Mrs. Cardigan, AustinAge and Occupation: 21, Student/Soon-to-be Special Education TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 20, Student/Soon-to-be Accounting Systems AnalystEngagement Date: August 16, 2009Wedding Date: January 2011Venue: Vintage VillasAbout Me: I'm a native Austinite who was raised as a die-hard Aggie. Luckily, I'm a pretty persuasive girl because I managed to convince my high school boyfriend (now fiance!), Mr. Cardigan, to ditch his hardcore Longhorn ways and join me up at A&M, where we currently reside with our adorable dogs, Cullen & Ranger. We're currently planning a bright, cheery wedding with a ridiculous amount of DIY projects that I can't wait to tackle! I love crafting in any form, reading, and margaritas (I think I love them the most!). Organization is what keeps me sane and I love helping others, which is probably why I ended up as an education major. It gets a little chaotic sometimes when you're planning a wedding among all of the papers, projects, finals, and certification exams, but we're having the time of our lives and we can't wait to get started on our journey as husband and wife - and we're so excited to share our wedding with the hive!
(Okay, I know that’s the lamest post title EVER. Sorry. My brain is not working today, forgive me.)
So, I don’t know if y’all have noticed this yet, but I love my dogs.
Like, a lot.
I love that every day when I come home, they come dashing to see me, and yes, I even love that Ranger gets so excited to see me that he jumps up on me and almost knocks me over with his huge self. And I love that Cullen likes to find the most awkward possible spot to cuddle with me (like directly on my pillow when I’m trying to sleep, pushing my head off of the pillow. Or, you know, on top of my head).
I love how insanely cute they are. (Inserting obligatory adorable photos here)
Cullen, giving his trademark “I’m the cutest dog ever” face.
Mrs. Barrettes, Tumon, Guam/Napa, CAAge and Occupation: 29, DancerFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Licensed Building ContractorEngagement Date: November 16, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: V. Sattui WineryAbout Me: I'm an East Coast girl, living on a tiny little island in the Pacific, twirling, leaping, and shimmy-ing my way through life, and now, wedding planning! I'm equal parts nerdy and cool... okay, mostly nerdy. I love satin bows, red lipstick, black & white graphic anything, the shine of sequins and the sound of a champagne "pop". My favorite books are The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James, and Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I can also conjure a pretty good Patronus Charm. I started my appreciation for good red wine while traveling on the high seas, and it's only fitting that my passion for wine drinking led me to my Napa-bred honey. We bonded over bottles of Cabernet on my oceanfront porch and haven't looked back since. We're sealing the deal at a winery in the Napa Valley on a 'perfect ten' of a day!
Baby Barrettes is a really cool dude. He loves the beach and is always the first one in the water. He has more human friends than dog friends, and we’re really excited to introduce him to all of his furry relatives in the USA. His favorite treats are grapes, although he will totally eat broccoli. We let him grow out his hair as long as he wanted, but now with the wedding coming up we have been dog-scaping him.
Mrs. Trail Mix, New YorkAge and Occupation: 26, PE TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, MBA StudentEngagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Tannery Pond at the Darrow SchoolAbout Me: I'm a country girl who somehow found herself living in the Big Apple and loving every minute of it. I'm planning a rustic, country-chic wedding in my hometown in upstate New York and it's going to be a Party with a capital P. White wine, flea markets and running keep me happy and my friends, family and fiance are my world. I'm a little bit crafty, a little bit crazy but mostly just crazy in love.
And it’s actually not with my new hubby (although, lord knows I love him too). But before you gasp and wonder what the heck is going on, I’ll explain…
This is the kind of love that gets you up at 5:30 every morning without complaint (OK, maybe a few complaints but only a few), the kind of love that makes you coo and squeal over every new move, a love that even makes picking up poo with a plastic bag somehow adorable.
Yes, I am in love with a dog. And not just any dog, my dog (our dog, sorry, hubs). I’ve never had a dog before, not even when I was growing up. Now we do, and she’s perfect.
