My DIY Invites are done! (Pics!)

[CrownJewel]

Wow Mandarine. I am so impressed. You did such a great job!! Everything looks so professional

 

[Mandarine]

Thank you everyone I am so happy you like them!!! I was a little nervous before I started this process....it''s a little intimidating when there are so many paper options, envelope options, etc, etc...But you just have to choose some stuff, get samples and try not to get overwhelmed with all of the sites out there!.


TG - You''re too funny...it really was not bad!

Claudinam: It is great to have it all set-up...specially if you are going to have people help you, you can give them exactly what you want them to use for each task! and that way you also know what''s the done, what needs to be done, etc.

The actual layout took a while, but that''s because I played around with it forever. I started by doing a mock-up using powerpoin. Just to get an idea for the actual design. Once I was happy with it, I created the final version in Publisher. Publisher is better because it let''s you add exact sizes, etc. My final version in Publisher had bleeds (to prevent white spaces after cutting), cut marks, etc.

M~

 

[Sabine]

WOW, Mandarine, I''m chocking on my invite envy over here! Those look SO professional! I''ve never paid all that much attention to inviteds, but I''ve never seen the inserts layered that way, and it just looks so neat and clean and in place! I''m so impressed!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

They turned out great!

 

[Skippy123]

Wow those are AMAZING!! Congrats!

 

[FacetFire]

They look fantastic! I am so impressed. I wish I were dedicated enough to do something like that...but I think ordering from a store is a hassle!

 

[October2008bride]

Mandarine they look great!! I may be biased since I''m using a similar design feature (the damask), but it looks elegant and professional!

Great job!!

 

[zoebartlett]

Wow, Mandarine, those look great!!! What a pro!

 

[cdt1101]

wow mandarine! those look great! you are inspiring me to give DIY a shot! I''m having the toughest time finding invitations I like. I have an idea in my mind, but haven''t found anything that has all the elements I''m looking for.

anyway, just wanted to tell you they really look great!!! congrats!

 

[happilyeverafter]

Mandarine those look GREAT!

I especially love the damask! I diy''d my invites too but they look nothing like yours - yours look so professional! So do you think you saved a lot by DIYing? I only ask because if I had been doing a lot of invites my diy''s would have been more expensive than buying outright! But then again I couldn''t buy in quantity cause I only needed 13

 

[Mandarine]

Thank you

I just dropped them off at the post office!. It made it so real...this is it!!!

I''m on the final count down!!!!!!!!. I came to the office doing happy dances and left my FI a voicemail singing "We''re getting married!!! We''re getting married!!!"....lol. I''m so excited!!!!!!!! (and yes, I just can''t hide it! hehe)...

I think it was cheaper DIY. I have enough materials to do like 100 invites and spent like $350 (without postage). I don''t think $3.50 is bad for pocketfolds (with three inserts, envelopes and double layer invite).

If you like doing this stuff (and have time!) then I definitely say go for it!...it is so gratifying!!

As far as the time it takes....From printing to invites on the mail it was actually less than a week. So after the invites were printed:

Thursday: cutting (about 4 hours, just me)
Friday: attaching main invite to backing layer, getting all the supplies that I was missing, etc (I had the day off and was busy all day until like 5pm, it was just me)
Saturday: Stamping rsvps, attaching invite to pocketfold, placing inserts in pocketfold, cutting ribbons. (about 2 hours but with help from FI and FMIL)
Sunday: Cutting and attaching tags to ribbons and placing on pocketfold (about 2 hours, just me)
Monday: Printing outer envelopes (very quickly!...)
Tuesday: Saying good bye at the post office!!

Thank you all again for the nice comments

M~

 

[Selkie]

Mandarine, I LOVE them! From what I know of your theme and venue, they''re such a perfect match! Definitely looking forward to seeing pics of your other crafty projects

.

 

[CrownJewel]

**Innocent threadjack**
Selkie I just saw the signature at the bottom of your post. I'm a huge Feist fan!!
**End of innocent threadjack**


MANDARINE -- any paper cuts?

Congrats on sending out your invites! I was wondering how you addressed the envelopes (printed or handwritten)? Any pictures?

