BRONZE BUDGET BRIDE

HOT Bride Award presented by HelperOfTheBride. Real Brides, Real Advice

I got a message from The Helper Of The Bride team letting me know that I was nominated for the HOT Award, the Helper Of The Bride award, for "having a great blog that features great DIY projects and centerpieces!" Of course I'm excited about it want to thank the HOT Bride team members for the nomination.

Well, I've accepted the award and as part of the rules I now have to pass on a few pieces of advice to brides- to- be and here's the list I've compiled to you from me:

• When picking your wedding party make sure that everyone understands what their roles are and what is expected of them. Don't assume that they will help because they are a bridesmaid, for example. They may be thinking that means that they'll have to wear a dress you choose and stand next to you on wedding day! So make it clear that you expect a little help!

• Your centerpiece doesn't have to be huge and over- the-top to make a statement, small centerpieces are quite beautiful too. Sometimes all you need is a bud vase and one beautiful flower, which could have even been growing wild, to create a stunning centerpiece.

• Yard sales, thrift shops are flea markets can lead to some fab finds so don't steer clear of them while wedding planning. I bought 14 clear, glass vases for 25¢ each at a yard sale and those are the type of wedding items that can even be sold again.

• Don't be afraid of your local dollar stores! You can buy vases, plates, wine glasses, favor boxes and more there for $1.00, even less sometimes.

• If you are trying to save money on your centerpieces and using mostly candles, remember to choose the ones that will stay lit for your whole ceremony or reception. You can find some on save-on-crafts.com

• If you want to get custom items for your wedding let Etsy be you first stop. Either you will find someone there selling what you want or are willing to make you that crazy thing you have your mind set on.

• On wedding day, try to hold your bouquet at your belly button while walking down the aisle and taking photos! I remember my mom telling my sister this when she was getting married and when I see brides walking down the aisle with their bouquets at bosom level, I never forgot that piece of advice.

 
Passing the award on...
I Nominate these Real Bride Bloggers for the HOT Award:
2000 Dollar Wedding, Budget Bride Chicago, Beer Budget Bride's Musings, The Office Bride, XOX, B, Lover's Waltz, and The Thirty Something Bride!

This was posted on NJWedding.com, a New Jersey Weding Planning Resource and I just had to share it with all of you here since it's a poem that I think should be read by anyone entering into marriage or are already married!

We're planning a wedding but I know we all want the happily every after. Everyone says that marriage takes work, but there are so many elements that have to fall in place on a continual basis that really makes any marriage a happy one. I know a thing or two since I've been married four years now but I love these seven tips that RedbookMag.com shares in the article How to Make Your Relationship Last! I enjoyed reading it and hope you do!

• highlight your favorite color
• create a new monogram
• play with the date of the wedding
• create a logo or use a photograph
• incorporate a passion of yours

Highlight a Personal Favorite Color

If you love yellow – use it at your wedding. In addition to flowers, think about the linens, the paper products (invitation, seating cards, etc), maybe what the singers in the band are wearing…there are lots of ways to play up a color – and it doesn’t have to be in your face either…it could just be hints of it. We did a wedding once where the bride’s favorite color was yellow and her table linens were a soft yellow, where her menu cards were printed in a bright yellow.

Create a Wedding Monogram

This is the first day that you will be husband and wife, so have fun with it. We have had designers create monograms for the new couple and have had it displayed on the dance floor with lighting or embroidered the monogram onto the dinner napkins (which is great because the bride and groom can keep them after the wedding). But you can also do simple things and have stickers made with the monogram and use it with favors – maybe a small box of candy sealed with your personalized sticker.

Play With the Wedding Date

 If nothing else comes to mind…you can have fun with something as simple as the date of the wedding. We have had cocktail napkins printed just with the date of the wedding – very clean and very modern looking. For a wedding that was going to involve the guests being outside – as a favor, the bride and groom gave umbrellas that had the date of the wedding on them…and what is fun, you can still walk around NYC and see people using the umbrellas.

Create a Personalized Wedding Logo

Many times the feeling and theme of the wedding – is dictated by where the wedding is taking place – and this is a great way to pull inspiration on little ways to personalize the wedding. It could be creating a logo of where the wedding is – we have done welcome bags that had a logo of the islands off the coast of Maine for a wedding we did in Maine. Or it could be a photograph of the couple that is used throughout the wedding…maybe on the save the date and then again on the welcome note…or incorporated with the favor.

Incorporate a Hobby in the Wedding Theme

This is one way to really make the wedding personal. If you love a certain kind of cookie and everyone knows it – why not give that away as a favor at the ending of the night. Or for one wedding, the groom was very involved with the environment, so as their favor a tree sampling was given to each guest with instructions on how to plant it.

