Long Distance Wedding Planning

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.

[Read more]

101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding – Part 4: Food & Drinks

101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding – Part 4: Food and Drinks

Here are 15 ways (Saving Ways numbers 25 to 39) to cut your food and drinks at your wedding reception. The biggest percentage of your wedding budget will go to food and drinks.  Choose your menu wisely and decide if you are going to offer alcoholic drinks in your reception.  Cutting down on alcoholic drinks will slash you food and drinks budget, saving you money on your wedding reception.

Food and Drinks At Your Wedding Reception

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 or less expensive cut of meats. 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. Letting your guests pay for their drinks is usually frowned upon by the etiquette police.  Let your guest know that there will be a cash bar through “word of mouth” before the wedding so they would not be surprised when this happens.  They are coming to join you in your wedding celebration; not to have “free” drinks.  Another option, have 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!

[Read more]

Unique Wedding Reception Centerpieces

When another vase of flowers just won’t do.

The most common centerpiece for wedding receptions is undoubtedly an arrangement of flowers.  For a unique touch, try some of these fun and creative ideas.  Not only will you save a fortune on flower alternatives, you’ll also make your wedding stand out and give your guests something to talk about.

The Art of Glass Bowls

A simple glass bowl is a commonly overlooked feature for a centerpiece.  There are different shapes and sizes that you can use as your wedding reception centerpiece.

• Use a glass vase as an aquarium – fill with a fish or two and top with live aquatic plants.
• Use a fish bowl and fill it with sand and seashells for a beach wedding.
• Other fillers are potpourri for the wonderful scent,
• Christmas ornaments for a winter wedding,
• coffee beans and candles,  acorns or cinnamon sticks for an Autumn event.

The options are endless. [Read more]

Catering Your Own Wedding Reception

Giving your wedding a little taste of home.

There are a variety of reasons you may decide to cater your own wedding.

• If you are having a small, informal wedding, having a potluck reception may be just the thing.
• If you can’t imagine your wedding day without special cultural foods or some of Grandma’s famous recipes, then doing your own catering may be the right way to get the exact meal that you want. [Read more]

Country Wedding Theme

Country Wedding Theme is our day 4 installment of our 12 days of Creative Wedding Theme.

For the bride who wants warm, relaxed, and down-home wedding, country wedding theme fits the bill.  Country wedding does not mean jeans and cowboy boots, although you can wear these, too, if you fancy yourself getting married in these clothes.  Nothing wrong with that, but what we want to share with you here is the more conservative country wedding – with the gowns, lots of fresh flowers and country music.  Here’s the list:

Location:  Choose a rustic country with open wood beams and large, cozy fireplaces, an old farmhouse or a big barn-style building. [Read more]

Next Page »