paper goodies: Escort Card in Envelopes

I have something that I need to admit publicly... I am addicted to Paper Source. I realize that this is a paper store, but I have a full-blown obsession... I could spend hours in there, just wandering the aisles (the stores aren't really that big!) & thinking of projects I could make. My husband is always scared when I head to one of their stores (lucky me, Chicago has 2 in the city!) - he knows I am incapable of leaving empty handed.

I highly recommend getting their catalog... even if you don't buy your supplies from them, they have great ideas & color combinations... I find myself saving them for future inspiration. You can get on their mailing list in-store, or here on their website (the link to Catalog Sign Up can also be found at the bottom of any page of their site).

I received their 'Weddings 2006' catalog a bit ago & it is full of gorgeous paper goods... A cute idea I loved is using their Escort Cards in their baby envelopes. A (very bad) picture of what the catalog had is here:



How cute is that? You can get the escort cards in many fonts & colors, then buy any color baby envelope. I love putting the names on the circle stickers! PLUS - you can get the envelopes ready ahead of time... just slip the escort card in once the tables have been assigned! Paper Source also sells a numerical stamp set, to make it easy to add the table numbers to the cards.

If you go with this idea, a really personal touch would be to write a little note to each guest on their escort card- then it really is like getting a card! This doesn't have to be something long, just a simple "We're so glad you're here", "Thanks for travelling so far to join us today", or "Can't wait to see you on the dancefloor!" is great.

As a hint, I read of a bride that did this and she wrote the notes as the RSVPs came in... that way, you only have a few a day and it doesn't become an overwhelming task.

Super cute, and it will make your guests feel extra special.
i heart weddings,
Nicole

flowers: Love these Flower Girl Baskets!

I saw this picture for Flower Girl baskets and thought it was the cutest thing! Rather than a plain old basket, or the usual silk & ribbons, this idea has a little bit of funky and a lot of style. The outside was first wrapped in a 'grass' and then a border of gerber daisies added around the whole basket... not sure if these were real flowers, but you could easily make this in advance with fake ones & get the same effect.

This picture below shows the original 'inspiration' picture for these baskets:


i heart weddings,
Nicole

outfits: Colored Crinoline

I saw the idea for a Dyed Crinoline in a magazine years ago & wanted to do it for my wedding... I looked (not very hard) & then ended up doing the typical white when I didn't find anything. I'm sad I didn't come across The Knot ColoredSlipBio earlier!

I had been looking to buy, but many girls easily DYE their own crinoline - so simple & yet genious! (Plain old Rit dye seems to be the most commonly used dye.)

This Bio find pictures of real-life dyed (& some bought) crinolines... plus instructions on how to do it in your own washing machine! Is such a cute addition to a wedding ensemble, plus would make a great Something Blue!

Because even the 'hidden' elements of your wedding should be special...
i heart weddings,
Nicole

reception idea: Personalized Crossword Puzzles!

I saw this idea & thought it was too cute...

Make a personalized crossword puzzle & put them on the tables at the reception! What a great way to get a whole table of people (who don't necessarily know one another!) talking and sharing!

To make sure guests from all areas of your life can participate, include questions about your upbringing (favorite childhood hobbies, hometown, birthdays) as well as newer info (city you live in, company you work for, college major).

You can make a personalized crossword puzzle at www.eclipsecrossword.com

I'm sure your guests will have a blast & will all be talking about it long after your wedding ends...
i heart weddings,
Nicole

paper goodies: Custom Postage

Part of what I love about weddings is the over-the-top extravagance, the attention to detail that we just don't have time to tend to in everyday life. Case in point- Custom Postage! There are several sites (I have heard lots of great things about Zazzle.com) that do this... you can load up your own picture and it creates real, custom postage! It's the perfect way to add a finishing touch to your wedding invitations, plus a way to get to use those Engagement Pics one last time... (I found the example here on Zazzle.com- true, it's not wedding-related, but I have a weakness for Pugs...)



The pricing varies depending on the Postage Amount & the quantity- it's definately more expensive than regular postage, but you get discounts depending on how many you order, so may not end up being that much more. Plus, I think the cuteness factor is over-the-top, so not sure how that factors into price!

i heart weddings,
Nicole

misc tips: Bathroom Baskets

While parts of the wedding are all about you, remember that you're also hosting what may very well be the biggest party you ever throw. Don't forget about your guests! Your wedding just wouldn't be the same without them there & sharing the day friends & family really makes the day that much more special.

It is inevitable that someone will get a blister, spill on themselves, need a hair fix... so be the thoughtful hosts of the evening & provide baskets of necessities in the bathrooms! Some items you might want to include: band-aids, hairspray, bobby pins, feminine products, nail file, lint brush, Shout wipes, Static Guard, floss, gum, Tums, Aspirin, lotion, spray deodorant, contact solution... Travel sizes should do it, so this isn't an expensive project.


I have also seen this poem with the baskets:
So happy you're here to share in our special day
But just in case something happens to go astray
Please help yourself to the contents within
Hairspray, hand lotion, and even aspirin
Use only what you need and leave the rest
It may also be useful to another guest.
So repair the damage that may have been done
Then hurry on back and join in the fun.
Compliments of the Newlyweds!


If you're lucky, nobody will need any of your emergency supplies... but it's always better to be safe than sorry. Your guests will thank you!
i heart weddings,
Nicole

paper goodies: Love these STDs!

When I was helping my friend make the Save-the-Dates for her wedding, I mentioned in an email something about the "STD"s and she almost died laughing-- she already felt like the whole wedding-planning world is like an alien planet, but now we actually want STDs?! OK, so it doesn't help that she is in Med School, but still... just another sign that wedding planning really does open a whole new world you never knew existed!

Even despite the strange terminology, I have this strange obsession with Save-The-Dates... I love that they can be playful & fun, and don't seem to have as many 'rules' as formal invites do (though I think those rules can be bent too...).

I came across these STDs from Debutante Riot and absolutely adore them! They're fun & funky without being too cutesy... from their website:

Finding the perfect wedding dress is hard -- making sure you have all of your nearest and dearest available to share your day is easy.

10 letterpress cards and matching sage green envelopes with room for a 4x6 engagement photo. (Folded cards measure 6.25" x 4.5" - $20 for 10 cards)

Outside
We're taking the plunge, making it legal, betrothed, getting married, spoken for, getting hitched, tying the knot, off the market

Inside
We hope you're not otherwise engaged. Please save the date for our wedding. Who, When, Where Formal invitation to follow.

What guest wouldn't smile to find these in her mailbox?!
i heart weddings,
Nicole