I flipped through the book at Barnes %26amp; Noble, but it was about $10 more expensive than I wanted to spent. I found it on amazon.com for the price I was willing to pay, but now I am wondering if it is even worth it since the knot's website has a flower section that is the exact same as the flower description section.
I liked the book because it was simple and I am just trying to get some inspiration and it had some examples that I really liked for my wedding. I'm not trying to make my own flower arrangements, just trying to get a better understanding of some flowers that would fit my autumn themed wedding (colorwise) that are fun.
So is it worth the $20, or should I just stick with the website even though I would have to print anything I like and would want to show a florist? It's free shipping since I already had some books in my cart that I am buying from amazon.
I value the opinions of people who actually have or have seen this book. I also welcome suggestions on other books
Is it worth it to buy the Knot's Wedding Flower book, or does the website pretty much say it all?
If you could find a gently used one (or new) via Amazon, it's not a bad book to have. Sometimes you just like to flip pages through a book as opposed to nagivating through a website. Besides, you could always resell the book back on Amazon for cash or Amazon credit. You can also post on your local craigslist book section to see if someone has a copy to sell for an inexpensive price. Another option is to check the public library-you never know what might be there!
Best of luck to you!
Reply:Definitely stick with the website. It is really comprehensive, and everything on the book is on the website as well. You'll probably only need to print out a few inspirational pictures for your florist, so it would be a waste of $$ to get the entire book.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Has anyone used publix for their wedding flowers?
I'm on a tight budget and Publix said they can do my centerpieces at half of the local florist. However I don't know if they will be as good of quality. Anyone ever use them for their flowers or been to a wedding that did? I'm using hydrangas and roses in baskets for a casual look, that should be easy enough for them right? My bouquet is also going for a fun casual look...so I don't think it will be to difficult, but I don't know if I can trust them to do as good of a job....any help would be great
Has anyone used publix for their wedding flowers?
We dont have publix, but I have used our local grocery store for flowers for big parties many times. They have been absolutely outstanding. Most recently I used them for the centerpieces for my BF's bridal shower. The greatest thing about it was that I went in there with these silver pails and said "Can you do the arrangements in these?", there was no argument or additional fee for using my own equipment, each piece cost me $10 and looked amazing and were much bigger and better than I would have ever imagined they would be for that price. When her mother asked me about them I told her they were done at Shop Rite and she couldnt believe it, she thought I was pulling her leg and had to show her the receipt to prove it to her. As I was there one day I paged through their wedding albums too, they were really, really nice bouquettes, boutineres and centerpieces. Dont let the "stigma" associated with the grocery store turn you off, you will get the same quality (in my case better quality I think) at a much better bargain.
Good luck!
Reply:Hi and congratulations!
Good for you for staying within a budget! I don't have a Publix by me, but I have been to Florida lots, and have shopped there. I would not hesitate for ONE MINUTE to go ahead with this idea. I am always encouraging brides on a budget to go to a florist in a grocery store. They ARE trained floral designers! Did you ask to see pictures of their work from other weddings? If not, and you want to....go back in and ask to see pictures. I think they will do a nice job. Also....do you know they have GREAT cakes! Perhaps you can even get more of a discount if you order 2 "wedding services" ....cake and flowers. Check it out!
Good luck and I hope you have a beautiful wedding!
Reply:My friends used Shaws (another grocery store chain) for their flowers--and they looked fantastic. I had no idea that was who did their flowers until they told me while I was planning my own wedding. If floral arrangements weren't already included in my contract with the reception hall, I'd definitely get my flowers from a grocery store.
Reply:I have never used them for floral jobs, but I have bought flowers from them and have always had great quality from them...they usually last for some time. If your publix has a full service floral area...go for it. I have never had any complaints on using them for other areas (like platters from the deli or bakery)
Has anyone used publix for their wedding flowers?
We dont have publix, but I have used our local grocery store for flowers for big parties many times. They have been absolutely outstanding. Most recently I used them for the centerpieces for my BF's bridal shower. The greatest thing about it was that I went in there with these silver pails and said "Can you do the arrangements in these?", there was no argument or additional fee for using my own equipment, each piece cost me $10 and looked amazing and were much bigger and better than I would have ever imagined they would be for that price. When her mother asked me about them I told her they were done at Shop Rite and she couldnt believe it, she thought I was pulling her leg and had to show her the receipt to prove it to her. As I was there one day I paged through their wedding albums too, they were really, really nice bouquettes, boutineres and centerpieces. Dont let the "stigma" associated with the grocery store turn you off, you will get the same quality (in my case better quality I think) at a much better bargain.
Good luck!
Reply:Hi and congratulations!
Good for you for staying within a budget! I don't have a Publix by me, but I have been to Florida lots, and have shopped there. I would not hesitate for ONE MINUTE to go ahead with this idea. I am always encouraging brides on a budget to go to a florist in a grocery store. They ARE trained floral designers! Did you ask to see pictures of their work from other weddings? If not, and you want to....go back in and ask to see pictures. I think they will do a nice job. Also....do you know they have GREAT cakes! Perhaps you can even get more of a discount if you order 2 "wedding services" ....cake and flowers. Check it out!
Good luck and I hope you have a beautiful wedding!
Reply:My friends used Shaws (another grocery store chain) for their flowers--and they looked fantastic. I had no idea that was who did their flowers until they told me while I was planning my own wedding. If floral arrangements weren't already included in my contract with the reception hall, I'd definitely get my flowers from a grocery store.
Reply:I have never used them for floral jobs, but I have bought flowers from them and have always had great quality from them...they usually last for some time. If your publix has a full service floral area...go for it. I have never had any complaints on using them for other areas (like platters from the deli or bakery)
List of DIY materials for wedding?
YA folks, I need some help. I'm DIY'ing as much as I can for our wedding and I've gotten a couple 50% off coupons for the craft store and want to make the wisest purchases possible with them.
We aren't DIY'ing the dress, shoes, DJ, photographer or the reception dinner. We'll be doing minimal flowers (bouquets %26amp; bouts only) but dealing with a florist for those.
Nearly everything else is DIY if I can. . .
Here is what I already have:
Guest book
Centerpieces
Favors
Tulle to wrap favors
Veil
DIY Invites, including response cards, envelopes %26amp; ribbon and ribbon hole punch to dress them up
Stamp %26amp; Ink, good paper cutter %26amp; corner punch for 'dressing up' save-the dates
Need:
Paper for Save-the-date
Ribbon for favors
Paper for making "thank you" tags for the favors
Anything you can suggest that I'm missing?
Engagement announcements are done. BM gifts bought.
Just looking for your thoughts/input on what else I might need.
THANKS!!!
List of DIY materials for wedding?
Something to put the cards in, maybe?
For the pen, you can make one of these for really cheap.
http://www.familycorner.com/homegarden/c...
I made one for my cousin's wedding using fake calla lillies and it was so cute. We also made a card box using round hat boxes all stacked up to look like a wdding cake. Sprayed it white and decorated with ribbon and silk flowers to match. http://www.weddingaccents.com/accessorie...
Reply:I can't see anything you're missing off the top of my head. And to answer your last question, I would suggest "dressing up" a regular pen, but all you would need for that would be some pretty ribbon, so no you don't have to go buy a fancy pen for your guest book.
Actually I'd like to know what your plan is for your guest book, since I don't really want to buy one either, I'd rather make it myself.
Reply:Don't forget a cake knife/server set. You can get nice ones of these at Michael's or Jo-Ann's. Also, keep in mind that a lot of those craft stores will accept competitor's coupons, so if one store doesn't have what you want but that's where your coupon is to, check a competitor!
Reply:I like the idea of a fancy pen. In fact you can often purchase them with your guest book. I bought a kit at Joann's and it included the guestbook, pen, toasting glasses, and the cake cutter all for 50 bucks. I had a 40% off coupon so I got it pretty cheap.
Reply:here's a list of things I found....
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_wedding...
FOr my guest book I think I am going to make mine using a small scrapbook and jazzing up with page frames, pictures, etc
Reply:Are you having anything for people to "toss" at you? We made paper cones, filled them with rose petals for people to toss at us after the ceremony.
Reply:I didn't see placecards or table numbers listed. Not sure if you want them.
Reply:What about your cake? I got mine at a grocery store bakery, 3 tier enough to feed 90+ for $100.
Reply:If you are going to make any kind of paper crafts, you are going to want to invest in a wide (12 inch) paper cutter so you can cut straight lines. They run about $20.
Also for paper crafts, use Scotch photo splits to hold two layers together. You can use glue stick in addition to these for extra hold (maybe for the save the date cards). Glue stick doesn't hold well enough on it's own for the things that will be handles.
If you like doing quilting or anything with fabric, when you make your veil, buy a rotary cutter and mat. You'll get a nice clean edge. But it may be too expensive to buy just for one use.
For a non-traditional guest book, you can cut 4x6 pieces of cardstock, buy some stickers to jazz them up and leave pens out so people can write messages on them, then afterwards put them in a photo album.
Nanny Profile
We aren't DIY'ing the dress, shoes, DJ, photographer or the reception dinner. We'll be doing minimal flowers (bouquets %26amp; bouts only) but dealing with a florist for those.
Nearly everything else is DIY if I can. . .
Here is what I already have:
Guest book
Centerpieces
Favors
Tulle to wrap favors
Veil
DIY Invites, including response cards, envelopes %26amp; ribbon and ribbon hole punch to dress them up
Stamp %26amp; Ink, good paper cutter %26amp; corner punch for 'dressing up' save-the dates
Need:
Paper for Save-the-date
Ribbon for favors
Paper for making "thank you" tags for the favors
Anything you can suggest that I'm missing?
Engagement announcements are done. BM gifts bought.
Just looking for your thoughts/input on what else I might need.
THANKS!!!
List of DIY materials for wedding?
Something to put the cards in, maybe?
For the pen, you can make one of these for really cheap.
http://www.familycorner.com/homegarden/c...
I made one for my cousin's wedding using fake calla lillies and it was so cute. We also made a card box using round hat boxes all stacked up to look like a wdding cake. Sprayed it white and decorated with ribbon and silk flowers to match. http://www.weddingaccents.com/accessorie...
Reply:I can't see anything you're missing off the top of my head. And to answer your last question, I would suggest "dressing up" a regular pen, but all you would need for that would be some pretty ribbon, so no you don't have to go buy a fancy pen for your guest book.
Actually I'd like to know what your plan is for your guest book, since I don't really want to buy one either, I'd rather make it myself.
Reply:Don't forget a cake knife/server set. You can get nice ones of these at Michael's or Jo-Ann's. Also, keep in mind that a lot of those craft stores will accept competitor's coupons, so if one store doesn't have what you want but that's where your coupon is to, check a competitor!
Reply:I like the idea of a fancy pen. In fact you can often purchase them with your guest book. I bought a kit at Joann's and it included the guestbook, pen, toasting glasses, and the cake cutter all for 50 bucks. I had a 40% off coupon so I got it pretty cheap.
Reply:here's a list of things I found....
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_wedding...
FOr my guest book I think I am going to make mine using a small scrapbook and jazzing up with page frames, pictures, etc
Reply:Are you having anything for people to "toss" at you? We made paper cones, filled them with rose petals for people to toss at us after the ceremony.
Reply:I didn't see placecards or table numbers listed. Not sure if you want them.
Reply:What about your cake? I got mine at a grocery store bakery, 3 tier enough to feed 90+ for $100.
Reply:If you are going to make any kind of paper crafts, you are going to want to invest in a wide (12 inch) paper cutter so you can cut straight lines. They run about $20.
Also for paper crafts, use Scotch photo splits to hold two layers together. You can use glue stick in addition to these for extra hold (maybe for the save the date cards). Glue stick doesn't hold well enough on it's own for the things that will be handles.
If you like doing quilting or anything with fabric, when you make your veil, buy a rotary cutter and mat. You'll get a nice clean edge. But it may be too expensive to buy just for one use.
For a non-traditional guest book, you can cut 4x6 pieces of cardstock, buy some stickers to jazz them up and leave pens out so people can write messages on them, then afterwards put them in a photo album.
Nanny Profile
I need some cheap wedding ideas.?
Florists food ideas anything where do i start ? when i want it simple beautiful but very affordable i mean $500 for a 3 tier cake is way to expensive and $250 for one bunch of flowers is not my idea of wise spending. If anyone can help me with wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses flower girl dresses the whole package, what i cut out etc HELP HELP HELP.
I need some cheap wedding ideas.?
My husband and I did a budget wedding and it was BEAUTIFUL and elegant for 125 people.
Things we skimped on:
Invitations: We purchased simple invites from Target for less than .50 an invite and printed them using pretty calligraphy font on a computer, everything down to the envelopes. They came out GREAT and no one knew the difference. Also, instead of including response cards with postage to mail back, which can get pricey. We included an email address for online replys and two phone numbers. We got a lot of response online and it was a big hit as it saved us money and everyone else the time of filling this stuff out and sending it back via snail mail.
Location: we rented an empty ambulance/fire hall and decorated it to our tastes and it came out better than most fancy reception halls. The GREAT thing was, because they do a lot of weddings they had things we borrowed free of charge such as tables, chairs, a wedding arch, a mailbox for wedding cards, a cake table, et. Invest wisely and make sure you can get the most for your buck out of the location. (We did "winter wonderland" and got married in january so a lot of snow and things were half off, that helped a lot. And it turned out BEAUTIFUL.)
Alcohol: If you want a really cheap alternative, don't serve it. But if that won't fly with your guests you can do what we did. We served only beer, wine, margaritas (most people pick one specialty mixed drink, that was just our choice) and we made it self serve. Invested in a wine fountain, Beer Keg and Margarita machine (rented of course) so the need to pay a bartender did not exist. If you are having it at a hotel hall you can opt for a cash bar where the gyests pay for drinks but many people consider that bad taste. If thats not an option either, cut down the amount of time in open bar.
Transportation: My husband and I were very active in our local ambulance squad so we rode away with our bridal party in an ambulance and everyone thought it was great when we pulled in lights and sirens. Be creative. Do you have a friend with a vintage car that you would look awesome in driving away? Can you use something creative? Like our ambulance idea. Or does it really matter to you to have it at all? Also a cheaper option is renting a cool car for the day and having a friend drive for you and have the bridal party arrive in regular vehicles, I assure you, its your day, they shouldn't care.
Photography and videoography: We asked a friend who studied video production to do that for us. And for photography we asked a photographer from a local paper to photograph our wedding, and it was at least half off. But don't skimp on these things if you can't get lucky like we did, these memories last a lifetime.
Cake: We asked an experience culinary student (graduating and we sampled her work beforehand) to make our cake and it turned out wonderful and was also half off. Students do these things for grades so they are very careful and much, much, cheaper than traditional bakeries.
Attire: My husband wore his army dress greens, but a good alternative is to wear a suit instead of a tux, all our attendants did and it looked just as good.
Flowers: I picked "in season" flowers and went with a smaller bouquet instead of a larger one and it was beautiful and elegant. And carrying that for a while when its heavy can get on your nerves anyway. Also, for any child/ junior attendants, get carnations, not roses, they hold up much better and are cheaper. I didnt use roses in anything but picked in season cheaper flowers that looked really neat in my boutineers. For the bridesmaids: My bridesmaids carried a single white rose with a purple tip trim and it looked very elegant and the floral shop jazzed it up and added stuff so it didnt look so plain. But your girls wont care what their flowers look like.
Favors: If you have a theme, go practical and go cheap. Our theme was winter, as I said. So I found porcelin ornaments for less than .50 each online, and I ordered custom ribbons off an ebay sellar with our names and wedding date and hot glued it to the snowflake, they were a huge hit and looked expensive when they weren't. Another option is a "candy buffet" look those up online, they can be neat. But if you do that get smaller bags/boxes so the candy lasts.
This and that extras: I bought my disposable table cameras online from ebay from a woman who didnt use them at her wedding, same with our bubbles and cake cutting knife and I found a beautiful authentic crystal headpeice second hand for $150 less than in the bridal shop in excellent condition. We found our "unity candle" and ring bearers pillow and white basket at a craft store for 60% off what they were in the Hallmark store. Look online, its a realy great resource.
As for food, never skimp or not have enough, thats not in good taste. We really wanted an evening reception s we just picked less options and less expensive options. Like 2 meats, 2 starches, vegetable, bread and salad and that was it and people had plenty of selection. And we did it buffet style which can be hit or miss because you eliminate the need for staff to serve them but you have to over estimate food since people serve themselves a lot more than a waiter would. We also got our own appetizers and desserts. we got cracker trays and shrimp cocktail from sams as well as some hot options a friend threw in the oven right before the reception and it cut down our costs. In addition to our cake we bought cream puffs (which were a HUGE hit) as well as some bakery cookies and it cut down our costs significantly.
Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate: We had our cater throw in a carving station and table linens in at no charge, work with them, haggle and see what you can do.
Another option: My friends for their second marraige had a "pot luck" where guests brought a dish and it was CONSIDERABLY cheaper. But only consider this for a informal wedding.
