Mrs. Jam, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 25, Writer/Associate Wedding CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Structural EngineerEngagement Date: December 23, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Hunter’s Ridge, Princeton, ILAbout Me: I’m a penny-pinching cat lady getting ready to marry the frugal dog lover of my dreams. Our ideal Saturday morning includes rummaging around people’s junk at garage and estate sales followed by an afternoon date to our favorite café, where we only eat sandwiches that include the word “salad.” We actually love it so much, it’s sort of our unofficial wedding theme: Look at our delicious finds, eat homemade ham salad, and celebrate our love…barndance style. When we’re not obsessing over our love-fest shindig, we’re planning themed parties for our best friends and jamming to '90s music.
Don’t get me wrong: I am going to love the celebration, no matter what. And I have oodles of sugary love for Mr. Jam, which is the whole reason for this affair. But preparing for the big day? The love has sort of…fizzled (to say the very least).
We had an 18-month engagement, which was fantastic and laid-back and enabled us to do things at our own leisurely pace. But in those 18 months, everything changed. Our visions changed. Our taste in music and food and attire and guests changed. We lost loved ones, struggled with our $10k budget, and planned a century’s worth of DIY projects to tie the whole fiesta together.
And here we are, three sure-to-fly-by weeks away from the wedding with a ton of projects calling our names, begging to be done for the sake of our latest vision. And because Mr. Jam has officially been living out of state for four months (and counting), whose plate does that fall on?
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.
Those were the instructions that I gave my bridesmaids when out shopping for their dresses. I wanted them to pick what they wanted; as long as it was pink, long, and flowy I’d be happy.
I wish I had pictures of them trying on the different styles. Maybe I was too distracted by the herd of people in the shop that day! Apparently half of St. Louis thought it would be a good idea to go look for bridesmaids’ dresses that day. Actually it really was a beautiful, sunny day…but I digress…moving along…
Despite a crowded shop…easiest. shopping. trip. ever. The girls looked great in everything they tried on. They know how indecisive I am, so they all gathered in the dressing room and came up with the gown that looked the best on everyone and emerged with a decision. Oh, how I love them! It would have taken me hours to try to decide. They must really love me, too, because they ended up spending way more than I wanted them to! The lovely Bari Jay dress cost $220! I tried to tell them that they did NOT have to spend that much; some of the cheaper dresses were pretty, too, but they insisted. So that was that. If only all the wedding decisions could go that smoothly and simply…
Mrs. Jaguar, SydneyAge and Occupation: 27, Primary School TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Curzon HallAbout Me: I'm an Australian girl who is a self-proclaimed nerd, loves all things stationery and would be lost without books, music and the internet. Mr. Jaguar and I have been together for the past eight years and he finally popped the question last August. Hurrah! We currently live in Sydney, Australia with our adorable cat who thinks he's a person. We're a couple who likes to multi-task: we've been planning a wedding abroad, a permanent move from London to Sydney, and preparing to build our own home all at the same time. Travelling makes me giddy...as does Mr. Jaguar, of course!
I’m talking about our RSVP breakdown. We’ve chased, we’ve hounded, we’ve extended our response deadline by two weeks and we’re officially done now.
Let me preface this by admitting that we initially wanted a smaller wedding, preferably with 30-40 people, max. Unfortunately, our decision to hold the wedding here in Sydney meant that we had a huge amount of family to invite—so our numbers skyrocketed from there. As for those numbers:
Guests invited: 129
Guests who RSVPed ‘NO’: 37
Guests who mysteriously disappeared & we can’t get in contact with: 2
Guests who RSVPed ‘YES’: 90
Vendors in our number count: 5
Total? 90 guests. (Or 95, if you include our vendors that we’re feeding.)
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.
In the first of many wedding-related printings, postings, and mailings (don’t even get me started on how many stamps we are going to need), we have ordered our save the dates!
STDs officially announce the date of your wedding and let guests know that they will be invited to your happy celebration. They are not required, so you don’t have to send them if you don’t want. However, giving guests advance notice helps to increase your chances that your guests will be able to attend.
They are probably the first wedding-related item that your guests will come into contact with, so it is a great time to set the tone and theme of the day. But it is also the time to be less formal and gives you the opportunity to get your creative juices flowing. I’ve seen an STD for a destination wedding that had a bottle filled with sand, shells, and a little slip of paper with the STD information on it. Another popular trend is to have yours printed on magnets for the kitchen fridge or make them in postcard form. The possibilities are really endless!
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!
Recently, Mr. Snow Cone turned to me and made this official proclamation: “We should figure out what we’re going to have people sign at the wedding.” I met this comment with a combination of surprise and bemusement; he rarely contemplates wedding-planning details, let alone taking the initiative to bring them up in conversation. But when he does, it’s quite endearing, to say the least.
Anyhow, his comment got me thinking about the different guestbook options we have. There’s always the traditional route of having people simply sign their names in a lined book so the couple has a record of who attended their special day. However, in today’s wedding world, there are so many more options with a bit more personality. After a bit of thought and a bit of online research, here’s a completely un-exhaustive list of ideas, broken into categories based on what you want out of your guestbook selection.
For those interested in showing off a passion:
You can have all your guests sign a cherished (or personalized) jersey or piece of sporting equipment, showing off your favorite team!
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!
One year and nine months after coming out to me, 364 days after starting testosterone, and eight months after having top surgery, Mr. FW officially became a ’mister’ in the eyes of the law.
