Mrs. Socks, Southern NJ/Philadelphia, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Web Developer/Marketing SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Systems EngineerEngagement Date: September 7, 2009
Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: Ladder 15 RestaurantAbout Me: I am originally from the Midwest, but I love being an East Coast transplant! Mr. Socks and I are foodies and winos to the core---give us a hunk of cheese, some charcuterie and a glass of wine and we could die happy. We have two mischievous Wire Fox Terriers with completely opposite personalities but with a shared love of uprooting anything in our garden. Our backyard garden includes everything from tomatoes and peppers to a fig tree, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries! I love cooking, indie music, and spending time in our wedding city of choice---Philly!
Discussing money and contracts can be intimidating, but if you go in with a plan and a level head, negotiating can be easy!
Okay, it’ll never be easy for some, but at least you’ll feel more confident!
Prior to your meeting/phone call with your vendor, WRITE DOWN what you want to ask and say. Even script out a bit of what you’ll say because a huge part of negotiating is wording things well.
Keep that pen and paper handy. Listen and take notes! They will be extraordinarily handy when you’re trying to remember a detail a few weeks after your meeting.
Repeat what your coordinator/vendor says as you take notes. This way, if there is ever a dispute between what was said and what was written, you’ll at least be able to say that you double checked before you wrote it down!
Be as friendly as possible. Yes, they want your business and your money, but just remember… your relationship with this person could last a year or longer! If you start off acting hostile and demanding, you’re setting yourself up for a very frustrating long-term business relationship. AND you’re less likely to get any deals or “extras” with that attitude.
When talking money, keep in mind that they’ll start a little high and you’ll start a little low… not insultingly low. If you low-ball your venue with too many laughable counter offers, they will not take you seriously, and might get so annoyed that they won’t budge at all.
If it’s the other way around and your venue refuses to negotiate in terms of dollars, see if you can get anything added into your package instead. Ask if you can upgrade the food or if they could provide a DJ.
After working in the catering business for over a year, I learned about ALL the little extras that a venue can hit you with that aren’t included in the quoted price.
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!
Hi hive! The team at Weddingbee has been hard at work behind the scenes rolling out some of the ideas you’ve all come up with and voted on, and today we just released an idea that has been up for vote for quite some time!
To take advantage of this feature, simply click on the (reply) link below the hive member’s name that you’d like to respond to on the boards. It’s located right next to the timestamp at the bottom of each comment! Once you click (reply), @hivemembername will appear in your comment box, making it easier than ever to respond to specific comments and commenters.
Mrs. Cheeseburger, Baltimore, MD/State College, PAAge and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentEngagement Date: June 28, 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Catholic Church Ceremony & Hotel ReceptionAbout Me: I'm a passionate girl from Pittsburgh, currently living in Baltimore for school, who loves Penn State, seeing movies, football, thunderstorms, black and white photos, Christmas, good beer, my amazing friends and family, and of course, my mister! We met, fell in love, got engaged, and will be married at our alma mater (go lions!) in a traditional Catholic ceremony followed by a hotel reception with lots of DIY details. It means so much to have our families and friends meet at our favorite place on earth to celebrate our love for one another - I truly couldn't ask for anything more!
It’s hard to believe it, but we Cheeseburgers have been married for almost 3 whole months already! Marriage is absolutely wonderful, and now that we have finally received our pro pics, I cannot wait to share our wedding with you all!
Our wedding wasn’t completely perfect, but I’ve found that as more time passes, the little things that went slightly awry fall out of memory and all I can think of are the many amazing things that happened that day - like this:
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 bought my wedding dress. Ages ago, actually. I’ve actually had it in hand (well, stored safely at the bridal shop) since late 2009. She may not even need any alterations. She’s pretty damn perfect… with one exception.
There’s been a trend of designers adding colorful sashes to their dresses. One of the most notable ones was this:
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!
Any Saved By the Bell Fans here? Remember when Jesse Spano was taking caffeine pills because she was so stressed and had so much to do? Then at the end, she pretty much flipped out and sang, “I’m so excited! I’m so excited! I’m so scared!” I’m not flipping out, but I do understand the mix of feelings she had!
Last night, as I was lying in bed reflecting upon the day, I felt weird. Happy, yet nervous. Excited, yet scared. I couldn’t feel TRULY happy and excited because it was mingled with a ton of other emotions. I think a lot of people only emphasize the stress that brides feel the week of their wedding, maybe some of the giddy excitement of getting married too, but the main picture is of a frazzled bride who has more things to do than is humanly possible in the week leading up the wedding.