Another option for food: Have a breakfast or brunch reception, its thousands cheaper and gives you the day to celebrate with your signficant other just to yourselves. And if you do that you only have to serve champange for alcohol for the toast.
We borrowed a lot of things from friends, enlisted their talents and looked around the internet and looked second hand before buying new. I even found my dress more than half off. (I payed $300 for a $1500 dress because it was "last season," well, it could have fooled me, it was beautiful and white so what did I care...) Suggestions: For little things you need, search dollar stores or walmart or sams club before going strait to a wedding store. Dinner mints in white packages that would be $3.00 for 500 at walmart are now $5.00 for one hundred because they have a wedding bell on them. Shop away from wedding sections as much as possible. There is no difference. we even did things like asked the ambulance hall if we could clean up ourselves and took money off the rental.
Entertainment: Never skimp on entertainment if you would like your guests to have a good time. An option to consider if you are having trouble affording it is to make the reception shorter. But get an experienced DJ that will match your tastes in music and will do the whole thing for you, you don't wan tto have to tell your DJ what to do on your wedding day, get an experienced person whether it be a live band or DJ. Some DJ's charge less in the "off season" (thats why we got a discount on ours) and some bands will work for considerably less also during the off season as the amount of wedding gigs are more scarce.
Which brings me to my last option: Have a winter wedding. Or a fall or "off season" wedding. (Not spring or summer) You cna usually find everything from your wedding dress to catering and entertainment at a discount.
By the way, the girls should be paying for their own bridesmaid dresses and they went to JC Penny's and bought matching prom dresses for under 80 each but I've seen them as low as $40 if you are going less formal. Flower girls parents should be paying for her dress, and just as an idea, my girls and guys wore black and white (Black dreses with a white strip on top.) and the flower girl wore a cute little white lace topped dress and black satin bottom that she could wear again. For the flower girl, honeslty just tell the parents a certain color and style and make it something that they can dress her in again. It doesn't matter what color, the kids are so darn cute either way.
Hope this helps, have a happy wedding!!
Reply:Lets start with the flowers. You can make them easily yourself by going to a craft store or even a dollar store and get flowers at a cheap price. Next you can make your own 3 tier cake by simply buying 3 different size pans. I would then go with the fondant and cover the cakes and make a simple 3 tier cake. There are a lot of ideas and how-to's on the internet also as for you the wedding dress and bridemaids dresses, they have them on the internet as well, instead of paying thousands of dollars for a wedding dress you can beautiful gowns on the internet for up 75% less then a bradal shop. Now a days anything can be found on the internet by typing in a few keywords. Good Luck.
Reply:Try EBay to start with. As for the cake ask someone to make it for you like a friend. Why buy a wedding cake, the rage these days is a pile of cup cakes on a stand ! ! ! they are small enough for everyone to get a bit. Flowers buy the basics like carnations and a few Lillie's and then open your back door and see what you have growing in the backyard ! ! any green leaves will look nice and they fill up empty spaces. For your bouquet why not get you and your bridesmaids round for a small flower shower ! ! ! This is where you use artificial flowers from a craft store and make your own bouquets, apart from all the wine you will all drink doing it and the food you will eat. I expect everyone will have a good time ! ! ! !
Reply:You just have to research and go see a lot of people. I'm spending just over $300 for my 3 tier cake and right around $600 for my flowers.
I went to David's Bridal for my wedding dress. That plus all the accessories that go along with it, tiara etc. was only $1000. And my bridesmaids dresses were relatively inexpensive. I'm not doing the flower girl or ring bearer, but I would go somewhere that doesn't specialize in wedding stuff for their outfits if I was using them. I'd go to a children's dress shop and try to find a pretty dress in my wedding colors for the flower girl.
But essentially just look around and ask for quotes from multiple vendors. If you find someone you love, but they don't fit inside your budget tell them that and see if they can work with you. That's what I did for my florist.
Reply:it is really easy, i did a 10,000 dollar wedding style in under 2000. Oriental trading company (internet) for decorations, local seamstress friend, laptop or computer, windows media player, some preselected music organized in time to the celebration and some very good speakers, the cake was made at home and all the flowers bought at a local grocery store from their best selection and arranged at home while the cake was baking. the most expensive thing that i paid for was the after limo. also pick a day that falls close to the end of the week if you can. mine was a thursday in late june. Parks are cheap and makes picking the backdrop really easy. and you wont need hundreds of flowers with a view like that.
plus you can rent your space for the day and have the reception right there.
If you need alcohol. see if any local major grocery chains have wine stewards. they can recommend great cheap wines. or you go NA gasp, then you won't have to worry about how everyone got home. and you won't have to worry about the clean up as much or buligerent behavior, but your best man toast won't be near as funny.
need more help, let me know.
Reply:start with friend ask them who what they , about there wedding you can just buy yourself a silk bouquet and a single rose/carnation for you bridesmaids. go walmart for cake check out last years dresses or go to consignment store and find a used dress a lot of women go and find a prom dress to use. im sure someone in the family takes pictures buy several disposable cameras and set them out so guest can take pictures they would love to be apart of the plan just talk with different ones in your family for the main pictures go before to jcpenneys /walmart to their protraite shop
Reply:Instead of a cake, do a cup cake tower like this http://www.cupcaketree.com/
dresses http://www.bridalexpressonline6.com/disp...
Bridesmaid http://www.houseofbrides.com/product.php...
flower girl dress http://www.houseofbrides.com/product.php... (although, you could look at your local retail stores for first communion dresses)
flowers http://www.fiftyflowers.com/flowers/DIYW...
Reply:FREECYCLE!!!
There is a gropup now called freecycle in most areas and you do the 'green' thing people offer all sorts for free but you are expected to as well from topsoil to bathroom cabinets to wedding things! It is great just type freecycle and your town area name into the freecycle box and sign up it is free.
I kept wedding costs down on my second wedding by.
just carrying a single beautiful flower - Big Lily or Big rose it looked beautiful.
You can also have just a tied bunch of flowers for bridesmaids.
Take you brides maids to a high street store that does all sizes of dresses and get them to find a dress they all liek that you think is good and Go for it! It also helps with flowers at a venue as you can just put lots of toied or open bunches around teh venue/ house and its beautiful.
I had Daisy's and Gerberas - big S. African Daisy' sthat were in oranges and pinks - beautiful.
Wedding cake . Find a relative who makes excellent sponge cakes and ask them to make your wedding cake. Anothe excellent thing that keeps it cheap is to have a small cake and lots of single 'bun' sized cakes with 'Wedding cake ' ready made logos on the top.
Do not book a venue ask a relative who has space if you can have a party in their home....honest they will enjoy it.....or just book a local hall and get live music in... it is much more friendly than a stuffy hotel and then you can get outside caterers to do some food it is always cheaper than hotels.
But don't miss out on Freecycle - even eBay for things!
Reply:Check your local "everything for a dollar" store for flowers. It's not hard to make a pretty bouquet from silk flowers. (lots of vids on you tube for instruction) I even learned how to make my OWN wedding cake from looking at you tube vids. (I'm doing a small cocolate fondant covered cake, and then cupcakes....very trendy and MUCH cheaper) Instead of buying bridesmaids dresses at a bridal boutique, check local department stores for "prom formals" (especially AFTER prom season) Use all of your reasources, talk to your friends %26amp; family and see who knows how to do what.
Good Luck!!
Reply:Im getting married later this year and am on a very strict budget. My fiances parents have paid for the reception venue, catering and a DJ as their gift to us. We are getting married in a registry office (UK) I have bought a lot of bargains off ebay - accessories, silk bouquets, bulk lots of balloons for decorating the reception etc. I am going to tie together bunched of helium filled balloons as centre pieces rather than forking out for flowers. I am buying my dress a month before so that I don't waste money buying the wrong size! I am making my own wedding cake, I decorate them as a hobby anyway. We have asked anyone who has one to bring their cameras, and a friend is going to record the ceremony on our own camcorder. At the reception we are going to leave disposable cameras around so that guests can take photos for us.
A good idea is to speak to close family/friends and see if they can pitch in in any way, and that can be their gift to you.
Good luck!
Reply:Wedding/Reception site - most churches charge about $500-$1000 to rent the hall and the church for the amount of time you need.
Flowers - make your own. Look online for directions and practice with your MOH one afternoon. Also single flowers for the bridesmaids will work too.
Cake - make your own. go to the craft store and buy round cake pans - you can make several using one 9inch pan then arrange them on the table. Bake them with regular cake mix. Have your MOH come over and help bake and ice them. Put flowers all around the sides. Cost should be around $100.
Dress - David's Bridal. They have some really nice smiple dresses. Also, check clearance racks at designer stores. I saw a dress that was $150 but it wouldn't fit into my theme.
You don't have to buy the flower girl's dress nor the bridesmaid dresses.
Hope this helps.
Reply:Just have a best man and maid of honeor. right there it cuts cost. People will understand. They should generally pay for thier own attire, you have to buy gifts. Flower girl is optional but if you have a little one lined up then thier parents pay for the dress. Any department store would have cute dresses.
Find a cake you like and bring the pic to a few bakers, includng the grocery store bakery. See who can do similar for less.
Reply:I have found artificial flowers great. Or flowers from a friend or families flower garden.
Go to the craft area in wal-mart,micheals, or the dollerstore.
I found stuff for my bouquet,cake topper and decorations.
I made my own cake.
If you dont want to make your own find a private cake decorator and their cakes are usually cheaper and taste better.
Reply:I have a great idea: go to college, learn something that makes money then get married, or marry a wealthy man or just go to Tijuana and get married in a cheap chapel.
It happens that weddings are not cheap at all. Wake up please.
Reply:get a used dress on ebay or other sites
get a cake made of styrofoam that is decorated but serve sheet cake instead
make your own favors using supplies from a craft store
prowl funeral parlors for centerpieces LOL..I was just kidding on that one
Reply:Try ebay or a dress - very cheap and very nice too. Maybe a Court House wedding and the reception for a few people at home. That's what I would do.
Reply:If you just want cheap, try the JP.
Reply:Ohhhh u hav 2 do Court Marriage,,it's very cheeap,nothing will require that u asked above.....he he he
Reply:These are not the greatest ideas, but I hope they help.
1. If you have family members with talents in baking, sewing, decorating, etc. ask for their help. At my wedding everyone that was a part of the party contributed to the wedding from food, flowers, dress, decorations and cake.
2. You can try to find a place where you can rent the dresses, instead of purchasing them.
3. You can have a simple bouquet of real flowers or have you thought about artificial flowers? The type of flowers and the size you select will also determine the cost.
4. You can go to a hall that caters weddings and they have a list of local businesses or people in the community that provide these services. When you call around and they realize that they are competing for your busy, they are willing to negotiate. Using this idea, I was able to locate a lady who baked cakes out of her home. For my daughters quinceanera, she made a cake with 3 tiers in the center with a water fountain, two tiers off to the side with staircases and the dames and the gentlemen...I mean it was beautiful for only 100.00 and it fed well over 100 people.
5. Also, if you go to the following website http://green.yahoo.com/earth-day/find-a-... and select the area you live in. These are groups/clubs of people who recycle items by giving them for free to someone who can use them. Maybe you will be able to find items that can help you economize your wedding.
6. I don't know how many states have it, but I live in TX and the area I Iive in they have virtual garage sales (over the internet). The items are free as well, they only thing they request is if you take items for free that you donate items for free. Sometimes, people even trade during these virtual garage sales. Really wish you lived out my way, because I would refer you to so many places/people. Sometimes the more simple weddings are the most beautiful weddings. Remember, this is your special day....everything should revolve around you and your husband. It's not about pleasing and wining and dining your guests. This is about the moment you and your husband make your eternal commitment to one another. Wishing you the best of luck.
Reply:Inexpensive wedding... Florist, try fake flowers... shop around Michaels for inexpensive ideas and crafty things you can put together yourself. If you have your heart set on real flowers, then choose flowers that are in season for the area that you live in and they'll be more inexpensive then more traditional set ups. Also, price check many different florists to find the cheapest prices.
As far as cakes go, find somone in culinary school... generally they will make a great cake for you at a much lower, if not at cost price for the experience of being able to say they did a wedding... same for dinner foods at your reception.
Check out this place for bridal dresses under 199.00 http://www.bridalonlinestore.com/Collect... Also check out david's bridal... reguardless of horror stories you may have heard about them they do sell some dresses relatively inexpensive!
As far as bridesmaids dresses, the bridesmaids should be purchasing that themselves so let your maid of honor pick the dress or allow them all to get together and pick a dress that they can all afford. Google is your BEST friend here!!!! The only dresses you should have to cover other then your own is the flower girls dress, and the ring bearers tux.
Tux's for the men can be found for rental cheaper if you have a chance to get them in advance!!! If this is not an option... start making the phone calls to the local places you have available to find the best prices.
Ebay is a great place to find the rings.
Invitations can be made by hand far cheaper then you can have them printed out... Find someone artistic in your family to help you out there.
As far as places go, if you know someone with a large property, do it in their back yard, if you're not that lucky usually you can contact the city and do your ceremony at a park for a $50 deposit/clean up fee.
Do NOT skip out on your reception!!!!!! This is where the most fun of your night is going to be had, so find a place you can afford by all means but make sure it's the right place for you.
If you don't have someone to marry you, you can always make a donation to a church, and with a few counsilling session have someone marry you.
Photography is going to be HUGELY important to you on this day!!! Find an aspiring photographer to come out to your wedding, someone who is willing to give you all the pictures they took on CD which you can have them printed out at a local Walgreens with the photographers written consent. Most photographers will either do this for the experience of doing a wedding party with a minimal fee or for free in the exchange that you allow them to use their photo's as examples of work they can do.
And put 2 disposable camera's on each of the tables at your reception!!!! this will allow for ALL sides of your reception to be covered taking a lot of work off your photographer. Request that they get a picture of everyone sitting at that table at the very least.
I litterally have tons of ideas for weddings, and if you need more help feel free to drop me a line any time!!! :)
Congradulations!!!!
Reply:If people can help then use them i.e. can someone bake the cake, can someone arrange flowers.
If not and you are on a budget, the best thing to do is not to try and look like you have 10 times as much to spend. It just looks worse...so if you don't have enough to spent on flowers don't bother. If it is in the day try balloons on the tables (they are about 90% cheaper than flowers). Im not suggesting you carry a balloon bouquet down the aisle though...just make sure you pick flowers that are in season:
http://weddings.about.com/od/weddingflow...
Another option is to have the wedding latter on in the day...candles are always very romantic, and plus they are inexpensive, provide a nice centre piece for the table. In addition having it later on means people will have already eaten and you can provide something lighter.
You could also try having it outdoors..in a nice garden or park for example. Since nature will be all around there will not be a need for you to buy additional flowers.
For wedding dresses try sample gown sales. You can also have a gown made often cheaper than the store price. Look for a designer who takes measurments near you but has the dress made in Thailand or Hong Kong. Another option is to try and negotiate a deal if you buy all bridesmaid dresses from the same place you get the dress. You could always try and find a second hand dress. If you don't mind doing so, buy one size up and have it tailored to fit. This will save you a load and at the end of the days its only been worn once before.
The other option is to trim the guest list- this is really down to the type of wedding you want. Some people want a BIG wedding, but others would prefer a smaller one. When inviting people ask yourself- would they invite you, if not don't bother inviting them.
I hope you have a great day whatever you decide to do.
