Got any wedding planning advice?

[TheProphetess]

The Prophet and I are getting married on September 3rd and we have been trying very hard to be budget-friendly while also planning something nice for a celebration.

Here's what we have so far. We're having an early wedding ceremony followed by a very nice brunch. We are saving a ton of money by having an early brunch rather than a dinner. We're also saving by not having alcohol since it's too early in the day to get all liquored up.
I bought my dress off the rack for $150 - it's not your traditional wedding dress but it is very lovely. He'll rent a tux.

We have professional photographers for the ceremony only plus two additional locations (there is a beautiful castle nearby for photos). We've decided to have our guests help us take candid photos at the reception instead of paying for professional shots there. Our reception hall has a great sound system and will pipe in music during the brunch rather than us paying for a DJ or band.

We are printing our own invitations with those kits they sell everywhere nowadays. I'm doing all of the flowers - I have some craft experience and made all of the flowers for a friend's wedding a few years ago. Plus, I'm making my own veil since the craft stores sell kits for that, too.

Right now we're cake shopping and also looking for someone to play music during our ceremony (which will be performed by the Prophet's mother since she is a minister).

What am I missing? Does anyone have any good advice to offer? Any good or bad experiences to share? I have to admit that I've been quite preoccupied with getting all of the details ironed out. We've only got 2 1/2 months to go! :)

[nickgutierrez]

1. I'm not going to be much help...

But I'll offer my congratulations to you both! :bounce:

[TheProphetess]

2. Thanks very much!

:hi:

We're excited but it's all so overwhelming. We thought very seriously about eloping but we really want to be able to celebrate the day with our loved ones.

[Left Is Write]

3. I did a wedding on a budget...

but I'm off to bed soon, so I'll PM you tomorrow.

Nice to see you around! I asked after you the other day.

[TheProphetess]

8. I'd appreciate your advice

Thanks in advance for the PM.

I've been literally up to my neck in wedding planning (we just decided to try to get married this year rather than next and it turned out that September 3rd was available so now I'm scrambling to get it all under control). Thanks for asking about me! :hi:

[TlalocW]

4. My only advice is based on...

If you have family or friends trying to pressure you into doing something their way.

Since it's your wedding, and you seem to be paying for all of it, then no one has any say.

That may seem like obvious advice, but I've seen weddings - not ruined but... made unpleasant because someone thought that whatever plans for the wedding didn't apply to them like bringing young children where the invitations clearly said no one under 6, etc. Whether you have kids at your wedding is up to you of course. This is just an example.

TlalocW

[TheProphetess]

10. That's great advice

And I've actually heard several times the phrase "it's your wedding, but..." from my oldest sister (we have a strained relationship anyway).

I finally told her to stop - if it's my wedding, then let me make my decisions and please stop telling me how much you hate them. The truth is that she'll get over it if I choose a bridal shower favor that she doesn't like; I'll still be thinking years later about how annoyed I was that she fought every decision I made.

And, for the record, you are right - the Prophet and I are paying for everything ourselves. My mother is throwing a bridal shower for me but that's it. Our parents don't have the money to help out and we really don't want to burden them anyway. So, it's budget, budget, budget! :)

[fortyfeetunder]

5. A cool idea I saw at a cousin's wedding

He and his beloved had a very simple gathering, and what his now wife did was framed a picture of the two of them with black mat, and provided silver and gold pens for people to sign their names on it. I saw it the last time I visited and the results were awesome.

Otherwise, I think you have all of the bases covered. Are you providing any gifts to the wedding party and to the Prophet's mom?

[driver8]

6. My wife and I did that, also...the photo is hanging up in our house.

It is great to re-read what everyone wrote to us on that day.

[friesianrider]

7. YES! These are GORGEOUS!

My boyfriend's sister got married two years ago and they had their engagement photo blown up and matted in black. Everyone wrote a short little note of congratulations/best wishes and their names - in silver pen. They still have it in their new home, and it looks gorgeous.

[TheProphetess]

12. I like that idea!

The personalized picture frame sounds very nice. We may just add that to our list. Thanks! :hi:

Yes, we are buying gifts for the attendants and my future mother-in-law. We've got a small wedding party: our best friends as best man and matron of honor, my 14-year-old niece (walking alone) and my 8-year-old goddaughter as flower girl walking with my 8-year-old nephew as the ring bearer. We bought the young ones gift certificates from Build-A-Bear Workshop plus little wedding outfits for their bears. We're going to get my niece a gift certificate from her favorite store in the mall. And we have to come up with something personal for our best friends.

