Paying it forward....Wedding Style

When Mrs.Bee asked the question on the boards "Why do you love Weddingbee? it was natural and easy to name all the ways (like many of yous have. ) Overall we have the same vision on the greatness of weddingbee and seeing it grow and evolve is such an reward.

Then Mrs. Cupcake responded " Weddingbee completely shaped my wedding. " Which is exactly how I feel, so I added "... thank you for all the bees before me. Yours weddings shaped my wedding into something more that I had imagine. In hopes my planning has help someone else in return... pay it forward I say.... wedding style!

Pay it forward.... wedding style. I'm liking that....

So I thought it would be neat to name 3 ways how you used and than applied the pay it forward rule. Alright here I go (this is just a few)

How these Bees paid it forward (to me):

1. Thank you Mrs.Lovebug - For making me realize how much I love vintage typewritters
   
2. Thank you Mrs. Plumeria - for your beautiful invitations. They have been the starting inspiration to my never ending design process when making my own invites. You rock!
   
3. Thank you Mrs.Onion - for hiring Wes (of film Jones) and opening my eyes to his awesome work.
   

How I've paid it forward (well from what I know):

1. Designing invitation for a friend wedding.
2. Sharing my knowledge about weddings : Giving all my vendor, websites, and references (including weddingbee) to some girls I know who are gonna tie the knot.
3. Vectorizing some chandeliers for some weddingbee readers, and a former bee
   

Which bees paid it forward for your wedding?
How did you or how are you planning on paying it forward?

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Chick Flick: The Proposal

I don't know about you but I am a fan of wedding related movies. Actually I have to admit I'm a girly girl and love all the chick flicks. Even though I haven't seen Bride Wars (don't worry its on my to-do list) I can never get enough of wedding movies.... and honestly The Proposal looks freaken hilarious. (Not to mention I am a fan of Ryan Reynolds - hotness alert)



I loved 27 dresses and am certain this one will be as good. Your asking yourself whats the connection between the two... one name Anne Fletcher. Shes the director of both movies... so its a hint to the goodness - what do you say?

Whats the story about? Canadian immigrant Sandra Bullock is on the verge of getting deported and needs to find a way to keep her job... solution to marry her assistant (Ryan Reynolds)

Coming out June 12th of this year... I have a feeling Mr.F and I will celebrate our one year anniversary watching a chick/wedding flick. Now that's how you celebrate ;) lol

My Real Wedding Inspiration Board

When I was planning my own wedding, I loved seeing inspiration boards. I couldn't get enough and I was making myself some as well. It really gave an overall feel of what type of wedding I was going for, not to mention its a great starting point to any party planning.

Now what I loved even more... is seeing a real wedding inspiration board and compare their original idea and what the wedding actually looked like. Its fun to see if the theme/ideas stayed the same and see if the wedding is better than the inspiration board itself :)

I made my own before and after boards. (click to enlarge):

Original Inspiration Board
(1940s, Vintage, Glamour Theme)

Real Wedding Inspiration Board

(1940s Vintage Glam Movie Theme)

My wedding theme changed a little in the planning process. When I first created my inspiration board, I was going for my pinks, golds, champagne colors and more a vintage modern approach. Then, it shifted to 1940s brown and ivory movie vintage theme. Honestly I really like how my wedding came out, and if I were to do it again... it would be exactly the same, but instead of brown and Ivory, I would go Ivory and Black.

I have to confess that I was sort of competing with my own inspiration board. I wanted my wedding to be better than what I had envision. I know... isn't it weird?

What do you think, is my real wedding board better than the original? Did you make a real wedding board as well? Would you have changed anything?

Our Wedding Movie Trailer...

Alright I can't wait any longer and must share this with you. I know... I'm not finished doing all my recap posts, but I am way too excited to wait until I am done the recaps. What I loved about our wedding was the videographer. I was so lucky to have Wes Jones of Film Jones come to Montreal to film my wedding in 8 mm. Not to mention that he was so great to work with. It truly captured the whole theme of our Vintage Glam wedding and I would hire him all over again in a heart beat.

