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!
H to the IVE, I hope you’re excited because now that I’ve finally found my camera cord (aka bought a new one), I can share more photos with you!
Where we last were, I didn’t choose an STD, then I designed a million save the dates, and then we finally decided on one, and then realized I needed a postcard to put that sucker on. Phew! It’s a good thing that we’re past those crazy steps!
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
And now: part 2 of our ceremony. Need to get caught up? Click here to see part 1.
These rings are an outward sign of an inward and invisible grace that unites two hearts in love. That’s what has brought us here today. They are especially significant because the circle of these rings symbolizes an unending and enduring quality of love that you two are sharing today. There is no beginning and there is no end. It is the same love that God has for each of us.
“I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness”
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.
Let’s get real here. I’ve yapped a little about how I’m going to DIY some details for our big day. And so far, I’ve shown you my flower balls. (Seriously, could no one come up with a better name?) But that is not the only craft in progress here at Chez Lox. Nor is it the only craft on my list. So today I decided to take inventory of what I intend to do. And for some reason, every time I take inventory of something, it means a spreadsheet. Don’t ask; it’s a sickness. Just wait until we talk about dress shopping…
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!
Ever have that hamster-on-a-wheel sensation where you feel like you’re going nowhere fast? Sometimes our lives read like an endless string of deadlines, all too often filled with items we have to do (rather than things we want to). As a means of putting our lives in a “bigger picture” perspective, Mr. Tartlet and I started compiling a list to answer a very important question:
There are the big items (get married, become homeowners, start a family), but no less important are the small things (like making pasta from scratch). To give you a better idea of what I’m yammering on about, here’s a sampling of items on our bucket list that range from our wildest dreams to things we could cross off tomorrow: Read more…
BeehiveFeature Launched: Aug 31, 2006About: A forum for readers to post questions and get feedback from the hive, aka the weddingbee community.
Don’t forget to review your favorite vendors for a chance to win this week’s prize!
~~~
We’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading real Weddingbee brides’ experiences with their vendors via the Weddingbee Vendors section! A while back, we launched Featured Reviews from the Hive, a new feature that allows you to share your favorite vendors right here on the front page! We’ve loved all of the great vendor reviews coming at us.
Currently, we’re regularly featuring your favorite vendor reviews that you write and submit to us. Every Friday we’ll randomly select a featured reviewer that week to win a prize from our Weddingbee Favors Shop!
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.
Mr. Starfish and I are wrapping up our final wedding decision…the wedding album. I had absolutely no idea how daunting this task would be. I expected the thank you cards to be a big post-wedding project, but I thought we’d be done after that.
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."
Okay, ’bee readers. I need your help finding a reception dress.
…which is hard for me to admit. I consider myself a talented shopper. Even if I invent an item in my head, I will find it. I thrive on the HUNT in shopping, so I know my way around everywhere from the best consignment shops and outlets to ring-the-doorbell, high-end retailers. I do the whole internet she-bang: Rue LaLa and Gilt, net-a-porter and outnet, Shop-It-To-Me round-ups, ShopStyle and Bluefly and ASOS, Etsy and eBay, along with Pre-Owned Dresses and Once Wed.
And I cannot find the stupid dress that I invented in my head. I don’t even NEED a reception dress (of course I don’t) but I really want one on-hand for if we high-tail it to the English pub post-reception. (Given my family and friends…highly likely.)
There are two dresses that I was in LOVE with prior to get engaged. (Not that I, uh, looked at dresses before then…)
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. 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!
Ever since high school I’ve had a pretty similar routine with my hair. No, I’m not talking about how I wear it—I’m talking about my need to chop it all off about every year or so. The reason that I tend to have this yearly chopping festival is that my hair grows really, really quickly. At the same time, though, whenever I cut it off I usually like it for about a week, then realize that short hair isn’t my favorite and want my long hair back. You’d think that I would have learned this lesson by now, but nope—I always think that this time, the short haircut will be the one.
