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…except I totally know what I’m fighting aiming for.
REO Speedwagon, anyone? No? Just me? Psh.
The long and short of it is that I keep getting asked what “kind” of wedding we’ll be having, what the “feel” of it will be.
And for a while I had no stinkin’ clue. I would ramble on and on about stuff no one but myself cares about, like how it will be a laid-back, kind of picnic-y, summery feel with a splash of sophistication here and there. Modern with a twist. Simple but classy, but more casual-classy. Etcetera and so forth.
Then I came across this wonderful little term: rustic chic. The beautiful thing about this current wedding buzzword is that it can be defined a million different ways and it encompasses a wide variety of ideas, themes, details, etc. In the wedding world, it seems like everyone and their mother is doing their own twist on this, but whatevs. I’m totally enamored.
I would write out my personal definition of rustic chic (and hence, our wedding), but it’s so much more fun to do it in an inspirational picture board, no?
From left to right:
Top: 1: Image via Green Wedding Shoes / Photo by Jagger Photography; 2: Image via Grey Likes Weddings; 3: Image via La Belle Bride / Photo by The Nichols; 4: Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Amanda Wilcher
Middle: 1: Image via Lovely Little Details / Photo by Photography by Verdi; 2: Image via Ashley Meaders / Photo by Kyle Hale; 3: Image via Irenesuchocki on Etsy; 4: Image via Sparkle & Hay / Photo by Jennifer Eileen Photography
Bottom: 1: Image via Mrs. Trail Mix 2: Image via Green Wedding Shoes / Photos by Ashley Rose Photography; 3: Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Beaux Arts Photographie
There are a lot of things that bees want to talk about and discuss surrounding some of the most touchy parts of wedding planning. Given the public nature of blogging and being a bee in general, sometimes we feel uncomfortable lending our names to these kinds of posts. Today we’ll be launching our Anonymous series, where bees can discuss a range of topics that they don’t necessarily want to put their names on, but would love to talk about. Topics are all over the board, ranging from family dynamics, to drama, to budget, to sex, to vendor issues, and everything in between.
Stay tuned later today as we launch the first post in this series under the “Anonymous” moniker:
We hope you enjoy it!
My friends, family, and bridesmaids keep asking me what is up with the peacock thang? I am not overly into “themed” weddings, but I have been incorporating peacock accents into the wedding. But why?
Well, the answer is simple: I don’t know.
Image via National Geographic / Photo by Medford Taylor
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Oh hive, I am so excited!! Why is this?
Because Mr. D and I just got some of our engagement pictures back!! This is just our sneak peek, but I am already completely in love with what I am seeing. We really wanted outdoor pictures so we chose Palisades Park right outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and also did some downtown in CR. We also did a pit stop and took some pictures in an empty field at sunset.
We chose An Unforgettable Memory Photography out of Dyersville, Iowa (soon to be Blue Earth, Minnesota), because the owner is a friend of my mom’s and she does fantastic work!! Jenn is such a lively personality to work with! She was great about directing us and asking us what we wanted to see in our pictures. What came of that was pure magic! So without further ado, here are some beautiful snapshots of our day:
I adore this picture. I love how Mr. D is doing his typical smirk (which is his natural smile!).
Prior to the wedding, I wrote a few times about how the details of things just aren’t as important to me as the substance of the wedding, the marriage, the gathering of friends and family. But they are still pretty important! Our photographers took more detail shots than I anticipated they would, especially since I shared my philosophy with them.
But in retrospect, it’s nice to have these photos to remember the little things. Seeing the things that I wore, that I handled, that I smelled, on my wedding day, help bring it back to life for me. Before jumping into the rest of the recaps, I thought it might be nice to show you how all these little things came together on our day. I’ll also show you my few DIY projects, which were barely completed the week of the wedding (which is why my only photos of them are the professional ones!).
The rings:
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
Four days a week, I cover myself in flour around 5 AM and then sweat for the next eight hours hawking bread at farmers’ markets. So not conducive to makeup.
The other three days, I’m on rock or at the very least at the gym. Again, not a place for makeup. For the most part, unless Mr. Skunk and I are out on a date, the most that’s on my face is ChapStick and mascara.
My mom, on the other hand, won’t leave the house without makeup. It’s just not proper. My grandmother was the same way. And as a nod to them, I do want to get all fixed up for the big day. I decided I wanted to go to Bare Escentuals since it was the original 100% pure mineral makeup and the only thing that I’ve worn (thanks to mom’s hand-me-downs!) for the past five years. For me personally, I wanted something that would look nice, but still not feel too heavy. About an hour later I was set!
I got set up with the whole foundation set, but the fun stuff was with my eyes! My eyes are blue, so we opted for rosy colors on my lids. I will use a creamy white highlighter just under my brow line that my mom already owns. All over the lid I will use a rose gold, and in the crease a deep plum color. I’ll finish up with eyeliner plus this amazing mascara. I LOVED my eyes.
