23 days to go...the stages or reality.

The countdown is on. I mean REALLY on. I cant describe how real it feels.

You see, the first few weeks after we got engaged (December 25th 2006), It became 'real' on a certain level as we formulated our basic vision and tossed around ideas. But the "realness" was comparable to answering "what do you want to be when you grow up?" when you are 5. I mean, its inevitably going to happen, but its such a stretch from the reality you are living in the moment that anything you come up with feels like its all talk.

The next "level" of reality hit the 366 days to go mark (366 because it was a leap year in case anyone forgot). A year is a funny little measurement. Seriously, think about it doesn't seem that long ago, then think about everything that's changed last year. In case you've had a really uneventful year, I'll provide an example. This time a year ago, my brother and his girlfriend were renting an apartment and living as most in their early twenties. Working full time, occasionally going to the bar...fast forward to now, they are engaged, have bought their first house, and she's on mat leave as they have a 2 month old boy! See? lots can change in that little time! So there was definitely some new level of reality a year before the wedding date.

Even bigger was new years. I went from being an "I'm getting married next year" bride to "I'm getting married in 4 months" bride.

The biggest reality level so far was last week when I realized I had 30 days left. We were no longer dealing with years, or months, but DAYS!! (True, we could still use weeks, but it doesn't seem to happen. Its mostly DAYS!).

For the first time I started to understand why people were asking "Nervous yet?" I used to think it was a stupid question that I never quite knew how to answer (Keep in mind, I still had a certain level of inability to comprehend that this was reality and not just planning for a wedding in some alternate universe). I even went so far as to tell people I thought this was the bridal equivalent of the trick question when a girl asks a guy if these pants make me look fat!

Now I'm having a hard time realizing how that would be a trick question because the answer is an overwhelming YES.

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Just Another Manic Monday

Ooooh ooooooo. Except it is Tuesday. Ooooh ooooooo.

Don't mind me. It feels like I've had two insane Mondays in a row and there doesn't appear to a let up in sight this week! You may notice that I wasn't able to update the blog much of last week ... and if I had my crystal ball in front of me right now, I would probably see the same kind of week this week. ACK! In fact, I'm updating now solely to prove I'm alive and thinking about you all ... even though it's after ten o'clock at night.

To give you an update on a planner's life in the springtime, here's what my couple of weeks is shaping up like ...


- finish blogger bride’s invites
- go over wedding update with kd_2b_kk
- send quote to client getting married in 2009
- send invitations details to new client
- catch up with planner colleague
- meetings with OSEB (don't worry ... I know you don't know what that is)
- meetings with Town of Whitby
- meeting at Cullen Gardens
- finalize budget for trade show
- finalize registration forms for trade show
- phone & then email approx. 100 businesses regarding participation in trade show
- prepare for April 10th trade show workshop
- check in with all Spring & Summer brides
- finalize draft invitation for a December bride
- start draft invites for two Summer brides

Life isn't like this all the time. It can always get busier (and likely will). Luckily I thrive on always working and keeping the pulse on all the details!

That and lucky I have a blog where I can write down my to-do list ;)

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Behind the scenes

ERIN - Weddings can often be a time of high stress. Here at Periwinkle Flowers we really feel it is our job to lighten your work load and make things less stressful and more enjoyable for a bride and groom. So I thought this week’s blog should be dedicated to letting brides out there know what we are doing behind the scenes to make sure her wedding flowers are exactly as she imagined. When you are comparison shopping for flowers you’re not just buying the wedding bouquet of your dreams, you’re buying the service that comes along with it.

JESS- That’s right Erin. It doesn’t matter how gorgeous the centerpieces you’ve chosen are, they also need to be constructed properly from product that is at just the right stage (open enough to look perfect, but not so much that it falls apart before party’s end), and they also need to be at the right place at the right time ( i.e. your venue, not someone else’s!), placed by someone who will ask the tough question of the linen person if the tablecloths are a sketchy looking stripe when we know the bride is expecting damask (seriously, this has happened).

