A realistic wedding timeline

I had almost two years to plan my wedding. Now that we are married, I can reflect on when things got done along with what things I should have done and when. I will write them all in this timeline.

I find the timelines in wedding magazines include things that you do not need: for example, you don't need a videographer or a wedding planner. So, here's a timeline put together from my own experience as a recent bride.

12 months before wedding:

• Decide on your wedding colours and theme (if you are having one)
• Decide on your wedding party (maids or matrons of honour, best man, groomsmen, etc.).
• Decide on a wedding day.
• Decide on a wedding venue - and book it.
• Decide on a reception venue - and book it. Don't worry about the details like the meal or guest list yet, just book the room that holds a good number (ex. 100 seats).
• Shop around for a photographer and book.
• Book a florist for the wedding flowers.

Finances for 12 months:

• Save for confirmation payment on reception, photographer and florist.

11 months before wedding:

• Fill out the contract and make the confirmation payments for reception, photographer and florist.
• Brainstorm a venue for the photo session. Talk to your photographer for ideas.
• Brainstorm what you want to do for wedding favours.
• Brainstorm any activities you want to do for your reception (games, activities, etc.).
• Book your transportation for the day of the wedding. Get an appoximate quote and the preferred payment method.
• Shop around for a wedding dress. Have your first (first of many) "Oh my god, I can't believe this is happening" moment.

Finances for 11 months:

• Make confirmation payment for reception, photographer and florist (about $800 total). If this is required for your transportation, then do that as well.

10 months before wedding:

• If you are making anything for your wedding, time to finalize what you want to make, what it looks like and what you need to buy in order to make it happen. Buy all of that now (paper, boxes, ribbon, etc.).
• Brainstorm what you want to give for attendant gifts.
• Purchase a wedding dress no later than this date because it usually takes at between 4-6 months to make and ship to the wedding store.

Finances for 10 months:

• Buy wedding dress.
• Buy anything that you are planning to put together yourself: paper for invitations, boxes, ribbon, etc.

9 months before wedding:

• Decide on text and design for your wedding invitations.
• Meet with your officiant and fill out any forms that you need to (if you need to). 

8 months before wedding:

• Make wedding invitations (if you are making them). If you are ordering them, then send the text and design out now.
• Talk to the groom about his wedding attire: does he need a new suit? New shoes?
• Talk to your officiant about if you have to do marriage classes or a session. 

Finances for 8 months:

• If you are ordering your invitations, you may have to pay for them up-front now.

6 months before wedding:

• Go to marriage classes with your officiant. Depending on which religion you are (or which church you are getting married in), this may be a one-evening sit-down session or a two-day session.

5 months before wedding:

• Send out wedding invitations.
• If your wedding dress has arrived, go in for your fitting. Bring your wedding shoes.
• If the groom needs any new clothing (suit, shoes, tie, etc.), get it now so that he can have it fitted.
• Confirm the meal for your reception.
• Start designing the programs for the wedding ceremony. If you need supplies to make these, buy it now.
• Confirm the design for wedding favours and buy all materials that you will need to either make them or buy them. 

Finances for 5 months:

• Buy postage for invitations.
• Buy supplies for wedding ceremony programs.
• Buy supplies for wedding favours.
• Buy groom's attire.
• Save money for down payment for reception. 

 3 months before wedding:

• Work on the design for the wedding programs. Figure out how to print it and what it will look like. 
• If you are a real eager beaver, start designing the Thank You cards as well.
• If you are changing your name, time to research what needs to be updated (bank accounts and cards, health cards, SIN number, etc.).
• If you have a will, time to talk to a lawyer about updating it. If you want a prenuptial agreement, time to start planning that as well. 

Finances for 3 months:

• If you are talking to a lawyer about a will or a prenuptial agreement, you will most likely be discussing fees for this. Expect about $1000 total for each transaction (will and agreement).

2 months before wedding:

• Research how you go about getting a marriage license. Who do you need to contact, how much is it, how much time does it take for you to actually get it back (ours was five days from the day that it was filled out).
• Put together a prototype for your wedding favours and talk to friends about an assembly line to make them. Even if you've bought them, you might have some assembly or labeling required. 

Finances for 2 months:

• Continue to save money for down payment for reception.

1 month before wedding:

• Get all of your medical appointments (dentist, the doctor, the optometrist, etc) out of the way, that is, if you haven't done so already.
• Think about what shots you want during the photo session. Write them all down as you think of them. Send to the photographer once the list is complete. 
• Write down the venues for the ceremony, photo session and reception for out-of-town guests, the transportation and anyone else who asks. Send it to them now.
• Make your hair and make-up appointment. If you are getting married during the summer, you may need to do this 2 months before the wedding.
• Continue your RSVP list for the reception.
• Make attendant gifts (or buy them).
• Designate someone to pick up the flowers on the day of the wedding and drop them off to the groom and yourself.
• If you are changing your name, time to fill out some forms.

