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.
Today would have been my parents’ 28th wedding anniversary.
Instead, my parents are in the middle of what seems to be a never-ending and ugly divorce.
My parents were very young when they got married. My mom was a mere 16 years old. My dad was only 19. They got married for the most cliché reason of all: my mom was pregnant with my older brother. But they also loved each other and wanted to raise their family together as a married unit.
Both of my parents gave up a lot when they got married. My mom missed out on a lot of high school and teenage experiences because she was a mother. My dad took an unfulfilling and unsatisfying job in order to support our family. Neither of my parents had the opportunity to go to college because of the choices they made. But growing up, I always recognized and appreciated the sacrifices they made so that our home could be a loving one and so that our family could be a united one.
As I grew, I constantly reveled in my parents’ marriage as a source of inspiration and pride. They weren’t perfect, and they had their fair share of fights, but they always worked things out. More importantly, they loved each other no matter what.
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!
We were very lucky to have such wonderful friends and family come from all over the country (as well as outside of the country) to Dallas to celebrate with us during our wedding weekend. Our wedding would not have been the same without the love and support of our guests, and their generosity in the gift giving area simply blew our minds.
Similar to the thank you cards that we made from our engagement pictures and used for shower gifts, I wanted to make photo thank you cards for the wedding. We almost forgot to have a picture taken on the wedding day with my awesome DIY sign, but thankfully right after the send off Mr. E reminded me and the photographers. We were able to get in some last minute shots before going back up to the bridal suite for champagne and cake.
I couldn’t decide on one picture (I have a feeling I am going to have a very hard time narrowing down pictures when it comes time to make our album), so guests either received this card: Read more…
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!
Finally, here is the story of our invitations! We worked long and hard on them, tirelessly rounding corners and cutting belly bands, printing endless versions of labels trying to get them to line up properly…and look, Mr. Hyena helped!
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.
Well Hive, confession time. Ever since university I’ve struggled with my weight, going up and down 20 pounds here and there. Training for long distance triathlons was my way of keeping my weight in check. Unfortunately after I finished Ironman Canada back in August I was completely burned out. I was completely unmotivated to do much of anything in the fall and well…it came around and bit me in the behind. I gained weight. After buying my sample dress that fit perfectly.
I tried to come up with a game plan in the new year to drop the weight but I had difficulty being consistent with my plan. The scale didn’t budge and my measurements stayed exactly the same. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about my dress fitting.
Long story short, I tried my dress on this morning while my mom was visiting. It zips up over my waist but the zipper over my bust is a complete no go. My mom suggested I try a different bra, but there was no padding whatsoever in the bra I already had on. Yeah, the bra wasn’t the problem. Crap, my dress doesn’t fit.
There isn’t much point in crying about it, I need to do something about it. Read more…
Mrs. Cotton Candy, Riverside, CAAge and Occupation: 29, Field CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Process ServerEngagement Date: July 5, 2007Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Riverside Art MuseumAbout Me: I’m a girl in love with her best friend planning a small mid-century modern inspired wedding that’s been a long time coming. I love all things design, sewing, flea markets, and a good book. I’ve been known to swoon over a well-designed chair and often find myself craving a new addition to my chair collection regardless of the lack square footage in our home. I’m Mexican American girl who hates all things spicy but loves her rowdy Mexican family and her Latin roots. My wedding muses may not be your typical wedding superstars, but with a lot of DIY, a dash of offbeat style, and lots of love and laughs, Mr. Cotton and I plan to create a day that is unmistakably us.
The Cotton Candy invitations have finally flown the coop and are on their way to their new homes!These beauties were a true labor of love for Mr. CCandy and me. They took up way more time than we ever anticipated and a few tears may have been shed in the process, but they were beyond worth it because I’m in deep love with them!
Mrs. Biscuit, Morgantown, WVAge and Occupation: 24, Dental StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Chemist at a pharmaceutical companyEngagement Date: April 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Catholic Church, Lakeview Golf Resort and SpaAbout Me: I'm an engineer who decided to trek back to my hometown three years ago to become skilled in the arts of drilling and filling. I'm engaged to a pretty awesome guy who tests your assorted benzodiazepines by day and home brews by night. Together we have two fur children, Tsali and Tobias N. Fünkat. I'm a lazy perfectionist and eternal sorority girl who enjoys running, crafting, string cheese, good beer, and bad reality TV. We are planning a Big Fat Italian/Sicilian/Polish wedding filled with DIY details and are expecting 300 +/- 50 guests. Our whimsical summer affair is themed "Alice attends the Mad Hatter Vintage Garden Tea Party in a Ballroom. She Thinks That The Venue is Odd for a Vintage Garden Party, but is Tripping on LSD, so She Doesn't Really Care." Yes, I am the Dickens of themes.
