Save Money on Your Wedding

By Arlene Chorba

1. Pick a breathtaking location. Wedding by the lake, sunset wedding on a beach, wedding ceremony in a botanical garden — the possibilities are endless. You don’t need to worry about how to decorate the place. Mother nature already did it for you!

2. Determine a set number of guests that you want to invite and keep to your list. Invite only immediate family and intimate friends. This is a big factor in keeping your wedding costs down and stay within your budget.

3. Make your own wedding invitations. Look online and browse for Do-It-Yourself wedding invitations or you can go to your own local craft stores. You can also choose to make your own wedding invitations from scratch. My husband and I did our own. It was very involved and took a lot of time but it was worth it. Our guests were greatly impressed. Most of all,it helped us a lot to stay within our wedding budget.

4. Keep your centerpieces simple but elegant. Make them yourself, it is not hard. You can check for ideas from local craft stores. Look online for great deals, check eBay and other auction sites. Oriental Trading is a great place to start looking. They offer great items for so much less cost.

5. Look for inexpensive wedding favors. If you are getting married during spring or summer, you can have flower seed packets as favors. Another unique idea for favors is a personalized bookmark with a written poem, quotation or Bible verse that has a significant meaning for you and your bridegroom.

6. Buy a wedding gown that is on sale. Get one during off wedding season (usually September to February) when the bridal stores are slashing their prices to make room for new inventories. Another option is to look for wedding gowns at online auctions like eBay. Try looking at classified ads too. Be open and try other avenues. Don’t think that, just because you did not get your wedding gown from a wedding boutique, the quality will be less.

7. Pick the bridesmaids dresses from a retail store as opposed to a wedding boutique or bridal stores, it is a lot less expensive. Your attendants will appreciate it too, since I am sure they have their own budget to consider also.

8. When setting priorities in planning for a budget, wedding pictures and video usually top the list. Most couples do not want to skimp on this. Be wise when choosing your photographer and videographer. Since you are going to have an outdoor wedding, make sure that whoever you choose is very experienced and can work with natural lighting. Ask to see a previous client’s pictures and videos for proof of their work.

However, if pictures are not a priority for you and you don’t want to pay too much for these services, then another option is to go to a local campus or university near you and ask a photography major student if he/she would do the service for you. Students charge a lot less than the professionals. Just be cautious and make sure that you are getting a good one. Ask if they can show you their portfolios.

Placing a disposable camera in each table for the guests to use during reception is another source of wedding photos. Just don’t expect high quality pictures. From my experience, the resulting photos sometimes show poor quality, depending on the lighting available. If used outside with good outdoor lighting, the results are good. Pictures taken indoors show poor quality due to lack of good lighting.
bridal car

9. Rent a classic car or a convertible instead of hiring a limousine for a bridal car. Have a friend or family member have the privilege of chauffeuring you around. This could cut down a lot on your overall wedding costs.

10. Have your wedding events all in one place. Pick a nice country club for the wedding reception, set-up the wedding ceremony in their professionally landscaped lawn (they usually have gazebos too that you could use as a place to exchange vows) and have all the wedding party’s photos in the same place too. This would save you a lot of time and effort, not just for you but also for the guests. After the ceremony, the guests can then proceed to the country club for cocktail while the wedding party can have their professional photos taken. Also, there will be no need to worry about providing transportation for the attendants since everything is done in the same location.

If followed, these wedding budget tips can really cut down your wedding costs significantly. There are a lot more ways that you can do to stay within your wedding budget, especially if you are willing to compromise. Be creative, think outside the box.

by: Matt Campbell

The following article can be copied but you must keep about the author section.

