Weddingbee boards

Pre-wedding I was figuring out what I was going to do for my invite at the library, but I never posted what I ended up with.  It ended up being a booklet invite and it was supposed to be a little "book", with an RSVP postcard in the back shaped like a library "checkout" card in a little vellum pocket.  The first page was Sonnett 116--which I love and has a special meaning for me in our relationship.  I was super happy with how they came out.  I designed and printed them all (including the maps!) and it perfectly fit the "theme" of the wedding.  

the backs of the RSVP card also had the guests names and # of people attending typed in the same typewriter font.  The envelopes were purple and also used the same typewriter fonts.  I forgot to put the wedding website on the invite, so it had the website across the envelope as well. 

Thank you!  I had a few people refuse to send back the RSVP cards b/c they thought they were cute. (I also had people telling me what nerds they thought we were!) I was so happy that people actually noticed them and commented!

I was also glad that I had made them myself, so that I could use the designs and fonts and graphics and colors to make the other paper items, like the programs and menus, favor, etc.

So wonderfully creative!  You did a great job on the design and the execution.  I wouldn't want to send back that RSVP either :)

Those are cool! Where did you get the old fashioned "library cards" and envelopes to stick them in?

This is an awesome idea, and they look great!  I am a book lover and I'd have trouble sending back your RSVP card as well :)  

Did you have them printed professionally or were you able to do this on a home printer?  Just curious because I would like to do some of the paper products for our wedding...I just finished up our STDs which was a combo of professional printer and home printer, but I am thinking ahead for programs, welcome packs, table numbers, signage, etc.

I love it. What a super creative thing to do.

@bunny - I made the library cards.  I found a template online (someone on weddingbee actually directed me to them!) and then filled in all the text & made up the backs myself.  

@vaness - I printed everything on our home inkjet printer, except basically the RSVP cards and envelopes.  I could never get the printing to line up correctly on the envelopes in my home printer so I printed them on the laser printer at work (shhhh....don't tell anyone!).  The RSVP cards were pretty thick, so they kept getting stuck in the printer half-way through.  I ended up printing out all the front sides, and cut them out.  When I was getting ready to print the backs (which was our return address and the guests names, etc), I learned that they were too small to print on our inkjet.  GRRRR....  So, we had a printing company at work, so I had them print it for me, but I think they had a really hard time with it.  I think I could have printed them out myself if I had lined up everything so that I could just print on both sides and THEN cut.  The RSVP cards were pretty thick -- can't remember exactly, but it was probably twice the thickness necessary for usps postcards.  They came through perfectly in the mail, however, so that was good.    

Love them!

@brooklyn - I'd be happy to share.  The template for the library card insert is here: http://creaturecomforts.typepad.com/photos/freebies_and_tutorials/freelibrarycardtemplate.html

For the rest of the invite, I just made images and placed them in a word document.  The final invites were 5 x 7, so I made a 2-column layout in word, and lined up the jpgs towards the inside corners so that I would only have to make 2 cuts.  The inside was just one jpg layout (created in photoshop). One change I would have made is putting the website on the back of the invite.  I totally didn't think about it until I was done printing and cutting and I did NOT want to go back and do more.  I just slapped it on the envelopes and also whenever I sent out emails to invitees I included the website.  

(As an aside, I used mailchimp.com to send out info to everyone, and that was a great website--totally recommend, and it lets you create a format for a page and then I used that over and over when I sent out different emails.  It also lets you track who opened your email, which was convenient....in a stalkerish kind of way) 

@shushu- Thanks! Our wedding was at the library, so it was just a matter of trying to find out how to incorporate library/books without going overboard