Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
I am so blessed to have an amazing family. I was raised in a very traditional (codependent) family and am super close to my fam. I talk to my baby sisters every day, sometimes even three or four times a day. I also talk to my parents four to five times a week…did I mention we are uber codependent?
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
So, let’s talk wedding photos. They are this HUGE investment and they are really the only thing that lasts past the wedding day (other than your love for your new hubby/wife, of course!). Here’s the thing: after taking our engagement photos I realized that I have a huge smile. Mr. P does a great job of making me laugh and never taking life seriously, so during our entire e-session I was grinning from ear to ear. Now this might sound sweet, but how will I ever get myself under control on my big day!?!? I really love these romantic subdued wedding pictures.
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
When I finally got the email from Bliss letting me know that my dress had arrived at the bridal salon, I was so happy I actually squealed. Mr. P came running into the room and asked, “Good news or bad?” When I told him my dress had arrived, he gave me a hug and said, “I am so proud of you!” (Is it possible to over-train a man?? Hehehe.)
Back to the news at hand. I immediately emailed my seamstress Susan to set up an alteration date. Susan is a-MAZing! She was not only able to travel to my house for the fitting, which was so crucial since I was right in the middle of finals, but she also volunteered to store my dress for me while I’m in Amsterdam. Did I mention she is a-MAZing!?!
Within hours of receiving the email, I was plagued with second thoughts! They washed over me and consumed my every thought. I couldn’t study. I could barely even think straight. What if it wasn’t THE dress!?!?
My three doubts about the dress were:
The neckline isn’t a true sweetheart neckline, which I knew when I bought the dress, so I was just hoping it would be a pretty easy alteration.
I wanted an all-lace dress, but Mr. P and Momma P hated all-lace dresses. (No, Mr. P did not go wedding-dress shopping with me, but we did look at a few dresses in magazines together so I could get an idea of what he liked.)
Most importantly, the bottom of the dress isn’t very full. The reality is, I don’t really remember how full it is and it was like five sizes too big, so I can’t really get a sense from the pictures of how the bottom will sit.
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
One of the hardest things about being a DW bride-to-be is that I don’t get to see every single detail beforehand and I really have to trust our wedding planner to understand my vision and make executive decisions. This is insanely difficult for a Type-A, control freak, perfectionist like me!
While we were in LA for Thanksgiving, we were trying to think of a wedding related activity we could do that was (1)low stress and (2)low pressure. Read more…
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
I love tutus…obviously. I haven’t given up on my own tutu dress dreams but I am now also obsessed with flower girl tutus. I know it’s pretty cheesy, but adorably so, in my opinion. Over Thanksgiving, while I was in Manhattan Beach, I saw this Manhattan Beach wedding on Style Me Pretty. Read more…
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
I first noticed these fabulous striped straws when I entered Southern WeddingsMagazine’s MMInk calligraphy contest. (BTW how much do you love Moya from MM Ink?)
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
There is really nothing more amazing than a great statement necklace. I know there was certainly a time when a single strand of pearls was the only option, but that was probably also when brides wore traditional veils and white satin shoes. There is obviously nothing wrong with traditional, but there’s also something amazing about moving away from tradition and expressing your personality on your big day.
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
Note from Miss Pancakes: I wrote this post in November when I was 200 hundred days out. Now that I am 100 days out and ready to post my completed invitations, I thought I should share this post.
Where did the time go?! There are now less than seven months until our wedding…it seems like it was just yesterday that I was saying “I’m not worried—I have 14 months to plan…” Sigh.
That being said, things are going well, but I think it’s time for me to order invitations. I will be moving to Amsterdam for the semester in January, so I would really like to get my invitations assembled and addressed before I leave. Finals start the second week of December, so I need to have all the pieces before December. And then I can assemble after finals, between Christmas and January 8th, when I leave.
In addition to my love for letterpress, I have fallen head-over-heels in love with boxed invitation suites. I first saw these boxed suites on Wedding Chicks and fell in love.
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
As you may or may not know, I won an amazing birdcage veil from One Little Dove a few months ago. It’s a lovely little veil, but I haven’t quite decided how I want to wear it. There are two issues:
1. Should I add a fascinator of some sort (feathers, flowers, a feather flower, crystals, etc.)? (I will deal with that in a separate post.)
2. Should I wear my hair up or hair down?
A few months ago Miss Sloth posted this first-look picture…
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
Despite my continued claims that I am “not a flower person,” I can’t help but swoon over these pretty little green-leafed beauties. Ever since I was told that I may have the option of having dahlias at our wedding, I’ve noticed them everywhere.
Unfortunately, beautiful flowers don’t come cheap! Like most brides, I headed straight for Google to figure out how to save money on flowers. It seems like the top five ways to save money are:
1. Shop smart - This means picking flowers that are in season and available locally. This also means, if you are getting married around Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, traditional flowers such as roses may cost you more.
