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.
The week before the Husky-in-Laws came to visit, we received an email that our batch of Amarone was ready. We thought it would be fun to include them in the bottling step of the process, since they’ve been too far away to take part in a lot of the other wedding-related activities, like making invitations. I’m sure they were disappointed to miss out on those…
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!
So, it makes sense that if we don’t have the budget for fancy cakes or rentals, then I can’t afford to go to a beauty salon on our big day. It’s NBD, as I have a good plan in place. You see, I’ve got Bestie C. Bestie C is going to school to be an athletic trainer, with big plans to go on to med school to become the first female orthopedic surgeon for the Dallas Cowboys. And yet, she’s got a card up her sleeve, with all that intelligence. The girl’s a hottie, times four. And she’s a whiz with hair. So guess who’s doing my hair and makeup? This lovely gal!
Hey Bestie C!
She did my hair for our big engagement shoot, and I got what was probably the best blow out of my life: Read more…
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!
Let’s talk favors (again)! Wedding favors, I mean. I knew from the second I started planning that I was going to have edible favors. That’s what I’d be most excited about receiving, so I know other people will appreciate them, too.
I started racking my brain for the perfect favor. And then I saw this picture (a la Martha Stewart, course).
Rkckjhawk’s stunning bouquet features white hydrangea and pink roses.
Keep on loading your inspirational wedding pics to the Weddingbee Gallery to see them featured here on the blog! Remember, your images must be under 1MB in size, or they won’t load.
Mrs. Guinea Pig, Baltimore, MD Age and Occupation: 26, PhD student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Operations Director at a non-profit Engagement Date: December 25, 2008 Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club About Me: I'm a tomboy science nerd whose girly side has made a startling appearance thanks to wedding planning! I love to bake, knit and sew but I also ride a motorcycle (that Mr. Guinea Pig wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole). We live with our three crazy cats and love to read, travel, watch movies, and do home improvement projects together! My parents/family are Canadian but I'm definitely American, although I've lived in 5 different countries, 6 different states, and speak Russian fluently. Mr. GP and I met online (did I mention I'm a scientist?) and had a whirlwind romance - now we can't wait to get married & celebrate with all our friends and family in a blue and yellow waterfront affair!
Once back in the bridal suite, I snuck a peek out the window at the guests drifting out to their seats.
Sister GP did one more quick warm up and tuning on her ukulele, Read more…
Mrs. Starfish, Boston/NewportAge and Occupation: 25, Operations AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, SalesEngagement Date: October 8, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Atlantic Beach ClubAbout Me: I'm a perfectionist who is a planner at heart. I don't do well with surprises. I love planning, crafting, Newport RI, family and friends, and most importantly, Mr. Starfish---all of which will be big components in our October wedding in our favorite little city by the sea.
After planning the wedding for so long, I’ve found so many amazing ideas. There are so many fun ideas that we just can’t use because they don’t go with our theme.
Since getting engaged ourselves, a few friends and family members have decided to tie the knot as well, and I can’t help but butt in. It’s a problem. My aunt was telling me about my cousin’s venue and she mentioned that they were sold when the venue mentioned having fire pits at the reception. As soon as I heard “fire pit”, I thought about S’mores and all the cute weddings I’ve seen with S’mores stations and kits.
I wanted to hold back, but I couldn’t help myself. As soon as my aunt said it, I said “they should do a S’mores station!”
Mrs. Octopus, Boston, MA/Pittsburgh, PAAge and Occupation: 25, Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Graphics Operator for TV NewsEngagement Date: May 6th, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Heinz Chapel Ceremony, Museum Reception
About Me: When my best friend dragged me to a toga party in our freshmen year of college, I was not expecting to meet my future husband; but seven years later, here we are. I'm a crazy-organized planner at heart, and I am a great lover of random trivia, books, chocolate, blogs, new and exciting adventures, mockumentary-style television, and anything heavily flavored with bright orange fake cheese powder. We're planning a festive and fun mini-destination wedding in the place where we met: fabulous Pittsburgh, PA! I can't wait to marry the man I love!
*Post title intended to be sung to the tune of All the Single Ladies. I was going to come up with a song parody but it turns out that I’m terrible at song parodies. So, just sing the title.
I never, ever, ever have insomnia problems. I fall asleep easily, stay sound asleep all night, and wake up feeling great in the morning.
See? Two sleepy peas in a pod!
There is just one exception to this pattern: I sleep terribly when I have a big (exciting OR nerve-wracking) event coming up the next day. Read more…
Mrs. Argyle, St. LouisAge and Occupation: 24, Project CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, PilotEngagement Date: February 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Jewel Box in Forest Park and Windows on WashingtonAbout Me: I'm a true Midwestern girl (born and raised), lover of red wine, reality TV and the entire J.Crew catalog. I love to dance regardless of who is watching, and enjoy a good laugh with my girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for planet Earth, my two dogs and my fiance. Fall is my favorite season (which is why we are marrying in September), but I love a warm summer day and the Colorado mountains in the winter. We are planning a modern soiree downtown, with lots of bold colors, and fun, eco-friendly elements.
