Miss Turkey, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 29, Brand ManagementFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, ConsultantEngagement Date: February 2011Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: The Rittenhouse HotelAbout Me: I'm a marketer who loves a good glass of wine, anything pumpkin-flavored, every crime drama on TV and, of course, Mr. Turkey. It's funny to say out loud, but we're former coworkers turned betrothed---now planning a wedding in the city of Brotherly Love. For three years, we've been eating our way through Philadelphia, playing tourist at home, and cheering for every sports team in the 215. Although we've hit some unplanned snags along the way, we're determined to have a rocking party this spring with our loud, fun families and friends.
Miss Unicycle, Chicago, ILAge and Occupation: 23, Editor for a Web Publishing CompanyFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, MD/PhD StudentEngagement Date: March 26, 2011Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Bridges of Poplar CreekAbout Me: I’m a writer by trade who likes analyzing pop culture, making fun of celebrities, and laughing until I cry. I’m the queen of half-assed crafts, and there’s nothing I won’t try to DIY. You can usually find me reading blogs on my laptop in front of a good Lifetime movie, wine in hand. I’m planning a polka-dotted summertime wedding to my physics geek college sweetheart, and when I’m not making stupid puns I’m freaking out about my wedding timeline.
There’s been a lotof talkon Weddingbeeabout “other”wedding dresses, meaning the dress you wear to your rehearsal dinner, shower, and/or bachelorette party. In fact, it was Weddingbee that introduced me to the concept of wearing a white dress to all wedding events (not that I needed to be introduced to the concept of wearing certain colors, but you get what I mean).
I’m so grateful to the bees who blazed the wearing-white-to-other-wedding-events trail before me. That was sarcastic actually. If I hadn’t decided I needed a new white dress for every event, I’d be a lot better off, I imagine. I want my money and naïveté back! And my closet space too. For those of you who haven’t considered the fact that you have to wear white to all wedding events because you’re the friggin’ bride I apologize for giving you the idea now.
I decided to make a dress to wear to my shower (possibly both showers) because it would be “cheaper” and I could “make it look however I wanted.” I seem to have forgotten that buying fabric is rarely cheaper than just buying a Forever 21 dress. I also seem to have forgotten that I suck at sewing, so it’s literally impossible for me to make it look however I want. But I did my best!
Personal pic
I promise you I’m not wearing opaque white tights. That’s my real leg color…
Miss Woodpecker, Branford, CT Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate Student/School Psych InternFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, GlazierEngagement Date: Christmas Eve 2010Wedding Date: September 2012Venue: Owenego Beach ClubAbout Me: I’m a Connecticut native planning a coastal beach wedding in our hometown. My loves in life include: food, family and the fiance. I’m a planner/organization fiend, by nature and by addiction, and am obsessed with all things wedding and design. We're trying to put personal touches on everything we can in our wedding, to really make it personal to us, our family, and friends. In the middle of wedding planning, I’m also finishing up grad school, and will be starting a brand new career within weeks of our wedding. It’s going to be an adventure!
After over a year of being engaged, and trying on probably over 50 lace dresses, it finally happened:
I GOT A WEDDING DRESS!!
I didn’t think I’d ever catch Mr. Woodpecker reading Weddingbee, but apparently men are full of surprises and I found out he had already my first two dress posts. That sneaky Woodpecker!
Miss Eagle, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Age and Occupation: 22, Medical Sciences Graduate Student / Science Instructor Fiancee's Age and Occupation: 23, NurseEngagement Date: April 2011Wedding Date: August 2012Venue: Historic Lougheed HouseAbout Me: I'm a science-geek graduate student who is studying craniofacial malformations and evolutionary developmental biology. I have a passion for DIY crafts, amazing red wine, and all-things-wedding. Together with my wonderful fiancée, we are planning a formal black tie wedding filled with DIY projects and vintage decor. When I'm not reading about science-y things or wedding blogs, I enjoy teaching science-y things to kids and trying to be Martha Stewart incarnate.
Miss Eagle, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Age and Occupation: 22, Medical Sciences Graduate Student / Science Instructor Fiancee's Age and Occupation: 23, NurseEngagement Date: April 2011Wedding Date: August 2012Venue: Historic Lougheed HouseAbout Me: I'm a science-geek graduate student who is studying craniofacial malformations and evolutionary developmental biology. I have a passion for DIY crafts, amazing red wine, and all-things-wedding. Together with my wonderful fiancée, we are planning a formal black tie wedding filled with DIY projects and vintage decor. When I'm not reading about science-y things or wedding blogs, I enjoy teaching science-y things to kids and trying to be Martha Stewart incarnate.
