I found something pretty cool for brides who don't have enough money to get a video and picture package. I am seriously considering this for my own wedding. Put your pictures on Animoto.com and tada, you have super nice video to view! Or if you do have clips like if a family member taped the ceremony you can add it too!
Create dvds of your wedding for next to nothing so even though you couldn't have a professional video person u can still remember that special day for years to come!
I thought about some of the stuff I was buying and it made me wonder "Am I being frugal enough?"
Now some of these articles are a bit general. Most of the local jeweler stores have warranties on their jewelery that last longer than 6 months. Plus, there are tons of sales. Not all newly beginner wedding planners will be complete goofs cus that will destroy their business cus they need great referrals. Plus most vendors are willing to work with people on a budget.
BUT it is a well written article and has alot of sense to it. It doesn't make sense to not read the fine print on your contracts or to not get pics of events from new even planners.Or to buy that $3000 dress when your whole budget is $4000!
I think its all about using common sense, thats all. Knowing a good deal when you see it and knowing when some thing is too good to be true. As a bride to be myself I can only go by my experiences and what other people around are doing or have done.
Here are some of my plans to save some serious cash:
*Making very simple favors: getting cookies from Costco, Bjs, Sam's Club, Etsy or my local grocery store-
Reason? cus its just cheaper than going to a fancy bakery but its quicker then baking them myself.
* Getting a calligrapher to do one or two invites then going to Kinkos or Staples and copying them. Reason? Cus I love the look but I just can't pay someone to do the tedious job of writing out all of my invites.
* Doing my own make up. Reason? I dont wear alot of make up but I know how to really apply it if I want to. Plus, I wont put to much on.
* Buying my bridal shoes from Payless.
* Using two types of flower and going to a local wholesaler or discount warehouse. Hydrangeas and roses. Reason? The hydrangea takes up alot of space so it will look lush without the hefty price tag.
*Micheals, Walmart...enuff said.
more tips to come.
This is too pimp.Dashing Diva style,Three Faces of Pink
I rarely have time to do my nails...I am just too busy. However, i love the look of fresh out of the nail salon manicures and pedicures. So whats a gal to do? well here are some options for my busy brides and brides to be.
1. E.L.F. nail polish:
why? Cus its only one dollar! yup $1! So its safe to say you can afford this plus the colors can go from extreme (Fire Coral) to classic bridal (Pearl Pink). Great for the DIYer.www.eyeslipsface.com/
2. Dashing Diva:
I saw them in another blog (Brides Magazine) and I agree, Dashing Diva is supa fierce! The full cover nails are amazing. Unlike the fake looking nail press on of the past, Dashing Diva's Tailor fit nails are real looking and have tons of versatility. You can be a very natural bride and go for a simple French manicure (Natural or French) or surprise everyone with a full on bling fest on your digits (Glamour or Charmed)! Plus the price for this miracle starts at $13-$17.www.dashingdiva.com
3. If you tend to be more exotic or just want to try something unexpected, try Henna or Mehendi. This Bollywood trend is temporary (only lasting 1-4 weeks), painless (no needles just a paste) and very beautiful. Usually done during the bridal preparation, this is an amazing way to get ur hands noticed.
4. Not a DIYer or just dont have time to sit and wait in a salon across town? Cool, call a nail taxi! In fact, Nail Taxi is the best way to handle quick day of beauty needs or just an alternative to the typical stripper bachelorette party. Nail taxi will come to your home or hotel or where and do the work for you. Based in the DMV with some locations in Los Angeles and Chicago , Nail Taxi will take you where you need to go in style. http://nailtaxi.com/
Martha to the rescue! Martha to the rescue! Excellent! I love Martha Stewart she always is looking out for brides and her own pocket. OK just joking but she and that D'Arcy lady are such gems. I really like the magazine all of the DIY, cakes and colors its really cool magazine. Plus its very basic reading. I like the tips they offer on this video:
Hey you guys I'm back after a really bad cold. Almost knocked me out of the blogging scene but I come back with tons of gifts...deals. Here's the 411:
Here are some sites I found that are really cute:
Retail Me Not.com- a site withcoupons and discounts to tons of stores, like 30,00 online stores! Every thing from Victoria's Secrets to Payless shoes.
