I have decided to add a book feature to the blog. Each week, I will pick a new book that is related to planning a wedding on a budget, and feature it here. It may be a planning book, a money saving book, a DIY project book, or something along those lines. Hopefully, I will be able to provide you with some great resources:)

Our first featured book is 1001 Ways to Save Money…. And Still Have  A Dazzling Wedding.  It is a very affordable book - new copies for around $10 - and full of great money saving ideas for brides who want affordable but not tacky.

Amazon Book Review:

“Sharon Naylor believes that every bride deserves to have the wedding of her dreams. With this new edition of 1001 Ways to Save Money . . . and Still Have a Dazzling Wedding, she arms brides with more than 1,001 proven money-saving hints, tips, and strategies for creating a fabulous wedding without breaking the bank.

Writing with verve and an infectious enthusiasm for all things bridal, Sharon walks readers through every wedding-related event-from announcing an engagement to planning a honeymoon to writing thank-you notes. She reveals where to cut corners and where not to, how to help families and bridal parties save money, where to find free assistance, and how brides can keep from feeling as if they’re shortchanging their dreams just to save a few bucks.

For this revised edition, the author has put together an up-to-the-minute list of Web addresses and contact information for the best on-line, print, and brick-and-mortar bridal sources.”

Recommended Websites | No Comments »

Remember this? Last summer, we shared this picture with you - it is the winning design from the 2006 TP Wedding Dress contest! Well, the 2007 contest is on now and there is still time to enter. Entry deadline is June 15th.  To enter, you must create a wedding gown using toilet paper and glue.  The winner will receive a $500 cash prize to use as they please!!  The runner up will receive a $200 gift certificate to use towards their wedding favors.

This year, the winning design will also be made into a gown which will be designed and sold by this year’s contest sponsor, Chrys Cross Bridal!!

You don’t have to be a bride to enter:)

In The News | No Comments »

In a magazine I read recently, there were photos from a Jewish wedding were the huppa that was made with suspended butterflies rather then cloth. This idea could be used for a backdrop at the alter or behind the head table at a butterfly themed wedding.

Using cloth or paper butterflies, suspend them at different heights, and varying distances from the wall for a realistic 3D effect. The butterflies can be suspended on clear fishing wire so that it looks like they are just fluttering in place.

If you want to go all out, suspend butterflies over the dance floor. Or for a really unique centerpeice, suspend butterflies at different hieghts from the ceiling over the center of the table.

Butterfly Weddings, Decorations | No Comments »

For all you Tiffany Blue Wedding Theme fans - here is a wedding favor you should check out. There birds nest with blue Jordan chocolate almonds have been featured in Martha Stewart and InStyle Weddings. They are available from Wedding Things and are very budget friendly at only $1.50 each!

Breakfast at Tiffany's | 1 Comment »

In every couple’s life the wedding is one of the most important and emotional events, but it can also be a heavy burden when it comes to worrying about the budget. Whatever you do it will stay a meaningful outlay, but there are many ways in which you can significantly lower the costs without making this day a less exciting and special event. Planning a wedding on a tight budget is not so unachievable as it seems, you just have to plan ahead and be creative. No one ever announced that you have to invite enough guests to fill up a small town or provide the entertainment of the year to have the perfect and most remembered wedding day. In fact, depending on a smaller budget can help you aim your choices on quality, originality and to focus on the things you most care for in this special day, making your life a lot easier if you are properly disposed.

Here are a few main guiding lines for the small budget-wedding planner. One of the first choices is to decide on the location of the event, initially selecting an indoor or outdoor celebration. This will help you narrow your choices and guide you towards a particular type of decorations and arrangements. Once you have this settled down, many other details can be arranged according with your budget. If you decide to have your wedding outdoors you can already save a lot of money, and accordingly create a simple but charming atmosphere suitable for any gossip magazine. Use good taste and imagination to make the best out of your site. Choosing the right colors for the decorations, flower arrangements and even to match the wedding participants’ attire can have a great impact on the effect of the ceremony.

