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!
There are some incredible invitations out there in wedding world. I mean, just check out the awesomeness from my fellow blogging bees these past few weeks: precious lovey dovey invitations from Miss Lox, vintage boxed goodies from Miss Tartlet, amazingly detailed invitation boxes from Miss Pancakes, and whimsical floral sweetness from Miss Prairie Dog.
As a stationery nerd, there are few things that get me more excited than invitations. The hardest part about getting started is deciding what you want and working with it—there are so many different styles to choose from! For the Jaguar invitations, I had a few inspiration goals in mind: they had to be simple, traditional, and elegant.
Kristin at Twin Ravens Press made the design process nice and easy for me—I simply picked a font and swirl graphic used on a previous design, and then adapted it to fit what I was looking for. To keep costs with the letterpress printing down, I decided to print with only one colour—and while black on ivory would’ve looked great, I opted for a shade of grey to match our colour theme. Combined with the gorgeous design, I think they turned out perfectly. What do you think? These first three images were all taken by Twin Ravens Press, blurring courtesy of yours truly. 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.
At some point in their engagement, brides will be questioned by well intentioned (or not, depending on their motives) friends and family regarding the importance and prudence behind having a large and or “expensive wedding.” On the occasion that Mr CCandy and I cross paths with one of these well-intentioned people, we usually mumble something about our traditional families and quickly change the subject.
But, I want to tell them about all the hurdles we’ve overcome to be the couple we are now and why it’s important to celebrate our commitment with our nearest and dearest. I want to ask them about this so-called house they claim we can purchase in lieu of a wedding and where they think we can find a house in LA for the price of our wedding. I want to tell them about how much we value the institution of marriage and believe that it’s a precious right that unfortunately is not available to everyone and thus needs to be celebrated in the hopes that it one day will. And if all that still doesn’t satisfy their curiosity and if I’m feeling particularly emotional, I may even take it one step further and tell them about Mami CCandy—share with them her health struggles and her illness and let them know that even though her health may be stable now, I want to give her one day were we don’t have to worry about lung function or trial medication and where we can just bask in the glow of family love.
A wedding to us is not just about a fancy party with fancy dresses and pretty pictures, it’s about the moments and memories we’ll create.
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!
Like many brides before me, getting engaged meant I had to stop regularly chopping off my hair and actually let it grow. Dang it.
I’ve had long(ish) hair on and off all my life, mainly because I always think it’d be nice to have it, but then as soon as I actually get halfway to having long hair, I get sick of it and chop it off. It always gets too unruly, or too tangly, or takes way too long to blow-dry and I decide, screw it, see ya, hair.
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.
For our first look, we decided to incorporate a Dutch/German tradition which involves the groom going to the bride’s house before the ceremony, knocking on her door, and presenting her with her bouquet. In the photo above, I am excitedly waiting right behind the door…I could see his shadow through the textured glass as he came closer. Then he knocked, and I opened the door… 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!
If you’re not interested in trying your hand at couponing, there are still other easy ways to save money. Using sites such as Groupon and Living Social is a great way to score awesome deals on many things—some that are even wedding related!
You may have heard of these sites, but here’s how they work. Each day, the site offers a new deal. A certain number of people have to sign up for the deal and then it is “on” and anyone can buy it. I have never seen a deal NOT have enough people sign up for it for the deal to go live.
You can sign up for deals local to you. But, also be aware that sometimes a deal is listed for another city, but is actually available to anyone no matter where you live! Check out this screenshot that I got from Southern Savers!
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.
The websites I’ve found say that only British citizens will receive replies from Her Majesty. I’m hoping that being from “the colonies” will work in our favour, plus Cinnamon Buns and I do both have dual citizenship, as our parents were born in the UK.
We’re adding fun new designs to the Weddingbee Invitations Shop all the time! Check out our latest faves, and take 17% off of ALL invitations in stock with code WBM0311 this month!
This 17% off promotion is our biggest ever and ends on April 16th, so head on over and save now!
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.
And it gets worse when you are a bride-to-be. If you complain too much while planning your wedding, often you get saddled with that dreaded “Bridezilla” moniker, and we all know how I feel about THAT term (hint: I hate hate HAAAAAAAAATE ITTTTTTT!!!!!!).