I'm not sure what to give the Prophet's mother - I was thinking something religious but I really have no solid idea. Any suggestions? ;)

[fortyfeetunder]

13. gift ideas

Gift certificate to a spa, or a religious gift store.

There is a poem for MIL's, which is really sweet, my aunt got one, if I can find it, I'll PM you on it.

[TheProphetess]

24. Good ideas

And thanks for the heads-up on the MIL poem. If you find it and don't mind sharing, I would appreciate it. :)

[BeTheChange]

33. Here are a few...

This one is noted for a Minister/Pastor:

You’ve shared your thoughts on marriage
and what our life together brings,
you’ve helped us in each other see
the most important things.

For we’ve seen within your own life
what it takes to understand
that life is filled with more than just
exciting wedding plans.

You’ve shown us that this sacrament
is one that’s shared by two,
a bond that lasts a lifetime
and with God sees us through.

We are so very grateful
and now feel more prepared
to journey through our lives ahead
because of all you’ve shared.

Thank you for your counsel
and your guidance too,
our day is made more special
because we’ve shared our vows with you.

Thank you for everything.

www.weddinghankies.com has more- however, their prices for the actual product are ridiculous.

As you can see, Im a little wedding obsessed still. Its great to pass on all this stored up knowledge that Ill never get to use again :)

[TheProphetess]

35. Great!

Thanks again - I'm glad that you have lots of stored up knowledge to share!! :)

[mykpart]

15. You're getting a gift for the groom's mother?

I didn't know you were supposed to do that. Maybe be I'll get a gift next year.

[TheProphetess]

22. Only because she's our minister

So, we're going to give her a little gift of thanks.

[BeTheChange]

17. I got my MIL a monogrammed hankie

She is a pastor's wife.. so it worked well.


http://www.thelaceshop.com/

That site has great prices. Ours had her initials on one corner and our wedding date on the other. Optionally, you could have a special message, or even a cross..

[TheProphetess]

26. Thanks for the link

That sounds very nice - I'll tell the Prophet about it so we can get some ideas.

[mykpart]

9. If you are expecting a lot of guests with small children,

it might be a good idea to have some babysitters & activities for the little ones. My son is getting married next year, and I hope he and his fiance will be as wise as you about their wedding plans.

[TheProphetess]

28. We think there will only be a few young ones

Probably 5 kids around the 8- to 10-year-old range and 2 little 3-year-olds. I had read some advice about having little activity books or coloring books with crayons and little bags of Teddy Grahams at their place settings to help keep them busy and out of their parents' hair. Sounds like good advice.

Good luck on your son's wedding! I highly recommend the book "Bridal Bargains" by Denise and Alan Fields - there are great tips on saving money. Even if money isn't an issue, there's just no reason to pay extra for things just because the wedding industry tells us we should. :)

(Edited for spelling.)

[DemBones DemBones]

11. It sounds like you've got things well under control.

For my daughter's wedding, I found a local woman who bakes cakes for weddings and other occasions in her home. It's a hobby that pays her some money and she did a beautiful (and delicious) cake for a very reasonable price. I'm not sure how I got her name but it was by word of mouth from someone I knew or by asking around, perhaps at the florist's. I met with her -- I was doing this because my daughter wasn't here until the day before her wedding -- and chose the cake style from a photo album of her wedding cakes. Maybe you can find a cake specialist that way. For my own wedding, I ordered from a small local bakery but that was in a larger city and there were no bakeries of that sort here. I'll bet a home baker would have been cheaper, though! But it was a great cake -- my husband still talks about how good it was.

For musicians, try contacting local music stores or college music departments and asking for suggestions.

Best of luck and best wishes!

[TheProphetess]

31. Thanks for the ideas

We've talked with two cake bakers recently and we have an appointment with another tomorrow. Luckily, we live in a small town and the prices tend to be reasonable. I did sample cakes at a bridal show a few months ago - the one that was $1.25 per piece tasted just as good as the one that was $2.50 per piece!

