Mrs. Espresso, Corona/Big BearAge and Occupation: 23, Community Services SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 22, Maintenance TechnicianEngagement Date: December 21, 2007Wedding Date: October, 2008Blogging Since: June 25, 2008Venue: Outside a rustic b&b in Big Bear LakeAbout Me: I'm a lover of all things good: coffee, music, travel, rain, and of course- my handsome fiance! I'm a full believer in the "Life is Short," mantra - and therefore, eat lots of dark chocolate. I'm a Geographer by degree and nerd by choice. I cook to the sound of French and Portuguese music even though I speak neither. I love road trips, camping, hiking, and capturing life through the lens of my camera. Take me to Anthropologie and I may never leave. I'm a sucker for pretty packaging, bargain finds, and old movies. Mr. Espresso and I are high school sweethearts and I am so blessed to be this amazing man's future wife.
I took the steps and made the walk. And now I was here, standing in front of Mr. Espresso; looking into his eyes and he looking into mine. Smiling, blushing, laughing. We were here… finally.
Mrs. Ramen, PhoenixAge and Occupation: 26, Optometry StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Industrial DesignerEngagement Date: January 3, 2009Wedding Date: December 19, 2009Venue: Phoenix Art MuseumAbout Me: I'm an SF-born, Seattle-raised girl, transplanted to Phoenix where I'll be getting married, and planning all the way from Orange County where I go to school (yes, it feels as crazy as it sounds). I loooooove Yogurtland, am slightly very obsessed with all things paper, am heavily addicted to wedding blogs, deeply desire a puppy, thoroughly enjoy cooking, cry when I watch (almost all) movies, thrive on solo car-karaoke, can't stop being sarcastic, am neurotic about taking pictures of almost everything I eat before I eat it, and aspire to travel the world. My super-talented fiance and I are attempting to DIY a majority of our massive (~350 guests) "clean & modern, yet romantic, but completely unexpected, with a teeny dash of vintage" wedding, stay within our not-so-massive budget, and somehow get a really luxe (but still fun!) look/feel at the same time. In music terms (since we're both really into music) think Coldplay meets Motown meets Kanye meets Sinatra.
We haven’t sent out our invitations yet, but I’ve already received a few “nos” from friends after sending out our STDs. It’s this mixed bag of emotions. On one hand, we do need some people to say “no”, so we don’t go over our max capacity, so that’s good; on the other hand, we DO like these people, so we WANT them to come (I mean, after all, that’s why we invited them, right?). Of course, there are those “obligation” invites that you WISH would tell you they can’t come, but of course, those people sometimes come anyway (come on, I know you all have those people on your guest lists, whether they be parents’ friends, coworkers, or people you haven’t seen in a very long time). Read more…
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!
G’morning hive! Our newest bee comes to us from Virginia, and is planning a bash for 180 of her closest friends! Join me in giving a warm welcome to Miss Lamb!
Miss Lamb, Norfolk Age & Occupation: 25, Homeland Security Consultant Fiance’s Age & Occupation: 27, Graduate Student Engagement Date: January 2009 Wedding Date: January 2010 Venue: Trinity Presbyterian Church/Harrison Opera House About Me: I’m a Homeland Security Consultant with a tendency towards pulling office pranks, taking lunch breaks, and drinking Wawa shakes. I’m also an English major with a serious obsession with alliteration and rhymes. While I’m not keeping America safe, I’m training for half marathons and the Escape from Alcatraz swim. Or moving for the third time this year. Or baking. Or wedding crafting. Or crying about wedding planning. All the while, I’m getting myself into Lucille Ball-esque scrapes and making Jim Carey-esque faces. Our big fat Czech/Baptist/Jewish/Italian wedding is a combination of vintage eclectic, DIY, and little spoonful of sugar from our Event Coordinator. It’s going to be a Norfolk flavored wedding with the verve of an only-daughter-blow-out bash!
