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Vegas Wedding

Getting married in Las Vegas is fun, exciting, and can fit into even the tightest of wedding budgets.  Weddings in Vegas can be cozy and intimate or wild and themed.  If you want to get married by Elvis, that’s a possibility.  That’s the great thing about Las Vegas, anything goes!

Getting Married in Vegas – Pros and Cons
A major perk of getting married in Vegas is that weddings can be put together with little to no notice, and there will always be a place available no matter the time or date.  There are hundreds of churches and chapels in Vegas, but those aren’t your only options.  Hotels, tourist attractions, and public areas can also make elegant wedding locations.

Cons of getting married in Vegas include tacky decorations of some locations and the stigma of having a quickie wedding in Sin City.  If your dream is to have your wedding in Vegas and you are afraid of tacky décor, just request photos of the location before you book it.  Your Vegas wedding is really all about you and your fiancé, and if having a fantastic time is your main goal, then burgundy carpet shouldn’t be a deal breaker.  If it is, there are hundreds more places to choose from in every budget imaginable.

What’s Different in Vegas Weddings?
Las Vegas offers twenty-four hour entertainment, shows, fine dining, and more!  You and your guests will never get bored and your wedding trip will be like one big party.  Wedding packages even start under $50 for the bride on a shoestring budget, but can range up in the thousands for the bride who wants a more elaborate reception.  If you shop around and plan ahead it’s possible to find wedding packages under $500 including limousine services, chapel rental, reception area, a minister, witnesses, and more.  Some companies even throw in generic rental flowers and cakes.  Anything is possible in Las Vegas and if you go with the right company you can get a fantastic wedding at a great price!

Jenny's Illustration Board

My niece, Jennifer Nalus, is getting married in January, 2010.  I was so excited when she asked me to help her plan her wedding.  The wedding is in the Philippines and I am in California, so that is a bit of a challenge.  All my wedding vendors are in the US and I am not familiar with wedding vendors in the Philippines.  However, with my talented sister-in-law and my other nieces helping their sister, everything is working fine.  Jenny’s wedding planning is coming together.

Black and White Wedding Colors

Jenny chose black and white as her wedding colors.  She and her bridesmaids will be wearing white.  The bridesmaids will have black lining on the dresses while the MOH will wear black of the same design with white lining.  The groom will wear a black barong tagalog.  Barong tagalog is a native formal wear. The flower girl will be carrying a black and white basket filled with white petals while the ring bearer will be carrying a black and white ring pillow.

The reception will be held at the elegant Shangri-La Hotel with 200 guests.  The tables and chairs will be covered with black linen accented with white dinner plates and white napkins.  A white pillar candle embellished with white butterfly, white silk flowers and pearls will be the main centerpiece.  White rose petals and silver-wrapped chocolate kisses will be scattered around the centerpiece to give a colorful contrast to the black table top.  The pillar candles will also be surrounded by cute bride and groom votive candles.

Wedding Gown, Bouquets and Cake

Jenny chose a local designer, Olan Roque, to design her bridal gown; and did I say it looks fabulous!  The wedding gown is made with Mikado silk and chiffon with cut beads and stones hand sewn into the halter neckline.  As for the wedding bouquet, the bride will be carrying red roses, her favorite flower, dotted with stephanotis.  The bridesmaids and MOH will be carrying white calla lilies wrapped in black and white satin handle.

The white wedding cake will be decorated with cascading red roses and black ribbons.  Replica dolls of the bride and groom will be added to the base cake tier.  I was told that the cake is designed and will be made by one of Jenny’s friends.  It looks splendid!