Finances for 1 month:

• Make first down payment for your reception. This should be half of the total bill.
• Make first down payment for your photographer. This should be half of the remaining bill.
• Buy attendant gifts or the materials required to make them.
• If you are changing your name, you may have to pay a fee to change your health card, bank cards, etc.

2 weeks before wedding:

• Fill out forms for the marriage license.
• Start whitening strips for your teeth. Go for the 14-day whitening strips or have the procedure done at the dentist.
• Get your highlights and haircut done. Also, if the groom needs the same thing it's time to get it done.
• Continue your RSVP list for the reception.
• Check the ceremony program with your officiant one more time.
• Make your wedding favours (if you are making them) with an assembly line. 

Finances for 2 weeks:

• Your highlights and haircut. The groom's haircut.
• Any beauty items: whitestrips, long-lasting make-up, etc.

 1 week before wedding:

• Pick up marriage license.
• Do a run-through of your hair with the hair dresser.
• Finish the program for the ceremony and print off. Assemble. Designate someone to take these to the ceremony and (if there are leftovers) take them to your house after the wedding.
• Make any signs that you want to display at your house, ceremony, photo shoot and/or reception. Designate someone to put up these signs and to take them down.
• Submit RSVP list for your reception. Confirm the menu for your reception as well.
• Designate someone to pick up flowers at the florist and drop them off for the groom and bride. Call the florist to inform them who this person is so that they give the flowers to the right person.
• Call and confirm details with the limo or transportation that you have hired. Confirm pick-up time, locations (church, photo shoot, reception), drop-off time and method of payment.

Finances for 1 week:

• Pay for marriage license.
• Pay for wedding hair and make-up at the run-through so that you don't have to on the day of the wedding.
• Make second and last payment for the flowers.

 Two days before wedding:

• Pick up wedding dress and get all bridesmaid's dresses steamed. Hang dress up in a room that is closed off from kitchen and bathroom odors (and peeking grooms).

 Day before wedding:

• Do a rehearsal with the officiant, wedding party and musician.
• Have a rehearsal supper with closest family, friends and the wedding party.
• Have a manicure or pedicure.
• Prepare food for the wedding day (think of breakfast, lunch and a snack).

Finances for one day:

• Pay musician(s).
• Pay officiant with a thank you card.
• Pay for manicure or pedicure (unless you are doing it at home).
• Pay for food at the rehearsal supper (if it is at home). If it is in a restaurant, everyone pays for their own food.

Wedding day:

• Get hair and make-up done. 
• Flowers are dropped off.
• Put dresses on.
• Get married!
• Photo shoot
• Reception

 Finances for wedding day:

• Pay limo or transportation (most likely in cash).

4-6 weeks after wedding:

• Confirm and update your will with a lawyer.
• View photo proofs and decide on which ones to develop.
• Start Thank You cards.
• Update your accounts with the status "married". You may need to update information at work, at the bank, etc.
• Get your marriage certificate in the mail. You might need it for your will or prenuptial agreement, or to change your name.

Finances for 4-6 weeks after wedding:

• Make last payment for the reception.
• Make last payment for photographer.
• Pay for photo development.
• Buy postage for Thank You cards.
• Lawyer fees for a will and/or prenuptial agreement. 
• Fees may be needed for changing your name.

Guilt-free Rewards for a Job Well Done

One of my problems with it comes to weight loss is struggling with the idea of rewarding myself for a job well done. It could be that I finally finished a long, arduous project or that I finally did 4 workouts this week. The first thing that I think is: I should reward myself, time for a Coke. Or, a chocolate bar. Or ice cream. 

Well, that just damaged the good chore that I finished. So, I took some time to make a list of guilt-free rewards to give myself for a job well done. I know I am not the only person thinking about this so I will share it with you.

Some of these options require finances but some are also free. What you could do is while you are working towards a goal, decide on the reward that you want to give yourself. Then put aside money for it while you are working towards the goal. For example, as a reward to myself for finishing a large project at work I can save money on the side to get my hair done at the salon. Once the goal is reached, then I can go for a morning of pampering and not worry about the finances.