Common format of a wedding reception:

• Arrival of guests at hall
• Introduction of wedding party
• Introduction of bride and groom
• Blessing
• Meal
• Cake Cutting
• Toasts
• Bride & Groom’s First Dance
• Father & Daughter’s Dance
• Mother & Groom’s Dance
• Special Dances
• Bouquet and Garter Toss
• Dancing and Fun

Arrival of guests at reception site

Typically, a wedding lasts about 15 minutes. However, some guests do arrive early to the reception. Therefore, be sure all reception to-dos are complete by the start time of the wedding. Also, all wedding vendors should be wearing proper attire for early arriving and late staying guests. All tables should be set-up including cake table, entertainment’s table, sign-in table, food tables, and tables with chairs for all guests. If you have a seating arrangement, all seating lists should be at the reception with everyone’s name with where they are sitting.

Introduction of wedding party

This step is not mandatory, but it is nice for everyone to know who the wedding party is as many have not met before your wedding. Create a “Reception Planning Guide” and give this to your master of ceremonies prior to your wedding. This details, among other things, the order of entrance into the reception site with their names and titles. The order of entrance is as follows: parents of the bride, parents of the groom, ushers with bridesmaids, flower girl and ring bearer, special guests, best man, maid/matron of honor, bride and groom. In addition, review the pronunciations of the wedding party’s names with the master of ceremonies.

Introduction of bride and groom

This is always the last of the introductions. Everyone should stand before the bride and groom enter. In addition, a special song can be arranged with the music entertainment and a special announcement made to punctuate a true grand entrance. Also, inform the master of ceremonies how you would like to be introduced: Mr. and Mrs. Smith or John and Jane Doe.

Blessing

This is another step that is not mandatory, but for the religious couples makes a nice setting. If you invite the person who performed the marriage ceremony to the reception, I would recommend having them conduct the blessing. If they are not able to attend, a parent or family friend is a good idea. Lastly, the master of ceremonies could give the meal blessing. Be sure to communicate with whomever is giving the blessing in advance so they are prepared to give a personal touch.

Meal

It’s time to eat! Bride and Groom, be sure to stop and take a moment to eat. This may be your only chance in the day. In addition, it is customary for the bride and groom to start the food line. Most guests know to wait until the bride and groom start the food line. So don’t be late!

Cake Cutting

This is the traditional bride and groom making the first cut on their wedding cake. Then, the bride feeds half of the piece of cake to the groom and the groom feeds the remaining half to the bride. The cutting of the cake is a ceremony intended to symbolize the caring and sharing for one another. Forks may be used as they make the image very attractive for the photographer. Forks may also minimize the possibility of someone being hurt with the more playful squashing that sometimes happens.

Toasts

The toast is when the bride and groom toast each other then interlock arms and drink. Immediately following, the best man and maid/matron of honor make toasts to the bridal couple. Be prepared for other family and friends to follow with their toasts too.

Bride & Groom’s First Dance

The Bride & Groom’s Dance is the first dance between a bride and groom as a married couple. The dance is also commonly known as the “First Dance”. The timing of the bride groom dance can vary in the evening based on your preferences. The first dance can be done immediately following the grand entrance with the wedding party circling the dance.

Father & Daughter’s Dance

The Father & Daughter’s Dance or the Father Bride Dance is the dance between the father(s) of the bride and the bride. Brides, if you have more than one father in your life, one can tap the other on the shoulder in the middle of the dance so you can dance with both of them. If you do not have a father, a common substitute is a father figure or even your brother would make a very nice gesture.

Mother & Groom’s Dance

The Mother & Groom’s dance is the dance between the mother(s) of the groom and the groom. Grooms, if you have more than one mother in your life, one can tap the other on the shoulder in the middle of the dance so you can dance with both of them. If you do not have a mother, a common substitute is a mother figure or even your sister would make a very nice gesture.

Special Dances

There may be songs in your life that mean dear to your heart. You can ask the music entertainment to play these songs during the night or immediately following the formal dances. An example would be: If someone dear to you passed recently, you may ask the music entertainment to play Angels Among Us by Alabama.