We're also in a college town so your idea about music departments is a good one - thanks!! :)

[Swede]

14. Run away,then pretend your kidnapped,then sign a $1/2 million contract.

Nice nest egg to start your marriage.

[TheProphetess]

32. LOL

I think the Prophet wouldn't be very forgiving if I pretended to be kidnapped to avoid getting married to him! :D

[BeTheChange]

16. I was just married April 30th...

I did all of my own flowers. I used both www.marisolblooms.com and www.freshroses.com. Id recommend fresh roses in a heart beat. The price was fabulous and the flowers were so beautiful. Marisol blooms gave me some problems customer service wise.. but the flowers did get there and were very nice. Marisol is probably a tad bit cheaper.

I dont know if you are doing a champagne toast, but you can cut the price by doing mimosas. They would fit great into a brunch wedding.

In regards to a veil.. sometimes bunching the top and attaching it to a comb can be a bit tricky. Im sure you will do beautifully.. however, you can often get veils for so cheap on ebay that you may want to save yourself the hassle.

For music, contact your local college's music department. They can usually help you out with very reasonably priced student musicians.

Another signature book/ signature mat idea... we got a platter from celebrationplates.com. However, they are pretty pricey. If you are crafty, you can go to a paint your own pottery outlet and design your own, then purchase porcelin pens that your guests can use to sign it. Bring it back to the pottery place after to get it fired. I dont know if we will actually end up doing it.. but I love the idea that on our wedding anniversaries and special holidays, we could use the platter to serve our meal. Id also be fine just having it displayed in the kitchen.. which I feel is the center of a home :)

If you dont have any favor ideas currently, nix the whole thing. Most people dont really care about favors. For my shower, the bms made lavendar sachets for dirt cheap. You can get bulk dried lavendar from http://www.save-on-crafts.com

My only advice is that if there is any way you can swing it.. get the professional photographer for atleast the ceremony and some of the reception. They dont have to stay all the way till the exit, maybe till just after the cake cutting... I know it is an expense, but I just got my pictures back and I missed so much during the excitement of the day, Im so glad to be able to see those moments. The cameras that we had on the tables as well as the pics we got from guests arent exactly what I was expecting. If you do get guests to help, maybe make it into a game, give each of them a treasure hunt list that is different so you can be assured you arent stuck with 30 million pics of your first dance. Maybe 10 things a piece like:
A pic of the longest married couple.
A pic of the bride and groom when they think nobody's looking
A pic of the groom laughing
A Pic of the bride and her mom
..etc.

Above all, it will be perfect and beautiful no matter what. I was a diy bride and alot of it was because of the money.. but also because Im a control freak. If I had it all to do over, I would have deligated more and done alot less diy.

[TheProphetess]

34. Congratulations!

I appreciate your advice - it's always nice to hear from experience.

Great idea about eBay veils - I never even thought about that! I love the idea of the pottery plate and we actually have a pottery place just down the street, so that's a very doable idea.

We're not doing favors at the reception but my sister is insisting on buying/putting together favors for the bridal shower. I picked out small silver picture frames so that people can re-use them later on. We found them at a discount craft store for 50 cents each. They're actually very pretty. She's going to type our names and the wedding date on paper to insert into the frames.

I actually was considering having the photographer come to the reception hall very briefly for the reasons you mentioned. We're meeting with her next week so I'll see if she'll work with us on that. As for the guests taking pictures, we decided not to do the disposable cameras because, as you said, you get tons of the same picture. We are asking about 5 people that we know are very good picture-takers to take photos for us - they're digital so we can just print what we want. I like your scavenger hunt idea very much - thanks again! :hi:

[BeTheChange]

37. winkflash.com

My last piece of advice.. heh, unless you need anything.. feel free to pm me.

One of the conditions we had when hiring a photographer was that we got to keep our negatives. We bought a digital film scanner and it's been a blast recropping, adjusting colors and contrasts as well as doing some of the artsy stuff like having isolated color on a black and white background.

In anycase, I sent pictures to several online photo developing places and the best price and the best pictures we got back were from winkflash.com. 4x6s were .12! I then printed a couple hundred pics for family and friends, and ones to insert in christmas cards of various people at our wedding. Wink flash did an amazing job at a very reasonable price.

