The Bridesmaids Dresses

When I watched the first Sex & The City movie, I knew that I wanted something similar to Carrie's wedding. That each Bridesmaid should wear their own unique dress; colour, style and fabric. But when our own wedding became a reality, OG told me that he wanted his guys to wear kilts, and I had to reconsider my vision for worry that it would look too busy.

Thus, the idea of Same But Different came to be. Each Bridesmaid could still pick their own dress, as long as it was the same colour and fabric. It was a great combination of both visions as it allowed each woman to express their own personal style, and still look uniform. And might I say, I had the best damn looking ladies to back me up on my big day :)

All of these dresses are from the Dessy line which includes designers such as Alfred Sung, After Six, and Dessy. The fabric was matte satin (not too clingy and enough movement to make the dress flow) and the colour was midnight blue (a great colour for all types of skin tones!)

The colours of the dresses tied in with the dark blue in the kilts. Don't we look like royalty?! Prince William, take notes.


Tyra would be proud.


Here's a closer look. They're so pretty!


S.B.D.? Success!

Photos by Shannon Lepere and friends.

Bridal Shower - Games

It's the age old tradition of getting your favourite ladies together and then watching them embarrass themselves while they try to wrap toilet paper around themselves in an effort to design a wedding gown.

Bridal Shower Games... Some love it...some hate it. The latter is mostly because you are forcing women who don't know each other to play games together like it's a big girl birthday party. But done right, everyone can have a good time!

I haven't been to too many showers in my lifetime so far, but I learned a few things about bridal shower games after my special day. My ladies did a really good job of comming up with games that (a) were not wasteful (b) were not too difficult or embarrassing (c) did not have to involve everyone at once (d) had a nice reward at the end of each one.

The first game was "Dress The Bridesmaid." Only four (un)willing participants were needed and each were given a Barbie doll, some tissue paper, tape, and glitter. It was a lot of fun to see what the ladies came up with. Some were, um, "creative" while others came up with dresses I would actually wear!



The second game was called "Dress The Bride" and the same rules applied. I was in charge of choosing the winner for both games, and for this one I made my decision based on the fact that the doll itself looked like me lol.

The last game was my favourite. It was a custom made BINGO game designed by one of my bridesmaids, and each block contained a wedding related word or something from our registry. While I opened presents, the women played a round. I thought this was a great way to pass the time while lucky ol' me opened up the gifts, instead of everyone just sitting there and watching me.



I think my ladies did a fantastic job of keeping everyone entertained and ease the tension of not knowing one another!

What kind of bridal shower games did you have?

Bridal Shower - Yummy Eats!

Last Sunday my lovely ladies organized my Bridal Shower! Although it wasn't a surprise that they were putting this together, what they had in store for me was kept a secret. The festivities took place at my brother and sister-in-law's house, which was the perfect size and look for a party like this. There was so much to take in, and I'll definitely have to write more than one post about the day, but the first thing I wanted to write about was the yummy FOOD!!!



It was the first thing that caught my eye when I entered the house. The dining room table was covered with amazing sweet and savoury treats, all prepared by my bridesmaids, my mom, and aunts. Tea sandwiches, strawberry cheesecake, Rice & Mango "sushi", fruit bouquets, shortbread cookies - there were SO many choices! I also loved that there were several cultural influences present at the food table, which was a good representation of what I grew up with. And um, yeah, of course I tried at least one of everything :)



My friends spent the entire previous evening preparing the sandwiches and treats, and my mom was up until about 4 IN THE MORNING putting things together! I was so overwhelemed by the labour of love that was put into the food. And by the end of the day I was stuffed and happy :)

Why Didn't I Discover These Earlier?!

How cute are these custom hangers by Etsy seller Lila Frances? Perfect for THE wedding dress photo or as gifts for the special ladies in your bridal party! Unfortunately for me, the wait time is anywhere between 8-10 weeks - so it looks like I'm a bit too late for this awesomeness.



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Although... it has given me a few ideas about making my own type of custom hangers...hmmmm...

