Posts Tagged planning a wedding
June 18, 2009 at 3:35 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Culture, Economy, Family, Fashion, Life, Love, Relationships, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Party, Wedding Reception, Weddings, wedding planning, women ·Tagged bridal, bride, free wedding planner, party planning, plan a wedding, planning a wedding, wedding, wedding favors, wedding planner, wedding planning, wedding planning guide, wedding shop, Weddings
Choosing a wedding planner is one of the most important decisions to make on your checklist of things to do for your big day. They can be invaluable, and make your event more amazing than you could have imagined (and most importantly, more stress free!). So when selecting your second most important partner in the wedding, know the answers to ten important questions. Ask before hiring and feel that much more confident that this is a marriage made in heaven.
1. What do you get for your price?
Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting for your money: what is included; different package options; how they bill (hourly, deposits, payment plans, billing, etc). This will help to ensure that there are no surprising costs that will pop up unexpectedly during or after the wedding planning process. Perhaps you don’t need help with every little element, or you have an hour cap that you need to keep in mind. Does the fee include the cost of assistants on the wedding day, and how many? Know what you are paying for.
2. Do you understand my vision?
A planner could have done every celebrity and high-end wedding in the world, but if they don’t share your understanding of the style and vision, you might be unhappy with the final outcome. Some planners can create one fabulous look, but if that look isn’t you, then be sure their portfolio reflects many styles – look for the personality of the couple to shine through in the events, not the same likes of the planner over and over again. Talk with your planner and bounce ideas off each other to make sure you’re on the same page before you begin.
3. Referrals
As obvious as it may seem, make sure to ask for and check your planner’s references. Know their experience level, how long they have been in business, the size, scope, and budgets of the weddings they have done to make sure they have enough experience in the type of wedding you want and can afford. Check with past clients they refer you to, but also do your web and chat room research. Make sure there are no outstanding issues out there.
4. Are they familiar with your venue and vendors?
Most wedding planners are well connected with other professionals in the wedding industry, and can help give you reliable options that they know of or have worked with before. If, however, you chose some of your own vendors, make sure they are willing and able to work together so that everything goes smoothly on the day of and egos stay out of the way. Ask if the event planner takes a referral fee from vendors and if so, be sure you’re seeing the selection you want. If one company is heavily pushed on you over all others, that can be a sign of a backend financial agreement. This is very common and often industry standard, so don’t be too put off by it, just be smart about your selection.
5. How involved will you both be?
Find out how often you will meet, if they will come to your vendor meetings, how much planning you will do on your own. Think of things that you really would want to do on your own, if any. Make sure both of your jobs are clearly discussed and understood.
6. How busy are they?
See how often your planner has a wedding on a calendar, especially for the month, week, and even your same day. If you feel like they are trying to overbook there is a good chance that you won’t get the personal attention that you need and deserve. You want to be the only bride she or he tends to that day. You might also ask if wedding planning is their full time job or if it is a side hobby as that can also lead to scheduling conflicts.
7. Emergency situations
Although hopefully you won’t have any last minute emergencies to deal with, such things do happen and you need to be prepared. Ask what would happen if your wedding planner was suddenly not able to make the wedding, if someone in the wedding party got sick, bad weather affecting out of town arrivals and the event itself, etc. Find out if they have had any situations like this in the past, and how they did, or would, deal with them – in case of an unforeseen occurrence, does the planner have staff and/or a backup plan if they cannot make the day.
8. Budget?
This may be an assumed task for the wedding planner to oversee, but you can never be too cautious. A wedding can quickly go over budget, so make sure you find a planner who makes your budget limit their top priority.
9. Is it a real business?
Ask your planner if they have a business license, insurance, education. See if they belong to a professional organization like the ABC, ACPWC, Weddings Beautiful, June Weddings, WIPA and ISES, all of which are respectable bridal consultant groups. Also ask if the group they belong to requires them to have training every year or simply pay an annual fee.