2. Double dip - Pick flowers for the ceremony that you can reuse at the reception. This means picking flowers that will last the duration of BOTH events. For example, while hydrangeas are budget friendly flowers, they are SUPER prone to wilting because (as their name implies) they LOVE water. In order to preserve the bloom, you can’t simply cut the stem at an angle; the traditional angle won’t give the flower enough surface area to get the water it needs. What you need to do is gently peel the outer layer of the stem off the bottom inch. In other words, do your research!
3. Think creatively - Instead of a bouquet, each of your bridesmaids could just carry a single flower. Sunflowers, for instance, make a great impact and would look great at a rustic outdoor wedding. Or if you have lots of bridesmaids they could each carry a single flower, such as a rose or a peony, and then at the alter you could collect them for your wedding bouquet. This would obviously take some maneuvering, but could definitely be a great (budget-friendly) choice. Read more…
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
It was just a few weeks ago that I thought we wouldn’t be able to afford a cinematographer. Today I can officially announce that Jon from Well Spun Weddings will be filming our wedding!
Let’s start at the beginning. A few months ago I entered a wedding photography/videography package giveaway on Brooklyn Bride. Unfortunately, I didn’t win. However, a few days after the contest ended I was contacted by Christine Best at WSW and asked if I would still be interested in working with WSW. Basically, they asked me what I could afford and, despite my nonexistent budget, they agreed to do it! It obviously doesn’t hurt that Jon will get to spend the weekend in Costa Rica!
To be honest, everyone at WSW has been so A-MAZING! I don’t know anything about film or filming a wedding, but Jon was just super patient and super nice. He explained things that I hadn’t even thought about (e.g., getting there early to get time-lapse film of sunset/sunrise…yeah, that’s how they do that! I just assumed it was all canned film!) and was just really easy to talk to. Read more…
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
A few months ago I discovered Ouma’s Etsy shop and fell in love. It doesn’t hurt that her styling is crazy amazing. It’s so ethereal and romantic…almost bridal, even.
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
Since we will be having a brunch reception instead of a seated dinner, I’m always keeping my eyes out for appropriate table-setting ideas. The traditional tall flower centerpieces and candle-strewn tabletops are just not our style. I also have this “new” obsession with burlap. I particularly like it because it reminds me of those large coffee bags, which in turn make me think of Costa Rica, which makes it obviously perfect for our wedding! Now that I’ve lead you down a tiny trail of obsession, here are some of my favorite table settings:
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
I’ve been having a difficult time deciding exactly what time to have my (our…why do I keep doing that?) ceremony. As you may or may not remember, Mr. Pancakes and I REALLY want to have a morning wedding. Practically, it’ll allow our guests to enjoy their day in Costa Rica. Also, it’ll be the rainy season, and the morning is the best time for a rain-free ceremony. Personally, we love the morning, and we are super impatient (like children on Christmas morning) and don’t want to have to wait all day to get married. Recently, my wedding planner let me know that 9 AM would probably be the best time to have the wedding…and I was a little panicked! I would LOVE to have an early morning wedding. In fact, I used to dream about having a sunrise ceremony. I just loved the idea of starting the day off with a wedding and just spending the whole day celebrating.
The problem is that I don’t want to deal with all the griping and complaining that comes with an early morning wedding. I already feel selfish for choosing a destination wedding, but now to make people get up at eight in the morning on their vacation!?
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
About six months ago, Mr. Pancakes went to a wedding and was OBSESSED with the homemade dark chocolate chip cookies with infused milk shooters. He talked about them FOR WEEKS! While I am not sure it’s something that we’ll do, I can certainly see the appeal. The only reason we wouldn’t do it is because I don’t like chocolate chip cookies or milk. I didn’t grow up in the States, so they’re not really comfort foods for me…but there are so many great ways to do milk and cookies at a wedding.
Milk & Cookie Bar: You could have all sorts of cookies and flavors of milk for your guests to choose from. You could do peanut butter, oatmeal, Oreos, etc., and then have jugs of strawberry, chocolate, skim, and whole milk! It would be so easy to do and really budget friendly.
Mrs. Pancakes, New York/Costa RicaAge and Occupation: 26, Law School StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Latin American Policy AnalystEngagement Date: March 12, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Casa Punto de VistaAbout Me: I’m a perfectionist with a big heart. I love a good laugh and firmly believe no one has ever regretted being prepared! My motto is “go big or go home.” I am incapable of doing anything in moderation, especially when it comes to shopping, TV, food and travel, and some would say wedding planning! The other half of this nearlywed team is a laid-back, adventure-loving, accident prone, sweetie from LA. He makes me laugh, is always down for an impromptu dance party, and totally indulges most of my hare-brained schemes. Now, in my final year of law school, we’ll be spending the spring abroad in Amsterdam and planning a DIY, whimsical, detail-filled destination wedding in Costa Rica!
Unique Wedding Favors
However, a few days after the contest ended I was contacted by Christine Best at WSW and asked if I would still be interested in working with WSW. Basically, they asked me what I could afford and, despite my nonexistent budget, they agreed to do it! It obviously doesn’t hurt that Jon will get to spend the weekend in Costa Rica!
