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Planning a Wedding Reception on a Budget
Your wedding day is a special day to be shared with close friends and family. It can also be expensive. The reception is a huge part of the expense. It is possible to have a wedding reception and not spend a lot of money. One of the keys is to do a lot of the work yourself or, better yet, delegate to those people who are close to you. The following tips and advice will help you plan a nice, inexpensive reception.
Place:
The reception does not have to be at a country club or nice hotel. The first thing to do is establish the number of people who will be attending and then you can choose a simpler and cheaper venue, such as a meeting space, recreation center, or town hall.
Decorations:
Make decorating the location a fun event. Depending on the amount of money and time you want to spend, you have a variety of options. You can cover the chairs with cloths and/or bows. To cover the tables, use paper tablecloths which can be found in different colors. If the place you are renting from doesn’t provide chairs and tables you can rent them easily from a rental store. You can put balloons around the room and on the chairs, and you may think about getting a helium balloon machine. Christmas lights around the room add a festive touch. For music, place a couple iPod or CD players around the room. If you want to have flowers, you can use fresh flowers from a grocery store, which is usually cheaper than a flower shop, or silk flowers. You don’t need many, just a small bouquet to place on each table. Place mints and nuts in plastic bowls on each table.
Food:
Food can be a big expense for the reception. The inexpensive way to go is to not have it catered. Buy food in bulk and make cheese and meat trays, have crackers and cheese, bread and dips, and vegetable trays. Another option is to have it catered by a fast casual or fast food restaurant. Qdoba is one restaurant that brings food to a party and includes all the fixings for tacos and appetizers. For dessert, a grocery store can make a wedding cake for much less than a small cake shop and you can have other options as well, such as cupcakes, cookies, and brownies. If alcohol will be present at the reception, have a cash bar, or see what the regulations are for the establishment. You may be able to bring in a keg and some bottles of wine or, even cheaper, have people bring their own.
Wedding flowers by season
Weddings are beautiful events. Hosted at some of the loveliest locations. Many couple set the date of their ceremony up to a year ahead. This gives them time to set their plans, scout locations, and get funds together. If you work with a wedding planner they are already seasoned enough to guide and make this process much easier, hence you will have less stress to deal with. Have you ever been to a wedding that has been decorated to suit that season? They are extremely, beautiful and fitting.
It is important to give yourself time in planning a wedding. The advantage is that you can scout venues and observe them, in the season you plan on getting married. If you are thinking about churches, halls or grand rooms they might have some lovely alternative decorations or fixtures up already. You don’t have to have a huge decoration budget, if you shop around wisely. Ensure to ask about the decorations that they have, and look at them if possible.
Weddings held at the New Years, Christmas season are fortunate to have places that are already decorated with lights and other ornaments. Make sure you ask them, their decorations will still be up after January first. If so, get that in writing, so that you will have no surprises. If you are that far ahead, visit the location the previous year, to see what you will be getting.
Many people have beautiful homes and gardens that suit the type of wedding you want to have. How about trying this type of location? You can enquire of that friend or family member, and I am sure they would be happy and honoured to host the ceremony there. Same as before, visit the location, if you can, in the season which you plan to have the ceremony. If possible you can plant flowers there before; so that they can be in bloom by the time you are ready. Spring is a lovely time to have a ceremony and many people may opt for parks, but getting or booking one might not be as easy as you think. Hence asking your friend or family permission to use their residence is an easier, less stressful alternative.
Are you thinking about a summer wedding? Eyeing your favourite beach? Thinking about having the waves and coasts as a stunning backdrop? Summer weddings offer all this. You will have to ensure that the setting has what you need, or that you will purchase this for your decorations. Ensure that they suit the locale and the theme of the wedding. Palms are a lovely addition to a casual beach wedding. Destination weddings, especially if coordinated by a hotel or wedding planner, have the added benefit of taking on that responsibility.
Weddings in the autumn are every colourful, with the food and decorations fitting that season. Some locations have decorations up at this time that you might be interested in using. In season weddings, people will attire themselves in respective colours. You are not restricted to all the things that come in that season. But you can include a flower that you like from another season.
A Guide to Wedding Invitations
Typically, a wedding invitation is a letter written to invite people for your upcoming wedding. It is sent out to those who are expected to attend the wedding. People should be informed well in time, so that they can make the necessary preparations to attend the wedding. In some cases, people can confirm whether they will be able to attend the wedding or not.
