COST EFFECTIVE TIPS AND TRICKS

According to CostofWedding.com, on average US couples spend $26,542 on their wedding. That doesn't even include the cost of engagement rings or wedding bands. There are so many simple ways to save money that most people don't think about.

Inexpensive glasses and silverware can be bought at a dollar store for less than it cost to rent.

It can be less expensive to buy fabric and make your own table clothes rather than renting them.

Candles are an affordable way to provide light and add ambiance.

Ask your family and friends for help. You may know a photographer, disc jockey, musician, chef, pastry chef, bartender, or someone who can officiate the vows.

Fruit is less expensive than flowers for centerpieces.

When you send out your wedding invitations, include postcard RSVPs. The postage costs less and you don't have to buy return envelopes

Many kinds of food can be cooked in advance and frozen instead of hiring a catering service.

Consider making small boxes of candy as wedding favors. Its an inexpensive way to give a gift that the guests can enjoy.

Bouquets are easy to create with store bought flowers, floral tape, and ribbon.

Restrict the bar to wine and beer to save on expensive liquors.

Information from Times Community Newspaper

DIY WEDDING- CAKES

Lucky for me, my big sister is a wedding cake decorator. She is truly brilliant when it comes to icing! I know most people don't have a cake decorator in the family, but remember that when you are doing a DIY wedding to pull in every favor and ask every friend their hidden talents!


I am truly the worst cook in the world. But here are some easy "do it yourself" wedding cakes that can be done by anyone, even me. Remember to be creative and think outside of the box. I'm not saying you have to learn how to make perfect roses out of fondant icing. Check these out...

Simple Cake with Real Flowers for Decoration

Chocolate Candy Filled Cups

Stack cake stands on top of each other and display them to look like a cake.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Cookie Tower

Stack cake stands on top of each other and display them to look like a cake.

Cream Puffs

Cupcakes

Miniature Fruit Tarts

Stack cake stands on top of each other and display them to look like a cake.

WEDDING STATIONARY CHECKLIST

Save the Dates

Invitations

Wedding Announcements

Programs

Place Cards

Table Cards

Menu Cards

Guest Book

Shower Invitations

Favors

Thank You Notes

Specialty Cards

DIAMONDS- THE FOUR "C's"

When picking out a diamond it is important to pay attention to the "Four C's." This includes cut, color, clarity, and carats.

Cut

The cut is what causes light to reflect in the diamond. A better cut allows more light to reflect. This is what makes the stone sparkle. The reflection is called brilliance and is most important in determining the cost of the stone. Cut can also be referring to the shape of the diamond. Diamonds come in many shapes. The most common shape is round. Square cuts are second, followed by the less popular oval cuts.

Color

Most people think diamonds are colorless. The common diamond contains hints of yellow, brown, or grey. A completely colorless diamond is very rare and expensive. There are also "fancy stones," which are diamonds that have noticeable color differences. These are also more expensive than the ones that have just a hint of color.

Clarity

Flawless diamonds have no blemishes or interior inclusions, which are mineral crystals trapped inside the diamond. The more irregularities, the cheaper the diamond is. All diamonds, except flawless ones have some irregularities. Value is also determined by whether or not the small blemishes effect the light reflection.

Carat

Carat is the least important of the four C's when it comes to the value of a diamond. A flawless and clear 3/4 carat diamond may be much more expensive then a common 1 carat diamond. If cut, color, and clarity are equal then a larger carat diamond will be more expensive.

HOW TO WRITE A THANK YOU NOTE

Thank you notes are necessary after a wedding no matter what type of gift was given. Even if you have thanked the gift giver in person, you still need to send a formal thank you.

Carefully record all gifts you receive for you wedding and whom they are from.


Send thank you notes as soon as possible after the wedding. Within two weeks of receiving the gift is a good time frame to follow.


In the note, it should state...

• What the gift was
• It's usefulness
• Your appreciation
• Something personal toward the giver
• If a monetary gift was received, do not mention the amount. Tell what you will put the money towards.

Do not send out generic thank you notes. Remember that your guests spent time and money on your wedding and gift, and deserve a special thank you.


Here is a great example...


Dear Mr. & Mrs. Smith


Thank you so much for the beautiful set of stemware. We have it prominently displayed in our china cabinet and have already gotten compliments on it. Whenever we toast to happiness and good health we will be reminded of you and toast to you as well.


Thank you for attending the wedding and sharing our special day with us! It meant so much to us to have you there.


We hope to see you soon!
Gratefully,
Joe and Jane

TYPES OF FROSTING

Rolled Fondant

Fondant is very popular in wedding cakes. It is made out of sugar and very little shortening. It acts like play dough and is easy to mold into decorations. It can also be rolled to create a perfectly flat surface and makes the cake look very neat and professional. It holds its shape well and also keeps moisture inside the cake so that it doesn't dry out.

