Crab Cake Invitations: Part III, The Big Reveal

I think by now most of our guest have received the invitations (I’m not sure why I’m worried about it, cause no one reads anyway).

Can I just say one more time how much I love these invitations.

Let’s start with the inner envelope, which was kind of an afterthought.

I so wish that my handwriting was that neat and tidy.  This is my new favorite font, Joe Hand 2, which I downloaded from dafont.com.  Twilight readers will recognize it, it’s Alice’s handwriting!

I decided after my invitations were completely designed and everything was purchased that I really wanted inner envelopes.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an inner envelope that would fit my tea length invitations.

So, I improvised.  I had already purchased text weight paper for the labels, so I printed our guests names on one side of the text weight paper, and simply folded it around my invitations.

To hold the “envelopes” closed, I bought a 1″ circle punch and some fantastic paper (which we’ll use later).  I really like the texture of the flocked paper.  And the graphic little squares really worked for me too!  I attached the circles to the envelopes with Zots (also know as the best invention ever).

I know they are a little unconventional, but they worked for me.

We secured our booklet style invites with three 1/8″ black eyelets.  It was a huge undertaking.  However, I am so glad we did.  I really love the way it looks.  There’s my compass and my poem again.

The next page is the actual invitation.  I love our wording.  It was very important to me to include all of our family, not just our parents.  There’s a lot of parents anyway, this was easier.

The information page, complete with reception info, website address, and travel and lodging information.

Ok, the RSVP was seriously twice as much work as anything else.  It was so hard to get the two sides to line up perfectly.  They are perforated (even though you can’t see in these pictures).  Our RSVP date is three weeks before the wedding, but whatever.  It’s also the day after the hotels need to be booked.  We asked the guests to let us know what hotel they are staying in so we could provide some OOT bags.

There’s our little monogram again.  I liked being able to tuck whatever it was I needed underneath our initials.

I have to say that this is my very, very favorite part of our entire suite.  This is a map for 1882.  It’s not just any map, it’s our town.  And that’s where we got to know each other.  We had our first date there, our first kiss there, and our chapel is there.

See?  Here’s a better picture.

That image is taken from the original file.  I had to change the colors in the file for printing (cause I’m cheap and I didn’t want to pay for color printing).

I love that map so much.  I have a feeling it will end up in several places, wedding and after.

So, there’s my invitations!

Crab Cake Invitations: Part II, The First Impression

I know I’m famous for giving y’all half the details, and I’m going to do it again.

The invitations went in the mail yesterday, so I’ll show you the packaging, and we’ll talk about the actually invitations when they’ve reached the majority of our guests.

I obsessed over these for months.  I’m immensely proud of them.  I’m a nurse remember?  I have no graphic design experience at all.  And I only had to ask for help once.

And I am head over heals in love with my invitations.

We went with a standard #10 envelope, in Stardreams Onyx.  Metallic paper was an early obsession and I couldn’t resist it.  I think it added a lot of dimension to the suite.  Texture and dimension were so important to me.

I knew once I’d picked black envelopes, I would have to do something different with my addresses, cause I obviously can’t write on a black envelope.  Plus, I also fell in love with Martha’s wrap around labels early on.  I asked the hive for some help designing them a few months back, and decided to go with one font for ease.

I designed the labels in paint.net and then ran into trouble.  I couldn’t figure out how to get my addresses into the file, and turned to resident design pro, Mrs. Cookie for help.  She took my design and put them in a word document which I then copy and pasted my addresses into.  We talked about mail merge, but Mrs. Cookie decided it wouldn’t work, and I didn’t know how to do it anyway.  They were printed on Classic Linen in Baronial Ivory, text weight (24#).

We used a Xyron machine to make the labels sticky.  I have to say that it was one of the best purchases I made.  Getting the stick on the labels was super easy, even if we did have to sacrifice a few labels to the Craft gods.  I will definitely be using my Xyron again.  The label looks terribly crooked in that picture, and some of them were.  I got to a point where I really didn’t care.  We live together.  We don’t care what people think.  But I wanted to stylize our names.  This is as close to a monogram as we get.  I like it though.  It’ll show up a couple of other places too.

