Mrs. Locket, Ithaca, NYAge and Occupation: 25, Research TechnicianFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, former Banker hoping to become an Officer of the LawEngagement Date: June 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Heron Hill WineryAbout Me: I am a little bit of everything all rolled into one: A girly gal with rough edges---I love to get dolled up just as much as I enjoy throwing on some sneaks to toss a ball with Mr. Locket. My love for crafting and creating is quite apparent and I've been referred to as a Wonder Woman/Martha Stewart/Stepford Wife hybrid (yup, I'll take that as a compliment). I adore sewing, photography, sculpture, good eats (mmm tapas), baking, snugging and oh, pretty much everything in between (there's not much I dislike). I am super excited to be planning our vineyard wedding and couldn't be happier to be marrying Mr. Locket. We are a quirky, fun-loving couple residing in our college town with our two pups Maple and Molly. We love to go on hikes, visit our local dog park and to bask in the beauty of many of the local falls and gorges. We are an indecisive pair, but together we somehow manage to make up our minds (it's the easy stuff that's tricky).
This past March I was hit with some bummer news. I wasn’t completely blindsided by it because for some time I had seen this problem coming, but I kept secretly hoping it might go away. The problem was that one of my bridesmaids, “S” had just gotten into grad school. YIPPEEE! The downside to this exciting news was that grad school was in London. Which meant “S” couldn’t guarantee she would be able to make it to our wedding and could no longer promise to be part of the bridal party. I had a giant mix of emotions because I was happy for her, but super bummed because I really wanted her to be part of my big day.
Needless to say, this created a mini-dilemma. Should I have found someone to replace her? Or should I just stick to having 3 gals in my bridal party? The trouble with sticking to just 3 girls was that I had to play with their titles.
The thing was that I originally planned to have 2 MOHs (Sister Locket, and BFF “A”) and 2 bridesmaids (“C” and “S”). Losing a BM left me thinking it would not seem right to have 2 MOHs and 1 bridesmaid.
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!
I’ve gone and done something I NEVER thought I would do.
I’ll set the scene for you:
BM Lea’s dress came in a couple of weeks ago, and when I went to David’s Bridal to pick it up, lo and behold, it was the wrong dress. I was a bit irritated with them, but thought oh, well, left, and went about my merry little life.
This past Friday, they called to say that her dress was in again, and while I waited for them to bring it out, I saw a lovely dress that I hadn’t seen a few weeks earlier:
Mrs. Hamster, New York CityAge and Occupation: 28, Finance GalFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Finance GuyEngagement Date: March 9, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Pierre HotelAbout Me: I'm an original Jersey girl living it up in the big NYC! I love baking for others, hosting brunches, and exploring NYC with my mans. Besides Mr. Hamster (of course), I'm attracted to shiny things, bold colors, snacks, matching and coordination, pork and duck fats, miniature versions of things, corny jokes and puns. We are planning a swanky Spring wedding in the heart of NYC, followed by a second reception in Singapore. From one city that never sleeps to another - I can't imagine a more exciting ride!
I know you can’t tell from the photo, but I’m saying, “Please let’s hurry up and bustle my dress so we can go to the cocktail hour.”
It was time for some serious eating. Lemme tell you - I was SO excited about our cocktail hour. While we had a menu tasting for our reception, the cocktail hour involved choosing items off a list. So I was really eager to sample our selections and see how they turned out! After a quick toast with my ladies: 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.
Allow me to interrupt my honeymoon recaps momentarily to wax poetical on why I love weddings so much. Because I do, I really, really do. And I’m guessing most of you out there love ’em too, or else you wouldn’t be reading this blog and investing so much time and energy into your wedding.
We just got back from a wedding this past weekend, the first one since our own, and it was more fun than a barrel full of chocolate-covered monkeys (truth). While I may have imbibed more than my fair share of adult beverages, embarrassed myself on the dance floor and eaten three cupcakes from the cupcake tower (shhhhhhh, there were still plenty left over and they were mmmm-mmmm good) that’s still not why I love weddings.
