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.
Mrs. Meerkat, Kalamazoo, MI/Riviera MayaAge and Occupation: 30, Application EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: December 2010Venue: Al Cielo / La LagunaAbout Me: I’m a tech-savvy tomboy with an affinity for hot tea and good sushi. Us Meerkats are just a couple fun lovin’ geeks from Michigan. We love anything having to do with movies, books, video games or technology and we hold a special place in our hearts for our two very spoiled shih-tzus, Wicket and Bravo. We also LOVE to travel. We love it so much it only took us 12 hours after we got engaged to decide to have a destination wedding. We are working our little Meerkat tails off planning a rustic-chic, travel themed destination wedding in the Riviera Maya with a semi-formal, vintage-turned-modern, outdoor at home reception back here in Michigan.
In a previous post, I talked about using technology to organize your inspiration. One thing I have not covered is how to store all the information so that it is easily accessible from anywhere you are. Here are a couple tools to help:
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!
After a stressful day of last-minute details, we woke up early to meet with “H”, a kimono dresser. I entered her seemingly western house, finding an entire traditional tea room set up inside! Whoa!
Mrs. Lioness, AtlantaAge and Occupation: 25, Physical TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, AttorneyEngagement Date: August 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Anthony’s Fine DiningAbout Me: I’m a Southern girl with New England roots. I say "wicked" and "y’all" in the same sentence and I like to drink sweet tea with my lobster. Mr. Lion and I are both former Floridians now living in Atlanta, which fortunately is still SEC country...Go Gators! We both love baseball, coffee, traveling, cooking, and playing Words with Friends with each other on our iPhones all day long. I’m very passionate about the things and the people I love, and I tend to plan things with all of my heart...our wedding, of course, is no different! Oh, and also Mr. Lion is a first generation American of Cuban descent. I may look more like Lucy than Ricky, but I’m doing my best to incorporate some Latin elements into our vintage-garden-Southern wedding!
I enjoy a good boutique sale like Rue La La or ideeli. I get a kick out of special deals like Scoutmob or Living Social. But I freaking love eBay. Maybe it’s the competitive side of me, but winning a good auction just makes my day. It can be really hit or miss, but if you just so happen to stumble upon the treasure you were searching for, eBay can be absolutely thrilling. It can certainly give a budget bride quite the sense of accomplishment.
I decided to venture over to eBay to do a little bit of wedding-shoe searching. I typed in “green” (one of our wedding colors), “7″ (my shoe size), and two of my favorite words in the language of fashion:
Mrs. Elephant, Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 27, Financial Operations AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, IT Student/Store ManagerEngagement Date: March 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: The Tribute Golf ClubAbout 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!
The alternate title for this post would be “How I Hurt my Finger Using a Little Knife to Cut Through Cardboard.”
A little while back, our planner sent me a link for cute little suitcases, which were very similar to the ones found at Paper Source, but cheaper. I didn’t really have any ideas for the suitcases until I read this post from Mrs. Dachshund. I loved her inspiration picture…
Ms. Sloth, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 35, Account Manager and Fashion BloggerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Design AdminEngagement Date: December 25, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Bartram's GardenAbout Me: I'm an internet junkie and music snob with a good eye for a bargain. I couldn't live without thrift store shopping, cheeseburgers, sushi, Coke Zero, websites devoted to silly photos of baby animals, Photoshop, and Mr. Sloth. Speaking of which, he and I are a pair of goofball homebody nerds who love our beagle (the most ridiculously adorable dog EVER) to an embarrassing degree. We're planning a low-key and intimate yet festive and quirky outdoor wedding with DIY details and deeply personal touches, and it's all taking place in the city where we fell in love and call home: Philadelphia.
One phrase that I’ve been hearing over and over, in different incarnations, is that something can be “not bridal enough.”
For example, when I thought that maybe my David’s Bridal prom dress would look better shortened, some friends told me that if I shortened it, I wouldn’t look like a bride. Or even if I don’t shorten the prom dress, it’s not bridal enough because it’s not a wedding gown. Or if I wear my hair down or skip the veil I won’t look enough like a bride.
I see it in the wedding forums, too. “Is this dress bridal enough?”
To which I respond “You’re the bride. You’ll be wearing it. Thus, it is bridal.” Read more…
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.
So, funny story about the glasses and sneakers props. We bought them on our first date. BTW, Zeb—he doesn’t wear glasses. I just thought he looked sexy-smart in them. He actually did wear them around for quite some time. And…um. What can I say about the sneakers? They are definitely a sign of the times. I’m sure you’re all sick of looking at our mugs by now. I couldn’t narrow it down any further; I just love them! Again, all images courtesy of Sara Zarrella Photography.
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!
387 days ago I accepted Mr. Seashell’s proposal. Tomorrow a simple, tearful, joyful “yes” becomes a lifelong, powerful “I do”.
The past 387 days have been marked with the most emotional intensity I have experienced. There has been true blissful joy, and absolute sorrow. At many times during our relationship we have joked that things were far too easy. We never argued, we never had to fight for anything, we just “were”. Then life handed us a million challenges at once. And we survived. It wasn’t always pretty, but we have had our dose of heartbreaking reality and managed to literally lift each other up. We have learned how to fight for everything that is important.
