate solutions or possibly even just letting go.
But if you only remember one thing, remember that this is the day that you marry your best friend. The day that you will remember for ever, but will go by in the blink of an eye.
No one will remember what color your napkins were. Nor will they remember the little favors. They will remember the most beautiful day they saw their family/friends get married (and they will also remember the food/drink/dancing). And remember the people who helped you along your journey down the aisle. And STOP worrying about everything. Things that are out of your control will happen, and you just have to be calm and collected to deal with those things in the right way by finding alternate solutions or possibly even just letting go.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Pictures of the AHR
Here are just a few pictures that the guests captured at our at home reception!
I will post more when I get some pro-pictures! :)
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| Signature Drinks |
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| Seating Chart & Wishing Chest |
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| Awesome Centerpieces |
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| Kids Table |
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| Small Part of the Dessert Buffet (Marble Cheesecake & Chocolate Covered Strawberry) |
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| The Awesome (and delicious) Sand Castle Cake! |
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| Busting a Move (J dancing with his little sister, and me in the background in purple dancing with my dad) |
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| Our First Dance: You are the Only Exception by Paramore |
I will post more when I get some pro-pictures! :)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
At Home Reception
Just a quick little recap of the at home reception (pre-wedding) that our parents threw for us back in Ontario (home for us). It was at the gorgeous civic gardens in London, ON.
Everyone came inside and got one beverage (there were 3 signature drinks, one non-alcoholic and the other two had alcohol). They took their seats at their gorgeously decorated tables, and they announced our "grand" entrance. Then we had one of my brothers and one of his brothers (both around age 13) emcee, which was pretty entertaining. They did a phenomenal job.
My step-mom started the speeches off, as well as the waterworks. She was so sincere and so sweet, it just made me bawl like a baby. Then it was my dad's turn, and he actually made it about 5 seconds into his speech before he started crying (he was the fastest to tear up out of everyone, which was actually quite sweet). J's mom and dad followed with their great speeches. Then it was our turn!
I thought I would type up my speech and put in here (for prosperity), so here goes:
"Thank you all for coming! I wanted to start off by expressing my joy and over-excitement in the fact that so many friends and family clearly love us so much. We want you all to know that whether we are here on such a beautiful Sunday afternoon, in Alberta, or further than that... you are always in our thoughts, and especially in our hearts.
When I think back on this very special moment that was put together by our loving and caring families, I know I will feel the same way I do right now: happy, overwhelmed, honored, and most of all... loved. Happy that we get to see you all and spend time together. Overwhelmed at how much hard work, time and effort it took to have this celebration look so absolutely incredible and come together so perfectly. Honored to have the people that I have in my life and be able to call them my family. Loved because our parents, brothers and sisters, and grandparents made this celebration possible. We are so blessed to be as loved as we are by all of you. To J's family: thank you for letting me into your family with such love and respect from the start of our relationship.
To our parents: thank you for all that you have taught us while growing up, it has made us the people that we are today. We hope you are as proud of us as we are to call you mom and dad. Thank you for believing in us, helping us, and taking us to karate school. Otherwise J and I might never have met. Words can not explain how grateful we are to you for all that you have done to make this amazing weekend possible, and so much more. We love you more than you will ever know.
To everyone who helped make this event possible, and everyone in attendance (whether they are here physically or in spirit) thank you, and we love you.
To Josh: I love you more than words can say. You are my best friend. You guys might not know this, but I consider myself a bit of a loner. I tend to think of my self as a one-woman wolf pack. But when I met Josh, I knew he was one of my own. I thought "wait a second, could it be?" and now I know for sure, I just added one more person into my wolf pack. Two of us wolves, running around London looking for Taco Bell and a party. So tonight I make a toast!
Stay classy London. "
We then all got to eat from the 4 food stations. Station 1 was a delicious assortment of sushi which was just delicious! Best sushi I have had in a long time! Station 2 was a cheese and bread/cracker station with all sorts of my favorite cheeses to eat. Station 3 was a coconut shrimp (fried up right in front of you) and my favorite summer salad (spinach, raspberry vinaigrette, and strawberries... YUM)! Station 4 was the kabob station, with 5 different kinds of sauces to dunk your chicken and pork kabobs!
Then there was an open bar and a dessert buffet too!! Everything was just so tasty. There was music and dancing, and a lot of laughs. This was by far the best party I have ever been to, and so glad that it was ours! Everyone loved the decorations, music, food, etc. I can't wait to post pictures!
Everyone came inside and got one beverage (there were 3 signature drinks, one non-alcoholic and the other two had alcohol). They took their seats at their gorgeously decorated tables, and they announced our "grand" entrance. Then we had one of my brothers and one of his brothers (both around age 13) emcee, which was pretty entertaining. They did a phenomenal job.