ERIN – that is right, on the day of the wedding we take care of everything for you. Consider us your “flower wedding planners” We deliver flowers to the bride’s house - usually her bouquet, the bridesmaid’s bouquets and boutonnieres and corsages for her family. We often decorate the house with flowers as well. Then we deliver flowers to the groom’s house – boutonnieres and corsages for his family. Next it is off to the church where we deliver and set up large ceremony arrangements that stand on pillars on either side of the bride and groom, pew flowers, aisle runners and signing table arrangements. We discreetly wait for the ceremony to finish and then we move all of the ceremony flowers from the ceremony location to the hall. At the hall we place all of the centerpieces on the tables, decorate the head table, place flowers in the washrooms, decorate the cake and cake table, and find suitable places to put all of the flowers from the church. On top of all that like you mentioned we are constantly checking to make sure everything is perfect and as it should be. All of this usually takes two of us the entire day, and that is just what goes on the day of your wedding, there is a lot of work involved behind the scenes to get to this point!

JESS- right- those are all the things you can obviously see happen, but we are also working months ahead of your day planning your flowers. We spend a lot of time dealing with growers and suppliers to get the exact shade of rose for example, and are constantly checking in to make sure everything will be exactly what you want. The week of your event the flowers are received, checked and processed, and we have to carefully watch and gauge the blooms to get them to be at the perfect stage of openness for the big day. Containers are received and all have to be checked over for any problems and are cleaned and prepped during the week of. Phone calls are made to the various venues involved to coordinate our arrival and set up- and the days timeline is set.

Erin – and don’t forget we actually spend up to two full days making the flowers. So as you can see there is a lot of work involved in designing wedding flowers on the day of your wedding and months in advance.

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It's Not Easy Being Green

Recently I had the distinct pleasure of meeting up with a woman trying to make a difference in the world. Allison Greenbaum's brainchild Little Green Book of Savings is garnering more and more attention across the GTA and I couldn't be more thrilled for her.

When I met Allison she explained the purpose flawlessly. Her inspiration was the ever-popular Entertainment Book of Savings (you know that big ole book of coupons you can purchase that contains deals on food, cinema and other goodies?). Her book has a twist though. All of the coupons inside either reduce environmental impact, are good for the environment, good for body, health, mind, spirit or involve entertainment. For example, my very favourite restaurant in town (Butler's Pantry) has coupons for free beverages ... you know I'll be using those ones!



Yesterday Allison was featured on City News. She's working tirelessly to bring attention to her cause and it looks like it's catching on! To view the piece on City News, visit the link and to learn more about this fantastic book of savings (only $20 with $4000 worth of savings and I can attest it is worth it!!!) go to Allison's site ... of course if you would like any more information, feel free to ask me as well!

And before I forget, the book also has a great section on Green Living and Tips ... it really is fantastic!

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It's All Been Done ... Woo-hoo-hoo

Blogger Bride & Groom's invitation sample is done!!!!! It is currently in the trusty hands of Canada Post en route to Blogger Bride's work.

I've taken pictures of the final product but BB has decided she wants to hold it in her hands first before the world can see it. Send any of your boos her way :P

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The Clock

Time just started ticking a whole lot faster for us. We are officially under three months away from getting married. It seems very REAL now. Realer than real. People have started asking me if I’m nervous. I never quite know what they mean.

Am I nervous about marrying the man I’m marrying? Nope, not a bit, hasn’t even crossed my mind.

Am I nervous that something will go wrong, that we are horribly unprepared? Nope. Susan has taken that worry right off the table.

Am I nervous about having a whole day where I am the centre of attention? Hells no. I think every day should be that way!

Frankly, I think they just like trying to mess with my head. But no go, I’m not so easily spooked.

I’m also getting the old, “It’s not to late to run away, you know” haha. Nah, then Susan’s planning will all have gone to waste!

