Bridal Funk...

I’ve been so upset regarding the invitation situation that it’s turned me off all aspects of wedding planning lately. We started with the process MONTHS ago – by going to local stores. I went in swearing that invitations were NOT going to be something I was overly focused on, I knew the insane amount of money that could go into them. I then proceeded to promptly fall in love with two of the most expensive elements of wedding invitations – pockets and letterpress. In the end, I’ve chosen to sacrifice letterpress (doesn’t really fit my event formality wise) for pockets! I love pockets of all types – my bridesmaid dresses have pockets, I was in love with those Kangaroo shoes as a kid, and I just think they are neat, and, maybe, just maybe, the pocket will be useful to our guests for storing info related to the wedding and they can use it to easily organize their directions, travel confirmations, etc.

I didn’t fall in love with any pocket invitations at the stores. So I turned to Etsy. Really I was looking for someone with creativity and time to work with me on designing and doing some of the prep work for putting these bad boys together (read: cutting paper) after my DIY save the dates that ate up a significant portion of my life for a month. I'm picky, I had a lot of ideas, and I didn't want to spend the money on having EVERYTHING done soup to nuts for me. I found a seller who was looking to built her “invitation consulting” business and we agreed on a GREAT PRICE ($150.00 plus paper) for the work of designing, printing, and doing all the cutting and paper ordering/coordinating. During the design process we spent a LOT of time on the phone, and maybe I began to realize that my designer wasn’t totally up to speed or as experienced as I wanted. Really, this was fine as well – I took on the bulk of the designing, font selection, layout, etc. (though her husband did design an awesome logo and monogram that I love). We went back and forth with PDF proofs and I thought we were finished. She was going on vacation for 2 weeks, and sent them to me the day before her vacation. I received them and was very disappointed. The color for one of the enclosure headings didn’t match the others, the alignment of the text was off, and the margins were IMPOSSIBLY small, to the edge of the paper – the product just looked sloppy. I hemmed and hawed about what to do – and decided that this was one of those things that would haunt me forever, so I contacted her and explained my issues, and we are going to work to get them fixed and my invitations will go out a bit late (maybe 6 – 7 weeks prior to the wedding).

Lesson Learned: ALWAYS see a physical proof of YOUR final product. If something is wrong, fix it, and get ANOTHER physical proof if you have any reservations.

The whole thing puts a huge knot in my stomach and makes me really upset to think about, because at this point I COULD have just done them myself, I feel like they are never going to look how I want them to, and I’m sort of in the “Eeyore” state of mind lately. Meanwhile – awesome things are happening: my bridesmaids threw me an amazing surprise shower at Gray Ghost winery this weekend, lost 5 pounds through lots of cardio, picked out wedding bands that we both love, engagement pictures turned out phenomenally, and our pre-marital counseling is really teaching us a lot about communication/conflict resolution, yet this invitation thing is the cloud that always hangs over my head…

Has anything put you in a bridal funk? How did you move past it?

Devil in the Details

I have 70-something days until my wedding and last week was about as close to a meltdown as I could possibly get. Having set up the venue for the ceremony and reception almost a year ago, bought a dress, picked a menu, and picked out bridal party attire I figured all I had left were the little things.

Turns out its the little things that nearly drove me off a cliff last week....

1. The first fiasco was that my future mother-in-law called and let me know that the never ending search for the cake continues. This wouldn't have been a problem until she told me that the "back up" baker we had the next town over called and canceled on us since we didn't commit yet. Couldn't blame her though--we were shopping for someone better. But that wasn't a big deal---worse case scenario we get cupcakes.

2. The millionth florist that I have called is still quoting me in the $2000's. I don't know if I want to spend that money on flowers that will be tossed out . I need to either get over the fact that flowers, if I want them, cost a lot of money, or I can just minimize the flowers. I don't know where my heart falls yet.

3. I had a terrible experience with a printer for my invitations. I had been communicating with a printer for almost a month now. The student designing my invites was away studying at Oxford so I had to hold off on getting them done sooner. She came back, the invitation designs looked fantastic, and I was happy. So I contact the printer, he tells me to come by and bring him the files and we would get started, not problem. Plus, he was only charging me less than $150 to print out a total of 400 pcs of paper.

