Mrs. Jam, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 25, Writer/Associate Wedding CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Structural EngineerEngagement Date: December 23, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Hunter’s Ridge, Princeton, ILAbout Me: I’m a penny-pinching cat lady getting ready to marry the frugal dog lover of my dreams. Our ideal Saturday morning includes rummaging around people’s junk at garage and estate sales followed by an afternoon date to our favorite café, where we only eat sandwiches that include the word “salad.” We actually love it so much, it’s sort of our unofficial wedding theme: Look at our delicious finds, eat homemade ham salad, and celebrate our love…barndance style. When we’re not obsessing over our love-fest shindig, we’re planning themed parties for our best friends and jamming to '90s music.
I may be a bit of a drama queen, but I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that our first look was one of the most intense moments of my entire life. Have you ever felt like your face was going to explode and you simultaneously couldn’t catch your breath or feel your extremities? That just about sums it up.
I cried and sniffled and smeared my freshly done makeup all over myself (and Mr. Jam’s white shirt) for longer than I care to admit. Nothing could have prepared me for the cry-fest that was about to go down. I’m omitting the hundreds of scary cry-face photos for now; you’re welcome.
Miss Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
Miss Hawk, Richmond, VAAge and Occupation: 26, FinanceFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, District SupervisorEngagement Date: March 13, 2011Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: The Chapel of the Sir Christopher Wren Building, 2007 Legacy HallAbout Me: I’m an Arizona-born girl who has spent the majority of my life living below the Mason-Dixon line. The South has definitely earned a special place in my heart (alongside my Virginia born and bred fiance, of course!). We are planning a traditional Christian ceremony at my alma mater in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, followed by a rocking reception filled with Southern cooking and vintage/shabby chic details. When we’re not wedding planning, we enjoy spending time with our three dogs, going for runs together, watching plenty of football (or baseball depending on the season), and sampling new wine.
Since I confessed my love for photography, it should hardly come as a surprise that having a photographer and second shooter at our wedding was just not going to be enough. I wanted to incorporate other ways to photograph our guests having fun.
Attending my cousin’s wedding about a year and a half ago, I discovered the wonder of the photo booth. They had fun props like boas, funny glasses, hats… Now I know this is nothing new to the wedding world, but since it was the first wedding I was able to attend as an adult, I just thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread! And as a twist from the guestbook norm, they had a table set up with scrapbooking pages, stickers, and markers so that guests could make their own page and offer well wishes and advice to the couple.
Pretty much as soon as we started planning I kept mentioning the photo-booth idea to Mr. Hawk. Having never been to a wedding featuring one, he couldn’t quite grasp my enthusiasm. It wasn’t too difficult to finally get him on board. (I’m sure my incessant gushing had nothing to do with it.) But we were still unsure that it was in the cards due to budget constraints with our reception venue. Well, remember how I told you that booking Legacy Hall really opened up some wiggle room in the budget? Well, HELLO PHOTO BOOTH!
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!
The past weekend was a whirlwind. We got SO much done. I will get into all of the food/reception fun in a bit but one of the most exciting parts of the weekend was finding and opening a bunch of dusty boxes. Boxes that held wedding dresses!
In honor of my trip to Michigan my grandmother dug out my great Aunt’s and Mama Aardvark’s wedding dresses. Step-mama Aardvark also found hers and busted it open (from is cryogenically frozen state) for a great round of show and tell!
All of these dresses really got me into the wedding spirit and got me thinking about how to incorporate little pieces into my own Bridal look.
Enough yip yapping on my part! How about some pictures?
