Mrs. Lamb, NorfolkAge and Occupation: 25, Homeland Security ConsultantFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate StudentEngagement Date: January 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Trinity Presbyterian Church/Harrison Opera HouseAbout 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!
I follow Offbeat Bride. And deep down, in my secret subconscious, I wish I had the guts to be more daring like many of the brides featured there.
In absence of my courage, I live vicariously through the posts and randomly bookmark rockable wedding items, just in case I throw this whole big traditional thing out the window.
Here’s a sampling of rings I have in my favorites on Etsy:
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!
This has definitely been the hardest young-ish bride post for me to write because it’s not something that I usually like to admit to. Well, not to anyone except Mr. Star.
Many times during this nearly two-year process of engagement, I’ve gotten nervous or stressed or anxious or scared about [insert ridiculous wedding detail / legitimate marriage anxiety / partially unresolved divorced parents issue here].
A lot of times I get super duper nervous, like Mrs. Cheese. I also worry about all the details like Mrs. Powder Puff. Sometimes, I just get those normal bridal butterflies. No matter what, I feel like I have to hide it.
Why is that? I have a loving family and wonderful friends with whom I talk about nearly everything. So why would this be any different? Read more…
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!
We decided early on that Papa Joey would skip giving a toast altogether – he gets too emotional and isn’t comfortable talking in front of crowds. We also decided that FIL Joey would give a toast at the rehearsal dinner. Papa Joey told me later he was glad he skipped giving a toast. FIL Joey is a professional speaker (a professor) and his toast was engaging, sentimental and perfect. Papa Joey was happy to leave it to the master.
Keep on loading your inspirational wedding pics to the gallery to see them featured here on the blog! Remember, your images must be under 1MB in size, or they won’t load.
Mrs. Parfait, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 26, TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Senior Online ConsultantEngagement Date: February 14, 2009Wedding Date: April 2010Venue: Signature EventsAbout Me: I have a soft spot for all things sweet and romantic. Desserts, love songs, sappy movies? Yes, yes, and ohh yes. My fiance and I enjoy singing to our dogs, creating crazy ice cream sundaes, and generally being lovey dovey cuddle bunnies. We also do socially acceptable things like dancing, throwing Frisbees, playing high stakes board games, and taking unreasonably fun road-trips. We're planning a Korean/Serbian wedding with plenty of playful, personal touches!
The story about my ring begins with a story about my mother’s ring.
Years ago, my mother had a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL (like hallelujah-choruses-sang-in-its-presence) ring. Whenever she wore it, I’d ask if I could try it on. It was simple: a thin white gold band and a big, sparkly diamond. In my eyes, it was perfect.
In her eyes, it was too simple. Too young. She needed a setting with a bit more presence. When she told me this, I begged her not to change it and to save the ring for me! This was a few years ago, when I had no mister. She laughed and assured me that the ring my future fiance chose for me would be just as beautiful, if not more so. She ended up with a gorgeous, stately setting. And, eventually, I ended up with my dream ring.
And now I present…
in a picture taken on my cell phone the day after the proposal… Read more…
Mrs. Ballet Flat, New OrleansAge and Occupation: 24, Geographic Information Systems AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, IT AnalystEngagement Date: March 16, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: September 25, 2008Venue: St. Charles Borromeo Church/Jefferson-Orleans NorthAbout Me: I absolutely love wedding planning, spending time with Mr. Ballet Flat, various crafts, watching football, baking, pop music, bargain hunting and ice cream. My idea of a great date night is dinner and clearance shopping with Mr. Ballet Flat! I currently live below sea level in the suburbs near New Orleans, where I make maps all day, everyday for my job. I'm slowly becoming more and more obsessed with anything New Orleans related for our wedding, and I can't wait for the big day!
After we ladies got glammed up, it was time to get in the limos and head to the church. The great thing is, my parents live less than a mile away from the church, so it took literally no time to get there.
My bridesmaids and I walked in the church and stood in a small area between the two sets of double doors and just kept saying things like “Holy cow!”, “Don’t cry!”, “I can’t believe it!”, etc. During this time, Mr. Ballet Flat’s and my supportive parents and grandparents walked down the aisle.
The girls and I were all getting crazy butterflies, checking each other’s makeup and hair to calm our nerves, and then suddenly, the organist started playing Canon in D. It was time to walk it out.
First, the beautiful Miss K went. Next to her is Mr. A, one of Mr. Ballet Flat’s closest friends.
Mrs. Dachshund, Fresno, CAAge and Occupation: 24, Legal Office AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Computer TechnicianEngagement Date: April 18, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Victorian Gardens of Two SistersAbout Me: I’m a 24-year-old Californian bride-to-be who found love in the most unlikely of places - an online video game! I’m a farmer’s daughter living in rural Central California, but will always have a special place in my heart for the city. My future husband is a 27-year-old extraordinarily tall, exceptionally cute, and undoubtedly Canadian boy who was able to sweep me off my feet and take me for his bride. I love color, folksy songs that make me smile, interior design, kettle corn, my one-year-old puppy, Juno, and my fiance, of course! We’re planning a DIY garden wedding with a laundry-list of projects, all while dealing with the bureaucracy that is American Immigration!
