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!
It’s been a roller coaster the past couple of weeks at Casa Meatball. I’ve let you in on my various health issues a bit (the major cause of my broke-assery), and while things have been blissfully quiet on that front for a while, I’ve had a scare that I just can’t shake.
Long story short, each of my eyes is experiencing a different cause for concern at the moment. I won’t bore you with the details, but let’s just say it’s not so yum. While neither of these issues are life-threatening or unmanageable, they just plain suck. I’m under close watch, trying new medication, and under orders to rush in if anything suddenly changes. I feel like a time bomb, ready to go off at any moment, without a hint of warning.
Rocking an eye patch, after emergency glaucoma surgery last June.
The hardest thing to manage about my illness is its unpredictability. Read more…
Mrs. Sunbeam, San Francisco/Grove City, PAAge and Occupation: 26, Grad Student & Office ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Motion DesignerEngagement Date: May 10, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Harbison Chapel & The Maple Lane FarmAbout Me: Mr. Sunbeam and I are high school sweethearts. We both come from a small town in PA but are growing to love the California lifestyle. He loves wine and I love cheese... the perfect combination! When I'm not drooling over wedding blogs, I'm attending grad school, out being a foodie, or attempting to "walk" our cat at the park. Two things guaranteed to excite me are wedding cakes and breaking out my suitcase to travel. Mr. Sunbeam and I are personalizing our hometown wedding to celebrate our high school sweetheart status and PA roots with a few CA touches. After ten years of dating we couldn't be more excited to call each other husband and wife!
I admit I am not great at navigating Etsy. I find it overwhelming with so many different items having the same search tags! Luckily, some folks have it down and post their finds on the many blogs I check. My Etsy bookmarks are virtually bursting, hehe, so it’s time to share my finds! I’m not sure if any of these will show up at our wedding, but virtual window shopping is always fun!
Round 1: (All images are from the Etsy seller’s site unless otherwise noted)
Hair flowers are so in right now, whether it’s with a birdcage veil or without, you see them everywhere. Which also means Twigs & Honey is sooo in right now… do you see how many of these are sold? I’m a fan. I especially like this giant fluffy piece! I think it would be perfect for a winter wedding, don’t you?
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!
That’s right friends, we’re down to single digits.
It’s starting to feel real. My sister (Joey MOH) arrived yesterday and I feel like that was the official start of the wedding countdown. She’s the first of the wedding party/guests to arrive and today FMIL Joey will be here.
I am SO glad Sister Joey is here. For one, because I missed her, and also because she can manage all the last minute details I don’t have the capacity for. For example, where I’m going to stay the night before the wedding, and what is our wedding transportation will be.
I was going to stay at my parents’, but they now have 8 out of town guests staying at their house. That feels like too much madness and not enough hot water for me. Mama Joey is upset that I’m considering not staying there and possibly staying at my apartment the night of the wedding. She says it’s tradition to stay at your parents’ house the night before the wedding, and I say it’s a logistical nightmare. I do not have the energy to fight this out with her so I’m leaving MOH/Sister Joey to figure this out.
Where are you staying the night before the wedding? Did anyone spend it with their FI?
Mrs. Stiletto, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 26, Non-Profit/FundraisingFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Engineer and PhotographerEngagement Date: March 2, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: The 19th Century ClubAbout Me: My fiance and I love living in the city of Chicago with our cats Basil and Linus, and vow to never move to the suburbs if we can possibly avoid it! We’ve poured ourselves into planning a wedding that reflects our personal style - modern and high contrast with a vintage twist. Blogging keeps me creative, baking keeps me happy, and grande nonfat no foam sugar free vanilla lattes keep me sane.
Sister Stiletto is throwing me a big weekend of bridal celebrations on Saturday, starting with a bridal shower in the afternoon and followed by my bachelorette that evening out on the town.
As you might remember, I found two great dresses for this weekend, and both fit perfectly! The dress for the shower is even equipped with pockets, people… double bonus, in my book. Jamming both events into one day may seem like a lot, but with 3 of the 5 Stiletto bridesmaids living out of state (San Diego, New York City and Tampa), I couldn’t ask the girls to come out twice to celebrate on top of traveling here in September for the wedding.
Needless to say, I’ve been in “bridal bootcamp” this week to prepare for the festivities… let’s see what’s been on the agenda:
Any bride-to-be knows that being in good shape is extra important, so I hit the gym extra hard this week.
Mrs. Quiche, Chicago/Montego BayAge and Occupation: 28, Interior DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 42, Telecom GuruEngagement Date: July 2, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: Coyaba Resort, Montego BayAbout Me: I love Chicago and can’t imagine living anywhere else (Well, except Paris. Or anywhere in France, for that matter!). I’m a full-time worker, part-time student, soon-to-be-step-mom, indie music lovin’, architecture and design fanatic, macaroni and cheese addict, vegetarian, Francophile, Ohio State football obsessed, wedding planning girl. Mr. Quiche and I are “Partners-in-Crime” and cannot wait to celebrate our marriage surrounded by our family and closest friends. I plan on DIYing my little heart out (or as much as a suitcase to Jamaica will hold).