10. Honeymoon!
Don’t forget that after the party is over, you want to have an amazing relaxing honeymoon with your new spouse! Ask if your wedding planner has travel contacts or resources for you to use. Perhaps they can even help to plan your special vacation or destination wedding.
But above all the rules, paperwork, and fine print, most of all, make sure you really like your wedding planner, because you will be spending a lot of time together in the coming months!
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June 12, 2009 at 8:20 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Culture, Economy, Fashion, Relationships, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Party, Wedding Reception, Weddings, wedding planning, women ·Tagged destination wedding, destination weddings, eco-weddings, environment, green weddings, honeymoon, honeymoon travel, honeymoons, plan a wedding, planning a wedding, wedding advice, wedding favors, wedding ideas, wedding photography, wedding planning, wedding tips, wedding trends, wedding video, wedding videos
Engaged over Valentine’s Day and getting ready to set your date and start the wedding planning? As you begin to plan you 2010 nuptials keep in mind these top trends you’ll see next spring. Buttercream, organic green, backyard weddings – all great ideas to help get you down the aisle.
1. Back to Basics
Events will focus on the attention to the details, the foundation of the event, not the drama or grandeur of the evening. Consider spending more on the lasting memories than the showmanship of the event. Spend a bit more than the average budget allotment on photography mediums rather than abundant floral. Or consider a bit of a longer stay on your honeymoon and a little less of a party at the reception and you’ll be grateful for your decision in the end.
2. Home Weddings Hit Home
Intimate and personal affairs in the backyard are bigger than ever. Going home incorporates the continued trend of personalizing the wedding day experience. Smaller size guest lists, more intimate settings, grass roots weddings, elegant and detail driven, but in no way small on what counts.
3. Buttercream on the Big Day
Fondant is falling behind, buttercream corners the market. Tools and techniques now allow for buttercream to look as smooth as fondant when applied by a skilled artist. You have the option of better flavor, more natural ingredients, and less costly cakes that no longer suffer or lack in design.
4. Favor Comeback
Personalized appreciation is back. The effect that an event has on the guests is more noticeable than ever before so the importance of wedding favors is felt more than ever. Be sure to appreciate to those in attendance – it’s not just an afterthought, omission, or generic item. Think local artisans, locally grown products, personal mementos, and on-the-spot print outs.
5. Nearby Destinations
Nearby destination weddings are taking flight over the exotic and far off locales. The ever popular destination wedding will remain but guests will get out of town by car (within driving distance) so couples can create a weekend, guests get an escape, but no one breaks the bank. Enjoying the US destination locations, spend within your own local economies, create a greener effect, experience undiscovered backyards, and stay sensible about cost while you’re at away.
6. Colors
Monochromatic palettes – this doesn’t mean muted colors, just single color bunches. Vibrant Colors: Orange, green, yellow, and pink. Metal Colors: Gold, silver, copper, and pewter. And black is definitely the new black. Break the rules and show off the darker side of your event.
7. Greener Conscience
Emerging will be the newest phase of eco-conscience: A better understanding of the gray shades of green. You will see more emphasis on the smaller changes that are less recognizable to the guest (i.e. cleaning green, composting, solar and LED lighting, no more oasis in floral arrangements, less catering waste). It’s no longer about making the event appear “organic” – it’s about understanding how things are made, disposed of, and where/when events take place. Learning to make better choices that are unseen by the guest are just as important as those tree-free invitations everyone is talking about.
8. Video Integration into Events
We’ve all seen the photo montages of your childhoods during dinner but the next phase in video at your event comes in several different forms. Video DJ’s are emerging, allowing your dance party to dance to the visuals of the music videos; ceremonies are being broadcast on screens for better viewing from the back; and time lapse photography is being shot and integrated into video for current day montages of you and your fiancé. Love to party? Set up crane camera and project the event as it unfolds on screens around the dance floor (budget permitting of course).
9. HD Video
Videographers have already gone hi-def. But next year all or most will make such a transition, making HD and even Blu Ray the norm in wedding videography. Upgrade now and appreciate the quality later. This also means smaller cameras on site and less intrusion into your event, all around a better (though more costly) option on the big day.
