Mrs. Seashell, Chicago, IL / Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 28, Marriage and Family TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: September 3, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: The Glen Manor HouseAbout Me: Fonts and fashion, stationery and Sundays, photography and french toast... the beauty is in the details for this fun-loving Chicagoan who loves to plan plan plan! The soon-to-be hubs plays "Mr. Fix-It" in our new condo while I swoon over beautiful, personalized stationery and choose shades of aubergine for my bridesmaids' dresses... and thus begins my new fairy tale! Skirting to the East Coast for our September nuptials where my home state of Rhode Island awaits with fall foliage, I'm just a few dress fittings and bachelorette party away from saying "I Do" to a very happy ending!
I love the trend of brides finding a special way to “propose” to their bridesmaids! When I decided to ask my girls, I hadn’t heard much of the idea. In fact, I thought I was so cute and original (pat self on back). Original or not, I think it’s wonderfully thoughtful and sweet.
Here’s what I came up with: Simple white boxes from PaperSource stuffed with purple tissue paper, clippings from bridal magazines, Ghirardelli chocolate squares, and personal notes with hand stamped gold sparkly rings asking each girl to be a bridesmaid.
Mrs. Dolphin, Gainesville, FLAge and Occupation: 24, Graduate Architecture StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Interactive Interface DeveloperEngagement Date: February 14, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Plantation Bay Country ClubAbout Me: I’m currently a Graduate Student at the University of Florida studying Architecture. I enjoy playing Scrabble with my Fiance, rooting for the Florida Gators, making any drink that involves a blender, cleaning (yes... I’m crazy), design... GOOD design that is, the new Pepsi with natural sugar, taking pictures, discovering new places in the U.S., and obsessing over doing (and designing) everything myself for our upcoming wedding!
When I started working on our wedding invitation design (which I’m really super excited about!), I browsed the internet for invitation and RSVP wording. I came across quite a few really cute invites with fun wording and thought I’d share them with y’all. (Plus… a little sneak peek at what my little butt worked so hard on!)
source: Ritzy Bee Blog
Something about this one reminds me of Dolphin Dad’s humor… I think he’d enjoy this RSVP card.
Mrs. Lobster, BrooklynAge and Occupation: 29, Finance GirlFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance BoyEngagement Date: July 25, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Stage 6 Steiner StudiosAbout Me: I'm a New York-born, Virginia-bred girl who's found her way back to the big city. Mr. Lobster and I met in grad school and have been together ever since. I'm clueless about DIY but am an avid online shopper and love all things polka dots, stripes, and ruffles! When I'm not making wedding lists, you can find me looking for snacks, watching Gilmore Girls, or hanging out with Mr. Lobster and our new puppy Buddy! We are planning a fancy-pantsy Brooklyn wedding for a hot New York summer night which is sure to be a misadventure in the making.
Up until now, wedding planning has been all sunshine and rainbows. THEN the 4 month countdown hit and I’m starting to have heart palpitations. My to do list doesn’t have any high importance things anymore (venue, dress, etc.) but I do have time sensitive things (officiant, honeymoon, e-shoot, etc.). These are the things that are causing me to have *almost* meltdowns because I’ve been so busy with non-wedding things.
I started to feel the tears today when I emailed my photographer to ask about dates for the engagement shoot in May. I had a inkling they’d be busy but the response was, “we’re entering our busy season and the first date we have is in mid-July.” 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.
Hello hive!! How I’ve missed you! Mr. Fro Yo and I are back from a fabulous honeymoon and we are nursing some sunburns. That Mexican sun can be brutal! But, we couldn’t have asked for a better time. And the wedding… It. Was. Amazing! Were there problems? Of course. But even with the few hiccups I can’t remember a time that I’ve felt quite that happy. My face hurt from flashing so many smiles. While I wait for the pro photos, and laugh at all the photobooth images, I’ll leave you with a couple of pictures.
And what’s a wedding without a Single Ladies dance moment? 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.
I had the pleasure of attending the Wedding Salon at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan on April 12. I most definitely had a wonderful time as it was my first bridal show. I never went to one even while engaged! It was a great opportunity to get a look at what vendors are offering and see some new bridal fashion.
I also got to see a special someone. Do you know her?
Courtesy of Miss Hamster
Miss Hamster and I were also joined by the lovely MOH/Sister Hamster and Mrs. Lovebird and friend.