Bouquet and Garter Toss

The traditional tossing of the bouquet is when the bride tosses the bridal bouquet to all single women in attendance. Immediately following the bouquet tossing, a chair is set in the middle of the dance floor. The chair is for the bride to sit and the groom to remove the bride’s garter from her leg. The traditional tossing of the garter is when the groom tosses the bride’s garter to all the single men in attendance. The people whom catch the garter and bouquet are said to be the next one to marry.

Dancing and Fun

This is what you pay the music entertainment to do…get people to dance and have a good time. Give the music entertainment music examples and limitations of what type of music you want but don’t give them a list of 100 songs they need to play.

About The Author

Matt Campbell is the owner and webmaster for Weddingmuseum.com. Weddingmuseum.com is a place to plan, book and rate your wedding day. You can email him at matt@weddingmuseum.com or visit www.WeddingMuseum.com.

Article by: Ron King

Want to make sure your marriage doesn’t end up on the rocks before you get to the chapel? Then set a realistic wedding budget — and stick to it.

In the process of planning a wedding, budget concerns often is a source of disagreement for a couple. They may have different ideas about what kind of wedding they want, and about what they can afford. To make the wedding a truly happy occasion, it is important that the couple discusses financial constraints early.

Set A Budget And Save For It

The first tip is — discuss finances before the wedding plans begin. Everyone involved in the decision-making process needs to understand exactly how much money is available for the wedding.

To maximize that budget, you should start saving early for your wedding. Advance planning and saving will allow you to maintain or even exceed your budget, comfortably. And that will make wedding planning easier and more fun.

Get Everyone On-Board

Once your wedding budget has been established, set it aside for a few days and then review it again. This gives everyone a chance to let the information sink in. The budget review after this waiting period gives the participants a chance to verify that they understand and agree to the budget. This is vitally important, because someone who does not agree with the budget may overspend in 1 area, leaving the rest of the budget in jeopardy.

Budget Line Items

When you’ve decided exactly how much money is available for your wedding, the next step is to divide the total into budget categories, such as the venue, food and drink, bride’s attire, groom’s attire, transportation, entertainment, photography, favors, centerpieces, and gifts. It is also advisable to set aside money for unforeseen expenses.

Who Pays

Part of establishing a budget is to be clear on who will pay for what.

Shopping And Negotiating

You will need to negotiate contracts for services, and so you must know the budget for each area of the wedding. If you have allotted $250 for entertainment, look for a DJ whose rate is approximately that amount, then negotiate to ensure that you remain under budget.

It’s wise to shop around and compare prices for services. A company may come highly recommended, but if they are outside your price range, let them know why you are going to have to choose another company. You may be surprised at how willing they will be to give you a better offer.

Substitute Creativity For Cash

Doing things on your own is another way to stay under budget. Homemade invitations or making your own favors or centerpieces can greatly reduce the wedding cost, freeing up funds for other areas of the wedding.

Do not fall into the trap of viewing your budget as restrictive. Instead of thinking about what you can’t afford, focus on how you can make your wedding and reception truly unique. You will be inspired to create a wonderful, memorable wedding regardless of your budget constraints.

Anticipate The Unforeseen

Realize that there are bound to be snags along the way. If you go over budget in 1 area, you will need to cut the budget in another area. As long as you stay aware of your spending and realize the ramifications of all your actions, you can roll with the punches and alter your plans to accommodate any needed changes.

Make It A Wonderful Memory

A wedding budget can cause emotional strain on a couple and their relationship. It is important for them to discuss their finances and establish a clear budget for their wedding plans. Doing this early in the wedding planning process can help the couple to avoid conflict during the planning phase of the wedding. It can also make the wedding more fun for everyone, and start out the marriage on a positive note.

After all, working together is what a marriage is all about.

