Mrs. Pencils, Washington DC/Frederick, MDAge and Occupation: 24, Program Director, Education Non ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Administrative Assistant, Ocean Conservation Non ProfitEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Morningside InnAbout Me: I'm a nerdy Northwestern girl who always knew she was meant to live in the East, harboring a deep love of ice cream, underwear, Diet Coke with a splash of Coca-Cola, pashminas, scrapbooking, stationery, wall calendars and books written for preteens. I think every day should include good thin crust pizza, chocolate, an obscure historical monument, lots of laughter, a dash of wedding planning and, of course, amazing Mr. Pencils! I'm loving the adventure of planning a Maryland wedding and Rocky Mountain reception, and most of all, I just love love!
Before I knew how much these things cost, I had chosen a few elements to focus on: the photographer, the food, and the flowers! I know, flowers die (and food is devoured) but when I shut my brown eyes to imagine me walking down the aisle, or being introduced as Mrs. Pencils for the first time, I saw lots and lots of luscious green and yellow flowers.
But we also didn’t have the… erm… budget for oodles and oodles of flowers by a talented florist. Read more…
Weddingbee GalleryFeature Launched: April 10, 2009About: A collection of inspirational wedding pictures from readers and bees.
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.
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 read this poem on the blog A Cup of Jo. She incorporated it into her wedding ceremony for some levity, and I love it so! As someone who misses her train (see line 3) on a weekly, if not daily, basis, and forces her obliging fiance to come ferry her from an out-of-the-way station… I appreciate the sentiment. I don’t know how many readings we’ll need/are allowed to have, but this could be a contender!
“I’ll Be There For You” by Louise Cuddon: Read more…
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!
Hello, and welcome to Battle 2 between Hamster and Invitations. When we had last met, the paper was whupping major Hamster butt. Not to let some Lettra paper get the best of me, I set aside this entire past weekend to work on Goccoing these babies up. I had our invitation design printed, photocopied, and ready to go. I dusted off the rarely used and much feared Gocco, only to hit my first roadblock:
I had foolishly assumed that the entire Gocco screen could be printed on, but only a 4.5 x 6 in area was usable (for my Gocco, at least!). I could, in theory, have just played with the spacing on my oh-so-advanced Microsoft Word creation, but I don’t have a printer at home! Cue the Hamster tears. 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!
I’ve been stalling on this whole “finding the bridesmaids a dress” thing. We know that I sort of fell in like/love with some J.Crew bridesmaids’ dresses, but sadly, those are not meant to be. There was a chance that those dresses would not fit my darling ladies to the best of their abilities, so I scratched the J.Crew dresses off the list.
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!
Like somanyotherbees, I have jumped on the bandwagon and decided to line our invitation envelopes. I love the look of lined envelopes whenever I get something fancy shmancy in the mail, and everyone assured me it was a really easy project. Of course, as Spaniel mentioned, it will also take me approximately a bajillion hours. But it’s totally worth it. Totally. Right?
Although I haven’t finished all of the envelopes (OK fine, I haven’t actually adhered the liners to any envelopes yet), I have had enough of staring at pencil lines and slicing small pieces off my plastic ruler with an X-Acto knife for the time being, and thus instead of finishing them, am going to write about them!
(Envelopes and cardstock template-in-the-making)
I made the template the quickest way I could: Read more…
Mrs. Dachshund, Fresno, CAAge and Occupation: 24, Legal Office AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Computer TechnicianEngagement Date: April 18, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Victorian Gardens of Two SistersAbout Me: I’m a 24-year-old Californian bride-to-be who found love in the most unlikely of places - an online video game! I’m a farmer’s daughter living in rural Central California, but will always have a special place in my heart for the city. My future husband is a 27-year-old extraordinarily tall, exceptionally cute, and undoubtedly Canadian boy who was able to sweep me off my feet and take me for his bride. I love color, folksy songs that make me smile, interior design, kettle corn, my one-year-old puppy, Juno, and my fiance, of course! We’re planning a DIY garden wedding with a laundry-list of projects, all while dealing with the bureaucracy that is American Immigration!
