Since I’m winding this blog down but still occasionally posting, I’ve added a new email notification thingy to it so that it’s easier to find out when I have made a new entry. Signing up is quick, easy and nope, I won’t get your email address and neither will any other lists. Then on days when I do post, you’ll get an email of that post delivered straight to your inbox.
And speaking of emails, are you signed up for any of those email coupon sites like Groupon? If not, you might want to check out the following sites:
While each of them is slightly different, they all work by emailing you a daily deal. And why might you want to sign up for all this mail? Because sometimes the deals are perfect for a bride.
For example, spa and restaurant deals are very common and could help you save on your beauty and thank-you/rehearsal meal costs. Many of the coupons can also be bought as a gift for someone else so there’s a way to save on your bridal party thank-you gifts.
I’ve also seen deals on photography (while I doubt you could get your actual wedding photos cheap, I have seen some that do apply to engagement photos) and stores that sell jewellery and accessories.
Personally I’ve bought Groupon deals a few different times and it’s always been a smooth process, both buying and redeeming.
A few weeks ago, we bought a couple Groupon coupons that, for $35 each, got us $115 at Photobook Canada. This was a fantastic offer for us since we were planning on creating photo books anyways and those things aren’t cheap. Since then we have created our books and redeemed our coupons and as usual, it was a smooth process (and yes, I will post about my Photobook Canada experience at some point but in case you’re wondering, it was positive).
While all these emails can be a bit spammy (most of them you will just delete), the deals they offer are so good that personally, I find they’re worth the email clutter. Just make sure you only buy coupons for stuff you needed to buy anyway!
Nov 22, 2010
Nov 14, 2010
Review of The William Ashley Warehouse Sale
*This was first posted on my other blog*
So I spent this morning at the William Ashley warehouse sale. Is this event for everyone? No, if you hate crowds, waiting in line or lots of options, skip it.
But if you’re getting married; know someone getting married; getting a new place to live; upgrading your plates, flatware, household décor, etc.; have a lengthy Christmas shopping list; really have any kind of Christmas shopping list or just love an amazing deal, then you want to make the trek out to Railside Road.
I have to admit that I had mixed feelings about heading out this morning to this sale. Part of that was because I had to get up early (we wanted to be there right at the opening time of 10 am because this sale does grow quite the line). But I was also worried that this sale wouldn’t have anything I needed/wanted.
My sister is getting married next year and initially I thought that this sale would be a great way to pick some pieces up for her. But then I started to worry that it would just have discontinued and plain/less attractive patterns and that I was wasting my time going out there.
I was wrong.
My sister is actually getting two different patterns and while the sale didn’t have the one, it did have the other and I was able to get her a serving pattern at an amazing price. If I was a rich sister, I would have got her the four place settings for just under $900; originally going for I think around $2,800.
Yeah, the deals are that good and the selection is excellent (yes, it even includes Wedgewood). When the time comes for me to buy fine china, I’m definitely going to be getting them through the warehouse sale.
While I didn’t buy any dishes for myself, I did get a great stainless steel bowl (you know the kind, with the wavy top) for $14,99, originally $50.
There was of course a ton of other stuff that caught my eye (as well as a few things that were mocked). This sale really had everything from the aforementioned china to glassware to small appliances to Christmas stuff to even furniture.
If you’re a DIY bride, you really want to check this sale out. There are dozens of different types of vases, a huge selection of ribbons and lots of candles and other décor-type things.
Like I mentioned at this top, this sale is not for everyone. Don’t go with a big group, don’t bring kids and do have a budget. And if you can, go on a week day; this sale on the weekend is a bit nutty.
The William Ashley warehouse sale wraps up on Sunday, December 5, and is open every day except for Mondays and Tuesdays. More details can be found over here.
So I spent this morning at the William Ashley warehouse sale. Is this event for everyone? No, if you hate crowds, waiting in line or lots of options, skip it.