These are both from about four years ago, I think. Once my hair gets to this length, it’s usually the time that I start thinking about cutting it all off.
Miss Oatmeal, Fresno, CAAge and Occupation: 25, Medical Device Sales RepresentativeFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Police Officer/Captain in the US ArmyEngagement Date: February 16, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Private Residence, FresnoAbout Me: I am a toast-loving, list-making, occasionally crazy California girl getting dangerously close to marrying her crime-fighting, patient, man's man fiancé. I’ve never left our hometown of Clovis, CA, I love Anthropologie so much it almost hurts, appreciate promptness, love that our 4lb. Chihuahua, Murphy, smells like Fritos, am irritated by windshield wipers that move too fast for the amount of rain, love me some cold weather, have an unhealthy obsession with boots, and wholeheartedly think that my family is everything. Mr. Oatmeal is, oddly enough, my brother's best friend. He's also the best thing that's ever happened to me, and together we are planning a vintage chic, backyard, spring wedding with a few nontraditional touches while trying to keep up with our crazy lives.
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.
But first, we had two more wonderful days at the resort. After horseback riding the night before, we had an early morning kayaking trip planned. We could take two single kayaks, or what our kayak guide called, “the divorce boat.” Since I have never been kayaking, we took the divorce boat or two person kayak. Poor Mr P had to endure my “front seat driving” and my habit of becoming engrossed in our surroundings and absent mindedly forgetting to paddle…what a trooper! You’ll notice that the photos from our disposable camera have a vintage feel—I think this camera sat on the shelf too long, but I am loving the effect.
Mrs. Veggie, Raglan, New Zealand/Scranton, PAAge and Occupation: 27, Director of Small Non-ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 42, PhD Student & FarmerEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Indian Head Camp, Honesdale Pennsylvania
About Me: I am a tree-huggin' farmer turned enthusiastic wedding-planner. I live in a house truck and wear flip-flops more often than shoes. In my old life I was a high school Spanish teacher in love with a crazy guy who lived off-the grid on a farm in New Hampshire. But, we decided to mix things up a bit, quit our jobs and move to New Zealand. My southern hemisphere lifestyle involves growing veggies, teaching, running our small non-profit, and surfing. I love laughing, singing, playing, and the inspirational Mr. Veggie (of course!). For our wedding, I am committed to throwing a killer party that celebrates our values without breaking the bank. Look forward to an eco-thrifty summer-campy weekend-long extravaganza.
How do you know if a pirate is coming to your wedding?
They send an AAARH-SVP.
What will a pirate eat at your wedding?
AAARH-d’oeuvres
OK, I’m done, I’m done. Maybe.
One more. Where does a pirate go for her bachelorette party? A BAAARRRHH.
True that.
I should have been worried when I got a pirate-themed invitation earlier in the summer, but I really had no idea just how far my sisters would take it. Pretty far, it turns out. 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.
In the seven years that we’ve been together, I’ve seen him drop a tear…twice. Once was when he was watching a Chinese film about an estranged father and son, and the other time was when he discovered the company StillMotion and their same day edits.
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.
You know that one thing that continually goes wrong to the point of you walking outside, face to the sky, hands lifted, screaming, “WHY?”
For us, it was trying to schedule engagement photos when storms littered the Doppler Radar. I’m talking every single weekend. (And yes, drama queens really do go outside and scream at the heavens, especially when it concerns the weather.)
But you know those ever-optimistic people who, despite a life being in shambles or crumbling before them, lay a calm hand on your shoulder, look you in the eyes, and calmly remind you that everything happens for a reason? Well I have some important news for you nay-sayers:
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
Mr. Starfish and I are wrapping up our final wedding decision…the wedding album. I had absolutely no idea how daunting this task would be. I expected the thank you cards to be a big post-wedding project, but I thought we’d be done after that.
I should have been worried when I got a pirate-themed invitation earlier in the summer, but I really had no idea just how far my sisters would take it. Pretty far, it turns out.
