We bought our tickets to the Philippines today. A good chunk of change and I had to do it over the phone, which I hate doing. I'm very visual so if I am able to read things, I absorb it and process it better. Anyways, I had to do it over the phone because they didn't recognize my daughter's hypenated last name. Apparently, the way around it is to just put it as one long last name.
Anyways, we're going and doing it. It'll be another $600 to cancel these tickets, so we're getting married!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Invitation Drafts
I decided not to do overtime this weekend, partly because I was exhausted, but mostly because Isabela's been experiencing some separation anxiety and is coming down with a cold. Anyways, some free time at home (after a trip to Michael's), means I got to put together some drafts for the invitations.
Initially, I was waiting until I got InDesign from my brother, but the mail was not good to us, so I decided to make them in Word. Seriously. They turned out really well though. But I'll have to recreate it on InDesign anyways, because we want to make a version appropriate to email as an evite as well.
We also had a printer mishap. The awesome Epson all-in-one printer I've had throughout University, essentially died, after we spent $75 on ink. After spending most of the weekend trying to fix it (because I needed to print a 50% off coupon for Michaels), we decided to buy a new printer. So the invitation expenses are sort of going through the roof because of these things. In addition, remember how I mentioned in my last post using oneheartweddings for clipart? Well if you don't cancel your free trial, they automatically charge you $39US and subscribe you for a year. Take a guess how I figured that one out.
Anyways, despite those things, we decided to still go forward and DIY our invitations. We figured if we paid for invitations, we'd have to pay to get a matching RSVP card, and then programs, and other stationary.
Our expenses so far from just these drafts have been:
Anyways, we were trying to figure out a few things with these drafts:
I also wanted to do an RSVP card, that speaks to our website where people can respond to our invitation, as well as have access to other information. So I did a smaller card as well on the linen paper, using the same fonts and another image from the Oneheartweddings (gotta get my moneys worth!).
.
Finally, to bring it all together, we needed a band to literally hold it all together. I had danced with a few ideas, but after requesting a DIY from pink loves chocolate, I got the idea of using a ribbon. Instead of a monogram, I decided we could bring it together using a picture. Note, this ISN'T the picture we're going to use. I just took it 10 minutes before making our drafts, so I can see if it was seriously, super tacky or not. We'll probably do a nicer one in black and white or sepia, but Rodney does like the idea. Especially, since we'll be mailing the invitations to his family in the Philippines, who don't have many pictures of us and might really like it.
So theres a little bit of tweaking that needs to be done still, and a new family photo for our belly band. But, I think we got a good plan to make our DIY invitations. I'm really, super excited!!
Initially, I was waiting until I got InDesign from my brother, but the mail was not good to us, so I decided to make them in Word. Seriously. They turned out really well though. But I'll have to recreate it on InDesign anyways, because we want to make a version appropriate to email as an evite as well.
We also had a printer mishap. The awesome Epson all-in-one printer I've had throughout University, essentially died, after we spent $75 on ink. After spending most of the weekend trying to fix it (because I needed to print a 50% off coupon for Michaels), we decided to buy a new printer. So the invitation expenses are sort of going through the roof because of these things. In addition, remember how I mentioned in my last post using oneheartweddings for clipart? Well if you don't cancel your free trial, they automatically charge you $39US and subscribe you for a year. Take a guess how I figured that one out.
Anyways, despite those things, we decided to still go forward and DIY our invitations. We figured if we paid for invitations, we'd have to pay to get a matching RSVP card, and then programs, and other stationary.
Our expenses so far from just these drafts have been:
- Around $30 for different decorative paper, the linen paper and 5x7 cuts of the chocolate and bronze paper, plus a rounded corner punch.
- $39 for the wedding clipart website that I didn't really want to subscribe to.
- $75 for ink for our old printer. (I'm going to put up the unopened packs up for sale on Kijiji)
- $50 for a new printer.
- $55 for a paper trimmer, pearl embellishments, a square punch and ribbon.
For a total of $249. Booooo. Way too much before the actual invitations. Hopefully, we'll cut it back with selling the ink on Kijiji.
Anyways, we were trying to figure out a few things with these drafts:
- Chocolate or Bronze back layer
- Dark green leaf design or the outlined one
- a more ornamental decorative paper or the leaf design.
Good thing we tested everything, because we ended up choosing a different combination than we had initially thought we wanted. I won't say what we decided, so you'll just have to wait until I show the finished invites.
If you're wondering. I downloaded the fonts for free from DaFont. The main text is Day Roman, while our names are in Shit Happens. I also got the image from OneHeartWeddings.
I also wanted to do an RSVP card, that speaks to our website where people can respond to our invitation, as well as have access to other information. So I did a smaller card as well on the linen paper, using the same fonts and another image from the Oneheartweddings (gotta get my moneys worth!).
Finally, to bring it all together, we needed a band to literally hold it all together. I had danced with a few ideas, but after requesting a DIY from pink loves chocolate, I got the idea of using a ribbon. Instead of a monogram, I decided we could bring it together using a picture. Note, this ISN'T the picture we're going to use. I just took it 10 minutes before making our drafts, so I can see if it was seriously, super tacky or not. We'll probably do a nicer one in black and white or sepia, but Rodney does like the idea. Especially, since we'll be mailing the invitations to his family in the Philippines, who don't have many pictures of us and might really like it.