About The Author

Ron King

Visit http://www.gr8wedding.com to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

by: Georgina Clatworthy

Your wedding breakfast is one of the most important parts of your day. However, deciding if a formal sit-down meal or a relaxed buffet is most appropriate can be a difficult choice. Here we look at the benefits of both options to help you decide which will work best for you.

Help yourselves… the benefits of having a buffet

What immediately comes to mind when thinking about a buffet is a scene of dozens of guests queuing around a room patiently waiting to reach the food. Bottlenecks of people all trying to get to the cocktail sausages & smoked salmon blitzes before they’re all gone & the vision of everyone perched on a chair trying to balance a plate on their knee & get to grips with a rather messy morsal of what was once a parmesan cracker stuffed with cream cheese! However, it doesn’t have to be this way. You can still combine the ease of a buffet with a sit-down, silver service affair, where guests can help themselves & then sit & eat in comfort at their tables.

Having a buffet will give the choice of a wide range of dishes meaning you can serve something which will appeal to all & guests can choose exactly what they want. If space & budget are an issue you can opt for a finger buffet or cocktail & canape party. This sounds rather glamorous but this type of buffet dispenses with the need for tables & chairs, meaning you can invite more guests. It is also less expensive than a formal sit-down meal.

Because at a buffet your guests help themselves you will require fewer waiting staff which will cut down on costs.

For a spring or summer wedding, a buffet is a great option, particularly if you combine it with a barbecue or a range of sliced cold cuts. You can create a fabulous visual impact with the lay out of your dishes meaning you can save money by not having lots of table decorations. You can also create cozy seating areas with large floor cushions or even sofas & coffee tables for your guests to relax on.

A buffet can also create a great atmosphere as it allows people to mingle with each other.

Places please… when to choose a formal sit down occasion

For a traditional wedding a seated dinner is a perfect option. A sit-down meal is good if your guests don’t all know each other & is a an opportunity for your to decide who sits where.

A formal silver service dinner allows you to control the menu & portion sizes & will help your budget.

You can avoid the queues associated with a buffet menu as your guests will be seated & relaxed before the food is served.

Your elderly guests will appreciate a sit-down meal where they can eat in comfort without having to juggle a plate & glass.

If you wanted to decorate your tables a formal meal will give you the opportunity to create beautiful centerpieces & cover your tables with lavish linens, creating an impressive reception room.

About The Author

Georgina Clatworthy is a dedicated full time writer who composes informative articles related to wedding favors and wedding. She is connected with http://www.1weddingsource.com, today’s leading wedding planning social networking planning site.

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1. Plan your wedding ceremony and reception in the morning, on a Friday or Sunday night and consider the winter months for all these times and dates will be less expensive.

2. Try to keep your guest list minimal.

3. Make your own veil. You’ll find that most craft stores sell how-to books and even supplies on designing your own veil, which can save you hundreds of dollars.

4. Shop online for your wedding dress. Go to a nearby bridal shop and try on dresses so you know they fit, and once you find some you like, search for them online, you’ll most likely find them, and for much less.

5. Supply your own alcohol for the wedding if you can, you’ll be sure to save.

6. Opt to not have a dinner reception. Choose to have a brunch, cocktail or dessert party instead.

7. Use silk flowers. Silk flowers are beautiful, look real, and are always less than real flowers. Better yet, you can even rent them.

8. When decorating, use more greenery and baby’s breath, with fewer flowers to cut costs but still make the setting look fulfilled.

9. Create your own invitations. You can easily create a design with use of a computer and software programs available for this task, as well as purchasing your own wedding desktop publishing paper.

10. Consider using local universities qualified but inexpensive musicians, photographers, and videographers. Professors can point you in the right direction to finding the best students in the program.

About The Author

Nathan Dawson writes for http://www.marriedfinances.com and http://www.successfulmarriageresource.com, great online sources for marriage and finance information.