: )
Reply:here are my tips that i have passed on to many buget concious brides... hope you can use some of them.
first off- shop after holiday clearance sales at craft stores, michaels and ac moore, and places like walmart, target and kmart. i got things on christmas clearance for 75-95% off- votive candles in glass holders for $.40 each!
i can set you up with a great lady who is making my invites. she does package deals (any size you will need) and a la carte - you will save tons with her. i'm getting 75 invites, evelopes, thank you scrolls, rsvp postcards, folded thank you cards and evelopes and address labels for under $90
rings- shop jc pennys when they have sales, look for coupons...
or ebay and craigslist. really don't be afraid of ebay. shop sellers with 99 or 100% feedback only. i'm getting my ring for under $25 (stainless band that matchs my engagement ring) and his for under $50 (tungsten).
transportation- use a relatives nice auto or use your own. you DON'T nee a limo, you can even rent a big suv for the day for near nothing from most rental co's (budget hertz alamo) or call around to classic car clubs and see if you can rent a classic car for an hr or two... might be really cheap to do that
dress- shop consignment shops. my dress cost $150 and is awesome. look on craigslist and ebay too. what ever size you end up being (i have faith you will lose weight!) you will find a beautiful dress!
bm dresses- these have dresses under $100
http://www.bridalsassique.com/index.asp?...
http://www.bridesonlinestore.com/
you can also try looking at prom dresses and homecoming dresses in macys and jcpenneys. most of them look like bm dresses anymore, it will increase your selection by looking for those 3 types instead of just bm dresses
guys clothing- they don't need to tux it up. they can wear white shirts and tan slacks. or white shirts and dark slacks and a tie... make sure they are all bought at the same time so they match.
flowers- you can shop local flower stores or grocery store floral dpts (make your own if you like) bring pics of what you want to guide your florist. shop rite has a full service flower dpt and they offer wedding planning help too. or you can go the silk route. afloral.com has great flowers. that's who i went to for mine
centerpieces- i like the tall vases with topiary style arrangements on them. i love gerberas so i think using them is a great way to punch up color and keep your budget down
you can also get different vases (walmart super cheap) and have different looks on each table.
ceremony location- i'm all for outdoor weddings. i think being surrounded by nature is just beautiful and makes for awesome pictures. plus most are free or really cheap.
i'm getting married in a park and it only cost $5 for the application fee. no charge to bring in chairs tents etc...
reception locations- you can have it at a vfw, moose/elk lodge or fire house banquet hall. they are nicer now that ever... they realize how much revenue they generate so many/most have been updated in the last few years.
we are using the banquet hall of the fire house where we are memebers. it only cost us $275 to rent. $500 for non members. (they do open bar. cash bar. cater. or let you diy the food)
cake- look at bjs and costco, even walmart does wedding cakes now. don't forget grocery stores. most do wedding cakes and are rather tasty cakes. you might not get all the flavor choices of a bakery but most ppl go with white or chocolate anyway.
we are getting our cake from shop rite ($1.75 a serving compared to $3.50 someone else quoted me) i love s/r cakes and have had many a b-day cake from them when i was younger.
favors- you really don't need them if you are trying to save money. but... you can do organza bags filled with candies. shop ebay for the best prices, seller ideabus, has the best prices and selection
or try dipping the ends of pretzle rods in white, dark or milk chocolate. then roll the ends (or sprinkle) with jimmies, colored sugar crystals, crushed nuts, mini marshmallows... or what ever else floats your fancy. put them in celophane bags and tie off with a ribbon to match your colors. super easy and people love things they can snack on on the way home from the reception.
stick to edible, anything else are 99% dust collectors or trash can fillers
photographer- look on craigslist for your area, under services, type in photography and see the results. i found a great gal for mine $300 for 6 hrs. some places charge wayyyy more but you should be able to find a good one for under 1k
i also found someone who wants to build her portfolio so she's shooting the whole day for free. if we like any prints we can order a la carte for super cheap.
you might be able to find a dj service on craigslist too. or just call around for a good rate from someone with referrals
our wedding for about 100 ppl will run us about 3500k.
most important thing about a wedding, budget- STICK TO IT
oh join your local yahoo group freecycle and post what you are looking for. i got lots of wedding things for free. (esp after june!)
post on craigslist for your area too, and search for wedding things too. many ppl have left overs they want to unload after their weddings and sell at below lowest cost!
oh ck out this site too
http://www.cheap-chic-weddings.com
BEST OF LUCK
I need some cheap wedding ideas.?
My husband and I did a budget wedding and it was BEAUTIFUL and elegant for 125 people.
Things we skimped on:
Invitations: We purchased simple invites from Target for less than .50 an invite and printed them using pretty calligraphy font on a computer, everything down to the envelopes. They came out GREAT and no one knew the difference. Also, instead of including response cards with postage to mail back, which can get pricey. We included an email address for online replys and two phone numbers. We got a lot of response online and it was a big hit as it saved us money and everyone else the time of filling this stuff out and sending it back via snail mail.
Location: we rented an empty ambulance/fire hall and decorated it to our tastes and it came out better than most fancy reception halls. The GREAT thing was, because they do a lot of weddings they had things we borrowed free of charge such as tables, chairs, a wedding arch, a mailbox for wedding cards, a cake table, et. Invest wisely and make sure you can get the most for your buck out of the location. (We did "winter wonderland" and got married in january so a lot of snow and things were half off, that helped a lot. And it turned out BEAUTIFUL.)
Alcohol: If you want a really cheap alternative, don't serve it. But if that won't fly with your guests you can do what we did. We served only beer, wine, margaritas (most people pick one specialty mixed drink, that was just our choice) and we made it self serve. Invested in a wine fountain, Beer Keg and Margarita machine (rented of course) so the need to pay a bartender did not exist. If you are having it at a hotel hall you can opt for a cash bar where the gyests pay for drinks but many people consider that bad taste. If thats not an option either, cut down the amount of time in open bar.
Transportation: My husband and I were very active in our local ambulance squad so we rode away with our bridal party in an ambulance and everyone thought it was great when we pulled in lights and sirens. Be creative. Do you have a friend with a vintage car that you would look awesome in driving away? Can you use something creative? Like our ambulance idea. Or does it really matter to you to have it at all? Also a cheaper option is renting a cool car for the day and having a friend drive for you and have the bridal party arrive in regular vehicles, I assure you, its your day, they shouldn't care.
Photography and videoography: We asked a friend who studied video production to do that for us. And for photography we asked a photographer from a local paper to photograph our wedding, and it was at least half off. But don't skimp on these things if you can't get lucky like we did, these memories last a lifetime.
Cake: We asked an experience culinary student (graduating and we sampled her work beforehand) to make our cake and it turned out wonderful and was also half off. Students do these things for grades so they are very careful and much, much, cheaper than traditional bakeries.
Attire: My husband wore his army dress greens, but a good alternative is to wear a suit instead of a tux, all our attendants did and it looked just as good.
Flowers: I picked "in season" flowers and went with a smaller bouquet instead of a larger one and it was beautiful and elegant. And carrying that for a while when its heavy can get on your nerves anyway. Also, for any child/ junior attendants, get carnations, not roses, they hold up much better and are cheaper. I didnt use roses in anything but picked in season cheaper flowers that looked really neat in my boutineers. For the bridesmaids: My bridesmaids carried a single white rose with a purple tip trim and it looked very elegant and the floral shop jazzed it up and added stuff so it didnt look so plain. But your girls wont care what their flowers look like.
Favors: If you have a theme, go practical and go cheap. Our theme was winter, as I said. So I found porcelin ornaments for less than .50 each online, and I ordered custom ribbons off an ebay sellar with our names and wedding date and hot glued it to the snowflake, they were a huge hit and looked expensive when they weren't. Another option is a "candy buffet" look those up online, they can be neat. But if you do that get smaller bags/boxes so the candy lasts.
This and that extras: I bought my disposable table cameras online from ebay from a woman who didnt use them at her wedding, same with our bubbles and cake cutting knife and I found a beautiful authentic crystal headpeice second hand for $150 less than in the bridal shop in excellent condition. We found our "unity candle" and ring bearers pillow and white basket at a craft store for 60% off what they were in the Hallmark store. Look online, its a realy great resource.
As for food, never skimp or not have enough, thats not in good taste. We really wanted an evening reception s we just picked less options and less expensive options. Like 2 meats, 2 starches, vegetable, bread and salad and that was it and people had plenty of selection. And we did it buffet style which can be hit or miss because you eliminate the need for staff to serve them but you have to over estimate food since people serve themselves a lot more than a waiter would. We also got our own appetizers and desserts. we got cracker trays and shrimp cocktail from sams as well as some hot options a friend threw in the oven right before the reception and it cut down our costs. In addition to our cake we bought cream puffs (which were a HUGE hit) as well as some bakery cookies and it cut down our costs significantly.
Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate: We had our cater throw in a carving station and table linens in at no charge, work with them, haggle and see what you can do.
Another option: My friends for their second marraige had a "pot luck" where guests brought a dish and it was CONSIDERABLY cheaper. But only consider this for a informal wedding.
Another option for food: Have a breakfast or brunch reception, its thousands cheaper and gives you the day to celebrate with your signficant other just to yourselves. And if you do that you only have to serve champange for alcohol for the toast.
We borrowed a lot of things from friends, enlisted their talents and looked around the internet and looked second hand before buying new. I even found my dress more than half off. (I payed $300 for a $1500 dress because it was "last season," well, it could have fooled me, it was beautiful and white so what did I care...) Suggestions: For little things you need, search dollar stores or walmart or sams club before going strait to a wedding store. Dinner mints in white packages that would be $3.00 for 500 at walmart are now $5.00 for one hundred because they have a wedding bell on them. Shop away from wedding sections as much as possible. There is no difference. we even did things like asked the ambulance hall if we could clean up ourselves and took money off the rental.
Entertainment: Never skimp on entertainment if you would like your guests to have a good time. An option to consider if you are having trouble affording it is to make the reception shorter. But get an experienced DJ that will match your tastes in music and will do the whole thing for you, you don't wan tto have to tell your DJ what to do on your wedding day, get an experienced person whether it be a live band or DJ. Some DJ's charge less in the "off season" (thats why we got a discount on ours) and some bands will work for considerably less also during the off season as the amount of wedding gigs are more scarce.
Which brings me to my last option: Have a winter wedding. Or a fall or "off season" wedding. (Not spring or summer) You cna usually find everything from your wedding dress to catering and entertainment at a discount.
By the way, the girls should be paying for their own bridesmaid dresses and they went to JC Penny's and bought matching prom dresses for under 80 each but I've seen them as low as $40 if you are going less formal. Flower girls parents should be paying for her dress, and just as an idea, my girls and guys wore black and white (Black dreses with a white strip on top.) and the flower girl wore a cute little white lace topped dress and black satin bottom that she could wear again. For the flower girl, honeslty just tell the parents a certain color and style and make it something that they can dress her in again. It doesn't matter what color, the kids are so darn cute either way.
Hope this helps, have a happy wedding!!
Reply:Lets start with the flowers. You can make them easily yourself by going to a craft store or even a dollar store and get flowers at a cheap price. Next you can make your own 3 tier cake by simply buying 3 different size pans. I would then go with the fondant and cover the cakes and make a simple 3 tier cake. There are a lot of ideas and how-to's on the internet also as for you the wedding dress and bridemaids dresses, they have them on the internet as well, instead of paying thousands of dollars for a wedding dress you can beautiful gowns on the internet for up 75% less then a bradal shop. Now a days anything can be found on the internet by typing in a few keywords. Good Luck.
Reply:Try EBay to start with. As for the cake ask someone to make it for you like a friend. Why buy a wedding cake, the rage these days is a pile of cup cakes on a stand ! ! ! they are small enough for everyone to get a bit. Flowers buy the basics like carnations and a few Lillie's and then open your back door and see what you have growing in the backyard ! ! any green leaves will look nice and they fill up empty spaces. For your bouquet why not get you and your bridesmaids round for a small flower shower ! ! ! This is where you use artificial flowers from a craft store and make your own bouquets, apart from all the wine you will all drink doing it and the food you will eat. I expect everyone will have a good time ! ! ! !
Reply:You just have to research and go see a lot of people. I'm spending just over $300 for my 3 tier cake and right around $600 for my flowers.
I went to David's Bridal for my wedding dress. That plus all the accessories that go along with it, tiara etc. was only $1000. And my bridesmaids dresses were relatively inexpensive. I'm not doing the flower girl or ring bearer, but I would go somewhere that doesn't specialize in wedding stuff for their outfits if I was using them. I'd go to a children's dress shop and try to find a pretty dress in my wedding colors for the flower girl.
But essentially just look around and ask for quotes from multiple vendors. If you find someone you love, but they don't fit inside your budget tell them that and see if they can work with you. That's what I did for my florist.
Reply:it is really easy, i did a 10,000 dollar wedding style in under 2000. Oriental trading company (internet) for decorations, local seamstress friend, laptop or computer, windows media player, some preselected music organized in time to the celebration and some very good speakers, the cake was made at home and all the flowers bought at a local grocery store from their best selection and arranged at home while the cake was baking. the most expensive thing that i paid for was the after limo. also pick a day that falls close to the end of the week if you can. mine was a thursday in late june. Parks are cheap and makes picking the backdrop really easy. and you wont need hundreds of flowers with a view like that.
plus you can rent your space for the day and have the reception right there.
If you need alcohol. see if any local major grocery chains have wine stewards. they can recommend great cheap wines. or you go NA gasp, then you won't have to worry about how everyone got home. and you won't have to worry about the clean up as much or buligerent behavior, but your best man toast won't be near as funny.
need more help, let me know.
Reply:start with friend ask them who what they , about there wedding you can just buy yourself a silk bouquet and a single rose/carnation for you bridesmaids. go walmart for cake check out last years dresses or go to consignment store and find a used dress a lot of women go and find a prom dress to use. im sure someone in the family takes pictures buy several disposable cameras and set them out so guest can take pictures they would love to be apart of the plan just talk with different ones in your family for the main pictures go before to jcpenneys /walmart to their protraite shop
Reply:Instead of a cake, do a cup cake tower like this http://www.cupcaketree.com/
dresses http://www.bridalexpressonline6.com/disp...
Bridesmaid http://www.houseofbrides.com/product.php...
flower girl dress http://www.houseofbrides.com/product.php... (although, you could look at your local retail stores for first communion dresses)
flowers http://www.fiftyflowers.com/flowers/DIYW...
Reply:FREECYCLE!!!
There is a gropup now called freecycle in most areas and you do the 'green' thing people offer all sorts for free but you are expected to as well from topsoil to bathroom cabinets to wedding things! It is great just type freecycle and your town area name into the freecycle box and sign up it is free.
I kept wedding costs down on my second wedding by.
just carrying a single beautiful flower - Big Lily or Big rose it looked beautiful.
You can also have just a tied bunch of flowers for bridesmaids.
Take you brides maids to a high street store that does all sizes of dresses and get them to find a dress they all liek that you think is good and Go for it! It also helps with flowers at a venue as you can just put lots of toied or open bunches around teh venue/ house and its beautiful.
I had Daisy's and Gerberas - big S. African Daisy' sthat were in oranges and pinks - beautiful.
Wedding cake . Find a relative who makes excellent sponge cakes and ask them to make your wedding cake. Anothe excellent thing that keeps it cheap is to have a small cake and lots of single 'bun' sized cakes with 'Wedding cake ' ready made logos on the top.
Do not book a venue ask a relative who has space if you can have a party in their home....honest they will enjoy it.....or just book a local hall and get live music in... it is much more friendly than a stuffy hotel and then you can get outside caterers to do some food it is always cheaper than hotels.
But don't miss out on Freecycle - even eBay for things!
Reply:Check your local "everything for a dollar" store for flowers. It's not hard to make a pretty bouquet from silk flowers. (lots of vids on you tube for instruction) I even learned how to make my OWN wedding cake from looking at you tube vids. (I'm doing a small cocolate fondant covered cake, and then cupcakes....very trendy and MUCH cheaper) Instead of buying bridesmaids dresses at a bridal boutique, check local department stores for "prom formals" (especially AFTER prom season) Use all of your reasources, talk to your friends %26amp; family and see who knows how to do what.
Good Luck!!
Reply:Im getting married later this year and am on a very strict budget. My fiances parents have paid for the reception venue, catering and a DJ as their gift to us. We are getting married in a registry office (UK) I have bought a lot of bargains off ebay - accessories, silk bouquets, bulk lots of balloons for decorating the reception etc. I am going to tie together bunched of helium filled balloons as centre pieces rather than forking out for flowers. I am buying my dress a month before so that I don't waste money buying the wrong size! I am making my own wedding cake, I decorate them as a hobby anyway. We have asked anyone who has one to bring their cameras, and a friend is going to record the ceremony on our own camcorder. At the reception we are going to leave disposable cameras around so that guests can take photos for us.
A good idea is to speak to close family/friends and see if they can pitch in in any way, and that can be their gift to you.
Good luck!
Reply:Wedding/Reception site - most churches charge about $500-$1000 to rent the hall and the church for the amount of time you need.
Flowers - make your own. Look online for directions and practice with your MOH one afternoon. Also single flowers for the bridesmaids will work too.
Cake - make your own. go to the craft store and buy round cake pans - you can make several using one 9inch pan then arrange them on the table. Bake them with regular cake mix. Have your MOH come over and help bake and ice them. Put flowers all around the sides. Cost should be around $100.
Dress - David's Bridal. They have some really nice smiple dresses. Also, check clearance racks at designer stores. I saw a dress that was $150 but it wouldn't fit into my theme.
You don't have to buy the flower girl's dress nor the bridesmaid dresses.
Hope this helps.
Reply:Just have a best man and maid of honeor. right there it cuts cost. People will understand. They should generally pay for thier own attire, you have to buy gifts. Flower girl is optional but if you have a little one lined up then thier parents pay for the dress. Any department store would have cute dresses.
Find a cake you like and bring the pic to a few bakers, includng the grocery store bakery. See who can do similar for less.
Reply:I have found artificial flowers great. Or flowers from a friend or families flower garden.
Go to the craft area in wal-mart,micheals, or the dollerstore.
I found stuff for my bouquet,cake topper and decorations.
I made my own cake.
If you dont want to make your own find a private cake decorator and their cakes are usually cheaper and taste better.
Reply:I have a great idea: go to college, learn something that makes money then get married, or marry a wealthy man or just go to Tijuana and get married in a cheap chapel.
It happens that weddings are not cheap at all. Wake up please.
