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.
First off, our honeymoon was frickin’ awesome. I still am in awe of the fact that virtually nothing went wrong the entire trip. Given that it was 10-days in a still-developing country (Venezuela) that included six domestic flights on airplanes that, at times, were definitely smaller than an American SUV, I think that’s damn near miraculous.
Here’s the rundown…
We arrived in Caracas around 5:00 pm Venezuelan time and went straight for our hotel. Located about five minutes from the airport, the Hotel Eurobuilding had a beautiful outdoor pool and a delicious restaurant attached. We swam, we relived the wedding, we ate and we slept. It was the perfect start to the trip, allowing us to catch up on some sleep and re-charge. And we were graced with this incredible sunset. Bonus!
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!
A couple of times a year, my venue has an open house that all of the brides are invited to. They have some vendors there (photographers, bakeries, etc.) and they have their in-house caterer make some yummy food for everyone to sample. I really wanted to go when they had one in the fall, but I wasn’t able to make it. This time around, they decided to have it on Mother’s Day (what’s up with that?!) and BM Audrey and I decided to take a trip down to Austin to go! She celebrated Mother’s Day with her mom on Saturday, and I invited Mom Cardy and FMIL Cardy to come along! I’ve been looking forward to it for a few weeks now, because I really wanted to show BM Audrey the venue, and I’ve been DYING to taste the food!
I’ll admit that I was a bit disappointed by the amount of vendors they had there - I don’t have many more vendors that I need to find, but I was surprised at the lack of vendors who showed. Of course, it was Mother’s Day, so I don’t blame them! But one thing I was NOT disappointed in was the food! Holy crap, y’all. It was amazing. Read more…
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!
Not that long ago, living together before marriage was largely regarded as highly rebellious. In many circles it still is. But what’s changed is that cohabitation 20 or 30 years ago was a revolt against marriage, and today it is typically a step in the process toward marriage. How often are we doing it? Statistics suggest that the number of couples that live together before marriage today is around 50%. Read more…
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!
After our first look, we headed to Central Park for some photos. I’m really glad we took a few hours to take pictures with our bridal party, many of who had traveled across the country and globe to be here with us. With the park right outside our venue, how could we pass up such an opportunity?
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.
If there is one thing I didn’t particularly care about (pre-planning) for our wedding, it was floral decor. I didn’t know anything about flowers, and from what I could tell, a typical bridal bouquet was just an expertly bound bunch of white roses—lovely, but it didn’t inspire me the same way that, say, the food on our dinner menu did. A few months after discovering Weddingbee and other inspiring blogs, and after devouring several wedding magazines, I realized I had a lot to learn—I hadn’t wanted to spend thousands on something that didn’t take my breath away. For better or for worse, I found a world of florals that fit my vision to a tee, and now I can’t get enough of these beautiful blossoms!
What changed my mind? Creative use of texture, and bouquets that feel hand picked from an overgrown garden (full of coveted varieties, of course):
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.
It’s time to talk about the groom’s style. In the next week or so Mr E and I plan to embark on the Great Suit Hunt, so I thought we would let you in to what sort of “look” we have in mind for Mr E and the three groomsmen.
Firstly, tuxes are out (Mr E doesn’t like them and for our picnic garden wedding they just aren’t “right”). So suits are in. And we don’t want to buy Mr E’s suit, we would prefer to hire, as he has absolutely no idea when he is ever going wear it again.
A disclaimer: before this whole wedding thing I was basically clueless about the different styles of suits and ways they can be worn. Actually, I’m still clueless. But at least Mr E and I know what we like and don’t like in the way of groom “looks”.
For our daytime ceremony, a gray or charcoal suit seems to be the best option. 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!
They were cheap, cute, and I’m under the belief that one can never have too many bags. Read more…
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!
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).
Yup, yup, yup, you heard right… I love lace on my underoos!! But, that’s not exactly what this post is about. I am not talking about any ol’ undergarments (undergarments… sounds like Grammy talking). I am talking about those lovely wedding related underthingies. You know, those very pretty, ever so delicate looking pieces of fabric wrapped around many a bride’s thigh. Yup, I am talking about the garter!! I am still not sure how I feel about the whole garter toss, but I love myself a garter and it will be a must have (especially if it has lace!).
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!
Our engagement pictures are finally here! I bartered a session with a friend for invitation design, and I’m really glad I did. All the post-processing has been done by moi! Read more…
Mrs. Spaniel, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 28, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, PsychologistWedding Date: March 2010Venue: Calamigos RanchAbout Me: I'm a third-year law student trying to balance graduating with starting my career, keeping up a relationship, and, oh yeah, planning an Old World, multi-cultural, "mountain lodge" wedding for 180 guests! A South Asian Jewish girl getting ready to marry my handsome Catholic Dane, I'm hoping to blend our cultures in our wedding just a bit more gently than by providing samosas as appetizers and offering æbleskiver for dessert. (Although that would also be awesome.)
I would like to take full credit for how beautiful the dining room looked, but I can’t—we picked Calamigos Ranch because we wanted something that was nearly finished already, and it was beautiful before we added a thing.
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.
It’s been decided: the women will be wearing Bari Jay #910.
Yippee, the stress of girl attire is now over!
With little time left until the wedding there was no time for democracy. (Again, who am I??) I couldn’t wait for unanswered emails. We had to order fast! Only one store was left that would let me order at such a late date—it was time! 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.
Today I got three invitations in the mail (and a Jamba Juice gift card for my birthday. That’s what I call a good mail day).
First, is an invitation to a friend’s wedding in September. This will probably be the last invitation I receive as a single girl/woman/lady (hahaha, lady?) and the first I will attend as Mr. Lobster’s wife.
Second, is the invitation to our wedding (testing USPS, duh) which means most other in-town guests have received theirs too. Our guests have their invitations. What??
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!
When Mr. Cardigan agreed to take on planning our honeymoon by himself, I was completely over the moon. It’s a wedding-related project that I don’t have to do ANYTHING for except show up. Awesome, right? I’m so thrilled that he’s taking on such a huge task for me, but I have to admit: the control freak in me is going crazy over this. Is he booking stuff on time? Is he looking in the right places for discounts? What if he picks a crappy hotel? What if he forgets to plan any events and we don’t have anything to do?!
Well… I’m sure we’d find something to do. But, um, that’s not what this post is about.
I finally have decided that I trust Mr. C. He knows me well and he’s going to do an amazing job of planning the honeymoon. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t fantasize about where we may be going! Let me tell you all about my ideas: Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
