Flowers By the Season

Happy Tuesday Budget Brides!

Today we are going to discuss flowers. Flowers are usually a big portion of any wedding day budget probably placing second to the reception. It is very important for you to be knowledgeable about the types of flowers that you want to have for your wedding ceremony, bridal party & reception. You want to make sure that whatever flower or combination of flowers you choose to use for your wedding day is in season for your location. For example, Tulips are available in the East, Midwest & South during the Spring, in the West during the Spring and Winter. Purchasing flowers that are not in season is very costly because your florist will have to get those flowers brought in out of state which increases the price of the flowers. While if you choose flowers that are in-season, they will be locally grown & cost you less money.
Below you will find a listing of flowers by season:

Spring Season
Apple or cherry blossoms
Daffodils
Dogwoods
Forsythia branches
Foxglove
Hyacinth
Iris
Larkspur
Lilies
Lilacs
Lily of the Valley
Pansies
Peonies
Ranunculus
Rose
Snapdragon
Stars of Bethlehem
Statice
Sweet Peas
Tulips
Viburnum
Violet

Summer Season
Asiatic Lily
Asters
Calla Lilies
Clematis
Cosmo
Dahlias
Daisies
Delphinium
Geraniums
Gerbera daisy
Hydrangeas
Iris
Jacobs Ladder
Larkspur
Queen Anne’s Lace
Pansy
Roses
Shasta daises
Stock
Sunflower
Tuberose
Viburnum
Violet
Zinnias

Fall Season
Asters
Chrysanthemums
Coreopsis
Cosmo
Dahlia
Delphinium
Gerbera daisies
Hydrangea
Marigolds
Phlox
Roses
Scabiosa
Sunflowers
Zinnias

Winter Season
Amaryllis
Camellias
Forget-me-nots
Forsythia
Hydrangea
Holly
Jasmine
Orchids
Poinsettias
Rose

Budget Brides Tip: To get more information on which flowers are suitable in which season geographic area please visit Bliss Weddings.

Images from The Knot

Uniquity Invitations: Get Invitations You LOVE in 5 Steps

Happy Monday Budget Brides!

I hope you all had a great weekend. Today we're going to spotlight Uniquity Invitations.

Perfect Pear Invitation

Uniquity Invitations is a company that has the budget conscience bride in mind by providing templates of wedding invitations and accessories that can be purchased through the company's website and printed on the Bride's home computer potentially saving the bride hundreds of dollars. What's great about Uniquity Invitiations is that once you pick the invitation that you desire you can customize the color and wording of the invitation to your specifications. This company makes the process of printing your own invitations so easy by providing a list of instructions and materials to complete your project. The template package includes matching invite, rsvp, place cards, favor tags, table numbers, menus and programs all just for $79.

Follow these 5 Steps to get invitations you LOVE:

1. Once you have visited the website, choose the invitation that you would love to have for your wedding.

2. When at the ordering page choose of all of the necessary components you will need for specific wedding and make your purchase.

3. After your purchase you will receive an email with the PDF of your chosen template for you to edit.

4. Once you have received the PDF template make the neccessary font and color changes to customize your wedding invitation.

5. Finally print the invitations and cut accordingly.

Budget Brides Tip: Typically, wedding invitiations from a one-stop shop can be very expensive since you are paying the company for their creative and the production cost that it takes to create the invitations.

Get a FREE Save-the-Date template from Uniquity Invitations by signing up for their newsletter.

Below are more invitations that we love:

Grace Invitation

Grace Invitation Detail

Hailey Invitation

Hailey Invitation Detail

Sand Invitation

Images from Uniquity Invitations

Cottage Living Article: Garden Wedding on a Budget

Here is an article that I found on CottageLiving.com that gives ideas on executing a Garden Wedding on a budget.

Top 10 Budget-saving Ideas for a Garden Wedding

Get the low-down on having a low-cost but beautiful event.
By Linda Facci


1. Charge it Connect your MP3 player to outdoor speakers instead of hiring a band or DJ. Besides saving money, you’ll have complete control over the music being played.
2. Don’t forget to have and to hold your flowers, tooBuy them at a local market and make your own bouquet. Choose varieties in season and create simple arrangements for the tables. (Don’t pick apart your own garden; you want it to be as lush as ever for your wedding day.)
3. Point and shootHave a shutterbug friend or family member use a digital camera to catch the special moments. Sharing time and talent makes a great gift—and deserves one in exchange.
4. Do yourself a favorPurchase boxes of sparklers, then handwrite place cards and tie them to each box with a pretty ribbon. These also become tokens that will light up the night.
5. Be for the birdsInstead of tossing rice (which can harm birds), fill a decorative container with birdseed. Your guests can grab handfuls. They’ll feed your garden and your feathery friends at the same time.
6. Don’t get stuck on a deserted aisleMake a special entrance: create a pretty, natural aisle with a border of cobblestones or flowering potted plants.
7. Light up your lifeString white lights around trees and on top of arbors and pergolas. Place candles in dark areas. They make any night starry and magical.
8. Let them eat cupcakesServe an assortment on a tiered stand for your wedding cake. Top each little treat with an edible flower. The different flavors and icing will satisfy everyone, and clean-up will be a breeze.
9. Toast the knotCreate a signature drink and make a huge batch of it. Or keep it simple with beer, wine, and champagne (plus a few nonalcoholic options). Store in a barrel or large steel bucket filled with ice. Guests can serve themselves.
10. Make your event fan-tastic!If you choose to have an outdoor wedding in summer, keep colorful paper fans on hand as a fun and practical favor that your guests are sure to appreciate.

