Mrs. Lyre, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 31, LibrarianFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Government EmployeeEngagement Date: November 11, 2011Wedding Date: January 2013Venue: Atrium at the Curtis CenterAbout Me: I’m a book loving, photography obsessed, artsy/crafty bride to be, who was dating all the wrong men, until I met the right one, and where one story ended - our new life together began. He’s a video game loving, quirky t-shirt wearing, movie quoting geek who stole my heart, and welcomed me into his. Together we are a happily co-habitating couple, who live in South Jersey, and are planning a wedding in Philadelphia in January 2013. We love to cook, share a bottle of wine, and watch way too much TV; we laugh all the time, don’t sleep nearly enough, and cannot wait to begin our lives as husband and wife!
The Saturday before the wedding was a gorgeous, winter day. It was probably more March-like than most of March has been in New Jersey this year, with highs in the mid ’50s, and lots of sunshine.
I started the morning with a few of my bridesmaids and my mom getting our nails done, which, despite my best planning, ran later than I had hoped. I still had a ton of wedding errands to run, like we still needed our photobooth sign printed and part of Mr. Ly’s gift for the next day needed to be printed as well. Of course, since I hadn’t had a day off in 12 days, I was rushing around on my only day off, which happened to be the day before the wedding. I arrived home after 11:00, and we needed to really be at the rehearsal lunch by 12:30, since it started at 1:00pm. I somehow managed to shower, do my hair & make-up and look pseudo presentable in time, and we weren’t terribly late to our own rehearsal lunch.
The lunch was wonderful. Since we didn’t have any true rehearsing until about an hour before the ceremony, the lunch was just more of a big meal with our nearest and dearest to get to spend some together before the crazy whirlwind of the following day. We had family traveling in as far as Hawaii and Arkansas, and we knew we wouldn’t get to spend too much time with them once the wedding was in full swing, so we were grateful for the time we got to spend together.
Getting started on the first course of the meal. We had four long tables of 10-12 guests at each. / Personal Photos
For our food options, we could choose from either a seated three course meal with the option of a fourth if we brought our own dessert, or a buffet with more options for the meals. We chose the seated, served meals because we thought the food options were plenty! Our guests started off with a salad, followed by a family style pasta course of penne vodka and ziti pomodoro. For the main course, the guests could choose between chicken parmigiana, chicken saltimbocca, and veal milanese. My mother-in-law and sisters-in-law generously made a ton of desserts as well, which were delicious!
Mrs. Gray Wolf, Washington DCAge and Occupation: 26, Business Development ExecutiveFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Research ScientistEngagement Date: November 11, 2011Wedding Date: February 2013Venue: Whittemore HouseAbout Me: I'm an ultra-organized, pun-loving, list-making, cheese-enthusiast bride-to-be. Although my day job is in cubicle land, I'm happiest in the modern art wing of a museum, having recently earned my Masters in Museum Studies. Shortly after a chance meeting five years ago, I moved in with Wolfman and haven't looked back since. We love music, movies, TV, and all things pop culture; we have an unspoken competition to be the first to share the latest YouTube sensation or indie song. Together, we've filled quite a few pages in our passports, but also love quiet nights in with a Game of Thrones marathon and our French Bulldog, Tonks (Harry Potter, anyone?). I'm planning a small, cozy winter wedding---think mercury glass and candle light---in the heart of DC. Our venue is a historic home with a lot of political charm, but needs a bit of work to be wedding-ready.
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!
After a lovely week leading up to the wedding (you know, after that whole dry-heaving incident), it was finally the day before. Um. What? How did time go by so quickly?? But I was ready. Let the wedding activities commence!
That morning, I dragged the moms, bridesmaids, junior bridesmaid, and several aunties to one of my favorite salons (Spa Scotta, which has apparently since closed?! sad times) to get our nails done. I emailed all of the ladies that were coming ahead of time to make sure I knew which services would be required, and made reservations for everyone. Since there were so many of us, we essentially booked out the little nail part of the salon. My mom and I brought some food and some champagne (OK, really my mom brought those things) and we all just chilled, ate, and got our nails done. It was such a wonderful, relaxing time with my favorite ladies! No stress allowed.
Mrs. Treasure, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 24, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Equity AnalystEngagement Date: July 30, 2011Wedding Date: September 2012Venue: Saint James Chapel at Quigley Prep/Murphy AuditoriumAbout Me: I was born and raised in Indiana, but now live in sweet home Chicago. I'm a third-year law student and aspiring trial lawyer, which means Mr. T never wins an argument. Other than Mr. T, I love singing, exploring the Chicago restaurant scene, and Notre Dame football. We met in a musical (just like my parents!) and after 4 years together, we are excited to be planning our urban "destination" wedding.
