Anne Barge Trunk Show - Toronto

Blue By Enzoani Trunk Show - Toronto

Only a few more days to check out the 2011 Blue By Enzoani Collection!

What do you call your MIL?

Hopefully you don't call her Monster-in-Law like JLo's character did! The above question might be an odd question but people's answers to this question has always fascinated me. I've observed women and men call their mother-in-laws by their first name, by their last name (i.e. Mrs. Last Name) and just plain ol' Mom.

Out of those three monikers, plain ol' Mom is the most intimate. In my mind, my Mom is my mom. So I can't picture calling another woman Mom. However, I know in many cultures, calling one's mother-in-law "Mom" is tradition and to not address your MIL as Mom is a serious insult to the woman who birthed your partner. I often wonder how the 'real' mothers feel when they hear their children call another mom, Mom. Are they hurt? Is it OK because their children-in-law in turn call them Mom too?

So what about calling your MIL by her first name? I call the BF's mom by her first name as calling her "Mrs." seems way too formal. My own mother would probably express her disappointment if she heard me call the BF's mom by her first name since in our culture, calling an elder by their first name is a serious no-no. However, the BF's mom is fine with me calling her by her first name and if/when the BF get married, I'll likely keep calling her by her name.

Finally, the "Mrs. Lastname" option. This seems awfully formal to me. It seems to infer a distant relationship. With that being said, there is a certain respect that goes with addressing someone by their last name. If you called your MIL "Mrs." before marraige and then switched, what did you switch to and how long did it take you to switch?

See? I told you this topic fascinates me!

What do you call your MIL? Was this something you and the finance discussed before getting hitched?

*This question can also be "What do you call your FIL?" but for simplicity's sake, I'll stick to discussing MILs.

Oscar de la Renta Trunk Show - Toronto

Coming Soon to Sash & Bustle!

Hope my fellow Canadians had a yummy and relaxing Thanksgiving. That's right, us Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in early October (2nd Monday to be exact, same day as Columbus Day). Why the early Thanksgiving you ask? Well, it coincides with the end of the harvest season (we are a little bit more north) and the holiday is to give thanks for the bountiful crops. Whereas, according to trusty ol' Wikipedia, the American Thanksgiving was established by the Pilgrims to thank God for surviving their first brutal winter. When I asked the BF if we celebrate both when we're in the same household.....he says he's happy to have two occasions to eat turkey! ;)

I've mentioned Sash & Bustle - Toronto's premiere modern bridal loft - many times before. I love how Cynthia Martyn has introduced Toronto to the same 'alternative' gown designers (e.g. Stephanie James) and accessories designers (e.g. Paloma's Nest) that have won over so many American brides. Well, Cynthia has done it again. She recently announced that Sash & Bustle will be carrying Carol Hannah (yes, from Project Runaway!) wedding gowns and hair adornments from Twigs & Honey. So exciting. Carol Hannah is expected to arrive October 30th. An exact arrival time have yet to be announced for Twigs & Honey so make sure you check the Sash & Bustle blog frequently!

Below are my favourites from each collection.

A Beautiful Wedding by KGM Weddings

This lovely outdoor Malibu wedding by LA based wedding planner extraordinaire, Krista Malinin for Amber Events (Krista is also a friend of mine!) was recently featured on Style Me Pretty. How stunning are these photos? Who knew there was a venue in Malibu that had zebras!?!


Krista (she's in the middle in the below pic) described Saddlerock Ranch as "a rustic venue, located in the Santa Monica Mountains of Malibu. Exotic animals (like horses, buffalo, camels, zebras, llamas, sheep, and peacocks) roam the 1,000 acre farm. The vineyard setting, where Melody and Michael exchanged their vows, is secluded and stunning. It created a breathtaking backdrop to an emotional ceremony and fun-loving reception."


To see more from this rustic wedding as photographed by Suthi Picotte, visit Style Me Pretty. To read Krista's post Q & A with the bride and groom, visit Krista's blog.

Congratulations to Krista on planning such a gorgeous wedding and being featured on SMP.

Ritche Fall Bridal Sale - Toronto

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Jenny Packham Bridal Trunk Show - Toronto

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Honey My Heart Open for Business!

Hope you all had wonderful weekends! The BF went back to LA so I spent most of the weekend being mopey, and doing the summer-fall/winter wardrobe switcheroo. Boo.

