101 Ways to Save on Weddings
Due to numerous requests from our readers, we are reprinting our article “101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding” in its complete form. Thank you for asking… 
With the cost of weddings spiraling upwards s of $27,000 (depending on where you plan to have your wedding), and the unstable economy, many engaged couples are looking for ways to save money on their wedding. We, at Completely Weddings, have listed 101 ways to cut your wedding cost and thereby saving you money to use somewhere else such as your honeymoon or savings for your first home.
Planning
1. Set a budget. Before you begin shopping and planning, set a goal for yourself of how much you want to spend. Make an effort to keep your costs in your budget, and remember that any additional money you save can go towards your honeymoon or your first home together.
2. Determine your priorities. Sit down with your fiancé and determine which area are most important to you. Do you both value traditions or could you do without a lot of them? Is a DJ the most important thing to have at your reception, or is it a full meal? Chose where you want to cut costs and what things are too important to you to skimp on.
3. Make your own traditions and ditch the old ones. If there are certain traditions that you don’t enjoy, such as throwing the garter and the bouquet (especially difficult if you have a very small wedding), don’t feel obligated to include them. You can create traditions all your own.
4. Don’t hire a wedding planner. If you are planning a small event especially, you don’t need a wedding planner. Invest in an accordion file and a wedding planning book from a bookstore and do it yourself.
5. Keep your eye out for bridal shows. Bridal shows are a great place to get freebies, gather information, and enter contests. The least you’ll walk away with is a better idea of what you want in your wedding, so find your next local bridal show and mark your calendar!
6. Order online. For everything from dresses to flowers to favors, you can get some great deals when you shop online. Do your homework before you make a purchase at any store and see if you can’t find the same thing cheaper on Amazon, EBay, or Overstock.com.
7. Take your time. Don’t rush into decision making. You may fall in love with all of the first things you see because you’re so excited just to be planning a wedding. Take time to make sure you’re getting the right wedding and reception items for your personal taste, and look into getting the best deal for each item.
8. Accept offers from friends and family. If you have particularly talented or crafty people in your family, chances are they will be jumping at the chance to offer their services. If you know that they’re good at what they do, take them up on their offers and enlist their help with DIY wedding projects.
9. Speak up and negotiate. Negotiation is not a lost art. Stand up for yourself and try to get the best deal possible with all of your vendors.
10. Befriend your local librarian. Before you go spending all your money on bridal magazines and books, go to your local library. Here you can browse etiquette and wedding planning books and magazines to your heart’s content without spending a dime.
11. Shop wholesale online. Search for wholesale retailers for everything from flowers to ribbon, and you can get a great deal online.
Invitations and Announcements
12. Skip engagement announcements and save the dates. These extra touches are cute, but no longer completely necessary. Take the time to make a personal phone call to the most important people in your life and let work of mouth do the rest. Or, if you must get the word out, use an email instead.
13. Cut down your guest list. The quickest and easiest way to save money on your wedding is to cut down your guest list. Have a small wedding with only family, or only invite very close friends. Cut the people you never talk to, or all of your coworkers from the list. If anyone is offended explain that it was a very small and intimate affair.
14. Design and print your invitations at home. You can buy blank invitations at any craft store, Target, or Wal Mart. If you or someone you know is handy with Photoshop or graphic design you can even create a very personal picture or logo for all of your wedding correspondence.
15. Print your own announcements. If you did this with your invitations as well, it will be especially easy to make them match. Invitations only need to be one simple card.
16. Eliminate the RSVP card. Have your guests RSVP by phone or online. This will save you the expense of printing the response card and including the extra envelope as well as on postage for the return envelope.
17. Opt out of an inner envelope and tissue paper. The inner envelope and tissue paper are sometimes considered an outdated inclusion. You can easily get by without one or both.
18. Include only the basics. Save on your invitations by only including the very basics on the paper invitation. Put ceremony and reception information on the same invitation.
19. Get an inexpensive personal wedding website. Provide the web page address and include the invitation and all the details online. To get more information on choosing the personal wedding website for you, read our blog “Creating A Wedding Website“.
Flowers
20. Make your own bouquets. You can purchase a wide variety of silk flowers at any craft store. These won’t wilt so you can take your time creating the perfect bouquets.
21. Know what’s seasonal and local. Choose flowers that are in season at the time are your wedding, and that can be locally grown. You can save a lot by avoiding exotic flowers out of season.
22. Incorporate greenery and ivy. You can fill out your bouquets with greenery and ivy. These are cheaper than using flowers only in your bouquet. This will work especially well if you are planning an “eco-friendly wedding” or to include green in your wedding colors.
23. Reuse your flowers. Consider using some of the same flowers decorating your ceremony to decorate your reception. Assign a few helpful friends to transport the flowers after the ceremony and set them up for the reception.
24. Don’t decorate the head table. Instead of decorating the head table with flowers, use the bridesmaids’ bouquets, set in vases along the table.
