3 Wedding Ideas on a Budget

Once I was out of high school, I cannot recall a time period when I was not “planning” my wedding. I doubt that I am the only girl in the world who would take trips to the large bookstore in the area, pick up a stack of wedding books and magazines, and look through them with a friend as we dreamed and sipped our lattes. Finding wedding ideas on a budget is an important part of the whole process. Follow me now as I share some creative wedding ideas on a budget.

The Flowers

Flowers can be a very costly part of a wedding. Here are just a few wedding ideas on a budget for flowers.

* A spring wedding can save money as flowers are all around you.
* In a fall wedding, leaves and bare branches may be used.
* For a winter wedding, you can make use of pine boughs, tulle, and lights, creating a simple yet beautiful look.
* Artificial flowers can save a lot of money especially if you use the great specials found at hobby stores.

The Decorations

Decorations can be a very important part of the wedding. Here are some wedding ideas on a budget for decorating.

* Keep it simple
* Use more greenery instead of flowers
* Use white lights and tulle. It adds class at a low cost.
* Use what you already have. Integrate your own personal style into the wedding.
* Hit the thrift stores. They are a great place to find glass vases and other items that would add to your wedding.

The Food

The food for a wedding depends a lot on where you are from. My being from the Midwest, it was expected that I have a meal for my wedding. In the South where I lived for a time, they often have cake and hors d’oeuvres. Here are some wedding ideas on a budget that will help keep those traditions.

* Instead of having a large wedding cake, use double layer cakes with a tall candle in the middle. Put them on every table as a centerpiece. You can put them on various cake pedestals you borrowed from friends.
* If you still want to have a wedding cake and use the cakes as centerpieces, have a small tiered wedding cake specifically for family.
* Rather than using a caterer, ask several family and or friends to make you and your spouse’s favorite dishes.
* If you feel you need a meal, use heavy hors d’oeuvres in a buffet.
* If you want a served meal, just do a main course rather than three courses, and have the cake served.

Finding wedding ideas on a budget is very important…and you’ve done that! But how are you going to use them? That’s the key.

About the Author Rebekah Fraiser

Looking for wedding ideas on a budget? Check out==> http://www.savemoneyonawedding.com for a FREE video that unveils the #1 Secret for cheap wedding ideas!

Fun Wedding Ideas for Animal Lovers

If you are an animal lover, you will surely want to weave that into your wedding. From subtle touches to grand gestures, there are plenty of ways to show your affection for animals as part of a wedding. These are some fun wedding ideas for animal lovers.

The wedding invitations are your first chance to be expressive. A fantastic way to show your love of animals is with a small motif on your stationery. A gold embossed dog, horse, or bird motif can be done in a very tasteful way that will definitely not resemble a child’s birthday party invitation. If you have a favorite pet at home, take the concept to the next level and have custom postage stamps made featuring a picture of your furry friend.

Many animal lovers like to find ways to incorporate one into the wedding ceremony. One of the most popular ideas is to have a beloved dog walk the bride down the aisle or to have him walk down the aisle with one of the attendants. Make it even more fun by adorning the dog with a floral wreath over her collar. Not all venues will permit non-service animals inside, so be sure to take that into consideration when booking a ceremony site.

If you really want to make a splash, make a grand entrance or exit at an outdoor ceremony on horseback. A lovely bride in her flowing white gown galloping up to her groom instead of merely walking down the aisle is something that no guest will ever forget. Bedeck the horse’s mane with ribbons and flowers. This is a great idea for a bride who is an experienced horsewoman, but a risky one for a bride who is not a strong rider.

Gifts are an important part of weddings, and offer another chance to honor animals. A lovely gesture is to make donations to the Humane Society or other association that helps animals in need. This can be done in lieu of traditional favors. You simply place a card at each guest’s place which states, “A donation has been made in your name to the Humane Society”. To sweeten the gift, think about tying the card to a small box of chocolates in the shape of your favorite animal (guests do like to get something tangible). It would not be equally appropriate to substitute a donation in lieu of classic bridesmaid gifts, however. Bridesmaid gifts should be something of lasting value that your friends will have for years, such as jewelry. You could, however, add on a donation in addition to a more traditional bridesmaid jewelry gift.

There are many other neat ideas for showing a love of animals on your wedding day. You can even display an ice sculpture made in the form of your favorite animal or have a groom’s cake modeled after a beloved pet. Instead of conventional table numbers, name each table after an animal. For example, a dog lover could have tables called Bulldog, Golden Retriever, Pekinese, Whippet, Saluki, and so on. Truly there is no limit to the create yet elegant ways in which animal lovers can pay tribute to their beloved furry friends at their wedding.

