Weddingbee Blog

I can’t chew on a Starburst without thinking about Mr Piglet. Him down on one knee, both arms stretched out, his nervous ‘Ta-Da’s as he popped the question that one lazy Sunday in June. His ingenuity deserved recognition, yah? This made favors an easy decision for us.

I took our main invitation pattern and created two templates for the wrapper; one with our names, and the other with Mahalo to thank our guests. With 120 guests at 2 packs a person, that meant a whole lotta cutting, scoring, and packaging… for Jean (my roomie) and Mr Piglet.

Me, creative department. Them, production line. Separate divisions! Kidding, I helped. A little. Mr Piglet shooed me away though. I swear~

(personal photo)

Starburst favors would make sense to our friends, sure. But what about my relatives in Hawaii, and Mr Piglet’s family who hadn’t been told the story in all its glory? Cue escort cards. Before our guests made their way to the cocktail hour, they picked up one of these bad boys. These, my friends, are our CD escort cards. They had Goccoed fronts with lightscribed CDs inside.

Lightscribe burners allow you to burn your data onto the disc as you normally would, flip it over, and laser an image onto the other side. The cost of the lightscribe CDs is where they get you. They’re pricier for sure at around $27 for 50.

(personal photo)

The enclosure opposite the CD held Mr Piglet’s side of the proposal story that he wrote for Joanna Goddard’s Glamour blog months before. Reading it from his point of view still triggers a mile-wide smile from me.

Before proposing, I asked for advice from Annie’s friends. They said, “Do it in front of all her friends,” “Do it where you first met,” “Go somewhere romantic.” And advice from her sister: “Dude, Annie hates surprises.” And that’s when I knew: Make it a surprise.

Another thing about Annie: It’s almost impossible to surprise her. Never in our five year relationship have I successfully surprised her. All attempts––and there were many––ended in my disappointment (because she wasn’t surprised) or hers (because she got Bud Light instead of Champagne). How do you surprise someone who can’t be surprised?

Well, what better way to blindside her than to pick an activity that happens on a regular basis: Eating Starburst, her favorite candy.

So, one lazy Sunday evening in June, I held in my hand an unopened pack of Starburst. My secret? The second Starburst in the pack was actually a miniature box (thanks to a razor blade, glue stick, and lots of patience) containing a diamond ring. The symbol of my eternal love was not encased in a cushy velvet box but wrapped with 99-cent wax paper. Amusing, but perfect.

A million thoughts swirled in my head: Here we go! What if she doesn’t want a Starburst? What if she opens the wrong side of the pack and I have to eat 20 Starbursts before we get to the ring? When am I supposed to drop to one knee?

My emotions were a roller coaster. After dinner, I grabbed the pack of Starburst and thrust them into my pocket. I managed to choke out the words, “Do you want some Starburst?” Once the pack was in her hand, I focused only on executing the proposal perfectly. I strategically convinced her to choose the right Starburst–wrapped it in red, since she loves the cherry flavor. Seeing the red Starburst in her hand instantly made my heart beat a trillion times a minute. I hoped that my excess perspiration and breathing would not arouse her suspicion.

As she opened the Starburst, a new wave of excitement, satisfaction, and nerves overcame me. Things were moving so quickly, and all the thinking, planning, and more thinking were about to change my life. As I dropped to one knee and looked at her, well… it was exhilarating… and, best of all, she was surprised.

Relive the Piglets’ Wedding in Paradise: Portraits + A Bonus Video, We Did!, Our Grand Entrance, Island Time, The Boys, Girl Bonding, The Wedding Kick Off, To Dos Before the I Dos, E Komo Mai (Welcome!), This Little Piggy Got Married

Thanks Ben and Erin! All images are copyright of Ben Chrisman and Erin Reed unless otherwise noted.