• A long bubble bath with a yummy scent and candles, perhaps my favorite music in the background
• A mug of steaming hot apple cider or a hot chocolate with marshmellows (the diet kind)
• One uninterrupted evening of doing an activity that I secretly love (like writing)
• Talking on the phone with a best friend or on Skype
• Throw a party with all of your friends -- perhaps a pot luck, movie night, etc.
• One uninterrupted evening (or afternoon) of starting and finishing a project
• Watching a new movie at home. This could mean renting it then giving it the full new movie treatment (for me, this is turning out the lights, stopping all projects and just watching a new movie). 
• Going out to the theatre to see a new movie with friends (or with my husband)
• Have a nice meal at a new restaurant
• One uninterrupted evening of browsing my favorite websites
• Buying and reading a new magazine
• One evening of planning an upcoming event (like Christmas) and planning all of the items that I want to make to decorate the house or give as gifts
• If it's summer, one afternoon sitting and tanning under the sun with a nice book or great music
• Signing up for a class in a topic that I want to learn about (like yoga, knitting, or a language of choice)
• Crossing an activity off of the bucket list (skydiving, rockclimbing, running a 5K, etc.)
• Digging out the old "To Do" list and tackling one of the older ones that you've always said will never get done (ex. organizing the filing cabinet). 
• Reading a new book (or, one of your old favorites)
• Take on a new knitting project or spend an evening knitting
• Take the dog out for a walk in a new area (or put on rollerblades and run with the dog) or to the park
• Learn a new hobby from a friend (or teach a friend how to do one of your hobbies, if they are interested)
• Have a game evening on the Wii, Xbox or whatever you have with the family. See who will win. 
• Return to a hobby that you love but haven't done for a long time (for me, that would be genealogy or cross-stitching)
• Try a new recipe out of a magazine for supper
• Spend an afternoon at the local bookstore -- not buying anything -- but sitting with a coffee, paging through some books to see what is new and checking out the ones that you've always wanted. 
• Spend a lazy afternoon on the couch doing a hobby, snuggling with the kids and the pets
• Watch a movie that was your childhood favorite (perhaps even introduce it to your kids or your husband)
• Trying something new with your significant other (I don't think that I need to elaborate on this one)
• Go for a massage or spa treatment. 
• If you are a woman, try a new makeover on yourself or go and get one at Sephora or another store with that option. 
• Go to bed early or sleep in. Get your significant other involved in this to make sure that you are able to sleep in (or go to bed early) without any distractions. 
• Spend an evening researching a topic that interests you but you've never had time to think about it (like a historical event, a famous person, etc.)
• Get your hair done with color, highlights or a perm. Ask for the full treatment with the scalp massage and special conditioners that most salons do for free and enjoy the trip.

What I learned from Paris

I had a post of what I learned in Europe but this is more specific to what I learned in Paris. I won't repeat anything from that post but the advice there still applies to traveling in Paris.

1. Learn some French: although you could probably get by if you only speak English as all of the main attractions are bilingual. Most of the servers at the restaurants spoke English too but it,s better to learn some French in case you have issues. I saw waiters switch languages all the time even though the customers only spoke English.
2. Find the bathrooms: Some of the big attractions don't have bathrooms but if you think about it, when they were built in the 13th century (or whenever), were they meant to have bathrooms? Most cafés did have bathrooms though -- just look for the stairs. That's how I did business although there are some places where the bathrooms were really bad like the Louvre or the Petit Trianon in Versailles -- two stalls in the ladies rooms is not enough.
3. Bathrooms: another note on bathrooms as this was an interesting topic for us. First, most bathrooms are unisex so you will find yourself washing your hands next to men in the next stall. The toilet is in a closed room that locks - and for heavens sake, use that lock. People assume that if the door opens, no one is there. It is a closed room though so you are in total privacy: no one can hear you if you really have to do business. I might have to write an entire post on bathrooms in Paris because I found it so interesting.
4. Try to blend in: the French are great people but they tend to treat you differently if you are obviously a tourist. We lived in an apartment in France, not a hotel, and we ate the same kind of food that they ate instead of insisting for French fries and asking for -- God forbid -- ketchup.
5. Walk -- as much as you can: seriously, it is good for you and you will see more. You can walk down crowded little streets and find all kinds of things waiting for you. Walk around your quarter and get used to it. You will feel more at home which is so important when you are traveling. Wear really good shoes -- not necessarily sneakers -- with good insoles too. Check the weather forecast each day before going out and bring an umbrella, scarf, coat, etc. accordingly.
6. You must take the stairs: the only place where you will find escalators or elevators is in really good, new museums and the metro. Other than that, you will be taking the stairs everywhere you go. For example, we climbed at least 100 stairs to get to Sacre-Coeur, and 84 to get out of the Catacombs. We had 4 dozen stairs to get up to our 5th floor apartment too. 
7. Spend your money wisely: that also includes getting to know what the money looks like and what kind of value you are getting. If a tiny pat of butter is 5€, you are being swindled. Don't just hold out your change to the cashier and tell them to take what is needed -- I saw tourists doing that.
8. Take the flash function off of your camera for all museum visits: the camera is usually allowed but your flash is not. There are usually staff sitting in the exhibition rooms watching you and they will catch you if your camera flashes or if you touch something. The only place where cameras where not allowed (that we found on this visit) was the Musée d'Orsay and the temporary exhibit at the Musée de l'Orangerie.
9. You will not be the only tourist: I mean that as in, North Americans are not the only tourists in Paris. You will meet all sorts of people from Korea, Italy, Russia, Japan, China, and so many more. You will hear so many different languages all at one time, especially at big places like the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. Whatever you have planned to see, plan that it will be swarmed at the time that you visit by a sea of tourists all thinking the same thing as you.
10. You will not eat what you normally eat (or the way that you normally eat): no French fries or chicken nuggets with ketchup, no spaghetti, no lasagna. If you want that kind of thing, find an Italian restaurant or a Macdonalds. No, when you are here, you will most likely eat like the French do. That doesn't meant that the food is full of cream and butter (although the Coquilles Saint-Jacques au beurre blanc at Le Petit Chatelet was out of this world) but you will notice that the food is different. So is the portion size -- they don't stuff you like meals in North America but the portions are just enough.
11. Buy the guide book (if one is available): every museum and most tourist monuments have a guide book to that site. Seriously -- buy it. Get the version in the language of your choice, it is most likely there (we counted at least 10 languages in the Louvre). You will possibly see everything in that site nor will you remember it for all time. Get the book. It also has better photos then you could ever get without a flash -- refer to point 7. 
12. People are rude: I don't mean everyone, but some of the everyday people that you meet in France are rude. They bump into you, they step on your feet or they roll their eyes at you. They don't care about your feelings or about special treatment. Most don't say "please" or "thank you" unless they are selling you something. Don't expect them to be as nice as people in North America. 

