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.
A while ago, a friend admitted to me that she couldn’t see things going anywhere with her long-term boyfriend because she was afraid of the limitations of marriage. In her mind, marriage was a break in the tracks she had so carefully laid down for her life path. She eventually broke up with him and moved on, but the conversation I had with her that day has stayed with me for a long time. I think one of the reasons I continue to reflect on her words is because I really never considered marriage to be “limiting” in terms of my choices, my career, or what I want out of life.
Now, I’m no fool. I know there are certain sacrifices I’ll have to make once Sparks and I are married. And I’m ready for it. But while I recognize that we will share a life together and work toward common goals, I refuse to accept that I’ll relinquish control of my own path just because I’m married.
One of the reasons I want to marry Sparks is because his presence is an enhancement to my life, rather than a limitation. I’ve never thought, “Ugh. I could totally do this if I was single.” I’m not saying that I’ll never feel that way, just that I’m not approaching marriage with that fear. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I don’t want my marriage to define who I am… I want it to define who I love.
Mrs. Pony, Bloomington, ILAge and Occupation: 25, AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, AttorneyEngagement Date: March 22, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Mackinaw Valley Vineyard; Bloomington Center for the Performing ArtsAbout Me: I found my Southern counterpart in law school and since he popped the question last March, we have been busy graduating, job searching, bar taking, and wedding planning. My loves include must see TV, magnets, quotes, anything green, my car, fun socks, the Cubs, and my Mr. Together we love wine, playing outside, and exploring the world together. Stay tuned to see our Midwest wedding full of Southern charm, vintage flair, lots of DIY details, and a whole lot o’ wine.
I am going to rewind a bit for this post (reverse reverse, everybody clap your hands).
Like most newly engaged couples, one of the first things Mr. P and I decided was where our wedding festivities were going to happen. Basically, we had three options: 1. my hometown; 2. Mr. Pony’s hometown; or 3. a tropical destination. We thought long and hard about the benefits and drawbacks to each option. Well, not really. But we did make a pros/cons list for each option and picked the one that worked the best for us and our loved ones.
My hometown—Bloomington/Normal, Illinois
Image by A. Strickler via Inhabitat (The Normal Part)
Mrs. Snow Cone, Pittsburgh/Johnstown, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Public Health Graduate StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, EngineerEngagement Date: April 9, 2010Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: OMOS Church ceremony/Sunnehanna Country Club receptionAbout Me: I’m one of the lucky ones---I met my future husband at the ripe old age of 13, started dating him as a mature woman of 15, and have been enjoying the ride ever since. Here we are, 8 years later, living in Pittsburgh, planning a "homestination" wedding in the place our school romance began---Johnstown, PA. I thrive on talking a mile a minute, eating my weight in chocolate, and internet shopping. I love a lengthy to-do list almost as much as I love a healthy amount of chaos in my life. Mr. Snow Cone and I watch countless episodes of Friends and The West Wing on repeat, root for rival college sports teams, and make each other laugh each and every day. We’re putting together a small-town wedding with a big personality and a classically modern (or modernly classic?) look for 250 of our closest family and friends. It’s been 8+ years in the making, and sometimes I still can’t believe I’m finally getting to marry my high school sweetheart!
Last I left you, I was pretty gosh-darned sure that I had landed the one. You know, the dress of my dreams, the dress that was always meant to be mine, the dress I would wear as I take my one and only walk down the aisle. Despite the weird tingly feeling that had taken up residence in my tummy area, my consultant suggested that we try on the remaining dresses in my fitting room, since they were already there.
(I promise you that I reveal the final choice at the end of this post…no more teasing or waiting!)
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!
It’s sprrrrrrrrring!! I love spring. Let’s be honest, I really just LOVE the sun! I adore the sun, so much so that Mr. P often calls me “solar powered.” I love being hot. Not just warm, I love being a little too hot with a slight breeze. Although I’ve enjoyed traveling Europe, it turns out there isn’t nearly as much sunlight as I need.
This is really the longest I’ve ever gone without tropical weather.
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.
Mr E and I had arranged it so we would get a sneaky look at the reception/ tea and cupcake hour area all set up before everyone else descended on it. And I’m so glad we did. It was very satisfying to see everything we had worked so hard on come together. 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!
