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.
Over the summer I got an unexpected wedding invite from an old college friend; being the lover of weddings that I am, I coerced Mr. Ramen to attend YET ANOTHER wedding of someone he didn’t know.
My friend’s then-fiancee, now wife, is Indian; probably 95% of the weddings I’ve been to have been Chinese/Asian weddings, and I’ve never had the privilege of going to an Indian wedding… I was seriously crossing my fingers hoping they would have an all-out Indian wedding, since every single one looks like an amazing party. Anyways, their wedding was crazy! Their entire wedding party was dressed in traditional Indian wedding clothing that the bride’s mother and family purchased in India. The bride entered to an Indian song instead of the traditional Canon in D/classical music, and the dinner banquet was Indian food! Seriously, Mr. Ramen and I were totally in food heaven.
The ceremony was outdoors - and it was a sweltering 90+*; thankfully they provided some super cute paper parasols to keep us cool! I was a sweat machine, regardless.
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!
Besides bouts, the other man accessory I love to love is the cuff link. Come to Momma, French shirt wearing man with cuff links and those detective suspenders holding his gov. issued weapon! Seriously.
Take a cold shower and join me again in the cuff link discussion. I saw Miss Bruschetta’s cuff link post and found some new inspiration for gifts for the men in my life. Because I’m certain the men in my life also don’t bother themselves to read wedding blogs (they’re adverse to throwing up in their mouths a little bit every time I say tulle, thermography, and centerpieces), I’m going to reveal the cuff links that I purchased for my dad and brother to wear.
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!
Hello, Hive! MRS. Star here, reporting live from the other side!
I wanted to share a few quick teasers with you before we jet off to Greece for two weeks on Friday (yay!). I really need the assistance of some gorgeous pictures to tell this story, since words alone simply won’t do.
Before Sunday, I was really worried that, because all of the normal hype of wedding planning added on top of the added pressure of being a wedding blogger whose immersed in wedding blogs and talking about weddings nearly all day long, our wedding day might not be able to live up to the anticipation and excitement surrounding it for two years now. When people used to say that your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life, I was concerned that that expectation would make any day pale in comparison.
Well, let me just say, that I was worried over nothing. Sunday truly was the best day of my life thus far. Words can’t even describe how amazing the whole experience was. I just kept thinking, ‘how can it get any better than this?’ all day. Mr. Star said, “I wish we could get married every day,” and while I know that I wouldn’t have the energy for that, I definitely think I could get married once a month, at least.
I could go on and on, but I have a honeymoon to pack for, so I think I’ll let this fabulous picture help me out:
Mrs. Rainbow, TampaAge and Occupation: 22, Makeup ArtistFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Electrical Engineer/ProgrammerEngagement Date: November 27, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Gamble PlantationAbout Me: I'm a quirky (and slightly Type-A) freelance makeup artist who was born in Washington State, raised in Alabama, and now living with my one and only in sunny Florida. I'm fashion and beauty obsessed, and have recently discovered my inner domestic diva extraordinaire. I'm a wannabe chef, decorating addict, and trying desperately to be as crafty as possible---albeit only with a glue gun. I'm hopelessly in love with my fiance, and all things sparkly and feathery. Despite the glittery exterior, I'm a total hippie on the inside. When I'm not making up pretty faces, I love doing what I can to help people, animals, and the environment. Someday the FI and I will change the world, but first we're tackling our modern-vintage-Marie-Antoinette-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland inspired wedding. I just can't wait to be Mrs. Rainbow!
That’s where the FI and I have been recently, and it hasn’t been fun. With 9 months ’til our wedding and no definite location, I was in a bit of a freak out mode. Why, 9 months is plenty of time, you say? Not when I was expecting to have everything—that’s right—everything done six months before the wedding. Maybe I was reaching a little bit, but… ’tis the curse of being Type-A.
