Mrs. Jaguar, SydneyAge and Occupation: 27, Primary School TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Curzon HallAbout Me: I'm an Australian girl who is a self-proclaimed nerd, loves all things stationery and would be lost without books, music and the internet. Mr. Jaguar and I have been together for the past eight years and he finally popped the question last August. Hurrah! We currently live in Sydney, Australia with our adorable cat who thinks he's a person. We're a couple who likes to multi-task: we've been planning a wedding abroad, a permanent move from London to Sydney, and preparing to build our own home all at the same time. Travelling makes me giddy...as does Mr. Jaguar, of course!
This past weekend we caught up with Mr. Jaguar’s brother and girlfriend, as they had just moved into a new apartment in London and had invited us over to check it out. Mr. Jaguar and his brother have always been close, as they are only siblings, so it was only fitting that he had asked BIL Jaguar to be best man at the wedding.
Boys being boys, they don’t really celebrate things like birthdays or special events with gifts, something I just don’t understand. I was determined that we bring them something small as a housewarming gift, so we brought along a bottle of bubbly—and it was lucky that we did, as they announced that they’d gotten engaged the night before!
Mrs. Frozen Yogurt, DallasAge and Occupation: 28, Special Projects CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Equity TraderEngagement Date: March 19, 2009Wedding Date: April 2010Venue: Marie Gabrielle, DallasAbout Me: I was born and raised in Texas, and have lived in several of the cities across the state, but I currently reside in Austin. I went to college in Boston and have a special place in my heart for the Northeast. I love reading, shopping, wine, reuniting with college friends that are scattered across the country, reality TV, trying out new recipes, and attempting all the DIY projects that come along with wedding planning. I'm a "bleeding heart, save the world type" and thankfully my job allows me to work on legislation and policy to help out those in need. I met Mr. Frozen Yogurt in a bar, though he doesn't even drink! And now we are planning a modern yet vintage wedding in Dallas while dealing with the trials and tribulations of first time homeownership.
I love this post because I was a clueless, excited, panicked mess when I first got engaged. I made the mistake of reading magazines early on that gave advice for people that were much further along in the planning process, and I freaked out. I had no idea I needed to worry about something so complex when I barely even knew what colors I was thinking of using. Let’s be honest, being engaged is a ton of fun, but it can also be stressful. I hope some of these pointers will help brides as they plan their wedding, but if not, at least you get to look at some beautiful rings (and ring boxes) in the picture.
I’ve noticed on the boards that there are quite a few newly engaged girls. Congrats to you all!! It got me thinking about how I felt when I was first engaged and all the excitement that goes along with that newly acquired status. It was awesome. I seriously could not stop grinning! Along with all that excitement comes a lot of inspiration, ideas and panic about how to make this whole wedding thing come together.
I thought this might be the perfect time to share some dos and don’ts for the newly engaged girl. Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes and triumphs.
Mrs. Prairie Dog, Cincinnati
Age and Occupation: 24, Program CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, PhD/Biomedical EngineerEngagement Date: December 18, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Glendale LyceumAbout Me: I'm a pilgrim soul of a girl with a house full of books and a coffee addiction that could slay Juan Valdez. My life is a whirl of grammar correction, good music, glue-gunning, and two pets named Hazel and Winston Churchill. I'm marrying my high school boyfriend in a formal-ish spring affair, roughly themed: "Elizabeth Bennet crashes a party co-hosted by Jay Gatsby and Cath Kidston, and loves it."
I don’t *love* the idea of talking about this because it seems so against the norm. But you know what? I don’t believe in “normal” in relationships—there are just things people talk about more than others.
Spoiler alert…it wasn’t lifelong commitment that freaked me. Read more…
Mrs. Prairie Dog, Cincinnati
Age and Occupation: 24, Program CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, PhD/Biomedical EngineerEngagement Date: December 18, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Glendale LyceumAbout Me: I'm a pilgrim soul of a girl with a house full of books and a coffee addiction that could slay Juan Valdez. My life is a whirl of grammar correction, good music, glue-gunning, and two pets named Hazel and Winston Churchill. I'm marrying my high school boyfriend in a formal-ish spring affair, roughly themed: "Elizabeth Bennet crashes a party co-hosted by Jay Gatsby and Cath Kidston, and loves it."
We had agreed to exchange one “small” present before traveling to our hometown for holiday break. I gave him a few pairs of boxers. He gave me a diamond ring. Underwear vs. Jewels…it’s hard to say who came out victorious.
“The ring isn’t the present!” he told me after we calmed down a little. “The ring is independent of Christmas. THIS is the small present.”
A weighty, rectangular package revealed the most recent issues of The Knot and The Knot: Ohio. What can I say? The guy knows his audience.
