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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 love tutus…obviously. I haven’t given up on my own tutu dress dreams but I am now also obsessed with flower girl tutus. I know it’s pretty cheesy, but adorably so, in my opinion. Over Thanksgiving, while I was in Manhattan Beach, I saw this Manhattan Beach wedding on Style Me Pretty. Read more…
Mrs. Argyle, St. LouisAge and Occupation: 24, Project CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, PilotEngagement Date: February 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Jewel Box in Forest Park and Windows on WashingtonAbout Me: I'm a true Midwestern girl (born and raised), lover of red wine, reality TV and the entire J.Crew catalog. I love to dance regardless of who is watching, and enjoy a good laugh with my girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for planet Earth, my two dogs and my fiance. Fall is my favorite season (which is why we are marrying in September), but I love a warm summer day and the Colorado mountains in the winter. We are planning a modern soiree downtown, with lots of bold colors, and fun, eco-friendly elements.
What that title should really say is how married life, and well, life in general, can sweep you off of your feet and take over. Since the wedding, we have been non-stop. Settling in, working more than ever, graduate school. It is amazing that nearly five months of marriage can go by, and it still feels like you got married yesterday. Where, oh where did that time go?
So, while I gather my thoughts, and work up the nerve and emotion to recap the remainder of my planning, our wedding, and honeymoon, here is a sneak peek of our wedding day as captured by our fabulous videographer, Kevin Von Qualen. Not only did he work his magic putting together one beautiful video, he so kindly put together a second highlight the joys of our reception.
Ms. Sloth, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 35, Account Manager and Fashion BloggerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Design AdminEngagement Date: December 25, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Bartram's GardenAbout Me: I'm an internet junkie and music snob with a good eye for a bargain. I couldn't live without thrift store shopping, cheeseburgers, sushi, Coke Zero, websites devoted to silly photos of baby animals, Photoshop, and Mr. Sloth. Speaking of which, he and I are a pair of goofball homebody nerds who love our beagle (the most ridiculously adorable dog EVER) to an embarrassing degree. We're planning a low-key and intimate yet festive and quirky outdoor wedding with DIY details and deeply personal touches, and it's all taking place in the city where we fell in love and call home: Philadelphia.
With just two and a half months left till W-Day (holy crap holy crap holy crap), I’ve been pretty much living in Wedding Detail Land. I’ve been assembling invitations, creating table numbers, making table overlays, and putting the finishing touches on my brooch bouquet. But none of those projects are complete yet, so you’ll have to wait to see how they turned out.
I did manage to check one item off my DIY list, though. And it was a super easy and cheap project that cost less than $5 and took about 30 minutes (not counting a day of paint-drying time).
See, I was at my mother’s over the weekend, poking around her garage, and I found three framed pictures that, back in the ’90s, were hanging over her mantel.
(I was a bad blogger and forgot to take a photo until I’d already disassemble them from their frames. Sorry.)
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.
You might be shocked to hear this, but I made my first ever purchase from Zappos the other day, and I finally ordered a pair of wedding day flats! They were originally $140, but priced at $90 and included free shipping!
There was only one pair left in my size and when I saw them, I quickly called Mr. B for his advice. I had already let one pair of potential wedding day flats get sold out, and I didn’t want that to happen again! He gave me the green light, and two days later I had a package on my door step. I seriously can’t believe I’ve never ordered from Zappos before—shipping was fast!
I thought of you, hive, as I opened the box! I had a really good feeling about these shoes so I took pictures as I peeled away the tape and tissue paper.
Look at the cute blue bag that came with them! What a bonus!
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.
When I went to the dress shop to visit my real wedding dress, I wasn’t the only one on a first date with a gown. Momma Lox had ordered her dress at the same time I ordered mine. After some confusion over color, her dress arrived well in advance of mine and had been sitting in the shop waiting for her to come and say hello.
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.
It’s funny how you can be thinking about one thing in your own little corner of weddingland, and other people can be thinking the same thing at the same time, and you aren’t aware of it!
We want our invites to be fun. You’ve seen some preliminary sketches (more to come on that saga later this week!) so you know we haven’t gone totally formal. We decided that fun options were very “us.” While Googling “Funny RSVP wording” I found this post on the Weddingbee Boards (everything comes back to the ‘bee!). Pay special attention to post #5 by SpaceC06: she posted RSVP options for various themes, ie “Ready for My Close-Up / I’ll Never Work in this Town Again” for a Hollywood or theatre-themed wedding.
It made me wonder… could we figure out cute options that are related to books and reading? We had been hoping to have about 5 or 6 options, a few yeses, a few nos, and at least one “Will express my joy through art on the back of this card.” Neither of us will die if we go with “Joyfully Accept/Regretfully Decline/Regretfully Accept” etc., but it’d be fun to bring the books in yet again.
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
After the final notes of “Lovely Tonight” faded, it was time for another very important dance…one with my daddy.
Picking a song to dance to was a head scratcher. I didn’t have one in particular in mind, so I left it in my dad’s capable hands. He selected the song “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw for our father/daughter dance…
Oh man, I knew from the moment the music started that I wasn’t going to make it through the dance without a few tears. I always cry when I watch other brides’ father/daughter dances…I knew that I was a goner.
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.
Quick recap: The ’maids and I thought their gowns were all set when we walked out of the doors at Priscilla. They’d been measured, given their contact information, approved the color, and even agreed on the same gown (save for a small difference in the skirt). Then I received an email that changed all of that. The email was from my bridal consultant, and it basically said the information we were given a few days prior was wrong. Wrong as in the dress BM R picked out doesn’t come in yellow. She apologized (wasn’t her fault) and suggested I come in again to look at the other options.
