Setting the Budget for Your Big Day

So he popped the question and you said yes! Now what? You may be feeling a little overwhelmed with all the plotting and planning that goes into preparing for the big day that you don't even know where to start. One of the first things you're going to want to do is set the all important wedding budget. Your wedding budget dictates almost every aspect or your wedding. What size or type of wedding do you want? Do you want an intimate gathering or a grand affair? How big will your guest list be? Will you plan a local wedding or a destination celebration? So many questions will be easier to answer once you set that budget. Depending on how long your engagement is you should set a basic budget as soon as you can, or at least 12 months in advance, if you have that long.

According to the January issue of Brides magazine, the average American wedding cost is around $25,000. Don't worry if this sounds too high, for you can make your wedding just as special for less. That is why you need to set your budget early on, so you don't run the risk of spending more than you can afford.

Here are a few essential questions to ask early on that will help you set your budget:

When is the wedding?

Knowing when you're going to 'tie the knot' will dictate now long you have to save up money.

Who's paying?

Traditionally the bride's family picked up nearly the whole wedding tab, now days more and more often the groom's family is contributing. Also, couples themselves now pay a good amount towards their 'I dos', especially when their tastes and wants exceed what their families can afford. When deciding who pays for what, set down with each set of parents separately and ask for a dollar amount that they are able to contribute. It also may be easier to have your parents pinpoint a certain part of the wedding that they can cover (i.e. ceremony, catering, honeymoon, alcohol/bar). If you and your fiancé will be covering the tab yourselves, really focus on the next question.

How much can be saved?

As soon as you're engaged figure out how much you can afford to put aside each month. Something to consider; the longer your engagement, the more money you can stash away.

Now that these important questions have been answered, here is a formula to follow to set your budget:

Once you have pinpointed a number for your budget, it's good to have a general idea of how your budget is going to be distributed amongst the different costs of your wedding. Below is a basic distribution of costs. This can be adjusted to fit your individual wants and needs. If a destination wedding is in the plans, then you will want to set aside a larger percentage for transportation. If you know you are going to splurge on that designer gown you've been dreaming of, then other aspects of your wedding will have to be adjusted accordingly.

Now that your budget is set, let the planning begin! Don't get stressed if your budget needs to be adjusted along the way. Just remember to stick close to your original number, you want to be able to enjoy your special day, not regret how much you over spent. Most importantly, keep in mind that it's not the amount of money you spend that makes your day special, it's that special someone you spend the day with!

Credits: Rings and planner image, Budget formula adapted from January issue of Brides magazine, Budget distribution adapted from Ashley's Bride Guide 

4 Tips for Creating a Wedding Guest List

Becoming engaged is an exciting time. You are going to want to tell everyone you are getting married and you will want to start making wedding plans. One of the first plans to consider is the guest list. The guest list will be the most expensive decision in your wedding budget. How many people and how much per person will the caterer charge?

1. Sit down with your finance and any financial contributors (such as your parents) and decide what the budget will be. How many people can you afford to invite. Then decide what kind of wedding you would like to have; small and intimate or large blow out. Ask yourself if it's more important to have lots of people, or to pamper a smaller amount of people with an elegant meal and all the trimmings?

2. Make 2 lists; a ‘must have’ list and a ‘can live without’ list. This is the time to be brutally honest. Really think about who you want to be there on your special day. You don’t have to invite that cousin or friend that always drinks too much or your best friend from elementary school that you haven’t seen in 10 years. Invite the people that mean the most to you and that are currently involved in your life.

3. Get a list from your parents on who they would like to invite other than the obvious family members. If your parents are paying the bill they will want to be included in how many people are coming. Don’t forget that your parents are excited and proud that you are getting married, so they will want to show you off to some of their special friends too.

4. Always include respond cards with your invitations. If you start receiving several ‘no’ cards you may want to review the ‘can live without’ list to see if there are a few people you can send last minute invitations to.

If you follow the above tips it will make the guest list task much easier. Just keep in mind that this is your special day and you should invite the people who want to share this day with you!!

Carrie

Top 4 Wedding Dollar Dance Alternatives

For those who don't already know, the dollar dance is a long-standing tradition that entails having your guests each pay a dollar for a dance with you.  It is a topic that has received a lot of heat in the bridal blogging community.  To do or not to do?  That is the question.

