Need Help With Save The Dates,Thank Yous, Any Wedding Stationary!?

Well, let me help!

It completely escaped me until today that (ohmygosh!) I create and sell photo cards! I have a home business that I put on the back burner to plan the wedding and care for my daughter, but I have the great talent that I can hand over to your guys for a fraction of what you would pay elsewhere.

So here's my offer to my fellow Hive members and my blog readers:

I'll create you a personalized Save The Date, Thank You Cards, hang tags for your favors, EVEN Wedding Invite for you to print as you wish, where you wish - for the low low price of $35.00!

So instead of paying per card at other places for up to $1.75 -$2.00 each you pay a flat rate with me and print it where you want - saving HUNDREDS!

EXAMPLE:
-So say you buy Save The Dates at Lil' Duck Duck on line and you get 100 - You would spend $220.00 for 5x7 cardstock Save The Dates. (NOT including shipping)

Me Design it for you, with Kinkos printing and paper cost you would spend about $90 total!

OR

Me Design it for you and you order from a photo printer (like a photo card in a 5x7) www.mpix does them for .89 - for 100 that's $89.00!

That's a saving of $130 either way!!!


Here's a few of my samples, remember everything is 100% customizable, change color, font, wording - whatever! And I'll send more samples by request.

I can do anything you like, so find me samples of what you want and we'll talk! E-mail me at acgrundman@gmail.com

*Please note that prices quoted are approximate. Kinkos prices and mpix prices are located on their web site. I am not responsible for price changed made by them.

Holiday Card shown here but this is an awesome layout for Thank Yous as well!

Change any wording to suit your needs! Need a Thank you, but like this lay out - you got it!

Babies, Parties, Bridal Showers, Thank You Cards - ANYTHING!

Please e-mail me with questions.
Note that the $35.00 does not include custom designs from scratch (meaning no layout to look at or design I already have), or elements I do not already have (i.e trees, blossoms - things of that nature)

The Guest List Disaster of 2008

"It was a dark and cloudy night.....not even the moon light shown in the windows of Midland Hills Country Club. Hundreds were gathered for the wedding reception of Mr & Mrs S. Everything seemed calm until (dun dun dun *spooky music) the guests took their seats and (*retched scream*) THERE WERE 10 PEOPLE TO A TABLE"

Okay, overly dramatic, I know. I know. But seriously when my FMIL (future mother in law) told me that the guest list would be the hardest part - she wasn't kidding.

Let's start a the beginning of the tale, shall we? Our venue has big round banquets tables, that are designed to seat 10. When myself, my FMIL and my SM (step mom) saw them, we had really no reason to believe they didn't. Of course they weren't set up with chairs around them, so what do we know?

I start my guest list, assuming 10 per table, with 22 tables brings us nicely to the 220 that we planned to invite. Everything is going great, we don't have to (gasp!) 'B' list anyone and I'm quite happy at how organized I am.

Zip forward through time from then to the day we went to meet our Linens consultant at the venue and we are placed in a room with the table we will be using. It all seemed fine until the men, Mr S and FFIL (can you figure that one out?) put the chairs around it and we realize we have a tiny issue. Sure the table fits ten, but not comfortably.

We wander about the venue until we come across a fully set up table and out fears are confirmed, it not only looks crowded - but we can't imagine how it will feel for the guests.

Immediately we decide - 8 to a table and that's it. A decision I was really happy with. Until I got home and looked at the guest list.

Sure 8's fine, but since we can only add 3 more tables to the 22 already in there that gives us a total of 200 people in the room. No big deal you say, ah - well here's the kicker:

We've already sent out Save The Dates out to enough people to fill the 220, and that's with the 25% that decline...Since Save The Dates are as good as in invite I can't take it back, or not send an invite.

Que nervous breakdown in 3....2....1....

I start making phone calls to my FMIL, Mr S, my bridesmaid MJ and the President - just kidding! The only answer is to add more people to the tables, 9 at least. Everyone but me at this point is still kinda concerned about the crowdedness of the table. I'm not on the page of - they are getting free food, drinks and cake I think they can sit elbow to elbow for 1 hour.

As if that wasn't enough, fitting the people in. Somehow my guest list has grown with family and friends so large that I had to start a (gasp!) 'B' list. Now I spend most of my days going over it little by little, making sure I've not missed anyone, adding people, B listing, A listing and I'm about to scream. Not only is trying to decide who's supposed to be on each list, having new friends and people we've missed need to be added.

I'm afraid this list will never be finalized! So as I end this blog I head back to my guest list, for the 3rd time today and certainly not the last...

Advice: Watch the list closely, don't let your dad add 5 of his cousins you've never met, and try not to let the people know they were (gasp!) 'B' listed!

Save The Date!

Before I get too far ahead of myself, since I started this blog several months into planning I do want to share with you my Save The Date postcard I made and mailed out in October.

Yeah, I'm getting married in August...I could have waited a bit to send them out but I don't wait well. In fact I try not to wait at all. Hehehe.

I make custom photo cards on the side a business I run mostly by word of mouth but I do have a small website that's not much to look at - www.pinkyellowblue.com.

When it came to my Save The Dates I knew that I was going to design my own. By the wonderfully good graces of my friend and phenomenal photographer Kari Layland, I was able to add the most wonderful element to this card - one of our engagement pictures.

I wanted something rather simple, to the point, and eye catching. It took me forever to figure out what I wanted, I searched the net for ideas, inspiration anything! And in the end, with Photo Shop and me I came up with this:
I had the card printed at Print Pelican something I only suggest because the quality was great and they offered not only good prices, but 5x7 post cards which I couldn't seem to find anywhere else. However on the customer service scale they were a bit annoying. I had 50 people ready to help me, until I had an issue/question in which case I was practically ignored.

Plus, although it's a good shipping procedure - I had to be home to sign for this package when it arrived and as I'm running around some days - getting home with a wiped out 3 year old and finding out I have to go get my package (like I said - can't wait...don't wait well, have to have it now) is annoying. Luckily I was home the second time they delivered.

The fonts are P2P Corinthia, which I had to buy for $20 off of FontFinder.com but was in love with. The other is simply Arial, a standard font on all computers.

Note: These post cards do not qualify for the .26 postcard stamp. I figured this out when I went to the PO to find out postage....after already getting them....I was a bit cheesed to say the least. All this bending over backward to DIY to save money and the post office always bites me in the butt!

In the end I was very happy with the outcome. I would have normally printed these as regular photos, on photo paper from a high quality professional printer and sent them out as photo cards - but wanted to give a new company a shot and have something that didn't require an envelope.

Like what you see? Want the same one? I'll make you a mad deal!

Okay enough self promotion - get back to blogging lady!