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!
I’ve been thinking about my wedding for a long, long time. I wasn’t necessarily one of those little girls who tossed a white pillowcase on her head and pranced around, pretending it was a veil. Instead, I was one of those little girls who started to think up what colors I’d like, what dress I wanted, and what food I hoped to eat. I was more of a planner than a dreamer, I guess you could say. So it’s not really a surprise that one of my earliest wedding memories is from way, way back in my childhood. The only problem is, it’s not a positive one.
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!
Whew! Even though our wedding was nine months ago, I’ve just now finished sewing our guestbook quilt! Why did it take so long? Well, like a crazy person, I decided to hand embroider each and every message on our 40 signed blocks. I was afraid that over time the fabric pen might fade, and I wanted each name and wish to last a lifetime. After all, quilts are often heirlooms, so why not go all out?
Mrs. Lemonade, Austin/San AntonioAge and Occupation: 28, BureaucratFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Music ManagementEngagement Date: December 21, 2007Wedding Date: April, 2009Blogging Since: August 22, 2008Venue: Country Club ceremony, ballroom receptionAbout Me: I’m a total wonkette who is lucky enough to be surrounded by her favorite things on a daily basis – awesome music, the great State of Texas and of course, Mr. Lemonade! I find any excuse I can to craft something and am completely infatuated with the 1950’s, all things Kennedy, and my furbaby Vida.
We recently held a low-key couple’s shower for our dear friends M and J who will wed this coming weekend. Our lovely friend A co-hosted with us and helped me plan and execute our Fiesta themed stock the bar party. This was actually the first shower I’ve ever planned and thrown (outside of assisting with my very own bridal tea) and I was pleased as (sangria) punch that it came together so smoothly.
A created an adorable Evite to send to all of the guests. We chose to go this route to keep the vibe casual yet festive and I loved the way it turned out: Read more…
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. 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 haven’t touched on this too much, but Mr. High Wire and I are not from the same religion. For some families, this can become a hot-button issue, especially when planning a wedding. What type of ceremony will you have? Who will be officiating? Will the marriage be religiously recognized? These are weighty, emotionally charged questions that can turn an otherwise pleasant planning experience into a nightmare, with lots of hurt feelings and devastated relatives.
My grandmother has been our next-door neighbor for the past two years, and it has been wonderful to be close to her and learn some of the vast wisdom that she’s acquired over the last 86 years. She has also been the matriarchal anchor for our family for my whole life.
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.
By a chance of fate, Brother Bunting’s fiancee’s mother met a woman while golfing who, after they got on the topic of Brother Bunting’s wedding, turned out to be a seamstress. Did you follow any of that? No? That’s OK. The relationships aren’t important, it was just fun to say. Anyway, this bit of information was passed on to Mother Bunting, and after further investigation we learned that this seamstress was not only very passionate about sewing, but very experienced.
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.
Do you remember the processional music that was played for the last few weddings that you attended? I do not. The last few weddings that I attended, I was walking down the aisle as a bridesmaid and I still do not remember what was playing. Nonetheless, music is important to us, and our journey to find a ceremony musician was not an easy one. We knew that we wanted someone to perform live, so I began the search for talented musicians in the Aspen area. My search turned up some great musicians, none of whom were in our budget. After rigorous hours of searching, Mr. Balloons and I decided it might be easier to first figure out what kind of musician we even wanted. I’ve always thought that pianos were nice at weddings, but hauling one to the top of a mountain might be a bit of a challenge, subsequently resulting in plenty more $$$ if anyone were even up to the challenge.
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.
This is the story of our engagement and the trip that went with it. Given time and travel constraints, we thought of it as a pre-honeymoon (the honeymoon we can’t take right after the wedding). I began thinking of it as a before-honeymoon, or bunnymoon—a term that makes Mr. Macarons cringe a little. I like it. Mr. Mac will live.
After being amazed by the sheer size of Amien’s Cathedral, we continued on toward the somber part of our trip. The Normandy American Cemetery has 9,387 graves, a mere fraction of the American military members that lost their lives.
Mrs. Pain au Chocolat, Wilmington, DEAge and Occupation: 29, RealtorFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, RealtorEngagement Date: November 21, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Greenville Country ClubAbout Me: An ENFJ with an artistic streak who loves backgammon, sailing, graphic design, and sleeping in. Travel (near or far), good wine, and tasty food makes my heart sing. I'm a compulsive list-maker who lives to plan and organize. Mr. P and I have lived together for 4 years, all the while renovating our city townhome bit by bit. We're planning a whimsical, Anthropologie-inspired garden wedding in June 2011.
Bride brain. I walk into a room and forget what I came in for. Frequently. My mind is ping-ponging from one thought to another. Five minutes later I snap to. This foreign behavior is unsettling. Must make more to-do’s. Focus. One thing at a time. Breathe.
