Lost in wedding planning

The title says it all! I love to blog, and have had so much happen in the past two months that I feel horrible for not sharing it. As most of you know I was planning my wedding.....and IT HAPPENED!

It was one of the most amazing days of my life! I hope to continue to have more and more of these days with my husband (I still giggle like a school girl when I say that) in the years to come.

Photographer Jennifer Lee Photography

So now what? After the whole wedding was finished, it was so anticlimactic, what do I do now? Am I really done planning weddings? 

The answer is, I still really don't know. The idea of possibly getting into event planning has floated around in my brain, but handling myself is a lot different than handling another bride. A lot of my wedding vendors kept telling me over and over again that I was the most relaxed bride they have ever seen. My response "I am just very organized".

So back to my above question, now what? 

• Well because of the wedding I reverted to the very basic needs for food. Not junk, but whatever was easy, non creative, unexciting and just pure nourishment for my tossing tummy. With the wedding now done, I feel ready to get my creative food genius going (not that I am a food genius by any means, but it sounds cooler when I say it like that) and start making some awesome meals again.

• I am a graphic designer; I design wedding stationary and always have loved this. I will dig a little more into this aspect as it allows me to stay up to date with weddings, but not being as involved in them as planning someone else’s.

• Getting back on my healthy track, I had a little bit of a separation with the gym these past few weeks. It's not that I didn't want to be there sweating my butt off, I just had a hard time working it into my conscious with everything else going on.

I think that is what I am going with right now. Another thing that is plaguing me is the blog name.  The original purpose was to record my journey to the Aisle. Well been there, done that. But I am not ready to stop blogging; in fact I want this to become second nature to me. However I am stuck with "Running to the Aisle". I am thinking the best course in action is to finish blogging here with my wedding stuff, then have a redirection to my new blog. A pain? Yes! But I feel that would be the most beneficial way to do it. I still have some wedding things I would like to share....SUCH AS PHOTOS! So I will continue to post those here till the new one is up and going.

I have been given just a sneak peak of some photos from the photographer, so over the next little while I'll share more with you all.

Thanks for sticking around; I know I have neglected you all.

Sunday for thought

Having a wonderful lazy Sunday, enjoying some movies and relaxing before the gym. 

While watching Eat Pray Love there is a scene that I think speaks volumes. Julia Roberts is in a pizzeria in Italy with a friend and devouring an amazing cheesy delight of a pizza, when she notices her friend isn't enjoying her pizza as much. She asks her friend why? her friend responds that she wants to eat this pizza but is concerned about her new "muffin top". Julia Roberts character then goes into a reasoning that I feel we all really need to live our lives by.

Julia Roberts: Let me ask you a questions, in all the years you have undressed in front of a Gentleman

Friend: There hasnt been that many

Julia Roberts: Alright well, well as he ever asked you to leave? Has he ever walked out? Left? 

Friend: No

Julia Robers: Because he doesn't care, hes in a room with a naked girl, hes won the lottery. I am so tired of saying no and waking up in the morning and recalling every single thing I ate the day before, Counting all the calories I consumed so i know exactly how much self loating to take into the shower. I am going for it i have no interest with being obese, I'm just through with the guilt.

Couldn't say it better myself

Today's Lunch

Falafel's, green leaf lettuce, red onions, tomatoes and a tzatziki sauce. 

Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

Vacation and whole lot of food

Hey Guys!! How has your long weekend been? I have been on vacation since last Wednesday. So my long weekend has been AWESOME! I had planned to blog, but got so carried away with food awesomeness that I will have to do this in three parts.

Wednesday I woke up and made my fiance and myself some packed full oatmeal

I make it like Kath does over at Kath Eats, but added half scoop of protein powder, berries and pure maple syrup. Yummy! This is the best when I know I will be heading to the gym later.

We finished our breakfast and went to the gym, it was back day. I killed it! I was a sweaty wonderful mess. After we got cleaned up, our friend came with us and we all headed to a local pub called The Grove.  It is locally owned and operated, the owner had spent a lot of time in England and wanted to bring back the pub feeling here.

Love the logo and colours!!!

