shore thing

After a leisurely weekend in my favorite New Jersey coastal down of Cape May, I am revved and ready for more wedding goodness to come after taking the weekend off...for the most part. The weather was nice for walking on the beach. Diamond hunting. And beach house renovations. We painted the guest room. The dog even got in on the action and got paint on his butt. This picture is pre-paint…

I just made a late New Year’s resolution to not only take more pictures but to, more importantly, blog more pictures - wedding or not. Because let’s face it, that’s what I like most about blogs. I dunno about you though.

I am currently obsessed with thepioneerwoman.com. She takes some amazing pics out on her family’s ranch in Oklahoma. I spent much of my leisurely beach weekend reading her new book. She’s funny.  You can borrow it when I'm done.

Anyway, back to more pictures. I take a ton of pictures of Wilson.  See him down there?

I will be heading from one beach town to another late this winter.  I am a bridesmaid in my friend’s wedding at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in MD.  The venue looks phenom and since we all finally recovered from her Las Vegas bachelorette party nearly 2 and a half weeks later, we should be ready to do it again.  Our recovery time just isn't what it used to be.  So sad, isn't it?

Here’s what I threw together for their wedding stationery. The invitation is a square pocketfold style with 4 inserts including the response card. There is an ivory ribbon and the gold carstock is shimmery. This was labor intensive!

I like to think of it as muted beach club elegance.

Perfect for a winter wedding at the shore.

I have to get back to finishing the coordinating table numbers now. 
And Wilson is back to doing what he usually does...

-The perennial bridesmaid

overload

It is hard to believe it is already Thursday and a new weekend is staring me in the face. I am still recovering from last weekend’s bender.

Not that kind of bender unfortunately.

It was a full-on jam-packed weekend starting with a rager of a baby shower. Balloons hanging from the rafters. Diaper cakes. Banners. Cookies. Games. Music. Like I said, a real rager!

Although baby showers are not in my wedding jurisdiction, I am really spending a lot of time at them. I think I am almost ready to take on the DIY diaper cake. From what I am told, you just need a ton of diapers and rubber bands. Roll ‘em up, group ‘em together and hide all of your mechanics with some ribbon. I think I can handle it.

I aspire to make one this stunning...

The shower was a display shower as all the trendy ones are these days. It makes sense for baby showers, right? Either the boxes are so big that wrapping them is a total waste of paper or the little outfits and things are so cute that you just want them out on display for everyone to peruse. Plus, everybody wants to be green. This particular display shower looked like Christmas for the kid’s first 3 years. They cleaned up!

The theme was “Celebrate the Peanut”. The whole peanut thing is picking up in the baby shower world. It ran full swing in every detail. I provided the centerpieces which were a traditional vase arrangement of cut flowers in the shower’s color scheme. But look closer. I told you peanuts were everywhere so I subtly incorporated actual shelled peanuts into the arrangements. Hopefully people noticed them and you can find them in this picture. I ate some too while arranging.  Maybe next time I will make arrangements full of chocolate...

Having not seen most of my relatives since Christmas, we kept the momentum going. I spent the majority of the weekend with various family members. We covered everything from who’s walking to who walked out and absurd Facebook statuses - one of our favorite topics. Come on, you know you do it too. I suppose I’m good until spring.

Or at least until the next shower anyway.

The weekend also included one of my Nearly-Famous DIY wedding invitation parties. Yes, I just dubbed it that. Does it have a nice ring to it?

One of my 2011 brides got her bridesmaids together so we could hand make the soon-to-be-released invitations. Sorry, no teasers here. I can tell that all 120 are finished, return-addressed and even have coordinating thank you’s. We only ran into one minor (nearly major) hiccup. All was solved and completed by sundown just in time for the super bowl. Let’s just say “the eagle has landed” and leave it at that.

Oh!  And I just might have found the local and inexpensive tailor that I have been searching for thanks to a referral from one mf my SILs.  Stay tuned!

Did Christina Aguilera really mess up the national anthem? I was too busy eating and rounding out the gossip. I found out on Monday who won.

-The perennial bridesmaid

go ask alice

I have been elbow deep in wedding invitations for a friend. I am just about finished now but working to make the deadline while caring for a sick puppy made me feel a little bit like I was snowed in late last week.