My step-mom started the speeches off, as well as the waterworks. She was so sincere and so sweet, it just made me bawl like a baby. Then it was my dad's turn, and he actually made it about 5 seconds into his speech before he started crying (he was the fastest to tear up out of everyone, which was actually quite sweet). J's mom and dad followed with their great speeches. Then it was our turn!
I thought I would type up my speech and put in here (for prosperity), so here goes:
"Thank you all for coming! I wanted to start off by expressing my joy and over-excitement in the fact that so many friends and family clearly love us so much. We want you all to know that whether we are here on such a beautiful Sunday afternoon, in Alberta, or further than that... you are always in our thoughts, and especially in our hearts.
When I think back on this very special moment that was put together by our loving and caring families, I know I will feel the same way I do right now: happy, overwhelmed, honored, and most of all... loved. Happy that we get to see you all and spend time together. Overwhelmed at how much hard work, time and effort it took to have this celebration look so absolutely incredible and come together so perfectly. Honored to have the people that I have in my life and be able to call them my family. Loved because our parents, brothers and sisters, and grandparents made this celebration possible. We are so blessed to be as loved as we are by all of you. To J's family: thank you for letting me into your family with such love and respect from the start of our relationship.
To our parents: thank you for all that you have taught us while growing up, it has made us the people that we are today. We hope you are as proud of us as we are to call you mom and dad. Thank you for believing in us, helping us, and taking us to karate school. Otherwise J and I might never have met. Words can not explain how grateful we are to you for all that you have done to make this amazing weekend possible, and so much more. We love you more than you will ever know.
To everyone who helped make this event possible, and everyone in attendance (whether they are here physically or in spirit) thank you, and we love you.
To Josh: I love you more than words can say. You are my best friend. You guys might not know this, but I consider myself a bit of a loner. I tend to think of my self as a one-woman wolf pack. But when I met Josh, I knew he was one of my own. I thought "wait a second, could it be?" and now I know for sure, I just added one more person into my wolf pack. Two of us wolves, running around London looking for Taco Bell and a party. So tonight I make a toast!
Stay classy London. "
We then all got to eat from the 4 food stations. Station 1 was a delicious assortment of sushi which was just delicious! Best sushi I have had in a long time! Station 2 was a cheese and bread/cracker station with all sorts of my favorite cheeses to eat. Station 3 was a coconut shrimp (fried up right in front of you) and my favorite summer salad (spinach, raspberry vinaigrette, and strawberries... YUM)! Station 4 was the kabob station, with 5 different kinds of sauces to dunk your chicken and pork kabobs!
Then there was an open bar and a dessert buffet too!! Everything was just so tasty. There was music and dancing, and a lot of laughs. This was by far the best party I have ever been to, and so glad that it was ours! Everyone loved the decorations, music, food, etc. I can't wait to post pictures!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
8 Week Count Down!
WOW, only 8 more weeks to go until I step foot on the paradise that is Punta Cana, Dominican Republic! I will be sitting on the beach with my fruity tropical beverage in hand, waiting for it to be Friday so that we can finally be MARRIED!! I am so beyond excited to be going away, it's been almost 3 years since my last vacation.
I think I deserve it after everything we have gone through in the last 2 years.
Graduating from College (Me)
Switching careers (Josh)
Josh got his license to drive a transport truck! Which lead to him getting a sweet job!
Working while going to college (Me)
If you click here , you can see an article I wrote for my college paper. When you get to that page there is another link that says click here to view more articles written by the author. It was awesome to be able to do something that I love and get paid for it.
Moving across the country (Both of us)
Finding my first real after-college-related job (Me)
Planning a wedding (Us)
As most of you know, planning a wedding can be quite the stressful affair. We tried to keep it as low stress as possible, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. This has been our "baby" for the last year and a half, and we are so incredibly happy with what we have done. Thank you to everyone who helped us out too, because without you our wedding wouldn't have been the same.
Going to University (Me)
After I graduated from College, I wanted more! Since we moved to another province right after, I decided I would go to University to get my bachelors degree. I have slowly been working at it, since I can not afford to go full time since I work full time.
Starting up my photography business (Us)
This has been an exciting journey for us. I say us because I would never have been able to do this without the support and encouragement from Josh. :)
It has been an exciting journey through life, and I hope the next 8 weeks are as awesome as the last 4 years in our relationship have been.
I think I deserve it after everything we have gone through in the last 2 years.
Graduating from College (Me)
(Source)
Switching careers (Josh)
Josh got his license to drive a transport truck! Which lead to him getting a sweet job!
Working while going to college (Me)
If you click here , you can see an article I wrote for my college paper. When you get to that page there is another link that says click here to view more articles written by the author. It was awesome to be able to do something that I love and get paid for it.
