We call him GiGi (Girly Groom). Yes that’s what I have, a man that used to be a chef and now is in the IT World. A planner and perfectionist, he is obsessed with assisting with this wedding and it all started with a little addiction called ‘Rich Bride Poor Bride’. Now I have been on the show a few times which makes this really funny, especially when he found out that I knew Angelique Sobschak (one of the planners featured on the show). Not only did I know her but she’s a friend as well. She is his favorite wedding planner so he taped every episode for me to see. I came home night after night to an hour or two of, as he calls it RBPB. One night he was so excited to show me a couple where the girl gave her honey a car for a wedding present. I said “do you realize that that is the show that I am on? You do know what I do for a living, right, and I do this every day of my life? I know almost everything and everyone in this industry after 25 years.” I realized that a call to my good friend Angelique would not go amiss after all, between me and Angelique, it should make for smooth sailing (you know the old saying – two against one he, he). She is so great and so professional that once we met with her she actually took a deep breath and pointed out that I may need to compromise a little which took me back. Jeff fell in love more with Angelique than with me at the time once I was overruled. The sign of a great planner, she took control AND with two control freaks in the same room she reeled me right in and ladies, I was shocked because I am a little bit of a control freak, OK I said it! There you have it now, we have a crazy, wacko, control freak bride named Kim who’s the designer of Valencienne who cannot make a decision and basically is a babbling idiot TODA Y.

Tomorrow is another day because the cars and cakes has been ordered; there really is no order girls just get the job done, make a list and just start crossing them OFF. Wait until you hear about my cake and the jewels we are making for it….

The ‘Where’ well, Niagara on the lake at the Pillar and Post. It is part of the vintage hotels chain, its quaint and lovely; it is just perfect because Jeff and I met in Niagara on the lake 15 years ago. Now girls, how is this for crazy, he walked into my shop on October 10 2008 after a parting that lasted over 13 years and asked me to get married,  YES  It’s true, he opened my door and professed his love to me! I am never speechless but this pretty well shut me up. He said, “Please answer” and after a pause I answered “can I have a date”. He told me that we had already gone out for three years and I said yeah, 13 YEARS AGO. Well he agreed to court me for a few weeks and has spoiled me rotten ever since and so here we are. Now although this blog is about the designer stuff, I have got to be a little girly for a moment longer and tell you about how he proposed. He bought a poetry book, a small hard covered little book, entitled “Poetry to make you smile”. On the inside he wrote on the first page “Will you marry me” and as I turned the page there was a small carved out little hole where I saw the ring.

I have heard a million stories about the proposal in my business but of course I think mine is the best and most unique (You be the judge and tell me your comments below). Over the years I have always heard ‘He gave me the ring and I started to cry’ and I would always think oh my god I would never do that ….WRONG! I was blubbering like a schoolgirl and I now have the bridal bug!

Back to biz, we booked St Marks Anglican Church. It’s an old church with loads of caricature stone walls, ivy growing up the side. It is picture perfect, very English looking. We had our first meeting with the priest but when I started to ask about his robes for the wedding day, what color it would be and IF I COULD EMBELLISH THE ROBE WITH SOME EMBROIDERY, it sent Jeff into a tail spin, How very funny I thought, what’s the problem? The designer in me just thought we could match the colors of the wedding with what he was wearing…..apparently that was pushing the envelope  …….have I turned into a wacko bride? I thought it was a great idea, almost as great as one of my clients’ mothers, a number of years ago, asking me to cut off the lace appliqué of another brides dress THAT WAS FINISHED and put them on her daughters dress! Oh she said that after the wedding she would return them –(lol) we are all NUTS!!!!!!!

Ladies, we must have this gene dormant within all of us and then POW; The Ring goes on our finger and we start doing, asking and saying crazy things. It’s quite funny, maybe not for the people involved like parents and the venders however, they have to understand this is just temporary insanity and we will return to normal ……the day after the wedding…HOPEFULLY!

I have been asked to write about my story by many people and although, I think my story is worthy of a book deal, I just find that my time management skills are a little questionable. I would not want to have a following and then let people down so here is my commitment to all reading.

I will do my very best to post every few weeks and if it becomes a little crazy at work because I am designing gowns and running a busy bridal shop and cannot post, please understand because ….well, how can I explain ………My customers are ……….well they are YOU and nobody other than you could really understand how exceptionally important your gowns are.

Nobody, other than you, realizes how much effort went into your choice. You have labored over thousands of bridal books, spent weekends going from store to store, sat staring into space dreaming about that perfect dress. Oh and let’s not forget the world wide web and just when you thought it could not possibly get any more confusing you can now check out the styles in Abu Dhabi because nothing local is going to work for you. Well girls, cut yourself some slack, I have designed gowns for 25 years, I have made gowns for stars such as Whoopi Goldberg, Elizabeth Hurley, Suzanne Summers and many others. My gowns have been featured on TV and in magazines. I have made gowns for figure skaters, Saudi Arabian princesses, Heads of state and being Canadian and a big hockey fan, I have had the privilege of designing gowns for the wives of Coffey, Gilmore, Eiserman and Children’s wear for The Great one, Wayne Gretzky.

In my 25 years of business I would say I have made approximately 14,000 gowns and now I, Miss Valencienne, the lady who can create anything, is stumped, confused, bewildered, freaked out, stressed out and exasperated about my wedding gown. I am ready to just bejewel an old pair of jeans, add a French cuffed shirt and hail a cab to city hall.
How is this possible, I am not sure? I love my brides, well all brides in general and they are all taking such an interest in my wedding – The gown, the flowers, the colours, the theme, the venue, the décor and entertainment ….blah blah blah.

I thought it would be a kick to create this blog and hopefully get inspired myself. I could introduce you to some of my fantastic venders that are the best in the biz and have become my friends and just maybe on October 10 of 2010 with a little help from her friends, Kim will be wearing something other than blinged out jeans and perhaps her guests will enjoy a great event. After all, we all want to look spectacular and throw the party of the year. We all want our wedding to be better than everyone else’s and although that can never totally come true, it should be individual and reflect our personal styles so here goes four months of the journey.
Next blog, catching you up on what’s booked and what’s not and… my fabric arrived from Italy………yea!