Elum: Letterpress Wedding Invitations

If you haven't checked out Elum yet, you're missing out. They have a great collection of Letterpress Invitation suites for your wedding (and party stationery too). I have included some of their designs below. Another cool thing about their site is that not only can you see the invites, but you can look at the suite for each invitation (which includes everything from Save-the-Date to Envelopes, Party Invites, Reply Cards, Direction Cards, etc.) and then put in your own numbers to find out the actual cost of everything. No guessing game! They're not the cheapest invites around but you get what you pay for....and you'll definitely get something great with Elum.

WeddingBee Classifieds!

So I've definitely checked out the WeddingBee blog many times, but somehow never went to their classifieds tab until my friend told me about it. You can easily register on the site, and then post listings for anything you want to sell or anything you're looking to buy! There is so much stuff on there and it's all organized by topic so that you can easily find what you're looking for.

You have to go check it out!!

PS: the Classifieds tab is right at the top and very easy to find!

Gifts for Your Attendants

I have NOT had a good day today, so I thought about not writing at all, but I love you guys and figured I wouldn't make your day bad by not posting, so here's a short one for ya.

Thanks to "The Knot's Complete Guide to Weddings in the Real World" for this list of Gifts for Your Attendants:

• Boy toys: remote-control cars, etc.
• A certificate for an acclaimed restaurant
• Bouquet-of-the-Month club membership
• Spa certificates
• Champagne and Caviar
• Picnic baskets
• Cufflinks, jewelry, and money clips
• Swiss Army knives
• Tickets to a game or a play
• Silk or flannel pajamas
• Beer of the month club
• Cigars, flasks, lighters
• Journals, photo boxes, stationery
• Beauty basket, bath soaps, perfume

My adds:

• Charm bracelet
• Picture frame with a memorable picture of you two, or the bridal party in it
  
• Make or do something special for them...they'll appreciate the effort (give him something to add to his prized collection or make them something they'll love--say a knit blanket for her new baby)
  

Bridesmaid Dress Shopping: A Long but Successful Day!

So I must admit that my sisters and I have not been looking forward to shopping for bridesmaid dresses (seeing as how we all have different body types, styles, personalities, etc.) for our mother's wedding (no, obviously it's not her first wedding)...especially because my mom is really strict on what she wants: watermelon pink and lime green, knee length, and 2 of us have to wear each color. So when we started out today I was a little worried.

My mom is getting married on the beach, so we figured maybe something like a sundress might work well. So the three of us started looking at the local mall (our future step-sister is in Alaska, so she wasn't able to enjoy the fun). Well, we could find something that was cute for Alli (she's 13) because it's prom season, and they had some cute youthful dresses, but finding something to look good on a 23 year old and two 21 year olds, without it looking either too young or too old was not going to happen!

So then we decided to run by the bridal boutique that my mom and I had looked at once before, in hopes of having a good selection of dresses that we could try on and make a decision. Well we walk in, start looking at dresses, each of us picks a few, and then the sales associate comes over. She tells us "what you see is what you get, this is our last day of business". So great! (NOT) Obviously none of the samples were in our colors and none of us wore an 8 or 10, so we found nothing. We did try on a few dresses just to see what might look good on us, but in the end it was a bust. On a side note, all of the wedding dresses there were half off and I was just wishing I was engaged already, because it would have been a great deal! Side note: look for notices of liquidation sales or seasonal sales. You'll get your dress at a steal of a price!

In all of this I had tried to avoid David's Bridal because it seems like you go there with every bridal party, and I've never had great success with finding a dress that looked good on me, let alone a group. But we went anyway (we didn't have a lot of choices left). Alli, Ashley, and I browsed the racks and picked a few we each liked, then we made sure that each of us grabbed that same dress in our own size. We were smart to get a large dressing room for all of us (this was actually a fun bonding moment that I would recommend!) and one by one tried on each dress in our pile. Some of them I loved, some of them I hated. If I liked one, then I'd ask them to try it on and vice versa.

After about forty-five minutes (and another trip or two around the store) we had it down to two dresses! Each of them surprisingly looked good on all three body types, sizes, and ages. And of course, they fit into mom's criteria, because well she would not have it any other way. We took picture messages of us in the two different dresses and then sent them to mom to decide (she's down at a conference in Phoenix) and finally she picked a winner. I must say ladies, if you're looking for a very classy dress that will work for an entire group of girls, this should be your choice. It's very Jacquelyn Kennedy O'Nassis, hides any belly you might have, and you can even wear a bra with it! I thought I'd share a picture of it with all of you.

