Delish!

So I was trying to brainstorm with Chuck about ideas and options to stray away from the "traditional" Save The Dates for the wedding and ran across the idea to purchase postcards from our destination and send them as the Save The Dates. Postcards save money on postage (4"x6" is cheaper than standard postage), and it doubles by being a "vacation souvenir", and announcing our wedding location. Super cute idea... I kind of wanted something vintage looking. "Old School San Diego" was what I was after... like 1950's- ish.

Well, then we ran across a website that allows you to either design your own or use someone else's design to have custom postcards printed. At more than $1 per postcard, it was ridiculous, but we were still wanting the destination/vacation feel. Do we latched on to the "vintage" idea similar to the I Love New York (actually I heart NY) t-shirts and novelties. Using a similar concept, I designed a super fun postcard for us to have printed.

After meeting with my design (business) printer yesterday, he said that I may not like the outcome as much as I think I will, and reminded me that just because I designed the postcards doesn't mean that this idea was unique to us... additionally, since we are having a small wedding that we could definitely design something really unique and personal.

So I went back to the idea I had a while ago with a design that included a personal picture of us and a picture of the shores or the pacific in the background. I sat around rolling the idea around in my head for a few hours. I went on Martha Stewart Weddings Website to look at ideas for all of our paper products... just for a few ideas.

But then, BOO YAAH! Something clicked! I realized at that moment that the entire purpose was to act as a "souvenir", to give the feeling of a "vacation", and to be fun, whimsical, and out of the box! So, I thought (though I know it had been done before) what about a Boarding Pass?!?! I texted one of my best friends to see what she thought... It's a hit! But how do I get an example to start from? And how should I format this?

So I made a "call" today... it went something like this: "Hey Google, what's goin' on? I'm looking for a sample boarding pass. Oh, really? Cool, I'll check that out!" And that's when I found the most adorable sample/template for invitation/Save The Date boarding passes!!!

I don't want to give away my secret, but if you go to the website, you too can find the idea. I will give you a scoop of the dish... She also had "Passport" invitations which were totally c-o-ute! You can find them here: Aylee'sPassport Invitations

It's like Maggleby's Muffins in the mall... the unexpected, comes with a most amazing and delicious surprise inside! (want to know more about Maggleby's Muffins? ask me someday)

This was like the coolest day...

Enjoy the links! And happy surfing!

How do I...

My theme: "Everything That Sparkles..."

Resounding in my head every time I look at something I like, I ask myself the questions:

1. Does this reflect my theme?

2. Does this reflect my style?

And of course I'm into the opulance and ambiance that chandeliers create. So how do I get this into my reception?

I originally thought I wanted chandeliers as centerpieces, but how do you hang a chandelier over every table, and especially when you can't or don't want to fix anything to their walls, ceilings, or floors? I thought about some sort of metal hanging device but then it would have to be extremely tall in order for guests to be able to comfortably converse across the table.

I am also working on the website. Torn between flash and traditional HTML, I'm also wasting time with second-guessing myself. Once again, I can design for anyone else, but when it comes to my own stuff, the limitless possibilites completely baffle me!

Visited the Rock & Roll Bride Blog again today... rockin' good times if you ask me! Now, she doesn't just talk about pictures and photography, but ever time I look at pictures from her blog, my eyes get all big and golf-ball like, my jaw drops, and I might even start stammering out loud to myself.

I trust my photographer, and I know she can do some very "out of the box" type stuff... I've seen it! You can too here:

Shelly Love Photography

I just want to make memories and LOVE the memories I make in pictures! The types of images I see on the Rock & Roll Bride Blog and even on Shelly Love's Blog... I know first of all, I have the right photographer, and secondly, that I can get something fun, edgy, and creative. The only limit is how far Chuck is willing to go. Sometimes I give him such a hard time for growing up to be an old man and always doing stuff safe and "inside the box". But sometimes it's true! 10 years ago, I would be out so late, I would have to go 75-80MPH down the freeway so I could jump in bed before the sun peeked over the horizon! Good times! Where are those days again?!

I am also meeting with our paper printer tomorrow. As a graphic designer, I of course, will be saving huge bales of dough by designing our paper products myself. And knowing a professional printer is always a plus! Need a printer? Artistic Graphics can come to your rescue! (website coming soon!) But I'm excited about meeting with the printer so I can see what the many possibilites are to make our paper products truly stand out.

Peace out! See you in a couple days!

Burn out... or fade away?

I think I finally got the burnout. That's right peeps, I FINALLY got sick of saying the word w- w- w- wedding.

Now let me tell you, that's the mood today... things 'll probably change tomorrow but I'm starting to analyze how to break the cycle. Know me? You already know I am a talking type of girl. But ever since I got engaged just over a week ago, I feel like I haven't even come up for air! So, I'm trying to brainstorm ways to tell everyone what's going on without having to repeat myself 6 times in 2 days. This blogs a start. But I even blasted Face Book today asking for everyone to either conference call me or to all show up about once a week in the same room so I can just tell the story 1 time to everyone at once.

So to all my friends, thanks for listening and I'm sorry for the lips like the motor of a chainsaw.

