In case you haven’t heard, Jen, AKA Operation Pink Herring, is engaged! Her Matt-Damon-look-alike fiancé, Joel, proposed during their recent trip to Barcelona, and I know that I am waiting with bated breath to see how she approaches bridehood. Jen mentioned a little while ago that she told the jeweler about a purported “fake engagement party” so that she could get her resized ring back faster, but we figured that a real, albeit virtual, engagement party made up of fun, congratulatory, wedding/engagement-themed posts would be way more exciting.
Oh, and did I mention that it’s a surprise? That as Jen is reading a whole flurry of posts dedicated to her from the comfort of her feed reader, she had no suspicion that we sent out a massive e-mail invitation?
SURPRISE!
(Oh, Jen, how I wish I could see your face right now.)
Throughout the day, as party posts go live and authors e-mail us, Audrey and I will update a running list of links; mine is after the jump. If we somehow missed you with the invitation and you want to jump in, go ahead! Send along your permalink and join the fun — the more the merrier!
Congratulations, Joel and Jen!
- - - - -
About five years ago, my sister was the maid of honor for a college friend. I was still in college at the time, and I received a phone call one night:
Sister: So I was talking about the wedding with The Bride, and you will not believe what she wants to do for the bridesmaid dresses.
RA: Shiny? Poofy? Handmade?
Sister: Worse.
RA: I have no idea.
Sister: Rainbow.
What?!
My sister went on to clarify that The Bride imagined one color on each of the five bridesmaids, resulting in a horrifying display of prismatic tackiness. Apparently, The Bride’s mother had done a similar scheme in her wedding, and it was reportedly “really pretty,” according to The Bride.
“Yeah,” I snorted. “It was the seventies.”
“I know!” my sister shrilled. “It’ll be like a terrible prom picture, with girls in all different colored dresses, matched up with guys in tuxes.”
Uh, okay.
“I swear,” she continued, “if I can get her to change her mind on this, I will not ask her for anything else.”
As it turned out, the rainbow fascination was partially a form of homage to The Bride’s mother and partially a result of thoughtful consideration for a wide range of body types and complexions. My sister managed to wrangle out a decision on just one color for dresses — imagine that! — and she happily wore a cornflower-blue, Grecian-type number for the wedding. True to her word, she did not oppose anything else, and there is proof in the form of embarrassing photos of her doing some ritual at the reception involving an apron and money being shoved into it.
The crisis was averted, and my sister is still close friends with The Bride. Phew.
- - - - -
Enjoy the rest of the engagement party posts!
- All or Nothing
- Alyndabear
- Bridehood Revisited
- Effected
- Everyday Reading
- The Good Kind of Dorky
- Heidikins
- Hola, Isabel
- Hot from the Furnace
- Love is Blonde
- Made in Richmond
- Marriage 101
- Nancy Pearl Wannabe
- Not Perfect
- Not So Newlywed
- On 2nd Thought
- Sangria Lover
- Sarah Says
- Sass Attack
- The State I Am In
- Sweet Life with Mary
- Tomorrow is Another Day
- WTF Have I Done?
17 comments
Rainbow Brite bridesmaids! Brilliant! I don’t know why I didn’t think of that to include in my post to Jen. Was she going to have all the bridesmaids paint little stars on their cheeks, too?
I’m up! Go see!
wow…that’s all i can say…
I don’t even know what to say. The interweb is way too nice to me. You guys are going to turn me into a bridezilla yet!
Thank you so, so much. I am honored and totally surprised (again)!
PS- my friend getting married on October breifly considered doing ROYGBIV bridesmaid dresses. We talked her out of it.
a virtual engagement party is such a sweet idea!
Great re-telling of one of the first of my many bridesmaid experiences! You just hope and wait with bated breath that 1) The cut of the dress is ok - not great or fabulous - just ok, and 2) The color will be somewhat passable against your skin tone. That is why I so enjoyed our J.Crew green dresses for your wedding! That only means that somewhere in the future I’m due a bright pink taffeta creation that includes a butt bow, puffy-shoulder sleeves and dyed-to-match shoes. Ick.
thanks for organizing, RA!
And Audrey, too!
Rainbow dresses?! Yikes! I did put my maid of honor in a different color dress than my bridesmaids, but the dress style was the same, the two colors were complimentary, and I think the resulting look was fabulous. (I even coordinated the best man and groomsmen’s ties to match!)
Congratulations again, Jen!
Congrats to Jen! If I get my post up before midnight tonight, does it still count? Because it slipped my mind because I was definitely NOT thinking about engagements and weddings as I say at home alone with my cats last night for Valentine’s Day!
Rainbow bridesmaids… wow, that’s klassy.
Great party! Love it!
xox
Um. Nothing beats my bridesmaid dress.
It won me a coach purse. You all know what I am talking about.
If not… take a look at my post for the party.
My cousin got married and his bride had a rainbow wedding. And not only did each girl have a different (primary!) colour dress, they also had matching plastic feathers in their hair.
I was so thrilled I wasn’t in the bridal party.
Great work to you and Audrey!
This was so much fun. Thanks for organizing it, and for providing me with an entire afternoon’s worth of avoiding work for MUCH funner virtual party time!
Now if I could only pour myself a virtual drink and somehow make it appear here….
awwwwww! thats so awesome!
I think this is just the cutest idea, you guys are definitely good friends
Hey RA-
I feel a bit like I’m crashing a bridal shower party here, but I found you via IndieBloggers and wanted to let you know I like your rush hour haiku. I totally bonded with your views on other drivers! Anyway, cool poem.
Wow, that is a really amazing idea for bridesmaid dresses. I wonder if the groomsmen would have worn corresponding cumberbunds?
Leave a comment