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.)
Pretty damn cute, as far as I’ve seen. We wanted to do edible favors so that people would be more likely to take/eat them–plus my sister and I wanted to do something a little homemade for the wedding. We’ve decided on little lavender and lime shortbread cookies that we are going to stack in cellophane bags, and tie up with a ribbon. Cute, huh?
Well, I did have what I thought was a cute idea until, in what seems to be a constant rule whenever I click on over to marthastewartweddings.com, Martha Stewart and her minions showed me what “cute” really looks like. To compensate for my feelings of lameness, I darted some feisty commentary back at the screen. That’ll show her!
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.
On Christmas Day I was chatting with my future mother-in-law, Kathy, and she asked me what current wedding projects I was working on. I told her that I’m planning on making centerpieces for our home party and still needed to get a few supplies for them. OK, all the supplies minus the teardrop crystals I bought. I told her about my vision which she also had read about in my blog. She paused, looked at me, and said, “I may have something in the basement that you can use.”
Sweet.
I followed her down there (it’s still so weird being in their basement because it’s identical to my parents’, just full of different things), and after a little digging, she pulled THIS out!!!
Leftover supplies from Mr. Nachos’ brother’s wedding. Well if that didn’t look promising enough, I opened her up, and… 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!
At the end of our engagement session, our photographer had shot a ridiculous number of photos (over a thousand… maybe closer to 2? Perhaps he will chime in and correct me if I am mistaken). Selecting our favorites took a very long time for me and Mr. Buttons, to say the least! So… this post is dedicated to some of my favorite shots: many of them are close ups, so you’re going to have to get used to staring at us for the moment!
It took me FOREVER to find this dress for the shoot! I shopped for weeks, searching high and low for something. Coincidentally, I came across this Antonio Melani dress on the clearance rack the day before the shoot! The pintuck details are just delish…
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. 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.
We recently had a meet up in Austin with Mrs. Beagle, Mrs. Mouse, Amanda Lynn, TexicanMexican and me in attendance. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize that Chuy’s loves to celebrate Elvis’ b-day quite as much as they do, nor did we realize that January 8th was Elvis’ b-day and also the date of our meet up. BUT, we had the best time! We met up at 6 and by the time I looked down at my watch it was already 9:30 and we were still chatting!
Here’s a picture of Amanda Lynn and me with our hand-held Elvis mask (that I took home to use in our photobooth at the wedding):
And here is TexicanMexican, Mrs. Mouse and Mrs. Beagle: 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!
“Save the Date” cards are what most people do if they decide to do anything DIY. So naturally, I will be making ours, as well. I decided to draw ours. Not that I’m an expert or anything, but it’s been a long hobby of mine, and you know, it’s just plain cuter than the real Mr. and Miss Sewing.
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!
That is the one thing I never ever ever thought that I would hear myself saying. I am extroverted, I am outspoken, I am decidedly non non-confrontational. That’s not to say that I am confrontational, but I don’t let people walk all over me, I speak my mind, I say what other people are thinking but are too scared to say—that’s just who I am. I’m a lot like my dad in that way, and you’ll either love me or despise me, but I stay true to myself either way.
A guy once wrote in my high school yearbook that I was “ruthless”- I took it as a compliment. I’m not a mean person, I’m actually very nice, polite, and compassionate—until someone wrongs me, then I go for the jugular (granted… I do choose my battles). That said, on the rare occasion that someone gets me to that point, I say my piece and proudly exclaim to Mr. Rainbow, “A doormat, I am not!” That is, until now.
Do you remember this little post in which I wrote about cutting down our guest list? How proud I was to share the news—that we got our guest list down to 30 people? 30 people! That is awesome! I’m sorry, was awesome. Yes, you read correctly… was awesome.
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 am going to interrupt my Dressing the Dudes series to bring you what is, perhaps, my proudest DIY moment to date. If you remember, I fell in love with a crepe paper and fabric bouquet and boutonnieres in the summer edition of Martha Stewart Weddings. I wanted 5 mini versions for my ‘maids so I went about figuring out how to make my own.
Here is a refresher of what the bouquet and bout in MSW look like:
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!
This is the reaction I get when I tell friends and family my chosen footwear for our wedding. I myself at times wonder if I would be happier choosing a beautiful pair of shoes like this:
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!
