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 told you about how I love the super special places people sometimes pick out for the engagement sesh. And then I divulged the setting for ours. But before we bought our tickets for the ferris wheel and got a sugar high from all of the cotton candy, our uhhhmazing photographer Brett Martelli decided that it was worth a trip to the spot where we spent time while we shared puppy love—and the spot Mr. Sweets proposed—Bolton Mansion, the old mansion between our two neighborhoods growing up where we sledded during the winter and hung out on bikes in the summer.
We had so much stinkin’ fun with Brett. I was super nervous about the whole idea of cheesin’ for the camera, but that quickly went out the window and I totally forgot all about it and just had fun.
Brett put up with my box of vintage props and me thinking—I mean knowing—that I could work it for the camera from watchin’ a lot of America’s Next Top Model. He totally captured us having a blast…not to mention, he himself was so much fun to work with…
And just when I thought that was enough, Brett completely blew me away with some of his teasers. I had some prep I wanted to share before unveiling these beauts…but that was before I saw them. The teasers are so great, I could wait to show the hive.
Mrs. Brooch, Arlington, VAAge and Occupation: 25, Writer/EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Front Desk ManagerEngagement Date: October 3, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Oxon Hill ManorAbout Me: I’m an indecisive girlie-girl with a motor mouth, can-do attitude, and knack for making others laugh. I dream of becoming a best selling novelist like Elizabeth Gilbert or Julie Powell (a girl can dream, right?), and love long road trips, a beautiful countryside, music, blogs, books, and all things vintage/thrift/antique/or homemade. I’m a Virgo, i.e. overly sensitive, emotional, and critical, and there’s no such thing as short and sweet in my world. I want to say and do it all. Mr. Brooch grounds me. I point where to go and he figures out the way. He’s a pragmatic fancy-pants who enjoys video games and movies. We both adore our mutt, Rocky, and spending time with our amazingly supportive family and friends. We’re planning a garden wedding with a formal reception with lots of whimsy and unique, Southern-inspired details.
OK, y’all! Here goes nothin’! Let the Brooch recaps begin…
I have the fondest memories of the day before our wedding despite all the last minute running around. My Maid of Honor, Chelly was really helpful, too! She picked me up from my apartment and we loaded a ton of stuff into her car. She drove me to the mall where she basically sat me down to get my nails done, and then she ran off to get me some food. Hello Chipotle! Yes, you are picturing that correct! I was literally eating beans and rice the morning before the wedding while getting my nails done! Glamorous, ay?
I also had to run a few errands in the mall, but Chelly made sure we were on schedule. We arrived at the National Harbor right in time to check into my hotel suite and unload. Phew!
Just a few hours later, I met up with Mr. Brooch at the Westin Hotel’s restaurant. They were nice enough to let us use the area (free of charge!) right before it opened for our rehearsal.
Mrs. Cola, Mountain View, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Product Communications and PromotionsFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Managing Partner and Senior DesignerEngagement Date: March 5, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Mountain Terrace, Woodside, CAAbout Me: I’m a Washington State native, enjoying life in Silicon Valley California with my fiancé, our three kitties and one leopard gecko. I like reading wedding blogs, Photoshopping wedding design mock ups, making lists, and planning, planning, planning! I’m a bit of an anomaly, on one side I’m a very girlie girl, I collect shoes, I lay out my outfits 4-6 weeks in advance, and I’d never leave the house without my hair curled and makeup on. But on the other side, I’m a total tomboy, I love to go camping and hiking, play drinking games (hey, I’m Irish!) and most of my closest friends are guys. My fiancé and I are planning a DIY-focused wedding with a balance between easygoing (what he wants) and chic and stylish (what I want), and are tying it all together with elements in lavender, sage, butter cream and chocolate.
But, now that our first wedding anniversary has come and gone, I’ve started thinking again about what to do with some of our leftover wedding items.
I still haven’t gotten around to selling or giving away a few extra decor items and still haven’t cleaned any of my wedding event dresses yet. Partly because of laziness, partly because I hate getting rid of stuff, and partly because I ran out of time to take care of these things before our big move to the East Coast, and they’re still packed away.
