the blog.
How Much Wedding Can You Afford? Choosing The Big Number for Your Big Day
Weddings cost a lot. A whole lot. A put-away-every-extra-penny-for-your-entire-engagement-and-only-eat-rice-and-beans-and-don't-buy-anything-that-could-be-considered-a-want lot. When I read that the average wedding in Canada costs over $31,000 I got very close to giving up and eloping with Jason right then and there (we were in Costa Rica, after all. Not a bad locale if you ask me.) But I have always dreamed of a wedding including my closest and dearest, and so had he. We decided to stick it out and go with a traditional wedding. But at what cost?
Weddings cost a lot. A whole lot. A put-away-every-extra-penny-for-your-entire-engagement-and-only-eat-rice-and-beans-and-don't-buy-anything-that-could-be-considered-a-want lot. When I read that the average wedding in Canada costs over $31,000 I got very close to giving up and eloping with Jason right then and there (we were in Costa Rica, after all. Not a bad locale if you ask me.) But I have always dreamed of a wedding including my closest and dearest, and so had he. We decided to stick it out and go with a traditional wedding. But at what cost?
That is the exact topic I'd like to explore today. How much should you really be spending on your wedding? There are a whole host of factors, and every couple will be different, but I hope that these talking points that Jason and I spent time over will help you and your soon to be spouse figure out the big number for your special day.
Who's paying?
This is the first thing you want to figure out. Are you and your fiancé paying for everything yourselves or will you be getting help from family? Is your family paying for the entire shindig? You need to know who's contributing to footing the bill.
How much outside contribution can you count on?
You don't want to just assume that your parents will contribute as much as you need, you have to actually ask them. (You may think this is common sense, but common sense isn't really all that common.) Have a frank discussion, even if it makes you uncomfortable, and ask them how much (if any) they're willing and able to put towards your day. Don't go into it with any expectations, that way if they do agree to help you financially you'll be grateful no matter what the dollar amount is. Understand that they may not be capable of contributing at this point for various reasons and respect their decision. If they do want to help out, get a specific number from them so that you can plug it into your calculations. Things may change a little as the planning goes along, but you want to have the most accurate idea of what you'll be getting from outside sources right from the start.
How much do you have in savings?
Have an honest conversation with your fiancé and find out how much each of you has already saved and how much each of you is willing to contribute from those savings. You need to think about the amount you want to have remaining in your savings accounts AFTER the fact; you don't want to use your emergency fund to pay for your wedding! A wedding is wonderful, but it's just one day. Don't sacrifice your financial security for the foreseeable future for a party, no matter how special!
How much can each of you save leading up to the wedding?
Look at what each of you expect to make in the time leading up to your wedding, subtract your needs, and figure out how much each of you could save, under ideal circumstances. Don't include income that isn't guaranteed to come in. Any extra income can be a bonus booster to your wedding budget, if you need it! Make sure to leave a little wiggle room in your monthly living budget for wants - you don't want to deprive yourselves as you go through the (potentially stressful) wedding planning process. Keep enough fun money for a couple of date nights and treats here and there, you'll appreciate it later I promise!
Add up all contributions from family and friends, the amount you can allocate from your savings, and the amount that you can each reasonably put aside in the time left to your wedding to find your absolute max budget. You do not want to make this number your actual wedding budget! Look at the next series of questions to determine how much you actually want to spend, and keep any of the left over money as a buffer. Unexpected costs always come up and having money ready for that purpose reduces stress by approximately 500%.
Are you planning on a honeymoon?
Putting aside the funds for a honeymoon can be a big task. Ask yourselves if you need to go on a honeymoon right away, or even at all. If you do want to go right after the wedding look into options that fit within your means and shop around for the best deals.
How many guests do you REALLY need?
Make an initial guest list, then cut anyone you don't NEED at your wedding. This day is about you and your future spouse and your commitment to each other. Rather than thinking of the guest list through the lens of who you'd like to have there, think about who you'd be distraught to not see on the day. Who are those people who you and your spouse couldn't get married without? The number of guests has a huge impact on the final cost of your wedding, so think long and hard about how much you want your coworker's second cousin to witness your nuptials.
Do you need to get married near a major city?
On the whole, weddings near a city centre will be more costly than those further away. Do you need to be married in the heart of downtown Toronto, or will Barrie do just as nicely? Do your research on real costs in the area you're looking at to get a better idea of what you'll be parting with.
