Needless to say, my entrepreneurial tendancies have started to rub off on my own children, and I couldn't be happier. Some of you have had exposure to the new adventure of my daughter Steph McArton of The Girl In Glasses fame. I am overflowing with pride and so impressed with what she has created. Through and through she is a creative soul, and a true artist. Her business is all about using her talents to create custom drawings, scripting and blogging into one very amazing place. 

The Girl In Glasses blog covers everything from Renovations, DIY Projects and Life! I guess blogging runs in the family! Oh, and Interior design...her projects are incredible and a must see. I will be featuring her on my Partners page so that you will also have access to her from here. 

​The Girl In Glasses has the capability of creating whatever that you would like in a custom drawing or scripting and let's face it original artwork never goes out of style. Artwork makes original gifts and shows, especially in this case, that some thought and preparation went into choosing a very special gift. Check out her website if you would like to see more of her work as well as Instagram.

Here is our wedding gallery of events ... I so hope you enjoy them, Tracey Kiansky, our photographer from Prairie Blossom Photography, is responsible for all the magic that you will see here. I thank her from the bottom of my heart for capturing all the love that surrounded us this day. 

Here is where you must insert the soundtrack for these moments, if you have the downloaded version, then hit play now, if not, click here...I want you to have the whole experience and join the rest of us in the group tears we had going on. Christina Perri, A Thousand Years skip the advertisements... then start scrolling.

Now that we have created the mood, I will fill you in on the ceremony. The kids orchestrated the entire thing. Wrote it, planned it, we just needed to do our own vows. So...they created a heartfelt, ode to our family, our joy and added some comic relief. That's just who we are. I walked in to this song and it played softly in the background while we all came together. Hugs all the way around and our parents were right there with us. I'm crying writing this...man...it was so emotional. Everyone...I mean everyone was in tears...so much happiness ...so much love...everywhere. From our family, from our friends and each other, I have never felt so blessed. 

This is  my son Devon and his gal Brittany. 

This is my daughter Steph and her little brother Kael.

The lucky groom, Greg and my son-in-law, Ian.

Our parents.

I have to comment on this one as it is a preface for the following pictures. Note: Ian is a comedian, and he is hilarious. More than that, his uncanny talent at impressions is unbelievable. So there are many moments in our family that are definitely family jokes, family likes and dislikes. One of our favourite movies of all time, The Princess Bride, with some classic lines. Ian started off the ceremony as the Impressive Clergyman marrying Princess Buttercup and the Prince Humperdinck. Our family bust out laughing, thus the tear wiping at this moment. Wuv ...tawooo wuv .... and the crowd goes wild. 

What made it even more comical was the fact that I don't think anyone caught it, just us...more dying laughing... looking at the quizzical facial expressions of our guests was almost more than I could take. I think they thought there was something terribly wrong with his speech. Still makes me laugh hysterically. 

Next came the most touching moment a mother can ever have, especially because it was a series of wishes, written and spoken by my kids, in their own words about what each of them wanted for Greg and I. Again...we all cried. I'm pretty sure my makeup was off by now. 

And then...we were husband and wife. 

Our Family

And they lived Happily Ever After ...

The details, the fun, the organizing and the thoughts behind my wedding choices. My new husband, Greg and I, wanted our wedding day to be intimate and extremely personal. We tossed around a few ideas about what we wanted to do and settled on a very non-traditional approach. I wanted EVERYTHING to mean something, to us and to our families. It was important that the people we love and appreciate were part of the festivites. It was a family affair. The kids were an essential part of that, after all, Greg was marrying the lot of us. (More on this in the wedding blog. )

So, in the end, we decided that what better way to end off our wonderful life at our old house was with a celebration, a wedding celebration. Our ceremony was held in our beautiful backyard at the home we spent the last 12 years in, it was bittersweet and it was a great send off, a goodbye and the sweetest of hellos. 

