Mrs. Poodle, Santiago, Chile/San Bernardino, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Industrial & Web DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Firefighter & Mountain PatrolEngagement Date: February 25, 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Mr. P's Grandparents’ RanchAbout Me: I’m a Chilean girl who's crazy about nature and swimming. I enjoy carving, drawing, reading and sewing; I drool over computers, fabric, pretty paper, purple and patterns. To me, chocolate should be one of the seven wonders, right next to lemon pie. I never thought an exchange work experience program was going to change my life forever, but while working in California, I met Mr. Poodle, and ever since my days are better and brighter. We are two goofy souls that, after finding each other, couldn’t help but want to be together forever. It has being a long and sometimes hard road, since we have to deal with such a long distance between us, but we are now facing the last stage of our Fiancé Visa, and soon we will be together. You know the best part? We will be married! So I’ll be blogging from Chile until just a few months before our “green and purple” wedding.
Yeah baby! I might not like my hometown on daily basis (but that’s just because I would rather live in the middle of nowhere… hehe), but last December, when Mr. Poodle visited me here in Chile, I got the chance to fall in love all over again with my pretty but sometimes too-much-of-a-city Santiago!
Just follow that sign!! It will take you to the Santiago airport ” Arturo Merino Benítez - SCL” this will be for most of you travelers, the first Chilean land you will step on. Read more…
Mrs. Mary Jane, Grand Forks, NDAge and Occupation: 26, Instructional DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lead ProgrammerEngagement Date: February 28, 2009Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: City HallAbout Me: I'm a career woman on the surface and a homemaker at heart. I love fast cars and high heels, and my favorite food is cake. Mr. Mary Jane and I are both full-time employees and students, and we just bought our first house. We love to curl up on the couch with buttery popcorn, Sour Patch Kids, and the latest Netflix arrival -- whenever we can get a break from everyday life.
When I first found out we bees were going to continue the “Honeymoon In My Hometown” series, I was not planning to contribute. It’s not exactly romance-central. But I eventually decided to give it a chance. At the very least, upon finishing this post you’ll know a lot more about Grand Forks than most of your friends do! (Heck, I’ve spent 18 years of my life in this area and I learned a lot while writing it!) There’s also the fact that Grand Forks isn’t really my “hometown”. My family moved a lot when I was young, so I don’t really have a hometown. I own a house in Grand Forks, so my hometown it becomes.
Mrs. Deviled Egg, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 27, Public RelationsFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, AccountingEngagement Date: December 24, 2007Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: October 21, 2008Venue: Historic auditorium and meeting hall in one of Pittsburgh's commuter citiesAbout Me: I am obsessed with all things crafty, especially scrapbooking, knitting, jewelry-making & cake decorating. I also love being an aunt, wrapping presents, watching football (Go Steelers!), shopping at yard sales and consignment stores, procrastinating, singing and learning to play the guitar. When it comes to wedding planning, I'm excited about working on DIY projects and finding creative ways to stay under budget. Of course, nothing is more exciting to me than knowing that the wonderful Mr. Deviled Egg will be my husband.
Since Mrs. Pineapple covered some great things to do in some of the rural areas outside of Steel City, I’ll try to give you a virtual tour of some hot spots in and around the city itself.
I currently don’t live in Pittsburgh proper, but spent four years living downtown during my college days and have been working in the City of Bridges (there are 446 crossing our three rivers) for the last six years. Long gone are the days of steel mills running the region’s economy and the dirty image the city is still trying to shake. Pittsburghers take pride in being the big city with a small-town feel and hometown pride is common among residents in the region. We even have our own language, n’at.
First up, a trip to Pittsburgh cannot be complete without taking in some type of professional sporting event or activity. After all, it is the City of Champions! If you’re looking for something to do in the spring through early fall, check out the Pirates at PNC Park.
Mrs. Duckling, San DiegoAge and Occupation: 23, Psychology Grad Student, Youth Diversion Specialist/Marriage and Family Therapy Trainee and an Executive AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Marketing and PR CoordinatorEngagement Date: May 17, 2008Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: Rancho Bernardo InnAbout Me: I'm currently living in Orange County, but planning our wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are a DIY wedding "2fer", as I'm the crafty one and Mr. Ducky is in charge of all of our graphic design and technical aspects. When not wedding planning or reading wedding blogs, I'm attending grad school and rotating between two different jobs to keep things exciting. My favorite things include shoes, Post-Its, Labrador Retrievers, traveling, psychology, delicious food, photography, reading, craft gadgets/supplies, and of course, my wonderful Mr. Ducky!
