Four Steps to Creating Do-it-Yourself Wedding Invitations

In these tremulous economic times budget-wary brides are looking for ways to cut costs, pinch pennies and maximize purchases. And it isn’t easy. Prices are escalating, but you likely haven’t seen a pay increase or yearly bonus for quite some time. Let’s face it-life isn’t fair. It isn’t fair your dream wedding will fall in the midst of one of the most challenging economic times our country has faced in recent history.

So what can you do about it?

You know you deserve the wedding of a lifetime and you are your groom aren’t willing to sacrifice class for cash … right?

Well the solution to your wedding budget woes is in creatively planning and designing some key pieces that you can easily and inexpensively produce at home.

Wedding invitations are some of the easiest elements brides and grooms try to create at home. A quick online search will reveal unique, one-of-a-kind invitations that guarantee to announce your impending marriage with flair.

But they come at a price.

Designer invitations run as much as much as $5 each. If you plan to mail 100 invites, your invitation bill alone will hit the $500 mark and that doesn’t include envelopes, thank you cards or other necessary stationery, such as reply cards or maps.


I know what you are thinking … homemade wedding invitations? Hmmm … I don’t think so. But bear with me for a second. I’m not talking about an arts and crafts project your 10-year-old cousin could do in grade school. I’m talking about classy wedding invitations that look like they cost you a fortune.

Interested?


Here’s the deal.

Step 1:

Peruse invitation books, catalogs and websites and find invitations that appeal to your sense of wedding style.

Make a note about what you like about each invitation and search for similarities among the invitations. For example, do you like invitations that are tied with a small ribbon or bow? Do you like invitations that feature a photo of the bride and groom? Do you feel yourself drawn to bold, contemporary colors or do you prefer romantic scenes and scripts?

Step 2:

Look for Do-it-Yourself options.

Many websites allow couples to choose an invitation or color combination, upload text and photos (if they choose to use a photo) and alter the font type and size. I suggest you play around with various sites and invitation styles until you are satisfied with the result.

Keep in mind that you can order basic invitations, then add ribbons, charms or stamps you purchase at your local crafts store.

Step 3:

If possible, order a sample card.

It doesn’t have to be a personalized sample. By looking at the manufacturer's sample, you will get a good idea of what your invitation will look like and can play with various ribbons, charms or bow combinations and can try different stamps and colors.

Step 4:

Order your invitations and put them together yourself.

Many expensive invitations feature intimate details that make them stand out from the crowd. Don’t be afraid of spending a few hours … or days ... or weeks working on your invitations in order to make them special.

Have you ordered your wedding invitations yet? Would you ever create DIY wedding invitations at home? Why or why not?

Photos courtesy of zakwitnij and aus_chick

Wednesday Wedding Feature - Online Wedding Invitations

There are many people who don’t like the big hub-bub of weddings. For those types of people, sending out online wedding invitations could be a great idea. There are many different styles, but I really liked this one from American Greetings. I thought the colors fit perfect with the tiffany blue wedding themes.

Wedding Celebration

Personally, I can't imagine not loving or having the big production of a wedding, but that's just me. Even so, those who have a big wedding could still use online wedding invitations. They are a great way to send follow-ups to those who did not send in their RSVP's.

For more online wedding invitations, check out AmericanGreetings.com.

Rationale for an At-Home Wedding

Aside from the fact that an at-home wedding is a lovely intimate idea, and a perfect example of keeping it simple and stunning, there are actual historical reasons for having an at-home wedding.

In 1653-56 in England, when the Puritans had overthrown the monarchy for a while and were in charge of the country, a law, "the Civil Marriage Act" was enacted. (Here is an excellent article on its impact on church marriages.) It stated that Justices of the Peace were the only officiants permitted to marry couple and because of this, weddings took place at the bride's home. Even though the Puritans were eventually ousted and the rule of the monarchy returned under Charles II, their short lived influence remained.

Since many in America were Puritans, this notion of an at-home wedding under the offices of a Justice of the Peace, (you can find one for your wedding here) remained a fixture of early American life. Another reason for this ongoing influence is that at the same time as the Puritans were doing their bit for the at home wedding, Native American populations were also celebrating at home weddings as well. Algonquin women were escorted in a ceremony to their groom's homes on their wedding day.