 

[Mandarine]

lol, threadjack away

No paper cuts!!!

I actually printed them....I didn''t take any pictures though!!!. I printed the return on the falp, using the same fonts that I had on the invite (Edwardian Script for our names and Copperplate Light for the address). The shipping to address was in a different font that I loved (SaffronToo). I did add a little dingbat design at the beginning and end of each name.

This is what it looked like on the computer (without the curvy lines!)....

 

[Mandarine]

our address was smaller than what it shows in here...and the spacing on the actual invites was correct (looks kind of funny in that picture I posted, but you get the idea)

M~

 

[CrownJewel]

Thanks Mandarine! Did you print them on a home printer or did you take it to Kinkos? Did you like how they turned out?

 

[iheartscience]

I am beyond impressed with your invites! WOW! They''re gorgeous and I can''t believe how professional they look! You are very talented!

 

[Mandarine]

Date: 12/11/2007 12:03:25 PM
Author: CrownJewel
Thanks Mandarine! Did you print them on a home printer or did you take it to Kinkos? Did you like how they turned out?

I actually used the printer at the office (when nobody was looking! hehe). I loved how they turned out!!!. They looked really elegant...even the guy at the post office made a comment

M~

 

[Mandarine]

Date: 12/11/2007 12:04:58 PM
Author: thing2of2
I am beyond impressed with your invites! WOW! They''re gorgeous and I can''t believe how professional they look! You are very talented!

Thank you!!!!!!

That''s so sweet of you!

 

[mrchips]

nice job. they look really nice.

 

[Selkie]

Date: 12/11/2007 12:48:59 PM
Author: Mandarine

Date: 12/11/2007 12:03:25 PM

Author: CrownJewel

Thanks Mandarine! Did you print them on a home printer or did you take it to Kinkos? Did you like how they turned out?

I actually used the printer at the office (when nobody was looking! hehe). I loved how they turned out!!!. They looked really elegant...even the guy at the post office made a comment

M~

Heh, I TOTALLY did that too. Waited till no one was around at work and printed them out on our super fancy thermal wax ink printer. I never could have gotten that quality using my own printer.

 

[Selkie]

Date: 12/11/2007 10:50:40 AM
Author: CrownJewel
**Innocent threadjack**

Selkie I just saw the signature at the bottom of your post. I''m a huge Feist fan!!

**End of innocent threadjack**

*Continuing threadjack*
CrownJewel, I almost CRIED the first time I actually read the lyrics to Mushaboom (after listening to it for literally months

), because it sums up exactly how I feel about our life right now. It''s great, but I''m dreaming of the time when we can own our own little place in the country. So many of her songs really speak to me like that.
*end threadjack!*

 

[sap483]

Mandarine, I''m speechless. Those are absolutely stunning. I wish I had the talent to make something that amazing. I can''t wait to see pictures of your wedding...

 

[Mandarine]

Thank you!!!!!!!!

Sap - You are too sweet!...speechless!, that''s very flattering!!!

M~

 

[mrchips]

any chance i can see a side profile shot. looking to see how think the booklet is.

i''m thinking of designing my own invitations and this is a great place to start.

Thanks and AWESOME JOB!!!

 

[partyjewels]

Holy Moly! These are wonderful! Are you for hire?

 

[Mandarine]

Thanks!!
I don''t have the camera (my FI has it)...so I''ll have to wait for the weekend....not sure what you want to see though?

I''ll try to take a picture for you when FI comes this weekend!!

M~

 

[Mandarine]

Date: 12/11/2007 11:04:08 PM
Author: partyjewels
Holy Moly! These are wonderful! Are you for hire?

hehe, thanks!! I am actually thinking about it. After the wedding I plan on taking a few design classes and I''m seriously thinking of starting something

 

[msb700]

they look stunning and very professional!! i would have never guessed they were DIY....excellent job!!!

 

[Harleigh]

Mandarine, you have completely outdone yourself! Your invites are simply stunning! They don''t look DIY at all! (I''m gonna go hang my head in shame now! Mine cannot EVEN compare!) You have such a talent...thanks for sharing!