Ms. Sloth, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 35, Account Manager and Fashion BloggerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Design AdminEngagement Date: December 25, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Bartram's GardenAbout Me: I'm an internet junkie and music snob with a good eye for a bargain. I couldn't live without thrift store shopping, cheeseburgers, sushi, Coke Zero, websites devoted to silly photos of baby animals, Photoshop, and Mr. Sloth. Speaking of which, he and I are a pair of goofball homebody nerds who love our beagle (the most ridiculously adorable dog EVER) to an embarrassing degree. We're planning a low-key and intimate yet festive and quirky outdoor wedding with DIY details and deeply personal touches, and it's all taking place in the city where we fell in love and call home: Philadelphia.
I think I’m the oldest bee. At least, I’m the oldest bee who is currently blogging regularly.
So when the new “Then and Now” series was introduced, I was really excited to show off some old high school photos. Since I’m the oldest current bee, my photos are the most awesomely and embarrassingly out of date!
So, picture it: New Jersey, 1989-1992.
Then: I had some big-ass Jersey hair on which I spent a ton of time and product. Aqua Net and a rat-tailed comb for teasing were my best friends! But I was naturally curly, so I never needed a perm like most of my classmates and friends did.
I was the luckiest girl in the world back then, because my giant, frizzy hair was in style!
Now: I spend a ton of money on Keratin Treatments so that my hair looks exactly the opposite of how it used to!
Mrs. Cola, Mountain View, CAAge and Occupation: 27, Product Communications and PromotionsFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Managing Partner and Senior DesignerEngagement Date: March 5, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Mountain Terrace, Woodside, CAAbout Me: I’m a Washington State native, enjoying life in Silicon Valley California with my fiancé, our three kitties and one leopard gecko. I like reading wedding blogs, Photoshopping wedding design mock ups, making lists, and planning, planning, planning! I’m a bit of an anomaly, on one side I’m a very girlie girl, I collect shoes, I lay out my outfits 4-6 weeks in advance, and I’d never leave the house without my hair curled and makeup on. But on the other side, I’m a total tomboy, I love to go camping and hiking, play drinking games (hey, I’m Irish!) and most of my closest friends are guys. My fiancé and I are planning a DIY-focused wedding with a balance between easygoing (what he wants) and chic and stylish (what I want), and are tying it all together with elements in lavender, sage, butter cream and chocolate.
Back in high school, weddings and getting married were the farthest thing from my mind. Honestly, I didn’t really think I’d ever get married, and I knew for a fact that I wouldn’t be with my senior-year boyfriend forever.
In high school I always wanted a very independent life for myself. I wanted a career. Maybe a husband, someday, in the far, far away land of my 30s. Part of this I think has to do with the fact that I didn’t have a traditional upbringing. My dad was a stay at home dad for most of my childhood, until I started 9th grade, and my mom was the breadwinner in our family. So, I had a strong female role model that showed me it was OK to prioritize work over family, marriage and children (not that we weren’t a priority for my mom, but my family situation laid the groundwork for this in my head).
Plus there was the fact that a lot of guys I dated ended up being just my friends. Perhaps this is also related to my dad being around to raise me—believe it or not, I was actually a tomboy at one point, until I went to kindergarten and saw all the pink and purple clothes and cute hairdos I was missing out on! Read more…
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.
You think you know, but you have no idea. (Come on! You remember that show!)
Then & Now, okay, oh boy, here goes nothing. I was a 2004 high school graduate. I jacked that picture up above from my yearbook but seeing as how I was the editor (along with Britt) I think it’s okay. Despite what you are about to see, I didn’t like high school very much. Actually, I hated it. If you ask most of the people I went to school with they would tell you I was a snob. Now I don’t mean to brush aside all that flattery but I think the correct way to describe me was a bitch who didn’t care. (Seriously, I saw you 40 minutes ago, I’m not saying hello again!) I may have held onto some hostility from junior high when the girls wrote nasty stuff about me on the bathroom walls and the boys used to corner me and give me titty twisters to make sure I wasn’t stuffing my bra.
Mrs. Elephant, Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 27, Financial Operations AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, IT Student/Store ManagerEngagement Date: March 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: The Tribute Golf ClubAbout Me: I'm a Philly native creating roots deep in the heart of Texas. I might be a little obsessed capturing those Kodak moments of anything and everything (mainly on vacations). I've become more of a gamer thanks to Mr. Elephant, who I met online and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with. We are planning a wedding based on our favorite colors, blue and green, with a travel theme for 150 of our closest friends and family. Hopefully our long (2-year) engagement won't kill me!
Man, oh man! When I heard about this Bee series, the first thing that flashed through my head was my hair. Maybe that sounds a little odd, but I went through so many hairstyles in high school it wasn’t even funny. In fact, one of my friends even signed my yearbook “Elephant, I enjoyed watching you change hairstyles constantly this year…”
Don’t believe me? Here are a couple of the various Elephant styles (I apologize in advance for any wonky edges, most of these pictures were taken from my old scrapbooks)…
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!
