The Wedding Show
January 15-17, 2010

Create your perfect wedding from 115 hand-selected exhibitors – the perfect gown, the finest invitations, the most exquisite flowers, a divine menu and the most supreme of finishing details, The Wedding Show’s boutique-inspired design means everything you need is available in one inspirational spot. Ignite your imagination!

Date:  January 15-17, 2010
Where:  The Carlu, 444 Yonge Street, 7th floor
Times:  Fri 1/15, 5-9pm; Sat 1/16, 10am-6pm; Sun 1/17, 10am-5pm
Cost:  $20.00

FREE MONOGRAMS MONTHLY
Once a month, I will host a contest to win free monograms. The winner gets to choose 5 from my pre-designed monograms collection.

MORE INSPIRATIONS
That is right… more wedding eye candy. I am planning to spend more time scouring the net for pretty things that you can incorporate into your wedding.

If you want your wedding or somebody else’s wedding featured at Aylee Bits, please contact me.

MORE PERSONALIZED
Since my own wedding is fast approaching, I will post more about my own planning. Some of my readers have asked to read more about my wedding. Who knew somebody would be interested?

MORE POSTS
I usually post everyday until the past few months. With our own planning underway, I couldn’t find the time to post daily. But I’m definitely planning to post more often in the year 2010.

Remembering all the wrapping I’ve done for the holidays, I dream more and more of a wrapping station of my own. Here are some beautiful inspirations.

And here are a couple DIY instructions on how create your own wrapping/craft station…

Lowe’s Creative Ideas: Gift Wrap Station

House to Home

‘Tis the season!  Here’s a wintery inspiration board for everyone!

Since I got my first digital camera, I never used another film camera again.  Digital was just easy, convenient and more affordable.  And with Photoshop, there are just so many possibilities.

Recently, I have come across many wedding photos captured on film and I can’t believe how I’ve forgotten how beautiful they can be.  They’re natural, magical, and the colors are very romantic.  I’m in-love!

 
 
Elizabeth Messina

 
 
Jonathan Canlas

 
 
Jose Villa

 
 
Lisa Lefkowitz

My good friend got married last October 17, the sweetest day literally.  Check your calendar .  She was the one whose wedding I made the invitation for.  Her ceremony was held at one of the gardens at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and it was beautiful.  Just look at the pictures.  Photos were taken by Lily Kesselman.

If you want a garden ceremony and willing to get married very early in the morning, my friend and I highly recommend Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  My friend also highly recommends her photographer, Lily Kesselman.  She is based in New York, but she also travels, so give her a call if you’re looking for a good photograher.

Priscilla of Boston Wedding Blowout Sample Sale
December 16 – 18, 2009

I would like to apologize to everyone who tried to email me, but didn’t get a response.  I just realized last night that my spam filter has been automatically re-directing some of my non-spam emails to the spam folder in my server.  I don’t get to see the contents of that folder unless I log in to my server, which I seldom did.

If you haven’t gotten a response from me, please email me again using the email form on this blog and I’ll try to respond as quickly as I can.

Thank you for your patience.

Money is a very important issue that needs to be discussed when you’re getting married.  Based on studies, money is one of the leading causes of divorce.  John and I talked about how to handle our finances way before we even moved in together.  We made sure we were on the same boat.  We also made sure that all our debts are paid for before we got engaged.

There are three ways to handle your finances as a couple: joint, separate, and mixed (joint & separate).  TheNest.com has an article that outlines the pros and cons of each method.  John and I decided that the mixed method is the best one for us.

Click image to enlarge

Whoah, our chart looks like a man (robot rather) with two heads!  Anyway…

We have 7 accounts total:

• My existing checking account
  - where my income is directly deposited
• My existing savings account
  - where my extra money goes, leaving at least $200 in my checking account after all necessary expenses and contributions are made
• John’s existing checking account
  - where his income is directly deposited
• John’s existing savings account
  - where his extra money goes (I don’t know how he determines how much goes to this account)
• Joint checking account
  - our contribution is based on ratio of each individual’s income to total combined income, then matched to total joint expenses and contributions (formula in chart)
• Joint savings
  - part of our contributions that is spent on yearly expenses including vacations
• Joint long-term savings
  - part of our contributions that is set aside for emergencies and future large purchases
  - contribution to the joint long-term savings is based on the remaining income of the individual earning less after individual necessary expenses, joint expenses, contributions (joint savings), and $500 are deducted.  The contribution of the individual earning more will be calculated based on the ratios of the incomes.

How do you handle your finances as a couple?  Does your chart look like a man with two heads as well?