There’s no doubt about it, weddings can be expensive. The average cost of a wedding today is $20,000 – $25,000, and weddings are estimated to be a $25.3 billion industry. But don’t worry if your budget cannot stretch for the most expensive custom-made gown, elegant invitation cards, or the top photographer, it doesn’t mean that your wedding will be any less unique or special than anyone else’s.
You just need a bit of guidance and a few tips to help you achieve the dream of your big day. Here are a few suggestions with tips on how to save on some of the more expensive aspects of a wedding.
Wedding Gowns
Do you really need a hand-made wedding dress with beads and diamantes? This is where the big cost is and there are several options in cutting the cost. Why not opt for a second-hand wedding dress? It’s probably only been worn once anyway and you can get a once expensive dress for half the price. Consider buying an evening gown/cocktail dress from a department store or look into renting your wedding dress for the day.
The Reception
This is where the cost of a wedding can get out of hand. The wedding reception is normally the biggest expense, but one of the easiest to cut down on costs. Statistics show that an average of 189 guests attend a wedding, this is a lot. Try and keep your guest list to a minimum, do you really need to invite family members who you have never seen for years? Instead of a three-course meal why not opt for a hot and cold buffet (even cater for yourself)? Instead of holding the reception in an expensive hotel suite or wedding reception, why not consider having it at someone’s home or a club, or even book a restaurant. Keep an open bar to a minimal and only serve beer, wine and soft drinks.
Photography
The obvious choice is to shop around for the best rates, but consider hiring a photographer for the ceremony only and ask a family member or friend to take snap photos of the reception. Or you could go one step further and ask them to take the photographs for the whole day and not bother with the expense of a photographer at all.
Invitations / Stationery
If you’re on a budget and looking for cheaper wedding stationery items, then you might like to consider print-at-home stationery. There are many online stationer’s that will offer this service free of charge. You pay for the paper and envelopes, then use their software to print directly from your own PC. With sophisticated customization tools you'll be able to enter your own text and preview it before you print so as not to make any costly mistakes. Alternatively, you can buy software and do-it-yourself from your PC.
Miscellaneous
Flowers can be another great expense, but also an unnecessary one. Why not buy wholesale flowers, or pick flowers from your garden (or a friends or relatives). Buy plain gold or white gold wedding bands as these are the cheapest. Get a friend to make your wedding cake for you and opt for a smaller tier cake and it doesn’t have to be a fruit cake – try a sponge, chocolate or carrot cake! Make your favors and center-peices yourself. Accessories for these can be found at little outlet stores or online. Lastly, instead of a limousine why not rent a car or borrow a luxury car from a friend or relative?
Summary
Weddings are expensive if you want them to be. But if you want to keep money aside for a deposit on a house or a honeymoon to remember, then there are many cost cutting ideas. All you need is a little imagination, and some help from friends and family and you too can have a luxury wedding with all the trimmings.
About The Author Claire Bowes is a freelance writer and owner of the Wedding Planning Online website.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Eight Tips for Purging the Pre-Wedding Stress
The last several weeks before the wedding can be the most stressful time period of the entire wedding planning process। Sure, the big items are all taken care of. The dress has been ordered, as have the flowers, photography, and the cake. But there are a ton of details that need to be wrapped up. Things like figuring out the seating plan at the reception. Like picking out your wedding cake jewelry or your bridesmaids gifts. And do not forget arranging someone to pick up aunt Georgina at the airport after your cousin bailed on you.
And that is assuming that your florist's shop does not burn down two weeks before your wedding... The whole thing can get to be a little bit overwhelming.
You can not avoid the pre-wedding stress entirely - no, not even if you have enough money to afford to hire a full service wedding planning service that claims all you have to do is show up.
You will not avoid it entirely no matter what you do, but you can take some steps to help yourself survive. So here are seven tips to help you in controlling the pre-wedding stress:
Go Out to Dinner: Go alone or with a friend or with your intended. It does not matter. What does matter is taking the time to slow down enough to sit and enjoy a high quality, healthy meal (sorry, no junk food). You need the time out and your body needs the nutrients. A nourished and rested body is better equipped to face the stress of last minute wedding preparations.
Take a Trip to the Health Spa: Make an outing of it with your bridesmaids and let yourself be pampered. Not only will you come out looking better than ever, but you will feel more prepared to handle the stress of this period of your life.
