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!
They’ve done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time…
Anyone?
Our newest bee comes to us from the South, y’all! Say hello to Miss Panther, our newest bee from Atlanta!
Miss Panther, Atlanta GA/Westport CT Age & Occupation: 24, Web Writer Fiance’s Age & Occupation: 25, Music Recording Engineer Engagement Date: March 13, 2010 Wedding Date: July 2011 Venue: The Inn at Longshore About Me: I’m a total goofball who goes through life at a breakneck pace, trying not to knock anything over. I tend to fall in love with everything I encounter, but more than anything, I love my two little kitties, Bela and Josie, and my big kitty, Mr. Panther! As a wannabe crafter, I’m still waiting for my artistic talents to emerge. (Any day now, really.) In the meantime, I spend my days eating anything put in front of me, buying every pair of shoes I see and absorbing wedding inspiration from every inch of my surroundings. Mr. Panther and I are hardcore New Englanders planning Connecticut nuptials from our new home in the Dirty South, and can’t wait to mix our newfound love of classic Southern charm with some modern city touches.
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!
First of all, thank you to the hive SO MUCH for all of your comments on my last post. I read them with tears in my eyes, and Mr. Socks and I so appreciate the kind words, the good wishes, and even the angry words directed at my in-laws
I have to admit, a few times I might have pictured gathering up all of you bees, getting our pitchforks and torches and storming their doors, Beauty and the Beast style. But I know that doing so won’t help the situation, and while it may feel good for a second, it won’t repair the day and it won’t make me feel THAT much better, so…now what?
Mr. Socks and I have made the choice to not speak with his family, cutting off pretty much all contact with them. It’s a sad, but necessary choice that we feared might have happened before the wedding anyway. We need to heal from these wounds and concentrate on US for a while, I think. I’ve done a little reading on toxic parents and dealing with toxic relationships, and I think my favorite resource so far has been Bullies Be Gone Blog.
Mr. Socks and I are going to implement some of the suggestions to remove these toxic relationships from our lives. Read more…
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!
Check out this week’s picks in the Weddingbee Favors shop! Photo frames can double duty as escort cards and favors, making them a fun and budget-friendly favor option.
We love these fancy photo frames, available in black and white! Include a photo of you and your guest for a personal touch.
Glass photo coasters are always a big hit! Read more…
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!
So, this feels like a weird thing to admit, but…hive…I’ve been pretty scared of my wedding lately.
Doesn’t that just sound ridiculous? I know it’s silly when I say it out loud, but that’s just the truth. Let me explain a little.
Mr. Cardigan and I went through a lot of drama with wedding stuff recently, and it made it really hard for me to be excited about the wedding. Being three months away from the wedding and having no idea who will be officiating (or if you’ll have to, you know, WRITE your own ceremony!) is kind of a stressful thing. There was a period of about a month where I really just did nothing for the wedding at all. Every time I thought about it I got super stressed and upset and I just couldn’t do it. So I pretended like it didn’t exist.
And, it worked. For a while. Until one day I randomly logged onto The Knot and saw the (evil) little countdown telling me how many days were left. Then I totally freaked, because the number is WAY SMALLER that I thought it would be. Read more…
Mrs. Giraffe, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 23, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Music Student TeacherEngagement Date: October 23, 2008Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Trinity Lutheran Church & Idlewild Country ClubAbout Me: Coming from the suburbs of the Windy City, you'll often find me with my foot in my mouth while laughing for no reason or telling bad knock knock jokes. I've been crafty for as long as I can remember, and will DIY something twice over before I have someone do it for me. I'm a semi-awkward, typeface obsessed, design junkie and have been know to break out my dance moves for no reason as well as try my best to be ridiculous at all times. My love of pop culture, wordplay, and graph paper almost rivals my love of Mr. Giraffe (who is just the bee's knees). After a 2.5 year engagement, we're planning a modern-in-disguise traditional wedding, and cannot wait!
OK, so stop for a second and think “card box.” Did you do it? OK, what comes to your mind? Maybe something hip and cool and pop and fresh? Is it even box shaped? Well, not mine; not until recently anyway.
Before I began wedding researching online and becoming a Google McGoogleton, my idea of a card box was this.
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.
Mrs. Bee, New YorkAge and Occupation: 29, Weddingbee PublisherFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, InternetEngagement Date: May 7, 2004Wedding Date: March 5, 2005Venue: Westside Loft, New YorkAbout Me: Yes, my name really is Bee! I love my blogging, wikis, and tabasco sauce!
This past Tuesday, a couple of bloggers and peeps in the wedding industry were invited for a studio tour of the Martha Stewart Show. I’ve been lucky to attend a number of tapings, but this was the first time I actually got to look at the set up close and personal!
(image source: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia)
Martha is a pro when it comes to styling, and her studio is no exception. Everything was decked out in Halloween decor, with no detail overlooked. I thought it might provide you with some styling inspiration, particularly if you’re having a fall event. Read on for pictures galore!
Ms. Stripes, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 29, Costume Designer/StylistFiancee's Age and Occupation: 29, ChefEngagement Date: June 23, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Heritage Square MuseumAbout Me: I’m a type A creative with a messy streak, a loud mouth, and an uncanny knack for combining clashing patterns. I can usually be found with my nose in a book, my feet (or at least my toes) on the ground, my head in the clouds, and my arm around the prettiest girl you ever saw- aka
Fiancee Stripes. Together we’re planning a FUN vintage/modern French carnival wedding extravaganza and rockin’ dance party on a dime. (Say that three times fast!) Good coffee, long lists, Uniball pens, and my iPhone keep me sane, and making art, making trouble, and making out keep me happy! I love urban adventures, bike rides that end with afternoon drinks, breakfast for dinner, beautiful light, photography, travel, my furry family, and of course, my beautiful fiancee! I’m super excited to be here and can’t wait to share all our adventures as we craft a joyful, budget-friendly, design-savvy and all-around AWESOME wedding!
