Do you know anyone getting married between December and March? Do they still need invitations? If so, refer away! If your friend decides to use Evenstar Paperie for her invites, you’ll get 15% off your invitation service fees OR 10% off your wedding day stationery.
I do have a little rule regarding referrals, however…please do not post advertisement-like messages on forums or chat rooms. This is considered solicitation and will get me (and, possibly, you) in trouble. A referral should be a one-on-one disclosure to a friend or acquaintance looking for options.
Also, the Bump-up List is now open to all brides through March 2011, so if you want to pay early, you will definitely get your invites earlier than your contract states! For more info on bumping up, see the FAQ on the website.
View from the terrace of The Bridges Golf Club in San Ramon, California
It is rare for us invitation vendors to receive one of our own invitations and be invited, as a guest, to a wedding we’ve “worked”, but when the bride is your cousin and you’ve known her since before you could remember, it has a way of working out that way.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I lived far away from almost all of my cousins. So, we’ve seen each other once every couple of years for most of our lives. I’ve always felt like a little bit of an outsider, though, since they all lived so close to one another and knew each other so well. When you’re a grown-up, you don’t change much in 2 years, but when you’re a kid (especially a teenager), you reinvent yourself every 2 years, so it always seemed to me that we had to re-introduce ourselves every time we met and endure those first few hours of shyness and uncertainty until we, eventually, warmed up enough to be partially ourselves. Consequently, I was almost shocked when my cousin, Lisa, asked me to do her wedding invitations. I’d heard she was engaged, but never in a million years would I have guessed that she would choose me as her invitation vendor. I was honored.
Here’s the little piece of sunshine we worked up together. It quickly became one of my favorites of the year because it ventured away from my normal “style” and forced me to think a little bit trendier:
This weekend, Lisa and her fiance (now husband), John, were married at The Bridges Golf Club in San Ramon, California, and it was just lovely. Naturally, my family and I were in attendance and I actually remembered my camera! If you have the opportunity to get married outside, facing west, at the top of a hill with the sun setting ever so slightly next to you, I highly recommend it. I’m not even a photographer and I got excited by the lighting effect it created. Lisa’s photographers must have been over the moon!
Lisa, being escorted down the aisle by her brother, Travis
The Bride
Married!
A fabulous table setting...with table numbers by Evenstar Paperie (shameless plug, sorry!)
The Baby Fletcher is in awe of Auntie's menus and place cards, I think...
...or maybe he was thinking, I had to come in and stop playing with my pinwheel for this? It could go either way...
Congrats to Lisa and John! Thanks for including me in your most special day!
Just FYI: I must go out of town again this weekend. I’m leaving tomorrow and will return Sunday. So, if you write to me and I don’t write back, that’s why! I’m slowly catching up with new technology and just ordered myself an awesome laptop (it’s pink!) so that the next time I go out of town, I can still keep up with correspondence, but for now you’ll just have to make due with hearing back from me on Sunday or Monday.
John (my husband) will be here, though, and I’m making him check my email for any emergencies, so if you have an issue that needs to be taken care of ASAP (and I mean a real emergency, not something like “I forgot to add a name to my address list,” because, obviously, I’m not printing anything at the moment!), write the word “emergency” in the subject of your email so that he knows to take a look. You’ll get a note back from him once he contacts me and has a solution and/or advice to give.
And, of course, I’m here until 6:30 a.m. (PST) tomorrow morning, so if you’ve got a loose end that needs tying, try to do it before then!