Bride to Bride boutique- A site that lets brides sell to each other. http://www.bridetobrideboutique.com/
I-Do-it-yourself.com- A really cool site that has great DIY. http://www.i-do-it-yourself.com/
ArtFire.com- When I first saw this I thought" OMIGOD, its another Etsy" but seriously its a super cool site that has vendors who make things for cheap. www.artfire.com
I have found my wedding shoes! I, finally found them after looking everywhere! They are from Payless which is fine with me and they were only $19.99!! I am saving the moola! Here they are:
Yup they are wedges and have a cool lace like detail on them. I love them. They are a great buy for only one day. I wanted shoes that have height but have a solid base. I have always hated stilettos (I can wear them but I hate them) so it was either kitten heels, flip flops, or wedges.
Plus I have an inner hippie. I am finding myself getting knee deep in the whole bohemian fashion look. I like wearing my flip flops everywhere and I try to push my style as far as I can go before my hubby starts asking "What are you wearing?" I can live in a long dress and flip flops or torn jeans and a Yoda shirt. So wearing wedges just feels right.
I am still trying to decide if I am going to Sasha Fierce my shoes and glue Swarovski crystals all over them. I may get some Dereon flip flops is they are light and sparkly. I'm taking it one step at a time.
They are from Christian Louboutin and they are $995. They are beautiful and probarely well made but I can't pay that much for some shoes.
So I found this DIY on Love Maegan.com:
this is another really basic DIY using Gerber Daisies. I hate daisies but this centerpiece looks pretty cool and simple. Check it out:
This is a cool DIY wedding updo that anyone can do if you have medium to long hair. Its a good idea to do a trial run with your bridesmaids or by yourself to make sure you get this look perfect.
This one is from the same people Videohairstyles and its a great look for the beach. Very easy, sexy, natural looking and breezy. Its a very sexy look for brides who want more of a relaxed look and its fairly easy to do.
This is very cute. Its inspired by Gwen Stefani. I wish I could do this with my hair.
Finally I love this look for myself. I would braid my roots and then do just this. Its called Afro curls. Its very good for ladies with very thick hair.
So like after work I'm doing my wander around the mall thing. So I waddle my butt into my local Borders, folks I'm in here at least once everyday. I have a problem, I know but they haven't found a rehab program for Borders/Barnes and Noble addicts so I guess I will continue to go in there.
Anywho, so I waddled over there and I was like going into the mags and I saw this:
Its beautiful, isn't it? I am in love. I saw it in the most recent issue of Martha Stewart. Aah Martha, you never fail me. I want this, period. The fat lady has sung...I'm making one. Call it Mariah Carey Butterfly fever but I am enamored by all things butterfly. This is a cool DIY project.
So it got me thinking, what are other things people can use for their bouquets?
Feathers: This isn't my thing but its super cute.
Pinwheels- this is for the fun at heart bride. I found this on www.mydiyweddingday.com
I thought this was cool.
Buttons- This to me is just weird but some think my butterfly thing is weird so its all relative. cute but weird.
So I was at working doing my regular working thing when this guy comes in. So I'm like "Welcome how may I help you?" and he's like he's a rep from Sam's Club. Now I am usually kind of a you know what when I get a bit distracted from my task. This is what comes into my mind: "I'm at work and no I'm not buying sh..." Its not cool to be doing personal stuff on the job unless its an emergency sort of thing.
