Reveal: Invitations

Guys, I am so happy with our invitations!  To me, they are the best ever!!  Thank you to Aaron for coming up with the idea and designing/printing them all.  Thank you also to my Momma, who sewed the inner envelopes and to Brad who helped stuff envelopes and keep me on task.  Now, for the pictures:

Addressing invitations in the living room.

Piles of envelopes in the Post Office, being stamped by me.

Inner envelopes. They were hand-sewn along the sides by my momma, using an orange thread. They feature a cut-out center to allow the invite to show through.  There is also a half-circle cut-out on the back to allow for the invite to be easily pulled out.

Once pulled out of the envelope, this is what the guest is looking at.  I love the bow-tie detail.

On the back of the owls, this is what you'd see.  Isn't it fantastic?

There's a map card in the invite, too, but I didn't think you'd need to see it.  Above is the reply card, mad-lib style.  These are so fun to receive!

After sewing and stuffing envelopes, Mom posted on her facebook that, "This morning I sewed envelopes for my daughter's wedding invites. Nothing 'traditional' about them! (Turned out great, though.)."  

I hope you all love them as much as Brad and I do.  

--Melanie

Less than Two Months Out...

Folks, we are entering extreme countdown mode.  I have 60 days until the wedding a TON of things to get done!  Take a look:

• address invites
• punch holes in invites
• mail invites--will be mailed this morning!!!!!!
• cake topper
• music
• do/do not play list
• ceremony music
• card box
• flowers
• alter dresses
• bridesmaid dress for Kerry's wedding
• my wedding dress
• centerpiece "plates"
• jars
• favors
• order supplies
• construct
• hair trial--scheduled for July 28
• makeup trial--scheduled for July 28
• set appointments for wedding
• engagement pictures--scheduled for July 28
• guestbook
• supplies
• frame
• signs
• Krippendorf
• guestbook
• other
• Krippendorf layout
• parent gifts
• bridesmaid gifts
• ring pillow
• jeweler
• bathroom basket
• finalize cake design

Are you feeling as stressed as I am?  I also have to clean the house this week because Kerry arrives on Friday in order to throw me a shower on Sunday.  I'm so excited. Also, since invitations are going out as soon as I finish this post, I feel a huge weight off my shoulders.  Some items on the list are actually being completed by other people and I just have to cross them off the list when the time comes.  That is a great feeling.  :)

In order to keep me accountable, my goals for the week include cleaning the house, working on the ring pillow, and gathering supplies for the guestbook and bathroom basket.  Engagement pictures, trials, and setting appointments will be tops on the list for next week.  

Finally, as you'll recall from previous crazy posts, I need to figure out what I'm doing for flowers.  I saw a picture in a magazine and I really like it.  I'm hoping that I can recreate that bouquet, maybe throw in a daisy or two and be done with the flower insanity.  

Anybody up for a night of wedding planning?

--Melanie

Dear USPS,

This is your fault, not mine. I am highly pissed and will show you pictures of as many save-the-dates as I can get my hands on until you refund every penny of my postage.

Love,
Melanie

The Early Bird Gets the Stamps

I was first in line at the post office this morning.

I was there before they even opened. Why? To buy stamps. I know, I lead an exciting life. However, I had to laugh out loud when she brought me my 68 postcard stamps. Here's why:
Polar bears. She brought me 68 polar bear stamps for the Fall-themed Save-the-Dates. I loved it. :) Another thing I loved? Sixty-eight postcard stamps didn't really hurt the wallet too badly.

On this past Saturday, Brad and I went to see the Krippendorf Lodge with our pastors, Mark and Lisa. Brad had never seen the lodge, except for in pictures. He was thoroughly impressed, proclaiming, "It seems fine." Ha. Mark and Lisa were more open about their enthusiasm and I am now more excited than ever about September. We all got the lay of the land and talked about how the service might go. I won't go into specifics because I'm hoping that some of you reading this will show up in September.

I am on Spring Break this week and hope to accomplish some more wedding things this week, such as nailing down a flower contract and maybe starting some DIY projects. We shall see. I do want some time to just eat ice cream and watch movies.

--Melanie