enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

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I have blogged about this before. Twice actually… before our wedding and then around our one year anniversary, but when I shared our 5 year card on Instagram last weekend and there was a lot of interest so I thought I'd stick it on the blog as well for future or current brides who are looking for an inexpensive, easy and SUPER sentimental idea that will last much longer than just the wedding day.

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The table number cards at our wedding were simple 10×5 pieces of gray cardstock that I folded in half to make a 5×5 card that would stand on the table. I stamped each side with an orange number stamp (super old from Martha Stewart for Michael's) but these look similar.

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They served their purpose at the wedding (told the guests which table was theirs) and then during the reception turned into anniversary cards.

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When my dad spoke, he told the guests to write a note inside the cards at their table to be opened on our corresponding anniversary. So table 10 would be opened on our 10th. Depending on where you sat you got to drop us a note some odd years in the future.

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It was a sweet idea at the time. But at the time you have no real concept of "the future." You don't think about what your marriage will actually look like in three years, five years, 16 years. So now, as we open the notes each year (my mom mails them our way), it transports us back to that day in a way that photos cannot. The words are so kind, so hopeful, so (depending on the table) drunk. It's hilarious and overwhelming in the best way.

Of all the things we did, this was by far my favorite even though I didn't realize it would be. I would recommend this to any couple planning a wedding. I would also recommend just ignoring all suggestions and doing exactly what you want.

wedding photos by The Goodness, formerly Lisa Welge. See all of our 2010 DIY wedding posts here.

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29 responses to “wedding table number cards + anniversary cards.”

  1. Kelsey Avatar

    This is the most genius idea ever and I’m going to steal it: just a head’s up 😉
    And congrats again on 5 years!!! (!)

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  2. lisa valinsky Avatar

    Love this idea…so sweet and sentimental. It makes me wish that we had done something like it, but we had a wonderful wedding that I loved so much. What a treat it must be each anniversary!

    Like

  3. silk Avatar
    silk

    That is such a good idea! I need to bookmark this 🙂

    Like

  4. Robin G Avatar
    Robin G

    What a fantastic and wonderful idea! I will remember this when our daughters get married! As a suggestion, of course! Lol!

    Like

  5. Marcella K Avatar
    Marcella K

    I loved this idea so much when I first saw it that we did it for our wedding. We used simple table number cards from Amazon (so inexpensive!) so they were only one sided but they got the job done. We’re not even to one year yet but I snuck a peak and already know these are going to mean so much to me for years to come.
    So thankful for all you shared about your wedding planning process! It gave me lots of ideas and inspiration but also helped me cope with the intense pressure of a “perfect” day. Who wants an all-downhill-from-here life? Not me! 😉

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  6. Delaney Avatar

    Oh my gosh! I just got engaged (less than 2 weeks ago), and I’ve been browsing wedding stuff online all evening… I came to your page specifically to check our your wedding archives (as opposed to my daily check-in), and this is here waiting for me! What great timing – so excited to browse through the archives! Xx

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  7. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    So awesome!

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  8. Sarah Alves Avatar
    Sarah Alves

    Just emailed my friend this idea! I think this is an AMAZING idea! 🙂

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  9. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    We did this at our wedding! (Probably because I read it in your blog.) It’s so fun each December 30th to get a card from all my friends. It’s even more fun because the military has moved us away from them, so it’s like getting a surprise visit.
    I’m glad you shared again so that more people can do this. It’s one of my favorite things about my wedding. (Other than having pizza and wings for dinner and a dress to die for.)

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  10. kate Avatar

    I totally snagged this idea from you for our wedding in 2013.
    Here are what our cards looked like at the reception. https://www.flickr.com/gp/katerees711/292V6t
    https://www.flickr.com/gp/katerees711/Hi5nh5
    https://www.flickr.com/gp/katerees711/Sc796M (a version for our head table, just the two of us)
    Here are Matt and I. 🙂 ❤ https://www.flickr.com/gp/katerees711/30Mv67
    I was also inspired by the pom pom poufs you made for Ellerie’s room. Here are a couple of we used them:
    https://www.flickr.com/gp/katerees711/jy3b7t
    https://www.flickr.com/gp/katerees711/9x6ud3
    Thanks for letting me share some photos! 😀
    We receive our first anniversary card on our anniversary and it was unexpectedly pleasant (complicated situation), which was a relief and surprising and an interesting perspective to receive a year later.
    I’m so excited to receive cards through the coming years! (22!, skipping 17 and 19, we had more tables on one side than the other) We did lose one card, year seven, before the night was over. So be sure to alert your waitstaff/venue manager/helper person that the table numbers are meant to be saved! 😀

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  11. Debbie Avatar

    Thank you for sharing this awesome idea Elise. What a sweet way of celebrating each year. Real memories in writing!