Styling is an art, and you can also accept the help of a few of your tasteful acquaintances to create a magical atmosphere without draining out your wallet. Here step in your innovative skills. Think deeper, use your imagination. You can easily find cheaper way than the conventional ones to deliver your needs, friends you can ask for professional help or advice, new ways to manufacture wedding favors or invitations, making them unique but not especially more expensive. Surely you have one or two friends who have artistic skills which can assist you in your wedding planning, and they will doubtlessly be glad to back you up and at the same time get a free advertisement for their work.

Even in planning this occasionally burdensome event you can settle down for a simpler but much more unique and memorable experience by simply putting your own charm in it. No need for a grandiose and extravagant wedding day to make it well remembered. With just a bit of planning ahead, spirit and good taste this special day can become a day to be remembered, but not by your wallet.

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Article submitted by our guest writer,  planning professional Igal of Weddings 4 U. Igal offers a wonderful online wedding planning guide and wedding planning software that can help you get organized, plan effectively and save money.

General Planning Tips, Getting Started | No Comments »

Michaels is one of my favorite websites and craft stores. Here are some of the wedding invitations they feature on their website with COMPLETE instructions for you to make yourself! Click on a photo for the instructions.

Names: Pink Dots, Palm Tree, Ribbon & Charm on Pearl Swirl, Ribbon & Jacket, Beach Wedding Ideas

To see all 90+ ideas, click here.

DIY Projects for Brides, Invitations | No Comments »

One of the things I am planning to have at our reception is a Candy Buffet - but the cost of all that candy and containers can definitely add up quickly! A candy buffet can be beautiful - but when bride’s try to make a buffet work on a budget, sometimes it just ends up looking a little sad. Here are some ideas to help you create a budget-friendly candy buffet that is as beautiful as these.

1. Find Affordable Containers - Renting containers is one option, though they can be costly as well. For our recpetion, I am collecting glass containers from the thrift shops as I find them. For example, this week I found these two which cost me a total of $2.25 TOGETHER!!! Not bad at all. At an average of $1.50 per container, my total cost for 20 will end up being somewhere around $30.

2. Use other fillers - The biggest mistake I see is wedding buffets that keep the cost low by offering a smaller selection but then the tables look so BLAND:( You can create that same gorgeous, elegant look without having to have a ton of candy if you are creative. Some ideas for things that can add interest to the table:

- Table runners - a white table cloth is great, but adding a table runner or two adds a lot more interest, looks lovely and does not have to cost a fortune. You can rent table runners, or make your own using fabric from the fabric store. (See picture #2)

- Flowers and Flower Petals - Another great way to add interest! You can get great deals on silk rose petals on Ebay and sprinkle them in between the containers. (see picture #1). You can also use silk flowers placed randomly among the jars (see picture #2) or use bouquets of flowers in jars and vases (see picture #1). If your budget does not allow for more flower bouquets - have the jars ready and then place the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets in them just before the reception.

- Pictures - One great idea I came across was to place framed pictures of other weddings (your parents, grandparents, etc) or your engagement pictures among the containers. Not only does this help spread out the buffet for a more full, elegant look - but it also adds a personal touch as well. For frames, head back to the thrift shop for a collection of coordinating frames in silver, brass, white, whatever matches your colors best. Frames could also be added with a menu of the items available, a title (Jake & Jill’s Sweet Shop, etc), a thank you note, a special poem or song, etc.

- Candles - of course, placed in such a way that people can reach the candy without burning themselves or knocking them over.

3. Add extras - Instead of just candy, have other things on the buffet as well. Some common choices include

- The wedding cake

- a chocolate fountain

- a punch bowl or fountain

- cookies, squares, and other dessert items

- fortune cookies

- favor boxes (Generally, the candy buffet replaces the wedding favors, so one idea is to offer small favor boxes to hold the candy rather then bags. These take up a little more space then bags, look really pretty and will encourage guests to be reasonable about the amount of sweets they take. We want them happy - not sick.)

