table numbers, welcome bag tags, valet tags, hanging place cards, coasters, menus, programs, and another gorgeous seating chart …

If you didn’t check out her work when we first announced the Seating Chart Giveaway last week … you really should. Oodles of paper pieces with so many ideas for personalizing your own wedding!

Sooooo…..

We couldn’t wait any longer … we’ve decided to announce the winner of Gourmet Invitation’s Seating Chart Giveaway one day early! We’ve had SO many fantastic entries and as always, it’s just so hard to select one winner. In fact, it was so hard that we are selecting two!!

First winner, selected by Tifany is Julia C !

Julia’s entry …

Hi Tifany, thank you for this wonderful gift! Your designs are pieces of art and I would so appreciate having the opportunity to have one of your amazing pieces showcased at my wedding next March 20th, 2010. I am in love with your invitation set for Molly and Carl. My colors are pink and I am doing a romantic 18th century feel. You see I waited 30 years to find my soulmate we got engaged Christmas eve this past year unfortunely we live in Michigan and my fiance lost his job just shortly after we got engaged. I am trying my hardest to make our wedding day what we both have dreamed of but because of our situtation we have to make some cutbacks. However, having one of your seating charts greet my guests as they walk in would make my day all that more special! thank you!!

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Second winner, selected by Style Me Pretty is Vickie D ! {Because it tugged at my heartstrings … and as the mom of three brides thru the years, I can totally relate to her feelings. And, I love it that moms read Style Me Pretty~Eddye}

Vickie D’s entry …

These are the most elegant options for a seating chart. I am the Mom of 2 brides , marrying within 11 weeks of each other and I am running out of time and money. This would be a lasting treasure for Katie to keep always. What a fun surprize this would be for her. The black one with the chandeler is perfect.

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We will be in touch with both of you soon! And for those of you not selected, please do give the Seating Chart idea a thought. They are a very reasonably priced and an eco*friendly option for your wedding!

Everyone else … head over to Gourmet Invitations website and blog to see the full range of possibilities! Thanks SO much Tifany!

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Post tags: Butterfly, Coasters, Fan, Gourmet Invitations, Menus, Place Cards, Programs, Seating Chart, Table Numbers, Valet Tags, Welcome Bag Tags
Post categories: Contests, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Invitations & Stationery

I mean come on! How great are those? Loving every bit of Mint these days, from the paper perfection to the fun real weddings that she posts.

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Post tags: direction cards, mint, Programs, The Blog
Post categories: The Blog

* * *

Dilemma #3: I want ceremony programs, but I can’t afford them.
Solution: Order letterpressed labels instead of the entire program cover.

Letterpress escort sized cards with all your ceremony information instead of printing larger size program covers.  I’m working with a client now who’s doing this to save on costs.  We’re purchasing a variety of different printed paper to use as the cover and sewing the labels on to the front.  We can even letterpress the labels onto sticky paper, so all you have to do is stick them on.  This is a great way to incorporate letterpress, at a fraction of the cost.  It also has a great, handmade quality it!

Dilemma #4: I want to order escort cards, but I can’t fit it into my budget.
Solution: Moo cards!

I’m a big fan of Moo cards…the possibility of these are endless.  Moo is a printing company where you can upload photos or designs directly from your computer.  You can get really creative with these since you can have a different design on each card in the 100-pack box.  I love the Mini Cards since they’re such a fun, cute size… Especially for escort cards!  And at $19.99 for 100, you can’t go wrong!

One of my favorite uses of Moo Cards from Kelly & Terrell’s wedding shot by White Box Weddings. These were for Save the Dates, but they can work just as well for escort cards, don’t you think?

I hope these tips are helpful when trying to budget your stationery items!  I always tell my friends and clients: choose 2 or 3 things that you can’t live without for your wedding and go for it!  The important part is to balance your budget and take from the areas that you can do without.

For me, photography and music were my top 2 items I did not want to budge on, so I made it a point to get a less expensive dress and have the wedding on Sunday to make up for it.  It’s the same thing with stationery, you just have to find creative ways to make it all work!  At the end of the day, what’s most important is celebrating your new life together with family and friends.. but saving a little money along the way doesn’t hurt either!!!

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More to come from Mimi Woo of Mika78 and Seven Eight!

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Post tags: Escort Cards, Letterpress, Mika78, Mimi Woo, Moo Cards, Programs, Wedidng Invitations
Post categories: Wedding Invitations & Stationery

Here are the step-by-steps…

Materials
Paperboard CD case (from www.BlissWeddingsMarket.com)
Two 1/8″ wide circle eyelets in the color white (from www.BlissWeddingsMarket.com)
Eyelet Setter (from www.BlissWeddingsMarket.com)
Rubber stamp (from www.SimonStamp.com) of your desired image (from
www.BlissWeddingsMarket.com)
One 28″ long ribbon not wider than 3/8″ or 5/8″ (from Michael’s)
Clear embossing ink (from Michael’s)
Embossing Powder in the color of you choice (from Michael’s)
Embossing Heat Gun (from Michael’s)
Pair of scissors or an X-acto ® knife (from Michael’s)
Scrap paper (from Michael’s)
Paper cutter (from Michaels)
Ruler (from Michaels)
Pencil (from Michaels)
Pinking Shears (from Michaels)
Mailing labels (for your CD playlist) (from local Office Supply store)
8-1/2” x 11” decorative paper for the ceremony program (from Michaels)
8-1/2” x 11” vellum paper for the program cover (from Michaels)
8-1/2” x 11” decorative paper for your handmade thank-you note (from Michaels)

Instructions

1. Place the CD case on top of the scrap paper.
2. Using the clear embossing ink, rubber stamp the image onto the front of the CD case.
3. Generously sprinkle the colored embossing powder over the stamped image.
4. Slide the loose powder onto the scrap paper below.
5. Hover the embossing heat gun over the image as the powder melts producing a metallic, raised image.
6. Put CD case aside to let it cool.

7. Print your CD playlist onto mailing labels.
8. Cut them out using pinking shears to create an interesting edge.
9. Affix the playlist to the inner left side of the CD case.
10. Using your favorite word processing software, design your ceremony program and print it onto your decorative paper.
11. Place the vellum paper behind the ceremony program. Using the paper cutter, slice the papers together to measure approximately 5” wide x 10” long.
12. Place the papers in the interior center of the CD case.
13. Using your pencil, make a mark on the ceremony program 3/4” down from the top of the CD case’s spine and 3/4” up from the bottom of the spine.

14. Using the the tip of scissors (or an X-acto ® knife), carefully poke a small hole where you made your marks. (A hole puncher will not do – the size of its hole is wider than the spine of this CD case.)
15. Insert the eyelets into the top and bottom holes. Make sure the back of the eyelet is facing you.
16. Place the eyelet setter over the top eyelet. Using a blunt object, hammer the setter to flatten the backside of the eyelet. Repeat with the bottom eyelet.
The back of the eyelets should look like a “flower” and will permanently adhere the papers to the interior of the case.
17. To complete the case’s binding, thread your decorative ribbon through the eyelets and make a bow-tie on the side of the case.
18. Insert your personalized audio CD in the interior left pocket of the CD case.
19. Compose a thank-you note to your guests and insert into the inner right pocket of the CD case.

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SO lovely. Definitely a project for brides that love to get in there an get crafty…and yet the end product looks so sophisticated and expensive! You could even just use the first portion (with the glitter) as inspiration for so many fun projects. More to come!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 33 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: CD, Ceremony, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Programs
Post categories: DIY Favors and Gifts, DIY Projects, Wedding Favors & Gifts