July 27, 2010

Choices, Choices, Choices!

yhst-96972159295690_2111_843594.gif There are many wedding favor ideas for couples who are planning to have themed weddings. Whether you decide to go with a beach theme, an “all white” theme, or an Asian theme - the options you have for wedding favors are virtually unlimited.

There are a lot of resources that offer wedding favor ideas and wedding supplies, such as bridal sites, logs, and magazines. Bridal sites offer so many things - from wedding favors to wedding gifts and everything in between. Research and look into some popular wedding favor ideas for common themed weddings. This may come in handy when choosing which wedding favors to purchase, how they might match your theme, and where you can find them.

Candle wedding favors are popular because they go with any themed wedding. They come in so many colors, styles and sizes that they are in high demand. Wine wedding favors are always an excellent idea, and work well with most themed weddings. Edible wedding favors can be some of the most fun because they go with any wedding theme; they come in such varieties as chocolate bars, small coffee bags, truffles, candies, mints, honey, and numerous other edible options. Beach wedding favors include many options, from candle sets in blue, sand, and white, and beach themed coasters to shell trinkets and polished, engraved rocks or mints. Flower and garden favors are great for any themed wedding, but are typically ideal for both spring and summer. They can include anything from vases and floral candles to flower seeds, bookmarks, and custom placeholders.

So you see – there are just so many choices to select from. It is definitely worth it to spend the time and do some research before you decide. Don’t just settle for something you like - find something you love – something that will carry the memories of your special day for many years to come!

July 17, 2010

Do You Really Need a Wedding Planner?

yhst-96972159295690_2111_184645151.gif There is no need to spend money on a wedding planner unless you are going for a six or seven figure platinum wedding. If you are not having such a huge, extravagant wedding, than you can easily eliminate the planner fee. But first you really need to get organized.

Select a maximum dollar figure as your budget and stay within it. Next put your guest list in writing and finalize it. Nothing throws off your budget like the number of guests escalating as your planning moves along.

Pick a venue, get a price per person for the catering and research liquor costs if you intend to offer open bar. Your wedding venue manager can assist you with almost everything a wedding planner would provide, such as music options, live or DJ, flowers, photographer, limos, etc. Start making a spread sheet of items needed and the cost.

Once you nail down the big items discussed above, leave some money for the frills that add that special character to your wedding. Wedding favors may seem frivolous, but this is an item that your guests will take away at the end of the festivities as mementos.

Flowers can be a budget breaker, so don't fall in love with too grandiose of a selection. Wedding planners usually allow a fairly small percentage of the overall cost of the wedding for flowers. If you’re getting financially stretched, consider some scales of economy. Use flowers that are in season because they cost less. Cost compare using alternative centerpieces instead of flower arrangements. Reduce the number in your wedding party and save on bouquets. Choose less complicated floral arrangements, or try to find a natural setting such as a garden or beach where nature supplies the bulk of the floral ambiance for free.

Don't be afraid. Get organized, make a list, do a simple spread sheet, enlist help of family, friends, and members of the wedding party. Don't forget those special gifts for the maid of honor and the best man and of course those memorable wedding favors that keep the day alive for your guests.

July 12, 2010

Avoid Wedding Budget Bombers

yhst-96972159295690_2111_186195894.gif When you receive wedding invitations, you already picture the event, if it is a flashy or simple one. After the wedding, you remember the beautiful bride in her stunning wedding gown, the beribboned wedding cake, and the romantic wedding venue.

Now you are planning your wedding. At the top of the list are your wedding gown, rings, wedding favors, wedding cake, wedding invitations and wedding venue. Ridding one item is unimaginable so you juggle your funds.

You try to redo your calculations to stretch your budget because there are the wedding accessories, photography, DJ, the wedding entourage, and the pre-wedding dinner to host. Unfortunately, you cannot choose to ignore any of these because these things make your wedding memorable. But you can save hundreds of dollars if you know how to trim down your expenses.

Before entering a bridal boutique, inform the sales clerk that you are looking for a dress within a particular price range. Otherwise, expect to be shown top designer gowns you cannot afford. Chances are you will end up with a pricey wedding dress.