Besides little snippets here and there, I’ve never “formally” introduced my dress to the hive! I found my dress on the first (and only!) day of dress shopping, about 14 minutes after we got engaged. Mama & Sister Quiche Nen were in town for the Sheffield Garden Walk weekend & they suggested looking for dresses. I had a few dresses in mind that led us to two random, strip mall bridal stores on the NW side of Chicago (you can see those horrid results here). At the second shop, I ended up throwing on a Watters WToo dress that looked cute on the hanger. Once I had it on, we all instantly fell in love with it! It cost around $700, so we bought it on the spot.
source This image, found after shopping, made me fall in love with my dress all over again!
I love the slim, floaty-ness of the dress. It’s very dainty & feminine, and I love those touches as well. The flowers and leaves (which sounds strange, but look so pretty) in illusion tulle seem to float on the dress. I knew I didn’t want a big, poofy number… so this ended up being perfect for me! Read more…
Mrs. Sprinkle, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 26, Preschool Teacher
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Television Production/WriterEngagement Date: December 24, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: The Marvimon HouseAbout Me: I'm a Bay Area native trying to create a life for myself (and my fiance, and our three cats!) in the vast city of Los Angeles. I love vegan red velvet cupcakes, pilates ,and mid-century furniture. Mr. Sprinkle and I met when my band toured through his city (we bonded over cake and a mutual love of Morrissey) and we are getting married on the four year anniversary of our first date. When I am not teaching preschool (or blogging!) you can find me perfecting recipes, petting kittens, hiking in Griffith Park, and overusing exclamation points. We are planning a vegan, green-as-possible, DIY wedding, and I couldn't be more excited to share all of the details!
Deciding on a photographer for our wedding was an easy decision. We only met with a handful of people, but as soon as we began talking to Jordana we knew she would be the one. I actually found out about her amazing photography skills here on the Weddingbee boards. Jordana also did this amazing shoot with Mrs. Meatball!
Our engagement photos are in, and we couldn’t be happier about how they turned out. They are exactly what we wanted. Our photographer is amazing. Seriously, spectacular! I was so nervous throughout the shoot that I could barely hold myself together, but I don’t think it shows (much). You can go see Jordana’s very nice blog about us with all of the pictures posted. Or, view my favorites below! Enough words:
Mrs. Lemonade, Austin/San AntonioAge and Occupation: 28, BureaucratFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Music ManagementEngagement Date: December 21, 2007Wedding Date: April, 2009Blogging Since: August 22, 2008Venue: Country Club ceremony, ballroom receptionAbout Me: I’m a total wonkette who is lucky enough to be surrounded by her favorite things on a daily basis – awesome music, the great State of Texas and of course, Mr. Lemonade! I find any excuse I can to craft something and am completely infatuated with the 1950’s, all things Kennedy, and my furbaby Vida.
While my father and I spent a few more minutes in the boardroom, the ceremony began to unfold.
Our dear friends and very talented musicians, Mr. Josh Allen and “Sweets” Parcells, had set up their guitars and amps and began strumming their arrangement of an instrumental medley of some of our favorite Beatles songs. Read more…
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.
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!
Oh my gah… When I created our wedding website (several months ago) I thought it might be nice to put a photo up on the landing page. The photo I chose? A picture of ys on a nice, sunny fall day at a wine festival.
Mrs. Labrador Retriever, Athens/SavannahAge and Occupation: 24, Student/Sports ReporterFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Physical Therapy Assistant Student/Future Dr. of PT
Engagement Date: December 31, 2008Wedding Date: November 2009Venue: Whitfield Square/Savannah StationAbout Me: I'm working on my second degree from UGA (Go Dawgs!). I'm a self-proclaimed attention-w****. If it involves a camera, I'm in front of it! You'll never meet a girlier tomboy than me. I can go toe to toe with any guy on the subject of college football, and lift more than any girl in my gym, all without chipping a nail. I hope to someday be the only person you want delivering your sports news. My FI and I are the loving parents of three Labrador Retrievers (one of each color) and are planning a "Southern Romantic Charm" wedding in the beautiful, historic city of Savannah. I'm not extreme in anything except moderation... and wedding planning.
Official disclaimer: I’m no doctor, nutritionist, or personal trainer. Just a regular bride-to-BEE wanting to look smokin’ hot for her wedding day. So what I’m basically trying to say is you should consult your physician before starting any diet or exercise program. I’m just sharing what’s worked for me because it would be selfish not to. It is certainly not to be taken too literally, as my goals are a lot different from the average person. Anal leakage may occur. Okay, I’m joking about that last part.
Don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed after reading this post. It’s normal. Getting in shape is like the training portion of a new job. It just takes some time to get used to it and figure out how to do everything right, but after a while, it’s all second nature! And like any job that’s worth doing, it’s going to be hard and push you to fulfill all of your potential.