Moving across the country (Both of us)
Finding my first real after-college-related job (Me)
Planning a wedding (Us)
As most of you know, planning a wedding can be quite the stressful affair. We tried to keep it as low stress as possible, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. This has been our "baby" for the last year and a half, and we are so incredibly happy with what we have done. Thank you to everyone who helped us out too, because without you our wedding wouldn't have been the same.
Going to University (Me)
After I graduated from College, I wanted more! Since we moved to another province right after, I decided I would go to University to get my bachelors degree. I have slowly been working at it, since I can not afford to go full time since I work full time.
Starting up my photography business (Us)
This has been an exciting journey for us. I say us because I would never have been able to do this without the support and encouragement from Josh. :)
(Source)
It has been an exciting journey through life, and I hope the next 8 weeks are as awesome as the last 4 years in our relationship have been.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Love my babies!
This is our newest kitty, Zetty. She's just too funny, I had to share!!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Stuck in my head
I have Journey's "Any Way You Want It" stuck in my head right now, it's awesome. I love Journey and sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era. That song just makes me so happy, same goes for "Don't Stop Believing" (also by Journey). Noticing a trend here? :)
When it comes to songs for the wedding, we're not really going in your typical direction for wedding music. It's going to be very random, but that's because it's what we enjoy versus what others will enjoy or will consider "timeless" songs.
A sampling of our music:
What was/would your play list sound like?
When it comes to songs for the wedding, we're not really going in your typical direction for wedding music. It's going to be very random, but that's because it's what we enjoy versus what others will enjoy or will consider "timeless" songs.
A sampling of our music:
- Bride's Processional: Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israël Kamakawiwo'ole ~OR~ Claire De Lune - Debussy
- Recessional: Warmness on the Soul - Avenged Sevenfold
- Dinner Music: Vitamin String Quartet
- First Dance: Swing Life Away - Rise Against
- Mother/Daughter Dance: Still have yet to decide (any suggestions anyone?)
- Mother/Son Dance: You've got a friend in me - Randy Newman (Toy Story)
- Reception Entrance Song (Bridal Party): I've Got a Feeling - Black Eyed Peas ~OR~ I'm In Miami - LMFAO
- Reception Entrance Song (Us): You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC ~OR~ Swagga Like Us - Jay Z
- Last Song: Don't Stop Believing - Journey
What was/would your play list sound like?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Can you tell it's lunch time?
Canada really SUCKS when it comes to restaurants and fast food places. I really miss living in Florida for this reason (amongst many other reasons as well). There are restaurants in the US that Canada just doesn't have or used to have and now doesn't. We're practically the same country in many different aspects (or at least pretty similar) and I love that each is still different and it's own country, but PLEASE satisfy our Canadian taste buds with some decent restaurants!!
US restaurants I really miss/or have never tried and may possibly be in Canada but most aren't:
- Chipotle - never tried but sounds so delicious!
- P. F. Chang's - I absolutely love all of their food, especially the lettuce wraps and beef and broccoli.
- Sonic's - Never tried, but I really want their new coney dog and a cherry limeade drink!
- Benihana - I don't even have to explain how delicious this place is.
- Sizzler - My grandma literally raised me on sizzler's and I miss it so! Salad bar mmm!
- Ponderosa - This used to be so delicious! My mom, my grandma and I used to go there about once a month.
- Steak N Shake - MMMM. Enough said.
- Jack in the Box - Oh how I miss thee.
- Krispy Kreme - Do you know how long I have craved one of your donuts? 5 years!!!
- Fuddruckers - This is my spot to eat with my step dad. This place has the BEST burgers and fries. YUMMO!
- Outback Steakhouse - I miss the bloomin onions!
- Ruby Tuesday's - Before it went down hill it was good!
- Hard Rock Cafe - Love this place, it's just so fun!
Restaurants that they have here but don't quite compare to the ones in the US:
- Taco Bell - First of all there is not a ONE Taco Bell where I live, I have to drive 1.5 hours to get my fix. Secondly, they don't have the mexican pizza as a staple item here, WTF! Thirdly, they give you fries with your meal... UM HELLO it's "mexican" cuisine. In the states you get an extra taco... THAT makes sense!
- Denny's - I loooove Denny's in the US. We had one literally right next to where we lived, and we used to eat there all the time when I was young. That's still my "spot" to eat dinner with my mom. <3
- KFC - It SUCKS here. Their chicken is not so great. They have no BISCUITS or MAC N CHEESE!!! KFC's mac n cheese and their biscuits are SOOOO GOOD. Why must you deprive me of the best part of KFC Canada? WHY?!
- Chili's - It's just not the same! :(
- Olive Garden - It's so nasty here that I refuse to eat at there.