DISCLAIMER: Before I share this, I just want to let y’all know that I must love you guys like, a lot. Because this is embarrassing. Don’t judge me.
I know I’m one of the younger bees, so high school wasn’t really all that long ago for me, but I’m still super excited about this post. I was quite the dramatic little kid in high school, and I have tons of angsty journal entries about boys, love, and life to prove it.
That’s high school Miss Cardigan. That picture just about sums it up.
I was home schooled for most of my education, from 3rd grade through 8th grade, so when I started high school in 2003, it had been quite a few years since I had set foot in a public school. I had absolutely no experience in relationships and knew nothing about surviving in a public school, much less finding a boyfriend. Read more…
Mrs. Hippo, New York City/Dallas, TXAge and Occupation: 34, Event Planner for a Non-Profit Fiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Finance ITEngagement Date: August 8, 2009Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: Samuel Lynne Galleries and Marc EventsAbout Me: I’m a thirty-something bride living in New York City and planning a modern-ish wedding in Dallas, Texas. I love trashy reality television (Jersey Shore, anyone?), online shopping, Sunday brunch, Central Park, and random celebrity spottings on the streets of Manhattan. While I love NYC, I miss good Tex-Mex, my college friends, central A/C, and being in close proximity to a Target. I’m thrilled to finally be planning an event that’s not work-related and to be marrying my best friend in what I hope will be a unique and personal ceremony followed by a reception with plenty of good food, good drinks, and dancing (regardless if it’s good or not).
Mrs. Mary Jane, Grand Forks, NDAge and Occupation: 26, Instructional DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lead ProgrammerEngagement Date: February 28, 2009Wedding Date: September 2009Venue: City HallAbout Me: I'm a career woman on the surface and a homemaker at heart. I love fast cars and high heels, and my favorite food is cake. Mr. Mary Jane and I are both full-time employees and students, and we just bought our first house. We love to curl up on the couch with buttery popcorn, Sour Patch Kids, and the latest Netflix arrival -- whenever we can get a break from everyday life.
Mrs. Seashell, Chicago, IL / Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 28, Marriage and Family TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: September 3, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: The Glen Manor HouseAbout Me: Fonts and fashion, stationery and Sundays, photography and french toast... the beauty is in the details for this fun-loving Chicagoan who loves to plan plan plan! The soon-to-be hubs plays "Mr. Fix-It" in our new condo while I swoon over beautiful, personalized stationery and choose shades of aubergine for my bridesmaids' dresses... and thus begins my new fairy tale! Skirting to the East Coast for our September nuptials where my home state of Rhode Island awaits with fall foliage, I'm just a few dress fittings and bachelorette party away from saying "I Do" to a very happy ending!
Mrs. Brooch, Arlington, VAAge and Occupation: 25, Writer/EditorFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Front Desk ManagerEngagement Date: October 3, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Oxon Hill ManorAbout Me: I’m an indecisive girlie-girl with a motor mouth, can-do attitude, and knack for making others laugh. I dream of becoming a best selling novelist like Elizabeth Gilbert or Julie Powell (a girl can dream, right?), and love long road trips, a beautiful countryside, music, blogs, books, and all things vintage/thrift/antique/or homemade. I’m a Virgo, i.e. overly sensitive, emotional, and critical, and there’s no such thing as short and sweet in my world. I want to say and do it all. Mr. Brooch grounds me. I point where to go and he figures out the way. He’s a pragmatic fancy-pants who enjoys video games and movies. We both adore our mutt, Rocky, and spending time with our amazingly supportive family and friends. We’re planning a garden wedding with a formal reception with lots of whimsy and unique, Southern-inspired details.
Growing up, my mom always put me in the best outfits, complete with a hair bow and pearl bracelet. I loved it! Dressing up was my thing.
How cute am I?
Here I am in my annual Christmas Day outfit (I told you I am a Tennessee Vols fan): Read more…
Ms. Cheetah, Los Angeles/Palm Springs
Age and Occupation: 31, Artist, EducatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, TV FinanceEngagement Date: April 2010Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The ViceroyAbout Me: I’m a silly, sassy lady with a compulsion to create. I love to sing and dance, despite the fact that I lack any talent doing either. I somehow manage to be messy and organized at the same time. I like to spend my days road tripping, watching '80s movies, reading true crime books, buying things on sale, sending postcards, playing board games, dining at food trucks, snuggling, and drinking ginger ale. I have a weak spot for all things sweet, especially Mr. Cheetah! I’m a Chicago girl and he’s a Nor Cal boy but we love living in the City of Angels. After 10 years as a couple we are planning a fun-filled semi-destination wedding in Palm Springs. Hope you enjoy the ride!
