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!
Bees, this is something that I had never put two seconds of thought into, and never thought I would have to. My mom came to me the other night and talked to me about the idea of signing a prenup with Mr. PF. Her reasoning is totally rational and I totally get it. My parents own a lot of property and rental buildings, and they want to make sure that if anything were to happen between Mr. PF and me, my assets would be protected.
I have always been one of those people who would say, “Why even get married if you are signing a piece of paper for when it all goes wrong?” And now, I am stuck in a situation where I am faced with this question myself. So after talking with Mom about it, I may have told her I would talk to Mr. PF about it soon.
Mrs. Cucumber Sandwich, Washington, DC/Cape May, NJAge and Occupation: 28, School CounselorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Collegiate AthleticsEngagement Date: March 27, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Congress Hall HotelAbout Me: I am a school counselor who spends my day wrangling children and my nights attempting to be creative with wedding projects. My enthusiasm for each of these activities far surpasses my skill. Thank goodness Mr. Cucumber Sandwich is there to pick up the pieces and be the voice of reason about my DIY tries. I have an obsession with terrible romantic comedies (‘From Justin to Kelly’ anyone?, anyone?!?), competitive Scrabble play, and hot dogs. I could eat astronaut ice cream for every meal and can’t seem to resist buying more shoes. Our wedding is going to be a true hodge podge of semi-destination, tradition, Yuengling, New England charm, with just a dash of ‘Jersey Shore’ thrown in. It has been six years in the making and I can’t wait to marry my best friend.
The Cucumber Sandwiches have made their way to courthouse and are ready to make it official!
So giddy and excited! Let’s get this show on the road and get licensed already. But first pose for another picture. 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’m finished with my recaps, but I’m not quite ready to sign off yet. I still have things to say!
After our wedding, I began the long, arduous journey of changing my name. Only it wasn’t really that long or arduous. I went to MissNowMrs.com, paid the $29 to use the service and filled out all the paperwork easy squeezy. Instead of having you fill out every single form individually, MissNowMrs provides one big form where you put in your maiden name/married name/address/other pertinent information, and then autofills all the other forms for you. GENIUS! Sure there are a few things to double-check on each form, and you still have to send out each form and the required IDs and licenses and moneys with ’em, but it was seriously not that difficult. Definitely recommend this, especially if you’re lazy like me.
Which leads me to the next part. I’ve talked here (and again, here) about my feelings on changing my name. I completely dropped my maiden name and took his, leaving my middle name intact. I do not regret my decision in the slightest. However, the day that I went to the DMV to get my driver’s license changed, I was convinced this whole name thing was a huge mistake. Read more…
Mrs. Teaspoon, Sydney, AustraliaAge and Occupation: 27, Medical ScientistFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, BankerEngagement Date: June 4, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: St Aloysius' College, Milson's PointAbout Me: I am a mad scientist who enjoys swimming at the beach in summer and skiing powder in winter. Our favourite times together are spent with the sand between our toes, cooking up a storm, re-watching and re-reading every Harry Potter ever made, and spending time with our dear friends and family! We have travelled the world together in our 6 years of dating, from Paris, to Thailand, to Las Vegas, and we are tackling the many challenges of planning our special day the best way we know how---together!
I’m not the first bee nor will I be the last be to be discussing name changing! There are many different opinions surrounding the whole name-changing issue. I for one stand firmly in the pro-change corner. However, the name change does have its disadvantages!
Miss Doily, Cedar Rapids, IowaAge and Occupation: 25, Autism Paraeducator/ StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Freelance Writer/ PublisherEngagement Date: August 27th, 2010Wedding Date: March 2012Venue: Father’s Vineyard Church/ A Touch of Class Banquet CenterAbout Me: I’m an Iowan girl with a deep love of Harry Potter, classic movies, cardigans, and Post-Its. My type-A Virgo tendencies often cause me to drive my laid-back college sweetheart fiance batty with lists and PowerPoint presentations. I love to be crafty and do things myself, which explains why my two crazy kittens often will prance around the house covered in glitter and ribbons. When I am not bogged down with work, school, or wedding planning, I like to travel to visit my expansive family and have wild adventures with my best friends. After a rollercoaster ride of a love story, I’m ready to take that final plunge, marry the love of my life, and become a Mrs.!