While deciding on wedding invitations, you must know that not everyone you invite is going to attend the wedding. At the same time as you want a lot of people to attend your wedding, not everyone will be able to make it. Therefore, your wedding invitations must match the number of people you want in your wedding. If you were to be disciplined here, it would help you keep a track of the costs or expenses incurred.
Secondly, you must find an appropriate way to send out your invitations. With the recent technological advances, people are often hooked on to the Internet. Most invitations are sent over the Internet today. However, if you still wish to send in your invitations through the traditional mail, you must inform the recipients before hand. Such a way, they will be able to check your invite and not miss your wedding day.
The design as well as the printing of the wedding invitations should demonstrate the bride’s and the groom’s personality. It would be suggestive to customize the wedding invitations based on the theme of your wedding. This will help people to know what to wear in your wedding and what kind of gifts to consider. For an instance, if you were to have a beach wedding, the wedding invitations should reflect that.
Lastly, you must check the printed information over and over again. While this is often overlooked, a wrong spelling in your wedding invitation can look really bad. Double check on the dates, names as well as all other invitation, before you send out your invites.
The Perfect Bridal Bouquet
Planning a wedding can be very hectic especially if you are the wedding planner. If you are not hiring a wedding planner and are doing it all yourself, then you should definitely make a list of the things which are needed to be done in order to make sure that upon don’t forget anything.
- Don’t forget the bridal bouquet
A wedding is one of the most special days in a person’s life and care should be taken that everything should be perfect and done one time. The flower arrangements are always one of the top priorities in the process of planning for a wedding but you also must not forget about the bride’s bouquet. The bridal bouquet is as important as the other flower arrangements and the flowers should be chosen carefully.
- Flowers you can choose for the bridal bouquet
Here is a list of flowers which look the most amazing and exquisite in a bride’s bouquet-
i. Roses-
Roses are the first choice which comes to people’s mind when thinking of bouquets for the bride. If you are conducting a traditional marriage then you can definitely go with a traditional bouquet of red roses in a bunch and keep things simple. You can also use roses for the bouquet in other colors like light yellow with red roses, or pink and red and white roses or magenta colored roses, etc.
ii. Lilies-
These are yet another popular choice for the bride’s bouquet. Yellow and white lilies are best choice when it comes for a bride’s bouquet. It’s simple yet elegant. When choosing lilies for the bouquet you should definitely go for calla lilies. They have a classy shape which also is say to symbolize feminine traits.
iii. Hydrangeas-
One can hardly get tired of Hydrangeas. They come in wonderful soothing pastel colors of lime yellow, lilac and even blue and baby pink. These with a dash of wildflowers can look great for a bridal bouquet.
iv. Tulips-
Adding the similar touch of feminine traits tulips are a wonderful choice for bouquets for brides. Though not sued traditionally, they can create a very warm and blissful feel and they too come in soothing to daring bold colors.
Creating the Perfect Winter Wedding
Summer could be the favorite season for wedding but there are many who would to love to take the vows on a warm sunny winter morning. Are you too planning your wedding in winter? Great but remember a winter wedding has its own special flavors and hence you have to arrange it accordingly to keep the feel of the season intact.
The wedding venue
If it’s a plan for some intimate wedding, go for a good inn with proper fireplace and room heater. If you are on a plan for an elaborate affair, you can go for plush private clubs or else there are the beautiful luxury mansions to celebrate your grand winter wedding reception. No matter whichever venue you take to, make sure there are proper arrangements of fireplace or heater and if not, you have to rent heaters to keep your guests comfy and warm.
Venue decoration
Winter is the time for Christmas trees, the mistletoes, the fairy lights and the candles. So get the beautiful fairy lights to jazz up the reception doorways, archways and arrange some big pillar candles over the tables. Small Christmas trees here and there the entire reception venue looks really cool for a perfect winter wedding. For an extra wintery feel you can order for a decorative ice sculpture at the entrance. In regards to flowers, go for the white and other light shaded flowers. For a striking tone, mix and match the white flowers with dark red roses.
Winter wedding menu
As soon as the guests arrive, welcome them to your coffee or hot chocolate bar where they would get to choose from a wide platter of warm coffee and chocolate delights well accompanied by hot crispy snacks. Consider some special winter touches in the winter wedding menu like hot pumpkin soup, squash dish, spiced wine along with other delicacies. Wedding cake is one of the most vital parts of any wedding and when it’s a winter themed reception, there are some special arrangements to consider. Go for a complete white vanilla cake, adorned with cute snowflake patterns, sugar sculptures or silver embellishments.
