Ask any wedding professional and they’ll tell you that invitations set the tone for your wedding. And boy, have invitation choices expanded in the last few decades. Gone are the days when couples had a choice of three invitation styles in standard black, white or ecru. Now, there are numerous types of printing methods in a variety of colors. Here’s a quick overview of the types of invitation printing:

Engraved Wedding Invitations - Engraving is the most traditional form of wedding invitation printing, and one of the most expensive. Text is etched onto a copper plate, which is then coated with ink and wiped clean, leaving the ink only in the indentations. Soft, high-quality paper is pressed hard against the plate, causing it to deform into the etchings, resulting in raised, crisp text.

Thermography - Thermography was developed as a less expensive alternative to engraving. The printer uses ink and a powder resin combined with heat to reproduce the raised lettering effect of engraving. The text has a shiny finish and is often said to not be as sharp as engraving.

Letterpress - This old-fashioned technique has become popular again. A letterpress printer presses inked letters or designs into a piece of paper, forming an indented surface. By repeating the process, he or she can create images with more than one color. Many people appreciate the tactile nature of letterpress, although some dislike its lack of crispness.

Embossing or Blind Embossing - Most often used for small insignias, monograms, or return addresses, this process creates a raised impression on paper by running the paper through two metal sheets. When no ink is used, it is called "blind" embossing.

Offset Printing - Most modern printing is offset printing, also known as lithography. From magazines to postcards, this flat style of printing is a familiar one, and appropriate for an informal wedding invitation. Traditionally, an inked image is transferred from an inked plate to a rubber "blanket", which is then passed over the paper.

Happy Planning!
Kourtney

Weddings to Celebrate: Christine & Brian

Christine & Brian tied the knot in November at University Christian Church and had their beautiful reception at the Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel. Jessica handled the planning on this wedding and I had the absolute privilege of taking over on the day-of. Below are some images captured by the amazing Tyler Schmitt of The Mill Photography Studio.

Christine & Brian- I had such a great time working with you guys! You are such an amazing couple and it truly was a pleasure to get to know you :)

Lauren

Cast of Vendors:

Church: University Christian Church

Venue: Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel

Coordinator: Something to Celebrate, Jessica Moore & Lauren Carrillo

Photographer: The Mill Photography Studio, Tyler Schmitt

Videographer: Spinning Leaf Films

Florist: Petal Pushers

Reception Music: Full Circle Media

Cake: Simon Lee Bakery

Ice Cream: Amy's Ice Cream

Photo booth: Say Cheese

Transportation: Transportation Consultants

Pedicab: Capital Pedicab

Hair: Jeni Hoover

Makeup: Adrienne Pitkin

'Tis the Season to Plan Your Wedding

The holidays are a time when many couples become engaged. Maybe that's you and you're wondering what the first steps in planning should be...or maybe you've been engaged for a while but you haven't exactly gotten the ball rolling on everything yet. Whatever the case may be, here are some of the first things you should do when you first start planning your big day:

1) Announce your engagement. First tell those closest to you - your family and friends. Then share it with the world - throw an engagement party and/or print an announcement in the paper. If you want to be very 21st-century, launch a wedding website (check out this post by Jacklyn dedicated to doing just that).

2) Buy an agenda. Even if you're not typically one to carry around a huge planner detailing every minute of your day (or maybe especially if you're not), you're going to need some way to track all the meetings, appointments, information, and decisions over the next several months. Starting off by keeping everything written down in one place will help you stay less stressed throughout the entire process.

3) Set the date. You've probably already realized that the first thing people ask you when they hear that you're engaged is, "When is the wedding?!" If you're going to have a long engagement and aren't too worried about setting the date, don't stress yourself out about it. But its pretty difficult to move forward with the rest of your plans until you at least have a pretty good idea of when the special day will be. Next up (as far as the actual planning goes): set the budget and pick your venue.

4) ENJOY! No matter how long you are engaged (weeks, months, or more than a year), there will never be another time like this in your relationship. Make sure to schedule time for the two of you to have fun together (without focusing on your wedding), but enjoy the planning process as well. Many of us have spent our entire lives dreaming about our future weddings, but even if you haven't - and planning something of this importance does not sound enjoyable - figure out what will make this time pleasant for you and do it. One of my favorite ideas is to buy a journal dedicated to writing down special memories from this time that you can look back on for years to come.

And of course, we're here to help you with the entire process - from beginning to end. Enjoy your engagement and Merry Christmas!