Reply:get a used dress on ebay or other sites
get a cake made of styrofoam that is decorated but serve sheet cake instead
make your own favors using supplies from a craft store
prowl funeral parlors for centerpieces LOL..I was just kidding on that one
Reply:Try ebay or a dress - very cheap and very nice too. Maybe a Court House wedding and the reception for a few people at home. That's what I would do.
Reply:If you just want cheap, try the JP.
Reply:Ohhhh u hav 2 do Court Marriage,,it's very cheeap,nothing will require that u asked above.....he he he
Reply:These are not the greatest ideas, but I hope they help.
1. If you have family members with talents in baking, sewing, decorating, etc. ask for their help. At my wedding everyone that was a part of the party contributed to the wedding from food, flowers, dress, decorations and cake.
2. You can try to find a place where you can rent the dresses, instead of purchasing them.
3. You can have a simple bouquet of real flowers or have you thought about artificial flowers? The type of flowers and the size you select will also determine the cost.
4. You can go to a hall that caters weddings and they have a list of local businesses or people in the community that provide these services. When you call around and they realize that they are competing for your busy, they are willing to negotiate. Using this idea, I was able to locate a lady who baked cakes out of her home. For my daughters quinceanera, she made a cake with 3 tiers in the center with a water fountain, two tiers off to the side with staircases and the dames and the gentlemen...I mean it was beautiful for only 100.00 and it fed well over 100 people.
5. Also, if you go to the following website http://green.yahoo.com/earth-day/find-a-... and select the area you live in. These are groups/clubs of people who recycle items by giving them for free to someone who can use them. Maybe you will be able to find items that can help you economize your wedding.
6. I don't know how many states have it, but I live in TX and the area I Iive in they have virtual garage sales (over the internet). The items are free as well, they only thing they request is if you take items for free that you donate items for free. Sometimes, people even trade during these virtual garage sales. Really wish you lived out my way, because I would refer you to so many places/people. Sometimes the more simple weddings are the most beautiful weddings. Remember, this is your special day....everything should revolve around you and your husband. It's not about pleasing and wining and dining your guests. This is about the moment you and your husband make your eternal commitment to one another. Wishing you the best of luck.
Reply:Inexpensive wedding... Florist, try fake flowers... shop around Michaels for inexpensive ideas and crafty things you can put together yourself. If you have your heart set on real flowers, then choose flowers that are in season for the area that you live in and they'll be more inexpensive then more traditional set ups. Also, price check many different florists to find the cheapest prices.
As far as cakes go, find somone in culinary school... generally they will make a great cake for you at a much lower, if not at cost price for the experience of being able to say they did a wedding... same for dinner foods at your reception.
Check out this place for bridal dresses under 199.00 http://www.bridalonlinestore.com/Collect... Also check out david's bridal... reguardless of horror stories you may have heard about them they do sell some dresses relatively inexpensive!
As far as bridesmaids dresses, the bridesmaids should be purchasing that themselves so let your maid of honor pick the dress or allow them all to get together and pick a dress that they can all afford. Google is your BEST friend here!!!! The only dresses you should have to cover other then your own is the flower girls dress, and the ring bearers tux.
Tux's for the men can be found for rental cheaper if you have a chance to get them in advance!!! If this is not an option... start making the phone calls to the local places you have available to find the best prices.
Ebay is a great place to find the rings.
Invitations can be made by hand far cheaper then you can have them printed out... Find someone artistic in your family to help you out there.
As far as places go, if you know someone with a large property, do it in their back yard, if you're not that lucky usually you can contact the city and do your ceremony at a park for a $50 deposit/clean up fee.
Do NOT skip out on your reception!!!!!! This is where the most fun of your night is going to be had, so find a place you can afford by all means but make sure it's the right place for you.
If you don't have someone to marry you, you can always make a donation to a church, and with a few counsilling session have someone marry you.
Photography is going to be HUGELY important to you on this day!!! Find an aspiring photographer to come out to your wedding, someone who is willing to give you all the pictures they took on CD which you can have them printed out at a local Walgreens with the photographers written consent. Most photographers will either do this for the experience of doing a wedding party with a minimal fee or for free in the exchange that you allow them to use their photo's as examples of work they can do.
And put 2 disposable camera's on each of the tables at your reception!!!! this will allow for ALL sides of your reception to be covered taking a lot of work off your photographer. Request that they get a picture of everyone sitting at that table at the very least.
I litterally have tons of ideas for weddings, and if you need more help feel free to drop me a line any time!!! :)
Congradulations!!!!
Reply:If people can help then use them i.e. can someone bake the cake, can someone arrange flowers.
If not and you are on a budget, the best thing to do is not to try and look like you have 10 times as much to spend. It just looks worse...so if you don't have enough to spent on flowers don't bother. If it is in the day try balloons on the tables (they are about 90% cheaper than flowers). Im not suggesting you carry a balloon bouquet down the aisle though...just make sure you pick flowers that are in season:
http://weddings.about.com/od/weddingflow...
Another option is to have the wedding latter on in the day...candles are always very romantic, and plus they are inexpensive, provide a nice centre piece for the table. In addition having it later on means people will have already eaten and you can provide something lighter.
You could also try having it outdoors..in a nice garden or park for example. Since nature will be all around there will not be a need for you to buy additional flowers.
For wedding dresses try sample gown sales. You can also have a gown made often cheaper than the store price. Look for a designer who takes measurments near you but has the dress made in Thailand or Hong Kong. Another option is to try and negotiate a deal if you buy all bridesmaid dresses from the same place you get the dress. You could always try and find a second hand dress. If you don't mind doing so, buy one size up and have it tailored to fit. This will save you a load and at the end of the days its only been worn once before.
The other option is to trim the guest list- this is really down to the type of wedding you want. Some people want a BIG wedding, but others would prefer a smaller one. When inviting people ask yourself- would they invite you, if not don't bother inviting them.
I hope you have a great day whatever you decide to do.
: )
Reply:here are my tips that i have passed on to many buget concious brides... hope you can use some of them.
first off- shop after holiday clearance sales at craft stores, michaels and ac moore, and places like walmart, target and kmart. i got things on christmas clearance for 75-95% off- votive candles in glass holders for $.40 each!
i can set you up with a great lady who is making my invites. she does package deals (any size you will need) and a la carte - you will save tons with her. i'm getting 75 invites, evelopes, thank you scrolls, rsvp postcards, folded thank you cards and evelopes and address labels for under $90
rings- shop jc pennys when they have sales, look for coupons...
or ebay and craigslist. really don't be afraid of ebay. shop sellers with 99 or 100% feedback only. i'm getting my ring for under $25 (stainless band that matchs my engagement ring) and his for under $50 (tungsten).
transportation- use a relatives nice auto or use your own. you DON'T nee a limo, you can even rent a big suv for the day for near nothing from most rental co's (budget hertz alamo) or call around to classic car clubs and see if you can rent a classic car for an hr or two... might be really cheap to do that
dress- shop consignment shops. my dress cost $150 and is awesome. look on craigslist and ebay too. what ever size you end up being (i have faith you will lose weight!) you will find a beautiful dress!
bm dresses- these have dresses under $100
http://www.bridalsassique.com/index.asp?...
http://www.bridesonlinestore.com/
you can also try looking at prom dresses and homecoming dresses in macys and jcpenneys. most of them look like bm dresses anymore, it will increase your selection by looking for those 3 types instead of just bm dresses
guys clothing- they don't need to tux it up. they can wear white shirts and tan slacks. or white shirts and dark slacks and a tie... make sure they are all bought at the same time so they match.
flowers- you can shop local flower stores or grocery store floral dpts (make your own if you like) bring pics of what you want to guide your florist. shop rite has a full service flower dpt and they offer wedding planning help too. or you can go the silk route. afloral.com has great flowers. that's who i went to for mine
centerpieces- i like the tall vases with topiary style arrangements on them. i love gerberas so i think using them is a great way to punch up color and keep your budget down
you can also get different vases (walmart super cheap) and have different looks on each table.
ceremony location- i'm all for outdoor weddings. i think being surrounded by nature is just beautiful and makes for awesome pictures. plus most are free or really cheap.
i'm getting married in a park and it only cost $5 for the application fee. no charge to bring in chairs tents etc...
reception locations- you can have it at a vfw, moose/elk lodge or fire house banquet hall. they are nicer now that ever... they realize how much revenue they generate so many/most have been updated in the last few years.
we are using the banquet hall of the fire house where we are memebers. it only cost us $275 to rent. $500 for non members. (they do open bar. cash bar. cater. or let you diy the food)
cake- look at bjs and costco, even walmart does wedding cakes now. don't forget grocery stores. most do wedding cakes and are rather tasty cakes. you might not get all the flavor choices of a bakery but most ppl go with white or chocolate anyway.
we are getting our cake from shop rite ($1.75 a serving compared to $3.50 someone else quoted me) i love s/r cakes and have had many a b-day cake from them when i was younger.
favors- you really don't need them if you are trying to save money. but... you can do organza bags filled with candies. shop ebay for the best prices, seller ideabus, has the best prices and selection
or try dipping the ends of pretzle rods in white, dark or milk chocolate. then roll the ends (or sprinkle) with jimmies, colored sugar crystals, crushed nuts, mini marshmallows... or what ever else floats your fancy. put them in celophane bags and tie off with a ribbon to match your colors. super easy and people love things they can snack on on the way home from the reception.
stick to edible, anything else are 99% dust collectors or trash can fillers
photographer- look on craigslist for your area, under services, type in photography and see the results. i found a great gal for mine $300 for 6 hrs. some places charge wayyyy more but you should be able to find a good one for under 1k
i also found someone who wants to build her portfolio so she's shooting the whole day for free. if we like any prints we can order a la carte for super cheap.
you might be able to find a dj service on craigslist too. or just call around for a good rate from someone with referrals
our wedding for about 100 ppl will run us about 3500k.
most important thing about a wedding, budget- STICK TO IT
oh join your local yahoo group freecycle and post what you are looking for. i got lots of wedding things for free. (esp after june!)
post on craigslist for your area too, and search for wedding things too. many ppl have left overs they want to unload after their weddings and sell at below lowest cost!
oh ck out this site too
http://www.cheap-chic-weddings.com
BEST OF LUCK
Suggestions for wedding flowers?
I'm getting married in 3 weeks and my florist was us to tell her what flowers to use. I'm looking for white and light pink. Any suggestions on how to do this without requesting something too pricey?
Suggestions for wedding flowers?
go with stargazer lilies and white and pink roses! they look nice together
Reply:Roses. They really aren't that expensive, if done correctly.
I would have one large bouquet of white and light pink roses. For your bridesmaids, you can do much smaller rose bouquets in one solid color.
The guys can have one rose each.
The cost of bouquets isn't always depend on the type of flowers, but also the type of style. Larger bouquets with several different flowers or particular pattern requests are more expensive.
The more time it takes to plan out and craft the bouquet, the more expensive it will be.
So, a few bouquets of all roses might be less expensive, because they are easier to throw together.
Reply:the least expensive and the best way to get a nice-sized full bouquet is with carnations and mums! they make beautiful bouquets and sweetie they look gorgeous! and you can easily tint the flowers by adding a drop of food coloring to their water the day before they make up your bouquets! don't let anyone talk you into anything too expensive! have fun and happy wedding!
Reply:I went to my cousin's wedding and she had beautiful white daisies everywhere! It was cheerful and inviting. May I also suggest that you look into pink lillies. They would be cheery, affordable and very pretty. Congrats on the wedding! I wish you and your soon to be hubbie the best.
Reply:I had white and light pink - roses and singapore orchids
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25906286@N0...
To save money ask for more greenery or make sure you use flowers which are in season and are readily availble.
Reply:What about peony??? They will be in season soon!
Here is some pictures to get ideas how simple and gorgeous it might look:-)
4 or 5th in gallery..
http://nuptia.ca/content/view/202/
Reply:Here is a site that may help:
http://www.blissweddings.com/weddingflor...
My favorite are Peony
Reply:gerberas are cheap and look modern and classey, gypsophlia is white and is cheap. mix with foliage.
Reply:Gerber daises they are so big you can only have a few and it looked like alot..
Suggestions for wedding flowers?
go with stargazer lilies and white and pink roses! they look nice together
Reply:Roses. They really aren't that expensive, if done correctly.
I would have one large bouquet of white and light pink roses. For your bridesmaids, you can do much smaller rose bouquets in one solid color.
The guys can have one rose each.
The cost of bouquets isn't always depend on the type of flowers, but also the type of style. Larger bouquets with several different flowers or particular pattern requests are more expensive.
The more time it takes to plan out and craft the bouquet, the more expensive it will be.
So, a few bouquets of all roses might be less expensive, because they are easier to throw together.
Reply:the least expensive and the best way to get a nice-sized full bouquet is with carnations and mums! they make beautiful bouquets and sweetie they look gorgeous! and you can easily tint the flowers by adding a drop of food coloring to their water the day before they make up your bouquets! don't let anyone talk you into anything too expensive! have fun and happy wedding!
Reply:I went to my cousin's wedding and she had beautiful white daisies everywhere! It was cheerful and inviting. May I also suggest that you look into pink lillies. They would be cheery, affordable and very pretty. Congrats on the wedding! I wish you and your soon to be hubbie the best.
Reply:I had white and light pink - roses and singapore orchids
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25906286@N0...
To save money ask for more greenery or make sure you use flowers which are in season and are readily availble.
Reply:What about peony??? They will be in season soon!
Here is some pictures to get ideas how simple and gorgeous it might look:-)
4 or 5th in gallery..
http://nuptia.ca/content/view/202/
Reply:Here is a site that may help:
http://www.blissweddings.com/weddingflor...
My favorite are Peony
Reply:gerberas are cheap and look modern and classey, gypsophlia is white and is cheap. mix with foliage.
Reply:Gerber daises they are so big you can only have a few and it looked like alot..
If I prepare silk flowers now for Aug wedding will they droop.?
Using tall approx 3 ft tower vases. The floral arrangement on top will be like a hugh topiary. It is approx. 22 wide and 18 inches high with silk rose flowers 9 and 7 inches tall. The greenery will be 11 and 9 inches in length. I also used the pick or stem machine on the stems of the flowers. I am not a florist I just like messing with flowers but, I wasn't sure if the roses and greenery would hold their shape. I have done one and I feel like the very tope of the topiary seems to be drooping a little bit. I know I could always reform the flowers right before the wedding But, if that is the case I would probably wait and complete the arrangements about a week before the wedding.
If I prepare silk flowers now for Aug wedding will they droop.?
You most certainly can if done correctly. You said you picked the flower stems which is the first step. The next requirement is the medium you used to put the flowers into. Did you use Oasis? the new oasis like material for artificial flowers? You will have the best luck if you use Styrofoam. It comes in green and many sizes and shapes. You can do flowers months and months ahead with Styrofoam. I would wait until 2-3 weeks before the wedding if using a softer material. Its like embroidery, it is very important to use the correct materials to get the best quality. I managed a flower shop for many years so I have done this many times. I even did one this way and adhered it to my parents gravestone and it still looks beautiful. LOL Joni B
If I prepare silk flowers now for Aug wedding will they droop.?
You most certainly can if done correctly. You said you picked the flower stems which is the first step. The next requirement is the medium you used to put the flowers into. Did you use Oasis? the new oasis like material for artificial flowers? You will have the best luck if you use Styrofoam. It comes in green and many sizes and shapes. You can do flowers months and months ahead with Styrofoam. I would wait until 2-3 weeks before the wedding if using a softer material. Its like embroidery, it is very important to use the correct materials to get the best quality. I managed a flower shop for many years so I have done this many times. I even did one this way and adhered it to my parents gravestone and it still looks beautiful. LOL Joni B
I'm having a Black and White wedding...?
Hello, I'm getting married on octoboer 11th 2008. And I'm having a black and white wedding, with deep red flowers and need a little bit of advice....
First off I'm having troubles finding a florist in Minnesota...If you know of any that there prices are not to high let me know and also I don't know much about flowers and I'm not sure what kind would look good? Maybe with me having such a eligant wedding color probably stick with roses?
Second off can anyone recomenned me to a cake maker in MN. Does local grocey stores do good (ex. Corborns, Lunds Bylers, Cub?) I've heard they are cheaper.
and lastlley I need some ideals for center pieces.
I'm having a Black and White wedding...?
You could always use the black baccara roses. They are gorgeous deep red roses...although I am pretty sure that the can be a little pricey. Here are a few pics.
http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/files/...
http://www.gbpetalpusher.com/flowers/flo...
A cheaper alternative might be some beautiful red tulips. The gerbera daisies are much more affordable as well. i had my girls carry the gerbera daisies and i carried roses. Ended up saving a lot of money doing it that way...here is a pic of the red gerbera's...i think they are beautiful
http://www.weddingtactics.com/wp-content...
As for centerpieces, do you want something black and white, or do you want to incoporate the red into the centerpieces?
Here are a few pictures that should give you some good ideas.
http://www.ouroneheart.com/wp-content/up...
http://www.wedding-candles.ca/Centerpiec...
http://www.videobabylon.ca/centerpieces....
http://www.weddingstyle.ca/detailview/Ce...
http://www.weddingandeventlights.com.au/...
http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/blog/ima...
