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!
At about the seven-month mark, I freaked out! I couldn’t believe that I was getting married in seven months!! Mostly because it also signified the halfway point of our 14-month-long engagement; the first seven months flew by so fast that I was sure the next seven would also be a blur.
In order to help me deal with all the upcoming stress, I started a “bridesmaids’ newsletter.” Since none of my ‘maids live in NYC and I really want them to feel involved, I thought this would be a great resource for all involved! As a control freak, I also need to learn to delegate because I knew I’d need their help (and support) as we got closer to the big day.
So here it is (and here’s a link to the site I used to make it):
Ms Seahorse, BostonAge and Occupation: 25, Veterinary Jane-of-all-tradesFiancee's Age and Occupation: 36, former non-profit fundraiser in search of something betterEngagement Date: October 17, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Fort Pond LodgeAbout Me: By day I'm a cat-wrangler, vet tech assistant, pet-sitter, receptionist, and pre-vet student, but the rest of the time, I'm a former-roller-derby girl turned dedicated-wedding planner. I love reading, writing, bicycles, animals, roller skating, and antique-y things of all sorts. I'm a vegetarian who likes spicy foods, while Fiancee Seahorse is a meat eater who does not like spices. We live outside Boston with our menagerie: a fifty pound dog, a one-eyed, seventeen-toed, toothless cat, and a perfectly put together cat who has a penchant for pooping near rather than in her litter box. In addition to planning our small lake-side wedding, we enjoy running around with the puppy, playing board games (Scrabble, anyone?), having little adventures, talking about how we should really clean the house more, and maintaining our little garden of vegetables and wedding flowers.
After making our way up slopey beaches, leaping into the air, and leaning on the people who were there for us to lean on, my brand new wife and I go some time to ourselves.
Sort of.
One very vivid memory I have of the day was finishing our pictures with our brigadiers and suddenly realizing I could take off my dress. You guys, the dress was pretty. It satisfied whatever need I had to wear a dress, and whatever need other people had for me to wear a dress. I liked how it looked. And I was ready to get the eff out of it. And then? All comfortable and still dolled up, it was time to spend some time with my wife. Oh yeah, and our photographer.
Mrs. Biscuit, Morgantown, WVAge and Occupation: 24, Dental StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Chemist at a pharmaceutical companyEngagement Date: April 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Catholic Church, Lakeview Golf Resort and SpaAbout Me: I'm an engineer who decided to trek back to my hometown three years ago to become skilled in the arts of drilling and filling. I'm engaged to a pretty awesome guy who tests your assorted benzodiazepines by day and home brews by night. Together we have two fur children, Tsali and Tobias N. Fünkat. I'm a lazy perfectionist and eternal sorority girl who enjoys running, crafting, string cheese, good beer, and bad reality TV. We are planning a Big Fat Italian/Sicilian/Polish wedding filled with DIY details and are expecting 300 +/- 50 guests. Our whimsical summer affair is themed "Alice attends the Mad Hatter Vintage Garden Tea Party in a Ballroom. She Thinks That The Venue is Odd for a Vintage Garden Party, but is Tripping on LSD, so She Doesn't Really Care." Yes, I am the Dickens of themes.
So you’ve seen my ideas for centerpieces and linens, but how will people know where to sit? Since I have had nightmares about some random relative not being able to find his table due to red-green color blindness or macular degeneration, I’ve decided to take the double-fail-safe approach.
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. Waffle, AustinAge and Occupation: 31, Costumer/ArtistFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, AnimatorEngagement Date: July 27, 2010Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Hummingbird HouseAbout Me: My life is pretty much spent in a sea of fabric, paint, sequins and drama. When I’m not working, I play on a trivia team, take Broadway dance classes, read, buy shoes, and occasionally geek out on video games. I am an American girl who loves all things British and Mr. Waffle is a Brit who loves all things American...I guess it was meant to be!
While watching an episode of “Say Yes to the Dress” recently, I was appalled at the way a bride was treating the seamstress in the fittings department. As a seamstress, this really riled me up and boiled my blood…BIG TIME! I understand that every bride wants their dress to be “perfect,” especially when they’re spending thousands of dollars, but at the end of the day, a seamstress is a seamstress and not a miracle worker. We can only do so much.
So, I thought I would give you a few tips from the perspective of a seamstress when it comes to fittings. Read more…
Mrs. Starfish, Boston/NewportAge and Occupation: 25, Operations AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, SalesEngagement Date: October 8, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Atlantic Beach ClubAbout Me: I'm a perfectionist who is a planner at heart. I don't do well with surprises. I love planning, crafting, Newport RI, family and friends, and most importantly, Mr. Starfish---all of which will be big components in our October wedding in our favorite little city by the sea.
