Image via Wikipedia

You may wish to explore alternatives to a traditional bouquet for several reasons.  Cut floral bouquets are expensive.  In many cases, they use non-local flowers which must be flown in from the growers and trucked from the airport to the florist.  Flowers are liberally treated with various chemicals from fertilizers, to pesticides, to preservatives.

 Instead of carrying flowers down the aisle, you and your bridesmaids can carry beautiful parasols.  You can choose them in white.  You can choose them in colors to match your wedding decor.  Or you can select colors to match or coordinate with your bridesmaid’s dresses. 

 After the wedding, the bridesmaids can either keep the parasols as a keepsake, or you can find an organization which can benefit from them.  The important thing is to keep the parasols (along with all your other wedding supplies) from ending up in the landfill.  Contact local high schools to see whether they would be able to accept the parasols as props for their drama department.  Or you can offer them to a friend or relative who would like to use them in their own weddings.

 My mother witnessed many weddings when she lived in the Azores.  The brides carried fern fronds instead of floral bouquets.  She said it looked absolutely beautiful to see the long flowing fern fronds swaying as the bride walked down the aisle.  If you can find a florist who can provide you with organically grown local fern fronds, you might want to consider this unusual option.

Faux flowers can be absolutely lovely.  In many cases, they are indistinguishable from the real thing.  Only you will know the difference.  Purchase a beautiful glass vase for each bridesmaid so that they can turn their bouquets into flower arrangements that they display in their homes after the wedding.

 Consider carrying a bouquet of balloons down the aisle.  The bride can carry white and pearl balloons.  The bridesmaids can carry either balloons to match the bride’s, or to coordinate with their outfits.  As a nice touch, the bridal party can pass the balloons out to children on their way out of the ceremony site.  Of course, one thing you should not do is release the balloons outdoors after the ceremony- it isn’t environmentally friendly.

 For a religious ceremony, the bride and the bridesmaids can carry bibles and/or  rosary beads.  This can be particularly meaningful if the bride has an heirloom family bible to carry, or rosary beads handed down from a beloved relative.

 If you are having an outdoor wedding, you can carry pinwheels.

If carrying fresh flowers is non-negotiable for you, consider growing your own flowers so that you will be sure that you are carrying a bouquet that is organic and has not been produced with the chemicals found in pesticides and fertilizers.

 The possibilities are endless.  Have fun.  It’s your special day and you can do whatever you want.  You can have each bridesmaid carry a framed photo of you and your groom.  You can all carry pineapples.  You can make bouquets of carrots.  You can all carry potted flowering plants or hanging plants. 

If you have pets that you want included in the wedding, you can have the bridesmaids escort them down the aisle.  If you have a hobby, you can carry items which represent that hobby. 

 You can carry cowboy hats, golf clubs, lanterns, candles, disco balls, fans, or anything else.  It’s your special day, you decide!

If music is important to you, you might want everyone to carry a musical instrument.  Lyres, harps, banjos, ukuleles, harps, guitars, flutes, or any other musical instrument that you think will make your wedding look unusual and lovely.

 Someone recently suggested to me that he thought it would be great if the bride and bridesmaids carried footballs, or football helmets, instead of bouquets.  While I may not agree, if two rabid football fans are getting married, it might be an appropriate touch.

 For a fall wedding, you might want to carry pumpkins, or for a whimsical touch Jack o’ lanterns.  For a winter wedding around Christmastime, you might want to use wreaths or holly (faux or real, it’s up to you depending on your beliefs).  Then you can reuse the wreaths or holly as decorations at the reception site.  If you are getting married around Independence Day, or if you and the groom are particularly patriotic, everyone can carry an American flag (the size is up to you).

 Remember the purpose of the day is to unite you with your beloved.  Wilted flowers do not spell love.  If you keep flowers out of your ceremony, you will keep them out of the landfill.

Image via Wikipedia

You and your groom can make your wedding as special, unique, and environmentally friendly as you are.  You can make the experience enjoyable for your guests while inspiring them with your concern for the earth.  Combine tradition with conservation to create a memorable occasion without loading the landfills with post-consumer waste or compromising your earth-friendly lifestyle

 The aftermath of many parties is a large quantity of bags filled with garbage.  Paper plates, napkins, empty soda cans, plastic cups, and other debris all end up destined for the landfill.  The best way to prevent these items from winding up in the landfill is to avoid using them in the first place.

