Posts Tagged → wedding reception
Looking for DIY Projects for Wedding Receptions?
The economy is pretty tight. That means that people are trying to spend less money. And that also means that people are attempting to find DIY ideas for wedding receptions that will decrease costs. But doing it yourself is NOT worth the trouble unless the results are going to be utterly fabulous.
Here are a few DIY project ideas for wedding receptions:
1. Tackle the centerpieces. They can be a big expense, but they can also be completed quite simply with an elegant result. And there are many DIY ideas that can be taken on by even the most novice of crafters/DIYers.
Start with a simple bowl and a Styrofoam ball. Place the ball in the bowl. Now place nice, silk flowers evenly and throughout the Styrofoam ball. Throw in some longer greenery randomly to give the arrangement a whimsical look. Another option is to gather glass vases of varying sizes and fill them with different types of candy that comes in the colors used at the wedding receptions. Another option is unique to each reception. You could put together a centerpiece that is directly related to the bride and/or groom. One such arrangement we’ve seen consisted of antique vases (a variety, of course) filled with fresh flowers.
2. Wedding receptions can have great favors. Favors have been a long time tradition at wedding receptions. Some easy DIY suggestions for favors include: CDs, matchboxes, and seed packets.
Matchboxes can be personalized to reflect the particulars of the wedding at hand. They can have the date, venue, names, etc. actually printed right on the item. This makes a great favor. CDs can be compiled very economically and handed out with copies of the music played at the reception, etc. Seed packets are traditional, yet affordable.
3. The Guest Book has been eschewed by many. It is sometimes seen as optional. But it is a traditional part of wedding receptions. It’s also usually pretty expensive.
A clever option when it comes to guest book DIY is the matted photo. The matte of the enlarged photo serves as the “guest book” as guests enter and exit they can sign on the matte. The best display option is a large easel. And in most cases the best option for the photo is to enlarge the engagement photo. After the wedding this photo with matte can be framed and used as the couple’s very first family photograph.
Doing it yourself can be a big mistake when it comes to wedding receptions. It can also be a fabulous answer to the issue of getting what you want for the least expense possible. To ensure that DIY works for you and the wedding receptions that mean the most to you just make sure that you aren’t doing it to save money alone. Only take on DIY projects for wedding receptions if they are exactly what you want; saving money alone isn’t enough of a reason for DIY!
Contributed by Rachel Hansen. To find more tips on wedding venues, events and wedding planning visit Villa Sienna.
Choosing the Location for Your Wedding Reception
The most expensive and often the most fun part of a wedding comes after the vows have been exchanged. Between emotional toasts from family members to dancing and great food – the wedding reception holds some of the dearest memories after your big day is over. It is important that you feel comfortable in the venue you choose for your celebration and that it is able to accommodate you and your guests adequately. Before you can reserve your dream banquet hall, bed and breakfast, garden or church, you must know your budget, and how many guests you expect to attend. Having this estimate is crucial for purchasing food, beverages, flowers and a cake as well as booking a photographer, band or other entertainment. It will assist you in your venue decision making as well, as some locations are more suited for smaller or larger groups.
Describing and understanding your wedding style is also important in this process, as it will be the first thing your guests see as they arrive. Whether you envision bright colors and playful centerpieces or black and white linens with sophisticated decorations, the evening should represent you and your partner as you venture out as a newly married couple. This style will also be present in the cake decoration, the music chosen and overall atmosphere. However, finding that style can be just as tricky as finding your venue.
Organizing such an important event can feel overwhelming, and sometimes this means enlisting the help of professionals in your area to assist you and ensure you have a flawless and memorable wedding day. Visiting many venues is often part of this process, and it can take months to find your perfect spot. Staying organized, taking notes when visiting a location, and asking questions are the keys to making your final decision.
Many times, your concerns have been shared by other brides and grooms, and these professionals will have answers for you which may ease your mind or help you realize it may not be the perfect place for you. Beyond asking questions, it is also crucial that you clearly voice your desires and explain your style to the representatives from locations you are visiting; unless they know what you are looking for, they will not be able to help you achieve your dream.
Working with the owners or managers of your reception hall can be quite helpful; as they offer professional advice and can help you narrow down your preferences. Often, these places also provide packages to make the planning process a bit smoother. Whether you want a small reception with a few of your closest family and friends, or a party with three hundred people, finding the perfect place to hold your celebration is the first step to making your dream come true.
