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!
We all know the movie: girl misses train, sees what ‘could be’ vs. ‘what is’, yada yada yada.
I’ve been thinking about our upcoming wedding a lot lately (four weeks from today, OMG squee wow) and while I’m superincrediblygiddy about it, I do find myself wondering about the ‘what ifs’ that might have been.
If we’d gotten hitched while still living in London…
We could’ve been married in a tiny church or on the steps of an old British town hall. It would’ve been tiny, just a few witnesses, and we could’ve enjoyed a lunch or a dinner reception and some stunning portraits somewhere in London – the city we called home for three amazing years.
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!
In order to jazz up some oft-neglected reception spaces, I’m trying my hand at a few minor and manageable paper craft projects. I’m hoping with a little bit of money and a little bit of effort, these small touches will help to add some pop to different areas of our reception venue.
First up? The gift and card table. I know people won’t be spending oodles and oodles of time there; however, I like the idea of adding something special to it. I was smitten when I saw Mrs. Cheeseburger’s post showing her sweet and simple “Merci” banner that she used to decorate her gift table.
This project looked easy enough, so I decided to give it a go. As always, this is probably an endeavor that is full of easy steps for any relatively experienced crafter. But for craft-challenged brides like myself, it can have a few bumps and bruises. So, here’s what I like to call, “Thank you banners for dummies.”
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
You’re a bride. You’re on a budget. You want to tighten up.
We didn’t say lose weight… I might say tighten. Tighter. (Name that movie!)
So here’s how I keep myself in check—I use Loseit.com for calorie/fiber/protein counting (Lose It is available as an iPhone app as well, but I have an Android…I do hear that Lose It Android is coming to Beta soon!). Calorie counting is tedious to some. To me it’s a game, and it’s all about planning your day so that you can live your life, have that glass of wine (or 3), or just generally be accountable to your fitness plan.
I was out of town on Monday. Clearly. I will never give up McDonalds at the airport. NEVARRRRRRRR.
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. 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.
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!
Luckily, I got one! At the beginning of April, Mr. Hyena’s Aunt C and cousins threw me a brunch bridal shower, and it was so much fun!
(Aaaand I was a bad blogger and didn’t take any pictures…sorry, guys! All the pictures in this post are courtesy of FSIL Hyena.)
“Bride to Be” beads were placed around my neck, and it was time to get the party started! Aunt C had created this wonderful brunch spread, and we nommed on delicious “cowboy biscuits,” fruit, croissants, and banana bread. We drank mock bellinis and talked all things wedding, and Mr. Hyena’s aunts told stories from their weddings as well!
As a new member of the family, I was gifted a photo-album “cookbook” and each of the ladies had provided a few of their favorite family recipes to go inside it! (Sopapilla cheesecake! Strawberry-spinach salad! So much fantastic fooood!) Mr. H will never go hungry.
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
Florida brides! Join the famed Wedding Salon as they head to Miami for their first ever Wedding Bootcamp Miami at Chic Parisien on Tuesday, May 24. They have some fantastic Miami vendors all ready to give you the inside scoop on planning your wedding day. Stop by for yummy treats, great advice, and a free goodie bag!
Tickets are $25, but Weddingbee readers can get them for free using code WBMBC at check out.
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.
I have never been particularly fond of carnations. I always thought they were a cheap flower used to fill out an inexpensive arrangement. I considered carnations to be the “ugly” flower. Probably because of that scene from The Wedding Planner where JLo’s boss, Kathy Najimy, tells her assistant she cannot have carnations near her and to take the “ugly flower” out of her sight. Anyone recall that? Or anyone else base their world view on movies besides me? No? Whatever, I know you do too.
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.
AKA our trip to Colorado to make sure that our ceremony venue is as breathtaking in person as it is in the photos! Aaaand drumroll, please…IT IS EVERYTHING THAT I HOPED FOR AND MORE!
We road-tripped all the way from Illinois to Colorado! I know we’re officially OK to get married after being in a car for that long together and not killing each other. Actually, just the opposite—it was fun!
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.
In the most recent Pretzel recap we exchanged vows. For Catholics who choose not to have a full Mass, the wedding ceremony ends soon after vows are exchanged. However, if you are celebrating Mass you proceed to the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the presentation of gifts.
Preparation of the gifts
Big Bro Pretzel and Pretzel nephew “the boy” brought up the gifts of bread and wine to the Priest while we sang my favorite hymn, The Summons.
I was really glad to have my brother and nephew bring up the gifts. At their home church my nephew and niece are frequently asked to bring up the gifts at Mass and I had no worries that “the boy” would do an awesome job. 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!
I’d like to take a moment to talk about a local wedding tradition that will be making an appearance at our August reception—the cookie table. Not familiar with this tradition? You can read a New York Times article about this quirky little detail here. Mrs. Octopus and Mrs. Cheeseburger also touched upon the issue when planning their respective Pennsylvania weddings. For those of you not interested in clicking to another page to get the low-down, allow me to explain. In Western Pennsylvania, many wedding receptions feature a cookie table. This is usually a spread of cookies that accompanies the wedding cake, rather than replacing it. However, this table isn’t composed of your typical Oreos and Pepperidge Farm Milanos. No, no. Much more labor and love goes into this bad boy.
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.
After the perfectdate with Mr. Funnel Cake, I consigned myself to the fact that I would never see him again. I continued planning my Zürich Thanksgiving trip for my design gals coming to visit me and focused on finishing my internship and spending time with friends around Switzerland.
However, on the Wednesday before the girls arrived, I was very surprised to find an urgent email in my inbox:
Dear Miss Funnel Cake,
What was the first half of your week?
Please excuse my impertinence if I ask you the following: Because I really enjoy your company and I always like to meet new people, I wanted you to ask if I could assist you in showing Zurich to your friends.
Please excuse me if I’m pushy; I don’t want to be a burden. If you prefer to be alone with your friends don’t hesitate to say no.
If you answer after 12 AM tomorrow could you please be so kind and write me a short message? I probably won’t have any opportunity to check my emails from then until Saturday morning and it would be nice to know your decision.
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. Taco, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, writer/editorFiance's Age and Occupation: 37, editorEngagement Date: May 13, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: The Green Room at the War Memorial Veterans BuildingAbout Me: I like laughing and talking with good friends over good food and good drink, be it wine, cocktail, or brew. I write and edit things for fun and profit, but I rarely "write" these days without a keyboard and high-speed internets. Favorites include Mr. Taco, my Boston terrier, San Francisco, getting out of town, and the Roaring ’20s. I was kind-of planning a wedding since roughly 2006, when I discovered "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" on the WE channel. I ran and didn't look back with a theme I called "urban vintage," and it culminated in the most magical day a taco could ask for.
We all show up on the blog as wedding planners and brides (once and current), so let’s get to the rest of me in six bullet points or less.
While we’re getting all personal: Today is our four-year dating anniversary (we think) and two-year engagement-versary (sure about this one). In 2008, he got me a pink rose plant (“Love Plant”) that still lives in our garden. In 2009, he got me an engagement ring and asked me to marry him. In 2010, in the thick of our wedding prep, we loosened the clamp on our wedding savings and splurged on a French dinner. At work, he got me a smaller Love Plant 2 from Trader Joe’s. Today, we’re splurging on another dinner and being thankful for where we are today, together. Lots of love, Mister <3.
I am Filipino and Indian.
People often ask about this one. My mom is from Quezon City in the metro Manila area, and my dad is from Guyana in South America. His grandparents immigrated from India to Guyana.
Bummed they don’t dress like this anymore. After going back and forth for a while, I think I settled into looking like both of them (Personal pic circa 1980).
