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.
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.
This post goes out to my music lovin’ brides out there.
When the wedding planning bonanza began, and after seeing the outrageous wedding DJ rates (DUDE), we chose the iPod DJ route. We made a looooong, radical list of our fave tunes, asked our wedding peoples for their “OMGthissongismyJAM!” songs, loaded this list up into 4 separate playlists—ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing—and made a “bust out in case of emergency” backup CD. Oh, and one of my favorite high school pals volunteered to be our emcee! It was way too easy.
And up until now, I’ve been a straight shootin’ bride. Read more…
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!
You’ve been gone for so long, I’m running out of time
I need a doctor, Call me a doctor,
I need a doctor, doctor to bring me back to life” - Dr. Dre, Eminem, Skylar Grey
Image of Dr. Hibbert by Matt Groening via Search.com
I thought I was handling all of the wedding planning stress pretty well. Most of the projects are done and packed and ready to be dropped off at the venue the week of the wedding. I have had nightmares about the wedding, but who doesn’t have them? I guess my subconscious was trying to clue me into the fact that everything wasn’t as stress-free as I thought it was. Read more…
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 don’t have many wedding updates because I haven’t had time to work on any projects, so will you guys settle for a post about online shopping for bridal event outfits? Please? OK, good—here goes!
Following in the Panther wedding tradition of booking things waaaay in advance, my mom booked the bridal shower location last summer, even though it’s not until this June. And of course, I bought a dress immediately. Surprise, surprise!
I didn’t go into Anthropologie planning to buy a dress—in fact, I very rarely buy clothes at Anthro. I find that I always look too short in their clothing, which is weird, because I’ve seen ladies shorter than me really rock it! But anyway, I was in there with BM J-Dawg (who loves her some Anthro and looks good in everything she tries on), and I spotted what seemed like the perfect bridal shower dress.
It was a whitish shade, not too dressy but not too casual, feminine and floral. Exactly what you’d expect the bride to wear for a brunch shower, right? Plus, it fit like a dream. It was on the longer side, but I figured this ensured that no one would see up my dress while I was opening gifts. I ignored the fact that it was, well, not at all my style. Read more…
Mrs. Taco, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, writer/editorFiance's Age and Occupation: 37, editorEngagement Date: May 13, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: The Green Room at the War Memorial Veterans BuildingAbout Me: I like laughing and talking with good friends over good food and good drink, be it wine, cocktail, or brew. I write and edit things for fun and profit, but I rarely "write" these days without a keyboard and high-speed internets. Favorites include Mr. Taco, my Boston terrier, San Francisco, getting out of town, and the Roaring ’20s. I was kind-of planning a wedding since roughly 2006, when I discovered "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" on the WE channel. I ran and didn't look back with a theme I called "urban vintage," and it culminated in the most magical day a taco could ask for.
I know I said I’d talk about the day after, but this one’s worth addressing, as Mrs. Cola did after her own nuptials.
A few friends said at least three things go wrong, be them huge things or tiny things, and some wondered what mine were. Once-brides usually have rosy, teary memories of the big day and those leading up to it. Things that go very wrong (or even “wrong”) might then not seem worth the effort of remembering. But for anyone worried about your average set of uh-ohs, here’s how it shook out for us.
Mrs. Hyena, College Station, TXAge and Occupation: 23, Marketing SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Aerospace Engineering Grad StudentEngagement Date: January 8, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Downtown 202About Me: I'm a Texas girl who met my future hubby in high school, then headed up to Oklahoma for a college education (BOOMER SOONER!) before moving back to the Lone Star State to be with him. I love reading and recycling, Photoshop and reality TV, making lame jokes and then laughing at them, quoting movies, and Mr. Hyena most of all. I'm perpetually early and I like to get things accomplished. When my cat meows at me, I meow back. We're planning a laid-back, unintentionally DIY wedding with a cocktail-party vibe, and can't wait to celebrate our nuptials with our nearest and dearest!
Awhile back, Mr. Hyena was working on booking the cruise for our honeymoon. We’re going to be cruisin’ around Key West, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica, mon!
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.
