It's A Jaime Thing

…With Denise, of Bellis Studios!

You might remember that last post where I mentioned Pantone released their Fall 2011 Fashion Color Report. I told you I’d have inspiration for weeks!  My eye went right to Orchid Hush.

It quietly called to me!

When you come across a color you just love and want to build a color palette around it, it’s helpful to refer to a color wheel.  Locate your starting color on the wheel.  Orchid Hush is a tint, it has quite a bit of white in it.  It’s located near the center of the wheel.

You can look directly across the wheel to find your colors complement.  Complementary colors tend to have a lot of contrast when placed next to each other.  In this case, a pale yellow would be my complement and would work great with Orchid Hush!

I decided to push it a little further and see what other color combos I could come up with.

A triad color relationship is when three hues are equally positioned on the color wheel.

An analogous color relationship is when colors are located adjacent to each other on the color wheel.

A monochromatic color relationship is when colors are the same shade or tint variations of the same hue.

Choosing your colors based on their relationship to each other on the color wheel will guarantee harmony.  Isn’t harmony what we want in all of our relationships?!

Sources:
Winter Wedding Inspiration: Inspired by This
Boutonnieres: Martha Stewart Weddings
Lavender Window Decor

Thank you, Denise!  Brides, need more inspiration or help with color?  Looking for someone to custom design your invites?  Be sure to visit Denise at www.bellisstudios.com.  Happy planning!  -Jaim

With Denise, Of Bellis Studios!

I wasn’t too sure where to go with this weeks color inspiration.  Then I opened an email from Pantone and BAM, color inspiration overload!!!  Pantone released their Fall 2011 Fashion Color Report yesterday.  Even though this is their Fall Report, I think there’s plenty of inspiration here for the Summer and even Spring bride.  Where do I start?  I have inspiration for several weeks here…

Thank you Pantone!!

The first thing that hit me was the cover of the report:

I’m partial to yellow, especially that yellow!  Pantone is calling it ‘Bamboo.’:

“Bamboo, a surprising fall hue, brings a warm, exotic flavor to the season.  Like a filtered sunset on the waning days of fall, Bamboo is a standout yellow with a subtle green undertone.  This dappled shade pairs dramatically with several of the top 10, including Phlox, Teal and Honeysuckle.”

Oh that Honeysuckle, Pantone’s 2011 Color of the Year!  I’ll say Bamboo pairs dramatically with it, remember my first post.  I teamed it up with Snapdragon, a shade of yellow that’s very close to Bamboo.

That’s not all that hit me.  Bamboo is the color I use in my ‘Katie’ Sunflower invitations!  I call it Curry, but it has the same green undertones.  I just finished printing the ‘Katie’ invite for a Spring bride, but we switched out the black for Eggplant.  Eggplant, hmm… very similar to Phlox don’t you think?  The results were gorgeous!

I’ve got Spring and Summer on my mind and I really don’t want to rush through them!  I’ll pretend we’re not talking Fall just yet and focus on the beautiful colors instead.  So what do you think of this palette?  Take the Pantone color survey and let me know what you picked!

Thanks for your guest post, Denise!  Brides, if you love her sunflower design and absolutely must have it for your own wedding, contact her by visiting her online at Bellis Studios.  Happy planning!

…With Denise, of Bellis Studios!

I’m back with more color inspiration for the week. This is the time of year that many brides are planning for their upcoming spring and summer weddings. Well, Mother Nature decided to throw her own party here in the Midwest and we woke up to a winter wonderland. How could I not use that as my inspiration this week’s post?

I started with the silvery blue in the ring shown above that I found here on Pinterest. I built my palette around that, adding a touch of eggplant for interest. With winter whites, you can keep things simple and elegant while you let Mother Nature add the magic.

Sources:
January wedding: k. holly photography
Eclu: design your own peony
Real weddings, the Knot: Asheville, NC reception
Martha Stewart: White Winter Weddings
Vintage Antique Upcycled Edwardian Rhinestone Ring (unfortunately the Etsy link is broken. If anyone knows the Etsy seller, please let me know)
The Dessy Group: Dessy Bridesmaid Style 2749 in Pantone 15-4008 Platinum
Dresses Tutor: Winter Coat

Color by COLOURlovers
Thank you Denise, for providing us again with a gorgeous inspiration board! Love that color combo! Brides, if you’re looking to create invitations using this or any other color scheme, contact Denise. She can work with you to design beautiful, unique custom wedding invitations to fit your style and personality. Happy planning!

So your invitation comes back from the printer, now what? Is there a special order they should go in when assembling them? Turns out, there is. Some printers will include a mock-up for you. But in case yours didn’t, here’s my instruction sheet.