Wish you a very Happy Wedding come winter!
Why It’s Better to Rent a Tux than Buy One
Whether you’re preparing for the prom or preparing for your wedding, a tuxedo is the traditional attire for such events. It is classic and formal, and it will make any person wearing one look distinguished.
You may start looking at tuxedo rentals and, excited by all the styles you find, start to wonder if instead of renting a tux, you should just buy one instead. After all, if you like the way you look, why not try to look that good all the time? There are several pros and cons to buying or renting a tux, but in our opinion, renting wins out. Here are a few reasons why:
It’s Cheaper
Buying a brand new tux can cost around $1,000 or more. Unless you’re Donald Trump, that’s a lot of money. Most people can’t afford to buy a tux, but most people can afford to rent one. Depending on the style and the accessories you choose, you can rent a tux for around $200 or less (more for very sophisticated styles).
You Won’t Wear It Often
As gorgeous as a tux looks, be honest: How many times in your life will you actually wear a tux? Your prom. Formal dances in college. Your wedding. That’s pretty much it unless you become a big wig at a company or attend fancy fundraisers. Since you’ll only wear the tux a handful of times at best, it’s probably not a good investment to buy one.
It Will become Outdated Fast
Fashion is always changing, and formal attire is no exception. Even if you decide to invest in a tuxedo, chances are that you aren’t going to be able to afford to buy a new tux every few years. Therefore, that tuxedo you buy for prom will probably look very old-fashioned by the time you get married. By opting to rent your tuxes instead, you can be sure that you always have up-to-the-minute styles, regardless of your budget. That way, you’ll always look your very best.
If you will have occasion to wear tuxes frequently, buying one may be a smart investment. However, for the majority of men, renting tuxes is a much better choice for your budget and for your sense of style. You’ll save money and you’ll make sure you always have an in-style look, no matter the occasion.
Tips to Send Postal Invites to Your Wedding Guests
In today’s time of Internet, sending electronic invitations for your wedding is becoming very popular.
Although many are embracing this digital medium to save designing efforts and money, sending postal invites is still prevalent for asking guests to attend your wedding. This may surprise you but nobody can deny the fact that an official printed invite sent via post augments the formality of the event as well as discerns it from another event. Furthermore, sending such formal invites also boosts your chances of obtaining definite replies. Generally, around 2-5% of the total budget is spent on the customizable invitations for wedding, which include postage and printing costs. Here are some tips to make the most out of such postal invites.
Always Measure
Check out the total weight of the invitation along with the dimensions of the envelope before posting them. Nothing can be more upsetting than having your guests pay for extra postage or fine for receiving your invite. Just imagine how lofty or big your invite can be in case you use thicker card and send it along with a reply, card, extra information, and gift list details. In order to qualify for the small letter rate, the invite should be maximum 1.3cm x 2.4cm in size, 0.5cm in thickness, and 250g in weight.
Wait for Reply
Do not think that you will get a reply from all guests right away. This is because getting reply via post takes time, which is usually up to four days between two countries. Therefore, you need to have patience. Moreover, a majority of guests will take some days to buy a reply card and post it by visiting the nearby post office. Further, it can be so that a few guests may purposely wait to reply until accommodation and travel tickets are booked. So, waiting is inevitable. For those who do not reply at all, you will have to call for a follow-up.
Decide the Right Time of Posting
This actually is dependent upon the time of your wedding and whether sent save the date cards are sent or not. Usually, it is wise to post your invites just two months before the big day. However, you may have to do it sooner in case the big day falls during the high season or if you did not send save the date cards. As a fact, it is recommended sending the save the date cards to your friends who are living out of town. Such cards should include considerable information about the venue and accommodation.
Use Colorful Address Stickers
Printing colorful address stickers on the cards for matching your stationery not only gives a smart look but also saves much writing. In case you get invites returned; it is advisable to call your guest immediately and explain what went wrong due to which they did not receive an invitation. And yes, ensure that you write a return address at the rear of the invitation for preventing any kind of misunderstandings.
Bio: Victor Harmen is a blogger who loves to write articles as well as blog posts for a variety of topics related to event management, wedding, health, business, and technology. Right now, he is researching on topics related to wedding, such as customizable invitations for wedding, electronic invitations, reception decorations, and bride and groom dresses. Victor is thinking of developing a blog dedicated to wedding ideas, tips, and essentials. In this project, Victor’s friend who is an event manager is helping him. The blog will be unique in the sense that the readers will get to know about some really funny and quirky ideas for wedding.