Then...in one of my creative moments, I had a thought. What better way to start off our new life in our new home but with a celebration THERE with all of our loved ones. The house would be completely empty as we literally would get possession two days before the wedding. It was brilliant!

This blog is not only a detail by detail narrative of the event but great information for anyone planning a wedding. The best of the best worked to create this day and the good and the bad of it all, is all in here, you know me, speaking my truth. At the end of the day all was fabulous and every wedding has a few trials and tribulations in the organization of it. Customer service is still what counts in the end and what inevitably brings people in the door. The wedding industry here is huge and it seems to be getting bigger all of the time. Like everything else, know your product, know your prices and rock on!

Our invite...lucky for me I spend a lot of time creating social media pieces and was already used to working with a program I enjoy and it's easy. I use Canva for most of my creations. We just wanted simple, no fuss, no muss, I created it and emailed or texted the invite to the few people that we invited. Truthfully, I loved this invite...I included our hashtag for the event so that any pictures that were taken could be traced make to our hashtag. It was a simple yet heartfelt ceremony that was carefully planned by my children and a small dinner party afterwards. These photos are the collection of preparations and the end results of all of our hard work and appreciating all of those that helped make this day so magical. 

I could not have found a more perfect dress and have Bliss Bridal to thank for helping me get it enough time, alter it and make it beautiful. Lore and Frances, the owners of the boutique, made this process so easy. I never planned on a "wedding dress" truthfully, all I knew is that I wanted creme, it had to be classic and elegant and whatever that turned out to be, I was fine with it. On a whim, and the first stop, I found Nicole Miller at Bliss, exactly what I had chosen but thought I would have to fly to Vancouver to find it. But...alas... they had the dress I wanted. 

The trick was, getting it in time, I wanted it in four weeks. Unheard of in the wedding industry or any custom dress ordering at all. As with all other things in my life, I figured if it was meant to be, it would happen. That same day, Lore called Nicole Miller and the planets were aligned, they had one dress and it was in my size AND they could have it shipped to Winnipeg from New York in two weeks. I nearly fainted and died of happiness all at the same time. At that time,  we thought we were going to get married in Vancouver , so timing was imperative. Needless to say, we ordered in the dress. 

Once it arrived, their fantastic and talented seamstress took it in and cut off the train so that it was exactly what I wanted, then they kept it there until a couple of days before the wedding. It was SOOOOOO easy.  

Greg had his suit custom made in Vancouver and as a true modern bride, and trusting his taste...I let him look after this part. I'm not even sure where he ordered it from, all I told him was black and then I bought the shirt and tie. Pretty damn dapper I'd say. Glad to say this one is mine!

My girls...yes I had Steph my daughter, and Brittany, my son's partner, stand up for me. I couldn't think of a better choice than these two beauties! Britt and I went shopping one Sunday afternoon and came home with three adorable dresses, from two different stores altough they truly match. One came from Out of Blue and the other from Tharnzie both in Osborne village. I told them to wear whatever they wanted on their feet as long as they were comfortable.

The boys stood up for Greg, and my son-in-law performed the ceremony. We truly wanted this to be all about family and it was. The guys were equally as easy to find outfits for...printed English Laundry Shirts and dress pants. Funny thing is, yet again...different patterns, but same colorways. Seriously...I didn't plan any of it, it just happened, the kids liked them, so I bought them. SOOOOO easy. Look how handsome these devils are!

Lucky for me...I get to use consummate professionals in this business all day long for my own clients. And well, I like using the most creative, the most talented and the most fun to be around. Hair of course was done by Randi Bakker and makeup by Sarah Brooker of Two Chics and a Bag of Make-Up. I think the results were beautiful and I can't thank them enough for carving time out of their crazy schedules to fit us in!