When the Mister and I first got engaged, I already knew exactly where we were getting married. No if, ands, or buts about it! I wanted to get married outdoors, under a big oak tree with Spanish moss, and I had already scoped out the perfect location thanks to Brides Magazine. Yeah… that was until I visited the location and got the quote for said wedding. $4,000 for a Sunday, and that includes… well, the location and not much else. At almost a third of our budget, that place was out the door faster than I could say “bankruptcy”.
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.
Eek. It’s been almost a month since my last recap. I have to admit, I’ve been avoiding this recap. It was the end of the night, we just finished cutting the “cake”, and it was time for the Best Man’s and Papa Peep’s speeches.
Best Man J was with us when we met and has been Mr. Peep’s friend for almost 30 years!!
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.
So the other day I was at Central Market (comparable to Whole Foods, sorta, for you non-Texas girls) and I was planning on just grabbing some lunch, but then as I walked through the aisles I was tempted by all sorts of glorious, organic food and I just couldn’t help myself (I swear this is relevant to the story). So as I’m juggling my salad, raspberries, wine for later, and some delicious cheese, I stop at the drink section to try and pile on some sparkling water. And then I see this guy approaching me. Read more…
Ms. Potato Chips, Boston/Narragansett RIAge and Occupation: 29, PhD StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Personal Trainer/Business Owner/Physical Therapy AssistantEngagement Date: January 1, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Narragansett TowersAbout Me: A semi-professional bookworm, if I could be a literary character I’d be a cross between Jo March and Jane Eyre, only better accessorized and much lazier. My hobbies include sleeping in, seasonal brews, running, Trader Joe’s, and watching Unwrapped and Good Eats with Mr. Potato Chips. I harbor an irrational fear of tulle, crafts, things that are fussy, and overuse of the phrase "Your Special Day". After a year or seven together, down the aisle we go, slouching toward adulthood and planning a Rhodie party with equal parts whimsy, cheer, and pizza.
No, seriously, I couldn’t tell a petunia from a peony.
Can’t we just grab whatever from the garden?
You pick, Mom, and I’m sure they’ll be fine.
The hell is a ranunculus?
Huh. This magazine about wedding flowers looks cool. Guess I’ll flip through it.
Um, what are these ruffly, squishable plump pillows of loveliness?
Uhh.mah.gawww. So pretty! So fat! So lush! I want to eat them!!
Peonies! I wonder if they available in June?
I MUST HAVE PEONIES!!!
PEONIES EVERYWHERE!!!!
Look, when it comes down to it, the only thing that matters to me are PEONIES. Everywhere!!!!!
Uh, P.Chips? You might want to take it down it down a notch. You’re getting a little weird about the peonies. Read more…
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. French Fries, MilwaukeeAge and Occupation: 27, ParalegalFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Investments AdvisorEngagement Date: September 20, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Ceremony: Catholic Church, Reception: Hotel BallroomAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl who longs to live in a warmer climate (my feet would be happy in flip flops any day!). I love travel, impromptu napping, grilled cheese sandwiches, my iPhone, singing with reckless abandon in my car, and Mr. French Fries.
When I originally discussed our decision for our cake, I noted that I really wanted to get a simple white cake stand to fit the cake. I had discussed this with the first baker we met with, and found out that the stand needed to be 16″ in diameter, since the bottom tier would be 14″. So, I began to search for cake stands/pedestals in earnest. And, well… I came up short (or should I say, “small in diameter”).
Common sizes for cake stands are as follows: 8″, 10″, and 12″. Very rarely do you find them larger than 12″ around. I looked first at Martha Stewart’s cake stands for Macy’s. Hers only go up to 12″, but they’re beautifully simple; something that I was really looking for.
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!
After the guys arrived, our photogs quickly worked out the details of where our first look should take place (the lawn) and confirmed that I was ready to see my groom (I was). They arranged our bridal party in a haphazard-esque circle around Mr. Gloss, whose back was toward me.
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.
Invitations etiquette? 2 months out. Me? 1 month out. That’s how I roll. I make my own rules and I do what I want!
Either that or I’m just a lazy, procrastinating, bad bad bride. I’ll let you pick.