I’ve been promising to get the show on the road for a while now, and I figured there’s no better way to start out 2013 than with recaps! So, here we go! Presenting:
The day before the wedding was busy, and I neglected to take pictures. Bad blogger! Bridesmaid L came over around 10:00am, and we got our nails done together. Then we met up with Mr. T, Groomsman P, and our friend A for a quick pizza lunch. It was so nice to relax with good friends before the madness began. After lunch, my parents arrived. We loaded up the car with everything that needed to go downtown, picked up my dress from the seamstress, and loaded into the hotel. My brothers and I went to Whole Foods to buy the flowers for the bouquets, and then we picked up my sister/Maid of Honor from the train. We made our bouquets, changed, and walked over to the church for the rehearsal! Phew!
Note to future brides: Do not walk a mile in brand-new heels the day before your wedding. I did, and my feet still hurt the next day. No bueno.
The rehearsal went pretty quickly. My uncle/our priest and the chapel’s wedding coordinator took turns bossing everyone around, so I didn’t have much to do except go through the motions. It was kind of nice.
Mrs. Wallaby, Houston
Age and Occupation: 24, Environmental EngineerEngagement Date: January 1, 2012Wedding Date: November 2012Venue: Oak Tree ManorAbout Me: I'm a free-spirited, adventurous girl who loves anything active, reading, traveling, cooking up new dishes for my fiancé, and working on my budding garden. My fiancé is an athletic, intellectual, animal-loving guy with an obsession with basketball and who treats me with the deepest compassion and respect. We are both engineers, and we met at our workplace. Together we complement one another and make a great team, and we are excitedly counting down the days until our outdoor wedding in Houston in November. We're planning a green wedding with lots of Persian cultural touches, and I can't wait to share all of the before-and-after details of our special day
OK, I’ll admit, I’ve always found rehearsal blog posts pretty boring. Predictably, there’s always something that goes wrong: people are running late; no one knows where they’re supposed to stand or what they’re supposed to do; the whole family is stressed about the next day; and people start getting hangry awaiting the post-rehearsal dinner.
All of those things happened at our rehearsal. There was an accident on the freeway just before the exit for our venue, so almost everyone was running really late. Our officiant couldn’t make it, so our day-of coordinator had to step up and help run things. We never talked about who does what ahead of time (other than running through the ceremony wording with our officiant the weekend before), so things got a little cray-cray. Also, it got dark before we even got down to the rehearsing part. Well, at least we looked cute for photos.
Waiting for everyone else to arrive, with Maid of Honor A, Mr. W, Maid of Honor N, and friend K. My eyes were casting daggers at anyone in sight. / Personal photo
Mrs. Scepter, Dallas/AmarilloAge and Occupation: 23, Social Media DirectorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Aerospace Engineering Doctoral CandidateEngagement Date: July 18, 2011Wedding Date: July 2012Venue: Country Home WeddingsAbout Me: I am a born and raised Texan who bleeds burnt orange. (Hook 'em!) I moved to Dallas after college to be near my fiance while he works on his doctorate degree. In my free time I love eating, video chatting with friends, watching every trashy reality show I can find, and playing with our adorable basset hound, Sherlock. My fiance and I have been dating since we were 14 and we are so excited to plan our relaxed, hometown wedding. After a decade of dating, that included three city moves, and four years of long distance, we are ready to get this show on the road!
We hadn’t planned on having a rehearsal, (our venue charges an extra $200 to have rehearsal the night before the wedding) but we wanted to do a very quick run through just to make sure everyone knew what order they were walking in/who they were walking with.
Once dinner had been cleared away, we rounded up everyone at the back of the room and Brother Scepter attempted to walk everyone through the order of the ceremony.
Mrs. Warbler, Long Beach/MalibuAge and Occupation: 24, Quality Assurance EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Handheld AdministratorEngagement Date: December 7, 2010Wedding Date: April 2012Venue: Calamigos Ranch MalibuAbout Me: I’m a Korean BBQ loving, cheesecake enthusiast bride living in the LBC! By day I write and edit for an online search engine marketing company. By night I am a volunteer food taster of all that is delicious. I am fortunate to be marrying an amazing man who loves me and my quirky ways. I love food, books, indie music, and Harry Potter. We are planning a small, intimate wedding up in the Malibu Hills with our closest family and friends. With the help of my wonderful fiance, our loved ones, and red velvet cheesecake, our wedding will be glorious!
The morning of our rehearsal I woke up to the sound of a bride’s worst fear: rain. The week of our wedding, it rained nearly every day. Heavy rain. The forecast showed a slight chance of rain on the days of our rehearsal and wedding, so I went to bed Thursday night confident that the weather would cut us a break. But literally the second I woke up, I was filled with dread. I just knew our wedding would get rained out.
