Comments on: Wedding Week: The Paper Trail http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/ Two Young People + One Old House = Love Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:19:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: katie http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-115670 katie Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:43:04 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-115670 love love love! i am recently enamored with your blog and have read it beginning to here, and i LOVE weddings too (especially DIY ones!) and so am very excited to see what you and everyone who's commented have done. =) we got engaged a year ago friday and married last august...seven and a half months of DIY-craziness! i designed all our paper things. our save-the-date postcards had an old photobooth picture of us with a gaudy picture frame superimposed, and all the useful info on the back. we got those printed at vistaprint. invitations and response cards incorporated our engagement pictures and were beautifully minimalist. our e-shoot had taken place in march on a frozen lake (we live in wisconsin) and so there was lots of lovely negative space and high contrast and they came out unique and stunning (if i may say so myself). =) our programs were simple vertical half-sheets, printed both sides...an idea i saw at a wedding i worked at and loved. we got programs and invites printed locally. we also rented a photobooth for the reception, and that was the best thing we could have splurged on. =) plus, the company gave us free thank-you postcards featuring any strip of our choosing, which was awesome. to see any of these, here are the links: save-the-date postcard: https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/kmphelan/OBB/save-the-date%20postcard.JPG?uniq=-yuk8x6 invitations and reply postcard: https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/kmphelan/OBB/IMG_1426.JPG?uniq=-m6y47u programs: http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs210.snc1/7729_866596736117_8629137_52502190_2031291_n.jpg thank-you photo strip: https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/kmphelan/OBB/thank%20you%20photo%20strip.JPG?uniq=-yukby5 love love love! i am recently enamored with your blog and have read it beginning to here, and i LOVE weddings too (especially DIY ones!) and so am very excited to see what you and everyone who’s commented have done. =)

we got engaged a year ago friday and married last august…seven and a half months of DIY-craziness! i designed all our paper things. our save-the-date postcards had an old photobooth picture of us with a gaudy picture frame superimposed, and all the useful info on the back. we got those printed at vistaprint.

invitations and response cards incorporated our engagement pictures and were beautifully minimalist. our e-shoot had taken place in march on a frozen lake (we live in wisconsin) and so there was lots of lovely negative space and high contrast and they came out unique and stunning (if i may say so myself). =)

our programs were simple vertical half-sheets, printed both sides…an idea i saw at a wedding i worked at and loved. we got programs and invites printed locally.

we also rented a photobooth for the reception, and that was the best thing we could have splurged on. =) plus, the company gave us free thank-you postcards featuring any strip of our choosing, which was awesome.

to see any of these, here are the links:
save-the-date postcard:
https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/kmphelan/OBB/save-the-date%20postcard.JPG?uniq=-yuk8x6

invitations and reply postcard:
https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/kmphelan/OBB/IMG_1426.JPG?uniq=-m6y47u

programs:
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs210.snc1/7729_866596736117_8629137_52502190_2031291_n.jpg

thank-you photo strip:
https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/kmphelan/OBB/thank%20you%20photo%20strip.JPG?uniq=-yukby5

]]> By: amanda http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1717 amanda Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:52:44 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1717 Our invites/RSVP card were really, really similiar to yours. I stole the idea from a Martha Stewart real weddings article. To cut down on paper and postage costs, I had my invite designed to be 8.5 by 3.33 with the invite on the front and other details on the back. then I had a second 8.5 x 3.33 piece that had directions and a map on one half and a perforated reply card on the other half. I bought a hand perforater at Michael's, pre-perforated the card and then the guests filled in their reply, hotel information and good wishes and sent the postcard off. I used side flap envelopes from Paper Source and was able to use 1 regular stamp for the whole thing, plus a postcard stamp for the reply card. I loved all the notes people sent back! http://amandarider.blogspot.com/2007/04/invites-are-out.html The other fun thing we did was wrap playing cards for the tables. I just wrapped them in green wrapping paper and cut a small piece of vellum with a thank-you note. We had some serious Euchre games going on during our reception (which had an outdoor area with picnic tables) http://amandarider.blogspot.com/2007/04/blurgh.html A lot of people told me (and my mother and mother-in-law) it was all of the little details that people still talk to them about at our wedding. Well, that and the crazy thunderstorms before both our ceremony and reception, followed by a glorious sunny evening for our outdoor cocktail hour. Our invites/RSVP card were really, really similiar to yours. I stole the idea from a Martha Stewart real weddings article.

To cut down on paper and postage costs, I had my invite designed to be 8.5 by 3.33 with the invite on the front and other details on the back. then I had a second 8.5 x 3.33 piece that had directions and a map on one half and a perforated reply card on the other half.

