In Love with Letterpress

OWD — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:19:51 -0400

Real OurWeddingDay.com brides, sharing their personal planning experiences.

Letterpress. It’s so beautiful. Words pressed into lush paper. It’s a gorgeous concept. I adore letterpress. What I don’t love is letterpress prices. $1,000 - $3,000 or more for invitations. I don’t think so! But still, I wanted it. And just when I had given up hope of having beautiful letterpress invitations, I saw a great deal. You have to look for deals. Find a company you love or read some blogs and you can find great deals. Sometimes the company will offer a promotion. It’s good to wait and do your homework. I stumbled upon my great deal.

A blog I read regularly posted a discount of 50% on letterpress invitations. I knew it was too early for invites, but I had my venues booked and the date set. So, I jumped on the deal and got 50 stunning 2 color invitations from Peculiar Pair Press for $450. Now, I didn’t get RSVP (but the green-chic girl in me was doing them by our wedding website, text, phone, or email anyway). I didn’t get anything but beautiful invitations and beautiful envelopes. But it was worth the money. And I have many months to address my invitations by hand and work on my calligraphy.

Now let's talk food and flowers: I knew I wanted a sit down dinner. I also knew that I couldn’t afford to pay for steak and all kinds of fancy tidbits that no one really wants to eat or gets full on. So, I pondered. My Italian roots kicked in and I remembered the great REAL homemade Italian place in my town that makes a killer pizza. So, I called them. I could get enough pizza and breadsticks to feed my guests for about $150. Score. So, then, I decided to get the salad, pasta, and drinks from my caterer. It so fit in my budget and she will take care of coordination, linens, rentals, china, and glassware. Done.

Flowers were the next thing. I wanted my bouquet to be soft and full of my favorite flowers (roses, ranunculus, peonies, and white lavender). I knew it would not be cheap. So, I am getting a florist to make my bouquet. BUT I am getting all my other flowers (which I am using only marginally in conjunction with books, Christmas balls, candles, and greenery) wholesale and making simple arrangements in vases. It will safe me tons of money.

I hope these tips can help you brainstorm ways to cut costs and still get what you want.

-Amy

Tuesdays with Ty

OWD — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:54:05 -0500

Ty Williams, a member of the OurWeddingDay.com team, is in the midst of planning her wedding, and sharing her unique perspective with you in our new weekly feature, Tuesdays with Ty.

Hello fellow B-2-Bs!

Ty here blogging to you today from our nation's Capitol, along with millions of other folks witnessing first-hand the inauguration of our 44th President of the United States of America. It's chilly, but well worth it to be part of history. Now before I get too carried away with my patriotism, let me get back to our official business as brides...wedding planning!

Here is the back story on the proposal...

Jon and I were next-door neighbors when we met in New York City's upper west side. Our first date was in my apartment on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2004 when we ordered pizza...

Well four years later, we were able to celebrate our anniversary on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving again, but this time around we had a shot at a dining experience with a lot more glitz and glamour than Big Nick's Pizza. A good friend of mine, Odetta King, is a sales manager for the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel right off of Central Park and she'd always raved about the restaurant there and as fate would have it we landed a reservation.

We sipped the house wine and enjoyed what is now one of our favorite dishes of all time, Mrs. Helmsley's Chopped Salad. Before our main courses arrived Jon said three words I think I'll never forget, "close your eyes." Needless to say when I opened my eyes there was a gorgeous ring on my finger and between crying and hyperventilating (yes, publicly) I managed to say "yes" to the big question.

Now the engagement ring...that's another story, so come back next week and I'll give you the scoop.

Best,

The OurWeddingDay Blog

In Love with Letterpress

Tuesdays with Ty