You are (super much) cordially invited...

… to the root tootinest event in the South. For a wedding that has adopted the unconventional mantra of “Yee-To-The-Hizzaw”, our upcoming nuptials are sure to be funky, fresh, and overflowing with sugary, home-grown goodness. This confidence comes, of course, from the fact that dedicated readers are planning the whole shebang. You’ve all jumped aboard this Crazy Train bound for Nashville, triumphantly sloshing your spiked fruit punch from blue-stained Mason Jars. The problem, it seems, is how to summarize such a wacky-cooky-ain’t-yer-granny’s-tea-party type of event. I am learning that this précis is essential, the starting off point, the setting of the celebratory tone. And if you haven’t guessed yet, the only proper way to summarize a wholly improper wedding is via invitations.

Case in point: I received a glossy, wooden box in the mail. Inside, tucked gently under luscious silk, was a bejeweled Honorable Request For My Presence. I knew two things:

1. This wedding was about to get eight kinds of royal.

2. I most certainly would not fit in. I know you said Black Tie, but you mentioned nothing of bare feet!

Such a grandiose and formal invitation made it clear that luxury, etiquette, and staunch richness was to be the theme. From the moment I opened my mailbox to the moment I stepped wobbly heeled into the swanky reception, the couple’s statement of atmosphere proved correct.

This says "I'm having a really fancy wedding. I also had extra piles of money sitting around."

And wrong for me. So very, very wrong for me. I can wear lipstick, pantyhose, shoes even, but if you’ve caught a glimpse of my spastic personality, you know that glitz and glamour aren’t my cup of (pinky up!) tea. So, I set about to find the perfect summation, the perfect invite to say “Welcome to our wedding. Let’s get funky, y’all!”.

It turns out singing telegrams are rather expensive when requested by the tens. They are also creepy.

Welcome to our wedding! Why are you crying?

I searched high and low for a more conventional method to produce my unconventional invites. Local printers offered decent prices, only to renege their offers after learning of the Living In Unwed Mama Sin aspect of my life. The Bible Belt is nothing if not open-minded and gracious. Websites offered specialty design and printing and could not judge my BabyMama-ness face to face. This seemed promising until I was informed by Patrice, the grumpy customer-service tweeter of extra fees. Did you know printing the letter “y” is especially strenuous and thus more costly? Well, Patrice, I know now.

I found some hope in Nova Scotia. This is the part where I channel my dad and tell you of my arduous journey on foot through Canada… uphill…both ways… in the snow. Instead, I found Amy Adams, artsy mother, blogger, and brilliant designer and creator of  {a} Printables. Her Etsy Shop had everything I needed without making my frugal eye twitch!

Amy designs customized & printable invitations for ridiculously low prices. She works with you to select color schemes and proper (or improper) wording, and then sends your unique invitation to you in a PDF template. I’m not one for techno-talk, so I’ll put it to you this way:I save money! I get special invites! I print at home invitations that do not look like I printed them at home! 

Affordable. Unique. Affordable. Adorable. Affordable. Funky Fresh: This is my brain on Amy Adams invitations.

So much pretty.

This week, Very Bloggy Wedding planners, I need your help to narrow down the cute. With awesome prices and wonderful designs, I need your help to make a choice before I buy three extra designs  just ” ’cause they were charmin’ “.

OPTION #1: I’d wear this invite like a dress, and then I’d marry it.

The first of my favorites is a sleek and simple design with an added flare via big, bold letters. The bride & groom’s names are the focal point, featured in funky, chunky letters made to look like retro fabric. Amy’s Fabric Stencil design is just the right mix of modern, comfortable, and quirky.

View additional color options in Amy's Etsy Shop!

OPTION #2: SOMETHING OLD BUT REALLY NEW: 

This next one is just the right amount of vintage charm constructed in a fresh, updated way. Amy’s Victorian invitation is clean and traditional without feeling stale. I love the simplicity of it, a fabulous contrast to my wildly eccentric personality. It’s lovely, the way I try to be.

View additional color choices at Amy's Etsy shop!

OPTION #3 I HEART YOU, INVITE. I REALLY DO. :

Your final option, planners, is the Modern Heart design. You can’t get more fun than turning words into shapes, says the chronic Word Nerd. The heart image is retro, playful and sweet but given a modern kick by including all of the invitation’s text into the symbol of love. It’s one part Pop!, one part Aww. The Modern Heart is completely fun.

View additional color choices in Amy's Etsy Shop!

For all of your hard work orchestrating this circus of a Big Day for me, I’d like to pay you.

Just kidding. I’ve got a wedding to pay for, fools.

Amy has been generous enough to show some love to Very Bloggy Wedding readers and voters! From today through September 2011, she is offering 25% off her custom invitations. With prices that already make my cheap wallet sing, this discount gets you beautiful, designer invites for next to nothing. Just enter code: VERYBLOGGYWEDDING at checkout!

A big thanks Amy Adams & {a} Printables for joining The Ramblings family and sharing in some cyber wedding fun.

So, are you ready to write my Wedding Summary?

Be sure to leave your vote in the comments section!

Head on over to Amy’s new blog, Amy Adams Art + Design, and welcome her to the gaggle!

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