Mrs. Bunting, Grand Rapids, MIAge and Occupation: 24, freelance illustrator & print productionFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, graduate of historyEngagement Date: December 3, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Spring Grove Park & St. George Banquet CenterAbout Me: I am a freelance illustrator and designer with a love of nature and a taste for adventure. Textures and color fuel my world, along with apple cider and noodles. I'll try anything once, especially if it involves heights or food. I've hiked the Grand Canyon, gone sky diving, cuddled a baby wolf, and now my latest venture consists of designing and planning a large wedding involving color, DIY details, love, and marrying my best friend.
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!
Hola Hive!! Mr. E and I just got back from our honeymoon in Mexico and it was AMAZING!!
With all of the anticipation leading up to the honeymoon it was safe to say that I was packed days before we left last Saturday. Mama E and Daddy E dropped us off bright and early at the airport (and watched little Gypsy for the week, thanks guys!) and after what seemed like forever in the American Airlines line (because I needed to change my passport number in their system) we were off! Read more…
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.
So, now that the planning stage is over, I am totally qualified to tell you about my favorite part of the planning process. And it might surprise you… at least I know it surprised me.
One of the things Mr. Lox and I decided to do a long time ago was to take dance lessons before the wedding. But then, as wedding planning kicked into high gear, neither of us could really find the time to research and find a place to take lessons. I was surprised to learn that it’s not as easy to find good dance lessons as I thought it would be. But then, it was Groupon to the rescue. We found a Groupon for a Ballroom Blitz class. It was four weeks long with a different dance being taught each week. We figured we could decide which one of the four would be right for our song and then we’d be set.
After the third group lesson, we realized that a class like that wouldn’t cut the mustard for what we really wanted. It was fun, and I’m totally glad we did it (would do it again in a heartbeat) but we needed private instruction. So, just a handful of weeks before the wedding, we went for a package of 10 private dance lessons with Beginning Ballroom. And hive, this was the best wedding planning decision we made.
The obvious benefit was a confident and nice looking first dance. You all get that. But it had another, even greater, hidden benefit. Read more…
Ms. Ferris Wheel, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, PsychologistFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, PsychologistEngagement Date: May 23 and 28, 2010 (one for each of us!)Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Parc55 Hotel (city lights ceremony, ballroom reception)About Me: Born in the Southeast, educated in the Northeast, and over-educated on the West Coast, I finally earned my city-girl credentials and have put down roots in gorgeous San Francisco. I’m a raging perfectionist with a lightning quick wit and a terrible sense of both time and direction. Our wedding task list is endlessly growing because of my predilection to think that DIY projects I can make = DIY projects I should make (so not true!). I always go to bed wishing there were more hours in the day to enjoy all the things I adore, whether that be hobbies, friends, my career, our two dogs, or Mr. Ferris Wheel. Ours is a story of a non-traditional couple living an oddly traditional life planning a not-so-traditional wedding in this city we adore. Together we are bustin’ out all of our best skills (and some of our worst ones) to plan a laid-back-chic DIY-craftastic love-alicious affair!
Many moons ago a document was forged, upon which was painstakingly penned a list of all tasks, known and imagined, in order that peace and tranquility might be obtained by those soon to be betrothed.
Translation: We made a wedding to-do list on Google Docs.
Why Google Docs? One word: convenience. Read more…
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).
Well, hello there hive! It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than two months since King Hippo and I tied the knot. For real… where did the time go??!? We’re still patiently waiting for our pro pics, and rumor has it that we should have them in the next couple of weeks (hooray!), which means the Hippo recaps are just around the corner. I can’t wait to relive every minute of our wedding day with y’all!
So… what’s been happening in the Hippo household since we got hitched? Well… a lot. For one, I just feel a little bit different. It’s weird, and I can’t really explain it, but there is something about being married that feels… well… different. King Hippo and I dated for four years and lived together for three, so it wasn’t like after the wedding we had a lot of adjusting to do. I figured things would be the same, just with some more rings on our fingers and new names to call each other. But… it’s different. It feels like nothing has changed, but at the same time… everything has.
