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…

The first venue that we toured was amazing, and we thought we’d struck gold our first time out. What a lucky break! It was unique, completely fit our personalities, and it was all kinds of awesome. Unfortunately, all that awesomeness was going to cost us about 200% of our total budget, and it didn’t even include the ceremony! Don’t get me wrong, we’re all about the party… But we’d kinda like to say “I Do” before the epic celebration begins. And not in the living room, in front of our cats and neighbour-turned-internet-minister, either. Clearly, finding our dream venue was going to be a bit trickier than we’d thought. Moving along…

Venue #2 was stunning AND budget-friendly, but unfortunately it was also located in a pretty remote spot. And we were worried that the room the coordinator suggested might be a little too small for our party once we factored in a dance floor and all our guests. Yes, our guests like to get their groove on, and we aren’t about to squash their enthusiasm, particularly on the day of our wedding. I mean, really… Who doesn’t want to celebrate the union of two nerdy people with a little two step or electric slide? (But no chicken dance, please.) Plus, an 8-hour open bar is nice and all, but when the closest hotel is half an hour away, it’s not really worth it…

The third time proved NOT to be the charm when I toured a venue in Whitby with my mum on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The coordinator booked our appointment at the same time as a wedding, so one of the ballrooms wasn’t available for viewing, and the one that WAS available was still a total mess from the night before (wine-soaked linens, tables all over the place, a ladder in the middle of the room). I was also completely mortified when I walked in the front door of the banquet hall and right into someone’s receiving line. Disaster. I was unimpressed, to say the least.

So, we took a break from looking for a while… and then our Best Man (who is also a wedding photographer) mentioned a venue that he was going to be shooting a wedding at this summer, and gave me the web address. I have to admit, I’d never heard of Hockley Valley Resort before, but I was certainly intrigued, and the photos on the site looked fantastic. B-rad and I made an appointment to check it out, and the following weekend we were on the road to Orangeville, feeling hopeful and excited.

Let me tell you, our Best Man is going to be getting a very nice thank you gift for that little gem! After touring the resort—the ballrooms, the outdoor ceremony location, the restaurant and the guest suites—we were in love. It offers everything that we wanted: a destination-type feel without the hefty price tag, a gorgeous natural backdrop, lots of privacy and plenty of convenience. We walked around for a while on our own and then asked the coordinator for a contract. We hadn’t really planned on booking the same day as the tour, but we just couldn’t imagine anywhere more perfect for the Big Day!

So, that’s it! October 2010, Hockley Valley Resort. Things are really starting to come together, which means that The Party of the Decade is one huge step closer to becoming a reality! And it just goes to show that sometimes answers show up when you least expect them. Thank goodness for that!

What about you, brides- and grooms-to-be? Any venue hunting horror stories? Has anyone out there attended a wedding at a venue that you loved/hated? I always enjoy stories about the unique places that people choose for their weddings… Share your tales in the comments!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve need to go eat some poutine, feed my polar bear and drink a beer, eh? (Happy Birthday, Canada! I’m going to eat some cake on your behalf.)

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.

3. Say “Maybe” to The Dress
Yes, there are some fantastic deals on wedding gowns at bridal shows. But if it’s your first show, don’t feel pressured to pick up a dress just because it’s a steal at $150. Look around and figure out what kind of dress you want first, then see if it’s available for a discount at a show. Dress booths are also a great opportunity to get ideas!

4. Don’t Let Yourself Be Bullied
In a building packed with vendors, it’s no secret that everyone is trying to sell you on something. Weddings are a huge moneymaking business, and everyone wants to be your first choice. But don’t let aggressive salespeople push you into anything you’re not comfortable with. If you’re not interested, politely let them know it and just keep walking.

5. Beware the Chocolate Fountain
There will likely be at least one chocolate fountain demonstration at every wedding show you attend. Ah, the chocolate fountain. Totally luxe and awesome, right? Not when there are 100 people in line to dip a marshmallow on a toothpick, friends. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and I’m pretty sure that manning it is the most stressful gig in the whole place. So tread carefully, and remember to stash a Tide to Go in your purse, just in case.

