Allison Doty Graphic Design

I’m trying not to get a big head, but let me tell you, we are ROCKIN’ at MarryThis! This month we are putting out our 6th guide that was shot in the big city of … Chicago! That’s right, we are expanding. And on top of all that, I think this guide is our best yet! If you are looking to have a romantic, ethereal summer wedding this guide is for you!

Our Chicago-based wedding was inspired by summer’s beautiful colors and the elegance of royalty. We think it will stay fresh and classic for years to come.

In this guide we show you:

• How to create lovely DIY place cards to help seat guests at the reception
• Two ways to set a table with vintage plates, tea cups and champagne glasses
• Tips to save more than $12,000, from the flowers to the venue
• Insider advice from professional stylists on looking your best on the big day
• Menu options that take advantage of tasty summer produce
• A timeline that tells you what to do when from the engagement to the wedding day
• A detailed budget with estimated costs of this entire wedding, including flowers, food and attire

Our digital guide is in a PDF format. The complete guide is 28 pages long. Add it to your cart to start planning your stylish wedding today for just $30!

ANNND if this wasn’t enough, MarryThis! is now offering FREE mini-guides! Our first guide will teach you everything you need to know about tables and how to arrange them within your venue to maximize your space, and most importantly, maximize your party. It’s the attention to these small details that will make your wedding the event of the year!

Visit MarryThis.com for TONS more valuable information. If you are interested in hearing more from us, please subscribe to our e-newsletter (scroll to the bottom of the page) or you can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Tada! The fourth MarryThis! guide is here!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this issue. If you are looking to throw a beautiful and fun vintage wedding, this is the guide for you! I was married in March with the same general 1940s theme, and I wish this guide had come earlier!

For more gorgeous photos of this wedding, and sample guide pages visit MarryThis.com or Sara Gray Photography!

This guide is for any bride who considers herself “classy, with a bit of vintage flair.” Our issue this month features an AMAZING spread on how to set up your own gorgeous candy buffet, style tips to get that perfect “modernly vintage” look, and an in-depth budget that gives you the straight numbers.

Although this guide was produced in Seattle, the guide can be used anywhere. It shows you how to choose vendors that will be able to create your dream wedding in any city, as well as offering visual aids to keep the look and feel of their celebration cohesive and original.

There are also plenty of customization options throughout, too — from changing up the color scheme entirely to making your own DIY place card display.

If this wedding were produced as stated in the guide, the approximate budget for 75 guests would be $19,348, for 150 guests would be $23,689 and for 300 guests would cost $32,468. Too scary? There’s also a section telling you how to scale back (without sacrificing style) and save up to $12,000.

This is a digital guide in PDF format. The complete guide is 27 pages long.

Visit MarryThis.com for TONS more valuable information. If you are interested in hearing more from us, please subscribe to our e-newsletter (scroll to the bottom of the page) or you can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

The wedding is over and now all we have left are our gorgeous wedding photos (thanks to Sara Gray photography!) our priceless memories of the big night, and a few bills.

We were able to save a lot of money on our invitations by designing them ourselves and having them printed on our own. Smartpress.com has some great papers and can accommodate pretty much any printing size.

I wanted to design an invitation that was modern an still had the retro feel of a 1940s big band wedding. I decided to have it printed front and back with an accordion tri-fold.

The official wedding materials included:

- Trifold invitation

- RSVP card with self-addressed and stamped envelope

- Location map

- Personalized thank-you card stationary

- 2×3 printed engagement photo of Matt and I (not pictured)

In addition to the “official” wedding materials I also decided to design a bridal shower and bachelorette party invitation that went along with the same theme (pardon the smudged out portions that included personal information).

If you love any of these pieces as much as I do, feel free to send me an email at hello@allisondoty.comwith the specs for your invitation and I will send you a design quote!

Today I am happy to announce the release of our third MarryThis! guide, and let me tell you, this issue is fan-freakin-tastic! This month our guide features all the know-how to create a charming morning reception.

