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!
This post could also be called “Wedding Inspiration in the Strangest Places.”
When I was sitting on the couch after work just the other day, my mom walked in and told me she went to Target to pick up a couple new CDs. After I responded with, “What’s a CD?,” she apparently set them on the counter (so she’d remember to add them to her iTunes), and that was that. She also may have told me which ones she bought, but I, clearly being an attentive daughter, didn’t really pay attention because I was busy (probably reading Weddingbee, of course).
Fast forward to the next morning, when I’m making my lunch and heading out the door for work. What stops me in my tracks? Well, the CD sitting on the counter!
You see, I’d never heard of or heard the Zac Brown Band (I believe they’re country, though, according to Mama Giraffe), but their newest CD cover blew me away.
Mrs. Guinea Pig, Baltimore, MD Age and Occupation: 26, PhD student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Operations Director at a non-profit Engagement Date: December 25, 2008 Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club About Me: I'm a tomboy science nerd whose girly side has made a startling appearance thanks to wedding planning! I love to bake, knit and sew but I also ride a motorcycle (that Mr. Guinea Pig wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole). We live with our three crazy cats and love to read, travel, watch movies, and do home improvement projects together! My parents/family are Canadian but I'm definitely American, although I've lived in 5 different countries, 6 different states, and speak Russian fluently. Mr. GP and I met online (did I mention I'm a scientist?) and had a whirlwind romance - now we can't wait to get married & celebrate with all our friends and family in a blue and yellow waterfront affair!
Our reception had finally come to an end. After hours of smiling, happy tears, dancing, eating, and love—it was time for one last dance and a grand, sparkly exit.
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.
You know that great balancing act between work/school, wedding, family, and life in general? Well, right now I seem to be failing at the balancing part. If life were a tightrope then I would be falling fast…and unfortunately right now I dont have enough stress/life management skills to create a safety net to save me.
To give you a brief overview of what is going on in my life right now: Read more…
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 promised I’d show you our photobooth that Mr. B and I produced with 3 days until our wedding. I thought it had fallen off of our to-do list, but after a trip to Home Depot and a suggestion from his stepfather, it was brought to life.
Like many before me, the inspiration started with this Sasha Souza creation:
After brainstorming a way to make ours light and without stands, we bought large sheet of this Styrofoam. I’m not sure what it’s really used for, but it worked for us.
Miss Cherry Pie, Seattle/Polebridge, MontanaAge and Occupation: 25, Marketing Communications SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Nurse PractitionerEngagement Date: August 26, 2006Wedding Date: September 2008Blogging Since: April 1, 2008Venue: A tiny town just outside of Glacier National ParkAbout Me: I think of life as a journey and I love the places it's taking me! I went to school to study Magazine Journalism, ended up with a second major in Japanese language, and now work at a company that makes software for libraries. I love writing, computers, photography, and the great outdoors. I spend most of my time playing Guitar Hero and Rock Band or geeking out online with Mr. Cherry Pie. I'm happiest when I'm on the road, especially traveling abroad, or just nesting quietly at home with my sweetie, who is a fabulous cook and bakes a delicious rendition of a certain cherry-filled dessert!
I’ve been a busy bee since I started my own business in Seattle. Working from hard is home, and can be isolating…so instead of being a hermit, I decided to see how I could get involved with the community and give back to the industry that inspired me to take charge of my career for myself! It wasn’t hard: one of the first things I learned about was a homegrown wedding charity and fundraiser gala called Get Hitched, Give Hope, and I got involved right away. For the last two years I’ve been working with a fabulous team to make this amazing event possible, and I’m pleased as punch to announce that the 2010 Get Hitched, Give Hope is coming up this week! (Eep! So soon??) If you’ll be in Seattle this Thursday evening and don’t already have plans, I’d love, love, LOVE to see you there. It’s going to be a blast.
What is Get Hitched, Give Hope, exactly? Well, it’s kind of like a cocktail party crossed with a boutique wedding show. Over 100 of Seattle’s top wedding vendors have donated their goods and services (not to mention their time!) to help raise money for a good cause by passing on amazing deals to local brides and grooms. Read more…
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!
One of my new favorite love stories is Disney/Pixar’s “Up.” One of the film’s scenes features our hero, Carl, decorating his new home with his new wife, Ellie. They’re painting their house all kinds of fun colors, when they decide to take the paint a step further and “personalize” their mailbox. It was so sweet, so simple. Hmmm…maybe a mailbox with similar decorations would make a nice holding place for photobooth (more on that later) props! Behold, the inspiration.
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.
Sometimes things don’t go the way you plan on your wedding day….like Mr. Starfish may have dropped the sauce from his slider on my dress during cocktail hour, or one of our bridesmaids may have spilled a glass of wine on Mr. Starfish’s shirt during the first hour of the reception.