Food and Drink
25. Go for the buffet. By selecting a buffet instead of a plated meal, you’ll save not only on the meal but on the servers as well. This is also a bonus for your guests who don’t have to decide ahead of time what they’ll want to eat that day, and can fill their plate however they want.
26. Skip the filet mignon. Chose chicken, fish, and pasta as your options. Consider including pork of beef. Steak may seem like a very formal option but it will run up your bill more than it’s worth.
27. Serve fewer courses. You can serve a higher quality three course meal for the same price as a five course meal. There’s no need to over complicate things.
28. Skip the bar. Don’t feel obligated to provide your guests with a bar. Soda, tea, and water will often do just fine. If you have your reception at a hotel there is often a bar nearby that your guests can get drinks from on their own that won’t cost you a cent. Having a reception earlier in the day – during brunch or lunch is often a good excuse to have a dry party.
29. Have friends and family cater. If you don’t mind going for a less formal affair, you can have friends and family cater the reception. If this isn’t quite in line with your reception plans you can also consider doing this for the rehearsal dinner.
30. Have an informal rehearsal dinner. You can save a bundle by having a casual rehearsal dinner. Plan a cookout, potluck, or barbecue. Your guests will still have a great time, and probably enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.
31. It doesn’t have to be dinner. If you move your wedding to an earlier time, you can have the reception at brunch of lunch time. This will allow you to go for cheaper menu options, like fruit and tea sandwiches. If you want a buffet, consider setting up an omelet bar!
32. Save champagne for the toast. There’s no need to keep the champagne flowing all night. You can serve one glass to each guest for the toast, and serve other beverages the rest of the time. For a non-alcoholic toast, consider serving Martinelli’s sparkling cider. It looks like champagne, tastes good and it’s way cheaper.
33. Serve a limited bar. If you don’t want a dry wedding but aren’t ready to spring for a full bar, just serve wine, beer, and soft drinks to cut your costs.
34. Shorten your cocktail hour. Though it is called the cocktail “hour” you can limit the time during which you serve drinks and hors d’oeuvres to save a little money, and prevent your guests from filling up before the meal!
35. Bring your own alcohol. Many locations do not allow this, but if you do your research you may be able to have your reception in a place where you can bring your own alcohol. Wine and liquor can be purchased much cheaper by the case.
36. Select a seasonal menu. Try to include items in your menu that are both locally grown and in season. You can really work down the meal price if you select your fruits and vegetables carefully.
37. Use smaller plates. If you serve your meal on 8 inch plates instead of 10 inch plates, you can serve less food while still providing a plate that looks full.
38. Go for the keg. For large groups it will be much cheaper to buy beer buy the keg – not the bottle.
39. Cut down on servers. Only hire the minimum number of servers needed. Other than serving the meal, they won’t be doing much besides racking up your bill.
Location and time
40. Book a block of hotel rooms. If you will have guests coming from far away to attend your wedding, find a hotel near your wedding that will negotiate a discounted rate for a block of rooms. Advise your family and friends to make their reservations there. If you and your new spouse stay here before or after the wedding this will not only save money for your guests, but for you as well.
41. Choose your day carefully. The most popular, and expensive, time to have your wedding is on a Saturday. Friday and Sunday will be cheaper, and Monday through Thursday is your best deal.
42. Avoid the peak season. The busiest wedding season is May through September. If you avoid these months, you can save a lot of money, and get better services for a lower price. There are also lots of great themes you can incorporate for an autumn or winter wedding!
43. Use the same location. Have your wedding and reception at the same location. This is often available in hotels and country clubs where you can have the wedding in their garden, and reception in a banquet facility. You can negotiate a great deal by having both in the same place, as well as saving your guests some travel.
44. Have a garden wedding. If you choose a garden location for your wedding, you can save on decorations. You may not need any! Let the beauty of the location do it all for you.
45. Use your church. If you belong to a church, they will often provide function halls, some with complete kitchens, free of charge to their members.
46. Have it at home. Getting married at home may seem like an outdated tradition, but if you or your family has a large house or yard, it can often be the perfect location. You will have the freedom to decorate however you want, and your wedding will be a very private affair.
Cake
47. Skip the bakery. Any place that specializes only in wedding place is going to be expensive. Go to your local grocery store, culinary school, or even your favorite restaurant to negotiate a better deal.
48. Serve the entire cake. Saving the top layer of the cake is often considered a dead tradition. You can save a lot of money by serving your entire cake.
49. Use a fake cake. Instead of ordering an expensive wedding cake, why not opt for a “fake wedding cake”? These cakes are made of styrofoam and are beautifully decorated. They can stay on display all day long, even outdoors with no worries about bugs or humidity. They look so real, your guests won’t even have a clue it is fake.
50. Use cupcakes. Cupcakes for wedding cake are getting popular these days. They costs way less than the “wedding” cake and you can have them in different flavors that your guests can choose from.
51. Order extra sheet cake. If you want an elaborately decorated cake but can’t afford one big enough to feed everyone, go for a smaller cake on display, and have sheet cake in back for cutting and serving. If the icing matched, your guests will never know the difference.
