A Royal Slap in the Face.

So I'm sure as a wedding blog, you are all expecting me to review the Royal Wedding. Of course right?! It's the "biggest event of the year" not the tsunami in Japan or the town in Arkansas that was just destroyed by a tornado. 

Truth be told, I did not participate in watching the Royal Wedding, because as a Canadian I just don't support what they did. When you're in the position to help people, I don't think it's appropriate or classy to have a 32$ million dollar wedding televised for the world to see when there are so many people dying in the world right now. 

I will say that I did take a look at Kate's dress though, and aside from that fact that I think the wedding was totally tacky, she did look absolutely stunning. 

So a big congrats to Kate & Will I hope they end up being very happy together.

Not quite a wedding blog post...

but a girly post none the less!
Check out this giveaway! Scentsy is this unreal company with amazing scents for your home! I suggest you check out the giveaway and the scentsy site!

http://wantwickless.blogspot.com/2011/04/anniversary-giveaway.html

http://www.scentsy.net/en-us/index.aspx

Featured Vendor: Carrie Lynn Weber Flowers

So when I was researching some vendors, and services to feature in the blog. Dress stores, photographers and venues are always well covered, but I find a lot of people don't write about their florist experiences! For me, decor is a huge part of a wedding. Decor allows you to create your own world and set the mood for all the guests attending.

When I came across Carrie Lynn Weber I was so excited to do her feature on my blog. She is everything I love to see in a florist: creative, modern and incredibly flexible with bride's and their ideas. Carrie allows brides to come up with their own floral layouts and even uses fun things like fruit in her bouquets! Prices are personalized for each bride, because what each bride wants will be different! 

Her use of fresh flowers with vibrant and deep colours is breath taking. I can honestly say I have never been more impressed with a floral arrangement! 

Please check out her gallery you will not be disappointed! 

Here is a link to Carrie's website : Carrie Lynn Weber

Thanks for checking in guys! Sorry about the short hiatus ;) 

Jon Elrick and Megan Coates, Feb.26th 2011 (PICTURES COMING SOON!)

First wedding of the year this year was my friend Jon Elrick! He is originally from Guelph but moved out to Vancouver about two years ago, which proved to be a very good life decision for him, because wouldn't you know it, he came back with a wife! 

I had a chance to see Jon again just days before the wedding and meet his wife Megan. They had already gotten married in Vancouver but decided to come home to Guelph and have a wedding here for family and friends. I instantly connected with Megan. She was really easy going and seems really in love with Jon, they were great together. 

Their wedding took place on Saturday, February 26th, in the afternoon. Their ceremony and reception was held at Gambrel Barn which was just outside of Milton, Ont. 

The atmosphere when we pulled up was instantly so romantic. It was snowing softly and it was so peaceful. There was a slight downside, the walk from the parking lot to the reception hall was tough in heels in the winter, aside from that I was instantly in love. As we walked into the hall I just let out a huge sigh. The barn is simply stunning. Exposed beams, and a huge amount of space to transform into the wedding of your dreams. 

Megan and Jon's decor was simple, but that's what I loved most. Peacock colours were found on the Cupcake stand, and peacock flowers were found on the backs of chairs. White lights scattered the walls along with some twig balls I had seen hanging which I thought were gorgeous. 

The ceremony had me in tears almost instantly. I have said before that I love when couples have something in their wedding that is different or individual. My favourite part was the Hand Ceremony they did. (Hand Ceremony Examples) I thought this was so meaningful and romantic and I really loved the idea of it! 

After the ceremony, there was a two hour break before supper where guests could visit, snack, and of course drink! The bar was really well priced at 6 drink tickets for 20$ and the snacks were veggie and fruit plates which were nice and light. Dinner was excellent, both a meat pie and a vegetarian lasagna was served with buns, salad and potatoes. I had the lasagna and I must say it was the best lasagna I have ever had. I always say the most important part of a wedding is the food, and I always find it's a hit or miss, I was extremely happy! Then came the cupcakes for dessert! The cupcakes were hand made by Jon and Megan, and although I was too full to eat one, my whole table LOVED them.

I really loved Megan and Jon's wedding because they did a lot of DIY decorations and such. Their wedding fit in to the blog perfectly and I was so excited to do the feature! 

Here are some questions I had for the bride and groom to get more insight into wedding planning and wedding budgets! 

