Weddingbee PRO
![[AnnaCannoldMapFront_LowRes.jpg]](http://www.weddingbeepro.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/annacan1.jpg)
One of our recent clients loved the idea of a Save-the-Date map, but wanted to do something different and more “emotional.” We came up with the idea of a “life map” and the result was fantastic! You can see both the bride and groom’s journeys growing up until they met in June of 2006. The map continues to their engagement and, ultimately, their 2009 wedding. It really is a great idea to showcase their most important accomplishments both as individuals as well as a couple. We were even able to incorporate interests and things they enjoy - such as oatmeal for the both of them! In addition to the adorable map, we are also creating custom Zazzle stamps with the icon of the campfire where they met!
Engage 09 in the Cayman Islands was, in one word, LEGENDARY. You can catch up on all the tweets about it here – most of us came back on Wednesday, but there are some party peeps still on the island! While I gather pictures from some of the many fabulous photographers that were there, I thought I’d share a video clip from a party on the last night of the conference.
Two of my favorite people in the wedding industry - 79 years young Sylvia Weinstock and Kleinfeld/Say Yes to the Dress’ Randy Fenoli — showed us all how to bust a move!
Engage 09 Party Time! from Weddingbee on Vimeo.
Don’t worry — I have permission from both of them to post this video. You have to watch until the end because Sylvia grabbing Randy’s belt is the absolute best part! Sylvia told me to go ahead and post the video because she wanted to show the world that you’re never too old. Randy told me that this was destined to go on youtube. This actually happened in the beginning of the night, so you can imagine how much crazier the night got later in the evening! 
It wasn’t all partying however, although there was a lot of that going on… we also learned, connected and networked. More on that soon! Have a fantastic weekend everyone!
An increasing number of couples are opting for weddings with a conscience. Whether it’s by having an eco-friendly wedding or choosing wedding favor donations in lieu of traditional wedding favors, it’s clear that couples are giving back.
Here are some ways that you can use your wedding as an opportunity to give:
1. Instead of traditional favors, choose wedding favor donations. Simply make a donation in each guest’s name to the charity of your choice. Place a card on each place setting letting guests know about the donation.
2. Donate your flowers to a nursing home or hospital.
3. Donate your leftover food to a local food bank. Make arrangements beforehand for the food bank to pick up food after the reception.
4. After the wedding, have your bridesmaids donate their dresses to Operation Fairy Dust, an organization that takes gently used gowns and gives them to underprivileged teens for proms and graduation.
Here are some images from my cupcake class at Prep Kitchen Essentials. We had 13 ladies ready to bake, decorate, and eat their way through tons of yummy cupcakes. It was a tight schedule with lots of things to bake, many cupcakes to frost, and lots of decorations to make. I taught them how to make vanilla, chocolate, and carrot cake cupcakes. They also learned how to make vanilla buttercream, swiss meringue buttercream, vanilla cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache filling, and peanut butter filling. Like I mentioned, it was busy! 
In addition to cupcakes and frostings, I showed them how to make modeling chocolate roses, use chocolate transfer sheets, texture fondant accents, and pipe flowers. Here are some photos from the fun day!
Having shared my recent bridal shower, I think it’s time I show you my wedding dress, don’t you? It has been an interesting process and in the end I absolutely love my dress. Frankly, it surpasses any expectations I could have had going into the hunt and the best part may just be the price tag…but we’ll get to that in a minute.
I think it’s important for me to note that dress shopping was not something I was particularly looking forward to and, in fact, I waited nearly five months after being engaged to start the process. The reasons for this are numerous but it basically boils down to two main issues - (1) I have recently lost a significant amount of weight, and I was worried about going to try on dresses and being disappointed. The last thing you want it go through all of that effort to be anything less than ecstatic with how you look. (2) I really really did not want to spend a lot of money on a dress. Some things were really important to me when planning our wedding (a fantastic venue, great photography and incredible invitations, of course), but a wedding dress was not high on my list of priorities…even though I am completely smitten by basically everything Jim Hjelm has ever created.
{Dress by Jim Hjelm}
James + Shanti hired us to shoot their engagement photos before the head back to their roots at the end of this month to tie the knot in Indonesia. Since they hired us via email, the first time I met James + Shanti was on the day of our shoot, and this always makes me feel a little anxious because I never know what to expect. Well, any expectations that I had were exceeded by this sweet, quiet, and loving couple.
One of our June brides is having her reception at a farm in Southern Maine called Laudholm Farm. We are creating an earthy and organic style with a muted color pallete, naturally composed floral arrangements and touches of burlap. The flowers we will be incorporating are: white hydrangea, mini green hydrangea, white peonies, cream garden roses, white and purple anemones, white and green ranunculus, star of Bethlehem, and fresh lavender. We are custom staining and distressing two different sizes of wooden boxes for the flower vessels. We’ll be using wide-mouthed mason jars with dahlias and anemones for the cocktail hour as well.
Take a look at the images below to get an idea of the reception centerpieces and table design! Something Sweet by Michelle will be creating the cake, a linen hem-stitched themed design, complete with her incredible and impossible-to-copy sugar flowers. The reception tent will be provided by Sperry Tents Seacoast, so we know it will look fantastic! We’ll post more inspiration images from our other weddings as we get closer to them!
I was so excited to hear that Sprinkles Cupcakes has joined this new trend of mobile boutiques. There is something so great about this concept…of course it could be that we are packing up the office until all hours of the night, getting ready for the move, and cupcakes just sound so heavenly!! I wish the Sprinkles truck would drive by about now! I am even more excited to hear there will be an Orange County truck soon!
How amazing would this be at an outdoor wedding reception!! Too cute! If you’re like me and can’t get enough of these adorable mobile shops check out Fresher than Fresh, Kogi Bbq, Visionary Boutique. As you can see I may have a small obsession with this brilliant concept!!
{top photo via LA Times, cupcake photos via Sprinkles} for the Sprinkles truck schedule click here
For the third weekend in a row, Emilie Inc. photographed at Spruce Point Inn! It was my turn this time, as J and Whitney had been there previous Saturdays. A blanket of clouds and occasional mist blanketed the inn for the duration of the day, sadly, so we weren’t able to take advantage of the typical stellar sunset. Like Lisa, I adore SPI in the fog anyway. There was a cozy, romantic feel to the afternoon, peppered with shrieks of joy from Lisa.
In Lisa’s words, their story:
Steve and Lisa met the summer before their senior year at Boston College. Lisa was a Research Assistant and worked for three different professors in the Psychology Department. Steve worked in the computer lab and often helped computer-illiterate individuals (like Lisa at the time) do things like burn important lab results on a CD.
Throughout the summer, Lisa would run into Steve at the lab and they would exchange small talk. It wasn’t until August that Lisa decided that she really liked Steve and from then on, Steve didn’t stand a chance! The two went on a few dates before they decided to be exclusive.
Two days after Steve and Lisa officially became a couple, the two realized that Lisa was to be Steve’s Resident Assistant (RA) at college. As dating a resident was a slight “no-no” in the RA world, Lisa decided to take matters into her own hands. Instead of breaking things off, Lisa marched into RA training, looked her boss in the eyes and said, “I have been dating a soon-to-be resident for two days, and I am sorry but I don’t plan to break-up with him!”
And the rest, as they say, is history!
On to the pictures…
Lisa catches her bridal reflection for the first time. Priceless (actually, I heard her mutter: “Gorgeous.” Love it).
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