Attire
52. Wear an heirloom or vintage dress. Vintage wedding gowns are in for 2009. See if any of your female relatives have a wedding dress they want to pass down to you. Ask your fiancé to do the same. His mother or grandmother may be thrilled to see you in their gown, especially if he doesn’t have sisters.
53. Rent tux’s from the same bridal shop you got your dress from. Many bridal shops will offer a discount on the men’s tuxes if you rent them from their location.
54. Let them wear suits. Instead of tuxes, you can save money for your groom and groomsmen by letting them wear suits instead.
55. Casual groomsmen attire. If you are planing an outdoor wedding, especially, you have a lot of options for the men’s attire. Consider a colored button down shirt and black pants or khakis. Ties are optional.
56. DIY jewelry. You and your bridesmaids can make some of your jewelry yourselves. Buy the thread, beads, and clasps and get all the girls together to craft their own jewelry. This way you will match, while still allowing each girl to have their own personal touch.
57. Go barefoot. If you’re planning a beach wedding you can ditch the shoes altogether! Have the girls go barefoot and consider making barefoot sandals instead.
58. Get a tiara at the mall or online. Avoid bridal shops and fancy jewelry stores. You can find a great tiara at department stores or online at Bridal ‘N Beauty.
59. Rent a wedding dress. You can save hundreds or even thousands by renting a wedding dress instead of buying one. Your wedding dress can be a very sentimental item, so not everyone will want to go this route, but if you’re able to it’s a surefire way to save.
60. Let the bridesmaids choose their own dresses. Many people will now simply choose a color and let their bridesmaids run with it. This works especially well if you have a color like black that’s easy for everyone to match.
61. Borrow your jewelry. You need something borrowed anyway, why not make it one of the more expensive accessories? Ask friends and family members if you can look through their jewelry for your “something borrowed”. They will likely be flattered and you can find some great pieces!
62. Don’t limit yourself to bridal shops. You can find wedding dresses now in most department stores and even online at places like Target! These dresses are a lot less expensive and often look just the same.
63. Choose a non-traditional dress – Your wedding gown can really be any dress that you love and feel beautiful in. If you love vintage clothing, consider any lacy vintage dress for your wedding gown. If you’re getting married outdoors or at the beach, you can even wear a more casual dress.
Hair and Makeup
64. Have a friend do hair and make up – Instead of hiring a professional to do your hair and make up, you can take a more DIY approach. Many people are often best at putting on their own makeup and know exactly how they like it. Or consider having a friend help with the task.
65. Go to a local cosmetology school – Consider getting your hair and makeup done at a cosmetology school instead of a licensed professional. These students are often just as good and will put extra effort into their work to impress their instructors.
66. Get a group mani/pedi’s – Make an appointment to get manicures and pedicures together with your bridesmaids. Let the salon know you are a bridal party. You can often negotiate a discount for the group of you, or get the bride’s free.
Rings
67. Shop for your rings online – Purchasing rings online, especially from a place like Amazon.com can save you a bundle.
68. Opt for simpler rings – If you and your fiancé are on a tight budget, skip the giant diamonds. Get small, simple rings for each other. If you’re a girl who secretly longs for that perfect diamond, you can agree to get new, custom designed rings on your 1, 5, or 10 year anniversary when you may be more secure financially.
69. Use an heirloom – Many families have heirloom rings that they want to pass on. Your only expense may be resizing it.
70. Reuse stones – If you don’t want to use an heirloom ring, consider using the stones from an inherited ring to create your own.
Music/Entertainment
71. Put together your own music – Skip the DJ and play music from a CD you’ve burned for the occasion, or hook up your iPod and set it to a special wedding playlist.
72. Have a friend or family member announce you – If you’re playing your own music, enlist a friend or family member to announce the wedding party as they enter.
73. Make your own short video – Rent a projector (or borrow one from work if you can!) and put together a short video of the bride and groom together. Set it to music and play your video after dinner.
74. Set up a slideshow – Rent or borrow a projector and set up a slideshow or pictures of you and your husband. Set it to loop so guests can catch all your pictures throughout the reception.
75. Enlist a local band – If you know of a good local band, or are friends with any musicians, enlist them to play for the ceremony or reception.
76. Hire student musicians – If you want live music for your ceremony, you can often find a beautiful rendition of traditional of classical music by looking for talented students. Many high schoolers are much better than they get credit for. Contact a high school band director and ask him to see if any of his best students are interested. They will likely do it for a very affordable price. Make sure you get to hear them play your selected piece a couple times before you hire them.
Photography/Videography
77. Hire a student photographer – Many people will urge you not to skimp on your photos. While this is true, hiring a student photographer or even a talented family or friend isn’t a bad idea if you look at samples of their work first and know that they are good at what they do. Students often do better work because they are anxious to build up an impressive portfolio and impress instructors and future employers.
78. Get pictures from your guests – Encourage your guests, especially close friends and family, to take lots of pictures and send you copies or burn them to a CD. Oftentimes, it’s these people who get the best candid shots. Look through their pictures before you purchase everything from the photographer.