The ceremony...more details about the actual event in the Wedding Extravaganza Blog. It was beautiful, that's all I can say. We didn't go crazy with prepartion or fuss, all we wanted was good weather and a toast with our friends and immediate family afterwards. It was a tight schedule so we were done and off to take photos right on time. A quick toast of champagne, congratulation hugs and off we went. 
I planted some large pots of annuals for color and made a backdrop of vines and hanging geraniums and made use of te divider exactly where it stood. In reality I couldn't move it as the vines were actually growing in the ground, again, we made do and loved every minute of it. 

Let's face it ... your photographer can make or break your wedding day, your memories, your sanity. 

Thank goodness I didn't have to worry about any of that because I had Tracey Kiansky of Prairie Blossom Photography standing beside me taking in all of the delicious memories and capturing the beauty of each one. I simply cannot say enough about how amazing this very talented gal is. Better yet, she's a friend. We worked together years ago and I knew of her passion for photography and felt so blessed that she wanted to be part of your wedding. And, hey, those of you that are chosing a photographer, pay heed to this. 

Your photographer should get you, get your vision, see what you see. It's not always a good personality match, or vision match, make sure you are chosing someone that understands what you are looking for. 

I think the greatest thing about working together with Tracey, is that I trusted her implicitly...and I just said to take pictures, lots of candid, fun, out of the ordinary. I didn't want ordinary. I know, big shock. I didn't interfere with her creative process and let her do her thing. I think sometimes brides in particular get a bit bridezilla-ish about the photographs, and truthfully a bit bat-shit crazy which is why many photographers chose not to do weddings. So the key is, I made the right choice, she knew what I was about, and I trusted her .. then let her do her magic. 

You'll see in the next blog exactly what I mean. The pictures tured out better than I had even imagined ... they were breath-taking. Even made this old-bag bride look not too bad, and that is a felt in itself! 

The best thing is, Tracey and her partner captured the most important thing over and over again, the overwhelming love everywhere and the all consuming happiness that surrounded everyone. Magic, yes indeed.

 Well...you can't get married without the rings...I'm not a traditional kind of jewelry kind of gal, never have been. I've designed most of my own pieces and am now delving into doing more of it because I love it so much. I guess the next title will be CharisOnJewelry. Those of you that know me well will be saying...no surprise there! Ha!

Greg was a hard one to chose a ring for, he doesn't wear any kind of jewelry except a watch or his fitbit. I wanted to create something that I thought was a bit edgy, a bit different than the run of the mill wedding bands. That's why I went to Bijou, if you haven't been to visit with Ashiq and Lindsey over there, then take the time to do so. Ashiq and I scoured over different designs until I found what I wanted. I'm sure we spent an hour trying to find just the right design.

What I loved the  most, he didn't rush me, didn't make me feel like I was taking too much time or didn't mind giving me ideas of what might be the best option. We talked stones, we talked personality, we really took the time to figure out what encapsulated who Greg was. To me, jewelry does that. It has to be special, it has to be indicative of who that person is. I guess that's why I enjoy the designing part, it makes you dig deep.

In the end, after several cups of coffee and some quality time, we chose a white gold and black diamonds, simple, classic, edgy and a bit industrial looking. It was a custom design and I didn't really give him much time to get it made, but they did and it turned out perfectly. 

Like everything else, those that understand the importance of exceptional customer service are the ones that get the repeat business. It's all about the relationships you build and the trust that you create with your customers. Those are the people I continue to do business with. The exceptional ones, I would say the folks at Bijou seriously fall into that category and I am now happy to have them in my fold. 

My rings...well, Greg can be a bit of a traditionalist. The opposite of his new wife ... but I guess that's why we work so well together. Looooong story short, he wanted to chose the engagement ring. I was having a heart attack. I had no choice in a ring I would wear every day. Did I mention I was having a heart attack?

I've always designed or chosen any of my own jewelry. I'm not really a romantic believe it or not, not when it comes to matters like this. Some gals might like this, some guys might be romantic about it, like Greg but this is dicey ground. 

