Many people had asked me how much that I spent on my wedding from top to bottom?
The answer is just below 16K CAD. Is that expensive? or reasonable? In fact, I don’t know. I did the best I can and I tried to minimize the spending by comparing deals.
And I have 60 people reception and not 200. I was actually quite happy to see everything turned out.
If you are interested to see my balance worksheet. Feel free to download it here.
Download Alexandpatty wedding balance sheet
Tags: toronto, Toronto Wedding & Bridal Resources, wedding resources
31.Oct.08 
wedding 
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Few weeks ago, I decided to make my own wedding album with mypublisher.com. I didn’t go with my photographer’s options using their wedding book album. It’s not like I don’t like it, it’s because it’s really out of my budget! (each wedding book cost over $500!)
Mypublisher’s page paper are thin, they are not heavy duty cardboard page like the wedding book, but I think it’s good enough for me. Plus if you can find the promotional code online, you can “buy one and get one free”. So I can keep one and send my parents one 
I used two different photographer for my engagement photos and wedding, so I decided to put both of their pictures together into one album.
Mypublisher provides this “mypublisher” software that you can customize your book from the front to the back. The do have page template setup so you can insert up to 12 images per page. However, I’ve seen some people just make their own page layout in photoshop and the save it as one big image to insert onto the page. I didn’t bother to make my own layout, so I just use their template and put all the photos together.
The standard is usually 20 pages, but I added another 14 pages, and each additional page is $.99, plus I added the book jacket for extra $4.95. If you also want to try Mypublisher, I would actually suggest you to go for leather cover or just classic cover and NO JACKET. I thought they would print the cover photo on the actual book cover again but they only print on the book jacket. And the book jacket thickness is very flimsy.
See mypublisher pricing here
The total after shipping is $70.59 US, and then when it gets to Canada, you will have to pay $13 for custom tax. So I think it turns to cost around $40 per book.
You can view my photobook online as well
if you cannot see the link, go to Mypublisher’s Mybookshelf
and type in my order id: M801708
and enter the password: 1284869
Enjoy!
Front cover
inside page sample
inside page sample
inside page sample
inside page sample
album back cover
Tags: mypublisher, photos, Toronto Wedding & Bridal Resources, toronto wedding blog, wedding album, wedding resources
22.Oct.08 wedding Comments (0)
After one month wait, Kevin finally processed the photos and sent us the DVDs.
they looked great! Although I wish I had more garden or outdoor shot, but getting married in one of most buzy wedding day is not easy because everyone else all took the good spot.
I am happy that Kevin did a good job documenting the whole event.
I only posted up a portion of the photos, if you would like to see all of them , please go to my Flickr. I also setup a flickr group for everyone to pool the photos. Kevin also made a slideshow of those photos as well. Check out Kevin’s blog entry here.
Wake up early in the morning and have the makeup and hair done by Fidelia.
above: from left to right- my wedding band, my engagement ring, and Alex’s wedding band.
My beautiful bouquet by Paris Florist (It’s Calla Lily and orchids)
Family group shot before we head out to CityHall.
My shoes!
My fun-loving Chum co-workers and friends.
Linda! My bridesmaid!
Dad walk me into the Chamber.
Everyone is watching.
Exchange the ring.
Minister: I now pronounce you “husband and wife”
Kiss!
Now sign the life time contract.
Make sure Alex signs it too.
Mom is so happy that I finally got married.
Showing the certificate for proofs.
Now, group shot for everyone who came to witness my ceremony!
hmm, I love my dress
I LOVE this photo. Captured at the right moment, ..and look, the car behind us is taking photo of us too!
TTC subway shot, classy.
My table setting at Balmoral Room, and my wedding cake.
Head table setting.
Everyone gets tea strainer and mini tea can!
an artistic cave shot next to the garden of Old Mill .
Indoor portrait shot at Old Mill.
cheers!
Cheers again!
Linda gave an awesome speech!
We love it!
Mom and Linda checking out the photos make sure we all look hot!
My torstar digital guru friends!
Alex’s speech, he’s nervous, but still funny to hear
Our first dance.
Now, everyone gets down to the dance floor!
Desserts came out now!
We gotta cut our wedding cake!
Also throw the bouquet!
Jie caught it! She is destined to marry her 10 year boyfriend Thieu soon!!
Garter toss time!
Aim. Shoot.
And.. my brother caught it. He shouldn’t even be there! garr.
And everyone back to the dance floor, Jennifer, you look hot in the blue dress!!
Tags: toronto wedding blog, wedding, wedding photography, wedding resources
04.Sep.08 wedding Comments (0)
It might be a good idea for me to write up some tips for those brides who are also planning the biggest event of their life.
1. Spend most of your money on your food, photography and flower. People know how to entertain themselves at the reception, it’s the food that make them unforgettable for the evening.
2. Tight budget on your wedding decor? try to look for items from IKEA, dollar store, local craft store, and also craigslist and kjiji. You will eventually find something extraordinary.
3. If you are having a small wedding like mine, and just go by traditional type like mine, make sure you bring out the dessert table EARLY. A lot of people were waiting for Alex and I cutting the wedding cake, and a lot of my guests left after that, if the dessert table comes out too late, it will be a waste. I would recommend to come out the same time as the last course.
4. If you are planning to have a wedding at Old Mill Inn, if it’s popular wedding days.. you might find the garden completely packed!! Either have the ceremony just before the reception, and have your photos taken earlier in the day. Or have your ceremony early in the day so you can have time to take photos in between.