The event was divided into various rooms connected by a hallway and also occupied the Grand Ballroom, which was full of even more vendors and live music from various bands.
What I liked about the Wedding Salon was that there were vendors for every person’s interests: 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!
Do you remember when I mentioned that I would be doing some work/trade in order to afford our dream photography? Don’t worry—I’ll forgive you if you don’t, or thought it was just plain bonkers, or scratched your head and wondered how the hell it was gonna work. I DO think you may enjoy seeing some of the fruits of my labor though…
And don’t worry, I’m not gonna bore you to death with pictures of me doing data entry, cleaning our photographer’s house, or organizing her closet, although all those things would be kick-ass & valid trades in my opinion! Instead I thought you might enjoy seeing this engagement shoot that I styled for our amazing photographer Kirsten Ellis. The couple, Justen & Andrea, are adorable and were super fun (and easy) to style, and yes, they’re really engaged. And Kirsten? Well, I think her photos speak for themselves. Enjoy:
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.
Mr Pretzel and I are equal in so many ways, but vacation balances is not one of them. He is vacation rich, I am vacation poor. Usually this isn’t a problem. In the past I’ve had just enough vacation to join his family on vacation for a week, visit our relatives, etc. I knew way back in September when her proposed that 2010 would be vacation heavy and I started to plan out our vacations.
I worked backwards from the wedding—setting aside a whole 2 weeks; one pre-wedding, one post-wedding. Read more…
Mrs. Frog, Phoenix, AZ/Chelan, WA
Age and Occupation: 29, Public Relations
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Online SalesEngagement Date: February 8, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Amy's ManorAbout Me: I'm an opinionated Midwestern girl now living in the Valley of the Sun marrying a laid back Northwestern guy. I'm equal parts sass, silly and sweet. I'm fiercely loyal with a strong devotion to my family and friends. I have a not-so-secret obsession with apple juice, a new obsession with DIY projects and I love a really good cheese plate...with lots of wine. After 7 blissful years of dating, I'm having the time of my life planning the destination wedding of my dreams to my Mr. Frog-turned-Prince Charming.
It’s funny how everyone sees things differently… hence the need for us to share the story of how we met, fell in love and are now getting married. And yes, I just wrote “hence” ––I feel the need to use words that sound important sometimes. Just go with it.
Here’s my version of the story, but I should say that Frogger stands strong that he was the one to initiate coming over to talk to me… but that’s not how I remember it! And since it’s my post, it’s my rules and you’re going to hear my version.
Although Frogger denies it… we met because of a gutsy friend of mine. Read more…
Weddingbee GalleryFeature Launched: April 10, 2009About: A collection of inspirational wedding pictures from readers and bees.
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. Turtle, Central CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 21, Art Student/TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 22, English StudentEngagement Date: August 16, 2008Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Mr. Turtle's Grandparents' backyard, Arroyo Grande, CAAbout Me: I am a California girl who loves the beach and the mountains, but is quite satisfied living right in the middle where I can enjoy the best of both worlds. I am happiest when traveling to faraway places, wandering through museums, watching old movies, or baking up a storm. Mr. Turtle and I are high school sweethearts and fellow book nerds who both drive Mini Coopers and are most likely to be found browsing in antique stores. We're having so much fun planning our European garden wedding with a vintage twist and can't wait to share more of life's adventures together!
Our invitations arrived on Wednesday, and I am just giddy with excitement! Our mailman probably thought I was crazy, considering how fast I grabbed the box out of his hands and closed the door on him.
Mrs. Octopus, Boston, MA/Pittsburgh, PAAge and Occupation: 25, Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Graphics Operator for TV NewsEngagement Date: May 6th, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Heinz Chapel Ceremony, Museum Reception
About Me: When my best friend dragged me to a toga party in our freshmen year of college, I was not expecting to meet my future husband; but seven years later, here we are. I'm a crazy-organized planner at heart, and I am a great lover of random trivia, books, chocolate, blogs, new and exciting adventures, mockumentary-style television, and anything heavily flavored with bright orange fake cheese powder. We're planning a festive and fun mini-destination wedding in the place where we met: fabulous Pittsburgh, PA! I can't wait to marry the man I love!
