Cheap Wedding Ideas and Tips

HOw to save money on wedding flowers

2011-08-27T11:01:00.001-07:00

One of the most important aspects of a beautiful wedding is the flowers. Depending on the bride's final choice, they can be quite expensive. Fortunately, there are ways to save money on this expense and still create a lovely atmosphere. Here's the answer to how to have your wedding on a shoestring budget and save money on wedding flowers.

One of the best ways to save money on flowers, for a wedding, is to choose those that are in season. It should be quite obvious that because they are readily available, the cost will be less. Seasonal flowers usually reflect the colors of the season as well. Pastels are spring, primary colors are summer, gold, red, and purple are fall, and red, and white are winter. Carnations, roses, chrysanthemums are available all year long at budget prices.

Flowers can be ordered online at near wholesale prices. Keep in mind most wholesalers sell the flowers in a tightly budded stage so allow a few days for the flowers to open in a warm and light area. The flowers have to be kept watered of course so find an assortment of buckets you can use.

Choosing an outdoor location will sometimes enable a couple to save money on flowers, for this joyous occasion. Depending on the specific location, natural flowers and foliage may well be an added perk. (Hint: many botanical gardens allow weddings to take place on their premises.)

Smaller weddings usually require less pomp and circumstance. A relatively compact location and fewer guests can mean the need for fewer flowers and other decorations.

Instead of cut flowers, use potted plants. Plants such as African violets and even cacti (for western themed weddings) can be dug up and potted, specifically for the occasion. Afterwards they can be used to decorate the home. If you're planning a spring or summer wedding, consider buying flowering plants from a plant nursery. Or from a big box store like home depot. The choices and colors available are staggering.

Weddings on a budget

Choose a bridal bouquet that is held together with ribbon, as opposed to being hand wired. This will save money because it is less time consuming to create. Another alternative is to choose an exotic bloom like orchids or calla lilies and carry just one stem or spray.

It is important to note that ALL flowers will cost more during the Valentine's Day season and the week preceding Mother's Day.

Another way to save money on wedding flowers is to use candles as a focal point. This is a good choice when more expensive flowers will be purchased…fewer flowers are needed. Ribbons and bows can be used to replace flowers as well.

cheap wedding ideas

Keep these ideas in mind and you'll know how to save money on your wedding flowers.

Conserve Your Cash While Your Guests Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

2010-02-18T11:27:00.000-08:00

Catering can drain your checking account faster than a leaky bucket. But you can plug the holes and still provide your guests a fabulous feast.

Check with your reception site about their rules on whether food can be brought in, or whether you have to use their food catering provider. Many hotels will not allow outside vendors to be brought onsite for a variety of reasons. Hotels charge a hefty price for their food service, sometimes as much as $15.00 per guest for a simple beverage service (no alcohol) just coffee, tea and soft drinks. A continental breakfast self service buffet can be over $20.00 a person.

A buffet is usually less expensive to provide than a sit down meal. You can also stretch a buffet to feed 10% more if extra guests show up. You can’t do that with a meal. Buffet service requires labor to set up, replenish the buffet and clean up. A meal service requires servers to bring the courses, remove them, refill drinks, fill special requests and clean up. That extra labor is an extra expense.

Breakfast and lunch are less expensive than dinner. Breakfast foods require less expensive ingredients while lunch means smaller portions than dinner.

A meal doesn’t have to be served at all. You could provide a fruit tray, a veggie tray and perhaps a few appetizers. Consider ordering the trays from your local grocers, which will cost considerably less than catering. Stick with food that tastes good at room temperature and doesn’t need to be kept cold for safety reasons. Deviled eggs are always a favorite and for the cost of two dozen eggs you get almost 50 appetizers. Crackers and spinach dip is another good selection at a reasonable price. Mini ham and cheese sandwiches served on a dinner roll is economical. If you use parmesan cheese and add a basil leaf you have a gourmet sandwich.

If you have an open bar hire a bartender. He or she will save you money by making sure that the drinks are proportioned properly. Guests may be too generous if they mix their own drinks.

The least expensive option is not to serve alcohol at all, and many sites prohibit the consumption of alcohol.

Champagne punch is an alternative to straight champagne. Sangria, a fruit and wine cocktail, allows the usage of a lesser vintage of wine, since the taste is camouflaged by the addition of the fruit. You can also add ginger ale or lemon-lime soda to stretch the wine even further. A white sangria can be made with a white wine, lemon, orange, tangerines and lemon lime soda. Pink sangria uses the same recipe but adds raspberries or strawberries to the mixture. Just about any juicy fruit can be used.

1 and half liter bottles of wine means a savings of about 20% over the standard 750 liter size bottle. Many stores offer additional case purchase discounts of 10%. A standard tactic is to serve a ‘good’ wine as the first glass and then switch to serving a lesser vintage as the festivities wear on.

You might see if there is a cooking school in the area that would agree to provide the catering as an exercise for their students. These students are not beginners and all the food preparation is supervised by the staff so the quality of food should be high. You may have to provide containers for the food and transportation from the school to the wedding site.

Fancies – Yes, Diamonds Come in Colors.

2010-02-10T08:55:00.000-08:00

Think of diamonds and you think of breathtakingly clear stones, clear as water, pure as ice. But diamonds do come in colors, over 300 different colors in diamonds have been found in nature so far. Diamonds are normally graded from colorless or rare white, to brown. Black is not used in jewelry except as a novelty item. Colors deeper than light yellow are not usually used in jewelry making, although on occasion, champagne diamonds or cognac diamonds appear. These are really, in most cases, white diamonds of an inferior color grade, rather than fancy diamonds.

The colorless is the most expensive of the white diamonds. Diamonds with a faint tint of yellow are less valuable and a yellow color visible to the naked eye are the least valuable.

Fancies are the term used for colored diamonds. Diamonds can be found in every color and intensity: red, blue, yellow, green, and lavender. The intensity of the colors can range from palest pink to red, lightest blue to sky blue and so forth. Fancy diamonds are rarer than white diamonds. The most common fancy colors are yellow ranging from canary yellow to orange. Colors such as pink, lavender and light green occur much more rarely than the yellow colors. Most valuable of all are the deep reds, greens and blues.

One word of caution: colored diamonds can be created artificially by subjecting inexpensive yellowish and brown stones to radiation or heating. Fancy diamonds, other than green, can be tested to see if the color is natural or the color has been induced. Fancy diamonds can also be created synthetically. These artificially colored, or produced diamonds, don't have nearly the same value as fancy diamonds found naturally. It some cases the colors fade, revert back to their natural state, or change color.

The Hope diamond is an example of a fancy blue diamond. The Argyle Mine in Australia produces a small number of red diamonds and is the world's largest producer of pink diamonds. Several of their pink diamonds have sold for over $1,000,000 per carat.

The Dresden diamond is an apple green diamond weighing 40.70 carats. The Tiffany diamond is orange.

Colored diamonds are valued on a different scale than white diamonds. The color's saturation, hue, and darkness determine the value. In other words the more intense the color the more valuable the diamond is. Make sure you take any fancy diamond you plan on purchasing to a certified lab for evaluation.

Dee

Party Ideas for Kids

Weddings on a Shoestring Budget

2 Tips for a Champagne Wedding on a Shoestring Budget

2010-02-06T09:12:00.000-08:00

Are you faced with planning a wedding on a shoestring budget? Considering the state of today’s economy, you can rest assured that you’re not alone. Many brides-to-be are in the same boat. You can have a champagne wedding on a shoestring budget.

The good news is this: there are many things you can do that will actually help you save money on your wedding. You can still have a beautiful day, without spending thousands of dollars in the process.

Tip number one. Develop a budget. Be honest with yourself and your fiance about how much you can reasonably spend for your wedding. You can do some preliminary estimates by going to websites and seeing how much a three tiered wedding cake costs, a dramatic bridal bouquet, centerpieces, invitations, and so forth. Once you set a budget limit, stick to it. It's easy to get carried away and decide that the darling tissue paper liners for the save the date cards are a must have and add only $100 to the total cost of the invitations. The problem is that if you keep adding $100 here and there you'll end up thousands over budget.

