Just like how I would start any design project, I did my research first. After getting engaged, I made sure to get my hands on some wedding magazines and checked out some inspiring websites like theknot.com. I started collecting images of things I liked. I had an on-going theme, I wanted everything to be personal by using photography.

My friend, Lydia Ko, volunteered to take engagement pictures for us, which I absolutely love. I wanted to use them somehow, and I had an idea in the back of my mind that I saw of using a photobooth for “save the dates”. So I made four of my favorite pictures into a strip like you would get out of a photobooth into a bookmark, on the back gave the date and location, and more information.

I didn’t want to send out the traditional plain thank you notes; everyone knows as soon as you read it, it goes on the fridge for awhile because you would feel badly throwing it away or just put it straight in the trash. I wanted to send out something that would make someone smile or think, “Wow, that was a cute idea, how clever” and actually want to hold on to it for awhile. I posed with the gifts I received from my bridal shower and added thought bubbles to make me look like a stupid bride that didn’t know how to do anything. I developed the photos and then printed out the back of the postcards on some index cards and glued them together. I thought it was a cute funny idea on a budget, and I had fun with it.

For my wedding gifts that I received for the wedding, I used a photo of my new husband and I on the back of our getaway vehicle that read “Just Married”, but I changed it to “Thank you”, although I could have left it.

Of course I had to design everything I could for my wedding! I told my mom, it was like an art project for myself, I had to do it. I designed my wedding invitations, programs, keepsake book, table cards, and favors. I would have photographed my wedding if I could have too! I think I will have some people copying me in the near future.

Weddings take up so much more time an effort than I could have imagined. I made more work for myself than I needed to, but it just had to be perfect. I was working a full crazy week and then coming home, doing the same thing until I passed out, and trying to make time for visiting family. It was extremely exhausting.