Mrs. Sea Breeze, Vancouver/Dominican RepublicAge in 2008 and Occupation: 30, Communications ManagerFiance's Age in 2008 and Occupation: 29, Experiential Marketing DirectorEngagement Date: October 6, 2007Wedding Date: November, 2008Blogging Since: July 17, 2008Venue: Majestic Colonial Resort, Punta CanaAbout Me: Planning a destination wedding by the sea should be (oh no she di-in't…) a breeze (…*sigh* yep, she did) but when you've never been to the Caribbean, your powers of imagination are really put to the test. Luckily, I'm 90% resourceful, creative optimist (and kooky, neurotic practicalist-if-that's-a-word for the other ten). Other than writing about our week-long celebration of family, friends, laughter and love, I adore books, shoes and… you guessed it… long walks on the beach.
In most weddings I’ve seen, speeches are done during dinner. But if you will recall, our dinner took place in one of the resort’s main restaurants and our sixty-odd guests were seated at two long tables. That didn’t make it very practical to have speeches there, which is why we did them in the disco.
The advantage? The speaker has everyone’s undivided attention. The disadvantage? Your guests might get fidgety and bored… that is, unless the speeches are made by people as hilarious as THESE.
Our officially-awesome officiant Brian was also our MC so he started things off with a bang, of course.
Mrs. Trail Mix, New YorkAge and Occupation: 26, PE TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, MBA StudentEngagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Tannery Pond at the Darrow SchoolAbout Me: I'm a country girl who somehow found herself living in the Big Apple and loving every minute of it. I'm planning a rustic, country-chic wedding in my hometown in upstate New York and it's going to be a Party with a capital P. White wine, flea markets and running keep me happy and my friends, family and fiance are my world. I'm a little bit crafty, a little bit crazy but mostly just crazy in love.
I know that everyone says their proposal reflected who they were as a couple perfectly, and I have to say, mine was no exception. It was exactly what I had dreamed of, only a million trillion times better. Here’s how the whole event went down:
One random weekend in March, Mr Trail Mix and I had made plans to meet my parents upstate for brunch. Now the thing is, when you live in a studio (i.e. one eensy little room), it’s very hard to surprise your significant other, unless they are outside or in the bathroom.
So Mr TM waited until I was in the shower and getting ready for brunch to set up on our kitchen table with roses and a framed poem he had written. I walked out of the bathroom (in my towel!!) and there he was, standing next to everything and just looking so proud of himself. My heart started pounding, but inside my head, I kept thinking, ‘Don’t get excited, it’s probably not what you’re hoping for, don’t get excited until you’ve read the poem!’ The poem was seriously the most amazing, romantic piece of literature I’ve ever read in my entire life (obviously I’m a little biased, but still… A POEM?!?! My football player, never-seen-him-cry, fraternity brother boyfriend wrote a POEM?!?!). Tears were streaming down my face by the time I got to the last line, which I will share with you all: 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!
If you are in the market for some new makeup, now is a great time to stock up!
Sephora.com is having its Friends & Family sale right NOW until 11/2, which will give you 20% off of your ENTIRE purchase. Simply use the code FF2009 and shipping is free for orders over $50!
Happy shopping!
Mrs. Hamster, New York CityAge and Occupation: 28, Finance GalFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Finance GuyEngagement Date: March 9, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Pierre HotelAbout Me: I'm an original Jersey girl living it up in the big NYC! I love baking for others, hosting brunches, and exploring NYC with my mans. Besides Mr. Hamster (of course), I'm attracted to shiny things, bold colors, snacks, matching and coordination, pork and duck fats, miniature versions of things, corny jokes and puns. We are planning a swanky Spring wedding in the heart of NYC, followed by a second reception in Singapore. From one city that never sleeps to another - I can't imagine a more exciting ride!
Let me just start off by saying that I’m a nervous laugher. Awkward situations? Giggle. Unexpected moments? A frenzied grin and apprehensive chortle. Some people handle life’s situations with grace and a quiet calm. I’m not one of those people.