Sorry for the poor photo, I got a point and shoot for these type of moments and still getting used to it(go figure I have more trouble operating a point and shoot then my dslr)

 Our friend Jason had a three beer sampler, due to laws in Manitoba, you can't have more then three drinks in front of you(no matter the size). I dragged them all over quickly for a photo.

 My fiance had a Canadian beer, it was light and he enjoyed it a lot.

The boys, my fiance and Jason!! Check out my fiances shirt, the new Jets Logo!! GO JETS GO!

I had a glass of wine, it was wonderful! I love red wine :)

 My Fiance had Pan Roasted Halibut with pilau rice and lemon caper dressing. He is currently on a special diet for his workout plan, so he didn't eat much rice.

Jason had pizza, I was pretty jealous of this cheesy, greasy goodness.

I had the veggie burger with side salad. The veggie burger was chickpea, black bean and walnut patty with a spicy mayo. It was delish! I made the boys try it and they both were shocked how good a veggie burger was! Score for m

Aww a pub with my name on the wall(even if it's spelled incorrectly)

As we were walking back to our car with full belly's we noticed across the street Lilac Bakery. I have heard great things about their red velvet cupcakes. So of course I had to have one...to share between us all. 

It has owned up to it's name. It was quite good!

I have three other restaurants we also went to this past week that I want to share with you guys! So stay tune, I am just recovering from my food baby :)

I need a favor...a wedding favor

Help Me! I am stuck! I am close to breaking the budget and I don't even know why!!

On Saturday I had my consultation with a florist for our centerpieces. We came up with something awesome, not overly pricey but still look's amazing. However, I did double the original amount I wanted to spend on them. The amount I wanted to spend wasn't really a realistic amount for what I wanted. So I have forgiven myself. But I am dipping into the favor budget. Now I am left trying to find something for favors that isn't tacky, but unique. Being caught up with this task, a question donned on me, Do favors really matter? Do people expect them?

First I wanted to do a Candy Buffet

Source

This can range anywhere from $150 up. The place I called said if it is a favor, I should spend between $350-$500. To me that is a little steep, though I do love this idea.

Then I came up with this: Whirly Pop Favors

Source

For 150-180 of these, it will range between $250 - $350.

With lots of research online, I also came across charity favors where you donate money in your guests name to a local charity. And to be honest, I do like this idea. I have never really cared about favors at weddings in the past. Though I would remember unique ones, such as a candy buffet or if I got a whirly pop. But at most I have gotten little bags of mints. The most unique I got was black scrapbooked bag with personalized m&m's in it. I loved those.

I keep coming back to the question, how important are wedding favors? And what do guests really expect? Would you feel disappointed if you found out that money was donated in your name instead of getting mints or candy?

I am not trying to be cheap, but I want to spend money on thing's I feel that matter.

Help!!!!!!

Confessions

How is everyone's weekend so far? Mine has been great!

This morning the fiance made me breakfast!!! He has made me scrambled eggs in the past(once) with not much success and french toast. But somehow made over easy eggs PERFECT. I think there is a conspiracy here.

Free Range Vita Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Roasted Rosemary Hash Browns and Whole Wheat Bread with Organic Kicking Horse Coffee. DELISH!

Last night I went to see the last Harry Potter movie. I LOVE Harry Potter. In fact though I knew the ending......I still teared up. Yeah I am that much of a nerd. Since I am already admitting to some of most admirable traits, here is some more confessions. 

Eye Brows: What is the big deal about this confession you say? We all have eye brows? Well I don't, well sorta. Being a natural redhead, my eye brows can go two different ways. 1. They will be red or redish brown. 2 They will be a transparent blonde! Guess which one I have?

Growing up, I always hated my red hair, in fact as an adult I coloured my hair in all ranges of colours from reddish purple with blond highlights to black. I had black hair for several years!(and it cost a pretty penny to have it changed). The real trend was I always went dark, why? Because I could dye my eye brows darker to match and POOF I'd have eye brows.  Just a few years ago, I finally went back to my natural hair colour. But then I realized.....eye brows? what am I gonna do? Well I go a light brown, unfortunately....sometimes the women at my spa don't realize how easy my brows will take the colour and how easy my skin will absorb the colour and for a few days after.......I kinda look like Burt or Ernie.

