Often, your guests’ first peek at what your wedding will be like and a reflection of your combined personalities, is in the save-the-dates and other wedding stationery you send out. WedBrilliant vendor CharmCat Stationery & Design creates original painted works that capture moments and personalities, and that inspire, excite, and connect people through the shared experience of art.
Products include save-the-dates, wedding invitation suites, and custom watercolor commissions including wedding venue paintings. These are not just mundane to-do’s to check off your wedding planning list, these are truly pieces of art. Owner and designer, Ashleigh Pritchard recommends that couples planning their weddings add personal touches to their stationery to show off their personality. And these one-of-a-kind pieces will likely be ones you’ll look back on with fondness, long after the wedding has come and gone!
It may be the week of Halloween, but there’s no better time to kick start summer wedding planning! We have visions of tea lights, pastel flowers and fruity signature cocktails dancing in our heads. So, without further ado, here’s a short list of action items every summer bride and groom need to be focused on right now.
1. Sign up for free on WedBrilliant.com (if you haven’t already!) and begin to post your wedding needs. These can range from linens for the reception to a DJ with AV and lighting equipment. You don’t have to post all your requests at once, you can always return and add more. If you have the time, select the option to post your bid requests for 3 weeks so WedBrilliant vendors have plenty of time to view your needs and submit bids. Once you start getting bids, read through them and take a look at vendor reviews and photos to make your decision. It’s all free for couples to use – so get started!
Photo Courtesy: Catherine Colgan Photography
2. Have you selected your venue? If so, great – that’s one of the biggest hurdles since those can often book up quickly, especially in summer months! If you haven’t, turn your attention to figuring that out right away. If your ideal spot is already booked on your wedding date, consider a Friday or Sunday wedding instead. Or ask the venue if they might accommodate two weddings in one day. If yours is a morning wedding with a wedding brunch, some venues can still keep the evening wedding they might already have on the books! Win win.
3. Now’s the time to really drill down on a theme, or at least what you want your colors to be. This is such an important piece that truly impacts so many different facets of your wedding planning. Once you’ve determined what your color scheme will be, get thinking about accents for the bridal party (bridesmaids dresses, ties, etc.), flowers, and your stationery…
4. Speaking of stationery… gather some ideas for save the dates, invitations, programs and more (have you checked out our fun Pinterest board?), post your needs on WedBrilliant to receive bids from fabulous wedding stationery designers across the country, and then really start focusing on the wording. Every couple has a different style and voice, so decide what yours is and put some ideas down on paper! Just writing down ideas, no matter how many times, can be extremely helpful!
Good luck planning! Before you know it, the trees will be blossoming again and your special day will be around the corner!
