Mrs. Starfish, Boston/NewportAge and Occupation: 25, Operations AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, SalesEngagement Date: October 8, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Atlantic Beach ClubAbout Me: I'm a perfectionist who is a planner at heart. I don't do well with surprises. I love planning, crafting, Newport RI, family and friends, and most importantly, Mr. Starfish---all of which will be big components in our October wedding in our favorite little city by the sea.
I’ve been searching for a while for the perfect father daughter dance song.
I love Cinderella, by Steven Curtis Chapman. It’s a really sweet song about a dad whose little girl is growing up. The song kind of emphasizes living in the moment and sharing one special last dance.
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.
In the theme of organization a la our wedding room I thought it appropriate to share my take-your-DIY-with-you secret. Keeping two houses in close proximity means that I tote around DIY projects depending on where I am going to be spending time. In my case it seemed like I was taking two plastic tubs with me everywhere. These tubs included my adhesives (fabric glue, glue gun, floral wire, floral tape etc.) and my crepe paper/fabric for my forever flowers. The tubs themselves were cumbersome so I was apt to leave them in one place, invariably the wrong place.
Last month we had a Seattle Bee Craft Meet-up at TPHoliday’s house. When I was getting ready to head over to the meet-up I stared at my flower making supplies knowing that I had to find a better way to carry the supplies around. I looked around the house and my eyes fell on a vintage suitcase. I bought the suitcase on Etsy for another non-wedding related project that I have a feeling I won’t complete until after the wedding. It is the perfect size to tote around my crepe paper, fabric, glue, and floral supplies. Plus, it’s sassy. Read more…
Mrs. Cloud, RichmondAge and Occupation: 25, Sales RepFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Customer Service Manager/DJEngagement Date: February 14, 2008Wedding Date: November 2009Venue: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart & The Jefferson HotelAbout Me: Mr. Cloud and I are Yankees planning a Southern wedding to show our families from Boston and New York our fabulous city. We are complete opposites, resulting in a wedding to include bridesmaids in pearls and groomsmen in Adidas shell toes. I’m a sorority girl at heart with strong addictions to my blackberry, cherry Chapstick, Coach purses, the Boston Red Sox and our fur baby, Bella. I can’t wait to the throw the party of our lives and of course, marry my best friend!
It was finally time: the Friday before the wedding. And despite only getting a few hours of nervous sleep, I woke up excited and ready to go. My soon-to-be-hubby was busy sleeping off a hangover from the night before, and for the first time ever I woke up before my alarm went off, ready to meet a few of my favorite ladies for some pampering. I don’t know about you, but I love a good mani/pedi and had been looking forward to my pre-wedding visit all week!
I had been going to the same salon in Richmond for years and knew I wanted to go there before the wedding as well. A few months in advance I inquired about setting up a big appointment for me and my girls. I thought I would have no problem, but TWO other brides had already booked the morning up with the same idea. Learn from me and the heart attack I almost had that day—it is never too early to ask! Lucky for me being a long time client they were willing to work something out, in the form of opening the salon early just to fit us in! All but one of my ‘maids was going to make it to town in time for our appointment and I was beyond excited to see everyone.
(my aunt K, jr. maid C, maid L, and my soon to be SIL!)
Mrs. Cola, Mountain View, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Product Communications and PromotionsFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Managing Partner and Senior DesignerEngagement Date: March 5, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Mountain Terrace, Woodside, CAAbout Me: I’m a Washington State native, enjoying life in Silicon Valley California with my fiancé, our three kitties and one leopard gecko. I like reading wedding blogs, Photoshopping wedding design mock ups, making lists, and planning, planning, planning! I’m a bit of an anomaly, on one side I’m a very girlie girl, I collect shoes, I lay out my outfits 4-6 weeks in advance, and I’d never leave the house without my hair curled and makeup on. But on the other side, I’m a total tomboy, I love to go camping and hiking, play drinking games (hey, I’m Irish!) and most of my closest friends are guys. My fiancé and I are planning a DIY-focused wedding with a balance between easygoing (what he wants) and chic and stylish (what I want), and are tying it all together with elements in lavender, sage, butter cream and chocolate.
