WHAT COLOR & STYLES OF DRESSES DO THE MOTHERS
WEAR?
The mother of the bride should wear a color that blends and complements the bridesmaids dresses, but does not match
the exact color. AVOID all black or white. The mother of the bride usually selects her dress first, and then describes
it to the groom's mother, allowing enough time for her to shop. Both mothers can wear the same color but not the same
dress. (preferably the same style and length).
For a very formal and large wedding, BEFORE 6:00 PM, with over
200 guests attending, long or short dresses, not quite as formal as evening wear are suggested.
For a formal wedding AFTER 6:00 P.M.,
with 100 guests or more attending, elegant dresses and suits are the norm.
In any event, both mothers should go with the dresses
that look good on them (color, figure size & personal sense of style) and they do not have to match.
INEXPENSIVE WEDDING LOCATIONS
If you are a bride or groom on a
limited budget, you might have gotten sticker shock at the location rental charges and catering prices of most popular
wedding locations. Here are some places to look for, that may very well save you money.
RESTAURANTS:
Talk
to your favorite restauranteur to see how much it would cost to rent a private room or the whole place. Look for
a restaurant with a pretty back garden that you can set up for the ceremony, and can be used for dancing later. This
is an option that works best during non-peak hours, as the restaurant might not want to lose their busy Saturday night
crowd.
PARKS:
Many city parks will allow you to have a wedding
and may charge a very nominal fee. Look for ones that have a covered patio, special details like fountains, lush and
beautiful gardens, or a grassy picnic area or even a beach.
THEATRES
AND PERFORMANCE VENUES:
Look for such venues in your town, especially old-fashioned theatres, getting married on a stage
can make you feel like a star! Don't forget large aquariums. Tampa has a beautiful one, great for weddings &
receptions. Also consider the Florida Botanical Gardens in Clearwater as well as The Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg
COLLEGES
/ UNIVERSITIES:
Remember that charming chapel and alumni house at your college? It's usually very inexpensive
for alumni to have their weddings on campus. If your school is picturesque, why not see how much it would be?
Actually, this idea works on most campuses.
CREATIVE & UNUSUAL PLACES:
Whether it's on top of a roller coaster, an old mill, or the unique place you met, a creative wedding location will
instantly give your wedding lots of personality. Because these places aren't used to having weddings, you might be able
to snag them for a steal, though you'll often have to bring in extra rentals. (200 people and 1 bathroom isn't pretty.)
How about a gazebo in a city park, an arboretum, a forest with a picnic area. A friend's back yard, or on a large boat,
offered by Starship Cruises, etc. Don't forget that military veteran's organizations such as the American Legion, The
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) or the AMVETS have inexpensive halls (to include their kitchens and low-cost liquor)
and they will rent for weddings and other events. Just put your imagination to work!
WAYS TO HAVE A GREAT WEDDING ON A
TIGHT BUDGET!
TRIM YOUR GUEST LIST:
Each
time you add a name to your invitation list, you're increasing your budget significantly. It's not just the catering
costs, but also the extra centerpieces, favors, rentals, etc. Don't invite anyone you haven't talked to in five
years. Don't feel obligated to let single people bring a date. Avoid feeling pressured to invite all your work
colleagues. And don't let your friends bring their children. You can also decide to eliminate categories like
"relatives more distant than first cousins" or "friends from volunteer work". By not inviting anyone
from that group, you'll help avoid hurt feelings.
SAVE POSTAGE
ON YOUR WEDDING INVITATIONS:
Forgo the inner envelope and blotter paper, which are leftover relics from times
when ink needed time to dry, and people wanted a pristine envelope. Rather than having a reply card, ask guests to reply
on-line or by telephone. Set up a free e-mail account with Yahoo or G-mail. (call it "your name wedding replies
@yahoo.com) It will prevent spam in your regular e-mail. Not only will you save money from the printer bill, it
will also reduce your postage expense.
SHOP SAMPLE SALES AND THE INTERNET FOR BUDGET-PRICED DRESSES!
If you wear a size 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 dress, check out samples sales, which happen generally once a year.
It's a great opportunity to get a designer dress at dirt bottom prices. You can also look on E-Bay, Craigslist and other
internet sites for deals on used wedding dresses. Remember that cleaning the delicate fabric of a wedding dress
may cost up to $ 250.00, so avoid the cheap dress with the filthy hem. And, many towns have a shop where you can rent
a wedding dress, saving you hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars. Please see below for additional wedding dresses information!
