Budget Wise Weddings

CSN Product Review

2010-11-30T17:28:00.001-05:00

So I figured out the perfect hostess must-have that you really will use when you have people over. It's something that I completely overlooked when compiling my own wedding registry and have resorted to things like big mixing bowls and pots to compensate... A nice pitcher. If you make any kind of cocktail, mixed drink or juice for more than 3 people, you really do need something to serve it out of.

And I realized this just in time. I was having a pirate- themed birthday party for my son and invited a bunch of my own friends. Since the party was in the middle of the day, I figured people wouldn't really drink wine, so I made a "pirate punch" and served it out of the pitcher.

It is a beautiful Pfaltzgraff 2.5 quart pitcher that holds a lot more than it looks. The design is beautiful and the quality of the pitcher is also top notch- especially for $27.95 (list price $43.00). And I also have to give them props for getting it to me within 2 days from ordering it. A lot of their stuff has free shipping, too, but this wasn't one of them.

However, there was one little snafoo. Although the pitcher was wrapped in bubble wrap and seemed to be handled well, there was a little chip around the mouth of the pitcher. I thought about returning it and having them send me a new one, but I wanted to use it for the party and decided that it wasn't all that noticeable.

So, I'd say my experience with CSN stores was average. I love the pitcher, love the price, but don't love the chip :( I would definitely give them another chance, though. I'm sure it was just a one time glitch. Check out their site to see the variety of household items they offer (at great prices)...

www.csnstores.com

Product Review Coming Soon

2010-11-16T10:36:00.002-05:00

Well, this is very exciting stuff. CSN has offered me the opportunity to review one of their many products- they have over 200 online stores where you can find ANYTHING you need; whether it be a chic handbag, bathroom shelving or even cute cookware! It will be a tough decision :)

Looking back, I now realize how much you can get wrapped up in the whole wedding registry craze- often picking up a lot of cute junk that you will never use, and forgetting the bare essentials. I need A LOT of housewares right now, so I'm going to think long and hard about some of the items that would have come in handy for a newly married couple.

For instance, a DIY sushi set with spinning plates, bamboo serving stands, and 8 soy sauce holders may seem like a good idea before you get married... but after, you'll be pulling your hair out trying to find space at the back of your cabinets to store this once a year use novelty. Let's get serious- what do we really need? I'm on it ;)

Stay tuned!

Discount Wedding Favor of the Month

2010-10-13T13:42:00.000-04:00

Favors are always so tricky. Most people don't even bother to take them, but you still want to offer some token of gratitude for sharing your special day. You don't want to spend too much money or make too much of a fuss about them, but you want people to remember (and actually want) to bring it home with them. What's a bride to do?

I think these personalized wine glasses are a great and affordable token. You can get 150-250 of them for $1.27 a piece. How great is that?! The personalization will remind your guests of the great day, and the wine glass is a very functional and practical gift. They also have optional colored stems. Hope you like it...

http://www.discountmugs.com/nc/personalized-glassware/1265/65oz-arc-grand-noblesse-wine-glass.htm

Affordable Dress of the Month

2010-09-29T17:13:00.001-04:00

I found this wedding gown on sale for $250 from David's Bridal (where I find all of my affordable dresses)... and I was so pleasantly surprised to finally find a pretty dress that wasn't strapless.

I remember searching for my gown and desperately trying to find something different from the typical strapless dress. Unfortunately, it seems that most designers these days think that any kind of strap or sleeve is completely out of the question. Anything that I found was unflattering and totally old school/ boring.

This one is a nice fresh take on the cap sleeve. Subtle, but something unique and classy. I hope you like it! (Sorry so small, I had trouble enlarging it without making it blurry). Visit the webpage to see full details...

http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_Satin-Gown-with-Beaded-Chiffon-Bodice-WG9940_Sale-Sale-Bridal-Gowns

San Diego Budget Wedding - It Happened!

2010-09-22T17:42:00.001-04:00

I recently helped my stepsister with planning her August wedding in San Diego. You might be asking yourself how "San Diego wedding" and "budget" could possibly show up in the same sentence. But they do, and it was a beautiful day!

Here were her basic tricks...