So. We’ve talked earrings. Now it’s time to think about bracelets! I’ll stop talking and just get on to the pictures. Remember to wipe the slobber off your keyboard when you’re done!
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.
Mrs. Husky, DenverAge and Occupation: 26, Systems AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Mechanical Engineer, recently laid offEngagement Date: August 14, 2009Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: Rancho San CarlosAbout Me: I am planning a quirky-crafty wedding with my recently out-of-work fiancé for a (fingers crossed!) warm October afternoon. We are two self-professed nerds with an affinity for all things outdoors---be it rain, snow or shine. Recently relocated from the drizzly Northwest, we're enjoying the many sun-soaked days in the mile high city. Our day will be filled with both of our large families and friends, a self-served Cajun feast, and a Zydeco-style jazz band rocking beneath the beams of a historic red barn.
Well, dear hive, it’s about that time. Before I get into my goodbyes, let’s get some music on in the background:
Ready? Yeah, me neither.
It has been such an amazing opportunity to blog here on Weddingbee, and I am so profoundly grateful for the encouragement, advice, and kindness you have all sent my way. I never could have imagined I would be sharing my wedding planning journey with all of you, and was even more surprised to realize how much your feedback and support through your many comments would mean to me.
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!
The whole point of this poster is that guests will write their name on a flag and stick it into the year when the met you.
What you need:
Foam core, based on size of your poster. I bought my foam board from Hobby Lobby, because it was 50% off, and they sell it in sizes much bigger than Michaels (Michaels only did as big as 30″ and I needed 32″. Michaels’ board is also more expensive.)
Years poster - more on this below.
Straight pins - I bought mine from Jo-Ann
Styrofoam rectangle (Jo-Ann)
Half yard of fabric (Jo-Ann)
Card stock (already owned)
Spray adhesive (Already own about 18 cans of it. For this project I used the Tacky brand, just because it was closest to me at the time.)
First, you need your year poster. Martha has one to download from her website. It’s the same one the photo below.
Mrs. Bacon, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 26, Digital Advertising ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, IT Client ServicesEngagement Date: June 17, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Ravenswood Billboard FactoryAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl that can't seem to commit to staying in one place for too long and is constantly daydreaming about my next adventure. I am an aspiring foodie with a weak spot for the unusual and I love semi-reality food television. My other loves easily include laughing as a form of exercise, a book that I can't put down, summer baseball games, espresso with whipped cream, couch potato days and nights with the ridiculous Mr. Bacon, and our two kitties, Lincoln and Sawyer. We're planning a faux-destination wedding for 150 of our closest friends and family in the city we've both adopted as home that has a modern, yet whimsical twist and as many personal touches as we can manage.
From the Baconator’s days as a green aproned coffee superstar, we’ve made a few awesome friends that are in art school for things like photography and video editing. We initially wanted one of them to do our photography, but eventually decided that we didn’t want an untrained hand taking the wedding pics since he wouldn’t know which shots he really had to get. Instead, we talked to him about filming the big day since we knew that he’d be awesome at editing the footage and it would be easy for him to film the wedding milestones: ceremony, speeches and first dances.Besides, we were on the fence about professional videography, anyway, so this was really win-win. One big problem: he didn’t have an HD camera, and neither did we.
We remembered that our DOC mentioned that they gave the groomsmen flip video cameras as gifts and got great footage that they just had edited together into a wedding video. Great! We could do the same thing, but with 5 selected guests and get all the cameras back at the end of the night. But where do we get enough little video cameras at a cheap price to distribute to some trusted guests without breaking the bank? Enter Black Friday. We sat around on Thanksgiving combing through the newspaper ads looking for deals and spotted video cameras on sale for 50% off during doorbusters at Staples, of all places. With turkey filled bellies, we all went to bed early and were on our way to the mall by 6 AM. By 7:30 AM, we were the happy owners of 5 half-priced video cameras! With the cameras in our possession, we were in a great spot and were excited to talk to our friend about editing.
Sadly, we found out around the holidays that he is going to be leaving Chicago before the wedding and could no longer commit to taking care of our wedding video. It was on to plan B: Read more…
Mrs. Flamingo, Montreal, CanadaAge and Occupation: 25, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Nursing StudentEngagement Date: December 2004Wedding Date: June 21, 2008Venue: Imperia Hotel (modern chic hotel)About Me: I am a passionate designer who loves anything pretty. I heart all paper products (eco-friendly of course). My passion revolves around anything considered glamour; vintage and modern. In my free time, I love reading Martha mags, designing jewelry and making a pit-stop at Starbucks for a chai latte. I'm also a chocoholic at heart and my family drools over my homemade truffles.
