Farewell to Bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon

This evening, my husband and I attended a farewell Mass and reception for our Bishop who was appointed to the position of Archbishop to the Diocese of St. Boniface in Manitoba. It was a beautiful, faith-filled celebration with wonderful music and stirring rituals topped off with a touching message from Bishop Albert LeGatt. The remembrances and ‘musings’ that Bishop Albert shared with us are a reminder that even though he is a man of God, he is still a human being with the same need to belong and be part of a community. As he told us in his homily, when he first came to Saskatoon and he was celebrating Mass at a different parish every Sunday, he was preaching to strangers. Now, when he goes from parish to parish on weekends, he is preaching to friends. How did the scenario change from strangers to friends? I think the reason he went from being a stranger to becoming a beloved spiritual leader is because he opened his heart to the people of the Diocese of Saskatoon and made himself available to all different factions. He attended events, celebrations, conventions, conferences with his flock. He went where he was needed. To put in simple terms: He put a human face on the office of the Bishop. By making himself accessible to his people, he made many friends in a very short period of time. So as Bishop Albert completes his mission here in Saskatoon and prepares to go to St. Boniface, the people of the Diocese of Saskatoon thank him for sharing his heart and his faith. You have been a good and faithful servant to your flock. Adieu, Bishop Albert and God Bless!

Thought for the day…

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.


- Marianne Williamson

Don't Be Crying "I've Got The Wedding Budget Blues"!

My husband and I had an appointment with our accountant today to discuss our businesses and to do some advance planning for next year’s taxes. Discussing money and taxes is generally not the most exciting of conversations. Like anything that tends to be put off, once you “take the bull by the horns” and just do it, it really isn’t as difficult as you might have thought it would be.

When it comes to weddings, having the “money talk” with your fiancé (and your parents, if they have offered to help pay for the wedding) may not be easiest topic to discuss, but it is an important topic to tackle before you start planning your wedding. Make a date to crunch your numbers – and be sure to meet in a spot that is free of distractions. Remember, everyone who plans a wedding needs to have a budget – even movie stars with deep pockets!

Once you have come up with a dollar figure for your wedding budget, you will want to be sure to get the most bang for your buck. If you have a big stash of cash to work with – great! Go all out and have the wedding of your dreams! For those couples who have limited funds to put together their dream wedding, there are plenty of ways to stretch your dollar to maximize your budget.

Never on a Saturday
How set are you on having your wedding on a Saturday? There are only so many Saturdays from June to September so you will be paying premium prices if you want to have your wedding on a summer Saturday. However, if you are willing to have your wedding on not your typical day, you will increase your odds of getting the venue that you really want. Plus, you will also be able to negotiate for a better price – all because you decided not to go with the typical Saturday wedding!

What was your name again?
One of the best ways to reign in the budget is to limit the guest list. Do you really need to invite the children of your second cousin whom you haven’t seen in over fifteen years? It is nice to be thoughtful and include relatives, but seriously! If you haven’t been in touch with your far-flung relatives in eons, it isn’t necessary to have a family reunion at your expense. Save the cost of inviting distant relatives and instead invite those that are in your inner circle of friends. You want to know everyone who attends your special day. You don’t want to be meeting new people for the first time at your wedding!

This is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl
By limiting the number of members in your bridal party, you can save yourself some major coin. Just think about it – each bridesmaid has a bouquet (paid for by the bride and groom), receives a thank you gift (paid by the bride), plus other expenses (like hairstyling, make-up application, etc.). Keep your bridal party to just your nearest and dearest. The savings will add up and you can spend the money you save in other areas, such as your décor.

Go for IMPACT!
If you are working with limited funds, put your money into the element that will create the biggest impact. For instance, adding color to your reception is as easy as selecting colored linens rather than the basic white. The table tops take up a lot of visual space in your room so by adding color with the linens, you are bringing in your wedding colors and creating visual interest as well. Another way to bring color into your reception room is with lighting. Lighting can add drama to your room and will also ensure that décor items such as floral arrangements are highlighted and that they don’t get lost in the dim lighting of the typical reception room.

Let me entertain you!
Music helps to create a mood. There is nothing more awkward than walking into a party as one of the first guests and being greeted by the sounds of silence! Background music signals that yes, indeed, there is a party happening here – please, come in and make yourself comfortable! Select the musical performers that will make your heartstrings sing – at the ceremony, have a classical guitarist or a harpist musically accompany you down the aisle. At your reception, have a pianist play during the dinner. Then, as a cost effective choice, have a DJ play recorded music for the dance. By judicially placing live music at times when the most people will enjoy it, you won’t have to have the musicians playing for as long a period of time to create the same effect.

Help keep your wedding on budget yet fabulous by engaging the expertise of a wedding planner. You can call me at (306) 244-8482 or email me at info@vivaweddingsandevents.com or vivaweddings@hotmail.com and we will work together to create the wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank. Your first meeting with me is free!


Thought for the day…

Don't marry for money. You can borrow it cheaper.

- Scotts Proverb