Mrs. Meerkat, Kalamazoo, MI/Riviera MayaAge and Occupation: 30, Application EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: December 2010Venue: Al Cielo / La LagunaAbout Me: I’m a tech-savvy tomboy with an affinity for hot tea and good sushi. Us Meerkats are just a couple fun lovin’ geeks from Michigan. We love anything having to do with movies, books, video games or technology and we hold a special place in our hearts for our two very spoiled shih-tzus, Wicket and Bravo. We also LOVE to travel. We love it so much it only took us 12 hours after we got engaged to decide to have a destination wedding. We are working our little Meerkat tails off planning a rustic-chic, travel themed destination wedding in the Riviera Maya with a semi-formal, vintage-turned-modern, outdoor at home reception back here in Michigan.
Gifts for our moms were probably one of the things with we struggled with the most. We are so lucky to have such amazing and supportive parents that we wanted to give them something more than the traditional silver picture frame.
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 call this store my dream store, because Mr. CB and I used to drive by it about once a week. There’s just one mannequin in the window, and she’s always wearing the most gorgeous dress you have ever seen. Years before we were engaged I’d steal sneaky looks at the window as we drove past. I always hoped for a red light on that corner!
Now, on my wedding dress shopping day with the mothers (mine and Mr. CB’s), we met at our house, went for a nice brunch, then we walked to that first bridal appointment. Then we decided to go back and see Phylis again, which was also within walking distance. On our way there, I realized we were passing close to the dream store, and this might be my chance. I pulled out my iPhone (I’m addicted), got their phone number, and phoned to see if there was room for us. It turns out they only take walk-ins! So, we backed up a block and headed to S2 Bridal.
The ladies immediately asked what I wanted, and I said that I wasn’t interested in ball gowns, pick-ups, or anything tight in the thighs/bum. I have a large rear, and while J.Lo has done a lot for my confidence, it gets shown off every day when I wear jeans. I didn’t want that at our wedding. Plus, I hated the constricting feeling of the one mermaid I tried on.
My mum went downstairs to the bathroom while I started getting into the first dress the girls picked out. She zipped it up, clipped me in, and I went out to see Mr. CB’s mum. She loved it!
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 met with a few photography teams pretty early on in our planning, after obsessively stalking their online portfolios. At first the cost of photography felt like a gut-punch, but I’ve since come to understand why they’re priced the way they are. However, it’s still a lot of money, and I wanted to be thorough with our decision. The questions we came up with yielded a ton of great responses and really helped us get to know each photographer.
Assuming that the photog’s website detailed the packages/prices/digital rights/etc., these were our questions:
How long have you been practicing photography?
How many weddings have you shot in the past year?
Do you have any formal education? (Not a deal-breaker, but a plus.)
How would you describe your style?
Are your shots similar to or different from one another? (when interviewing a two-person team of photogs)
Mrs. Waffle, AustinAge and Occupation: 31, Costumer/ArtistFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, AnimatorEngagement Date: July 27, 2010Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Hummingbird HouseAbout Me: My life is pretty much spent in a sea of fabric, paint, sequins and drama. When I’m not working, I play on a trivia team, take Broadway dance classes, read, buy shoes, and occasionally geek out on video games. I am an American girl who loves all things British and Mr. Waffle is a Brit who loves all things American...I guess it was meant to be!
I knew I was in love from the first moment I read their sample menu. I drooled all over my keyboard, swooned, and carried on until Mr Waffle told me to get up off the floor and stop being so dramatic because it’s just food.
JUST FOOD?! Ahhh! How dare you say it’s JUST FOOD! That is a crime, sir!
