my new monogram

I am absolutely in love with my new monogram ...designed by my incredibly talented friend Sandy. Sandy is going to be designing Wedding Invitations in her 'spare' time and I'm super excited to be able to work with her on all of my Wedding Stationary. She was actually the same person that designed my TEP logo ...so I definitely love her work!

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my wedding inspiration: invitations

I love paper. I love fonts & letters.  Which makes the Stationary one of the elements of my Wedding that I am completely excited about. I have an incredibly talented friend that is going to be designing it for me, starting with my monogram and I can't wait to see what she comes up with. She was the person that designed my TEP logo, she just seems to have a creative and beautiful way of putting together letters with designs.

In order to give her an idea of the types of things that I like, I created the above Inspiration Board using pictures that I found online along with pictures that I found in magazines.

I can't wait to see how it all comes together!

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my wedding inspiration: the details

I  love this idea! I can just imagine these drawers all over the place ...cake stands, envelope holders, holding vases in the middle of tables as centerpieces, stacked with presents for guests, holding glasses on the bar. Too cute.

I guess the next obvious question is: who has some old dressers with extra drawers? Or who wants to go garage saling with me!

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my wedding inspiration: the dress

I'm completely inspired by this dress. I love it!

Unfortunately not so, so inspired by the price ...

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my save the dates

When my cousin Shelley sent out her Wedding Invitations virally I was introduced to Paperless Post and I fell in love.  They have a ton of incredible designs and it's extremely affordable. So I was super excited to make my Save the Dates using their website. And I figured that there couldn't be a better day than exactly 1 year before the big day.  

The only thing that you can't see on the below invitation was the adorable polka dotted insert on the envelope, which may have just been my favourite detail:)

...and a little hint. If you have friends & family sign up for new accounts (using your name as a reference) you are given free stamps!

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my wedding inspiration: polka dotted socks

I have begged and begged Wayne to wear a black and white polka dotted tie, or even a pink tie to match my dress ...it's not happening.  But I don't think even he could say no to something that does not get seen! 

Love, love, love.

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my wedding inspiration: guest book

I have always loved inspiring sayings, unique pieces of advice and having people tell me things about 'me' ...so I can't think of a cuter idea than combining the top 2 Martha Stewart ideas for the Guest Book.

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to my lovely ladies ...

Love you all,

xoL

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venue frustration

I am suffering from complete frustration and I thought that blogging may be a great way to vent ...so if you aren't in the mood to hear some complaining, you may want to simply move on from this blog:)

I am loving the Wedding Planning process and for the most part things have been moving along really well up until now.  At this point most of the elements are simply ideas swirling around in my head, but I have been working to nail down whatever specifics I can so that things are less stressful as the date draws nearer.  Of course things are slightly more complicated because I live on the other side of the world, but thanks to my wonderful parents and friends at home, I am feeling very supported.

One of the specifics that is an absolute necessity to nail down is the venue.  I'm sure by my past blogs that you are assuming it is all booked and confirmed.  Not so, and not for a lack of trying.  I have never in my entire life had so much difficulty giving someone money.  It's to the point that if I wasn't totally in love with the place and if I didn't think it was perfect for my vision, I would move on and cut my losses.  Korea has definitely been teaching me patience, but I don't think there is enough patience in the world to deal with this.

Here's the scoop.  Once my parents visited the venue I was hooked and set.  I immediately requested a proposal knowing that the format of my wedding celebration is going to be slightly different (more details to come) ...I waited for a response.  When one didn't come within a week (or even an acknowledgement) I sent another email.  Again, nothing.  Then I went the next step and got my mom to start calling.  I think she called every single day for a week.  At this point it is about 3 weeks since the visit.

One morning my mom finally got ahold of the Event Manager, who is extremely friendly and let her know that she would have the proposal by noon that day, she had just been waiting for final approval on the discount she was extending.  Noon came and went.  Many noons came and went.

Are you ready to scream yet?

I was just about to have Wayne's mom start physically stalking her when the Proposal arrived in my inbox.  It was about 4 lines and didn't include many details, but it was a happy day.

I immediately responded with a positive and she promised to send it out in the mail to my parents house because we had 1 month to sign and get the cheque back to her.

This was over a month ago and nothing has arrived.  Nor is she responding to any emails or phone calls.  When I originally googled the venue I read that communication was difficult ...this is taking difficult to the next level.

On the flipside, I came across this picture today and thought it was a super cute idea for my ceremony ...or maybe a photobooth backdrop. (ps. I am talking about the white door altar)

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mark your calendars

The venue has been chosen.  The date has been set.

I chose the Gambrel Barn (which is the Agricultural Museum in Country Heritage Park) in Milton for the wedding.  I absolutely loved the Halton Museum, the inside is gorgeous and I could imagine exactly how it would look ...but after my parents went to visit the Gambrel Barn and sent me the pictures, I think we all just knew that this would be the spot.

