Mrs. Lox, BaltimoreAge and Occupation: 33, Government WorkerFiance's Age and Occupation: 35. IT ConsultantEngagement Date: May 8, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Vandiver InnAbout Me: I’m an East Coast gal born and bred and a suburban brat turned city rat for the last year. Now Mr. Lox and I enjoy walking all kinds of places, having the coolest things around in our backyard, and especially our garage parking. I love gadgets, toys, Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby ice cream, monkeys, and our insane cats. I’m a blonde by birth and a redhead by choice. I’m that girl in the cubicle farm with all the cool toys and the file cabinet covered in magnetic poetry. I still use smiley faces in my emails, whether people like it or not. This is not the first rodeo for Mr. Lox nor me. And together, we are planning an intimate afternoon wedding on a budget we can afford by ourselves.
Well, it happened. I mean, I didn’t think it would, but it did. Oh no, I thought I was such a cool, laid-back bride. And only smart cool people are coming to my wedding. That is the joy of a small affair later in life. It’s all cool and laid back and made of awesome. Until today, that is.
Today, a wedding guest lost her mind. See, it started when she got our STD (*snicker*), apparently. She promptly visited the website and signed our guestbook there. “We have saved the date, now we just need to find a room.” I may be all calm and stuff, but I know passive aggressive when I see it. And I know this woman…have for all of my life. I was frustrated. Before the STDs (*snort*) went out, I got a list of recommended places to stay from the B&B where the wedding is (theirs being at the top of the list, of course). And I added said list to our wedding website to get the news out to our guests. So I was irked. But, you know, I just let it go. I’m cool, so that’s how I roll.
See how chill she is? I can’t even do yoga in sweatpants, let alone a gown. (Source)
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!
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!
Sister Lioness spent so much time and effort on the details of my shower, I simply had to devote an entire post to them! Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?
When guests first walked in, they were greeted with a table filled with mismatched teacups. Guests were instructed to choose a teacup. As you can see, the table was adorned with black and white “Alice in Wonderland” illustrations.
Each teacup included a homemade sugar cookie, as well as a few bags of tea. Read more…
Mrs. Bacon, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 26, Digital Advertising ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, IT Client ServicesEngagement Date: June 17, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Ravenswood Billboard FactoryAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl that can't seem to commit to staying in one place for too long and is constantly daydreaming about my next adventure. I am an aspiring foodie with a weak spot for the unusual and I love semi-reality food television. My other loves easily include laughing as a form of exercise, a book that I can't put down, summer baseball games, espresso with whipped cream, couch potato days and nights with the ridiculous Mr. Bacon, and our two kitties, Lincoln and Sawyer. We're planning a faux-destination wedding for 150 of our closest friends and family in the city we've both adopted as home that has a modern, yet whimsical twist and as many personal touches as we can manage.
So we didn’t just pull into the strip mall, exactly. Really, I zoomed past the strip mall, and without my aunt’s eagle eyes, we might never have found the salon. After circling the block and finding a parking spot right in front of the doors, we entered Bella Bridal and Formal Wear in St. Charles.
Mrs. Eggs Benedict, SeattleAge and Occupation: 29, AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, AttorneyEngagement Date: December 5, 2009Wedding Date: February 2011Venue: IslandWoodAbout Me: I'm a Northwest girl who spends my time goofing around with Mr. Eggs Benedict and our dog, hiking, traveling, drinking wine and planning a wedding that will showcase the best of what the Pacific Northwest has to offer. I also love photography, beating Mr. Eggs Bene at Mario Kart, and watching the most ridiculous natural disaster flicks you can think of (seriously, how can you deny the awesomeness that is The Core or 2012?? That's right, you can't). We are planning our weekend wedding adventure at an environmental educational center, and I can't wait for the fun to begin!
Can I talk about somehing that might be a bit controversial?
Babies.
Now this isn’t a post about whether or not to have kids at your wedding. Kids are invited to our wedding because I love them and I would hate for anyone not to be able to come if they couldn’t find a sitter. Plus we’re getting married at a camp for kids! How can we not invite them? Of course, some people might choose to have a night out and not bring their kids, and that’s fine, too. Really, I just want to throw a great party and welcome all those who can be there with us.