I know a lot of the other bees have been writing on their name changes lately. I will also be jumping on that topic. I wasn’t really even really thinking about the whole name change thing until I heard this on the radio:
I realized, I don’t know my own last name either. I’m one of those women who always said that they would probably keep their own last name. Why is this? Read more…
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!
Somewhat intentionally, and somewhat unexpectedly, I am right smack dab in the middle of a maelstrom of change right now. In the upcoming days and weeks, I will have:
A new address
A new job
A new name
Sure, three things may not seem like that much, but I feel pretty safe in saying that all three are kind of doozy-sized changes!
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.
After lunch with our parents, we got to what was probably my favourite part of the whole day. Legally marrying Mr. FC was fun and all, but I was about to try on my wedding dress!
When Sabelle arrived in Columbus, Ohio from Naples, Florida, Mama Funnel Cake confirmed that she was indeed “shortened” from the inside, and Mama FC had carefully removed the stitching to return the dress to its original length. Still… I was nervous that she might not fit my 5’9″ frame.
Crumpled up in a surprisingly small duffle bag, my dress travelled 4342miles (6988km) as my father’s carry-on to reach me. I had purchased a 4-ring hoop skirt from eBay for $30 that Mama FC brought with her on the plane as well. Read more…
Mrs. Parasol, San Ramon, CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 25, Non-profit writer, editor, and bloggerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Law school studentEngagement Date: December 19th, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Bent Creek Winery (Livermore, California); Reception: Family Residence (San Ramon, California) About Me: I am a California girl at heart. I love the outdoors, sunny days at the beach, and hiking in the woods and mountains. I also love good books and am fresh from completing my Master's degree in English and Comparative Literature in New York City. Living in NYC was an amazing experience, and while I'm glad to be back on the West Coast, I'm also thankful that my two years back East gave me an opportunity to explore new places, make new friends, and indulge my passion for Broadway shows. Oh, and I received a pretty awesome proposal from Mr. Parasol in Central Park. Above all else, Mr. Parasol is my biggest cheerleader and my best friend. But even though I'm thrilled to be marrying him, I wasn't always totally on board with this whole wedding thing and at first, I wanted to run off and elope. I've finally been convinced to throw the wedding I never thought I wanted, and so now I'm busy planning an intimate September wedding filled with DIY details. Along the way, I'm slowly learning to appreciate, perhaps even love the wedding planning process.
Even in our forward-thinking twenty-first century society, most people assume that when a man and woman get married, the wife will take her husband’s last name. At least in the United States. Many couples simply don’t want to break with such a long-standing tradition, while others cherish the idea of sharing a last name, especially if they ever plan on having children.
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.
Mr. Funnel Cake and I had walked to the Restaurant Rigiblick on a very sunny day in July ’10 when we decided it was where we would like to have our intimate Zivilstand dinner. As we sipped 20CHF smoothies in the broiling sun, we asked them if we could reserve a table at the edge of the balcony to enjoy the view over Zürich.
Mrs. Cucumber Sandwich, Washington, DC/Cape May, NJAge and Occupation: 28, School CounselorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Collegiate AthleticsEngagement Date: March 27, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Congress Hall HotelAbout Me: I am a school counselor who spends my day wrangling children and my nights attempting to be creative with wedding projects. My enthusiasm for each of these activities far surpasses my skill. Thank goodness Mr. Cucumber Sandwich is there to pick up the pieces and be the voice of reason about my DIY tries. I have an obsession with terrible romantic comedies (‘From Justin to Kelly’ anyone?, anyone?!?), competitive Scrabble play, and hot dogs. I could eat astronaut ice cream for every meal and can’t seem to resist buying more shoes. Our wedding is going to be a true hodge podge of semi-destination, tradition, Yuengling, New England charm, with just a dash of ‘Jersey Shore’ thrown in. It has been six years in the making and I can’t wait to marry my best friend.
I accidentally left my USB with all my pictures at work today, so you are going to have to suffer through a pictureless post. I guess this is a perfect time to talk about something that doesn’t really need pictures…taking on my new last name.
I have never been keen on changing my name. I have a beautiful and ethnic last name, if I do say so myself. I have met very few people (besides my family members, of course) who share my last name. Sadly, I have all sisters, and there is only one cousin who will carry on the name. For a while I convinced myself that I could get Mr. Cucumber Sammie to change to my last name. Not going to happen.
