Miss Spaniel, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 28, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, PsychologistWedding Date: March 2010Venue: Calamigos RanchAbout Me: I'm a third-year law student trying to balance graduating with starting my career, keeping up a relationship, and, oh yeah, planning an Old World, multi-cultural, "mountain lodge" wedding for 180 guests! A South Asian Jewish girl getting ready to marry my handsome Catholic Dane, I'm hoping to blend our cultures in our wedding just a bit more gently than by providing samosas as appetizers and offering æbleskiver for dessert. (Although that would also be awesome.)
In fact, in (one of) my dream wedding(s), dessert is actually a scoop or two of gelato. But Mr. Spaniel loves him some cake (and really, I think, so do most people), and it is a wedding, so I put on my research hat (what? I like hats) and looked for inspiration!
I got the idea pretty early on that I wanted a mehndi-styled cake, and there was no shortage of beautiful inspiration! Read more…
Ms. Potato Chips, Boston/Narragansett RIAge and Occupation: 29, PhD StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Personal Trainer/Business Owner/Physical Therapy AssistantEngagement Date: January 1, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Narragansett TowersAbout Me: A semi-professional bookworm, if I could be a literary character I’d be a cross between Jo March and Jane Eyre, only better accessorized and much lazier. My hobbies include sleeping in, seasonal brews, running, Trader Joe’s, and watching Unwrapped and Good Eats with Mr. Potato Chips. I harbor an irrational fear of tulle, crafts, things that are fussy, and overuse of the phrase "Your Special Day". After a year or seven together, down the aisle we go, slouching toward adulthood and planning a Rhodie party with equal parts whimsy, cheer, and pizza.
Full disclosure: I have unrealistic expectations for a honeymoon. Yes, it is true. I have a glossy-magazine, idealized, Brady-Bunched, Hollywed, Sweet-Valley-Highed, milked-and-honeyed version of ~THE HONEYMOON~ somehow lasered into my brain, and I can’t get rid of it.
In my bubble of a world, honeymoons are a time of splendor and serendipity. No one loses their wallet or forgets to pack a toothbrush. There are no sunburns, no hangovers, no bumping of flights or overbooking of rooms. No transportation or logistical issues, no There’s-no-vegetarian-option/guess-it’s-bread-for-dinner, no seaweed or jellyfish or I-think-I-have-a-cold-coming-ons. In other words, no reality. Is that too much to ask for? A little bit? Are you sure?
Instead, I imagine a suitcase packed by the editors of InStyle with floaty dresses, sarongs, Nicole-Richie-sized sunglasses, and a big straw hat.
Mrs. Mouse, AustinAge and Occupation: 25, AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Civil EngineerEngagement Date: December 19, 2007Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Barr MansionAbout Me: I just graduated from law school and will be taking the bar, getting married, going on a honeymoon with my guy, and then trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the rest of my life. I was born and raised in a small East Texas town, but I'm no country girl! I'm obsessed with British accents, fantasy (including Harry Potter, of course), and classic rock. My fiance and I consider ourselves both music and beer snobs--but every once in awhile we love to hear a crappy band and drink a cheap brew or two. We're planning an eco-friendly, casual, English garden affair for the end of summer, and we can't wait for it to get here!
Before I reveal the big surprise from our reception dinner, I’d like to take a moment to share with you one of my favorite aspects of our wedding: the dinner music. The Dude and I had a very strong vision for what we wanted our guests to hear as they munched down on the yummy organic food, and it wasn’t your typical wedding music. No Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra, or Motown in sight (not that we don’t chill to some Marvin Gaye or Al Green when the time is right). Instead, we wanted music that set a dreamy mood. For us, that meant fuzzy guitars, minor keys, shoegaze, local artists, indie bands, and a few unexpected classics. We didn’t pay attention to lyrics—at all.
I’d love to share the whole playlist with you guys at this time, as it’s something I’m very proud of.
Miss Pug, New York City/Half Moon Bay, CAAge and Occupation: 33, LawyerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, dittoEngagement Date: July 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon BayAbout Me: The Mr. and I are two 30-somethings who enjoy tasty sweets of all kinds, our neighborhood wine store, and cuddling with our pug. NYC is where we live and the city we love, but we’re doing the deed out in Northern California. We are trying to keep the affair small, intimate, and manageable. Our motto is: the less people, the better! (I’m kidding.)
Different families have certain activities/traditions that they enjoy together, and my family likes… to drink together (moderately, of course)! Our motto is: The family that drinks together, stays together!*
I know, it’s not very active or creative, but we really do enjoy a nice cocktail/bubbly/munchie hour before sitting down to a big homemade dinner (courtesy of my sister and her kitchen b#tch (me)).