Then we drank the bottle of champagne he had hidden in the refrigerator. We danced and giggled and took pictures and started to talk about wedding stuff. I laughed about how I had given him underwear, which he had feigned enthusiasm for—not letting on that he was going to propose minutes later.
“I wasn’t faking!” he insisted. “I like them a lot. They’re my fiance boxers!”
(Double chin/fiance boxers + crazed happiness/gratuitous ring flash…at least we have fun.)
Ms. Cheetah, Los Angeles/Palm Springs
Age and Occupation: 31, Artist, EducatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, TV FinanceEngagement Date: April 2010Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The ViceroyAbout Me: I’m a silly, sassy lady with a compulsion to create. I love to sing and dance, despite the fact that I lack any talent doing either. I somehow manage to be messy and organized at the same time. I like to spend my days road tripping, watching '80s movies, reading true crime books, buying things on sale, sending postcards, playing board games, dining at food trucks, snuggling, and drinking ginger ale. I have a weak spot for all things sweet, especially Mr. Cheetah! I’m a Chicago girl and he’s a Nor Cal boy but we love living in the City of Angels. After 10 years as a couple we are planning a fun-filled semi-destination wedding in Palm Springs. Hope you enjoy the ride!
A few years ago, I knew eight couples who all got engaged within a two-week period between Thanksgiving and Christmas! That lead bridesmaid WD40 and me to coin the phrase “the engagement train.”
Woo-woo! That’s supposed to be a train whistle noise—what, you didn’t get that?
Arranged by me in Photoshop; source images: train & rings
Mrs. Jaguar, SydneyAge and Occupation: 27, Primary School TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Curzon HallAbout Me: I'm an Australian girl who is a self-proclaimed nerd, loves all things stationery and would be lost without books, music and the internet. Mr. Jaguar and I have been together for the past eight years and he finally popped the question last August. Hurrah! We currently live in Sydney, Australia with our adorable cat who thinks he's a person. We're a couple who likes to multi-task: we've been planning a wedding abroad, a permanent move from London to Sydney, and preparing to build our own home all at the same time. Travelling makes me giddy...as does Mr. Jaguar, of course!
Announcing an engagement almost certainly results in a mixed bag of emotions.
Having the whole experience happen while we were living abroad was awesome. It’s a story I won’t ever forget, and it means the world to me because it’s something that Mr. Jaguar and I experienced together. The first few weeks following our engagement were lovely, and we had a lot of support and well wishes—cards were sent to us across the waters, and we received lots of phone messages, texts, sweet comments, and e-mails that made our day.
The part that was the most difficult about being here was being so far away from family and friends when it came to celebrating the engagement and sharing the excitement. We were sort of stumped at the beginning: who do we celebrate with? We had both made friends through living and working in London, and while they were legitimately pleased for us, it wasn’t quite the same. My work friends didn’t really know Mr. Jaguar; Mr. Jaguar’s work friends didn’t really know me. Holding a celebratory engagement dinner or drinks night seemed a little redundant, so we just kept it to ourselves. Read more…
Mrs. Elephant, Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 27, Financial Operations AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, IT Student/Store ManagerEngagement Date: March 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: The Tribute Golf ClubAbout Me: I'm a Philly native creating roots deep in the heart of Texas. I might be a little obsessed capturing those Kodak moments of anything and everything (mainly on vacations). I've become more of a gamer thanks to Mr. Elephant, who I met online and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with. We are planning a wedding based on our favorite colors, blue and green, with a travel theme for 150 of our closest friends and family. Hopefully our long (2-year) engagement won't kill me!
The other day I received a call that I have been hoping to receive for a while now. BM Philly just got engaged!!! I am beyond excited for her and so happy that I get to be a part of her big day, just as she is going to be a part of mine!
BM Philly & me on the campus of Penn State for her graduation
Mrs. Zebra, Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 24 Marketing/Costume DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26 Management/Firefighter Engagement Date: December 12, 2008Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The Providence BiltmoreAbout Me: I'm a small town New England girl with an affinity for procrastination, crossing the proverbial line, and putting her foot in her mouth. I'm a lover of history, all seasons, sewing and Incubus. I design costumes on the side for my old high school's theatre department, which is where I met my sexy man. Our motto for our Big Fat Lebanese/Portuguese/Irish near-300 person wedding is "the more the merrier"! We are marrying in a Catholic ceremony and are hammering out the details of our Victorian-inspired reception.
I promised to let you know why we decided to ride the wedding-planning pain train for 27 months. There were several reasons why we chose a wedding date several years in advance.
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!