Rolled Chocolate

Creates a similar effect to fondant but is great for chocolate lovers.

Buttercream

Another popular choice in wedding cakes: it is made out of butter and sugar. It is argued that it tastes better than fondant, however it can also melt easier and is not good for hot climates. Buttercream can come in flavors including French, chocolate, and white chocolate.

PICKING A DATE

Picking a date is the first thing you should do once a budget is chosen. There are many ways to go about picking your date.

Venue/Vendor Availability

If you are like the girls in Bride Wars and have had your heart set on a certain venue since you were a little girl, then it is best to check their availability first. If they only have a few days open, then you will probably choose one of those dates for the wedding. This is the same if you have a certain vendor in mind that you really want to use.

Budget

If you are on a tight budget, you may want to ask venues if there is a discount for the months that are not as popular. Most weddings happen between June and October. Having a wedding in April, for example, could save a lot of money. In addition, most weddings happen on Saturdays. You can ask if there are discounts for Friday or Sunday Weddings.

Seasonally

You can choose a wedding for a number of reasons. If you want an outdoor wedding, then you want to choose a month that is warm outside. If you want to arrive in a horse drawn carriage with a blanket of snow on the ground then you can't choose August. Maybe you have a certain color scheme that matches the Fall. You could have bought a dress that has long sleeves, so you don't want it to be too hot out.

Guests

Choosing a day that works for your guest could be very important. Choose a time around a holiday when a lot of people have off from work. If you are having a destination wedding then you might want to choose a time when people would go on vacation anyway.

HOW LONG DO MARRIAGE LICENSES LAST

Marriage licenses often expire. This means you have to plan when you get your license so that the wedding falls within the time period. Here is a list of how long you have to get married once your license is issued according to state.

 Alabama- 30 days

 Alaska- 3 months

 Arizona- 1 year

 Arkansas- 60 days

 California- 90 days

 Colorado- 30 days

 Connecticut- 65 days

 Delaware- 30 days

 Florida- 60 days

 Georgia- no expiration

 Hawaii- 30 days

 Idaho- no expiration

 Illinois- 60 days

 Indiana- 60 days

 Iowa- 6 months

 Kansas- 6 months

 Kentucky- 30 days

 Louisiana- 30 days

 Maine- 90 days

 Maryland- 6 months

 Massachusetts- 60 days

 Michigan- 30 days

 Minnesota- 6 months

 Mississippi- no expiration

 Missouri- 30 days

 Montana- 180 days

 Nebraska- 1 year

 Nevada- 1 year

 New Hampshire- 90 days

 New Jersey- 30 days

 New Mexico- no expiration

 New York- 60 days

 North Carolina- 60 days

 North Dakota- 60 days

 Ohio- 60 days

 Oklahoma- 30 days

 Oregon- 60 days

 Pennsylvania- 60 days

 Rhode Island- 90 days

 South Carolina- no expiration

 South Dakota- 20 days

 Tennessee- 30 days

 Texas- 30 days

 Utah- 30 days

 Vermont- 60 days

 Virginia- 60 days

 Washington- 60 days

 West Virginia- 60 days

 Wisconsin- 30 days

 Wyoming- no expiration

MARRIAGE LICENSE CERTIFICATE

Here is a list of things you must bring with you in order to get a marriage license. Please check within your state since each state is different. Some require blood tests, etc. Here is a pretty common list...

Your soon to be spouse- You must apply in person at the same time.

Proof of residence- Driver's license, lease, utility bill, etc.

2 Forms of Photo ID- Passport, License, etc.

Social Security Card

Certified copy of birth certificate

Location and date of marriage

Officiant's name, address, and phone number

Names for both parents- Including middle names and maiden names

If you don't speak English- A third party to interpret

If under 18- Signed consent from parent or guardian

If previously married- Copy of judgement of divorce, annulment, or death certificate

Note: Call ahead to ask how long a marriage license lasts. It is different in different states. Make sure to plan it so that your wedding is before the expiration date.

WHO TRADITIONALLY PAYS?

One thing that always confuses me, is who traditionally pays? There are many ways to handle the costs of a wedding. The family might offer a flat amount, which the bride and groom can use how they like. The bride and groom may be paying for the whole thing themselves. The family may offer to pay for a specific part of the wedding. However, the traditional breakdown goes something like this...