But this post is about babies and my friends who are all starting to have them. More specifically, how I have recently found out that three of my friends are pregnant. That’s awesome and I’m so, so excited for them (and can’t wait to meet and play with all the little ones!). Read more…
Mrs. Pudding, Greater Toronto Area/VermontAge and Occupation: 26, High School TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Computer EngineerEngagement Date: August 2008Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catholic Ceremony, Cultural Hall ReceptionAbout Me: Quite literally a citizen of the world, I was born in Poland, grew up in Canada, and now live in the beautiful state of Vermont. I love reading historical biographies, multi-tasking, teasing my hair, and, despite my height, wearing high heeled shoes. I am the ultimate klutz with an uncanny ability to put on a graceful front. Mr. Pudding and I have been dating for over six years, and are very excited to finally merge our (very large) families. We are planning a traditional Polish-Catholic wedding that is anything but predictable.
I know that it’s been more than 6 months since our wedding, and I am just now beginning the Pudding recaps. Still, I’m not going to make excuses—I’m here now, so ON WITH THE SHOW!
The day before the wedding was a hectic one—actually, the whole week before the wedding was no picnic. Despite the almost two years we had to plan this wedding, we were seriously behind! There were escort cards to prepare, and napkins to fold, and programs to print! Thank goodness for Sister Pudding. I was ready to give up most of the tasks—who needs pretty belly bands for napkins, right?—but Sister P just kept pushing. She knew that I wouldn’t be happy if my visions weren’t realized.
I’m not going to lie; these days were extremely stressful. All of us were big balls of nerves—Sister Pudding refused to talk to Mama P (she can hold a grudge like nobody’s business), Mama P refused to stop ironing Brother P’s shirts (seriously, all of them—and he has a lot of shirts! Why Mama P, WHY?), and me? Well, let’s just say that my craziness culminated when Mr. Pudding called to ask me if he could borrow a tie from my brother for the rehearsal. Needless to say, I had a screaming, crying fit, during which I questioned our entire relationship, and Mr. Pudding managed to find plenty of volunteers to lend him a tie. I am not proud of this, but I’m just trying to keep it real. It was CRAY-ZEE! Read more…
Mrs. Rainbow, TampaAge and Occupation: 22, Makeup ArtistFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Electrical Engineer/ProgrammerEngagement Date: November 27, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Gamble PlantationAbout Me: I'm a quirky (and slightly Type-A) freelance makeup artist who was born in Washington State, raised in Alabama, and now living with my one and only in sunny Florida. I'm fashion and beauty obsessed, and have recently discovered my inner domestic diva extraordinaire. I'm a wannabe chef, decorating addict, and trying desperately to be as crafty as possible---albeit only with a glue gun. I'm hopelessly in love with my fiance, and all things sparkly and feathery. Despite the glittery exterior, I'm a total hippie on the inside. When I'm not making up pretty faces, I love doing what I can to help people, animals, and the environment. Someday the FI and I will change the world, but first we're tackling our modern-vintage-Marie-Antoinette-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland inspired wedding. I just can't wait to be Mrs. Rainbow!
Mrs. Knitting, TorontoAge and Occupation: 24, Student Recruitment Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Neuroscience PhD CandidateEngagement Date: October 2009Wedding Date: December 2010Venue: University of Toronto Faculty Club
About Me: I'm a pearl wearing, etiquette book reading Toronto girl who loves cooking and baking, museums, charm bracelets, and collecting books on Jackie Kennedy (a lot). I've been known to spend Sunday mornings at the antique market, Wednesday evenings at sister sushi dinners, and any bit of spare time reading. After six and a half years of many late night walks, watching DVDs together in bed, travelling to places like New York, and Tobermory, doing Sudokus together on the couch, lots of Indian food, the occasional yoga class, moving in together and so much more, Mr. Knitting and I are planning a cozy Christmasy (it's a word!), vintage wedding in Toronto complete with many DIY projects (eek!) and lots of help from our amazing group of family and friends.
