Weddingbee Blog

I just realized that in my cake-crazed, DIY-fueled scramble toward the Big Day, I’ve forgotten to tell you about my absolute favorite part of this wedding… Mr. Yorkie!

I should start by sharing exactly how we ended up together. It’s a long, lovely story, but I’ll try to keep it short. Basically, even though we’ve worked at the same place for nearly five years, we exchanged little more than passing glances and the occasional “hello” during the first two of those years. It wasn’t until July 2006 that something finally happened.
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Now that you’ve already seen our invitations, it’s probably a bit late to be sharing our postcard save the dates, huh? Nah! Late is better than never, in my book! Here they are.

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I know it sounds silly, but one of the hardest decisions I had to make regarding our invitations was how to close the pocketfold. I hemmed and hawwed between square cardstock seals and vellum bellybands for what seemed like a week! As simple of a decision as it should have been, neither of those two options seemed quite right to me. At the last minute, I decided on ribbon, which provided just the touch of texture and elegance that I was hoping for!

Here are quick and easy instructions for the double-loop closure that I used.

Here’s what I used to make them:
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Not that I’m worried about Mr. Yorkie developing a case of Popsicle toes or anything, but HOW CUTE ARE THESE SOCKS?! They’re custom made by Etsy seller ErinBorges, and available in black, brown or grey, and your choice of thread color. These would make a sweet surprise for any groom on the Big Day!

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Presenting our sandalwood fans! I purchased 50 of them on sale through The Knot shortly after Mr. Yorkie and I got engaged. They were actually my first wedding-related purchase, if you don’t count that copy of Martha Stewart Weddings. At the time, I knew that our date would likely be in June. While we hadn’t yet decided on a venue, we definitely wanted it to be outdoors. So, in an effort to keep our fairer guests cool while we say “I do”, we’ll be providing these fans. I think they’ll make a much nicer alternative to them flapping our ceremony programs!

Here’s what I used to make them:

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Look at what I found on Style Me Pretty. Just when I thought that I was set with a cake design, K. Rose Cakes tempts me with this lovely creation! Ribbons and silhouettes? (I’m even loving the flower-shaped tier for the base. I’ve never liked the look of mixed tiers!) For an indecisive girl like me, this is bad… very bad. Ha! Good thing we haven’t settled on a baker yet!

Which do you like best?

This cake:

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Well, Mr. Yorkie and I had our cake tasting appointment at Edda’s on Wednesday after work. I’ll have to admit, it wasn’t quite what I expected. (It was kind of disappointing, to be honest.)

When we arrived, I explained to the woman behind the counter (not Edda) that we were there for the tasting. She quickly replied that it was too late, and tastings were over for the day. (Hmm, even though we had an appointment for 5:00pm… and were on time? And they close at 6:30pm?) The woman then checked her book, found my name, and less-than-enthusiastically handed me a huge binder filled with photographs of their cakes. Somewhat confused, Mr. Yorkie and I took a seat at a little table. Even though I knew exactly what I wanted and brought photographs to explain, we browsed through the binder anyway.

A few minutes later, the woman showed up at our table with a tray holding seven little dishes each containing a different flavor of cake, topped with a messy squeeze of white buttercream and two plastic spoons. She walked away and we got to tasting.
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Cake, of course!

This is one wedding detail that Mr. Yorkie and I haven’t yet checked off of “The List”. Soon enough! I’ve scheduled an appointment for a tasting (mmm!) at Cake Designs by Edda for Wednesday after work. I wonder if one tasting with one baker is enough. Is cake something that you should “shop around” for?

I’ve never been a fan of those fussy, frilly, taller-than-the bride creations that you see all of the time in magazines. It’s just not my style, and I honestly don’t see the point in shelling out that much money on a cake. Plus, I know that some people just aren’t that into cake. So, rather than having cake as our only dessert, I’m opting for a smaller-scaled cake and offering an array of fun bite-sized sweets, like key lime pies, fruit tarts, chocolate éclairs, and mini cupcakes for our guests to choose from.

Back to the cake, though. My ideas for our cake have always been rather simple, though they’ve definitely become more defined as the months have passed. My original plan for our cake (or cakes) was inspired by this photograph from Jordan Ferney’s wedding (Oh Happy Day!).

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A wise woman once told me, “A short pencil is better than a long memory.” With exactly one month to go until our wedding, I’m quickly realizing how very true that little adage is.

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Fittings, appointments, and unfinished details are all vying for my time and attention, and I find myself worrying that I’ll inevitably forget something. In the past, I’ve had a tendency of spending way more energy fretting about getting things done than what is required to actually accomplish them. It’s one of those crazy little quirks of mine that I’ve been working on.

I’ve found that making lists helps me combat those little pangs of anxiety that creep up on me at various hours of the day and night.
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I’m so excited about how the coloring book pages have turned out! The steps are unbelievably easy and the outcome is so much better than I anticipated. The hardest part has been narrowing down our collection of photos and figuring out which ones will make the cut.

By following the steps in Jennifer Apple’s Photoshop tutorial (which also works for PaintShop Pro), I was able to use this photo of Mr. Yorkie and me taken up in the Sierras last summer (the day before we got engaged)…

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There’s no doubt that our wedding is going to be a kid-friendly event. With eight little ones ranging from the ages of 3 to 10 in the wedding party, how can’t it be?

