10-10-10 invites are finally out!! From design to letterpress to mail - this is pic heavy!

[eunice.kindred]

My invites are currently out the door!! Finally!!!!   i'm anxiously awaiting rsvp cards back but in the meantime i thought i'd share my pics from design to print.  I designed everything myself but definitely scoured sites for inspiration.  

 

Concept:
I had a few concepts but totally loved a design that I saw on wedding paper divas. being a designer myself there were elements i didn't like in the original so took it as a springboard when creating my own.  I came up with a few monogram/logos but the fi was loving the coat of arms look and it just fit with his name and included both of our personalities (his name is prince, and i'm an artist - hence the paintbrushes) that we just went with it.  since the coat of arms infers a formal event I wanted to interject a little playfulness in the whole invitation suite and did a rsvp card in mad-lib style. i really hope everyone plays along and at least those who can't come can feel even more of a part of our event just by replying.  

 

PRINTING:

Once the designs were done, i sent it off to a plate maker to get plates made for letterpress printing. My coworker does letterpress on the side (if you want her info, shoot me a PM) so she graciously offered to print my pieces as long as i ordered all the materials. I have soooo much respect for letterpress now that i've witnessed firsthand the process. it's super labor intensive! i made it easy and did everything in 1 color ... we took about 4 hours on a saturday night to setup, print and cut everything.   since the wedding is at the rosewood - i wanted to also tie in that element - it's hard to see in the pictures but the invite itself is printed on a white wood grain paper. 

 

the press with my polymer plate all ready:

 

printing done! ready for cutting!

 

 

 

Final design (before plates):


 

Actual invite:

 

the suite

 

 

rsvp card is mad-lib style! 

 

travel and accommodations card:

 

the checklist:

 

 

ASSEMBLY:

I used these folder pocket envelopes i found at paper presentation to hold everything.  they ran out of the color i needed (eggplant) so there's 3 versions floating out there - either silver, metallic ruby, or eggplant purple.  depending on the color i used an accent ribbon of either eggplant purple or a sour apple green.  (wedding colors!) ... i got the ribbon on sale at this nondescript fabric shop in downtown for .39 cents a yard!  it was fun to mix and match but my favs are the eggplant envelope and sour apple green ribbon. MY MOH helped me tape the ribbons then the fi jumped in here and did all the assembly while I sat and did calligraphy on the envelopes.   it was definitely a group effort but we got all 45 invites done in one night
 

 

 

some cool things i used - i had a custom stamp made of our coat of arms logo - it was hard to not use it all over the place...there was opportunity for stamp overkill but we kept it to just the pocket on the envelope and on the back of the rsvp envelope (subtle but still cool) i can't wait to use it on menucards, totebag tags, and other DIY projects

king and queen postage stamps: got these at the post office just in time - this has been discontinued!  it coincidently fit with the whole royalty theme we've got going on.

 

This went to london hence the ridiculous amount of stamps lol but i actually loved it.. i also went with a plain envelope just to make sure it go there:

 

 

the original invites mailed like this - i did the calligraphy myself

 

 

it was a labor of love but i really loved how they turned out!

[fallfromgrace]

Wow. These are absolutely beautiful!!!!

[Raazzy5711]

Eunice I love, love, love your website!  Please tell me you didn't make it yourself because I want to steal it!  JK, but not really...

[bizzyangel]

Very nice cards. Love the RSVP cards.

[Thomasjsgirl]

Beautifully done Eunice. THey look so professional.

[eholt]

These are great!  Classy!  And I LOVE the RSVP cards!  I want those!

[msglave]

The invites are beautiful! Your guest will love them-I love the mad libs response card-very creative!

[DWBride615]

Wow, they look great! =] Your guests will love them!

[lisa203]

These are amazing. Job well done!

[Bride Loving CJ]

Hello fellow 10-10-10 bride!!! Your invites look beautiful!! I just ordered mine today.....so late!! But I believe I got most of the responce from my STD's anyway so I wasn't that pressed (at least thats what I keep telling myself to justify my procrasternation :-)). Youre so creative and it all looks fabulous!! Congrats!!