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!
You’ve seen a sneak peek of my invitations here, but I wanted to back up and tell you how I was inspired. Ever since I first started reading Weddingbee, I was always way into the invitation posts, and extremely impressed by everyone on the blog and boards. I mean, I even ordered a damn Gocco for Pete’s sake (and no, I still do not know how to use it).
I think it would have been mad awesome to say “Hey, guess what? I made those invitations!” But, I probably would have had to say that through a mic stuck in my padded cell at a mental institution. So, I got someone else to do it themselves, that someone else being my fabulous and talented stepmom.
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. Skunk, AtlantaAge and Occupation: 23, Post baccalaureate studentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Mechanical DesignerEngagement Date: February 13, 2011Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Neverland Farms About Me: I’m a Georgia peach born and raised in the dirty dirty. I love reading, baking lots of sweets and forcing them on my friends, and most of all, rock climbing. I am in the process of applying to graduate school in physical therapy and I work at farmers’ markets around town selling bread for a local bakery. The mister and I met while rock climbing just over two years ago and have been inseparable ever since. Our climbing friends mean the world to us and have played an integral role in our relationship. We’re planning a barnyard shindig filled with good food, good friends, and lots of love.
Our venue doesn’t offer tastings. My first instinct is that this could turn out to be a terrible situation. But all of the reviews I’ve read have been nothing but positive, and I already trust Suzy with my life. (After all, she is my wedding fairy godmother.)
That being said, the reason they don’t offer tastings is because the final menu is determined by what happens to be available at markets that week, as everything is bought and prepped specifically for our day. The tentative menu makes me drool.
Miss Fox, Washington DC/Havre de Grace, MDAge and Occupation: 26, Massage TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Field Support EngineerEngagement Date: April 18, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Vandiver InnAbout Me: I’m a dancer turned massage therapist who was born and raised in New York. Alas, true love has brought me “south” where I still maintain my penchants for pretty shoes, wine, crossword puzzles, cherry blossoms, and the Mets. I own more sunglasses than a normal person should and don’t eat red meat (though I make up for it by eating my weight in sushi). I tend to be a big planner who likes to get things started early, but generally end up being indecisive and procrastinating when it comes down to it. I have a (not so) secret crush on Chris Carrabba, but my loyalty and love ultimately goes to the future hubs, of course! Together, my Foxy man and I love to discuss (read: debate) politics and current events, have Mario Kart and Scrabble duels, and just laugh. A lot. We’re hoping and planning for a laid back, fun, summery, rustic vibe to our June wedding that will be genuinely “us” – that is, if we finally make some decisions. Huzzah!
Ohhh, how I’ve longed to say that. And in regard to YOU, not the Umbrella Corporation as Mr. Foxy so mistakenly thought. (Reference? Anyone?!) I was in complete and utter shock when I saw the first two lines of Pengy’s email the other night and definitely reread it about 20 times to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. I mean…seriously?? I’M a bee?!?
I’m still convinced that I’m being pseudo-punk’d or that I really didn’t read my email right or that this is all a ruse. A biiiiig, elaborate ruse. That Pengy, she’s a clever one.
Like a fox!
Now…who even are these alleged foxes that have snuck into the Weddingbee hen house?
Miss Warbler, Long Beach/MalibuAge and Occupation: 24, Quality Assurance EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Handheld AdministratorEngagement Date: December 7, 2010Wedding Date: April 2012Venue: Calamigos Ranch MalibuAbout Me: I’m a Korean BBQ loving, cheesecake enthusiast bride living in the LBC! By day I write and edit for an online search engine marketing company. By night I am a volunteer food taster of all that is delicious. I am fortunate to be marrying an amazing man who loves me and my quirky ways. I love food, books, indie music, and Harry Potter. We are planning a small, intimate wedding up in the Malibu Hills with our closest family and friends. With the help of my wonderful fiance, our loved ones, and red velvet cheesecake, our wedding will be glorious!