When it came to postage, we were lucky and came in right at 59 cents.  However, I can’t stand the current wedding stamps.  So, I went on USPS.com and looked at what else was available.  I quickly fell for Frank and Bette.

Aren’t they gorgeous!  Since the were 42 cent stamps, and we had to make up the difference, we overpaid just a little bit and slung a couple of clocks on there.  Mr. CC did the stamping and I think he did a lovely job.  Hopefully, the post office won’t mind that the big stamp is first and the little ones are last.

Next up, the final product!

I always save the best for last, eh?

Crab Cake Invitations: Part I, Inspiration

Why is it that the invitations are the single most important and irritating decision we brides have to make?  Seems like it should be a simple task, right?  It’s paper for goodness sakes.

Shortly after our engagment, a bridesmaid said to me, “Keep the invitations simple, forget ribbons and layers.  They are pretty, but expensive.”

I listened, but only for about 35 seconds.  I tortured myself (and Mr. Crab Cake) for months with pictures of invitations.  I brought home books from the printer to flip through.  I can only blame one source for my irrational need to make my own invitations, and that would be my fellow Bees.  I was smitten with the invitations suites of Mrs. Shortcake and Mrs. Cupcake.  Actually, the minute I saw Mrs. Cupcake’s invitations, I knew I was going to make my own.

Anyway, back to the torture.  I looked at so many wedding invitations, I honestly can’t remember them all.  What I do know is that I wanted something graphic, elegant, and full of texture.  Mr. Crab Cake wanted classic elegance, no graphic, no texture.  Everything I liked was too loud, too colorful, and too graphic for him.  Everything he liked bored me to tears.  We were coming to that place where arguements happen.  Well, really, we made it there one night.  It was rediculous, to be arguing about invitations.  Such a small part of the big picture.

One night, I was browsing wedding goodness on Etsy, which someone else (can’t remember who) referred to as their “dealer.”  I completely agree… Etsy is so my dealer.  I don’t buy very often, but I browse daily.  Can you window shop for crack?  Anyway, I was browsing Etsy and saw these booklet style programs and though, hey, here’s an idea.  Why not put the invitation into booklet style and keep everything nice and tidy, without having to create a pocket fold?  What a genius plan!  I hit google and the first thing that came up were these beauties.

(They are Cambridge, from Libra Designs)

Aren’t they gorgeous?  I loved them so much, I was pretty much done.  Mr. Crab Cake even liked them.  Not just like, but I think he’s honestly happy with these.  He says they remind him of old time-y flight booklets, with the tickets and everything tucked in them.  I tried to order a sample, just to have something to touch and feel, and discovered something a bit depressing.  They only ship to Europe.  For about 4.5 seconds I considered ordering a sample and having it shipped to my uncle outside of London and then he could ship it to me, but I decided that was too much trouble, and I would figure it out on my own.

And of course I had to run over and see what the Hive had to say on the subject.  And the Hive has yet to let me down.

These are Mrs. Lime’s.  They are a little more modern than what Mr. Crab Cake and I were going for.  He’s so traditional, and honestly, the classic-ness of those above appeal to me much more than did Mrs. Lime’s.  But they are still gorgeous and a definite inspiration.

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Pretty, aren’t they?  I like her vellum overlay.  But my favorite part was her RSVP postcard.

It’s perforated and pre-stamped, so all the guest has to do is fill it out, tear it out, and drop it in the mail.  Genius.

We were finally in agreement on a style of invitation.  So, I went back to the drawing board (or my trusty paint.net program) and came up with our invitations, which I’ll share next time.

A very special Thank You

A few weeks ago, I ran accross a photograph by Sarah K. Chen on An Atlanta Bride’s Blog.

(Here, via Her)

So, those bags are from Target.  And while we haven’t picked out gifts for our Groomsmen yet, I was in love with those bags.  Perfect for Out of Town Bags right?

I immediately ran to Target to find them.  They were on clearance.

Target was out of them!  I didn’t think much of it, but Mr. CC was in love with them.  I started brainstorming on ways to recreate them.  I purchased a couple kraft paper bags and designed a graphic.  Then I tried to shove those bags through my printer.

