enJOY it by Elise Blaha Cripe

wedding table number cards + anniversary cards.

I have blogged about this before. Twice actually... before our wedding and then around our one year anniversary, but when I shared our 5 year card on Instagram last weekend and there was a lot of interest so I thought I'd stick it on the blog as well for future or current brides who are looking for an inexpensive, easy and SUPER sentimental idea that will last much longer than just the wedding day.

The table number cards at our wedding were simple 10x5 pieces of gray cardstock that I folded in half to make a 5x5 card that would stand on the table. I stamped each side with an orange number stamp (super old from Martha Stewart for Michael's) but these look similar.

They served their purpose at the wedding (told the guests which table was theirs) and then during the reception turned into anniversary cards.

When my dad spoke, he told the guests to write a note inside the cards at their table to be opened on our corresponding anniversary. So table 10 would be opened on our 10th. Depending on where you sat you got to drop us a note some odd years in the future.

It was a sweet idea at the time. But at the time you have no real concept of "the future." You don't think about what your marriage will actually look like in three years, five years, 16 years. So now, as we open the notes each year (my mom mails them our way), it transports us back to that day in a way that photos cannot. The words are so kind, so hopeful, so (depending on the table) drunk. It's hilarious and overwhelming in the best way.

Of all the things we did, this was by far my favorite even though I didn't realize it would be. I would recommend this to any couple planning a wedding. I would also recommend just ignoring all suggestions and doing exactly what you want.

wedding photos by The Goodness, formerly Lisa Welge. See all of our 2010 DIY wedding posts here.

anniversary table number cards & thoughts on one year.

Long, long ago, I mentioned a plan for our wedding table numbers.

I ended up scratching the design, but keeping the idea. Our new table numbers were folded gray cardstock that were stamped in orange ink with Martha Stewart foam number stamps. Guests at each table were encouraged to sign them knowing they would be opened on that anniversary year. (So we'd open table 10 on our 10th, etc.)

My parents mailed table number one's card (blurred for privacy) down and we opened it on Sunday before we went out to dinner. I actually cried reading what our sweet friends had written. I did not anticipate loving this idea so much, but it's crazy how something so simple can send you right back to the moment. I'll be tucking them into our guestbook (shown top right) for safe keeping.

I had anticipated sharing more thoughts about this first year of marriage but whenever it comes to actually typing up a full post - I've got nothing. Paul and I lived together for three years before we were married, so we were pretty well versed in "how to make a serious relationship work" before the "I do's" were said. One thing that we have changed this year though is just making more time for the fun stuff. We get outside more. We celebrate more happy hours. We talk to each other more. Paul's work schedule has gotten so much crazier, but mine has become flexible and the balance has worked out well. I can say for sure that this past year was our best yet. I am so grateful we were able to spend our first year of married life in such a sunny city that is so much closer to our family and friends.

top three photos by the goodness. And yes, we have orange roses at the moment - keeping the tradition alive since 2010.

looking back at the wedding.

Tomorrow we will have been married for a year.

I have some thoughts to share about the first year of marriage. (And I am going to ask Paul to write down his too.) But right now I wanted to answer a fun question I got when I asked for blog topic ideas.

Would love to a hear a 'looking back at the wedding' - what details stand out in looking back more than expected? was there something you worried about or put lot of effort into which looking back you needn't have worried about. when someone says wedding - which image comes to your mind?

Looking back on the planning -

I joke about how when people hear you are getting married they always say "Oh how exciting! Don't let anyone tell you what to do, remember, this is your day. But of course you just have to have...." I think it's just the nature of weddings. Everyone has an opinion and everyone wants to help. The trick is to smile and nod and then move on with whatever feels best for you. End of story.

To me, a wedding is just a party. For the couple and maybe the parents, it has a ton of significance. But for the other 80-200 guests, it's a party. Forgetting that equals no fun for anyone.

So I got over all the pressure and expectation and tackled the wedding like I do everything else. With a list. I was very blessed in that I had emotional and financial support from our parents, but without strings. No one close to me pressured me into anything regarding the ceremony or the reception. This meant, I could do whatever made sense to me (within the budget, of course).

Our venue was awesome. Hands down the best decision I made. (With my dress and the color orange being tied for second. Oh and the DJ and the photographers killed it too.) I DIYed everything I could, but was not fanatic about it. We had 14 months to plan and I went through all sorts of ideas before usually settling on a simple option. I stayed calm throughout the process by staying in charge. The only time I lost my cool was at the rehearsal when things were not going how I expected. I am the type of person that needs to just do it myself. Accepting that, and (nicely) letting the people around me know that, helped things run smoothly.

