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.)
You think I kid. But I don’t. The #1 key to harmony* in my and Mr. Pug’s relationship is apartment cleanliness.
I have always felt a sense of satisfaction and peace at maintaining a clean, tidy home. I love the feeling after I vacuum and polish the floors, clear and store the clutter, scrub down the bathroom and kitchen, and very importantly, wash all the dishes in the sink. Granted, sometimes I would go embarrassingly long in between cleanings, but at least keeping the place clutter and grossness-free has always been a priority.
Now, when Mr. Pug moved in, by far the most obvious problem we had adjusting to each other was our *drastically* different approaches to cleanliness.
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!
I’ve always been a list maker. I make a list and I check it twice. Call me Santa. However, this list making thing has become ridiculous ever since I got engaged. My to-do lists have morphed. This is the evolution:
1. A single to-do list: One list with a single column of bullets
Although this list started off nice and crisp, I’d put it in my purse and go on my pursuit to cross things off of the list. However, as soon as it was folded in half and put into my purse, it began to wrinkle and fold. I’d whip it out after buying all the necessities (and then some) at Target and cross it off my list. As I was trying to load all my items onto the conveyor belt, the list would get folded again and again, stuffed in my pocket or held in my mouth. By the time I got home, this list was in pretty poor shape. I’d proceed to rewrite it, eliminating all the things I already completed.
2. Two to-do lists: Two lists with a single column of bullets
I began making two to-do lists when I became a teacher. Being an elementary school teacher is a lot more work than most people imagine. You are teacher, counselor, problem-solver, conflict mediator, nurse, mentor and even mommy sometimes. This is when I began making two to-do lists. One work list. One personal list. Read more…
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.
Some of us bond tightly with our moms while others battle. Wedding planning can bring out the beauty or the beast of this relationship. I’ve been reflecting lately on the moms in our lives and I wanted to share with you the beautiful differences. Let me start by telling you a little bit about Mr Pretzel’s mom.
When we first started dating I had trouble getting a real sense for what Mr Pretzel’s parents and siblings were like. Finally he told me that he didn’t know how to describe his family so I would have to ask questions. “Ohhhh I love this game,” I said and began to ask A TON of questions. 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. 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!
Last summer, I decided to participate in Filene’s Basement Running of the Brides. I gathered some of my favorite fashionista friends and had them meet me in downtown Chicago in the afternoon. You read that correctly. I did not make a large event of it as many previous bees have done here and here. I did not go early. I went toward the end of the day. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I was ultimately unable to find anything I liked. But it was a fun experience, nevertheless. How about some pictures? Notice how most of the ladies do not look all that amused.
Mrs. Hot Dog, Cheyenne, WYAge and Occupation: 23, Health Information SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Personal Trainer
Engagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Family Ranch outside Glenrock, WYAbout Me: I'm a city girl by birth and rural girl by choice. I'm ready to take on the world with a big heart and a big smile! I love all things crafty and DIY. I live in Cheyenne, WY with Mr. HD and our 2 fur babies, our dachshunds, Ollie and Mia. I love travel, adventure, Finding Nemo, '90s music, animals, and laughing. He is the cheese to my macaroni and together we spend more time watching movies than we probably should! I'm an old soul who is super duper excited to pull off our down home-rustic-chic-country wedding (on the cheap)!
This has been one of the harder decisions for me to make so far. It’s not that I can’t find anything; quite the opposite! I’m finding waaaay too many gorgeous dresses for my ladies to wear!
I’m a firm believer that my bridesmaids should feel beautiful (or at least comfortable!) in their dresses like I will in mine! So my search has led me to dresses that are wearable again. Most of the dresses I’ve singled out are ones that I would love for myself!! LOL
This search has been going on for well over 4 months now, on many different websites and in several different stores. I knew from the get-go that I didn’t want anything blatantly “bridesmaid-y”. And one stipulation was that the dress had to look cute with brown cowboy boots! Sound funky?? Trust me! Look for yourself…
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!
Because I enjoy procrastinating with respect to making actual important wedding decisions (and I’ve made quite a few of those lately), I’m rewarding myself by researching something frivolous—britches, panties, lady-covers, drawers, underwear, undies, underclothes, delicates, skivvies, undergarments, knickers, what-have-you. All the same jazz—stuff to cover your goonie.
Even though I wore the super-hot Spanx and strapless bra combo for dress-shopping, I do not have to, nay, was told NOT to, wear holdy-in undies or a bra on the big day. I can wear whatever minimal non-granny underwears I want. Holler. (We’ll discuss boob issues later, for now we’re starting with the downstairs.)
Floofly options abound when one starts searching for bridal knickers. For instance, I could go super-bridal…
The pony-tail pair on the right, aka the NEW! Bridal bikini from Victoria’s Secret, are cute, but I don’t think they’re made to be worn IRL. Read more…
Mrs. Ribbons, Washington D.C./Bloomington, INAge and Occupation: 23, Research Associate for an international development firmFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Proposal Coordinator for contractor
Engagement Date: May 2, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Indiana Memorial UnionAbout Me: I'm an Indiana transplant living in DC with my fiance and our pretty kitty. I enjoy the color pink, I'm obsessed with the Dior New Look and tulle, and I heart my level 80 paladin. I'm a sucker for bad TV, literary theory, and cakes of all persuasion. I also happen to be marrying the cutest closet nerd around! It's all about Bloomington for us because it's where we met -- on the college paper. If there's a theme for our small summertime wedding, it's Dior meets Dorothy Draper on a lark in Bloomington; think poofy, plus graphic prints, bold colors, and a whole lot of prettiness.