This is the lovely box my Great Aunt’s dress was in. I think someday I would like to be a wedding box illustrator. Read more…
Mrs. Teaspoon, Sydney, AustraliaAge and Occupation: 27, Medical ScientistFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, BankerEngagement Date: June 4, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: St Aloysius' College, Milson's PointAbout Me: I am a mad scientist who enjoys swimming at the beach in summer and skiing powder in winter. Our favourite times together are spent with the sand between our toes, cooking up a storm, re-watching and re-reading every Harry Potter ever made, and spending time with our dear friends and family! We have travelled the world together in our 6 years of dating, from Paris, to Thailand, to Las Vegas, and we are tackling the many challenges of planning our special day the best way we know how---together!
Everyone knows this…well, everyone knows at least most of it, and I was very keen to include these elements into our day…all of them!
Something old
My engagement ring: this is the oldest thing that I was wearing. However, this portion of the day is meant to be something from my family. Not to worry, I know you all want to see another picture of Gladis.
Miss Unicycle, Chicago, ILAge and Occupation: 23, Editor for a Web Publishing CompanyFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, MD/PhD StudentEngagement Date: March 26, 2011Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Bridges of Poplar CreekAbout Me: I’m a writer by trade who likes analyzing pop culture, making fun of celebrities, and laughing until I cry. I’m the queen of half-assed crafts, and there’s nothing I won’t try to DIY. You can usually find me reading blogs on my laptop in front of a good Lifetime movie, wine in hand. I’m planning a polka-dotted summertime wedding to my physics geek college sweetheart, and when I’m not making stupid puns I’m freaking out about my wedding timeline.
Welcome to another edition of Miss Unicycle Getting Real. (I’ll get back to the engagement pics soon!) I’ve gone on a few business trips this year, and Mr. Unicycle and I usually spend the whole weekend texting variations of “I miss you” to each other when I’m away. (I’m not sure why I miss him more when I’m in Utah than when I’m in Illinois, because either way we’re not in the same state. But it happened.) This got me thinking about attachment and what’s “normal” in a relationship.
The other day I made the mistake of musing to Mr. Unicycle that I wished I could be more independent and not miss him so much when we’re apart. This hurt his feelings, because he thought I was implying that the only reason I stay with him is because I can’t be without him (“I wish I knew how to quit you!”). I didn’t mean it this way at all—though if you really think deeply about love, isn’t that essentially what it is?—and I had to sit and think about what it was that I actually did mean. I had ample time to think about it while on the plane coming home from my bidniz trip, and I came up with three main points. Yes, this is a five-paragraph essay. I miss English class.
I want Mr. Unicycle’s presence to benefit my life—in fact, I want it to be the best thing in my life, and it is—but I don’t want his absence to be a detriment to my life. Don’t get me wrong—before I met Mr. Unicycle, I definitely spent my fair share of time pitying myself for not having a boyfriend. But for the most part I was happy to spend time with my friends and family and didn’t need a boy. Now whenever Mr. Unicycle isn’t around, which is quite often since we started the short-distance relationship, I really do feel a hole in my heart. (Put that on a sandwich because it’s cheese. But it’s still true. I just couldn’t come up with a more eloquent way to say it.) For a while I felt like I was unable to be happy if he wasn’t with me. I’ve gotten a lot better about that after living in a different state for over a year, but it’s still a problem.
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.
Miss Elk, City: Syracuse/Long IslandAge and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Computer EngineerEngagement Date: November 22, 2010Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: The Old Field Club About Me: I’m a Long Island girl finishing my last year of medical school in western NY, on the road to becoming a pediatrician. When I’m not studying or sleeping at the hospital, I spend my free time watching bad TV (Vampire Diaries anyone?), playing with my pooch, singing incredibly off-key (to the annoyance of Mr. Elk ), and reading Harry Potter for the zillionth time. Mr. Elk and I are planning a secular wedding infused with both Irish and cultural Jewish traditions. Only a week after I become an M.D., I will get my Mrs. degree, too!
Last I discussed this topic, I had decided to go with mismatched styles of long chiffon Bari Jay dresses in the color wisteria. I bragged that it was a simple decision. I boasted about how quickly I had made up my mind. I was proud of my decisiveness. Well, I come back with my tail between my legs and my antlers in a tizzy. I changed my mind.