Prayer / Meditation: One of the chief benefits of prayer and meditation is that it helps you put things in perspective. Measured against an almightily God and all of creation, your wedding preparation stresses are relatively insignificant. When you see them in that light, it becomes much easier to control your stress level and deal with problems as they arise.
Work Out: Exercise your stress away. Really. It works. You see, exercise prompts the body to release a chemical called endorphins - resulting in a natural high, helping you to feel better after a stressful day dealing with all the details of putting together a wedding. Better yet, it has the added advantage of creating a healthier you, toned up to fit into your wedding dress (one common pre-wedding related stressor) and better equipped to handle wedding related stress.
Go to a Movie: This is not date night. If you are stressed get some of your girlfriends and catch a chick flick. If your future husband is pulling out his hair, send him off with some of his buddies to watch Bruce Willis blow something up. You need to let yourself be what you are, let him be what he is. Things work better that way.
Go Do Anything Active: Anything, that is that is not wedding related. Go for a hike. Try to learn to windsurf. Mountain bike. Ride horses. Ski. Walk on the beach. The point here is not the exercise, though you might get some of those benefits too, the point is that you can purge your wedding related stress often by simply giving yourself a change of pace. Do something fun, but do something active so that your mind does not wander back to the pile of wedding related jobs yet to be done.
Get Away as a Couple: Go for a picnic. Go for a day trip to the beach. It does not matter as long as you take the time to work on your relationship - not the wedding, your relationship. You are getting married to your best friend, but modern weddings have a way of driving a wedge between couples. You will enjoy your wedding day (not to mention the rest of your life) a whole lot more if you take time periodically to build your relationship during the wedding planning process and make sure that the wedding is not undermining your marriage.
Create or Buy a Wedding Day Survival Kit: We have all heard the stories of wedding day stress run amok over a broken nail, lost bobby pin, spilled snack or??? Going to the effort to have a wedding day survival kit in an easy to carry case ready to pick up and take to the ceremony with you will give you great peace of mind.
Yes, the weeks running up to the wedding day are demanding. But if you take time to purge the stress regularly and intentionally, you will have a great foundation for a happy and healthy wedding day.
Jeanette Shinn is a wedding professional with over a dozen years experience making dreams come alive. Find tips and accessories from cake jewelry - the latest trend in wedding cake toppers - to wedding favor packaging options at http://www.ExcitingWeddingFavors.com.
And that is assuming that your florist's shop does not burn down two weeks before your wedding... The whole thing can get to be a little bit overwhelming.
You can not avoid the pre-wedding stress entirely - no, not even if you have enough money to afford to hire a full service wedding planning service that claims all you have to do is show up.
You will not avoid it entirely no matter what you do, but you can take some steps to help yourself survive. So here are seven tips to help you in controlling the pre-wedding stress:
Go Out to Dinner: Go alone or with a friend or with your intended. It does not matter. What does matter is taking the time to slow down enough to sit and enjoy a high quality, healthy meal (sorry, no junk food). You need the time out and your body needs the nutrients. A nourished and rested body is better equipped to face the stress of last minute wedding preparations.
Take a Trip to the Health Spa: Make an outing of it with your bridesmaids and let yourself be pampered. Not only will you come out looking better than ever, but you will feel more prepared to handle the stress of this period of your life.
Prayer / Meditation: One of the chief benefits of prayer and meditation is that it helps you put things in perspective. Measured against an almightily God and all of creation, your wedding preparation stresses are relatively insignificant. When you see them in that light, it becomes much easier to control your stress level and deal with problems as they arise.
Work Out: Exercise your stress away. Really. It works. You see, exercise prompts the body to release a chemical called endorphins - resulting in a natural high, helping you to feel better after a stressful day dealing with all the details of putting together a wedding. Better yet, it has the added advantage of creating a healthier you, toned up to fit into your wedding dress (one common pre-wedding related stressor) and better equipped to handle wedding related stress.
Go to a Movie: This is not date night. If you are stressed get some of your girlfriends and catch a chick flick. If your future husband is pulling out his hair, send him off with some of his buddies to watch Bruce Willis blow something up. You need to let yourself be what you are, let him be what he is. Things work better that way.
