Wedding Trends That Take The Cake

There are several things you should consider when choosing your wedding reception location. Shopping for your site is a lot like finding a mate–you obviously want charm and personality–but make sure that all of your needs are met. Looks aren’t everything! Use these tips to help you to find your perfect match.

What’s your budget?

If you’re planning a wedding reception of about 200 – 300 guests, you might expect to spend between $10,000 – $16,000 for the reception hall, your food, your bar service and any additional reception hall rentals. Use this handy budget guide to create a realistic budget for your wedding and reception.  Once you know how much you have allocated to spend, you’ll be able to shop around for the best location within your budget.

What is the size of your guest list?

First, make sure the room is large enough to accommodate the number of people on your guest list. The space will look large, when empty, but wedding essentials–such as tables, chairs, a buffet, a bar, the band or DJ and the dance floor–will take up a lot of space. Also, you’ll want to make sure that your guests have plenty of elbowroom. To get an idea of the actual “living space” of your venue, ask if you can visit the reception site while another wedding is being set up.

What’s your style?

When considering reception site, consider the color palette of your party. Your site doesn’t have to be done in the exact colors as your planned decorations, but it shouldn’t clash either. Also, consider your theme. Besides the basic banquet hall, you might consider a country club, a mansion, a museum or other venue that suits your wedding reception theme a bit better than the typical site. Last, try to visit the reception site at the same time of day that you’ve chosen for your reception, so you can get a feel for exactly what the lighting will look like.

Do any of your guests have special needs?

When choosing your venue, take into consideration any special needs that your guests might have. If you have elderly guests or guests in wheelchairs, make sure that there are bathroom facilities available to them. You don’t want them to have to travel up and down stairs to get where they need to go.

Are there enough parking spaces?

Make sure your reception site has ample parking or is near a parking garage or a street where it’s legal to park. If parking is a problem at your ideal location, look for other ways to get your guests to the reception. Your site might have a shuttle or van service available to take your guests from wedding to reception and back. If not, you’ll have to make these arrangements yourself.

Read next week’s post, “Wedding Reception Planning: Questions to Ask before booking your Location,” for great tips on what to ask your potential reception site managers.

Check out Best Little Wedding Shop for Discount Wedding Invitations.

The perfect time for the new adventure that your marriage will bring might just be springtime! Spring is considered a time of rebirth and renewal, and isn’t that just what your wedding signifies? Also, spring is not the most popular time for a wedding  (summer and fall are), so you may have an easier time getting top-notch vendors and venues. You may even get discounted rates! Use these tips to help you plan your spring wedding:

Think. What are your favorite parts of the season? Do you love the flowers? Do you want an early wedding so that you can enjoy the whole summer with your new hubby? List what you love most about the season…even if it’s just the fact that it may be easier on your budget…so that you’ll have a clear picture of your wants and needs while planning your wedding.

Indoors or outdoors? If you live in a warmer climate, you may consider holding your wedding outside. If your weather is kind of “iffy” in the springtime, you may want to keep it indoors. Also, keep in mind that spring brings rain, so any time spent outdoors may require an umbrella or an awning.

Timing is everything. As mentioned before, since springtime isn’t the most popular time to have a wedding ceremony, you may find that vendors and venues are more available. Still, you’ll want to pick your date, venue and vendors in a timely manner. Also, keep in mind that proms are held in the spring, so limos and tuxedos may be rented early. Plan for this.

Choose your colors. When choosing colors for your spring wedding, keep in mind that you may want to stay away from the bright colors of summer and winter. Consider pale, muted colors instead to reflect the season.

What to wear? When deciding on wedding attire, keep in mind that the weather can be sketchy. One day it’s warm, the next it’s cold. Some days are dry and some are wet. For this reason, you may want to avoid satin shoes (rain) and pick dresses that are versatile. If you choose sleeveless dresses, give your bridesmaids wraps as their bridesmaid gift to keep them warm, if necessary.

Consider a hint of color. Even if you want a white wedding gown, you may want to add a sash in a pastel color. Or how about a hint of all-over color? Embroidery in a light color would work well for this.

Think spring when decorating! What could be more festive than using the colors of spring to decorate your wedding reception? Pale greens, lavenders, pinks, roses and blues would all work well.

Accent tables with gingham fabrics, ribbons or even polka dots. Fill white baskets with an abundance of spring flowers for a fabulous centerpiece, or why not use an inexpensive terracotta pot with a moss or ivy-covered Styrofoam ball inside of it? Rose petals spread around the tables would be the perfect touch too.

Pick your flowers. Spring flowers include roses, peonies, irises, tulips, hyacinth, lilies and Gerber daisies. Choose a variety of these blooms to make the perfect spring bouquet!

Have fun with your wedding stationary! Save the Dates, affordable wedding invitations, place cards and announcements can all be quite whimsical and colorful. Use a matching theme and consider using some fun font styles to accent the whimsy of the season.

