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.
What better activity after your huge sigh of relief post-wedding?
In September 2010, three weeks after I-Do, we went to Italy, Greece, and Egypt for a three-week honeymoon. We talked about this honeymoon option even before we got engaged, getting a kick out of the ancient-history angle, so I’m pumped we could make it happen. Thanks to our guests, the good people at Honeyfund, and some hoarded vacation time, we were on our way.
Let’s start with the first leg of the trip in Northern Italy: Florence and wine-tasting in Tuscany.
Miss Sweet Cream, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 26, Public Relations Account ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Outside SalesEngagement Date: July 4, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church / Rosebank WineryAbout Me: Born in the ‘burbs of Philly, it took some time living in the Big Apple to realize that I’m a girl who likes her roots. That’s why the mister and I bought a 1950s house on a charming street not too far from our childhood stompin’ grounds. This could also be the reason why our hometown is the scene where we are planning our super sweet, totally charming, BBQ-for-supper wedding that I never knew I always wanted. I DIE over DIY projects and live for vintage, heartfelt inspiration. I obsess over all things mid-century (from forks to furniture). Love is… cartoons and flea markets, and I am known to whip up a mean banana cream pie. I met the Mr. in grade school and after that boy took me for a spin on the handle bars of his BMX, I knew that things would never be the same again. Besides lovin’ my Mr., I also love to plan, sew and create, and that’s just what I’m doing as I navigate through the details, creating a laid-back day that oozes charm; one that will go down in (at least our) history as the Best. Day. Of all time.
A wise man (AKA Dave Barry) once said, “Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.” I love that quote. I want each and every guest to know that this what I hope they would know about the evening. Maybe I should put that on a sign. (Seriously. That is such a good idea. Note to self: add this to “to do” list.)
So besides “The Chicken Dance,” “The Bunny Hop,” “The Conga Line,” or “Cotton Eyed Joe,” what could have guests shaking their tail feathers all night long?
Obviously it’s the music.
When people hear a song that they just love, they get up and dance. Trust me. I’ve seen it happen when I requested (the great) Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know” at a local bar that had an empty dance floor.
I know that the musical-goddess trinity of Rhianna, Gaga, and Britney are known to get everyone dancing…but I’m kinda leaning toward that being a generational thing and can’t really picture FMIL Sweet Cream getting down to “S&M.” (She definitely could, I just don’t know if she would!)
I do know that it is the year 2011. But I do also know my guest list. We have such a diverse group of ages, backgrounds, and musical tastes. I would just like to put all of them in a big pot and let them simmer until they are perfectly blended, like the flavors of a really, really good chili.
Danger Mouse created The Grey Album by mixing Jay Z’s Black Album with the Beatles’ White Album and came up with something that I think is amazing. (Video via YouTube)
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."
Under the singing sky of May, I wed a man who has been a defining element of my happiness for a third of my life. A man who would have stayed by my side even if we had never signed the legal documents, even if we had not promised each other out loud. I wed a man who, nine years later, still has me in awe of him.
Being married to him feels…well, exactly like being with him before, only with less wedding clutter. Living my life next to him is, as ever, the best part of getting to be me.
Since I felt like a jerk with a capital B for not showing you my dress, here is my penance—up front, no suspense. Boom. Hope you like it. Read more…
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!
Happy hump day hive! We’re kicking off the peak of the week by introducing our newest bee! Join me in giving a warm welcome to Miss Ladyfingers!
Miss Ladyfingers, Saint Petersburg, FL Age & Occupation: 30, Marketing Manager Fiance’s Age & Occupation: 33, Sports Writer Engagement Date: December 24, 2010 Wedding Date: November 2011 Venue: Palma Sola Botanical Park About Me: I hail from Oklahoma, he was born and raised in Long Island. Fate brought us together, and now we live in a cute little rental house with our nutty dog, and our aloof cat. We both love to read, watch movies, explore our town, and laugh like hyenas. When I’m not obsessively wedding crafting, I enjoy stalking style and decorating blogs, making collages and painting, napping, thrifting, rearranging our bookshelves, and being a total weirdo with my friends. Hi!