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Being green-Part two

ERIN - So Jess, last week we started talking about going green and what we here at Periwinkle Flowers already do to try and help the environment. We told our readers about socially responsible roses. What else would you like them to know?

JESS- I don’t think people in general realize how much of our product here in Ontario is actually locally grown. We buy locally as much as possible- the quality is superb, the freshness is guaranteed, we’re supporting Ontario farmers and saving on all the emissions involved in importing product. The best way to make sure you are buying local for your wedding is simply to ask your florist- but you can help make it possible by choosing flowers that are season. Right now if you’re asking for cherry blossom, iris, tulips and more …the list of spring flowers is a long one, the florist will be getting it locally.

ERIN – take a look at this adorable arrangement (at top) we designed for new spring menu. It is filled with a whole mixture of hot pink flowers. The Gerbera daisies, hyacinth and anemones are all flowers grown in the Niagara region. The miniature spray roses come from a farm that grows their roses hydroponically resulting in less pesticides being released into the environment than traditional growing methods. The gorgeous large hot pink roses are from one of the socially responsible farms in Ecuador that we spoke about in our last posting

JESS- You know what makes me really happy is that these are all easily available flowers and from normal floral suppliers- you could be buying green without even knowing it! For every season there are floral choices brides can make that are “eco” while still being affordable, and even *gasp* glamourous!.

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Oops! I Did It Again ...

I neglected to post a picture of what look we're generally modeling Blogger Bride's invitation after! It won't be exactly like this one below but it's a pretty fair representation ...

It will be a bit of a fancy luggage tag-fan combo and in the end we're hoping to make it an oblong creation that will fit into a letter-shaped envelope. I can't wait to see the end sample!

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Like A Bird On The Wire

There's a relatively new wedding resource site available to you! Wedding Wire gives a plethora of information including vendors in your area, planning resources, wedding websites, a travel guide and even the opportunity to receive prizes just for reviewing your vendors!


Moments That Shine is proud to not only be listed on the site but as reviews are coming in from previous brides, we will be adding a bit of a preferred vendor logo to our site. Yay! Also, marthastewart.com has come on board and will also be listing vendors on Wedding Wire. It's a great site that is always expanding and looking to help out brides any way they can ... check it out!!!

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1, 2, 3, 4 ... Tell Me That You Love Me More

We don't have four yet but we're finished with three!

Blogger Bride's invites are underway ... just putting the finishing touches on the green covers. The white pages are complete though so I thought I'd share. Remember, none of the details are true to Blogger Bride's wedding so don't be showing up at the Bata Shoe Museum to watch her 'I Do's" ;)

The Main Invite ...



The Accommodations and Shuttle Bus Insert ...


And the Map Insert ... there are actually two maps (hence the white space) but one was deleted from this picture for privacy reasons :)


You'll notice the gray behind the invites. That was so I could show the rounded corners. The bottom will keep the rounded corners but the top is actual going to be cut in a bit of a triangle shape ... imagine a luggage tag top :)

We're almost there!!!

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Lipstick Tips!

When consulting with Brides on their makeup wishes for the day of their wedding, I always stress that the only item that will not last all day is the lipstick. And for very good reason. Our Wink Cosmetics lipsticks are lead free.

Recently, a friend forwarded me an article about some of the most popular brands having high amounts of lead in their lipsticks. So it prompted me to remind all of my clients once again the dangers of purchasing lipsticks boasting countless hours of staying power.

Quite simply, the longer the lipstick lasts, the more lead it contains. And we all know that lead is not exactly great for our bodies. But you do have a choice. There are many cosmetic brands that offer lead free lipsticks that don't last for hours on end, but are comfortable, colorful and most of all safe. All you have to do is refresh your lips more often throughout the day, especially after eating.