Ms. Cheetah, Los Angeles/Palm Springs
Age and Occupation: 31, Artist, EducatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, TV FinanceEngagement Date: April 2010Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The ViceroyAbout Me: I’m a silly, sassy lady with a compulsion to create. I love to sing and dance, despite the fact that I lack any talent doing either. I somehow manage to be messy and organized at the same time. I like to spend my days road tripping, watching '80s movies, reading true crime books, buying things on sale, sending postcards, playing board games, dining at food trucks, snuggling, and drinking ginger ale. I have a weak spot for all things sweet, especially Mr. Cheetah! I’m a Chicago girl and he’s a Nor Cal boy but we love living in the City of Angels. After 10 years as a couple we are planning a fun-filled semi-destination wedding in Palm Springs. Hope you enjoy the ride!
A few years ago, I knew eight couples who all got engaged within a two-week period between Thanksgiving and Christmas! That lead bridesmaid WD40 and me to coin the phrase “the engagement train.”
Woo-woo! That’s supposed to be a train whistle noise—what, you didn’t get that?
Arranged by me in Photoshop; source images: train & rings
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!
Hi hive! We’re currently testing a new feature that we hope you’ll enjoy: Facebook Connect! If you’re currently an unregistered user, you can create an account on Weddingbee faster than ever using the “f Connect” button at the top of the page! If you’re already a registered user and an avid Facebooker, you can sync your Weddingbee and Facebook accounts, making it easier to simultaneously login to both sites, as well as share and publish your Weddingbee blog comments directly on your Facebook page!
If you sync your Weddingbee account with Facebook Connect, what does this mean for current users?
Instant login with a click of a button
Easily share your favorite posts/comments on the blog to your Facebook wall
The ability to “Like” posts and see which of your Facebook friends also “Like” the same blog posts
If you’re a currently registered hive member, here’s how to use Facebook Connect:
Mrs. Panther, Atlanta GA/Westport CTAge and Occupation: 24, Web WriterFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Music Recording EngineerEngagement Date: March 13, 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: The Inn at LongshoreAbout 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.
In the big scheme of wedding things, a cake topper isn’t all too important to me or Mr. Panther. But for some reason, I can’t stop thinking about adorable fabric birds atop a buttercream tier. Or bird-nest favors holding tiny candy eggs. Or vintage birdcages holding moss and pillar candles. I don’t even like birds that much. I mean, I think they’re fine, as far as animals go, but they’ve never held a particular interest for me. Until now. Why do I want birds at my wedding? Couldn’t tell you. Just do.
As I’m sure you ladies know, bird-themed cake toppers are totally hot right now. And I’m not sure if it’s because of their popularity or because they’re hard to make, but damn, those little avian pairs are expensive. And yet, even though they’re overpriced and completely unnecessary, I want one! How can you resist this?
Mrs. Cheeseburger, Baltimore, MD/State College, PAAge and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentEngagement Date: June 28, 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Catholic Church Ceremony & Hotel ReceptionAbout Me: I'm a passionate girl from Pittsburgh, currently living in Baltimore for school, who loves Penn State, seeing movies, football, thunderstorms, black and white photos, Christmas, good beer, my amazing friends and family, and of course, my mister! We met, fell in love, got engaged, and will be married at our alma mater (go lions!) in a traditional Catholic ceremony followed by a hotel reception with lots of DIY details. It means so much to have our families and friends meet at our favorite place on earth to celebrate our love for one another - I truly couldn't ask for anything more!
With my one year anniversary of writing for Weddingbee fast-approaching, I was looking back through some of my old posts. It’s funny to see how my writing style has changed and how a lot of my inspiration for our wedding, well, didn’t!
Here was the initial inspiration board I made a few months after getting engaged:
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.
So about 3 weeks ago, I turned lovely age of 31 {oof, it looks so much older when I write it out!}. And for me, once I passed the 30 mark…my birthday wishes changed a bit. Gone are the crazy birthdays at the club…the dreams of a new “It” bag…the girls’ weekends to LA. Now, I just wished for simple things—a picnic with friends, a cozy dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant…
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 to start out this post by telling you guys that I, in fact, have the coolest dad ever. He seems like such a serious dude (and Mr. G was totally nervous when asking for permission to marry me), but he really is super fun and one of my favorite people (somewhere after myself and before Dr. McDreamy).
Here we are skiing last winter! I have better photos, but I’m not on my computer right now, so that’s all I can show you for now.
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!
The other night I was up late, randomly thinking about wedding dresses. That statement probably doesn’t come as a surprise to most bees out there, I would think—especially all of you uber-organised ones! I’m a little behind on the planning timeline compared to most people, but hey, it’ll work itself out in the end.
You see, I’ve not really tackled the bridal-dress experience yet—apart from one fairly average experience that I’ll share with you soon. But what I have done in the meantime is spend goodness knows how many hours researching dresses on the Internet and in magazines, and trying to figure out what sort of dress will best suit my larger frame and make me feel comfortable on the wedding day. It’s not as easy as it sounds!
I’ve taken quiz after quiz about body shapes.
I’ve bookmarked dozens of dresses from designers all over the world.
I’ve debated which shade of white or ivory would suit me best.
It’s kind of overwhelming—especially when you’re just not a dress person!
