Sunday evening was our wedding tasting with PJ, the event coordinator from Konzelmann. It was in St Catharine’s, about an hour and a half out of town. Normally the prospect of a drive like that makes me go ugh, but maybe because it was for our wedding and is somewhere in Canada I didn’t mind. We arrived at Stone Mill Inn about half an hour early, which was fine. We sat, had a drink, discussed a few wedding things, and then PJ arrived.

As well as a menu tasting we were also tasting the wine. We were taken to an out of the way area, grabbed a table, and the chef started bringing out the food. I think the tasting probably a little bit wasted on Glen and I. We were very glad the food tasted good (because sometime’s it’s just not), but not really knowing what else we could have, or not having any strong preferences either way, we just went with what was given. Glen and I were fine with it but I just imagine all those couples who go to these things and demand changes, from the minute to the huge. I get that they’re paying for it so they should get what they want, but we’re very much at the laid back end of the spectrum.

We started with salads, moved to pasta, then mains and finally desserts. Everything tasted good and we were so stuffed by the end of it that we couldn’t finish our desserts (even though they were yummy). We sampled six wines, made a decision about three of them, and will make a decision about the fourth when we go down for one final meeting on the 19th.

It was very handy having this pre-meeting to discuss things as then we could make a few more definitive decisions about what is and isn’t going to be included. We asked how many people did choreographed dancers as we’ve been feeling the pressure to do one. It was nice to get a response that basically said “don’t bother”. We enthusiastically scrubbed it off the list. No first dance either.

We also changed the times a bit, and added in a tour of the winery and wine tasting for the guests, and took out the cake. We had booked for a late night snack thing of wood-fired pizzas, pastries and fruit PLUS a waffle and crepe station. We then thought the pizzas, pastries and fruit might be a bit much so we’ve taken that off. We’re now considering putting it back in. We’re not sure how hungry people will be two hours after the main meal finishes. What do you think?

We’ve also decided to go down to Niagara Falls the evening before the wedding so we have a good sleep, get the marriage licence, and get dressed without stressing about delays at city hall and on the freeway. It was a bit more organisation to change our bookings, and the bookings of others, but it’ll be better in the long run.

We also discussed a few other things so it’s all swimming along nicely. We left at about 7:30, got home by 9, and was in bed by 10:30, feeling reasonably confident our wedding plans were nearing conclusion. That was until the next morning.

For some reason Glen looked up marriage licencing in Niagara Falls. I’d done it the night before and had started filling out the form. He then read the information a bit better than I had and found a line that said the marriage licence was valid for 90 days. Huh? Why would you only be married for 90 days?

Turns out the marriage licence is only a licence to get married. You then need the ceremony and some legal person signing some papers. Warning bells should have rung when it all appeared to be as easy as going down to city hall and signing a piece of paper and paying some money.

After a phone call to Niagara Falls, we then realised that we had to find a legal officiant to marry us – within three weeks. Glen’s aunt is conducting the ceremony but it’s not legal as she’s only registered in Australia. Now we have to find someone to either marry us before the wedding, or come to the ceremony and watch, then sign the paper. Bloody hell!

Glen and I went down to City Hall to get the marriage licence today. We joined the queue with the people waiting for their marriage licences and liquor licences (same queue, now that’s telling). It took about half an hour to get it so it didn’t long. Now we’ve got to find someone to do the legal side of things. We have so names.

And here I was thinking things were going smoothly. Should have known.

Makes for a funny story though.