Once you have got over all the excitement of your engagement, it is time to get to work & plan the wedding. Your first task should be to draw up your wedding budget, without one you will find it very difficult to accomplish anything. A carefully though out budget will help you determine how much you can afford to spend & how much you can allot to different aspects of your day. Here are some tips on drawing up a sensible budget you can afford.

Who’s Paying for the Wedding?

Traditionally the bride’s parents would pay for the whole wedding, however in modern time’s couple’s have either pay for their wedding themselves or split the cost between themselves & the parents. If you can pay for the whole wedding yourselves then you are in a great position, but if you need to ask your families to help out then you will need to approach it diligently & sit down with them to discuss it. Be prepared to be asked how much you think it will cost & how much you want (or expect) them to chip in. Don’t base your wedding budget on the average amount for a wedding (around $25,000) but on what you can afford.

There are several options:

Your parents decide on the amount they are prepared to contribute, you then set your budget & make up the difference yourselves.

Your parents pay for specific items such as the flowers or catering.

You will then have to decide how to pay for everything else.

You set your budget & split it evenly. This is a good compromise & good if you have a divided family. For instance, you, the mother of the bride, the father of the bride, & the groom’s parents will each contribute $5000, for a total of a $20,000 wedding budget.

How Much Do You Really Need?

This does depend on your budget, but a good starting point is to work on an amount per guest such as $100 per head. From this you can allow $50 per head for catering with the remainder going towards everything else. However, where this fails is if you are having only a small intimate affair with say 10 guests, here you may find $500 does not go very far! As a starting point this does however, work for a large wedding & can allow you to have a lavish do & a lot of guests. You can of course throw a wedding on a shoestring, but be prepared to compromise on a lot of the details.

Figuring Out a Basic Wedding Budget

Use the wedding budget planning worksheet to set out the basic figures. If you already some of your costs put them in & adjust your other figures till the budget works for you. If you know anyone who has recently got married ask them for the prices the paid to local vendors or ask if you can borrow their planning notes to help you. Remember to keep figures realistic or your whole budget could go through the roof.

Making Room for What Matters in Your Wedding Budget

Think about the most important aspects of your wedding day to you. Spend more on your ceremony & photographer than on flowers & favors. If you wedding is small then your catering bill won’t be so high as a big wedding, so you can allocate more money to other things.

Ways to Save on Your Wedding Budget

If, after you have drawn up your budget, you discover that the final figure is way above what you can afford then it is time to make some compromises. Go through the budget & take out anything that isn’t really necessary or that you are prepared to do without. Things like the number of bridesmaids – do you really need 12 attendants? Think about how much twelve dresses, 12 pairs of shoes, 12 set of accessories & 12 bouquets will cost. Keep attendants to a minimum, if they are really good friends they will understand. Look at having your ceremony & reception in one place, which will save on transport costs & you will get a better rate at the one venue than paying for two. If after doing that the numbers are still too high, then it is time to go back & look at what is really important to you on your wedding day. Maybe consider a small wedding now & renewing your vows in 5 or 10 years time, when you could afford a bigger party.

Once the figures add up, set your budget & stick to it. This is easier said than done, but it is vital to achieving the best wedding you can afford.

About The Author

Georgina Clatworthy is a dedicated full time writer who composes informative articles related to wedding favors and wedding. She is connected with 1weddingsource.com, today’s leading wedding planning social networking site. Visit the author’s web site at:
http://www.1weddingsource.com

Every bride and groom who have limited financial resources would need to cut corners while planning their wedding.

In fact, there are hundred and one things that you can either outsource to others or do it yourself.

Now then we know wedding planning can be outsource? Hmmmm…

Even though we wanted to fully plan our wedding by ourselves, the thing is as much as we want to, we have limited time and energy.

But again, I have seen many brides who did items by themselves.

Plus another big contributing factor to the big hole in your purse or pocket is the ability to be frugal, decisive and able to bargain.

Usually after the wedding, the couples would have used up all their savings or even in debt!!!

Many brides in fact take the 1st offer for wedding packages and bridal studio offers.