High Shine Eyecolor in Rose Gold by Bare Escentuals
Aloha, Hive! Sparks and I are sitting here enjoying our last Hawaiian sunset for now, and I just had to pop in and say hello. As sad as I am to leave this place (It.Is.Un.REAL.), I’m REALLY excited to start my recaps, finish my bachelorette post (I didn’t forget!!! ) and get caught up on everything you’ve been up to. A big “WELCOME!” to all the new bees, I can’t wait to officially “meet” all of you. 
The LOST tour was a huuuuuge highlight of our trip so far!
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Even though I have someone scheduled to do my hair, I’m a paranoid bride-monster convinced that something dire will happen to my hair stylist and I’ll wind up being responsible for my own hair on the wedding day. (The horrors!)
Most days, my hair is hastily bundled up in one of two clips that I own.
Here you can see I didn’t even get the clip all the way onto the bun. Funnel Cake Fail!
With the wedding approaching and my paranoia mounting, I have been trying to learn ways to do my own hair that look, well… nice. Because frankly, hair in the clip-bun is not-so-nice. Up first on the list of hair-dos are curls.
Curls have been evading my locks for years, as my semi-curly, no-longer-straight hair decides to settle into an awkward wave. Usually, the harder I try to curl my hair, the straighter it winds up. Curling irons and curlers are no help. However, I believe I have now figured out a semi-reliable way to ensure I have curls that last ALL day. You wanna know how?
I kept writing and rewriting this post, and it kept saying something different every time.
What I really want to touch on is how this will be mine and Mr. Foxy’s wedding, nobody else’s. Not our parents’, not our friends’, not the critics on all those wedding resources out there’s.
Ours. And we’ll do what we want. And I will not care what other people think. (Must repeat this over and over.)
The problem is that all too often, I do care about what other people think. I want other people to love our wedding as much as I love it. However (and this has been a long time coming for me to accept), that is basically impossible. What I love, someone else will inevitably find “tacky.” What I think is cute and quaint (and budget friendly), someone else will find “cheap.” Different people have different opinions, and that’s that. My recent realization and kick-butt attitude is now “Foxy and I will do what we want to do, not what your etiquette book or magazine or online forum tells us to.”
Booya.
A little background so you get a feel for where I’m coming from:
Yep. It’s official. We are 100 days out from the wedding. Holy crapola.
This is the perfect time to take inventory—what is done, what is in process, and what is left to do? I’ve been keeping you pretty updated on what is done so I’ll share some of the projects still in process.
First up: Invitations
We’ve been making a lot of progress on the invitations. The actual invites are almost done—just need to secure the vellum cover on top with ribbon—and this Sunday we hope to crank out the reception and RSVP cards. I hope I’m not jinxing myself, but this process has gone smoothly so far.
My bouquet.
With the wedding rapidly approaching and the nightmares setting in (you know the ones—the I forgot to get my hair and makeup done before the wedding kinda sweet dreams), I figure this is as good a time as any to cross the major necessities off the list. One of those would be the wedding bands. Purchasing those suckers is right up there on the importance scale with making sure Mr. Porcupine has pants!
Mr. Porcupine and I have barely done a drop of research on wedding rings. Neither of us is a big jewelry person. I’m all about the costume jewels. There is something about wearing expensive jewelry that gives me agita. I would lose my head if it weren’t attached to my body, and it’s far too easy for me to fling off rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, etc. without even noticing. It took me months to get used to wearing my engagement ring. I only “lost” it about 80 times (AKA it flipped around my finger or was on my bedside table) before I realized I am a lunatic and need to chillax.
One very bored day Mr. Porcupine and I wandered into Zales on our way home from running errands. I looked through the glass cases blankly. They all looked fine to me. I actually contemplated just picking a ring and buying it right then and there. Mr. Porcupine is pretty simple, too, with what he wants in a ring. He wants a black/white-gold band. Affordable and easy to find at most jewelers.
Image via American Ring Store
Mr. Cannon and I have noticed a strange occurrence in the world of weddings—the need to warn men about the terrors of marriage. It started at his job. He works in a factory and when some of the other guys heard he was getting married they started telling him how horrible marriage is and how he should avoid the whole thing. He pointed out we’ve lived together for years and have an almost two year old together and are happy, but they still insisted that getting married ruins everything, and that everything would change once we got married.
Next, he went on a job interview, where the man interviewing him gave him the “Don’t do it!” speech. Yes, this man was essentially a stranger. And of course, there were many warnings from co-workers, friends, and strangers alike that his bachelor party would be the last time he ever had fun in his life. Apparently, it’s all downhill from getting drunk and going to a strip club in Detroit. That’s a pretty depressing thought.
But my point is—what is up with the idea that marriage is so bad?
Read more…
So, when we left off, Mr. Aardvark had asked both of my parents for their blessing. My momma and I had had a girly-girl day getting pampered at the spa, followed by some serious shopping, and were on our way home.
The A-man had spent most of the day, when he wasn’t picking up the ring or playing phone tag with my dad, looking for daisies. You would not think that would be too hard to do in May. You would be wrong. He went to every flower shop in town and came up empty handed; he was scrambling and running out of time before we got home.
He finally found some flowers that looked close enough to daisies at a farm stand outside of town. He bought them out and headed back to the house to commence nervous pacing.
Personal photo: The daisies
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