Mrs. Pencils, Washington DC/Frederick, MDAge and Occupation: 24, Program Director, Education Non ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Administrative Assistant, Ocean Conservation Non ProfitEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Morningside InnAbout Me: I'm a nerdy Northwestern girl who always knew she was meant to live in the East, harboring a deep love of ice cream, underwear, Diet Coke with a splash of Coca-Cola, pashminas, scrapbooking, stationery, wall calendars and books written for preteens. I think every day should include good thin crust pizza, chocolate, an obscure historical monument, lots of laughter, a dash of wedding planning and, of course, amazing Mr. Pencils! I'm loving the adventure of planning a Maryland wedding and Rocky Mountain reception, and most of all, I just love love!
Many bees have come before me, but I had to dive in. I have far too many embarrassing secrets to share, so I thought I’d go with two that I’m hoping some of you will relate to!
The first, and it should come as no surprise if you read my personal blog and know that Mr. Pencils manages nearly all of the domestic duties of the house, is that in my personal life, I’m incredibly messy and I have a hard time responding to emails in a timely manner. In my work life, I’m on the ball. Emails? Within hours, 48 at the most. My desk? Organized, color coded, file foldered. My Outlook? Every single email has its own folder and I have a task list with deadlines, reminders and flags. Uber Type A.
Yet, as soon as I get home, I seem to lose my focus and drive and I become quite messy—not dirty—just really, really messy. I’m ashamed to show you, but take a look at the image below for my proof:
My second secret is not such a secret if you knew me in high school (which would be odd if you did).
Mrs. Husky, DenverAge and Occupation: 26, Systems AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Mechanical Engineer, recently laid offEngagement Date: August 14, 2009Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: Rancho San CarlosAbout Me: I am planning a quirky-crafty wedding with my recently out-of-work fiancé for a (fingers crossed!) warm October afternoon. We are two self-professed nerds with an affinity for all things outdoors---be it rain, snow or shine. Recently relocated from the drizzly Northwest, we're enjoying the many sun-soaked days in the mile high city. Our day will be filled with both of our large families and friends, a self-served Cajun feast, and a Zydeco-style jazz band rocking beneath the beams of a historic red barn.
The only reason I am able to write these next several posts is because I know how it all ends. Have you ever read a book that is just so sad all the way through that you almost want to quit reading it? Because you’re just so afraid of how it ends? But then once you’ve finished it, you recommend it to your sister and tell her to just keep reading through the tears—it’s worth it? That’s sort of how I feel about the day before our wedding. While it wasn’t sadness, it was a whole bucket full of bad luck. Allow me to set the scene:
Mrs. Thimble, NYC/PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 26, Actress & Costume Designer (+ day job)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lawyer & Techie WizEngagement Date: August 22, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Pearl S. Buck HouseAbout Me: I’m an easily inspired over-thinker delighted with the process of designing, building, directing and {dare I say} co-starring in the early-autumn affair I’ve been dreaming up. I’m a sucker for trendied-up comfort foods and old family anecdotes; I have an affinity for adjectives, alliteration, eyelet and earl grey; and I live for quality time with family and friends. I never guessed I’d marry my “high school sweetheart", but when it turned out to be my funny, techie, loyal Mr. Thimble I was committed for life. We’re both mid-career transition and ready to move back to small-townish TBD, PA in a pre-wedding flurry of all-good life changes.
I really like the energetic tone and writing style in this post. I had more steam and excitement in the early days of blogging. Actually executing our plans started getting in the way just before the wedding. You know, minor detail…
Whenever I felt like I was losing my voice or a DIY or research-filled post was too dry, I’d re-read this one to get me back on track. I still feel the same excitement now, just after the wedding, as I did then. I hit some stress bumps in the road, but on the other side of it all, I am really proud of how our wedding turned out, and I’m not lying in this post: I want to be a wedding planner/event designer. The job search is on! This post is a glimpse into why I wanted to be a bee, and how (I hope) I’ve found my calling by way of a big love-filled life milestone.
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A match-up of me and planning our wedding… that is… {Fair warning- I’m letting you all in on my bridal crazy, right here from the start. Keeping it real for y’all.}
I love planning our wedding. I think I was born to plan this wedding. I’ve been waiting my whole life for the opportunity to plan my wedding.
