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.
This past weekend I decided to take the plunge into one of my first wedding-related craft projects, Mr. and Mrs. chair signs.
I found a great, easy-looking tutorial online and set off to the local craft store to get supplies. Here is a list of my loot along with prices:
2 wooden plaques @ $4.99 each
Paintbrushes @ $3.99 and $2.79
Wood sealant @ $6.99
Brown paint pen @ $3.99
Black paint @ $4.99
Ivory crackle paint @ $8.99
Total after tax: $45.16
OK, chair signs are cute and would make for a fun project (and a good blog post). But $45 for a very obviously “one time use only” type of project made me feel not so super excited.
I decided to turn to Etsy to see how much those signs would cost if I just ordered a set. Here’s what I found:
From Etsy seller tcart2010 ($25.00 + $5.00 shipping)
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.
…so they need some new decoration for the wedding. Continuing my rampant obsession with all things accessory related, I am currently confused by earrings. Because I love my engagement ring so much, I would really like my earrings to match the style and shape of my ring. Since it feels as if the wedding is getting closer by the minute, I’ve decided to narrow my searches to oval shaped drop earrings in a silver tone, which will hopefully match my overall bridal style.
Mrs. Hermit Crab, New York, NYAge and Occupation: 24, Youth Director soon to be Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Medical Student - soon to be Surgery ResidentEngagement Date: October 11, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: New York Botanical GardenAbout Me: I love all things food, books, our furbaby, Rashi, and adventures with my amazing fiance (oh, and saving the world!). This summer I will not only be a bride, but a bridesmaid, officiant, and attendee as well---it's all about weddings in my life right now, full of so many exciting moments and projects. We're planning a fab New York City wedding weekend full of family, love and lots of color!
“To turn around and walk away… / Maybe another time, another day / As much as I want to, I can’t stay”*
Hive, it’s that time. I have been dreading writing this post for so long, and trying to think of ways to put it off. But now, on our first anniversary (OMG can you believe it’s our first anniversary?!?!), I think it’s time.
Way back in 2008 I stumbled on this crazy site called “Weddingbee.” Quickly, I became addicted to the massive amounts of inspiration and advice, and how friendly everyone was. One year and one month ago I was introduced as Miss Hermit Crab (and I still get butterflies when I think about my acceptance email!). We had a whirlwind month together as I caught you up on all my planning, and we got to know each other. And one year ago today I married the most amazing person in the world—my perfect match.
This year has had its share of ups and downs for us for sure, but Mr. HC become partners and friends and a team more and more every day, and every day I feel luckier to be able to be married to this amazing person. Here’s a tiny peek of my gift for Mr. HC on our first anniversary:
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.
I was intrigued. So fiery. So hot. So unorthodox! As my first dress crush, I dreamt about this scarlet beauty and wondered how I could get my hands on her in Switzerland. A quick search revealed that you could order her from bestbridalprices.com, but unfortunately Maggie Sottero does not allow international orders. Rats.
Fascinated by the thought of an unconventional coloured dress, I searched for other red wedding dresses. Read more…
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!
You might think I’m referring to being the middle child, or being in the middle of family conflicts, or that television show The Middle. Or that Jimmy Eat World song The Middle. Or, the middle finger. But I’m not.
I’m referring to something much, much more important than any of those things. And something much more near and dear to my heart.
People have very strong opinions about their brownies. Apparently, a lot of people like their brownies with edges. There are entire specialty cake pans devoted to baking a whole batch of brownies so that each brownie, when cut, has a crispy edge.
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…I have this veil. Not this veil. This other veil.
You see, I knew that I loved the floor-length option but I knew that I wouldn’t keep it in my hair long after the ceremony. What’s a girl to do? Well, she either goes veil-less for the reception, or she finds another veil. And that I did! I won’t show you the whole deal just yet, since I’m still torn about what to do BUT I will give you a sneak peek of the pretty lace edging.
The veil is beautiful. It’s fingertip length, it’s sheer with just the lace on the edges, and it goes perfectly with my dress except—it’s ivory. Which shouldn’t be a problem, since my dress is also ivory, except…it’s more ivory. And when I put it up next to the bolero/bodice of my gown, it looks yellow. Bugger.
I googled for days: how to turn an ivory veil white. There are countless ways to dye a white veil ivory—the tea dying, the leaving outdoors. But there weren’t really any suggestions how to do the opposite.
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.
After we got engaged and got our chance to celebrate with friends and family—and reenact bits of the engagement to the shrieks of joy of excited girlfriends (“He literally pulled up onto the lawn of the mansion where—there was a full picnic waiting for us…”), it was time to try to figure out the big things about our wedding.
We both love the fall, so we decided on having it in either September or October. We both wanted something that felt like a great big party—not too fancy, something more laid-back. That’s when the hunt began to find the perfect venue. With dreamy inspiration like this…
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!
I am having some real issues figuring out how I want to top our cake. I just cannot decide what look I want to go with—figurines, or pennants? Or, something else entirely? There are entirely too many options!
To give you a sense of how what the topper will be placed on, we decided to go with the multiple cake rounds look, rather than cupcakes. They will have floral decoration on them, because I need flowers on everything, but I do want some sort of cake topper to go on one of the cakes.
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.