Great Finds At Winner's

This is why I shouldn't be allowed mid afternoon strolls in the underground mall! After sitting in front of the computer for a solid 3 hours, I decided that I needed a break, at the very least for my very sore eyes. It was too hot to walk outside, so I decided on the next best thing - walking underground and doing a little "window shopping" at Winner's. Which of course led to a full on shopping extravaganza. However, my reasoning was that I was looking for some little items to throw into the BM clutches and Flower Girl purses anyway so... *cough*

I couldn't resist this pack of 6 scented hand sanitizers by Simples Pleasures. Reasoning in my head - the girls are going to be shaking a lot of hands that day.





And then I saw this pack of Elf lip gloss, which I just couldn't put down. Reasoning in my head - Lips get chapped. C'mon! Every girl can use a little touch up throughout the day!



Finally, I stopped in my tracks when I saw these too-cute Hello Kitty lip balm phones. Reasoning in my head - Hello Kitty. Enough said.



I returned to my office, carrying a large Winner's shopping bag proudly, and realizing I needed to catch up on some last minute work... Oh, to be an Office Bride :)

BM Gift #3 - Custom Clutches

The third and final gift for the ladies arrived last Friday. I'm so happy with the end results!!

Some of you may be aware with the Etsy ordeal I had a few months back. Long story short, I decided to go with a seemingly professional Etsy seller who worked diligently with me to design the perfect clutch. Everything was going well until - she disappeared. *Poof* Just like that. While I was pretty upset at the time, I'm fully recovered from my first (and hopefully last) bad Etsy experience and I hope that the seller, wherever she may be now, is ok and has taken up a different hobby more suitable for her.

Thankfully, there are plenty of other fish in the Etsy sea, and I soon found myself dealing with the very lovely and talented Rena of ItsSoClutch. When I first messaged her I told her about my not-so-wonderful-previous experience, and right off the bat I could tell that she sincerely sympathized and wanted to make things better.

She was able to recreate what I had originally come up with, and then stepped it up a notch by using beautiful raw black silk (the original fabric was satin), adding a silver frame (the original design was just fabric), adding a removeable flower pin similar to my hair piece, and selling it at a VERY affordable and competitive price.


My cat is trying to sneak a cameo in this shot :)

I love them so much, I've asked her to create a clutch for me as well! Same design, only in blush pink - to match my shoes of course - with an ivory flower pin.

The clutch matched with the bedazzled mirror and crystal jewellry will be a wonderful gift to each of my girls, showing them my appreciation for all their love and support this last year and a half :)

DIY Paper Pendants

Last month I posted about a paper pendant workshop that my sister-in-law was going to take me to, and last night was the outting!

Together with a few other lady friends, we enjoyed a healthy dinner at Fresh on Queen Street W (Try the "Green Destiny," it's delish), and then headed to the Paper Place to get our craft on.

We were a small group of 8, which made it more intimate and less hot (for all those in Toronto, you know that I'm referring to the incredible heat wave we had yesterday). Each person was given their own set of materials and tools to get started. A cutting board, utility knife, 3 types of glue, glass pendants, and oodles of pretty paper to choose from.





The process is fairly simple. Choose your paper (which is probably the hardest part!), clean the glass, add a few drops of Diamond Glaze glue to the flat side and smear it around, and then place it on the paper. And wait...

The waiting is important. You need to be sure the glue is completely dry before you go to the next stage - cutting around the edge to get rid of the excess paper. If the glue isn't set yet, you run the risk of ripping the paper or moving the glass from the desired position.

Once you've cut around the edge, you should end up with something like this:



Oooh...pretty isn't it? Luckily the paper took care of most of that for me :)

To preserve the baskside of the pendant (which is the paper) from wear and tear, add a thin layer of glue on the back, and again, wait for it to dry. When it is, you can then add the hook to the back using the second type of glue, E6000. This is an adhesive (like super glue) so be careful not to get any on your fingers!

Depending on how many you make or how creative you get using different paper and cutouts, the whole process can take anywhere from and hour to two. And again, most of that time is used to select paper and wait for glue to dry.

This is what I ended up with after our 2 hour workshop.



I'm keeping a couple for myself, giving one to each of the moms, and probably the others to friends. Fun times!