10. Visual Combinations
Professional grade still photo cameras like the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR are being released with HD video capabilities included. It is recommended to have both a videographer and a photographer at your wedding to capture every moment of the big day. Tech-savvy brides looking for a new experience, may like to experiment with a visual professional (videographer or photographer) who has this technology. In the future, you will begin to see an emergence of two-in-one companies.
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June 9, 2009 at 3:26 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Culture, Economy, Entertainment, Family, Fashion, Life, Love, Money, People, Relationships, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Party, Wedding Reception, Weddings, wedding planning, women ·Tagged bad advice, bridal, bride, brides, bridesmaid, bridesmaids, get married, GetMarried.com, getting married, maid of honor, plan a wedding, planning a wedding, The Knot, TheKnot.com, wedding, wedding advice, wedding planners, wedding planning, wedding professionals, wedding pros, wedding tips, Weddings
Photo by Graham Minchkin and obtained via Flickr
I’m pretty sure that we’re all familiar with TheKnot.com and its many branches of government. However, it appears that The Knot has been on a downward spiral with brides and now wedding professionals. Their release of “The Knot’s Best of Wedding Guide 2009″ had some major issues and it became glaringly obvious that it wasn’t based on feedback, but greenbacks. The Knot’s Editors Pick of DJ companies was a company that had 50 complaints on Ripoff.com, multiple complaints filed against them from the Better Business Bureau who also graded them with an F, and additionally had a few negative news stories on them on television including Inside Edition. Great advice, Knottie. Just wow.
Then to make matters worse, posts ordained by The Knot informed people to not choose local bakers over the venue’s in-house bakers to avoid cake cutting costs. Really? This along with other suggestions that kick the local vendors to the curb entirely. Not to mention their wealth of bad advice that people seem to be getting downright agitated about.
Truth be told, it appears as The Knot has become a victim of themselves and appear to have lost focus. Either that or they don’t have time to properly manage their resources which has been consistently sending out bad advice pretty much all of 2009. And with the presence of competitors on the horizon like Get Married at GetMarried.com that just announced a wedding magazine to further compliment their online presence and their already popular daily television show on Lifetime, The Knot may be a little too comfortable with their lead.
Brides are a fickle bunch and once you give them bad information, you’re hard pressed to get a second chance with the amount of resources available to them online. I’ll be very curious to see how GetMarried’s offerings align with The Knot’s efforts once the Get Married magazine launches in September and especially since there are major changes that are sure to come with it. Maybe The Knot should start looking for a good moat digger.
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May 29, 2009 at 6:24 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Culture, Entertainment, Fashion, Gossip, Life, Love, Relationships, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Party, Wedding Reception, Weddings, wedding planning, women ·Tagged bad wedding photos, bad weddings, photography, photos, pictures, plan a wedding, planning a wedding, wedding, wedding nightmares, wedding photographer, wedding photographers, wedding photography, wedding photos, wedding pictures, wedding planners, wedding planning, wedding professionals, wedding receptions, Weddings, worst wedding photos, worst wedding pictures, worst weddings
It’s amazing how many weddings are held in a year. And among those weddings are some pretty awful wedding moments. Luckily, people post them on the web for all to see. These are easily some of the worst wedding photos we could find.
The 20 Worst Wedding Photos
#20 – The Arranged Marriage
Nothing says, ‘This is not the person I want to marry.” quicker than the scowl of a groom and an arranged marriage between two unhappy adults.
#19 – The Bride’s Number One
Believe it or not, brides have to go potty too. However, there normally isn’t documentation of the event.
#18 – Disdain
Not sure what happened previous to this shot, but we’re guessing the groom simply isn’t happy about something. Considering that he’s carrying her, maybe it’s a cry for help?
#17 – Destination Wedding
Destination wedding on nudist beaches aren’t complete without the innocent glimpses of beach combers passing by. Hey, at least his eyes aren’t wandering.
