Mrs. Guinea Pig, Baltimore, MD Age and Occupation: 26, PhD student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Operations Director at a non-profit Engagement Date: December 25, 2008 Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club About Me: I'm a tomboy science nerd whose girly side has made a startling appearance thanks to wedding planning! I love to bake, knit and sew but I also ride a motorcycle (that Mr. Guinea Pig wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole). We live with our three crazy cats and love to read, travel, watch movies, and do home improvement projects together! My parents/family are Canadian but I'm definitely American, although I've lived in 5 different countries, 6 different states, and speak Russian fluently. Mr. GP and I met online (did I mention I'm a scientist?) and had a whirlwind romance - now we can't wait to get married & celebrate with all our friends and family in a blue and yellow waterfront affair!
It’s a good thing I know Photoshop well or else it would be embarrassing to admit I spent time on this. Now that I know which dresses all my friends have chosen as their bridesmaids’ dresses, I threw a sample photo of each into Photoshop and tried to match it to our color, then made a lineup! But before I show you that photo, I should probably introduce our bridesmaid dress designer…
Lula Kate! Here are a few fun photos from their website to give you an idea of their cute dresses.
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!
When BFF and I met for our Christmas celebration, we took a little time to discuss satellite party details! About that: My wedding planning book calls all the events surrounding a wedding “Satellite Celebrations”, so that’s what I’ve taken to calling them.
We brainstormed a list of themes that we could use for any of the events. Since Mr. Parfait and I met in high school, we thought a high school theme would be appropriate! Besides our little brainstorming session, BFF wants to keep the details of these parties a surprise. But I couldn’t resist—as soon as I got home, I did some research to flesh out the theme!
For starters, we could set the tables with simple centerpieces in our school colors. Ours were red and white, just like this. Check out the notebook paper place cards!
Mrs. Pug, New York City/Half Moon Bay, CAAge and Occupation: 33, LawyerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, dittoEngagement Date: July 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon BayAbout Me: The Mr. and I are two 30-somethings who enjoy tasty sweets of all kinds, our neighborhood wine store, and cuddling with our pug. NYC is where we live and the city we love, but we’re doing the deed out in Northern California. We are trying to keep the affair small, intimate, and manageable. Our motto is: the less people, the better! (I’m kidding.)
Last time I wrote about dressing the little ones, and now it’s about me! ME!
Let me start off by saying that I have dreamt all my life about wedding dress shopping. Once, while still in college and very far from being married, my mom and I dropped by a David’s Bridal and I tried on a dress. I’m sure the staff looked at my mom and wondered whether she was trafficking a 13-year old child bride (I look young).
Wedding dress shopping was one of the main reasons I was looking forward to getting engaged. Yeah, I know, so materialistic compared to the whole-marry-my-best-friend thing, but so what? I wanted the private room, the bridal consultant, my loved ones waiting for me to emerge, oh the rapture! I couldn’t wait to maybe find “the one” that made me inexplicably break out into tears and hug my mom.
The first place I visited was Designer Loft in NYC. I met with Laura, a bridal consultant, who was very sweet and picked out some great dresses for me (pics from Designer Loft taken by my dad).
This was the kind of dress that I had originally envisioned, and I really liked it. This is by Janet Nelson Kumar. Read more…
Mrs. Scissors, LaGrange, GAAge and Occupation: 25, Photography & Graphic DesignFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineering Grad StudentEngagement Date: January 1, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Ceremony - First United Methodist Church; Reception - My parents' house!About Me: I’m a six-foot-three bride with a fifty-foot personality! I love great art, fabulous design, intense color, tons of music, indie photography, watching movies on repeat, and being really awesome. This super-tall, Southern, loud, quirky, neurotic artist is marrying a German, quiet, silly, super-amazing roboticist in an eclectic, funky, fun, snazzy, technicolored June wedding. Anything is game for this shindig, for it is all about us! We’re bringing giant paper cranes, six-foot-tall portraits, fortune cookies, a photo booth, a club-circuit DJ, handcuffs, and possibly a kidnapping to this small Southern town. Watch out, y’all, and try to keep up!
On the Friday evening before our Sunday engagement shoot, I decided that I would fold a mess-load of paper cranes for our engagement shoot. Initially, I was shooting for as many as I could get. In my over-achieving brain I thought “1000″, but that was more of a… nutso idea. Somebody would have to pick up said 1000 cranes each time we used them.
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.
I love when a plan comes together! OK, maybe it isn’t just a smidge of color—remember, we’re planning a brightly colored bash. Previously I told you about:
Despite my ever changing mind and only being able to go shopping with one girl (the rest are all a plane ride away) the Pretzel ‘Maids came through! I got an email today—every one of my girls has picked out her dress, even my Jr. Bridesmaid.