If you don't know if your preferred brand contains lead, here's a simple test.
Put some lipstick on your hand
Use a gold ring to scratch the lipstick
If the lipstick color turns black, then you know it contains lead
So the next time you're shopping for a lipstick, read the ingredient label or talk to the makeup expert for lead free lipstick options. Better yet, visit Makeup In Motion and try ours....they're lead free.

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It's Always Better When We're Together

I'm going to be working backwards with pictures from some recent (and not-so-recent) weddings. Since it's fresh in my mind, I'd love to start with some shots of this past weekend's Montreal wedding. My dear friends Kristi & Andrew were married on the 8th in a beautiful church in Senneville and then we hopped over to Elmridge Golf & Country Club in L'ile Bizard. The weather wasn't exactly friendly but we still had a amazing time.

The Inside of the Church ...


The Pew Bows ...



The Bar ... wow ... beautiful and in the middle of the lounge area ...


Elephants to hold the Place Cards ...


The Customized Guest Plate from Serendipity Crafts ...


The Bride & Groom during the Cocktail Hour ...


The Reception Area ... and people watching the snow ...


Springy Centrepieces ...


Ukrainian Dancers to Delight the Crowd ...


The Bride & Myself at the End of the Night ...

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Was Hypnotized By A Strange Delight

If you're in the middle of trying to decide on wine for your event, I have an idea for you.

Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a company called plantatree™ wine at the Eco-Wedding & Lifestyle Show! I stopped to speak with the lovely attendant to grab some more details (and yes, I'll admit I sampled the goods ;)). To lessen the carbon imprint, the wines are transported in bulk to Niagara and bottled in Niagara in PET bottles made in Mississauga. The plastic PET bottles are unbreakable, significantly lighter than glass and recyclable. The cartons are made in Ontario of recycled cardboard that can be recycled again.

But that's not the best part.


For each bottle purchased, Lifford Wine Agency, in partnership with Tree Canada, will plant one tree. The trees, to be planted in Sudbury beginning in spring ’08, will each absorb approximately 650 pounds of carbon over the course of their life span.

Not to knock Sudbury but they could use these trees (okay, I'm kind of knocking it). But really, by supporting this initiative, you would be buying local, planting trees AND enjoying some really good vino!

To learn more, visit the plantatree™ website

CHEERS!

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Looks Like Winter's Never Gonna Leave This Gray Town

... I think it's gonna snow all summerrrrrrrrrr.

Yikes. What a weekend! My husband and I were off to a wedding in Montreal for Saturday (he was a guest ... I was a guest and helped out a bit). Looking ahead to the forecast we decided to close up shop a bit early on Friday and leave in the afternoon. Good thing we did because we were safe and sound before the snow hit. The rest of the weekend was a challenge though! I have many stories but I thought I would share a few pics of the day first ...

The church after the ceremony ... doesn't look *too* bad ...


My husband would disagree ...



After the wedding, these are my boots once I got in the house. The snow accumulated from 5pm-1am was actually knee-deep. Needless to say, boots did nothing ... especially when you're wearing a dress.


The next day my husband & friend had to dig like mad to get us out of the driveway. Plows had come by a few times during the night and built up a huge wall behind our car. If we had no where to go we wouldn't have cared but we had to make it back to Ontario!


This is how much digging they had to do for the walk-way alone ...


And to give you a sense of how much snow there is in Montreal, this is me standing in front of one of the snow banks. They're actually over six feet at this point!


I'll be updating on the actual wedding soon but really this was the story of the weekend. Am I ever glad it's over!!!

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Boudoir Portraits

The idea of stripping down to your smallclothes in front of a photographer probably scares the heck out of you! Right now I imagine you have butterflies in your tummy just thinking about it! The latest trend for brides these days is getting boudoir portraits done for their significant other to give as a wedding gift. The portraits are a lot more personal than the traditional watch or cufflinks and is often completely unsuspecting for him to receive! Almost every bride that I have done boudoir portraits for has told me that their fiancé would never expect (read: dream!) of her doing something like that for him! This makes doing the session all that more fun.