#16 -Wedding of Death
While it’s understood that this photo is intentional, it doesn’t make it right. The bride’s father must be thrilled about signing a check to pay for fake blood and dry cleaning. Just awesome.
#15 – The Knife Lick
It’s just a elbow jerk away from being a hospital stay.
14 – You Still Love Me, Right?
Either he just got done sharing what he did at the Bachelor party last night or he’s trying to cover up saying something stupid with a kiss. Either way, she’s ticked.
#13 – Arranged Marriage #2
One common thread with arranged marriages is that the couple will never be featured in any beauty magazines.
#12 – Death of a Prankster
I love these photos. A brief moment captured on film where a brides glance says it all. Whatever he did, he probably will never get the chance to do it again.
#11 -You What?
I’m not sure who forgot to do what, but I’m glad I’m not that person.
Yes folks, it’s the top 10. The worst of the worst. Proceed.
#10 – The Wahhh-ding photo
Not sure if this was an intentional pose for his buddies, but his bride is not amused.
# 9 – The College Bride
The photo that spawned a million punchlines. I’ll let you create your own, because mine will get me fired.
#8 – Yikes
This dress won the
Top 10 Sluttiest Wedding Dress award, but also is very fitting for one of the worst photos thanks to her, “They have booze in the limo” pose. Limo – $1000, Champagne – $100, look on her new mother in law’s face when she gets out of the limo – priceless.
#7 – Lesbian Nudist Wedding
The photo that set equal rights back an entire decade.
#6 – MINE!
If this doesn’t set off red flags for the groom, nothing will.
#5 – Opposites Attract
Sometimes a couple is so perfectly matched that it’s impossible to tell who the lucky one is. While these two may not be perfectly matched, the latter still holds true.
#4 – The Clown Wedding
If you didn’t have an unnatural fear of clowns, you do now.
#3 – I Can’t Quit You
The bride wasn’t concerned about infidelity, until….
#2 – Ghetto Fabulous
She didn’t like the bridesmaid outfits at first, but it grew on her. And she worked it.
And here we are folks!
The winner of the worst wedding photo award.
#1 – Duck, Duck, Goose
This picture is still by far my all time favorite because it says so much. Just, oh my.
And there you have it. The 20 worst wedding photos I could find. Hopefully when you go to hire your wedding photographers or other wedding vendors, you’ll make sure that you look at each photo before they end up on my list. Do you have ones to share that I didn’t post here? Post them!
Want More Awful photos? Yes, we made a Part 2!! View it here!
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April 21, 2009 at 2:28 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Life, Love, Money, Romance, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Party, Wedding Reception, Weddings, wedding planning ·Tagged Colin Cowie, get married, getting married, plan a wedding, planning a wedding, spring wedding, spring wedding ideas, spring weddings, wedding, wedding decor, wedding decorating, Wedding Fashion, wedding ideas, wedding planning, wedding reception decorating, wedding reception ideas, wedding table decorations, Weddings
Spring is the start of the wedding season, and a time when brides have additional options for every element of their celebration. From an abundance of flowers and fresh, seasonal foods, to moving the wedding outside and shortening the hemline, brides’ options spring into high gear with the bright colors, smells, tastes and fashions of the season. Get Married unveils the latest spring wedding trends that exemplify an organic blending of styles and exude creativity, good taste and the true sense of the season.
For brides seeking the latest trends for their spring wedding, Get Married’s show on Lifetime Television and www.GetMarried.com provide unique wedding ideas from the industry’s leading wedding experts who offer season-specific advice, ideas and inspirations that fit any budget and personal style.
Get Married teamed with Colin Cowie of Colin Cowie Lifestyle, internationally known as the arbiter of style, to offer the latest wedding trends to the springtime bride. “Spring is a thrilling time of the year – it represents growth and new beginnings – a perfect metaphor for a wedding,” said Colin, lifestyle expert, celebrity wedding designer and host of Get Married on Lifetime Television and www.GetMarried.com. “The gift of a spring wedding is that it gives everyone a chance to revel in nature.”
