Almost every girl has a picture of her ideal wedding in her mind.  She may dream up something that she can visualize when reading fairy tales that end with “…and they live happily ever after.”  She sees flowers, ribbons and laces.

However, when her wedding day comes, she may have other considerations on her mind.

She still dreams of her ideal wedding but she starts incorporating other subjects that represent her and her groom.  The bride will probably consider the current trends in wedding fashion and decoration.  And the most important subject to talk about when choosing decorations - the cost.

Nobody wants to spend the first few months of being married paying of debts made during the wedding preparations so we’ve prepared a list of budget saving wedding ideas.

Personalize The Decorations -Not only does this add a personal touch to the celebration but this also cuts down on the cost.  For example, if the bride or the groom is a photographer, they may choose having photos from their collection made the main subjects for the reception design.  The photos may also be used for invitations and keepsakes,

Consider Renting -Most of the items that will be used for decorations will not be used again.  These include the centerpieces, the vases, the arc ways and the artificial flower arrangements.  So ask your wedding decorator for options to rent these pieces.

Kids can get bored during the wedding reception.  So instead of having kids seated at the same table with the adults, you can have an area where kids can be more casual and can have a small party of their own.

Marriage is a union of families - During the wedding ceremony, if possible, you may alter some of the practices to include the children of the bride or groom from previous marriage or the parents and families of the couple.  Having them perform a special union rite will signify that the wedding is not just a union of two people but also of two families.

For the food during the reception, you may inquire with cooking or culinary arts schools.  They may agree to cater for the reception for just the price of the food, or perhaps, a little more.  You may also have a pot luck by asking family members and close friends to cook a dish.

If you wanted to cut down on the cost for the wedding party, you can just invite more people to the engagement party.  Usually, only cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are served, which cost less than the full set of meals for the wedding reception guests.

For the music, you can look for a local college band or DJ.  You can also have your favorite songs just downloaded from the Internet and saved to an mp3 player or CD to be played over the speakers during the reception.

When considering the cost of church decorations, check if there will be another couple that will get married on the same day.  They may want to coordinate what decorations can be used for both wedding ceremonies to lessen the need to change decorations before or after the wedding and to split the cost.

So, there you have it.  Seven ideas that will help save your wedding budget.

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Most of us can’t afford to hire a wedding planner like Mindy Weiss - her services were behind some of hollywoods gorgeous weddings including Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey, Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale and Heidi Klum and Seal. Fortunately for us, Mindy Weiss has decided to publish her own wedding planning book, called The Wedding Book: The Big Book for your Big Day!

The book includes planning ideas, tips, worksheets, terms to know, and plenty more. SO - you can have a “mindy weiss” wedding without the “mindy weiss” price tag. This great book is available at bookstores, or online through Amazon.com for about $14!.  There are also book tour dates coming up, check out the schedule here.

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There are a lot of different ways to describe a ring. Material, diamond shape, carat, diamond color, diamond clarity, etc. I found a site called 77 Diamonds that actually helps simplify this a little. First - you pick the diamond shape and ring style. Then you can change the color, clarity and carat to see what the different price ranges are for that style.

For example, lets take a look at this trilogy engagement ring design:

Now, for this ring, you have the options of carats ranging from .4 to 2 carats or more. Their carat weight chart gives you an idea of what the actual diamond size is for each carat. The larger the carat weight, the bigger the diamond.

You also have a choice of colors from K (light yellow) to D (perfectly white). Most brides will probably choose a diamond somewhere between H (white) and D (perfectly white).  Ratings of D, E and F are the purest, rarest and of course, most expensive diamonds. Diamonds rated G or H may have a slight coloration, but so slight that it would only be noticeable if compared with a higher graded diamond. This makes them a great option for a bride who needs an affordable engagement ring without sacrificing size.    How much difference does color make? Well, a 1 carat ring like the one above, with a VS2 clarity (to be discussed shortly) and a color rating of D would cost you $5000. The same ring, with a color rating of H would cost you $3400.

