Miss Scone, Napa/Kansas CityAge and Occupation: 31, RecruiterFiancee's Age and Occupation: 33, Motorcycle MechanicEngagement Date: April 15, 2010Wedding Date: July 2012Venue: Boulevard BreweryAbout Me: I am a West Coast girl that fell for a Midwestern girl. I can’t get enough of baking, projecting, family and our fluffy dog child Darby. I bake by smell, haven’t used a timer in years and years. Having a major project on the horizon and a busy schedule keep me sane. I love beer even though I live in Napa (but I like wine too, just not as much as beer). We are planning a family friendly convivial affair in Kansas City and can’t wait to share the adventures.
They’re good for building Lego people and doing mock-ups of one’s weddin’ cake…
OK, well maybe not for everyone, but this last Saturday that was our plan o’ action. Remember how Sweetie Scone surprised me with a cake topper? Here’s a picture of the evidence:
(Personal image / And yes, they really customize the box!)
If you have the urge to customize your own cake topper (or any other Lego project), you will want to go directly to their website and select the Design byME section. From there you can set your imagination free, place your order, and wait for a little box of fun.
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!
Holy moose. All I could think was, “what on earth did I order?!”
Oh right. That would be a bajillion glasses and jars for the wedding. Read more…
Miss Scone, Napa/Kansas CityAge and Occupation: 31, RecruiterFiancee's Age and Occupation: 33, Motorcycle MechanicEngagement Date: April 15, 2010Wedding Date: July 2012Venue: Boulevard BreweryAbout Me: I am a West Coast girl that fell for a Midwestern girl. I can’t get enough of baking, projecting, family and our fluffy dog child Darby. I bake by smell, haven’t used a timer in years and years. Having a major project on the horizon and a busy schedule keep me sane. I love beer even though I live in Napa (but I like wine too, just not as much as beer). We are planning a family friendly convivial affair in Kansas City and can’t wait to share the adventures.
I am feeling very cakey right now, probably because it isn’t on the menu plan and I really would love a bite. So let me share some more cake ideas with you…
Early early into our unengagement I came across Lego cake toppers. Let me pause here: both Sweetie Scone and I were giant Lego nerds growing up, so these were just too fun not to look at in Fall 2009.
Well one day I came home from school and Sweetie Scone had a surprise…she had custom designed and ordered our very own Lego cake topper! (FYI, it was less expensive than buying one on Etsy.) Our cake peeps are still in pieces waiting for their grand entrance.
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.
Are you tired of me talking about cake toppers yet? It’s okay, I’m tired of thinking about them. Luckily, this is the final cake topper post. In my last post I showed you the potential winner. Although most of you agreed with me that it was perfect, I had a call to action from Miss Woodpecker and Future Army Wife. They both told me that I should just try and make one.
I don’t know why I had not thought of that before, but it was worth a shot. I started my Google search on “how to paint shabby chic.” Many different tutorials came up, but they all seemed a little too technical and confusing. A few seemed a little weird, such as applying Vaseline on the project before painting. I’m sure it works great, but I wasn’t up for trying that. I needed something easy.
I decided to just go with it and figure out my own way of doing things. These were a few supplies I bought to start the project.
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!
Remember my newfound love affair with ribbons? Ribbon chandeliers, chair ribbons, ribbons on bouquets, ribbon backdrops…ugh, it’s all just so. good. Ribbon-tastic, if you will. Some of you were awesome enough to point out that I didn’t mention ribbon wands—how silly of me to forget those! They’re fun, festive, and make for fabulous photo ops.
Miss Petit Four, San Antonio/Isla MujeresAge and Occupation: 25, Technology teacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Math Teacher and Football CoachEngagement Date: Feb 13, 2010Wedding Date: March 2012Venue: Zama Beach Club, Isla Mujeres, MexicoAbout Me: I am a polka-dot obsessed, destination wedding diva living and loving in the great state of Texas. I am an island girl at heart and I visit the beach as often as I can. I am a wannabe DIY goddess, but that doesn’t mean I won’t give it my best shot. I love pearl earrings, the color pink, and ruffles are a part of my everyday wardrobe. My wonderful fiance and I are planning a destination wedding with our closest family and friends and we’re leaving a trail of glitter in our path!
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to DIY Amateur Hour on Weddingbee! Just kidding, it’s not a new feature we are starting up…it’s just me, Miss Petit Four.
Sometimes when I am in the middle of a DIY project, I honestly think I am doing it the completely wrong way and there’s probably a better way to do whatever it is I’m trying to do. Nevertheless, I am here to share with you how I made our table numbers. It was super-easy and pretty basic and I think they came out awesome.
Here is my inspiration picture from Project Wedding…
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.
Lately I have been pretty bad in regards to projects. I tend to have an enormous amount of ideas running through my head that I have a hard time focusing on just one. This results in various semi-completed projects. I have made it my goal to finish up my old projects before I move on to new ones. (We’ll see how long this lasts.)
Example A: our wishing tree that I wrote about three months ago. I had brought up the idea of adding LED lights to the vase, and you all agreed that would add some pizzazz. Fast forward three months, and I still have not added any lights. Honestly, I kind of forgot about it.
While I was at Party City this past weekend with my mom, I walked past a small box of LED string lights. The wishing tree flashed through my mind and so I bought this box of $4 lights.
I almost did not buy them because I wasn’t sure how this was all going to work. Would the string and the bulbs show through the beads? Would the beads block the lights? The logistics didn’t seem to be in my favor, but I figured for $4 it was worth a shot.