My wedding in March isn’t the first time I’ve walked down a long aisle in a white dress while carrying a bouquet of flowers…
We look like brides, don’t we? But nope, it’s just me and my friend T at our high school graduation.
I haven’t been married before.That photo is from my high school graduation. The school is over a hundred years old and doesn’t do the normal caps-and-gowns-thing.Even though it’s a public school, the graduations are quite fancy, with all the girls in long white dresses carrying flowers and all the boys in tuxes with white jackets and boutonnieres.Basically, it looks like a mass wedding:
Mrs. Meerkat, Kalamazoo, MI/Riviera MayaAge and Occupation: 30, Application EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, IT ConsultantEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: December 2010Venue: Al Cielo / La LagunaAbout Me: I’m a tech-savvy tomboy with an affinity for hot tea and good sushi. Us Meerkats are just a couple fun lovin’ geeks from Michigan. We love anything having to do with movies, books, video games or technology and we hold a special place in our hearts for our two very spoiled shih-tzus, Wicket and Bravo. We also LOVE to travel. We love it so much it only took us 12 hours after we got engaged to decide to have a destination wedding. We are working our little Meerkat tails off planning a rustic-chic, travel themed destination wedding in the Riviera Maya with a semi-formal, vintage-turned-modern, outdoor at home reception back here in Michigan.
So you want a look into the Meerkat past? Cue up the Wayne’s World flashback music please.
*doodle-ooh*
*doodle-ooh*
*doodle-ooh*
I am going low budget here. Just pretend. KThanks.
Growing up I was not your typical teenager. In high school my life revolved around two things; softball and friends. If I wasn’t training with MOH Meerkat, we were out with our friends at the beach or having a bonfire in my backyard. I never went crazy partying or out every weekend. All those typical teenager activities bored me.
Some of our friends at prom.
As far as relationships went, I did a little bit of random dating here and there but nothing serious. And academics… HA! Read more…
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
It has been 7 1/2 years since I graduated from high school. Wow…time flies, right?
Truth be told, the high school Mrs. Buttons was very different from the current one. But, then again…I’m still quite the same. Confusing much? I’ll explain…
Academics:
Then -
Nerd alert! Yeah…I was a big bookworm in high school. I graduated with a perfect 4.0 unweighted GPA. The thought of receiving a grade other than an A was absolutely terrifying to me. Yeah…I was special.
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!
Describing myself in high school. Oh boy. Heeeeere goes.
Then
Well, in high school, I was in the marching band, the drama club, the chorus, and the show choir, and I took AP classes. I mean, I assume you can draw your own conclusions about my social status from that.
Ninth grade semi-formal.
Really, though, although I was most definitely not made in the traditional “popular girl” mode, I was a happy kid, and I had a lot of friends. 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.
Okay, so I know I said I would get back to your regularly scheduled wedding recaps soon…but instead I got sucked into the “Then and Now” Series. I mean, who doesn’t love embarrassing pictures of me in high school? With my boyfriend? Read more…
Mrs. Thimble, NYC/PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 26, Actress & Costume Designer (+ day job)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lawyer & Techie WizEngagement Date: August 22, 2008Wedding Date: October 2010Venue: The Pearl S. Buck HouseAbout Me: I’m an easily inspired over-thinker delighted with the process of designing, building, directing and {dare I say} co-starring in the early-autumn affair I’ve been dreaming up. I’m a sucker for trendied-up comfort foods and old family anecdotes; I have an affinity for adjectives, alliteration, eyelet and earl grey; and I live for quality time with family and friends. I never guessed I’d marry my “high school sweetheart", but when it turned out to be my funny, techie, loyal Mr. Thimble I was committed for life. We’re both mid-career transition and ready to move back to small-townish TBD, PA in a pre-wedding flurry of all-good life changes.
So, you want to know what I was like in high school, eh? Oh man.
High School Thimble was: Drama Club Actress, Stage Manager and Treasurer; Choir Alto 2, and Officer with a made-up title of Instrumental Liaison to communicate schedules with Marching Band in which I served as a Squad Leader in the Flute Section. Add to that a community service stint in a traveling educational puppet show called Kids on the Block, my weekend job as a Cashier and Bagger at Shop N’ Bag and occasional Babysitter, a fairly intense Social Life and All Honors Classes because I was gifted and I could do it all!
In other words, I was a disaster. An all-nighter-pulling, granola-bars-for-dinner on my way to rehearsal, struggling-to-keep-up with my school work while maintaining an academic elitist attitude. An over-extended teenager who would not listen to reason from my parents to chill the heck out.
AP English class with some friends I’ve hardly seen since then during finals week, or the last week… or sometime toward the end. On the left is the AP chalkboard where students of note were posted for all to see… Mr. T and I were listed under “AP Couples.”
While my best friends were celebrating senior week at the beach, I was performing Moliere at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska: Read more…
Unique Wedding Favors