Final flight, August 10, 2010...From left, Annie (sister), Michael (brother in-law), my dad holding a very sleepy The Baby Fletcher, John (husband), me, my mom
And now for a little story. I will take you back about 25 years or so…I was 8 or 9. When my dad first started working for the airline, we got a pretty good discount on plane tickets. Let’s just say tickets in 1st class were super cheap (like, less than $20). Because we had to fly stand-by, we were never guaranteed seats, but we were a small family of 4 back then and, most of the time, coach would be full, but first class would have seats available so I got fairly accustomed to riding up there. Well, the day finally came when there were seats available in coach and when I heard the news, apparently (and this is how my parents tell it…I really don’t remember!) I became somewhat hysterical and yelled “Coach! I’m not flying coach!” This caused several people around us to stare at me, probably rolling their eyes. But, I didn’t care. I wanted a seat with a little table and drink service and those really good apple turnovers that were included with all the meals. I was pretty sure none of those things were available in coach. But, much to my surprise, coach had all of those things. In fact, I couldn’t really tell the difference. So, when we sat down in our seats, I looked around and said, “Oh…this is coach? Well, this is ok, I guess.”
In the 26 years since my dad became a pilot, airline seats have gotten smaller, the meals became non-existent, peanuts, blankets and pillows are no longer there for our convenience. In-flight phones came and went, as did the convenience of getting oneself through an airport without getting held up at security.
Last night, as the plane touched down on the ground, the whole cabin start clapping and cheering for my dad. There were over 120 people on the plane and, as they exited, they all stopped at the front to thank him and congratulate him. Guys who worked with him over the years met him at the gate and took photos. One even made a little speech about what an amazing, precious man he is. I was so proud of my dad…and of my mom, too. She’s spent 40 years as a pilot’s wife…that’s hard work! Now, there’s no more worrying, no more trying to remember where he is, when he’s coming in, if he’ll be here for Christmas or a birthday. They’ve earned their rest!
I earned a little bit of a treat, too. Last night, on my father’s very last flight as an Alaska Airlines captain, room was made for me to return to where I began. I got to sit in first-class. My first words upon returning to my thone were, “I’m back!”
Finally! Winning guesses came within minutes of each other, but I’ve got to go with the first one, so SUZIE H…you win!
From my doorstep to the entrance of Disneyland, one would travel 1,137 miles. And, who knew that Vegas was just 1,139 miles? Weird! But, we are not a gambling family. We’re a Disneyland family.
Well, I’m back. It’s so weird to wake up in one place, spend all day in another, then get on a plane and come home. It’s like we barely left!
I’ve decided to give you a picture clue for my whereabouts earlier today (you know, to help you with this week’s contest)…
Where is this located??
Ooh...it's a mountain! Where does such a mountain exist??
UPDATE:
Perhaps that one wasn’t as helpful as I thought. Here’s another…the main subject is, of course, my adorable nephew The Baby Fletcher, but there’s some scenery around, too…
This afternoon, I’m taking a little trip with the husband and fam. And by “little”, I mean short…30 hours, to be exact. You see, my father is a pilot for Alaska Airlines and today is his last trip ever before he retires. So, the company sends the family along with him and they get to go wherever he is going. Nice, huh?
His first choice was Alaska, but hotel space was limited and there are 7 of us. So, he decided to go to the next best place and we all concurred, quite quickly, that it was an excellent idea. Suffice it to say, I am traveling 1,137 miles to go to this one location for less than 24 hours. I’ll be back tomorrow night by the time the clock strikes 12.
And that is your mission for today and tomorrow! You have to guess where I’m going! I gave you two clues (it’s 1,137 miles away from my house in Fife, Washington, and Alaska Airlines flies there)…that should be enough, right? I’ll post the answer on Wednesday!
BTW, I know the design and proof lists have been moving slowly (or not at all) this week. I’ve been watching my nephew in the mornings and two year olds just don’t allow much time for work! Anyway, I will be working diligently tomorrow, Sunday and Monday to catch them up. I will not be available next Tuesday at all as I will be out of town, but I will be back on Wednesday at full steam ahead!
A super-fabulous wedding shoe pic from Jackie S, a former bride
Random.org gave me our newest contest winner…Ashley R!! Congrats, Ashley! Let me know what prize you would like!