While some brides consider the dollar dance a tacky tradition, finding it unnecessary to expect their guests to fork out more cash, a large portion of brides look forward to the tradition considering the money a great chance to help with honeymoon expenses.  If you ask me, I think guests don't mind forking up a dollar to help you out.  Afterall, what's a dollar in the overall scheme of things?  If you've happened along this blog post, then you are already searching for possible alternatives to your dollar dance.  So without further ado, I give you our top 4 picks for dollar dance alternatives that won't leave your little tootsies hurting in the a.m.

1) Dollar Dash - The dollar dash is possibly the #1 alternative among brides.  It involves having your D.J. play a song while you and your hubby run around like mad grabbing money from guest's hands.  Afterwards, each of you would count up how much money you made and see who came out on top.  Quick and to the point, this method is popular and an easy way to cover honeymoon expenses.

2) To The Highest Bidder - The 2nd best idea I've heard is a variation of the dollar dance.  Instead of dancing with every one of your 400+ guests, your D.J. auctions you and your hubby off to the highest bidder.  The guest that bids the highest gets to dance with you.  This way you are only dancing with one person instead of spending the whole night dancing with everyone.  You can still choose to dance with a couple more people afterwards so there are no hurt feelings.

3) Silent Auctions - Depending on how laid back the atmosphere of your wedding is, you can consider selling items or hosting a silent auction.  Items that could be sold to guests are glow sticks, shots, etc.  A word of caution though....selling items can leave guests with the feeling they are being pushed into spending money.  This can leave guests talking, and not in a good way.  Instead, if you want to sell items, consider hosting a silent auction where you set out special mementos that have meaning to your guests.  Your guests can then bid on items to help with your honeymoon expenses and not feel pressured to buy, buy, buy!!  And you may be surprised at just how much an old photo of the family will go for.

4) Be Creative! -  Other creative alternatives I heard among brides is to follow the theme of your wedding.  For example, if you're having an old Bonnie and Clyde type theme, consider "arresting" the bride and groom (have the maid of honor/best man escort the newylweds out of the reception in handcuffs).  Your guests would then post "bail money" so they will be allowed back into the reception.  A fun idea that will have guests laughing.  Whatever you decide, remember to have fun, be creative, and most of all...enjoy your new lives as husband and wife!

Happy Planning!

Allie

Image courtesy of Lories Photography

How To Preserve Your Wedding Day Bouquet

Make the memory of your wedding day last a lifetime with our wedding bouquet preservation tips and tricks.

Many brides often wonder what on earth they will do with their beautiful bouquet after their wedding day has passed.  This is definitely a topic that should not be overlooked. Because flowers usually stay fresh for only about 4 days, preserving your wedding blooms is something that should be carefully planned and thought-out.  Not a last minute afterthought.  To ensure the memory of your wedding day lasts a lifetime, finalize your bouquet plans a few weeks before your big day.  Either book a professional or purchase all the DIY tools needed to tackle your preservation right after your wedding is over.

The Methods - The 4 most popular methods for preserving your bouquet are 1) hang-drying, 2) freeze-drying via a professional service, 3) pressing, and 4) drying with silica gels.

1) The Vintage Approach - Hang drying your bouquet is probably the easiest method available and the result will be a gorgeous vintage looking memento.  After taking your bouquet apart, simply hang your stems loosely upside-down in a dark closet for about a week or more.  After your flowers are completely dry, spray your blooms with flower spray (or hairspray) to preserve.  This method will give your bouquet a vintage look because the dried flower colors will vary so dramatically from the original stems.

Tip: Turn your dried petals into homemade potpourri.  Take your bouquet apart and hang individual petals to dry.  Afterwards, crush each petal up and add your favorite smelling oils to create your very own wedding day potpourri.  To learn more on creating your own potpourri, check out these articles here and here.

