After the boyfriend asked the magic question and the girlfriend gave her resounding “yes”, the green light for the wedding is now turned on. Everyone around them automatically activates their excitement button. Even without being asked, they start to plan the wedding.

As the chaos of the wedding planning begins, there is one aspect that must be looked at before everything else begins. It’s all about how much are they willing to spend. In short, it’s all about the wedding budget.

Planning a wedding will not be possible without a budget. This is because a wedding is a gathering where there are so many details to look at. Details such as the number of invited guests, bride’s maids and groom’s men, bridal gown, groom’s tuxedo, ceremony venue, reception venue, flowers and decorations are considered. The more details, the more money needed. Not having a comprehensive budget plan would most likely result in waste of time and resources. No couple would want to spend their money on unnecessary wedding details. Also, no couple would want to start their married life indebted. It is therefore important that the budget be set as soon as possible and expenses be tracked at all times.

Wedding details that must go on top of the priority list must be those that will involve a big amount of money. Examples of such details are the venue for the ceremony and the reception, catering services and gowns and tuxedos for the couple as well as the bridal entourage.

There are two wedding details that must be placed on top of the wedding budget list:

•    Wedding and Reception Venue

A wedding is a union between a man and woman before the eyes of God and the eyes of men. Without the venue, the declaration of the union will not be possible. A budget for the venue must be allotted as it will require to be reserved beforehand.

•    Wedding Guest list

The number of wedding guests must be determined in the earliest time possible. Other details will be easier to plan once the guest list is finalized. This will give the couple an estimate on how much they should allot for the food in the reception. These details are the venue for the ceremony and reception. Catering details are also easier once there is a wedding list.

Knowing which wedding details to be prioritized in the wedding budget will help the couple save their time and resources. To make most out of it, the couple must know which wedding details are to be prioritized and which are not. They must know how much they are willing to spend on such details.

To your beautiful wedding!

The idea of a wedding mostly includes items and decorations all in white. This includes the flowers, the dresses, the ornaments and even the cake. There is a subtle attempt to break the monotony as a splash of color is added. In this modern time, it won’t hurt if new wedding ideas are incorporated

There are many things that one can think of when coming up with wonderful ideas to make a wedding more interesting. All that is needed is an inspiration. Also, an eye for details will make the idea work.
Here are a few great ideas that can be added to make the wedding an event to remember:

•    Turn Back Time

Time is one idea that can inspire a wedding theme. There are weddings where the theme of the event is modern and avant-garde or classic and vintage. Play with the elements found during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s for a vintage feel. This means that elements, styles and fashion popular during these times will be infused in the wedding.

•    Movie Madness

Some couples really get so much into a movie that they want to get outrageous and inspire their special day from it. The Godfather is a classic example. If movies are too much, using glamorous awards shows is a light approach to a themed wedding. Use the theme in details such as invitations, venue design and costumes.

•    Fantasy For Eternity

Every woman has a dream wedding, and some develop their dream. They use elements found in the fantasy world in their wedding. Colorful ball gowns, fairy wings and angel halo are worn by the participants. In some instances, even the vows of the couple are worded just as it would be in a fantasy land.

•    Loving the Location

Another of the wedding ideas adopted by many couples is doing the ceremony in an unusual place. The traditional wedding is held in an elegant hotel ballroom, a blooming garden, a romantic beach, an ancestral home or a significant church. The unusual place includes the woods or the outdoors. Some take it to the extreme by doing it underwater or 25,000 feet up.

Deviating from the traditional white wedding by adding unusual elements will definitely make the occasion a lot more interesting. Add great wedding ideas by searching for the things that interest the couple. It may be an era, a movie, a fantasy or a location.

To your beautiful wedding!

Wedding toasts are one part of the ceremony anticipated by many. All the heartwarming messages and funny anecdotes are given by the people close to the couple. Many stumble to create their own toast that will be appreciated by everyone. Others simply browse available resources such as the Internet and poetry books.

Though it is really tempting to include a ton of quotes and anecdotes in a toast, there are some things that must be remembered in writing it. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when writing:

•    A wedding is a special event

Though this fact is a matter of common sense, some guests somehow find a way to forget it. Write a toast that will appreciate how special the event is. Do not include matters that are completely unnecessary to the couple or to the event. Keep it solemn and special. Use words that are appropriate.

•    Do not use too many quotes and anecdotes.

An anecdote, a quote, a verse or a stanza will make a wedding toast interesting. However, there are some who tend to get carried away and put too much of it in their speech. Do not do this as it will only lengthen the speech and there’s a big chance that the guests will stop listening. Use these short writings in the beginning or at the end of your wedding toasts to grab the attention of the listeners.

•    Keep it short and direct

The cardinal rule in writing speeches is to have a point and get to it immediately. Do not place too many less important points in it. Remember that there are other people in the wedding who will also deliver their message to the newlyweds. Also, a short and direct message will most likely be appreciated by everyone as compared to a long and twisty one.