So theres a little bit of tweaking that needs to be done still, and a new family photo for our belly band. But, I think we got a good plan to make our DIY invitations. I'm really, super excited!!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The begining of my DIY
R and I had our paper date at The Paper Place and I picked up some good paper to do some of our tests on. We decided to do a decorative paper layer after looking at some of the amazing Japanese paper.
Here's what we picked up:
It's hard to tell from the picture, but we picked up two types of 5 x 7 types, a chocolate and a bronze (a metallic paper), we have four different types of decorative paper to try out, and we settled on a cream coloured linen paper. Linen paper has textured lines that go across from it. So we plan to print the invitation on the cream paper, then have two layers under, with the dark brown as the bottom layer.
I also bought a paper punch out that will round the corners of our paper.
I also just had lunch with my friend G, who is also getting married. Man, bride dates are awesome for exchanging ideas! She told me about a place in Markham called Paperland, which has an unfortunately horrible website (which she warned me about), but apparently a good selection and at dirt cheap. So maybe we will go to this other place and find the linen paper and the chocolate paper for cheap, and get the fancy decorative Japanese paper from paper place.
I'm sooo excited. Drooollll... dreaming of DIY.
Here's what we picked up:
It's hard to tell from the picture, but we picked up two types of 5 x 7 types, a chocolate and a bronze (a metallic paper), we have four different types of decorative paper to try out, and we settled on a cream coloured linen paper. Linen paper has textured lines that go across from it. So we plan to print the invitation on the cream paper, then have two layers under, with the dark brown as the bottom layer.
I also bought a paper punch out that will round the corners of our paper.
I also just had lunch with my friend G, who is also getting married. Man, bride dates are awesome for exchanging ideas! She told me about a place in Markham called Paperland, which has an unfortunately horrible website (which she warned me about), but apparently a good selection and at dirt cheap. So maybe we will go to this other place and find the linen paper and the chocolate paper for cheap, and get the fancy decorative Japanese paper from paper place.
I'm sooo excited. Drooollll... dreaming of DIY.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Invitations
A very good friend of mine had offered to help design my invitations. She does not think she will be able to attend the wedding but still really wants to be a part of it. I adore her for that. She's not a graphic designer but has made some awesome posters and flyers for organizing work.
So after a few weeks of trying to figure out how to do it and me, sort of, rejecting her drafts, we/I have decided to design them myself with her help. It's a little different, in that I sort of figure out exactly what I want (images, fonts, concept as a whole) and then she will do some of the more technical stuff. She has also offered to pay for half the cost of the invites, but I really do not thing that's necessary.
Anyways, this means, I have been staring at website of paper products for days and days. Let me tell you, I hate it, but LOVE IT. I am getting really pumped up about crafting it up!
Tonight I have a paper date with the FH (future hubby) to literally look at paper at a place literally called The Paper Place. The last time I visited, they had a lot of great ideas for invitations, and although I'm leaning towards a 5x7 layered card, I may be inspired to do something else.
I also am currently using a website called One Heart Wedding to get clipart, background and inspiration. I essentially was able to make my draft for free because they allow you a free trial and make 2 free downloads. For unlimited access for one year its $32, which I may decide to do because if this invitation goes well, then I will continue to keep the same theme with other upcoming stationary; I'm thinking the ceremony program and menu cards mostly.
Due to the size of the wedding and the time I have, I really want to take an intimate hand at imagining and creating the details. I did show my MOH my first draft and she told me she loved everything about it and was more emotional that I was prepared for. LOL oh, Cams.
More updates as I move along!
So after a few weeks of trying to figure out how to do it and me, sort of, rejecting her drafts, we/I have decided to design them myself with her help. It's a little different, in that I sort of figure out exactly what I want (images, fonts, concept as a whole) and then she will do some of the more technical stuff. She has also offered to pay for half the cost of the invites, but I really do not thing that's necessary.
Anyways, this means, I have been staring at website of paper products for days and days. Let me tell you, I hate it, but LOVE IT. I am getting really pumped up about crafting it up!
Tonight I have a paper date with the FH (future hubby) to literally look at paper at a place literally called The Paper Place. The last time I visited, they had a lot of great ideas for invitations, and although I'm leaning towards a 5x7 layered card, I may be inspired to do something else.
I also am currently using a website called One Heart Wedding to get clipart, background and inspiration. I essentially was able to make my draft for free because they allow you a free trial and make 2 free downloads. For unlimited access for one year its $32, which I may decide to do because if this invitation goes well, then I will continue to keep the same theme with other upcoming stationary; I'm thinking the ceremony program and menu cards mostly.
Due to the size of the wedding and the time I have, I really want to take an intimate hand at imagining and creating the details. I did show my MOH my first draft and she told me she loved everything about it and was more emotional that I was prepared for. LOL oh, Cams.
More updates as I move along!
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