Before the wedding, I would work ridiculous hours and often be at the office late at night or on the weekends, and while it was annoying, it didn’t bother me all that much. Read more…
Mrs. Cardigan, AustinAge and Occupation: 21, Student/Soon-to-be Special Education TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 20, Student/Soon-to-be Accounting Systems AnalystEngagement Date: August 16, 2009Wedding Date: January 2011Venue: Vintage VillasAbout Me: I'm a native Austinite who was raised as a die-hard Aggie. Luckily, I'm a pretty persuasive girl because I managed to convince my high school boyfriend (now fiance!), Mr. Cardigan, to ditch his hardcore Longhorn ways and join me up at A&M, where we currently reside with our adorable dogs, Cullen & Ranger. We're currently planning a bright, cheery wedding with a ridiculous amount of DIY projects that I can't wait to tackle! I love crafting in any form, reading, and margaritas (I think I love them the most!). Organization is what keeps me sane and I love helping others, which is probably why I ended up as an education major. It gets a little chaotic sometimes when you're planning a wedding among all of the papers, projects, finals, and certification exams, but we're having the time of our lives and we can't wait to get started on our journey as husband and wife - and we're so excited to share our wedding with the hive!
The entire dance portion of our night was amazing, but I will say that there were two songs that stuck out in my mind as favorites of the night.
The first was Bohemian Rhapsody. Kind of a random song to play at a wedding, I know, but it was played at Bridesmaid Audrey’s wedding because we used to rock out to it all the time with our friends from college. Bridesmaid Audrey, her other bridesmaids, and I stood in the middle of the dance floor at her wedding and screamed along to the lyrics while everyone looked at us like we were crazy. So, it was only appropriate that we played it at our wedding too.
Our guests didn’t seem to mind.
The photos will be taken to a whole new level if you listen along while you look.
Mrs. Macarons, TampaAge and Occupation: 26, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Renaissance ManEngagement Date: September 12, 2009Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Lange FarmAbout Me: I'm creative at heart and a graphic designer with an unhealthy obsession with type. I love roller coasters, spicy foods, and a good glass of Crianza. We’re planning a soft and lovely vintage-meets-modern wedding in a state that’s known for its beaches, glitz and glam. I have a ton of DIY projects and lots of little details I’m dying to share and can't wait to celebrate with our closest friends and family.
I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit to researching venues before I was engaged. Lots of them. I started right after I discovered Erin, our photographer. It was the one aspect of our wedding I was truly worried about. I had a look and feel in my mind that I just couldn’t shake. I wanted to get married outside, surrounded by our closest friends and family. I wanted to hear the wind swirl through trees and across open fields of grass, our only other onlookers members of the equine family.
Mrs. Zebra, Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 24 Marketing/Costume DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26 Management/Firefighter Engagement Date: December 12, 2008Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The Providence BiltmoreAbout Me: I'm a small town New England girl with an affinity for procrastination, crossing the proverbial line, and putting her foot in her mouth. I'm a lover of history, all seasons, sewing and Incubus. I design costumes on the side for my old high school's theatre department, which is where I met my sexy man. Our motto for our Big Fat Lebanese/Portuguese/Irish near-300 person wedding is "the more the merrier"! We are marrying in a Catholic ceremony and are hammering out the details of our Victorian-inspired reception.
4:30 on Tuesday, March 22 brought with it two weeks full of vacated bliss. Woot. What can go wrong? I’m getting married and going on vacation! Double woot.
On Wednesday, I had my final dress fitting. Luckily I brought Sister-in-Law Spiffy along (and my mom, but she usually spent these trips to the bridal salon tearing up in the corner). I had so much confidence and put so much trust into the Julie’s Bridal that I had never communicated specifically how I would like my bustle. When I first purchased the dress I had mentioned the bustle, and Julie tacked it up so the back was on full display. I had asked her if she would be willing to make it a zip off train. It was impossible to do with all of the beading.
On that Wednesday, I tried my dress on and I asked about a bustle. I take full blame for not communicating my wishes prior to this day. My quite heavy skirt was pulled up and held on with one barely-surviving button. The beading looked gorgeous, as did the skirt, but I wasn’t confident in the strength of the bustle. My only sticking point for the wedding was that the bustle remain intact for as long as possible.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been pulled out of my seat at a wedding in order to fix a bride’s bustle. Read more…
Mrs. High Wire, DallasAge and Occupation: 23, Legal AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Director of CommunicationsEngagement Date: October 9, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Clark GardensAbout Me: My loves include yoga, anything spicy, our eccentric cat, our rambunctious dog, and Mr. High Wire, of course! Like the steadiness act of the tightrope walker, this gal is busy balancing life while planning a wedding to the man of her dreams. We’re hosting a laid-back, vintage-inspired, bird themed wedding with heavy doses of love, good eats (did someone say tacos and margaritas?), and endless Texas charm. Mr. High Wire and I are so happy to have you along for the walk across the tight rope.