Add that sense of special intimacy (as well as history) to your wedding by planning for it to be at home. Whether in your own home or that of a dear friend or relative, at-home weddings are perfect for couples who wish to have an intimate wedding ceremony and reception. They are also a great idea for couples who have a smaller wedding budget, but still want elegance and style.

Depending on the size of your home, the number of guests you invite can be anywhere from 10 to 50 generally speaking. If you are able to accommodate more by incorporating a tent in your yard, you can increase that number, but for the most part an at-home wedding has fewer than 100 guests.

Create your own wedding invitations using handmade paper and printable downloads. You can make them as formal or as casual as you like, as this will set the tone of your at-home wedding. Just because you are at home doesn't mean that you can't incorporate formal touches and traditional wedding activities, such as dancing, place cards at formal place settings, wedding toasts and so on.

The time of day when your wedding ceremony and wedding reception happen is your choice. You are not limited to church hours and/or how long a wedding reception at a party center or hotel would be. You can have a wedding brunch, luncheon, tea or even dinner.

If you are cooking yourself, select foods that can be made a few days or more in advance, such as casseroles that can be frozen. This will save a lot of time on the actual wedding day so that your servers (remember to hire them) can heat up the food and put it on the buffet as other servers circulate with drinks.

A good caterer will take all this pressure off you, so really consider this as a major wedding budget item. They will also bring glasses, china, tables and napkins if you want - and you don't have to wash the dishes either!

Delineate your space by placing your wedding decorations wherever the guests are going to be during the wedding ceremony and wedding reception. For instance, you may have one bedroom assigned for coats and a guest bathroom. Decorate these areas and close all the other doors so that snoopy guests don't go in and find out that this is where you stashed the living room furniture and collectibles!

Go for that at-home wedding and keep a good old American tradition alive and well.

Spring Wedding Ideas

While June is traditionally the wedding season of the year, you may want to skip a summer wedding in favor of a fresh spring wedding. Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal – a perfect time for the new adventure that a marriage brings. Yet in the race for most popular time of year to get married, spring is a distant third place behind summer and autumn. This is good news if you're planning a spring wedding, as more top-notch vendors will be available, and you may be able to get discounted rates, especially on sites and travel.

If you're considering a spring wedding, start off by thinking about your favorite parts of the season. Is it crocuses poking up through snow? Perhaps you'll want to have a wedding early in the season and offer the respite of floral abundance and warmth when guests come in from the cold. If it's the emerging sunshine, choose bright colors and May weather. Whatever you choose, remember to plan early to get the best deals – on vendors, wedding dresses and other wedding attire, caterers, and everything related to a wedding reception.

Here is a wedding theme idea to get you started on planning your spring wedding:

A Green Wedding Theme

It started as a trend in 2007, continued in 2008 and will be huge in 2009! Many couples are realizing that if we don't take care of our planet, who will? Your wedding reception is full of opportunities to make ethical, informed decisions as well as many opportunities for waste. If you're an environmentalist, consider using organic flowers in your bouquet, recycled paper in your invitations, local and organic foods at your reception, and even biodegradable plates and forks. Each step can make a difference in this world!

Wedding Invitations

A wedding invitation is the first clue guests will get about your wedding style and theme. It helps get them excited for the big event, and even gives guests clues about what to wear! Letterpress wedding invitations are an especially big wedding trend, with couples designing custom invitation packages to reflect their personality.

But if your wedding budget doesn't stretch for top-of-the-line letter pressed invitations there are many other options. Consider making your own printable wedding invitations and other wedding stationery, using handmade papers to carry out your recycling green wedding idea. (Here is a good site that can show you how to make your own handmade paper to use in your wedding invitations. This is the ultimate recycling in a green wedding theme!)

Small Plates or Tapas

Give your guests a taste of a wide variety of appetizers by offering them tapas. Particularly if you are looking to have a sophisticated food station evening wedding, an afternoon affair or you don't quite have room to have a sit-down dinner, this is a useful trend. Alternatively, serve tapas at your cocktail hour, creating an urban lounge atmosphere for a sophisticated touch.

These small plates are filled with a wide range of appetizers and foods that will fill up your guests and not break your wedding budget. Then you can splurge on the wedding cake and desserts!