We decided to create a guestbook with engagement photos. We thought is would be a great combination of our favourite photos coupled with well wishes and advice for a long and happy marriage from our loved ones. I picked up a Groupon for Photobook Canada ages ago and I’ve been holding on to it for just this purpose. There were so many styles to choose from, but we went with the Guest Book.
The guest book has an image wrapped hard cover and the pages are a lovely textured and heavy 170 gsm paper.
We went with a 12 x 12 guest book, so it is definitely a great size!
Mrs. Bunting, Grand Rapids, MIAge and Occupation: 24, freelance illustrator & print productionFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, graduate of historyEngagement Date: December 3, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Spring Grove Park & St. George Banquet CenterAbout Me: I am a freelance illustrator and designer with a love of nature and a taste for adventure. Textures and color fuel my world, along with apple cider and noodles. I'll try anything once, especially if it involves heights or food. I've hiked the Grand Canyon, gone sky diving, cuddled a baby wolf, and now my latest venture consists of designing and planning a large wedding involving color, DIY details, love, and marrying my best friend.
Three years ago on May 8th, Mr. Bunting lost his father. It was unexpected, tragic, and easily the worst day of our lives.
At 5 AM that morning, I had left with a group of classmates to go on a two-month geology adventure to the canyonlands of the Southwest. By the time I got the call, we were already several states away in our van. There is no greater feeling of helplessness than when your loved one is in need and you can’t even be there. But I have amazing parents and they arranged an emergency return flight for me, so by 11PM I was finally pulling into his driveway.
I know the anniversary of his father’s death is, and always will be, a sorrowful time for Mr. Bunting. I also know that this year may be especially hard as our wedding day approaches, knowing his father won’t be there. I never once fathomed that we would be missing one of our parents when we finally exchanged vows, but you can never really see sudden tragedies coming.
I think it’s important to honor those who are with us in spirit at our wedding, especially since they have played such crucial roles in our lives. So I’ve taken it upon myself to find a way to incorporate his father into the wedding in a way that will commemorate him without detracting from the celebratory mood of the day. I already plan on including some memorial wording on our programs, but I almost feel as if that’s not enough tribute.
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!
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.
A week or two ago, I was searching for guestbook options, and came up with idea of getting one of Tolkien’s books re-bound into a guestbook. After that post, I hopped on my bicycle and made my rounds of some of the used bookstores nearby, hoping to find an old, worn, lonely copy of The Two Towers, or an affordable hardcover 3-book set. The first used bookstore I went to had two hardcover 3-book sets, no lonely volumes. One set was a second edition in a box, and cost $400. It was gorgeous, and I wanted it, but not to cut up! I wanted to buy it and put it on my shelf and call it ‘precious’. I might have petted it for a bit in the store before (reluctantly) giving it back to the bookseller. The second set was newer (1980s), not so precious, but the books were reddish orange, and the only thing stamped onto the front cover (because I’d be using it without the slipcover) was the writing that is on the One Ring.
Very Tolkien, but a little…menacing? Portentous? (I’m quite the Tolkien geek, but I’ve never quite understood people who get their wedding rings engraved with ‘One ring to rule them all/one ring to find them/one ring to bring them all/and in the darkness bind them’ either.)
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 even know if I can explain fully my love for vintage birds. It is a delicate balance for me between having a little subtle antique bird here and there throughout the wedding, and completely drowning the place in them (which I would do if that wouldn’t look totally crazy).
It probably has something to do with the real lovebird, which is actually a small breed of parrot:
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.
While the Lange Farm has very little to do with its namesake anymore (it’s primarily used for weddings and events), they do offer horse-boarding services. That means we can’t toss something the horses could get sick from, such as over-sized confetti.
OMG are those yarn balls? What a great idea! Cute, fun pops of color, and while they’re not biodegradable they’re easy enough to pick up. So I started right away, figuring I’d need at least 300 of the little fuzzies.
I’ll never forget Mr. Macs’s expression when he came home from work to find me sitting on the floor working away with a pile of squashed-looking yarn discs in front of me.
Our conversation went something like this:
Him: “What are you doing?”
Me: “Aren’t they great? I’m making foofers. Don’t they remind you of that plant in my drink at the Hemmingway Bar?” The plant I was referring to is green sweet william, which at the time I didn’t know what it was and declared it soft and “foofy.” I was teased and the term “foofers” stuck.
Him: “You’re making what?”
Me: “Little yarn balls for our guests to throw at us as we leave as husband and wife.”
Him: “And you want them thrown at us? What about bubbles?”
Me: “I don’t want them. I’ll get soap in my eyes”
Him: “Rice?”
Me: “We can’t do that, hurts the birds.”
Him: “What about birdseed?”
Me: “Hurts the horses. Another bride did it. I think it’s perfect.”
Him: “I love you, but you’re a little crazy.”
Maybe I am a little crazy, but since I started this little project over a year ago (which is a good thing, as I’ve lost some steam), I’ve seen many more brides join in.
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!
About three weeks before the wedding, I was lucky enough to have a second shower, co-hosted by Hyena Sis and a family friend of Mr. Hyena’s, Mrs. W. This time I remembered to take pictures. Most of the ladies in my family came, plus MIL Hyena and several other family friends.
We planned for it to be over lunch, and Mrs. W created an absolutely beautiful spread!
Most of the ladies in my family came, plus MIL Hyena and several other family friends.
