Save Money: Forget the favors

Between the food, music, and drinks, most people won't miss a tiny picture frame or deck of playing cards with your monogram on the box. If you can't imagine your wedding without take-home treats, set up a table with a candy bar and cellophane bags so guests can get a quick sweet fix on their way out.

It's a wedding, not a five-star restaurant, so whoever said you have to offer fish, chicken, and steak at your reception needs a reality check. If you're a foodie, then go ahead and splurge on your menu (and maybe save with smaller centerpieces or a DJ). If not, serve plates with duos, like a crab cake and small cut filet, so guests can have a taste of everything and you don't pay for wasted entrees

Save Money: DIY with your save-the-dates.

With today's tight economy, any kind of purchases must be carefully considered very carefully.  Everyone wants to give as nice a wedding gift as they can afford and a new but not well-known "reverse auction" site could be just the answer to your quandary.  

The new "reverse auction" website is Dubli. Unlike auction sites such as Ebay, the prices do not go up with each bid, they go down.  With the purchase of Dubli credits, worth 80 cents each, the price on your auction item goes down 25 cents. Other people across the country and around th globe are also bidding the price down with their Dubli credits until it reaches the point where one of the bidders likes the price and presses the "buy it" button. Prices can end up being 90% off in the "Express" auction price and in the "Zero" auction, the idea is to be the winner who pays "zero".

How can the company give away items? Well, with each 80 cent Dubli credit .25 goes towards the retail price of the item and the other 55 cents goes to the franchise owner of the website.

There are many, many products which would make excellent wedding gifts.  Take a look at some recent examples:

Decorated mason jars which are cheap, available everywhere and comer in a variety of sizes can be one of the cheapest resources for wedding centerpieces.

For the following project, use quart size mason jars are used which can be purchased at a grocery store, online warehouse stores thrift stores or on Ebay..

Materials for this do it yourself wedding centerpiece idea:

• quart sized mason jars

• tissue paper

• ribbon (ribbon with wire in it is recommended as it retains a nice shape, but any ribbon will work)

• flowers 
  1. Set the mason jar in the center of 1-2 sheets of tissue paper and wrap the tissue paper up around the jar.
  2. Tie the ribbon around the jar to secure the tissue paper. Fill with flowers and water. **Note: please use care when adding water to the jars as to not spill any on the tissue paper as often the drops of water will leave water marks.
  3. Total cost for this do it yourself wedding centerpiece was $6.30! 

Mason Jar Wedding Centerpiece Idea Cost Breakdown:

• $0.75 per mason jar (purchased at a grocery store in a box of 12 for $9)
• $0.05 per tissue paper sheet (purchased at a paper store 400 sheets for $20)
• $0.50 per 1.5 feet of wire ribbon (purchased at same paper store 3 yards for $3)
• $5.00 for 2 roses and a handful of other flowers (purchased roses by the dozen and two other flowers in separate bunches from local Whole Foods Market)
• $6.30 Total*

*All purchases were made at retail, no special bulk discounts were given and none of this was comparison-shopped, so it is likely you could find these products for even cheaper.  

The item that will affect your cost the most is your choice of flowers. Using just a couple roses with a mixture of other in season flowers brings down your cost dramatically for this wedding centerpiece idea.

Mason jar wedding centerpiece idea variations:

• use two different colors of tissue paper and layer them
• fabric can be used instead of tissue paper for a sophisticated look. Consider satin, silk, velour or velvet for very elegant looks. Cotton, burlap or linen would be playful, earthy and casual.
• bridal tulle (the thin white see-thru fabric used for veils) is another affordable option
• cellophane comes in numerous colors and textures, including metallics

If you are having a wedding at Christmas time you could very well save some money on wedding reception decorations. Your venue may already be decorated for Christmas and you can add your own touches.

Hocus Pocus and Black Magic Roses mix well with gold or silver accents.

Snowy white branches, Christmas lights and candles can have a holiday atmosphere along with lighting that will give a soft winter glow to your wedding reception decorations.

Plants common to Christmas can also be used: holly berries, garlands of evergreen, and poinsettias to give an understated way to express a holiday theme.  Aside from centerpieces, evergreen garland, pine cones and roses can also be used to decorate the place card and cake tables.  

This is a great time of the year for your wedding and you can save money with some simple added touches. 

If you have always wanted a "Cinderella" wedding theme, a Disney Wedding could be the solution.

Long after your wedding ceremony and reception are over your family and guests can remember it with plantable seeded wedding invitations. Garden Greetings is one of the huge array of handmade papers by Botanical PaperWorks which consists of plantable seeded paper for wedding invitations The paper grows wildflowers as a beautiful symbol of growing love, and is an elegant eco-friendly alternative to creating additional paper waste. 

To plant the wedding invitation, prepare a pot of soil or small patch of garden. Remove the seeded paper piece from the invitation and place on the top. 

Spread a thin layer of soil onto the paper. Water well and give plenty of sunshine. Keep moist during germination, 6-8 weeks.

 As the plants grow right out of the paper, look for flowers like Bird's Eye, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Poppy, Catchfly and Snap Dragon as shown at right.

Wedding cakes are the center of any wedding party, however the cost of wedding cakes can skyrocket.  There is also the possibility of the wedding cake falling over during transportation, heat and humidity for the outdoor weddings can be a major concern.

The main wedding cake is covered with real fondant with the look and feel of a real cake in every aspect, however the inside is made of foam and there is small compartment to place a small portion of edible cake for the ceremony. After the couple's "feeding each other" act, the display wedding cake is taken back into the kitchen and the guests are served regular sheet cakes from the local bakery or wholesale store.

After the wedding day, you slide the cake back into its box, drop it off at any shipping store (or ask for pickup) and that's it! As soon as we receive the box, your deposit is refunded.