It’s almost time for our long awaited engagement session! In two weeks, the Warblers will channel Madonna and strike a pose. Or snidely proclaim our hatred for hydrangeas. Not cool, Madonna! In case you missed it:
Of course, engagement sesh time gives me the excuse to run out and buy some new outfits. When I sat down with Mr. Warbs to discuss our “engagement look” Mr. Warbs shrugged and said, “I don’t know…jeans and a polo shirt?” Boys. Lately I’ve been getting anxious about our photos, because the plan is to use them in our invitations. Read more…
Mrs. Waffle, AustinAge and Occupation: 31, Costumer/ArtistFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, AnimatorEngagement Date: July 27, 2010Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Hummingbird HouseAbout Me: My life is pretty much spent in a sea of fabric, paint, sequins and drama. When I’m not working, I play on a trivia team, take Broadway dance classes, read, buy shoes, and occasionally geek out on video games. I am an American girl who loves all things British and Mr. Waffle is a Brit who loves all things American...I guess it was meant to be!
With the downpour of rain, Mr Waffle was beside himself. He thought I was surely broken-hearted and having a meltdown over the rain situation because he knew how hard I worked for the past year and how carefully I planned all the details for a garden wedding.
photo by Perrie Belle Rogers
Needless to say, he was slightly miffed when he saw these pictures and heard about the fact that I was laughing and being entertained by my besties.
Join our very own Mrs. Hippo at Pink Pride Brides—Bridal Fashion for a Cause on Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00 p.m. at 129 Leslie in the Dallas Design District. See a fashion show of Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses and accessories, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beer and wine while supporting the fight against breast cancer. From sleek sophistication to delicate lace, the fashion show will have something for everyone. Drawings for prizes from local wedding vendors will be held, plus their will be goodie bags for brides in attendance!
The event fee is $10, and all proceeds benefit The Bridge Breast Network, a Dallas-Fort Worth area not-for-profit organization that links uninsured and under insured women in North Texas with diagnostic and treatment services for breast cancer.
And…we’re offering 5 pairs of FREE tickets exclusively for Weddingbee readers! If you’d like to nab a pair, just let us know in the comments! You have until Wednesday, September 28th at 11:59PM to enter. Good luck!
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!
After our sailing adventure, we finally reached our last day of the honeymoon. Determined to make the most of it, we hit the beach early, getting what will likely be our last taste of the Atlantic Ocean until next summer.
We laid in the sun most of the day, reading through our respective beach books. His: Read more…
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.
The Macarons are finally married and it was absolutely wonderful! All my weather worries were for naught, the ceremony brought our guests to tears, and our photo booth was a great last minute addition.
If you’re on the fence about having a first look I can’t recommend it enough. People aren’t joking when they say it’ll go by in the blink of an eye. Read more…
ClassifiedsFeature Launched: April 30, 2008About: A roundup of the best Weddingbee Classified listings.
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.
The Sealman and I have decided to exchange gifts on the morning of the wedding. Initially, I was against the idea—we were having a big, pretty wedding and get to spend the rest of our lives together, what more do we need? But then I saw a gift that I really, really wanted to get him and decided it was only fair to afford him the opportunity to do the same.
Miss Aardvark, Beaver Dam, WIAge and Occupation: 23, Assistant Product ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Business Analyst Engagement Date: May 28th, 2011Wedding Date: April 2012Venue: St. Philip Catholic Church/Arcadia Brewing Co.About Me: I am a resourceful lady who love surprises and adventure. At the same time, I value traditions, family and friends. I like to make crafty messes, sometimes, clean them up, and do pretty much anything outdoors. The Mister and I are pretty avid cyclists---we have nine bikes in our home right now...and one motorcycle! We both enjoy eating food we can't pronounce (language doesn't really matter) and going places we've never been. We currently reside in rural Wisconsin, enjoying the cheese and beer it has to offer, and getting outside whenever we can!
In order to properly tell our engagement story, I must start at the beginning. As I understand it, this is the best way to properly tell any story, except maybe a murder mystery, but this is nothing like that!