Engagement rings are one of the biggest investments a couple can make, and so I practically think that it should be a mutual choice, especially if you have to wear it every day. Again, I'm practical. I believe that time an effort should be put into knowing about stones and their quality. I believe that you should know about prices and appraisal values...and so it goes. I believe full-heartedly that buying an engagement ring should be well thought out, researched and carefully chosen. If there are any couples out there looking to get engaged, think about what I'm saying. 

That is why I always deal with reputable jewelers. The ones that I know, know their stuff, that help you understand what you're buying and that back up their product. Chain store engagment rings aren't always the choice, be careful in what you're buying. That is why I also stay away from chain store jewelery...and that doesn't mean I'm paying more money, but it does mean that I know what I getting for my money.

Another jeweler I use is Simon Imports, Simon always makes time to say hello, he looks out for pieces that he knows I will like and I always feel confident walking out of there with a great choice. I chose my own wedding bands from Simon because of the quality and his life time guarantee on lost diamonds. Greg picked out my engagement ring, I told him there was no way in hell he was picking out my wedding bands. Ha! He laughed because he knows me so well and had no issue in agreeing with his jewelry loving fiance. There realy wasn't a question in that, good thing he knew that too!

Simon supplies an appraisal and he has great staff working with him. Dee helped me out this time with the bands, she's been there as long as I can remember and is both knowledgeable and great to work with. Again, exceptional customer service is everything. Simon and his folks have known this for ages, I do believe it's paramount in their business and it is why I continue to do business with them. 

Now, at the end of the day, I chose my own weddings bands to match my engagement ring because yes ... Greg did surprise me with my ring. THANK GOODNESS...he pulled it off and his choice was nothing less than beautiful. he did REAL good and I truly love his choice. Heart attack averted. Phew!

Just some of the decorations, my daughter Steph of "The Girl In Glasses" fame, used her talents in scripting to create these place cards for the dinner table. If you notice the tree behind the place cards, I called this our family "Tree of Life". The idea was each place card would be hung on the tree once dinner was complete to create our family tree of life. I figured that for everyone that comes into our family will be added to the tree. It was a lovely concept...but by the end of dinner, several glasses of champagne...well, I completely forgot about it. It now stands in our living room reminding us of our new family and the wonderful evening that came with it. 

I cannot say enough about this man, Dale Yuel, from The Gates on Roblin catering, was my partner in this creation and helped me conjure the most incredible meal, service and atmosphere. Not only is he incredibly talented, creative and a true collaborator with the same vision as I do, he made sure that every detail on his end was impeccably orchestrated. You know me, attention to detail is everything. The chef and serving personnel, were so amazing, they fit in just perfectly. They took over our new kitchen in our new home and created the most delicious feast.

I called Dale and asked him what he thought and if he thought if he and his team could pull off a reception at our new house. Of course, because he is a rock star, he said...that would be amazing!!!! Let's Do it! He didn't even hesitate. 

Dale and I worked on the perfect menu for the evening, several tastings later and a little tweeking here and there, we came up with the most incredible meal. It included served hor d'oeuvres that literally melted in your mouth, a beet salad and main course dishes of a Tarragon Champagne Chicken and a filet of beef. IT WAS OUTSTANDING! Kudos to the chef! They took over the kitchen in perfect harmony and 'Operation Yuel' went off without a hitch.  ​

