Weddings on a Budget

Every bride and groom have a budget for their wedding.  Whether it is big or small, it is important to stay within it.  I recommend making a list of the most important things to the two of you.  If the photos of you and your groom are what you will treasure the most about your day, then by all means get a professional photographer and spend good money for them.  Here are a few tips on different ways to save on your big day.

Do Not Pick A Saturday

There are very few wedding reception locations that do not charge more on a Saturday than a Friday or a Sunday.  Depending on the location, you may spend two to three times more just for a Saturday!  I know some couples are worried that guests won't come on a Friday because they have to work.  Trust me, if they love you, they will come.  (And if they don't come, they just saved you even more money.)  This also means you get to do a rehearsal dinner on a Thursday instead of Friday which can also save you money.   This alone can save you thousands of dollars. 

The Dress

It is the most important dress you will wear in your lifetime!  There will be tons of photos taken of you in it and you want it to be the perfect dress.  So you go from boutique to boutique trying on all those dresses and finally find your prefect dress.  Hooray!  Except it is thousands of dollars more than your budget.  Then go online and check out the many websites that sell designer dresses for a fraction of the cost.  I personally found my wedding dream dress in a cute little boutique but couldn't afford it.  I found the exact dress online for a tenth of the price!  This beautiful dress below is online for under $300!

Flowers

Saving money on flowers can be done a few different ways.  The suggestion that I have is to incorporate flowers into your day that can be cross utilized.  For instance, use your bridesmaids bouquets as centerpieces on the head table.  Or you can use the flowers from the ceremony as centerpieces at your reception.  Just make sure your wedding planner, the location manager, or your friends/family know that they are supposed to be moved.  The beautiful flowers below serve as a great addition to an outdoor wedding and can then be put on the tables as centerpieces.

DIY Guest Favors

We all know that you can save money if you do things yourself.  But how much time does a girl have?  If you are going to do any of the items yourself I would recommend the guest favors.  You definitely want to thank your guests for sharing in your special day.  This can be a fun activity for you and your fiance or for you and your girlfriends.  Either way, it will save you money and you can personalize it so everyone remembers your wedding.  See our blog from March 6th for some great DIY favor ideas.

Happy Planning!

Adriann

Today's treat- a real Tahoe Wedding at Northstar California!

From Becky and Tim:

"Our wedding was August 18th 2012. Since we had over 200 guests attending from all over the US, we wanted a full outdoor wedding weekend experience. We planned a rafting trip, golfing, lunch on the lake, rehearsal dinner up at Big Springs Lodge and the wedding on the Overlook Pavilion at Northstar. We had a whimsical vintage themed wedding with a color palate of champagne, orange, purple and black. There were elements of pearl and lace included all throughout the design.

 

My favorite design element was probably my wedding dress. I actually found it on a clearance rack in a small boutique in Danville, CA. It had a Victorian vintage look with unique elements of lace and pearl. It was the perfect dress. My bouquet (the bride’s bouquet) was a mix of brooches and flowers. The combination was gorgeous.

One of our favorite parts of the wedding was the dance party. It was incredible to have literally all 200 of our guests on the dance floor dancing their hearts out.

Advice:

Everyone tells you this but you’ll only remember 10 minutes of your wedding day. It’s true! It’s extremely important to soak in every second of the day. Make sure to enjoy each and every moment. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Something won’t go as planned. It actually rained our wedding weekend and we had to adjust, but it was still the most amazing weekend of our lives and we wouldn’t change it for anything!"

I was at this wedding and the colors were definitely my favorite part. They were bold and daring but all the decor was very tasteful and fun! Very on trend for right now by the way...

Side note- Tim loved his wedding experience he wanted to spend every day here and now sits right next to me at work, LOL! Small world. And I get to have wine in the Village with Becky from time to time. Life is sweet!

-Bxo

DIY Rustic Wedding Favors

Treat Bags

These monogram bags are made simply using paper bags, chalkboard tags and raffia. Add some extra flair and customize the paper bags at home with your very own printer. Place some sweet treats inside so guests can have something to enjoy after the wedding.

Potted Plants

Potted plants make adorable wedding favors! These little favors can serve more than one purpose at your wedding. Add a tag with names and table numbers to double as escort cards. Choose details that will tie in with the design of your event. Add fabric, ribbon, tags, flags and more.

Dessert Bar

Place favor boxes by the dessert bar and have guests fill them with treats. Customize the bar with the wedding color palette or the color of the season.

Wildflower Seeds

Wildflower seed packets are a perfect favor for a summer wedding and this is an inexpensive way to create them. The envelopes can be made with scrapbook paper and printed at home. Choose your favorite seed and buy in bulk. Fill packets with seed and add extra details with ribbon or raffia.

 

Hot Cocoa Cones

If you’re tying the knot at one of our fabulous ski lodges or you’re hosting a winter-themed wedding. Give guests something extra rich and delicious that they can whip up as soon as they get home.

 

Tea and Honey

The ultimate soothing reward for a day of non-stop festivities. Package loose gourmet tea with a sweet honey stirrer stick and finish with a ribbon and tag.

S'Mores Kits

Perfect for a late night snack by the fire... You will need: customized tags, matching baker's twine and cello bags to create memorable little treats for your guests.

Wedding Etiquette: Invitations

Hello, summer brides! Here are a few answers to the top questions I hear from brides:

Most of you Tahoe weddings are a destination event for your guests. Therefore, try to send invitations out 3 months in advance and / or save the date cards 6 months out. Ask them to RSVP 2 - 3 weeks in advance so you have plenty of time for seating charts and to get final headcounts to the caterer (usually 7 - 10 days in advance).

Creating a wedding website? The save the date cards or a small insert in the wedding invitation are appropriate spots for this information. The actual invitation itself should only contain the traditional information such as the parents, the bride and groom, the location and the time (spelled out, i.e. four o'clock in the afternoon, not 4 pm).

So your cousin is married and your friend from college just started dating someone. Do they both get to come with a plus one? No, only spouses and serious relationships should be invited (unless you have the budget for everyone to bring a guest, then go for it). When addressing the invitation to your friend, only include her name, "Miss Blank". When addressing the invitation to your cousin, it is "Mr. and Mrs. Blankety Blank" or "Mr. Blank and guest".

Happy planning!
-Bxo