Mrs. Powder Puff, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 25, Preschool TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Career ServicesEngagement Date: May, 2008Wedding Date: July, 2009Blogging Since: November 12, 2008Venue: Outdoor ceremony, banquet hall receptionAbout Me: I am your typical Midwestern girl attempting to plan a sane, budget-friendly, fun wedding to the man of my dreams. I love shoes, laughing at “Platinum Weddings”, crafts, inspiration boards, candy, and basically anything I can DIY. While weddings can certainly be all-consuming, I honestly can’t wait until the ceremony is over and I can finally call Mr. Powder Puff my husband!
Miss Snapdragon, Chicago/DallasAge and Occupation: 32,Associate ProducerFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Lighting DesignerBlogging Since: November 14, 2008Engagement Date: January 1, 2011Wedding Date: March 2012Venue: Marie GabrielleAbout Me: Voracious reader of short stories, Russian literature, National Geographic and Cosmo. I'm a GENIUS at spicing up Weight Watchers recipes and a pathological cheater at board games. I run a slow marathon, but my feet are learning to move faster. Mornings aren't my thing, but I can night owl with the best of them. Don't tempt me with your Cherry Cokes---I'm trying to quit. Tomorrow. Or never.
“Isn’t it a crying shamethat nothing ever stays the same/I can’t fit into that wedding dress or be 23 again/but you’re looking at me now like you don’t know who I am.
All of the bright colors that live inside of meare now just tiny little pieces of what used to beand it just feels like confetti.”
The lyrics above are from a song called “Confetti” by one of my FAVORITE singer-songwriters, Lori McKenna. Lori’s music is all so heartfelt and deeply personal. She is a mother of five from Stoughton, Massachusetts, and she has quickly risen to be a highly respected writer in the music world. If you’ve never heard of her before, YOU MUST, MUST, MUST check her out. She is amazing.
Anyway, “Confetti” is written from the perspective of a woman reflecting on life after her wedding day. She sings about how different and lost she feels after many years of marriage, and the difficulty of hanging on to individuality and identity while being in a long-term relationship. The song is sad, but a good topic of conversation (in my opinion, anyhow!). Read more…
Mrs. Bee, New YorkAge and Occupation: 29, Weddingbee PublisherFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, InternetEngagement Date: May 7, 2004Wedding Date: March 5, 2005Venue: Westside Loft, New YorkAbout Me: Yes, my name really is Bee! I love my blogging, wikis, and tabasco sauce!
You may have noticed that we have an Announcements Board. This is a board just for anyone who wants to post their engagement or wedding announcement. We’re going to turn it into a regular feature, so we had our lovely artist Irene come up with an icon!
These two are very cute and very similar, but do you have a preference?
PS - If you want us to feature your engagement or wedding announcement, please go here for more details!
Mrs. Meatball, HollywoodAge and Occupation: 30, Actor/Writer/Office MavenFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Actor/WriterEngagement Date: October 7, 2007Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: September 16, 2008Venue: Private Garden/The Bungalow ClubAbout Me: I love melty cheese and diet coke almost as much as I love my man. I'm from Chicago, he's from NYC, and we both miss public transit and great pizza. We have an adorable muppet dog called Paco. I'm part hippie with a healthy dash of hip hop superstar, have excessive empathy for animals, and have not one, but two bionic eyes (long story). We're broke and it ain't no joke. It can't stop us from planning the bold and whimsical wedding of our dreams, but we've had to get pretty creative to make it work, yo!
The lovely and talented Amanda at VintageGlam has just started up her own wedding photography business, Nistor Photo. It’s clear her good taste bleeds over into shooting, as she has an enormously keen eye and some gorgeous shots on her website already!
