Destination Bride Part Five: Santorini

I thought it was time to head back to Europe and scope out another super-awesome place to get married.

A little island in Greece known as Santorini.

Sparkling blue water.

Hillsides of white houses and blue roofs.

Sandy beaches.

Glasses of white wine at sunset.

A donkey ride down the aisle.

Yes?

Yes!

It's a wedding out of 'Mamma Mia' heaven!

Saying our 'I do's' at sunset overlooking the Caldera.  Drinking ouzo with our friends and family. Eating baklava until I had to lie down from sugar-honey overload.

Sign me up!

Of course there are some cons.  Like the fact Greece is really quite far away.  And that we can't dance the whole night away.  Or that the reception venues hold more than one wedding a night so we have no privacy.  But privacy shrivacy.  Look at these pictures!

There is a plethora of Greek wedding planners who can help you make your big day happen.  Totally reasonable packages that get all the legal stuff done and throw in the donkey!

www.santoriniweddings.com/santoriniweddingpackages.htm

www.thebridalconsultantsantorini.co.uk/index.htm

Oooompa!

Umm, how do you spell that?

Sarah of the Rings. Well, actually, it's only one ring

I am obsessed with my ring!

As mentioned, in 2007, I have always loved the engagement ring.

I mean, it sparkles, it's pretty, and in my case it's pink.  PINK!  I love it!!

The Engineer is awesome for choosing it.  Correction:  I am awesome for choosing it. Like a crazy wedding psycho, I first picked out my ring two years ago.  When on a 'casual' field trip to Tiffany's, I found the Legacy and immediately became obsessed.

When I saw the Engineer later that afternoon, I asked him how much he loved me. He knew right away something was up and asked me what I wanted.  So I told him.

But never trust a guy to remember a ring you want.  That's why you need a jeweller friend who will always remember your dream ring; so that on the day when the Engineer decides he's finally ready, he can call up said jeweller who will know exactly what to do.

He will spend the next six months searching for the perfect pink sapphire around the globe to create a Legacy-lool-alike at not the Legacy-$33 000-price tag.

Crazy bride-wannabe girl will then change her mind when she sees a blue sapphire at Tiffany's in New York and give the Engineer a near heart-attack as said jeweller friend is currently somewhere in Asia with pink sapphire.  Clearly, I changed my mind back.  I suit pink.  I suit my ring.  When anyone sees it they say 'your ring is soooo you'.  Is this their nice way of saying they don't like it?

I feel bad for being such a crazy ring coveter now.  The Engineer had the ring/proposal in the works since the summertime.  I have been nagging him practically everyday about getting married.  Don't judge me reader! I  know all you girls out there all did it before you got engaged.  Or are doing it now.  We're all the same.  When we know, we know. And we want it.

Men?  They take a while.

I always said to the Engineer that he should just know.  That is isn't going to just click one day that it's time.

This is, in fact, exactly what happened.

Apparently the Engineer was walking through Manhattan one day and it just 'clicked'.  He thought:  I am going to propose to Sarah.  I asked what triggered it.  He has no idea.  I suspect it was about the same time he realized how nice it is to have someone at home washing dishes and grocery shopping while he is at work 10 hours a day.  He denies this.

Anyhoo, it's all done now and I have the glorious pink rock on my hand.

I stare at it all the time.

In London, I would catch myself in any window.  At department stores, in the kitchen, in the Tube.  Just looking at the glittering perfection reflected back at me.  I was not alone in this.  The Engineer also would gaze affectionately at Rosie.

We once had this argument that it doesn't really matter if the man loves the ring because it's the girl who has to stare at it.

I realize now that the Engineer was completely right in his view.

He was very proud to give me Rosie.  He loves her like I do.

We stare at her all day.  I think the Engineer is still a little nervous about letting it out of his sight.  It is, after all, the most expensive thing he has ever bought and had to hand over.

I find myself talking with my left hand.  Holding it up to caress my face (just a few hours ago I scraped my cheek by accident).  Waving my hand about to give directions to Olympic tourists who aren't actually asking for directions.  I stare at it when driving.  They just made cell phone use whilst driving illegal.  They should probably make staring at one's engagement ring illegal as well.

