Mrs. Panther, Atlanta GA/Westport CTAge and Occupation: 24, Web WriterFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Music Recording EngineerEngagement Date: March 13, 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: The Inn at LongshoreAbout Me: I'm a total goofball who goes through life at a breakneck pace, trying not to knock anything over. I tend to fall in love with everything I encounter, but more than anything, I love my two little kitties, Bela and Josie, and my big kitty, Mr. Panther! As a wannabe crafter, I'm still waiting for my artistic talents to emerge. (Any day now, really.) In the meantime, I spend my days eating anything put in front of me, buying every pair of shoes I see and absorbing wedding inspiration from every inch of my surroundings. Mr. Panther and I are hardcore New Englanders planning Connecticut nuptials from our new home in the Dirty South, and can't wait to mix our newfound love of classic Southern charm with some modern city touches.
The wedding’s getting close, guys, and I’m starting to lose it. Prepare yourself for an overflow of randomness in this post.
Back in my early ‘Bee days (eight months ago! OMG!), I wrote a post about my unwillingness to keep things simple. I said, “This is my wedding. If I’m going to go overboard, isn’t this the perfect opportunity?”
I kept up this mindset for a long, long time, but as the wedding creeps closer (10 days! OMG!), I find myself desperately trying to simplify, simplify, simplify. Instead of tissue paper flower escort cards, I’m making single layer tented cards. Instead of making bird-on-a-wineglass place cards, I’m forgoing place cards entirely. Instead of hand-stamping and matting all our thank you cards, I created a design that matched our invitations and had them printed out. It all makes me sad, especially the bird place cards, but there’s nothing to be done. I just ran out of time. And I don’t want to kill myself over something that, in the grand scheme of things, doesn’t really matter. Sigh.
There have been many casualties in my mission to annihilate unnecessary details. Sadly, one of them just might be my beautiful, sparkly, wonderful J. Crew bracelet.
Mrs. Cinnamon Bun, Calgary, AlbertaAge and Occupation: 26, Stage ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Theatre TechnicianEngagement Date: June 22, 2010Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Calgary Opera CentreAbout Me: I'm a life-long crafter and bookworm living in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Some of my loves include Lord of the Rings, Sherlock Holmes, knitting, opera, musicals, Etsy, baking, and of course, Mr. Cinnamon Buns. We're keeping our wedding close to home---the venue isn't very far from our house, and we live within walking distance of 6 bridal salons. I'm using the wedding as an excuse to try out every craft project I possibly can, with the endless help and support of my fiance.
Mrs. Pony, Bloomington, ILAge and Occupation: 25, AttorneyFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, AttorneyEngagement Date: March 22, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Mackinaw Valley Vineyard; Bloomington Center for the Performing ArtsAbout Me: I found my Southern counterpart in law school and since he popped the question last March, we have been busy graduating, job searching, bar taking, and wedding planning. My loves include must see TV, magnets, quotes, anything green, my car, fun socks, the Cubs, and my Mr. Together we love wine, playing outside, and exploring the world together. Stay tuned to see our Midwest wedding full of Southern charm, vintage flair, lots of DIY details, and a whole lot o’ wine.
…so they need some new decoration for the wedding. Continuing my rampant obsession with all things accessory related, I am currently confused by earrings. Because I love my engagement ring so much, I would really like my earrings to match the style and shape of my ring. Since it feels as if the wedding is getting closer by the minute, I’ve decided to narrow my searches to oval shaped drop earrings in a silver tone, which will hopefully match my overall bridal style.
Ms. Gazelle, Calgary/VancouverAge and Occupation: 32, EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Technology AnalystEngagement Date: September 3, 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Brock House Restaurant, VancouverAbout Me: I am a marathon runner, cyclist, Ironman triathlete and beautiful shoe fiend who also loves kicking back and watching Glee. I grew up a bit of a nomad as I traveled around the world with my family, living everywhere from Australia to England to South America and Indonesia. I finally settled in Calgary a few years ago and met Mr. Gazelle who loves me even though we cheer for different hockey teams. We are planning a bit of a destination wedding in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia and we can’t wait to share the day with our close family and friends.