Summer Lovin'

Man on man is it ever beautiful outside today! The clear skies and bright sun was my inspiration for today's inspiration board. Nothing says summer like pink, green, and white :)



Flowers from Fleurs.
Shoes worn by beautiful bride Caitlin.
Bridesmaids photo from The Knot.
Cupcakes created by Mossy Cupcakes.
Wedding Dress by Stephanie James Couture.

Ferre Sposa - My Kinda Shop

So I've been doing all this posting about dresses and realized that I haven't said anything about where the dresses are coming from! As of this past weekend, all of my ladies have put a deposit on their dresses (Yay!) and it all happened at a wonderful boutique shop called Ferre Sposa.


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I discovered this lovely shop on my way home, after a disappointing visit to another bridal store down the street on Bloor Street West. When I walked passed Ferre Sposa I immediately stopped in my tracks. Two beautiful gowns were displayed in the storefront and a quick peak through the window led me to believe that this was one chic (and organized) shop. My instincts were dead on once I stepped inside and had a look at the collection.


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I was greeted by a friendly woman named Alice who was more than happy to show me around. The best part - there was no one else in the shop, so I had her undivided attention without any distractions. After a couple of dresses I found THE DRESS, and she promised that she would speak to the owner about getting me a dicount (high five!) - which I did end up getting (with some additional haggling from my awesome-bargain shopping mom!)

Ferre Sposa also carries the entire Dessy line for Bridesmaid dresses - Dessy, After Six, Alfred Sung, and Lela Rose. I had a look through the catalogue and had no doubt my girls would each find something amazing to wear. As long as they picked the same colour and fabric, they could pretty much choose from over 50 different styles!

If you happen to be in the Toronto area, and more specifically around Bloor and Ossington, I would definitely recommend dropping by Ferre Sposa. A great selection along with great service made for a great shopping experience! And in my opinion, the experience plays a big part in finding the perfect dress :)

Petal To The Metal!

Today marks the first official day that the Office Groom and I will start meeting with florist vendors. We've borrowed a car from Office Groom's parents and we're going to drive to different locations over the weekend, in search of the perfect Office Couple florist.

Do I like flowers? Yes.

Do I know anything about them. Ummm, no.

But I do know what "pretty" is, and I'm hoping that'll be enough to go on. Like most other brides, I've perused magazines and websites for some inspiration photos.


For my bouquet, I wanted something soft and romantic. I thought a scatter of light pink blossoms would feminize our overall colour scheme (navy and forest green) and would tie in perfectly with my blush pink heels.






For my lovely ladies, I've decided to go a bit untraditional. In lieu of a bouquet, they will each carry a clutch with a bonbonniere pinned to it. That way, they still have a flower but they can carry their lady secrets too, lol. I've just secured another Etsy desginer to create the clutches, so more details to come on that! The Groomsmen will have matching flowers pinned on their jackets.



I'm still debating on what we should do in the church. St.Patrick's is HUGE, and chances are we're not going to fill more than the first few rows! Luckily, the church was renovated just over a year ago and is absolutely beautiful on its own. So we'll probably just decorate the first few pews with something like this:



As for the guest tables at the reception venue, we've decide that using books would be the best way to carry out our theme. We might have a few rose stems lying on the top book, but we haven't confirmed anything yet.



What sort of inspiration did you find for your flowers?

A nice surprise! Paper craft outting next month!

Just got a call at work from my sister-in-law (married to my bro), who is also one of my BM's. She wasn't able to make the Miami trip and she wants to treat me for a night out in late May. She suggested that we take a workshop at The Paper Place (where we bought our invitation paper) to make paper pendants. What a nice surprise! And such a cool idea!


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The Paper Place supplies all the material, and I have no doubt that they will have some beautiful paper to choose from. They're works of art on their own! Office Groom and I have actually purchased a large printed sheet from there before and framed it. Although *cough* we have yet to actually put the frame up on the wall of our new apartment. And by new, I mean 2 years.

Katazome Paper

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If you'd like to learn more about how to make your own paper pendants, you can check out eHow's DIY instructions. And I'll definitely post pics next month when we go! That is, as long as I come out of there with something that doesn't look like paper throw up, lol.