You can host a lovely spring wedding and experience the joy that what you are doing will help save the planet for other spring weddings to come.

Wedding Guest Lists Dos and Don'ts

Maneuvering the intricacies of setting up your wedding guest list, not insulting anyone, and actually getting the wedding reception mix that you want is not an easy task. You've set the number of guests that you want to send invitations to... Now you have to determine what, if any, situations will arise that will alter your plans - and not necessarily for the better.

Here are some wedding guest list tips that will help you steer clear of a wedding disaster story.

Do appoint a "list master." Once you've put your list together, designate one person in charge of all changes and updates rather than letting everyone make changes to the same document. I suggest a close friend or relative who is not easily cowed by your or your groom's parents, siblings and others who might want to “add so and so - no one will notice." The list master should only report to you, as it is your wedding.

Don't invite more people than you can afford. A smaller party is better if it is within your wedding budget. Also don't invite more people than your venue can accommodate. What will you do if they all decide they have to come and you are fined and possibly shut down because you broke occupancy regulations?

Do check your list for spelling and address errors. It's better to call and verify now than to take a guess and get the invitation back in the mail later. Enlist your parents and friends to help with this task.

Don't invite people to your wedding who you hope won't come! A wedding invitation is extended sincerely and hospitably. If you don't want someone to come to your wedding, don't ask him or her. Once that invitation is extended, you have essentially reserved a place for that person to be a part of your wedding.

Do invite live-in partners and spouses of invited guests. NO exceptions. You are not required, however, to allow single people to bring a guest or invite children to your wedding, nor should you be pressured into doing so. Your invitations will convey exactly who is invited. Here is an excellent site to show you how to word your invitations and response cards so that there is no mistaking whom you are inviting to your wedding.

Don't be surprised if people willfully ignore what you say. If some people want to bring their kids, they will. I hope you have friends who understand that adults mean adults. I was in a small wedding where I wasn't allowed to bring a date but one of the other guests showed up at the wedding reception with her boyfriend, his parents, brother and three sisters. Since the wedding was on a tight budget, six unexpected guests put quite a squeeze on the room space, the wedding favors, place cards, tables and even food. (To add insult to injury, one of the sisters caught the bridal bouquet.)

If something untoward happens, grin and bear it, but try to avoid these problems before they arise by being specific and clear in your invitations to your guests.

An At-Home Wedding

For some couples there is no place like home when it comes to the perfect wedding celebration. Just remember that everything that is normally taken care of at a rented wedding venue - like a hotel, function hall or even specialty location - is now your responsibility.

Here are some tips if to help you along if you're having an at-home wedding...

Figure out your maximum guest count. Determine if that number will fit comfortably in your home or yard. If you are holding the reception outdoors and have the room for it, call in a tent professional to determine how the wedding could flow from indoors to an outdoor "room" such as a tent. See what your options are for adding this structure. Most tent companies will provide a complimentary consultation - and it will give you a good idea of how many people you can actually invite.

Check your power. Make sure that you will have enough power for live music or extra lighting. Don't blow a fuse at the wedding -- have a professional electrician check it out first and let you know where you stand.

Check with your city regarding live music, assembly, garbage disposal, tent erection and other ordinances. Call your local departments and make sure you are in compliance with all laws and regulations. Know what time noise becomes a nuisance. You don't want a police raid just as you are about to throw the bouquet.

Ensure that there is enough parking! Check with the neighbors to see if your guests may use their driveways or consider a valet service. The valet can keep track of the cars, and where they are parked, and be able to bring them for the guests when they are ready to leave. At one at-home wedding I attended, the couple had arranged with a small van service to shuttle guests back and forth between a public parking lot two blocks away and the home.

Another good point here is that if you have neighbors who might be annoyed about your wedding celebration, invite them to the wedding. This way they are part of the event and won't be bothered. Even if they don't attend, you've made the gesture and created goodwill so that you can relax and celebrate.

Just remember that although you are holding the wedding at home, doesn’t mean that you have to provide homemade everything – or even anything. Decide what you want your level of involvement to be as far as preparation, set-up and service and then make plans to suit your budget, your wishes and your time. The point of this type of wedding is to keep it easy and relaxed.

Tomorrow, we will talk about more at home tips that you can use for your wedding celebrations!

