It’s about time! So many of you have asked me to see our wedding photos and we’re finally able to share them! For those of you who follow my blog for the sports & tech related side of things… I apologize! I’ll be taking a girly next couple of weeks to cover off the wedding I’ve decided to post them in a series of photos/categories to break it up and make sure I don’t miss any of the details. Over the course of 9 blog posts I’ll be covering everything from accessories, to decor, to the dress(!), the groom, the wedding party, the flowers, the food & drink, the activities, and of course our formal portrait wedding photos. Our wedding took place on September 3, 2011 in beautiful Tofino, BC Canada.

Note: All photos posted here copyright by Jonetsu Studios, our amazing wedding photographers!

I know that weddings are really about the love you share for one another that is shared with your family and friends, and that was very much true for our wedding. That being said, bear with me as I go through some material/superficial posts with all the details! The planning and the details were something I found really fun!

Those of you that know me really well know that I love shoes. A lot. So naturally the first thing I did when we got engaged was to start looking at wedding shoes. I know it’s kinda weird, but I was a lot more excited about the shoes that the dress at first! Unfortunately since the shoes were the first thing I bought, I spent probably way too much of my budget on the footwear… but hey, at least it’s something I can use again Pictured in the photo above are the champagne Valentino shoes (ordered specially from New York) that were worn for the ceremony, the bright blue Isabel Marant shoes from Paris (my something blue!) that were worn for photos and our reception, and then the glittery champagne Jimmy Choo peep-toe pumps that were worn for our first dance and for dancing the night away!

Every bride knows your feet are killing by the end of the night, so why not wear a pair of pretty ivory Valentino flip flops for dancing in the wee hours of the morning and walking back to the hotel?

Here’s a shot of the cute birdcage veil by Laura Jayne that I wore for the evening portion of the reception.

I was deciding between wearing a gold cross or a small crystal for the wedding and I ended up going with the small crystal necklace from Swarovski.

For my clutch, I went with a gold purse by Salvatore Ferragamo that was a lovely wedding gift, and my grandmother’s heirloom sapphire ring (my something borrowed as it was given to my mom) and diamond bracelet (my something old). She passed away this year so I really wanted to incorporate her into the wedding to let her know I was thinking of her. I really missed her there.

Allan bought his wedding band from Blue Nile and I bought mine from People’s. My ring was only $200! What a steal The rings are pictured on top of the wooden box that Allan bought for me from Tofino when he proposed.

I wanted a little bling and glitter so I purchased a set of custom-made earrings from Elsa Corsi, a Vancouver jewelry designer.

Here’s a shot of the earrings she designed, all made from Swavorski crystals.

Same goes for the bracelet!

Lastly, here’s two somewhat NSFW photos of the garter and the corset that I wore under the dress. I figure these are pretty much the same as posting swimsuit photos as they are quite tasteful so hopefully everyone’s OK with it. The corset is from Chantelle France and it was worth every penny! I loved how it felt under the dress and it was definitely one of my favourite accessories!

I ordered this beautiful garter (my something new!) from Etsy… it’s handmade with antique lace and a crystal with dangling lace flowers (can’t really see it in the photo). It matches a part of my wedding dress (pictures coming later!) so I loved that it had something in common.

And that’s it for the shoes and accessories! More photos coming soon

I’m super stoked on a couple new gadgets I’ve picked up recently, and I thought now would be a great time to do a product review with some photos!

First up, the Amazon Kindle. This device has singlehandedly rekindled (ha ha) my love of reading. Yes, I realize there is an Apple iPad coming out. I’m not concerned. The reason why I chose the Amazon Kindle is for one purpose: reading books.

The e-ink is amazing, and it is EXACTLY like reading a book. It looks exactly like ink on paper, but with a thin protective cover over it. This is why I will not be using an iPad for reading. Yes, I may use it for web surfing, but not for reading. I do not want to read on a backlit screen when I have to sit at work all day looking at a computer screen.

The device itself is gorgeous. It’s extremely light… lighter than a paperback book. Unlike a normal book where you need two hands to hold the pages open, I can read my Kindle with one hand. After reading for 8 hours straight, this is a huge benefit. I love the design of the Kindle.

The back is also really pretty, with brushed metal and a little bit of rubber for non-slip. I should note that this is the 2nd Generation Kindle, but it is not the Kindle DX. The Kindle DX is bigger and harder to hold in one hand… it’s better used for magazine/newspaper reading. Also — the Kindle is hooked up to 3G Wireless in Canada, so you can buy a book wirelessly no matter where you are. There is no data plan or package you have to buy… simply load up the Amazon store on the device and buy a book, and be reading within 30 seconds!

Since I purchased my Kindle a couple months ago, I’ve read 16 books and read over 13,000 pages (yes, the Wheel of Time series is long and took up a lot of that page count). The Kindle is also VERY thin. I bought a Flexstand Bookstand from M-Edge (pictured here) so that I can read it in bed or while eating without having to hold it up. I highly recommend this accessory.

Here’s a photo of all the accessories I have for my Kindle. I bought a pink leather sleeve for protection, a New Yorker leather cover for traveling or when out or about (it hooks into the Kindle deftly so it can’t fall out), and the Flexstand Bookstand. All from M-Edge Accessories.

Needless to say, I’m in LOVE with my Kindle. If you’re a book reader, I would say it is a MUST buy at only $250. After buying 10 books, you will have saved yourself back the cost of your device since e-books are only $5-10 compared to $10-30 for physical books. You. Will. Love. It.

Next up… my new Blackberry Bold 9700. I’ve tried so many different phones, from Nokia to different Blackberries and yes, even the iPhone. But Blackberry just does it right. Everything about a Blackberry is perfect for the type of user that I am. I am completely in love with this phone.

It’s fast, the new trackpad is great compared to the trackball, and the new OS is incredible. I love the new features. The new Blackberry Messenger is much improved, and since 60% of all my friends have Blackberries, it’s the perfect and quick way to communicate with most of my friends.

It’s really small and light. The new grippy back is a nice feature as well. I upgraded from my Curve 8900 to the 9700, and it’s not a huge difference. The 3G is a really great upgrade, and the new OS is too.

There are now tons of apps for the Blackberry, and Blackberry World is very slick. From budget software to games, I haven’t found anything lacking on the Blackberry that I’ve wished for that was on the iPhone. And the keyboard is a big plus. I can type faster than any iPhone user and much, much more accurately. Yes! I challenge you to a type-off. But seriously, I find typing on my phone an absolute pleasure. Everything I’ve ever wanted in a phone, is in my new Blackberry Bold.

So that’s it folks! My new gadgets. Feel free to leave any questions or comments below!