All Things Wedding From Wedding Stationery to Bridal Wear

Our invites from Ajalon Printing & Design came in looking amazing, but because I like to make more work for myself, I decided to spruce them up a bit. Here’s how they looked before my additions:

Very “Tuscan Romance” dontcha think?

The little food icons are Mr. Jelly’s favorite part of our invitation suite

Accommodations/Website card

Here are the additions I made:

Cardstock backing:

I really liked the look of cardstock backing, but I wanted to save money so I decided to DIY this part of the invitation. I Googled “burgundy cardstock” and came across Paper-Papers.com, and it looked like they had the perfect burgundy shade. I emailed them asking for a sample, and it matched our invites perfectly! I proceeded to order 3 packs (100 sheets each) so we could use it for menus, programs, place cards, etc. Overkill? Maybe. But you don’t find the perfect share of burgundy every day!

I then cut 2 backings per sheet of 8.5″ x 11″ piece of cardstock to use as backings on our 5″ x 7″ invites using my handy guillotine paper slicer. I made sure to save the leftover 1″ x 8.5″ strips of paper, as I would later turn them into belly bands.

Next, I had to figure out a way to adhere the invites to the cardstock. I thought about double-stick tape, Zots, or even using my Xyron, but it all seemed too pricey and time consuming. Mrs. Snow recommended 3M Super 77 spray adhesive, and I’m so glad I listened to her!! This adhesive is inexpensive ($10 for a can), extremely tacky and very easy to use. I glued about 175 invitations in only a couple hours, with the only downsides being a minor headache and a sticky kitchen floor as a result (both can easily be avoided by working outside.)

Belly Bands:

Next, I took the thin strips of leftover burgundy cardstock, and used them to make belly bands that would hold together the various components of the invitation. I scored each strip of paper with my bone folder, folded each belly band over its respective invite, and then sealed the belly band with a gold wax seal (yes, this was as time consuming as it sounds).

Wax Seals:

For the seals, I used glue gun sealing wax, as it is much easier to manipulate than the old fashioned drip kind. I bought a “D” seal from Michael’s, ordered some Antique Gold wax sticks from www.letterseals.com, and followed the tips from this thread to make my seals.

So, are you ready to see the finished product? Here’s what you would see as a guest to the Jellyfish wedding:

Gorgeous calligraphy done by my very talented Bridesmaid Lauren (or done by me, if you’re an OOT guest – sorry guys, you kinda got the short end of the stick )

No envelope liners for this gal. After doing them for our thank you cards, I’d had enough.

Little bundles of joy.

The full invitation suite. The Welcome Dinner/Farewell Brunch invite is printed on the reverse of the wedding map (which was designed by my designer/photographer extraordinaire Bridesmaid Amy – what would I do without her?!)

Getting the all-important Stinson seal of approval.

So there you have it, the Jellyfish invitations. They were a lot of work, but I’m very happy with them and we stayed within our budget nicely. Were your invitations a labor of love? Anyone else buy their invitations, but then add DIY touches?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

… and the Lobster wedding invites are done.

Hello. We’ve been working hard and after a week of cutting liners, gluing backings, learning to tie twine, our wedding invitations are officially in USPS’ hands for guests to receive after the hot holiday weekend!

No line at the post office, what??

Before I do the reveal, I want to give a big shout out to Derek at 4fifteen who created a design that perfectly suited my tastes and our wedding style. He walked me through every step of the way and took care of things I am unfamiliar with including finding a reasonably priced letterpress printer! If only the Internet had feel-o-vision:

Mmm, letterpress

I shared most of the paper details in my previous post so we’ll just get to the pictures:

Initially, I wasn’t sure if 1 spool of twine would be enough. But it was more than enough even after using over 2 feet per invite (I made 100).

twines

my work station

My wonky printer made it so that I had to hand feed each envelope with a post-it to avoid printer dashes.

Annoying dashed lines!!

A 100 card backs and 100 invites? No problem with some double stick tape and World Cup soccer in the background.

In case you’re interested, a twine tying pictorial:

Cross your twine, twist it, flip it over, tie a bow, and cut to length.

Upon opening the envelope, this is what the guests will see:

Then this:

And the main invite:

Finally, the full invitation suite:

Printing the envelopes was the most time consuming and stressful part of this process. After that was the twine tying. While most guests won’t even bat an eyelash before untying the sucker, I still *had* to do it.

