REALLY personal invitations (actually, envelopes)

So I was telling a fellow Blogger Bride about how I have so much time at my job to play around with wedding ideas on the internet.  I'm lucky because I don't know how I would do all this if I didn't have so much free time at work.  I guess it would get done but not be nearly as creative or put together as I hope everything comes out on the day of.

Well, the newest little thing I found that I wanted to share with you fellow brides is how to create truly personal invitations...before your guests even open the envelope!

You may or may not know that the United States Postal Service offers a service to personalize your stamps with photos or images.  Well, I knew as soon as I heard this that I wanted to put one of our engagement pictures on the outside of our wedding invitation.  The guests may or may not notice it (they would be silly if they didn't) but it would start off my hopes of blowing them away with things they've never typically associated with weddings right off the bat...before they even get there.

You can play around with things like: * amount of postage you need on the stamp  * borders and colors of borders  * picture (use Photoshop or an editing program to colorize or spice up your photo)
Here is what I came up with playing around on the site today:  Photo Stamps

Our invitations are currently in process (can't wait to share the mockups with you when they are finalized).  But they are going to be aqua, black and white.  We will most likely go with a white linen envelope and then use an envelope wrap around label in an aqua damask type pattern to bring some color to the envelope.  Adding the touch of aqua to the stamp will be a cool way to bring it all together.

The best part...as I mentioned in my previous post, I did a google search for Photo Stamp Coupons and found a code for 10% off my order!  Woo-hoo!

What do you think?  See if you can come up with some of your own stamp ideas and share the samples!

Seriously Saturdays: Why I strongly dislike the post office

I don't like to use the word 'hate'...hence the funny subject title. I mean, seriously...it's kind of a mean word.  But I have to say, I am so sick and tired of the USPS! Not only have I had them deliver mail to the wrong address, lose mail, have mail show up over 3 weeks after sent and have to deal with their ever increasing prices - BUT on top of it all, they charge you a ridiculous rate to send a simple card...like a Save the Date let's say!

I should have known to check on their site www.usps.com and find out how much they would charge to mail my save the date cards. But I figured, "Hey, they're only a 6x6 square card and weigh the same as most letters do." So I didn't bother to check the weight and size and all of my STD's came back to me in the mail.

Ladies, never ever take a chance...even if you think you know what you are doing. Always test the weight and size of anything wedding related you are mailing before sending. Because now many of my guests received envelopes that have that ugly 'Returned for extra postage stamp' on them! UGH! It wasn't the weight but the fact that the cards were square that gives the post office the right to charge me for TWO stamps instead of one...so silly.  SQUARE?  Seriously?  I mean, come on...what does the difference between square and rectangle have to do with anything?

Have you had a run in with the Post Office or frustrations or problems with mailing or receiving your wedding related items?

Seriously Saturdays originated here.