Our programs are FINALLY done! I really like how they turned out, but they sure took a long time to make, which was not at all my first intention.
I really didn’t want to spend too long on the programs, since I know that half the guests don’t even take one, and the ones who do take one definitely don’t keep them. But the design of these programs got away from me!
At first I thought, “I’ll just glue some ribbon on them, and be pretty much done,” since that’s my go-to easy DIY move—throwing ribbon on things.
So I printed out the covers, folded them in half, and hot glued ribbon around them, leaving about an inch overlap on the inside. Read more…
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.
Because I was with him at our initial meeting with the jeweler, I knew the time frame the ring would be ready. And around that time frame is when I started getting antsy. Here are some things I did that normal people shouldn’t do:
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. 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!
After the trials and tribulations I experience with assembling my Save the Dates, I wasn’t particularly excited about the impending doom that could be our invitations. There are so many beautiful options out there, and I was completely and utterly indecisive about what I wanted. Did I want beautiful, classic letterpress? Did I want fun colors and funky prints? What about taking the easy route and just using the pre-made ones at Michaels or Target? I couldn’t make up my mind.
And then, a little birdie told me about Mrs. Gloss’ new invitation design business, 4th & Folded. Do you remember her wedding invitations? Well, if you don’t, go check them out… here! They were absolutely gorgeous; a blend of tradition with modern patterns. I was hooked. After perusing the designs she offered, I fell in love with the “Graham” suite, with a few twists, of course! Remember the custom monograms that I commissioned?
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!
One of the first wedding items we bought for our wedding was cake toppers (and might I say, they are possibly the best and most unique addition to our wedding).
The little Gator Bride is missing her delicate little veil in this picture, but you can still get the idea.
3 months later we started thinking that we weren’t sure if we wanted a cake at all.
Mrs. Guinea Pig, Baltimore, MD Age and Occupation: 26, PhD student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Operations Director at a non-profit Engagement Date: December 25, 2008 Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club About Me: I'm a tomboy science nerd whose girly side has made a startling appearance thanks to wedding planning! I love to bake, knit and sew but I also ride a motorcycle (that Mr. Guinea Pig wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole). We live with our three crazy cats and love to read, travel, watch movies, and do home improvement projects together! My parents/family are Canadian but I'm definitely American, although I've lived in 5 different countries, 6 different states, and speak Russian fluently. Mr. GP and I met online (did I mention I'm a scientist?) and had a whirlwind romance - now we can't wait to get married & celebrate with all our friends and family in a blue and yellow waterfront affair!
With our (admittedly early) RSVP deadline already past us, it’s time to crunch some numbers.
Much like Miss Pug mentioned, when we were estimating how many people to invite to our wedding based on budget and room capacity, I had trouble figuring out what a good acceptance rate would be a reasonable estimate. Somewhere on the internets, I stumbled upon a predicted 75% yes rate and decided that sounded legitimate: I’d go with that. So we invited 214 people, hoped for 160 but planned for 180 just in case (which would have been an 85% yes response rate).
While we’re still missing about 5 RSVPs, I feel pretty confident predicting those responses, so here’s the breakdown:
Out of 214 people invited, we’ll have about 135 attending (plus or minus a couple in case I guess the remaining RSVPs wrong). That’s a ~63% acceptance rate. Read more…
Mrs. Mary Jane, Grand Forks, NDAge and Occupation: 26, Instructional DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lead ProgrammerEngagement Date: February 28, 2009Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: City HallAbout Me: I'm a career woman on the surface and a homemaker at heart. I love fast cars and high heels, and my favorite food is cake. Mr. Mary Jane and I are both full-time employees and students, and we just bought our first house. We love to curl up on the couch with buttery popcorn, Sour Patch Kids, and the latest Netflix arrival -- whenever we can get a break from everyday life.
Howdy hive, how have you been? I’ve been busy with school and work and school and… well, you get the picture. Mr. Mary Jane and I are still totally stoked for our Jamaica honeymoon, coming up in just a few short months.