2) Forever Young - Our 2nd choice is freeze-drying through a professional service.  This method is the best way to keep your flowers looking as fresh as the day you got them.  What is freeze-drying?  The freeze-drying method is done by a professional service and usually takes about 8 weeks.  Your flower professional will spray each bloom and freeze them so your bouquet will literally be preserved for years and years to come.  While this method can be expensive (usually a couple hundred dollars), consider having only a portion of your bouquet freeze-dried to save cost.  When opting for this method, it is best to keep your wedding bouquet in the cooler during your reception and use a toss bouquet instead to ensure your wedding day petals do not get crushed or damaged.  Also, to ensure freshness, be sure to make professional arrangements well in advance so your bouquet will get sent out right after your wedding.

3) Picture-Perfect - Pressing your blooms is a vintage and unique way to preserve the memory of your big day.  This method usually takes about 6 weeks to complete.  Select only a few flowers from your bouquet, press them between sheets of wax paper and cardboard, and lay a heavy book on top.  After about 4-6 weeks, you flowers will be ready to be assembled into your pressed mini bouquet.  Frame your bouquet for a lasting keepsake.  For a unique twist, add your favorite wedding day photo of the bride with her bouquet and frame the two together.

4) DIY Bride - Silica gels are a way to bring the benefits of freeze drying and hang-drying together.  Not actually a gel as the name implies, silica gel is actually a sand-like substance that flowers get submerged into removing all moisture.  Great for sturdier flowers like roses and dahlias, silica gels are not recommended for more fragile blooms.  To learn more about this DIY approach, read these articles here and here.

Happy Planning!

Allie

Credits: Purple flower bouquet courtesy of david wedding photography, Potpourri in DIY cardboard container via esprit cabane, pressed flower frame courtesy of martha stewart weddings

How to Throw a Fun and Unique Bachelorette Party

Are you tired of the same old bachelorette party, with the same food and games? If you are getting married or you are a maid of honor that needs to plan a bachelorette party, I have some tips on how to make your bridal shower one of the best.

Invitations: Magnets are a great choice when it comes to invitations. There are so many varieties and themes to choose from. Also, they won’t get lost in a pile of mail on someone’s desk; they will be hung on the refrigerator.

Location: This can be tricky depending on the budget but whether you have the party at a beach house, hall or at your home; you can make it the best with good food, friends and fun!

Cocktails: Plan on having a signature drink that you name after the bride to be. Don’t make it complicated, just add a splash of fruit juice or liquor to her favorite drink and make it something special. Of course you are going to need some fun drink glasses to go along with the signature drinks. Personalized cups or koozies are a creative accent to your party but they are also a fun gift for everyone to take home.

Food: I definitely recommend doing an over the top dessert table. This is a great chance for the bride to splurge right before the big day. If you are doing a theme, such as pink, make all of the cupcakes, cookies, candies and cake in different shades of pink. The dessert table will add to the décor of the party. Of course you should also have some real food to eat. Hors D'oeuvres or finger foods are much more fun and allow your guest to munch all night long. Try cutting chicken salad sandwiches out with heart shaped cookie cutters or fruit and cheese kabobs are another fun idea. If you can’t think of fun finger foods you can always serve the food on some fun platters. Add dazzle to appetizers by serving them on mirror or marble tiles.

For the décor: Choose bright and bold colors to make the party that much more fun! Hot pink and lime green or orange. The more color the better. Try to use lots of beads and feathers to give texture to your centerpieces. Go all out. This is the last bash before the wedding day. The more feather boas and rhinestones the better. This will be a party that all your friends and family will talk about for years to come!

Carrie

Custom Rubber Return Address Stamps

Add flair to your wedding stationery or everyday letters with a custom rubber return address stamp complete with your name(s), address, monogram and/or design.

I absolutely love this idea because it makes a seemingly tedious task super easy.  You can address your wedding invitations in half the time it would take to do them by hand and yet they still will look elegant and custom made.  (Much prettier than the alternative option of stick-on labels that can sometimes end up looking cheap.)  The best part about rubber stamps is you will never have to worry about your hands cramping up after addressing...oh say....400 wedding invitations or so  (I wish I would have seen these a year ago when sending my wedding invites out.  Alas....).  Better yet, after your wedding you will always have them on hand for all your stationery needs.  From thank you cards and holiday greeting cards to everyday bills.

The beautiful return address stamp above is from Primele of etsy.com.  Featuring a custom calligraphy look, Primele's stamps are priced around $60.  While the price may seem a bit steep, learn from my mistakes and remember to ask yourself..."What am I willing to spend to save myself from carpal tunnel..." To check out this beautiful stationery must-have and more, visit Primele at etsy.com.