Then it happened. I realized that I was dangerously low on all of those pesky household items. You know the ones. Napkins. Laundry detergent. Soap. TP. Boring. Why do I always run out of everything at the same time?

I had no time or desire to go to Target and stock up. That always leads to at least an hour trip and spending $50 more than I planned on extra things that I didn’t need in the first place.

Then I found it.

Alice.com  My savior.

I think I’m in love.

This site is amazing. You can order all of the household goods online and get FREE shipping to your door in just 2-3 business days. This saves hours of time waiting in line to check out at the store and wading through aisles to find your preferred brands. All of the brands and goods are right there. Online. You can compare prices and quantities. Alice even finds coupons for you!

No, I am not being paid to write this. I wish I was. I felt it was my duty to pass the word on.

It does take a little bit of time to set up “your account”. Once you do that, Alice remembers all of your favorite brands so every time you login you can just click what you need to restock and checkout. She taxes where appropriate based on your zip code so you pay what you would in the store.

Alice has got all of the drug store goods too. Even the make-up.  She's got some non-perishable food and drinks too like granola bars, coffee and tea.  Maybe I will never step foot in commercial store again.

She’s so thoughtful. Alice even takes the liquids and adds extra tape around the caps and puts them in a zip lock bag just in case something crazy happens in shipment.

This has changed my life. I know that’s a bold statement but I don’t see a need to ever step foot in a big box store again. I have gained hours of my life back. Saturday mornings are mine!

Not to mention, I never have to lug the 12 pack of toilet paper into the house while simultaneously carrying a 2 gallon jug of detergent and 6 pack of paper towels. The balancing act is over. The box will be on your door step for you. Free. Really.

Fiance. Wife. Bridesmaid. Whoever. You need to check out this goddess called Alice.com. Thank me later.

-The perennial bridesmaid

vintage vixen

There is a new trend taking storm in professional photography and gift giving. Lots of ladies are channeling their inner glam and posing vintage pinup style. Not trashy pinup but a classier, flirtatious version.

Professional photography studios specialize in creating your vintage look.  Think Vargas girls. You select a theme and outfit and your hair and make up are done to coordinate. If you are not comfortable in a risqué Marilyn pose, perhaps you can mimic Sandra Dee. The options are endless…what about a sexy Rosie the Riveter look? Hmm.

Are you looking for a day-of wedding gift to give to your groom? This is a really unique gift that will definitely impress! Not to mention that you have probably been following a bridal workout so now is the time to capture your slim physique in this style.

You can also give this gift to your husband for your first wedding anniversary. Paper is the traditional first anniversary gift. And these photographs are printed on paper, right?

Bachelorette parties are taking a liking to this day of pampering. Groups can go together and inspire each other’s vintage themes. This isn’t my cup of tea but it sounds like some ladies are having a good time playing dress up.

And if you are having a vintage themed wedding, you might just want to invite your guy to the photo shoot. Use the professional pics of you both in theme for your save the dates, invitations other aspects of your wedding.

One of my friends inspired this post. Of course I love all things vintage so when I heard about her photo shoot I thought it sounded so fun! She had a wonderful experience with a local vintage pinup photographer plus professional hair & make up artists. Her pictures turned out fabulous! The rollers and red lipstick really suit her. These studios are surfacing all over the country but the popular, booked up photographer in Philly is Celeste Giuliano. Her work is very cool.


-The Perennial Bridesmaid

pooch of honor

You may have noticed my absence the last few days. My lack of posts is a direct result of my new buddy, Wilson. He is an adorable beagle/basset hound mix that we adopted on Monday. Some good folks found him running loose on the highway and rescued him from traffic. So sad…but now he is happy in his new home!

I am quickly becoming one of those crazy dog people. I want to dress him up, take his picture and show him off all day long. I’ve already seriously considered his Halloween costume options. I’m not kidding and they are available in stores.

So I now realize why so many people want their pooch to be in their wedding. There are lots of creative ways to get your pup involved. I took to etsy to find a few good options.