Location: her ceremony took place FOR FREE on the beautiful cliffs of La Jolla. They simply sent someone to stake out their spot early that afternoon and set up the chairs. It's a public strip of land. There were people picnicking about 100 feet away. Anyone can use that space!

Guest List: 30 people. Simple as that :)

Reception: House party with catering of various delicious hors d'oeuvres- no sit down dinner. We hung out on the upstairs deck and lower patio/ yard and mingled. It was great!

Built in Honeymoon: Who doesn't love San Diego?!

I offered to do a video of the ceremony and tidbits of the reception with my flip cam, since she wasn't planning on hiring a videographer. I wasn't expecting it to be great or anything, seeing as I'm not a professional. But I really thought I could capture all of the important moments and put something nice together for her.

I was seriously dissapointed- I have used the flip for over a year now, and it has never steered me wrong. Crystal clear quality, so easy to work. But I guess I never used the zoom feature before. Well, at the most important time I needed it (for a wedding), it made everything blurry whenever I zoomed in. I don't know if it's something I did, or if that's just what I should expect from a $200 mini video cam.

Anyway, if the blurriness had not been an issue, I would have been pretty happy with this video. And I only used Windows Movie Maker, which is automatically installed in most computers these days. The point is, if I can do it, anyone can do it. Give it a stab some time :)

Signature Drink of the Month

2010-09-14T18:06:00.002-04:00

The Cranberry Kiss

This is a great alternative to the common cranberry vodka. It's has a little bit of an "island" feel with that spiced rum, and has that little extra zip with the collins mix/ sprite (as opposed to just cranberry and alcohol). It would be a good for a summer/ beach wedding. I try to pick signature drinks that don't have too many ingredients to keep it less expensive. Enjoy!

3/4 ounce(s) Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
2 ounce(s) collins mix, or sprite (for less sweet version)
2 ounce(s) cranberry juice
1 wedge(s) lemon

Recipe & Photo Credit: http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/cranberry-kiss-drink-recipes

Fly me to the Moon

2010-09-02T16:14:00.001-04:00

Here's a great last minute deal for an affordable honeymoon...

Sept 4-7, 2010
San Juan, Puerto Rico
$106 per night- 4th night is free!
4 star resort
free parking, fitness center, and gorgeous pool

See full description and details

I know this would be an extremely last minute trip, but it's good to know that you can generally find really great deals if you wait until the very last minute. If you and your soon-to-be spouse are the adventurous type, wait it out and see what pops up the week you planned to go :)

Affordable Dress of the Month

2010-08-25T21:12:00.001-04:00

This month, I decided to scope out a cute bridesmaid dress since they can be really tough to come by. This one has a really nice ruching that comes together with a pretty flower on the side waist. It's $125 from David's Bridal, and there are about 12 different colors. I think the ruching also helps to create a slimming shape and compliments a variety of body types. I hope you like it!

Find this dress

A San Diego Wedding

2010-08-17T17:34:00.001-04:00

Thanks for stopping by. I'm going to San Diego to help my step sister pull off an intimate ceremony at the cliffs of La Jolla followed by an informal reception party for friends and family at her house. I helped her plan her wedding in just 2 months, so if we can do it, so can you! I'll be back with tons of pictures, stories, and video to share.

In the meantime, here's a great article from The Knot:
Wedding Budget: 30 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding

I'll be back on the blog next Wednesday. See you then :)

Budget Friendly Favors

2010-08-16T16:30:00.002-04:00

I'm always looking for affordable favors that are cute and practical, without looking cheap and/or cheesy. I will try to post my best find on favors once each month.

This month, I found something that I thought was really original and that people would actually use- bamboo coasters. They are only $1.50 per pack of 4, and $1.85 if you want to personalize the packaging.

http://www.americanbridal.com/bamboo-coaster-favors-dska22014na.html

Tip of the Week

2010-08-13T10:55:00.001-04:00

Reduce Stress whenever you can... Weigh the pros and cons of saving money in certain scenarios. Sometimes, you can save a lot of money and have a lot of fun doing something yourself. Other times, it isn't worth the stress, so you'll want to consider all options.

