I'm drooling on my plantable paper

Even though there are a few road blocks to getting the invitations made, I definitely have an idea of how I want them to turn out.

Actually, I have a really strong idea of how I want them to look - is that normal? I feel like if I were in the states, I could start on this project ASAP; the vision's all there!

Since my hands are tied in this DIY venture, we're thinking pretty seriously about having them made in the states. We've been talking with some vendors, but I'll hold off on the details until things are finalized!

On to the paper porn!

If I could make my own DIY invites, first I'd take a local class in letterpressing so I could do that myself also! Then I'd order a whole bunch of plantable paper from porridgepapers - their seed paper is actually thick enough to hold a letterpress design!

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Imagine you're a guest at my wedding. You open the envelope to this beautiful little booklet:

Imagine a lavender flower instead of this flower

The booklet is made of Lotka paper (Nepalese artisan paper), and there's a rustic little flap that's sealed shut with a pressed lavender bud.

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Then you open the booklet to find the invitation inside - one page of maps (on the left) and one of the actual invitation on the right. Sewing all those booklets together might be a bit much, though, so maybe I'd affix them to the booklet like Mrs. Cherry Pie's tri-fold:

imagine things on opposite pages

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's look at the main event - the formal invite. It's kind of a mix between this, with the red poppies and lavender intertwined -

Mrs. Cherry Pie's invites, via TwinRavensPress

... and this, with maybe a real poppy pressed into the invitation...

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...and the sketches of the flowers are reminiscent of vintage scientific botanical sketches.

The map on the other page would be made by Crystal Kluge. She makes - hands down - the most beautiful wedding maps I've ever seen.

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Luckily for me, Mr. Bear Cub loves maps - this is one splurge he wants! The map would be of northwest Oregon, with maybe a zoom-in on Camp Westwind. The zoom-in would include different locations at the camp - the main lodge, the wedding meadow, the ultimate frisbee field... important stuff. :)

Crystal also has the most unique handwriting I've seen.

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I wish I could just buy her handwriting as a font. I've never really been smitten with calligraphy, but this style is just so unique! In my dreams her calligraphy would be plastered all over these invitations.

The directions page would also include our wedding website, with a suggestion to RSVP via the site - less paper, less cost overall, and better for the environment!

What do your dream invitations look like? Did you have a solid idea for your invites from the get-go, or did it take a little while to hash things out? Where did you get your invitation inspiration from?