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!
Ohhhhh Caaaanadaaaaa… I forgot just how cute Miss Knitting’s icon is! Please join me this Friday in welcoming our newest Canadian bee to the hive!
Miss Knitting, Toronto Age & Occupation: 24, Student Recruitment Assistant Fiance’s Age & Occupation: 24, Neuroscience PhD Candidate Engagement Date: October 2009 Wedding Date: December 2010 Venue: 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.
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.
When last we left off I had a train the size of a small vehicle prominently protruding from my derriere at precisely the level and location of my butt hole. It works for some I’m sure, but it wasn’t working for me. I also happened to have a dress that was too big in the boobs. Honestly this has never happened before, and will probably never happen again. So I grabbed a good friend/neighbor/seamstress and we came up with a plan. Here is the end result:
Me working it with the newly “french bustled” back (train at maximum length here, approximately 6-10 inches from the end of the dress). Read more…
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.
I am half Polish. I grew up thinking my family embraced our Polish heritage because we ate sausage and did polkas at weddings. It took me quite a while and seeing how other people celebrate their own culture and customs to realize that my family was quite lazy at being Polish.
My parents at their quasi-Polish wedding almost 35 years ago
My great grandparents emigrated from Poland during a time where it wasn’t so hot to be Polish. My grandpa changed his family name, removing the -kowski, in order to Americanize himself and fit in. Diversity wasn’t valued then like it is now and I think that was a major reason my grandparents never taught me much about my heritage. 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.
I know, I know, I’ve been holding out on you guys with my bachelorette party recaps until I managed to collect photos from my bridesmaid who thoughtfully managed to document the weekend with her camera. But now, pictures are in hand, so let the insanity commence!
I have to say, one of the best parts of the weekend was that I had absolutely nothing to do with the organizing. Besides picking the weekend and emphatically requesting no male entertainment of any sort, I was completely in the dark about the events planned for the weekend. All I knew was to arrive at my MOH’s apartment at 8:00 PM on Friday night and to wear some sort of comfortable shoes. Anticipation is half the fun and I couldn’t wait to find out what my friends had in store for me.
I arrived to find everyone putting the finishing touches on the first event of the weekend, a Mexican fiesta! They had balloons, red and white sangria, taquitos, chips, salsa and guac and amazing cupcakes from Billy’s Bakery (yum, yum, double yum!).
Bridesmaid’s D and J proudly show off our feast. I totally heart sangria in a big, big way.
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.
Lobsterlettes: STOP READING HERE (until after the trip). Thanks!
As you know the girls and I are taking a trip to Atlantis. Woohoo, spring break SPRING BREAK!!! OK, most of us are about 10 years past our spring break prime. That doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun. To welcome my girls and thank them for coming, I decided to put together a small out-of-town bag: Read more…
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!
In my previous hair posts, I kept assuming that I had to do an up-do. Georgia in June? Up-do, or else there will be floofy frizzy fly-aways. Problem: I couldn’t ever envision myself with a bridal up-do. Couldn’t do it. While pouting and flipping through my inspiration folders crammed full of gorgeous brides, I re-discovered this gorgeous bride with super-straight down-to-there hair, and was determined to be a down-do bride.
So yes. My crazy butt will be wearing my hair down in June. Before you write me off as being totally off my rocker, I have some things in my corner that will help me make this work.
I’m getting a Brazilian hair-straightening treatment. No, not the one that is packed with formaldehyde, the other less-scary one. Even though my hair is super-straight on its own, with sweat and humidity, I get baby curls and fly-aways. This will help my hair to be as stick straight as possible. Added bonus? It will supposedly make my fine hair appear to be thicker. Winsky!
I’m getting extensions. My hair is already pretty dang long. It’s grown out a good 4 inches below my collar bones. However, it’s pretty fine, thin, and isn’t as thick as the bottom as I’d like. Extensions will add some more much-needed hair, and while I’m at it, some extra length. 18? and color 1b, if anyone cares.
My hair magician is rescuing me on the wedding day.Months ago, when I first started talking wedding hair with Luke, my hairstylist, he said that he wouldn’t be able to do my hair for the wedding. Hola, burst bubble. He never did weddings because it was too expensive to comp a whole day’s work and tips, plus the extra crazy bride and bridal party stress. WELL. A few weeks ago, my puppy dog eyes did their work, the planets aligned, and Luke has the day off. So sweet, talented, awesome Luke will be trekking all the way down to LaGrange to do my hairs. I’m so excited.
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.
Yep, nerdy title from a theatre kid ::wink and a smile!::
We started our (internet) research in the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania, hoping to tie in our engagement week’s trip to Sonoma into our wedding theme. We clicked on websites of a few fairly local wineries and found our way to Open Aire Affairs. These folks handle events and rentals for Sandcastle Winery, in ridiculously beautiful and quaint Erwynna, PA (technically, not the Brandywine Valley, which is a specific region in Chester County for all you Philly bees). It is set up on a hill on sprawling grounds of hearty grapevines fighting for their lives in the fickle weather of Eastern PA… or Anywhere, PA for that matter.
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.
One thing that sort of surprised me after we got engaged and told everyone about it was how excited some people were to make things happen! And by some people, I mean my sister.
