28
February
2009

So you’re getting married?  Congratulations and Hallelujah!!   But now the reality sets in and you have to figure out how you are going to pay for the wedding.  Oh and don’t forget the reception because that’s most expensive part…Right?

Well…you’re in luck.  Even in this tight economy you can have a beautiful wedding that will be memorable to all in attendance. And the best part is that you don’t have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to make it happen.  Planning a wedding on a budget can provide you with everything you need to have a remarkebly wonderful wedding at a fraction of the cost of those expensive weddings you see on TV.  That’s because you’ll learn how to cut out the middle man and all of the frills, and you’ll also figure out how to get the best prices on wedding supplies and decorations just by knowing where to shop and what to ask for.

Did you know that retailers increase the original price of a product by 70% to 80% just because it says “wedding” on it!  That same product can be bought through other channels at a huge discount.  The same holds true for flower shops and rental stores…go rent a tux for a weekend and see what you spend…then go rent the same tux for a wedding and watch the price increase!  Retailers know you have a wedding budget to spend and they are there to squeeze every last dime of it into their pockets.

Well, we're not going to let that happen…instead you are going to learn everything there is to know about planning a wedding on a budget.  So where are you going to get this information?  From the Internet of course…there are all kinds of cheap wedding planning guides that will tell you how and where to cut corners and where to get the best deals.  These guides will generally run anywhere from $30 to $50 bucks online but will save you thousands in the end.

Deciding on the best guide to use is sometimes the luck of the draw and most of the guides will contain different information.  One of the best out there is a guide called Amazing Wedding Planning another is called Wedding Planning On A Budget.  These are both very good guides with huge money saving tips and wedding planning ideas.  There are many more wedding guides available you’ll just have to search until you find the one that suits you.

A good place to start looking is at weddingfavors-review.com. They have a complete list of wedding guides, reception guides and wedding speeches as well.  If you are considering planning your own wedding this is a site that have the resources to help you.


27
February
2009

Personalise your wedding with style not money to impress

Next to buying a house or car your wedding will be the next most expensive thing in your life. Although a destination wedding and even a chateau wedding may seem a more reaonably priced option than holding an elaborate reception at home, these tips can trim you budget even more – without compromising on the specialness of your chateau wedding.

“If you want to have an incredible wedding, you can’t beat a destination wedding,” says Marilyn Oliveira, senior editor at WeddingChannel.com. “They are definitely a trend and growing every second.”

One out of every six couples getting married for the first time choose a destination wedding, according to wedding planning site destinationweddings.com.

And a little careful trimming of the wedding budget can leave you with a lot more cash in your pocket to spend at your castle wedding while you are away.

Lots of couples say that  almost everyone said being surrounded by the people they really love was one of the best things about having a small wedding. You can feel more relaxed on your wedding day.

These are our top 10 tips for saving a bunde on your destination wedding – in no particualr order:

1.  Have a destination Wedding and cut your list – this is a big one.

You get more bang for your buck with a destination wedding even now with the credit crunch upon us.

Keep your numbers down and have a simple party for those who could not attend once you get back to from your honeymoon.  The two headed cousins who you have not seen for 20 years are likely not to have the money or the willingness to spend it on going to your wedding.  Only ask those you absolutely want to be there to share your day.

You can save thousands of dollars by having an intimate wedding, which means you won’t have to go over your wedding budget.  You can splurge.

Cinderella will go to the wedding..

2. Get married out of Season
Not only will your flight costs be much less, but you are likely to get better deals in hotels at your destination.

3. Don’t get married on Saturday

If you have a small destination wedding you can chose to get married in the middle of the week allowing you to negotiate an even better deal with wedding providers for a destination wedding.

4. Cut the Cake
Another way that some brides think about saving on their wedding cake is to order one from a grocery store instead of a bakery. This has the potential to be a very effective cost-cutting measure, but there are also some pitfalls to watch out for. First of all, you need to have a cake tasting just like you would at a bakery. It is also important to find out if your cake will be frozen after being baked.

Alternatively consider replacing the cake altogether with pretty individual cupcakes, they will cost a LOT less and your guests will love them!