But recently I did dig out my rehearsal dinner dress from BCBG, because I wanted to try to dye it so I can re-wear it, instead of selling it to someone. I knew that if it was a color other than white, I would have a lot more use for it, and since I really liked the silk floral applique detailing, I figured it was worth a shot.
Here’s a look at my rehearsal dress, so you get an idea of what I’m talking about (the purple sash is not attached):
Miss Doily, Cedar Rapids, IowaAge and Occupation: 25, Autism Paraeducator/ StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Freelance Writer/ PublisherEngagement Date: August 27th, 2010Wedding Date: March 2012Venue: Father’s Vineyard Church/ A Touch of Class Banquet CenterAbout Me: I’m an Iowan girl with a deep love of Harry Potter, classic movies, cardigans, and Post-Its. My type-A Virgo tendencies often cause me to drive my laid-back college sweetheart fiance batty with lists and PowerPoint presentations. I love to be crafty and do things myself, which explains why my two crazy kittens often will prance around the house covered in glitter and ribbons. When I am not bogged down with work, school, or wedding planning, I like to travel to visit my expansive family and have wild adventures with my best friends. After a rollercoaster ride of a love story, I’m ready to take that final plunge, marry the love of my life, and become a Mrs.!
Since I am the one who is far away from my bridesmaids, I wanted a quick and easy way to let them know things that are going on. I talk to all of my girls regularly, but I make it a point to not really talk about wedding stuff when we are on the phone. I want our conversations to be about catching up and not all about the details of my upcoming nuptials, especially because out of all of my bridesmaids, only my sister-in-law (obviously) is married, so I know it’s something they don’t want to hear about all the time. After scouring online for ideas, I found many other brides in the same position who developed newsletters. Aha! Perfect!
I was an editor of my college and high school papers, so I know a thing or two about laying out a design. I borrowed a name that I saw on many of the newsletters (and it’s impossible to credit it to someone because I have absolutely no idea who started it), found some patterns and clip art that matched my colors, and voila:
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. Ladyfingers, Saint Petersburg, FLAge and Occupation: 30, Marketing ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Sports WriterEngagement Date: December 24, 2010Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Palma Sola Botanical ParkAbout Me: I hail from Oklahoma, he was born and raised in Long Island. Fate brought us together, and now we live in a cute little rental house with our nutty dog, and our aloof cat. We both love to read, watch movies, explore our town, and laugh like hyenas. When I’m not obsessively wedding crafting, I enjoy stalking style and decorating blogs, making collages and painting, napping, thrifting, rearranging our bookshelves, and being a total weirdo with my friends. Hi!
One of the few areas where I relinquished control over every piece of fabric, doodad, color, and sheet of paper was in the menswear. Mr. Ladyfingers and his men, along with our dads, are free to wear whatever Mr. Ladyfingers feels they should wear. (I also let him handle the rehearsal-dinner arrangements, and I’m letting my BMs handle the shower and bachelorette-party stuff. And that pretty much sums up the extent of my “handing it over to somebody else”-edness.)
I won’t tell you a ridiculous, baldfaced lie, though, and say:
I had no opinion whatsoever.
I didn’t nag one bit.
Of course this is false. I told you all about it last week. But hey, the *incident* last Tuesday resulted in FI making an appointment at Men’s Wearhouse to try on a few tuxes and make his decision. Not that I’m pleased with how I handled the situation, but it’s nice to have it done!
I initially really liked the suit idea, especially the gray flannel numbers I was seeing crop up all over the spring and summer wedding events. Our wedding, while in November, is outdoors and in Florida. Our vibe is casual, as in, “dress nice, but don’t be afraid to cut loose.” So I really liked suits for their un-stuffiness and also their sophistication.
Blurb is hosting an international juried competition celebrating the most creative, innovative, and finest self-published photography books-and the people behind them. Blurb’s Photography Book Now! Contest is open to working photographers, students &creative enthusiasts, and is judged in four categories: Fine Art, Documentary, Travel, and Student. The grand prize is $25,000 (USD)!
The 2011 contest is up and running with less than a week left! You can enter your self-published photography book in any of the four categories for review by the panel of expert judges. Got a beautiful honeymoon album? Enter it in the Travel category! What about a unique album of wedding photography? You could enter it in the Student category, or possibly even Documentary.
