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).
As soon as King Hippo and I finalized our wedding date, I was on a mission to create a “look” for the event. I plan to DIY our invitations, save the dates, programs and thank you notes, not only ’cause I have an inner love for graphic design and all things crafty (although I don’t do either all that often) but also to save some serious dough. I’m hoping that a unified design and theme will make everything look professional, instead of like I designed it on my three year old laptop and printed and assembled everything at home… which I will have. It’s all about the illusion, right?!
A co-worker of mine purchased a wedding logo on Etsy for her wedding last year, so I started there and quickly found a logo look that I liked that I thought I could build my stationery around. It was my first Etsy purchase ever! Here are the two logos we will be using throughout our stationery:
Mrs. French Fries, MilwaukeeAge and Occupation: 27, ParalegalFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Investments AdvisorEngagement Date: September 20, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Ceremony: Catholic Church, Reception: Hotel BallroomAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl who longs to live in a warmer climate (my feet would be happy in flip flops any day!). I love travel, impromptu napping, grilled cheese sandwiches, my iPhone, singing with reckless abandon in my car, and Mr. French Fries.
When we arrived at the church, my bridesmaids and I were quickly sequestered into our church bridal room. I gave my wedding bands and my card for Mr. FF to my MOH B to deliver to my hubby-to-be. Mr. FF and I had decided before the wedding to nix the presents and just swap cards right before the ceremony.
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!
I spent five hours last night baking and rolling fondant and freezing for the Cricut Cake. It was a massive fail, and it took down any last hopes of decorating my own cake. Here’s the evidence:
From this angle, maybe it’s not so horrendous? It’s a little crooked (I was never planning on baking my own cake, as I totally suck at it.) Here’s another look: Read more…
Mrs. Swan, New York CityAge and Occupation: 31, Legislative RepresentativeFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance GuyEngagement Date: August 9, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Battery GardensAbout Me: I am an un-crafty but resourceful, Caribbean-born but New York-raised woman who's been known to analyze "Dancing with the Stars" and “So You Think You Can Dance”, buy stinky cheese, and use way too many parentheses. I keep lists for fun, am constantly daydreaming of my next international travel adventure (four continents down, three to go), debating sports (let’s Got Mets/Giants!) and dancing around my apartment to stay sane. I am excited to share our wedding planning journey as I hope to plan a streamlined, personal, and fun wedding with the greatest life partner I could ever imagine, Mr. Swan.
I’m almost outta here, but I thought I would pop in to describe something about me that I have never addressed before: how to take care of hair like mine. Many of you, who may actually remember when I was planning my wedding in the olden days of 2008-2009, know that one of my biggest issues was making sure that my hair was looking a-okay for the big day. If you don’t remember my hair adventures, take at look at this, this and this (with some background here and here).
In case you don’t remember, here’s what my hair looked like on my wedding day.
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 thought I was done with my bouquets. But then I started working on some other flower projects and found this tutorial. I had a box of security envelopes that I’d bought for another project that never was, so I thought I’d give it go. And let me just tell you the flowers came out awesome!
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.
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!
I’ve lost my Etsy virginity. After flip-flopping about how we’d make our invites, we’ve finally decided to have an Etsy seller design and print them off!
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!
I’m definitely digging this book. I commend the author for doing the research and sharing it with the rest of us. As I am very close to the beginning of my own marriage, Ms. Gilbert gives me food for thought when she writes of the Hmong women: “Neither the grandmother nor any other woman in that room was placing her marriage at the center of her emotional biography…” (pg. 35). 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.
Mr. A’s family is not from St. Louis. And, even for those of our guests who are from St. Louis, not everyone can navigate to the Jewel Box or Windows on Washington without a little help from Google Maps. This was exactly why we wanted to include a map with our written out directions. But I wasn’t up for trying to create a map myself. I have some artistic ability, but I’m sticking to my stick figure drawings. I knew there was really only one person I wanted to do our map: Amanda from Swoonoverit. Her hand drawn maps have great character and flair. Plus, they’re just good fun.
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 I see friends and family that I haven’t seen in some time, they always want to ask about the wedding. Quite frankly, this conversation is one that I’ve somewhat come to dread over the past year of my and Mr. Cardy’s engagement. It’s almost always the same, and it goes a little something like this:
Friend: So, how’s wedding planning going? Are you done yet?
Me: Um, well, not quite done yet (?!?!), but we’re getting there!
Friend: What have you been doing for the wedding?
… And this is where I pause. I want to tell the truth, but I hate what comes after my answer.
Me: Oh well, I’ve been doing a lot of crafting. Right now, I’m working on (insert some crazy ambitious DIY project here). 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!
Perhaps weddings make you hopelessly sentimental. Or they just encourage you to look back, to reflect upon from where you came. For me, this anniversary of my adoption seems especially poignant.
I am flooded with feelings of nostalgia, but mostly overwhelming gratitude. Read more…
ClassifiedsFeature Launched: April 30, 2008About: A roundup of the best Weddingbee Classified listings.
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.
So, where was I? Oh yes, I had just finished helping DIY our wedding flowers all day the Thursday before our wedding, and rushed to meet Mr. Cola at the hotel to unpack my car and change for our wedding weekend kick-off party!
All our bridesmaids and groomsmen, plus a couple of extra friends met in our suite at 4:30PM, and we passed outtheirgifts, contacts list and schedules for the weekend (all organized and with important times/places highlighted, of course!). All the gifts were a huge hit, and I was really happy about my decision to include Coach purses as one of the BM gifts, because a certain bridesmaid was in need of a new purse, since hers had to be thrown away after getting destroyed during our Wednesday night outing.
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).
King Hippo and I tossed around the idea of a destination wedding. The Mr. thought it would be amazing to get married in Italy, and while I TOTALLY agree, it would be a decision that would prevent a lot of our loved ones from attending. Not only would it be expensive for our guests, but a lot of my close friends (and all of my bridesmaids) have children, and asking them to either cart their kids halfway across the world or be away from them for an extended period of time just didn’t seem o.k. I know it’s “our day,” but that just seemed like a decision that was just too selfish.
Once we decided to keep it in the country, we had to decide the city. My family is spread out all over the country, so there’s no one location that would be more convenient than another. The two cities that were really the big contenders were New York City (where we currently live) and Dallas (where we both used to live prior to moving to New York).
I would LOVE to get married in New York City. Read more…
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).
We’ve already talked about Mr. L’s rINgDECISION and how he finally found something he was proud to wear. What you don’t know is that because of how much time passed, we couldn’t just return the first two bands he had already purchased. Because the price difference of the new band was much, much, much cheaper than the two we had purchased, we were left with a big hunk of trade-in value with little to put it towards.
Personal Photo
Check out the pretty lady in the background—it’s FMIL Locket.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
