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.
In the form of a boutonniere, that is! I’m a fan of simple ones with green hypericum berries for our ring bearers, because you know they are going to destroy them by the end of the night, anyway!
Next up, the groomsmen. We’ll be keeping it simple for them too, adding in a few button mums (possibly in purple, green, or a mix) to add some color. Nothing too elaborate, just something to dress us their collars a little.
Mrs. Glitter, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 27, Research Consultant/WriterFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, AccountingEngagement Date: May 6, 2007Wedding Date: June, 2009Venue: Millenium Biltmore HotelAbout Me: I was born and raised in West Los Angeles, California. I spent eight years in the Northeast working and completing my education. Having split time between two sides of the country has given me a true appreciation for both coasts. It has also provided an overabundance of cross country drives, flights and long distance relationship fun/misery! I love my family, my doggy Emma, fabulous wine, Anthropologie, politics, reading, being outdoors, exploring new cities, and good movies! My fiance and I are complete opposites, but somehow we have managed to fall completely and hopelessly in love.
My mom and I have been on a few excursions to local malls to find a “Mother of the Bride” dress. We hit a wall pretty quickly. The selection was mostly limited to two types. Mama Glitter was either (a) a 15-year-old going to her high school prom, complete with spaghetti straps and a bubble skirt above her knees, or (b) an 85-year-old in an ugly jacket with a matching dress combo. We were both shocked at the lack of choices. We’ve tried Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Calvin Klein, and a few others. We both kept deferring to little black dresses. But I was told a long time ago that moms shouldn’t sport black at the wedding. (Supposedly it means they disapprove of the wedding/marriage? Anyone else heard of that?)
Mama Glitter’s criteria for her dress:
Tasteful
Covers the arms (She’s not interested in baring flesh. Her words, not mine.)
Preferably cocktail length (She’s 5’2″ and thinks she will look even “shorter” in a long gown. Her words, not mine.)
My mom might be a little lady, but she definitely knows what she wants.
We plan on going dress shopping again this Friday, and will hit up Nordstrom this time. I am thinking good thoughts; especially after spotting these options on Nordstrom.com. Read more…
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.
I’ve had a few (!) makeup trials, mostly at department store makeup counters. Here’s some of what I’ve learned/ suggest to those of you considering DIY bridal makeup:
Contrary to popular opinion, I’d recommend putting on your own makeup before heading to a makeup consultation or trial.Laura may disagree, but I’ve found it helpful to be able to say, “I was thinking about doing my makeup like this. What do you think?” Plus, if you’re looking for one specific product, you can see how it fits in with everything else. The woman helping me with concealer noted that I needed more eyeliner; the sweet girl helping me at Sephora pointed out that I needed more blush.
Wear white. Seriously. You will look different than when wearing a color, and if you change into white from turquoise, you will discover that maybe you need more color.
Ask for advice. “What do you think about my eyeshadow? Should I put it here or here?” People are always willing to offer advice.
Have the consultant do one eye/ cheek/ half of your face, and ask to do the other yourself. How many times have I gotten home and loved it, then failed at recreating it myself? Many. It’s like homework - you don’t know what you don’t know until you try it yourself.
Meet a friend after to get an opinion, but don’t tell them in advance. If you get a, “Whoa, you look GREAT!” you’re on the right track. If you hear, “Hi! What’s with the makeup?” then maybe you’re not on the right track… or it could be that they’re used to seeing you bare-faced in sweats.
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.
Mr. P went to pick up his suit from the shop on Monday. We took pictures of him in it last night! It’s really slim and fitted. Look at how pegged the legs are! He also just got his shirt (that his old Hong Kong tailors made him) in the mail today. He wanted a very slim fitting shirt to go under the coat, with a high spread collar, and thick buttons.
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.
Taking pictures (and more pictures) is what a wedding is all about, so here is part 2 of Strike a Pose! We decided to rent some vintage inspired lamp posts to recreate a park, circa the 1950s.
The result was beautiful pics with an awesome backdrop.
Mrs. Peep Toe, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, Policy AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 36, Olive Oil Production ManagerEngagement Date: December 16, 2007Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: November 26, 2008Venue: Hotel VitaleAbout Me: I am a west coast lady who loves the San Francisco Bay Area. I love living with Mr. Peep and our animals: Huck the Dog and Ferris the Cat. I work to save the environment in San Francisco, while Mr. Peep makes ridiculously delicious Olive Oil. On any day you can find me reading the latest book I have gotten my hands on, eating Swedish Fish, and perusing wedding blogs! We are both champagne drinking foodies on a Bud Light budget. We are planning an eco-chic, intimate, and interfaith San Francisco City wedding.
When I first started blogging, I talked about throwing a green wedding, and how with each decision we’ve asked ourselves: Is it green enough?
I thought it was about time that I check in with that question and spend a few days (or weeks) in honor of Earth Day this month to provide a central source of new and used ways to green your big day!
Let’s start from the very beginning and work our way through the planning process.
