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!
Don’t worry folks, this is the last post about our photo display (until recaps, of course). I know that you’ve all been waiting patiently, so it’s about time I shared our wonderful results.
Firstly, big big props to friend Brooke, who was nice enough to let me share the crush I had on her wedding and the inspiration it gave me.
I told you guys about the first step of our photo display where we bought new frames and spray painted them. I told you it was easy, but let me tell you that step two is ever harder. Step two would be choosing the photos!
Mr. G and I ended up with more photo frames than we had planned for. I wanted 5-7 frames, but thanks to Mama Giraffe heading to her TJ Maxx, we ended up with 10 (which is awesome). Since we had so many frames, we decided we could use all kinds of photos from the whole time we were dating. I mean, how fun would it be to share photos of baby Giraffes?
Oh man, I’m definitely just 18 here. I can’t believe how time flies!
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 always figured it would be pretty easy to pick our first dance song. “Our song” is Rascal Flatts’ Bless The Broken Road, and we could just leave it at that, but you know how I like to make things difficult. I thought it seemed a little slow for a first dance, and we decided we’d rather use it for the processional.
Back to the drawing board we went. Mr. Hyena wanted something very classic, and I wanted something that really represented “us” as we are. It took us a while to find the point where those two meet, but we’ve done quite a bit of brainstorming, and here are some options that, if we don’t end up revisiting, at least they can give you some ideas!
You and I by Michael Buble
We both really liked this song, but I think it might have been ruined by one line in the third verse. Something along the lines of, “You may not be here forever,” which I don’t really think is a deal-breaker, but he was over it. *pout* But … pianos!
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.
I’ve been hinting that I’m keen to tackle a few projects for the Gazelle wedding, but I haven’t actually said too much about what they are! So, what is on the list?
Save the Dates – Our engagement photos will play a big role in our save the dates, and I’m excited to get the design done once we’ve got our photos!
Invitations – I have a big vision in my head, complete with pocket-fold invites, ribbon detailing, an embossed bicycle, and this amazing bicycle scrapbooking paper.
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.
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!
We’re less than one month away from the wedding (*squee*), and surprisingly I’m doing much better than I thought I would be at this junction. We knocked out final meetings with almost all of our vendors, and these reminded me how happy and honored we are to be working with them. However, I realized that although I introduced y’all to these fabulous professionals, I never really delved into our method for selecting them. That’s because Mr. Tartlet and I are “go with your gut” kind of people: if we click with someone, love their work, and they’re within our budget—we sign, and we stop looking. Not terribly useful advice for a community that’s renowned for helpful hints and tips. So, instead I thought I’d share some of the odd encounters I had while shopping around for the “right” vendors that had me going:
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!
~~~
What did you do with your veil/wedding dress? Do you have any plans for it?
I have passed my hair flower on to two other bees so far! (The netting part detached from the flower.) Mrs. Frozen Yogurt lent it to her sister/MOH to wear during her wedding, and Mrs. Veggie borrowed it for hers! I’m not sure what the fate of my flower is now, but I love the idea of it being passed on to even more brides!
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.
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 knew I wanted something big and bold when it came to my wedding-day jewelry. I don’t do “dainty” very well, and intricate jewels kind of freak me out. Since I’m not very coordinated, and I tend to get the fragile stuff caught on door handles, zippers, dog paws, etc. So when it came time to start looking for the statement-making (but sturdy) jewelry I craved, I knew I would turn to my old pal Kendra Scott (OK, we aren’t really pals, but I feel like a jewelry-making friend would be a pretty great thing to have).
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!
First of all, I want to apologize for my absence the last few days. That being said, our wedding is NEXT MONTH!!
Despite all the wedding planning I should be doing, and thesis writing I should be finishing, in the last month, I have been to Spain, France, Belgium, and Germany. Along the way I’ve managed to collect a number of great little trinkets to include in our big day. I’ll blog about all the great stuff I’ve picked up, but today I just want to talk about vintage hankies! Read more…
Mrs. Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, ProfessorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, InstructorEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
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.
Have you ever watched Platinum Weddings on WE tv? You knooow, the one where couples spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to make their wildest wedding dreams a reality? Well I have, but really that’s not saying much ’cause I’ve given just about every wedding TV show out there a shot. Yes, even CMT’s My Big Redneck Wedding, thanks to MOH Meghan.
This is our favorite cake from My Big Redneck Wedding. I think it has flair, no?
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.
We have a fabulous giveaway today! Paper, Gowns & Glory creates handcrafted, made-to-order paper sculptures, perfect for weddings and as one-of-a-kind gifts. From cake toppers to flower bouquets to centerpieces, Paper, Gowns & Glory specializes in hand-cut miniature recreations of bridal gowns, bride and groom replications and custom flower design using acid-free, locally-sourced paper and archival glue to prevent yellowing with age.
Today, Paper, Gowns & Glory is giving away a wedding dress replica of YOUR dress to one lucky Weddingbee reader (a $400+ value!).
You have several ways to enter this contest!
Visit Paper, Gowns & Glory’s website and check out their paper floral design and wedding gowns and let us know what your favorite piece of work is in the comments here!
For an additional entry, follow Weddingbee on Twitter and retweet this contest (if you’re already a follower, simply retweet by clicking here!). Then come back here and let us know that you followed/retweeted.
You have until Tuesday, April 12th at 11:59 PM PST to enter. Good luck!
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.
Previously in this DIY, we “harvested” and “crushed” in preparation for…
Fermentation…when the real work gets started!
After crushing and de-stemming, the juice from the grapes is put into the fermentation vats, where alcoholic fermentation takes place (the conversion of sugar into alcohol and CO2). Sometimes yeast is added to start fermentation.
Much like the transformation of grape juice into wine, we’re taking a rough bottle and converting it into a smooth, velvety vessel.
Freshly cut bottles awaiting their “fermentation” transformation
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 have a friend who is into cake decorating, and many moons ago (well before engagement was even a topic of conversation), she posted a link to a Dallas cake decorator’s website and, while flipping through the pages, I found my first cake love:
Oh man, I’m definitely just 18 here. I can’t believe how time flies!
I thought it seemed a little slow for a first dance, and we decided we’d rather use it for the processional.
After we said yes, we were beyond elated and ready to celebrate with all our friends and family.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
I have passed my hair flower on to two other bees so far! (The netting part detached from the flower.) Mrs. Frozen Yogurt lent it to her sister/MOH to wear during her wedding, and Mrs. Veggie borrowed it for hers! I’m not sure what the fate of my flower is now, but I love the idea of it being passed on to even more brides!
