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.
Since we are, we’re trying to think of creative ways to keep our guests from bolting after dinner. One of the most obvious attractions is the photobooth we’d like to have, and the new takes on tradition. Maybe we’ll include a caricature station?
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!
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.
I just might start boycotting E! Why? Because their newest show repulses me to my core. In case you haven’t been glued to the TV over the last few weeks like I have, the new show that I am talking about is Bridalplasty, where brides compete for the ultimate plastic surgery makeover for their wedding day. Even their hook: “The only show where the winner gets cut” scares me. This is what will happen: each week the brides will compete in a wedding themed challenge and the winner will get one of her plastic surgery procedures done. The last woman standing will receive her total body makeover.
I understand that brides wish to look beautiful, but this is going too far! Read more…
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!
Bridesmaid Buenos Aires and her new husband (!!!) have an amazing love story that evolved over three continents.
Here is the beautiful couple on their wedding day:
A few years ago BA decided to move to Argentina for a year to teach English.She had an amazing time there and became friends with many people, including a great guy named R.After the year was up, BA moved back to her hometown of Chicago.A few months later R decided to move to Paris, and he stopped in Chicago to visit BA on the way.It was there that their friendship evolved into something more—they had a wonderful time together, but it was just a few days.Neither BA nor R knew if it would ever be anything more. 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!
It’s the part that always gets me at every wedding: recognizing the parents. More than the bride walking down the aisle, the vows, the first kiss—it’s when the newlywed couple thanks their parents for all their love, support and sacrifice that turns on the waterworks for me. Read more…
Mrs. Cinnamon Bun, Calgary, AlbertaAge and Occupation: 26, Stage ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Theatre TechnicianEngagement Date: June 22, 2010Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Calgary Opera CentreAbout Me: I'm a life-long crafter and bookworm living in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Some of my loves include Lord of the Rings, Sherlock Holmes, knitting, opera, musicals, Etsy, baking, and of course, Mr. Cinnamon Buns. We're keeping our wedding close to home---the venue isn't very far from our house, and we live within walking distance of 6 bridal salons. I'm using the wedding as an excuse to try out every craft project I possibly can, with the endless help and support of my fiance.
I love: reading, crafts, theatre, musicals, pretty gardens, Lord of the Rings, big mossy trees that look like Ents, animals, opera, baking, tasty food, good wine…
He loves: reading, video/computer games, theatre, musicals, music, epic fantasy book series, animals, opera, cooking, tasty food, good wine…
We’re geeks. We know this. Why, yes, I have read The Silmarillion. More than once. And I enjoyed it.
Now, a lot of those things are going to end up in our day somehow, some way. We both work in the theatre professionally, and we wouldn’t have met if it hadn’t been for a theatre-training program in Banff, Alberta.
(Technically this is Lake Louise, not Banff, but they’re close! And this is one of the best scenery pics I have! Yes, I am standing on the lake. Photo taken with my camera by a random tourist.)
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!
Our honeymoon has come and gone. And oh, was it amazing. When people ask, I can’t help but say, “we did a whole lot of nothing, which was absolutely perfect.”
I guess I’ll start at the beginning:
We departed Boston Logan earrrrrrrrly Monday morning after the wedding. Mr. Seashell successfully completed his first husbandly duty: score first class upgrades. Read more…
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.
So the save the dates are printed and once I buy some stamps, they’ll be out the door. The next step is the invitations themselves.
And, you guys? I couldn’t be more stoked about them.
Months and months ago, I entered a contest with A Printable Press, where people could submit a new invitation idea. The person with the winning idea won a free invitation design. The idea I’d submitted was an invitation that looked like an old-timey band poster. Or gig poster. Or hatch poster. Or whatever you want to call it. At any rate, I was inspired by images like these:
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 very same week I received my acceptance email to become a bee, I also received another positive email too: one from an Etsy vendor I had been working with for the past few weeks. What was I waiting for? Well, this is where I need to make a quick public service announcement:
Mr. Jaguar, it’s time for you to leave. No reading any further, no harmless scrolling, no clicking of any kind…back away from the computer, stat!
