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.)
I actually found 39 East Photography mentioned on the Weddingbee boards. CK is very talented and a pleasure to work with, both leading up to the wedding and on the day itself. It is important to hire a photographer whose work you respect, but also someone whose personality meshes with your own in order to make you comfortable on your wedding day. And CK was that person for us.
In terms of the quality of his work, you’ve seen the photos that I’ve posted. While many photographers are on the photojournalistic side of the fence these days, CK is truly that guy. His photos have a subtle, atmospheric quality to them that portrays the mood of the moment—they have a muted elegance to them that seems timeless to me. There are many styles out there and you just have to find something that works for you.
I think CK excels at capturing sentimental moments, and beautiful bride and groom photographs such as the ones below. 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.
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.
… after searching the internet for hours for pictures that sum up how you want your tables and lighting to look, you decide that none can accurately express your vision and you sit down with your trusty MS Word and create something like this:
Umm, yeah. I’ve clearly fallen over the edge of the bridal abyss. It’s time to come back to reality. 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.
Last time I threatened to send Post-itvintations. But despite being a delinquent bride-to-be, I was saved by Derek, my friend and the graphic designer at 4fifteen who is so on top of his game he quickly came back with options based on the inspiration I sent him last time, including my fave Printable Press’ Metropolitan:
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.
This is the story of two Thimbles and five rings over eight years in three parts. Go!
Mr. Thimble and I were very forward with each other when we decided we’d like to date. The only problem was, our timing didn’t line up. I had never really spoken to Mr. T—we never spent any time together on a school project or in a social setting—when he stopped in front of me on the walk from first period to homeroom, turned around, and handed me a pretty little gift bag containing this:
[Source; Please note, this is "vintage" on Etsy... circa 2002]
Ring 1. It was junior year in high school, totally “random” (the cool word to say relentlessly), and I was a little weirded out and confused. Read more…
ClassifiedsFeature Launched: April 30, 2008About: A roundup of the best Weddingbee Classified listings.
Hi hive! Thank you for your continued suggestions for Weddingbee Spring Cleaning categories. To find out more about Spring Cleaning, click here!
Today’s featured item of the day is damask items!
Sellers: if you have damask items for sale, please post your item to the Weddingbee Classifieds by adding your item, and then return to this post and add the lindamask to the item you’re selling in the comments, along with a quick description. Also pay attention to the comments in this ad to see if any buyers are searching for the item you’re selling by subscribing to the comments.
Buyers: if you’re looking for damask items for sale, you can do a couple things:
Identify yourself in the comments as LOOKING FOR (type of item you’re looking for, and quantity).
Subscribe to this thread, so you’re informed of new damask items that are being listed for sale in the Weddingbee Classifieds. ***
KaraJane86 is selling 15 black and white damask runners and 1 pink and white damask table runner. They measure 10.5″x72″. She’s also including a 24″x24″ pink and white damask table square. She’s asking $192 for all, or $180 for just the black and white runners. Read more…
Ms. Potato Chips, Boston/Narragansett RIAge and Occupation: 29, PhD StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Personal Trainer/Business Owner/Physical Therapy AssistantEngagement Date: January 1, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Narragansett TowersAbout Me: A semi-professional bookworm, if I could be a literary character I’d be a cross between Jo March and Jane Eyre, only better accessorized and much lazier. My hobbies include sleeping in, seasonal brews, running, Trader Joe’s, and watching Unwrapped and Good Eats with Mr. Potato Chips. I harbor an irrational fear of tulle, crafts, things that are fussy, and overuse of the phrase "Your Special Day". After a year or seven together, down the aisle we go, slouching toward adulthood and planning a Rhodie party with equal parts whimsy, cheer, and pizza.
I am pretty darn frugal and am proud to say we’ve saved beaucoup bucks by being able to bring in our own alcohol. I am talking half the price of what the caterer would have charged! Here’s what we did:
Our kind caterer sent a list of the packages they offered, so we had a starting point of what to buy.
We used drink calculators from Evite, Party Source, and Perfect Party Planning to estimate amounts. (Note: our caterer is supplying insured bartenders and the mixers/garnishes.)
Mr. Potato Head and I visited the websites of the (tax-free!) New Hampshire state liquor stores we planned on buying from to gauge prices.
I compared prices at my local liquor stores here in Tax-a-chusetts. New Hampshire won.
I wanted $3 Trader Joe’s wine, but my wine-savvy Dad put his foot down and suggested some decent table wine brands instead.
Armed with a meticulous spreadsheet with amounts, prices, and name brands that Mr. Potato Head drafted, SistahChips and I headed forty-five minutes up the road to the Granite State.
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.
The engagement ring adventure was a big one, and a mostly fun one. At times it was stressful, as we emailed each other pictures back and forth and debated how much money to spend and whether to buy online or in person. At one point we just said, “Okay, no more talking about rings until we are holding them in our hands,” and that was the point at which we decided to only go shopping in person, which ended up being a really good decision for us.
(Side note: you all asked for ring pictures and I realized I hadn’t posted any! So here they are, for your entertainment. I, uh, couldn’t take myself seriously for pretty/fancy ring shots… so enjoy my silly ones):
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!
The day before our wedding, I spent the morning recovering from the previous night’s bachelorette party with my girls getting our nails done, while Mr. Pencils went on a leisurely run and hung with his best man AH.
*All photos in this post courtesy of Bridesmaid CH, Bridesmaid PF, Mother-in-law NM, and Future Sister LK. Thanks, chicas!*
The salon went to the local beauty supply store just to buy me green nail polish—how awesome!
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.
Although Mr. S and I really loved our customized m&m’s, we knew deep down that they were too much of a splurge for us. So we ate up the sample packs that we bought and said our goodbyes. Farewell sweet little m&m’s with our faces. You were fun but waaayyyy too expensive for our blood.
We decided to go back to our original love: Hershey’s Kisses. Read more…
Mrs. Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, ProfessorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, InstructorEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
Aww… and there it is! The set in all its glory (except for the blurring). This DIY “masterpiece” and absolute nightmare at times has literally taken me a year to dream up, design, create, and mail off.
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!
In April, I was lucky enough to have not one, but two bridal showers thrown for me!
Cake topper from my bridal shower
The first was here in Syracuse, thrown for me by close friends of mine in the synagogue that I work in, and all the women in the synagogue were invited to attend. At first I felt funny about this party because I was not able to invite many people from Syracuse to the wedding, including most of the people who came to the shower, but I was assured by my friend that people just wanted to celebrate with me, and would understand that I couldn’t invite everyone. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get any pictures, but about 30 women came out, and most brought something delicious for a dessert potluck.
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
One year ago this very weekend, we were married on a sunny and beautiful spring day. I thought the most fitting way to end my recaps would be of that day. (Happy Anniversary, Mr. P!)
So here goes: Our day to remember!
I woke up very early, around 7 AM. Despite staying up until 2 AM the night before, I was too excited to sleep. Looking down from our suite, I could see our wedding venue, and it got me so excited. It was such a beautiful, serene sight to behold.
Throughout the day, I could see the progress of the set-up for the wedding and cocktail hour. I was SO giddy! Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
We decided to go back to our original love: Hershey’s Kisses.
