Planning: Wedding Party Invites

 Hi Again,

I am reading more and more about how much fun people are having in the creative ways they ask people to be in their wedding party. I began researching different ideas online, pinterest, blogs, etc. My favorite by far was the creation of paper dolls of each person.  My initial inspiration came from this website at oncewed: http://www.oncewed.com/diy-wedding-blog/diy-bridesmaids-cards/

I liked her girls, but decided to go to Joanne Fabric & pick up some fabric remnants pretty cheap and make dresses out of them then adding buttons and some sticker rhinestones for flair. While there I picked up various shades of skin & hair colored paper since not all the party will be the same.

Since I'm not an artist, once back to a computer I began my hunt for a paper doll template. Many people who've done this in the past have made each single doll then attached them together. Although this might be easier to do there is something to be said for having each person actually attached & connected to the next. It's almost like symbolism that we're all supposed to be working together as one to make this wedding happen. I thought about adding a bride doll to each chain, but decided that was an additional step I just didn't have time for. Here are a few links to paper-doll templates found online:
Paper-doll template #1
Paper-doll template #2
Paper-doll Chain Template

Although I really liked the paperdoll chain template where the hands and legs form a heart in the middle I thought they looked a little weird...ahhh...they don't have necks.  That's when I found this photo of a necklace on Etsy: Etsy Erin's Ectera's Chain Necklace

I copied the image of the necklace and pasted it into word (see photo below), stretched it out to the size of doll I wanted(4.75" x 2.75"), printed the photo in black & white. I then used a glue stick to attach the photo to 1/2 of a manila file folder to create a more sturdy template. Then cut out the middle girl (Being careful to keep a straight cut between the next girls hands and skirt).

Since the gals in my party don't all have the same hair I cut off her wings of hair on both sides and made her bald to add my own haircut later.  I then folded her in half to create my paper-doll template. She now looks like this:

Aww she's so pretty!

After folding her in half I took a sheet of skin colored tag board, placed her on the edge the marked her width about 1.5".

Folded template along the edge of the paper mark largest width with the ruler

Using the ruler mark the same width of the template up the paper then connect the dots

Fold along the line that you just created

Keep folding that same width back and forth (like creating a fan)

In mine I ended up with a small section on my last fold that wasn't big enough for another girl so just cut straight up the last fold line-although if you needed more girls you could tape this section to another sheet of paper to continue your chain.

Set your template along the folded edge of your fan folded paper & trace around the doll

Using scissors cut the doll outline you created-remember to cut through all the folds of the fan, when you are finished open your chain to find the dolls. You'll also have a few little heart pieces that you can use for other decoration later.

 Using 8.5" x 11" paper I was able to create a chain of 3 dolls this size. I think I am going to trace this new doll chain template on the paper then cut out each chain again to not have the fold line down the middle of each girl. I will trace my original template girl on the other skin colored paper & glue stick that on the different girls that need it.

Items used in this creation:

• Computer & copy paper
• Glue Stick
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Manila Folder
• Tagboard in various skin colors and hair colors
• Fabric remnants
• Bone stick for folding would've been nice
• Tape (if you need more than 3 girls in your chain)

Check out some of my finished creations:

Yay girls!

Closer View Left

Closer View Right

I decided that I needed some sort of card to go with each girl asking them to be my

bridesmaid/maid of honor. I happened to have a packet of blank printable invitations and envelopes that will work perfectly..I hope the writing will still be legible with the flower border.

Since we don't have a date or venue picked out (the normal information you'd include in something like this)...what to include???....Poems are always fun.  I found some really great ones that I adapted a bit at this site: www.newtraditionshankies.com  Since that was sentimental piece I decided I needed something else a little more fun so created a Top 10 list of "why you should be my bridesmaid" and printed those on the back.

Next step is to write each girls name on their dress and write small blurbs about them on their backs (i.e. how I know them, for how long, etc.) so the rest of the girls will be introduced to one another. They are coming from 4 different cities & some have yet to meet. 

I covered their contact info with small pieces of fabric for their confidentiality

Then refold up each doll chain with the recipients doll on top and wrap each doll chain to the invite card in vellum, then write each girls name on the vellum and label envelopes.

Final Product:

This easy project has become much more complicated that I originally intended, but it's been a fun experience. I hope that my bridesmaids & maid of honor love them as much as I do & that everyone says "Yes!"