Mrs. Cinnamon Bun, Calgary, Alberta
Age and Occupation: 26, Stage Manager
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Theatre Technician
Engagement Date: June 22, 2010
Wedding Date: June 2011
Venue: Calgary Opera Centre
About 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.
Like many brides, I wanted our guests to have somewhere to stay when they came to the wedding. So, being the initiative-taking bride that I am, back in October, we booked a room block at a nearby hotel. It’s a hotel we walk by daily, is a 10 minute walk to our venue, and one that my parents have stayed in before when they’ve come out to visit. Nice and modern inside too, I was sure we could get some good photos there. We didn’t even look at any other hotels nearby, because they’re all super-fancy and probably $400 a night.
We signed a contract saying that guests who mentioned the code would get Friday and Saturday night at a rate of $129. Not too bad when the regular rate was $200 or something. The contract stated that our block of 10 rooms would be held, and the rate guaranteed until May 25th. Awesome! We just need to tell everyone to book early! We put the hotel’s phone number and other info on our invitations, because it was a done thing.
In February my mum phoned up this hotel to try to book a room for her and my dad, as well as 3 more rooms for various English family members. They’d decided it was easier to just book all those dates at once. All these people weren’t just staying the two nights, either! They’re all coming from Wednesday-Monday or so, so it was a significant amount of money to be spending in one place. She also though that by bringing them all this business in one fell swoop, that there could be a discount to be found in there. There was nothing. The person she talked to on the phone could not even knock off $5 per night. After a long time spent on a very un-helpful phone call, mum hung up and tried to see what her other options were.
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Mrs. High Wire, Dallas
Age and Occupation: 23, Legal Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Director of Communications
Engagement Date: October 9, 2010
Wedding Date: September 2011
Venue: Clark Gardens
About 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 really love how versatile the gardens are at our venue. They can be fancied up or casual-ed down depending on the style of the event.
I haven’t come across a whole lot of other weddings that take place at our venue, Clark Gardens, but I just stumbled upon one! Want to see?!
And as a forward to this series of pictures, this bride may be my bridal soul mate. Lots of personal touches and vintage flare, and she’s a fellow blonde. Yeah!
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Classifieds
Feature Launched: April 30, 2008
About: A roundup of the best Weddingbee Classified listings.
Estella is selling a gray bridal sash with rhinestones. She’s asking $185.
Have a wedding item for sale? Post it with pictures in the Weddingbee Classifieds, and you might see it featured on the blog!
Other great items for sale:
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Ms. Gazelle, Calgary/Vancouver
Age and Occupation: 32, Engineer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Technology Analyst
Engagement Date: September 3, 2010
Wedding Date: July 2011
Venue: Brock House Restaurant, Vancouver
About 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 have really been struggling with what necklace to wear on our wedding day. I’ve got my bracelet and my earrings sorted out, but I just haven’t found a necklace I really love. I had hoped to borrow a piece from my mom. She has a beautiful strand of pearls that I really like but it is just a little too long for the neckline of my dress.
I didn’t want to buy a piece of jewellery unless it was something I really wanted. With my dress not fitting and not feeling inspired on the accessories front I was feeling really meh about my whole bridal look. I hadn’t said anything to my mom but she must have sensed my frustration on not being able to find anything. On a trip to Costco last weekend she surprised me by having me look at a beautiful double strand pearl necklace. Surprise—happy birthday Gazelle! She gifted the lovely necklace to me as a birthday present. Thank you mom! My beautiful new necklace with my earrings.
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Featured on Weddingbee
“Make an elegant invitation statement without the fuss. Stylish invitation sets with matching envelopes, reception and response cards included.”
Featured Product: Laura Ashley Delicate Damask Invitation
Mrs. Bunting, Grand Rapids, MI
Age and Occupation: 24, freelance illustrator & print production
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, graduate of history
Engagement Date: December 3, 2009
Wedding Date: June 2011
Venue: Spring Grove Park & St. George Banquet Center
About 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.
Before I go any further…Bunting Bridesmaids, I love you, but this post isn’t for your eyes!
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Mrs. Pony, Bloomington, IL
Age and Occupation: 25, Attorney
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Attorney
Engagement Date: March 22, 2010
Wedding Date: September 2011
Venue: Mackinaw Valley Vineyard; Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts
About 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.
