Easy DIY Fruit-Inspired Centerpieces August 10, 2010

Over the weekend, I was shopping and found some beautifully orange oranges at the store, and they inspired me to turn them into decoration! I was thinking about the summer season and the colors that I was inspired by at the moment from those oranges, and figured out that they could bring great color to centerpieces for a wedding. Once my wheels were turning, I decided that some crisp white roses would give fantastic contrast to the bright orange oranges that I wanted to use, so I quickly found those in the store as well. And so it began, the centerpieces for a wedding with colors orange and white!

The items that you will need to make the centerpiece are:

• Small oranges
• Crisp, fresh white roses
• 1 rubber band
• 1 clear vase – a vase that is taller than it is wide will work best
• Optional: Ribbon of white, orange, or a secondary color of your choice

Here’s how you make this great centerpiece:

1. Clean the vase and towel dry to remove any water spots.
2. Place the oranges in the vase, enough to fill the vase 2/3 the way full.
3. Fill the vase with water, just enough to cover slightly above the oranges, but make sure it’s high enough for your rose stems to sit in so they are being freshly watered!



4. Take 1 of your roses and hold it up to the vase so that the actual flower is sticking just above the top of the vase – mark that spot on the stem and cut there.
5. Cut all roses the same length as the one you just measured to the vase.
6. Bunch all of your roses together to make sure that when you place them in the vase, they entirely cover the mouth of the vase and then some. You want it to look like an entire bunch of flowers is emerging out of the vase! Secure all the stems together by tying a rubber band towards the top of the roses, right under the flower. You should now have a small bouquet of white roses!
7. Gently place the roses in the vase. Make sure that the stems have ample access to water to ensure they stay fresh and beautiful.



8. If you have ribbon, cut a piece and tie it around the neck of the vase to hide the rose stems. (I did not have any ribbon, but I thought a nice chocolate brown ribbon would turn this summer centerpiece into a fall centerpiece very quickly!)
9. You have your beautiful centerpiece!

So what all did this centerpiece cost for me to make? The oranges came in a bag of 24 oranges for $5, which made them $0.19 a piece. I used 6 of them, so the total orange cost was $1.14. I got the roses at Costco (they have the best quality roses that I’ve seen in my entire life). They come in 2 dozen bunches for $15, so each rose is $0.63. I used 10 of them, so the total rose cost was $6.30. I had the vase at home, so for me it was free. Thus bringing the total cost of this centerpiece to $7.44 each! Most people don’t have tons of vases lying around; a great tip when you’re looking for vases is to ask people you know who may have recently gotten married. They may still have their vases and would be willing to sell you them or let you borrow them. And it’s okay if all of the vases aren’t the same! That will add even more variety to your centerpieces! Just make sure they are taller than they are wide, and that they are clear, then you should be good to go! If you can’t find vases to buy from friends or borrow, there are many places that sell vases in bulk, like the Dollar Tree. These vases will work great (in fact, I think this is the one I actually used) and they are only $1 each!

Don’t be afraid to mix it up and try other color variations with other fruits and rose colors. Be sure the fruit has a firm skin, such as a Granny Smith Apple, Red Delicious Apple, Lemons, and Limes. Most importantly, HAVE FUN, be creative, and make it reflect your day!

Bachelorette Parties That Won’t Break the Bank August 9, 2010

While planning a wedding, much of the stress is had by the bride and the groom because of the many decisions they have to make. Therefore, when it comes time for one of the bridesmaids to plan the bachelorette party, she begins to share in that stress with the bride. Questions will run through her head, such as: Will the bride have fun? Is this what she had in mind? Who will be invited? Is this going to be too expensive? Well have no fear, I have a few ideas for a bachelorette party that will be both fun and affordable.

The main goal is that the bride has fun! Therefore, the first thing you should do is get a feel for what your bride wants. Not every bride is going to be the same, with respect to what they find fun, so it is most important that you plan the party around what SHE WILL FIND FUN!