While I assume that you are addicted to reading Weddingbee because you are already engaged, you may still be looking for that sparkling engagement ring, or you are looking for a wedding band.
I have four eco-friendly options for you to check out:
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!
No, I didn’t play with your heart, but I did change my mind about my hairpiece. I know, this is my 4th change, but this time it’s going to stick — I already paid for and have received the goods.
Actually, I order more than the goods. I bought hairpieces for my MOH (grey with yellow) and flower girl: Read more…
Weddingbee PROFeature Launched: January 29, 2009About: A roundup of great Weddingbee PRO posts
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
Hi hive! Miss Papaya is indeed our first ever fake bee. Most of you figured it out so quickly! Can’t you just see Mr. Papaya hitting on Miss Papaya while she was lying on the operating table?
A 2,000-guest week-long wedding would be quite amazing though, huh? Talk about an ultra-platinum wedding! The heat of July in Palm Springs would have been something fierce though… the average high there in July is 108 degrees! Yeoooowch!
Happy April Fool’s Day!
Did you play an April Fool’s Day prank on anyone? Or, were you made an April Fool yourself?
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!
When I first got engaged I was doing my daily blog-stalking, and found this great cake on The Ritzy Bee Blog. I just knew it was going to be our cake. I loved the proportions of the different tiers. HOWEVER, I was painfully aware that our budget would never allow for cakes like these. So here was my plan: FAKE CAKES.
Supplies Needed:
[18] 12″ Styrofoam discs at 1″ ea. (9 for each side cake)
[10] 8″ Styrofoam discs at 1″ ea. (middle tier of center cake)
[6] 6″ Styrofoam discs at 1″ ea. (top tier of middle cake)
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.
Mr. Bruschetta and I began to peruse together in October 2006. In one store, we learned about a diamond company, Hearts on Fire, and saw examples of its square-like stone, the Dream.
Anyone else work in the legal industry? Morale just sucks right now. My fiance and I both work in the legal industry where both of our firms have just had massive layoffs. We both, fortunately, were spared. However, I have been uber-paranoid on a daily basis and wondering if all this money we are spending on the wedding is smart.
Has anyone experienced a layoff, salary cut, etc. during wedding planning? How are you coping?
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!
I spoke to my mom yesterday and the news was not so good. My Nana (Dad’s mother) had been pretty ill for a while, but she’s always pulled through. Unfortunately it was getting to the point where she wasn’t going to pull through; she’d been moved to a Hospice and the outlook wasn’t so good.
So not good that my mother said even if I did fly home, I might not even make it back in time to see her. Mr. D and I always say, ” _____ is just a plane ride away,” and that if things were really bad, we’d be able to be where we need to be. I couldn’t believe that I was so out of control; that there was nothing I could really do.
There are so many things I wanted to tell her—how much she meant to me, how she inspired me, how much I loved her. Sometimes my Nana could be tough to get along with, but honestly, it made me love her all the more. She set standards (no matter how absurd they seemed) and she stuck to them. She said what was on her mind, and she didn’t apologize for it. I think those qualities are really rare these days, and I’ll miss her dearly.
I called the hospice so they could hold the phone up and she could hear me, but the people at the hospice didn’t understand what I was asking. The woman just kept telling me that my Nana couldn’t speak and that I should come in if I wanted to speak to her. I gave up trying to explain that I was in England, that I couldn’t make it there, and just called my mother instead. My father called me from her bedside and I was able to tell her how much I loved her, missed her, and wished I could see her to give her a hug. I honestly didn’t think it would be the last time I spoke to her, and I planned on speaking to her the next day. Read more…
Mrs. Shortcake, VancouverAge and Occupation: 24, Marketing Manager/Children's Lit WriterFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Master's Student/Personal TrainerEngagement Date: August 7, 2007Wedding Date: October 2008Blogging Since: Venue: Ceremony in a historic church, tented lawn reception at a golf and country clubAbout Me: 1950's housewife sent to the future, reborn as crafting-obsessed, jill of all trades. I enjoy decorating, writing, baking sweet things, singing show tunes/dancing in public, wearing pearls, and knitting sweaters for my furbaby, Harvey, to chew upon. I heart pink, and believe that sparkles are the new black.
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.
I almost completely forgot to blog about this, what with the chaos of ripping up our front yard to fix the drainage system and trying to get invites out the door.
They’re happy, comfy, and will match my bouquet (um, maybe)… yay! Oh, yea, and ON SALE. For less. than. thirty. bucks. including. tax. Score! I’ll change into them after traversing the path to our ceremony site (which is now lined with gravel courtesy of my man).
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
My sisters
Most of you figured it out so quickly! Can’t you just see Mr. Papaya hitting on Miss Papaya while she was lying on the operating table?
My fiance and I both work in the legal industry where both of our firms have just had massive layoffs. We both, fortunately, were spared. However, I have been uber-paranoid on a daily basis and wondering if all this money we are spending on the wedding is smart. 