So these are just some ideas, but by talking to each other and to your vendors, the options are endless on ways to make your wedding stand out as your wedding.

courtesy of about.com

When booking the wedding venue, table seating is the most important because the event will be either successful or unsuccessful based on the style of the wedding seating. The one thing couples have to keep in mind is if the guests are comfortable and if there is enough space allotted for the band or DJ, cake table, restrooms, dance floor, entrances/exits, and buffet table. Couples want their wedding guest to be able to social and network within the room, so movement is very important for the wedding couple, but for the wedding guests as well.

Other things to consider with wedding seating is the room size. Important questions to be asked will be, where couples will face the wedding guests and the way guests will enter the wedding venue where it is held. Always try to visit the room or wedding venue so couples will have an idea what will work best for wedding guest, participants, and speakers. Always make sure if there are other rooms booked that the room walls cancel out any noise as well.

The typical room layouts are classroom style, hollow square, theater style, banquet style, conference style and u-shaped style. If possible work with a caterer, banquet department, or even the wedding coordinator at the wedding venue location and discuss how many people can sit comfortably at a table.

The wedding tips I have found beneficial while working at wedding venues:

• Use either use a poster board or use our wedding table software named TabulaRasa

• Keep track of RSVP guest attendance by placing the confirmed guest cards in one stack, and then follow up with other wedding guests who have not confirmed. Make sure couples have enough seats and tables for each guest.

• Table Seating Numbers are most helpful and try to seat people next to each other that have something in common and have similar personality types, it just makes the wedding easier.

• Have wedding guests that are elderly, children, pregnant, or a guest with a disability at the top of the RSVP stack because these guests need priority seating near the front and closest to the bathrooms. Consider close family and friends at the top of the RSVP stack as well.

• If there are many children attending the wedding consider using a children’s table.

If couples do not have a wedding coordinator, be sure to check with a caterer, banquet department, or even the wedding planning at the wedding venue location and discuss how many people can sit comfortably at a table. Be sure to go over the seating chart and layout of the wedding venue multiple times and obtain advice regarding seating arrangements.

If couples do have a wedding coordinator, be sure he/she has the seating chart the day before the wedding, so they can check to be sure venue is properly set-up the day before the wedding. The last detail and final detail are place cards. Be sure the place cards in alphabetical order, so wedding guests and the wedding coordinator will be able easily find wedding guests names the day of the wedding.

Hopefully, this gives couples some insight on wedding seating and if you have any more questions or want to speak to our wedding expert, email us at weddingexpert@wicksncandlesticks.com. Happy Wedding Planning!

Many future brides are planning for their upcoming nuptials, trying to think of different ideas that would make their dream wedding come true! With outdoor weddings one of the hottest trends in 09’, many brides-to-be are opting to exchange their vows in the heart of the beautiful outdoors. I thought it would be a great idea to share a few if these chic outdoor reception concepts that will be perfect for your outdoor wedding.

I was curious how many of you have thought about how you wanted the napkins to be folded for your table setting. My reason for asking is because one thing that is always obvious, to me anyway, is the elegant way the napkins are folding in the platinum weddings. For example, I've never noticed any of the five folds pictured below.

The Calla lily has become a classic wedding flower and it is a beautiful choice for a bride that is looking to create an elegant, romantic feel to their wedding day and decor. You can use them to make beautiful bouquets for you and your bridesmaids. Add just a few to a vase and they make a beautiful centerpiece as well.  Just look at the example below.


You can even give your bridesmaids just one to carry, as I've seen brides on Whose Wedding Is It Anyway do, just tie a ribbon around it to make it a bit more special. It certainly is a cheaper option.

You can find Calla Lilies HERE at Costco.com very affordable at $74.99 for 50 stems. Below I've included a video and instructions from E-how.com on how to make your own Calla Lily bouquet.

1. Step 1

   Pick out 10 to 12 calla lilies, making sure they are clean, fresh, healthy and as uniform as possible.

2. Step 2

   Use floral tape to bind two flowers together at the stems beneath their buds.

3. Step 3

   Add more lilies as you go, building around the center. Bind the stems with more tape so that the bouquet is secure, taping over the same spot.

4. Step 4

   Mist the flowers with water as you build your bouquet to keep them hydrated.

5. Step 5

   After all the flowers have been bound together with floral tape in the arrangement you prefer, use the flower clippers to cut the ends of the stems to a uniform length. Be sure to cut the stems at an angle.

6. Step 6

   Secure with a wide ribbon, wrapping the ribbon over the tape. You can either simply cover where you've taped or wrap the entire stems in ribbon.

7. Step 7

   Use a pearl- or crystal-headed pin to fasten the ribbon. Broaches can also be used for a more decorative finish.

8. Step 8

   To wrap the entire stems in ribbon, start at the top under the buds and work down, wrapping as you go. At the bottom of the stems, tuck the ribbon over the ends and work your way back up the stems, tying a bow if you prefer. Secure the ribbon with pins or a broach.

9. Step 9

   Refrigerate after completion to keep the flowers fresh.

photo credit: rebeccassilverrose.com, www.bestblooms.co.nz