Mrs. Zebra, Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 24 Marketing/Costume DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26 Management/Firefighter Engagement Date: December 12, 2008Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The Providence BiltmoreAbout Me: I'm a small town New England girl with an affinity for procrastination, crossing the proverbial line, and putting her foot in her mouth. I'm a lover of history, all seasons, sewing and Incubus. I design costumes on the side for my old high school's theatre department, which is where I met my sexy man. Our motto for our Big Fat Lebanese/Portuguese/Irish near-300 person wedding is "the more the merrier"! We are marrying in a Catholic ceremony and are hammering out the details of our Victorian-inspired reception.
You know how when you start dress shopping and everyone is offering support and advice, one phrase is always uttered? “You’ll know right away when you find THE one.” I got lucky with the feeling twice during my dress hunt. Don’t ask! That’s for another post. Some women feel it once, and some never will. Read more…
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!
The next batch of photos are some of my favorites from our shoot! I was so glad we decided to bring the props we did—they made for fun, interesting photos and mostly cut down on general photo awkwardness since we had something other than the camera to focus on! If you’re nervous around the camera, I highly recommend using different props—it made the experience much more fun and Mr. Socks and I felt much more comfortable during these photos.
Awesome picnic setup courtesy of BM Jess and her boyfriend Chris who came along to help!
Mrs. Barrettes, Tumon, Guam/Napa, CAAge and Occupation: 29, DancerFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Licensed Building ContractorEngagement Date: November 16, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: V. Sattui WineryAbout Me: I'm an East Coast girl, living on a tiny little island in the Pacific, twirling, leaping, and shimmy-ing my way through life, and now, wedding planning! I'm equal parts nerdy and cool... okay, mostly nerdy. I love satin bows, red lipstick, black & white graphic anything, the shine of sequins and the sound of a champagne "pop". My favorite books are The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James, and Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I can also conjure a pretty good Patronus Charm. I started my appreciation for good red wine while traveling on the high seas, and it's only fitting that my passion for wine drinking led me to my Napa-bred honey. We bonded over bottles of Cabernet on my oceanfront porch and haven't looked back since. We're sealing the deal at a winery in the Napa Valley on a 'perfect ten' of a day!
If you’ve seen Inception, you know that an once an idea is implanted in your brain it grows like a seed, and sometimes it’s hard to tell where it came from. So—I don’t know where, when, or how my idea was planted, but somehow I’ve always just known I would wear my mother’s dress.
I never dreamed of big, fancy white dresses or princess gowns, and since I’ve worn so many costumes throughout my performing years, I didn’t want to feel like I was wearing a costume and performing as a bride. Mom Barrettes’ dress is pretty and simple and perfect, but it needs a “punch” to update it a tad. While I want to wear her dress, I’m not thrilled with the idea of going back to the 1980s!
Mrs. Plaid, AustinAge and Occupation: 26, Pastry ChefFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Cabinetry CarpenterEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: Kindred Oaks, GeorgetownAbout Me: I am a Jersey girl born and raised but have since migrated to Texas and embraced its twang and Tex-Mex. I could probably eat chips and queso every day but instead I eat popcorn. I use the word “awesome” way too much but I just can’t seem to stop myself. I am addicted to all things DIY and am planning what I call a Texas-Chic wedding. I love snuggling with my two adorable dogs and of course, my adorable fiance. I can’t wait 'til I can call him my husband some day! October 2010, here we come!
I’m here to share my envelope calligraphy “shortcut.” And trust me, if you want calligraphy on your invites but can’t afford to pay someone to do it, try this. It’s pretty easy!
Use your handy dandy home printer! I know, you probably think I’m crazy, but get on this safari ride and let me take you on my calligraphy adventure.
Let’s start at the very beginning; it’s a very good place to start… (Anyone else singing The Sound of Music…umm, no, just me?)
1. Pick a font that will look totally kick a$$ on your invitation envelopes. I picked Scriptina.
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!
From Philly to Dallas, our newest bee is planning a colorful blue and green wedding! Say hello to our newest bee, Miss Elephant!
Miss Elephant, Dallas Age & Occupation: 27, Financial Operations Analyst Fiance’s Age & Occupation: 27, IT Student/Store Manager Engagement Date: March 29, 2009 Wedding Date: April 2011 Venue: The Tribute Golf Club About Me: I’m a Philly native creating roots deep in the heart of Texas. I might be a little obsessed capturing those Kodak moments of anything and everything (mainly on vacations). I’ve become more of a gamer thanks to Mr. Elephant, who I met online and can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with. We are planning a wedding based on our favorite colors, blue and green, with a travel theme for 150 of our closest friends and family. Hopefully our long (2-year) engagement won’t kill me!
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.
I’m back! After a three-day long extravaganza that was everything I could have hoped for and more I am left with a ring on my finger and a strong sinusitis-streptococcal-flu-cold.