If they have read this book, they may do otherwise.

They did not know that if they bargain just enough, they can save another few hundred dollars to even a thousand dollar.

During my wedding planning, I did a lot of bargaining and I pushed my way through. I got another 5R wedding album for free. This album would have cost me another 200 dollars.

In addition, did I tell you I got 2 helpers room instead of one (worth $500) and free corkages for 40 bottles of wine (previously 15) and I saved another $300!!!

Wow, a saving of $1000!!!

While I was planning my wedding, I bought this wedding ebook on wedding planning.

At that time I was lost. Frantic for a solution, I bought this ebook and I’m glad I did.

Now I still do.

This book helps me save $500.

Initially, I went to bookstores to look for books on wedding planning at a budget. But it seemed to me that those books offer high-end services and products.

Perhaps, the importer thinks that all Singaporean are really rich.

So, spend your money wisely as wedding is just the first step to a life-time of marriage.
About The Author

Jhong Ren runs http://www.romance-fire.com My Wedding Blog – an online wedding diary that gives more than just the usual tips and advice on a daily basis. Check out http://www.romance-fire.com now and by all means leave us your comments, share some of your own wedding experiences

Finding an affordable wedding photography package isn’t easy. Every bride wants the best for her wedding, but the reality is that not every bride can afford the best. Many couples have limited budgets with which to work and all too often, they find themselves having to cut corners to avoid over-spending. The first aspect of a wedding that is slashed for costs is the professional wedding photographer.

The reason for this is that wedding photography prices are anything but standardized. Depending on the photographer you select, the format and style of photography and the length of the celebration, the base rate can fluctuate wildly. Added to this is the fact that there are almost limitless options in the wedding photography package. The more extras you add, the higher the price.

Many who are seeking budget wedding photography decide to spend their money on hiring a better photographer to do less work. Rather than selecting a lower priced photographer and ordering a huge photo package, they go with the photographer that they most trust and order a smaller package. Some couples even forgo the traditional wedding photography package altogether and simply buy the negatives or original digital images from the photographer. These couples then use their own technological savvy to create personalized albums and reprints that are meaningful to them.

Some professional wedding photographers maintain a traditionalist view. They feel that as the expert, the wedding photographer is the only one truly suited to put together the wedding album. This argument does have some merit. The photographer is the only one who knows what he or she was trying to convey in each shot. Additionally, the photographer works closely with trusted contacts at the developing lab and is able to judge when photos return with imperfections. He or she is familiar with color balance and stylistic concerns and is therefore quite adept at placing the photos within the album to create a pleasing whole.

On the other hand, scrap booking and other DIY projects have become extremely common option to a traditional wedding photography package. Today’s couples are generally quite adept at working with photos, doing retouches and fixing color problems on their home computers. For these couples, their wedding album is just another fun home project.

Many couples opt for the best of both worlds. These couples purchase a basic wedding photography package that includes a small album and a few reprints. They also purchase the original media and create a personalized album as well. They may do reprints and reorders themselves, or they may order these items from their photographer, depending on how much time and money they have. This way, the couple receives a classic wedding album to show their children and grandchildren, as well as the ability to personalize and scrapbook to their hearts’ content.

Whatever your feelings on wedding photography packages, you are certain to find a photographer who will meet your needs. The wedding photography market is changing rapidly and photographers are adapting to the times. Perhaps you want a traditional large wedding photography package that includes an album full of traditional posed photos. Maybe you want to purchase nothing but the photographer’s time and the raw media. Or perhaps you want something in between, a small photo package that also includes the original media. The choice is yours. It is your wedding and you deserve a photographer that will work with the choices that you make.

About The Author

Princesses are very popular among little girls these days. However, adult women are quickly joining in on the princess trend and enjoying the fun too! This trend seems to be seeping over into the wedding industry and has created a new niche for brides and princess coinsurers to explore.