You can download it in pdf format HERE.

1. Address outer (mailing) envelopes with the guest names and full address.

2. Address inner envelopes (if any) with guest names only.

3. Lay invitation face up.

4. Place tissue over the writing. Using tissue is optional. Tissue was originally used to keep ink from smudging. No longer a concern today, it is completely up to the couple if they want to adhere to the tradition.

5. Layer enclosures (if any) large to small and face up, on top of tissue (the largest enclosure would be closest to the invitation).

6. Put a stamp on the response envelope.

7. Tuck response card, face up, under the flap of the response envelope (the flap will cover part of the writing). Place on top of the enclosures (or tissue) with the response card face up.

8. If using an inner envelope: slip the resulting stack inside the inner envelope. The back of the invitation should rest on the inside of the flap as you insert the stack. Folded edge first (or left edge first if invitations are not folded). Fold the flap, but do not seal the inner envelope. If you are not using an inner envelope: slip the resulting stack inside the outer envelope. The back of the invitation should rest on the inside of the flap as you insert the stack. Folded edge first (or left edge first if invitations are not folded). Seal, stamp and mail!

9. Place inner envelope inside the outer (mailing) envelope with the names on the inner envelope facing up. When the outer envelope is opened, guests will see their names. Seal, stamp and mail!

Keep in mind, the actual assembly of your invitations may vary depending upon how traditional they are. Overall, your guests should see their names on the inner envelope as the mailing envelope is opened, and should read the response card when the inner envelope is opened.

Take one invitation to the post office and have it metered! Fully assembled invitations are heavier than a standard letter and odd shapes (ie: square) may require extra postage.

…A Guest Blog From TheManRegistry.com!

Answers to some of the common newlywed financial questions from the guys at TheManRegistry.com!

(Photo credits: provided by TheManRegistry.com)

Statistics say that finances are the number one topic that married couples argue about (think about some of the couples that you know and you’ll realize that this is probably accurate). Money is always a very touchy subject, especially if you don’t have a lot of it. This is generally the case for newlyweds who are just starting out.

The best way to align yourselves for financial success and avoid arguing over money is to discuss some financial topics before you take the walk down the aisle. Here are a few of the major issues and some quick recommendations from us on each one.

Should we combine our finances after getting married?

Not every couple combines their finances after getting married, but our answer to this question is yes. First, determine who the money manager is going to be in the family or if you’re going to split that duty. From there, we recommend creating joint checking and savings accounts and keeping personal checking accounts for each of you. By doing it this way, you can split common bills and still have “mad money” to spend on your own things.

It takes every couple awhile to get used to the “my money is your money mindset” that comes along with marriage, but if you can stay organized – it won’t be a difficult transition.

How much should we be saving from our paychecks?

If you haven’t noticed, our economy hasn’t been the most stable over the past year. The recovery has been nice, but we all have learned just how important saving for rough times can be. Depending on incomes, 30% is a great amount of net income to put away in savings/investments each month. Obviously, every couple isn’t going to be able to put aside that amount, but you’re doing yourself a huge favor even if you can only do 10% each month.

We both are bringing debt into the marriage, how should it be tackled?

Don’t freak out if you’re bringing debt into marriage. More couples do than don’t and there are ways you can tackle the debt together. The first and most important step is to be upfront and honest with each other about how much debt you each have. We recommend creating a chart of spending habits (it’s lame, but it works). This chart will help you both identify places you can cut back each month. If it’s an option, we highly recommend speaking to a financial planning professional. A financial planner can look at your debt and interest rates and help you plan where to begin paying down.

What should we do with all that cash we get as wedding gifts?

Who doesn’t love cash? You’ll definitely be seeing green after the wedding as cash remains the most common wedding gift that couples receive. There’s nothing wrong with splurging a little with the new found greenbacks, but this might also be a great time to create that joint savings account we talked about earlier. The wedding cash would be a great first deposit. Depending on how much you get, you could always pocket a few hundred for honeymoon drinks and save the rest!

What advice do the readers of It’s A Jaime Thing have for newlyweds who are thinking about their post-wedding finances? We want to hear your thoughts. Comment below! Cheers! ~ TheManRegistry.com

Thanks for the great advice, guys! Brides, be sure to send your grooms over to TheManRegistry.com. Okay fine, you can peek too…you know I did (and loved it – The Man Registry rocks)! Also, here’s a lil’ extra frosting for your cake – today while picking up a bottle of wine, I heard the guy ahead of me say to the cashier, “Can I please have the receipt? My wife told me I have to keep track of my monthly beer drinking expenses.” – I just smirked and walked away… ~Jaime