It choked!  I had no idea what I was going to do at this point.  I don’t own a gocco, and I really didn’t want to buy a Yudo that I didn’t know how to use and wasn’t sure I’d ever use again.  I’ve been a huge proponent of stamps (which we’ll talk to later) but I needed something bigger than a stamp for this project.

So I put out an APB to the other bees asking for help.  I needed about 120 bags imprinted with my graphic.  The lovely Miss Ballet Flat volunteered to do my bidding!

Two days later, I shipped the bags to Miss Ballet Flat down in Louisianna.  I knew she was busy gocco-ing her invitations, so I told her not to worry about my bags, I didn’t need them until the end of April or so anyway.

Seriously, a week and a half later, she email to let me know they were ready.  I happened to be going to New Orleans that weekend, so I got them while I was down there.

Cute, no?  The fonts are the ones I used on my invitations (which I will share soon, promise!)  I was really impressed.  Maybe I will buy a gocco.

Thank you so much Miss Ballet Flat!!  You rock!

One ring…wait, no, Two…

Last week, with the delivery of my tax return from our lovely federal government, and a lack of patience, I finally brought my wedding bands home.

I have to say that choosing wedding bands for myself was one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced thus far.  It was such a huge decision!  I plan on wearing these rings the rest of my life.

Besides the obvious hugeness of picking out something I’m going to wear forever, there was also the challenge of finding something that matched my antique engagement ring.

I have literally been hunting for weddingbands since the proposal.  At first, I thought a simple white gold band was the way to go.  But, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted bling next to my e-ring.

So I went on the hunt for a diamond band that would match my ering.

A friend of mine has a 5 stone prong set band that really caught my eye.  She thought it would look fantastic next to my ring, so we tried it out.  Of course, neither of us actually put on the other’s rings.  Anyway, it looked pretty good.  And I thought my mind was made up, so off I went to find the perfect 5 stone band.

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I found some really nice prices online, but when I put a five stone next to my ring, something was just off.  The 1/2 ctw rings were too big, and the 1/4 ctw rings didn’t fit right with my e-ring.

I kept looking.

I talked to the jeweler that found my e-ring, and set him off on a hunt for a vintage band that matched mine.  He suggested a 3 stone.

We haven’t heard any good news from that sector either.

And the antique rings I found online were gorgeous, but either way out of our budget or not exactly what I had in mind.  Course, what I had in mind was a difficult task, since I wasn’t sure what I had in mind.

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I finally decided to go to the jeweler’s and actually put some rings on.  What I found out was that Reed’s makes antique style rings still, and they had a weddingband that matched mine almost perfectly.  Unfortunately, through some math and comparision, the jeweler and I decided (once again) that the 1/2 ctw diamonds were too big for my ring.  And the band doesn’t come in any other size.

At this point, I started thinking about moving my e-ring to my right hand and finding a band that I liked, regardless of whether or not it matched.  Mr. CC didn’t like that idea at all.  I don’t guess I did either, but I was frustrated, and I get irrational when frustrated.

I went back to Reed’s and sat down with a different rep to try on rings.  It wasn’t long before she pulled out a 7 stone 1/4 ctw curved band.  I was on the other side of the counter wrinkling my nose.  But, while I was putting the band on my finger where it would eventually sit, the Rep was digging around for another 7 stone 1/4 ctw. curved band.  While the single band didn’t sell me on the look at all, I was more than pleased with both rings, an enhancer of sorts, sandwiching my e-ring between two rows of diamonds.

Attack of the hairy knuckles!!

I was sold.  I loved it so much that I put them on layaway without showing them to Mr. CC.  He wasn’t happy about it, but when I brought them home and showed them to him,  I think he understood.

Even though you can’t really tell in these pictures, the diamonds line up perfectly with the ends of my e-ring.  That makes me really happy.

You can kinda see what’s left of the mishap with the wine bottles there on my middle finger.  I hope that it’s less noticeable on the day of.

I plan on having the two bands soldered to my e-ring.  They don’t exactly stay where they are put and the band on my e-ring is really tiny and I’m always nervous I’m going to break it, so I figure this will help “support” it.

And while we are on the topic, the Mister also picked his ring out.

