InBites!

Excitedly I ordered a handful of sample invitation from a common online invite vendor last week! Trying to be good and get lots of stuff done this month (hence the lack of blogging, I'm actually getting off my computer and crossing things off the list). I was very happy when the big envelope came to my office today. I tore open the package and...

well...

and disappointment followed.

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but what was stuffed in the envelopes just wasn't it. The invitations themselves look very similar to what was promised on the website, and surprisingly, the invitations are a nice paper weight - not to flimsy and light. Here are my new acquisitions:

#1 - cute & fun
There are about 4 inside layers beyond just the blue frame. When you get down to the actual paper where the invite is printed its pretty small. It seems like a lot of paper is wasted just to get the effect!

#2 - fancy font
I love the fancy aspect of this - it's so formal and it SCREAMS wedding wedding wedding! The initial pretty much sells the whole thing. While the font is pretty, the invitation its self is very lack luster. It's just another piece of paper. I'm sure we could spice it up if we decide to do something like this (mmm, creativity already flowing) but it's rather unimpressive for the most part!

#3 - simple and Shiny

This was one KJ liked online, and out of the three, it made the best sample. The shiny boarder gives the paper more dimension than #2 without being as excessive as #1. Still, I think we can do better.

When I started thinking wedding (almost a year ago now) there were some areas I was willing to compromise in, invites being one of them. I've gotten quite a few beautiful invites that wind up coffee stained from sitting on the counter a week to long, or as Sadie's treat from falling off the fridge. I tried to put them in a scrapbook from weddings KJ and I have been to, but I haven't updated that scrapbook in awhile and it's just become this overflowing pile of paper. Needless to say, invites usually end up in the trash (sorry friends), and I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something I don't treat well.

I've definitely had expensive invite dreams....

...a la these beauties by Vera Wang

But at somewhere around $6/invite, I can't say anything even resembling a "Yes".

So, these three are just not what I had thought. I don't want anything extravagant, but I do want something that addresses our event in a fun yet formal matter, and puts off a good first impression for our guests. I'm back to the drawing board for invites... anyone have any recommendations?