Mrs. Prairie Dog, Cincinnati
Age and Occupation: 24, Program CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, PhD/Biomedical EngineerEngagement Date: December 18, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Glendale LyceumAbout Me: I'm a pilgrim soul of a girl with a house full of books and a coffee addiction that could slay Juan Valdez. My life is a whirl of grammar correction, good music, glue-gunning, and two pets named Hazel and Winston Churchill. I'm marrying my high school boyfriend in a formal-ish spring affair, roughly themed: "Elizabeth Bennet crashes a party co-hosted by Jay Gatsby and Cath Kidston, and loves it."
Way back when I discovered Weddingbee, I would stumble across bee bloggers who were well into their planning, hammering out the weeks-before details. If I wanted to know anything about the “feel” of their wedding—their bridesmaids dresses, their colors, whatever—I had to click their icon, click “Older” posts a bunch of times and scroll. A lot.
Since I often write posts with no pictures at all, I figured I’d prove to new readers (I know you Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day engagees are out there) that we actually have concrete plans for our wedding, not just a bunch of relationship babble. Also, I’m so close to my wedding that I am writing this post to remind myself: there are things that are decided. There are things that are cohesive. Or something.
Mrs. Seashell, Chicago, IL / Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 28, Marriage and Family TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: September 3, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: The Glen Manor HouseAbout Me: Fonts and fashion, stationery and Sundays, photography and french toast... the beauty is in the details for this fun-loving Chicagoan who loves to plan plan plan! The soon-to-be hubs plays "Mr. Fix-It" in our new condo while I swoon over beautiful, personalized stationery and choose shades of aubergine for my bridesmaids' dresses... and thus begins my new fairy tale! Skirting to the East Coast for our September nuptials where my home state of Rhode Island awaits with fall foliage, I'm just a few dress fittings and bachelorette party away from saying "I Do" to a very happy ending!
We kicked off cocktail hour with champagne all around.
Our cocktail hour was exactly what we had hoped. The weather at Glen Manor House was ten degrees cooler than in the city (so, about 76) and our guests mingled, nibbled, and explored the gorgeous property. We spent a significant portion of cocktail hour taking photos, but also managed to have time to chat with guests and get a few bites of food. Great tip: The venue coordinator asked us in advance which hors d’oeuvres we wanted to try. While we were greeting our guests a tray was brought to us so we could enjoy our time and also sneak in a nosh! 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.
After what seems like forever, I’ve finally found jewelry for my sister and BM R! You see, it’s not that we couldn’t find jewelry we liked, it’s that we found TOO much jewelry we liked. How do you narrow down hundreds of awesome pieces when the choice is left up to you… and you’ve never done this before?
A marathon shopping trip (six hours in new wedges—ouch, dummy!) a few weeks ago turned up a few possibilities. BM R, who trends toward classic and blingy, was coveting this lovely pair:
They were even more sparkly spectacular under those Nordstrom lights, but $88/pair was more than I wanted to spend. (The girls’ dresses and jewelry are my wedding present to them.) Read more…
Mrs. Balloons, Aspen, COAge and Occupation: 24, Mass Communications graduate, Web Design student, & winery workerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, EngineerEngagement Date: July 10, 2009Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: The Sundeck at The Little NellAbout Me: I'm a small-town Midwest girl planning an intimate mountaintop destination wedding complete with a huge DIY at-home reception. As an honors graduate fallen victim to the worst job market in history in my area, we're doing everything we can to still have the wedding of our dreams on a tighter budget. I currently enjoy working at a winery, but I'm lonnng overdue for a day job! I am: a big-time daydreamer, one of the pickiest eaters you'll ever meet, and a lover of pretty paper and awesome fonts. I'm a girly girl who loves to get dolled up, but also a country girl who loves to get muddy and go 4-wheeler riding. I also enjoy singing in the car, boating, going to concerts, the History Channel, carnival food, and going to watch St. Louis Cardinals baseball with my handsome engineer.
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. 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.
A week before our marriage-preparation class was supposed to take place, these colourful booklets arrived at our house. That’s right—a pre-marriage preparation course workbook because we are preparing to prepare!
I drew eyes on my people because they were missing them. And I like to be different…
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.
Remember when I said we selected the slowest shipping option when we ordered our save the dates and return-address labels? The package arrived three days before the expected ship date on their site. What a lovely surprise.
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.
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!
Like many couples getting married in a Catholic wedding, we have a “Catholic gap” on our hands. For those of you unfamiliar with this term, let me break it down for you. Our wedding is slated to begin in the early afternoon (1:00 PM), but our cocktail hour doesn’t start until 5:00. Even with a lengthy ceremony, receiving line, and photos at the church, we still have a decent amount of time on our hands before we can kick off the reception festivities. Some other couples facing a Catholic gap may utilize that downtime to travel from ceremony to reception site, especially if the two locations are a hefty distance from each other. That’s not really the case for us.
