Mrs. 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!
Does that even make sense? Well, it sorta does to me.
Just because Mr. PF and I are having a destination wedding doesn’t mean that we are bucking all tradition completely. We are actually going to incorporate some of my family traditions, his family traditions and some island traditions in our ceremony. It should be very interesting, to say the least.
The first ceremony we are doing is a tradition from my family, which incorporates a Lasso. Read more…
Miss Doe, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 24, Real Estate AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Recycling ManagerEngagement Date: December 25, 2010Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: Monte Verde InnAbout Me: I’m a Rat Pack fan and a Christmas nut that loves to read, good wine, cheesy ’80s movies and ’90s sitcoms. My wiener dog with an attitude problem and lazy basset hound are my constant source of entertainment. He's a hunter and I like cooking so it's not rare to see wild game on our dinner menu. Both of us were born and raised in a small historic farming town where our feet are still firmly planted. We have been together for nearly a decade and have shared many life experiences together, including birthdays that are only one day apart. We are two old souls that are creating our long-awaited wedding with loads of tradition that blends our two styles into rustic elegance in the foothills of Northern California.
Ahh, the process of choosing the “something new.” Realistically, anything could be considered new: dress, veil, shoes, jewelry. It can be a hard one to pin down. While everything that your parents give you for the wedding should be considered a gift, my something new really was a gift. A college graduation gift to be exact.
Mrs. Skunk, AtlantaAge and Occupation: 23, Post baccalaureate studentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Mechanical DesignerEngagement Date: February 13, 2011Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Neverland Farms About Me: I’m a Georgia peach born and raised in the dirty dirty. I love reading, baking lots of sweets and forcing them on my friends, and most of all, rock climbing. I am in the process of applying to graduate school in physical therapy and I work at farmers’ markets around town selling bread for a local bakery. The mister and I met while rock climbing just over two years ago and have been inseparable ever since. Our climbing friends mean the world to us and have played an integral role in our relationship. We’re planning a barnyard shindig filled with good food, good friends, and lots of love.
Mr. Skunk and I believe that all people should have the right to marry. We understand that everyone has different beliefs so we don’t want to rub anyone the wrong way, but it’s still important to us to do something on our day to support marriage equality. So likemanybees before us, we’re going to have a small bowl of White Knots on a small table with a little explanation for guests to take if they feel inclined.
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 am already debating whether or not to sell my wedding dress. I know a lot of bees before me have contemplated selling their wedding dresses (such as Mrs. Fro Yo and Mrs. Cowboy Boot). I don’t intend on wearing it again, and I am personally a huge fan of the eBay recycling system when I no longer have an interest in clothes. So why not my dress? Let’s weigh up the pros and cons for selling the dress:
Pros:
Additional cash we could use to buy air conditioning or something much more useful than a dress I can’t wear?
No dress taking up vast amounts of space in the ever dwindling space of our apartment.
Mrs. 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!
After our photographer suggested we take pictures before the ceremony to save time, Mr. PF had to be talked into the idea. He is somewhat traditional and expressed that he didn’t want to see me before the ceremony. He wanted that element of surprise when he sees me walking down the aisle, which I totally get.
I actually agreed with him, but I knew it would be more logical to take pictures before the ceremony. It would leave us more time to enjoy our cocktail hour and more time with our friends and family. So, I started doing some research on first-look pictures in an attempt to persuade Mr. PF into the idea.
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.
Some of you might recall the pink helmet that popped up in some of our Zivilstand photos. I briefly explained how Mr. Funnel Cake’s paratrooper unit has a wedding tradition that involves passing down a set of pink helmets to the groom on his wedding day.
When we arrived home on the day of the Zivilstand, Mr. Funnel Cake promptly placed the hot pink helmets on top of some wooden beams in our living room. You’ve got to be kidding me, Mr. Funnel Cake. Hot pink helmets in the living room decor?! Was he crazy? But Mr. Funnel Cake was proud of his wedding trophies and for nearly a year these beauties sat perched over us. Read more…
Mrs. Skunk, AtlantaAge and Occupation: 23, Post baccalaureate studentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Mechanical DesignerEngagement Date: February 13, 2011Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Neverland Farms About Me: I’m a Georgia peach born and raised in the dirty dirty. I love reading, baking lots of sweets and forcing them on my friends, and most of all, rock climbing. I am in the process of applying to graduate school in physical therapy and I work at farmers’ markets around town selling bread for a local bakery. The mister and I met while rock climbing just over two years ago and have been inseparable ever since. Our climbing friends mean the world to us and have played an integral role in our relationship. We’re planning a barnyard shindig filled with good food, good friends, and lots of love.