So I show up on the day of my appointment, thumbdrive in hard, files perfectly set with a 1/8 " bleed. I get there and this place is---well, less than professional looking. Then I wait for 45 minutes because he was meeting with a customer who walked in (he even saw me, waved, and resumed meeting with someone as my appointment time ticked by). Once he was done and could finally meet with me, I give him the thumbdrive and he says, "I can't pull your files, my computer doesn't have a USB drive." Not only that, but his computer couldn't support the .pdf files of the invitations. I was ok with that because I could easily convert the files and email them to him in a more compatible format--but what really got to me was that after waiting almost an hour past my appointment time, he looked at me and said, "I can't meet with you today. I just realized I am running late. Can you come back next week?"

No. I couldn't. Invites have to go out soon. I was devastated. I had driven out (way out) to see this vendor just to be told that they were too busy to meet with me on the day that I was scheduled to meet with them. I spent the rest of the day frantically looking for a new printer who would print my invitations and inserts for less than the $350+ I was getting quoted around the area.

Good news is that I did find someone and my invitations are ready to be picked up tomorrow. I will certainly post pics once they are all assembled. They look wonderful and they make the whole wedding really feel like it's coming together.

So lessons learned:

- Don't be so last minute: I should have known that the wedding was going to creep up. I should have anticipated more snags in the planning process. I know that I am a huge procrastinator and planning my wedding was not going to change that.

- Be positive: As awful as my experience was with the printer, I should not have had as big a meltdown as I did. Overreacting definitely did nothing for me and in the end it worked out...it always does, doesn't it?

Now that all of that is solved and taken care of, I do have great news, which is my dress is done and ready. I went to Angie who did a phenomenal job with making me pockets, fixing the neckline, and doing the bustle and hem. She was worth the drive! After a year I still love my dress!

So this week I am checking off invitations and dress of my to do list. Now I just have to wait for those RSVPs to start rolling in so I can start working on escort cards, programs, and the menu. It's all the tiny details now that are starting to pile up. I am pretty sure I have to rework my "to do" list.

Have you hit any snags in planning? What are the little wedding details that you're working on now or what have you decided to just toss out completely?

Onward!

We finalized the guest list this weekend - we're just short of 150. And finished the save the dates - all 61 of them. And have a better idea about our budget - all $15,000 of it.

Now that the save the dates are done, my mother has been pressuring me to get started on researching my invitations which she thinks I should make to save costs. Knowing me, and knowing how much of a procrastinator I am, even though they don't need to go out until July for our September wedding, she's already on my butt about them. Just because your mother lives 12 hours away does not mean she will not nag - but bless her heart, I know she's bugging me only because she's not around to help more, so this is her way of ensuring I do what I need to do.

See she knows I should probably get started now rather than later because I started my save the dates in...October? They just barely got finished Sunday night. They still need to be labeled and stamped though. They WILL go out by the end of this week. Hopefully tomorrow and God willing, I won't need any extra postage.

So today to appease my dearest mother, I did a little bit of research. In the past few weeks I've become an etsy fiend.

The invitations I'm really loving?

These. Sage and Navy and Pink are our colors - so obviously they wouldn't be exactly like these. But I do love the ribbon (which I'd make pink) and the layers. [via decadentdesigns]

I also really liked these:

via [Your Style Invitations]

I'm pretty sure I could make something similar to these fairly easily, especially with the wonders of the Paper Source which I'm a HUGE fan of. Last time I was in there, I noticed that in the coming weeks, they're having a couple of wedding invitation workshops.

At one of these they say they:

"We'll look at several examples to determine what style you prefer, then learn how to design and produce your own invitations. You'll experiment with several different papers and designs to create the invitation of your dreams."

They have one coming up on the 25th of February at their Georgetown location on M Street, NW where you can register and learn the above for $55. Register [here]

They also have one where you:

"Sip sparkling champagne and enjoy chocolate dipped strawberries while you create a full suite of wedding samples — including a select group of letterpress invitations, escort cards, favors and table accents. "

The Georgetown one is currently sold out however on March 5th there's one at the Old Town Alexandria location. This one is $35 and does still have seats left. Register [here]

I'm sure eventually I might hit one of these up - for now I'm going to peruse my options and come up with a plan to make my own. I'll just do what I did with my save the dates! Find inspiration and adjust to be my own with my own creativity skills.

What are you doing for YOUR invitations? Etsy? Making your own? Or are you going all out and buying them?

