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!
We’ve already discussed at length our first dance situation. Whilst the mister has complete control over that area of the wedding, I at least get to choose the song for another important dance - the one with me and my dad!
Now, as much as I wish my father could whirl me around the dance floor like this:
I have a large bridal party (8 gals) and two of them live out of state. The bridesmaid that is throwing me my shower asked all the girls to pitch in for the party. One of the girls that lives out of state thinks this is ridiculous, since she is unable to make it, and is making things pretty awkward for my bridesmaid that is throwing me the shower. I’m not too familiar with the proper etiquette for this, so I thought I would ask the hive.
Mrs. Mascara, Chicago/Upper MichiganAge and Occupation: 25, Biomedical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Process EngineerEngagement Date: July 27, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Catholic ceremony, reception at local armoryAbout Me: A lover of Mr. Mascara, crafting, baking, Gossip Girl, diet soda, and all things wedding. A Yooper girl somehow displaced in the Chicago suburbs, planning a wedding from a distance, and counting down the days until I marry my best friend.
Mrs. Cheese, KnoxvilleAge and Occupation: 29, Engineering ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, CAD DesignerEngagement Date: July 31, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: October 16, 2008Venue: Our home and the two acres it sits onAbout Me: I’m an emotional girl who loves sentimental things, parenthetical asides, and trying to do things herself. I can cook, sew, am a whiz at planning, terrible at delegating, and totally in love with my fiancé (who will be my second husband but first love of the rest of my life). For our home/ garden/ DIY wedding, we’ll be moonlighting as interior designers, home improvers, and gardeners with the help of our fabulous friends and neighbors. We can’t wait to be married, and are learning how fun getting married can be.
Mrs. Bruschetta, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 25, Communication ProfessionalFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Physical Therapy Graduate StudentEngagement Date: November 30, 2007Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: St. Thomas of Villanova Church & the F.U.E.L. HouseAbout Me: I’m a self-proclaimed grammar geek who loves singing (like, really belting it) in the car. My mister and I are planning a vibrant summer soiree celebrating our passions – including food and Philly – and when we make it official, we’ll have been together for eight years! Being super competitive is in my nature, and talking excessively is in my genes. I’ve got a terrible sense of direction, but can always easily find my way into Mr. Bruschetta’s arms.
Since a reception location in New Jersey wasn’t on our radar, Mr. Bruschetta and I didn’t think to visit Adventure Aquarium — a quick trip over the bridge from Philly, but a 45-minute drive from our ceremony location.
If we had, I’m still not sure I would have been able to muster up the courage to consider having our reception there.
Mrs. Gloss, Boston/MaineAge and Occupation: 24, Designer/soon-to-be ArchitectFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Systems EngineerEngagement Date: May 23, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: SS Katahdin/Lakeside TentAbout Me: I don't like nickels or the skin that forms on pudding when it's in the fridge for too long. I couldn't live without Pantone markers, fountain soda (3/4 diet, ¼ regular Coke), run-on sentences, or ridiculously oversized sunglasses. I will try to DIY almost anything and am just OCD enough to make most of it work. I am truly excited about having all my family and friends together, becoming Mrs. Gloss, and having amazing photos to prove it!
We finally had a Glossy bridesmaid weekend get-together and I was SO excited to have all my favorite ladies in the same place at the same time. Some ladies are friends from high school and some from college, and they have never met before. So, it was a ’getting to know you, and I hope you all like each other’ experience.
We obviously went to see Bride Wars!! (This was even more appropriate since my MOH had just gotten engaged!) The movie was followed by dinner at Fire & Ice, and then we headed back to my apartment for drinks, wedding-themed movies (License to Wed, Made of Honor, 27 Dresses), and games!! I really love playing games - Apples to Apples, Catch Phrase (electronic - it’s so much more exciting with that beeping for some reason), Balderdash, and of course, the Wii!!
