2010 Wedding To-Do List

Below is a list of things we still need to figure out for the wedding, organized by the month I hope to accomplish those tasks in. Am I missing anything? I'm sure I am.

January

• Get sample invite
• Write invite copy
• Get guys’ outfits
• Block off hotel rooms
• Start the registering process
• Make short list of cake bakers
• Make short list of florists
• Make short list of officiates
  

February

• Figure out flowers & hire a florist
• Figure out hair & make-up & book
• Hire cake baker
• Hire a DJ
• Hire an officiate
• Buy invites

March

• Figure out ceremony music
• Pick first dance song
• Figure out rings
• Have all guest list info in our magical guest list spreadsheet

April

• Send out invites
• Figure out favours
• Book our hotel room
• Get hair highlighted & book July appointment

May

• Have sister’s outfit figured out

June

• Book nail appointment
• Have food figured out
• Buy photo permit

July

• Buy remaining parts for the centerpieces
• Decide on signature drink
• Figure out rehearsal dinner
• Write thank you speech
• Create DJ “must-play” and “no-play” lists
• Create photo “must-take” list
• Confirm day-of schedule with venue
• Confirm photo details with photographer
• Confirm all other vendors (baker, florist, DJ, officiate, etc.)
• Give final head count/details to venue
• Figure out seating chart & submit to venue
• Buy liquor permit
• Buy wedding licence
• Get hair cut & highlights
• Create centerpiece/table décor “bundles”
• Create/buy card box
• Create escort card things

August

• Buy alcohol
• Steam dress & veil
• Confirm who is doing what & make a handy chart that explains it all
• Make emergency kit
• Get nails done

Already Done

• Venne booked
• Attendants picked
• Engagement announced
• Dress bought & fitted
• Shoes & jewellery bought
• Photographer hired
• Colours figured out
• Centerpieces figured out
• Guest list created
• Invites decided on
• Guestbook bought
• Insurance purchased

Not Worrying About

• A ceremony site
• Programs, save-the-dates or menu carts
• Limos
• A honeymoon (we’re doing that in 2011)

Upcoming Toronto Wedding Shows

It’s almost time for the January wedding shows. Here’s a look at what’s happening when. For hints on how to survive a wedding show, read this post.

January 2-3
Total Wedding Show
International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga
$15
This huge show features all the usual suspects and the chance to win a diamond ring.
More Info

January 8-10
Canada’s Bridal Show
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front St. W., Toronto
$15
Another big show. Many vendors who do the Total Wedding Show will also be at this one so don’t feel like you have to hit up both shows.
More Info

January 15-17
The Wedding Show
The Carlu, 444 Yonge Street, 7th floor, Toronto $17/$20
Featuring 115 hand-selected exhibitors, this intimate (as wedding shows go) event is best for brides with cash and a love of the finer things.
More Info

January 16-17
Canada’s Wedding Expo
Toronto Congress Centre North. 650 Dixon Road, Toronto
This big bridal show includes a “How To Dress Your Man” seminar.
$15
More Info http://www.canadasweddingexpo.ca

January 22-24
National Bridal Show
Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto
Brides who register in advance are free; $15
I think I might check this one out this year. It features some stuff on green weddings and is doing a Rich Bride, Poor Bride casting call.
More Info

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you from WedTO! I’m going to be off doing Christmas stuff over the next few days but will be back next week with plenty of fresh posts.

Wedding Dress Fitting Tips

So on Thursday I saw my dress for the first time since I bought it back in July. While I was a bit worried about whether or not I would still love it, once I got it on I knew that it was still the dress for me.

Besides leaning that I still loved my dress, I also learned a few dress fitting tips that I’m passing on below.

1. Be well rested and well fed before going to your fitting: I had been up at 4 am that morning (early flight) and hadn’t eaten much other than a doughnut. As a result, I got a bit dizzy during my dress fitting and had to sit down (but at least now I know that I can sit in my dress).


2. Have clean hands: Before you touch that dress make sure your hands are clean and don’t contain remnants of that chocolate bar you were just eating.


