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.
Two of my most cuddly and adorable interests are search results and internet behavior. (Yawn) I’ll sometimes Google-image a word or a phrase, usually related to what I’m working on or thinking about, just to see what comes up and why.
For example, a search for feathers wedding returned a lot of inspiration for decor. But it also returned the image below. There are no words for this, except WTF and hmm, could I pull that off?
Mrs. Ribbons, Washington D.C./Bloomington, INAge and Occupation: 23, Research Associate for an international development firmFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Proposal Coordinator for contractor
Engagement Date: May 2, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Indiana Memorial UnionAbout Me: I'm an Indiana transplant living in DC with my fiance and our pretty kitty. I enjoy the color pink, I'm obsessed with the Dior New Look and tulle, and I heart my level 80 paladin. I'm a sucker for bad TV, literary theory, and cakes of all persuasion. I also happen to be marrying the cutest closet nerd around! It's all about Bloomington for us because it's where we met -- on the college paper. If there's a theme for our small summertime wedding, it's Dior meets Dorothy Draper on a lark in Bloomington; think poofy, plus graphic prints, bold colors, and a whole lot of prettiness.
School spirit, yes we do, or something along those lines.
Ribs and I are both IU grads. Since we’re getting married on campus, it feels prudent—nay, necessary—to tip our proverbial hats to our alma mater. I just don’t know when or how!
There are three school songs: two fight songs and “Hail to Old IU,” the song that makes me cry my eyes out for the glory days of Mother Bears pizza and Ballantine Hall.
Mrs. Cub, Chile/PortlandAge and Occupation: 26, AstronomerFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, AstronomerEngagement Date: May 10, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Westwind YWCA campAbout Me: I'm a small-town girl who's making a living in Chile, with her heart in the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in Southern California, went to high school in Texas, grad school in New Mexico, and now I can't wait to settle down in Oregon! I love pears, hazelnuts,
knitting, traveling, running, baking, and long talks on the phone with
good friends. I'm planning my Oregon coast summer camp wedding while
abroad with my best friend - I'm always at home when I'm with him!
As you noticed in my last post, we had just a couple of things to take care of the week before the wedding! We had so many things we wanted to do, let alone the things we needed to take care of.
For example, we really really missed being in the States and doing normal US-things. So, on our list of “funbligations” (obligations that are just too dang fun to pass up!) were things like run in Forest Park, have coffee at St. Honoré Bakery, eat breakfast at the Screen Door (OMG you need to go there - soul food heaven!), and take a stroll through REI for old time’s sake. I know this might sound lame. It’s amazing the little things you miss about your home country!
Anyways, we had a tight schedule in which our Portland gallivanting could also count as wedding prep - my family was flying into town on Tuesday, and that’s when the prep would kick into overdrive.
Saturday morning was a dream. The first thing we did was run 5 miles in Forest Park. Those were the easiest 5 miles I’ve ever run in my life - everything was so beautiful! (Maybe the euphoria over getting married was kicking in?) Read more…
Mrs. Thimble, NYC/PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 26, Actress & Costume Designer (+ day job)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lawyer & Techie WizEngagement Date: August 22, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Pearl S. Buck HouseAbout Me: I’m an easily inspired over-thinker delighted with the process of designing, building, directing and {dare I say} co-starring in the early-autumn affair I’ve been dreaming up. I’m a sucker for trendied-up comfort foods and old family anecdotes; I have an affinity for adjectives, alliteration, eyelet and earl grey; and I live for quality time with family and friends. I never guessed I’d marry my “high school sweetheart", but when it turned out to be my funny, techie, loyal Mr. Thimble I was committed for life. We’re both mid-career transition and ready to move back to small-townish TBD, PA in a pre-wedding flurry of all-good life changes.
I’m not a huge fan of super themey things. Unless, I suppose, it’s a pretty generic vibe of a theme - like “afternoon tea” for example. Small sandwiches, china, pretty day dresses: you have a lighthearted affair for the ladies. But two main colors for my wedding? A one-word description? Too limiting. Themes I’ve seen on wedding shows like “Vegas”, “Medieval”, “Diamond White” (wait, that’s just an object and a color…)? Dear me…. thank goodness these brides had television wedding personalities on hand to help soften the edges of their cherished day. (In my opinion… err.. sorry anyone.)