I bought a hand perforater at Michael’s, pre-perforated the card and then the guests filled in their reply, hotel information and good wishes and sent the postcard off. I used side flap envelopes from Paper Source and was able to use 1 regular stamp for the whole thing, plus a postcard stamp for the reply card. I loved all the notes people sent back!
http://amandarider.blogspot.com/2007/04/invites-are-out.html

The other fun thing we did was wrap playing cards for the tables. I just wrapped them in green wrapping paper and cut a small piece of vellum with a thank-you note. We had some serious Euchre games going on during our reception (which had an outdoor area with picnic tables)
http://amandarider.blogspot.com/2007/04/blurgh.html

A lot of people told me (and my mother and mother-in-law) it was all of the little details that people still talk to them about at our wedding. Well, that and the crazy thunderstorms before both our ceremony and reception, followed by a glorious sunny evening for our outdoor cocktail hour.

]]> By: McGee http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1712 McGee Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:55:48 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1712 We had a very DIY beach wedding in 2004. Our invites were blue envelopments folders tied with seagrass and sealed with a real starfish. Inside was the invitation card, which had a washed out beach photo as the background. In the side pocket of the envelopment, we had a trifold brochure detailing the wedding events with a FAQs section, maps, etc. We also had the response cards tucked in there. The invites were a big hit. Instead of wedding programs, we made fans. One side had all the typical program stuff and the other had a list of the wedding party. We used craft sticks (similar in size to paint stirrers) as the handles. Where the cardstock fan portion met the handle, we tied some raffia and affixed a starfish to it. We also handed out ribbon wands - thin dowels with gorgeous silk and satin ribbons tied to the ends in shades of blue. For favors, we did bags as well. Ours were decorated with more ribbon and a starfish. Inside we had seashell-shaped chocolates in clear cello bags tied with ribbon. We also included a CD with music from and inspired by our wedding. Naturally the CD had a beach photo on it. I also made seashell boutonnieres for the guys and seashell and starfish hairpins for the girls. I wore a small DIY tiara made from pearls, beach glass beads, and tiny seashells. We assembled the bouquets on our wedding day as well - the bridesmaid bouquets had seashells mounted on florist wire mixed in with the flowers. My bouquet had pearls and beach glass mixed in with the blooms. Table decor was easy - white table cloths with blue silk overlays, glass hurricanes with white candles, sand and seashells/starfish. A few larger shells were scattered around the hurricans. It was a perfectly fabulous wedding outside Destin, FL. Not even Hurricane Ivan could ruin it! :) We had a very DIY beach wedding in 2004. Our invites were blue envelopments folders tied with seagrass and sealed with a real starfish. Inside was the invitation card, which had a washed out beach photo as the background. In the side pocket of the envelopment, we had a trifold brochure detailing the wedding events with a FAQs section, maps, etc. We also had the response cards tucked in there. The invites were a big hit.

Instead of wedding programs, we made fans. One side had all the typical program stuff and the other had a list of the wedding party. We used craft sticks (similar in size to paint stirrers) as the handles. Where the cardstock fan portion met the handle, we tied some raffia and affixed a starfish to it. We also handed out ribbon wands – thin dowels with gorgeous silk and satin ribbons tied to the ends in shades of blue.

For favors, we did bags as well. Ours were decorated with more ribbon and a starfish. Inside we had seashell-shaped chocolates in clear cello bags tied with ribbon. We also included a CD with music from and inspired by our wedding. Naturally the CD had a beach photo on it.

I also made seashell boutonnieres for the guys and seashell and starfish hairpins for the girls. I wore a small DIY tiara made from pearls, beach glass beads, and tiny seashells. We assembled the bouquets on our wedding day as well – the bridesmaid bouquets had seashells mounted on florist wire mixed in with the flowers. My bouquet had pearls and beach glass mixed in with the blooms.

Table decor was easy – white table cloths with blue silk overlays, glass hurricanes with white candles, sand and seashells/starfish. A few larger shells were scattered around the hurricans.

It was a perfectly fabulous wedding outside Destin, FL. Not even Hurricane Ivan could ruin it! :)

]]> By: Kaylene http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1711 Kaylene Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:08:05 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1711 too funny, we had the photostrip for our save the date cards too for our wedding 3 years ago. Great minds think alike! we weren't quite so creative with other details though.. I wish we had been but I was not well for a lot of the planning stage so I just didn't have it in me.. but I really wish we did especially after seeing how wonderful everything turned out with yours! too funny, we had the photostrip for our save the date cards too for our wedding 3 years ago. Great minds think alike!

we weren’t quite so creative with other details though.. I wish we had been but I was not well for a lot of the planning stage so I just didn’t have it in me.. but I really wish we did especially after seeing how wonderful everything turned out with yours!

]]> By: Jesse http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1710 Jesse Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:11:05 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1710 All of these things are so fabulous! Makes me want to get married all over again! Our 9 year anniversary is in a few weeks. Keep all the great stuff coming! All of these things are so fabulous! Makes me want to get married all over again! Our 9 year anniversary is in a few weeks. Keep all the great stuff coming!