When I blogged about our message board/guestbook, I knew I wasn’t finished with it yet. We did the major stuff, but the end result was less than stellar. It needed something, but I wasn’t sure what! I kept seeing message boards around town and contemplated just buying one and ditching our homemade one… but then I thought of the hive and I didn’t want to disappoint you guys!
Mrs. Magic, Chapel Hill, NCAge and Occupation: 30, Licensed Clinical Social WorkerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, ResearcherEngagement Date: December 1, 2009Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Barn at ValhallaAbout Me: I’m a tall drink of water (5’10”!) and a Southern bride with an enormous appetite for Mexican food, good deals, anything French, and all things wedding! By day I am lucky enough to work with individuals with autism and their families. By night, I’m even luckier to be able to spend time hanging out with awesome friends, crafting, shopping, thinking about exercising, and kicking it with Mr. Magic and our two cats. I tend to have sudden, intense cravings that will not be denied (seafood enchiladas! new jeans!) and I’m prone to being a disorganized mess of anxiety and stress. After waiting (and waiting!) to get engaged, I am finally planning the colorful, fun, fabulously awesome Fall wedding of our dreams. In an effort to share the fun and craziness that is wedding planning, I’m gonna blog about it for y’all---the good, the bad, and the pretty!
You probably previously perused my post on pressure prior to the proposal. OK, the Ps are annoying—I’ll try to stop.
Anyway, it was Thanksgiving 2009, and no proposal. I was plenty pissed (ha!). But soon after, Mr. Magic assured me that he had a ring—presumably, The Ring. Then, he asked if I wanted to go to dinner on a weeknight, after work, to meet his best friend’s parents. Oh, also, this was on our faux anniversary…we can’t remember when we met or got together, so we just made it up.
Normally on a weekday, after I go to my full-time job, I either go to my part-time job or I go home and veg out (or I beg him to go out with me for Mexican food). I’m pretty lazy and not into going to fancy restaurants in the middle of the week, so I knew something was up. Plus, his best friend is kind of like a brother to him…they have known each other forever. So meeting the best friend’s parents was kind of like meeting Mr. Magic’s family all over again.
I’m no dummy. I knew that it went like this:
First get the approval of these important people, then get engaged.
I’m really familiar with the concept of “First/Then” because it is an effective strategy when working with folks with autism!
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!
Alright, y’all, it’s about to get a little self-centered up in here. Fair warning.
Before we headed out to take family photos and whatnot, Melanie forced me to sit down for a few bridal shots. I say forced because, at the time, I totally wasn’t interested in taking these photos. I was antsy and anxious and I wanted to get the hell out of that room.
HOWEVER. Mel totally knew what she was talking about because I’m so glad I have these. It’s not like I’ll ever hang them up in our house or anything (awkward!) but it’ll be nice to look back on these and remember that I used to be young and hot.
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!
I’m one of those people who can’t afford or make their own macarons but want the style and yums of a round sandwich cookie. Enter the whoopie pie! Many, many bees before me have successfully made these for their weddings and have inspired me to follow their example. And, Mr. Crepe promised me that when I visited, he’d help me make a batch to see if it was something I wanted to tackle on the actual day.
At first, I wanted to make them from scratch but came across a recipe that used a cake mix. I decided to go with it, and here’s my reasoning…if I can’t make them from a cake mix, I should probably MOVE ON. This homegirl has no business trying to make cookies for a wedding if she can’t make 20 cookies from a mix.
The recipe called for 1 box of cake mix, .75 cup of water, and two eggs. I got a box of carrot cake mix and some whipped cream cheese frosting for this experiment.
Mrs. Candy Apple, Princeton Junction, NJ/ Seattle, WAAge and Occupation: 26, Project EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, AttorneyEngagement Date: May 9, 2010Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: St. Joseph's Parish, Seattle Tennis ClubAbout Me: I am a Pacific Northwesterner, born and bred. I have lived in many cities---Santa Clara, Durham (England); Florence; Boston; Princeton Junction---but my heart will always be nestled up near the Cascades and Olympics, which is why we are holding our wedding there. I am a bookworm and a History nerd: I love that my life consists of books, books, and more books, since I work in Publishing! Recently, all waking time not consumed by work and my daily commute has been overtaken by wedding planning. Well, that, and watching Premier-League soccer. There is nothing I love more than a good Tana French mystery, traveling to new places, Anthropologie shopping sprees, Iittala dishware, Kate Spade shoes, impeccable typefaces (think: Archer), and a nice English ale (hellooo, Old Speckled Hen!). Oh, and did I mention my obsession with wedding blogs? Yeah, there’s that too. Join Mr. Candy Apple and me as we prep for our wedding, and, more importantly, our marriage!