• The Obligatory “Last Night Out” – There’s no denying that most brides will want to go out for a night on the town to celebrate their “last nights of being single”. However, don’t feel required to go completely overboard, as who is there and the fun that is had will be remembered over the lavishness, every time! It’s always important to eat before a night on the town, but dinner for a group can be really expensive. Instead, have a potluck at your house where everyone brings a portion of the meal – you could even theme it to the bride’s favorite food (Italian, Mexican, etc.) or bring dishes that remind people of the bride.  Pair it with glasses of wine or margaritas and you’re set to start the party off right! Once out on the town, a favorite game of mine is the bachelorette scavenger hunt. Here you will find 60 different things that can be done as a part of the scavenger hunt – go through and pick out the ones that you like and create a fun card for the bride to carry with her for the night. It will keep the night going with laughter and make great memories for you all to share in the future. If you are wanting to deck your bride out in the “traditional” bachelorette party gear, remember that all the little trinkets will add up quickly – to save on some of the cost, limit items to the bride only, and only get a few major things that will be able to differentiate the bride from every one else. Again, the night is about her - make her stand out.
• Wine Tasting the Night Away – Look to your local area to see if there are any local wineries within driving distance. Most people don’t realize that you don’t have to go to Napa in order to enjoy great wine. For example, Amador County in California is full of great wineries, and more often than not the tasting is free! (Just make sure you show your gratitude and purchase a bottle or two, or even a case or two, during your trip to the wineries. That is how they keep their business going and continue to offer free tastings. ) If you don’t have local wineries near or they are out of season, throw a wine tasting party at a house of one of the bridesmaids! In order to keep the cost low, ask each guest to bring their favorite appetizer to be shared with everyone else. You could even take it a step further and have them bring their favorite pairings of wine and appetizer, and then the party could be turned into a wine pairing party! There are also two games you could set up to play. The first would require everyone to bring their favorite bottle of wine. Then, you would put each into a brown lunch bag and number it. One by one, everyone would taste each wine and then vote on their favorite. The winner would receive a gift that you set up! The second fun game be to buy a large variety of types of wine, and then cover all the wine in brown paper bags. Number them, and then give each attendee a piece of paper. One by one, try each wine and have everyone try to guess the type of wine (Merlot, Chardonnay, etc.), and possibly even the maker. Each right answer gets a point, and the person with the most points wins a prize. Both games offer laughter and guaranteed fun!
• Slumber Party – As we grow older, we don’t partake in slumber parties anymore. So, why not bring them back for the bachelorette party, especially if it’s a party for a childhood friend! Theme the slumber party to the season or the wedding, with a signature dish and mixed/blended drink. Don’t forget the popcorn and scary movies or chick-flicks! Take this time to give each other manicures or pedicures, as well as play games that are centered around the bride. A fun idea is to give each person a clothespin when they get to the party – anytime someone mentions the groom’s name, someone else should call that person out and collect their clothespin. The person with the most clothespins at the end of the night wins the game!

These are just a few ideas that you can do for a fun bachelorette party, but there are many more things that you can do. Do not be afraid to be creative when planning. However, when planning on a budget, the most important thing you must keep in mind is that everyone knows what they’re paying for ahead of time, and that it’s reasonably priced. For example, for 10 girls at a party that cost $250, make sure everyone understands their portion is $25. The bride must not pay for anything, as the day is for her! Happy planning!

Wedding Favors or No Wedding Favors? That’s the Question! August 7, 2010

Recently I found myself asking where the idea and tradition of wedding favors came from when I was questioning even having them in a wedding at all. After a quick search, I found that the tradition is an old one that first started with bonbonnieres, which signified wealth or royalty. After the price of sugar decreased, it became more common for gifts to be given to guests from couples with a moderate budget. As time went on, it became tradition for these gifts to be given at weddings, especially in the United States and Canada.

Just because something is considered tradition doesn’t mean it will always fit into your wedding or into your budget. So here I am saying (gasp!) that it’s okay to break tradition. If you’re on a budget, my first recommendation is to cut wedding favors. More often than not do the wedding favors get quickly forgotten by the guests and if they’re not truly practical, they’ll most likely end up as dust collectors or quickly in the trash. Don’t let your money be wasted that way!

However, it is completely understandable if you want to keep wedding favors for your wedding. In that case, to get the most from your budget, look into edible wedding favors! Having your wedding favors be edible eliminates the ability for them to become dust collectors or get thrown out. Moreover, they can also be incorporated into the decor of your wedding — then they’re not only your wedding favors, but also your decorations!