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It’s the claddagh, again.  I really like that we both picked something very “us.”  I don’t really get into our Irish heritage as much as Mr. CC does.

Yeah, look at him all kilted up!

Anyway, he’s really happy with his choice, and I’m happy with mine!

The Great Plate Debate

In all honesty, I never thought plates would cause such a stir around our house.

And they weren’t even an issue until I fired my caterer and decided to cater the thing myself.  Ok, not myself, but whatever, no caterer, no linens, no dishes, you get the idea.

So, I started looking into my options.  I discovered there were three.

1. Rent
2. Buy
3. Plastic/paper

Let’s start with plastic.  Blech, right?!  Bad for the environment, not terribly cute, certainly not classy.  But convenient and easy.  For a girl with no caterer, it seemed like a logical idea to go with plastic.  I even found some super cute square plates that really floated my boat, if you will.

(source, 120 ct. for $79.95)

Black and square equals sexy, even if it is plastic.  I especially loved these mini pastry dishes.

(source, 200 ct. for $39.95)

But they are plastic, nevertheless, and probably “tacky.”  I was having a really hard time swallowing the environmental impact my 300 guest wedding would have if I used plastic.  Plus, after talking with my mom, we decided we’d probably have to order a ton of plates, since people would probably throw them away after one trip to the buffet.

So, purchasing plates was also an option, but not one I took seriously for very long.  I checked a few internet sites, Pier 1, Walmart, and a local restaruant supply store and discovered that purchasing plates was way out of my budget.

(source, 6 ct. for $12-$24)

I suppose I could sell them after the wedding, but I’m a slacker, wouldn’t ever get around to it.  Plus, someone would have to wash those dishes after the wedding, and it wasn’t going to be me.  I didn’t want to have to ask my friends and family for any more favors.

So, I went back to renting.  While my frugal side is screaming at me that I’m wasting money by renting plates, my lazy side is telling it to shut up.  Renting is easy.  I don’t have to wash them.  I don’t have to sell them after the wedding.  I’m not killing the environment by throwing away 300 (or more) plastic plates.

Today, I went down to the rental place and “ordered” our plates.

I chose a vintage lace pattern.

Please excuse the quality of these photos… I took them with my blackberry.

I also chose to rent tea goblets.

(source, not my glass, also, terrible picture)

I figured that the only thing that would look out of place in an Iced Tea goblet would be beer.  And, I don’t care.

Surprisingly enough, renting plates was actually cheaper than the plastic.  That helped sway Mr. CC and my mom (and me) towards renting.

I could use a little help…

See, I have this problem.

I have a great veil.   But, I know I’m going to want to take it off the minute the ceremony is over.  I feel like I should have something to put in my hair once the veil comes off.

I’ve been looking at birdcage veils.  They are the epitomy of vintage loveliness.  I even bought Russian netting with hopes of creating my own birdcage.

So far, I have failed miserably at creating the perfect birdcage veil.

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My biggest problem is I can’t get the netting to lay right.  I always end up thinking my head looks enormous. Plus, we’ve already discussed how I feel about things in my face.

And once again, I’m back to that same flower verses comb arguement in my head.

And I’m calling on you, hive, for help.

In case you need it, a reminder on my dress.

I want something vintage (either authentic or repro, whatever) and sparkly/pearly.

What I do not want is: feathers (I think) or gianormous flowers that take over my head.

That being said, here are my favorites.

1.  This piece is reclaimed vintage (and could be my something old, which I am still lacking).  The seller is willing to remove the feathers if I wanted her too.  I’m afraid it’s a little white for my champagne colored dress.  But, it’s hard to tell by those pictures.

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2.  This one is also reclaimed vintage.  I really like this one, but I wish I could see it on someone’s head.  I’m not sure how that bronze color will look with my gown.

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3.  Also reclaimed vintage.  I like these alot.  They are simple and classy.

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4.  Reworked vintage earrings.  Love!

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5.  Not exactly vintage, but still gorgeous.  I’m not sure how well it will match my gown, and I’m definitely not happy about the price!

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6.  One of my absolute favorites.  In all my colors.  But is my dress a flower kind of dress?  Or does it really need something just a touch more formal than flowers?