Wedding invitations and stationery that are professionally printed are not cheap. These have fancy designs and printing techniques and before you know it, you are spending more than you have planned. Cut your costs; choose simple invitations or make your own personalized wedding invitations if you are feeling adventurous. You can easily be distracted with flashy rings so tell the clerk upfront that you want wedding rings within certain price tags.

The cake is costly because baking pans and baking accessories are expensive. Bakers also use quality ingredients for tasty cakes. Ask the hotel if their pastry chef can bake your cake. Brides who have done this route swear they saved money on their wedding cake. Also, consider a "dummy" cake for the centerpiece. The best rule to follow to avoid wedding budget bombers is to stick to your budget, no matter how much you hanker for a luxurious wedding gown, a romantic venue, glittering rings, and beautiful wedding invitations.

July 10, 2010

Should You Hire a Professional Wedding Planner?

yhst-96972159295690_2111_212334779.gifOrganizing a wedding can be a stressful situation. There are so many tasks to complete – from choosing wedding favors to selecting a wedding gown - and so many people to organize, that it's a wonder that so many of them get off without a hitch. What can help in these activities is a wedding planner. This is essentially an individual who takes charge of the wedding plans and ensures that everything goes smoothly. There are people who believe that a wedding planner is essential to a wedding's success. There are people at the other end of the spectrum who believe that a wedding planner is unnecessary. Which is true for your wedding? The answer to this question depends on your particular situation.

A wedding planner is someone who has experience with organizing weddings; ideally someone with insight into weddings. It is for these reasons that people often make the decision to use a wedding planner. Wedding planners are not simply a great organizer. They actually wear many different hats. A wedding planner may oversee your wedding budget to make sure it remains on track. They are also buffers so that when tense or stressful situations occur they can take care of them without going to pieces.

An advantage of using a wedding planner is that the individual can offer creative suggestions to help keep everything in the wedding balanced. Since being a wedding planner usually means an individual runs in wedding circles, there's a chance that the wedding planner may be able to use their connections to get you specials on some of your wedding planning needs.

Even without hiring a wedding planner, weddings can be expensive. When you consider that the average wedding costs thousands of dollars, you can understand how hiring a wedding planner for a single wedding is sometimes an idea that is never realized. If your budget is small and your wedding needs require that you hire a wedding planner, you might consider a wedding planner with less experience. If you choose this route, just make sure the wedding planner is someone who will benefit your wedding.

July 5, 2010

Successful Wedding Planning

yhst-96972159295690_2111_211630423.gif Behind every successful wedding reception is a good plan. If you have a good plan, regardless of the size of the event, you can expect that you will have a successful wedding. The process can be quite stressful - especially as the big day approaches, but when everything is put in the right places and all details are carefully considered, nothing should go wrong. The question now is - how exactly do you plan a wedding reception

The best way to plan is to plan ahead. Inconveniences may happen if a couple does not plan ahead of time.

For example, there will probably be more than one couple who will want to hold their reception in a particular venue. The tendency then for the unlucky ones is to end up choosing a venue not necessarily because it's the one they want but just because it's the only one available. The next thing to consider is practicality. You can get great discounts if you choose to plan and book ahead of time. You may certainly be able to find venues that offer great prices and discounts for early bookings. This is especially helpful for couples working on a tight budget.

Inefficient planning can impact the wedding reception. Problems may arise like shortage of food if this has not been planned ahead of time. For any occasion, it is always safe to prepare food beyond the actual size of the guest list. If you plan ahead of time, RSVP can be implemented so that you will have an idea on the number of seats to be reserved. Implementing this reservation process will give the couple a clearer picture on how much food needs to be served. On the other hand, a poorly planned wedding could also result in a very small number of guests turning up - too few, in fact, that there could be an oversupply of food. In conclusion, planning a wedding ahead of time is always a good idea so that the couple won't feel stressed and pressured. This can be prevented if the couple has enough time to spare.

