All About Weddings
9.21.2012
Under Construction
Please forgive the broken tabs and ripped pages as we work to make this blog a little better! All About Weddings will be going through a little makeover these next couple weeks so as my college roommate would say, keep your fork; the best is yet to come!
9.13.2012
Tissue Flower Mania
Thanks to our friendly neighborhood pinterest, tissue paper
has seen more than just birthdays and holidays this year. If you want a fun but elegant diy project for your wedding then tissue paper flowers are the way to go.
There are so many different types and styles of tissue flowers that you will be sure to find something that sparks your interest. Whether it's flower balls, centerpieces, or even the bouquets, these flowers make a great addition to any wedding.
Pinterest is filled with tutorials for every kind of flower so carve out some time, get your computer, grab some tissue paper and scissors and get to it!
Do's and Don'ts for a Holiday Wedding
If you’ve
been into Hobby Lobby in the last, oh 3 months, you’ll see that Christmas is
slowly sneaking up on us. Granted, the wonderful HobLob is a little quick on
the draw when it comes to the holiday but it did get me thinking. Christmas is
at this very second 103 days, 4 hours, 26 minutes, and 10 seconds away. That
means that any holiday weddings are within 100 days (give or take a day or two).
That’s soon in wedding world! You’re preliminary to-do check list should have a
lot crossed of by now.
One of the
great things about holiday weddings is the decorations. Everyone loves
Christmas decorations. Even if they say they don’t, in their heart of hearts
they secretly do,
i.e. The Grinch. Why waste all those glittering bulbs and
crystals? Throw them in a vase, wrap some lights around ‘em and voila- you’ve
got yourself some wedding decorations.
There are
two different ways you can use Christmas decorations at your wedding- the
classy way, and the trashy way. Nobody, and I mean nobody, wants to see Santa
at your wedding. I don’t care who you are, where you’re from, or how much you
love him, Santa is not invited to your wedding.
Do show a pop or red |
Don't go all red |
Don't use ornaments as favors |
Do use ornaments as name cards |
Don't be too Christmasy |
Do use Christmas bulbs in your decorating |
Don't do plaid red bridesmaid dresses |
Do have an adorable red flower girl dress |
Don't go crazy on the Christmas cake |
Do use winter themes on your cake |
Don't do Santa! |
Do use greenery with candles for a warm winter feel. |
8.30.2012
10 ways to save when planning your wedding.
1.
Set a
detailed budget for your entire wedding. You must must must have an actual
number – if you don’t, you will end up spending more. Once you have that
number, create categories and start divvying up the cash (i.e. decorations, flowers,
dress, gifts, ect). Think through every aspect of your wedding so you don’t
forget anything. Little things like thank you notes, hairspray, and guest book
pens can easily slip past even the most budget conscious bride. Write everything
down. The biggest lie a bride will tell herself is “I don’t need to write that
down, I’ll remember.”
2.
Always be
prepared. Ok so this one’s a Boy Scout motto but it still applies! Whenever
you’re out picking up milk or socks or whatever, always take time to peruse the
clearance isle. You never know when the perfect vase or tablecloth will drop in
price.
3.
Have an
IDEA for decorations. Know the overall look you would like to have with
your decorations but don’t get hung up on specifics. If you are only looking
for a certain vase (and you need 30 of them), you will most likely end up
spending more money than you would prefer. Sometimes a simple change in brand
or shape can help you save.
4.
Make your
own invitation. For those of you who aren’t super crafty, this may seem
like a lot; it’s not. Stores like Michaels, Target, Hobby Lobby, and even Wal-Mart
have packets for printing your own invitations. You’ve looked into these you
say? And they’re expensive you say? Refer back to #2- always be prepared! It’s
true, sometimes these packets can be up to $50 a piece. And when you need 5 or
6 packets, that’s not so cheap. However, if you take to time to scout out the
stores, you’ll see that those packets go on sale frequently- sometimes up to
90% off. Or, if you’re really confident, skip the prepackaged invitations and simply
design it yourself on your computer. There are also a lot of websites that all
you need to do is type out your information and they will print everything for
you.
5.
Plan an
afternoon wedding. This one is going to save you a lot. Having and
afternoon wedding means your guests will not be expecting and entire meal at
the reception. This opens up a whole new realm of savings when it comes to food.
Hors d’oeuvres and cake, candy buffet, popcorn bar, cup cakes, the possibilities
are endless.
6.
Use flowers
that are in season. I’m not saying to scrap you’re favorite flowers all
together if they’re not in season. But using seasonal flowers as fillers can
save a lot of money in the long run. After choosing what flowers you want,
research the flowers that will be in season at the time of your wedding and
dream away. You might even luck out and find your favorites will be at their cheapest
on your wedding date. Also, if you use only one type of flower, you’ll save
because you’re florist will only need to make one bulk order instead of
multiple orders.
7.
Find the
wedding dress sales. Research your local bridal salons and figure out when
their sale dates are. Sample sales can save you up to 70% on a wedding gown,
veil, and shoes. And don’t bypass the bigger bridal stores just because they’re
bigger- larger companies can offer better discounts.
8.
Have and off
peak wedding. If possible, plan a November, January, February (not the 14th)
or March wedding. When there’s less competition for dates, you have an
advantage in price negotiations. Often times venues and vendors will reduce the
price up to 30% during off peak times.
9.
Add the
finishing touches to your cake yourself. Or have your personal assistant do
it. The cost of a wedding cake is all about labor. The more sugar flowers and
flowing lace fondant, the more expensive you’re cake is going to be. By ordering
a simple cake and adding your own lace, satin, or flowers, you’ll definitely save.
Or you could have a smaller more decadent cake for cutting and a sheet cake in
the kitchen for serving.
10. Serve signature cocktails. Depending on
your beliefs and preferences, this may not even be an issue. But, if it is a
part of your wedding, alcohol is where weddings tend to hemorrhage money. Most
reception sites charge for every opened bottle, empty or not. Offer a limited
bar, or a signature cocktail to cut down on cost. Or skip the drinks altogether
and simply provide champagne for toasts.
Revenge of the Carnation
Carnations
have been given a bad reputation over the last few years. I always classified
them as the Wal-Mart of flowers. There was no rhyme or reason for my prejudice except
that I always heard they were the cheap flowers. I’m not sure why that made a
difference to me since my whole shopping life has been built around finding the
cheapest deal!
I wanted to
write a piece on centerpieces but after researching (ahem, pinterest), I couldn’t
help but notice all the beautiful carnation arraignments. So I couldn’t pass up
an opportunity to show another way to save money- go with carnations! Whether
they’re splashed between roses or set apart to shine on their own, carnations
are making a stunning comeback.
8.10.2012
These boots were made for walkin'
Rustic weddings are all the buzz these days. Boots are such a fun idea for any wedding but especially fun when paired with lace.
Baby it's cold outside
Ok so it's not actually cold outside right now, in fact it's the exact opposite were I sit. But, the cold is coming! And so are a few more engagement rings. Fall seems to be one of the best times to get engagement pictures taken. You're not dropping from the heat, you have beautiful colors all around you, and you can pick pretty much any outfit. However, sometimes fall doesn't always work times wise.
But don't be discouraged if the best time for you and your special guy to have an engagement shoot is after the snow falls! This couple shows how beautiful a little snow can be.
But don't be discouraged if the best time for you and your special guy to have an engagement shoot is after the snow falls! This couple shows how beautiful a little snow can be.
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