We know that getting married isn’t easy. ESPECIALLY if you’re on a budget. That’s why MarryThis! had the genius idea to create a reception-only “wedding.” This guide is a lifesaver for any couple who wants to save some cash by eloping or having a court-house ceremony, followed by an intimate reception with close friends and family.

We are strong believers that a small budget does NOT equal an inferior reception. It’s the small details that pack the most punch, and our guide is full of inspiring ideas to help you create the gorgeous reception of your dreams without selling a body part.

If this reception were produced as stated in the guide, the approximate budget for 25 guests would be $7,143, for 50 guests would be $7,849 and for 100 guests would cost $8,777. That’s right, it’s the coveted sub-$10K wedding with honeymoon dollars left to spend.

Who wouldn’t love that?

Visit MarryThis.com for TONS more valuable information. If you are interested in hearing more from us, please subscribe to our e-newsletter (scroll to the bottom of the page) or you can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

I did it! After almost 6 years, countless long-distance trips, many lessons in humility, and the luck of finding a great man, I got married! I am now Mrs. Allison Schexnayder.

I don’t know how to pronounce it either, so don’t ask

It was surprisingly hard for me to get used to the idea of changing my last name. I never really thought of “Doty” as being a part of my identity until I was faced with losing it. (It’s cause’ those Dotys are so damn awesome!) However, I have decided that my business will still remain named Allison Doty Graphic Design. I like knowing that the “Doty” is still there somewhere. And, let’s keep it real, who could Google “Schexnayder” correctly on the first try? Not me.

The wedding was absolutely gorgeous! Now that it’s all over I have no idea what to do with my free time. When I was first engaged I thought that all bridezillas were just hyper-critical drama queens, but then when you get into the thick of planning you realize that those bridezillas used to be nice girls too, like I was. I have no idea how wedding planners do it.

I lost my shit multiple times.

Like, crazy, “think-you-are-going-to-die-because-if-so-and-so-sits-next-to-so-and-so-the-entire-night-will-be-ruined.” Lucky for me, I had great Bridesmaids who didn’t judge, an awesome wedding planner, and a bottle of wine on reserve in the fridge. Even with all that stress, the night turned out fan-freakin-tastic. Thank you to all my wonderful family and friends who came to share our big day with us.

We decided to visit Greece on our honeymoon, which was fabulous, sans the dirty douche bag who pick-pocketed me on the metro in Athens. Luckily Matt had our passports, so all in all, it could have been much worse. On the bright side, it will make a great story to tell to our kids down the road.

We spent about 4 days in Athens, and then another 6 on the gorgeous island of Santorini. It was a photographers dream. I kept kicking myself for not buying a big ol mamma jamma camera before we left. My little pocket Olympus seemed to do alright in the end, but now I know better for our next big vacation. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the trip:

It was a fabulous honeymoon, but it feels so good to be back home and into the swing of things. Idaho isn’t even a bleep on world-geography radar, but it’s my home and I love it here.

I do realize that I have been a total Fillmore calendar slacker, but know that I have a few in the pipes right now, (most of them vacation inspired) so it won’t be too much longer before I post another. And, stay on the lookout soon for a new issue of MarryThis! I am SO proud of this new publication. Please pass our link along to any of your friends who are recently engaged or currently in the wedding planning process. You can also follow us on twitter or facebook.

Hi friends!

For the last few months I  have been working like a mad woman and I am so excited to be able to introduce you to … MarryThis!

I had the most fortunate opportunity to rejoin with my old college buddies to create beautiful wedding guides for brides. Our goal is to produce super simple and straight-forward guides to help engaged couples wade through the hassles of planning a wedding. We like to think of ourselves as the $40 wedding planner.

So what makes MarryThis! different from other wedding guides?