Tip number two. Decide what's important to you. If you've always dreamed of a beautifully embroidered wedding gown with yards of lace then cut back in other areas. Or find a wedding gown that fulfills your dream but is second hand. Because most dresses are only worn once, opting for a 'gently used' gown is almost like purchasing a new one... for a whole lot less.

Many bridal shops carry at least a small selection of used wedding dresses. You can also utilize online resources such as eBay. You will probably be surprised at the number of 'designer' gowns that are currently up for grabs, for a fraction of the price.

Mini meals are fun and tasty. Try these ideas at your wedding reception.

2010-02-04T14:45:00.000-08:00

Guests love bite size snacks they can carry with them. Just about
everyone loves macaroni and cheese. You can make it special and
portable by hollowing out a small dinner roll and stuffing it with
mac and cheese. They won't even need a spoon.

Stuff cherry tomatoes with a mixture of one cup of cottage cheese
mixed with one quarter cup of Parmesan cheese.

For a variation stuff the tomatoes with chicken salad or tuna salad.

Chicken wings are fun and easy. Cut a chicken wing in three pieces.
Save the bony wing end for making chicken broth. Bake the wings at
350 degrees until done. Serve at room temperature with dipping
sauces. Mix equal parts honey, lime juice and mustard for a tangy
dip. Or try equal party ketchup and brown sugar for a BBQ like
sauce. Each guest gets their own little cup of dipping sauce.

Miniature hot dogs and buns are always a hit. Buy the little franks
and refrigerator biscuits. Cut the biscuits in half. Place one
little frank in the center and roll up. Bake as package directs.

Grill baby burgers and place in a cut dinner roll, top with a slice
of tomato, a lettuce leaf, and favorite condiments like mayonnaise,
ketchup, and mustard.

Keep portions tiny.

Salad to go. Wash endive leaves. Fill the broad end with a teaspoon
of your favorite prepared salad. Wash butter lettuce leaves,
selecting the smaller more pliable leaves. Spread out the lettuce
leaf and put a tablespoon of salad on the end nearest you. Roll the
leaf forward covering the salad. Tuck the ends of the leave under
as if you were rolling up a burrito.

Lightly fill celery stalk with cream cheese. Press dried cranberries or
raisins into the cheese. Cut into bite sized pieces. For a change use
flavored cream cheese.

Mini pizzas. Use refrigerator biscuits. Lightly flour a
board. Roll each biscuit flat doubling the size of the biscuit.
Place biscuits on cookie sheets. Spread with a teaspoon of tomato
sauce, pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce. An alternative is to use a
slice of fresh tomato. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake as package
directs.

A veggie platter and dip can be made special by using baby
vegetables. Carrots, summer squash, patty pan squash, string beans,
both yellow and green should be blanched by immersing in boiling
water for one minute and then in immediately in an ice bath. Add
snap pea pods, grape tomatoes, both red and yellow, and boiled baby
potatoes.

Mini tacos are fun and easy. Use the corn chips that are made for
dipping and have a bowl shape. Fill with a teaspoon of cooked taco
meat, a bit of refried beans and top with shredded cheese. Bake
until the cheese just melts.

Valentines Day is coming up fast but it's not too late to snag a few
party ideas for kids they're not just for children.

Dee Power

Weddings on a Shoestring Budget
http://www.weddingsonashoestringbudget.com

Think small to save big

2010-01-20T10:14:00.000-08:00

One of the major costs of a wedding is the reception. And food takes a huge chunk of the reception budget. A very clever way to save on costs is to think small. Bite sized is best.

A sit down dinner can run as much as $75 per person without the wine. That means a guest list of 150 is going to run a tab of close to $12,000. Instead of dinner consider a buffet of bite size appetizers, or even better those appetizers passed on trays by servers. People have a tendency to fill up a plate at a buffet wasting a good portion of the food or stuffing themselves. They're much less likely to chow down in front a wait person or clear off their tray.

It takes a good 15 minutes after you start to eat for your brain to tell your tummy that you're getting full. It takes longer to consume food if you have to wait for the server to come back with another portion.

Little appetizers are very fashionable right now. Served creatively and elegantly your guests won't even realize you're cutting back on costs. Here are a few suggestions:

3 tiny shrimp served on mini rye toasts, spread with cream cheese, garnished with a sprig of dill

Cherry tomatoes stuffed with cottage cheese, basil, and Parmesan cheese

A slice of rare roast beef with a dab of honey mustard sauce served in a pastry puff

Chicken drummetes, chicken wings with the meat pushed down to one end

Sushi - california rolls can be bought the day before.

Salad to go - tiny grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, diced cucumber, baby lettuces served in a small clear plastic 4 ounce cup

Mini burritos. Stuff the smallest size flour tortillas with your favorite burrito mixture, then cut in half.

Augment the mini appetizers with a lavish display of veggies and dip or a basket of crackers and cheeses.

Check out the freezer case of your grocery store for more appetizer ideas. Choose those that taste good at room temperature. It's easier to keep foods cold because you can serve them on a bed of ice, or place the serving plate on a bed of ice. Keeping hot foods hot is more of a challenge. Small servings of food have a tendency to cool off faster.

Garnish the serving plates with ruffled kale, a bed of butter lettuce, or thinly sliced citrus fruit. Garnishes don't get eaten (usually) and cost much less than the appetizer, yet they take up space on the plate and enhance the attractiveness of the food.

Dee

Cheap and Easy Ideas for Your Wedding Reception

2010-01-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

Weddings on a Shoestring Budget: Cheap and Easy Ideas for Your Wedding Reception

Are you getting married, but find it necessary to stay within a certain budget? Don't worry; you can still have a wonderful wedding reception, without spending a great deal of money. It's probably easier than you think to have a fabulous wedding on a shoestring budget.

Weather permitting one of the least expensive ways to save money on your reception is to have it in your own backyard… or in a backyard you have 'borrowed' from a friend or family member. This option works best for small, intimate, receptions. In any case have an alternative rainy day location chosen. It could be the living room or first floor of your house. You may still need to rent a tarp or covering so your guests aren't wilting in the sun.

If your reception will be on a larger scale, consider having it at a local park. Pavilions can usually be rented at a very reasonable cost. Many parks have additional facilities such as beaches and play areas, as well. (This type of amenity will be appreciated by the younger guests, in attendance.) Send an advanced group to scout the area for papers, trash, and dog droppings. Folding chairs can be rented so your guests will be comfortable while waiting for the ceremony to begin.

If you plan on decorating with flowers, use those that are in season. Many grocery stores now have lovely floral departments. Talk with the floral manager to see what bouquets she or he is ordering that are in your color scheme. Reserve the bouquets by prepaying for them. A good size bouquet is usually around $10 to $12 that's far less expensive than an arrangement from the florist. Shop good will stores for glass vases. Use inexpensive candles as the main focal point and the flowers as more of an accent. Doing so will save you money.

(You can easily 'jazz up' inexpensive glass candle holders with ribbon and other small embellishments that match your color scheme. These candles can even be given away as wedding favors, at the end of the reception.)

Food doesn't have to be a huge expense, if you don't want it to be. Ask your closest friends and family members to bring a dish to pass. You will find that they are usually more than willing to do so.

Another option is to serve several different desserts and beverages, instead of a large meal. The desserts can be purchased from a bakery or your local grocery store. Ask a friend to cut the desserts into serving slices and then store until the wedding. Individual mini tarts, cookies, cupcakes, are other alternatives.

Have the wedding of your dreams on a shoestring budget.

Koozie up!

2009-10-28T12:06:00.001-07:00

A memorable and inexpensive keepsake from your wedding is a koozieskeeping a cold bottle of water ready for each guest to take with them after the festivities.
Design koozies can be customized with your initials, names, and or wedding date. These wedding favors won't be thrown away or just collect dust.