After weighing all of our options, we decided that we for sure wanted to jump the broom. I talked with friends, family, and other brides, and every single person said to go for it. I love what one bee said on the boards: “Go for it! How can we change stereotypes if we hold on to old ideas of what is appropriate? You’re in love—celebrate!” This was exactly what I needed to hear.
Also, one aspect of the tradition involves a little bit of competition. As rock climbers we’re naturally competitive. While he definitely climbs stronger than me, seeing him do so makes me try harder and harder. We’re constantly running to the door of his truck or the front of the gym or even the top of the stairs, and whoever gets there first yells, “I win!” We’re very elementary school when it comes to stuff like that. In jumping the broom, we’ll get to give a nod to our competitive nature, as tradition says that whoever jumps highest over the broom becomes the decision maker of the household. While we don’t take it seriously, it’s going to be a fun little moment for us. And you better believe I’ve been practicing my ups. I may be contemplating trading in my cowboy boots for some Nike Air Force Ones…
Mrs. Skunk, AtlantaAge and Occupation: 23, Post baccalaureate studentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Mechanical DesignerEngagement Date: February 13, 2011Wedding Date: November 2011Venue: Neverland Farms About Me: I’m a Georgia peach born and raised in the dirty dirty. I love reading, baking lots of sweets and forcing them on my friends, and most of all, rock climbing. I am in the process of applying to graduate school in physical therapy and I work at farmers’ markets around town selling bread for a local bakery. The mister and I met while rock climbing just over two years ago and have been inseparable ever since. Our climbing friends mean the world to us and have played an integral role in our relationship. We’re planning a barnyard shindig filled with good food, good friends, and lots of love.
Being from the South, this post is probably one of the most nerve wracking to write. I was raised a Christian. My parents weren’t strict about church, but I chose to go and ended up accepting Christ as my savior when I was in middle school. As I grew in my faith, I started questioning more and more about religion, and eventually quit going to church. I now find myself more in a Unitarian camp. My fiance, on the other hand, is atheist. So when looking into ceremony wording and readings, it was important to us to have things that aren’t overtly religious but still mean a lot to us. We’ve managed to take a lot of the ceremony from a Buddhist ceremony.
Besides the traditional exchanging of rings, we wanted to have another sort of unity ceremony. We considered three.
The candle ceremony was the first. This was the most familiar to us and therefore at the top of our list. But after talking to Suzy (our fairy godmother), candles are a no-go at our venue because it is outdoors. She said that too many times in the past the candles wouldn’t light or went out, and it just creates an awkward moment that she chooses to avoid by advising brides against it. But this was the only unity ceremony either of us had ever seen in person, and I’ve never been one to shy away from shopping for new candles.
Mrs. 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!
I found eco-fetti because our venue won’t allow real confetti, so we had to find some fun alternatives. So I did some Googlin’ and I found eco-fetti. I actually found some on Save on Crafts, and I ordered it up!
I got the package a couple of days later and, I have to say, I was a little disappointed. Now, don’t get me wrong—it was pretty cheap for a big bag of confetti. So, if you are looking for something cheap for people to chuck at you, then this could be your answer.
Mrs. Sunhat, Dyer, IN Age and Occupation: 32, Tax AccountantFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Landscape ForemanEngagement Date: September 25, 2010Wedding Date: December 2011Venues: St. Andrew the Apostle, Fiesta PalaceAbout Me: I'm a Midwest girl who grew up in the country and now works in the big city! I love cooking, entertaining, reading (addicted to my Kindle) and going to the movies. I don't miss an episode of Hoarders and I start cleaning every time I watch! My profession doesn't call for much creativity so wedding planning has been a great outlet. Mr. Sunhat and I met online three years ago, cheer for rival MLB teams and share a home with our dog, Wrigley. We are planning a traditional, Polish, Catholic wedding with lots of DIY elements and some fun surprises. I'm so excited to be married on New Year's Eve and we can't wait to ring in the new year as husband and wife!
