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.
So I played around with the invites a little more this weekend and decided that the design by VistaPrint wasn’t exactly what I was looking for and didn’t really go with the theme of the party. Plus, as a few people pointed out, they were more of a copy of the one I originally liked and less of an inspiration.
I started thinking that a folded card would be better than a flat one like originally planned. My next thought was to look at envelope dimensions first so I could easily buy some that our invitations would fit in. Once I had the dimensions, back to Photoshop I went. I grabbed my favorite e-pic and converted it to black and white. Then I sized the canvas in Photoshop to just under the width of the envelopes, and just under double the height so when folded in half, it would fit perfectly. I added a text layer and put the date of our wedding in red because I thought it popped nicely against the black and white. I later went back and added our names, because when I was finished with the inside, I realized I hadn’t put them in anywhere! So here’s the outside…
Mrs. Piglet, Virginia/OahuAge and Occupation: 28, ConsultantFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Entrepreneur/Fashion Apparel Wholesale ImporterEngagement Date: June 22, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Ceremony at the Lanikuhonua Phase II private estate, reception at a historic hotel in WaikikiAbout Me: I'm an East Coast gal with intense road rage and an addiction to romantic comedies, fast food, gadgets, Korean BBQ, and my wiener dog George aka Georgia May. I carry mustard packets in my purse and I love perusing the aisles at discount stores. A self proclaimed shopaholic, I impulsively buy electronics, software, and craft tools; none of which I know how to use. I'm excited to dust
these babies off and immerse myself in DIY projects galore in
preparation for our DW in paradise!
A lot of our friends were coming a week before the wedding to beach, surf, and play. Before they arrived at their hotel, we wanted to drop-off a little welcome gift. Everyone loves a welcome gift – be it cookies, a fresh towel, or a refreshing cocktail. I know I do!
In our RSVP cards, we asked that our friends let us know where they were staying. Armed with this info, my sister and I headed to Waikiki at 5:30 in the morning (to avoid traffic and easily park on the street) and delivered the goods. I love her. Mr Piglet was sleeping. I still love him, too.
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!
I have a confession to make. Wedding planning scares me to death sometimes!
…and why is this, you might ask? Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret about myself:
I am inexperienced… at weddings.
To date, I have only attended two (yes, count ‘em… TWO) weddings. One of them was my aunt and uncle’s wedding when I was a pre-teen, and the other was on Valentine’s Day last year (one of Mr. Buttons’ best friends/now groomsman). So, as you can imagine… I have not exactly been inundated with ideas from viewing the nuptials of others firsthand.
This is good and bad. On one hand, since I am the first out of my group of friends to tie the knot, I get to “set the bar”, if you will, for wedding expectations. I am the first to pick color schemes, select bridesmaid’s dresses, etc, and I don’t have to worry that I’m copying someone else’s look. Although personally, that really doesn’t matter in the end (I can say with confidence that no one’s wedding in my group of friends is going to be exactly the same… so who cares if colors or dresses are similar?). Read more…
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!
I tend to get suddenly obsessed with one detail of the wedding and feel like I ABSOLUTELY MUST PLAN THIS NOW. Sorry for yelling, but that is how my brain feels. When this happens I’ll spend hours upon hours researching every aspect of this one tiny detail, sending Mr. Guinea Pig emails and chats peppering him with questions and options (becoming impatient with anything but near-instant responses) until he finally has to say this:
“Okay. Stop. I can’t look at a screen anymore, my eyes hurt. Give yourself a rest and sleep on it.”
Sleep on it?! But these things need to be decided now! This particular response was after I had sent him no less than 8 links to yellow paper options (with plenty of comments about the quality, color, and merits of each). At 1 AM, on a Tuesday. And what, might you ask, is this yellow cardstock for? Programs! Umm… programs I haven’t designed yet. But they will have the perfect yellow cardstock.
Needless to say, when I woke up I realized that I could probably wait a week or two until I had figured out the programs to order the paper.
Of course when looking for program inspiration, where else should I start but Weddingbee! And sure enough, I found lots of great programs - here are some of my favorites:
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!
Alright, considering I desperately need to do my eyebrows, I think it’s time for another tutorial! My current eyebrow monstrosity is now your gain. Ya welcome. Before I get started, let’s chronicle my eyebrow trials and tribulations, via Paint:
(click for full sized terror)
Exhibit A: As a child, I had monster brows, complete with teeth (creative license?). I now like to refer to them as “Bert and Ernie eyebrows” (really, more Bert, less Ernie), but unlike Bert and Ernie, they were neither fun nor friendly. They were big, they were scary, and yes, they were hairy. Not cute.
Mrs. Pudding, Greater Toronto Area/VermontAge and Occupation: 26, High School TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Computer EngineerEngagement Date: August 2008Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catholic Ceremony, Cultural Hall ReceptionAbout Me: Quite literally a citizen of the world, I was born in Poland, grew up in Canada, and now live in the beautiful state of Vermont. I love reading historical biographies, multi-tasking, teasing my hair, and, despite my height, wearing high heeled shoes. I am the ultimate klutz with an uncanny ability to put on a graceful front. Mr. Pudding and I have been dating for over six years, and are very excited to finally merge our (very large) families. We are planning a traditional Polish-Catholic wedding that is anything but predictable.