So you can tell how happy and proud I am to tell you all that Mr Trail Mix and I adopted an 8-week-old Boston Terrier mix from a rescue shelter called Hugs for Hounds last Friday! She weighs in at 3 pounds, her name is Perri and we’re so in love, it’s not even funny.
I mean, good grief, how could you not love a face like this? Read more…
Mrs. Socks, Southern NJ/Philadelphia, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Web Developer/Marketing SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Systems EngineerEngagement Date: September 7, 2009
Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: Ladder 15 RestaurantAbout Me: I am originally from the Midwest, but I love being an East Coast transplant! Mr. Socks and I are foodies and winos to the core---give us a hunk of cheese, some charcuterie and a glass of wine and we could die happy. We have two mischievous Wire Fox Terriers with completely opposite personalities but with a shared love of uprooting anything in our garden. Our backyard garden includes everything from tomatoes and peppers to a fig tree, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries! I love cooking, indie music, and spending time in our wedding city of choice---Philly!
In case you didn’t already know, we have two Wire Fox Terriers and they are insanely cute. Need some evidence?
Need I say more?
So when we started planning the wedding, we naturally wanted to include our pups in one way or another. When we were looking at vineyards, this wasn’t much of a problem as most of it was outside, and for the indoor areas, they just wouldn’t be allowed. Read more…
Mrs. Pug, New York City/Half Moon Bay, CAAge and Occupation: 33, LawyerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, dittoEngagement Date: July 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon BayAbout Me: The Mr. and I are two 30-somethings who enjoy tasty sweets of all kinds, our neighborhood wine store, and cuddling with our pug. NYC is where we live and the city we love, but we’re doing the deed out in Northern California. We are trying to keep the affair small, intimate, and manageable. Our motto is: the less people, the better! (I’m kidding.)
My posts are coming to an end, but let’s face it, there was no way I was going to let you get away without seeing a some of the sizable share that our pugs had in our wedding photos…
Sometimes I wonder if my dad wishes I had been born as a pug instead of a girl
Mrs. Hermit Crab, New York, NYAge and Occupation: 24, Youth Director soon to be Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Medical Student - soon to be Surgery ResidentEngagement Date: October 11, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: New York Botanical GardenAbout Me: I love all things food, books, our furbaby, Rashi, and adventures with my amazing fiance (oh, and saving the world!). This summer I will not only be a bride, but a bridesmaid, officiant, and attendee as well---it's all about weddings in my life right now, full of so many exciting moments and projects. We're planning a fab New York City wedding weekend full of family, love and lots of color!
Everyone always seems to ask if we felt different once we got engaged. I would have to say that except for feeling very very excited, it didn’t feel different immediately. I was reminded of when we moved in together, nearly three years ago, and people asked us the same thing then. It was a similar feeling for me - we were incredibly happy about it (especially since moving in together ended a year of agonizing long distance), but it felt so natural and comfortable that it didn’t necessarily feel different. I had a lot of friends who asked me over the years how I knew Mr. Hermit Crab was the “one” for me, usually around these big occasions. We have been together a little over five years at this point, and over the years, there are have been other, slightly more nontraditional markers that have shown me that Mr. Hermit Crab and I make good partners for each other. There have been a myriad of indicators for me over the years, but I will share one of the bigger ones with you. A couple months after we moved in together, we adopted two adorable kittens.
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!
Okay, so here are the basics of the situation. As I’ve mentioned before, we are basically having a mini-destination wedding; neither Mr. Octopus and I, nor almost any of our friends and family live in Pittsburgh. Mr. Octopus and I have complicated travel plans for the week of the wedding: on the Wednesday before, we’re taking a one-way flight from Boston to my hometown in upstate New York, then driving in a big caravan of family down to Pittsburgh. Then, the Monday after, we’re taking another one-way flight from Pittsburgh back to Boston. I’m also expecting that those few days leading up to the wedding will be very busy, filled with lots and lots of errands to run, things to do, and people to see.
So here’s the dilemma: do we bring Daffodil to Pittsburgh with us, or do we put her in a kennel?