Image & Information from CottageLiving.com

Pantone Color Report: 10 Must Have Colors for Fall 09

Happy Friday Budget Brides!

Spring is looming near and summer is still a farway dream but Pantone has already released their Top 10 Fall Colors. Many of you are probably planning a fall wedding so here is some assistant in the color area. I saw a post about this on twitter from Fashion Tribes and I thought it would only be right to do a post of my own to share it with all of you.

Click image to get full report

Check back on Monday for our full week of 10 Must Have Fall Colors Look for Less...

A wonderful balanced, true red, speaks to the need for cohesiveness. Perfect for all skin tones, American Beauty is a feel-good color. Pair it with Purple, Cream, Mustard, Turquoise, Ocean Blue, Green & Black.

A sense of refinement and sensuality, adding a air of creativity and excitement. Pair it with Yellow, Sapphire Blue, Dusty Purple, Pumpkin Orange Spice, Honey Maple Beige.

A golden variation of the color of the year (Mimosa), Honey Yellow is warmer & more subdued. Pair it with Jade, Peacock Blue, Purple Heart and Pink Freeze.

Strong yet understated color which will serve as the new black. Pair it with Gold, Navy and Chocolate Brown.

A deepened, earthy shade of orange, reminiscent of an autumn sunset. Pair it with Nomad, Rapture Rose, Brick Red, Chocolate Brown, Sank, Gold, Khaki and Caramel.

Bridges the gap between biege & light grey which also speaks to the need for timeless neutrals. Pair it with warm biege, rich brown, deep jade, Raspberry Punch, Mulberry, Marigold, Plum and Rothko Red.

Captures the vibrancy of fuschia and the softness of pink. Pair it with black, pink, Desert Blossom Yellow and Vernal Clover Green.

A rich yellow-green which adds a touch of elegance and sophistication making all colors come to life when paired. Pair it with Majolica Blue, Warm Red, Creamy Brown, Fiery Red Poinsetta, Charcoal, White, Cobalt, Terra Cotta and Vibrant Fushica.

A deep mysterious teal blue with more vibrancy than the usual Navy. Pair it with Burnt Sienna, Purple Heart, Grass Green, Magenta, Pink Sand & Black Iris.

A grayed-down biege when paired with other colors can stand alone or serve as an anchor. Pair it with Amber, Violet, Caramel, Ebony, White, Fuchsia, Lilac, Grape, Burnt Orange and Electric Blue.

Post inspiration from Fashion Tribes and color information from Pantone.com

Bridesmaids Dresses for a Garden Party

Happy Hump Day Budget Brides!

Garden Weddings are definitely a trend that we see more and more as we get into the warmer months. Most brides are not daring enough to add florals to their bridesmaid dresses. However, here are some images of both floral & solid color dresses perfect for a Garden Party. The focus colors are Lavender and Yellow. Lavender is always a soft color that will bring just the right amount of softness to any wedding and yellow adds an unexcepted punch of color. By the way Bluefly.com is running a 15% off evening dresses sale perfect for bridesmaid dresses. All of the dresses below are under $300.

Maggy London Strapless Bead Bodice Dress $168.00

Slub Silk Penelope Dress $285


BCBG Maz Azria $159.79

Nicole Miller $204.00


Vera Wang Lavender Label $275.40

Karen Zambos Vintage Couture $122.39

Images courtsey of Bluefly, Nordstrom & JCrew

Real Wedding of Kevin & Shanna Live from Mexico

Happy Hump Day!
So I am finally back from my much needed vacation and you know I have some juicy souvenirs from my travels. I was sitting on the beach at the Sandos Playacar Resort & Spa in Riveria Maya and my bestie Nicole calls over to me that a wedding is in progress on the other side of the fence. So you know I had to go over and check it out. It was the wedding of Kevin & Shanna. The Bride looked amazing in her beachy wedding dress and the groom look so clam & cool in his white shirt and khakis.
I was able to shoot three videos so take a look.