I am not alone in this ring obsession. One of my BM's has also admitted to staring at her ring.  And she's been married for two years!

They say diamonds are a girl's best friend.  My ring is a sapphire therefore I feel the saying should be "pink sparkly things are a Sarah's best friend".

Hmmm, that actually encompasses a lot . . . .  like a certain someone's pink Coach bag.  And a pair of pink Kate Spade's I want for my wedding.  And a Mini-Cooper at Yaletown Mini.  See?  The list goes on.  Muhahahaha

In a land where size 8 is 'plump'

Today as an actress I had the most perfect, amazing, incredible audition of my career.

It was for the LEAD role in a new pilot produced by Chuck Lorre.  Chuck Lorre is like a god of comedy.

The Engineer and I love love love 'Big Bang Theory' - I mean who doesn't?  And if you haven't seen it, I am fairly certain you should.

He's the man behind 'Dharma and Greg', 'Two and a Half Men', 'Grace Under Fire', 'Roseanne' - just to name a few.  Not to mention an episode of 'Muppet Babies'.

Anyhoo, he's funny, smart, writes great sitcoms.  Basically my dream man. Erm, job.

But I have to be 'plump'.

I guess CBS is having a hard time finding a 'plump' girl in LA (land of bobble heads) and therefore called up to my agent.  When told I was a size 8, the casting girl said 'perfect, she's plump'.

PLUMP

Size 8

Los Angeles is on crack.

Don't worry, I didn't immediately throw-up my dim sum and hire a personal trainer. I feel pretty okay at size 8. And I work-out 5 days a week.  So if I'm not a size 2 now, I am fairly certain that without a starvation and laxative diet, I am never going to be.

The role is the lead role, the Dharma in 'Dharma and Greg' if you will.  So not only am I more than happy to oblige and be my pudgy little self, it is pretty much a dream gig.  I get to be on a major network sitcom AND still eat cheese.  Heck, eating cheese would be encouraged!

So fingers crossed.  I'm not holding my breath.  LA might think I am obese.  It would be a great job though.  And it would be even better if I wasn't considered plump.  But normal.

Los Angeles, and us the viewers, need to start changing our perception.  We're happy to be size 8, or 10, or 12 at home.  But then we criticize those on television that are the same size as us.

Meh.  Whatever.  I'm not going to be a size 2.  EVER. So I will enjoy my bacon and hope that Chuck calls me up.

Destination Bride Part Four: Key West

When stalking a friend on Facebook, I noticed he had just been to a lovely colourful wedding where there was white sand and palm trees.  I had to admit my stalking to him to get the venue, but it was worth the embarrassment.

Welcome to choice #4, Southernmost House, Key West, Florida.

Yup, so it's pretty much a pink gingerbread house on a white beach in the land of Ernest Hemingway and gay men.

I love it.

And it's pretty reasonable to rent for the weekend!  Dancing around the pool, sparklers on the beach, pina coladas in hand.  Right?  Sound good so far?

Even the menu is yummalicious!  A mix of Caribbean, Mexican and a bit of US of A thrown in for good measure. 

Therefore, what could possibly be my issue with this heaven?  Well first, you have to fly from Western Canada to Miami and then rent a car to get down.  I think you can fly right into Key West but the whole fun is driving down the Keys because they are so freaking pretty.  Plus the rooms are a bit pricey for me to expect my guests to pay.

But it's pink!  PINK!  Like my ring!  And I bet they have amazing Key Lime Pie.

The best part would be the fact we could play Beach Boys all night long and that would be okay.

The Bridal Breakdown

I am sure to have many of these in the next coming year (that's right folks, we've set a date!  Well, we've narrowed it down to three months in 2011 AND the engineer is talking wedding) but last night I had my first bridal breakdown.

My dad informed me that most of my family will not attend my wedding if it exceeds the borders of Alberta or British Columbia.  Not because they don't want to come, more that travel for them is not really in the books.  Which promptly made me cry.

