Getting party favors for everyone that attends your wedding can get a little pricing, and sometimes overwhelming. I have found some ways to cut some financial and stressful corners.
For the important family members, such as grandmothers and aunts who were very influential in your life, give them your flower arrangements. You're not going to use them anyway, so you might as well give them away.
And for everyone else, find something that will cater to most, if not everyone that is attending. My cousin Catherine gave each guest a small silver frame with her and her husband in it. It was very cute but inexpensive.
Buying in bulk also save some cash. So when you see something you like, buy a big batch of it. Look to companies like Oriental Trading or With This Favor that charge you less for each favor if you order a certain amount. Example: I found these snowflake bookmarks on With This Favor. If I buy 40, they are $1.20 a piece. But if I buy 96, they are $0.80 a piece.
Wedding favors do not have to be expensive. Just do your research, and don't be afraid to put in some elbow grease.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Wedding Cake Alternatives For A Bride On A Budget
The cake is the highlight of a wedding reception. Brides and grooms plan days of just going to bakeries and trying different flavors of cake, and then spend a small fortune on something that's going to be mangled in less that fifteen mintues.
A wedding cake really shouldn't be that stressful. So, I have come up with some alternatives to the traditional wedding cake that should take some unneeded stress out of the wedding equation.
Cupcakes: they are way easier to transport to the reception, you can get different flavors to accomodate your guests likes/needs, and they take less time to decorate, which means less money! (They are also easier to shove in your newlywed's face).
Pies: As a southern girl, I think this idea is great. If you are planning a more casual wedding, this is ideal. This also accomodates to your guests, but would seem a little more substantial in their stomachs. Doing pies instead of the traditional wedding cake already cuts costs, but to save some more bucks, have family members makes a pie or two instead of buying you a wedding gift.
Now for the women that HAVE to have a wedding cake, try to find someone in your family that knows someone that could help out on cost, or could even make one for you. If you trust the person that's making your cake, it won't be as stressful. Also, think about making your own cake. For a simple cake idea, just cover layers of whatever cake you like with white fondant, (can be bought at Walmart and some grocery stores) add some edible white pearls (which can also be bought at Walmart) and accent with your choice of flowers.
Whether it's a pie, a cupcake or your own culinary masterpiece, your special day will still be special and still leave some money in your pocket.
A wedding cake really shouldn't be that stressful. So, I have come up with some alternatives to the traditional wedding cake that should take some unneeded stress out of the wedding equation.
Cupcakes: they are way easier to transport to the reception, you can get different flavors to accomodate your guests likes/needs, and they take less time to decorate, which means less money! (They are also easier to shove in your newlywed's face).
Pies: As a southern girl, I think this idea is great. If you are planning a more casual wedding, this is ideal. This also accomodates to your guests, but would seem a little more substantial in their stomachs. Doing pies instead of the traditional wedding cake already cuts costs, but to save some more bucks, have family members makes a pie or two instead of buying you a wedding gift.
Now for the women that HAVE to have a wedding cake, try to find someone in your family that knows someone that could help out on cost, or could even make one for you. If you trust the person that's making your cake, it won't be as stressful. Also, think about making your own cake. For a simple cake idea, just cover layers of whatever cake you like with white fondant, (can be bought at Walmart and some grocery stores) add some edible white pearls (which can also be bought at Walmart) and accent with your choice of flowers.
Whether it's a pie, a cupcake or your own culinary masterpiece, your special day will still be special and still leave some money in your pocket.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Why Should You Have a Christmas Wedding?
When I got engaged, I automatically knew that I wanted a Christmas wedding. There are so many ways to have an amazing wedding for an inexpensive price.
If you decide to get married in a church, almost all churches will already have decorations. Most are color neutral, meaning that most decorations are white, maybe some gold and silver and greenery. You can transform their decorations by adding some of your chosen wedding colors and make it your own.