While I do feel a bit of stress (writing vows, last minute family requests, last minute additions from out of nowhere, changes to the schedule, etc.), Mr. Lace and I are in pretty good shape. But the other emotions I’m feeling are much stronger. Maybe you can relate (or you will when you get closer to the wedding). Read more…
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!
During one of many recent internet-shopping-splurges, I snagged a box of 12 plain parasols, the idea being that I would paint them, and then use them for props or shade throughout the wedding day. Even though our wedding will be indoors, we’ll still be taking pictures outside, so I think they’ll get some use.
A big fan of the “thank you” parasol, which can later be used for thank you cards, I decided an expression of gratitude would be a good place to start.
I printed out some letters, and after roughly cutting them out, I taped them to the backside of the opened parasol. Although, of course, shortly after starting the project, Sewing-Mom asked - “Why didn’t you write “mahalo” instead?”
Yeah, I’m pretty sure my mind just checked out completely. Oh well. Let’s continue. 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.
My favorite color is a non-color… gray. And it’s all over our invitations.
Thank goodness gray has come into favor in the past couple seasons. I’ve always fully embraced gray and now I can be in fashion, too! If you look in my closet you’ll find countless gray skirts, v-neck sweaters, cotton dresses. All in the name of GRAY!!!
Some of you might think gray is a dull, boring color. Maybe you’re right. Gray is definitely a tricky fellow. But I think it’s a nice alternative to black or other dark neutrals while still keeping a formal feel. The wrong shade *can* feel bland and overcast, the right shade could be very rich without the intensity of black.
Gathering up our invitation details into a giant pile of gray… here they are (personal photos unless otherwise noted):
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!
Mrs. Earrings, Fresno, CA/ Nelson, New ZealandAge and Occupation: 20, Student, Wannabe Writer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 19, Photography StudentEngagement Date: February 14, 2010Wedding Date: January 2011Venue: Gardens of the WorldAbout Me: I'm a girl from down under who grew up in Indonesia and I'm marrying a California boy. I'm addicted to all things sweet, have never met a chocolate silk pie than can get the better of me, and have dreams of one day being a fulltime novelist. I go weak in the knees for lace, tea cups, and a beautifully crafted sentence. When I get excited about something (whether it is historical linguistics or the Beatles) I tend to go overboard in research, and planning this wedding is no different. Mr. Earrings is my high school sweetheart, my best friend, and somehow we combine all our quirks into one big happy mess.
Originally, the plan was to have a marquee (tent) wedding in the garden. Naive little me didn’t quite take into account the massive expense of hiring a marquee that is big enough for 100 people to be seated under. Then the venue changed their prices on us, and we had to scramble to find hundreds of extra dollars that we didn’t budget for (This is a long story that will be told another time). So, after a few stressed Skype calls to my parents, and going over and over alternative plans with Mr E, we decided to just ditch the marquee. I felt better. We decided to have umbrellas over the tables instead, which look gorgeous, as seen in the photo below:
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. Knitting, TorontoAge and Occupation: 24, Student Recruitment Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Neuroscience PhD CandidateEngagement Date: October 2009Wedding Date: December 2010Venue: University of Toronto Faculty Club
About Me: I'm a pearl wearing, etiquette book reading Toronto girl who loves cooking and baking, museums, charm bracelets, and collecting books on Jackie Kennedy (a lot). I've been known to spend Sunday mornings at the antique market, Wednesday evenings at sister sushi dinners, and any bit of spare time reading. After six and a half years of many late night walks, watching DVDs together in bed, travelling to places like New York, and Tobermory, doing Sudokus together on the couch, lots of Indian food, the occasional yoga class, moving in together and so much more, Mr. Knitting and I are planning a cozy Christmasy (it's a word!), vintage wedding in Toronto complete with many DIY projects (eek!) and lots of help from our amazing group of family and friends.
I generally try to avoid stereotypes in my life, and in particular, stereotypical gender roles. I don’t like the idea that because of one’s gender, one should behave or be interested in certain things. Unfortunately, when it comes to planning the wedding, Mr. Knitting and I definitely fall into very stereotypical gender roles. While I am (obviously) incredibly excited and interested in every little detail and in making the day as meaningful as possible, Mr. Knitting is completely uninterested. He’s made it clear that while he is thrilled to marry me, and that’s really actually all he cares about. He’s happy to have the big party, but all he really wants is to be married to me, and in terms of how that will happen, he couldn’t care less.
