Frequently Asked Questions
Pat and I have been engaged for quite some time now. During that time, we've recieved many questions concerning the wedding. To make your lives easier, I have collected the majority of the questions and have posted our answers as well. If there's anything else you're curious or confused about, please don't hesitate to contact one of us. We'd be happy to get back to you :)
Is the wedding still on?
As most of you know, we were all shocked and saddened by the loss of Heather's Mum at the beginning of April. Out of respect for her and her wishes, as well as for our deep love of one another, we've decided to keep the date and move forward with our plans for marriage. The wedding is still definitely on.
When and Where is the wedding?
We will be getting married on June 26th 2010 at 3:30pm. The wedding ceremony, as well as the reception, will be held in the ballroom of the Baldachin Inn in Merrickville. Merrickville is about an hour away from Ottawa, just outside of Smithsfalls.
Why did the wedding date change?
Unfortunately, after sending out our Save the Dates, we have had to change the wedding date. Originally, the wedding was set to be held on September 18th 2010.
As most of you know, my Mum's health was very precarious, and it was under the recommendation of her doctor that we move the wedding ahead so that Mum may enjoy the wedding as much as everyone else. We were very blessed that 90% of our vendors were able to move with us to the new date, including the Baldachin.
Unfortunately, due to complications related to her cancer and treatments, Mum passed away very suddenly at the beginning of April. She made us promise that we would keep the date and move forward with our lives, so Pat and I have decided to continue on with the wedding in honour of her and the support she's shown us.
Is there anything we/I can do to help?
Thank you so much for your generous and kind offer! Due to the difficult situation we find ourselves in with the loss of Heather's Mum, we appreciate any and all offers for help. Weddings are complicated beasts to plan, so if you would like to help out, please send us a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Right now, we're mainly in need of support and love in this hard time.
Do I have to send in the RSVP? Can I just call you instead?
Because we have so many people coming from all over the country, we would very much appreciate it if everyone sends in their RSVPs as soon as they know. If we do not have our final numbers on time, there will not be enough food, tables or chairs for everyone. We want everyone to have the best time that they can, but to ensure that, we need to make sure that all of our Is are dotted and Ts crossed.
If your RSVP has been misplaced, please please call us instead. We'd much rather hear from you than have to guess at who is able to make it and who isn't.
Why hold the wedding in Merrickville?
Pat and I have friends and family that span across the city, the province and even the country. When looking for a venue for our wedding, we have a list of priorities. We wanted the site to have a certain historic atmosphere. We wanted our guests to be able to stay on site if necessary. We wanted the site to be accessible to absolutely everyone and we wanted the freedom to decorate as we wanted. The Baldachin has an elevator if we need it, there are 11 rooms on site and free parking throughout Merrickville. It is a beautiful heritage site.
On top of all of that, I loved the idea of getting married someplace new and interesting, without being too far from home. Merrickville, as a town, is full of so many beautiful galleries and shops. I knew that our guests would love the small town as much as we do.
What should I expect for the ceremony?
As most of you know, Pat and I each come from diverse backgrounds. Our faiths may be different, but we both agree that the ceremony is going to be a beautiful expression of our love for each other, as well as our commitment to our lives together. We will be including some interesting elements that we both feel strongly about, such as the Ring Warming. Otherwise, it will be very similar to your typical wedding ceremony! We have a great officiant, bridesmaids and groomsmen. We have our families and our love for each other.
What is a Ring Warming?
It's an old idea that's been picked up as a new tradition for the new generation of weddings. As each of you enter the ballroom before the ceremony, you will be invited by our Keepers of the Rings, Isaac and Tyler, to touch our wedding bands and do one of the following:
-Pray for our happiness together
-Send your love and support into the rings
-Visualize us together, happy and in love.
-Give us your blessing
The purpose of this is to infuse the rings with all of the warmth, support and love of those who mean the most to us. When we exchange the rings, as a symbol of our eternal love and commitment to each other, we are also sharing in your blessings and carrying them with us always. A marriage may be between two people, however we are also joining each others families and communities and felt that we wanted to recognize and respect that with this ceremony.
What is a Handfasting?
Pat and I have decided to incorporate the Celtic tradition of Handfasting in our wedding ceremony, in honour of our roots.
The term “tying the knot” refers to this custom in which the hands of the Bride and of the Groom are tied together to symbolize the binding of their lives to each other. Historically, the handfasting was performed as a "temporary" marriage or betrothal that lasted for a year and a day. Many small villages did not have a local minister or priest to perform a marriage ceremony, so couples would perform a handfasting which legally bound them until someone of the clergy could perform a ceremony.
How do I get there?
The easiest way to get there, coming from Ottawa, is to get on the ON-416 highway headed south, towards Kemptville.
Take exit 34 towards Kemptville. Merge on to country road 43. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit to stay on the 43.
Stay on the 43 straight into Merrickville. The Baldachin is the large stone building on the corner. The address is 111 St. Lawrence street. There is lots of parking on the road throughout Merrickville. There is no time restrictions on parking in Merrickville, so please do not worry about leaving your car parked on the road over night.
Will you be providing transportation to Merrickville?
Unfortunately, due to our limited budget, we are unable to provide our guests with transportation from Ottawa to Merrickville, or back. We encourage our guests to carpool if possible.
If you are unable to make it, due to a transportation issue, please let us know and we will do our best to help you make arrangements so that you can be there with us.
What if I don't want to drive home after the reception?
