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.
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!
Before I get into the thick of my recaps, I want to back it up a bit (back, back, back it up!!) to early August when I was home for my fab bacheloretteparty. We need to discuss my wedding dress. My fabulous, gorgeous wedding dress.
While I was in Seattle for the bach, as usual I knocked out two wedding tasks with one plane ticket (or however the saying goes) and scheduled my final dress fitting for that same weekend—it would be the last time I was in town prior to the wedding and I wanted to be sure that any changes that needed to be made were done in time for the wedding.
Mrs. Marmalade, Norwalk, CT/Raleigh, NCAge and Occupation: 27, Administrative AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Army OfficerEngagement Date: December 31, 2009Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Old Cadet Chapel/Highlands Country ClubAbout Me: I'm a Tri-State area "lady," through and through. A big chunk of my life has been split between NYC and Connecticut, and I'm finally heading down south to live with Mr. Marmalade. Our long distance relationship has been one adventure after the next, we've spent time in Texas, Louisiana, Florida,and Georgia, thanks to his military career. Next to Mr. Marmalade, my loves include live music, useless trivia, shoes, design, and my crazy half-tiger kitty, Oliver. I have a passion for food and wine, and I've been known to travel long distances to get my hands on the best meals. I come from a tight-knit big fat Greek Ecuadorian family---we're loud, we talk with our hands, and we spend hours talking loudly with our hands over large meals. I'm going to miss them so much as I pack up and begin my life, far away from home. But with Mr. Marmalade by my side, I'm ready to take on whatever may come. Next up: our wedding!
So, the following is proof of my extreme dress doubt that I suffered a few months before the wedding.
With seven months to go, did I call up the bridal shop and tell them I wanted to come in for another dress appointment? Did the woman on the phone tell me that I had to write them a letter stating that I wanted to place my wedding dress on hold so I could come in and shop again? Did I hang up the phone, type up a letter, and fax it over to them?
Miss Dragon, Sioux Lookout/Brockville, ONAge and Occupation: 24, JournalistFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Graphic DesignerEngagement Date: August 22, 2011Wedding Date: September 2012Venue: Mother of the Bride’s ResidenceAbout Me: I moved to Northern Ontario for a job, expecting to be single for the year I'd be there. Within one month I was dating a co-worker, and now, more than two years later, we’re planning a wedding and I’m still a Northern girl. I’m a reporter and a photographer for a small-town newspaper, and I get to do all kinds of fun, exciting, and sometimes weird things at work. When I’m not getting the scoop, I’m cooking, adventuring, playing with our three black cats, or blogging.
Mr. Dragon told me he has no plans to read this blog, but then he asked me if he could read it, so I told him to watch for this sign:
Back to dress shopping!
I had decided on my dress and put in my order. Now all I had to do was wait, anxiously. I signed myself up for tracking email alerts from UPS and, on top of that, clicked over to their website at least daily.
It’s a good thing I signed up for the alerts, because that’s how I figured out where the heck my dress went after UPS nearly gave me a heart attack.
Miss Dragon, Sioux Lookout/Brockville, ONAge and Occupation: 24, JournalistFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Graphic DesignerEngagement Date: August 22, 2011Wedding Date: September 2012Venue: Mother of the Bride’s ResidenceAbout Me: I moved to Northern Ontario for a job, expecting to be single for the year I'd be there. Within one month I was dating a co-worker, and now, more than two years later, we’re planning a wedding and I’m still a Northern girl. I’m a reporter and a photographer for a small-town newspaper, and I get to do all kinds of fun, exciting, and sometimes weird things at work. When I’m not getting the scoop, I’m cooking, adventuring, playing with our three black cats, or blogging.
Miss Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
While I love bridal fashion, I don’t particularly like shopping for other kinds of clothes. I have always been much more excited about paint, fabric, and furniture than about fashion. The idea of shopping for a rehearsal dinner dress was not appealing.
I originally thought I’d wear one of the dresses I bought for myself during the big J. Crew sale where I got my bridesmaids’ dresses. Alas, I hadn’t yet heard that brides-to-be wear white dresses to rehearsal dinners. I don’t think this is a hard and fast rule, but it definitely seems like a fairly common practice.
