Champange Tastes

Supplies are ordered for our invitation making extravaganza. Just did it. Can't believe I actually pressed "buy"! I might be biting off more than I can chew, which is why I'm giving myself more than enough time... Wedding blogs are killer, because you fall in love with an invitation suite, only to find out it's going to cost you a sweet $3k. This girl has champange tastes on a beer budget, so it's DIY for me! The struggle will be keeping them classy and elegant without looking cheap and homemade. But I think that we have a plan to make that happen.

I'm a student, so really my time is free... but between 2 classes, gym time, the GRE and applying to grad schools, I'm starting now. We booked our calligrapher, Michelle Clark, for our Save the Dates and Invites, and she needs the invitation envelopes in March, for the invites to go out at the beginning of May. I'm also estimating that each part of the invitation is going to take several hours, if not days... so that means I better get cracking, if I want the invitations of my dreams.

I'm not sharing any details, but here's what we've purchased so far:
- Sewing machine + supplies (will be used again post-wedding, so I really don't count it as a wedding only purchase)
- Lots of fabric off Ebay

- Lots of sparkly rhinestones (only they are clear)
- Gocco (although I'm using it for multiple projects, so it doesn't really count)
- Lots of gocco inks and supplies
- All the wonderful Arturo paper cards and envelopes you could ever want- enough to make invites, RSVP cards, programs, menus, table numbers, place cards, and thank you cards, plus a zillion envelopes.

I'll leave the design to your imagination. Or, you can just watch your mailboxes around the beginning of May.

A side note... I think I'm falling in love with paper. I've developed an obsession with thick, rich, creamy, beautiful paper. I'm pretty sure Jacob thinks I'm crazy. But I don't want some dumb computer paper going out, do I? No way. I discovered Arturo paper, and it's amazing. You should check it out... because you might fall in love also.

Back to our calligrapher! I found Michelle Clark on Weddingbee, and she is SO awesome! I love her fonts and she is beyond inexpensive... but shush, don't tell her, or she might start to get famous and raise her prices. We picked several options- can you tell we like similar fonts? Ha!



She was nice enough to create samples of the fonts that I liked in our address! We picked Wispy, which I think is a perfect combination of formal and informal- it even feels a little bit like California to me. I love it!!

Also, our Save the Dates are about half done- but I'm keeping them a surprise until after they go out in mid-October. We're sending them out earlier than usual because of the economy- so people have enough time to get a good deal on flights and hotels. I hope it works!

Wish me luck on my ridiculous DIY invitation adventure. I've already had an injury- sliced finger from the rotary fabric cutter. Luckily I didn't bleed all over the place. But I made it through my first trial sample without going crazy, so that's good news.

All I can say is that you guys better like them!! Haha! :)