I did some thinking on the 4-hour drive back home, still smiling from the fun of the night before. Weddings are a celebration, pure and simple. It’s two people coming together, two families coming together, two lives coming together to become inextricably intertwined. There is no bittersweet in a wedding, only joy, laughter and love. And seriously kids, what is better than that? (The only two things I can think of that even come close are puppies and ice cream. But no, actually, weddings are better than both those things combined.) Read more…
Mrs. Sand Dollar, HoustonAge and Occupation: 24, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 22, Electrical TechnicianEngagement Date: January 8, 2010Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: MacLean ParkAbout Me: I'm a domestic diva down to the core. I heart cooking, sewing, baking, decorating and making sure we have a hand-crafted home. The best part about the wedding is I get to incorporate it all! I make sure I put my art degree to good use by screen printing, craft knife cutting, and a whole lotta graphic design. We're having a big-time party on a small-time budget, and I promise to show you a boot-scootin', barbecue-eatin', finger-lickin' good time! Mr. Sand Dollar and I spend most of our time on DIY projects or traipsing around the outdoors with our two pooches Rory and Juno. I'm looking forward to sharing our journey with all of you!
Please don’t hate me. But searching for my wedding dress wasn’t all butterflies and rainbows. In fact, Mr. SD was with me the first time! Just after we got engaged, the plan was to spend the weekend with my Bestie E. Well, she happens to own a bridal shop, so that’s where we had to go meet her. Of course I couldn’t resist trying a few on, and figured it couldn’t hurt to see if Mr. SD hated my taste or something (like that could ever happen!). His only catch was that if I found “the one” I couldn’t let on because he didn’t want to know. So I went to town picking out dresses to try on that I’ve been eying for months. Read more…
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
After a day at the aquarium followed by a night on the town, the Button Bridesmaids and I decided that the next day would be one of relaxation. Well, sort of! We slept in a little later than usual, then quickly dressed and ran out the door to get to the nail salon.
We picked up some sustenance in the form of Panera sandwiches and coffee, and proceeded to the nail salon for manicures and pedicures. It was definitely nice to sit in a comfy massage chair for an hour or so… with the hustle and bustle of pre-wedding excitement, it can sometimes be difficult to take a moment to relax and take everything in. However, I highly recommend taking some time to yourself before your wedding day if at all possible!
After the nail salon, the Button bridesmaids and I headed over to my parents’ house. Some of my relatives had arrived the previous afternoon, and I was eager to say, “hello!” Do you remember how I mentioned that I had committed my relatives to slave labor on my behalf? Well, my mom, both my grandmothers, my aunt, AND my grandfather had been hard at work on our favors into the wee hours of the night. They must love me… 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!
Okay, so maybe that’s a little dramatic. But y’all, I was terrified of this thing for days. It sat on the table next to our television just mocking me for almost a week after we got it. Because I’m a huge wimp. What am I talking about?
Well, it requires a bit of back story. Several months ago, Mrs. Frozen Yogurt blogged about this amazing wedding band and I was smitten. It’s so incredibly unique and romantic, and I knew I wanted to get one for Mr. Cardigan. Luckily, he liked it just as much as I did.
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 love the look of Imperial Russia. I realize it was a problematic society, but I think the Russian court was so incredibly beautiful and stylish. I’m not totally sure where this fascination came from, but being half Ukrainian I was raised on many Russian fairytales and I think that might have something to do with it. I was also completely obsessed with the Romanov family after watching Anastasia when I was 10 and that’s really stuck with me. Here’s a few images to give you an idea of what I love about Imperial Russian design.
The gorgeous palaces. They’re over the top and dramatic, but also seem like a fantastic place to spend a winter afternoon:
Mrs. Husky, DenverAge and Occupation: 26, Systems AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Mechanical Engineer, recently laid offEngagement Date: August 14, 2009Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: Rancho San CarlosAbout Me: I am planning a quirky-crafty wedding with my recently out-of-work fiancé for a (fingers crossed!) warm October afternoon. We are two self-professed nerds with an affinity for all things outdoors---be it rain, snow or shine. Recently relocated from the drizzly Northwest, we're enjoying the many sun-soaked days in the mile high city. Our day will be filled with both of our large families and friends, a self-served Cajun feast, and a Zydeco-style jazz band rocking beneath the beams of a historic red barn.
When we started searching for a location for our wedding, we needed to get creative. Our goals were to:
Save money
Keep the altitude beneath 6k feet (more on that later)
Bring our own booze
Have ultimate control over how our catering was done
As you can imagine, we had a difficult time finding just the right place. As I sighed with frustration one evening after what felt like hours of researching venues, Mr. Husky suggested changing the scope of my search.