I have to admit that I had mixed feelings about heading out this morning to this sale. Part of that was because I had to get up early (we wanted to be there right at the opening time of 10 am because this sale does grow quite the line). But I was also worried that this sale wouldn’t have anything I needed/wanted.
My sister is getting married next year and initially I thought that this sale would be a great way to pick some pieces up for her. But then I started to worry that it would just have discontinued and plain/less attractive patterns and that I was wasting my time going out there.
I was wrong.
My sister is actually getting two different patterns and while the sale didn’t have the one, it did have the other and I was able to get her a serving pattern at an amazing price. If I was a rich sister, I would have got her the four place settings for just under $900; originally going for I think around $2,800.
While I didn’t buy any dishes for myself, I did get a great stainless steel bowl (you know the kind, with the wavy top) for $14,99, originally $50.
There was of course a ton of other stuff that caught my eye (as well as a few things that were mocked). This sale really had everything from the aforementioned china to glassware to small appliances to Christmas stuff to even furniture.
If you’re a DIY bride, you really want to check this sale out. There are dozens of different types of vases, a huge selection of ribbons and lots of candles and other décor-type things.
Like I mentioned at this top, this sale is not for everyone. Don’t go with a big group, don’t bring kids and do have a budget. And if you can, go on a week day; this sale on the weekend is a bit nutty.
The William Ashley warehouse sale wraps up on Sunday, December 5, and is open every day except for Mondays and Tuesdays. More details can be found over here.
Nov 7, 2010
My Bachelorette
I said that my goal was to more or less wrap this blog up at the end of October and clearly I’ve missed that goal because I’ve yet to write about one of the highlights of this whole wedding experience: My stagette. So let’s get to it.
My stagette was held the Saturday night before my wedding. While this timing might not work for everyone, I liked having it then. Plus, it was the only Saturday that worked for my sister, who lives in New York, and since she was organizing the whole thing, she kind of had to be there.
Before I get any further I need to give a big “Thanks” to my sister for putting together a great night. While I did give her some ideas, she really organized the bulk of it.
She also put a lot of money into it. While my guests were to give her $25 each to cover the expenses of the night, I know that she paid far more than her $25 share (I guess this is where it pays, to have a big bridal party).
We started the night at my condo. In total, I think I had about 13 guests and they started trickling in about 5:30 pm (yeah, we started early, more on that in a second). In order to cut down a bit on costs, we did ask people to bring food and that worked out really well (in fact, we had leftovers).
Alcohol was provided by me and my sister and it was served by two professional bartenders who were also part of the evening’s entertainment. While my sister actually only hired one guy from BartenderOne, we end up with two and together they taught us how to make five different drinks that I’d picked out and showed us a few bar tricks as well.
Both guys were a lot of fun and it was really nice to have someone make drinks for us. And considering we got two guys for just over $200 the price is good (they bring all their own mixing equipment but unless you want to pay extra, you provide the alcohol, pop, glasses, etc.). The one annoying thing is that because of provincial law, you have to book these guys for a minimum of six hours. Of course, you don’t actually need to have them at your event for all eight hours but since you’re paying for their time… … and that’s why my stagette started at 5:30 pm.
In addition to the bartenders, we also had a professional makeup on hand. Her name is Jessica Jean Myers and she actually wrote a little blog entry about my stagette here. She taught us all some makeup tricks and tips, using me as her model. She first did a daytime look on me (which I loved), and then a night time look (which looked amazing though it was a bit on the dramatic side). This was great for many reasons, one of them being that I didn’t have to worry about my makeup that night.
After my looks were done, she sat down with some of my friends and did their makeup. While my sister originally booked her for four hours, she ended up staying for five which was great of her and also made her price, $300, a little easier to slow (she did bring all her own stuff in case you’re wondering).
