Lessons Learned From Wedding Blogging

Over the past few months, I have written about food, clothes, websites, people... basically anything to do with a wedding.

When I first started writing this blog, I never truly realized how much work goes into a wedding, especially if you're planning it on your owns.

For starters, PLAN AHEAD. I thought that I was being a little too proactive planning two years in advance, but in reality, it's a pretty smart plan.

Which leads to back ups. Always have a back up plan, because you never know when something might change.

Be patient. Some brides may be like me, and get a little "trigger happy" and try to plan the wedding all at once. FYI, that's not possible. No one is SuperBride.

Be open to new ideas. Your wedding does NOT have to be "by the book". It's your day! Have whatever you want. If you want to wear a lime green dress, wear a lime green dress. Just be happy.

Plan your budget well, but be flexible as to where your funds go. And think really carefully about each aspect of your wedding is more important... like for me, the food is not important enough for half of my budget. I want my dress and bridal party attire to be the main focus.

And remember that no matter what happens, you are in control. Don't let friends and family pressure you into anything. Just because your mother and grandmother wore the same wedding dress, doesn't mean you have to.

Bridal Party Attire

Bridal party attire can be a hassle. You not only have to find something that you like, but that your bridesmaids won't whine about wearing and that they can afford. Thankfully, the flower girls, ring bearer and groomsmen tend to

What you have to remember is that it's YOUR day, not theirs.  I have found some outfits that the entire bridal party will be happy with.

When it comes to a Christmas wedding, I feel that longer bridesmaids dresses are definitely the way to go. I like that particular dress because it's simple but the neckline paired with the diamond brooch gives it an elegance.

I love the modern shape of this dress. The one shoulder makes this dress look a little edgy will giving some coverage. I feel that this would also be a good fit for women who are full chested, that need somewhat of a strap for lift.

I love these shoes so much, that I want to wear them myself! These shoes would be ideal with either dress. Every bridesmaid needs a little bling, and these shoes can actually be worn on more occasions than just on the wedding day.

This flower girl dress is very simple, but I see it as a blank canvas. You can add a red sash, maybe some pin-on flowers, or anything creative to make it your own.

Your flower girls will feel like Dorothy in these red glitter flats. These shoes will be comfortable for the girls to walk in, but will make them feel grown up like the bridesmaids because they all have glittery shoes! These red flats also give a great pop of color against the white dress.

When I first decided to have a Christmas wedding, this was my first idea for the groomsmen and the ring bearer. The red tie would look even more vibrant against all black. Also, I knew that it wouldn't be difficult to find each of them black suits.

But after looking through bridal websites, I have almost decided that I like this look better. I had never thought of doing a white jacket on the groomsmen and ring bearer, but I absolutely love how this looks. I feel that the red pops so much more in the bottom photo than in the top one.

Winter Wedding Dresses

When it comes to wedding dresses, I go from one extreme to the other: either very traditional or completely modern and contemporary. For winter weddings, I tend to pick traditional and modest styles.

I absolutely love this dress. Since I am full-chested, the cap sleeves are a nice way to have coverage and lift, but are classy compared to a simple strap. I also adore the touch of bling underneath the bust. It gives the dress a touch of glam, which is needed with all of the traditional lace. When I showed this picture to my friend, she said that this dress looked the most like my personality.

One word. Gorgeous. I love the lace on the shoulders, especially for more formal or conservative weddings. It gives coverage, but the lace detail gives a sexy look without being too provocative. I think this is my favorite out of the three.

For winter weddings, longer sleeves are great. I also love the detailing in the bottom of the dress. The beading/lace is a beautiful touch without crossing that fine line between elegant and way too frilly. And I think that this dress would fit curvy women like myself very well because of the hourglass cut and the white ribbon around the waist, accentuating the smallest part of a woman.

So Sick of Red Roses

It seems that every wedding features red roses as the wedding flower. But I despise roses... so I was wondering, what are some other flowers that are rare to the Christmas wedding scene?

Gerber daisies are beautiful in the summer, but are also available in the winter. They are fairly inexpensive and comes in various colors. I would suggest white and red.

Another seasonal flower is the chrysanthemum. They are normally seen in the fall, but cam be readily available during most of the year. From my research, I have seen that some florists carry lime green!

Amaryllis is not a flower species that is discussed much or used often in weddings, but this flower is a winter blooming plant, and are known for their beautiful flower heads and long stems. Just like the gerber daisies, I suggest red and white.

Too Cheap For A Three Course Meal

The blog title says it all... I think that the food is not as important as the actual ceremony, and I am pretty sure I am not the only one.

When I started using WeddingWire, I used their budget app with a grand total of $5,000. It automatically took over half of my budget for the catering. Is it just me, or does that seem a little ridiculous?

If you are like me and do not want to serve your wedding guests a full meal, there are some alternative ideas that will not break your budget, but leave your attendees satisfied.

Potlucks are not just for church picnics and family gatherings. You can ask some of your family members to bring a dish or two, and all you have to take care of is the drinks and the china! You can easily customize your potluck dinner by picking dishes that you know certain family members can cook the best.

If you think that people will forget to bring their dishes, or you just don't have any culinary masters as relatives, then maybe you should consider finger foods. If you plan your wedding during a "snacking" time, then your guests will be satisfied. Times that could be ideal would be between 1 and 4 PM.

Are you and your fiance dessert lovers? Then have a dessert reception. I am personally leaning towards this idea. You have get as creative with desserts as you want. I plan on having a chocolate fountain with different types of fruits, marshmallows, pretzels and graham crackers. Yummy!

There are many ways to cut costs from your wedding, and food is definitely one way to do so. But that doesn't mean that taste has to suffer.

PARTY TIME - Christmas Wedding Favors

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.

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.