Mrs. Mascara, Chicago/Upper MichiganAge and Occupation: 25, Biomedical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Process EngineerEngagement Date: July 27, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Catholic ceremony, reception at local armoryAbout Me: A lover of Mr. Mascara, crafting, baking, Gossip Girl, diet soda, and all things wedding. A Yooper girl somehow displaced in the Chicago suburbs, planning a wedding from a distance, and counting down the days until I marry my best friend.
What’s a wedding without dancing? We had a lot of it.
There was an anniversary dance to give away the bouquet. Read more…
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!
Hi Hive! Sorry I haven’t been around as much lately. With less than a month to go, things are getting pretty crazy. I have a lot to share with you, especially since I was able to cram a dress fitting, makeup trial and my bachelorette party all in this past Saturday. Today, I wanted to update you on my weight loss journey and show you the results of my first dress fitting!
I shared my weight history with you here and how I came to start the Ideal Protein program. It has now been a little over 9 weeks and I am proud to say I have lost 31 pounds and 18.75 inches! I still can’t believe how well the program has worked for me and how much success I’ve had. I had hoped going into this that I could maybe lose 30 pounds before the wedding. Looks like I could have set a higher goal for myself!
With this weight loss came the all important question—how will my dress fit now? If you recall, I ordered a size down in my dress not knowing there was a 3 inch difference in the dress maker’s sizing. When my dress first came in—it didn’t fit—not by a long shot. My first appointment was on Saturday and I am not sure it could have gone any better!!
DRESS PICTURES AHEAD!! NO LOOKING IF YOU ARE MR. BALL CAP OR MY DAD!! Read more…
Miss Turkey, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 29, Brand ManagementFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, ConsultantEngagement Date: February 2011Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: The Rittenhouse HotelAbout Me: I'm a marketer who loves a good glass of wine, anything pumpkin-flavored, every crime drama on TV and, of course, Mr. Turkey. It's funny to say out loud, but we're former coworkers turned betrothed---now planning a wedding in the city of Brotherly Love. For three years, we've been eating our way through Philadelphia, playing tourist at home, and cheering for every sports team in the 215. Although we've hit some unplanned snags along the way, we're determined to have a rocking party this spring with our loud, fun families and friends.
There are a number of wonderful women in my life, both family and friends, who I wanted to be part of our wedding. However, with them spread up and down the East Coast, I didn’t want to simply make a phone call or wait until our next visit. Being a bridesmaid isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, so I wanted to illustrate how much I appreciated everything they would be doing as members of our wedding party…and show them how special they were to me!
I started by practicing my calligraphy on the shiny envelopes.
It looks better when you can see the full name!
Inside each card, I wrote a special note to each of them, outlining why our friendship was so special.
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.
In my last post I mentioned that I was going to try implementing a self-imposed wedding-free date night rule for me and Mr. Unicycle. I thought about it for like a day and then I was like, “Grrl…it’s too hard.” When you only see your fiance three times a month on average, it’s hard to not want to hammer out a bunch of wedding junk every time you see him! So I gave it the ol’ college try, but in the end I decided to make lemonade out of the sitch.
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 have a secret to spill. I am a Wizard of Oz nerd…big time. It is one of those movies that seems to have been with me throughout my life. Like most people, I grew up watching this movie. I never really had a favorite character because I loved all of them…even the flying monkeys! (Unlike most people, they did not scare me.) I had the entire movie memorized by the time I was eight years old.
When I was younger my mom use to do after school daycare at my house, which was great because there were always kids to play with. I decided that I would put on a Wizard of Oz production with the daycare kids, and then we would perform it for all of our parents. Being that I was the oldest, I of course had to be every main character, as well as the voice of Dorothy.
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!
After we got engaged, I was surprised that one of the first questions that friends and relatives would ask was, “So, what are your colors?” Huh? Really? Not about the cake? Or the venue? Or the music? Or the booze? For me, this question about colors seemed to come completely out of left field. I started to think that it was somehow social etiquette: Always be sure to ask a newly engaged woman about her wedding colors! It’s only polite! I stuttered my way through a response, offering up insight such as, “uh…green?” as I motioned frantically for Mr. Mole to offer up his own color choices into the conversation.
Mr. Mole and I aren’t having a bridal party — which means that I am not asking any of my lovely ladies to dress up in the color/s of my choosing or hold complementary hued flowers. Thus I delayed (read: procrastinated on) any decisions about the color palette. Yet it started to dawn on me as to how many other things in our wedding would reflect whatever colors we chose: the invitations, the venue decor, the favor cards, the programs, the bridal accessories, etc. I knew that I needed to start making some decisions.
I ended up finding our colors in an incredibly roundabout way. First, when Googling reviews of Mexican resorts for honeymoon ideas, I came across a photo shoot on Style Me Pretty. The photo shoot took place at Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita, the resort at which Mr. Mole and I got engaged. This bird is even the same one that bit Mr. Mole on the ear. Maybe this is kismet?
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.