Scrambling to get our house ready for my family who’s staying here until the hotel block starts. So much to do. My mind is racing thinking about everything that remains between now and Saturday morning…
Thank goodness Mr. PaC and I are both off from work today. We spent a few hours at the mall purchasing parent gifts, buying bulk items from Costco for the OOT bags and doing as much as we can in advance.
Tuesday:
I want to put my phone and email on Do Not Disturb, and simply chill between now and the big day. We’ve busted our butts to earn this week of nothing to do. It’s been pretty quiet since the 30 day mark. (Hel-lo Mexico trip!)
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!
Remember when I told you about my wedding ring and how much I worried I wouldn’t like it, but turns out I loved it, and then I refused to show you pictures? Well, hopefully you can forgive me, because I’ve definitely got pictures now!
The rings were not sold together as a set, but the wedding ring was created by the same designer to complement this engagement ring specifically. Read more…
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.
(And that’s “Plan Zed,” by the way, because Mr. Funnel Cake came up with it and he doesn’t say “zee.”)
Here’s how it started.
After we shared our first, very romantic kiss at the top of the Eiffel Tower, our relationship progressed like any other tricultural long-distance relationship. I went back home to America feeling completely lost and alone in my homeland, and Mr. Funnel Cake went on a motorcycle trip to Croatia with his graduating classmates. (Again, what a boring engineer.)
Mrs. Panther, Atlanta GA/Westport CTAge and Occupation: 24, Web WriterFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Music Recording EngineerEngagement Date: March 13, 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: The Inn at LongshoreAbout Me: I'm a total goofball who goes through life at a breakneck pace, trying not to knock anything over. I tend to fall in love with everything I encounter, but more than anything, I love my two little kitties, Bela and Josie, and my big kitty, Mr. Panther! As a wannabe crafter, I'm still waiting for my artistic talents to emerge. (Any day now, really.) In the meantime, I spend my days eating anything put in front of me, buying every pair of shoes I see and absorbing wedding inspiration from every inch of my surroundings. Mr. Panther and I are hardcore New Englanders planning Connecticut nuptials from our new home in the Dirty South, and can't wait to mix our newfound love of classic Southern charm with some modern city touches.
Hey, hive! How’s everybody doing? Everything good? I miss you guys! It’s been a crazy few weeks here at Chez Panther. We’ve attended two weddings of our dear friends, written a ton of thank you cards for a lot of wonderful early gifts, visited with visiting future in-laws and … LAST WEEKEND WAS MY BACHELORETTE PARTY! I can’t WAIT to post about that when I get pictures!
Speaking of pictures, I’ve been holding out on you guys with the invitation reveal and I’m very sorry. I finally sat down tonight, all ready to get my post on, and laid out a neat invitation suite to photograph. I got up to get Mr. Panther’s fancycam and … it wasn’t there.
“PANTHER!” I screamed from across the house. “WHERE’S YOUR CAMERA?!”
“Uhh … It’s at the studio,” he replied calmly. “Why?”
… Motherfudger. So, the invitation post will have to wait one more day. But at least I have some other pretty things to share, and I already have pictures of them! Look what finally came in the mail!
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!
I used to have lovely white teeth! A little cavity prone, yes, but they were fairly white. All that changed when we moved to the UK—I don’t know what it was, or how it happened, but after a few years of living abroad, my smile is a lot yellower than it was before.
I’m not one for expensive beauty treatments, but I have used Crest Whitestrips in the past with good effects, except now I faced one small problem: they don’t stock them in Australia. Since I knew I wouldn’t have the time or moolah to get a fancy dentist whitening, I invested in some everyday whitening toothpaste and my very own Aussie based tooth whitening 5-day system. The ones I chose were from Clever White, who advertised at up to seven shades lighter … in five days.
Five days have come and gone, and I decided to document the process though it all . Tell me what you think? (Please excuse the non-made-up/end-of-teaching-day face.)
Mrs. Cotton Candy, Riverside, CAAge and Occupation: 29, Field CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Process ServerEngagement Date: July 5, 2007Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Riverside Art MuseumAbout Me: I’m a girl in love with her best friend planning a small mid-century modern inspired wedding that’s been a long time coming. I love all things design, sewing, flea markets, and a good book. I’ve been known to swoon over a well-designed chair and often find myself craving a new addition to my chair collection regardless of the lack square footage in our home. I’m Mexican American girl who hates all things spicy but loves her rowdy Mexican family and her Latin roots. My wedding muses may not be your typical wedding superstars, but with a lot of DIY, a dash of offbeat style, and lots of love and laughs, Mr. Cotton and I plan to create a day that is unmistakably us.
Back when I first began searching for inspiration photos for our wedding I found myself swooning over initial wreaths like the one above. I love the simple symmetry of the wreath and it seemed like such a simple DIY project that would pack a lot of visual punch. Read more…