As some of you may know, the incredibly talented honey my heart recently opened her Esty store. honey has been wowing her readers with her amazing craftiness since the days of planning her beautiful Santa Barbara wedding. Check out her cute table cards & numbers here.

honey's Esty store contains some fabulous jewelery - perfect for gifts.


I have always adored honey's paper goodies so I'm happy to see that she's also selling her one of a kind cards.


What are you waiting for? Go check it out!

Follow honey my heart on twitter and Facebook so you can see the latest projects she's working on!

Good luck honey my heart!

Carolina Herrera Trunk Show - Toronto

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A Bride's Shiny Thank You

Hi ya! How are you? Sorry for the sporadic blogging...blogging seems to have taken a back seat lately. I've been super busy with work and our condo board. And to be honest, having the BF here for the summer has kept me quite busy! Trying to spend quality time with one another after a long day of work while balancing the social calendar with our friends is no easy feat.

Anyways, I wanted to show you the bridesmaid's gift I received from C. a couple weeks ago. Isn't it pretty? I adore it. This bracelet has been my go-to bracelet for the last week - Thank you C.!!

For ideas on bridesmaids' (and maybe groomsmen) gifts, check out Swarovski. Trust me, your bridesmaids will thank you.

What is your favorite bridesmaid's gift? What's your worst?

Pearl Bridal House Sale -GTA

Going wedding dress shopping this weekend? Well, you're in luck! Pearl Bridal House is having a two-day sale this weekend.


WHERE?
76 Lakeshore Rd. East
Mississauga, ON L5G 1E1
905.278.5407
hello@pearlbridalhouse.com
www.pearlbridalhouse.com

C is Married!

I think I've finally recovered from C's wedding on Saturday. It was a long day yet it went by so fast. I'm sure you brides and bridesmaids out there understand what I'm talking about. You wake up so early and can't even imagine lasting past 8pm, and the next thing you know it's 2:30am. Pure adrenaline.

The weather was gorgeous - sunny but not too hot. The day went pretty smoothly. The Catholic ceremony was traditional, however it lasted maybe 30-45 mins . It was the first time that I actually teared up during a wedding ceremony. Though C and A were saying traditional vows, there was something so touching about how they looked at each other. Very genuine. I think I got teary eyed because I briefly caught a glimpse of C, the 14 year teenager I met in high school in computer studies class, and then realized that teen-aged girl was now a gorgeous bride.

Above is a shot of C's Pronovias dress before she put it on. It's probably the same view C has when she woke up Saturday morning.

Congrats C & A!

September 11th

Tomorrow my dear friend C. is getting married! It’s going to be a wonderful and joyous day for C. her soon-to-be husband, and their family and friends. However, for many people, tomorrow will mark a day of mourning and reflection. Especially if one has a personal connection to the September 11th attacks. When I mention to my American friends and family that I am attending a wedding tomorrow, they raise an eyebrow. My response is that for many Canadians and nationals outside of the U.S., September 11th holds no personal significance. While they acknowledge the tragedy that occurred on that day and sympathize with those who lost loved ones, the day is no different than any other day of remembrance, e.g. Memorial Day, Remembrance Day.

Some would argue that the attacks were an attack on the Western world not just the U.S. A lot of people stated when I asked whether they would marry on September 11 or any other day of memorial stated they just wouldn’t want the “bad karma” or “bad joo joo.” However, some people responded that if you took out every day of remembrance or bad event anniversary in the calendar, there would be very few days left to commemorate a marriage. Also, as time goes on, such bad event anniversaries tend to lose their taboo – e.g. I’m pretty sure couples have no issue with December 7, the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbour.

September 11 is significant to me as I remember the frantic hours I spent trying to find my relatives in NYC and praying for their safety. Combined this with the BF being American, it’s highly doubtful we would pick September 11 as a wedding date if it landed on a weekend.

For those of you who were personally affected by the September 11 attacks, my thoughts are with you.

Look What I Made....

As you may know, my friend C. is getting married this Saturday! Her birthday was a few weeks ago and I gifted her this bridal fascinator that I had made.


The flower, pearl sprigs and feathers were purchased from Sussman's Bridal Supplies in Toronto (Queen & Bathurst).

Special thanks to the BF who help me design it ("The feathers should stick out like this") and let me use his head as a 'live' mannequin head.


If C. ends up wearing it for the reception, I'll post pics!

What do you think? Should I quit my day job? ;)

Vera Wang Trunk Show - Toronto

WHEN?
Thursday, September 23rd to Saturday, September 25th

WHERE?

