DIY Graphics - Invitations

Being a native of the Lowcountry, nothing is more quintessentially 'Lowcountry' to me than Carew Rice's silhouette art (scroll down a bit). This is something of a tribute to his work.


Photo credit: Evita Smith.

We hoped that making a 'sandwich board' style invite would cut down on them either going in a drawer or in the trash. We bought two packs of black poster board, cutting all of the pieces. Michael made the nifty plexiglass cutting template for the top edge of the pocket. Total cost with postage was about $150 for 80 invitations and 70 mailings.


Photo credit: Evita Smith.


Photo credit: Evita Smith.
You can see the original invitation which shows Old Sheldon Church Ruins. We reserved the ruins for our ceremony until big changes happened in our family, causing us to move 3.5 months before the wedding. We had to change our venue location, adding a lot of work to prepare and make for our guests - our home.


Photo credit: Evita Smith.
Stamp and wax purchased from Wax-works which is more for custom stuff and Wax Seals is more for peel and stick.

Living Centerpieces

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

We crafted the boxes from old fencing we had in a scrap pile. We made them in the shape of a hexagon, which was an important element tying together our incorporation of bees along with our cake and the mead.

The oak seedlings were purchased from the Arbor Day Foundation. The moss, herbs and ivy were purchased earlier in the year and allowed to grow, allowing us to save a little money. The boxwoods were purchased the week before the wedding. The acorns are from the same batch that I used for Michael's boutonniere. We collected them a couple of years ago.

Measuring to make the cuts at 30°

Bottoms on with drainage holes and screens:

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

DIY Graphics

Our logo.

Absinthe label for the absinthe we purchased. The 'damask' pattern is from our logo.

Mead label.

Cigar band.

Lucky Cat favor cards. There are several stories of the origins of the Maneki Neko and the following is the version we choose to share with everyone.

"Japanese legend holds that long ago an emperor was traveling on horseback when he spotted a small cat waving at him. After the emperor dismounted from his horse to get a closer look the horse was struck by lightning and killed. Subsequently, the emperor pronounced that cats in general should be respected as sacred animals and thus was born the legend of the beckoning Maneki Neko. This is just one of several popular tales regarding the origin of Japan’s most famous cat.

The legendary kitty has been transformed from an emperor saving Samaritan to a bringer of money and good fortune to all. "