Of course I want my family at my wedding.  That's the whole point right?  To be surrounded by family and friends?  So I spent a total of FIVE hours online searching all the possibilities around the province that fit our criteria.

Apparently our criteria is a bit rigid.  Firstly, we are not having our wedding in Rainy City.  Just not an option.  You have to end at 12 or 1 AM, and not that we are party animals, but no one wants to end the dancing at midnight.  We aren't Cinderella here.

Therefore we are looking for a venue that (A) is pretty (B) has accommodation on site and (C) allows for late events.  Good luck.

There actually are several options.  Unfortunately those several options hold weddings of about 80.  Ugh.

Fine.  So there are still several options for big weddings. But then we spend our entire wedding budget on a so-so wedding in a so-so place.  With so-so run-of-the-mill food.  And we all know how I feel about that.

I suppose I would rather use our money to have a full week's experience and a magical wedding.

Nothing in Canada is really sitting right.

You know how they say you know your wedding dress is the one when you put it on?  That's how I feel about venues.  There is a feeling I get when something clicks and I just know that's the place I want to get married.  The place where I commit my life to the Engineer can be nothing short of magical.  I am all about the magic.  Hence the sunset over Tuscany.  Or fireworks over Epcot.

Why am I finding magic everywhere else that isn't my home?  Sign perhaps that it's time to move to New York full-time?

Hence the bridal breakdown of calling my dad five times.  Then talking to the Engineer in the middle of the night.  Who, amazingly enough, shares the same need for magic (he just doesn't call it that).  He too will look at a venue and say, 'well, I guess it's nice . . . enough'.  Enough?

I want stars and fireworks and dancing in barefeet until the sun comes up!  Therefore, if you can think of a place in Western Canada that fits these things, please pass it on . . . . .

Like Father Like Food

I have another thing to add about my dad (did you read my entry about him? - I tried to link it to this but I can't figure it out).  Anyways.

My dad loves peanuts.  He loves peanuts in their shell. He always has peanuts in his pocket and as he stomps around Calgary, perhaps in a drug store, perhaps in Home Depot, he eats his peanuts and drops the shell where ever he is.  And then he asks if you want a peanut.

I think it's funny.

He also once munched on a cinnamon stick as they are good for the heart.  But when he did so, he spit it out immediately and said things like 'bleck' 'ptha' 'terrible'.

Then promptly offered it to me.

My cousins are in awe of him because they swear they once saw him eat a muffin, have some of the muffin fall off, and catch that muffin bit in mid-air in his mouth.  He denies this ever happening.

I am not so sure.

Us Groundwaters are not delicate eaters.  We eat fast and shovel the food in our mouths like it is our last meal.  Or maybe that is just my dad.  Sometimes when eating, my mum and I just stop and stare at the wonder that is his mouth.

Then again we have all seen me shove food into my mouth and practically die of happiness.

It must be the genes.  Minus the peanuts in my pocket.

My love of all food and food from hole-in-the-wall restaurants comes from my parents.  When all the other kids in Winnipeg got to go to chain restaurants like Perkins or Red Lobster, I was dragged to a funny smelling South East Indian restaurant.  Or a Portuguese place where my parents told me calamari were Ukrainian french fries - I ate the whole plate and then cried when I found out the truth.

Don't ask me where Ukrainian comes from in a Portuguese restaurant.

They also tricked me at a young age into eating caviar by telling me it was ice cream balls.  Liars.

For all their trickery, I am grateful.  Without my peanut-popping dad, or my culinary mum, I might not be the food loving gal I am today.

Then again I might also be a size 2.

Meh, bacon's better than skinny.

London Town Eats

I love British food.  I don't care what you say.  I know it's no duck confit, but how can one go wrong with chicken and leek pie?  You can't.

Watch for yourself

The Engagement Announcement

Of course I had to make a video.

And lucky you, the Engineer is finally revealed!  Is it as exciting as when we found out Big's name in 'Sex and the City'?

