If you’re looking to save some money on your wedding budget, consider doing your own invitations by downloading FREE, customizable templates. Check out some of these gorgeous options. (Click the image to go to the download site.)
Find the perfect paper to match your vision and print away. Or, choose a standard stock with a service like Vista Print to print them all at once.
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If your guest list is starting to get out of control, it might be time to assess the plus-one scenario. This can be a bit of a touchy subject for guests, so tread lightly.
- Consider your guest list. Take an inventory. How many singles are there? If it’s a small list, you can expect minimal cost versus a big impact with those guests. Allow the plus-one and be done with it. If the list is bigger, do a mock seating chart to see if there’s enough singles to fill out tables with other singles (preferably that they know) so as not to leave them as the odd man out with pairs.
- Consider the cost. Do you have room in the budget for an extra 50 people? That means an additional 50 meals, table space, linens, centerpieces and wedding favours. It can turn into a huge expense for 50 people you may or may not know.
- Consider their feelings. How would you feel if it was you? The comfort of your guests should be your priority. If you suspect your single friends might dread your wedding, it may be time to re-allocate some wedding funds to the plus-one budget.
- Be consistent. Not all relationships are at the same stage. Some guests are engaged, some are living together, and some other relationships are not so clear. Choose a rule and stick to it. Maybe you’ll institute a global “no ring, no bring” rule. Maybe it’s plus-one for the wedding party only, or for immediate family only, or perhaps for those travelling from out-of-town, or for those over a certain age. Whatever you decide, stick to it and ensure your invitations are clear. I can’t stress this enough. Sometimes guests will see or hear what they want to see or hear. Address to single names on the envelope if not allowing plus ones. On the RSVP, limit the number attending by writing in the field for that invitation.
If you choose to limit plus-one guests and are invariably being asked why, be honest and cite budget constraints, venue capacity or your parents’ never-ending guest list.
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Traditional wedding invitations are timeless. They never go out of style. Whatever the theme of your wedding, you can’t go wrong with a classic invite. The internet is full of templates, but coming up with your own is quick, easy and fun. You’ll spend almost as much time agonizing over the font as you will your gown. We’ve collected our favourite 5 free fonts for you to practice with.
1. Jenna Sue – download font here.
2. Housegrind – download font here.
3. Scriptina – download font here.
4. Wolf in the City – download font here.
5. Nazeefa – download font here.
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DIY isn’t for everyone. But if you have champagne tastes on a Kool-Aid budget it might be time to take stock of what you can do yourself and what you can’t. Doing things yourself can save you a lot of money which can help divert more of your budget to the things that matter most to you. It also affords you limitless creativity and imagination.
Before you even begin, ask yourself the tough questions… do I have the skills to do a good job? Will I have the time, and will the effort actually be worth the savings? Will my wedding party help? And of course, do I really need this (insert item) at my wedding?
What types of things can you do yourself? That depends on your skillset. If you’re a master baker, then the cake is a no-brainer. If you’re a seamstress extraordinaire, perhaps you’ll have a go at your gown. If you have a green thumb accompanied with acres of blooming perennials, you’ll likely have all the fresh-cut flowers you need. If you are none of these things, not to worry, there are several DIY wedding projects that can be cost-effective, fun, and fairly easy to do. They can also be a bit time-consuming, but for the budget-conscious bride and groom, time is easier spent than money.
Invitations. You don’t even need to leave the comfort of your home to start designing those. There are plenty of websites that offer free templates, wording examples, and offer downloadable instructions. You can also go a less traditional route and consider an invitation video that is emailed (or provided on a memory stick) to your invite list.
Photo Courtesy of Etsy
Flowers/Centerpieces. Mason jars, vases, and other interesting containers are sold in masses at your local dollar store. If fresh flowers are out of the budget, consider silk flowers. Michaels craft store often has seasonal sales that offer anywhere from 30-70% off their silk flower assortments. Bouquets and boutonnières can also be made yourself with a little creativity, floral wire and tape.
Wedding favours. You can make your own soaps, candles, lip balm, wine or anything else you want to share with friends and family as a momento of your special day.
DJ your own wedding. Think iPod… rigged to some serious speakers. Creating a wedding playlist gives you total control over the musical choices. The MC or a member of the wedding party can be assigned to sound in order to keep an eye on it.
