Invitations - 75% complete and many redbulls later..

My own DIY invitations are nearly done!!

Warning: my instructions aren't that great, but you can get the idea!

I thought since I stress out easy to get my stationary underway- 6 months before they need to be sent! (how is that for organisation!)

Find an inspiration, with mine it was envelopes. (They say you should always choose your envelope size before you create anything, as their is no point in producing something and then having to search high and low to find an envelope to fit your pretty creation).

Choose paper that reflects your theme, you should have one main colour, a contrast colour and then if optional a print pattern that you can be coordinated throughout your wedding.

I chose my main paper to Burgundy Stardream Mars and the contrast colour to be a light gold in the Stardream selection.

My print came from a download of my fave wedding websites Styleguide.com.au http://styleguide.com.au/pdfdocs/WSGIssue3ModernSpicePatterns.pdf it was originally an inspiration on there to be used for wrap for candles, but I decided that instead of paying $2.10 a sheet from a paper store for a patterned paper was a little bit rich and that I could print this design on to gold paper and I could save a few dollars.

I found my gold paper at K-mart (similar to walmart?) for $4.00 AUD dollars for 25 sheets. I bought 7 packets.

Next step was to make a template of my design. (I went for a simple DL size with an angular cut at the front, to create a little interest instead of it being a straight cut)

I cut my printed design to fit the middle section of my DL invite and secured it with double sided tape.

After looking at this FH decided, that was a little boring and that we needed a bit of "edge" to the invitation, his words. So we went to the local craft store - Spotlight (like Michaels) and I purchased 15 x 7m x 3mm ribbon in a terracotta colour and 20 x 7m 10mm ribbon in the same terracotta colour, like so. I placed the 3mm ribbon along vertically of the middle of the invitation and the 10 mm along the edge on both sides from the middle to the angular fold as seen below. I sealed the edges of the ribbon with a lighter to stop the fraying.

We decided that having a blank front was boring and we would need a monogram wrap! The wrap was simple to create. I designed the monogram using Microsoft publisher and it simple square as this would be easier to cut than a round monogram, using my printed design and the burgundy as backing.

(I had to sharpen the image to put it on here as it didn't show to well on original photo)

(150 of them later)

(ta da!)

I have just finished the rsvp cards that go in the invitation, but that will be another post. I have also yet to do accomodation info, the actual wording for the invitation and map. I'm putting them on hold for another month or so!

Coastal City Bride - Charis