Ready, Set....SHOP!!

Tomorrow is the Annual William Ashley Warehouse sale in Scarborough. So tomorrow at 6am I will be leaving home to head down there to line up. I can't wait! Rob and I have decided to start our collection of fine china. The sale has a wonderful selection of fine English bone china. I'll probably just end up picking something plain and classic. Something that I won't look at 10 years from now and shudder at.

I'm also planning on getting our cake cutting set and toasting flutes for the wedding. Although, I can probably wait until next November to get those...

Also, I'm going in for a dress fitting tomorrow. I wanted to have a look at the Paloma Blanca dresses. There's a specific style I love, it's style 3752. If you go to www.palomablanca.com and click on "Collections", and then the "Paloma Blanca Collection" it's the dress on the right. I love it! Rob, don't look at the site, you're not allowed!

I'm also going to do some peeking at the bridesmaid dresses... I've got my partner in crime, Shannon, to come with me. Apparently I don't have the best taste out there... lol

I'll come back with some pics of the BM dresses we looked at :)

The List

Ok, it's about time I put one together.... If I see what I've done already, then I see what still needs to be done, I can give myself a whole NEW version of anxiety stimulated heartburn. I'm one of those extremely anal people, I like ALL my ducks in a row. I like to know that, yes, I am capable of getting everything done perfectly. Right down to the nitty gritty stuff that no-one notices. Sad, I know.
So here goes with the inevitable heartburn. I should call this my heartburn list!

Done:
Booked - reception/ceremony venue, florist, photographer, limo
Decided on - favours, colours, rough outline of menu for dinner, first dance, father/daughter dance, Bridal Party, Master of Ceremonies, one of the readers in the ceremony.

To do: (someone pass me the Tums...)
Book: planner, DJ, Officiant, ceremony music, Videographer, Decorator, Baker, Printer (lol), hair stylist (Sam?) makeup artist, Mani/Pedi, honeymoon, wedding night hotel room, newspaper engagement/marriage announcement.
Order: Favours, extra flowers for receiving line and at the house, wedding dress and accessories, BM dresses, suits for the men, alterations on all attire, cake cutting knife and serving set, toasting flutes, wedding bands, marriage license, cake topper, guest book, attendants gifts, gift for Rob, gifts for our parents.
Make/plan: GUESTLIST!! Bathroom baskets, emergency kit, BM's luncheon, gown preservation, speeches, seating arrangements, weight loss regimen (that's a whole other post!).

Ok, so now that I'm completely in full blown panic attack mode..... I can move on!
I know most of you are looking at that list and saying: "That's not a lot considering the time you have left". But people, please remember, as stated before, I am COMPLETELY anal, and I want everything to be done perfectly. I'm also seeing the time go by, my list is really lopsided, and I'm not seeing the weight change from one side to another. I also fear that Rob and I will get complacent, you know - we have time, we don't have to do it now... and then BAM we're at the alter with no one there to marry us - didn't have time to find an officiant!

To add insult to injury, I had my first wedding nightmare last night. It was something completely ridiculous - the placecards weren't set up. This is why I am panicking about the lack of wedding co-ordinator!! But, before this entry in my blog becomes TOO long winded, I'll stop writing... the differences between MY must have list and ROB'S must have list are too much of a touchy subject to try and address now!

Cutbacks...

Well, the general consensus is that the budget is the end all and be all of wedding planning.

Yeah, right.

When Rob and I sat down and originally budgeted for the wedding, we had NO idea how much things actually costed! After we booked a few things, our budget changed, doubled almost! In fact, I'm completely unsure as to why we even HAVE a budget... we're constantly changing it!

Not to say that it's a problem, because we are doing everything we can to make sure that our wedding day is not only an amazing memory for us, but also for everyone else who will be coming to celebrate with us!

After leaving a couple of deposits, Rob and I had a heart to heart. It went something like this:

"If we're getting such an amazing photographer, we don't NEED a videographer, right?""- Rob
"I, I guess..." - Jenn
"Well, come on.... the pictures will be great!"- Rob
"No, you're right babe, we don't need one.... let's save the money!"- Jenn

So, we veto'd the videographer. THEN, Rob went to work, and was bombarded by people at work that told him you can't do WITHOUT the videographer.... apparently, we'd regret it. LOL So, we re-budgeted for the videographer.

I'm thinking, for the price of a BASIC package of videography, we could buy ourselves a video camera, put it on a tripod and press RECORD. At least this way, we'd have something other than just the video afterwards....
Then again, who wants to be the videographer at their own wedding?? LOL If there are any takers out there good with a tripod, please be sure to let us know! LOL

So far, we've got our photographer, florist, limo and reception venue.... we still have so much to do... and time is just FLYING by! We're at 1 year and 9 months until the wedding exactly, today!

And finally, I know I'm not just writing this Blog to myself!!! Thanks to everyone for reading about the whole process.... :)

Say Cheese!

About a week ago, we decided to go out and scout out a photographer. I had been doing my internet research and came across Video Babylon. I wasn't too sure about them, but the price was right, so we fugured why not?! We walked up to the little unit at Keele and Finch. When we walked in to the unit, the first thing to come out of my mouth was "You've got to be kidding me!" Not only was this place a photo/video studio, they also sold fake rolex's and the club. Just in case your car got broken into while shopping for your photographer lol. Needless to say, this was NOT the photographer for us!
On Saturday, Rob and I took the drive to Milton to visit with the photographer that I wanted to use, Jennifer Images. The drive out there was nice, we stopped for lunch and drove around the block a bit because we were early. When we got there, Jen let us and I was immediatly wowed! She offered us tea and coffee, and let us look around at her work. Her studio was so warm and inviting I felt right at home.
Our appoinment should really have only lasted about a half hour. We were there for 2 hours! Jen was so wonderful! She was very friendly and we clicked the minute we started talking! After we went over all the details of the packages she offered, Rob and I didn't even need a minute to decide, we just knew that she was it for us! We left a deposit on the spot!

Check out her website if you're interested: www.jenniferimages.ca

A picture is worth a thousand words

Well, maybe not a thousand... I'm hoping the photo's will at least cover the basics of the day. I've heard mixed feelings about the importance of the photographer. Anything from "use a friend" to "it's the most important part of your memories".'I think Rob and I will meet them in between! I would like to have the engagement shoot... I would like to have the photographer there all day! I don't need a lot of pics printed, but I do want the negs or a CD with all the pics. Then we get to the videographer... boy oh boy.
I want a videographer to capture the LIVE action of the day! Something we can watch later and say "remember that!?" The problem is that they're so damn pricey! We found a couple of places that do BOTH! How convenient, your video and photo together as one! It's like a one stop wedding shop!
Anyways, if anyone is interested, we're going to check out Babylon stodios on Tuesday. I'll check back in and let you know what we thought!