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.
We’ve already covered that despite our love for kidlets, there won’t be any at the Bacon Big Day. So what am I writing about them for this time? Have I changed my mind? Have I figured out a way to include the kids without them being there? Nope.
Mrs. Meerkat, Kalamazoo, MI/Riviera MayaAge and Occupation: 30, Application EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: December 2010Venue: Al Cielo / La LagunaAbout Me: I’m a tech-savvy tomboy with an affinity for hot tea and good sushi. Us Meerkats are just a couple fun lovin’ geeks from Michigan. We love anything having to do with movies, books, video games or technology and we hold a special place in our hearts for our two very spoiled shih-tzus, Wicket and Bravo. We also LOVE to travel. We love it so much it only took us 12 hours after we got engaged to decide to have a destination wedding. We are working our little Meerkat tails off planning a rustic-chic, travel themed destination wedding in the Riviera Maya with a semi-formal, vintage-turned-modern, outdoor at home reception back here in Michigan.
In my last post I showed you our at home reception invitations I have started working on. They are coming along great (wait until you see them!) but I am stuck on the RSVP wording. The traditional styles of wordings are just not the fun atmosphere we want this party to be. I have seen a few really fun styles that I L-O-V-E!
One of the first ones I fell for was Mrs. Nacho’s:
When I read her post I LOLed. I love the personalized nature of the choices. “Better than a Saturday night at Denny’s”—awesome.
Of course there is also the ever popular Mad Libs wording: Read more…
Ms. Potato Chips, Boston/Narragansett RIAge and Occupation: 29, PhD StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Personal Trainer/Business Owner/Physical Therapy AssistantEngagement Date: January 1, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Narragansett TowersAbout Me: A semi-professional bookworm, if I could be a literary character I’d be a cross between Jo March and Jane Eyre, only better accessorized and much lazier. My hobbies include sleeping in, seasonal brews, running, Trader Joe’s, and watching Unwrapped and Good Eats with Mr. Potato Chips. I harbor an irrational fear of tulle, crafts, things that are fussy, and overuse of the phrase "Your Special Day". After a year or seven together, down the aisle we go, slouching toward adulthood and planning a Rhodie party with equal parts whimsy, cheer, and pizza.
Hello hive! Do you mind if I pop in for a second to tell the tale of my wedding dress’s after-life?
Post-wedding, my poor dress was a bit of a mess. The bustle broke, tearing the chiffon in the back slightly, and the bottom was dirty from having run November-Rain-style through the post-after-party downpour. I thought, “well, that’s that…” but my mom, only slightly aghast at my lack of sentimentality, cleaned it (I think in the bathtub) and even fixed the tear.
On a recent visit, I went up to my old bedroom, which is now the guest room. Although my mom has kept the ludicrously bright pumpkin-colored paint I’d chosen, she’s since redecorated in her folksy, crafty, turn-of-the-century bed & breakfasty style.
Darling, right? But wait, what’s this? Hanging on a lacy hanger on the closet door is a now-permanent installation piece!
Mrs. Pain au Chocolat, Wilmington, DEAge and Occupation: 29, RealtorFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, RealtorEngagement Date: November 21, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Greenville Country ClubAbout Me: An ENFJ with an artistic streak who loves backgammon, sailing, graphic design, and sleeping in. Travel (near or far), good wine, and tasty food makes my heart sing. I'm a compulsive list-maker who lives to plan and organize. Mr. P and I have lived together for 4 years, all the while renovating our city townhome bit by bit. We're planning a whimsical, Anthropologie-inspired garden wedding in June 2011.
Four years of art education and a graphic-design degree do not play nicely with a day job that utilizes none of those talents. All of that bottled up creative energy has to go somewhere, or else I get cranky/sulky. (It’s kinda like SAD, but for creative types.) So now that I’m planning a massive art project—I mean wedding!—you can imagine what sort of trouble I’m headed for. Look out wedding-project overload!
Because I don’t have enough going on, I’ve decided it is completely sane to design and build an art installation. For the wedding. I hear all the I-can’t-draw-a-straight-line people asking, “What the heck is an art installation?” Short answer: it’s three-dimensional, site-specific art. The best way to describe is with pictures, and what better way to begin than with the motherload of inspiration: Anthropologie?
Mrs. Crepe, Queens, NY/Nashville, TNAge and Occupation: 28, Jewelry DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Animation DirectorEngagement Date: September 28, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: A church in downtown NashvilleAbout Me: I'm a native New Yorker who has always been a DIY kind of girl and loves tackling creative projects while getting the most out of a dollar. I'm marrying my college sweetheart and we love frequenting antique stores, exploring together, and playing with kittens. We're planning a fun, "us" wedding in his hometown---with as many handmade touches as we can pack into a day!
One Saturday in November, my amazing MOH drove in from Boston for the day (that is love and dedication), and my one and only BM came with me to one of the larger bridal-gown places in New York. The plan, since this was my first time out shopping, was to check out what styles I might like and see how the pricing was. I had a tiny budget in mind, but Mr. Crepe told me not to worry about it that day and just figure out what I liked. Sweetest man. So I tried on a few dresses that I loved, but they were definitely over budget. The store didn’t let us take photos unless we purchased the gown, unfortunately.
Before I went, I did a little bit of research on pricing. I was afraid of falling in love with a dress I couldn’t afford. I found that Watters & Watters dresses were a balance of style and price that we might be able to manage.
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).