My questions:

Favourite part of the venue? Least favourite?
Are you happy with your choice of venue?
Price range that your wedding costed? (you don't need to give an exact as I know this is a pretty private thing for a lot of people but my blog has a lot about saving money on weddings so a price range could help!)
What was included in the venue rental?
Did you spend more or less then you had hoped?

ANSWERS.

1.Jon - Favourite was the atmosphere and convenience of everything being in one building/Least Fav was no elevator access to the balcony.
Megan - Fav-so old and unique/Least-same as Jon

2. Jon/Meg - Absolutely. Couldn't have asked for a better place.

3. The wedding itself cost around $8000. The venue was $1800 (a small amount extra if you wanted it the night before for rehearsal). Caterer ended up being around $2500 for his budget buffet with 110 people. We made all our decorations, centrepieces and the cupcakes and cupcake tree, so that saved on quite a bit of money. Our flowers were donated by a friend of Megan's mom. Bartender was a $500 deposit, but since it was a cash bar, we may make some of that back. DJ was around $300 I believe. I can't think of anything else.

4. Venue rental included all the chairs for the ceremony, tables and chairs for the reception, head table (all table cloths were extra), setup of all tables and chairs, heating and lighting costs, help with floor plan arrangements, and they allowed us the use of several other buildings for the bride's getting ready and the photo shoot.

5. I think overall we spent more than we would have liked to, but at the same time, we ended up with an amazing day and couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding day. Everybody involved was amazing and so helpful, and you really see how much everyone cares about you with all the free labour and services that people offer. It was truly a blessing for us with everything that went on.

Check out some of the people involved in the wedding that were absolutely PHENOMENAL! 

Officiants - Anne & Garry Blinch (White Orchid Weddings)
www.whiteorchidweddingceremonies.com

Photographer - Marcin Moka Photography
www. marcinmoka.com
www.facebook.com/marcinmokaphotography

DJ - Ray Scott (This Note's 4 U)http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12917636540

Caterer - Midknight Catering
www.midknightcatering.ca

Apple You've Done It Again!

I am honestly so excited right now! So I was researching some new ideas online. Dresses, venues, neat wedding ideas and DIY's when I came across this gem. 

Was I the only one that didn't know Apple created an Iphone App called My WeddingDj?! 

This is the coolest app ever and any bride with an Iphone, NEEDS this app. 

Here's how it works: You can add and edit your music and place it into a playlist. There are a ton of templates to fit your ceremony, it gives you all the different parts of your ceremony and you are able to place songs from your playlist into those categories. 

The other nice thing about this app is that there is a smooth fade between each song rather than just a pause and then a song to follow, just like what would happen if you had a Dj. This app also allows requests, where during the party, a guest can press the "request" button and choose a song from your whole playlist to play. It can hold multiple requests at one time. 

Here is what the wedding plan looks like:

Ceremony

• Pre-Ceremony (Playlist)
• Groom’s Procession (Song)
• Group Procession (Song)
• Bride’s Procession (Song)
• Registry Signing (Playlist)
• Recessional (Song)

Reception

• Cocktail Hour (Playlist)
• Wedding Party Entrance (Song)
• Dinner (Playlist)
• Cake Cutting (Song)
• First Dance (Song)
• Father-Daughter Dance (Song)
• Mother- Son Dance (Song)
• Slow Dancing (Playlist)

Party

• Bouquet Toss (Song)
• Garter Toss (Song)
• Party Dancing (Playlist)
• Final Song (Song)

The other nice thing about this app is that each part of the ceremony requires a "slide" on the screen to move to the next section to avoid any songs being played too soon or having the wrong part of the ceremony played. You would need someone to operate the phone during the ceremony but for a mere 4.99$ I think it's worth it! What a cool way to save money! 

If you have ever used this app for your wedding, please leave a comment below, negative or positive! We would love to hear about it! 

CONTEST!

Want a chance to win your bridal gown or 5 brides maids dresses of your choice? 
David's Bridal is having a contest! 
Their stock is also on sale till Feb.28th 50-300$ off including NEW ARRIVALS! 


Click here for the David's Bridal home page! 

Tumblr!

That's right friends! Everything For The Ring is now on tumblr! Check it out! www.everythingforthering.tumblr.com

Living the Dream.

