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!
Just like I would have laughed in their face in disbelief had someone told me I would buy this dress, I also would have scoffed at pearls as a wedding day accessory - they are so not my style (you can start laughing now because I’m sure you see what’s coming).
Therefore allow me to introduce my jewelry - oh sorry, did I mention they’re pearls?
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 chose my dress, I chose it mainly for one reason. Oh, I love the Alencon lace, the sweetheart neckline, and the A-line silhouette. But most of all, I love one little detail: the little silk ribbon that runs up each side and under my bum. It is so simple, yet gorgeous:
personal photo
I started thinking of many ways to incorporate this little detail into the wedding.
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.
Type A? Not me. Not even a Type B. Is there a Type K or W? That sounds about right.
The fact that I, Type QRSTUV, ol’ organizational dilettante Potato Chips here, am attempting a post about organizational strategies is wishful at best and presumptuous at worst. I assume most of you are far more organized than I will ever hope to be, organization gurus and giants and masters and senseis, I am sure!
But, in the off chance that there is a Type WXYZ here in the mix, I present my humble contributions to staying organized, wedding planning style.
In a text about how to survive graduate school that I read voraciously over the summer (this one, if you’re interested), the author stressed that organizational skills are more important than native intelligence. Did you get that? More important than native intelligence. Seeing as how I continually find myself wanting in the “native intelligence” category, I immediately put my lackadaisical, slug-a-bed ways behind and embarked on a whole new world of filing systems, cabinets, folders, and calendars. I think that’s how I survived this first semester.
I’m still a work in practice, but I’ve tried to apply the same concepts I’ve learned to wedding planning. First up: the binder. We have, like many affianced couples, an overstuffed binder full of vendor info. We pull it out every time we have a wedding meeting.
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. 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.
I have never been, but it sounds amazing! It’s a holiday that spans over a month and includes parades, costumes, bands, vendors, dancing in the streets, and even the crowning of a Queen, King, Prince, and Princess.
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.
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.
At the end of this month Mr. Cola and I will be going back to the same jeweler that he purchased my engagement ring from to pick out our wedding bands! So naturally I’ve been browsing online for styles that might go with my three stone e-ring.
As a reminder, here is what my ring looks like… I’m not 100% sure what style of wedding band is going to go with it!
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. 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.)
(I would have posted a frame from Beauty and the Beast, but Disney is, how shall we say, a little “possessive” of its images—jolly waiter with desserts will have to do)
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!
After Mr. Buttons proposed, the first thing on my to-do list was to find a photographer. And attempting to do that can be an absolutely daunting task, to say the least! I scoured the Internet for DAYS, trying not to go cross-eyed or to pull my hair out due to the overwhelming amount of information I came across! One thing I WAS sure about however, is that I wanted to find a photojournalist to document the day. Of course, some posed pictures are necessary, but I wanted to find someone who was able to capture the candid, natural moments that will transpire on our wedding day.
After spending the better half of my day scrolling through photos, I randomly sent out a Tweet about what I was up to. And, a short time later, I received a response from Pilster Photography, with a link to their site. I was intrigued, and began to sift through. And I was hooked, not only by the photos, but by what is included in their packages (UNLIMITED time on the day of the wedding, how cool is that?) and how well I clicked with Chad. And, for now, I’ll just let some of the photos speak for themselves…
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!
I wrote a few posts on engagement picture shots and locations that I reeeeallly wanted for us during our shoot. Well, ask and you shall receive, I say! Jessica, our amazing, beyond wonderful photographer, DELIVERED, like woah.
Her photographs leave me speechless, so I will let them do the talking.
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!
It didn’t take long for Mr. Pencils and me to decide on our color scheme. We knew we wanted an outdoor wedding—at least for the ceremony to be outside—and a color palette to reflect nature and the world around us. The mister put his foot down on fuchsia pink, which I love as an accent color, as in this inspiration board:
Thus, it was not meant to be pink. Luckily, I had another idea. Our favorite colors. Read more…
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.
I am incredibly happy to report that after months of hard labour, our STDs are finally finished! They are all tucked away into their yellow envelopes, but are waiting to be sent out until Mr. Pudding finishes our (completely original, completely beautiful) wedding website. I can’t wait to share them with you though, and doubt that many of our wedding guests are reading Weddingbee.
Hive, meet our STDs! Be nice - They’re a little shy:
At first, I thought that I would print the addresses on the envelopes, but I tried writing them myself with a bold-tip calligraphy pen, and decided that they didn’t look so bad. I also added the little flourish at the bottom of the envelopes - isn’t it cute (in a Mrs. Gloss kind of way)? Read more…
Mrs. French Bulldog, Orange CountyAge and Occupation: 28, Administrative Assistant & Interior Design StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Purchasing AnalystEngagement Date: November 8, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Bernardo WineryAbout Me: I've lived in Atlanta, Dallas and Laguna Niguel; although I've lived in Orange County, CA most my life, I'm a Southerner at heart. I work full time for a Commercial General Contractor (aka my father) and I go to school for Interior Design at night. I love modern design, music, wine, crafting, DMailing, my family, my Westies, and of course, Mr Frenchie! Mr Frenchie and I met 3 years ago on Match.com and have been best friends ever since. I love his "old soul" and how he laughs with his whole body, among many other things. We are planning our summer wedding at the winery near his hometown, just 45 minutes south of Orange County.
As I began to write this post about our ceremony I realized I completely left out a part that both Mr Frenchie and I found important, so I would like to rewind here…
Papa Frenchie and I had just made it down to Mr Frenchie and our officiant, Leanne.
Leanne greeted everyone and started the ceremony with a prayer: Read more…
Mrs. French Fries, MilwaukeeAge and Occupation: 27, ParalegalFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Investments AdvisorEngagement Date: September 20, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Ceremony: Catholic Church, Reception: Hotel BallroomAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl who longs to live in a warmer climate (my feet would be happy in flip flops any day!). I love travel, impromptu napping, grilled cheese sandwiches, my iPhone, singing with reckless abandon in my car, and Mr. French Fries.
The journey to finding our rings for Mr. French Fries was quite simple. We went to a jeweler, he picked out what type of metal he wanted (tungsten, for the record), what millimeter width he preferred (not sure of the exact measurement… but it’s pretty wide), whether he wanted it brushed matte or left shiny (he decided on a mix of both) and was pretty much done. I love his ring (and love it even more when he tries it on “for size” and checks himself out in the mirror!).
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