Yup, thought so.

That's Amore!

I have a love affair with Italy.

The food, the wine, the bread, the culture, the language.

And yet I have never been there.


I know right?

I've been many places, but many places in Europe is not one of them.  Namely Italy.

I feel we would get on quite well, Italy and me.  That's why the Engineer and I are going to Italy in the spring for our 'JellyMoon' (due to the fact we can't really take a honeymoon because the Engineer is becoming the Finance/Business/I don't-really-know-what-he-does Man at Goldman Sachs without much time off).  That's why we are going on it now.  And because it is not quite honey, we must settle for jelly.

But Italy is also a place I would consider getting married in.  I mean why not right?  It's Italy!  Have you seen Under the Tuscan Sun?  Or I guess I should be asking if you have read it.  Anyways, after walking out of that movie I turned to my friend Liz (one of my BM's) and said 'I am going to have to buy a house in Tuscany".

Obviously.

Seeing as Europe is somewhat pricey to have a wedding, I was sort of expecting the prices of my Italian dream to come back super high.

But they are not!  AAAAAAAAH!  When things are expensive it's so easy to say, 'no thank you'.

To rent a villa for a week isn't bad.  It works out to be about 200 Euros a person.  Wine is cheap in Italy. And food is plenty and affordable.  I mean the difference between France and Italy is foie gras vs. pasta.

Here comes the amazing part, one of the Villas I want is actually in Cortona.  Where Under the Tuscan Sun is set!  I could have an 'Under the Tuscan Sun' Wedding! EEEEEEEEEE!

Sipping chianti in Chianti - nice right?  I've been talking to Veronika, a super sweet woman and owner of Fonte de Medici, a gorgeous villa and I can't help but think maybe my Italian love affair should start with my actual love affair?

Destination Bride Part Two: Disneyworld Resort

This has been on my list for a long time.  Twenty years long time.

I first saw the Wedding Pavillion from the monorail that takes you from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot Centre when I was a little girl.  From that moment on I always knew the best place on earth to get married would be the happiest place on earth.

Firstly, I am a Disney nerd.  Not the Disney nerd who has Mickey paraphernalia everywhere, but the Disney nerd who owns every single movie and has been to every single Disney park (except Hong Kong - it opened after I was there).  My first time in Europe did I go to Paris?  Versailles?  Well yes, but after I had been to Disneyland Paris.

My mum loves Disneyworld.  My friends love Disneyworld.  And even the fiance loves Disneyworld.

But do we love the Disneyworld weddings?

I don't know yet.  My wedding planner is a bit slow - it takes weeks to get any new information.  Okay fine, days, but I am an anxious bride and I want to plan this sucker!  I suspect when I do get the information, the wedding of my dreams is going to have a serious price tag.

I wish I could say 'we', but the Engineer is still out for the count on planning (this is actually a lie, he participated in guest numbers the other day).  Anyways, I want the ceremony to blend with the reception.  Therefore, we can get married in Italy at Epcot followed immediately by our meal, followed by fireworks, followed by dancing.

Sounds normal right?

Okay, it's $2000 for the wedding venue (normal), another $700 for the reception venue (cheap!), a whopping $125/person for food (aaaaaaaaah!!), and who knows how much for drinking, decor, flowers, etc.  I can't bring in any outside vendors so it will add up quickly as all things Disney tend to do.  It's not that we mind spending it, it's that we mind spending it on the party that isn't exactly what we want.  Like dancing in our barefeet all night long.

The biggest pros of this wedding are that Disney is a great family place for all my family with kids.  It's one of my favorite places and we're guaranteed to have an amazing time.  Just stomping around Epcot with my gal-pals and the Engineer makes me happy.

Hmmm, honeymoon perhaps?  And my friends can come?

Dogs Vs. Kids

I've always said that having dogs is like practising for children.  I don't think I differ too much from parents of human babies.

Let's take a look at the facts:

Real Babies:  You have to change their poopy diapers.
Dog Babies:  I have to pick up their poop.

