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.
Some people second guess their dress. Not me. I second guess my venue, or so it seems.
When Mr. Lox and I first got engaged and our favorite restaurant offered themselves up as an affordable venue for both ceremony and reception, we were thrilled. It was a no-brainer. We know the owner and trust him. We know the bartender. We know the chef. And we know the sommelier. It seemed perfect. We had an initial discussion with the owner about very high-level details and then cleared our date with him. He didn’t want a deposit or a contract because he said it’s bad luck. We trusted him, so it wasn’t a big deal. And done!
Of course, if that were the extent of this, it wouldn’t be a problem. But as time passed, our lack of contract started to freak me out. I felt like that plus the lack of details was becoming a giant problem. I started to panic. So we began to try to contact the owner to talk and ease my fear. He didn’t answer e-mails. He was never around to pick up the phone. Finally, we showed up there for dinner and he talked with us. I started to feel better.
That is, right up until we talked about the ceremony setup. That was the one piece that was not how I had envisioned it. The setup he outlined had no real aisle for me to walk down and a half-wall between the ceremony and our seated guests. I tried to be cool about it. I tried not to think about it. We moved on.
I was so, so happy with our wedding day flowers! Tricia did bouquets, bouts, and two different kinds of reception centerpieces for us, and I was happy with all of them!
Mrs. Barrettes, Tumon, Guam/Napa, CAAge and Occupation: 29, DancerFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Licensed Building ContractorEngagement Date: November 16, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: V. Sattui WineryAbout Me: I'm an East Coast girl, living on a tiny little island in the Pacific, twirling, leaping, and shimmy-ing my way through life, and now, wedding planning! I'm equal parts nerdy and cool... okay, mostly nerdy. I love satin bows, red lipstick, black & white graphic anything, the shine of sequins and the sound of a champagne "pop". My favorite books are The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James, and Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I can also conjure a pretty good Patronus Charm. I started my appreciation for good red wine while traveling on the high seas, and it's only fitting that my passion for wine drinking led me to my Napa-bred honey. We bonded over bottles of Cabernet on my oceanfront porch and haven't looked back since. We're sealing the deal at a winery in the Napa Valley on a 'perfect ten' of a day!
When Luke arrived, we were in the middle of bridal beautification. Raja wasn’t into all the excitement and after a quick puppy shot, my dad shuffled him off to another room to save us all from his barking. He’s not usually a barker and my nerves were not up for dealing with a wound-up pup. He sure does take a cute photo, though! 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 swear, the “etiquette” part of addressing envelopes is driving. me. batty.
What I really wanted to do was this: Mr. John and Mrs. Jane Smith.
This is how I would want something addressed to me and Mr. PD if we shared the same last name. When I asked my mom, her Southern upbringing chimed in, and I ceded. Because…while I would crinkle my nose at receiving an invitation addressed to us as “Mr. & Mrs. John Smith,” Mr. PD’s grandmother, for example, would crinkle her nose at NOT being addressed that way. With a sigh, I just did it. Read more…
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!
My current idea for my girls’ dresses is to have them all pick a black dress and call it good. Why? Well, for two reasons really. One, because I’ve been in several weddings and have only actually worn one of the dresses again. Which one was that? The black dress.
Now, that black dress was for a wedding where we all had the same black dress, and it was one that was purchased specifically for the wedding. But, I still managed to wear it again (at least twice, maybe more). Also, this is an excellent way for someone with a tighter budget to be able to wear something they have in their closet (or borrow from someone else); or if they want to splurge on something new, then they can! Win-win-win!
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.
Miss Pancakes’s post on doilies couldn’t have come at a better time because I was just about to share my DIY post on the adorable canvas totes, made possible by said doilies.
A few months ago while browsing through the glorious world of blogs, I came across a tutorial for this cute canvas tote:
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!
Once our bridal party was finally all corralled into one place, we tromped into the University of Pittsburgh’s main academic building, the Cathedral of Learning. It is very beautiful and dramatic and Hogwarts-y, and I was anticipating lots of gorgeous pictures. I was not anticipating that the Commons Room (the big, beautiful, dramatic main room) would be packed with students studying, who were clearly NOT amused by our hijinks. We took this photo…
…and then took our cue from the sulky students and rolled out. (By the way, glowering college students, it was 5 PM on a gorgeous, warm, sunny Saturday and you will never experience such a carefree time again in your lives. Go outside and play!) Read more…
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.
Did you miss the last post about costing out the ribbon wands? It’s here!
While waiting for my ivory and teal ribbon to arrive, I spent a few evenings in front of the TV cutting the green ribbon into 18″ lengths. Once the rest of the ribbon arrived, I cut the teal into 18″ lengths. I decided to stamp a whole long length of the ivory ribbon before cutting it:
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. 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!
If you’re planning a wedding, I’m sure there have been times where you feel a little crazed/lost/confused/stressed/oh, and other good adjectives, too.
There’s been times recently where I pause and in a panic-induced moment start to wonder, “what the heck was I thinking deciding to plan a wedding?!”
I never ever thought I’d be a stressed bride. I mean, we’ve been engaged for over 2 years. There has been plenty of time to get things done… When I was engaged an unemployed, I thought I had all the time in the world, but after getting a job, the last 9 months have flown by and I haven’t had nearly enough time to work on the wedding. The fact that Mr. G and I work different schedules and live an hour apart make things worse because it’s already pretty difficult to just spend time together, let alone run around and meet vendors and give them checks.
I know it’s not, but getting everything done is starting to feel impossible.
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
I was lying around the other day flipping through the channels when I caught a glimpse of the Taylor Swift video for “Mine” and noticed the gorgeous scenes in the woods with the hanging photographs. This obviously translated to wedding immediately, and the great Google search began.
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.
Mrs. Dolphin, Gainesville, FLAge and Occupation: 24, Graduate Architecture StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Interactive Interface DeveloperEngagement Date: February 14, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Plantation Bay Country ClubAbout Me: I’m currently a Graduate Student at the University of Florida studying Architecture. I enjoy playing Scrabble with my Fiance, rooting for the Florida Gators, making any drink that involves a blender, cleaning (yes... I’m crazy), design... GOOD design that is, the new Pepsi with natural sugar, taking pictures, discovering new places in the U.S., and obsessing over doing (and designing) everything myself for our upcoming wedding!
Confession: We were SOOO ready to be married, our ceremony script was the last thing we wanted to deal with/cared about.
Whew, I’m so glad I got that off my chest. I’ve seen lots of brides post their ceremony in full and talk about how much time they put into their ceremony script and how important certain passages for them were, or poems they included. I think that is awesome and I’ve loved reading what they’ve put together, but truthfully, throughout the wedding planning process, the ceremony became less and less important for us. 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!
After my unexpected eureka moment at the bridal expo, I went home and did what any dress-crazed woman would do. I conducted a massive Google search. I expected the pages and pages of dresses. What I did not expect was to fall irrevocably in love with her:
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