I have really been struggling with what necklace to wear on our wedding day. I’ve got my bracelet and my earrings sorted out, but I just haven’t found a necklace I really love. I had hoped to borrow a piece from my mom. She has a beautiful strand of pearls that I really like but it is just a little too long for the neckline of my dress.
I didn’t want to buy a piece of jewellery unless it was something I really wanted. With my dress not fitting and not feeling inspired on the accessories front I was feeling really meh about my whole bridal look. I hadn’t said anything to my mom but she must have sensed my frustration on not being able to find anything. On a trip to Costco last weekend she surprised me by having me look at a beautiful double strand pearl necklace. Surprise—happy birthday Gazelle! She gifted the lovely necklace to me as a birthday present. Thank you mom! My beautiful new necklace with my earrings.
Mrs. Snow Cone, Pittsburgh/Johnstown, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Public Health Graduate StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, EngineerEngagement Date: April 9, 2010Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: OMOS Church ceremony/Sunnehanna Country Club receptionAbout Me: I’m one of the lucky ones---I met my future husband at the ripe old age of 13, started dating him as a mature woman of 15, and have been enjoying the ride ever since. Here we are, 8 years later, living in Pittsburgh, planning a "homestination" wedding in the place our school romance began---Johnstown, PA. I thrive on talking a mile a minute, eating my weight in chocolate, and internet shopping. I love a lengthy to-do list almost as much as I love a healthy amount of chaos in my life. Mr. Snow Cone and I watch countless episodes of Friends and The West Wing on repeat, root for rival college sports teams, and make each other laugh each and every day. We’re putting together a small-town wedding with a big personality and a classically modern (or modernly classic?) look for 250 of our closest family and friends. It’s been 8+ years in the making, and sometimes I still can’t believe I’m finally getting to marry my high school sweetheart!
Truthfully speaking, few things make me happier than crossing off items on a to-do list. I’ll admit, I’m the type of person to put “write to-do list” as the first item on my to-do list so I can cross that sucker off within about 30 seconds. I’m an accomplishment junkie, I guess…the less exciting counterpart of the adrenaline junkie, you could say. So you can imagine my sheer frustration that I cannot for the life of me manage to finalize a very specific item on my wedding list of tasks—my jewelry.
Mrs. Funnel Cake, Zürich, Switzerland/Columbus, OhioAge and Occupation: 24, Visual Communication DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Application EngineerEngagement Date: May 30, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Catholic church followed by a botanical conservatoryAbout Me: I'm an American designer who moved to Switzerland for love after a fairytale beginning at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I love travel, photography, museums, learning German so I can speak with my mother-in-law, cooking (eating), cuddling, and I'm not afraid to try something new even if it terrifies me. My Swiss/Brazilian man and I are both down to earth people planning a traditional Catholic wedding in my hometown with some quirky cultural exceptions to reflect our different backgrounds. We look forward to celebrating with friends and family from all over the world in a classic, sophisticated fusion of heritage and love.
Mrs. Pain au Chocolat, Wilmington, DEAge and Occupation: 29, RealtorFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, RealtorEngagement Date: November 21, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Greenville Country ClubAbout Me: An ENFJ with an artistic streak who loves backgammon, sailing, graphic design, and sleeping in. Travel (near or far), good wine, and tasty food makes my heart sing. I'm a compulsive list-maker who lives to plan and organize. Mr. P and I have lived together for 4 years, all the while renovating our city townhome bit by bit. We're planning a whimsical, Anthropologie-inspired garden wedding in June 2011.
After what seems like forever, I’ve finally found jewelry for my sister and BM R! You see, it’s not that we couldn’t find jewelry we liked, it’s that we found TOO much jewelry we liked. How do you narrow down hundreds of awesome pieces when the choice is left up to you… and you’ve never done this before?