Don’t let DIY wedding projects intimidate you. Do “one of’s” to get a feel for how it looks and if it speaks to your overall theme. Also, make sure you don’t leave your DIY projects to the last minute. If you’re ordering in supplies, get them months in advance incase something goes wrong with shipping. Most importantly, have a little fun. It will be a great deal of work, but in the end, when you look around on your wedding day and see all the beautiful things you created and how much money you saved, it’ll be worth it.
– Catherine Thorpe
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Chess is an old game that involves strategy and foresight. Some people play casually while others are more competitive with their hobby. If you’re a fan of the game or simply looking for a fun way to dress up your black and white wedding , here are some ideas to help you find a little inspiration.
Cake Topper
Photo courtesy of AnimalCakeToppers/Etsy
For your cake topper, instead of the traditional bride and groom figurines, try a more abstract approach. Use the king and queen, the ruling pair on the board, as stand-ins for you and your significant other. Real chess pieces are optional – you can request custom made pieces from some craftspeople to add a bit of personal flair.
Guest Entertainment
Photo courtesy of Uber Games via TieTheKnotOnTheHighStreet.com
If there’s a celebration going on, there needs to be some guest entertainment. Music, dancing, and good-old conversation are the usual go-to amusements found at weddings. However, you can add that extra bit of fun to your special day using a large-scale chess board for your guests. Use giant chess pieces or act as the pieces yourselves!
Chess Piece Place Setters and Centrepieces
Photo courtesy of GreenWeddingShoes.com
Chess pieces make very good place-marker holders. Cut a slit in the top for your cards or purchase some ready-mades. These will definitely make sure your guests know where their seats are, especially if you’ve designated certain pieces to certain people. You can also use candles in the shape of chess pieces as part of your centrepiece to keep the chess motif going!
Guest Invitations
Photo courtesy of zazzle.ca
Your wedding invitations can serve as a sneak peak to your guests as to what they’ll be in store for. Snazzy custom designs certainly make a statement, and they’ll be sure to stand out in your invitees minds – something you want, if they’re to remember the date!
– Samantha Muraca
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For some people, books are an occasional time killer when they’re on break or waiting for their flight. For others, books are their life. If this sounds like you or your significant other, why not take that passion and use it as inspiration for your wedding venue? It’ll make for a more personal and significant celebration!
Love at the Library
Photo courtesy of Love by Serena Wedding Photography via UnitedWithLove.com
For the dedicated bookworm, the library is often a home away from home. Some libraries are small and quaint while others are old and grand in their architecture. The George Peabody Library in Baltimore pictured above, for example, rents their space out to loving couples looking to tie the knot. So, small or large and depending on your location, a library is a creative and beautiful place to celebrate your day.
Book-Themed Centrepieces
Photo courtesy of Love by Serena Wedding Photography via UnitedWithLove.com
It would seem only fitting that a bookworm’s wedding venue feature book‐themed centrepieces. Use anything book‐related you can think of, from loose pages, favourite novels, book ends, and library filing cabinets for a makeshift flower vase. You can even use those books as potential wedding favours, depending on your guests’ literary tastes.
A Library Card Wedding Invitation
Photo courtesy of TheRedStarDesigns/Etsy
Many people remember those old library cards with all those names and dates scribbled on them. Try making your wedding invitations using the same format! It’s fun, retro, and serves to give your guests a small hint as to what they should expect from the main event!
A Book Arch
Photo courtesy of Rubin Photography via APracticalWedding.com
Any bookworm can tell you that when you run out of shelf room, you start making book piles. Even a nightstand can become a book pile, depending on if you like reading more than one book at a time. Try taking this little quirk of dedicated reading and use a book arch. This is essentially what happens when you pile them together. Symbolic enough?
– Samantha Muraca, Contributor
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Wedding invitations have never been more beautiful! Invitation designers are now often graphic designers and can create works of art for you to hand out to your guests before your wedding. Every couple can have an invitation catered to them that is unique and tailored to the couple’s design. However, many couples know little about this fascinating industry. Recently, I sat down with Erin Flannery, a graphic designer who specializes in unique, modern wedding invitations to find out the facts about what couples should know when speaking with an invitation designer. (more…)
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