So I think it's no secret that since the age of 3 most girls want to be princesses. We spent hours upon hours watching Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Princess Jasmine hoping someday OUR prince would come... and what we would wear when he did. I personally was surprised that it took Disney this long to collaborate with someone to make a wedding line, but it has finally happened. Disney has teamed up with Alfred Angelo to bring us a line of 7 dresses inspired by our favourite princesses! The princesses who have been featured are Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Tiana (The Princess and the Frog) ,  Jasmine and Snow White. 

While working my first shift at Ladybug Bridal, a bridal salon in Guelph, I was lucky enough to see some of these dresses up close and personal. Let me be the first to say, these dresses were made for a princess. These dresses were made for women who love the sparkle, the bling and the big ballroom "poof" you get with any princess dress from the movies. Princess Jasmine's dress is the most simple, taking an almost destination feel with light fabric and some "bling" around the halter neck line. Ariel also had a simple (obviously mermaid) styled dress with lots of detailing, since she is my favourite princess I guess it's only fitting that her dress is also one of my favourites! Cinderella is your classic princess dress and is my absolute favourite of the bunch. It's big, it's sparkly and it's oh so romantic. It features a sweetheart neckline embellished in crystals and rhinestones and a full skirt which is covered in glitter (as was I after my shift, watch out they shed!) 

Overall I think this dress collection was quite well done. They have taken inspiration from the women that all of us as girls learned love from and I think for a lot of people that is really special! 

To see the product and learn more about the line, check it out here!

Enjoy! 

A Little Bit Out Of the Box

So my dear friend Shannon brought to my attention the fact that a well known retail store Urban Outfitters (popular to Toronto) has just released a line of wedding dresses! She posted the link and I immediately started googling looking at the dresses and reading about the intentions of the line! The line is called BHLDN which is Beholden minus the vowels. I chose to hold out and post today because the line is launching online today! Prices range from 1000-4000$. Kristen Norris is the manager of the line and this is what she had to say: “We’re confident that we’re filling in space that no one’s filling in. We’re offering a take that’s not out there. We have a lot of shorter dresses, lots of color and prints and no optic white dresses. Traditionally, people got married in churches. Now, they’re getting married on beaches and mountain tops. We’re building our assortment for the ultimate end use.”

Check out the site!


I found some dresses online! What do you think? Would you buy a wedding dress from Urban Outfitters? 

Men & Marriage!

We all know most women are in love with the idea of marriage. But what about men? We always have been told that if you bring up the "m" word, they'll run. So I thought I would ask two men questions about marriage that I thought all women would be interested in knowing! Both of these men are currently planning weddings and I have asked them questions about planning, budget and the idea of marriage. Enjoy! 

James! James is from Kitchener, Ont. He is 23 and he is currently planning a wedding with his Fiance Keira! 

1. What have been your thoughts on marriage growing up?

A: Growing up I didn't really think about getting married a whole lot. The only model of what marriage was like was through my parents. Which was I suppose positive in some respects but looking at it as a whole it made me work harder and think longer about the girls and relationships I had. (Mind you I'm a 100% guilty of being blinded by what I thought was "love"). Growing up I made a conscious decision that my parents marriage won't be my marriage, ill leave it at that. 

2.Have you always wanted to get married?

A: It was on and off. My thoughts on the topic was directly affected by the people who broke my heart mainly and how married I was to my career path. An amazing woman will eventually come and save you from a potentially lonely Swarley existence. I hope you watch how I met your mother. 

3.What did you look for in a partner?

A: independent, not much for drinking or partying, creative, has a car (very important), not a vegetarian (I know it's appalling that your diet is a deal breaker, cry about it...). Non smoker.

4.When did you know you wanted to marry your partner?

A: When she met all the above requirements... Just kidding - but not really! Coming back to the land of Serious now. I knew I wanted to marry Kiera when I realized that she was 100% behind my crazy dreams of being an artist. She probably will tell you that it takes a lot of patience to love an artist, because they're a little on the crazy side. 

5.How did you purpose?

A: I bought the ring one afternoon took it home and I sat at the kitchen table looking at it with my mother. She asked me when I was going to propose... The original plan was to do it on the long weekend we met for the first time which was in two weeks. Seeing as this ring was burning a hole in my pocket and my mothers apparently she put the idea in my head to do it immediately! I looked at the clock and it was 3pm and did the math because kiera gets off work at 5. Gave me two whole hours to come up with a plan. minus showering, changing and getting yourself stoked to propose. Give or take I would say an 1hr and 20min tops. I ended up buying a beautiful oil paint brush (because she loves painting with oil paints) carefully wrapped it in ribbon, made a bow and put the ring on the handle. I caught her at chapters right at the end of her shift got down on one knee and handed her the paint brush with the ring on it and proposed. Really I probably couldn't have planned it any better.