You guys, wedding planning is not a joke. You might think it is all fun and games, but it is not. It is a very serious issue. Consider this a PSA: every year, good people overdose on sugar in the name of planning their wedding. Please, I urge you to spread the word of the potential consequences of becoming engaged. Remember this the next time you schedule a cake tasting.
OK, let me preface this post by saying that those who know me know that I could eat this every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner:
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 preparing for my fitting today, I was thinking about what in the world I was going to wear under my dress. I’m pretty picky and finicky when it comes to underpants. For a girl of my stature, I’m carrying quite a bit of luscious luggage in the back. I’ve gone through a lot of trial and error with finding exactly the brand, shape and size of underwear that are comfortable and won’t ride up the booty. Goodness knows, I do NOT want to be this…
WEDGIE PICKING BRIDE
Therefore, I am going to skip looking for pretty, lacy, fancy pants and head straight for the underpants I know and trust, which makes me soooooo happy I decided to go with a gown that is fuller on the bottom instead of a mermaid or trumpet style. If I had to wear a thong all day, I would be miserable.
Lucky for me, there are some really sweet and cute styles out there right now in my favorite cuts that would be perfect for my something blue and keep me comfortable all day long.
Mrs. Earrings, Fresno, CA/ Nelson, New ZealandAge and Occupation: 20, Student, Wannabe Writer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 19, Photography StudentEngagement Date: February 14, 2010Wedding Date: January 2011Venue: Gardens of the WorldAbout Me: I'm a girl from down under who grew up in Indonesia and I'm marrying a California boy. I'm addicted to all things sweet, have never met a chocolate silk pie than can get the better of me, and have dreams of one day being a fulltime novelist. I go weak in the knees for lace, tea cups, and a beautifully crafted sentence. When I get excited about something (whether it is historical linguistics or the Beatles) I tend to go overboard in research, and planning this wedding is no different. Mr. Earrings is my high school sweetheart, my best friend, and somehow we combine all our quirks into one big happy mess.
If you are wondering where our little blue 1930s Austin went, have no fear—we were just saving her for our getaway. About two weeks before the wedding I suddenly realised that I didn’t quite like the idea of arriving at the venue in my parents’ old van…so it was The Black Cab Company to the rescue with Betsey, their authentic 1968 London cab! I had no idea that I was so obsessed with vintage cars until we planned our wedding. Read more…
Ms. Gazelle, Calgary/VancouverAge and Occupation: 32, EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Technology AnalystEngagement Date: September 3, 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Brock House Restaurant, VancouverAbout Me: I am a marathon runner, cyclist, Ironman triathlete and beautiful shoe fiend who also loves kicking back and watching Glee. I grew up a bit of a nomad as I traveled around the world with my family, living everywhere from Australia to England to South America and Indonesia. I finally settled in Calgary a few years ago and met Mr. Gazelle who loves me even though we cheer for different hockey teams. We are planning a bit of a destination wedding in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia and we can’t wait to share the day with our close family and friends.
I remember being a young girl around 11 or 12 years old. We were living in London, England and my mom and I were shopping at one of the department stores downtown. We wandered past the bridal department. They had bright white shiny dresses on the mannequins. I really did not like those bright white shiny dresses. I knew that whenever I did get married…several years later…that I would be staying away from shiny and bright white!
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.
That’s right, hive, the honeymoon is officially planned and it couldn’t be more perfect if the heavens above planned it for us (unless the heavens above also paid for it, which would be pretty tough to beat). Remember our planning confusion and too many possible ideas in our heads? It’s all out the window in favor of…
…our ALL-AMERICAN ROAD TRIP! (Matching fanny packs and binoculars hanging around our necks are not optional; they’re necessary.)
The first stop on the Tuesday morning following the wedding will be Vegas:
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