Reality TV: This is a bad one, and one I shouldn't tell people so openly...but I really really REALLY have a problem. It's like my crack. My fiance says it rots my brain. I watch pretty much any reality show there is. Even if I don't really like them. I use them for background noise when I design or cook. It's almost like a safety blanket. How horrible is that? I can't even list all the shows I watch because I'd be here forever. It's just plain horrible.

Corn on the Cob: After my previous confession this one is the least harmless and the most delicious. When corn on the cob comes into season, I eat it almost every day. It is my one true love. In fact I am now craving some!

Walk-In Closet: This is actually quite embarrassing, and not in the way the reality TV shows are. It's that it has gotten WAY out of hand and needs professional help. I have gone through some pretty drastic body changes in the past 5 years. And haven't gotten rid of any of the clothes that I have had to purchase through these changes. And that's not the worst part, it just is everywhere! My fiance has half the closet, I the other. And I can't find anything.

My goal this weekend is to make 3 piles. Keep, Donate and Toss whatever is too worn to donate. Please wish me luck!!

Well I am off to the florists about some centerpieces and then the gym later!!

BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!! Check out what came in the mail!!

My silk flowers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't show you guys the whole thing because I have extended family that read this blog and want to surprise them the day of. But just know I really want to. So this is a tease....

Question: What is your confession? Anything has horrible as a jam packed closet or the love of trash tv?

Wakeboarding and Blog Changes

Last Friday I took a day off for vacation, A group of us went to this new facility in Manitoba for wakeboarding. Adrenaline Adventures is purely awesome! We watched the first round of competing and I was just wowed!  We then went to the beach portion and tossed the ball. Good friends and a great time!

Photo taken by the lovely A C Green

Photo taken by the lovely A C Green

Photo taken by the lovely A C Green

Photo taken by the lovely A C Green

We then followed it up with a great dinner at Fresh Cafe. I devoured a bison burger and yam fries. I was starving from all the sun that day!

Over the next few days I will be updating the blog, I have added a new comment program(which has over lapped any current comments, kinda sucks, but now I can properly  reply to all your comments). I will also be creating a better About Page. Also adding a Link page so that they aren't on the far right. Things be changing :)

Tomorrow I am going with my soon-to-be sister-in-law to a florists to talk about centerpieces. I know I had planned to create my own, however I am feeling a little stressed out with all the DIY projects I had planned.

Question: Did you end up canceling any DIY projects that you had planned for your wedding? If so why?

I am back and here to stay!

Invites are out, wedding planning is becoming less distracting and now it's time to just sit back and see all of it come together. I think my majority of stress was my invites. Designing wedding invites is my job, and with that being the case, the pressure of them having to be perfect weighed down on me. I also kept trying to do all of them by myself. Now, one thing I can recommend is if you are doing a lot of DIY items for your wedding, don't take it on all by yourself. Reach out to your lovely ladies and family for help. I did, and boy am I happy that I did.

I really want to show you the invites, but due to the mail strike they are only just being received by my guests. Once I know most of the guests have gotten them, I'll post photos. They turned out better then I imagined. My fiance loves them, and for a guy that makes me really happy.

Last Friday us Canadians celebrated Canada Day, and it was a blast! I wanted to start this day off with a new challenge....poached eggs! With much research, I found some great blogs and videos on how to cook the perfect poached eggs.

I made Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict!

You can find the recipe here along with the instructional video on how to cook poached eggs. I love love the Food Wishes Blog. Seriously amazing.

 Look at those eggs! I love vita eggs sooo much, the yolk is just beyond amazing.

These turned out great, and I will be making these again for sure.

Today I received my blog giveaway prize that I got from the lovely Lindsey at A Running Tale. My fiance was so excited about the maple syrup, that he opened my parcel and used it before even telling me it arrived! Thank you soooo much Lindsey!!! I can't wait to make recipes from Vegan on the cheap cookbook. Looks AWESOME!

Now off to watch some Battlestar Galatica with a glass of wine. No work for me tomorrow(I took a vacation day) and have plenty of things I want to wake up bright and early to do!!