I can only think of one attending one rehearsal dinner where the bride wore white, so I thought I’d brush off what might be a new tradition. But the idea grew on me. I started to think that it was kind of sweet that brides were embracing white dresses beyond the wedding day. Read more…
Miss Dragon, Sioux Lookout/Brockville, ONAge and Occupation: 24, JournalistFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Graphic DesignerEngagement Date: August 22, 2011Wedding Date: September 2012Venue: Mother of the Bride’s ResidenceAbout Me: I moved to Northern Ontario for a job, expecting to be single for the year I'd be there. Within one month I was dating a co-worker, and now, more than two years later, we’re planning a wedding and I’m still a Northern girl. I’m a reporter and a photographer for a small-town newspaper, and I get to do all kinds of fun, exciting, and sometimes weird things at work. When I’m not getting the scoop, I’m cooking, adventuring, playing with our three black cats, or blogging.
I knew right away I wouldn’t be having the traditional bridal-salon dress-buying experience.
To start with, my budget for a dress was relatively small—I figured around $350, $400 tops. I know there are salon dresses in that range, but I didn’t want to accidentally fall in love with something pricier!
Second, I didn’t want a big princess ballgown. Some brides wear them and look absolutely stunning, but they’re not my thing. I wanted long, simple, not bright white, and probably most importantly, not strapless.
Cementing my decision was the fact that the only two cities with bridal salons lie a five-hour drive away in opposite directions. That means I’d have to fill up my truck’s gas tank twice (around $200) and possibly get a hotel room (at least another $100), leaving me all of $50 to $100 to buy a dress.
I’ve been a seasoned online shopper ever since I moved away from the glory that is the mall, so I started searching around the internet. I knew I wanted to buy my dress early because I could picture myself hating my order, having to return it, waiting for another, hating it, and so on and so forth until it’s months from the wedding and I still don’t have a dress. Worst case scenario, I know.
My eventual dress choice is shown here so…
One of my favourite online stores for window shopping is Modcloth, land of the pretty pretty dresses and awesome tights.
Miss Wizard, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 22, Front-end Web DeveloperFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Software ProgrammerEngagement Date: June 8, 2011Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Glades Pike Winery, Somerset, PAAbout Me: I’m a born-and-raised Pittsburgh girl marrying a born-and-raised Pittsburgh dude. I’m a stubborn Italian with a huge personality, and I love oldies music, baking, housewifery, and all things Harry Potter. He’s a quiet, level-headed guy who loves my cooking and laughs good-naturedly at my lack of verbal filter. He’s an intellectual who likes to learn, and can often be found going on "Wiki walks" and landing on the most hilariously weird articles imaginable. We truly are a case of "opposites attract," and we balance each other out perfectly. We keep each other sane and make each other laugh so hard we cry almost every day, and that’s all I could ever ask for. Together we’re planning a simple, elegant, summery June wedding, and we can’t wait to be Mr. and Mrs.!
With the bigvendors out of the way, it was time to get serious about choosing my dress. Now that we had our venue, I had more of a picture of what the wedding would be like, and I felt that this was a boon to helping me pick my dress. The only problem? That beloved satin halter dress from last time no longer fit my wedding vision.
Miss Wizard, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 22, Front-end Web DeveloperFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Software ProgrammerEngagement Date: June 8, 2011Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Glades Pike Winery, Somerset, PAAbout Me: I’m a born-and-raised Pittsburgh girl marrying a born-and-raised Pittsburgh dude. I’m a stubborn Italian with a huge personality, and I love oldies music, baking, housewifery, and all things Harry Potter. He’s a quiet, level-headed guy who loves my cooking and laughs good-naturedly at my lack of verbal filter. He’s an intellectual who likes to learn, and can often be found going on "Wiki walks" and landing on the most hilariously weird articles imaginable. We truly are a case of "opposites attract," and we balance each other out perfectly. We keep each other sane and make each other laugh so hard we cry almost every day, and that’s all I could ever ask for. Together we’re planning a simple, elegant, summery June wedding, and we can’t wait to be Mr. and Mrs.!
Our next stop on dress-shopping day was Alfred Angelo. AA was another good “budget” option, so although I hadn’t seen many dresses online there that I liked, I figured it was worth a shot.