Colin Cowie and Get Married offer 5 Spring Wedding Trends for the Fashionable Bride who wants to merge personal and seasonal styles while capturing the essence of spring in her wedding.
1. Extract electric colors from nature: Lift colors straight from spring leaves, flowers and shoots of grass, and bring them to the reception tables and the bridal dresses. Grass green, canary yellow and chaparelli pinks, accented with gold or pewter, are exciting and fresh.
2. Fuse youthful flavors in a sophisticated spirit: Capture the popping colors of spring by serving lollipops at a candy station, popcorn at valet, or other tasty treats to satisfy your palette.
3. Combine deep colors with lighter papers: Keep wedding invitations, table cards and programs fresh with light papers like tissue and vellum. Incorporate spring colors like white ink on rich green paper or shocking pink ink on lime green paper. Reverse the formula with green inks on white paper.
4. Shorten the hemlines and heighten the style: Stand out from the crowd but blend with the event intention by wearing a shorter dress with an eye-catching pair of heels. Create a chic retro look with a short birdcage wedding veil and a set of short gloves.
5. Create an at-home atmosphere with backyard elegance: Create a quality backyard wedding that is intimate and organic with your garden being the aesthetic to inspire your décor. Spring weather is unpredictable so have heaters and a back-up plan of moving inside or under a gorgeous canopy.
“Springtime embodies a unique charm and is a theme in itself when it comes to weddings and celebrations,” said Stacie Francombe, CEO and founder of Get Married and www.GetMarried.com. “The possibility of a spring wedding is endless, and Get Married offers brides all the latest seasonal trends and styles for brides on any budget.” About Get Married Get Married is the only multi-channeled wedding planning resource with platforms online (www.GetMarried.com) and on television every weekday that connects local and national wedding professionals and industry experts with brides through entertainment and news.
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April 10, 2009 at 7:58 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Jewelry, Life, Love, Money, Relationships, Romance, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Fashion, Weddings, wedding planning ·Tagged bridal, bride. diamond rings, brides, buying a wedding ring, engagement ring, engagement rings, plan a wedding, planning a wedding, wed, wedd, wedding, wedding planners, wedding planning, wedding rings, Weddings
Let’s not go into planning a wedding just yet, but let’s at least by hypothetical. When your significant other presents you with your engagement ring, it should represent you and your relationship perfectly, something you couldn’t have done a better job had you picked it out yourself. In an ideal world that is exactly the scenario that would take place, but how to do you know that you will get the ring that you want? To ensure that when you open up that little square box you will find a ring you are truly excited about, take the time to lay a little bit of groundwork – chances are he’ll appreciate the help.
Your personal style should be reflected in the ring end up with, so if you’re a sleek, chic businesswoman perhaps a simple solitaire is for you, or if you are spontaneous and fun, then maybe a colored stone is your thing. Keep in mind your lifestyle as well as your personal style while you ponder over your options. If you are very active or work with your hands, make sure you subtly hint for a ring that won’t get in the way of your daily activity.
Since your ring should be a reflection of who you are, you need to make it clear who you are not. Try to be a bit more coy than leaving out a wedding magazine with pictures of engagement rings circled and crossed out. Instead, drop hints about rings you’ve seen and what your friends are wearing. Though this can be a tricky situation, so consider aiming for more straightforward ways of going about getting the ring you want.
Some couples couple talk openly about an engagement even before an official proposal; thus making the ring conversation a natural progression. If you are this kind of couple, then picking out rings together alleviates any potential disaster and ensures a happy outcome. If you still want some element of surprise you can always walk up to jewelry windows wherever you are and point to ones you like or sketch out ideas for him in order to point him in the right direction.
Many women, in an attempt to foolproof their perfect plan, enlist the help of a trustworthy friend or family member. Tell them exactly what you want and let them tastefully reiterate your likings or shop with your almost-betrothed. He may ask for the help from your friend without you even knowing, so be prepared and share your dream ring with a few close loved ones to keep all your bases covered.