At around 11 pm we headed out via taxi to the Mod Club to go dancing. I picked it for a few reasons: 1) If you’re on guestlist, cover’s only $5 and the bride gets in free, 2) they play music that appeals to me and most of my friends and 3) it’s a pretty relaxed and fun place. The fact that my stagette fell on the Saturday night of Caribana made all of these points extra important.
As we expected, the Mod Club wasn’t super-busy and they played the right mix of Brit-pop, newer indie/alternative stuff and the occasional dance track. While I know this isn’t what many brides are looking for at their stagette, it was fine for me and I know I had a great time.
I feel I should offer a bunch of general stagette tips but seeing that this post is already enormous, I think I’ll save those for another day.
My stagette was held the Saturday night before my wedding. While this timing might not work for everyone, I liked having it then. Plus, it was the only Saturday that worked for my sister, who lives in New York, and since she was organizing the whole thing, she kind of had to be there.
Before I get any further I need to give a big “Thanks” to my sister for putting together a great night. While I did give her some ideas, she really organized the bulk of it.
She also put a lot of money into it. While my guests were to give her $25 each to cover the expenses of the night, I know that she paid far more than her $25 share (I guess this is where it pays, to have a big bridal party).
We started the night at my condo. In total, I think I had about 13 guests and they started trickling in about 5:30 pm (yeah, we started early, more on that in a second). In order to cut down a bit on costs, we did ask people to bring food and that worked out really well (in fact, we had leftovers).
Alcohol was provided by me and my sister and it was served by two professional bartenders who were also part of the evening’s entertainment. While my sister actually only hired one guy from BartenderOne, we end up with two and together they taught us how to make five different drinks that I’d picked out and showed us a few bar tricks as well.
Both guys were a lot of fun and it was really nice to have someone make drinks for us. And considering we got two guys for just over $200 the price is good (they bring all their own mixing equipment but unless you want to pay extra, you provide the alcohol, pop, glasses, etc.). The one annoying thing is that because of provincial law, you have to book these guys for a minimum of six hours. Of course, you don’t actually need to have them at your event for all eight hours but since you’re paying for their time… … and that’s why my stagette started at 5:30 pm.
In addition to the bartenders, we also had a professional makeup on hand. Her name is Jessica Jean Myers and she actually wrote a little blog entry about my stagette here. She taught us all some makeup tricks and tips, using me as her model. She first did a daytime look on me (which I loved), and then a night time look (which looked amazing though it was a bit on the dramatic side). This was great for many reasons, one of them being that I didn’t have to worry about my makeup that night.
At around 11 pm we headed out via taxi to the Mod Club to go dancing. I picked it for a few reasons: 1) If you’re on guestlist, cover’s only $5 and the bride gets in free, 2) they play music that appeals to me and most of my friends and 3) it’s a pretty relaxed and fun place. The fact that my stagette fell on the Saturday night of Caribana made all of these points extra important.
As we expected, the Mod Club wasn’t super-busy and they played the right mix of Brit-pop, newer indie/alternative stuff and the occasional dance track. While I know this isn’t what many brides are looking for at their stagette, it was fine for me and I know I had a great time.
I feel I should offer a bunch of general stagette tips but seeing that this post is already enormous, I think I’ll save those for another day.
Nov 2, 2010
William Ashley Warehouse Sale
William Ashley’s massive warehouse sale kicks off this Wednesday and then runs until Sunday, December 5. I’ve never been before but people I know who have been say that it’s a great place to get everything from china to things like vases and candle holders. So if you’re DIY your centrepieces or other bits of décor, you probably want to check this out.
Here are the hours:
Wednesdays - Fridays: 10 am-9 pm
Saturdays & Sundays: 10 am-6 pm
It’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays and the site says that it’s restocked daily but I would suspect that the best stuff goes out early.
As usual for these things, it’s located way out in some industrial park.
Happy shopping!
Here are the hours:
Wednesdays - Fridays: 10 am-9 pm
Saturdays & Sundays: 10 am-6 pm
It’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays and the site says that it’s restocked daily but I would suspect that the best stuff goes out early.