I hope that this helps. Good luck with your wedding :)
Reply:well black and white can be very sexy yet be hard to do center pieces that go with it. i say go with red roses in a short vace or look for some sleek black and white figures also you can do what i have seen and looks very nice get black and white photos of people that have passed and use them as centerpieces or black and white photos of the two of you threw out the engagement and dating
Reply:have black and white ostritch feathers in a vase..it makes for a stylish and diffrent look to flowers. these feathers are very long and fluffy, i would have a black one then a white one next to it and so on till you have enough to make a 'plume' in the vase. Also you could have black and white candle sticks with LCD candles and hang charms from the candle sticks.
Reply:That's my date too!!!!! Oddly enough our colors are black and white! For our centerpieces we are doing small vases with red stones and a white candle in them with a small thin black ribbon wrapped around the mouth of the vase.
I can't help much with the florist or the cake, but I can give you any other advice for a black and white wedding on that date! Just e-mail me if you want!
Congrats!
Reply:You may checkout the wedding cakes from these websites. I think the wedding cake designer you mentioned may be listed in those sites. You may also get ideas of your wedding cakes by browsing through lots of wedding cakes pictures.
Reply:http://weddings.theknot.com/ODB/themes/r... Has some ideas for cakes, have you considered having one of these towers of cupcakes instead ?
We were thinking about black and white for October too !
http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/directo...
Reply:Sounds lovely, unfortunately I am in the uk, so can't help with flowers or cake, how about flowers in the centre of the tables, to match yours,or little bowls of chocolates etc, Have a wonderful day,
Reply:don't forget to have the photographer shoot everything in black and white too.. :D
Reply:i had a ivory dress and my bridesmaids had charcoal dresses its was stunning
Reply:"Does local grocey stores do good"??? Huh?
Reply:Congratulations
Not knowing which part of MN you are looking in try the vendor links below, hopefully they will help. Most bakeries even the local grocery stores will allow you a small sample. Do a taste test and price checking for the size you need to feed the number of guests. You can also find vendors below for your flowers. They will have photos from past clients to show you for ideas, you can mix ideas up. There are a lot of good suggestions already listed on here for center pieces and color ideas. Go to google and type in your city the item you are looking for and then start calling asking questions and visiting with those that have made a good impression.
Best of Luck
Reply:I think that red with black and white is over powering, you may need to add a softer colour or sofen up the whole image;
perhaps introduce a third colour? (but you the bride can get away with the all red bouquet)
e.g. see how a white sash softens a black maid dress;
http://www.cinderella-brides.com/images/...
This pic shows the bridesmaids holding a lighter yet vibrant red and pink shoes;
http://thebiobuilder.com/BioBuilderPro/d...
or this bouquet of orange lillies and some red roses with green berries gives the autumn feel;
http://www.southernbouquets.com/uploaded...
or this pic has green leaves red roses and a hint of purple;
http://gerstels.com/db5/00486/gerstels.c...
even something like this would be nice;
http://www.edistoobserver.com/mjsflowers...
Reply:sound beautiful but im in the uk im sure your day will go great
good luck and congratulations
hiking shoes rating
First off I'm having troubles finding a florist in Minnesota...If you know of any that there prices are not to high let me know and also I don't know much about flowers and I'm not sure what kind would look good? Maybe with me having such a eligant wedding color probably stick with roses?
Second off can anyone recomenned me to a cake maker in MN. Does local grocey stores do good (ex. Corborns, Lunds Bylers, Cub?) I've heard they are cheaper.
and lastlley I need some ideals for center pieces.
I'm having a Black and White wedding...?
You could always use the black baccara roses. They are gorgeous deep red roses...although I am pretty sure that the can be a little pricey. Here are a few pics.
http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/files/...
http://www.gbpetalpusher.com/flowers/flo...
A cheaper alternative might be some beautiful red tulips. The gerbera daisies are much more affordable as well. i had my girls carry the gerbera daisies and i carried roses. Ended up saving a lot of money doing it that way...here is a pic of the red gerbera's...i think they are beautiful
http://www.weddingtactics.com/wp-content...
As for centerpieces, do you want something black and white, or do you want to incoporate the red into the centerpieces?
Here are a few pictures that should give you some good ideas.
http://www.ouroneheart.com/wp-content/up...
http://www.wedding-candles.ca/Centerpiec...
http://www.videobabylon.ca/centerpieces....
http://www.weddingstyle.ca/detailview/Ce...
http://www.weddingandeventlights.com.au/...
http://www.bloomeryweddings.com/blog/ima...
I hope that this helps. Good luck with your wedding :)
Reply:well black and white can be very sexy yet be hard to do center pieces that go with it. i say go with red roses in a short vace or look for some sleek black and white figures also you can do what i have seen and looks very nice get black and white photos of people that have passed and use them as centerpieces or black and white photos of the two of you threw out the engagement and dating
Reply:have black and white ostritch feathers in a vase..it makes for a stylish and diffrent look to flowers. these feathers are very long and fluffy, i would have a black one then a white one next to it and so on till you have enough to make a 'plume' in the vase. Also you could have black and white candle sticks with LCD candles and hang charms from the candle sticks.
Reply:That's my date too!!!!! Oddly enough our colors are black and white! For our centerpieces we are doing small vases with red stones and a white candle in them with a small thin black ribbon wrapped around the mouth of the vase.
I can't help much with the florist or the cake, but I can give you any other advice for a black and white wedding on that date! Just e-mail me if you want!
Congrats!
Reply:You may checkout the wedding cakes from these websites. I think the wedding cake designer you mentioned may be listed in those sites. You may also get ideas of your wedding cakes by browsing through lots of wedding cakes pictures.
Reply:http://weddings.theknot.com/ODB/themes/r... Has some ideas for cakes, have you considered having one of these towers of cupcakes instead ?
We were thinking about black and white for October too !
http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/directo...
Reply:Sounds lovely, unfortunately I am in the uk, so can't help with flowers or cake, how about flowers in the centre of the tables, to match yours,or little bowls of chocolates etc, Have a wonderful day,
Reply:don't forget to have the photographer shoot everything in black and white too.. :D
Reply:i had a ivory dress and my bridesmaids had charcoal dresses its was stunning
Reply:"Does local grocey stores do good"??? Huh?
Reply:Congratulations
Not knowing which part of MN you are looking in try the vendor links below, hopefully they will help. Most bakeries even the local grocery stores will allow you a small sample. Do a taste test and price checking for the size you need to feed the number of guests. You can also find vendors below for your flowers. They will have photos from past clients to show you for ideas, you can mix ideas up. There are a lot of good suggestions already listed on here for center pieces and color ideas. Go to google and type in your city the item you are looking for and then start calling asking questions and visiting with those that have made a good impression.
Best of Luck
Reply:I think that red with black and white is over powering, you may need to add a softer colour or sofen up the whole image;
perhaps introduce a third colour? (but you the bride can get away with the all red bouquet)
e.g. see how a white sash softens a black maid dress;
http://www.cinderella-brides.com/images/...
This pic shows the bridesmaids holding a lighter yet vibrant red and pink shoes;
http://thebiobuilder.com/BioBuilderPro/d...
or this bouquet of orange lillies and some red roses with green berries gives the autumn feel;
http://www.southernbouquets.com/uploaded...
or this pic has green leaves red roses and a hint of purple;
http://gerstels.com/db5/00486/gerstels.c...
even something like this would be nice;
http://www.edistoobserver.com/mjsflowers...
Reply:sound beautiful but im in the uk im sure your day will go great
good luck and congratulations
hiking shoes rating
Clear plastic plate for wedding centerpieces?
I've scoured the dollar stores and the party supply stores and can't seem to find a clear plastic plate that is heavy enough to support the centerpieces for my wedding reception. I'm using a glass cylindrical vase 10" high and 3" in diameter. Inside the vase are curly willow branches and hanging votives. I need the clear plastic plate, so the florist can put flowers around the base of the vase. He suggested I look for Lomey bowls/dishes. Is there any other plate that might work? Thanks in advance.
Clear plastic plate for wedding centerpieces?
I would use mirrors. If you don't want the reflection, turn them over-(but the reflection can be very pretty, particularly if you're using candles.) Alternatively, use a glass plate made for candles, which you can usually find at Wal-Mart, Target, Pier 1, or where ever candles are sold. You can also rent or buy light boxes, which are a pedestal that are a couple inches high, and illuminate the centerpiece. Good luck!
Reply:http://www.AwesomeEvent.com this site carrys lomey dishes ( plastic ones).
Reply:Why don't you purchase round mirrors?
OR....if you don't want to ship anything...why not have the florist simply make a round "floral ring" and it can be placed right on the table with the glass vase in the middle. I really don't think it needs to be on a plate.
Clear plastic plate for wedding centerpieces?
I would use mirrors. If you don't want the reflection, turn them over-(but the reflection can be very pretty, particularly if you're using candles.) Alternatively, use a glass plate made for candles, which you can usually find at Wal-Mart, Target, Pier 1, or where ever candles are sold. You can also rent or buy light boxes, which are a pedestal that are a couple inches high, and illuminate the centerpiece. Good luck!
Reply:http://www.AwesomeEvent.com this site carrys lomey dishes ( plastic ones).
Reply:Why don't you purchase round mirrors?
OR....if you don't want to ship anything...why not have the florist simply make a round "floral ring" and it can be placed right on the table with the glass vase in the middle. I really don't think it needs to be on a plate.
I Am Planning My Wedding By My Self For About 100 People..........?
I NEED HELP!!!! :-) My Fiance and I are planning on getting married this year (Maby next year depending on how these plans go!) I am the only one who is planning this whole thing. All of my Family and Friends who are going to be there live at least 150 miles away. And His mom doesnt want to get involved because she thinks she is going to be to pushy and make me think that I have to do things that I dont want to do. I appriciate her wanting to avoid being pushy but I NEED HELP!!!
Alright so here are the plans so far!
- I am starting to buy things NOW that way we dont ahve the DEBT of the whole thing at one time
- I am buying alot of the stuff we need from Ebay to save $$
- One of his Aunts used to make wedding cakes so we are going to have her do that for us.
- His other Aunt used to be a Florist so we just have to give her the $$ and she will buy and arrange the flowers for us
I Am Planning My Wedding By My Self For About 100 People..........?
First of all... Congratulations! Don't worry so much, I too had 100 people at my wedding and I planned (and paid for ) the whole thing by myself. And, it already seems like you have a lot of your ducks in a row...
Ebay is key! I got a ton of stuff from ebay too. Just shop around and you can find a lot of good stuff there.
Keep your "favors" to a minimum. No one cares if you give them a picture frame, or other stuff. I actually made my own by hand. I got some black card stock, and made paper cones with red ribbons and white martha stewart "rub off decals" I put white cotton candy in it and it was a huge success. Everyone was amazed that I had made them myself.
I think if you really need someone to help you do things, you should ask your bridesmaids, or friends who are local. Get a bottle of wine, and all your crafting stuff out, and make a girls night of it. I had many of these nights.
Don't forget, your fiance can help too! Not just his mom. It's his wedding also. Put him to work! My husband had to make the calls about the cake, and I put him to work on cutting ribbon one night. He was actually really great about helping. I think guys only say they don't want to get involved because they dont' want to step on our toes. But they want to be a part of the planning too.
Martha Stewart wedding magazines have a TON of do it yourself ideas. I got my place card idea from one issue. And I figured out how to make it, and they turned out great, but most importantly, cheap.
Reply:probably should be thinking about a photographer, and a pastor if you are doing a church wedding. I am getting married at the end of August and we are just now getting our photographer, cake, pastor, cater arranged and or invitations ordered next week.
Reply:Sign up with theknot.com. It'll give you all the schedules and planning stuff and budget sheets that you need.
Reply:what i did was i made all my decorations for the hall and made all the flowers for the hole wedding party and the church and i made all the gifts by hand my self and i made all dresses and vail and place setting and music and photo album and candel holders and center pieces and i only spent 2 thousand and i had 200 people
Reply:you're doing great. make a checklist that you revise as you add things to keep track of who's doing what and what you're spending. be sure to get the invitations out in time. you don't say whether you're getting married in a church or where the reception will be. It's the reception that will eat up the big bucks: hall, catered meal, etc, etc.
It's very good that his mom acknowledges that she can be pushy, but if you want her to help, ask her to do so under your guidance. It is your wedding, after all.
Good luck.
Reply:congradzs!since your getting married!I think you should plan the way you dream of personally I would h ave pink,red,and purple flowers every where for decoration and on tables. Also I Wedding cake.Balloons,and white chairs and with purple ribbion tied to each. With fancy cups,and white plates...
and yes i know that costs ALOT,but weddings only happen once and i would want mine special.
to save money you should spend less money on stuff like extra clothing,junkfood,expensive stuff.
hope this is the forever marriage!
p.s. oh and i forgot a wedding dress too. pure white kinda tank top ,but like shirt really the (where u put your arms!) and then white gloves ,with on the head white headband that goes stright down in kind of netting exept it's for marriage ,its white, and wearable!.....
Oh and I would want a little cousin or niece to be the flower girl and ring boy and 2 girls to hold my long dress and i want white or glass shoes and a red cloth going all the way from the beginning of where i step to where i will get married.
YES and i do know that all that is alot ,but I belive a forever marriage can only happen once not twice or ...... and sounds to me you guys are very close and won't be seperated and you would probley want a forever marriage so make it special so if your child or grandchild ever asks you have a story to tell of your wedding.
Hope you don't boo me or give me a thumbs down because it took me some time to type this.
and i know you need to orginize so you should make a planner or go on google calenders.
Reply:What exactly is your problem? I planned a wedding for over 100 people with just my husband's help. It's not hard to do. Get a wedding planning book or use theknot.com to keep track of everything. All of the bridal magazines have planning guides. You know who is doing the cake and flowers that's a big part. Get a hall, a caterer, a dj, a photographer and you're good to go.
Reply:Brides.com should also be helpful. Look on the bright side, it sounds like you are getting a wonderful MIL.
Congrats
Reply:tell your fiances mother that it doesnt matter if shes going to be pushy or not shes going to be your mother inlaw so you should bothe get used to it now and tell her that u rwally need the help and you should tell your fiance to get off his *** and help because its his wedding to and he should be there to help
good luck with the wedding and congragulations!!!!
p.s. use craigs list to they have alot of stuff that would be useful and cheap
Reply:theknot.com has checklists, ideas, pictures, budget planners, links, etc, etc. It's a great wealth of information.
Reply:Hi and congratulations!
You are well underway with your plans. Good for you! It's sounds like you will be having an outdoor, casual reception? I am assuming this because of the BBQ and the uncle doing the cooking. That sounds fun!
Invites, RSVP's, programs - check
Flowers - check
Cake - check
Photography - check???
~ You MAY want to check into hiring a professional for a few hours. I LOVE to help people organize their wedding on a budget, but this is one area where I say not to scrimp. You will never be able to capture those memories again, if you don't get them on that day! All photographers have different packages. If you can't afford one of the packages, just hire him/her for a few hours. Don't leave it to amateurs OR kids.
~ Dress: David's Bridal, JCPenney and Alfred Angelo all have inexpensive gowns. Of course, this is a personal choice. Also....EBAY! There are many, many NEW gowns on Ebay.
~ Centerpieces: If this is outside then you have a number of inexpensive options.
~ Vases of wildflowers?
~ Small potted plants (available at home center stores, Walmart, etc.) Wrap them in colorful paper.
~ Float 1 (one) fresh rose in a small "ivy bowl" - available at Michael's, Walmart and Dollar Stores. This is very inexpensive and looks really nice.
~ Another way to save is to have a small bridal party (1 or 2 attendants each). This saves on gifts for the attendants and also on the rehearsal dinner.
~ If you are having kids at your reception...make up a kids table. Cover it with a paper (or plastic) tablecloth and put out crayons, coloring books, etc. Buy some small toys (everything from a dollar store)....hoola hoops, bubbles, etc.
Good luck!
Reply:relax! you sound as though you have everything under control. just remember this sweetie, all you truly need is the bride and groom, the preacher, a couple of wedding bands and a marriage licence.. everything else is just icing on the cake!
instead of passing your camera around, [its probably quite a good one], what about picking up some of those disposable cameras and put one on every table, you would get lots of really great shots from all angles.
or, what we did for one daughter's wedding was hire the photographer to come and do the church shots, and then he went with the bridal party to the park and took their posed photographs there. and left. that gave us approximately a dozen lovely portraits to choose from and cost us under $200. we had the disposables on the reception tables and had lots of good photos from those.
don't forget big box stores like costco for bulk goods like good quality paper tablecloths, napkins, disposable glasses etc. they are quite reasonably priced and the quality is very good! don't worry about favors, they really are a waste of money and time, just another gimmick dreamt up by the wedding retailers of the world. put your money towards something useful for your home!
whatever you do, however you choose to do it, i wish you a happy wedding and a good strong marriage!