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So, Hive, what do you think?

Bouquet Charms Part II

A few months ago I wrote this post about my bouquet charms.

Well, I finally finished them.

I’m kind of a bad blogger and I didn’t take any picutres of the process.  However, I will promise to make y’all a tutorial soon.  Mr. CC wants  me to make more of them.

First let me introduce you to the people we are honoring (these are also the pictures I used).

This is Mr. CC’s Poppa.  He passed in the early 90s.  Mr. CC basically grew up on this man’s lap.

This is Mr. CC’s maternal grandmother, who he never met.  Isn’t she lovely?

This is Mr. CC’s Granddaddy.  I had the honor to meet this man before he passed away last May.  He was a wonderful man and we both miss him tremendously.

Those are my maternal grandparetns on their wedding day.  My Grandma passed last June.  She was gone a long time before that, Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease.  My Grandpa will be present at our wedding.

These are my paternal granparents on their wedding day.  Man, wasn’t my Poppa handsome.  He looks so much like my Dad.  Anyway, Mernie (my grandmother) also suffers from Alzheimer’s and was put in a specialized Alzheimer’s unit in November.  She hasn’t recognized me in years.  Poppa is going to try and make it.

I’m really pleased with how these turned out.  And they were super easy.

My Grandma has a little bubble in her head.  Oops.  Anyway, I think they look great.

Tutorial coming soon!

Honeymoon in My Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Ok, I know, Mobile?  But honestly, it’s a gorgeous city with a ton of culture and history.  Mobile is also the home of American Mardi Gras (don’t believe me?  Check out this article).

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Shortly after Mr. CC and I started dating, we celebrated his 30th birthday with a weekend excursion to Mobile.  I want to share with him the cuisine, culture, and history of Mobile.  We had a great time.  We need to go back and do it again.  There’s just too much to do in one weekend.

Here’s my insider’s guide to honeymooning in Mobile, Alabama.

Accommodations:

The Battle House

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I love the Battle House.  If you’re looking for a hotel that simply seeps history, there’s none better than the Battle House.  Established in 1851, the ground it was built on was the site of the military headquarters of Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812.  Stephen A. Douglas stayed at the Battle House the night he lost the 1860 Presidential Election.  The building served as a Confederate Hospital during the Civil War.  A fire in 1905 destroyed the original building.  It was rebuilt in 1908 and renovated in 2006 after being closed for 32 years.

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Mr.  CC and I stayed here during our Mobile excursion and were immensily pleased with the service and quality.  They do have specials and deals, as well as packages available here.

The Renaissance Riverview Plaza

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The Renaissance Riverview is just down the road from the Battle House.  I think it provides a better view of the bay and it’s a little more modern and stylish.

The Grand Hotel

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The Grand Hotel is just gorgeous.  Honestly, we’d be getting married there if we lived in Mobile.  Ok, it’s not technically in Mobile, but whatever, it’s close enough.  It’s more of a resort than it is a hotel.  The grounds include a golf course, a biking trail, tennis courts, spa, fitness center, and you can rent jet skis, kayaks, and sailboats.  There’s two pools (including an Adult only pool!).  Oh yeah, and there’s horseback riding nearby.  Mr. CC and I could probably spend 3-4 days here without leaving.

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I mean, really, how can you say no to those views?

Places to Eat

Once you’re settled, sampling Mobile’s native cuisine is a must.  Located at the junction of the Mobile River and the Mobile Bay, seafood is always at it’s best in Mobile.  For a great down home experience, try the Blue Gill.  Located on the Causeway between Mobile and the Eastern Shore, the Blue Gill is known for it’s outdoor concert series and fried pickles.  (Sidenote: when we first moved from Seattle to the Mobile area, someone suggested we try fried pickles.  My family reacted with horror.  Fried Dill Pickles?  Gross!!  OMG, these are the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth.  You must try them!)

Another good down home restaurant is Wintzell’s Oyster House.   I worked at the one Downtown during Mardi Gras one year, it was crazy.  But the food is fantastic!  They have an oyster bar (complete with happy hour) and some of the best seafood au gratin I’ve ever had.  There’s several locations to choose from, but I’ll always be partial to downtown.  It was the original and has been serving Mobilians since 1938.