In some ways this is great for me (yay I get my way for EVERYTHING!!!), but when I see or hear about examples of grooms getting really involved, I get a bit jealous. Why doesn’t Mr. Knitting think it’s fun to spend an hour or two in Michaels with me or spend the afternoon in a stamping store looking for the perfect ink stamps for our thank you cards?
The thing is, I don’t know if this bothers me because I actually wish he was more interested in the wedding details or if it’s just because I feel guilty for perpetuating stereotypical gender roles. Read more…
Mrs. Cardigan, AustinAge and Occupation: 21, Student/Soon-to-be Special Education TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 20, Student/Soon-to-be Accounting Systems AnalystEngagement Date: August 16, 2009Wedding Date: January 2011Venue: Vintage VillasAbout Me: I'm a native Austinite who was raised as a die-hard Aggie. Luckily, I'm a pretty persuasive girl because I managed to convince my high school boyfriend (now fiance!), Mr. Cardigan, to ditch his hardcore Longhorn ways and join me up at A&M, where we currently reside with our adorable dogs, Cullen & Ranger. We're currently planning a bright, cheery wedding with a ridiculous amount of DIY projects that I can't wait to tackle! I love crafting in any form, reading, and margaritas (I think I love them the most!). Organization is what keeps me sane and I love helping others, which is probably why I ended up as an education major. It gets a little chaotic sometimes when you're planning a wedding among all of the papers, projects, finals, and certification exams, but we're having the time of our lives and we can't wait to get started on our journey as husband and wife - and we're so excited to share our wedding with the hive!
I kind of feel like a bad bride admitting this, but I totally don’t care about flowers. I mean, I want a bouquet, and I want it to be pretty… but beyond that? I couldn’t care less. I’ve never been very into flowers, and to be honest I can’t tell the difference between a dahlia and… well hell, I can’t even think of another flower name! See, I suck at the whole flower thing!
However, there is one flower that I’m completely obsessed with:
Billy buttons! Also called Billy balls, or craspedia. These flowers seriously make my day every time I look at them. They are so freaking adorable! So, basically, when it comes to flowers, all I know is that I want these guys all. over. the. place. Everywhere.
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. Pashmina, NYC/Catalina Island, CAAge and Occupation: 28, Arts EducationFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, IT AdministratorEngagement Date: April 26th, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catalina Country Club, Catalina Island, CaliforniaAbout Me: I'm a laid-back Cali girl who moved to NYC for school, and ended up staying for love. My fiance is a quick-witted Jersey boy, a self-proclaimed Foodie and the funniest man I've ever met. Together we love exploring the city streets embarking on our next misadventure---and yes, this often involves eating off food carts and trying "the next big thing". I'm the girl in the sundress, snapping photos and collecting trinkets of memorabilia along the way. As a girly girl at heart, I am excited about our romantic natural island wedding incorporating our American & Filipino traditions.
Mr. Pashmina and I went on our first date on my birthday. This sucks because it is BOTH my birthday and our anniversary on one day. I don’t like this for two reasons: #1, I usually go see my family in California around this time. Since my sister’s birthday is the day before mine so we usually take the two days and celebrate together. If Mr. Pashmina goes with me then it is great, but it isn’t always just us. And if Mr. Pashmina doesn’t go then I am without him for our anniversary. And if I decide to stay in NYC to be with him I feel as if I am missing out, and always miss my family. And #2, I get one holiday when it really is two. Call me spoiled.
So when planning our wedding date I knew that this would be a big day for the two of us. We were going to celebrate this day over our current anniversary. When picking the day, we wanted to avoid all existing holidays and family member’s birthdays. If we could avoid it there wouldn’t be any double celebrations this time!!
We LOVE Summer. So a summer wedding it had to be! Personal photo
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 have several tricks up my sleeve to honor our families on our wedding day, but my favorite and most challenging project will be a family tree themed escort card table—a literal translation of the family tree part of our theme.
It has evolved from a throw-away joke: a table with some pumpkins, a map of our genealogy, and a boom box playing TV on the Radio’s Family Tree on loop… Read more…
photo by the talented Jessica Ames
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