-Holly

Sign Here, Please

Guestbooks. It seems the days of a book with lined pages where guests only sign their names are gone and brides are trying to come up with the most creative way for guests to sign in, and why not? It can be such a personal reminder of the people who shared your wedding day with you. I think it's a sweet idea to have your guests sign something that can double as a decoration in your home. If you're sappy like me, then you will love the idea of your friends and family writing a personal note with marriage advice or a special wish, or a specific memory about you and your husband as a couple. The options are endless!

--Katie

Photos from marthastewartweddings.com and etsy.com

Hellooo Jack Frost

With winter finally hitting the Houston area and Christmas break near, how can anyone not think of Hot Cocoa and Tea!! In Celebration of COLD weather I thought of having a “Keep Warm Party” for my close female friends. These ideas would work great on your children’s first day off for Christmas break, or for your own “Keep Warm Party”. Just add them to your Hot Cocoa and Tea Bar or your children’s sweets station:

Keep Warm Décor:

Adult:

1.) Pearl Snowballs-

What you will need:
-Styrofoam Balls (different sizes)
-Clear Glue & paint brush
-Plastic Pearls
-Ribbon or string

Take Styrofoam balls in different sizes and brush clear glue onto them. Next sprinkle plastic pearls on the Styrofoam balls until completely covered. That’s it!

You can do variations of this idea by using glitter instead of plastic pearls. For a non-sticky version try using push pins with pearl accents instead of glue and plastic pearls. You can then place your finished balls on a serving platter around your favorite scented candles as a centerpiece*. You can also hang these balls at different lengths above your food or drink station by placing the ribbon or string through the Styrofoam balls before decorating them.

2.) Campfire Pots-

What you will need:
-Clay pots
-Small filler size stones
-Tea lights

Place some of the small stones down in the pots then add a tea light to the center. Add more stones until the metal sides of the tea lights are hidden.

*make sure there is a barrier between the candles and the plastic pearls, as not to have a melted mess.

Children:

1.) To make the Snow Balls kid friendly have them help you make them using glitter. You can even have them help you make snow men with the various sizes. Attach the snow man to a small painted cardboard square, to have him become a centerpiece.

2.) To make the “Campfire Pots” more kid friendly switch out the small tea lights for flameless tea lights. Have them help you collect small twigs from the yard to add to the pot to make them more realistic.

Keep Warm Eats & Drinks:

Adult:

1.) Snowman shooters-

The recipe for these cute little shooters I found on Babble.com… To make them a little more adult add Baileys Irish Cream to the shooter.

Adults & Children:

1.) White Chocolate & Hot fudge drizzle Trail mix-

photo Credit: midwestliving.com

Combine your own assortment of nuts, pretzels, and M&M’s. Next combine your mix to your melted white chocolate and drizzle the hot fudge on top. Serve warm or section of mixture into individual containers for children to have while watching their favorite Christmas movie.

2.) Marshmallow Dippers-

photo credit: goodhousekeeping.com

What you will need:
-Marshmallows
-Hot Fudge
-Stiff Straws and Straight Candy Canes

Stick the Straws into the flat tops of the Marshmallows then dip the opposite sides into melted hot fudge and let them dry. For a peppermint twist replace the straws with the candy cane sticks. Serve these Dippers alongside your cups of Hot Cocoa.

Hope these collected ideas will allow you to enjoy the cold weather in a warm way =)

-Crystal

photo credit: http://www.guardian.co.uk

Twilight - You Know this Post had to Happen

Okay, I'm going to admit it. I am a HUGE Twilight fan. I've read all four books (some several times), and I've been waiting anxiously for what seems like forever for Breaking Dawn to premiere. And yes...that was me. The 33 year-old in loungewear and no makeup (along with two great friends) at the midnight showing on November 18th. Don't judge me. It was totally worth it.

I'm around weddings a LOT; therefore, the ceremony scenes weren't as emotional for me as they seem to be for others in the theater. However, what I did pay careful attention to (besides the decor) was the gown. Much like Princess Catherine, Bella (or for the fans out there - Alice, really) chose a long-sleeve number. Unlike The Princess though, the gown was uber form-fitting, and had an amazing sheer cutout at the back.

I predict we will see a LOT more long-sleeve creations coming in from the designers (we are already starting to). And really...we need them. It seems like 95% of the gowns are there are strapless ... a girl needs options. My guess is we will also see more high neck - low back styles around as well :-)




Happy shopping!!