Yes indeed. I have finally decided what song to use for the bridal procession. If you remember, I mentioned here that I had picked an awesome song for the bridesmaids, but I was struggling with the song for my processional. Well… struggle no longer. Thanks to a comment on one of posts, hive member Queen2bee pointed me in the direction of this gem:
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!
Note from Miss Pancakes: I wrote this post in November when I was 200 hundred days out. Now that I am 100 days out and ready to post my completed invitations, I thought I should share this post.
Where did the time go?! There are now less than seven months until our wedding…it seems like it was just yesterday that I was saying “I’m not worried—I have 14 months to plan…” Sigh.
That being said, things are going well, but I think it’s time for me to order invitations. I will be moving to Amsterdam for the semester in January, so I would really like to get my invitations assembled and addressed before I leave. Finals start the second week of December, so I need to have all the pieces before December. And then I can assemble after finals, between Christmas and January 8th, when I leave.
In addition to my love for letterpress, I have fallen head-over-heels in love with boxed invitation suites. I first saw these boxed suites on Wedding Chicks and fell in love.
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. Zebra, Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 24 Marketing/Costume DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26 Management/Firefighter Engagement Date: December 12, 2008Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The Providence BiltmoreAbout Me: I'm a small town New England girl with an affinity for procrastination, crossing the proverbial line, and putting her foot in her mouth. I'm a lover of history, all seasons, sewing and Incubus. I design costumes on the side for my old high school's theatre department, which is where I met my sexy man. Our motto for our Big Fat Lebanese/Portuguese/Irish near-300 person wedding is "the more the merrier"! We are marrying in a Catholic ceremony and are hammering out the details of our Victorian-inspired reception.
A year and a half ago when I started to read Weddingbee I always wondered: what makes brides so crazy in the weeks leading up to the wedding? I know it’s a stressful time, that much I could gather, but I wasn’t quite sure where it all erupted. Bride after bride got married and there always seemed to be this elusive black hole of undefined stress. When I started blogging I vowed to myself that I would try my best to capture the good, bad and ugly of it all. I don’t mean to be a negative Nancy but I do want to paint a realistic picture. Think of me as Picasso—before he got all fancy. My hope is that you’ll be able to learn from my mistakes so as to better prepare yourself for the month leading up to your wedding. Without further ado, the crazed chronicles of Miss Zebra.
This summer I visited Sir Isaac Newton in Westminster Abbey. It’s only fitting that he return the favor, except he sent someone else instead. He sent his buddy Murphy. Oh… you didn’t know? They met in Law School. Just trust me, okay? Murphy sucks. Read more…
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.
The truth? I really don’t remember. I mean, I remember in general, but not specifically. I’m sure I had been searching for something or other somewhere on the internet. Something wedding related, even. And somehow, I landed on a blog (have no idea which one—sorry) talking about Weddingbee. What I do remember is that the author of this particular blog was talking about bee recaps. And then she went on to talk about why people write wedding blogs at all and pointed out that some people start blogging just to write for Weddingbee! My curiosity was piqued, and I clicked through for my very first glimpse of Weddingbee.
At first I was a little confused, but I caught on quick. Each little icon was a different blogger, and they were all talking about weddings! How cool. I remember the first bees I started to follow along with were Mrs. Locket and Mrs. Cardigan. And the fact that people start blogging just to blog here kept niggling at the corners of my mind.
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!
It’s early. Still quiet out. I’m sitting here alone in the Guest Cottage before the day gets going. Pretty soon I’ll head over and grab breakfast, and then we’ll have our rehearsal and start our hair and makeup. I can’t believe today is here. It’s been 14 months of planning, laughter, ideas being crafted into reality, and of course a few tears.
Hive, I have to thank you. I haven’t been here long, but I have loved being here. You’ve offered me ideas I hadn’t thought of, gushed over inspiration pictures with me, and snapped me back into reality a couple of times. Being a part of this community is being a part of something special. And I can’t thank you enough for that. 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."
A few years ago, wearing colored wedding shoes was the “different” thing to do. These days, I can barely remember the last time I saw someone with traditionally “bridal” shoes. In other words, now I feel like the “different” one, even though my selection of shoes is standard-issue bridal, all the way. And frankly, it feels like I’ve made the choice to be boring.
Festive, non-white shoes make total sense for a wedding because you can wear them again- pretty and practical. But my desire for classic wedding-day pumps stems from the very opposite reason: when else would I get to wear white satin slingbacks with an almond-toe and dainty heels?
(Post-wedding goal: Learn how to take a picture. Nothing says “aesthetics” like an electrical outlet. You’re welcome, hive!)
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.
Today, hive, I’m going to share my journey on how to make your own, one-of-a-kind wedding website…the easy peasy way.
I bypassed the other wedding website options—Wedding Channel, Wedding Wire, The Knot, etc.—since I knew of another site that could make our website exactly how we wanted it:
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!
I was absolutely delighted by the input on my previous post! Can I just say that I love this community? Because I really do. Thanks for helping this indecisive gal out!
Today I’m moving upwards from my feet and talking about something that’s very close to my heart: my stomach. While there’s something magical about the traditional, tiered wedding cake—nowadays there are so many creative, sweet endings to indulge in. I can’t help but drool a bit as I see these dessert displays incorporated into other weddings. One of my regular blog reads, Ruffled, even featured a post the other day all about the art of dessert bars. Check it out for some great tips and tricks! In the meantime, get ready for a visual sugar high, my dears.
