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!
In the footsteps of many a destination wedding, I had no choice but to book our venues before seeing them in person. Luckily, however, we did get the chance to see them before the actual wedding day. And I’m happy to report, that in this case, real-life was better than the pictures online.
Follow me into our little secret Anela Garden, won’t you?
Mrs. Hamster, New York CityAge and Occupation: 28, Finance GalFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Finance GuyEngagement Date: March 9, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Pierre HotelAbout Me: I'm an original Jersey girl living it up in the big NYC! I love baking for others, hosting brunches, and exploring NYC with my mans. Besides Mr. Hamster (of course), I'm attracted to shiny things, bold colors, snacks, matching and coordination, pork and duck fats, miniature versions of things, corny jokes and puns. We are planning a swanky Spring wedding in the heart of NYC, followed by a second reception in Singapore. From one city that never sleeps to another - I can't imagine a more exciting ride!
I’ve never given much thought to lighting. I try to make sure they’re off before I leave my apartment. I turn them on when I realize I’m squinting while reading. We are basic On/Off people. Someday we might upgrade to dimmers. Or even a Clapper if we’re real lucky. But that’s about it.
Of course, once you enter the world of wedding planning, you need* “big, fancy” lights. I, for one, did not know this. I’m pretty sure our ballroom has a dimmer switch, which was crazy enough for me. But then I learned about the different lighting options available, and I must admit they are quite impressive. Behold:
1. Pinspots
As the name implies, pinspots are concentrated spotlights that bring attention to certain details - most usually the centerpieces.
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.
Oh, wait! That’s not possible, because as some of you know, we are not using any fresh flowers. The original plan for the bouquets was to make them all out of clay flowers, and even though I made a bunch of them back home in Chile, there were not enough for my bouquet, plus my 4 bridesmaids’ bouquets.
So, while making the pomander for my flower girl, I ran into a color problem. I could not find tissue paper in the color I wanted, but what I actually found were paper napkins in the exact color I wanted! So I made napkin flowers instead!
I found out that paper flowers were was faster to make and filled out our bouquets just as much as the clay flowers did. So, I ditched some of the clay flowers I experimented with and just kept the roses. I mixed those with the napkin flowers, plus some tissue paper flowers and some silk ones, and this is what I ended up with! Read more…
Mrs. Swan, New York CityAge and Occupation: 31, Legislative RepresentativeFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance GuyEngagement Date: August 9, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Battery GardensAbout Me: I am an un-crafty but resourceful, Caribbean-born but New York-raised woman who's been known to analyze "Dancing with the Stars" and “So You Think You Can Dance”, buy stinky cheese, and use way too many parentheses. I keep lists for fun, am constantly daydreaming of my next international travel adventure (four continents down, three to go), debating sports (let’s Got Mets/Giants!) and dancing around my apartment to stay sane. I am excited to share our wedding planning journey as I hope to plan a streamlined, personal, and fun wedding with the greatest life partner I could ever imagine, Mr. Swan.
Yep, we surely ate cake, but definitely more of the miniature variety. As I mentioned before, we had a local baker, Keavy Landreth’s Kumquat Cupcakery, provide a variety of lovely mini-cupcakes for the reception. Here’s a look at the set-up:
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!
I may have gotten a little ahead of myself and previewed our STD too soon. Yes that horrific screeching you hear is the sound of this STD party* coming to a grinding halt. Or maybe it’s that awful tape tearing sound as we put together yet another box…
So before we totally derail (um, we’re moving this week. enough said) I wanna share my dilemma and cross my fingers you have a few brilliant ideas or words of encouragement to help a Stripe out.
The problem (and maybe the solution) starts with this delicious fabric: 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.
OK, first of all, thank you so much to all of you who commented on my hair trial post. Your kind words of encouragement and tips on how to better communicate with my hairstylist were (as always) greatly appreciated!
I have to admit though, I was keeping something from you, and unfortunately, I think some of you caught on (ahem, Spaniel). The truth is, as much as I was confused about whether or not I liked the back of my hair, I knew that I didn’t like the front - which is why I didn’t include any pictures of my face in the post.
Here is what it looked like:
I am seriously awkward here. Any tips on taking decent looking self portraits?
Now, in the stylist’s defense, I did tell her that I wanted my hair like this. Read more…
Mrs. Gloss, Boston/MaineAge and Occupation: 24, Designer/soon-to-be ArchitectFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Systems EngineerEngagement Date: May 23, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: SS Katahdin/Lakeside TentAbout Me: I don't like nickels or the skin that forms on pudding when it's in the fridge for too long. I couldn't live without Pantone markers, fountain soda (3/4 diet, ¼ regular Coke), run-on sentences, or ridiculously oversized sunglasses. I will try to DIY almost anything and am just OCD enough to make most of it work. I am truly excited about having all my family and friends together, becoming Mrs. Gloss, and having amazing photos to prove it!
Today is our 10th anniversary (pre-wedding, of course). A decade is a very long time, in fact, I’ve been with Mr. Gloss almost half of my life.
