As I mentioned in the last post, the boy and I are getting married next year. As we’re all aware, the days of calling up the only venue/stationer/photographer, etc. in the area are long over. Not only do we now have a catalogue the size of the Louvre’s from which to choose, but every third blog offers advice about the planning process. While of course variety and advice is a wonderful thing, it’s very hard not to feel buried under everything. I do think that some blogs are better than others for real, honest-to-God advice, while others are better for inspiration (A practical wedding vs style me pretty). But one piece of advice that is well-given, and resoundingly true, is to determine what is most important to you and where you want the money to go. Different proposed costs from different vendors begin to naturally shift your priorities, but it can be very difficult when you just want everything to look lovely and you don’t know how to sift through the masses to find the best option. We’re very fond of entertaining, which means that every aspect seems important from the invitations to the food to the hotel welcome bags.
It’s why I was so glad to come across the blog Oh so beautiful paper, and through that blog the shop Antiquaria. Oh so beautiful paper and Antiquaria make DIY seem do-able, rather than a complete disaster waiting to happen. I’m the sort that likes to think I’m crafty until I’m faced with all the papers and the glues and the inks. At which point, I realize that I can’t even draw stick figures well. But so much of the cost of invitations can be offset by DIY elements, particularly doing your own save the dates. We’re only doing save the dates for the English types and wanted a more traditional style than the ones offered on zazzle and other such places. We ordered a customized ‘save the date’ stamp in a calligraphy script, and I went to a paper goods store to purchase some patterned paper, envelopes, and envelope liner templates.
A steady hand with the pencil and scissors is all you really need, I think. Antiquaria also provides letterpress elements that match the various stamp styles, which is very convenient. I was so worried about things looking fantastic that I just forgot to think about my own skills and the most logical options. This feeling in particular is SO inherent to the wedding industry right now; that everything must be custom and special to you and amazing, and there is just so much cost–not even monetary, also time and effort–tied in with planning that it can just drive you mad.
B Format 