Kylee Houlahan of Planned Perfectly...delivered our perfect chairs for our perfect table and had already sent the linens with Dale as The Gates of course works with them all the time.
I rented the linens, the gold charger plates and the gold Chivari chairs from them.The linens were tricky when trying to find exactly what I wanted as the picture in my head was drama...something that said WOW, something with punch. I didn't want anything that was boring or run of the mill or that screamed 'wedding'. I wanted to create an experience that went well beyond that. I wanted elegance, I wanted class and beauty. I guess that's the bonus of having a very small wedding, we could do what we wanted and added the little extras.  I spoke with all of the rental company's and found very few had the "cutting edge" kind of linens, but I totally get that, they have to stock for the masses. We made do with the 3 table cloths that they had in this selection and chose something fun and glittery for the bar area. The one thing that I found surprising, creme was not a popular color at any of the rental places...and seriously...creme is in. 
Big thanks to Planned Perfectly for having exactly what I wanted and squeezing my little wedding in amongst the rest of the chaos that weekend. They were fabulous for pulling off the delivery, as they had quite the weekend as their delivery truck had been stolen. bless them, they still showed up smiling and agreed to a picture with the bride to be and off they went on several more deliveries that day... I don't think they had much sleep that weekend. Thanks Girls!

The Cake. Well, there was never any question as to what the cake was going to be. 

Red Velvet Cake from Chocolate Zen Bakery. The ONLY place to get red velvet cake on the planet. It's truthfully the only place I order special cakes from, because they are so delish. And...I'm a foodie, and a red velvet cake lover. I did do a Zen food review on them a ways back, but we will chat about them some more. 

I'm very specific about my red velvet cake and I order it the same way every time from there...if you're going to order it, I suggest you do the same.

I never get the coconut covered cake, that's the standard there, it's just too sweet. The cake is also always best like it's shown, with the cream cheese icing. No here is the trick, order it, but let it sit for one day. The cake is just that much more moist and fabulous. 

I had a bit of an issue when ordering the cake I have to admit, even though I've ordered the same thing a dozen times. I was very specific, went into the bakery to order it so there would not be any problems. I guess I didn't feel confident that the gal that took the order completely understood what I wanted so I called back to confirm the directions. Different gal this time, it all seemed great. They didn't really like that I wanted the cake made one day ahead, iced, so that it would sit, then I would pick it up the next day. So yes, the bride went to pick up the cake on the specified date. 

Much to my dismay, when I picked it up, the directions had not been followed and the cake was only half decorated with rosettes. As time was tight, I panicked slightly, spoke to the nice young lad that was serving me, and politely stated the order was wrong. I asked him to please fix the cake and have them add the rosettes on the top as well. If you've been there, you'll know that the bakery is small, much to our surprise ( my Brittany was with me) the lady baker at the back was freaking out and saying they wouldn't do it, they would charge me more, like I wasn't standing right there. Gotta say I was a bit embarrassed for her, it was just poor form. 

Thank goodness the owner Douglas Krahn, he stepped up and very nicely took the cake himself, and offered to fix it and apologized. I truly loved him at that moment. Although it was  small wedding, issues are issues and I didn't need the stress. So...he took it away. When he had finished decorating it, it was beautiful, thanked him from the botton of my heart and went on our way.

So... if you're ordering this cake here's what you ask for:
Red velvet cake in the size you need
No Coconut
Rosettes COVERING the cake
Have it ready for the day prior to your function
Eat...Enjoy the fabulousness of it, it really is a religious experience.

My kids...and the flower delivery truck. Thanks to the kids, they delivered flowers form one location to the next, cut flowers, arranged flowers, then did it all over again. All of the kidlets helped out and with their Mama C given gifts, they knew exactly what to do. They are amazing. 

Creating the atmosphere for this reception was really important to me, seriously, it had to be perfect. I wanted to create something we would all remember for a long time. I think that was the joy of having a small wedding, I could spend the time and energy on the small details. We all know that being a designer and decorating guru, that I would make sure that every detail was PERFECT. 

