Friday, August 12, 2011

Friday's Fabulous Find: The Bar Method


The Bar Method is a workout, worthy of the stars! With a combination of yoga, Pilates and ballet you can achieve sculpted muscles, lifted seats, flat abs, defined arms, elongated muscle mass and improved posture!

This floor and barre-based regime of fat burning interval training, muscle shaping, isometrics and dance conditioning will get you prepped for your big day!

Get off the treadmill and try something new... this full body workout is a great addition to any fitness regime.

The Vancouver location is the first to arrive in Canada... You can find them in Yaletown at 837 Beatty Street, or check them out online here!


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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Want to know the trends in Canadian Weddings?


Weddingbells' conducted their annual reader survey to find out some wedding-day facts...Enjoy!
  • There will be an estimated 156,920 weddings in Canada during 2011
  • Average age of engaged woman in 29.5
  • 74% of engaged couples are currently living together
  • 39% of proposals happen in the months of December to February
  • When it comes to rings, 59% of brides confessed size matters, and 65% were involved in the selection of the engagement ring and 25% of brides made the final decision
  • 25% admitted to putting pressure to pop the question on their future grooms.
  • Average length of engagement is 18.5 months
  • 19% of brides say they are having more disagreements with their fiancĂ© since becoming engaged – but 50% say they have more passion in their relationship since becoming engaged.
  • Almost one-third (32%) of brides agree that prenuptial agreements are a good idea (up from 26% in 2010).
  • 26% of brides say they follow celebrity weddings to get ideas for their own wedding.
  • According to brides, grooms are more likely to delay the wedding due to cold feet (82%) than brides (18%).
  • 30% of brides said they’re not sure they’re completely over a past relationship (an increase from 22% in 2010).
  • 51% of weddings will occur between July and September
  • 49% think it is acceptable to return a wedding gift for cash

Weddings are also costing more. The average expected cost of a wedding in 2011 was $23,330 (up from $20,129 in 2010). The average cost of a wedding gown is also up, at $1,798 in 2011 compared to $1,093 in 2010. Once married, 72% of brides will completely share finances (another 10% are unsure).


Budget breakdown based on anticipated costs:


  • Reception Venue = $9,572
  • Bridal Gown = $1,798
  • Bridesmaid Dress = $426
  • Bridal/Bridesmaid Shoes = $180
  • Wedding Bands = $2,718
  • Photographer = $2,414
  • Videographer = $1,461
  • Stationery = $390
  • Wedding Cake = $524
  • Florist/Decor = $1,334
  • Transportation/Limo = $792
  • DJ/Musicians = $1,264
  • Guest Favours/Gifts = $457
  • Honeymoon = $5,287
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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Wedding Wednesday: Tip of the Week...

Wedding Band Shopping

  • Enjoy the time shopping and browsing, giving yourself at least two months to feel confident in your personal style and taste. Take note of what captures your interest and mark price and design before making the ultimate purchase. If you're going the custom route, personalizing your rings with special engravings can take up to a month to finish.
  • When pricing out your wedding bands, note that the average wedding band is about 3 percent of your wedding budget. Depending on the preferred band and whether or not you want some extra sparkle, the cost can quickly increase.
  • Be true to your personal style and lifestyle!


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Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Eco-Chic Tuesdays: For the Dollar-Savvy Bride

Eco-friendly transportation!


This week's tips come courtesy of The Green Bride Guide... Be dollar-savvy and eco-conscious!

  • Instead of having two venues - one for your reception and one for your ceremony - just choose one! This decreases your carbon footprint and cuts a couple thousand off the cost of your wedding.
  • Don't feel you have to compromise your beautiful cake to be green... inquire about using some organic ingredients.
  • Flowers present another great opportunity to go green by substituting locally grown, organic flowers - use things that are produced within the 100 mile radius of the event.
  • Jewelry is another easy place to go green, the average wedding ring produces about a ton of mining waste so trying to reuse things you already have in the family. This not only saves you money, but is better for the earth. A good jeweler should be able to produce exactly the ring you want, made out of recycled materials!
  • Ways to decrease the impact with bridesmaids dresses is to allow your bridal party to choose the gown they want. And to keep some consistency, simply choose the colour and let your bridesmaids find a silhouette most flattering to their figure.

Are you an eco-chic, past bride wanting to sell your wedding treasures and de-clutter you closet? Don't forgot to register a table for the upcoming Bridal Swap happening this November 20th, 2011. And if you're a bride-to-be, wishing to reduce your wedding-footprint, buy your advance ticket and find some great, eco-friendly finds!


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Monday, August 8, 2011

Monday's Montage: This week's theme...Tangy Tangerine

According to the calendar the summer solstice is in late June, however, summer has officially arrived in Vancouver this August...

If you're preparing for an end of the summer backyard party or are planning ahead for your summer wedding next year, why not consider the quintessential colour of the season...Orange!


It's warm, bright, fun, and comes in a variety of shades to best suit your own personal style. Think tangerine, coral, orange-red, persimmon, and more... Even in small doses, the pop of colour is can add that extra flare to your special day!
















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Friday, August 5, 2011

Friday's Fabulous Find: Sonja Picard Collection




Check out the 'Recycle your Love' project at The Sonja Picard Collection...

The project is based on the idea that you can reclaim the gifts of love waiting at the bottom of yoru jewelry box.


Many of these pieces are symbolic of love stories gone by, much like these tales, the jewelry is stored as nostalgia to be passed on. Jewelry is always given with love and affection so why not transform that into something you love to wear every day?


Sonja Picard believes that "we are the custodians of these gemstones passed down from generations before us." Her vision as an artist and a yogini, is inspired by yogic philosophy and its traditions of adornment. The Sonja Picard Collection Jewelry is created not only for its beauty, but as a reminder of the divinity within ourselves and that which is around us.
Perfect for eco-conscious brides and grooms searching for an ethically handcrafted symbol of their love with a link tot he past as they celebrate their future.

You can view Sonja Picard's beautiful collection here!


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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Want to Know what He's Really Thinking Before the Wedding?


Find out what some guys say really goes on in a man's mind before the big day...

  • Getting married is big news, but not necessarily the only thing a guy wants to talk about. “It was a little awkward [telling everyone], 'Hey, we're engaged!' But Facebook made it easier... I couldn't wait for it be over so people can start asking me about other things."
  • "Wedding planning is the worst... Deciding on the tables was way more complicated than I imagined."
  • "I was worried about the families getting along at the wedding... Especially because my parents are divorced and their families don't get along well. Add another family in the mix and it could get messy.”
  • “I was flat-out afraid of getting a little too emotional during the ceremony. My brother-in-law told me how his brother was a slobbering mess at his wedding, and I did not want that to be me.”
  • "I checked the sports calendar when we were picking the date... We ended up with the weekend of the PGA Championship, but I decided that was OK. Plus, we would be done by Sunday afternoon, so I could watch the end of the final round."
  • "I don't want to get bombed and either make an ass out of myself or forget part of the night... I thought, Better make sure I don't get too drunk. You don't want to be 'that guy' at your own wedding."
  • "I wanted to make sure I spent some time with each guest... I still managed to mess it up. At the rehearsal dinner, I made it to two out of 11 tables. At the wedding, I made it to maybe five out of about 18.”
  • "Please, I beg of you, don't go off the grid and buy us a crystal candy bowl for a gift... "
  • "Do we have to send one to that relative no one likes who won't come anyway?"


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