AKA, The Tables or the Table Linens?
Girls, this is getting stressful. I'm trying to figure out our table linen situation, and it's like, you can't JUST decide on which ones to get, because first you need to know HOW MANY to get, so first you have to figure out your table layouts, which means you need to figure out some sort of seating plan. STRESS. FUL. Ugh. Maybe this is just a problem for me? Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person who doesn't get this whole wedding planning business. Like, how are we supposed to be able to deal with this and our regular lives at the same time? So. Annoying.
I think the frustration also lies in the fact that we are having long, rectangular tables instead of squares or circles. So we can pretty much arrange table how we want, in lengths of 6, 12, 18, etc. Basically, whatever works for different groups - like a huge table of friends, a smaller table of grandparents, etc. So I've been working on table arrangements ALL night, and now that I kind of have a picture in mind of how it will look, NOW I can start thinking about the type of linens I need.
Oh, but if only it was that easy! So far, all of the rental company websites I've browsed have these super random lengths of tablecloths. My tables are going to be 6FT x 5FT, placed end to end in varying lengths. How am I supposed to know what size linens to get so they will be floor length? Do I have to go into the venue to measure the height of the tables to know what size I need? I wish I had the money to throw at someone to handle this all for me. That would be SO. MUCH. EASIER.
Boo. Rant over.
What wedding roadblocks have you run into?
Tuesday, February 8
Monday, February 7
Beep Beep Beeeeep!
If you're guessing that's the sound of the registry gun, you're right!
D and I finally went out on the weekend and registered for wedding gifts. It was fun but tedious. It was something I had been looking forward to for a while - probably because we've been engaged for a while and it feels like I've been reading about other people's registries forever!
We decided on two stores to register at: The Bay (which is a huge Canadian department store) and Crate & Barrel (which just has nice stuff!). We set aside an afternoon and headed to the mall to get it done. We decided to go to the Bay first, because they have tons of stuff and Crate & Barrel would be for more of the fun, gadget-y things. After sitting through their 'spiel' we were given the gun and ready to go! The very first thing I scanned was at the top of my list - something I have been lusting over for YEARS. Now, I know this has been overdone when it comes to registries nowadays, but don't hate! This was my first item:
Hello, Lover!
I am beyond excited to have this baby sitting proudly on my kitchen counter. And considering I don't even know where I'll be living in a few months, this is a big deal!
The Bay gave us this booklet with a ridiculous checklist of things for the home. D and I have lived together before, but most of our items were either hand-me-downs or the cheapest of the cheap. That being said, even though we need a lot of stuff, we definitely didn't need everything that was suggested in their booklet. So Registry Advice #1: Don't scan things you need if you think you don't need it. Of course the stores want you to buy it - More money for them! We made a list before we left of things we needed so we wouldn't be tempted by what we saw in stores.
After scanning my beloved stand-mixer, we moved through the small appliances and other kitchen things, bedroom, bathroom, etc. I'm not going to lie - creating a registry is stressful. We don't know where we will be living in a few months - D is coming back to Ottawa, so obviously it will be somewhere together, but we don't know if it's going to be an apartment, a house, how many bedrooms we'll have... we don't even know what our furniture will look like! (Except that it will likely be crappy hand-me-downs for a while...) So, trying to envision what our kitchen will look like, what our bedroom will look like, and trying to pick a 'style'... it was hard! I think we did an okay job, but I guess we will have to see.
It took us a few hours to finish our registry at the Bay. We took a snack break in the middle (during which D scanned some chocolate milk onto our registry - hilarious!) and then kept going. We didn't get everything we needed in that one trip, but it is pretty easy to go back and add things - we still have time. After that, we quickly went to Crate & Barrel and filled in what we still needed or duplicates of things we liked better. The thing I really liked about the Crate & Barrel registry is that you can sit at home and peruse their website, and then just call to add things to the registry. At the Bay, you can remove or change the quantity of items online, but you can't add anything new.
