Can't wait to walk up these steps!

First, can I just say… HAPPY CANADA DAY! I stumbled across a great little article this morning that made me smile, so I’m passing it along: 100 Reasons to Love Canada. (I’m surprised they could narrow it down to 100! Ha!)

Big news on this Wedding Wednesday update. The planning is chugging along, and I’m happy to report that the two biggest things on our “To Do” list have been checked off. Yes, the date is set and the venue is booked! B-rad and I will be tying the knot/taking the vows/getting hitched/entering into a lifetime commitment of awesomeness in October 2010. (Yes, I’m doing a little dance right now. I’m kinda psyched.) And the venue? Perfection. It was love at first sight.

But it was not the first venue that we checked out. Oh no. We’ve been a busy pair, scoping out venues across the GTA and trying to find the perfect one to fit our style and our budget. And we’ve learned one very important thing: Weddings are freaking expensive, friends. Holy geez. Let’s check the highlight reel…

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Photo: Sweetretreat.ca

Having already navigated my way through one bridal show (which I doubt will be my last) here are a few words of wisdom that I think every bride-to-be should have before getting swept up in bridal show madness.

1. Bring Your Partner-to-Be
I can’t tell you how many women I overheard saying, “I wish he was here, I can’t decide on these things by myself!” as they walked around with girlfriends and moms. While wedding shows are really just for inspiration, it makes sense to have your partner come along so that you don’t have to attempt to relay a mountain of information about DJs, invitations and eleven-tiered cakes when you get home. (If it helps, tell him/her there will be cake samples to test. Food is an excellent motivator.)

2. Leave Your Credit Card At Home
Did I need to purchase a $200 flat iron at a wedding show? Probably not. But after three hours of wandering around, I was so grateful to the woman who asked me to sit down while she did a demo on my wavy locks, I decided I either had to make a purchase, or marry her. Do yourself (and your bank account) a favour and keep the Visa stashed at home in case you feel the urge to impulse buy.

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Note: Yes. I am finally getting around to blogging about wedding plans (hurrah!). I’ve been debating setting up a separate blog for a while now, strictly for wedding talk (because I don’t want to annoy anyone) but the truth is, one blog is hard enough for me to keep up with, and I don’t want to half-ass two of them. So here’s the deal: On Wednesdays, I will dive into the crazy world of weddings and all their majesty, and the rest of the week, you will be spared from my bridal tales. Cool? Rock on. Let’s get started…

When I woke up on St. Patrick’s Day 2008, I had no idea that by the time I went to sleep, I’d be standing at the edge of a world filled with taffeta and fondant, about to take a flying leap. But things happen when you least expect them, they say. Or, in my case, when you sort of expect them, then second guess yourself, only to be proven absolutely right anyway. Allow me to explain…

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Ringing in the New Year (2006)

Note: This was originally posted in July 2008. But since we’re back in wedding planning mode, I decided that it definitely warrants a re-post. (But don’t worry… There’s a brand new post coming up on Monday! AND I’ve thrown in a super fun contest just to make up for posting an oldie-but-goodie. Enjoy!)

One of the fun parts of being engaged is when people ask, “So… How did you two meet?” and you get to relive your whole epic romance, in ten minutes or less. Having now told this story several dozen times, I still have to smirk a bit when I admit that Brad and I almost never met at all.

Quick background: The truth is, I’d never actually intended to go to St. Jerome’s University (a small campus within the University of Waterloo). Sure, I’d applied, but it was mostly on a whim. I was sure that I would be accepted to my first choice university, and so each day of my last year of high school, I rushed home to check the mailbox for an acceptance letter. Funny thing is, my first choice acceptance arrived last. But, as luck would have it, my last choice acceptance arrived first. Through a strange twist of fate, and with the sage advice of my guidance counselor (that’s two gift baskets for you, Mr. Brennan!), I decided to give SJU a shot.

So there I was, nearly two months into my first term as an undergrad and the annual residence Trick-or-Treating had just begun. The guys were up first, fishing for candy that they would inevitably just end up giving back to us when we headed over to their building, as we were far more prepared and had actually purchased treats. (Smart move on their part, actually… Bonus points for recycling AND being recession-friendly.)

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Take a quick glimpse at my ‘To Do’ wedding planning list and you’ll know almost instantly that we’ve got a long way to go before The Big Day. There are venues to see, cakes to try, and of course, The Dress to find. But before I lose myself in the world of taffeta and lace, there is something else I need to deal with first:

I need to get in shape. (There. I said it.)

After six years of life as a student (the bulk of which was spent in front of a computer, writing), I’ve decided that it’s time to get serious about getting fit. And with my wedding a little over a year away, there seems to be no time like the present to get started.

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