I think this was a really sweet idea for a bridal shower! It was my sister's idea to go and paint my 'wedding dish' set, which my mother also thought was really cute. We got together ten friends and we went and painted four plates, four bowls, and then four mugs (my sister and my best friend did two each). It cost about $25 per person, and it was really fun! They let us bring in pizza and juice, and it was very innocent but a great way to hang out with friends and family. We had the studio for two 90 minute blocks, which was plenty of time. We had to make a request for the full three hours, because most parties last only 1.5 hours. Some of the pieces turned out fine, others were a bit of an artistic mess, but I will keep all the pieces.

We booked the cheapest flights we could find, which weren't that cheap because of the time of the year. We never book hotels through Expedia because they only point us to the most expensive hotels, and not the hostels that cost a fraction less. Lonely Planet country guides are a great source for hostels. Most hostels in Europe will take people over the age of 30. Even if they charge a bit more for a private room, staying at a hostel is a fun and more interactive way of seeing a country.

My husband is a huge pottery fan, and he really wanted to give each guest a piece of pottery to thank them for coming. In the end, we decided to limit the gift of pottery to each member of the wedding party. We loved Burhans cups, so we bought one cup for each member of the party that was in the same kiln. As my husband likes to explain, each cup became a solid and unified piece of art after going through the fire with all it's 'brothers and sisters'. It's really symbolic of how each one of us, as close family and friends, have gone through so much together, yet we're still part of the same batch. My husband explained it much better. It was nice to know that the same artist also made each piece by hand, which explains the $18 price tag. It was worth it, though, because everyone really cherished their cups.

This was a nice present from his parents after they heard about the engagement. We always talked about taking dancing lessons together, so they went out and bought us the wedding dance lessons from Come Dancing Ballroom. It's a small studio, but there was always lots of people there. The lessons were fun! We attempted to learn the tango, which was not easy at all. After the private lessons we then signed up for beginner lessons. The lessons took place once a week, so it was easy for us to go to all of them. I think we became better dancers because of the lessons, and we knew more about technique which made it easier to learn or copy other dance moves we saw. On the night of the wedding we did our dance, and I was really happy I had taken the lessons because I thought we danced with grace.

I heard about First Class DJ services because this is the DJ that my company hires for the holiday parties. For our wedding, Jerry did a great job with the music and keeping the crowd motivated all night. He played a perfect selection of songs for each part of the evening. I think the best part was how professional Jerry was; he would always return our phone calls and emails, he made it a priority to know about what songs mattered to us, and also made sure to know the details of the reception so that he could co-ordinate with his planning. It was really great to work with someone who understands all the time and attention that goes into planning such a big and important event!

We were given a list of approved caterers by the hall, and so we set up appointments based from that list. The Catering by the Family was the second set of caterers we visited, but we liked them so much that we went with them right away. I liked Catering by the Family because they have such a broad menu, and also because I liked so many of the appetizers! In their consultation they also gave us samples, which may be why we picked them. I also loved the idea of having an ice cream sundae bar, which we did select and which was a hit at the party. We went with their buffet option, just because we felt it would give the vegetarian guests more of an option when it came to eating. The food was great, the staff was great during the reception, and everyone was really happy with the service.

We were able to rent the most beautiful hall, but it took lots of planning to get it to be a perfect evening! Even though we got the hall, and it came with table and chairs and most basic equipment, we still needed to plan for caterers and linens and extra security and insurance, etc. There was a long list of things that needed to be looked after, luckily the manager of events does lots of weddings and was able to walk us through. One expensive drawback is that all the liquor must be bought through the hall, which is rather expensive. We had a beverage package estimate of how much we thought out guests would drink, which was between $26-30 for 200 guests. We were also given a list of approved caterers, which actually made the act of choosing a caterer much easier. Overall, I think all the planning was worth it because we had a beautiful wedding at an absolutely stunning location.

I loved working with this floral team! I think they are very innovative, very smart, and very friendly. For my wedding my priority was to have simple and elegant flowers, and they helped me to achieve that look. I loved how beautiful the hydrangeas looked on the tables. It was a flower that I would have never thought twice about. I also loved the idea of giving the flower girl a 'pomander ball' instead of a basket with flowers. She looked cute, and we didn't have to worry about her dropping or not dropping petals! Overall, I think my flowers were perfect, and I would happily get more arrangements from Outa Ma Tree in the future.

Make-Up: 5 Stars - I am giving them 5 stars because I think Abby and Christina did an amazing job with my entire bridal party! I also loved the fact that they did not charge a fee for the consultation, which is pretty unusual. The consultation was wonderful, we tested a few styles on my hair until we came to an agreement on what was possible and what looked best. Then on my wedding day we almost took over the salon! The staff was super professional and everyone was ready in the time frame. One great suggestion was for me and the bridesmaids to have our manicure done the day before. It saved us lots of time, and our nails still looked great.

Hair: 5 Stars - Abby gave me a really cute updo, with small diamond studs. I wanted something simple and elegant, so that I could put on the veil and still easily take the veil off. It all worked out well, and my hair stayed in place all night.

I was kind of surprised that my husband got me my ring from Zales, partly because it's so commercial, but mainly because I didn't even know he wanted to get married so soon! He found out my ring size, and then he chose a very simple engagement ring and matching bands. He was able to design the style that he thought I would like. He said that he got lots of help from the staff to make sure he got something classy and not tacky. I did love my ring! I give Zales 5 stars because without them I wouldn't have a ring, and wouldn't be married today.