Ring Bearer by designsbybam

Groomsman by shopKCQ

Usher by CamargoCreations

Flower Girl by DownUnderDogDesigns

Bridesmaid by ProperPuppy

Ok so maybe Fido won’t cooperate long enough to participate in the actual ceremony. You can still represent him or her in the wedding...


Cake Topper by dandelionland

Favor by Thecookiecouture

Save the date by lterrill9

Invitation by leahfelicity

omigod! I’ve totaled crossed over.

-The perennial bridesmaid

what's in your pocket

Everybody wants a pocket on their wedding invitation these days.  It's currently all the rage.  The pocket stores the response card & envelope, hotel info, directions and whatever other info accompanies the actual invite portion of the invitation.

What did we do before the evolution of the pocket?

Anyway, here's an example of a pocketfold invitation that we put together earlier this year.  It is a 5x7 horizontal layout with the pocket on the bottom.  We went with a modern template.  The script is right aligned and the complementary scroll image is on the left which we hand stamped.  The color scheme matches the colors of the wedding - navy, yellow & ivory.

-The perennial bridesmaid

well rounded

Invitations come in all shapes, sizes, colors and umm, corners. The formal creamy wedding invitation with silver script seems to be going extinct. Everyone is opting for color! Custom monograms. Lace. Textured cardstock. Ribbon. You name it and I’ve probably seen it on one of our DIY assembly lines in the last year. Perhaps you've received one?

Today I am featuring one of these DIY gems because words alone just won’t do it justice!

Well let me try a few words anyway…This invitation is legal size. Tri-fold also known as gate fold. On the front “cover” is the couple’s custom logo that a phenom graphic designer friend put together for them. At first, that’s all you see until you remove the belly band. Oh you’ve never heard that term before as it applies to invitations? The belly band holds it all in the invitation, just like your spanx hold it all in for you.  This belly band is textured with polka dots.

Remove the dotted belly band and you've got yourself an invitation with details about the couple and wedding.  They opted for a totally casual phrase...no last names, no parents' names, just "together with their families".  That safely encompasses everyone that made this union possible!

Moving on to the inside...brace yourself for inserts, maps, details, pockets, response cards and tons of rounded corners!  Have you ever seen such a detailed map?  Since there are a lot of out-of-towners attending this wedding, a custom made map was a necessity.  Made by the groom himself.

There are a total of 3 pockets here.  The picture is not clearly showing that they are all indeed texturized with the polka dots.  The details here are remarkable! 

The response card evokes humor with the following response choices next to decreasingly smaller boxes:

Yes! Save us seats
No, sadly missing out
I'm going to forget to mail this

Overall, the invitation sets the tone of the wedding and party.  Casual yet detail oriented.  Humorous, fun and well rounded!

-The perennial bridesmaid

pulling it off or putting it on

Hopefully you read the last 2 posts about the Greek themed honeymoon shower we threw last weekend. I wanted to follow up with some other details that went into the theme to round out this "mini-series" of posts.

Having never thrown a honeymoon shower, I didn’t know what to put on the invitations. I googled a few things but didn’t like much of what was out there. Collectively we came up with the following...

[Bride] and [Groom] will marry soon
Followed by a Greek Honeymoon

Let’s send her to Greece in style!
Out of the box, off the registry…

This verbiage combined with some stellar graphics (which I can't take credit for) seemed to do the trick. Guests came equipped with honeymoon and vacation gifts (see previous blog entry for honeymoon shower gifts).

Polka dots have played a big part in this wedding overall. The bride loves them. We decided it would only be appropriate to work them into the shower as well. It was subtle on the plates and napkins. The fact that they were blue and white also worked to our Greek theme being that they are country’s colors.

The guest of honor got to sit in the Aphrodite chair which was simply a chair lined with tulle and dotted swiss fabric. It may look simple here but once she was in it she literally looked like she was on a cloud channeling her inner goddess, of course

Favors are on of my favorite shower elements to put together. I like to come up with favors that are practical. Fortunately we started the planning early so I was able to pull of my vision. Wine charms are not necessarily a new concept in the favor category but we put a Greek spin on it that played to the theme quite nicely.

After researching significant Greek symbols and their meanings, we settled on the following four which also lend the appropriate symbolism to the upcoming marriage that we are celebrating.








