Miss Carousel, Dusseldorf, Germany/Garda, ItalyAge and Occupation: 29, International Product ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Front End DeveloperEngagement Date: May 29, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: I’m an American-Italian girl living in Germany with my Belgian fiancé, planning a wedding in Italy. I can’t wait to show our guests the wonderful Lake Garda, Verona, and want our wedding to be a fun filled, charming, day in the life of “La dolce vita.” Mr. C and I love spending time together, and have added wedding related activities to our cooking nights, dance lessons, and road trips. We love sampling restaurants, could listen to Sinatra all day, and are just a tad geeky and into technology. As we want all of our passions to be part of our marriage, what better way to start than by incorporating them in our wedding day?
In my previous post, I talked about how my fear of bad weather made me forgo a stunning, spectacular ceremony location. Still, I’m not sorry about it because I think the one we settled for is much more “us”—not to mention the fact that it does not give me any nightmares.
At the town of Torri del Benaco, in addition to the sweet but open-air lemon grove, they also offer their auditorium for wedding celebrations. Their auditorium is a 14th Century converted church.
When we visited it we fell in love with it: it’s a small, simple church with wooden beams on the ceiling and faded frescoes on the walls. It seats a maximum of 100 people and has wonderful lighting inside.
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. 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!
Whenever I would read or hear about others’ guest-list woes, I never really understood what the big deal was. I would hear people griping about making their guest lists and think, What’s the problem? Just write down your friends’ and family members’ names, get their addresses, and be done with it! Coworker invites herself? Just smile politely and respond, “Oh, that’s so sweet that you would want to attend our little wedding! We’re keeping the ceremony really intimate, though, so we’re not inviting many people outside family and close friends.” Parents want to invite 37 of their not-so-close friends? Just say no!
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.
One of the major tasks still sitting on our “To-Do” list is finding a place for the rehearsal dinner. I’m pretty eager to get this done because, plain and simple, I love to eat. And I love to plan. And I really love planning to eat. So why is this very important task still waiting to be completed? Well, we’ve run into a, um, big issue that’s making choosing a venue a little harder than we anticipated.
The problem? I know I haven’t introduced you to them quite yet, but this is our wedding party:
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!
Mrs. Lioness, AtlantaAge and Occupation: 25, Physical TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, AttorneyEngagement Date: August 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Anthony’s Fine DiningAbout Me: I’m a Southern girl with New England roots. I say "wicked" and "y’all" in the same sentence and I like to drink sweet tea with my lobster. Mr. Lion and I are both former Floridians now living in Atlanta, which fortunately is still SEC country...Go Gators! We both love baseball, coffee, traveling, cooking, and playing Words with Friends with each other on our iPhones all day long. I’m very passionate about the things and the people I love, and I tend to plan things with all of my heart...our wedding, of course, is no different! Oh, and also Mr. Lion is a first generation American of Cuban descent. I may look more like Lucy than Ricky, but I’m doing my best to incorporate some Latin elements into our vintage-garden-Southern wedding!
These past few days have been a blur of happiness, excitement, and laughter. It’s overwhelmingly wonderful to be surrounded by so many of my favorite people. In all of the last minute preparation, and in all of the final plans, it still didn’t feel real until about 5:30 Friday afternoon.
We were rehearsing at our venue. I locked arms with Papa Lioness, ready to practice-walk down the aisle. Sister Lioness, my fabulous MOH, had been everywhere I needed her to be for nearly a week. That moment was no different, as she stood in front of me. I watched her walk away, towards the altar. My dad and I stepped forward, ready for our turn to practice. Mr. Lion came into my line of sight, and our eyes locked. I know you can’t see goose bumps from yards away, but I knew from the look on his face that that’s what he felt.
Mrs. Eggs Benedict, SeattleAge and Occupation: 29, AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, AttorneyEngagement Date: December 5, 2009Wedding Date: February 2011Venue: IslandWoodAbout Me: I'm a Northwest girl who spends my time goofing around with Mr. Eggs Benedict and our dog, hiking, traveling, drinking wine and planning a wedding that will showcase the best of what the Pacific Northwest has to offer. I also love photography, beating Mr. Eggs Bene at Mario Kart, and watching the most ridiculous natural disaster flicks you can think of (seriously, how can you deny the awesomeness that is The Core or 2012?? That's right, you can't). We are planning our weekend wedding adventure at an environmental educational center, and I can't wait for the fun to begin!
