Backyard Wedding Reception
October 5, 2009
Backyard Wedding Reception
You may have noticed that the costs for everyday items are at an all time high. Unfortunately the expenses relating to weddings have also increased as our economy has struggled. While fancy catered dinners and designer wedding gowns can take a big chunk out of your overall budget, engaged couples are often shocked to discover that rental fees on locations used for weddings and receptions have skyrocketed. What’s a bride to do? Many thrifty brides are deciding to cut costs and save money by having their receptions in their own backyard. A backyard wedding can be just as beautiful as one in a rented area, but does require more work.
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding – Part 16: This and That
February 1, 2009
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding
And now – the last of our 16 part series on 101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding, we close with miscellaneous items that will help you cut your wedding budget, thus saving you money for your future expenses such as your honeymoon, furniture for your new home or even to add to your down payment for your own home. We love to hear from you on your feedback to our just concluded series.
Part 16- This and That
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 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding – Part 1: Planning
February 1, 2009
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding – Part 1: Wedding Planning
With the cost of weddings spiraling upwards 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. Over the next few days, We, at Completely Weddings, will share with you 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. As we publish each part, we will add a link at the end of this article to enable you to have a complete list of our 101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding.
WEDDING PLANNING
Wedding Planning
1. Set a budget. Before you begin shopping and planning, set a goal for yourself of how much you want to spend. You would not want to start your married life with debt, so do not over spend. Use cash, if you can. But, if you are going to use a credit card, get or use one that charges the lowest interest you can find. Pay the loan as soon as possible. To give you an idea of a wedding budget, download our “Wedding Expenses Table“. The percentage are not set in stone. They are merely suggestions and you can change them depending on our priorities (see #2 below). Once you determined the percentages, download our “Wedding Expense Record” to keep track of who pays for what and how much does it cost per item. 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. Here is a “Planning Calendar Checklist” to keep your wedding planning activities in a timely manner.
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.
Wedding Rings – Selection and Traditions
January 28, 2009
Selecting Your Wedding Rings
Most brides have a good idea of what kind of ring they want. Some, however, are inundated with seemingly endless options for this piece of jewelry. For these brides, our suggestion is your choice should reflect both your personality and your lifestyle. Work together as a couple to select a pair of rings that compliment your personal tastes. This is a piece of jewelry that you will be wearing every day for the rest of your life – so make sure that it is comfortable and suited to your every day life. Your wedding rings will be a daily reminder of your love and commitment.
The traditional metal for wedding bands is gold, but many brides today prefer white gold or platinum. You should select the color of metal that you wear most often. Since the bride’s wedding band is usually worn in addition to the engagement ring, you should select something that compliments it well. You may want a set that is designed to go together. Otherwise, the wedding band is usually a plainer version of the design seen in the engagement ring.
For men, the ring is usually a very simple band. It can be either gold, white gold, platinum, or a variety of other less common materials. Things to take into consideration when selecting the groom’s ring are how much he uses his hands. If he works with them a lot and doesn’t want to take off his wedding band every day, a very sturdy metal should be chosen. Next, consider his personality. Some men prefer a plain band, while others may want a few embellishments or gems. Those with Italian heritage may prefer a ring with diamonds, while an Irish groom may enjoy a celtic or claddagh ring.
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding – Part 12: Wedding Decorations
January 15, 2009
The best time to plan your wedding decorations is when you have settled on what your wedding theme would be. This way you have your colors and style in mind. The next step is to think about how to save money on your wedding decorations. Here are few ideas – Part 13 of our series on 101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding (click on image to enlarge).
Wedding 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.