The flowers came from Academy Florist, my requests was simple, I just wanted a simple bouquet of a varitey of flowers in a small square vase.  I had gone in one day, picked out the flowers that I wanted and they put them in some pretty wrapping and I took them home. This was an important lesson. I chose 3 hydrangeas, 3 white spider mums, 5 white roses, 3 sprigs of white pom poms and I think the small white filler flowers were a white wax flower. I had them quote the same bouquet and the price came back substantially higher with less flowers.
I was more than a little surprised. The reason being, "it's wedding season", "the price of the flowers went up", "the extra price is for us handling and arranging the flowers" and so on. I went back to them, with my reciept from the bouquet I just had walked out of the store with that actually had more flowers in it for almost 30 dollars less. Granted they had also include a small square vase but seriously, I can get those at Ikea for cheap and they were just rented.
​I just wanted what I walked out with a week before, for my own bouquet, for the table, no fuss no muss. So...I came back with, you can't tell me that the flowers went up that much in a week, not only that, you won't be spending any more time arranging these bouquets than you did for the one I bought the week before. In the end, the manager supplied the exact bouquets for almost the same price and I was very thankful. It was the first of my tribulations on my little wedding. What would I say about this? Know your prices and don't get sucked in by "wedding pricing".
​I bought my own vases which I can use time and time again at Pier One on sale, we cut the bouquets to fit and saved money on delivery too. My kids lived so close to the store they went and picked them up on the way over to the house. Yes, it was a little extra work on our part, but I will always side with saving money. 
At the end of the day, Academy Florists is still one of the best when it comes to design and service, I would recommend them any day as their flowers, and selection of flowers are seriously amazing. Bonus points for them, they were right on the ball when it came to my initial contact and set up a consult right away. There were many others that didn't even bother to return my phonecalls. To me customer service is everything and really at the end of the day, I really wanted to work with Academy and luck had it, it worked out perfectly. (Academy provided the flowers for Steph's wedding as well, and they rocked that as well. Check out the Viking Wedding for more pics.)

Operation Yuel taking over the new kitchen...they so rocked it. I could not be more appreciative to this bunch. Dale really made the entire event seamless and worry-free, everything a bride wants. 

And that my friends really is the nitty gritty of the planning process and what turned out to be a night to remember forever. I send thanks to everyone that played a part in creating this day. I hope that it helps some of you in making your wedding choices. If you have any questions or need some CharisOnWeddings advice, just contact me. I do love a good wedding!

​The road we travelled.

Oh the stories I could tell...there are tales of frogs and princes...white knights and villians...love gained ...love lost but they all led to the same destination. The relationship road...it can be bumpy..at times so bumpy you blow a tire...maybe two. Sometimes the engine blows and you end up on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck to help you pick up the wreck and haul it away to get fixed.

As with all else in life...in the end its what you make of the bumps in the road and who you chose to become. What has my road travelled taught me? I am alone enitrely responsible for my own happiness...no one else can do that for you. Nor should you put that responsibility on anyone else...that isn't their job.

​I've learned that there isn't anything I can't do on my own.
I've learned that I'm quite happy in my own company and don't ever feel alone.
I've learned to be content with who I am and what I have to offer.
I've learned that personally we have to continue to challenge ourselves and to grow.
I've learned that finding someone who appreciates who you are and what you have to offer is imperative.

​I hold the same principles to my main relationship...my partner...my husband...my new life. I carry it through in all that I do in all other primary relationships in my life. I surround myself with those that exude the positive not negative...that support not judge.

​In my amazing husband, I have found the ying to my yang. He gets me, he always has. In knowing my independent spirit ...he appreciates what I bring to the table and encourages me at every step. This is what a life partner should do, and I've waited a very long time to find this gem. 

It's not to say that we haven't had our ups and downs. We have, in fact, were apart for five years. We started dating in 2008, he was my third date on Plenty of Fish. In this series of three dates (and my first time on POF) and three fellas and one week on POF, I found my guy. The first guy, I set up with one of my besties (and they are still happily married), the second guy looked like he rolled out of a laundry basket and spoke bitterly about his ex-wife the entire lunch, my third, was Greg. Never looked back. We spent three years together and then decided in order for our lives to grow in an upward direction, it needed to do it separately. We both had things that we had to accomplish, but on our own. It wasn't that we didn't love each other way back then, it's just we needed to grow in different directions. 