Mrs. Nachos, Chicago/St. ThomasAge and Occupation: 33, Commercial Real Estate & HairstylistFiance's Age and Occupation: 36, Radio ProducerEngagement Date: May 22, 2009Wedding Date: April 2010Venue: Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort, St. ThomasAbout Me: I'm a happy, laid back city girl that can find the silver lining in any situation. An optimist at heart, my motto is to turn your "what ifs?" into "so whats!". My fiance is a radio producer and the biggest Cubs fan you'll meet - our apartment decor definitely shows it. He and I grew up next door to each other and because of it, we have the best home videos and easiest holiday dinners. We are planning an intimate wedding in the Virgin Islands and a cocktail party in June for 150 of our closest friends.
Now that I had the bags, I had to figure out what to put in them…
At first, Mr. N and I both thought beach towels would be cute, possibly with everyone’s initials on them. Then I scoured the internet for affordable ones and realized that they are just not out there unless you order them in quantities of 200 or more. Um, no. I also realized that if we were worried about getting the bags alone out there, how in the world would we be able to add 24 towels to our list of things to bring? So, towels were out. Read more…
Mrs. Cola, Mountain View, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Product Communications and PromotionsFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Managing Partner and Senior DesignerEngagement Date: March 5, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Mountain Terrace, Woodside, CAAbout Me: I’m a Washington State native, enjoying life in Silicon Valley California with my fiancé, our three kitties and one leopard gecko. I like reading wedding blogs, Photoshopping wedding design mock ups, making lists, and planning, planning, planning! I’m a bit of an anomaly, on one side I’m a very girlie girl, I collect shoes, I lay out my outfits 4-6 weeks in advance, and I’d never leave the house without my hair curled and makeup on. But on the other side, I’m a total tomboy, I love to go camping and hiking, play drinking games (hey, I’m Irish!) and most of my closest friends are guys. My fiancé and I are planning a DIY-focused wedding with a balance between easygoing (what he wants) and chic and stylish (what I want), and are tying it all together with elements in lavender, sage, butter cream and chocolate.
How do I wish I had a Cricut (or wasn’t too lazy to go in to Mr. Cola’s office to use the laser cutter!) after these projects I’ll share over the next few posts. The knuckle on my right index finger hates me after using the X-Acto knife; it’s still swollen and red!
First up, the Bride and Groom chair signs! This was yet another unnecessary project, but it was fun to make (not for my knuckle), and I’m really digging working with our paper to tie everything together!
To start, I gathered my supplies, and printed out the inverse of “Bride” and “Groom” on the back of my butter cream cardstock (all pics in this post were taken by me):
Mrs. 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.
This ornament is as cute as they come. I found it on the Dancing Gnome Etsy shop and I couldn’t help but imagine the whimsical woodland wedding that could come out of it. I think the ornaments would make great cake toppers and then a few gnomes could be sprinkled throughout for some fun decorations. Gnome illustrations could be used as table numbers, and those little red hats are the perfect pop of color.
Mrs. Cheeseburger, Baltimore, MD/State College, PAAge and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentEngagement Date: June 28, 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Catholic Church Ceremony & Hotel ReceptionAbout Me: I'm a passionate girl from Pittsburgh, currently living in Baltimore for school, who loves Penn State, seeing movies, football, thunderstorms, black and white photos, Christmas, good beer, my amazing friends and family, and of course, my mister! We met, fell in love, got engaged, and will be married at our alma mater (go lions!) in a traditional Catholic ceremony followed by a hotel reception with lots of DIY details. It means so much to have our families and friends meet at our favorite place on earth to celebrate our love for one another - I truly couldn't ask for anything more!
So, we had just finished up at Macy’s and had taken a much needed break to grab some grub. Registering at Macy’s had taken about 2 hours, and after lunch we were ready for more (or, so we thought).
We headed down the road to Bed Bath and Beyond, where we met with a registry consultant.
She was very nice, and got our info into the computer right away. She asked if this was our first registry, and when I said that we had already been to Macy’s she joked that they were their “evil” competitors. 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!
Yes, I was one of those mean girls who would mock other multiple trial brides in my head. They must be too picky or they must be bridezillas. Now that I have a walked a mile in the shoes of a multiple trial bride, I apologize! This has been an absurd experience at best and a frustrating one at worse. If you missed my first two trials, catch up here and here, and then join me back here for the continuation.
I went into a salon to try a new stylist. I decided to only show pictures of old Hollywood actresses for hair inspiration. The siren who keeps calling me is Lauren Bacall, so I repeatedly told the stylist that I loved her.