The thing about a 20-month engagement is that life goes on. The world does not revolve around my wedding planning; in fact, it keeps on spinnin’ on its own! Crazy, huh? Well, life did go on…and it has included other proposals. Lots and LOTS of proposals. Prior to our engagement, I had been to seven weddings, two of which I was old enough to drink during. Mr. Lion had been to even fewer. Since our engagement, seven more couples among our circles of friends have gotten engaged. Yep, I will soon be doubling the number of weddings I’ve been to. As the news of each of these new engagements reached us, my first emotion was utter excitement. Of course I was happy for our friends! The second feeling was a tinge of anxiety. Many people, especially brides, have the tendency to compete. I feared that sharing engagements would result in “one-upping” and “keeping up with the Joneses.” You know what I’m talking about:
Ms. Sloth, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 35, Account Manager and Fashion BloggerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Design AdminEngagement Date: December 25, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Bartram's GardenAbout Me: I'm an internet junkie and music snob with a good eye for a bargain. I couldn't live without thrift store shopping, cheeseburgers, sushi, Coke Zero, websites devoted to silly photos of baby animals, Photoshop, and Mr. Sloth. Speaking of which, he and I are a pair of goofball homebody nerds who love our beagle (the most ridiculously adorable dog EVER) to an embarrassing degree. We're planning a low-key and intimate yet festive and quirky outdoor wedding with DIY details and deeply personal touches, and it's all taking place in the city where we fell in love and call home: Philadelphia.
Mr. S and I decided to have a long engagement for two reasons:
We got engaged this past Christmas and REALLY wanted to get married in the spring. Spring 2010 wouldn’t give us enough time to plan, so spring 2011 it is.
We need the time to save as much money as possible.
It’s all well and good, but the downfall is that it gives us (well, let’s be honest, me) plenty of time to make decisions and then second-guess them. And third-guess them, etc. I mean, I’m the type of person who, two months before any dressy event, buys a dress, then a few weeks later, sees another one she likes better and buys that one. Then I find a pair of shoes I like better and buy those. By the time the event rolls around, I’ve got a crap-ton of dresses in my closet that I’ll never wear. I’m just indecisive and fickle that way.
So, just a few months after we got engaged, with fifteen months to go before the wedding, do you know what I did?
Mrs. Elephant, Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 27, Financial Operations AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, IT Student/Store ManagerEngagement Date: March 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: The Tribute Golf ClubAbout Me: I'm a Philly native creating roots deep in the heart of Texas. I might be a little obsessed capturing those Kodak moments of anything and everything (mainly on vacations). I've become more of a gamer thanks to Mr. Elephant, who I met online and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with. We are planning a wedding based on our favorite colors, blue and green, with a travel theme for 150 of our closest friends and family. Hopefully our long (2-year) engagement won't kill me!
I haven’t gone into detail about the night that Mr. Elephant proposed, but I know that’s always a fun story for me to read when it comes to other people’s engagements. So here’s our story:
About six months into our relationship, Mr. E and I started talking about marriage and our future together. It was never very deep conversations early on, just comments here and there about our wedding, a house, and later on kids. As we got closer to our two-year mark, we started talking about it more seriously. We stopped by jewelry stores while in the mall to look at different types of rings that I liked, so he would have an idea when it came to picking out mine. We noticed things at our friends’ weddings that we would want to do in our own.
I thought that he might surprise me for Christmas of 2008 with a proposal, but it didn’t come. I believed him later when he said he wouldn’t do it on a holiday because that was not him, so the thought never crossed my mind as Valentine’s Day 2009 came and went. I figured it would come when he was ready and that by not getting my hopes up, I wouldn’t be disappointed. Read more…
Mrs. Earrings, Fresno, CA/ Nelson, New ZealandAge and Occupation: 20, Student, Wannabe Writer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 19, Photography StudentEngagement Date: February 14, 2010Wedding Date: January 2011Venue: Gardens of the WorldAbout Me: I'm a girl from down under who grew up in Indonesia and I'm marrying a California boy. I'm addicted to all things sweet, have never met a chocolate silk pie than can get the better of me, and have dreams of one day being a fulltime novelist. I go weak in the knees for lace, tea cups, and a beautifully crafted sentence. When I get excited about something (whether it is historical linguistics or the Beatles) I tend to go overboard in research, and planning this wedding is no different. Mr. Earrings is my high school sweetheart, my best friend, and somehow we combine all our quirks into one big happy mess.
Way back when we first got engaged, Mr E and I thought we would go out with a few friends to a restaurant to celebrate our engagement and also to let these particular friends (mostly university friends of mine) get to know Mr E better (he had just moved to NZ).
Fail.
Long story short, one of these “friends” decided she didn’t like our choice of restaurant, changed it last minute, completely ignored (or forgot? didn’t realise??) the fact that it was OUR engagement party, and made it all about her. Mr E was ignored for the majority of the evening (except by two of my real friends who saw what was going on and tried their best to steer the party back on course but in vain) and I’m pretty sure the central subject of the conversations that night were all about aforementioned friend’s new kitten. *sigh* Maybe I need to learn to be more assertive.