By the time the last invitation was sealed, I was soooo over these invites. And yet I still found it difficult to just drop them in the mail. I asked one of my bridesmaids, “should I go get them hand canceled? or just get over it” to which she responded, “just let it go, girlfriend.” LOL. But I couldn’t…

So early on Saturday morning, I made Mr. Lobster accompany me to the post office for a proper send off after he informed me that the first 50 were free and 5 cents thereafter. The postal worker kindly counted out my invites, put them in a bin, and said OK, they’ll be delivered in 2-5 days. What? I don’t get to hand cancel them myself? I didn’t get to say a proper goodbye…

Did you find it difficult to “let go” of your invitations? What was your favorite or least favorite part about the invitation assembly?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

I’m almost done with the invites. I promise! Until then… the paper details. When I was researching for invitations and first started reading Weddingbee, I was so overwhelmed with paper terminology and types.

overwhelmed with invitation details

Here are ourinvitation details – hopefully to help someone out there!

Sizing

I used a standard A7 (5″x7″) size for the main invite and 4bar (3-1/2″ x 4-7/8″) for the reception and RSVP cards. This made it easier to find pre-made envelopes.

Weight

Mrs. Pug did a nice series on paper here. I also found this reference guide from Paper and More very helpful. I recommend around 110# to have that invitation “feel”. For the envelope liner, go as thin as you can cut for two reasons 1) it’s easier to cut and fold thin liners and 2) saves on postage.

Paper

Envelope Liner: Print Icon 24# Text in Silver Dot

Main Invite (A7 size), Reception, and RSVP (4bar) Cards: Crane Lettra 110# in Fluorescent White

Card backing: Paper Presentation Classic Linen 80# cover in Charcoal

• The Crane and Linen papers have very nice texture. The Lettra is made for letterpress but if you use digital or offset printing, your printer person might recommend a less textured/less soft paper so that the print stays crisp and doesn’t bleed.

Envelopes

Outer A7.5: Paper Presentation Classic Crest in Solar White

RSVP / Reception card 4bar: Paper Presentation Classic Crest in Solar White

Inner A7: Print Icon Vellum in White

Twine: Divine Twine in Oyster and Lemon

• Originally, I sent my envelopes to a printer to do the addresses. The professional sized machine warped the envelopes and the heat sealed them shut. I ended up printing them on my home printer (came free with my Mac). I did have some creases but I’m blaming that on USPS.
• Tip: Buy EXTRA envelopes if you’re printing at home. You’ll run into snafus like printing on the wrong side or upside down, etc. Or test print on some envelope-sized papers.
• Printing on vellum? Change your print settings to draft or transparent to lessen the ink used. Allow enough time for the ink to DRY completely for no surprise smudging.

Twine tying options

First attempt at printing envelope – creased with rando dashes

Postage

The invitation ended up weighing in at 81 cents and that’s because of the twine tie adding the “package surcharge”. Be sure to bring it in to ask your friendly USPS rep and don’t say you want to mail it “regular mail” because it doesn’t exist. It’s called First Class mail and Mr. Lobster learned that the hard way. LOL.

a king and a queen for my 81 cents

Lobster Lesson: start putting together your details WAY ahead of time. I procrastinated because of indecision and didn’t account for snafus that ended up adding a couple of weeks. Now I’m pushing the envelope (HAHAHA – is that an invitation pun? I hope so.) on the proper RSVP window time for my guests. And please. For the love of invitations. Proofread. A LOT.

Did invitations take much longer than you expected? What kind of obstacles did you run into?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Couples have been advised they can make their big day an environmentally-friendly affair by handing out plantable wedding invitations.

Julie Greco, writing for the Standard, said these invites are made from recycled paper and are embedded with seeds that can be grown afterwards.

"Guests simply plant the card into the soil and, eventually, it will blossom into beautiful flowers that could also serve as mementos of the wedding day," she explained.

Ms Greco stated weddings generate a lot of waste and she was determined to have an eco-chic style when she married her husband.

Wedding invitations are not the only element of the ceremony that can have a negative environmental impact, she went on to say, with disposable cups, monogrammed napkins and thank-you cards also offenders.

According to Green Uses For Waste, vintage or second-hand wedding dresses are becoming increasingly popular for brides looking for a more sustainable option for their ceremony.

Wedding invitations are the first step towards filling your wedding with friends and family. Make sure you do it right by getting the wedding invitations right.