As usual for these things, it’s located way out in some industrial park.
Happy shopping!
Oct 31, 2010
Our Postcards Are Here
Our thank-you postcards arrived on Friday, a full week earlier than scheduled. So bonus points to Vistaprint for that (though I get the feeling that orders set to ship “slow” generally arrive ahead of schedule).
Overall we’re happy with the postcards. Yes, the paperstock could be heavier/higher quality but considering that we paid $30 for 100, glossy, coloured, custom postcards, I can’t really complain. Besides, I believe Vistaprint does give you the option to upgrade your paperstock if that’s important to you.
I should note that the back of these cards have just enough space for the addresses (we had our return one preprinted) and a short note. Personally I’m fine with that but you’re the type of person who likes to hand write notes, you’ll want to go with a proper card instead of a postcard.
I kind of wish we’d cropped our image a little different so that Shawn and I filled more of it. But then considering how awkward I generally look in closer up shots, it’s probably for the best that we didn’t.
So if you’re wondering if I would recommend Vistaprint, I totally would. Just make sure to unsubscribe yourself from its mailing list after you’ve received your order; otherwise be prepared to hear from them multiple times a week.
Overall we’re happy with the postcards. Yes, the paperstock could be heavier/higher quality but considering that we paid $30 for 100, glossy, coloured, custom postcards, I can’t really complain. Besides, I believe Vistaprint does give you the option to upgrade your paperstock if that’s important to you.
I should note that the back of these cards have just enough space for the addresses (we had our return one preprinted) and a short note. Personally I’m fine with that but you’re the type of person who likes to hand write notes, you’ll want to go with a proper card instead of a postcard.
I kind of wish we’d cropped our image a little different so that Shawn and I filled more of it. But then considering how awkward I generally look in closer up shots, it’s probably for the best that we didn’t.
So if you’re wondering if I would recommend Vistaprint, I totally would. Just make sure to unsubscribe yourself from its mailing list after you’ve received your order; otherwise be prepared to hear from them multiple times a week.
Oct 28, 2010
Photo Reality Check
I spent last weekend touching up my wedding photos, mostly removing armpit fat that my photographer had left it. Besides feeling at bit annoyed at having to do this task, and a bit frustrated with Photoshop and GIMP, the two photo editing programs I was using, I was also feeling a bit sad with how my photos turned out.
More specifically, I was feeling sad with how I looked in the photos. I do want to make it clear that I did end up with some amazing photos, it’s just that unfortunately, I don’t have an amazing one of me.
More specifically, I was feeling sad with how I looked in the photos. I do want to make it clear that I did end up with some amazing photos, it’s just that unfortunately, I don’t have an amazing one of me.
I look OK in the photos that are taken at a bit of distance, but it the closer-up ones I just look awkward. I had just assumed that I would have at least one “breathtaking” photo of myself but nope, nothing. At best, there are some shots were at least my dress looks stunning.Other people in the pictures look great and the background in some of our shots, like the one included in this entry, are beautiful. While maybe more direction from my photographer would have resulted in some better shots, I do have to admit that the reason for my less-than-amazing photos is more me than my photographer.
Shawn and I actually had another photo shoot done in
The one positive thing about all of these is that it makes me glad that Shawn and I didn’t go out and spend $4,000 on a photographer. I feel like even if we had, we would have ended up with similar results and then I would have been angry, really angry (even though, again, the main reason for the poor photos would have been the fact that I’m simply not photogenic).
I guess my bit of advice for brides-to-be is to realize that photographers aren’t magicians and can only work with what they have. If you take a poor photo, well, then you take a poor photo. Yes, there are tricks of the trade and there’s always Photoshop but those things can only help to a certain point.
I think maybe I would have gotten better photos if we’d had a bit more time for just-me shots (though we did have plenty of time in Alberta and I still ended up with the same results) and if I had practiced posing. I’ve read that some celebrities spend hours standing in front of mirror, seeing how the look from different angles, in different positions. I know it sounds silly but maybe they’re onto something.
