Hidden Wedding Cost

I found a great article on The Knot about hidden wedding cost that a lot brides forget about when creating their budget!

1. Postage Stamps: Shipping costs vary considerably due to the weight and shape of your invitation.  Oversized, awkwardly shaped and bulky invitation can cost as much as $2 each to mail. 

Solution: Before getting all of your invitations printed, take a sample to the post office and get the cost to mail the invitation. If the cost is too high, you can make adjustments!

2. Wedding Dress Alterations: Your wedding dress will probably be the best fitting item you will ever wear and this is because the dress is tailored exclusively for you. But those alternations can really add up! 

Solution: Ask about what the store charges for every alternation you may need before you purchase the gown. If need be, don't be afraid to take your dress to a less expensive seamtress to have the alternations done.

3. Photo/Video Overtime: Your wedding photographer/videographer is booked for a certain amount of time and once you extend past that time... well they start charging by the HOUR!! And the cost per hour can start at $250.

Solution: When planning the day, factor in extra time for getting dressed, travel time from one venue to the next, and taking photos. You'll get a realistic sense of how long everything should take. Refer to this when speaking with the vendor. 

4. Welcome-Bay Delivery: Most hotels don't factor in a welcome-bag delivery fee when you block rooms. And they may fail to mention the rate unless you ask... they'll just add it to your final bill. They may even charge you a fee for holding the welcome bags if you drop them off before the guests arrive!

Solution: During the booking process, ask about the hotel's policy on receiving and delivering welcome bags to guests' rooms. It may be free or cheaper if they hand the bags out at the counter as guests check-in. If you don't want the extra charge, you can distribute them at the rehearsal dinner. 

5. Rental Transport: You would assume that the rental company would include these extra fees in the price per-item cost. But one could only be so lucky!!

Solution: Ask the rental company what their shipping and packaging fees are up front... if the cost is too high for your budget, shop around a bit. You just might find that you'll actually save some money by renting items from a more expensive company that includes delivery costs at no extra charge.

6. Cake-cutting fee: If you use the cake provided by your reception site, the charge is typically wrapped into the cost. Going with an outside baker can jack up the price. Why? Because your venue's workers are responsible for slicing and serving each piece, then cleaning the dishes . This means... more work for their staff!!

Solution: Go with the site's cake baker. Don't worry... they'll likely be able to work with your vision. If you're set on a particular baker, then call your venue and inquire what the fee is before you sign the contract. 

7. Gratuities: Many couples often think that the "service charge" is a tip for the event staff when it's actually an additional fee that the catering hall charges. For what? To cover their own cost for hiring servers. The service charge typically runs 15-20% of the event's total food and drink fee.

Solution: Once you get the proposed fee, add the service charge percentage so it's already accounted for before the event. The last thing you want is to get hit with an unexpectedly huge bill that just about breaks the bank.

Summer Time Entertaining

Summer is RIGHT around the corner... or rather for the south did it ever really leave?! Anyway with warm weather knocking at the door, I want to be prepared for the spring/summer "gatherings"... not parties... I plan on having this year. My biggest thing is that I am NOT a cook, so I need to do things that don't require much effort, but look and taste GREAT. And searching around the net, I have definitely found some options. 

Ice cubes... I am sure you are thinking it's just ice. But it's ice with fruit or mint frozen into the cubes. Not only do they look great, but once the ice melts they add another element to the drink. Also think about freezing grapes and using those as ice cubes. And the greatest thing about grapes... THEY WON'T WATER DOWN YOUR DRINK... BONUS!! Ok I should definitely not be this excited about ice. 

Summer and fruit seem to go hand in hand. So why not present in style. Make a fruit rainbow.  It doesn't take much time and looks great when presented.

A summer "gathering" would not be complete with some adult beverages ;-)   The bonus is I LOVE strawberries, so this treat is right up my alley. Here is the link of how to make these here.  There is TEQUILA is this little bundle!!

One last thing for the party... a Fruit Pop. I noticed that I wrote alot about fruit. Next one I do on summertime entertaining... I will actually do some real food. But for this last one 'really simple just put fruit in some water, stick a handle in and freeze. But that water thing... once again its summer... I would put mine in pineapple or orange juice and a splash of tequila.  Did I mention that I love tequila? This is a really simple, basic item to make and really helps cool the body down. 

Happy Planning... ENJOY

   

A Star Is Born

So as most of you know... I dance with a contemporary modern dance company called Vibrations Dance Company. Well one of the members is pregnant and due in April. She told us back in August and I have been looking at baby shower pictures since she told us. I can't wait! Since she will probably be having numerous baby showers we wanted to throw a shower that was indicative of us as a group so I thought of the theme "A Star is Born". Ok so we DON'T want an overly baby theme and something a little more grown up... so this party will be very GLAM!! Think of movie star!! So I have been using Pinterest to save the ideas I thought were great and here are some inspirations I will be using to guide me with decorating. Also, we are on a DEFINITE budget, so it will be interesting to see what ideas I come up with. After the shower, I will post pics and will post some pics along the way of things I come up with. ENJOY!!