You can enter as many books as you’d like in any of the categories—but you must pay a separate non-refundable submission fee for each entry.
Mrs. Seal, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 25, Personal AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Sales and Support SpecialistEngagement Date: December 12, 2009Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Sts Peter and Paul Church/The Bently ReserveAbout Me: I am a goofy, wannabe crafty, well-intentioned Renaissance Woman (OK, perhaps "aimless wanderer" is a more aptly suited term for me, but hopefully you get the point)—basically I dabble in just about everything and pride myself in such. Without warning, I occasionally breakout into soulful improvised songs and interpretive dances and there's just no stopping me! As so many others before me, planning our wedding has unearthed a deep, intense passion for all things bridal and I secretly fear the day it will come to an end. Mr. Seal and I are quite the pair and life with him by my side is extremely rewarding—I am so thankful to have found him. Together we are planning a black-tie San Francisco affair for 250—light on the stuffiness and with lots of extra Seal-y flair.
I’m going to a bridal shower next month, kiddies. Oh, and not just any bridal shower—MY bridal shower! The other day, I got this lovely little thang in the mail and I squealed with joy.
Forgive the crappy iPhone photo!
How cute are those flowers?! MOH Brandi sure knows the way to my heart with those new “Love” stamps (she went to three different post offices before tracking them down). I hadn’t even opened the envelope and I adored the invitations already!
But don’t fret, hive—the actual invite is equally adorable.
Mrs. Poodle, Santiago, Chile/San Bernardino, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Industrial & Web DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Firefighter & Mountain PatrolEngagement Date: February 25, 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Mr. P's Grandparents’ RanchAbout Me: I’m a Chilean girl who's crazy about nature and swimming. I enjoy carving, drawing, reading and sewing; I drool over computers, fabric, pretty paper, purple and patterns. To me, chocolate should be one of the seven wonders, right next to lemon pie. I never thought an exchange work experience program was going to change my life forever, but while working in California, I met Mr. Poodle, and ever since my days are better and brighter. We are two goofy souls that, after finding each other, couldn’t help but want to be together forever. It has being a long and sometimes hard road, since we have to deal with such a long distance between us, but we are now facing the last stage of our Fiancé Visa, and soon we will be together. You know the best part? We will be married! So I’ll be blogging from Chile until just a few months before our “green and purple” wedding.
One of my favorite parts of our ceremony was the vow exchange. It was so personal and also funny. Mr. Poodle made me cry a little as he quoted one of our favorite songs from Dave Mathews Band in his vows, and made me laugh when he mentioned the fact that he picked me up on the side of the road when I was hitchhiking to work. That is how we met. :)
Mrs. Cucumber Sandwich, Washington, DC/Cape May, NJAge and Occupation: 28, School CounselorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Collegiate AthleticsEngagement Date: March 27, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Congress Hall HotelAbout Me: I am a school counselor who spends my day wrangling children and my nights attempting to be creative with wedding projects. My enthusiasm for each of these activities far surpasses my skill. Thank goodness Mr. Cucumber Sandwich is there to pick up the pieces and be the voice of reason about my DIY tries. I have an obsession with terrible romantic comedies (‘From Justin to Kelly’ anyone?, anyone?!?), competitive Scrabble play, and hot dogs. I could eat astronaut ice cream for every meal and can’t seem to resist buying more shoes. Our wedding is going to be a true hodge podge of semi-destination, tradition, Yuengling, New England charm, with just a dash of ‘Jersey Shore’ thrown in. It has been six years in the making and I can’t wait to marry my best friend.
I accidentally left my USB with all my pictures at work today, so you are going to have to suffer through a pictureless post. I guess this is a perfect time to talk about something that doesn’t really need pictures…taking on my new last name.
I have never been keen on changing my name. I have a beautiful and ethnic last name, if I do say so myself. I have met very few people (besides my family members, of course) who share my last name. Sadly, I have all sisters, and there is only one cousin who will carry on the name. For a while I convinced myself that I could get Mr. Cucumber Sammie to change to my last name. Not going to happen.