Vera Wang Bridal Salon at Hugo Nicholson
38 Avenue Rd
Toronto, Ontario M5R2G2
416-927-9094
www.hugonicholson.com

To see the latest Vera Wang Bridal collection, visit www.verawang.com.

Reem Acra Trunk Show - Toronto

WHEN?
Friday, September 17 & Saturday, September 18th by appointment

WHERE?
White Toronto (www.whitetoronto.com)
19 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto, ON. M5R 2E1
Tel: 416 849 9196 / info@whitetoronto.com
Call to make an appointment.

To see the latest Reem Acra Bridal collection, visit www.reemacra.com

Ines di Santo Trunk Show - Toronto

WHEN?
Friday, September 10th to Saturday, September 11th

WHERE?
Veronica Di Santo Atelier - www.veronicadisanto.com
4040 Steeles Ave West
Suites 14 & 15
Woodbridge
905.264.5518
email: info@veronicadisanto.com.
*FYI -Veronica is Ines' daughter.

To see more from the Ines Di Santo collection, visit www.inesdisanto.com.

Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show - Toronto

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Finally!

Banana Republic, Gap and Old Navy have finally launched online Canadian stores! Yay - no more custom duties and so-called international shipping fees! Note that the pricing in the Canadian store is more expensive than pricing in the US store but on par with the pricing in Canadian retail stores*. Standard shipping costs are $8 per shipment - not bad at all. Happy online shopping!

*For those of you who wonder why items from US retail chains are always marked up in Canada, here's a quickie explanation - Canada has way less people per capita than the US which means less people buying, less a business can rely on volume sales. Also, since our country is so geographically large, it costs more to ship around our nation. Finally, with the Canadian dollar doing so well, it costs US businesses more to do business in Canada.

Vote for Carlsberg's Big Wedding Bash Couples

Remember when I wrote about Carlsberg's Big Wedding Bash contest? Well, two couples contacted me after that post and asked if I would vote for them. So now I'm encouraging you to vote for them!

Couple #1 - Jessica & Mike


Jessica & Mike get props for making this "Constable Carlsberg" video. To read their story and cast them your vote, click here.


Couple #2 - Tim & Rebecca


Tim & Rebecca are avid TFC fans (Go Reds!) who started out long-distance. To read their story and cast them your vote, click here.

Good luck to both couples in winning the $100,000 wedding!

Congratulations Bi-Coastal Bride!

Today is Tamar's, aka Bi-Coastal Bride, wedding day. (Remember her awesome Scratch n' Save-the-Dates?) Hope you have a wonderful day with your friends and family. A big thanks to A Hot Pink Petticoat for introducing us to you!

7 Dresses (Not Quite 27)

What do you think? This is my 7th bridesmaid dress. (For those of you counting, yes, this is my 8th bridesmaid stint but I did not attend one of the weddings as I had my sister's wedding on the same day, so no corresponding dress.) The dress is a Sophia Tolli dress #11030 in aqua with a pale gold sash (looks like a darker cream with a slight gold tint in person). As you can see, I need to shorten it for my 5"1 body. It's a tad loose on me but since it has a corset back, I'm going to do without getting it taken in on the sides. The dress also comes with a matching shawl, and straps. I'll likely use the straps since I can't stand strapless dresses - I'm always constantly pulling dresses up!

For those in the GTA, we purchased our dresses at Izabella Bridal Boutique. I had a pleasant experience there. The staff are young, friendly and helpful. They measured me twice and let me look at the size chart to determine what size I should order (I've been to some places that didn't let me see the size chart and then insisted that I order the way too large size). Also, since C., the bride, had 6 bridesmaids, Izabella's gave us a discount so the dresses ended up being CDN $200 each. Not bad for a designer bridesmaid dress. I hoping to shorten the dress myself so $200 might be the final cost for me. (Professional bridesmaids - I highly recommend you learn how to sew - comes in handy!)

And for those of you wondering - no, I will not be wearing this one again. ;) It's very pretty but obviously very bridesmaid-y.

Carlsberg's Big Wedding Bash Contest

Just got engaged? Don't want to plan a wedding? Don't have funds for a wedding? Well, if you live in Ontario, you will want to enter this contest. Carlsberg is giving away a $100,000 wedding to one lucky couple. The deadline is August 20, 2010. Before you enter, make sure you read the rules & regs as there are some stipulations. For example, if you win, you must get married on October 1, 2010 at Toronto's Capitol Theater.

Good luck! And if you enter, let me know so I can vote for your story!

