Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
I’m so sorry! I have truly been an absentee (”absen-bee”) blogger over the last few weeks. Life really got out of control, and to be honest, it got the best of me. I was just way tooo overwhelmed with all the things going on and couldn’t find a spare moment to blog. Worst of all, I missed you all dearly. Whenever I had a spare moment (or a rare fifteen minutes of internet access), I would read your blog posts, and your loving comments and wonder how I lost my way…
After four glorious months in Amsterdam, Mr. P and I finally moved back to NYC and we had exactly two weeks to move into our new apartment, finish DIY projects, get beautified, graduate from law school, etc. etc. etc. If that wasn’t enough, I spent the first two days back in NYC hotel room without any luggage, proceeded to get really sick, then my computer broke. I know these are all just excuses…
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.
Remember how I was complaining that we haven’t really seen any of our planning come to life? Well, yesterday I FINALLY got a tiny peek at our wedding vision!
I was struggling through the last hour of work, when I got an email from my Mom with the subject, “Look.” I figured it was probably just a cute cat or a dirty joke (Mom always sends the good emails ), but it was something better… much better.
The bridesmaids’ dresses have arrived!!! Excuse me while I do a little happy dance…
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.
It’s so nice to meet all of you—even though I’ve been getting your advice and offering input on the boards since Mr. Sweet Cream put a ring on my finger. I wish I could give you all a cupcake! That’s what my college roommate did our freshman year on moving day; she handed out cupcakes to all the new people on our dorm floor. Much to my surprise, it worked out wonderfully in making us new friends. I guess nobody could ever say no to a really good-looking cupcake.
So although I come bearing no cupcakes, know that you can count on me to bear good stories, inspiration, tips, ideas, and bridal-blogging pics that will make you, my fellow bees, weak in the knees.
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.
Early in the day, The Day Before Our Wedding, it was bright and sunny, shiny, and hot. I’d finally finished my to-do list. It was the end of what I call the Crazy Wedding Week. Mr. Oyster and I had picked up our families from the airport, and we were caught in the whirlwind. You know what I’m talking about. No matter how low-key your wedding (or especially if it isn’t), there’s a bunch of activity, a lot of nervous energy, and family members and friends fluttering about.
But the day before the wedding, I was at home, relaxing by myself, packing up our “wedding things” (decorations and things) to be given to the coordinator that night. It was incredibly quiet. There was music playing somewhere, and the cats were all asleep. I was preternaturally calm. And then I decided to pack my wedding suitcase.
The suitcase was to include almost everything—since I was leaving directly from home to the venue on the wedding day, and we’d be coming home after the wedding, I didn’t need any overnight stuff, just everything on my “wedding list” for the next day. This included things like my jewelry, shoes, cosmetics, my “getting ready” robe, emergency papers, my purse, and of course, my wedding day undergarments, which included my trusty body shaper.
Ms. Ferris Wheel, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, PsychologistFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, PsychologistEngagement Date: May 23 and 28, 2010 (one for each of us!)Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Parc55 Hotel (city lights ceremony, ballroom reception)About Me: Born in the Southeast, educated in the Northeast, and over-educated on the West Coast, I finally earned my city-girl credentials and have put down roots in gorgeous San Francisco. I’m a raging perfectionist with a lightning quick wit and a terrible sense of both time and direction. Our wedding task list is endlessly growing because of my predilection to think that DIY projects I can make = DIY projects I should make (so not true!). I always go to bed wishing there were more hours in the day to enjoy all the things I adore, whether that be hobbies, friends, my career, our two dogs, or Mr. Ferris Wheel. Ours is a story of a non-traditional couple living an oddly traditional life planning a not-so-traditional wedding in this city we adore. Together we are bustin’ out all of our best skills (and some of our worst ones) to plan a laid-back-chic DIY-craftastic love-alicious affair!
Several months ago Party Person K and I headed out David’s Bridal to look at some potential dress options for the members of the wedding party (plus we threw in an infinity dress at my house, just for good measure). My goal for that day: if nothing else, get clarification on my preferred dress color and length. Who would’ve thought that was too much to ask of myself?! I partially blame K for this. I pretty much made her try on every dress in the store, and she looked damn good in nearly all of them!
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. 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.
I hated cake toppers. It’s true. I thought they were all ugly and cheap looking, and there was no way I was going to have one on our cake. I’m not big into monogrammed letters, either, so I wouldn’t even consider having bejeweled initials. I was resolved to use real flowers or to make something myself.
Looking back on my naive self, I can’t help but laugh. Not because I’ve changed my mind about monogrammed initials, but because I thought that’s all the wedding world had to offer when it came to cake toppers. Again, this is where I love the internet, especially Etsy, because it opens up a whole new world of opportunities. Granted, I still cringe at the majority of cake toppers (I’m picky about proportions and aesthetics, what can I say?), but there are some reeeeeeally great ones available! So many, in fact, that I’d be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. Let us explore the wonderful possibilities together. Shall we? Yes, we shall.
Lovebirds have been a popular choice lately, and with good reason. There are plenty of styles to choose from, too:
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!
Mr. Snow Cone and I opted to spend this warm, sunny June weekend cooped up indoors. What could possibly cause us to ignore the good weather and deny ourselves any time in the sun? We were on a Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend, fulfilling our marriage preparation requirement to get married in the Catholic Church.
The set-up of the retreat was pretty straightforward: there were 26 engaged couples, and three presenting couples who have been married for any number of years. We covered a wide spectrum of topics, such as forgiveness, family, communication, disagreements, and careers, among others.
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.