I love these decorations. Tulle' is a very inexpensive way to decorate a room. I will also be making these tissue paper poms. Martha Stewart sells these for like $8/each. You can make them for much cheaper! And the colors for the party will be pink, PiNk, and PINK! Girlie all the way.

This dessert table is very GLAM!! 

Ways to Keep Your Floral Budget Down

Flowers... Flowers... Flowers... they can make or break a wedding and sometimes at a cost.  Here are a few tips to keep those flower cost down!!

 

1) Be open-minded

When price is the major determining factor, a bride needs to be flexible. She should select her colors and theme then be open to the suggestions of the florist as to how to get the best for her money.

2) Choose a hand-tied bouquet versus a wired bouquet

Tied bouquets are looser, less structured and less labor intensive to create so they are less expensive than a wired bouquet in which each flower stem is replaced with floral wire.

3) Use large-headed blooms, like hydrangeas, in centerpieces

This means the florist would not need to use as many flowers to create a dramatic statement.

4) Don’t have the same arrangement on each table

Use pillar candles, arrangements of ivy and foliage or bowls of fruit instead of floral arrangements on some tables in order to save money.

5) Avoid out-of-season and imported  flowers

If flowers need to be shipped to the wedding, the shipping costs will be added to the bill.

6) Repurpose larger arrangements

Tress and large vases of flowers can be used at the ceremony then moved to the reception site.

Pinterest

PINTEREST... has become my new daily internet obsession!! If you are planning a wedding, looking for some new fashion ideas, DIY projects, inspirational messages... look on Pinterest!  Pinterest is virtual pinboard. The site allows you to organize and share all the wonderful ideas you find on the web! You can browse pinboards of your friends and with people who have same interests. On these pinboards you can discover new things and get inspiration from people who share same interests as you. People use their pinboard to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and share their favorite recipes. And let me say I have found a TON of new recipes and so excited to try them all! I would definitely recommend you register on this site... you will become addicted!

Ways to Save on INVITATIONS

Want gorgeous invites that won't push the budget envelope? Below you will find some tips to help get the most bang for your buck!!

1. Forgo Upgrades: Envelope liners, custom ink colors, and hand painted details.... REALLY add up!! 


2. Take advantage of technology: Offset and digital printing run less than half the cost of labor-intensive techniques like letterpress and engraving.

3. Pink the right paper: Imported, handmade, and cottonrag options tend to be more expensive. Cut your cost by asking your stationer to use partially recycled domestic paper for your invitations! 


4. Order extras: Spend now, save later. If you end up needing to print additional invites at the last minute, your stationer may charge you BIG bucks in rush fees.

5. Use your URL: Enclosing a map can be expensive! Print a line at the bottom of your invitation that sends guests to wedding website for directions. They'll even be able to access them from their smartphone.

6. Double Up: Put your ceremony and reception information on one card instead of two!

7. Enlist the Mouse: Instead of enclosing a stamped response card... ask your guests to RSVP online by including a link to your wedding website on the invitation. No more licking stamps for you!


8. Start Writing: Don't want to shell out $3-plus per envelope for calligraphy? Write guests' addresses yourself, and buy a calligraphy stamp for return addresses and RSVP envelopes.

9. Beware the Square: Surprise square envelopes cost more to mail than rectangle ones. (They don't fit through the postal machines and have to be hand-stamped.) Avoid getting dinged with an odd-size surcharge by choosing an invite with standard dimensions.

10. PRINT IT YOURSELF!! Order blank invites and then save a bundle by printing them at home. For the best results use a laser printer and be sure to test print an invite to ensure it's the look your are going for before running all 200 copies!!

5 Ideas to Cut Your Wedding Cost

Most brides, regardless of their budget, like finding quality services and products for a GREAT deal! Below are some ideas on ways to slim down your growing wedding budget.

1. Select a venue that is "all-inclusive". Rather than choosing a site that requires you to bring all of the items needed to set up your ceremony and reception, choose a place that has just about everything you need. This means you don't have to rent tables, chairs, china, flatware, linens, a stage, dance floor, or a sound system. 

2. Don't splurge on tablecloths. Guests have more contact with the napkins. Rent the best ones that you can afford.

3. Have a lunch or brunch instead of dinner. I know many brides have evening receptions, but to cut cost TREMENDOUSLY look at having your wedding earlier in the day. Having a lunch or brunch is usually less expensive and not all guests will want to drink a lot of alcohol during the day. 

4. Rent high-quality stemware for serving wine. Stemware made of high quality crystal or thin glass enhances the experience of drinking wine, so you can serve a less expensive brand at the reception.

5. Expensive flowers should only be used in the bridal bouquet. If you are a bride that has her heart set on a type of flower that is very expensive, use it ONLY in your bouquet. This will keep your cost low, while still giving you the blooms that you love. A florist can help you select flowers that are in season and grown locally, and therefore less expensive, for the bridesmaids and for the decor.