BRONZE BUDGET BRIDE

Evidently long ago across The Pond, someone in Italy or France decided that it was a great idea to give guests at weddings or birthdays (or funerals, who knows) a crystal box with something delectable inside.  Supposedly, a wedding was considered a lucky event back then; however, I would've thought a bath would rank higher on the list.  A bonbonniere (translate to the 21st century - bon-bon) was a way for the bride and groom to "share" this luck or blessing with their guests.  And therefore, another tradition which costs the bride money and goes into the trash was born.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not completely against favors.  In fact, I think when they are done right, they can add an additional element to the wedding that makes it that much more memorable for everyone.  But let's be honest; how many of you still have any of the "favors" you've received at other people's weddings?  Or better still, how many of you can remember what they were (without sniggering to your girlfriends about how awful they were)?  I received a beautiful silver frame with a picture of the bride and groom in it once; considering I was a date of a friend and had no clue who these people were, I was perfectly happy to remove their picture and use the frame for the next two months until the silver rubbed off and the plastic stand broke.  But it got me thinking - how much did that poor girl spend for these frames as a token of their special day that went to people they didn't know, or worse, were thrown in the trash?

I can't tell you how many plastic swans, tiny champagne glasses and cheesy heart-shaped banks I've broken or given to my friends' children.  As I was cleaning up the bubbles that burst in the back of the car where the small bottle was thrown after the last wedding I attended, I realized: these things are supposed to have meaning.  So, let's put the meaning back into them!

Granted, they shouldn't be something that is obscure about the couple that absolutely no one but their therapist would know what it meant, but it should be something that those who know them well will say, Yeah, that's 'them.'  My husband and I were married the day before St. Patrick's Day.  Mike is 100% Irish - only a second generation American; both sets of grandparents found their way via boat from Ireland to America back in the 30's.  My family is also Irish, having been here since the 1790's.  It is something that is very important to me, and everyone who knows me knows that about us.  So, instead of favors, I walked around the reception after dinner with a pot of "gold" and passed out gold-foil covered chocolate coins to everyone; sharing our "treasure" with everyone. 

One bride on whose wedding I'm working absolutely dies for chocolate; and her fiance is the same way about peanut butter.  Enter the Oreo Truffle and Nutter Butter Truffle.  I know our fearless leader, Carla, is making the Oreo Truffle for her guests; I took it one step further and made a truffle from Nutter Butters with the same recipe.  The Oreo is covered in white chocolate (for the bride) and the Nutter Butter is covered in semi-sweet (for the groom).  These are small little treats that are delicious, eye-catching, and CHEAP.  One package of cookies and one package of cream cheese will set you back about $5.00 and makes approximately 42-46 1-inch truffles each.  And who doesn't love chocolate and peanut butter together?



Does the bride love butterflies and everyone knows it? Butterflies can be cut from patterned cardstock and attached to a small clothespin with a magnet on the back; use it to clip the place card to the glass at their seat and it can go on the fridge when they get home.  Where did he propose to you?  A rose garden?  Give people flower seeds with their name attached as place cards.   Another bride and groom gave away small books of poetry because they met in British Lit class in graduate school.  We are die-hard Yankees fans; needless to say, my husband's groom's cake was a big baseball.  But are you really into a particular team or sport?  Do you have a pastime you love more than anything to do together - hiking?  Antiquing?  Do you both love Japanese food?  How about chopsticks with a tag on them?  Do you adore Paris?  Make Eiffel Tower cookies and ice the outline only, placing them at each place setting.  The point is, these are the things that make you who you are together - draw on them.

Granted, not a whole lot of examples in this article, but definitely some food for thought.  The Italians use sugar-coated almonds, called 'confetti' as their main gift.  The sugar on top of the bitter almonds is a parallel to the bitterness and sweetness of life and marriage.  An appropriate sentiment, I think.  Just remember: the money you are spending is hard to come by, and your day is precious to you, so make everything about it as memorable to everyone else.  It'll be worth it.

These crystal globes go so well with our theme and I'm so glad I found them at WeddingFavorsUnlimited.com! Symbolically they fit Richard and I as a couple as well since we came from two different parts of the world only to meet in Florida years later. Besides that, I know they would be a nice surprise for our guests... just look at them!

Oh, if you are still looking for favors, you should definitely make a stop by WeddingFavorsUnlimited.com. They have a massive variety to choose from and they are affordable, which is what we all want. You can save even more if you buy from the Favor Under $1.00 section which has more than a hundred favors including colored paper fans that you can personalized for your guests. That's really neat, right, and you can order a sample today!

"Letter Perfect" Elegantly Monogrammed Note Cards

These note cards are perfect favors for a black and white themed wedding. They are elegant, beautiful and can fit right into any table setting. Plus at a price of just now only 8¢ per note card, with envelopes included, this is a favor that is perfect for a Bronze Budget Bride.

