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!
9 months ago, I selected an invitation design (and got Mr. Snow Cone’s approval on it, of course).
3 months ago, I got the ball rolling on the ordering process, finalizing the design details.
6 weeks ago, I ordered our invitations.
1 week ago, we had a bit of a hiccup in the process. 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 think the reason I’m so excited, is because I have never, EVER been good at makeup. I remember being so scared of mascara in middle school, that I would only wear the clear version while my friends experimented with bright yellow eye shadow and hot pink lips. The craziest I ever got was when I bought my own bronzer (and wore it only on top of my natural tan). Look out, boys.
Thankfully, as the years passed, I became a teeny bit more makeup savvy… but not much. The first time I ever felt 100% confident with my look, was just one year ago. I borrowed a friend’s eye shadow, and it happened to be the perfect shade for my coloring. As you may have guessed, I’ve been using it every day since then. Not exactly adventurous.
So for my wedding day makeup look, I don’t really want to look like I do every day. I know that goes against what many brides are looking for, but I want to look fabulous, you guys. I don’t want to look like “Miss Sparkler Goes to Work,” I want to look like “Miss Sparkler Gets Married and Freakin’ OWNS IT.”
Now, while I’m certainly not going for a RuPaul version of fabulous, I do have some ideas on how to jazz up my everyday look.
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.
I am really looking forward to our wedding. I’ve been planning and envisioning it for so long, and I know that no matter what happens, I’ll end up getting married to Mr. Cannon and because of that alone it will be one of the happiest days of my life. But will it be THE happiest day of my life? That’s hard to say; it has some pretty stiff competition.
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.
As the wedding day approaches, I’ve been getting more and more interested in our ketubah: the Jewish marriage contract.
I read Miss Pony’s wonderful post about Quaker marriage certificates/ketubahs, I read when Mrs. Spaniel discussed their search, and I also stumbled upon one on the wall of a house we were in last week. Lots of signs are pointing to me to start thinking about this wedding detail!
The history of the ketubah is actually pretty fascinating, and if you would like more information about it please go here.
I’m definitely leaning toward the tree motif, which is very very common among traditional ketubahs. I also really identify with the notion of a tree putting down roots as we start our lives together and begin our own traditions and foundations. Also, the two trees coming together relates to our interfaith relationship and the joining of two different families.
The ketubbot (plural for ketubah) that include trees celebrate the natural world and a couple’s relationship with nature. Because Judaism is a cyclical religion with many of its holidays and rituals tied to the seasons, natural images are potent Jewish symbols in a ketubah.
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.
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.
I’m a giver—especially when it comes to gifts. Being one of the people who likes to give presents rather than get them, I love thinking of what could wow when it comes to everything from birthdays to holidays—and especially showers.
When I got invited to the baby shower of the wife of Cousin Sweet Cream, who is one of the few and the proud, I ran around searching for Marine camo fabric to whip up a complete outfit, including a onsie, bib, booties, and burp pad.
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. Macarons, TampaAge and Occupation: 26, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Renaissance ManEngagement Date: September 12, 2009Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Lange FarmAbout Me: I'm creative at heart and a graphic designer with an unhealthy obsession with type. I love roller coasters, spicy foods, and a good glass of Crianza. We’re planning a soft and lovely vintage-meets-modern wedding in a state that’s known for its beaches, glitz and glam. I have a ton of DIY projects and lots of little details I’m dying to share and can't wait to celebrate with our closest friends and family.
I went into my first makeup trial with what I thought was pretty clear inspiration. Neutral eyes that popped, rosy cheeks, and some color on the lips. Day to day I keep my makeup pretty simple.
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!
Now that I’ve shared all the music we planned to play at our wedding, it’s time to get real here, y’all. Things did not go totally as planned, but hopefully you can learn from my mistakes!
First off … the things that worked well.
The last-minute decision to use two songs for the processional instead of just one - Once we were at our rehearsal and saw how long it would take to get all our family down the aisle, I was glad I had already set aside a second song. I still didn’t want to walk in to my own song since our aisle was so short, so the bridesmaids walked in to the same song I did.
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!
Mrs. Oyster, DallasAge and Occupation: 30, Music TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 46, Art TeacherEngagement Date: January 9, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: The Tower ClubAbout Me: I'm a Texa-Californian with a penchant for sparkly things and a tendency to think a lot. I've been known to sing random songs or dance when there is no music on. My fiance and I love world culture, we love to travel, and we have an incredibly eclectic taste in music. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate our marriage with our family & closest friends. We're planning an “urban black-tie” wedding and hope to incorporate our personalities and some of our own interests. We look forward to a life of love, laughter, good music, beautiful art, and to creating our home together with our four (!) cats.
Almost from the moment we were engaged, we knew we wanted to have our rehearsal dinner at Cafe Veracrúz. It’s one of the first places we had dinner when we were dating, and it’s some of the best Southern Mexican food around. We love it, and we wanted to take an opportunity to share something of ourselves with our families and friends.
The restaurant has an “intimate” atmosphere (read: small), so it was perfect for our little group. Once we got there and settled down, I spent several minutes sitting with my mom and grandmother. Read more…
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.
I went for gauzy purple and silver ribbon for our ribbon wands. 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.
My bridal shower is Sunday and I’m super excited, but also pretty nervous.
I feel so lucky that I have an awesome Matron of Honor hosting it for me in her lovely backyard and I can’t wait to spend the day with my favorite girls. At the same time, however, my happy thoughts about the day have been mixed with nervousness over a few issues that keep floating into my mind. 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.
Once we squeezed through our non-proposal and were considering ourselves engaged, the first big question was “When?” Since we were looking at a pretty short engagement (sevenish months), we decided that instead of doing save the dates, we needed to do “Um, are there any unsaved dates you might have?”
We emailed and blogged four possible dates to ensure that our most important guests (close family and friends) would be able to make it. After everyone had a chance to weigh in, we realized that there was one day that seemed to work for everyone, so I emailed our church to confirm that the date was available for the ceremony. (There was no debate over where the ceremony would be. We knew we wanted a church wedding, and we had been attending this particular church since we moved back to Toledo.) The secretary confirmed that the date was available and set up a meeting with our pastor to discuss the ceremony.
And just like that, the wedding went from a theoretical idea to a concrete event. Things were getting real, and quickly!
How long did it take for your wedding to start feeling real?
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 love my friends who are single and by no means do I feel more distant from them since becoming engaged. Spending time with my girlfriends gives me great joy, and I try to always make time for them no matter what. My best guy and girl friends have been there for me through thick and thin, and maintaining my relationships with them is of paramount importance to me.
Single friends are great because they open you up to new experiences outside of your world and share amazing/hilarious/awful dating stories that you otherwise would have nothing to do with as an engaged person. They also probably have similar interests to you and are happy to participate in activities with you that your SO might totally hate, like attending a dance class, eating at a vegan restaurant, or going to see a chick flick at the movie theater.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
