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.)
The story of how Mr. Pug and I met isn’t terribly interesting. We were set up by a friend. For our first date, he suggested going to a cafe that offered a ginormous amount of baked goods. So we got married (he had me at the baked goods!).
The story of our engagement, however, is a little more interesting. I spoke about it in general terms here, but to get a little more specific, there was a big time lag in between the first time that Mr. Pug showed me the engagement ring and when we became officially engaged. I was proposed to multiple times (a la one of my fave bees ever, Mrs. Ladybug). And no, it’s not that I rejected him the first few times—I knew we were going to get married—but it was more that I rejected his proposal method multiple times.
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!
Once we booked our photographer, it was time to schedule an engagement session. Mr. Buttons and I had to plan ours quickly, as we were about to move to Virginia at the time! Our shoot took place in two different locations, which allowed for two different looks (yay!).
To start, Mr. Buttons and I met up with our photographer, Chad Pilster in Tarpon Springs at the sponge docks. It is filled with shrimp boats, touristy shops, and TONS of Greek restaurants.
Before we even left the parking lot to start walking, we had to get a shot in front of this mural on the side of a building!
Then it was off to the shops! Mr. Buttons and I had some fun trying on silly hats (or… I had fun putting them on him!). Read more…
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!
… and I could only grab three things (considering, of course, Mr. Cloud was getting himself out*) I would take…
… my precious pup, Bella…
… my childhood Teddy (can I really call it a childhood bear if I still sleep with her??) Read more…
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!
A number of blog posts about financial planning after marriage led to a pretty great decision for the Pencils this past fall. Before, I would have said, “joint everything or nothing” because that’s how my parents did it and it works for them.
I forgot to remember that what works for one couple doesn’t always translate to success for all. For example, me and Mr. Pencils.
See, I used to think that having a separate personal account meant that there were secrets to keep, and I thought that if a husband and wife didn’t share everything, they would lack trust. Don’t judge—I was worried that if Mr. Pencils and I had separate accounts, it might make it all that easier for one of us to have an indiscretion! 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.
You know, I don’t really like that just about every wedding blogger feels the need to touch on if they will or will not be changing their name when they get married. It’s not the topic that I’m not a fan of, it’s the need to justify their decision, and then even after justifying it, usually they get tons of comments saying their choice is wrong, even though it’s ultimately THEIR choice.
But here I am, about to jump on the bandwagon, and justify my choice for what I’ll be doing with my name after Mr. Cola and I tie the knot. Sigh. But I really DO feel justified… and therefore have the urge to explain…
See, I don’t really care for my last name. Even though it’s only 5 letters, nobody ever seems to get it right; spelling or pronunciation. It’s not really that hard, just that it’s rare-ish, and there are so many similar spelled/sounding names. So in most cases, I wouldn’t have had a problem with just taking my husband’s name, and dropping my maiden name altogether, or maybe moving it to a middle name, which seems to be common these days.
However, there’s two issues with Mr. Cola’s last name. Read more…
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.
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!
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!
Before I get to the ceremony, I need to rewind a little bit. At some point while we were taking photos, the venue coordinator, Rick, took me aside to discuss what we were going to do about the ceremony. If you remember, our original plan was to get married outdoors, in the garden. When Rick pulled me aside, the rain was holding off, but the sky looked cloudy and forecasts were predicting rain for the evening. Rick let me know in no uncertain terms (but very diplomatically) that it would be way too risky to try for the garden wedding. Although I was a bit disappointed, I knew it was the right decision. So I told him to go ahead and have everyone set up in the Artisan ballroom (really more of a barn with a large wall of windows facing into the garden).
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!
I’d like to tell you what an honor it is to be here. I’d love to let you know how much inspiration, laughs, and butterflies you all have given me through the boards and blogs - but right now I can only do this…
Hands shaking, I tried typing my response to the good news while simultaneously calling my fiance, Mr. Sewing, at work. He was happy for me, if only for the fact that it meant we were going out for dinner that night. (We ate pho, one of our favorite foods!)