If you are anything like me, you tend to shy away from the trendiest things because you just know, in a few years, they will look totally dated and out of style. Plus, hyper-fixating on every trend as it comes along doesn’t give you a chance to establish your own timeless, confident style. Also, keeping up with the trends is expensive and exhausting!
This topic can apply not only to your everyday wardrobe, but your wedding style as well.
I think the key is to find a balance of mixing timeless staples with a few trends thrown in for good measure. But those trends should only serve to enhance your wedding (or wardrobe).
Trendy vs. Being Original
I’ll just say this quickly: the only people who know about what’s popular in the wedding world are brides and wedding professionals. Lucky for you, the large majority of your guests are neither of those and won’t have even heard of any of the trendy elements you do decide to include. You get bonus points for being creative and original even though you may have some of the most popular wedding items around. Nice, huh? Read more…
Mrs. Eggs Benedict, SeattleAge and Occupation: 29, AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, AttorneyEngagement Date: December 5, 2009Wedding Date: February 2011Venue: IslandWoodAbout Me: I'm a Northwest girl who spends my time goofing around with Mr. Eggs Benedict and our dog, hiking, traveling, drinking wine and planning a wedding that will showcase the best of what the Pacific Northwest has to offer. I also love photography, beating Mr. Eggs Bene at Mario Kart, and watching the most ridiculous natural disaster flicks you can think of (seriously, how can you deny the awesomeness that is The Core or 2012?? That's right, you can't). We are planning our weekend wedding adventure at an environmental educational center, and I can't wait for the fun to begin!
Friday morning did not go as I had planned. I was really looking forward to the morning before the wedding. Friday afternoon would be spent greeting all of our extended family that had come in, getting settled at IslandWood and ready for the Welcome Dinner that night, but the morning was supposed to be a time for me to relax and prepare the weekend ahead.
See, a couple of weeks before my mom had noticed that her chiropractor’s office was offering a great discount on massages for new clients and she asked if I’d like a massage the day before the wedding. I took her up on this immediately as there are very few things that relax me as much as a good massage. And getting to spend an entire hour focusing on my own relaxation sounded like an excellent way to prepare for a weekend full of people. As a sidenote, I should mention that I am definitely an introvert. I love my family and friends and I knew that for our wedding I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible, but I also know myself and my need for alone time, which was one of the main reasons why I was so looking forward to the massage and how the time to myself would help me get through the rest of the weekend. Of course, as I alluded to earlier, things are never that easy.
I got off the ferry and arrived at the office about ten minutes early for my appointment, only to discover that they had double booked their massage therapist and that the next open appointment wasn’t until 3PM—exactly when we would be entertaining approximately 40 family members at my parents’ house and getting ready to head to IslandWood. All I could think was how much I’d been looking forward to that hour alone before the whirlwind of the weekend and now it wasn’t going to happen.
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.
There’s something I failed to mention in my bunnymoon posts. I had the ring well before our vacation, and MOH Sassypants saw it first. Hold up—how is that possible? Didn’t it ruin the surprise? Let me explain.
We started talking rings in the beginning of 2009. I told the mister I liked vintage-inspired settings that are intricate and detailed but not overly busy—something simple at first glance, but when you get up close you notice what makes it unique. Our conversation was reminiscent of the great color debate:
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.
to the Biscuit wedding! Our invitations are out, and aside for a few in transit—including one that may have been eaten by Germany customs, everyone has them.
So without further ado, see what I’ve been doing (and accept my apologies for the lapses in blogging while I was trying to get them out). Some of these pics were taken with an iPhone, so I’m sorry for the poor quality.
Here some of them are, ready to go:
The envelopes were made out of fabric, and the addresses were iron on transfers. 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!
We’re kicking the week off with our newest Tea Party bee! Join me in welcoming Miss Sweet Cream to the hive!
Miss Sweet Cream, Philadelphia
Age & Occupation: 26, Public Relations Account Manager Fiance’s Age & Occupation: 26, Outside Sales Engagement Date: July 4, 2010 Wedding Date: October 2011 Venue: Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church / Rosebank Winery About 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.
Mrs. Argyle, St. LouisAge and Occupation: 24, Project CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, PilotEngagement Date: February 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Jewel Box in Forest Park and Windows on WashingtonAbout Me: I'm a true Midwestern girl (born and raised), lover of red wine, reality TV and the entire J.Crew catalog. I love to dance regardless of who is watching, and enjoy a good laugh with my girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for planet Earth, my two dogs and my fiance. Fall is my favorite season (which is why we are marrying in September), but I love a warm summer day and the Colorado mountains in the winter. We are planning a modern soiree downtown, with lots of bold colors, and fun, eco-friendly elements.
After a few days in Athens, we headed to Mykonos to get a taste of the Greek Isles. We arrived just before sunset, and were given a bottle of Greek white wine and fresh fruits.
The resort we stayed in was about a 20-minute bus ride from the busy spot on Mykonos, so we opted to do dinner each night at our resort and venture out during the day. Day one was spent strolling around the island, visiting the beautiful, old windmills, peeking in a few shops and enjoying a true Greek lunch. For the record, our version of a “Greek salad” is not what an actual Greek salad is. Nothing seriously beats fresh cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, green bell peppers, olives, capers, red wine vinegar, olive oil and feta cheese. A HUGE block of feta cheese. Way better than any Americanized version of a Greek salad.
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.
So I thought I had my wedding shoes all sorted out. I have shoes, they’re gorgeous, they fit, what more does a girl need? Well, when an awesome shoe store is mere blocks from your house, a girl should be on guard. A girl should not go in to browse for cute summer sandals and fall in love with:
), but it was something better… much better.