What I learned from Europe

So, I just got married and my husband and I had our honeymoon in Paris: it was my first flight to Europe and I learned a lot from it which I will now share. I have written this so that it applies to Europe in general even though my experience is in France. This post is meant for a North American audience traveling to Europe as what I mention is from that point of view.

1. If you can afford it, take the Economy Plus on the flight: Every airline has this option and it should cost about $170 per person, round-trip in addition to the price of the seat. That was a lot of money but if you are planning a big trip then it should factor in there. With Air Transat, this was called Option Plus. See my review about this feature here.
2. Stay in an apartment, not a hotel: most large European cities have this option now and it is way cheaper. You don't have any meals included though but your apartment should be furnished with everything that you need. Plus, because you need to get all of your meals, you start to feel like a local with the shopping and planning that you do each day.
3. Go to big tourist attractions in the morning, as early as you can stand: we visited the Notre Dame Cathedral at 8:30am and the bus loads were coming in just as we left. We did the same at the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Also, look up days that monuments are closed (to avoid going on that day for nothing) and days that it is quieter like Tuesdays. 
4. Look for pass deals that get you into all or most of the tourist attractions and if you can, get it before you go or know where to buy it when you arrive. We got the Paris Museum Pass for 6 days at a cost of €65 but it was totally worth it. It's worth was paid for in the first day and we bypassed the long lineups for tickets almost everywhere we went.
5. Watch out for hagglers, gypsies and pickpockets. My first day in Paris we watched a gypsy woman beg a French woman for 5 minutes. In North America, the homeless and less fortunate ask you once then stop. This lady was persistent, she just didn't leave until a waiter chased her off.  We also saw pickpockets on the metro and running scans at big tourist areas (Eiffel Tower, Champs de l'Elysees, the RER, Sacre-Coeur). These were the people trying to sell you things laid out on a scarf on the ground.
6. Get used to smaller spaces: we have a space issue in North America. We are used to huge houses and grocery stores. Our apartment in Paris was a 1 1/2 (one bedroom, one bathroom). Our bathroom was the size of the wheelchair bathroom stall in Walmart and the 4 dozen stairs that it took to get to our apartment was only wide enough to fit one person walking at a time. The elevator fits only one person. Even the streets are small -- one car lanes in some places -- and the grocery store was the size of a small convenience store in Canada. It was a lot to get used to.
7. Something that is old to us is not in Europe: they are way ahead of us when it comes to something old. I saw things dating back to the Romans in Paris and way further back when I visited Egypt. They think nothing of 18th or 19th century furniture or paintings -- unless it was by someone famous. Our apartment was furnished with 18th and 19th century furniture with 19th century paintings. Meh, just something lying around. In North America, that is a goldmine.
8. Research the Public transit system and what pass you need BEFORE you get to the ticket counter: My hubby had this all planned out. Once it was our turn in the absurdly long line to get to the ticket counter for metro Passes, he said which one he wanted (for Paris, that was zones 1--5 for 7 days at a cost of €47 each) and already had the cash on hand to get it. We saw some people say to the ticket agent that they wanted to see this, or that which doesn't help at all. 
9. Eat local food: you did not come to Europe to eat Macdonalds. We gorged on crêpes, croque-monsieur and other French foods while we were there at restaurants that were recommended in Trip Advisor. The coffee was absolutely fantastic (I had espresso the whole time) and you HAVE to try the hot chocolate in Paris. Seriously, it is thick like creamy yogurt and tastes like something out of a chocolate fairytale -- and I'm not a choco-holic. Look for locals in your restaurant because that means that you are in a good place. 
10. Do not go on a trip at the height of Tourist Season: we went in October and thought that it would be quiet but NO, it wasn't. Everywhere we went, we were privy to busloads of tourists. Mind you, we were tourists too and we did touristy stuff like the river cruise on the Seine in Paris but we didn't want long lineups or do touristy things like buying kitschy Eiffel Tower paper weights. Avoid peak tourist season and visit tourist spots in the morning or after supper. 
11. Plan out your trip -- but not too much: my hubby planned the entire trip to Paris as a wonderful gift to me. Some of it was rather daunting though: in one day, we visited the Notre Dame Cathedral, Sainte Chappelle, La Conciergerie and Le Musée de Cluny. It doesn?t sound like much but we went from 8:30am until 4:30 pm and my feet were so tired. Despite that long day, when we got back, I sat knitting for an hour and found that I could go out for a few more hours. Just that rest was enough so if you have long days, plan down time in the day that doesn't require brain power like eating, having coffee or sitting beside the Seine talking for an hour. It recharges your touristy batteries.
12. Charge your electronics as much as you can: just bring the adapter for where you are going and charge. Charge your camera battery every night while you are home and every stop you make home during the day, even for 30 minutes. Charge your iPhone and iPod whenever possible because if they do not go with you during the day, you are most likely using them at night like we were. 
13. Prepare for culture shock: you never know what it will be that surprises you but something will. For me, I found that people were rude in Paris, the bathrooms were very different (and often unisex), and the spaces were small. They didn't have many choices for milk, butter and other everyday items either (no skim, 1%, 2% milk choices, only one). 
14. The bathrooms are different: there are no North American-style bathrooms here. Expect a bathroom with a toilet in a closed room with the soap, sinks and hand dryer in the open. They are usually unisex as well. I think I will write a post just about the bathrooms in Paris though because I found it so interesting and different.