Clearly if I filled out this 1930s marital rating chart (wife edition), I’d fail miserably! I’d lose points on: 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!
I ordered our envelopes from envelopemall.com. They sell them in packs of 100 for the lowest prices I’ve found online. I really like the envelopes we chose.
If you’re making your own invites, please please please pleaseget samples before you spend the $18+. They are only a dollar apiece, and it is pretty much the only way you can guarantee that you will get the correct colors.
We knew we wanted one of our envelopes to be pink and the other, maroon, but there were a couple of options for each. I ordered samples of the following colors:
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.
The search for my wedding band was oddly difficult. Unlike Mr. Lox, I knew exactly what I wanted when we set out. And it wasn’t exotic or crazy so it shouldn’t have been hard to find. At least, that was my logic. That was not, however, the reality of the situation. (Come on, you saw that coming. An easy transaction wouldn’t make for a very good blog post, now would it?)
I wanted a channel set princess cut band in white gold. so far, so good. And I wanted the diamonds to start and stop more or less where the channel set princess stones on my engagement ring do. Initial shopping trips indicated this would amount to roughly a .5 tcw band. You probably already spotted the problem in there… the starting and stopping matching up. Yeah… that was a rough one.
The search kind of went pear-shaped quickly. and to make matters even worse, our budget crisis occurred just as we were starting to shop. Meaning that all of a sudden we had to totally slash the budget for my ring. I would love to pretend I took that well, but I’d be lying. The truth is, I resented it. Big time. Especially since I had bought Mr. Lox a rather expensive (for what it was) band because it was what he truly wanted. And now, the reality was that what I wanted was irrelevant because we were short on cash. I’m going to go back to pretending this never happened now, if it’s all the same to you. Back to ring hunting we go!
Enter our very own Miss Crepe, who gave me the idea to seek out a jeweler. Read more…
BeehiveFeature Launched: Aug 31, 2006About: A forum for readers to post questions and get feedback from the hive, aka the weddingbee community.
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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Honeymoon aside, have you gone on any great vacations or getaways with your spouse since you got married? Where did you go? Any tips for getaways on a budget?
We’ve been to Richmond, VA, Bali (our very belated honeymoon), Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, New Orleans and Turkey since getting married. Travel is something that’s really important to me (my post WB blog is a travel related one), and Mr. Swan and I decided that it would be something we prioritize at the beginning of our marriage. We’re in the space where we can go places together (and in some cases separately), so we do make trips when we can. Soon we’re hoping to go to some more places closer to home that we have not been able to visit.
As for trimming the travel budget, I really think it depends on what you want to prioritize. I’m at the point in my life where I like nicer accommodations, but I love eating in places where the locals do and that often reduces how much I spend on meals. We have found that traveling in the “off season” for many destinations can actually be a great way to save money on everything from airfare to accommodations, entrance fees, etc. If you can endure a little extra rain or cooler temperatures, you’ll deal with smaller crowds, have a little more money in your pocket and may have a better experience. 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.
Hair fascinators…they are so pretty! I knew I wanted to wear one for our wedding day. I spent some time perusing Etsy looking for the perfect flower for my hair. I never quite spied one I was in love with, though. Most of the fascinators I saw included feathers, and I wasn’t sure I wanted that. I thought about approaching a few vendors who had something close to what I was looking for to ask about a custom order, but as I started thinking about it more I realized that this would be one project I could tackle myself.
I envisioned a hair flower made out of layers of silk that matched my dress, layers of tulle, and maybe with a touch of French veiling since I won’t be wearing an actual veil. Perhaps a vintage rhinestone brooch in the center? Perhaps something like this??
We’ve been to Richmond, VA, Bali (our very belated honeymoon), Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, New Orleans and Turkey since getting married. Travel is something that’s really important to me (my post WB blog is a travel related one), and Mr. Swan and I decided that it would be something we prioritize at the beginning of our marriage. We’re in the space where we can go places together (and in some cases separately), so we do make trips when we can. Soon we’re hoping to go to some more places closer to home that we have not been able to visit.