Real Babies:  Have good behaviour days and bad behaviour days (the latter is often when you are meeting people for the first time)
Dog babies:  Ditto.  For example, yesterday, the boys met one of my friends for the first time on a long walk through Stanley Park.  Mr. Mop was in fine asshole form. Pulling at his leash, jumping, nipping at my hands, chewing his leash.  When he was finally off-leash, he ran around the park like a crazy, possessed beast.  A woman stopped me to ask me if I was afraid of coyotes eating my dogs (ummm, now I am) and in that time, Mop snatched my toque from out of my hands, ran away with it and shook it in that way dogs do when they are killing their prey.  He refused to give it back.  When I made him, he nipped my finger.  My friend called him a rascal.
Today?  Perfect little gentlemen.  He didn't pull on his leash, he heeled the entire walk, and no jumping.  But of course for my eyes only.

Real Babies:  Spit up on you.
Dog Babies:  Just the other day, Brooklyn was asleep on my tummy when he opened his eyes, looked up at me, and promptly threw up on my shirt.

Real Babies:  Have temper tantrums
Dog Babies:  Oh god, so embarrassing.  Once when walking down the Promenade on a sunny day with Manhattan in the background, Mop (of course) decided he did not want to go home.  He went nuts.  Barking, crying, shrieking, jumping at other people.  I kept stopping him and putting him in the alpha roll but this only made matters worse.  He nipped at my face, growled, cried.  People stopped and stared.  I even called the Engineer to come help me as I was on the verge of tears.  So embarrassing.  Then when we got home he fell asleep like a little kitten.

Real Babies:  Get overtired and act out.
Dog Babies:  See above.  I know it's time to leave the dog park when Mop is so over-excited he turns into a douchebag.

Real Babies:  Are sweetest when they are asleep.
Dog Babies:  How many pictures can I possibly have of my sleeping dogs?

Real Babies:  No matter what they do, you love them unconditionally.

Dog Babies:  No matter what they do, you love them unconditionally.

Destination Bride Part One: France

 France is a big country.  

And I have only been to Paris and Disneyland (yes, apparently I opted for Mickey over Provence). 

Therefore I enlisted the help of wedding planners from Chateau and Villa Weddings.

I found these ladies while doing research for my television show (called ‘Wedding Belles’ - watch out for it in March!).  They are based in Europe and specialize in, well, chatueau and villa weddings.  So when the Engineer proposed I immediately got in contact with them about my own wedding.

Point of awesome one:  they are speedy speedy in their correspondance.  A big plus I think for the stressful bride.  Within one day, Caroline always gets back to me with ideas and solutions. 

So far, her ideas are:  a luxury Mediterranean Villa near St. Tropez, a castle in the Loire Valley, and, get this, a pumpkin castle!  PUMPKIN CASTLE!  Named this because they grow pumpkins in their courtyard.  It’s like Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast Combined. 

Can we say amazing??? AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

So the negative side of a France wedding is not only the fact that France is a difficult destination to get to, but that all venues and food is in Euro.  Which means 1.5 times each amount.  And each amount isn’t cheap.  To rent a venue is about 5000 euro.  Which is comparable to renting some venues in Canada.  But add the exchange rate, now it’s closer to $8000.  Food ranges from 100 to 150 euro a head!  Which even if in equivalent dollars is high.  But have 100 people at a wedding and about $200 a head?  You get the picture.

But look at these pictures?  Amazing right? To stay near this castle is only about 50 Euros per couple a night, not bad.  But thousands to get there . . .

Granted, if we choose one of these places, oru numbers significantly decrease and we are guaranteed amazing service.  And it’s a fairytale.  But at what cost?

Another French location, at a high price, is a converted old farm house in Provence:  Le Mas de la Rose

Pretty oui?  Should be, it's about 27 000 Euro for a week, or 10 000 for the reception. Ummm, ouch.

Compensation?  The Engineer and I are planning a visit here on our JellyMoon (our Honeymoon which is happening before the wedding, therefore it is Jelly, not Honey) because they have a special before April 1st.  Hooray for sales!!