However,I have noticed like a week ago that Sam's Club has added bulk flowers (oooh girl, i love me some flowers) to their site. All sorts of colors at pretty fair prices. Like roses 125 stems for $79.73 shipping included. 20 stems of blue or white Hydrangea for $53.74. 150 carnations for $100. the list goes on but if you talk flowers you get the idea. Plus they deliver.
Plus with a business account you get like tons of savings on food stuff which helps if you are doing a DIY wedding with your Mom or Grandma. Buy a bunch of appetizers for less get some mint leaves and carrots , garnish and party. Have a cool hor dourves wedding reception!
Personally, I love the idea. So I said that I will getting a card from dude. Even if this wedding becomes a traditional Nigerian big wedding I still will be getting my flowers from Sam's Club.
Well I am a bit freaked out about my centerpieces and if I will be able to have them at my venue. If not then its okay. I will have a great time regardless. After looking at some vendor price list I maybe may forgo flowers and do something less traditional. Here are some picks I saw and it got me thinking...."Hey, anyone can do that!"
Yup, its true. Due in October Get Married the mag will have the same hot stuff that the website has. The glam tips, the fab celebrity planners and all the wonder of the bridal world. I am a huge fan! Get married has a pretty loyal fan base, the TV show is super posh and the tips are way practical and well rounded.
I love the site. It features tips of the trade from the bridal vendors that you want to know. Budget savvy how tos for the DIY brides. Fancy stuff for the fancy people and just eye candy for folks who just like to party. I watch all the cool videos like every moment I can. I would do it in my sleep...although the Fi wouldn't be so happy about that.
I'm super glad that Get Married will be a magazine. The new focus of this hot magazine: US! Brides who are unique and not cookie cutter:
"Get Married magazine is scheduled to publish its first issue October 2009. Tagged as a “new shopping & trend guide for the savvy bride,” Get Married magazine extends the brand loyalty of Get Married’s Lifetime Television show viewers and GetMarried.com users who crave unique and integrated content. This third platform brings a tactile and fresh experience to a new generation of brides who aspire to discover new inspirations on TV, online and in print. "
“Get Married magazine rounds out our truly integrated approach to wedding planning, and will continue to capture the excitement of brides who watch, surf and read their way through designing every moment of their wedding celebration,” said Stacie Francombe, founder and president of Get Married and GetMarried.com. “Get Married magazine will reinterpret the rules and translate the latest wedding trends, while offering a new perspective in an uplifting, edgy voice for creatively-innovative and inspirationally-driven brides.”
Yup, what they said. Now I can carry a copy of the latest bridal trends in my handbag. That's Posh.
Check Out the super Posh site:
www.GetMarried.com.
Here is a celeb with tons of common sense. When the going gets tough this ex-Bachelorette starts whipping her wedding budget and bod into shape! In 2003, Jen Schefft won our hearts as the gal who won Andrew Firestone's heart on the Bachelor. After they broke up, she turned the tables by staring as the main fox in the Bachelorette. However, she was still unlucky in love until she met her current man who happens to be a trader.
As Luck would have it shortly after her hubby to be proposed, Jen lost her job in sales. Instead of sulking into a corner, she decided to trim the wedding excess and go on with the show. This is the scoop according to US magazine:
The Venue: Jen isn't going to a rental shop to rent out tables and chairs, they're "going with everything that comes with the venue [an Italian restaurant]," saved money by booking a DJ instead of a band, and isn't worrying about matching ribbons on the programs and invitations. She said, "Even saving $200 is saving $200."
The Guest: Jen and hubby are just having family and friends. The total head count will be about 100 folks.
On her fashion: Jen said, "You can save a lot on shoes — no one really even sees them . . . The bracelet I'll buy, but it won't be, you know, real pearls." She's also mindful of how much she's spending on the dress and explained, "I'm not going to wear a $20,000, or even a $10,000 dress. I just don't think it's worth it for one day." Plus, Jen is doing her own makeup and having her hair stylist do her hair!