For a limited time, she’s offering engagement sessions to local LA/OC-area brides for $150! That includes a disc of high-resolution images for you to use any way you please… Guest book? Save the dates? Table numbers? Yes, yes and…
Mrs. D'orsay, Baltimore/Lancaster UKAge and Occupation: 24, nonprofit communications Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Web site developer and designer; co-owner of men's skincare shopEngagement Date: August 10, 2008Wedding Date: August, 2009Venue: Oakland ManorAbout Me: I'm a Maryland raised environmental policy wonk/activist/organizer and communications aficionado. In the past year I've lived in Baltimore, MD, Tucson, AZ, Miami, FL and Lancaster, England. In my not so spare time I enjoy planning trips with Mr. D' Orsay, visiting friends and family and crafting like a mo-fo. I also enjoy modern dance classes, rugby and soccer but have been banned by my mother, MOHs, and Mr. D' Orsay from playing till after the wedding. I have an unnatural addiction to cheese and shoes, but love Mr. D' Orsay more than either and can't wait to become Mrs. D' Orsay!
… are really hard to find. Well, feathered fans are actually easy to find, but the perfect ones I’ve imagined in my head for my girls to rock instead of flower bouquets? Not so much.
I’d like a feathered fan that is ideally 11″x15″, or 15″x15″. Most of the feathered fans I’ve found are larger. They’re about this size:
Those fans are about 29 inches wide, and 15 inches in height. The problem is that I don’t want them so big they obscure the dresses or the waists of the girls. I’ve seen tons of burlesque fans. These are the Sally Rand kinds that come in pairs, their purpose being to cover the body. As you can imagine, those are a bit too big… Read more…
Mrs. Taffy, Ann ArborAge and Occupation: 28, Color and Materials DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Automotive DesignerEngagement Date: May 9, 2008Wedding Date: May 2009Blogging Since: September 14, 2008Venue: University of Michigan UnionAbout Me: I’m a girl who is crazy about Mr. Taffy, sewing, dancing, almost all types of sweets, and our cute pet canaries. I dislike touching fuzzy fabric of any kind, eating somewhat squishy food, and Michigan winters. Mr. Taffy and I are having a blast planning our Ann Arbor wedding, and cannot wait to share our day with friends and family.
That’s right. I am talking about the holy grail of registry items.
Mr. Taffy and I finally began our registry this weekend. We still have a lot of work to do before we are finished, but I am happy with the selections that we have made so far. (Although I must note: a tipsy groom starting a registry online after midnight = a crazy amount of expensive electronics on the list. Do not let the groom drunk dial your registry! Eeep.)
I am writing this post, in part, to see what all the fuss is about over this mixer, and if you ladies think it is as great as the salesperson at Bed Bath & Beyond says it is. I do not currently own a stand mixer, and am not sure if I consider this a necessity. We don’t have very much counter space in our kitchen (although we are renting and won’t be here forever), and I can’t imagine that it is easy to drag out of a cupboard. I think a good hand mixer would be just fine—I usually do any mixing myself until flour is involved, and I like that I can move a hand mixer around the bowl however I like. But maybe I am not paying enough attention, because this mixer seems to be the most coveted item for brides to be! Read more…
Mrs. Piglet, Virginia/OahuAge and Occupation: 28, ConsultantFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Entrepreneur/Fashion Apparel Wholesale ImporterEngagement Date: June 22, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Ceremony at the Lanikuhonua Phase II private estate, reception at a historic hotel in WaikikiAbout Me: I'm an East Coast gal with intense road rage and an addiction to romantic comedies, fast food, gadgets, Korean BBQ, and my wiener dog George aka Georgia May. I carry mustard packets in my purse and I love perusing the aisles at discount stores. A self proclaimed shopaholic, I impulsively buy electronics, software, and craft tools; none of which I know how to use. I'm excited to dust
these babies off and immerse myself in DIY projects galore in
preparation for our DW in paradise!
Being the fickle person that I am, I went through several phases while looking for the dress. Each time I narrowed the dress requirements (e.g., sweetheart neckline, fit-and-flare, strapless, white, etc.), I would find a dress that met all the requirements, yet I was never able to pull the trigger in fear that I was succumbing to another impulsive buy (much like my Filene’s purchases at the running of the brides). The good news is that one requirement stayed constant throughout my dress shopping journey, which really helped narrow down the selection of dresses at the boutiques. I wanted a dress made of silk organza. The fabric is so light, airy, and comfortable, PERFECT for our outdoor ceremony. The two almost-dresses were both by Melissa Sweet and are quite popular amongst the hive.
