Most Original Wedding Invitations

Weddings are elegant affairs and can be done many different ways and several motifs. They often follow similar patterns, though. Many people want to stick by what is beautiful, which is why many weddings are alike. There's obviously wrong with this at all, but some people want to be original and the first element that shows this is the invitation. The invitation is meant to just give the basic information and invite the guest in a way that's as welcoming as possible. Here are some awesome ways to do it that you probably haven't thought of yet.

photo courtesy of madebyjulene.com

One invitation for those who appreciate originality while still maintaining elegance and a classic feel is the paper cutout. I love it for its ornate intricacy. This invitation is so detailed that it goes beyond design into art. If created on sturdy enough paper, the cutout can stand alone. If done on paper of regular width, it will need to be attached to a piece of paper. This can be great though, adding color and more design to your invitation. Either way, this invitation is a winner no matter what you do to it.

photo courtesy of ramshackleglam.com

If you are a fan of the 'Little Miss' and 'Mister Men' books, then you will love this :-) The cute invitation is a recreation of the classic children's book that people my have grown up with. It's an adorable throwback that will bring back nostalgia for anyone sentimental. I personally love Little Miss Sunshine and Mr. Messy the most. Those would be on my cover :-)

photo courtesy of carlaberrocal.com

For the more nerdy brides and grooms, this is a cool way to go. I love that the invitation is pixelated just a nintendo video game invoking nostalgia once again, for the true gamer of course. What truly makes this vintage though is the 'Insert Coin?' line on the left of card, bringing you back to the olden days of arcades. I love this one, because it brings back childhood again, and I'm not even a big video games fan.

photo courtesy of qualityjunkyard.com

This one is for the cook, food aficionado or just those with a sweet tooth. The invitation is a chocolate bar with the wedding invitation written on the packaging. It has very creative detail as well and is so realistic that is could pass for a normal manufactured candy bar. And every will love receiving a sweet treat along with an invitation to your big day.

photo courtesy of lolitastudio.net

I'm not quite sure what theme this wedding invitation would accompany, but nonetheless, it is a very original and fun idea. Instead of sending one piece of paper, this invitation is a small deck of custom playing cards with bits of information on each card. A great way to employ the deck to the fullest would be to use the number cards to give out the date, ceremony time, address and other things like this. And a cute idea that was used in example above, is use the heart cards of the deck :-)

photo courtesy of ioffer.com

A cute idea that is perfect for those using certain motifs is event tickets. This is broad idea too, so it can work for themes relating to movies, plays, carnivals, or just a party (reception) in general. Using an actual ticket for admission isn't used much anymore now that you can print tickets on printer paper, use a confirmation number, or just have a barcode scanned on your iphone. This will bring back a fun, vintage feel and can be very elegant if done well. You can even collect the stub at the door to have even more fun and to keep out the wedding crashers ;)

photo courtesy of gizmodiva.com

Another one for the nerdy couple is comics books. I love this, for the reason that you can probably guess. That's right, because it's retro. It's perfect for those who love comics or just something from a bygone era. I love the detail on this one as well, with the ceremony date listed as the issue date in the top lefthand corner. The cool thing about this one is that there are thousands of covers you can get inspiration from.

photo courtesy of weddinginvitations21.com

This is a great idea if you want to surprise your guests with your invitation. Just send a bag of puzzle pieces for guests to put together for a little bit of fun and the pleasant surprise of a wedding invitation. Who wouldn't love to get a surprise like that in the mail?

photo courtesy of lovelypackage.com

I've saved my favorite for last. This the coolest wedding invitation idea I've ever seen. With this, you mail the wedding invitation to your guests in a tin can. The tin can will need to have a small hole in the bottom. When they open it up, guests will find the invitation, string and instructions. They will now use attach the string to the tin can and tie it to the newlywed's car on the day of the wedding. The instructions will them know just how to do it and you will be sure to have enough tin cans to bring some wind resistance to your car. This is a cute way to incorporate the age-old tradition of tin cans on the back of the newlyweds' car and involve your guests in the festivities. It is traditional and original, which is hard to do and you're sure to not come across another couple that has already done it.

