Mrs. Teacup, Santa CruzAge and Occupation: 34, Pharmaceutical SalesFiance's Age and Occupation: 41, Ditto! (For a different company)Engagement Date: October 1, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: ceremony in our family's Catholic church in Watsonville; reception at the Santa Cruz Beach BoardwalkAbout Me: I’m learning to embrace my true spirit as GIRLY GIRL after previous careers in the Navy and consulting for the government. My favorite hobby is SLEEP, with dancing HULA a close second. An INTROVERT in extrovert clothing, I’m questing to UNDO 34 years of TYPE A conditioning. Constantly processing the details of our upcoming nuptials, peek into this late blooming bride & groom's roller coaster ride to the altar. Giant Dipper required, sold separately.
Aloha, hive. I’m super excited to share this month’s meet up in San Jose with you. You may remember our last meet, and the group is adding new members and celebrating our first bride to return as a newlywed “Mrs.” Yay!
First off, I want to extend some love and appreciation to our informally designated meet-up coordinator Miss Gopa. She is the driving force for scheduling our outings, posting them on the boards, and following up via PM to remind us of the upcoming event. Thanks, Gopa!
We kept with the tradition of dinner at Pasta Pomodoro in Santana Row…though the location may switch in the near future. Here’s a group shot of all the lovely ladies.
Back row: Miss Teacup, cutexkitty, breezybri19 /Front row: sparkedlove11, jbug, Miss Gopa
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!
A while back while my Foxy Mama was at her apartment running around and getting things together for the weekend and her wedding the next day, I decided to go through some old photo albums while I waited. Among those photo albums were two small ones from her and my dad’s wedding way back in 1980 (I think). I’ve seen these before but I always love to see old photos of my parents, especially when they were together; I don’t really remember them ever being that way, so it’s nice to see. Plus, she just looked so happy and beautiful in the pictures and I just love seeing them! So I took some pictures (of pictures) to share with you all!
Foxy Mama with her bridesmaids…is it crazy that I kind of love their dresses?
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!
So, I’ve been meaning to do a ring post for a while, and then, seriously, I was thinking about how I should try to take a pic with my cat and my ring, and then Miss Fox posted her post that said that cat-and-ring photos are tough, and then I saw Smizz lying there all sweet and I thought, “Let’s do this.” So we did.
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!
Hive, I know I am not the only one to have wedding nightmares. I have read about them everywhere and even remember my step-mum telling me about a few she had years and years ago. I have had a few strange dreams about the wedding, don’t get me wrong, but until last night I don’t think any of them could be called nightmares.
Personal Photo (This is what I felt like upon waking up!)
I could tell you all of the horrific detail, from forgetting to hire a photographer, to no one wanting to come in and dance at the reception (apparently something was going on outside), to having lots of trouble keeping my shoes on, my teeth falling out! … Read more…
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.
Mr. Skunk and I believe that all people should have the right to marry. We understand that everyone has different beliefs so we don’t want to rub anyone the wrong way, but it’s still important to us to do something on our day to support marriage equality. So likemanybees before us, we’re going to have a small bowl of White Knots on a small table with a little explanation for guests to take if they feel inclined.
Mrs. Sunhat, Dyer, IN Age and Occupation: 32, Tax AccountantFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Landscape ForemanEngagement Date: September 25, 2010Wedding Date: December 2011Venues: St. Andrew the Apostle, Fiesta PalaceAbout Me: I'm a Midwest girl who grew up in the country and now works in the big city! I love cooking, entertaining, reading (addicted to my Kindle) and going to the movies. I don't miss an episode of Hoarders and I start cleaning every time I watch! My profession doesn't call for much creativity so wedding planning has been a great outlet. Mr. Sunhat and I met online three years ago, cheer for rival MLB teams and share a home with our dog, Wrigley. We are planning a traditional, Polish, Catholic wedding with lots of DIY elements and some fun surprises. I'm so excited to be married on New Year's Eve and we can't wait to ring in the new year as husband and wife!
Like many bees before me, I too wanted to honor my Weddingbee moniker on our wedding day. Mrs. Snow Cone’s charm is what really cemented the decision that I just had to have a little sunhat charm of my very own. And I still can’t get over Miss Funnel Cake’s amazing talent. I would have never thought to try and make my own!