My sister – we’ll call her Shmoh (for Seahorse Maid of Honor and because Shmoh is fun to say) – is two and half years younger than I am and took a job in Chicago after she graduated from college last spring. It was so exciting that she had finally graduated and might be close to home… and then she accepted a stupid job in a stupid city far away. Luckily for me, stupid Chicago messed everything up and my fantastic sister had to move back to Boston, where she can be excited about wedding stuff close by.
So we got engaged and some of the first questions we got were, “Should I be planning a party? What are my responsibilities as your mother/sister/important person?” And we thought to ourselves, Hm, this would be a good excuse to throw a party.
What the internet told me was that the engagement party is a place for families to meet for the first time and to announce the engagement. 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!
Here’s a sampling of my June to-do list: research & arrange wedding day transportation (uuuggghhhhh), assemble all the parts of the invitations (I can’t wait to never cut another envelope liner ever again), work on a detailed day-of and overall weekend timeline (boy do I wish I could afford a DOC), and choose wedding jewelry (WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!).
I love jewelry. Love it! I’ve been casually browsing jewelry options for quiiiiite a few months now, and I’ve got a couple of options that are now the heavy contenders. But first, I’ll remind you what my (glorious, fabulous, can’t wait to wear it) wedding dress looks like, so you know what I’m trying to match the jewelry up with.
Except you, Mr. Octopus! Don’t read any further or I’ll slap ya. 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!
After a morning with my favorite women, it was time to get down to business—the business of beautifying!
Our hair and makeup team from Belleza arrived at 11:30, half an hour earlier than we had originally planned (how sweet is that!) and got to work turning our hotel suite into a makeshift salon. We had four hours to hair-ify and makeup-ify nine women.
PF and KS sat down in the two hair chairs… Read more…
Mrs. Dachshund, Fresno, CAAge and Occupation: 24, Legal Office AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Computer TechnicianEngagement Date: April 18, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Victorian Gardens of Two SistersAbout Me: I’m a 24-year-old Californian bride-to-be who found love in the most unlikely of places - an online video game! I’m a farmer’s daughter living in rural Central California, but will always have a special place in my heart for the city. My future husband is a 27-year-old extraordinarily tall, exceptionally cute, and undoubtedly Canadian boy who was able to sweep me off my feet and take me for his bride. I love color, folksy songs that make me smile, interior design, kettle corn, my one-year-old puppy, Juno, and my fiance, of course! We’re planning a DIY garden wedding with a laundry-list of projects, all while dealing with the bureaucracy that is American Immigration!
The day Proposition 8 was passed in California was the one time that I truly felt let down by my state; I couldn’t believe that we would allow such a giant step backward. It is equally mind boggling how, a year-and-a-half later, the law is still intact.
The point of this post is not to spark a debate, but to share how, on our wedding day, we brought to light an issue for which both Mr. Doxie and I are passionate. I know that it isn’t uncommon in the wedding world for couples to recognize how unjust laws against same-sex marriages are. It’s a bit of a different story, however, in the conservative area where our wedding was located. We honestly weren’t sure how the gesture would be received among our guest list. We wanted to do something that would be prominent enough for our guests to take notice, but still subtle. As sad as it is to admit it, I know that we had guests in attendance who likely feel as strongly against same-sex marriage as I do in support of it.
In the end, we decided to go the same route as the Sprinkles and make white knots for our guests to wear and take home.
I ordered a small ceramic heart bowl from RedHotPottery on Etsy, MOH Erin cut and tied the ribbon and I made the sign.
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!
Eclectic and mix-and-match is one thing. Hodgepodge is another. The Seashells have some serious hodgepodge living in our cabinets.
{Personal Photo}
The dishes and bowls I could live with (minus those striped ones), but the cups and glasses make me downright crazy. Sometimes I actually open our cabinet doors and whisper, “Ugh, I hate you…”
Someday, in not too long, (read: post-bridal showers) I will proudly show off our cabinets looking more like this: 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!
There are many different components to our wedding weekend, and at some point we realized that we would have to let people know about it! Friday night we decided to just have our close family members with us and rely on our parents’ word of mouth and email to disseminate the information. Saturday night, however, is a little more far reaching than that, and we decided to send invites. The Saturday night dinner is going to be thrown by the FIL Hermit Crabs, so the invites came from them.
We decided to use Vistaprint this time, and I can say that I am very happy with the way they turned out. For what we needed and wanted, it was perfect. The cards and envelopes were all of a good quality, and the printing looked really nice. Not too mention that it was super easy and quick to do, and the price was right. Without further ado, our invites! (All pictures are personal photos - sorry for the white out!)
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.
I never thought it would happen, but I am one burnt out Cola when it comes to our paper projects!
But I’m done now, I swear. I will not make even one more sign!
As you can tell, with these last few additions, I couldn’t bring myself to make much effort making them look cute. Oh well, they’ll serve their purpose!
A chair sign to save a seat for my grandfather that can’t make it to the wedding because he’s undergoing cancer treatment in Washington State:
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!
I have to start off by saying that Mr. Dolphin and I seriously have the most thoughtful and sweet family and friends. So many people contributed to our special day. Our wedding would not have turned out as perfect as it did without the help of our family and friends, most notably, our parents: Dolphin Dad, Dolphin Momma, Mr. D’s Dad, Mr. D’s Mom and Western Cowboy. They all contributed their time, effort, love and finances to making sure our wedding went off without a hitch. They are the most selfless people I know, and I’m so thankful for being blessed with such amazing parents and in-laws.
Dolphin Dad and Mr. D’s Dad looking swanky at our wedding.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
