The Tasting

"Shit. I'm going to be late." 

I frantically summoned an Uber to the middle of nowhere (read: Corus Quay).

Our tasting was scheduled for 6 p.m. and it was 5:40 p.m. when I hopped in the car. I had twenty minutes to hoof it to the venue. Peter's sitch wasn't much better. He was battling downtown Toronto traffic in a Car2Go. 

Beads of sweat dripped down my face with every passing minute. I HATE being late. Not only do I think it's rude, it's also one of my top three anxiety inducers (probably because I consider it so rude and I hate being hypocritical - another anxiety inducer). 

My driver pulled up to our venue at 5:59 p.m. and I sprinted up the staircase, burst through the front door and shouted,  

"I'm here for the tasting!"

Sometimes, I have a flare for the dramatic. 

My parents were already there, patiently waiting. Usually they're late, and I know they were secretly relishing in this reversal of roles. Before I could even ask about Peter, a Fantasy Farm wedding coordinator introduced themselves, and asked if the tasting could begin.

Uh oh. The thing with the tasting at our venue is that it happens regardless everyone is there or not. The venue wants to respect the chef's time, which I totally get. Also the reason I was a hot sweaty mess.

"Umm... we're missing the groom."

At that point, Peter also frantically burst through the door, but did not announce his arrival like I did. With everyone there, the tasting could begin. 

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When booking the tasting, I asked the coordinator how many full meals we should order (the bride and groom's tasting is free. Every additional meal is $50). She suggested 3 for 4 people. I appreciated her honestly, because they could've made an extra $50 from us. 

How was the food? Really, really, really delicious! Sometimes food at weddings can be a bit blah, but the chef brought the goods and we are really happy with what we are serving. And what are we serving? Menu below! 

APPETIZER - Butternut Squash Soup with a Chive Crème Fraishe

PASTA - Handmade Rotollo

MAIN (CHOOSE ONE) - Vegan Stuffed Pepper, Vegetarian Stir-Fry, Atlantic Salmon

DESSERT - Chocolate and Raspberry Crepe  

The Bridal Shower

Kayla, you really know how to throw a party. 

Last weekend my M.O.H. and sister threw me one helleuve of a bridal shower. She assembled a ragtag crew of family and friends to help with her party planning vision and boy, did they deliver. Decorative cookies? Check. Games that require little work or embarrassment for the guests? Check. A party theme that reflected my love of food and cooking? Check. A heartfelt speech that brought everyone to tears? Check. Who knew teachers make such great party planners?

Not only did these bad boys look great, they tasted awesome! 

As a television producer, I can appreciate a well-coordinated event. A large part of my job is making sure a shoot or an edit is running smoothly. Putting out fires the day of an event? That’s my speciality. It was definitely weird not being part of that process. I love fixing problems. My adrenaline kicks in, and I soak in the drama. Unfortunately, Kayla shooed me away when I tried to help. I guess not being aware of the stressful stuff and enjoying the fun stuff is what being a television host is like? I kid! I kid!

So! What were the party planning wins in my humble opinion? Please read below!

PARTY PLANNING WIN: GAMES

I love games that require minimal work and embarrassment. Kayla delivered on that front. Guests could play a few games while they mixed and mingled. There was a ‘Guess Their Age’ station, a ‘Guess the Spice’ station, and a ‘Guess How Many Kisses Are in the Jar’ station. Lots of stations, lots of fun. We played a few other group games, but the embarrassment was kept to a minimum. Well, kept to a minimum until this happened:

Yup. That’s me trying to put on a pair of pantyhose while wearing oven mitts. Congrats go out to my mother-in-law, Susy! Who knew you were so skilled at putting on pantyhose?

*Thanks for taking this video, Carly! 

PARTY PLANNING WIN: PICTURES

Kayla designated someone (in this case, her boyfriend) to be the official photographer of the event. It was a great idea. It allowed the guests to relax and have fun, and not worry about documenting the entire event.

Team bridesmaid! 

PARTY PLANNING WIN: TIME

A three-hour bridal shower? Yes please! I love that the event was short yet sweet. Guests were entertained, and not bored. Plus, guests still had the rest of their Sunday to run errands, chill, or do whatever else they do on a Sunday

PARTY PLANNING WIN: NOT OPENING GIFTS AT THE SHOWER

I realize this is a very contentious issue. I personally didn’t want to open gifts in front of everyone because I embarrass easily and I think it’s boring for everyone that’s not opening gifts. Luckily, Kayla listened to my wishes and axed the whole opening gifts thing.

PARTY PLANNING WIN: ASKING FOR HELP WHEN HELP WAS NEEDED

Kayla made sure she had lots of help for set up and tear down. I loved it. No use trying to be the hero when everyone wants to lend a hand. An especially big shout out goes to Susy, Deanna, Carly, Monique, Corrine, and my family who helped with the set up. I’m so lucky to have friends and family like you in my life.

And finally! Here are some pictures from the event. I’ve asked Kayla to share some of her party planning tips which I will share in a future post :) 

Love this. Guests were asked to bring their fave recipe, and Carly compiled them all into one book. Can't wait to start trying them out! 

Me and the Mom Squad. 

Guests were also asked to sign an apron. I've already started rockin' it in the kitchen! 

So much deliciousness.