DIY Invitations

All of my tireless research and labor (FI helped, too. Lol!) have resulted in these gorgeous invitations! . . . . Ta-da!

We are so happy with how our DIY invitations came out. The pocketfolds, backing layer, and printed layer are Envelopments products, which we purchased from EnvelopMe.com. Envelopments has very high quality papers, and although I researched several retailers, EnvelopMe had the best prices for the products we wanted, including our 4 x 9 pocketfold, which was not easy to find. The invitation envelope, RSVP card paper, backing layer and envelope are all from Paper Source. A new one opened in Annapolis, not far from Annapolis Mall. I designed the shape and text of the printed layer and RSVP card in PrintShop.

I learned how to assemble the invite by watching a tutorial video on the Paper Source website, and I figured 'I can do that!' FI and I have been hard at work for weeks, but we are both pretty pleased with the results, and I have discovered that my soon-to-be-husband is fairly crafty. Bonus! At first, we thought that by assembling our own invitations, we'd save money, but once we purchased all of the elements and supplies to make them, it pretty much equalled the cost of having them custom made. However, we don't regret making them ourselves, because we got exactly what we wanted. We had a project that allowed us to spend alot of quality time, and we're quite pleased with our work.

A few of key points:

1. If you ever consider tackling a DIY project for your wedding, give it a shot, as long as you have the time to dedicate to it. You'll probably be very pleased with the results.
   
2. Letterpress and thermographic printing are gorgeous, but home printing can be just as beautiful as long as you're printing on quality invitation materials.


3. Before ordering invitation materials, be sure to request samples, which are almost always free, just to make sure the colors and weights are exactly what you want them to be.

Happy Planning!

"Posh" Invitations

Just like any bride, I was in desperate need of great invitations. With some brides, they pretty much have rights over all decisions made. As Jennifer Lopez said about grooms in "The Wedding Planner"-- "NIDs... Not Into Details".

What's been fun about this process is that Mr. JeffMemorial, while he still isn't as into planning as I am, really has an opinion about our colors, what we do, etc. Not only that but he has good taste; a stellar combination.

This makes decision-making when it comes to the wedding a bit more of a compromise. Not that I mind!

When it came to invitations, however, it took awhile for us to find a designer and a design that we both liked. There were many nights, huddled around a laptop where one of us would really take to an invitation set, and the other would hate it, thinking it was "the most effing hideous thing ever".

Then we found PoshBetty.com. I was immediately infatuated with its retro chic niche, with throwback styles ranging from leopard print to classic flourishes. Some are kitschy, some are classy. Some find that delicate balance in between.

On top of that the prices are really reasonable.

With our colors being black, apple red, and white we were taken with some of the designs, but they didn't match our scheme. Not a worry in the world! Most of the designs can be customized to meet your needs.

Now the proofing process was absolutely great. The designer (Shellie) was just so wonderful, tweeking and adjusting, as I got hung up on shades of red. (God, I never thought I'd do that. I'm still ashamed.) Not only that but the proofing process is free and without any commitment, which was good for us since we were still looking around, making sure this was exactly what we wanted.

Our invitations are based off of this stock design: http://www.poshbetty.com/pbWedDetails.php?id=24

Here is how they turned out!

I couldn't be more pleased. (Pardon the swirls, but the world does not need to know our address, heh.)

Now I cannot wait to order them. I know they're going to be stunning. They're fun, but classy. They look lovely, but they err on the side of informal, which is exactly what we wanted.

Highly recommended so far. They also have other products at the website, including party invitations, engagement announcements, t-shirts and other goodies!

Check it out.

How Crafty Are You?

I have a weakness for flea markets and craft fairs anyway, but now that I have a wedding to plan for, it's twice as much fun to go. The Renegade Craft Fair is being held this weekend in Brooklyn, NY (if you're in the neighborhood on Sunday, June 15, it's at the McCarren Park Pool) and it was so much fun to see the cool stuff that people had made. I am more a craft appreciator than a craftswoman myself, but I love supporting local artisans. How much cooler is it to have someone who lives down the street from you make your invitations as opposed to having them made in some nameless factory somewhere?

I was so excited to see the booth of one of my favorite Etsy sellers, Pistachio Press. Rachael Hetzel does beautiful letterpress invitations. I love the red and white cards here.

