In this month’s issue of Real Simple magazine, there were some very creative ways to show your creativity when seating guests. Some of these may not be appropriate for large guest lists - say a wedding reception for 200 guests - but you can surely use them in smaller locales, like at a bridal shower or rehearsal dinner. All the names on these items were stamped using basic rubber stamps. Just goes to show you how far a little imagination can go…

It’s not often that we are able to extend a discount on your wedding invitations - so take us up on it! Arabella has gorgeous wedding invitations, and from now until February 28, 2009 they are offering FREE response sets with any new invitation order - you can save up to $450! That’s quite a chunk of change! Their invitations are not available online, but we can certainly help you order over the phone, through email, or in the retail boutique. No coupon necessary to take advantage of this offer - we’ll just take it off your bill!

We’re located at 1321 NW Hoyt Street in Portland, Oregon. Come by and take a look at over 50 invitation albums, in all price ranges and styles. Or, we’re always open online at www.NewandBlue.com.

Wow… another great Custom Save the Date magnet that was designed by a New and Blue customer! Lindsey and Tyson did an awesome job making their own magnet design here. This one is very simple and elegant, and still manages to incorporate bright colors with a modern-looking design. I love the blue color and the calla lilies are very fitting of a wedding theme. Very cute… and of course - being a Save the Date magnet - very functional. Great job you two!

Don’t forget: Lindsey and Tyson designed this magnet all by themselves. Unfortunately, we cannot create you custom magnet design for you.

Here’s another cute Save the Date magnet that was designed by Amanda and Mark for their wedding. Using the Color Side Box Vertical Magnet with a pale green accent, they’ve decided to let their beloved pup, Barney, show excitement for their big day. People love their pets! We’ve seen many pets wearing tuxedos and gowns, as well as other fantastic costumes. And what a cute puppy it is! Barney is CLEARLY super excited for the party! Nice job guys!

Everyone is going to be focusing on you: your hair, your gown, your ring… YOUR SKIN! You will be showing off that rock over and over and shaking hands with dozens of people - do everyone a favor (including yourself) and pamper your hands. Satin Hands from Mary Kay is amazing! I have actually used this, and no I don’t sell it… so this is not a sales pitch. This kit contains the best 3 hand products I have ever tried. They leave your skin… well, like satin. I highly recommend it… even if you’re not the bride!

I am a giant sucker for hairpieces for brides - not a fan of veils. To me they seem more modern and classic. I would much rather look back at my wedding pictures and see chic and classic. Anyway, looking at the items on Etsy once more I came across this seller - Smitten. If you are also a fan of this floral gardenia hair clip, you NEED to look at this site! I would have a hard time deciding on exactly which one…

At New and Blue we carry a wide variety of wedding invitations at all price points and in all different styles, shapes, colors, and textures - including inexpensive wedding invitations. On the other hand, letterpress printing is typically the most expensive of printing methods, because custom metal press plates have to be manufactured for each of your pieces. They do turn out beautifully, but you are definitely paying a hefty price for them. For someone - like myself - who loves all things “stationery and paper” the look of these simply can’t be beat. The paper has a nice texture and they typically are offered along with a pressed envelope as well, which looks so cool.

We do have some letterpress items that we love to show, such as our Alice-Louise Press, B.T. Elements, and Elizabeth and Homer albums. You can customize colors, design, design placement, wording and piece selection with these companies. The end-products turn out amazing, and you’ll have them back in hand in about 6 weeks.

Other places in Portland also sell letterpress, however. You can also check:

Oblation

Ecru

Lark Press

Every bride knows how important Thank You notes are after the wedding… your mother has told you 10,000 times so you should know. But maybe you could take the traditional notes to a whole new level! I saw an idea in one of our newer invitation albums: have all of your guests huddle around you and have the photographer take an “aerial” shot of everyone. Then you can put that photo on the front of your Thank You Notes and write your message on the inside. Or you could set up a time where each guest (or couple) could have their photo taken with you guys and then use those on the front of each note so that they’re really personalized. Alternatively, you could just insert the snapshot with the card so each guest gets a keepsake photo to do with what they wish. Both of these ideas would probably work better with a smaller guest list, but it could still work for a much larger one - it would just take much longer.

Find some simple Thank You notes by clicking here.

Here is yet another super creative, fun customer designed Custom Save the Date Magnet! Caitlin and Chad designed this magnet, for a fun twist on those silly “Hello, My Name is…” sticker name tags you’ve all seen. See? Even something you’ve seen on any other occasion can turn into wedding inspiration! We are guessing there is a story behind this design, but we have no clue what it is. The design is simple, cute, and creative. Nice work guys!

Remember, this was completely designed by Caitlin and Chad. Unfortunately, we cannot create your custom designed magnet for you.

LAST reminder…

This weekend is Portland’s largest bridal show! The Portland Bridal show we be held at the Oregon Convention Center on Saturday Jan 17 and Sunday Jan 18. This show will feature hundreds of Portland-area vendors who all want to make your day absolutely perfect! New and Blue will be there, of course. Please visit this website for further details, or this website to purchase advance tickets. Discount coupons are still available at our retail boutique, but quantities are limited.

*** Mention you saw this post on our blog and receive a free gift from New and Blue! Limited quantities are available; offer is only good while supplies last! ***

New and Blue Retail Boutique . 1321 NW Hoyt Street . Portland, OR . www.NewandBlue.com