How I survived my Bachlorette

I'm back and all in one piece :) We returned from Miami yesterday afternoon, and when I got home I was giddy and exhausted all at the same time. It was a jam packed weekend full of beach time, booze, dancing, and very late nights (or early mornings, whichever way you see it). Miami is definitely the place to go for a bachlorette getaway, and I'm glad I survived it, lol. While the weekend was pure awesomeness, there were a few things I learned about myself and about bachlorette parties. And I'd like to share them with you because I think it speaks true for all bride-to-be's out there...



1. Have fun but be smart. I'll admit it - there wasn't a day without vodka, wine, or rum. The girls and I took full advantage of the liquor store to stock up our fridge, the free drinks at clubs, and the general large amounts of alcohol poured into every drink we consumed. However, while alcohol was present throughout the weekend, I made sure that I never crossed that bridge of getting beligerent, blacking out, or getting sick. I know that this is a personal choice and every person has their own tolerance for alcohol. But I think you can have just as much fun without getting to the point of no return.



2. Ignore Anti-Marriage comments. I can't tell you how many random guys told me over the weekend that I was making a big mistake, or tried to sway me into the dark side. It's not that I didn't get "Congratulations" from strangers. But I went to a lot of clubs, and let's face it, dancing is not always the main priority for club goers. I know that all these guys were just trying to be funny, but even a confident Bride-To-Be like myself got tired of the "Are you sure" and "Why get married" comments I got from guys. By the end of the weekend, I felt like yelling "I'm getting married because I found someone to love, therefore I won't be lonely like you!" But I didn't. Instead, I chose to keep my head up high with confidence, smile, and dance with my girls.



3. Watch your cash flow. It can be all too easy to pull out the plastic at the bar when you're having a good time. If possible bring enough cash with you for the night. I budgeted $500 US and managed to come back with $37 (which I passed on to Office Groom to add to his Vegas trip). It helped that we did a lot of pre-drinking at the hotel. Miami is great, but damn expensive, as are most touristy places, if that's where you and your ladies end up. However, on the plus side, when we were at The Mansion, they dropped dollar bills from the ceiling! Hence the picture above. I made $14 that night, lol.



4. Take some time to relax. Don’t feel like you have to go full speed all weekend long because this is your last trip as a “single gal.” You’ll tire yourself out, which isn’t fun for you or your friends. Just remind yourself – there will be many more adventures to come after the wedding, with your friends, your new hubby, and on your own, so no need to rush!

I'm so happy that I had the chance to get away with my girls. It was a great bonding experience and we'll have a lot of stories to share for years! Now I just have to prepare myself for the local bachlorette that my MOH is planning in August. Yes, that's right. A second one! Hopefully my liver will be back in shape by then :)

Photos from my Miami trip!

Quality time with MOH

If your weather was anything like Toronto's this passed weekend, chances are you were out taking in the sun and enjoying the early Spring weather. We Canadians covet a nice warm day anytime we can get it :)

With Office Groom busy with a convention all of Sunday, I thought it'd be a great chance to get together with my MOH and spend the day out. Since she's got wheels, I suggested that we head out of the city for a mini break-away, and she was all for that idea.

We ended up in Unionville, Ontario. If you've never been and you're in the area, you should definitely pay a visit. It has a small town appeal with loads of charm. There are some great little shops and restaurants along the main street - just perfect for the kind of quick get away we were looking for!

In the first boutique we dropped in, I found a great pair of black cowboy boots for $20! Hellz yeah! After a swipe of a my debit card, and a new pair of shoes in my possesssion, we continued along the main street. When we caught site of a couple of bridal boutiques, we knew we had to go in! MOH hadn't picked out her dress yet although she had a few ideas after looking through the Dessy website. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I've decided that girls would be S.B.D. - Same But Different. I picked out the line (Dessy), the colour (Midnight Blue) and the fabric (Matte Satin) and the rest is up to them!

The first shop was a total flop. I won't mention the name because despite the constant "Fails" I saw on the clothing rack, the women were really friendly. However, I can't understand how so many hideous dresses could all be in one location.

