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’ve just GOT to share some music I discovered! The contract with our church specifies that our ceremony music should be fitting of a Christian worship ceremony, and we needed some kind of pre-ceremony music. We’re not planning to hire ceremony musicians, so our music will be done through our church’s sound system.
While planning Bridesmaid A’s wedding, I discovered *clouds parting in the sky* the Vitamin String Quartet. VSQ is a group of musicians who cover current pop/rock songs using only string instruments, and they’re faaaabulous.
VSQ’s cover of Paramore’s “Hallelujah,” which I want to play as an “Everybody pay attention, we’re about to start the wedding” song! (Video via YouTube)
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!
My hair and makeup trial is today!!! I’m going to bring the headpiece I made to see if it will work with the hairstyle Crepefriend JL comes up with. Since today’s the trial, I thought I’d show you the headpiece I made and sort of describe the process, in the case you all want to save some moolah and try your hand at it. With a little patience, time, and elbow grease (Ew! What does that actually mean?! That phrase totally gets my goat) you can make a headpiece that’s worth a few benjamins.
I can never keep a comb in my hair for some reason—it always feels like it’s about to pop off, so I decided on a headband instead. I took a bunch of sparkly things, including some trim that I was using to customize the dress so that I could tie it all together and a pair of vintage clip on earrings.
This first part takes some time and planning, but once you lay everything out the way you want it to look, the rest is just assembly. Hot glue is your best friend here. Oh, and shoebox tops, too. I like working in them because they make cleanup easy peasy. Plus you can move it somewhere else when people come over—what mess? Nothing to see here.
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 know how it happened, but the Panther wedding is now 11 weeks away and, uh, I’m not ready. I have so much more to do! Last weekend, I finally squeezed in my first dress fitting. It was…uneventful. In fact, it was scary how easy it was. It makes me nervous when things are too easy.
Mrs. Starfish, Boston/NewportAge and Occupation: 25, Operations AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, SalesEngagement Date: October 8, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Atlantic Beach ClubAbout Me: I'm a perfectionist who is a planner at heart. I don't do well with surprises. I love planning, crafting, Newport RI, family and friends, and most importantly, Mr. Starfish---all of which will be big components in our October wedding in our favorite little city by the sea.
I absolutely love our college campus. It’s one of my favorite spots in the world. Everyone who walks into our home knows this as we proudly display our “There’s no place like Salve” sign that we bought the day Mr. S proposed, which also made an appearance during our photo shoot and at the reception.
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.
So, I haven’t been feeling well these past few weeks. I’ve never been this exhausted in my entire life; I can barely function during the day. My appetite has been non-existent, and my body is weak and achy. My doctor tells me that there is nothing really physiologically wrong with me.
He said that it must be stress.
And that makes sense. I’m getting married in a month (OMG) and just moved into a new home. This is a very, very busy and stressful time in my life.
But this post isn’t about how crappy I’ve been feeling. I’m just telling you, hive, so that you’ll understand, after you read a few more paragraphs, why I am the LAMEST PERSON ON THE PLANET.
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.
Sparks and I knew our first dance song would have some high expectations to live up to. Music is a huge part of our lives. In fact, some of my happiest relationship memories are of concerts, music festivals, and just listening to records in our living room. I remember looking at those records when we got engaged, and feeling so overwhelmed. How could we pick ONE song from all those amazing tunes?
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.
Just when you think you have your budget under control, BAM! Something completely random smacks you upside your head.
It all started when Mr. PaC and I found our ideal honeymoon destination: Little Dix Bay. We had our hearts set on LDB, but it was a bit more than we’d planned on spending. And so we hemmed and hawed for weeks…reworking the budget, making compromises or cutbacks where we could. Finally, we reached a comfort level with the cost and gave ourselves permission to put the remaining third on a no-interest rewards card. Brilliant!
Mrs. Seal, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 25, Personal AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Sales and Support SpecialistEngagement Date: December 12, 2009Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Sts Peter and Paul Church/The Bently ReserveAbout Me: I am a goofy, wannabe crafty, well-intentioned Renaissance Woman (OK, perhaps "aimless wanderer" is a more aptly suited term for me, but hopefully you get the point)—basically I dabble in just about everything and pride myself in such. Without warning, I occasionally breakout into soulful improvised songs and interpretive dances and there's just no stopping me! As so many others before me, planning our wedding has unearthed a deep, intense passion for all things bridal and I secretly fear the day it will come to an end. Mr. Seal and I are quite the pair and life with him by my side is extremely rewarding—I am so thankful to have found him. Together we are planning a black-tie San Francisco affair for 250—light on the stuffiness and with lots of extra Seal-y flair.
After our 2.5-hour tour of AT&T Park, our photographer suggested a more scenic location for the next set of photos. By this time, the rain had pretty much subsided and we were hopeful that we would be able to get some nice shots with the Golden Gate Bridge at a local park.
Although there was no rain when we arrived at Crissy Field, there was absolutely zero visibility of the bridge thanks to some super-dense fog. Though the circumstances were not what we had hoped for, we definitely made the most of it—what says San Francisco more than fog and us Seals?
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. 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!
After looking at an infinite number of wedding ideas and photos online, I realized that I’m a sucker for incorporating a monogram into a wedding. I love it when it’s done on a small scale, like on DIY water-bottle labels, and I love it when the monogram is on a larger display, such as a cake topper. I think it’s an awesome and relatively easy way to personalize your wedding look and any little wedding details. All you need is the the couple’s first initials and their new shared last initial. Easy peasy, right?
…Not quite. You see, Mr. Snow Cone has a formal name that starts with one letter and an everyday name that starts with another. For simplicity’s sake, let’s just say that his full name is Snow Cone, and he has gone by Cone every day of his life, with the exception of super-formal occasions such as graduations and the like. So, the big question: Do we use “S” or “C” as his monogram initial?? On the one hand, S is his correct, formal initial…representative of his birth-certificate name. On the other hand, C stands for the name that 99.9999% of guests at the wedding will know him as. What’s a detail-oriented bride to do??
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.
What do you think of the red-green-gray-white color scheme now that you can see the colors all mashed together?
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!
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.
My hair is super-duper fine. I think I’ve had an updo twice in my life. The first time was probably the hair trial for my brother’s wedding. The second time was at my brother’s wedding. When they got married back in 2003, my hair was also quite likely the longest it has been in my life. I don’t have a great picture to show how long it was, but this probably gives you an idea of how fine my hair is.
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
I considered including this particular set of photos with the other dancing pictures from our reception, but I felt as though they deserved their own special post.
One awesome thing about weddings (well, ours at least) is watching the celebration unfold, and really seeing some people come out of their shell!
Over the course of our reception, a bromance formed. Don’t ask me how, don’t ask me why, but Grandpa Buttons and Groomsman J hit it off…on the dance floor!
I absolutely love our college campus. It’s one of my favorite spots in the world. Everyone who walks into our home knows this as we proudly display our “There’s no place like Salve” sign that we bought the day Mr. S proposed, which also made an appearance during our photo shoot and at the reception.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
