Wedding Guide » Wedding Budget

Wedding Budget:Budgeting Beautifully

editor — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:29:32 +0000

Budgeting Beautifully
You’ve met the guy, he’s popped the question, you’ve set a date. You’ve also set a budget. And now you’re biting your nails, wondering how you’ll ever meet it. Relax. We’ve got some great tips on how to save a little cash and get ready for your big bash!
Did you know that those eleven ounce bottles of Evian you drink everyday can really add up? Well, they can. To a total of $50 each month. For that kind of cash, you could buy a tiara made of freshwater pearls. As a less expensive alternative to purified water, try a Brita filter. It attaches directly to the tap on your kitchen sink and filters your water for a crystal clear finish. A one-time purchase of only $30.
Consider the grande mocha cappuccino that you order each morning. That quick pick-me-up can add up to $120 each month! In a year’s time, that money could be spent on a gorgeous satin wedding gown. Sample General Foods International Coffee instead. Sold at your local grocer’s, these great tasting coffees come in lots of yummy flavors like cinnamon chai, dark raspberry, and lite mocha. One canister of these nine ounce coffees costs about $4 (and you can make it with your pure Brita water).
You and your fiancé enjoy going out to the movies every now and then. Especially now, as it helps distract you from all your wedding planning woes. But the cost of tickets, popcorn, and soda can add up to $70 in just two trips! You could buy a beautiful bridal bouquet at that price. A cheaper choice is a Netflix membership. This online video club lets you rent an unlimited amount of movies for just $16.99 per month. It’s still a great stress reliever and you don’t have to worry about the obnoxious guy behind you on his cell phone!
There are also your monthly copies of Cosmo, Vogue, and (shh) Teen Beat. These can add up to $140 over the course of a year! That’s equal to the cost of a designer tuxedo rental. Instead, turn to the internet for the latest and greatest celebrity gossip. With sites like eonline.com, tmz.com, and perezhilton.com, you’ll have the juiciest news and hottest trends right at your fingertips. And it’s absolutely free!
Now you have a better prospective on how to spend. So take a deep breath, smile, and stop biting your nails. Because multiple pre-wedding manicures can add up too!
These are just a few ideas of how you can save. however if you want to really get productive and save you must get organized with a list and a guide from some one who has done there homework. One of the things about budgeting for a wedding is the that you don’t have to re-invent the wheel many have gotten married before you and have written successful guides One of those guides can be found By following the link in the author box and let me tell you this the guide found there is a must read for anyone even thinking about getting married! The tips we have mentioned here are ok but the tips in this guide will save you big time.

Share and Enjoy:

Wedding Photography Prices Guide â How to Set Your Photography Budget

editor — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:37:15 +0000

How much does professional photography cost for your wedding? Learn how to set a realistic photography budget with this guide to wedding photography prices and rates.The Going Rate for Professional Photography When determining your wedding photography budget, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. You should expect to spend at least $1000 on having a professional wedding photographer document your wedding (not including the actual prints and other extras). Rates, of course, will vary depending on skill level, experience and geographic region (metro areas are usually considerably higher). The size of your wedding can also affect the photography cost, as additional guests may increase the amount of time that the photographer must spend at your event. For instance, for an event of less than 100 guests, a wedding photographer will typically dedicate four-six hours of time. For a larger wedding of 300 or more guests, a photographer may have to spend eight-ten hours on the job.Comparing Photographer Rates Most wedding photographers will give general pricing information over the phone or on their websites, so you can use an initial online search or phone call as your first step towards finding a photographer that suits your budget. In comparing photography costs, remember that different photographers offer different packages – so initial rates can be misleading. Some rates only include the photographer’s time, while prints and albums are extra. Other photography packages may include proofs, a set number of prints and an album. Determine what services and options you want first, then compare photographers’ rates for providing those specific options to determine which professional works within your wedding photography budget. This article offers even more tips on comparing professional photography services.Creative Ways to Save on Wedding Photography Prices If you simply must have a certain photographer who commands higher rates, consider these ways to save on your photography budget:

Get even more ways to save on wedding photography prices.Photography Contract Points When reviewing your contract with a potential photographer, make sure that it is specifically clear in what it covers. Consider these questions:

Now that you’re an expert on photography costs and budgeting skills, this complete guide to wedding photography will take you the rest of the way towards hiring and working with a photographer and planning your wedding day shots.

