My Wedding Journey - Wedding Planner

I know this blog is more towards food and travel, but since this is once in a lifetime, I think it would be nice for every girl to share their own experiences. After all, you can't go back and re-do it.

We were contemplating whether we should have a wedding planner because it is extra costs added to the wedding. After discussion, because of our busy schedules, it would be very helpful to have a wedding planner to bounce off ideas and help plan the whole thing. Also, everything just seems very overwhelming. I was browsing the Weddingful website, which I recommend bride-to-be should sign up, there were just too many vendors. I have no idea who is actually good and I don't have time to corresponds to each of them. So the wedding planner would be able to let me know from their experiences, which vendors are better and actually helps me narrow down my voices by a lot.

Because we are one of the first couples to get married amongst our friends, we couldn't ask our friends for recommendations. I depended on Weddingful and a friend's connection with two wedding planner potentials. I found Melanie Leung from Keepsake Event on Weddingful and Hasti from La Vista Events through a friend. We bother offered free consultation and to be honest they were both great. Both of them seemed very knowledgeable and very into the wedding industry. They both seemed very enthusiastic as well. At the end, I decided to go with Keepsake because of the cultural background and she has experience with the tea ceremony. Although Hasti hasn't had experience with the tea ceremony, I don't doubt her expertise to do her own research, at the end, I think I just feel more comfortable with someone who has done it just because both of our parents can be very demanding. I would recommend both of them to either of my friends actually.

From:  http://www.keepsakeevents.ca/

From: http://www.lavistaevents.com/

Since I started working with Mel, she has been very organized and quite on top of it. I know she has quite a few couples she is working on at the same time so I don't expect her to reply my email the same day. Her emails are very detailed and offered many suggestions in terms of the venue selection. She listened to what I want in the venue and been able to provided suggestions based on that. At this stage, we have a few venues in mind but we still have to set a time to visit the sites. Because of our messed up schedules, it's very hard to come up with a time where my fiance and I can go.

Just for your information, a wedding planner can range from $2000 - $4000+ depending on what you are looking for. The average I saw was around $2500 - $3000. That is the price for full planning. You can also choose partial planner if you already got some stuff done and need help with a few more things as well as the day of coordination. If not, you can also choose to have the month of wedding planning or the day of wedding coordination. Even if you are not planning to get a wedding planner for the whole planning process, I would highly recommend getting one for the day of to help to take care of inquiries and vendor payments. The last thing you want to do is to stress one of your friends or family member by putting them in charge of this role and they won't be able to enjoy the wedding as much unless they have experience doing stuff like this.

I will update more later on.

Yolk's - Vancouver, BC

The first time I had Yolk's was probably one and half years ago when they only had the food truck. Knowing they have expanded to a store front now, we decided to go back again. The restaurant was definitely was easy to spot with the bright yellow and blue colour. We went on a Monday so there wasn't a lot of people. The restaurant is quite big and and fit a lot of people. If you have been to Red Wagon, Yolk's would be twice the size of Red Wagon. 

I ordered fresh squeezed orange juice which was $4 and Calvin ordered the Chocolate Milk with Calleburt Chocolate. That was one expensive orange juice. 

Since their Egg Sandwich was so popular, that was what I ordered while Calvin ordered their daily special which comes with 2 eggs and sausage with hollandaise. Their hollandaise was decent though it wasn't very well-balanced. 

I ordered the sandwich with their truffle oil infused fries which was super delicious with the spring onions. Though as we ate more, it was starting to taste salty. 

This was my egg sandwich. Considering the price, I was expecting a larger portion but it wasn't enough... The portion was quite small compared to Red Wagon. 

Given their name Yolk's, the best part would have to be the yolk and no doubt it is definitely a runny yolk. The yolk was cooked perfectly. The sandwich itself was pretty good though. The muffin was toasted, the ham went well with the egg yolk. 

If I have a choice between Yolk's and Red Wagon, I would pick Red Wagon. One because they have more choices but two because their portions are bigger. Don't get me wrong, Yolk's is really good but I prefer one over the other.