So what did I learn on this excursion:

• It's important to try on everything, even if you don't think you'd look good in it. You might be surprised!
  
• Try to pick a dress (if you're all supposed to wear the same one) that looks good on everyone. There's bound to be one out there. If you can wear different dresses, just make sure they coordinate in style, fabric, and length.
  
• Remember that the wedding is about the bride, and you may have to sacrifice your personal style for her, just make sure you're comfortable in it too.
  
• Make the event into something fun for all of you--a memory you won't forget. My sisters and I had a blast and well we're definitly familiar with each other's boobs again, haha.

Now I'm SUPER excited to go find some pink heels to match! YAY!

New Vendor: Songbird Stationary

Do you want grand invitations without the grand cost? Do you want custom invitations but can't afford them? Then visit Songbird Stationary. Shante' Gorman has created a site where in a few easy steps you can get an entire invitation package for less than $100! Simply pick out the design you want (or work with her to come up with something new), edit the colors, wording, fonts, etc, and she'll send you the finished product via pdf. All you have to do then is take the product to a printing store and you are all set! (PS this will save you LOTS of money!)

This is one example of her invites:

Go check out her site for detailed designs, package information, payment options and more. For a bride on a budget, Songbird Stationary is a lifesaver.

PS: Shante' is one of my very best friends and I know that she could help any bride come up with something to match their interests, at a cost that won't break the bank. Thanks Te'!

Red and Black Wedding Inspiration Board

I am finally getting around to another inspiration board.....my idea of a gothic black and red wedding. It's sophisticated and regal. I just absolutely love the photo in the middle from Sara France Photography. I want to bring in a red curtain just to take that picture at my own wedding. And I love the bride's expression! The bridesmaid dress comes from Ann Taylor Celebrations (quite sophisticated), the reception table closeup comes from InStyle Magazine, the bag from BeeGee Bags, and most of the other photos came from The Knot. I would incorporate a lot of candle light (like another photo above) into the ceremony and reception. It gives a very romantic feel to the wedding.

As always, if your picture has not been correctly identified or acknowleged, please contact me and I will make sure to fix it asap!

I hope all of you like it and find the ideas useful! -A

Rowell Photography Takes the Cake!

Erika and Ryan (of Rowell Photography) came up with this great idea to shoot themed wedding pictures of brides and their coordinating cakes! The cakes were made by Lori Hutchinson Cakes out of Collingwood, Ontario, Canada and they are all fabulous! What talent these two businesses have. Why aren't they located near me?!?!

The first cake has a peach theme.


The second cake was a modern purple elegant theme.


The third cake is a Marie Antoinette blue and gold theme.


The final cake is based on a country wedding. (The purple shot is also here)



Don't these pictures and these cakes give you a great amount of inspiration? Thank you so much Rowell Photography and Lori Hutchinson Cakes for sharing what you do (and do SO well!) Please watch Rowell Photography's blog for additional photos from their shoot!

Advice from Former Brides-To-Be #2

One of my very best friends, LeeAnn emailed me today and said she'd be willing to write up some advice from her wedding this past summer (of which I was a bridesmaid). I was thrilled and have posted her advice below--inserting a bit of my own of course. Enjoy!

