Mrs. Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, ProfessorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, InstructorEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
To me these are images of the process, because they’re not necessarily of people. Rather, they’re images of people throughout the wedding day process. You see “process” through these pictures because the people are doing more than going through the motions. They’re living the moment, and these couples are lucky enough to get to relive these moments forever.
(1) Brideswomen love. A picture that shows off the brideswomen love is important and simply cannot be planned. It just happens, and you need someone there to snap the shot.
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!
One minute I’m completely in love, beaming from ear-to-ear, practically glowing with excitement. The next, I’m mad as can be, utterly disgusted, and ready to physically tear to pieces that which I adored only a moment before.
Don’t worry, my unsteady relationship issues are not with any particular fiance, but rather with our favor-bag-chair-covers. They quickly made my short list for “worst-wedding-decision-ever-made”, but know I say that simply because I had only 12 days to finish all 120 of them. I’m rolling out a three-part series on the subject, in which you’ll realize why making one’s own chair covers is not a popular wedding trend.
(For catch-up on how this project has evolved with time, read my prior posts here, here, here and here.)
Taking a focus on the first stage of mass production, we have the silkscreening. Though I’ve shown the YUDU process before, here’s a quick and dirty video of Mr. Sewing and I highlighting the repetitive process:
Mrs. Lace, Pasadena, CAAge and Occupation: 29, Elementary school teacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, EngineerEngagement Date: September 6, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Orange County Performing Arts CenterAbout Me: Born and raised in Southern California, my fiance and I are marrying in Orange County. We're planning a vintage wedding with a modern twist. I am an elementary school teacher by day and a wedding planner by night. I love reading, blogging, scrapbooking, trying out new DIY projects, buying awesome finds at incredible deals and spending time with friends and family. Trying new restaurants, traveling and shopping also top my hobby list. I'm anxious to share my wedding ideas and planning with the hive!
Mr. Lace and I looked high and low for a great, yet budget-friendly photographer. After looking through recommendations of friends, combing through wedding websites and reading and following blogs, I was ready to give up and just settle for a DECENT photographer, despite the fact that many of our married friends said to make sure we got a good photographer no matter the cost. Either the photographers were phenomenal and several thousand dollars over budget or way under budget with pictures that looked like they came out of a point and shoot digital camera.
One night, I buckled down and Googled “Orange County Wedding Photographer”. Of course, Google came up with results! I decided I was going to look through as many pages as I could. I was on page 24 of my Google search before I found a website that was labeled “Orange County Wedding Photographer”. I clicked and found this. I immediately loved her writing style and thought that she sounded like a really interesting person. As I looked through her photos, I had that “this is the one” moment (that I failed to have with my wedding dress, but I do hear that a small percentage of brides don’t really have that big “this is it” moment). She had some general guidelines on pricing so I emailed her and crossed my fingers. Later that day, Hanssie e-mailed me back with prices that perfectly fit our budget. Read more…
DIYFeature Launched: October 8, 2008About: The best DIY projects from Bees and brides around the web.
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.
My grandma used to buy me paper dolls – sometimes as a little gift for a holiday and sometimes just because. I loved playing with them, especially the more vintage-y dolls. I distinctly remember a Victorian set of dolls and a 1950s set. I can’t help but smile when I picture the dolls with their modest underthings and a wide array of clothes and accessories just waiting to be combined in sometimes hilarious ways. Can you say pajama pants with a tennis skirt? Read more…
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.
OK, so I’m not cheating on Mr. Fro Yo or anything, but I do have a new love. See, I recently had a birthday (holy crap I’m 29) and my sweet mom got me the best present ever. I knew that I wanted this present but I had no idea that I was going to look forward to using it everyday, nor did I think it would lead to dramatic changes for me, but it has done all that and more and I’ve only had it for a week and a half! So what is this magic present? My new Clarisonic Mia!
Mrs. Argyle, St. LouisAge and Occupation: 24, Project CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, PilotEngagement Date: February 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Jewel Box in Forest Park and Windows on WashingtonAbout Me: I'm a true Midwestern girl (born and raised), lover of red wine, reality TV and the entire J.Crew catalog. I love to dance regardless of who is watching, and enjoy a good laugh with my girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for planet Earth, my two dogs and my fiance. Fall is my favorite season (which is why we are marrying in September), but I love a warm summer day and the Colorado mountains in the winter. We are planning a modern soiree downtown, with lots of bold colors, and fun, eco-friendly elements.
In true Weddingbee fashion, St. Louis had to represent with its first St. Louis Bee meet-up. And, we had a pretty good turnout.
Eight of us met up to chat, laugh and talk weddings (of course) at Baileys Chocolate Bar in Lafayette Square. For you non-St. Louisans, we wish you could have joined us. They serve almost chocolate everything (this includes drinks, food AND desserts). How could you pass that up?
Thanks to our bashful waiter, we were able to get a photo to commemorate the first meet-up (and get a rando photo, thanks to his inability to work a point and shoot).
Rando photo – not really sure what’s going on here…
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 was finally able to visit my family in the Toronto area this week (YAY!), which meant a lot of wedding planning was scheduled, and some of it was actually accomplished! I was able to book a very last minute hair trial, which I hadn’t planned for. I was definitely not prepared, but thanks to Sister Pudding I was able to put together some quick inspiration pics.
Although I love me a loose, curly, non-fussy updo a la Mrs. Cowboy Boot, I knew that for our marathon of a wedding this hair style would just not work. I plan on dancing the Polka until the wee hours of the morning, and I need my hair to stay in place! I was after something more structured that would work with my thin and fairly straight hair.
Luckily, my years of stalking the ’bee have finally paid off (literally, I’ve been reading for about 2 years now). I knew just the bee to serve as my main inspiration. Perhaps you recognize her?