The second shop was different though. At first it didn't appear to be a bridal store, but in the back of the room the walls were taken over by formal gowns. AND - Dessy gowns on top of that! By chance, a few of the dresses that MOH was interested in were there, so I hurried her over to a dressing room to try them on! I was surprised at how much fun it was to sit back and have someone else model dresses :) She tried them all on, some were better than others, and when she came out of the dressing room in this one, we both knew she found the winner:


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Absolutely stunning, isn't it? And to think that we just happened to walk into the store, not knowing that we would find her MOH dress! Although she didn't buy it then and there (it wasn't the right size or colour) she at least knows that this is the one for her, and I couldn't be more happy about that! It's gotten me really excited about the other girls now!

And this morning, an e-mail from her at work confirmed it even further for me:

"PS: I can’t stop thinking about the dress. It makes me feel like a movie star! I don’t know that anyone on earth has ever said that about a bridesmaid dress before…LOL"

One dress done. Four more to go!

BM Gift #2 - Swarovski Crystal Jewellry

My bridesmaid jewellry came in the mail yesterday!!! I had ordered them almost a month ago but due to an mailing error (not the sellers fault) it was delayed by another two weeks. On the plus side, because of the delay, the seller reimbursed me $15 which was really nice of her to do.

So - here they are!

Already packaged in a box, ready to give!


Swarovski crystal necklace and matching earrings


I was really intent on getting the girls Swarovski crystals because I think they are both beautiful and classic. My dress also has Swarovski crystals beaded along the bodice, so it ties in nicely.

When I first started my search, both on-line and in real stores, I was surprised to see that "Swarovski crystals" were available everywhere! I was always under the impression that they could only be purchased from the actual Swarovski store, but as it turns out, this was not the case - as long as you were actually buying the real thing.

Thinking about getting Swarovski, but can't tell real from fake? First you need to avoid the confusion between the name itself. Swarovski, the brand, uses crystals known as Austrian Crystal Beads. So technically it's the type of crystal you need to look out for, not the actual name Swarovski. However, there's more to it than just that. According to Your Swarovski, "there are some who try to sell the far lesser quality glass beads as Swarovski." So if you're a stickler for details, you should look out for things like weight and color. Associated Content has a good article that you may find useful. Regardless, for Budget Conscious Brides this is a great alternative to the actual Swaroski product line without paying for the name.

I have to admit that I didn't do as much research as I could have, since I was addicted to Etsy at the time of my search. I ended up going with Whitney Lynn (formerly Wynn Studios), who not only has a beautiful collection of jewellry but has great feedback from past buyers. So I guess I took a chance buying it, but I'm so happy I did!

I can't wait to see my girls open their little boxes and try them on!!

Miami tickets - Done & Done!

Guess who purchased her tickets for a fun filled girls weekend in Miami last night?!?!

Wooooooooooooooooo!!!!

While there was some intrepidation (Zing! Big word for the day!) on my part about this trip, mostly about money, like everything else I gave it some thought over time and gradually became more and more excited about it. It also helped that the Office Groom was my biggest support for this trip and really encouraged the idea (then again, he's also going to Vegas with his guys so his urging may have been fueled by guilt lol)

The thing about me and trips - and anyone who knows me well can back me up on this - is that I never really get excited until I'm actually on the plane. It doesn't really *hit me* until I'm seated in that tight little space, buckled up, and ready to have some plane food (I am one of those freaks that LOVE plane food).

However I'm excited nonetheless that we've purchased the tickets (I'm going with 3 out of my five BMs) and being an Office Bride, you can bet that I've already started on some internet research. I've heard from girlfriends who have gone there before that Miami is the IT place for Bachlorette parties. Although the girls and I have decided to just call this the "Girls Weekend" (an official Bachlorette will happen in the summer at home) I'm sure a cheesy Bride-To-Be crown will surface at some point during the weekend, if not only to get us a few free rounds at the bar :)

Thinking about doing a Miami girls weekend? Here are a few places I've heard of and checked on the good ol' www.

Nikki Beach - According to one of my single ladies, this is where "dreams come true" lol. Whatever that means!