79. Use disposable cameras – Don’t hire a photographer for the reception and instead set out disposable cameras on all of the tables. Your guests will have a great time capturing your special moments. You can also enlist one special friend or family member with a digital camera to catch specific moments that are important to you.
80. Purchase the negatives – Negotiate a deal with your photographer where you can purchase the negatives. This way you can make as many prints as you want in a variety of sizes.
81. Get a picture CD – Purchase a CD from your photographer with all of your pictures on it. You can edit the pictures on your own computer, or take the CD to a drug store and use their software. This way you can print the pictures at your convenience and get reprints at any time. Wait for your CVS or Walgreens to run a special and take advantage of their great deals.
82. Enlist friends and family – For video of the wedding and especially the reception, compiling several videos from guests can often be more fun and personal than paying someone else to do it.
Decorations
83. Print your own place cards – You can easily print your own place cards at home and print decorations on them, or decorate them with ribbons.
84. Skip the place card holders – Use place cards that fold in half and stand on their own in place of fancy place card holders
85. Arrange your own centerpieces – You can arrange the flowers yourself for the centerpieces at your reception. Buy silk flowers so you can take your time putting them together.
86. Get creative with your decorations – Instead of flowers, you can decorate with candles, Christmas lights, fruit, seashells, or any number of creative items. Go to a craft store and browse around for inspiration. One way to start is with a fishbowl or shallow dish on a mirror. You can fill the bowl with water and floating candles, or sand and seashells.
87. Have your wedding near a holiday – If you have your wedding near a major holiday like Christmas or Easter you can often save on decorations because the church, or other venue, will already be decorated beautifully. Choose wedding colors that will complement the seasonal decorations.
88. Share your decorations – If there are other weddings taking place in the same venue on the day of your wedding get in touch with those couples and see if you can arrange to split the cost of some decorations and share them for the day. If you want to keep any of these items, be sure to make this clear ahead of time.
89. Decorate with pictures – Instead of flowers or candles, incorporate artistic pictures of the happy couple into the decorations. These can be edited at home on your computer and printed out at your local drugstore.
Favors
90. Make your own favors – Many craft stores sell a variety of small bags, ribbons, and candies. You can save a bundle by filling the bags yourself with chocolates or mints and adding cute ribbons in your wedding colors.
91. Have decorations double as favors – This route is a perfect two-for-one money saver. Place candles at each place setting in a holder with your wedding date engraved on it. Set candies in small decorative glass bowls. You can even make a floral centerpiece out of several small potted plants set together. All of these decorations can become your favors at the end of the night and go home with your guests.
Attendants
92. Buy your attendant gifts online – Shop online at theknot.com or other online bridal stores to find great deals on attendant gifs. Most offer free personalization
93. Have a small wedding party – Opt for only asking your two or three closest friends to be in the wedding party. The fewer attendants you have, the more personal your experience will be.
The Ceremony
94. Print your own programs – Your wedding programs can be a simple trifold, or several pages tied with a pretty ribbon. Any way you do them, these are simple to print at home and put together yourself. Invite your bridesmaids over and make a party of it. If you’re having a small, nontraditional wedding you can go without programs entirely.
95. Give them bubbles – Instead of rice or flower petals, give your guests bubbles. You can buy small bubbles for just this purpose at craft stores or Wal-Mart. Many come with wedding bells or doves already crafted onto the lid. You can decorate them further with ribbons or paint.
96. DIY Guestbook – Buy a guestbook at any craft store and make it your own. Add ribbons or lace to the cover, and decorate the front page. A guestbook that doesn’t specify that it’s for weddings will probably be cheaper, and exactly the same in every other way.
97. Make your own ring bearer’s pillow – If you have a ring bearer, don’t spend a lot of money on the perfect pillow. This is the perfect item to make and decorate yourself. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or complicated.
Extras
98. Skip the limo – You can hire town cars instead of a limo for your transportation.
99. Have a friend drive – Enlist a friend with a nice car to be your driver for the event, and save on a limo.
100. Buy simple thank you cards – If you want a personal touch, print your own thank you cards. For an even easier approach, simply buy a box of simple thank you cards from a craft store. Even stores like Target and Wal-Mart carry these.
101. And lastly, but not least, avoid anything labeled “wedding” from gowns to shoes to cakes, the word “wedding” adds extra costs and usually without added benefits.
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Jenny's Illustration Board
My niece, Jennifer Nalus, is getting married in January, 2010. I was so excited when she asked me to help her plan her wedding. The wedding is in the Philippines and I am in California, so that is a bit of a challenge. All my wedding vendors are in the US and I am not familiar with wedding vendors in the Philippines. However, with my talented sister-in-law and my other nieces helping their sister, everything is working fine. Jenny’s wedding planning is coming together.
Black and White Wedding Colors
Jenny chose black and white as her wedding colors. She and her bridesmaids will be wearing white. The bridesmaids will have black lining on the dresses while the MOH will wear black of the same design with white lining. The groom will wear a black barong tagalog. Barong tagalog is a native formal wear. The flower girl will be carrying a black and white basket filled with white petals while the ring bearer will be carrying a black and white ring pillow.