What was once a very "fluffy" thing with oversized feather boas and leopard print, boudoir portraits are now more about creating captivating portraits of women dressed in classy lingerie. I approach boudoir photography the same as I do with any of my photography - the photograph should be a portrait and show a bit about the personality of the woman in it.

I get a lot of the same concerns and questions from clients when they first book me for boudoir. First off, every bride that comes into my studio for a session is nervous! I assure them that once we start shooting, their nerves will disappear and that we will have a lot of fun. Before you know it, they do forget that they are standing in front of a practical stranger in their underwear and they start being themselves.

The second concern of many ladies that book me has to deal with their appearance. It seems that everyone wants to lose a couple of pounds. Ladies want to book a session with me months in advance so that they can reach their goal weight before the session. My response to this is: you are beautiful! It doesn't matter the shape or size that you are, all of us women are beautiful. You have a life partner that loves you for who you are so worrying about a couple of pounds should not cause stress and worry in your life. Be happy with who you are, know that you are beautiful and I promise you, that will shine in the portraits. The girls in my portraits on my website and blog are real women; ones that you would see walking down the street in your neighbourhood. Put on some false lashes, a little make-up and some sexy lingerie and we can create some incredible portraits that not only your partner will love, but will also make you feel like the beautiful woman that you are.

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The Icing On The Cake!

When sitting down to talk cake with your designer, it's good to know what's on your plate before you eat it! Here is the bride's guide to all things sweet: the most popular icings used on today's wedding cakes

Fondant:

This is a sugar dough that is rolled out and applied over the cake, creating a matte smooth sugar canvass which allows your cake designer to create many wonderful designs. Fondant can be tinted any colour and flavoured with things such as vanilla bean or white chocolate. It is the ideal medium for many complicated cake designs and for cakes being displayed during the warm summer months. The fondant keeps the cake inside insulated and moist.

Ganache:

This is a sinfully rich icing that is made from chocolate (white, milk or dark) and heavy cream - just like the inside of a truffle. It can be shiny or matte and used as a filling or an exterior finish. Because it is so rich and dense, it is best not to pair it with a delicate cake.

Modeling Chocolate/CocoaDough/Chocolate Plastique/Chocolate Paste:

This is a mixture of chocolate (either white, milk or dark) and corn syrup which creates a wonderfully pliable substance that can be tinted many colours, used to make edible decorations and flowers, and even to cover cakes.

Royal Icing:

Traditionally used to finish fruit cakes, royal icing is a sugar icing made from egg whites and icing sugar. It is the ideal icing used for intricate piping and detailing, and can be used white or tinted to any colour needed. When dry, it is very firm and fragile.

American Buttercream/Frosting:

This is the traditional style icing that you would find in a grocery store bakery. It is a frosting made from icing sugar, shortening or sometimes butter, and sometimes a liquid such as milk or hot water. This icing is firm, very sweet, and holds up very well in hot weather if made with shortening. It is very white in colour and can be tinted to any colour you can imagine, it can also be flavoured with extracts or chocolate.

Meringue Buttercream:

A soft, satiny, luscious icing that can be used as both a filling and an exterior finish. The 2 most popular styles of this buttercream are Italian or Swiss. Both are made with egg whites, sugar, and unsalted butter, however the method of preparation differs between the two types. The flavour possibilities are endless, as are the colour choices. Due to the fact that this icing is made with butter, it is very firm when refrigerated and it does not hold up in extreme heat or sun, but is fine in air conditioned environments.

Gumpaste/Sugar Paste/Flower Paste:

This is a special sugar dough similar to fondant however it has the addition of additives that allow it to be more elastic and dry very firm. This is the ideal medium for making life-like flowers and other sugar decorations, it is not to be used to cover cakes.

Marzipan:

This is a paste made from ground almonds and sugar. It is traditionally used to cover fruit cakes prior to being covered with royal icing. It is also used to mould flowers and small fruits.

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Jump Back, What's That Sound ?