You may choose from 1 of the following:
Free Response envelope addressing
Free Return addressing
Free Ground Shipping of your invitations
Free Table numbers and 50 free place cards
This week’s contest: SHOES!!
This topic never ceases to amaze me. I’ve never been one to stock up on shoes…don’t know why. I guess it’s because I have huge feet and short legs, so any shoe that goes the length of my foot makes me look like I’m playing dress-up or something…it’s a curse. Anyway, the last time I did this topic, some of the shoes posted cost more than the bride’s wedding invitations! I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us this time!
This contest has 2 parts:
1. Post a picture of your wedding day shoes! Be sure to include the brand/designer and, you might also say where you bought them!
2. The winner is going to be determined by the amount of “Like” votes the shoe receives. So, be sure to check in and “like”! You can “like” as many as you want…I won’t stop you.
Thanks to Random.org, last week’s contest winner is Melissa R. Congrats, Melissa! You may choose from 1 of the following:
Free Response envelope addressing
Free Return addressing
Free Ground Shipping of your invitations
Free Table numbers and 50 free place cards
Ah, Etsy. If it weren’t for Etsy, I might still be a fledgling little hobby company. Luckily for me, I was ‘discovered’ by a lovely lady named Cindy who brought my work to the brides of Long Island and the rest is history.
If you’ve not heard of Etsy, you probably will. Etsy is a fabulous online marketplace of handmade treasures. If you’re still looking for your ‘signature statement’, look no further than the wedding section at Etsy.
Your mission is to find and post your favorite Etsy creation. To find the image url, you will need to right click and go to “Properties”, then highlight the url and paste it into the image prompt. In your comment, be sure to name the seller to give their company proper credit. If you would like to provide the link to the item listing, you may do that, too.
I’d imagine that free advertising for Etsy vendors probably won’t be objected to, but should a vendor not want their item used, they can notify me and then I will notify you and delete the comment (just to be legal…you know how it is).
This is a repost from last year, detailing my “personal statement”…that is, my processional. And there’s a video, too!
I’ll announce a winner to our contest tomorrow, so if you haven’t entered, enter today!
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Well, I’ve done it. I finally made a little video of my ceremony complete with the music I arranged for it. The nuts and bolts of this ceremony choreography lingered in my thoughts for at least 4 years. You see, this would be the one and only time that all eyes were on me–in a good way, that is…there was that time in high school when my girlfriends and I went to KMart and I ran around wearing a very large brassiere on my head as a hat, but that’s story for another time and place–where was I? Oh! Eyes!
Yes, this would be the one and only time that all eyes would be on me and I felt the need to make it fabulous and memorable. Years ago, I went to a wedding where the bride had choreographed her ceremony entrance to the music of Braveheart. I found it to be simply inspirational. When I saw The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, I knew I had my ceremony music. I waited for another year so that I could also use music from The Return of the King and, once that came out, I had my bridal symphony.
When John and I chose our wedding venue, I made sure to measure the aisle. Then, I went home and John and I practiced timing ourselves to see how long it took to walk 75 ft. Amazingly, this fit in perfectly with my music. All entrance points were timed out and everyone was given the music to listen to so they could learn their entrance.
Rehearsals were done in the backyard of John’s mom’s house for the parents and bridesmaids and the backyard of my house for the lantern bearers. By the time we got to the actual ceremony rehearsal, everyone knew what they were doing. The only thing left to do was teach the coordinator and DJ to cue the music properly.
One of the most frustrating things, for me, was convincing my vendors that this idea would work. Our officiants (a married couple…only one of them married us, though) said that in all their 20-something years of officiating weddings, they had never seen a choreographed ceremony go off without a hitch. I looked them straight in the eye and said, “This one will.”
And, I was right. After our ceremony, the officiant went up to our DJ and said he’d never seen anything like it. He said it was the best ceremony entrance he’d ever seen. That made my day…well, that and getting married.
