Save the Date
I’m swooning over this styled shoot @barrieannephotography did with my save the dates- she’s insanely talented!
I came across her work on Grey Likes Weddings and knew immediately I needed to hire her for my wedding. Her attention to detail is what I love most about her style because if you know me, you know I’m ALL about the details.
Most of my wedding vendors have been sourced from Instagram or various blogs that I’ve come across and I have to admit it’s the way to go. You can get a sense of their style from their feed and you can tell right away whether or not they will be a good fit for you. I don’t like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole if you know what I mean. Most of these recommended vendors from sites like The Knot and Wedding Wire are overpriced and underqualified (in my personal opinion). I’m not into the typical photographer that shows up to a wedding wearing black slacks and choreographs your guests into prom style poses throughout the night. Also, a lot of these vendors are a fraction of the cost of some of these bigger companies. This is the most underrated piece of advice when it comes to booking services! Look through Instagram before resorting to search engines!
Ok back to our invitations.
Initially we weren’t planning on sending out save the dates but we were so obsessed with our engagement session in Mexico we just HAD to. It looked like it was straight out of Narcos with Pasquale’s fedora and half buttoned shirt and chest hairs popping out. It was really over-the-top. What’s crazy is we were seconds way from cancelling the photoshoot because it was at the crack of dawn and we were both keeled over from the worst tequila hangovers. I’m pretty sure I didn’t even brush my hair that morning so I was floored when our photographer sent over our proofs. Shout out to @mayoorquiin for killing it!
Out of the entire shoot, we were drawn to one photo in particular. When we were scrolling through the files we both stopped on this picture and said THAT’S THE ONE. It looked very editorial and was exactly the vibe we were going for. Intimate but untraditional.
Presentation is always a big deal for me. Details, details, details!! Although save the dates aren’t that important, it gives your guests an early glimpse of what the aesthetic of your wedding day will be like.
I didn’t want to just go on Vistaprint and call it a day (yawn, boring) so I decided to custom design them myself.
I wanted to share with you guys my stationary hacks for making your DIY invitations look classy and expensive without the designer price tag.
Stationary Tips to Make Your DIY Invitations look Professionally Designed
♡ Handmade Paper and Deckled Edges
One of my favorite stationary trends, ever. The organic texture and delicate character of this paper adds a level of old-world charm and sophistication.
You can find handmade paper products from multiple sources. My recommendations are Etsy and Idyll Paper.
♡ Vintage Stamps
Vintage stamps are the perfect opportunity to add your personal style before the invitation is even opened. Don’t be that person who designs a beautiful invitation but forgets to pay attention to the details of the envelope! For my save the dates I mixed and matched different historical figures and landscapes for a real timeless feel.
Where to order
Little Postage House – Where I ordered most of my vintage stamps. They’re a bit pricey so the trick is to mix them in with more affordable stamps to stay within your budget.
Vintage Postage Shop – Lots of variety for personal customization
Ebay – you can find some hidden gems from here for cheap. The only thing to be aware of is some stamps in the collection have already been cancelled (or “used”) so if you notice a stamp that has a mark through it, discard it. It will not be accepted by post office.
Etsy – a good source for finding vintage stamps
HOT TIP:
Wedding stationary tends to cost more to mail than your average first class stamp rate. It’s typically in the 70¢ range because it may require hand cancelation if your envelope is thick or contains a wax seal which prevents it from going through the machine.
So stacking multiple vintage stamps isn’t just for the aesethetics but is actually required by the post office.
Since most vintage stamps carry a low face value (.3¢, .5¢) start with the larger denomination stamp first. This will ensure you don’t fill up your envelope with too many stamps trying to satisfy the required 70 cents postage rate!
♡ Wax Seals
The fanciest way to seal your invitations that will not go unnoticed! I ordered mine from Artisaire which has the finest collection of wax seals in all sorts of beautiful colors and designs. They’re also completely customizable if you are looking to add a personal touch. Our wax seal were designed with our initials P&V in the color ‘champagne’ which was a blush color.
♡ Template
I’m not a professional stationary designer so I went straight to Etsy to find a good template design. I really liked this one from Blanche Paperie which was clean and minimalist. Everything is 20% right now so it’s a good time to download a template if you have an upcoming event!
♡ Printing
I cannot speak highly enough of Cards and Pockets for your printing needs! Kathy was such a pleasure to work with and I’m very appreciative of how attentive and caring she was. After my large order was placed she reached out to me to let me know that my file was low resolution and may not print clearly. I feel like any other printing service would have left me with bad prints because it’s not their responsibility to review the file.
That’s all friends! I have a couple more stationary trends that I’m obsessing over but I’m going to save that for my wedding invitations. So make sure to keep an eye out for that post which is coming soon-ish.