All the Pretty Details

This weekend I went to a wedding of a friend from University. G, recently transfered to my building for work, so leading up to her wedding we had plenty to talk about! It was a gorgeous wedding overlooking the lake at the Argonaut Rowing Club in Toronto. The traffic was not on anyones side, so the ceremony started an hour late (I was just about crying in the car because I thought I would miss it).

Weddings are wonderful no matter what, but often, its the details that the couple adds that makes it feel like them. When we all sat together for the first time at the table and everyone observed the centerpieces, the giveaway, the menu, another friend from the student union days, said to me..."It's so her, isn't it?". THAT is what every couple strives for. A room full of their loved ones, who can readily identify you in the details. I loved it.

Anyways, for me, the details are for my own sentimental value as well. While going through albums with my Grandma Sol this weekend, looking for a picture of her to include in my locket as well, I was reminded of her and my grandfather's 50th Wedding Anniversary. I was 12 and it was 1995, and I remember loving every bit of it. They renewed their vows in the Church and all the grandchilren were bridesmaids and groomsmen. Then we had a big reception in our community center, where even family from California flew in. My grandpa said it was the happiest day of his life. He passed away, 7 months later. Now that I write this, maybe my family knew he was sick and thats why we had such a big wedding anniversary.

While looking at the pictures, my grandma told me how the dress and the veil came from the Philippines from her sister Ligaya. The veil caught my eye. A mantilla veil. I immediately asked my grandma if she still had it. She said she should and is now tasked at attempting to dig it up. I had originally thought about wearing a bird cage veil, but I may be able to do her veil for the ceremony, and the cage for the reception. Or the other thing I was thinking, was wearing a birdcage veil throughout, and using her veil as part of the cord and veil ceremony. Wouldn't it be lovely regardless? If she finds it, something borrowed, CHECK!

A Million Things To Do AT ONCE

It's been over a month since my grandma died. A week or two weeks ago, as I began wrapping up her affairs, it hit me: THE WEDDING IS FAST APPROACHING. And gawd is it ever. I was in such a hazy because of summer and my grandmother being ill, and then her passing, September slaps you back in the face with a dose of reality. So I've essentially been doing something for the wedding everyday, sometimes while at work. For example in the last 2 weeks I (with Rodney for some things):

• made the seating plan
• designed the ceremony program
• booked tickets for my two cousins
• planned the accomodation
• designed the donation cards
• wrote out my thank you speech (have no idea when Rodney will write something up)
• finalized a program for the reception and began drafting notes for the emcee
• chose a recessional song
• updated the budget
• sent money for the venue
• designed and printed our guestbook
• partially completed the ring book (just need to add the felt for the rings and the ribbon)
• started a list of things to pack and things to buy
• started a list a to do list for the reception, ceremony, trip, in the Philippines and a list of questions for Tisha
• bought luggage
• created a spreadsheet of confirmed guests with flight and accomodation information
• had a meeting with my pseudo-bridesmaids to talk about the Wedding Shower and my highly anticipated Halloween Stagette!
• looked at shoes online.
• looked at hair ideas online.
• found a picture of my other Grandma for the locket and scanned it
• began work on the locket

So there are many more things to do and many more things to decide on. I may just have an ulcer before I go.

Also, I haven't worked out since July! I really want to try and drag my ass today AND do a Jillian Michaels tonight. Man oh man!

tee hee. This picture actually makes me want to stop complaining.

In Memory of Lily

On August 17^th, Luciana Balolong Cendana, my grandmother, died. Grandma Lily had been sick, having a stroke first, while in the Philippines January 2010, and experiencing subsequent strokes after that. Her last stroke occurred in April, and left her unable to speak or move on her right side. She was in two different hospitals, had surgery to have a G-tube inserted, and had to be admitted to a nursing home, where she passed away. Her death has left me with an indescribably painful sense of loss. 

She had always been in my life, and we were close. She took care of me as a baby, even living with us when they first immigrated to Canada. She had a personality, that was more abrupt and keeping it real, than sweet ol' grandma. Even with her badass persona, she was loving, caring, selfless and generous. All she did, was for her grandchildren and children. Even when she died, I learned about her humble desire to take care of her children and her love. In 2010, she pre-arranged her funeral, and began payments on the services. She even purchased her cemetery property, and chose her vault and plaque. All this work meant, when she passed, her family could grieve and not be so stressed. She named me to take care of her affairs, so I had been busy, but it was the best way for me to grieve also. 

As I was putting items together for the slideshow, I found my grandparents wedding picture. Now I have the perfect picture to include the locket I got for my bouquet.

This weekend, I also made the cards that state in memory of my grandmother, a donation was made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. As well, on October 19th, my cousins and I will be running a 5K raising money for the same organization in her honour. She had a long life, but I wish she could be here for more of mine. It's selfish of me to want her to be around a little bit more, but that's love.