6.Are you helping with a lot of wedding planning? Who does most of the planning?

A: it's a joint effort. I actually am having a lot of fun coming up with and creating pieces with kiera. It's brought us together and caused a lot of stress at the same time. 

7.Why do you think men are turned off of the idea of marriage?

A: It's scary. Look at all the statistics and stuff we see where peoples lives are in shambles because of marriage. It's hard to ignore numbers.

8.Are you doing anything unique for your wedding/did you do anything unique that you have never seen done before at a wedding?

A: That's a though question. I love wedding blogs and people show casing weddings and what other people are doing. Though really I find it counter productive to the creative process. I sit around for hours looking at other people work without starting my own. I end up just becoming intimidated and not even starting. I kinda just ignore it now and just go with how I feel. It's important to feel creative and original even if it's not possible you can make it feel like it is. Something I'm doing is hand silk screening our invitations and other stationary items. I'm really doing it for me and my own selfish elitist reasons. It's not quicker and I'm not really saving any money. I would like to tell you more about the wedding decor but that would be like giving away your recipe for secret sauce. 

9.Suggested vendors or venues?

A: Cambridge Mill and Ancastor Mill (both related) the lady who is taking care of the details is awesome. The place is also gorgeous. Make an appointment to see the place in person. 

10. What was your wedding budget and did you find it hard to stick to that budget?

A: Our budget was $15 000 at first and then that got ousted because things are expensive. So at the end of the day we're probably spending $5000 more than we originally wanted. Nothing is in stone except the $15K for the venue and food etc.

February's Dress of the Month.

So to go with the outdoor wedding theme of the latest DIY post, I have found the cutest outdoor dress. The 50's and anything vintage really is very popular right now. Lace overlay has come back HUGE along with short, pouffy cocktail dresses rather than your traditional floor length gown. This dress I think embodies all of the big trends at the moment. It's cute, not too elaborate, short but not too short, and very 50's. It would be perfect for an outdoor wedding or a beach wedding. 

The designer is Maggie Sottero again (what can I say? I love her stuff and it's AFFORDABLE)

This dress can be found anywhere that carries Sottero or Sottero and Midgley for example Ladybug Bridal in Guelph ont. Click here to see the dress on the Sottero web page!

Bridal Shows for February 2011

February 2011

Feb 6, 2011

Welcome Wagon Bridal Showcase Carruthers Creek Golf Course Ajax

Feb 6, 2011

Welcome Wagon Bridal Showcase Mariposa Inn and Conference Orillia

Feb 13, 2011

Kismet Wedding Show International Centre, Hall 1 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga phone 416-451-7530

Feb 20, 2011

Welcome Wagon Bridal Showcase Octaviens Banquet Hall Oshawa

Feb 20, 2011

Barrie Area Bridal Show Monte Carlo Inn, 81 Hart Drive (Hwy 400 & Dunlop) Barrie, Ontario L4N 5M3 phone 705-734-0070 ext 5502 Attn Laura Spartaco

Feb 20, 2011

The Budget Friendly Bridal Show 18111 Regional Road 50Caledon, ON L7E 3J9 (hwy 9 and hwy 50) phone 519-307-0148

Hey Readers!

If you want quick updates about new posts, join the everything for the ring facebook page!

Join here!

Enjoy! xo

DIY Wedding Chats.

So last night there was lots of wedding talk in my house. I had my friend Misty over, and she shares my love for all things wedding. I was discussing how Paul and I would have to compromise, house first or wedding first? We clearly don't have money for both. After that statement the wheels started turning and we started brain storming awesome DIY outdoor wedding ideas to save money which Paul liked a lot ha! So this post today is about some cute DIY ideas I've found online! 

If there is one website I'd go to for any do it yourself ideas is oncewed.com (here's their do it yourself page http://www.oncewed.com/diy/) They have such cute ideas and the best part is all the ideas they have, they got from ACTUAL weddings! 

Here are some of my faves! 

Some cute fabric DIY table numbers! These are perfect for an outdoor wedding! They remind me of spring! Click here for instructions . 