In Chicago, if you are searching for the perfect spot for your wedding reception, you can look no further than European Chalet Banquets. With wedding packages for every budget and a dedicated staff, this provides the perfect location for your special day. This article powered by SEO 2.0 Services
Special Concepts For Wedding Favors
Wedding favors can be almost anything and you can purchase your own favors or make them. Many times the favor will match the theme of the wedding. Some more common ideas include vases, picture frames, pens, trinket boxes, goblets and even personalized wedding cameras. Each person that will attend will receive a favor
Giving everyone a disposable camera that is personalized with the wedding date and name of the couple getting married. You can have everyone taking pictures throughout the wedding and then post them on your wedding website. The actually color and designs on the disposable cameras can match your wedding color scheme. To make sure you know who took the pictures make sure to match them with the table numbers.
People are having a lot of fun giving personalized candy away as favors. You can have your name and wedding date printed on the candy wrappers and these are quite memorable when compared to the more traditional favors. You can personalize the wrapper on a fancy chocolate bar or go wild with a personalized bride and groom gum. You can even give candy bouquets and candy wreaths.
If you like making things with your hands and are of a creative bent of mind then you can make your own favors. However the number of people expected will depend on whether this is possible as smaller parties will not take too much time but a very large wedding may be too much for you to create everything and deal with other aspects of the wedding. If you are not usually hands on then this is not the time to uncover your creativity.
You can always go simple and many of the items that you can choose such as candles or even flowers are always used. You can get any color combination and style and people will actually use them rather than put them in the closet and then forget about them. A small picture of the couple in a frame is always a lovely memory.
A very unique favor is a packet of seeds as the guests can plant them and this can symbolize the beginning that your wedding represents. Many people will choose flowers that will bloom around the same time as your wedding, giving everyone a reminder of your anniversary.
In most cases it is traditional to give each person a favor but if the purse strings are tight then you can give a favor to each couple as this will cut the number of favors you need in half. However you will need to have a few extra on hand in case something should happen and you need one.
There are many ways you can pass them out rather than leaving them at each persons placemat. You can put them on peoples cars or leave them on a table near the exit so people can pick them up on their way out.
Discover the best Wedding Favors by going online. You can purchase wedding serving sets and so much more. Head online today and find all you need at The Wedding Printer.
Choosing a Venue for a Wedding Reception?
Getting married means big plans. It’s a fantastically exciting moment that most celebrate to the maximum. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate a happy couple! And for many…the celebrations last much longer than the actual wedding.
A lot of brides and brides’ mothers have been thinking about the wedding and wedding reception for years. They discuss the style. They discuss the location. They might even have some exact plans set down.
Fully outlined (and detailed) wedding plans are often available before the date has even been set. Why is that? It’s because girls have been looking forward to this particular celebration since the first time they read a fairy tale ending with a beautiful wedding and a “happily ever after.” A lot of “almost brides” already have their flower picked out and their bridesmaids reserved and their dresses purchased…but not very many have already obtained their venue.
How should brides go about choosing a venue? There are so many things to consider that it’s impossible to fit them all into one conversation much less one article, but the basics are simple to share.
1. Centrally located venues are much more desirable than those that are on the outskirts or remote locations. Why? Because more people will attend. Unless you have the extra money to pay for travel accommodations for your guests you should attempt to make it easy and convenient for them to attend. You want guests at your wedding reception. You’ll be very sad if you have a gorgeous wedding and no one in attendance.
2. Check the design style of your potential venues. Some are quite versatile, but others are very limited. Venues with limited design styles can still be the perfect one for an individual; it just has to be considered prior to booking. The best venues offer a variety when it comes to design styles and venue layouts.
3. And, of course, the venue MUST be available. Remember the cardinal rule when it comes to venues…NEVER plan on using a venue until it’s reserved. Never print anything until you have actually handed over your deposit and signed on the dotted line.
The wedding reception is a celebration of a new beginning. That’s what a wedding is all about. It’s something new and wonderful that is only going to get better. It’s definitely something to celebrate. The venue is such an important part of the package that it can make or break the entire event so make sure to consider your options carefully.
Contributed by Rachel Hansen. For more tips on wedding venues, events and wedding planning visit Villa Sienna.
Outdoor Marriage: Success In Seven Tips
If you are thinking about getting married outside, you are having a great idea as there are few things that are as romantic and pleasant, whether the chosen venue is the courtyard near your local place of worship or a secluded spot in a natural park.
Notwithstanding, there are lots of pitfalls that you need to take into account if you want to get married outdoors. Many things can happen differently to your plan, so toy need to be as prepared as possible.
1) You should put the utmost care into ensuring that your guests will be comfortable before, during and after the ceremony. Of course, this applies especially to older guests, but you should also think about children, who could become unruly if bored. Don’t forget to take the weather and season into account, and to provide protection against the elements, such as a biting winter wind, or a hot summer sun.
2) Make sure that there are enough liquids for people to drink, especially water, and hot drinks such as tea or punch if it’s winter. If you want to make some alcoholic drinks available outside before or after the ceremony, a selection of cocktails is a good alternative to the usual champagne.