3. Remove most jewelry and turn any rings inside: Rings, bracelets, watches and necklaces can and do catch and damage dresses so take them off or, in the case of your engagement ring, turn the stone to the inside. Of course, once the dress is on you can (carefully) put on whatever jewelry you want so that you can see the full effect.


4. Bring the right shoes: This is an easy one. Without your wedding day shoes, the dress might not be altered to the correct length.


5. Bring the right underwear: For some dresses, what you’re wearing under it isn’t an issue. But if your dress isn’t like that, bring your wedding day underwear so that you can make sure that everything sits where it should sit.
   
   


6. Don’t suck it in too much: Yes, you want to look slim and perfect in your dress. But at the same time, you also want to be able to drink, eat and breathe. A good fitter should realize when you’re sucking it in to extreme but still, help her out and don’t spend the whole fitting with your gut ridiculously sucked in.
   
7. Try on your veil too: If your getting your viel/headpiece at the same time as the dress, try it on too so you can check and make sure you're getting what you want.


8. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or point things out: If something looks weird, politely ask about it. Make sure to stay calm and use a friendly/curious tone so that you don’t put the seamstress on the defensive. If though you notice a major flaw (wrong size, a ripe, a stain, missing elements) and the store doesn’t want to do anything about it, start working your way into bitch mode.


9. Bring a camera or even better, something that records video: Now, some dresses are easy to do up and have a simple or even no bustle. My dress is not one of those dresses. So I had my mother use my phone to record how the dress is laced up and how the bustle is done.


10. Get a garment bag: Depending on the store you might have to pay extra for this but it’s worth it since a good quality garment bag will let your dress “breathe” while protecting it.


11. Ask how the dress should be stored: Are you fine to leave the dress for months in a zipped up garment bag? When should it be steamed? Are there any precautions you should take when storing/steaming/cleaning the dress?


12. Have a plan for where the dress will live: Before you leave to pick up your dress, know where it will call home so that it doesn’t spend the next week hanging out on our couch or hanging from a curtain rod in your living room.

Unique Toronto Wedding Venues

I’d just like to take this moment to remind everyone about the WedTO Venue Chart. It lists over a dozen Toronto wedding venues that are hardly your typical banquet halls. Venues profiled include The Carlu, the Steam Whistle Brewery, Casa Loma and the Gladstone Hotel.

I hope you find it helpful!

Seeing My Dress Again

Today I’ll be seeing and trying on my dress for the first time since I picked it out and ordered it back in July. I’m really hoping that I still love it.

I’ve been looking at the photos I have of the dress and while I still love the neckline, the silhouette and the back, there are a couple of details I’m having second thoughts on. I don’t want to reveal too much about my dress so let’s just say that the skirt includes a detail that at first I loved but now I’m questioning. But since it’s the type of detail that I can’t really change I guess I’m stuck with it.

But maybe once I get my dress on again I’ll change my mind (again) about that detail. But even if I don’t end up loving it it’s not what I would consider a “dress-breaker”. It’s the type of detail that most people won’t even notice and in all honestly I can live with it.

I have no intention of being a “two-dress bride”. For one thing, I can’t afford to buy a new dress (I didn’t even buy the first dress, my parents did). And if I did buy a different dress, it would look very, very similar to the one I currently have so really, what’s the point?

After I bought my dress I was really worried that I’d end up seeing that perfect one somewhere else. But so far the only dresses that I’ve liked better are those that cost oh, $5,000 or more so I feel good that I’ve made the right choice. Hopefully I’ll still feel that way after today’s fitting.

Toronto Life Wedding Guide

Toronto Life’s first-ever wedding guide hits newsstands today. I’m a bit surprised that they’ve never published one before, wedding magazines are usually fairly easy money (at least in the magazine world), but whatever, it’s here now and I plan on picking up a copy tomorrow to read on the plane(I'm headed to Alberta for Christmas).

I see that the cover features a cake that looks very similar to the cake design we were thinking of going with. I guess that means we have good taste?

Anyway, I generally find Toronto Life’s guides quite informative and practical so I think it’s safe to say that this is one wedding magazine that you’re going to want to pick up.