It’s no secret around here that I have had a horrible time trying to find a wedding dress. I tried on many lovely satin dresses, but after trying on over 150 wedding dresses, I was ready to be done. I was ready to either order a replica Pronovias dress online or give up. I gave myself until the end of January to find a dress in store, or I was going to order online.
I called salon after salon inquiring about dresses I wanted to try on, that I had found online. I had five dresses I picked out that I wanted to try on. Not a single salon carried them in my whole province. Not a single one. I literally felt defeated. But then…Mommy Eagle said I should come down to Lethbridge. You know, that little small town I left behind the day I graduated high school and moved to the city. My hometown. So off I went for the weekend, sans Fiancee Eagle.
I was reluctant to say the least. I really despise my home town…I’ve been back probably under 10 times since in the past five years. But, I will admit…if there is a place to buy a wedding dress, Lethbridge is it. There is a huge LDS population there, and there are always a ton of weddings going on every weekend. There even is a street that has three wedding dress shops owned by the same owner, so they really do have a little bit of something for everyone! I bought my dress from Bella Fiore, which is the sister store of Once Upon A Bride and The Wedding Cottage.
But hive…I have to tell you something. I committed a wedding dress sin. Read more…
Miss Eagle, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Age and Occupation: 22, Medical Sciences Graduate Student / Science Instructor Fiancee's Age and Occupation: 23, NurseEngagement Date: April 2011Wedding Date: August 2012Venue: Historic Lougheed HouseAbout Me: I'm a science-geek graduate student who is studying craniofacial malformations and evolutionary developmental biology. I have a passion for DIY crafts, amazing red wine, and all-things-wedding. Together with my wonderful fiancée, we are planning a formal black tie wedding filled with DIY projects and vintage decor. When I'm not reading about science-y things or wedding blogs, I enjoy teaching science-y things to kids and trying to be Martha Stewart incarnate.
Hive, I have to tell you something. I tried on over 150 wedding dresses. Yup. I’m that girl. I tried on a TON of dresses. I was not one of the lucky few that we see on SYTTD who found her dress in one appointment. When I told sales associates at the bridal salons just how many dresses I had tried on, I could see the look of fear on their faces. They knew I was going to be hard to please. They knew they weren’t going to make a sale.
Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t that I couldn’t find anything I liked. I regularly found dresses I liked on the Weddingbee boards, on Google images, on the designers websites…but I couldn’t find those dresses in the bridal salons I visited, in my size. Now in case you didn’t know, I’m 5’10, but I am a plus size bride. I wanted a “couture” wedding dress (think Pronovias), but every single bridal salon had plus size dresses that looked like something a more mature second-time bride would be wearing. I feel like I have been put in 150 variants of this dress:
Mrs. Bacon, ChicagoAge and Occupation: 26, Digital Advertising ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, IT Client ServicesEngagement Date: June 17, 2010Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Ravenswood Billboard FactoryAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl that can't seem to commit to staying in one place for too long and is constantly daydreaming about my next adventure. I am an aspiring foodie with a weak spot for the unusual and I love semi-reality food television. My other loves easily include laughing as a form of exercise, a book that I can't put down, summer baseball games, espresso with whipped cream, couch potato days and nights with the ridiculous Mr. Bacon, and our two kitties, Lincoln and Sawyer. We're planning a faux-destination wedding for 150 of our closest friends and family in the city we've both adopted as home that has a modern, yet whimsical twist and as many personal touches as we can manage.
As you might remember, I spent hours and weeks and months fretting over my dress decision, so even after picking her up after my final fitting, I was just the teeniest bit anxious that I might have made the wrong decision. But when I woke up that morning and my mom brought the dress down to my room, I knew I had made the right choice. It was my dream dress.
So without further ado, some glamour shots of the one.
Miss Boa Constrictor, Isabela, Puerto RicoAge and Occupation: 22, Undergraduate StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Soon-to-be Civil EngineerEngagement Date: May 19, 2011Wedding Date: May 2012Venue: El Faro Convention CenterAbout Me: I’m a Caribbean gal, born and bred on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, finishing her last year as an undergrad. I describe myself as a “closet nerd” as I secretly enjoy reading research papers, playing video games, and geeking out on Lord of the Rings movie marathons. I will marry my college sweetheart, a soon-to-be civil engineer, who loves Legos and old-school Puerto Rican cooking. This is sure to be a fast-paced year with our wedding, honeymoon, college graduation, new jobs, and a cross-country move all within less than 30 days of each other!
Though my wedding dress shopping trips (here and here) were wonderful, none of the dresses I tried on felt like “The One.” When looking back at pictures of myself in wedding gowns, I could plainly see my face all lit up when I was swathed in big poufy skirts. I had become drawn to the ball gown silhouette I swore never to wear. A new Internet search, this time focused on finding floaty ball gowns, was commenced. It was during this new search that I found HER.