Miku - Vancouver, BC

After having been to Minami, I didn't really see the need to go to to Miku given they have the same food. I came here because it was one of my girlfriends' birthday and she wanted to come here. I was very pleased that I did. 

First of all, the view was quite amazing. This is a new location for Miku and it is super busy. I don't think you would be able to get a table without reservation. I came late because of work and my girlfriends already ordered some food. 

They actually ordered a lot of food. They ordered the Aburi Sashimi Trio which has 3 types of flamed Seared Sashimi with signature sauces. Each one of the sauces went really well with the sashimi. The salmon had more of a mayo sauce, the one in the middle had more of a wasabi sauce and Tuna had a yuzu sauce.  The sashimi was obviously very fresh. That was a very mouth-watering dish. 

We then had the Miku Roll which had salmon, crab, cucumber, sea urchin, rolled in fish roe with seared MIKU sauce. The sauce was to die for but I feel the sauce overpowered the roll a bit. I couldn't taste the sea urchin one bit. I could taste the salmon, fish roe and the crab though. I could easily finished all of these bite-sized rolls in no time. 

As I was still enjoying the aftertaste of the rolls, the waitress brought over this ginormous plater and I had no idea what this was. I soon found out this was the MIKU waterfront platter which served 3. That was probably why my girls ordered it . This included chef's choice of sashimi, oysters, clams, mussels, jumbo prawns, kaizen poke, scallop ceviche and kale gomae. All for $78 which is a pretty good deal if you ask me. It equates to $26/person for all those seafood. I don't know if you can tell but it was a lot of food. The sashimi, clams, oysters were all super fresh. I didn't like the prawns that much though. It was lacking flavour. I wasn't sure if it was because they sat on top of a bucket of ice for a long time.

The kaizen poke was seasoned with miso and sesame which was good. The scallop was a bit sour with the citrus they added to it although it helped maintain the freshness of the scallop. The scallop was very fresh and full of flavour. Next time I would just ask to have a little bit less lemon.

Lastly, we ended with my favourite sushi, the salmon oshi sushi. This is one of their signature and it's just so so so good. After eating all the food above, I could still eat all the pieces. I really liked that they later the salmon with a piece in the centre. It really brings out the salmon flavour. The fact that the salmon on top was half seared just sealed the deal. The salmon melted in your month, just the right balance between rice, salmon and the sauce. 

I am sure you would know my thoughts on this restaurant by now. I would definitely go back again and bring others to here. Their food is just too awesome. 

Red wagon - Vancouver, B.C.

My mouth is watering while typing this post. Red wagon has become really famous after Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives visited. They are famous for their pulled pork. We went there on Friday morning thinking that there wouldn't be a lineup but we were wrong. We waited probably for 20 mins before we were seated. We were watching people from the outside looking at their yummy food. 

They have all day breakfast as well as other breakfast options. It was just so hard to choose. Since it was lunch time, we could also choose from their lunch menus which include burgers. I decided to get the Trucker because I didn't want to have so much but also wanted to try their buttermilk pancakes. Boyfriend ordered Super Trucker because it came with their famous pulled pork pancake and pork belly. 

I have to say that their food didn't arrive fast. We sat for quite some time before our dishes came but we were so excited when they did.

This is the Trucker with sausage. I have to say I really liked their buttermilk pancakes. They were really fluffy, not dense at all. They were totally different than the ones we made at home. I also really enjoyed their roasted potatoes. They weren't salty at all and we could tell that they were pan fried instead of fried. The seasoning for those were really good with the green onion added. Of course, I didn't expect that much food and had to pack some home.  

We were super excited when boyfriend's dish came. The crispy pork belly looked amazing and it did taste amazing. Who would've thought something salty like pulled pork would go so well with buttermilk pancakes. It was like the perfect combo. I kinda regret not getting that because the pulled pork and pancakes just blended and melted in your mouth. The pork belly had a good distribution of fat and meat and although there was some dryness to it, it made the pork belly more rustic. It was quite delicious.