About the Author Guy Antonelli

Guy has been writing about society and weddings for a long time. If you have a topic you would like to know about. Let us know at SilverlandJewelry.com. Thank your attendants with beautiful bridesmaid gifts that they will adore.

Tacky Wedding Ideas

The dictionary definition of the word tacky is “lacking style or good taste”. Not exactly the vision that most brides would say they have for their weddings, and yet every Saturday of the year, there are plenty of tacky things taking place at weddings around the country. These are some of the tackiest wedding ideas that some couples have at their weddings; ones which brides of taste should try to avoid at all costs!

Now, most brides do not set out to be tacky. They usually fall victim to poor advice from friends or family, and decide that the suggestion sounds good, and that because it came from a trusted source, it must be in good taste. Sadly, this is not always the case, and before they know it, well-meaning brides have turned their weddings into something that they never intended. Don’t less this happen to you!

One of the first examples of this that comes to mind is something that happened at a friend’s wedding. When her in-laws suggested a dollar dance, the innocent young bride, thought to herself, “Money is tight when planning a wedding, so a dollar dance would be a great way to raise some cash for the honeymoon.”. What she did not consider is that a dollar dance was not a custom that was usually observed where she came from, and far from lining up to dance with the bride and stuff money into her apron, the guests were appalled. Everyone remained standing on the sidelines while the bride suffered through the awkwardness of standing out on the dance floor alone for most of the dollar dance. A word to the wise, ladies, no matter how good it may sound at first, a dollar dance is always a tacky idea.

Another truly tacky idea that some couples have is to attempt to round up sponsors for their wedding in the same way one would for a charity event. The bride and groom go around to their relatives asking for donations in exchange for billing in the wedding program or a mention in the wedding toasts. It usually goes something like this: “Aunt Margaret, if you wanted to buy my wedding jewelry and veil for me, I will put a note in the program telling everyone how generous you were. And Uncle Bill, would you like to sponsor the d.j. for the reception?”. There is no other word for this behavior than shocking (or at least no other word that can appear in print!).

Oftentimes, a close family member might offer to help the couple with their wedding expenses, and if Aunt Margaret had come to the bride and told her that it would be her honor to gift her the wedding jewelry and bridal veil, that would be a lovely offer that the bride could accept in good conscious (with no note of thanks in the program, just a handwritten thank you note directly to the generous person). However, a wedding is not a commercial enterprise or a charitable foundation, no matter how much the bride and groom might try to pretend otherwise.

There is another very tacky thing that is sadly rather commonplace these days, which is including bridal registry information in the wedding invitations. Many brides may not even realize that this is in poor taste, especially since some registries will give you little cards for the express purpose of putting them in the envelopes with the invitations. However, a bride cannot always trust a store as her etiquette expert, as their goal is to sell as many sets of china and toasters as possible; whether you offend your guests is not a particular concern for them. But it should be for the bride and groom, which is why registry information, or worse yet, a notation requesting “cash gifts only”, should never, ever appear in a wedding invitation. After all, the last thing that you want is for the first impression people have of your wedding to be,”Oh my gosh – how tacky!”.

Finding the whole process of weddings and all the planning that goes into one fascinating, Laura writes about many of the considerations that brides have to deal with. Wedding jewelry makes a lovely gift for the bride.

Eco Friendly Wedding Ideas

Weddings have not changed much over the past hundred years, but the awareness surrounding environmental impact has changed. There are a number of different ways to throw an eco-friendly and cost-effective wedding; all that’s needed is a little creativity. Basic understandings of where products originate, and were they go to end their lives is also helpful when planning an eco wedding.

There are a vast number of things needed for the big event that will impact the environment. There are wedding invitations, shower announcements, rings, dresses, flowers, and leftover food. That’s just a few of the necessities! The following article will help couples find creative and festive ways to save on wedding costs, while doing their part to protect the planet.

Once the date is set, the couple should start sending out invitations for both the wedding shower and the wedding ceremony. An eco conscious way to use paper is to ensure that no trees are cut down during the paper-making process. Many companies make tree-free paper products using recycled coffee beans, cotton, denim and hemp. Of course, there are also lots of places on the Internet to purchase 100% recycled paper.