 When a party is held at home, there may not be enough plates, cups, serving utensils, and table linens to accommodate all the guests.  Rather than resorting to paper or plastic supplies, the hosts can purchase inexpensive dinnerware and household linens to be used at the party.  Once the party is over, these supplies can be washed and then presented to the bride as an additional present.

 There are also companies that rent linens and dinnerware for parties.  These items can be returned dirty.

 If a party is catered, it is important to advise the caterer that disposable paper and plastic dinnerware will not be used at the party.  Before arranging to hold parties at a particular location, call and speak with them about whether they will be able to respect your preferences for an environmentally friendly event.

 It is proper for you to send a thank you note to the hosts of any parties held in your honor.  Instead of sending a paper note, you may choose to have a small token of your appreciation sent to the hosts.  For example, you could have a plaque or vase engraved and presented to the hosts.

 The first party held in honor of the couple is usually the engagement party.  It isn’t mandatory, but it is nice to celebrate an engagement with a party.  The engagement party is traditionally hosted by the bride’s parents.  It is perfectly acceptable to invite guests to an engagement party by telephone.  This eliminates the paper waste associated with written invitations.  Gifts are not required at an engagement party, so there shouldn’t be a problem with disposal of wrapping paper like there is with bridal showers.

 It is traditional for the bride’s friends and family to host a bridal shower.  In the past, it was common for this celebration to be a surprise.  However, showers are rarely kept secret anymore.  This allows brides to offer their suggestions to the hosts.

 When the bride is planning an environmentally friendly wedding, the bridal shower should also reflect her decision.  Care should be taken to balance tradition with eco-friendly practices. 

 There should be a recycling bin at the shower so that recyclable items can immediately be placed in the bin.  That reduces the risk that recyclable or reusable items will land in the garbage and consequently in a landfill.

 Close friends and family members can spread the word among the other invited guests that the shower is going to be free of gift-wrap and ribbons.  Suggest that gifts can be wrapped in dishtowels, cloth napkins, towels, hand towels, tablecloths, and other linens.  The packages can be tied with hemp or string.  At the shower, one person should be assigned to neatly fold linens as they are unwrapped from the presents.  Separate pieces of string should be tied at the ends and rolled into a ball for later use. 

 Some guests may still use wrapping paper to wrap the presents.  They may either fail to get the message, or choose to ignore it.  For this reason, the recycling bin should be kept handy when the gifts are unwrapped so that paper can be placed immediately into the bin.  This way it won’t end up in the garbage.  Alternatively, someone can use a scissors to trim the ends of used wrapping paper and fold it neatly so that it can be reused.  The paper scraps can be placed in the recycling bin.  Ribbon can also be saved for reuse.

 It is best to have a photo album, scrapbook, or other repository for the cards which will accompany the gifts.  If a scrapbook is used, make sure that you have several glue-sticks on hand so that the cards can be immediately secured into place.  If you put the cards aside with the intention of doing this at a later date, it probably won’t get done.  A three hole binder with clear plastic sheet protectors works well and serves multiple functions.  As each present is opened, someone can make a list of who gave what item.  Then the card can be placed in one of the sheet protectors.  When the bride has finished opening the presents, the list can be placed in the front of the binder.  The bride will have an immediate keepsake of the cards received at the shower, and a convenient list of the presents she received.  This list will be valuable in writing thank you notes (which should be written on recycled paper).

 A wishing well can be placed on a table to collect small household supplies for the bride.  In keeping with the theme, any items should be eco-friendly.  There are many products on the market which are biodegradable and less harmful to the environment than other products.

 Food scraps can be saved and then used to start a compost heap in the backyard.

 Coworkers may throw a party in the workplace.  It can be much more difficult to control the purchase of supplies in an office party, but you can suggest the use of a recycling bin as appropriate in keeping with your beliefs.

 If you give a party in honor of your bridesmaids, it will be easy for you to control the theme of the party.  Traditionally, the bride can present gifts to the attendants.  The gifts can be anything you feel will show your appreciation to those women in your wedding party.  Potted plants or tree saplings can be given.  You can present each of her attendants with a piece of jewelry which can be worn to the wedding.

 A bachelor party may be held by the best man and the ushers in honor of the groom.   There is usually a rehearsal dinner sponsored by the groom’s family.  It is important to discuss the details of the rehearsal dinner openly and honestly with the groom’s family to avoid hurt feelings and misunderstandings.  With a little effort, you can make sure that any party held in your honor is earth-friendly like you.