1. Name of you and your groom: Leeandra & Brian Dittman
2. Where your wedding and reception took place: Gold Beach, Oregon
3. Date of your wedding: August 2, 2008
4. What is a piece of advice you'd give to a bride-to-be? Just as Tried and True weddings has advocated in a recent post, plan out your budget in detail! Even though we had lists of all the big things and how much those would cost, we didn't really factor in all the small things that I bought here and there, and that is something that can take you way over your budget without really noticing it! Also, if you're planning the wedding by yourself, you should give specific jobs to your bridesmaids, parents, or whoever else is involved in the wedding, that way you won't have to worry about doing things yourself on your wedding day. We had planned to use our own music and sound at the reception, but we'd overlooked who would be running it. We also didn't think about who would be dealing with our vendors on that day, so we ended up having to give them the checks ourselves during the reception. It just would've been nice to have had someone else take care of those things for us!
5. What worked really well at your own wedding? I think our guest lodging arrangements worked out well. We rented out a large house (with beds for 23 if I remember correctly) for all the bridesmaids, groomsmen and other friends, and I believe this made many of our guests happy, knowing they didn't have to bust their wallets just to come to our weekend wedding. We also allowed our bridesmaids to choose their own style of dress in the same color-I think this was helpful for them to be able to choose a dress they will likely wear again someday. I also think our wedding invitations came out really nice (made by Amber herself!) and they saved us a lot of money because we printed them and mailed them all ourselves. Our flowers worked out great because even though we bought them all from a local florist, we had family members put all the table arrangements together, which saved us money on the preparations. We also bought our own cake toppings and had a local bakery throw the cake together. It came out just as we wanted it and it was cheap (and tasted delicious too!).
6. What didn't work really well at your wedding? We held our reception in an event center that we were told covered all of the extras (the dishes, tablecloths, etc.) only to get an unexpected bill in the mail later with what we owed them. The extra costs were never mentioned to us before the wedding so you can imagine how angry we were to find out after the honeymoon that we still owed them money! So make sure you ask every vendor you deal with if there will be any hidden fees, even for things that you wouldn't think would cost anything.
7. Did you add a special touch to your wedding that made it unique? I liked how we had the wedding right on the sand, near the water, in Gold Beach. I've always wanted a beach wedding and we were able to do this at the hotel where we had our family stay, and it was all free! Depending on which beach you hold your wedding at, you may have to pay money for a permit. But if you find a small little unknown town like we did, you can probably find a beach to do it at for free. I liked that me and my bridesmaids were able to go barefoot in the sand and that our wedding was very relaxed and informal. The reception was also beach themed and informal which I think fit our personalities perfectly.
8. Did you do anything DIY for your wedding that you think our readers would like to do for their own? We had Amber from Tried and True do our invitations, and these came out beautifully and were much cheaper than getting them done with a professional (although I think Amber was pretty professional at making them!). We printed them off at Kinko's and bought our own envelopes, typed up our own directions and other info, and mailed them all ourselves. The invites weren't as formal as some brides may want theirs to look, but I believe they came out very adorable, and they fit with the informal beach style. (LeeAnn neglected to tell you that she wrote a poem about how they met and how he proposed that was incorporated into the top of the invitation which made it very personal...oh and the fact that luckily I had emailed her the .pdf days before my computer was stolen). We did many other DIY projects, such as putting together the table settings ourselves. I used tea lights that I bought myself and seashells sprinkled on the tables. We also bought our own glass vases from Craft Warehouse. We filled these with sand (brought up that morning from the beach) and seashells and put the flowers in them ourselves. (LeeAnn's friend Amy also made their guestbook). We also bought all of the decorations for our cake and had a local bakery throw it together. I bought white chocolate seashells from a website and painted the cake toppers myself (mini beach chairs). The cake came out just as we wanted and was much cheaper than having a professional cake decorator do it. We also made our own wood sign which pointed guests in the direction of the wedding.
9. Is there anything else you want to share with our readers? I just want to say not to stress out about planning your wedding (she did hers in 3 months so we can understand her stress)! I was so worried about all of the little details that I almost forgot to enjoy the whole process. Get your friends and family to help plan it (or hire a wedding planner like Amber) because although your wedding party may be more than willing to help you out, they may not know HOW to help. Don't be afraid to give them direction! And as I said before, don't stress about all the details too much because people will still enjoy themselves even if you do end up forgetting something.

Because I was at this wedding, and helped LeeAnn a bit, here are some of the things I learned from this wedding as well: 1) Know your location! It turns out that Gold Beach (which is in a tsunami hazard zone) also uses their tsunami siren to alert for ambulances and also runs it for monthly testing. We all thought that we were going to die (sweet LeeAnn told us to save ourselves while she went to get her family) when it kept going off, only to find out it was their monthly test. 2) Make photography an important part of your budget. I know that LeeAnn regretted not having a better photographer at her wedding (although we still got some great photos) but if you can't, be smart like LeeAnn and have everyone you know send you pictures they took of the wedding after you get back from your honeymoon. 3) Find out what your friends are good at. Brian and LeeAnn's mutual friend was great at taking pictures and filming. He took pictures and filmed the whole weekend and then put everything together as a wedding video for the couple. Guests also left messages into his video camera, making everything very special. And LeeAnn was nice enough to give me a copy afterward. It was great! 4) While you don't have to do this, LeeAnn and Brian came back to the house that night (after the wedding and reception) and spent hours just partying with all of us (even though they had their own suite). I will never forget that night as long as I live!