If all of this fails, and you still end up with a ring you are less than crazy about, don’t be afraid to talk about it. Though it might be a sensitive situation, he will want you to have a ring that you love instead of something you are unhappy with. After all, you don’t want to start your marriage off on the wrong foot (or ring!).
Familiarize yourself with the variety of shapes, sizes, cuts and colors out there. Explore the process together if he’s willing. Perhaps suggest in conversation that should you be wed, you love the idea of designing a ring together, something special that really is an expression of each of you (while your hidden agenda is carefully secured).
If you find yourself happily engaged but unhappily decorated, approach the idea of an exchange. Smart shoppers are always clear on exchange or refund policies. If return or exchange is not an option, for example you find yourself being presented with a family ring that just doesn’t suit your taste, consider reworking the jewels into a varied setting. Oftentimes couples collaborate on a custom design, so it can be equal parts of both of them and have a unified outcome. Keep in mind that custom work can take a few months to complete. But something so unique is well worth the wait.
However you decide to symbolize your love and devotion to one another, make it special. Whether that means having the perfect stone or including a simple engraving in a ring he selected for you – make it you and make it personal.
Now all you have left to do is pick out the wedding favors and bridesmaid gifts, right? yeahhh…..
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April 3, 2009 at 7:51 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Economy, Love, Money, Relationships, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Party, Wedding Reception, Weddings, wedding planning ·Tagged bridal, brides, budget bride, budget wedding, budget weddings, cheap wedding, cheap weddings, inexpensive wedding, inexpensive weddings, planning a wedding, wedding, wedding ideas, wedding planner, wedding planners, wedding planning, wedding tips, Weddings
The economy got you down? Or perhaps got your guest count is what’s down? Your wedding is still one of the most important days of your life, regardless of market status. So how do you have that fairytale ending but do it on a budget? Get Married’s host Colin Cowie shares with us some insider trading secrets to creating an extraordinary and cost-conscience event to make your wedding planning a lot easier.
1. Dream big
Small ideas get small results, so put budget aside while envisioning your dream wedding, then figure out what you can afford.
2. Cut your coat according to the cloth
It’s better to do 5 things correctly than 10 things on the skinny.
3. Consider a destination wedding
Weddings can take place anywhere, so think beyond the exotic beach and think about a bed-and-breakfast or country inn.
4. Opt for a fantastic DJ
Instead of a big orchestra band, find a great DJ who can create great background music and just as easily keep the guests moving on the dance floor.
5. Invest in a trusted wedding planner
A professional is there to ease some of the pressure while bringing your vision to a reality.
6. Design a signature drink
Rather than serving an open bar, offer guests a specialty beverage that is as delicious as it is memorable.
7. Create monochromatic flower arrangements using one type of flower
When bundled en masse in short ceramic vases, whether roses or carnations, tulips of spider mums; these flowers are beautiful and impactful.
For more tips and trade secrets from our visionary host, check out his latest book, Wedding Chic available in the Get Married Wedding Shop that’s even signed by Colin Cowie.
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March 16, 2009 at 7:26 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Economy, Love, Money, Relationships, Romance, Wedding Ceremony, Weddings, wedding planning ·Tagged budeting weddings, budget wedding ideas, cheap weddings, getting married, inexpensive wedding, online wedding tools, planning a wedding, wedding blogs, wedding budget, wedding checklist, wedding planner, wedding planners, wedding planning, wedding tools, wedding websites
Yeah, baby. Who doesn’t love free? Thankfully Get Married offers 5 great FREE wedding planning tools that the bride-to-be can use. Not only do they offer nice wedding blogs for brides and their daily TV show on Lifetime at 7:30am EST Monday through Friday, but these wedding planning tools are must have starting with;
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Wedding Budget Manager – This indispensible online tool keeps track of your finances and even lists things you may not have figured in. The biggest issue with wedding budgets since the dawn of man is that there are always unexpected expenses. While this tool may not alleviate any surprise expenses like when your drunk uncle stumbles on stage and breaks a stack of guitar amps at the reception, it will help you consider some things you may not have even thought of. Use it and budget your wedding the right way.