Who Ya Gonna Call? Wedding Mythbusters!

Weddings are haunted by the myths that have been spread down through the years. Often these tales keep brides and grooms from having their dream weddings since everyone tells them "it's just not done that way." Well, here and in other blogs, we are going to debunk some of those old wives' tales and demystify all that mis-information!

1) Only virgins should wear a white wedding gown.

White wedding gowns only became popular after Queen Victoria wore one in the 1840's. Before that gowns were all sorts of colors - red, blue, even gray. Since white symbolizes different things -- joy, fertility, death, etc. -- in different cultures, it actually may be inappropriate for a bride to wear white!

2) If you don't wear a diamond engagement ring, you aren't really engaged.

Well, that is a myth perpetuated by the diamond industry. You are engaged as soon as you declare your intention to have a wedding and to get married. Although diamonds are beautiful - you don't have to have one. But remember, they are a girl's best friend...!

3) Receiving a wedding invitation means that you are obligated to give a gift, even if you are not attending.

The only time you need to be sure to give a gift is if you are attending the wedding or the wedding reception. The invitation is just that -- a request for you to attend the wedding. If you aren't going, you do not have to send a gift; although there is no rule that says you shouldn't, just to be respectful. A gift also shows a couple your support.

4) The bride's family pays for EVERYTHING.

Once that was true, but now in the 21st century, couples, both families, and even friends, can pay for all or part of the wedding. If the bride's family wants to pay for the wedding, that is still an option.

5) Older brides or second time around (or more) brides can't wear a long wedding gown.

Rubbish. Any bride of any age can wear any gown she chooses. The point of a wedding gown is that it makes the bride feel special and lovely. It accentuates her day in the spotlight. As for a remarriage, if you aren't marrying the same man twice, its still a first marriage for the two of you. So live it up, and wear a long wedding gown.

6) Whoever catches the wedding bouquet keeps it.

Well, once maybe, but with the cost of flowers and such many brides prefer to save the bouquet or have it pressed. Many brides are opting for a smaller bouquet to toss, and that way you don't have to be uncomfortable in asking for it back.

So, ignore these "truths" and go ahead with your wedding plans. Watch wedding shows like "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" or even the infamous "Bridezillas" and see how their planners handle the debunking of all those wedding myths that can interfere with the enjoyment of your wedding. Later we will debunk even more wedding myths!

Cost-Cutting On Wedding Invitations & Programs

For brides who have their eye on the bottom line, there are some really good cost-cutting ideas when it comes to invitations and wedding programs.

Purchasing offset printed invitations and ceremony programs are an expensive proposition. And you don't want to spend your entire wedding budget on these things - much better to spend it on the guests!

Sites like AmericanGreetings.com have printable wedding invitations, pre-designed, that you can modify to include your own information. Or as long as you have access to a good laser printer or a high-quality ink-jet printer, you can download your invitations and RSVP cards and print them onto wedding invitation blanks.

You can buy these blank kits online or at a paper supply store. The sets come with blank invitation forms, inner and outer envelopes, and tissue inserts. All you have to do is print that invitation you designed, address and mail them! You will save a bundle.

Creating and printing your own wedding programs is another excellent way to save money and put your own creativity into the planning.

I don't always see a program at a wedding and you are certainly within your right to not have one; however, there are several good reasons why a program is a good idea.

The program gives the order of the service:

• Each attendant and participant is listed as well as his or her relationship to the bride and groom.

• If there are any extra inclusions in the ceremony - a wreath for a deceased family member that is placed on a chair, an ethnic custom, or even the fact that the bride is wearing her mother's gown or veil are all interesting facts to give more depth to share with the guests.

• The program publicly thanks those who helped with the wedding

• It becomes a nice memento of the event for all who attend the ceremony.

• On a hot day, with no air conditioning, it's a great fan!

You can design your program on a word processor or use a wedding program template that has a layout.

Print it onto parchment or linen paper. A nice touch is to either roll the program into a scroll and secure it with an ornamental gold ring or ribbon. Or you can fold it and tie it at the fold with a narrow satin ribbon in the same color as the flowers or bridesmaid's dresses

With a little effort, you can create your wedding invitations and program in style and no one will ever know that you saved a lot of money!