At first Mr.Flamingo didn't want a wedding video because he didn't want to force our friends and family to watch a 1 hour video... and I completely understood what he was saying. I wanted to have a wedding movie-esque trailer, a short film with all the important moments of the wedding... packed with lots of emotion sort of like a movie. So I went ahead and re-editing my wedding footage to have a really short wedding trailer... a total of 9 minutes. Yup thats it!

Our Wedding Trailer.

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Footage taken by Wes Jones of Film Jones

I used the Mac program Final Cut Express to do all the editing. Luckily my friend had the program and helped me a whole lot (Thanks Isabel!!!) The program isn't very complicated... and with google you can find many tutorials online. Because I compressed the movie quite alot, the movie lost alot of details and the 8mm effect isn't as great as the original movie. But I think you will get the overall feel.

So do you like it? Will you be re-editing you wedding video?

To sell or not to sell... that is the question

I got THE call yesterday... my dress is clean and ready to be stored. So it hit me more that I thought it could. I realized that this was it... and that I would most probably never wear my dress again and it really makes me sad. If there is one thing in my whole wedding that I absolutely loved and would do again... my dress would be it. But at the same time whats the point of keeping a gorgeous dress in the closet when someone else can have the joy of wearing this stunning dress. I have had people/readers asking me if I were selling items that I had in my wedding... and honestly I was never able to give a response (sorry about that)

I really don't know if I am ready to let my wedding items go. I don't know if its because I don't want to face the fact that the wedding is over... or that I just want to hold on to the memories as long as I can. I mean what if I sell everything and forget? Ok that not likely to happen... but I think you understand what I am trying to say.

I have many wedding items piled up in my office and room and I selling some would be a good way to move on... but I don't know if I can. I mean, I would love to have my future daugther wear my wedding dress. But then I think about it... I never wore my moms dress or veil or anything she had at her wedding, so would my daugther wear mine. Most likely not.

I have many items that I can possibly sell (because I would most likely never wear or use them again)
You can see pics of majority of the items here

• My wedding Dress
• My birdcage Veil
• My necklace set
• My Hair Comb
• Some tealight holders
• Brown Table runners
• Brown Ring Pillow
• Handmade Brooche
• Silk Clutch
  
• Wishing Well
• Brown envelopes
• Ivory Envelopes
• Shoe Embellishements
  

Now my question is this : Have you decided to sell your wedding items? And for those of you who have... how did you make the step and do you regret it???
Please help one confused bird.

The Secret Life of Bees: Flamingo Edition

Hey everyone...in case you don't remember me, it's Mrs.Flamingo. I apologize for not being present this past couple of months. Lets just say that there has been much movement in my life... and because of it I have been way to busy... its crazy. (its positive - don't worry... I got a new Graphic Design job that I love.)

I absolutely wanted to take part in this awesome thing going on... called the secret life of bees. I loved reading everyone elses secret and thought it was time to share my own.

1. I enjoy eating something I call the Microwave Grilled cheese. Pretty self explanatory : 2 slices of white bread with 1 slice of Kraft Cheese, placed carefully in a plate with a paper towel (so that the bread doesn’t become soggy) and put in the microwave until the cheese is melted. I know, doesn’t seem very appetizing, but its something my younger sister and I use to eat coming home from school.

2. When I was smaller I preferred playing with cars then with Barbie dolls. I loved using the toy car carpet my dad bought me when I was younger. I could play hours with that thing. Even to the point that my dad bought one for my future kids (and I'm not even pregant). Daddy Flamingo is too cute.

3. I wore my first pair of jeans when I was in 9th grade. Yup you read this right. Before that I was all jogging pants and leotards! How sexy!!!

4. I don’t know what is my fetish with white sliced bread, but I love to eat all the crust and then take the white part a squish it into a ball of dough. Then I eat it of course. Hey, this list is about my secrets myself… so don’t judge! :)

5. I have a guilty pleasure. I like the spice girls. I know majoriy of the Spice Girl choreographies. Ya, thats really cheesy but my sister and I would dance in our basement. Come on theres something catchy with their music.... ILL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT... WHAT I REALLY REALLY WANT... lol

6. I have this weird goal. To have as many business cards as possible. Maybe thats me wanting to be a woman of all trades… but at the moment I have 3. I’m working on getting more!!!

