30-Day Bride-Things Change Quickly

[ June 17, 2010 ] admin

The 30-Day Bride is Karina Lemke, a Toronto-based florist, wedding planner and TV host who decided on May 13 to tie the knot on July 1. For 30 consecutive days we’re tracking Karina and her fiancé, Mark Breslin (of Yuk Yuk’s fame), as they reveal their trials and tribulations. We’ll have all the juicy details leading up to, and including, their big day.

Things sure can change in a day. Yesterday we told you about Rabbi Barry, who’d be officiating Karina and Mark’s wedding. It was a feel-good story and, in many ways, it seemed like fate that they had all connected. Today, it’s a whole other story.

Surf and Sand Resort

Karina received a general “template” from the rabbi that outlined how the service would progress and, as a distressed Karina puts it, “it’s just not what we had in mind.” Karina is okay with the opening prayers, a definition of the chuppah, and so on, but she has a problem with a few other elements. For example, it’s standard in a Jewish wedding ceremony to mention the loved ones who can’t be there to celebrate (either because of health reasons or because they’ve passed away), but Karina, who’s just dealt with the loss of her aunt, doesn’t want them mentioned. (“It’s not because I don’t love them but because mentioning them would set off the waterworks I knew I’d be fighting off regardless,” she explains.) She’s also not interested in, among other suggestions, having a unity candle to symbolically unite the two families since they’ve already been together for 14 years. “It seems a bit out of place at our age and stage,” Karina says.

So she sent Rabbi Barry her own template, only to have it returned with a note saying that she deserves what she wants and that he’d recommend someone else to officiate the service. Karina was certainly taken aback, yet she’s confident that a face-to-face meeting would have better explained her and Mark’s needs (email can be tricky at times). She sent him another apologizing for sending out her own outline — she hadn’t meant to step on any toes — and asking for another chance.

And so Karina, Mark and Rabbi Barry will meet in person this Sunday, as originally planned, when they’ll finally arrive in L.A.

Photo courtesy of: Jim Kennedy Photographers

Day 30 - 30 -Day Bride Day 29 -The Date Is Set Day 28 -The Location Day 27 - Brace Yourself For The Unexpected Day 24 – The Photographer Day 23- The InvitationsDay 22 – Dance Lessons Day 21 – Dance Lesson #1 Day 20 – Décor Part 1 Day 17 – The Dress Day 16 – Needs Your Help Day 15 – Sort Of Jewish WeddingDay 14 -Things Change Quickly Day 13 – Off to California Day 8- Their Back Day 6- The Cake Is Ordered

30-Day Bride- Needs Your Help!

[ June 15, 2010 ] admin

Karina and Mark need your help. They have sourced two different chuppahs (Jewish wedding canopy) for their wedding and need your help deciding which one to choose.

Chuppah No. 1 is a clear and modern structure that almost disappears into the skyline.

Chuppah No. 1

Chuppah No.2 is a bamboo structure with lightweight fabric that, when outdoors, creates a dramatic sense of movement.

Chuppah No.2

Which one should they get married under? Comment here to cast your vote! Voting open until Friday June 18th.

P.S. Stay tuned for more on the religious elements of this grand affair. “It’s a sort of Jewish wedding,” jokes Karina. (She’s Catholic while Mark is Jewish — they should write a script on this alone!)

30-Day Bride-The Dress

[ June 14, 2010 ] admin

To find a wedding dress in less than 30 days is truly a challenge. Despite the fact that many brides today are opting for shorter engagements, most shops still require six months to process an order (customers can try on samples but then a new dress needs to be made, shipped to Canada and altered). Karina knows the process well but she still decided to test her luck and pay a visit to Rhonda at the Vera Wang Bridal Salon in Yorkville.

Dress fitting

Like most brides-to-be, Karina’s wedding-dress needs are fairly specific. She wants something that’s appropriate for a beach wedding, is easily transportable and, of course, can be finished in just three short weeks. (Karina and Mark leave for California on May 20, and Karina plans to have a dress in the seat next to her on the airplane.)

Because of the time constraints, Karina didn’t think she’d find something at Vera Wang. But, alas, she tried on a few dresses only to experience the much coveted ‘this is the one!’ fashion moment. Rhonda said she could get the dress for Karina but that it wouldn’t arrive in store ’til one week before Karina leaves for California. Of course, Karina’s Type-A personality couldn’t handle the stress of something going wrong and so, after much pleading, she finally convinced Rhonda to sell her the sample that she had tried on (sure beats waiting for an entirely new dress to be made from scratch).

Dress fitting

We stopped in to see the dress after it had been cleaned and it was as good as new. Just to be sure that she had chosen wisely, Karina slipped on another favourite dress and she just knew — she had made the right choice.

So what does this magical wedding gown look like? You didn’t think we’d show you before the wedding, did you? (That would be bad luck!)

Follow the 30-Day Bride to catch a glimpse Karina’s gorgeous gown.