Option Plus with Air Transat

On our flight to Paris for our honeymoon, we took the Option Plus package with our airline, Air Transat, in addition to our seats. This was an additional cost for us but we rationalized it as "we are only on our honeymoon once". The cost is $169 per person per round-trip (if you are flying to Europe, if not it is cheaper). If you are considering adding this option to your flight then read this post to see if it is really worth it.

With Option Plus, you get the following per person:

• A small bottle of good quality Prosecco or Champagne (worth 2 glasses) after take-off
• 1 snack (chips, chocolate, etc.)
• 1 heated meal with better food than Economy Class meals with 1 alcoholic beverage (good quality red or white wine)
• 1 heated snack with beverage
• Priority meals, beverage and snack service (in other words, you are the first in the cabin to get asked) 
• Beverage service (soft drinks, juice, coffee, tea) at least two times
• 1 comfort kit (blue bag with a blue blanket, earphones, thermal socks, inflatable neck pillow, earplugs, eyeshade)
• Separate check-in line titled "Option Plus"
• Priority sticker on your luggage so it comes off in the first round
• Priority security screening like First Class, cabin and crew in some airports
• Priority boarding of the airplane in the "Option Plus" line
• Priority seating in the cabin behind first class with an "Option Plus" tag on your seat (which means that the stewards are much nicer and accommodating to you)
• Priority deplaning of the airplane as you disembark close to the cabin
• 10 kg extra on the weight limit of your luggage

Is it worth it?

If you are flying overseas on a flight of 5 hours or more and you can spare $169 per person, take this package. It really is worth it. The flight is long, dry and crowded with people. There are only so many bathrooms and you start to go a little batty after four hours. This package not only made our flight enjoyable but it made it an exceptional experience. Air Transat is not paying me to say this, I am writing this after our honeymoon. I believe this was money well spent -- just for the priority screening at the security line-up alone.

Things to note:

• You do not have a private bathroom though like First Class passengers -- you use the same bathrooms as everyone else in Economy Class
• We did not get priority security screening in Paris but we did have priority check-in with Air Transat.
• In Paris, the planes are not boarded through the terminal as they are in Canada. In Canada, there is a long pathway that is extended to the door of the aircraft and you never set foot outside. In Paris, you queue in line and board a bus which takes you to your aircraft but you board it outside and up stairs. With this package, we were the first in line thus the first on the bus and the first on the aircraft. 
• After our trip to and from Paris, we amassed four comfort kits! That's four of everything that was listed above and I plan on making the most of it.

Ideas for the comfort kit:

• Reuse any of the items in the comfort kit in any other trip that you take (car, flight, train, boat, etc.). 
• Use the blanket from the comfort kit at work, in your bedroom or the living room if you get cold. It would also make a great car blanket for you or your kids.
• Use the earphones with your iPod (or, your kids' iPod) for whenever you loose a pair or they wear out.
• Use the ear plugs for sleeping at home on noisy nights.
• Give the ear plugs (unused, of course) to someone who works with loud machinery for extra comfort. 
• Use the inflatable neck pillow at your desk in the office or in the car. 
• Use the eyeshade for sleeping in the summer. 
• Use the entire comfort kit for camping trips.