There are a lot of reasons:

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  First and foremost, it means something to Wayne.  He went to camp in this park as a kid, and I love that we are getting married at a venue where he already has memories
• 
  
  The inside is as close to the initial vision that I had in my mind (wood and rustic) as I have seen
• 
  
  Size ...even though I am planning to keep the wedding fairly small, I didn't want to have to worry about size
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  Patio ...no one likes to consider rain on their wedding day, but the covered patio eliminates the need to consider a tent
• 
  
  The Ceremony ...I will be able to have the ceremony anywhere on the grounds that I want, and if it rains, I can still do it outside at the Pavillion in the pictures above
• 
  
  It just feels right

And now I am officially excited! I have a visual in my head and I know the palette that I am working with.

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the venue

As a Wedding Planner I have always prayed for the brides that have figured out where they wanted to get married before coming to me.  It's a time consuming and incredibly personal decision that I absolutely hate trying to make.  I really thought that it would be easier for me ... I started with a visual in my head and thought it would all flow from there.  One million google searches, 10,000 emails and 3 pleas to my parents to do site checks later and I have narrowed it down to 2. 

They are both in Milton, they are both barns and they are both museums ...but they are totally different.

The Halton Museum & The Agricultural Museum.

The Pros & Cons.

When I started thinking about my wedding I really wanted a barn. I wanted that rustic feel, and I really felt that it suited Wayne's childhood and personality.  I wanted the challenge that decorating the inside would bring, but also the blank slate that wood really has.  While I love the beauty and simplicity of planning  a wedding at a Golf Course or a Hotel, the type of event that I am planning really didn't fit.

My parents saw the Halton Museum first and the pictures are gorgeous.  I have a proposal from the caterer and the food would be amazing.  But it's small and I would have to watch my guest list and consider renting a tent if I want to use the patio, which really increases the budget.

Then Wayne mentioned the Agricultural Museum.  It's a far larger venue (can hold up to 750 people if necessary ...which is both a plus and something to consider because there is nothing worse than an empty room,) has the wooden feel that I had originally envisioned and the grounds around it are beautiful.  But communication with them has been extremely frustrating and their caterer is onsite.

Have a look at the pictures.

The Halton Museum

This is the patio where the tent would cover if I went that route.

I love the look of the walls, but you can easily tell that the room is not overly spacious. Don't worry, I wouldn't use those chairs.

The Agricultural Museum

Again, never - never would I use those chairs ...but the room is spacious and open and definitely rustic.

This is the patio that is attached, it has a cover over it.

I think overall our goal is really to have an amazing party and to celebrate both our wedding and our family & friends.  Of course this means making sure the food is great and the bar is plentiful.  I want a lot of time and room for socializing, drinking and celebrating. 

And I want to keep it simple.

Decisions, decisions.

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my monogram

I wanted to share my Wedding Monogram ...as I am sure you have seen it along the side of this blog, and on my Inspiration Board.  It's clean, simple and cute.  I think you will be seeing a trend towards those words as everything comes together (sometimes substituting the word 'cute' for 'pretty'.)

I love simple, and I love the way that the letters almost look like they are hand written.  The circle around them signifies the polka dot theme and the way that there is a + in between the L and the W is supposed to give the impression that it is carved into a tree ...the kind of thing we used to do when love (and life) was simple.

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help!

I believe that a wedding is about 2 things.  One, celebrating the commitment that a couple is making to each other and the love that they have.  Two, celebrating the important people in those couples lives, who make lives full.

I love the idea of having family & friends be a part in the wedding day in various ways, so I am going to try over the course of the next year of planning to include all of the important people in my life.                       This is just the first step.

I would like to compel family & friends to help me collect several that I will need for the wedding.  I have some ideas spinning around in my mind that need some everyday items that I will be using in various ways. 

 So rather than recycling, if you could put aside the following, I would love you forever:

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  Clear Wine Bottles
• 
  
  Clear Glass Jars (Mason Jars, Pasta Bottles, etc.)
• 
  
  Clear Glass Baby Food Containers (ideally the larger size, but smaller will work too)
• 
  
  Used White Candles

Once you have a bunch of something, just send me an email and I will figure out a way to get it to my parents house ...or to the homes of one of my bridesmaids or groomsmen ...who of course have yet to be asked, but who have been known for months, some years.

I will send out a message when I have hit my targets, but honestly - I need tons ...hundreds in some cases!

Thanks so much, XO

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my first inspiration board

You see them all over the internet, and I have no idea how people capture so much into 5-6 pictures.  I have a feeling that I am going to have an inspiration board for every single element of my wedding. 