•    Respect the couple

The wedding is about the couple. Always remember that fact. Write a speech that will share how much the couple loved each other or how they reflect the perfect union. Other matters that are personal to the couple are better excluded. It might only ruin the entire event.

Write the wedding toasts properly. Keep in mind that this is a special event and as much as possible, everyone in it would like to keep it that way. Choose the words carefully in order not to offend anyone. Otherwise, the event will be remembered in an unpleasant way.

To your beautiful wedding!

Getting your cake from a bakery that specializes in wedding cakes can be a major wedding expense for you. That’s especially true if you expect to serve a sizable number of people. Some cakes can cost as high as $1500 from some specialty shops. In fact it is not uncommon for prices to begin in the $500 range if a special design is ordered. The good news is that getting the perfect cake on a budget is not impossibility.

The first thing you need to do is to determine just exactly how many people you expect to give cake to at your wedding reception. As a general rule, expect to get approximately 16 pieces out of the average 9 inch layer cake. Depending on the size of the piece, some cakes can provide significantly more pieces than a regular round cake.

Once you have the number of people firmly in mind, check with a bakery at your local grocery store to see what kind of cakes they can provide. In many instances these cakes will be far cheaper than something created by a specialty bakery. They have experience creating cakes so they can give you a far better idea of how many pieces you can expect to get out of each type of cake. Unlike specialty cakes which uses a special frosting known as a fondant that is hard in texture, those created by your grocery store are likely to have some form of butter cream frosting. This is closer to the traditional frosting found in a homemade birthday cake. It is possible to make decorations like flowers and have writing on the cake just like one that would be made for a birthday or other occasion.

Another possibility to get a wedding cake on a budget is to take advantage of any bakers in your family. Rather than giving you a wedding present, they can make the cakes and decorating them as their wedding contribution. As an addendum to this, if you have a large family, several people can contribute cakes which can be used to reception. Be sure to give them plenty of time to complete the cakes. Be sure to specify what flavor of cake and frosting you’d prefer. If you are renting a hall that does not have catering services, you can assign some of those who make the cakes to cut them at the appropriate time.

Two alternatives to give you a “wedding cake” on a budget is to make one using layers of your favorite donuts or cupcakes. More and more brides are choosing this instead of the traditional style cake because it’s easier for guests to take individual pieces, and it may mean a traditional cake is not required at all. As another option some brides have decided to ask family members to bring an assortment of treasured family dessert items like cookies, cookie bars, and pies to serve to the guests for the reception. This way, no one person has to bear the brunt of the expense. As you can see, with a little creativity finding a wedding cake on a budget can easily be done.

To your beautiful wedding!

Planning a wedding reception on a budget can, at first glance, appear to be difficult, if not impossible. In truth, this is a possibility with a little legwork and careful thought.

The very first consideration you need to make is to determine how many people you’re likely to have at your reception. Once you have an idea firmly in mind, the next step is to consider what kind of place you would like to hold the reception. There are innumerable options like fire halls, church social halls, and other places that can be rented for occasions like this. The key here is to search for them as early as possible to make sure that your date is open for rental. If so, you need to discuss whether or not they can provide food for your reception guests, and if so what sort (full sit-down meal or just finger foods).

If you are expecting to have a sit-down dinner as a part of your wedding reception, be sure to discuss the food options they can offer. Discuss the cost of feeding your expected number of guests. Quite often this kind of hall offers family-style buffet lines, and does not provide individual service at a table. Most of these places also offer a place where dancing can take place. A DJ might be able to set up for the night. It is also extremely important to determine whether these sites are wet (allowing alcoholic beverages) or dry (allowing no alcohol whatsoever). In the event where they offer alcohol, is it in the form of a bar (where drinks are either purchased by the guests or unlimited amounts are paid for by the bride and groom)? If they do not provide alcohol, what are the rules that are in place if you are to bringing your own?

If you find that having a formalized sit-down dinner is too expensive, even at reduced rates these locales offer, is it possible to simply rent the hall with chairs and/or tables for your guests to sit down? Again, in this case, if you have a large family who can help out, is it possible to bring your own food for service. What are the options? Could it be done either in the form of a full dinner or a buffet of finger foods like little sandwiches, cookies, or simply some place where you can bring and serve a wedding cake?

If you are regular member of the church where you are married, chances are you can rent the social hall inexpensively for your wedding reception. This can either be to serve food that you brought in yourself, or if you’re lucky, foods prepared by members of the congregation who are responsible for cooking in the event that the hall was rented for such a purpose.

Another alternative is to have some sort of outdoor event, like a family barbecue, at the home of a friend or relative. In some cases this form of a wedding reception on a budget can prove to be quite fun and relaxing because it allows your guests to get out of the formal clothing they may have worn for the wedding, itself. This will give everyone, including the bride and groom, a chance to relax somewhat and enjoy the experience even more.

To your beautiful wedding!