Real Bride Guide
Our first debut of
“Real Bride Guide”
highlights
Kristen and Dusty!
A very classy couple who will be saying their I dos "Old Hollywood" style.
Just when you think pulling off this lavishly unique wedding style may be hard to do…just wait until you hear the very practical advice Kristen has to offer to all you fabulous brides looking for a bit of hope behind your wedding preperations.
Final Count-Making your List work for You.
We have overestimated just to be safe.
We were also sure that our catering choices where hefty potions per person (we are doing action stations monitored by chefs – so we have passed appetizers and a burger station, a mashed potato bar, pasta bar etc).
My future hubby is 6’5 and his family of men like their food! I hate being hungry at a wedding – we wanted to avoid that!
What’s your bridal style and what are some unique ways you plan on adding your unique touches throughout your wedding?My bridal style is old Hollywood, romantic and elegant. We are having our guests wear black, yet there won’t be a cinch of black at the wedding.
We are having whites, creams, ivories and blush pinks with large champagne urns with ostrich feathers and large vases on our tables with hydrangeas, Valencia roses and champagne curly willow. I’m also big on linens! White Chair covers with white sashes and floor length table cloths are a must! We also have special lighting and our reception is in an old big courthouse (the landmark center in st Paul) so it fits the warm romantic feel we are going for. We are incorporating the old Hollywood, gone with the wind feeling, by having a specialty cocktail hour with dean martin, frank Sinatra playing.
Our January wedding is at 6pm so the reception won’t be until 715, and in Minnesota it is dark by then! So we want to make sure our large big space had warm lighting and a billion candles!
Do you prefer custom made or pre-fabricated wedding stationary?I’m not sure, I’m having a really hard time with my invitations, I get ready to order them online, and back out because I’m not sure of quality, final product look etc. I’m worried the layout won’t look right, or the paper will feel cheap or something may be misprinted with them! I want my invitations to set the mood for our formal wedding without breaking the bank.
I’m very visual! I absolutely recommend buying samples and asking sisters/friends etc (my sweet future hubby says he likes everything, so that doesn’t help me much!) I ordered tons of samples – I even paid for some! I’m sure glad I did because they narrowed quite a few vendors out. Ladies you will want to TOUCH your invite – trust me! I never thought I would care so much about what they would look like but it’s a true investment like you said before and invites really set the tone for your wedding, you want to set the stage beautifully!
Be Budget Wise: Have fun and stick within your budget – don’t go one dollar over, it won’t feel good! Seek tips from experts, and really look into hiring a planner – you will be so happy you did!Free Budget Planning guide: If you are interested email me and I will be glad to send you a free budget guide that fits neatly in your purse to help kee you in check.
Tips to an Enjoyable Day:
Hire a wedding consultant.
If it’s not in the budget for the entire wedding, make sure you have one for the day of. Your wedding isn’t a day where you want your mother worrying about the details. Make it special for everyone in your family – don’t forget someone has to clean up and manage your big day – why would you want your mother or sister to have to worry about that.
I wanted to make sure my whole family felt like it was a destination wedding (no worries, or lugging things around – just enjoying the special day). I have gotten a lot of compliments and gratitude from my close family members. Now, they can be with me at the spa, relaxing and getting ready instead of arranging my flowers. For me, we had one from the beginning and she has MORE than paid for herself with all the amazing deals she can find us. We had a less-than-average budget for our wedding, yet she has planned it so it will be like a gala event.
Scipt Fonts--Now Available
Thank you to all our Fabulous customers!
Due to an overwhelming request, I have posted the majority of calligraphy and script fonts, available to choose and use on any custom order, here at Paper Perfections. If you don't find one here you like I have the available to find countless more. ----Enjoy
P.S. If you double click on the photos above they will make the fonts larger to view for your convenience.
"THank YOu" Notes--How To's
Be sure to send thank you notes to friends and relatives who arrange showers and parties for you. It is appropriate to thank them for the party or shower in the same card you send thanking them for their gift.
When you receive more than one gift from someone, each gift must be recognized with its own thank you card. If you receive a shower gift from a friend or relative and then, three weeks later, receive a wedding gift from the same person, it is not appropriate to thank them in one card. Shower gifts should be acknowledged within ten days of the party and wedding gifts within two weeks after returning from the honeymoon. Wedding gifts arriving in advance of the wedding, should be responded to immediately, so that an extended period of time does not pass between receiving the gift and it's thank you.
Be sure to put your new return address on all thank you cards. Your guests will appreciate having your current and correct address.
Although colored ink is readily available in your favorite stationery store today, it is still more appropriate to write your notes in dark blue or black. It is more easily readable.
When writing thank you notes, never start the note with "I." Always use "you" more than "I" or "me" in the note.
Suggested Wording Ideas for Thank You Cards
It's beautiful and we love it!!!!! How thoughtful of you to give Keith and me such a lovely family treasure. Grandmas' hand-crocheted bedspread will be my most prized possession. We both thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Love and Kisses,
Stepanie
2.When writing to a person you don't know very well:
Dear Mrs. Monnie,
Mother just gave me the beautiful crystal cake pedestal you left and I couldn't wait to tell you how lovely it is. Keith and I will think of you each time we use it. Thank you so very much.
