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.
The other day, while watching a documentary about the history of Champagne (yes, we are nerds… okay, I’M a nerd), I started thinking about the type of bubbly we would serve during the toasts at our reception. After pondering this for a few moments, and realizing that I didn’t really care what kind of Champagne we passed around (Andre, anyone? Perhaps a 2011 Boone’s Farm? Kidding.), I moved on to thinking about the actual order of the toasts and the wonderful people who would be giving them.
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!
I had always imagined leaving our rehearsal with some of my favorite people by my side, laughing all the way to our rehearsal dinner venue. In actuality (well, for me anyway), there was too much business to attend to. This person was staying in this place Friday night only, this stuff had to go over here, these people were carpooling but those people weren’t. We all went our separate ways, and I set out alone to drive to our new rehearsal dinner venue (you know, because the original venue had closed down). Amid the chaos, I remembered that my gas light had come on in my car earlier that day…about 10 miles ago earlier that day. So, I was late to our own rehearsal dinner because I had to get gas!
Turns out, I was lucky to be running late. Things over at our rehearsal dinner venue were a mess! Don’t get me wrong, this restaurant is awesome; but, I don’t think they were used to a party of our size, and they certainly weren’t used to catering. Fortunately, MIL Lion stepped into their kitchen (yep) and let her Latina mama powers take over. After about 15 minutes, the curtains opened and our show was up and running!
I was greeted by a buffet filled with some of my favorite Cuban dishes, as well as tables filled with some of my favorite people.
With four of the five Lioness Bmaids and their “signivs”
Our rehearsal dinner was dry, as our hole-in-the-wall venue didn’t have a liquor license. Read more…
Mrs. Candy Apple, Princeton Junction, NJ/ Seattle, WAAge and Occupation: 26, Project EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, AttorneyEngagement Date: May 9, 2010Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: St. Joseph's Parish, Seattle Tennis ClubAbout Me: I am a Pacific Northwesterner, born and bred. I have lived in many cities---Santa Clara, Durham (England); Florence; Boston; Princeton Junction---but my heart will always be nestled up near the Cascades and Olympics, which is why we are holding our wedding there. I am a bookworm and a History nerd: I love that my life consists of books, books, and more books, since I work in Publishing! Recently, all waking time not consumed by work and my daily commute has been overtaken by wedding planning. Well, that, and watching Premier-League soccer. There is nothing I love more than a good Tana French mystery, traveling to new places, Anthropologie shopping sprees, Iittala dishware, Kate Spade shoes, impeccable typefaces (think: Archer), and a nice English ale (hellooo, Old Speckled Hen!). Oh, and did I mention my obsession with wedding blogs? Yeah, there’s that too. Join Mr. Candy Apple and me as we prep for our wedding, and, more importantly, our marriage!
During this last year of wedding planning (seriously! One year ago today! Craziness!), I honestly haven’t really given much thought to our honeymoon. Why? I’m not sure. I love a tropical vacation as much as the next gal, but for some reason, the honeymoon just didn’t seem like much of a priority to me.
Also, I’ll let you in on a little secret: it’s always been a bit up in the air whether or not we will be able to go on a honeymoon at all. Trust me, we definitely want to go on a honeymoon. I’ve certainly had dreams of lounging about on the beach of my own private Fijian island, in my perfect wedding-shape bod (HA) rocking an itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot-bikini, sipping fruity drinks, getting massages, and watching the sun set with my new hubby. However, there are a few small issues that are standing in the way of our dreamy, perfect honeymoon:
Finances. We’re trying to pay off mountains of law-school debt at the moment, and frivolous travel seems a bit, well, frivolous. Unnecessary. I would feel guilty spending more money on a honeymoon, particularly so soon after our wedding.
Timing. Our wedding is in August. Mr. CA’s current job isn’t over until the end of September, and the time off that he gets is mainly eaten up by the wedding week itself. Plus, August is a very busy time of year at my job, so it would be tricky taking off over two weeks at that point for me as well.
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!
My initial hesitancy to embark upon the STD journey was mostly budget related. I viewed STDs as excessive and unnecessary; I could cut them out and save everyone a bit of cash, time, and energy. However, now that they’re nothing but a memory, I’ve looked back upon the process to realize that it was surprisingly low key and low budget. So, in the hopes of helping another bride-to-be figure out if STDs are in her budget, here are a few tips I picked up along the way.
Ms. Sloth, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 35, Account Manager and Fashion BloggerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Design AdminEngagement Date: December 25, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Bartram's GardenAbout Me: I'm an internet junkie and music snob with a good eye for a bargain. I couldn't live without thrift store shopping, cheeseburgers, sushi, Coke Zero, websites devoted to silly photos of baby animals, Photoshop, and Mr. Sloth. Speaking of which, he and I are a pair of goofball homebody nerds who love our beagle (the most ridiculously adorable dog EVER) to an embarrassing degree. We're planning a low-key and intimate yet festive and quirky outdoor wedding with DIY details and deeply personal touches, and it's all taking place in the city where we fell in love and call home: Philadelphia.
We’re in the home stretch, y’all! I’ve only got one major thing left to finish for W-day, but it’s a biggie: writing my vows. And I’ve got some writer’s block.
