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.!
Now that I have admitted my shortcoming of a wedding dress, I have begun the search for that perfect dress. During that search I have realized quite a few things. One, is that a dress may look beautiful and glamorous, but there is a chance that the shape of the dress just won’t work for your body type. Another is that what you love on paper is not necessarily what you will end up loving on you.
I’m a curvy girl—I have more curves than a coastal highway. My grandmother often teases me that I have a “va-va-voom” figure because I’m all hourglass. I think that my Jazzercise outfit from an ’80s party I attended perfectly accentuates my curvaceous body (PS, you can’t see, but I totally had leg warmers on too):
Personal Photo
Keeping this in mind, I want to find a dress that will flaunt my curves while being everything that I want in a dress. What is it that I want in a dress? Read more…
Miss Mole, Los Angeles/Las VegasAge and Occupation: 29, Test Prep InstructorFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, User Experience ArchitectEngagement Date: April 2011Wedding Date: January 2012Venue: Wynn Las Vegas/Bouchon BistroAbout Me: I’m a Wisconsinite-turned-Angeleno who is planning a destination wedding in Las Vegas. I am passionate about education: I spent 23 (!) consecutive years in school, and now I work to help other people get into graduate programs. I love running on the treadmill, buying bath products from Lush, learning new moves in step aerobics, and exploring my neighborhood on foot. I am sometimes snobby about food, but I am rarely snobby about books. I read everything from Geoffrey Chaucer to Iris Murdoch to Chuck Klosterman to Candace Bushnell. My fiance and I are getting married on our third anniversary!
Last year, Mr. Mole and I were living in Milwaukee. We moved there—or, more accurately, I moved us there—because I was offered a teaching job at a high school. To put a positive spin on things, I can say that the job gave me three things:
1. A supreme appreciation for the hard work that teachers do, both in and out of the classroom
2. A clear indication that teaching at the high school level was not the right career for me
3. An excellent excuse for a relaxing vacation at an all-inclusive resort
Little did I know that I would also be planning my engagement trip!
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
Helllooo! We’re back to round out the finale videos from the runway!
St. Pucchi - A show I would NEVER ever miss at bridal market. The show kicked off with a warning from production staff for everyone to tuck our bags away…designer Rani Totman’s creations take up every inch of the runway with her extravagant designs. St. Pucchi brings the drama year after year, and did not disappoint this year.
Miss Petit Four, San Antonio/Isla MujeresAge and Occupation: 25, Technology teacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Math Teacher and Football CoachEngagement Date: Feb 13, 2010Wedding Date: March 2012Venue: Zama Beach Club, Isla Mujeres, MexicoAbout Me: I am a polka-dot obsessed, destination wedding diva living and loving in the great state of Texas. I am an island girl at heart and I visit the beach as often as I can. I am a wannabe DIY goddess, but that doesn’t mean I won’t give it my best shot. I love pearl earrings, the color pink, and ruffles are a part of my everyday wardrobe. My wonderful fiance and I are planning a destination wedding with our closest family and friends and we’re leaving a trail of glitter in our path!
I really want something that is going to tie the whole wedding together and leave everyone thinking… “That was the best wedding EVER”. I know for sure I want it to be upbeat and something we can all dance to, so I am turning to the Hive to help me decide!
I have narrowed down my choices to these three songs. 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.
Our pastor requires that we meet with him a few times before the big day, but with Mr. Skunk in Madison, we’re just now getting around to it. Our pastor is actually my best friend and MOH L. Bug’s dad so I’ve known him, trusted him, and thought of him as my second dad for all of my life. I was worried it would be a little awkward, but this week we had our first session and it was actually really insightful.
For the most part, everything he asked about, we had already discussed. Finances, kids, alone time. We had it covered. And then he asked, “So why marriage? Why now?”
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.
Disclaimer: This post talks a lot about teeth. In particular, bad teeth. If for some reason you are sensitive to such a topic or just plain don’t want to hear about it, kindly feel free to skip this one.
Today marks 22 days until our wedding. I’ll soon (as in a few hours) be leaving to Las Vegas for my bachelorette party and I know when I return I’ll only need blink twice and November 11th will be here. With that said, I can’t quite be excited yet. Having been engaged for just a couple months shy of two years, I was certain that I’d be overcome with joy (and perhaps nerves) once the under-30-days mark hit.
But, as I said, I can’t be excited quite yet.
You see, about four months ago I chipped a molar while eating a chocolate chip. Yeah. A chocolate chip (I told you I was a chocaholic). Anyway, seeing as how I currently have no dental insurance, I thought I’d be okay with just thorough brushes twice a day, some mouth rinses and (since I’m being honest, occasional) flossing. Well, all was fine until about three weeks ago when I notice a bump below the gum line of my broken tooth. My heart sank because I knew what this was—an abscess. Considering abscesses are signs of infection, I knew I needed to seek prompt dental care.
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 few months ago, I visited my wedding twin M in Philly so we could hunt for a bridesmaids’ dress for her wedding, which is three weeks before mine and Mr. Foxy’s. If you recall, her wedding style is super swanky, classy, and glamorous (thank you, Fergie, for reminding me how to spell that)—basically 100% different from the vibe Foxy and I are going for.
We originally settled on a bold but elegant Lazaro dress.