Share and Enjoy:

A Beginners Guide to Planning a Wedding

editor — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:55:17 +0000

You’ve now taken the plunge and said you to his marriage proposal. You’re excited but have some trepidation about the next step. Embarking on wedding preparations can be a daunting experience. But don’t worry there is help at hand. This beginner’s guide to wedding planning will give you a good starting point for planning the biggest celebration of your life. The First step is to consider the date. Do you want an autumn wedding or do you prefer the symbolism of a springtime celebration. Whichever you choose you need to allow yourself enough time to book your venues as most a booked months in advance. The budget is the next step in planning your wedding. How much you are willing to spend will determine the type of wedding you’ll have. Big or small. Extravagant or simple. A fully catered event or a cocktail party. To put a budget together you should estimate the cost of everything and then try to keep to your budget. Make sure you expectations and budget are realistic.Research suppliers and vendors you think you might use for your wedding. Below is a suggested checklist with timelines. 12 TO 24 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING o Announce your engagement to family, and then friendso Decide upon a budget and list who will pay for whato Determine wedding style and degree of formality of your weddingo Meet with clergy. Arrange for pre-marital counselling or classes suggested by clergyo Select ceremony site (have alternative plan if wedding is held outside)o Select reception site (have alternative plan if wedding is held outside)o Set date and time of wedding and reception · Note: You must coordinate your ceremony site, reception site, date and time of wedding, budget and size of the wedding before any other definite plans can be made o Both families begin to compile guest lists. (Set a definite date for final lists.)o Develop a record-keeping system for all wedding details, contracts, etc.o Develop a record-keeping system for guests, invitations, gifts, and thank-you notes 6 TO 9 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDINGo Select colour scheme and wedding themeo Select photographer/ videographero Select music for ceremonyo Select reception entertainmento Select floristo Select limousine service or other transportationo Select caterer (if not provided by reception site)o Select and order wedding cakeo Choose your attendants including bridesmaids and groomsmen.o Shop for your gown, veil, headpiece, jewellery and accessories Note: You should order your gown at least 7 months before your wedding date.o Select bridesmaid’s gowns Note: These gowns should also be ordered at approximately same time as your gown. Obtain a swatch of fabric to coordinate all other wedding colours.o Select shoes for you and bridesmaids. o Select formalwearo Finalize honeymoon planso Apply for passport and arrange for inoculations (if necessary)o Select beauty consultanto Make arrangements for rehearsal dinner. o Reserve wedding night hotel suite 4 TO 6 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDINGo Finalize guest list, eliminate duplicateso Enter guests’ names, addresses, and phone numbers into appropriate record book.o Delegate duties to the bridal party i.e planning bachelor/bucks party and brides party/hens nighto Select wedding ringso Select bonbonniere. (If they are to be made, begin preparations.)o Make appointments for hairdresser, nail salon, makeup, tanning salono Try new hairstyle now, rather than just before wedding.o Order invitations, wedding stationery, personal stationery with your married name, etc.o Reconfirm plans with ceremony and reception sites, clergy person, caterer, florist, photographer, videographer, ceremony and reception musicians, baker, and travel agent for honeymoon plans.o Check on status of attendants’ gowns.o Write and review wedding vows, if appropriate.o Ask special people to do reading at the ceremony.o Design wedding program handout for ceremony and arrange to have wedding program printed.o Make sure all deposits are paid, and contracts signed. 2 TO 4 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDINGo Address wedding invitations. (Invitations should be mailed six weeks before wedding date.)o Select gifts for attendantso Compile bridal shower guest lists.o Purchase garter, cake top, knife, toasting glasseso Set up a Bridal Registry 1 TO 2 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDINGo Have fittings for gown and attendants’ gownso Obtain marriage license. (30 days before wedding date)o Purchase wedding gift for fiancé.o Prepare seating list for reception and make place cards, if appropriate.o Confirm ceremony details with officiate.o Finalize wedding music o Finalize music list for reception. Request special dances, songs, etc.o Make an itinerary for your wedding day. Give to all wedding party members, parents, and wedding consultant.o Make sure all transportation arrangements for wedding party have been finalized.o Confirm that all men have been fitted for formalwear. 2 WEEKS BEFORE WEDDING o Call guests who have not responded to invitationso Confirm time and date of wedding rehearsal with all wedding party members.o Obtain travel tickets, itineraries 1 WEEK BEFORE WEDDINGo Try on wedding gown to check fit and make sure it is pressed.o Reconfirm all wedding plans: ceremony and reception site, florist, photographer, videographer, musicians, baker, and honeymoon plans.o Give caterer/reception site final head count.o Make final payment for any services that require prepayment.o Verify that all attendants have wedding apparel. 1 DAY BEFORE WEDDING o Set aside everything you will need at ceremony site: gown, headpiece, veil, accessories, shoes, stockings, slip, purse, brush and hairspray.o Attend rehearsal o Get a good night’s sleep! WEDDING DAY o Forget any details that run amok.o Eat a good breakfast.o Take a relaxing bath.o See hairdresser for wedding hairstyle.o Have makeup applied.o Don’t forget rings and wedding license.o Thank everyone for their help. Enjoy the day!For more information visit http://www.nusuevents.com.au