Even though I am happy with my choice of designer, length, and fabric, and my decision to allow my girls to pick whatever style they want, I cannot get past this nagging desire to have mismatched colors as well. You see, I have always hated overly matchy things. Even as a child when my mom would buy me beautiful matching outfits, I would take the pieces apart and wear them with other pieces so as to not match too much. So the idea of eight girls wearing the same color, standing next to each other most of the evening has been getting to me…I am just so nervous it will look TOO matchy-matchy.
And just look at how awesome these look? I mean, seriously, I couldn’t help but get a complex looking at pictures like these:
Mrs. Ostrich, San Francisco/HawaiiAge and Occupation: 30, Fashion Buyer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 38, CopywriterEngagement Date: October 4, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Sweet ceremony by the sea and sunset celebration on the North Shore of HawaiiAbout Me: Born in the city of angels and residing in the city by the bay, I’m a fearless fashion buyer by day, a passionate blog author by night and a dreamy bride-to-be in between. I thank my lucky stars to live in such a stunning city that gives me gifts like organic honey lavender ice cream, movie nights in the park, tucked away beaches, legendary record stores, '80s dance parties, awesome sports teams, stellar flea markets, and vintage bookshops. Oh, and I love to dance! We always find every excuse to escape to the beach, and decided a little seaside wedding in Hawaii is our idea of bliss. Full of our favorite people, music, food and sparkly lights, this is one sunset celebration we will always remember.
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.
I know that family portraits are tediously boring to everyone but (and sometimes including!) family, so this is going to be short and sweet. We did photos with our parents earlier in the day (when we were photobombed by angry library man), but wanted to get a few photos of us with other family members—us and everyone who came from England from my side, us with Mr CB’s dad and uncles and family…etc. 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!
Ugh, I’m so behind on this. Foxy and I spent a night at our venue and had a meeting with our DOC over a month ago, and here I am just writing about it. #badblogger
Anyhoot, the Vandiver sent us an email a while back promoting cheese & wine for $109 when you book online—a deal they are giving guests if you stay at the inn on a weekday night before January 2012. Um, sign us up please. Since Foxy and I work random hours and days, we were able to go on a Tuesday night back in October and set up a meeting with our DOC for the very next day!
On the agenda:
Check out as many of the Vandiver’s 17 rooms as possible.
Discuss logistics.
Choose linens. (Foxy was SO excited for this part. Well, not really. OK, not at all.)
Spend some QT with Foxy Mama.
About #4…it was a bit last minute, but when I told my mom about our meeting the week prior, she said she would see if she could move some things around and meet us in Havre de Grace. She was apparently really touched by my little blurb on wishing I lived closer to her and could actively plan more of the wedding with her in this post. Lo and behold, she was able to drive the 3.5 hours down and join in on the fun! I can’t even tell you how much it meant to me—I may have only seen her for a few hours and we really only talked about relatively basic things, but it was the bee’s knees (ha!) to have her there.
Miss Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
Age is always a hot topic on the Weddingbee Boards. A short time ago, I read a thread where members were discussing how age affects the speed at which you progress from dating to engaged. My relationship with Mr. Mink probably doesn’t fall in line with what most people were thinking.
Mr. Mink and I met when I was 28 and he was 34. Though he proposed twice in the first few months we were dating (including on our second date…do you want to hear that story?), I was in no hurry to get married. I was always a career-obsessed mink and did not envision myself settling anywhere for too, too long. By not letting my roots get too deep anywhere, I figured I’d be ready to accept the next great job opportunity when it came my way.
Within two years, I bought my home and was starting to think I was staying in Charlottesville long term. Of course, Mr. Mink had a lot to do with that.
