Reception...

I know I have taken a bit of a break....let's call it 'writer's block'...but recently I have been thinking about weddings and all of the possibilities out there. What I have come to realize is there is no such thing as a cookie-cutter wedding anymore. There are so many choices for colors, venues, favors, foods, cake styles and flavors (we had cheesecake for part of ours), dresses/tuxes, etc. The combinations are endless.
Bottom line...this is your wedding and your day to remember. When planning our wedding we tried to make sure we didn't offend any family members but at the same time planned a wedding that we wanted. There certainly is a fine line but keep in mind: this is your day and many of your guests already had their day.

Band vs. DJ?

Do we hire a band or a DJ? This is the big question. It is very fitting that such a big question has a lot of answers - and more questions.

What are the most important aspects of your wedding for you? For us, it was music and food. If music is not so important to you, you can save some money by hiring a DJ or a friend with an iPod.

What is your budget? Maybe a band is completely out of the question. Or...maybe a band is the one thing you splurge on. Originally for us, a band was completely out of the question but, with a little convincing and some good fortune, we were able to get just the band we wanted. We only had one band in mind - Bigg Romeo (pictured on the left - go to biggromeo.com). They were recently voted Philly's #1 wedding band for the second time. They know how to keep the party going, keep the dance floor full and provide an amazing evening for everyone. We had three generations dancing on an overflowing dance floor.

What kind of music do you want? Whether you choose a band or a DJ, know what kind of music you want and what kind they play. Check them out before you hire them. The last thing you want is a band/DJ that clears the dance floor with awful music.

Invitations Part II

Just wanted to show what we were able to do for our invitations. We spent $100 on ALL of our paper products, made everything from the invitations down to the place card, and STILL have paper left over (not quite sure what we will do with it but still).

Favors..

Thanks to Nichole, favors are on my mind tonight.

Two key words: Food or Function

Favors are fun and your guests will appreciate a little token of thanks but remember to be thinking while choosing your favors - functional. Don't forget that you are paying for these favors so don't waste your money on something that is cute but useless (mini cow salt and pepper shakers that say 'an utterly great couple' might not be the best choice - who is going to use those anyway?)
We chose a small ice cream scoop and have had more compliments and comments about them. Our guests are actually using our favor instead of throwing it in a box in the basement.

Another great option is food. Guests always love a little treat to take home with them. Wrap some chocolates in a small container and put it at each place setting - simple and sweet.

Invitations, etc.

Save-the-Dates, Invitations, RSVPs, Programs, etc. The amount of stationary/paper products needed for your wedding can be overwhelming and expensive. If you can handle some creativity and arts & crafts time, make everything yourself.
Check out a few sites for samples and ideas. Use the sites for layout, wording & color ideas. Here are a few I found by simply googling 'wedding invitation samples':
- http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/unique-wedding-invitations-stationery.htm
- http://www.invitationsbydawn.com/custom/dawnus/reddot/WeddingInvitationsLP2.cfm?&CustSourceCode=11816&ssource=google-WEDDING_INVITATION_BROAD_SEARCH&kw=wedding_invitation_samples_test_LP2&s_kwcid=TC|5966|wedding%20invitation%20samples||S||3595620458&gclid=CPO_wZ_O9Z4CFchn5QodXykvKA
- http://www.rexcraft.com/Custom/Rexcraft/Rexcraft_CatInvites.cfm

Once you have your ideas, go to your local paper supply store. This is not your fancy stationary store - that WILL be expensive. I went to xpedx in Willow Grove, PA (http://www.xpedx.com/). The website doesn't look like much but their products are worth the visit. I was able to get all the paper I needed for everything from the invitations to the little registry insert cards. My husband did the graphics, we both did the cutting, I put them together, and we both stuffed the envelopes...all while watching tv! Money saved while watching our prime time shows was an easy choice for us.


If you are not the arts & crafts kind of couple, try cutting corners where you can. Postcard stamps are less expensive than regular stamps. If you make your Save-the-Dates and RSVPs postcards, you will automatically save money on the stamps.

Get Organized

Save your pen and paper for your grocery list. I have the perfect, stress-free tool for you. Check out the Elm Software - iDo program (http://www.elmsoftware.com/). This was the best mini investment we made during the planning process. It's user friendly, keeps track of EVERYTHING and, best of all, its all in one place.

Everything we needed from budget and vendor info to RSVPs and A/B guest lists were all in one spot. The best parts about this program, though, were the timeline and checklist. For most of us, we have never planned a wedding before. For many of us, we are the first in our generation to get married. Things have changed since our parents got married and we have no clue where to start. iDo gets the ball rolling for you, keeps it moving and continues even after you're married (you can keep track of your gifts and thank you notes).

Picking the RIGHT venue

Picking a venue is obviously important but picking the right venue for you is even more important.

Do your research and ask your questions.

Does it bother you if there is another wedding at your venue the same night as yours? Find out if your venue has more than one ballroom. If they do, find out if there is another wedding scheduled OR if you can be guaranteed the whole place.
Our wedding was at The Warrington Country Club in Warrington, PA (http://www.warringtoncountryclub.com/index.htm). They DO have more than one ballroom AND they guaranteed us the whole place - the only music that was heard was ours, the only people in the bathrooms, hallways, etc. were our guests. It doesn't sound like a big deal but, for me, I wanted to know that everyone working at The Warrington that night was there for us.
To be fair, our wedding was in the middle of Passover AND the Saturday before Easter - not many people wanted that weekend and we were able to get the whole place to ourselves. Remember to be reasonable - if you are planning your wedding on a popular weekend, don't expect to get your place all to yourselves.


Does your venue offer any discounts?
Weekdays, afternoons and Sundays are usually less expensive than Saturday evening weddings - and in come cases, significantly less expensive. Some places also provide a discount for children and young adults who wont be eating as much or drinking from the open bar. We had about 20 children and 10 young adults. At The Warrington, those 20 children ate chicken tenders & fries and were free. Those 10 young adults ate a regular adult meal and were $40 each. Sound like a no-brainer? We have a friend whose venue, which served an "all you can eat" family style meal, made them pay the same price for EVERYONE. No thanks.


What does your venue include with the package price?
This was a HUGE reason we selected The Warrington. Our price ($79.50 per person) included floral center pieces for every table (20+ tables), 5 hour open bar, champagne toast for everyone (175 people), our wedding cake, and tax & gratuities (an additional $800+ in taxes alone). If you only take into consideration the flowers and the cake, you're looking at hundreds even thousands of dollars that would have normally been spent in addition to your price per person. We were sold!