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!
We are totally gonna be rocking a brownie buffet and s’mores at our wedding because we are cool like that. But someone told me I had to have a cake, and I think Mr. Magic wants a cake too. So I decided if we could get a cake for a steal, we’d go for it.
Sugarland offered this deal last year, and we almost did it for an October 2010 wedding. But then we decided to wait until October 2011, and I could only hope they would offer this special deal again. And they did!
I think we are gonna go with one of the swirl patterns. We can’t remember what the cake tasted like, though *wink wink* so we are going to go back for another tasting!
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.
Five years ago today, Mr. P and I had our first date. You know, the one with the coffee and sushi.
Where the heck did the last five years go? It doesn’t feel like that long, but when I actually think about all the trips, events, and life we’ve been through in that time…wow, we’ve covered a lot of ground.
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!
After some minor mishaps, including lost luggage, Mr. Candy Apple and I took the train to Basel, where Daddy and Step-Mom CA met us at the train station. We went on a hike to an old castle, which was awesome.
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. 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.
Here are Part 1 and Part 2 of my basic tutorial for the Silhouette SD.
Now we’re getting into the reason that I ultimately decided to go with the Silhouette over a Cricut machine: custom shapes! Not only can the Silhouette cut any font on your computer, you can make shapes with it too. At the time I bought it (November!) I didn’t know what custom shapes I might want to make, but I knew I’d want that ability. When we got the first drafts of our invitations, I fell in love with the H <3 P that was on the top of the bookcase, and suddenly we had a wedding ‘logo’. If not a logo, at least a motif! I decided to see if I could make a cut file for that shape.
First I opened a copy of our invite file in Photoshop, and cut it down to just the H <3 P. Then for good measure, I changed the background to white—I’m not sure if doing this made a difference or not, but it made me feel better. Then:
1. I opened Silhouette Studio, clicked File > Open and opened the new little graphic I’d made.
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.
There comes a time during your engagement when you have to stop planning, obsessing, and stressing, and just have a fab night with your girls! This is absolutely necessary, too! Especially if you’re nutty like me and have lived and breathed weddings for more than a year and a half. 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!
The last photo of the glamorous hairstyle I posted yesterday came from photographer Elizabeth Messina’s blog, and I just came across a new post of hers today. Check out this behind-the-scenes video for that particular photo shoot; it is SO beautiful.
And just when I thought I was over the whole birdcage veil thing, I see this: Read more…
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.
A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with BM S and SD to discuss all things bridal shower. The girls pretty much had all the details handled but there was one element that I volunteered to take the lead on, and that was the favors. Like the lovely Mrs. Socks, lately I’ve found myself swooning over fabric flower pins like these from Emerson Made.
I knew the style and feel of these playful pins didn’t quit jive with the overall look and feel of our wedding—but our shower, now that’s another story.
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!
I love to dance. I took dance lessons from age five until college, where I decided I couldn’t live without it, so I took tap classes for a couple semesters.
My dad…well, he didn’t share my enthusiasm for dancing. He dreaded going to my sister’s and my dance recitals every year. (No worries, I totally understand. Sitting and watching something you don’t enjoy for four hours every year for 14 years is PAINFUL, so way to go H-Dad for being there anyway!)
Because of this, I am pretty sure I have never once in my life danced with my dad. Not only that, but I’m pretty sure we have nothing musical in common. He listens to hard rock from the ’70s, mainly, which is pretty much the only genre I’m not interested in.
The only song in his musical library I can remember liking when I was a kid is Led Zeppelin’s “Lemon Song,” but I just looked up the lyrics, and they are NOT appropriate and will NOT be making an appearance at the wedding!
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.
Before we get too far along with the recaps I want to tell y’all a little story.
Back when we first started planning the wedding, Bridesmaid K asked if she could make me something special to wear. She wanted to make me an ankle bracelet that contained my something old, new, borrowed, blue on it. I have a serious thing for ankle bracelets so it was the perfect idea. Well, time passed and as the wedding drew closer, I got so busy I forgot. When I did remember the night before we left for Mexico, it was one of those too little, too late moments. So, I basically said, “screw it,” and went along my merry way. Read more…
Mrs. Giraffe, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 23, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Music Student TeacherEngagement Date: October 23, 2008Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Trinity Lutheran Church & Idlewild Country ClubAbout Me: Coming from the suburbs of the Windy City, you'll often find me with my foot in my mouth while laughing for no reason or telling bad knock knock jokes. I've been crafty for as long as I can remember, and will DIY something twice over before I have someone do it for me. I'm a semi-awkward, typeface obsessed, design junkie and have been know to break out my dance moves for no reason as well as try my best to be ridiculous at all times. My love of pop culture, wordplay, and graph paper almost rivals my love of Mr. Giraffe (who is just the bee's knees). After a 2.5 year engagement, we're planning a modern-in-disguise traditional wedding, and cannot wait!
You guys, there are many things that I don’t care about, my appearance being one of them. This doesn’t mean that I always look sloppy, but I’m certainly no fashionista, and most days I leave the house without looking at a mirror.