I had so much fun with all the girls and was really happy they could all get to know each other a little before the wedding.
Mrs. Joey, SeattleAge and Occupation: 28, Project Administrator for Public Health NGOFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, High School History TeacherEngagement Date: June 24, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Eastside Catholic Chapel and Lake Union CafeAbout Me: I'm a Seattle girl through and through except for the fact that I don't drink coffee. I love my job most of the time because I get to travel and work with brilliant people who are trying to prevent Malaria. I love DIY projects of all sorts, cooking, and watching sports. I'd wear anything at Anthropologie and could spend all day on Etsy. I love to travel but shouldn't because I always get myself into unbelievable situations!
So, a few readers asked me what I posted on Craigslist to find my awesome photographer and super duper hair/make-up artist.
More or less, this is what I posted:
Wedding Photographer Needed - $300
We’re getting married in August 2009 and are in search of a photographer. We are on a very, very tight budget but hoping to still get beautiful pictures to commemorate our big day. We are looking for at least 4-5 hours of shooting time (300-400 images), 30 pictures edited/touched up, and all images raw and edited on a CD.
This would be a perfect job for a second shooter trying break out on their own or photography student trying to build their portfolio. We have a lot of friends getting married soon, so this would also be a good way to spread the word about your talents.
Please send us a note if you’re interested, listing what services you can provide within our listed budget and a link to some of your work.
Mrs. Sushi, Hershey/HawaiiAge and Occupation: 27, Air Force PhotographerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Laborer/Aspiring Hip Hop ProducerEngagement Date: December 25, 2007Wedding Date: March 2009Blogging Since: October 9, 2006Venue: Byodo-In Temple, Luau ReceptionAbout Me: I’m a notorious people-watcher who loves all things paper, food, traveling, grubbin’ on food, gossip magazines, food, sock monkeys…did I mention food?! Mr. Sushi and I are both haolepinos (half Filipino, half Caucasian) and hope to be able to somehow incorporate our cultures at our destination wedding in Hawaii. All while planning from the sweetest place in earth, Hershey!
It’ll be a while ’til I receive my wondrous wedding photos from Frank, so until then, I thought I could catch you guys up on what’s all been going on up until the wedding, and maybe a lil’ after.
Four days before we caught our plane for Hawaii, Mr. Sushi’s mom threw me… I mean us, a shower. It was a surprise shower, and unfortunately I wasn’t prepared with a camera; the few photos I have, I received from friends. I don’t have photos of the 25+ guests that were able to squeeze into her home and I don’t have photos of the AMAZING Filipino food that MIL Sushi and all her friends spent 3 days prepping and cooking. It was a good ol’ fashioned shower, with presents, family, friends, and food.
I walked in, and MIL Sushi’s house was jam packed with people. Apparently, we were a lil’ late getting there. Not my fault!
Mrs. Dumpling, Las VegasAge and Occupation: 27, FinanceFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Real EstateEngagement Date: March, 2008Wedding Date: March, 2009Blogging Since: August 26, 2008Venue: Catholic church ceremony & golf course receptionAbout Me: I grew up in the Deep South, and while most people say I have a thick southern accent, I tend to think it only comes out when I need to use it. Living in Las Vegas has definitely been an adventure and Mr. Dumpling and I are loving every minute of it! We are planning a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony and a reception with lots of DIY! We might even get Elvis to show up! I'm a HUGE Beatles fan, love The Office and can't wait to become a Mrs.!
So, The Cohens sent me almost 500 pictures of just me getting my makeup done, putting on my dress and our “first look”. It was so hard going through them all because they were all SO FLIPPING FANTASTIC. Each and every picture was awesome. Kenny and Josh basically locked themselves into their photo lab and had this first set of pictures to us 4 days after our wedding. I mean, if that’s not the sign of an amazing photography team, I don’t know what is.
