Save the Dates

Once we had picked out our venue and set a date it was time to begin working on our save the dates. Some people will argue this but I find invitations (& save the dates) to be a key ingredient to a successful event. They set the stage. The help foreshadow the caliber of the event. They help your guest get excited. If you are lucky it will even wind up on their refrigerator. 

I knew we wanted to do something unique and unlike any save the date we have ever received. I ever so carefully asked Geoff for his opinion and he stated that he wanted to mail out chunks of 2x4. A block of wood. Printed on the wood. Sent in the mail. Unique... yes. Practical... not quite. Cheap to mail... not quite. 

I really did appreciate the  thought. We were both building construction majors and we have been dealing with our share of 2x4's. I liked the idea and decided a google search was in order. 

I found Night Owl Paper Goods. Super cute designs but nothing that I fell in love with until I stumbled upon their Print Your Design On Wood link. Deal. 

Now I needed a design. At this point Geoff and I already knew we didn't want "wedding colors". The thought of having a two or even three color scheme was just a little to matchy to be us. Weddings must contain colors so the solution was to find fabric. A half day trip with his mom to a few fabric stores later we had about a dozen fabrics that were to become our color scheme. I will get more into that later but that is where it was decided that muted colors would be the save the date tones. Specifically a gray and pink. 

I have been experimenting with Photoshop and Indesign since college but I will admit to not being the most creative individual so I found help. My very creative blogger and shop owner friend C over at 6petals volunteered her services. Be sure to check out the 6petals blog. 

I knew one on my plans for the fabric was to make bunting. Similar to Martha Stewart streamers. 

This is what we came up with:

I came up with the phrase because we both felt our multi state story was valuable and the heart with our initials was used multiple times throughout the wedding materials. 

We were able to mail these postcards with traditional post card stamps. The USPS happened to have the most perfect herb stamps that we used. 

We were both so thrilled with how they turned out and we loved all of the positive reactions from our guests. I plan on framing one soon. 

Geoff still thinks we should have gone with a 2x4... maybe for Christmas cards :)