More destination weddings

2009-10-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

If you already live in the United Kingdom there are some stunning civil partnership venues for your wedding and reception.

Notley Abby is an historic stone manor reminiscent of Wuthering Heights. You can almost see Heathcliff and Catherine in the shadows, happy and together forever at last. The manor is surrounded by manicured lawns, clipped hedges and borders, perfect for an outdoor ceremony and reception. However if you would prefer the comfort of the indoors Notley Abby can accommodate you with ease.

Looking for a wedding venue near London? You'll find it at Botley's Mansion. Marble floors, stunning entry way, and crystal chandeliers all add elegance and refinement to a location conveniently located near London.

These are just two wedding venues, one country manor, the other sophisticated mansion. Both offer indoor and outdoor facilities, bed and breakfast for you and your guests, gourmet food service and an extensive wine list.

You truly will feel like a pampered princess on your wedding day.

Can a destination wedding save you money?

2009-09-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly yes!.

Most bridal couples pay an average of $20,000 just for the wedding and about $1500 per night for the honeymoon. That means a 7 day honeymoon costs $10,500 plus transportation.

A destination wedding in an exotic location like Tahiti can cost as little as $23,000 for 4 nights for you and 8 guests. The price includes accommodations in a 5 star hotel, breakfast and dinner for each night for you and your guests. The wedding officiant, bridal bouquet, flower centerpieces, wedding reception gourmet dinner with cake and champagne. Plus special activities and pampering.

Destination Wedding Packages may not strike you as a budget wedding idea, but think about it. You and your guests will have an unforgettable experience for less money than the cost of an average wedding and honeymoon.

Fabulous Fall Wedding Flowers

2009-09-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

Keep autumn colors in mind when you think about your flowers. Autumn means oranges, russets, deep yellows and gold accented with a pop of purple. Chrysanthemums are a favorite fall flower and can be found at discount prices. Order yours from the grocery store in six inch pots. You can probably find a bargain at less than $10 a pot. Most of the plants will have the pot covered with foil. If that doesn't appeal to you, exchange it for a wrapping of netting, wrapping paper, or fabric. For an extra dollar you can probably have a big fluffy bow added.

You can use the pots to line the aisle, in the entry way, even on the alter, if you're having a church wedding. At $10 a pot you can have a beautiful display of 25 pots for only $250, that's just about what only 5 flower arrangements from a florist would cost.

Take advantage of pumpkins, gourds, apples, nuts, and fall leaves for your table decorations. You can hollow out a medium size pumpkin, insert a glass vase and then pop in a store bouquet of fall colors for a stunning center piece. You may have to carve a thin slice off the bottom of the pumpkin to level it.

Hollow out mini pumpkins and use them as candle holders or fill with a few flowers and march them down the center of a table, alternating with glass candle holders. Fill in with fall leaves, apples and dried flowers. You can also hollow apples and use them as well.

Pumpkins come in an off white color. Paint the stem gold and add gold foil leaves twisted around gold chenille stems for a Cinderella look. Sponge a little of the gold paint on the pumpkin for added glamour. Place white mums in spray painted gold pots accented with a net bow. You can keep the look white and gold or add deep red roses to set off the colors.

Make sure you co-ordinate your wedding invitations with the colors and theme of your wedding with the save the date card, invitation, program, and thank you cards.

You can have fabulous fall flowers for your wedding on a shoestring budget.

3 more tips for a budget wedding

2009-09-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

Tip number one. Determine what you truly want. You might think that a sit down formal dinner is the only alternative for your wedding but what you really want is to share a wonderful meal with friends and family. There are alternatives to that sit down dinner. A buffet is a great idea and cuts costs, or what about an elegant boxed lunch picnic? Or perhaps consider a selection of appetizers instead of a full meal.

Tip number two. Offer your guests the opportunity to help pay for your wedding as their wedding gift. Several of your friends could decide to pay for or supply the wine for your wedding. Others could participate in paying for the wedding cake, music, photographer, and so forth. This isn't as crass as asking for cash donations directly and it makes your guests feel they made more of a contribution to your happy day than just showing up.

Tip number three. Research, research, RESEARCH! There are many websites that provide information on low-cost weddings. Take the time to visit several of them. Chances are you will run across MANY great ideas that you may not have thought of on your own.

The websites don’t necessarily have to be geared specifically toward weddings. Even sites such as Better Homes & Gardens and Redbook often feature wedding related articles.

Follow these tips and you can have a beautiful wedding on a shoestring budget.

Wedding cakes

2009-05-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

A beautifully decorated wedding cake is part of every bride's dream wedding. However they can be expensive, as much as $10.00 per serving. That means your cake for 200 guests will cost $2,000.00. Wedding cakes don't have to break your budget.

The high season for weddings is Spring and Summer and the busiest day for weddings is Saturday. Choose to get married on another day, say Friday evening, or in the Fall and Winter and you'll save money overall, as well as on your wedding cake.

Choose a small tiered cake to cut and sheet cakes to serve to the guests. You'll have the tradition of the cake cutting ceremony without the expense of tiered cakes.

Another alternative is to serve cupcakes displayed on tiered serving trays. If you don't have the trays use a silver large round tray for the bottom. Support a second clear glass tray by balancing it on champagne glasses and a final smaller clear glass tray for the top tier. If you're worried about knocking over the display. Use a dab of hot blue on the bottom of each champagne glass to fasten it to the tray below. Decorate between the cupcakes with rose petals or small mini carnations, beautiful and cost effective.

Dee

Black and white can be a challenge for flowers

2009-02-02T14:41:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of suggestions. Spray paint flower pots black then pop in a 4 inch plant with white flowers from the plant nursery. You might be able to get the nursery to order them for you. White flowers that should be available at a reasonable price include: gerbera daisy, geraniums, miniature roses, and petunias.

Another idea would be clear vases half filled with black marbles and one spray of white orchids. Or use round clear vases with a single floating white flower. Place the vase on a black charger plate (those plates that are bigger than a dinner plate and used under the dinner plate) place white votive candles around the vase on the charger plate.

Use black lace that you've bought at a discount fabric store - seconds are fine - nobody will notice a glitch in the pattern, as a runner for each table over a white table cloth. Place a simple bouquet of white airy flowers like mini carns, mini roses, baby's breath and green leaves in a clear vase on the runner.

Flowers don't naturally occur in black, but you can use floral spray which does come in black to 'paint' baby's breath. Then mix the black baby's breath in with real white flowers.

The challenge with black is that it can go gothic or Halloween fast.

Christmas can help you save money on your wedding

2008-12-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a great time to buy decorations for your wedding, even
if it takes place in March, or any other month for that matter. No
I'm not talking about using red and green garland to decorate the
cake table. What I am talking about is using decorations that don't
look like traditional Christmas items.

For example: I went to Pier One and found some adorable fish
themed Christmas tree ornaments. Each was a different fish shape,
about six inches across, with glitter and sequins. The colors were
dark blue, light blue, aqua and white. If I were having a beach
themed wedding these would make darling center pieces placed in a
fish bowl with salt in the bottom to mimic sand and a few shells.
That's how I used them in my bath room.

If you're planning a winter wedding perhaps you're thinking of a
wonderland theme. Snowflakes could be attached to silver spray
painted branches as centerpieces. Strung on fishing wire and hung
from the ceiling they look like they're floating gently down to
earth.

Christmas mini lights go on sale after Christmas and white lights
look very romantic. String them over arches. Use battery operated
lights to decorate the cake and gift tables. Please battery
operated lights in frosted glass vases. Intersperse them through
greenery.

You've probably noticed that colors other than red and green are
popular for Christmas. One year purple and pink were the must have
colors, another year blues from baby blue to navy were all the
rage. The popular colors show up in ribbons and bows as well as
tree decorations. Pick up wire edged ribbon now on sale if you can
find your wedding colors. Beautiful fluffy bows can take the
place of more pricey flower arrangements at the end of the church
pews on the aisles.

Candles are huge at Christmas. Votives, votive candles, tapers,
and pillar candles in white, off white, red, and of course green
are available at reasonable prices. Candles in a pretty votive
candle holder can be used as a wedding favor for your guests.