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.
I mentioned how much Mr P and I enjoyed taking dance lessons and choreographing our first dance. After a couple of weeks of lessons I thought that Papa Pretzel might also enjoy dance lessons.
* All image courtesy of wedding guest, Mrs Cherry Pie {Persimmon Images} unless otherwise noted.
Papa Pretzel isn’t much of a dancer but is always down for a challenge. One evening when Papa Pretzel and I were catching up, I floated an idea. I asked him, “Would you consider taking dance lessons Dad?”
He replied, “Gosh darn it Pretzel, you certainly know how to ruin a surprise. I had already decided to take lessons and was going to surprise you.” Whoops! Read more…
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!
The Wedding Bootcamp is heading to Chicago for the first time ever on Monday, June 27, and they’d love to have you join them! Join amazing vendors like Jenny Yoo, Guerlain at Saks Fifth Avenue, and truffletruffle, and get great tips on how to plan your perfect wedding day.
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.
I don’t know about you, but I managed to make it through twelve years of public education and four years of undergraduate study, and never took a class on personal finance.
After college, I wanted to set up my own savings account, find more affordable health insurance, and figure out how to not have less than $20 going into my next paycheck. I had absolutely no idea how to accomplish any of this. But I knew there was a way to live life that didn’t involve each and every “surprise” expense completely sidelining me and driving me bankrupt.
So, I checked out a few (free) books from the library, got some advice from my FI who was a finance major in school, and felt myself getting more familiar with many new terms. Things didn’t seem quite so scary anymore.
I thought I’d share some tips I’ve picked up along the way for how you can save some cash for your wedding (or really, for any savings goal you may have). Read more…
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 still can’t believe it, but that was the first thing I said after seeing the results of my makeup trial. Why so shocked? Well, much like my feelings going into my hair trial, I woke up on Saturday feeling apprehensive and (honestly) not expecting too much. Ever since a particularly bad experience before a sorority formal, I’d been dreading having someone else do my makeup again (“dramatic” does NOT mean the same thing as “scary raccoon eyes”). I just figured no one else really understood this face of mine, and I would be doomed to make myself up (poorly) for our big day.
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!
Around the same time that he picked out the suits for the groomsmen, Mr. CA also found a suit for himself. He knew that he wanted to wear a slim-fit, light grey suit, sort of like this one, but a bit lighter. He also wanted to make sure he looked similar enough to the groomsmen. Mr. CA was also willing to shell out a bit more for his suit, because, duh, it is his wedding, and, since he wears suits every day, he was in need of a nice grey suit anyway.
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.
Eeep! So just when I began to suffer from “OMG I want to send out our invitations right now” syndrome, I received something in the mail to help hold me over until September.
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.
It’s about time in our wedding planning to start formally inviting people to the Pony wedding. I have been thinking about our invitations for a while, but now it is time to take action on the Pony invitations, which I have not been doing. So, we’ll just keep in the theoretical for today so I don’t start freaking out about our invitation (or lack thereof) situation.
Our invitations will be housed in these pretty green envelopes that I purchased way back when we made our save the dates:
Currently, I am contemplating how to addresses our envelopes in an impressive yet efficient manner since time is not really on our side.
Calligraphy is out of the question due to both time and money constraints. And my penmanship lacks the necessary beauty to grace our envelopes: Read more…
Mrs. Cannon, Toledo, OHAge and Occupation: 27, Financial AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, AssemblerEngagement Date: February 28, 2011Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Epworth UMC & Ward PavilionAbout Me: I'm the curious combination of being a go-with-the-flow, laid back, obsessive planner. I try desperately to stay as busy as possible at all times (and am succeeding big time right now!) My biggest loves in life are Law & Order: SVU, Community (the show, not the concept, although I like that, too), ice cream, white cheddar popcorn, beer, hiking, knitting, decorating, writing, being outside, spending time with friends and family and musical theater. Mr. Cannon is pretty sweet, too. We've had a lot of fun traveling and having adventures all over the country, but have finally moved back near our hometown to settle down. We're planning a low-key, colorful, fun wedding and an awesome-to-the-max reception.