We talked about old movies. We talked about being old souls. We talked so much, that I really thought she got me. She worked my hair in pin curls and I thought this was such a positive sign. Then I showed her my makeup inspiration:
Mrs. Spaniel, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 28, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, PsychologistWedding Date: March 2010Venue: Calamigos RanchAbout Me: I'm a third-year law student trying to balance graduating with starting my career, keeping up a relationship, and, oh yeah, planning an Old World, multi-cultural, "mountain lodge" wedding for 180 guests! A South Asian Jewish girl getting ready to marry my handsome Catholic Dane, I'm hoping to blend our cultures in our wedding just a bit more gently than by providing samosas as appetizers and offering æbleskiver for dessert. (Although that would also be awesome.)
One of my favorite ways to celebrate a big event is with a bottle or two of bubbly. Although we won’t have an official champagne toast, our venue does provide a glass of sparkling wine and strawberries for each guest after the ceremony to kick off the cocktail hour. This should not only be sparkly and delicious, but will also apparently provide a great photo op!
Mrs. Sushi, Hershey/HawaiiAge and Occupation: 27, Air Force PhotographerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Laborer/Aspiring Hip Hop ProducerEngagement Date: December 25, 2007Wedding Date: March 2009Blogging Since: October 9, 2006Venue: Byodo-In Temple, Luau ReceptionAbout Me: I’m a notorious people-watcher who loves all things paper, food, traveling, grubbin’ on food, gossip magazines, food, sock monkeys…did I mention food?! Mr. Sushi and I are both haolepinos (half Filipino, half Caucasian) and hope to be able to somehow incorporate our cultures at our destination wedding in Hawaii. All while planning from the sweetest place in earth, Hershey!
The weather was unusual for Hawaii. While the winter months are usually cooler and rainy, it was extremely windy while we were there. And while the weather was still 20 times better than March in Central PA, it was still not swimsuit-wearing, beach-swimming weather. We were in Hawaii for a total of 11 days. It was our wedding and minimoon rolled all into one. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the things we did:
You already saw us hike Diamond Head; we also did a small hike on Maunawilli Falls Trail. There was lots of mud, (man made) stairs, and a cool refreshing waterfall.
Mrs. Guinea Pig, Baltimore, MD Age and Occupation: 26, PhD student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Operations Director at a non-profit Engagement Date: December 25, 2008 Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club About Me: I'm a tomboy science nerd whose girly side has made a startling appearance thanks to wedding planning! I love to bake, knit and sew but I also ride a motorcycle (that Mr. Guinea Pig wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole). We live with our three crazy cats and love to read, travel, watch movies, and do home improvement projects together! My parents/family are Canadian but I'm definitely American, although I've lived in 5 different countries, 6 different states, and speak Russian fluently. Mr. GP and I met online (did I mention I'm a scientist?) and had a whirlwind romance - now we can't wait to get married & celebrate with all our friends and family in a blue and yellow waterfront affair!
Sunshine25570 is selling new bridal bouquets. Included in the set are the bride’s cascade bouquet, the mother of honor bouquet, five bridesmaid bouquets, seven boutonnieres, one mother’s corsage, a flower-girl halo and 2 silver crystal tiaras. She’s asking $125 for all plus shipping.
Have a wedding item for sale? Post it with pictures in the Weddingbee classifieds and you might see it featured on the blog!
Mrs. Scissors, LaGrange, GAAge and Occupation: 25, Photography & Graphic DesignFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineering Grad StudentEngagement Date: January 1, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Ceremony - First United Methodist Church; Reception - My parents' house!About Me: I’m a six-foot-three bride with a fifty-foot personality! I love great art, fabulous design, intense color, tons of music, indie photography, watching movies on repeat, and being really awesome. This super-tall, Southern, loud, quirky, neurotic artist is marrying a German, quiet, silly, super-amazing roboticist in an eclectic, funky, fun, snazzy, technicolored June wedding. Anything is game for this shindig, for it is all about us! We’re bringing giant paper cranes, six-foot-tall portraits, fortune cookies, a photo booth, a club-circuit DJ, handcuffs, and possibly a kidnapping to this small Southern town. Watch out, y’all, and try to keep up!
If anyone is ambivalent about having an engagement shoot, I hope our experience changes your mind! Our engagement shoot was with Matt Miller, and let me tell you, it was awesome. 48 different kinds of awesome. This is coming from a girl who was TERRIFIED of having an engagement shoot, or any pictures at all taken!
The morning started off with much flustering around and lots of me walking around in circles. I eventually sat down, made a ridonk playlist and continued folding our 20348 paper cranes. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