First, no, I am not pregnant. Nor is this post about babies.
This is about how Mr. Pony and I recently expanded our family with two kittehs!
Meet George and Gracie (This picture happened without my intervention.)
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Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
Mrs. Macarons, Tampa
Age and Occupation: 26, Graphic Designer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Renaissance Man
Engagement Date: September 12, 2009
Wedding Date: September 2011
Venue: Lange Farm
About 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.
Recently I wrote about arriving in Paris and getting ready for our journey. We spent the first five hours driving out of Paris and toward Heppenheim and Heidelberg. Once in Germany, we stopped to stretch our legs and grab some fuel for the rest of our drive. Apparently some surfers were hungry, too.
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Mrs. Funnel Cake, Zürich, Switzerland/Columbus, Ohio
Age and Occupation: 24, Visual Communication Designer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Application Engineer
Engagement Date: May 30, 2010
Wedding Date: October 2011
Venue: Catholic church followed by a botanical conservatory
About 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.
Bees, let me fill you in on a little something that plays a big part in our wedding planning that I don’t think is bothering many other brides—exchange rates.
We all scrimp and save to pay for the wedding of our dreams. The wedding we can afford…or can’t afford. Everyone has their own reasons for how they spend their money, but I feel like my American counterparts planning their weddings in the States can be slightly more relaxed. They work, they plan, they budget, and they buy. All in U.S. dollars. It’s relatively simple.
Mr. Funnel Cake and I, on the other hand, are working and earning Swiss francs, while paying for many of our wedding costs in U.S. dollars. This presents a few problems, namely international bank transfer fees, import/export fees, unstable exchange rates, and the general unavailability of funds.
Article via The Wall Street Journal
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Mrs. Snow Cone, Pittsburgh/Johnstown, PA
Age and Occupation: 23, Public Health Graduate Student
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Engineer
Engagement Date: April 9, 2010
Wedding Date: August 2011
Venue: OMOS Church ceremony/Sunnehanna Country Club reception
About 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!
At this point in our planning, we have the framework pretty defined. The big picture details are all confirmed and finalized, for the most part, so now it’s easy to pay attention to the tiny little details that very few people outside of the individual(s) planning the event will notice. One of those details? The first kiss.
Admittedly, this is an unbelievably small detail in the scope of the entire day. However, it is one of the most cherished and most photographed moments of the day, so I don’t think I’m 100% bonkers for wanting it to go off smoothly and beautifully. I mean, look at the flak the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge received when their first kiss wasn’t deemed satisfactory. It seems as though there are a good number of ways to make this moment imperfect in the eyes of the observers—too short, too long, too G-rated, too R-rated. Not to mention where you put your face and arms in relation to your partner’s face and arms. That’s a lot to think about if you’re over-analyzing things such as I am! I’ve decided to take action, thoroughly researching the photographic evidence of the available first kiss styles to determine which one is right for the Snow Cones on our big day.
Option 1: The demure, hands-touching-only style: very sweet, good photo visibility for both bride and groom
Photo by Luster Studios
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Wedding Bios
Feature Launched: September 12, 2008
About: Wedding bios of real brides.
amnystik
Start your own Weddingbee Bio and you could be featured on the blog!
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Mrs. Ostrich, San Francisco/Hawaii
Age and Occupation: 30, Fashion Buyer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 38, Copywriter
Engagement Date: October 4, 2009
Wedding Date: April 2011
Venue: Sweet ceremony by the sea and sunset celebration on the North Shore of Hawaii
About Me: Born in the city of angels and residing in the city by the bay, I’m a fearless fashion buyer by day, a passionate blog author by night and a dreamy bride-to-be in between. I thank my lucky stars to live in such a stunning city that gives me gifts like organic honey lavender ice cream, movie nights in the park, tucked away beaches, legendary record stores, '80s dance parties, awesome sports teams, stellar flea markets, and vintage bookshops. Oh, and I love to dance! We always find every excuse to escape to the beach, and decided a little seaside wedding in Hawaii is our idea of bliss. Full of our favorite people, music, food and sparkly lights, this is one sunset celebration we will always remember.
