DIY Save the Dates!

[image error]Our homemade save-the-date cards came out better than I imagined! It was a little difficult tying all those tiny bows, but the process was very rewarding. Here's how I did this and how much I spent:

Step 1: find photos

For this, I put our moms to the challenge. The trick was finding individual photos from around the same age (I think we're both between 3 and 4 years-old here) and where we are both looking at the camera and smiling. And whaddya know? We actually found photos where we both have the same haircut!

Step 2: develop photos

We used moo.com, which is actually known for making custom business cards. We ordered 200 (100 of each photo).

Cost: $39.93 + $10 rush shipping +  $9.75 standard shipping … $59.73 (I rushed because I was worried about getting these out in good time).

Step 3: print cards

We tried printing the cards ourselves. But our printer couldn't handle the project. Defeated, we went to our local PaperSource and ordered 110 cards with digital printing and matching cards. I only needed about 90, but over-ordered just in case. Total cost: about $200 (If your printer is sturdy and reliable, then you could probably save at least $150 printing these yourself. Just make sure you've got extra ink lying around!)

Step 4: buy twine

We ordered a ton of twine from Etsy.com for 4 bucks.

Step 5: buy stamps

We ordered these King and Queen stamps from USPS.com. Total: $54

Step 6: assemble

The photos were placed on the cards using double-sided tape. Total twine/bow assembly  took 3-4 hours, but I took my time. It was a lazy Sunday and there was a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills marathon on Bravo. Additionally, hand-writing all the addresses took about an hour.

Total Cost: $318 or $3 per save the date card/envelope (stamp included)

I suppose I could have just ordered a bunch of plain save the dates online for a bit less, but I really enjoyed the process of bringing this idea to life. What do you think?