5. Wedding dresses unless you are using a designer and having one specially made look in the wedding gown shops if you check the labels 90% of them are made in China so cut the cost go direct to there web site and order direct saving up to 70%. One english bride bought her designer wedding dress on ebay from a Hong Kong Vendor for 5 pounds plus postage.   It was the same dress she looked at in an expensive dress shop. 

Embrace Ebay  You will find lots of new designer dresses on sale at ebay from Hong Kong and Chinese Vendors.  These are normally reputable vendors.  Just make sure you allow yourself enough time to have it made and posted to you and time for another option if you do not like it.  There are lots of bargains out there.

6. Do not have a Professional Photographer
Maybe you have a friend who is an amateur photograher, or you could give out cheap disposable cameras to the guests, then collect them later – hopefully there will be some good shots in there.

Disposable cameras are a wonderful way to add to the fun of the celebration and provide guests with special memories to take home. If you would like to add disposable cameras to your special day, there are many online retailers that will sell cameras in bulk for just this purpose. You can save money and find the perfect camera to match the theme and color scheme of your wedding.

With digital photography it’s even cheaper – a few friends taking hundreds of shots are sure to hit gold often enough for you to make up an excellent album.

 7. Make Your Own Stationary
If you are good on a computer make your invites and wedding stationary yourself there are plenty of free programs you can use just buy some nice expensive paper and envelopes. Use the same program to do your order of service for the church and seating plans and place settings for your venue. 

8. Pick a destination wedding venue that has some wow factor

A beautiful beach, some stunning architectural features will need very little dressing for your special day.It’ll save on decoration and flowers,. Let your destination venue speak volumes.

Keep your flowers simple – there is no need to have loads to make an impact. Single lilies laid on a table look as good as elaborate displays, a simple bouquet with lots of inexpensive greenery will keep the attention on the bride. 

9. Get your creative juices flowing.

If you select a smaller destination wedding then the idea of customizing your wedding to your own tastes is not so daunting. A small wedding gives you the opportunity to get your creative juices flowing and be crafty and make your unique wedding a reflection of the two of you.

Take each element, the ceremony, the cocktail hour, the dinner, your wedding dance and the party and treated it as its own event, and each event was revealed to the guests as the night progressed. This will keep the element of surprise to a maximum and keep your guests on their toes. 

10. Make your wedding memorable by having an extra funky element

By having a destination wedding alone will probably make a big impression on your circle of friends and they will probably be talking about your wedding as the wedding of the century for a long time. 

Forget all the little fidly decorations, and instead make a statement with your wedding dance that surprises and delights your guests.

 

 


26
February
2009

CELEBRITY WEDDINGS

Celebrity weddings are a world – wide attention grabber, with most of them being expensive, covered by the media, and often involved on some controversy or other. Most Celebrity weddings are held at scenic locales, or in castles, or on enchanting beaches etc. but no matter where it is held, these weddings definitely hold the attention of most media and celebrity fans.

Celebrity weddings are more often than not, extremely lavish, extravagant events, with the celebrity couple spending on clothes, the wedding venue, the food & drink, and sometimes also for media attention. The recent Wayne Rooney wedding is rumoured to be the most expensive ever, with an estimated cost of about £5 million. The wedding party consists private jets to fly guests to the supposed venue, wedding rings costing £100,000, stags and hens for decorations, an elaborate Durazzo Villa in the country of Italy, and also as a gift to each guest – a box of rare butterflies for them to release into the air.

In July 1999, another big celebrity wedding took place in Dublin at the Luttrellstown Castle. The wedding cost less than the Rooney wedding, but was grand nevertheless. Following a small family wedding, the guests, dressed in black & white, were given lavish meals with rose champagne and toffee pudding as dessert. Victoria Adams was dressed in a satin gown, and both the celebrities let loose white dives into the sky afterwards, followed by a lovely fireworks display.

Celebrity weddings often tend to set a benchmark for normal weddings. Many couples nowadays are going by the kind of weddings their favourite celebrity had, and taking the affordable sections from those, fit them into their own wedding plan. However, this can get slightly rough at times, because the exuberant costs of celebrity weddings might not be affordable by the common folks, what with mere wedding gowns of a celebrity being around £200,000.