The reception will be held at the elegant Shangri-La Hotel with 200 guests. The tables and chairs will be covered with black linen accented with white dinner plates and white napkins. A white pillar candle embellished with white butterfly, white silk flowers and pearls will be the main centerpiece. White rose petals and silver-wrapped chocolate kisses will be scattered around the centerpiece to give a colorful contrast to the black table top. The pillar candles will also be surrounded by cute bride and groom votive candles.
Wedding Gown, Bouquets and Cake
Jenny chose a local designer, Olan Roque, to design her bridal gown; and did I say it looks fabulous! The wedding gown is made with Mikado silk and chiffon with cut beads and stones hand sewn into the halter neckline. As for the wedding bouquet, the bride will be carrying red roses, her favorite flower, dotted with stephanotis. The bridesmaids and MOH will be carrying white calla lilies wrapped in black and white satin handle.
The white wedding cake will be decorated with cascading red roses and black ribbons. Replica dolls of the bride and groom will be added to the base cake tier. I was told that the cake is designed and will be made by one of Jenny’s friends. It looks splendid!
Reception Menu
Since Jenny is marrying a chef, isn’t any wonder that the menu is so mouth-watering? It makes me hungry just reading about it! Here is the menu:
Salads and Appetizers
- Selection of garden greens with various dressings
- Potato Salad with croutons, bacons and spring onion
- Coleslaw
Soup
- Pumpkin or Mushroom soup
Main Courses
- Lasagna
- Chicken with homemade barbeque sauce
- Sesame breaded snapper with pickled Mayo
- Kingdao Spareribs
- Lechon
Desserts
- Assorted cakes and pastries
- Fresh fruit platters
More details of the wedding planning later …
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Monique Lhuillier "Bliss"
I did mention in my previous post that Monique Lhuillier is my favorite wedding designer. Today, I am thrilled to say that she and her husband, Tom Bugbee, recently announced the fall launch of their affordable line called “Bliss”. This brand new collection will include 14 designs, all with that “Monique” touch – fabulous designs, embellished, elegant lace, organza and silk fabrics – at a much affordable price. The gowns price range from $2400 to $3500 so the bride on a budget can still wear the Monique Lhuillier label.
Monique Lhuillier and husband, Tom Bugbee, founded her company in 1996 by launching their first bridal collection. In 2002, the ready to wear and eveningwear division was launched
In 2009, Monique Lhuillier Fine Paper Collection made its debut as well the recently launched Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids collection available exclusively through shop.moniquelhuillier.com
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I came across a Wedding Supplement of Town & Country Weddings magazine a few days ago. For those who are not familiar with this magazine, it is, as their tag line says ” A sophisticated title for the elegant and discerning bride”; translation – upscale, high-end weddings. I love the looks, the real brides and everything they have from cover to cover, so luxurious. However, after I finished browsing the pages, I was thinking to myself how a bride with a limited budget be able to wear designer wedding gown just like the ones in the magazine. Then, it occurred to me that I can surf the net and find cheaper alternatives to these designer gowns. By cheaper, I do not mean tacky or knock-offs. I meant just as classy, but has a lower price than the designer one. I admit it was fun searching the Internet, albeit it takes a lot of time.
Get the Look At Lower Price:
Below are some alternatives that I found. I hope these will inspire you to search for your own alternatives. If you can afford the higher priced designer one, then go for it. All these designers are very talented. I cannot guarantee that the detail in luxury are the same on both comparison gowns. However, remember the alternative gowns are way less than the comparison.
Monique Lhuillier and Victoria’s Bridal Collections Wedding Gowns
Monique Lhuillier - Symphony
Victoria's Bridal Collection 8179
Monique Lhuillier is my favorite wedding gown designer. Maybe because she was born in the same country where I was born – the Philippines. Her style is so feminine and opulent. This Symphony strapless wedding gown is made with white embroidered silk organza. This A-line gown has a dropped waist with peacock feather design and embellished with ivory silk chiffon sash mriddotif on center. Price tag: $7500 – $13090.
The one on the right is a cheaper alternative from Bridal Online Store. This wedding gown from Victoria’s Bridal Collection style #8179 is made with Roma satin and organza ruffles. Price tag: $ 1379 (regular price: $1509)
Kenneth Pool and Venice Wedding Gowns
Bridal Online Store - Venice
Kenneth Pool - Mesmerized
The Kenneth Pool label is founded in 2003 by Amsale Aberra, who is also renowned for her AMSALE and CHRISTOS collections. The Kenneth Pool label has long been recognized for its embodiment of fantasy and drama with its grand ball gowns, luxurious fabrics and exquisite bead work. The Mesmerized strapless wedding gown has a tiered full skirt adorned with pleated tulle fans accented with organza ribbons. Natural waist is accented by Crystal beaded belt. Price tag: $3001 – $7395.
