RSVP to Rumpke

Hello Readers! I apologize for my neglect. It has come to my attention that many people actually read my blog. THANK YOU! That is encouraging. Special thanks to Jen and Jeff for filling me in on Reds Opening Day. Please become a follower so I know exactly how many people actually read. Even better, leave a comment (good or bad).

Any who. I have finally graduated with my BBA in Accounting from UC, and I am focusing more on the wedding. BTW: Shoot me an email if you know anyone hiring a recent grad in the accounting field.

So, I have moved onto invitations. Quite frankly, the thought of them makes me want to vomit. No offense to my guests, but really, they will end up at Rumpke one way or another. You will get 'The Invite' in the mail, hang it on your fridge, and then sometime after 9/10/11 you will toss it (hopefully into recycling or a compost). Anything that eventually ends up in the garbage does not deserve a great amount of funds.

My Dad's friend owns a print shop (my foot in the door). Networking is key to planning a wedding! So, I set up a meeting with Al one Saturday morning. Funny story: I could not remember which house was his. Jon and I pull into one driveway, but we were discouraged by a 'black Jesus' bobble head on the dashboard. We decide to pull into the next driveway. In case we're at the wrong house, Jon devises the cover-up story that we are zealots asking if people have found Jesus. We ring the doorbell, and nothing. We stand around. Try again. Nothing. Finally, Al spots us. "You got the wrong house!" Turns out, we were right the first time. We looked like idiots.

Al and I sit around the kitchen table and start discussing invites. Jon thinks his time is better spent on the couch catching up on Girl's HS basketball (get used to it ladies). Al gives me a figure of $250 for 125 invites. And, that is with me picking the simplest of designs. I mean, don't get me wrong, he had some super cute Disney invites that I loved, but those would have cost upwards of $500. Well, this just is not sitting well with me. So, I asked what if we design something. I don't need glittery paper and I really don't think my guests will mind. Its not like they would say, "I cannot possibly attend the Bruckmann/Green wedding because their invitations don't razzle dazzle."

Long story short, we are as of now, under $100 for 125 invites. Phew. I received some samples yesterday and spent some time reworking them last night. I used FREE editing software, Paint.net, which is very similar to Photoshop to alter the sample. I didn't add anything extravagant which won't add to the price. And the best part of my simple design: Your refrigerator magnet can hold this invite! I hate the invites that my magnets just can't handle. You put it on the fridge, and then it starts the slow, sliding descent to the floor. Arrgh!  But please, after 9-10-11 please recycle or compost our invite.