I followed in some very smart footsteps and checked out Etsy. A search for “Sunhat Charm” resulted in this:
Mrs. Mouse, AustinAge and Occupation: 25, Weddingbee Editor/AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Civil EngineerEngagement Date: December 19, 2007Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Barr MansionAbout Me: I just graduated from law school and will be taking the bar, getting married, going on a honeymoon with my guy, and then trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the rest of my life. I was born and raised in a small East Texas town, but I'm no country girl! I'm obsessed with British accents, fantasy (including Harry Potter, of course), and classic rock. My fiance and I consider ourselves both music and beer snobs--but every once in awhile we love to hear a crappy band and drink a cheap brew or two. We're planning an eco-friendly, casual, English garden affair for the end of summer, and we can't wait for it to get here!
I’ve been wanting to contribute to this series for a long time, and I finally got it together! I know other bees have written about Austin, but hopefully I can provide a unique perspective on the city I’ve called home for the past 10 years.
For me, Austin is the perfect mix of small town and big city. It has a famously wonderful and eclectic music scene; delicious, cheap, and varied restaurants; amazing bars, from the trendy to the just plain dives; and even a budding film/TV scene (think Friday Night Lights!). Austin is the perfect place for a casual honeymoon filled with lazy days at Barton Springs, shopping at boutiques on South Congress, and eating your weight in breakfast tacos.
FOOD
We all know the most important part of any vacation, especially a honeymoon, is food. Austin has SO MUCH good food. It’s pretty much insane. I don’t know what I’d do if I ever moved—I’m sure I’d go through Tex-Mex withdrawal.
Tex-Mex:
Trudy’s might be my favorite Tex-Mex spot. Not only is their menu delicious and extensive (everything from a chicken-stuffed and breaded avocado to portabella fajitas to mango-tilapia quesadillas to cheesecake flan), they also have some of the best drinks in town, and a lively bar scene. Must try: the Mexican martini. It’s basically a kicked up margarita on the rocks, served in a shaker with a martini glass and olives.
Mrs. Candy Apple, Princeton Junction, NJ/ Seattle, WAAge and Occupation: 26, Project EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, AttorneyEngagement Date: May 9, 2010Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: St. Joseph's Parish, Seattle Tennis ClubAbout Me: I am a Pacific Northwesterner, born and bred. I have lived in many cities---Santa Clara, Durham (England); Florence; Boston; Princeton Junction---but my heart will always be nestled up near the Cascades and Olympics, which is why we are holding our wedding there. I am a bookworm and a History nerd: I love that my life consists of books, books, and more books, since I work in Publishing! Recently, all waking time not consumed by work and my daily commute has been overtaken by wedding planning. Well, that, and watching Premier-League soccer. There is nothing I love more than a good Tana French mystery, traveling to new places, Anthropologie shopping sprees, Iittala dishware, Kate Spade shoes, impeccable typefaces (think: Archer), and a nice English ale (hellooo, Old Speckled Hen!). Oh, and did I mention my obsession with wedding blogs? Yeah, there’s that too. Join Mr. Candy Apple and me as we prep for our wedding, and, more importantly, our marriage!
You know, because Mr. CA and I are still in that blissful newlywed stage between the wedding and the honeymoon where all I want to do is think about what an amazing time I will have on the trip with my fabulous new husband? Yeah, that stage.
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!
One of the easy decisions Mr. Warbs and I made concerning the wedding was our engagement-sesh location. Without a doubt our favorite place to be is in our own backyard, downtown Long Beach. After all, it was here that we began the next phase of our lives together. From moving in together, getting engaged, and countless amazing nights, the city has witnessed some huge moments in our relationship. And it’s pretty awesome.
Mrs. Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, ProfessorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, InstructorEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
This proposal gets me on so many levels! It’s at my alma mater (go Bruins!), and it’s got flash-dancing organized by Flash Mob America. As far away from our wedding as I am (over one year now), I still get all sappy over wedding proposals. No one wants to forget their proposal, but I’m so happy this couple gets to relive this moment and that we all get to share in their happiness through this video.
Miss Doe, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 24, Real Estate AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Recycling ManagerEngagement Date: December 25, 2010Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: Monte Verde InnAbout Me: I’m a Rat Pack fan and a Christmas nut that loves to read, good wine, cheesy ’80s movies and ’90s sitcoms. My wiener dog with an attitude problem and lazy basset hound are my constant source of entertainment. He's a hunter and I like cooking so it's not rare to see wild game on our dinner menu. Both of us were born and raised in a small historic farming town where our feet are still firmly planted. We have been together for nearly a decade and have shared many life experiences together, including birthdays that are only one day apart. We are two old souls that are creating our long-awaited wedding with loads of tradition that blends our two styles into rustic elegance in the foothills of Northern California.