So overall, it was a pretty fun experience. The only stress came from not wanting to seem like jerks asking for ridiculous, expensive things. We tried to put a variety of things on both registries - both big ticket and less expensive items. The best thing was we didn't get into any fights about things - there were certain items I cared about more, and things he cared about more, so we just made compromises. Easy, peasy!
So, registries... fun, or not so much? What do you think?
D and I finally went out on the weekend and registered for wedding gifts. It was fun but tedious. It was something I had been looking forward to for a while - probably because we've been engaged for a while and it feels like I've been reading about other people's registries forever!
We decided on two stores to register at: The Bay (which is a huge Canadian department store) and Crate & Barrel (which just has nice stuff!). We set aside an afternoon and headed to the mall to get it done. We decided to go to the Bay first, because they have tons of stuff and Crate & Barrel would be for more of the fun, gadget-y things. After sitting through their 'spiel' we were given the gun and ready to go! The very first thing I scanned was at the top of my list - something I have been lusting over for YEARS. Now, I know this has been overdone when it comes to registries nowadays, but don't hate! This was my first item:
Hello, Lover!
I am beyond excited to have this baby sitting proudly on my kitchen counter. And considering I don't even know where I'll be living in a few months, this is a big deal!
The Bay gave us this booklet with a ridiculous checklist of things for the home. D and I have lived together before, but most of our items were either hand-me-downs or the cheapest of the cheap. That being said, even though we need a lot of stuff, we definitely didn't need everything that was suggested in their booklet. So Registry Advice #1: Don't scan things you need if you think you don't need it. Of course the stores want you to buy it - More money for them! We made a list before we left of things we needed so we wouldn't be tempted by what we saw in stores.
After scanning my beloved stand-mixer, we moved through the small appliances and other kitchen things, bedroom, bathroom, etc. I'm not going to lie - creating a registry is stressful. We don't know where we will be living in a few months - D is coming back to Ottawa, so obviously it will be somewhere together, but we don't know if it's going to be an apartment, a house, how many bedrooms we'll have... we don't even know what our furniture will look like! (Except that it will likely be crappy hand-me-downs for a while...) So, trying to envision what our kitchen will look like, what our bedroom will look like, and trying to pick a 'style'... it was hard! I think we did an okay job, but I guess we will have to see.
It took us a few hours to finish our registry at the Bay. We took a snack break in the middle (during which D scanned some chocolate milk onto our registry - hilarious!) and then kept going. We didn't get everything we needed in that one trip, but it is pretty easy to go back and add things - we still have time. After that, we quickly went to Crate & Barrel and filled in what we still needed or duplicates of things we liked better. The thing I really liked about the Crate & Barrel registry is that you can sit at home and peruse their website, and then just call to add things to the registry. At the Bay, you can remove or change the quantity of items online, but you can't add anything new.
So overall, it was a pretty fun experience. The only stress came from not wanting to seem like jerks asking for ridiculous, expensive things. We tried to put a variety of things on both registries - both big ticket and less expensive items. The best thing was we didn't get into any fights about things - there were certain items I cared about more, and things he cared about more, so we just made compromises. Easy, peasy!
So, registries... fun, or not so much? What do you think?
Sunday, February 6
Sunday Fun: Bridesmaids
Just got back from an awesome weekend in Toronto with D, and I thought I'd share a link I stumbled on on the Apple website. (Sorry, I totally don't know how to imbed a video...)
There's a new wedding movie coming out, called 'Bridesmaids'! It looks so funny... I love Kristen Wiig and am also super excited to see Suki from Gilmore Girls in a totally different role. I love movies with weddings in them, and after being pretty disappointed with 'Bride Wars' I'm excited to see this one! Maybe perfect for a relaxing afternoon to get your mind of the stress of planning... or a fun start to the bachelorette party!
Anyone else excited to see this movie?
There's a new wedding movie coming out, called 'Bridesmaids'! It looks so funny... I love Kristen Wiig and am also super excited to see Suki from Gilmore Girls in a totally different role. I love movies with weddings in them, and after being pretty disappointed with 'Bride Wars' I'm excited to see this one! Maybe perfect for a relaxing afternoon to get your mind of the stress of planning... or a fun start to the bachelorette party!