Any bridal show pros out there? I’d love to hear your tips! For a list of upcoming bridal shows in the GTA, check out The Perfect Wedding Guide.

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…

St. Patrick’s Day was almost over, and I was cranking out the last paragraphs of a review of David French’s Leaving Home.  Not exactly the wild St. Patty’s Day I’d envisioned, but with only a few weeks of journalism school left, I was moving full speed ahead and had no time for green beer or dancing on the bar at Pogue Mahone. (Okay, there may have been a green beer or two in there somewhere, but definitely no bar dancing.) Napping beside me was my boyfriend, the fabulous B-rad, who coincidentally has been one of my best friends since we met in university in 2002 (which you may remember from this post). We’d been dating for nearly two years at that point and I had a feeling that he was going to pop The Question sometime in the near future. But as the clock crept closer to midnight, it seemed highly unlikely that today would be The Day.

Then he stopped napping.

Twenty minutes and a confusing-to-anyone-who-isn’t-us conversation later, he was on one knee in front of me with a little green box in his hand, carefully reciting the sweetest speech I have ever heard. (The kind of speech that has made grown women cry upon re-telling, I kid you not.) And as I’ve always been incredibly articulate when it comes to Brad, I looked at him with a stunned expression, blinked a few times and said, “Come again?”

He: “I said, will you marry me?”

Me: “I’m sorry, I’m going to need you to run that by me one more time.”

He (laughing): “Will you marry me?”

When I finally managed to squeak out a “Yes!” between tears and hugs, he reminded me that there was a ring I hadn’t looked at yet. And let me tell you, when I finally took a peek, it was the most perfect and beautiful thing I’d ever seen. A Claddagh engagement ring (yes, that’s it in the photo… and yes, that is a heart-shaped diamond mounted on the top). Just the thing for a St. Patrick’s Day proposal. Brad had it custom designed, just for me… And it’s one of a kind, just like him. (Cue the violins, people. It doesn’t get more sappy than this.) Seriously though, I get a lot of comments about this bling, from total strangers to dear friends who swoon over it every time it catches the light. It is really and truly incredible… And he deserves full credit.

(Fun fact: The only person who knew about B-rad’s not-so-evil plan beforehand was my mum. He asked for her blessing and gave her a sneak peek at the ring before I had any idea what was going on. She still pretended to be surprised when I called to tell her the news, though… and I sure am glad she gave him the green light. Thanks, mum… You rock!)

So there you have it. And now that you know how I became a bride-to-be, come on and get sappy with me!  What’s your proposal story? Leave it in the comments!

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.)

That was the first time I ever noticed “That Guy.”

It wasn’t that hard, really… I mean, how often do you see a guy dressed in full “thug-wear,” with a chess clock hanging from his neck? (Think Eminem meets Bill Nye meets Flava Flav… Pure gold.) Even more hilarious was the fact that he was pushing another “nerd thug” in a little shopping cart, courtesy of the LCBO. I had to take a photo, because I was sure no one back home would believe me when I later recounted the tale. A few days later, I had the photos developed, and chuckled as I hung the photo of the residence “nerd thugs” on my wall.

And then promptly forgot all about them. Completely.

In all the excitement of first year – the classes, the new friends, and the parties (oh, the parties) – I didn’t stop to wonder whatever happened to that guy with the chess clock who had amused me so much. Instead, I went about my business, completely unaware that he was practically right under my nose, every day.

Flash forward to the next term. It wasn’t quite spring yet, but my annual Spring Sickness had decided to kick in anyway. I’d taken the day off school, and wandered over to JR Finn – the guys’ res – to leave a note for my friend, Nic. Dressed in my finest sweatpants and hoodie (the official wardrobe of sickness and despair), I plunked down in Nic’s chair to pen my little message.

And then, out of nowhere, this totally cute guy appeared. (I know, I know… cue cheesy romantic movie music, right?). I was sure I’d never seen him before… and I was also sure that I was staring. How could you blame me, though? The boy has killer eyes… They’re not just blue, they’re… mesmerizing. (And this is where my friend E would say, “Holy sap, Al. Barf.”)

“Have you seen Nic?” He asked, looking simultaneously curious and confused, which I’m sure I did as well.