Looking back on the wedding day -

I woke up hungover. That is so embarrassing to admit. But we had an amazing rehearsal dinner the night before and unfortunately, I drank a glass of wine too many. I remember being so annoyed with myself for that.

But a shower, breakfast, lots of water and advil and I was back in business making centerpieces.

I saw Paul about 20 times the morning of the wedding. I don't believe in bad luck. Marriage is about work, not luck. I didn't wear something old or something blue. Or borrowed, now that I think of it. I told people I did because oddly enough, lack of all that causes panic.

I remember the ceremony so well. Details that stand out best? Nodding at Paul when he said his vows. My bridesmaids smiling at me before we walked into the church. My amazing brother sniffling through the readings.

And then I remember the reception. It was exactly what I wanted, a huge party. In retrospect, drinking too much at the rehearsal dinner meant I didn't want to drink at the wedding which I am very happy about. I had a bit of fancy champagne and that was it. I enjoyed the party so much more because I was so present for it. Details that stand out best? Our venue's wedding rep telling us we were so relaxed for a bride & groom. Dancing with my girlfriends to "Call On Me". Paul resting his hand on the small of my back as we went around to tables and thanked people for coming. The DJ saying my dad should be on Dancing with the Stars (which is true).

Paul and I stayed until the end and then went up to our honeymoon suite. It's so cliche, but a year later, I can say my wedding day and night was the best of my life. I was so happy to be so aware of every second. And waking up the next morning with a wedding band on and a husband beside me was so amazing.

Oh man. It was so fun. I never want to do it again, but it was so very fun.

PS : all photos by The Goodness (formerly Lisa Welge) and here's a big list of everything wedding related.

wedding website.

I'm pretty sure my claim over the domain eliseandpaul.com is going to be up in the next few days and I never shared our wedding website here on the blog. So if you're curious :

here it is.

(Thank you, USC, for offering Introduction to HTML as a 2 credit class.)

an e&p wedding album.

This book was a labor of love.

It took two and a half ink cartridges and a lot of patience.

It follows the same basic format as our engagement album. I used the same colors, font and many of the same page layouts to put it all together. However, it's about four times as thick. I wanted to use the same size Russell + Hazel binder but quickly realized there was no way I'd fit all 104 pages in the half inch binder rings.

So I decided to dismantle a R+H binder.

I used an x-acto to cut the covers from the spine and then sealed the edges with washi tape. I added patterned paper to the insides of the covers and then punched three holes through them and the pages. To bind it all together, I used three 2" binder rings.

I think the overall effect is not as clean and "perfect" looking as if I had an actual binder to case the book. However, I love the page size and am so glad I stuck with it instead of moving up to 8.5x11. I also considered separating it into a ceremony album and a reception album, but when I tried to work that out it broke up the flow of the story.

So this is working for now. Maybe eventually I'll find a small thick binder and then I'll transfer the pages over.

I am still looking for a suitable ampersand for the front. Right now it's just a white letter sticker, but I'd like to find a chipboard (orange) ampersand.

I did not use any digital templates to complete this book. I just took each page at a time and worked my way through our 705 wedding photos chronologically. The final book has 175 photos. Basically, I picked my favorites and the ones that best told our story. The text that accompanies some of the photos is taken directly from my wedding wrap up posts here on this blog.

You can read a bit about my design process (for the engagement album, but same idea) here.

The final pages are 8.5x6.75. When I was making them in Photoshop Elements, I started with 8.5x6.75 canvases at 300dpi. I printed each page at home on 8.5x11 photo paper and then trimmed down to size. I put the pages in order and adhered them back to back (with a tape runner adhesive around each edge) before punching the holes.

BOOK DETAILS :

Printer : HP PhotoSmart 2575

Photo Paper : Office Depot professional photo paper semi-gloss (highly recommend)

Patterned Paper : Snow + Graham

Adhesive : Tombo Mono permanent adhesive

Paper Trimmer : Fiskars rotary trimmer

Hole Puncher : Crop-A-Dile II Big Bite Punch

Album : Russell + Hazel mini binder

Typeface : Helvetica

Photography : Lisa Welge

I've taken photos of every spread in the book and they can be seen here. Below are 25 of my favorite layouts :

Again, the pages above are just about half of the book - the full book can be seen here.

Thanks so much for looking, I hope you enjoyed! Huge thank you again to Lisa + Geoff for the beautiful wedding photos.

AND : Happy two month anniversary to Paul. This book is your present.