For example, you can find very reasonable invitations online that will be printed with everything you want (and you can order a sample first to make sure it's what you're looking for). If you need 100 invitations, you can easily find options online for $2 or less per invitation-- printed and ready to go.

You might think, why don't I just get some blank invites from a craft store and print them myself for $1 per invitation? Yes, you are saving $100, but if you aren't the most computer savvy person, you could end up pulling your hair out, or worse- ruin the invitations because they print out with the writing half off the page.

Say your wedding budget is $12,000. In the scheme of things, $100 is not that much.

On the other hand, if you can save $10 per plate by picking a different style meal or different time of day, that might be something worth considering- it doesn't involve stressing you out; it's just a change of theme. That's a savings of $1,000.

Just consider your priorities and time commitment and make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew :)

Have a great weekend!

Photo Credit: messed up wedding invitation

Wedding Inspiration

2010-08-11T15:54:00.001-04:00

Use this inspiration board to make a budget wise version for your wedding...

This dress is from Target!

SUMMER GIVEAWAY WINNER

2010-08-09T14:15:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone for participating in the CSN stores summer giveaway. The winner of the $40 gift certificate for any of their 200 online stores is Stephanie, who posted a comment on July 15.

Stephanie, I will send you an email with the information to redeem your gift certificate.

We hope to be able to provide another givewawy soon! In the meantime, check out our "Giveaway Scout" sidebar, that lists all the latest giveaways from other websites that you can participate in.

Weekend Wind Down

2010-08-06T10:52:00.004-04:00

This weekend, treat yourself to a spa day with your girlfriends. You don't have the money to spend a couple hundred dollars on massages and mani/pedis? You don't need to. Just invite some friends over and relax. Sit outside and drink some fresh squeezed lemonade or iced tea, put cucumber slices over your eyes, paint each other's nails, and maybe even swap back massages.

When you're planning a wedding, you need to remember to treat yourself and relax every once in a while! You might even squeeze a good chick flick in there- or some trash TV ;)

Have a great weekend, and don't forget- this is your last chance to enter the SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

I recently added my blog to a website called Giveaway Scout, where they keep us updated with cool giveaways that are going on right now. I've added their widget to my sidebar, so I hope you are able to win more great gifts after this one!

Photo Credit: http://tinyurl.com/27lsdx3

Q & A: Unnecessary Details

2010-08-04T11:44:00.001-04:00

Q: What are some easy things to cut back on or remove all together, that my guests won't notice?

A: There are definitely a lot of extras these days that aren't going to make or break your wedding. I think the following list would be a good place to start cutting out the details that aren't really necessary...

Definitely don't need:

bubbles/rice
programs
menu cards
aisle runner
pew/chair decorations and/or sashes

Might consider doing away with:

favors (most guests forget to take them)
table numbers and name cards (let everyone seat themselves freely)
boutonnieres and corsages outside of the immediate wedding party (we didn't do boutonnieres or corsages at all for our wedding and it looked fine)
limo (borrow a friend/parent's nice car and decorate with "just married" decorations)

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER OUR SUMMER GIVEAWAY!!

Signature Drink of the Month

2010-08-02T21:12:00.003-04:00

ABSOLUT PEARTINI is a wonderful fruity yet subtle signature drink. It's great for a wedding because it's fun, unique and classy all at the same time. There aren't too many ingredients, which will keep it more affordable. You can nix one of the garnishes or opt for both, if you have it in the budget.

ABSOLUT PEARTINI

3 parts ABSOLUT PEARS
2 parts white cranberry juice
1 1/2 parts fresh squeezed lime juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a pear slice and a few blueberries as shown.

Recipe found on www.weddingshoneymoons.com/signature_wedding_drinks

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER OUR SUMMER GIVEAWAY!!

Q & A: The "B" List

2010-07-28T11:57:00.002-04:00

Q: We can only afford to have 100 people at our wedding. We have a really big "B" list and we're hoping we can invite some of them, but we really can't do anything until we get some "no" responses. How do we tactfully rush the people on the "A" list to respond and then invite the "B" listers without being obvious that they weren't first choice?