If you want to go the extra mile, mpix.com does a BEAUTIFUL job on pictures.. you can even do metallic paper which can really make a picture pop. I'm trying to decide what pics we want to blow up currently. Im loving the idea of making our bedroom the picture room. We were blessed and our photographer took so many pictures, I cant just pick one to hang up around the house and I think maybe a million pics of us all over the place may be a bit egotistical. However, in the bedroom, I cant imagine a better way to wake up then surrounded by the most important days of our lives. One day we will add family pictures, pictures of our children.. etc.

Okay okay.. Im done now.

I wish you the best of luck and an absolutely amazing day.

[TheProphetess]

39. Seriously, thank you very much

I have been researching ways to save money for so long now that I actually dream about stuff I have to do, should be doing, etc. I never turn away from advice! I will definitely look into winkflash.com - it sounds great. :)

[Phentex]

49. Very good advice....

I had friends who did the cameras on the table thing and got the same results. Not worth it.

However, I had one friend with a good camera and a good eye who took pictures unbeknownst to me. Those turned out to be some of our best shots! She got one of us leaving the reception that I truly love. AND the paid photographer had some film trouble right at that moment and lost the shot completely.

[Floogeldy]

18. I think you are doing an awesome job!

B-)

[TheProphetess]

23. Why thank you!

:hi:
It's nice to hear someone say that!

[Floogeldy]

27. There are so many wedding service vultures out there . . .

. . . trying to charge people thousands and thousands of dollars for things that really have nothing to do with the family, beauty, sincerity and solemnization of the marital bonds.

It appears that you have intelligently and masterfully avoided them.

I salute you! :)

[TheProphetess]

29. Wow - thanks!

:blush:
I have to give credit to a book that's been a great resource in terms of saving money (see post #28). It's called Bridal Bargains by Denise and Alan Fields and it's helped me tremendously.

I had attended a bridal show at a local hotel and it just made me sick at the industry standards of pricing wedding-related items. The same dinner at a hotel for a family reunion would be quoted (more likely than not) at a much higher price if you said it was for a wedding reception. Gouge, gouge, gouge.

I'm a very frugal person and, frankly, we can't afford a huge gluttonous wedding that takes away from the moment (as you so eloquently said above). I told the Prophet all along that I just want a small gathering with our loved ones to celebrate our marriage. I really feel like that's what we're getting. :)

[free_spirit82]

19. September 3rd is my birthday!!

My only advice would be to elope...me and my hubby did it...it was lots of fun. ;)

[TheProphetess]

20. I was wondering when someone would tell us to elope instead

It is a very inviting idea...:)

On edit: And happy birthday in advance! :party:

[free_spirit82]

21. It was worth it for us

Because my family is neurotic, and I'm the only girl in the entire family; so I got a lot of "You HAVE to do it this way..." blah blah blah. We had a nice little ceremony, just the two of us and the judge, surrounded by flowers. It was nice. My family was livid. Ahhh...memories.

[Robeson]

25. Nope, not much help. My wife and I got married at the county court....

...clerk's office, then flew off to New Orleans to celebrate. When we got there, we telephoned our family, to let them know we had gotten married... :party:

[TheProphetess]

30. It's soooo tempting!

:evilgrin:

[Robeson]

36. Yes. And we eliminated all the family squabbles....

...Poof! In an instant.

[praxiz]

38. 45% of the wedding are the speeches

Another 45% is the dancing.

If you have a floor, and some people with the ability to stand up for several minutes at the time, you're pretty much golden.

[TheProphetess]

40. What's the other 10% again?

;) :hi:

[praxiz]

41. Remembering the bride`s name.

And otherwise not ruin her day.

[fleabert]

42. without looking ahead in the thread, I will say one thing...

ELOPE!

I also did not read your post yet. you asked for wedding advice, and that is the only advice I give about them. I wish we had, it was a pain in the ass for not much reward. Elope, then throw a big party when you get back.

now I will read your full post and see if I need to edit anything in ...

hmmmm...you have a pretty good handle on things. I think the serious advice given is quite good. I will just second the roses idea. that's what we had, and it looks awesome in the photos. and I will second getting the photog to stay for at least some of the reception. Actually, one of the best pics we have is of leaving the site, rose petals and bubbles all around us, and that was at the end...something to think about. Oh, and I suggest two cameras for the ceremony, otherwise you only get one perspective and usually dont' have any pics of your faces during the vows. Same goes for videographer.