I don’t mean to take one giant leap backward for womankind. Of course I cringe at traditional female roles-of-old and their lack of possibility. I know there are women out there who don’t necessarily see themselves settling down, and I respect that. A good part of me envies their drive and focus. But I. love. every. second. of planning this event.
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.
My beloved Philly has got something for everyone. Whether your idea of the perfect vacation is stuffing your face, bar hopping, shopping like crazy, sightseeing at historic landmarks, or taking in the scenery, Philadelphia is the perfect place for you. Best of all, Philly is remarkably affordable, so you won’t spend a fortune on your trip.
Bru did such a fantabulous job with her profile of Philly last year that I’m not even going to try to compare. Check out her post for hotel info, shopping, sightseeing and more. I’m going to expand upon my favorite thing about my city and about any city: the food and drink.
Get ready to drool!
Noms:
In my opinion, Philly is a foodie’s paradise. I could easily write ten blog posts full of my restaurant recommendations, so narrowing it down to just a few will be difficult. Read more…
Weddingbee GalleryFeature Launched: April 10, 2009About: A collection of inspirational wedding pictures from readers and bees.
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. Crab Cake, Columbus, GAAge and Occupation: 25, Registered NurseFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Director of Education and Living History for a museumEngagement Date: April 6, 2008Wedding Date: June, 2009Blogging Since: November 26, 2008Venue: Holy Family Catholic Church, reception: National Infantry MuseumAbout Me: I'm a perfectionist trying to balance two jobs, motherhood, my craft obsession, and wedding planning. I am obsessed with all things wedding, especially creative ideas for saving money and DIY projects. A Southern Belle at heart, I love anything southern, especially sweet tea, grits, afternoon thunder storms, crab cakes, and good old Southern hospitality. Mr. Crab Cake and I are planning a vintage inspired wedding with tons of Southern flare (can y'all say that with a thick Southern drawl?).
Early in the planning, I knew we would want a vintage car to leave the church in. The first time I mentioned it, Mr. CC decided that he would take charge of this one aspect of our wedding. I put my trust in him and promptly forgot about it.
My man came through.
Everyone who was left at the church gathered outside to send us off.
Miss Onion, NYC/Burlington, VTAge and Occupation: 27, PR & Marketing and Jazz SingerFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Data AnalystEngagement Date: April 2, 2006Wedding Date: September 2007Blogging Since: July 11, 2007Venue: Restaurant in BurlingtonAbout Me: I didn't think I'd be "that girl," but I am having so much fun planning our wedding (mostly by myself). I'm a PR and Marketing Director for a major jazz festival and camp by day, and by night, a romantic jazz singer and bride-to-be! I hope all my research can help other brides in their planning.
One of my favorite projects while preparing for our wedding weekend was our OOT bags. It was done on a tight budget and it really made people feel welcome. The Italian side if me feels the need to care for and feed others. The idea of people coming all the way to Burlington, VT and arriving hungry killed me. I put together bags to welcome our guests when they arrived at their hotel and so many of our loved ones approached me later to say how welcome they felt, and how glad they were for the snacks! Many took them on the road with them when they left. It was a small touch (less than $2.50 per bag) that went a long way. How are you making your guests feel welcome?
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When you host a “destination” wedding, all of your guests are from out of town, so it’s really nice to make them feel welcome. And packing welcome bags is almost as much fun as Halloween candy or holiday gift bags.
Mr. Onion and I went to visit our parents this weekend (both of them live within 10 minutes of each other which is great) and we got a lot done. The bags were purchased at Papermart.com and were reasonably priced at $.40 each. I chose these bags because of their color, size and the quantity. You could purchase these bags in sets of 25 — you didn’t have to buy 200+. We also packed all 30 of our welcome bags for our guests. I’m really happy with how they turned out.
Miss Onion surrounded by welcome bag goodies in my parents living room!