I would definitely go back again to have the pulled pork, buttermilk pancakes and roasted potatoes. We were so satisfied when we left and it was definitely worth the recognition on Triple Ds. 

Cafe Regalade

We were debating between Cafe Ragalade and Oakwood since they are very close to each other. We ended up choosing Cafe Ragalade because there was a 25 mins wait at Oakwood.

We wanted to look at The brunch menu but we couldn't find it on their website nor at the door. We got seated right away at Cafe Ragalade. The waitress attended to us right away and provided us with a brunch menu, an omelette menu and a regular lunch menu.

Some interesting pig decoration. The place was just quite packed too.

I ordered the Lyon breakfast from the brunch menu ($14) which has 2 soft boiled eggs, pearl onions, mushroom, spinach and bacon bits with red wine sauce along with salad and pan fried potatoes on the sides. 

The red wine sauce was so good. It held everything together. The sauce is very rich and sweet which came from the pearl onions. As a Chinese, I would' e had it with a bowl of rice. Nonetheless, it was still a very delicious dish and I enjoyed it a lot. I couldn't stop eating and finished the whole dish. 

The runny egg yolk

The potatoes is different than the usual pan fried potatoes because it's not greasy or oily. It's also not burnt. The flavour is not very strong with little seasoning of salt and herbs. Because the potatoes flavour wasn't as flavourful, it complimented the red wine sauce very well. 

I was surprise at the salad at first because the vinegrette was quite strong but once I misxed it together, it also complimented the red wine sauce well.

Boyfriend orders the Toulouse breakfast with 2 soft boiled eggs, sausage, bacon, and whit beans and also served with potatoes and salad for $14. Compared the 2 breakfast, I liked the Lyon better all because of the sauce. I liked the bacon of the Toulouse. The bacon is not dry at all. The sausage tasted like ordinary sausage. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this place and the price is reasonable considering its French food. It's simple and honest cooking. There aren't many ingredients and yet you can taste the complex flavours. I would like to come back and try their omelette. 

Nero Waffles - Vancouver, BC

I used to come here a lot before it gotten very popular. The most recent time I went, there was a huge line up. I remember when I went before, it was super easy to get a table. Nonetheless, it's definitely still worth talking about because I do think they have one of the best waffles in town. 

They have waffles combo on menu as well as create your own waffles. There are two types of waffles, Liege or Brussels. Liege is soft and chewy where Brussels is crispier. I prefer Brussels better and as you can see with the pictures below they were all on a Brussels waffle. 

This is the most common Strawberries and cream. 

This is mocha infused cream with ice cream and chocolate sauce. 

This is my favourite, Bresilienne, homemade cream, ice cream, with caramel and nuts. yummm! My mouth is watering from looking at the picture right now. It's just such a nice combination. The waffles are made to order. The warmth of the waffle with the ice cream just makes you can't stop eating it. 

Because the place only has around 4-5 tables, it is hard to get a table unless you come during or before dinner time. How I wish this place is not popular so I don't have to wait for a table but I am very happy that they have become so successful.

Raw Canvas - Vancouver, BC

It was one of my girlfriends' birthday dinner and she wanted to come to Raw Canvas in Yaletown. I wasn't too fond of the idea at the beginning because one, I am not an artistic person and two, I didn't want to have wine and cheese for dinner.

Let me first explain how Raw Canvas works. You start with the tasting plate which is $17. You can pick 3 types of cheese or meats and 3 types of accompaniments which doesn't sound like a lot. Then, after you are finished eating, you go over to the painting area with you wine if you like and start painting. The painting prices depends on the canvas sizes and you can use all the paintbrushes and paint there. 