In fact, I think I'll be sharing this blog with all so that maybe it will save some of the continuous re-telling of the same stories and conversations. That way, if people stop reading, it might be for the better because it will feel like I'm not burning out, just fading away...

By the way, anyone know where to get inexpensive mirror garland (beaded curtains) around 7-10 feet in length? Hit me up, yo!

xoxo

P.s.

John and Kate? blah blah blah... I'm over it. But I must say, if I could send them a message from me to you...? Thanks for giving up on marriage. You say you put the kids first in everything in your lives? Well, to fail each other in your marriage and not see your covenant through is the worst thing you can and ever will do "FOR THE KIDS". Great job guys!

Wedding Tip

Yo!

Want a little wedding planning tip? I found another blog with a little helpful idea.

The blog belongs to: http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/06/24/sample-day-timeline/

In this blog, the bride talks about trying to share information and documents across multiple people in the wedding planning process. In the particular post, she mentions a wedding day timeline with her photographer. But after finding out about this handy little idea, I decided that anyone would certainly find this helpful to use for everything from guest lists, to Rsvp's to music, whatever you can think of!

THE BIG IDEA?
Google Docs is a fantastic way to get everyone on the same page when trying to share information, or have documents edited by multiple people without e-mailing copies back and forth. It keeps confusion down when going from draft to final of any document, spreadsheet, or project.

Check it out here:
Google Docs

Wedding Personality

How important is it for you to convey your personality through your style? Is your style one in the same with your personality? In the process of starting my wedding planning, these are questions I have begun to ask myself. I have been looking at so many pictures and blogs on wedding inclusions and ideas that my eyes are nearly crossed. Sounds like every other bride, right?

Well, I’m probably like most other brides. Off to a running start… and I’ll be tired by next month. With the anticipation of burnout looming, I’m still fueled by the excitement that it’s finally my turn to get married! And what’s worse is that I consider myself a creative person, so naturally, everything I see is only viewed as just a possibility to improve, modify, re-create, or re-produce! It’s like drinking a Red Bull every 2 hours… a quick burst and then the inability to focus. To top it off, I am a Graphic Designer. Sound like a plus to you? Well, if you (at all) understand the side effects of Writer’s Block, you can certainly understand what it’s like to be a creative person and designer trying to design and create for one’s self! I can create wonders for other people, but draw a blank when trying to decide for my own benefit. With plenty of opportunities for DYI projects laid out in front of me, I am starting to question if my ideas are truly conveying my personality and/or my style.

Now of course, I am slightly different as I want my Chuck (my fiancé) actively involved in the decision making process for every step (as long as he can keep up!) So naturally, I try to pretend he’s my “client” and I’m designing for him. But that doesn’t always work. So I keep looking on my own, and keep probing him for his insight, opinion, and direction on interesting ideas I find. But, of course, the more I look, the more I find! Not a problem, really, just opens up my eyes to many ideas I didn’t even think about.


To get to the heart of the matter, I have always dreamed of a classic, yet simple and contemporary wedding. Lots of classic elements, but simple, creating an elegant and opulent setting. After getting wedding serious with Chuck, I’m starting to think that within my head of floating ideas, I’m starting to take myself too seriously. I found a different kind of blog yesterday called http://www.rocknrollbride.com/blog-love/ . It was full of pictures and ideas that are definitely unconventional and super fun! But alas, after talking with my Fi, some of the ideas seem too far out of the box. So is it really back to the same old, same old ideas I’ve been combing through? That’s not exciting at all…

I’ve been contemplating my music choice for our wedding. I have always loved the idea of having a very classic and elegant wedding… so naturally I don’t want “Big Booty Hoes” or “Grindin’ On The Dance Floor” being played for all my guests who are trying to figure out how or why I chose this music. I also don’t want the songs I like today to embarrass me or haunt me when I watch my wedding video 10 years from now. So, for many years now, I have loved the idea of Big Band, Swing, Singers & Standards. You know, like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald… you get my point. But now, I wonder, are people going to enjoy that type of music enough to get up and dance to it? Above all of the “ideas” I have for my perfect wedding, I have come to the conclusion that I want every single guest to walk away from our wedding thinking or saying “I had the best, most amazing time ever!” or “This wedding, by far, trumps any other wedding or event like this that I’ve ever been to!” But will this music encourage people to have a great time?

After viewing the Rock N Roll Bride Blog, I saw some pictures and read a few blog posts that inspired me to shriek and call out for Chuck to come check out some of the most fun, interesting, and out-of-the-box ideas I’ve seen to date! After asking him about incorporating some of these ideas into our wedding, he replied with a rather blank “nah” response. So I’m on the hunt for something unusual, out-of-the-box, and almost startling to our friends and family… something unexpected!

I just don’t want us to take ourselves too seriously. I’m always looking for that “something”, that “je ne sais quois” that shows my fun, random, sparkly, bubbly personality! I don’t want a stuffy, uppity, overly done wedding where our guests are afraid to use the napkins. I’m sniffing around for the perfect element that gives our wedding that unexpected element, and makes our wedding THE event to remember.

So once again, is your style the same thing as your personality? Or can you modify your style based on your personality? Are they one in the same, or not? And how do you take the perfect wedding theme and create elements of the unexpected? Got any ideas?