(Part 4) Top products from r/wedding

Or, if you got money to burn and are aiming for ~elegance~, get an embosser. I get all of mine from Wiltshire Graphic Press and have been pleased as punch with them. I have 4 plates and I still want more... I think I have a problem :P

Pricey, yes, but they're really awesome, willing to work with you to make sure you get exactly what you want in whatever size, shape, and/or font you want it, and you will not be disappointed.

My sizing recommendation:

• get the regular (short) version if you plan to emboss:
  
• only the back flap for address labels
  
• top/bottom/side/corner edge of standard sheets of paper (custom stationery, trés chic!)
  
• only stickers/labels exclusively (which is what we did)
  
• get the extra long-reach embosser only if you are planning on embossing address labels onto envelopes directly in the standard upper-left area on the front (for Americans, not sure where other countries put their return addresses)
  
  The regular embosser can sort of reach into normal envelopes to emboss the paper directly, but the result will be crooked or the paper will crinkle from being jammed into the embosser's throat no matter how careful you are.
  
  Other thoughts:
  
  
• If using stickers/labels, make VERY SURE that your embosser plate will fit on whatever sticker/label you buy!!!
  
• You will not be able to emboss cardstock
  
• Don't use too much or too little force. It'll take you a few tries to get the optimal pressure for an uniformly-embossed impression.
  
  Our rave for WGP: I originally bought a desktop embosser from WGP with just our last name and address on it since hubby's mom has had an embosser for years and I really like it. I didn't mind using his last name early since it'd be my last name eventually and I didn't really want to spend $35 to get a "Mr. and Ms." just to use it for the duration of our engagement only to chuck it out and spend another $35 for a "Mr. and Mrs." version. Ain't nobody got money for that. The WGP embosser still performs beautifully even after what's got to be thousands of impressions, still crisp and clear and very easily readable.
  
  Later during the wedding planning phase, I/we had a brilliant idea. Hubby and I are a bunch of nerds and wanted an insignia monogram, but the normal traditional letter-only monograms are so boring and same-y. We paid for artwork featuring a calligraphic monogram incorporating elements from both of us and plastered it everywhere in the wedding:
  
  
• the wedsite
  
• silver address labels for envelopes
  
• round silver stickers for the back of envelopes (STDs, invites, thank-you cards) (these but in silver)
  
• treat bag labels (we bought a circle die-punch like for scrapbooks, cut out cardstock, monogram-embossed round silver sticker on the back and guest's name on the front)
  
• cupcake toppers (same as above, but with a extra-long toothpick stuck in the cardstock halves)
  
• our venue offered light discs to shine on the dance floor - $300 savings there since we already had the artwork done
  
  You name it, if it could fit a 2" round silver sticker, I put a sticker on it. I blame my 8 year old Lisa Frank inner self. :> And you know what? It was worth it, because every single person who came to the wedding (and even some of the vendors!) complimented us on how elegant and personalized the whole thing was.

When I got engaged a friend gifted me this "Bride To Be" book: https://www.amazon.com/Bride-Be-Book-Memories-Proposal/dp/0307887987/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485973215&sr=8-1&keywords=Bride+to+be+book

I thought it was lovely and sweet, so I gifted one to my friend who got engaged recently!

It's a book with fill in prompts meant to be filled out throughout wedding planning so you can remember everything when looking back! Kind of like a scrap book, but with more writing!

I also like to gift ring holders like this one because you can never have too many ring holders: https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Co-Op-Ceramic-Rabbit-Holder/dp/B00IMJB8JI/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1485973338&sr=8-14&keywords=ring+holder

Nora Roberts has a great series of books about 4 childhood best friends who run an all-in-one wedding business together. In each of the 4 books, the girls fall in love. It's the Bride Quartet series:

Vision in White
Bed of Roses
Savor the Moment
Happily Ever After

Also, invest in a wedding planning book (or find a website). I have "Easy Wedding Planning Plus" http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Wedding-Planning-Plus-Comprehensive/dp/1887169369. It is extremely helpful and includes checklists, a budget outline, money saving tips, ideas, instructions, etc. It has everything. It's the only thing that has helped me really figure out what's going on and where to start. Congrats and good luck with everything!