The weather was so intense that we were forced to hold the rehearsal indoors because the grounds were flooded. The rain didn’t look like it was letting up any time soon. As you can imagine, I was freaking out.
Ha, look at our faces!
Sadly, that was the only photo from the rehearsal. At one point we decided to line up outside when the rain was a bit lighter, but we ended up rained out almost as soon as we started. Eventually, we got all of the logistics down and headed back to get ready for the best part of the day: dinner!
Mrs. Macarons, TampaAge and Occupation: 26, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Renaissance ManEngagement Date: September 12, 2009Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Lange FarmAbout Me: I'm creative at heart and a graphic designer with an unhealthy obsession with type. I love roller coasters, spicy foods, and a good glass of Crianza. We’re planning a soft and lovely vintage-meets-modern wedding in a state that’s known for its beaches, glitz and glam. I have a ton of DIY projects and lots of little details I’m dying to share and can't wait to celebrate with our closest friends and family.
Mr. Macs had a much more leisurely morning starting around noon with some Five Guys courtesy of groomsmen J.
When everyone finally arrived, it was time to open the first part of their gifts. Their initial enthusiasm was cut short when they realized a) they were shirts and b) they would need a good pressing.
Mrs. Genie, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 23, Admissions AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, BiotechnologyEngagement Date: July 3, 2010Wedding Date: July 2012Venue: Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community CenterAbout Me: I am bibliophile and Disney nerd who is marrying her science genius high school sweetheart in not one, but two, weddings! When I am not working or wedding planning, I am usually found reading a book (or my Nook), weeping at an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, or frolicking in Disneyland. Mr. Genie is usually found rolling his eyes at my eccentric behaviors while playing Diablo III, solving great big science problems, and introducing me to highbrow television like Breaking Bad. We are getting married in a traditional American wedding, jetting to Costa Rica, and coming back for a traditional Bengali wedding one month later! I can’t wait to share all my plans with the Hive! "You ain’t never had a friend like me!"
As a choir girl, there’s one thing I have learned, and that is that rehearsal is important! Even if it is only walking into place. That is all a choir girl usually ever has to worry about in terms of movement. The singing is a whole ‘nother thing. So you better believe I cared about the rehearsal. Almost everyone who could make it came to our rehearsal.
With my cute ribbon bouquet from MOH Wino, ready to get the show on the road!
Mrs. Doily, Cedar Rapids, IowaAge and Occupation: 25, Autism Paraeducator/ StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, IT Hosting SupportEngagement 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.!
During this time, Mr. D was spending time with guests as they were heading in and making sure that our out-of-town guests were getting appropriate rides and directions. He was also keeping his groomsmen in check, which is a feat all on its own. Soon we all descended into the church parking lot. It was time to rehearse.
Let me just say that Pastor Marty was amazing. This was definitely not his first shindig, and he had the show up and running smoothly.
This was such a relief, because I actually got to sit back and enjoy the moment. Up until the rehearsal itself, the wedding didn’t seem real, but as I was driving to that church (or in reality BM J was driving me), the butterflies in my stomach hit in a flurry of nervousness. It hit me like a ton of bricks that at that exact time the next day I would officially be Mrs. D and would be getting ready for the reception! It was so nice to be able to relish in that delight and not have to order people around.
I took some moments to pose with friends before being called away to go over some last-minute things:
Mrs. Macarons, TampaAge and Occupation: 26, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Renaissance ManEngagement Date: September 12, 2009Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Lange FarmAbout Me: I'm creative at heart and a graphic designer with an unhealthy obsession with type. I love roller coasters, spicy foods, and a good glass of Crianza. We’re planning a soft and lovely vintage-meets-modern wedding in a state that’s known for its beaches, glitz and glam. I have a ton of DIY projects and lots of little details I’m dying to share and can't wait to celebrate with our closest friends and family.
Unfortunately, given our schedule, Cari started everyone else’s hair and make up about an hour and a half before our photographers arrived, so I apologize in advance for the surplus of photos of me.
When it was my turn in the hot seat, I was amazed at the amount of brushes laid out before me.
Meanwhile, MOH Sassy was a rock star juggling phones and giving directions, as well as checking up on the guys to make sure they were on schedule.
Mrs. Macarons, TampaAge and Occupation: 26, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Renaissance ManEngagement Date: September 12, 2009Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Lange FarmAbout Me: I'm creative at heart and a graphic designer with an unhealthy obsession with type. I love roller coasters, spicy foods, and a good glass of Crianza. We’re planning a soft and lovely vintage-meets-modern wedding in a state that’s known for its beaches, glitz and glam. I have a ton of DIY projects and lots of little details I’m dying to share and can't wait to celebrate with our closest friends and family.
The day before the wedding was a lot more stressful than I expected. It all started around 10 AM with a text from Groomsman A, stating that his flight was delayed by three hours. An hour later, I received another text from my parents about car troubles. An hour after that, I found out that Bridesmaid Gunslinger was running behind as well due to work.