Mrs. Taffy, Ann ArborAge and Occupation: 28, Color and Materials DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Automotive DesignerEngagement Date: May 9, 2008Wedding Date: May 2009Blogging Since: September 14, 2008Venue: University of Michigan UnionAbout Me: I’m a girl who is crazy about Mr. Taffy, sewing, dancing, almost all types of sweets, and our cute pet canaries. I dislike touching fuzzy fabric of any kind, eating somewhat squishy food, and Michigan winters. Mr. Taffy and I are having a blast planning our Ann Arbor wedding, and cannot wait to share our day with friends and family.
We had a great time putting the details together before the wedding…it was wonderful to see everything come together! (And to finally get them out of our house! They were multiplying and taking over!!!) I’ll give you a peek here before we take a look inside our cocktail hour.
Many of the details were meant to coordinate with our invitations, which Mr. Taffy’s brother designed and made for us.
To start, our escort cards, which were a labor of love:
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!
There have been many decisions that we’ve had to make during the wedding-planning process. Location, venue, flowers. The choices NEVER END! Seriously. It blows my mind how many decisions we have to make for one single day. And frankly, some of them are annoying having to figure out!
Things like alcohol, though? That’s the fun stuff.
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!
Can I just start by saying that time has flown by in the past couple of months? At the beginning of our engagement, back in July, time seemed to drag on and I was chomping at the bit to get to where we are now. I was soooooo eager to get all of the decisions made, vendors booked and projects started. Now, I kinda wish time would slow down. I sometimes feel like…
It’s an exciting week, wedding wise, here in the Waffle house. 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!
Before I get to the latest DIY project I just wanted to take a moment to remember that two years ago today Mr. E had me in tears. That is a night I will never forget, and cannot believe that we are finally this close to the big day!
OK, back from my trip down memory lane. Inspired by Miss Lioness’ post on bouquet charms, I decided to add another DIY project to the list! 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.
Not completely thrilled with the last batch of save the dates, I stepped away from it all for a few days. I was definitely feeling rusty…and blah. None of my sketched ideas were rockin’ my socks; I knew the only way to get through the not-so-great ideas was to get them out of my system. And so begins the “Don’t be a square, man” square designs.
Mrs. Mary Jane, Grand Forks, NDAge and Occupation: 26, Instructional DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lead ProgrammerEngagement Date: February 28, 2009Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: City HallAbout Me: I'm a career woman on the surface and a homemaker at heart. I love fast cars and high heels, and my favorite food is cake. Mr. Mary Jane and I are both full-time employees and students, and we just bought our first house. We love to curl up on the couch with buttery popcorn, Sour Patch Kids, and the latest Netflix arrival -- whenever we can get a break from everyday life.
I’m popping in again because I’m so excited to share this with you…
Our wedding album has arrived (and only 18 months after the wedding!). A really long time ago, I blogged about how in love we were with the $1000 (or +) albums offered through our photographer. They were amazing. Seriously amazing.
But after the wedding was over and we were thinking about albums (well, mostly I was thinking about albums…), I decided that an album like that probably wasn’t right for us. My reasoning? I wanted to include our wedding, our cake cutting (which was in our home and had no pro photographer), our family/friends picnic reception (which was on a different day and also had no pro photographer), and our honeymoon (which of course had no pro photog tagging along!). In addition, I’ve also cropped, retouched, and otherwise edited a lot of the professional wedding photos after receiving them from the photographer. Don’t get me wrong: Shawna and Kory did an excellent job editing the photos. But I have personal preferences (can we call them “hang ups?”) when it come to pictures of me, so I put in a bit of time making the photos look exactly how I wanted them. 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.
Is this really happening? It feels so surreal. I cannot believe that I am the newest bee to join the hive! I was checking my email at a stoplight and I saw that I had an email from Pengy. I opened it up and couldn’t believe my eyes. I screamed and threw my phone at Mr. Gazelle and asked him to read the email. He thought something terrible had happened, but as soon as I could speak I yelled, “Oh my gawd, I’m a beeeeeeee!”
So, who is Miss Gazelle? I was born in Canada, but left as a wee one to travel around the world with my parents. We moved to Australia, to England, to South America, back to England, back to Canada, to Indonesia, and then back to Canada. Talk about a crazy way to grow up, but I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.
Miss Gazelle in South Africa as a wee gazelle (personal photo)
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