Reception Menu

Since Jenny is marrying a chef, isn’t any wonder that the menu is so mouth-watering?  It makes me hungry just reading about it!  Here is the menu:

Salads and Appetizers

• Selection of garden greens with various dressings
• Potato Salad with croutons, bacons and spring onion
• Coleslaw

Soup

• Pumpkin or Mushroom soup

Main Courses

• Lasagna
• Chicken with homemade barbeque sauce
• Sesame breaded snapper with pickled Mayo
• Kingdao Spareribs
• Lechon

Desserts

• Assorted cakes and pastries
• Fresh fruit platters

More details  of the wedding planning  later …

Honeymoon registries allow your wedding guests who would normally buy you sheets and pillow cases to instead purchase part of your honeymoon experience.  This is not the same as asking your guests for cash, which is often frowned upon as unacceptable wedding etiquette.  Honeymoon registries are as courteous as gift registries.  Items on the honeymoon registries can vary widely just like the items you choose in a traditional gift registry.

What Can You Include in your Honeymoon Registry?

After picking the location of your honeymoon, you can register for items such as:

• Hotel stays or bed and breakfast accommodations

• Transportation such as limos and rental cars

• Romantic dinner for two

• Tickets to local shows

• Spa massages for two

• Entrance fees to tourist attractions

Your honeymoon registry isn’t limited to the items seen above either!  If you’ve always wanted to do something crazy like skydiving, you can add it to your list and go for it on your honeymoon.  Also the more details you give on your registry the more the person giving the gift will feel involved.  Don’t just say you want to visit a museum while on your NYC honeymoon, but say you want to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Instead of saying you want three nights at a hotel, you can say you want to stay three nights at the beautiful 5 star St. Regis overlooking Manhattan’s world famous Fifth Avenue.

There are many online services that will help you plan your honeymoon registry.   Some even have example registries so you get a feel of how your registry should look.  Don’t be afraid to compare companies either before deciding which one to register with, this is your honeymoon you are planning.  Pick a registry site that is trustworthy.  Here is a site that compares popular honeymoon registries: Creative Honeymoon Ideas

Registering with a travel agency in person is also an option. It may make you feel safer knowing you can speak with someone face to face about your trip.  With the right planning, you wedding guests can help you have the honeymoon of your dreams, and you won’t even have to return five crock pots to get it!

Generally people think of bachelorette parties as a night of alcohol and watching male strippers.  Now a days, it is becoming more of an opportunity for “female bonding” with activities that are fun and appropriate for bridesmaids and friends of any age.  If you are looking for alternative activities for your bachelorette party, here are four great ideas for that special girls’ night out.

1.      Spa Night

A night at the spa is a popular theme many brides are choosing for their bachelorette parties.  Spas are now opening up for private events and will cater to the party requests of soon-to-be brides.  Many women find that a facial, pedicure, manicure, and massage not only helps them to de-stress before the big day, but is also an activity that tops a night out in a crowded smoky club.  The next day you and your girl friends will be glowing and refreshed instead of nurturing a hung over.

2.    Sleepovers

Sleepovers are no longer for thirteen year old girls.  Today’s brides are inviting over their best girl friends of all ages for a night of chick flicks, pizza, and secrets.  Play some games in between the movies and trading secrets. One such game is  “toilet paper bride”.  Women team up in pairs of two, each team gets a roll of toilet paper, and the teams try to come up with the prettiest toilet paper wedding gown.  You, as the bride-to-be gets to pick the winning team.  Another version of this game is to see which team can wrap up their “bride” the quickest with the toilet paper, mummy style.  These ultra hip slumber parties aren’t just limited to houses either, for a fun twist have the sleepover at a hotel and order ice cream from room service.

3.    Karaoke Bar Fun

For bridal parties that still want to party but want to skip the traditional strip club, a karaoke bar is a fun alternative. You do not need to be an “American Idol” to stand up and belt a tune or two.  Who knows, you, one of your bridesmaids and / or girl friends might have a hidden singing talent that is waiting to be discovered.

4.    Group Cooking Class

For the undomesticated bride, group cooking classes are a unique idea.  Not only will the bride learn some handy kitchen skills, but she can also learn a tasty recipe to cook up for her new husband.  If the bride cooks like a pro, substitute the cooking lessons for group scrap booking classes.  The bride can learn how to make a beautiful wedding scrapbook instead of having to pay a professional.  Bridesmaids can also discover their inner scrap booking or cooking talents in the group class.