For example, consider doing a candy bar table at your wedding, and personalize the candy to your wedding colors, like the above picture with the pinks and the purples. This would be a great place to have personalized M&Ms. Then leave cellophane bags and scoops for your guests to help themselves to create their own wedding favors at the end of the night.

Other edible wedding favors ideas are:

• Chocolate Dipped Strawberries – Get these strawberries and put them in individual boxes for each guest. On each box, put their table number assignment and they can be enjoyed by the guest once at their assigned table!

• Dot Pops – These cake pops are all the rave! They are decorative and delicious, as they come in many different flavors and colors. Arrange these dot pops as a centerpiece for each of your tables, and then add the table number to the centerpiece as well. This will allow your guests to find their assigned table, as well as enjoy a sweet snack at their leisure during your celebration!

• Chocolate Covered Photo-Krispy Treats – It is common for couples to want to include their picture in their wedding favor, and these chocolate covered rice krispy photo treats can be creative vessel to do so. Choose as many photos as you would like to share to be placed on the treats. If you would like for your guests to be able to choose their photo, then set these up on a separate table surrounded by other pictures in frames. This table is a cute decoration that will personalize the wedding and bring back memories for those people who also might be in the pictures with you. If you are doing assigned seating, these can be used for table assignments. Print and place labels on each individual treat that will tell each guest which table they are at.

Whether you decide to do wedding favors or not, make sure you love what you choose, but don’t be afraid to break tradition or have a little fun! After all, it is your day!

Most Valuable Resources? Family and Friends! August 3, 2010

With wedding planning under way, you are bound to become stressed over one thing or another at some point during the process. However, I know it’s easier said than done, but do your absolute best to not become stressed during this  very exciting time. Your wedding will be beautiful and you and your fiance will have a great time. The best way to relieve some stress is to look to the most talented and creative people you know to help with the process: your family and friends! They will be honored to help you with your special day. Here are 4 ways that your family and friends can help you reduce costs and make the process that much easier:

• Invitations – Invitations don’t have to be extravagant to be beautiful and serve their purpose. When trying to make invitations on a budget, first find something that you know you can make without spending hours on each invitation, as well as something that fits into both your style and budget. Then go to a stationary store in your local town or city, or visit a stationary site online to pick out your supplies. There are many different options with how much of your invitation you wish to do yourself; some places will print on the stationary, but leave the assembly up to you, while others will leave the printing and assembly entirely up to you. That decision is yours. Once you have your invitation idea and everything printed, sit down and make your sample invitation. When you have your sample complete, it’s time to enlist the help of your family and friends. Order some pizza, buy some beer, and throw an “invitation creation party”. It is extremely important to show your sample to everyone helping you to show what the final invitation should look like, and then set up an assembly line with each individual with a separate part of the invitation creation. For example, one person could glue the printed stationary onto a larger piece of stationary, while another person can tie a ribbon around the entire invitation, and so on. Each invitation is unique and will have different processes, but the most import thing you need to do is make sure each step in the creation is explained well with respect to your expectations, and be very grateful for their help!
• Centerpieces – Much like the invitations, you must create your sample centerpiece before enlisting your family and friends for help. If you have a friend that is creative with flowers, ask them to help you come up with creative ideas for your centerpieces. Think about what you want to be seen on your tables and what you can afford with your budget. Remember to BE CREATIVE, as so many different things can be used as centerpieces. A day or two before the wedding, enlist your family and friends to help put together the centerpieces with you. Or, if you have a friend that is willing to take on the responsibility of the centerpieces, show them what you want and then trust that they will do as your sample shows. If you are going to let a friend or family member take this responsibility, I recommend you have a run-through with them to make sure you’re both on the same page about what you would like the final product to look like. Again, be sure to be grateful for their help and enjoy working with them on a fun project.
• Reception Decoration – The day of your wedding is going to be one that you want to enjoy, and you won’t be (or shouldn’t be) worrying about how the reception is being set up. Find family and friends that are not in the wedding that are willing to arrive early to help set things up such as tables, chairs, centerpieces, etc. The key to this being done right is keeping everything simple, yet beautiful, and putting one person in charge of making sure it’s how you want it. It is also important for everything to be done, such as the centerpieces, so that it’s as simple as setting everything out in the layout discussed with the person “in charge”.  Be sure to practice with your go-to person before the reception so they know what you expect, and again, be thankful for everyone’s help.
• Reception Bar – An open-bar is becoming more and more common at weddings, but hiring someone to work the bar is expensive. A creative way to have family and friends help with your wedding is to ask them to sign up for 30 minute or hour sessions working the bar during the reception. Buy whatever alcohol you wish to serve at your wedding in bulk, and then have the bar set up during the reception area set-up. Having your guests work the bar for short periods allows for interaction between your guests in a unique manner, as well as keeps control on the bar to make sure it’s not getting out of hand.