"Capture the dramatic colors of fall and the lingering glow of love in an extraordinary place card presentation. The Fall-Leaf Tea-Light and Place Card Holder brings wonder and warmth to every table, serving as a decorative enhancement, a seasonal place card holder and a favor that your guests will enjoy long after the splendor of your autumn event dims. The exquisitely crafted, metal maple leaf tea-light displays every hue in Mother Nature's autumn palette and measures 3" when removed from the leaf-themed, triangular gift box."

 Order them here for less that $1.00 each.

I came across some seashells today while at the dollar store and remembered this article on MarthaStewart.com with instructions for making Shell Candles. It's not very complicated for you to do them yourself and if you are having a beach wedding, they are an inexpensive way to add some unique lighting to your decor. You can even use them as favors for your guests!

I've adapted the step-by-step guide seen below from ehow.com . As you can see, all you'll need is some tea lights and seashells, both of which you can find at most dollar stores. If you'd rather buy them online, you can find tea candles in different colors here at DollarTree.com. For the shells you'll have to head over to Save-on-Crafts.com and find them here in varying shapes and sizes.


How to Make Sea Shell Tea Candles

Things You'll Need: Instructions:

1. Remove the wick from a tea and place the wick in the sea shell.

2. Melt the wax from the tea candle, or another candle to put in the shell. Wax can be melted using a double boiler, or if you have the time you could slowly drip it into the shell using a lighter.

3. Taking care to make sure the wick remains upright, add the wax to the shell. If you desire, before the wax cools, add wax of other colors to shell liven up the design.

4. If desired, make a few of these candles and create a display for them.

For those planning a beach wedding, I thought this diy project from OrientalTrading.com would delight you. All the items you'll need you can find them here on the site but keep in mind, you don't have to limit yourself to the candy pail. I'll be using the ribbon detail with the starfish and adding it to a favor box or bag for the seashell candles I'm making for our guests.

MATERIALS:

• White Tinplate Pail with Handle

• Blue Organza Ribbon Roll

• Starfish Assortment

• Pop Up Glue Dots

• Glue Dots

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place at least 3 glue dots spaced evenly around the top of the bucket.

2. Place ribbon around the top of bucket, and add one more glue dot to secure in place.

3. Tie ribbon to create a bow or cut a separate piece to make a bow and glue to the bucket seperately.

4. Use one more glue dot to add a starfish to the bow.

It's that easy!

Instructions

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.

2. In a medium-size, microwave-safe bowl, combine the dark chocolate layer ingredients. Microwave the mixture on high at 30-second intervals until the chocolate is melted (about a minute), stirring at each interval. When the mixture's smooth, use a spatula to spread it evenly into the prepared pan.

3. In another medium-size microwave-safe bowl, combine the white chocolate layer ingredients. Repeat the melting process as described in step 2, but stir at 20-second intervals, as white chocolate tends to scorch easily. Spread the white chocolate evenly over the dark chocolate layer.

4. While the fudge is still warm, use a knife to gently score it into 1-inch squares, then put a candy heart on top of each square.

5. Chill the fudge uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until firm. Lift the foil to remove the fudge from the pan and place the whole hunk of fudge on a cutting board. Use a large knife (a parent's job) to cut apart the squares, then peel off the foil from the bottom.

6. Place each fudge square into a foil bonbon cup or mini muffin cup. Center the cup on a cellophane square and wrap it as shown on page 53, using 1-inch pieces of pipe cleaner to secure the ends. Makes 64 bite-size pieces. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for added firmness.

These champagne bubbles are cute, fun and certainly a cheap way for you to have champagne at your wedding. A box of 24 sells on save-on-crafts.com for $6.99 but if you order 96 bottles, you will be charged only $5.99 for each of the 4 boxes. What that means for you as a small budget bride is that your give-away champagne will cost just 25¢ per bottle.



See now you can afford to buy champagne for your guests. :)

Snowflake Gel Candle as low as $2.00



To make a lasting impression your guests and create one of the most memorable settings of the season, adorn your tables with these stunning Snowflake Gel Candles - the epitome of elegant wedding favors. Ice-blue gel twinkling with silver glitter, a gorgeous container and a delicate, yet dramatic silver snowflake for even greater impact makes this unique wedding favor a winter winner. The 3" x 2 3/4" x 1 1/2" candle arrives in a crystal-clear gift box completed by a lovely silver-and-white organza ribbon.

"Snow Flurry" Flocked Glass Ornament Place Card/Photo Holder (Set of 6) as low as $7.20 per set

Impressive winter wedding decorations? Charming winter wedding favors? However you choose to use them, the "Snow Flurry" Holiday Ornament Place Card/Photo Holders will delight your guests with the spirit and beauty of the season!

Snowflake Place Card Holder/Ornament (Set of 4) as low as $6.99

A vivid image of winter's beauty and a versatile wedding favor your guests will enjoy until season's end! More than just a place card holder and ornament that shines with style, this delicately designed snowflake with classic black ribbon is also a keepsake magnet and a cool photo frame waiting to warm hearts on a blustery day. Favor measures 3 3/4" x 3 1/4". Center (for picture or name card) measures 1 ¼" x 1 ¼". Sold as a set of 4.