I grew up in San Diego and absolutely love it. Even though I am currently living in Orange County, I am hoping that one day we will be able to return to San Diego. To be honest, there are so many thoughts that come to mind for a honeymoon in my hometown, that it has taken me a while to put everything together. San Diego is beautiful all year, so you can come and enjoy it anytime. Obviously for those that love the beach, summer is the best for that. If you are planning on coming here for your honeymoon you could either play tourist and see all the sights or choose to cozy up in romantic restaurants, spas and relaxing scenery. San Diego is very big, so I think I’m going to divide it up by general areas and things to do.
Mrs. Espresso, Corona/Big BearAge and Occupation: 23, Community Services SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 22, Maintenance TechnicianEngagement Date: December 21, 2007Wedding Date: October, 2008Blogging Since: June 25, 2008Venue: Outside a rustic b&b in Big Bear LakeAbout Me: I'm a lover of all things good: coffee, music, travel, rain, and of course- my handsome fiance! I'm a full believer in the "Life is Short," mantra - and therefore, eat lots of dark chocolate. I'm a Geographer by degree and nerd by choice. I cook to the sound of French and Portuguese music even though I speak neither. I love road trips, camping, hiking, and capturing life through the lens of my camera. Take me to Anthropologie and I may never leave. I'm a sucker for pretty packaging, bargain finds, and old movies. Mr. Espresso and I are high school sweethearts and I am so blessed to be this amazing man's future wife.
Hello Hello Hello!! I’ve missed writing here so much and can’t wait until we get our pro pics. When I get them, I will caffeine up and post like no other. But for now, I’m going to get back in the groove with the Honeymoon in my Hometown series. I didn’t grow up in Orange County, but since I went to school there, currently work there, and it’s only 30 minutes away, I have a good amount of knowledge on the topic. I’m going to give advice for both lavish spenders and bees on a budget. I am definitely the latter, but I know when you’re on your honeymoon, you often budget to spend more than you normally would. So here we go: Orange County.
Hotels:
The Resort at Pelican Hill is brand spanking new, gorgeous, and luxurious. You’ll get 5 star service from the second you step out of your car, and will feel like a celebrity all the while. Prices are steep however, and you can expect to spend a minimum of $700 per night!
Mrs. Peep Toe, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, Policy AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 36, Olive Oil Production ManagerEngagement Date: December 16, 2007Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: November 26, 2008Venue: Hotel VitaleAbout Me: I am a west coast lady who loves the San Francisco Bay Area. I love living with Mr. Peep and our animals: Huck the Dog and Ferris the Cat. I work to save the environment in San Francisco, while Mr. Peep makes ridiculously delicious Olive Oil. On any day you can find me reading the latest book I have gotten my hands on, eating Swedish Fish, and perusing wedding blogs! We are both champagne drinking foodies on a Bud Light budget. We are planning an eco-chic, intimate, and interfaith San Francisco City wedding.
Wine country may not be my hometown, but Mr. Peep lived in Sonoma and Napa County for about nine years. He was living in Napa for the first 1.5 years of our relationship, so I’ve spent a fair amount of weekends with various visitors traipsing through Wine Country. For all of you wanting to get out of the city and explore Wine Country, consider this post to be written with heavy consultation from Mr. Peep, an almost native.
I also must preface this post: Mr. Peep isn’t a fan of big built-up wineries, so you won’t see any of those on the list. We also love finding a wine that is a great deal for the money. As Mr. PT says, anyone can make a great $100 bottle of wine, but can they make a good $20 bottle, too?
And finally, our #1 rule of wine tasting: if you like it, great!! There are no rules as to who says a wine is good or bad. All that matters is that you enjoy drinking it! Read more…
Mrs. Cowboy Boot, Santa FeAge and Occupation: 25, Magazine EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Artist and Whitewater Rafting GuideEngagement Date: April 28th, 2008Wedding Date: October 2009Venue: Devil's Thumb Ranch, ColoradoAbout Me: I grew up in Los Angeles and have since lived in San Diego, Boston, Italy, Hawaii, New York City, and Santa Fe. I speak Italian and love pasta. My real passion is the outdoors, though. When I'm not at work, I'm snowboarding, hiking with my two dogs, mountain biking, surfing, cross-country-skiing, or boating New Mexico's rivers. Despite my boyish love for adventure, I'm a girly-girl at heart and am overly-excited to pull off the romantic, vintage-inspired, country wedding of my dreams.
That’s right—locals call this Santa Fe, “Fanta Se”. It’s actually not a surprise given how stunningly beautiful the high desert is. I had no idea until I moved here. If anything, New Mexico was at the bottom of my list but, once I got here, I was sold: twelve-thousand-foot peaks covered in pine and aspens, foothills in juniper and pinon, striped sandstone cliffs, hills spotted with earth-colored adobe homes (it’s a zoning law, here—they have to look like that), temperate seasons, art galleries galore, and sunsets that are as red as they come.
