Most brides try to figure out ways to cut costs, but sometimes it does make sense to splurge a little. This blog will explain five ways to cut costs for your Big Day.
Top 5 Cost Cutters:
1. Trim your guest list
Start out with your A and B list and make sure both sets of parents know that co-workers you never met and distance cousins you haven't seen (or met!) are not allowed! This part of wedding planning can get out of hand. Remember, the more people, the more mouths to feed. When creating the guest list, picture who would sit with who, this way if you need to make some cuts it can be easier to cut groups of people instead of individuals.
2. One Stop Event
Think about having your wedding at a venue that has everything you need, Ceremony, Reception and guest rooms to spend the night. Transportation costs can add up when you have to get your guests safely from the reception to a hotel. Having a venue like this cuts costs in transportation for the bridal party to get to the ceremony and reception too. Steer clear of a la carte weddings because tents, rentals and caterers add up.
3. Blame it on the Alcohol
Open bar - do you know it could add up to $40 per guest when you have an open bar wedding? Why not have a running tab, which on average could end up being only $10 per guest, depending on how important alcohol is to you and your wedding guests. If the venue allows you can limit the bar to wine, beer and a signature cocktail. This is also a good way of saving money on an open bar.
4. Favor Savers
In lieu of favors, opt to make a small donation and leave your guests a small note telling them about your charity of choice. Another favor saver is making your place card holder double up as a favor. Consider the guest's name and table number attached to a savvy luggage tag or jar of homemade jam - something that ties along with your wedding theme.
5. Be a DIY Bride
A time consuming but easy money saver is to make your own wedding photo album. It could be pricey getting it done by a professional. There are a lot of free websites that you can upload photos and create a digital album. If you are a crafty bride, why not make your wedding album a scrapbook? This allows you not to have any limitations that a professional photographer might have. Stay tuned for a DIY Blog in the future about more DIY ideas!
Next week check back for our blog about the Top 5 Suggested Splurges for your Big Day!
Happy Planning!
Dana & Shannon
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
MOB's & MOG's
In honor of Mother's day, we are dedicating this week's blog to all the Mother of the Bride's and Mother of the Groom's, otherwise known as the MOB's and the MOG's these days. Traditionally they used to have specific duties - the MOB's would be behind all the decisions of the wedding where the MOG would basically "show up, shut up and wear beige". Thankfully, times have changed and tradition is getting a little...untraditional.
Treat your MOMs to something nice before the wedding, maybe a spa day, get their hair and makeup done. In the end it is your day, but it sure is a Big Day for them too, they have been dreaming of it since you were little too!
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| My Mom's lighting the Unity Candle |
Treat your MOMs to something nice before the wedding, maybe a spa day, get their hair and makeup done. In the end it is your day, but it sure is a Big Day for them too, they have been dreaming of it since you were little too!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
What to do with your engagement photos!
Most photographers include an engagement photo session with their packages. Most of the times the photos are just a nice picture of the future married couple that they will probably frame and post on Facebook. Why not put those photos to good use! Here are some ideas of how to do just that!
1. A common but sometimes overlooked idea is Save the Dates. Some photographers might be willing to work with you on creating the perfect Save the Date. If you know the inspiration for the wedding you should try and portray that in your engagement photos. Maybe it is a color scheme or even a theme. For a garden wedding you can take pretty pictures in a garden, or have fun with it and get dirty....as in actually get out the gardening tools and get your hands dirty in a playful way.
2. As previously mentioned, having your engagement pictures portray the inspiration behind your wedding can make them even more useful on your BIG DAY. Use them as table numbers. Take the picture and photoshop a number on it, (if you are not familiar with Photoshop - We can help!) or forget table numbers and give your guests a wallet size photo same as what is on the table they are sitting at. You can have them alphabetically in a photo album for your guests to easily find theirs.
3. Another use of them on the BIG DAY is to use them in your guestbook. There are a lot of variations on the "guestbook" these days(keep your eyes open for our future post on guestbook ideas), but if you are keeping it traditional and using a book why not adhere a small photo from your engagement session to each page. Maybe it will inspire your guests while they write you well wishes.
4. Another common but sometimes over looked idea is for your Thank You cards. During your engagement session bring along a thank you sign to hold up in one of your shots, or maybe your photographer already has one.
5. Last but not least, use them in your looping slideshow or photo montage used at your rehearsal dinner or on the BIG DAY. This is something that Big Day Planners can help you with so check out our add-ons page at http://www.bigdayplanners.com/ .
Don't let those beautiful engagement photos go to waste!
Happy Planning!
Dana & Shannon
1. A common but sometimes overlooked idea is Save the Dates. Some photographers might be willing to work with you on creating the perfect Save the Date. If you know the inspiration for the wedding you should try and portray that in your engagement photos. Maybe it is a color scheme or even a theme. For a garden wedding you can take pretty pictures in a garden, or have fun with it and get dirty....as in actually get out the gardening tools and get your hands dirty in a playful way.
2. As previously mentioned, having your engagement pictures portray the inspiration behind your wedding can make them even more useful on your BIG DAY. Use them as table numbers. Take the picture and photoshop a number on it, (if you are not familiar with Photoshop - We can help!) or forget table numbers and give your guests a wallet size photo same as what is on the table they are sitting at. You can have them alphabetically in a photo album for your guests to easily find theirs.
3. Another use of them on the BIG DAY is to use them in your guestbook. There are a lot of variations on the "guestbook" these days(keep your eyes open for our future post on guestbook ideas), but if you are keeping it traditional and using a book why not adhere a small photo from your engagement session to each page. Maybe it will inspire your guests while they write you well wishes.
4. Another common but sometimes over looked idea is for your Thank You cards. During your engagement session bring along a thank you sign to hold up in one of your shots, or maybe your photographer already has one.
5. Last but not least, use them in your looping slideshow or photo montage used at your rehearsal dinner or on the BIG DAY. This is something that Big Day Planners can help you with so check out our add-ons page at http://www.bigdayplanners.com/ .
Don't let those beautiful engagement photos go to waste!
Happy Planning!
Dana & Shannon
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