Mrs. Cupcake, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 27, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Construction Project ManagerEngagement Date: February 10, 2007Wedding Date: September, 2008Blogging Since: December 7, 2007Venue: The Desmond Hotel in Malvern, PAAbout Me: Mr. Cupcake and I hit it off at a Halloween party and immediately began a long-distance relationship. After two years, he moved to my neck of the woods, and a year and a half after that, he proposed at the “place we fell in love.” I am a true perfectionist who enjoys designing and creating more work for myself, so wedding planning is my perfect outlet. Mr. Cupcake and I are both old souls, and we hope to weave that aspect of our personalities into our wedding day.
All photos below by The Wiebners. We purchased a disc of all unedited images from our wedding day, so some post-processing has been done by me for the purpose of sharing the photos with you. Click on any photo to enlarge.
After the good ol’ traditions and wedding rituals were checked off of our list, there was little left to do but catch up with good friends… Read more…
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.
I interrupt the Frenchiemoon recaps to bring you a post I was working on before our wedding: our song list.
Although we had an awesome band for our wedding, we also had a DJ for the main “dancing” portion of the evening. To assure that Celine Dion or Mariah Carey didn’t make an appearance at the French Bulldog wedding, Mr Frenchie and I put together a little playlist. We spent an afternoon listening to our iTunes and writing down songs wanted to hear and thought our guests would enjoy… and enjoy, they did!
Anniversary Dance - “When I’m 64″ - The Beatles Bouquet Toss - “Clumsy” - Fergie Garter Toss - “Pink Panther Theme” - Henry Mancini Cake Cutting - “How Sweet It Is” - James Taylor (We wanted to do “Ma Na Ma Na” by The Muppets, by we didn’t think our older guests would get it.)
Mrs. Star, New York CityAge and Occupation: 22, ActressFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Casting AssistantWedding Date: October 2009Venue: Ceremony: The Kraine Theatre, Reception: Midtown Loft & TerraceAbout Me: I’m a professional actress who’s always had New York City in her blood and I'm finally getting the chance to make a home in Manhattan with my fiancé, my dog, and my big dreams! I love polka dots, craft projects, Dunkin’ Donuts’ iced coffee, and anything sparkly. I’m having a blast planning our elegant/dramatic/New York City/acting-themed/largely-DIY wedding and am thrilled to be the youngest current Miss Blogger!
Mr. Star and I had a terrible time finding rings we liked in a traditional jewelry store. There were lots of gorgeous options, for sure, but none that really seemed to be “us”. And the ones that even came close were just soooo expensive.
On top of that, my gorgeous engagement ring has a bit of an odd shape, and I couldn’t find a single band that would lay flush up against it. Some ladies don’t mind that gap, but for my overly picky self, it irked me to no end.
Here is my e-ring by itself, in case you don’t remember the beautiful cluster diamonds on the side that made this process so complicated:
Adding to the complication was the fact that this one wedding detail proved to be Mr. Star’s slight foray into “Groomzilla” land — he was SO picky about his ring, which was only striking because he’s usually incredibly laid back about everything.
Mrs. Moonbeam, Los Angeles/San AntonioAge and Occupation: 26, Intern ArchitectFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Studio Analyst, aspiring ScreenwriterEngagement Date: May 20, 2009Wedding Date: November 2009Venue: Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church (LaCoste, TX) and Mary Gray Events Center (Castroville, TX)About Me: I was born and raised in Texas, but after college I moved to Seattle for a couple of years and loved it. Then I followed my beau out here to LA and we're getting settled in. I've been making things since I can remember. I was raised by crafters. I love to sew, draw, paint, build, cook, bake (anything with a tangible end result is fair game). In that same spirit, I've been hosting since I was old enough to cook and set a fancy table. I kind of take after my grandmother, who believes that your morning OJ always tastes better out of the good crystal.
A few days ago in my post about paper flower walls, I mentioned that I had adapted a tutorial to make larger sized flowers for my purposes. Here are my tips on the subject.