I don’t know, that’s just the way I’ve always been. It took me until my senior year of college to finally brush my hair all the way through every day. I know, I know, its terrible, but I’ve just never been into it. Nowadays, I do brush my hair, but that’s about it. (Although, I carry around a pony tail elastic in case there is a hair in face situation). When I had long hair, I’d twist it up into a hair lump every day because it was always in my way, but I don’t do that as much anymore.
Suffice it to say, I want to do something a little more fancy for the wedding. Granted, a little more fancy might be enough, so I think I might go big. I’m thinking maybe an up do? Those always look nice in pictures.
Granted, my lack of hair smarts kind of mean that almost all up dos look identical to me, but I reallllly am making an effort to find something that I like and that is appropriate for a traditional wedding.
Mrs. Sparkler, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 27, Communications AficionadoFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, PublisherEngagement Date: July 21, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Chicago Illuminating CompanyAbout Me: I’m a Southern lady living in the big city of Chicago. Well, lady may be a stretch, but I’m working hard to keep some Virginia charm in our sleek, urban, wedding-palooza! I’m addicted to marathons, not-so-famous bands, Chicago restaurants, and Mark Twain. I cry during SPCA commercials, and I think LOST was the best show to ever hit television. Mr. S and I met at a classy college mixer and, 7 years later, he’s still by my side. He’s the only child, laid back, free spirit... I’m the oldest of five kids, type-A, organizer. It doesn’t work on paper, but we’ve never paid attention to that stuff anyway. Somehow it works. And like they say, sometimes when you know…you just know.
I’ve mentioned a few times already that I have yet to pick out my bridesmaids’ ensembles. This really confuses me because I thought choosing my girls’ outfits would be one of the easiest wedding tasks! I love clothes, and I’m always sharing things from my closet. Dressing my ladies would be the ultimate opportunity to share my favorite styles with everyone.
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.
Okay, so now you’ve seen our invites…both the parts we bought and the parts we made. So let’s talk about how the few things I made for them came into being! First up are the wraparound address labels.
Now, like I said before, my graphic design skills are…well…actually, they aren’t. Like, at all. I might be good at a lot of things in life, but graphic design has never been one of them. I’m great at coming up with ideas of what I want, but totally lack execution skills. Enter our very own Miss Tartlet. This post of hers hit the blog in the height of my wraparound label obsession. She took pity on my poor self and designed the labels I was dreaming of. And they neatly printed out on 8.5×11 paper too! Needless to say, I’m still grateful. Also, how awesome is the hive? So so awesome.
Apparently I lack a picture of that awesomeness. Moving on then… I printed the labels on 80 lb white cardstock and used my trusty paper cutter to trim them out. Then I used my Xyron Creatopia (I knew I’d figure out something to do with it eventually!) to make them into stickers. See?
Miss Carousel, Dusseldorf, Germany/Garda, ItalyAge and Occupation: 29, International Product ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Front End DeveloperEngagement Date: May 29, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: I’m an American-Italian girl living in Germany with my Belgian fiancé, planning a wedding in Italy. I can’t wait to show our guests the wonderful Lake Garda, Verona, and want our wedding to be a fun filled, charming, day in the life of “La dolce vita.” Mr. C and I love spending time together, and have added wedding related activities to our cooking nights, dance lessons, and road trips. We love sampling restaurants, could listen to Sinatra all day, and are just a tad geeky and into technology. As we want all of our passions to be part of our marriage, what better way to start than by incorporating them in our wedding day?
When we started looking for a venue a whopping 15 months in advance, we had our pick: all the venues we contacted were still free for our September 2011 date. Mr. Caro and I took a one-week vacation to Italy and immediately started focusing on venues, as we wanted to finalize that before everything else.
Thanks to my internet research and my mom’s knowledge of the lake, we managed to visit a grand total of 30 locations in three days! Sound impossible? Well, the truth is we had a lot of requirements. So as soon as we’d realize that a venue did not meet one of the requirements, we’d leave and move on.
Indoor option: It’s Italy, but it does rain there too! You wouldn’t believe how many locations did not have an adequate indoor option.
View on the lake: Since most of our guests will be traveling to join us, we want them to enjoy as much beautiful scenery as possible.
Intimacy: We’d like an intimate, cozy atmosphere. Many big resorts cannot offer that.
Convenience: Needs to be close to hotels and on the eastern side of the lake.
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!
The whole pre-wedding photo session seems to be a fairly common thing these days, though it wasn’t something I was familiar with until I got engaged myself. And since Mr. Jaguar is incredibly shy, I was really excited to give him the chance to meet with our photographer, Andrew from Follan Photography. We booked with Andrew back in April 2010 (the things you do when you love a photographer!) and we left it until this year to contact him about setting up the shoot—and we nearly almost missed out on it. It turns out that the Follans had re-worked their packages during the time we’d put down our deposit, and a pre-wedding shoot was no longer complimentary—but thankfully, Andrew decided to honour us with the shoot for booking so early!
The thing is, I’m not sure what to expect, and I think wedding world is to blame for that! I’ve seen so many gorgeous shoots with props, with awesome locations, with all these added extras that make the pictures really pop. There have been outfit changes and location changes, all of these fabulous shots…wow. I love them. I could spend (and have spent) hours ogling pretty pictures online.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
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