Image Credit: Magnolia Rouge

It’s February. Every bride, groom and wedding planner in Calgary (and around the world) is on the phone, locking in plans. With spring weddings just two months away and those big summer month’s right around the corner, it’s no surprise that suddenly brides everywhere have hand cramps from writing deposit cheques.  Soon, our faithful Canadian mail carriers will be delivering sweet smelling envelopes to excited Grandma’s everywhere.

Wedding stationary is another task I have found a little bit daunting – I went into the process a little empty handed in the preconceived vision department. I thought (well, hoped and wished) you just went in knowing your colours and a rough idea of your numbers and voila! Like some sort of magic machine, you entered your venue, your wedding style and it matched you up with a paper texture and out popped the perfect invitation.

For me, invitations caused the second case of a new disease I have self-diagnosed myself with – W.I.P. Wedding Indecision Paralysis. I know I’m not alone in this affliction and having successfully recovered from it, I dedicate this post to educating brides on how to avoid WIP when it comes to stationary.

Image Credit: The Perfect Palette

Know your colours

Sounds so simple, I know. But instead of trying to articulate your perfect aubergine, head to your local paint or hardware store to pick up some paint samples of your colours. Grab 4 or 5 copies of each colour to keep in your purse. That way, you have them on hand when you visit the baker, the florist or the stationary shop.  Your stationary colours don’t have to match your wedding colours exactly – maybe you have one dominant colour that is a consistent through line, but your invitations reflect a more traditional side or a quirkier side. For great colour combinations, check out The Perfect Palette for buckets of ideas and inspiration.

Know your numbers

Another duh but I thought I would mention it because (surprise surprise) I didn’t know our numbers when we went in.  80 Save the Dates = 80 Invitations = 160 place cards = roughly 14 – 16 table numbers (assuming the Bridal Party understands where they sit) = well, how many programs do you want? *gulp* Ordering your invitations from a shop that specializes in wedding stationary means that their staff will be able to advise you. They are the experts on understanding ordering numbers as well as showing you great examples of stationary based on your venue, theme and formality. Vistaprint.com cannot do that for you.

Image Credit: Poptastic Bride

Know what products you want

You know you want invitations. But everything else could technically be deemed non-essential.  You don’t have to have escort cards, you can make your own Table Board and your program could be done on a single 8.5 x 11 that sits in a pretty frame on the table near the guest book. Just because a shop offers every piece of stationary imaginable does not mean you have to buy it. Here’s a great post from theknot.com offering a checklist of different stationary products so you can get an idea of what you’d like beforehand.

Know your budget

This is where knowing what products you want will come in handy-dandy. Avoid getting carried away by doing some rough numbers before you head into the store. Take a no-fuss no-muss friend with you whose job it is to politely say “No, thank you” and pinch your arm when you try and order menus for every place setting with each individual’s name hand written in calligraphy using ink from the Swiss Alps.

Image Credit: BoHo Bride UK

Know your fella

Is he going to like the lace border you just picked out? Is he going to adore the graphic design of a puppy with a big bow around his neck chasing butterflies? If you can’t take him with you – or if you can’t drag him kicking and screaming – don’t take the opportunity to have things done your way. Show him some pictures before hand and at least get him to tell you styles that he likes so you can work out a happy compromise. The same goes for you – do your homework.  Cut out a few photos of stationary that you like, or maybe you’ve received invitations from other weddings that you thought were quite sharp. Have some ideas in mind when you head in.

Image Credit: LoveYourWay.net

Last but not least – remember that people tend to keep your wedding invitation as a keepsake and not much else. So no, you don`t need ribbon weaved from unicorn hair for your programs and you don`t need six different pieces of paper to make the enclosure cards. Keep your wits about you! For beautiful Calgary stationary stores, The Wedding Fair website has a listing of places that were at the show this year, complete with links to their websites, which is the perfect place to start.

My engagement photos are booked for next weekend and naturally (aside from being paralyzed from indecision of what I am going to wear), I have been doing my homework and studying up other couple’s photos to get some ideas. I love how engagement photos are such a true reflection of people – it’s not the same dress up, extravagant affair as your wedding. You can just relax and be – you. On engagement photo day, couples are their best versions of their natural, everyday selves – makes so much sense, non?

My Valentine's gift, a pendant by local Calgarian jewellery designer Cinder & Sage www.cinderandsage.com

But still, engagement photos are a very important time – they are photos that you will show off to your grandchildren and will hang in a place of pride at your parents’ house. So I got to thinking – how can you be the best version of your everyday self and still give your photos a special feel? After all – it’s not like you’re at the grocery store or a Sunday brunch, the occasion does call for a little something extra.

After admiring my fancy Valentine’s gift my fiancé got me, it hit me. Duh! A piece of fantastic jewellery –that makes you feel like it’s a special day, not just another Sunday brunch. You don’t get many chances to live out your Top Model dreams, especially in front of a professional photographer so take the opportunity to show off, just a little at least.