The one above really captures the pink of my wedding, but I think it lacks the rustic feel that I am really striving for.  In fact, I really want the palette to be mostly stark white, with my guests in black and touches and hints everywhere of pink.  Set against the wood of the barn I think it will be clean, cozy and pretty.

I am loving the peonies and posies because of the colours that they have and the shape of the flowers.  You don't necessarily need arranged flowers with these types because they have so much presence themselves. I love the rocks in the centerpieces and playing up the trees in the scenery because the setting of my reception is beautiful.  I haven't always been a nature lover, but I think everyone can appreciate the beauty of it.

Overall, I really want the wedding feel to be a mesh of the two personalities becoming one.  This is why the setting is completely him.  It's in a barn, outside in the middle of a park that he went to camp at as a kid ...and inside it will be me.  Pink and polka dotted.

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my new favourite possession

I got a new camera a couple weeks ago, it's beautiful and I am very proud of it.  However, up until today, I didn't know much more than how to turn it on ...I hadn't even figured out how to focus it to take clear pictures.  So today I gave myself my first (of what I am sure will be many) tutorials and focused in on my new favourite possession - my engagement ring. 

I think that I grow more and more in love with each passing day, sometimes I find myself just staring at it.  Wondering how anything could be so beautiful.  I may be slightly bias but it's the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.

Anyways, I am definitely no expert yet, but at least I can finally post some pictures ...I have been getting a lot of requests and for some reason could not get a clear shot with my other digital.  Apparently my ring is high class and refuses to be captured by an amateur camera.  Go figure.

As I mentioned in my engagement announcement - Wayne & I went with an amethyst rather than a diamond.  He is set on replacing it with a diamond when we make it back to Canada, but I can't imagine anything being more perfect.  The amethyst is a traditional stone in Korea, and is believed to have healing power. 

Very funny sidenote: I just looked it up online and in Greek, Amethyst means - "not drunken" and in history was believed to save people from intoxication.  It gets more and more perfect as we go along.

So here is my first ever photoshoot.

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the proposal

IT HAPPENED!

A little background:  Valentines Day is celebrated in 2 parts in Korea.  On what we consider Valentines Day (February 14th) the girls buy for the guys ...typically chocolate or cookies. Wayne & I went out for steak and a club sandwich, both with french fries.  And then a month later (March 14th) is White Day.  White Day is for the girls, and is now officially my favourite day in the entire year.

More background: About 3 weeks ago Wayne & I went to Seoul with a colleague of ours, who has a friend that is a Professional Jeweler to pick out a ring.  I thought it would be a lot like Sweet Home Alabama and I would just be surrounded with sparkling jewels and have my pick, not completely the case.  It was a lot more back alley, with crowded stores, jam packed with jewelry of all kinds.  But we chose a setting and then then we had decided on a stone awhile ago.

We decided to go with an amethyst for a few reasons.  Not on the bottom of the list is that is super, super pretty and purple.  But on the more reasonable side, it's extremely expensive to buy diamonds in Korea and I would have to walk around (and go backpacking) with it for the near year, uninsured.  Not practical ...and to be honest, I have never loved anything more than my ring.  It's pretty, it's unique and it's totally me.  Wayne is set on replacing the stone with a diamond when we get home, but we will see.

Anyways, back to my story ...which takes place on White Day (Sunday March 14th) and started extremely early for me.  At 6:30am Wayne flipped on the switch in our bedroom and walked out the front door.  When I eventually rolled over in bed I was faced with a brown piece of paper, a pen and riddle that told me I would be traveling to the 3rd baseline.  After stumbling around the apartment for a good 20 minutes, I finally made it downstairs and outside and realized that I had absolutely no idea what a baseline was.  I will blame this on sleep deprivation and excitement because I have played baseball for most of my life ...but it literally took me 10 minutes of standing in the cold not moving to come to the realization that the clue was leading me to the ball diamond that we walk past at least twice every single day.

Once there I was met with another clue that took me back to our mailbox and then across the street again to some trees and eventually back to the recycling area of our old apartment.  Wayne & I have been watching season after season of Survivor for the past few months (10 seasons in less than 3 months) so we are obsessed and the challenges that he presented me with were sooo perfect and totally Survivor.  Then came the Bachelor part of the plan. 

My next clue led me up to a path in the woods.  After debating for awhile about which path to take (there were 3 and I wasn't completely certain where the clue was directing me) I chose the one on the right and started the trek.  Eventually (not quickly enough) I found him.  He was standing at the end, and I felt exactly how those girls must feel when they walk down that long path to get to the bachelor, except that I was fairly certain he wasn't going to be sending me home.

After some very nice words (which I can't say I can completely remember, I think I was too giddy) he got down on one knee and made me the happiest girl in the world ...at the exact same second that a hiker passed us on the path.  We should have gotten him to take a picture, but my brain was not focused.

So that's my story, and I have to say ...it was perfect.

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