Our wedding was everything I wanted it to be, and so much more. Everything from the decorations to the food to the flowers… seeing family and friends… getting to marry my absolute best friend… I can’t even describe it, but I’ll try….
The day started off with getting our hair done by Danielle of Sola Salon and Spa. She worked her magic on my stick-straight-hair and made it stay in curls all day. Thanks, Danielle! We don’t have any pictures of that because I have a strict “no pictures before I’ve had food and/or makeup” policy. So, our hair was done and we started eating yummy cupcakes from The Cupcakery, brought over by my DOC, Liane. More on her later.
Mrs. Cowboy Boot, Santa FeAge and Occupation: 25, Magazine EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Artist and Whitewater Rafting GuideEngagement Date: April 28th, 2008Wedding Date: October 2009Venue: Devil's Thumb Ranch, ColoradoAbout Me: I grew up in Los Angeles and have since lived in San Diego, Boston, Italy, Hawaii, New York City, and Santa Fe. I speak Italian and love pasta. My real passion is the outdoors, though. When I'm not at work, I'm snowboarding, hiking with my two dogs, mountain biking, surfing, cross-country-skiing, or boating New Mexico's rivers. Despite my boyish love for adventure, I'm a girly-girl at heart and am overly-excited to pull off the romantic, vintage-inspired, country wedding of my dreams.
We are still figuring out our color scheme. I’m sort of basing it around which bridesmaid dress I go with, since I’m having trouble deciding! More on that later. In my search for the right colors, I’ve used quite a few tools around the internet. I want colors that are soft, romantic, girly, that will go well with the barn and the season (yellow Aspens), aren’t too reminiscent of Thanksgiving, and sit well with Mr. Cowboy Boot.
This picture has been a huge source of my drooling (that’s a saying). Peach, coral, gold, pink, and dusty rose. It looks soooo beautiful with this redhead, but I’m not sure our coloring is exactly the same.
But as soon as I mentioned pinks and roses to Mr. CB, he immediately shied away from such feminine details. So, I started thinking about us (and what Mr. CB wouldn’t say no to) and I started visualizing colors based on natural elements: slate from river rock, emerald like lake water, white like flowers, tan like sand, leafy green like trees.
This weekend is your last chance to enter for a chance to win up to 5 bridesmaid dresses or a rehearsal dinner dress from Kathlin Argiro! Read all the details on how to enter your inspiration or Polyvore board here!
This inspiration board submitted by Katie just screamed spring!
This one is called “Going Green.” Going green seems to be all the rage these days and what a perfect color palette for a spring or summer wedding. Green is the color of life, and it symbolizes harmony and well being. What great feelings to evoke during a wedding. The Kathlin Argiro “Ballerina” dress in the seersucker fabric would be a great way to keep your bridesmaids cool during an outdoor ceremony.
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.
As part of spring cleaning, and just a new found motivation to get in shape and be more active, I decided to get on the bandwagon and do the Blueprint Cleanse. To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of cleanses or fasts. I’ve witnessed a few of my friends on the Master Cleanse– the maple syrup concoction did not seem at all appetizing to me. But after some thorough research and reading the info-packed Blueprint Cleanse site, I decided to give it a shot. What sold me was that the program was not about fasting, but more about replacing solid food with fresh and unpasteurized juices to detox your system.
Mrs. Mascara, Chicago/Upper MichiganAge and Occupation: 25, Biomedical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Process EngineerEngagement Date: July 27, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Catholic ceremony, reception at local armoryAbout Me: A lover of Mr. Mascara, crafting, baking, Gossip Girl, diet soda, and all things wedding. A Yooper girl somehow displaced in the Chicago suburbs, planning a wedding from a distance, and counting down the days until I marry my best friend.
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!
I first discovered Felix Doolittle’s charming stationery line years ago, and finally got around to ordering some of my very own. My new address labels arrived in this adorable packaging…
There are tons of motifs to choose from, all equally adorable. Read more…
Not my fault!
Image from here