Again- for Sloth. And any other lovelies out there who wanna continue their extreme arm toning regime on their wedding day. You’re hardcore. Enjoy the tutorial kids!
PREP:
I already had a fairly sizable collection of brooches from my awesome adopted grandma, and the rest I found in thrift stores, on eBay, and even borrowed one from the awesome Mrs. Nachos!
Gather/Edit your brooches. I used around 50! Read more…
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.
It was nothing fancy; we didn’t take lessons, or practice, or really give this aspect of our wedding day that much thought. We’re just not big on dancing (unless you get some drinks in us!), although I enjoy it a lot more than he does. So with no real plan, except for which song to dance to, we just went up there and did our thing. And it was perfect.
Mrs. Frog, Phoenix, AZ/Chelan, WA
Age and Occupation: 29, Public Relations
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Online SalesEngagement Date: February 8, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Amy's ManorAbout Me: I'm an opinionated Midwestern girl now living in the Valley of the Sun marrying a laid back Northwestern guy. I'm equal parts sass, silly and sweet. I'm fiercely loyal with a strong devotion to my family and friends. I have a not-so-secret obsession with apple juice, a new obsession with DIY projects and I love a really good cheese plate...with lots of wine. After 7 blissful years of dating, I'm having the time of my life planning the destination wedding of my dreams to my Mr. Frog-turned-Prince Charming.
So as of my last post, it looks like most of you are leaning toward covering the wedding lovefest first. Before I can get to that, it’s only right that I share with you the details of how Mama Frog and I were able to personalize my dress for the big day (and by Mama Frog and I, I mean Mama Frog - she’s got skillz).
From here on out, I hand over the reigns and let her take you through the steps of how to make a silk sash and chiffon ribbon flower…go for it, Mom!
Hello hive - I’m thrilled to be here! I hope you enjoy the tutorial as much as I enjoyed creating it for you.
Mrs. Taco, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, writer/editorFiance's Age and Occupation: 37, editorEngagement Date: May 13, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: The Green Room at the War Memorial Veterans BuildingAbout Me: I like laughing and talking with good friends over good food and good drink, be it wine, cocktail, or brew. I write and edit things for fun and profit, but I rarely "write" these days without a keyboard and high-speed internets. Favorites include Mr. Taco, my Boston terrier, San Francisco, getting out of town, and the Roaring ’20s. I was kind-of planning a wedding since roughly 2006, when I discovered "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" on the WE channel. I ran and didn't look back with a theme I called "urban vintage," and it culminated in the most magical day a taco could ask for.
So, wedding pictures, turns out, are large, plentiful, and not exactly internets-ready when you get them back. After a week, we finally backed up all of our wedding pics and honeymoon pics on the hard drive. A week of constant file-moving! Yikes!
I’m sure that/hope you (especially the Mrs.!) understand, so I decided to put together a post of starter recaps in the form of phone photos.
I have a soft spot for phone photos. Ever since the janky little camera on my Razr about 100 years ago, I’d often stop and take pictures of objects, landmarks, or animals on my walks around town. I also liked how they seemed to be artful in their own right. So, what with these new-fangled apps and vintage layers you can tack on to just about every picture you take on the go, these made for some very charming wedding pictures we treasure alongside the fancy-shmancy ones. So, here’s an offering: the best of the phone cameras, brought to you by our wedding guests and their iPhones, mostly.
Ceremony, pic by friend Jason. More pics of those awesome floral arrangements to come!
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 had hoped to hit the ground running with posts as soon as we landed back in Guam, but you know how life pops into the best laid plans!
Seven days after we tied the knot, Mr. B woke up with severe abdominal pain. When the pain had not lessened by 6 AM, I convinced him to let me take him to the Emergency Room. After googling “right side abdominal pain” and all the hits screaming “appendicitis,” I knew there was no where else he needed to be.
Upon examining him, the doctor concluded his appendix needed to be removed that afternoon. What?! Isn’t it crazy when one minute everything is normal and the next minute your love needs to be cut open? At any rate, the surgery went well and we spent the night in the hospital while his pain was managed and his food intake was monitored. Read more…
ClassifiedsFeature Launched: April 30, 2008About: A roundup of the best Weddingbee Classified listings.
Mrs. Brooch, Arlington, VAAge and Occupation: 25, Writer/EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Front Desk ManagerEngagement Date: October 3, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Oxon Hill ManorAbout Me: I’m an indecisive girlie-girl with a motor mouth, can-do attitude, and knack for making others laugh. I dream of becoming a best selling novelist like Elizabeth Gilbert or Julie Powell (a girl can dream, right?), and love long road trips, a beautiful countryside, music, blogs, books, and all things vintage/thrift/antique/or homemade. I’m a Virgo, i.e. overly sensitive, emotional, and critical, and there’s no such thing as short and sweet in my world. I want to say and do it all. Mr. Brooch grounds me. I point where to go and he figures out the way. He’s a pragmatic fancy-pants who enjoys video games and movies. We both adore our mutt, Rocky, and spending time with our amazingly supportive family and friends. We’re planning a garden wedding with a formal reception with lots of whimsy and unique, Southern-inspired details.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
(image source: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia)