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.
Our reception felt like a whirlwind. I can say I enjoyed every moment, but the moments went by WAY too quickly. I also so wish I could show you pictures of the food, but no can do. I will say that it was amazing, and our friends are still talking about it.
Before I dive into the reception, let’s put some music to the party to set the mood:
After the food, we got a chance to visit each of the tables: Read more…
Mrs. Apple Cider, New York/CharlotteAge and Occupation: 27, Corporate Communications ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Grad Student – Clinical Mental Health Engagement Date: September 13, 2008Wedding Date: October 2009Venue: Banner Elk Winery & Blueberry VillaAbout Me: I am a North Carolina girl with a New York City spirit. I love crafting, blogging, laughing and dreaming. I know every word to the Anne of Green Gables and Little Women movies. I own every single Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine and have been dreaming of weddings since I was little. I believe life is about doing what makes you happy. If you aren't happy re-evaluate what you are doing. You should never look back on your life and not be proud of what you are doing. If you want to travel - travel. If you want to sing - sing. If you want to start a company - start a company. If you want to blog – blog!
I am so sad that I am abandoning this project. I really loved it, and when I did it DIY-style, I just got so excited. I wish that there was a way to make it work, but the amount of time it would take to cut out each bird has slipped away.
Basically, the idea was for the birds to serve as place cards and sit on each glass. Read more…
Mrs. Lightning, Cape Town Age and Occupation: 22, Journalist and Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Computer ScientistEngagement Date: December 27, 2008
Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Hout Bay ManorAbout Me: I'm a young American living abroad in the beautiful city of Cape Town with a wonderful South African fiance and our crazy kitty Zeus. We're young, driven and madly in love. Together we're pursuing our wildest dreams including our biggest undertaking yet, a vintage retrospective wedding filled to the brim with DIY madness. I have an unnatural attraction to cake, a passion for blogging and a love of good design. While I might be an overly obsessive creative with too many ideas and nowhere to put them, Mr Lightning is my biggest fan and I can't wait to make my true love mine.
So, I’m back and behind my beloved computer once more (OK, I lie. This is Mr Lightning’s laptop, as mine decided to crash most inconveniently while I was finishing up name cards, and hasn’t been resurrected yet).
We spent much of our first day back dealing with gift admin and lots of honeymoon washing, but we’re almost back on top of things and looking forward to using all our new goodies. Because our photographs will be delivered on Thursday (as well as those taken in the photobooth), I thought I’d start my recaps with the thing freshest in my mind: our honeymoon. As it was indeed quite an adventure and I have a lot of tips to share for anyone traveling there in the future, I’ll break the honeymoon up into parts.
The honeymoon was slightly neglected with the hoopla of the wedding preparations, and I found myself packing last minute on Sunday morning (the morning after the wedding). And before I knew it, we were reminiscing in the car with my new in laws and on our way to Cape Town International Airport. Read more…
Mrs. Ramen, PhoenixAge and Occupation: 26, Optometry StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Industrial DesignerEngagement Date: January 3, 2009Wedding Date: December 19, 2009Venue: Phoenix Art MuseumAbout Me: I'm an SF-born, Seattle-raised girl, transplanted to Phoenix where I'll be getting married, and planning all the way from Orange County where I go to school (yes, it feels as crazy as it sounds). I loooooove Yogurtland, am slightly very obsessed with all things paper, am heavily addicted to wedding blogs, deeply desire a puppy, thoroughly enjoy cooking, cry when I watch (almost all) movies, thrive on solo car-karaoke, can't stop being sarcastic, am neurotic about taking pictures of almost everything I eat before I eat it, and aspire to travel the world. My super-talented fiance and I are attempting to DIY a majority of our massive (~350 guests) "clean & modern, yet romantic, but completely unexpected, with a teeny dash of vintage" wedding, stay within our not-so-massive budget, and somehow get a really luxe (but still fun!) look/feel at the same time. In music terms (since we're both really into music) think Coldplay meets Motown meets Kanye meets Sinatra.