Another classic Mobile eatery is The Original Oyster House.  While this isn’t my favorite restaraunt, most Mobilians love it.  The menu consists of mostly fried stuff, but the cole slaw is fantastic and so are the hush puppies.  I can definitely get full on cole slaw and hush puppies.

If you’re looking for something with a little more class, try Felix’s Fish Camp, also located on the Causeway.  Don’t be fooled by it’s rustic exterior, the atmosphere is unbelievable and the food is awesome.  I recommend reservations here, but they can be made online.

If seafood isn’t your thing, that’s ok, too.  One of my all time favorite places to eat is Bilotti’s Italian Cafe.  They’re website really sucks.  But the food is fantastic and the atmosphere is unbelievable.  There’s always a live jazz band on Friday nights.  They have a great wine selection.  Hhmm, I’m craving me some Bilotti’s right now.

Another Mobile landmark is the Picklefish.  They don’t have a website, but they are downtown on Dauphin Street.  Honestly, the best pizza ever.  They have tons of choices and some really great combos!

Nightlife

Nightlife in Mobile is pretty centralized on Dauphin Street.  Think Bourbon or Bealle Street, except on a smaller scale.  Dauphin is in walking distance of both the Battle House and the Renaissance Riverview Plaza.  There’s lots of dive bars, dance clubs, and breweries on Dauphin Street, so take your pick.

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If you happen to be visiting the first weekend of October, you have to check out BayFest.  Held annually in the streets of Downtown, Bay Fest is an open air music festival.  The schedule usually showcases some of the biggest names in music.  2008’s line up included Better Than Ezra, Blake Shelton, BuckCherry, Candlebox, Darius Rucker, Kid Rock, Nelly, Puddle of Mud, Sister Hazel, The Ugli Stick, and Three Days Grace.

There’s also an annual Beer Festival in August if that’s more your speed.

Things to Do and See

The USS Alabama, a WWII battleship, is docked in Mobile.  I get a little claustrophobic on board, but it’s still pretty cool.  The tour is self-guided and they basically give you free range on the ship.

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The park also has an Aircraft Pavilion, the USS Drum (a WWII submarine), and a Vietnam War Memorial.

There’s also the Museum of Mobile, the Mobile Museum of Art, and the Mobile Carnival Museum.

I really love the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center.  My mom used to take us there when we were kids.  It’s still just as much fun!  There’s lots of hands on exhibits.  There’s also an IMAX Theater.

I love Bellingrath Gardens.  They have seasonal events, but my favorite is Magic Christmas in Lights.  They light the entire gardens with Christmas lights and it is gorgeous!!

And last but not least, you have to do down to “The Island.”   Dauphin Island is slowly erroding away, so see it while you can.  It’s really beautiful.  There’s a sea-lab on the Island that’s fun if you are into sea animals.

Wow…I’m really homesick now!

Dress Regret

There are moments when I really regret the dress I chose for my maids to wear.

All of our attire (my dress included) was picked out before we headed down the vintage road.  Sometimes I really wish I would have held off on picking out our dresses.  Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but I certainly wish they were a little more vintage than they are.

A reminder on my dress:

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Alfred Angelo’s 1136 in Champagne.  I love this dress.  Not Vintage, but whatever.

Here’s my maid’s gown.

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Also an Alfred Angelo, style 6493, in Celadon.  Also not Vintage.. again, whatever.

I picked this dress for several reasons.

1. It compliments mine.  I love the rouching on the side of my gown, and this one has the same effect.
2. It is quite flattering.  Even my extra 20 lbs. which all lands directly in my midsection (and therefore is extremely noticeable in dresses) was hidden quite nicely under the rouching.
3. It was relatively inexpensive.

In retrospect, I would have let the girls pick their own gowns.  But it probably would have been really difficult.  None of my girls live anywhere near me, so we would have had to do all the conferencing via email and phone conversations.  I think it was easiest this way.

I ended up ordering the same style dress for Mini CrabCake.  I had considered making her dress, but through that right out the window when I realized how much work it would be.  And I really didn’t want her to be in a flower girl dress.

Does anyone else have any dress regret?