Invitations are the first impression of your wedding to your guests, and originality can go a long way. Common wedding invitation patterns can be work, but guests won't know what they're in for exactly. An original invitation will most likely give them more of a sense of what's in store. Have fun with your invitations whether they're customary or original and make sure each of your personalities show.

So Why Are You Single?

I get this question a lot, and it being Valentine’s Day time, it makes me think of it more often than usual. First off, it’s only fair for me to let you know a little bit about me. I’m a 22 year-old college student in LA that works on a few websites. I’m a pretty normal girl, so I guess that’s why people always puzzle over why I’m not with a guy. I always find this weird, because I think the answer is obvious. Isn’t it evident that when a (normal) person isn’t in a relationship that it’s because they are not in love? Love is the only reason to be in a relationship, so if I’m not in love, why should I be trying to get into one? And obviously, it’s never a good idea to go around trying to get with someone, because that’s not the way it works. You’ll probably only trick yourself into thinking you feel something because you’re looking for it so badly and possibly ruin your life for a few years even worse, maybe permanently.

I guess I don’t understand why people are in such a hurry to pair off, even if they’re ‘not sure’ how they feel about each other. Don’t they see that being in that special relationship that involves only one other person in the entire world is immensely remarkable? I know I must not be the only one that still believes in true love and the extraordinary thing that it is. I believe in love that’s meant for only two people. When I think of it, really, I think of It’s a Wonderful Life. Yes, I know it’s a movie, but what I’m referring to perfectly illustrates my point. When George Bailey saw what life would be like if he were never born, he saw his wife, Mary, as a single woman. If she hadn’t met George, she would have never married. There would have never been anyone she met that she couldn’t live without and she would have never been in love.

So as we live in a time where two or three marriages are a commonality as divorce rates for first marriage as around 50%, it seems to me that people are losing their senses. Don’t they know when they are in true love? That’s why I feel like it’s such an odd question to hear ‘why are you single’? I thought the answer was obvious.

If you are married, I hope you are certain that you are with the love of your life. If you are, I’m happy for you for finding that person. If you are in the same situation as I am, it’s good to know others have enough principles and courage to not feel the need to be in a relationship without the proper cause of true love. As for me, as I have not met the guy I felt strongly enough about, and definitely no one yet for my family to meet ;-), I will use my head and stay single until I’m in love. Until then, I guess I’ll just need to think up some clever responses.

5 Funniest Marriage Proposals

If you read our site regularly, you can see that I absolutely love weddings. It's a once in a lifetime event, and to have a wedding, you must first have a proposal. One reason that I love proposals so much is that they vary so greatly. Every guy wants to surprise the girl they propose to but most guys go for the most romantic way. Some guys with more of a sense of humor take a funny approach (and I think their girls are the luckiest). Below are the five funniest (but tasteful) proposals I've come across.

# 5

This is the most public proposition of the list. A boyfriend used his girlfriend's favorite show to get her attention. He paid for a commercial during her favorite show to pop the question via national television. His girlfriend received the shock of her life and he got a fiance.

# 4

This boyfriend wanted a live audience for his shenanigans. At a basketball game, he rigged the halftime game so that his girlfriend would be chosen from the crowd to be the participant. In the game, she was blindfolded and told she had thirty seconds to run around the court and find the mascot to win free tickets to a future game. Needless to say, she found the mascot and started jumping up and down for joy thinking she had won. As she took off her blindfold, the mascot knelt down and pulled out a ring instead of tickets. She was shocked, then the mascot head came off revealing her boyfriend. She may have been a little ticked off that she didn't really win the game, but she did get a finance out of it.

# 3

One boyfriend put his movie skills to good use creating a major-motion-picture-quality movie trailer ending with him on his knee. He then got his local theater to go along with him to help him carry out his plan. They played his trailer when he and his girlfriend came to watch a movie, making them both stars.

# 2

One man took advantage of knowledge that his girlfriend checks out Groupon everyday for deals. He hooked up his own deal with Groupon to have the giant coupon company make his proposal deal of the day. Other customers may have been angry that they didn't get a daily coupon, but there was definitely one deal bought that day.