5. Bring a dancing shoe. I took some wedding photos earlier in the day with my dress shoes. Boy, it really hurts my feet after couple hours of wearing. I changed to a white walking shoe for reception. It worked perfect! No one can see it because your dress will be covering it.
6. Speech? Please write down your speech in point form. If you are a type of person who gets nervous making speech in front of people, then I am sure you will forget half of the stuff you suppose to say as well. Write them down in point form and remind what you suppose to say. Oh, and R–E–L–A–X, it’s just a speech
7. Appoint someone to help you out with the schedule. The only reason why my schedule of my wedding was behind is because i didn’t have anyone who can coordinate with the DJ and the Kitchen. We were toasting with water cuz we JUST realize that we need to do a toast, and no one went to grab a glass of wine to do the toast. *sigh*
Remember, you will be the center of the attention on your wedding day, and you will be in your beautiful dress for the whole night. You won’t be able to do everything, so plan ahead and ask someone to help you out before hand.
Stay tuned!
Tags: toronto wedding blog, wedding, wedding resources
13.Aug.08 wedding Comments (0)
Friday turned out to be a shinny day in the afternoon. We got to Old Mill around 5:15pm, and we started to take some wedding photos at the garden.
The only problem is that, there were too many people in the garden taking photos!! All the nice spot had been taken, and we have to end up taking some indoor shots as well.
The guests slowly showed up around 6:30 and 7:00pm. The cocktail hour suppose to end around 8..but we end up missing the whole 8pm and 8min speech because we were running behind schedule.
(table setting: my orchid centre piece and each person has a Polariod name card (made from Fuji Instax mini 20) on a mini easel. I also gave everyone a little tadpole tea strainer and mini tea can to bring home)
Alex’s bestman -Eric started the welcoming toast, but because we are behind schedule, we didn’t even have wineglass in our hands!! We have to use our water to do the toast!! lol.
After that, the dinner starts, everyone had their soup, and then salad, and then the main course. Eric did another speech, and Linda did a speech as well.
After dessert, Alex gave his speech, he’s so nervous that he forgets half of what he suppose to say. As for me, I briefly talked about our story, thank all the guests who came, and all the people who had helped to make this event happen.
After the dinner, we have our centrepiece games, people can bring home the beautiful flower arrangement done by Parist Florist. After that, we have our first dance. Literally, it’s our “First Dance”. We have never rehearsed. The song that I picked was from this Japanese artist-Utada Hikaru’s song “Fly Me to the Moon”. I find this song gives a kick than Frank Sinatra’s original “Fly Me to the Moon”
And after the dance, we had our bouquet toss and garter toss.
(notice my shoes? I changed to walking shoes for better dancing performance!)
At around 11:15pm.. the dessert table came out, and we get to cut our wedding cake
Even though everything runs behind schedule.. but we still manage to have a fun time. This is the biggest day and event I ever planned. I don’t think it was perfect, but at the end everyone had fun and that’s all that matters.
There were lots of things and details that I could have made the event better, but I’ve tried my best, and everyone keep complimenting on the food, the venue, the music, and everything. I have nothing but to say “Thanks” to everyone who came.
Tags: toronto wedding blog, wedding, wedding resources
12.Aug.08 wedding Comments (0)
The day had came and done, it was so fast and so tiring that it took me over a day to recover myself.
The morning preparation was basically getting my bridesmaid, my mom and my hair & makeup done. We have to make sure we brought our rings and our marriage license to the CityHall to get married!
(my final hair/makeup, and here’s my brother and I took a picture in my condo)
When we arrived in CityHall wedding chamber, there were two couple lined up before us to get married as well. So it got us an hour late to get married!
Click here to see our Ceremony video
Click here to see we signing our wedding register
There was around 20 people who came to witness the Ceremony. Alex prepared his own vows, and I didn’t have one because I thought we would be using the standard one from the cityhall. lol
It was an exciting moment especially when the minister pronounced us “Husband & Wife”. We exchanged our rings and we signed the marriage register. The whole process took less than 30 min. It was short and sweet.
After the Ceremony, we brought everyone to Osgoode Hall to take some group photos. We didn’t like the background setting at the Toronto CityHall itself.
After the group shots, Kevin took us around Osgoode Hall and University Ave for some wedding shot.
It will take another months before Kevin can process all the photos, but stay tuned for Reception details…
Tags: toronto wedding blog, wedding, wedding resources
11.Aug.08 wedding Comments (0)
After these 6 months of planning.. the day is coming on Friday. Many people had asked me that if I am nervious or excited, believe me, it’s more like “I-just-want-this-to-be-over-with”.
I am anxious of details that I might miss.
Photographer - I had Kevin Lam to take my wedding photo. My company had used him for several events, we love his photos!
Florist - Paris Florist, Raida from Paris Florist is very easy to work with. She will sort out all my flower needs.
Wedding Cake - Cindy from The Wedding Cake Shoppe will make my wonderful 2-tier chocolate cake with mango filling and strawberry filling
Wedding DJ - Brian from High Five Entertainment will provide my music for the night.
Fidelia Makeup - Fidelia will do her magic for my hair and make up.
Wedding Favor - I got those mini tea can and tea strainer for each guest, and also they get to bring home their polaroid photo name card as gift as well.
Wedding Ceremony at CityHall - yep! we got the marriage license and cash!
I think the only thing that we didn’t do is to practice our First Dance. I guess now it’s literally “First Dance” for me and Alex for sure.
Tags: toronto wedding blog, wedding, wedding resources
06.Aug.08 wedding Comments (0)