The other option will see is the clarity. Clarity is ranked from SI3 (slightly included) to IF (internally flawless). This refers to the natural inclusions which can be seen under a 10x magnification. So - an IF is much rarer and much more costly then a SI3.  Most brides will go with a VS1 or VS2, which has natural inclusions barely visible under magnification. If you are on a budget, you might consider an SI1, which has noticable inclusions under magnification but is barely noticable to the human eye. How much difference does this make? Lets use the same example, 1 carat, with an H color rating. With a IF rating, your cost will be $7259. With a SI1, you would be looking at $2700! Now that is a HUGE difference, but the actual look and size of the ring to the human eye is the same.

One more quick case study, using the same ring above:

.5 Carat, D color, IF clarity: $2900

.5 Carat, H color,  VS2 clarity: $1150

Yes- the first ring has diamonds that have a higher value and will always be worth more. But - both rings are the same size and look, and for a bride with a limited budget, color and clarity considerations are a great way to make sure you are getting an engagement ring you love, and can afford!

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You may heard that the average cost of a single wedding is around $27,000.

Now get ready for this one.

Can you believe that the average cost of a SECOND  wedding is around $12,000?

In other words, the first timers (probably without any experience) spend more than twice of what the second timers spend.

That tells me that having experience can save you more than $10,000.

Of course, there may be other factors like number of guests and wedding qualities. But I guarantee that experience and know-how’s are the main factors.

If you want to know how you can save $1,000’s or even $10,000’s for your wedding, I strongly recommend that you read Erica Yoon’s Amazing Wedding Planning guide. She has saved over $10,000 on her wedding and reveals just exactly how she did it.

And she will also layout the process in easy to follow step-by-step so you can duplicate the process.

For more information… visit her website

You choose whether you want to spend $27,000 or $12,000.

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I absolutely love to answer your questions! You can e-mail your questions to dcakru@mts.net and I will send you a personal response!!!

Please include you wedding date and contact e-mail for a faster reponse!

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Here are the best comments we have received from you, our readers, in 2007!

Twistie on Alcohol and your wedding budget

One of the ways I handled a tight budget was to limit alcohol. We offered a choice of champagne or beer. We also offered a variety of sodas, bottled water, and a couple flavors of fruit juice.

There was more than enough for anyone who wanted to have a couple drinks, but plenty of options for children and non-drinkers.

I know there are areas where a cash bar is more or less expected, but I have to say I have a strong dislike for them. When you invite someone to your party, they should not be expected to pay for anything once they get in the door. I’d much rather attend a dry reception than have to pay for a drink.

Miss Artichoke on Hot Tips for Creating A Wedding Budget Worksheet

I strongly recommend looking at all possible sites. I’m using a county park and it costs so much less than any other traditional location (like a hotel etc).

Shelly on Bridesmaid Gowns for the Bride

I’m so happy, I bought this bill levkoff dress (style 550) to use as my bridal dress. I was feeling a bit like I may have made the wrong choice, about using a bridesmaids dress for my wedding dress, but now I see I did the right thing saving money on a dress that looks great, and using the money I did save on for the open bar really want. thank you

Meagan on Saving On Wedding Attire

I got married this month and the budget was a huge deal. I ended up getting a high end dress and veil at a local consignment shop for less than $400. I borrowed all my wedding day jewelery and bought some super cute bridal shoes on sale for $30. I had my talented sister do my hair, I did my own makeup, and sprung for a $12 manicure. I was so pleased with it all. People were astonished I got my entire look for under $500. My tip: Shop early and shop often… I was able to find everything at good prices because I had a whole year to plan and scope out all the good deals! Good luck!!!!!

Tatiana on Carnations Follow Up

I stumbled upon your site through the blogathon website and I must say I agree carnations need to appear at more weddings. I actually carried white carnation and red roses at my wedding. My maternal grandmother carried roses when she got married and my paternal grandmother carried carnations so I decided I wanted to carry both.

Dennise S on Use Table Markers to Enhance Your Theme

I am taking the table naming to a more personal level. I have picked out important events my husband-to-be and I share throughtout our relationship.

For example, the first time we ever spoke to one another was at a coffee stand. So, one of the tables will be named “Cafe o’ Le” followed by a very brief description on why it is named that.