Wanna get more tips check her out in Wedding Channel Magazine where she has her own Celeb bridal blog:
I was doing my wedding search and i found this article kind of within an article. Some wedding vendor lady was super pissed cus she thought the article was giving bad advice.
Here's the Wedding Vendors Comments:
First of all, I think that both sides are sort of right. Wedding vendors DO charge too much MOST times. They do it cause its "your wedding and it must be perfect". Yada yada yada and blah blah. Some would charge for the air your guest breath if they could see it. Wanna read some horror stories of brides getting cleaned out read Bridal Bargains.
However, there is a point when a little DIY turns into all in one super Bridezilla. There some things that a bride should not do Not because we can't do the job (I have been cooking since I was ten, I know how to make a mean dozen of cupcakes)but because its a LUXURY not to have too.
Its part of that one day relax and be pretty thing which is a resounding note in the wedding vendor song. I think its good to take the advice that best suits you.
I am one of the biggest David Tutera fans ever.....I mean ever!!! I just love his blinged out affordability. Call me materialist but I think that having a nice event that also LOOKS nice is important. Its just a party but its still a wedding.
I don't think its worth going into debt over but if you believe in the basics such as putting nice flowers in a vase and sitting it on a table to create a sense of decor then you can understand how doing that nine times can brighten up a blah room.
Needless to say you can have an amazing day without going overboard. People can still feel like they went to an adult and or family fun function without you spending tons.
I don't think it has to be only two choices: Have the party that the wedding industry wants with the diamond camels, the caviar, black tie waiters and 14k gold wedding favors for 15 milllion OR have a wedding with dental floss garters, doughnuts for a cake, flimsy paper plates and donkey for $100.
I just believe there is a balance. Before The Wedding Industry people got married with whatever they had. And since The Wedding Industry people have access to tons of unique stuff that their mothers didn't have access to.
Anyway here are some examples of cool ways to have a glam event in a smart way:
If the video doesn't work, take a look at the link:
http://www.wpix.com/pages/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3052617
While I was "cleaning" I found this super cool DIY project. Its affordable cus everything you can find pretty cheap. Gold leaf? cheap! River rocks? Cheap! Super cool. Here is a sneak peak:
Can we say elegant place markers? Yup! Learn how to do it here:
http://www.poopscape.com/projects/goldleaf/goldleaf.htm
So I am on the hunt for cake toppers. Originally I wanted to have a customized cartoon version of us. But after seeing that price tag: $100 and up, I was like "heck no". Don't get me wrong, I think that anyone who has the talent to turn wood or clay into mini mes should get paid in full. I do think that any piece of art that takes more than an hour of some one's time is worth the moola. I just don't have it to spend. So I did some research and I really looked into it. Here's what I found:
I found this one on Etsy. I love this set. Its the same idea of custom cartoon cake topper only with a little less detail. The shop's name? Goosegrease. The price for your very own look alike peg person cake topper? $40. Yup tell the lady about yourself and your baby and you will get your very own peg person. Check them out: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5881530
Next I saw on Save On Crafts, these two doves. I love the cute birdcage veil on the lady dove. The price ? Only $2.99 for the pair. I would put some wax paper underneath them and place them right on my cake.
Of Course I thought of this the crystal monogram cake topper!!!! I love this sparkly idea for an otherwise boring white cake. However the prices for this are out of control from $55 and up. I have seen some that retail for $250! That's on expensive cake topper! So much so alot of brides are getting out their glue guns and doing it for themselves. Want one check out these secrets that I found!
Yes, I'm a knottie. Why cus I really like the magazine. Any who here is a fellow knotttie/Nester's tips link:
This one is from the Wedding Bee, I heart Wedding Bee.
http://www.weddingbee.com/2006/10/12/diy-initials-cake-topper/
I also like the idea of not having an "official' cake topper like this cover of Martha Stewart. This is a really cool idea and it could work with anything. Bugs, butterflies, sparkly stars or even footballs if it has a pick and you can stick it on top or all around your cake, it will work!