Okay, I really lied, I have lots of advice...and my wedding was actually lovely, so I hear. I only remembered all the things that went wrong, until friends convinced me it was great, and then I got the pics. It was great, but it was a big fat pain too.

best advice I got: During the reception, you and dh SNEAK off and just take a few minutes by yourselves to relish the moment. People will not give you a rest, someone always wants to say hello, dance, kiss, congratulate, etc...; and while that is great, you will be amazed at how fast it flies by, and how little you remember even a few hours afterward - much less years! Stopping together for just five minutes and marveling at the fact that you are, indeed, married, is awesome. I remember that moment almost more than my vows. DON'T tell anyone you are going off to be alone. someone will find you. SNEAK AWAY.

[TheProphetess]

51. We thought about eloping last Labor Day actually

And now here we are getting married Labor Day weekend - I just thought about what a weird coincidence that is! Last Labor Day, we were living in separate states (Georgia and Ohio) and while I was visiting him we seriously considered it. I kept thinking about the loved ones that I truly wanted to have included in my wedding day, so we didn't do it. Ask me on September 4th if I still think that not eloping was a good idea. :)

Thanks for the advice - I do think that having a few moments to ourselves is a great plan to have. And we are going to see if we can get the photographers (husband and wife team) to come to the reception briefly.

[Blue Diadem]

43. Without a DJ, you may consider designating a friend or someone to

announce when you arrive at the reception hall, cut the cake, have your first dance etc. My son and his fiance were just at a wedding over the weekend that didn't have a DJ or band and used piped in music. They hadn't thought about anyone announcing to the guests until after the cake was cut and guests had remarked they missed it.

Everyone, of course, still had a wonderful time.

[TheProphetess]

52. Good point

We were thinking about having a friend introduce us as we enter the reception hall and then thanking everyone for coming and introducing our family and bridal party ourselves. I hadn't thought about announcing the cake cutting though - thanks!

[DemBones DemBones]

44. Got bridesmaids?

In my wedding, my bridesmaids each carried a single long-stemmed rose in a color to contrast with their dresses. It looked classy and cut the cost of flowers a lot! I also carried roses (white) centered around a white orchid, which came out of the bouquet for a corsage for my going-away outfit. I have no idea if brides wear corsages on their going-away outfits anymore, but it was a nice touch.

Weddings ARE fun if you don't stress yourselves out with too much of everything and if you do it YOUR way. You're well on the way to that and I congratulate you!

Another idea from my daughter's wedding: get a friend who is good with a video camera to make a video of the ceremony and reception. Our friend did a great video at no charge; people like to help with weddings. You'll also need someone to serve the cake after you and the Prophet have cut it, serve the punch or whatever non-alcoholic beverage you're serving, maybe someone to circulate and ask people to sign the guest book (and the frame or platter, if you're doing that.) My husband and I have also been "greeters" at several receptions -- guests usually get to the reception before the wedding party since the wedding party are posing for photos -- so the greeters welcome people and direct them about seating, suggest they sign the guest book, etc.

[TheProphetess]

53. Two bridesmaids and a flower girl

I was just out flower shopping today and the prices are tough to take. I do like the idea of a single rose for the bridesmaids, though. Very classy.

We haven't asked anyone about a video yet but I was thinking just what you suggested. I do know two people in particular who would be great for the job.

The reception hall will have servers for the punch and cake (in fact, it's apparently fairly standard now for halls to charge a cake cutting fee when you bring in cakes from outside sources to cover the cost of them cutting and serving it - yeesh). I like the idea of greeters too. Thank you. :hi:

[Deep13]

45. Don't skimp on food.

Your guests may be travelling a long way. They will feel ripped off if they get typical catered vittles.

[TheProphetess]

57. I agree

We decided on a brunch and when we saw the menu, we were very pleased. We were able to taste-test the food and it was excellent. I think it's going to be well worth the cost (less than half the cost of dinner) for more food than you typically get at a dinner.

[bleedingheart]

46. It is hard to say...Weddings are really quite "regional"

for example here in Pittsburgh and if you are of eastern european background...it would be expected that you would have a mother load of cookies at your wedding...either paid for or your relatives would be baking for weeks in advance...and then you would need a wishing well for the cards (or a fancy box) I had 140 dozen cookies at my wedding...no joke...and the cake was cut and served after the bridal dance (dance with the bride, drink a shot, get your cake)

my only advice...don't invest in any party favors...your guests will only throw them away or remark..."wow how much did they spend on this doo-dah"...I didn't do party favors and found that no one missed them...