Favors should be fun! Keeping with the theme of whimsical fun, some good options for guest favors might include personalized seed packets or bulbs. Individual flower bud vases, personalized with your names and wedding date, might be nice too.

Lisa Bakewell

Pulling off the perfect wedding is a challenge, but making yours an eco-friendly wedding doesn’t mean making it more difficult. Use these 10 tips for planning your green wedding:

Plant the centerpiece.
For centerpieces and other wedding décor, you can use potted flowers, trees or plants. When the wedding is over, you’ll have a head start on beautifying your yard or patio!

Decorate with bamboo.
Bamboo is considered one of the most sustainable materials on earth, growing up to two feet per day, so it takes only three to seven years to mature. Use stalks of bamboo in centerpieces, or choose other bamboo accessories for your reception tables. To get more information on bamboo, visit Green Earth Bamboo.

Plant a tree or two or three.
Plant one tree or more in your backyard or the neighborhood where you got married after the honeymoon. That way you’ll be able to track the growth of the tree by the number of years you’ve been married.

Ditch the bouquets.
Have your bridesmaids carry fans instead of flowers. Or how about beautiful silk boxes or purses? If you still want the look of flowers, consider using silk instead of real blooms. Though they may be a bit more expensive, they will last forever.

Think locally.
If you REALLY want traditional blooms, support your local nursery. Locally grown, seasonal blooms will cost less money, and you’ll be helping your local economy. You could also use locally grown herbs, greenery, and berries instead of blooms or you can use them for fill in your bouquets.

Make a donation.
Make a donation in your guests’ names to an organization that plants trees (such as AmericanForests or the Arbor Day Foundation) in lieu of a traditional wedding favor.

Choose organic foods.Base your menu on food that is organic or locally grown. Consider serving a wedding cake made of organic ingredients as well.

Toast organically.
True Organic wines are certified by the USDA National Organic Program and have become quite popular. For the back-story on organic wines, check out this article from The Wine News.

Light an earth-friendly flame.
Candles are a must for weddings, but paraffin candles are produced from petroleum, which is not very earth-friendly. Use soy wax candles instead.

Put it on the Web.
Create a wedding site where you can list your wedding details instead of including them in your invitations. There, you’ll be able to list your registry details (along with your wedding details) and be able to express to your guests that you’d like eco-friendly gifts or, in lieu of gifts, you’d like a donation made to your favorite charity.

Lisa Bakewell

Wedding planning is generally associated with stress and anxiety. The good news…these Top 10 Wedding Planning titles can help turn you into “Blissed-Out Bride” instead of Bridezilla. Click on the links to order your own copies from Amazon.com.

1. The One Stop Wedding Kit by Jessica Howe
The author says: “The bride’s guide to a stress-free ride. Packed with tips, ideas and expert advice, this is the comprehensive guide to wedding planning. It’s written in a fun, up-beat style and is small enough to fit in your handbag so you can carry it to appointments with wedding vendors.” $15.99

2. The Best of Martha Stewart Living: Weddings by Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Contains great visual inspiration for the bride including boquets, wedding cakes, reception decorations, table settings, wedding favors and more. $34.65

3. Wedding Bouquets: Over 300 Designs for Every Bride by Wedding Magazine
This book shows you over 300 lavish wedding bouquets with close-up shots of details, descriptions and even price indicators. Great ideas for your florist! $10.15

4. Creative Wedding Showers: Homemade Invitations, Decorations, Games, Planning Tips, Menu Ideas and More!
by Laurie Dewberry
This book offers great ideas and DIY projects for creating your own very personalized wedding shower. There are step-by-step instructions for each project as well.

5. The Complete Book of Wedding Toasts by John William McCluskey
For speeches, this is a great resource. There are sample toasts for every member of your wedding party. $10.20

6. The Clueless Groom’s Guide : More Than Any Man Should Ever Know About Getting Married by Peter van Dijk
Here’s a light-hearted look at weddings from the guy’s point of view. $11.01

7. The Perfect Wedding Reception: Stylish Ideas For Every Season by Maria McBride-Mellinger
This is a great idea book for brides who are planning a wedding that’s themed around a season. $30.40

8. Our Wedding Scrapbook by Darcy Miller
Set up like a baby book–but for weddings instead–this is the perfect place to store your keepsakes pertaining to your wedding planning and the big day. $19.75

9. The Perfect Wedding Cake by Kate Manchester
Great idea book for choosing your wedding cake. Lots of styles and great photos. There are recipes, too, to show you what the cakes contain. $16.88

10. A Bride’s Book of Wedding Traditions by Arlene Stewart
Learn the stories behind many of the well-known and loved wedding traditions.

Lisa Bakewell

Planning a wedding and reception is very stressfull. Why not plan on having some fun at your wedding and/or reception? Why not bust loose a little? Enjoy these YouTube viral wedding videos, and you may just get some great ideas. Because, after all, your big day should be a fun day. Enjoy it!

