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.
Hello hive! I’m so sorry for my absence but with the wedding behind me I’ve been hard at work organising our chaotic little apartment after work and so the blogging has been somewhat neglected. But I’m back to finish my last recaps as well as a few projects I didn’t get to share before the big day.
Miss 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!
From the time they were conceived as an idea in my mind, until I gave them wings to fly across the country, creating these bad boys has been the project most resembling the child rearing process to me.
At first, I thought invitations were “nice”. Other people’s invitations were just lovely, but they seemed like a really big commitment. They were something that I always wanted, but didn’t feel ready to take…
Miss 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 was born and raised in New Hampshire, went to undergrad and grad school at Purdue University in Indiana, had my career take me to Wisconsin, Atlanta, and then finally settled in Seattle. 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. We love Chuck Taylor All Stars, holding hands, clever t-shirts, bacon, KEXP Radio, craft beer, buying local, cooking from scratch, gardening, mastering our new Gocco, and of course, each other. 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.
A couple of years ago a friend brought me a flower hair clip from Hawaii. It quickly became my favorite hair accessory. I am sad to say that it is looking a little dingy these days from being worn so much. It was clear as day to me what my head would be adorned with on our wedding day. A flower clip (or fascinator, as…
Miss 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.
Originally we were going to go to Puerto Rico. I was excited about PR, but we couldn’t find a place within our budget that we really loved. So the search continued, only now with a wider range of beach locations. We talked about it for a while, and we decided on Mexico! I love that we are…
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.
I spent this past weekend in Savannah tying up the last few loose ends of our wedding in person. One of those loose ends was making sure our wedding cake is constructed as close to my vision as possible.
When I first visited Publix to discuss our cake, I was told there would be no problem recreating the Martha Stewart cake I found online. Remember this?
Miss 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.
Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m not talking about a certain effect on the male anatomy (much to Mr Trail Mix’s relief :). Nope, I’m talking about blue Ball mason jars!
I went to the Chelsea Flea Market today with bridesmaid J, looking for a pair of earrings to go with a dress I’m wearing for a wedding in two weeks. J is a…
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.
Well folks, that was it for my pro photos (aside from the family-shots, but did you really want to see those? Yeah, didn’t think so. You don’t know those people anyway). Shawna and Kory did an excellent job capturing our wedding, and Mr. Mary Jane and I were so glad to have them there. They took basically the entire afternoon out of their day to…
Miss Snow, Madison, WI/Asheville, NCAge and Occupation: 28, PhD student
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Graphic DesignerEngagement Date: August 5, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Claxton FarmAbout Me: I am true Southern gal displaced in the beautiful and blustery midwest. A true theatre geek at heart, I love any kind of performance and spend most of my time researching old productions in dank library archives. When not in the library, I love music (punk rock, bluegrass, and everything in between), design in all forms, any reality TV show on Bravo (especially those that feature housewives or sharp knives), beer and wine from Oregon, and exploring the outdoors. My fiance and I are true best friends, and he inspires me every day. After a long and happy dating relationship, we’ve decided to tie the knot in the mountains of North Carolina, our home state. We’re planning a long-distance, largely-DIY, eco-conscious hip farm affair that celebrates family, friends, and love.
I bought this Martha Stewart kit from Michaels. For $19.99, I got 7 “pom pom” kits (I prefer “pouf”, even though I cringe just a little at the thought of discussing a “tissue paper pouf” at great length). My mom and I had already decided to DIY these ourselves and are having the staff at the farm hang them for us. While we knew how…
Be sure to check out all the posts in our Relationship Series here!
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Who brings home the bacon in your relationship? If you make more money than your FI, is it a touchy subject in your relationship, or does he like having a sugar mama?
Mrs. Stiletto - He used to make significantly more than I do (he was a mechanical engineer, I work for a non-profit),…
Mrs. Beagle, AustinAge and Occupation: 26, Electrical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, FinanceEngagement Date: July 12, 2008Wedding Date: October 2009Venue: Church Ceremony/Reception at The Waterford HouseAbout Me: I am a true, but rare, Austinite---I was born, raised, and continue to live in this great city! Although
I am an engineer by day, I feed my inner creative side through crafting, sewing, and obsessing over Martha Stewart. I love coffee, my mister, NPR, and exploring all the nooks and crannies of Austin.
I can't wait to share my adventures in DIY and wedding planning with all of you!
Like others that have gone before me, I was sooooo ready for a change after the wedding. So ready that I made a hair appointment for the following Friday. Here’s the before (taken about a month ago at my final shower with my sister---can you see the resemblance?):
Miss 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.
We’re not having a big, traditional wedding cake. We’ll be having a little cake, made by my sister (who works in a bakery). We’ll have a groom’s cake from a local bakery and a table full of other desserts that family members are making. So, I haven’t put a ton of thought into the cake, but I have a few criteria. It won’t be fancy,…
Mrs. Caramel, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 24, Art Gallery/MuseumsFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, EngineerEngagement Date: January 8, 2007Wedding Date: October 6, 2007Venue: a beautiful church and hotel receptionAbout Me: I love dancing, singing, eating out, eating in, surfing on the net, and brainstorming fantastic ideas. I also love cats, coffee, and know every quote written on Sex & the City. I'm known to laugh really loud and have really crazy hand gestures while I talk. My fiance writes songs and I take pictures. What else? We're just a crazy young couple in love, trying to make a fabulous wedding!
I’ve heard nothing but terrible things about eyelash extensions, but I’ve always been curious about how it works! I recently spoke with an eyelash extension company in New York that has been super helpful in letting me know in all the pros and cons of the process.
In a nutshell, I really LOVE my eyelash extensions and I will tell you why! Right off the bat, I…
Hostess August15bride’s handsome “bear bearer” gets a hug at the ceremony.
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. Cloud, RichmondAge and Occupation: 25, Sales RepFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Customer Service Manager/DJEngagement Date: February 14, 2008Wedding Date: November 2009Venue: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart & The Jefferson HotelAbout Me: Mr. Cloud and I are Yankees planning a Southern wedding to show our families from Boston and New York our fabulous city. We are complete opposites, resulting in a wedding to include bridesmaids in pearls and groomsmen in Adidas shell toes. I’m a sorority girl at heart with strong addictions to my blackberry, cherry Chapstick, Coach purses, the Boston Red Sox and our fur baby, Bella. I can’t wait to the throw the party of our lives and of course, marry my best friend!
We take Weddingbee and being a bee very seriously over here in the Cloud house. So you can only guess what our fur baby Bella was dressed as for Halloween this year!!!
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.
Because our wedding is only a week after my favorite holiday, we decided to incorporate some "spooky" Halloween fun into it.
We’re starting off by having a ghost tour after the rehearsal dinner for any interested guests. We secured a group rate with Old Town Trolley Tours to go on their "Ghosts and Gravestones Frightseeing Tour". The tour is about an hour and a half long and is (according to their website) "an evening of fun, scares, humor and ghost stories as you are guided through America’s Most Haunted City.”