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!
Ohhhh registries. A few months ago, Mr. Buttons and I started our quest to build them. And I immediately felt like I was going to break out into hives once we began the process. I thought this was supposed to be fun????
To start, we hit up one of the main go-to stores for wedding registries, as I figured it would be a good location for some of the basics. We walked up to the registry counter and sat with the coordinator, who then outlined the process for us. It was at this point that I realized that I, Miss Buttons, am going to be a registry rebel… for a number of reasons. Read more…
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
Erin from The Wedding Salon just graciously offered Weddingbee readers FREE tickets to The Wedding Bootcamp! Join a Bobbi Brown makeup artist, pros in the industry, and the team at Dylan’s Candy Bar for an evening of fun and free treats for brides to be!
To score two free tickets, visit The Wedding Salon and use code WBNY2C upon checkout.
Mrs. Apple Cider, New York/CharlotteAge and Occupation: 27, Corporate Communications ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Grad Student – Clinical Mental Health Engagement Date: September 13, 2008Wedding Date: October 2009Venue: Banner Elk Winery & Blueberry VillaAbout Me: I am a North Carolina girl with a New York City spirit. I love crafting, blogging, laughing and dreaming. I know every word to the Anne of Green Gables and Little Women movies. I own every single Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine and have been dreaming of weddings since I was little. I believe life is about doing what makes you happy. If you aren't happy re-evaluate what you are doing. You should never look back on your life and not be proud of what you are doing. If you want to travel - travel. If you want to sing - sing. If you want to start a company - start a company. If you want to blog – blog!
So let me start by saying that I am biased. My background is in video production, I am deeply moved by movies and I know what makes a good “shot”. I can’t imagine not having decided to have a videographer capture our wedding. I am not here to convince anyone to spend extra money but I do want anyone that is considering spending a ton of money on flowers, invitations, programs or alcohol to really consider hiring a videographer. It is one of the best decisions that we made.
There are few things that go in to choosing a videographer:
1. You don’t want someone that is going to cramp your style. You need them to fit in, get your vibe, get your relationship, understand what you want and be open minded.
2. You have to look at their work. Get examples, get reviews, get testimonials and really understand what their forte is. Do they love telling a story? Are they big on detail shots? Are they modern? Are they traditional? Read more…
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!
I told you about my very serious illness here, and how it inflicted me with a severe case of “I-can’t-marry-you-because-I-can’t-deal-with-your-crazy-family” and “we-can’t-get-married-because-I-want-nothing-to-do-with-them-and-I-certainly-don’t-want-them-at-our-wedding-itis”. It was very difficult for both Mr. Rainbow and me to deal with, and we got extremely close to canceling the wedding because I so strongly didn’t want to be legally tied to his family.
I consulted with my mom, step-mom, and my fellow bees and came away with some great advice that I’m now going to share with you.
1. Don’t let anyone, not even a Monster-In-Law or a crap SIL, stand in the way of marrying the man of your dreams. Period.
2. While family may be forever, you can always move far, far, away. I was lovingly reminded that Mr. Rainbow and I live a mere 15 minutes away from his mother’s house and she’s only been to our apartment 3 times in as many years (we usually go over there). Once we’re able to pack our sh*t and get outta dodge, I imagine the visits will be even more scarce.
Mrs. Paisley, Orange County, CAAge and Occupation: 25, JournalistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Spanish ProfessorEngagement Date: September 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Family Lake HouseAbout Me: From my earliest days I attracted attention, as much for my intelligence as for beauty. I display an originality, a perspicacity, a certain je ne sais quoi that sets me apart. I posses a mysterious authority which compels people to do my bidding. I am a regal blonde with classic features and the daintiness of Dresden porcelain. I am poised, soft-spoken, and well educated... Okay, now that enough eyebrows have sufficiently shot through the roof, everybody can relax---I kid! I'm just a sarcastic NorCal-turned-SoCal girl who loves outdoor activities, books, letterpress printing and of course, Professor Paisley.
So, if you read my last bridesmaid-dress-related post, you’ll know that for about four months, finding the right dress was the bane of my existence. I was trying to find something gorgeous, affordable, and flattering for all body types. My ladies range in size and one is currently pregnant!
Originally, I was dead-set on a lovely pale blue dress, much like this color:
Melissa Sweet Bridesmaid Dress
By the way, if you covet this dress like I did, let me save you some time and possibly a trip to the dressing room: the stiff faille fabric and babydoll design will unfortunately make ANY girl look six month preggers—just beware.
Anyway, so I had somewhat resigned myself to this color. That is, until I saw these bridesmaid’s gowns in a pale champagne pink: 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!
After help from a kind soul, I received these cuties in the mail:
Cake power poles!
Now, since wood poles are for sissies, I’m going to have to paint them silver for some tubular steel pole action.
I’m thinking silver edible paint? That way I won’t have to worry about poisoning anyone. Read more…
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!
As I mentioned in my last post, my shoe dilemma is two-fold: it’s both a physical and an existential problemo! Yes, we’re really still talking about shoes.
Let’s recap:
There is the obvious physical terrain problem AND there’s the existential Am-I-Really-A-Sky-High-Heel-Girl problem. And while we’re talking about problems—there’s the Can-I-Ruin-$900-Shoes problem, too. Sigh.
So the score is:
Physical: 7, Existential: 7, Me:0
Of course, as some of you mentioned, there are a few solutions to the physical dilemma:
Pay $900 and say screw the shoes. (And possibly my ankle/our honeymoon)
Find a deal on eBay and say screw the shoes. (And my ankle??)
Use sole mates and try not to screw the shoes. (With a short dress, though??)
Don’t wear such damn precious shoes. (What fun is that?)
AND then there are a few solutions that solve both my existential/physical dilemmas.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
