Planning for our big day
 
Our invites went out last Monday (the 16th) with a rsvp date of Sept 10th (one month exactly prior to the wedding).  So far, we have 20 responses, so I'm thinking we are off to a great start!!!  I also marked the back of the rsvp card with an invisible ink that you can see with a special light thank God b/c we already got a decline back with just the persons last name (and there are a few families that share that name!).  I can't tell you the relief we had when these were out the door!!!
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Today I got my shipment of bridesmaid dresses from netbrides.com.  I would 100% recommend them to any bride to be.  It saved my bridal party so much money (probably around $50-$60 a dress!), customer service was excellent as well as shipping. 

So far, I've had three of my nine girls try on their dresses and everything fits perfect (except a few minor alterations).  I'm hoping to have everyone fitted and alterations done by mid September.

For a refresher, my bridal party are all wearing different eggplant satin floor length Bill Levkoff dresses.  My maid and matron of honor will have a contrasting champagne sash and my Jr bridesmaids dresses are tea length (more age appropriate in my opinon)
 
So I'm sure I'll be posting alot now with invitation updates...that seems to be all I think about lately.  I really can't wait to have all of this done!!  I've cut all of my inserts and starting stuffing my pocketfolds.  I stuffed 65 out of my 130 invites tonight.  I still have to:
Print actual invite
Stamp and emboss invite
Stick them to pocketfold
Stamp return address on rsvp envelope
Stick stamps on both envelopes
Print addresses via printer
Print and cut belly bands
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My inserts neatly tucked away :)

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Custom map I made in photoshop.  I printed them on the back of the directions insert.  Its a crappy pic, but I put where we met, where he proposed, and where we will be married :)

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My custom stamps I made (HUGE sale on zazzle where I got them for only a dollar more per sheet than face value)

 
So, I've printed all of my invites except for my directions card last week.  I've begun the process of cuttiing them and I'm just about 1/3 done.  I definitly have a ways to go.  I'm planning on having a few of my bridesmaids get together to help assemble them so we can just bang them out.  Just have to figure out a day!
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My invitations printed on letter sized cream linen cardstock

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Some of my cut inserts

 
Kal and I have been so busy that we haven't even had a chance to start registering.  I've started myself with some "must haves" for Bed, Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel and Pampered Chef...Here are some of my favs (so far!)
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Just wanted to share that myself and two knotties (Nukke and Number55) were in this seasons knot magazine!
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After seeing a post on www.weddingbee.com on how easy it was to make your own direction map, I went for it.  Using photoshop, mapquest and weddingmapper.com I quickly got the hang of it.  Here is my preliminary mockup.  I've also added where we met and where Kal proposed (being that they were all in the tristate area).  Where the circle is, I'm putting a detailed street view of the venue/ceremony site.  Here is what I did so far:

I googled a picture of my city, saved a copy and opened it in photoshop.  I then traced the picture of S.I. and removed the original layer.  From there, I copied icons from weddingmapper.com and pasted them into my map. 
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Here are some of the icons if you want to copy and save.
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So a few weeks ago, I recieved the socks and "game over" shirt I ordered from an etsy seller.  I don't want to write her name at the moment and complain, because she is trying to fix the problems.  First off, she sent my shirt in an XL instead of a large.  Fine, no biggie...she'll make a new one.  But...the socks she made me where way off.  The moment I put them on, the wording stretched out and looked horrible.  I'm more on the slim side, so I know its not b/c I have bigger legs or anything.  So, now she is trying to make the socks again in a less stretchy material.  Here are the pictures:
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So yesturday I took out 4 of my 9 girls to try on some dresses and try to narrow it down to designer and color.  We are a little torn between Bari Jay chiffon (so unique and fun) and Bill Levkoff in satin with sashes (looks soooo gorgeous on the girls!!).  I emailed for a price quote from netbride.com and we are planning on going out again this coming weekend to make a final decision on the designer.  I have until the mid to end of April to order to get them in for the end of August/beginning of September.
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My maid of honor is Bari Jay chiffon (we would order in eggplant)

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Matron of honor in same dress

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Bridesmaid in Bari Jay chiffon

Below are the Bill Levkoff dresses they tried on.  I would have all the girls in eggplant satin and have the maid & matron of honors sashes in champagne and the bridesmaids in the same eggplant.  They looked sooo good in these!!
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The eggplant and champagne swatches...

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We didn't love this dress, but it was the only dress in eggplant

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Just wanted to share this adorable card I recieved from knot Jenn & Annie last week...
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