Unfortunately this post bears extremely sad news. On Monday, August 8, 2011, we lost my wonderful grandmother. My heart is still broken, yet I’m comforted knowing she is out of pain and at peace.
I was lucky enough to grow up next door to my fraternal grandparents. In fact, it was their farm we used for our engagement pictures. As a kid, I simply had to take a three-minute walk through the back fields to reach their house. Grandma would always have candy bars in the fridge, and we’d sip on Grandpa’s delicious “iced tea” concoction. (I know it had Tang mixed in there!) My grandparents read to my sister and me all the time and taught us how to become fairly good rummy players. I clearly remember answering my first final Jeopardy! question correctly in their living room. (They were avid viewers.)
While these are memories I will always treasure, one memory I will not have is the two of them being there on my wedding day. Grandpa passed away ten years ago, but I always expected Grandma would be there with us. My heart aches each time I think of how she’ll never see me in my dress or witness our beautiful Mass. Read more…
Miss Ticket, Riverside, CAAge and Occupation: 25, Executive AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, HVAC TechnicianEngagement Date: November 14, 2010Wedding Date: October 2011Venue: Crestmore ManorAbout Me: I'm a lifelong So Cal gal, a chocoholic, a closet gamer, and a television enthusiast (love me some Vampire Diaries!) who adores playing in the kitchen and lives in flip flops. Mr. Ticket and I are best known for singing and dancing in the car, our World of Warcraft addiction, adoring food, crane game playing, and our general homebody ways. Oh, and GO STEELERS!
…the awesome wedding-day-attire details! I have had so much fun shopping for all the little incidentals for the wedding-day outfit. This one is a particular favorite of mine. Oh, but first…
Mrs. 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!
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!
Hello there, Hive! I have missed posting here regularly, but I have been popping around the boards just to make sure I don’t miss anything. I wanted to jump in with a post about a Jewish tradition that I haven’t yet talked about here, and one that I think many people will like.
Every year on the Jewish calendar, is a relatively unknown holiday called “Tu B’Av,” or the 15th of the Hebrew month Av. It occurs in the summertime, usually in August. This year, it falls on the eve of the 14th and until sundown on the 15th of August (and the dates almost never line up like this!). Historically, the holiday was known as a day of matchmaking, when women would dress all in white, and dance outside the city walls, and choose who they wanted to marry. It has been said that “There were no better (i.e. happier) days for the people of Israel than the Fifteenth of Av…since on these days the daughters of Israel/Jerusalem go out dressed in white and dance in the vineyards. What were they saying: Young man, consider whom you choose (to be your wife).”
Today, it something like Valentine’s Day in the Jewish community—a day to celebrate love and relationships, and the magnitude of choosing your partner, and may include dancing and singing together into the night. 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 will be carrying a bouquet down the aisle and posing with it in photos and having it sit pretty next to our cake on our cake table and at the end of the night. I would really like to partake in tossing it! Slight problem, though—there aren’t many people coming to our wedding who aren’t engaged or married.
Originally I thought there were like two or three, but counting the numbers up and assuming all unengaged and unmarried women attend, there will be 12 young unmarried women! We have another two to three older women, but it is not likely that they will participate. So, even if we have some more engagements—there are probably two potentials before our wedding—we still have 10 women!! Most of them are in relationships but, honestly, that is the best time to catch the bouquet, isn’t it?
Next problem: As a single woman, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the bouquet toss! Especially when you would hear Beyonce belting out “all the single ladies”! Sure, it is a bit of fun and a glimmer of hope for the waiting-to-be-engaged ladies, but is it a tradition that I want to incorporate into our day? I’m really not sure.
The second wedding that we attended after our engagment was in Dublin, Ireland, and these girls love their rugby! They took a modern spin on a likely outdated tradition and did a line-out for the bouquet!!
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 am avoiding doing the hard work of the ceremony such as, ummm, writing it. Instead I have completely skipped over the necessary elements and moved straight into the fun stuff: The ceremony accessories!
We decided to include some cultural traditions in our ceremony to represent our heritage. First up, Mr. Cucumber Sammie. Mr. CS is African American, so of course our immediate thought was “jumping the broom.”
Image via Jabez Photography
Unique Wedding Favors
Image via ChocoStudio