A former high school classmate of mine was my consultant there and, unfortunately, she remembered me. (Not that I ever had anything against her but, seriously, do you want someone you went to high school with seeing you in your skivvies? I think not.) She handed me a catalog and had me dog-ear the styles I wanted to try on. By that point my mind was spinning with all the dresses I had tried on at David’s Bridal just minutes previously, and I was stuck on one thing: Halter top. Halter top. Halter top. I flipped through the catalog like a madwoman, searching wildly for halter dresses, completely ignoring everything else. This was perhaps my biggest mistake—who knows what other dresses I may have found that could have been The Dress, had I only stopped to look? But no. I was determined. Halter top. Halter top. Halter top.
Miss Wizard, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 22, Front-end Web DeveloperFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Software ProgrammerEngagement Date: June 8, 2011Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Glades Pike Winery, Somerset, PAAbout Me: I’m a born-and-raised Pittsburgh girl marrying a born-and-raised Pittsburgh dude. I’m a stubborn Italian with a huge personality, and I love oldies music, baking, housewifery, and all things Harry Potter. He’s a quiet, level-headed guy who loves my cooking and laughs good-naturedly at my lack of verbal filter. He’s an intellectual who likes to learn, and can often be found going on "Wiki walks" and landing on the most hilariously weird articles imaginable. We truly are a case of "opposites attract," and we balance each other out perfectly. We keep each other sane and make each other laugh so hard we cry almost every day, and that’s all I could ever ask for. Together we’re planning a simple, elegant, summery June wedding, and we can’t wait to be Mr. and Mrs.!
We all piled into our vehicles and drove caravan-style to our first stop of the day: David’s Bridal. Being a frugal person, I knew I wanted to stick with “budget” dresses, so most designer boutiques were out. David’s Bridal seemed like the logical choice, and so that’s where we went first.
When we arrived I met my consultant, Elayne, and she had me mark each dress I wanted to try on in their catalog. I found the dresses from our online pre-shopping, and added a smattering of other dresses I liked upon first glance. A few minutes later, Elayne went to fetch the first round of dresses, and it was time to get bridal.
My heart skipped a beat—this was really it. In a few seconds’ time I would be wearing a wedding dress for the first time ever in my life. Elayne held up the first dress like a hoop and I dove into it, and then it was time to make my bridal debut.
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 haven’t written a ton of posts about my dress. Part of me didn’t want to have pictures laying around of me in my dress in case Mr. PF accidentally stumbled upon it on my computer, and the other part of me didn’t want y’all to see pictures of me in a dress that was too tight.
After working out and eating a lot of salads, I am happy to say that the dress now fits perfectly and I am literally so excited to wear it on our wedding day and share it with y’all.
Miss Wizard, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 22, Front-end Web DeveloperFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Software ProgrammerEngagement Date: June 8, 2011Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Glades Pike Winery, Somerset, PAAbout Me: I’m a born-and-raised Pittsburgh girl marrying a born-and-raised Pittsburgh dude. I’m a stubborn Italian with a huge personality, and I love oldies music, baking, housewifery, and all things Harry Potter. He’s a quiet, level-headed guy who loves my cooking and laughs good-naturedly at my lack of verbal filter. He’s an intellectual who likes to learn, and can often be found going on "Wiki walks" and landing on the most hilariously weird articles imaginable. We truly are a case of "opposites attract," and we balance each other out perfectly. We keep each other sane and make each other laugh so hard we cry almost every day, and that’s all I could ever ask for. Together we’re planning a simple, elegant, summery June wedding, and we can’t wait to be Mr. and Mrs.!
Saturday dawned, and it was time to get our shop on. Our first stop, however, was not any bridal-gown store—it was BFF Lefty’s house, where I would be trying on my mom’s wedding dress and giving all the ladies time to meet each other and get acquainted before the madness of the day really started. We uncorked a bottle of champagne and ate cake and girly snacks:
Personal photo
And then I pulled a little surprise out of my own hat—I asked BFF Lefty to be maid of honor. Mr. Wizard and I had decided on a small bridal party—just maid of honor and best man—and since Lefty is my “sister from another mister” (seriously, her dad and my mom were friends, and her family was the first non-relatives to visit my parents in the hospital after I was born—we’ve been friends practically since birth), there was no one else I would dream of asking to be my MOH. She, of course, accepted.