Guest List Manager – Want to make sure that you have enough seating? Enter your guests and track it all with Get Married’s Guest List Manager. It lets you view how to properly lay everything out and track who you invited, who RSVP’d and much more. It also will help you get an idea about planning out how many wedding favors and gifts to purchase. No need to buy a gift for Bobby’s trampy girlfriend if she’s not even going to bother coming.
Reception Seating Planner – The My Seating Planner tool will make sure that the right people don’t sit with the wrong people at your wedding reception. If you need to make sure that Aunt Bernice doesn’t sit next to Uncle Todd because they always fist fight when he starts drinking, this tool will save your life. And Uncle Todd’s.
My Favorite Things – You can browse through literally thousands of local resources on wedding cake decorators, florists, wedding photographers, wedding videos and many other wedding professionals on Get Married’s site. But then you can use the My Favorite Things tool to keep track of it all.
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My wedding checklist – Have no idea how you’re going to do it all? Use this ingenious wedding checklist tool and you can even keep a timeline as to when to call them so that everything gets planned (and delivered) correctly. Make sure that you don’t miss anything with the last of these 5 great tools.
Make sure you use these 5 wedding planning tools and you’ll have a smooth ride from proposal to the honeymoon night. But once you get there you’re all on your own. Well, you could visit the intimate apparel area of the Get Married store, but really, after that, it’s all you.
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March 13, 2009 at 7:00 pm
· Filed under Advice and Tips, Economy, Life, Love, Money, Relationships, Romance, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Party, Wedding Reception, Weddings ·Tagged budget weddings, cheap weddings, florists, plan a wedding, planning a wedding, wedding advice, wedding dj's, wedding flowers, wedding invitations, wedding on a budget, wedding planner, wedding planners, wedding planning, wedding receptions, wedding tips
Mr. Christopher hitting the web waves with some great wedding advice to help with your wedding planning. I’ve perused the web for you and dug up all of the lists that I could find on budget weddings. Nowadays the wallet is tight and as a father of not one, not two, but THREE girls, I can tell you, I’ll be trying to find ways to cut corners in every way possible. So I scraped together the 10 best tips out of all gazillion that were out there. Here are the most common money saving ideas.
1. 
Home Grown – Almost all of the lists made reference to picking a local florist. Not only picking a local florist, but to be wary of what types of flowers you’re picking. Getting a dark orchid at under a dollar piece instead of that Egyptian Tiger Lilly kissed by the pharaoh’s daughter at $10 a stem is a big way to save money on something that unfortunately is going to die within a week.
Cool tip: Pick up a bag of white play sand for about $10 at your hardware store and bury any arrangements that you want to keep in the sand for a few days which will naturally dry the bouquets. They maintain their color, never die, and you can then use them in art projects, frame them, put in a baggie for memories, or whatever you’d like to do with them.
2. Play That Funky Music – Another popular tip referred to bands and DJ’s. Most of the lists suggested that you ditch the DJ or band and just make some mix CD’s to play. The truth about this is that you can really kill the vibe of the reception if your mix CD is cranking Michael Bolton when your guests are ready to rock. So ditching the DJ is fine, but if you can have that tech savvy music lover in your family (and there’s always one) manning the CD player, you can alleviate some of that awkwardness that comes from bad music placement.
Cool Tip: You can buy a CD mixer for dirt cheap on Ebay (under $50 and super easy to use) that will connect two CD players so that your family member running the CD’s can fade from one song on one CD player to the other so that there’s no awkwardness while they take one CD out of the player to replace it with another. Dead air sucks.
3. 
Let Them Eat Cake (or not) – Bakeries that specialize in wedding cakes will drain your wallet dry depending on how big you’d like your cake to be. Independent bakeries might even be able to make nice two tiered cake for a fraction of the cost. Many brides refuse to cut this corner, but shop around and especially small local bakeries.