First things first: nutrition! In my personal experience, I’ve found that about 90% of my fitness success comes from my diet. Oh yeah, I should clarify the use of “diet” here. My idea of “diets” is someone’s daily eating habits, not the newest fad the celebrities are following. Read more…
Mrs. 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.
I recently saw this cuteeee cake stand posted on Once Wed and I showed it to Mr. Poodle right away. He loved it!! And he actually wants to make one for us, so yaaayy!! I’m checking that off of my list and typing it into his hehe (evil smile).
Mrs. French Bulldog, Orange CountyAge and Occupation: 28, Administrative Assistant & Interior Design StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Purchasing AnalystEngagement Date: November 8, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Bernardo WineryAbout Me: I've lived in Atlanta, Dallas and Laguna Niguel; although I've lived in Orange County, CA most my life, I'm a Southerner at heart. I work full time for a Commercial General Contractor (aka my father) and I go to school for Interior Design at night. I love modern design, music, wine, crafting, DMailing, my family, my Westies, and of course, Mr Frenchie! Mr Frenchie and I met 3 years ago on Match.com and have been best friends ever since. I love his "old soul" and how he laughs with his whole body, among many other things. We are planning our summer wedding at the winery near his hometown, just 45 minutes south of Orange County.
Miss Duckling and I are trying to organize another Orange County bee meet-up before we’re knee deep in last minute wedding madness.
Check out the Orange County board thread here, for more information.
We hope you can make it!
Mrs. Sunbeam, San Francisco/Grove City, PAAge and Occupation: 26, Grad Student & Office ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Motion DesignerEngagement Date: May 10, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Harbison Chapel & The Maple Lane FarmAbout Me: Mr. Sunbeam and I are high school sweethearts. We both come from a small town in PA but are growing to love the California lifestyle. He loves wine and I love cheese... the perfect combination! When I'm not drooling over wedding blogs, I'm attending grad school, out being a foodie, or attempting to "walk" our cat at the park. Two things guaranteed to excite me are wedding cakes and breaking out my suitcase to travel. Mr. Sunbeam and I are personalizing our hometown wedding to celebrate our high school sweetheart status and PA roots with a few CA touches. After ten years of dating we couldn't be more excited to call each other husband and wife!
Some of you have asked us to share our engagement story, and I am happy to oblige! After nearly nine years of dating, the big day had arrived. Here is how Mr. Sunbeam told the story on our personal wedding site, with a few added details by me:
“At the time of our engagement, Miss Sunbeam and I had been dating for almost nine years, so I figured I should try and come up with something pretty special. I wanted the location to be quiet and intimate, but epic and breathtaking at the same time. Read more…
Mrs. Deviled Egg, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 27, Public RelationsFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, AccountingEngagement Date: December 24, 2007Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: October 21, 2008Venue: Historic auditorium and meeting hall in one of Pittsburgh's commuter citiesAbout Me: I am obsessed with all things crafty, especially scrapbooking, knitting, jewelry-making & cake decorating. I also love being an aunt, wrapping presents, watching football (Go Steelers!), shopping at yard sales and consignment stores, procrastinating, singing and learning to play the guitar. When it comes to wedding planning, I'm excited about working on DIY projects and finding creative ways to stay under budget. Of course, nothing is more exciting to me than knowing that the wonderful Mr. Deviled Egg will be my husband.
My choice of favorite color changes all the time. Right before I was engaged, I was all about the pink and brown combo. Before that, I was into oranges and yellows. With wedding planning, I became obsessed with the perfect shade of green. Now, I’ve moved on to the ever-popular Martha Stewart blue and red combo.
When I picked out our wedding color palette, I started with the green shade and looked at several options for accent colors. The easiest way for me to pick them out was by going to the home improvement store and snatching up paint chips. I love paint chips!
You may remember my swatch card, where I utilized the paint chips by placing them on a small card I could tote around in my purse. I can’t tell you how many times I referred to this little card when I was out shopping for wedding supplies, or even when I was browsing through a random store and saw something I thought might work for wedding decor.
Just today, I found an iPhone app that is the high-tech version of my little swatch card. It helps with choosing color palettes by allowing you to snap a picture of something that’s a color you like, and then it gives you two complementary colors as accents. Bonus: It’s FREE! Read more…
ClassifiedsFeature Launched: April 30, 2008About: A roundup of the best Weddingbee Classified listings.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
Mama & Sister Quiche Nen were in town for the Sheffield Garden Walk weekend & they suggested looking for dresses. I had a few dresses in mind that led us to two random, strip mall bridal stores on the NW side of Chicago (you can see those horrid results here). At the second shop, I ended up throwing on a Watters WToo dress that looked cute on the hanger. Once I had it on, we all instantly fell in love with it! It cost around $700, so we bought it on the spot. 
{Image}
Source 