If you are getting married at Disneyland, DisneyWorld, or at another princess destination, this article will give you some tips about how to have a fabulous princess wedding on a tight budget. Of course, if you have extra money to spend, you can make it more extravagant in several different ways.

First, you need to decide on a location to get married. Disneyland is a great place to have a wedding and/or a honeymoon. Sleeping Beauty’s castle is a stunning location for photographs and sets the mood entirely. Who doesn’t want to be swept away by prince charming and honeymoon to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland? However, if Disneyland is not in your budget, you could easily set up a castle or princess theme at your local church or recital hall.

Second, what should the bride wear? Traditionally, brides wear a white wedding gown. This trend is still very popular, but why not change it up a little and wear an adult princess dress instead of a wedding dress? Your guests will appreciate the fun and unique aspect of the wedding and it will be something new and exciting that you can do. There are many adult princess dresses out there including a great brand called Little Adventures. They have beautiful adult princess dresses that are actually machine washable so you can keep them for years to come. They are reasonably priced around $60, but you must have a fullness slip underneath your princess dress to complete the princess look. The slips run around $40. Many online retailers sell Little Adventures adult princess dresses and offer free shipping. So, for around $100, you can be Cinderella, Snow White, or beautiful Belle.

What should your wedding party wear? You could get a prince costume for your husband to be. Your bridesmaids could each wear a different adult princess dress. For example, if you wear Cinderella, they could each wear Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Belle or Rapunzel. The flower girls could wear a princess bride dress or any other princess costume for little girls like mermaid, pink princess, or a beautiful Medieval princess dress.

There are many activities you could provide at a princess wedding like a Royal ball where you invite guests to come dressed up in their favorite prince or princess costumes. You may want to have a special castle wedding cake made and medieval type snacks or finger foods to serve. You could have Cinderella’s carriage to take you to and from the reception.

Whatever you decide, your princess wedding will be unique and fun for you and for your special guests!

About The Author

The question most brides-to-be or couples getting married have is “How do I make wedding favors for cheap?” Before I begin to answer this question, I want to establish one thing. When using the word cheap, it doesn’t mean that you’re not giving it all you have. You’ve already spent a lot of money to make this day perfect. Therefore, here are some cheap or inexpensive ways to make wedding favors. Save yourself a little money, you could even use it on the honeymoon!!

Here are some really cool ideas to save money and get two things done at once:

• Flower Arrangements

Make a small flower arrangement for each table setting. This can serve as both a favor for your guest and decorations for the table. You can normally find little glass containers at Wal-Mart or the Dollar Store for pretty cheap. Add some of your favorite flower(s) or a flower of your favorite color. You can even make it seasonal depending on when your wedding is. Have fun! Be creative!

• Candles

I know, everybody suggests candles for wedding favors. But find your favorite shape or scent and give each of your guests a small candle. This will make it personal for your guest. It will tell your guest you wanted them there and make them feel special. Use tulle and/or ribbon to make it more festive!

• Small Frames – One of my favorites!

You can find small frames and make them place card holders. Each of your guest will have a frame to take home with them. If you don’t want to assign seating, put a special message or quote in each frame. Your guest will have a special way of remembering you!

• Wine Glass Markers

Make wine glass markers with some wire and beads. Then find a small box and wrap ribbon around it. You need one for each guest. It will also be helpful to keep each other’s wine glasses separate!

• Personalized CD of you and your fiancée’s favorite songs!

You can buy CD’s at Office Depot, Staples, Wal-Mart, etc… for cheap. Then decide on 10 or so songs to put on there. Burn them to the CD; attach a label or write on each one. You can buy “print-on” labels wherever you buy the CD’s. Then give each guest one! It’s a cool personal gift.

You can pull off your big day and save some money. Don’t make it look cheap either. Make and create your wedding favors for cheap!! You can do it!! Remember to have fun and be creative!!!

About The Author