So it came as no surprise that even after the mans presented me with the perfect proposal (private, at home, no JumboTron involved) and I had practiced my response in my head ever since we began our ever-exciting engagement ring discussions, my first reaction was… a surprised guffaw in his face. Read more…
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!
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 when you were little did you like to play with pipe cleaners? I totally did, even though I had zero crafting ability back then, just like now. I don’t know what it is about them, but the possibilities seem endless, and then when Pengy came back from the Martha Stewart Party with pipe cleaner rings, it totally gave me the idea to have pipe cleaners at the kids’ table!
Well, I went to Michaels and picked up the largest bag of pipe cleaners I could find, and somehow ended up with this:
Jessie Blum, New JerseyVendor: OfficiantWebsite: Eclectic UnionsAbout Me: I began writing & officiating wedding ceremonies in 2008, and love every single moment of it. It all started when my best friend asked me to officiate her Jewish/Lutheran/Pagan (but completely non-religious!) wedding - since then, I've found a love and passion for creating original wedding ceremonies that truly reflect the couples being married. Wedding ceremonies should be all about the bride & groom's love, relationship, and commitment, and I do my best to make sure everything is just perfect! I live in Northern New Jersey with my fiance and our two kitties, and, when I'm not meeting with my awesome couples or writing wedding ceremonies, I love to knit, obsessively check my email, and plan my own wedding (Oct 2010!).
I recently met with a couple who were interested in ways to incorporate their support of marriage equality in their wedding ceremony – so I turned to one of my favorite sources (the internet!) to find some good ideas for them. I am proud to live in a state that offers civil unions (it’s a big step in the right direction!).
Officiating at the civil union of Jess & Lorrie
My favorite suggestions came from this A Practical Wedding blog post. I really liked the idea of including a brief notice in your program:
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!
Stephenslove is selling an ivory Vera Wang gown. The new strapless “Le Notre” dress is a size 8. It has been altered but never worn. She’s asking $3000 firm.
Have a wedding item for sale? Post it with pictures in the Weddingbee classifieds and you might see it featured on the blog!
Mrs. Pretzel, SeattleAge and Occupation: 32 Learning, Training, and Development SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 28 Manufacturing EngineerEngagement Date: September 2, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catholic Church & The Engine Room at Georgetown StudiosAbout Me: I’m just a thirty-something girl who never dreamed of weddings, poofy dresses, or ritzy receptions. I am a rabid knitter, except recently, wedding projects have replaced my yarn and needles. I’ve been fiercely independent since the age of 2 and 30 years later I think my family and friends had given up on me settling down and getting married.
Ironically, I had to go all the way to Seattle to find a boy from Purdue. We fell in love over Seattle Beers and cooking together. I love NASCAR, he loves Legos. I can talk like a Muppet and he can fit a whole McDonald’s cheeseburger in his mouth. We are a two reception couple, currently planning a brewery inspired bash.
Hi there! I am honored and excited introduce myself to you as a bee! Actually, I’ve been bouncing off the walls with excitement since I opened my email yesterday. I almost didn’t submit my application, but after a pep talk from Mr. Pretzel, I sent it off.Then I did something I never do - I did not worry about it.Imagine my surprise and my excitement when I received an email from Mrs. Penguin extending the invitation to share my journey on Weddingbee!
I’m Miss Pretzel, a 32 year old *gasp- over 30!* bride-to-be. In the daytime I am a Learning Solution Analyst, which is a fancy way of saying I figure out what training needs to be created to correct performance issues.By night I’m a craft beer loving, flower making, Gocco operating, wedding planning, type-A personality.Mr. Pretzel shares my love of, among other things, craft beer and Gocco.He’s been right by my side in the planning process and it’s awesome. He is the ball to my goof.
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!
We last left our series on the cusp of the most epic invite on the planet. The be all, end all. The invitation to trump all invitations. The one, the only, the Lindsey Ryan Design invitation (time stops, angels sing). I first caught a glimpse of a LRD invitation right here on Weddingbee, thanks to a post by Mrs. Mouse…
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.
My MOH recently bought a new house about 40 minutes away from me. With the wedding fast approaching, we’ve used it as an excuse to visit each other quite a lot lately.