We totally understand your concern! We want our guests to be able to enjoy themselves as much as possible. We have reserved 11 rooms at the Baldachin for our guests if you require accommodations. Note: These rooms have since been booked. If those book up, we also have rooms blocked off at the nearby Howard Johnson and Best Western. We do recommend that you check out our list of local Bed and Breakfasts. Merrickville has many beautiful B&Bs, most within walking distance of the Baldachin. Perfect for those who want to party and then get some rest :) Please see our accommodations page for more information.
For those that wish to stay at accommodations a bit further away, such as the HoJo or the Best Western, there is a couple of taxi services that do serve the Merrickville region.
Access Taxi - Smiths Falls - (613) 283-1441
Kemptville Taxi - Kemptville - (613) 258-2500
Aces Taxi - www.acestaxi.com - Kemptville - (613) 258-1010
Are you providing alcohol for your guests?
Because our wedding is a family event for guests of all ages, we will only be providing refreshments during dinner. Red and white house wine will be available with your meal, both from Niagara on the Lake. After the meal, a cash bar will be available for our guests to purchase drinks as they desire.
I want to stay in Merrickville. Do you have any rooms blocked off?
We sure do! We have 11 rooms blocked off at the Baldachin for our guests. If those book up, we highly recommend that our guests look into the many bed and breakfasts of Merrickville. Several are within walking distance of the Inn and provide beautiful and cozy lodgings. We also have 20 rooms blocked at the near by Howard Johnson in Kemptville, right off of the highway. We also have 15 rooms blocked at the Best Western in nearby Smithfalls.
Keep in mind that these rooms need to be booked by May 20th. If they aren't, the rooms will be no longer held for our guests and all discounts originally available to us will no longer be valid. They also will not be able to guarantee rooms, so please book as early as you know.
See our accommodations page for more information and suggestions.
Can I stay at your house or your Mum's place?
Unfortunately, our circumstance is such that Pat and I have limited space in our own home and would appreciate some privacy following the wedding. As for Mum's house, with her recent passing, the house is now owned by the estate and so it cannot be used to house anyone.
Please see our accommodations page if you require a place to stay either before or after the wedding, in Merrickville or Ottawa.
Are children welcome?
Absolutely! Pat and I love children, and would never dream of asking you to leave them at home. If your child requires a meal, please let us know on your RSVP, otherwise one will not be provided.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide child care services for the children in attendance, so we do ask that parents do keep an eye on their little ones throughout the evening.
Can I bring a date/guest?
If we’ve missed someone of major significance to your life, such as a spouse, fiance, long-term partner, or child, please let us know so we can rectify our error! (We know that at least a few kids were missed because we didn’t have their names at the time invitations were sent.) However, we unfortunately do not have enough space for everyone to bring an additional guest. At this time, we would prefer that all guests in attendance be people that we know.
What should I wear?
Our wedding is a semi-formal event, so we do ask that you keep that in mind when choosing an outfit. What is most important to us is that you are there and are comfortable, so please do not let our wedding cause you undue stress. Wear what feels right.
Can I smoke in the building or on site?
The Baldachin is a smoke-free building. This includes the Ballroom, the bathrooms, and all accommodations. You are welcome to smoke outside in the designated areas, including the courtyard.
We do ask that you be aware of children when you smoke.
What do we do during the downtime between the Ceremony and the Reception?
If the weather permits, we invite you to explore Merrickville! If you refer to the programs you will be given the day of the wedding, we have provided you with a map of Merrickville, as well as a list of all shops, galleries and sites to see.
If you would prefer to stay close by, we will have seating available in the courtyard. We do ask that if you wish to smoke that it be done away from the elderly and the children.
If the weather decides to be difficult, you are welcome to visit Harry McLean's Pub downstairs.
What will you be doing during this time?
Probably squeeing in excitement at just having married the man of my dreams! Aside from that, we will be joining the wedding party for pictures throughout the town and at the Rideau locks.
It is also during this time that our collection of professions will be transforming our ceremony space into a beautiful place for us to gather for the reception. It is for this reason that, even if weather is terrible, all guests must vacate the ballroom.
Should I bring a gift? Do you have a registry?
We don't want anyone to feel as though they have to bring us anything. Your support and presence at our wedding is gift enough.
If you insist on bringing something for us, we do have a couple of registries that might make the search easier for you. Currently, we are registered with the Bay and Home Outfitters, to allow for a better selection of styles and prices. Even though we will be living with Heather's Mum for a time, we are hoping to start collecting items for our future home together.
We have also registered with Honeyfund, an online registry for honeymoons. Pat and I would like to go to Jamaica in November 2010, and for those who wish to contribute to that, there are several payment options. For more information, please see our Registry page.
I have allergies or dietary restrictions. Will I be able to eat?
We do ask that if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions that you let us know as soon as possible so that we may make arrangements with our caterers at the Baldachin. We definitely want you to be able to feast with the rest of us and will do everything in our power to make that happen.
I'm a vegetarian/vegan/pescetarian/etc... is there anything that I can eat?
Absolutely! And it's not just salad, I promise! Please let us know about your dietary restrictions and we will make sure that you can enjoy the meal too! There is a vegetarian option available for those who require it. Please let us know on your RSVP if you require a vegetarian or specialized meal.
Should I bring my dancing shoes?
Yes, yes and YES! We encourage dancing, partying and merrymaking! We want you to have the most fun that you can! If there are any songs that you MUST hear, please send us your suggestions! Go to the music page and send it in.
Is Heather changing her name?
I don't know for sure what the plan is yet! I'm definitely taking on the de Gonzague name, but I'm not yet sure about what's happening to Sutherland. We shall see!
Are you guys going on a honeymoon?
We would love to! It will be slightly delayed however, as we are not up for facing the tropics in June. The dream is to go to Jamaica in November. Fingers and toes are crossed! :)