There are ups and downs to having a fiance who by trade is a designer. It’s awesome because there are SO many crazy benefits (have I ever mentioned that Mr. Ramen works for Xyron???). From cool materials, to a personal design-slave who can carry out my every wish in Illustrator and other design programs, to access to sweet tools like a laser cutter (which may be put into action)…. etc.
One of the downsides is that the man seriously has an opinion on evvvverything. This can be good, but sometimes he really gets stuck on one thing that he likes, and I just can’t fight him. Well, I usually end up caving in to him. But he has a good eye, and he’s a good sounding board for my crazy ideas. So, this works perfectly.
Anyways, from the beginning, I knew that I wanted some variance in our centerpieces. When you have ~35 tables to decorate, you get to expand your creativity. Back when we were thinking of working with a florist, we decided that our 18 “low” centerpieces would be simple.
Mrs. Frozen Yogurt, DallasAge and Occupation: 28, Special Projects CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Equity TraderEngagement Date: March 19, 2009Wedding Date: April 2010Venue: Marie Gabrielle, DallasAbout Me: I was born and raised in Texas, and have lived in several of the cities across the state, but I currently reside in Austin. I went to college in Boston and have a special place in my heart for the Northeast. I love reading, shopping, wine, reuniting with college friends that are scattered across the country, reality TV, trying out new recipes, and attempting all the DIY projects that come along with wedding planning. I'm a "bleeding heart, save the world type" and thankfully my job allows me to work on legislation and policy to help out those in need. I met Mr. Frozen Yogurt in a bar, though he doesn't even drink! And now we are planning a modern yet vintage wedding in Dallas while dealing with the trials and tribulations of first time homeownership.
Mr. Fro Yo does not want to do the garter toss, and I don’t care that much, so it looks like we will be forgoing that tradition. However, does that mean that I don’t get to wear one? I don’t need one as my something blue, as my blue shoes have that covered. But I still think it’s a fun tradition to wear a garter. I stumbled across these beauties from Bleu Garters, and now I want one even more.
Mrs. Toucan, BostonAge and Occupation: 25, Full-time Research Assistant, Part-time Graduate StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, ActuaryEngagement Date: February 18, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: November 07, 2007Venue: St. Catherine of Genoa, Jin Asian Cuisine RestaurantAbout Me: I’m a Gemini to the extreme. On one side, I’m a girly girl. I read countless bridal and fashion magazines, and have an obsession with keeping up with the latest Hollywood gossip. On the other side, I’m a sports fanatic. Despite being a full-time bride-to be, full-time research assistant, and part-time student, I’m also a full-time Red Sox fan from spring training to October, and a full-time Patriots fan from mini-camp to February. I devote almost as much time researching my for fantasy football team as researching for our wedding!
Sometimes I get so excited about a gift to hubby that I give it to him early.
Mr. Toucan once mentioned that he wishes he had some cuff links for his work shirts, as opposed to the little rope knots that he usually uses. I knew of the perfect place to get him some cuff links, and planned to give these babies to him in October for our 8 year dating anniversary:
Don’t forget to check out all the professional inspiration from the top wedding vendors in the industry in the PRO Folio!
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.
Finding Mr. CB’s suit was not only based on taste, it was based on budget (shocker!). Keeping our purchases in check has been hard, and Mr. CB’s suit was no exception. Although he got something absolutely gorgeous and high-quality, it wasn’t inexpensive. That said, it wasn’t as expensive as it should’ve been. Thanks to J.Crew’s frequent sales, we were able to snag Mr. CB’s suit as well as his five groomsmen’s suits for under $300 each.
All photos below by The Wiebners. We purchased a disc of all unedited images from our wedding day, so some post-processing has been done by me for the purpose of sharing the photos with you. Click on any photo to enlarge. 
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