There are valid arguments for both sides. Read more…
Mrs. Pug, New York City/Half Moon Bay, CAAge and Occupation: 33, LawyerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, dittoEngagement Date: July 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon BayAbout Me: The Mr. and I are two 30-somethings who enjoy tasty sweets of all kinds, our neighborhood wine store, and cuddling with our pug. NYC is where we live and the city we love, but we’re doing the deed out in Northern California. We are trying to keep the affair small, intimate, and manageable. Our motto is: the less people, the better! (I’m kidding.)
For most of our wedding planning, Mr. Pug and I only had one pug:
The chubber above made it into my blog posts, the main picture of our website, and even our engagement photos. See following evidence: Read more…
Ms Seahorse, BostonAge and Occupation: 25, Veterinary Jane-of-all-tradesFiancee's Age and Occupation: 36, former non-profit fundraiser in search of something betterEngagement Date: October 17, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Fort Pond LodgeAbout Me: By day I'm a cat-wrangler, vet tech assistant, pet-sitter, receptionist, and pre-vet student, but the rest of the time, I'm a former-roller-derby girl turned dedicated-wedding planner. I love reading, writing, bicycles, animals, roller skating, and antique-y things of all sorts. I'm a vegetarian who likes spicy foods, while Fiancee Seahorse is a meat eater who does not like spices. We live outside Boston with our menagerie: a fifty pound dog, a one-eyed, seventeen-toed, toothless cat, and a perfectly put together cat who has a penchant for pooping near rather than in her litter box. In addition to planning our small lake-side wedding, we enjoy running around with the puppy, playing board games (Scrabble, anyone?), having little adventures, talking about how we should really clean the house more, and maintaining our little garden of vegetables and wedding flowers.
I admit that, in my family, I am known to be a hypochondriac. I’m not sure that my ailments are as imagined as my family members seem to believe they are, but fine—most of the time that I think I am dying, I am not, in fact, dying. That said, I have been suspecting for awhile that I have what is referred to as “The Six Month Disease”, and evidence continues to point to its existence, this illness raging in my body.
Symptoms of the Six Month Disease flare up every, say, 6 months – hence the name. Very complex, as you can see. Some such symptoms include:
Wanting big life changes
Creating big life changes
Whining about what changes one could make in one’s big life
Begging for cute things
It should be noted that much of this occurs within the context of one’s intimate relationship. I may have been infected long before my current relationship existed, but it is only in the past couple of years that it has been pointed out to me that I have this disease.
Mrs. Jellyfish, Pleasanton, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Air Force PilotEngagement Date: February 21, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Casa Real at Ruby Hill WineryAbout Me: In a nutshell, I’m the most optimistic worrywart you’ll ever meet. My family emigrated from Romania to San Jose, CA when I was 8, and I've been a Nor Cal girl ever since! My fiancé is also a Bay Area native, so it’s funny that we met at UCLA, as college freshmen living on the same floor (go Bruins!). Between his career as an Air Force pilot and my path to becoming a lawyer, our relationship has been anything but typical. We currently live together in Berkeley with our puppy Stinson. In addition to spending time with the loves of my life, I enjoy crafting, attempting complicated recipes, environmental law and non-law school reading (Us Weekly, anyone?). Follow along as I plan an elegant 200-person winery wedding, graduate law school, take the Bar exam, get married and get used to the always unpredictable but never boring life of a military spouse!
If we end up having our puppy in the wedding, it will definitely be as the flower dog. I was thinking of attaching a couple fake buds to his collar to spruce him up for the big day, but then I saw this:
It says “10 Reasons Why I Should Have Been Best Man” and they are: 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!
Here’s a fact I haven’t shared yet: Mr. Octopus and I are dog owners. And, if I can be totally objective for a minute, the dog we own is the sweetest, cuddliest, funniest, most precious, most perfect dog that exists in the universe.
Mrs. Taco, San FranciscoAge and Occupation: 29, writer/editorFiance's Age and Occupation: 37, editorEngagement Date: May 13, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: The Green Room at the War Memorial Veterans BuildingAbout Me: I like laughing and talking with good friends over good food and good drink, be it wine, cocktail, or brew. I write and edit things for fun and profit, but I rarely "write" these days without a keyboard and high-speed internets. Favorites include Mr. Taco, my Boston terrier, San Francisco, getting out of town, and the Roaring ’20s. I was kind-of planning a wedding since roughly 2006, when I discovered "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" on the WE channel. I ran and didn't look back with a theme I called "urban vintage," and it culminated in the most magical day a taco could ask for.