Yours truly,
Stephanie Hall
3.When writing to a group of friends who have gone together on a gift:
Dear Friends:
Thank you all very much for the place setting of sterling you so kindly have given to us for our new home. Keith and I now have a service for eight and are so looking forward to using it for every special occasion in our life. What a thoughtful idea. You are such a great group to work with and I appreciate each one of you.
Affectionately,
Stephanie Hall
If less than ten people have gone together on the above gift, then a personal note to each must be written. If more than ten have participated and signed the enclosure card, such as in the case of coworkers in the same office, one note, placed on a bulletin board is considered proper etiquette. Be sure to speak to each person individually as the opportunity arises and express your gratitude.
4.When writing a thank you note for a gift not really cared for:
Dear Mike and Mary,
Thank you so much for the gum ball machine. We'll be sure you're among our first guests to visit, so don't forget your pennies! Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely,
Stephanie
5.When writing a thank you note for monetary gifts
Appreciation for monetary gifts are expressed in the same way you would thank a friend or loved one for a purchased item. If you have a particular item you intend to buy with the money, you can share that with them. Example:
Real Bride Guide- Ashley & Maureen
From the minute Ashley and I started planning our wedding, we knew that we wanted a personal touch to come through in many of our wedding elements. The problem... neither of us is crafty. Not even a little bit. Enter stage right..... amazing Etsy seller, Sarah. I immediately fell in love with her shop on Etsy and knew our invitations had to come from her. After a few emails back and forth regarding our theme and colors, I received a gorgeous sample invitation and just knew This. Was. It.
Sarah worked diligently to get our invitations turned around in a very short time frame. I dropped the ball on deadlines, but she didn't miss a beat. The compliments on our invitations have been rolling in since we mailed them out. Sarah captured everything we wanted to convey about our Big Day: romance, elegance and love. Our experience was more than we ever expected - thank you, Sarah! We'll be back, that's for sure!
~ Mr. & and (almost) Mrs. Garry
Ashley & Maureen's Final Design
Real Bride Guide--Jessica Stamen
Wedding Invitations don't have to be ordinary! You don't have to pick them out of a book or stationary store filled with mediocre designs. Allow your own personal style to jump out and put a smile on your guest face; guaranteed to leave a lasting impression as well as set the tone for your special day. Brides and grooms alike have come up with all kinds of unique ways to allow their personality to "shine" through. Why not start off on that same creative foot?
Thank You Jessica and William for allowing me to create such a uniquely personal invitation that you not only will enjoy as a special keepsake but that you had fun with as well!
From the Bride: "I searched high and low for invitations that were professional yet playful, and that would really convey our personalities. So I was thrilled to stumble upon Sarah's shop on etsy. I loved the lovebirds image, and Sarah did a great job of adjusting it so it perfectly matched our color scheme. The packaging of the invitations was adorable, and everything was assembled beautifully. We've received loads of compliments on the invites, and they've gotten all the guests super excited for the wedding, which was exactly what we'd hoped for!"
Just Imagine what we can create, togeter.
Jessica and Charles: Final Creation
KeepSakes--More than Just an Invitation
Wedding invitation are so much more than an outlet used to request guests to share such a special day with you and your fiance'.
For most folks the invitation you send will be used as a vital keepsake in the memory of your day of holy matrimony.
Of course not all wedding invitatons are such elaborate keepsakes as the one shown here Made by Emma's Paperie; but special all the same.
Invitations have been framed, scrapbooked and much more in order to hold onto a special momento of a very special lasting memory, how does yours hold up to the test of time?
All of my invitations are made out of 70-90 lb. cardstock. A high quality made to last and last. If you aren't farmilur with paper pounds you could compare it this way. A normal piece of printer paper is about 24lb and the paper I use is over 40lb per square inch. Thick enough to be of a classy quailty without flopping over while being held.
Because I am aware that most often your invitation will be used as a special keepsake I put special care and durability into each paper creation.
Find out how I can customize a special, lasting, look for you: Mrsdstahl.Etsy.com
A "Hand"made Wedding
When the words "Handmade" are first heard the thought of out of reach tangibles comes to mind. This is a common misconception while the actual truth behind, the majority, of handmade specialty items is the price is surprisingly within most budgets. 
The perfect personalized gift for newlyweds or anniversaries! This fun unique gift could be displayed at the wedding reception and makes a great gift for their home.Your custom collage is created with up to 8 black & white alphabet photos, add personalized touches such as the couples name and wedding date.
$9.00 By-wnvvn
With this sweet, yet very modern, invitation you can now be confident about sending your invitations out in style.Made with designer paper and silk ribbon this Invitation set will be sure to set the stage for your high class wedding.The sample you see here can be altered to match the style of your event in any way you so choose. Card size, designs and color combinations are endless. Share your heart with simplicity in complete color.Recent Feature on Inventing Weddings
Gorgeous Gowns
