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.
On a complete whim I stopped off at David’s Bridal in New Jersey. It is in the same shopping center as A.C. Moore (where I was suppose to go) and I figured, “Why not just take a look at what they have to offer!? Why haven’t I even considered them yet?” Well, I sort of know why. I am a bit of a no-Kmart, no-Walmart type of gal, and to me, David’s Bridal is a bit in that category.
The pros and cons about David’s Bridal are the same for all those big megastores - they fit lots of girls, so there is something for everyone but at the same time it can come off as generic and cheap. But this was my feeling going into the store, coming out I have to say I was pretty impressed with what they had to offer. The styles were less prom queen / early ’90s / super shiny than what I had imagined.
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!
How many of you know when the U.S. Supreme court finally repealed the law that prevented Whites and Asians (and other races) from marrying? Mr. Hot Wings and I got our marriage license this week. We called one weekday morning, got an appointment for 3 hours later, went down, got the license, and were on our way home again a mere 30 minutes later. Read more…
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.
By contacts, I mean the kind you stick in your eyes. I have worn glasses since I was 13. I hated them then, and the relationship is still an uneasy one now. I have never worn contacts regularly, as my eye problems are not simple (weak optic nerve, no binocular vision, yada yada). However I found out last year that I CAN wear contacts for distance, just not for reading, writing, or anything close up.
Which brings us to how this relates to the wedding. I used to think that there was no question about it—a bride couldn’t wear her glasses on her wedding day, because I had never seen a bride wearing glasses. This is silly of course, and now, thanks to my obsessive wedding blog reading, I see that many brides do choose to wear their glasses and, not only that, but they look good wearing them! There goes that little myth I had constructed for myself.
But, at the same time, when I envision myself on my wedding day (as you do), glasses are not in the picture. Read more…
Weddingbee GalleryFeature Launched: April 10, 2009About: A collection of inspirational wedding pictures from readers and bees.
K-I-S-S-I-N-G. jozehm and her fiance spell it out.
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. 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!
Since I’m gonna rock a short dress, I decided I needed some super cute shoes. Specifically, some yellow super cute shoes. I looked and looked online, but was so hesitant to buy because I’ve always gotten the wrong size whenever I bought shoes via the internet!
So one afternoon, Mr. Socks and I wandered into the Kate Spade store at King of Prussia mall, and I saw them. My shoes. The Kate Spade Kellie Toos in Mustard. We both LOVED them.
I tried them on, but didn’t buy. They were $295!! Waaay more than I thought I’d spend on shoes. But I couldn’t get them out of my head, and a few months later, I saw them through the window of the Kate Spade store in Princeton.
Mrs. D'orsay, Baltimore/Lancaster UKAge and Occupation: 24, nonprofit communications Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Web site developer and designer; co-owner of men's skincare shopEngagement Date: August 10, 2008Wedding Date: August, 2009Venue: Oakland ManorAbout Me: I'm a Maryland raised environmental policy wonk/activist/organizer and communications aficionado. In the past year I've lived in Baltimore, MD, Tucson, AZ, Miami, FL and Lancaster, England. In my not so spare time I enjoy planning trips with Mr. D' Orsay, visiting friends and family and crafting like a mo-fo. I also enjoy modern dance classes, rugby and soccer but have been banned by my mother, MOHs, and Mr. D' Orsay from playing till after the wedding. I have an unnatural addiction to cheese and shoes, but love Mr. D' Orsay more than either and can't wait to become Mrs. D' Orsay!
Between moving to DC, and Mr. D being in England - I really dropped the ball on setting up a portrait session during cherry blossom season. I had also hoped that my dear friend of Jenna Cole Photography would be able to do the shoot, but alas she was busy… birthing a baby!
So I held off and considered 2011, but that puts us almost a year and half after our wedding! The vast majority of our portraits involve us kissing or about to kiss… what can I say, we were really happy to be married!
My thought process was that I’d swing by Whole Foods, make a decently looking bouquet that only needed to last a few hours at most. Then we’d take photos a bit like these (except, in a wedding dress) and Mr. D and me not kissing!
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.
I realized the other day that I have yet to share my personal approach to the ceremony and how I’ve decided to walk down the aisle.
I won’t delve too far in but my parents divorced when I was young and my dad moved out to Arizona while I grew up with my mom in Michigan. My mom and I are extremely close—she was an incredible mother, example and support and now she’s an adviser, rock and more than anything, best friend. I’m so blessed to have the relationship that I do with her and I am grateful everyday that I had her to look up to while I was growing up. The sacrifices she made, gave me the best life possible.
