On re-evaluating

The boyfriend and I have finally walked into discussing details of our future wedding. For a while I was very covert about looking at wedding blogs and obsessing over details. Since we're pre-engaged i kinda felt like I shouldn't be thinking about and definitely shouldn't be talking about our wedding. But that's silly. I'm excited. We're both excited about the idea of calling each other husband and wife. So I shared. First just by showing him a few photos, then sharing my excitement over a potential wedding location we happened upon. And finally, we've discussed what we want out of our wedding.

I think that initially when we talked about it, i really scared him. I had been looking at too many blogs with gorgeous photos and these amazing stories and i wanted it all for myself. like all of it. and i missed the point. and he was very quiet when i brought up anything wedding. But after the glossy images all began to look the same and i began to read stories from amazing women who had their priorities straight and recognized that it's supposed to be about the marriage, i re-evaluated and started thinking more realistically, and thoughtfully about what i wanted. I started talking about that kind of wedding and he talked with me.

We're really lucky to want very similar things out of our wedding. After he'd seen a few photos I asked him what he wanted out of a wedding and he described a wedding that sounds absolutely like what i want. a wedding that reflects us and the way we want to live our lives together. i am so excited.

aaah

Why can't i find a photographer like this?

pretty little things

so pretty

the B word

the budget is something that will definitely be a big part of wedding planning for us. We are just starting out and there are a lot of things that we are saving for, not just a wedding. So i think that 10,000 is the max-i-mum i would like to spend on a wedding. I've read of brides doing weddings for $4000 which would be just peachy, but that usually involves a backyard wedding and i just don't have access to a beautiful, large backyard so there you have it. However, today i am making a guesstimated budget and can't believe what i found. According to a survey by weddingbells.ca this is the average budget breakdown for Canadian brides.

• Reception Venue = $6,922
• Bridal Gown = $1,093
• Bridesmaid Dress = $263
• Bridal/Bridesmaid Shoes = $112
• Wedding Bands = $1,761
• Photographer = $1,727
• Videographer = $754
• Stationery = $302
• Wedding Cake = $324
• Florist/Decor = $821
• Transportation/Limo = $533
• DJ/Musicians = $824
• Guest Favours/Gifts = $343
• Honeymoon = $3,448 

Bringing the total AVERAGE cost to $20,129!!! Really? it just seems like sooo much money for one day. one really great party... $20 000?!? I have definitely rolled my eyes more than once after hearing some celebrity spend $20 000 on a dinner party. But essentially, that's the same thing as a wedding, minus the lifelong commitment part. I can't believe it. I have a sneaking suspicion that there's a lot of things i haven't thought of yet....

fold me a river

i love birds. i think i get that from my mother who has lately built a bird feeder empire in the backyard, although my obsession comes in a more ornamental form. What about having hundred of white paper birds hanging above the bride and grooms table? i don't have any folding talent but i like the idea.

squares

i found a great vancouver photographers. here's her blog and a wedding shoot i liked.

but she comes with a $4800 price tag. gasp! so back to square one.

the boyfriend is a very talented musician. and while he cannot actually read sheet music, i think things made of sheet music might fit into our wedding very well.

sweet peas!

my nickname growing up was sweet pea (to my parents). i think it'd be nice, and sweet smelling to bring these into the wedding. i wonder if i could grow my own?

photogs

i've been looking through wedding photographers here in Vancouver, BC. so far i've been very uninspiring. so many wedding photographers here just shoot the same old wedding stuff. i don't think i can look at one more picture of a bride and groom smiling and posing in every photo. the mandatory dip and kiss photo has almost become the kiss of death when i look through someone's wedding portfolio. If all your brides have that same photo, i'm moving on.

what's worse is that all the wedding blogs show these gorgeous photos from fabulous photographers and none of them live close to me. i don't think it's in the budget to fly someone in.

i will keep hunting.

red

how beautiful is this red dress? i think it would be perfect for an engagement shoot.

lions and tigers and bears oh my

the boyfriend and I went hiking today. Yes, on a tuesday. We hiked through beautiful alpine forests and through more snow than anticipated. Yes, snow. the boyfriend was shocked too. We ended up with soaking feet at the top of a mountain with spectacular views all around of the mountains and ocean. Definitely a wonderful day. It's so nice to be able to share the simple pleasures with someone. oh, and the boyfriend saw his first bear. Actually me too, but technically i have encountered a bear before while hiking, i just wasn't the one who saw it. So, it was a beary good day.
 
 I can't believe i just said that. ha.

thinking flowers

here's what i'm thinking for flowers... Hydrangeas in blue and white in mis matched containers. Mostly mason jars, but i love the silver candlesticks and the blue jug as well. Also, it's possible that some wonderful relative has a lovely hydrangea bush in their backyard...  Or, i'm sure they're not too  expensive at the florist.

bliss

i am so lucky. we fit together so perfectly. when we walk sometimes i fall in step behind him and wrap my arm around him so his neck lies in the crook of my elbow and my hand rests on his chest, his shoulder. Our steps are perfectly aligned and we walk like one person with such ease. it's bliss.

the joy

and one more engagement shoot. I love them. Especially this one. The couple looks so happy and isn't that what it should be all about? i do love beautiful photos of a straight faced couple where it seems like you can look into their soul and see what they're really made of. but for your engagement shouldn't it be about the joy?

here it is.

fairytale

Here's another engagement shoot shot in the woods by punam bean photography. So pretty... sigh.

red dresses

I'm so excited by this engagement shoot. It's absolutely beautiful and the scenery is very close to what we ave here in Vancouver. I've been drooling over all these engagement shoots in grassy fields while ignoring the other kinds of beautiful scenery we have here. I also like the idea of using props in photoshoots but with scenery like this who needs em?

There are so many things i love about this shoot beside the scenery. First off, this girl is so gorgeous and her dresses are amazing. There's a lot of photos here so get comfy. It was shot by punam bean photography.