Mr. Zombie and I had our engagement photos done yesterday with our photographer Calla Evans. It was cold and I was bundled up in four layers of clothing and a scarf (I was still getting over the throat/flu crappiness), but we had the time of our lives.

Calla was a lot of fun to work with. She made us feel at ease with her right away, which is a real accomplishment since both Mr. Zombie and I were more used to being behind the camera instead of in front of it. She listened to what we wanted and had many excellent suggestions of places to shoot that really reflected our personalities. She was also patient with us when A.D.D. struck at our favourite art gallery/toy store where we took a bulk of the pictures.

When we first met up to discuss her photographing our wedding, Calla had told us that what was great about engagement photos was that it gave the photographer and the couple a chance to build a relationship before the big day. We both completely agree. Granted, we had been friends with her before venturing into this client/vendor relationship, but both Mr. Zombie and I are a lot more comfortable with having Calla as our photographer after this session. We now know that we're going to have a good time and that our photos will show that chemistry.

And now, we wait for the proofs!

Before we started planning this wedding and its related activities I had never really paid much attention to accessories. My grandmother would send dozens of bracelets and hairbands packaged in little organza bags and I would let them collect dust in my parents' bathroom. I have many large acrylic jewelery boxes full of little broaches, jewelery and hair barrettes; I haven't worn a single one. Now that I'm about to have a lot of chances to "fancify" with accessories, I've finally opened my eyes to the beauty of those little knick-knacks. I now know how exciting it is to look through countless of Etsy jewelers for a unique necklace or a handmade ring.  It's almost as if the girly-girl deep inside me has finally awoken.

Lately I have been looking for accessories to wear for our upcoming engagement photoshoot. The criteria is simple: it has to be quirky.  I like things that clash, but still has a certain cuteness to it. Something that is unique. Something that feels like me. 

And so I give you "Miss Zombie's Top Three Engagement Photoshoot Accessories":


#1. A Princess Lasertron Felt Flower Pin. I had mentioned before that I had a total bride crush on Princess Lasertron-- well, I have an artist crush on her too. She is an awesome craftsperson. Just looking at this pin makes me squeal like a little girl with excitement thinking about how cool my wedding bouquet will be. With the vintage button and the handmade look, this just screams "cute and unique" all over it. This particular one I ordered is a combination of pinks and browns, but you can get different styles and colours on her Etsy. Each one is one-of-a-kind!

To add a little bit of spooky-yet-romantic ambiance in the room, Mr. Zombie and I want to have some candles scattered around the space. Here's the rub: our venue is over 100 years old and part of our contract states that we are not allowed to have flames in the building. I'm sure there are many couples out there facing the same dilemma, so I'm going to share with you guys a little something my dad found while perusing the aisles of Costco:


Flameless Tea Lights! They're basically small plastic devices with an LED inside that is powered by a little watch battery. The LEDs even have dimmers on them to give that flickering effect. They are supposed to last up to 60 hours, so there should be no worries concerning tea lights burning out in the middle of your reception. You can now probably find them just about anywhere, but this particular bulk pack of 28 tea lights can be yours for $15.99 CDN. Batteries are included too. Thank you, Costco!

Now, if you're thinking "Ergh. Fake candles? Talk about cheesy!", just put it in one of your votive holders and witness its wonders for yourself.


See? Just like the real thing, minus the fire hazard!

Did you have to go through any obstacles when dealing with decoration choices vs. your venue rules? How did you solve your dilemma?