30% off at BR, Old Navy & The Gap

Mikaella Trunk Show

Since 1937, Paloma Blanca has been designing and manufacturing wedding gowns right here in Toronto. As mentioned previously, Mikaella is Paloma Blanca's budget savvy sister! Check out the Mikaella trunk show at Ritché.



WHEN?
Wednesday, July 21 to Wednesday, July 28

WHERE?
Ritché Bridal

1662 Avenue Road
Toronto, Ontario
M5M 3Y1
www.ritchebridal.com
416.789.4378
Call to make an appointment.

To see more dresses visit www.mikaellabridal.com

FREE Shipping - J.Crew

For those of you contemplating J.Crew wedding gowns or bridesmaids dresses, maybe this will help you make the final decision.

Includes shipping to Canada! (Remember, if you can ship to a US address, you can avoid the custom duties).

The Break that turned into a Sabbatical....

Remember me? The Professional Bridesmaid? Well, looks like I've turned into a lazy professional bridesmaid. Forgive me. Hope you're all enjoying the summer. The BF has been here for a month and I LOVE it! Especially since he cleans and bbqs! I hope to be back soon. I've become inspired again since my good friend Christine recently got engaged. It's so exciting. Anyways, for those of you in the Toronto area, check out this bridesmaid promotion:

Mo's Getting Married!

My dear blog bestie/West Coast twin Mo, Pink Argyle, is counting down just a few more sleeps until her big day. Incredible. I remember 'meeting' Mo in 2008, few months after she started her blog, and then early 2009, she scored her awesome Sarah Perlis ring (The Boy has good taste!). Mo - Good luck in the next few days. I'll be cheering you all the way to the altar!

Check out Mo's last few days of planning, thoughts, ideas etc. here .

Still Here....

but still on blogger hiatus. Work owns me lately. Sigh. Something I'm looking forward to...the BF coming to Toronto for 3 months. The ultimate test as the longest we've spent together in the same city is one month. Wish us luck. ;)

Very Married posted a link to an article about one female law firm partner advising recent woman law grads to not focus on having it all and "get real about balance." The article itself isn't that interesting, however, the comments in response to the article (and on Very Married's blog) are. Go read and tell me what you think.

Thanks for still checking in.

xo

Wedding Shower on Mother's Day?

Happy Mother's Day to my fabulous mommy and to all of you who are being honoured today!

My friend KT is attending a wedding shower tea this afternoon. Poor scheduling by the host, no? Luckily, KT's mother was invited too. I wonder how many guests will show up.

What would you do?

1) Politely decline and spend the day with the woman who makes me soup when I'm sick.

OR

2) Attend the shower, and spend time with my mother before/after the shower.

Still taking a break.....

but still stalking all your lovely blogs!

Thanks for being patient!

Time to Regroup

As you've noticed, I've been pretty amiss the last few months. Time for me to regroup, refocus, come up with some new content and hopefully introduce you to some fabulous Canadian vendors. I promise I won't be gone too long! In the meantime, here are two Canadian wedding blogs that recently launched - check them out!

Bride Scouts - They recently did a great feature on Sash & Bustle.

Toronto Wedding Society

Also, The Last Forty Percent is hosting contest - you can win a $50.00 Starbucks card! That's a lot of lattes.

A Week in Pictures

I'm back! And unfortunately, back to reality. Hope you all had a wonderful Easter. I spent mine at the BF's parents' eating way too many schnitzels. Yummy. Here are a few photos that sum up my week in LA and Vegas.

View of LA from Yamashiro

The food at Yamashiro is so delicious. And you can't beat the view. The restaurant itself is a beautiful Pagoda-like mansion which houses a lovely Japanese garden. Good news for you potential brides out there who want an Asian flair to your nuptials - Yamashiro is available for weddings.

Ready to hit Vegas!

How oddly fascinating is this flower vending machine at the Vegas airport?
(It was right beside the restrooms.)

The view from our Caesar Palace's hotel room.

Me getting ready for some poolside fun while the BF works.

Me tanning at Garden of Gods Pool complex

Hello Vegas!

I won $45 at the Sex & the City slot machine!

Me peering into Jimmy Choo, looking at the goodies longingly.

Date night at Mario Batali's Carnevino

The best filet mignon EVER.

One of the best things in life - Room Service!

Back in LA, shopping on my favourite street. (3rd street promenade)

Picked up some Easter goodies from the best cupcake place in LA.

Trying the new mango froyo at Pinkberry.