- Applebee's - Same menu for the most part, but for some reason the US restaurants taste much better.
- Chick-fil-a - I have never had you but I want to taste you.
Restaurant's Canada has that the US doesn't have (or very few):
- Tim Horton's - SO GOOD (I'm referring to the sandwiches and soups/chili). I have never tried their coffee because I don't drink it, but people refer to it as crack.
- The Keg - A really delicious steak place that Josh and I take each other to on our birthdays. I love their sourdough bread and asparagus.
- Fast Eddie's - Unfortunately they don't have this all over Canada, I'm pretty sure it's just an Ontario thing. The most addictive chili cheese fries with cheap hamburgers, you can't go wrong. The also have yummy "flavored" fries such as dill pickle, ranch, and bacon!
So if any of my American friends are feeling generous maybe you can fedex me some of my favs!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Walmart Shoes
If there is anyone looking for cute and cheap flats for every day, Walmart has some adorable ones right now and they are only about $15. I bought these yesterday, so COMFY!And a pair of purple ones.
I bought ones that looked EXACTLY like this from Spring Shoes (a shoe company called Blowfish) and they were $60 and were ruined like 2 months later. I would much rather pay $15 for the exact same pair of shoes to get ruined.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Birthday: 25 Things About Me!
I case anyone cares to learn more about me, I did a post (well... it ended up being two posts) with 25 things about me. You can view it here.
Birthday!
This day, the 22nd of July, at 7:16 PM 23 years ago yours truly was brought into this world after an intense and LONG (more than 24 hours) delivery by her beautiful mom. Thank you mom for being such an amazing person and bringing me into this world. Thank you for being adamant that the doctors not do a c-section, and telling them that I would come out on my own terms (even though it might have been easier for you). Thank you for giving me a beautiful name, home, and family. I love you more than you will ever know.
That was me the day I was born! ♥
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Cookiegasm: Oreo Truffle Recipe
credit: rockYOface on flickr.com
Sometimes when all is said and done the bride and groom are left with a bunch of favors left behind by their guests. This won’t happen if your favor is an edible! I found this delicious recipe for diy oreo truffles on the kraft website ad thought it would be a perfect diy favor idea for all of you planning your own wedding!
They only require a few ingredients so they are extremely affordable and they don’t take very long to make! Here’s the recipe!
Oreo Truffles (Makes 42 individual truffles!)
- 1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
- 2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted (Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate..Choose your fav!)
- Optional – Candy sprinkles for additional customization – find some in your wedding colors!
- MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.
- DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. (Here is where you can also add some of your candy sprinkles to add some color! You could also wait till after refrigerating and further decorate your truffles with different colored chocolate by piping pretty designs or swirls on top!)
- REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
That’s it – you will only need to wrap them up for your guests! Some cute packaging ideas would be individually wrapping each truffle in cellophane (clear or colored) with a pretty bow to match your theme and a favor tag. You could also put them in pretty favor boxes!
If you make truffles for your big day using this recipe please be sure to send us the pics! We would love to see! 
credit: talekinker on flickr.com
credit: ladybugbkt on flickr.com
credit: cakewalkbu3 on flickr.com
Found this recipe here.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Summer Tiiiiiiime and the livin's easy....
Summer means no more snow, nicer weather, and possibly some rain in there (but I love rain when I am "prepared" for it) which equals more photo shoots for my photography biz!!! Summer is my favorite time of year!
Time to go rafting down the Red Deer river (possibly with a beer or two in hand and some friends):
We actually went out to a club last night to celebrate our friend Steve's birthday. First time we've been out to the bar in some time. It was nice to go and dance, I LOVE dancing. Some songs I heard there and that I'm digging right now:
- Ke$ha - Take It Off (yes... I just admitted to liking a Ke$ha song. WHAT OF IT?)
- Katy Perry - California Gurls (Probably the ONLY Katy Perry song I will ever like.)
- Flo Rida ft. David Guetta - Club Can't Handle Me
- 3OH3! ft. Ke$sha - My First Kiss
- David Guetta Ft. Fergie & LMFAO - Getting Over You
- LMFAO - Shots
My birthday is in 6 days. 23. No plans really, since we're kind of broke (thanks wedding <3). Last night at the bar all I could think was... I remember when I could dance at the bar for HOURS on end. Where did those days go??? LOL Oh well. I enjoyed myself at the pace that I could handle. :)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
3 Cheers for Weddzilla!!
Today is an exciting day for me! Weddzilla.com has given each of their featured bloggers some awesome stuff for our readers! That’s why I’d like to invite all of my readers to use the new Weddzilla.com tools to start planning your wedding smarter!