How Much Does it Cost?

The price of the wedding cake depends on you and how big (or tall) that you want it. 

If you order from Rent a Fake Cake’s gallery (3 tier), the cost of rental is $150.00 plus shipping. 

You can also custom order your wedding cake with your own design. The basic three tiered cake rental is $250.00 plus shipping. Each additional tier has an additional cost of $75.00 

All cakes require a $200.00 safety deposit for the return of the cake.

Wedding gowns can be quite expensive, yet every woman wants to feel like a princess on her wedding day. Fairytale Dreams Program offers an opportunity for any woman in the U.S., who is in financial need to be eligible to receive a free wedding gown.

Application Guidelines:

• You must be at least 18 years or older to apply.

• You must be engaged and have a wedding date set.

• You must be unable to otherwise afford your wedding gown.

• We ask for four recent pay stubs to prove eligibility.

• You can block out your personal info, such as social security number and birthdate, that is not needed and will not be asked for.

• You must have an annual household income of under $36,000 for a household of 2.

• If you make more than this amount, but are still unable to afford a wedding gown for any reason, please e-mail us, we are willing to work with everyone.

• You must submit your application at least 2 months prior to your wedding date. The sooner you can  submit it, the better. We don't always have all sizes in stock.

• Most wedding gowns are donated, or purchased at bridal salons going out of business. The majority have been  worn once or were demo gowns in a shop. All are in good condition and will just need to be cleaned and altered to fit you perfectly.

• There is no charge for any of the wedding gowns. You can only receive one gown with no exchanges

•  Once your application is received and reviewed, you will be contacted by postal mail as to your status. 

•  If accepted to the program, we will contact you about setting up an appointment for gown selection.

Your wedding cake can be very important to your wedding reception. It should catch the guest’s eyes and taste good too.

Here are 3 easy steps for selecting the type of wedding cake  design that will fit your style and pocket book.

Your wedding cake should be a symbol of your wedding theme. Decide on your wedding cake’s design by browsing photographs of cakes.  The internet is loaded with examples.  Make a list of what you like and don’t like.

Also consider the time of year and weather conditions.  For example, a fondant icing is better than butter cream for an outdoor summer reception. butter cream will not hold up during heat and humidity.

The price  is determined by how complex the wedding cake design is and price per slice. Typically the price can range from $2-$15 per slice.

To keep the cost down choose a simple wedding cake design with a few decorations. Fresh fruit and flowers are the cheapest options.  Handmade decorations made of gumpaste or sugarpaste are more expensive.

If you really want a design that is more complicated there are ways to cut down the cost.  For example fondant icing is more expensive.  A similar look can be created with butter cream. You can also order a smaller cake for show and have simple sheet cakes on the side for more servings.

In choosing your baker, first find out if your reception site will allow outside bakers. If they do, pick out a few local bakers and make appointments to view their portfolio of designs. Make sure you consider these factors: look, taste and price. Finally ask for samples to taste.

Unusual Wedding Favors, Place Card Holders, Candles, Personalized Ribbons, and Favor Boxes.

Brides can choose between different styles of floral invitations, including white roses wedding invitations, tiger lily wedding invitations, and blue iris wedding invitations. For brides who are planning a theme wedding, this enables them to send unique wedding invitations in keeping with their chosen theme. Cards and Favors also sells matching floral wedding stationery and other items in each theme: for example, response cards, save the date cards, place-cards, thank you cards, and wedding favors.

Here are some great wedding reception ideas which will last beyond your wedding day and will bring back great memories everyday:

• Personalized double champagne/wine glasses

• A wedding cake topper that has your photo together in a heart-shaped picture frame and can be used as a decoration in your home.

• A beautiful wire wedding card box that can be creatively used for a home decoration later.

How to make cheap wedding invitations using miniature silk flowers with a wire stem. Download free wedding invitation templates and order supplies online.

If a $250 wedding gown from Filenes Basement “Running of the Brides” is not a cheap wedding dress in your mind, try eBay you never know what you will find.  One bride purchased a simple but elegant sheath gown for $27 with one other bidder as a competitor.  The gown had been purchased from Sak’s Off 5^th Outlet and the bride didn’t lose enough weight in time for the wedding.

Rachael Ray and Filene's Basement "Running of the Brides" have fun and search for bargains on bridal gowns.

Here are some real creative and fun money-saving tips to save on money with a homemade wedding reception.  Here is the chance to make your wedding reception unique and fun.

Ask for help from talented friends and family members. Make a time schedule and write down specific instructions for the wedding reception.

1. There are lots of details, take time to think about things such as ample food storage, one bathroom per 50 people.
2. Hire local teens to help with setup and cleanup.
3. Instead of serving appetizers, have popcorn.  Maybe a friend has a popcorn machine or check on rental.
4. China plates, glassware and silverware rental can be costly and plastic can look too cheap.  Buy silverware, wine glasses and plates from thrift stores.  They can be resold on Craig’s list afterward.
5. Choose recipes that can be made ahead of time, store well and serve easily. No last minute cooking, you will be too busy to be working before your wedding reception. Buy store-bought items such as bread and rolls to supplement homemade items.
6. Calculate the amount of food, label food and drinks, have lines on both sides of the serving table.
7. Lastly throw perfection out the window.  A homemade wedding reception will not be for you.

Create beautiful wedding centerpieces for your wedding day for the ceremony and for your wedding reception.

If time has gotten out of control in getting ready for your wedding and maybe, just maybe you have forgotten some small but important things like wedding favors for your wedding reception, this video will be a life-saver for you. 

Your wedding reception table decorations should be the focal point on all your wedding reception tables, so put a lot of extra thought into making them extra special.