Save The Dates: Wedding Plans

At first I wasn't sure we should even spend the money on Save the Date cards, but once we talked it over we both decided it was a good idea. It gives people advanced notice of the date, and we hope more people will be able to make it to the wedding if they have plenty of notice.

We wanted to get those cards out asap, but choosing just the right card became a bit of a task. There are so many choices, and I spent days looking. I finally just went for it, and made up a photo card through Shutterfly. I showed it to Chuck really quick, got his approval, and placed the order at the eleventh hour. They had a sale going on, and I wanted to take advantage of it because I wasn't sure they would have another sale before our deadline for getting the cards mailed. We saved a good chunk of money doing it that way. I think the final total was less than $1 per card.

We were both happy with the choice we made for the Save the Date card. I used a photo of us that our friend Scott took in the fall.

Photo by Scott Turner Photography

He came out and took pictures of all of us. That photo shoot was a story in itself. On the day he was scheduled to come out it was raining and everything was drenched. He got a few inside shots, some pics on the front porch, and in various places around the property. I figured they would be OK. But they weren't. Almost every one of them showed the water spots on our clothes.

Scott was disappointed with the photos and wanted to do another shoot. I wanted a good shot of the two of us for an engagement photo, but at the time I wasn't thinking of it for a Save the Date card. We did do another shoot, but it was a few weeks later. I waited until we got those photos to make a decision on Christmas cards, but I ended up using a photo from the original shoot that seemed perfect for the Save the Date card we chose. It was an inside shot that was taken before we ventured outside, so our clothes didn't have any rain spots on them.

I didn't want the card to be tossed into a pile, or lost in someone's recycle stack, so I took an idea from my daughter-in-law, Grace, and attached a magnet to the back of each card.
I couldn't find the same magnets she used, so I started asking around to see if anyone I knew had ideas for the best magnets in the size I wanted.
A friend suggested business card magnets. Her husband had just done it with his business cards, so she called to ask him where he got them. Office Depot.
I was able to find them there and cut them down to a manageable size with scissors. They had a peel-and-stick back, so it was super easy.

We've had a few people mention the cards in social situations. We are displayed on refrigerators all over the Puget Sound and beyond. Exactly what I was hoping for, so they will "save the date."

Next Post: Wedding Invitations

Lazy photographer

I have always been a fan of photos, and love to take photos of most of the outings we enjoy, but lately I'm constantly forgetting my camera. Must be all the change, and barrage of things on my mind with all of the activities coming up this summer.

We've had Chuck's son, Alex, and his wife Cass here for several weekends in a row. It's great to have them in town. They moved here from San Diego and we hope to get to spend a lot of time with them while they are here. I haven't gotten any good pictures yet.

Last weekend Lilly was in a pageant and I forgot my camera. Sean got some pics with my iphone.

We hosted a big family gathering here on Sunday, and I didn't think of pictures until everyone was already gone. It was quite a crowd of Chuck's family, and even a couple of my family members and one of our crew members from the business. Chuck enjoys cooking for these big events. I am the assistant, and glad to be in that role. I enjoy cooking, but I'm not very good at planning for a large crowd and am happy to hand that responsibility off to him. The party was a pre-planning party for the huge family reunion that we will host this year. There is a lot to do, and we're having a work party soon to finish the tree house and get the kid area ready for the summer.

Our weather has been a little cooler than what I would like, but I'm thankful for the moderate temperatures. On Sunday we had a clear afternoon with warm sunshine, but as the party was starting to wind down the clouds arrived. I keep a sweater nearby year-round.

The kids are out of school now, and I'm hoping we can do some fun things this summer. Yesterday I treated them to a day of thrift store shopping. They both enjoy it, though Lilly enjoys it more. She found some shoes and some hair care items like a hair straightener. Sean is content to just stay home all the time and play. But he found some great deals on a couple of toys, and a belt that looks new. He tried it on in the store and I didn't think any more about it, and after we got to the car he cried out, "Oh no! I forgot to pay for the belt." He ran back in and I was really proud of him for doing the right thing. It didn't even occur to him not to go back inside to pay for it.

The kids brought out the tent and have enjoyed camping in the back yard. It's so nice that they get along so well. Sean loves it when Lilly is here. The camping is quite comical. They have a power cord snaked through the door of the tent, and we positioned it on the gazebo in case of rain. They love sleeping out there, and I think the dogs are enjoying it, too.

I am going for my camera now to get a picture of the tent setup.