Weddzilla is an awesome place, go on over and check it out! I really love being a Featured Bride Blogger on the Weddzilla Blog, as well as reading the adventures of my fellow Featured Bride Bloggers. It's a big HAPPY bloggerific family! :)
Weddzilla is an awesome place, go on over and check it out! I really love being a Featured Bride Blogger on the Weddzilla Blog, as well as reading the adventures of my fellow Featured Bride Bloggers. It's a big HAPPY bloggerific family! :)
Here are two reasons why brides are loving Weddzilla
The Weddmark - Collect smarter. Stop bookmarking and start Weddmarking! You will love how easy it makes collecting and organizing inspiration from all over the web. You can watch a demo here.
Each new item you Weddmark between now and September 30, 2010 gives you one entry in their “Weddmark Challenge” and a chance to win a $1,000 gift registry from Macy’s!
The Weddifieds - Finding vendors has never been easier! Creating a “Post” in the Weddifieds announces your wedding day needs to hundreds of vendors and allows them to send quotes to you if they match your budget! Click here to check out the demo!
Invite your blog community, Facebook friends, or Twitter followers to "Join the Weddvolution" at Weddzilla.com now!
Are you a Wedding Vendor?
I’ve been given 10 “One Month Free” coupons to give away to the first 10 wedding vendors that do the two quick-and-easy things below:
1) Sign-up on Weddzilla.com as a Gold, Platinum, or Diamond member
2) Post your new Weddzilla profile link in the comments section of this post!
And one of you will also receive a FREE DIAMOND 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP! I’ll be choosing a winner on July 31st!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Discount - Sweet Peas & Seashells on Etsy!
Love my custom table runner or chair signs designed by Michelle over at Sweet Peas and Seashells? Check out my photography blog for a special discount from anything ordered from her store! Limited time only!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Photography Link & Contest
Photogs, check out the GIVEAWAY & Sale for Skye’s new Workshop Workbook!! Visit the website at http://www.theworkshopworkbook.com/!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
{Sneak Peek} My Invites!
Here is a sneak peek to our gorgeous passport invitations. The colors on the cover look a little more dark than the colors on my monogram, but it's really not a big deal. What do you think? I love them. Can't wait to finish and mail them to our guests!
Our Monogram:
Our Invites:
Our Monogram:
Monday, June 7, 2010
Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Want to read the Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (An Eclipse Novella by Stephanie Meyer) for free?? A gift from the author to her fans. Starts today, only available until July 5th!!!
Go here!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Bionic Bride
Wedding Dress Collection Complete
So I am that mythical creature in the bride world that is known as a dress whore. I have a problem, and I love them all so what did I do? I AM A 3 DRESS BRIDE. Well technically for the big day I just have two dresses (my wedding dress and a dress for the reception), and then my 3rd dress will be used for my trash-the-dress session. Personally I don't care what anyone thinks about it because my 3 dresses still cost less than most peoples single dress.
My Sottero & Midgley JSM1103 was bought second hand at a very discounted rate. Perfect for me because I could never see myself (this is just my personal choice, but there is nothing wrong with it if you chose to) spending more than $1,000 on one dress.
Here she is on the model:
And on me:
Next is my reception dress. I had this made by a company called Milly Bridal.
I ordered my dress back at the end of January (the 31st actually). I was told of the time line, and then figured with the Chinese New Years that it would tack on a little extra time.
I got pictures of my test dress mid to late March. I made some changes and had little communication with them in the mean time, which made me a little anxious because I had no idea what was going on or when it was going to be finished. Seeing some of the negative feedback and people who had to ask for refunds on the boards in the Milly Brides Group was making me even more nervous! But I thought, there hasn't been a reason for me to freak out, so I wont let it get to me.
I recieved my dress on Tuesday (but was out of town, so I couldn't pick it up until today). I want to tell you all how relieved I am, because really my expectations were starting to get a little low. I think the craftsmanship of the dress is excellent. There are some areas that will need to be taken in (around my "girls" for example). Over all, for the price I really couldn't ask for more. They turned a dress I would never be able to afford, into an affordable version of my dream reception dress.
I just need to find a bra that holds my girls in place now. ;)
(Excuse the no makeup/hair and all the CRAP in the background)
Inspiration (Oscar De La Renta 2008 Collection):
Me in my Milly Dress:
And now for the TTD Dress!
Inspiration (Maggie Sottero - Allison Marie):
Me in my Milly Dress:
Over all, very happy with my experience with this company. With all 3 of my dresses the total spent was still under $1,000 for all three dresses. So really I couldn't ask for more! Now what? On to shoes perhaps?
My Sottero & Midgley JSM1103 was bought second hand at a very discounted rate. Perfect for me because I could never see myself (this is just my personal choice, but there is nothing wrong with it if you chose to) spending more than $1,000 on one dress.