“Uh. (pause) No. (pause) I’m leaving a note,” I replied, like the fantastically eloquent lady that I am.

“Ok. Um, thanks.” And he was gone again.

I’m not sure if you’re familiar with a little film called Dirty Dancing, but there is a pivotal scene wherein Frances (‘Baby’) Houseman winds up in the staff-only dance house of the Catskills where she is summering with her parents. She comes face-to-face with dreamy bad boy, Johnny Castle, and he asks what she’s doing there. She replies, “I carried a watermelon,” like the fantastically eloquent lady that she is. When he walks away, she makes a pained face and repeats, “I carried a watermelon?!” horrified by her own lack of coolness.

Yeah, Baby. I can relate.

As it turns out, that “totally random guy” wasn’t actually random at all. In fact, his photo had been on my wall for the past three months, as Nic later pointed out. I just didn’t recognize him sans chess clock and drunken shopping cart passenger. And despite my stunning display of oratory skills, we soon became best friends (and managed to stay that way, despite some pretty epic ups and downs over the years).

And now here we are, more than five years later, “That Guy” is actually “My Guy,” and we’re planning our wedding. While we have a list of things to plan that’s about a mile long, there’s one thing we know for sure: no one at our wedding will be sporting a chess clock. Not even the groom.

So, that’s our story. Now I want to hear yours! How’d you meet the “special someone” in your life? Let me know, and I’ll choose my favourite story to win a little gift pack, including a copy of Serendipity on DVD!

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.

Since the idea of strolling into a gym to chat up a personal trainer is almost enough to make me swear off physical activity all together, a friend of mine was kind enough to put me in touch with her trainer, who was happy to answer all my questions. And when it comes to fitness, David Skelly definitely knows what he’s talking about.

The things that David has accomplished already in his life (he’s in his 20s) make me feel incredibly lazy. After gaining a national diploma in sports therapy (which included personal training, sports massage and injury treatment), he became a qualified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. In short, fitness is his life, whereas I am short and fitness is more like a phobia.

While doing pilates in the comfort of my living room certainly has its benefits, David makes me wonder if teaming up with a personal trainer might give me a bit of an edge in terms of getting better results. The good news is that he’s all the way over in Ireland and can’t come here and force me to work out. The bad news is that he’s all the way over in Ireland, and can’t come here and force me to work out.

So, although David can’t be my personal Arnold, he’s left me with some excellent tips to share for finding a personal trainer that’s right for you. Whether you’re shaping up for a special event, or just trying to incorporate health and fitness into your everyday life, here are a few things you should keep in mind:

Don’t be intimidated

Anyone can benefit from working with a personal trainer. Whether it’s your first time in a gym or you’re an elite athlete, you can benefit from the experience and knowledge of a personal trainer. A trainer will act as a coach, role model, educator and cheerleader who will customize a program to fit your needs, budget and schedule.

Know where to look

Finding a trainer is fairly easy. The most common way is to check with your local health club, more often than not they will have a number of trainers on staff for a reasonable cost. Another way is to check with a nationally recognized organization, such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Know the costs

Depending on what you want from your trainer and where you are in the country, you can expect to pay between $25 to $100/hour.  Sometimes to share costs you might be able to bring a buddy along to your sessions. Some health clubs often offer personal training at a reduced price.

Ask the right questions

When looking to hire a trainer it is important to ask a number of questions to get an idea of what the trainer is like, and also to ensure your own safety and satisfaction. Is the trainer certified by a nationally recognized organization? What is the trainer’s experience? Can the trainer provide references? Will the trainer keep records of your workouts and any changes in your medical history? If you are injured or have any other health problems will your trainer communicate with your doctor or physical therapist?

Take your time

If you’re trying to get in shape by a certain deadline, it is best to start early and give yourself plenty of time to reach your goals and to avoid drastic last-minute diets that could have negative effects on your health and well being. Healthy eating and proper exercise is the best way to get in shape, and most of all, to stay in shape.

And of course, if anyone has any hilarious fitness stories to share, I would LOVE to hear them! To quote some of my favourite Canadian fitness icons, “Until next time, keep fit, and have fun!”