Anyone else excited to see this movie?
Tuesday, February 1
Operation: Buff Bride!
So now what I have an idea of what to expect for the honeymoon, it's time to get in shape! I don't have a ton to lose, probably only 10-15 pounds, but I am definitely soft around the edges and need to get my butt in gear! Toning up is definitely more important than the number on the scale, though...
Situationally speaking...
I've worked out pretty well for the last few years, either by going to the gym, taking classes, running, or doing DVDs at home. Right now I don't have a gym membership and (unfortunately) can't afford one, so it looks like I am doing this solo! My biggest problem is motivation... I get into a good rhythm and will do a whole week in a row, and then slack off for a week. Definitely not a good plan.
I also need to work on my eating habits. I started following this awesome eating plan before the holidays, which was basically all fresh, unprocessed foods - lean protein, lots of veggies and some fruit, limited dairy, and no refined carbs (ie. bread, pasta, and rice). It worked really well and once I got the hang of it, it was pretty easy to follow even with going to restaurants. The hardest thing about it? No alcohol, which kind of sucked. As Christmas crept closer, I slacked off bit by bit, and am trying to get back into it now.
So my goal for the next 5 months is to workout at least 4-5 times a week, doing a combination of DVDs, running, and hot yoga classes (love!). I am also going to get back into my healthy eating plan, but I will go with more of an 80/20 mentality, as in following the meal plan 80% and slacking off (within reason) for 20%.
Look at those arms!
I'm writing this here because I want to be accountable to myself and to whoever is reading this. Hopefully in a the next month I will slowly start to see some progress! I know what I need to do... Now I just need to start doing it.
Do you have any specific wedding-related fitness goals? I'm sure I'm not the only one...
Situationally speaking...
I've worked out pretty well for the last few years, either by going to the gym, taking classes, running, or doing DVDs at home. Right now I don't have a gym membership and (unfortunately) can't afford one, so it looks like I am doing this solo! My biggest problem is motivation... I get into a good rhythm and will do a whole week in a row, and then slack off for a week. Definitely not a good plan.
I also need to work on my eating habits. I started following this awesome eating plan before the holidays, which was basically all fresh, unprocessed foods - lean protein, lots of veggies and some fruit, limited dairy, and no refined carbs (ie. bread, pasta, and rice). It worked really well and once I got the hang of it, it was pretty easy to follow even with going to restaurants. The hardest thing about it? No alcohol, which kind of sucked. As Christmas crept closer, I slacked off bit by bit, and am trying to get back into it now.
So my goal for the next 5 months is to workout at least 4-5 times a week, doing a combination of DVDs, running, and hot yoga classes (love!). I am also going to get back into my healthy eating plan, but I will go with more of an 80/20 mentality, as in following the meal plan 80% and slacking off (within reason) for 20%.
Look at those arms!
I'm writing this here because I want to be accountable to myself and to whoever is reading this. Hopefully in a the next month I will slowly start to see some progress! I know what I need to do... Now I just need to start doing it.
Do you have any specific wedding-related fitness goals? I'm sure I'm not the only one...
Sunday, January 30
Gifts for my 'Maids
So I've started thinking about what I'd like to gift my girls for taking part in our wedding. But first...
I have a few things in mind so far, but am looking for more ideas, so if anyone has any suggestions, please share!
So, first of all, I've seen a lot of brides buy cheap, cute flip flops and bedazzle them up a bit so the bridesmaids have something comfortable to change into at the end of the night. As much as I love this idea, I know that personally I have about a zillion pairs of flip flops, and there are cuter options out there! Such as...
1. Fold-Up Ballet Flats
There are a ton of these products on the market right now: CitySlips, FootzyRolls, DamnHeels, and the better priced Dr. Scholl's Fast Flats. They are all pretty similar in style, and range from $10 - $30 in price. Has anyone ever tried these? I never have, so I don't know which ones are best. I guess I'll have to find some reviews online.