In the past year we have grown professionally. Mr. Seashell achieved a major career milestone. After repeatedly putting off a licensing exam he finally stepped up to the challenge and passed. I received my Master’s Degree and struggled to find a job. I didn’t want a job, I wanted a career, and Mr. Seashell stood by me as I stumbled (sitting at home in sweatpants), and stumbled (more sweatpants), and stumbled again (sweatpants, tears, and not showering) until I found the right fit. I still get a rush of pride when we kiss each other goodbye in the morning, all dressed up in our work clothes, ready to take on the day. (We’re grown ups? How did this happen?) 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.
Last weekend, we Huskies did something neither of us ever thought we would be physically able to do. We ran a marathon. Twenty-six point two miles. At 8,000′ of elevation. And it was amazing.
The event photographer, Amanda, was the talent behind the lens that turned a sweaty and exhausted moment into such a beautiful and emotional embrace. Read more…
Mrs. Lace, Pasadena, CAAge and Occupation: 29, Elementary school teacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, EngineerEngagement Date: September 6, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Orange County Performing Arts CenterAbout Me: Born and raised in Southern California, my fiance and I are marrying in Orange County. We're planning a vintage wedding with a modern twist. I am an elementary school teacher by day and a wedding planner by night. I love reading, blogging, scrapbooking, trying out new DIY projects, buying awesome finds at incredible deals and spending time with friends and family. Trying new restaurants, traveling and shopping also top my hobby list. I'm anxious to share my wedding ideas and planning with the hive!
After a morning of pressing and primping, Mr. Lace and I were off! Mr. Lace, the photog, my MOH C, and I drove off to the Lab to take some photos. We chose to go to the Lab because we took half of our engagement photos there and it was down the street from our venue. Since a lot of our photos took place in public places, we got a lot of oohs and aahs and well wishes from people who saw us walking around. Everyone was really sweet and they made me feel pretty darn good about how I looked! Taking photos totally helped me feel more relaxed because we were busy and I didn’t have to think about walking down the aisle with people looking at us.
So, now it’s tip time from the other side of the wedding.
1. Photos before, between or after?
Couples do their weddings in many different ways. Some people opt to take their photos before the ceremony so that they’re all out of the way. Some people choose to take them between the ceremony and reception so that they don’t break tradition and see each other before the ceremony. Some take them after all the partying is done. I suppose it depends on what time your ceremony is, but Mr. Lace and I took our photos before the ceremony and then took another set of photos after the ceremony with our bridal party. We split our photos into two sessions mainly because we HAD to have a cocktail hour (for the venue to change the ceremony location into a reception location) and we didn’t want our bridal party to show up four hours beforehand and follow us around to take photos. Read more…
Mrs. French Bulldog, Orange CountyAge and Occupation: 28, Administrative Assistant & Interior Design StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Purchasing AnalystEngagement Date: November 8, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Bernardo WineryAbout Me: I've lived in Atlanta, Dallas and Laguna Niguel; although I've lived in Orange County, CA most my life, I'm a Southerner at heart. I work full time for a Commercial General Contractor (aka my father) and I go to school for Interior Design at night. I love modern design, music, wine, crafting, DMailing, my family, my Westies, and of course, Mr Frenchie! Mr Frenchie and I met 3 years ago on Match.com and have been best friends ever since. I love his "old soul" and how he laughs with his whole body, among many other things. We are planning our summer wedding at the winery near his hometown, just 45 minutes south of Orange County.
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.
Mr. Starfish and I talked about everything and anything when we met. We had long involved conversations over AIM. I actually saved most of the ones early in our relationship and there is one specific one that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.
In one of our early conversations, we somehow brought up the subject of marriage and weddings. We started by talking about what we thought our futures would look like, and somehow in these conversations of the future, we talked about our “dream weddings.” Mr. Starfish said he wanted to get married in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt on the beach. Then, I described my dream wedding. I said I wanted to get married in Ochre Court (Salve’s chapel), in my prom dress (a story for another day), with a Cinderella vibe, and I wanted “an awesome DJ.” I envisioned my bridesmaids in black cocktail dresses, guys in black tuxes, guests dressed in black tie, candlelight—a really elegant affair.
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.
I know, practically every blogger bride has to bring up the subject of last names and whether she will be changing hers or not. For good reason—it can be a subject that comes with very mixed-up feelings. To some it can seem a simple decision between “yes” or “no,” but for others, it is not that simple at all.
I always thought I would be absolutely fine and dandy with taking Mr E’s last name as my own (incidentally, both our last names start with the letter “E” so at least my initials stay the same).
And then…well, I started not feeling so black-and-white about it. This happened first when Mr E and I were reading sample ceremony scripts together to get ideas for ours, and we came across the pronouncement line: “I give you Mr. and Mrs. [insert man’s last name here], husband and wife!”
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
I’m sure you’re all sick of looking at our mugs by now. I couldn’t narrow it down any further; I just love them! Again, all images courtesy of Sara Zarrella Photography.