Good places to find decorations at great prices are drugstores and
big box stores. Unusual decoration can be found at import stores
and boutiques. Don't forget craft stores and of course shop online.

Look at Christmas decorations through new eyes and you just might
find that perfect accent for your wedding or favor for your guest.

Until next week.

Dee Power
Weddings on a Shoestring Budget

5 Tips for a Champagne Wedding on a Shoestring Budget

2008-10-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

Are you faced with planning a wedding on a shoestring budget? Considering the state of today's economy, you can rest assured that you're not alone. Many brides-to-be are in the same boat. You can have a champagne wedding on a shoestring budget.

The good news is this: there are many things you can do that will actually help you save money on your wedding. You can still have a beautiful day, without spending thousands of dollars in the process.

Tip number one. Develop a budget. Be honest with yourself and your fiance about how much you can reasonably spend for your wedding. You can do some preliminary estimates by going to websites and seeing how much a three tiered wedding cake costs, a dramatic bridal bouquet, centerpieces, invitations, and so forth. Once you set a budget limit, stick to it. It's easy to get carried away and decide that the darling tissue paper liners for the save the date cards are a must have and add only $100 to the total cost of the invitations. The problem is that if you keep adding $100 here and there you'll end up thousands over budget.

Tip number two. Decide what's important to you. If you've always dreamed of a beautifully embroidered wedding gown with yards of lace then cut back in other areas. Or find a wedding gown that fulfills your dream but is second hand. Because most dresses are only worn once, opting for a 'gently used' gown is almost like purchasing a new one... for a whole lot less.

Many bridal shops carry at least a small selection of used wedding dresses. You can also utilize online resources such as eBay. You will probably be surprised at the number of 'designer' gowns that are currently up for grabs, for a fraction of the price.

Tip number three. Determine what you truly want. You might think that a sit down formal dinner is the only alternative for your wedding but what you really want is to share a wonderful meal with friends and family. There are alternatives to that sit down dinner. A buffet is a great idea and cuts costs, or what about an elegant boxed lunch picnic? Or perhaps consider a selection of appetizers instead of a full meal.

Tip number four. Offer your guests the opportunity to help pay for your wedding as their wedding gift. Several of your friends could decide to pay for or supply the wine for your wedding. Others could participate in paying for the wedding cake, music, photographer, and so forth. This isn't as crass as asking for cash donations directly and it makes your guests feel they made more of a contribution to your happy day than just showing up.

Tip number five. Research, research, RESEARCH! There are many websites that provide information on low-cost weddings. Take the time to visit several of them. Chances are you will run across MANY great ideas that you may not have thought of on your own.

The websites don't necessarily have to be geared specifically toward weddings. Even sites such as Better Homes & Gardens and Redbook often feature wedding related articles.

Follow these tips and you can have a beautiful wedding on a shoestring budget.

Fabulous Wedding Dresses that Don't Cost a Fortune

2008-09-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

Your wedding dress will most likely be the most expensive piece of clothing you'll ever buy. You'll only wear it once. While celebrities can afford to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a wedding dress, should you?

Cheap Wedding Dresses don't have to look cheap. No one needs to know you paid a fraction of the retail cost for your fabulous bridal gown. How can you do that? Search the Internet for sites that sell end of season designer gowns. Check out Ebay for gowns that have only been worn once.

It's sad, but true, weddings do get canceled after the gown has been bought and paid for. Some wedding retail shops will sell these gowns at substantial discounts. Try consignment shops. These aren't hand me down thrift store shops but carry merchandise from only a season or two ago.

There are even consignment shops that focus on wedding apparel from the bride to the flower girl, even tuxedos for the guys.

Fabulous Wedding Favors on Shoestring Budget

2008-09-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

If you are in the midst of planning a wedding you are probably well aware of how costly it can be… especially with the current rise in prices. We are paying more for everything from gas, to food to everything in between. Unfortunately, it seems to be getting worse instead of better.

But, the good news is there is still hope. With a bit of research you can easily locate or create fabulous wedding favors on a shoestring budget. Rest assured that these favors won’t end up in the top of someone’s closet; they will be mementos that will be truly appreciated by your wedding guests.

Don’t spend money on wedding favors that the majority of your guests will just throw away. Doing so is just a waste of money. Most individuals, especially your closest friends and family members will appreciate a small homemade favor, which will serve as a reminder of the day.

You can easily create items such as bookmarks, notepads, small decorated picture frames and key rings, reflecting details of your wedding. These are all necessary items that will initiate an instant memory, each time they are used. The bookmarks can include a photos of the bride and groom as children, in high school and finally as they are now. Bookmarks can be ordered in small quantities of 50 or 100, as well as 1000.

Notepads can be ordered at the same time as the wedding invitations and save the date card and reflect the same theme. Pens can be personalized and included with the notepads for an extra gift. Picture frames can be decorated to match the wedding colors. After the wedding when sending out thank you notes include a wedding photo sized to fit the picture frame.
Order key rings online that can be customized with engraving or by snapping in a photo.

In the weeks before the wedding paint small votive candle holders with a few flowers that match the wedding colors and include a candle. The flowers can be stenciled on which doesn’t require a lot of artistic talent.

A very inexpensive but fun favor is a wine glass filled with Hershey kisses topped with netting to keep the kisses in the glass and then tied with a festive bow. An extension of this theme is to buy small bottles of wine that come in the four pack carriers. Make labels that have the bridal couple's names, photo, and wedding date that match the theme of the wedding. Attach the labels over the label that comes with the wine and tie with ribbons.

Another great idea for a wedding favor is a disposable camera. Give one to each guest, as they arrive at the wedding. Allow them to take the cameras with them, at the end of the day. Not only will they end up with pictures of the event that they can display as desired, they might even be generous enough to make copies for you as well.

Remember, there is no such thing as too many pictures… especially at the wedding! You can have fabulous favors at your wedding on a shoestring budget.

Your Wedding Bouquet – You Don’t Have to Spend Hundreds of Dollars.

2008-07-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

It’s your wedding day and you’ve always pictured yourself with a stunning bouquet. Then you go shopping and the sticker shock is the only thing that’s stunning. You can have beautiful flowers for you as the bride and for your wedding party without spending a fortune. And you don’t have to be a professional florist to do it.

Keep in mind the season of your wedding. If it’s fall, you can order tulips, but you’ll pay a fortune. If you go with mums, which are in season in the autumn, you’ll pay a lot less.

Stay away from the exotics like tuberoses, gardenias, orchids, or calla lilies incorporated into your bouquet. Stick with more common flowers like carnations, roses, and baby’s breath.

You can carry a single spray of orchids or a single calla lily. One flower of an exotic species makes a dramatic statement and doesn’t cost a fortune.

You can carry a single white rose tied with a satin ribbon and each of bridesmaids can carry a rose to match or contrast with their dress.

If you have to have the traditional flowing bridal bouquet you can cut costs elsewhere by being creative with your table setting flowers.

Live flowers for your wedding

2008-07-03T14:35:00.001-07:00

Every little girl dreams of a fairy tale wedding with arches of roses, armloads of orchids and baskets of gardenias. Then we grow up and find out just how much one orchid costs much less an armload. You can have fairy tale flowers at your wedding without nightmare prices, but you need to go to the nursery not the florist.

Blooming plants in pots are perfect for weddings. Here are some ideas that could take your breath away and the sting out of your wallet.

Geraniums come in pinks, purples, reds and whites. You have your choice of the one quart size which is about a 4 inches high container or one gallon which is about 8 inches high.

Miniature roses, which refers to the size of the blossom rather than the size of the plant, come in a variety of colors. Most of the time they’re in 4 inch pots.

Standards are flowers which have been trained to have a trunk-like sturdy stem and then a burst of flowers at the top. The trunks can range from a foot high to four or five feet high. Roses, hibiscus, bougainvillea are just a few of the flowers you can find in the standard form.