For the ultra-creative, you can opt to make your own rubber stamps.   While I would not recommend this project to just any DIY'er, I have faith in our readers.  To learn more, check out these step-by-step tutorials on rubber stamp making here and here.

Happy Planning!

Allie

Free Wedding Planning PDF Checklist

Stay on top of your wedding planning to-do's with our easy-to-follow wedding checklist.

Congratulations. You're engaged! You are now officially a part of our wedding planning family. If you have decided to embark in the journey of planning your own wedding, then you have probably already realized the importance of staying organized. Unfortunately, not all brides can afford to hire a wedding planner master like David Tutera to turn their wedding dreams into reality. Instead, us DIY brides are left to conquer our wedding vision on our own. Whether you're just looking for a little guidance or....you're a DIY bride that lives and breaths the phrase, "If you want it done right, do it yourself.", the key to staying stress free is to stay organized.

Our free wedding checklist features a countdown to your big day listing the most important duties to tackle before you tie the knot.  Page 2 offers a quick reference to your most important contacts with room to enter names, phone numbers, and notes.  To download, simply click the link below.

Free Wedding Planning Checklist

Click Here to download PDF file

System Requirements: You will need Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader, version 7.0.5 or later.  If you don't have either, Adobe Reader is available for free at adobe.com.  Feel free to print the checklist and fill out at your leisure.  If you have purchased Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader software, you will be able to save this checklist to your computer for easy access to your to-do's and contacts.  If you use our checklist for commercial reasons, please provide a credit back to our site.

Happy Planning!

Allie

Tips for Keeping Wedding Day Memories Fresh

If you are like most brides, a lot of your wedding budget is allotted to favors and mementos for your guests. You are probably working hard to think of ways to make the day memorable for them. It is great to do this for your friends and family, but don't forget to make sure you have everything you need to keep your wedding day memories alive for yourself as well.

The most obvious way to capture memories in this day and age is with a camera. You will want tons of pictures. It has become quite popular for couples to leave a disposable camera at every table for guests to take snapshots throughout the night. You will also want to make a detailed list for your photographer to make sure you get all the pictures that you want. You can even include a list of candids you might want them to capture, like the flower girl dancing or the bride chatting with bridesmaids before the ceremony.

Aside from photographs, you will want your own keepsakes to place on shelves or tuck in a scrap book. Keep this in mind while you are planning. For example, when you go to your florist ask about bouquet preservation. When you are choosing your cake topper, pick something you might also like to put in a shadow box or on a mantle as an everyday reminder of your commitment. Instead of a guest book, you could opt for a signature frame. This is usually a large mat that guests can sign with ink pens or permanent markers. There are also engravable signature frames like the one shown here. These come with an engraving pen that guests use when signing their signature or special message into the frame. Choosing a frame instead of a book allows you easier access to the memories of well wishes from your guests.

Throughout the day, tuck a few items that you will want to keep into an envelope or bag. This could be a personalized beverage napkin for your scrapbook, or a few of the flower girl's petals to dry or preserve. You will want to do the same on your honeymoon. Other things you will want to save could be the notes you wrote for your speech or your vows. The rough draft with lines scratched out and replaced is a perfect way to recall exactly what you were feeling when you wrote it. You could also ask your best man and maid of honor if they would mind handing over the notes for their toast or giving you a copy. Make sure you get a good keepsake box or scrapbook for all of this before hand. This way the items can be put in their proper place immediately and won't get lost or forgotten.

Most people get their dresses preserved and keep their hair piece, jewelry, and groom's accessories safely tucked away over the years. These are brought out on occasions when you are feeling nostalgic or cleaning out the attic. But wouldn't it be nice to keep them in your every day life? You can do this by creating a large shadow box or wall hanging. The one pictured here was made by The Heirloom Shadow Box Company. These both preserve and display the items in an artful way behind a glass frame. You can even have soft lighting installed within the box to create a real show case for your most precious items. If the idea of framing the dress doesn't appeal to you, you can still have a collage of your program, invitations, flower petals and several other small items framed in a much smaller version.