Owl – wisdom, protection, inspiration
Meandros – permanence, stability, infinity
Evil eye – protection and good luck
Selene – goddess of the full moon, womanhood

Here is a tip, these charms were not easy to find. Hit etsy to find an artisan who can create yours for you! Wildbryde was awesome to work with and custom made the charms for us - the only party of the shower we didn't DIY! We added the charms and a few beads to the hoops and voila!

We didn’t just pull of a bridal shower but we put on a themed event! It was easy to hit all of the elements in this shower because of the partnership between the MOB and me. The more communication and organization that goes into these things, the better the execution! Did I mention she’s a great baker too?

-The perennial bridesmaid

cocktails, cardstock & crinoline

I’ve made it halfway through 2010 ‘the year of the weddings’. I only have minor aches and slight sleep depravation. This feeling is probably evident because it is Monday morning after an insanely busy 48 wedding hours.

It started with an invitation assembly line. 10 crafty ladies with a goal of 140 wedding invitations. Stacks and stacks of cardstock surrounded us. How exciting to know that it would all be transformed into something beautiful.

I woke up early the next day and put on my best 1950s ensemble. With Kinicki on my arm we headed out to rock around the clock at the rockabilly themed wedding. Into the pastures of rural Pennsylvania we went. Soon we were surrounded by more polka dots, muscle cars, greasers, 45s & red crinoline than this century has ever seen. The morning turned into afternoon and the bride and groom turned into husband and wife.

Before we knew it afternoon was evening and it was time for our next stop. June brides share the stage with grads. I soon found myself even further into the country and looking slightly out of place when I brought rockabilly to graduation. The bonfire was burning bright but I was burning out. As tents began to line the landscape, it was time for me to call it quits on Saturday.

Sunday morning came early with another enticing theme on the horizon. The 50s were behind me and a Greek honeymoon shower was ahead. We stacked pita and scooped hummus, sampled baklava and tzatziki, toasted with ouzo but most of all truly surprised a bride to be. She opened gifts for her honeymoon to where else but Greece!

Sunday evening finally arrived. I came home to my weekend’s mail. One package with an invitation for yet another wedding!

My eyelids grew heavy but why was it so hard to sleep? Visions of Greek men in polka dots & red crinoline skirts danced through my head while holding purple cardstock and shouting opa!

Have I lost my mind?

I’m glad to see a well needed vacation in my future. A little down time from the wedding scene might do me some good. But don’t worry because I have enough content from these past 48 hours alone to keep my loyal readers satisfied. Stay tuned for details.

-The perennial bridesmaid

rsvp bloopers

My friend’s wedding invitations just dropped this week. There have already been several odd responses…

First, her groom received a call with someone requesting to bring their baby to the ‘adult only reception’. When her fiancé tried to talk his relative down gently from bringing the baby, the relative responded, “oh but she’s been to a loud wing eating contest. She’ll be fine!”

Looks like the baby won with the couple feeling slightly offended by the comparison of their formal wedding to a wing eating contest.

You should always assume a wedding reception is for adults only UNLESS the invitation envelope specifically lists the child’s name OR the invitation states that ‘children are welcome’ (OR your child is part of the bridal party, of course).

The following day she receives another call from an invitee noting that her invitation is addressed to her ‘and guest’. My friend replies, “That’s correct” and the woman goes on to say that there is only one response card with the invitation. “Where will I put my guest’s entrée choice?”

Seriously people? Get a clue! Fill in your name & your guest’s name in the blank space. Then select 2 entrees. Geez. It’s pretty simple.

That’s still not as funny as when I heard someone crossed out the typed M (meant to indicate Mr., Miss or Ms. on the response card line and started with their first name.   M__________________

-The perennial bridesmaid (off to a rehearsal!)

the X factor

How do you go about inviting ex’s to your wedding?

No! No! Not YOUR ex. That is another blog for another day.

Say there are 2 of your good friends on the guest list who started out as one couple when you made the list (and sent save-the-dates) nearly a year ago. Since then things have changed and they have split or are in the process of splitting. Who do you invite and how do you handle it tactfully?