The ATL bees are meeting up, and they’d love for you to join them! Join Hive Hostess Bellenga and a slew of other Atlanta bees as they chat all-things-weddings over great food tomorrow!
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!
If our guests weren’t enjoying the dance floor, chocolate fountain, or each other’s company, we tried to get them to visit the fake photobooth that our friend and photographer Alicia Griffin had agreed to operate.
We constructed the booth out of PVC pipe—a basic set up with feet and a simple crossbar. Mr. Pencils took on the task of creating the backdrop and he was incredibly proud of his design utilizing our ribbon. I loved it’s abstract feel and the photos we got back!
Mrs. Turtle, Central CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 21, Art Student/TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 22, English StudentEngagement Date: August 16, 2008Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Mr. Turtle's Grandparents' backyard, Arroyo Grande, CAAbout Me: I am a California girl who loves the beach and the mountains, but is quite satisfied living right in the middle where I can enjoy the best of both worlds. I am happiest when traveling to faraway places, wandering through museums, watching old movies, or baking up a storm. Mr. Turtle and I are high school sweethearts and fellow book nerds who both drive Mini Coopers and are most likely to be found browsing in antique stores. We're having so much fun planning our European garden wedding with a vintage twist and can't wait to share more of life's adventures together!
Sure, candy buffets have become a pretty big trend at weddings. But are they overrated? Definitely not! Come on, who didn’t dream of getting a golden ticket after watching Willy Wonka as a kid? Everyone loves candy!
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 have a little problem. While I love rings and am so excited to wear my beautiful engagement/wedding ring for the rest of my life, Mr. Knitting has huge knuckles and is convinced he can’t wear a ring. At first I was a bit sad at the idea of him not wearing a wedding ring because I thought others might think that he’s not committed to our marriage. However, I got over my tiny bit of sadness when I remembered my father doesn’t wear a wedding ring and he and my mother have an incredibly happy marriage. I realized not wearing a wedding ring doesn’t signal any less of a commitment to me, and what do I care about what others think about my marriage?
However, I would like him to have something he could wear in place of wedding ring. I’m currently considering a wedding watch as a good option. I thought about wedding cuff links or a wedding tie clip, as I like the idea of jewelry, but I’m thinking he would prefer something that can be worn on a day to day basis. Also, in the 6 years that I’ve known Mr. Knitting he has never once worn cuff links or a tie clip so I’m guessing those aren’t items he’ll be wearing too often in the future. 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 veils!
Sellers: if you have a veil for sale, please post your item to the Weddingbee Classifieds by adding your item, and then return to this post and add the link 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 veils 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 veils that are being listed for sale in the Weddingbee Classifieds. ***
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.
One of my favorite parts of the holidays is wrapping up gifts. Each year it is a different theme: homemade ornaments dangling from kitschy yarn, natural pressed flowers with hemp string, hand stamped butcher paper, velum paper to catch a glimpse of what is underneath.
Martha Stewart always inspires my gift wrapping (image)
So why not incorporate this fun practice into the wedding invites? 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!
Once May rolled around, my life went into super-wedding-overdrive. I remember the waking up the morning of May 1st, realizing that we were quickly approaching the end of a thirteen-month engagement, and that our wedding was just around the corner. It scared the crap out of me. It was at that moment that the wedding butterflies decided to take permanent residence in my stomach. I had so much to do. It was overwhelming, the list was so long. I had people to coordinate, projects to complete, details to finalize; to be honest, I’m not sure how I made it through that month!
But that first weekend in May, albeit full of stress, was also the first time I felt like a bride; it was the weekend of my bridal shower. It was then that I finally understood that other people were excited about our wedding. It wasn’t because of the details that I had slaved over for the past year. No, they were excited because they loved us and genuinely wanted to wish us well in our new life together.
My shower, hosted by my mom, my aunt and my grandma, was perfect. Absolutely perfect. I spent the day with all of my favorite ladies, some of whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, and just soaked it all in. 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!
Almost as soon as we got engaged, I started to think about our engagement photos. I’m a sucker for a good photo shoot, and I’m a bit of a camera whore (hey, at least I can admit it!) so I was really excited to get these done!
Mr. Cardigan and I have a close friend that recently started up a small photography business, and she gave us a great deal on a photo session! Jessica was a blast to work with, and we were really impressed with how well she did – especially considering we were her first engagement shoot ever!
Mr. Cardigan and I really wanted to take our photos in downtown Austin – it’s a place that we’ve spent a lot of time, and it’s just so incredibly beautiful. We started the day on Congress Ave. in front of the Capitol. It was completely deserted, so we got to have a lot of fun with it.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