Mr Yorkie’s three nieces and my cousins’ combined three daughters and two sons will form the petite parade that will lead us down the aisle, setting a light-hearted and joyous tone for our beach-side ceremony.

In hopes of keeping these special little guests happy (and out of trouble) during the reception, I’ve been collecting ideas for fun activities to provide at their table. One of the things that I’m planning to do is to make custom coloring books out of digital photos of Mr Yorkie and me with our family and friends. I’m sure that the kids will get a kick out of seeing themselves in a coloring book. Heck, I’m excited about it, and I’m almost 31!
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This has been quite the busy week! Mr. Yorkie and I had our last money management session with the financial planner. That has been one of the best investments of our planning time, and I would highly recommend it to any couple getting married. Tomorrow after my morning run, I’ll head home to (hopefully) wrap up a handful of DIY works in progress: the drink menu, aisle runner, seating card tree, and lacy luminarias.

Here are a couple of photos of the drink menu that I’ve been working on. (The shadow box and decorative paper are from Martha’s collection at Michaels, of course!)

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I’ve always been the artsy-craftsy type. As a little girl, I could usually be found off somewhere in a corner coloring and pasting to my little heart’s delight. There’s just something about creating things that I’ve always found to be personally satisfying. Whether it’s beading jewelry, crocheting doilies, embossing paper or any other of a number of crafts… I’m up for it!

Needless to say, as soon as Mr. Yorkie and I got engaged, I started my list of DIY projects. While I was never the kind of girl that dreamed of her perfect wedding and all of its littlest details, I have always known that I want our special day to be unique and a reflection of us as a couple. This wedding has become the ultimate opportunity to craft for crafting’s sake. The best part has been that no one has asked me whether there’s something more important that I should be doing!

I decided to tackle the biggest of the DIY projects first: designing the invitations. I knew that I wanted an invitation with a vintage feel that would hint at the wedding’s semi-formal tone. This is important since our ceremony will be on the beach and the reception will be outdoors, and the last thing I want is for someone to show up in a loud Hawaiian shirt.

With a little inspiration from Brooklyn Bride and Laura Hooper, and the perfect font and graphics from Veer and Dover Publications, I designed our invitations using the free trial version of Adobe Illustrator CS4.
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I remember, once upon a time, when the thought of attending a bridal show seemed about as appealing to me as going to a Star Trek convention. (Not that there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just not for me.) I pictured masses of out-of-control brides-to-be, obsessing over the smallest details, crowding booths offering overpriced goods and services disguised as great deals. I’m sure that the images from Filene’s annual Running of the Brides event contributed some to the mental image.

Well, I’m now one of those brides-to-be. While I have been known to obsess over small details that no one else will probably even notice, I don’t quite think of myself as out of control. The truth is, I’ve never been a fan of the wedding-in-a-box. For this reason, I’ve chosen the DIY route for most of our options.

There are aspects to the wedding, though, that I just can’t do myself (though, believe me, I’ve given it some thought). After researching sites like Fifty Flowers and Grower’s Box, I admitted that with limited help available, arranging my own ceremony and reception flowers (in the heat of summertime in Miami) probably isn’t the best idea. And while I’ve taken two cake decorating courses and have baked several lovely creations over the years, I’d be taking on way more than I could manage by making my own cake. The same with the photography, as Mr. Yorkie’s brother is a professional photographer, but also happens to be the Best Man. So began my search for the florist, the baker, and the photograph taker.

In November, I received an email from The Knot informing me of The Wedding Salon event planned at The Biltmore Hotel. With a little hesitation, I signed up for Mr. Yorkie, my mom, and I to attend. I didn’t exactly know what to expect, but based on the venue, I anticipated something well-organized and was hopeful to meet some decent vendors. Little did I know that I would have an AMAZING time and find both my photographer and my florist! Mr. Yorkie even admits to enjoying himself. Plus, the great gift bags were an unexpected incentive (filled with lots of great goodies!).
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Greetings from sunny South Florida!

It’s with a beaming smile (and wagging tail!) that I introduce myself to you as Miss Yorkie! (Wow, that sounds different!) I have to admit, when I first received The email, I was in total disbelief. Could it be? Me… a Bee?!T hat’s what it says! Well, as soon as the reality set in, it’s like a switch went off and I could barely sit still! Yeah, I’m quite certain I did the human version of the “I’m-so-excited-I-could-pee-a-little” dance that my dog, Bella, greets me with every time I walk in the door. (Good thing there was no one in my office to witness the joyous jig!)

With a little more than five weeks until I scamper down the aisle, I’m excited, honored and blessed to be able to share the last leg of my journey with you. Since I don’t have too long before becoming Mrs. Yorkie, I’d better get down to business and tell you a little bit about myself!

Unlike a real Yorkie, my pedigree isn’t exactly “pure bred”. Nope, I’m a curious combination of Cuban, Scottish, and Irish, with a dash of German thrown in for good measure. (In other words, I’m a mutt… and a proud one at that!) Also unlike a Yorkie, or at least the one in my icon, I’m not quite prissy or high maintenance. Nope, my daily beauty regimen consists of mascara, blush and Carmex. Oh, and I can’t forget the ponytail! My lifestyle is a little too active (and I’m a lot too lazy) to spend time gussying myself up every day. Or at least, that’s my excuse! (I know I should really try… and I will, without too much whimpering. I promise!)

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