Mrs. Spaniel, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 28, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, PsychologistWedding Date: March 2010Venue: Calamigos RanchAbout Me: I'm a third-year law student trying to balance graduating with starting my career, keeping up a relationship, and, oh yeah, planning an Old World, multi-cultural, "mountain lodge" wedding for 180 guests! A South Asian Jewish girl getting ready to marry my handsome Catholic Dane, I'm hoping to blend our cultures in our wedding just a bit more gently than by providing samosas as appetizers and offering æbleskiver for dessert. (Although that would also be awesome.)
The day before the Spaniel wedding, we gathered together in our home with a few of our closest friends for a non-traditional mehndi party. BM-Noe, an out-of-towner, had spent the night since our rehearsal dinner was the evening before (two days before the wedding), so we decided to start our morning with a greasy homemade breakfast (the best kind). While Mr. Spaniel cooked and I did some frantic last-minute vacuuming, Best Man Fan (our photographer for the day!) and his girlfriend arrived.
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.
Since I had the materials on hand (thanks to my killer Michaels trip… yes, I just referred to a shopping experience at Michaels as killer – I know you understand), I dove right into my first project.
At this point, dear bridesmaids - read no further! These are little treats for you and I’d like them to be a surprise. Mmkay? Read more…
Mrs. Pug, New York City/Half Moon Bay, CAAge and Occupation: 33, LawyerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, dittoEngagement Date: July 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon BayAbout Me: The Mr. and I are two 30-somethings who enjoy tasty sweets of all kinds, our neighborhood wine store, and cuddling with our pug. NYC is where we live and the city we love, but we’re doing the deed out in Northern California. We are trying to keep the affair small, intimate, and manageable. Our motto is: the less people, the better! (I’m kidding.)
The wedding reception ended, but we were lucky to have spent much more time with our guests than that during the course of the weekend. Because we wanted to spend as much time as possible with our 46 guests, we scheduled other weekend events that helped us relax and celebrate with everyone:
Ladies’ Spa Time
Welcome Event
Wedding Day Getting Ready
After-Dinner Drinks in Bridal Suite
Farewell Brunch
Ladies’ Spa Time
On the Friday before the wedding, there was some downtime between the rehearsal and Welcome Event, which I planned to use by heading straight to the spa. I also thought it would be a nice opportunity to have a little “girl time” before all the formal wedding events started. So a few days before the wedding, I emailed the female guests with the following: Read more…
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!
Recently, I showed you the wedding planning binder that I put together for myself and several of my friends. Now I am going to share with you a few of the resources that we have used and that I have subsequently shared with my friends as they are on their own planning journeys. The following three books have been invaluable to Mr. Hermit Crab and me as we plan for our wedding and of course, our marriage.
Check out the official board thread for more details and let the Denver bees know if you’ll BEE there!
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!
In an effort to incorporate elements of our family and heritage into our wedding, we are opting to gift our guests with small bottles of olive oil. A few years back, my Mom’s cousin began importing olive oil from family vineyards in Oliveto Citra, Italy and began a label called Dell’Orto Oil. We had the idea to get sample sizes bottles and attach escort cards for the guests to retrieve upon entering our reception. Read more…
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.
… That was what everyone was asking me the week before the wedding. Yeah, I knew I needed to finish my dress.
As I shared before, because of my little boobilicious problem, I decided to tear my dress apart and make it a little more comfortable. After all, I was planning on dancing until sunrise.
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!
Yes, yes we did. Oh, didn’t you know that it was good to make big changes a month before the wedding? Well it is.
If you remember, our original first dance song choice was Ingrid’s The Way I Am.
It is no less sweet, no less perfect, and no less of an amazing song. We just realized we had a better choice right under our noses. “ORLY?” you ask? “LET ME SEE!” you say? Hokay.
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!
In high school and college, I used to be a pretty loud and outgoing girl. I wasn’t terribly shy. I was quick to make friends and enjoyed being in the spotlight. If you walked into a birthday party, I’d be the one talking loudly and laughing. I’d be the one loudly convincing everyone to do something. I’d be the one volunteering to get up in front of everyone to do something silly.