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.
Oh, hello. It’s just me here, the Shoe Monster. Just hangin’ out, thinking about all the things I could own if I didn’t insist on being the Atlanta version of a broke Carrie Bradshaw.
Now that I have (most of) my jewelry and a hairpiece, and they’ve been deemed fabulous by Monte, I can’t help wanting to keep on truckin’ in the Wedding Day Look saga. And I’ve been holding off on something very important: Duh, the shoes.
As I’ve mentioned, my dress is being made with a custom hem, so when I ordered the gown, I had to tell them what heel height I wanted to wear. It was a high-pressure moment, and the sales associates kept telling me I’d regret it if uncomfortable shoes ruined my wedding day, and…I folded.
Mrs. Pretzel, SeattleAge and Occupation: 32 Learning, Training, and Development SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 28 Manufacturing EngineerEngagement Date: September 2, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catholic Church & The Engine Room at Georgetown StudiosAbout Me: I’m just a thirty-something girl who never dreamed of weddings, poofy dresses, or ritzy receptions. I am a rabid knitter, except recently, wedding projects have replaced my yarn and needles. I’ve been fiercely independent since the age of 2 and 30 years later I think my family and friends had given up on me settling down and getting married.
Ironically, I had to go all the way to Seattle to find a boy from Purdue. We fell in love over Seattle Beers and cooking together. I love NASCAR, he loves Legos. I can talk like a Muppet and he can fit a whole McDonald’s cheeseburger in his mouth. We are a two reception couple, currently planning a brewery inspired bash.
With the guest- and family-table linens selected, we moved our attention to the cocktail tables. If you know anything about the Pretzels, you know that we love beer. Of paramount importance—a perfect place for our guests to rest their glasses of Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown. YUM, I can’t wait to tap that keg! Oh, I digress! Our venue offers black spandex cocktail-table covers…not really fitting with our rustic fall-themed party.
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.
::Cough:: During work ::Cough:: I had been on a planning break for a few months after hiring the DJ and finding the venue. I decided to start looking for dresses in order to excite myself into the next phase of planning. I’m not sure what I typed in google but I came across this post from Mrs. Bee. I had really low expectations of the wedding industry at the time because quite frankly I was ignorant. Once I saw the post I thought; great, a website that tells it like it is! I can really say the rest is history. I have excitedly read every single post written since July of 2009—and some of the archives.
Applying to the Bee:
I had a blog in high school that I stupidly wrote in as if no one was reading. A girl took my words out of context and taped them up around school. I made a ton of enemies in a matter of minutes. Needless to say I quit blogging and became a bit of a recluse. Zeb, only my friend at that time, was a huge support and shoulder to cry on during the ordeal. A few weeks later, we began dating.
When I found the ’bee, I knew I wanted to apply. Read more…
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.)
This was a very difficult post to write, and I still wish I could have said it better. But it’s one of my favorite posts because I don’t think there was anywhere outside of this community where I had a chance to voice some of the ambivalence I felt about “getting married.” There was no doubt that I wanted to commit to spending the rest of my life with my husband. But confronting the prospect of “being married” still gave me pause for thought.
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It was an exciting day in the Spaniel household when we finally got our wedding invitations in the mail! I didn’t take any pictures—our focus was on staying dry during the latest torrential downpour—but oh, the relief! I carried them all in a plastic bag inside a plastic tub to keep them dry on the way to the post office, and only managed to drop one into a big dirty puddle on the sidewalk. Luckily, that invite was headed to New Zealand, so I can blame the vagaries of international mail delivery for that one, and no one will be the wiser!
In addition to excitement, though, I feel a little bit of… alarm? Read more…
This post is a glimpse into why I wanted to be a bee, and how (I hope) I’ve found my calling by way of a big love-filled life milestone.
Luckily, that invite was headed to New Zealand, so I can blame the vagaries of international mail delivery for that one, and no one will be the wiser!