Here is the advice that I recently gave to a friend in this situation:
Send them separate invitations without any plus ones. Let’s not make the scenario tenser by encouraging them to bring dates.

Typically when people split up, they split up their friends too. It’s not necessarily written in the divorce settlement. It goes unsaid. But it doesn’t mean they leave the relationship with the friends they brought into the relationship. Maybe “who keeps which friends” hasn’t quite been defined yet in your friends' break up.

The separated parties will most likely make the decision individually on whether or not to attend depending on the status of your friendship as it relates to the break up as well as where they are in the break up cycle. Don’t take it personal. (Unless you had a hand in the actual break up. Which is also another topic entirely.)

But before sending an invitation to both parties, ask yourself a few questions.
Am I actually still FRIENDS with both of them?
Do I even have both of their addresses (since they may have moved) or can I easily obtain this?
Have I already been faded out as a friend since said break up?

Maybe they’ve already decided for you on whether you should invite both…

This is definitely a gray area that can change from week to week based on where they are in their split. Do yourself a favor and don’t get involved. Just invite each of them separately and pray for a decline from one of them! IF they both come, don’t seat them near each other. Obviously.

-The perennial bridesmaid

happy earth day

In order to properly celebrate earth day today combined with all things wedding, I’ve put together a list of green wedding ideas…some you’ve heard of before and others that are totally original.
Consider upcycling, recycling, vintaging or eco-ing your wedding!
Hug the planet today.
Read on.


invitations

The invitation is the first impression your guests will get of your wedding.

Invite guests to your nuptials in an earth friendly manner with seedpaper that you can actually plant! I love this concept.
PulpArt on etsy

wedding & shower gifts

Off the registry but so worth it!

Pressed Flower Card. How refreshing!
JanesArt on etsy

Clever. The preserved glass bottle is being upcycled into a serving tray. And of course it is personalized with the announcement.
PJ's Glass Creations on etsy



























bridal party tokens

Trying to think of something unique to give your bridesmaids & groomsmen?  Try these eco-friendly jewelry options.

Vintage typewriter keys upcycled into cufflinks that you can personalize with letters or numbers. How original!
19Moons on etsy

Actual preserved rosebud made into a necklace. Stunning.
mcstoneworks on etsy

favors

Being a horticulturalist, I love the idea of giving your guests something that they can watch grow as their take-away. And personalize it with your day.

Seed packs for Spring Weddings.
Gift Bags By Susan on etsy

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bulbs for Fall Weddings.
Yvonne's Cat House on etsy

-The perennial bridesmaid

P.S. Don't forget to save the tissue paper & gift bags for reuse.  By far my favorite "green" thing to do!

do or diy

What have I been up to? Hmm, well there were 100 invitations & 100 thank yous last week for 2 separate weddings. That about sums it up. But if you want more deets, read on…

Day 1: 100 wedding invitations
Vintage looking, horizontal pocket fold #10 (legal size)
Team of 5 assembly line style. (always good to recruit your bridesmaids for DIY projects)

• Fold pre cut 8"x9.25" blue cardstock in half.
• Adhere pocket on bottom.
• Adhere accent cardstock on top.
• Stamp pocket.
• Stamp front of invitation.
• Save text piece for another day as details need to be ironed and laid out.

Time: 3 hours

Day 2: 100 wedding TYs
Simple but stunning 4.25"x5.5" card. We'll call it simply stunning.
Team of 2

• Fold pre cut 8.5"x5.5" yellow cardstock in half.
• Stamp base cardstock with background stamp.
• Stamp thank you sentiment on ivory cardstock.
• Punch sentiment out.
• Adhere sentiment to stamped cardstock.

Time: 2 hours

Tip I learned the hard way:  Kinko's and Staples will cut your cardstock for you.  They can cut up to about 100 sheets for approximately $1.50 per cut.  1 cut = 2 minutes, so easy.  I learned this AFTER cutting 100 invitations by hand.  Each piece of cardstock invidually. Ouch.

I promise to post pictures some day soon to keep things interesting for ya. Yes, I am for hire as I do really enjoy designing & creating these custom invitations and thank yous.

