Wedding Trends That Take The Cake

1. Get hitched off-season. If you get married during the off-season, you’ll find that reception costs and other rentals will be cheaper. For an even greater discount, consider getting married in the middle of the week.
2. Use your ingenuity. With a little imagination, you’ll be surprised at what you’ll find at your local dollar store or thrift store to integrate into your wedding décor. Love to Know has several great ideas to get you started.
3. Enlist the help of friends. When planning a budget wedding, your best connections are your friends. From caterers to musicians, photographers to film artists, seamstresses to business owners, your super-creative and well-connected friends will be more than willing to help you. You’ll be surprised how much talent you’ll find if you just ask for help.
4. Don’t buy a bridal gown. Look at your local department store in the formal wear department instead. You might find a nice formal dress that will do the trick for a lot less than what you’d pay in a bridal salon. A bridesmaid dress from a bridal salon may work just as well, too. Or how about checking with consignment shops to find the perfect vintage gown?
5. Rent or borrow. If you can forego purchasing items, you’ll save a lot of money. Make a list of what you need and ask your friends if they can help. Also, call several rental places to price the other items that you’ll need. You’d be surprised how much they vary in the prices that they charge.
6. Cut costs on flowers. Use flowers that are in season, make your own bouquets, or contact a local college with a horticulture department to see if they offer classes in flower arranging. The instructors are floral designers and will help their students create your arrangements for the cost of the flowers and supplies.
7. Keep it short. You don’t need a six-foot high, nine-tier cake. Two-tier cakes are in vogue today. Or why not go with wedding cupcakes instead? Just be creative!
8. Take it outdoors. Call your city to see what areas might be available for your ceremony. Many cities have parks with gazebos or botanical gardens that you can use. You’ll probably only have to pay a small permit or maintenance fee. Bonus: You’ll be able to use the beautiful outdoor surroundings as natural décor–saving you more money on decorations.
9. Eat ethnic. One way to save money is to go for an ethnic cuisine instead of the traditional chicken, beef or fish. Mexican, Chinese, Italian, Hawaiian are all tasty and will satisfy your guests, plus they are less expensive than dishes normally served. You can actually build your theme around the menu, plus if you can use your own caterer, you’ll save even more money.
10. Find a student. Second-year college students in photography and film programs may be your ticket to saving big money! Choosing a student will be less expensive, and their work will most likely be exceptional. Make sure you ask to see their work beforehand, though, and discuss thoroughly what you are looking for in your pictures and video.
11. Hire a wedding planner. Coordinators get discounts from vendors they work with regularly, and those savings get passed on to you. Even though a planner will charge you for his/her services, you’ll surely save more than the cost of the fee.
12. Shop at Best Little Wedding Shop . Our featured monthly sales will help your wedding budget! Also, check out our Budget Wedding Invitations.

Lisa Bakewell

The Pregnant Bride

You’re pregnant, and you’re getting married, but you’re not alone. According to statistics, one in six brides is pregnant before her wedding day. Fortunately, though, the days of the pregnant bride being swept away to the justice-of-the-peace to be wed in a secret “shotgun wedding” are long gone. So…if you’ve found yourself with a bun in the oven before your nuptials, don’t panic. You’re in good company–possibly great company–so feel free to be excited. Celebrate your upcoming wedding day and your beautiful baby glow with pride. Use these tips to make your day as glorious as you look! 

What should I wear?

There’s more to choose from today. OK, depending on how pregnant you’ll be when you get married, you might face a challenge when finding–and fitting–into your wedding gown. To eliminate the guesswork, you might choose a gown with an empire waist (waistline that runs right under your bust line) or pick your dress from a design line made specifically with the pregnant bride in mind. Maternity Bride and Nicole Maternity Wholesale are two suppliers of these gowns, though you’ll find that many stores and outlets offer a maternity bridal gown options these days. Whatever dress you choose, though, make sure that it’s comfy. Select a fabric that breathes, and avoid fabrics and lace that are itchy. 

Wear white, if you want to. Forget about the old rules. Today’s a new day and you can choose from a variety of colored, off-white or traditional white gowns as a mom-to-be bride. It’s your decision. Also, feel free to wear a veil. Think outside the box, and create the look that you want to wear on your wedding day.

Buy an extra pair of shoes. Your feet will swell as you gain baby weight, so don’t buy your shoes too early. You might want to consider buying an extra pair of shoes too. Pick the same style that’s a half-size bigger just in case your feet swell a little more as your big day progresses into the evening. Also, you’re going to be on your feet for quite some time, so choose shoes that feel good on your feet when you walk in them.

What about my ring?

Pick it out early. Pick your wedding ring set as soon as you decide you’re getting married, and have it sized before you start gaining baby weight. This way, your wedding rings will fit once the baby is born.

Get a second set. Buy a second (lesser expensive) ring set just before your big day. This way, if your fingers swell, you’ll have a standby set of rings to put on at the ceremony. Though this set won’t be your “real” set of wedding rings, they’ll still have sentimental value, so get something you like. That way you can have them resized after your baby is born and wear them as a great remembrance. You may even want to consider getting a ring with the birthstone of your impending newborn, if you know what month he/she will be born. 

