Summer of Love

It is Sunday morning and I'm lying in bed with Mr. Opie, one of my incredibly lovable cats, who's basking in the glorious fall sunshine. I can't help but reflect back on how fantastic this summer has been. We have attended 3 weddings so far this year, each of which have been so uniquely romantic and beautiful and diy wedding driven. There's nothing like seeing two people you love officially join their lives as one. Of course, times have changed and couples are sharing lives sooner than they used to whether it's from sharing an apartment, buying a house or having a child before marriage, but the profession of love seems to be even more beautiful now as we have the chance to see the couple grow together first.

lovebirds: Matt and Malinda

Here we have it - tweetcheeks' first pair of lovebirds!  

This past July a good, good childhood friend of mine wed the love of her life. If I thought she was incredible before, I am now thinking she is super woman. Malinda is probably the most motivated, all around talented, genuine and by far the busiest person I know. She claims she's a procrastinator, but she's really so on top of absolutely everything. She and her fiance Matt purchased a condo just months before their wedding and still managed to make their first home their own amidst the craziness of wedding planning. Just two days after their wedding she left for Venezuela to compete in the Pan American Indoor Field Hockey Championships and just another two days after her return she amazed me further with the finest detailed email with so many valuable tips for DIY weddings. She's such a great example of how a bride really can have her dream wedding even on a limited budget with 200 guests!

Oh! And did I mention she made her wedding cake the night before the wedding?! Talk about a real diy bride!

*for a more detailed look, at the story board, click here.

Both the ceremony and reception were held at The Marriott Ottawa, and guests were invited into a space filled with a gorgeous mixture of decorations inspired by the blend of the two families. For cocktail hour, guests headed upstairs to the mezzanine while the room was transformed for the evening reception. Once back downstairs, guests were greeted by another beautiful, intimate setting for the remainder of the reception including dinner and dancing.  

Wedding Dresses Under $1000.

Sometimes topics have a way of presenting themselves to me, but end up sitting for a while before they are really ready to be written about. Though this can be incredibly frustrating to someone like me because I am so impatient when I get excited about something, it often works out in my favour. Often the topic grows or in some cases is even more defined by chance.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to chat with Lori from the Toronto Wedding Society who also creates famously beautiful cakes (The Caketress - get ready to see jaw dropping, breathtaking creations if you haven't seen them before). We happened to get on the topic of wedding dresses under $1000, a topic I had already done some research on and had been meaning to write about for some time, yet it had slipped in priority.

While tweetcheeks is mainly about the diy bride, I am a huge believer in cutting costs in other places in order to afford the things that mean the most to a bride. Luckily for those budget conscious brides who want a fabulously beautiful dress on a limited budget so they can afford that incredible cake, like one of Lori's, she helped me bring this to live again!

My picks for some of the best places to check out:

SASH AND BUSTLE BOUTIQUE. Even with prices starting at just $500, lines like Saja will have any bride weak at the knees.

CABARET. The sweetest vintage dresses you'll ever find from a variety of eras. Prices are roughly $300 - $600.

THE DRESS ROOM. With the average dress price at just $750, this is the place to look. I've personally been in to try dresses on and can attest to the fact that they have styles for any bride. Just down the street is their higher end store, Becker's Bridal, and both are a must to check out.

Other great suggestions:

VINTAGE STORES. If you don't mind something used, stores like Value Village and the Goodwill stores often have a great selection of dresses. Even if you're just looking for fabric, there is so much good lace, silk, tulle and beading on the dresses for a fraction of the cost!

SAMPLE SALES. Check with your favourite retailers to see if they have sample sales coming up soon. Gorgeous dresses at great prices? Worth a shot!

SHOP ONLINE. Websites like craigslist and oncewed.com are great resources for finding deals on anything wedding related. Keep your eyes open for great finds, but be careful if purchasing cross border because customs can be expensive!

PATTERN SALES. Fabric stores are known for having ridiculously amazing sales on fabrics and patterns. I generally make a rule not buy expensive fabrics at full price because they are always going on sale. Order simple patterns when you see them on sale (Vogue, McCaul's) and ask a local seamstress or friend to help you out!