CHANGE THE DAY OF THE WEEK:
Have your wedding on a weeknight
or a Sunday. There is less demand for these dates, so vendors will often be willing to give you a better rate.
SAVE MONEY ON CHURCH DECORATIONS:
For religious weddings, consider having your wedding near a major
holiday. The church will already be decorated, saving you lots of money on flowers. On other days, look for simplicity.
A candlelight ceremony can be romantic, gorgeous, and inexpensive.
LEARN
TO ASK FOR HELP TO SAVE MONEY:
If you want to have a very in-expensive wedding, pool your friends; and family resources.
Think of musicians you know, and crafty people who can help you assemble things. They will generally be honored to be
a special part of your big day. Also look for money-saving tips everywhere. Check websites such as www.webfrugal.com and www.frugalbride.com and ask friends and family what they did to save money on their wedding
day.
GET CRAFTY - DO IT YOURSELF:
Throw a "pitch-in-party"; where the invite asks your friends to be
a special part of your wedding by helping you assemble favors, make invitations, centerpieces, and other homemade inexpensive
touches. Be sure to put out delicious snacks and have inspiring tunes on the stereo, so that your friends feel
like they're at a party, not just part of an assembly line.
LOW-COST WEDDING
FOOD AND DRINK:
Be honest with your caterer about your need to save money. Ask them which
are the least expensive entrees and whether a buffet is cheaper than a seated dinner. See if they'll let you provide
your own liquor, or if serving only wine and beer will be cheaper than a full bar. Also, consider only having
the bar open during your cocktail hour, then serving an inexpensive wine with dinner. Especially if you and your fiance
don't drink, consider having a dry wedding. WARNING! Do not host an "open bar" before the ceremony starts.
It could be real disaster. I have seen people, including some of the bridal party become "drunk" and unruly.
E-BAY:
Ebay! It's a great source for everything from second hand
dresses to wedding favors, cake toppers, ring pillows and more. Be sure to allow ample time for the auction to end,
and for shipping. Look for trusted sellers whose feedback indicates they have accurately represented what they have
sold.
LOW-COST WEDDING INVITATIONS:
Don't go for engraving - regular
printed invites work just as well. There are a variety of low-cost wedding invitations available on the internet.
For a casual wedding, consider printing your own invites from your home computer. Stationery stores now sell printed
paper meant to use in a home printer as inexpensive wedding invitations. Also, there is inexpensive software available
to design and print lovely wedding invitations at a reasonable cost.
SAVE EVEN MORE MONEY ON YOUR WEDDING DRESS:
Every bride wants to look like a
million bucks, but most brides don't have access to that kind of cash. There are discount bridal shops, and national
chains which can provide a good value. But for the quality and style of a real designer wedding gown, most brides have
to fork over a good amount of cash. Here's a valuable secret for having a designer wedding dress without spending a
ton of money. It's a website called www.Bridalpower.com which sells designer overstock and samples. It's like going to a samples sale from the comfort of your living
room, without all the other crazy brides fighting for your dress. A dear friend of mine was able to snag a "
Caroline Herrera " dress in perfect condition for just $ 400! Not all their prices are that dirt cheap,
but still lots of bargains to be had. More dress websites to look at are www.bridalonlinestore.com and also www.best-price.com An additional tip is to go to "David's Bridals" for lovely brand new wedding dresses that are about $ 99.00 hanging
on their bargain rack. Now that's a real bargain!
SAVING MONEY ON YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Given the current state of the economy,
we thought it best to bring you a new way to save money on your wedding cake. Your "wedding cake" doesn't
have to actually be a wedding cake. In the past, a wedding cake was a big white showstopper affair, requiring
skill to properly construct the layers and talent to precisely decorate it. But, it's not surprising that words like
"talent" and "skill" mean your wedding cake will be expensive. Instead, choose a few beautiful
cakes from your favorite bakery, but don't tell them its for a wedding. Since wedding cakes aren't necessarily white
anymore, no one need know this was a cost-saving measure.
Arrange each layer on a matching tiered cake plate,
or get one larger layered cake and supplement it with sheet cakes in the back. In most places, it would cost $100 to
$150 doing it this way, rather than $400 and up for getting a bakery made wedding cake. Now that's $300 bucks in your
pocket for something more important, like applying it to another needed item. The costs today for a wedding cake from
a bakery is figured by how many people you intend to have at the reception. For instance, if you tell the bakery that
you are having 125 people attending, then count on each slice of cake costing you an average of $ 2.50. Do the math
and you can easily see the price is high. for more information: (727) 871-9900
