Mrs. Elephant, Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 27, Financial Operations AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, IT Student/Store ManagerEngagement Date: March 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: The Tribute Golf ClubAbout Me: I'm a Philly native creating roots deep in the heart of Texas. I might be a little obsessed capturing those Kodak moments of anything and everything (mainly on vacations). I've become more of a gamer thanks to Mr. Elephant, who I met online and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with. We are planning a wedding based on our favorite colors, blue and green, with a travel theme for 150 of our closest friends and family. Hopefully our long (2-year) engagement won't kill me!
There’s nothing like walking back from the gym and running into the FedEx driver (who might as well be on a first name basis with the amount of stuff ordered for this wedding) who asks us if we would like a wedding gift.
I was a little surprised but figured that the large heavy box from Bed, Bath & Beyond was a giveaway. Lucky for her, Mr. E saved her from climbing the stairs to our apartment with the heavy box. Of course, I had to document this milestone!
Is the box heavy or are your arms tired from lifting weights?
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.
So, a while ago the hive convinced me that videography is pretty important most of the time. And then, through the hive, I discovered a videographer whose style is perfect and who was in my price range! I was sure it was serendipity. Well, and the awesomosity of Weddingbee.
As you can see, I was excited. Ecstatic, even. But I had one more hurdle to go. (Or so I thought.) I had to get Mr. Lox to buy into videography, quite literally. One weekend as we were setting off to go somewhere in the car together, I carefully brought it up to him. I tried to be neutral and honestly see where he is on the issue because I truly didn’t want him to feel bullied or pushed into this. He listened and turned to me at the next red light. And asked how much.
I’m sure there were a lot of things I thought he might say here…“You want to spend more money???” or “Will you drop this already?” But instead he said, “How much will it cost?”
OK, so this could still lead somewhere bad. So I quoted him the price from the vendor the hive sent me. He shrugged and told me sure, book them. He thought I was going to quote a much higher number. The price was fine. Go for it. I was surprised. When we got home I gave him another chance to change his mind when I asked if he wanted to see an example. He was game, so I showed him another couple’s video. He liked it! I was getting my videographer! Read more…
Mrs. Hermit Crab, New York, NYAge and Occupation: 24, Youth Director soon to be Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Medical Student - soon to be Surgery ResidentEngagement Date: October 11, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: New York Botanical GardenAbout Me: I love all things food, books, our furbaby, Rashi, and adventures with my amazing fiance (oh, and saving the world!). This summer I will not only be a bride, but a bridesmaid, officiant, and attendee as well---it's all about weddings in my life right now, full of so many exciting moments and projects. We're planning a fab New York City wedding weekend full of family, love and lots of color!
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!
Obviously, our wedding has a bit of a whimsical theme interlaced throughout the vintage and Southern and garden decor. We tried to get the guests on board with the whimsy with a little message in our invitations. You see, the bottom of the response card read, “Please use the reverse side of this card to provide marriage advice, whimsical doodles, flattering caricatures and/or well wishes!” The back of the card was blank. We have now received about a third of our RSVPs, and the entertainment only continues!
We received a special response card in the mail today…from none other than Sister Lioness, who designed the invitations in the first place! Sister Lioness lives in NYC, and her boyfriend lives in Florida. I sent one invitation addressed to both of them, and Sister Lioness informed me that they planned to open it “together” via Skype. Read more…
Mrs. Cardigan, AustinAge and Occupation: 21, Student/Soon-to-be Special Education TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 20, Student/Soon-to-be Accounting Systems AnalystEngagement Date: August 16, 2009Wedding Date: January 2011Venue: Vintage VillasAbout Me: I'm a native Austinite who was raised as a die-hard Aggie. Luckily, I'm a pretty persuasive girl because I managed to convince my high school boyfriend (now fiance!), Mr. Cardigan, to ditch his hardcore Longhorn ways and join me up at A&M, where we currently reside with our adorable dogs, Cullen & Ranger. We're currently planning a bright, cheery wedding with a ridiculous amount of DIY projects that I can't wait to tackle! I love crafting in any form, reading, and margaritas (I think I love them the most!). Organization is what keeps me sane and I love helping others, which is probably why I ended up as an education major. It gets a little chaotic sometimes when you're planning a wedding among all of the papers, projects, finals, and certification exams, but we're having the time of our lives and we can't wait to get started on our journey as husband and wife - and we're so excited to share our wedding with the hive!
It was the last day of our honeymoon, and to be completely honest I had been looking forward to it for a few days. I had guessed where we were going for our last day, and I was waiting for it just as eagerly as a little kid waits for Christmas.
We woke up bright and early and got off the ship as soon as we could so our day could begin. We hopped in the rental car and started driving. My excitement grew a little bit every time we passed a sign for where we were going (which happened a LOT):
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.
Not content with visiting just one bridal store, BM R and I spent the rest of the day (about eight hours—we’re hardcore!) shopping in Suburban Square in Ardmore. We found new stores and old favorites with good deals. We stumbled upon a Priscilla of Boston store and had to scope out the gowns. It is a mere two blocks from the salon where we started the day—I had no clue it was nearby, as I uncharacteristically did not research the area ahead of time!
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!
I’ve been wearing new dresses for all my bridal events, but I haven’t bought anything. I’ve rented.
At Rent the Runway you can rent designer dresses at a fraction of the cost for a few days at a time—perfect for all those special events leading up to your wedding. They even have a new wedding section to make it that much easier to find that perfect dress for your shower, bachelorette, and other wedding occasions—maybe even for the wedding itself! Of course there is always the risk that the dress won’t fit or look good, so I always make sure to have a back-up outfit ready from my own closet.