When we started (seriously) talking about marriage, we were probably four years into our relationship. When Mr. Mink took me to his jeweler (he never imagined he’d have a jeweler), it was clear that he had already been there to look at rings. I picked out a setting I loved, the jeweler winked and made a note in her little book, and the waiting began. For the next month, I got more giddy as different occasions approached.
Miss Hawk, Richmond, VAAge and Occupation: 26, FinanceFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, District SupervisorEngagement Date: March 13, 2011Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: The Chapel of the Sir Christopher Wren Building, 2007 Legacy HallAbout Me: I’m an Arizona-born girl who has spent the majority of my life living below the Mason-Dixon line. The South has definitely earned a special place in my heart (alongside my Virginia born and bred fiance, of course!). We are planning a traditional Christian ceremony at my alma mater in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, followed by a rocking reception filled with Southern cooking and vintage/shabby chic details. When we’re not wedding planning, we enjoy spending time with our three dogs, going for runs together, watching plenty of football (or baseball depending on the season), and sampling new wine.
Some people might say that having your family across the country is a “blessing in disguise,” but those people must not feel the same way I do about my parents because I think it S.U.C.K.S. Momma Hawk and I are extremely close and we talk nearly every day on the phone, but when you need your closest confidant to accompany you to venues, tastings, and general planning sessions, the phone doesn’t quite cut it. The same applies for arranging very important parties, like say your engagement party…
In the several years it has been since my parents and sister moved to California, they had never been able to make it out this way to visit. (So it was not like having them around was a regular occurrence.) I knew the exact week in August that Momma and Sis Hawk would be making the trek to Virginia, so we did the unthinkable. Mr. Hawk and I, along with Momma Hawk’s assistance, hosted our own engagement party…at our own home. (Gasp! The horror!) I know, I know. It’s frowned upon to host any get-together in your own honor, clap for yourself as you receive an award, or take a drink after someone is toasting you (I’ve paid attention, Mrs. Post), but planning our own party was what worked best for us.
Mrs. Thimble, NYC/PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 26, Actress & Costume Designer (+ day job)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lawyer & Techie WizEngagement Date: August 22, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Pearl S. Buck HouseAbout Me: I’m an easily inspired over-thinker delighted with the process of designing, building, directing and {dare I say} co-starring in the early-autumn affair I’ve been dreaming up. I’m a sucker for trendied-up comfort foods and old family anecdotes; I have an affinity for adjectives, alliteration, eyelet and earl grey; and I live for quality time with family and friends. I never guessed I’d marry my “high school sweetheart", but when it turned out to be my funny, techie, loyal Mr. Thimble I was committed for life. We’re both mid-career transition and ready to move back to small-townish TBD, PA in a pre-wedding flurry of all-good life changes.
On wedding morning, LA MoH and I woke up, showered, grabbed some OJ from the hotel lobby and headed to Mr Thimble’s aunt’s salon at 9AM. There, we met the rest of the bridal party, Thimble Momma, and my relatives visiting from Ireland. Once our hair was done, we headed to my parents’ house where the real fun could begin, and where our photographers were meeting us to start capturing the day.
I asked a makeup artist I met at the Benefit counter to come to the house for my mom, my sister and me to ensure the perfect wedding look and of course, for the bloggable photo-ops. (Getting ready pics are some of my favorites.). Her name is Lori and she went to art school and she’s super sweet and cool.
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!
While our wedding date just so happens to be New Year’s Eve, we aren’t necessarily going all out with a New Year’s Eve theme. We are simply adding elements that complement the holiday while trying to avoid going too over the top.
So far, I have shown you our personalized clock and the boutonnières. Next up is some sparkly table decor!
I knew just where to find those big letters so I skipped my happy booty over to Jo-Ann’s, used my 40% off coupons (they accept Michaels and Hobby Lobby coupons as well!) and scored a bunch of paper mache letters to spell out “NYE,” “MR,” and “MRS.”
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
Image via Flutterfly Events / Photo by Erin Hearts Court