The key to a good processional is entrance points. Don’t rely too heavily on what your wedding party does once they’ve entered the room. Make sure they have enough time to get to where they need to be before the next person enters. As long as you give them ample time for that and have someone at the back telling them when to enter should they forget their entrance point (though you should drill it into them thoroughly ), the rest will flow perfectly.
So, without further ado…I give you MY CEREMONY:
Feel free to comment!!
Before I begin, it was two years ago, today, that I did this:
That photo was taken July 12, 2008.
Let me say that the second year was WAY easier than the first year. The first year of marriage is about adjustment. I think the second year, at least for us, was about teamwork and learning to think in terms of “we” and not “me”.
This week’s mission is about accessories or decorations that make a statement…a little showpiece that represents your personality. For instance:
Check out the Bridal Shades...
I knew our wedding day was going to be sunny, so the day before, I insisted on finding a pair of “bridal shades” with a little bit of bling. Why? Because I really didn’t want a headache from having to squint all day, but also, I thought it made for a somewhat humorous picture.
My ultimate “statement” was my processional, but maybe we’ll visit that a little later. For now, post a pic of your “statement accessory” with a little bit of an explanation as to what kind of statement they make!
I actually hand-picked this week’s contest winner. This photograph has several distinguishing elements about it that show the bride rising above an imperfect situation.
First, there’s the obvious: instead of gliding down the aisle, this bride has to crutch (is that a verb? I’m making it one). She could have just as well entered from the side or been carried on a pillow by her attendants ( now, that’s attending!), but she chose to don crutches and do it herself. Brave.
Second, she doesn’t get to hold her flowers…but, Dad does! I think that’s my favorite part.
Third, look at the crutches! They’re bridal crutches! They’re ribboned and flowered and all gussied up. Love it! It reminds me of the time my sister fell off the top of the pyramid at cheerleading practice and broke her elbow…three days before prom. So, my mom and I went out and found a lovely piece of light blue organza that we fashioned into a fabulous sling. It matched the dress perfectly, was sheer enough that the details on top of the dress still peeked through and it kept her little elbow safe all night.
Fourth, she’s smiling a real smile!
No matter what goes wrong right before or during your wedding day, there is very little that can happen to keep you from feeling completely exhilirated and alive that day. It’s very easy to get into a line of thinking whereby you feel entitled to having everything exactly the way you want it, but that’s not usually the way life rolls. In weddings, just as in marriage, you’ll find it necessary to allow for imperfections, both your own and others’. In reality, it’s what keeps life interesting or, as my mother would say, it builds character.
Stay tuned for a new mission…maybe I’ll give you a head start on it over the weekend!
One of the biggest hurdles a couple can clear in their first (or first few) years of marriage is the concept that the things are going to get easier (or better!). A big part of marriage is learning to relax and let life happen! It’s about letting go of “happily ever after” and welcoming the idea that marriage is work.
This concept can also be applied to your own wedding. Diligently working for everything to be absolutely perfect can wreak havoc on your nerves and your relationship with FH, friends and family. The narrower the vision becomes, the less room you have for patience and tolerance. It doesn’t help that wedding vendors will cater to a couple like they’re royalty, either! It’s the nature of the beast, unfortunately. But, letting your guard down a little and allowing the possibility of an imperfect or even less-than-ideal moment will actually help you to relax a little and enjoy your wedding day.
So, your mission is to find a photo of an imperfect moment in a couple’s wedding day…one that doesn’t appear to be “ruining” everything for the bride and groom. Please credit the photographer, if at all possible. Try to refrain from posting photos of ugly bridesmaid dresses or bad 80′s hair. That might be imperfect to you, but the bride chose it, so it might be more than a little insulting to her! Instead, look for those photos that show the bride and groom making the best of something. If you can’t find a photo, a quote or link to a blog post from a bride will also suffice.
This is a more difficult mission than usual, so, naturally, the prize will be a bit bigger than it normally is.
I’ll post the answer on Wednesday!
now, that’s attending!), but she chose to don crutches and do it herself. Brave. 
