Erica, 25 & Mario, 32

Detroit, MI

Wedding Date: May 15, 2010

Number of Guests: 25

Wedding Cost: $9,500

Wedding Ceremony Location: The Whitney, Detroit, MI

Wedding Reception Location: The Whitney, Detroit, MI

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

First of all, we wanted to be able to celebrate and spend time with the people closest to us without being stressed. With a large wedding we would only be able to spend a few minutes with most guests and that felt too impersonal and rushed. We wanted to be able to participate in the celebration with each of our guests instead of worrying about being pulled in a hundred different directions all evening. Also, we were planning our wedding in Michigan where Erica is from, and Mario’s family was coming in from Montreal. Our worry was that planning a wedding to cater to dozens of out of town guests would have just added another layer of complication to a process we were trying to keep simple – keeping our guest list to immediate family only was our plan from the beginning.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

The biggest challenge we faced was finding a venue that had the right look and feel for an intimate wedding – most traditional wedding venues cater to large groups and have minimum guest counts and spends much higher than we were looking for. The same thing applied to other wedding-related items which are usually purchased in bulk (favors, invitations, etc). We were forced to get creative on some things, and in the end I’m glad it worked out that way because we had a lot of unique personal touches.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Not at all. We knew early on that we would have to limit our guest list to immediate family and very close friends, or else have a gigantic wedding with extended family and friends. There really was no in between with us as we both come from large families.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

Nope. We were worried about extended friends and family members having hurt feelings at the small guest list, but people were incredibly understanding and supportive of our decision. Several people remarked to us that they wish they would have had small, intimate weddings themselves because of the freedom it allows.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

The intimate ceremony took place in front of a gorgeous stained glass window – pictures don’t do it justice, it was a lovely setting. It was also special to have such an close group of friends and family with us when we exchanged vows.

What were the highlights of the reception?

By far the best part of the reception was being able to sit down and relax with our guests. Having everyone seated at one long table really helped cement the feel of a big family sitting down to dinner together, and everyone was able to appreciate all of the little details and personal touches that went into the planning and execution of the reception.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Having an intimate wedding allowed us to relax and enjoy the day. Lots of brides are so stressed out by the time the big day rolls around because it can turn into a circus, but having a small gathering took the pain out of it and really made it much more fun for both our guests and us. It was also great because with a smaller group, our budget stretched much further toward lots of upgrades and extras we wouldn’t have been able to afford if we were accommodating 200 people.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Do it! It’s your day, and if having an intimate wedding will make you happy, that’s what you should do. Looking back, we wouldn’t have changed a thing and we’re so glad we kept it simple.

Vendors:

Photographer: Nicole Blair from Nicole Ladonne Photography

Venue: The Whitney

Cake: Trifles

Hair and Makeup: Brides on Location, LLC

Florist: Michele Nonis, (Warren, MI)

Officiant: Steven Goodrum

Cake Stand: Clara French Ceramique

Dress: Brides by Demetrios

We Canadians already feasted on turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, but U.S. Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away.

Here are some Thanksgiving ideas that you can apply to your upcoming feast – or your upcoming nuptials!

Pear Thanksgiving escort cards.

Candy apples (I love the real sticks!)

Felt Thanksgiving napkin rings. Get the DIY over at Merriment Design.

Plaid pumpkins. Clever!

Love this candle idea! (Source)

Thanksgiving napkins with printed leaf motif from Martha Stewart. Learn how to make a DIY printed leaf motif.

These candle holders made with tissue paper are so pretty (but they are a bit scary if using an open flame.)

And last, but not least, here is a leaf-motif cake from a Thanksgiving real wedding featured on IW to get you inspired. (A cousin of the couple made the cake!)

Thinking of making cupcake wrappers for your wedding or bridal shower? Here is a free cupcake wrapper template download created for IW readers by Brittany over at Pink Peacock Paperie

Simply cut out the cupcake wrappers on the paper of your choice. ( I like the look of textured paper – but it has to be good and study. I found this paper at my local craft store.)

Once the paper is cut, use two-sided tape to adhere the two sides together.