Azaleas are available in late winter, spring and early summer and come in white and pinks. The bushes have glossy dark green leaves and are loaded with blossoms. Azaleas also come as a standard, but these can be a bit pricy.

Chrysanthemums are available at nurseries only in the fall, but you can find them in grocery stores nearly year round.

Now that you’ve got all these pots what do you do with them?

The first thing is to cover the ugly containers or to repot. You can buy cheap baskets. You can repot in decorative pots. You can buy cheap terracotta pots and spray paint them in gold or white and then stick the nursery pots inside. You can buy gift bags (the kind without the handles) and place the nursery pots inside and then tie a ribbon around the stems of the plant.

For smaller pots you can buy cloth napkins, place the pot in the middle of the napkin, and bring up the four corners, then tie. You can also do this with larger pots with fabric.

Take your decorated pots and line the aisle or the entry way to where you wedding ceremony is being held with gallon containers. Place pots on stairs. Put several pots on each table at the reception, at your cake table, or on food tables.

You can vary the height of your arrangement by placing one of the pots on an over turned empty pot and then surrounding it with contrasting flowers.

Rather than placing a flower arrangement on the alter, use a standard on either side of the alter table.

You can group several pots in a basket and then cover the pot brims with moss, available at a crafts store.

If you don’t want to take the pots home, let guests take them, or donate them to a retirement home or your church.

Wedding Dresses Weren't Always White

2008-06-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

Wedding Dresses Weren't Always White

A wedding dress is simply the dress worn by the bride on her wedding day.

Brides the world over and through the centuries have celebrated their wedding with special dresses and ceremonies. The ceremony celebrated not only the marriage but marked the bride maturing from girl to womanhood.

Both Indian and Chinese brides traditionally wear red. In ancient Rome a bride would wear a new white tunic and yellow sandals. During the Renaissance the bride's dress reflected the wealth of her family. Rich brocades, sumptuous silks, vibrant colors, and even fur and jewels were incorporated into the dress.

Prior to the Victorian age wedding dresses were not usually white and were worn not only on the wedding day, but afterwards as the woman's 'best dress.' Because the dress had to last, it was often of a dark color and heavy material. The styles reflected the fashion of the times. While the dress was dark colored, brides in the early 19^th century would often wear a long white veil.

Thanks to Queen Victoria, wedding dresses became wedding gowns and white was the color of choice. Her Spitalfields satin dress was narrow waisted with a scoop neckline that bared her shoulders. Full sleeves were caught above the elbows and flared. The dress was accented with handmade Honiton lace. Over 200 people worked on the lace alone. The pattern was destroyed after the lace was completed for her dress. Her lace veil fell nearly to the floor. Photos show that her gown was caught and draped with fresh flowers around the hemline.

Queen Victoria set the standard for breathtaking gowns and set a trend among brides. Although she wasn't the first queen to wear white, Mary Queen of Scots wore a white dress on her wedding, Queen Victoria's choice become the color of choice for brides.

The second half of the 19^th century marked the beginning of the professional couture houses in France and Paris became the center of fashion. The Paris designs filtered down to the mass markets through inspired dressmakers and retailers. The industrial revolution signaled an era of progress. Due to technological advancements ready-made garments were offered through catalogs. Brides could now order their wedding dress for their very special day.

Roses won't break the bank

2008-05-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

Roses are only expensive at two times a year, Valentine’s and Mother Day. Other times of the year they can be had for as little as $10 a dozen. Buy five dozen and you have enough for ten tables when you fill in with greenery. You can also buy flowers wholesale online. Just make sure that you don’t need a retailer’s license and that the minimum quantity is something realistic. 12 dozen roses sounds like a lot, but if you have 8 tables at your reception, the cake table, and a drinks table, you’ve just used 12 dozen roses. Keep in mind flowers from wholesalers are shipped in the tightly closed bud state. You will need some place to store the flowers and keep them in water. And leave enough time, two or three days after delivery for the buds to open up a bit.

Whether you order the flowers online or pick them up from your grocers the flowers need to be prepared. Strip off all the leaves from the stem that will be below the water line in the vase. Recut each stem at a 45 degree angle and immediately put in a bucket of ice water. If the buds are tightly closed and you want them to open place the buckets in a warm brightly lit room. If you want to slow down the flower’s from opening place the buckets in a dark cool room.

The easiest way to transport the flowers from home to the wedding site is to keep them in the buckets and place them in the vases at the site.

After the wedding consider giving the flowers to a Senior Citizens’ Home or to a children’s hospital.

Don’t Spend a Fortune on the Flowers

2008-05-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

Flowers at your ceremony and your reception are an integral part of a beautiful wedding, but they can cost thousands of dollars. You can have fabulous flowers and remain on a budget.

If you’re buying the flowers through a florist order flowers that will be in season. Daffodils are beautiful and not very expensive in the spring but horrendously priced at other times of year. Roses, carnations and mums are year round flowers usually reasonably priced.

Be flexible on your color choice. Yellow and white are the most common flower colors, followed by red. Blue is rare, as is purple. True black in nature doesn’t exist. If you have got to have black, use silk flowers. You can mix silk flowers with real ones as long as the silks are small flowered.

Florist prices depend on the variety of the flower, how many flowers and how long it takes to make the arrangement. The simpler the arrangement, the less time they have to spend on it, the less expensive the arrangements. If you have got to have exotic flowers like orchids, place one stem in a tall slender vase. You’ll get the glamour at a lesser cost. You can use oriental lilies the same way. Usually there are three flowers on each stem. Place one stem in each narrow tall vase.

To keep your flower costs to a minimum don’t use a florist. Grocery stores these days have a fabulous assortment of blossoms and bouquets. And they come in a variety of colors. If you want an arrangement for each table at your reception, buy an inexpensive glass vase and a bunch of flowers from the grocer. Place flowers in vase and you’re done. If the colors are of paramount importance you can talk to the flower manager to see what she/he has ordered for the week of your wedding. You can then have the correct color bouquets saved just for you.

Save the date, bridal showers invites and wedding invitations

2008-05-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

When choosing your wedding stationary from save the date cards to bridal shower invites to the invitation itself, keep the style and ambiance of your wedding consistent. If you've always dreamed of a formal church wedding with cathedral length veil and train, then it wouldn't make sense to have light and frothy invitations designed. And the reverse is true, a beach wedding at sunset is more informal and needs wedding stationary that reflects that informality.

Wedding invitations aren't a major cost of a wedding when compared to catering, bridal gown, or even the wedding cake. Many people keep the invitations as a keepsake, so splurge a little. Most brides send a save the date card as soon as the wedding date is finalized, even if the location and other details aren't worked out yet. That card can be followed by the wedding invitation including the RSVP card and perhaps a menu selection card as well with return envelopes.

The wedding program is handed out at the wedding itself. While it doesn't have to be identical with the invitations the program should be in the same style and colors. And finally the couple's thank you cards should be consistent as well.

A memorable wedding starts with the wedding stationary.

Professional Wedding Photographers

2008-05-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

Hiring a professional wedding photographer to capture the memories of that special day is a smart move. It's to let friends and family take candid shots but don't depend on them to keep beautiful photography as their primary goal. They're attending your wedding as guests.

A professional wedding photographer knows how to compose photos, adjust for the lighting, and present you and your groom in the best possible way. Whether you're hiring New York wedding photographers or you live in California, Pennslyvania, or any state in between find a professional photographer.

Wedding Favors

2008-05-08T13:58:00.001-07:00

Every bride wants her guests to remember her special day and what better way than wedding favors? The keepsakes can range from photograph frames to bags of specially wrapped candies to gourmet food items.

Here are a couple of cute ideas you might want to try.

Fill a small terracotta plant pot with potting soil. Plant a few marigold, zinnia, or nasternium seeds. Don't water. That makes a mess and the seeds will start to sprout which you don't want. Wrap the pot in netting and tie securely at the top of the pot with a bow. Insert a sign in the pot that says "Watch our love grow." On the back of the sign write: "Water thoroughly and place in a sunny window sill. "

Another cheap favor is to take an inexpensive wine glass and place a votive candle in the glass. Place the glass and candle in a cellophane bag. Tie shut with a bow. On the streamers of the bow, write "Let Our Love Shine Through."

