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.
Today has been one of the biggest, most exciting wedding-related days of our entire engagement: Our DIY save the dates, which we’ve been toiling on and hot-gluing and printing and screaming about for the last month, are finally in the mail and we’re experiencing something like empty nest syndrome. Weird?
So until guests start ripping apart the mustard yellow, sealed-with-care envelopes to reveal our beloved wedding date, I have to keep quiet about them. Because yes, I want them to be surprised. And I’m pretty sure that maybe one of our guests follows Weddingbee, and damnit, I want them to be surprised, too.
So until then, let’s talk about things other than paper goods. How about hair accessories? I don’t know about you, but I think charging hundreds (yes, plural) of dollars for a handmade fabric flower is pure crazytalk.
Now this might not really apply to lots of readers. Maybe you’re cool with splurging because you’re going to wear some super-duper flower cluster on your wedding day, and it’s your wedding, so who cares how much it costs?
But not for this gal. Since my hair isn’t even ponytail-length, I rely on a steady stream of hair accessories. Like, every single day. I even have plaid flowers for winter. No, seriously. But this is getting a little off topic.
My recent DIY project, spurred by distaste for overpriced Etsy finds: 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!
We still haven’t decided exactly what we are going to do for the girls’ dresses yet. I have several ideas, but one thing I knew I wanted to do was to create jewelry for them to wear. (Mainly because I love the idea of making something for my wonderful friends, and also if they end up hating it, it wasn’t something super expensive that they’ll never wear again!)
So I spent some time on Etsy* and bought some blue beads, and black beads, and green beads, 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.
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).
Now that we’re into serious countdown time, procrastinating on things like, oh, the ceremony has got to stop!
We’ve known for a while now that we would use the “Art of a Good Marriage” by Wilfred Arlan Peterson as a ceremony reading, just like Mrs. Gloss and Miss Elephant, but what we couldn’t figure out were our vows. See, “I, Hippo, take you King Hippo, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do us part,” is simple and beautiful. But those super traditional vows don’t really fit with the wedding we’ve created. We are getting married in a art gallery, and serving wine before the ceremony. Clearly, this is not going to be an uber-traditional affair. To me, using super traditional vows in this very non-traditional wedding setting, just doesn’t fit…
Mrs. Jaguar, SydneyAge and Occupation: 27, Primary School TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Curzon HallAbout Me: I'm an Australian girl who is a self-proclaimed nerd, loves all things stationery and would be lost without books, music and the internet. Mr. Jaguar and I have been together for the past eight years and he finally popped the question last August. Hurrah! We currently live in Sydney, Australia with our adorable cat who thinks he's a person. We're a couple who likes to multi-task: we've been planning a wedding abroad, a permanent move from London to Sydney, and preparing to build our own home all at the same time. Travelling makes me giddy...as does Mr. Jaguar, of course!
A thought occurred to me the other day while I was busy making up a mock to-do list for the wedding: this whole time I’ve been blogging for the Bee, I neglected to share our wedding photographers with you!
I’ll admit: finding a photographer was our TOP priority—after securing a date and a venue, that is! It was the one thing that I refused to settle for, and that I knew I would be booking super early—by the time our wedding rolls around, we’ll have had our deposit down with them for well over a year! Andrew was the first (and only!) photographer we met, and I’m confident we’re going to be blessed with great pictures. I mean, really. Look!
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.
I’ve probably let it slip a couple of times that I’m a little obsessed with my dress. It was obviously my biggest purchase so far, and I’ve been kind of designing everything else around it. It’s the whole wedding, basically.
And I’ve been thrilled not to see it on many other people. I Tivo Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta just so I can fast-forward through the episodes in search of my gown. I Google it like it’s my job. I scan the blogs for any hint of taffeta. After seven months of not spotting it anywhere other than magazine ads, I was fairly certain that I had picked a really original style. I once asked Monte why I never saw anyone try it on the show, and he said, “Well, honey, not many women can pull it off like you can.” I positively glowed at that comment. Yes! YES! *cue maniacal laughter*
Unfortunately, at the end of October…I spotted it. On the blog of all blogs, Style Me Pretty. And it wasn’t just a brief mention—they were gushing over it. Check out the post here.
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!
After I had my gown, it was time to dress my groom. Since we aren’t going the casual (button down and jeans), vintage (suspenders and tweed), or themed (knight in full armor riding in a white horse) route, we have two basic options: tuxedo or suit.
The suit won out pretty quickly. Neither of us are fans of rental tuxes, and a tux seemed a tad too formal for our outdoor desert wedding anyway. Plus, Mr. Cheetah has been itching for an excuse to invest in a snazzy suit. We both agreed on the overall look: black and slim fitting (why, oh, why do so many suits look so huge and boxy??).
We hit up the post-Thanksgiving sales in search for the perfect black suit, not really expecting to find anything. Read more…
Mrs. Lobster, BrooklynAge and Occupation: 29, Finance GirlFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance BoyEngagement Date: July 25, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Stage 6 Steiner StudiosAbout Me: I'm a New York-born, Virginia-bred girl who's found her way back to the big city. Mr. Lobster and I met in grad school and have been together ever since. I'm clueless about DIY but am an avid online shopper and love all things polka dots, stripes, and ruffles! When I'm not making wedding lists, you can find me looking for snacks, watching Gilmore Girls, or hanging out with Mr. Lobster and our new puppy Buddy! We are planning a fancy-pantsy Brooklyn wedding for a hot New York summer night which is sure to be a misadventure in the making.
Mr. Lobster and I rented a bus to drive us to our photo shoot location and venue. It was the easiest way to keep everyone together without giving people directions, carpooling, etc. With the bridal party, my parents, photographers and videographer, we had 18 people!
They have no idea what they signed up for
I had my own seat and barely fit my dress into it. 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.
We bought our pocketfolds, invitation mats, invitation cards, and enclosure cards from Cards and Pockets, and also had them do all the printing from our designs. We were very impressed with Cards and Pockets.
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.
This is when you know your wedding has made you somewhat insane.
I got home from work one day, and Mr. Lox pointed to the kitchen counter and said, “You have a package!” Now, I am roughly the equivalent of a five-year-old about packages in the mail. They are BIG FUN. And this one was especially fun because I had no idea what was in it! So Mr. Lox watched me prance into the kitchen like a little girl on Christmas morning. I had no idea what it was at all…until Mr. Lox said, “Try picking it up.” Then I knew. These were… 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!
As I mentioned in my last post, we’re having our wedding at IslandWood. I’m so excited about this for the simple reason that for everyone who can come, they will be invited to celebrate with us all weekend—from Friday night through the welcome brunch on Sunday. And even better—there are so many things to do around IslandWood that we don’t even have to entertain them the whole time! They can entertain each other! We will have some things that people can choose to do on Saturday before the wedding, or they can just take off and explore on their own (or visit the rest of the island if they so choose).
IslandWood was originally built to be an educational center for grade-school children to learn about environmental issues, but it has become so much more than that, including a home for classes for the Bainbridge Graduate Institute. There are four lodges where people can stay that are all located on the property. Additionally, all meals for the weekend will be eaten in the dining hall (including our wedding dinner cooked with local and sustainable ingredients by the chefs!).
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!
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!