So who are these sewing-people? Well, we’re two practical engineers who love videogames, anime, sci-fi, ’80s music and all other things of the nerdy persuasion… Read more…
Mrs. Poodle, Santiago, Chile/San Bernardino, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Industrial & Web DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Firefighter & Mountain PatrolEngagement Date: February 25, 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Mr. P's Grandparents’ RanchAbout Me: I’m a Chilean girl who's crazy about nature and swimming. I enjoy carving, drawing, reading and sewing; I drool over computers, fabric, pretty paper, purple and patterns. To me, chocolate should be one of the seven wonders, right next to lemon pie. I never thought an exchange work experience program was going to change my life forever, but while working in California, I met Mr. Poodle, and ever since my days are better and brighter. We are two goofy souls that, after finding each other, couldn’t help but want to be together forever. It has being a long and sometimes hard road, since we have to deal with such a long distance between us, but we are now facing the last stage of our Fiancé Visa, and soon we will be together. You know the best part? We will be married! So I’ll be blogging from Chile until just a few months before our “green and purple” wedding.
When we first started our visa process I never imagine this journey was going to be at times so frustrating and bumpy.
Today we finally sent our AOS (adjustment of status) package out!! and even thought we have no idea how long this process is going to be, we know that this time we will be waiting together. We are legally married, living together, waking up every day to each other’s faces. I can totally say that even if we don’t have the big April wedding, I AM COMPLETELY HAPPY! I get a warm feeling each time I look in Mr. Poodle’s eyes and remember how hard and long was the wait was for me to be with him.
Today we finally sent our papers out, and I can look back and say that if I had to cry all of those tears all over again to be here, in the arms of Mr. Poodle, I would do it all over again, without any doubts.
I know that in the end, every single hard moment we had, every time I felt like I was hopeless waiting on some stupid paper to be happy, was worth it. Read more…
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.)
Ms. Potato Chip wrote about a clever addition she had to wedding vocabulary: Bridol.
Bridol -noun- 1. a bride who becomes your idol or role model; 2. a previously engaged woman (or man) whose planning style and general attitude invoked feelings of respect and admiration.
My bridol isn’t real-life, although I’m sure many real-life brides have embodied the attitude which I so admire in my bridol. Whenever I fret about things not going just right at the wedding, worrying about how I will be pouring my blood, sweat and tears into an event that I can 100% guarantee will not turn out exactly as I had planned (that’s just impossible), I try to calm my mind and think of Toula.
It’s Toula (aka Nila Vardalos) from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Remember this little sweetie? Remember her dress? 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!
Upon moving to Virginia in the fall, I began to realize that I indeed have a problem. And that problem is the desire… no… the need to be tan all the time. This wasn’t difficult when we lived in Florida; Mr. Buttons and I frequented the beach through at least November. But now… Read more…
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!
As you all know, I have lived in three distinct places: Idaho, Washington, DC, and Baltimore. I also have best friends from every single place I have lived in. I say best friends, because I truly do view each and everyone of these women as the BEST women around and BEST friends.
And yet, you all also know that I am not good at making decisions. So, when it came time to choose a Maid of Honor, I balked. I flopped. I didn’t choose one.
Yep, I didn’t choose one. Instead, I chose a man of honor. Read more…
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.
If you all remember, I was determined to keep my skin looking as good as it could this winter since I normally bundle up and forget about it. This time around, I have to bare it in April, so as a refresher, here was my 7-step plan with my grade on how well it’s been working/how well I’ve been sticking to it:
Lukewarm showers = A
Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash w/ Scrubby Gloves = A++++++
Clean and Clear Continuous Control Face Wash = C
Clean and Clear Acne Spot Treatment = B
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize = A++++++
Tanning = B
Drink lots of water = B
And here’s a breakdown of how well I’ve done sticking to this and more importantly, how well it’s working.
1. I’ve actually been better than I thought I’d be about the lukewarm showers. I’m COLD in the process but I’m doing it! I still am probably taking showers hotter than need be, but I promise, they haven’t been the scorchers I’m used to. I really honestly believe it’s making a difference because I don’t feel like I’m gonna crack like this guy if I bend my arms or smile after I towel off… Read more…
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