In February after our two first dates, we had been seeing each other pretty much every weekend since then. (Remember, we lived about an hour apart so weeknight visits after class/work were still rare at this point.) We were very much in like with each other, and I had a pretty strong feeling it might be something more than that.
Miss Ticket, Riverside, CAAge and Occupation: 25, Executive AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, HVAC TechnicianEngagement Date: November 14, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Crestmore ManorAbout Me: I'm a lifelong So Cal gal, a chocoholic, a closet gamer, and a television enthusiast (love me some Vampire Diaries!) who adores playing in the kitchen and lives in flip flops. Mr. Ticket and I are best known for singing and dancing in the car, our World of Warcraft addiction, adoring food, crane game playing, and our general homebody ways. Oh, and GO STEELERS!
So I feel like I kind of left you hanging with the invitation posts. I started off telling you about my inspiration then I moved on to explaining the torturous design portion of the process, then I explained the assembly and send off. But I never actually did an official reveal of what our invitations looked like in the end. I would like to apologize for that. I had intended to write that post as soon as Mr. Ticket and I returned from our little mini vacation to Philly for his brothers wedding. But as we were en route home we received some very sad news: Mr. Ticket’s grandma passed away that morning. With this news and sending Mr. Ticket back to the East Coast for a few days I simply was not in the mood to write about our invitations. I wasn’t really in the mood to write about anything.
Life happens. It doesn’t stop just because you are planning a wedding—this was a harsh truth that really took hold of me that week. That being said I would like to report that the wedding in Philly was a complete success—Mr. Ticket and I had a total blast and the happy couple had a wonderful day.
Mr. Ticket sporting a spiffy Tux
And while we are still mourning the passing of his grandma, we are trying to honor her memory by continuing with the planning of our wedding. She had deeply wanted to attend and she would be pissed at us (she was a FEISTY grandma and I loved her for that) if we didn’t continue planning as usual. So without further ado…
Miss Porcupine, NYC/Lancaster, PAAge and Occupation: 26, Sales Coordinator/PublishingFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Assistant Manager/SalesEngagement Date: August 8, 2010Wedding Date: March 2012Venue: Riverdale ManorAbout Me: I'm a born and bred New Yorker with a love/hate relationship for the city I have always called home. Although I may seem quiet from afar, I have a loud personality once you get to know me. I am a book nerd at heart, but love a night out in the city with good friends. I have a serious addiction to all things cheese, chocolate, cardigans, Mexican food, and reality TV. The future hubs and I met in college, settled in New York, and decided to go with a rustic/peacock infused wedding in Lancaster, PA, right near his hometown. Come the big day, we will be together 5 years, and we're looking forward to making it official!
Part two of the bridesmaids’-dress hunt began on a gray day in NYC, the day before Hurricane Irene was set to strike. I was feeling a case of the blahs.
I didn’t have high hopes for the first stop: Here Comes the Bridesmaid. The shop is located in an office building, which I didn’t realize when I made the appointment. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s a weird feeling walking into an office to look at dresses. I took the elevator up and found the office suite. Although not what I imagined, the store has a great selection. The sales associate pulled every single one of the dresses I hoped to have the girls try on. When the girls came in, we started the try-on.
We immediately had a case of the Goldilocks (this one’s too big, this one’s too little, this one’s juuust right—or not).
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.
Growing up I not only just loved books, but I simply adored Dr. Seuss books. I loved his wildly funny, wickedly imaginative words and stories and I would read them again and again as a little Sweet Cream. One of my favorites (is there such a word when talking about Dr. Seuss??) is “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now.”
For those of you unfamiliar with the story, some man from above tries kicking poor Marvin out and lists all of the crazy ways that he can leave… by broomstick, by Bumble-Boat, by Crunk Car, by a Zike Bike… if you know Dr. Seuss, like I am sure you do… you get the picture.
I am sure that you are thinking, “Sweet Cream! What the hay does Dr. Seuss have to do with all this?!”
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
Stephen Gosling Photography