Reply:you are going to need a dress. you can look for a 2nd had one on ebay that is close to your size and have it altered to fit. much cheaper than new.
Reply:hit bridal shows they will give you a ton of ideas. even if your friends are far away i bet they will love to help you over the phone or on the net. try to do as much as you can on your own and it sounds like you have a lot of help form your aunt. remember have fun with it.
Reply:Limit your menu, people are coming for the wedding not a buffet. You can limit drinks to just a few choices like lemonade tea and water. Buying a huge variety adds up. Do you have any friends in a band? If so, they probably have access to a PA system, and you might be able to avoid paying a DJ. You'll need to find a friend that doesn't mind the spotlight to act as "master of ceremonies" so to speak, that is the most valuable thing a DJ will do for you. If you are doing wedding favors, make them yourself or skip them all together. A wedding photographer is an area I wouldn't skimp on, but if you are getting a basic package you can supplement his pictures by getting disposable camera's and leaving one on each table. You will get some stuff that way that the photographer will miss, especially candid photos. Someone else mentioned Craigslist, and I agree completely. I bought a lot of wedding stuff from Craigslist and after the wedding sold it on Craigslist and got almost all of my money back for it.
Reply:i have to tell you i am proud that you want to do this yourself but you do need help. the ones who live far away can help by finding websites for you so that you can give each other ideas . maybe they can order things for you if you tell them what you like and how much. see if the can order your wedding book, pen and maybe your wedding favors for you. and some decorations. ask his mom to call places for you even if it to get prices for things. sometimes those small things help too. ask your friends to do your hair, take oics. do crafts and such. my sister has a two weddings this yr. first her daughter in June and than my sister herself on July 4th my sisters second wedding but the guy she is marrying was never married before they are also having around 40 for my niece and 100 for her. the cake is being made by someone she knows and people are bring food to the picnic type reception so that helps. anything anyone does is fine as long as they help. also ask Friends or even his mom to write the address for the invites for you. all small things add up.
Reply:www.houseofbrides.com
www.davidsbridal.com
they have some cheep stuff there, you can also go to michaels craft stores to make your own things for the wedding, or joann fabrics, any kind of craft stores have a lot you can put teogther for a wedding ...
Reply:theknot.com has alot of budgeting tips.
i work in a restaurant and bridal shop and weddings are cheaper on fri and sun than on sat!(almost half the price)
and
if you are an"average size girl you can get a good deal on a sample or discontinued gown.
and then have it taylored to fit you perfect!
most bridal shops get all dresses in 10s or 12s so unfortunalty if you are any size bigger this is not a bargining tool.
dont be afraid to get a couple estimates for everything. and ask for throw ins . mention that a couple of your girls or guests are engaged or might be getting engaged soon!
sounds tacky but saves money and buisness like the referals
happy planning
Reply:I'm doing the same thing. Planning the whole thing. My soon to be husband and I are the ones paying for the major part of it so I feel for you. I went to a book store and bought a wedding planner/checklist. I got my invites from Micheals craft store. Register at all the craft stores you can, they send you coupons all the time for fabric, and craft supplies when you do that. I hit all the stores the day after Christmas and bought all our lights when they were 50%-75% off. Borrow, Borrow, Borrow from anyone you know that has gotten married recently. I've gotten two arches that way. You are definetly doing the right thing by buying stuff now. But most importantly set a budget and try to stick to it. Once you have your budget set, see how much from each pay check you can buy stuff with and save. You sound like you have the bases covered for the most part. Just make checklists and use your friends and wedding party as much as possible if the family doesn't want to help much that's what they are there for. My family is all 200-300 miles away and I told them which towns are the best to fly into and to stay in and have someone do some calling around and spread the word to others, cause they might want to travel together or stay at the same hotel for group rate discounts.
Alright so here are the plans so far!
- I am starting to buy things NOW that way we dont ahve the DEBT of the whole thing at one time
- I am buying alot of the stuff we need from Ebay to save $$
- One of his Aunts used to make wedding cakes so we are going to have her do that for us.
- His other Aunt used to be a Florist so we just have to give her the $$ and she will buy and arrange the flowers for us
I Am Planning My Wedding By My Self For About 100 People..........?
First of all... Congratulations! Don't worry so much, I too had 100 people at my wedding and I planned (and paid for ) the whole thing by myself. And, it already seems like you have a lot of your ducks in a row...
Ebay is key! I got a ton of stuff from ebay too. Just shop around and you can find a lot of good stuff there.
Keep your "favors" to a minimum. No one cares if you give them a picture frame, or other stuff. I actually made my own by hand. I got some black card stock, and made paper cones with red ribbons and white martha stewart "rub off decals" I put white cotton candy in it and it was a huge success. Everyone was amazed that I had made them myself.
I think if you really need someone to help you do things, you should ask your bridesmaids, or friends who are local. Get a bottle of wine, and all your crafting stuff out, and make a girls night of it. I had many of these nights.
Don't forget, your fiance can help too! Not just his mom. It's his wedding also. Put him to work! My husband had to make the calls about the cake, and I put him to work on cutting ribbon one night. He was actually really great about helping. I think guys only say they don't want to get involved because they dont' want to step on our toes. But they want to be a part of the planning too.
Martha Stewart wedding magazines have a TON of do it yourself ideas. I got my place card idea from one issue. And I figured out how to make it, and they turned out great, but most importantly, cheap.
Reply:probably should be thinking about a photographer, and a pastor if you are doing a church wedding. I am getting married at the end of August and we are just now getting our photographer, cake, pastor, cater arranged and or invitations ordered next week.
Reply:Sign up with theknot.com. It'll give you all the schedules and planning stuff and budget sheets that you need.
Reply:what i did was i made all my decorations for the hall and made all the flowers for the hole wedding party and the church and i made all the gifts by hand my self and i made all dresses and vail and place setting and music and photo album and candel holders and center pieces and i only spent 2 thousand and i had 200 people
Reply:you're doing great. make a checklist that you revise as you add things to keep track of who's doing what and what you're spending. be sure to get the invitations out in time. you don't say whether you're getting married in a church or where the reception will be. It's the reception that will eat up the big bucks: hall, catered meal, etc, etc.
It's very good that his mom acknowledges that she can be pushy, but if you want her to help, ask her to do so under your guidance. It is your wedding, after all.
Good luck.
Reply:congradzs!since your getting married!I think you should plan the way you dream of personally I would h ave pink,red,and purple flowers every where for decoration and on tables. Also I Wedding cake.Balloons,and white chairs and with purple ribbion tied to each. With fancy cups,and white plates...
and yes i know that costs ALOT,but weddings only happen once and i would want mine special.
to save money you should spend less money on stuff like extra clothing,junkfood,expensive stuff.
hope this is the forever marriage!
p.s. oh and i forgot a wedding dress too. pure white kinda tank top ,but like shirt really the (where u put your arms!) and then white gloves ,with on the head white headband that goes stright down in kind of netting exept it's for marriage ,its white, and wearable!.....
Oh and I would want a little cousin or niece to be the flower girl and ring boy and 2 girls to hold my long dress and i want white or glass shoes and a red cloth going all the way from the beginning of where i step to where i will get married.
YES and i do know that all that is alot ,but I belive a forever marriage can only happen once not twice or ...... and sounds to me you guys are very close and won't be seperated and you would probley want a forever marriage so make it special so if your child or grandchild ever asks you have a story to tell of your wedding.
Hope you don't boo me or give me a thumbs down because it took me some time to type this.
and i know you need to orginize so you should make a planner or go on google calenders.
Reply:What exactly is your problem? I planned a wedding for over 100 people with just my husband's help. It's not hard to do. Get a wedding planning book or use theknot.com to keep track of everything. All of the bridal magazines have planning guides. You know who is doing the cake and flowers that's a big part. Get a hall, a caterer, a dj, a photographer and you're good to go.
Reply:Brides.com should also be helpful. Look on the bright side, it sounds like you are getting a wonderful MIL.
Congrats
Reply:tell your fiances mother that it doesnt matter if shes going to be pushy or not shes going to be your mother inlaw so you should bothe get used to it now and tell her that u rwally need the help and you should tell your fiance to get off his *** and help because its his wedding to and he should be there to help
good luck with the wedding and congragulations!!!!
p.s. use craigs list to they have alot of stuff that would be useful and cheap
Reply:theknot.com has checklists, ideas, pictures, budget planners, links, etc, etc. It's a great wealth of information.
Reply:Hi and congratulations!
You are well underway with your plans. Good for you! It's sounds like you will be having an outdoor, casual reception? I am assuming this because of the BBQ and the uncle doing the cooking. That sounds fun!
Invites, RSVP's, programs - check
Flowers - check
Cake - check
Photography - check???
~ You MAY want to check into hiring a professional for a few hours. I LOVE to help people organize their wedding on a budget, but this is one area where I say not to scrimp. You will never be able to capture those memories again, if you don't get them on that day! All photographers have different packages. If you can't afford one of the packages, just hire him/her for a few hours. Don't leave it to amateurs OR kids.
~ Dress: David's Bridal, JCPenney and Alfred Angelo all have inexpensive gowns. Of course, this is a personal choice. Also....EBAY! There are many, many NEW gowns on Ebay.
~ Centerpieces: If this is outside then you have a number of inexpensive options.
~ Vases of wildflowers?
~ Small potted plants (available at home center stores, Walmart, etc.) Wrap them in colorful paper.
~ Float 1 (one) fresh rose in a small "ivy bowl" - available at Michael's, Walmart and Dollar Stores. This is very inexpensive and looks really nice.
~ Another way to save is to have a small bridal party (1 or 2 attendants each). This saves on gifts for the attendants and also on the rehearsal dinner.
~ If you are having kids at your reception...make up a kids table. Cover it with a paper (or plastic) tablecloth and put out crayons, coloring books, etc. Buy some small toys (everything from a dollar store)....hoola hoops, bubbles, etc.
Good luck!
Reply:relax! you sound as though you have everything under control. just remember this sweetie, all you truly need is the bride and groom, the preacher, a couple of wedding bands and a marriage licence.. everything else is just icing on the cake!
instead of passing your camera around, [its probably quite a good one], what about picking up some of those disposable cameras and put one on every table, you would get lots of really great shots from all angles.
or, what we did for one daughter's wedding was hire the photographer to come and do the church shots, and then he went with the bridal party to the park and took their posed photographs there. and left. that gave us approximately a dozen lovely portraits to choose from and cost us under $200. we had the disposables on the reception tables and had lots of good photos from those.
don't forget big box stores like costco for bulk goods like good quality paper tablecloths, napkins, disposable glasses etc. they are quite reasonably priced and the quality is very good! don't worry about favors, they really are a waste of money and time, just another gimmick dreamt up by the wedding retailers of the world. put your money towards something useful for your home!
whatever you do, however you choose to do it, i wish you a happy wedding and a good strong marriage!
Reply:you are going to need a dress. you can look for a 2nd had one on ebay that is close to your size and have it altered to fit. much cheaper than new.
Reply:hit bridal shows they will give you a ton of ideas. even if your friends are far away i bet they will love to help you over the phone or on the net. try to do as much as you can on your own and it sounds like you have a lot of help form your aunt. remember have fun with it.
Reply:Limit your menu, people are coming for the wedding not a buffet. You can limit drinks to just a few choices like lemonade tea and water. Buying a huge variety adds up. Do you have any friends in a band? If so, they probably have access to a PA system, and you might be able to avoid paying a DJ. You'll need to find a friend that doesn't mind the spotlight to act as "master of ceremonies" so to speak, that is the most valuable thing a DJ will do for you. If you are doing wedding favors, make them yourself or skip them all together. A wedding photographer is an area I wouldn't skimp on, but if you are getting a basic package you can supplement his pictures by getting disposable camera's and leaving one on each table. You will get some stuff that way that the photographer will miss, especially candid photos. Someone else mentioned Craigslist, and I agree completely. I bought a lot of wedding stuff from Craigslist and after the wedding sold it on Craigslist and got almost all of my money back for it.
Reply:i have to tell you i am proud that you want to do this yourself but you do need help. the ones who live far away can help by finding websites for you so that you can give each other ideas . maybe they can order things for you if you tell them what you like and how much. see if the can order your wedding book, pen and maybe your wedding favors for you. and some decorations. ask his mom to call places for you even if it to get prices for things. sometimes those small things help too. ask your friends to do your hair, take oics. do crafts and such. my sister has a two weddings this yr. first her daughter in June and than my sister herself on July 4th my sisters second wedding but the guy she is marrying was never married before they are also having around 40 for my niece and 100 for her. the cake is being made by someone she knows and people are bring food to the picnic type reception so that helps. anything anyone does is fine as long as they help. also ask Friends or even his mom to write the address for the invites for you. all small things add up.
Reply:www.houseofbrides.com
www.davidsbridal.com
they have some cheep stuff there, you can also go to michaels craft stores to make your own things for the wedding, or joann fabrics, any kind of craft stores have a lot you can put teogther for a wedding ...
Reply:theknot.com has alot of budgeting tips.
i work in a restaurant and bridal shop and weddings are cheaper on fri and sun than on sat!(almost half the price)
and
if you are an"average size girl you can get a good deal on a sample or discontinued gown.
and then have it taylored to fit you perfect!
most bridal shops get all dresses in 10s or 12s so unfortunalty if you are any size bigger this is not a bargining tool.
dont be afraid to get a couple estimates for everything. and ask for throw ins . mention that a couple of your girls or guests are engaged or might be getting engaged soon!
sounds tacky but saves money and buisness like the referals
happy planning
Reply:I'm doing the same thing. Planning the whole thing. My soon to be husband and I are the ones paying for the major part of it so I feel for you. I went to a book store and bought a wedding planner/checklist. I got my invites from Micheals craft store. Register at all the craft stores you can, they send you coupons all the time for fabric, and craft supplies when you do that. I hit all the stores the day after Christmas and bought all our lights when they were 50%-75% off. Borrow, Borrow, Borrow from anyone you know that has gotten married recently. I've gotten two arches that way. You are definetly doing the right thing by buying stuff now. But most importantly set a budget and try to stick to it. Once you have your budget set, see how much from each pay check you can buy stuff with and save. You sound like you have the bases covered for the most part. Just make checklists and use your friends and wedding party as much as possible if the family doesn't want to help much that's what they are there for. My family is all 200-300 miles away and I told them which towns are the best to fly into and to stay in and have someone do some calling around and spread the word to others, cause they might want to travel together or stay at the same hotel for group rate discounts.
Do it yourself wedding flowers!?
Hi All,
I am getting married in June of '08. I pretty much do not like my florist and have tried to work with him several times. Soooo, I've decided to order the flowers myself and do everything myself besides the centerpieces. I have PLENTY of help lined up. My bouquet with have two different color roses in it and the bridesmaids will as well just smaller (8 roses total for bm's). The flowers outside will be 4 vases with about 20-30 roses and greenery in them and three roses on the end chair in each row with a pink bow. I am just curious if anyone has done this before? ANY advice would be awesome. If so do you have any helpful hints? Also, how early before the wedding were your flowers delivered? Any advice on storing them etc. ?? Thanks for your help :)
P.S. I have already purchased the flowers through a wholesaler so there is no turning back! They are all roses by the way so atleast I don't have alot of different flowers to work with.
Do it yourself wedding flowers!?
I did my own flowers and boutonnieres for my wedding in September. We ordered through a wholesaler (www.theflowerexchange.com) and they turned out better than I could have ever imagined. It was just my mom and I who did them. This link (http://www.theknot.com/co_profileview.ht... really helped with tips.
Good luck! I'm sure they'll turn out beautifully.
Reply:Store them in a refrigerator. Flowers need to be cold to keep fresh once cut. If you treat them gingerly they should be fine. Florist wire the heads to the stems so that if it breaks the head stays with the stem and doesn't fall off. You have taken on quite a bit using fresh flowers. I hope your help comes through. The wholesaler should be able to tell you the very latest you can have them shipped so they will be fresh and you won't have to store them long.
My husband and I are renewing our vows in our Church (we had a civil ceremony before). I am doing silks and have them all ready made, centerpieces etc. But that is the beauty of silk you can make them well in advance and storage isn't a problem. They are less expensive as well. Below is my website.
Reply:First, realize that what your taking on is going to be challenging, however, it is not impossible. If you have decided to take this on, you must have a knack for doing crafts and things, I know you can do it. It is not that difficult.
Basically, what I would DEFINITELY DO...is go to a florist and purchase enough of these flowers to do two bouquets well ahead of the date of your wedding... and do a couple of 'practice' bouquets.
This will do two things. First, it will give you some idea of the time and level of difficulty your going to face when you start to assemble the bouquets so you can multiply that by the amount of bouquets you have planned for the day of the wedding. Second, it will allow you to modify them, either to make them more elaborate or more simplified to suite your tastes. The information that the prep will give you will prove to be invaluable when you start counting down to the last days before your wedding.
Now, as far as the flower delivery time goes, the closer you can make it to the day of the wedding the better. With roses, you can keep them refrigerated and get them in bud form about three days before the wedding, which should allow plenty of time for assembly.