2. A cute clutch/wristlet
There are a lot of options out there! Again, I'm not quite sure what I want to get, but I don't want to spend a ton of money on them - so that Coach wristlet is probably out of the question. There are tons of great finds on Etsy, so I will probably have something custom made on there.
3. Necklaces
All photos from here.
5. Wedding Day Hair
Last but not least, I am going to pay for my girls to get their hair done for the wedding, should they choose. It's totally up to them if they want it done on the day of - I know sometimes people are more comfortable doing their own hair, or don't necessarily want it done by a stranger, so that's fine by me.
So far, that's it. Is that enough? I'll probably add little things here and there as I come across them, and probably find a cute reusable tote to put everything in. But if anyone has any suggestions, or if you think these gifts suck, please let me know!
What did you end up getting your bridesmaids to say Thank You?
I have a few things in mind so far, but am looking for more ideas, so if anyone has any suggestions, please share!
So, first of all, I've seen a lot of brides buy cheap, cute flip flops and bedazzle them up a bit so the bridesmaids have something comfortable to change into at the end of the night. As much as I love this idea, I know that personally I have about a zillion pairs of flip flops, and there are cuter options out there! Such as...
1. Fold-Up Ballet Flats
There are a ton of these products on the market right now: CitySlips, FootzyRolls, DamnHeels, and the better priced Dr. Scholl's Fast Flats. They are all pretty similar in style, and range from $10 - $30 in price. Has anyone ever tried these? I never have, so I don't know which ones are best. I guess I'll have to find some reviews online.
2. A cute clutch/wristlet
There are a lot of options out there! Again, I'm not quite sure what I want to get, but I don't want to spend a ton of money on them - so that Coach wristlet is probably out of the question. There are tons of great finds on Etsy, so I will probably have something custom made on there.
3. Necklaces
All photos from here.
Again, I haven't chosen anything yet. I think I will wait and see what dresses my girls choose, and then try to buy necklaces that match their dress and overall personal style. I will probably buy something different for each of my girls based on their style. I don't want to buy them some random necklace they'll never wear again. Also, I am not going to require them to wear the necklaces to the wedding, but they definitely can if they would like to!
4. Bridesmaid Tanks
(Source)
I found this amazingly cute tutorial over on Weddingbee, so I am definitely going to add this to my list of DIY projects. I think they are so cute and this will be the perfect this to wear the morning of the wedding while we all get ready. (Of course, I'm going to make myself one as well!) So I am on the hunt for cute, inexpensive tanks to use and a bit of fabric or ribbon to craft the flowers. Question - Should I try and work this in to our wedding colour scheme, or not worry about it? I was thinking a white tank for me, and yellow ones for my maids... They are all brunette and can definitely pull yellow off. I guess we'll see what kind of tanks I can find and go from there.
4. Bridesmaid Tanks
(Source)I found this amazingly cute tutorial over on Weddingbee, so I am definitely going to add this to my list of DIY projects. I think they are so cute and this will be the perfect this to wear the morning of the wedding while we all get ready. (Of course, I'm going to make myself one as well!) So I am on the hunt for cute, inexpensive tanks to use and a bit of fabric or ribbon to craft the flowers. Question - Should I try and work this in to our wedding colour scheme, or not worry about it? I was thinking a white tank for me, and yellow ones for my maids... They are all brunette and can definitely pull yellow off. I guess we'll see what kind of tanks I can find and go from there.
5. Wedding Day Hair
Last but not least, I am going to pay for my girls to get their hair done for the wedding, should they choose. It's totally up to them if they want it done on the day of - I know sometimes people are more comfortable doing their own hair, or don't necessarily want it done by a stranger, so that's fine by me.
So far, that's it. Is that enough? I'll probably add little things here and there as I come across them, and probably find a cute reusable tote to put everything in. But if anyone has any suggestions, or if you think these gifts suck, please let me know!
What did you end up getting your bridesmaids to say Thank You?
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