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Archive Question:
Please help with any way possible to make our day not so expensive, but still nice...
- Lisa from Fresno
Answer:
Good News!!!!
Since we have selected your question to answer on our site, we are sending you a gift certificate for $250.00 to VIP Designs!!! This should be a big help toward getting ideas for your day! Contact us on how to get your certificate!!!
You don't mention anything in particular about your location, likes or dislikes, so I will give you lots of general tips - feel free to email us again with more questions. I also will send your question to some of our wedding professionals who may be able to help - but helping will be easier if we know more.
Okay - here are many ways to cut costs while still maintaining a "nice" feeling. Some will probably work for you and some will be less of a possibility. I tried to include info on who can help!
1. The obvious - reduce your guest list.
2. Cut back the budget on most things, but add one or two "scene stealers" that take time (not money) and that catch everyone's eye and attention - they will talk about them all night - (read: "What a nice wedding!")
Ideas for this are:
A gorgeous, nicely covered and displayed guest book table with photos and meaningful memorabilia all displayed at different levels (put boxes under the tablecloths) - Add a lamp or candles -or even favorite decor items from your home that build and enhance the theme of your wedding. Visit Tassels in Fig Garden for inspiration on how to display a table - these ladies are the queens of display! Also, feel free to contact one of our amazing wedding coordinators that offer help in many forms from hourly consultation to full wedding coordination. Our favs are Pebbles from Happily Ever After and Victoria from VIP Designs.
A beautiful program - made far in advance, by you - printed in grey (doesn't use much of your ink cartridge) on your PC, on pretty paper glued or tied with ribbon to backing stock - find great "do it yourself" papers at Scribbles.
Handwritten (by the bride and groom) - "thank you for coming - it means so much to us" or other personal style notes and put them on each table.
If children will be attending, set up a special table for them with coloring books and activities. Make it a part of your decor by using a big market umbrella overhead or even a cabana if outdoors or a circle of balloons all around it if indoors. Be creative and have fun with it - but keep it tuned to the theme of the wedding. Parents love anyone who does something special for their children.
3. Instead of a full meal opt for some really unusual and delicious hors de oeuvres - looks like you spent more money - not less! Talk to Mike at Fugazzis for unique passed and plated hors de oeuvres (passing them adds elegance and portion control at the same time), and to Patty at Patty Ochinero catering for beautiful fruit, veggie and meat trays which can be displayed on multiple tables like food stations - this also reduces consumption, yet enhances mingling by your guests. .
4. Set your wedding for an "off day" - sometimes it's better for everyone - especially if the family has children who participate in sports and are busy or out of town on weekends. Tornino's offers specials for weddings on Sundays - and they take care of pretty much everything else - saving you time - (you can work a few more hours at what you do to make money, while they handle the organization!)
5. Have a beautiful, but small scale cake designed by Barb's Cakery, Creme de la cake, or Kakes by Design - then have them make up several plain sheet cakes (same flavor) to "feed the masses" that will be cut and distributed to your guests. (Who knows after its cut??)
6. Do an "off prime time" wedding. Set your wedding up outdoors at breakfast time - or seriously early and watch the sun come up! This changes the "meal" to fruits and muffins and scrambled eggs which could be beautifully presented and cuts down on the DJ's hours, as well as bringing him in at a time he is less likely to be booked and perhaps could offer a better rate. (Good Times Entertainment, Mancini Emcee, Party DJ Party) Use his services to do the emcee work, to help people follow along with this "novel" wedding style. This could even be set up like a "picnic" where a few tables are reserved for the older guests and everyone else sits on "picnic blankets" that they select from big baskets where they are rolled up and tied with pretty ribbons.
7. In contrast - the "cocktail hour" or late night wedding is perfect for "adults only" weddings. Make it a very dressy affair at a time that is definitely after dinner. This is a walking around and visiting - and possibly dancing event, but not a sit down or buffet dinner. Make the centerpiece of your event a beautiful chocolate fountain from California Chocolate Fountains. Add some simple but delicious cookies from Goodies Cookies You might also offer extra "not so sweet" snacks like nuts and pretzels, that may or may not be dipped, so that your guests will have options if they are not chocolate lovers - (who isn't?!?) . Chill the champagne in silver buckets or a champagne fountain from Walker Lewis or Discount Party Rental. Let the guests take their champagne glass from a stacked display that adds to the elegant decor. Be sure you really set an elegant tone. The most beautiful satin trimmed tablecloths and silver candelabras can be found at Town & Country Party Rentals.
Well, that's a few ideas - be sure to e-mail us with any other questions you might have! All the best to you! Cynthia
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Read Answers to these past questions:
Please help with any way possible to make our day not so expensive, but still nice...
- Lisa from Fresno
Question:
Help! I'm having a hard time finding things for a beach theme.
- Angelica from Exeter
Answer:
Thank you for your question – we love hearing from our brides about things that matter to them and that can help other brides as well.
We don’t know if you are planning a beach theme wedding in the San Joaquin Valley or at a coastal location, but after some research and polling our favorite wedding professionals we have some ideas that I’m sure will get you off to a great start, no matter where you celebrate your day! To help you we've added a fun beach theme wedding collage to our Weddings by Color Page. Click here to view it!
Cyndy Spangler from All About Weddings has done several beach theme weddings “All the way from a true wedding on beach in Hawaii, to a wedding in Cayucos with invitations in a bottle, to a luau in a tent in [the] back yard”.
