The Rehearsal Dinner

Weddings are a day that most girls dream about but before the wedding can happen there needs to be a rehearsal dinner. After all practice makes perfect, but many people do not want to spend some of their wedding budget on a big rehearsal dinner. Here are some tips to having a special rehearsal dinner without breaking the bank.

1.)   Having a barbecue or a family member make the food at a nearby relative’s house is a good way for everyone to be able to mingle and have fun while avoiding the costs of restaurants.

2.)   If you want to keep the rehearsal dinner small, try having the rehearsal dinner two days before the wedding, that way only the wedding party and a few close relatives will attend instead of all the out of town guests.

3.)   On the contrary though, if you want to have more time with out of town guests then inviting them to the rehearsal dinner is a great way to get to spend a little extra time with them.

4.)   A great option for cheaper entertainment at a rehearsal dinner is a video or slide show of home movies and pictures of the bride and groom growing up!

Just remember that the wedding is all about the bride and groom and have fun with every aspect of it. The rehearsal dinner should not be stressful so make it as enjoyable and fun as possible!

How to be a smart thrifty bride!

Not every wedding has to cost an arm and a leg! Believe it or not many weddings are done on a low budget but you would never be able to tell! So how do these thrifty brides do it?

• Cut down on the guest list. You do not need or invite your sister’s best friend’s cousin. By cutting down on the guest list you will be able to afford more of what you really want like a nicer dress or more flowers, instead of a meal for someone you hardly even know.
•  Picking the right venue is essential to every bride’s budget. If you do not want to spend a lot of money on this particular aspect of the wedding try getting married in a backyard of someone you know or at a park. These places can be very beautiful and even more special than a hotel or reception hall.
• I think all brides have it in their heads that they have to come up with the cutest, most innovative favor, but the reality is half the people forget the favors and the other half do not use them. Depending on what you do this can be extremely pricey so forgo the favors all together, plus it will be one less thing for you to stress about.

These are just a few ways a bride can save money and buy more of the things that she actually want. After all the wedding day is all about the bride.

To or not to see your groom prior to ceremony

Many brides go the traditional route and choose to not see the groom before the wedding day. Choosing to not see each other before the wedding can make the moment when the bride walks down the aisle that much more special and amazing. While it may be hard to resist the urge to see one another, there is still a way you can be close without the groom getting a sneak peak of the bride.  A trend I have seen lately is the bride and groom divided by a wall holding hands right before the ceremony. I think this is such an intimate moment and so special for a couple to do right before they say “I do.” This intimate moment is so special and can make for some pretty amazing photos.  There is something so mysterious and exciting about not seeing each other until that very moment when the doors open and the bride enters the ceremony. While many people may say the wedding is all about the bride, having a special moment moments before the wedding can be extremely powerful and each couple deserves that final moment as a non-married couple with one another. 

What happens if you get sick on wedding day?

Getting sick happens and often brides who are stressed fall victim and even sometimes on wedding day. If you feel like you may be getting sick, take the proper precautions. Lots of fluids and medication if applicable.

If you wake up on wedding day not feeling your best, our biggest piece of advice is if you take any kind of medication, make you you eat and lot of fluids (remember alcohol does not mix). 

How to choose your wedding style?

When planning a wedding a bride has so many choices that can be completely overwhelming and before any planning can start she must decide on a wedding style. Does she want a formal black tie affair or a romantic whimsical, outdoorsy style wedding? Once you decide on your style, the actual planning of the wedding will be much easier. In order to choose a style there are a couple of questions you should ask.

1) What time of year do I want my wedding? You most likely would not want to have an outdoor forest wedding in the middle of December, so the time of year matters to the specific style of wedding you want.

 2)Next ask yourself if you want a really big wedding or a more intimate affair.

  

3)When thinking about my wedding, what three adjectives come to mind? If your adjectives are elegant, classy, and modern your wedding style will be much different from a wedding that is casual, relaxed, and festive. 

4) Knowing what time of year you want your wedding can also help you pick the colors of your wedding. If you choose to get married in October than oranges, olive greens, and deep plum purples would be an excellent color scheme. You probably will not be seeing a lot of baby pink and light green in a fall/winter wedding.

5) Lastly, decide if you want a wedding planner, and if you do want one decide how much you want the planner to be involved. Having a wedding planner can take so much of the stress away. They will be that middleman to deal with all the vendors and make it so you have a fun and stress free wedding planning process. Not to mention they will be your saving grace come your actual wedding day. Let’s face it, who wants to be setting up there own tables and going on ice runs the day of their wedding. A wedding planner is also a great choice because they can help you figure out what you want if you are not completely sure.

Every bride is different and no matter what they choose, as long as the bride is happy you really cannot go wrong.

-Jennifer

Monday's Tip: How flowers add to your wedding vision

Flowers are a great way to add color and décor to a wedding, but let’s face it flowers can be expensive. So how do you incorporate flowers into your wedding without breaking the bank? I have a few really easy ways to cut cost on flowers.

 

 

1. Flowers that are in season tend to be a lot cheaper than those out of season. Think outside the box and go for something other than something traditional, like roses. Roses are going to be overpriced and using other flowers will show off your unique personality much better and sometimes other flowers can be easier to match to the colors of your wedding.

 

 

 

2. Instead of going through a florist, go to a flower market and buy flowers in bulk and make your own arrangements. Not only will you be getting exactly what you want but, you will be cutting the cost of the middleman and you will be getting your flowers at wholesale prices.