This may sound a little silly, but I L.O.V.E. my hair (and the versatility of it!). From a very young age, my mom meticulously styled my hair with a new look daily: braids, ribbons, bows, curls, and ponytails. In my world, every day was a new adventure in hair. Apparently wanting to change up my look with different hairstyles stuck with me all these years. Changing my hair to combat boredom has been my MO:
College years: Long with highlights: “Look ma, no hands!”
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!
Mr. Mink proposed right around the time I joined Pinterest. Normally, one wouldn’t connect joining a website to getting engaged, but I probably wouldn’t have explored Pinterest so early if I wasn’t starting to look at wedding blogs. Pinterest was how I organized my inspiration pictures. The very first board I created was for flowers.
I love flowers. Usually, I’d scoff at buying something with a very short life span, but practicality goes out the window when I see pretty blooms. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bridal bouquet that I didn’t like, but this one is my absolute favorite:
When I first saw this bouquet on Snippet & Ink, I loved it. I quickly tracked down florist Holly Chapple’s website and her blog. I found out that she’s particularly proud of this bouquet, as it was the third one she made for the three daughters in one family. I was surprised to find out that the she was in Virginia! Alas, she is at least three hours away, in the Washington, DC area.
Ms. Gazelle, Calgary/VancouverAge and Occupation: 32, EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Technology AnalystEngagement Date: September 3, 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Brock House Restaurant, VancouverAbout Me: I am a marathon runner, cyclist, Ironman triathlete and beautiful shoe fiend who also loves kicking back and watching Glee. I grew up a bit of a nomad as I traveled around the world with my family, living everywhere from Australia to England to South America and Indonesia. I finally settled in Calgary a few years ago and met Mr. Gazelle who loves me even though we cheer for different hockey teams. We are planning a bit of a destination wedding in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia and we can’t wait to share the day with our close family and friends.
With my makeup done and my somethings taken care of it was now time to get dressed! Around this time I also realized just how late we were running. I think this is right where BM-D is telling me not to worry and to just enjoy everything.
I slipped into my dress and the girls started to lace up my corset. Read more…
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!
Dream Team, please divert your eyes as this is a post about a surprise for you! Unless you are looking for cool DIY, in which case I will have to get out my memory eraser when you are done!
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 already yapped about my undying love for Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional fame. For 10 years now, I’ve been a sucker for his soulful crooning (at least that’s what I’ve dubbed it) and incredibly emo lyrics. He was the soundtrack of my life way back when. Plus, for all those horribly depressing songs, he has a handful of lovey dovey goodness that I just can’t get enough of. He may or may not also be #1 on my freebie list. (Hence Foxy’s Facebook status of “Dashboard Confessional show with Miss Fox to make sure she doesn’t go home with the lead singer guy.”
personal photo
So of course I was ants-in-my-pants excited this past Saturday night when I got to see him in concert for the second (possibly third?) time in my life. Yes, I sang my heart out and no, I couldn’t really talk properly the next day. The best moment was an acoustic version of Stolen a song that, if there was a decent acoustic recording of, very well could be our first dance song. Alas, there is not.
Miss Turkey, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 29, Brand ManagementFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, ConsultantEngagement Date: February 2011Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: The Rittenhouse HotelAbout Me: I'm a marketer who loves a good glass of wine, anything pumpkin-flavored, every crime drama on TV and, of course, Mr. Turkey. It's funny to say out loud, but we're former coworkers turned betrothed---now planning a wedding in the city of Brotherly Love. For three years, we've been eating our way through Philadelphia, playing tourist at home, and cheering for every sports team in the 215. Although we've hit some unplanned snags along the way, we're determined to have a rocking party this spring with our loud, fun families and friends.
Now that we had the venue set, we needed to make it a party. And when we thought about all our favorite weddings in the past three years, the consistent element was music. More specifically, a rocking band that kept people on the dance floor all.night.long.
This would be #2 in Mr. Turkey’s limited repertoire of dance moves that Bridesmaid M is trying so desperately to teach him.
And we knew JUST the band that would keep our party rocking. How? From another wedding, of course.
kitlaai and her new husband take a spin in old Mills City after their city hall ceremony.
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. High Wire, DallasAge and Occupation: 23, Legal AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Director of CommunicationsEngagement Date: October 9, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Clark GardensAbout Me: My loves include yoga, anything spicy, our eccentric cat, our rambunctious dog, and Mr. High Wire, of course! Like the steadiness act of the tightrope walker, this gal is busy balancing life while planning a wedding to the man of her dreams. We’re hosting a laid-back, vintage-inspired, bird themed wedding with heavy doses of love, good eats (did someone say tacos and margaritas?), and endless Texas charm. Mr. High Wire and I are so happy to have you along for the walk across the tight rope.
Before we dive into the rehearsal, I have to say that time was on absolute hyper speed during the wedding weekend. I got off work Thursday afternoon, blinked, and it was time for the rehearsal Friday night. Time seemed to be flying faster than I ever experienced before. It was shocking.
Anyway, we had finished the bridal luncheon and the boys enjoyed an afternoon of bowling, beer, and brotherhood. After getting spruced up a bit, we were ready to rehearse.
We all convened at our ceremony site, the Rose Pavilion.
Daddy HW, our officiant Dr. Roberts, our fabulous planner Shelley, the venue coordinator Melissa, and my MIL chatting it up
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