We know I have a pretty unhealthy obsession with Dior. Well, last week, the impossible happened: I mustered up the courage to enter the Dior store in Chevy Chase.
Either I don’t know how to operate doors or theirs were locked, because I had to rattle the door for a second before being let in. I thought, while I rattled, they weren’t going to let people like me in. Yet lo, they did.
I entered mecca. A choir of flouncy-skirted angels with teensy waists sung in my head, “j’adore!” But I quickly told the saleswoman I was there for the fine jewelry. I was on a mission.
Oh my dears, yes, yes, I was. You see, I’ve been lusting after a particular Dior ring for my wedding band.
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!
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.
Mr. Argyle and I decided pretty early on that we were going to write our own vows. This stemmed on the fact that we really wanted a family member or friend to officiate our ceremony. Neither of us are very religious and we weren’t raised with religion, either. It only seemed natural that we have a friend take care of the ceremony in a way that truly represents us. And, it only seemed right that we write our own vows. This will help to make the ceremony “ours” and personalized in a way that is truly a reflection of our relationship.
We are at the point right now where our decision is in each of us writing our own separate vows or writing our vows together so that we both make the same promises to each other. Their are pros and cons to both (if that is even possible).
If we write our vows separately, it will allow for us to tell the story of our relationship from our own perspectives. It will be from our individual voices, and a true representation of the relationship from each side. However, this could also result in our vows being so vastly different in tone that they don’t complement each other. Not only that, but each could differ in length. There are ways to prevent that, which include having a family member or friend reading each of our vows beforehand to let us know if we need to make any tweaks. I’m not really a fan of that idea, as I want our vows to have an element of surprise (a loving surprise) for our guests. 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!
Hokay, hokay, I’ve teased enough. The finished Pencil invites!
As I’ve mentioned, they were made by Womancraft, an organization based in Chicago. They are made by female artisans and other women who are transitioning into employment. They were so professional and so easy to work with. The craftsmanship is so amazing and I am excited for our guests to receive them!
Mrs. Jellyfish, Pleasanton, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Air Force PilotEngagement Date: February 21, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Casa Real at Ruby Hill WineryAbout Me: In a nutshell, I’m the most optimistic worrywart you’ll ever meet. My family emigrated from Romania to San Jose, CA when I was 8, and I've been a Nor Cal girl ever since! My fiancé is also a Bay Area native, so it’s funny that we met at UCLA, as college freshmen living on the same floor (go Bruins!). Between his career as an Air Force pilot and my path to becoming a lawyer, our relationship has been anything but typical. We currently live together in Berkeley with our puppy Stinson. In addition to spending time with the loves of my life, I enjoy crafting, attempting complicated recipes, environmental law and non-law school reading (Us Weekly, anyone?). Follow along as I plan an elegant 200-person winery wedding, graduate law school, take the Bar exam, get married and get used to the always unpredictable but never boring life of a military spouse!
About a month after we got engaged, my parents threw us an engagement party at their house in Gilroy. The party was absolutely perfect and brimming with love. We had so many family friends helping out in different ways that it made it really special and unique. For example, my mom’s friend H did the flower centerpieces for all the tables. She is so talented!
Then each of my mom’s friends brought a different dish, so it was potluck-style! Who needs catering when you have a dozen Romanian ladies who know their cookin’? My mouth starts watering just thinking about it. 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!
Well friends, throw me on the DIY hair flower bus, because I couldn’t resist!
I loved the expensive hair flower I tried on at my hair trial. Could I make something similar?
The pro-flower I tried on!
I searched around, and decided to use this tutorial by Mrs. Pineapple.
First, I gathered some supplies: a hot glue gun, a fake $1 rose from Michaels, a hair clip and an assortment of beads. 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!
Welcome back to the Rainbow Wedding Rollercoaster. Price of admission? A lot of patience, and possibly your sanity. This ride has been a doozy, people.
I’m not even going to bother reminding you about all the changes that have happened since we started planning our wedding. I’m not gonna do it. And you know why? Because that is all in the past, and this roller coaster only goes forward. Onward, I say!
So I’m sure you’re wondering what the new plan is, yes? Well, here it is!
We’re having a morning wedding at The Gamble Plantation, followed by an afternoon brunch at our very own loft. Done. Period. End of story.
We’re going to do the brunch in a more mingle-y small plate style, so we won’t have to worry about tables and place settings and whatnot—it’ll just be a big spread of breakfast-y foods to graze.
We’re pretty excited about this brunch business. Breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day, and Mr. Rainbow and I occasionally like to indulge in the “breakfast for dinner” phenomenon. So, when faced with the option of having breakfast food at our wedding, it was full steam ahead.
Spring Wedding Favors
