Woo hoo great to see a thread started ;-)

Date: April 27, 2013
Place: Cambridge, ON

I am slowly planning at this point, venue, photographer, and wedding coordinator are booked. I think I have decided on colours and theme. Planning on looking at florists next month and we have a cake testing this week.

Date: August 24, 2013
Place: Ottawa, ON

I'm also slowly planning. After taking a bit of a break from it, I'm not seriously looking into different venues. The FH and I are putting together a list of our top five and then we're going to visit each one. However, I'm really gunning for Orchard View!

Date: June 30th, 2013
Place: Ottawa, ON - NAC rooftop

And that is basically the only thing we have booked Working on photographers right now.

Date: July 6, 2013

Place: Barrie Ontario

I have my dress and some small items as of now but that's it

Date: September 28, 2013

Place: Ottawa ON - Our Lady of Fatima Church / 6400 Celebration Center
Photographer: Mark Cooper



Have the Venues, Photographer & Dress. Now I can relax for the next 9-12 months! Some people think I'm a little crazy to have as much as I do planned, but at least I've gotten everything I wanted without having to settle becuase something was already booked!

I know I said Orchard View, but with our revised budget FI and I looked into Carleton University. We went for a showing and it's absolutely beautiful. I've been to the school before but never the River Building. The terrace is just lovely. The scenery, in the summer time is going to be awesome.
PLUS, it's the right price! CAN'T WAIT!

Date: August 17, 2013
Venue: NAC-Rooftop Terrace
Photographer: Mark Cooper
DJ: Quality Entertainment
Wedding Planner: Shannon Kennedy

We are now looking into the officiant.

So far we have:
-our theme
-STD (hoping they arrive this week)
-Venue booked
-Photographer chosen (will contract them next week)
-Coordinator chosen
-website completed
Hard to do a lot so far away but I plan to do a wedding trip in Aug to get a lot done and I am still on the hunt for my wedding dress. If I don't find it here in USA then I will look online. Would rather find it here to make life easier however.

Hi all! First post here
date: September 1, 2013
venue: Westwood Plateau, Coquitlam BC
photographers: Sweet Heirloom Photography

We booked those two less than 2 months after getting engaged in February of this year. We're looking into finding a DJ and wedding decorator now.

I'm 99% sure we've decided on the color theme
I'm starting my dress search now but it's been quite overwhelming.
We've selected our wedding party, although FH has yet to ask his guys

I'm a little unsure when a good time is to do our engagement shoots, as we're currently living in Edmonton (we're originally from Vancouver and all our family and friends are here). I don't really want to do the shoot in the dead of winter, and would probably prefer spring/early summer. Is that enough time if we wanted to release Save the Dates? I have no idea when StDs should be sent out either

Also, what is everyone's budget for DJ's if you are choosing to have one? There was one I liked (I went to a wedding last year where he played) and his price was $1000 including the lighting and sound system (speakers, etc). Overall I really liked him, but have no idea if it's reasonable or too much. He also isn't exactly diligent in replying to emails, so that's also detering me.

I'm glad we still have a year left to plan the wedding, but it's definitely harder planning this long distance than if we were still living in Vancouver.

Speaking as a photographer, you probably wont be able to get real spring/summer style images until the beginning of May here in Edmonton. If you had your pictures done in Vancouver, you could probably get spring-y images mid-April. That said, STDs should be out roughly 6 months beforehand I think? If you waited until May-June, people have made plans for summer holidays, reservations, etc. Id say STD in Feb-Mar, and invitation in June-July. If you really wanted a picture for your STD, youve got a little over a month to get summer & autumn pictures done, either with your wedding photographer or maybe just a quick session with a different photographer.

Oh, also, WELCOME NEW PERSON!

Thanks Jay! We will be doing our shoot in Vancouver, as our photographers are based there, and we are likely to get better warmer and shooting locations at home too. I think the StDs might be just for fun, as most people (the ones who matter anyways :P)already know the wedding date, and so the StDs would probably just a formality if anything. A Vancouver engagement shoot in April just might work! Thanks for the advice

Around here $1K gets you a pretty decent DJ. I would be wary spending TOO much less. Your particular market will dictate pricing more than anything though, and Vancouver being a big, busy market might mean higher prices. I'd say let referrals more than anything drive your choices here. Hit up the West Coast>Vendor Reviews thread.

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