You can also use pinking shears to make the tops fancier. Another option is to use doilies for your cupcake wrappers.

Note: Some cupcakes are greasier than others. Lining the wrappers with parchment paper will provide a barrier between the cupcake wrappers and your cupcake.

By Darin (The Huzz)

I’ve been drinking coffee since I was 14. It got serious when I started university and did the traditional caffeine induced study marathons.  Energy drinks were just starting to arrive on the scene then, and they were expensive, just like they are today. Twenty years ago, before the latte craze,  a monster coffee from the local coffee shop was under a buck-fifty.

My preferred method of brewing coffee is a French Press, so when Tassimo offered to send us a Tassimo T20 single cup coffee maker by Bosch I wasn’t sure that I would even like the coffee that it brewed, but I was willing to give it a try.

I was pleasantly surprised. We blasted through the samples we received and the 2 packs of coffee we bought at the grocery store in one week.  It’s a breeze to use – and super quick, which is great when you are in a rush to get out the door. And the coffee tastes great. But there is a downside, and it’s a fairly big one: it’s expensive.

A single cup of coffee brewed at home is  almost the same price as the coffee from the Starbucks drive-thru.

Here is how it breaks down for cost :

Tassimo T20 One Cup Coffee Maker: $99.00 USD on Amazon.com. (You can purchase the coffee maker and T Disc via the affiliate links below if you are so inclined)

Starbucks Cafe Verona t discs:

Local Grocery Store Price:          10.49  / 12 pk = 0.87 per brew

Costco.ca incl. Shipping Price:   49.99  / 60 pk  =  0.83 per brew

Amazon.com price:                          20.56 / 24 pk   =   0.86 per brew

Now how much coffee does that really get you? I measured out a single t disc brew and it came out to 8 0z  or 250 ml for the metric fans. One official Starbucks short cup, right on. If you’re used to the 16 oz Starbucks Grande, you’re looking at about $1.66 to $1.74 per cup for your home brew.  Our local ‘bucks haunt charges $1.95.

That said, we have discovered a hot tip for the coffee drinkers who want to cut their costs.  If you brew your Grande-equivalent cup at home and go for the full-on double T-disc, yes you’re looking at about $1.70 per cup.  But, what we’ve found is that for our size of cup it works quite well to use the add water option and top up our 12 – 14 oz cups with a bit of extra from the same T-discs.  That brings your cuppa Joe down to 80 cents and there’s really not much compromise in taste.

So, if you are looking for a coffee maker that is convenient to use that makes really tasty coffee – the Tassimo T20 single cup coffee maker is for you. Just make sure you make plenty of room in your budget for your coffee fix.

Full Disclosure: We love coffee. Tassimo gave us a coffee maker for free to try. We like the starbucks coffee that it brews, and even enjoyed the Nabob brand samples it came with. We have provided links in this post to the coffee maker and the T-Discs via our amazon affiliates account and if you make a purchase when you get there, amazon gives us a cut. That’s what keeps this website going. That seems to be how a lot of other bloggers do it too. Some are up front about it like us, others aren’t. We hope you find this site helpful and see that we’re not all fluff-n-buff and full of fake rah-rah-rah-siss-boom-bah about the stuff we get to review.

Looking for unique wedding venues? Feast your eyes on these photos shot in the Distillery District of Toronto.

The Distillery District is a historic area located east of Downtown Toronto, Ontario. It contains  shops, restaurants and cafes (several of which are transformed into unique wedding venues) housed within heritage buildings of the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery. It is the largest collection of Victorian era industrial architecture in North America.

The Fermenting Cellar, which is located in the Distillery District, is such a dreamy space – perfect for brides who want a more contemporary feel to their wedding, while Balzac’s Cafe (last three photos) is a more intimate space that is big on charm.

These unique wedding venues are an example of how light really sets the mood of a space.

Photos One, Two, Three: Taylor Jackson; Photo Four, Five: Boston Ave. Photo Co.; Photo Six: Andreas Avdoulos; Photo Seven: HRM Photography; Photo Eight and Nine: Taylor Jackson