]]> By: Julie http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1708 Julie Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:13:13 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1708 You guys are making me want to get married all over again! For my 6-29-07 wedding we did what felt like a ton of DIY. I wanted to make the invitations ourselves to get exactly what I wanted but we ended up getting a better deal through a local stationary shop (not exactly what I wanted but they turned out to be very nice), we made post cards for our save the dates with our engagement picture on it and we also made magnets which my mom put in her christmas cards. We made rehearsal dinner invites, programs,welcome bags, menu cards, and place cards as well. It took so much work but my husband and I had so much fun doing it together and it made everything seem so much more special when we saw it that night! You guys are making me want to get married all over again!
For my 6-29-07 wedding we did what felt like a ton of DIY. I wanted to make the invitations ourselves to get exactly what I wanted but we ended up getting a better deal through a local stationary shop (not exactly what I wanted but they turned out to be very nice), we made post cards for our save the dates with our engagement picture on it and we also made magnets which my mom put in her christmas cards. We made rehearsal dinner invites, programs,welcome bags, menu cards, and place cards as well. It took so much work but my husband and I had so much fun doing it together and it made everything seem so much more special when we saw it that night!

]]> By: laura @ the shorehouse. http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1704 laura @ the shorehouse. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:47:16 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1704 Thank you for sharing all of this! I've wanted a photo booth for a big party but the prices I've seen locally are more expensive than what you mentioned paying. I love so many of your ideas I don't know where to start! They are already filed away. Thank you for sharing all of this! I’ve wanted a photo booth for a big party but the prices I’ve seen locally are more expensive than what you mentioned paying. I love so many of your ideas I don’t know where to start! They are already filed away.

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1698 Jennifer Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:11:47 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1698 We handmade all of our invitations... we started out handwriting them in callligraphy. We got through about 75 invitations of 125 before hitting a paper sale at hobby lobby and switching to a simple card wrapped in embossed paper and tied with raffia. We had so many complements on them! We used our new calligraphy skills to handwrite the addresses in teh same font as the invite. I remember sitting on the couch making invitation after invitation with my DH... it was the last couple weeks of college, too! We did little pots of huckleberry jam for favors... I'm from Montana, and the wedding was in the mountains. Yours are fabulous! I just love seeing what others do. We handmade all of our invitations… we started out handwriting them in callligraphy. We got through about 75 invitations of 125 before hitting a paper sale at hobby lobby and switching to a simple card wrapped in embossed paper and tied with raffia. We had so many complements on them! We used our new calligraphy skills to handwrite the addresses in teh same font as the invite. I remember sitting on the couch making invitation after invitation with my DH… it was the last couple weeks of college, too!

We did little pots of huckleberry jam for favors… I’m from Montana, and the wedding was in the mountains.

Yours are fabulous! I just love seeing what others do.

]]> By: YoungHouseLove http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1691 YoungHouseLove Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:19:05 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1691 Soooo cool, Jeni. Breakfast is my favorite meal too so I'm totally envious (and now hungry). Bravo to you guys for such a unique idea - and for convincing 150 people to show up so early! I don't know how awake I would've been. And I don't think Sherry would've appreciated me being groggy while I said my vows. <br> -John

Soooo cool, Jeni. Breakfast is my favorite meal too so I’m totally envious (and now hungry). Bravo to you guys for such a unique idea – and for convincing 150 people to show up so early! I don’t know how awake I would’ve been. And I don’t think Sherry would’ve appreciated me being groggy while I said my vows.

-John

]]> By: Jeni http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/the-paper-trail/comment-page-1/#comment-1687 Jeni Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:08:23 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=1268#comment-1687 I am also interested in the bags on the table because we had something similar at our wedding. Ours were white (from Michaels) and we hand-stamped the outside to say "Happily Ever After." Inside was a wallet-sized engagement photo (with photographers' website info. on the back), candy, a bottle of bubbles, and a little card with our new address and phone number on it. They were really fun to make! Our non-traditional venue: we knew we wanted a beach wedding and since we often went to watch the sun rise while we were dating, we decided to go for it and have our ceremony at 6:30am. I really didn't think people would show, but we had nearly 150 guests! The lighting was fantastic for pictures and it didn't feel like a hot summer day in Florida at all. Our reception was breakfast, of course (my favorite meal :) and we ate sticky buns instead of cake. The whole event was over by 10am and it was definitely memorable! I am also interested in the bags on the table because we had something similar at our wedding. Ours were white (from Michaels) and we hand-stamped the outside to say “Happily Ever After.” Inside was a wallet-sized engagement photo (with photographers’ website info. on the back), candy, a bottle of bubbles, and a little card with our new address and phone number on it. They were really fun to make!

Our non-traditional venue: we knew we wanted a beach wedding and since we often went to watch the sun rise while we were dating, we decided to go for it and have our ceremony at 6:30am. I really didn’t think people would show, but we had nearly 150 guests! The lighting was fantastic for pictures and it didn’t feel like a hot summer day in Florida at all. Our reception was breakfast, of course (my favorite meal :) and we ate sticky buns instead of cake. The whole event was over by 10am and it was definitely memorable!

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