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!
Mrs. Jam, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 25, Writer/Associate Wedding CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Structural EngineerEngagement Date: December 23, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Hunter’s Ridge, Princeton, ILAbout Me: I’m a penny-pinching cat lady getting ready to marry the frugal dog lover of my dreams. Our ideal Saturday morning includes rummaging around people’s junk at garage and estate sales followed by an afternoon date to our favorite café, where we only eat sandwiches that include the word “salad.” We actually love it so much, it’s sort of our unofficial wedding theme: Look at our delicious finds, eat homemade ham salad, and celebrate our love…barndance style. When we’re not obsessing over our love-fest shindig, we’re planning themed parties for our best friends and jamming to '90s music.
When people with barely-there curls come up to me and sympathize about having naturally curly hair, I get mentally exasperated and internally lose my cool. Maybe this is because annoying junior-high-school boys used to call me “raccoon,” and maybe it’s because my hair gets lampshade-shaped when I try to straighten it, and maybe it’s because I’m terrified of swimming in public because the frizzy, productless result post air dry has a monstrous life of its own.
And after years of struggling with my curls, trying to chemically relax them, and getting more bad haircuts than anyone should ever, ever have to endure (once a stylist cut my entire head of hair dry using only a razor), I’ve come to terms with my hair. It makes it easy to pick me out of a crowd, lends itself well to ginormous hair accessories, and takes a whopping five minutes to do in the mornings.
So after all this hair-induced anguish, I figured it was high time to share my wealth of hard-earned curl knowledge with people who may be cursing their own hair and fighting with a straightener on a daily basis. This post is dedicated to you, my wild-haired friends.
First up, my hair product arsenal. I shampoo my hair maybe once every three days, dump gallons of conditioner in it daily, and never leave the house without my L.A. Looks gel:
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!
You may recall that we recently bought our wedding rings. Our jeweler resized them for us, and they were ready just in time for Christmas, so we Santa left them under the tree! The pretty boxes came in a little bag, so all it needed was some ribbon and a tag.
Oh, and look! Santa made the tag out of some of our leftover Save the Dates! What a nice touch. Read more…
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!
After the amazing shower Sister Cardy threw for me was over, I was NOT ready to let go of the amazing decorations she had made for us. It was obvious that she had spent a lot of time working on them, and there was no way I was just going to let them get thrown in the trash!
So, I brought ‘em home and repurposed them as decor! At first, I felt a little silly putting shower decorations up in my house, but I absolutely adore how it turned out, and it makes me smile every time I see them!
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."
From my original laundry-pile idea, I knew I had to find a way to work in a floral pattern. I knew I could work it into my invitation suite. I could not, however, work it into my bridesmaids’ dresses. So where else could it go?
Then, in perusing dance-floor rentals, I had an idea that is totally on par with my “grandma chic” sense of style. Floral tablecloths.
heknowsmyname captured a breezy fun moment on the bridge during their engagement pictures.
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. 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!
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.
Ahhhh, me and J. Simps have a bit of a love/hate relationship. I hate how she slaps her name on everything and pretends to be a designer, I love her hair extensions, body image, and her Soon-to-be Mrs. Lachey hoodie. WHY CAN’T I FIND A DANG PICTURE OF IT?! I’ve had a little love affair with that track suit since the Newlyweds episode aired (I-Don’t-Care-To-Mention-How-Many-Years-Ago). Don’t pretend like you don’t remember it! You KNOW you had a velour tracksuit. It’s okay, I had a few… it’ll all be okay. Anywho, I severely wanted one of those hoodies. Read more…
Mrs. French Toast, Pleasanton, CAAge and Occupation: 29, Marketing & PRFiance's Age and Occupation: IT geek by day, self-proclaimed handyman by nightEngagement Date: October 2009Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: Palm Event CenterAbout Me: I’m a city girl at heart who moved to the suburbs a year ago. Now I’m adjusting to life with a front lawn, nosy neighbors, cooking attempts, and making sure the garbage pail is pulled out on time every week! When I’m not traveling, Mr. FT and I enjoy marathon sessions of Law & Order: SVU, snowboarding, photography, spoiling our 3-year old yorkie-poodle Mokka and disagreeing over what music to listen to in the car. We’re planning a small winery wedding while incorporating some cultural elements into the day as a nod to our Chinese backgrounds.