July 3, 2010

Free Wedding Checklists

yhst-96972159295690_2111_184931289.gif Weddings can be extremely stressful for everyone involved. There are so many details to remember and keep track of - from the flowers and wedding favors to the dress, cake, and reception. There are many different opportunities for something to go wrong; it's a wonder that the bride and groom get to enjoy themselves at all!

The key to enjoying yourself at your wedding is learning not to sweat the small stuff, and how to handle potential wedding disasters as they come up. By thinking ahead, you can prevent many wedding disasters from even occurring.

Certain items are considered an absolute must-have in a wedding plan, and checklists are simply one of them. For free wedding planning checklists, there are lots of sites on the Internet where you can find quick downloads and great tips for the best day of your life. Keep in mind the fact that these free wedding planning checklists could be your best friends for the months and weeks before the big event, since they function as some sort of reminder of what is left to do.

Once you get your free wedding planning checklists, all you have to do is personalize them according to your ideas. There are many special categories involved in the planning of a wedding - therefore, there are several kinds of wedding planning checklists available for download. For instance, the budget tracking checklists are considered the highest in demand since, without proper budget administration, things can easily get out of control.

How come the free planning checklists are actually provided by site users? The answer is simple - the company that provides the free wedding planning checklists is very likely to offer other necessary wedding services too, that are obviously fee-based. Therefore, the checklists function as a sort of business promotion. Some of these planning checklists are only samples of a more complete guide, such as a wedding organizer book, with all the items necessary for a wedding. Thus, unless you're ready to pay, try to find as many free tips as possible.

June 28, 2010

Themed Wedding Ideas

yhst-96972159295690_2111_204012975.gif When you are planning your wedding, you want to take your time and not rush things. You would want to get everything right. After all, it is hardly everyday that you get to have a wedding.

There are several wedding ideas that you could check out and see if it fits you''re idea of the perfect wedding for you. Themed weddings is one of the most common wedding ideas. This wedding idea used to be a financial challenge way back when, but nowadays it is not. Cheap air travel and the easy availability of exotic products have made theme weddings a good wedding idea. It''s something to think about when thinking of planning a wedding and there is no shortage of themed wedding favors to choose from.

A lot of people have done theme weddings. Rockstars, movie idols, and maybe even someone you know have done a theme wedding. Now don''t go thinking that this is one of these overdone wedding ideas. There are many options for wedding themes. Some ideas include a 1920s revival wedding theme, a Victorian wedding theme, or even a Cinderella wedding theme! Wouldn''t that be a delight for the child within! Every girl wants to be a princess!

Another good wedding idea to look into is a destination wedding. For this wedding idea you''re going to need to be a bit more financially flexible. Destination weddings are a great wedding idea. To celebrate it in an exotic place is one of the best ways to make a wedding memorable. Think about it, there is no way you are going to soon forget a Mediterranean wedding.

This kind of wedding idea is more difficult to set up, however. You will have to coordinate with the wedding participants as well. After all, the wedding location isn''t just a couple of blocks away. Depending upon the location there could also be a problem with the local custom of your wedding location. Some places will require a lot of work before a wedding can be held. Other locations may not allow a wedding there unless one or both of the parties (the bride and/or the groom) are residents of the area. Location weddings can be a bit harder to plan and execute.

Whatever wedding ideas you are considering, try to remember that your wedding day is not all about the pomp, but it is about the meaning of a wedding. Form your wedding ideas around the idea that a wedding is about you and your beloved joining your lives together as one. Don''t go too traditional, either. Let your wedding be as naturally as the bond between you and your companion.
Denise Duncan has been involved in the wedding planning business for a number of

June 26, 2010

Make Your Destination Wedding Fun and Fabulous

yhst-96972159295690_2111_211300697.gif If you are engaged and you enjoy traveling and romantic getaways, you might want to consider a destination wedding. Destination weddings are popular right now. Many brides and grooms fly their friends and family members in, but if you cannot afford that, your wedding attendants can pay for their own plane tickets and hotel stays.

