Affordable weddings are possible if you avoid the high season, which is generally considered to be from May to October. If you tie the knot outside this time frame, just about everything will cost less, including renting a venue, photography, catering and limo hire. And you may find that the cost of your all important honeymoon is less too.
Try to cut down on miscellaneous expenses, such as favors, flowers and the wedding cake. Consider having a candlelit ceremony, instead of using flowers, or get married near to a major holiday, when churches and other venues are decorated anyway. If you have somebody in your family who is creative, you may be able to pay them a fraction of what a professional would charge and most family members or close friends are happy to help out. A lot of money can be saved by having somebody who is proficient with a camera take your pictures, rather than hiring a professional.
Professional wedding invitations can easily cost several thousand dollars and with the wide range of software that is available today, it is possible to create invitations yourself that look just as good. Instead of enclosing a pre-paid reply card, encourage your guests to reply by email or telephone; in this age of electronic communication, it is perfectly acceptable.
One of the most important things at any wedding is the bride's wedding dress and of course, every bride wants to look her best. However, it is possible to buy a perfectly adequate used wedding dress, either on line or from an outlet store. Most dresses are only worn once and it is not necessary to spend up to $1,000 on a dress.
Finally, although it is extremely difficult, you may have to trim your guest list. As a rule of thumb, do not invite anybody that you have not seen or spoken to in several years; you should also not encourage single guests to bring a date. You may also have to eliminate distant relatives or work colleagues; the tricky part of course, is not to hurt anybody's feelings. Affordable weddings are possible and your big day can still be memorable, without breaking the bank.
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How To Create Wedding Invitations in Photoshop
Wedding Invitations - Wording Samples and Etiquette
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
How To Create Wedding Invitations in Photoshop
One of the details that you will have to prepare for when your wedding day comes is the wedding invitation. Wedding invitations can be quite expensive, especially when prepared by professionals. You can, however, create your own professional-looking wedding invitations using adobe Photoshop. Here’s how.
- Create the basic document. First of all, you will need to open the program and create a new file. Do this by clicking on the Photoshop icon on your desktop. If you have deleted the icon, you can find it on the Start Menu. After the program has finished loading, click on the File button on the upper left corner of the screen. Click on the New Document button and wait for the dialog box to appear. In the dialog box, you can change the height and width of your document, depending on how big you want the file to be. Click OK, and the new blank document will appear.
- Add the design. Next, add some designs to the blank document. There are several ways to do this. You can copy images of the basic themes for your wedding. If you are going for a Flower themed wedding, for instance, you can take images of your favorite flowers and scan them. After scanning them, open the image files in Photoshop by clicking on the Open button, found in the File menu. Or, you can also download stock photos and images from the Internet. Some stock photos are sold, while there are some artists and photographers that provide stock photos for free. Check out websites such as Deviant Art for stock photos. Edit the copied imaged by cropping the photo or by using the magnetic lasso tool to select only the part of the image that you like. Afterward, copy the image and paste it on the blank document, which will create a layer. You can create as many layers as you like, one for each element in the invitation. After you have finalized the design, go to the layers panel on the lower right side of the screen and rasterize or flatten the image.
- Add the text. Next, add in the text for the invitation. Add a title, and add a short description of the event. Make sure that you also add the details of the wedding, such as the venue, the dress attire, whether the wedding is RSVP or not, and other details. To make the text look lively, make use of various fonts from the same font family. Using different fonts from the same family will give the document a unified but interesting look.
- Save and print. After you have finished designing and adding the text to the wedding invitation, the final step is to save the document as a PDF file, and then to print it using specialty paper. You can add ribbons to the wedding invitation afterward, to make it more interesting.
Instead of hiring designers to create a wedding invitation for you, consider making your own through the use of adobe Photoshop. Not only will you be able to save money this way, but you will also be able to customize your wedding invitation as much as you want.
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Monday, May 9, 2011
Wedding Invitations - Wording Samples and Etiquette
Wedding invitations are the focal point of your wedding stationery, providing the first glimpse into the style and formality of the wedding. But ordering, wording, and addressing invitations can be confusing without a little guidance. Here are some tips to help you through it:
General Invitation Advice
• When to send them - send wedding invitations 6-8 weeks before the big day. (if you think your guests will need more advanced notice, send save-the-date cards as well) Try to order invitations 3-4 months in advance to ensure they go out on time.
• How many to order - Order about 25% more than the number of guests you're inviting - you're bound to make mistakes or make last minute additions.
• Consider hiring a calligrapher for an added touch of elegance. Make sure to factor in the additional timing to ensure your invitations go out on time.
Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette
Many rules apply to wording and addressing invitations. Here are some of the basics to ensure yours are faux pas-free:
- Dates and times should be spelled out (half after four o'clock in the evening, not 4:30pm, and the twenty-second of April, not April 22)
- Mr. and Mrs. are abbreviated and Jr. may be, but the title Doctor should be spelled out
- No punctuation is used, except after abbreviations and between the city and state.
- An invitation to just the wedding ceremony does not include an R.S.V.P
- "Hosting" the wedding can mean anything from a set of parents helping to plan the event, inviting the guests, or covering the costs:
- If there is one set of hosts, list their names at the beginning.
- If both sets are hosting, list on separate lines with bride's parents first.
- If one set is hosting but you want to include the other set as well, note their names under their son/daughter's name.
- If you are hosting your own wedding, begin with the request line and state parent's relationship under your name.
- If you and both sets of parents are hosting, list your names first followed by "together with their parents" before the request line.
Addressing Etiquette
- No abbreviations, except for Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Jr. States must also be spelled out.
- If one of your single guests is bringing a date that you know personally, send that person a separate invitation instead of including "& Guest" on the inner envelope.
- If you are unable to obtain the name of a single friend's guest - indicate on the inner envelope that they may bring a guest - NOT on the outer envelope. (this looks awkward)
- Unmarried couples who live together should receive one invitation, where their names are listed in alphabetical order and on their own lines.
- Invited guests who are living together as roommates, not couples, should each receive their own invitation.
- List the names of children under the age of 18 who still live at home on the inner envelope instead of "& Family" which can be very ambiguous and easily misinterpreted. Children over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation, regardless of their living situation.
- The traditional, married couple recipient should follow this format:
Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Parker
2211 First Street, Apartment 3
San Diego, California 92109
Wedding Invitation Wording Samples
Gone are the days when wedding etiquette mandated that the bride's parents, and the bride's parent's only, hosted the wedding. Today anyone can foot the bill, and with modern familial arrangements often anything but nuclear, there is no straightforward rule for wording invitations.
read more:
General Invitation Advice
• When to send them - send wedding invitations 6-8 weeks before the big day. (if you think your guests will need more advanced notice, send save-the-date cards as well) Try to order invitations 3-4 months in advance to ensure they go out on time.
• How many to order - Order about 25% more than the number of guests you're inviting - you're bound to make mistakes or make last minute additions.
• Consider hiring a calligrapher for an added touch of elegance. Make sure to factor in the additional timing to ensure your invitations go out on time.
Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette
Many rules apply to wording and addressing invitations. Here are some of the basics to ensure yours are faux pas-free:
- Dates and times should be spelled out (half after four o'clock in the evening, not 4:30pm, and the twenty-second of April, not April 22)
- Mr. and Mrs. are abbreviated and Jr. may be, but the title Doctor should be spelled out
- No punctuation is used, except after abbreviations and between the city and state.
- An invitation to just the wedding ceremony does not include an R.S.V.P
- "Hosting" the wedding can mean anything from a set of parents helping to plan the event, inviting the guests, or covering the costs:
- If there is one set of hosts, list their names at the beginning.
- If both sets are hosting, list on separate lines with bride's parents first.
- If one set is hosting but you want to include the other set as well, note their names under their son/daughter's name.
- If you are hosting your own wedding, begin with the request line and state parent's relationship under your name.
- If you and both sets of parents are hosting, list your names first followed by "together with their parents" before the request line.
Addressing Etiquette
- No abbreviations, except for Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Jr. States must also be spelled out.
- If one of your single guests is bringing a date that you know personally, send that person a separate invitation instead of including "& Guest" on the inner envelope.
- If you are unable to obtain the name of a single friend's guest - indicate on the inner envelope that they may bring a guest - NOT on the outer envelope. (this looks awkward)
- Unmarried couples who live together should receive one invitation, where their names are listed in alphabetical order and on their own lines.
- Invited guests who are living together as roommates, not couples, should each receive their own invitation.
- List the names of children under the age of 18 who still live at home on the inner envelope instead of "& Family" which can be very ambiguous and easily misinterpreted. Children over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation, regardless of their living situation.
- The traditional, married couple recipient should follow this format:
Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Parker
2211 First Street, Apartment 3
San Diego, California 92109
Wedding Invitation Wording Samples
Gone are the days when wedding etiquette mandated that the bride's parents, and the bride's parent's only, hosted the wedding. Today anyone can foot the bill, and with modern familial arrangements often anything but nuclear, there is no straightforward rule for wording invitations.
read more:
How to Send Wedding Invitations Online
Wording for Wedding Reception Invitations
Friday, May 6, 2011
How to Send Wedding Invitations Online
Choosing and preparing wedding invitations is a big project, and one of the first tasks an engaged couple must undertake. However, while wedding etiquette dictates that formal, traditional invitations should be sent through the mail, it is becoming more common for couples to send electronic invitations, or evites. You can choose a classy template from one of several websites that fits the theme of the wedding, just as you would with a regular invitation.