Go Do Anything Active: Anything, that is that is not wedding related. Go for a hike. Try to learn to windsurf. Mountain bike. Ride horses. Ski. Walk on the beach. The point here is not the exercise, though you might get some of those benefits too, the point is that you can purge your wedding related stress often by simply giving yourself a change of pace. Do something fun, but do something active so that your mind does not wander back to the pile of wedding related jobs yet to be done.
Get Away as a Couple: Go for a picnic. Go for a day trip to the beach. It does not matter as long as you take the time to work on your relationship - not the wedding, your relationship. You are getting married to your best friend, but modern weddings have a way of driving a wedge between couples. You will enjoy your wedding day (not to mention the rest of your life) a whole lot more if you take time periodically to build your relationship during the wedding planning process and make sure that the wedding is not undermining your marriage.
Create or Buy a Wedding Day Survival Kit: We have all heard the stories of wedding day stress run amok over a broken nail, lost bobby pin, spilled snack or??? Going to the effort to have a wedding day survival kit in an easy to carry case ready to pick up and take to the ceremony with you will give you great peace of mind.
Yes, the weeks running up to the wedding day are demanding. But if you take time to purge the stress regularly and intentionally, you will have a great foundation for a happy and healthy wedding day.
Jeanette Shinn is a wedding professional with over a dozen years experience making dreams come alive. Find tips and accessories from cake jewelry - the latest trend in wedding cake toppers - to wedding favor packaging options at http://www.ExcitingWeddingFavors.com.
Contemporary Wedding Music
Making a choice for what kind of music you want played during all aspects of your wedding can be tough. You have enough decisions to make, and choosing the music is just one more task. Don't think of it in this way; music is important to the mood of the wedding and you want the guests to feel as joyous and romantic as the bride and groom.
There are quite a few styles and genres of music to choose from such as traditional, classical and contemporary. If you are one of those couple's who look to the future and celebrate the present, then perhaps contemporary wedding music is the ideal choice for you.
A Wide Range of Choices
Contemporary wedding music encompasses many genres. You can choose from contemporary ballads such as "A Love Like This," "A Moment Like This," or "A Wedding Thank You." Another popular contemporary ballad that is getting much play at weddings is "A Song For My Son on His Wedding Day" that is the perfect song for the groom and his mother to dance to.
If you want music that has more of a beat to get your guests in a party mood, you might choose selections from contemporary dance songs. Songs might include "Ain't No Stopping Us Now," "1999," or "All I Wanna to Do." There are so many fun and vibrant songs in this category of contemporary music from which to choose.
Motown hits are the ideal choice for those who want the party stomping. The label is famous for such artists as The Temptations, Diana Ross and The Supremes and the indomitable Miss Aretha Franklin. There are so many great songs you can choose from like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Baby Love," or "Boogie Wonderland." Listening to this style of music is sure to get everyone dancing and moving on the dance floor.
If country is more your type of music, there are many great selections you can opt to play at your wedding. One hip shaking song that is a popular staple at many weddings is "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus. He is better known today as the father of the popular child star "Hannah Montana" played by his daughter Mile Cyrus. Patsy Cline is another wedding favorite with her songs such as "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces." Picking the music for your wedding will be fun as you think about how each song will affect your guests and the mood of your wedding reception.
Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas Wedding Favors. She sells many different types of wedding favors such as, love glass coasters, two peas in a pod salt and pepper shakers and many many more. Yolandas Wedding Favors also carries many different wedding accessories and wedding gifts such as guest books, unity candles, ring pillows, bridesmaid gifts, groomsmen gifts and many many more.
There are quite a few styles and genres of music to choose from such as traditional, classical and contemporary. If you are one of those couple's who look to the future and celebrate the present, then perhaps contemporary wedding music is the ideal choice for you.
A Wide Range of Choices
Contemporary wedding music encompasses many genres. You can choose from contemporary ballads such as "A Love Like This," "A Moment Like This," or "A Wedding Thank You." Another popular contemporary ballad that is getting much play at weddings is "A Song For My Son on His Wedding Day" that is the perfect song for the groom and his mother to dance to.
If you want music that has more of a beat to get your guests in a party mood, you might choose selections from contemporary dance songs. Songs might include "Ain't No Stopping Us Now," "1999," or "All I Wanna to Do." There are so many fun and vibrant songs in this category of contemporary music from which to choose.