Miss Woodpecker, Branford, CT Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate Student/School Psych InternFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, GlazierEngagement Date: Christmas Eve 2010Wedding Date: September 2012Venue: Owenego Beach ClubAbout Me: I’m a Connecticut native planning a coastal beach wedding in our hometown. My loves in life include: food, family and the fiance. I’m a planner/organization fiend, by nature and by addiction, and am obsessed with all things wedding and design. We're trying to put personal touches on everything we can in our wedding, to really make it personal to us, our family, and friends. In the middle of wedding planning, I’m also finishing up grad school, and will be starting a brand new career within weeks of our wedding. It’s going to be an adventure!
I was pumped up for dress-shopping day #2. After my last experience, I was honestly really iffy about wedding-dress shopping, and going in I didn’t know if we would have any luck. I scheduled two appointments, one at a tiny place owned by a woman who is related to my step-dad, and one at David’s Bridal. I honestly didn’t know what DB would be like, but I figured they would have the most variety so I thought I’d give it a try.
I woke up not feeling like a million bucks due to a bit of a crazy night out the night before, but was excited. My mom had warned me that the place we were going to was very, um, “cute little Italian lady in a tiny dress shop,” but I was excited nonetheless. My sister, mom, aunt, and BM Sam came with, and as soon as we met Elizabeth, the owner, I fell in love. She was adorable, and the tiny cute older lady I imagined. I showed her some pictures of what I liked and described it, and the first two dresses she showed me, I fell in love with.
Excuse my mom’s iPhone photos.
The dress just felt so right. I would have had to get it in white (this is ivory), and would have to make some changes: adjust it so the sweetheart neckline is more emphasized, and take some of the fluff out of the bottom. Plus, for some reason, the dress sample was a size two, so it fit me. I think that’s why I got so excited. The one thing that stopped me from picking it was the bottom. Although the lace on top was gorgeous, it faded at the bottom, and I really wanted lace all the way down.
Miss Woodpecker, Branford, CT Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate Student/School Psych InternFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, GlazierEngagement Date: Christmas Eve 2010Wedding Date: September 2012Venue: Owenego Beach ClubAbout Me: I’m a Connecticut native planning a coastal beach wedding in our hometown. My loves in life include: food, family and the fiance. I’m a planner/organization fiend, by nature and by addiction, and am obsessed with all things wedding and design. We're trying to put personal touches on everything we can in our wedding, to really make it personal to us, our family, and friends. In the middle of wedding planning, I’m also finishing up grad school, and will be starting a brand new career within weeks of our wedding. It’s going to be an adventure!
Before I even set out to try on my first wedding dress, I had a very good idea of the type of dress I wanted to wear for our wedding. You see, I’m a simple, classic girl when it comes to most fashion (besides shoes!!). Although I would love to be one of those brides to wear something poufy and super detailed, I knew I didn’t feel comfortable in those kinds of dresses. I knew I wanted three things:
Lace, and on most of the dress
A sweetheart neckline, knowing that many could be converted to one if necessary
White as white as can be (Ivory looks amazing on some people, but not me.)
My sisters, my mom, and I ventured out on Black Friday in the hope that our first wedding-dress search would go super smooth.
Miss Kettle, Chicago, ILAge and Occupation: 26, Non-Profit Donor Resource CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Musician & TeacherEngagement Date: May 29, 2011Wedding Date: February 2012Venue: Patrick C. Haley Mansion, Joliet, ILAbout Me: I'm a city girl who loves a good escape, so I'm planning a Chicago wedding outside of the city. I've been described as a quirky yet down-to-earth drama queen who loves fiercely. I used to be a scientist, but now I'm learning to navigate the world of non-profit organizations. I love cooking, blogging, shopping, and music, and movies (Hans Zimmer is my favorite movie composer). Mr. Kettle and I had a short courtship and now we have a happy home with our cat-who-thinks-she's-people, Belle. We spend our days and nights with good food, live music, video games, family, and friends. Our wedding has become this wonderful excuse to bring together hundreds of people we can't bear to be without.
When we last met, my wedding dress and I weren’t agreeing. Things have improved since then. My second dress fitting made me feel like slightly less than a fat ass. Slightly.
It didn’t take two women to zip up my dress. I could breathe in my dress. I didn’t get bruised ribs!
But the dress was still too tight. The seamstress thinks that if I lose another 1-3 pounds, I should be fine. Seeing as how I didn’t get back into exercising like I should have, I could probably squeeze in 1-3 yoga sessions and accomplish the goal the seamstress set for me.
It’s such a relief to know that I may get into the wedding dress without any alterations. They’re steaming the dress, and I’ll pick it up next week.
To celebrate a dress that finally fit, I went shopping. I bought a great hat for the honeymoon and a beautiful hair flower/fascinator for the wedding reception. I’ve always wondered about the difference between a fascinator and a hair flower. Is it the feathers that make it a fascinator?