Share and Enjoy:

Wedding Planning Guide Ideas

editor — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:09:13 +0000

If there were an ideal wedding planning guide, someone would already determine its price and many people would already buy the perfect wedding planning recipe. When you want something to go smoothly and without much stress and unexpected moments, you must have a good plan and prepare it in advance. With a good wedding planning guide and appropriate budget, your wedding can be the one from breathtaking romantic movies or can even convey the message of unforgettable scenes and moments that will everybody remind of and enjoy. Wedding planning is worth spending every second and coin. You organize this lovely event because of you and your love. You can hire the most successful team to organize everything for you and you can always do that yourself- whatever way you choose, plan every single detail. Still don’t know how to start? Here are some useful ideas.First, be aware of your budget! Wedding day is one of important days in your life, but not the only and the most important one. Life goes on after the wedding day too, so do not let it be a fairy tale, which will turn into a nightmare on the very first morning. Wedding budget should also be part of your wedding planning guide. Pin down everything you want and everything you need and see if there are any matches between your wishes and their prices. If the wedding list is too long, make a selection of its components. Cross out everything, you really do not need or try not to choose the most luxury and expensive models and brands, as your wedding is not an advertisement. On the contrary, it should reflect your own ideas, images and of course love.Second, your wedding planning guide should consist of the precisely specified number of people you are going to invite, which directly depends on the type of wedding you want- an intimate and small one or a pig party where you expect to see journalists and paparazzi. Once you determined this, make a list of your wedding guests. It should be your list, not your parents’ list or your parents-in-law. Their friends and relatives are of course welcome but you must have some priorities in order to avoid the terrible mix of people who cannot stand each other, not talking about any unwilling events.Third, the wedding venue and wedding music can contribute to the wonderful picture you plan to have all your life. They can be as different as you can or cannot imagine- on the top of the skyscraper in the moonlight or by the sea in the splashing, fresh sea and sand atmosphere, on a desert island or most attractive tourist destination or traditionally in a good restaurant or hotel. Whatever your choice is, everything you want should be part of your wedding planning guide and do not forget to search for and book everything in advance. The wedding place and wedding music are place and melody of your love, so try to make them romantic, joyful and bright!

