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A WEDDING CAKE MODEL BREAK DOWN TO CONQUER YOUR WEDDING

There are many different factors to consider and decisions to make when planning a wedding. It can be time consuming, even slightly intimidating. The key thing that I have learned is to break things down into tangible parts. There are also many people and relationships who can impact the planning process. In order to imagine how to prioritize and keep yourself focused, I will use the analogy of a lovely, three-tiered wedding cake. Each layer has its role to keep the cake together and to make your visualization come to life.

TIER ONE—SECOND JOB MENTALITY

I may be one of those rare breeds who turn wedding planning into a fun past time, or procrastination hobby. But, my strategy to fit in small pieces of wedding planning on a daily basis has completely paid off. Even if it is just an email or a new board on Pinterest, in the first four months of being engaged, I contributed something every day. Public transit is a great place to get a couple of emails out on your commute to work; so is taking an extra ten minutes in the morning.

Starting with the base of the cake, this needs to be the sturdiest part. To solidly begin your planning process, be sure to prioritize the pieces that are most important to you and your partner and start to work on those first. If there are specific vendors whose work you love and want to be a part of your wedding, chances are, they are popular with other brides too. So make sure to contact them well in advance.

It is imperative to have a specific notebook, file folder, or Word doc dedicated to wedding planning. Or, if you are like me, have all three 😊. Keeping all-things-wedding in an organized system will save you time as you plan and will make follow up a lot easier. I carry a wedding notebook with me so that I can jot down any new ideas, inspirations or TO DOs wherever I am. If you are more technology based, having a file on your phone works too. You can find a helpful wedding guideline here.

Finally, as in your work place, people expect to be treated with respect and to get responses in a reasonable time. This means that you should always reply to vendors, even if you have chosen someone else. It also means that you should do your research. Approach vendors having an idea of who they are and what they do, instead of blanketly asking every photographer in Vancouver to shoot your wedding. Just as you want to feel special on your wedding day, vendors feel special when people show genuine interest in what they do.

TIER TWO—WHO’S YOUR FAMILY

Most of us will field opinions and ‘helpful advice’ from various family members throughout the wedding planning process. This can often squish you in the middle between two layers: what you and you’re your partner want and what family members ‘would do if it was their wedding’. At risk of sounding cliché, remember that this is YOUR wedding and at the end of the day, it only matters what you and your partner want. It is certainly hard to ignore the advice and opinions of family, especially if you have a close relationship with them. They love and support you and of course want to help in any way they can. Sometimes, however, family may not realize the position that giving their opinion can put you in. In my experience, it is important to listen to what your family has to say, and if it can be incorporated into your plans, then great. If not, do not carry the guilt of having made a decision that best suits you and your partner.

This applies to choosing your wedding date, your bridal party, your venue, ceremony details and various vendors. These are all very personal decisions and as long as you can come back to a place where you do what is best for you and your partner- while still respecting your loved ones- you are doing just fine.

TIER THREE—RELY ON YOUR PARTNER

Why would you have chosen your partner if you cannot lean on them and depend on them to help make decisions? This is why you should involve your partner in the wedding planning process and ask for their opinion on things that you are unsure of. It is their day too and your wedding should be a representation of the two of you.

I am lucky to have a partner who listens and supports me, even though my idea of personalized embroidered linen napkins was turned down…. On matters of the family, décor, etiquette or ‘which shade of blue’ we should choose, he is there to support me and give his thoughts.

Keeping the conversation open throughout the process will reduce stress and allow you and your partner to create a one of a kind wedding suited for the two of you. Let this piece be a focal point like the finished product of the top of the cake.

GARNISH- BECAUSE A LOVELY CAKE DESERVES A LOVELY GARNISH

-Allow yourself time away from wedding planning when the big deadlines have passed (vendors selected, deposits paid). Take a weekend off, go away for the weekend, get outside!

-Get the little things done ahead of time! If something can be accomplished three months prior to your wedding date and doesn’t take up a lot of space or energy- GET IT DONE NOW. There is no sense in adding extra things on to your plate right before your wedding.

-Remember why you are planning a wedding in the first place. You would not have to think about all these decisions and dream up all of your amazing ideas if it wasn’t for the fact that you found your partner and you both have chosen to spend your lives together. So, the next time you wonder why you are taking on a ‘second job’ or deciding between chocolate or vanilla (vanilla 😉), enjoy this fun phase that leads you down the aisle to an amazing life together.

Take care and Happy Planning!

Allie

Founder, Alex & Lily Home

home office

A space that is gaining more and more attention in new ways is the home office. Of course having a space to sit and do ‘the bills’ has been around for a while, but home offices have taken on a different, more modern use as the numbers of ‘mompreneurs’ and those working from home continues to grow. It is no longer an afterthought that is hardly used and functions as the catch-all space. It can be a space that provides an inspirational, functional and of course, stylish room to work in. In this blog post we will list the essentials to create your perfectly-styled and well-equipped home office.

First up: THE DESK

The key here is to give yourself enough surface area for the specific activities you will be doing. Tap into your personal style and what elements will motivate and inspire you to get down to work. Below is a beautiful glass top desk with shaped lucite legs. Perfect for a clean lined, modern- yet classic office desk.

This rustic wood desk reads playful with a pop of colour on the legs to allow it to be placed in either a rustic or more transitional style space.

Don’t Forget: THE CHAIR

Will you be sitting at your desk for long periods of time, or only here and there? Make sure you consider comfort in your chair selection so as to not discourage yourself from getting work done or potentially cause you pain over time. After considering the comfort of the chair- select a chair that goes nicely with your desk. Modern, traditional or rustic? Check out some of our faves below:

colourful chair

cross back chair white desk chair

What is an office without: STORAGE

Proper storage is important for your home office. There is nothing motivating or encouraging about a pile of paper sprawled all over your desk from the day before. Whether the storage is built into your desk or incorporated with shelving and baskets- it is an essential element of your home office. We love these Kate Spade magazine holders; and why not add some open shelving to add both storage and style above your desk?!

If your space allows for it, a bookshelf is a great way to add plenty of additional storage to your home office while also providing ample room to add art, personal items and decor.

How could we forget: ACCESSORIES

The details. Our favourite part of any space. There are loads of stationary companies out there to help outfit your desktop and pull together the style of your home office. Your desktop would not be complete without some form of: pens and colourful markers; notebooks to write down your goals and to create lists; general office supplies like scissors, staplers and a hole punch; and finally- unique elements that personalize your space. Here are some of our favourites to make your home office complete.

All in all, a well put-together and professional space is not only about aesthetics and design, but about creating an inspirational space to dedicate time and productive thought. Start yourself off on the right foot and make the most efficient use of your home office by having all of the right elements and-as always- contact Alex & Lily for more details and assistance.

Alex & Lily

Tag Archive • style

THE LAYERS OF MANAGING YOUR WEDDING

DESIGN ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR HOME OFFICE