I've FINALLY uploaded Jacquelyn & Peter's gallery on the main website :) Choosing photos from this day wasn't an easy task as there were so many gorgeous things to look at that day. I invite you to check them out! Just don't mind the mess on the website as I'm updating other things at the same time ;)

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What A Fantastic Place To Be

Coordinated a wedding this past Saturday for the lovely Maridel & Bond (pictures to come later). It was a double pleasure for me because not only did I get to share in a day that was so close to two people's hearts but I was able to work with many people I'd been wanting to meet for quite some time! Everything becomes that much easier when you're working with other vendors you relate to and have fun with. What resulted was a one-of-a-kind wedding we'll all remember! :)

Yesterday I spent a few hours at the Eco-Wedding & Lifestyle Show. Again, I met up with people that were truly a pleasure to introduce myself to or catch up with. The show itself was run smoothly and from what I could tell from chats with vendors and brides-to-be, everyone was learning lots and surrounded by like-minded people. Personally, it was the first bridal show I had attended where I felt connected to the other vendors ... everyone is doing their best to make a difference in how weddings and other events are put together. I'll be blogging more about the show in the future (perhaps even introducing you to some of the people I met) so I won't monopolize too much of your time now ;)

Cheers,

Susan

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Eco- friendly and beautiful? Perfect!

JESS - Erin, there’s a lot of hubbub about “green” weddings and “eco-friendly” events these days- Why don’t we tell our readers about the many options available to brides that want to make better choices on their big day?


Erin - Well the first thing that comes to mind are the socially responsible roses that we carry. As many people know there is a huge market for roses imported from South America. They have the perfect growing conditions. Roses from countries such as Ecuador are a superior product, they have much larger blooms then those grown in Canada, with a higher petal count. Periwinkle flowers introduced their line of socially responsible roses in 2007. Check out this article that appeared in our January newsletter last year. It explains everything you need to know:

Periwinkle Flowers is happy to introduce a new line of socially responsible roses imported from Ecuador. Through research and discussions with our suppliers we have decided to only sell roses from growers that are members of the initiatives such as the Flower Label Program or sell under the Sierra Eco Label. Programs such as these seek to improve the lives of their workers and practice environmentally friendly growing techniques. Members of such groups are committed to providing above average wages, prohibiting child labour, providing health care and prohibiting the use of highly toxic chemicals. Standards for these programs are based on the International Code of Conduct, and guidelines from the International Label Organization and the World Health Organization. At the same time as improving the floral industry, these growers are still able to remain competitive, by keeping the cost of roses in line with less responsible growers. Making a wiser choice is easy. To get more information visit this link http://www.sierraeco.com/

JESS - that’s great info

Erin - And there are more ways that brides can choose “green” but lets save that for our next entry!

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One Day I'll Win ...

I'm happy to announce the winner of a pair of tickets to the Eco-Wedding & Lifestyle Show is Kathryn K.

Congrats Kathryn!!! :)

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You Can Follow Me Wherever I Go

Just got back from my first meeting with the lovely Yoko & Khalid. If you can't remember their story, please go back and read it here. They are both so refreshingly sweet, in love and outside-the-box thinkers ... I love it! It will honestly be an honour to be a part of their multi-cultural wedding & lives.

I didn't want to say anything until I told them but the reason why I wanted to get involved in their day is because of a reminder of a missed opportunity I had a few years back. One of my best friends (and creator of Deeya Design) had her own family troubles when her wedding day rolled around ... her story reminds me very much of Yoko & Khalid's. Back then because of work and a few hundred kilometres I wasn't able to help her out in planning so this is my way of reaching out and making life a bit easier for people now that I'm able to. It just goes to show you that we're all connected in some way ... even if it takes us time to find one another!

LOVE YOU REEM!