Thank you LeeAnn for being probably the sweetest bride ever, and for being such a good friend to me over the years. On behalf of the readers here at Tried and True, thank you for helping others get through their weddings!

These are some pictures from LeeAnn's wedding, including her DIY projects:

Need Jars for your Candy Bar?

I found another great set of items on Crate & Barrel today when they sent me an email to let me know about their corporate items. It turns out that for only $38.95 you can get three old fashioned jars (perfect for candy or other items)! They're actually pretty good size--not super small--and at that price, really affordable. Heck buy 2 or three sets and then include a few random apothecary jars or penny candy jars and you're all set! To find these great jars, go to Crate & Barrel and type in "Jars with Lids". It should lead you straight to them.

Who's Paying?: The Dreaded Budget...

Knowing that getting engaged is probably not too far away, I started talking today with my mom about that dreaded topic...the budget. And being a wedding planner, I know that what I want in my head is probably not possible with my budget. Good news is, we're in the middle of planning her wedding in September, and she's seeing that weddings now-a-days are not so cheap..which might prepare her to save more. That said, she's not a piggy bank either (especially now that's she's drained what funds she had for her own wedding). I am hoping for help from my dad too, but asking for money from him won't be easy. And I admit that so many brides out there are doing it on their own...and wow am I so proud of you for doing it...but if my boyfriend and I were paying for a wedding on our own, well we wouldn't be getting married for a VERY long time.

So I thought that in the spirit of my depression (haha) I would spread some budget information from some great wedding resources. I hope that it helps someone out there stressing a bit, just like me.

• Sit down or talk with your parents right away (or anyone helping to pay for the wedding for that matter) and discuss exactly how they can help (financially, contacts, etc.) and the timeline for needing payment. If they can write you a check right away, great, but many people will need the time to get some money in order. Also, if a party can't afford to help out financially, let them know how much you appreciate them being willing to help out in other ways (like setting up your chuppah or cooking wings for the rehearsal dinner) and make sure to make them feel included, because they may feel guilty for not being able to help out financially.
  
• Not sure who's going to pay for the wedding? Mindy Weiss suggests the FLOP. It's an easy way for both sets of parents to help out. The groom's parents take the Flowers, Liquor, Orchestra, and Photography. The bride's parents take the rest. If this might work for your families, then great! Of course, you can always just pick and choose items that you think would work together appropriately, as far as the amount of money they can contribute, and the responsibility you think they should shoulder.
• Do NOT take on more debt than you can pay off in a year! If you're in my situation (i.e. poor, lol) and you can't afford everything you "need to have" then please make sure not to overspend. Right now credit card companies are hiking up the interest rates on your credit card due to the economy, so it'll take even longer to pay off, and it's likely you're already paying tons of regular bills. Don't put yourself in a hole you can't get out of.
• Open a separate bank account for wedding expenditures. Put only money to pay for the wedding in the account (heck start saving now, even if you're not planning on getting married soon) and then have parents deposit what they can into the account as well (all at once or monthly or with each paycheck) and then when each wedding bill comes, pay directly out of that account, and not your pockets.
• SET A BUDGET before you do anything! Well I mean you can look to see how much things are going to cost of course, but do not spend on anything until you have looked at the big picture and seen where you can spend money and where you need to save. There are many guidelines out there to go off of, if you don't know how much you should allocate. Mindy says that you spend 1% on favors, 2% on transportation, 2% on the wedding cake, 2% on the church or synagogue, 2% on ceremony music, 2% on invitations and announcements, 2% on hair and makeup, 3% on groom's formalwear, 4% on reception music, 5% on videography, 5% on your dress, 6% on the rehearsal dinner, 6% on flowers, 8% on photography, 8% on the wedding rings, and 42% on the reception and reception site. I suggest setting this information up in an Excel spreadsheet and then putting in your budget to see how much money you should be spending. However, remember that you can change the percentages around to fit your needs. Just don't go over 100%! :)
• Look at ways to trim costs. Trim the guest list, choose a gorgeous setting with little need to decorate, pick a reception site that comes with all of the necessary rentals, start the wedding earlier in the day, limit the alcoholic offerings, move the wedding from Saturday to Sunday or even a weekday, eliminate the champagne toast, hired a dj or use an iPod over having a band, opt for an inexpensive printing method for your invitations, and skip favors in lieu of personal notes. There is so much you can do, it's just are you willing to?
• In budgeting, don't forget things like tips or extra money for those crazy things you didn't plan for. It'll be easier if you have alotted for them ahead of time, versus trying to come up with the cash at the last minute.
• Lastly, don't spend all of your engagement stressing out about the budget. It won't help at all and you don't want to look back at your engagement and be disappointed in the time you wasted being upset. The majority of couples spend more (sometimes much more) than their budget, so it's best to go into it realistically. Just say, "I am going to try and stick to my budget, and do all I can to give and take, but if in the end a perfect day equals an extra $500 (don't make this number $50,000!) I will just take a deep breath and let it go." Plus that's why you hire a coordinator like me. We continuously keep the budget in mind and let you know when you need to be doing something to prevent it from inflating. Plus if your coordinator likes you, he/she might actually help you with DIY projects and ideas to help you save your pennies and keep a smile on your face.