25
February
2009

Where do you want to get married? How about on an island somewhere in the South Pacific or a mountain in the Rockies? Does this sound a tad extreme for your taste? Well, at least I didn’t mention one of those nutty bungee jumping marriages or sky diving ceremonies. Those are always way over the top. Get a life people. Maybe what you need is a nice las vegas outdoor wedding and buy your groomsmen wedding gifts.  Yeah, that sounds pretty ideal. Just head on down to the Vegas Strip and do it up right. Heck, they have all the amenities you could possibly need down there. We’re talking incomparable hotels, amazing cuisines, and the coolest honeymoon activities known to man. Don’t tell me that you’re not down with a las vegas outdoor wedding.

How would you do your exciting las vegas outdoor wedding? Would you stay at The Palms and soak in the luxurious atmosphere? Or would you head on over to the main strip and just gamble the entire time? Yikes, that probably wouldn’t be the best idea. You definitely don’t want to lose your entire savings on before you even tie the knot. The infinite bills and debt are supposed to come further down the road. You know, after you’ve already had a few children and purchased a home. Okay, that’s just a little bit of humor, but it is fairly true if I do say so myself. Anyway, I had the benefit of hearing all about a co-workers las vegas outdoor wedding last year so they can shop for groomsmen wedding gifts. Now, I have to admit right off the bat that I didn’t agree with the couple getting wed. I mean this is a true beauty and the beast marriage. Well, except the beast was benign and good-hearted in the movie. This fellow is not. Regardless, the couple did the big las vegas outdoor wedding and said it was amazing. They stayed in Vegas for their honeymoon as well. It was one gargantuan package deal. they ate at a variety of fine restaurants, gambled at a few casinos, went shopping, and basically frolicked like crazy people throughout Vegas.

Are you busy planning your las vegas outdoor wedding? Hey don’t forget to make that wedding checklist to shop for groomsmen wedding gifts. These are imperative so that you don’t forget some tiny thing. You know, like maybe the cake, or the rings. Okay, so those are not so minor, but you get the picture. Hop online and check out a number of wonderful las vegas outdoor wedding ideas.


24
February
2009

BEACH WEDDINGS

A beach wedding is something out of a dream, with a beautiful deep blue sky above, a soft breeze blowing around, a beautiful sun shining up in the sky, white fluffy clouds hovering, tranquil waters in the back drop, and a general setting of romance and enchantment. No wonder whenever you say or hear the term beach wedding, you immediately get a far-off dreamy look in your eyes. Of course, for all the above to be possible, a proper planning needs to go into the beach wedding.

A beach wedding is chosen by most couple for the very fact that it is different from the usual church scene. It gives immense freedom creatively for you to design a wedding on a beach, making it the most unforgettable day of your life. Also, beach weddings are more often than not, much less heavy on your wallet than other destinations. Moreover, imagine spending the few days before the wedding in a vacation spot, and then after the couple has taken their vows, they already have a perfect honeymoon location, the place they had their beach wedding.

However, there are also some cons to having a beach wedding. The most obvious one is the number of people you can invite. It would not be possible to have a huge wedding where hundreds of guests come in, as a beach wedding generally offers a simple setting. You might also need to make most of the arrangements away from the place, and often leave the details to people who are at the location. The weather is also another factor to be considered before setting the beach wedding date.

All in all, a beach wedding can be a huge stress buster, as you can handle it in any way you like, not having to depend upon compulsory traditional and the like. And though a beach wedding may have both plusses and disadvantages, it is nevertheless a truly unique and enchanting experience.


23
February
2009

 

Are you preparing to be the best man for your best friend’s wedding? You should know that being a best man is no easy task at all. As a matter of fact, you have to prepare for it weeks or even months before his big day. Being a best man is not just being there for your friend, you have to know how to write a best man speech during the reception where you tell stories of your friend and his spouse, how they met and how they end up marrying each other. Do you have the stuff but do you have the speech? To be a best man, you have to walk best, talk best and to look best, too. Speeches by best men are something that you should be pompous of and when you’re done with your speech, everyone would like to give you the appreciation.

