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!
Wow, hive. Finally full circle, it’s been a year since my debut as a blogging bee. Happy New Year, indeed!
2010 proved a most excellent year for us, and I will always remember you all for being such a huge part of my life. You know, in that honest, sentimental-yet-still-slightly-creepy fashion of virtual friendship. You welcomed me in, solvedallmyproblems, sent me off, and welcomed married-me back again. You even shared your love with Mr. Sew, though the silly man remained too chicken to stop lurking and create an account. And know that I hold you responsible for giving him the biggest ego ever, seriously.
But now that the wedding is over and re-capped, it’s time for us Sews to go back to the underground we came from. Who knows what’s in store for us next, but God willing, we’ll be hand-in-hand to explore, tackle, chew on, and sew together whatever-it-may-be.
Before I go, I wanted to share my very favorite wedding picture of the day. Which, oddly, is most definitely not Mr. Sew’s favorite picture.
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.
Disclaimer: I have been trapped in my apartment for six days straight and am slowly but surely losing my mind. I was sick last week and over the weekend, then today and yesterday my office has been closed due to snow and ice. Must…get…out!
Mr. Panther and I had hoped to hear back from the bridal shop about his potential Hugo Boss tux, but since Atlanta is completely shut down, it looks like we’ll be waiting a little longer. However, we were able to figure out another wedding item in a slightly-less-snowy area of the country: our wedding cake!
When we were figuring out the budget back in March, we didn’t leave much for the cake. See, I love food, but I’m really not a sweets person. (If cakes were made out of french fries, this would be a very different blog post.) When I do eat sweets, I go for the casual kind: strawberry shortcake, Betty Crocker yellow cake with Duncan Hines chocolate frosting, etc. I’ve never liked buttercream or really any professionally-made dessert at all. So, though I knew we had to have a cake, I didn’t really care too much about it. I figured we’d pick something that most people liked, throw our adorable cake topper on top of it and call it a day.
As my planning journey progressed, I spotted a few gorgeous cakes that I would have loved to have, if budget wasn’t an issue, but moved on without too much disappointment.
Jamie was absolutely wonderful! She went above and beyond to help us with our destination wedding, even going so far as finding helping me find someone to do my hair and makeup. We decided last minute to have a videographer, and she helped us with that too.
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.
“something hard so it doesn’t get lots of scratches”
“nothing frilly or with too much decoration”
“nothing with diamonds”
“something really light so I won’t feel it on”
These were the requirements of Mr. Pashmina as we went on our search to find the perfect men’s ring. Just to give you a little insight into the type of guy my husband is: he has “going out” sweats, “at home” sweats, and “exercise” sweats. Did you think there was just one kind? Oh, no! Read more…
Mrs. Ostrich, San Francisco/HawaiiAge and Occupation: 30, Fashion Buyer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 38, CopywriterEngagement Date: October 4, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Sweet ceremony by the sea and sunset celebration on the North Shore of HawaiiAbout Me: Born in the city of angels and residing in the city by the bay, I’m a fearless fashion buyer by day, a passionate blog author by night and a dreamy bride-to-be in between. I thank my lucky stars to live in such a stunning city that gives me gifts like organic honey lavender ice cream, movie nights in the park, tucked away beaches, legendary record stores, '80s dance parties, awesome sports teams, stellar flea markets, and vintage bookshops. Oh, and I love to dance! We always find every excuse to escape to the beach, and decided a little seaside wedding in Hawaii is our idea of bliss. Full of our favorite people, music, food and sparkly lights, this is one sunset celebration we will always remember.
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.
Time to talk a bit more about dressing Cinnamon Buns. He was fairly sure that he wanted a black suit. He figured that black is easy to wear, looks fancy but not as fancy as a tuxedo, and goes with everything. Not to mention that we have to wear all black for work, so if he ever felt like being fancy on an Opening Night, he could wear it. I was a-OK with this decision. I thought black would make our choice of coloured shirts pop, and everyone would just look really, really sharp.