Bachelorette parties are no longer just about drinking and watching male strippers.  Brides are skipping the traditional party themes and instead are going with a more modern approach.  No matter which party theme you choose, you’re wedding group is bound to have a blast!

Start with the Invitation

Traditionally the wedding couple picks out the most beautiful invitations and doesn’t concern themselves with materials used.  A green option is to go with invitations that are not only pleasing to the eye, but are also made from recycled materials or hemp.  In green weddings it is also acceptable to skip hand held invitations and send out e-invitations through email.  E-invites can also say you money on not only invitation costs but also postage.

Eco-friendly Wedding Gowns

When it comes to the Bride’s beautiful dream wedding dress there are also green options available.  Gowns made in natural materials, such as organic cotton, silk, and silk satin, are becoming very popular.  Hemp is also an option, it absorbs moisture, naturally resists mold and mildew, and therefore stores better.  Renting a gown or using mom’s or grandma’s dress is also an environmentally friendly option.

What to Serve On Your Reception

Organic food is easy to come by.  Many cake makers already cater to eco-concerned parties.  Tell them your concerns and watch them create special dishes just for you that are both delicious and organic.  Organic options may also fit into special diets some of your guests may have.

Eco-Friendly Confetti

As the Bride and Groom exit the reception it’s traditional for confetti to be thrown.  A green option is bird seed.  It’s classic and it feeds the local birds.  Never throw rice as once a bird eats rice it can expand in their stomach and make them sick or worse.  Bird seed is a safe green option that is also very traditional.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Favors

Lastly, and just as important as any wedding aspect, is the wedding favors for the bridal party and guests.  Green ideas are endless in this department.  Any organic gift or gift made from 100% recycled materials is acceptable.  Some popular organic gifts are organic candles, seed packets, a tree sapling, organic soaps, organic candies and chocolates; even organic food baskets.  Your wedding guests would never forget getting a Lucky Bamboo plant at your wedding.  For the bridesmaids a gift basket of organic beauty products would be spectacular.

Having a green wedding is just as easy as having a traditional wedding.  You can have the wedding of your dreams and still be environmentally conscious.  If you plan correctly, your green wedding will be just as elegant, if not more so, than traditional weddings.  Your guests will never forget the “green” wedding they attended and you will know you did your part to protect the Earth.

Photo Credits:  Elegant Green Wedding by brideadvocate on Polyvore.com

In reality, marriage is not a happy ending but a glorious beginning to your new life.  While life as newlyweds is exciting it can also be challenging.  It is said that the first year of marriage is the hardest and people often speculate on if a new marriage will “survive” the first year.  Don’t let speculation and struggles get in the way, take care of the newlywed issues before they become problems and you’ll have a much easier first year.

Here are issues that newlyweds commonly argue about:

• Money
• In-laws
• Roles of each person
• Quality time
• Children

Money is an issue an alarming number of couples fight about, not just newlyweds.  Throwing a wedding can start your relationship off in debt.  If one of you already has debt, your monthly budget can be strained.  Pointing fingers about who spent what will not help in this situation.  You and your spouse need to sit down as soon as possible, look at your finances, and get a monthly budget in place.  Debt is not the end of the world, even though it can feel like it; you just need a plan to get debt paid off.

Mother-in-laws can be overbearing.   His mom (or your mom) means well, but she can make you feel like you’re married to two people instead of one.  If she always puts her two cents in on your problems refrain from speaking about them in front of her.  Ask your partner to do the same.  She can’t give you meddlesome advice on problems she doesn’t know about.  It’s also not fair to get mad at her for her opinion when you asked her for advice.

When you are sharing your nesting place, have you discussed who will do the dishes?  What about the laundry, paying the bills, grocery shopping, cooking, changing the oil…  If he expects you to cook will he be in charge of clean up?  Roles around the house aren’t about who has to do what chore, but what can you do to make the household run smoothly.  Maybe you and your hubby can do the dishes together after dinner while you both give each other flirty looks and smiles – you might like where it ends up.

