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.
Sorry to interrupt the honeymoon posts, but our videographer, Vanessa McKellar, just sent me our wedding video trailer and I could not WAIT to post it. I am embarrassed to admit how many times I’ve already watched this, but I just love it so much. In fact, watching it on the computer screen wasn’t enough, we decided to get the video projector out at work so that we could all watch it… 5 times. And we all cried.
Mrs. Sunbeam, San Francisco/Grove City, PAAge and Occupation: 26, Grad Student & Office ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Motion DesignerEngagement Date: May 10, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Harbison Chapel & The Maple Lane FarmAbout Me: Mr. Sunbeam and I are high school sweethearts. We both come from a small town in PA but are growing to love the California lifestyle. He loves wine and I love cheese... the perfect combination! When I'm not drooling over wedding blogs, I'm attending grad school, out being a foodie, or attempting to "walk" our cat at the park. Two things guaranteed to excite me are wedding cakes and breaking out my suitcase to travel. Mr. Sunbeam and I are personalizing our hometown wedding to celebrate our high school sweetheart status and PA roots with a few CA touches. After ten years of dating we couldn't be more excited to call each other husband and wife!
As my dad placed my hand in Mr. Sunbeam’s and kissed my cheek, the moment of getting married really hit me. Slowly we walked up the stairs of the church with a hundred eyes on our back and took our places facing each other by the minister. For a quick moment, I turned to look at our audience and gave them a humongous grin. I wanted to acknowledge that they were there sharing our special day and many of them mentioned their appreciation of this small gesture. Read more…
Mrs. Trail Mix, New YorkAge and Occupation: 26, PE TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, MBA StudentEngagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Tannery Pond at the Darrow SchoolAbout Me: I'm a country girl who somehow found herself living in the Big Apple and loving every minute of it. I'm planning a rustic, country-chic wedding in my hometown in upstate New York and it's going to be a Party with a capital P. White wine, flea markets and running keep me happy and my friends, family and fiance are my world. I'm a little bit crafty, a little bit crazy but mostly just crazy in love.
Remember when I rather dramatically declared I was done with DIY projects? Um, well, I just couldn’t resist the lure of these beautiful, patterned, vintage handkerchiefs I found at the Brooklyn Flea this weekend. I also just happened to have the right-sized basket laying around, left over from the shower in my apartment so I spent Sunday making it all look pretty. It wasn’t really a craft session per se but there both a glue gun and cursing were present, which makes it a DIY in my eyes…
I hung up a few of the hankies on the fence out on my patio after washing and drying them. The wind was a-blowin’!
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!
You’re not a bride ’til you have a shirt telling the whole world you are!
photo by Mr. Dolphin
A few months ago I bought this super cute “Bride” tee from the Wedding Chicks, {and on sale, hooray!} for $10 (including shipping). Since I received it I really haven’t had the occasion to wear it. I mean… where do you really wear a shirt that labels you as the “Bride” besides on your wedding day? As I was donning my rhinestone orange Gator sweatpants tonight, I decided I should finally wear my Bride tee. 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!
Mrs. Lamb, NorfolkAge and Occupation: 25, Homeland Security ConsultantFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate StudentEngagement Date: January 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Trinity Presbyterian Church/Harrison Opera HouseAbout Me: I’m a Homeland Security Consultant with a tendency towards pulling office pranks, taking lunch breaks, and drinking Wawa shakes. I’m also an English major with a serious obsession with alliteration and rhymes. While I’m not keeping America safe, I’m training for half marathons and the Escape from Alcatraz swim. Or moving for the third time this year. Or baking. Or wedding crafting. Or crying about wedding planning. All the while, I’m getting myself into Lucille Ball-esque scrapes and making Jim Carey-esque faces. Our big fat Czech/Baptist/Jewish/Italian wedding is a combination of vintage eclectic, DIY, and little spoonful of sugar from our Event Coordinator. It’s going to be a Norfolk flavored wedding with the verve of an only-daughter-blow-out bash!
Lamberdoodle’s sweet cousin handed out programs on the day of our wedding. She was so excited to be part of the festivities and took her duties quite seriously. 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!
It pours. I’ll admit—I always thought I’d be calm, cool, and collected the week before my wedding. And, overall, I’d say I’m doing pretty well. Of course, I owe all of this to Mr. Pencils, bridesmaid CH who is in town to help out, and bridesmaid AT who’s driven up to help out, too.
It feels that the universe is slightly working against my sanity this week. Overall, everything is OK, but as stress has risen for the wedding, life has risen to meet it, too.
Boomer got sick. It was sad. I took her to the vet and got her some antibiotics and she seemed to be doing better—then we took her back in for the updated shots she needs to go to our local puppy place while we’re on our honeymoon—and she hobbled around for two days as her hip was inflamed from the vaccination. It was so painful to watch her in pain, and I felt so awful when I tried to soothe her and hit a sore spot.
Then, Mr. Pencils found eleven thousand dollars in fraudulent charges on his credit/debit card… and when we had been told it was being taken off and investigated, the charges showed up again. Apparently as they are investigating, they keep the charges there. Swell. He was so calm when he found this out—I was freaking out more than he was. Thank goodness Mr. P has a level of collectedness I seem to be quickly losing.