Mrs. Kitten, Austin/Grand CaymanAge and Occupation: 25, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Dental StudentEngagement Date: October 19, 2006Wedding Date: April, 2009Venue: The Grand Old House, Grand CaymanAbout Me: In 2009 I will get married (after a two and a half year engagement!), become an Army wife, graduate from law school, take the bar, move from Austin to Washington, D.C., and start my career as a lawyer! With all this going on, Mr. Kitten and I decided to have a tropical, "stress-free" destination wedding. Nevertheless, my micromanaging, detail-oriented, perfectionist side has prevailed---I am currently obsessed with every last detail of my "stress-free" destination wedding! But most of all, I'm beyond excited to become Mrs. Kitten on a fabulous Caribbean vacation surrounded by my friends and family!
I’ve lived in Austin for almost three years now. Unfortunately for me, for most of that time I could be found at the UT Law Library, studying my little heart out and not at any of the fun-filled places below. I don’t recommend including a trip to the Law Library when visiting Austin, unless of course, the sight of over a million volumes of dusty law books and hundreds of terrified, over-caffeinated law students is your kind of thing. As I woefully count down the days until I am no longer an Austinite, I have promised myself that I will try to take full advantage of all of the fantastic activities this city has to offer! If Mr. K and I were going to have one final fling in Austin, this is how we would do it:
Mrs. Bruschetta, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 25, Communication ProfessionalFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Physical Therapy Graduate StudentEngagement Date: November 30, 2007Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: St. Thomas of Villanova Church & the F.U.E.L. HouseAbout Me: I’m a self-proclaimed grammar geek who loves singing (like, really belting it) in the car. My mister and I are planning a vibrant summer soiree celebrating our passions – including food and Philly – and when we make it official, we’ll have been together for eight years! Being super competitive is in my nature, and talking excessively is in my genes. I’ve got a terrible sense of direction, but can always easily find my way into Mr. Bruschetta’s arms.
True, I’m hop, skip and a jump away from the city, but I’m still head over heels crazy about Philly. Art enthusiasts, foodies, history buffs, shopaholics and sports fans alike will all find something to love about the City of Brotherly Love. For minimooners, I’d advise staying in a smaller hotel that offers personalized attention in a unique setting; consider Rittenhouse 1715 or the Morris House Hotel.
Mrs. Crab Cake, Columbus, GAAge and Occupation: 25, Registered NurseFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Director of Education and Living History for a museumEngagement Date: April 6, 2008Wedding Date: June, 2009Blogging Since: November 26, 2008Venue: Holy Family Catholic Church, reception: National Infantry MuseumAbout Me: I'm a perfectionist trying to balance two jobs, motherhood, my craft obsession, and wedding planning. I am obsessed with all things wedding, especially creative ideas for saving money and DIY projects. A Southern Belle at heart, I love anything southern, especially sweet tea, grits, afternoon thunder storms, crab cakes, and good old Southern hospitality. Mr. Crab Cake and I are planning a vintage inspired wedding with tons of Southern flare (can y'all say that with a thick Southern drawl?).
Okay, I know, Mobile? But honestly, it’s a gorgeous city with a ton of culture and history. Mobile is also the home of American Mardi Gras (don’t believe me? Check out this article).
Shortly after Mr. CC and I started dating, we celebrated his 30th birthday with a weekend excursion to Mobile. I want to share with him the cuisine, culture, and history of Mobile. We had a great time. We need to go back and do it again. There’s just too much to do in one weekend.
Here’s my insider’s guide to honeymooning in Mobile, Alabama. Read more…
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
It’s not all politics and prose. Dare I say that Washington DC has character and poetry as well? There’s a lot to see and do here in our nation’s capital. Built on a very easy to navigate grid system, it’s superbly human scale–no building (other than the Washington Monument) is above seven stories. It’s an incredibly walkable and beautiful city and its distinct neighborhoods yield plenty of personality. The architecture, history, and power here are incomparable. But if it’s the softer side of life you seek to explore, there’s a wonderful emerging food culture, great art, and plenty of little romantic spots! Read more…
Mrs. Quiche, Chicago/Montego BayAge and Occupation: 28, Interior DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 42, Telecom GuruEngagement Date: July 2, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: Coyaba Resort, Montego BayAbout Me: I love Chicago and can’t imagine living anywhere else (Well, except Paris. Or anywhere in France, for that matter!). I’m a full-time worker, part-time student, soon-to-be-step-mom, indie music lovin’, architecture and design fanatic, macaroni and cheese addict, vegetarian, Francophile, Ohio State football obsessed, wedding planning girl. Mr. Quiche and I are “Partners-in-Crime” and cannot wait to celebrate our marriage surrounded by our family and closest friends. I plan on DIYing my little heart out (or as much as a suitcase to Jamaica will hold).