I just feel personal is the way to go at weddings. Think about it, everyone is there to share this wonderful step in a couples life!

Enjoy!

We also had TONS of people asking about to particular posts this year:

The first was the post
The Myth’s Behind The Designer Wedding Gown which featured this picture and everyone wanted to know where they could get that coat! It took us a while, but we finally found it - you can get details here: AWESOME NEWS

Another post that received a lot of attention was our post on masquerade weddings:
Masquerade Ball Wedding Centerpiece with readers wanting to know where they could get those centerpieces. You can find a link to the company that we got the photos from in the comments on that post, but if they aren’t in your area, you might also want to read a follow-up post: Ostrich Feathers and Eiffel Tower Vases

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So you are engaged to get married but don’t have a lot of extra money to spend for the wedding? No problem you can still have a beautiful wedding for nearly half the cost. The key ingredient to have is a budget worksheet and budget plan before doing anything. By spending the time to plan ahead and budget your major expenses you will ensure success in saving money. You will not be caught on a whim and spend over the amount planned. Not having a plan is a recipe for disaster because this often means you are searching for crucial items last minute which can really add up.

Below are some of the more common categories that comprise a standard wedding budget form. You will want to at first include all of these categories and then latter you can easily go in and delete any categories that are not needed.

We have given some estimates of the percent a particular cost should be in relation to the total budget. For most items we provided a range of costs. If the item is very important to you then you should plan on the higher end of the range and if it is not important much at all use the lower range. Just make sure that it all totals only 100% in the end.

Location, Location, Location

This is one of the most important keys in Real Estate and in Weddings alike is location. It is important to leave a category of your budget for the location of the wedding and the reception.

Wedding Site:

There are so many places to get married that the list is endless. The cost can vary greatly from a simple backyard wedding to an incredibly expensive formal church wedding. Typical costs for the wedding site will run from 3% to 5%.

Reception

The Reception is one of your biggest expenses and should be planned for carefully. Again the price and percent of your total wedding budget will vary depending on the site. Plan ahead, do some comparison shopping and visit the a few sites first. Typically costs will run around 48% for the reception. This includes the food, site rental, drinks, cake and favors.

Other Important Details

Along with the site rental and reception costs there are things that need to be planned for ahead of time. These are all included below. Keep a careful eye out for the things that you think are important to your wedding in particular and things that don’t matter so much.

Attire

The attire for the wedding includes such things as the wedding dress, viel, tuxedoes and bridesmaid dresses. Depending on your own style preferences and choices this category of items can run between 8 to 12%.

Rings

Rings are such an important symbolic part of the wedding. You do not want to forget the cost associated with them. Typical costs will run between 2 to 5%. The main differences here will be between the metal used and the diamond chosen for the ring. Design rings and signature pieces can often run 2 to 3 times more then a custom made ring. Many jewelers are happy to custom make a ring for you.

Flowers / Decorations

There are a variety of expenses in this category which include everything from flowers to reception decorations. Typical costs will run between 6 to 10% of the total budget.

Outside Sources of Help

Often Deejays and photographers are important to the wedding and reception and a cost that should be figured in. The prices can vary widely depending on their experience level and other factors.

Photographers

Photographers are important as the wedding pictures will be one of the lasting memories of the wedding ceremony and reception. It is important to choose a photographer carefully and to find one that you can work well with. Typical costs for a photographer will run between 9 to 14%

Deejays

Again there is a wide amount o differences in the prices charged by different Deejays. It is important as always to do some comparison shopping on the phone before going out to interview the select few. Typically costs associate with Deejays are between 6 and 10%.

Gifts and Stationary

These are important ways to interact with your guests. Stationary includes everything from wedding invitations to thank you cards. While the gifts will include the more traditional gifts like the Bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts. Typical costs in this category run between 4 to 8%.

It is important to work up a and develop a budget breakdown and to know where your costs are going to come from. Before adding any numbers to your wedding budget checklist you will want to prioritize the budget and develop a worksheet. Then you can go and start adding in numbers and fleshing out the wedding budget plan.