As for the table center pieces...I did plain pots of ivy (a few sparkly doo-dahs in the center) with balloons that floated well above the table.(spiked into the plants)..that way the guests could see each other but it looked festive.. I gave the center pieces to key members of the family...to this day some people (11 years later) are still caring for those plants....

[TheProphetess]

58. You're right - it's amazing how different weddings are in various regions

We're in Ohio and it is tradition to have loads of family-baked cookies. We've decided to pass on that tradition, only because we are having lots of food plus the cake. My family has always done the bridal dance you described but again we are not following that tradition. Since we don't have a DJ I didn't think it would work out. My sister has protested a few times about that one.

I agree completely about wedding favors. No need for the extra expense. Your center pieces sound lovely. Luckily, our reception hall is allowing us to use their fishbowls for floating candles. I just bought the candles tonight at 90 cents each (we needed 12 of them) so I think that's budget-friendly. :)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

47. You sound as if you have things well under control and

have planned very intelligently.

[TheProphetess]

61. Thanks

I've obsessed and done a lot of research. I do feel that we've made good decisions so I just hope everything works out.

[NewJeffCT]

48. having been married twice

I would recommend eloping. Put the money saved towards your future together and/or your honeymoon. You are going to spend the whole month of August stressed out & worried about what will happen next, if everything is going to come together, if it's going to rain that day, or if it is going to be a day of sweltering heat (I went to a wedding a few years back where it was 95 degrees & very, very humid. It was painful, and I was not even in the wedding party...)

[TheProphetess]

62. Yes, many people agree

We weighed the options heavily. I hope things turn out ok after all of the planning and worries. We're taking a little vacation soon so I'm going to decompress for a little while.

[Patiod]

50. Brunch is a really nice idea

My cousin, who had just graduated law school with a mountain of debt, married a girl who had zero family support. They skipped an engagement ring in order to be able to afford a honeymoon in Ireland.

His apartment complex had a lovely old mansion as the "community room", and he was able to rent it for a song; they hired a harpist, which worked well for atmosphere in the a.m. As someone suggested earlier, they had champagne and orange juice as beverages - the teetotalers (like his mom) had OJ, the Irish relatives (us) had mimosas - nice and cheap for them - and people circulating with little breakfast quiches and things. Inexpensive and lovely. And none of that put-the-garter-on-the-girl-who-catches-the-bouquet crap.

(of course he ended up joining Opus Dei and working for Kenneth Starr, but that's another story.....)

Congratulations - it sounds like you have your priorities straight, and it sounds like it's shaping up to be a great day.

[TheProphetess]

63. Brunch is a great option for those on a budget

It really saves on the expense and it can be done very elegantly at the same time. The harpist idea is great - I'll bet it was lovely. :)

[Droopy]

54. I just wanted to say congratulations

And I'll toast you tonight. Here's to the rest of your lives being happy together :toast: When I met you two up in Cleveland I got the sense that you were very happy to be together. Here's to soul mates :toast:

[TheProphetess]

59. Awwww, thanks

That's very sweet! I appreciate the comment.

I will tell you that I never thought I'd meet my match, but turns out that I did. I didn't believe in soul mates before I met the Prophet - that night we met, though, there was an instant connection that I can't describe. I've never experienced anything like it. I'm glad that I found him.
:loveya:

[obxhead]

55. wedding

Family, Friends, Fun...
what else do you really need?

[TheProphetess]

64. Exactly

:party:

[LiberallyInclined]

56. we eloped.

no sweat.

[TheProphetess]

65. A very inviting alternative indeed

:)

[LiberallyInclined]

68. even more inviting- we eloped to hawaii...

my in-laws found out we got married when they heard us on the radio- a chicago DJ they listen to(Steve Dahl) was doing his annual hawaii trip/show from our hotel-, and he's an ordained minister(one of those rolling stone classifieds things...) who always manages to perform a ceremony or two when they do the remote broadcast trips.

[TheProphetess]

70. That's it - we are now officially eloping to Hawaii

;) Damn that sounds nice!