There's so much more I could say, but I must admit I'm totally exhausted for some reason today. If you have a budget question, or some great budgetary advice for a bride-to-be, please feel free to email me at triedandtrueweddings@gmail.com. Thanks so much!

Fabulous Find from Crate & Barrel

I was perusing their Spring 2009 Catalog awhile ago when I stumbled on something great! It's their Cold Beverage Jar, which sells for $39.95. These jars have been all-the-rage for spring and summer weddings: holding things like different varieties of lemonades, punches, water, etc. Heck, put cold alcoholic drink mixes in them if you want! If you think this price is a little high, I would warn you to keep an eye on it. Crate&Barrel often knocks down the prices of their items after a bit. I'm thinking this is a must-have for Spring and Summer outdoor wedding brides...and possibly something I need to order for myself, just so that I have it!

Fabulous Finds from Etsy!

Here's another set of great items from Etsy! Gotta love great DIY items at usually a lower price than retail.

These swarovski crystal table numbers are a fabulous deal from sisatr5.

In need of some great vintage jewelry? Try luxedeluxe. She also has some great initial jewelry that would be perfect for your bridesmaids.

I really love these vintage map cuff links from dlkdesigns. If your husband is from a foreign country or another state, see if she can personalize the cuff links to where he's from.

This sign would have been perfect for my mom's September vineyard wedding. In fact, I was going to make one due to the confusing trek to the ceremony location...too bad she moved it to the beach and I don't think it's necessary. But it's an awesome sign that would be great for any wedding! Find it from user thebackporchshoppe.

These are great programs at a great price! You can customize the colors too! Check them out from khamm75.

These hair pins are SO beautiful. They'd be a perfect addition to any bride. Available from 5eizen.

* For those of you who aren't familiar with Etsy, simply go to www.etsy.com and in the search bar's drop down menu select sellers: usernames and type in the given usernames above. From there it will be easy to find each item. Or click the links above to go directly to the item.

How Much Alcohol Do you Need?

If you are serving alcohol at your reception and providing the liquor yourselves (or just want to check the amount your caterer is quoting you), The Knot says you need this much liquor per 100 guests:

• Beer: 2 cases
• Whiskey: 1-2 liters
• Bourbon: 1-2 liters
• Gin: 2 liters
• Scotch: 3 liters
• Light rum: 2 liters
• Vodka: 6 liters
• Tequila: 1 liter
• Champagne: 1.5 cases
• Red wine: 8 bottles
• White wine: 1.5 cases
• Dry vermouth: 2 bottles
• Sweet vermouth: 2 bottles

Now of course you can always change up these numbers. Often times couples choose to just do beer and wine, with a few specialty cocktails. If this is the case remove the liquor you're not using, up your beer and wine numbers, and make sure that you speak with your bartender about what specific liquors you'll need for your specialty cocktails and how much.

PS: I went out for my future step-father's 45th bday on Friday at a great restaurant and bar in Portland, called Henry's Tavern. My sister, who is also a bartender, introduced me to their Now and Later cocktail. If you are like me and can't stand a drink that tastes like alcohol then this is the drink for you! It's made of Malibu Coconut Rum, Stoli Peachik, Cointreau, Sweet and Sour, and Chambord. Try it out and you may want it as your own signature drink!

Want to Save Time?

Are you getting upset simply by the thought of having to write your name and address a million times on the million different envelopes you're about to send out (whether wedding invites, party invites, thank you cards, etc.)? Do you think that creating labels might look a little too informal? Then I have the answer for you!

