Beautiful Flowers On A Budget
Flowers can make the wedding sparkle, but can also cost a fair bit of money! The best way to save money on your wedding flowers is to buy them in bulk and arrange them yourself. If the idea of entrusting your floral design to your own inexperienced hands scares you, here are a few suggests that mayhelp you save money without the worry!
1. Silk Flowers - silk flowers can make beautiful wedding bouquets, and may also be cheaper then real flowers, especially if you want flowers that are out of season. But the biggest bonus is that you can arrange and rearrange them in advance, and you have enough time to work at it until it is perfect!
2. Find a unprofessional professional! Do you or your fiance have a friend or family member with floral experience? Ask around! You may find that someone you know, knows someone who is a retired florist! Or check out the local Seniors center, they may have suggestions as well! A retired florist will often offer their services at a much lower cost, and if they are friends or family, they may be willing to do it for free!
3. Take a class! Many local colleges and art centers offer flower arranging evening classes to help you learn the basics of arranging flowers for yourself! Local craft stores will often offer similar classes as well!!
4. Search online - many craft stores have websites with craft projects and ideas, including wedding arrangements! Check out Michaels for example! They carry a selction of 20+ bouquets with complete assembly instructions online!
If none of those ideas are particularly calming, and you would prefer to have a professional florist do your flowers, there are still ways that you can save money! Here are a few steps you can take to ensure you get the best flowers for your money.
1. Pick flowers that are in season, they are automatically cheaper then out of season flowers. For example, tulips for a spring wedding would be much less expensive then tulips in December. If you are unsure what flowers are inseason, ask your florist for advice.
2. Pick a bouquet that uses more affordable flowers (carnations, for example) accented with a few exotic flowers for a beautiful finish! When looking through my mother's wedding photos, I found a stunning photo of her bouquet, which was a cascading bouquet of white carnations with one goregous stargazer lily in front! It was goregous, and much more affordable then it woudl have been if she had used roses!
3. Shop around, get quotes from all the shops in your area, and make sure they know you are going to be getting quotes from other shops as well. Often, they will quote you a lower price if they know you are going to be looking around!
4. Look into the cost of silk flowers - especially if you want flowers that are out of seaon. Many retailers, both online and locally, carry exquisite silk flower designs that are fabulous in appearance and in price! Ask around and find out if there is a local craftsperson who does arrangements from their home.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
How to Create a Winter Wedding
How to Create a Romantic Winter Wedding
A wedding of your dreams does not have to be in the popular wedding months. A winter wedding can be quite spectacular and there are significant financial advantages.
While the summer months remain the most popular time of the year to say "I Do", many couples are choosing to have a winter date for the "big event." According to the Society of American Florists, 13 percent of weddings take place in the winter, with 11 percent of those being Christmas weddings. Summer weddings account for 35 percent, spring weddings 29 percent, and autumn weddings 23 percent.
Décor that appeals to the senses is important when trying to pulling off a romantic winter wedding. "Choose colors of rich jewel tones such as purple, forest green, and navy. Sapphire blue, ice blue or powder blue, silver and white can be used if you want to steer clear of the traditional Christmas colors", suggests Lynette Gamble, senior coordinator of Affairs of Grandeur. The glow of candlelight will add warmth and ambiance to your ceremony and reception site.
Iridescent or frosted glass balls and pine cones can adorn your guests' tables. Snowflake ornaments and glittery ribbons may be placed on the food tables or hung from the ceiling. For a simple touch, only decorate with red and white Poinsettias. Since many locations will already be lavishly decorated, your décor budget will be minimal.
To keep floral costs to a minimum, use flowers that are already available during the winter months. Some flower choices are: poinsettias, roses, amaryllis, and lilies. Evergreens are popular choices for decorations while holly branches and other plants with red berries are ideal for use in floral arrangements.
A cozy cottage or bed and breakfast is an ideal location for your wintry wedding theme. Your guests may warm themselves in front of the fireplace while sipping hot chocolate or wassail during the cocktail hour. A view overlooking a partially frozen pond will add to the ambiance. Imagine your guests delight as they get a glimpse of a deer drinking from the pond just outside the reception room window or a family of rabbits scurrying over the freshly fallen snow.
To add a little creativity to your dinner menu, ask your bridal party to submit traditional family recipes for your caterer to make for the reception. If you don't want to serve the traditional Christmas fare, ask your caterer for alternatives and create a unique meal for your guests. As for favors, Gamble recommends candles of course. "Cinnamon Apple, Pumpkin Pie, and Vanilla are all pleasant scents that remind you of being a kid in your grandmothers' kitchen and they're nice this time of year", says Gamble. "Spiced teas, coffee mugs, snow globes and Christmas ornaments imprinted with the couples name and wedding date will also make great favors."
Want a memorable getaway? Give out mini bells and have them rung as the two of you make your way to a horse-drawn sleigh. Decorate the coach and harness with Christmas foliage and chiming bells and ride off into the evening.
A wedding of your dreams does not have to be in the popular wedding months. A winter wedding can be quite spectacular and there are significant financial advantages.
While the summer months remain the most popular time of the year to say "I Do", many couples are choosing to have a winter date for the "big event." According to the Society of American Florists, 13 percent of weddings take place in the winter, with 11 percent of those being Christmas weddings. Summer weddings account for 35 percent, spring weddings 29 percent, and autumn weddings 23 percent.
Décor that appeals to the senses is important when trying to pulling off a romantic winter wedding. "Choose colors of rich jewel tones such as purple, forest green, and navy. Sapphire blue, ice blue or powder blue, silver and white can be used if you want to steer clear of the traditional Christmas colors", suggests Lynette Gamble, senior coordinator of Affairs of Grandeur. The glow of candlelight will add warmth and ambiance to your ceremony and reception site.
Iridescent or frosted glass balls and pine cones can adorn your guests' tables. Snowflake ornaments and glittery ribbons may be placed on the food tables or hung from the ceiling. For a simple touch, only decorate with red and white Poinsettias. Since many locations will already be lavishly decorated, your décor budget will be minimal.
To keep floral costs to a minimum, use flowers that are already available during the winter months. Some flower choices are: poinsettias, roses, amaryllis, and lilies. Evergreens are popular choices for decorations while holly branches and other plants with red berries are ideal for use in floral arrangements.
A cozy cottage or bed and breakfast is an ideal location for your wintry wedding theme. Your guests may warm themselves in front of the fireplace while sipping hot chocolate or wassail during the cocktail hour. A view overlooking a partially frozen pond will add to the ambiance. Imagine your guests delight as they get a glimpse of a deer drinking from the pond just outside the reception room window or a family of rabbits scurrying over the freshly fallen snow.
To add a little creativity to your dinner menu, ask your bridal party to submit traditional family recipes for your caterer to make for the reception. If you don't want to serve the traditional Christmas fare, ask your caterer for alternatives and create a unique meal for your guests. As for favors, Gamble recommends candles of course. "Cinnamon Apple, Pumpkin Pie, and Vanilla are all pleasant scents that remind you of being a kid in your grandmothers' kitchen and they're nice this time of year", says Gamble. "Spiced teas, coffee mugs, snow globes and Christmas ornaments imprinted with the couples name and wedding date will also make great favors."
Want a memorable getaway? Give out mini bells and have them rung as the two of you make your way to a horse-drawn sleigh. Decorate the coach and harness with Christmas foliage and chiming bells and ride off into the evening.
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