Off my man went to Vancouver to build his business, and I began my own journey. 

My life was full, three kids, a full-time job, my entrepreneurial spirit tugging away at me, I dated, but not much. What I found was quite simple, I always compared the newest frog to Greg. He still outshone them all, there were many a time I asked myself why timing in life is so off. I have learned now in my wizened years, that again, everything happens for a reason. When the planets align, things fall into place when they are supposed to and not a minute sooner. 

I believe to my core that the growth and experiences that we both had during our time apart is what brought us back together. We had to do that to get to this place that we are at now. We both have an entirely new appreciation for each other, our life and we sure don't take any of it for granted. We do feel like we missed out on those five years apart, but perhaps it wouldn't have been as fabulous as it is now. Hindsight, as we all know is always 20/20. Again, everything happens for a reason. 

When we decided to get back together, we decided that we weren't going to waste another minute, being apart for so many years was enough. We already knew every detail about each other, the good, the bad and the ugly and we still loved each other. The bonus part was, all of my friends and family already knew him and loved him, he was never out of any of our hearts or minds. That made getting married a no brainer. And ... as you all know, that's exactly what we did, and what a beautiful wedding it was. If you haven't seen the Wedding Extravaganza then check out the blog!

We have had a long distance relationship since then. My kids and I live here in Winnipeg, and my hubby lives and works in Vancouver. Most people freak out about this. We don't. We aren't 16 anymore and the "I'll die if I don't see you" sentiment is ridiculous and so not practical. And ... we are practical. 

We both have very busy lives and love it so much more when we can get the chance to be together. When you are in a trusting relationship, what is there to worry about. I'm far past that kind of stuff anyhow. The way that I look at things is simple, what's going to happen will happen. I continue to do my best and hope for the best. I must say, I do always feel that I'm a 100% confident in my relationship. I also don't waste up any positive energy wasting time on worry, jealousy and the such. I do not have the where with all to put up with such low vibration feelings. 

Society has a judgemental view on long distance relationships. Most people I knew were kinda like what the hell? Truth is, it's about the people that are involved, and I guess for us, we have an end goal that we are working towards so our perspective is different. At the end of the day, it's no one else's place to judge, and when people on the outside are looking in and don't understand, it just doesn't matter. Do what is right for you in your own relationships, what anyone else thinks doesn't mean a thing. 

Be happy, and I suggest waiting until the right partner comes along, don't settle. 

#fairytalesdocometrue #Cheg #McMusclesandtheMrs

Some days I can't believe it myself. Time has gone by so quickly and it's almost here. Let me just say that the excitement amongst my family and friends is at a rocket level...it helps when they already love your husband-to-be, I couldn't ask for more.

So...

As a stylist, as an event diva, as a designer and of course blogger...I'm in my element. I thought you might be interested in where I go, who I work with and what I throw together. Loving every second of it! Although I adore creating for others, creating something personal and spectacular for my own wedding is exhilarating!

In true Charis fashion...I'm hoping to make the day something to always remember...the right music...the right flowers...amazing food...it must be perfect. I'm only going to share a few tidbits and save the rest for the after wedding blog piece, then you can see for yourself.

Nothing like a few projects in the DYI bucket amidst moving and packing. GO BIG OR GO HOME I say! I did dish out some of the work but I have kept this to a minimum...its a time factor at this point. Remember...I am in the midst of packing up twelve years of house and home at the same time. AND moving!

Champagne tasting ... it has got to be just a bit sweet not too dry, not to bitter. The ceremony will be a bit champagne along with our family and a few besties. Keeping everything close and sentimental.

This fabulous guy helped me create the groom's ring...Ashiq Katoo, from Bijou made it easy. (They even made me coffee on a Saturday morn) He knew what I liked and the rest... done like dinner. The ring design is clean, classic and a little edgy.

