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!
As everyone knows, one of the best things about having a destination wedding is getting to have your wedding and honeymoon at the same time. Unfortunately, Mr. P’cakes and I won’t be able to enjoy Costa Rica or the post-wedding glow the way we had hoped. As it is, my law school graduation takes place the Monday before the wedding (which I will be skipping) and I start bar review classes three days after the wedding. So, we’ve decided that we’ll do our honeymoon after I take the Bar at the end of July. At that point we’ll be able to take 2-3 weeks to travel to some exotic location like Bali, South Africa or the Maldives. (A girl can dream.) Read more…
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!
It’s true. I heart trees a LOT. I was not always smitten with the perennial woody plant, though.
I grew up near the coast in Wilmington, North Carolina. We had lots of pine trees.
They were tall and not very pretty, and they dropped a lot of pine needles, which we would have to rake into piles and stuff into big black garbage bags.
Mrs. Socks, Southern NJ/Philadelphia, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Web Developer/Marketing SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Systems EngineerEngagement Date: September 7, 2009
Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: Ladder 15 RestaurantAbout Me: I am originally from the Midwest, but I love being an East Coast transplant! Mr. Socks and I are foodies and winos to the core---give us a hunk of cheese, some charcuterie and a glass of wine and we could die happy. We have two mischievous Wire Fox Terriers with completely opposite personalities but with a shared love of uprooting anything in our garden. Our backyard garden includes everything from tomatoes and peppers to a fig tree, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries! I love cooking, indie music, and spending time in our wedding city of choice---Philly!
If you remember, I confessed early on that I have hiperhidrosis…which basically means that my hands and feet sweat a ridiculous amount. I don’t ever wear shoes without socks since it’s horribly uncomfortable, so I was concerned about wearing those pretty Kate Spades that I fell so in love with.
Here’s a reminder of the shoes. And my awesome color coordinating skillz.
Do my feet look like they were in little puddles? No? Well, they were. They were big, squishy sweaty messes.
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!
Afterward, we headed over to BM Tanya’s home, which had been transformed into bridal shower central. Much to my sister’s amusement, I meandered around for quite some time, snapping photos of the beautiful tablescapes and adorable favors. My sister and I used to play with sandalwood fans all the time as kids, and the tins held one of my favorite candies: M&M’s! Read more…
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!
The beginning of our engagement was very frustrating for me. I had moved to this new city about eight months prior and, as churchgoing folk, we decided we wanted to find a church to attend together. The difficult part was finding one we both liked, since we came from different religious backgrounds and hadn’t had to deal with them while in college. Now that we were living in the same town, there were a lot of churches to try out, and we tried. them. all.
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!
(Today’s post title is brought to you by Mr. Crepe.)
I’ve been spending the last couple of days getting settled into Nashville and spending some quality time with Mr. Crepe and his family. One of the things we’ve been waiting on were our favors because I had all the supplies shipped here.
Mr. Crepe and I have always loved the idea of doing food-type favors: jams, spreads and candies. Every time we walked through a local fair and passed a jam stand, we would talk about having cute little jars at our future wedding. But at $3-4 a jar, they were too pricey for us. Favors were actually an item that we were on the fence about due to budget. Both of us have received favors in the past that we didn’t end up getting much use out of, so neither of us were looking forward to spending money on more stuff.
That is, until about a couple months ago. Read more…
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
Happy Tuesday, Hive! Please join me in welcoming our newest bee getting married in the gorgeous Northwest: Miss Candy Apple!
Miss Candy Apple, Princeton Junction, NJ/ Seattle, WA Age & Occupation: 26, Senior Editorial Assistant Fiance’s Age & Occupation: 26, Attorney Engagement Date: May 9, 2010 Wedding Date: August 2011 Venue: St. Joseph’s Parish, Seattle Tennis Club About 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!
