Category: Inspiration

If you’re planning a wedding, you’re already aware of the significance and impact that your flower selections will hold. And, given your tight budget, you might be wondering how you’ll ever manage to pull off that beautiful floral design you’ve envisioned. Well, you don’t have to sacrifice your grand plan just because of minimal finances. If you have the knack for arranging flowers, or the desire to learn how, creating your own floral arrangements might be for you.

You may want to consider a few things before deciding to tackle this undertaking, for instance:

• The amount of time you’ll have available to devote to your flower arranging. Remember, you’ll have to create the arrangements just days before the wedding.
• The amount of volunteers you’ll have available to help. Unless your wedding is a small affair, helping hands will make the job go quicker, (while creating some wonderful wedding memories.)
• The availability of the flowers you’re using. Flowers in season will be easier to get and less expensive.
• The complexity of your designs; the more lavish, the more “man hours” required.

After reading this list did you think, “Yeah, so what?” Is the thought of entrusting your inspired floral dreams to a florist’s interpretation almost unbearable? Then do-it-yourself wedding flowers may be just the thing for you!

You may already know where to look for DIY flowers tips and suggestions, but if you don’t, check out this web site http://www.flowerbud.com/wedding_diy.asp. It is a great place to start learning more. And who knows, maybe a future bride attending your wedding will ask you who your wonderful florist was.

Tags: wedding flowers, diy wedding flowers, diy flowers, wedding flower arrangements

Do you plan to preserve your wedding dress? If so, this is an excellent way to safeguard this special outfit for your daughter, or perhaps even your granddaughter, to wear years from now. Of course not every bride chooses to preserve her wedding dress, and the decision to do so is a very personal one. The cost to preserve a wedding dress depends on what area of the country you live in and what type of company you use for this service. I don’t remember exactly what I paid to save my own dress, but I think it was about $200 at my local dry cleaning shop, which seemed like a very reasonable price to save something so important to me. For this small investment (which may have gone up in the 7 years since I went this route!) my dress was specially cleaned and then it was boxed in an archival-quality container that keeps the fabric from yellowing or aging. The gown is also stuffed with a special form that keeps the seams straight and the fabric smooth. Best of all, the front of this special container is clear so I can see my dress, even though I can no longer touch the smooth satin or try it on to see if it actually still fits. I hope that when my baby daughter is grown and planning her own wedding, she will want to wear this for her walk down the aisle. I have to admit, though, that I didn’t want to wear my own mother’s dress when I got married. It was too full and embellished and looked awful on my figure. Instead I went with something more sophisticated and simple. So I know that like me, my daughter may have her own unique taste and may want to pick her own dress style instead of wearing my hand-me-downs. But I can’t help but hope she feels differently. And if so, my dress is carefully packed away, ready and waiting for her! If you want to find out more about preserving your wedding dress or want to find a service near you, you can visit www.weddinggownspecialists.com</a> or do an online search for more information.

Tags: wedding dresses, wedding planning, wedding memories

Whether you are planning a simple dinner party, a wedding or some other event, in addition to dressing yourself, you may also want to dress your table for the occasion. To make an elegant statement in your room, think about layering the table the same way you would layer your outfit, starting from the undergarments on out to the clothing, jewelry and other finishing touches. For instance, when I have company over for dinner, I usually choose a simple but nice quality golden yellow or burgundy cloth as the underpinning of my table setting. Then I layer this with an antique lace tablecloth or a rich embroidered runner, or perhaps even a sheer piece of fabric. Any of these options will give more texture and color, as well as add more interest to the look. Sometimes I also use pretty fabric placemats, which I can often pick up for a few dollars when my local home goods stores have end of season clearance sales. If I really want to go all out, silver or gold chargers are a dressy extra step I use once in a great while to frame each plate. For napkins, it depends on my mood. I might select cloth napkins that match the under tablecloth. This helps provide cohesiveness to the overall look. Or, napkins in a contrasting color, such a bright green or deep red on top of the gold tablecloth with the cream lace covering can make things more playful. Then for dishes, I select either simple cream-colored china pieces, which look good against patterns, or if I keep my fabrics simple, I will often mix different vintage flowered plates in various styles and colors. This makes the formal style feel more relaxed. I also like to show off my antique silver and silver-plated serving pieces and trays, which I collect from local consignment shops and antique stores. To me these special pieces are like jewelry for the table! Finally, bunches of fresh flowers, or even silk ones, in small silver or glass vases that are low enough not to hamper conversation, can be the perfect finishing touch. It’s fun to dress the table, or multiple tables if you are planning a larger event, and your guests will enjoy the pretty and creative setting you create.