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Strike A Pose

For the first time in about five years, my husband and I opted not to throw our usual Oscars party ... we watched them quietly by ourselves instead ... what a difference! This year we were able to pay attention to the red carpet, listen to George Clooney's joking and avoid the pressure of coming in last in the Oscar party pool. We're not sure if we'll go back to hosting or not but this year gave me a chance to come up with some favourite dresses. Each one of them I loved for different reasons but one stood out as my absolute favourite. Humour me while I list them ...

THE SIMPLE BEAUTY


The one-shoulder accent was huge this year ... Amy Ryan showed everyone how to model it flawlessly.


STUNNING AS ALWAYS


Helen Mirren never ceases to amaze me. She manages to choose something that is classic yet striking on her. Nothing too young for her age or too old. Beautiful!

THE NOT-TALKED-ABOUT DRESS


Keisha Whitaker flew under the radar (likely because of who her husband is) but I wanted to give her a shout out for this gown ... love it!

BLUSH BLUSH


Breaking away from the popular jewel tones was Cameron Diaz. It was such a refreshing colour let alone style ... elegant!!!

MY FAVOURITE OF THE EVENING


Katherine Heigl. My husband enjoyed fawning over her, I enjoyed fawning over this spectacular creation. Personally, this red dress blew all of the other ones out of the water for me. Glamour personified.

MY DARK-HORSE FAVOURITE


This dress is not for everyone ... let me make that clear right away. In fact, I've seen it on most Worst-Dressed lists. I completely disagree though. The dress is actually something I would wear because I have that eclectic kind of taste but the reason why I wanted to post about it is to reaffirm something I tell my brides. Diablo Cody chose to put on something she was comfortable with and reflected who she is. And for those who think it isn't sexy, check out the straps and the way-high slit. But I digress ... take a page from Diablo's fashion novel ... when thinking about your attire whether it be your dress, bridesmaids dresses or the men's garb. Pick something people are HAPPY with. Be you and you'll look even more beautiful :)

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The Story of The Breakdown and The Magic Panties

As per my previous post, I went to my parents house on Saturday to visit, and then take my dress to Lisa to get the bustle put in and a new zipper and some minor tweaks that needed to be done, since I bought off the rack. It has been a while since I tried my dress on, so I was a bit nervous.

On Saturday I arrive and my mum wants to show me the dress she bought to wear. We decided to have a dress rehearsal in her bedroom. She puts on her gorgeous lilac Alfred Angelo dress... Perfection.
She helps me get into my dress... Not so perfect.

I have gained so much weight that the zipper won't do up. Not only that, but it is tight across my thighs, my belly looks like I'm about 5 months preggers, I resemble a sausage and it's all rippled. Cue start of meltdown. I knew I had some weight to lose, but this was extreme. My mum was even shocked. And trust me when I say it looked horrible, I'm not one to over dramatize this type of thing.

My mum whips the dress off of me and starts inspecting the seams to see if it can be let out. It would be tricky. I don't want to get into details since FI reads this... I try to assure my mum (and myself) that I can lose that kind of weight easily, but in my head I am seriously thinking- "where the heck can I buy a new dress??" All night long I stewed over it, near tears.

The next morning, we head to Lisa's. I don't even want to look at my dress, let alone put it on again. But begrudgingly, I go into the change room and wiggle into some new fake Spanx I bought, slide the dress over my head and WHAMMO! It looks almost perfect!!! I come out and my mum says, "what happened?? Why does it fit today? It even zips up." I HAVE MAGIC PANTIES!! I knew they would make a difference, but this is shocking.

Suddenly, the birds are chirping, the sun is shining, I'm get married in 111 days and all is right with the world. Phew.

That's not to say I don't need to drop a few pounds, but it does mean I love my dress again. And that's all I care about. Now I'm off to the gym. ;)

~bb~

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The Fitting

Tomorrow I am going to Waterdown to have my first dress fitting with Lisa Van Hattem. She will be putting in my bustle and fixing up a few things since I bought my dress "off the rack". It has been a long time since I last tried my fantastical dress and I have a strong suspicion that the zipper ain't going up. (And my mum will be the first to point it out.)

