DiY Project: Bridesmaid Newsletters

When the wedding planning really took off, I discovered I had a terrible propensity to forget who I've told what. I started to sound like a broken record to my nearby gal pal and BM Tanya (who I work with) whereas my sister and MOH (who lives the furthest away) would unintentionally get left out. I had yet to start blogging at this point in time, so I contemplated shooting off mass e-mails or going the website route like Miss Brooch. Ultimately, I decided to go with the power of snail mail. I *heart* getting real mail (read: not bills). Growing up, one of my favorite parts of summer was writing to friends I made at camp (Interlochen, anyone?), and as an adult I still love seeing a hand-written letter in my mailbox.

I designed a newsletter using Adobe Illustrator, but there are numerous free templates available for download, like these for Microsoft Word. The first page contained introductions and important dates:

The second page had information about our vendors, an explanation of our wedding favors (more on that later), and contact information for the bridesmaids, Mama Tartlet, and FMIL Tartlet (masked for privacy purposes):

The final page was our color palette and inspiration board. This was probably the hardest concept for me to put into words, as I tried many times in vain to describe our vision for a romantic indoor garden wedding. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words! My sis definitely had a "light bulb" moment once she saw this page:

Everything was tucked inside blue #10 string-and-button envelopes that I picked up from a local arts and craft store, and I made the address labels using our home printer and trusty Xyron:

Don't worry, Laura has since moved--no stalkers, please.

These newsletters were an inexpensive, quick project that satisfied the creative side of my brain while accomplishing my goal of getting everyone on the same page! But, it's always good to keep in mind that a paper packet like this isn't for everyone. Mr. Tartlet would lose an item like this before it was even opened. Part of the fun is to personalize group items like this not only to your tastes, but to your BMs' preferences as well! How are you keeping your wedding party in the loop?