Wedding Blog
Ever notice how when you’re planning a wedding, every little thing seemingly unrelated to weddings becomes wedding related?
Take today for example. I went to Costco to buy stamps. Stamps are typically not the first thing you think of when planning a wedding. But when postage rates are going to increase on May 11, and one has 225 invites, 225 RSVP cards, and a whole bunch of thank you cards to mail in the next few months, somehow stamps become wedding related. Then there is the whole issue of the look of the stamp, and debating whether or not it’s worth saving the extra couple cents and getting the Forever stamps. These stamps, of course, won’t look that great on the envelopes that house the invitations you’ve been slaving over. So, should you suck it up and pay more for stamps that match the aesthetic of your invites? I chose saving the pennies, because they started to add up to dollars when purchasing 700 stamps. Fourteen dollars, to be exact.
So, after putting the big cardboard sheet in my cart that signifies my desire to buy stamps, I went over to the media section to browse. What did I come across, but the newest crafting bible, also known as Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts. If I wasn’t currently planning a wedding, I would never think of putting this book into the wedding related purchase category. But since I am sporting a lovely princess cut stone on my left hand at the moment, I do, in fact, put it into that category. It is a source of crafting inspiration, and the only crafts I’m doing at the moment are for the wedding or an event leading up to the wedding. (As a side note, in case you are wondering, this book is an amazing source of crafting inspiration, whether or not you are planning a wedding!)
On my way out of the media section, with my cardboard and craft book in tow, I couldn’t help but notice the DVD I have been coveting for the past few months and have been procrastinating on purchasing from Amazon. A DVD that for a normal, non-engaged person would have absolutely positively NOTHING to do with weddings. What DVD am I referring to? Why, the 30 Day Shred, of course. Which, to anyone reading this blog, actually has EVERYTHING to do with weddings and the ever-popular bridal pre-wedding fitness routine. It got added to my cart, as well.
And with that, I’m going to stop kidding myself. Until that fateful September day when I marry the man I’ve always known was the one for me, pretty much everything I touch, see, make, purchase, or speak of will in some way, shape, or form relate to weddings, at least in my head, whether I like it or not.
What’s an item that you’ve purchased recently that was a “stretch” to categorize as “for the wedding”?
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I also purchase a work out DVD but rather the Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga….which I honestly have to say is awesome…
Great question - everything! A pair of fuchsia and silver heels that I’ve already worn so now I “have to” buy a new pair for the wedding…3 or 4 dresses for the rehearsal dinner/bridal shower/whatever occasion that I don’t really need…a trip to the dermatologist tomorrow for my skin that I never worried about before…the list goes on. And I’m totally buying that Jillian Michaels DVD despite the fact that I’m in the best shape of my life and spend $200 a month on a fancy gym and yoga studio. But it’s so fun - I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world!
I totally agree about the postage thing. I’m debating on weather or not to do the design your own stamp thing. It’s around $112 for 100 $0.64 stamps. I have a peacock feather on my invites which makes the envelope a little awkward thus charging me an extra $.20. (Also remember that invitations can get heavy. Make sure you have them weighed BEFORE you buy the postage.) So that’s nearly double the cost of 100 $.64 stamps. But the design that I have in mind would be basically what my profile symbol things is. It would look perfect on the envelope! To do, or not to do….that is the question.
I bought Jillian’s 30 Day Shred. It just came in last night, too. Can’t wait to open it up tonight!
I totally agree about the postage thing. I’m debating on weather or not to do the design your own stamp thing. It’s around $112 for 100 $0.64 stamps. I have a peacock feather on my invites which makes the envelope a little awkward thus charging me an extra $.20. (Also remember that invitations can get heavy. Make sure you have them weighed BEFORE you buy the postage.) So that’s nearly double the cost of 100 $.64 stamps. But the design that I have in mind would be basically what my profile symbol things is. It would look perfect on the envelope! To do, or not to do….that is the question.
I find the disdain against the look of a forever stamp rather amusing. A forever stamp lasts forever…just like a marriage should.
I am like AEast. I have decided to splurge and just do the stamps I like. I know it shouldn’t matter but I’ve spent quite a bit on the look of the invitation and don’t want the odd-fitting stamp on it. It may sound strange, but I just couldn’t look at it on the invitation and RSVP after so much work and dedication.
I’m with bluedec. Who really (other than brides-to-be) take that much notice to stamps?
I was on the USPS website this morning!!
And I justify almost EVERYTHING I buy as something ‘wedding’ related.
i might have missed this in a past post, but you are realling sending out 225 invitations? that means you’d have roughly 500 people there? we invited 225 people but it ended up being 119 invitations that were sent.
Are you in my brain? I was at the post office this morning thinking the same thing. I also love how I’ll choose to save the same $10-14, and then spend the same extra $$ for the other wedding goodies when at the bookstore afterwards I find therefore negating the money I “Saved” on the postage. lol
I never really understood why people pay so much in postage to get their RSVP cards back when most people (from my experiences anyways) don’t return them. I don’t think my parents (or anyone I’ve asked) has ever bothered to mail back the RSVP cards when they’re just a phone call away or when there’s the internet these days. For our RSVP’s we made an email and guests are just going to email us their RSVP’s….I like this a lot better because not only does it save money….you can’t LOOSE the RSVPs. Maybe something to think about?? It saves soooooo much money.
UGH - I just bought stamps earlier. I’m really hoping our invitations aren’t more than one stamp’s weight. Don’t forget THANK YOU NOTES. I had to buy over a hundred extra stamps to have on hand for those, too, since showers are starting.
Hmm, I’m sticking with the Forever stamps and personally giving the invitations to the people I see most often. I really, really, really don’t wanna spend any more money than I have to!
