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. Love. Antique stores. I could spend hours and hours in thrift shops rummaging through random crap that no one would want. Why? Because I love that rush you get when you stumble upon something amazing. Recently, I spent an afternoon in Inman Park’s At the Collective and Poncey Highland’s Highland Row Antiques (both local favorites of mine). Sometimes these places are a swing and a miss, but I totally lucked out this trip.
First, I found this hand mirror:
I decided that it would look perfect in the womens’ bathroom at our venue. This got me on a bathroom-shopping spree.
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.
Spiffy’s had learned there was a bridal shop in New Bedford, MA where the owner will look at your personal style and pick out your dress. It had worked for many people before me. I have to admit that I was slightly nervous to release control to someone else. This was my favorite decision—I didn’t want someone else making it! It is almost like refusing to go to a psychic for fear of what she will tell you. In the end, I decided to go for it.
Spiffy was able to track down the name and phone number of this fabled dress whisperer through her friend at work.There is no website for Julie’s Bridal, just a few reviews stating she does not tolerate any bridezilla-type behavior.Hey!I think I like her already.I called the number and scheduled an appointment.Everyone was pretty, “Zebra, would you find your dang dress already?” so only Sara accompanied me to my appointment.
I’m going to warn you, Julie’s is not exactly in the nicest part of town.Indeed, my dress lives in the ghetto of the heroin capital of the United States. It’s a hole in the wall, for sure.But damnit, everything inside is awe.some.—including Julie.
Mrs. Lovebird, New York/CancunAge and Occupation: 25, AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentEngagement Date: September 22, 2006Wedding Date: July, 2008Venue: Dreams Cancun Resort & SpaAbout Me: Born and raised New Yorker planning a destination wedding in Cancun, Mexico. Got proposed to in Cancun, so it’s only fitting we are going back to get married. I love trivia, board games, bargain shopping, asian dramas and eating yummy food!
One thing the mister and I paid special attention to was our reception playlist. We meticulously picked out each and every one of the songs we wanted played at our wedding and even burned CDs for the DJ in case he didn’t have a song on hand. Of course, we gave him the discretion to play what was on the list and when. That being said, each song we picked had special meaning to us—either it defined a moment in our seven-and-a-half year courtship (at that point) or it had special meaning to one (or more) of our guests with whom we’ve shared special moments with.
For example, I believe I’ve mentioned that all of our groomsmen were our high school classmates (go Stuy!), so we had to play “Blue” by Eiffel 65 for our GM George because we remembered he had an ungodly fascination with the song back in the day. Lo and behold, the moment the song played at our wedding, he rushed to the dance floor! You could say it was a “soundtrack to our lives.”
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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!
I have totally fallen for the bridesmaids dresses over at Coren Moore. From the looks of the site, it seems like it’s a pretty popular brand, but I haven’t heard of it before. It seems like most of their dresses are out of our budget ($150), but a girl can dream, right? Most of the dresses cost $220–$320, but what is nice is that you have your choice of what fabric to order the dress in. Shantung, cotton sateen, and seersucker seem to be most of the options they offer. They also offer group discounts. I wonder how much I could save if I really wanted some of their dresses for my girls? Hmmm, I’m not sure. I should check it out.
Another plus is that the website is easy to navigate and nicely designed. It’s always a turn off for me if I can’t quite figure out a website. It makes me quickly navigate elsewhere.
So, without further ado, here are a few of the cutest/freshest bridesmaids dresses I’ve come across so far!
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!
I’ve been asking myself that question a lot lately.
This is a subject that is kind of hard for me to talk about, as it is greatly personal, but when I signed up to blog for Weddingbee, I committed to sharing my personal experiences as a bride and I promised myself that I would be 100% honest with y’all. So, I feel like it’s important for me to share the not-so-fun parts of wedding planning as well, and even the parts that are a bit painful for me to share.
In order for this story to really make sense, I feel like I need to give some back-story. It’s long and involved, and it might take some time to explain, so I’m going to break it up into a few parts. I know I’ve mentioned before that we have had some people who have been disappointed in some of our more non-traditional choices, and this week I want to really examine that issue and talk specifically about what those choices are and how we’ve been dealing with it. I know it’s an issue a lot of brides deal with, and I hope that by sharing our story I will help those brides realize that they are not alone and that while it might be painful and difficult, it is absolutely worth fighting for the things you want for your wedding.
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.
I just found out about Aria, a design company that makes wedding and bridesmaid dresses. Their designs are very simple and pretty. They’re customizable in different fabrics and colors. But here’s why I’m blown away:
They only have three stores: in L.A., Boston, and DC. If you don’t live close to one of the stores, you can call and order your particular style and size to try on! OK, it costs $15 per dress, but that’s less than I’d spend if I drove down to D.C. to try them out in person. The prices are incredibly reasonable (the most expensive dress is $455) and seriously, you guys. Look how cute they are! These are the three I want to try on:
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.
Our cocktail hour was supposed to be held outside in the courtyard, but the rain drove us in. No matter! That meant the apps and booze came out early, guests relaxed at their tables, and Mr. PH and I ate pizza hors d’oeuvres and chatted with friends and family.
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!
Hi there hive! We’re down to two days before we head to Napa again, and four days away from the Big Day! I’ve been running around like a madwoman, getting together the gifts for our wedding party, which I will spend a better part of this afternoon wrapping.