A few weeks ago, Mr. Dachshund saw the movie Big Fish for the first time. It’s my favorite Tim Burton movie (though I suspect that might change in a few months), and I was surprised that he had never heard of it. Much to my disappointment, Mr. D didn’t show much interest in the film… though I wasn’t really surprised; our tastes in movies are vastly different.
There was, however, one scene in which Mr. Dachshund perked up, turned to me, and asked, “Will our wedding look like that?”
Can any of you who’ve seen the movie guess which scene I’m talking about?
The town of Spectre, where the grass is greener than any other, and is soft enough to tread upon without shoes. And, ohhhh… those lights!
Ms. Stripes, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 29, Costume Designer/StylistFiancee's Age and Occupation: 29, ChefEngagement Date: June 23, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Heritage Square MuseumAbout Me: I’m a type A creative with a messy streak, a loud mouth, and an uncanny knack for combining clashing patterns. I can usually be found with my nose in a book, my feet (or at least my toes) on the ground, my head in the clouds, and my arm around the prettiest girl you ever saw- aka
Fiancee Stripes. Together we’re planning a FUN vintage/modern French carnival wedding extravaganza and rockin’ dance party on a dime. (Say that three times fast!) Good coffee, long lists, Uniball pens, and my iPhone keep me sane, and making art, making trouble, and making out keep me happy! I love urban adventures, bike rides that end with afternoon drinks, breakfast for dinner, beautiful light, photography, travel, my furry family, and of course, my beautiful fiancee! I’m super excited to be here and can’t wait to share all our adventures as we craft a joyful, budget-friendly, design-savvy and all-around AWESOME wedding!
I wasn’t a girl with a wedding addiction since age 5—no wedding binder, no pre-engagement wedding blog addiction (I’m making up for it now) no ring, dress, or invitation suite ALREADY picked out.
So it took just a minute for me to be up to speed and start figuring things out. Being obsessed with all things design/crafty I immediately thought of save-the-dates and invites, and then realized we’d have to have some information to put on those bad boys.
Like a date. Simple enough. And a city. LA… done. And a location? Well… here’s where it gets tricky! Read more…
Mrs. Ribbons, Washington D.C./Bloomington, INAge and Occupation: 23, Research Associate for an international development firmFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Proposal Coordinator for contractor
Engagement Date: May 2, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Indiana Memorial UnionAbout Me: I'm an Indiana transplant living in DC with my fiance and our pretty kitty. I enjoy the color pink, I'm obsessed with the Dior New Look and tulle, and I heart my level 80 paladin. I'm a sucker for bad TV, literary theory, and cakes of all persuasion. I also happen to be marrying the cutest closet nerd around! It's all about Bloomington for us because it's where we met -- on the college paper. If there's a theme for our small summertime wedding, it's Dior meets Dorothy Draper on a lark in Bloomington; think poofy, plus graphic prints, bold colors, and a whole lot of prettiness.
I just got off the phone with a florist, who made me sound like the most stylish, pulled-together bride ever. We talked about my desire, nay, need, for a pink peony bouquet, ideas for a mix of centerpieces, vintage vases, oh… it goes on.
Thank god she’s a peony enthusiast too. My obsession stems mostly from how much they remind me of home. My mom has a giant peony bush, so seeing/smelling them sends me back to early summer days in Indiana, when I was a wee lass. Aye! So having them at our wedding is a must. It also helps that they’ll be in season!
We also talked hostas. Again, mom has a ton of hostas. I think they look amazing as greenery, so we’ll be using those as well in my bouquet and centerpieces. I’ll leave you with some inspiration, while I wait for a quote that might give me some sort of cardiac event.
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 talked about how Mr. Pug and I do not have the kind of wedding planning relationship that really involves him. Hehe. So what kind of relationship is it?
