BRONZE BUDGET BRIDE

Thinking about using Lanterns in your wedding in one way or another? Well, here are some fun ways you can do use them.







You can find Colored Lanterns here at Save-On-Crafts.com!

Looking for and interviewing vendors is exciting  because it means that this whole wedding thing is actually happening. It's great to watch things begin to come together!

At the same time, it can occasionally be a little stressful or frustrating, especially if you're working on a budget. When I start feeling overwhelmed, a little comic relief tends to bring me back down to earth.  These videos I found on youtube cracked me up, and got me ready for the next round of talks with cupcake bakers and photobooth owners.

Wedding Cake

Wedding Flowers



Wedding Song

                                         

These fun and fresh candles would be perfect reception table decorations! I'm making mine out of lemons to match my colour scheme, but you could do this project with any citrus fruit. Here's the tutorial.

Materials:

1 dozen lemons
A sharp knife
1 pound of beeswax 
A package of candle wicks with wick holders
A melon baller
Citronella oil (optional)

1. Cut the lemons in half lengthwise. Sqeeze out as much of the juice as you can, being careful not to tear or puncture the skin. Use the melon baller or a large spoon to scrape out all the pulp. You want them to be as clean inside as possible.

2. Melt the wax in double boiler or a small metal bowl over a pot of boiling water. Remove from heat once it is completely liquid. At this point you can add a few drops of citronella oil if you like. It has a nice lemony scent and repels bug as an extra bonus.

3. Cut three inches of wick and tie a knot at one end. Thread the free end through the wick holder and pull until secure.

4. Dip the wick and wick holder in the melted wax. This will stiffen it and make it stand up straight.  Press the wick holder into the bottom of the lemon and let the wick harden.

5. Pour the melted wax into each fruit half. Voila, you have a candle! Let the wax set overnight, and that's it!

This tutorial makes 24 candles. Being made from fresh fruit, they look their best within a day or two of making them.

By the way, save all that lemon pulp and juice for homemade lemonade or cooking. I'm going to use it to make lemon risotto for the reception. Killing two birds with one stone, groceries and decor!





 

Many couples are feeling the financial pinch right down to their pocketbooks when planning their wedding, which leaves them with literally with no money for left for booking the honeymoon. This is the time for couples to collaborate regarding what items you already have in each home. Start by using this free wedding template for merging couples items together for their Wedding Gift Registry Checklist.

After couples have gone through their gift registry, discuss what is important to each other when it comes to what couples want as far as gifts. Does the wedding couple want gifts or do they want a lifetime full of awesome memories by using websites to contribute to a couple’s wedding honeymoon fund? Most wedding couples are now saying they want money to contribute to their honeymoon fund.

Here are some great websites for couples to suggest to wedding guest for honeymoon contribution:
• My Registry
• Honeymoon Fund
• Honeymoon Wishes

After registering on one of the aforementioned websites, couples need to discuss the wedding information for wedding guests. Please do not put honeymoon contributions on your wedding invitations because it is just downright tacky. Instead, use wedding verbiage, such as, "Wedding Guests, please visit our wedding website for detailed wedding information”. This is the place where couples should include things such as wedding party information, photo galleries, wedding events, accommodations, attractions, rsvp, wedding music, honeymoon funds, wedding vendors, wedding videos, wedding guestbook, contact information, and wedding registries.

Upon the return from the wonderful honeymoon, then couples can review their free wedding gift registry checklist and review the list. If there is money left over, this is the time where couples can go on that shopping spree for the items on the list to purchase for their home.

Contributing Writers:
WicksnCandlesticks, The Budget-Minded Bride and The Wedding Diary Online

The video above features a Sky Lantern display which we can all agree is quite beautiful. I've been searching for these online and they're very hard to find here in the U.S.A but the good news is that I've found an alternative.



What are they you ask? Well, have a look at the 16" white balloons with LED lights above. You can use them at an outdoor wedding reception for added lighting and at the end of the night, let your guests release them into the sky just like the sky lanterns. They are much safer too so you won't have to worry about anyone catching on fire.

You can find them HERE not only in the white but in fun colors like orange, blue and many others too.



For a memorable touch, guests can write a special wish for you, the newlyweds, and tie them to the strings of the balloons. Releasing the light with the note into the heavens I find to be an absolutely, splendid way to end that magical night!

Once again, you can find these balloons with LED lights HERE at save-on-crafts.com and they will cost you $10.80 for a pack of five. You can choose to get just a few or a whole bunch, either way, it will still be a cheaper alternative to using the Sky Lanterns and you would certainly get the same look but for less.

I love the idea of using hat boxes as card boxes by just cutting a slit in the top of them and adding some tape to the cut ends. These are just two of the many I found online that would match any wedding theme since they are white, but you can find many colorful hat boxes at Hobby Lobby or other retail stores for under $10.00.