In addition to tree-free paper products, the paper should also be off-white or colored. The chemical bleaching process used to make white paper emits many toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Many of these chemicals take years to break down in the environment.

Recycled rings are not only more cost-effective, but have a large impact on protecting the environment. Gold mining is one of the most toxic of all gem-mining procedures. Many jewelers today can use any type of recycled precious metal to create custom wedding and engagement rings. For a more traditional approach, the couple could also use vintage pieces, which can be redesigned into radiant new pieces that will be both beautiful and unique.

After the rings, the wedding dress is the single largest expense for most weddings. The choice of dress can be another great way to cut costs to both the budget and the environment. If the wedding will be in a sunny, summer location, a nice cotton dress might be nice for the bride. Cotton is a natural material, and does not require the toxic chemical processing that satins, or other human-made fibers require.

Other human-made materials used in many traditional weddings are plastics for fake flowers. Traditional floral arrangements are used in centerpieces and bouquets that are designed to last long after the ceremony. Instead of using silk or plastic flowers, consider using potted flowers, flower petals, tree saplings, and flower bulbs. These can be used for centerpieces, decorations, and the petals and flower blossoms can be used to shower the new couple as they leave the reception hall. For a twist, throwing lavender blossoms or rose petals is a lovely idea. They create a picturesque backdrop for wedding photos and they smell wonderful!

Many couples choose to open their gifts at a date sometime after the wedding reception. But no matter when they are opened, gifts are a big part of any wedding celebration. A bridal registry is a great way to eliminate the possibility of receiving duplicate gifts, but frequently leaves the new couple with lots of items they don’t truly need. Instead of setting up a bridal registry, many couples choose convenient ways for their guests to make charitable donations. Making the donation in the bridal party’s name gives the new couple a wonderful feeling, and prevents pollution to the environment from the manufacturing of unnecessary gifts.

While the wedding ceremony is one of the most important events the newlyweds will ever celebrate, it is only for one day of their lives. However, the impact on the environment will last well beyond their wedding day. Making environmentally conscious decisions will make a great difference on the effects for Mother Nature. Many of the aforementioned eco wedding ideas are extremely cost effective and show future generations that weddings can be fun and conscientious.

About the Author Dee Sommers

Dee is the Director of Media Relations at a publicity firm on the West Coast. She has a law degree and a communications degree, both from privately run colleges. She has been writing for 25 years, and loves the knowledge that comes with researching new topics for articles. In her spare time she reads, does logic puzzles, watches movies with her son, and plays various sports.

Wedding Ideas That Glitter

Plan a wedding that sparkles and shines! What bride couldn’t use a bit of shimmer on her special day? From decorations to attire to stationery, these are some fabulous wedding ideas that glitter.

The most obvious place to use sparkle is the wedding attire. There are so many ways that hints of shimmer and shine can be added that a bride can really feel like a star by the time everything has been pulled together. A great place to begin is with the wedding gown. For a very subtle shine, choose a silver metallic embroidery on a fabric with a gorgeous glow, such as sumptuous silk satin. When you want a bit more shimmer, it is time to incorporate additional embellishments. Sequins and rhinestones are options, and then there is the gold standard for sparkle: Swarovski crystals. Clear or “ab” finished crystals are stunning when used for beading on a wedding gown. If you want a silvery icy sparkle, opt for mirror back Swarovski crystals. They are available in a variety of shapes, such as tiny round discs, little flowers, or Art Deco inspired square mirror back crystals, which make divine decorative buttons.

Naturally, the bridal accessories are another great place to add glitter and glamor to the wedding. Start with stunning crystal bridal jewelry, which can be created in any number of styles from modern to classic to vintage. A beautiful set of crystal bridal jewelry will make any bride feel like royalty on her wedding day! Next layer in a tiara, comb, or set of hairpins with crystals and mirror back crystals to bring that wonderful shine to your hair. And don’t forget a pair of wedding shoes with sparkly details so that you shine from head to toe on your wedding day.

Make your wedding invitations shimmer with the addition of metallic accents. There are many possibilities, from a metallic silver ribbon wrapped around the center of the stationery to a silver envelope lining. A silver star motif (or a snowflake for a winter wedding) is another marvelous idea. For the diy bride, a really cool idea is to create your own glitter edged invitations. Take heavy white or pale blue cardstock, print your invitation wording, and then mask off a narrow border around the edge with painter’s tape. Apply white glue to the very edge of the paper, and then cover heavily with silver glitter. Once it has dried, remove the tape to reveal your very own custom glitter border. It is so simple to do, yet the effect is absolutely spectacular.