Then Cinnamum phoned, and she asked how the planning was going. I told her we’d decided that the menfolk would be wearing black suits. There was silence. Then it came: “Won’t it look like a funeral? Or like they’re waiters?” I could not convince her that black was acceptable in a suit. I pointed out that tuxedos are black, and I think they make men look like penguins. That was different, because they’re tuxedos. The phone call didn’t end on a good note, because we were both being obstinate about it. I watched this video on YouTube to make myself feel better (note the black suit NPH is wearing!).
Later I got an email from her with a quote she’d found somewhere on the internet:
Mrs. Socks, Southern NJ/Philadelphia, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Web Developer/Marketing SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Systems EngineerEngagement Date: September 7, 2009
Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: Ladder 15 RestaurantAbout Me: I am originally from the Midwest, but I love being an East Coast transplant! Mr. Socks and I are foodies and winos to the core---give us a hunk of cheese, some charcuterie and a glass of wine and we could die happy. We have two mischievous Wire Fox Terriers with completely opposite personalities but with a shared love of uprooting anything in our garden. Our backyard garden includes everything from tomatoes and peppers to a fig tree, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries! I love cooking, indie music, and spending time in our wedding city of choice---Philly!
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.
When it was finally time for the first fitting, I gathered up my shoes and my courage and paid a visit to a local seamstress. I slipped into the dress, and she pinned the sides of the gown.
(personal photo)
She told me the dress could be taken in easily, since there was a single seam down each side, and the dress lacked any lace or embellishment. This is not to say dresses with these features cannot be taken in, simply that it is easier without them. 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!
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.
I’ve answered the who and what of our wedding, but I have yet to address the where. And here is where I run into a wee problem. I don’t feel like sharing this bit of information. I’m not trying to be snobby about it at all. I just feel like our venue is unique in comparison to the traditional venues in the Fresno area, and I’d rather that detail be saved for our guests to enjoy the day of. I’m not under any impression that we’re the only couple getting married here because that’s most definitely not the case. I just don’t want to share. That’s all there is to it. With that said, I will describe it as best as I can (and just maybe give you a small sneak preview of it).
So…our big day will be celebrated at a lovely private residence. Yes, we are having a backyard wedding! When we went for our initial tour, I thought about it for about one hot second before deciding that it had to be it. I knew the moment I saw it that this was going to be where we said our wedding vows. It has a unique charm, complete with tons of overgrown trees, fountains!, and the most gorgeous flowers I’ve ever seen. Luckily for our wedding budget, the gorgeous ambiance of the backyard will allow us to somewhat skimp on our flowers. Don’t get me wrong, we’re still getting flowers. I love flowers, but they’re not high on my priority list. Here’s a picture I found early on in the planning process that has remained my inspiration. (You may recognize this from a previous post.)
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!
Hive, we spent the better part of the weekend printing, cutting, trimming, punching, and assembling the Lioness invites. They were truly a labor of love, but I am so pleased with how they turned out! Here’s a little sneak peek:
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.
I finally got it done! I’ve been wanting to do a bridesmaids’ newsletter for a while, and I finally did it! It was easy to create, too! Remember Mrs. Blush’s BM Newsletter dot com from Wix.com? Well, that’s where I got my inspiration! Check it out:
I only had one picture of all of us! Isn’t that crazy? I’m so happy I found it and I know the girls will be excited to see it! We’re all friends, but we don’t always all hang out. BM Ree lives in NY, FSIL Amber lives in MD, and the twin BMs are going to school and working. Read more…
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."
I haven’t written much about vendor decisions because, well, our search would be boring to you. There was a LOT of Google-searching—-of pictures, reviews, prices, locations. I loved our caterer’s menus online and his overall enthusiasm for being creative with food. His food was absolutely delicious, his laid-back demeanor made me feel at ease, and he’s familiar with our venue and its kitchen. We didn’t make another tasting appointment; we were sold. (See? Not very helpful.)
BUT, I feel I should let you in on our venue.
After days of digging through local magazines and online resources, we found our first two contenders: The Glendale Lyceum and Ault Park:
With that said, I will describe it as best as I can (and just maybe give you a small sneak preview of it).