These days with economy being so bad we got to stick within our budget, if you can’t afford a bridal gown see if you can ask your grandma, or your mom if you can borrow there’s and they will be so excited to lend it to you, or if you have a sundress that is white you can use that too. 

• Candles – Scented jar candles are a great gift to give to your guests.  Some people have allergies to certain scents, so it is also nice to have a couple of unscented ones on hand, just in case.
• Tins – Small tins can be filled with candy, teabags, or any other little things that you desire.  You can find many very pretty ones for wonderful prices at your local “big box” stores.
• Manicure/Pedicure Sets – Most women enjoy sitting down for a relaxing home spa treatment with these manicure/pedicure sets.
• Soaps – Handmade soaps that are wrapped in attractive packaging can be found at many specialty stores and make lovely gifts.
• Bath Bubbles – The joy of a luxurious bubble bath can be experienced by your guests when they go home if you choose this party favor.
• Bud Vases – Pretty little bud vases make nice gifts, especially for spring and summer showers when the flowers are in bloom.
• Picture Frames – Picture frames are another nice gift for your guests.  Be sure and take photos of each guest with the bride-to-be with your digital camera.  You can download them and print them off before the guests leave so that they can have something to fill their frames with.  If you can find heart-shaped frames, all the better!
• Memory Books – Miniature photo albums or journals are cute little favors to get.
• Keepsake Boxes – Pretty boxes that can be filled with special treasures are another wonderful item to give out at a bridal shower.

Bridal shower party gifts are very nice to have and will let your guests know that you appreciated their attendance.  These gifts and many others are available online or in retail shops everywhere.  Whatever you choose to get, have stickers made to personalize the gifts.  These should include the bride-to-be’s name and the date of the event, as well as the words “thank you”. 

When choosing a catering service, there are many things that you should consider. Be prepared to take your time and speak with several different catering companies before making a final decision. Go to the interviews equipped with a list of the questions that you have and take notes as you go. This way, you won’t be confused about who said what and which company was which by the time you get back home to go over the aspects of each and make your choice. The following is a list of things that you will want to consider as you select a catering service for this important day.

*Are they going to charge you a package price based on an estimated number of guests, or will they be tallying the number of attendees as they go? Although all caterers will need to know approximately how many people they should be prepared to serve, some will count as they go while others will just give you a package price on the amount of food they are bringing.

*Is the cake included in the price of the catering package? This is often not a part of the deal so you will need to know that in advance in order to arrange a bakery to do this. How about beverages? Is this included in the price and is it offered?

*Will they provide your guests with a choice of entrees or is there just one for everyone? Because of food allergies and individual preferences, it is much better if there are at least two choices for your guests. Be sure that you include this on your RSVP cards and stress that you need to have them back by a certain time to give them to the caterer.

*Will the meal be served to your guests by waitstaff or is it to be done buffet-style? Some catering services will allow you to choose which way you would like your meal presented, but there is usually an additional charge for waitstaff.

*Who is responsible for set-up and clean-up? Will the caterers be doing this or do you need to make seperate arrangements.

When you select a service based on the answers to your questions, you need to draw up a contract. Do not leave this special day to chance! Have everything on paper, down to the last detail and be sure that it is signed and dated by yourself and the caterer. This will help to ensure that there is no misunderstanding about what is expected on either side. Have a wonderful wedding day and a happy rest of your lives!

Church Decorations: Free

One big caveat, this depends on when you get married. If you get married soon after Christmas or soon after Easter, the church will already be heavily decorated.

Reception: Less than $400

Our location was in the church’s basement – totally free. Did a buffet-style food service with a local barbeque restaurant (they provided plastic plates and silverware) and we bought several bottles of wine on the day of the week the liquor stores offers 20% off wine. We bought disposable wine glasses at a party supply store. We did not have a DJ or a dance. Instead, we rented a Cello player to play nice, ambient music during the service and reception.

Cake: About $100

My advice, don’t pick the big-name cake makers in town. We found a small (and new) caterer that charged us less, but the cake was still beautiful and delicious.

