This-is-almost-it-moment: Wedding Invitations!

I can’t believe we’re at this point already! We’ve finally sent our invitation design to the printer and will wait for the finished invites to arrive in 10 days. We’ll be sending them out to our guests soon OMG. :))

We braved the streets of Recto last Saturday to find the trusted printer who will take care of our invites. It was kind of a weird feeling because the last time I was there, I was in my ugly UST uniform with a classmate who's now my bridesmaid, looking for some cheap, used books for class. All of a sudden, I was there  searching for the people who will make my wedding invitations. Time sure flies. :))

Anyway, the fiancé’s dad recommended J-CeF Printing to us, because they were satisfied with what they provided for the fiancé’s sister who's also getting married soon.

It helps that all the stores show their names like this because they all look the same

Pile of invite samples at super cheap prices.

Ms. Tess, the one who accommodated our order.

 A very HD blurred photo of the fiance being the graphic artist.

Wall-full of invitation templates!

I’m excited and a bit edgy at the same time because in a few days we’ll be officially inviting the world to our wedding. But it also makes me feel uneasy when I think about the probable mishaps that could happen during the printing process – like what if the invites don’t come out exactly like how the fiancé designed? Hay, right now I can only cross my fingers, hoping the invites will turn out perfect!

Total cost: Php 6,125 / 150 sets (Php 41 each)

- 5x7 invitation, set of 4 pages

- combination of embossed and computerized texts

- includes ribbon belt and monogram enclosure

J-CeF Printing Press and General Merchandise

1841 CM Recto, Manila

jcefprinting@yahoo.com

493-3233/4938257

Update: October 13 '12

We picked up the invitations this afternoon and were pretty satisfied with the result. I can't 100% rave about the outcome though, because there were some details that weren't achieved. The fiance was particular about his design so he noticed color discrepancies between the soft copy and the printout, which I luckily didn't notice. Or maybe we just set our expectations high that's why we were being so OC about it. Anyway, I think we'll just let it go. After all, I doubt if our guests would even know that there's a tiny bit of  mishap with our invites.:)

Supplier rating: I'd still give J-Cef an 8 out of 10 for 1) being able to produce exactly what we have in mind; 2) their very affordable rate; 3) their timely delivery.

DIY: Rustic Table Numbers

What good is a reception without a nice, theme-inspired centerpiece? That's why I'm bringing another wedding element made with love---table numbers! Making these is definitely one of the easiest among all the DIY projects we’ve done so far. These vintage-looking framed table markers only took a trip to the surplus shop, a spree in the bookstore for some craft supplies, and a visit to the hardware store. I let the fiancé take charge in this one though, because he was accusing me of not knowing how to use the spray paint. Whatevs.

Anyway, we used wooden frames (NOT plastic frames that look like wood) that we bought from MSM American Surplus, some specialty paper and double-sided tape from National Bookstore, and plastic numbers painted in copper paint, both sourced from Handyman.

Here they go:

Love the distressed texture of the frames. You won't get that with plastic ones.

Easy, right?

Estimated project cost: Php160/number

Breakdown:

• Wooden frames: Php50/pc
• Numbers: Php88/pc
• Spray paint: around Php200
• Paper + tape: around Php60

We still haven't finalized the total number of guests so we might add more numbers depending on how many tables will be set up. 

Obviously, this project’s a little pricey, but that's because we wanted to stay away from the regular printable templates that can be easily downloaded online (though it was actually our first option). Printed numbers look flat and boring when framed, so we opted to put some texture. As you can see, the numbers look 3D. LOL. Despite the price, the outcome looked exactly how we wanted it! Good job, fiance!

For those who don’t want to spend anything else besides printer ink and paper, you may check out sites like Hello Lucky and Wedding Chicks, to download available templates and print away!

A Rustic Backyard Concept

Finding the perfect reception venue is probably the second most difficult thing marrying couples deal with, next to where to hold the ceremony. Some couples, particularly those who belong to other religions, have the privilege to hold their reception exactly where they hold their ceremony. But for Catholics who are not allowed to exchange vows outside the church, it’s a whole different story.

There are countless hotels and restaurants in Tagaytay that are highly sought and recommended by wedding magazines, wedding websites, and well-reputed wedding planners. But though it’s ideal that we book our reception in one of those fairytale-worthy places, they’re not even in our options.

We’re thinking of a relaxed backyard luncheon, where people would just be talking the whole afternoon over good food and lemonades instead of dancing the night away. We also had to consider the fact that not everyone will have their own transportation, so we had to make sure that everyone can get home safe and sound after the wedding.

Initially, our plan was to hold the reception in the fiance’s Tagaytay backyard. This option will not only help us achieve a relaxed ambiance for the reception, but will also save us a huge portion of our budget. We simply can’t imagine spending Php 70-90k on venues that will be rented out for 5 hours, especially since it will take most of us at least 5 months to earn that amount of money. Maybe for other couples, the price is just right. For us, definitely wrong.

Here are some photos of the backyard:

SKID MARKS: the pickup got stuck in the mud. LOL

It still looks like it needs a little manicuring but once it undergoes a makeover, it can comfortably room about 120-150 guests. We’re still considering the possibility of holding our reception to a different venue, but for now, it’s the backyard that we’re really eyeing on.