For those family and friends that do help you with your wedding, be sure to invite them to the rehearsal dinner. This can be your way of thanking them for all that they’ve done to make your magical day come true, as well as help them feel more included in your special day!

Location, Location, Location August 2, 2010

The location of your wedding and wedding reception is a crucial part in laying the foundation of the mood for your wedding: the decor, the dress attire, and the overall ambiance. Because of this, it isn’t surprising that a majority of your budget will go to your wedding reception: location, decor, catering, cake, and so on. Your first step at saving is to pick a location that fits into your budget. There are many beautiful places you could choose that are on the low-end in price, and still give an exceptional setting for your special day. Here are three low-cost locations to consider when planning your wedding.

College or University – Most college or universities have beautifully maintained grounds that are a perfect location for an outdoor wedding. They provide plenty of space and a location that will be beautiful during the actual wedding and in your photos for the years to follow. Most may even have an event hall that could serve as a reception area if you wish to not have an outdoor reception. Below are images from the University of Nevada, Reno and their grounds that have been used for ceremonies.

Town Halls – Town halls are made specially for events put on by the local town or city, so they are equipped to hold parties for various locations. They are made available for rental to the citizens of the town or city, and can house a good size of people comfortably. They also usually provide tables, chairs, a dance floor, and so on. It is possible to find a nearby park or chapel to have the ceremony and then have the reception at the town hall if you didn’t want to have both at the same location. Below are images of the local town hall in Minden, Nevada.

Town/County/City Owned Parks – Much like a College or University, a park offers a lot of natural scenery for a beautiful wedding. However, many parks also have a gazebo or building on site that would be perfect for a wedding reception. Their prices run fairly low, and are unique to what they can offer. For example, the Old Galena Fish Hatchery in Reno, NV has various venues to offer for wedding ceremonies and receptions. One of the places is Marilyn’s Pond. They have a ceremony site in front of the pond, and they’ve turned the old fish hatchery building into an event venue, furnished with tables and chairs to place in your liking. I went to a wedding there that rented the venue for 8 hours and it only cost $300 for all 8 hours. What a steal! Pictures of the venue are below!

These are just three options you have in choosing your location, but there are many more for you to explore in your own town or city. Each location is unique, and with a little investigation of extraordinary places, you’ll find the perfect one for you and your budget!

Stop the Planning! Set Your Budget First! August 1, 2010

When planning a wedding, the easiest thing to do is to say “yes” without thinking about the overall cost and how it will affect the total cost of the wedding. It is the most exciting time in your life, to date, and you’re going to love so many things; a good portion of those things could possibly ruin your entire budget that you’ve set aside for your magical day!

Luckily there are ways to keep your budget on track by utilizing a wedding budgeting tool. First and foremost, when searching for a wedding budgeting tool, it is important to remember that not all weddings fit a mold, and just because it’s on the tool doesn’t mean that you have to do it. The opposite also holds true that if there’s something that you want that isn’t on the tool, don’t stress about it — JUST ADD IT!!! However, remind yourself that you are on a budget, and try your best not to go overboard with the additions, because they’ll add up quick!

Before beginning to budget where your money will go, you must decide how much total money you have for the wedding. How much do you have saved up for this occasion? How much will you be saving each month from now until the wedding? How much have your parents or your fiance’s parents offered, if any? Are you comfortable being in debt at all because of the wedding? If so, how much? Those are just a few of the many questions to ask yourself in order to set the total budget for the wedding.