Ideas for other extras:

• If you don't drink all of the wine, Prosecco or beverages during the flight, take one anyway and take it with you. This works best on the flight to your destination because if you are bringing alcohol home with you, you will need to claim the drinks that you don't consume on the airplane and this can take you over the limit. 
• Take the snacks that they offer you and if you don't eat them, pack them and take them with you.

Wedding finances

So how much does a wedding cost? And people always say that there are last minute expenses, but if you are a bride you aren't really sure what they are. Here is an approximate list of what we paid (in Canadian dollars) and what we learned. This list may not be complete as some people buy things that others do not think are necessary. But here is how I viewed it.

The necessities:

1. Marriage license: you will need this. Expect for it to cost between $100 to $200. The price is regulated in each province and state. Mine was $122.
2. Reception: depending on how you do it, budget it at about $50 per head. This may or may not include the price of the room before the meal.
3. Officiant: again, it depends but count on about $200 for the officiant and the church unless you live in a city and you are having a wedding at a cathedral or basilica. You may also have to pay for the officiant and the ceremony venue separately.
4. Musician: this could run you at between $100 to $300 for the ceremony. If you have an organist and a musician, this will double.
5. Photographer: count on $800 for the lowest packages (ceremony and photo shoot) and then it will go up.
6. Photo venue: you may or may not have to pay a fee for your photo session location.
7. Wedding dress: start your budget around $700. Mine was $1100 and it included alterations, storage, rebeading and steaming. 
8. Hair and make-up: I didn't have my make-up done, but I did have my hair done professionally. Expect for it to cost between $100 and $200.
9. Attendant gifts: depending on what you want to give your attendants, you should always give them something. If you spend $50 on each attendant and you have three girls and three boys, this is $300.
10. Paperterie: programs, invitations, thank you cards, and any other paper items that you want to use like signage, menus, name cards, etc. The paper costs money but you don't need to buy invitations made for weddings as they cost 10 times as much. If you make it yourself, you will save tons of money. The average price I found for buying paper items was $900-$1200 whereas mine was less than $300 for everything.
11. Flowers: depending on which flower package you choose, this will run you from $300 to $1200 or more.
12. Transportation: how will you get from point A to point B? I rented a limo which cost $800 for the day. You could also rent an antique car or have other options. Expect for it to run you between $500 to $1000 for the day.
13. Decorating: after you decide on how you want to decorate the church and reception (or more venues) you have to go about paying for it through a decorating company or you do it yourself. I kept things extraordinarily simple because my venues spoke for themselves and didn't need decorating. I paid about $100 total for decorating.
14. Favours for guests: again, this will depend on your wedding theme or colors. I made candies and gave them out in decorated Chinese takeout boxes. We made them ourselves and it cost about $250 for the ribbon, boxes, paper, maple syrup, filling and wax paper.

Some items you may already have:

1. Shoes to wear in your wedding dress: wear a pair of comfortable shoes. You will be on them all day until the reception. They should match the dress but you don't need to spend a lot of money on a new pair of strappy sandals. 
2. The groom's attire: it depends, of course. Some men rent their suit, but we got lucky. The groom will need a suit, shirt, tie, and shoes. It is possible that he already has some of this. 
3. Accessories: the jewelry that the bride wants to wear, a shawl if it gets cold, and a purse to carry around that day.
4. Manicures: all girls love manicures and pedicures but we have an army of beauty products at home. You could do them at home to save money or spend about $40 per person. It's up to you.
5. Attendants clothing: we were lucky that we didn't have to pay for the bridesmaid's dresses or the groomsmen's tuxes. I did buy ties for the guys so that they all had the same color tie but we saved money here. Some people want to buy all of that for their party (I did at first) and that is fine.
6. Make-up: also listed below in unexpected expenses but you might already have good make-up that you can apply yourself for your big day. I did but I did buy a long-lasting lipstick and waterproof mascara.

The unexpected expenses:

