27 Invitations

I'll fess up- I love chick flicks. Don't get me wrong, I love indie movies, dramatic masterpieces and action packed thrillers just as much as the next gal, but there is no better movie magic than the moment that a heroine you have gotten to know over the past hour and thirty minutes comes to the realization that she can have what she wants and that she deserves it.

The latest sugary romantic comedy, 27 Dresses stars Katherine Heigl as Jane, an executive assistant to the hunky George, played by Ed Burns. Jane has been a bridesmaid 27 times and has the inability to say no. Assisting in anyway she can, she often puts herself last in her own life. She has a closet full of tulle attacked monstrosities to display her devotion to her friends and to weddings. All this, and she is secretly in love with George who falls for her little sister. Her life changes when she meets a smart mouthed, love-hating columnist for a major New York paper. I won't spoil the rest!

What I loved about 27 Dresses was that all of the weddings Jane was in were unique and personal to the bride and groom. As an attendant, Jane dressed up in whatever suited their tastes and was there to support them on their big day. Even though the themes and color schemes were pretty comical, it was a great representation of how much personality goes into a wedding. I couldn't help but think of what the invitations may have looked like for all of the weddings Jane was in. Here are some our most unique invitations:

From left to right: CC-EL65USHY-227,CC-NZ98LK-93, CC-FKN6259-68, 2RFF80045-686, NU-5FN5225-352, 35KGH300IC, CC-AFN7955, and CC-TJ54DYPLCH-43

I couldn't help but share this ...

Once in a while little things occur that just touch you deeply. That's what happened when I received the following email yesterday.

I am currently planning a wedding from Iraq--no easy task.  But Invitation
Consultants far exceeded anything I had hoped to find.  I was comfortable in
ordering with the eProof option and submitted the addresses so that they
could do everything--stuff, address, send.  Most of my family lives overseas
without APO addresses--lots of complicated and non-standard addresses.  The
end result has been a dream: the invites went out, no address issues, and I
am still receiving compliments on the PERFECT invitations.  Thank you guys
so much--you've earned yourself a dedicated customer :)

K., Baghdad, Iraq

I am glad we could help. However, what we did pales in comparison to what you do and sacrifice for us. I wanted to seize this opportunity to thank you, K., as well as all the troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, for everything you're doing for our country.

A cure for procrastination has been discovered! I’ll get to it later.

Oh how enchanting it is to be in love! Wedded bliss is knocking at your front door and you are ready to be carried across the threshold after tying the knot with the person of your dreams. And then an alarm rings, your wedding is just a few short months away and so many knots are left untied. There are vendor contracts to be finalized, entrée selections to be made, invitations to be mailed, dresses to be altered, and so many other time sensitive matters to attend to.

If you have procrastinated with your wedding plans, additional stress may feel inevitable. According to Wikipedia, “psychologists often cite procrastination as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision.” Does this sound like you? Choosing details for your wedding can often be overwhelming, causing brides and grooms to delay in making decisions. It is totally normal to have one feeling about a certain theme or color, and change your mind in a matter of seconds.

To accommodate your guests’ schedules, it is traditional to send wedding invitations at least 8 weeks in advance. If you are a victim of your own procrastination, you may need to expedite your selection process by choosing your favorite design and sticking to it. Take paper style into consideration, and go with your gut. If you love it, try not to think twice or put it off for another day. You don’t have to compromise your taste or your budget just because you are a little late ordering your wedding invitations. However, it is very important to get them in the mail in a timely manner so your guests can make arrangements to celebrate with you.

If you are running late, follow these time saving tips:

·         Order your invitations so that you will have them at least 9 weeks before your wedding. If you take a week to address them, they will still be mailed within the polite time frame before your wedding. Depending on your timeframe, this may mean shelling out extra dough for expedited shipping methods. While it may be frustrating, your guests will certainly appreciate having adequate time to reply.

·         Order extra so that if you run out or make a mistake you will not need to wait for new invitations to be reprinted and mailed to you.

·         If you are including a response card, give your guests a few weeks to mail it back to you. Request their response two weeks prior  to  the wedding or as early as you need a provide a final count for your caterer or venue. If your guests don’t reply, give them a call. It may feel like an awkward conversation, but it will show just how much you want them to be there.

