THE FUTURE MRS. DARCY offers creative wedding invitations based on your favorite famous couples, as well as unique cards, stylish stationery and well designed goodies for your fabulous life. Custom designs are an option so please, don't hesitate to ask! Your life on paper.
For the last year I’ve been working with a new printer that specializes in invitations and, let me tell you, it has been fantastic! And a new printer means new papers and new services which I’ve been chatting to brides with individually but since I just took some photos for a client I figured I might as well use this as an opportunity to share with everyone.
There are 6 paper options from the printer white #110 cover (which means 110 pound paper [for reference copy paper is #60 or #70 writing] which is my standard that all the pricing is based on), #130 white 100% recycled, white felt, ecru felt, and pearl.
The #110 and #130 look the same so in the photos the “white” is the #110 and the first two images were taken outdoors on a partly sunny day and the last pearl photo was taken indoors near a window to try and get the shimmer. As you can see, taking photos of paper isn’t a fool proof way of showing the world. You can’t see the “gloss” on the gloss (it’s more like direct mail piece than a photograph) and the whites come up a bit blue but it’s a good way to differentiate the felts and the pearl came out much better than I expected!
Along with these new papers on additional goodies you can buy are: printed return addresses on envelopes (YAY), belly bands, round stickers for favor labels (or any other use for round stickers), folded cards (for thank yous), and rounded corners.
I’m also hoping to update the website in the coming months so I’ll start including these upgrade prices there (I like to be clear as possible when it comes to pricing– no surprises here!) but if you have questions in the meantime, just let me know!
Oh and p.s.– the sample printed invitation… that would be the new Bella and Edward that has been LONG SINCE promised. I know it’s no Katniss and [like I'd tell you-- read the books already!] but I may also have some Downton Abbey invites in progress as well. See, I’m current!
I am now on Episode 4 of Downton Abbey… Season 1 (hello, bandwagon!) I know, I know, I have been told how much I’d love this for quite sometime now but between the little one and the non-matronly matron of honordress search it’s been a little hard to watch PBS other than Sesame Street. BUT I’m now happy to report I love it as everyone thought I would and will probably be done with the end of the first season today…and then Netflix will hopefully supply Season 2… (fingers crossed ?)
As I’m sure it does for everyone, the show has only cemented my love for Maggie Smith. And with Sir Ian McKellan’s popular shirt in mind I decided to mock one up* for Ms. Smith.
Dear Maggie Smith,
I’m a big fan of your work. I know your Harry Potter costar Sir Ian McKellan had a cheeky tshirt with his popular roles listed and I thought you might enjoy one of your own. Just let me know what size you wear (or we can do a tote bag if you don’t do tshirts).
Yours truly, Kristen
(aka The Future Mrs. Darcy)
In my head Ms. Smith would not be as brash as Sir McKellan with a “get over it” but I am positive Ms. Smith, if it was warranted, could convey much more than that with her tone… and a look.
In summation, Ms. Smith, you are wonderful. Keep doing what you do.
*And if you’d like a tshirt (or tote, etc…) please let me know.
(Also the template for the shirt was created by the very helpful Tom Neal. I’m so glad I didn’t have to make it myself.)
So after getting word that the Arabelle dress was backordered for a second time, this time until AFTER the wedding the dress search continues. This is the latest dress I’ve purchased which I think is a lovely combination of the Banana Republic dress and the Arabelle dress…and it has pockets! Photos in better lighting later when it arrives at my house.
I keep meaning to showcase the gorgeous arrangement that Jeri Solomon Floral Design made for me for a friend who was in the hospital. So bright and cheery and very long lasting (I’m told).
So I’m frustrated again a) because I can never spell “frustrated” correctly on the first try and b) because I AGAIN feel like the consensus in the store is different from how the dresses look in the photos. But it’s getting close and I need something so just pick one, okay?
Remember all the times I said “ooh I wish I was going to a wedding because I like this dress”? Well now I’m not only GOING to a wedding but I’m in a wedding where the bride is wonderful enough to say “Go find a dress you like and look good in” and now I’m stumped.
First and foremost: bridal store lighting is universally horrible.
Second, an Alfred Sung that I thought I’d pinned it but apparently not so just added it (the back is pinned [literally, I'm not talking pinterest, I'm talking needles] which is why it’s awkwardly gathered).
