Official Members

View from Symphony Bowl on Whistler Mountain

Trudy and I with our Edge Cards.

Saturday was my first day of skiing without an instructor and it went so well.  I’m happy to report I didn’t fall once, which is incredible as I fell dozens of times the last time I skied.  It really goes to show that there is a big difference in skiing back to back days when you are learning.  That second day I was so frustrated, I had such a hard time concentrating and my legs were tired and didn’t want to co-operate.  But this past Saturday, Trudy (who I have been learning with) and I had a perfectly clear day of good snow and not-too-crowded mountains.  We found our way around both Whistler and Blackcomb, got to the top of both mountains for some stunning views and did 12 runs before our legs just about gave out on us.  We followed it up with $4.95 food at El’s Furniture Warehouse and a beer before driving back to VanCity.  Such a great day.

Finally, we are official members of the elite club of Whistler skiers/snowboarders and have Edge Cards to prove it!  We are so lucky to have one of the best ski destinations in the world as our playground to learn on and I am really excited that next year Dave and I can still share a winter sport after my epic fail at snowboarding two years ago.  Dave is pretty excited about this too.  Can’t wait for next winter! (Okay, I can.  Bring on summer!)

PS – Bre, you better learn to ski so we can hit up the Alps the next time I come to Germany!

Looking out on Whistler Village and the Coastal Mountains beyond.

My Faux Leather Jacket

I have been wanting a leather jacket for, well, a long time.  However, I have never found a good enough deal or one that looks right.  Then I found this, the Nyx Cardigan by Hilary Smith Callis, a.k.a. The Yarnaid, and it’s as close to a style of leather jacket I would want, but it’s KNIT!  It almost looks a little bit like a motorcycle jacket.  Ooh, I’ll look so tough!  Lookout hipsters…I’m about to fit in!

I think with all the wedding planning, if I started this in the next month it might be done by the Fall.  I’m heading down to Portland with some friends on Easter weekend and I’m really excited to visit Happy Knits.  It is supposed to be a fantastic yarn store and from the pictures I’ve seen, I’m sure I will find the perfect colour for this cardigan.  Maybe gray, or a dark red or brown.  What do you think?

Support Local

One thing Dave and I have been conscious of while planning our wedding is trying  to keep things local.  We aren’t big box store fans and rarely shop at them.  We figure there are so many great independent business owners that have such amazing quality items, there isn’t any need to go anywhere else but down the street…literally down Main Street.

My dress is from Frocks, which used to be 2 blocks from my house on Main Street until a couple months ago when they moved over to the next major street, Fraser.  Our florist is Flower Factory which is five blocks from my house on Main Street.  The last two years in a row they have won the award for Best Wedding Florist in BC.  They are amazing and will be worth every penny.  Here is a sample of a bridal bouquet they did that is gorgeous.  Mine will be something similar and I just can’t wait to see it.

Our photographers, The Nickersons, are also located pretty close by.  I know you usually get a photographer who lives in your city, but I feel like we got a team that are just as excited about our wedding as we are and I can’t wait to see the results.  If you want to see some beautiful photography check them out.  Amazballs!

Really?  How can our wedding still be 5 months away!  Hurray up year, let’s go!

Yes, No, Done, Let’s Go!

On the topic of wedding planning, let’s just say Dave and I have been knocking it out of the park.  The pastor is booked, the photographers confirmed, dress chosen, flowers decided on, colours picked, hairdresser talked to and the location settled.  

Amazingly, I have never felt so decisive in my life.  I really assumed that I would be hemming and hawing over so many things and that final decisions would be a bit gut wrenching and regretted later, but that hasn’t been the case.  The only thing I have felt a little strange about was getting my wedding dress.  I went to two stores and had a dress chosen and paid for in 3.5hrs.  I think my hesitancy is more the fact that there are SO many options out there, that I could have been searching for months for the right dress, but I decided that I didn’t want to waste every free evening or weekend I had trying on dresses.  

Here is a sneak peak of the accessories for my dress and hair, created by Bloom Bazaar.  PS – My dress is much, much prettier than this one.

I don’t really like shopping, so I was so thankful to have two great friends, Trudy and Megan, come along and hand me dress after dress.  They were the ones that found the dress for me and confirmed my feelings that it was the right one.  Without giving too much away, it is a fun, flowing dress that I can get my dance-on in and add some beautiful accessories to make it pop with the colours we are using.  And with a couple accessories and very little tailoring, it comes in under budget.  Perfect!

I must say though, the wedding world is ready to empty your wallet when it comes to purchases.  My wedding dress was a bridesmaids dress that cost $500 more to get in white.  Can you believe that?  Maybe you can.  I was also surprised at the cost of wedding bouquets, but amazingly we are still staying within our budget, so we are doing okay.