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!
Vintage. It’s the word used to describe old things that aren’t quite precious or old enough to be called antiques. We seem to throw it around a lot in the wedding world, don’t we? I never put a name on our wedding’s aesthetic and we don’t really have a theme, so I don’t use “vintage” very often. At one point in gathering inspiration, though, I realized that I had quite a few pictures of vintage furniture being used in weddings. I was inspired to go on a little treasure hunt to find a few tables.
I was looking for real junk that I could rehab. Most of the antique and vintage shops in the Charlottesville area had pieces that would work, but they didn’t present a DIY challenge and I wanted to have a little fun. Just an hour away in Richmond, there are some real junk shops. The kinds of places where you have to climb over piles and get a little dirty to uncover a prize. One Saturday morning, I set off with this picture as my inspiration:
I won’t bore you with the play-by-play, but I found three tables that pretty much matched the table in my inspiration picture. Read more…
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 truly take to heart all of your comments, and you were all especially helpful in my last post about cake toppers. The mini bunting received quite a few votes, but my reservation on that is there will already be quite a bit of bunting throughout the reception. I don’t want to overdo the bunting—I think small touches might look better.
Many of you mentioned that the cake is beautiful and very detailed on its own, and does not need any type of intricate topper. Knvprincess143 made a great point by saying that the cake has a shabby chic feel to it. Another option that received many votes were the wooden letters, but everyone said they seemed a little too modern.
I liked the idea of having our last initial on top of the cake because it would add to the beauty, but not take away from it. I set out on a search to find a shabby chic monogram, and this is what I found.
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!
I have loved the idea of incorporating flags into a grand exit for a while. They are so cute and playful, and pretty in photos. On top of that, we wanted our “big exit” to be from the church instead of the reception. It’ll be daytime, so we nixed the idea of sparklers. Furthermore, our church does not allow rice, birdseed, or bio-confetti to be tossed because it would end up all over the city sidewalk (and I guess the city doesn’t like that?). Flags seemed like the perfect solution. But what would the flags say?
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.
Napkins are boring. Usually. All you really need from a napkin is the ability to wipe the food from your face after your gluttonously feast on whatever food is given to you. I would personally be lost without napkins because I’m the messiest eater ever (statistically, that’s probably not true). But who really cares how napkins look? Martha Stewart does.
I found this picture back in 2009 when our wedding was but a twinkle in Mr. Unicycle’s eye. Read more…
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!
This post is about aisle decor, but it’s also about a store. First, let’s talk about decor.
When I originally imagined walking down the aisle at our wedding, I pictured a white aisle, a floral arch, and flowers on the end of each row of chairs. I saw this on so many wedding blogs that I think I must have assumed this was standard ceremony decor.
Just as I got scared away from bringing lighting into our venue because I thought it would compete with the beauty of our venue, I started to think that going too over the top with ceremony decor would detract from the environment around us. Interestingly, the person who got me thinking about scaling back was my florist! Read more…
Miss Dalmatian, Nashville, TNAge and Occupation: 23, Pediatric NurseFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Computer Engineer and Entrepreneur Engagement Date: April 13, 2011Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: Historic CedarwoodAbout Me: I am a Northern girl from Chicago who is planning a wedding filled with Southern charm in Nashville, Tennessee. I love dogs, the White Sox, Full House reruns, and anything with ruffles on it. Mr. Dalmatian is my computer-genius problem-solving fiance who is constantly teaching me new things and making me a better person. We live with our adopted pup Echo, who is very excited that his parents are getting married!
After posting about mismatched vintage dessert plates, I noticed a lot of discussion about renting antique china, which got me thinking: What a brilliant idea! While there are some unavoidable purchases, there are a lot of wedding things that we need to use but we don’t need to own. The smaller price-tag that would come with renting is very appealing because even when I close my eyes, cover my ears, and hum a happy little tune, that darn budget just won’t disappear!
One website out there that gives people a renting option is called RentStuff.com. But wait, there’s more… their current promotion is for brides!
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’ve always figured we wouldn’t have a cake topper. I never understood the point of them, and to be honest…I still don’t. I have no idea what purpose they serve, or what the heck we will do with it after the wedding. I mentioned this to Mr. Buck recently, that I wasn’t planning on getting a cake topper.
He looked at me and said, “but why not?” I responded with, “well, it doesn’t really serve a purpose. I don’t think it is necessary.” He looked at me with a straight face and said, “So? Is anything really necessary? Just get a cake topper.”
So I guess we are getting a cake topper.
Don’t get me wrong; I think they are adorable. I guess I was being boring and a little too practical for my own good. I am glad Mr. Buck made me step back and realize…who cares if you don’t need it? Have fun and just get one.
Hive, I need your help. I am stuck between various options that I love. First, I should probably show you my cake inspiration. I am seriously crushing on this ruffled beauty.
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!
When I originally told her that I was totally against bringing lighting into our venue, a friend asked me what I had against lighting. Thinking about it, I felt a little silly. After all, we follow a band whose lighting guy is deemed the fifth member of the band. People actually shoot video of him working at shows. Having stood under his lights quite a few times in my life, unable to blink for fear of missing a second of the show, I think it’s safe to say that I’m a fan of lights.
Unfortunately, when I think of lights at weddings, my Jersey roots come out and I picture ballrooms with bold hues reaching every single corner. The rooms are literally washed in purple or pink or blue. The feel is almost theatrical.