Anyway. My mum found out, and felt really bad that we hadn’t had a “proper” celebration. Read more…
Mrs. Oyster, DallasAge and Occupation: 30, Music TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 46, Art TeacherEngagement Date: January 9, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: The Tower ClubAbout Me: I'm a Texa-Californian with a penchant for sparkly things and a tendency to think a lot. I've been known to sing random songs or dance when there is no music on. My fiance and I love world culture, we love to travel, and we have an incredibly eclectic taste in music. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate our marriage with our family & closest friends. We're planning an “urban black-tie” wedding and hope to incorporate our personalities and some of our own interests. We look forward to a life of love, laughter, good music, beautiful art, and to creating our home together with our four (!) cats.
When you are dating someone and your immediate family lives a few thousand miles away, there are no casual get-togethers, no “bring your boyfriend to the family picnic”, no “let’s meet him”. Everything is a little more formal and requires plane tickets, formality, and bracing yourself for that let’s-get-everything-done-while-you’re-here feeling that your parents have when you come visit, which will be familiar to anyone else who lives far away from their families.
Mr. Oyster didn’t meet my mother until after we were engaged, when we took a trip in early 2009 to visit her. When my mom and grandmother came to visit me in the fall, they were here to help with wedding plans and also to meet Mr. Oyster’s parents.
The first night they were here, the six of us went out to dinner. As the parents met each other for the first time, the palpable joy was nearly overwhelming. Everything, from the small talk, to the conversations to find things in common, to the shared enthusiasm over their new son/daughter, was underscored with happiness and anticipation and welcoming enthusiasm.
That first meeting was the first time I really understood what all this meant. It was the first time that my and Mr. Oyster’s love for each other meant something other than “just the two of us”. Read more…
Mrs. Octopus, Boston, MA/Pittsburgh, PAAge and Occupation: 25, Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Graphics Operator for TV NewsEngagement Date: May 6th, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Heinz Chapel Ceremony, Museum Reception
About Me: When my best friend dragged me to a toga party in our freshmen year of college, I was not expecting to meet my future husband; but seven years later, here we are. I'm a crazy-organized planner at heart, and I am a great lover of random trivia, books, chocolate, blogs, new and exciting adventures, mockumentary-style television, and anything heavily flavored with bright orange fake cheese powder. We're planning a festive and fun mini-destination wedding in the place where we met: fabulous Pittsburgh, PA! I can't wait to marry the man I love!
Phew. Okay. I’ve been on the fence about writing this very long post for a loooooong time, but I’m feeling brave, so I’m going for it. This is the story of how Mr. Octopus and I got engaged, and I’m telling you straight off the bat: it will not make you tear up with its sweetness. You might judge me for it. It’s not a happy one. But I want to share it, so here it goes.
In the summer of 2008, I had fully realized that I was ready to marry Mr. O. We had been together for six years, we’d been living together for two of those, and we were more in love than ever. Our lives were totally intertwined, and I knew that he was my one and only, my family, the center of my life. I hesitantly broached the subject of marriage with him, and found that we were not quite on the same page. Did he love me? Yes. Did he want to spend the rest of his life with me? Yes. Did he ever want to be with anyone else? No. But marriage? Not ready for that yet. I think that this is not uncommon for men, and I could accept the fact that he needed some time to process the idea of such a huge commitment. I stayed quiet about it, and gave him his space.
By December, Mr. O had indeed processed it. Read more…
Mrs. Paisley, Orange County, CAAge and Occupation: 25, JournalistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Spanish ProfessorEngagement Date: September 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Family Lake HouseAbout Me: From my earliest days I attracted attention, as much for my intelligence as for beauty. I display an originality, a perspicacity, a certain je ne sais quoi that sets me apart. I posses a mysterious authority which compels people to do my bidding. I am a regal blonde with classic features and the daintiness of Dresden porcelain. I am poised, soft-spoken, and well educated... Okay, now that enough eyebrows have sufficiently shot through the roof, everybody can relax---I kid! I'm just a sarcastic NorCal-turned-SoCal girl who loves outdoor activities, books, letterpress printing and of course, Professor Paisley.
Mr. Paisley and I met, fell in love and lived together in 2007. We met during my senior year of college, where he was a lecturer in Spanish (ooo, illicit student-teacher affair! Haha, not quite––I wasn’t in his class).
Our old college gang. From L to R: Miss P., Kim, Mr. P, Bridesmaid Jackie and Pierre
But after graduation, I pursued a job that took me 500 miles away from him. Our love was strong, and we endured an entire year of long distance, both taking turns flying or driving to see each other every month. Finally, after we’d saved our pennies, we were able to reunite in SoCal together.