Resources:
Free 5 day Wedding Planning email course. check it out now before the offer is gone. Learn more about Wedding Budget Worksheet.

Article Source: http://www.myweddingarticles.com/article/Hot-Tips-for-Creating-A-Wedding-Budget-Worksheet

Sam is a writter for Plan Best Wedding where there are tons of great free tips, articles, how to advice and more. He is also the author of Wedding Savings Revealed.

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If you are like most brides, you will invest a lot of time and money on finding the perfect wedding attire. Bridal jewelry, a wedding gown, shoes, and a bridal bouquet are all components of a bride’s wedding attire. Every bride wants to look beautiful on her wedding day and sacrifices a lot of money to do so. After spending thousands of dollars on your wedding, how can you make the most of it after the wedding is over? There are many creative ways that you can repurpose your bridal jewelry, gown, and bouquet.

Reusing Your Bridal Jewelry and getting the most out of it:

• Wear your bridal jewelry when you celebrate your first anniversary.
• Wear your wedding jewelry to your child’s wedding.
• Save your bridal jewelry for your daughter, niece, or granddaughter to wear on her wedding day. Note: Be sure to store your bridal jewelry properly. Swarovski bridal jewelry should be stored in a soft jewelry pouch or box. Be sure to keep it away from excessive heat.
• Allow your sister or best friend to borrow your bridal jewelry for her wedding.
• Save your wedding jewelry for your daughter’s senior prom.

Reusing Your Bridal Gown to relive the moment:

• Have your wedding gown remade into a christening gown for your son or daughter.
• Save your bridal gown for your daughter, niece, or granddaughter. Note: Remember to have your gown properly preserved.
• Use your wedding gown to make a small decorative pillow or two.
• Cut a swatch of material from your bridal gown to use in a scrapbook or photo album.
• Purchase a special doll or teddy bear and use your bridal gown to make a doll sized version for it.
• Dye your wedding gown another color to wear to a formal event.

Reusing Your Bridal Bouquet for sentimental purposes:

• Preserve a portion of your bridal bouquet to place inside of a scrapbook.
• Preserve your wedding bouquet and display it in your home using a shadow box.
• Have your wedding bouquet professionally pressed and rearranged in a picture frame. Hang the frame in your home and keep as a family heirloom.

The bridal business is a multibillion-dollar industry. The average cost that couples spend on a wedding is nearly $27,000. Repurposing your bridal attire makes the money spent well worth it. Creating tangible memories with your bridal jewelry, gown, and bouquet holds sentimental value. Whoever said that the bride’s wedding attire is only for her wedding day?

Resources:
Maria Romain is a writer for http://www.silverlandjewelry.c Jewelry and Gifts, a business that specializes in affordable bridal jewelry and gifts.

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If you are considering getting married in the near future, one of the biggest tasks is planning the wedding and keeping track of all the many tasks that are involved. You’ll have wedding guests and seating arrangements to consider, as well as vendors for catering and food services.

How would you like to plan your wedding right down to the most minute detail? An inexpensive wedding planner software that runs on windows just might be the solution.

My Wedding Companion Software is your guide to planning a successful wedding; from setting your wedding date to choosing a cake to sending “thank you” notes, My Wedding Companion Software lets you stay organized and prepared.

The software is the one place where all your wedding related information can be stored and easily found. My Wedding Companion Software is a software product dedicated to making weddings easier to plan and enjoy. It automates many tasks that you might otherwise have to do by hand. It keeps track of things that otherwise might be written on scraps of paper in your planner. It makes life a little easier for those who know first hand that planning a wedding is not always as fun as it should be!

Gift Tracker - Keep track of wedding gifts you have received and thank you cards you have written. The program can even write the note for you (complete with the description of the gift) - all you have to do is sign!

Guest Tracker - Keep track of your guests with the guest tracker. Keep notes on each guest, denote bride side or groom side, keep track of RSVPs and more. Print invitations, print a list of invited persons, or export the list to do a mail merge or give to a print shop.

Vendor Manager - Keeps track of the names, phone numbers, and other pertinent data for the various vendors you are evaluating or are using in the wedding. Keep track of quotes from multiple vendors and easily see how different vendors will affect your budget.