The only gifts not included in this post are the ones for my MOH and Mr. Barrettes. Later. Promise.
Mrs. Ostrich, San Francisco/HawaiiAge and Occupation: 30, Fashion Buyer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 38, CopywriterEngagement Date: October 4, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Sweet ceremony by the sea and sunset celebration on the North Shore of HawaiiAbout Me: Born in the city of angels and residing in the city by the bay, I’m a fearless fashion buyer by day, a passionate blog author by night and a dreamy bride-to-be in between. I thank my lucky stars to live in such a stunning city that gives me gifts like organic honey lavender ice cream, movie nights in the park, tucked away beaches, legendary record stores, '80s dance parties, awesome sports teams, stellar flea markets, and vintage bookshops. Oh, and I love to dance! We always find every excuse to escape to the beach, and decided a little seaside wedding in Hawaii is our idea of bliss. Full of our favorite people, music, food and sparkly lights, this is one sunset celebration we will always remember.
If there is one thing Mr. Ostrich and I have in common, it’s our love of no-tier, un-fancy cakes. And the sheer delight of fun-flavored cupcakes.
So when it came to deciding on THE cake, we knew exactly what we wanted. Read more…
Mrs. Poodle, Santiago, Chile/San Bernardino, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Industrial & Web DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Firefighter & Mountain PatrolEngagement Date: February 25, 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Mr. P's Grandparents’ RanchAbout Me: I’m a Chilean girl who's crazy about nature and swimming. I enjoy carving, drawing, reading and sewing; I drool over computers, fabric, pretty paper, purple and patterns. To me, chocolate should be one of the seven wonders, right next to lemon pie. I never thought an exchange work experience program was going to change my life forever, but while working in California, I met Mr. Poodle, and ever since my days are better and brighter. We are two goofy souls that, after finding each other, couldn’t help but want to be together forever. It has being a long and sometimes hard road, since we have to deal with such a long distance between us, but we are now facing the last stage of our Fiancé Visa, and soon we will be together. You know the best part? We will be married! So I’ll be blogging from Chile until just a few months before our “green and purple” wedding.
It did not all happen in just one day, as that would be way too busy!
I had a bridal shower thanks to my dear MIL, and then the weekend after that, we had my bachelorette party/birthday party. Both were pretty awesome weekends. So, let’s start with the first one.
Bridal Shower
My MIL organized a bridal shower for me with most of her friends and family (at that point I didn’t really have many friends in California, so I borrowed hers). Read more…
Mrs. Labrador Retriever, Athens/SavannahAge and Occupation: 24, Student/Sports ReporterFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Physical Therapy Assistant Student/Future Dr. of PT
Engagement Date: December 31, 2008Wedding Date: November 2009Venue: Whitfield Square/Savannah StationAbout Me: I'm working on my second degree from UGA (Go Dawgs!). I'm a self-proclaimed attention-w****. If it involves a camera, I'm in front of it! You'll never meet a girlier tomboy than me. I can go toe to toe with any guy on the subject of college football, and lift more than any girl in my gym, all without chipping a nail. I hope to someday be the only person you want delivering your sports news. My FI and I are the loving parents of three Labrador Retrievers (one of each color) and are planning a "Southern Romantic Charm" wedding in the beautiful, historic city of Savannah. I'm not extreme in anything except moderation... and wedding planning.
After photos, my little brother and I hopped onto the horse-drawn carriage and were whisked away to a hiding spot before our guests began arriving by trolley.
The trolley had to make a couple trips to be sure no one was left behind, so guests at the square just mingled to pass time.
Unfortunately, another one of my wedding projects, the refreshment table, never got set up because I simply ran out of time.
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!
This past weekend I had my bachelorette party with BMs Lea and Jess, and one of our groomsmen’s wives, Jill. I came into the city early before it started and met up with Lea and some of her friends for the fall festival that was taking place in Philly.
It was where a bunch of the restaurants and bars in Midtown Philly set up tents and served food and drinks to the hundreds of people milling about the streets. Read more…
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 I was a little off on when the photographer’s disk would arrive. It looks like it’ll be another few days. So in the meantime, I figured I’d share my Real Bee Budget! Let’s see just how far a teeny tiny budget can get you. I used WeddingWire for our guest list and budget, so I’ll itemize the same way they do (which is alphabetically). Here we go!
The Sand Dollar Wedding Budget
Band - $500
We decided to keep the initial budget, and gave $250 each to my best bud Will and his guitarist. They were great, the music was amazing and we got to play some selections from our iPod playlist. I’m happy with how it all turned out.
Cake and Desserts - $20
The Rice Krispies cake took six batches of treats. That’s about 3 giant boxes and six bags of marshmallows (which I bought for a buck each). The groom’s cake (which turned out spectacular, let me tell you!) was free. His mom bought all the ingredients and her good friend who’s a baker made and delivered the cake. It totally knocked our socks off. I have three life-size candy fish in my freezer. I’m not quite sure what I plan to do with these, but maybe a fun photo op is in our future!
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.
With our grand entrance complete (and with Mr. FF still in one piece after his crane kick) we made our way front and center to cut our cake.
We had originally planned on a three-tier cake with a simple cake flower on the side and a Precious Moments figurine that my mom had given us (to match a bridal shower gift she made for me) to decorate the cake table. We walked up to the cake table at our reception and saw … something other than what I was expecting! It was pretty, don’t get me wrong, but it just wasn’t what I envisioned!
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