Dress: $190

My town has a locally owned shop that sold prom dresses…and although most people aren’t aware of this, they also sell wedding dresses. Unless you have a dream dress in mind, or you’re planning to make your dress an heirloom to pass down, I see no reason in spending nearly a thousand dollars (or more). I almost got a very traditional looking (and gorgeous) wedding dress at a local resale shop for $60, but it was nearly 2 sizes too small and I wasn’t that motivated to lose that much weight so quickly. I spent about $15 dollars on white shoes at Payless. They weren’t my favorite style and were given to Goodwill immediately after the wedding. But with a long wedding gown, no one even saw my shoes!

Photographer: Just under $300

This was the one cost I still feel we could have gotten cheaper. We picked the smallest package the company offered, which covered more than we really needed.

Honeymoon: About $350

Everyone deserves a fabulous honeymoon vacation. For us that meant relaxation in the woods. We rented a cabin in a nearby state for 4 nights ($65/night). We drove there, so only had to pay for fuel (instead of plane tickets). Check the internet for privately-owned cabins. They’ll be cheaper than those at a resort. Some State Parks also have affordable cabins, but many can be very “rugged”, so be sure to see photos before making reservations. A  cabin means you’ve got a kitchen, so we made most of our own meals instead of spending money on restaurants 3 times a day.

Miscellaneous

About $20 was spent at a local florist for flowers that my maid-of-honor craftily tied together with a ribbon for my bouquet. Spent about $80 for invitations from a local Hallmarks store. Also, we had to pay a donation/fee to the priest marrying us ($150).

Our wedding was small and intimate. We had no bridesmaids or groomsmen (beyond the maid-of-honor and the best man). We spent about $150 total for our gifts to them. I let my maid-of-honor pick out her own dress, which she found on sale at JCPennys for about $20. We planned for our reception to accommodate up to 75 people, but since only about 50 came we had lots of wine and BBQ left over (which helped cut down food expenses on our honeymoon).

Now years later, I don’t wish I had a bigger cake or more glamorous dress.  When I look back at my wedding, I don’t regret a thing.

Image via Wikipedia

You must make arrangements for a place to hold the ceremony and you will have many choices. It can be a church, synagogue, hall, park, lakeside, back yard, or any other place of your choice. Some places must be reserved far in advance of the ceremony, others are more readily available, such as parks, lakeside, and so on.

Retain someone to preform the wedding. It can be a rabbi, minister, priest, or justice of the peace. Make sure they will be available on the date you need them.

Image via Wikipedia

Unless you have a garden of flowers available you will need to find a reasonably priced florist to provide the flowers. You can choose the flowers yourself.

Large weddings include bridesmaids and ushers in addition to the maid of honor, best man, ring bearer,and flower girl. Choose attendants from your relatives and close friends.

If the groom, best man and ushers plan to wear tuxedos, you will need to rent them. Each attendant will need to go for a fitting.

Choose a wedding gown for the bride, and gowns for the bridesmaids. She can choose white or any color she prefers. Coordinate the bride’s gown and the other gowns. Allow enough time for alterations if needed.

Choose a photographer based on cost and ability. View his previous work to see if it suits you. Be sure the photographer knows exactly what you want and knows everyone involved in the wedding.

Have a rehearsal a few days before the ceremony and be sure everyone involved attends. You might want to have a simple meal after the rehearsal, the traditional rehearsal dinner.

Good luck with your summer wedding. We have three weddings to attend in July. If anyone has any good ideas for memorial weddings gifts please let me know. I am running out of ideas for all the showers, graduations, birthdays, new babies, and weddings. I have depleted my best ideas, not to mention my money.

A Bridal Shower
Flatten Your Belly in Four Weeks
Super Easy Beauty Tips

• A brainstorming session
• Tables of various sizes
• Tulle or other sheer fabric
• Chairs
• Table coverings
• Thumbtacks, staples, stapler
• Balloons
• Helium tank
• Satin curling ribbon
• Crepe paper
• Serving ware
• Punch bowls, cups
• Warming pans
• Ice bowls
• Flower petals

Ask Yourself

Hold a brainstorming session. How many people will be coming? What are their ages? Does anyone have any dietary issues to consider? What items do you already have that could be used? How many tables and chairs do you already have? How many can you borrow from friends, relatives, and neighbors? How much serving ware do you already have? What pieces could be used together harmoniously? Is there any way to disguise other pieces so that they do not clash? How many people are willing to help, and what are they willing to do? How will you work things so that you and your helpers will be able to enjoy the event as much as all of your other guests? Assemble everything that is available and decide what you will and will not use. What do you still need that you do not have?

