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 By Amanda Krieger
Weddings are all about flowers and dresses and making dreams come true, but all of those things come with a price tag. Sticker shock can be almost as surprising as the engagement, so before you start planning your wedding, it’s a good idea to figure out your budget.
The bride and groom should have an honest conversation with their parents and figure out who will be paying for what. This will avoid difficult conversations when it comes time to select and pay vendors.
Once you know how much is in the piggy bank, you can start divvying out funds. Sit down with your partner and decide what aspects of the wedding are most important to you. Prioritize the dress, the food, the music, the photography, etc. Set a budget according to those priorities and ruthlessly stick to it. If you said you’d sacrifice your wedding dress, don’t try on the $10,000 gown. A plan will help curb spending before you even start.
Remember, it’s about you getting married, not crystal chandeliers and doves flying overhead. Try not to get swept up into the wedding industry and lose sight of what you’re really doing– making an important commitment to the person you love, and will love for the rest of your life.
Make sure to write down every penny you spend. Thirty dollars for a manicure might not seem like a lot (especially when you’re dropping so much cash elsewhere) but those little things really add up. Keep track of everything to make sure you don’t overspend.
NOT-SO-FAR-OFF DESTINATION WEDDINGS
No plane tickets needed for these romantic
weddings which double as a retreat
for your guests. Besides, who doesn’t like an excuse for a vacation? Make the affair a “wedding weekend” to spend even more time with your friends and family.
Or let it be your excuse for an intimate affair!
MARINER’S LANDING
Smith Mountain Lake provides a breathtaking
backdrop with mountains cascading into the emerald water. Mariner’s Landing will customize your package including the ceremony site, reception for up to 200, your bridal suite, and all the other details with the area’s vendors. Plus, your guests will have a great getaway with everything the resort has to offer. www.marinerslanding.com. 540.297.4900.
ELOPEMENT PACKAGES VIRGINIA
More and more couples are choosing the “Elopement style” wedding. They find that by eloping, they can have a beautiful
wedding without the stress....at a very affordable price. Whether you are dreaming
of the beach at sunset, the snowy slopes of Wintergreen, or a serene bed and breakfast in the valley, they can help you make your dreams a reality.
www.elopementpackagesvirginia.com
Get Personal: WEDDING FAVORS THAT SUIT YOUR STYLE
Wedding favors are a chance for the bride and groom to thank their guests for sharing in their celebration. Here is a chance to give your guests something that will remind them of the wedding and couple.
Wedding favors should reflect your own personal style, personality and tastes.Here are a few ideas for non-traditional, and traditional, wedding favors:
SOMETHING SWEET
Everyone has a sweet tooth. Make it personal by selecting the bride or groom’s favorite candy or cookie, or match the candy to your wedding colors. You can also customize M&M’s, Hershey Kisses, jelly beans or cookies.
LOVE SOUNDS
Make a CD of your favorite music,
songs you fell in love to, or songs you featured at your wedding. Guests will always think of you when they listen to the CD (make sure to get appropriate rights to songs).
A BOTTLE OF WINE
Your guests will be toasting your wedding
for weeks to come with a nice bottle of wine as a favor. Let them select from white or red wine, and consider offering the bride and groom’s favorite wine or a sample bottle
from a local vineyard. Labels can be personalized
with a monogram, message from the bride and groom, or photo of the happy couple.
GIVE A GIFT THAT GIVES BACK
Instead of giving a small gift, use the money you would have spent on favors and give it to charity. Leave a card at each place setting to let them know you’ve made a donation to a charity in the name of each guest.
KEEP A THEME
If your wedding has a theme, your favors
should stick with the theme. If you have a barbecue wedding, give small bottles of barbecue sauce to your guests. If you have an Asian-inspired wedding, give your guests chopsticks.
GO GREEN!
Just like everything
else, there are now eco-friendly wedding favors to choose from. Give your guests something
to grow (and attach a tag that says “watch our love grow!”). You can give wildflower seeds, a flower bulb, or saplings. You can also give a donation to an eco-friendly charity, or choose a traditional favor that is made with environmentally friendly materials.
PERSONALIZED FAVORS
Almost everything can be personalized for a wedding favor. Pouches of coffee, matchbooks, candlesticks, wine glasses, soaps, coasters, ornaments, and magnets are all examples of things that can be monogrammed or personalized. Think of something your guests will appreciate and will use.
BREAKING TRADITION WITH THE Trends for 2010
mini-wedding dresses
That’s right...designers are showcasing a new style of dress this year...the mini dress. Whether you are looking for a casual alternative
to a gown fit for a princess or just want to be comfy as you dance the night away, you just might find what you are looking for in this new style. Do you feel that a higher hemline may not be fit for your ceremony? You could change into a mini dress just for the reception, or even for an event leading up to wedding, such as a rehearsal dinner.
purring down the aisle
Pets are part of the family, and family members are part of every wedding ceremony.
Dogs, cats, horses and even parrots have held honored positions with the bride and groom. Pets of celebrities including Tori Spelling,
Adam Sandler and Gavin Rossdale all held esteemed roles in their famous owners’ weddings. Even if you can’t arrange for them to be part of the ceremony, including them in the photos is a great way to create wedding day memories with your beloved pet.
backyard weddings
Eliminate the venues AND save some cash! Enjoying the comfort of home on one of the most important days of your lives can be both sentimental and budget-friendly. Between
caterers to florists to rental companies, everything you need can be delivered to your doorstep. You get to set the rules at this site and choose your vendors as you wish. Don’t see your own backyard as a wedding paradise?
Perhaps, there’s a house with a view you love that you could rent. This is a way to get an intimate wedding with the budget of your choice!
gowns that flatter your girls
Bridesmaids come in all different shapes, sizes and tones, and so should their dresses.
Many brides now choose the color and fabric for their wedding day attendants, but let them choose the style. No doubt your best friend will be grateful to not have to force the halter style that graces your sister so well into complimenting her figure! Breaking a little farther away from tradition, brides are even choosing gowns that are in different shades of the same color, or different complimentary hues. A few non-traditional brides are even ditching the fancy silk for a delicate print.
ADVICE ON CREATING A Strong Marriage
Leading up to a wedding, it’s easy to get so caught up in the details of the big day that you forget the real reason for the wedding – marriage! The real purpose of the big day isn’t to pick the right combination of songs that will get both your friends from college and Aunt Mildred out on the dance floor, it’s about making a commitment in front of your friends and family that you will love and cherish forever.
Here’s advice for after you’ve said your vows and the honeymoon is (literally) over, on how to create a strong marriage and family.
1. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you shouldn’t date.
Remember those candle-lit dinners and trips to the movies when you were dating? Those don’t have to stop once you get married! Reserve one night a week to spend some quality time together, even if it just means enjoying a pre-dinner glass of wine. Get in the habit of prioritizing
time with each other, the investment will pay off big long-term.
2. Have some friends over.
Newlyweds need some time to get used to their new stage in life. But while you’re adjusting, be careful not to alienate your friends. Have friends over for a game night or make sure you don’t miss the next girls’ night out.
3. Fight fair.
The new ring on your finger doesn’t give you a free pass to hit below
the belt. When things get tense, remember whom you’re talking to before you start throwing daggers. Take a deep breath and cool down. Remember, you’re talking to your soul mate.
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