I bought it the other night on a whim with no project in particular in mind. While it may not have been the wisest purchase, (especially when I have to pay a $260 dollar speeding ticket next month), I was SO EXCITED to get it home and start cutting. I’d only heard great things about the Cricut, and I was sold.
On my drive home I tried to come up with a worthy first Cricut project and I decided it would be the perfect tool to make our Save The Dates. After all, I had seen some pretty adorable STDs made using a Cricut!
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.
Yay! I took the plunge and bought something from Etsy! So far everything has been great. Here’s how it all went down:
I was stalking my blue shoes on eBay, and counting down the minutes until the sale ended, but they went for $710, and that was WAY out of my budget. However, I was feeling the need to make some sort of purchase, albeit one with a much lower price tag. I headed over to Etsy to dig through the hundreds and hundreds of invitations they had, and came across one I loved! What’s funny is that the seller is actually in Texas, too! She’s a mom with an adorable daughter, and she makes some extra money by creating and selling things on Etsy (I learned all this from her blog; she and I didn’t have a heart to heart convo). Anyway, her prices are so reasonable, and she is willing to change any colors, fonts, etc. to match your wedding. So, I purchased a sample invitation with the hopes of then purchasing the rest from her. She said she would even make the sample with all my info so I could really see what it would look like. Great!! So, who you ask, is this great seller? Well, I don’t know her name, but her store is everydaygrace and here are the lovely invites (they still need to be changed to match our colors):
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…
Whew, it’s been a while, hive! My apologies for the delay in recaps, but I’ve been a little out of commission lately. You see, I haven’t really been able to type pain-free. A while back, I tripped on a computer cord at work and ended up with this:
(Excuse the sausage fingers- I couldn’t even get my wedding ring off, they were so swollen!)
Don’t believe me? Ask the guests of the D’orsay wedding who witnessed the “cast robot”. Read more…
Mrs. Mary Jane, Grand Forks, NDAge and Occupation: 26, Instructional DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lead ProgrammerEngagement Date: February 28, 2009Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: City HallAbout Me: I'm a career woman on the surface and a homemaker at heart. I love fast cars and high heels, and my favorite food is cake. Mr. Mary Jane and I are both full-time employees and students, and we just bought our first house. We love to curl up on the couch with buttery popcorn, Sour Patch Kids, and the latest Netflix arrival -- whenever we can get a break from everyday life.
I’m in the process of trying to create our wedding announcements. These’ll be sent primarily to out-of-staters and others who could not join us at our celebratory picnic.
With our other paper products, I knew what they needed to say (and pretty much what they should look like, too). They were serving a specific purpose. These wedding announcements? I thought we could have a little more fun with them. Be creative. Really make them our own.
Yet, my designs say stuff like “We are pleased to announce our marriage!” and “We said our Vows on the Ninth Day of September, Two-thousand Nine, at Four O’clock in the Afternoon.”
I feel like I should straighten my pantyhose and lift up my pinky finger or something.
Mrs. Lamb, NorfolkAge and Occupation: 25, Homeland Security ConsultantFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate StudentEngagement Date: January 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Trinity Presbyterian Church/Harrison Opera HouseAbout 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!
I’m not a choosy flower person. I love me some grocery store bouquets. I love the country song about picking wild flowers.
Spending money on really expensive floral arrangements, when carnations and baby’s breath tickle me pink, did not appeal to my practical side. I hadn’t thought much about flowers for the wedding, other than casually looking at what is in season for January. I might have written down in my little blue wedding notebook about Williamsburg Christmas influenced centerpieces with fresh greens and fruit.
Then… (I love the turning points in stories!) I was just browsing Etsy like I do every day and I came across this:
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.
With the venue decorated, I headed home just before 12PM with two bridesmaids in tow. We’d spent a lot longer at the venue than I had expected and were already behind schedule. And so, with a final deadline for all girls to be ready by 3:30PM, the Lightning family home became a madhouse of curlers, makeup brushes, nail polish, undergarments and half drank glasses of champagne. Read more…
Weddingbee GalleryFeature Launched: April 10, 2009About: A collection of inspirational wedding pictures from readers and bees.
Keep on loading your inspirational wedding pics to the gallery to see them featured here on the blog! Remember, your images must be under 1MB in size, or they won’t load.
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!
Yes, there was a yacht. The owner of the house we had our rehearsal dinner at lives full-time in New Zealand but has this beautiful house in the Seattle area that she stays in in summer. Along with the beautiful house, she also keeps an amazing yacht here. The kitchen in the yacht is bigger than my kitchen, and I have a good-sized kitchen. We didn’t get to go for a sail (that would have been awesome) but guests did get to lounge on the yacht.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
With the venue decorated, I headed home just before 12PM with two bridesmaids in tow. We’d spent a lot longer at the venue than I had expected and were already behind schedule. And so, with a final deadline for all girls to be ready by 3:30PM, the Lightning family home became a madhouse of curlers, makeup brushes, nail polish, undergarments and half drank glasses of champagne.