The one on the right, you guessed it, a cheaper alternative from Bridal Online Store. This Venice strapless wedding gown is stunning with a full cut tulle skirt, corset style back and exquisite beading on the bodice. Price tag: $ 449 (regular price: $ 2200).
Jenny Lee Bridal and Tia Wedding Gowns
Jenny Lee Bridal - 913
Bridal Online Store - Tia
Next up is Jenny Lee Bridal’s style #913, one of her 2009 Fall Collections. Since the beginning, Jenny Lee has been known for using the highest quality fabrics creating young, elegant, and feminine bridal gowns that enhance a woman’s silhouette. This strapless wedding gown is made with rouched silk satin with pick up mermaid skirt and embroidered lace empire bra. Price tag: $ 3001 and up.
The Bridal Online Store alternative is called Tia. Tia wedding gown has a fuller bustle skirt than Jenny Lee’s #913, but the price is super! A silver crystal broach is added to the rouched near the waist to add just a touch of sparkle. Gown has charming corset back. Tia is pictured here in ivory, but is also available in white. Price tag: $ 299 (regular price: $ 1099)
So, there you have it. Let me know if you think that the cheaper alternative works well.
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As the soon-to-be bride, one of your most important accessories, second only to your bridal gown, veil and shoes, is your lingerie – your wedding under garment and your honeymoon lingerie. I have seen quite a few styles – from the ultra conservative to totally barely there. I am pro-elegant and prefer tasteful sleepwear and under garments for a bride’s trousseau; something very sensual, soft and fits perfectly like your wedding gown.
While surfing the net to find lingerie that fit those criteria, I came upon a young (three years- young) California company called Lavish Luxe International. The company is operated by three women from Laguna Beach, California. Each one handles specific areas of the business – from the design to retail fulfillment.
Lavish Luxe’s collection is a mix of classical elegance and modern fashion as seen in fashionable international runways. The lingerie is exquisitely produced in hand sewn styles with subdued colors, embellished with eyelash lace and adornments.
Each piece of lingerie is made with imported European fabrics, hand-dyed with organic European pigments and conditioned for optimum softness and aesthetics using a proprietary process. The threads and elastic used in the lingerie are also hand-dyed to match the fabric exactly, before one of seven seamstresses makes the piece. Swarovski crystals, feathers and other decorative elements are also imported from Europe. Each design is limited to about 100 runs or less, affording brides and women like you true exclusivity. With all these elements, the Lavish Luxe’s lingerie is surprisingly affordable.
Although Lavish Luxe follows a European sizing system, they often will custom-tailor pieces to woman’s measurements – especially for their bridal clients. So brides, hop on down to your high-end shops, such as Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman, to try on the best lingerie to be worn under your wedding gown and for your honeymoon.
Special thanks to Aroos Magazine and Lavish Luxe. This article is written without monetary or other compensation from either company. It is a service for soon-to-be brides and fashionable women.
It is also customary for all the other male members of the bridal party to wear similar attire, although the groom’s attire is often a little different from the groomsmen. There are many ways to distinguish the groom from the rest of the bridal party. Typically, color is a good way to do this. For instance, a groom could wear an all-ivory suit to match your ivory bridal gown or, just an ivory vest and tie, and then use color in the vests and ties for the rest of the wedding party, perhaps to match the bridesmaids. This puts together a very even, attractive look.
Traditionally, what determines men’s wedding attire is the time of day that the wedding will take place, the season and the location.
• For a traditional formal daytime wedding, it is customary to wear a black or gray cutaway jacket with dark striped trousers, matching or contrasting waistcoat, white wing-collared shirt and formal ascot or cravat tie.
• For a traditional semi-formal daytime wedding, choose a regular length gray or black stroller jacket and dark trousers worn with a vest, wing-collared shirt and striped or checked conventional tie.
• For a traditional informal daytime or evening weddingg, a solid black, gray or navy suit with white dress shirt and bow or conventional tie in winter: white or off white jacket with gray trousers, navy jacket with white flannel trousers, or white suit in summer, which are colors in contrast and will give you an awesome look.
• A traditional formal evening wedding attire calls for a black tailcoat and matching trousers, white pique waistcoat, dressy wing-collared shirt and a white bow tie.
• For a traditional semi-formal evening wedding, a black or dark color dinner jacket and trousers are worn if the wedding is in winter, or white if it is in summer. A vest or cummerbund that coordinates with the bridesmaids’ attire will go well with a white dress shirt and bow tie.
Recent fashion trends have changed a lot; and so has the way of the wedding wear, too. Here are some recent trends.
• Formal Daytime Wedding: A groom can wear a contoured long or short jacket, white in summer and a dark colored jacket in winter; with striped trousers, wing-collared shirt and ascot tie, with a vest if needed.
• Semi-Formal Daytime Wedding: A tuxedo jacket worn with matching or contrasting trousers, wing-collared shirt, vest or cummerbund and bow tie will look great for the groom.
• Formal Evening Wedding: A contoured long or short jacket is worn with matching trousers, wing-collared shirt, vest or cummerbund and bow tie.