-The perennial bridesmaid

listed

It just occurred to me today that I have numerous wedding-related lists going at any given time. Well that didn’t just occur to me. I knew about the numerous lists but my crazy organization (or lack there of) of these lists just occurred to me so I decided to make a list about my lists.

I might have lost my mind. I am not sure if I am extremely organized and therefore need multiple lists OR maybe I’m actually not organized at all and that’s why I need so many types of lists to begin with. You decide.

Here is a look into my obsessive compulsive list making tactics.

Handwritten

• Post-it – This is typically a scribbled shorthand shopping list stuck to my purse so I don’t forget to get the moisturizer that provides the right glow or the shower gift I pre-selected (from a registry LIST). The only problem with this list is that I am usually scrambling to find it. It is usually crumbled at the bottom of my bag. I do enjoy physically crossing things off the list though. It is very rewarding.
• Legal pad – More organized than the post it list for sure. I typically use the legal pad as a supply list of items that needed to be ordered for making invitations or centerpieces. I find the left column to be handy to record quantity…or simply to doodle in. The downside to this list is that it tends to get messy as I add and remove items.

Typed

• Excel – The list looks so clean when it’s all typed up and organized. I use this format for tracking shower RSVPs. As guests reply, I simply query their name and mark an X in the yes or no column. You don’t even need to be online for this list to be efficient. And then I can create a formula to determine the total Yeses and Nos.
• Word – The legal pad goes online and alleviates the messy issue for adding and removing items. Columns aren’t as functional for excel. I tend to use this listing format for jotting down ideas to post about here. Plus spell check cleans it up for me so I can think a little less about spelling and more about listing.

Web based

• Google docs – I am addicted to listing things on the Google doc that is comparable to excel. It serves the exact same function as excel BUT I can access this list from anywhere AND I can share it with other users. I am currently using a Google list for tracking bachelorette party RSVPs with my co-planner. We can both contribute to the list without sending it back and forth. What a simple yet efficient invention.
• Outlook Calendar – I find I use this one as my web base post-it list. Basically, my lunchtime errands find themselves jotted down in the noon slot on any given day. Then, surprise, I get a reminder about what shower gift I need to go buy. The reminder function here is just so clever…otherwise I’d have to write a post it to remember to check this calendar.

Techy

• PDA – I use my PDA for the calendar function on the go. I get my shopping lists sent directly to my pocket complete with a reminder. I can also access my Google docs from my PDA as well.

I hope you enjoyed my list about lists. Please tell me what kind of list maker you are. Maybe I can learn and improve on my tactics.

-The perennial bridesmaid

P.S.  As I finished typing this an Outlook calendar reminder popped up. It was labeled ‘shopping list’. I opened the list to cross reference it with my post-it list stuck to my purse.

the lost art

"Répondez s'il vous plaît" is translated from French to mean “Please, respond”. Please respond to my request for you to attend party/wedding/shower/other event where I’d like you to be a guest.

We adapted this etiquette in the US in the 1800s. It was used for formal invitations and a written response was typical. However, RSVP requests have evolved with technology in the last few decades and perhaps that has contributed to the lack of proper responses that are received when RSVP is used. In other words, we now ask people to RSVP via email, on evites, and by phone. As a result, the RSVP practice has sort of been diluted and once a formal invitation does come along the etiquette of a proper RSVP seems to be a lost art!

Let’s review the proper etiquette to RSVP an invitation, formal or informal.

• Reply directly to the RSVP contact listed on the invitation. Do not tell the contact’s brother that you can make the bridal shower and assume that your RSVP will be passed along. Make sure to get your response in to the person requesting it! Do not rely on word of mouth. 
• Respond exactly how your response was requested. If a response card was included, mail it; if a phone number was listed, call it; if an email is available, send a message.
• Make no assumptions. For example, if you are in the bridal party and you receive a formal invitation, send the response back. Perhaps the mother of the bride is keeping the guest list. You can’t assume that they know you’re coming. I have heard countless stories of groomsmen who assumed they didn’t have to respond to the invitation since they were in the wedding. Sure, the couple knows you’re coming but there can be vital info on the response card that they do not know like whether you’ll be having chicken or fish for dinner.
• When using a response card, be sure to fill it out completely so no follow up is needed. You may note an M____________ on the response card. The M is for Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms. Start there with your formal name and follow with your guest’s name. IF you were invited with one, it will be clearly noted by how the invitation was addressed to you. The formal response line should look like this Mr. John Smith & Jane Doe OR Mr. John Smith (no guest). If you simply write “Mr. John Smith & Guest”, you’re likely to see that surface again on your reception card at the wedding. It’s best to identify your guest.
• The golden rule to remember when RSVPing is to reply by the date requested on the invitation. It is a pain for anyone to have to chase you down to find out if you will be their guest…not to mention rude of you. It is considered courteous if you respond immediately after receiving the invitation.

