Budget Friendly Sponsored Weddings
June 17, 2009 by Wedding Ideas
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Brides on a budget are looking for ways to enjoy the perfect wedding without going broke. Thinking creatively is a must. If elements of a sponsored wedding interest you, here are ways to make it happen.
Celebrities have been enjoying sponsored weddings forever and you can too! You don’t necessarily need to be a celebrity to enjoy the benefits of a sponsored wedding. From a completely sponsored wedding to sponsorship of selected parts of one, you chose what is right for you and your guests.
The first and most important thing to remember is that there must be a win-win for both sides. Freebies for you must mean some sort of return on investment for the sponsor. Keep this in mind initially before beginning your solicitation. Many find sponsorships controversial so you will have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages involved.
Consider your wedding guests and the opportunities they present a sponsor. Will they be interested in purchasing what the sponsor is supplying in the future? Are they a targeted demographic and good fit for what someone has to offer? The better the fit, the more likely a sponsor will be receptive to what you are proposing.
It is your responsibility to “sell” this concept to a supplier. Be ready to let them know exactly how you plan to promote their interests. Will advertising be blatant, as in signage at the event, or something less obtrusive? Perhaps you will feature the supplier on your wedding website, or blog about them, or give them a mention in your wedding program. Be ready to detail your plan. This is a business marketing pitch that should be thoroughly thought through before presentation if you want to be successful.
Make a list of the elements you would want sponsored. From the wedding cake and flowers to the limo and DJ, you may be surprised at the opportunities that may make sense and not detract from an elegant event. Aim high as many will simply not be achievable.
Next, list those companies and suppliers you feel would be interested. Be reasonable and remember that local companies interested in growing their business may be more inclined to participate. Think like a salesperson. Maybe a company is not currently in the wedding business but has wedding favors, services or products to offer that would be attractive to this new segment of the buying public. What is their point of difference and how can you help to promote it?
Approach each phone call or meeting as a negotiation. Be willing to compromise but know where your limitations are. Including a company name on your wedding invitations may not be the best idea you ever had, but you may be willing to include them on your wedding program. Or perhaps a presence on your wedding announcements is enough to spread the word. If it does not appear to be a good fit for you both initially, be ready to offer alternative suggestions that will appeal to the supplier and still be acceptable to you.
Once both parties are in agreement, take steps to insure there will be no disappointments. Again, this is a business transaction so get everything in writing, confirm your supplier is trust worthy, hold up your end of the bargain and reconfirm often. For example, you would certainly not want to arrive at your reception only to find the sponsored wedding cake never arrived!
If you have a salesman mentality and an entrepreneurship spirit, a sponsored wedding may not only be a cost savings but an interesting challenge. Do know though that it will not be a piece of wedding cake! Guests may whisper but it is your day. Only attempt it if you have the time and the drive to succeed. You may agree that you get what you pay for but with some planning and determination, you can have a budget friendly wedding you and your friends and family will find impressive and merchants will enjoy participating in.
About the Author
Linda Cress Dowdy is a professional author, editor and copywriter. For a great selection of wedding invitations and wedding announcements, visit http://www.1stClassWeddingInvitations.com
Budget Friendly Wedding and Bridal Accessories for Sponsored Weddings
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Memorializing Deceased Family Members in Your Wedding Ceremony
June 11, 2009 by Wedding Ideas
Filed under Ceremony Ideas
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Your wedding day can be a bittersweet celebration if you’ve lost a parent or other close family member. While on the one hand, you’re thrilled to be proclaiming your love and commitment before your family and friends, you can’t help but be saddened that it’s not your father’s arm upon which you’ll be walking down the aisle or that the place of honor for the groom’s mother is conspicuously vacant.
Whether your family member has recently passed away or it has been many years, the void is felt on this day more so than any other. How do you honor these family members while balancing the joy of your wedding celebration? Here are some tips on how to incorporate the memory of your loved ones without turning your wedding ceremony into a funereal experience.
Be sure to discuss your wishes with three very important people–your fiancé(e), any surviving spouses of the deceased, and your officiant. You will want to let your fiancé(e) know to what depth you want your deceased family member mentioned in the ceremony. Be sure you are both on the same page in your comfort level with this. Bear in mind that this is also a difficult time for the surviving spouse. You’ll want to ascertain their comfort level with whatever honorarium you elect to incorporate. And lastly, use your officiant as a resource. He or she has done this a time or two and can make suggestions as to how to tactfully memorialize your loved one. Your officiant should also be alerted to the fact that the wedding day will be a difficult time for certain family members and he or she can assist by extending comfort and support where needed.
It might be easier for you to honor your loved one at the rehearsal dinner than on the day of the wedding itself. Since it is customary for the bride and groom to toast their parents at this dinner, it would be a natural extension to say a few words in tribute to your deceased family member. The rehearsal dinner will have less people than the wedding so it might increase your comfort level in speaking about such an emotional occurrence. Also, it is likely that your closest friends and family will be in attendance at the rehearsal dinner, making an emotionally intimate moment all the more meaningful.