So naturally, many things have changed since those first few months/years. We’ve grown up and instead of growing apart like many couples that date from a very young age, we’ve grown together. Like all relationships, it’s not rainbows and sunshine 100% of the time—but those are the times that I value the most. I’ll admit sometimes I get so mad at him I don’t even want to be in the same room with him—and while I’m sitting alone, fuming, I realize that even though I can’t stand to look at him right that second, there isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be. Which leads me to the point of this post: I knew I wanted to marry Mr. Gloss when I realized I wasn’t IN-love with him anymore. Now, before you gasp and gossip about me to all your friends, hear me out.
To me, being ’in-love’ comes early in the relationship, there are no worries or concerns, you can’t stand to be apart and spend your days floating on a cloud of bliss. While that is all well and good, it most likely will not last forever. 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!
Left (bottom to top of photo): BossLady, Teal, and august15bride
Right: Miss Rainbow, sevoge02, (a very scared-looking) Mr. Buttons, Miss Buttons
Oh heyyyy there everyone.. .remember when I said that the Tampa Bay area bees were having a meet up? Remember when I said I had just moved back to Florida? Yeah… I was the punk who took photos and then couldn’t find my camera cord (which was in a box labeled “kitchen”, do not ask me how that happened) to load them onto my computer until today.
So, Tampa Bay area hive members, please forgive the delay!
A lovely group of us met up at the Bahama Breeze on a Friday night. Read more…
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.
I originally thought that I wanted my girls to wear colored shoes, but I was quickly reminded that I will be sporting this lovely pair. But this photo makes me rethink that for a mere second.
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!
According to my wedding checklist, we need to start thinking about invitations. I’ve been thinking about invitations for a while now, but I haven’t found anything that fits the bill. Here is what I want: letterpress invitations on ivory paper with some kind of vine motif, in autumn colors (I tend to like brown or plum the best). Here is what I’ve found so far, starting with some designs from Wedding Paper Divas:
PROs: I love the color, the vineyard motif and the writing. They’re also affordable, which is always a plus!
CONs: I prefer a vertical layout, and this is horizontal. Also these are digital offset printing (so, they’re not letterpress), and they seem a little informal to me.
Mrs. Champagne, DC/Vail/ColoradoAge and Occupation: 26, Eye DoctorFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, AttorneyEngagement Date: March 13, 2006Wedding Date: February 2009Blogging Since: July 30, 2008Venue: Small church ceremony with mountain-view log cabin receptionAbout Me: I'm a small town mountain girl with a city heart. Found my way to the east coast, and Mr. Champagne kept me here so we're planning a wedding from afar in my hometown Vail, Colorado. I'm secretly obsessed with reality TV, Wii games where I can shoot a gun, country music, and Caesar: Dog Whisperer. I also spend time pretending to golf, backseat driving, having one way conversations with our MinPin Maxwell, loving champagne, and wedding perfecting… I mean, planning. I use way too many repeated symbols and letters when I write, and I'll love Mr. Champagne endlessly…
Alright, so you’ve seen the non-snowy portraits with Abby Jiu, but they were clearly missing one important element—Champ! The day after our wedding insane celebration, we somehow composed ourselves enough to take showers, recoup, and smile for the camera. I’m semi certain we were running on post-wedding steam and we may or may not have actually been awake, but my cousin (who was also a bridesmaid) was ready to take our photos! All photos by my beautiful cousin MB of Design MB Fotografie. Read more…
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!
Early on, I fell in love with photos of brides in fabulous shoes next to grooms in ridiculous socks. It has made me a supreme lover of shoe shots. If you remember, I even managed to get some shoe-shot-love out of our engagement shoot.
Since we already have my awesome shoes on lock-down, it’s about time to start looking for some rockin’ socks for Mr. Scissors. An hour-or-so of piddling around the internet proved to be quite fruitful, as I found some pretty neat-looking stuff.
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 end of my recaps (the dance party, the fauxtobooth, the send-off, and the after party), I thought I’d share some of the cool details that personalized our wedding.
First, the flowers. You’ve all seen close-ups of my bouquet, but here’s another for good measure.
It was filled with pink garden roses, cream spray roses, and dusty miller. I was so in love with it! I wish I would have paid more attention to it that night. Read more…
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!
Some of you may have seen my previous post about cards I made. I DO plan to hand-make thank you cards and gift card holders for our bridal party and helpers. However, as much as I would’ve loved to handcraft 250 invitations, I realized I just wouldn’t have the time to. We do plan to do some DIY items for our wedding, but invitations weren’t one of them.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
Alright, so you’ve seen the non-snowy portraits with Abby Jiu, but they were clearly missing one important element—Champ! The day after our wedding insane celebration, we somehow composed ourselves enough to take showers, recoup, and smile for the camera. I’m semi certain we were running on post-wedding steam and we may or may not have actually been awake, but my cousin (who was also a bridesmaid) was ready to take our photos! All photos by my beautiful cousin MB of Design MB Fotografie.