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  12. Mickie Avatar

    This idea rocks! I love that your Momma keeps em for you until it comes time to open them. It’s like those little envelopes I used to hand out to my friends in like, grade 5, with DO NOT OPEN FOR 5 YEARS scrawled across the top. Of course for a bunch of 10 year olds that lasted like, 2 minutes :b.
    This would be so cute to do at a grad party too I think! Such a nice way to collect memories and relive the moment for years to come. Thanks for sharing more info and picks Elise!

    Like

  13. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    This idea is SO great! Sometimes there’s so much emphasis on the wedding that people forget there’s a marriage that comes after!
    Also, I LOVE that you recommended doing whatever YOU want for your wedding! My hubby and I eloped to a sweet place in New Hampshire and we have never regretted not having a big wedding! Your wedding should be about the two of you, not what everyone else wants or expects.
    In case anyone is interested, here’s where we got married: http://www.notchland.com/index.html

    Like

  14. Melissa Avatar

    So, so awesome!

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  15. Katie Avatar

    I adore this idea! So simple, but sentimental. We’ve been married for seven years, but I’ll recommend it to friends 🙂

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  16. JC Avatar

    Such a good idea! Since I haven’t thought of a table number idea yet I am totally stealing this for my wedding in a few months! Thanks!

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  17. Allie Avatar

    I love this idea! I wish we’d done assigned tables at our wedding, but someone talked me out of it… I think I mostly just wanted to do something cool with the table numbers 😉
    I LOVE the ceiling of the reception hall, with the draped fabric. I’m assuming that’s always there? How awesome–so easy to decorate around.
    Your wedding was one of the biggest inspirations for my wedding. . . You did such a fabulous job!

    Like

  18. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    I actually did this for my wedding last year because of you. Our first anniversary was a couple weeks ago and it was so fun reading the card. I looked forward to it all year! Even better was a friend hand painted the numbers the day of the wedding because I forgot about it!

    Like

  19. Marcella K Avatar
    Marcella K

    Pizza and wings sounds amazing!

    Like

  20. Sarah Milligan Avatar

    SUCH a great idea. 🙂

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  21. Shelby Avatar
    Shelby

    My husband and I did a similar thing at our wedding! We called them our “time capsule guest book” since we did this instead of a traditional guest book.
    Instead of the one card, I had an enveloped labeled w/ the time we would open. We had a it structured a bit differently bc we wanted to both enjoy some well wishes sooner than our 1 year, but also longer into the future than the table numbers. Our envelopes go: “One day”, “One week”, “One month”, “6 months”, “1 year”, then every year until year 10, after year 10 every five. I believe we’ll open our last card on our 40th anniversary (we had a huge reception and therefor, many tables)!
    The unintended consequence is that some of our guests may have passed away by the time we read their wishes, which may make it all the more special? We realized this when my husband’s grandmother came over to us afterward and told us she was at year 30 and would like no longer be alive!! Oops… Also, on our first year anniversary our envelope cards were blank… must be that table didn’t understand the instructions… ha!

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  22. Sarah Avatar

    Love this idea! I’m getting married this summer and we weren’t planning on assigning seats, but now…

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  23. Missy C Avatar
    Missy C

    You have the neatest ideas – love this!

    Like

  24. Laura Hager Avatar

    I absolutely love this idea! I’m going to save this and use it at my wedding someday. By the way, the photos of your wedding are gorgeous!
    Laura
    http://laurahager.blogspot.com

    Like

  25. Stéphanie Avatar
    Stéphanie

    This is such a good idea, I LOVE it 🙂

    Like

  26. grumpynicole Avatar

    This is such an amazing idea! These cards are a treasure!
    Happy Anniversary!

    Like

  27. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    It was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. 🙂 We splurged on a great open bar and what goes better with drinking than pizza and wings?!

    Like

  28. Lulastic Avatar

    Oh my golly -this is basically the coolest wedding idea i have seen! It almost makes me gutted to be already married!

    Like

  29. Kelly Jean Avatar

    What a super sweet idea!! I sent this to one of my friends who is getting married this year.

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