A marathon shopping trip (six hours in new wedges—ouch, dummy!) a few weeks ago turned up a few possibilities. BM R, who trends toward classic and blingy, was coveting this lovely pair:
They were even more sparkly spectacular under those Nordstrom lights, but $88/pair was more than I wanted to spend. (The girls’ dresses and jewelry are my wedding present to them.) Read more…
Mrs. Candy Apple, Princeton Junction, NJ/ Seattle, WAAge and Occupation: 26, Project EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, AttorneyEngagement Date: May 9, 2010Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: St. Joseph's Parish, Seattle Tennis ClubAbout Me: I am a Pacific Northwesterner, born and bred. I have lived in many cities---Santa Clara, Durham (England); Florence; Boston; Princeton Junction---but my heart will always be nestled up near the Cascades and Olympics, which is why we are holding our wedding there. I am a bookworm and a History nerd: I love that my life consists of books, books, and more books, since I work in Publishing! Recently, all waking time not consumed by work and my daily commute has been overtaken by wedding planning. Well, that, and watching Premier-League soccer. There is nothing I love more than a good Tana French mystery, traveling to new places, Anthropologie shopping sprees, Iittala dishware, Kate Spade shoes, impeccable typefaces (think: Archer), and a nice English ale (hellooo, Old Speckled Hen!). Oh, and did I mention my obsession with wedding blogs? Yeah, there’s that too. Join Mr. Candy Apple and me as we prep for our wedding, and, more importantly, our marriage!
Now that my bridesmaids all finally have their fab dresses, we need to figure out what sorts of things they should wear with said dresses. You know, shoes and accessories and such.
Honestly, I don’t need or want them to all wear the same shoes or accessories. I don’t really care if they match or not, and I don’t want them to have to go and spend more money on shoes that they may not necessarily like. But, I would like to give them some sort of direction, so they’re not floundering around in the world of shoes with no idea of what to get (Or maybe I’m the only one that flounders around in the world of shoes? There are too many dang options—I get overwhelmed easily). And because, well, I would like them to look at least semi-coordinated, even if they’re not matching perfectly. Read more…
Mrs. Funnel Cake, Zürich, Switzerland/Columbus, OhioAge and Occupation: 24, Visual Communication DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Application EngineerEngagement Date: May 30, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Catholic church followed by a botanical conservatoryAbout Me: I'm an American designer who moved to Switzerland for love after a fairytale beginning at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I love travel, photography, museums, learning German so I can speak with my mother-in-law, cooking (eating), cuddling, and I'm not afraid to try something new even if it terrifies me. My Swiss/Brazilian man and I are both down to earth people planning a traditional Catholic wedding in my hometown with some quirky cultural exceptions to reflect our different backgrounds. We look forward to celebrating with friends and family from all over the world in a classic, sophisticated fusion of heritage and love.
Mrs. Pain au Chocolat, Wilmington, DEAge and Occupation: 29, RealtorFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, RealtorEngagement Date: November 21, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Greenville Country ClubAbout Me: An ENFJ with an artistic streak who loves backgammon, sailing, graphic design, and sleeping in. Travel (near or far), good wine, and tasty food makes my heart sing. I'm a compulsive list-maker who lives to plan and organize. Mr. P and I have lived together for 4 years, all the while renovating our city townhome bit by bit. We're planning a whimsical, Anthropologie-inspired garden wedding in June 2011.
As a nod to my avatar on Weddingbee, I’m doing something special and tiny—a tiny pain au chocolat charm will be attached to my bouquet. Sneaking in this little reminder of the hive will have me smiling all day… and undoubtedly craving the chocolatey breakfast treat!
Etsy, with it’s treasure trove of vendors, was my go-to source yet again. Miss Lox tipped me off about the shop, Inedible Jewelry, that created her super cute charm. One custom request later, my very own breakfast food charm had arrived. Read more…
Mrs. Hyena, College Station, TXAge and Occupation: 23, Marketing SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Aerospace Engineering Grad StudentEngagement Date: January 8, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Downtown 202About Me: I'm a Texas girl who met my future hubby in high school, then headed up to Oklahoma for a college education (BOOMER SOONER!) before moving back to the Lone Star State to be with him. I love reading and recycling, Photoshop and reality TV, making lame jokes and then laughing at them, quoting movies, and Mr. Hyena most of all. I'm perpetually early and I like to get things accomplished. When my cat meows at me, I meow back. We're planning a laid-back, unintentionally DIY wedding with a cocktail-party vibe, and can't wait to celebrate our nuptials with our nearest and dearest!