If you’d rather include a memorial on the wedding day itself, consider the following options.
*Place some words of tribute into your program.
*Have an empty chair in remembrance of your family member. The bride or groom may place a rose on the chair as they pass, in silent tribute.
*In response to the question, “Who gives Bride in marriage?” the response might be, “In memory of her mother (father), I do.”
*The bride might want to carry a memento of her loved one–a handkerchief, a piece of jewelry, or a small photography tucked into her bouquet.
*After welcoming the guests, your officiant may add words saying, “Before we begin our celebration today, Bride and Groom would like us all to take a moment to remember those family members who can be with them today solely in spirit, especially (insert names).
*Include a photo of the deceased family member on the altar or unity candle table.
*Have a memorial candle which the bride or groom (or both) will light at the start of the ceremony.
*Compile a floral centerpiece. Have a vase on the altar, or at the back of the ceremony site. Give each guest a flower as they enter and have them place it in the vase. During the ceremony, one last flower can be placed in the vase in memory of the deceased family member. As a final symbolic gesture, the bride and groom can each insert a red rose into the center of the arrangement, signifying them being surrounded by the love and support of their family and friends. The arrangement can be used to decorate the head table or in another location at the reception.
*Have a song or reading at the ceremony and dedicate it to your deceased love one.
*At the reception, if the deceased was either the groom’s mother or the bride’s father, the bride or groom can dance the “parent’s dance” with another partner, but dedicate that special dance in memory of their parent.
*If you have a blessing said prior to the meal, the minister can incorporate a few words about the deceased.
However you decide to memorialize your loved one, remember that it is an intensely personal decision and there is no right or wrong way. What matters is your comfort level. Expect that your wedding day will be a roller coaster of emotions (it is for everyone, regardless of whether or not they’ve experienced the death of a family member).and be gentle with yourself and each other. And remember that you and your new spouse will have a very special guardian angel looking over for you as you enter your married life together.
Maureen Thomson is a wedding officiant and owner of Lyssabeth’s Unique, Joyful & Memorable Ceremonies. Visit her website at www.MemorableCeremonies.com, www.RockyMountainWeddingOfficiants.com or www.MemorableCeremoniesBA.com
Memorial Wedding Candle Ideas
A Discount Bridal Bouquet Can Be Exquisite Yet Affordable!
June 9, 2009 by Wedding Ideas
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BridesNBlooms.com
If you’re looking for discount bridal bouquet information, but are nervous that inexpensive wedding flowers will be cheap looking, have no fear! Your wedding day will quite possibly be the most memorable and happiest day of your life, and you deserve nothing but the best on this incredible occasion.
If you’re on a budget you’ll be happy to know that you can carry a gorgeous discount bridal bouquet, and not a single wedding guest will suspect that you’ve purchased inexpensive wedding flowers.
Typically, flowers for weddings are purchased through a florist who not only sells the flowers, but creates the bouquets as well. The markup on the flowers, added to the cost of their services, is phenomenal. Believe it or not, making wedding flowers is a rather easy task. If you’re willing to take on this job, you can create your own beautiful bridal bouquet, bridesmaid’s bouquets, and boutonnieres for a full two thirds of the cost of what the traditional florist would charge.
Inexpensive wedding flowers can be purchased through a wholesaler, who sells flowers in large quantities. These are the same flowers that are sold to the florists, not second rate flowers that are wilted and ready to die, but vibrant, fresh cut flowers shipped directly from farms, directly to your waiting arms, with free delivery anywhere in the United States.
These beautiful but inexpensive wedding flowers are shipped to you 2-4 days before the wedding date, and the discount bridal bouquet, bridesmaid’s bouquets and boutonnieres are assembled, by you, after arrival. This task is usually accomplished by the (bride, along with help from her bridesmaids or by hiring an independent designer). It does take some time, but if taken on with the right attitude can be both fun and rewarding. When a group of friends are working together making wedding flowers, you are creating another memory of the event.
Most discount bridal bouquet vendors provide detailed information on making wedding flowers, and several discount bridal bouquet arrangements are demonstrated. Often times this is accomplished through website instructions. Some companies that distribute inexpensive wedding flowers provide telephone support as well.
So, if you plan correctly, set aside the time, and put together a “discount bridal bouquet party”, you can have inexpensive wedding flowers that are spectacular and affordable.
Dorelle Raphael-Fishkin co-owns and operates Brides & Blooms, a wholesale fresh flower company selling directly to the public. Brides & Blooms helps brides and others to save money while giving them the opportunity to have the most breathtaking fresh flowers possible. For more information please visit Dorelle’s blog and be sure to check out the Brides & Blooms website at http://www.BridesNBlooms.com.
Personalized Keepsakes for Your Inexpensive Wedding Flowers
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