Now let’s all practice this exercise. Go check your stack of mail. I am sure there is an invitation in there waiting for a proper response, s'il vous plait.

-The perennial bridesmaid

invitation appreciation

I am totally entrenched in invitations at the moment…weddings, showers, rehearsal dinners. You name it and we’re hand making invitations for it! I love paper crafting so I am happy to help out in this area. Multiple questions have come up around standard envelope sizes and postage. I’ve been learning so much and have decided to answer all of these questions at once with an easy reference guide detailing standard invitation envelope sizes & current USPS rates. I hope you find this helpful!

• Minimum envelope size you can mail is 3 1/2 x 5 1/2
• Square envelopes cost more to mail than rectangular
• If you address your envelope vertically instead of the normal horizontal way, you will be charged more
• If you're making your own invitations, you should always cut your cardstock about an 1/8” less than the envelope size
• If you choose postcards for the save the dates or response cards, they may take longer to get to the recipient than if put in an envelope. Postcards are considered 2nd class mail
• For standard envelopes, the maximum thickness that the envelope can be is 1/4" & weigh up to 1 oz. $.17 for each additional oz

Invitation        Postage       Response card      Postage      
envelope size                      envelope size
3 7/8 x 8 7/8      $.44             3 5/8 x 5 1/8            $.44        
4 1/8 x 9 1/2        .44             4 1/4 x 5 1/2              .44         
5 1/4 x 7 1/4        .44             4 3/4 x 6 1/2              .44                     
5 1/2 x 8 1/8        .44
6 x 9 1/2              .44
6x6                      .64
7x7                      .64

Postcard       Postage
3 1/2 x 5        $.28
4 1/4 x 6          .28


-The perennial bridesmaid

diy invitations

DIY invitations…love it.  This is the first impression that a wedding guest will have of your occassion.  Why not handcraft it? 

I will be doing several runs of handmade wedding invitations this year. The first batch went off without a hitch…so we thought.

I met with the bride and groom (my brother and future sis-in-law) to consult as early as last Labor Day to select colors, designs and layouts. Several weeks and several modifications later, the bride and I began cutting all of the cardstock to size. Stacks of luscious navy, saffron & ivory cardstock were building high by October. Our plan was being followed out on point. We had closely mapped out a schedule to complete assembly of the invitations by December so they could be mailed the second week of January with no stress over the holidays.

The plan included an assembly day in November with a half dozen of us to complete specified tasks in order to construct the invitations. The invitations are a modern gatefold with a pocket at the bottom for the response card & envelope plus hotel accommodation information. We had enough pieces pre-cut to make 100 invitations although the final count to mail would be 88. We calculated a 10% error rate. We quickly learned that a 20% error rate would have been more realistic. Note to self. Luckily we ended up with 88 acceptable invitations but not one to spare.

Fast forward six weeks ahead to this weekend. Here’s where the hitch comes in. There are exactly 88 completed invitations, as needed. Bride and groom go to stuff the envelopes in preparation for the big mailing. Oh no, 75% of the pockets were no longer adhered! The response card had popped it open. The disaster was quickly solved by the bride and groom who used double side tape which proved to hold better.

Lessons learned: 20% error rate on DIY invitations AND heavy duty adhesive for adhering pockets.

What we did right: Starting 3-4 months in advance of when invitations need to be mailed. This means starting the DIY invitations 6 months prior to the wedding! I will be starting invitations in the next week or so for the vintage June wedding…

-The perennial bridesmaid