Mrs. Barrettes, Tumon, Guam/Napa, CAAge and Occupation: 29, DancerFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Licensed Building ContractorEngagement Date: November 16, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: V. Sattui WineryAbout Me: I'm an East Coast girl, living on a tiny little island in the Pacific, twirling, leaping, and shimmy-ing my way through life, and now, wedding planning! I'm equal parts nerdy and cool... okay, mostly nerdy. I love satin bows, red lipstick, black & white graphic anything, the shine of sequins and the sound of a champagne "pop". My favorite books are The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James, and Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I can also conjure a pretty good Patronus Charm. I started my appreciation for good red wine while traveling on the high seas, and it's only fitting that my passion for wine drinking led me to my Napa-bred honey. We bonded over bottles of Cabernet on my oceanfront porch and haven't looked back since. We're sealing the deal at a winery in the Napa Valley on a 'perfect ten' of a day!
10/10/10 was winding down and it was time to send us off into the world as husband and wife. The remaining guests gathered in the courtyard to wish us well, high-fiving us through their tunnel of love. 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.
Whew. It’s officially spring, you guys, and so far, spring is CRAZY for the Panthers.
We’re moving into our new place on Saturday, so we spent this past weekend painting a few rooms in the new house. I love color, so I’m excited about it, but man, was it a lot of work. All that work resulted in my hands looking like this the night before we went shopping for wedding bands:
YIKES! I don’t normally have totally dainty hands, but they do NOT usually look like five purple sausages sticking out of a smushed tomato.
Mr. Panther’s hands were all jacked up, too, but we had to get the ring shopping over with. Read more…
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.
…but after just a little cajoling from me and a lot of convincing from my friends, Mr. S has finally agreed that we can have a first dance, as long as we don’t have a bouquet and garter toss (which I’ve never wanted in the first place), and as long as he can choose the song.
But Mr. S was having trouble deciding. While I’d been leaning towards some indie first dance songs, Mr. S wanted something classic, an oldie. But beyond that, he was drawing a blank. So I offered to put together a large list of classic love songs for him to choose from, and he went for it.
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.
Ophelia, my dress, hanging in the conservatory where I got my hair and makeup done
I’m a details kind of girl. I hoard small, seemingly insignificant things because they have so many special memories attached to them…a single earring, a scrap of fabric, an old brooch. Now every single item I wore on my wedding day is imbued with memories as well, if they weren’t already before, and they all have the power to bring the emotion of those moments rushing back to me. 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.
Tomorrow is our catering tasting. (No eating after midnight tonight.) We’re trying to get our ducks in a row ahead of time, thinking of questions to ask our coordinator and other things that will aid in planning.
Boring Questions
1. Are there any costs we might not be aware of that the venue doesn’t cover?
Heeding the warning of our recently married friends, we’re trying to avoid being walloped by last minute expenses. Mr. P is convinced we haven’t budgeted for napkins. (Of all things!)
2. Can we really do a sparkler send-off??!?
I have seen photographic evidence of sparklers at our venue, but our state is a “No fireworks. No sparklers. No fun. No how.” state.
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!
Congratulations to our winners lovemylife, heather25, Ellea12, LoriLori, and redrocksgirl!
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This month’s Fodor’s giveaway is all about warm weather destinations! Leave a comment below about where you’d like to be spending the winter months for a chance to win one of five copies of either Fodor’s Dominican Republic, 2nd Edition or Fodor’s Bahamas 2011.
Not sure where to go? Fodors.com has just launched the Fodor’s 80 Degrees Travel Planner quiz that will help you find your perfect warm-weather destination. Pick your perfect type of hotel, must-have activities, and budget and the Travel Planner will provide you with personalized destinations complete with the necessary trip-planning tools you need to make your getaway a reality.
To enter the the contest to win a Dominican Republic or Bahamas guide, simply comment below before Wednesday, March 22 at midnight PST. Good luck!
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 okay…I took a while to get this to you. Sorry about that, guys. I’m on it now. I promise, no more drawing things out. Let’s cut to the chase here!
First of all, you should know while I DIY-ed a few little details, I did not DIY our invites. First of all, I stink at graphic design. And second of all, Mr. Lox really thought it would be too much for me. It was a good call on his part, too. With being sick and all, I would have fallen behind and it would have been either really stressful to finish or I flat out would not have. Knowing that, here are the gorgeous invitations, which I purchased, and customized, through Etsy seller LittleSparkCreations.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