Motown hits are the ideal choice for those who want the party stomping. The label is famous for such artists as The Temptations, Diana Ross and The Supremes and the indomitable Miss Aretha Franklin. There are so many great songs you can choose from like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Baby Love," or "Boogie Wonderland." Listening to this style of music is sure to get everyone dancing and moving on the dance floor.
If country is more your type of music, there are many great selections you can opt to play at your wedding. One hip shaking song that is a popular staple at many weddings is "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus. He is better known today as the father of the popular child star "Hannah Montana" played by his daughter Mile Cyrus. Patsy Cline is another wedding favorite with her songs such as "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces." Picking the music for your wedding will be fun as you think about how each song will affect your guests and the mood of your wedding reception.
Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas Wedding Favors. She sells many different types of wedding favors such as, love glass coasters, two peas in a pod salt and pepper shakers and many many more. Yolandas Wedding Favors also carries many different wedding accessories and wedding gifts such as guest books, unity candles, ring pillows, bridesmaid gifts, groomsmen gifts and many many more.
Being A Wedding MC - Top Tips For Introducing The Speakers
A wedding mc is the Master of Ceremonies at the wedding reception. Think of him, or her, as the puppeteer who pulls the strings, the one who makes things happen. The main duty of the wedding emcee is ensuring the wedding reception flows.
As the wedding mc you will be responsible for introducing the speakers, leading the applause for each speaker and providing the transition to the next speaker. And throughout the wedding reception you will, as wedding mc, provide the link from one event to the next.
To be a success as a wedding mc, here are some top tips to remember when introducing speakers.
Tip #1: a good introduction is always brief;
Tip #2: make sure you can correctly pronounce the name of each speaker you have to introduce;
Tip #3: know a little about each speaker;
Tip #4: never upstage a speaker; and
Tip #5: remember you are not a stand-up comic. Never tell risque jokes, or mother-in-law jokes or tales about a previous relationship the bride or groom may have had. It's always advisable to ask the bride and groom what type of humor they want.
Generally, a speaker at an event is never sure of the reaction they'll get from their audience. Will it be friendly or hostile? As a wedding mc you have one big advantage. The bridal party and all the guest are all on your side. They are friendly and want, just like you, the wedding reception to be a great party enjoyed by everyone.
Prepare properly for your role as a wedding mc and you'll be fine. And remember, this is a live event and things can and do go wrong. So be prepared for the unexpected to happen too.
Learn how to prepare a running sheet for a wedding reception.
Click here for a step-by-step manual on being a wedding mc.
Are you the bride and groom? Do you need a checklist of what to look for when choosing a wedding mc?
As the wedding mc you will be responsible for introducing the speakers, leading the applause for each speaker and providing the transition to the next speaker. And throughout the wedding reception you will, as wedding mc, provide the link from one event to the next.
To be a success as a wedding mc, here are some top tips to remember when introducing speakers.
Tip #1: a good introduction is always brief;
Tip #2: make sure you can correctly pronounce the name of each speaker you have to introduce;
Tip #3: know a little about each speaker;
Tip #4: never upstage a speaker; and
Tip #5: remember you are not a stand-up comic. Never tell risque jokes, or mother-in-law jokes or tales about a previous relationship the bride or groom may have had. It's always advisable to ask the bride and groom what type of humor they want.
Generally, a speaker at an event is never sure of the reaction they'll get from their audience. Will it be friendly or hostile? As a wedding mc you have one big advantage. The bridal party and all the guest are all on your side. They are friendly and want, just like you, the wedding reception to be a great party enjoyed by everyone.
Prepare properly for your role as a wedding mc and you'll be fine. And remember, this is a live event and things can and do go wrong. So be prepared for the unexpected to happen too.
Learn how to prepare a running sheet for a wedding reception.
Click here for a step-by-step manual on being a wedding mc.
Are you the bride and groom? Do you need a checklist of what to look for when choosing a wedding mc?
Do You Need a Wedding Planner?
When you have a wedding to plan, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of details that need to be looked into. The frantic pace of events leading up to the actual day can easily strain the nerves of the most stoic bride, setting the stage for some spectacular meltdown moments. The days leading up to the wedding can be exciting, and some brides miss out on the high spirits of those pre nuptial days because they are too busy stressing over last minute wedding details.