One huge, unavoidable aspect of weddings is the dress. It’s not even A dress—it’s THE dress. I have had a pretty clear picture in my mind of what I want for years. I used to be a bookseller and I did a lot of magazine perusing on my lunch breaks. After working my way through the tabloid trash, weekly “news” magazines, “health” mags, and feminist, craft, political, and snooty business monthlies, I would pick up the bridal magazines. At some point during my bridal-magazine-browsing days, I came across an ad for Melissa Sweet. The model was wearing a short dress, and I fell in love. But after doing some pricing research, I quickly fell out of love. Melissa Sweet will never be in my budget. Oh well. I still adore the idea of a short dress.
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.
Note: Some of these pictures may not be considered safe for work!
Here’s my 10 step plan to ensure a ton of fun during your bachelorette party!
Step 1: Have a super fun shower at your parents’ beforehand.
I was lucky enough to have a nice small shower planned by my awesome mother and sister right before my friends and I went up to Pittsburgh to get our bachelorette on. The highlights were the games my sister chose: one was trivia about me and one was trivia about British sayings. No toilet paper in sight. A+ Sister Biscuit. Read more…
Miss Marmalade, Norwalk, CT/Raleigh, NCAge and Occupation: 27, Administrative AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Army OfficerEngagement Date: December 31, 2009Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Old Cadet Chapel/Highlands Country ClubAbout Me: I'm a Tri-State area "lady," through and through. A big chunk of my life has been split between NYC and Connecticut, and I'm finally heading down south to live with Mr. Marmalade. Our long distance relationship has been one adventure after the next, we've spent time in Texas, Louisiana, Florida,and Georgia, thanks to his military career. Next to Mr. Marmalade, my loves include live music, useless trivia, shoes, design, and my crazy half-tiger kitty, Oliver. I have a passion for food and wine, and I've been known to travel long distances to get my hands on the best meals. I come from a tight-knit big fat Greek Ecuadorian family---we're loud, we talk with our hands, and we spend hours talking loudly with our hands over large meals. I'm going to miss them so much as I pack up and begin my life, far away from home. But with Mr. Marmalade by my side, I'm ready to take on whatever may come. Next up: our wedding!
After seven months of planning the wedding full force, it was time to start tackling the colors I planned to use. Sure, we weren’t set with a venue, but I couldn’t let that stop everything! The color palette was hanging over me and I felt like I needed to get something decided, but it was tough!
When I first envisioned the wedding I saw something romantic, elegant, and simple. Here’s my first inspiration board:
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!
So it’s been a mere 10 days since our wedding, and our super amazing videographer Amy Nelson-Blaine {Wedding Cinematography} has already created a snapshot of our wedding day on film. I’m so excited about it, because it makes the wait for seeing our pictures go by quicker, and it also lets my friends (especially my online ones, aka YOU GUYS) get a bit of an inside scoop on how the Jaguar wedding went down.
Film highlights? Oh yeah, there are plenty:
There’s me. Pulling every stupid face known under the sun. Really—I’m not kidding. I didn’t count but there are so many tragic expressions in there, it’s not funny. Apparently my friends weren’t joking when they told me that I put everything I’m thinking into my face. Hilarious!
Mr. Jaguar whispering his wedding vows—thankfully you can hear him in the video!
The best Maid of Honour speech in the history of Maid of Honour speeches. Watch them. You’ll cry. I know I did (on the night AND today while watching it.).
Some pretty freaking amazing dance moves (and one slightly tipsy uncle) on the dance floor