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.
A while ago, I mentioned wanting to make magnets to hold up our escort cards based on this tutorial. So, on a cold Sunday morning, Mr. Pony and I set out to make some magnets of our own to use as part of our escort-card display.
We made ours slightly differently than the tutorial, so I figured a DIY post was in order.
First we gathered our supplies: 3/4″ glass bead things (apparently called “marble accents”…who knew?), table letters cut into 3/4″ circles (courtesy of my Cricut, cursing, and many failed attempts), 3/4″ card stock cut for backings, Mod Podge, paint brush, 1/2″ magnets, and hot glue gun (not pictured).
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!
With all of the work put into our DIY projects, I knew I wanted a way to remember them after the wedding. After reading Mrs. Seashell’s post on framing her invite, it spawned the perfect idea!
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!
In the final weeks leading up to our wedding, Sister Lioness was busy putting the finishing touches on a slideshow that she had prepared to show during our rehearsal dinner. Every text, every post, every tweet that I received from her during this time had one phrase repeating throughout: BBC. Or, in the tweets, it was #BBC. Yep, she tried to get it to trend. What does “BBC” stand for? Well, it refers to our wedding guests and what she hoped they would do. She hoped that they would be so overcome with joy and emotion that they would cry. The conversation went something like this:
Lioness: Is the slideshow sappy?
Sister Lioness: Heck yes it is! They’d better cry. [Insert very tactful pet name for our collective rehearsal dinner guests] better cry!
Thus, BBC was born. Alas, I was just as guilty of helping it to stick.
The first BBC moment at our rehearsal dinner occurred during Papa Lioness’ toast. He is a good speaker. He does it for a living. He’s always had a way with words, and on top of that, he’s a total sap. After our guests finished eating, he stepped in front of our projection screen (more on that later…it’s basically just our photobooth backdrop with a sheet over it) and asked for the floor.
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!
As you may have read, I’m worried our wedding will become a lukewarm mess, with semi-interesting aspects that come together to leave our guests feeling meh.
I fear our ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and yes, even the details, will leave our guests almost cold. Or they’ll think it’s too busy, too crowded with a plethora of details and a spectrum of flair. Too cramped with poms and chalkboards, buttons and bunting, pumpkins and brownies. Is that possible? Read more…
Mrs. Pretzel, SeattleAge and Occupation: 32 Learning, Training, and Development SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 28 Manufacturing EngineerEngagement Date: September 2, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catholic Church & The Engine Room at Georgetown StudiosAbout Me: I’m just a thirty-something girl who never dreamed of weddings, poofy dresses, or ritzy receptions. I am a rabid knitter, except recently, wedding projects have replaced my yarn and needles. I’ve been fiercely independent since the age of 2 and 30 years later I think my family and friends had given up on me settling down and getting married.
Ironically, I had to go all the way to Seattle to find a boy from Purdue. We fell in love over Seattle Beers and cooking together. I love NASCAR, he loves Legos. I can talk like a Muppet and he can fit a whole McDonald’s cheeseburger in his mouth. We are a two reception couple, currently planning a brewery inspired bash.
Jerry and his wife are two of Mama Pretzel’s closest friends. They always have the most fun together and are super supportive of each other. There was no question that Jerry and his wife would be guests at our wedding. The generosity of this man knows no bounds and Mr Pretzel and I are blessed to have him in our lives. Both Jerry and his wife showed a lot of interest in our wedding planning and my mom kept them up to date with all of our brightly colored vintage laced plans. When Jerry saw our engagement photo shoot with my friend’s classic car he decided that he knew the perfect addition to our wedding.
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’m in registry hell. This is, as Miss Magic would say, a first world problem, and I recognize that. Yet, I am still completely overwhelmed, misinformed of, and pretty much disgusted with the world of bridal registries.
A little background will probably help you understand why I’m having a problem asking people for presents. Can that even happen? Everyone likes to get stuff, right? Well, Sparks and I have lived together for almost two years now, and we have stuff. Lots of it. In fact, every time we go home, our parents try to give us more stuff. And, while we are very grateful for the things we’ve gotten for free, what has resulted is a mismatched bunch things that (to put it bluntly) no one else wanted anymore.
So when we got engaged and had the opportunity to register for some spankin’ new goods, we were excited. Really excited. We marched boldly into Crate & Barrel, requested our magic scanner, and then… stared at each other. The conversation that followed our proud entrance went something like this:
Me: Um, so do you like these beer mugs? Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