Have a calligrapher simply write out your name(s) and address in a size that will work for pretty much everything (or most everything) that you'll be sending out. Heck you could even just write it out yourself to save money. Then take that piece of calligraphy (or handwriting) to a stationery or office supply store and have it made into a stamp. Then from now on it's just the simple effort of dipping the stamp in some ink and sticking it to your envelope!

Hint: If you have something else you'll have to write a lot, or an image that you'll be using on a lot of things, do the same process for that! It might cost a few dollars, but it will save you hours worth of time.

Thanks go to Martha Stewart Weddings for giving this great piece of advice!

What a Great Idea!

I was perusing Martha Stewart's wedding ideas a few days ago and found this. It's a bachelor party golf invitation in a-typical form.

For the golfing invitation, simply:

• Make a simple pouch out of men's shirting. (I'm sure he has plenty that don't fit him anymore laying around).
• Add a handwritten invitation (you could always find some golfing paper, stickers, or stamps to liven it up).
• Include some of the basic necessities for participating (in this case golf tees, golf balls, a divot-repair tool, and a hand towel with a silver hook to hang on the golf bag). Most of these items are fairly cheap, especially when bought in larger quantities.

But you can make these for many other outings: baseball, fishing, etc. For typical bachelorette parties I might suggest making a bag filled with those typical items--necklaces, tiaras, stickers, clothing, inappropriate objects, etc. If you want to liven it up, make the bag out of silky or lace materials. Or if you're going on a spa day, make a bag to hold a person's swim suit (if needed) and include fresh waters or juice, a good magazine to read, fatty snacks that those spas won't carry, maybe even an iPod to listen to while relaxing on the spa deck. The sky is the limit here!

Do you want to be on Martha's Show?

I shouldn't be telling you all this, because well, it hurts my chances of getting tickets, but I like you that much! It is hard to get tickets for the Martha Stewart Show, which is taped in NYC, but she's accepting ticket requests from Brides-to-Be. It will be an all-bride-to-be show on April 15 and you know it will be amazing!!! Plus you might even get lucky and get some free stuff too!

If you want to apply for tickets (and hope you get picked) you can click HERE to visit her website and request tickets. You simply fill out some simple information and in 100 words or less describe why you want to be at the show.

Good luck! And who knows, I might see you there!

PS for those of you wondering, my mom is the bride-to-be, although by then ya never know, I might be too!

Fabulous Find: Wedding Tote!

Are you having a beach wedding or one with a nautical theme? Then this wedding tote is definitely for you! Available at save-on-crafts.com, this Reiter8 tote bag is made from recycled boat sails! So not only are you getting a great bag but it's eco-friendly too! Each bag is unique (for that reason) and so they may not all look exactly the same. These totes are not cheap at $65 a piece, but you can feel good knowing that you got your guests/wedding party a gift they'll use for a long time and you saved the Earth from some unnecessary waste. You can go directly to the bag and its ordering page by clicking HERE. Enjoy!

Advice from Former Brides-To-Be #1

I am starting a new section on the blog, entitled "Advice from Former Brides-to-Be". It will appear from time to time and showcase ideas and advice from former brides. I'm hoping it will give all of us some additional insight, aside from the typical wedding books. Plus, I ask each bride to hand us a DIY project or two that they completed, so hopefully one of them might inspire you to try a DIY project yourself!