Being the best man is one of the greatest thing that could ever happen to a man in spite the fact that some of them actually don’t like the idea to become one. You see, it is an honor for the groom, being your best friend, to choose you as their best man. And one of these days, if you’re still single, there will be a greater chance that you can become one and that means, you need to learn how to write a best man speech and be ready for it. For some, learning how can be very tedious and difficult but since that everything can now be found on the Net even tutorials for things such as these, you will never have a hard time learning how to deliver your speech. All you need to do is browse the Internet.

So, if ever you have the feeling that one of your friends is planning to get married and he wants you to be his best man, get ready by learning how to write best man speeches and maybe, just maybe, you can wow that sexy and lovely bridesmaid of the bride.


21
February
2009

 

Have no fear of wedding speeches

 

If there is one topic that privately scares the life out of many people its the thought of giving a speech, but giving a wedding speech seems to take the terror to a whole new level.

All types of speeches are covered, father of the bride,best man, mother of the groom,matron of honor, it doesn't matter, there is a wedding speech solution for all.

The range of a wedding speech can be quite broad and it does require a little homework and practice.It is possible for even the most unwilling speech giver to deliver a top class speech once they have secured the services of a professional.

Professional , experienced speech wirters are the only real way to ensure the delivery of a quality speech.

The word professional here only applies to the quality of the speeches as the fee is nominal and but a drop in the ocean compared to hiring a private speechwriter, plus of course you have the money back guarantee.  Thankfully there are many many wedding speech providers that can get rid of this particular headache for you,  and at a very small fee.   So good are most of these that not alone will you not be worrying about your speech but you will in fact be loooking forward to it.

We reviewed many of these and some are not too bad.One wedding speech provider is some distance ahead of the others and for good reason as they really do go that extra yard to help out those in need of wedding speeches.  This company provides speeches for all possible candidates e.g. father of the bride speeches and have a massive list of glowing testimonials from satisfied customers.  You can even see and hear the customers tell of how happy they were with the level of service provided.  This company is without doubt the leader in this area and we strongly recommend you read our Wedding Speech Review or go directly to their Website.One wedding worry less and all sorted in about 3 minutes.


20
February
2009

WEDDING COLLECTIONS

A wedding collection forms a very essential part of any wedding. It includes the bride’s wedding gown, the groom’s suit, the couple’s parent’s dresses, the bridesmaids’ gowns, and the best men suits. Undoubtedly, the bride’s gown is the most vital of all. For the bride, her wedding gown is something she dreams about right from her youth, and on her big day, this must be absolutely perfect, making the wedding collections even more crucial.

Wedding collections are available at many leading designers, and there are even some stores that specialize in wedding collections only. Picking the perfect wedding dress is an ultimate dream, trying to get the perfect colours, the perfect fit, and something that makes you look like the bride of your dreams. However, choosing the gown can be very tedious as well, because most of the time you need to visit a store where they show you their entire wedding collection, and you probably end up trying on a million gowns, and not knowing what is it exactly you want.

Wedding collections are made in different styles, textures, materials and colours. Wedding gowns can be made of satin, Mikado, chiffon, batiste, brocade, crepe, gabardine, moiré, organdie, duchesse satin, taffeta, tulle, or velvet. However, the most popular among bride’s has been either satin or Mikado, due to its sheen like finish and classy look. A wedding gown colour also differs in different collections, but the most obvious choice is the white gown, though ivory and a champagne colour are also used sometimes.

The wedding collections offered by most designers are made to impress, with different styles, some unique, some conservative, some bold. The most fashionable design that seems to be the craze nowadays is a strapless sweetheart-style ivory gown, with beading work, and a complete ruched ballgownish skirt. This comes in mostly satin or the Mikado fabrics. The standard costs of these would be between £1000 – £2000.


19
February
2009

Because of the costly expenses made in weddings, some desire to plan their wedding on their own. For those who have their creative side, you can always choose to coordinate the wedding on your own through so many possible ways. At first, you’d feel all stressed and burned out in the planning event. But as you get used to the process, you will find that planning a wedding is a very easy thing to do.

Today, making use of a free printable wedding planner guide can help a lot in the preparation and can make you save more on your expenses. Since these items come for free over the internet, downloading and using them would be an extremely simple task for you.

Free Printable Wedding Planner – Church Suggestions

A free wedding planning guide can give you some church suggestions on your wedding. It can suggest the many places where you can hold the tying of vows. Of course, you would need a free printable wedding planner that is focused on your vicinity so more suggestions can be provided for you. Other church suggestions would include the aisle decoration, the bridal and the entourage gowns, and the embellishments needed for you wedding.

