Table Numbers

Typically, wedding receptions will seat people by table number. Ever one trying to be different, I decided to name my table after different species of sport fish. It makes sense perfectly for Rob and I. We both love to fish and I worked for fisheries. The way I will do it, is I will write the Latin genetic name with the common name in brackets.

I have a new crafty love affair to speak of. I am into calligraphy, and have been since I was a little girl; however, I have now discovered illuminated lettering. Illuminated lettering dates back to medieval days, where monks in monasteries would spend literally hours perfecting this creative technique (it was considered the Godly thing to do), writing, writing and more writing, typically Bible scripture. Illuminated lettering combines calligraphy with elaborate designs found in borders, or the initial letter on a page. The first letter of a passage would be capitalized and designed elaborately, with the rest of the passage in simple (or perhaps not so simple) calligraphy.

Tools used are ink pens, calligraphy pens, with acrylic inks, india inks, etc. Colour would be derived from natural pigments found during that time period...which account for the typical colours used...browns, reds, yellows, greens, blues. And then gold...22-24 karat gold, is applied to the design to enhance it. Usually the pigment would have egg added to them, to make an egg tempera...when the egg white dries it gives a distinct sheen.

At art stores today, you can purchase pigments which you can add distilled water and egg to yourself. Or you can purchase gouache paints which are just as valid.

I have looked into using india ink (a nice blue colour) to design the table cards, and will do elaborate designs for the first letter in the fishes name. I will post to here when they are done but will be getting on them in the new year. Less than 6 months to go!

Some of the fish I will be using:

Oncorhynchus keta (Chum Salmon)

Oncorhynchus nerka (Sockeye Salmon)

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Chinook Salmon)

Oncorhynchus kisutch (Coho Salmon)

Oncorhynchus clarkii (Cutthroat Trout)

Salvelinus malma (Dolly Varden)

Acipenser transmontanus (White Sturgeon)

Oncorhynchus mykiss (Rainbow Trout/Steelhead)

Spring colours

I need some opinions here!

RB and I are still discussing wedding colours. We've changed the date to May 21 2011 (May long weekend) instead of a summer wedding July 2. I'm a big fan of regal colours, like royal blue, royal purple, deep reds/crimsons and golds. However, I feel this would be too "fall" or "winter". So I'm thinking to do the deep reds and golds but with tiffany blue to lighten things up and of course lots of ivories.

What do you think of this? I still have lots of greenery around. I am thinking of tiffany blue dresses for the bridesmaids and then deep red bouquets and mine would be as well.

Happy weekend, everyone!

'til death (re I kill you) do us part...

In honour of my younger sister JCs 1st wedding anniversary, I've decided to dedicate a blog entry to her and my brother-in-law JC II (yes they both have the same initials so from now on I will refer to them as JC2 for JC-squared). And I don't plan to honour them simply because I think wow you made it! because really, I never would have had a doubt. Prior to tying the proverbial knot, they had been together for 5.5 years and lived together for 5.2 years so there was no doubt in my mind that this is gonna be one of those married-50-years-still-holding-hands-while-eating-sushi marriages.

So in honour of my avid picture taking and JCs and JC2s anniversary I shall post pictures from it. Warning, I am in a few of these pics and I do not take responsibility for you having gawk at my glaring tan lines. There. I said it. I feel better now.

JC & JC2's engagement shoot

Lets meet the happy couple. JC2 met when they were both in grade 12 (way back in 2003) at a fashion show they were both in. Note this is NOT. I repeat. NOT the kind of fashion show that Ohlivin is used to. It was love at first sight, or at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Sparks flew higher than what you'd find at an AC/DC concert. To be honest I was not even there, but this is what the press told me.

JC the II is a little bit of a show-off goofy gus so this puts JC into fits and giggles. Duncan captured this beautifully.