I have bought a Cuttlebug, Embosser, and Xyron machine. I didn’t exactly ‘need’ them- I could have done without them. I just vowed that I would not buy a single greeting card this year and that I’d make them instead. So far, I’ve been successful!
I do believe it is possible to make everything wedding-related!
a guidebook for maui. It’s where we are going for our honeymoon. Technically it is just for me to read for fun. But I paid for it with “wedding funds”. Not sure if it really qualifies as a wedding related purchase or not.
thanks for the stamp increase heads up! i have a huge wedding in august and didn’t even think about the thank you notes! i will be going cheap with the forever stamps with no second thoughts about that 
my “stretch purchase” was my 3 month tanning package” last week “for my august wedding”. i swore off fake-baking 3 years ago, and i have to admit–it. felt. good. laying in that bed!!!
@bluedec, Emily Ann: I get why people don’t like them, they aren’t the prettiest, but I do think the amount of money you save is worth buying them anyway. Because no one notices except the bride sending them and any recent brides receiving them.
@Jen: Yes, we are sending approximately 215-225 invites. It makes for a invited guest list of somewhere around 400, and we’re anticipating about 325 of them actually coming. It’s large.
@go2bee: I think the email option is great, but sadly it won’t work for us. We have lots of guests that aren’t so computer savvy. So old fashioned RSVP cards it is.
@Perk: I SO want to buy all of the things you bought! But Mr. M won’t let me justify large craft supply purchases as wedding expenses 
We did buy a paper cutter though!
Fitness equipment, a gym membership, and DRESSES. I have THREE plus a wedding gown. I keep telling myself “this is for the rehearsal, this for the Parents dinner, this for the afterparty” but who am I kidding? I just want to have pretty dresses to wear! Also I bought a ton of lingerie and told myself it was for the honeymoon. (But it could also be that since I went down 3 sizes I don’t fit my undergarments anymore! No no…honeymoon…)
I just bought $100 worth of forever stamps this afternoon. I figure I’m lucky since I’m getting married in Philly I don’t feel as bad about throwing them on the response cards. I justify everything I buy as wedding related. Like that dress I had to have or that bra or anything. As long as I’m not going in debt I figure it is AOK
I bought so many little things that I stretched — so many that I kind of forgot, lol! Like you, I couldn’t justify spending the extra for fancier stamps.
aww man, please tell me if the Shred works. i just tried my dress on yesterday and i can hardly breathe!
I have a hysterical inspiration photo that has all the bridesmaids and groomsmen with their sunglasses on being “bad a$$es”. Then I decided I really hated my sunglasses and bought new ones. oops.
Hehe, I bought a poster of FI’s fave team and last night I got it signed by the football and basketball head coaches and TOLD them we’re using it for our guest book! I guarantee you the other people in line were just there to meet sports icons, I was on a wedding mission! 
I’ve been hearing a lot about the 30 day shred but heard it’s brutal…let me know if it works!
I saw that MS book at Costco last weekend and I had to make myself put it down and walk away. I may just have to go back and get it. It’s such an awesome book!
Good call to snap up Forever stamps — I might have to seriously consider doing the same…and since the wedding is in Philly, the Liberty Bell design will “match” our setting, so to speak! 
I am def doing Forever Stamps with 350 invites to mail…but part of me still yerns for those new “The Simpsons” stamps… since they would go great with my Halloween “inspired” wedding…..which is not all out gory by the way!
I am totally feeling the stamp increase! We had our gorgeous DIY invites completed( ie. constructed, stuffed with directions, accomidation info, etc.) All rsvps were stamped and inserted inside— knowing of the price increase, realized rsvps weren’t due til July 12th, and we know there are always stragglers to send them back.
Needless to say we had to remove and add an additional .02 stamp to each of the 200 invites we sent out. Sigh of relief- it didn’t take as long as I thought it would. Happy day! Invites are picked up by the postman YEAH! (as much as I enjoyed creating my masterpieces- I was relieved to have them taken away- one less thing on my hands) However, I spoke too soon- post office calls the next day and relays the message to me that because of the thickeness of the invites each will need an additional 17 cents! I couldn’t believe it- these things just would go to their destinations. What was even worse was that it was pouring that day(ie. rain + invites=terrified) But luckily they made sure that they were packaged for pick up so we could once again re stamp.
Long story short- the postage increase was about a week long pain but all invites have made it to their destinations and I am loving the compliments on how no one’s ever seen anything like them!
Hope everyone else survived the postage pain as I did!
I just got the encyclopedia of crafts too, I can’t wait to go through it! There are so many amazing ideas in it!
i have been purchasing pens to “address wedding invites” and shoes as “possible wedding shoes”. i give those reasons to justify the purchases, my fiance thinks i’m crazy.
I just got the 30 Day Shred a few days ago from Amazon, because I saw reviews from a few Bees and then, as you probably saw, the thousands of good review on Amazon. Oh man, it is INTENSE! I can’t wait to see how it goes - and hopefully it works out well for you too!
I did the exact same thing with both of those! I saw the craft “bible” and barnes and noble when I was shopping with my FI and I managed to convince him that “of course this is a wedding related purchase, I’m DIYing everything!” (I also did the same thing with my Gocco).
I picked up The Shred about a month ago as another of the “of course it’s wedding related” purchases.
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Mrs. Mascara, Chicago/Upper Michigan
Age and Occupation: 25, Biomedical Engineer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Process Engineer
Engagement Date: July 27, 2008
Wedding Date: September 2009
Venue: Catholic ceremony, reception at local armory
About Me: A lover of Mr. Mascara, crafting, baking, Gossip Girl, diet soda, and all things wedding. A Yooper girl somehow displaced in the Chicago suburbs, planning a wedding from a distance, and counting down the days until I marry my best friend.
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