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.
It’s glamour shots for our cake. Hi, pretty girl. This is “shimmering quilt fondant” cake with sugar anemones. She’s made of vanilla cake with layers of lemon butter cream and raspberry curd.
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!
It was just a few weeks ago that I thought we wouldn’t be able to afford a cinematographer. Today I can officially announce that Jon from Well Spun Weddings will be filming our wedding!
Let’s start at the beginning. A few months ago I entered a wedding photography/videography package giveaway on Brooklyn Bride. Unfortunately, I didn’t win. However, a few days after the contest ended I was contacted by Christine Best at WSW and asked if I would still be interested in working with WSW. Basically, they asked me what I could afford and, despite my nonexistent budget, they agreed to do it! It obviously doesn’t hurt that Jon will get to spend the weekend in Costa Rica!
To be honest, everyone at WSW has been so A-MAZING! I don’t know anything about film or filming a wedding, but Jon was just super patient and super nice. He explained things that I hadn’t even thought about (e.g., getting there early to get time-lapse film of sunset/sunrise…yeah, that’s how they do that! I just assumed it was all canned film!) and was just really easy to talk to. 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.
Who says every day can’t be just as sweet and spicy as Valentine’s Day?
After being together for as long as we have, we’ve seen how, sometimes, the length of your relationship doesn’t necessarily mean the fire (cough–in the bedroom) is burning stronger than ever.
Sometimes, if we let the stress of our careers, the day-to-day events and everything in between take over, that fire can be forgotten. And after years of being together, the comfort and routine can transform from what was once a thrilling part of a relationship into a duty. 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.
When I tell people I make my own jam, I get varied reactions. “My grandma used to do that!” “That sounds so hard!” “Won’t you poison yourself?” and of course, “Can I have some?” The answer to the last one is generally yes, depending how much I’ve got, and how much I’m hoarding it. Once I tasted the plum sauce I made last year, I turned into Gollum and didn’t let a single jar out of my sight! I’m going to do an extra-large batch this year, but I digress.
I want to encourage any bride-to-be, waiting-to-be-engaged person, heck, the whole world to make their own preserves. I’m just picking on you wedding-y types, because A) this is a wedding blog, and B) jam seems to be a hot favour! The process isn’t scary (follow the recipe, and you won’t poison people) or dangerous (if learn from my mistakes, and always wear long sleeves. Hot sugar spatters hurt!) and is a lot of fun. I learned a lot from my mum who worked so hard every summer, canning up all the produce our garden produced. It was a lot!
I want to recommend a couple books that I think will help people looking to dip their jars in the pot:
Ms. Stripes, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 29, Costume Designer/StylistFiancee's Age and Occupation: 29, ChefEngagement Date: June 23, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Heritage Square MuseumAbout Me: I’m a type A creative with a messy streak, a loud mouth, and an uncanny knack for combining clashing patterns. I can usually be found with my nose in a book, my feet (or at least my toes) on the ground, my head in the clouds, and my arm around the prettiest girl you ever saw- aka
Fiancee Stripes. Together we’re planning a FUN vintage/modern French carnival wedding extravaganza and rockin’ dance party on a dime. (Say that three times fast!) Good coffee, long lists, Uniball pens, and my iPhone keep me sane, and making art, making trouble, and making out keep me happy! I love urban adventures, bike rides that end with afternoon drinks, breakfast for dinner, beautiful light, photography, travel, my furry family, and of course, my beautiful fiancee! I’m super excited to be here and can’t wait to share all our adventures as we craft a joyful, budget-friendly, design-savvy and all-around AWESOME wedding!
Long time no speak. In fact, it’s been sooo long that I figured a holiday (Valentine’s Day is a holiday in wedding blog land, right?!) was an appropriately auspicious day to pop back in around here and get this recap party started!
Now some of you newbees (hi! hey! welcome!) are probably scratching your head and wondering who the hell this Stripey character is, and I don’t blame you one bit! I mean I wrote my last post here over three months ago! Whoops! Time flies when you’re an old married lady… Read more…
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!
I’m kidding, I’m kidding. This blog post is not going to be about shoes, I promise. I think I’m well and truly done in that respect. Thanks for sticking with me through all of that.
Instead, I thought I’d write up another epic post recapping our North American pre-wedding-moon. To make things less repetitive for you, I’ve decided to cover our remaining cities into one GIANT post—so be prepared, this’ll be a long one folks. First up, I showed you how we spent our first week in Orlando, playing and staying at the Pop Century Resort and theme parks. So, where did we go next? I’ll give you a hint: this city was for Mr. Jaguar.
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.
So here’s the thing. I’ve had this centerpiece mock-up in my head for months now. I had it even before we switched venues. I showed it to the owner of the Vandiver at our initial meeting. I showed it to their event coordinator after I moved. I showed it to my DOC when I hired her (before the venue switch, as well). I’ve shown it to some of my friends. And, of course, Mr. Lox and I have looked at it in person from every angle.
But…showing it to the hive is, well, intimidating, you know? There is more creativity in the hive than I could ever even hope to match. And so, even though Mr. Lox and I have declared this good, showing it to you is still a wee bit scary. But in the end, I trust you all, too. So here we go. The long overdue centerpiece mock-up pictures. (I even took fresh shots just for you!)
However, a few days after the contest ended I was contacted by Christine Best at WSW and asked if I would still be interested in working with WSW. Basically, they asked me what I could afford and, despite my nonexistent budget, they agreed to do it! It obviously doesn’t hurt that Jon will get to spend the weekend in Costa Rica!