I have been vacillating over whether I should DIY my makeup or get a pro to do it for a while. Our wedding is at one in the afternoon (thank you Catholic scheduling!) and my hair dresser doesn’t do makeup. Just when I was about 99% ready to do my own makeup (and possibly have shiny face or no eyelash syndrome) one of my bridesmaids said she found someone in town who did airbrush makeup for $50. I looked up this salon and found out it was about 1.5 driving minutes away from my hairdresser. Serendipity, my friends.
I scheduled my trial for yesterday morning, and was incredibly excited for what was to come. People hype up airbrush makeup so much, that I was sure I was going to look amazing. I half expected to walk out looking like Jessica Alba.
Of course, when you set the bar that high, there’s going to be some disappointment because I’m no Jessica Alba.
Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely happy with my complexion and blush. I asked for a smoky eye though, and I probably should have specified a brown smoky eye because it turned out a little dark. So dark that when Mr. Biscuit came home he likened me to Elvira.
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. 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.
As a nod to my avatar on Weddingbee, I’m doing something special and tiny—a tiny pain au chocolat charm will be attached to my bouquet. Sneaking in this little reminder of the hive will have me smiling all day… and undoubtedly craving the chocolatey breakfast treat!
Etsy, with it’s treasure trove of vendors, was my go-to source yet again. Miss Lox tipped me off about the shop, Inedible Jewelry, that created her super cute charm. One custom request later, my very own breakfast food charm had arrived. 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!
For about two months now, Mr. Snow Cone and I have had “register for gifts” on our wedding to-do list. And, for about two months now, we’ve managed to bob and weave, trying our very best to avoid this dreaded task. Now, to an outsider, registering may seem like an awesome task to have. Think about it: you walk through a store and handpick each and every item you want other people to buy for you. It’s just that easy! To those facing the R-monster in the eyes, you know it to be a serious sweat-inducer. In reality, you’re walking through a store that is inevitably much larger than you had ever realized, trying to decide which of the 30 different types of towels you want in which of the 15 available colors. You’re also trying to compromise your own stylistic preferences with those of your future spouse’s. You’re also trying to stay calm and patient with the whole process while being focused and efficient. And you’re also trying to make sure you pick the right stuff, since this is one of the few opportunities in life where you get pretty much full control over what gifts you receive. No pressure at all!
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. 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.
Let me start by telling you that I’m pretty sure I had Mr. Balloons a wee bit scared about proposing. First of all, he’s heard me rant about numerous disaster proposal stories that happened to some of my coworkers and friends. I mean, seriously, one girl’s fiance proposed to her at Outback Steakhouse while they were in the middle of a huge fight! Umm, no thanks. Secondly, I told him that if he ever proposed to me before I graduated college, I’d say no. Wow, that kinda sounds harsh now that I look back on it…but I didn’t mean for it to seem that way, I promise! I just wanted to have fun planning the wedding and enjoy it and not have to stress about school and studying at the same time. Plus I wanted to have a good, steady job so that we could afford to have a nice wedding and not have to stress about the cost so much.
Wellllll, guess what? Mr. Confident ended up proposing to me before I graduated anyway! Granted, I was in my last semester, but still—talk about brave. Hehe.
This is a picture he took of me right before he proposed in Hawaii.
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.
“To write a good love letter, you ought to begin without knowing what you mean to say, and to finish without knowing what you have written.” - Jean-Jacques Rousseau
If there’s one thing Mr. O and I wanted to avoid, it was the dreaded guest book line/hovering that we’ve experienced in many a past weddings. You know, the ones that look like this:
Waiting…waiting….waiting to sign. our. name in that darn wedding guestbook. Aaand, I’m starving. Via thelovingspoonful.net
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.
Back in February, Mr. Funnel Cake and I were preparing to meet a priest in the evening to try and set up our marriage-preparation course here in Zürich. These kind of courses are required all over the world by anyone wishing to get married in the Catholic church, and it is no different for us, despite the fact that we are planning the wedding in my hometown church in America.
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!
This is me holding out on you just a liiiiiittle bit longer. One of my bridesmaids lives in China, and I’m going to pretend she hasn’t gotten her invitation yet. *wink*
So. Awhile back, when I first was working on them, I was telling you about the different components of the invitations. Once I had my envelopes, I went about designing our invitations. I never intended to print them myself on my printer because I wanted them to have a higher-quality finish than I think my printer can provide. I contacted a couple of printers in town that we use at work to get pricing information and found out I could get them printed for much cheaper online.
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.
Before I started reading wedding blogs, it never crossed my mind that reception tables came in any shape other than your basic round. It seems pretty obvious now after seeing long tables plastered all over wedding blogs, but talk about an eye-opener when I realized this possibility. I love the concept of long tables. They look so intimate and remind me of grand family dinners. And they look so pretty.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