Mr. Cucumber Sammie has the last-name equivalent of Jones or Smith. I want us to be a family and share a last name, but going from Beautiful Betty to Plain Jane in the name department is not appealing. A compromise must be reached! Read more…
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!
No, not that one. Pervs. Get your minds out of the gutter and let me tell you a story.
A few weeks back, Mrs. Pain au Chocolat blogged about her bouquet charm fashioned after her Weddingbee icon. I decided that little chocolately delight was too darned precious for my liking, and I needed one of my own. I, like every other bride in the history of forever, turned to Etsy to see what options I had for my charm. I messaged a couple shops whose work seemed impressive, and shortly thereafter, I got a couple replies, but one in particular stood out. I received this message from Sweet & Savory Trinkets.
I haven’t tried to make a snow cone yet, but I am happy to try. I will try to make one this weekend, and post the pictures here. If you like it, and I decide to make them for the store, you will get the charm free as a thank you gift for inspiring me to create a new product.
In case you missed it, there was a four-letter word that makes angelic choirs from above sing: FREE. Read more…
Mrs. Starfish, Boston/NewportAge and Occupation: 25, Operations AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, SalesEngagement Date: October 8, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Atlantic Beach ClubAbout Me: I'm a perfectionist who is a planner at heart. I don't do well with surprises. I love planning, crafting, Newport RI, family and friends, and most importantly, Mr. Starfish---all of which will be big components in our October wedding in our favorite little city by the sea.
We had a vision of our wedding right from the start. We wanted a laid-back atmosphere that invited our guests to have fun, but we also didn’t want to lose sight of the meaning of the day.
We included many personal touches to share our story. I started the DIY projects to save money, but these little projects ended up shaping the entire feel of our wedding day; from the very first DIY, our save the dates, all the way to the thank you notes we sent weeks after the wedding was over.
personal photos
The Starfish motif was on almost everything. It kind of came about by accident. When I was designing our wedding website, I liked the option with a starfish design best, then I just kind of continued to use it on everything else. I like that we had one element that tied everything together. 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.
This past weekend was a big one for the Sparklers (though it seems like, lately, ALL of our weekends are pretty big). We hit the official 2-months-to-go mark, and we made it (almost) official with a big purchase:
Our wedding bands!
FYI: That “1900″ scribble in the background is NOT the price of our rings. No, no.
Much like Mrs. Trail Mix and Mrs. Panther, I decided to go with a rose gold band. Even though my engagement ring is white gold, I love the contrast and subtle difference of the two metals. Plus, I’ll be wearing my wedding band on its own a lot, and I love how rose gold looks with my skin tone.
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’ve been a bwad wittle bee. We had our engagement photo session on Easter Monday back in April, and I’ve been sitting on them since then! Shh, shh, let me explain why it took so long.
We had an amazing friend in Zürich take the photos for us and he actually gave me all the raw files the same day as the shoot, but it meant I would be doing all the editing myself. (Which is good and bad for a control freak like myself.) I took the opportunity to teach myself more about raw editing in Adobe Lightroom because I usually keep to Bridge/Photoshop. I really enjoyed using the different software to experiment with the processing! It works wonders on your raw photos and helps me make photos like this pop:
With over 700 raw images to go through (woo hoo for lots of great photos!), it took me about two months to narrow them down and edit about 100 photos that have already been used for save-the-dates, invitations, profile pictures, etc. I’ve gotta admit…I absolutely love them! Mr. Funnel Cake is dreamy pants and I don’t look horrible in all of them.
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!
Remember when you were growing up and you’d come home from school, and ask your parents to help you with your math homework because you hated math and it was awful and made you cry? And your parents were all like “Sorry, that is some new fangled shiz math, I can’t help you with that”?
Yes, I remember that too. Also a couple of years ago I was consulting in a classroom and they were literally doing multiplication in an entirely new way, and my mind was totally blown. I mean, I could get the answer…but totally only in the old way. The new way was weird and different and only like one-bazillionth of a second quicker. What’s the point?
Mr. Poodle made me cry a little as he quoted one of our favorite songs from Dave Mathews Band in his vows, and made me laugh when he mentioned the fact that he picked me up on the side of the road when I was hitchhiking to work. That is 