Here she is on the model:
And on me:
Next is my reception dress. I had this made by a company called Milly Bridal.
I ordered my dress back at the end of January (the 31st actually). I was told of the time line, and then figured with the Chinese New Years that it would tack on a little extra time.
I got pictures of my test dress mid to late March. I made some changes and had little communication with them in the mean time, which made me a little anxious because I had no idea what was going on or when it was going to be finished. Seeing some of the negative feedback and people who had to ask for refunds on the boards in the Milly Brides Group was making me even more nervous! But I thought, there hasn't been a reason for me to freak out, so I wont let it get to me.
I recieved my dress on Tuesday (but was out of town, so I couldn't pick it up until today). I want to tell you all how relieved I am, because really my expectations were starting to get a little low. I think the craftsmanship of the dress is excellent. There are some areas that will need to be taken in (around my "girls" for example). Over all, for the price I really couldn't ask for more. They turned a dress I would never be able to afford, into an affordable version of my dream reception dress.
I just need to find a bra that holds my girls in place now. ;)
(Excuse the no makeup/hair and all the CRAP in the background)
Inspiration (Oscar De La Renta 2008 Collection):
And now for the TTD Dress!
Inspiration (Maggie Sottero - Allison Marie):
Me in my Milly Dress:
Over all, very happy with my experience with this company. With all 3 of my dresses the total spent was still under $1,000 for all three dresses. So really I couldn't ask for more! Now what? On to shoes perhaps?
Monday, May 17, 2010
Flash Mob Proposal!
This guy proposed with a flash mob! How adorable is this!
http://gothamist.com/2010/05/15/man_proposes_with_flash_mob.php
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Life Lessons from Ashley
Josh's grandmother passed away early this morning and I just wanted to write something really quick out to the blog world and my wonderful followers.
Please enjoy every beautiful and not so beautiful moment that life gives you. The not so beautiful moments make those really beautiful moments really special, because they make you appreciate everything that much more. Grab life by the horns and have a fun ride! We don't get to live forever, and so we must enjoy every second we have. Some people are born and they live until they are 85. Others are born and they live 5 minutes. Either way, every moment we get and every breath we take counts. Make sure you use your time living life the best you can. Donate to charity, volunteer at a children's festival, go to a casino once just to see what it's like, cook (and enjoy it even if it's terrible), eat out, travel (even if it's just to the next town), hold a baby (they are so beautiful and just make me feel happy instantly), skydive, ride on a motorcycle, fly in an airplane, plant a tree, read a book, open your mind to other genres of music, go to a concert, try playing a sport, go for walks, go to a movie by yourself, have a pet... I could really go on forever but I think you get where I am going with all of this.
Spend time with your family. They may have drama or they may drive you crazy, but they are all important to you in more ways than you can imagine. They are the people that surrounded you on the day that you were born, watched you grow, the people who came into your life as strangers but stayed be cause they love you so much even though you may not be blood related, and the people who look after your best interest because they want to see you succeed in life and watch you inspire those around you.
Don't forget to tell those who you truly care about just how much they mean to you. They can be gone in an instant and they might not know how you feel (chances are they do, but you should tell them all the time anyways. It makes people feel good). Hug people. Hold their hand. Bring them surprises (who doesn't like chocolate or a nice bottle of wine, right?). Send them a "just because I was thinking about you" card/letter/email.
If you get married, remember what it's about. YOU and your partner. No one will remember what color linens you had or that you invitations didn't 100% match the colors of the rest of your wedding. They will not care how much you spent on your dress or that your ring has a 2 carat diamond. None of it matters. The only thing that should matter is that you love each other and that you are making this commitment to be with that person for the rest of your life. Love them. Don't get mad at them because they forgot to add soandso to the guest list or couldn't decide which shade of white they liked more for the stationary.
I guess this ended up being a little longer that I anticipated, but it's all very important and I feel I have to get it out.
Love with your whole heart. Don't be afraid to fall, and don't forget that if no one is there to help you back up that you can do it all by yourself. Know that you mean the world to someone. Know that while some people say we are not each a special and unique snowflake... you are because, you are YOU and there is no one in the world quite like you. Cherish your victories and accomplishments. Do good things in life, not for yourself but for others that might not have as much as you do. Get into debt for something worthwhile if that's what you really want, but don't go overboard because you do eventually have to pay it off. Dig your toes in the sand. Jump into the really cold water. Stand in the middle of nowhere and scream as loud as you can. BE HAPPY.
And know that even though I may not know you (whoever you are that is reading this), you are special to me.
♥
You are missed and loved by so many Grandma B. Rest peacefully in paradise.