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 didn’t get a chance to share our RSVP breakdown with you before the wedding, but since I’m always interested in what percentage of invitees attend weddings, I figured I’d take care of that now.
I chose to break down our list a little differently than just “local” and “not local.” This is because both of our extended families live within four hours of the wedding. While I wouldn’t call them “local,” they are close enough that the majority attended the wedding, and I didn’t want these numbers to skew our numbers for legit out-of-towners.
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. Funnel Cake, Zürich, Switzerland/Columbus, OhioAge and Occupation: 24, Visual Communication DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Application EngineerEngagement Date: May 30, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Catholic church followed by a botanical conservatoryAbout Me: I'm an American designer who moved to Switzerland for love after a fairytale beginning at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I love travel, photography, museums, learning German so I can speak with my mother-in-law, cooking (eating), cuddling, and I'm not afraid to try something new even if it terrifies me. My Swiss/Brazilian man and I are both down to earth people planning a traditional Catholic wedding in my hometown with some quirky cultural exceptions to reflect our different backgrounds. We look forward to celebrating with friends and family from all over the world in a classic, sophisticated fusion of heritage and love.
It’s a sign, girls, that on William and Kate’s big day, exactly six months before my own wedding day, I found them. I found my wedding shoes! (Hip hip hooray!)
Mrs. Knitting, TorontoAge and Occupation: 24, Student Recruitment Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Neuroscience PhD CandidateEngagement Date: October 2009Wedding Date: December 2010Venue: University of Toronto Faculty Club
About Me: I'm a pearl wearing, etiquette book reading Toronto girl who loves cooking and baking, museums, charm bracelets, and collecting books on Jackie Kennedy (a lot). I've been known to spend Sunday mornings at the antique market, Wednesday evenings at sister sushi dinners, and any bit of spare time reading. After six and a half years of many late night walks, watching DVDs together in bed, travelling to places like New York, and Tobermory, doing Sudokus together on the couch, lots of Indian food, the occasional yoga class, moving in together and so much more, Mr. Knitting and I are planning a cozy Christmasy (it's a word!), vintage wedding in Toronto complete with many DIY projects (eek!) and lots of help from our amazing group of family and friends.
After Mr. Knitting and I were down eating some appetizers, we headed downstairs to be with our guests and to have some drinks (amaretto sour for me!).
Mr. K spent some time with his high school friends:
Our guests enjoyed cocktails and appetizers: Read more…
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!
Our invitations are currently being printed and assembled and I am absolutely itching to get them into my pasty little hands. I was a bit slow off the mark with actually finalizing our design and wording, so my original goal of getting the invitations out by Memorial Day is now a distant memory. This self-created delay originally caused be a decent amount of stress; however, I’ve been working tirelessly on our invitation envelopes so when the invites themselves actually arrive, they’ll have beauteous homes to carry them to their final destination. The saga of our envelopes has been a little emotional for me, so let me walk you through it…
Once I got a more accurate timeline for the production and delivery of our invitations, I decided to order the envelopes separately so that I could address them while the invitations were being created, to expedite the entire turnaround time once I had the invitations myself. Read more…
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.
A friend of mine actually did have Wedding: The Musical: the MC sang Wilkommen, the bride sang Maybe This Time and the bridal party did a chorus line… But this post is about the music for our wedding. Or some of it, anyway.
The way we see it, there are a few categories of music to pick:
The pre-show – tunes for people to listen to when they arrive at the venue
Processional
Recessional
First dance(s) (no idea yet—our song is Hit the Road Jack)
Par-tay (we’re leaving this one to the DJ)
And, we have our DJ for the whole thing!
We decided what we wanted for the ‘pre-show’ pretty early on: all Vitamin String Quartet, all the time. Something you’ll have to understand about me (us, really) is that music is fun.