- fruit - if your color scheme allows, add a few bowls of fruit in among the candy for a healthy option as well (green: apples, pears, grapes / red: apples, strawberries, raspberries etc)

- guest book (I have seen this done a few ways. One great idea is to have a pin board behind the table and then offer small notecards and pens on the table so guests can write their wishes to you, and pin them on the board with color coordinating pins.)

- card basket/bowl/box

4. Affordable Candy - the candy is of course, the most expensive aspect of the candy buffet but there are ways to control that cost as well. Here are a few tips:

- Don’t go overboard. If you are using my ideas in section 2 and 3 - your candy buffet does not have to include TONS of candy to look full and elegant. You reasonably need to have enough candy for a small bag full per guest.

- Size Matters - you can put the same amount of candy in a dozen smaller containers rather then into 2 or 3 large containers - but 12 smaller containers LOOKS like more then 2 or 3 large ones do. So, stick to small and medium size containers. Then, place the containers on different levels by places different boxes or books under the table cloth to create risers for some of the containers to sit on. This makes containers easier to reach, and makes the table look fuller.

- Plan ahead - once you have your containers ready, plan which candy will go in each container. Fill larger containers with the less expensive candies, smaller containers for the more expensive containers.

- Buy in bulk - Once you know what types of candy you want, check out different bulk candy suppliers and compare prices.

- COLOR makes a difference - in generally, a candy buffet in coordinated colors looks much more elegant then one that features a hodge podge of random selections. Many bulk suppliers will let you purchase bulk orders of things like jelly beans - all in one color.

PLACES TO FIND BULK CANDY:

www.candywarehouse.com
www.blaircandy.com
www.groovycandies.com
www.sweetnostalgia.com
www.hometownfavorites.com
www.oldtimecandy.com

www.bulkfoods.com

Candy Buffets, Think Outside The Box | 7 Comments »

Do you have a Wedding Fund Jar? It might seem like a dumb idea - but it really does add up. I purchased the jar above on ebay on a whim - and at the end of each day, I added all the change I have left over into it. In the course of a week, that adds up to about $10 or so (In Canada, we have $1 and $2 coins, so those do help add it up faster to). This is money that normally would end up in the kid’s piggy banks, or used for a pop drink or coffee just cause I happen to have it on me. Now, instead of randomly spending it - I am collecting it!

My wedding is in 2 years. If I keep saving at the rate I am saving now, that will mean $1000 extra for my wedding budget! For some brides, that could be 5%, 10%, 20%, or even 25% of your wedding budget!  For me, it would be about 10%. Sure, it’s not a ton, but every little extra helps out and this is one thing that doesn’t take much time.

I have also started paying with cash more often. If I am going to McD’s for a burger, I’ll take $5 with me instead of my bank card - viola, change:) I don’t miss that little extra change now, but I will be VERY glad for it later.

General Planning Tips | 1 Comment »

OK, so you have your heart set on the top banquet facility in the area. The only thing is once you’ve done that, your wedding budget is shot. The $75/pp meal charge quickly becomes $100/pp with the 18% gratuity & other hidden charges. Your heart races as you hear that the facility won’t even lock in the prices. You book your wedding in 2004 and by the time the wedding comes around in 2006, there could be a 10-20% increase in price.

Once your budget is blown on the banquet facility - the thing is - you’ve doomed yourself. Now, you have to compromise on your photographer and which package that you wanted. You end up with a $500 DJ instead of the $1,500 one that you really liked. You can’t afford a videographer and the roses you wanted quickly become carnations.

Let’s look at the numbers - if the 150 guests costs you $100/pp - that’s $15,000 of your wedding budget. If you were to look at a facility that was one step down in pricing - say $75/pp - now your budget is only a bit over $11,000. That extra $4,000 in savings could be the difference between all the other budget items that you wanted or wanted to upgrade.

Take a very close look at what you spend in what area of your wedding budget.

Remember, the meal is done in about an hour.

There are 5 hours in a typical wedding reception.

Spend a better part of your budget on a quality photographer and entertainment and you’ll be much happier in the end.

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General Planning Tips | No Comments »