While I was in a state of panic, complete with lots of arm flailing and an expletive or two, Mr. Macs was of sound mind and called our reverend to push the rehearsal back an hour. A catastrophe was averted, and the mister and I were able to take care of a few important things, like stopping for gas and grabbing some protein bars and Red Bull before meeting everyone at the farm.
While we thought the Lange Farm was perfect, were weren’t sure what the rest of our friends and family would think. This was the first time many of them had seen the grounds, and judging from their pictures it would seem as though they appreciated it for the same reasons we did:
Mrs. Fox, Washington DC/Havre de Grace, MDAge and Occupation: 26, Massage TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Field Support EngineerEngagement Date: April 18, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Vandiver InnAbout Me: I’m a dancer turned massage therapist who was born and raised in New York. Alas, true love has brought me “south” where I still maintain my penchants for pretty shoes, wine, crossword puzzles, cherry blossoms, and the Mets. I own more sunglasses than a normal person should and don’t eat red meat (though I make up for it by eating my weight in sushi). I tend to be a big planner who likes to get things started early, but generally end up being indecisive and procrastinating when it comes down to it. I have a (not so) secret crush on Chris Carrabba, but my loyalty and love ultimately goes to the future hubs, of course! Together, my Foxy man and I love to discuss (read: debate) politics and current events, have Mario Kart and Scrabble duels, and just laugh. A lot. We’re hoping and planning for a laid back, fun, summery, rustic vibe to our June wedding that will be genuinely “us” – that is, if we finally make some decisions. Huzzah!
Friday afternoon quickly turned into early evening, and before I knew it, it was time to get our rehearsal on! Officiant Em was sweet enough to do my makeup again (like she did for my shower and bachelorette!), I quickly changed into my ever-so-slightly color altered dress and we had a little pow-wow (I sure do love my pow-wows) with John and Jamie before getting things started.
MOH Copper and officiant Em’s hubs, JB, were kind enough to share the responsibility of photo documentation for the evening…
Mrs. Castle, NYC/Southern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 26, Actress/BabysitterFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Actor/Writer/Graphic DesignerEngagement Date: January 1, 2011Wedding Date: April 2012Venue: Padua Hills TheaterAbout Me: I am a Southern California girl living in the Big Apple. I moved here to put my degree in Musical Theater to work! My survival job is caregiver to an adorable 2 1/2 year old. When I'm not working, auditioning or rehearsing, I am hanging out at home with my FI and our two beloved cats. I love to read, sing, dance, hang with friends, and spend quality time with Mr. Castle watching our favorite TV shows (LOST, Big Bang Theory, and Mythbusters...to name a few). Mr Castle and I met while performing in college, so it is only fitting that our wedding take place at an old theater. We are planning a vintage, theater-inspired wedding with some DIY projects and plenty of personal touches thrown in. I love living in the city but I am excited to marry my man in the state where we fell in love.
I was so glad to have finally made it to our rehearsal luncheon. It felt like everything was downhill from here. No more planning, no more stress about getting things finished in time. We got to relax and enjoy some quality time with our family and closest friends.
MIL Castle brought some of my favorite orange flowers for the center of each table!
Our rehearsal luncheon was held at the local Buca di Beppo. It was conveniently only about ten minutes away from our venue, and since it was lunch time on a Friday afternoon we had most of the place to ourselves.
Mrs. Castle, NYC/Southern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 26, Actress/BabysitterFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Actor/Writer/Graphic DesignerEngagement Date: January 1, 2011Wedding Date: April 2012Venue: Padua Hills TheaterAbout Me: I am a Southern California girl living in the Big Apple. I moved here to put my degree in Musical Theater to work! My survival job is caregiver to an adorable 2 1/2 year old. When I'm not working, auditioning or rehearsing, I am hanging out at home with my FI and our two beloved cats. I love to read, sing, dance, hang with friends, and spend quality time with Mr. Castle watching our favorite TV shows (LOST, Big Bang Theory, and Mythbusters...to name a few). Mr Castle and I met while performing in college, so it is only fitting that our wedding take place at an old theater. We are planning a vintage, theater-inspired wedding with some DIY projects and plenty of personal touches thrown in. I love living in the city but I am excited to marry my man in the state where we fell in love.
The morning of our rehearsal my mother, bridesmaids, our singer/good friend J, and I, all went to get our nails done!
Our rehearsal was at noon, so we had to get there right when they opened at 9 AM! Bridesmaid J had been in contact with the owner of Lacquered Up in Claremont to make the arrangements. He was so nice and brought in two more ladies to accommodate our large group. We lounged in their very comfortable chairs and drank champagne as we got our nails done.