Wording for Wedding Reception Invitations
What are Vellum Envelopes?
- 1 Contact each guest for their email address, if you do not already have it. Be sure to get your guests' personal email addresses, as wedding invitations are not appropriate for work email.
- 2 Browse the Internet for websites that offer online wedding invitations, such as Evite and Sendomatic. Choosing one will simply depend on which templates fit your wedding and personality best.
- 3 Choose a wedding template and click "Customize." Depending on the website, you may be able to upload a photo of you and your fiance. Include the vital information: your names, the names of your parents, the date, time, and location of the wedding, and any important reception information. You may also include a list of the stores you are registered at. Check to be sure your template has an R.S.V.P. option so guests can let you know whether or not they will be attending.
- 4 Preview your wedding evite, then copy and paste all of the email addresses from your guest list into the "To" window. Indicate what the event is in the title line, such as "Gray and Bronson Wedding Invitation," then click send.
Wording for Wedding Reception Invitations
What are Vellum Envelopes?
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
What are Vellum Envelopes?
Translucent vellum envelopes offer a peek inside the envelope, revealing contents of invitations, announcements, gift notes, handmade cards, collages, or any mail art. Vellum is a kind of specialty paper that looks burnished, cloudy, yet not entirely opaque, so you can get a glimpse of what lies inside the envelope. Popular for wedding invitations and shower announcements, vellum envelopes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
The original vellum envelopes were white, looking like wax or parchment paper that slightly obscures the inner papers. They became popular as wedding announcement or invitation enclosures. Then collagists, scrapbookers, photographers, mail artists, and other crafters discovered their unique and adaptable texture. They have used vellum envelopes to hold everything from grand opening coupons to thank you cards.
Now vellum envelopes are available in thousands of colors, styles, and sizes. Their translucency complements many shades in the spectrum. Choose a cool teal for a children's Surf birthday party, or a rich, metallic platinum to welcome your new neighbors to your street. Vellum can also mimic other surfaces, such as marble, baskets, or gingham by using inventive patterns. Of course, envelopes also have been printed with patterns ranging from floating balloons and teddy bears to dazzling starbursts and fluttering daffodils.
Since quality vellum envelopes are constructed of wood fiber, called cellulose, they are archival quality elements. This means the paper doesn't contain acid or chlorine bleach that might damage photographs or other attached materials. No additives, such as resins or solvents that make paper appear transparent, are used.
Best of all, vellum envelopes can be run through an inkjet or laser printer, imprinting a myriad of fonts for names and addresses. Standard envelope sizes are card and letter formats, but you can find envelopes in miniature or oversized to accommodate the desired impact of your enclosure. Even their styles are different. The closing flap might be rounded, triangular, or square. Seal special vellum envelopes with stickers, stamps, or sealing wax for that personalized touch.
read more:
The original vellum envelopes were white, looking like wax or parchment paper that slightly obscures the inner papers. They became popular as wedding announcement or invitation enclosures. Then collagists, scrapbookers, photographers, mail artists, and other crafters discovered their unique and adaptable texture. They have used vellum envelopes to hold everything from grand opening coupons to thank you cards.
Now vellum envelopes are available in thousands of colors, styles, and sizes. Their translucency complements many shades in the spectrum. Choose a cool teal for a children's Surf birthday party, or a rich, metallic platinum to welcome your new neighbors to your street. Vellum can also mimic other surfaces, such as marble, baskets, or gingham by using inventive patterns. Of course, envelopes also have been printed with patterns ranging from floating balloons and teddy bears to dazzling starbursts and fluttering daffodils.
Since quality vellum envelopes are constructed of wood fiber, called cellulose, they are archival quality elements. This means the paper doesn't contain acid or chlorine bleach that might damage photographs or other attached materials. No additives, such as resins or solvents that make paper appear transparent, are used.
Best of all, vellum envelopes can be run through an inkjet or laser printer, imprinting a myriad of fonts for names and addresses. Standard envelope sizes are card and letter formats, but you can find envelopes in miniature or oversized to accommodate the desired impact of your enclosure. Even their styles are different. The closing flap might be rounded, triangular, or square. Seal special vellum envelopes with stickers, stamps, or sealing wax for that personalized touch.
read more:
Your Guide to Sending Wedding Invitations
Should One Always R.S.V.P. To An Invitation?
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