Anyway, I finally figured that — with wedding season upon us — I ought to take a moment to show you a little DIY project I finished up several weeks back.
Mr. Mary Jane and I did not have a guestbook at our wedding. It’s not hard to remember the names of our parents and brothers, so there was no need! There was a piece of paper laid out at our picnic reception, but I don’t think many people signed it. (And I never saw it. Maybe my MIL has it?) Anyway, the point is: we did not have a guestbook.
We did, however, have no shortage of “congratulations” from others. As people heard the news of our wedding, we received dozens upon dozens of beautiful cards, letters and notes in the weeks surrounding our wedding day. I saved them all, determined to preserve them in some way. Read more…
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 have a fear that keeps creeping around in the back of my brain, and it has to do with our wedding day photography. No, it doesn’t concern Corey Ann—she’s going to be fabulous—but I am worried about someone else who will be heavily involved in the pictures taken on that day in September.
The person who raises a couple of red flags for me is Mr. Octopus.
Why? Well, instead of giving you an elaborate explanation, let me offer you the following exhibit which demonstrates his favorite and instantaneous reaction to having a camera in his presence. Believe me when I say that the following collage is just a tiny fraction of the body of evidence showing the way he responds to having his picture taken:
Maybe you were wondering if he also enjoys striking ridiculous poses in front of the camera? The answer to that, too, is a resounding yes: Read more…
Mrs. Chick, HoustonAge and Occupation: 28, Rights and Reproduction ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Computer ProgrammerEngagement Date: November 15, 2008Wedding Date: April 2010Venue: A farm outside of HoustonAbout Me: Mr. Chick and I met almost ten years ago at Baker Blues, a college jazz party. He was attracted to my intensity, and I was mesmerized by his trivia pursuit skills and his dorm furniture adorned with his initials. We've grown more sophisticated through the years, with our love of wine, owning a house together, and parenthood (of a cat), but we have not lost our silliness or childish sense of humor!
Mrs. Oyster, DallasAge and Occupation: 30, Music TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 46, Art TeacherEngagement Date: January 9, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: The Tower ClubAbout Me: I'm a Texa-Californian with a penchant for sparkly things and a tendency to think a lot. I've been known to sing random songs or dance when there is no music on. My fiance and I love world culture, we love to travel, and we have an incredibly eclectic taste in music. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate our marriage with our family & closest friends. We're planning an “urban black-tie” wedding and hope to incorporate our personalities and some of our own interests. We look forward to a life of love, laughter, good music, beautiful art, and to creating our home together with our four (!) cats.
Despite my insistence that I’m not a DIY type of girl, I find myself doing a lot of things for this wedding myself. Among my projects is the Martha Stewart flower pillow.
I love this pillow, and from the moment I saw it I knew I wanted one for my wedding! I have a little sewing experience and this seemed like a project I could do.
For inspiration, I studied carefully the diagrams and tutorial over at Martha Stewart, which boasts this beautiful example:
Mrs. Veggie, Raglan, New Zealand/Scranton, PAAge and Occupation: 27, Director of Small Non-ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 42, PhD Student & FarmerEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Indian Head Camp, Honesdale Pennsylvania
About Me: I am a tree-huggin' farmer turned enthusiastic wedding-planner. I live in a house truck and wear flip-flops more often than shoes. In my old life I was a high school Spanish teacher in love with a crazy guy who lived off-the grid on a farm in New Hampshire. But, we decided to mix things up a bit, quit our jobs and move to New Zealand. My southern hemisphere lifestyle involves growing veggies, teaching, running our small non-profit, and surfing. I love laughing, singing, playing, and the inspirational Mr. Veggie (of course!). For our wedding, I am committed to throwing a killer party that celebrates our values without breaking the bank. Look forward to an eco-thrifty summer-campy weekend-long extravaganza.
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.
I have to say that the last 3 days I felt higher levels of stress than I’ve ever experienced in my life, and I don’t think we could have done it without all of the help from our family and friends. They didn’t just help us build our own chapel, they went above and beyond that. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