Cool Tip: Great cake ideas like tiered cupcakes or Twinkies is also extremely memorable and very popular. Tres chic. Whatever that means.
4. Do Me a Favor – Wedding favors don’t have to be expensive. There are great places online that offer inexpensive wedding favors like GetMarried.com. Some people also make their own if your artistically inclined and if you have the time.
5. Invitations – While a lot of brides are even willing to print out their own wedding invitations, you might want to look at some of the online companies out there that offer printing services. A lot of them do not have the overhead that some of larger brick and mortar companies and they can print massive amounts of invitations for dirt cheap. Once you figure in the cost of paper, ink, and envelopes, you might as well have someone else do the work.
6. Friday Night Lights – This was listed on a few lists. Most weddings are on Saturdays and that’s why churches and venues charge extremely higher rates. They know that it may be easier to get your friends in relatives in town on a weekend then say, a Friday. But you’d be shocked at just how drastic the price difference is if you were to book your wedding on a weekday instead. If your attendees know about it with good advance notice, you’ll not only save tons of cash, but also greatly open up your options for venues. The time of day also has a big impact on what you’ll spend. Plan it around dinner and you’re feeding your guests dinner. If that’s the plan, then…
7. 
Mini Menu – If dinner is on your plan of events for your guests, keep the menu limited. This applies to rehearsal dinners as well. Keeping the selection simple will normally keep your catering costs down. Some lists even suggested a friendly backyard barbecue for the rehearsal dinner which is an excellent idea. Being able to just relax and let the guys do the cooking is inexpensive and relaxing because you’re home. Just make sure you get some relatives to commit to helping you clean up afterward.
8. Drinky Drinky – Open bars guarantee that people will come. It will also guarantee that you will get slammed with a hefty bill at the end of the night. Alcohol makes the costs skyrocket, so doing without will make a huge difference. You can get inventive with non-alcoholic specialty drinks like the “sprite/sherbet punch in a bowl” phenomenon. You can also make sure that your guests aren’t driving their children home while under the influence. If you simply must have alcohol at your wedding, keep it beer and wine. Decorate large bins filled with ice offering a selection of brew, red wine, white wine, etc. Hard liquor is a definite no unless they bring their own.
9. Dress for Success
For the Bride: Wedding dresses are so ridiculously expensive and especially ones that are custom made. Many brides find great deals on the clearance rack and some are even finding their dress for the big day at department stores. With stores like Target getting into the wedding dress business, finding that beautiful wedding gown may be only a hundred bucks away and nobody will be the wiser. If everyone thinks you look gorgeous and like a million bucks, what in the world does it matter? Especially when it will end up in a box in the attic and stored for years after only being worn once.
For the Groom – Let’s face it. 95% of grooms go to a tux rental store to get there tuxes for the big day. Make sure you prowl the online coupon sites for huge deep discounts on tux deals. They are all clamoring for your business and will undercut their competition by leaps and bounds to get your dollar.
10. Involve the Family – You probably have multiple family members that can help in some form or fashion and save you hundreds if not thousands. Got a uncle who drives a taxi? Have him do the chauffeur duties. Paying him $100 for the night will save you tons of cash. Got a teen who’s an MP3 player junkie? You got your DJ! Just like you, your family members are cutting corners too. Instead of requesting wedding gifts, ask for their help in whatever their specialty may be. You may be surprised if you send out an email to ask them how they can help and find hidden talents that you never knew existed.
As always, some brides just refuse to cut corners and have dreamed of their wedding day since they were children and they have a vision as to how to plan their wedding. Hopefully these tips will save you big bucks and also help with your wedding planning. If you’d like more great wedding advice, be sure to tune into Lifetime at 7:30am EST to watch Get Married every weekday or visit their website online at http://www.getmarried.com for everything from wedding planning tips, wedding invitations, wedding favors and gifts, real wedding videos from couples just like you for inspiration and so much more!
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