A: A lot of people are in this same situation, so you don't need to feel tacky. Just make sure you don't let anyone know that they're on the "B" list. Here are a few ideas:

Send out your "A" list invitations early (8-10 weeks in advance), hoping that you'll get some early responses.
Put out the feelers. Moms and girlfriends are really good at this. Get them on the phone with the family/ friends and start talking about the wedding. People will most likely share their plans, if they'll be able to make it or not, if they have heard anything from anyone else, etc.
Give people an option to rsvp on your wedding website. This is generally easier, faster, and more motivating than snail mail.

Don't forget to enter our SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

Budget Wedding Flower Fix

2010-07-26T17:15:00.000-04:00

This month's budget wedding flower fix is a really fun, summery one- and very unique, too. Pineapple with alstroemelia lilies wedged in the top in a low bowl filled with water, floating flowers, and sea glass. $20

Don't forget to enter our SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

Tip of the Week

2010-07-23T08:48:00.004-04:00

Try not to let the wedding planning process and to-do list take over your entire head. Give yourself realistic deadlines and don't think about the wedding when you've finished for the day. It can be difficult to enjoy your time with your fiancee and friends if your mind is always somewhere else.

Don't hesitate to give yourself a break and start again on Monday. You don't want to have bad memories of planning your wedding; it should be a happy time. Although the timing/planning can be tricky and certainly a bit stressful at times, be sure to make it manageable for you. If you need extra help, call in the friends and family.

Don't forget to enter our SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

Wedding Dress of the Month

2010-07-20T22:08:00.005-04:00

I absolutely love this dress- so chic and unique yet simple. Only $250 from David's Bridal...

http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_Rosette-Accented-Slim-Gown-WG9954_Bridal-Gowns-Sale

By the way, did you know that David's Bridal is coming out with an affordable Vera Wang line next spring?? Pretty exciting stuff.

Don't forget to enter our SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

Budget Wedding Demo

2010-07-19T14:17:00.006-04:00

I'm going to start a series of example wedding budgets, ranging anywhere from $5-20K. I'll give a breakdown of what the potential bride could spend on certain aspects of her wedding. Some weddings might have a small guest list, so they can spend more elsewhere... and others might have a lot of people, but focus on several DIY components to stay on budget. Enjoy!

Budget: $12K

Guest List: 125 people

Wedding Party: 4 bridesmaids, 4 groomsmen

Ceremony: 1pm

Colors/Theme: "Fiesta on the green"- orange, green, yellow

Reception venue- Dept of parks & rec golf course (banquet room)- $1,500

Food/bar- $5000

$30 per head for food

Late lunch buffet (3pm)
Apps: veggie quesadillas, chips & salsa, jalapeno poppers
Entree: fajita buffet with corn salad

$10 per head for bar

signature drink- margaritas
light beer served from kegs into nice cups

Church donation- $200

Cake- $300

small display cake for cutting ($150)
large tres leche cake ($150)

Flowers/décor- $750

orange daisies, yellow Alstroemeria lilies, greenery

Rings- $500 (his $200, hers $300)

Music- $700 (DJ for 4 hours)

Invites- $300 ($1.50 per invite found online, stamps, email save the dates)

Gown- $300 (discount bridal store)

Suit- $300 (discount bridal store)

Photography- $800 (professional photographer for 5 hours)

Videography- $600 (professional videographer for 5 hours)

Transportation- $400 (town car for bride and groom)

Gifts/favors- $350

personalized handbags for bridesmaids $25
personalized mugs for groomsmen $20
personalized seedling packets $1.25 ea

Don't forget to enter our SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

Photo Credit: Wicomico Shores

Q&A: Hurting Feelings

2010-07-12T18:12:00.002-04:00

Q: My fiancee and I are on a tight budget, but we have several close friends plus siblings. I have 4 best friends from high school (all in a tight knit group) and 2 close friends from college, as well as a sister and future sister-in-law. I can't imagine not including them all, but I imagine that's going to get very expensive. Any suggestions?

A: Having 8 bridesmaids and groomsmen will definitely cost you- from the size of the limo, to the time needed from the photographer, to the bouquets, bridesmaid luncheon, and wedding party gifts. One way to handle this without hurting anyone's feelings is to only include your sister and sister in law as the bridesmaids and find other ways for your friends to have a small part.