We all know that wedding planning is no small task. I mean, making the decision to commit yourself to one person for the rest of your life is big enough as it is … but SURPRISE,  now you have to throw, and find a way to pay for, a big-ass party. Fun for some. Definitely not fun for all. We know you can google “how to plan a wedding” and get a BAJILLION hits, but believe me, if that was enough, Bridezillas just wouldn’t exist. We can only dream … but until that happens we’ll be here waiting.

Enter, MarryThis!

Our guides are each based on a specifically styled wedding. We style a mock-wedding with all the gorgeous flowers, invitations and decorations. We give you the advice for what to listen to, wear, eat, and drink, and then provide you with prices. All you have to do is implement it.

Picture a menu of weddings. Pick the wedding you want, and we’ll give you every specific detail as to how to get that exact same wedding, no matter where you live or your budget (our budget saving options will blow your socks off!). We are still relatively new, but we will release a new guide every month, so if you don’t see a wedding that catches your fancy, come back soon and we will be sure to have one.

Our guides will act as lifesavers for couples who:

1. Care about design and style, but are not sure how to implement it

2. Would like to spend more on the wedding than on the wedding planner

3. Are busy and need specific directions on what to do and when to do it

Each of the MarryThis! guides will feature:

Budgets for 75, 150 and 300 guests: Real numbers can be scary. Seeing how much a wedding actually costs could literally destroy the institution of love. That’s why no one talks about it. MarryThis! features a full-disclosure budget to provide couples with a dose of reality. We also offer budget-saving tips (totaling up to $10,000!) for the conscious couple.

Timeline: Stay on track with our wedding planner timeline. Each timeline is tailored to the specific guide you have chosen. And they aren’t too shabby to look at either … just sayin’.

The Look: We’ll show you great tips on what styles of wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, hair and makeup will match your wedding.

Color Schemes: Each guide fits within a specific color scheme. However, we know that while some may look at brown and think of rich dark chocolate, others look at brown and think of … well, you know … crap. But, no worries! We’ve got you covered. Each guide offers 3 additional color schemes that will look equally awesome with the guide you have chosen.

Flowers: Leave your green thumb at home. We have assembled GORGEOUS flower arrangements and provide you with the names for each flower. Just bring the photo to your florist and badda bing, badda boom, Mr. Soprano just got himself the perfect arrangement to make the wedding of his little mafia dreams come true.

Edibles: We love cake. We love food. We love to drink … er … in an appropriate, totally normal wouldn’t-look-at-us-twice kind of way. And don’t deny it, we know you love it too. We’ll show you the perfect cake to match your wedding decor, suggest great catering options, and maybe throw in a few cocktails along the way.

Visit MarryThis.com to view our current guides and check back every month for a new one! Interested in hearing more about us? Send an email to sara@marrythis.com and we add you to our e-mail list, or follow us on twitter or facebook.

Meet the MarryThis team!

Sara Gray is an editorial-style wedding photographer based in Portland, Ore., and the founder and publisher of MarryThis! She loves weddings (just ask her friends) and helping brides have the wedding of their dreams without freaking out from stress and overspending. She went to Washington State University, where she studied journalism, which helped launch this project in a roundabout way. Sara lives in Portland (where she grew up) with her husband, but no pets and nochildren (her businesses keep her plenty busy, thankyouverymuch!). Sara can be reached at sara@marrythis.com.

Allison Doty is a graphic designer in Boise, Idaho, who is obsessed with all things beautiful. She is the founder of Allison Doty Graphic Design and art director for MarryThis! Allison is an alumna of Sigma Kappa and Washington State University where she studied journalism and fine arts. While Allison wishes she could stick to one hobby, she is more of a hobby collector than an actual hobbyist. She is a self-proclaimed Oprah fanatic and considers it a life quest to become the best version of herself. Lucky for her, she has two very special friends/colleagues who help her do just that. Go Cougs! Allison can be reached at allison@marrythis.com.