I cannot craft. And I really, really mean that. I cannot craft. Back in my seventh-grade-teacher days, I sometimes assigned my students to make the occasional poster or collage and usually made an example for them to see. The kids always, ALWAYS soundly trumped my example with the projects they turned out. I was out-crafted by thirteen-year-olds on the regular.
So when it came time to start planning for our save-the-dates and invitations, I knew that I would not be touching a Gocco, a Cricut, Adobe Illustrator, or even plain ol’ MS Word with a ten-foot pole. Instead, I turned to your friend and mine, Etsy, and put out an Alchemy bid requesting someone to design PDFs, which I could then print myself (that makes it sort of DIY, right?!).
I got some good bids and some very, very not-good bids (think www.regretsy.com), but I got one outstanding bid, from seller gramkinpaperstudio. She offered me a great deal: $100 to design for our save-the-dates, invitations, RSVP cards, and information inserts, with five rounds of revisions for each item. Then I checked out her badass portfolio:
Mrs. Seashell, Chicago, IL / Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 28, Marriage and Family TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: September 3, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: The Glen Manor HouseAbout Me: Fonts and fashion, stationery and Sundays, photography and french toast... the beauty is in the details for this fun-loving Chicagoan who loves to plan plan plan! The soon-to-be hubs plays "Mr. Fix-It" in our new condo while I swoon over beautiful, personalized stationery and choose shades of aubergine for my bridesmaids' dresses... and thus begins my new fairy tale! Skirting to the East Coast for our September nuptials where my home state of Rhode Island awaits with fall foliage, I'm just a few dress fittings and bachelorette party away from saying "I Do" to a very happy ending!
Three months into our engagement I opened a big, icky, stinky can of worms. One Saturday, Mr. Seashell and I had plans to meet with the jeweler who made my engagement ring to begin the process of making our wedding bands. Let’s preface this by saying that I loved my engagement ring. My fiance did a stellar job. What is especially cool is that the jeweler cut the diamond from the original stone and made the setting from scratch.
Mrs. Dolphin, Gainesville, FLAge and Occupation: 24, Graduate Architecture StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Interactive Interface DeveloperEngagement Date: February 14, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Plantation Bay Country ClubAbout Me: I’m currently a Graduate Student at the University of Florida studying Architecture. I enjoy playing Scrabble with my Fiance, rooting for the Florida Gators, making any drink that involves a blender, cleaning (yes... I’m crazy), design... GOOD design that is, the new Pepsi with natural sugar, taking pictures, discovering new places in the U.S., and obsessing over doing (and designing) everything myself for our upcoming wedding!
I have been scouring the ‘net for the perfect dress, and since I’ve found my wedding dress, finding the rehearsal and bridal shower dresses are the next best thing!
Our rehearsal is being held on the golf green at the country club Mr. Dolphin and I will be married at, along with a poolside dinner out on a beautiful deck overlooking a lake (okay… it’s more of a man-made pond… bear with me here).
Okay… so this isn’t the exact location on the golf course we will be married at, but it does give you an idea for the area, and how incredibly beautiful it is. You can see how Mr. Dolphin and I fell in love with this place. Did I mention it also used to be the site of a theme park in the 1970s, complete with teacup ride and ferris wheel? I’ll save that for another post!
Mrs. Lobster, BrooklynAge and Occupation: 29, Finance GirlFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance BoyEngagement Date: July 25, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Stage 6 Steiner StudiosAbout Me: I'm a New York-born, Virginia-bred girl who's found her way back to the big city. Mr. Lobster and I met in grad school and have been together ever since. I'm clueless about DIY but am an avid online shopper and love all things polka dots, stripes, and ruffles! When I'm not making wedding lists, you can find me looking for snacks, watching Gilmore Girls, or hanging out with Mr. Lobster and our new puppy Buddy! We are planning a fancy-pantsy Brooklyn wedding for a hot New York summer night which is sure to be a misadventure in the making.
I have to be honest here. I thought the photographer search was going to be easy peasy—find some pics I like, call them up, meet, and done. Except it ended up taking 2 months to find the right photographer.
In the end we chose CLY Creation, the same photographer as Mrs. Martini and the FIRST photographer we met with. I had fallen in love with CLY even before I got engaged when I helped a friend sift through photographers. Every interaction I had with them from the beginning was professional and responsive to my questions and requests. And double whammy, they do videography too—check and check.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