My general design sense, I have found, is an organic process of grabbing things I like as I see them with an overall feeling or story in mind. And then they usually (so far) end up working together. This has worked for me in my limited costume design experiences as well as my recent living room revival… I try to find the essence of what I’m feeling in the pieces I pick. My instincts have also (again, so far) served me well in choosing vendors with the same vibe, but I’ll get to that.
So… If I had to put the Thimble “theme” into words, it goes something like: Read more…
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
Mrs. Pin Cushion, Oakland, CAAge and Occupation: 25, Nurse Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, PhD StudentEngagement Date: November 23, 2008Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Radonich Ranch, Los GatosAbout Me: I'm the 3 Cs: crafty, creative and quirky (oh, that's not a C? Close enough!). I'm also a recycling fanatic, fluent in bad accents and I have the loudest laughter this side of the Mississippi. I have not just one sweet tooth, but a whole mouth full of sweet teeth. I cry at 97.4% of all movies I see, but my fiance's always there to hand me a tissue. My geek-chic fiance and I are planning a wedding full of color, cookies and handmade goodness and I can't wait to spill the beans on all of our crazy ideas!
After looking at a lot of venues that weren’t the perfect bowl of porridge (lumpy with lots of brown sugar [porridge is like cream of wheat, right?]), we found one that fit us just right: Radonich Ranch, which is in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The venue’s website wooed us right from the start with these photos:
My parents, the Pin-ster and I visited the site (unplanned and unannounced, as per usual) and we were all smitten. It had everything we were looking for: it was outside, we could have the ceremony in the same location and… well I guess that was really all we had thought about what we had wanted. But even without a pre-determined set of criteria, we knew the site was awesome. It had a pond! And trees! And cafe lights!
Mrs. Paisley, Orange County, CAAge and Occupation: 25, JournalistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Spanish ProfessorEngagement Date: September 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Family Lake HouseAbout Me: From my earliest days I attracted attention, as much for my intelligence as for beauty. I display an originality, a perspicacity, a certain je ne sais quoi that sets me apart. I posses a mysterious authority which compels people to do my bidding. I am a regal blonde with classic features and the daintiness of Dresden porcelain. I am poised, soft-spoken, and well educated... Okay, now that enough eyebrows have sufficiently shot through the roof, everybody can relax---I kid! I'm just a sarcastic NorCal-turned-SoCal girl who loves outdoor activities, books, letterpress printing and of course, Professor Paisley.
Ms Seahorse, BostonAge and Occupation: 25, Veterinary Jane-of-all-tradesFiancee's Age and Occupation: 36, former non-profit fundraiser in search of something betterEngagement Date: October 17, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Fort Pond LodgeAbout Me: By day I'm a cat-wrangler, vet tech assistant, pet-sitter, receptionist, and pre-vet student, but the rest of the time, I'm a former-roller-derby girl turned dedicated-wedding planner. I love reading, writing, bicycles, animals, roller skating, and antique-y things of all sorts. I'm a vegetarian who likes spicy foods, while Fiancee Seahorse is a meat eater who does not like spices. We live outside Boston with our menagerie: a fifty pound dog, a one-eyed, seventeen-toed, toothless cat, and a perfectly put together cat who has a penchant for pooping near rather than in her litter box. In addition to planning our small lake-side wedding, we enjoy running around with the puppy, playing board games (Scrabble, anyone?), having little adventures, talking about how we should really clean the house more, and maintaining our little garden of vegetables and wedding flowers.
First, this is a post I wrote a little while ago, so the references to the rain and cold are not lies, just out of date. But the other stuff is not out of date. So here you go.
Lately, I have been somewhat absent because I have been panicking.
It’s not your fault, internet; I just want to fill you with goodness and good moods and “Yay my nose isn’t broken!” and “Haha I let big hard issues roll off my back, no problem.”
And, okay, for real my nose is not broken, and that is definitely good. And for real there is a lot of stuff that I can let slide, like the mean people at work and the crazy people at work and the not making much money but it’s okay because I love my job. But sometimes after a yelling client and a demanding client and a just plain crazy client, someone comes in with an accent and I can’t understand what they’re saying, and it’s not their fault, but they’re the fourth really difficult person to deal with and I just can’t do it anymore.
And that is sort of how these past couple of days have been going. The rain and the wind don’t help, and having to walk a dog in the rain and wind don’t help.
The big issue that we’re facing, and that a lot of people are facing, is finances. 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!