I know this is a little late coming since Part 1 and Part 2 of the Shiny! series were um…a long time ago. But! But! I now have all my wedding jewelry, and a couple of stories to boot.
Originally, I was going to borrow jewelry from Aunt Hyena as my “something borrowed.” Over time, that kind of fell through as she didn’t have a lot of jewelry that was silver or white gold, or I didn’t find anything that I liked, or the things I did like were broken. It’s OK, though. I have an even better “something borrowed” now, which I am not going to share here because it deserves a post of its own. (Coming soon to a theater near you: The Amazing Story of Two Women, Two Weddings, and an Unexpected Swap! It will make you laugh! It will make you cry…because you’re laughing too hard! Ebert and Roper give it two thumbs up!)
Oh, the crummy things you can throw together in Photoshop (top left and bottom pics by moi, top right pic by Bridesmaid J)
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!
I’ve shared the biggest pieces of my wedding day attire with you here in the Hive—namely the dress. But there are so many more other little details that are still in the works, those little things that will hopefully set put the whole outfit together.
First things first, you know what this means Mr. Jaguar—it’s time to leave!
Mrs. Bacon, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 26, Digital Advertising ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, IT Client ServicesEngagement Date: June 17, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Ravenswood Billboard FactoryAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl that can't seem to commit to staying in one place for too long and is constantly daydreaming about my next adventure. I am an aspiring foodie with a weak spot for the unusual and I love semi-reality food television. My other loves easily include laughing as a form of exercise, a book that I can't put down, summer baseball games, espresso with whipped cream, couch potato days and nights with the ridiculous Mr. Bacon, and our two kitties, Lincoln and Sawyer. We're planning a faux-destination wedding for 150 of our closest friends and family in the city we've both adopted as home that has a modern, yet whimsical twist and as many personal touches as we can manage.
Now that The Dress has been squared away (erm, again…) it’s finally time to add some flair! I’m actually a bit torn in the direction I want to go with the whole jewelry thing: Fresh and Modern or Romantic and Antique? The dress itself is traditional in shape, but the patterned fabric makes it pretty modern. I think it’s time for the Hive to help me decision!
Here are some examples of “Fresh and Modern” adornments: Read more…
Mrs. Hyena, College Station, TXAge and Occupation: 23, Marketing SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Aerospace Engineering Grad StudentEngagement Date: January 8, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Downtown 202About Me: I'm a Texas girl who met my future hubby in high school, then headed up to Oklahoma for a college education (BOOMER SOONER!) before moving back to the Lone Star State to be with him. I love reading and recycling, Photoshop and reality TV, making lame jokes and then laughing at them, quoting movies, and Mr. Hyena most of all. I'm perpetually early and I like to get things accomplished. When my cat meows at me, I meow back. We're planning a laid-back, unintentionally DIY wedding with a cocktail-party vibe, and can't wait to celebrate our nuptials with our nearest and dearest!
So. We’ve talked earrings. Now it’s time to think about bracelets! I’ll stop talking and just get on to the pictures. Remember to wipe the slobber off your keyboard when you’re done!
Mrs. Jam, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 25, Writer/Associate Wedding CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Structural EngineerEngagement Date: December 23, 2009Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Hunter’s Ridge, Princeton, ILAbout Me: I’m a penny-pinching cat lady getting ready to marry the frugal dog lover of my dreams. Our ideal Saturday morning includes rummaging around people’s junk at garage and estate sales followed by an afternoon date to our favorite café, where we only eat sandwiches that include the word “salad.” We actually love it so much, it’s sort of our unofficial wedding theme: Look at our delicious finds, eat homemade ham salad, and celebrate our love…barndance style. When we’re not obsessing over our love-fest shindig, we’re planning themed parties for our best friends and jamming to '90s music.
My grandma picked it up in the ’60s on one of her many travels, and I’m honored she’s letting me borrow it for the wedding. Maybe now you can see why I was faced with the conundrum of finding the perfect dress based on this necklace, because HOW CAN I NOT WEAR THIS?! Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