Please enjoy every beautiful and not so beautiful moment that life gives you. The not so beautiful moments make those really beautiful moments really special, because they make you appreciate everything that much more. Grab life by the horns and have a fun ride! We don't get to live forever, and so we must enjoy every second we have. Some people are born and they live until they are 85. Others are born and they live 5 minutes. Either way, every moment we get and every breath we take counts. Make sure you use your time living life the best you can. Donate to charity, volunteer at a children's festival, go to a casino once just to see what it's like, cook (and enjoy it even if it's terrible), eat out, travel (even if it's just to the next town), hold a baby (they are so beautiful and just make me feel happy instantly), skydive, ride on a motorcycle, fly in an airplane, plant a tree, read a book, open your mind to other genres of music, go to a concert, try playing a sport, go for walks, go to a movie by yourself, have a pet... I could really go on forever but I think you get where I am going with all of this.
Spend time with your family. They may have drama or they may drive you crazy, but they are all important to you in more ways than you can imagine. They are the people that surrounded you on the day that you were born, watched you grow, the people who came into your life as strangers but stayed be cause they love you so much even though you may not be blood related, and the people who look after your best interest because they want to see you succeed in life and watch you inspire those around you.
Don't forget to tell those who you truly care about just how much they mean to you. They can be gone in an instant and they might not know how you feel (chances are they do, but you should tell them all the time anyways. It makes people feel good). Hug people. Hold their hand. Bring them surprises (who doesn't like chocolate or a nice bottle of wine, right?). Send them a "just because I was thinking about you" card/letter/email.
If you get married, remember what it's about. YOU and your partner. No one will remember what color linens you had or that you invitations didn't 100% match the colors of the rest of your wedding. They will not care how much you spent on your dress or that your ring has a 2 carat diamond. None of it matters. The only thing that should matter is that you love each other and that you are making this commitment to be with that person for the rest of your life. Love them. Don't get mad at them because they forgot to add soandso to the guest list or couldn't decide which shade of white they liked more for the stationary.
I guess this ended up being a little longer that I anticipated, but it's all very important and I feel I have to get it out.
Love with your whole heart. Don't be afraid to fall, and don't forget that if no one is there to help you back up that you can do it all by yourself. Know that you mean the world to someone. Know that while some people say we are not each a special and unique snowflake... you are because, you are YOU and there is no one in the world quite like you. Cherish your victories and accomplishments. Do good things in life, not for yourself but for others that might not have as much as you do. Get into debt for something worthwhile if that's what you really want, but don't go overboard because you do eventually have to pay it off. Dig your toes in the sand. Jump into the really cold water. Stand in the middle of nowhere and scream as loud as you can. BE HAPPY.
And know that even though I may not know you (whoever you are that is reading this), you are special to me.
♥
You are missed and loved by so many Grandma B. Rest peacefully in paradise.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Drooling Over My Chair Signs ♥
My dear friend Michelle has finished my chair signs. They are so fabulous! I just love them, she is so talented! Check out her Etsy shop here!
Aren't they the most fabulous thing ever?!
Aren't they the most fabulous thing ever?!
Monday, May 3, 2010
F21 into Sweatshop Labour?
A little eye opener (blog post) on the fashion store Forever 21. Definitely some things I didn't know. Now I'm not saying other stores don't do the same because well who knows where or how all of our clothes at our coveted shopping stores are made. It really is hard to differentiate the "bad guys" from the "not so bad guys". I can't say that there is one store that I know of that is 100% amazing. Do you know of any? I would like to hear your suggestions if you do!
Friday, April 23, 2010
HELLO AGAIN WORLD!
Hurray for the weekend! I feel like I have been drowning in the pile of things to do. Work, school, photography business. AHHHHH!!! Ever just want to run away to a remote island off the map where they don't believe in telephones? I know I sure wish I could right now. Although, I couldn't really live without my phone because I love talking to my mom way too much. I'm sure J wouldn't mind though, he hates the phone.
Yesterday I got some LOVELY chocolate covered strawberries delivered to my work from my gorgeous man!
They day before that I got some beautiful flowers from my boss because of Administrative Professionals day. I completely forgot about it.
It was a great week with all of my nice surprises, but I am still so tired from all of the small things I had going on. I hope May works out to be a little less stressful. I started a class at the University of Calgary on Monday's and Wednesday's (which I have to leave right after work to get there on time and don't get back home until 11-ish at night). I am also going to start swimming. I need to exercise, but ever since my back incident happened I haven't been able to, so this will really help.
Anyways bloggers, have a fantastic weekend! I hope to be able to keep up with my blogging more frequently!
Yesterday I got some LOVELY chocolate covered strawberries delivered to my work from my gorgeous man!
They day before that I got some beautiful flowers from my boss because of Administrative Professionals day. I completely forgot about it.