Make sure you have plenty of floral tape, vases for the bouquets, and all the stuff to actually 'assemble' them. Don't forget the flowers for the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom to wear. Don't forget the booteniers for the guys as well. These things are expected. Also, some opt for flowers to put at the end of the isle on the church pews, (if you are in fact getting married in a church).
To assemble your flowers into a bouquet, you can find supplies at Wal-Mart, at a craft store, or at a florist. I suggest that you go onto Craigslist.com and put out the word that you want old wedding bouquets that you can tear apart and repurpose for your bouquets. Many times you can save TONS of money by doing this. You will need to get floral tape to bind all the stems together. They do not have to be perfect, just pretty. The way you are doing this will be a HUGE money saver. AND... it will have the added benefit of your KNOWING that your florist will not be late, and that the flowers will be JUST the way you want them to be. Have fun with it. It is afterall, YOUR day.
HERE IS A WEBSITE...that depicts 8 basic types of floral arrangements. It tells you what to use to achieve the looks you desire using foam or floral tape to bind the arrangement together. If you want more websites, just go to your toolbars search engine and type in the words 'How to floral arrangements'.... tons of sites will come up. (It is how I found this one.)
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/eigbasflow...
Congratulations on getting married, I wish you much joy and happiness in the future.... and GOOD for YOU for taking matters into your own hands... Literally. I love that you have that 'Can Do' attitude!!!
Reply:I haven't done it yet, but I am doing it, so I can't help you much there.
All I can say is practice, practice, practice. When roses are on sale, pick them up at the grocery store and make a bouquet. It's not as easy as it looks, but it's not terribly difficult. Practice wrapping the stems with ribbon (I assume that's what you are doing)...this is not a trivial task.
Simplify your designs as much as possible. You don't want a whole bunch of stress on your rehearsal day and wedding day!!!
Reply:Hi. I think I answered your other question, but you must have changed it with this one.
YES...I have done this...but not bouquets. Bouquets will take a lot of work. Look online...there are step by step directions. Practice with some roses beforehand.
If you are having a Saturday wedding, have your flowers delivered on Thursday. It's a LOT of work. You will need to unpackage them....cut the stems...put them in buckets of water with rose food.
They will need to be in a COOL/COLD place. Our wedding was in the summer and I have central air...so it was no problem! You will get instructions that come with the flowers. You CANNOT put them in regular refrigerators. Only commercially grade refrigerators.
The flowers will not look that good at first...don't freak out! You will need to do everything the DAY before...and then they may still not look that good. Keep them in water overnight...and then the morning of the wedding...you will need to have someone wrap the stems with floral tape and then silk ribbon or whatever you are using to "hold" the bouquets!
Good luck!
Reply:enroll in a floristry course at your local TAFE
It is cheap to do and will give you a better idea of what you need to do.
And remember simple is better. not only will it look more effective but it will be easier and less stressfull. I am doing my flowers, simple gerberas tied together with a ribbon. Sounds boring but it looks really effective.
I am getting married in June of '08. I pretty much do not like my florist and have tried to work with him several times. Soooo, I've decided to order the flowers myself and do everything myself besides the centerpieces. I have PLENTY of help lined up. My bouquet with have two different color roses in it and the bridesmaids will as well just smaller (8 roses total for bm's). The flowers outside will be 4 vases with about 20-30 roses and greenery in them and three roses on the end chair in each row with a pink bow. I am just curious if anyone has done this before? ANY advice would be awesome. If so do you have any helpful hints? Also, how early before the wedding were your flowers delivered? Any advice on storing them etc. ?? Thanks for your help :)
P.S. I have already purchased the flowers through a wholesaler so there is no turning back! They are all roses by the way so atleast I don't have alot of different flowers to work with.
Do it yourself wedding flowers!?
I did my own flowers and boutonnieres for my wedding in September. We ordered through a wholesaler (www.theflowerexchange.com) and they turned out better than I could have ever imagined. It was just my mom and I who did them. This link (http://www.theknot.com/co_profileview.ht... really helped with tips.
Good luck! I'm sure they'll turn out beautifully.
Reply:Store them in a refrigerator. Flowers need to be cold to keep fresh once cut. If you treat them gingerly they should be fine. Florist wire the heads to the stems so that if it breaks the head stays with the stem and doesn't fall off. You have taken on quite a bit using fresh flowers. I hope your help comes through. The wholesaler should be able to tell you the very latest you can have them shipped so they will be fresh and you won't have to store them long.
My husband and I are renewing our vows in our Church (we had a civil ceremony before). I am doing silks and have them all ready made, centerpieces etc. But that is the beauty of silk you can make them well in advance and storage isn't a problem. They are less expensive as well. Below is my website.
Reply:First, realize that what your taking on is going to be challenging, however, it is not impossible. If you have decided to take this on, you must have a knack for doing crafts and things, I know you can do it. It is not that difficult.
Basically, what I would DEFINITELY DO...is go to a florist and purchase enough of these flowers to do two bouquets well ahead of the date of your wedding... and do a couple of 'practice' bouquets.
This will do two things. First, it will give you some idea of the time and level of difficulty your going to face when you start to assemble the bouquets so you can multiply that by the amount of bouquets you have planned for the day of the wedding. Second, it will allow you to modify them, either to make them more elaborate or more simplified to suite your tastes. The information that the prep will give you will prove to be invaluable when you start counting down to the last days before your wedding.
Now, as far as the flower delivery time goes, the closer you can make it to the day of the wedding the better. With roses, you can keep them refrigerated and get them in bud form about three days before the wedding, which should allow plenty of time for assembly.
Make sure you have plenty of floral tape, vases for the bouquets, and all the stuff to actually 'assemble' them. Don't forget the flowers for the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom to wear. Don't forget the booteniers for the guys as well. These things are expected. Also, some opt for flowers to put at the end of the isle on the church pews, (if you are in fact getting married in a church).
To assemble your flowers into a bouquet, you can find supplies at Wal-Mart, at a craft store, or at a florist. I suggest that you go onto Craigslist.com and put out the word that you want old wedding bouquets that you can tear apart and repurpose for your bouquets. Many times you can save TONS of money by doing this. You will need to get floral tape to bind all the stems together. They do not have to be perfect, just pretty. The way you are doing this will be a HUGE money saver. AND... it will have the added benefit of your KNOWING that your florist will not be late, and that the flowers will be JUST the way you want them to be. Have fun with it. It is afterall, YOUR day.
HERE IS A WEBSITE...that depicts 8 basic types of floral arrangements. It tells you what to use to achieve the looks you desire using foam or floral tape to bind the arrangement together. If you want more websites, just go to your toolbars search engine and type in the words 'How to floral arrangements'.... tons of sites will come up. (It is how I found this one.)
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/eigbasflow...
Congratulations on getting married, I wish you much joy and happiness in the future.... and GOOD for YOU for taking matters into your own hands... Literally. I love that you have that 'Can Do' attitude!!!
Reply:I haven't done it yet, but I am doing it, so I can't help you much there.
All I can say is practice, practice, practice. When roses are on sale, pick them up at the grocery store and make a bouquet. It's not as easy as it looks, but it's not terribly difficult. Practice wrapping the stems with ribbon (I assume that's what you are doing)...this is not a trivial task.
Simplify your designs as much as possible. You don't want a whole bunch of stress on your rehearsal day and wedding day!!!
Reply:Hi. I think I answered your other question, but you must have changed it with this one.
YES...I have done this...but not bouquets. Bouquets will take a lot of work. Look online...there are step by step directions. Practice with some roses beforehand.
If you are having a Saturday wedding, have your flowers delivered on Thursday. It's a LOT of work. You will need to unpackage them....cut the stems...put them in buckets of water with rose food.
They will need to be in a COOL/COLD place. Our wedding was in the summer and I have central air...so it was no problem! You will get instructions that come with the flowers. You CANNOT put them in regular refrigerators. Only commercially grade refrigerators.
The flowers will not look that good at first...don't freak out! You will need to do everything the DAY before...and then they may still not look that good. Keep them in water overnight...and then the morning of the wedding...you will need to have someone wrap the stems with floral tape and then silk ribbon or whatever you are using to "hold" the bouquets!
Good luck!
Reply:enroll in a floristry course at your local TAFE
It is cheap to do and will give you a better idea of what you need to do.
And remember simple is better. not only will it look more effective but it will be easier and less stressfull. I am doing my flowers, simple gerberas tied together with a ribbon. Sounds boring but it looks really effective.
I need help chosing my flowers for my wedding and I'm getting discouraged?
My wedding dress is Champ/latte and the girls are Latte/Champ and the florist suggested burgundy cala lilies for me and mango cala lilies for the girls and I just don't know how I feel about the color combos. Please help me! I am getting married on 9/27/08 outside ceremony and inside a carriage house for a reception in the White Mountains in NH and I am lost!!!!!!
My dress:
http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns...
My flower:
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/red...
Girls Dresses:
http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridesmaids_...
Girls Flowers:
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/ora...
I need help chosing my flowers for my wedding and I'm getting discouraged?
Burgundy %26amp; orange or sort of fall colors %26amp; would look good but more for like a October or November wedding. I think burgundy %26amp; white calla lillies would look much better, or white calla lillies with red roses
Reply:I agree with most everyone, I like the burgandy for you, but the color combination just doesnt work.
How about the orange/rust for yourself
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/ora...
I like the peach/apricot range for the bridesmaids
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/pea...
Reply:No, that orange is all wrong for you champ/latte color scheme. How about beautiful cream flowers?
Reply:I like the burgndy lillies, but you could do the burgndy lillies and a regular white lilly , or another latte/Champ colored flower...I personally don't like the orange I think that is too much ( too many colors) going on...good luck to you
Reply:If you don't like it, say no.
Reply:I have a couple of problems with the whole floral colour scheme. A bouquet of totally burgundy for you is going to be very severe looking against your latte gown. If they combined the buttercream with the burgundy it would soften the look a lot.
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/cre...
For the maids, while I like what she is attempting to achieve, I think the orange is going to be too bright. Ask to change it to the peach callas with a couple of the burgundy that you are carrying for continuity. The peach and burgundy will play well against the latte of the dresses. http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/pea...
If you are also having any arrangements made have them done in all 3 colors - buttercream, burgundy and the peach. What you will end up with is going to be an almost 'fire or flame' look with the peach and burgundy and the softness of the buttercream to break it up.
Reply:I really like the color of the flowers in your bouquet, I think that it complements your dress. As for the bridesmaids, I wouldn't go with the orange. Maybe a cream cala lilly? I personally think that the orange clashes with the latte. Good luck!
Reply:Not digging the orange and burgundy...you already have 2 colors in the dress...accent with ribbons and a more mellow colored flower...orange is very over powering. Do you want them to see you and the beautiful dress or be staring at the orange/burgundy flowers?
I'd regroup and check back with the florist...tell her you don't like it and see what else she comes up with! Those are not your only choices...
Good luck
Reply:Love the dresses, just beautiful! The burgundy would be a good contrast for your dress, but not the mango or orange for the girl's dresses! I would try again. Maybe you could get a swatch of fabric or material to take with you and see what you like or what is the best coordinating shade! Good luck!
Reply:I think that color combo sounds sharp, but if you don't like it get something else. Start with what colors you like and go from there. Your dresses are neutral so really they will match with anything.
Reply:I don't like the orange flowers at all. If you have a favorite flower go with that. You could go buy a few different colors of the flower you like and then compare them with the dress to see which you like best.
Reply:I love your dress, the bridesmaids dress, and your flowers. Like most everyone else said, I am not wild about the orange mango color. I would go with a cream to match with the bridesmaids dresses or you could even go with a pale pink. You want the guests to be paying attention to you and I think the orange shouts out "look at me"! I am sure you can get the calla lillies in a different shade. Just tell your florist you aren't liking the orange and you need something that is going to blend better. Good luck and best wishes!
Reply:The dresses are beautiful and the burgundy lilies are pretty, but the mango is overpowering...really overpowering considering the elegance of the dresses. Why not call your contact at the carriage house and ask her/him what has worked for other September brides in the past? Mums are fall flowers and hold up well even in temperature extremes. Also, they come in a wide variety of colors, are less expensive, and would go well with the burgundy lilies.
Don't get discouraged! Get creative!
Bad Breath
My dress:
http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns...
My flower:
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/red...
Girls Dresses:
http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridesmaids_...
Girls Flowers:
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/ora...
I need help chosing my flowers for my wedding and I'm getting discouraged?
Burgundy %26amp; orange or sort of fall colors %26amp; would look good but more for like a October or November wedding. I think burgundy %26amp; white calla lillies would look much better, or white calla lillies with red roses
Reply:I agree with most everyone, I like the burgandy for you, but the color combination just doesnt work.
How about the orange/rust for yourself
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/ora...
I like the peach/apricot range for the bridesmaids
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/pea...
Reply:No, that orange is all wrong for you champ/latte color scheme. How about beautiful cream flowers?
Reply:I like the burgndy lillies, but you could do the burgndy lillies and a regular white lilly , or another latte/Champ colored flower...I personally don't like the orange I think that is too much ( too many colors) going on...good luck to you
Reply:If you don't like it, say no.
Reply:I have a couple of problems with the whole floral colour scheme. A bouquet of totally burgundy for you is going to be very severe looking against your latte gown. If they combined the buttercream with the burgundy it would soften the look a lot.
http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/cre...
For the maids, while I like what she is attempting to achieve, I think the orange is going to be too bright. Ask to change it to the peach callas with a couple of the burgundy that you are carrying for continuity. The peach and burgundy will play well against the latte of the dresses. http://www.flowers.pacificcallas.com/pea...
If you are also having any arrangements made have them done in all 3 colors - buttercream, burgundy and the peach. What you will end up with is going to be an almost 'fire or flame' look with the peach and burgundy and the softness of the buttercream to break it up.
Reply:I really like the color of the flowers in your bouquet, I think that it complements your dress. As for the bridesmaids, I wouldn't go with the orange. Maybe a cream cala lilly? I personally think that the orange clashes with the latte. Good luck!
Reply:Not digging the orange and burgundy...you already have 2 colors in the dress...accent with ribbons and a more mellow colored flower...orange is very over powering. Do you want them to see you and the beautiful dress or be staring at the orange/burgundy flowers?
I'd regroup and check back with the florist...tell her you don't like it and see what else she comes up with! Those are not your only choices...
Good luck
Reply:Love the dresses, just beautiful! The burgundy would be a good contrast for your dress, but not the mango or orange for the girl's dresses! I would try again. Maybe you could get a swatch of fabric or material to take with you and see what you like or what is the best coordinating shade! Good luck!
Reply:I think that color combo sounds sharp, but if you don't like it get something else. Start with what colors you like and go from there. Your dresses are neutral so really they will match with anything.
Reply:I don't like the orange flowers at all. If you have a favorite flower go with that. You could go buy a few different colors of the flower you like and then compare them with the dress to see which you like best.
Reply:I love your dress, the bridesmaids dress, and your flowers. Like most everyone else said, I am not wild about the orange mango color. I would go with a cream to match with the bridesmaids dresses or you could even go with a pale pink. You want the guests to be paying attention to you and I think the orange shouts out "look at me"! I am sure you can get the calla lillies in a different shade. Just tell your florist you aren't liking the orange and you need something that is going to blend better. Good luck and best wishes!
Reply:The dresses are beautiful and the burgundy lilies are pretty, but the mango is overpowering...really overpowering considering the elegance of the dresses. Why not call your contact at the carriage house and ask her/him what has worked for other September brides in the past? Mums are fall flowers and hold up well even in temperature extremes. Also, they come in a wide variety of colors, are less expensive, and would go well with the burgundy lilies.
Don't get discouraged! Get creative!
Bad Breath
I kind of want a wedding now... Advice?
My fiance's cousin got married on May 10, and after seeing her wedding pictures, I want a wedding too. My fiance says it's ok, but we'll have to change the date to sometime in 2010 so we can save the money. We are very prepared to do this, in my opinion it will give us plenty of time and I won't have so much to stress about at once (moving to another state, getting married 13 days later, etc.) But, since it's my idea, I'm in charge of the planning. My questions are:
1) What are some good months to have an afternoon outdoor wedding (anytime between 4 and 6 pm)?
2) Here are two different budgets we are looking at: $5000 and $10,000. We want to have a photographer, caterer, around 300 or 400 guests, officiant, venue, florist, invitations, dress, tux, 6 attendants each, hair, nails, make up,and all that fancy jazz. Can anybody lay out the two budgets for me?
3) Any neat ideas? Fun things. Things we like are: butterflies, fairies, flowers, nature, thing like that.
Thanks in advance!
I kind of want a wedding now... Advice?
Hi. Wow! You have done a 360 from wanting an elopement to going to a 400 guest wedding! That is quite the turnaround.
Anyway....with everything you want, I think you will need more than $10K.
I agree with the other poster who said to decide what things you want to splurge on.....then go down the list from there.