• Semi-Formal Evening Wedding: One can opt for a tuxedo jacket with his own taste of colors and styles with matching or contrasting trousers, white or colored dress shirt, vest or cummerbund and bow tie.
Definitions:
Jackets:
• Cutaway or Morning Coat: A very formal jacket. This is similar to the tailcoat, short in the front, but has just one long tapered tail in the back. It tapers from the front waist button to a wide back tail. Cutaway jackets are either black or gray and are worn with matching striped pants.
• Stroller Coat: A semi-formal jacket, the stroller coat is cut similar to the tuxedo but is typically worn at weddings that take place before six o’clock in the afternoon. Usually comes in black or charcoal gray.
• Tails/Tailcoat or Full Dress: The most formal coat, the tailcoat is short in the front with two long tails in the back and a two- to six-button front. This style of jacket is usually worn at ultra-formal evening weddings.
• Tuxedo: The most common and classic formal jacket typically worn after 6:00 o’clock in the afternoon. It may be either single breasted with a one to four button front, double-breasted with a two to six button front or a 3 lapel choices – peaked, notched or shawl.
Lapels:
• Peaked Lapel – This broad, V-shaped lapel points up and out just below the collar line.
• Notched Lapel-Features a triangular indention where the lapel joins the collar. This is considered the least formal lapel style.
• Shawl Collar-Features a smooth, rounded lapel with no notch.
Shirt Collars:
• Band collar – Also known as a mandarin collar, this collar stands up around the neck and is the most contemporary-style tuxedo shirt. For those who don’t like to wear ties, this is the perfect choice!
• Laydown collar – most popular today
• Wingtip Collar-This is the most formal choice and the collar style most worn with tuxedo jackets. Features a stand up collar with downward points. classic look
Neckwear:
• Ascot – This is a wide, formal tie that is usually patterned, folded over, and fastened with a stickpin or tie tack. Usually reserved for ultra-formal daytime weddings and worn with a cutaway coat and striped gray trousers.
• Bow Tie – Usually worn with a classic tux. They come in several colors besides basic black. White is reserved for ultra-formal events, while colored ties are suitable for any occasion.
• Necktie – You can also wear a classic tie with your tux, to create a more casual, yet elegant, wedding look. A silver or blue tie will be dressy enough for a tux.
Accessories:
• Cuff Links – These can be used as a personal touch to your wedding ensemble.
• Cummerbunds – These are pleated swatches of fabric worn around the waist when you’re not wearing a vest. They are usually basic black, but you can choose that match the bridesmaids’ dresses or the wedding colors. Remember that the pleats of the cummerbund face up.
• Vests - Also known as waistcoats. They can be full-back or backless vest. Full-back vests are a complete vest which has a “back” to it. Backless vests only have a nylon strip. Choose a white tie and waistcoat for an ultra-formal evening wedding. A colored waistcoat instead of a cummerbund is also acceptable. If you are wearing a vest and plan to take off your jacket, choose a full back vest.
Additional guidelines for choosing the groom’s wedding attire:
• The groom’s attire should not upstage the bridal gown
• Colors should not clash with the colors the bride has chosen.
• Formal shoes should always be worn with a tuxedo. Black dress socks and shoes should be worn with black or dark-colored tuxedos. White and ivory shoes should be worn with white and ivory tuxedos.
• Wear suspenders with a cummerbund, but never with a vest.
• If you choose a formal tuxedo, the trousers should match the jacket in style and color. If you’ll be having a formal daytime wedding and the groom will wear a stroller or cutaway coat, he should wear gray or gray pinstriped trousers.
• There are usually 3 trademarks that make a tuxedo: the satin in the lapels of the coat, the satin stripe going down the side of the trousers, and shiny, patent leather shoes. The only formal wear trousers that don’t have some sort of stripe going down the sides are “Stroller” pants. These trousers are usually reserved for “Morning or Daytime” weddings where party members are wearing “Cutaway” suits.
Make sure all of the men’s wedding attire is rented from the same location. This will ensure that the style, color and accessories are the same. It’s also important to make sure that rentals are confirmed at least three to five weeks ahead of time and that the men present themselves for one fitting in case a suit needs to be altered.
Your formal wear specialist will be able to guide you in choosing the formal attire that best represents the mood you want to create.
Photo Credits: Tuxedos – The Brides of Oklahoma; Wedding Couple – After Six; Jackets – Als Formal Wear; Lapels & Shirt Collars – Tuxgear; Ascot tie – Nation Master; Bow Tie – CalebGo; Necktie – Elen Gray Writer
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Bridesmaid Dresses: How To Choose Your Bridesmaids’ Dresses
One update, the bridal shop, Belle Bridal is closing soon. If you happened to live near Redondo Beach, California, you can call them and see if you can get good bargains from their remaining inventory.
For an alternative bridal store, visit House of Brides and choose bridesmaids’ dresses from several couturiers and manufacturers like this satin this strapless gown featuring a square neckline with a crystal beaded empire waist. The empire skirt is at knee length and includes optional spaghetti straps.