3) Getting wed outside means that thanks to the natural beauty of the surroundings, you will probably not have to decorate much, but some added pizzazz is always welcome. Extra flower bouquets are a good idea, and something to act a sda backdrop to the ceremony also helps to draw focus.
4) Check the sound well before the ceremony. If toy are near a street, you wouldn’t want the vows to be disrupted by a passing truck. Make sure that background noise is limited and that the entire party can hear you well.
5) Do something against insects, if there is little wind in the area. Especially so at sunset. Repelling candles are great, and giving guests lotions to drive away the critters is also a possibility.
6) Don’t get caught out with rules and permits! Even if you are getting married in an out-of-way location, there may still be national park wardens that need to give out a permit before the ceremony can take place. Waste removal and photography are other areas that may be regulated, so check to avoid having to postpone the wedding at the last minute.
7) Have a substitute location, preferably indoors, in the case that the weather turns bad. You wouldn’t want to be caught out in a rainstorm during your outdoor wedding, so make sure that you can retreat to a roof over your head for a more traditional marriage ceremony, if necessary.
For sonn-to-be-wed and professional marriage organizer alike, no site but OutdoorMarriage.com gives you all the tips and info on outdoor weddings. Are you ready for the big step? Make sure that you know all there is to know about outdoor marriage.
Resons To Get, Or Not To Get Married Outdoors
An outdoor wedding is one of the most splendid ways to get married. Nothing beats saying those vows in a park, or on a mountaintop. Still, you should consider whether such a type of nuptial is right for you. Here are some of the most important criteria to help you choose:
There are some potential reasons not to choose to get married outside. One important one is – don’t do it if you or you bride do not like surprises. Chances are that something unexpected will happen, and even if everything will turn out well in the en, it could cast a shadow on your state of mind if you are not a fan of the unforeseen.
Also, don’t organize an outdoor marriage ceremony if you will be horribly disappointed if the weather turns bad, as this is an uncommon but distinct possibility, even in summer. This point has to be taken into account especially if it is in winter that you will marry.
While a good wedding organizer can work wonders, outdoor marriage will still place extra stress on you, and will force you to make extra decisions, sometimes at the last minute. Don’t get wed outside if you would rather not have to handle this on the day of your nuptials.
Also, have you considered what your guests think of the great outdoors? Maybe not all of them are fit enough to stand outside fro the time of the ceremony, and this especially applies to elderly people, and possibly also to the very young. If there are several members of your party that would be inconvenienced by on outdoor wedding, don’t do it.
On the other hand, there are lots of points that may make you want to get married outdoors. Do plan an outdoor marriage ceremony if you want to have a celebration that will be unique, and that will be remembered by your family members and guest for time to come. Getting married outdoors will truly set your celebration aside from typical weddings.
Another great reason is if you have a good reason to get married in a specific place, such as an emotional attachment. Maybe it is in your ancestral country home that you want to get married, or maybe where the proposal happened on a camping trip?
If there are any pets that you would like to partake in the wedding, whether dogs, cats or other animals, it makes perfect sense to hold the marriage ceremo0nmyn and possibly the entire event outside.
Also, outdoor marriage is a good idea if you are organized and can handle the extra demands for planning. Of course, if you have the right help to plan the wedding, whether professional or family, this can also help to prepare your dream outdoor marriage.
OutdoorMarriage.com is the premier resource for outdoor weddings on the Net, with resources on related areas such as how to decorate for a wedding, as well as on choosing flowers, making sure the guests are well – click the links above to find out more!
Which Are The Most Well-Liked Sort Of Wedding Cake Toppers?
If you are getting ready to tie the knot and you still have to design your cake, you have a lot of work ahead of you! After the cake is picked out and nearly finished your only job is going to be choosing your cake topper. These days there are more choices that you will have of wedding cake toppers and accessories. Take a look here to find out what kind you might like to put on top of your wedding cake!
There is one simple factor that you need to remember at all times prior and during shopping for these toppers. If your cake is set and ready to go with design and color then make sure that your cake topper will coincide with the cake. You might also want to make sure that certain colors and schemes work together as well. This will help to allow you to tie everything together in the room.
The traditional bride and groom wedding cake toppers are still being made today as well as being purchased. There is nothing like a simple bride and groom holding hands on top of your wedding cake. Of course there are other traditional variations that you can choose from such as kissing, dancing and kneeling bride and grooms. Make sure to choose one that holds your similar skin and eye color for added detail!
There is always a reason standing behind why two people have chosen one another to spend their lives with. The things that the two of you have in common can easily be displayed on top of that wedding cake. You can choose items such as baseball themes, motorcycle themes or even classic cars!
Many couples like to take designing a cake topper to the next level and they actually create a small scene on top. Along with the bride and groom you can add small decorative flowers, or other accessories that will help complete the cake! Small jewels and gems can also help to make your entire cake sparkle!