If you're not telling anyone you could always have the servers bring you sparkling apple cider, generally it's also fun for the kids/non alcohol drinkers in your reception.

As for the morning sickness it's different with each woman, saltine crackers help and they have these new lolly pops and hard candies out that are supposed to also be awesome.

Congrats on both your upcoming wedding and the new baby!

I don't know if you're particularly sentimental, but I'm getting my dad a fill in the blank book made by Knock Knock called "What I l Love about Dad." I bought mine on Amazon...and they make one for moms, too. Available here!

I went to Barnes and nobles to look at all the books and binders. I was able to open them and see the weight and size differences. I wound up going with this one: https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Stunning-Wedding-Organizer-Celebration/dp/1584799021

It is perfect for our smaller beach wedding! Lots of room to craft ideas and take notes and it's a binder so it was easy to add my own pages!

I've made tissue paper flowers not crepe, but loved this book. very easy once you've got into the swing of things.

my tip is to make a test bunch that you're happy with first, then figure out how many of each flower type you need and work through them in batches.

so for example I had 2 peonies, 1 dahlia, 3 begonias etc in each bunch. then I cut out enough petals/centres/leaves in whatever colour I needed to make all of the peonies in one go, then moved onto the begonias. that way you're not swapping and changing between types and techniques and you can power through.

once I had enough of each for all of the arrangements, I started putting the bunches together, always copying off the very first test bunch.

I looked at a bunch-- this one was best imo-- especially if your lady is a nofrills, straightforward, solid information kind of girl.

Something like Things might be good?

The Game of Things Board Game https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CMUEYOE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Kcmrxb68QDP08

Similarly Loaded Questions

Loaded Questions https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S7ZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.emrxbEQ8TA2T

It is definitely overwhelming! I kind of miss the days of a catalog...you know, when you had 5 choices of something and that was IT! And you were happy with one of those 5. Now there are 200 websites each with 5000 options and you spend more time looking for an item than you'll actually end up owning it...haha

Knife set I chose: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H6VH1S?pf_rd_p=183f5289-9dc0-416f-942e-e8f213ef368b&pf_rd_r=3M2Z7M1BRA2KA27GM7S5

Or maybe order something like this and cut out pics. Or this? Apparently in 1959 Sinclair ran a line of dinosaur stickers/stamps. You could probably find them online and then try to size them bigger and print. Or call you local Natural History museum if you have one and see if they have any vintage-looking postcards.

I recommend you buy the book Bridal Bargains by Denis and Alan Fields

And please, do not buy on Ebay! Especially dresses that are made in China. They are cheap, they rip and do not hold together. My friend learned this the hard way. She found her dream dress online at a very high price but then found a replica of it on ebay for less than $200. When she got it in the mail it was literally falling apart.

I agree about the shape wear at David’s bridal but don’t buy through them. They wanted to charge me $85. I found the exact same style and size on amazon for almost $50 cheaper.

• Bohnanza
  
• Munchkins
  
• Set
  
• Fluxx
  
• Guillotine
  
• Bang
  
• Dixit (maybe takes up a bit more space?)
  
  And y'know. Cards Against Humanity, or maybe the more PC Apples to Apples...

http://www.amazon.com/Sakura-30062-6-Piece-Pigma-Micron/dp/B0008G8G8Y

I'm going with an archival ink pen.

How long did it take them to make and ship your guestbook? I'm getting close on time.

Seconded! I read this and Budget Weddings for Dummies and meshed principles of APW with the practicals of the Dummies book.

If you have 2 KitchenAid mixers, that's twice the making that can be done at once. HE'S ridiculous. I'm with you. This is what my sister got me.