How to Create Your Wedding Budget
Creating a budget and sticking to it is probably the hardest task when planning your wedding. With so much conflicting information out there on what you should spend, how much should go to each category and even on what categories you should spend, it can be completely overwhelming! Because of this, we’ve created our free info session, Key Details of a Wedding Budget. Every couple needs to know how to create a wedding budget that truly serves their wedding vision. In this informative session, we will take the guess work out of budgeting and provide you with real info on what a wedding costs, what different wedding budget levels look like and realistic vendor costs. You will learn how to prioritize, how to negotiate, where to cut and where to splurge. It’s all about creating a budget that reflects your priorities and achieving the style that you want. You will not want to miss out on this crucial information!
When: Sunday, April 17th, from 2 to 5pm
Where: TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney
Cost: Free!
To register, click here.
photo provided by Jennifer Strain Photography
Unique Wedding Ideas of the Week
Okay much like everyone else I am a certified blog stalker {I may or may not need a 12 step program?}. So here are some of my favorite cute and quirky wedding ideas I’ve gathered this week.
Buttons!!! Who else collected buttons when they were younger? {Chirp….Chirp…?} Just kidding I didn’t either. But seriously how cute are these and how funny? You can even customize them to say whatever you want! Does it get any better?
What about using these for destination weddings as part of the welcome gift? You can label your guests as Friend of Groom or Friend of Bride? It’s a great icebreaker and lets people scope out who else is there for your wedding!
Or what about these cute and unique Programs? Great idea for outdoor summer weddings, especially down here in Texas.
Or my personal favorite, the LOL camera. Maybe it’s because I love flashbacks or maybe it’s because I still have a disposable camera or two hidden in my closet but I’m in love with the idea of setting them at each table and seeing what photos your guests take, especially when this camera adds little mustaches and other images to the photos! Just look through the viewfinder to see what will be added to your next photo!
What fun things have you guys seen at weddings or are planning on using at your wedding?
Candy Buffets Are Still Considered Sweet!
photo by Kate Mefford Photography
According to the 2010 Wedding Market Forecast and 2010 Wedding Trends report from TheWeddingReport.com, candy buffets will be very hot in 2010. Lovely! I personally enjoy candy buffets, not just because of a sweet tooth reaction, but because I love how it sends everyone back to their childhood. It seems to bring out everyone’s playfulness, a literal translation of the phrase “just like a kid in a candy store”.
I had a wedding in June this year that we created a custom candy bar for. The bride and groom had just graduated from dental school, so along with all the sweet treats, we included toothbrushes and floss, with the couples monogram on them. This particular candy bar turned out to be one of the most raided by the guests. We had it set up for the guests to pass by on their way to dinner and then again when leaving the reception. Surprisingly, they had it almost completely empty with just the first pass. We even discovered most of the toothbrushes and floss were taken as well, a tell-tale sign that while the kid took over, the adult remembered those were a good selection too. Here’s a picture before it was raided:
photo by Dallas In Focus
Are you considering a candy buffet for your wedding? If so, here are a few of my tips:
- When choosing your candy, look first to the faves from your childhood. If you loved it, chances are your guests will as well.
- If you want to select by color, try to choose two to three colors. Monochrome candy buffets tend to attract less interest.
- If you can, customize the candy to your wedding. For example, order M&M’s with a customized graphic or wording. Order candy bars that have customized labels. These little details add to the fun.
- Check out the many, many different fun containers available for guests to fill with their favorites. Choose one according to your theme and practicality. You want it to travel well, so the guests can take home some of the fun.
- Finally, make sure to include labels of the different candies so your guests know what they are scooping up. They are more likely to try something new if they know the flavor.
Enjoy all the sweetness!
Your wedding website
Recently, many of the couples I’ve worked with have created and published a personal website to keep friends and family in the loop about their wedding plans. I love these sites. They often have a history of the couple, such as their engagement story, pictures, introductions to their wedding party members, plus loads of info on the wedding itself, including pictures, website links to vendors and even the ability to request songs for the DJ or band to play at the reception! Such fun and a great tool for getting the word out! Have you created your own website? If so, I’d love to hear from you as to what service you used and what you thought of it. Either email me or just leave a comment. Thanks in advance!