Beach wedding invitations

I recently had the honor of designing invitations for a wonderful couple that is having a beach wedding in the summertime.  They didn’t want it to SCREAM beach but wanted to incorporate the theme into the invites.  We came up with a simple elegant design with a conch shell at the top.  Their color scheme is a peachy/orange and cream.  The invitations and staggered inserts were put in a metallic cantaloupe colored pocketfold with cream envelopes.  Elegant, simple, PERFECT.

Let me know what you think!  :)

  

Birmingham, Alabama area brides should read this!

My good friend April is holding an amazing contest in which the winner gets FREE PHOTOGRAPHY for their wedding! Here are the details...

Free Wedding Photography Contest!
What’s your Love Story?

We all love to hear a good love story! Let us capture your wedding day FREE!

Are you or someone you know anyone getting married in 2009 that is deserving of free wedding photography? If so, submit the love story, a snapshot picture of the couple, wedding date and wedding venue to us via email. All you have to do is tell us why Once in Every Life Photography should capture the wedding for FREE!! Stories should be no more than 1500 words.

DEADLINE IS JANUARY 31, 2009!

Send your entries to yourstory@onceineverylifephotography.com or

Once in Every Life Photography

Your Story Contest

459 Main Street #101-325

Trussville, AL 35173

Here are the PRIZES!!

We will post our three favorite stories (which will be the three finalists) on our blog on February 14, 2009. The Grand Prize winning couple will receive: up to 8 hours of wedding day coverage with us -April, Kim and Adam of OIELP, private online viewing/ordering gallery, a High Res CD/DVD of the wedding day images (200-250 fully edited images) with unlimited print release, one set of unmarked 4x6 proofs in black presentation box (200-250 images), all other images shot on wedding day will be provided as well via CD/DVD, a customized DVD slideshow set to music, an 11x14 mounted print from your wedding, an engagement or bridal session with CD and print release, a set of 50 custom designed Thank You cards featuring your wedding images by www.craftylilmomma.com owner Jen Harris, other prizes may be added without written notice and the couple will also be featured on our website and blog. First Runner up will receive a free engagement session with CD and print release and also $300 off any photography wedding package over $1000. Second Runner up will receive a free engagement session with CD and print release and also $200 off any photography wedding package over $1000. Winners will need to contact OIELP to claim prizes by March 1, 2009. Contest is open to any engaged couple in the Birmingham Alabama and surrounding areas within 75 miles of travel.

Don't miss out! Forward this to all your friends and spread the word!

Contest Rules:

-Submissions will be accepted through January 31, 2009 at midnight. Winners will be announced Valentines Day, February 14, 2009 in our blog.
-To qualify, we must be available on your wedding date in 2009/2010.
-Three references must be provided for your love story.
-Wedding must take place in Birmingham, Alabama or within 75 miles of.
-Your story has to be true. Anyone submitting a false story will be disqualified!
-Your entire wedding budget must be under $5k.
-We will verify your love story and budgets of the finalists prior to winners being announced.
-Winners will be chosen by a team of judges and OIELP.
-The couple must be willing to appear on our blog with their story and sign release forms.
-Winners cannot be relatives, friends or acquaintances of Once in Every Life Photography.
- If you are a currently booked/contracted couple you are not eligible to enter or win.

We can’t wait to see where this adventure will take us! We are hoping to make a difference in the lives of a many special couples this year.

Start getting your stories in now!! We can’t wait!

April, Kim and Adam

July party of the month - DESTINATION:LOVE

Bon Voyage Single Life
Destination:LOVE

The theme stemmed from Luggage Tags that the bride-to-be bought from Kate Aspen. The bride-to-be's mom asked me to center the party around that idea and so there it came to me ~Lets throw a Bon Voyage party! Hence the name Bon Voyage Single Life; Destination:LOVE! The colors where brown and aqua marine & the motif had to be a palm tree.

My most favorite project of it all was making a sandy beach place card holder. I took two pieces of styrafoam and used popsicle sticks to wedge them together. I then lined the edge of the foam with the colored sticks and put 2" brown grosgrain ribbon around the foam that could still be seen. I ordered flip flop placecard holders from Kate Aspen and made a sign from scrapbook stickers for the center of the board. Then I collected sand and shells from my local beach to decorate and at last the place card centerpiece was born. Needless to say it was the talk of the party that and the Bon Voyage sign that I made from buildasign.com.

There was bridal bingo, icebreaker envelopes, scratch off tickets, advice cards, and who knows the bride - all with the same colors and motif. Of course no bridal shower is complete with out chocolate lolipop umbrella's made up in white chocolate, personalized ribbon, and game prizes all theme related. All this with a budget of $500 - it pays to be crafty! Jen and I now offer Party Planning as a service since we have all these great contacts that we would love to share with our customers. If interested just let us know and we can start on your very next event!