Customized wedding cake toppers are all the rage for couples within the younger generation. This is where you can design the bride and groom to look exactly like the two of you or specialize colors and clothing. Take a look online and make sure that you have pictures and descriptions to provide to your online designer. This will allow you to get your topper just in the knick of time.
As you can see, you have plenty of options in terms of wedding cake toppers! This part of the wedding planning should be fairly simple and can be done over the internet with the right website. Take a look around today and start choosing the proper toppers and accessories for your cake!
In order to find the finest wedding cake or wedding altogether, you should think about buying your supplies from The Wedding Printer. On the Net The Wedding Printer can help you find that perfect wedding cake toppers and wedding favors for your wedding.
Fall Wedding Favors That You Will Really Like
Are you thinking of getting married during the lovely months of the fall season? Who would not love a fall wedding where the outside world is turning impressive colors and the air is cool? Planning your wedding decor around the colors of fall can make an absolute stunning event.
Using the maple leaf as an element in your fall wedding is a great way to say “autumn.” Leaves are an important part of the transition from summer to fall, and using leaves at your wedding brings nature to a wedding held indoors. Both real and fake foliage can become decorations for your reception tables and chairs.
The colors of fall are probably the best thing about having a fall wedding. Shades of red, orange, yellow, gold, blue, and green are all exceptional choices for attire, decorations, and wedding favors. Showcase these colors with wedding favors such as photo coasters, candles, soaps, key chains, chocolates wrapped in foil, place card holders, and wine bottle stoppers.
Fall is well-known for being the time of harvest. Mostly, “autumn harvest” refers to fresh produce such as corn, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, and beans. Using these in small additions to your decorations can be a fun look, but is not for everyone. To bring a feeling of hearty food to your wedding favors, consider giving jellies, jams, cocoa mixes, or soup mixes.
The cooler air of autumn and the onset of the Christmas can make folks crave hearty dishes such as casseroles, chili, soups, and stews. While you may not have the option of providing a casserole for each guest, instead write down a family recipe on a piece of cardstock. Then, add your personal touch to these recipe cards by using maple leaf drawings.
Wines and ciders are fall wedding favors that exude warmth and relaxation. Personalized labels on wine bottles are a nice touch to a fall wedding favor. Any type of wine can be used during the fall season, but the color of red wine may seem more fit for the occasion. Bottles of olive oil or vinegar also make lovely wedding favors.
Potpourri is great for more than one of your senses and can be an cheap way to thank your guests by using it as a wedding favor. Select mixes that contains faux pieces of apple, cinnamon sticks, and pine cone pieces. Purchase cheap glass vases or bottles from your local craft store to contain the potpourri, cork them, and tie ribbon at the top of the vase or bottle.
Dan has written many articles on topics relevant to the wedding industry. His latest project will help couples plan their wedding by inspiring some superb wedding favor ideas. There are so many decisions to make when planning a wedding and Dan will help you make some of them.
Can You Really Achieve Wedding Decorating On A Budget?
Many people think that they have to spend a fortune on their wedding decorating, but this is not necessarily the case. It is possible to have your wedding decorating completed at a fairly low cost.
If you shop in other types of stores you are going to pay less money for your wedding decorations, and of course, you are going to have unique decorations knowing that no-one else will have exactly the same as you. The money you save on wedding decorating can be put towards an extra special honeymoon, or can be spent on other parts of your wedding.
One good example of this is to use Christmas decorations. After the season is over, almost every shop will be selling off their unsold stock at half price or even less. Any end of season clearance will have plenty of choice of suitable decorations at low costs – you just need to plan the right time to hit the stores.
Try and make use of products that are not going to cost a lot of money. You coud for example make use of candles and small lanterns to make super centerpieces. If you are a little worried about a naked flame on the candles, then you could try the battery operated candles – these flicker just like the real thing, so will be just as effective. You could either just put one candle into the center of each table, or put several candles in a group onto a table. Try making some table runners from a metallic fabric, these will reflect the candle light beautifully.
If your wedding is going to be outside, then put a candle into a lantern, and then float on top of some water – this would work with a fountain, a pond, or a pool.
If you are planning to have an outdoor wedding, then why not float lanterns in a pond or fountain (or pool if you have one at your venue). You can also place these along any walkways and on tables. For your table centerpiece you could fill a large bowl with water and float candles in this. Change the height of your candles for a more eyecatching display.
The other option for wedding decorating on a budget is of course to make some of the decorations yourself. If you are green fingered you can easily turn your hand to making your own bouquets and floral arrangements. There are so many craft type decorations that you could use to make yourself some stunning decorations.
Wedding decorating can be as low cost or as high cost as you want it to be – to stay within a budget just needs some imagination.
Make sure to visit wedding decorating for wedding flowers and wedding centerpieces.