If you're the bridesmaid or maid of honor, part of the festivities is the bridal shower. These days co-ed showers seem to be in vogue. Don't forget to include bridal shower favors as part of your party. The guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Creative Bridal Shopping

2008-05-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

One of the most expensive single items in a wedding is the wedding dress. While every girl dreams of a fairy tale wedding you don't want to trap yourself in a dungeon of debt paying for everything.

Buying wedding dresses at a bridal salon can result in spending thousands of dollars on a dress you'll never wear again. There are alternatives. Where you buy your dress can result in major cost savings.

There are two seasons every year when long gowns and dresses are prevalent in fashion and that's the holiday season and Spring during prom season. Prom dresses are young and flirty and fashionable. If you shop early in the season you can find a terrific assortment in a range of prices to fit just about any bride's budget.

If your heart is set on a traditional formal wedding gown then consider prom dresses for your bridesmaids.

Save money for your bridesmaids

2008-05-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

Be a thoughtful bride and save your bridesmaids a few dollars on their dresses. Bridesmaids dresses are beautiful but expensive. You can have a co-ordinated look to your wedding if you don't shop in the bridal department for your bridesmaids dresses.

So where do you shop? Try evening wear in the department stores. Many cocktail dresses are appropriate for weddings as are evening dresses for more formal weddings.

The sales associate at the store can contact other stores in the area, or even in another state, to make sure each of your bridesmaids has a dress that fits perfectly. Alterations can be made if adjustments are needed.

If you want a co-ordinated look but the dresses don't have to match exactly give the bridesmaid a choice of dresses that are in the same style or color. If each bridesmaid then carries an identical bouquet the look will be beautiful.

Gifts for your bridesmaids

2008-03-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

Thanking your bridesmaids for their support, encouragement, and help before the wedding and during the ceremony and reception is a welcome part of the bride's responsibility. There are lots of ways you can do that from the tried and true necklaces, bracelets, and photo frames holding a photo of who else - you and your groom. But why not try something a little different?

Put together a basket of bath supplies such as bubble bath, bath oil, luxurious soaps, lotions and creams. Include a gift certificate for a massage or manicure.

A night out is always welcome. Obtain certificates from local restaurants, movie theaters, fast food franchises, or Chinese take out place and movie rentals. Wrap each certificate in a cellophane bag tied with a pretty bow and place all the bags in a gift box.

Looking for something really different and a gift that your bridesmaids will use nearly every day? Consider a replica handbag. High quality look alikes are very difficult to tell from the real thing. Provide a different replica for each bridesmaid or give each one the same handbag. Match their handbag to their bridesmaid dress.

After all the running around a pedicure would be welcomed. Set up a pre wedding pedi-party at your favorite spa. Some spas will serve wine and light snacks as party of the festivities or ask to bring your own.

Dee

Diamonds: How are They Valued?

2008-02-28T07:33:00.000-08:00

Diamonds, Ice, Sparklies, A Girl’s Best Friend: Whatever you call them how are they valued? The four C’s -- Cut, Clarity, Color and Carats. We'll talk about the first three C's here.

Cut: A diamonds’ cut influences the brilliance, or light reflecting qualities of the gem, at the same time it enhances the fire of the diamond, or that rainbow quality. A good cut enhances both qualities, fire and brilliance, without sacrificing one for the other. A well cut diamond balances the depth of the diamond to the breadth of the diamond. A poorly cut diamond of the same size can look flat and be more vulnerable to cleavage and breakage.

Clarity: Diamonds are crystalline carbon. The clarity of the diamond refers to the purity of the stone and imperfections within the crystalline structure and on its surface. There is no such thing as a flawless diamond in nature. Sometimes this clarity factor is referred to as the cleanliness of the stone. If a stone is viewed under 10x magnification and no imperfections can be seen, either internally (inclusions) or externally (blemishes), the stone is referred to in the trade as flawless. A microscopic speck of carbon, undetectable by the human eye, but visible under 10Xmagnification,can bring down the value of the diamond substantially. There are five commonly used methods for grading clarity. Just keep in mind the cleaner the stone, the more valuable it is, the more it costs.

Color: Diamonds come in colors including black. Most of the darker colors are used for industrial purposes and not for gems. The white-blue color of pure water is the most valued color for white diamonds and these are rated D-F. (There is no A-C on the scale.) As the diamond color progresses toward yellow (K-M) it becomes less valuable. Diamonds that have a noticeable yellow (N-R) to champagne color (S-Z), are the least valuable. Because the color can be influenced by the color of the gem’s setting, the color is judged when the stone is unset.

To complicate matters and value, diamonds that come in colors, called fancies, are very rare and very valuable. Deep blue, red, and green diamonds are among the rarest and most valuable gems on earth.

When purchasing your diamond for your engagement and wedding rings, consider what factors are more important to you. Size might be more important than color so a larger diamond with a barely noticeable yellow tinge might make you happier than a blue white smaller diamond.

Bridesmaids and Ushers: Is That All There Is?

2008-02-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

No. You can involve lots of special people in your wedding festivities. Don't just limit yourself to the traditional bridesmaids and ushers. Ask everyone who is participating in your wedding to wear your wedding colors if they're female, or a nice suit if they're male. Have simple corsages or boutonnieres made for each one. There is no need for them to go to the expense of buying a bridesmaid's dress or renting a tuxedo. If they're dressed in your wedding colors and have the corsage or boutonniere they'll feel festive and look like they belong. So how can they participate? Here are a few ideas:

Host and hostesses can greet arrivals to the wedding site and hand out programs. The ushers then guide the guests to their seats. Another hostess can help guests place their wedding gifts on the gift table. Or hang up heavy coats on a coat rack. Someone can make sure that every guest has signed the guest book. If your guest book is in a three ring binder, so much the better. Split the book up so several people can encourage guests to sign. If you're having a candy or sweets table, someone to help there and thank the guest will be appreciated.

After the bride and groom have cut the cake, your special helpers can deliver slices of cake to the other guests. It's a nice touch and gets the cake served much more quickly than if the guests line up at the cake table.

Ask a few friends with digital cameras to take photos as the evening progresses. The photos can be printed onsite and then pinned to a bulletin board covered with white fabric and trimmed in your wedding colors. Guest can peruse the board and take home favorite snapshots. Since the photos are digital you'll still have your own copies. You could also give a few people disposable cameras to take photos for you. You'll probably get some unique photos you wouldn't ordinarily get. Appoint someone to collect the cameras so you can have the photos developed and your guests don't have the added expense.

Usually the bride and groom leave the wedding reception first. It's a nice touch to ask a few friends to thank the guests for attending the wedding as they leave. If you're giving out wedding favors these same people can hand out the favors as well.

There are lots of ways your friends can feel special and involved on your very special day.

Dee Power

Wedding Fun for Children

2008-02-19T14:58:00.000-08:00

Children at a wedding can be precious, precocious and sometimes a problem. Little ones bore easily and don't really understand the meaning of a wedding. Everybody is excited and dressed up and then just sit around watching the girls in the beautiful dresses and their handsome guys, well just stand there. At least that's the point of few from the child.

Keeping kids occupied while the ceremony is going on and well behaved during the reception can be a problem. If the site where the wedding is to be held has a separate room close by in the same building, it can be turned into a nursery of sorts. Most wedding ceremonies take from 20 to 30 minutes but be prepared with activities for at least 60 minutes.

Children can color pictures of the bride and groom. Play pin the bouquet on the bride or boutonnière on the groom, or make wedding bouquets out of paper flowers. In expensive activity books for several age groups can be purchased and then divided up among the children.

If the facility allows it consider providing a snack and drinks. Ideas might include string cheese, children love it, precut apple slices, and boxed cereal. Keep drinks to juice boxes to cut down on spillage.