“I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you.” - Roy Croft
I know this girl.
In our 20s, she was this amazing force to be reckoned with. Endlessly curious and up for anything, my moments with her were some of my brightest, exhilarating and most hilarious in my so-called life. You know those people that literally sparkle? Like, when they walk in a room you feel like a brighter, sunnier version of yourself? Yep, she was one of them.
One day, along the way, we met these boys who stole our hearts.
At first, our group of fun just doubled in size. We painted our town every color every weekend and I was so thrilled that she found this guy who had her same insatiable zest for life. Her equal. And he adored her to pieces.
Then as the years passed, our relationships strengthened and we grew a little older, we started to make some grown up decisions. We moved in with our men and folded our lives together.
And that made all the difference.
I struggled in the beginning to find that balance between couple time and friend/family/solo time.
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Mrs. Knitting, Toronto
Age and Occupation: 24, Student Recruitment Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Neuroscience PhD Candidate
Engagement Date: October 2009
Wedding Date: December 2010
Venue: University of Toronto Faculty Club
About Me: I'm a pearl wearing, etiquette book reading Toronto girl who loves cooking and baking, museums, charm bracelets, and collecting books on Jackie Kennedy (a lot). I've been known to spend Sunday mornings at the antique market, Wednesday evenings at sister sushi dinners, and any bit of spare time reading. After six and a half years of many late night walks, watching DVDs together in bed, travelling to places like New York, and Tobermory, doing Sudokus together on the couch, lots of Indian food, the occasional yoga class, moving in together and so much more, Mr. Knitting and I are planning a cozy Christmasy (it's a word!), vintage wedding in Toronto complete with many DIY projects (eek!) and lots of help from our amazing group of family and friends.
After the cocktail hour ended our guests made their way into the dining room and found their tables. After a brief introduction by my little sis, Mr. Knitting and I joined everyone and it was time to eat!
Our MC:
Our grand entrance:
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Ms. Ferris Wheel, San Francisco
Age and Occupation: 29, Psychologist
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Psychologist
Engagement Date: May 23 and 28, 2010 (one for each of us!)
Wedding Date: November 2011
Venue: 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!
As overwhelmed as I was by needing to pick dresses for some of the gorgeous women in our wedding party, I wasn’t desperate enough to let go of what is perhaps my only abiding principle when it comes to dress shopping. Under *no* circumstance would I pick a dress from a retailer that did not sell plus-sized dresses. Obviously there’s a back story here, and it has nothing to do with our wedding party. Nope—this time, it’s personal. (Doesn’t that sound so dramatic?!)
I’ve only been a bridesmaid once, and this was the dress I was told to buy:
Lorelei from J. Crew
Sounds easy enough, right? Well, as you know I have been a plus-size girl for a long time and moreover, I am particularly well-endowed in the chest area. Can you see where this is going?
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Mrs. Elephant, Dallas, TX
Age and Occupation: 27, Financial Operations Analyst
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, IT Student/Store Manager
Engagement Date: March 29, 2009
Wedding Date: April 2011
Venue: The Tribute Golf Club
About 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!
It wasn’t just sun, sand, food, and drinks for the Elephants while on our honeymoon in Mexico. Excellence Playa Mujeres had several daytime activities as well as nighttime shows.
Fire show
Every night when housekeeping would turn down our bed, they left a list of the activities for the next day. We watched a cooking class, took a tour of the kitchen (where I was spotted by a Weddingbee reader!) and Mr. E tried his hand at rifle shooting.
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Mrs. Bunting, Grand Rapids, MI
Age and Occupation: 24, freelance illustrator & print production
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, graduate of history
Engagement Date: December 3, 2009
Wedding Date: June 2011
Venue: Spring Grove Park & St. George Banquet Center
About 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.
Second-guessing. This is something I’m very familiar with. I have a hard time committing to a decision without mulling it over properly, and by properly I mean for a looong time. I also have trouble with a degree of the “greener grass” mentality. Not in a way that makes me envious of something else, but in a way that always has me thinking, “but there could be something better if I just keep looking!” Let’s call this the “just around the river bend” mentality, in honor of Pocahontas. Because honestly, there really could be anything, even something better, around that next river bend.
Image credit: Disney / Words added by yours truly
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