Free Printable Wedding Planner – Reception Details

A free printable wedding planner can also give you some reception suggestions for the wedding. The ambience, the table centerpieces, the wedding souvenirs, and some food suggestions will be provided for you in the guide. Planning your wedding reception would definitely be a lot easier when you make use of such kind of guide.

Free Printable Wedding Planner – Wedding Programs

A free printable wedding planner can help you plan your wedding programs. Some would suggest what cake you should choose while others provide unique suggestions on the wedding programs. Of course, the center or the focus of these plans is the couple to be wed. Every plan given on this guide is intended to make the wedding more memorable for the couple.

Free Printable Wedding Planner – Coordinating Guidelines

Lastly, a free printable wedding planner can help you coordinate the whole wedding itself. Through some tips given in the guide, you would surely not get lost in your wedding plans. If you follow the plan given, you can surely anticipate or come up with your dream wedding. These guides have helped a lot of couple already. They have made the wedding dreams of every couple come into reality. Truly, these guides can still promise to help more couples who are planning to get settled and who are planning to have their perfect dream weddings.

Go here for more about Wedding Planners and Wedding Favors


19
February
2009

You dream of your wedding day your whole life. Looking perfect is a must, and for many, that means weight loss is a major concern.

There are so many details brides have to attend to, but one of the most important is how they can lose weight and look spectacular. Here are some choices to make sure you look as beautiful as you feel on your special day.

Some of the most wonderful weight loss processes are not expensive and are even free in many cases.

1. Pay attention to good nutrition.

Many brides feel like they need to lose some weight before they can fit into the dress of their dreams, but do yourself a big favor: don’t resort to depriving your body of food and nutrition.

Achieving your weight loss goals requires that you feed your body properly. Following a weight loss course like fat loss 4 idiots can be the most effective method to lose weight quickly. Here are some immediate tips to keep in mind:

* Cut 200-250 calories from your diet. That’s a big soda or a few cookies. Not much of a sacrifice for looking great!

* Eat your regular meals. When you skip meals, your body thinks its starving. So instead of saving yourself some calories, you are actually causing your body to store fat.

* Cut empty calories (like sugary desserts – opt for fruit instead if you crave sweetness).

2. Your body needs exercise.

Worrying about your weight is not enough. When you want a self-contained process to burn fat gain muscle, waiting until you have leisure hours doesn’t always work, to move forward with assurance you need to vary your approach and make time.

Worrying about your weight and then deciding to do something about it a few days before your wedding is not going to work.

* For people who do exercise, Bride Boot Camp videos and exercise programs can be just the challenge their body needs to kick up fat and calorie burning. There are a lot of different videos offered by excellent trainers, and they can be immensely rewarding.

* Dance. It is always fun to move to music – you won’t even realize you’re exercising. But your body will. It also helps you get ready for your first dance as a wife.

Here are some effective exercises:

- Cardio. Try anything to get your heart rate up.

- Lunges. These are effective for defining and tightening your thighs and butt. For even better results, add a chest press.

- Pilates or yoga. These are great for toning.

- Resistance bands help add intensity and difficult to cardio or strength training routines.

- Good posture can make you appear thinner. You’ll also look more confident and beautiful.

3. Weight loss blunders brides often make

* Not exercising. Diet alone is not going to help you lose weight and keep it off. You need to exercise. Plus, it firms your muscles and makes you look more fit.

* Wanting to do too much too fast. You need to have realistic goals. If you have always had a muscular curvy build, you won’t be able to diet or exercise your way into a willow slim figure. Accept your body. You can look amazing no matter what your body size or shape. Don’t choose your dress according to the body you wish you had but the one you actually do have.

Most importantly, start losing weight now if you want to meet your goals for your wedding! You will of course be wearing a wedding dress on the big day, so you don’t need to accomplish the truth about six pack abs main program, even though “six pack” washboard abs are believed to be a wonderful goal by some, you just want to fit into your dress with room to spare!

If you want to achieve real, lasting weight loss, you don’t have to start your weight loss program the second after your fiancé proposes. The next day will do.