How much are you each comfortable spending?
Does the idea of spending tens of thousands of dollars on one weekend make you sweat? Or does a $50,000 budget sound just fine? You need to get a clear picture of what each of you is willing to spend so that you won't regret it in the years following your wedding. Keep in mind your other financial goals for the next 5 years. Make a list of where you'd like to be and make sure you aren't shooting the future you in the foot by overspending today.
Related Blog Post: 7 Ways Pinterest is the Best Wedding Planning Tool on the Internet!
Now that you've really thought about it, come up with a number that you both feel good about. Know that no matter how much you plan, your wedding day will likely pop up with unexpected costs. Don't beat yourself up if you end up a little off your goal! Remember, that's why you set your actual budget below your absolutely maximum budget, so that you had a bit of breathing room. Now get out there and start the fun part.
Until next time,
How did you and your spouse come up with a budget for your wedding? Let me know in the comments below! Share this post with your engaged friends to give them a leg up in the planning process and check out my wedding boards on Pinterest for a little wedding inspiration!
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5 Favourite Vegan Restaurants in Toronto
Whether you live in Toronto (Hey, neighbour!) or are just visiting, it's always great to get restaurant recommendations from a friend rather than using ye olde google search and hoping for the best. Having lived in Toronto for my entire vegan life (except for 6 months on a cruise ship!) I've found a couple places that I love to take family and friends when they're in town or my fiancé on a date! Since I consider you a true friend, I thought I'd share my favourite places to get my nom on in the big Canadian city, free of charge! (Aren't I a gem?)
Whether you live in Toronto (Hey, neighbour!) or are just visiting, it's always great to get restaurant recommendations from a friend rather than using ye olde google search and hoping for the best. Having lived in Toronto for my entire vegan life (except for 6 months on a cruise ship!) I've found a couple places that I love to take family and friends when they're in town or my fiancé on a date! Since I consider you a true friend, I thought I'd share my favourite places to get my nom on in the big Canadian city, free of charge! (Aren't I a gem?)
5. Grasshopper, 310 College Street, $$
A tiny little casual dinning spot on college, Grasshopper is a nice place to grab lunch with a friend or a quick dinner! They have lots of yummy and innovative dishes to try, which means it always takes an hour for me to order. Sorry, Jason. I tried the Mushroom N' Rice Bowl recently and loved it! Be warned, they do have one or two items that are only vegetarian, but they are clearly marked on the menu. They also have a number of gluten and soy-free options, allowing everyone to enjoy their tasty creations!
4. Apiecalypse Now, 735 Bloor Street West, $$
Craving pizza? No problem! Drop into Apiecalypse now for some vegan comfort food including, you guessed it, donuts! (Ok, maybe you didn't guess it. But a one stop shop for vegan pizza AND donuts? Sign me up!) They currently don't offer gluten free crusts for their pizzas BUT they deliver to many parts of Toronto, so that makes up for it, yes? They're located right on Bloor for your convenience.
3. Live Organic Food Bar, 264 Dupont Street / 134 Atlantic Avenue, $$
Completely vegan, gluten free, organic, and sugar free, Live Organic Food Bar's menu is full of delicious plant-based goodness! They have two locations, in the Annex and in Liberty village. They offer quite a few raw dishes, so raw foodies out there you'll love Live! They also indicate which dishes are nut free, for those who avoid nuts in their diet. I used to eat here all of the time when I lived a 5 minute walk away from the Annex location and loved trying something new every single time! Definitely check them out if you're nearby.
2. Fresh, 326 Bloor Street West / 894 Queen Street West / 147 Spadina Avenue / 90 Eglinton Avenue East, $$
With 4 locations, Fresh is always a convenient option. I first began eating at Fresh as a vegetarian in 2012 and have frequented it ever since! They have a huge menu with lots of variety that pleases vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike. I love grabbing the green detox smoothie and the macro greens bowl for a quick healthy meal! While they aren't completely gluten free, they have quite a few gluten free options. (I was gluten free and vegan for about 6 months and found it very easy to eat at Fresh.) Also, their entire menu is vegan BUT they do offer some non-vegan add-ons such as cheese and honey.
Related Blog Post: 10 Yummy Vegan Cake Recipes To Try!