Mansion Club For a night of dancing at a very fancy shmancy club.

Little Havana - One of my adventure seeking BMs found this. I said I was all for it as long as there was substantial beach time lol.

Photo from Go and Groove.

BM Outfit Guideline - What every Bridesmaid should know

Over the holidays I spoke to a few former BMs and there was one thing they all agreed on: whether they were all wearing the same outfit or doing the SBD, a guideline from the bride was always appreciated.

Every bride has an idea of how they want their bridal party to look and fit in with the rest of the wedding theme. Even the most outspoken, I-want-to-express-my-individuality BM can understand that at the end of the day, it's YOUR vision, so she won't want to disappoint you.

(And if she doesn't seem to be the least bit concerned with your two cents, you might want to sit down and give her a friendly wake-up call).

That said, if you are fortunate like me to have a bridal party full of great (and different personalities) who are willing to do whatever is easiest, then here are some useful guidelines you might want to consider passing onto them. Although all these may not apply, they do work for both uniform and SBD looks.

- Colour and fabric
- Preffered designer(s)
- Any "Friendly Requests" (eg. nothing over the knee)
- Provide a few images of suggested styles
- Store information (location, contact info, upcoming sales, discount info)
- Preffered shoes and accessories (In my case for shoes, I said anything black and pretty!)
- Any make up / hair details
- Keep it fun and light hearted! (I added funny pics of the groomsmen to show the girls with whom they'd be paired up )

I found it easiest to type it all out and send them a PDF file. That way, they have all the info in one document and they can also print it out if necessary.

Same But Different (S.B.D.)

My closest group of friends have been around since high school and university. We're practically sisters, which I feel so fortunate to have, since I grew up with brothers (great for toughening up, but a girl has got to be just a girl sometimes!)

Although we're a tight knit group with a lot in common (a sense of humor tops that list of similarities), we have always taken pride in our differences too. Fashion, music, men - we encourage each other to go after what we want, and sometimes live vicariously through one another along the way!

So when it came time for me to decide what my girls, a.k.a. my bridesmaids, would wear on the big day, there was no doubt that "the same but different" was the way to go.

However - like any typical self-doubting-bride-to-be, I wasn't sure if it would look ok. The internet was my saviour. I did a lot of Googling and found tons of pics of bridal parties wearing the S.B.D. and they all looked fabulous! It sealed the deal for me, and I quickly set out to find a line that offered the best selection of dresses in a variety of styles, but all in the same colour and fabric.

The reigning champion: Dessy

Although this is my line of choice, I thought I'd help out other brides looking for the S.B.D. with a few of the photos I found on-line during my earlier quest-for-the-dress. Dessy may not invoke inspiration for you, but maybe these will:

SBD BLACK



SBD BLUE



SBD NAVY



SBD GREEN



SBD RED



SBD YELLOW

Inspiration Board: "Blue & Hot"

When things are a bit slow in the office, I like to play around on Photoshop. Helped a lot when I was deciding on color scheme and themes, and I had so much fun putting together an inspiration board, I thought I'd create some more for other office brides out there! I'll also be sure to list what each item is and where you can find them on-line!

Introducing my first Inspiration Board - "Blue & Hot"



DRESS: Vera Wang
EARRINGS: Pookie and Pierre on Etsy
SHOES: Steve Madden Women's Trickked Pump
BM DRESS: J.Crew Embossed shift dress
BOUQUET: Botanica Floral Designs Blog
CUPCAKES: Coco Cake Blog

Oh Bebe! There's a sale!

BEBE is currently having a sale in-store and on-line. From Thursday December 10 until Sunday December 13, you can get 30% off your purchase. If you would like to receive the in-store discount, you need to contact me directly. For the on-line discount, use the code: UNWRAP30.

The accessories and purses are gorgeous.



And for the off-beat bride, check out the veiled headpieces - to die for!






Happy shopping!

PashmiNOW

Thanks to MSN.com, I've discovered a new site that sells an amazing selection of Pashminas, and they are currently on sale for $9.99. Whether for yourself, a christmas gift, or for your bridesmaids, this is a great deal! Check out the selection at Peach Couture.