Friday's Finds: Free Printables!

For some reason, I've been thinking about paper goods lately, and these free printable designs came to mind. I thought I would share some of the printables from that past few months that have been seen around the blogosphere! These are designs that are available to be downloaded (free of charge) for you to print on your own! They are a mix of wedding-related and life-related, so everyone can enjoy and use them!

{Wedding Invitation and Response Card Set via The Wedding Chicks}

{Thank You cards via Color Me Inspired}

{Fan Templates via Color Me Inspired}



{Lists via Leo On the Loose}


*You can now also purchase note pads of these lists at the Vale Design Paper Goods Shop!*


{Notecard Set via Ruffled}



{Bride and Groom signs via Lucky and Lovely}

There are of course many more free printable designs around the Internet, these are just a few that caught my eye! If you want something more customized, you can always enlist the services of a designer! There are quite a few out there that specialize in weddings...if you need some referrals, I would be more than happy to help!

I hope you enjoy these free printables! I have some of the lists by Vale Design, and they surely play a part in keeping my days organized! Are there any suggestions for other free printables that would be useful?

Fun and Bright Letterpress Invitations

I LOVE letterpress, and if you don't know what letterpress is, let me explain. It is basically the best thing EVER to happen to paper. If you're a technical person, you can read about letterpress as it is defined by Wikipedia. In layman's terms, it's when the design and ink is pressed into thick, luxurious paper, creating a beautiful piece of paper artwork.

Letterpress is usually reserved for very elegant invitations. Now I'm seeing more letterpress invitations using brighter colors and more design. They're all, of course, still incredibly elegant, but a pop of color always adds a bit of fun to anything!

These invitations by Louella Press have it all- gorgeous letterpress, colors that pop, a great design, and super fun wording!

Photos via Louella Court

It would brighten anyone's day to receive beautiful and bright invitations like these in the mail! I know I would be replying with the "Wouldn't Miss It" and "Aces" selections!

Has anyone ever received a letterpress invitation or card? OR is anyone considering letterpress invitations for their wedding?

Real Edgy Wedding by Leigh Taylor Photography

I try to keep an eye on local photographers' recent work, and Leigh Taylor is one of the photographers that I've been "watching". I love photos that exude the personalities of those being photographed, and these certainly did just that.

The bride and groom's edgy style is evident throughout all of the photos, and I just LOVE the bridesmaids' dresses! Take a look and see for yourself! Enjoy Leigh's beautiful photographs!

I love the red with purple accents- it's classic with a touch of edginess! And the bridesmaids' dresses- are they not the best?!

Click on over to Leigh Taylor's blog to see some more of her awesome work (and her great blog design-I love it!). I promise, you won't be disappointed! Amazing photography Leigh!

Inspiration Board: Aqua and White Backyard Beach Wedding

Today's inspiration board is a little personal for me- it's probably the most time I've ever spent on one! My best friend moved to Hawaii at the end of February, shortly after she got engaged. Since she has been so far away, she's put the wedding planning on hold for the time being, but we have discussed a little bit of what she wants. She recently made a comment about wanting an inspiration board when the time comes to start planning, so I thought I would do a sort of "first draft" for her!

She wants an intimate beach wedding, with the reception ideally in the backyard of a home on or near the beach. Her vision is something clean, simple, and fun. The colors of aqua and white immediately came to my mind. Aqua and white are so very simple, and at the same time incredibly pretty and modern.

Row 1: Sign, Ceremony, Reception
Row 2: Table Centerpiece, Reception, Table Setting, Dress
Row 3: Tiki Torches, Reception, Shoes in the sand, Barefoot in the sand
Row 4: Aqua drink, Centerpiece, Bouquet

I'm loving the simplicity and casual feel that the combination of aqua and white exudes! An intimate backyard reception will be so much fun- it'll be like a big family dinner. I know that's the feel she's going for-spending her wedding day with those closest to her and her future husband.

Now I can't wait, and I'm getting excited all over again! But I will be containing my excitement until she gives the "word". Until then, I'll have this inspiration board, and probably a few more! Hope you all enjoyed it!

DIY Monday: Fall Family Tree

Since this is the last week of October, I thought I would end it with this pretty DIY project. Laurie Cinotto shared this craft with The Bride's Cafe as an alternative to displaying family photos at a wedding. This fall family tree would make a wonderful piece of decor at a wedding, but it would also be incredibly functional as a piece of home decor!

Via The Bride's Cafe

It could even be revamped a little bit! The possibilities go on and on-small palm branches for a beach wedding, or willow branches for a spring wedding. Add some Christmas tree branches, different colors and shapes of ornaments, candy canes, or snowflakes, and voila- you have a new holiday decoration! Full instructions and more photos are on The Bride's Cafe.

Using something like this would also be an excellent way to do escort cards! I see escort card displays being integrated into the decor of an event more and more, and I love it! Is anyone thinking of using something like this for their wedding or event?

A New Take on Bridesmaid Bouquets

If you want an alternative option to bridesmaid bouquets, here's a new take on them for you! I saw this earlier in the week through a link someone posted on Twitter, and I think it's such a fun idea! You can give your bridesmaids colorful and fun pinwheel bouquets to carry instead of flower bouquets!

Photos via Rule 42's Etsy shop, by Jeret Slack Photography

Pinwheels would be such a fun theme for a wedding, bridal shower, or any party! The pinwheels could be part of the centerpieces and if you have an outdoor wedding, the aisle could be lined with them. For the sendoff, guests could hold pinwheels instead of sparklers! How fun!

Hostess With the Mostess

These photos are from a birthday party, via Hostess With The Mostess, but it's a great portrayal of the use of pinwheels in an event! What are your thoughts on the pinwheels? I'm definitely envisioning an outdoor garden wedding with pinwheels abounding and guests having loads of fun!

New iPhone App for Brides

The iPhone keeps finding ways to make people's lives more productive! BRIDES Magazine has launched Brides Dressing Room, an iPhone app that is the first digital shopping concierge for brides!

I had to download it to see how it works, and it's probably going to cause a problem for my dress-loving self. For some reason I always have the urge to put on a wedding dress! You can browse through wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses from several popular designers. You can choose how to want to browse: by style, designer, details, or price. The photos are excellent, and you are even given a description and price range for each dress! When you find one that you like, you can email it to someone or yourself, or find it at a store near you! You can even schedule an appointment, but I didn't experience that feature as there aren't any stores near me. We'll have to take their word for it I guess!

If you're a bride, and you have an iPhone, there is no doubt about it that you should download this new app! It's free, so there's no reason not to. Even if you already have your dress, it will come in especially handy when looking for bridesmaid dresses! Wouldn't it be great to show your bridesmaids the style you're thinking of when you're with them and get their opinions right away (instead of waiting on an email response from them)?

You can find it at the iPhone store by searching "brides", or here on the internet. I hope some brides and bridesmaids will find this new app to come in handy! Enjoy!

Start 2010 With a Beautiful Calendar

There are less than 3 months until the new year 2010, and I've been seeing lots of pretty calendars floating around the blogosphere! I thought I would share some of them with you all so you can snatch one up for yourselves before all of the beautiful ones are sold out!

A Little Hut, $26

Egg Press, $16


Linda & Harriet, $30
{This one is my favorite! It's letterpressed and on the reverse side of each month is a post card! How cool is that?!}


Parrott Design Studio, $28



Daisy Princess Paperie, $15-16

A special thanks to Paper Crave for sharing all of these, among all of the other amazing paper goods they find! Plan to start 2010 with a beautiful calendar to keep your wedding planning and life organized! And if you don't end up starting the year organized, at least your wall or desk will look pretty!