You might be asking yourselves, what keeps this happy couple together? You may not even care, but I will tell you anyway, your soul will yearn for it later. Quite simply, they fit. JCII is the Ying to her yang, the goof to her ball, the Tim McGraw to her Faith Hill. JCII also comes from a very nice family which accounts for his pleasant demeanor. We come from a rather unconventional family. My father has been in the circus since before I was born and my mum ran away from Scotland after being married to the lead singer of the Bay City Rollers. My mum had no money and no work to speak of so she stumbled upon the circus when it was in the city one day and met my father who was riding on an elephant. He asked her if she could do anything useful for which she could be trained for the show to earn some money. Quite ironically she was a belly dancer trained. She was hired.

This is a photo of my father from 1986

So my parents ended up falling in love and marrying and had a huge circus wedding with a big of Canadian tradition tossed in. You see in Canada it's tradition to have the husband toss an axe at a tree three times that's near a lake or river. If the axe sticks and a fish jumps, then the marriage will last forever.

...

Ha! Fooled you guys down south, eh? You must have thought "Really?!?!?!" Ha ha ha ho ho hee hee hoo...my parents were never in the circus. My mum was never married to a Bay City Roller.

Oh my. Whew. Actually my mum was a librarian when I was little and my dad is a welder. Pretty normal, but I like to tell stories so this satisfied that urge. Back to the story at hand.

So JC2 are just perfect for eachother and the wedding was pretty perfect too. I was asked to be JCs Emcee for the evening which was an honour and she knows I love to talk. Give me a mic and I'll entertain a crowd or even sing some Black Velvet. I can adapt.

of course I didn't get professional pictures, so please bear with JCs back for a bit.

The wedding was July 26th last year in beautiful Rosedale, British Columbia at Minter Gardens
It was entirely too beautiful and too hot out for words that day. My sister's gown was stunning.

The rings!

Okay, all ya'll say it with me. Awwwwwwwwwww!!!!

Aw, now you can see her face! What a pretty sister. What a handsome bro-in-law!

This was really neat. They performed the "sand ceremony" where two different coloured sands are poured into a dish together and mix. There is a lovely write up that is spoke by the JP while they are doing it. *sniff*

Woo hoo! We're married! Let's drink!

I heart candid shots.

Now for some family. My grandpa!

My other beautiful sister AA and cousin KMS


My mum and sis and I.

Meet the Fockers! Er I mean The Parents!

From left to right: Best Man, JCII, JC, The Moh, and Jr. Bridesmaid.


What can I say? We're hams!

This was my post for the evening. The reception was held at Minter Gardens as well. These photos were taken by RB because I was too busy running around like a mad hatter making sure everything was perfect and on time. It's my vice, but probably a good one.
Do you see that corsage baby? My sister chose that for me to match my dress. Bird of paradise?! Awesome!

The cake was to die for. My sister was adamant that it be edible and look like the $1000 one she saw online. Mozart Bakery in Langley, BC did it. It has transfers of their engagement pics in B&W all around it.

Father-Daughter dance to "These are the Days" by Van Morrison and the Chieftans. Beautiful.


The head table. My sisters decor choice is classy, simple and elegant. It's her allll over. Mine let me tell you will be splashed with a ton of colour. Jens colours were white, black and 'crystal' and green--grass green.

I should mention this before we go further. One of the things I thought of for my sisters reception as Emcee was to make this Honeymoon Fund box whereby guests would be able to donate money, choose a random trivia question about the couple and decide how they would kiss if they got it right. This was a cool way to make some cash for the couple and made less of a racket with spoons on crystal glasses. Less breakage. Another thing I will mention is that with less than 2 weeks of dating RB was already in my grandfather's basement helping me "glitter" a honeymoon fund box. I love this man.

The flower toss. This is my little cousin KMS again who didn't understand what was going on, the wee thing, and it was hilarious to watch JC try and toss the bouquet with a rowdy cousin wanting to help.

And AA was in there like a Christian Louboutin sale. My beautiful mum to the right.

The garter toss. JCII is such a ham.

I will leave you with this last professional pic by Duncan from DLT Photography. His blog is in my blogroll.



So here's to JC2 on making it without killing one another. I love you both and I hope my marriage one day is as wonderful as yours! Happy Anniversary!

Click the video below to hear JC2's wedding song "Feels Like Home" by Canadian artist Chantal Kreviazuk.