Task Lists.

So sorry with the delay in the posts! I was on such a roll!

I was taking a little time to get fully settled into our new place, and work picked up with the boss being back from a month-long business trip!

But now that things are caught up, I can get back on track!

Jennifer, our wonderful coordinator, provided us with a timeline containing a list of things that need to get done by the end of this month:

The following items are things that need to be done before the end of August:

• Book your reception site - DONE
  
  
• Decide on (and book) your ceremony site - DONE
  
  
• Finalize the guest list - DONE
  
  
• Set up appointments with your florists to discuss options (and see if get an idea of pricing) - note it will be too soon to make any final decision on flowers, but you need an approximate idea of the cost.) - ...NOT DONE
  
  
• Honeymoon: If using frequent flyer miles to travel, book your flight now. - ...NEARLY DONE
  
  
• Reserve photographer and/or videographer, decide on a package, sign contract, and send deposit. - DONE
  

As you can see, we have been able to tick nearly everything off the list! The one thing that is worrying me is the flower business...I know that we aren't going to be going crazy with flowers, as the location of the reception is - on our minds - already perfect just as it is.

What I'm thinking is that we will use the bouquets as the flowers for the Head Table, then have some smaller arrangements for all the other tables! Bada bing, bada boom! That won't be too hard to decide on, we are keeping it as simple as possible. Just fresh, light colours, and with a nice, springtime scent. Not sure what kind of flowers those would be.....what is in season in Toronto late-April? Any thoughts??

As for the honeymoon, we have basically narrowed down the location. But more on that later.

The ceremony site is Old City Hall in downtown Toronto. My father is a Justice of the Peace, and he was able to pull some strings to allow us to use one of the gorgeous, big courtrooms on the day! It's not a tradition aisle that I'll be walking down, but there is a balcony!! Very "A Time To Kill", people standing over us shouting and cheering....well, maybe not that extreme :) But it adds a very unique touch to the space.

The reception is going to be at our favourite restaurant, 5 Doors North. We go there so often, often with friends, and love it so much, we couldn't think of any other place to have it. The owner, Vito, is so wonderful. He is so excited for us, and is preparing a sample menu for us to see before we decide 100% on anything. The dinner will be family-style Italian, and it's all fresh and homemade....I'm salivating even thinking about it. It's a smaller venue, so we're keeping the numbers as low as we can. We don't want to pack the place, gotta have room for a dance floor!!

Jennifer also sent us a list of things that have to be completed before November.....

The following items need to be done before November

• Decide on your florist & send a deposit - NOT DONE
  
  
• Maid of Honour & Best Man: Make sure they know what you expect of them (providing a list will help) - DONE
  
  
• Register for wedding gifts.(include options for bridal shower or engagement) - NOT DONE
  
  
• Set aside blocks of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. - NEARLY DONE
  
  
• Cake: Book a baker, choose your cake design, and send a deposit. - NEARLY DONE
  
  
• Brides: Collect necessary measurements from attendants or pass along vender information so that they can order the dresses themselves. - NEARLY DONE
  
  
• Start planning the rehearsal dinner. Provide the host with contact information for your attendants and any other guests. - NAT'S PARENTS HANDLING THIS ONE
  
  
• Start working on your invitation wording and design. - EEK....NOT DONE
  
  
• Finalize your invitation wording. - NOT DONE
  
  
• Order your invitations and announcements - NOT DONE

So as you can see, this list is very helpful, as it makes me realize that we have to get cracking with a few things! As for the florist and the baker, we know who we're going to use. We just need to have the meetings and decide what we want and pay the deposit, etc. The research is done, it's more about picking out the product and signing on the dotted line. Sounds easy...maybe too easy?

The invitations....sheesh. See, THIS is something that I do care about! Nat doesn't seem to care as much as me. So, does that mean it's completely in my hands? I wish. Then things would be a lot easier. Because even if he says he really doesn't care too much, that still means he will have an opinion. However, I will narrow it down as best I can....

...he wanted to do evites. EVITES!! To our wedding!! *muttermuttermutter.......*

We will inevitably choose something simple and tasteful, and probably a bit fun. Maybe cheeky, even. My dear friend Kat Inokai, who is a genius when it comes to branding and design and creativity in general, has agreed to help us design and create the invitations. I'm actually very much looking forward to this, to see what she can suggest and create out of thin air from a few key words and ideas! FUN!

Jennifer suggested we send our respective parties a list of "what is expected" of them. Nat sent an email out to his groomsmen saying, "Come to my bachelor party and show up on the wedding day."

And I sent this to my bridesmaids:

• Offer to help with prewedding tasks. Try to be specific when you volunteer. For example, say, "Would you like me to help you shop for bridesmaid dresses/stuff invitations/pack for the honeymoon?" instead of just, "What can I do?"

• Scout out bridesmaid dresses, shoes, jewelry, and other wedding accessories. Pay for the entire ensemble. (Break in your shoes before the wedding day -- that will minimize slipping, blisters, and aching tootsies.)

• Help to plan, cohost, and pay for the bridal shower and bachelorette party with other bridesmaids.

• If the maid/matron of honor isn't already handling this task, keep a record of all the gifts received at various parties and bridal showers (so that the bride/couple can write thank-you notes); maintain RSVP lists.

• Attend the ceremony rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. (Keep abreast of all prewedding parties, and go to as many as possible.)

• Run last-minute errands. On the day of the wedding, be on hand to confirm flower delivery times, meet and greet the ceremony officiant, or satisfy junk food cravings.

• Stand in the receiving line at the bride's request.

• Serve as auxiliary hostess at the reception by introducing guests, making sure they know where the bar is located, and inviting them to sign the guest book.

• Hit the dance floor when the music kicks in. Dance with groomsmen during the formal first-dance sequence. Also, be on the lookout for toe-tapping guests who might need encouragement and/or a dance partner.

• Give the matron/maid of honor a break by helping to carry the bride's wedding gown train whenever necessary. Bustle the train before dancing begins, and be ready to help fix it if it comes unhooked. Accompany the bride on visits to the restroom, if asked.

• Purchase a wedding present perhaps with one or several of the other bridesmaids. This provides more buying power, and two heads are better than one when it comes to wedding gift ideas. Sometimes the entire bridesmaid troupe pitches in for one knock-her-socks-off wedding gift.

• Be a trooper, no matter how stressful the ordeal becomes. Try not to complain about the bridesmaid dress -- even if the color is horrendous. Be gracious and tactful.

• Provide plenty of emotional support during the planning and on the wedding day.

Now, I didn't come up with that list myself! I ripped it from The Knot, naturally.

So that's where we stand as of now when it comes to planning! Things will no doubt progress a bit more rapidly in the coming weeks, as that's when I have to order the bridesmaids dresses and we have our engagement shoot and the invitations will have to be created and the flowers picked out and the honeymoon gets booked................oh boy.

A bit daunting, but OH so much fun!

I leave you with a happy picture from Alicia's visit from Amsterdam! Cheap thumbs up, baby!!
What a great, albeit short visit we had! I miss you, Zips!