Mrs. Prairie Dog, Cincinnati
Age and Occupation: 24, Program CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, PhD/Biomedical EngineerEngagement Date: December 18, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Glendale LyceumAbout Me: I'm a pilgrim soul of a girl with a house full of books and a coffee addiction that could slay Juan Valdez. My life is a whirl of grammar correction, good music, glue-gunning, and two pets named Hazel and Winston Churchill. I'm marrying my high school boyfriend in a formal-ish spring affair, roughly themed: "Elizabeth Bennet crashes a party co-hosted by Jay Gatsby and Cath Kidston, and loves it."
We had a really difficult time deciding whether to have our wedding inside or outside. I jotted down a pro-and-con list for an outdoor ceremony, and it pretty much looked like this:
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.
More than anything at our wedding, I wanted everyone to have fun. To me, a fun wedding always includes great music and dancing. We were a bit concerned about dancing, as our venue has a HUGE dance floor. We thought people may not fill it up.
We wanted to start the reception off on a fun note, so we decided to have our parents and the wedding party enter to the Friends’ theme song, the Rembrandts’ “I’ll be there for you.”
Mrs. Spaniel, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 28, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, PsychologistWedding Date: March 2010Venue: Calamigos RanchAbout Me: I'm a third-year law student trying to balance graduating with starting my career, keeping up a relationship, and, oh yeah, planning an Old World, multi-cultural, "mountain lodge" wedding for 180 guests! A South Asian Jewish girl getting ready to marry my handsome Catholic Dane, I'm hoping to blend our cultures in our wedding just a bit more gently than by providing samosas as appetizers and offering æbleskiver for dessert. (Although that would also be awesome.)
People who have been there and done that will warn you that things will go wrong on your wedding day. It’s probably true, and you’re wise to accept it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do something to prevent some disasters from ever taking place by doing just a little bit of research early on. I signed contracts with and gave deposits to at least three vendors that I would never do business with or recommend again, and I did it because I did not do my homework!
Let’s say you are budget-hunting and found a potential wedding vendor through a Facebook ad or on Craigslist. You don’t have any local bride-friends who have used the vendor, and a Google search doesn’t yield much that is helpful. Neither does a check of Yelp or the usual wedding review sites. This isn’t a red flag in and of itself, because the person you’ve found may be new to the industry and without much of a portfolio. Maybe this is why he or she is willing to offer you such a tempting deal! But before you commit, there is one site you should search if you are in Canada or the United States: 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!
We picked April for our wedding month (to coincide with our dating anniversary), which means that Mr. E will still have class and finals to finish up during his spring semester after the wedding. Due to this we will be taking our honeymoon after finals are completed in the middle of May. This works out so well for us because it will allow us to spend some extra time with family and friends the day after the wedding. It will also mean we have something to look forward to!
Since we won’t be taking a honeymoon right after the wedding (and who really wants to go back to work the Monday after the big day?), we thought it would be fun to take a minimoon road trip. The destination for this minimoon road trip is…drum roll please…
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!
When Mr. Lion and I first started dating, we were both in college. I was at UF in Gainesville, and Mr. Lion was at UCF in Orlando. We were only about 100 miles from each other, but a mini long distance relationship is a long distance relationship nonetheless. We saw each other once or twice a month…which I was incredibly grateful for. I’ve had friends who had to go much longer than that, and I just don’t know if I would have been able to stand it! Whenever we left our two separate worlds to see each other, it was always magical.
Every time we visited one another, it was 2-3 days of pure bliss. We’d snuggle up in front of the TV, we’d cook dinner together, we’d go out on fun dates, and sometimes we’d just sit around and do nothing. It was like a weekend getaway!
When we moved to Atlanta for grad school and law school, we went straight from long distance to living together under one roof. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