Then it was time for the main event: putting on my mom’s wedding dress. My mom was an amazing seamstress. She sewed everything for everyone—made costumes, pajamas, stuffed toys, you name it. Of course, she made her wedding dress herself, from scratch, so the sentimental value of this dress is huge. Wizard Aunt recently moved and found the dress hanging in the very back of her closet, and was shocked when she saw it was in nearly perfect condition—no yellowing or brittle fabric or anything. I thought maybe, just maybe, I’d be able to alter it to fit me and be a more modern style—this is something my mom would have loved, and what better family heirloom to incorporate into the wedding than my mom’s wedding dress?
Miss Wizard, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 22, Front-end Web DeveloperFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Software ProgrammerEngagement Date: June 8, 2011Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Glades Pike Winery, Somerset, PAAbout Me: I’m a born-and-raised Pittsburgh girl marrying a born-and-raised Pittsburgh dude. I’m a stubborn Italian with a huge personality, and I love oldies music, baking, housewifery, and all things Harry Potter. He’s a quiet, level-headed guy who loves my cooking and laughs good-naturedly at my lack of verbal filter. He’s an intellectual who likes to learn, and can often be found going on "Wiki walks" and landing on the most hilariously weird articles imaginable. We truly are a case of "opposites attract," and we balance each other out perfectly. We keep each other sane and make each other laugh so hard we cry almost every day, and that’s all I could ever ask for. Together we’re planning a simple, elegant, summery June wedding, and we can’t wait to be Mr. and Mrs.!
Somewhere in the mix of all of this ridiculousness, I graduated college.
BFF Lefty and me / Personal photo
That night we all headed back to the hotel room where my family was staying, and my cousins T and C and I hunkered down with my laptop and pre-dress-shopped online. I had been doing this myself already for months (like, maybe even a whole year…oops) before getting engaged, so I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted. I didn’t have any particular likes/dislikes as far as fabrics, cut, shape, etc. went—I really loved flowy, dreamy-style dresses in chiffon and lace, but was fairly open to anything that caught my eye. I figured that I’d try a variety on and then see what I liked on me, and narrow it down from there. My only absolute stipulation was this: NOT STRAPLESS!
Yeah, I’m one of those “difficult” brides. I just seriously hate the way I look in strapless dresses. I feel as naked as if I’m wearing a towel after getting out of the shower, and my shoulders are scrawny and weird looking. There are plenty of people who look good in strapless; I am not one of them. Plus I wanted to avoid the I-look-naked-in-pictures effect—you know, where the bride is photographed from the shoulders up and she looks as if she’s completely naked because there is no dress to be seen anywhere?
Mrs. Marmalade, Norwalk, CT/Raleigh, NCAge and Occupation: 27, Administrative AssistantFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Army OfficerEngagement Date: December 31, 2009Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Old Cadet Chapel/Highlands Country ClubAbout Me: I'm a Tri-State area "lady," through and through. A big chunk of my life has been split between NYC and Connecticut, and I'm finally heading down south to live with Mr. Marmalade. Our long distance relationship has been one adventure after the next, we've spent time in Texas, Louisiana, Florida,and Georgia, thanks to his military career. Next to Mr. Marmalade, my loves include live music, useless trivia, shoes, design, and my crazy half-tiger kitty, Oliver. I have a passion for food and wine, and I've been known to travel long distances to get my hands on the best meals. I come from a tight-knit big fat Greek Ecuadorian family---we're loud, we talk with our hands, and we spend hours talking loudly with our hands over large meals. I'm going to miss them so much as I pack up and begin my life, far away from home. But with Mr. Marmalade by my side, I'm ready to take on whatever may come. Next up: our wedding!
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.
Someone recently posted this picture on Facebook and I about died! This is me when I was 16 playing Laurey in the musical OKLAHOMA! This was the scene right after the main couple in the show gets married. Check it out!
Personal photo
I think I look about 12 in this photo. I remember thinking it was really fun wearing a wedding dress. They bought it at a thrift store and it fit me perfectly. And it was the first wedding dress I ever wore.
I guess most people’s first wedding dress is the one they wear on their wedding day, but not me! Seeing this picture got me thinking about the wedding dresses that influenced my feelings on wedding dresses in general. It’s fun to reminisce about the gowns that shaped my ideas of what a wedding dress should be.
There is of course my mother’s dress, which I have looked at many times while looking through her wedding album.
Unique Wedding Favors