 

 

 

 

3. A great way to save money on flowers is giving the arrangements dual uses. If you want to use the arrangements in the ceremony space, bring them to the dining area right after the wedding to add to the décor. This will save you a ton of money because you will not be spending double on arrangements.

 

 

 

 

4. If you really do not want to use your budget on flowers, try doing a lot of greenery. You can find greenery for super cheap and it really livens up a space.

 

 

 

 

5. If you are having a wedding in the spring or summer, choose an outdoor venue where nature can be the natural décor and you will not need to have as many flower arrangements.

 

 

 

 

Monday's Tip: Use of Post It Notes

When trying to plan a wedding there are a million things to do. Finding a venue, ordering flowers, and sending out invitations are just a few tasks on a list a mile long.  So how do you keep track of everything you need to do? A system that I grew up with, taught to me by my very own mom is the Post-it note system. While it may seem strange, having a stack of post it notes with you at all times can be extremely beneficial. Post it notes can be used when planning a wedding in a variety of ways.

 

1)  Since Post-it notes are sticky, you can put them up just about anywhere in your house reminding you to call the caterer, or pick up your invitations and when you have completed the task on the Post-it you can just take it down and throw it away.

 

2)  Post-it notes are also very handy when setting up for your event. If you are doing more of a DIY wedding and making your own food then set out all of your serving dishes and whatever else you can pre set up and place a Post It note describing what goes in each dish. This makes it so that practically anyone can help you the day of and everyone will know what goes where with no confusion.

 

3)  If you are always carrying around a stack of Post-it notes than you will always have something to write on for any ideas that just pop into your head and you want to jot down.

 

I use Post-it notes in my everyday life and find them to be extremely beneficial. Imagine how much organized you could feel with something as simple as a stack of Post-it notes. Who knows you may even want to personalize some Post-it notes and give them away as wedding favors because hey, who couldn’t use a little more organization in their life?

 

Your helpful tips and reminder blogger,

-Jennifer

Monday's Tip: Something Blue!

You have that something old, something new, something borrowed but what about that something blue? Do not panic if you are having trouble figuring out how to incorporate a touch of blue into your wedding. There are many different ways you can add blue into your ensemble whether it is super noticeable or more discrete. It does not matter how you choose to include your blue as long as you are happy and showing your own personality. Have fun with your blue item and be creative!

1. A really fun way to show off your personality is to have blue shoes. While they may not show if your dress is long you can still take really fun pictures with them and if your dress is short it can be a great way to add some color to your outfit. No matter what you will still be sporting that “something blue.” If completely blue shoes are not your thing try shoes with a blue sole for just a touch of blue.
   
   
   
   

2. If showing off your “something blue” so more people can see it is more your style try some fun blue nail polish or blue jewelry. If you do not want a super bright blue or for the blue to be super obvious and overtake your outfit try a softer blue.

3. If you really want to make a statement with your “something blue” incorporate blue into your color scheme and add blue into your bridal bouquet or add blue detail on your wedding dress or in your hair.

Monday's Tip of the Day: How to Handle Rain on your Big Day!

Your wedding is a few weeks away and while there has not been a cloud in the sky for the past few weeks we live in Seattle and the weather is known to be well, a bit unpredictable. You can never be too prepared especially when dealing with the possibility of rain on your wedding day. So just in case you should always be prepared and have a few handy items just in case. Never let a few drops from the sky ruin the most perfect day of your life. 

 

• If it is raining and you still need that something blue, try blue rain boots. The pictures will be amazing and you will keep your feet clean and dry. If not blue, match the boots to the color scheme of the wedding for some color. If you are not sure it is going to rain bring two pairs of shoes just in case.

• You can actually get incredible photos from the rain. Try posing with a clear umbrella that shields you both from the rain, or taking a picture of your reflection from a puddle. The rain can enhance your photos and bring you two closer together, because hey who doesn’t want to snuggle and keep dry?

• If you know it is going to rain on your wedding day rain boots make for a nice flower holder. They can really add color and express your personal style.

• Umbrellas at a wedding can also make for really awesome pictures. The colors and the poses can be really fun and cute and leave you with some amazing memories.

 

While rain might not be ideal, I promise that you can still have an incredible day and have fun while doing it. So if it rains on your special day, embrace it because life is too short to sweat the little things. 

Wedding Tip Monday!

You just got the ring and you have just called everyone you know to tell them the big news! Everyone asks you a million questions about colors, venues, food, and décor and suddenly you are completely overwhelmed. Not only are there a million things to do but wow, weddings can cost an awful lot. While some things in a wedding should not be sacrificed there are a lot of different ways were money can be saved!

 

The typical “wedding season” is the middle of spring to the early fall. A great way to save some money is to get married right at the end of the off season, about the time of March, or right at the end of the “wedding season” end of October. Chances are the weather is still going to be great and you can get much better prices on things that would otherwise skyrocket during the “wedding season.”

 

The other money saving tip I have for you today is to find a venue that does not require you to use their own vendors. Some venues will require you to use a certain food caterer, DJ, or bartender to name a few and chances are these services will be much more expensive.  By choosing a venue that allows you to hire your own services, not only are you going to save money but you are going to get exactly what you want.

Teaser from our Helpful Tips Blogger Jennifer

Hi! I'm Jennifer Miller and I am a junior at the University of Washington! I am extremely excited and grateful to intern Elegant Affairs. I cannot wait to get started and learn first hand from such a talented wedding planner. I have always loved weddings and everything that goes into the event to make it so special and it is a dream come true to help make brides’ visions a reality. As an intern I will be posting helpful hints and reminders on the blog to help ease stress and make the wedding planning process as smooth as possible. I cannot wait to get started!