Things To Do on a Saturday Afternoon in Ottawa

For those attending both the morning events and the evening party, there will be a bit of time to kill between the two. We thought we'd come up with a few fun ideas to help keep you occupied:

• go for a walk or lounge along the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River Parkway or in Andrew Haydon Park (off Carling),
• hit Elgin St. or the Market for a pint or two
• take in a late afternoon performance at the Ottawa Fringe Festival
• break out the suits & the shades & hang at Westboro Beach for a few hours
  
• explore the local shops & cafés in Westboro, Wellington Village and Hintonburg - a few of our favourites: Bridgehead coffee shops (3 locations), Collected Works bookstore, Parkdale Market, Mountain Equipment Co-op & Bushtukah (both outdoorsy stuff), St Vincent de Paul thrift store, Fab Gear 64 & Heavens to Betsy (for the retro dude or diva in you)
• brave the crowds at Ikea, Le Baron or anywhere else for that matter on a Saturday afternoon for a little shopping
• catch some live music at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival,
• catch a late matinée at the Bytowne Cinema (on Rideau St.) or the Mayfair (on Bank), or
  
• go back to your hotel room to chill, sleep & do whatever - we won't ask, we won't judge.
  

Whatever you do, just make sure you keep enough energy to come back and party the night away!

Cake-cutting Party FAQs

What does one wear to a cake-cutting house party? Is it casual? Dressy?
You can wear whatever you want! Some people might feel like spiffing it up a notch for a Saturday night soirée, while others may choose to stay low-key. We'll just be happy to have you here celebrating with us no matter what you're sporting.

Will the bride & groom be wearing their wedding digs?
We will be in our wedding attire for part of the evening. I mean, how often does Dave wear a suit!? And if I'm paying that much for a dress I'm going to wear once I may as well show it off, non? We do however reserve the right to slip into something a little more comfortable as the evening progresses so get there early if you want to see us all dolled up.

It's at 7:30, what kind of food will there be?
It'll be finger foods: probably cold cuts and other canopes, veggies & dip, cheese, bread and bowls of salty treats near the bar. And CAKE! There will be cake! In fact, we'll probably cut into it sometime between 8:30 & 9:00pm so make sure you're there if you want a piece. We make no promises on the availability of cake later in the evening.

Should I bring my own booze (BMOB)?
We'll have beer and wine (red & white), soft drinks, plenty of water and maybe even some punch. If you want hard stuff or a specific brand of beer we suggest that you bring your own.

Do we really have to dance?
Well we obviously won't force you, but don't underestimate a tipsy Stephanie's convincing gaze (read: glare). If she wants you on the dance floor, she usually has a way of making it happen. Oh, and don't forget to submit your favourite dance tunes for the playlist!

TTFN...

~ the Bride

A Place to Stay

Can someone tell us where the past three weeks went?!?

Breathe.

'K.

So some of you might be coming in from out of town for the night. Although there are no special "Steph & Dave" rooms or wings booked at any of these hotels, we wanted to list a few options if you're looking for a place to stay. The first three are close to the wedding hoopla, while the others are located downtown - still only about a 10-minute drive or cab ride away.

Close to wedding hoopla:

• Best Western Macies Right off the 417, a 10-minute drive to downtown Ottawa, about a 5-minute cab ride from our place, CAA 3 diamond rating
  
• Travelodge Ottawa Hotel and Conference Centre Pretty much next door to the Best Western Macies, CAA 3 diamond rating
  
• Embassy West Hotel Conference Centre Pretty much next door to the Travelodge, didn't see a CAA rating, according to their Web site they're in the midst of renovations and some services aren't available so they're offering special rates - you might be able to get a decent deal if you just want a place to crash!

And if you're looking for a more urban experience, there are of course some swankier hotels downtown:

• Delta Ottawa
• ARC The. Hotel (boutique hotel, think hip & swanky, sleek lines & red velvet)
• Minto Suite Hotel
• Lord Elgin Hotel

See y'all soon!