7. Like Mrs.Penguin - I have a tattoo story to share. Before I got my drivers license, I told myself that if I passed the first time around I would reward myself by getting a tatoo. So being the artist that I am decided to draw my own tatoo. It seemed pretty in all... a sort of tribal sun. Until my younger sister pointed it out that it looks like sperm and egg. And now... that what I say it is... haha.. My fertility tattoo. Hope its brings luck in the future... lol Oh my!

So there you have it... some stories/secrets about myself. Its actually quite funny. Do you have a secret you want to share? Come on I must not be the only one with some bread fetishes??? :)

AWS a.k.a After Wedding Shoot

Having the opportunity to do an After Wedding Shoot (AWS) is amazing. Now only do you have the chance to get dolled up again, but you can really take the time to pose for pictures when on the wedding day - time isn't your best friend. On our wedding day, we got some great pictures, but not the kind of pictures I was hoping for.

I wanted something different, unique and luckily my friend knew exactly what I wanted. So in a matter of 1 hour and a half we went from - the gas station, corn field, to railroad track and more. I am really really happy with the outcome of my pictures. (Plus, I got to wear my beautiful Birdcage veil - that I had forgotten at home the day of the wedding)

The morning of the shoot, I actually went to the hairdresser to get my hair done. Unfortunately I did the after wedding chop, so my hair was much shorter than at the wedding, so I couldn't have the same vintage hairstyle (snif! snif!) I did my own makeup like it was done on my wedding day. It wasn't very complicated to do - except maybe putting on the fake lashes. ;)

First stop - the gas station. Now this wasn't a fake pose, we really needed to put gas in the car otherwise we wouldn't go very far. I must admit though, they are pretty cool pictures.





A few minutes from the gas station there was a huge corn field. Being corn season, it seemed perfect for wedding pictures. We asked the owners if we could borrow their field for a couple of minutes, and I guess seeing a Bride and Groom always results in an automatic yes!




Since it had rained a couple of days before the shoot, the ground was quite muddy... so ya, I had a fun time cleaning my shoes afterwards...

Once the shoe cleaning was complete, we hoped in the car and went to the nearest train track, which was literally 2 minutes away. We had fun on the tracks, and let me say cars would pass by and honk...

I love this picture of Mr.Flamingo holding my shoes as I walk down the line (the track line that is) But might I add that it was extremely hot for my feet!


I love this picture - very à la Clark Kent (Superman)

Next up, we took some pictures in a vast grass field. Mr.Flamingo was the one who found the place. It was very beautiful and on top of that, just across the street of the field, there was a beautiful stone fence, where we took some more shots. (Can't get enough)

Once we were done and went back to our friends place, she wanted to take some more pictures of me in my dress. We experimented with different light sources to create a unique shot...

I had a blast taking pictures and if I could do it again I would... hmmm ... Winter is coming up shortly... maybe I could... No! Mr.Flamingo would kill me. Literally - he is so not a picture person :) haha

Did you have an After Wedding Shoot? Were you happy with the results?

Glamuptials: Giving our gifts

When we started planning the wedding, Mr.Flamingo and I decided not give each other gifts and save that money for something else. At first it seemed to be a good idea, until I found the perfect gift for Mr. F.... I knew he would be extremely happy about my gift chose and honestly I didn't expect anything in return. I got him an original Superman Script signed by the cast of the first movie.

When I gave Mr.Flamingo his gift (ahead of time) he literally had a permanent smile on his face and it made me so happy. I was glad he liked the gift (especially since he is such a difficult person) but then again, you can't really go wrong with Superman.... right?

On the day of the wedding I got a wonderful surprise. Mr.Flamingo got me a gift too. He actually composed a song for me. Even though he didn't sing it live at the wedding, he actually went in a studio to record it. How sweet is that.





I had no clue he did this for me (though apparently everyone in my family did) and later in the evening, he grabbed the microphone and announced my surprised. We danced to the song and the song was beautiful. I wasn't able to tell you what he was saying in the song, because I was crying too much ... but I listen to it the next day and it was simply perfect. This was the best gift ever. I'm so lucky to have him...

Here is the song he composed (now remember Mr.Flamingo is french - his singing in english isn't perfect)

Here is a snippet of the lyrics:

You told me yes I do
took me into your arms
make me a better man
now I belong to you
maybe your true soul mate
you taught me how to love

Did you get a special song for your wedding?