• Bride and Groom: Meredith & Joey Vasquez (the same Mer and Joey from the photos in previous blogs)
• Wedding Location: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (The Majestic Colonial Resort & Spa)
• Wedding Date: October 24, 2008 (however guests were there Oct 18-25)
• What is a piece of advice you'd give to a bride to be? 1) STICK TO YOUR BUDGET! It's all fun and fantasy before the wedding, but paying for a wedding afterward is NO FUN AT ALL. 2) Remember this day is YOUR DAY but remember to include all of the people who made it possible to get you there. 3) Do what you dream of! Some people were against the idea of us doing a destination wedding but I would not be talked out of it! Once it came, it was the wedding of the year--so many fun people and so many memories that we will never get another opportunity to do.
• What worked really well at your own wedding? The location and the reception. Low stress level, private and very affordable (all-inclusive).
• What didn't work really well? Nothing really. It was a bit hot (at 3pm in the Domincan Republic) but it was worth it with all the natural light that our photographers got at that hour.
• Did you add a special touch at your wedding that made it unique? YES. The programs had a last page that did a tribute to our grandmothers that had passed away. Joey's grandma died exactly two months, to the day, before our wedding, and we felt it was very appropriate to recognize her and mine that died when I was young. Our cake topper also, was 3 giant sugar cookies of our initials (made by a friend and so cheap too!). Our music was very "me and Joey"...nothing too traditional...upbeat and fun!
• Did you do anything yourself (DIY) that you think our readers might like to do for their own weddings? Oh! Tons of DIY. It saves money and you make great memories doing them. BEFORE YOU BUY TRY DIY FIRST! 1) Our save-the-dates were made by myself and a good friend (and graphic designer) from work. 2) Our invitations I made completely from scratch. I saw an idea in a book, and myself and 4 others had an "invitation party" at my house, where we ordered Chinese and made all 250. They cost $295 total to make and mail, whereas the company who made the original quoted me $900 just for the invitations! 3) I made my bridesmaids' necklaces with a friend ($90 for all 6). 4) The centerpieces at the reception..just plain glass hurricane jars (rented down there for $90), sand from the beach there, and I bought the starfish on Ebay for $110. 4) The place cards I made by hand--1 stamp from Paper Source ($6) and 2 packets of business cards ($20). 5) The programs I made with supplies from Paper Source. 6) I bought the giant white lanterns that hung at our reception from World Market on clearance.
• Is there anything else you might want to share with our readers? Be realistic about your money and your budget! It's very easy to get carried away in the moment with emotion and get taken for a ride by vendors. Write down every detail in your wedding on paper--make two categories (NEED TO HAVE and NICE TO HAVE)--put 3-5 things that you MUST HAVE and are not willing to cut on..and for everything else...CUT, CUT, CUT. The need-to-have's are different for everyone, but I might suggest at least 2. 1) Your Dress...now don't blow 50% of your total budget on this, but you should have the dress of your dreams and never have a regret...you only get married once, you should feel that when you wear this dress. I budgeted $1000 for my dress, but when I found "the one" it was $1400..I cut $400 off of something that I didn't care much about and bought it. 2) The pictures! Some people feel that this is an area where you can cut easily because it's incredibly expensive for good pictures. The pics are all you have left after your day is gone and people have forgotten...you want to relive that day every time you see those photos and you won't if the pictures aren't fantastic. Cut whatever you need to to get killer pics!
• And some more....you don't need $900 invitations--no one keeps them anyways. You don't need crazy expensive favors--they last 1 day and that's it. You don't need an expensive open bar or top dollar DJ. Do an iPod and have a friend help you build the list--more fun. DIY as much as possible--it's easy to do and the chances are you have a friend that is good at what you are trying to do. It's a good memory-building part of the planning. And lastly, remember to save about $400-$500 for "week of" emergencies! Little things come up and if you haven't budgeted for them, you can get really ripped off and not even know it!

First of all, I want to thank Meredith for sharing her advice with us. I think these are some great points, and many of us may have smoother weddings because of them! If you want to see pictures of some of the things she talked about, check out their real-life wedding photos in earlier blogs.

Also, if you would like to be featured bride on "Advice from Former Brides-to-Be" please email me at triedandtrueweddings@gmail.com and I will send you the questionnaire. I hope to keep this series continuing!

Thanks,

A

If Men Planned Weddings...VIDEO

Honestly, for many men, I think this would be their ideal wedding! You must watch...



I have to thank my boss (who of course is a man) for sending this one to me. It gave me a good chuckle. :)

Top 100 Blogs to Watch in 2009!

I can't tell you how excited I am to have Tried and True listed on Bridetide.com's Top 100 Wedding Blogs (and Twitters) to Follow in 2009!!!
Please check it out here and then feel free to peruse the other blogs listed. Thank you so much Bridetide!

Real Wedding Part III: Meredith and Joey

First of all, Happy St. Patrick's day!

And now...the fun pictures from Rowell Photography. I don't think I'd have the courage for a "trash the dress" session, but if you do, I definitely think you should! The pictures always turn out awesome. And I mean, do you really need the dress to just sit in your closet and collect dust? Get some use out of it for the money you pay!

Real Wedding Part II: Meredith and Joey

Yesterday you got to see the lead up to the wedding day....now it's finally here.

Thanks again to Meredith and Joey for sharing their pictures with us, and thanks to Rowell Photography for being such great photographers and for catching their special moments!