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.
My brother’s fiance notified me last week that the price of stamps is supposed to increase by 2 cents on January 2, 2011. The fact that we want to send out our invitations right around that date has me a little worried about the procedure.
I was going to buy up Ye Olde Liberty Bell forever stamps and call it a day, but then I did the math. Read more…
Mrs. Ostrich, San Francisco/HawaiiAge and Occupation: 30, Fashion Buyer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 38, CopywriterEngagement Date: October 4, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Sweet ceremony by the sea and sunset celebration on the North Shore of HawaiiAbout Me: Born in the city of angels and residing in the city by the bay, I’m a fearless fashion buyer by day, a passionate blog author by night and a dreamy bride-to-be in between. I thank my lucky stars to live in such a stunning city that gives me gifts like organic honey lavender ice cream, movie nights in the park, tucked away beaches, legendary record stores, '80s dance parties, awesome sports teams, stellar flea markets, and vintage bookshops. Oh, and I love to dance! We always find every excuse to escape to the beach, and decided a little seaside wedding in Hawaii is our idea of bliss. Full of our favorite people, music, food and sparkly lights, this is one sunset celebration we will always remember.
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.
I bet every time I post, you think my entry titles couldn’t possibly get lamer. But I just keep surprising you, don’t I?
Back to business. So, I’ve been deep in the thick of making my save the dates for the past few weeks. First I designed ‘em, then I mocked ‘em up, then we hashed out a printing method, then we picked out colors from the corresponding Pantone guide (uncoated process, in this case), then we chose and ordered matching paper, and now, I’m just agonizing. I can’t order the actual printed portion until I get the printing samples from the company we’re using (Catprint, if all goes according to plan, and yes, I chose them because they like cats) and OUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS!
In the meantime, I’ve been cutting, cutting, cutting. I don’t want to reveal too much about them until they go out, but suffice it to say, my Cricut has a starring role in the production process. I took a break from Cricut-ing on Saturday to run to the post office, and I got some “deets,” as they say, about the postage for my precious beauties. As it turns out, the envelope size I chose—six-and-a-half inches, square—is the most expensive thing EVER to mail! Ready for this? Read more…
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.
Postcards were the only option we wanted. For one, postage is cheaper (although, we ended up buying regular stamps), and there were no envelopes needed (which equals less paper waste).
Neither of us wanted the traditional “Accepts with pleasure” or “Declines with regret” anywhere on that RSVP. I managed to stumble upon some great wording a while back, and it stuck with us since the very first time I mocked up an invitation.
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
I have an awesome return address stamp I got from my Weddingbee Secret Santa, Mrs. Lemon, 3 (!!!) Christmases ago that I use all the time. It features my name only, so I thought it was a good time to get one that had my husband’s name on it. You know, because he lives here, too.
I’m pretty sure I heard of Primele on Weddingbee. Swearsies. But I can’t for the life of me find any reference to it, so… boo. But once I saw it, I knew I had to get my hands on my own Primele stamp!
Upon first glance it appears as any other address stamp…
But check out this custom calligraphy goodness that the actual stamp produces: Read more…
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.
Last Friday I spent my time Cricut-ing it up and assembling our invites. And, since we were past our goal deadline of mailing these last Thursday, I assembled into the wee hours of the morning. 5 a.m., to be exact. Don’t judge. That’s what happens when you take a 4 hour nap at 8:30 p.m. on a Friday (I said don’t judge). But, I just had to get them done. I wanted to drop them off at the Post Office on Saturday morning to ensure they would start arriving this week.
And, that’s exactly what Mr. A and I did. To the post office we went last Saturday (which was horribly hot b-t-dubs—like 115 degree-heat-index-hot).
Can’t you just feel how hot it is in that photo? I can. Read more…
Mrs. Sewing, San Mateo, CA/Honolulu, HIAge and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: June 27, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Anela Garden Chapel & Japanese Cultural Center, HonoluluAbout Me: I'm an easily entertained, compulsive idea-scheming machine who loves good art, good food, and a good engineering challenge. I'm planning a half-destination wedding on the beautiful island of Oahu - imagine a plethora of movies, art and games; savory Hawaiian food; blended Chinese and Japanese cultural details; lush, fragrant tropical flowers and all the air conditioning a NorCal native could want! And once I marry the love of my life, we'll come back to the 'mainland' to party it up all over again in my hometown of Salinas, the salad-bowl capital of the world!
A common question, and one I asked myself many times throughout this engagement, is how does one get all those decorations and DIY projects to her destination wedding?
First, the post office. Here’s my tips and thoughts on the United States Postal Service:
Mrs. Starfish, Boston/NewportAge and Occupation: 25, Operations AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, SalesEngagement Date: October 8, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Atlantic Beach ClubAbout Me: I'm a perfectionist who is a planner at heart. I don't do well with surprises. I love planning, crafting, Newport RI, family and friends, and most importantly, Mr. Starfish---all of which will be big components in our October wedding in our favorite little city by the sea.
According to the New York Daily News, the USPS plans to raise postage rates for regular mail to 46 cents (an increase of 2 cents) and make increases for other mail as well. Postcards, which many brides use for Save the Dates will increase to 30 cents per card, also a 2 cent increase. It may not sound like a lot, but when planning a wedding, every penny adds up.