I picked 2 cheese and a quail & pear terrine (bottom centre). For accompaniments, I picked fig (top centre),  apple thyme confiture( top left) and fire roasted tomatoes (top right). When I started eating it, I changed my mind about coming here. This pretty much got me hooked on wine and cheese. The accompaniments were so good. I especially liked the fig and the confiture. They all came with a basket of mini sliced baguette. You can ask for refills for the sliced baguettes. I first thought I wasn't going to be full from this but as we were eating and chatting, I realized I was getting quite full. 

After we were finished eating, we went to the painting area. Normally, everyone would get their own canvas, but we decided to get a big one to share because I am not artistic and because having your own canvas is quite pricey. I believe the size that we got was $55 and they were nice enough to split the price equally between all of us. 

Overall, I really do enjoy the experience and this will be even more enjoyable for those who enjoy painting. I really enjoy the food they provided and I wish I can go there only for the food. I am not sure if they allow you to but it seems like everyone who ate there did go painting afterwards. 

L'abattoir - Vancouver, BC (Dine Out 2013)

We've been to L'abattoir twice, both times during Dine Out Vancouver. We've committed that we will go every year during Dine Out Vancouver. L'abattoir is one of the restaurants which provides high quality food during Dine Out Vancouver. They are super packed during Dine Out Vancouver season, so if you do not make a reservation, there is no way you would be able to dine here.

The ambient is very relaxed and soothing. The waiters and waitresses there are quite casual.

We love their appetizer bread. It's very different than other restaurants. What I mean is that they put effort it. They provided us with four different kinds of breads and they were all very delicious. Normally, we would not finish the bread provided by the restaurant but with L'abattoir, we always finished. 

I ordered confit of Albacore Tuna, with Lettuce and crispy bits for appetizer. This was a very interesting dish. The white square looked like marshmallow and when we tasted it we had no idea what it was. We had to ask the waiter and it turned out to be egg white. The crispy bits were pretty much like bacon but very delicious. I was so intrigued by the other ingredients on the plate that I didn't pay too much attention to the tuna. The dressing was very refreshing and went well with the dish. It was a very tasty and interesting appetizer. 

Boyfriend ordered Steak Tartare with egg yolk and biscuit for appetizer. He said he liked my salad better. The tartare was done well but he didn't find it to be that different other other steak tartare he had. The biscuit definitely added some crunch and texture to it and made the dish better. 

For my main, I ordered the homemade cavatelli pasta with poached egg, pumpkin, brown butter with sage. The dish is making me salivate as I am typing this. This dish was very yummy. The runny yolk mixed with the pasta that's al-dente. The pumpkin added some sweetness to it and the brown butter just added some extra flavour. At first, I was wondering how this dish would turn out because I don't usually order dishes that are vegetarian on the menu but the description attracted me to try and I am so glad I did. I couldn't finish the dish though because I was full from eating the bread and the appetizer. 

Boyfriend ordered pork schnitzel, cabbage, swiss cheese with mushroom gravy. He was excited about this dish when it came but was disappointed when he started eating it. The sauce itself was good and the flavour was good but it just reminded him so much like a Japanese style pork cutlet. This was not as thick and juicy as the Japanese style pork cutlet that we usually have. 

We were so excited when this dessert came. We saw others beside us ordered it. This was frizzy raspberry lemonade with raspberry frozen yogurt, meyer lemon and basil granita. This was so good and refreshing. We loved the flavours of raspberry, meyer lemon and basil. They all complimented each other very well. Also, the fact that the basil was in a granita form added texture to the dessert and brought it to a whole new level. Did I say this dessert was sooo goood?

Boyfriend ordered the banana poundcake with passionfruit and caramelized white chocolate. Banana poundcake was something we had not tried before. Since we make a lot of banana bread, it was interesting to see how banana pound cake would taste. We liked that it wasn't too sweet and the passionfruit balanced the white chocolate out. This dessert was still really good and there were many components to it but the dessert earlier just set the bar high that made it hard to get excited about this dessert. 

We are definitely coming back again during Dine Out Vancouver Next year or maybe having one of our birthday dinners here. I will keep you guys updated.