They say we’re “city married.” “They” say that this means we have all the semblances of marriage (including a shared household, day jobs, and a dog) without the actual marriage part… yet. And we even do that annoying thing where we compare our dog to your kids when either acts up. (In our defense, they’re surprisingly similar at times!)
Tiny Taco is a Boston terrier and she’ll be 9 years old in September. People either think she’s a French bulldog, a puppy (she’s a wee one at 12 pounds), or both. She loves the p-a-r-k, her b-o-n-e, and the b-a-l-l. A true terrier at heart, she will play in/with all of the above and never tire or take a sip of the water we brought just for her. A sometimes-cranky, middle-aged gal, she not-so-humbly eats up attention paid to her by adoring fans across the country (I’m not sure it’s reached past the U.S.).
(Pics by Devin Carraway. She normally has a knack for avoiding the camera, so we’re especially happy to have these.)
Mrs. Argyle, St. LouisAge and Occupation: 24, Project CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, PilotEngagement Date: February 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Jewel Box in Forest Park and Windows on WashingtonAbout Me: I'm a true Midwestern girl (born and raised), lover of red wine, reality TV and the entire J.Crew catalog. I love to dance regardless of who is watching, and enjoy a good laugh with my girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for planet Earth, my two dogs and my fiance. Fall is my favorite season (which is why we are marrying in September), but I love a warm summer day and the Colorado mountains in the winter. We are planning a modern soiree downtown, with lots of bold colors, and fun, eco-friendly elements.
Mrs. Jellyfish, Pleasanton, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Air Force PilotEngagement Date: February 21, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Casa Real at Ruby Hill WineryAbout Me: In a nutshell, I’m the most optimistic worrywart you’ll ever meet. My family emigrated from Romania to San Jose, CA when I was 8, and I've been a Nor Cal girl ever since! My fiancé is also a Bay Area native, so it’s funny that we met at UCLA, as college freshmen living on the same floor (go Bruins!). Between his career as an Air Force pilot and my path to becoming a lawyer, our relationship has been anything but typical. We currently live together in Berkeley with our puppy Stinson. In addition to spending time with the loves of my life, I enjoy crafting, attempting complicated recipes, environmental law and non-law school reading (Us Weekly, anyone?). Follow along as I plan an elegant 200-person winery wedding, graduate law school, take the Bar exam, get married and get used to the always unpredictable but never boring life of a military spouse!
Exactly one year before our wedding, something happened that changed the Jelly household forever. We adopted a puppy! We started the process just 2 weeks before and he came home with us on our 1 year pre-wedding-aversary! He’s a rescue pup, so we’re not sure about his exact breed, but we’re told he’s part-pug, part-dachshund (and possibly part-basenji).
This is what he looked like when we adopted him at 10 weeks old. (Photo courtesy of Smiley Dog Rescue)
Initially, I wanted to name him Barney after our favorite How I Met Your Mother character, Barney Stinson: Read more…
Mrs. Nachos, Chicago/St. ThomasAge and Occupation: 33, Commercial Real Estate & HairstylistFiance's Age and Occupation: 36, Radio ProducerEngagement Date: May 22, 2009Wedding Date: April 2010Venue: Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort, St. ThomasAbout Me: I'm a happy, laid back city girl that can find the silver lining in any situation. An optimist at heart, my motto is to turn your "what ifs?" into "so whats!". My fiance is a radio producer and the biggest Cubs fan you'll meet - our apartment decor definitely shows it. He and I grew up next door to each other and because of it, we have the best home videos and easiest holiday dinners. We are planning an intimate wedding in the Virgin Islands and a cocktail party in June for 150 of our closest friends.
My doggies are my babies. I love them to death and can’t wait to get home from work every day to see them. When I open the door, their whole butts wag, and it’s a wonderful feeling to know that these little ones are SO happy to see me after a long day.
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