Okay well, that’s not totally true. This is the type of conversation that typifies our wedding planning dynamic:
Scene #1: Evening of our Engagement Day, at Romantic Dinner
Me: So honey, I was thinking about some dates for the wedding… Read more…
Mrs. Sewing, San Mateo, CA/Honolulu, HIAge and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: June 27, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Anela Garden Chapel & Japanese Cultural Center, HonoluluAbout Me: I'm an easily entertained, compulsive idea-scheming machine who loves good art, good food, and a good engineering challenge. I'm planning a half-destination wedding on the beautiful island of Oahu - imagine a plethora of movies, art and games; savory Hawaiian food; blended Chinese and Japanese cultural details; lush, fragrant tropical flowers and all the air conditioning a NorCal native could want! And once I marry the love of my life, we'll come back to the 'mainland' to party it up all over again in my hometown of Salinas, the salad-bowl capital of the world!
Elaborate flashes of color uplighting a lush topiary or architectural feature? Tiny yellow flares sprinkled across a venue like a magical fairy land or distant galaxy? Lighting can sure create an atmosphere, transforming even the dullest of spaces into a breathtaking dreamscape.
Unfortunately for us, interesting lighting is on the list of “would be nice, but…” ideas. So, no elaborate lighting? Fair enough, but we can still do something simple, right?
Tealights. Perhaps the most commonly used, these little candles are cheap and efficient, bringing instant table-side glow. But we’re going to cheat a little.
LED tealights. Much more expensive, I know. But the price difference is worth the peace of mine that come with the small electronics. It’s worth it to know that there’s no way your 19 year old brother can set himself on fire, or that your fiance himself won’t burn something down. Bored budding pyros and open flames don’t mix. Not that I think anyone would be bored, but you never know.
So Mr. Sewing and I flopped over to Big Lots and picked up about 60 of these little guys. Read more…
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.
Mama and Papa Peep loved that we had a small wedding in S.F., but Papa Peep loves a good party and he wanted to celebrate with every one of his friends.
So, right after our big day, Mama Peep sent out invites for an LA reception:
Mrs. Pencils, Washington DC/Frederick, MDAge and Occupation: 24, Program Director, Education Non ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Administrative Assistant, Ocean Conservation Non ProfitEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Morningside InnAbout Me: I'm a nerdy Northwestern girl who always knew she was meant to live in the East, harboring a deep love of ice cream, underwear, Diet Coke with a splash of Coca-Cola, pashminas, scrapbooking, stationery, wall calendars and books written for preteens. I think every day should include good thin crust pizza, chocolate, an obscure historical monument, lots of laughter, a dash of wedding planning and, of course, amazing Mr. Pencils! I'm loving the adventure of planning a Maryland wedding and Rocky Mountain reception, and most of all, I just love love!
When I told Mr. Pencils my plan for our handmade cake topper***, his response was, “if you don’t know how to swim, get your ass of out of the pool.” After I explained my idea some more, he said, “It’s going to look like a third grader smashed the top of our cake with their craft time.” Resounding confidence in our skills, I know. Luckily (for him) he was a bit more optimistic when he actually saw what I purchased from Michaels for our endeavor, and even went so far as to say, “it could look nice.” Again, it was not what I hoping for, but my optimism for this project would not be shot down, and I had enough to make up for his lacking outlook. Read more…
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
OK, so I left you in “Save the Date: suspense… sorry! The drama ensued with the address labels, but thankfully we were able to get ourselves out of the weeds and work out a system.
Now, I’ll show you what these bad boys looked like!
Here is our little setup: my trusty Google doc spreadsheet with addresses (yes, they are color coded in blue for Mr. Buttons’ guests, and pink for mine…), the magnets, glue dots, the cards and envelopes (clearly), and the ink pad/stamp. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
OK, so I left you in “Save the Date: suspense… sorry! The drama ensued with the address labels, but thankfully we were able to get ourselves out of the weeds and work out a system.