My biggest suggestion is to make out a spreadsheet. Decide what you absolutely will NOT do without....maybe that's a $1500 dress.....or maybe its a great photographer....whatever. Just decide what you want and lay it all out. You have lots of time to look at venues, go to bridal shows, etc.
It's really hard for any of us to layout a budget for you, because it all depends on what things cost in your particular area. I live in a rural area where you can get things cheaper. If you live in a medium-large city....it's going to cost.
Just do a lot of research....look at lots of options regarding venues, etc. Go on theknot.com and look up vendors in your area....or search the yellow pages!
Good luck.
Reply:depending on where you are located I dont think you can do a 300-400 guest wedding on either of those budgets..... catering alone is usually 20-50 per plate.. so for 300 guests thats 6000-15000... Djs are usually 600-1000 photographers are 1500-3000 invitations are going to be around 200 etc... So maybe you could scale down your list or get a bigger budget
Reply:if you like butterflies i know someone had their wedding in a butterfly garden. of course it was inside but if i'm correct there was no fee.
Reply:You cannot feed 400-500 people for 10,000.
Reply:Well for what you want youre going to NEED a bigger budget unless you skimp on a lot!
Catering is the Biggest expense and for 400 people it's going to be WAY expensive. I'm only having 100 guests and my bill for food is $4000!
Youre going to have to pick what youre willing to splurge on and what you can skimp on. Dont have a June wedding prices are much more expensive then!
Goodluck and SAVE UP!
Reply:To help you figure out what money should be allotted where, here is a rough estimate of the percentage for your budget:
Let's use the $10,000 one so you can see it in numbers:
Reception: food and venue 40% = $4000
Photography: 15% = $1500
Stationary/Invitations etc: 3% = $300
DJ/Music: 6 %= $600
Flowers 12%= $1200
Wedding attire: 10% = $1000
Misc: (Wedding consultant,Wedding Rings,Attendants gifts, Marriage License, Rehearsal dinner, Transportation, Church, Venue fees,Officiant fees,Favors) : 14% = $1400
If you can fit everything into these percentages then you can do the wedding for your prospective budget.
best wishes...............
Reply:do yourself a favor and ask this question what are the 3 most important things? then spend the most on that and everything else will fall into place"you really don't want to spend allot of money on things you don't care about but think your guest will believe me they won't. (get entertainment like dancers to get people dancing and learning new moves or magicians to walk around to the tables to add some other type of fun.)
Good luck !! remember don't get stuck into details have fun!!!!
Reply:Hi a good month would be mid july, you could hire a marquee if you have a large garden or know someone who has and hire outside caterers. As you like butterflies you could have a tall foliage display in glass vases on the tables dotted with your choice of flowers and some glittery butterflies entwined. You could have a fairy and a pixie for the bride and groom on top of your cake. I don't know about american prices but my wedding cost £5,000 and we only had 40 guests in the day and 100 in the evening reception and I was careful with the budget. I think you would have to cut back in some areas maybe??
Reply:First, the months will be dependant on your area/climate, but I think the safest outside months for most places are late summer/early fall. The weather usually is drier so there is less chance for rain.
Second, for the number of guests you want to include you will probably have to go with the $10K budget, although a less extravagant wedding can be done for the lower budget. My wedding was 225 guests and was well under $10k.
Start looking into wedding websites for ideas. (theknot.com is a good one) With the amount of time you have to plan, you'll be able to make the most of your budget.
Photographer: Shop around and book early. This way you'll avoid any possible rate increases.
Caterer: Tell them upfront that you want to make the most of your budget. The good ones willl be able to help you make the most affordable choices.
Venue: If you're doing it outside, it would be most beneficial to have the wedding/reception at the same place, cutting costs. If it's a larger outside area, you could have guests move to a "cocktail area" while your pictures are being done (which would be a stand/mingle affair) while you have people move the wedding ceremony seats to the reception tables. This would cut down on chair rentals.
Florist: Go with flowers that are in season, they're cheaper and being "seasonal" they'll accent your wedding day wonderfully.
Invitations: Don't go extravagant, people rarely care what the invite looks or feels like. There are several good programs for making your own that are just as good as any you can have professionally made for a fraction of the cost.
Dress: Start shopping for a dress now. I actually got my dress before I was even officially engaged! I found the dress I loved in a bridal shop that was going out of business for under $200! If you shop David's Bridal on their sales, you're bound to find something you love.
Tux: Most tux rental places give the groom's tux free--when the rest of the bridal party rents theirs there, usually it's a 5 tux rental minimum.
Attendants: They buy their own attire. You buy them a gift. Again, your planning early enough that you can pick up things here and there from now until the wedding. I gave my girls their jewelry (which I found on sale during a Christmas sale at Dillards), jewelry boxes (again, this was an after Christmas sale), and Bath and Body Works lotions/bodywash in their favorite scents.
Hair: Check online sites (like ebay) for your head piece or veil. There are amazing deals out there. Have your normal stylist do your hair. They're used to working with it and probably won't be tempted to charge you a ton.
Nails: Eh, that's $30. Not bad.
MakeUp: Unless you rarely wear makeup, just do your own. You'll look more like yourself and feel comfortable in it. It's Your sheer wedding day radiance that makes brides beautiful, not their make up artist. If you definitely want someone else to do your makeup look up your local Mary Kay rep. They're usually all about doing wedding day make up, especially if it means a potential future sale.
Third, definitely play up the season for your decor. If you choose fall, decorate with gourds/pumpkins/etc. If it's late summer use whatever flowers are in season. Again, the wedding planning sites will be very helpful with unique ideas.
Finally, good luck and most of all--have fun planning! You'll find that this time is so magical. :)
1) What are some good months to have an afternoon outdoor wedding (anytime between 4 and 6 pm)?
2) Here are two different budgets we are looking at: $5000 and $10,000. We want to have a photographer, caterer, around 300 or 400 guests, officiant, venue, florist, invitations, dress, tux, 6 attendants each, hair, nails, make up,and all that fancy jazz. Can anybody lay out the two budgets for me?
3) Any neat ideas? Fun things. Things we like are: butterflies, fairies, flowers, nature, thing like that.
Thanks in advance!
I kind of want a wedding now... Advice?
Hi. Wow! You have done a 360 from wanting an elopement to going to a 400 guest wedding! That is quite the turnaround.
Anyway....with everything you want, I think you will need more than $10K.
I agree with the other poster who said to decide what things you want to splurge on.....then go down the list from there.
My biggest suggestion is to make out a spreadsheet. Decide what you absolutely will NOT do without....maybe that's a $1500 dress.....or maybe its a great photographer....whatever. Just decide what you want and lay it all out. You have lots of time to look at venues, go to bridal shows, etc.
It's really hard for any of us to layout a budget for you, because it all depends on what things cost in your particular area. I live in a rural area where you can get things cheaper. If you live in a medium-large city....it's going to cost.
Just do a lot of research....look at lots of options regarding venues, etc. Go on theknot.com and look up vendors in your area....or search the yellow pages!
Good luck.
Reply:depending on where you are located I dont think you can do a 300-400 guest wedding on either of those budgets..... catering alone is usually 20-50 per plate.. so for 300 guests thats 6000-15000... Djs are usually 600-1000 photographers are 1500-3000 invitations are going to be around 200 etc... So maybe you could scale down your list or get a bigger budget
Reply:if you like butterflies i know someone had their wedding in a butterfly garden. of course it was inside but if i'm correct there was no fee.
Reply:You cannot feed 400-500 people for 10,000.
Reply:Well for what you want youre going to NEED a bigger budget unless you skimp on a lot!
Catering is the Biggest expense and for 400 people it's going to be WAY expensive. I'm only having 100 guests and my bill for food is $4000!
Youre going to have to pick what youre willing to splurge on and what you can skimp on. Dont have a June wedding prices are much more expensive then!
Goodluck and SAVE UP!
Reply:To help you figure out what money should be allotted where, here is a rough estimate of the percentage for your budget:
Let's use the $10,000 one so you can see it in numbers:
Reception: food and venue 40% = $4000
Photography: 15% = $1500
Stationary/Invitations etc: 3% = $300
DJ/Music: 6 %= $600
Flowers 12%= $1200
Wedding attire: 10% = $1000
Misc: (Wedding consultant,Wedding Rings,Attendants gifts, Marriage License, Rehearsal dinner, Transportation, Church, Venue fees,Officiant fees,Favors) : 14% = $1400
If you can fit everything into these percentages then you can do the wedding for your prospective budget.
best wishes...............
Reply:do yourself a favor and ask this question what are the 3 most important things? then spend the most on that and everything else will fall into place"you really don't want to spend allot of money on things you don't care about but think your guest will believe me they won't. (get entertainment like dancers to get people dancing and learning new moves or magicians to walk around to the tables to add some other type of fun.)
Good luck !! remember don't get stuck into details have fun!!!!
Reply:Hi a good month would be mid july, you could hire a marquee if you have a large garden or know someone who has and hire outside caterers. As you like butterflies you could have a tall foliage display in glass vases on the tables dotted with your choice of flowers and some glittery butterflies entwined. You could have a fairy and a pixie for the bride and groom on top of your cake. I don't know about american prices but my wedding cost £5,000 and we only had 40 guests in the day and 100 in the evening reception and I was careful with the budget. I think you would have to cut back in some areas maybe??
Reply:First, the months will be dependant on your area/climate, but I think the safest outside months for most places are late summer/early fall. The weather usually is drier so there is less chance for rain.
Second, for the number of guests you want to include you will probably have to go with the $10K budget, although a less extravagant wedding can be done for the lower budget. My wedding was 225 guests and was well under $10k.
Start looking into wedding websites for ideas. (theknot.com is a good one) With the amount of time you have to plan, you'll be able to make the most of your budget.
Photographer: Shop around and book early. This way you'll avoid any possible rate increases.
Caterer: Tell them upfront that you want to make the most of your budget. The good ones willl be able to help you make the most affordable choices.
Venue: If you're doing it outside, it would be most beneficial to have the wedding/reception at the same place, cutting costs. If it's a larger outside area, you could have guests move to a "cocktail area" while your pictures are being done (which would be a stand/mingle affair) while you have people move the wedding ceremony seats to the reception tables. This would cut down on chair rentals.
Florist: Go with flowers that are in season, they're cheaper and being "seasonal" they'll accent your wedding day wonderfully.
Invitations: Don't go extravagant, people rarely care what the invite looks or feels like. There are several good programs for making your own that are just as good as any you can have professionally made for a fraction of the cost.
Dress: Start shopping for a dress now. I actually got my dress before I was even officially engaged! I found the dress I loved in a bridal shop that was going out of business for under $200! If you shop David's Bridal on their sales, you're bound to find something you love.
Tux: Most tux rental places give the groom's tux free--when the rest of the bridal party rents theirs there, usually it's a 5 tux rental minimum.
Attendants: They buy their own attire. You buy them a gift. Again, your planning early enough that you can pick up things here and there from now until the wedding. I gave my girls their jewelry (which I found on sale during a Christmas sale at Dillards), jewelry boxes (again, this was an after Christmas sale), and Bath and Body Works lotions/bodywash in their favorite scents.
Hair: Check online sites (like ebay) for your head piece or veil. There are amazing deals out there. Have your normal stylist do your hair. They're used to working with it and probably won't be tempted to charge you a ton.
Nails: Eh, that's $30. Not bad.
MakeUp: Unless you rarely wear makeup, just do your own. You'll look more like yourself and feel comfortable in it. It's Your sheer wedding day radiance that makes brides beautiful, not their make up artist. If you definitely want someone else to do your makeup look up your local Mary Kay rep. They're usually all about doing wedding day make up, especially if it means a potential future sale.
Third, definitely play up the season for your decor. If you choose fall, decorate with gourds/pumpkins/etc. If it's late summer use whatever flowers are in season. Again, the wedding planning sites will be very helpful with unique ideas.
Finally, good luck and most of all--have fun planning! You'll find that this time is so magical. :)
Would these flowers be good for my wedding?
i asked this in weddings and someone told me i should ask here as well so here goes :)
ever since we got engaged we've been talking of doing japanese irises for the wedding. my mom has been on my back about it ever since. she swears that they will look bad because they dont last long, but i know if we get them from a florist then she will most likely get them in bud form and then it will be about 2 days to bloom and will last about 3-4 days before wilting (we bought some from a florist for valentines and thats how we got them, so i'd assume the professionals would get the same).
anywho, do you think this will be an issue? our wedding is may 2, so they would be in season. my dress is accented with victorian lilac and the bridesmaids will be in that color as well (maybe a shade lighter, we havent decided yet). i REALLY wanted irises but now i'm terrified i'll have dead flowers.
if not, are there other dainty purple flowers like that? we figured we'd pair them with white roses
Would these flowers be good for my wedding?
Iris are used in bridal bouquets but work with a florist! And I'd also have other flowers in the bouquet. Do a google search (iris in wedding bouquets).....I suspect you'll come up with some pictures. You may have to settle for another type of iris ....but it's still a lovely, if not picky to work with flower.
Fresh flowers are lovely and traditional, but top quality silk might be an alternative. Actually whenever I'm asked to do a bouquet with stephanotis, I always have silk ones handy just in case since the real McCoys are soooo tender and difficult to work with.
Reply:Japanese Iris' would be exquisite with your dress and white roses. Why not also consider adding lilacs for color and scent? If you work with a reputable florist, they will know how to keep the blooms looking fresh. Go for what you love, it's your day!
ever since we got engaged we've been talking of doing japanese irises for the wedding. my mom has been on my back about it ever since. she swears that they will look bad because they dont last long, but i know if we get them from a florist then she will most likely get them in bud form and then it will be about 2 days to bloom and will last about 3-4 days before wilting (we bought some from a florist for valentines and thats how we got them, so i'd assume the professionals would get the same).
anywho, do you think this will be an issue? our wedding is may 2, so they would be in season. my dress is accented with victorian lilac and the bridesmaids will be in that color as well (maybe a shade lighter, we havent decided yet). i REALLY wanted irises but now i'm terrified i'll have dead flowers.
if not, are there other dainty purple flowers like that? we figured we'd pair them with white roses
Would these flowers be good for my wedding?
Iris are used in bridal bouquets but work with a florist! And I'd also have other flowers in the bouquet. Do a google search (iris in wedding bouquets).....I suspect you'll come up with some pictures. You may have to settle for another type of iris ....but it's still a lovely, if not picky to work with flower.
Fresh flowers are lovely and traditional, but top quality silk might be an alternative. Actually whenever I'm asked to do a bouquet with stephanotis, I always have silk ones handy just in case since the real McCoys are soooo tender and difficult to work with.
Reply:Japanese Iris' would be exquisite with your dress and white roses. Why not also consider adding lilacs for color and scent? If you work with a reputable florist, they will know how to keep the blooms looking fresh. Go for what you love, it's your day!
Are there any florists out there? What makes a oriental lily turn brown around the edges?
Our wedding bouquets were horrible, the edges were brown and the flowers were withered. We are taking them to small claims court but I would like as much info as possible. They tried to tell us it was because of the humidity..........our wedding was on a fall crisp day.......funny.
Are there any florists out there? What makes a oriental lily turn brown around the edges?
As a gardener, you got old flowers (most likely), or flowers that weren't kept in water.
Probably she got the shipment too early, and didn't keep in a cooler. A natural part of aging is that they turn brown, wither and die. Also she might not have recut the stems after receiving them from her supplier. That would hurt water intake.
Oriental lilies naturally bloom in the summer, so I bet it was a supplier issue that she didn't deal with correctly.
Reply:A lot of times it could have been the air that caused the edges to turn brown. Stephanotis' do the same thing as soon as the air hits them then they start to turn brown. the best way to prove your case is to probably get a flower book at book store like hastings and look it up. the lilies also could have been bruised by just brushing up on them as they are very delicate flowers. either the florist would have done it or during transport or even during the wedding. Were the flowers refrigerated till right before you used them? So there are a couple of reasons they might have gone slightly withered. Most florists at least the one that I worked at try very hard to make sure that kind of thing doesnt happen or atleast tells the bride that they have a tendancy to do so.
Are there any florists out there? What makes a oriental lily turn brown around the edges?
As a gardener, you got old flowers (most likely), or flowers that weren't kept in water.
Probably she got the shipment too early, and didn't keep in a cooler. A natural part of aging is that they turn brown, wither and die. Also she might not have recut the stems after receiving them from her supplier. That would hurt water intake.
Oriental lilies naturally bloom in the summer, so I bet it was a supplier issue that she didn't deal with correctly.
Reply:A lot of times it could have been the air that caused the edges to turn brown. Stephanotis' do the same thing as soon as the air hits them then they start to turn brown. the best way to prove your case is to probably get a flower book at book store like hastings and look it up. the lilies also could have been bruised by just brushing up on them as they are very delicate flowers. either the florist would have done it or during transport or even during the wedding. Were the flowers refrigerated till right before you used them? So there are a couple of reasons they might have gone slightly withered. Most florists at least the one that I worked at try very hard to make sure that kind of thing doesnt happen or atleast tells the bride that they have a tendancy to do so.
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