[KitchenWitch]

60. Make your table/party favors (2 hershey kisses, tulle, ribbon, 2 BBs

Print your own programs

Make your own table centerpieces by using a votive candle and the ivy garlands you can get at the craft stores

Cater your own rehearsal dinner

Have your cake baker do a "dummy cake" and use sheet cakes for the actual wedding cake

[TheProphetess]

66. All great ideas

We are liking going to skip the programs altogether (we have a small bridal party and are thinking of just introducing everyone after the ceremony and right before the brunch starts).

Excellent idea about the rehearsal dinner - we're thinking quick rehearsal with some appetizer foods to share. Someone else mentioned having just desserts and coffee for a snack after rehearsing.

The sheet cake idea is terrific. I've read about doing that and it saves a great deal on the cake costs. Even if the display cake is real, it can be smaller than you actually need and then have sheet cakes in the back for serving in addition to the small display cake. No one knows which they're eating when it's served, afterall. :)

[KitchenWitch]

67. Believe it or not

Our rehearsal dinner was a big pot of sloppy joes, a platter of veggies and dip, punch and coffee, with a build your own ice cream sundae bar!

[TheProphetess]

69. That is my kind of party!

Seriously - I love sloppy joes, punch and ice cream. Thanks for the idea!

[tigereye]

71. sounds like you have a lot of good ideas already

for a wedding that won't break the bank! Congrats, BTW!!!!


My H and I did our wedding in a very budget friendly way... outdoor garden ceremony, cut flowers in vases that I bought at the Dollar store, handmade silver rings that we designed, friends taking pix ( really nice ones too), my sister made a giant carrot cake, friends made Pinata's for decorations... it was very informal and our friends told up it was one of their favorite weddings. We also picked music - our own CDs and that was nice too.

:toast:

I love autumn weddings... ours was in October!

PS One great touch at another friend's wedding that I always liked was a glass of champagne with a strawberry in it handed to guests as they came off the receiving line. :)

[KitchenWitch]

74. Glad it is helpful

It was nice and casual!

BTW I got married in September of 2000. It is a good month to get married!

[yellowdogintexas]

72. you definitely have it under control. I would like to second the

home baker wedding cake source. Mine was fabulous.

We were married in a hotel banquet hall: $50.00
Wedding cakes (2 large cakes) $200.00
**including delivery and set up!
this is very important if a home baker
is doing the cake..***
Photography was our most expensive item, but
he was great and stayed all day. Actually
he had his wife and daughter with him so I had
a team of three 750.00
Flowers were second most expensive.
I got my dress for 1/2 price
no favors
just finger foods
punch

Lots of fun.

My niece just had the Big Fat Italian Wedding a year ago. It was a blast, we had a good time, it was expensive, but it is the Italian Wedding Tradition. No wedding reception favors however: there was a card at each place setting stating the couple had given a donation to Multiple Sclerosis instead. Their Maid of Honor has MS. They did a lot of things themselves, but the flowers were the biggest expense.

I grew up in Kentucky in a small town; the size of your wedding is defined by the number of bridesmaids and/or the number of guests, not the length of the party, the amount of food or the bar. In fact, most weddings are non alcoholic in my area. I have been to lots of weddings with a packed church, 6 or 7 bridesmaids and a reception of cake, punch, cookies and coffee.

[Missy Vixen]

73. Here's my two cents

Weddings (and the reception,) last roughly five hours or so. The only thing that will matter the next day are the rings and the photographs, because they are the only things that will last. The photographs will be treasured even more as the years go by. Plus, if you're wearing a ring for the rest of your life, make sure it's one you love.

You're doing a great job, and the wedding sounds amazing. Here's my last piece of advice. No matter what happens on that day (and knock on wood, I hope it all goes smoothly,) you will still be married. If the relatives fight, if something goes wrong, if someone's late, you will STILL be married. This day is about the two of you, not about anyone else. Okay, I lied, here's one more thing: Bring a hanky. I'm not a big crier as a rule, but we've been through one wedding and two reaffirmations, and I cried at all three of 'em.

Enjoy your beautiful day, and enjoy the rest of your lives together. :toast:

Julie

[Renew Deal]

75. I am getting married sometime next year.

(Sorry ladies) Anyway, www.theknot.com is an invaluable resource. Sign up and use it.