Wedding Wednesday :: Details

At this point all tidy lists have been thrown out the window in favour of frantically trying to do everything left to do at once. I know I've still got a week and a bit to go but I like to schedule my crises well in advance so that they can be gone and done with when I really need to concentrate and remain calm. 

The big things left: my dress [?! I know, right!? kill me now], schedule for the Justice of the Peace, finishing up the playlists, gathering strands of white lights, and a bunch more things I can't remember right now [maybe I do need those lists after all...]. In any case, I've managed to spend my evenings creating little details that will make my wedding seem like I had the whole thing under control the entire time.

Labels for our wedding favour: blueberry jam 

Personalizing napkins

Paper bunting to line the aisle 

Labels for our sandwich & salad buffet

I doubt I will get another one of these in before I'm swallowed whole with last minute prep - HOWEVER I will definitely be instagramming [can one be addicted to sharing?] so make sure to follow me for updates :)

Wedding Wednesday :: Wedding Website

Okay, so I may be sneaking this one in right under the "Wednesday" wire but it's still Wednesday somewhere right?? riggggght? 
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It seems as though wedding websites are as big a norm as the invitations themselves these days. With it being such an easy way to house information, spread updates and answer questions your guests may have, how could they not be!? Since Jack and I have a bit of DIY thing going anyway, we figured that we might as well make our wedding website from the ground-up to ...well Jack did. I opted for the easy wordpress option but he wasn't having it. So, I caved and we purchased the domain: jackandsorrengettingmarried.com. Long & informative with a nice ring to it; perfection. 

I quickly got to work outlining the content and structure of the site, while Jack began the initial coding and design process. I love how he used our invitation as inspiration and then evolved the design by creating the striped background, main page headers and black nav! I definitely cannot take credit for the amazing site design, that honour goes wholly to Jack. My contributions were fell more under content, text layout on the page and the small headers, not the most glamorous job but it fit my OCD just fine.

Wedding Wednesday :: Invitations

There was never a question as to who would design and create our invites, it was just a matter of the two of us combining our vision and aesthetic to create an invitation that we would both love. 

I must admit, leading up to this year I never thought that the invite below would be what I would be sending out [I had my eye set on much cleaner  types of styles]. However, I love these invitations with all my heart and now that I have them I could not imagine anything topping them!

We began with a month-long design process where we spent a little time each weekend working on the design. Each of us coming up with various assets and ideas, then discussing what we liked and didn't like, and how we could combine the two to make one invitation. This would have gone on forever but we had to lock it in. Looking at the below, I honestly can't even tell you who came up with which pieces - which I love because it means that this design truly was a combined effort.

Transparency set up on giant lightbox - waiting to burn the screen

Once we had our design, we went off to Kinkos to get it printed on transparency paper. Since our invitation paper was large, the transparencies also had to be huge! Although Jack and I have completed many screen printing projects at home, this particular one was a little more delicate so we jumped at the opportunity when our friends at YORODEO offered to lend us their space and equipment.

1. Jack washing out the screen | 2. Setting up the dry screen in the clamps | 3. Paint in place, paint squeegee
4. Putting the paper in place | 5. Painted screen

The use of their space made the whole process SO much easier it was nutty. If we had done this at home it likely would have taken three times how long it took us in the studio - amazing! Had I known it was going to go this smoothly and quickly I may have been up for adding a second colour, or a pattern on the back. In any case, I love them all the same.

1. Drying racks | 2. Our printed invites drying | 3. More drying photos | 4. Cutting the invitations down to size.

I was a little obsessed with the drying racks... I just loved how organized it all looked and how you didn't have to lay your pieces out on the floor and then hop scotch around them trying not to smear the wet paint. Looking at these photos my feelings haven't changed at all. I definitely feel as though a museum dedicated to cool organizational tools would do very well.

Each sheet printed had nine invitations on them, which meant that we had to pay Kinkos another visit and use their giant paper slicer. Sure we could have paid them to do this but we felt like being stingy... this will not happen again - the slicing process would. not. end. To make matters worse, we accidentally printed invites for every person attending, rather than couples, families, etc. Needless to say, we have a large stack of leftovers. Party favours anyone?

Our envelope seals

Once we had our invites, RSVP cards & envelopes side by side, we realized that we were in need of a little colour. Jack quickly put together these J&S buttons and we glued them to the flap of each envelope. It's just a hunch but I'm guessing a lot of these fell off in transit. 

The finished product. 1. Envelope | 2. RSVP card - back | 3. Envelope seals | 4. RSVP card - front | 5. Our finished invitation

Cost of invites: $88.93

• $6.33 - Paper: $0.52 / sheet, 10 sheets [only actually needed 5]
• $5.87 - RSVP Paper: $0.75 / sheet, 6 sheets
• $3.10 - Seal paper: $0.90 / sheet, 3 sheets
• $5.73 - Seal cutter: $5.00 on sale - thank you, Martha Stewart
• $35.19 - Envelopes: $5.10 / 10 pack, 6 packs [so we could have do-overs]
• $10.35 - Paint: $9.00 [we have LOTS leftover]
• $22.36 - Transparency - probably could have cut this cost down by a third.

Wedding Wednesday :: Colour, and other things that scare me

Colours. Oh my. In design, I usually avoid colour like the plague, although I am happy to announce that I have begun to warm to them from a fashion perspective. I think the reason I'm so colour-shy is because the decision of which accent colour to add is a big one. Colour says so much, it communicates a mood, atmosphere and intent and choosing one seems so final. I feel as though adding colour to a monochromatic design, whether it's made of shades of grey, white and black or shades of taupe, brown and whites, nails down a specific feeling and takes the freedom away from the audience to decide how they feel. It's an odd opinion, but there it is. Honestly, I think I may have put too much thought into it all and need to sit back, relax and let the fun of colour take over. That's a nice idea and all, but to me that sounds like utter chaos... and with that, let's talk about colour + my wedding.

When we first began talking wedding, invitations and colour were top of my priority list. Any time someone would ask me what colours I'm going to use my answer was: grey, grey and a little white. If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that I love grey. Always have, always will. It only makes sense that this would be my wedding colour go-to. But as things go, it wasn't that simple; we needed an accent colour. Now I know it's my wedding and I can do it how I want, but I want an accent colour. I really do. I'm just scared to choose one.

The funny thing is, the more decisions we make concerning aesthetic and design, the more my beloved grey is left behind. There is just no room to fit it in... and honestly, I'm pretty happy with how things are evolving and don't feel the need to force it in. So now I find myself with "cardboard", "unbleached cotton", and "burlap" as my main colour scheme in need of an accent, and the question still remains: what will that be?

1. Not only do I love this burlap bunting, I love all the shades of cream and brown here. Definite inspiration for the wedding.
2. Colours that I am playing with. Unbleached cotton/white, soft yellow, light burlap, soft tangerine, dark burlap. What are your thoughts? Should I accent my rustic burlap and unbleached cotton colour choices with a soft yellow, or a soft tangerine or both?? I'm not having bridesmaids so potential ways pops of color will be present are: bunting, ribbon/cloth ties on the centrepieces, cake icing… 
3. Inspiration. This table setting is very in line with how I would like my tables laid out. I’m not sure what my centerpieces will be however, colour accents would be used sparingly within the center-pieces.
4. Inspiration. I don’t know if I can get my hands on these absolutely perfect brown chairs [while staying within my budget]. I do know that I absolutely love how the colours are used here.
5. Inspiration. This photo is basically what convinced me to move towards the more shabby chic, rustic style of décor. I don’t know if I can accomplish this table in all its glory but I love it all the same and will try to emulate something similar.