Wedding Blog

When we first got engaged, our original plan was to have things downtown and have a very deluxe affair. We were thinking of doing an early fall shindig in rich colours in either the glassed-in rooftop bar of a hotel, the ballroom of a trendy downtown boutique hotel or a vintage pool hall. While I absolutely loved all of these ideas, I wasn’t so keen on waiting so long (longer engagements=more stupid fights about wedding stuff) and once we started seeking quotes out, I began to feel incredibly discouraged at the numbers I was getting back, not to mention what I would be getting for the money I was paying. One place was charging almost $200 per person for food and food alone and another place, while their website had given me a rental fee which seemed possible, sent me a quote which was almost $1,000 more and only for a room. No tables, no chairs, just four walls and a door.

While we were both not averse to paying what we needed to pay, this seemed excessive, especially with our respective salaries. Up until just before our engagement, Mr. Hummingbird had been interning for his videogame company to gain job experience and as for myself, I had quit a higher paying job so that I could do something in a field that was actually related to my degree. These two decisions were better for both of us and considering where we were in our lives when we made them, they were definitely the right ones for us, but now it felt like they were financially crippling us.

My heart was totally broken. My rich October wedding was so far out of financial reach, it was painful, and even though I could technically line things up and put it all on plastic, the idea of spending the next few years paying off the costs we accumulated for one day seemed wrong. We wanted to buy a house and we wanted to travel and we definitely would not be able to do that stuff while being crushed under an avalanche of credit card debt we acquired because we wanted to drape our reception hall in jewel-toned fabric.

So we thought about doing things a little more simply. We scaled back our plans and I started to think about doing something a little more simple and earthy.

Then Mr. Hummingbird’s father approached us and suggested we have the ceremony and reception on a tent on his country property, the place where Mr. Hummingbird grew up and a place that both of enjoy spending weekends at when the concrete crush of the city gets to be too much for us.

It was beautiful. It was simple. It was peaceful. We were sold.

Since we made that decision, many of the ideas I had for colour and theme have changed. Instead of a formal affair, we’re going for something a little more low-key. Instead of looking at things purple, red or black, I’ve been thinking more about green, blue and brown. Instead of a fancy floor length number, I’ve been drawn to more simple knee length styles.

It’s different from where we started for sure, but I feel like, with our change in scenery, it’s more fitting for the kind of day we’re planning. After all, who wants to sit in a heavy wool suit with the sun beating down on them?

Anyway, with the changes in our plans, I’ve wondered if else out there has experienced the same thing? How have your plans changed from your vision? Did you have a set idea and stick with it or did you let your venue dictate your vibe? What came first – your theme or your location?