Contender #1: Melissa Sweet Aurora. This dress fit the bill. I tried it on several times and convinced myself that this was the dress. The one aspect holding me back was the comfort factor. I’m pretty lanky and bony with the exception of my poochy mid-section area. I didn’t want to feel self-conscious throughout the night, so I opted to continue the dress hunt.
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
I’m so inspired by good food… and pretty pictures. Especially pretty pictures of good food. I stumbled upon this gorgeous foodie blog today. The author made strawberry and vanilla bean macarons.
Mrs. Canary, New YorkAge and Occupation: 24, MarketingFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Journalist/EditorEngagement Date: February 16, 2007Wedding Date: July, 2008Blogging Since: October 19, 2007Venue: Pier Sixty, Chelsea PiersAbout Me: I'm a born and raised New Yorker who loves all things crafty and artsy, food (cheese and dessert!), magazines, and shoes. I'm a power shopper always on the lookout for good deals or great quality-- sometimes I'm lucky and I find both! I love to dance and "shake what my momma gave me" but can also really enjoy a quiet night in with Mr. Canary and a good episode of Seinfeld or curl up with a good book.
It’s that time of year again… get out your glue guns and glitter for another year of Valentine’s crafting! This year, to make sure that everyone gets a valentine, we are using Swap-Bot to help coordinate the swap. For all you crazy crafters and swappers out there, Swap-Bot is a great way to collect handmade goodies and share them with other aficionados. It’s easy! Just sign up for an account and join the Weddingbee group. After you are accepted into the group, sign up for the group swap. After the swap deadline, you will receive an email containing the addresses of your swap partners.
Mrs. Meatball, HollywoodAge and Occupation: 30, Actor/Writer/Office MavenFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Actor/WriterEngagement Date: October 7, 2007Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: September 16, 2008Venue: Private Garden/The Bungalow ClubAbout Me: I love melty cheese and diet coke almost as much as I love my man. I'm from Chicago, he's from NYC, and we both miss public transit and great pizza. We have an adorable muppet dog called Paco. I'm part hippie with a healthy dash of hip hop superstar, have excessive empathy for animals, and have not one, but two bionic eyes (long story). We're broke and it ain't no joke. It can't stop us from planning the bold and whimsical wedding of our dreams, but we've had to get pretty creative to make it work, yo!
My sister (and bridesmaid) Kimberly is a whole body wellness guru. She teaches yoga, does massage, structural and craniosacral therapy, and studies Buddhism and meditation. I absolutely love her teaching method, and became a real believer in the power of craniosacral work after she did a powerful session with me last time she was in town.
Om.
I love what my sister does because it really does treat the whole body, including the mind. Feelings I bury deep down in my body finally come out. The stretch and the breath are great ways to release long-held pain, sorrow, anger or whatever emotions you might be holding onto. I wish I could make use of her abilities more, but she lives all the way in Florida. Last time she visited, we had a session that had even more emotional benefits than physical…. it was crazy, like exorcising a really negative feeling from my body, from some deeply rooted place. The release was incredibly powerful, and I stood taller and felt more alive after that than I had in quite some time. It was an intimate bonding experience that I will never forget. She also led Mr. Meatball and I through a really fun practice that included lots of couples postures; we helped each other stretch, used each other for balance and support, and listened to each other’s bodies and breath.
Mrs. Kitten, Austin/Grand CaymanAge and Occupation: 25, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Dental StudentEngagement Date: October 19, 2006Wedding Date: April, 2009Venue: The Grand Old House, Grand CaymanAbout Me: In 2009 I will get married (after a two and a half year engagement!), become an Army wife, graduate from law school, take the bar, move from Austin to Washington, D.C., and start my career as a lawyer! With all this going on, Mr. Kitten and I decided to have a tropical, "stress-free" destination wedding. Nevertheless, my micromanaging, detail-oriented, perfectionist side has prevailed---I am currently obsessed with every last detail of my "stress-free" destination wedding! But most of all, I'm beyond excited to become Mrs. Kitten on a fabulous Caribbean vacation surrounded by my friends and family!