When you were dating, as long as you two were together the day was perfect.  After you are married you might not want to watch him play golf and he might not enjoy watching you shop.  That’s okay, just be sure to set aside quality time together.  If one of you has to endure an activity that’s not on their fun list, focus on each other and not the activity.

Children can be a big issue.  Should you start trying right away?  Do you want to wait five years?  Do you even want kids?  Hopefully this conversation took place early on in the relationship.  If not, have it now.  Don’t panic if your partner’s answer doesn’t match

An Alternative to Disposal Cameras

A new alternative to buying disposable cameras is renting high quality digital cameras for guests to use.  I found several companies that offer such services, but Camera Renter is by far the best that I found.  This online store offers a photo package for weddings that includes the rental fee for the cameras, shipping fees to you and return shipping, damage insurance, a CD of your photos, unlimited photo downloading for you and your guests, photo hosting, and photo sharing.

Why Use Rented Digital Cameras
Your typical disposable wedding camera holds less than thirty photos, while cameras from Camera Renter hold an average of 450 photos and can take a 15 minute video.  A teen sitting at the table may take 10 photos of their date before they realize they just used half the role of a disposable camera.  With a digital camera, they can still take 440 more photos or they have the option to delete the photos they just took. You can even order the camera early so you can use them for the rehearsal dinner, too.

The online photo sharing is convenient as guests and family who couldn’t make the ceremony can view your photos and still share in your wedding experience.  You can send them an online invitation and they can even view the videos your guests took with the cameras.

For DIY Brides:  A Good Alternative to Hiring Professional Photographers
While renting a digital photo package may cost more than disposable, when you add up everything that’s included it’s actually a pretty great deal.  Disposable cameras run around $3-10 per camera, plus shipping and handling if purchased online.  You run a risk of the film not turning out and having to pay for processing photos you don’t really want.  A 10 camera photo package from Camera Renter is $495 and allows you and your guests to take many more photos, videos, and have better quality prints.  This is a good alternative for a DIY bride who does not want to spend thousands of dollars for a professional photographer.

Hand Rented Digital Cameras to Trusted Friends or Family
If a cheap disposable camera is lost or broken, it’s not a big deal.  If a camera from Camera Renter is damaged you’re covered under the 100% damage insurance included in the photo package.  On the other hand if one of the rented cameras goes missing there is a $100 replacement fee.  With disposable cameras you would be comfortable letting anyone use them, but with the rented digital cameras you might want to only hand them out to close family and friends who will keep track of them.

In Addition to Professional Photography
For those of you who plan or already have a professional photographer for your memorable event, let him/her handle the official pictures.  Give your trusted friends or family relatives these rented digital cameras to capture intimate moments in pictures or in video of your closest friends and family at your rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony or reception.  You will be happier with the number and quality of photos, and enjoy sharing them online with family and friends.

Photo Credits:  Camera Renter.  This article is written without monetary or other compensation from Camera Rental. It is a service for soon-to-be brides.

Backyard Wedding Reception

You may have noticed that the costs for everyday items are at an all time high.  Unfortunately the expenses relating to weddings have also increased as our economy has struggled.  While fancy catered dinners and designer wedding gowns can take a big chunk out of your overall budget, engaged couples are often shocked to discover that rental fees on locations used for weddings and receptions have skyrocketed.  What’s a bride to do?  Many thrifty brides are deciding to cut costs and save money by having their receptions in their own backyard.  A backyard wedding can be just as beautiful as one in a rented area, but does require more work.

Points to Consider

Your backyard, or a backyard belonging to a close friend or relative, can be the perfect idea if you can‘t afford to blow several thousand dollars on a rental or banquet hall.  While backyards are free to use, there are other elements you have to consider such as neighborhood pets, neighbors, rain, and temperature.  A place you pay to rent may include all of the needed decorations and set everything up for you including tables and chairs.  Unfortunately if you use your own backyard all prep, decorating, lawn mowing, table setting, and parking will ultimately be your responsibility.  If you are the kind of bride who is going to be stressed and rushed for time as it is, you might want to cough up the rental fee.  However, if you are a relaxed go with the flow kind of bride, all the work of a backyard reception might make you feel more involved and not be a problem for you.