So yeah, because I somehow managed to break my camera, Mr. Lab’s camera, and don’t have the cable connector to Mama Lab’s camera I’ve been borrowing, this invitation post will be a series. I’ll start with what I have now because I can no longer wait to share my “labor of love” (NOW I get why all the other invite DIYers call it that!). I should really call them my “labor of stifling many curse words”.
After my initial dilemma regarding invitation design, a very gracious reader reached out and offered to help me create my vision. Nada (Aka nada122, a fellow Georgia gal and sports reporter!) worked with (read: tolerated) my perfectionism so well that I thought she might have been my long lost clone from an alternate universe. Together, we came up with this digital beauty that I would print on my own.
Front:
The coloring is “off” because of Vista Print’s template Nada had to use. The printed invitations are blush pink, not purple. You’ll see the true colors of the invites in the next post!
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.
We woke up to the alarm clock at 7:30 on September 9, 2009. Everything felt the same… our bed, our house, our routine. But today was definitely no ordinary day. It was our wedding day!
Mr. Mary Jane showered and got dressed in his usual clothes, while I selected sweats and an old Grateful Dead t-shirt. I didn’t shower… yet: the wedding wasn’t until 4:30 and I wanted to be fresh and clean at that time!
Mr. Mary Jane made me some coffee in my travel mug and we hopped in his car at about 9 AM. He planned to attend his class (at 10), but we had one little matter to attend to first:
The cake!
The cake was delivered to MIL’s house, 20 miles away, and since the family would be traveling directly to Hillsboro for the ceremony, she had no way to get it to Grand Forks for our evening celebration. Across the rural countryside we tore, in excess of 90 mph. We found out cake in a large Rubbermaid container in MIL’s front room (”Hi FMIL, I’m greasy, smelly and not wearing a bra!“), loaded it in the car, and gingerly drove back to the city (now painfully wary of every bump and crack in the road). Thankfully, the cake survived the trip. We plopped it on the dining room table and Mr. Mary Jane was off to class.
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!
This is after 5 days too. There’s nothing more to the story than I foul-tipped into my own face. Awesome. Last at bat, last game of the season. Can I repeat, awesome?
This pic was the one I took the day after it happened. It didn’t really seem to be showing up very well though - for whatever reason it looked much worse under the fluorescent lighting at work. Read more…
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.
Recall in the previous installment, I dropped the camera doing my signature side-veritas shots in Portofino. Idiot. But there was still one more city–Venice–on our itinerary. How sad would it be to not capture Venice for posterity? Well, maybe not that sad. The problem was the LCD panel on the camera wasn’t working — so we couldn’t see what we were taking pictures of. I didn’t want to buy another camera, but I didn’t want to miss the rest of our honeymoon either! So I took my chances and snapped images randomly. Most were blurry… Read more…
Mrs. Rainbow, TampaAge and Occupation: 22, Makeup ArtistFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Electrical Engineer/ProgrammerEngagement Date: November 27, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Gamble PlantationAbout Me: I'm a quirky (and slightly Type-A) freelance makeup artist who was born in Washington State, raised in Alabama, and now living with my one and only in sunny Florida. I'm fashion and beauty obsessed, and have recently discovered my inner domestic diva extraordinaire. I'm a wannabe chef, decorating addict, and trying desperately to be as crafty as possible---albeit only with a glue gun. I'm hopelessly in love with my fiance, and all things sparkly and feathery. Despite the glittery exterior, I'm a total hippie on the inside. When I'm not making up pretty faces, I love doing what I can to help people, animals, and the environment. Someday the FI and I will change the world, but first we're tackling our modern-vintage-Marie-Antoinette-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland inspired wedding. I just can't wait to be Mrs. Rainbow!
This post is dedicated to cake, sweet cake. I LOVE wedding cakes. Not necessarily what’s inside (I don’t really like cake, more on that later), but the beautiful, delicate, gorgeous outside. Needless to say, as soon as the FI and I were engaged, the cake hunt had begun. I scoured pages and pages of wedding cakes before we chose “the one”. Here are a few of my favorites:
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