You can save money by combining the wedding ceremony, reception, and honeymoon into one location. However, you can have your wedding reception once you return home if you choose to. Keep in mind that most destination weddings are intimate, and some only include a few people, so they tend to cost less than traditional weddings.

Although having a destination wedding sounds glamorous and pricey, many hotels and resorts offer wedding packages for affordable prices, and they will take care of the details for you. Keep in mind that your destination wedding can be as affordable or expensive as you want it to be. Just make sure that you start planning for your wedding at least six months in advance. If you do enough research, you might be able to book flight, hotel, and car reservations for a fantastic price.
Destination weddings are perfect for thrill-seekers. If you have a destination wedding, many outdoor activities will be available to you, your partner, friends and family. For instance, many destinations offer horse-back riding, scuba diving, whale-watching, kayaking, sailing, bird-watching, swimming, dancing, and hiking. If you enjoy relaxing, you can spend your honeymoon on the beach.

If you are thinking about having your wedding in another country or state, make sure you do plenty of research online. You will also be able to find wonderful destination wedding favors to match your destination theme online. You should find out which activities will be available to you and your partner. Decide what you are going to do there after you have your wedding ceremony. Don’t forget to find out where the beaches, fine restaurants, museums, casinos, shops, and nightclubs are before you travel to the destination!

June 20, 2010

Wedding Blogs

yhst-96972159295690_2111_211498526.gif A wedding happens once in a lifetime and you need unique and novel wedding ideas. One thing you can do is approach someone who's already married or simply talk to your family and friends to seek wedding planning advice. A great way to get tips is to start reading wedding blogs on the internet. Read through wedding blogs so that you become familiar with all of the in's and out's of a wedding. Reading a wedding blog offers advantages that are superior and helpful than other promotional and money-making web sources. Wedding blogs help you ponder the wedding type and theme that you want for your wedding.

The blogs also enlighten you as to the large spectrum of products that are available in the market. There are keepsakes available for wedding a variety of wedding themes. You certainly won’t find a shortage of fall, winter, or beach wedding favors. You can learn about the much loved wedding gifts that people buy. These blogs are encouraging and exciting and full of great wedding ideas and they can help you find some great ideas to give a distinctive feel to your wedding ceremony.

They are great because you can read about experiences of other brides. You can learn about items that are worth purchasing. What you read can also throw light on which products fulfilled their hopes and which of them did not and also on the continued use of some keepsakes. For instance, they may write about their friends relishing their gifts when they visit their homes.

Useful wedding blogs are out there to offer you some tips and DIY wedding ideas for your wedding. It worth the time you put into reading blogs online as well comments from others reading the blogs. Get ideas to enhance your creativity and imagination. Make your wedding special and memorable for years to come!

June 18, 2010

Hire a Wedding Planner - Save Yourself the Stress!

yhst-96972159295690_2111_226827678.gif Your wedding is one of the most joyous occasions in your life. Everyone looks forward to a well coordinated, grand wedding. All couples anticipate an organized wedding fine-tuned to perfection. However, sometimes, your wedding can become the biggest cause of stress for you. Organizing a wedding is not such a breeze. It can be a nerve wracking experience. Stressful jobs like this are best left to professionals. Wedding planners come into the picture here. Engaged couples can seek personalized consultancy. Wedding planners can help you plan your wedding in the most cost effective way.

Hire a wedding coordinator to coordinate your wedding from scratch. A professional will strategically organize your wedding. Everyone has a wedding budget in mind. A wedding planner will plan your wedding within this budget. After all, you don't want to exceed your estimated budget, right? Coordination is imperative to get the best results. A wedding coordinator will coordinate with photographers, wedding favors, florists, caterers and all others involved. Wedding planners and coordinators are proactive in their approach. They have tons of experience under their belt. Rest assured that you can expect a professionally arranged well orchestrated wedding!