So where to start. An independently owned boutique will always have new and interesting stuff that no one else is carrying. It can have a heavier price tag but the exclusivity is worth it – you will be forever asked where you got it. Venture outside your comfort zone and try stores you’ve never been to. Set a budget and go exploring!

I had a chance to chat with Maelan Mezzarobba, owner of Maelan and she had a wonderful suggestion:  think of this piece of jewellery as an heirloom piece that is a little bit bold, a lot unique and speaks to your style. When you are looking at pieces, try and picture them as something that you will wear yearly on your anniversary or even better, something your daughter gets to wear on the most special of special days.

I love love love that idea, mostly because I am a sucker for tradition and find it, the entire idea, a bit romantic. In like 60 years, your granddaughter wearing that necklace in her engagement photos? SO. GOOD. All of these pieces can be found at Maelan, off the corner of 17th Ave and 4th St SW.

My next step was a arranging a coffee date with Stella & Dot consultant Amy Lynn Strilchuk to get a better idea of what’s trending. Stella & Dot offers a huge selection of pieces at a wide range of prices. Their collection is  trendy and casual – so perfect to match up with your favourite sweater. What does Amy Lynn suggest?

What’s most important is that a bride elevates her look; that the shoot is true to her current sense of style but the overall effect is amplified.  Take these two different spins on a ladylike look: create a modern-edge from pieces like Colette (necklace) and Petra (bracelet) or pair La Coco collection pearls with a sweet enamel bracelet for more vintage flair.

Love it love it love it – and what’s great about Stella & Dot is that they come to you, so you can check out what pieces you love and have Amy Lynn over to discuss the style of your shoot. That way, you’ll find just the right sparkle and shine (and maybe something extra).

All these pieces are from Forever XXI

But the bold and the unique is not up everyone’s alley – stores like Zara, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Jacob and Forever XXI, go – be inspired and wear something fun and funky but feel comfortable. So get out there – do a little research on a new shopping district (Kensington, Bridgeland, Marda Loop), grab a coffee, a bridesmaid and get going! You never know what gems you’re going to find.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – weddings trends are a fine line. It’s not just picking a bunch of trends you like – you could like birch logs, gargoyles and rhinestones, but that doesn’t mean you should saturate your wedding with them. With trends, you always run the risk of dating your wedding but like puffy shoulders, taffeta bridesmaid dresses and tuxes with tails, some things will date your wedding more obviously than others.

So not only am I telling you to pull back on trends (instead of doing what we all really want and put every amazing thing we’ve ever seen in a room and hope it looks fantastic), but I’m also telling you to wonder if you’ll hate it in five years.  And now I’m going to tell you there’s no need to stress so much – as long as you are a bit strategic of how you incorporate trends, you won’t be using too much of a good thing.

Today we’ll explore the trend of vintage lace and some unique, easy (as in DIY if you dare), cost effective and subtle ways to bring it into your wedding.

Lace Inspiration  Board

• Lace Stencilled Framed Song Lyrics

I do not think I could love this any more than I already do. First off – what a fantastic idea. Framing song lyrics that are special to your and fiancé, and giving them out as favours. It has a fantastic personal touch and if you were having a smaller wedding, you could even personalize each favour.

And the lace stencilling is genius – great for a crafty DIY bride or even better, great for a handy man husband to be. Let him get his hands dirty by painting the frames while you sip coffee and pick the song lyrics. It can be a great project for the two of you to do together and brag about how artsy and creative you both are. Be proud of what you create together – the wedding crafts are a metaphor for the life you’re about to create together (kind of lame but true!)

And of course, frames can be painted whatever colours you want to match your wedding palette. Love. It.

Photo source: www.leethal.net

• Make a lace hand band

Even the girls at Ruffled are obsessed with this. What’s great about a lace head band in your hair at your wedding is it could be your something borrowed, your something old OR your something new (if for some reason you are wearing nothing else new…?). They are delicate and beautifully detailed – if you find a large piece of vintage lace you like, you can dye some of it to match your bridesmaids ensembles and have them wear one too (or is that too matchy-matchy?).

Aren’t particularly interested in a head band? How about a lace bracelet, also tres chic at the moment.

Photo Source: Ruffled

Photo Source: Future Girl

But what did I come up with when I put my crafty little DIY mind to it?

• Lace covered paper lantern

I have been messing around with paper lanterns a lot for my wedding, because I love the warm glow they give off. What’s great about lace is that it’s transparent and dye able, so it is fairly easy to match to your colours.  They are great to hang along the perimetre of your room, or maybe you are having an outdoor wedding and they can be hung from trees or porch roofs. Or maybe they can even substitute for your centre pieces – it’s whatever you like as long as it’s not too much. The materials all are available in Calgary, you can find paper lanterns in China town, IKEA and probably a zillion other places (if you have a hot tip on where find yours, share on our Facebook wall already!)

Here is the lace covered paper lantern I whipped off – check out instructions along with how-to-photos on the lace covered paper lantern I made at here, at the Coffee Filter Bride. I’m a huge DIY gal so send along your projects – would love love love to see them!

Source: CoffeeFilterBride.com