LETTERPRESS TO DIE FOR!

Have you ever seen, or better yet, felt a letterpress invitation? It's completely different from thermography.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LETTERPRESS AND THERMOGRAPHY?

Letterpress invitations are pressed or etched deely into the thick stock paper. The verse is literally pressed into the paper so when you run your finger over it you can feel the indents that each letter makes. It's incredibly rich and luxurious and has a look and feel all its own. Most impressive and most expensive! You can visit our letterpress invitations at Joyful Invitations - Carlson Craft and Joyful Invitations - Einvites.

Thermography is the standard in most invitations today. Thermography produces raised printing similiar in appearance to engraving but using a different process. In thermography, a special powder is added to the ink printed on the paper. The printed piece is heated and the powder and ink mixture dries to form a raised effect on the paper. Check out our raised print invites at Joyful Invitations!

___________________________________________________________________________

Lovingly brought to you by Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

MOM'S ROLE IN THE WEDDING!

What is my Mothers role in the wedding process?

Mother of the bride is a big role, one that has changed dramatically over the years. First and foremost, there are lots of rules of etiquette and traditionally defined roles, but, luckily nothing is etched in stone. Back in the day, Mom was traditionally the head wedding planner. Unfortunately, in most cases the wedding became a way for Mom to live out her own dream.

Luckily for us…we’ve come a long way baby. Today’s bride is savvy, intelligent and usually has her dream wedding already planned out. So where does that leave Mom? It leaves her in the role of co-pilot. What a great place to be (unless you want Mom to handle everything, then have at it!).

First and foremost, Mom’s role should be as your biggest supporter, cheerleader, listener and confidante. This whole wedding thing can be extremely stressful and chaotic. Having a supportive Mom, someone you can lean and depend on, can be your greatest wedding survival tool.

Other responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

Helping you, the bride, find the perfect dress. Giving honest feedback and understanding that if you absolutely LOVE that dress she shouldn’t try and talk you out of it (unless it’s way over budget).

Help you look for the perfect wedding reception locations, especially if you’re getting married in your old home town and you’ve been away, she should know all the good spots to check out.
Make first contact with the grooms’ Mother and Father. Now’s a great time for them to meet, if they haven’t already.

Discuss the wedding budget and how much she intends to contribute financially to the wedding is a huge responsibility. This is the perfect time to discuss the number of guests to invite.
Reserving hotel rooms for out of town guests.

Accompany you to showers and parties held in your honor, including the rehearsal dinner. Again, there’s nothing like moral support from someone you love and trust.

She should pick the perfect dress for herself that compliments your wedding in every way. Coordinating with your colors is always a plus. Also, she should forward her dress info to the mother of the groom so they don’t end up wearing the same dress.

Guest list. Mom should draw up the list of friends and relatives that she wants for the brides’ side. It’s a great place to start negotiations.

Two weeks from the wedding call anyone that hasn’t RSVP’d and find out their status.

Act as hostess at the wedding and reception.

Stand in the receiving line.

Be your biggest fan.

What it basically boils down to is that your Mom should be your rock through all the craziness. She can help in many more ways and be your greatest alliance if you remember to keep the lines of communication open, warm and loving.

Congratulations on your big day!

_______________________________________________

This blog lovingly brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

EXCEPTIONAL CHLOE B

[GREEN AND WHITE FLOWERS]

This bright white, shimmering tea-length invitation card by Chloe B features a shimmery back pocket with a floral flourish design.

[GOLD DUST]


A stunning damask design accents this shimmery gold invitation. Your thermographed wording is a beautiful touch to this elegant ensemble by designer Chloe B.


When nothing but the best will do, we're proud to call Chloe B one of our most distintive and sought after designers. You can see her full collection at Joyful Invitations for the most perfect wedding invitation ensembles available today!
_____________________________________________________
This blog lovingly brought to you by Joyful Celebrations, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

ROYAL DOULTON INVITATIONS!

Open-Up Glamour by Royal Doulton

This shimmer wrap unfolds to reveal a printed insert card that holds all the important information of your wedding day. The wrap features an olive, colored design and opens up to reveal the insert, which features a filigree design over a lightly olive-colored background.

We are proud to feature a collection of wedding stationary inspired by art from Royal Doulton. The Royal Doulton Company, today is synonomous with the finest English china, has a pedigree dating back to 1815 and was granted the Royal Warrant from King Edward VII in 1901.

See our Royal Doulton collection at Joyful Invitations.

______________________________________________________

This blog lovingly brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

DESTINATION WEDDING!