Things happen for a reason. I wasn’t feeling the first choice, so this setback wasn’t actually a bad thing. It gave me a chance to regain control of the creative direction. (That sounds awful, but it’s true.) I knew what gown to order. It was an early favorite that wasn’t given strong enough consideration. I didn’t speak up even though it was my favorite…Making sure everyone was happy was more important. Lesson learned. Now that we were on the same page, I had their blessing to pick the backup:
Catch up on the entire After “I Do” series here! And if you have a burning question you’d like to see discussed, submit it here!
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If you debated changing your name before the wedding, what did you eventually decide and how has it worked out for you thus far? If you could go back and do it differently, would you have?
I had a hard time with the name change, but eventually we both agreed to change our names. The process was a bit involved, which made it an even harder time. But, for me, most of the angst came from the middle stage—after deciding and after the wedding, but before everything was official. I hated feeling like I was “in between” names, and I was kind of a jerk about it. (For example, my passport came back with the wrong name. I was a raging turd and all-around horrible for a few hours afterward, a la the cliched maternity-ward “THIS IS YOUR FAULT!” outburst.)
But once it was “done” (and I say “done” because I just realized a few weeks ago that I’d never changed my name on my vehicle registration, which, as it turns out, is another huge pain and small expense), it really didn’t bother me anymore. After almost a full year, I’m getting used to being a “Spaniel.” I don’t think I’ve even accidentally given the wrong name yet. Well, once. Read more…
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!
There are only so many ways to style our guys, so I wanted to find the perfect ties for them. At first, when the color scheme was multicolored, I found a madras plaid tie that was super cute, but then I changed the colors and that had to be scrapped.
I kept an eye out for ties whenever I walked through stores, but didn’t see anything that was wedding appropriate and affordable. But a few weeks ago, while I was browsing the Vimeo page of one of my favorite wedding videographers, I saw this wedding:
Mrs. Cotton Candy, Riverside, CAAge and Occupation: 29, Field CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Process ServerEngagement Date: July 5, 2007Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Riverside Art MuseumAbout Me: I’m a girl in love with her best friend planning a small mid-century modern inspired wedding that’s been a long time coming. I love all things design, sewing, flea markets, and a good book. I’ve been known to swoon over a well-designed chair and often find myself craving a new addition to my chair collection regardless of the lack square footage in our home. I’m Mexican American girl who hates all things spicy but loves her rowdy Mexican family and her Latin roots. My wedding muses may not be your typical wedding superstars, but with a lot of DIY, a dash of offbeat style, and lots of love and laughs, Mr. Cotton and I plan to create a day that is unmistakably us.
Many brides consider my homegirl Martha Stewart their wedding guru but, as much as I love my girl Martha, my wedding BFF she is not. That honor, ladies and gentlemen, goes to my man Todd Oldham. Yes, peeps, I said it. Todd mother f-ingOldham. Specifically his fabulous, creative, wheel-spinning book Handmade Modern.
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.
So here’s the thing. We have about $4,000 to spend on our at home reception. Out of that $4,000 we have to purchase food for the 200 people we are inviting, pay for rentals (tent, tables, chairs, etc.) and still have enough money to decorate the Meerkat In-Laws’ backyard with. *deep breath*
I am hoping that we can pull off a bright colored, whimsical-chic, backyard, love story themed shindig. Here is kind of the idea we are going for:
Yeah, the budget is going to be tight but I know we can do this if we are smart about how we spend the money. The bad part is that I have high standards and I want everything to feel/look luxe even if it’s not. Read more…
Mrs. Trail Mix, New YorkAge and Occupation: 26, PE TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, MBA StudentEngagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Tannery Pond at the Darrow SchoolAbout Me: I'm a country girl who somehow found herself living in the Big Apple and loving every minute of it. I'm planning a rustic, country-chic wedding in my hometown in upstate New York and it's going to be a Party with a capital P. White wine, flea markets and running keep me happy and my friends, family and fiance are my world. I'm a little bit crafty, a little bit crazy but mostly just crazy in love.
If there was ever a time in my life where I needed to “Just Dance,” this was it. I think we all know by now that my wedding was mildly disastrous and finally, at this point in the night, there was nothing left to do but drink and dance.
So that’s what we did. And things got pretty damn crazy, which means it was all a crazy fun blur in my mind but thank goodness we had Kelly and some friends with nice cameras to capture it all. These are some of my favorite photos because everyone is (thankfully) having a blast, in spite of all the hiccups and never-ending rain.
Alright, so the power did short out on the band (TWICE!) during this part but the first time I laughed it off and it was fixed almost immediately and we resumed dancing. The second time it happened, it took about ten minutes to fix and I cried, but once it was back on, we just kept dancing.
So, in short, I think the best advice I can give you is that if things go wrong on your wedding day (courtesy of the immortal goddess of wisdom known as Lady Gaga) JUST DANCE, because things will be OK. Better than OK, actually. They will be effing awesome.
I had a hard time with the name change, but eventually we both agreed to change our names. The process was a bit involved, which made it an even harder time. But, for me, most of the angst came from the middle stage—after deciding and after the wedding, but before everything was official. I hated feeling like I was “in between” names, and I was kind of a jerk about it. (For example, my passport came back with the wrong name. I was a raging turd and all-around horrible for a few hours afterward, a la the cliched maternity-ward “THIS IS YOUR FAULT!” outburst.)