1. Urban Herbivore, 967 College Street / Kensington Market - 64 Oxford Street / Eaton Centre - 220 Yonge Street, $
Plant based whole foods are made delicious and affordable at Urban Herbivore! They are peanut free and have many gluten free options. They source their ingredients from local farmers and offer to-go packaging made with biodegradable materials. What I love most about them is the option to create your own custom bowl, but I can't forget to mention how DELICIOUS their sandwiches are! If you stop by their location in Kensington you will probably spot me fuelling up for a grocery shop and listening to the Rich Roll podcast :)
So there you have it, 5 of my favourite vegan restaurants in Toronto to check out whether you live here or are just on a visit! I have a very long list of restaurants, bakeries, and coffee shops to check out or revisit before I recommend them to you, so stay tuned for further updates on this list.
Until next time,
What's your favourite vegan restaurant in Toronto? Let me know in the comments below! Never been to Toronto? No problem! Where do you get your vegan restaurant fix in your hometown?
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Vegan Mousse Recipe
I'm not a big dessert person. Don't get me wrong, a well placed truffle is great. But I'm not going to be baking constantly or buying sweets every day. It's just not my thing! That being said, when a special date came up for me and my fiancé I decided I wanted to make him a sweet vegan treat as a surprise! I didn't want to spend a huge amount of time making it, but I wanted it to be delicious. I had been doing research for my 10 Yummy Vegan Cake Recipes post and was getting inspired. I tweaked a couple different recipes based on what I had available and my preferences, and what came out was SO GOOD. Ridiculously good. Not just the taste, but the textured was so divinely mousse-y. Lets just say, I was pretty happy. And since I know you're all waiting with baited breath, I'll tell you. Yes, my fiancé loved it. Jason requested that I make it "All the time!", if that's any indication!
I'm not a big dessert person. Don't get me wrong, a well placed truffle is great. But I'm not going to be baking constantly or buying sweets every day. It's just not my thing! That being said, when a special date came up for me and my fiancé I decided I wanted to make him a sweet vegan treat as a surprise! I didn't want to spend a huge amount of time making it, but I wanted it to be delicious. I had been doing research for my 10 Yummy Vegan Cake Recipes post and was getting inspired. I tweaked a couple different recipes based on what I had available and my preferences, and what came out was SO GOOD. Ridiculously good. Not just the taste, but the texture was so divinely mousse-y! Lets just say, I was pretty happy. And since I know you're all waiting with baited breath, I'll tell you. Yes, my fiancé loved it. Jason requested that I make it "all the time!", if that's any indication!
Doesn't it look pretty?
So, without any further ado, here's the recipe!
Vegan Mousse Recipe by Plant Based Bride
Serves two hungry vegans :)
Ingredients
3 bananas, fresh
half cup cocoa nibs
half cup pecans
half cup walnuts
half a teaspoon sugar (optional!)
a couple dashes of cinnamon, to taste
2 tbsp coconut oil
- Combine all ingredients in a high sped blender,
- Blend until smooth,
- Garnish with cocoa nibs and nuts,
- Devour!
Ta da! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Until next time,
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Should I post more recipes? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on my social media (@elizabethturn on instagram and twitter and Plant Based Bride on Facebook)!
5 Steps for Setting Great Goals
I've always thought that goal setting on January 1st was a bit funny. I don't mean the goal setting, of course, but the specific date. I'm not the only one, right? While I understand the appeal (I am incredibly organized and that part of me loves the simplicity and symmetry) I always wondered what the point was of waiting as many as 11 months just to start a new habit. And yet, despite knowing better, I tend to wait for special dates to review and reiterate my goals. So sue me! Entering a new year of life seems like as good a time to remind myself of what I'm striving for as any, and since I recently had a birthday, I've had goals on the brain. Here are my 5 steps to setting great goals (and a fun freebie)!
I've always thought that goal setting on January 1st was a bit funny. I don't mean the goal setting, of course, but the specific date. I'm not the only one, right? While I understand the appeal (I am incredibly organized and that part of me loves the simplicity and symmetry) I always wondered what the point was of waiting as many as 11 months just to start a new habit. And yet, despite knowing better, I tend to wait for special dates to review and reiterate my goals. So sue me! Entering a new year of life seems like as good a time to remind myself of what I'm striving for as any, and since I recently had a birthday, I've had goals on the brain. Here are my 5 steps to setting great goals (and a fun freebie)!