These days many couples are opting to move their wedding out of the hometown setting and into the more exotic destination. No longer wanting a traditional stay at home wedding, today’s couples have become so much more adventurous on this ever shrinking planet. But, what’s right for you?

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF DESTINATION WEDDINGS?

If you’re family and friend oriented and want to have everyone you know and love at your wedding, you’d be much better off staying at home and planning a huge glorious gala. Because of the travel costs incurred by a destination wedding, your wedding party and guest list will be much smaller than the hometown blowout. With it comes a sense of intimacy stemming from the camaraderie of traveling in a group and being in a foreign country with only your closest and dearest. Because of the distance, your wedding in a far off country will probably be a two to four day affair for everyone involved giving you a longer experience with your loved ones.

However, do remember that due to the expensive travel costs many of your beloved guests may not be able to make it, especially when we’re talking Europe or Asia. For the bride and groom the added expense is all part of the honeymoon, because you’re already there. All you have to do is wake up the next morning and you’re on your honeymoon.

With the ever growing sources on the internet you’ll easily be able to plan your destination wedding from invitations to hotels, it couldn’t be easier. Unlike the traditional “at home” wedding you can skip many of the necessities and traditions opting for the “less is more” rationale. All you really need is a great photographer to catch every detail and you’re good to go, or choose what things are important for you and create a whole new way to look at weddings.

Whatever your choice your wedding is all about you and your partner so whether you’re traveling or staying at home, stay true to yourself and you’ll have the perfect day!

_____________________________________

This blog lovingly brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

BACK IN THE SADDLE!

Well, it's been well over a month since my last post and I'm happy to say that I'm (hopefully) back to doing some regular posting. As the economy does it's funky dance I've had to go back to work at a "real" job, thus the absence. But, it's all good, just the hours are a little desperate right now as I've taken a position as Staff Accountant at a Wellington CPA office. So, through April 15th I might not make it on here as much as I would like. The good news is that I love the job and the office where I work and the people.....and that's a beautiful thing!

In these times, we do what we have to do to maintain a happy existence and for my hubby and me that meant me going back to work. I have no problem with that. I'm a big girl, and the hubs is a very hard worker so it works.

I still have the two websites, Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors, that I'm nurturing and growing, but it's just not enough right now. Someday I hope to relax in the glory of my two kick-ass wedding businesses, but until then I'm doing what needs to be done. So, it's all good!

If anyone out there is feeling the crunch and going back to work I'd love to hear from you. You can shoot me an email at katie@joyfulcelebrations.com. Maybe we should start a new blog about what we've had to do to "maintain".

As for me, I've been living the good life and following my dream. Here's a fabulous quote by Mark Twain that keeps me going...

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Right on, Mark!

_________________________________________

This blog joyfully brought to you by Joyful Celebrations, LLC!

SAVE THE DATE!

Have you set the date? Are you ready to begin the lovely experience of planning a wedding? If you are, be sure that everyone else is on the same page. What I mean is, even if your wedding is months or even a year or more away, make sure your guests are aware and prepared to commit to you and your date. How? With "Save The Date" cards and magnets, that's how.

A must have for every wedding, sent out months in advance, this little gem of a card let's your guests mark their calendar just for you and your big day. See this sample selection of fun and quirky save the date cards from Joyful Invitations, and make sure you make this a priority for your wedding!

Such a simple concept, what a great idea. Make your wedding an important affair to remember with a Save the Date card or magnet.

___________________________________________________

Lovingly brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

ECO-FRIENDLY WEDDING WEDDING!

Are you having a "green" wedding? I know I talked about eco-friendly wedding invitations a while back, but what about eco-friendly wedding favors? When it comes to invitations you can purchase custom invitations that are printed on recycled paper. It only makes sense that favors would be green too. This is a sampling of wonderful "green" wedding favors that will make your wedding eco-friendly.

Give your guests a commemorative symbol of how "Love Grows" with this collection of blossoming wild flowers. Embedded into every handmade favor is a lovely variety of wild flowers. When watered and cared for, your guests will adore these lovely living favors for months after your wedding day.

Bamboo is a symbol of luck and success because of its strength, resilience and ability to grow quickly. It is said that bamboo is luckiest when you receive it as a gift, which makes these beautiful, Natural Bamboo Coasters a thoughtful favor for almost any occasion!

Decidedly clever, sleek and simple, this unique favor adds a natural touch of romance to any table. Each stone is polished to a gleaming finish and carved with "Love." Colors and sizes vary but most stones range from a darker slate color to a translucent gold and are approximately 1.5" wide. All stones arrive in a silky white organza bag, and a matching "Love Rocks" personalized tag is also available.