Family time for us is filled with scenes like this:
(my brother in law, becoming a true member of the family)
Miss Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, Psych Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Psych Grad StudentEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
A reason to want rain? Well, most people want sunny days and blue skies. And others who are obsessed with pictures (guilty as charged) want cool pictures with umbrellas. I totally understand the hassle and tension that having a rainy day might bring, but I think this set of pictures should ease your concerns a little. You can make the most of your day, regardless of the weather. You may miss the sunny pictures, but you’ll covet these rainy day pictures that sunny day brides cannot have.
Miss Pretzel, SeattleAge and Occupation: 32 Learning, Training, and Development SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 28 Manufacturing EngineerEngagement Date: September 2, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catholic Church & The Engine Room at Georgetown StudiosAbout Me: I’m just a thirty-something girl who never dreamed of weddings, poofy dresses, or ritzy receptions. I am a rabid knitter, except recently, wedding projects have replaced my yarn and needles. I’ve been fiercely independent since the age of 2 and 30 years later I think my family and friends had given up on me settling down and getting married.
Ironically, I had to go all the way to Seattle to find a boy from Purdue. We fell in love over Seattle Beers and cooking together. I love NASCAR, he loves Legos. I can talk like a Muppet and he can fit a whole McDonald’s cheeseburger in his mouth. We are a two reception couple, currently planning a brewery inspired bash.
When I started to pull together my vision of our centerpieces I had three distinct elements in mind. It took a little time for these to gel into an integrated idea.
Like Miss Pencils, I’ve got a hankering to use ribbon on our tables. I blame credit Martha in all her wonderfulness. I saw this image in Martha Stewart Weddings and knew I must create a lattice out of ribbon. Thanks, Martha.
Miss Poodle, Santiago, Chile/San Bernardino, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Industrial & Web DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Firefighter & Mountain PatrolEngagement Date: February 25, 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Mr. P's Grandparents’ RanchAbout Me: I’m a Chilean girl who's crazy about nature and swimming. I enjoy carving, drawing, reading and sewing; I drool over computers, fabric, pretty paper, purple and patterns. To me, chocolate should be one of the seven wonders, right next to lemon pie. I never thought an exchange work experience program was going to change my life forever, but while working in California, I met Mr. Poodle, and ever since my days are better and brighter. We are two goofy souls that, after finding each other, couldn’t help but want to be together forever. It has being a long and sometimes hard road, since we have to deal with such a long distance between us, but we are now facing the last stage of our Fiancé Visa, and soon we will be together. You know the best part? We will be married! So I’ll be blogging from Chile until just a few months before our “green and purple” wedding.
So I already gave you all a small sneak peek of our invitations (the envelopes) and how we finally got to transform brochures into our booklet Invitations. I also shared how hard it was to let them go, because it was a TRUE labor of love, and took LOTS of hours of work.
And finally, the time has come! Let me introduce you to the Poodles’ invitations! ♥
(click on images to enlarge)
Here you can see the envelope and the front and back of the invitation (each envelope only has one; I put both of them there just so I could show it all together).
Miss Snow, Madison, WI/Asheville, NCAge and Occupation: 28, PhD student
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Graphic DesignerEngagement Date: August 5, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Claxton FarmAbout Me: I am true Southern gal displaced in the beautiful and blustery midwest. A true theatre geek at heart, I love any kind of performance and spend most of my time researching old productions in dank library archives. When not in the library, I love music (punk rock, bluegrass, and everything in between), design in all forms, any reality TV show on Bravo (especially those that feature housewives or sharp knives), beer and wine from Oregon, and exploring the outdoors. My fiance and I are true best friends, and he inspires me every day. After a long and happy dating relationship, we’ve decided to tie the knot in the mountains of North Carolina, our home state. We’re planning a long-distance, largely-DIY, eco-conscious hip farm affair that celebrates family, friends, and love.
This resort is located in Rivera Maya and boasts “Endless Privileges”. Read more…
Miss Sewing, San Mateo, CA/Honolulu, HIAge and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: June 27, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Anela Garden Chapel & Japanese Cultural Center, HonoluluAbout Me: I'm an easily entertained, compulsive idea-scheming machine who loves good art, good food, and a good engineering challenge. I'm planning a half-destination wedding on the beautiful island of Oahu - imagine a plethora of movies, art and games; savory Hawaiian food; blended Chinese and Japanese cultural details; lush, fragrant tropical flowers and all the air conditioning a NorCal native could want! And once I marry the love of my life, we'll come back to the 'mainland' to party it up all over again in my hometown of Salinas, the salad-bowl capital of the world!
Last Halloween, Mr. Sew and I had a party in which we donned some steampunk costumes.
My favorite part of the costume (other than swishing around in my bustled wedding dress skirt!) was the pillbox hat. I followed this video on Threadbangers to get the basic shape: Read more…
ClassifiedsFeature Launched: April 30, 2008About: A roundup of the best Weddingbee Classified listings.