Our wedding photos are here!!! We’re going to see Kat tonight so that she can show us her favorites and then look through the highlights of all of the photos from our wedding weekend. We had such a fantastic time at the wedding and now we get to relive it all through the pictures!!
Which of course means recaps will be starting soon!
Until then, I’ll leave you with this image that Kat blogged a few days ago:
Mrs. Hippo, New York City/Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 34, Event Planner for a Non-Profit Fiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Finance ITEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: Samuel Lynne Galleries and Marc EventsAbout Me: I’m a thirty-something bride living in New York City and planning a modern-ish wedding in Dallas, Texas. I love trashy reality television (Jersey Shore, anyone?), online shopping, Sunday brunch, Central Park, and random celebrity spottings on the streets of Manhattan. While I love NYC, I miss good Tex-Mex, my college friends, central A/C, and being in close proximity to a Target. I’m thrilled to finally be planning an event that’s not work-related and to be marrying my best friend in what I hope will be a unique and personal ceremony followed by a reception with plenty of good food, good drinks, and dancing (regardless if it’s good or not).
Just in case you missed Part 1, check it out here. OK, now for the rest of the list.
6. Scheduled Alone Time: We arrived in Dallas on Wednesday afternoon, and immediately began running around like crazy trying to get last minute things taken care of. Once Thursday rolled around, family members started arriving from out of town, escalating the crazy factor even more. Luckily, I took the advice of one of my recently-married friends from work and scheduled a massage for the Thursday before the wedding. This quiet, alone time was the one time during the weekend that I could clear my head and recharge without a single distraction—no questions, no cell phone, no chit chat. It was heaven. Not only did the alone time help me relax, but it allowed me to have some time for reflection, to put into perspective the enormity of this event (the marriage more so than the wedding), and the priorities I wanted to focus on for the coming days. If you can schedule some solo time during the wedding week (massage or not), I would highly recommend it. 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.
I can’t believe I’m contemplating screen printing as a DIY. Mr. P tried to convince me not screen print our invites. I agreed, only after pricing out the materials and considering the logistics. (What? Just because Mr. P says so doesn’t mean I always listen. I can be stubborn.)
Still, I really want to screen print something. Before I added on another DIY project, I felt it was a good idea to actually try it first! And so I found myself at Terrain at Styer’s one Sunday in February, enrolled in a screen printing class and ready to make something.
Mrs. Ostrich, San Francisco/HawaiiAge and Occupation: 30, Fashion Buyer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 38, CopywriterEngagement Date: October 4, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Sweet ceremony by the sea and sunset celebration on the North Shore of HawaiiAbout Me: Born in the city of angels and residing in the city by the bay, I’m a fearless fashion buyer by day, a passionate blog author by night and a dreamy bride-to-be in between. I thank my lucky stars to live in such a stunning city that gives me gifts like organic honey lavender ice cream, movie nights in the park, tucked away beaches, legendary record stores, '80s dance parties, awesome sports teams, stellar flea markets, and vintage bookshops. Oh, and I love to dance! We always find every excuse to escape to the beach, and decided a little seaside wedding in Hawaii is our idea of bliss. Full of our favorite people, music, food and sparkly lights, this is one sunset celebration we will always remember.
It’s T minus 28 days and at this point, the physique you see today will be the physique in our wedding pics.
But unlike many of my more disciplined, dedicated workout bees (Hippo! Brooch!), I’ve been a major workout FAIL these past 3 months. There’s no good excuse but I get some brownie points for sticking to a healthy diet, eating 5-6 small meals a day during the week, with some sweet treats on the weekend. And I’m going to push myself these last few weeks, but I know there will be no extraordinary transformation. I won’t have Jessica Alba’s or Jen Aniston’s smokin’ figure. But that’s OK with me, because when I put on that dress and say YES to that incredible man in my life, sculpted arms and a size 24 waist will be the furthest thing from my mind. 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.
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!
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
