wedding | final prep + rehearsal

In the final weeks before our wedding, Brian and I did not get a great deal of sleep. More excited than stressed, we scrambled to take care of all the final details. We weren't taking ourselves too seriously or allowing a wedding to cause us any drama, but we wanted to ensure that we threw one hell of a party.

I am terrible at delegation, but our friends and family refused to take "we're fine" for an answer and insisted on helping. We were extremely grateful for their insistence! While my parents and their friends were buying boxes of vases at farm auctions, building the photo booth, and wrapping jars in lace to create candle holders, some of our friends in Montreal were hand-crafting flowers from tissue paper.

After every last flower, ribbon, and candle had been packed, it was time to start packing for our honeymoon.



Two days before our wedding, our family and wedding party met for an amazing meal at Terroni after our rehearsal at the venue.

Me with my lovely bridesmaids [I really should have worn heels with this outfit, I know]



The groomsmen + my dad - Adam (who was still in NYC at this time)

Deanna and Elise, our flower girl and ring bearer.

Parents of the groom

My parents

Dave and Christina, awesome friends and unofficial wedding party members

Jessica, Carolyn, and Roz

Me and Brian

Then we all headed back to our homes and hotels to get some rest before the big day
.

Next up: getting ready

wedding | the lead up

I'm back in Montreal after the most wonderful honeymoon a person (or two people, in love) could possibly hope for. We drove all around the state of California, and I snapped about 2000 photos along the way. I have so much to show you, but before I get to that, I'd like to back up a bit and talk about the last few weeks before our wedding. We'll roll back the clock to about a month ago.

In mid-April, we went home for Easter weekend. Winter lingered way too long this year, so I was really happy to see that everything was starting to turn pretty and green.

We went for long walks in the woods to clear our heads.

We lagged behind the runners.

 Then my friends and family threw me the most beautiful bridal shower. Please excuse how awkward I look in the photo below. It's weird sitting on a chair in the centre of a room!

I got to hang out with my mom!

It was so nice to spend time with friends who I don't get to see as often as I'd like to, such as these girls:

And there were lots of cupcakes

 Then there was a lazy Sunday with board games

and more walks in the woods

 and then, when we got back to Montreal, our friends there dreamed up the most amazing stag/ette ever. They decorated the lawn in flamingos (since I adore them in both real and tacky synthetic forms).

Such a whirlwind of events! Thanks again to everyone. I love you guys.

Up next: final wedding preparations and rehearsal dinner

my bachelorette party

I'm writing this because I don't want to forget a single moment of my bachelorette weekend.

My best friend and maid of honour, Jennie, with the help of the rest of my wedding party and some of my friends, planned the most amazing, fun-filled weekend for me.

Because I love to plan parties and because I thrive on lists, spreadsheets, and all the other things that go along with project management, I tend to have a hard time giving up control. I would much rather do something myself rather than burden someone else with it. I tried to convince my Jennie to let me plan my own bachelorette party because I felt bad having her take on such a big task for my sake. She told me to shut up.

I am so glad I did.

She kept everything a secret until the last possible minute, planning a whirlwind weekend of activities for me. Every single detail was thought through, and everything she planned was so perfect for me it made me tear up constantly.

After a relaxing and wonderful Friday at my co-maid of honour's place, we headed over to my future parents-in-law's house so Brian's mom could help us with our beehives (having been a queen bee herself in the past). Using her old high school yearbook photos as inspiration, Jennie insisted on doing my hair for me. Every time I reached up to help, she swatted my hand away and told me to chill out. She did let me take this photo of the process, though.

And that turned into this:

Then we headed into the city to get ready for the evening's activities in our hotel room (which was also a surprise).

We assembled our outfits and headed to the cutest little Cuban restaurant for dinner.

Everyone had dressed for the "Sixties Chic" theme that Jennie had come up with!

We then headed to a Karaoke place, where Jennie had rented us a private room!

Here's me in all my tacky attire, looking like a crazy old lady!

There was a Pin the Nose on the Lion game, with my poor fiancé's face in the centre.

My full outfit, in all its glory

Last stop was a the upstairs of a great pub, where much hilarity was to ensue.

At the very end of the night.

But not before some of the girls tried to pick up — literally — a few men.

The next morning in our hotel room: a very bright beam of light!

And then a quiet breakfast before we all headed back to our separate cities.

Thank you, everyone, for the best night ever!