Oh well, we can’t win them all.
We won’t have our pro pics back for a little while, but I thought I could give you a little taste of our joy with some teasers from my SIL, Jen Lebo. How gorgeous are these shots?!? I can’t wait to see more of them, and of course, can’t wait to get our pro pics back.
OK, I’m off to bask in my own snottiness and enjoy the rest of this Sudafed-induced semi-coma. I’m every man’s dream wife right now.
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.
Friday evening: rehearsal at our little New Englandy church
Really, there are two versions of events.
Version 1) Everything went fine! The pastor and his wife came up from Boston—lovely people. Our parents and wedding party and readers practiced twice, no problems. The people helping out at the church were warm and friendly. Back at the beach house, friends and family members finished setting up our laid-back rehearsal dinner. 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.
Congratulations to our winners, Hammertime, Miss Starry Night, melindasr5, afuturemrsl, and MassageBee!
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Gorgeous terrain, historic missions, marlin fishing, fine wines and remote beaches are just a few of the reasons newlyweds head for Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula. Today we’re giving away five copies of Fodor’s guide to Los Cabos & The Baja Peninsula.
If you’re considering a trip to Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula, check out Fodor’s helpful tips here! To enter this contest, just leave a comment below! This contest ends Wednesday, August 25 at 11:59 PM PST. Good luck!
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).
My main reason for writing this post is to feed comfort to fellow brides/grooms/planners who have had less-than-perfect planning experiences.
As you may have guessed from my prior posts about family and financial issues, my planning process has been filled with many a road block. To say the least, those two issues were just the tip of the iceberg. Read more…
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.
Our RSVP envelopes have begun to arrive! Every time I open our mailbox to find another of our envelopes, I get a rush of excitement. So far, we’re at 100% yes. Of course, I know we won’t enjoy the presence of every guest we’ve invited. But so far, it’s been a whole lot of yee-haws. I just wanted to quickly show you all how frazzled we must have been by the time we actually sent those suckers out:
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!
Wow, does our photographer Georgi work FAST! Mr. Socks and I had our engagement shoot eleven days ago and Georgi posted photos to his blog already! We are so, so happy with them and we can’t wait to work with him on our wedding day!
Heritage Station Winery was the place we ended up taking our photos. They were super accommodating and let us run all around the vineyard to get the best shots possible. Heritage Station has vineyards, farm animals, pumpkin patches and other pick-your-own produce patches. We went on a Friday evening when there weren’t many people around and it worked out wonderfully! Heritage Station does tented weddings and has some pretty decent wine, so if you’re in the Philly/NJ area, go to Mullica Hill, NJ to check them out!
On to the photos!
Mr. Socks: “Miss Socks made too many bouquets! What do I do with them?”
Mrs. Cheeseburger, Baltimore, MD/State College, PAAge and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentEngagement Date: June 28, 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Catholic Church Ceremony & Hotel ReceptionAbout Me: I'm a passionate girl from Pittsburgh, currently living in Baltimore for school, who loves Penn State, seeing movies, football, thunderstorms, black and white photos, Christmas, good beer, my amazing friends and family, and of course, my mister! We met, fell in love, got engaged, and will be married at our alma mater (go lions!) in a traditional Catholic ceremony followed by a hotel reception with lots of DIY details. It means so much to have our families and friends meet at our favorite place on earth to celebrate our love for one another - I truly couldn't ask for anything more!
When I last left you, I was smiling big-time and ready for the walk with my dad to begin.
The organist began to play one of my favorites, Canon in D, and I knew that our moment had arrived. I wanted to start walking at a very specific part in the song (at 1:45 in the video linked above), so I had the organist start to play that part about 30 seconds in - but 30 seconds is a long time! I think my Dad thought I was never going to take the first step! But as soon as I heard those beautiful high notes, off we went!
And this is what I saw as soon as I rounded the corner. My best friend. My soul mate. The love of my life. Read more…
Mrs. Barrettes, Tumon, Guam/Napa, CAAge and Occupation: 29, DancerFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Licensed Building ContractorEngagement Date: November 16, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: V. Sattui WineryAbout Me: I'm an East Coast girl, living on a tiny little island in the Pacific, twirling, leaping, and shimmy-ing my way through life, and now, wedding planning! I'm equal parts nerdy and cool... okay, mostly nerdy. I love satin bows, red lipstick, black & white graphic anything, the shine of sequins and the sound of a champagne "pop". My favorite books are The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James, and Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I can also conjure a pretty good Patronus Charm. I started my appreciation for good red wine while traveling on the high seas, and it's only fitting that my passion for wine drinking led me to my Napa-bred honey. We bonded over bottles of Cabernet on my oceanfront porch and haven't looked back since. We're sealing the deal at a winery in the Napa Valley on a 'perfect ten' of a day!
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