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!
Things Mr. Sewing and I were looking for in a venue -
Great food. But yes, this is Hawaii we’re talking about, so pretty much anywhere you go, food is going to be good.
Price. Partially because of our budget, we didn’t bother to entertain the thought of the amazingly beautiful, but outrageously expensive resorts like Turtle Bay or Ihilani.
Freedom. Since I’m a controlling crazy lady, a package deal isn’t going to fit for me. I want to be able to bring my own cake and flowers and whatever-else in.
Good cause. If possible, we’d like the money we pay for our venue to go to a useful cause.
So we came up with pros and cons for the four finalist venue locations:
Pros: Mr. Sewing’s parents had their wedding reception here, they have awesome food, and there’s a garden/gazebo to have your ceremony in.
Cons: It’s the most expensive, and pretty much all Saturdays in 2010 are already booked. 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.
lkltxva is selling ten short silver table number holders. Each holder has a 2-inch circumfrence base and is 2.5 inches tall. She’s asking $10 for the set of 10.
Have a wedding item for sale? Post it with pictures in the Weddingbee classifieds and you might see it featured on the blog!
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!
Every single one of my bridesmaids has to travel to our wedding and incur the hefty costs associated with the trip. Because of this, I was determined to purchase their bridesmaid’s dresses for them! Of course, with six girls, this meant I’d have to keep costs down.
A few months back, I was dress shopping with PF (one of my b-maids!) for her wedding, and I tried on the Twobirds dress. This dress is beautiful. Classy, flattering, gorgeous. Also, over my price limit. I loved how every girl could wear it in the style that suited their personality best.
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!
My fantastically talented cousin, Julie, is designing all of our stationery, and she recently sent me some invitation designs. I was floored. They’re gorgeous, and I cannot wait to show you what I chose… but you’ll have to wait until after I send them out! I know, how cruel. In the meantime, I’ll give you some clues, so you have a notion of what they’ll be like.
She combined many of my stationery-related delights, including bold color:
This contest is closed. Congratulations to our winner, AzinAugust!
~~~
PosePrints is known for their custom designs of classy-cute invitations, announcements, and note cards. Using their MyPose tool, you can create look-alikes of you and your fiance, and have them printed on a number of customizable stationery options, including their adorable customizable Save the Date magnets! Today they’re giving away a $150 gift certificate to use toward any purchase on their site.
And to celebrate their customizable Save the Date magnets, PosePrints is offering a 50% discount on the them. Enter promo code “stdwedmagnet” at checkout to take advantage of the deal!
To enter the contest, tell us which Save the Date magnet design you would choose! You have until midnight PST on Friday to enter. Good luck!
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!
“Is that what that was? I thought it was feathers.”
“No, it was a bird.”
“It was beautiful!”
I think this was the movie that spawned 1,000 giant bridal headpieces. True, I wasn’t in the bridal-research-wedding-a-palooza that I am in now, but I never really noticed that much hub-bub about giant feather or floral headpieces before this.
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.)
I have learned an important lesson in tackling all the DIY projects that I did in the past few weeks: DIY is not easy for large weddings. “Large” is a relative term, I understand, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that when your invite list approaches 200, it doesn’t take too many projects before you’re entering a world of pain, son.* I’m glad I did it—I love the way our invites look, and I’m glad people will be able to follow the ceremony better—but WOW was that more work than I thought it would be! (But notice, not so much that I stopped, or that I didn’t still have time to tell you about it!)
So. The last thing project I tackled this winter break was programs, with the help of Spaniel BM-Noe (the very same wonderful lady who helped me with the envelope liners… I should have added a special line in the acknowledgments thanking her specifically for helping me to assemble these beasts).
Before I start ’splaining to you how to make these monsters programs yourselves, here is where I got the tutorial and templates. Below are the things I learned and tweaks I made to make the project go a little more smoothly. Read more…
Mrs. Mouse, AustinAge and Occupation: 25, Weddingbee Editor/AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Civil EngineerEngagement Date: December 19, 2007Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Barr MansionAbout Me: I just graduated from law school and will be taking the bar, getting married, going on a honeymoon with my guy, and then trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the rest of my life. I was born and raised in a small East Texas town, but I'm no country girl! I'm obsessed with British accents, fantasy (including Harry Potter, of course), and classic rock. My fiance and I consider ourselves both music and beer snobs--but every once in awhile we love to hear a crappy band and drink a cheap brew or two. We're planning an eco-friendly, casual, English garden affair for the end of summer, and we can't wait for it to get here!
Sorry to leave you guys hanging like that in my last post—I know, it was cruel.
When I left you, the Dude was waiting for my walk down the aisle.
As I stood in front of the back door to the barn, I took a deep breath and made my entrance to the song that will forever remind me of my father. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
