My REALLY DIY Invites

[hoot]

I am have an outdoor/indoor wedding that is very personal (read not formal at all) so I decided to choose some double-sided scrapbook paper in a fall palate that I will use repeatedly for invitations, guestbook, decorations, & thank you notes. This also creates my color scheme and a basic style to inform all my other choices.

I borrowed the idea from the petal invitations from PaperSource, but rather than making them on one page, I took the shape and made two pages (one for ceremony information, and one for the reception details...http://bp0.blogger.com/_tDC5XvUfUEg/SHUhL8zSkNI/AAAAAAAAAAk/FbDmADMX4MQ/s320/July+4th

http://bp1.blogger.com/_tDC5XvUfUEg/SHUhMeb9AsI/AAAAAAAAAAs/SGa0nTRavmc/s320/July+4th+013.jpg

There are a few things I'm going to change: I want the corners rounded on all the inserts, and I'll probably add some color to the inside information. I want to attach the inserts with ribbon, brads, or grommets to add some dimension. I am intentionally mixing the papers to keep the feeling fun and ecclectic.

I chose the font to match this stamp (http://expressionery.com/product.aspx?lineid=29&productid=2120) which I want to use to make seals. I know these aren't traditional but I'm a "more mature bride" and this celebration is much more about friendship and fellowship than creating breath-taking bridal pictures.

My question is that with the patterned paper, I have a few options on addressing them and need suggestions.

Option ONE is to create a solid panel and affix it to the outside and hand address as one would any other bridal invitation.

Option TWO is to use clear lables for the inkjet printer. They show up fine, but obviously aren't hand addressed.

Option THREE is to use colored computer labels that will coordinate with the paper and print my labels.

Suggestions?

[WebLady]

I think they look cute :)

Not sure how I'd address them, maybe do a sample of each option you mention and see which one looks best.

[uptowngirl]

Those are so cute!! I love the fonts, and the papers you chose!

An idea for addressing them - for my save the date cards I had dark envelopes and to get around the problem of reading the addresses I made a band out of plain paper that coordinated with the cards - I printed the guests address on the front, and my return address on the back...


This was my inspiration picture from Martha Stewart so you can kind of see what I am talking about - but my bands went all the way around...
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd79/sarahmoto/addresses.jpg

[Heywie]

Those are so cute! I really like them! I think the contrasting papers are great!

[AnAirmansGirl]

I love these! I think this just might be what I do!!!

[snowflakebride]

Those look great! I like the solid panel idea for addressing them.

[NOTKT]

I think you can make them look just as good without taking the time to hand write them. There are soooo many more chances for mistakes.

[Thalia_themuse]

Wow, I really love those!! They are awesome...

I think the clear labels would look really nice, so long as the font colour was bright enough. If the outside is dark or patterned, maybe use a bold metallic font colour, or a thick white...? If you want to do solid-coloured labels, you could always make them circular to look a bit different..? Just an idea.

Nice work! :grinhappy:

[bichonlvr]

They look great!!!

I had a similar problem with my STD's, what I did was print addresses on stickers and I used the sticker to close the "envelope."

[garnet]

wow. cute idea. does the scrapbook paper work in the printer? mine did not want to do cardstock. also, where did you get the template for the wording? mine say "a girl met a boy. for the rest of the story join MM and KB for their wedding, October 13, 2008 5 oclock Venue, Venue adress, etc"

[hoot]

I didn't use a template, I just inserted a text box in my word processing program about the size of the square in the center of the invitations and played with my font sizes and tried it on left aligned and then centered until I liked the look of it. I didn't use the printer on any of the scrapbook paper. I hand traced those babies and then cut them out. The only thing I printed was cardstock (just a little heavier than regular copy paper) with the invitation and reception info. Thank you for your kind words I was starting to waffle on whether they were too homemade looking and now I'm in love with them again. I find myself doing more second guessing on this wedding stuff! Oh and by the way, it's official, he proposed on 8/28/08. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tDC5XvUfUEg/SLgVuxuOpbI/AAAAAAAAABs/_haEGBTeikE/s320/August+011.jpg

[Thalia_themuse]

Thank you for your kind words I was starting to waffle on whether they were too homemade looking and now I'm in love with them again. I find myself doing more second guessing on this wedding stuff! Oh and by the way, it's official, he proposed on 8/28/08.

Congrats on the engagement!!! :grinhappy:

[gwenshack]

Love the invites and congrats on the official engagement!

BTW I would print the address labels in a color that matches the paper. But I'm super lazy about hand writing things!

[lisa826]

omg you have completely inspired me :) i was so undecided about my invites and could not figure out what i wanted to do. I didn't like the idea of sending out 50 some invites that looked exactly the same (nor the idea of making 50 some invites that are all the same) i figured i'd get bored with them and end up hating them by the time i was done. But after seeing yours i decided to use the thick scrapbook paper you can get in packets. My colors are red black and white and they have one with black and white pages. Thanks so much for the inspiration!!!!!

[hoot]

Oh wow! Thanks! If you need additional help, just let me know!

[Kay]

Well, I have a question... what if I were to use the method you did... 2 cds and a ruler... and the invite actually came-out looking half-way decent (yours is VERY nice) ... is there a place to buy envelopes to put the DIY invites in?? In this size, I mean?? Just wondering... I'm new at this DIY thing but the more I look, the more I think I may be making invites...

[RebelChick]

Well, I have a question... what if I were to use the method you did... 2 cds and a ruler... and the invite actually came-out looking half-way decent (yours is VERY nice) ... is there a place to buy envelopes to put the DIY invites in?? In this size, I mean?? Just wondering... I'm new at this DIY thing but the more I look, the more I think I may be making invites...

the outer part of the invite IS the envelope :) you put a seal over the back when folded , and mailing address and stamp on other side .

[hoot]

Rebel Chick is right. The invitation is self contained and I put a seal on the half circles to hold it shut and then address the other side just like an envelope.

[Kay]

Hmmmmm I didn't think of that. I also don't think I'll DIY invites... too hard for me... I'm not THAT creative... LOL

[evilcookie]

Those are gorgeous!!! I love them! I think a layered panel or something of the sort would look really nice, and show up well. You could always print on clear address labels and affix them to a paper label.

[garnet]

I bought a box of walmart invites (the wedding ones) and I calligraphied the invites. Then I took it to kinkos and had them copy it. cost $3.