Dark Horse Espresso (Spadina) – Dark Horse Espresso Bar, Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Cafe Toronto Restaurants

Coffee from Dark Horse Espresso Bar (via toronto.com)

Dark Horse Espresso (Spadina) – Dark Horse Espresson Bar, Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Cafe Toronto Restaurants

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Darkhorse Interior (via torontoist.com)

Dark Horse Lower Level South Table (via joeydevilla.com)

The Big Question: Wedding Gifts

You have just been invited to your seventh wedding of the year and you are balking under the pressure to give a gift. 

Is there a reliable sum or philosophy that will give you an answer to the question, how much is appropriate to give for a wedding gift?  Sadly the answer is NO, but I have a couple ideas that may give you some peace of mind.

(photo from giggling gertie)

An article was published today in the Toronto Star titled “We asked you answered on wedding gifts” which surveyed Torontonians regarding what people deemed as an appropriate wedding gift dollar value.  The upside is that there seems to be a consensus among the “acquaintance-wedding” gift: $50. 

However one might also subscribe to the philosophy, gift within your means, a philosophy I tend to agree with.  Similalry,there is the traditional notion, to gift the dollar value of the head cost per plate but if you have never planned an event a) how do you know what the cost is? b) the cost depends on the venue, caterer, seasonality of food (and the list goes on) this is not sound means to estimate value c) this is a very utilitarian way of looking at a gift and takes all specialness out of the act. 

I think the best way to make a decision is look at your relationship to the couple and give what you feel is appropriate based on your current financial system.   If you want to do something that doesn’t display a dollar value like writing a cheque, there is always the option to give a present- either off the couple’s registry if there are still items left, or be creative (wine delivered, flowers delivered, charitable donation). 

The moral of the story is that an industry standard could never be developed for  your junior high school best friend’s wedding who is more like an acquaintance than a good friend but you have history and your parents are friends? If you can follow the complexity of that relationship train, you know what I’m talking about. 

Gift within your means so you are not ruminating about it all night.

Cupcakecamp Toronto

Where were my super sleuth online detective skills on this one?  I missed cupcakecamp Toronto this past weekend, only to find out about it on blog, cupcakes take the cake and then later in the National Post newspaper article today!  

For those of you who don’t know what cupcakecamp is, the event supposedly has its roots in San Francisco and a Toronto baking enthusiast decided to import the one day festival dedicated to all things cupcakes in the city.  From the pictures online, it looks like the event was a success.

Maybe next year!

Here are some pictures:

cupcakes from cupcake camp TO (from National Post)

Cat Chen's Raspberry Rapture Cupcake (from Cupcakes Takes the Cake)