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

The Dress - It has been found and bought!

So when I got engaged, as we all are, very excited. Then the reality set in that I would have to find a dress, that would suit me... oh dear!!!! (lots of things pass through my mind and mostly they were all negative!)

I have one of those figures that no matter how hard I try sometimes, it is really hard to find something I feel OH WOW in! So I'm glancing through all these wedding books, researching online bridal stores and I'm umming and ahhing and going oooo I like that and I think it got to the point were I couldn't take it much more of looking, it was time to try. My MOH and I bit the bullet and decided to go to our one and only bridal store in the coastal city.

In my head I'm thinking I'm going to have the worst time ever - the choice, the sales assistant, and having to make a decision on style! However I had a blast, trying on dresses making me look like a hippo to some that I liked the style, to the wrong colour and I walked out of there after 2 1/2 hours knowing what I DIDN'T want. The sales assistant and my MOH had a fab time we had some good laughs and some inspiration! (so I guess I have my MOH to thank!)

So after that Saturday, two months later, I had managed to leave our coastal city and make the drive with my mother to Perth. After visiting one bridal store with a sales assistant less than helpful, I really didn't want to continue. 2nd store I went into and the fourth dress I tried on..... I found my dress!!! EXCITING!!!!

My budget for my dress was a maximum of $1200 dollars and I managed to stick to the budget, the dress was reduced more than $1000 as the dress is an odd (and I mean odd in a nice way) colour and also it had a funny neck line - the neckline had a lace section leading right up to the throat, but the sales assistant convinced me to try the dress on a and to get the neckline altered. So the alterations are to be that and the length of the dress as I'm a short bride! No other alteration needed!

I forgot to take a picture of the back, but its a zip disguised with a panel of buttons. I paid my deposit that day as it was a sale item and not a dress made to order. Was it an impulse decision? Yes, however, I fell in love with the dress and I have no regret in buying it then and there. When you know, you know!

I was actually a little disappointed that there wouldn't be more dresses to try on! I also selected my veil, which arrived recently. So I will post pictures of that soon. The pictures of the dress are it hanging on the door which doesn't do it justice for the shape, but I hope you like it, because I love it :)

Coastal City Bride - Charis xx

DIY - Named Cake Tablecloth! Twice Done!

Last weekend after being inspired by a blog called Becoming his Mrs, I decided that if this lady could do it. I could do it too!!

http://becominghismrs.blogspot.com/2009/09/another-day-another-diy.html

Such a fab inspiration, I highly recommend her blog.

My FH and I are happy with how it turned out, it was a bit of a process as I had to do it twice (reason explained below).

Things you will need;

1. Table cloth to match your cake table, or suitable one that can be adapted. We picked ours at our local discount store ($10.95 AUD).
2. Acrylic Paint (Acrylic is not water proof) of your designated colors or what you would like to paint. I picked up 2 tubes of Jo Sonjas's Matt fluid acrylic paint. Burgundy series 1 and Pale gold series 2.
3. A fine quality paint brush.
4. Printer that you are able to enlarge your design on. Either in the Program Publisher or word. You can print this out on A4 and have it blown up to A3 size or however big your project.
5. Plain scrap paper - if you are thinking printed newspaper will do, I would think again as it could leave marks on your tablecloth. Another suggestion is use waxing paper to line the table.
   

I set our design underneath the table cloth (so you can see your design underneath) with the plain paper as a backing to stop paint from going through to your perfect dining table (I was tempted to trace the outline in light pencil but I didnt have a eraser to undo it).

With a steady hand and nerves of steel on Mum and Dad's dining room table I painted. The whole process was nerve wracking due to being afraid of spilling paint and not being able to wipe it off without leaving a mark! It took me about 1hr to complete the design.

The paint was very quick to dry so after impressing myself with my DIY project (I am not a pro at this DIY thing but I find I'm getting better with each project) I took it home and hung it up on a high table for it to set overnight.

Unfortunately, I own a moggy of a cat called Raz who decided while we were sleeping to use the rest of the tablecloth which she had pulled conveniently on to the ground and used it as a resting spot.

We woke up in the morning to find stains on the table cloth and one very guilty looking cat!

I was very emotional and it took me about a week to warm up to the cat again. Needless to say I had to chuck the table cloth out because you can't wash it and had to go buy another and redo the whole process again!

The new table cloth with its fresh painted design is now locked away from the putty cat, so its paws may never touch it again!!

Coastal City Bride - Charis xx

Team Burgundy and Gold!

Oh dear, How forgetful of me! We decided on our wedding colors since July and now!

Our Main colours are Burgundy and Gold for decorations and stationary and sub colours light blue and tangerine(burnt orange) For the bridesmaid dresses we chose something different but I will post that as soon as I get a good picture!

They say colors can either make or break a wedding. Honestly it wasn't a too bad experience for me. My original colours were Burgundy, Black and Silver. Then as soon as I found my wedding dress (another post you will have to wait for!) is a light gold colour. I realised those colours would just not go!

Coastal City Bride - Charis xx