Our Christmas Cards 2019

We cropped this photo for the stamp and it cracks me up so much. He's always such a little ham for the camera but for this, it was SO HARD to get him to look at the camera. He was all over the place, hah! 

It was also the windiest day ever. We had to keep stopping hoping for the wind to pass! Look at my fiancé's hair blowing in this one and Henry not looking!! I almost love the outtakes as much as our end product! 

On Me (c/o Lilly Pulitzer):

Navy Gown (runs big, size down)// Gold Wedges  (very comfortable)// Cashmere Wrap

On Andrew:

Blazer// Shirt// Plaid Pants// Loafers

Henry:

Henry's Plaid Bow Collar

We are sending out our Christmas cards this year as a little family (please scroll down to the bottom of this post to see a discount code for 20% off that is also a way to give back)! I partnered with Minted and Lilly Pulitzer to create these and I am SO excited about them!! They turned out better than I could have imagined. 

I actually debated on whether or not we would send out holiday cards since we just sent out our save the dates and in a few months, we would be sending out our wedding invitations (!!!). After thinking it over, I thought it was a good idea. This is the first Christmas in our new home and the only Christmas we will be engaged. I love that I will have a card and photos to mark this season of our life. It's exciting and fun and I love that we could include Henry! 

My dad took the photos and he was so patient. As you read above, the wind was wild this day and we were worried about rain. We had originally planned shooting at a Christmas tree farm, but when we arrived, it was less than desirable (looked way better online). So we had to really be flexible here. We had to get the shots that particular day because when my fiancé gets home from work, it's too dark outside for photos and this was also a time my dad was free, too, so we had one shot! Henry always wants to be in photos and he is so good about sitting and looking at the camera without even being prompted. But this time, it's like he knew we needed good shots of him and he did not want to look at the camera, haha! The photo we ended up using is mostly because Henry was actually looking straight at the camera! The entire afternoon was truly just comical and I look at these photos and chuckle a little. 

Card// Stamps

We chose these Cards and these Stamps. They have a great letterpress selection. I liked the idea of letterpress because I feel like that's something you don't often see on a Christmas card. This doesn't 'feel' like a printed photo, you know? It feels like a beautiful card with texture and weight to it.  Use code FUNDRAISEWFSPA to get 20% off your order (details at the bottom of this post). 

A lot of the Minted Cards have add-on options. We added in a beautiful envelope liner (that pairs with the card) and also had our return address and all of the addresses printed on the envelopes. I also loved this particular Card because the back is entirely blank. I think it is SO important to write a personal note on a Christmas card and this has a great amount of space for that. 

For the stamps, we did Stamps. We did not do them for our save the dates and will not be doing them for our wedding invitations. This is because you can see that black bar code to the side of the stamps. On all personalized stamps (on any website) they have to have that big bar code. I think it takes away from a beautiful wedding invitation. We were happy to do it for holiday cards (or really any other type of correspondence, just not a black-tie elegant invitation), though. It features Henry and I just think it's too funny. The red also pairs nicely with everything else on the card.

My biggest tip for family photos and sending out holiday cards is to pick out your card before you take the photos. For this particular card, it had to be a landscape shot. I normally shoot all of my photos vertical, so we made sure to shoot a bunch landscape! You also want to keep in mind where the writing will be and either leave a blank spot in the photo for that (ex. use the sky for text or the grass) or make sure that the area is either dark enough or light enough to read the text. 

Also, take a ton of photos. Like I mentioned, it was so windy so we had to take a ton to get one where our hair wasn't blowing and we were all looking with our eyes opened. It's one thing for me to have photos shot of myself because I only have to worry about what I'm doing. But it's a whole other ballgame when you're shooting with multiple people. So many variables so just snap away!!! 

We have a black-tie wedding in December and I cannot wait to re-wear this gorgeous navy blue Lilly Pulitzer Maxi Dress. The pearl detailing around the neckline is beautiful. It's a simple column style gown making it easy to wear and to dance in. The navy blue crepe fabric is elegant and high quality! I got a small and had to exchange for an XS, so I would say that this runs big! Thank you to Minted and Lilly Pulitzer for making our holiday cards a success!

Service Sunday Opportunity (and discount code!!)
So I know it's Tuesday and definitely not Sunday, but I wanted to include a way for you all to give back if you are ordering your holiday cards from Minted. If you use the code FUNDRAISEWFSPA, you'll get 20% off your order (through 12/31/19) and Wesley Family Services will receive 15% of the proceeds. So it's a win-win for everyone. Wesley Family Services is a non-profit and its mission is 'To empower children, adults, and families by providing transformational care.'

From the Wesley Family Services website:
Wesley Family Services is a non-profit organization that serves more than 30,000 individuals and families in Western PA. Our caring, highly trained staff of over 1,100 people are committed to providing high-quality behavioral healthcare services and support programs to children, adults, and families over the course of their lifespan so that they are empowered to reach their full potential. Our programs in Autism, Intellectual Disabilities, Behavioral Health and Education are made possible by your generosity and the generosity of everyone in our community.

I am biased because I know a wonderful family who is also like a family to us and they are heavily involved in this amazing organization. It's an easy way for anyone all over the country to contribute without lifting a finger. You save money and Wesley Family Service also receives monetary help they need to continue doing what they do best!

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