Then I get an email from my work that they have forgotten to take out my medical deductions for the past six months… so they will be deducting additional money from my upcoming paychecks! Read more…
Mrs. Taco, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, writer/editorFiance's Age and Occupation: 37, editorEngagement Date: May 13, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: The Green Room at the War Memorial Veterans BuildingAbout Me: I like laughing and talking with good friends over good food and good drink, be it wine, cocktail, or brew. I write and edit things for fun and profit, but I rarely "write" these days without a keyboard and high-speed internets. Favorites include Mr. Taco, my Boston terrier, San Francisco, getting out of town, and the Roaring ’20s. I was kind-of planning a wedding since roughly 2006, when I discovered "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" on the WE channel. I ran and didn't look back with a theme I called "urban vintage," and it culminated in the most magical day a taco could ask for.
I actively dislike most wedding DJs, their lights, and their radio voices, so it was easy to nix that from the plans. Therefore, that meant we had to devote time to creating playlists for the ceremony, ambient dinner hour, and 3-4 hours of laptop dancing. DIY DJ, if you will.
We agree on a lot, musically, so some of it was painless. The standard Bridal Chorus was agreed upon quickly, and the recessional, bridesmaid processional, and first-dance choices were easy. So was much of the ambient music. But you should have seen the spreadsheet once comments flew back and forth on the party-party song choices.
Mr. Taco: “If we want to have songs that I refuse to ‘dance’ to, yes.”
(Re: the allegedly un-danceable but surefire crowd-pleaser Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi)
Ms. Taco: “I don’t know if you can dance-dance to that.”
(Re: Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club. This statement was met by scoffs and complaints about the damn kids these days. I really like this song, in other settings, in my defense) Read more…
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!
I’m generally a pretty indecisive person. I tend to over-analyze everything. A crucial part of my decision-making process is consulting others about their opinions. It really helps me to see different perspectives and weigh out the positives and negatives. I’ve come to you quite a few times now asking for your advice and opinions regarding different elements of our wedding. So many of you have been so friendly and helpful to me in my moments of indecision. I have felt so surprised and flattered by the way that you, people whom I’ve never even met before, seem to genuinely care about my wedding. Seriously, I’m starting to feel like some of you are my real life friends!
Looking back over my posts, I noticed that I’ve left you hanging a few times. So for those of you who are following my wedding planning journey and are curious as to what I’ve ended up deciding after some of my posts, this one is for you! Read more…
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 am a firm believer that paper sets the tone for an event. An invitation hits at style, suggests a vibe, and can imply formality or casualness. They can be playful, ornate, classic, sophisticated, embossed, letterpress… oh, the options are endless! I think many brides consider invitations a lighter decision as compared to the dress, venue, flowers, guest list, etc. Not me. I love paper THAT much.
Now, we have managed to make most of the larger decisions. And I’m thankful that we don’t have to decide on our invitations just yet. We need more time - this is huge for me, hive!
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.
So this feels a little backward starting with the honeymoon, but I’ll give it a go.
After we partied with our wedding peeps until 3 AM on Saturday night (momma Fro Yo even made it to the end!), we finally made it to our fabulous suite at the Stoneleigh hotel.
I hadn’t been able to eat all day long, or really been able to eat much for days, but luckily our wedding coordinator, Lisa, packed up some food for us. We tore into that delicious food before crashing that night. There is nothing like ending the wedding diet on your actual wedding day.
Mrs. Deviled Egg, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 27, Public RelationsFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, AccountingEngagement Date: December 24, 2007Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: October 21, 2008Venue: Historic auditorium and meeting hall in one of Pittsburgh's commuter citiesAbout Me: I am obsessed with all things crafty, especially scrapbooking, knitting, jewelry-making & cake decorating. I also love being an aunt, wrapping presents, watching football (Go Steelers!), shopping at yard sales and consignment stores, procrastinating, singing and learning to play the guitar. When it comes to wedding planning, I'm excited about working on DIY projects and finding creative ways to stay under budget. Of course, nothing is more exciting to me than knowing that the wonderful Mr. Deviled Egg will be my husband.
Before I take you through our first glance, I wanted to share with you all of the pretty little things and some great ring shots by our photographer, Ticia.
First up, my engagement and wedding rings resting snuggly in Mr. DE’s wedding band:
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.
Mr. Pudding and I completed our Pre-Cana classes this Sunday. We opted not to do the weekend long “Engaged Encounter”, and went to classes on Thursdays and Sundays for two weeks instead. Although we were both a little hesitant about the classes (Mr. P in particular), we actually thought them to be quite enjoyable.
Our sessions were mostly centered around group discussions. They were monitored by five married couples who took us through the material by sharing their personal experiences. We were often asked to share our thoughts with a small group, and than with the whole class. The questions up for discussion ranged from “what values do you and your partner have in common” and “how will you ensure that your marriage is a spiritually healthy one” to “how comfortable are you discussing sexuality with your partner”.
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!
Even though I can only really do Monday, Tuesday and sometimes Wednesday puzzles, the New York Times crossword has always been a favorite of mine. I especially like to work them with my mother, who is a crossword genius, and sometimes Mr. Sew and my Dad if the clue has something to do with car parts or the military.
Is it trying to tell me something? Moi? Never.
Now, since there are a ton of free online crossword generators out there, why not make our own for the wedding? It’ll keep people occupied if they get bored, and we can give out a prize for whoever is first to complete it. Mr. Sew agreed with my idea, but decided it wouldn’t be fair unless we also included his puzzle of choice: sudoku. So, one crossword puzzle and super-expert level sudoku puzzle, please. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