Lisa Bakewell

photo by: Augie Chang Photography

Most often, one of the last details the bride and groom attend to is the wedding cake. In 2009, this may be a mistake–especially since wedding cakes have become somewhat of a style trend (can you say designer cakes?) and have evolved into more than the standard two-tiered, white frostinged finale to the reception meal. So, if style matters to you, here are a couple of sites you’ll want to visit great ideas:

Visit Wedding Cake Trends from Bakery Craft for super ideas and beautiful photos of seven wedding cake styles including:

• Opulence (think brocade fabrics, beaded gowns and precious stones)
• Black & White (perfect for formal and casual gatherings)
• Color Strong (bounty of color)
• Silhouettes (think “wedding cake architecture”)
• Lace (hand-embroidery in frosting)
• Destination and Eco-Friendly (think destination weddings and earth-tone colors).

Also, you’ll want to read Cori Russell’s article titled “Wedding Cakes – 7 Top Trends For 2009”. Russell, editor for Elegala.com and Gala Weddings Magazine, highlights trends including:

• Going back to buttercream (she says that thanks to advanced tools and techniques, buttercream can look as smooth as fondant)
• Using chocolate frosting
• Decorating your wedding cake in shades of blue and pink
• Creating square mini-cakes (think spin-off of cupcake towers)
• Using scripted text (calligraphy-style motifs)
• Nationalizing Groom’s Cakes (an old Southern tradition)

photo by: Audrey's Fine Baked Goods

Additionally, check out these resources for more information on hot wedding cake trends for 2009:

• Unique Wedding Cake Trends for Spring 2009
• Top Wedding Cake Trends for Summer 2009
• Wedding Cake Trends for Spring ‘09 from Bridal Fashion Collections Provide Inspiration
• Unique Cake Trends for 2009 from Cakella
• 2009 Wedding Cake Trends from Wedding Café Online
• Wedding Cakes from Wedding Channel.com
• Wedding Cake Pictures from Project Wedding

Finally, vist Best Little Wedding Shop for all of your wedding cake accessories including:

Silver-Tone Heart Serving Set from Best Little Wedding Shop

• Porcelain Cake Toppers
• Wedding Knife and Server
• Disney Wedding Accessories

Lisa Bakewell

Make a food budget. This will help narrow your options for the cuisine. Once you decide on the total dollar amount you’d like to spend on food, divide that number by the number of guests you’re expecting. This will give you the dollar amount per person/per plate to shoot for when making your food choices.

Choose traditional meal service. Today’s caterers are acutely aware of the aversion to food that appears to be mass-produced, so your goal should be to have food that looks freshly made and individually prepared. Make sure to communicate this clearly to the caterer.

Make sure that the service is not rushed. You don’t want your guests to feel rushed while eating their food.

Offer a buffet. If you’re planning a buffet, the most important question to ask when you’re discussing the menu is whether you will be charged per person or by the plate. “Per plate” means that you will pay each time a person is served, so a per person charge will be more affordable.

Consider food stations. If you want first-rate food, but you’re concerned that it will be cost prohibitive, consider food stations. Doing this will allow you to forgo most of the wait staff you would require for traditional meal service, so there should be a significant cost savings in labor.

Food stations can vary from the traditional to the more eclectic. Feel free to be creative with your food choices, but keep in mind that creativity can sometimes be expensive.

To keep the cost down, ask for a price breakdown per menu item based on the number of guests you expect.

Ask your guests. Consider inserting a short survey in your wedding invitation announcements asking your guests to choose their favorites from a dozen food stations. This will serve two purposes. First, it will dictate which foods you choose for the stations, and second, it will help tally the favorites, so you can help your caterer determine food quantities for the various stations.

Invitations (click on photo)

Pick a couple of your own favorites. Make sure you include foods that you love. Enjoying your wedding day is a priority, and it will help to make your menu more personal.

Make it brunch, lunch or dessert. Consider hosting your reception earlier in the day. Lunch menus are equally satisfying but cheaper than dinner options. You could even consider a brunch or even a dessert reception.

Do it yourself. If you’re on a tight budget, consider a do-it-yourself wedding reception. Order several meat and cheese trays from a deli or supermarket–or make your own.

Make it a potluck. Potluck receptions used to be the norm, but now they’re considered the retro chic way to celebrate the coming together of a couple. Just ask your guests to bring food instead of a gift. Many guests will be pleased–even relieved–to have this choice. Find out ahead of time what everyone plans to bring, so you’ll be sure to have enough food–and enough variety.

Go ethnic. Many ethnic foods are less expensive than the standard fare of beef or chicken. Also, serving ethnic cuisine gives you an instant theme to build your reception around.

Cook it outside. If your reception will be held outside, consider firing up the grill for barbecue or cooking pork and hosting the ultimate pig roast.

Drink, and eat sweets. Rather than have a meal at the reception, why not have a champagne and cake or dessert reception? Check out this list of Top 10 Inexpensive Champagnes and Sparkling Wines.

Looking for some good wedding menu ideas? Check out menu ideas from Naperville Catering Company, Chef by Request.

Lisa Bakewell