A card box?

Lee and I popped into our local antique centre today. We ignored the crusty man who always seems to look down his nose at us (even though we've bought quite a lot from him including my engagement ring), and enjoyed having a rummage around.


Maybe this would be a cute card box at the wedding?

My big fat head

I come from a family with large heads. "Big head equals big brains" my Dad always says.

I've always struggled finding hats that fit and ski and bike helmets are an absolute nightmare. Don't get me started on the embarrassment of being told by Coach Stacy in grade 11 gym that I would have to sit out the broomball class because they couldn't find a helmet big enough for me...

But now my big fat head has stopped me from getting a great deal on a really cute dress! Argh! This cute little dress was on sale for 30 pounds (down from 135) at Coast.



The dress fit beautifully except for the fact that my bowling ball-sized head would not make it through the opening at the top. Sweaty and disheartened I gave up, fearful that I would either rip the dress or get stuck and have to ask the sales lady to extricate me (or both).

Why couldn't the Coast designer have thought to add a zipper or a button as not to discriminate against the big-headed?

Our invitations

The invitations are out and we're starting to get some RSVPs. It's a nice feeling to be getting so much mail!

Neither Lee nor I are overly creative types so the invitations are rather plain and simple (kind of like us). They pale in comparison with some of the beautiful ones I've seen on the Internet, but we're rather happy with the final result. We used the gorgeous Paper Source Luxe White 210g paper and A7 envelopes and A2 sage envelopes.

I forgot to take pictures of the entire package, but here are a few snaps of the individual components.

I'm happiest with the little booklet that contains the map, hotel information and brunch information (some guest's booklets also had the rehearsal dinner information).





We decided to forgo the inner envelope and just wrapped the invitation, RSVP, and information booklet with a bellyband indicating who was invited.

The British guests also got a little card with information about the UK reception.


I really wanted to line the envelopes with pretty paper but Lee's practical voice won out as it really would only add more cost and weight. Besides lined envelopes, I also love the look of cool or vintage stamps. However, practicality won out again and we were happy to go with standard Canada Post Audrey Hepburn stamp.

It was quite a nice feeling to post them off (albeit somewhat unceremoniously into the big Royal Mailbox outside our front door as I'm not bothered by the whole 'hand-cancelling' thing). I figure the envelope is going to get chewed up a bit in transit anyways...

We managed to create 100 of these bad boys for $274 Cdn (with postage) without too many fights, sweat, or tears. Result.

oh well...

The BBC is reporting that Wrapit, where we have one of our two wedding registries, is in 'financial difficulties'. Apparently guests can still reserve gifts but Wrapit is not taking any payments. One bride told the BBC that she closed her list in February 2008 and still hadn't received any gifts!

As we haven't had anyone buy us anything from the list, we've decided to close it. I'm rather disappointed as they had far nicer things than the normal Debenhams list, but we just didn't want to risk it.

We've discussed registering at Amazon and are looking into it. Although for some reason, I'm a little leary as guests may need to order from a third party for some gifts. Has anyone used the Amazon registry service?

** Thanks for the heads up Robyn!

Place cards

Our venue needs to know who is eating what by way of a place card. It's a bit of a pain, but I think it's pretty much the norm.

We decided to try to re-create this Martha look with our place cards.

(Ghetto scan of Martha Stewart Weddings Fall 2007 p.266)

We printed off the entire guest list onto white cardstock and will then attach them to the appropriate coloured backing (Black = beef, green = vegetarian, cream = fish)

We've started to get a few RSVPs back from our UK invitations, so I was rather excited to actually start glueing these bad boys together.

As you can see, the Groom is definitely looked forward to the prime rib and my friend Anthony is a vegetarian. (The Bride is undecided).


The white cardstock was cheap so I'm not too worried about wastage for the guests who decline the invitation. I realize that we probably will need to print off a few more closer to the day of the wedding but I'm not too worried. Hopefully (she says) we can do this as and when the RSVPs arrive and save a bit of hassle in the last week before the wedding.

Cultural dance differences

I was talking with the guys at work about the wedding today. Three of my colleagues will actually be flying out to Canada for the wedding (en route to a large conference) and the discussion focused on cultural differences that they should expect to see.

I mentioned how at a friend's wedding last summer the large British contingent broke out some wicked dance moves to Whigfield's Saturday Night. Unless I was living under a rock in 1994 I had never seen the routine in action. Two of my colleagues then proceeded to bust a move in their lab coats. Wicked.

Apparently it looks like this:



Even wikipedia confirms that there is a specific dance routine!

My colleagues also proceeded to demonstrate the dance routine for "Oops upside your head". Ever heard of it? Neither had I....



I cannot think of any specifically Canadian dance songs. Except for maybe Home for a Rest. But that song is reserved for really really late in the night when you've had far too many drinks to care what you look like.

Talking the big game

I was talking the big game.

After all of my talk that I would not be wearing 'bridal' shoes, I tried on my dress and realized that I pretty much was talking out of my ass.

Now that my dress actually fits (thank you to the kindly English seamstress who only wanted to charge me 20 pounds), I realize that the dress can only accommodate a 1-inch heal and that a significant amount of the shoe is visible, even when I'm just standing.

So I've spent the last two weeks searching for a white/ivory/champagne/metallic and low heal that is not fugly. I rather think the task is impossible.

Disheartened and disappointed, I have cheered myself up by purchasing these bad boys off of Ebay:




I love them. They are far too high to wear on the wedding day but they will be making the rounds during a wedding we will attend this summer, the rehearsal dinner, and our reception in the UK.

Wunderbar!

I received an email last night that has put me in the best of moods. My German exchange student from high school will be coming to the wedding (along with this girlfriend)!

He emailed me to say: "We are looking forward to visit you on your wedding! The flights are booked and we will connect this happy event with a roundtrip through Canada. We had such luck with your wedding date: it is exactly the time of school-holydays where Theresa can be with me. We hope that you have not so much stress to plan the wedding etc"

He also attached this picture:

My German has declined significantly since high school but hopefully after a few drinks I will be speaking fluently (like is the case when I try to speak French).

I'm just so happy and so touched that he'll be making the trip back to Canada again...This will be his third trip as he came a second time after the initial exchange. I haven't seen him since 2001 when his family graciously hosted me again while I was backpacking around Europe after university.

(Carrie and Megs - we had all better brush up on our German so that Andreas and Theresa feel welcome!) :)

Pretty pictures

I'm so in love with this wedding shot by Storey Wilkins.

I love the simple way in which the barn was decorated.

A great shot of the bridal party (I think they're drinking Creemore Springs Lager out of champagne glasses - so cool).


Beautiful details...



I love that they had a massive cake of cheese instead of a traditional wedding cake.


And of course the fascinators were to die for! (Doesn't the mother of the groom look fantastic?)


More pictures from Storey Wilkins are here.