Share and Enjoy:

Wedding Planning Guide

editor — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:59:00 +0000

While you are roaming through most wonderful memories and preparing for your wedding, spend some time on good wedding organization. What you need is a good wedding planning guide that can lead you to fantastic ideas and help you make your wedding unique and extraordinary. You want a perfect wedding, you want an exceptional wedding reception, you need best quality-wedding accessories, and you want the music that will move everyone deeply? You want and need many other important details, so try to write down everything, in order to see how close your dreams are to your reality. It is logical that you expect only best but no one will be responsible if anything goes wrong but you. You must take care of every step you make in order to provide a pleasant wedding atmosphere. Having a wedding planning guide, which consists of all these facts and details, is a crucial factor to unforgettable wedding.There is not a perfect recipe for the perfect wedding and the same is with the wedding planning guide. What your wedding planning guide should definitely consist of is few basic components. These components are the wedding budget, the list of things you must have on your wedding, the number of wedding invitations that you are going to send or in other words the number of people you are going to invite. The concept of the place where this special event will happen as well as the music that you and your guests are going to enjoy is also very significant and you have to book everything in advance in order to avoid unplanned events. Just like Lewis’s Carol Alice in Wonderland, you have numerous paths you can take and they can lead you to numberless places. Everything is up to you so wherever you go and whatever you do, keep in mind that it is your love and your wedding and in order to make it breathtaking, listen to your heart as well as to your wedding planning guide.When you make your wedding planning guide do not hide from financial constructions. You know that you can hide for a day or two, but you cannot run forever. Being aware of the money available, you will manage to find appropriate wedding accessories without falling into valleys of depths. Your wedding planning guide must have a list of priorities and do not let down if you cannon have everything you want. The wedding story is very nice and simple so do not make it too complicated. The only thing that you cannot apply to your wedding planning budget is true love; you must have it before you start wedding preparations. Once you have the person you love by your side, you just need some more things. Wedding planning guide and the money you have will help you choose best wedding rings and a beautiful wedding gown, find the wedding place of your dreams and the music of your heart. Invite the people that you both love and admire. Your wedding planning guide is a specified list of your necessities and your abilities with sweet smell of love.

Share and Enjoy:

Cheap Wedding Ideas – Can you still have the wedding of your dreams and save money?

editor — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:55:56 +0000

Looking for cheap wedding ideas doesn’t mean sacrificing on the quality of your wedding. In fact it can definitely help you to have the wedding of your dreams by enabling you to know where to spend money as necessary, especially where skimping on costs could jeopardise your day, e.g. using a friend to take the photo’s, risking poor quality pictures (arms and heads cut off!) instead of investing in a professional photographer. Afterall these photos will be the lasting memory of your big day.

Having been a bride myself, I do totally understand that it’s your big day and you want it to be the most fabulous occasion possible, perfect in every way. However to avoid overspending on your wedding see below the following important first step and two great examples of cheap wedding ideas:

Plan a Budget Wedding

Set that all important wedding budget. Without some sort of overall idea of spend, things can quickly get out of hand with spiralling costs. By doing this there is less likelihood of still paying for the wedding after the grandchildren have arrived!

1. Create your own Wedding Invites

If you have a creative streak and are handy with the computer you can design your own wedding invitations, save to a computer file and take to an office supply shop for printing on the paper of your choice. It allows you to personalise them. Your guests will love their uniqueness and you’ll save money as well with this idea which is one of many cheap wedding tips.

2. Negotiate

Don’t just accept the first price given to you for services, shop around and see where you can strike a deal with the service provider. Nowadays businesses are competing for customers so bargains can be had if you simply “ask”.

Careful planning and being creative with cheap wedding ideas can be the perfect solution to help you into married life.

Do remember, it’s not about how much you spend on your wedding but the commitment you and your fiance have made to each other, don’t lose sight of that as you’re knee deep in wedding planning.

Share and Enjoy:

Have a Stess Free Wedding

editor — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:24:06 +0000

Your wedding a huge life event and as a bride you will be the centre of attention. Your wedding day should be a happy and seamless event, but it could easily turn traumatic If you don’t take heed of the following wedding advice.Read up on planning a wedding
If you can’t or don’t want to hire someone to plan your wedding for you, then buy a few good “how-to” wedding books or pick up a free wedding guide from your local bridal shop or wedding fayre. Panicking over the details of your wedding is not needed, all you need to do is have all of the necessary wedding information together. Define your budget and spilt in down into the main items, and ensure you stick to your wedding budget.Organise your wedding by organising yourself
Purchase a sturdy a A4 ring binder, dividers, and a sealable pouch. This ring binder be your wedding bible for the duration of your planning. Write on your dividers all the things you need to do for your wedding. Ensure everything to do with the wedding is filed in this ringbinder so all wedding related information is kept together. The sealable pouch can hold the cards from wedding businesses and any receipts for the deposits you have already paid for.
Stop putting the wedding planning off
Procrastinating brides result in frazzled brides. Work out when you need to achieve everything by and set time limits for completing each item. Try to compete all the goals on your wedding list about a week before your wedding. This way you’ll be able to relax on the run up to your wedding and will have time to pamper yourself.List all the things you need to do on your wedding day
When your prepared for one of the most special days of your life , the event will seem seamless and perfect. Your bestman and chief bridesmaid have traditional roles on your wedding day so give them a list of things to do. If you ask your chief bridesmaid or best man to collect gifts, etc then should should have a few less things to worry about on your wedding day. Some fixable things may go wrong on your wedding day, prepare by thinking of what could go wrong and how to fix them. Put all these things in to your wedding emergency kit. For example What if your bridal hair begins to get a bit wild? Have hairpins and hair spray in your wedding emergency kit! If things do go wrong on your wedding day, you’ll be able to fix them easily.
Wedding Reality Check
If something does go wrong it will be ok, it will only be a tiny imperfection on a wonderful wedding day.

Share and Enjoy:

New Ring for New Years – Kick Start Your 2009 Wedding Plans

editor — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:37:27 +0000

So he popped the question…now what?

If you’re among the nearly one million brides-to-be who received an engagement ring over the holidays, it’s time to ring in the new year by scratching the first few items off your wedding day “to do” countdown. Kick start your 2009 wedding plans now!

Here are the first three items that you must cross off your wedding planning checklist before you can accomplish anything else.

Step 1: Determine Your Budget

Your budget will determine the type of wedding you can have – from how many guests you invite, to where and when you host your wedding, right down to the specific blooms in your bouquet, so you need to start here. Sit down with everyone who is going to contribute to the wedding-day piggy bank and discuss how to logically divide the tab and arrive at a total number.

Step 2: Find a Site and Set Your Date

Remember – many reception sites book over a year in advance, so you really can’t decide on a wedding date until you have officially booked your venue with a signed contract. Find as many reception sites that meet your budget, capacity and overall style quotient as you can. Use our wedding reception site search to find venues in your area, and narrow down your list. Then schedule appointments to tour each wedding venue and meet with the manager.

Step 3: Start the Guest List

You don’t need to have the list finalized just yet, but you’ll need an estimate from both sides of the family (and yourselves) right away to avert countless planning headaches down the road. Once you’ve talked with all financially contributing parties to determine your total wedding budget, you can estimate how many people you can afford to invite to the affair.

Now that you’ve tackled the first three steps, this complete weddings guide will walk you every step of the planning process, from setting the theme and style, to booking your vendors, to managing every detail.

Share and Enjoy:

Planning a Low Budget Wedding

editor — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:43:29 +0000

If you planning to have your wedding, don’t get surprised if you will be having a long list of wedding expenses in a piece of sheet, hence they are essential to make your wedding as perfect as possible. Weddings these days have become costly. However, if you are smart enough to plan your wedding properly, you can definitely save a lot and you may wonder how you have done your wedding at a fraction of cost it should be.
Planning a wedding carefully and wisely can even reduce the expenses drastically. You may even get amazed that you have saved extra amount by not spending too much of this and that. So make sure you have set you wedding budget and listed down all the essential things to be present at your wedding day.
You may then revise or narrow down your list and have the most important thing set separately from those that are to be omitted. You may check several websites that give out free wedding planners that you can use as your wedding guide. Or you can download them and take a print out of those planners and use it for your wedding planning.
Actually, a wedding doesn’t have to be very expensive to enjoy. Many wedding couples nowadays can make their own way on how to stick within their budget preference. Not only this, it is no joke that there are many items of wedding that you can reduce the cost. For instance, instead of having a big wedding cake, why not order a quite smaller one and have a sheet cake to be cut and served. The cake can serve as the dessert instead of preparing sweets that are often come in quite expensive cost.
Even on your wedding dresses, you can definitely save some money on that. If you have the skill to make your own wedding gown, then go for it. Or perhaps, if aunt or grandma knows how, let them do it as a gift for you. You may also check out discount bridal shops and see if they have a good one in store for you. Or, why not rent or borrow one? These are few inexpensive options that you may consider if you want a wedding on a budget.
Instead of hiring a professional photographer or videographer, a friend or loved one who is very much interested with this craft can help you save money for such keepsakes. You may ask his or her service during photography sessions on and before your wedding. For sure he or she would be happy to do it if you.
Having a reception on Friday night instead of Saturday would cut down a lot of money spent. For the dinner you should choose a buffet system or a pot lock reception, instead of a sit-down dinner. A buffet would actually cut down cost of the dinner. And instead of renting a limousine, alternatively you may choose a Cadillac or other luxury vehicle and cut down quite a sum. You may also consider making your ow wedding invitations which is a very good money-saving option too. And when it comes to wedding gifts, since not only you as the wedding couple deserves gifts but also your attendants and guest, gifts for them shouldn’t cause you a headache. Instead of spending too much for gifts, why not give inexpensive bridesmaids gifts ideas and groomsmen gifts ideas. Save money also by giving out cheap wedding favors. These affordable wedding ideas can drastically cut down your wedding expenses, thus avoiding you from paying a nightmare of depths after your wedding has ended.

Share and Enjoy:

Michigan Wedding Bridal Magazines

editor — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:56:19 +0000

There are many bridal magazines in Michigan. The articles and vendors provided in these resources can prove to be invaluable to brides when searching for Michigan wedding vendors. Besides being a great source of references for Michigan wedding professionals, Michigan wedding magazines give brides insight into wedding highlights. These articles also give great ideas for wedding planning and event organization.Michigan Bridal Magazines One popular resource for the best in wedding reception and ceremony tips is the Perfect Wedding Guide of Detroit Michigan. The Perfect Wedding Guide gives brides great wedding tips for current trends with wedding fashion and planning advice. They standout when you mention Michigan bridal magazines. The reason for this is that whether your question is about a sample wedding budget or your honeymoon plans, all your answer may lie in the Perfect Wedding Guide.Michigan Wedding Magazines Another great place that a bride will go to for some local scoop on Michigan wedding vendors is the Premier Bride of Detroit Michigan. They say that your dream wedding starts here. Just as the Perfect Wedding Guide, the Premier Bride offers contest where those that register can win prizes. For those that do not know, when you register for a contest you may be added to a list. These lead lists are provided to those that advertise with the Michigan Wedding Magazines (Michigan DJ, Florists, Officiants, Videographers, Planners, Caterers… etc.) If you do not want to be added to any list and receive TONS of e-mails, then simply do not register. Once again, the Premier Bride is a great starting point for gaining some common ground and both what you and your fiance want.Magazines in Michigan for Brides I just list two of the most common magazines in Michigan for brides above. Both the Premier Bride and Perfect Wedding Guide will help relieve some of the common stresses that coincide with wedding reception and ceremony planning. My best recommendation is to use more than one resource when sorting through the information to help determine your decision. Sometimes articles and references can be biased, so take any words of wisdom with a grain of salt. Remember, this is your one wedding and the most important thing to remember, its the brides way or the highway!

Share and Enjoy:

Wedding Guide » Wedding Budget

Wedding Budget:Budgeting Beautifully

Wedding Photography Prices Guide â How to Set Your Photography Budget

A Beginners Guide to Planning a Wedding

Wedding Planning Guide Ideas

Wedding Planning Guide

Cheap Wedding Ideas – Can you still have the wedding of your dreams and save money?

Have a Stess Free Wedding

New Ring for New Years – Kick Start Your 2009 Wedding Plans

Planning a Low Budget Wedding

Michigan Wedding Bridal Magazines

Wedding Photography Prices Guide â How to Set Your Photography Budget