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!
Mr. Parfait and I are fans of the uplight. We’re such big fans that we’re thinking about buying, not renting, them for the wedding and reusing them for our future home! We’re gonna need a pretty classy home for these babies. I tried to find examples of uplighting without fabric draping, so we can see how it looks against bare walls. These examples highlight beautiful architecture, but they also do the job we need them for: drawing attention away from the dark areas of the room.
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. 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.
After leaving the beautiful Cape to Cuba we walked down Long street (much to the curiosity of passers by). Unlike the portraits taken in the restaurant, the shots that followed were urban and slightly grungy, a complete contrast to our attire and the occasion. The result? Some of our favorite photographs from the day.
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!
We are married and we are happy. We are also heading to our honeymoon today, and can’t wait! I wanted to share a teaser with you. There is more to come soon.
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!
Our newest bee comes to us from the Midwest! I’m excited to announce my fave junk food, Miss French Fries! Join me in welcoming her into the hive.
Miss French Fries, Milwaukee
Age & Occupation: 27, Paralegal Fiance’s Age & Occupation: 35, Investments Advisor Engagement Date: September 20, 2008 Wedding Date: June 2010
Venue: Ceremony: St. Paul the Apostle Church, Reception: Hotel Ballroom
About 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.
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.
Dear Hive: Today’s the day! I am writing from my BlackBerry because my little, rustic (yet luxurious) cabin doesn’t have wireless. It’s a brisk 25 degrees out now, up here at 8300 feet in the mountains of Colorado, but the sun just crept over the peaks and is starting to defrost this little patch of earth and warm it to a comfortable 60 degrees.
I am sitting on the deck of my cabin, snuggled in a huge down comforter. Before me, the light stripes through the pines and makes the wheat-colored grass appear to be standing at attention. Beyond the stand of trees, there is a very still pond in a meadow, a forested hill beyond that, and a snow-capped 14,000 foot peak peering into the meadow. Birds are calling to each other in sweet chirps.
I feel calm, relaxed, exuberant, vibrant, happy. We’ve been here at Devil’s Thumb Ranch for 3 days with friends and family filling our days with yoga, hiking, good food, laughter, intimate conversation and many bouts of good tears.
Today, it culminates with a possible spot of rain or snow later, but I am ready for whatever the day throws our way. With plenty of sleep last night, I am finally rested. Crying—even if they are tears of joy—is exhausting, and the past few days have been a serious windy road of emotion. Just something to keep in mind, future brides. It is a transformation, after all. Read more…
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.
Have you ever heard of Ruche? Nope? Neither had I, until yesterday. Holy crap. This store is amazing. They have some great things for gifts and dresses for the BMs, especially if you’re going the non-traditional route. And, we could all use a budget friendly site when scouring the internet searching for that perfect shower dress.
Here’s a perfect example: if I had not already chosen our wedding colors of green, grey and cream, and that whole “letting the bridesmaids choose their own dresses”-thing, I would definitely want my girls to wear this dress:
I actually want that dress just to wear any day of the week.
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.
I luurrve my hairstylist. Whenever I leave the salon after paying her a visit, I strut back to my car. I feel that good. Sometimes it’s even a swagger. I find excuses to continue my strut past my car and down the street, to the bank or the bookstore, just to let the wind catch my hair and so that drivers stopped at lights can admire its newfound sheen and gloss.
My hairstylist is awesome in a Top-Model kinda way. She always looks amazingly chic and trendy and put-together, and she gets me, you know? She’s chatty and I’m slightly taciturn in the chair (I love spacing out and relaxing while getting mah hair did) but it works. It just works. I’ve been going to her through two salons and for at least seven years. She has seen me through highlights, lowlights, blondeness (more blondeness than any Portuguese girl should have, in retrospect), shoulder-length dos, red highlights, growing it out, chopping it off, my Season 4 Sex and the City Carrie Bradshaw phase, my Victoria Beckham phase, my Katie Holmes phase, and finally now, my “I want to grow out my bob but my hair doesn’t grow” phase.
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.
I looooove getting snail mail (a reason why I was kind of insistent on mailed RSVPs vs. online ones). I recently received this lovely hand addressed invite…
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!
Since I was in elementary school, I’ve been drawn to the first half of the 20th century. I liked that part of history best. I wrote papers about swing dancing, I researched the likes of Amelia Earhart and Nelly Blye, and I memorized poetry by Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot. Sometime I think that I was born in the wrong era, or that I have an “old soul”.
I think these leanings have had a huge influence on our wedding planning. It should come as no surprise then that I follow the Vintage Glam Wedding Blog. Recently, there has been a spate of wonderfully vintage e-session photography.
Check out this amazing WWII (and Casablanca!) feeling session from Dustin Todd:
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!
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!
So I understand that paper lanterns are oh-so-trendalicious right now. I can see the appeal! They’re relatively cheap; they don’t take much effort to set up and break down; and they’re like giant, colorful bubbles floating around an otherwise formal setting!
Lately, I’ve been brainstorming ways to brighten up our dark ballroom. I’m leaning toward the fabric and uplighting ideas mentioned earlier, because they would actually mask parts of the room. Paper lanterns wouldn’t hide anything, but do serve the purpose of drawing attention away from dark areas. The picture below has dark tables and chairs, but the globes bring color and cheer into the space!
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.
WatercoolerFeature Launched: July 1, 2007About: The most discussed posts of the week.
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.
Compromise can be a bad word, or it can be the best thing ever. In a recent post, I talked about the fine line between expressing yourself and alienating your guests. Some people choose to walk it, and others choose to place themselves squarely on one side or the other. Mr. Mary Jane and I chose to walk the line… just a little.
Before I show you our design, I’ll show you our inspiration. First, recall my original inspiration, the Mascaras’ Save The Dates.
I was all set to create that design… and then I saw these.
I tried to find examples of uplighting without fabric draping, so we can see how it looks against bare walls. These examples highlight beautiful architecture, but they also do the job we need them for: drawing attention away from the dark areas of the room.
After leaving the beautiful Cape to Cuba we walked down Long street (much to the curiosity of passers by). Unlike the portraits taken in the restaurant, the shots that followed were urban and slightly grungy, a complete contrast to our attire and the occasion. The result? Some of our favorite photographs from the day.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
I looooove getting snail mail (a reason why I was kind of insistent on mailed RSVPs vs. online ones). I recently received this lovely hand addressed invite…