Personally, when working on a theme project, I always like to get some photographic inspiration. This is a great way to get a feel for what colors work with your theme and what interpretation of your theme best matches your personalities. Natasha at Human Nature Photography sent me an e-mail with a personal idea as well as a link to photos from a wedding she shot a few years ago:
“Hi Cynthia, I photographed a great beach theme wedding a few years ago and they had some of the cutest centerpieces. It was not Hawaiian style but very tastefully beachy. To see their photos the bride can go to my website, this link will take her directly to the photos. http://www.hnphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/174815_HzJrY#6580406_irfDc( page 20 of the photos – image number 2045)
Another cute idea is to make an arch out of driftwood. It would be fairly simple. She would have to go to a beach known for having a lot of driftwood and collect a bunch of it. Then you just tie it all together with rope and then let it sit outside so the rope can weather a little so it looks more authentic. Hope that helps a little, [Natasha]”
Another place to start is our website. Click the “Unforgettable Favors” link on our home page, then when our “The One Favor Shoppe” comes up type “beach” into the search box. There you will see a plethora of beach theme favors, any of which can be the inspiration for your wedding décor. You will find everything from seashell place card holders at just pennies apiece to chrome shell bottle stoppers in beach themed boxes for under three dollars each. Also included are items featuring other beach theme elements such as beach chairs, starfish, palm trees, sailboats, cruise ships, tiki huts, flip flops, dolphins, treasure chests, orchids, sea glass and more, all very tastefully presented. Whether or not you use these as your favors, they will be a great jumping point for ideas.
The very talented, Victoria Murray of VIP Designs suggests: “Party favors of shell chocolates. Use seafoam green or soft teal to ad to the "Ocean" feel. Use tall vases and put fish & flowers inside.”
In addition, we checked our bridal magazine library and found some other great ideas; Modern Bride from March of 2008 shows a place setting of coral patterned china which caught my eye. I think the idea of using a coral color for gowns and fabrics and the shape of coral as a pattern on printed goods would be incredibly unique take on the beach theme. Our friend, John Smaglik of Erin’s Fine Letterpress Announcements sent me these other thoughts that could work with this theme or inspire another:
“Cynthia, [I suggest] a very “cool” wedding invitation that includes a pocket in the shape of a curling wave. Or a diecut seashell. Each card can have a roll like the ocean cut into the top of each card that goes into the pocket.
Papers that are soft. I am doing an invitation now for a Hawaii wedding [using] light papers letterpressed in orange and yellow inks. John”
John does beautiful embossing and I can visualize a classic shell shape embossed (in turquoise?) on heavy white stock. Gorgeous!... (Janice at Town and Country Party Rentals had an entire window display set up some months ago all done in turquoise with a seashell motif, so I’m sure that she has all of the elements still in stock.)
Also in March’s Modern Bride there was a lilac tone wedding featured. We dismissed it as commonplace until we discovered that the table decorations were pure white anemones and sea flowers. Used with white dishes and lilac flowers the result was a very fresh take on “beach”. This particular wedding also featured some sea glass, and favor boxes with a tissue liner and charm influenced by a treasure map.
Marisela Saavedra at Timeless Treasures, has done videography for tons of weddings and here are her personal takes on the theme:
“Hello Cynthia, I have looked at beach weddings myself and have some ideas for her; For centerpieces she could do a vase with water, some type of clear or colorful shiny rocks and fish, I have seen some colorful fish put in there. Another idea could be a sand theme with a bowl or vase with sand, regular or even colored and seashells surrounding a candle in the middle or mulitple sized candles.
The ceremony could also have umbrellas of various colors set out for the guests, if it is an outside wedding, that would be beautiful for pictures as well as keep your guests cool in the sun.
I have also seen some great sand castle cakes that are imprinted on to look like sand or the classic white cake with some colorful flowers or starfish imprints or seashells. (My note – I’ll bet Liz and Crème de la Cake would love an opportunity to do something fun like this!!)
She can also do a sand ceremony instead of candles and the colored sand and seashells. Hopefully this helps. Marisela”
As for the wedding meal, my friend Chef Andrew from Karsh’s Catering offered some mouthwatering ideas that are to die for!
“Hi Cynthia, I would offer a couple of suggestions depending on which coast she wants to go with.
# 1 New England Seafood beach party; clams, lobster, muscles cooked over coals on location corn on the cob potatoes, and more
#2 Luau; Whole roasted pig, teriyaki chicken, pineapple fried rice, stir fried vegetables all cooked on location. If the sight of a whole pig is too much we can always do BBQ Pork loin or shoulder!
#3 All American; Gourmet sandwiches, cheeses, tasty finger foods to meet the beach theme with great wines and beers in ice chests or buckets to mach the theme.
[We have other great ideas] to really make your wedding feel like you are at the beach. Andrew J. Karsh, Karsh’s Catering & Karsh’s Grill
P.S. Cynthia, The restaurant is open once again wed-sat dinner only. You must come in and enjoy the cuisine!”
Last but not least my final thoughts (for now!- but once I get going it’s hard to stop) on the theme:
Play off all of the neutral colors of seashells, adding textures for interest. For example, greys, taupes, tans, champagnes and whites. Use textured and non-shiny fabrics like linen and crinkled cotton gauze. Then juxtapose the simplicity yet profound beauty of mounds of seashells with the elegance of large silver candelabras and soft white candles.
Or – go pink! Use blush colored raw silk or shantung fabrics with tulips and peonies, interspersed with exotic tropical flowers, all in shades of pink. Accent with pink shells and strings of flower leis and shell strands cut and all tied together so they will be long garlands instead of rounds. (Ask your florist to order these for you.)
We are in the process of adding “Real Wedding” pages to our site, so there should be lots more ideas there very soon for you to see. I will keep your theme in mind and get back to you when I hear from my other friends in the industry or when I come across other inspirations.
Since we've selected your question to post online, my assistant will soon be contacting you, so that you can select a gift certificate to help you with your planning! Best of luck to you! Cynthia
Find the great favors above and more ideas at our "THE ONE" Favor shoppe!
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