Weddingbee Blog

Hi Hive, Mrs. Penguin here!

We wanted to kick off our newest feature with a really great DIY project, and Maritess‘ awesome wedding invitations immediately popped into my head.  I ran into Maritess at a bridal show last year, and she brought a sample of her newly finished invites to show a friend. I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them in person!  The results were simply stunning.

(image by ed pingol)

They were wrapped up with a chocolate satin bow, and sent out in a kraft box. Images below courtesy of the fabulous floral designer, Huckleberry Karen.

Maritess made an accordion-style invitation that was beautifully Gocco’d, embellished with crystals and even had a bamboo mat for their monogram.

The inside lid of the box read “love is just love”, a sweet quote that Maritess and her husband love from the movie The Wedding Planner.

Invitation

Wedding Party Information

Reception Information

RSVP Postcard

Maritess has been kind enough to share with the hive the DIY process for making her invitations, complete with templates below!

~~~

Bookcover

Items used:
-Chipboard 5×7 white on one side, kraft brown on the backside
-Boning Tool
-Scrapbooking tape
-Letter sized paper (textured or decorated, not too thick) to cover chipboard
-Printer
-Rotary cutter/pair of scissors
-Downloadable Template: template_for_scoring.pdf
-Double-sided tape runner

1.    Use the template above to print on the paper for the cover

• It’ll help guide where to cut and fold
• The printing on it is so light that when it’s folded in, you can’t tell from the outside that it has been printed on

2.    Cut the paper by following the outer line of the printed template with a rotary cutting board

• You may use a pair of scissors, but for accuracy use a rotary cutter

3.    Place the chipboard in the middle of the printed-paper with the printed side up

• I opted to place the chipboard’s white side downwards.
• The printed inner rectangle on the paper should be the size of the chipboard as your guide of placement

4.    Score at the inner lines with your boning tool (use the chipboard as a straight edge)

5.    Score the at the printed diagonals at each corners with the boning tool

6.    Then fold in the corners and smooth fold with the boning tool

7.    Tape all 4 sides

• You’ll want about ¼” in from the edge put a few inches of double-sided tape runner (approx 3” long)

8.    Re-score the sides with the corners folded in using the chipboard in place as a straight edge
9.    Fold the 4 sides in with the boning tool
10.    Using the boning tool to smooth it out and secure the adhesive

Completed image:
11.    Repeat steps 1-10 to create the second cover (1st is front, 2nd for the back)
12.    Put aside to do the accordion fold

Accordion
Items used:
-Poster Board 26”x20” (can make 3 accordions from 1 board)
-Pencil with eraser
- PVA glue from Paper Source
- Ruler (I used a mini t-square ruler)
- Boning Tool
- Heavy Books

1.    I cut poster board to size

• I used a big rotary cutter usually at Kinko’s near the copier machine (this varies at each location)
  • Cut them to 19” x 6 ¾”
  • Mavie from theknot.com/projectwedding.com cut her paper lanterns out of the same size cardboard using a ruler, exacto knife, ruler, and cutting board. Use a letter opener (not too sharp) to score then cut. This method didn’t quite work for me. But you may have better luck.

2.    Take a ruler and mark every 4 ¾” with a pencil near the top and bottom of the paper

• The marking at the top and bottom will help make sure your ruler is lined up straight when you score
• I used a No. 2 pencil for espresso colored paper (use a lighter lead pencil for lighter colored paper)

3.    Score and fold at the markings with your ruler as a straight edge and boning tool to score

• 1st fold is folded in 2nd panel, 2nd fold is folded back to the 3rd panel, and final fold is folded in to the 4th panel

4.    Unfold accordion
5.    Erase pencil markings

6.    One end of accordion is light brushed with PVA onto 1st covered chipboard (the kraft side, good side is placed on the outside)
7.    Repeat on the opposite end of accordion for the 2nd covered chipboard
8.    While the PVA is wet you can take this moment to adjust the placement of the accordion and cover to all line up

• You need to work as quickly as possible

9.    Lay heavy book(s) on top of done pile to make sure it dries flat
10.    After it dries you can apply your invitation inserts

Inserts
Items used:
-    Ream of paper for inserts
-    Kinko’s/Office Depot that has paper cutting services
-    15” ribbon for the direction/rsvp ribbon slot
-    Double-sided tape with removable backing (I used Super Tacky Tape 6yds 1/8” from Paper Source)
-    Scrapbook tape runner
-    Boning tool

1.    Take a ream of paper to Kinko’s to have it all cut to the size of the panels

• Each inserts measured to 4 ½” x 6 ½”

2.    Design the inserts

• I bought a floral design from istock.com user M-I-S-H-A to use
• Printing after it’s cut worked for my printer - Cut one of your paper first to try it out

3.    Print all inserts

4.    Then apply the inserts to the accordion to its coordinating panels with scrapbook tape runner

• I eyeball the center of the panel I’m applying the 1st insert, then eyeball the next insert in the center plus to the bottom of the first insert (use a ruler as a guide)

5.    With the direction insert as my guide, I took a piece of 15” ribbon tied it around the card the way I want it to look.

6.    Then I place double-sided tape with removable backing on the back of the ribbon so it can be placed onto the accordion

Completed invitation folded out:

7.    Pull off the removable backing and position the card with the ribbon where you want it to be
8.    When you positioned the ribbon pull out the card and rub it with your boning tool over the ribbon where the adhesive is to secure
9.    Then add embellishments

• You want to determine closure of book invitation, packaging, trims, and accents – be creative

____________

Thanks so much Maritess for sharing your gorgeous DIY invitations, and your fabulously detailed instructions with the hive!

If you’d like to submit a guest DIY blog, please email it to us (or a link to the post) at guest at weddingbee.com.