The children can be supervised by one adult and perhaps a preteen or two. If the wedding is held in a church, the church most likely has a nursery area which allows everything to be seen and heard.

One sweet way for children to commemorate a wedding is to give each of them a bag of rose petals and have them throw the petals in front of the bridal couple after the ceremony. No matter how hard a little boy might throw the petals they don't go very far. Or each child could be given a bottle of bubbles and bubble wand.

The reception can include special activities for children as well. A table at child's height filled with small toys and treats should keep them occupied for hours. The dollar store is a good place to collect a few toys. Stuffed toys in the bridal party colors tied with a ribbon and perhaps a few silk flowers is a favor the children will treasure. Consider taking a group photo of all the children with the bride and groom. It's a lovely keepsake for the bridal couple and each child's parent can receive a copy as well.

Older children and preteens can participate in the wedding festivities at the ceremony and at the reception with special tasks. Perhaps they can help serve the cake after it's cut. One child could ask people to sign the guestbook. Children can hand out wedding favors as the guest leave. If you plan on throwing bird seed or rose petals as the bridal coule leave the children can hand out the packages. Give each older child or preteen a disposable camera with flash and tell them to take pictures. You will be amazed at the photos.

Keep the children occupied and everyone will have a happy time.

No Matter How You Cut It

2008-01-24T09:10:00.000-08:00

Cutting a diamond can only be done with another diamond. The practice is painstaking, one wrong move and the diamond can cleave into pieces destroying its value. A diamond can be cut so that its face is broader and the depth shallower. That makes the diamond “spread” or look bigger than it actually is. Diamonds are cut to increase their brilliance or sparkle and their fire or that rainbow quality. Some cuts favor one characteristic over the other, but in a well cut diamond both should be enhanced.

The cut of the diamond refers to the precision and expertise of the finished shaped stone. A good cut can enhance a mediocre quality diamond and a bad cut can literally destroy the value of a good stone. Diamonds are cut in facets, or flat planes. Each should be precisely in alignment. Modern diamonds are always faceted to play up their inherent qualities. Other gems can be rounded like a star sapphire, that particular shape is known as cabochon.

The facets reflect light back through the diamond and causes the glitter and rainbow effect so characteristic of diamonds. Beautifully cut diamonds display the most vivid fire with the least loss of brilliance.

The classic round cut has 58 facets. It allows the most light to be reflected back up through the diamond. The face of the diamond is the flat surface you see when looking directly down at a diamond. It is surrounded by 33 facets. The girdle is the rim around the crown of the diamond. The pavilion is the bottom portion of the diamond and has 24 facets plus the tiny facet at the point of the pavilion called a cutlet.

The crown portion of the diamond should measure 1/3 of the depth of the pavilion. Diamonds are always faceted to play up their inherent qualities. Choosing the right cut can enhance a diamond's color (yes diamonds do come in colors) and hide flaws. A poorly cut diamond can be more prone to shearing or shattering.

Diamonds can be cut to look larger by decreasing the pavilion and increasing the crown. In other words the diamond is broad but shallow.

Small diamonds can be cut with only 17 facets and are known as single cuts. Swiss cut can be used for small diamonds as well and have only 33 facets.

There are other cuts for diamonds. The quadrillion is a square cut known as the princess cut. A round diamond can be cut with 144 facets. And a marquise shaped diamond, (think of a football with pointed ends) can have a dream cut.

The cut of a diamond is one of the four factors that determines the value of the stone.

Diamonds are Valued on Weight

2008-01-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

Contrary to what you might think diamonds aren't valued on how big they are, they're valued on how much they weigh. At least that's one of the factors. The other factors are cut, color, and clarity.

Carat: Diamonds and other precious gems are valued on weight, or carats. A carat is 1/5 of a gram. Sometimes diamonds under a carat are valued in points. One carat is 100 points, so a quarter carat diamond can be referred to as 25 points. Diamonds are not valued on their apparent size, since the size can be either enhanced or diminished by the cut. for example: A broad cut shallow diamond would look larger than a traditional round cut but would weigh the same. The offset to cutting a diamond to look larger is that some brilliance may be lost. Different gemstones have different densities. An emerald is lighter than a diamond and a ruby is heavier. A one carat diamond, one carat emerald, and one carat ruby would be three different sizes if they were all identical shapes and cuts.

The more the diamond weighs the more valuable it is. The price of a diamond is based on carats, but the more the diamond weighs, the higher price it has per carat, all other things being equal, meaning the diamonds are the same in color, cut and clarity. In other words, a one carat diamond may be priced at $10,000 per carat, while a two carat diamond will be priced at $20,000 per carat. The one carat diamond costs $10,000 and the two carat diamond costs four times as much or $40,000. The discrepancy increases the higher the carat weight.

Diamonds of one carat or more can be graded by an independent lab as to the quality of the cut, weight, color, and clarity. The certificate is often available at the diamond seller’s.

When you’re buying a diamond you can choose which factors are more important to you. If you want more carats, you can trade off clarity. If it’s important the color is as close to pure white as possible, you can get a stone weighing less carats, or perhaps one that has a minor, but not visible to the naked eye imperfection. If you want the look of a larger diamond consider clustering 5 or 7 smaller diamonds in the place of larger stone.

Just in case you're interested the largest diamond ever found on earth is the 530 carat Star of Africa, that's about the size of a large chicken egg and was cut from a 3,100 carat rough stone. That stone produces 9 other gem quality diamonds. It resides in the crown jewels in London.

Diamonds: How are They Valued?

2008-01-15T12:18:00.000-08:00

Diamonds: How are They Valued?

Diamonds, Ice, Sparklies, A Girl’s Best Friend: Whatever you call them how are they valued? The four C’s -- Cut, Clarity, Color and Carats. We'll talk about the first three C's here.

Now is Not the Time for Change

2008-01-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

Keep your beauty and makeup routine the same. If you use a new facial scrub you could find out you’re allergic and your skin can look blotchy. The same goes for having a professional facial, unless that's part of your regular beauty regime. Stick with the tried and true, now is not the time to find out that false eyelash glue makes your eyes red.

White and off white colors can wash out your makeup. And so can photography lights. Work with a cosmetician to perfect a makeup that looks natural on you but won't fade. Bring a swatch of your wedding gown with you or better yet, find a Tee shirt that matches your gown and wear it while you are being made up and while you practice the makeup. There are different shades of white, some have a hint of blue, some yellow and some are stark white. Your skin tones will look different against each of these "whites".

Have a practice run at the hair salon and bring your wedding veil and head piece. You might think that an updo will be perfect with your veil only to find out it just doesn't work. Don't make any major changes to your hair for at least three months before the wedding date. You've ordered your gown with one hair style, it won't look the same if you drastically change your style or your color. If you are planning on highlights, low lights, a color gloss, or a glaze, have it done two weeks prior to your wedding. Accidents can happen, the color mix can be off, or the stylists can leave it in too long. Give yourself time to correct any mistakes. Besides sometimes a change in color can seem wrong at first and you need time to adjust.

Wear your wedding shoes around the house for an hour or so a few days before the wedding. New shoes rub. You don't want to limp down the aisle. It's also a good idea to bring a second pair of shoes just in case you break a heel. Your shoes are under your dress and most people won't even notice them.

Buy doubles of all the cosmetics you plan on using for the wedding and pack up a bag to take with you. Include eye makeup remover, cotton swabs, and cotton pads as well. If you wear contact lenses bring an extra pair and any paraphernalia you need. You could also include breath freshener, a needle and thread, hairspray, a few hair pins, and super glue. Do NOT apply the super glue yourself, but it will come in handy if a hem rips, or a noticeable bead pops off your dress. Again have someone else do the gluing the only thing you want to be stuck to on your wedding day is your groom.

Tips to Keep You from Tipping the Scale

2008-01-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

Ask any bride, the weeks leading up to the wedding can be filled with joy, stress, and tension. Sometimes that stress leads to extra eating. After all the fittings you don't want your wedding dress to be too snug. Here are a few tips to help you keep your weight down.