Amy Trang is a business writer based in Chicago and executive editor of MarryThis! Although she considers herself a “rational romantic,” Amy is addicted to romantic comedies, has a bookshelf stocked with cheesy romance novels and, when no one’s around, she will put her favorite love songs on repeat. A journalism graduate of Washington State University, Amy spent the majority of her college years chasing around stories as a reporter and editor at the student newspaper. She has lived in Reno, Louisville and St. Cloud, Minn., but considers Portland as her pseudo hometown. Amy can be reached at amy@marrythis.com.

It’s that time of year again, and for me this Christmas season has been none like I have ever experienced before. I. Mean. Wow. This last month has brought me some Australia, some Oprah, amazing food, a little U2, a little Bon Jovi and even more. I have been working on a post with more detail that will come in a few weeks, and let me tell you, it is the hardest thing I have ever written. How do you write about a real life Fairy Tale without sounding like a total ass? I have found myself avoiding all things Christmas just so I can re-live my trip over and over again. But much more on that later.

For now, Merry Christmas! Please enjoy this Christmas card from me to you! Click here to download the hi-res version.

If you would like to receive a print of my Holidays cards via snail mail I would love to send one to you! Send your address to hello@allisondoty.com and I will put you on my mailing list for next year’s card.

Yay for my wedding! Oh, er um … “our” wedding … whatever.

Our Save the Dates are done! Well, they HAVE been done, but I figured it would be lame to post them on my blog for everyone to see before I actually mailed them. But the postcards are now in the mail, so I can finally show you.

I have been dreaming of dreamily dreamy wedding invitations since Matt slipped the ring on my finger a few months ago. I’ve spent more time researching, designing and redesigning our invitations than I have on all of the other wedding planning combined (including shopping for my wedding dress, which took a prompt 2.5 hours). Needless to say (in my humble opinion) these Invitations/RSVPs/Save the Dates/Infographics are going to be BOMB.COM!

My favorite part of these postcard Save the Dates was the stamp. I used Zazzle to make custom stamps out of our GORGEOUS engagement photos, courtesy of Sara Gray Photography. The custom stamps are more expensive than regular ones, but because we only needed .28 cent postcard stamps, it was actually fairly reasonable.

I will do a post with the full invitation in a month or so after they are mailed out. Enjoy!

Happy December everyone!

So, if you recognize this month’s wallpaper, it is because it’s a rip-off of my Christmas card from 2 years ago I just love this design and I thought it would be nice to re-use it for this holiday season!

I want to take this opportunity to say how grateful I am for all my wonderful clients, friends and family who happen to read this blog! My life is so great because of the great people that share it with me. So thank you.

Also, I make custom Christmas cards each year to send out. I try to make my cards more “artsy” than “Christmasey” so you can enjoy it all year! If you would like to be on my mailing list please send your address to me at hello@allisondoty.com.

Click on a desktop resolution for the full-size version:

With Calendar: 320×480 | 1280×800 | 1440×900 | 1680×1050 |1920×1200

No Calendar: 320×480 | 1280×800 | 1440×900 | 1680×1050 |1920×1200

Even though I started my freelance business a few years ago, this is the first season where I have really felt like a full fledged business. I have been so crazy busy (gratefully so) that I have felt at times like there weren’t enough hours in the day.

But, with new work comes new dilemmas (or as Mr. B.I.G. would say: “Mo Money Mo Problems”), and now I have a serious case of the ASAP blues.

Now, if I was a doctor, or vet… or a quick change artist, I would take every ASAP seriously. But I am a graphic designer, ok. I make things pretty. Depending on how vain you are, this might seem to be an issue of utmost importance … but if you really are that vain, then I am probably not working with you anyways (probably because you are prettier than me).

All in all, this country is suffering from an “ASAPidemic.”

Personally, I am torn, because while I love to offer great customer service I also hate the overuse of ASAP. So every time a giant obnoxious, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, “ASAP” rolls into my inbox, I want to go into a rage and eat all my feelings.

So, in an effort to spare the millions of lives that are being ruined by ASAP (and all the extra empty calories consumed), I have made an infographic outlying the cases when it is, indeed, appropriate to use “ASAP.”

Click here to download the hi-res version.