I’ve written before about my mom’s (and consequently my family’s) obsession with all things Indian. One of the coolest ways this obsession has manifested is that for 20 years my parents hosted an Indian feast at our house on Christmas Eve for a group of our family and friends.
Sadly, about 5 years ago, my parents decided that the feast was too much work to continue and they stopped hosting it and we instead began spending Christmas Eve at Indian restaurants with immediate family only. While I’m perfectly happy with this arrangement, I was beyond thrilled when I received an invitation to a Christmas Indian feast held in our honour.
That’s right: my sister/MOH decided to bring back our old tradition as a pre-wedding celebration for Mr. Knitting and myself. Think wedding shower, minus pretty much everything that says shower. It was perfect.
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.
Seriously. There’s nothing better. I love movies, I love/hate celebrities, and I love pretty dresses. Especially pretty dresses. I’m all about pretty dresses. And I’ve been even more all about pretty dresses since I got engaged.
While watching the Golden Globes the other night, I saw a bunch of dresses that would’ve been absolutely perfect for a bride. Check ’em out!
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.
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.
The long, loose curl that is effortlessly cascading down a bride…I just adore it! It’s romantic and beautiful with just that perfect touch of natural. I am sifting through some of the pictures that I took to my wedding day hair trial. I, like so many brides, had to decide between three basic hairstyles for the big day: up, down or half-up. Which version for the wedding? Would there be time for two? I was instantly drawn to having my hair down. This is what I usually wear most days, so it feels like me. Very feminine, a little casual, and made perfect with a white dress (and perhaps a flower, too)! Here are a few inspiration pictures for long, Bohemian waves.
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.
Cinnamon Buns and I have started to plan our ceremony. We’ve borrowed the headings from Mrs. Cherry Pie’s ceremony to give us a place to start. At the moment, we’re not so much writing as just copying and pasting things we find that we like under the proper headings. Later we’ll go through, edit, change stuff, and really make it our own.
Something that is important to me (well, both of us!) is that our guests are involved. Read more…
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.
A big part of what appeals to us about this look is the black and white contrasting colors; it’s undoubtedly bold and beautiful. We love the elegant cake stands and symmetrical setup too, but our favorite element is that huge white mirror! Well, you guys know I’m obsessed with Etsy and know I love all things vintage, so it should come as no big surprise that I’m captivated by these lovely, white-framed, vintage mirrors. There are dozens for sale on Etsy too… just like this one:
Mrs. Lox, BaltimoreAge and Occupation: 33, Government WorkerFiance's Age and Occupation: 35. IT ConsultantEngagement Date: May 8, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Vandiver InnAbout Me: I’m an East Coast gal born and bred and a suburban brat turned city rat for the last year. Now Mr. Lox and I enjoy walking all kinds of places, having the coolest things around in our backyard, and especially our garage parking. I love gadgets, toys, Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby ice cream, monkeys, and our insane cats. I’m a blonde by birth and a redhead by choice. I’m that girl in the cubicle farm with all the cool toys and the file cabinet covered in magnetic poetry. I still use smiley faces in my emails, whether people like it or not. This is not the first rodeo for Mr. Lox nor me. And together, we are planning an intimate afternoon wedding on a budget we can afford by ourselves.
So you’ve seen the envelope and heard my crazy tales of embossing gone wrong but eventually right. But what, you might ask, is actually inside that carefully decorated envelope?
If I were you, I’d be anticipating some equally DIYed goodness. And I’d be waiting with bated breath to see how I screwed up lovingly crafted the STDs (*snort*). The bottom line is—if I were you? I’d be disappointed.
The truth is, the STDs (*giggle*) were one of my first wedding purchases. That’s right—I simply bought them. I had a coupon code for Shutterfly, and both Mr. Lox and I loved the idea of having our picture incorporated into the STDs (*laugh*). So I ordered them from a stock design. What can I say? Neither one of us is a graphic designer. Luckily, we both have wallets and jobs that pay.
So without further ado, I am unveiling the completely non-handmade but still totally us STD (*snicker*).
Picture courtesy of my cell phone. Picture on STD courtesy of Chad Lippiatt Photo.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
