Rew's Wedding Reception

I have a friend named Heidi, but 9 out of 10 times I'll call her Rew. It's because her full name is Heidi Rew. Are you following me?

Rew and I have been friends since our freshman year of college. Ten years later, I asked her to be one of my bridesmaids and here we are at my Bachelorette party in July 2009. 

I love this girl. You know how people say "she's the kind of friend that you can go forever without seeing and then just pick back up right where you left off"? Well, Rew and I aren't like that. We're the kind of friends that care so much about each other that we actually keep in touch, even though she lives in Atlanta and I'm in Michigan. She's the type of friend that I can talk to about anything from The Bachelorette to what we're learning in our lives (both with the equal amounts of passion). She's a rare type of friend and I am beyond grateful for her.

It's hard to mention Rew without also mentioning that we're a part of a very elite group. (We may be the only ones who consider ourselves elite, but just go with it.)

Here is our circle of friends, if you will (so corny...).

Rew, Rachael, Kauri, and Jenny

Kauri, Rew, Rachael, and I have all known each other since college. Most people at college seem to find their friends based on who they lived with. Not us. We found each other one fall night during our freshman year when we all happened to be on the same hayride. We're pretty sure we were destined to be friends.

I usually manage to see the girls twice a year, which is great considering I live 9 hours from any of them. Our first trip this year was to Birmingham to see Rach right after she had her daughter, Elizabeth (the first baby to come into our circle!). Our second will be when we all see each other at Rew's wedding reception in August.

You see, Rew is getting married to Mike in July. Check this fine looking couple out. 

(If you live in Atlanta, you may know these two...they're kindof a big deal.)

Mike and Heidi will be married in Hawaii in July - just the two of them. They'll honeymoon there and then come back to Atlanta for a reception with their friends and family in August in their backyard. 

Rew wanted a casual, backyard-ish, vintage type wedding invitation. She shared a couple of the plans she had for decorating the reception to help me gain her vision. A few weeks later, I was printing off her wedding invitations and sending them off to her. Here they are, in a picture I straight up stole from Rew's blog (which you can visit here).

I'm loving this type of invitation. Fun, casual...looking like a flyer or poster. I really think it gives off the you-can-kick-back-and-relax-at-this-wedding feeling. Which is pretty much what Rew is wanting for her backyard reception. 

I also love that Rew had people RSVP to an email (and the name of the email they created is presh). What a great way to save a little money. And please...who doesn't know how to email? 

I honestly can't wait for her reception and to officially welcome Mike into our little (elite) group. I may be planning a little ceremony. And there may be a certificate and welcome badge. Mike, get ready. 

Want to hear more about the value of custom invitations? Check out this post.