Mrs. Jaguar, SydneyAge and Occupation: 27, Primary School TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Curzon HallAbout Me: I'm an Australian girl who is a self-proclaimed nerd, loves all things stationery and would be lost without books, music and the internet. Mr. Jaguar and I have been together for the past eight years and he finally popped the question last August. Hurrah! We currently live in Sydney, Australia with our adorable cat who thinks he's a person. We're a couple who likes to multi-task: we've been planning a wedding abroad, a permanent move from London to Sydney, and preparing to build our own home all at the same time. Travelling makes me giddy...as does Mr. Jaguar, of course!
You might have noticed I didn’t include any photographs of “the ring”* in our grand engagement post. When I left you last time, we were running back to our hotel room (away from the direction of the river!) to soak up the whole experience, share the news with friends and family, and to check out the ring in better lighting.
During the proposal itself, I’d hardly even looked at the ring—I think I was afraid that the moment was going to disappear, and I was in a crazy state of excitement and shock. I couldn’t wait to see what he had chosen for me! Mr. Jaguar had proposed with a regular blue ring box, and the first thing he did when we got back to the room was go and dig out the entire lot of packaging to show me—and it was a very familiar (familiar in my dreams, that is) shade of blue!
Mrs. Pashmina, NYC/Catalina Island, CAAge and Occupation: 28, Arts EducationFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, IT AdministratorEngagement Date: April 26th, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catalina Country Club, Catalina Island, CaliforniaAbout Me: I'm a laid-back Cali girl who moved to NYC for school, and ended up staying for love. My fiance is a quick-witted Jersey boy, a self-proclaimed Foodie and the funniest man I've ever met. Together we love exploring the city streets embarking on our next misadventure---and yes, this often involves eating off food carts and trying "the next big thing". I'm the girl in the sundress, snapping photos and collecting trinkets of memorabilia along the way. As a girly girl at heart, I am excited about our romantic natural island wedding incorporating our American & Filipino traditions.
On Valentine’s Day my two nieces accompanied me to select my wedding dress. It was four months in the making—I had been to about half a dozen appointments. I was ecstatic to take my two helpers with me for this occasion.
It was monumental to me!
When we entered RK Bridal I explained the store’s concept: I’ll put our name on the list, then you can pull dresses off the rack that you like. When they call our name, a clerk will help us try them on. “It’s more of a self-service bridal salon,” I said. Their eyes widened as they eyed the thousands of white dresses hanging on racks! It was like going through Barbie’s closet with the 10 and 13 year old girls. It was just too much fun for us all.
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!
With gifts, of course! Mr. P and I decided that we would spend a max of $50 on each wedding party member. Although it was a pretty modest amount, I knew I wanted to make the most of it!
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!
Hey guys. How was your week? Mine was pretty good. The weather was hit or miss. I was very underwhelmed by the Britney episode of Glee, but I think Boardwalk Empire looks like it’s going to be a new favorite. It’s my favorite time of year (i.e. the time when everything is flavored like pumpkin), so I celebrated by eating a big slice of pumpkin bread.
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.
So I’m Miss Brooch, right, and what’s a new wedding trend?
Brooch bouquets!
Did you think I was going to let you down and not live up to mah namesake? No way! This is something I must undertake; it’s only right. I have to be honest, though, and say I’m not totally crazy about the all-brooch bouquets. But I do like the idea of having a few brooches in the bouquets. Especially because I collect butterfly brooches and have been waiting my whole life to find a good use for them.
The butterfly brooches (and maybe some other random vintage brooches) will hopefully complement our garden-chic theme, and maybe this little idea provides some beautiful bouquet photos.
Here are a few favorites from my inspiration file:
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!
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.
“As a journalist, the details always tell the story.”
James McBride
Oh, how I completely understand this quote! (I am a journalist, photographer, and self-proclaimed perfectionist. So details are kinda my thing.) And that’s why I had details galore in our wedding! Many of them were DIY details that I’ve been waiting a looong time to show you in action.
There will be plenty more details in coming posts, but here’s some to get you ready for the main event: our ceremony!
First, my lovely DIY flowers!
At first, I wanted an all white peony bouquet. But when our colors changed, I decided on a pink bouquet and I absolutely loved the way my bouquet came out! Read more…
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!
Lest you thought I stopped blogging because I didn’t like you guys anymore, I will now offer up a few pitiful excuses for my long absence. It’s the perfect storm, really: we both got uber colds two days post wedding, our internet broke (oh, the boredom!) and then we went back to work. Bummer. And here I am at the end of work week one (and our first week of shooting, so a particular doozy) finally taking a minute to say hi. So *tentative wave* HI!
*Drum roll. I now present project parade. A series of blog posts in which I detail our last minute DIY projects and adventures leading up to the wedding. It’s part procrastinating while we wait for our pro pics, part giving you what I owe you, and part showing off the cuteness. Oh! And it’s an ode to alliteration, too.
Mrs. Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, ProfessorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, InstructorEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
We had a photobooth at our reception. It’s not the type that you’re used to seeing around the hive, though. It was a more formal and more traditional style backdrop. At many Asian wedding receptions, it is typical to have a combination photobooth/receiving line/meet & greet at the front entrance of the reception. These photos were printed during dinner and doubled as our favors. Here’s how we made it happen:
Mr HW and I stood at the door and greeted our guests as they arrived for the reception
We said our hellos
They said their congratulations
We all turned to take a photo
They went in to get seated
Before this could happen, we needed to have a backdrop. Read more…
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.
We returned home to the left coast! Now that the pile of mail is gone, emails have been returned, and the house is restored to some semblance of order, it’s recap time. Wedding first, honeymoon (Italy, Greece, Egypt) next. Ashley Forrette sent our 1,000 wedding photos while we were gone, and we added another 1,000+ from the trip itself.
Even though we had a few weeks between the wedding and the honeymoon, it was really hard to properly decompress. We were really busy at work and had to tie up a lot of loose ends before we left. Probably as a result, the wedding seems like a million years ago. A few times during the trip, I remember us saying, hey, remember how we got married and had that big party? Weird!
I don’t mean to sound like we forgot how important it was. Read more…
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!
Back in the day—I mean way back in the day, well before I met Mr. E—I always dreamed of a honeymoon in Hawaii. I have never been and thought it would be a great way to splurge and enjoy the most tropical state.
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’ve been thinking a lot about my girls—C, K, and J—and what I’d like to get them as bridesmaids gifts. I know I still have plenty of time to choose what I’d like to get them, but I’m having fun looking!
I bought myself this Love necklace from Etsy right before Christmas. I think it would be really cute if I got each bridesmaid a necklace from this buyer, personalized with her name.
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. 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.
Warning: This post is about religion. I know this is a passionate subject, and I believe that my experience, although perhaps not ideal, is a common one. I was going to gloss over my entire Catholic ceremony on the blog, but our Catholic ceremony IS our wedding.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
Photo by Eric Dos Santos