These are super easy, and don’t take very long at all. Let’s get started!
Here are the supplies you’ll need:
Pearls (or other beads), crimp beads, jump rings, headpins, wire or string of your choice, earring findings, crimper, long nosed pliers, and wire cutters.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what half those things were called - I just looked them up online. In reality, I rolled into Michaels and grabbed a bunch of stuff. What you see above is what worked for me. 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!
Since I have done a lot of research on German wedding traditions, I thought it was appropriate to search for traditions from the South. I am nowhere near finished compiling them, but I just stumbled upon one that makes my heart ache.
“A deep connection with family, especially symbolically, then continues through the wedding. The classic Southern bride wants to honor her family with special remembrances such as incorporating flowers that her grandmother had chosen for her own bouquet.” (source)
I started tearing up almost immediately after reading that. Neither of my grandmothers will be able to attend the wedding. My paternal grandmother passed away in 2004 from pancreatic cancer, and my maternal grandmother has very advanced Alzheimer’s. I’ve begged that she be able to come, but it’s not possible given her health condition. The fact that neither will be there is a fact that is hard for me to stomach, especially given that my maternal grandmother is still alive.
That is why this tradition struck me so significantly. I need and want to honor both of them, and thought that having one flower for each that they used in their bouquets in my bouquet would be a wonderful way to honor them.
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!
When I saw this post on A Practical Wedding today, I felt like someone knocked the air out of me. Not only could I completely relate, but I wished someone would have discussed such a question on this topic while I was planning. I’m always at odds on how much is too much to be shared on the internet, but I would like to share my experience if it will help someone out there.
My mom passed away four months before my wedding, and it was the saddest, most painful experience I’ve gone through yet. What made it worse, was that I was in the middle of planning what was supposed to be “the happiest day of my life”. I went through a mixture of emotions: sadness (the most obvious), anger that my family was having to go through this after we had been through so much with her illness, guilt for not moving my wedding date up so she could be there, when she wanted to be there so badly, numbness when I couldn’t feel any worse. After all that, I really thought there was no way a wedding would suddenly clear everything away with one sweep and transform one day into a joyous occasion.
In the weeks leading up to our wedding my emotional well-being continued to decline. Read more…
Mrs. Kitten, Austin/Grand CaymanAge and Occupation: 25, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Dental StudentEngagement Date: October 19, 2006Wedding Date: April, 2009Venue: The Grand Old House, Grand CaymanAbout Me: In 2009 I will get married (after a two and a half year engagement!), become an Army wife, graduate from law school, take the bar, move from Austin to Washington, D.C., and start my career as a lawyer! With all this going on, Mr. Kitten and I decided to have a tropical, "stress-free" destination wedding. Nevertheless, my micromanaging, detail-oriented, perfectionist side has prevailed---I am currently obsessed with every last detail of my "stress-free" destination wedding! But most of all, I'm beyond excited to become Mrs. Kitten on a fabulous Caribbean vacation surrounded by my friends and family!
Hi Hive! J. Crew is offering an extra 20% off their sale items with the coupon code “EXTRA20″ and free shipping on orders of $150 or more. They’ve got a little bit of everything—bridesmaid dresses, flower girl attire, shoes, accessories, and even attire for the bride and groom! All on sale! Because I love you (or maybe because I want to live vicariously through you now that our wedding is over), I took the liberty of posting some of my favorite finds from the sale, below. I factored the extra 20% into the listed prices (can you tell I’m excited about this sale?!).
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!
If you recall from my previous post, our wedding venue happens to be a yacht club on Clearwater Beach. During the cocktail hour, our guests will be mingling outside by the pool area. And, there happen to be some boat slips along the back of the venue as well!
So, I’ve been getting inspiration for some fun photo opportunities during the hour… although I know that our photographer is going to get some great shots, regardless!
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.
I always love reading about the many beautiful cultural touches many couples incorporate into their weddings. There are so many special and meaningful things that can be added to celebrate family and cultural traditions, but sadly, Mr. Cola and I don’t have much to work with.
I’m very Irish (and Mr. C is a self-proclaimed mutt, with many European cultures in his family’s background), and, OK, we ARE having an open bar (with Guinness as one of the 6 beers on tap), but there’s not much else that sounds neat enough to do that’s “Irish”.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
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