Seating Chart - Make a dynamic seating chart that is integrated with your guest list. Drag-and-Drop functionality lets you re-arrange tables and guests with ease.

Task Reminder - Keep track of important tasks and events with the task reminder feature.

Cost Estimator - Estimate the cost of your wedding. See how a change of vendors will affect the total cost of your wedding. Keep track of ‘per guest’ costs as guests RSVP.

The Wedding Companion Software CD just might be the answer to all your wedding planning needs. Visit our site for complete details.

Article by:

Author: Barbara King Owner: Tips For Budget Weddings You’ll find lots of great ideas for stretching your wedding budget.

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The cost of the average wedding has skyrocketed in recent years. Many are celebrating this special day with large, lavish parties that can leave the bride and groom in debt before their marriage has even started! In fact, recent surveys suggest that the average American wedding costs over $26,000!

It doesn’t have to be that way though. You can still have the wedding of your dreams and stay within your budget if you incorporate some easy tips and tricks to keep your expenses within reason. You want to have a great day – but you don’t want to spend the next ten years of your marriage paying for it!

Aim to Have Your Wedding Early In the Day. The cost of most weddings quickly escalates when you start selecting the food and beverages for the reception. If you plan on an elegant morning brunch, you could save considerably in comparison to an evening affair. Another great thing about an early wedding is that there is far less alcohol consumed, which is another great money saver!

Have Your Wedding Off Season. In most cities, having your wedding in the fall or winter is less expensive than the prime wedding months in the spring and summer. Consider having your wedding during the months of November through April, and chances are, you will find better rates on the location, food, florists, limousines and more. In addition, by planning for the ‘non-prime’ months, you won’t have to compete with other brides for booking the various details!

Pare Down Your Guest List. No bride or groom wants to think about cutting the guest list, but it simply is the most effective way to ensure you stay within your all important budget. Less people means lower food and alcohol costs. Take a long hard look at your list, if you haven’t seen or spoken to the person in the last five years – then ask yourself why you are inviting them to the wedding. Try eliminating kids, colleagues, and dates of guests as a quick and easy way to trim the list. Serious partners and spouses should be included, but for friends who aren’t seriously dating, you don’t need to feel pressured into inviting their boyfriend or girlfriend.

Do Some Of the Invitation Work Yourself. With great color printers and design programs out there, you can easily save on the invitations by doing some of the work on your own. For example, have someone you know do the design work and then get the invitations printed by a local printer. In addition, skip the stamped envelope for the reply card and ask guests to email or phone in the RSVPs. Depending on the number of guests, this method can shave hundreds of dollars off your overall costs!

Choose Flowers That Are In Season. Don’t choose exotic blooms that have to come half way around the world because obviously that drives up your flower expenses unnecessarily. You’ll save considerably if you choose in season flowers that your florist can source locally. Have a frank conversation with your florist and let him or her know that your budget is a priority. Your florist can suggest which blooms will be most reasonable and can help you stay inside that all important budget!

Gifts For Family And Attendants. Your gifts for moms, dads, attendants and others can quickly add up. Instead of buying lavish gifts, why not create your own personal gift basket for each important person. Buy pretty baskets and fill them with products individually selected for each person. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but the people receiving the gift baskets will appreciate your thoughtfulness and personal touch.

Plan A Honeymoon Closer To Home. Although you may have your heart set on a lavish honeymoon to some exotic destination, a big honeymoon might not be in the cards after the considerable expense of a wedding. Select a local beach or mountain locale that you can drive to and find a quaint cottage for rent. The important thing is to spend time together relaxing – it isn’t that important where you actually go!

By following some or all of these tips, you may be surprised by how much money you can actually save. Remember that just because something is more expensive, it doesn’t not necessarily mean it is better. Research how much things cost, create a budget, and use these tips to stay within that budget! Happy planning!

Article by:

Written by Fran Gratton of Heart Filled Baskets (www.heartfilledbaskets.com) A gift and gift basket company. This article may be reprinted as long as the article remains unchanged and the links remain clickable. Copyright is reserved by author.

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