It was a great week with all of my nice surprises, but I am still so tired from all of the small things I had going on. I hope May works out to be a little less stressful. I started a class at the University of Calgary on Monday's and Wednesday's (which I have to leave right after work to get there on time and don't get back home until 11-ish at night). I am also going to start swimming. I need to exercise, but ever since my back incident happened I haven't been able to, so this will really help.
Anyways bloggers, have a fantastic weekend! I hope to be able to keep up with my blogging more frequently!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
DIY: Flower Girl Tutu Is DONE!
My mom and I have been working on my Flower Girl tutu since my mom got here last Thursday. It was a lot of hard work, but I love it and think it's just perfect! Now I just hope it fits her.. LOL
Instructions:
You're going to need 2-8 yards of tulle, found in your local fabric store. Tulle seems to range in price from very cheap (I got mine for less than $1 a yard) to not really at all expensive for fabric (I saw some tulle for like $6 a yard - it was rather fancy looking). Two yards will suffice for a children's tutu. Some of you might want to make one for yourselves. I used six yards for mine - my tutu is ridiculously poofy and has about a six inch gap with no material. One day, I'll fix that, but for now I just twist it to the side. Depending on how you cut your stripes and tie them on, you may need more or less fabric.
First, you're going to need to cut the tulle into strips. My tulle just happened to be twice as wide as I wanted my tutu's length to be, so I decided it would be easiest to loop the tulle around the ribbon. I cut my stripes about 4 inches wide - the width of these stripes is going to determine the poofiness, so use my tutu to judge.
After you have your strips cut, you're going to want to fasten them to a ribbon or elastic. If you use ribbon, make sure it matches the tulle - or at least compliments it. I forgot to buy ribbon from the fabric store and all I had laying around with some olive green piece. There are several methods for fastening the strips to the ribbon - you can sew them, tie them, or probably even use fabric glue. I opted to tie them on. Because my strips were twice the length I wanted, I just doubled them over and looped them around the ribbon.
Because I am such a horrible explainer of what I mean by 'looping around the ribbon', I drew a picture. Unfortunately, I am also a horrible drawer. I opted to crop out the final result, which is what you achieve by pulling the ends tight, but I don't think it's a crucial element. Just know that in the drawing below, you are actually looking at what will become the inside of the tutu's waist. You want the clean part of the loop on the outside, as in the photo above.
You may want to play around with other methods of fastening the strips to the ribbon. If you have any questions, I will try my hardest to answer them.
Instructions:
You're going to need 2-8 yards of tulle, found in your local fabric store. Tulle seems to range in price from very cheap (I got mine for less than $1 a yard) to not really at all expensive for fabric (I saw some tulle for like $6 a yard - it was rather fancy looking). Two yards will suffice for a children's tutu. Some of you might want to make one for yourselves. I used six yards for mine - my tutu is ridiculously poofy and has about a six inch gap with no material. One day, I'll fix that, but for now I just twist it to the side. Depending on how you cut your stripes and tie them on, you may need more or less fabric.
First, you're going to need to cut the tulle into strips. My tulle just happened to be twice as wide as I wanted my tutu's length to be, so I decided it would be easiest to loop the tulle around the ribbon. I cut my stripes about 4 inches wide - the width of these stripes is going to determine the poofiness, so use my tutu to judge.
After you have your strips cut, you're going to want to fasten them to a ribbon or elastic. If you use ribbon, make sure it matches the tulle - or at least compliments it. I forgot to buy ribbon from the fabric store and all I had laying around with some olive green piece. There are several methods for fastening the strips to the ribbon - you can sew them, tie them, or probably even use fabric glue. I opted to tie them on. Because my strips were twice the length I wanted, I just doubled them over and looped them around the ribbon.
Because I am such a horrible explainer of what I mean by 'looping around the ribbon', I drew a picture. Unfortunately, I am also a horrible drawer. I opted to crop out the final result, which is what you achieve by pulling the ends tight, but I don't think it's a crucial element. Just know that in the drawing below, you are actually looking at what will become the inside of the tutu's waist. You want the clean part of the loop on the outside, as in the photo above.
You may want to play around with other methods of fastening the strips to the ribbon. If you have any questions, I will try my hardest to answer them.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Custom Table Runner
I am literally crying right now because I am so stunned and amazed at how talented Michelle is! She made our custom table runner and it's just more than I could have ever imagined!!! It's stunning and I am just so happy with it! I HIGHLY suggest working with Michelle. She is sweet, amazing, fantastic, quick, and did I mention FABULOUS?!
Her shop is sweetpeasseashells on Etsy. Go friends... BUY BUY BUY!!
Thank you SO much again Michelle, I LOVE it (and YOU)! ♥
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