# 1

The most inventive (and personal favorite) is entertaining in many ways. One gutsy guy took his girlfriend's camera and let her think she lost it. A few days later, he magically found it for her at her house. She frantically checked if the camera and her pictures were okay. As she browsed through her photos, she found some that she had not taken. To propose, her boyfriend had made a a makeshift slideshow using his clever wit, a dry erase board and about thirty pictures of as many different expressions he could think of. I'm just curious how she gave her answer of yes.

If you're looking for some inspiration to propose or are just looking for a good laugh, I hope this list helps!

Lindsey's Top 10 Christmas Movies

Seeing as how Christmas is in full swing and most of us are either done with school for awhile, out of work for a few days or just arrived in town to visit family for the holidays, it's time to start watching those warm hearted Christmas movies. I'll be honest I've been watching them for the past month. But perhaps most of you wait until the few days leading up to this blessed holiday to pop the DVD in. Regardless, here are my top 10 favorites. I'm no movie critic so don't expect these to be the greatest films of all time. Just the one's I love the most!

10. The Preacher's Wife (1996)

I know that the original (The Bishop's Wife) may be classic, but this version makes me cry and laugh at the same time. The story of miracles and a family changing for the better around Christmas time is one that will never grow old. And who wouldn't love to have Denzel as their guardian angel?

9. The Santa Clause (1994)

This has been a favorite of mine since it first came out. A lover of Tim Allen, I just had to see this! He's so funny and lovable that it's hard to resist. Plus, the idea that Santa Clause continues over time because men put on this suit when he dies is ingenious. If you don't believe in Santa now, you certainly will once the film is over.

8. We're No Angels (1955)

Funny, funny, funny is all I really have to say. If you have not seen this Humphrey Bogart caper, then you are sincerely missing out. Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov play a trio of charming prison inmate escapees who end up being more helpful than hurtful. Though this may not seem Christmasy don't worry, it is. The three create such a lovely holiday atmosphere you would swear they were "angels".

7. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

If you've ever had a lot of family stay with you over the Christmas season, you will love this movie. Not only is it a hilarious addition to the Chevy Chase National Lampoon series, but it will help you to laugh at your current predicament and perhaps realize that your own family isn't so bad. Hey, at least you don't have a brother-in-law who shows up on your driveway with a beat-up trailer filled with his families waste which he then proceeds to dump down your storm drain. Right?

6. Home Alone/Home Alone 2 (1990)

I know there are two movies listed here but it's so hard to choose between the original home christmas burglar beat down and the New York christmas burglar beat down. In the original Kevin gets to be home all by himself, but a Christmas in New York with all sorts of crazy adventures is irresistible.

5. White Christmas (1954)

Who isn't dreaming of a white christmas? And who wouldn't want to be swooned by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney? This film not only gives us some of the traditional christmas songs we sing today, but when two GI's chase two sisters to Vermont and end up helping their old general, it will warm your heart as well.

4. Scrooge (1970)

With the mounds of Scrooge and A Christmas Carol films out there, it's hard to really pick one that is a favorite. But I have. In this version, a young Albert Finney portrays the decrepit miser who "humbugs" Christmas at every turn. Now this is a musical and you may not think you would want to see Ebinezer Scrooge singing show tunes, but to me it all comes so natural. Finney, who is a fantastic Scrooge, does an amazing job as well as the rest of the supporting cast.

3. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Now I may get a lot of you gasping at this choice as it is not the original with Natalie Wood, but I said these are my favorite christmas movies not the best out there! This is the story of a little girl who is two old for her own good. Though she and her mother do not believe in Santa Clause, that doesn't stop a man named Kris Kringle from trying to convince them. And in the process he convinces the entire state of New York.

2. A Christmas Story (1983)

I don't even think I need to explain why I've picked this one. Anyone who, as a child, wanted something for Christmas that they knew was a long "shot" can relate to this nostalgic look at a young boy and his mission for a Red Ryder BB gun. Now if that doesn't make the whole movie for you the smoking furnace, frozen tongues, foul-mouthed flat tires and "electric-sex gleaming in the window" will.

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

This is my number one choice because of what it stands for. Jimmy Stewart is a man who has always done for others, forsaking his own future and desires but finds that life is not what he expected it would be. To me it shows us that we each touch the lives of others in ways we aren't aware of. I bet the people you know would have a very different life without you in it. Let this film show you that.