I think I just got bitten by the wedding bug again! I have super cool news to share with my budget brides!
First here are some super sites that I am loving right now:
Fox News and Friends: The Budget Celeb Wedding with David Tutera. I just Love it:
I'm really feeling David Tutera, he is so cool and smart about this weeding stuff. I loved him on Get Married Tv and I know I will love him on My Fair Wedding. I hope they can make dvds of this show! Here's a sneak peak:
I DO NOW I DONT.com- Which is a jewelry site that helps people buy and sell jewelry. Sort of like consignment for bad engagements. http://www.idonowidont.com/
Dollar Store Crafts.com and Craftster.org- When I tell folks that you can find all sorts of stuff at your local dollar store they laughed at me but I got my golden picture frames which will hold baby pictures of me and my FI, candles, stationery and alot more from the Dollar store. Plus you can also get wholesalers prices from the dollar store too.DIY is the way to save moola, folks! Search weddings. http://www.dollarstorecrafts.com/ and http://www.craftster.org/
Dial Directions.com- I love this site!!! Let's say that you , the Bride is having an event but its in an area that alot of your guest are not familar with. Do you sit on the phone for hours giving each guest verbal directions? NO! You do the smart 2009 thing: You have a map made and you put a memo on the invites saying that they can call dial directions.com if they get lost.! Check them out: http://www.dialdirections.com/default.aspx
Shop Wild Things.com and Cristalier.com- I am SO in to this site!!!!!Its bling-tastic! It has all the super cool stuff that all the fancy wedding planners have at po' boy prices! I love the chandeliers. I think bling is super important at weddings. Three months ago I would've died if you told me that I couldn't have dozens and dozens of roses but now I'm here accepting carnations with blinged out wedding trees! Here's a DIY tip: You can use beaded curtains as crystals for your wedding tree if you want that dripping with diamonds look or Go with a few real crystals! Here's a video:http://www.cristalier.com/http://www.shopwildthings.com/
I am super excited I found an ultra deal at Office Depot. The office depot near my home is closing and everything must go so I was with my FI and I gave him a pick of pretty pink rose invites or gold invites with rings on it,
Of course,
He picked the non girly invites. I was a little bummed but I decided the simple elegant ones are versatile. The invites are from Gartner Studios and they are printable invites a.k.a DIY invites and they were only $21.00 for 100! No lie, $21.00!
My jaw dropped right there in the store. It was super cool...very cool. My invites less than a pair of shoes at DSW.
If you look at the Office Depot website it will not have the phone number of the stores that are closing immediately but if you call around to different stores a friendly sales person may tell you where you can score too!
Here are some of my quick sites to avoid wedding paper debt madness!
Some many sites charge so much for stupid stuff like paper! Its so dumb. You can get the white paper for $56.99 for 100 or the fancy paper you know you will want for $208 for 100! BS! Its just a big hoax to get in your pockets and personally its a bit insulting. Its not like paper is a major part of the whole wedding thing:
"Wedding dress? Check! Wedding bands? Check! Reception Site? Check! Paper for Invites? Oh my God, there is no paper...Stop the wedding!"
Ummm, no. Its stupid to pay so much for something like that. Most invites get thrown away after the wedding. Only your immediate family and best friends keep that stuff which means a good 70% is going into the waste basket. Seriously, just give me the plain ole white paper.
My Wedding Gown- $182 My Reception Dress (without alterations)- $44.51 His Ring-$450 Invites (non-printed)- $20 for 100 My Earrings-$70.14 My Wedding shoes-$19.99 My Bracelet-$32 Our Recption and Ceremony site : $1500 (we decided to invite less people)
I found something pretty cool for brides who don't have enough money to get a video and picture package. I am seriously considering this for my own wedding. Put your pictures on Animoto.com and tada, you have super nice video to view! Or if you do have clips like if a family member taped the ceremony you can add it too!
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