Hiring Good Catering Services In London
If you are planning to hold a wedding reception or a commercial event like a photo shoot or product launch or if you’re planning to host a business event then one of the most important things to concentrate upon is the catering service. Providing food is important at such events because food and drinks somewhat act as the lubricant to the various conversations between the known and unknown to bring about life in an event.
- Things to keep in mind before hiring a catering service
When you hire catering services, you must make sure of a few things-
a) First of all you should keep in mind the kind of event that you’re hosting. On the basis of that, you need to fix the menu after discussing the details with your caterer.
b) You must keep in mind the number of guests you have.
c) While you select a catering service, you must check their service history.
d) Check what kind of events they host and what kind of cuisines they can work with.
e) You should check reviews and testimonials of catering services and find out which are the best.
f) Always check for legitimacy of the service.
g) Look whether they will be able to provide you with what you want and never make a deal before actually tasting samples of the catering service.
You can go for AMPM catering service. AMPM Catering Venue Hire London is one of the best services in London. They are in association with many venues and event locations like the Winchester House as well. They provide all kinds of catering services for various events such as spit roast buffet, barbeque buffet, late evening buffet, dinner menu meals, hot fork buffets, pre dinner reception, wedding reception, and cocktail buffet and bowl foods.
Organizing Your Wedding Ideas
The first step in getting ready for a wedding is getting organized. You will have lots of ideas and everybody you tell about the wedding will be giving you advice and tips but is can be hard to remember it all. When somebody tells you a good idea or makes a suggestion write it down or make a not on your phone so when you get home you can go through them and all and choose the best ones.
When online shopping for wedding things bookmark the sites and write down the site names in the correct part of your organizer so that when you begin to actually make purchases you can find the best places again without hours of looking.
The invitation list will take a lot of time and thought. It is definitely not something you want to do in an hour or two the evening you decide to send out invitations. That is a sure way to forget important people and start things off on the wrong foot by offending the aunt or cousin that slips your mind. A quick note to yourself when talking to friends or family as they mention people will make a full list and give you a chance to look up addresses.
You can use online services to help stay organized also like www.weddingsite.co.uk . It may make planning your wedding more fun and less stress.
3 Color Choices for Wedding Themes
Deciding on the color theme of your wedding can be a daunting task for a bride. First of all, not everyone has one favorite color. For the less complicated brides, there are other factors to take care of, like the groom’s preferences along with their own. The right color theme can brighten up your entire wedding and make it look festive and joyous. On the other hand, if you fail to pick up the exact color theme, you might regret the decision forever. Every time you look at your wedding pictures in the future, you would think about how bad the choice was.
This is why it is important to know about the wedding trends so that you can make sure your day is perfect. These color trends work for every element in your wedding. Your high quality Wedding invitations would look much better if these trends are followed. Same goes for your décor and attire. Following is a list of color trends you should watch out for -
- Fig Color – This is perfect for a fall wedding or a fall themed wedding. The color is great and works with almost all skin tones (for makeup and attire). It is mellow enough to be traditional and a solid choice for some great combinations to come out of it. You can have a fig colored cake with deep purple and white icing, and decorative figs. Your wedding invitation could include the color for both background and accents. A fig wreath in the same color with berries and white flowers would also work well with the general theme.
- Damask and Purple – This style works best for wedding invites. Purple seems to be the color of the season and it gives a classy look to your wedding invite. Damask makes it even more sophisticated and delicate because these two things seem to work pretty well together. There are many invitation sets available with the style that you could use or you can create your own style. Add a stylized bow in purple to make it suave and stylish.
- Black and White – This color combination has been an evergreen style in weddings. White has always been the color of the bride as even after all the color choices in wedding dresses, white continues to be a favorite. Black bowties are a favorite when grooms are concerned. White and black color combinations can accentuate your décor and if you are having a minimalistic wedding, this could be something you can incorporate in your theme.
Don’t be scared to explore this theme more and try to be innovative. Even in flowers, you can create a very nice centerpiece using this theme. There are also photographs where black and white would give a vintage look to everything. Use it in lace which seems to be the trend of the season.
When colors are concerned, always test well before you decide on something. Take a lot of opinions from your friends and family. You can take a look at similar themed weddings to get an idea of how it would all look in the end.