Oct 24, 2010
How To Have A Fun Wedding: The Alcohol
Since it’s nearly time to wrap up this blog, it’s time to make the last entry is my “How To Have a Fun Wedding” series. Today we look at alcohol.
First off, I know there’s an ongoing debate about open bar vs. non-open bar. I say that if you can, you should have an open bar because let’s be honest, more booze generally does equal more fun (well, to a point).
But I realize that an open bar isn’t a possibility for everyone. For those people, I recommend trying to come up with a creative a solution that still allows you guests to drink for cheap without sticking you with the whole bill. A few ideas:
People will drink more (and ideally have more fun) if they can find something they love to drink so do your best to have a reasonable variety of booze on hand. At minimum serve: Red wine, white wine, beer, vodka, gin, rum and rye and go with at least the medium price-point stuff.
Ideally, have a few different types of beer available as well as some coolers and dark and light rum. Other alcohol that’s nice to have on hand is Kahlua, Bailey’s, Raspberry Sourpuss, Blue Curacao and if your crowd’s into shots, Jagermeister and tequila. Of course, if you’ve got the budget (and the appropriate guests) you can always add in some Triple Sec, Peach Schnapps, flavoured vodkas, etc.
When you’re making your alcohol list, make sure to also keep your mix list in mind. For example, if you’re going to have Kahlua available, make sure there’s milk (and I don’t mean coffee cream, I mean actual milk). And please, don’t have cranberry juice be your only vodka-friendly mix. A person can only drink so many Cape Cods.
A wide range of mixes will also be appreciated by those at your wedding who aren’t drinking alcohol.
Signature drinks are great way to personalize and have some fun with your bar menu. Don’t feel like you have to come up with something totally new. We just took Sprite, Raspberry Sourpuss and Blue Curacao, which combine to make a drink commonly known as a “porn star” and renamed it “The Purple People Eater”. The colour worked with our wedding colours and I think a lot of people enjoyed it.
If you want, have one signature drink for the bride and another for the groom. They don’t even have to be proper “drinks”. A signature shot would certainly help to get the party going!
First off, I know there’s an ongoing debate about open bar vs. non-open bar. I say that if you can, you should have an open bar because let’s be honest, more booze generally does equal more fun (well, to a point).
But I realize that an open bar isn’t a possibility for everyone. For those people, I recommend trying to come up with a creative a solution that still allows you guests to drink for cheap without sticking you with the whole bill. A few ideas:
- Hold an open bar for a set period of time
- Have a loonie or twoonie bar
- Pick two signature drinks and have those be free all night long
- Provide guests with two drinks tickets
People will drink more (and ideally have more fun) if they can find something they love to drink so do your best to have a reasonable variety of booze on hand. At minimum serve: Red wine, white wine, beer, vodka, gin, rum and rye and go with at least the medium price-point stuff.
Ideally, have a few different types of beer available as well as some coolers and dark and light rum. Other alcohol that’s nice to have on hand is Kahlua, Bailey’s, Raspberry Sourpuss, Blue Curacao and if your crowd’s into shots, Jagermeister and tequila. Of course, if you’ve got the budget (and the appropriate guests) you can always add in some Triple Sec, Peach Schnapps, flavoured vodkas, etc.A wide range of mixes will also be appreciated by those at your wedding who aren’t drinking alcohol.
Signature drinks are great way to personalize and have some fun with your bar menu. Don’t feel like you have to come up with something totally new. We just took Sprite, Raspberry Sourpuss and Blue Curacao, which combine to make a drink commonly known as a “porn star” and renamed it “The Purple People Eater”. The colour worked with our wedding colours and I think a lot of people enjoyed it.
If you want, have one signature drink for the bride and another for the groom. They don’t even have to be proper “drinks”. A signature shot would certainly help to get the party going!
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