Mrs. Hippo, New York City/Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 34, Event Planner for a Non-Profit Fiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Finance ITEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: Samuel Lynne Galleries and Marc EventsAbout Me: I’m a thirty-something bride living in New York City and planning a modern-ish wedding in Dallas, Texas. I love trashy reality television (Jersey Shore, anyone?), online shopping, Sunday brunch, Central Park, and random celebrity spottings on the streets of Manhattan. While I love NYC, I miss good Tex-Mex, my college friends, central A/C, and being in close proximity to a Target. I’m thrilled to finally be planning an event that’s not work-related and to be marrying my best friend in what I hope will be a unique and personal ceremony followed by a reception with plenty of good food, good drinks, and dancing (regardless if it’s good or not).
I’ve been holding off on posting on the Secret Life series ’cause I just wasn’t sure how much dirt I wanted to spill. Who am I kidding? I’m pretty boring, but here goes…
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Just a couple of months before meeting King Hippo (back in 2007), I was almost selected to be on Season 10 of The Bachelor. That season was referred to as “Officer and a Gentleman,” as it starred naval officer Andy Baldwin.
In addition to having a “real” day job, I used to teach dance classes in the evenings, and one of my students’ moms mentioned that they had seen a commercial saying they were looking for bachelorettes and she thought I should apply. Read more…
Mrs. Tartlet, Rochester, MIAge and Occupation: Age & Occupation: 27, Post-Doctoral Research FellowFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Medical StudentEngagement Date: May 2, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: The Royal Park HotelAbout Me: I'm an exuberant gal from the Midwest with a penchant for Neuroscience and anything sparkly. I'm not afraid to poke fun at myself, and I'm a believer that given the right pair of shoes, a girl can conquer the world. While an interest in the sciences threw Mr. Tartlet and me together (again, and again, until it finally stuck), we share a love for many things---food, video games, car dancing, food, bad puns, travel, did I mention food?---that ultimately led us to where we are now, less than five months from becoming Mr. and Mrs. We're planning a laid-back, romantic, garden-inspired affair with organic and quirky touches that reflect our love for the unexpected!
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.
Seems like a lot of fuss for something that doesn’t even show on your wedding day, doesn’t it?
When my wedding dress finally came into Bridals by Lori, I was able to try it on and officially find out how high my heels could be. After one trial and no error, it seemed the answer to this very important question lay somewhere between 3.75″ and 4.5″. Unfortunately, my favorite pair (the gold Jimmy Choo “Laser”) boasted a diminutive heel height of just 3.25″ (or something close to it). It wasn’t the shoe itself that I was so in love with, though. It was the glittery gold fabric. Those of you who have witnessed Jimmy Choo’s glitter fabric in person know what I mean. It’s just so…special. So, I set out to find another shoe from the same collection, but this time with a higher heel.
I knew my first love, the Jimmy Choo glitter sandal from Bergdorf Goodman, was long gone. After a little bit of digging, I found another pair on the Jimmy Choo website: the “Nova.”
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 have worn glasses since I was about eight. And I need them all the time, or else I walk into walls or people or traffic. At 13, I convinced my parents to get me contact lenses—it made sports at school much easier (when your glasses steam up in your goalie helmet on the field-hockey field, you don’t have time to wipe them!), and I felt a little cooler. Between the ages of 13 and about 18, I wore my contacts constantly. I tried all the different types, including a crazy type that you could actually leave in your eyes overnight for up to a month. As I got older, though, I felt my eyes getting drier and drier, until I had to give them up. It was also at that point that I learned to embrace my specs as part of me. I started getting interesting frames to make a statement. These were the first frames I really loved:
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 wedding party and our families gathered beneath the tree in the side yard. Our candid “photo session” produced more frame-worthy photos than I had hoped for.
Mrs. Trail Mix, New YorkAge and Occupation: 26, PE TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, MBA StudentEngagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Tannery Pond at the Darrow SchoolAbout Me: I'm a country girl who somehow found herself living in the Big Apple and loving every minute of it. I'm planning a rustic, country-chic wedding in my hometown in upstate New York and it's going to be a Party with a capital P. White wine, flea markets and running keep me happy and my friends, family and fiance are my world. I'm a little bit crafty, a little bit crazy but mostly just crazy in love.
Before I got married, I never really understood what was so difficult about making an album. You pick out some photos, decide on a layout and badda bing, badda, boom, album done.
Um, yeah…not so much. It turns out, making an album really is as much of a b*tch as everyone says it is.
First of all, at least in my case, I was trying to narrow down 2,156 photos to about 60 or so. Friends, let me tell you, that is no easy task. I wanted to make sure we chose the best of the best, the photos which truly represented our wedding and where everyone has their eyes open and was smiling pretty. It took me almost a month just to choose the pictures!
Then I had to decide what kind of album I wanted to make (this one is for my parents, I’m sure ours will be a solid year or two coming). While our photographer seemed to offer competitively-priced albums, I just couldn’t come to terms with spending so much money so I decided to go the DIY route.
My siblings!
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