How can you have a beautiful backyard wedding on a shoestring budget?

Easy, just remember that less can be more if it‘s laid out properly, and it’s the little personal touches that set the mood.  Make sure your decorations fit the theme of your wedding and you can pull together a classy backyard reception easier than you think.  A backyard wedding can go for any theme, ultra formal to whimsical, but either way it will feel more intimate as it’s your backyard.

Decoration Options

If you’re having an after sunset reception candles can really set the mood.  Make sure you put them where they won’t be knocked over easily or fire fighting may also become one of your wedding duties.  For easy table centerpieces find some inexpensive clear glass decorative bowls at a dollar store, add some water, and float rose petals and tea candles in them.  They’re very safe and will look ultra romantic in photos at your night time reception.  If you go with this idea you could easily stop there with a white or colored tablecloth underneath.  If you want a little more on your table you could add a runner or sprinkle more rose petals around the glass bowl.  Just don’t go too crazy with extra decoration or your guests may not have room to enjoy their dinner.

Food Options

It’s not uncommon for a place rented for a wedding reception to require you to use them to cater your wedding.  In your own backyard you can hire the cheapest company you can find or do it yourself.  It’s really anything goes as you are making the rules.  A very popular backyard food theme is a buffet where everyone helps themselves.  You could cook all the food the day before and warm it up right before its set out and save yourself a bundle.  The only challenge might be finding a few friends or relative who’d be willing to do this for you as you don’t want to be anywhere near the kitchen in your fabulous wedding gown.

If you decide to go ahead and rent a place to have your reception I’m sure it with a bit of planning it will be perfect.  If you make up your mind to save money and have a backyard wedding reception it will be more work, but the rewards can be well worth it.  It’s your very special day, and will be a day you and your fiancé remember for the rest of your lives together.  After you say “I do” sit at your bridal table and enjoy your reception knowing that you are the reason it‘s a success!

Photo Credits:  Above All Catering

Favor Cakes

As a blushing bride you want your wedding to be unique and memorable, just like you will be as you walk down the isle in your wedding dress.  There is no detail too small to be customized, and it’s the little extras that will make your wedding exceptional for your guests.  When it comes to choosing wedding favors the options can be absolutely overwhelming.  As a bride you want to give out something new that people haven’t seen before and yet what you choose still needs to be affordable and classy.

Favor Divas has a line of some of the most unique wedding favors available.  They’re called “Favor Cakes”, and not only are they wedding favors, but they can double as reception decorations and stunning table centerpieces.  Favor Cakes look like beautiful wedding cakes from afar and are available in two, three, four, and five layers.  It’s when your wedding guests get close to Favor Cakes that they realize there’s something special about them.  These Favor Cakes are not edible cake at all but are unexpectedly wedding favors!  Your guests will be pleasantly surprised to take home their very own slice of your Lavender Turrets of Love Favor Cake.

Two Ways to Have Your Favor Cake

What’s unconventional about Favor Cakes  is that you can choose to have them arrive assembled and ready to go, or unassembled in a do it yourself kit!

• The assembled version arrives with each pearl handled favor box containing Jordan almonds and a sweet love poem.
• The unassembled option comes with colored instructions and everything you need to easily assemble your Favor Cake minus candy.  This  option is great for the bride who went over budget on her dress and is trying to make up for costs where she can, or the bride who just likes to do it herself.

No matter which version you choose, and unlike most other high quality wedding favors, both options are affordable.  From a decoration standpoint the silk flower toppers are elegant and will make your reception feel classy and timeless.  The satin ribbons on each of the pearl handed favor boxes are the icing on the cake and add a stylish dash of color.

While the pressure will be on trying to get last minute preparations finished for your big day, a Favor Cake just may be the answer to your wedding favor prayers.  They’re unique, budget friendly, and will be memorable for your guests.