1. Food for the day of the wedding: that is, breakfast, lunch and a snack. Is it made at the house? Are you getting something on route? Or are you buying a veggie tray and taking it with you?
2. Also, Food, in general: you will eat during your meetings with the vendors if they are at a coffee shop. During the wedding week, keep a couple $20s in your wallet to cover this.
3. Long-lasting make-up: I thought that my regular make-up was good enough but believe me, get the long-lasting lipstick, waterproof mascara and eyeliner. Use blush and foundation. The point isn't to look super made-up but for it not to fade.
4. Photo development: is your photographer developing your photos or do you get a CD of photos that you have to develop? I put aside $200 for that.
5. Scrapbooking: well, you might not be into scrapbooking but if you are, you might want to consider the following items: a scrapbook (or two, or three) for the wedding, scrapbooking paper, scrapbooking stickers or embellishments, acid-free pen for journalling, and the photos.
6. Cash bar at the reception: that was for everyone else, right? No. It includes you too.
7. Honeymoon night: where are you staying? do you have a hotel room? And if you booked one, you still need to feed yourself while you are there too.
8. Gas in the car: you'd be surprised how this takes up money while you are going around running wedding errands. 
9. Bachelorette Party: depending on what you have planned, you may buy food or other items. I spent $350 at my bachelorette party--I won't say on what.
10. Craft items: if you are making things yourself, you may notice that you keep buying double-sided tape rollers, acid-free pens, and other items. You may also need scissors, an eraser, pencils, glue dots and other craft items.
11. Postage: you will need stamps to send most of your invitations and then again for your thank you notes. Depending on how many you are sending, this could set you back at least $100. You may also want to note that if your invitation package is heavy with lots of paper in it, you may have to weigh each one of them as the stamp might not be enough.
12. The Bride's Kit: any of the items in the bride's kit that you don't already have (or, can't find and don't care if you buy another one).

The extras:

1. Travel: do you have to fly to and from your wedding? We did so plane tickets were a factor along with additional expenses like meals and taxi fare.
2. Spa treatments: you can indulge in a spa treatment before or after your wedding day. Some people do: I wish that I had.
3. Gifts for your parents: our gift to our parents was a slideshow with photos that we had scanned from their photo albums but you may want to buy something special for your parents on this day.
4. Hair and make-up for your mom: I paid for my mom's hair and make-up on that day so that she didn't have to stress about it. She looked really great too!
5. Manicures and pedicures: as I mentioned above, you may already have some of these items in your arsenal of beauty products. If not, you, your girls and your mom could all go for manicures and pedicures. Expect for it to set you back at least $50 per person but it's a really nice treat. It helps you destress too!

The Bride's Kit

Here's one for you brides: what should you carry around with you in your purse on your wedding day? You know, the one that you will have someone carry around on your wedding day with all of the emergency items? Here is what I had (and some of the items that I wish that I had on that day):

In the main pocket:

1. A stain remover pen. Just be careful, some have added dyes or could dye the wedding dress.
2. Tylenol or Advil, whatever you use for headaches or pain management.
3. A copy of the ceremony program.
4. A list of phone numbers: the church, photographer, transportation, florist and/or decorator, reception location, hotel, etc. Everyone involved in the wedding.
5. Also, a map with directions to and from each wedding venue. If you don't use it, your driver might.
6. A cell phone.
7. A bottle of water with a tight-fitting cap. No leaks today!
8. A snack like trail mix.
9. Cash for any payments that have to be done on this day or for emergency items, like food or water that needs to be bought on site.
10. A camera with a charged battery and empty SD card to take pictures during the day. You might not take these pictures, but others can use it.
11. Any medication that you or your groom takes regularly. Although, this doesn't mean bring your vitamins with you.
12. A small lint roller (if not for you, for the groom).
13. A travel-sized package of kleenexes or homemade handkerchiefs.
14. Cough drops.

In a small pencil case, in the purse:

1. Long-lasting lipstick. Preferably, the one that you will be wearing on this day.
2. Waterproof mascara.
3. Concealor.
4. Eyeliner, if you are wearing any.
5. Chapstick or lip gloss.
6. Safety pins.
7. Bobby pins.
8. A small can of strong hairspray.
9. A comb.
10. Spare earrings that match your dress.
11. Polysporin.
12. A bug bite treating stick.
13. A nail clipper.
14. A tweezer.

Optional items:

1. A travel-sized container of hand lotion.
2. A travel-sized spritzer of scented body spray.
3. A travel-sized spritzer of glasses cleaner and a cloth - if you wear glasses, this might be a necessity.
4. Depending on the season of your wedding, you may need allergy pills. If you are highly allergic to certain things, then bring an epi-pen.
5. If you are very particular about your nails, bring your nail polish with you to fix any chips. I didn't care but some girls do. Just make sure that it doesn't spill or get on your dress when you reapply.

Reusing Small Containers

Sometimes, small containers are the hardest to reuse. They are too small to hold some things, and too big to hold others! Here are 10 ideas that I can think of for reusing smaller containers.