Tags: wedding decoration, wedding tables, table dressing, table setting

If you are planning a wedding, no matter how formal – or informal - the occasion, it is important to keep your guests in mind as you make your arrangements. For instance, if you plan to invite many people who live a far distance, it is polite to give them plenty of advance notice so that they can make their travel plans and take advantage of the best transportation and lodging rates available. Similarly, if you plan your event at an expensive hotel, it is thoughtful to research some more moderately priced options for guests who are on a budget but want to be close to your location. And for your bridal party, try to remember that they may not have unlimited money to spend on their outfits for your big day. Therefore, if you really have your heart set on having your bridesmaids wear $400 dresses, a very nice and appropriate gesture would be to pay for at least half of the expense out of your own budget. I paid for my flower girl dresses, since I knew they were pricey. I also let my bridesmaids select any short black dress they wanted so they could choose the price range they felt comfortable with, or could even find something they already owed in their own closets. I was very conscious of the fact that traveling to a wedding, buying a gift and staying overnight can all add up quickly. It’s nice to do anything you can do to alleviate the stress for your guests and to allow them to enjoy the day along with you. I remember one wedding I was in several years ago where the bridesmaids, including me, were all living paycheck to paycheck and had little money for extras. The bride, however, wanted us to splurge on a fancy hotel the night before her wedding, buy very expensive dresses and shoes, and also pick up the tab for a formal shower and dinner out before the big day. While we wanted her to have all of the best things she deserved, we also all wished she had been more in tune and considerate of our tight financial situations. So you don’t cause undue stress for your wedding party and your guests, try to think about them as you plan your various wedding details. Speaking from personal experience, I am sure that your thoughtfulness will be very appreciated!

Tags: wedding planning, wedding costs, wedding finances

Writing good thank you cards is quickly becoming a forgotten art. I remember my grandmother lamenting about this fact over the years, and I have to say that the older I become, the more I find myself agreeing with her. When I give a formal gift, I think it is nice to get some acknowledgment back from the recipient. But all too often these days, my gifts go by unnoticed. That’s such a shame, since a sincere thank you note doesn’t take long to write if you have the right supplies on hand. You don’t even have to buy special thank you cards, but can even jot a quick thank you letter on stationery or a blank note card. For me, the outside of the card is a lot less important than what the inside says. Over the past few years, I’ve received an array of generous and thoughtful gifts from family and friends for my engagement, my wedding, my baby showers and birthdays. After each occasion, I set aside time to write out a stack of thank you notes, in which I use care to name and describe the gift I am writing about. For instance, “Thank you so much for the beautiful, pale pink party dress with the exquisite lace trim and embroidery you sent for my daughter Grace. It is so beautiful and she will enjoy wearing it so much.” If we have a special event planned where she will wear the dress, I explain that as well, and often also add a personal closing sentence to say that I hope the giver and his or her family is well and hope we will see them again soon. These little extra details make my thank you cards stand out and show I am not writing a generic letter but am expressing sincere gratitude for what the giver selected. These cards are usually very well received by the people who took the time to shop for me or for my family. This makes them feel good about going out of their way for us and lets them know we truly appreciate their time, expense and effort. As my son and daughter get older, I plan to teach them to write their own thank you cards and will try to convey the importance of this act, so someday when they become parents, hopefully they, too, can pass on this tradition to their own children.

Tags: thank you cards, thank you notes/a>