As I sit in my hotel room with hot rollers in my hair, I can’t believe that the day is already here (and passing by in the blink of an eye). Today is the day! The day that we’ve been planning for almost a year… the day I have been talking about to every single person who has wanted to hear about it (or heck… those who probably haven’t wanted to hear about it, too…).
I feel like the day is going to pass by too quickly. I’ve already been awake for 6 hours, and I am trying to take in every moment; a mental picture of each and every experience that I go through during this day. Mommy Buttons has already been to the venue… she reports that it looks spectacular. I can’t wait to see it.
This week hasn’t been without its setbacks though… we’ve had some major issues and ulcer-inducing stress come into play. But, I’m here to tell you that everything DID work out in the end; the world has a way of working itself out. And, somehow I’ve been able to keep my head on straight. 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. Hermit Crab, New York, NYAge and Occupation: 24, Youth Director soon to be Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Medical Student - soon to be Surgery ResidentEngagement Date: October 11, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: New York Botanical GardenAbout Me: I love all things food, books, our furbaby, Rashi, and adventures with my amazing fiance (oh, and saving the world!). This summer I will not only be a bride, but a bridesmaid, officiant, and attendee as well---it's all about weddings in my life right now, full of so many exciting moments and projects. We're planning a fab New York City wedding weekend full of family, love and lots of color!
I LOVE getting our RSVPs back. Anyone with me on this one? It is so much fun to get mail every day, and even more fun when they write a little note on the RSVP card. However, when I opened my mailbox the other day, I also found a surprise package waiting for me.
I tore in the envelope and found this. Hm, curious.
Mrs. Sunrise, MinneapolisAge and Occupation: 27, Client Relations LiaisonFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Senior Technical Support AnalystEngagement Date: December 26, 2008Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: The Oaks banquet room at Eagan Community CenterAbout Me: I am a crafty and optimistic, laid back girly-girl who fell in love with a video game-playin', hip hop-lovin', Lego-buildin', computer-techie nerd. I get easily distracted by shiny objects (oohhh pretty..) and I have more shoes than I can count (but I still need more). I love to shake my booty to Lady Gaga’s music but she frightens the hell outta me. Mr. Sunrise and I could not be any more different, but you know what they say… opposites attract! We met over 9 years ago while working for a local grocery store. It was love at first “Clean-up in Aisle 5!” We are both Chicago-born and raised, but recently relocated to Minnesota for his career. I will always remain a Windy City gal through and through, but I cannot deny my love for the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
After mulling over the candy situation for a good while, I returned to my shopping cart, where the $500 m&m’s were still waiting for me. I really wanted them but there was no way I was about to spend that much money on candy. Even after applying a 15% off coupon, it was still too pricey. I thought perhaps I should just get some plain, colored m&m’s without our faces and names on them. I’m sure our guests won’t even know what they’re missing.
But come on… I am a sucker for all things adorable and these were too cute to pass up! Our happy faces on little m&ms?! Heck yes. I could not resist. So I made a compromise with Mr. S to order the smallest amount possible. You know, just to see how cute they really were before we committed to buying in bulk. The minimum order was three 7oz bags. Seriously?! 3 little bags for $42! Still overpriced in my opinion, but more affordable than $500. So, I happily placed the order.
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!
It is time. This weekend, this day, which seemed unfathomable 15 months ago, has arrived. As I write this, I’ve got 142 whoopie pies stuffed in the freezer, a printer groaning under the weight of custom-font escort cards, and a woefully ignored cat playing tag with my ankles. I’ve gotten so much done, and I’ve still so much to do. But despite the seemingly insurmountable pile of tasks before me, I am ready.
I am ready. It has taken me a long time to get here. For most of my life, I’ve been decidedly *not* ready. I wanted to be married - it is “the thing to do”, isn’t it? Go to college, meet a nice person, get married. It was what was expected of me, and what I expected of myself. And it scared the hell out of me. I am my own person. I didn’t want to become half of one unit. I desired to be held accountable to no one by myself. Then, I met Mr. Hamster, who felt the same exact way.
I am independent. He is independent. Yet, on this weekend, we will join together. We will not become one indeterminable unit. That is not our way. 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!
So I’ve talked about how we’re both wearing dresses for our ceremony and I think I mentioned that F Stripes is changing into a suit for our reception, but did I mention that it’s the cutest suit ever??
No, seriously. The Cutest Suit Ever! For the cutest hottest fiancee!
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