Tangible reminders of your wedding in your every day living space or carefully preserved in an easily accessible scrapbook will put that wedding day joy right at your fingertips!

~Jenna

Wedding Color Matching 101

I'm sure most of you remember (or at least slightly recall) color theory and the color wheel from grade school.  Now that it's time to put that knowledge towards picking your wedding colors, you may be trying to feverishly recollect what it was Mrs. Ames from 5th grade said about ROY-G-BIV.  Don't fret.  With this short color matching 101, you'll learn how to find you perfect wedding day palette in just a few quick steps.

A circle of color.  This is what we know today to be a traditional color wheel.  It is made of 3 main colors (or primary colors as they are also known); red, yellow, and blue.  All other colors are just mixes of those three main colors.  But how do you figure out what complements what?  First you must become familiar with these 3 types of color schemes:

1) Monochromatic: One of the easiest color schemes to get right.  Monochromatic palettes are shades (darks) and tints (lights) of the same color.  Example: Different colors of blue.  This palette is considered by most to have a relaxing and soothing effect.

2) Analogous: These colors are side-by-side on the color wheel and are considered pleasing to the eye.  This color scheme is a great opportunity to use one main color with multiple accent colors.  Example: Yellow paired with yellow-green and green or Blue paired with bluish-violet and violet.

3) Complementary: These colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel and give off an energetic and dramatic feel.  Example: Blue with orange or Purple with yellow.  To be sure your palette isn't overwhelming, consider using one of the colors as an accent.  One example of this would be navy blue and cobalt blue accented by pops of yellow or orange.

When on the hunt for the perfect wedding day color palette, do your research.  Visit your local paint store and your local cosmetic store.  Paint swatches are free and are already put together in a monochromatic palette.  (If this is the type of color scheme you are going for then your work is already done for you.)  Eyeshadow sets are another great resource for seeing how certain colors go together and are also already paired in complementary color schemes.  A great website to help in the hunt for the perfect palette is allmyinvites.com.  Their color tool lets you mix your own colors and immediately shows you what colors will work best together.  Check it out here.  Once you've decided on a color scheme, look for pictures and inspirational photos that include the colors you are using.  Set your photos next to each other to create a collage.  Creating your own collage is the final step in finalizing your wedding day colors and will really help you see how your wedding vision will play out on your big day.

Happy Planning!

Allie

Reserving Hotel Rooms for Out of Town Wedding Guests

If you are planning a destination wedding, it’s a good idea to reserve a block of rooms with one or more nearby hotels. Most hotels will offer a group rate for weddings based on the percentage of blocks being reserved and if it's during a peak season . The hotel will give a code for your guests to use when calling to book their own room and typically require the reservation is made several weeks in advance.

You may include detailed information with hotel recommendations and costs on save the date magnets 12 to 6 months before your wedding.  Or once you receive the majority of RSVP’s included in your wedding invitations, reserve a block rooms for your guests and send informal cards with your recommended hotel accommodations.

My sister planned a beautiful winter wedding this past December and even though she did not have a lot of out of town guests, she did reserve a block of rooms at a near by hotel. I am glad she did because the weather forecast did not indicate 8 inches of lake effect snow that began to fall during the wedding ceremony. The block of rooms she reserved were quickly filled by the time the reception started.

Renee'

Why Hire Wedding Videographer?

Wedding video has grown in recent years and is such a powerful way to re-live and experience all the wonderful emotions of your special day. Choosing the right videographer means you can actually have a story of your wedding complete with events even you missed the first time. And a truly talented videographer knows how to capture the right moments at the right time. With videography, you will see your groom anxiously waiting at the altar, your grandparents enjoying the cocktail hour or your friends having fun at the reception. Types of video packaged offered by videographers may include the following:

Engagement Video: A video documenting the groom asking the bride to marry which can be done without the bride's knowledge.

Invitation DVD: The DVD shows the couple and/or the parents on camera inviting viewers to the wedding and reception. The DVD is usually produced by the same videographer who films the wedding and may include footage from a Concept Video.

Scrapbook: Includes but not limited to still pictures displayed on a video. Can also include sound bites and video footage, but is mostly a photo collage.