{It’s Mr. FW}
With guidance from the super helpful information provided by the Transgender Law Center, Mr. FW worked with his medical doctor for several weeks to draft a letter with all of the very precise language needed to satisfy the requirements of both federal (social security, passport) and state (court, DMV, birth certificate) agencies. With the letter and a lot of other forms firmly in hand, he was assigned a court date for his legal name and gender change hearing. We went together to court that day along with probably fifteen other people. Many were women changing their names and/or their kids’ names due to marriage or divorce, some were just changing their first name to something they preferred better, and two people were there to change their name and gender. 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!
One of the parts of our wedding that I looked forward to the most were the toasts. I always love listening to the toasts at other people’s weddings, and I was so excited to hear what our loved ones would say to us on one of the biggest days of our life so far.
Daddy Cardigan was up first…
He started with the most important thing—letting everyone know that the Aggies were up in the Cotton Bowl against LSU by a couple of points. Read more…
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.
As you can probably tell from the other parts of our story, I had sort of fallen in love with Switzerland. It only took one week back in Ohio before I had bought plane tickets to return during spring break. I mean, I had to go back. (And not because of Mr. Funnel Cake!)
I had accidentally lost ALL of my computer data from my time abroad, and I was devastated. The design firm I was working for had pretty deplorable email/phone communication skills, so if I wanted my design files back I knew I would have to physically go there and get them off the server myself. Luckily, I had found an awesome deal on flights, and I scored roundtrip tickets for $530. (They just don’t come that cheap these days!)
So with the friendly help of an honors scholarship I had earned toward my senior thesis, I headed back to Switzerland with the goal of recovering my precious data and “doing research” on public transportation around Zürich for my thesis. Those are pretty legitimate reasons, right??
Mr. Funnel Cake was excited to hear I was planning a trip back in March, and in the meantime he added me on Flickr, Facebook, and MSN, so we started IM-ing occasionally in addition to our emails. When spring break rolled around, Mr. Funnel Cake was already planning on picking me up in his parents’ car for another “date.”
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.
Our reception venue is a gigantic white ballroom. It is 11,644 square feet of white, open space. One of our biggest obstacles throughout wedding planning has been finding ways to make this huge room feel more intimate while infusing color and personality into the room.
Here are some images of how our venue can be transformed with the addition of some fancy lighting:
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!
In the state of Texas, you’re required to get your marriage license within 30 days of actually gettin’ hitched. So a few weeks before W-day, we Hyenas scampered down to the county courthouse to get this to-do scratched off the list. (Well, we scampered, but to the wrong county building. They had to direct us to the real courthouse a few blocks over. Fail.)
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.
Several months after I’d decided we must have GIANT balloons at our wedding, I spotted them on super sweet engagement shoot: Read more…
Mrs. Argyle, St. LouisAge and Occupation: 24, Project CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, PilotEngagement Date: February 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Jewel Box in Forest Park and Windows on WashingtonAbout Me: I'm a true Midwestern girl (born and raised), lover of red wine, reality TV and the entire J.Crew catalog. I love to dance regardless of who is watching, and enjoy a good laugh with my girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for planet Earth, my two dogs and my fiance. Fall is my favorite season (which is why we are marrying in September), but I love a warm summer day and the Colorado mountains in the winter. We are planning a modern soiree downtown, with lots of bold colors, and fun, eco-friendly elements.
So, hey there hive! I promise I am alive and well, and with honeymoon photos and stories to share!
Mr. A and I decided to leave for our big Greek trip the Monday after our wedding, giving us all of Sunday to recoup, relax and pack. We jetted off about noon on Monday and set off for a lovely 11 hours of flying (that, trust me, was worth it). We arrived in Athens around 3 PM and were shuttled off to our hotel, the Athens Gate Hotel, which was in a wonderful location. With the weather beautiful, we took a quick stroll around town, then headed back to the hotel for quick nap. That flight surely took a lot out of us. We woke up just in time for dinner and to get a wonderful view of the Acropolis.
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.
Now that you’ve seen my dress rejects, I’d like to introduce you to the one that made it through to the end…The WINNER. I tried on so many dresses that I just liked, I was starting to wonder whether I was going to get that feeling that you’re supposed to get when you try on the dress that is THE ONE. Oh, yes. It did end up happening when I tried on this beauty…
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.
The Gazelle men have their suits! We tossed around a ton of different ideas—purchasing here in Calgary, ordering custom suits over the internet, and renting.
First up we went shopping with Groomsman M. Finding a suit for him was relatively easy and he scored an awesome three piece suit from Le Chateau.
Mrs. Earrings, Fresno, CA/ Nelson, New ZealandAge and Occupation: 20, Student, Wannabe Writer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 19, Photography StudentEngagement Date: February 14, 2010Wedding Date: January 2011Venue: Gardens of the WorldAbout Me: I'm a girl from down under who grew up in Indonesia and I'm marrying a California boy. I'm addicted to all things sweet, have never met a chocolate silk pie than can get the better of me, and have dreams of one day being a fulltime novelist. I go weak in the knees for lace, tea cups, and a beautifully crafted sentence. When I get excited about something (whether it is historical linguistics or the Beatles) I tend to go overboard in research, and planning this wedding is no different. Mr. Earrings is my high school sweetheart, my best friend, and somehow we combine all our quirks into one big happy mess.
After dinner, it was time for some speeches. I know speeches at weddings often get a bad rap, but I was happy to find that at our wedding they produced some of the funniest moments of the night. My dad went first. He started off by saying that not just two countries (New Zealand and America) are united in Mr E’s and my marriage, but practically a whole united nations comes together. Between the two of us, our cultural heritages include German, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, English, Shetland Islander, Portuguese, Cherokee, Gypsy, French, and rumors of African. Not to mention that we both grew up in Indonesia! What my dad was trying to say by all this is that our children will be mutts. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