Real Wedding of Kevin & Shanna Pt 1


Real Wedding of Kevin & Shanna Pt 2


Real Wedding of Kevin & Shanna Pt 3
If you are looking to have a beach wedding it is a wonderful idea. It can be very personal and intimate for you and a few family and friends. There were about 20 to 30 people at Kevin & Shanna's wedding. I thought that it was very romantic for them, you could really feel the love that they shared. So whether you have a beach wedding in your hometown or at a destination keep it real simple and all about you as a couple.
*Budget Brides Tip: Looking for a way to cut down on your guest review the prospect of having a destination wedding. Destination weddings are a great way to have your family and friends support you on your special day. It will also cut your guest list down because not everyone is going to be able to afford the trip. Video of Kevin & Shanna filmed at Sandos Playacar Resort & Spa

Emplume: A New Spin on the Wedding Bouquet

In our constant mission to bring our Budget Brides new, innovative and exciting products to our Budget Brides we have found the perfect alternative to a flower bouquet. Emplume specializes in making bouquets from feathers while adding Swarovoski crystals, rhinestones, pearls and ribbon to complete the look. These bouquets are beautiful and definitely serve as an eco-friendly alternative to the traditional bouquet. Check out the images below for a sampling of their work.

Here is a blurb from the Emplume website about the cost of these beautiful bouquets.

WHAT'S AN AVERAGE COST?

All Emplume bouquets are custom made so cost can vary widely. Nearly all of the bridal bouquets shown in our gallery are priced from $150.00 - $450.00. Maid bouquets are $100.00 - $175.00, and boutonnieres/corsages are $20.00 - $45.00.

A few things that will affect cost of your bouquet are the style and amount of jewels (Swarovski crystals, rhinestones, pearls, etc.) style and type of ribbon used, and the overall size of your bouquet.

Images from Emplume

The Budget Brides Handbook Shop

Save 10% off Winter Theme Merchandise

So your having a winter theme wedding and you cannot find the wedding favors that you. Well don't look any further The Budget Brides Handbook Shop is offering 10% off Winter Theme Merchandise. See below for a sample of the winter themed merchandise that we carry and click any image to go to our online shop.

Click here to preview our entire line of winter themed merchandise

DIY - The Welcome Bag

The welcome bag is an esstenial for destinations weddings or when inviting out of town guests to your wedding. These bags give you the oppoortunity to supply your guest with an itinerary of events occuring throughout the duration of the wedding celebration, provides phone numbers of designated people in case of emergency or questions and gives them a list of local attractions to visit when they have some down time. You can also add a favor into your welcome bag. For example, if your having your wedding at a vineyard you can include wine bottle stoppers in your welcome bags.

Custom welcome bags can become expensive when most vendors are asking you to at least purchase 250+ bags from them plus you have to pay a plate charge for them to make your message custom for your bags. Here are a few tips to help you purchase at a minimal cost or DIY. To purchase at a minimal cost look for companies who sell welcome bags with a set of pre-determined templates. Usually a company will offer you about 5 to 6 templates to choose from and you can just give them the specifics in terms of your name & wedding date. This works out to be cheaper for you because the vendor is not creating a whole new template they are just adding your information to it. The Budget Brides Handbook Shop is currently offering a 10% discount on all purchases off welcome bags when you use promo code 3512TEN from now till October 31st.

You can also create your own welcome bags. Here are the following items that you will need.

Paper Shopping Bag
Sticker with you and your fiance's name on it including the wedding date
(you can also opt to use a design)
Ribbon (Color theme of wedding)
Favor
Itinerary
Emergency numbers

Info on Local Attractions & Maps

Paper Bags: A good place to purchase your paper bags is http://www.nashvillewraps.com/

Stickers: From Rhinestone Monogram Stickers to Personalized Labels & Tags http://www.weddingfavorites.com/ is a good place to start looking

See Below for suggestions on paper, maps and favors.

For the itinerary and emergency phone number cards you can go to your local stationary store or online store and purchase sheets of cardstock paper so that you can create these items at home. Kate's Paperie & Papyrus here in NYC are both havens for brides who are looking for paper for their special day.

You can also purchase travel maps for your out of town guests so they can navigate their way around the city you choose to celebrate your special day. Emapstore.com and maps.com are 2 websites where I have found maps starting at $4.95 & up. Another way of cutting costs is to ask the hotel that you have chosen for your guest to stay in if they will provide maps free of charge for your guests. Sometimes the front desk of many hotels will have maps to help there guest when they have travel questions.

Lastly, the welcome bag favor should be something small and relate to the theme of your wedding. Having a winter wedding place a snowflake bookmark or coffee cup candles in the bag to represent the time of the year. You can find tons of favors for your Welcome Bag at The Budget Brides Handbook Shop.

Questions: Email me at info@thebudgetbrideshandbook.com