1. Use it to hold game pieces like checkers, chess pieces, mosaics or poker chips.
2. Use it as a money bank for the kids. Once it is full, empty it on the floor with the kids, separate out the pennies, nickels, dimes and such then roll them up. I still do this with my dad.
3. Use it as a discipline tool for the kids. My mom used to do this with little orange plastic chips used in games. We had to earn the chips with chores and each of us had a little “bank” (enter the small container) with a slot cut into the top. We could cash in the chips for rewards like a trip to the mall for new clothes, supper in our favorite restaurant, hair coloring or a movie.
4. Use it at your desk to store small portions of snacks like almonds, pistachios, wasabi peas or peanuts.
5. Save them and take them with you to the beach in the summer. Let kids use them as molds when making sandcastles.
6. Reuse it as a water or food dish for the pets.
7. Reuse plastic gum containers (such as 60-piece Juicy Fruit or Excel ones) to dispense more gum or snacks like nuts, seeds or wasabi peas. Wash and reuse.
8. Reuse it to make a signature coffee or hot chocolate mix. You can make it at home and spoon it out at work. Once it is gone, just take the container home, wash it and make more.
9. Use them in crafts to hold buttons, needles, beads, stitch markers, or other doodads.
10. Use them in the garage to separate out different sized nails, washers or bolts. 

Using less Electricity around the House

I don’t know about you, but our hydro bill seems to get more expensive every year. This might have something to do with the fact that Hydro Ontario raised their prices but we also seem to use a lot of electricity in this apartment. I am now wondering of ways to cut back on the electricity that we use so that our bill is lower – especially with winter coming.

1. This winter, I will try to keep the heat around 22 degrees C. During the day, we will turn it down to 19 and the first person that arrives home from work turns it back to 22.
2. In the winter, I will try to wear socks and a sweater around the house so that I have no reason to get cold or turn up the heat. That also goes for my nice, fluffy blanket that I seem to carry around with me. Drinking warm liquids (hot chocolate, decaf coffee or tea, etc.) also seems to help.
3. Unplug the computer at night. It’s not in use so why let it draw power from the outlet?
4. Also, unplug the TV at night. Ditto to above. I bet it draws more power than the computer does.
5. Unplug all of the small appliances that are not in use all of the time (microwave, toaster, coffee machine, etc.). I also have a tv in the bedroom that I will unplug and only plug it in when I use it.
6. Unplug all of the larger items that do not need power all of the time (in this case, this would be our huge treadmill). Only plug them in when you use them then unplug them for the rest of the time.
7. Use cold water most of the time. Heating up water uses electricity so I will try to use cold whenever possible (for example, when using water to cook pasta or vegetables, for brushing teeth, etc.).
8. Take shorter showers so that the time required to heat up water isn’t so long.
9. Use appliances less. We tend to watch TV or a Blu-ray while playing on computers. If we cut one out of the picture (the TV or the computer) then this will cut down on the power usage.
10. Turn lights off when no one is in the room. Although, we are really good at this one but it’s a reminder.

10 things to never buy cheap

After many years of learning what to buy, I have put together this list from many lessons that I have learned (most of them the hard way which I have explained).  Now it's time to share these lessons.

1.  Vacuum cleaner: we bought a Dyson pet-hair vacuum cleaner for $700 after my $100 cheapo broke after one year. We've had it for three years with no problems and no bags. 
2. Espresso maker: if you are into Espresso, don’t get the cheap stuff. We spent $1200 on ours. We bought a cheap one that worked once and then never did again.
3. Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer: We got the professional model with all of the accessories up front. If you love cooking, it should last you 20 years or more.
4. Pots: get the copper-lined pots if you can afford it. Cheapo pots burn food easily and even warp under heating. I learned this the hard way when one put was on the burner a little too long.
5. Frying pans: we have a cast-iron frying pan that we never put into the dishwasher. It is actually almost 40 years old as my mom got it as a wedding present in 1972. If you never soak it in water and really take care of it, here is proof that it can last you a lifetime (or more). And the cooking quality is beyond compare. Non-stick pans have a coating that scrapes off in the food.
6. Shoes: cheap shoes are often very stylish but they usually only last about a year (sometimes less). Spend the money once on a pair of leather shoes with good construction and they will last for years. I still wear shoes that I bought five years ago.
7. Fake gold jewelry: This stuff stains my fingers green if I wear it for too long so I always get the real gold (or gold-plated) stuff.
8. Computers: This doesn’t mean that you have to get a $2000 computer, but the cheapies that sell for $200 will only last a year or two, at the most. Expect to spend at least $800 on a computer on a reliable brand.
9. Wood furniture: If you can possibly help it, buy the real stuff. The wood product furniture that sells for much cheaper is ruined as soon as there is a scratch on it. At least with wood, you can refinish it to hide scratches or even paint it. Wood furniture costs a fortune (especially if you are in the city) but it will last multiple lifetimes.
10. Umbrellas: Take a cheap one out when it’s windy and it turns out almost immediately. You need to spend the money on one that is made properly so that you can actually use it.

Honourable mentions:

Blenders: I have found that plastic ones tend to crack in the bottoms and I have bought two already. Our next one will be glass.

Digital Cameras: we had an expensive one that lasted for 10 years. I'm really glad we didn't have a cheap one.

Cat food: I had a cat who had crystals in his bladder and he died of blockage. We found out later that it was a combination of genetics and the food that we fed him. Needless to say, now we spend the money on our new cat's food - $60 for one huge bag in a pet store.