Glitter can be used to great effect for diy wedding decorations, as well. Try dipping branches into glue and covering with shimmering silver glitter for a fabulous addition to centerpieces and ceremony arrangements. This works beautifully in combination with very tall floral displays. Or use tall clear vessels for your centerpieces and fill them with a sparkling element. Crystals in either an “ab” finish or your wedding color look incredible in the bottom of a clear vase, especially when surrounded by low votive candles.

A variation on this concept would be to fill the tall vessel with glittering balls in either a metallic like silver or bronze or in your wedding colors. Christmas ornaments work well for this purpose; simply remove the metallic tops and arrange them so the openings at the top of the balls are hidden. When done in a color like pink, purple, or lime green, these glittery balls are festive and fun for any season, not just around Christmastime.

There are so many ways to add glitter to your wedding that you may find it hard to choose between them. If you opt for small touches of glitter and shimmer, you can use them throughout your entire wedding without it being too much sparkle (as if there were such a thing!). Nothing says celebration quite like a bit of sparkle!

Let us know if you need assistance in any area of planning your wedding.Take advantage of Bridget’s experience helping clients select crystal bridal jewelry and other accessories. For the best selection of handmade bridal jewelry, visit us at http://silverlandjewelry.com/, where all jewelry orders over $99 ship at no charge.

Purple Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Purple flowers are one of the top wedding decorations. Happily, there are gorgeous purple flowers available in every season. Here are some great purple wedding centerpiece ideas for any time of the year.

In spring, there will be an abundance of lovely purple flowers from which to choose, ranging from lilac to deep plum, and everything in between. Bulbs are among the most popular spring blossoms, and many of them do come in a shade of purple. Tulips are iconic of spring and rebirth, and a very simple idea for a centerpiece is to arrange a simple bouquet of elegant purple tulips in a clear glass vase. It is not particularly fancy, but the flowers themselves are so perfect that they need little adornment.

A beautiful idea for a purple centerpiece for an afternoon wedding in the spring would be to plant a collection of hyacinth flowers in a white ceramic pot. For a more casual effect, purple hyacinth planted in a wooden box whitewashed in white or pale green would be lovely. They would also make a great parting gift for guests to take home at the end of the reception. A more lush spring centerpiece design idea is to take an abundance of lavender colored sweet peas and combine them with lilac roses, white peonies and some trailing greens. Arrange loosely in a tall footed urn for a breathtaking centerpiece.

Summer also offers some great options for purple wedding centerpieces. Many brides enjoy planning weddings which feature a range of purples throughout. For instance, the bridesmaids might wear lavender chiffon dresses with plum bridesmaid jewelry sets (or vise versa; rich plum bridesmaid dresses with pastel sets of jewelry). A mixture of purples in one centerpiece is another great way to create depth and interest with your signature color. Try combining dark purple mini irises with medium purple freesia, roses, and fragrant lavender for a beautiful centerpiece. Or create a classic table arrangement with pinky-purple hydrangeas, lavender roses, and lilac parrot tulips.

When people think of fall weddings, the colors that come to mind are often reds, yellows, and oranges, but there are actually some wonderful purple flowers in season in the autumn. The informal look of purple asters mixed with white mums and lilac colored statice would be great for a country wedding. For even more impact, arrange the flowers in a hollowed out eggplant. For more formal weddings, create the centerpieces from bridal flowers which are available year round, such as purple roses and lisianthus.

In the winter months, weddings tend to be very elegant. A gorgeous idea for a winter wedding centerpiece would be an arrangement of deep purple orchids. Try a spray of plum dendrobium orchids arranged in a dramatic tall dark purple vase with interesting greenery for a modern and sophisticated centerpiece. Or create a rounder table arrangement by combining the orchids with burgundy carnations and deep red roses; it would be stunning for an evening reception. Orchids can also be staked and formed into breathtaking Zen inspired table decorations; try vivid purple Mokara orchids paired with bright green accent flowers.

Whatever your style and whatever the season of your wedding, there are going to be stunning purple centerpiece flowers available to you. From pale pastels to exotic dark plums, purple is one of the very favorite wedding colors for the bride with discriminating taste.

Look to Bridget for advice on planning your wedding. Check out how we can help with your bridesmaid jewelry sets at http://silverlandjewelry.com/. We are pleased to offer free crystal samples for color matching and complimentary shipping on all jewelry orders over $99.

« Previous Page