Mr. Cucumber Sammie has the last-name equivalent of Jones or Smith. I want us to be a family and share a last name, but going from Beautiful Betty to Plain Jane in the name department is not appealing. A compromise must be reached! Read more…
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.
Ah the name change game…to change your name or keep your maiden name, that is the question!
Back when I was younger and contemplating the idea of marriage (and well before Mr. Gazelle ever entered the picture) I always figured that I would change my name after getting married. In fact, when I first met Mr. Gazelle I used to think about how my first name fit with his last name. It is quite a pleasing combination, and in fact, I actually know someone who has the same name I would have (however she spells her first name differently).
But here is the thing, I have one unique name when you put it all together. I have never met anyone who spells their first name like mine is spelled. Chances are if you meet anyone with the same last name as me, we are related. 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.
After I found time to travel to Bern and endure the tyranny of the US Embassy to prove I was unmarried, my birth certificate finally came in the post and we were promptly on our way to the registrar to fill out our marriage application.
Mr. Funnel Cake and I sat nervously in the registry office, holding sweaty hands as the clerk helped us fill out our application. There are many “marriages of convenience” in Switzerland with the sole purpose of supplying a residence or work permit, so immigration is alwayson the lookout for suspicious “couples” that are really strangers marrying for money or permits. We were so nervous that they would think we weren’t really in love reject our application. It was terrifying!
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.
Way back when Mr. Funnel Cake mentioned Plan Z, I secretly started researching how to execute the plan. I knew a foreign marriage application in Switzerland was fairly time and labour intensive process, and I wanted to be prepared if and when Mr. Funnel Cake would agree we should do it. I figured if it came to this, we would need to execute our plan very quickly, and I was right!
(Image via my computer where I was constantly stalking EF)
So, what do you need to get married in Switzerland? Well, if you are Swiss all you need is your Passport or Identity Card. If you live outside the city you wish to marry in, you also need a copy of your residence certificate and civil status certificate from your local registry office, but Mr. Funnel Cake is a “Zürcher” so he just needed to bring his ID card with him.
The documents required from Americans are a little more complicated…
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!
First, I wanted to start this post by saying that we women (okay, and I suppose men too) need to give ourselves a big, ol’ pat on the back, and we need to raise a glass of something to the women who came before us. Why? Well, because we are at the point (at least in America) where there actually are name change debates, discussions, questions, thoughts, concerns, considerations. 100 years ago, it would have been very rare for an American woman to keep her last name after she was married, and I am incredibly appreciative that it is socially acceptable now for me to either keep my last name or take the last name of Mr. Candy Apple. Or, for him to take mine. Or, for us to merge our names via hyphen. Or, for us to form a completely new last name. There are so many options! It makes my feminist self leap with joy and happiness, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I am so glad I live in a time when we are making such big strides. (And yes, I say strides. Because I don’t think we’re actually there yet. But, we don’t need to get into that right now.) I don’t want to make this a post about feminism (what it is, etc. etc.)—I merely want to state my thoughts and feelings on the issue.
Anyway, yes, the Name Change Game (aka NCG). You know the one—lots of bees have hashed this out before their weddings. I know that for many people this is a touchy subject, causing large amounts of stress, heartbreak, annoyance, grief. I am sure it can also be somewhat of a make-or-break issue in relationships.
To me, the whole NCG mainly boils down to one issue. Read more…
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!
My colleagues spoiled me with two beautiful bath towels from our gift registry. I was treated to a lovely speech from my principal and lots of well wishes. There were cards from parents, messages from kids (in my class, and from around the school) and there was just a generally nice vibe floating around all day.
This afternoon I was finishing up the day with my Year 1/2 class and they were asking a whole lot of questions about the wedding—and I was explaining to them that this would be my last day teaching as “Miss Jaguar.” They were a bit thrown by that, but a few caught on and asked what I would be coming back as. So, I told them. I’ll be coming back as “Mrs. Jaguar.”
That’s when it hit me. All the dress fittings and the last minute tasks and the deadlines—they’ve just become part of our everyday lives.
But saying it out loud, saying my new name and my new identity out loud (and having 25 kids trying it on for size, too)—that was it. Read more…
Image credit: Hanna-Barbera/Warner Brothers
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