STEP ONE: Don't Make Too Many
Too many goals can make it far too easy to get overwhelmed and give up on everything. We don't want that to happen! Five seems to be the perfect number according to studies on productivity, with seven as the maximum you want to focus on at one time. Start by brainstorming all of the things you'd like to improve on or achieve and then narrow it down to the few that REALLY get you excited. The more passionate about something you are, the harder you'll work to make it happen. If a goal doesn't light a fire in you, it's not the right thing to spend your time and effort on. Think about it and tweak it until it really gets you going!
STEP TWO: Remember to be SMART
The SMART method of goal setting has become well known, for good reason. Following these guidelines will help you make effective goals that you can actually accomplish!
- S - SPECIFIC. The more general a goal, the less likely you are to achieve it. Spend some time thinking about your goal and determining what it is in particular that is the most important part of it to you, and focus on that. You want to be really clear about what you want! Bad: "Start a blog." vs Better: "Start a blog called Plant Based Bride about veganism, wedding planning, and living a plant based lifestyle."
- M - MEASURABLE. You don't want to be left wondering whether or not your goal was achieved. Quantify what success means to you for this particular goal so that you know what you're striving for, exactly! Bad: "Lose weight." vs Better: "Lose 10 pounds."
- A - ATTAINABLE. Do you have control over what you're trying to do? If the goal isn't in your power don't waste your time and energy on it. Is it doable and reasonable? Don't make it too hard to achieve, this will make you feel defeated from the beginning, but remember that it's also not a good idea to make it so easy that you aren't motivated by the idea of achieving it. Bad: "Make Stan fall in love with me." vs Better: "Ask Stan out on a date."
- R - RELEVANT. Relevance can be hard to determine. Ask yourself these questions to help: Is your goal applicable to where you are in your life right now? Is it worthwhile? Will it meet your needs? Does it bring you closer to your long term plans and is it consistent with the person you want to be and your other goals? Bad: "Memorize all of the presidents of the United States in chronological order." (for me, as a Canadian with no particular interest in American political history, this is an irrelevant goal.) vs Better: "Spend 15 minutes reading about the upcoming Canadian federal election every day."
- T - TIMELY. Deadlines are so important. Without one, a goal is just a dream. Make sure to pick the day by which your goal must be completed. It will establish a sense of urgency, causing you to manage your time better and work on your goal daily! Bad: "Learn to do a backflip." vs Better: "Learn to do a backflip by February 1st, 2016."
STEP THREE: Write Them Down
Make sure to write down your goals and put them somewhere where you'll see them every day. Reviewing your goals often is so important to keep you on track and focused! When you write down your goal be sure to break it down into at least 3 small, actionable steps you can take towards achieving it. Each time you see your goal, ask yourself what the next step is that you can take to get that little bit closer!
STEP FOUR: Get Support
New research implies that telling people about your goals may make you less likely to achieve them, as your mind associates the pleasure it gets from recognition from others with being closer to reaching your goal than you actually are. With that in mind, if you need support, don't hesitate to ask for it. Whether it's your spouse, your best friend, or someone you meet on the internet, asking for help isn't failure. Getting advice and learning from others' experiences when you need to is simply the smart thing to do!
STEP FIVE: Take Small Steps Every Day
Don't just write down actionable steps, take those steps! Spend at least 5 minutes a day on working towards your goal. It's not the big things we do infrequently but the small things we do consistently that make the biggest impact!
Related Blog Post: How To Use A Bullet Journal To Stay Organized!
Use these 5 steps to set your goals and then get to work on achieving them! I created a couple printables to make your goal setting even easier. Get them for free when you sign up to the Plant Based Bride newsletter!
I purposefully made the printables unisex so that everyone can enjoy the power of smart goals without too much glitter or pink getting involved. (You're welcome, Jason.) I will try to get the link to your inbox as soon as possible, and within 24 hours at the most! Be patient with me as I am a one woman operation :)
Until next time...
What's your number one goal right now? Is there anything you do differently when goal setting that works for you? I'd love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments or on social media (@elizabethturn on instagram and twitter and Plant Based Bride on Facebook)!
Don't forget to subscribe to the Plant Based Bride newsletter so that you never miss a post and get your FREE goal setting printable pack made by yours truly!