You’ve seen and read my posts on wedding attire for brides and bridesmaids including the newest trends in wedding attire for 2009. The featured wedding attire are usually on the high dollar end. With the economy going the way it is, most engaged couples are looking for ways to cut down their wedding expenses. Today, Part 7 of our “101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding” focuses on Wedding Attire.
Part 7: Wedding Attire - Vintage
52. Wear an heirloom or vintage dress. Vintage wedding gowns are in for 2009. See if any of your female relatives have a wedding dress they want to pass down to you. Ask your fiancé to do the same. His mother or grandmother may be thrilled to see you in their gown, especially if he doesn’t have sisters.
53. Rent tux’s from the same bridal shop you got your dress from. Many bridal shops will offer a discount on the men’s tuxes if you rent them from their location.
54. Let them wear suits. Instead of tuxes, you can save money for your groom and groomsmen by letting them wear suits instead.
55. Casual groomsmen attire. If you are planing an outdoor wedding, especially, you have a lot of options for the men’s attire. Consider a colored button down shirt and black pants or khakis. Ties are optional.
56. DIY jewelry. You and your bridesmaids can make some of your jewelry yourselves. Buy the thread, beads, and clasps and get all the girls together to craft their own jewelry. This way you will match, while still allowing each girl to have their own personal touch.
57. Go barefoot. If you’re planning a beach wedding you can ditch the shoes altogether! Have the girls go barefoot or consider wearing barefoot sandals.
58. Get a tiara at the mall or online. Avoid bridal shops and fancy jewelry stores. You can rent these, too or find a great tiara at department stores or online at Bridal ‘N Beauty.
59. Rent a wedding dress. Why is it that it is perfectly all right for grooms to rent their tux, but renting wedding gowns are not so popular? You can save hundreds or even thousands by renting a wedding dress instead of buying one. If you live in California, here are several bridal stores that rent not only bridal gowns, but also bridesmaids gowns, flower girl gowns and much more: Los Angeles Area: One Night Affair; Modesto Area: Rental Bridal Gown; Sacramento Area: Alexandria’s Formal Gown Rental.
Your wedding dress can be a very sentimental item, so not everyone will want to go this route, but if you’re able to it’s a surefire way to save.
60. Let the bridesmaids choose their own dresses. Many people will now simply choose a color and let their bridesmaids run with it. This works especially well if you have a color like black that’s easy for everyone to match.
61. Borrow your jewelry. You need something borrowed anyway, why not make it one of the more expensive accessories? Ask friends and family members if you can look through their jewelry for your “something borrowed”. They will likely be flattered and you can find some great pieces! Look for cheap rental jewelries online at I’m Over It Online. Another way to save is to use costume bridal jewelry that look so real, nobody would noticed (except connoisseur jewelers, of course).
62. Don’t limit yourself to bridal shops. You can find wedding dresses now in most department stores and even online at places like Target! These dresses are a lot less expensive and often look just the same. Once you choose your bridal dress, stop looking. This way you will not end up with 2 wedding gowns for the same wedding! Shocking, but there are a number of brides who end up at least 2 bridal gowns because they “found a better gown” after they bought the first one. Isn’t that a real waste of money?
63. Choose a non-traditional dress – Your wedding gown can really be any dress that you love and feel beautiful in. If you love vintage clothing, consider any lacy vintage dress for your wedding gown. If you’re getting married outdoors or at the beach, you can even wear a more casual dress.
Read All Previous Topics:
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding - Part 1: Wedding Planning
Next Topic: 101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding - Part 6: Hair and Make-Up
Photo Credits:Vintage Bridal Gown: The Bridal World
2009 Bridal Gowns
You’ve probably heard the buzz: romantic bridal gowns are in for 2009 – from heavy lace modern-vintage look to sultry figure-hugging bridal gowns, you will have a plethora of designs to choose from. Click on 2009 Bridal Gowns image for a larger picture. Gowns from Monique Lhuillier 2009 Spring Bridal Collection.
The ever popular strapless wedding dress still makes the mark. Here featured in exquisite antique lace with or without detachable cap sleeves or embellished with band with contrasting color.
How long or how short your wedding gown hemline is entirely up to you: from floor-length to tea-length and even mini-shirts.
White and ivory are still the popular bridal gown colors, but those are not the only color choice available to you. From blush to champagne to two tone bridal gowns are also in for 2009.
2009 Two-Tone Bridal Gowns
Short Bridal Gowns
Fit for Street Bridesmaids’ Gowns
2009 Spring Bridesmaid
The 2009 wedding trend for bridesmaids dresses shows slim skirts and short hemlines. More like cocktail dresses that could be worn on other occassions after the wedding rather than storing it away in the closet never to be worn again once the reception ended. For Spring 2009, the colors can be either in monotone or two tone colors. The constrasting tones are could be subtle, such as ivory and champagne or contrasting such as grey and orange or yellow. Some say that grey is the new brown for 2009. Don’t worry about contradicting trends that you read. Peruse the information and choose what you like.
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