Cory and I celebrated with some of our closest family and friends last weekend at our engagement party. Also known as the hottest heat index of the summer so far! Thank you to everyone that came, put up with the heat and celebrated with us! We got to say thank you at the party and congratulate our parents on their anniversaries. My parents celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary the day before our party and Cory’s parents celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary this past May. To say we have good role models of what a great marriage is would be an understatement. It was such a great feeling announcing their anniversaries at our party and everyone cheering for them.

I did a few decorations for our engagement party, but did not want to go overboard, so I focused on two things that I wanted to do. A chalkboard sign of all of our special dates and photographs of us, that look like polaroids, along with some actual polaroids from the camera Cory got me for my birthday two years ago! We all know how this year’s birthday went and if you don’t read the chalkboard sign for that date, March 18th!  I first sketched out the basic layout that I wanted the chalkboard sign to have. In college, when I was a Graphic Design major for a hot second, I would plan things out in my head and then run out of room because I ended up drawing things to big because I did not create a mock up first. I got a chalkboard and chalkboard markers and began our Chalkboard sign.

 I suggest working from top to bottom and right to left. I intentionally drew the numbers bigger and in a different color so your eyes would go to them easily. I used a straight edge for all of my lines and went back in and drew other types of lines or details to add to the overall sign. I loved how it turned out, my only wish is that I had a natural talent for calligraphy, because I clearly do not! Everyone enjoyed reading the sign and some guests that had not met Cory before and a few that had not met me yet, got to have a look at it and know a little more about our relationship. Others got to read what all of our actual dates were if they did not know before and everyone got to learn what our wedding date is for next year! (Since we have not sent out save the dates yet). This DIY project is so easy and definitely doable.

My only supplies were all from Michael’s:

Chalkboard Markers (I used only four colors)

Straight edge (ruler)

Chalkboard poster board

Damp Rag to wipe off any mistakes you might make

A mock up sketch of what you want to replicate onto the board