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!
After we were married, it was time to start our family together by lighting our marriage candle. You cannot see it very easily here, but our candles actually have our “squiggle” design that started on our invitations.
Then we had a seat and whispered sweet nothings to each other…most likely something along the lines of, “hehe husband,” and “hehe wifey!” Read more…
Mrs. Frog, Phoenix, AZ/Chelan, WA
Age and Occupation: 29, Public Relations
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Online SalesEngagement Date: February 8, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Amy's ManorAbout Me: I'm an opinionated Midwestern girl now living in the Valley of the Sun marrying a laid back Northwestern guy. I'm equal parts sass, silly and sweet. I'm fiercely loyal with a strong devotion to my family and friends. I have a not-so-secret obsession with apple juice, a new obsession with DIY projects and I love a really good cheese plate...with lots of wine. After 7 blissful years of dating, I'm having the time of my life planning the destination wedding of my dreams to my Mr. Frog-turned-Prince Charming.
So you’ve seen our First Dance (and the disaster that preceded it) followed by our lovey-dovey sunset photo shoot…which leads us to the end of the night when everyone really took to the dance floor to get.down.
Miss Kettle, Chicago, ILAge and Occupation: 26, Non-Profit Donor Resource CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Musician & TeacherEngagement Date: May 29, 2011Wedding Date: February 2012Venue: Patrick C. Haley Mansion, Joliet, ILAbout Me: I'm a city girl who loves a good escape, so I'm planning a Chicago wedding outside of the city. I've been described as a quirky yet down-to-earth drama queen who loves fiercely. I used to be a scientist, but now I'm learning to navigate the world of non-profit organizations. I love cooking, blogging, shopping, and music, and movies (Hans Zimmer is my favorite movie composer). Mr. Kettle and I had a short courtship and now we have a happy home with our cat-who-thinks-she's-people, Belle. We spend our days and nights with good food, live music, video games, family, and friends. Our wedding has become this wonderful excuse to bring together hundreds of people we can't bear to be without.
After breathing a huge sigh of relief that all the big decisions were made for the wedding, I realized I still had a ton to do. But I felt good about this, y’all. I had a lot o’ DIY projects to get started on. I had checked a good number of things off my huge list, but nothing from that first column: the DIY column.
Personal image: Checking more off each day, but I’ve got to do better on that first column!
My DIY projects are numerous. And there are less than 75 days to our wedding. But I think we can do it! I started with my idea for table numbers. Read more…
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.
Do enough blog stalking of SMP (along with every other bridal blog out there!), and you’ll be hard-pressed not to find a least a dozen inspirational photos featuring Chiavari chairs (AKA ballroom chairs).
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.
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!
I mentioned my love of DIY in my introduction, and it’s about time I share my first wedding-related project. I noticed some very large, moss-covered letters on a wedding blog and went to Etsy to see if I could find a seller making them. My search led me to a listing for an item that was already sold with this picture:
The seller was on vacation at the time, and I was a bit impatient to start doing something crafty in the wedding department. By the way, she’s back now and I wound up working with her on another project that I’ll share soon. I went back to searching Etsy and noticed that some sellers had DIY kits for these letters listed for sale. That made me think I could make my own.
My process wasn’t quick or efficient, but here’s what I did:
Mrs. Sparkler, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 27, Communications AficionadoFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, PublisherEngagement Date: July 21, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Chicago Illuminating CompanyAbout Me: I’m a Southern lady living in the big city of Chicago. Well, lady may be a stretch, but I’m working hard to keep some Virginia charm in our sleek, urban, wedding-palooza! I’m addicted to marathons, not-so-famous bands, Chicago restaurants, and Mark Twain. I cry during SPCA commercials, and I think LOST was the best show to ever hit television. Mr. S and I met at a classy college mixer and, 7 years later, he’s still by my side. He’s the only child, laid back, free spirit... I’m the oldest of five kids, type-A, organizer. It doesn’t work on paper, but we’ve never paid attention to that stuff anyway. Somehow it works. And like they say, sometimes when you know…you just know.
It’s almost impossible to decide on my favorite thing about Oahu… Sparks and I loved pretty much everything we did! In fact, one of the things we loved most about the island was that there was SO much to do. Oahu is definitely #1 when it comes to having a wide range of activities to choose from. Buuuuut, if I HAD to choose, here are the top 5 things you shouldn’t miss if you visit Oahu (according to the Sparklers ):
1. Go Hiking
It’s so easy to spend all of your time in Hawaii lounging on the beach. I’ll admit, it was pretty hard to get me out of that beach chair once I plopped down. But if you don’t explore the hidden beauty of Oahu, you’re really missing something spectacular! There are so many hiking trails and paths winding through the island, you might have a hard time deciding which one to take (I recommend grabbing this book for help… it was a lifesaver). Sparks and I were lucky enough to have a local show us around. Our friend Matt moved to Hawaii about 3 years ago, and he was kind enough to lead us through the Hawaiian jungle on a hiking trip that he promised would be “easy.” Hmph. Maybe this is easy to the locals (our buddy hiked it BAREFOOT), but I was pretty exhausted by the time we made it back to the car. But, oh boy, was it worth it.
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!
When it came to deciding on our first dance song, I immediately knew what song I wanted. So, nope, this was not a joint effort and there was no way I was going to budge on this.
When we first started dating, whenever I heard Look After You by the Fray, it immediately made me think of Mr. Porcupine. I guess when you’re first dating every song makes you think of the person, but I REALLY loved this song. I still do, and it’s one of those songs I can play over and over again on my iPod without killing it.
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I’m not usually a sappy person, but my favorite part is:
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.
If I had a nickel for every time someone has asked me that question…I’d be able to…maybe cover an appetizer for one of our guests. The point is, you have to have your story down. Every family member, friend, vendor, acquaintance, store clerk, and bus driver will ask you to tell about that fated event. Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE telling the story, but I’ve told it a LOT over the past few months. And I think that’s a bit unfair.
That’s right—I think the men get it easy. Shouldn’t they find themselves recounting the events of that evening to the guy on the next weight bench over?
OK, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch scenario but, in my opinion, the proposal is really Mr. Turkey’s story to tell. After all the time and effort put into planning…he should be able to tell his side of the tale. And so here, in Mr. Turkey’s own words, is the story of our engagement.
Hi there…Mr. Turkey here. You don’t know me, but if you were to list the top 100 traits to describe me, I am pretty sure that “spontanous” would not even make the honorable mention. But that is probably what made our engagement night so special.
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!
Tossing the bouquet was one of the moments I was most looking forward to at our wedding. I’ve dreaded participating in the tradition at other weddings, but I was really excited about a little surprise I had in store for my single girls.
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!
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!
In my last post, I talked about the search for a destination-wedding photographer in Las Vegas. After Googling things like “wedding photography + vegas” and checking out reviews, we ended up narrowing down our search to three photographers: Bentley & Wilson, The Cohens, and Brian Saculles Photography.
Bentley & Wilson is a photography group that consistently receives high reviews and awards on websites like The Knot and WeddingWire. They are a great budget pick, offering customizable packages for low prices. Their packages seem to start around $500. Bentley & Wilson also do Strip photo tours and trash-the-dress sessions.
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.
So after selecting my tablecloths, I knew I was ready to add another layer of pizzazz in the form of a table runner or overlay. Perhaps unluckily for me, there were an abundance of options available to keep me from nailing down a decision.
At first I was mesmerized by the beauty that is doily table runners like these:
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
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