The wedding morning was pretty low key for the guys. They all slept in a bit, as our ceremony wasn’t until 2 PM. They all got ready in their rooms and met at our honeymoon suite for breakfast. Read more…
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.
Eeeeee! Holy crap, hive! I’m buzzing with excitement over bee-coming the newest bee!
Miss Pain au Chocolat: Eeeee-ing even in 1983
My heart fluttered and stomach flip-flopped when I saw the email from Pengy in my inbox. If I clicked on it, I’d have my answer, one way or the other, that I’d been waiting for. But I couldn’t bring myself to open it… With 5 hours left at work, I was in a pickle: rip it open Band-Aid style or wait an excruciatingly long time. Delayed gratification is not my style. 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!
Oh, you guys! I had the best present come in my Google Reader. More photos from the IslandWood wedding!!! Every time I see pictures of our venue I get more and more excited about everything. And yes, there is 100% more sunlight in all of these photos, but that’s OK! Why? Because our February winter wedding is going to be fabulous no matter what the weather (uh, as long as there isn’t five feet—or five inches—of snow the day before).
But look! They got photos in one of the tree houses I showed you. And on the suspension bridge! IslandWood is such a fantastic and special place, and I’m so excited that so many of our friends and family will get to enjoy it with us. Soon it’ll be US in those photos!
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!
Mr. Cheetah and I have lived together for years, but we still had a little debate about whether we’d be spending the night together before the wedding.
On one hand, it would be fun to spend our last legally single night apart. Read more…
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.
I’ve already told you how terrible at math I am. It is bad. I will put a little bit of effort into a mathematical equation but then eventually give up and guess. Anyone from Mass reading this? To put it in perspective, I passed the Math portion of the MCAS by only 2 points. Yeah, I’d probably still be in high school if I didn’t have exceptional guessing talents. So, when it comes to a formal budget with percentages and allotment,s I was lost. I actually didn’t even know there was such a thing as a budget calculator until I stumbled upon Weddingbee—roughly 7 months into our engagement. I was just happy saving money any way I could. Where I lack in mathematical skills I make up in bargain hunting.
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!
When the wedding planning really took off, I discovered I had a terrible propensity to forget whom I’ve told what. I started to sound like a broken record to my nearby gal pal and BM Tanya (who I work with) whereas my sister and MOH (who lives the furthest away) would unintentionally get left out. I had yet to start blogging at this point in time, so I contemplated shooting off mass e-mails or going the website route like Miss Brooch. Ultimately, I decided to go with the power of snail mail. I *heart* getting real mail (read: not bills). Growing up, one of my favorite parts of summer was writing to friends I made at camp (Interlochen, anyone?), and as an adult I still love seeing a hand-written letter in my mailbox.
I designed a newsletter using Adobe Illustrator, but there are numerous free templates available for download, like these for Microsoft Word. The first page contained introductions and important dates:
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. 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.
To say I’m a little bit gypsy when it comes to rings may be an understatement. Each ring-a-ding-ding says a little something different: two are antique turquoise from my fabulous grandma’s killer jewelry collection; one is a band Mr. Jam found and wore as a faux-wedding ring this Halloween when he dressed up as the newlywed Russell Brand (yes, I was his Katy Perry); one is obviously our engagement ring, which I big-time heart; and one was $1 at a dollar store and turns my finger green when I sleep in it.
When I’m feeling especially fierce, I find room for a thick spoon ring Mr. Jam made for me at an annual Sweet Corn Festival near our hometowns. That’s six rings total. Every single day. How the hell was I going to find empty real estate for a wedding band?
Be honest: Is Jewel’s song Hands in your head right now?!
Mrs. Biscuit, Morgantown, WVAge and Occupation: 24, Dental StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Chemist at a pharmaceutical companyEngagement Date: April 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Catholic Church, Lakeview Golf Resort and SpaAbout Me: I'm an engineer who decided to trek back to my hometown three years ago to become skilled in the arts of drilling and filling. I'm engaged to a pretty awesome guy who tests your assorted benzodiazepines by day and home brews by night. Together we have two fur children, Tsali and Tobias N. Fünkat. I'm a lazy perfectionist and eternal sorority girl who enjoys running, crafting, string cheese, good beer, and bad reality TV. We are planning a Big Fat Italian/Sicilian/Polish wedding filled with DIY details and are expecting 300 +/- 50 guests. Our whimsical summer affair is themed "Alice attends the Mad Hatter Vintage Garden Tea Party in a Ballroom. She Thinks That The Venue is Odd for a Vintage Garden Party, but is Tripping on LSD, so She Doesn't Really Care." Yes, I am the Dickens of themes.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
