What to Do If You Blow Your Wedding Budget
Budgets are meant to be broken, right? This is the feeling of many brides, but not necessarily of their parents or fiances who are helping to pay for the wedding. If you are starting to add up all of your wedding expenses and are finding that you are coming in way over budget, it is time to take action!
If your budget is firm and you are way over it, then you will have to find some places to cut costs. Hopefully, you are not so far into the planning that you are locked into everything, especially the big expenses like the venue and the guest list. Assuming your invitations have not yet gone out, cutting down the guest list is by far the quickest way to slash expenses. You will save on almost everything, from food to cocktails to reception rentals to centerpieces. You might even be able to scale down the size of your reception site and even the size of the band. It can be painful, but if you think about what you could save by trimming your guest list by even 10 or 20%, it could be significant.
If it is too late to make major changes, there are still ways to get back to (or at least closer to) your original budget. You might not be able to switch vendors or venues, but you can at least cut back on some of the details. For example, you can ask your florist about substituting a less pricey flower like red carnations for costly red roses. A small change like that can make a huge difference in your bottom line.
Another idea for brides who have gone over budget is to skip the favors, or find ways to make your centerpieces or place cards double as wedding favors that guests can take home. If you have a lovely ceremony, followed by a beautiful reception, the last thing that your guests are going to be thinking is, “Where is my favor?!”. So don’t worry if you need to cut them to get your budget back on track.
One thing that you should not omit from your wedding is your bridesmaid gifts. Forgetting to give a special thank you to your friends who have spent a lot of their precious time and money on your wedding is just plain rude. However, you certainly do not need to break the bank on your bridesmaid gifts. With a little careful shopping, you will find that you can get some stunning gifts for a very affordable price. Bridesmaid jewelry, such as a Swarovksi pearl pendant, can be so reasonably priced that even the bride who has gone way over budget will be able to afford something very pretty.
Filed under Bridesmaid Gifts, Bridesmaid Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridesmaid Gifts, Bridesmaid Jewelry, Swarovski pearls, wedding budget, Wedding Planning | Comment (0)Decorate Your Wedding With Polka Dots
Looking for a fun and cheerful design scheme for your wedding? How about decorating with polka dots? This fun pattern can be used in many different ways to give your wedding an upbeat and lighthearted feeling.
There is no doubt about it: polka dots are just plain fun. Whether they are done in one color, two colors, or a whole rainbow, polka dots are always cheerful and never too serious. They would be great for an informal summer wedding.
You can use your polka dots in ways that are subtle or bold. Start with the wedding invitations. The most subtle idea would be to line the envelopes with a polka dot paper. If you want to use the theme more boldly, them you choose a paper with a pale polka dot pattern and have the words printed over it. This may be too casual for some weddings; as an alternative, you could do it for the rehearsal dinner or bridal shower invitations.
The bridal party can incorporate the polka dot scheme into their attire, as well. If the bride wants to wear polka dots without making too bold of a statement, she can wear a wedding gown that is embroidered or printed with polka dots in a white-on-white design. This works particularly well when the base fabric is something like a translucent and summery organdy.
For brides who prefer a solid color for her bridesmaids’ dresses, the polka dots could come in the form of a sash at the waist, or a ribbon sewn onto the hem of the dresses. You will want to choose bridesmaid jewelry that enhances the “dotty” look. A great idea would be to custom order bridesmaid jewelry in your wedding colors. Have strands made with large Swarovski pearls in alternating colors for a great pop of color on your attendants.
Weddings should be about fun and celebration. The theme that you choose can have a big impact on the mood of your event. If you want to create a wedding that is cheerful and unique, then consider going dotty for polka dots!
Filed under Bridesmaid Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridesmaid Jewelry, polka dots, Swarovski pearls, wedding attire, wedding decor, wedding themes | Comment (0)Wearing Your Mother’s Bridal Gown
Many brides look at the pictures of their mother’s wedding dress and think, “No way!”. But do not be so quick to dismiss the idea. Wearing your mother’s bridal gown is a very special thing to do, and it will add another layer of meaning to your event.
Frequently, it is possible to drastically alter or even remake a new dress from your mother’s gown. Usually moms are willing to allow their daughters to adapt their old gown to make it perfect for the next generation. Don’t let fit discourage you, because there is almost always a creative solution to change the size of a gown. The key is to find a seamstress with experience in restoring and remaking vintage gowns.
Wearing your mother’s bridal gown doesn’t have to mean looking like a vintage bride. There are some great ways to update a gown like that to make it feel fresh and modern. Once you remove the sleeves and re-cut the neckline to make it less conservative, you will find yourself looking at a great updated style.
Once you have recreated the gown to suit your style, it is time to choose your accessories. A long simple veil often looks great with clean lines; if your mom’s dress had a fuller skirt, consider a short, full veil. For bridal jewelry sets, one idea is to choose Swarovski pearls in a warm ivory or bronze tone. Usually an older gown will not be bright white, so it will be prettier to select bridal jewelry sets in richer colors.
There is a lot of history in a wedding gown passed down from mother to daughter. Choosing to wear your mother’s bridal gown on your wedding day is a very special way of showing your mom how much she means to you. The dress will become a treasured family heirloom that you can pass down to your own daughter someday.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Jewelry | Tags: bridal jewelry sets, mother's wedding gown, Swarovski pearls, vintage wedding gown | Comment (0)