Mrs. Parfait, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 26, TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Senior Online ConsultantEngagement Date: February 14, 2009Wedding Date: April 2010Venue: Signature EventsAbout Me: I have a soft spot for all things sweet and romantic. Desserts, love songs, sappy movies? Yes, yes, and ohh yes. My fiance and I enjoy singing to our dogs, creating crazy ice cream sundaes, and generally being lovey dovey cuddle bunnies. We also do socially acceptable things like dancing, throwing Frisbees, playing high stakes board games, and taking unreasonably fun road-trips. We're planning a Korean/Serbian wedding with plenty of playful, personal touches!
As in—really, they couldn’t have released these stamps three months earlier?!
I was just at the post office, picking up more stamps for our thank you cards. They were all out of the wedding band stamps, so the lady behind the counter apologetically offered me these purple pansy ones. Read more…
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!
There is a teeny tiny detail that goes along with the invitations that I have to take a moment to mention…
I hate to admit it, but I totally had one of those “bride” moments when something seemed way more important than it really was. And what prompted this?
Mrs. Lobster, BrooklynAge and Occupation: 29, Finance GirlFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance BoyEngagement Date: July 25, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Stage 6 Steiner StudiosAbout Me: I'm a New York-born, Virginia-bred girl who's found her way back to the big city. Mr. Lobster and I met in grad school and have been together ever since. I'm clueless about DIY but am an avid online shopper and love all things polka dots, stripes, and ruffles! When I'm not making wedding lists, you can find me looking for snacks, watching Gilmore Girls, or hanging out with Mr. Lobster and our new puppy Buddy! We are planning a fancy-pantsy Brooklyn wedding for a hot New York summer night which is sure to be a misadventure in the making.
I’ve been a good engaged bride-to-be. I took careful time picking our venue, flowers, and dress and even stayed in budget. I haven’t yelled (a lot) at my fiance and I haven’t (yet) been called a bridezilla. So when you check you nice list twice, I should be there. Here’s my invitation wish list:
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
I know there’s a ton of discussion on postage here on the ’Bee! I was so paranoid about the constant rise of postage costs that for our RSVP return envelopes I went with the simple “Forever” bell stamps. My paranoia trumped my desire for coordinating stamps.
So, if you’re in the mindset that “stamps are just stamps” like I was, maybe you’ll consider these for your wedding. I just heard about a new set of stamps coming out on April 30th, and they make my pet-loving heart melt. The “Adopt a Shelter Pet” 44-cent stamp arrives soon (currently available for pre-order—I just pre-ordered myself 160 stamps!).
In celebration of the stamps, the Postal Service, together with Ellen DeGeneres and Halo: Purely for Pets, is donating 1 million meals to shelter pets (ONE MILLION!) around the country. Read more…
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!
A couple months ago, I received a card in the mail. I always notice stamps, and I immediately admired the beautiful stamp that graced the envelope:
Behold! The Lunar New Year: Year of the Tiger Stamp
‘That’s really nice,’ I thought to myself. I made a mental note that these stamps might go well with our wedding invitations, since they fit right in with our autumn color scheme. I thought about buying some at the time, but figured I’d wait until I had our invites in hand and knew exactly how much postage we’d need. Bad idea! Read more…
Mrs. Scissors, LaGrange, GAAge and Occupation: 25, Photography & Graphic DesignFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineering Grad StudentEngagement Date: January 1, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Ceremony - First United Methodist Church; Reception - My parents' house!About Me: I’m a six-foot-three bride with a fifty-foot personality! I love great art, fabulous design, intense color, tons of music, indie photography, watching movies on repeat, and being really awesome. This super-tall, Southern, loud, quirky, neurotic artist is marrying a German, quiet, silly, super-amazing roboticist in an eclectic, funky, fun, snazzy, technicolored June wedding. Anything is game for this shindig, for it is all about us! We’re bringing giant paper cranes, six-foot-tall portraits, fortune cookies, a photo booth, a club-circuit DJ, handcuffs, and possibly a kidnapping to this small Southern town. Watch out, y’all, and try to keep up!
(And of course, those that are completely neurotic. Like me.)
Our invites are solid beasts of cottony goodness. I pre-weighed them on 7 different scales in the scale department of Office Depot, so I knew what I was heading into when getting our test-run invite USPS weighed. Le sigh. Eighty-one cents on each outer envelope. From months stamp-stalking the USPS on the internet, I knew that I wanted to use the King and Queen stamps, but now I needed eighty-one-cent stamps. Well, USPS, you can have the extra 7 cents—this girl’s gonna double up.
So yeah. A king and a queen on each envelope. Lovely. BUT… I knew I was so crazy-controlling that I might drive myself nuts trying to individually line up the matching parts on the stamps. This was going to take FOREVER.
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!
Once the postcards were ordered, I started looking for stamps. Well, I quickly realized that the USPS only has 1 design for their 28-cent postcard stamps…the polar bear.
Not. a. fan. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against polar bears, but it’s just a “meh” design in my opinion. Last year’s 27 cent tropical fruit postcard stamps were so much cuter!!
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
I just heard about a new set of stamps coming out on April 30th, and they make my pet-loving heart melt. The “Adopt a Shelter Pet” 44-cent stamp arrives soon (currently available for pre-order—I just pre-ordered myself 160 stamps!).