Well, what I purchased has feathers, a tulle, and a flower. It will be perfect for my hair for the reception when I take the veil off. Speaking of veils, my lovely wonderful Etsy shop of choice, Joyous Illusions, and the angel behind it is currently working on my veil! Read more…
Mrs. Mole, Los Angeles/Las VegasAge and Occupation: 29, Test Prep InstructorFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, User Experience ArchitectEngagement Date: April 2011Wedding Date: January 2012Venue: Wynn Las Vegas/Bouchon BistroAbout Me: I’m a Wisconsinite-turned-Angeleno who is planning a destination wedding in Las Vegas. I am passionate about education: I spent 23 (!) consecutive years in school, and now I work to help other people get into graduate programs. I love running on the treadmill, buying bath products from Lush, learning new moves in step aerobics, and exploring my neighborhood on foot. I am sometimes snobby about food, but I am rarely snobby about books. I read everything from Geoffrey Chaucer to Iris Murdoch to Chuck Klosterman to Candace Bushnell. My fiance and I are getting married on our third anniversary!
When I first started looking at wedding dresses, I was adamant that I wanted one without a train. If a consultant brought me a dress with a train, I immediately asked her if it could be cut off in alterations. I thought that a train didn’t really fit the Vegas wedding vibe, and I didn’t want to worry about dragging the back of my dress up and down the Strip.
I imagine that you can guess how this story ends, right? I ended up purchasing a dress with a long lace and organza train. One that is just begging to be dirtied and stepped on. One that I still love and want to keep.
Miss Coyote, Westchester, NYAge and Occupation: 26, Administrative AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Computer ProgrammerEngagement Date: August 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Franklin PlazaAbout Me: I am an overly-caffeinated, sports-obsessed history nerd who loves a good book and hates bananas. Originally from a small town in Upstate NY, I made the move to Westchester County and never looked back! My loves include NBC Thursdays, red wine, fleece pajamas, and my amazing fiancé. Together we are planning a formal evening affair for 175 guests with a mix of new and old traditions and plenty of personal touches.
Miss Coyote, Westchester, NYAge and Occupation: 26, Administrative AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Computer ProgrammerEngagement Date: August 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Franklin PlazaAbout Me: I am an overly-caffeinated, sports-obsessed history nerd who loves a good book and hates bananas. Originally from a small town in Upstate NY, I made the move to Westchester County and never looked back! My loves include NBC Thursdays, red wine, fleece pajamas, and my amazing fiancé. Together we are planning a formal evening affair for 175 guests with a mix of new and old traditions and plenty of personal touches.
Well, I never got a chance to try on this exact model, but I did try on some similar styles…aaaand I hated them. This type of dress looked decidedly better on a model than on me, and I knew I had to move on. Ugh, it broke my little heart to let go of it, but I knew that there was something better out there for me in the wide world of wedding dresses.
Miss Kettle, Chicago, ILAge and Occupation: 26, Non-Profit Donor Resource CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Musician & TeacherEngagement Date: May 29, 2011Wedding Date: February 2012Venue: Patrick C. Haley Mansion, Joliet, ILAbout Me: I'm a city girl who loves a good escape, so I'm planning a Chicago wedding outside of the city. I've been described as a quirky yet down-to-earth drama queen who loves fiercely. I used to be a scientist, but now I'm learning to navigate the world of non-profit organizations. I love cooking, blogging, shopping, and music, and movies (Hans Zimmer is my favorite movie composer). Mr. Kettle and I had a short courtship and now we have a happy home with our cat-who-thinks-she's-people, Belle. We spend our days and nights with good food, live music, video games, family, and friends. Our wedding has become this wonderful excuse to bring together hundreds of people we can't bear to be without.
My final dress fitting has happened and once I order my veil, every part of my wedding ensemble will be in place. I can’t wait to tell you how the fitting went. After that, I will share the entire outfit.
But first, I have to tell a tale of woe. A story about a petite girl who ordered a dress and then feared that dress would be too big.
That girl is me. When I first picked out my wedding dress, the sample size was a ten. That dress swallowed me up. They took my measurements and found I was a 6-6-8. You know, size-six boobs, size-six waist, size-eight hips.
After the initial shock of feeling extra huge because wedding sizes run extra small, Momma Kettle and I decided on the size six. The dress had an A-line ball gown skirt, so we’d rather fit the boobs than the hips in this case.
I worried about the dress fitting too loosely. The top has 3D flowers all over it and wouldn’t be easy to alter. I didn’t want to risk ending up having to fidget with dress all night long or having a saggy tube-top dress. If you’ve ever had a saggy tube top, you feel my pain.
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All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