Second are these absolutely adorable "thank-you" gift bags! I love these because they are so simple but so gorgeous! Also so cute for an outdoor wedding because they have the flowers on them! Click this link for a list of materials and photo instructions

Next is this gorgeous DIY ring pillow which is without a doubt PERFECT for outdoor weddings! You can change the colours to suit your wedding colours too! The best part is you can find this stuff at most dollar stores or cheap at any craft store! Click here for the materials and instructions!

So these are some of my all time faves from once wed! I think they are cute and simple ways to make your wedding one of a kind! For more cute wedding ideas please visit Once Wed. You can even order lightly used wedding dresses from previous brides on this site! Best wedding blog I've ever been on! 

Check back soon for more cute DIY wedding ideas!

Give Your Wedding Day a Sweet Spin!

Are you the type of person who likes to be unique and do things unlike any other? Or maybe you're like my boyfriend Paul and you just have an out of control sweet tooth? If you fall under either of these two categories, I have the perfect thing to give your wedding a little flare! 

I was on Facebook one day and realized a friend of mine had started a business that I immediately wanted to feature on this blog! The company is called Sugar and they create one of a kind candy buffets for events like weddings, parties, birthdays or any other event! I will be one of their products called "cake pops" for my son's first birthday and I'll write a review about it! My favourite thing about their company is their "sugar girls" a service that is included in the price you pay for your buffet. They provide you with girls that will stay and refill your candy dishes which I thought was so cute! 

Here's a little bit more about them! 

Hello! 

Our names are Courtney and Kelly and we are the owners of business called Sugar. We specialize in candy buffets for any event! Candy buffets are a great way to bring fun and color to whatever the occasion whether it be a wedding, birthday party, corporate event or baby shower, the possibilities are endless! Our services will include set-up and take down of the table on the day of the event. We also include all table décor in whatever color you wish to match the event! All candy, jars, scoops, prongs and baggies for your guest to fill with candy are also included! 

Please see sugarbuffets.blogspot.com to see our pricing and pictures of our work!

We also offer to have Sugar. Girls there for the duration of the event to distribute candy if needed. This cost would be discussed at the time of booking as it may vary depending on how many girls needed, the dates, times etc. 

Feel free to choose any package for your event regardless of the number of people. If you don’t think as many people will eat from the buffet by all means choose a smaller package. All of our packages are extravagant and pleasing to the eye. We always have fresh ideas and love what we do, we hope you’ll love Sugar. too! ;)

We hope to hear from you soon! 

Thank you, 

Courtney and Kelly

Sugar.  

Sugar n’ Spice and everything nice for your event!

Sugarbuffets@gmail.com

Sugarbuffets.blogspot.com (visit to see pictures!)

519-404-7066

The Dress of the Month

So it's no shocker that TLC's Say Yes To the Dress has girls all over craving a wedding experience unlike any other. But lets be serious, the average woman can't just hop on a plane to New York and purchase a dress from Kleinfield's. So is there a way to get elegant New York style on smaller budget? I didn't think it was possible to be honest until I started modelling for a local bridal salon about a year ago. I realized during doing bridal expos that I was able to find gorgeous dresses at extremely affordable prices. My featured dress this month is from a designer named Maggie Sottero. She is a favourite of mine because she manages to make extremely elegant dresses that aren't out of reach for the average everyday woman. The dress I'm featuring is Maggie Sottero's Gail. Strapless, A-line gown with corset closure. Bordeaux Taffeta gives this style beautiful richness with a fan pleated neckline and heavily ruched, asymmetrical waist. A floral embellishment with beaded embellishments accents the side hip and echoes at the back introducing a fully gathered train. It is absolutely stunning and screams Say Yes to the Dress! 

This dress can be purchased at  Ladybug Bridal in Guelph Ont. 

259 Grange Road
Guelph, ON N1E 6R5
(519) 265-8265

Get Organized!

So I am just nuts about being organized. I love lists and folders and knowing exactly what needs to be done (Im a mom, what do you expect?) Some friends of mine Jon and Meghan are getting married in February. We just received their invite and realized there was a website on the bottom. I typed in the url and proceeded to www.mywedding.com . This website is my wedding DREAM. They offer organizational check lists, what to do while planning weddings, vendors, and even a free website generator that allows you and your fiance to create a personalized website where guests can logon, view your registries, sign a guest book, rsvp, view photos, events and even read about how you met! This website is absolutely adorable and seems so fun! Check it out! www.mywedding.com