My DIY Information Packets for DW Guests

[wannaBMrsH]

Hello!

I am super proud of my latest project. This initially started as a brief postcard advising our confirmed wedding guests of things that would be fun to know about the DR. It then turned into a brochure and finally ended up being a BOOK! I bought coverstock paper at a local company and printed the inside pages on regular paper from Office Max. I lucked out because I had access to a graphic designer who designed a monogram suite for us and then I just took the original files and translated them into Spanish for the guests that don''t speak English.

This is the envelope that we mailed the booklets in...I printed our monogram on the labels along with the guest name and address:

 

[wannaBMrsH]

This was very hard to photograph, but I bought an embossing stamp with our address in a circle around my Fi''s last initial and our names in the middle...it is VERY hard to see he detail and this is honesly the best picture:

 

[wannaBMrsH]

The booklet coming out of the envelope...

 

[wannaBMrsH]

Several booklets put together...the Spanish ones on the left, English ones on the right...I LOVE the cover...

 

[wannaBMrsH]

I took photos of the inside pages before I tied them with the raffia because it was much easier that way!

This is a suggested packing list and things to know about the resort...

 

[wannaBMrsH]

Page about Safety and Health...

 

[wannaBMrsH]

Back cover...

Thank you everyone for looking! I finished mailing them this week and I am sooooo excited for our guests to receive them! I really hope that it starts to build the excitement towards the wedding now that we are 11 weeks out!

 

[gwendolyn]

Wow, those are fantastic!!

You did an amazing job!! Your guests will absolutely love them, no doubt!

 

[wannaBMrsH]

Thanks, Gwen! FI and I spent so many hours researching everything and it was so much fun to bring it all together.

Hope all is well with your DW.

 

[rialaine]

Adorable!! I love DIY projects. I''m currently a LIW, and I have been tossing around the idea of a DW. So seeing your booklet has definitely inspired me!

 

[pocahontas]

Wow WannaBMrsH, your booklets look awesome

You and FI did a fantastic job and I''m sure your guests will appreciate them a lot!

 

[princessplease]

Wow!!!! Awesome job!!!!!

 

[wannaBMrsH]

RiaLaine - I am really loving my destination wedding right now, but there are several things that I wish someone had told me before I took it on. The bad first:
1) People will SWEAR up and down that they wouldn't miss your wedding for the world, and then back out without notice. (We had over 80 people tell us how much they were going to rock our wedding and when it came time to get passports and hotels, etc. only 35 are coming, and FI and I are paying for about a third)
2) You stand a huge risk of having people that you never dreamed would miss your wedding simply be unable to afford it, no matter how long you warn them before you get engaged. The truth is that no one takes it seriously until you are actually engaged. That is the one thing that infuriated me about FI and I when I was a LIW. We were trying to plan a wedding and get people to commit BEFORE we got engaged and to this day, he doesn't get it. We had horrible fights about deadlines and what not, and he STILL doesn't understand and it makes him angry when I tell him that people need at least a year to plan.
3) These are only fun if you and your FI are in control of the money. It is no fun trying to figure out your dream venue or dress or even your shoes when you are counting on someone other than yourself. It is frustrating and you will end up in tears multiple times because your wedding honestly isn't as important to anyone else as it will be to you. And if you are having a DW, everyone who can't come just tunes out.

Now the good:

1) You have a much smaller guest list, so you can focus your energy on those guests that have made the commitment to be there and have put their money where their mouth is. (I don't think I would have been able to do these info packs for 100 guests!). We are doing monogramed tote bags and travel mugs since our guest list is small enough that we won't go too far out of budget.

2) I am mostly enjoying my wedding and we've had to have a back up plan for several items (I keep dreaming I forget my dress, the judge has already changed twice, etc.) that I have really had to give up control and trust that my wedding will be perfect for us no matter what.

and finally, the GREAT:

1) My mom and I haven't fought ONCE about any aspect of my wedding yet...why? Because not only are my dad and her NOT paying for any of my wedding, but FI and I are paying for them and my brothers and sisters to come! This means that I make the decisions that I think are best and she supports them.

2) Even though our wedding day itself will be a big blur...we are going to have three days after the wedding to spend with our wedding guests! How lucky are we?

I definitely recommend it as long as you aren't thinking that a DW will be cheaper than a home wedding. We are still spending the same amount of money, but I don't have to worry that someone will come just because there isn't anything else going on. All those bitties (my aunts) are invited, so they can't complain...but I completely understand if they can't make it.

I know that my wedding day, I will be surrounded by a smaller group of people, but it will be people that I KNOW love us and that we love.

 

[wannaBMrsH]

pocahontas- Thank you! I LOVED your wedding pics and I can''t wait for mine! I hope that our guests DO appreciate them. I think I would!

princessplease- Thank you!!!