I thought these cards from Bow and Arrow were lovely. I love how Julie's going against the minimalist trend in a really stylish way. And she does custom printing. More letterpress to drool over!

I'll have more of my adventures at the craft fair coming in Part II!

Paper Source Workshops

I've heard wonderful things about Paper Source, and have always wanted to check out the store. But really, what's the point when I know I'll be ordering my invites from Paperzest? Well, there's this one little factor called the FMIL. And mine, whom I adore, is a graphic designer and would love to take part in our paper projects in some facet. I let Christina at Paperzest know up front that there needed to be a few projects left for Mr. Shirlington's mom, and instead of trying to talk me into letting Paperzest do them, she told me to have FMIL email her if she had any questions at all. I've said it before, but this is yet another example of why I enjoy working with her.

So I've decided that I might drop in on one of these Paper Source workshops in Georgetown so when I offer to help FMIL, she doesn't find me completely devoid of DIY know-how. There are the three interesting ones:

Wedding Invites
Sun, Feb 10, 2-5pm GT

Paper Source requests the honor of your presence at this one-of-a-kind workshop on wedding event invitations. We will look at several examples to determine what style you prefer, then learn how to design and produce your own save-the-dates, shower invites, rsvps, and, of course, the pièce de résistance, your invitations! You'll experiment with several different papers and designs. In addition, we'll talk about how to "mass produce" your handmade treasure and learn different techniques for using ribbons to help you "tie the knot". A discussion of addressing and printing will follow. RSVP soon!

Beyond the Invitation: Wedding Event Invites
Sun, Mar 2, 2-5pm GT

Just as there's more to the ceremony than "The Dress", there's more to announcing the wedding than "The Invitation". Join as we go full circle in planning your special event: we'll start with ideas for Save-the-Dates; move into bridal shower, rehearsal dinner and bachelor & bachelorette party invites; then discuss RSVP options and accommodation cards. The emphasis will be on creativity and projects you (and your bridesmaids or groom!) can do yourself when developing an overall look that tells everyone just how special your day will be. With the techniques you learn in class, you'll be able to go beyond the invitation and make all of your printed pieces special with beautiful Paper Source papers.

Wonderful Wedding Album
Wed, Mar 5, 6:30-9:30pm GT

Whether you're the bride- (or groom)-to-be, a member of the wedding party, or just want to create a very special gift, this is the workshop for you. The starting point is Paper Source's medium screwpost album kit with pre-drilled and pre-scored pages that accommodate both horizontal and vertical pictures. You'll cover the boards with our glorious Japanese paper paired with one of our imported bookcloths and embellished with a ribbon trim. Add finishing details such as covering the exposed screwposts with matching paper and you'll have a treasure of an album. We'll guide you through every step of the process: cutting, gluing, folding and binding. The album you make will be as special as the couple getting married!

Letterpress. The Only way to go.

I hate to say that. I know letterpress is more expensive than thermography and it's only an invitation and your guests are going to..... throw it out ( I don't believe this. Everyone in my mind is like me and has every invitation they have ever received) but the difference it makes is legendary. I am a paper person. I love paper and when i see letterpress, i just drool. The only thing better than this is the new engraving processes available using color. (This is the Bentley of invitation processes, not for the faint of heart. More on that in another post when I stop swooning.).
Take a look at just the tip of the iceberg
Two Paperdolls, Que Stien, Braun & Brown, Abby Jean Press, Orange Beautiful, Wiley-Valentine, Mr. Boddington,

Favorite Favors

As mentioned in my last post, when I chose the location for our August wedding, I realized that pastels and delicate flowers would no longer do. To look at the room is to imagine nothing but white calla lilies – at least from how I see it. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I discovered these items on various favor websites! They could not be more perfect and I could not be more excited!

Calla Lily Candles, available from BlueRainbow Designs for as low as $1.13!!


Calla Lily Guest Book, available from the Wedding Outlet for $39.95

and last but not least...

Calla Lily Favor Pails available from American Bridal, 12 for $23.22


I highly recommend any of these sites to find unique favors and gifts. I have certainly found what I was looking for and then some. Next is getting an invitation that coordinates with this theme...

I've contacted a custom invitation designer who was highly recommended: Laurel & Co. and am anxiously awaiting to see what she designs!

Who knew wedding planning could be this much fun?!