Photos: Courtesy of PSA Essentials

There comes a moment in every newlywed's life when you think, If I have to write my address on one more Thank You note... And that's when you reach for your self-inking custom stamp from PSA Essentials—also useful for creating DIY save-the-dates, invites, table numbers, and favors.

Based in Bluffton, SC, PSA Essentials offers a variety of personalized stamp styles with interchangeable border and center options. The company's peel-and-stick technology has a patent pending, but, imagine the polymer stamp plate as a sticky, clear relief of your design and you've basically got it.

Available in a variety of tones including a vibrant lime-and-pink combo, the stamp sports an easy-to-fill ink cartridge that allows for up to 10,000 impressions. There's even a nifty how-to video for anyone still confused by the refill instructions. Look for PSA Essentials' products in national retailers like Hallmark, as well as online at Amazon.com.

And find more ideas on our Invites & Stationery page.

—Phillip B. Crook

Just in time for Valentine's Day on Tuesday, I put together a roundup of my 10 favorite Valentine's Day cards—send one your sweetheart! See them all after the jump.

Photo: Courtesy of Wedding Paper Divas

If you're hosting your wedding at a restaurant, like our featured couple Jill and Daniel, I like this simple invitation design from Wedding Paper Divas called "On the Menu." The pictured design is actually for a rehearsal dinner, but the text can be modified. It's a great, affordable choice (just $1.34 each for 100) for a more casual restaurant wedding celebration.

See more invitation designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

—Heather Lee

Photo: Courtesy of Daniel Shipp/Toronto Life

This invitation by Elum Designs, called "Salon," is one of my favorite styles for a classic, traditional wedding. The letterpressed invitation and collateral cards are all tucked into a beautiful folder and presented in a sleek fold-top envelope. Plus, I love the elegant cream color and the classic typography.

See more invitation designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

—Heather Lee

Photo: Courtesy of Akimbo Design

This invitation by Akimbo Design, featuring wedding details printed on actual sheets of thin wood veneer, would be the perfect match for a rustic wedding held in a barn or in the woods, don't you think?

See more invitation designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

—Heather Lee

Photo: Courtesy of Mika78

For an outdoor wedding, I love this letterpress-printed invitation by stationer Mika78. Called "The Quote," the design features an illustration of a tree, with leaves gently blowing in the wind, paired with a quote from Louis de Bernières novel Corelli's Mandolin (printed at the very bottom). I also love the design's elegant use of white space—the overall look is fresh and unexpected.

See more invitation designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

—Heather Lee

Photo: Courtesy of Swiss Cottage Designs

How elegant is this watercolor save-the-date card by Swiss Cottage Designs? Featuring featuring calligraphy by Love, Jenna, the save-the-date's sailboat illustration and hand-lettering on the envelope liner is a sweet nod to the wedding's waterside locale.

See more save-the-date designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

—Heather Lee

Photo: Courtesy of Minted

If you've decided to hold your wedding at a modern venue—like the Art Institute of Chicago, where our featured couple Kristen and Scott hosted their nuptials—complement the space's clean, minimalist decor with a similarly modern-themed wedding invitation, like this elegant design by Minted.

See more invitation designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

—Heather Lee

Photo: Susan Stripling

This gorgeous save-the-date, designed by stationer Inspired Goodness, was created for a couple who wanted their indoor wedding venue to feel like a vintage-themed garden party. (I love how it depicts the couple's basset hound in the bottom corner—adorable!)

See more save-the-date designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

—Heather Lee

Photo: Courtesy of Moontree Letterpress

Stationer Moontree Letterpress just launched the Heritage Collection, their new line of letterpressed wedding invitations. My favorite is the suite above—a modern riff on good old-fashioned stationery. Plus, I love that the reply card is printed in zingy yellow—my current favorite color these days.

See more wedding invitation designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

—Heather Lee

Photo: Courtesy of Aerialist Press

Watercolor was a big stationery trend last year and this invitation suite combines the painting technique with one of my favorite motifs—stripes! (You'll find me in a striped shirt at least twice a week, seriously.) Called "Seersucker," this invite by the Aerialist Press is letterpress-printed and then embellished with watercolor stripes, all painted by hand. While I love the combination of rose-colored stripes and gold-ink text pictured here, all of the invitation colors can be customized to match your wedding's color scheme.

—Heather Lee

See more wedding invitation designs in our Invites Gallery and find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

If you have a wedding invitation you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Bella Figura

Bella Figura, one of my favorite letterpress stationers, recently launched their new collection of wedding invitations. Choosing just one to feature here on the blog was no small task, but this modern design, called "Architect," instantly stood out. The neon-lime color is totally on trend and somehow, the design transported me back to my college days, where I'd cram for exams with my trusty yellow highlighter (as if highlighting passages like crazy would somehow make the facts and figures stick). That hint of nostalgia, combined with the elegant serifed typography, makes this design my pick for a wedding held at a modern venue, like an art gallery, renovated loft, or photography studio. —Heather Lee

See the full Bella Figura letterpress collection here. You can also see more wedding invitation designs in our Invites Gallery. Find a stationer near you in our local vendor listings.

Photo: Courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service

"Married" and "stamp collector" don't usually occupy the same sentence, until today when the U.S. Postal Service debuted its new 65-cent Wedding Cake stamp. Tailor-made for batches of save-the-dates and wedding invitations, the stamp features a cake designed by DC-based pastry chef Peter Brett. The elegant three-tier confection incorporates white frosting, monochromatic pipping, and a spray of white flowers. Look for the Wedding Cake stamp in sheets of 20 at Post Offices nationwide and online at usps.com. —Phillip B. Crook

Wedding Wire reported that 33% of engagements occur between Thanksgiving and New Year's. If you're basking in the glow of a recent engagement, it's time to start thinking about how to share your happy news. One option is to publish an announcement in the newspaper—call your local paper to inquire about guidelines, deadlines, and fees.

A mailed engagement announcement is the most traditional option; however, it's important to be cautious—only send a card to those who will also be invited to the wedding (and if you've decided on a wedding date, include that information so the announcement can double as a save-the-date card). Another option is to announce your engagement at a party. While the bride's parents traditionally host the couple's first fête, these days, anyone can host the engagement party, and more and more couples are opting to throw the celebration themselves. Here are of some of my favorite engagement announcement cards and party invitations. —Heather Lee

Photo: Jen Huang Photography

I saw some amazing wedding invitations this year, so narrowing them down to my top five was no small task. But here they are—my favorite invitations of 2011. Let me know what you think in the comments!

This Viewmaster wedding invite (above)—remember those as a kid?—took the wedding blogosphere by storm and seriously blew me away. Designed by Melangerie Inc., each Viewmaster is loaded with a custom reel of photos—for example, engagement photos of you and your groom displayed with wedding information text on each slide. While pricey, they're incredibly creative and nostalgic, and will definitely make an impression on your guests.

See the rest of my favorite wedding invitations of the year after the jump.