Planning your wedding is quite a daunting task. Needless to say, it's a time consuming affair. Planning your wedding reception, chalking out your wedding planning checklist, arranging the right DJ, etc is not easy. Why not let a wedding planner take care of all your needs? Be it your hair, makeup, trousseau or anything else, a wedding planner will manage it all. He or she will look into the details of your wedding. As a matter of fact, wedding planners are qualified to handle things single handedly. Right from stress management to budgeting, they can take care of it all. You can choose from a variety of wedding planning packages online. There are full planning packages, elemental packages, express wedding packages, bridal boot camp, honeymoon designer packages and more. Browse the Web for reputed wedding planning companies. Some companies can even help you with baby shower planning, christening and other events!

June 16, 2010

Wedding Favor Boxes - Special and Stylish

yhst-96972159295690_2111_188380609.gif What are the usual things that come to your mind regarding weddings? A couple in love exchanging vows, gorgeous bouquets of flowers, and a beautiful wedding dress are the common images. Your wedding day is one where you want everything to be smooth and organized as well as elegant and memorable. When it comes to memories, a great way to remind your guests of your special day is with favors and wedding favor boxes.

Boxes may seem quite practical, but they really can be fancy and decorative and many are made with an artistic look and touch.

They are no longer plain and simple things. In fact, specialty boxes range from home and hardware use to wedding favors. Wedding favor boxes enable items of your choice to be presented in whatever manner that satisfies you and your wedding theme. The opportunities and options seem virtually endless. It really is all up to you and you will need to decide what is right for your special day.

The bride and groom are free to choose from a wide range of beautiful colors and decorations. These of course are selected according to your personal tastes and preferences. Decorative boxes that you select can express to your guests some of your personality as individuals and as a couple as well. With the wide variety of favor boxes available on the market, there are some important factors that should influence your ultimate choice. For example, you should definitely take into account your budget and how suitable the favor box design is for your wedding theme.

These days, wedding favor boxes not only serve as a way to stylishly present gifts, but they also personalize a wedding by saying “thank you” to your guests. Furthermore, they can show and express sincere gratitude and appreciation from the couple. In fact, regardless of what is distributed as a gift, it is important to package it in a nice and unique wedding favor box. This can surely generate some hype from your guests and they will be both more tempted and excited to open up your special gift to them.

June 14, 2010

The Bridal Shower

yhst-96972159295690_2111_198168417.gif Your best friend is getting married and you have been the designated event coordinator for her bridal shower. With so much to do, you’d better get organized and get started! There are so many things to prepare and to consider: where you will hold the party, what kind of cake to serve; the types of foods and beverages, and, of course, the bridal party favors. But that’s not all! You will need to think of a theme, as well as appropriate decorations and comfortable seating. You want to make this one of the most special events the bride will experience before the big day!

To get some bridal shower favor ideas, you could do some research on the Internet, or you could buy a few bridal magazines.

They have a wealth of information that is sure to help any bridal shower organizer make a truly special party for the bride. Individual candles, mini picture frames, candy in special bowls, are just a few of the plethora of options available to you. Be creative – do something with a theme that everyone will love and appreciate. Once you get into the whole process, you will find it’s not only easier than what you thought, but fun as well!

So what are you waiting for? There’s so much to do, you’d better get started! Begin organizing that bridal party today and make it a day to remember for everyone attending! Make sure you bring something extra special just from the bride as a token from you. That way she will know you put a great deal of time and thought into arranging her party. Have everything planned in advance, regarding weather, no-shows, and other mishaps. That will allow for the party to be a smooth-sailing success, where everyone will have a memorable and enjoyable time.

June 7, 2010

Themed Wedding Favor Ideas

yhst-96972159295690_2105_94623535.gif There’s nothing like a carefully selected theme to make your wedding day unique and memorable. A wedding theme should ideally tell your guests something about the two of you – that’s what makes it unique! If you share a love for travel, maybe a travel themed wedding would be right for you. Or maybe you met on the beach, so a beach themed wedding could be a perfect option. Once you’ve decided on your theme, make sure all elements of your wedding ceremony reflect it, including the wedding favors.

If you are at a loss for theme and favor ideas, a good way to get going is by thinking about motifs that express the theme.