This article was originally posted onHitched.

Aww… and there it is! The set in all its glory (except for the blurring). This DIY “masterpiece” and absolute nightmare at times has literally taken me a year to dream up, design, create, and mail off.

General specs:

• DIY tri-fold pocketfold
• 2 invitation panels in English on the far left and Vietnamese in the middle
• Pocket holds3 inserts (ceremony info, reception info, and RSVP card) and the RSVP envelope
• DIY monogram of first names with rhinestone accent
• Ceremony & reception cards with directions on the backside
• Computer printed RSVP envelope address and main envelope return address
• Handwritten cursive addressing
• Wrapping paper cut and double stick taped envelope liners
• Faux wax sealed
• Designed using Adobe Illustrator
• Orchid design via IStockPhoto

Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Outer envelope…

Flip it over to see our faux wax seals…

Unseal the envelope flap to reveal the hand cut and taped envelope liners…

The front displays our faux belly band with a monogram of our first names.

Open her up and you’ll see…

Compare these with our more casual save the dates. I think the only thing that make these match are the paper choices.

Our invitations are purposely mismatched. I had different goals for each. I wanted our Save the Dates to convey sunny San Diego summer fun. For our invitations, I wanted to convey to guests, “don’t forget your formal wear. Flip flops will not cut it.”

Do your invitations match your save the dates? Or did you have a different goal with each of them?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Like several bees before me, I was enchanted by accordion-fold programs. When I saw a packet of 11″x17″ paper on sale at Paper Presentation, I knew it was meant to be. I purchased some navy cardstock (both glittery and matte), pulled out the trusty Gocco, and got to work on the covers.

I like having options.

For the innards, I fit 2 program onto an 11″x17″ sheet, with each innard 4 panels long. I included the ceremony program, bridal party members, and an e.e. cummings poem. I also included a quote incorporated in Mrs. Peep Toe’s and Mrs. Hot Cocoa’s programs, which will not be recognized by most of our guests but appreciated by a select few. Then, in the continued practice of recruiting family members (especially on holidays), Sis and Mom Hamster helped me cut, paste and attach ribbon, like so:

Sis Hamster Folding the Program Innards

Reinforcing the crease with the trusty bone folder

Mom Hamster cutting the program innards

I believe it was at this point that she said “Put the camera down and get to work, child.” But for blogging posterity, I soldiered on.

The folded innards

Sis Hamster gluing the covers on

The inside of a completed program

To hold the programs, Mom Hamster found a basket as well as – *get this* – a gorgeous piece of velvet left from when her mom, my grandmother, sewed the bridesmaids dresses for my mom and dad’s wedding. How’s that for something old and borrowed?

The finished product

Are you having ceremony programs? What will they look like?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Many moons ago it seems, I showed you my save the dates and I mentioned I would be working with the same Etsy seller, Twin Ravens Press, on the invitation suite. I thought you might enjoy this little peek at the envelopes and the letterpress process! (All photos by Kristin and sent to me)

The paper for my envelope liners, before

This paper is natural lotka paper with embedded flower petals.

The envelope liner in the die-cutter machine

The liners after being cut

The envelopes fully lined

The letterpress

The printing plate for our return address with the blue ink on it

Our envelopes going to meet the printing plate

Our envelopes coming off the printing plate

And the finished envelope!

I’m so happy that Kristin sent me these pictures, and I could share a tiny sneak peek of what’s to come with you!

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Dear Wedding Santa,

I’ve been a good engaged bride-to-be. I took careful time picking our venue, flowers, and dress and even stayed in budget. I haven’t yelled (a lot) at my fiance and I haven’t (yet) been called a bridezilla. So when you check you nice list twice, I should be there. Here’s my invitation wish list:

1. calligraphed envelopes

Bella Figura

2. vintage postage stamps

100 Layer Cake

3. customized envelope liners

Smock Paper!

4. baker’s twine somewhere

Oh So Beautiful Paper

5. edge painting

Mrs. Gloss

6. hand canceled

Source

7. letterpress

Bella Figura

8. return address stamp

For Yoo from Etsy

Um, what else. Oh yeah, a new Barbie doll, a pony, and an E-Z Bake Oven. Oh, and a Snoopy Snow Cone machine.

Snow Cones!

Thanks, Wedding Santa!

xoxo,
Lobsty

What’s on your invitation wish list? Think you’ve been good enough for Wedding Santa?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.