After pushing our wedding back a year, I decided I wouldn’t start looking at dresses until the summer before our wedding. After seeing Melissa Sweet ads in bridal magazines, I knew I wanted to try on a few of her dresses. So, on a weekend trip to Dallas, my friend Bri and I went to the Priscilla of Boston salon. After trying on about 25 dresses, I fell for the Lia dress; it was the one in the magazine ads that drew me to the store.
Lia– I love how simple it is!
However, I did not fall for the price of the Lia dress. It retails for over $3,000–throw in alterations and that was way more than I wanted to spend. So I kept looking. I tried. I tried REALLY hard to find a cheaper dress that I loved. I went to every bridal salon in Austin. And guess what I found? Read more…
Mrs. Powder Puff, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 25, Preschool TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Career ServicesEngagement Date: May, 2008Wedding Date: July, 2009Blogging Since: November 12, 2008Venue: Outdoor ceremony, banquet hall receptionAbout Me: I am your typical Midwestern girl attempting to plan a sane, budget-friendly, fun wedding to the man of my dreams. I love shoes, laughing at “Platinum Weddings”, crafts, inspiration boards, candy, and basically anything I can DIY. While weddings can certainly be all-consuming, I honestly can’t wait until the ceremony is over and I can finally call Mr. Powder Puff my husband!
Mrs. Champagne, DC/Vail/ColoradoAge and Occupation: 26, Eye DoctorFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, AttorneyEngagement Date: March 13, 2006Wedding Date: February 2009Blogging Since: July 30, 2008Venue: Small church ceremony with mountain-view log cabin receptionAbout Me: I'm a small town mountain girl with a city heart. Found my way to the east coast, and Mr. Champagne kept me here so we're planning a wedding from afar in my hometown Vail, Colorado. I'm secretly obsessed with reality TV, Wii games where I can shoot a gun, country music, and Caesar: Dog Whisperer. I also spend time pretending to golf, backseat driving, having one way conversations with our MinPin Maxwell, loving champagne, and wedding perfecting… I mean, planning. I use way too many repeated symbols and letters when I write, and I'll love Mr. Champagne endlessly…
Clever title, huh? Cut me a little slack—with less than a month until the Champ wedding, I’m a little dry in the creativity department. Less than a month…. eek. Anyhoo..
Ever since I saw a picture of a cake with a monogram on it, I knew I had to somehow incorporate a monogram into our design. I asked around, and it seemed like all of the bakers we had to choose from did their monograms freehand, so I searched for some inspirational photos to show to our baker. Read more…
Mrs. Flamingo, Montreal, CanadaAge and Occupation: 25, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Nursing StudentEngagement Date: December 2004Wedding Date: June 21, 2008Venue: Imperia Hotel (modern chic hotel)About Me: I am a passionate designer who loves anything pretty. I heart all paper products (eco-friendly of course). My passion revolves around anything considered glamour; vintage and modern. In my free time, I love reading Martha mags, designing jewelry and making a pit-stop at Starbucks for a chai latte. I'm also a chocoholic at heart and my family drools over my homemade truffles.
I don’t know about you, but I am a fan of wedding related movies. Actually, I have to admit that I’m a girly girl and love all chick flicks. Even though I haven’t seen Bride Wars (don’t worry, it’s on my to-do list), I can never get enough of wedding movies. I saw the trailer for the movie ’The Proposal’, and it looks hilarious. (I am a big fan of Ryan Reynolds - hotness alert!)
The good news is that one requirement stayed constant throughout my dress shopping journey, which really helped narrow down the selection of dresses at the boutiques. I wanted a dress made of silk organza. The fabric is so light, airy, and comfortable, PERFECT for our outdoor ceremony. The two almost-dresses were both by Melissa Sweet and are quite popular amongst the hive.