There are two tools that I find extremely useful. The first is a Wedding Budget Calculator application on the web that will allow you to include certain aspects that you wish to have in your wedding, as well as ignore others. Because this is a web application, it does not store the data you enter, so be sure to print the sheet for your records. While working with this budget calculator, I found it easier to put in amounts for each of the items first, and then go back and adjust where I was comfortable in order to get to my budget. For example, I filled out my entire estimate for each of my items, and found I was $200 over. At that time, I went back and adjusted where necessary in order to come within budget.

The second tool that I found useful was more of a template for creating my own Wedding Budget Spreadsheet. It shows what percent of the overall budget should be spent on each item. This allows for a greater understanding of what to expect when you get to that point in your planning. Because this is just a template, it allows for you to create your budget in a spreadsheet for continuous reference throughout the whole planning budget. Here is an example of a budget done by a couple in the UK:

Again, these are just two examples of ways to set your budget. If neither of these work for you, that’s okay! What’s important is that you find a way that does work for you, and get budgeting!

You’re Engaged! Now What? July 30, 2010

It has happened – the event in your life that you were waiting for, and now you get to plan to become the Mrs.! So what comes first?

CHOOSING THE DATE!!! When beginning to plan a wedding, your date will be the foundation to everything else that happens from now until the wedding. The two attributes that are directly affected by the date are the Season/Mood of the wedding, as well as the Cost of the wedding.

• Season/Mood – The month that you choose to have your wedding in will set the tone for your joyous day immediately. For example, a wedding in January will include cool weather, and depending on where you live, could even include snow. On the contrary, a wedding in August could bring scorching temperatures that could make an outdoor wedding uncomfortable. Every city has a different climate, and you know what the weather is like during each time of the year, so it is important to keep that in mind when planning your wedding. It is the best idea to jot down a few adjectives with respect to how you want the mood of your wedding. TheKnot.com does a great job at giving a few recommendations for the season and the mood – “Free-spirited fun, sun-dappled settings, wild and sweaty dancing: Stick with a summer wedding. Opulence, snowfall, holiday sparkle: Try a winter wedding. Rich colors, nostalgia, mulled apple cider: A fall wedding is for you. Freshness, pastels, a daffodil bouquet: A spring wedding is your thing.”

• Cost - Just like any other product, weddings experience supply and demand, which causes them to respond in the same way that economics would describe. It makes sense that when demand for a wedding is high, then the price for venues and vendors also increases. The “Wedding Season” is known as June – September, which I’m sure you’ve all experienced as more and more friends begin to get married. Choosing a date during prime wedding season can make choosing a venue on a budget much more difficult. Therefore, it is important to ask yourself if you love a venue so much, yet it’s out of what you budgeted for, can you give on the date. The reverse also holds true in that if you’re set on a date, can you give on the venue.

With these ideas in mind, go out there and pick the date that you will remember for the rest of your life!

Why Weddings, Why Now? July 27, 2010

Everyone has guilty pleasures – watching Lifetime movies, reading gossip magazines, or listening to Britney Spears. For me, my guilty pleasure has always been watching a movie or TV show that has to do with a wedding. Any time a movie would come out focused around a wedding, I was a sucker to see it; anytime I would flip through channels on TV, I would stop on any wedding show I could find, such as “Whose Wedding Is It Anyways?”, “Say Yes To The Dress”, and “I Propose”. To this day, my favorite movie is “The Wedding Planner”. However, it wasn’t until people close in my life started getting married that I realized that I had a real passion for wanting to help plan their weddings. The pure excitement I got from talking to them about what they were planning morphed into opportunities to give suggestions when asked. This kick-started the realization that I could combine my detail-oriented personality with my extreme interest in weddings and wedding planning to begin to turn it into a career.

So here I am, beginning my quest into the world of Wedding Planning. A wedding is where two people begin the rest of their lives together, all centered around one thing: LOVE. However, as weddings have evolved over time, everything that makes a wedding has cost more and more, to the point where many people are spending money equal to what a luxury car would cost or what some could use as a down payment on a house. My belief is that couples are feeling the pressure from society to have a lavish wedding that will impress the masses. Well I’m here to show people that a wedding that will impress the masses doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, and to also remind everyone about what the wedding is truly about: the love that two people have for each other.

I welcome you to follow me along my journey to show many tips and tricks to making weddings beautiful without breaking the bank.