Come Party With Me: Wedding — Invite

A couple of weeks ago I planned an engagement party for my friend Elena, and this week, the saga continues with her wedding. During the process, I'll feature my tips and ideas on how to host a fabulous wedding, so interpret them to your own liking. Elena and her fiancé are hosting a destination wedding in Lake Tahoe. Both the ceremony and reception will take place at a friend's house that overlooks the lake. The wedding isn't until October '09, so we have plenty of time to make and send the invitations. Elena's colors are orange and fuchsia with wood and khaki accents. To see how I made these earthy, elegant invites, read more.

You will need the following supplies to make similar invites:

• Three envelopes of the same size
• cardstock in two different colors
• decorative paper
• colored printer paper
• glue stick
• scissors — regular and scalloped edged
• ribbon
• branch-shaped hole punch
• computer and printer

To assemble the invite:

1. Create a new document in Microsoft Word. Write out the details of the wedding. The wording on an invite is very important. Since Elena and Sean are hosting the wedding themselves, their parents' names are not included in the text. I used Edwardian Script ITC in size 16 to write the following message:
   

   Elena Rebecca Osterreicher
   And
   Sean Gary Trapp
   Invite you to join them at a ceremony that celebrates love and joy.
   The exchange of their wedding vows.

   Saturday, the 11^th of October, 2009
   At 4:00 in the afternoon.

   The Carousel Estate
   West Shore, Lake Tahoe, California

   Dinner and dancing to follow.

   Print out on plain paper and check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Make sure the bride approves of the text. Print out on the colored paper and set aside.



2. Since the wedding is a destination wedding, the invite includes information on where to stay and a schedule of possible activities to attend during the big weekend. A map explaining the exact location of the wedding is also important. Write the details out as clearly as possible. Here's what mine say:
   

   Places to Sleep

   The Sunnyside Resort
   (530) 583-7200
   http://www.sunnysideresort.com

   Plumpjack Inn
   530-583-1576
   http://www.plumpjacksquawvalleyinn.com

   Granlibakken Resort
   877-552-6301
   http://www.granlibakken.com/

   Please join us at one or all of these events!

   Arrival Dinner
   Thursday, October 9, 2008
   Moody’s Bistro and Lounge
   8:00 p.m.

   Boating Barbeque
   Friday, October 10, 2008
   Disembarks at 11a.m.
   From the West Shore dock

   Rehearsal Dinner
   Friday, October 10, 2008
   The Carousel Estate
   7:00 p.m.

   Day-After Brunch
   Sunday, October 12, 2008
   Plumpjack Inn
   10:30 a.m.

   I will attend: __ Arrival Dinner __ Boating Barbeque
   __ Rehearsal Dinner __ Day After Brunch
   __ Wedding Ceremony
   Carnivore or Vegetarian?
   

   Print out on plain paper and check for errors. When satisfied with the wording, print out on the colored paper. Set aside.

3. Carefully, remove the upper half of two of the envelopes to make a sleeve.



4. Seal the third envelope and cover with the decorative paper. Line the inside of the side panels with the decorative paper and set aside. Turn over the sealed and covered envelope and glue the top flaps of the two other envelopes to the back. You are creating a three-piece folding panel.
5. Cut the cardstock down to 1/4 of an inch smaller than the folded-closed invite. You need three pieces. One for the center and two for the sides. To add depth I used pink cardstock for the outer panels and orange for the main center panel.



6. With the scalloped scissors, cut the text pages out. These should be roughly 1/4 of an inch smaller than the colored-cardstock pieces.
7. Mount the text on to the colored cardstock with the glue. Set aside to dry.



8. With the branch-shaped hole punch, punch out a bunch of branches on the remaining colored cardstock. Open the hole puncher and empty the cut-out branches onto your work space.



9. Glue to the text/cardstock in an attractive pattern. I put them on the edges of each part of the invite.
10. Glue the center text cardstock to the middle panel of the invite. Slide the map and schedule cardstock into the side sleeves. Fold to close.
11. Glue a few more branches to the front, if desired. Tie closed with the ribbon, forming a pretty bow. Set aside.



12. Line the inside of another envelope with decorative paper. Slide the folded invite inside and send addressed in your best handwriting.

For more fabulous wedding ideas check out IDoSugar!