I am a details person. When I tell a story or reminisce of something, you do not get just the outer details from me. No, you get the whole shebang. You will know what people were wearing, eating, if they had a weird haircut, anything in the details that I might remember. I recently dug up an old letter that I had written to my mom and dad when I was away at a camp in sixth grade. The amount of detail from a 12 year old is seriously intense.
I mean really, who describes the material that their camp bed is made out of? Apparently I do. This is my personality. I love details. Except when I describe things now as a very mature adult, they are much more refined. I no longer babble about people having bad attitude problems. Right? Okay, I’ll keep working on myself.
How does this relate to wedding planning? Read more…
Mrs. Lioness, AtlantaAge and Occupation: 25, Physical TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, AttorneyEngagement Date: August 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Anthony’s Fine DiningAbout Me: I’m a Southern girl with New England roots. I say "wicked" and "y’all" in the same sentence and I like to drink sweet tea with my lobster. Mr. Lion and I are both former Floridians now living in Atlanta, which fortunately is still SEC country...Go Gators! We both love baseball, coffee, traveling, cooking, and playing Words with Friends with each other on our iPhones all day long. I’m very passionate about the things and the people I love, and I tend to plan things with all of my heart...our wedding, of course, is no different! Oh, and also Mr. Lion is a first generation American of Cuban descent. I may look more like Lucy than Ricky, but I’m doing my best to incorporate some Latin elements into our vintage-garden-Southern wedding!
Mr. Lion is Catholic and I’m Jewish. Neither of us is traditionally religious, but we both wanted to incorporate some elements from each of our faiths into our ceremony. More importantly to us, though, we wanted our ceremony to really reflect who we are and what our relationship means to us. This meant choosing our words and music carefully, and involving as many people as possible. One of the most important people in our ceremony was my cousin Chris, who is an ordained minister. I think he was a little confused when we asked him to officiate, but he’s a charismatic guy and an excellent speaker, so we knew he’d do just fine. It was nice because we got to write our own ceremony and complete our own premarital counseling. Chris just had to show up and read a script! We had him begin with a little blurb (that he wrote? improvised?) greeting our guests, then he read an excerpt from “Love” by Roy Croft:
Catch up on the entire After “I Do” series here! And if you have a burning question you’d like to see discussed, submit it here!
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Current/future moms, or anyone that thinks they’ll have a child in the future: What is something you wish you did before you had your baby, or something you plan to do before you have a baby? What is something you did before baby that you’re so thankful you did?
I’ll be finishing my doctorate before we consider having kids. I think that’s very important for me because I want to devote more of myself and my time to our family—not so much to school, as it is now. I’m thankful to be almost done with that, so that Mr. MJ and I can give this giant step more serious thought. In general, I am thankful that we have both gotten started in our careers, become settled in a nice home, paid off debts, and started saving for the future. Bringing kids in to a stable environment really eases many worries I’d have otherwise had. Read more…
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!
I’ve been doing a lot of wedding website trial runs lately. I started out with The Knot, moved onto WedSpace, and ended up with My Wedding, which I still wasn’t happy with. Now I don’t need the créme de la créme when it comes to a website, but I like to customize, and make things colorful and personalized. And, I don’t know, justify something to center if I really want to. None of the aforementioned websites were giving me that option, and I was getting mad. Fox growl.
So then I thought, what if I recreate a Blogger (or Wordpress) site to make it look like a normal website, and have that be ourwedding website? I basically know how to edit and format Blogger to make it do something close to what I want, so I gave that a go. Then I kept hearing how fantabulous Wordpress was, so I tried that. And failed miserably. I don’t know you all do it.
Back to Blogger I went.
I’d like to say I was relatively successful. Here’s a preview of what I have so far!
It’s still a work in progress, but I have to say that I’m kind of loving it. Our colors will (should) run along this general theme:
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
I’ll be finishing my doctorate before we consider having kids. I think that’s very important for me because I want to devote more of myself and my time to our family—not so much to school, as it is now. I’m thankful to be almost done with that, so that Mr. MJ and I can give this giant step more serious thought. In general, I am thankful that we have both gotten started in our careers, become settled in a nice home, paid off debts, and started saving for the future. Bringing kids in to a stable environment really eases many worries I’d have otherwise had.