We ended up having two showers, mostly due to our crazy schedules. That, and the fact that the Mr. and I are from different towns. Our first shower was held in St. Louis, and hosted by my fabulous bridesmaids and some family friends. We opted for a couple’s shower, so we could both attend, and feel more comfortable.
The soiree was catered by the fab Pasta House (one of many St. Louis traditions), desserts provided by my bridesmaids, and the company by family and friends. Mom Argyle, with help from Mr. A’s mom, put together two memory boards with photos from throughout our childhood to provide guests with a little entertainment.
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!
Aloha! Shiny-new-husband Mr. Sew and I have finally returned from the only vacation we can afford to have for the next couple years, ha! Or rephrased, we are happily married and back from an unforgettable honeymoon!
Although I’m still battling the brutal fog of international time travel, there’s a stack of pending thank you cards calling my name, and an enticing Google Reader with more than a thousand unread articles - I wanted to pop in and say thank you for all your kind words in my last post. Mr. Sew and I really enjoyed reading them together.
Unfortunately I don’t actually remember everything from the wedding since it was such a blur. Hopefully as we go through recaps together I’ll remember! I know I married Mr. Sew. That was the important part. And I was smiling all night, crooked teeth and all! And even though my dress ended up really muddy, it didn’t fall apart! Victory is ours!
Married life is still so surreal though. Read more…
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!
After we got our wedding photographs back, I immediately started thinking about the albums for our parents. We had given our parents some gifts at the wedding, but these albums were also part of their wedding present from us, and I knew they were looking forward to having them. My mom mentions quite often how the only pictures from the wedding that she (physically) has to show people are all non-pro shots that she got developed during the 3 month lag before our pro pics arrived.
Our photographer has some wonderful small-album options, and we had had a good experience when we purchased our engagement album from her. However, her options are not cheap. Our engagement book ran us about $200+ for an 11×8 book with 24 spreads. We needed two books, with at least that many pages (though likely more), and we preferred a higher quality album than what we could afford with her.
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.
It’s not a very nice day in Toronto today. It’s kind of cold and rainy and just all round not so nice. It’s making me feel a bit blah, so I’ve decided that it is the perfect time to talk about comfort food. While I love comfort food all the time, there’s something about a gross rainy day that makes looking at pictures of yummy food feel especially appropriate.
I love the idea of having some type of comfort food appearing at our wedding as a late night snack and over the next few days I’ll be sharing a few of my favourite ideas. Read more…
Mrs. Hippo, New York City/Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 34, Event Planner for a Non-Profit Fiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Finance ITEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: Samuel Lynne Galleries and Marc EventsAbout Me: I’m a thirty-something bride living in New York City and planning a modern-ish wedding in Dallas, Texas. I love trashy reality television (Jersey Shore, anyone?), online shopping, Sunday brunch, Central Park, and random celebrity spottings on the streets of Manhattan. While I love NYC, I miss good Tex-Mex, my college friends, central A/C, and being in close proximity to a Target. I’m thrilled to finally be planning an event that’s not work-related and to be marrying my best friend in what I hope will be a unique and personal ceremony followed by a reception with plenty of good food, good drinks, and dancing (regardless if it’s good or not).
It’s no secret, I am a bride of color. And to be honest, I REALLY didn’t think my skin tone would have any effect on vendor decisions I would make…why the heck would it? Well…
I was talking to my coworker (a recent bride of color) about my hunt for a photographer, and she mentioned that when she looked for a photographer for her wedding, it was important to her to find someone whose portfolio had a wide range of skin colors. EPIPHANY. That makes perfect sense! We have all seen photographs where darker skin tones lose their definition and end up looking like dark blobs, not to mention that shadows and a dark reception venue could be a huge problem for darker skin tones. Don’t get me wrong, I think any quality photographer can take good pictures of a wide range of skin tones, but to my coworker’s point, it would be good to see that they have done it successfully before.
In my search for a photographer, I first reached out to Jenna Cole (aka Mrs. Avocado). Not only do I happen to love her photography, but she was in my price range and happened to have some photographs in her portfolio which showed off her skills with various skin tones. Like this one:
Mrs. Glasses, Tokyo/Los Angeles, CAAge and Occupation: 24, English teacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, English teacherEngagement Date: September 2008Wedding Date: October 2010 Venue: Parents' backyardAbout Me: I’m an expat living in Tokyo. I’ve been in Japan for almost three years now, where I met my fantastic English fiance. It’s time to leave Japan, so we are planning a fun, intimate, backyard ceremony back home in the suburbs of L.A. in October. Our wedding will be a mix of my love for food, beer, my Japanese culture, and Mr. G’s Englishness. We are on a tiny budget and DIYing almost everything!
The kanten diet swept the nation after being featured on a popular TV show in 2005 and is now a well-known dieting method in Japan. So, “Wtf is kanten?” you ask.
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
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