Chicago. I love this city. It makes for a great escape, whether for 3 days or a week. There are things to do and places to see for all types of interests: history, art, food, architecture, beaches, and shopping. It is a large city, but has a very manageable feel. Plus, it’s in the Midwest. It’s easily accessible and the people are very friendly! Chicago is a city built by its neighborhoods, and each has its own vibe and culture. Read more…
Mrs. D'orsay, Baltimore/Lancaster UKAge and Occupation: 24, nonprofit communications Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Web site developer and designer; co-owner of men's skincare shopEngagement Date: August 10, 2008Wedding Date: August, 2009Venue: Oakland ManorAbout Me: I'm a Maryland raised environmental policy wonk/activist/organizer and communications aficionado. In the past year I've lived in Baltimore, MD, Tucson, AZ, Miami, FL and Lancaster, England. In my not so spare time I enjoy planning trips with Mr. D' Orsay, visiting friends and family and crafting like a mo-fo. I also enjoy modern dance classes, rugby and soccer but have been banned by my mother, MOHs, and Mr. D' Orsay from playing till after the wedding. I have an unnatural addiction to cheese and shoes, but love Mr. D' Orsay more than either and can't wait to become Mrs. D' Orsay!
It was pretty tough for me to think about how to give you guys a tour of one of my favorite cities, but that’s what makes Baltimore one of my favorite cities! Baltimore is full of interesting things to see and do!
Mrs. Ballet Flat, New OrleansAge and Occupation: 24, Geographic Information Systems AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, IT AnalystEngagement Date: March 16, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: September 25, 2008Venue: St. Charles Borromeo Church/Jefferson-Orleans NorthAbout Me: I absolutely love wedding planning, spending time with Mr. Ballet Flat, various crafts, watching football, baking, pop music, bargain hunting and ice cream. My idea of a great date night is dinner and clearance shopping with Mr. Ballet Flat! I currently live below sea level in the suburbs near New Orleans, where I make maps all day, everyday for my job. I'm slowly becoming more and more obsessed with anything New Orleans related for our wedding, and I can't wait for the big day!
New Orleans is a city full of food, culture, and fun! Being from the area, I’ve seen a good bit of the city. For those of you who would like to vacation in New Orleans one day, I’d like to share my favorites with you in the form of a sample 4-day honeymoon itinerary (to make this wedding related, of course!). Let’s just say that your tummy will be super happy after this trip, but there will be some walking to do!
Day 1 (arrival)
Let’s just assume you get to your hotel for 2PM at check-in time.
2:00PM Check in, nap, and beautify yourself (I have to nap after traveling… just have to!).
5:30PM Kick off your New Orleans trip with flair and have dinner at the infamous Brennan’s Restaurant in the French Quarter. This would be a splurge of a dinner, but I promise you, it’s well worth it!! Be sure to try the Banana’s Foster… they come out and make it right in front of you! Super cool! If you love the food that much, totally purchase their cookbook as your first souvenir. It’s called “Breakfast at Brennan’s (and Dinner too!)”. Or, check out some of their featured recipes here, as well!
Mrs. Pineapple, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 24, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Student Affairs AdministrationEngagement Date: August 4, 2007Wedding Date: October, 2008Blogging Since: April 14, 2008Venue: The Rivers ClubAbout Me: Being a transplant from sunny south Florida I am learning to live with all four seasons while playing with our cat collective, line dancing, and doing a ton of DIY projects for our wedding (seriously, like a thousand)!
Hi hive! Long time, no see! I owe you all a thousand recaps of what was a truly amazing day for Mr. Pineapple and me. Unfortunately, my photographer still owes me the hundreds of images required to share our day with you. We have received our watermarked and low-res proofs, but they are just not high enough quality to share. I hope to get the full-res photos very soon, for your sake and mine.
If you want to really honeymoon in my hometown, you are welcome to pitch a tent by the lake on the farm where we live. However you will be limited to eating what you can cook over a fire, or traveling 15 miles to dine in at McDonald’s. Clyde, PA may not be an ideal honeymoon spot, but there are wonderful getaways outside of Pittsburgh in rural western Pennsylvania.
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Unique Wedding Favors
Chicago is a city built by its neighborhoods, and each has its own vibe and culture.
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