During my first visit to her new home, I found something that caught my eye while snooping… er… checking… everything out. She had the cutest little birdcage in her closet!
Cameo by my bridal bouquet!
I got her permission to not only borrow it for the wedding, but to also spray paint it to match our colors. And that’s just what I did! 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.
Time to get crafty! Here’s the Patented Potato Process for easy-as-peasy-pie Save the Dates.
Step 1: Brainstorm. This part was the hardest. There is so much inspiration out there! We love Save the Date magnets. We have four or five on our fridge right now, including friends who got married three years ago and whose date, one might assume, no longer needs saving. But their smiling faces hold up our ‘za menus, and we like them there.
But postcards are also nice. Postage is cheaper… and they can easily be stuck to the fridge via another couple’s Save the Date magnet. We decided on postcards.
Not just any postcards! Our venue sells beautiful postcards with four or five different black and white photos of what The Towers looked like in its heyday, in the 1900s. We got a few for free from the coordinator and loved how they looked: vintage, featuring the charm of the Gilded Age, elegant, simple.
Step 2: Design a mock-up. From Martha Stewart.com I downloaded an image of an old-fashioned stamp. From dafont.com, I downloaded the font “Summertime” for its curliqued turn-of-the-century charm. Please believe me when I say I was immensely and unjustly proud of how crafty this made me feel. I was like, “oooh, lookame!! Craftin’ me up a wedding!!” In all actuality, all I know how to do is work the Google on the Internet machine. Potato Head and I played with spacing and margins and ended up with a Word doc: Read more…
Mrs. Trail Mix, New YorkAge and Occupation: 26, PE TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, MBA StudentEngagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Tannery Pond at the Darrow SchoolAbout Me: I'm a country girl who somehow found herself living in the Big Apple and loving every minute of it. I'm planning a rustic, country-chic wedding in my hometown in upstate New York and it's going to be a Party with a capital P. White wine, flea markets and running keep me happy and my friends, family and fiance are my world. I'm a little bit crafty, a little bit crazy but mostly just crazy in love.
… A very good place to start! (Props if you recognize that “song from a movie” quote :)…
Anyways, I felt I should introduce myself and the mister a little bit more.
Our “how we met” story is actually kind of cute (as most of them are): We both lived in this tiny dorm freshman year, way out on the edge of campus with only about 30 freshman total in it. He was on the varsity football team and I played for the women’s soccer team and then we were both awarded a conference “Rookie of the Week” honor the same week! And the rest, my friends, is history…
He says he had a crush on me from the beginning; I just thought we were good friends. We didn’t actually start dating until November of senior year but once we got together, we never looked back and deep down, I always knew this is where we would end up. Here’s a picture of us from college, way back in the day:
Mrs. Hamster, New York CityAge and Occupation: 28, Finance GalFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Finance GuyEngagement Date: March 9, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Pierre HotelAbout Me: I'm an original Jersey girl living it up in the big NYC! I love baking for others, hosting brunches, and exploring NYC with my mans. Besides Mr. Hamster (of course), I'm attracted to shiny things, bold colors, snacks, matching and coordination, pork and duck fats, miniature versions of things, corny jokes and puns. We are planning a swanky Spring wedding in the heart of NYC, followed by a second reception in Singapore. From one city that never sleeps to another - I can't imagine a more exciting ride!
Ah, the quest for the perfect venue – more than any other vendor, this search generated much stress, consternation, guest list honing and cell-phone watching. Add to this the fact that in New York City, some venues can book up to 18 months in advance, and the pressure was on.
The mans and I were looking for several specific things:
1. We needed a venue that would accommodate our guest list.
We very quickly discovered that our medium-sized guest list of 100 people was that “not so sweet” spot of not quite big enough, but too big to be small.
Quite a few venues were ruled out because we would be paying for 40 to 50 people who we knew would not be there. Finding a venue that would work with our medium-ish guest list proved to be paramount as well as one of our greatest challenges. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
She had the cutest little birdcage in her closet!
Cameo by my bridal bouquet!