Something Borrowed

Check with your own church or other local churches to see if they will loan or rent tables and chairs. Often, one’s own church will be happy to do so, especially if you have already extended invitations to fellow church members. If local churches are not an option for you, try local civic groups, community centers, and clubs. Once you have obtained as much of what you need for free or low cost, check with rental companies. Rent the least amount of tables, chairs, and other equipment that you can.

Make It Marvelous!

Decorate with an eye for how things pull together. A group of dissimilar tables and chairs can become a harmonious whole by use of table covers and by draping chairs with matching slipcovers over the backs. Be sure to make an extra special effort for the head table, where the bride and groom will sit at the beginning of the reception. Make sure that is the first thing guests see as they enter the yard. Low cost helium tanks are available at discount stores such as Walmart. Fill balloons, tie with satin curling ribbons, then place bouquets of three to five balloons around the yard, wherever they look best. Tie a few balloons to the head and foot of each table if possible. Make any temporary decorations, such as ice bowls, centerpieces, fruit baskets, or flower arrangements ahead of time. If possible, use plants and flowers from your own yard or borrow them from friends and neighbors.

Set up a special kid’s room at the reception

Nothing will delight the children at your wedding more than being invited to their own special entertainment room. Here you can provide them with toys, special games, and cupcakes decorated with cartoon characters and animal faces. Playing some lively children’s music will add to the festivity of the experience. Hire a babysitter or children’s party coordinator to provide fun children’s activities during the reception. Both children and adult will come away from the experience happy.

Have a specially decorated children’s table

Bring in a table for serving the children at the wedding. The table should be lower than the adult tables and the chairs smaller to accommodate the pint sized guests. Include a toy, crayons, and wedding coloring books at each place setting. A white paper tablecloth will allow the children to express their creativity. Give each child his own personalized placemat with his name printed on it to take home after the reception. The kids will love the novelty of having a special table just for them.

Plan a special children’s menu

Some of the foods served at the reception may not appeal to kids who would much prefer standard kid’s fare. Design a special menu that kids will enjoy such as pizza, cookies, and ice cream and serve it to them while the adults enjoy their more sophisticated fare.

Hire a children’s entertainer

One way to keep little guests occupied at the wedding reception is to hire an entertainer such as a clown or magician to perform for the children. Another idea is to have a face painter or balloon artist at the wedding to keep the children occupied during the adult celebration and festivities. These services are often well worth the additional cost particularly if you’ll be having a number of children at the wedding.

Children at a wedding can be a joy as long as their needs are considered during the planning stages. When you’re planning your upcoming wedding, keep the little ones in mind.

• MOB
• MOG
• FOB
• FOG
• Grandma
• Grandpa
• Great Grandma
• Great Grandpa
• Special Aunt
• Special Uncle
• Family Friend
• MC
• Cousins
• Sister
• Brother
• Ushers
• Candle Lighters

The overall theme of the wedding should be reflected by your choice of colors and types of flowers chosen for the VIP’s. Some brides chose one of the flowers that are part of their bouquet or pick a color of flower that matches the bridal party or table centerpieces.

There are two choices for females. They can wear either a wrist corsage or a boutonniere. A boutonniere pinned on a dress or outfit could create a pinhole and can be awkward on some dresses especially if the dress is strapless. Some flower shops use magnets for the ladies boutonniere so be sure to ask about this when selecting your choices.

A wrist corsage which can be a nice complement to any outfit. There are many choices for a wrist corsage. Some flower shops now also do actual bracelets with flowers. Make sure that the color of the wrist band or bracelet does not clash with what the person is wearing. It might be a good idea to confirm what colors are being worn by the ladies and to ask what their preference is. If you would like the flowers to be a surprise choose a safe color like cream or beige which will blend with most outfits.

If the Master of Ceremonies is a female it might be a good idea to have her wear a boutonniere as she will be standing in front of a podium and the boutonniere will be more visible than a wrist corsage to the audience.

The honor of receiving flowers will make all the VIP’s feel special on this special day. Make sure that you double and triple check the people that should receive them so that no one feels left out. Also remember to ask the VIP’s to come to the ceremony a bit early so that you will have time to give them the flowers prior to the start of the special day. Make a list of everyone that will receive the flowers and designate someone to help with the task of distributing the flowers.