I’ve been working on them for several weeks, and I’ve finally gotten something written that is very romantic and fairly formal. But that’s a problem. See, as a couple, Mr. S and I are not very romantic or formal. We fart in front of each other, a LOT. We call each other “butthole” as a term of endearment. We pick food out of each others’ teeth.
And we are both embarrassed by huge romantic gestures and flowery language. 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.
Mrs. Bacon, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 26, Digital Advertising ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, IT Client ServicesEngagement Date: June 17, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Ravenswood Billboard FactoryAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl that can't seem to commit to staying in one place for too long and is constantly daydreaming about my next adventure. I am an aspiring foodie with a weak spot for the unusual and I love semi-reality food television. My other loves easily include laughing as a form of exercise, a book that I can't put down, summer baseball games, espresso with whipped cream, couch potato days and nights with the ridiculous Mr. Bacon, and our two kitties, Lincoln and Sawyer. We're planning a faux-destination wedding for 150 of our closest friends and family in the city we've both adopted as home that has a modern, yet whimsical twist and as many personal touches as we can manage.
The Baconator and I had a weird conversation the other night about getting our guests from a jumbled up mess of coworkers, family members, school friends, and random people our parents invited from cocktails into dinner. Clearly they will walk through the doorway, but how do they know which table is theirs?
Personally, I prefer the look and flexibility of escort cards. I like that we can write a note to each guest on the card along with their table name. Not to mention, the ease and flexibility of changing tables if we have some guests that suddenly decide not to come the week before the wedding. Besides, look at all these awesome, amazing escort card ideas!
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.
Now after reading a post by Mrs. Rainbow about some wonderful shoes, I’m thinking about what I want to wear on my tootsies day of. She posted these beauties:
Mrs. Sand Dollar, HoustonAge and Occupation: 24, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 22, Electrical TechnicianEngagement Date: January 8, 2010Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: MacLean ParkAbout Me: I'm a domestic diva down to the core. I heart cooking, sewing, baking, decorating and making sure we have a hand-crafted home. The best part about the wedding is I get to incorporate it all! I make sure I put my art degree to good use by screen printing, craft knife cutting, and a whole lotta graphic design. We're having a big-time party on a small-time budget, and I promise to show you a boot-scootin', barbecue-eatin', finger-lickin' good time! Mr. Sand Dollar and I spend most of our time on DIY projects or traipsing around the outdoors with our two pooches Rory and Juno. I'm looking forward to sharing our journey with all of you!
This weekend, Mr. SD and I celebrated our official one year anniversary. Confused? True, our wedding was last September. On May 7, 2010 we trekked down to the local courthouse and tied the knot in a civil service. Let me tell you how incredibly romantic it was. To set the scene, the bride donned black cropped spandex workout pants, Easy Tone tennis shoes, and a t-shirt. The groom dressed to match. The young judge then proceeded to chat about boats for a good 10 minutes, then realized we actually came to get married, so we got down to business. Then his phone rang halfway through. Nice. To keep it classy, we celebrated with a post-marriage brunch at IHOP. Yet I wouldn’t change a thing! 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!
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. 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.
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!
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.
We had 10 kids at our wedding, and luckily for us our photographer managed to catch some pics of them in their best (and craziest) moments. Can you handle the cuteness? Read more…
Mrs. Seal, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 25, Personal AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Sales and Support SpecialistEngagement Date: December 12, 2009Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Sts Peter and Paul Church/The Bently ReserveAbout Me: I am a goofy, wannabe crafty, well-intentioned Renaissance Woman (OK, perhaps "aimless wanderer" is a more aptly suited term for me, but hopefully you get the point)—basically I dabble in just about everything and pride myself in such. Without warning, I occasionally breakout into soulful improvised songs and interpretive dances and there's just no stopping me! As so many others before me, planning our wedding has unearthed a deep, intense passion for all things bridal and I secretly fear the day it will come to an end. Mr. Seal and I are quite the pair and life with him by my side is extremely rewarding—I am so thankful to have found him. Together we are planning a black-tie San Francisco affair for 250—light on the stuffiness and with lots of extra Seal-y flair.
So, most brides have some type of wedding nightmare at one point or another, right? I mean, Miss Waffle recently let us in on her recurring “ugly cry face” dreams and I suspect she isn’t the only one to fall prey to the horrors of wedding nightmare-land. In fact, I know she’s not. While I haven’t yet had a UCF dream, I have had another form of wedding mishap continually permeate my dreams. Let me give you a bit of a background story first.
I’m not always clumsy, but let’s say this: I’ve had my fair share of missteps. Quite literally. I’ve sprained my ankle dozens of times. (Sometimes my ankle just likes to buckle, what can I say?) Much to my luck, this often happens in front of other people. I try my best to laugh it off like, “Ha! I meant to trip on my right foot and fall to my knees. Ain’t I a hoot?!” But let me tell you this, it is not so easy to play this off with grace when I get up limping (and occasionally bleeding if my knee is met with concrete).
Anyway, it doesn’t stop there. I am going to tell you all a story that, despite having happened over ten years ago, still haunts me and makes me blush to this day. Where to start? Let’s see. Back in the year 2000…
(Sorry. Doesn’t everyone think of Conan when you hear “in the year 2000″? If you don’t know what I am talking about then you clearly need to see: this.)
So, anyhow, back in the year 2000, I accompanied Daddy Seal to the 1st Annual Latin Grammys.