On the off chance your chosen church does not decorate for Christmas, or you're not getting married in a church at all, Christmas decorations always go on a huge clearance sale after Christmas. So, if you've already have a date, stock up the Christmas before. Ornaments and lights are normally 40% or more off of the original price if you shop after Christmas Day. Just make sure that you go shopping between the day after Christmas and New Years. If not, most things will be picked over and there will not be a good selection. I suggest Target. =)
For greenery, just buy a Christmas tree. They usually cost around thirty dollars and you will have a practically endless supply of beautiful greenery that smells fantastic and last a very long time. And for flowers, I am going with poinsettias. And we all know at Christmas time, they are everywhere. Red poinsettias can be bought for dirt cheap, and you could even splurge and get all white, and you would still save some money compared to roses.
Either cutting some financial corners by having your wedding at an already decorated church, buying clearance Christmas decorations, or buying a Christmas tree for greenery, anyone can make their special day beautiful without having to empty their pockets.
If you decide to get married in a church, almost all churches will already have decorations. Most are color neutral, meaning that most decorations are white, maybe some gold and silver and greenery. You can transform their decorations by adding some of your chosen wedding colors and make it your own.
On the off chance your chosen church does not decorate for Christmas, or you're not getting married in a church at all, Christmas decorations always go on a huge clearance sale after Christmas. So, if you've already have a date, stock up the Christmas before. Ornaments and lights are normally 40% or more off of the original price if you shop after Christmas Day. Just make sure that you go shopping between the day after Christmas and New Years. If not, most things will be picked over and there will not be a good selection. I suggest Target. =)
For greenery, just buy a Christmas tree. They usually cost around thirty dollars and you will have a practically endless supply of beautiful greenery that smells fantastic and last a very long time. And for flowers, I am going with poinsettias. And we all know at Christmas time, they are everywhere. Red poinsettias can be bought for dirt cheap, and you could even splurge and get all white, and you would still save some money compared to roses.
Either cutting some financial corners by having your wedding at an already decorated church, buying clearance Christmas decorations, or buying a Christmas tree for greenery, anyone can make their special day beautiful without having to empty their pockets.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The First Three Wedding Aspects You HAVE To Plan
For a wedding to go smoothly, I have found through research and many, many wedding stories, that there are three wedding aspects that should always be first on your "special day checklist": guest list, location and date.
Normally, theme would be in the top three, but since we all know that I have already picked my theme, that is not included.
Well, why the guest list? If you don't know how many people are going to show up, you cannot pick a venue. If you don't know who's coming, you cannot plan a date that will fit you and your guest.
When I started making my guest list, I figured that my fiance and I would have about 50 or 60 planned guests. ...I was wrong. As of now, I am up to 87 guests, and that doesn't include any of the my fiance's list.
So now, we're looking for a place that can seat around 150 people. And of course, like most couples, want to get married in a church. Thankfully, I am a member of the church that my parents got married in.
I would suggest finding somewhere that has meaning to you or your fiance, but also can accomodate every aspect of your ceremony. My friend Lisa planned her own wedding just like I am, and she said to "expect 50 less, but plan for all to attend."
Last but not least is the date of your wedding. With planning a Christmas wedding, you need to make sure that it's not too close to Christmas that people will have other plans. I am planning our wedding on December 6th, 2014.
Normally, theme would be in the top three, but since we all know that I have already picked my theme, that is not included.
Well, why the guest list? If you don't know how many people are going to show up, you cannot pick a venue. If you don't know who's coming, you cannot plan a date that will fit you and your guest.
When I started making my guest list, I figured that my fiance and I would have about 50 or 60 planned guests. ...I was wrong. As of now, I am up to 87 guests, and that doesn't include any of the my fiance's list.
So now, we're looking for a place that can seat around 150 people. And of course, like most couples, want to get married in a church. Thankfully, I am a member of the church that my parents got married in.
I would suggest finding somewhere that has meaning to you or your fiance, but also can accomodate every aspect of your ceremony. My friend Lisa planned her own wedding just like I am, and she said to "expect 50 less, but plan for all to attend."
Last but not least is the date of your wedding. With planning a Christmas wedding, you need to make sure that it's not too close to Christmas that people will have other plans. I am planning our wedding on December 6th, 2014.
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