What about the reception?

Don’t drink–alcohol that is. Of course, you know that drinking alcohol is bad for the baby, but remember to keep your champagne flute filled with healthy, hydrating drinks–like a sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime to keep you in the spirit. Or you may want to try a “virgin” variety of your favorite drink, but if you choose this route, make sure you and the baby stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water too.

Choose your menu wisely. Some foods can be bad for you (and baby) when you’re pregnant. Check with your doctor before choosing the food for your reception to get her/his suggestions of what to avoid. Also, be careful that foods left sitting out are kept properly cooled or warmed. Otherwise avoid them. You may want to make sure that there are plenty of crackers and bread on hand, too, in case you’re still feeling nauseous. 

Sit down. Remember that your big day is going to be a busy one, and chances are that you’ll be on your feet quite a bit–dancing with your new husband and your guests. Make sure to take a break every now in then to rest your feet. Prop them up, too, if possible. 

What about my shower(s)?

One or two?  Being pregnant before your wedding day makes for some decision-making on your part regarding how to handle your wedding and baby shower. Should you have one of each, or should you combine them? You might opt to have a shower for each (maybe the wedding shower first and then the baby shower–or vise versa), or you may want to hold just one party for both events–maybe half the time can be for the wedding shower and the other half the baby shower. Remember, there are no steadfast rules, so make your decision based on what works best for you. It’s your decision. Have fun with it! Check out these great wedding invitations,  bridal shower invitations ,and baby shower cards and accessories to plan your special and exciting upcoming events–your way!!

Lisa Bakewell

Traditionally, bridesmaid dresses have been identical, matching, and, quite possibly, unattractive (never-to-be-used-again) garments. Sure the bride has the best intentions, doesn’t she? Or is she too caught up in planning the perfect, color-coordinated wedding to consider that her bridesmaids might not love her choice of bridesmaid wedding attire? Well, why not suggest that she consider non-matching bridesmaid dresses? After all, it’s becoming a trend. Afraid? Well, don’t be. Here are some terrific arguments to sway even the scariest Bridezilla.

• We all have different body types. It’s difficult to find a dress style or color that’s flattering for every bridesmaid in the wedding party. Arguing point for the bride: Your bridesmaids will be in a lot of pictures with you, and you’ll want everyone to look their best. Gorgeous bridesmaids are happy bridesmaids!
• We want to reuse our dresses. If it’s a dress that you love–and it’s flattering–there’s a better chance you’ll wear it again. Arguing point for the bride: Your bridesmaids are paying hundreds of dollars for everything from hair and makeup to dresses and shoes. Why not give them a choice when it comes to their dresses? Giving them an option–within parameters–will help justify their expenditures and give them the opportunity to find a dress they love. Plus, it might fit into their budget a little better than the dress you had in mind.
• We want to be trendy. Styles and trends keep changing–and so does wedding fashion. Today, it’s more about personal styles blending with the tradition. Arguing point for the bride: Some celebrity brides are choosing non-matching gowns for their bridesmaids. Don’t you want to be just as trendy as Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen who stood up in their personal assistant’s wedding in non-matching attire? Or Jenna Bush who had custom dresses made for all 14 of her bridesmaids? And what about Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda who wore non-matching bridesmaid dresses in the Sex and the City Movie (really, how much trendier can you be)?

So, the idea of letting her gorgeous ladies pick their own gowns–or picking a style of gown that complements their body type and coloring–doesn’t sound so horrible to Bridezilla after all. Great! Pass on these tips to your bride-to-be. Even though she’s on board with offering non-traditional bridesmaid dresses, she’ll want to set some parameters.

Tips for helping your bridesmaids choose their attire–while keeping you happy!

• Have them wear the same color, but let them choose their own dress/pantsuit style.
• Alter the neckline and cut of the dress to suit each body type and age range. What looks good on an adult may not look good on a teen.
• Pick a coordinating fabric, allowing a range of color choices–possibly colors that complement your wedding theme. Set color parameters, though.
• Have them choose dresses (or pantsuits) from the same designer.
• Choose coordinating jewelry for your bridesmaids to wear. Check out these bridesmaid gifts, necklaces and accessories.

Lisa Bakewell

Best Little Wedding Shop 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™ Winner

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Best Little Wedding Shop has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Best Little Wedding Shop is one of the very best in wedding invitations, accessories and favors.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

Best Little Wedding Shop would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award! 

Please click here to read or write a review about us at WeddingWire, an affiliation of Martha Stewart Weddings.

Additional Accolades for Best Little Wedding Shop:

2007 and 2008 Carlson Craft Distinguished Dealer Awards
For Outstanding Sales Ahievement and Service to their Customers
Special Recognition is hereby given to Best Little Wedding Shop

Looking for other unconventional wedding ideas? Check out these wedding accessories by clicking on the photos! Want more ideas? Check out these wedding ceremony keepsakes.