Don't hide behind a veil your entire wedding day. Learn the way to healthy, vibrant skin.
- DermaStore Great discounts (I love this site!)
- Murad Acne Skin Care
Plan the wedding of your dreams while sticking to a budget!
Savvy couples are looking for any way to cut wedding costs - and rightfully so. Shelling out nearly $30,000 to host a party in these tough economic times just feels frivolous and wasteful. But sorry brides and grooms, a cash bar is never an acceptable money-saving solution. Think about it this way: would you ever charge your pals three dollars every time they grabbed another beer at your Superbowl party? People at your wedding reception are still your guests, even if the event is not held in your house (like said Superbowl party), so they shouldn't be asked to pay for anything while there. Also keep in mind that, unlike the Superbowl party, many guests will have likely traveled and paid for a hotel room - not to mention a wedding gift - in order to attend your wedding. While the wedding ceremony is all about you, the wedding reception is about thanking your guests for celebrating in your nuptials.
Some couples think providing non-alcoholic beverages gratis while charging guests who wish to upgrade to an alcoholic beverage is perfectly acceptable, but here's another analogy: Imagine serving all of your wedding guests free soup for dinner at your reception. Now imagine offering optional lobster tail, but forcing those who wish to eat lobster instead of soup to shell out $30 for their meal. Surely you can see why this shouldn't be done. You should never offer anything that you can't afford at a party you're hosting - and then expect your guest to purchase it.
If a four or five-hour open bar is not within your budget, there are plenty of less-costly alternatives that won't offend your guests:
**Recommended Online Wedding Sites**
About the Author: Cori Russell is editor for Elegala.com and Gala Weddings Magazine. Elegala.com is a complete Weddings, Wedding Planning resource with a national directory of wedding venues and services, how-to guides, photo galleries, checklists, and expert advice to walk brides through every step of the wedding planning process.
No matter what your budget is you can have a great Rehearsal dinner if you use a little ingenuity and imagination. Contrary to what you may think it doesn't have to be formal or even a sit down dinner. The idea is for close friends and family of the happy couple to have one last get-together before the big event.
The great thing about a Rehearsal Dinner is that there are no set rules. Depending on your personality and budget you can create any type of dinner party you want.
Traditionally the Rehearsal Dinner is hosted by the groom's parents. But it is now becoming more common for the bride and groom to host their own dinner.
If you are throwing your own party, here are some ideas you might want to consider.
Formal Party A formal Dinner is nice if you are having a small party for twenty people or less. You can host the party at your favorite resturant. Usually you allow your guests to order off the menu.
Pizza Party This is a fun idea for groups who want a very casual party. The party can be hosted at a friends home or at your favorite pizza parlor. A great way to relax with your guests before the formal wedding.
Here are some cunning ways I've found to source cheap gifts for your loved ones without resorting to taffeta bags of almonds...
How to find cheap wedding favors for your guests:
Look into stores that are going out of business and ask for a discount price on the last of all of one stock. I recently found ninety mini plaques with inspiring quotes on them for $1.50 each - down from $10 a piece!
Buy in bulk from a wholesaler. Look for retail wholesale suppliers for bulk candy or chocolate and hotel suppliers for mini soaps etc. You may be able to place a one-off order or find a friend who owns a cafe, restaurant or motel who can arrange the order for you.
Look on eBay/TradeMe or Etsy for bulk deals and end-of-lines from wholesalers and retailers. Be wary of trying to match colours you see on a computer screen to your fabric samples though- it seldom works! (spray paint does though...)
Head out after Christmas and look for sales. Look for discounted "gourmet" cookies. You can either use the cookies as-is on your table or pull them apart and repackage the presents. Last year I got twelve packs of Christmas crackers worth $35 for under $5 — that's less than fifty cents per favor. Or look for cheap chocolates (check they don't expire before the wedding date), candy and fudges.
The super cunning can also buy cheap marked down christmas cake to have handy if you don't quite have enough slices of wedding cake to go around. A large iced Christmas cake bought in Januray sets me back about $5, lasts for another six to eight months and can save paying an extra $100 for another tier on the wedding cake. I'm keeping an iced fruit cake handy for fussy purists who wont like my awesome chocolate cake.
Gift baskets are often on sale after January too. Look at the contents and see if you can pull the basket apart and repackage the gifts — mismatched favors wrapped in complementary wrapping paper (or wallpaper) make for a unique centrepiece too.
Cheap jewelry stores often have bargain bins full of out-of-season jewelry. Take to them with a set of pliers and you have some fabulous embellishments for centrepieces or favors.
Consider buying a whole roll of cellophane from a florist to wrap up your favors. It's far cheaper than buying single sheets and you can use the cellophane for future Christmas and birthday presents too.
Instead of fancy handmade boxes, pick up some white paper sweet bags from your local dairy or sweet shop and decorate them with stamps or preprinted stickers. You can seal them with a sticker, sealing wax or ribbon and they can double as name place tags too.
Recommended Online Sources