The Wedding Planners

Apparently, once a man asks for a woman's hand in marriage, both their lives switch into high gear. Since that happy Christmas Day, 'the Gal' and I are now discussing daily some aspect of our wedding. At times the subject of eloping has been mentioned with a tinge of humour, but with a hint of possibility as well. That being said, we will be taking a relatively traditional route and having an intimate wedding with family only.

Early on, 'the Gal' had her eyes on a place where we've patronized several times in the past. It's a lovely home on the outskirts of the city now converted into a restaurant. 'The Gates on Roblin' offered several different rooms depending on the size of our party. An atrium surrounded by windows on three sides suited our needs. There will be twenty one guests if all those invited arrive. Our wedding will take place on April 4th.

I've taken over the responsibility of creating/designing the invitations and announcements. (one serves as a backdrop for the photo above) My fiancee and I attended a wedding extravaganza last month where she was able to find a dress that she loved. To that we also found a marriage license issuer, a cupcake shop (in lieu of a wedding cake), musicians (one of which will be my cello instructor from two years ago), and a jewelry store for my wedding band. Countless other brochures and information were given to us as we made our way throughout all the venues during the three hours we were in attendance. Plenty of little extras have already been arranged. The cake topper you see above (my choice), limo service, and most recently the flowers.

Like any 'new married', we wanted someplace special to stay on our wedding night. After looking at the hotels in the city that looked to be our best options, another idea struck me. All the hotels, while fitted with the modern conveniences, seemed rather lifeless. I have always been a man who appreciates the character of a home or building, something 'the Gal' appreciates as well. It seemed obvious once I thought about it. Why not a Bed & Breakfast? We have been to several B&B's during the past two years and we have always enjoyed the intimate hospitality and the setting. We narrowed down our choices to a few possibilities and decided on a turn of the century mansion called 'The Columns'. It was built by a wealthy industrialist nearly one-hundred years ago in one of the first upscale neighborhoods in Winnipeg. The room is beautifully furnished and provides one of the most romantic settings I have ever seen. The cost is less than a modern hotel, and the personal service in a B&B can't be beat. The operator of the home was very happy to hear that her B&B will play a part in our wedding. We can't wait to stay there and enjoy the surroundings it will have to offer.

We will be lucky enough to depart on our honeymoon soon after the wedding as well. With a little bit of encouragement, I was able to convince 'the Gal' that a honeymoon in Cuba would be the best value providing the sun she dearly misses. We will spend one week in Varadero taking in the sun, sand, and local sights of Havana. My joke has been that I will be smoking a cuban with Cubans. We'll see...

On the school front, I had my interview yesterday for the communications program at RRC. It went ok. In hindsight, there were areas where I could have provided better answers. All in all I feel the work I prepared stands for itself. The interviewers showed me how I had scored in the exams I had taken and the portfolios I had submitted. The results ranged from better than average to average. One of them remarked where I thought I did not do well that, 'It's not necessarily bad. We have a tendency to mark students tough.' I submitted two more items to help show my enthusiasm for the course. I will hear in the next six to eight weeks if I have been accepted. The best outcome would be to find out I am accepted for the program before my wedding day. I can then rest easy and truly enjoy all that is important. My future wife and life.