Last minute running...
Suit...check
Vases...check
Rings...check
Cocktail fixings...check
Table decor...more...check
Miss Lily wedding flowers...check

Only the beginnings of a cream theme for the reception.

candles...candles...and more candles

My music guru...my daughter... is in charge of all the music, we sat together and tried to choose songs that reminded us of the great times we have all shared together. We've had some great kitchen cleaning dance parties over the years...

You'll never guess what some of our choices are...but you will. You'll laugh...you'll cry...laugh some more.

We wanted the wedding to be about family...the final joining of all of us into one big, happy family. The kids are standing up for us...and even the ceremony master...another kid. Family is everything to me, always has been, our wedding would definitely mirror those sentiments. My world is my family...let the celebrations begin!

Just a sneak peek...

The dress...

No one has seen the dress...NO ONE! It's a surprise and I love it. Its beautiful...its cream...and its driving everyone insane that I haven't shared ANY details. I found it on a whim, my first go. I knew what look I wanted to create...sleek, classic, and elegant.

The daughter/mom team over at Bliss swept me off my feet and into about six dresses I loved and brought the perfect one in without delay.

Flowers, flowers everywhere...white hydrangeas and spider mums are my fave picks.


You know its time to go to bed when your blog fails to update after you've written a monologue. Keep posted for more CharisOnWeddings!

So... its a Thursday morning and as I write this... on my phone which I don't normally do, I figured I would write something, not just post something on Facebook to lift you up today.

The Boogie Man...apparently doesn't exist.

TRUTH.

Taking the steps to make a change.

DARE.

So...now you know the truth about the boogie man...what's stopping you from looking under the bed, or in the closet, or in your heart to see what's there? My life has always been about constant change, some of it most of it self-driven, today is no different.

Even if the Boogie Man did exist...I would literally flip him the bird and say "Get the hell out of my way". I always believe in moving forward, no matter what I have to do to get there.

New adventures for this gal. And...of course I'll be sharing it with you. What new adventures now? Well...back up, sometimes to move forward you have to get rid of the past, the clutter, the extraneous baggage. Sometimes you don't even realize you're hanging on to it. I decided to start over, start fresh and that metamorphosis has been happening for several years. Everyday the fruits of my labour present themselves.

Why is today different?

Everything is new.

New job...well one of many.
New business partners.
New friends.
New relationships.
New love?
New car.
New house.
New clients.
New dress. (Can't do any of this without a new dress)
New start. Fresh start.
New opportuntites with no gunk attached.
New Dare.

Gunk will devour you because the boogie man...aka...you and your brain...are really what stops you from moving ahead. I've done this many a time, and I'm here to tell you each time I've re-invented myself and my life...amazing things have happened. Amazing opportuntites have come along and many amazing people. Did I say amazing? Not that it hasn't been scary as hell sometimes but I turn that into an exhilarating challenge...and oh... the possibilities. Everything has possibilities.

New home...this is the biggest. We have lived in this house for 12 years...it is my haven...but it's time to go. The promise of fresh walls to paint and new rooms to fill with memories is an adventure we want to take. And...the memories we made here...the good ones...will come along with us. The not so good ones...well they can stay behind. And I say good riddance. Yes...we are selling our haven...it's just time.

There is something so uplifting about getting rid of clutter and baggage..there are many a time I felt like an anvil was lifted off my chest and shoulders. It was life changing, it was magnificent. Now we all know that clutter and baggage is mental, emotional and physical. We also attach mental and emotional properties to physical things. Get rid of the stuff in your life that has negative energy...make a point of being cognizant of what those things are. First and foremost...get rid of the boogie man.

I'm very fortunate that the boogie man has never existed in my life...I'm always full steam ahead and ready to experience the next adventure. And its great writing fodder...so keep posted and let the adventures begin.

​TRUTH...speak it, live it
​I hope in speaking my truth, it encourages your DARE.
​Do it. Let your adventures begin.

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