We all know that drinking water is good for you, but can it also help you take off the pounds? Yes if it’s ice water. If you drink an 8 ounce glass of ice cold water, your body burns up 25 calories to get its temperature back to normal. If you drink 8 glasses of ice water a day, you’ll lose a pound a week

Exercise in the morning, not at night. There is evidence that exercise raises your metabolism about 10% for 4 to 6 hours afterwards. If you exercise at night, a portion of the time your metabolism increases is when you’re sleeping. That’s when you burn the least amount of energy. Change your exercise to the morning and that 10% increase will burn off more energy.

Have a cup of soup before dinner. Soup takes longer to eat and fills you up before you get to the main course. Stick with the broth based soups and away from cream soups.

Where ever you drive, park your car at the far end of the parking lot. You will be amazed at the extra walking that squeezes into your day. Extra walking means more calories burned. Of course stay safe, if you’re in a dark neighborhood park close to your destination and under lights.

Take the stairs if you only need to go up a few flights.

Eat a salad 15 minutes before your dinner. It’s takes about 20 minutes for your tummy to signal your brain that it’s full and has had enough food. If you can kick start the timer by having a nice green salad first, you’ll feel fuller faster.

When you eat out, eat half of what’s on your plate: half of the appetizer, half of the salad, half of the entrée, half of desert. Odds are you’ll be just as satisfied and you’ll have cut the calories in half. If you eat out once a day like most people do, you can drop a couple of pounds a week with just this one change.

If you want something to snack on, drink a glass of water. Sometimes the urge to put something in our mouths isn’t hunger but boredom.

Exchange your potato chips, corn chips and other fried snacks for pretzels. The fat content in pretzels is far lower than the other snacks. And you still get the crunch.

Don’t drink fruit juice, eat the whole fruit instead.

Formal or informal: which style is right for you?

2007-12-27T09:46:00.000-08:00

Much of the rigid rules of weddings have been relaxed. Brides can pick the style of their gown without worrying about committing a major faux pas. But there are still a few guidelines. Weddings come in three styles: formal, whether daytime or evening, semi –formal and informal.

Picture a sit down dinner, heavy silver, crystal, classic floral centerpieces and you're probably picturing a formal wedding. A formal wedding gown can be elaborately beaded with seed pearls and crystals, have a long train and intricate embroidery. The veil is flowing and reaches the ground and trails beyond the train of the gown.

The men's attire differs whether the formal wedding takes place during the day or after 6:00 PM. Before 6:00 PM the groom and ushers wear a cutaway coat with tails, sometimes called a morning suit, gray pinstripe trousers, gray vest, black ascot or tie. After 6:00 PM the men wear black tailcoats, matching black pants, white shirt, white vest, and white tie, this is also known as full dress.

It has become acceptable that men can now wear a tuxedo in lieu of a morning suit or full dress for a formal wedding.

Semi-formal wedding gowns are less intricate, have a shorter train or none at all. The fabrics can be lighter as well. The wedding veil for a semi formal wedding can reach the floor but doesn’t extend much beyond that.

Informal wedding gowns are short with no train. If there is a veil it only reaches to the fingertips. Some brides select a headpiece of fresh flowers and forgo the veil completely.

Veils come in many lengths, materials and styles. They can be plain, embroidered with lace, embellished with seed pearls, crystals or silk flowers. The veil should match the color of the gown. If the gown is pure white, the veil should be pure white. If the gown is ivory, the veil should be ivory.

A blusher veil floats just above the shoulders and is appropriate for an informal or semi-formal wedding and short dress. It can also be combined with a longer veil for a formal wedding and brought forward to cover the brides' face, then lifted by the groom after the couple are married.

Elbow length comes to the elbows and is used with shorter informal or semi formal dresses.

Fingertip length reaches the fingers when the arm is held straight down by the side and is usually worn with a long gown with a short train or no train at all.

Waltz length barely skims the floor.

Mantilla is a veil trimmed with lace or all lace worn over the head usually without a head piece.

Cathedral Length is the most formal of the veil styles and extends at least six inches past the train of the dress. The train should be at least three feet long.

Elegant Silk, Taffeta or Velvet?

2007-12-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

Wedding gowns come in many different fabrics but what exactly is a brocade and how is velvet made? Does silk really come from a worm?

Silk is made from the threads spun by silk caterpillars (not worms) as they pupate. The pupate is made from one long thread extruded by the glands of the caterpillar, and wrapped around and around to form the pod. When the caterpillar is finished spinning, their job is done. The pods are dipped in hot water to loosen the thread and kill the caterpillar. The threads are unwound from the pod and rewound on wheels.

The silk strands are wound differently to make different fabrics. For example crepe is produced by multiple strands of silk twisted together in different directions. Orangzine is made by twisting multiple strands of silk together then changing the direction and repeating.

Silk is prized for its suppleness, softness and strength and is the basis for a number of other fabrics.

Satin can be made from silk or rayon. The two sides of the cloth vary dramatically, one side is glossy and smooth and the other flat and dull.

Rayon is a man made fabric produced from natural cellulouse which comes from wood pulp, or other plant matter. It was originally marketed as artificial silk. It has similar draping qualities and is used as an inexpensive substitute for silk.

Velvet has been around for 4000 years. It can be made with silk, cotton or synthetic threads. Two pieces of fabric are placed on a special loom and the threads woven between them piercing both fabrics and looping back and forth. The threads are then cut apart resulting in a napped surface on each of the original fabric pieces. Velvet can be crushed, cut, or designs burned in the fabrics to product patterns.

Brocade is a fabric usually woven from silk that incorporates a design that is raised on some parts of the fabric. Gold and silver threads can be woven into the design as well.

Taffeta fabric's unique characteristic is that it changes color when viewed from different directions. It can be woven from silk or synthetics.

Chiffon is the French word for rag. It can be woven from silk or synthetic materials. The material is transparent and has a floating characteristic. On close examination one can see the threads in the weave as a mesh pattern.

Lace isn't really a type of fabric such as brocade or satin, but a method of weaving designs using thread. The threads can be silk, cotton or synthetic. The designs can be intricate or simple. The lace is woven in an open work pattern. The holes in the open work can be the result of threads removed or can be woven into the design by twisting, braiding or looping other threads in the design.

Weddings on a Shoestring Budget: Fabulous Fall Flowers

2007-10-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

Do you want your wedding to look like a million dollars but you only have a shoestring budget? No problem. Your flowers can be fabulous this fall.

Keep autumn colors in mind when you think about your flowers. Autumn means oranges, russets, deep yellows and gold accented with a pop of purple. Chrysanthemums are a favorite fall flower and can be found at discount prices. Order yours from the grocery store in six inch pots. You can probably find a bargain at less than $10 a pot. Most of the plants will have the pot covered with foil. If that doesn't appeal to you, exchange it for a wrapping of netting, wrapping paper, or fabric. For an extra dollar you can probably have a big fluffy bow added.

You can use the pots to line the aisle, in the entry way, even on the alter, if you're having a church wedding. At $10 a pot you can have a beautiful display of 25 pots for only $250, that's just about what only 5 flower arrangements from a florist would cost.

Take advantage of pumpkins, gourds, apples, nuts, and fall leaves for your table decorations. You can hollow out a medium size pumpkin, insert a glass vase and then pop in a store bouquet of fall colors for a stunning center piece. You may have to carve a thin slice off the bottom of the pumpkin to level it.

Hollow out mini pumpkins and use them as candle holders or fill with a few flowers and march them down the center of a table, alternating with glass candle holders. Fill in with fall leaves, apples and dried flowers. You can also hollow apples and use them as well.

Pumpkins come in an off white color. Paint the stem gold and add gold foil leaves twisted around gold chenille stems for a Cinderella look. Sponge a little of the gold paint on the pumpkin for added glamour. Place white mums in spray painted gold pots accented with a net bow. You can keep the look white and gold or add deep red roses to set off the colors.

You can have fabulous fall flowers for your wedding on a shoestring budget.