He thought maybe the word “wedding” was sort of like the word “marine” – meaning, more expensive. Exhibit A:
Granted, they’re made of different materials. But I think that can apply to weddings as well – typically the venues serve a very specialized purpose, catering specifically to the needs of very particular brides. That’s just not us. We don’t need, or want the all-in-one package.
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.
So I got so carried away with the preparation of the day that my final Miss post got lost in the moments that went flashing by! I can’t tell you how much the hive has meant to me and how incredible the experience of being a bee has been.
I married my best friend on Saturday. It was the best day of my life. Frogger, you make me happier than I ever thought I could be. Thank you for making me complete. Forever has never sounded so good.
Thank you to the hive for your support throughout this journey to the altar - it wouldn’t have been the same without all of the readers, comments, ideas and unconditional support.
I cannot wait to share the day with you… until then - the only photo I have, a teaser from my wonderful cousin who snapped this just after our first look! Read more…
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.
Alright, it’s time to lay down some wedding day wisdom regarding peeing!
I know this is something we’ve all thought about, or will have to think about. How the heck do you use the restroom in a wedding dress? It’s not easy, no matter how you look at it, that’s for sure. Especially if you have a dress with lots of material and poof, like an A-line or ball gown.
After purchasing my dress back in October, I looked on the Weddingbee boards and Googled for advice on how exactly to go about doing this. There was no way I was gonna hold it all night, and the ridonk rumor about bridal diapers wasn’t something I’d ever consider! But I basically found the same advice over and over, to get help from one of your bridesmaids.
Would you like to see a little illustration on the recommended way of peeing in a wedding gown, and the different way I found that works better? I thought so! Read more…
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.
Note: This (long) post is specific to Catholic-NonCatholic interfaith weddings. Actually, it might be specific only to a Catholic-Jewish interfaith wedding, but my hope is that this will be helpful for a Catholic-Anything interfaith wedding as a starting point. It is also based only on my experiences, which does not make me an expert. A while ago I promised to post about my experiences finding a priest and a rabbi to co-officiate, so here goes!
So, you’re marrying outside the Catholic Faith. OR you are not Catholic, but your fiance is, and you’ve decided to go the equal representation of religions route rather than choosing one or nixing religion and using a Justice of the Peace. It may seem impossible at first, but knowledge is power when it comes to finding a Catholic Priest to co-officiate, so lets go over what Mr. Thimble and I needed to do and maybe it can help some of you.
I was really nervous and I’ve never been very active at church. I avoided asking our local parish priest and I hesitated to email a priest I knew from college (a Catholic university). Lucky for me, before I worked up the nerve to contact either of them, my aunt (and Godmother) worked some magic and emailed her cousin, the graduate chaplain at Harvard, who has performed countless interfaith ceremonies and knows exactly what he’s doing. And, he’s super smart and can explain why we have to do what we’re doing and where it comes from. Which is what I need. 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!
I’m one of those people that gives absolutely terrible gifts - unless I know you. If I do happen to know you well, odds are that you’ll get something fantastic. Like a pair of pants with the words “hot legz” YUDUed onto the butt. You know you want some.
But sometimes, crazy gifts aren’t the most practical - like this super-awesome find I was *this close* to buying for my dad:
A snorkel camera! He would have both hands to swim with instead of having to carry the underwater camera around! It would be perfect for Hawaii! Read more…
Mrs. Sand Dollar, HoustonAge and Occupation: 24, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 22, Electrical TechnicianEngagement Date: January 8, 2010Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: MacLean ParkAbout Me: I'm a domestic diva down to the core. I heart cooking, sewing, baking, decorating and making sure we have a hand-crafted home. The best part about the wedding is I get to incorporate it all! I make sure I put my art degree to good use by screen printing, craft knife cutting, and a whole lotta graphic design. We're having a big-time party on a small-time budget, and I promise to show you a boot-scootin', barbecue-eatin', finger-lickin' good time! Mr. Sand Dollar and I spend most of our time on DIY projects or traipsing around the outdoors with our two pooches Rory and Juno. I'm looking forward to sharing our journey with all of you!
Mr. SD and I have a rather common situation for couples nowadays. We’ve both been living on our own for a while (he decided to enter the workforce before he went to college), so we have pretty much everything we need in housewares.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