Glamnuptials: Ceremony Part 2

Saying the "I dos" was magical. A moment you dream of and it was a true fairytale come true and to add to the already amazing day, we were blessed to have my godmother and my sister-in-law do a reading. They were stressed like you wouldn't believe, but they did a great job!

We didn't really prepare anything for the candle ceremony so they provided us with these cute dove shaped candle holders. It was very ... how could I say ... capturing.

When it came time to sign the registries... I wanted to make sure everything is perfect. They say once you sign... it's over. You can't go back. I was having doubts... just kidding :) . But they did make a mistake in Mr.Flamingos last name. I didn't want to get married to this stranger... so they made the modifications on the spot.

When it came time to really sign the documents, the music was suppose to start. Ingrid Michaelson "The way I am"... Well it didn't. No one really knew when music was suppose to start, but 2 of my good friends told me I was staring at the Organ and singer as if I had killer eyes. Basically saying "CUE the music" it finally started a little late but now I was ready to sign. lol

So that's it... were married, I'm officially a Mrs. according to the church and the government. I love it. Its such a great feeling (even though I keep my own name) Ya you read right. Here in Quebec, Canada the Government is pro-independence so they want you to keep your name. Otherwise there a fee ... something like 250$ I really don't mind since in the end my children will bear Mr.F name... so its all good. (Plus, to be honest my last name is prettier. :) )

Now for the funny story of the day... and its a pretty funny one. When Mr.Flamingo and I were officially married and walking down the aisle as husband and wife, something unexpected happened. Honestly, I didn't feel a thing (that's because of my nylons) but my beautiful and secret superman garter I made for Mr.F slipped down my leg and found its way on the floor. Yup in the aisle of the church. Luckily the best man was there. He grabbed it like there was no tomorrow and gave it to my mom. She then stuffed it in her dress. I am not kidding you. I didn't even know... I had no clue. :) Thanks for saving the day... and Mr.F had no idea anything went down.


I loved the sound of the bells ringing. They were for us. It was very symbolic. I hope it was caught on video cause everything seemed blurry from that point on.


And were off to go take some pictures. All you heard was honking from a mile away. It was quite amusing and every single person outside looking at us, waved us hello. Maybe its their way of saying "Good Luck".

I think the funny moments of your wedding day is what makes it more magical. Hey I lost my garter in the church aisle... how funny is that. Did you have any funny wedding stories???

Flamingo Glamnuptials recaps:
Beauty Time Part 1 * The Guestbook * Decor Elements * Prep Time * Ceremony Part 1 * Le Gâteau

Photography: IPI-Events

Glamuptials: Le Gâteau

I can't seem to say it enough, my wedding day was perfect... and so was my beautiful cake. It was literally a show stopper or should I say a conversation starter. All our guests commented on how unique and glamorous it was, and it made me extremely happy to know that people actually paid attention. I wanted something unique, and thanks to all you readers, I finally had the perfect balance of brown, ivory and design.

For my cake topper, I used a vintage crystal glass that my step-mother had and used the remainder of the arcylic crystals that I used for my escort cards. I put a tealight candle in the glass so that way at night our cake would have its own mini chandelier.

The pattern on the cake wasn't exactly the one from my invitation. It was extremely hard to do (though I attempted to cut out the pattern on a clear acetate) Luckily my baker had a pattern sort of like what I wanted. In the end, the result was awesome... and its not like my guest remembered the pattern on my invites. ;)


We had a chocolate Ferrero Rocher crisp dessert included with our meal so we served the cake later on with the sweet table. Since I figured not everyone would eat cake at night, I decided to make cake flags to go with our oh-so yummy dessert. It basically had our names our it with our wedding date and the clock element found on our RSVP cards. Matchy Matchy ;)

Sorry for the blurry picture, this is the only proof that my cake flags existed.

For the portions, I decided to make a cake for only 70 people (though I have over 150 guests) and I have to say it was too much because we had tonnes left over. I had more than half the cake untouched... but I even forgot the leftover cake at the hotel. Oh well... ;)

Flamingo Glamnuptials recap:
Beauty Time Part 1 * The Guestbook * Decor Elements * Prep Time * Ceremony Part 1

Photography: IPI-Events