The texture and weight of the fabric—while it’s much lighter than it appears in the picture, it’s definitely kind of stiff and formfitting. If it ends up being 90+ degrees in Philly when she gets married (a definitely possibility), this would not necessarily be the most comfortable dress.
The wedding party has people of all different shapes and sizes. The style of this dress just doesn’t flatter everybody, plain and simple.
Miss Raccoon, IndianapolisAge and Occupation: 22, StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Graduate StudentEngagement Date: Christmas 2010Wedding Date: January 2012Venue: Catholic Church, Chateau Thomas WineryAbout Me: I'm a wholesome Midwestern girl, TV series junkie, professional shower singer, and Anglophile. I love my fiance, crock pot cooking, my cat Heepo, going for the gusto, and all things wedding. Mr. Raccoon is pretty sweet, too! He’s a mad scientist that loves to travel. We met my first night on campus and have been inseparable since.
Mrs. Cinnamon Bun, Calgary, AlbertaAge and Occupation: 26, Stage ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Theatre TechnicianEngagement Date: June 22, 2010Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Calgary Opera CentreAbout 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.
We scheduled our rehearsal partway through our set-up. We knew we’d need a dinner break, and we didn’t want to call people in for a rehearsal at 9PM, plus we also weren’t really sure when we’d finish all our decorating. Cinnamon Buns’ mum was in charge of our “rehearsal dinner.” She brought in some lasagnes and a couple salads for everyone, plus paper plates and utensils (and cream puffs for dessert!). It was great to tuck in to a hearty meal after working all day!
We’d also let our photographers, Fotograffika, know when we’d be rehearsing in case they wanted to come in and scope out the venue. They showed up, which was great, but even more exciting was that they included some of the pictures they took that day with all the rest of our wedding photos! I thought they were just taking test shots to try out the light in there, but it’s so much fun to see our rehearsal documented by professionals.
Waiting to process in with my dad and my ladies. This is about where we realised it’d be a good idea to put up curtains in this hallway/storage/closet space, as it was also the guests’ main entrance too. Read more…
Miss Dalmatian, Nashville, TNAge and Occupation: 23, Pediatric NurseFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Computer Engineer and Entrepreneur Engagement Date: April 13, 2011Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: Historic CedarwoodAbout Me: I am a Northern girl from Chicago who is planning a wedding filled with Southern charm in Nashville, Tennessee. I love dogs, the White Sox, Full House reruns, and anything with ruffles on it. Mr. Dalmatian is my computer-genius problem-solving fiance who is constantly teaching me new things and making me a better person. We live with our adopted pup Echo, who is very excited that his parents are getting married!
In my last post I explained my idea for our DIY table toppers. Basically, they involve a fabric square—potentially with a border—and doilies in the center. Once we came up with the idea, I had no self-control and immediately began searching for supplies. (Are you really surprised?) I’ll share more later on my doily hunt, but here is the story of finding a fabric.
Being the amazing mother-of-the-bride that she is, Mama Dalmatian was extremely helpful. I went home for a visit, and when I walked into my room I was greeted by an assortment of fabric samples she thought I might like. Amazing Mama move #1.
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 dedicate this post to Miss Funnel Cake and her out of this world cake topper.
Unfortunately I am not even close to her level of craftiness so I decided to buy my cake topper. Best.Wedding.Decision.Ever! I am so in love with our cake topper it is not even funny. I stalked Etsy for days looking for the perfect topper and finally came across A Simple Start’s page.
Her toppers were so adorable and reasonably priced that I immediately sent her an email with a little inspiration board of Mr. Cuke Sammie and myself.
Jenni immediately emailed me back and said she would love to make us a topper with Pickle Puppy. In about three weeks I had these glorious images in my inbox. Read more…
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.
Early in our engagement I made the bold proclamation that videography was not necessary. I did not see the point…I figured nobody actually watches their video, do they?
I did some research to try and convince myself that maybe videography is important. I came across a website that details a few reasons why you should hire a videographer. Here is the general outline:
You forget things over the years, and video helps you to remember.
Video gives you the opportunity to see things you missed.
You spend lots of money on a wedding, and video gives you the chance to capture all that magic.
Photography is important, but video captures movement and sound, which is nice to have for things like toasts and the first dance.
Remember when Aunt Bethany video taped your family reunion? Then you go back to try and watch the video but instead you get motion sickness? A professional videographer helps avoid that.
Video gives the opportunity for your kids and grandkids to experience what your wedding was like. They will probably make fun of you, but isn’t that worth it?
Should we decide we want to sit down and watch the video, we would at least have that option.
Ms. Ferris Wheel, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, PsychologistFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, PsychologistEngagement Date: May 23 and 28, 2010 (one for each of us!)Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: 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!
You know how I said that my mom and I were going through her wedding stuff this past weekend? Well, as part of that conversation I found out the most fascinating thing about her wedding photos—something I’d never noticed in all my years of casually flipping through her wedding album every now and then.
She showed me this picture:
And she focused my attention on one particular detail. Read more…
Mrs. Knitting, TorontoAge and Occupation: 24, Student Recruitment Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Neuroscience PhD CandidateEngagement Date: October 2009Wedding Date: December 2010Venue: 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.
It’s true. The Knitting’s departure from our wedding could not in any terms be called romantic or picture worthy. However, before I describe that, there’s a few more things that happened before the end of the night.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