Bride's Family

Invitations and announcements (including postage)

Wedding dress and accessories

Bouquets for the bridesmaids and flower girl

Groom's boutonniere

Bridesmaids party or luncheon

Flowers for the ceremony and reception

Rental costs for the ceremony and reception

Photography and videography

Musicians for the wedding and reception

Food, beverages, catering for the reception

Wedding cake

Gifts for the bridesmaids

Accommodations for the bridesmaids

Groom's wedding gift

Groom's wedding ring

Transportation for the wedding party on the wedding day

Groom's Family

Marriage license

Officiant's fee

Rehearsal dinner

Bride's bouquet

Decorations on the "just married" car

Corsages for mothers and boutonnieres for groomsmen

Gifts for groomsmen

Accommodations for groomsmen

Bride's wedding gift

Bride's engagement and wedding rings

Honeymoon

Groom's wedding attire

UNIQUE PLACES TO GET MARRIED

Don't get me wrong, church weddings are beautiful. However, I've always been one to stand out. There are so many amazing places where you can have a wedding besides churches and special occasion venues. Here is a list of amazing wedding locations that your guests will NEVER forget...

Aquarium

Castle

Library

Museum

Theme Park

Under Water

Yacht

Zoo

YUMMY EDIBLE WEDDING FAVORS

If you have been to a few weddings you probably have a draw full of wedding favors. Items like small picture frames, candles, name card holders, etc. Although these are great ideas for a wedding, and I'm sure the bride and groom put a lot of effort into it, they often become knickknacks to the guests. I personally love the idea of wedding favors that you can use or better... eat.

Chocolate

Chocolate is probably the most used edible favor and for good reason. Who doesn't like chocolate? Be careful not to choose something with common allergies like nuts. Great ideas for favors include packaged truffles, brownie bites, candy covered chocolates, chocolate covered strawberries, etc. Make sure you have some place to refrigerate them. This is not a great favor if you are having a summer wedding or outdoor wedding since they might melt.

Jars

You can fill a jar with anything. Great ideas include honey, jam, jelly, olives, herbs, sea salt, berries, tea, etc. These look so cute and are sure to be used in the kitchen!

Cookies

Ideas for cookies include professionally iced cookies, fortune cookies (with customized fortunes inside), home made cookies, etc. Butter cookies are the easiest to cut into different shapes because they are pretty sturdy.

Make-Your-Own

This is great for someone doing a DIY wedding or someone on a budget. You can buy things in bulk and split it up into smaller "make-your-own" favors. Great ideas for this include hot chocolate mix, cupcake mix, drink mix, cookie mix, tea, etc.

Candies

Candies have become very popular at weddings lately. You can give out small packets of candy wrapped in fabric or in a box, or you can offer a candy bar. Have an array of candies on display, which match your theme or color. Provide small containers for each guest to fill up, and allow your guests to pick and choose what they want.

Fruit

You can offer fruit as a favor. If you are extremely healthy and into organic items, you can provide a apple, pear, etc. If you have a sweet tooth you can make candy apples, chocolate covered apples, chocolate covered strawberries, etc.

Cupcakes
Cupcakes placed in small boxes are a great snack "to go." However, these don't last as long. You might use cupcakes instead of a wedding cake. Packaging them makes it easy to pass out and easy to travel with. 

Bottles

Bottle up your favorite things. Great ideas include hot sauce, barbecue sauce, chocolate sauce, maple syrup, champagne, olive oil, etc. You can choose this to match your theme, the time of year, or your color story.

ORIGINS OF WEDDING TRADITIONS

Wedding Rings

This tradition started in ancient Egypt. The round shape of a ring symbolized eternal love. It is worn on the forth finger of the left hand because they believed that there is a blood vessel that goes directly to the heart.

Bouquet

The bouquet has held many different meanings, most of which depend on what was in the bouquet. Orange blossoms were carried by Saracen brides for fertility. Some carried a mix of herbs and flowers to ward off evil spirits. Bouquets of dill were carried for fertility and eaten after the ceremony to encourage lust.

Bridesmaids

In ancient times, bridesmaids were used to keep the bride safe against evil spirits. They acted as decoys for the spirits by dressing like the bride and were there to confuse the spirits or help deter them to leave the bride be.

Father Giving the Bride Away

The tradition of the father walking the bride down the aisle is meant to show that the father endorses the choice of husbands and is giving his daughter away as a pure bride.

Kissing the Bride

A kiss used to symbolize a legal bond. The kiss at the end of the ceremony was meant to seal the deal on the marriage.

Wedding Cake

In Roman times a cake was made out of wheat for the wedding. It was broken over the brides head for fertility. The guests would eat a piece for good luck, and women would often put a piece under their pillow when sleeping in hopes of finding their own husband.

Throwing Rice

Rice throwing began in the middle ages. Wheat and rice were thrown to symbolize fertility for the couple.

Information from the Times Community Newspapers