For instance, if you are having an Asian theme wedding, there are great Asian keepsakes available with designs that evoke Asia. Readily recognizable symbols from the Far East include fortune cookies, chopsticks, and take-out boxes; there are a lot of beautiful favors available with these designs.

The good news is that no matter what your theme is, you can find unique items to match it. There really are so many to choose from, the sky is the limit! If you’re having a beach wedding, you may want to consider favors with designs that evoke memories of a vacation by the sea.

You should get creative and use your imagination to come up with ideas. If you’re having a certain flower as your wedding theme, look for candy holders, place card holders, candles, tea lights and candies that are designed in the shape of that flower. If you both love tennis, then a tennis-themed wedding with stirrers shaped like tennis rackets could make great favors. If you’re having a wedding during the holidays, you may want to check out favors with bells and holly wreaths or keepsakes with pastel and Easter colors. And if you’ve had a fairytale romance, what could be better than a fairytale themed wedding with a pumpkin carriage place card holder? The key to ensuring that your guests love their favors is to pick ones that are elegant, useful, and match your overall theme.

May 23, 2010

Bridal Shower Favors and Fun Times

yhst-96972159295690_2105_131883831.gif With so many parties involved in getting engaged and married, the one party that is solely for the bride is the one where she can kick off her shoes and relax. That would be her bridal shower – it’s an all girls get together, and its significance is highlighted by the bridal shower favors that are given. It’s her day for all the girls to indulge in fun, game playing, sharing lots of laughs, and shower mementos.

Shower favors can actually play into your shower’s theme. Traditional favors are always an option, such as nick-knacks or small picture frames.

If you go beyond traditional, then your potential choice of favors increases. Fashionable favors include: indoor plants, or if the couple has a house, flowers blossoming every year are a particularly welcomed reminder and lovely sight to see in one’s garden. A cocktail party is a different theme for entertainment. Guests can bring various finger foods and accompanying recipes or a nice bottle of wine. Perhaps the couple-to-be are animal lovers, so guests can bring small crystal or hand carved animal miniatures. There are bound to be a myriad of thematic ideas among the bride’s girlfriends. They just have to decide which one or mixture to choose.

The party has to bounce – and this can be accomplished with the fun and games. What might be really nice is to have prize favors for the girls that are token reminders of the game itself. The bridal shower is a gathering of close, good, friends. It is a sentimental journey of friendship from the past into the future and is a time for lots of laughs, hugs, kisses, and tears. The shower should be a time that the girls truly enjoy themselves, connect with each other, and should be 1especially memorable for each one!

May 17, 2010

Planning and Preparing for Your Wedding Day

yhst-96972159295690_2105_145452160.gif Getting married can be a stressful thing, even though the end result should be one of the happiest times in your life. There is so much to think about, to plan for, and to decide. Wedding planning is much easier and will go much smoother if you and your groom are good decision makers and are on the same page.

There are so many themes, wedding favors, decorations, flowers, cakes, wedding gowns, and wedding styles to choose from. Do you want to have a traditional wedding in a church? Or a fun, laid back wedding on the beach? Amidst choosing things like venues, wedding dates, and all the other numerous details involved in a wedding, there are often family politics to deal with in the middle of it all.

This is the last thing you need, in a very stressful time. You are most likely emotionally wired and possibly working a full time job, trying to decide and work out all these details on a lunch break or after working hours, or on weekends.

You and your groom have to remember that you are a team, and are on the same side with a common goal ahead of you. So work together and have good, open communication if any problems, issues, or disagreements arise. This planning process is a great time for the two of you to learn how to work together to solve problems and to practice compromising early on as a couple. There will eventually be much bigger and life changing decisions in the future that you will both need to work through – so if you are having an issue deciding on the wedding cake flavor or the type of wedding favors you want, then remember that this is a small decision in the major scheme of life.

You are not deciding if you need to move to another state for a great job offer or if you want to take a bigger loan out for a house than what you originally planned for. These wedding details are small decisions, remember – you already made the biggest and hardest decision – you’ve decided who you want to spend the rest of your life with. All other wedding details should seem like a piece of cake!