Hiring a wedding planner can provide the bride to be with the time and energy she needs to enjoy the actual planning of the wedding. The services of a wedding planner or wedding co coordinator don't come cheap. In many cases, they can charge between 10 and 20 percent of the total cost of the wedding. Before you consider hiring one, take a look at just a few of the wedding related tasks you will be required to perform.
It's easy to get swept up in the notion that a wedding is all about a beautiful dress, some great food, music and the cake. There's a lot more to it than that. There are invitations to design and print out, and wedding locations to scout.
You'll need to decide on memorable wedding favors for guests, gifts for the bridesmaids and maid of honor, and tuxedos for the ring bearer. If you want the bridesmaids to be dressed according to your tastes, there's the little matter of designing those dresses too. Besides these, you'll have to scour your city for the most reputable vendors for wedding supplies, and draw up contracts with them on placing your orders. You'll need to arrange accommodations for all the out of town guests that are expected, and scout for locations for the perfect wedding. All these details have to be micro managed if you want to avoid any last minute snafus. Besides the zillion things that need to be taken care of, you'll also need to make sure you stay within your budget.
A wedding planner can free up your time leading up to the big day so you can enjoy yourself more.
* She's likely to have contacts in the business which means she'll be able to find the best vendors and garner some discounts.
* Wedding planners are used to working on budgets - it's part of their job. On your own, you're more likely to let your budget escalate.
* Weddings require precision and attention to detail to be executed seamlessly. The arrival of the bride has to be timed perfectly, and there's wedding protocol and etiquette to follow. All these seemingly minor details can be overlooked leading to some embarrassing bloopers on the big day.
If you do have your heart set on a wedding planner, but despair at the cost, you don't have to. Many planners these days offer their services at specific phases of the wedding planning, or you can hire them for just a few services like scouting for locations or wedding favor shopping. This will help you avail of her professional expertise in a few select matters without leaving your wallet much lighter.
Find this and many more original articles provided by Truly Wedding by visiting our database at Truly Wedding Favors. Find more wedding tips, stories, news and humor all at the Truly Wedding Blog.
Hiring a wedding planner can provide the bride to be with the time and energy she needs to enjoy the actual planning of the wedding. The services of a wedding planner or wedding co coordinator don't come cheap. In many cases, they can charge between 10 and 20 percent of the total cost of the wedding. Before you consider hiring one, take a look at just a few of the wedding related tasks you will be required to perform.
It's easy to get swept up in the notion that a wedding is all about a beautiful dress, some great food, music and the cake. There's a lot more to it than that. There are invitations to design and print out, and wedding locations to scout.
You'll need to decide on memorable wedding favors for guests, gifts for the bridesmaids and maid of honor, and tuxedos for the ring bearer. If you want the bridesmaids to be dressed according to your tastes, there's the little matter of designing those dresses too. Besides these, you'll have to scour your city for the most reputable vendors for wedding supplies, and draw up contracts with them on placing your orders. You'll need to arrange accommodations for all the out of town guests that are expected, and scout for locations for the perfect wedding. All these details have to be micro managed if you want to avoid any last minute snafus. Besides the zillion things that need to be taken care of, you'll also need to make sure you stay within your budget.
A wedding planner can free up your time leading up to the big day so you can enjoy yourself more.
* She's likely to have contacts in the business which means she'll be able to find the best vendors and garner some discounts.
* Wedding planners are used to working on budgets - it's part of their job. On your own, you're more likely to let your budget escalate.
* Weddings require precision and attention to detail to be executed seamlessly. The arrival of the bride has to be timed perfectly, and there's wedding protocol and etiquette to follow. All these seemingly minor details can be overlooked leading to some embarrassing bloopers on the big day.
If you do have your heart set on a wedding planner, but despair at the cost, you don't have to. Many planners these days offer their services at specific phases of the wedding planning, or you can hire them for just a few services like scouting for locations or wedding favor shopping. This will help you avail of her professional expertise in a few select matters without leaving your wallet much lighter.
Find this and many more original articles provided by Truly Wedding by visiting our database at Truly Wedding Favors. Find more wedding tips, stories, news and humor all at the Truly Wedding Blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)