Create the perfect seaside atmosphere by showing your guests to their seats with these beautiful authentic shell holders. Each dainty, shiny shell holds a placecard and guests can later use these keepsake shells to hold their own photos. A perfect memento for seaside events!Sold as a set of 6. Matching designer placecards included.

With every life event a seed is planted that, when given everything needed, will grow and blossom into something beautiful. Give your guests a commemorative symbol of

how "Love Grows" with this collection of blossoming wild flowers. Embedded into every handmade favor is a lovely variety of wild flowers. When watered and cared for, your guests will adore these lovely living favors for months after your event.

Whether it's seeds, stones, shells or bamboo....be sure to do your part and include eco-friendly favors as the perfect finishing touch!
___________________________________________________
Lovingly brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

DO YOU NEED A WEDDING PLANNER?

What about the wedding favors? What about the flowers? What about the invitations, the DJ, the photographer, the reception hall, the church, the food, the decorations, the cake, just to mention a few? Do you really need a planner to help you sort through all this? This is not a simple yes or no answer.

The first thing to consider is your wedding budget. If this is a large well funded affair I would certainly recommend finding a good wedding planner to assist you with all the details and keep everything on track. But, what about those of you feeling the crunch? What should you do? Amazingly enough a lot of planners are hoping to help those feeling the financial squeeze so it's worth it to call around and see what your local wedding planners have to say. These days, most are willing to work with you.

If you're well organized with time to spare and actually want to do it yourself, planning and instituting your own wedding can be a joyful experience! Just keep a good diary planner on hand and refer to it for every little thing and you'll do great! If you're not organized and have a smaller budget why not find a friend who's the organization-diva and ask her to step in and help. This works really well if she's already part of the wedding party!

Keeping track of all the details will put you on the right track to a successful, stress free (well almost) wedding. Happy planning!

______________________________________________________

Lovingly brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, the proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

SO MUCH INFORMATION!

Did you know that I write the wedding column for Best Ever You magazine? If you don't know you should definitely check it out. I answer real wedding questions from real readers, like you. In fact, last night's blog on "How Many Invitations Do I Need To Order?" was the article I wrote last month for January's issue.

Here's the thing, all this information, and more is on my website, Joyful Invitations where you can check out my Invitation Guide and FAQ for most of your invitation questions. However, no matter your wedding question, you can direct it to me at Best Ever You and I'll be happy to address the question in next months issue! You can watch for it here next month as Tip #2.

Thanks to everyone who's following me, and the wonderful brides from my invitation site. I am forever grateful to all of you!!!

________________________________________________

This blog lovingly brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

WEDDING ETIQUETTE!

Do you know the proper etiquette for your wedding? It's crazy trying to figure out all the proper ins and outs of having a wedding, especially a formal wedding. Going by the book keeps us steeped in the grandeur of tradition. In this day and age where even manners can be found missing it's glorious to see the splendor and timelessness of a wedding! However, do it right! Here is tip #1.

TIP #1

How many invitations do I need to order?

Question:
How many invitations should I order for my wedding?

Answer:
The first thing you’ll need to do to determine the number of invitations you’ll need to order is get your complete list together including addresses. If your list consists of 200 people, you don’t need to order 200 invitations. You’ll need to only order one invitation per married couple. If they have children under the age of 18 the children may be included on the parents’ invitation listed under the parents name on the inner envelope. If there are children over 18 you must send a separate invitation to each child. If you’re inviting a man and woman living together, but not married, you may send one invitation listing the woman’s name first.

Question:

Should I order extra invitations?

Answer:
I always recommend ordering 25 more than you need for last minute additions to your guest lists, and other mailing mishaps that can occur. It’s less expensive to order an additional 25 on you initial order, rather than ordering 25 more at a later date.

Question:
What’s the best way to select my font and ink color for the invitation I choose?

Answer:
You can always use the recommended font and color that comes with the invitation as you place your order. However, you do have the option to select something different and really personalize your invitations. When you place your order you can experiment with different fonts and inks and view them on the virtual proof to see which one really suits your like and needs.

Ordering invitations is a crucial part of the wedding process. Remember, your invitations set the mood and theme for the entire wedding so you’ll want to take your time and find the perfect invitation ensemble to meet your needs.

____________________________________________________

This blog brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!

NEW! BRIDE AND GROOM LABELS!

I love it when new product arrives, expecially when it's these very cool and very stylish personalized "Bride and Groom Labels". Just think, a new bridal couple, a new bridal address..."Bride and Groom Labels" are perfect for the new Mr & Mrs.

________________________________________________________

This blog brought to you by Joyful Celebrations LLC, proud owner of Joyful Invitations and Joyful Party Favors!