·         Number your guest list and then number the corresponding response card for each guest. By simply writing a little number on the back of each card you will save yourself the time of shuffling through your stack of cards to confirm every written name and number. This will also solve the problem of guests who may write like doctors on a prescription- illegibly.

·         If you are not including a response card, consider asking for your guests to reply via email or your wedding website. This saves them time, you postage, and conserves paper.

What’s the cure for procrastination? There may not be one- but taking action now will save you time and stress later. Then you can enjoy that newly wed bliss!

$50 Giveaway!!

We are so excited to announce a special giveaway that is being featured by Melissa DiStefano of Masterpiece Weddings! Visit her blog, and enter to win by leaving an answer to the question: What is the best invitation you have ever received, and why was it so special? A random winner will be chosen and will receive a $50 gift card to Invitation Consultants!

Here are the rules:

You Must be a US or Canadian Resident

You Must comment about your favorite invitation

Post your comment by midnight EST on Monday, January 21st.

Remember to include your name or blogger/typepad or some other login, as anonymous comments can't be tracked.

Football Fans Unite

Celebration began in New Orleans after Louisiana State University won the College football national championships. The Tigers roared in victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes grabbing all of the glory and the coveted number one ranking. Being the number one football team in the nation is quite the accomplishment so we thought we would congratulate the champs by featuring our new line of college football stationery. Decked out in your teams colors, these cards are perfect for students, fans and alumni!

 

Find these sets and more of your favorite teams here and here.

Have a Bar Mitzvah Blast

At the beginning of the year, we always see a large amount of bar mitzvah orders. These special religious occasions for 13 year old boys, are not just about the torah and tradition, they are also about having a great party. Some themes we have seen that are highly recommended are: sports, las vegas, amusement parks, and the movies.

Sports fanatics - Have a local sports team celebrity come and sign autographs, Rent out a bowling alley, hockey rink, go see a game, decorate with sports memorabilia

Too young to go to Vegas..bring Vegas to you - Many event companies provide mock roulette wheels and other games, decorate las vegas style

Big thrills - Rent an amusement park or zoo

Movie buffs - Hold your party at a movie or theater, take your friends to see a play, hold a special screening of a movie, decorate with movie memorabilia, have an Oscar themed party, hold a mock awards show

Most of all make the big day, reflect your interests and style!

What YOU are looking for in your wedding invitations!

We were so excited to host a contest on WeddingBee last month offering one lucky winner a $50 gift card to Invitation Consultants. One of the best parts of the contest was reading all of the responses to the question posted in the blog: What is the most important thing you are looking for in your wedding invitations? I read the responses, and compiled the following list!

·         Personality- Your wedding is a celebration of the love between you and your fiancé, so your invitations should reflect the personal bond the two of you share. This can be done in several ways: choose an invitation in your favorite colors, featuring a flower he gave you on your first date or reflecting the theme of your wedding. Your invitation should be like your wedding dress and your fiancé, when you see the one- you will feel it.

·         Setting- As a set designer creates a setting for a play, so will you design a backdrop for your wedding. Your invitation should reflect the characteristics of this setting giving your guests a glimpse of what to expect. If you are to be wed in the winter, shimmering ice blue or deep red set a festive tone. Fall evokes a sense of excitement as leaves change to a brilliant red and gold, summer is popular for tropical weddings and spring is perfect for garden inspired nuptials. Consider an invitation featuring an exotic or fun destination if your wedding  is taking place on the beach either near home or abroad. Sophisticated European themed invitations are perfect for a International theme or location. Finally, for your wild side Las Vegas invitations are always the perfect bet.

·         Sophistication- You want something with simple lines and gorgeous motifs that sets an elegant tone for your spectacular wedding- is that to much to ask? No way! Sophisticated wedding invitations are perfect for the bride and groom who want to send something stylish that is not cluttered with unnecessary details. These invitations are refined yet alluring, just like you!

·         Affordability- You’re not looking to crack open your piggy bank for your invitations, you’re saving it for your honeymoon! You don’t have to drain your savings to create a stylish reflection of you and your fiancé that also sets the tone for your wedding. Simply shop by theme, color, shape or style and refine your search by price to fit within your budget.

Of course, I’m not a mind reader, so I don’t know everything you want in your wedding invitations. Comment below to let me know!