In your situation, I wouldn't be able to choose between any of those friends, but as long as none of them were individually left out, they should understand. You can ask them to do a reading, share some of their talents (if any of them sing, enjoy photography or videography, etc), help with giving out programs, bringing up the gifts if it's in a church, etc. You could even ask these girls to wear a certain color/style dress and sit in the front row to make them feel included and know that they're special to you.

Photo Credit: http://www.lusterstudios.com/images/stephaniemike/sister-reading-wedding-ceremony-church.jpg

If you only have 2 bridesmaids who are family, you are covering your bases of anyone's feelings being hurt. It's obviously something you had to do to keep the wedding smaller and not an issue of them being a good enough or close enough friend. I would only worry if you started splitting hairs over including some of these friends and not others. Making the wedding party significantly smaller is a much safer- and cheaper- bet.

SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

2010-07-09T16:48:00.003-04:00

Right now, we're doing a $40 giveaway sponsored by CSN Stores. The gift card will be good for any of their 200 stores, featuring dining room furniture, kitchen appliances, housewares and a ton of other stuff. All you have to do to enter is follow my blog publicly and post a comment on one of my blog posts.

I will collect these new blog followers up until August 8 and then draw a name out of a hat. It's that simple- good luck!

*Shipping charges and international fees (for Canadian readers) may apply.

Make It Yours

2010-07-05T17:02:00.002-04:00

It wasn’t until I started planning my wedding over 2 years ago that I realized rules are meant to be broken. I couldn’t believe how many “musts” are involved in the traditional wedding. It never occurred to me that my wedding should reflect my wants and personality (and my husband’s). I was more concerned about people being disappointed to experience something against the wedding norm.

But then I wised up. We were on a fairly tight budget, so obviously some of these traditions weren’t going to work out. So, which ones could we throw out? All of them, as it turns out. We started thinking about what was most important to us and how we envisioned the most perfect day of our lives. From there, things just started getting easier-- even fun! And looking back on the way it turned out, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I have always been much more of a day person than night, so I decided to have the ceremony at 1pm, followed by the reception at 3. Instead of the traditional chicken, starch & veg dinner, we opted for a pig roast— my husband’s favorite. The dressed pig made for a great decoration (my apologies to the vegetarians) and it was a pleasant change from the typical wedding menu. There were a variety of sauces for the pork, and our sides included pasta salad and grilled marinated peppers, onions & squash. Everyone commented on what a great meal it was.

The next thing I nixed was the veil because it’s just not me. I had some real qualms about this one because you’re only a bride once and I really wanted to look like one. But I also wanted to look like me and the veil just seemed too serious. Along those same lines, I took the liberty of choosing the most ridiculous bible reading of all time because I thought all of the options were a little outdated and silly (I’m a devout Catholic, but you have to be able to laugh at yourself sometimes!)… The reading I chose had something to do with “my lover leaping like a gazelle.” I figured I might as well have a little fun with the limited selection. It lightened the mood, too-- everyone had a good laugh.

I am also Irish, which if you know us, we like to shout it from the rooftops. It’s not a detail you leave out of conversations with people you’ve just met. So, I not only canned “Here Comes the Bride”; I hired a bagpiper to do all of my church music. Then, my cousins and I did an Irish dance to open the reception and get people going.

My absolute favorite thing about my wedding was the location of the reception. We were thrilled to find out that my in-laws were willing to let us use their bay house in southern Maryland. We grew up near the water, so having our reception on the St. Clement’s Bay was really a reflection of who we are. People walked along the hill overlooking the water or sat down by the pier over the course of the afternoon. It was truly a relaxed wedding and we were relaxed as a result.

The bottom line is that you don’t have to do anything for your special day. The more you free yourself from the traditional norms, the better your day will turn out—because it will be about you!

Budget Wedding Flower Fix- June

2010-06-28T14:50:00.001-04:00

This month's budget wedding flower fix incorporates big sunflowers and fresh fruit to create a bright summery centerpiece that comes in under $25.

For more budget wedding planning ideas, visit http://www.budgetwiseweddingmd.com