However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more introverted, enjoying more time to myself. I’d rather go unnoticed. I don’t like having eyes on me. If you walked into a birthday party, I’d be sitting in the room on the side with my closest friends chit chatting. If I had to be in the main room, I’d be sitting on the side, listening and watching, letting someone else steal the spotlight.
I think the change has to do with insecurity issues and growing up. Being tired and stressed out might also play a role in it, but who knows. However, as Mr. Lace and I spend more time on what our wedding day is going to look like, I’m beginning to experience a bit of anxiety at the thought of having all eyes on me. I kept telling Mr. Lace that all eyes would be on us… you know, as a couple, where the attention would be split 50-50, but Mr. Lace reminded me that although people would look at him, the ratio would probably be more like 80% on me, 20% on him. Wait, wait, wait… so, you’re saying… Read more…
ClassifiedsFeature Launched: April 30, 2008About: A roundup of the best Weddingbee Classified listings.
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.
Here’s a doozy: my mom took me lingerie shopping. Not that I’m exactly into the sexed up stuff that would really embarrass me, but it was still a little strange picking out thongs with my mom.
To keep the experience light and not make my mom think I was a dominatrix, we stayed classy at Bloomingdale’s. For some reason they were passing out champagne, which certainly helped along the whole experience. Our list was brief: one robe or cover-up and a bra and panty set for some unknown purpose on the honeymoon. Off topic: does your mom play dumb when there’s any mention of sex, whether it’s on TV or someone in person makes a reference? Because my mom does and it’s the funniest crap. I digress.
My mom picked out the robe, a sweet ’70s throwback in chiffon.
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!
One of my favorite things at our wedding was our makeshift photobooth (aka fauxtobooth). I see a lot of people asking on the boards if these are overdone or tacky. Besides my former roommate, who was planning a wedding at the same time as me, we’re the only two weddings that I’ve seen a photobooth at (she rented a real one that spit out the classic four picture black and white strips - very cool!). If you love it, I say, “Do it!”
During the cocktail hour, my event designer worked with our photographer, Sam Hughes, to create a small studio space. 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.
It’s was our three-year dating anniversary yesterday, as well as the one-year anniversary of our engagement. Bumbling engagement LOLs here.
On May 13, 2009, we picked at our anniversary/celebration dinner, since excitement trumped our appetites. My disastrous, habitually chipping “manicure” in the ring-photo text was the target of joke after joke. We took time to lament the sad state of Love Plant, a potted rose plant Mr. Taco gave me on our 2008 anniversary. (It’s still alive in the purgatorial sense of “not dead”, by the way.)
A year ago, a friend suggested I wait a month before starting any planning, allowing for time to bask in my one-time engagement newness. I completely ignored this helpful advice, but, for better or worse, we I got a lot done in those first few months. We were then left with seasons-long stretches of twiddling our thumbs and putting off the small stuff. And then the small stuff became more imminent, as did August 14, 2010. At some point, people transitioned from saying, “oh, you’ve got a while” to, “hey, it’s coming up!” 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.
With our répondez s’il vous plaît date come and gone and most of our delinquent responders harassed into giving us a “yes” or “no” answer, it’s time to sit down and look at our guests list statistics.
I figured this would be helpful to all you readers out there sweating bullets about inviting more guests than your venue can hold or who are wondering who in the hell will show up, so here’s my number-by-number breakdown:
Guests Invited: 235
“Yes” RSVPs: 175
“No” RSVPs: 35
Missing In Action RSVPs: More than 25 (Some of those guests have not sent in their response card but have let us know either by email or phone call that they are or are not attending.)
I know this is a common complaint but seriously, people, how difficult is it to send the response card back?!?! 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.
As a fun distraction from some of the complications that come from the planning process, I often enjoy a little web window shopping. There’s nothing wrong with looking… am I right?
My subject of this most recent binge…n rehearsal dinner dress. There are so many cute options out there right now. Let us examine some of the front runners. I decided to include a variety since I sometimes pretend that my rehearsal dinner is being held in multiple locations – this is for your benefit, dear readers. I do all of this research for you.
Now for the goodies:
I’m currently swooning over this lovely. I love the soft, subtle colors and the classic fit.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
I’m currently swooning over this lovely. I love the soft, subtle colors and the classic fit.