Third, another Alfred Sung from the pinterest board:
Another Alfred Sung in an almost distractingly unflattering to my pale skin color (my husband came in while I was writing this and say he can’t look at me in this dress because it is so horrible):
And lastly, a Bill Levkoff that I can’t find online because the style number on the tag that I wrote down aren’t the same as the ones online (ANNOYING!) but it’s pretty close to this:
Okay now the most frustrating aspect. The first two dresses looked the best in the store but since they were size 12s, they looks super crappy in the photos and the one that was just okay in the store look but (I think) best in the photo since it was an 8 (yes, I just proclaimed my dress size on the internet). The blue one is a great concept but was also a 12 and not a flattering color and kind of a hot mess in both the photo and the store.
And here are some of the fabric swatches:
Now obviously this is the internet and not color accurate but we’re looking at the purples and the green. I think I like Italian Plum the best but can’t quite tell the difference between that and the Paradise. I normally would gravitate towards the green but I have a minor fear about looking like the Jolly Green Giant next to the bride. Fear not, though, Bride, I look great in both green and purple! Jewel tones and bright colors work with my albino ways.
What are your thoughts, dear internet? And if you know of other dresses I should check out let me know!
How cool is this for a wedding band?! Men’s rings can be a little blah and this is the perfect combination of something extra (visually) that has meaning. I think it’s cool.
Marriage in anybody’s life can be termed as a big ticket to happiness, bliss and love. People often flaunt lots of money and even spend everything for the sake of having a fairy tale wedding. Indeed a fairly tale wedding do comes with expensive price tag, which may appear a distant dream for you to have. However, the days of magnificence, splendor and champagne is seems to have passed since more and more people are looking forward to have a modest wedding, which can save money. In other words people want budget friendly weddings. Thanks to the economical downturn, people are interested in saving every buck to secure their future or life. Now it’s possible to have budget friendly marriages. The following are useful ideas which can make your wedding budget friendly.
Plan the ceremony in off season
If you are planning for pocket friendly budget, then its better you select the busiest date of the calendar and get things done on an off season wedding. This will certainly save your extra money you put in your wedding. Generally the couple prefer to marry somewhere between October and February. This is the time when the prices are high of almost everything, right from the locations, florists, limousines and so on. So to have a good and economical deal better have your wedding during the off season months.
Go for a beautiful morning or early afternoon marriage party
If you want to have buffets, full-fledged dinner and unlimited champagne and wine, better schedule your wedding in the day time. This will help you save lots of money, since marriages at night are a costly business. You have to put lots of money for the dinner and nonstop wine, which would be really hard to meet if you are looking forward to have a budge wedding. If you host a beautiful morning or early afternoon feast, you will certainly have a wedding within your budget limit.
Schedule a destination wedding
Well how about having your marriage somewhere in other city away from your hometown which has lots of friends and relatives. This can be made possible only when you want to invite limited number of guests and just want an inexpensive wedding at any cost. The destination wedding helps to slash down the expenses to a huge level since you have limited guests which eventually mean less money spent on food and wine. This is the best way to alleviate your wedding cost.
Work out some cost cutting decoration ideas
When comes to wedding reception, you are out to be pinched by lots of money. However, you can have a pocket friendly reception, provided you work out cost cutting decoration ideas. Hence plan your decoration beneficially, cut down the high cost on flowers, reduce the large size bouquets into smaller ones. Regardless of the size, the flowers after all will fall into trash bin only. Think of the areas where you can save money, and put the same amount on things which your guest would recall- the food. Lastly, go for budget friendly lighting.
Final Word
We live in an economical crush era, where every single buck counts. But saving money doesn’t really mean that you affect the quality of your wedding and make this landmark event of your life dull and drowsy. Fortunately, there are couples of creative ways which can help you save money and have your affordable wedding. There are lots of areas where you can save your money. These money saving ideas as discussed above can help you find these avenues where curtailing your budget can offer you a budget friendly wedding. So what are you waiting for, read them, understand them and implement them to save lots of money in your marriage.
About the author: Alia Haley is a blogger whose passion is to explore new places around the world. Amongst all, she loves beaches and her favorite has been the Virginia Beach. She enjoys blogging on travel related topics that also include frugal tips to travel and best honeymoon packages.
This is the first “leafy” one that I had mentioned. I think I want to do as few real-life couples so Paul + Joanne is not an option anymore but I thought of two possible names but feel free to suggest new ones!