That being said, I'm pretty excited for my dress visit. Hee. Even more exciting is that my Matron of Honor, who lives in the UK will be there. She just happens to be in the city this weekend. Good timing! We will be going out for brunch and I get to talk her ear off about all of the wedding crap that is flying through my brain these days. And she HAS TO listen because she is my MOH. Muhahahahaha.

I will also see my Mum's dress for the first time. Maybe we will do a dress rehearsal, shoes and all. Exciting day! Except the fat part...

~bb~

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We're Gonna Win

Ready to win a pair of tickets to the Eco-Wedding & Lifestyle Show???

All you have to do is email me at inquiries@momentsthatshine.com with two things:

- make sure you put "Contest" in the subject line
- give me one reason how you're making your wedding green OR a way in which you could (this could be as simple as you're holding the ceremony & reception at the same venue or maybe your bridesmaids dresses are something they can wear again!)

It's that simple! I'll then pick a random winner on Wednesday, February 27th at 9p.m. EST. They will be contacted by Thursday at noon and then posted on the blog :)

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My Funny Valentine

Well, as I'm finally back from a lovely vacation (but catching up today so don't bombard me ;)), I thought I'd share with you how Valentine's Day wound up between my husband and I.

In case you don't remember, the criteria for our gifts were ...

- green
- metal
- rectangle
- three
- cloth

... and we had to meet three of the five (but we always try for all five for bragging rights).

My gift to him was a bit of a fluke. I happened to just walk by it one day and it fit everything except for green! I added a wee something to make it fit all five though .... here's a couple of pics and then I'll explain:




So in case you can't decipher what it is, I found this desk set that was pretty much perfect for my husband (ie. he loves golf). It's about 4 inches high and is a pen holder ... great for work. The golf bag is made of cloth, the pens inside are metal, there are three pens and it came in a rectangular box. To put the green in, I went back to something I used to do a few years back ... little tiny scrolls that, when unwrapped, reveal little reasons why I love him. Of course they were printed on green paper ;) So, five out of five!

And my husband did really well, too. I don't have pictures but he found me a great lamp (yes, romantic :P) ... its base is metal and it has a green, cloth shade. He also bought three organic bars of soap to complete all five criteria!

All in all, a fantastic February 14th!!!

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Different is cool!

JESS - so Erin you’ve been in the business a LONG time- what has been your favourite wedding to work on in terms of the flowers?

ERIN – I have been sitting here for five minutes thinking about this. That’s a really tough question. I honestly do enjoy all of the weddings we work on but I tend to really enjoy the more unusual ones. Like the one we did a few months ago that was done in all green flowers: green orchids, green mums, lime ribboning etc. Remember that one? Check out the picture of the bridesmaid’s bouquets above.

JESS - That one was very funky- and perfectly suited the setting in the distillery district here in. A really beautiful mid winter wedding- cool, understated and unique! It’s interesting that that was your favourite, Erin, because in terms of flowers it was pretty minimal- the tables had five cylinder vases set along them, each with a single mokaru orchid inside, the bouquets were tight and tailored too- Not at all like the lovely, soft and romantic flowers at your own wedding, so I know it isn’t that they are your personal style favourite so what made this events flowers so special for you?

ERIN – I liked it because the design really showcased the individual flowers. The lines were very crisp and clean and I loved the colours. The bride was really brave to choose bridesmaids bouquets that were all green. Green flowers appeal to a lot of people but many brides are afraid that the guests at the wedding won’t get it, so they choose “safer” colours.

JESS - I think my favourite was one we did this past summer- see photo of the centerpieces at end of post- it’s sort of modern casual. It was a beach theme event; check out the little starfish set into the black sand. I like this because it is unexpected and made up of several smaller elements all set together.

Erin – yeah that one was cool too. That is one of the reasons I love doing wedding so much. Each and every one is different from the last.

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