Love Story: Traditionally an interview of the bride and groom about how they met, what they are like together and what their plans for the future are. Quite often the interview is inter-cut with romantic footage of the couple frolicking together or re-enactments of what they are talking about.

Concept Video: Typically a short film that incorporates to tell a story about the bride or groom or both.

Same Wedding/Day Edit: A short video produced from the footage of the wedding shot earlier in the day, usually only incorporating footage from pre-ceremony, ceremony and post ceremony, which is then showed at the reception as a recap of the wedding.

Bridal Elegance: A video shot in the style of a fashion shoot that depicts the bride in her wedding gown.

Highlights: A chapter on the final DVD that shows highlights of the ceremony and reception. Usually running under 10 minutes, highlights videos may be uploaded to social networking websites. The shorter highlights chapter is popular to show friends, while family might watch the full-length wedding DVD.

The largest and still active organization Wedding & Event Video Association International (WEVA) offers a wealth of information on selecting a reputable videographer in your area.

Renee'

What Next Now That You're Engaged...

You're engaged!  Congratulations.  First and foremost, take a moment and relish in your happiness.  Enjoy the fact that he loves you and that you are about to embark in a lifetime of happiness.  Next, time to plan, plan, plan.  What to do after he pops the question...

1. Set a Timeline - How long is your engagement going to be?  Are you going to plan your wedding within a year or more than a year?  More brides are stretching out their engagement which gives more time to save money and secure the ceremony/reception site of their dreams.

2. Book Your Hall - Reception and ceremony sites can book up a year or sometimes two years in advance.  Be sure to make this your top priority.  Finding the site for your wedding to be held will help determine the length of your engagement, the size of your wedding, and your wedding date. (Don't forget the officiant!  Someone to marry you is just as important and can sometimes book up just as fast as the ceremony site)

3. Set a Date - Once you book your hall/officiant and set a timeline for your engagement, the date of your wedding should be easy!  It normally follows the open dates of your reception/ceremony location.  Once you've decided on the date, announce your big news.  Tell family and friends with engagement announcements like custom save the date magnets.  Your family can stick them up on the frig to brag to their friends about their pride and joy.

4. Set Your Budget - Talk with your fiancé and any other fabulous people helping with the cost of your wedding.  Determine what you will be able to reasonable spend on your big day.  Setting a wedding budget will help you decide on how many people you will invite and how much cash you can throw at the ceremony/reception site, the dress, etc.

5. Keep Notes - Be sure to get a binder to file all those ideas in.  Make sure it has a calendar for important dates and separate areas to keep inspiration photos for flowers, cakes, table settings, gowns, receipts, etc.

6. Go Gown Shopping - Believe it or not, many bridal gowns can take 8+ months to be ordered and come in.  Don't put this off until the last minute.  Make sure you start researching gowns right away.  Take into consideration the time of year you will be getting married.  Summer wedding?  Think airy chiffon or tulle.  Fall or winter wedding?  Look for more heavyweight fabrics like thick satin or velvet.

What can wait until later?  Be sure to take care of these important six points first before diving into the cosmetic parts of your wedding day.  The colors, centerpieces, and favors can wait until you have set your date and budget.  

Congratulations to you and happy planning!

Allie

Q & A: When To Send Out Your Save the Date Cards

So often I hear the question from brides, when should I send out my save the date magnets or cards?  For those who do not know what a save the date is, save the dates are reminders that are mailed to guests telling them to save the date for your upcoming wedding or party.  They are typically used for events that fall near a holiday or for destination weddings when guests will need advance notice to plan their attendance.

Save the date announcements are typically sent 3 to 6 months in advance and can be sent in many forms including a cardstock reminder or personalized refrigerator magnet.  Save the date magnets are very popular because they can be stuck to the fridge or filing cabinet as a constant reminder of your special day.  Stick to the fridge, stick in their minds!

By sending your announcements out at least three months in advance, guests will have plenty of time to plan their attendance.  Guests will be able to secure that date before any other plans are made and the advance notice will allow them to make travel arrangements, hotel reservations, and obtain a passport if necessary.  Save the dates are not meant to replace traditional invitations which are normally sent 6 weeks before the actual event.  The reminder instead usually includes less detailed information like the guest(s) of honor's name, type of event, date of the event, and location.  Happy Planning!

Allison